Michi Photostory

Since I love teddy bears, I decided to create a few projects around that theme. What began as a simple idea turned into a delightful collection of birthday gift stickers, a personalized card, and papercrafts. 

This vintage-style teddy bear is part of Craft with Sarah’s Advent Calendar 2024. I didn’t purchase the full Advent Calendar, so I waited patiently until the file became available on her website. As soon as I saw it, I downloaded it using my credits. To make the most of my 12x12 cardstock, I ended up creating two versions. 

Two months ago, we attended a birthday party, and I needed a gift sticker, so I decided to make my own! I used my favorite Bear Birthday Party Clipart to design it. I only needed one, but since I didn’t want to waste sticker paper, I made a few extra pieces. I printed and manually cut the stickers. 

I found this Teddy Bear Card design absolutely adorable—I just had to make it! I only wish I had some light brown cardstock like the one I used for my Vintage Teddy Bear project. It would’ve matched perfectly. 

I always try to use up my paper scraps, so I’m constantly on the lookout for designs that can be cut in smaller sizes. These two bear designs by Digital Gems were perfect for that. They’re small, simple, and so much fun to put together. 

Since I was celebrating my birthday on a budget, I wanted to make the day special without going overboard on expenses. So, I started looking for good dining deals and promotions, and I found a few options that I want to try. 

Some of the promos I found required a minimum of 4 guests, but we’re just a family of three, so I was glad to discover that The Café at Hyatt Regency only required a minimum of 2 guests. Their discount was 30% off, which may not be the biggest, but it worked for us. A week before my birthday, my husband called the hotel to reserve a table. 

Breakfast (6:30 AM to 11:00 AM) – PHP 1,400 

Lunch (12:00 NN to 3:00 PM) – PHP 1,950 

Dinner (5:30 PM to 11:00 PM) – PHP 3,150 

How time flies! After ten years, we finally revisited City of Dreams. The last time we were here was also for my birthday. We visited DreamPlay back then, parang anak ko yung may birthday! Hehehe!

We arrived at The Café just five minutes before 12NN, and there was already a long line. But they let guests in right on time. 

All seats were already pre-reserved, so even if you arrive early, you can’t change tables. The Café can accommodate 315 guests, and during our visit, the place was almost full. Because of that, I only managed to take a few photos of the buffet spread. 

The Cafe has different stations such as Italian Kitchen, Carving Station, Flame and Skewer, Mexican Fiesta, Maki Bar, Fresh Catch on Ice, Asian Noodle Bar, Taste of India, Crispy & Crunchy, and Sweet Endings. They also have live cooking stations, which make the experience more interactive. 

I explored the different stations, and I was a little bit disappointed because they don’t have steak and ebi tempura. Ito kasi yung favorite ko sa mga buffet and hindi avaialable. 

After our food trip, I looked up more information and found this on the City of Dreams website: “Chef’s Carving Station - a daily highlight from our rotating selection of one premium meat or one fresh seafood”. Waah! 

Meat: Roasted Pork Loin, Roasted Whole Chicken, Lechon Belly Roll, Slow-Roasted Brisket. 

Seafood: Shrimp, Fish 

One meat or one seafood lang so I can’t help but compare it to Cucina by Marco Polo na marami choices sa Carving Station. But I’m happy with the Lechon Belly Roll, masarap ito. 

Among the stations, I focused on Carving Stations, Flame & Skewer, and Fresh Catch on Ice. These had the most satisfying selections for me. 

To top it all off, the staff surprised all birthday celebrants with a birthday cake, complete with a candle and a birthday song. Now I understand, bakit hindi pwedeng magpalipat ng table. hehehe! Kasi per section yung kanta nila so nung turn ko, 3 kaming sabay-sabay na binigyan ng cake and kinantahan.

When the staff brought us the bill, she mentioned that we could stay until 3:00 PM, but since we were already full, we left before 2:00 PM.

As always, I kept my birthday simple and intimate; just me and my little family of three. I didn’t need a crowd or a big party to celebrate, just great food, a cozy setting, and each other. 

This birthday reminded me that luxury is not always about how much you spend, it’s about how you feel. And on that day, I felt happy, content, and loved. Here’s to more joyful celebrations, smart spending, and memories that last way beyond the bill! 

Ground Floor, Hyatt Regency Manila, City of Dreams 

Aseana Avenue corner Roxas Boulevard, 

Entertainment City Parañaque, Manila 1701 

Tel:+63 2 8691 1234 ext. 1163 

Email: HyattTheCafe@cod-manila.com

I remembered when I posted the birthday cards I made for my husband on my social media, and someone commented, “Uso pa ba ang birthday cards?” and I said, “Yes, uso pa sa amin.” Well, for me, nothing beats handwritten cards, lalo na hindi naman mahilig magpost sa social media yung mag-ama ko.

Creating birthday cards with a Cricut is more than just crafting; it’s about sharing joy, creativity, and a personal touch that digital messages can’t replicate. Whether it’s for a friend, family member, or coworker, a handmade card shows you went the extra mile. 

This A2 Birthday Cake Box Card is from the Printable Cuttable Creatables website. I love how easy it is to cut and assemble. Plus, it’s customizable! I made this one for my goddaughter. 

I cut these Birthday Gnomes using my Cricut Maker, and I used my Sizzix to emboss the background. It was also my first time using the Lindy’s Gang Under the Sea Shaker Set. These are the cards that my husband and son gave me for my birthday. 

The next six cards are all from Craft with Sarah and are ready-to-make SVG files. They're beautifully designed and easy to personalize!

Happy Birthday Greetings Card 

Birthday Car Card 

Autumn Birthday Greetings Card 

Now I have so many birthday cards ready to go, all thanks to my Cricut machine. It truly makes it easy to turn paper into something memorable.

So even though I'm not very good at coloring, I truly enjoy adding color to my handmade cards. There's something special about watching a simple design come to life with just a few strokes of color. Even if my shading or blending isn't perfect, the process itself feels relaxing and creative. That’s why I’ve ended up making a lot of cards over time! 

Last year, I turned my Teachers’ Appreciation Cards SVG files into coloring cards because I wanted to use my Ohuhu markers. I enjoyed the process so much that, ever since then, whenever I come across an insert card design, I try to convert it into a coloring card.

Just this month, I blogged about one of my latest projects: a DIY Gnome Birthday Card over at the Printable Cuttable Creatables website. In that post, I shared how I made three different cards using Gnome Birthday Insert Card SVG File.

After finishing that project, I was inspired to download more insert card designs from the Printable Cuttable Creatables website—and I ended up making eight more cards for different occasions!

Coloring handmade cards is not about being perfect, so don’t worry about your skill level—just enjoy the process and let your creativity shine. After all, it's the effort and love behind each stroke that truly makes a card special. 

If you'd like to recreate this project, you can download the files from Printable Cuttable Creatables and use code MICHIPS15 for 15% off.  

Here are some of the birthday cake toppers I’ve gifted over the past few months: 

Font: Billion Dreams