On a trip to Cebu in the Philippines, I was inspired by the indigenous fabrics at Anthill Fabric Gallery. I love the tribal designs and the vibrant colors. I love even more that the textiles are still made by artisans on antique wooden looms. What's even more impressive is that the artisans are Philippine hill tribe mothers supporting their families, while keeping a native tradition alive.

Anthill collaborates with designers to create demand for these fabrics, supporting the artisans, their craftsmanship, and their traditions. It's a cause I believe in and makes me feel proudly Filipino. I never thought I would design a line but here I am, jumping in with both feet.

These fabrics are commonly used for home goods such as table runners and placemats, so I decided to use them unconventionally. I wanted to make clothes out of them. Toddler clothes, to be specific. The fabrics motivated to look back at indigenous Filipinos, and ati-atihan was what came to mind first. Ati-atihan is a festival celebrating the Ati people, who are believed to be one of the earliest settlers in the Philippines. Ati-atihan costumes are dramatic, wild, energetic, and tribal. It's an unusual inspiration for a toddler line, I'll admit, but that's what makes it interesting.

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textiles from Anthill Fabric Gallery and Silahis

Big news! Sugarcane is designing a mini toddler line!

Who? Why? Wha?

On a trip to Cebu in the Philippines, I was inspired by the indigenous fabrics at Anthill Fabric Gallery. I love the tribal designs and the vibrant colors. I love even more that the textiles are still made by artisans on antique wooden looms. What's even more impressive is that the artisans are Philippine hill tribe mothers supporting their families, while keeping a native tradition alive.

Anthill collaborates with designers to create demand for these fabrics, supporting the artisans, their craftsmanship, and their traditions. It's a cause I believe in and makes me feel proudly Filipino. I never thought I would design a line but here I am, jumping in with both feet.


Anthill Fabric Gallery
Pedro Calomarde St.
Gorordo Ave., Lahug, Cebu City
Philippines 6000

The Silahis Center
744 Calle Real del Palacio (Gen. Luna)
Intramuros 1002, Manila
Philippines

I got my inspiration for this project when we were visiting various daycares. One of the daycare providers said that she asks all parents to provide pictures of themselves, so that the kids can look at their parents' pictures if they miss them. At that point, I knew I would include our pictures in Amelia's daycare bag, whether the daycare we chose asked for them or not. However, I wanted to give her something more durable than a printed photo (Amelia is notorious for tearing paper), so I decided to make a mama doll/dada doll.

I got printer fabric from the fabric store.

I printed out a photo of Marc on one sheet and myself on another sheet.

I ironed the prints to set the ink

I sewed the prints on duck cloth and then sewed the prints together facing each other. The bottom was left open so it could be stuffed.

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This is what it looks like turned inside out. It was stuffed with batting and the bottom was sewn close.

The finished product.

It's like I'm an action figure. Haha. Happy back-to-school!

We spent a lot of time at beaches and pools this spring from Manila to Cebu, Boracay to Palawan, and Burbank to Bali. Seeing my 5-year old nephews Kai and Hoops swimming on their own was such a joy. I marveled at how quickly they learned and how much fun they had in the water. I figured it's time for Amelia to learn how to swim too.


We've been attending a toddler class once a week since June at La Petite Baleen in Atherton, where babies as young as a month old learn to swim. The first couple of session were very light. We were basically just in the pool to get the kids comfortable in the water and get acquainted with the swim instructor. We learned songs and rhymes that we've repeated every week since, in order for the kids to learn the routine and know what to expect. Kids and routines!

"Hold your ribbon, Amelia." At the end of her first lesson, she got a ribbon officially declaring her a whale and a "Save the Humans, Learn to Swim" tee.

Ready for swim class

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Learning about propulsion with the "Kids in the Pool" song

Next we learned submersions, where kids learn to hold their breath and close their eyes and mouth when the go under water. Amelia was a natural at that. She mastered "textbook la Petite Baleen submersion" the first time we tried it, according to Teacher Kevin. She is a survivor. Haha.


Then the kids started to wear goggles and fins, which are part of lessons going forward. The theory behind the goggles is, if they can see underwater then they can orient themselves and learn faster. And the fins help their little feet propel. We skipped a couple of lessons because of a cold one week and then we were in LA the following week, and she regressed a little bit. She wasn't jumping in the water or swimming to the instructor as readily as before.

Going through the tunnel

Kids have to get comfortable being on their backs, which is their most vulnerable position. If they know how to float on their backs, they can keep themselves from drowning.

Sit jump

Swimming to the steps

All done

This week, I've started to let her go in the water and have her swim to the stairs. I think she was mad at me for letting her go. Haha. After 2 months of lessons at 20 months old, she is starting to swim. We're both looking forward to ongoing lessons as our endless summer continues.


La Petite Baleen
60 5th Ave.
Redwood City, CA 94063


Photo credit: Ricci Sylla

Hey, you. Yeah, I’m talking to you.

The red barn is where the baby goats, chickens, roosters, rabbits, ducks, chickens and pigs live. This is Hilda Mae Heifer.

Baby goats playing. Big pigs sleeping and little Amelia peeking.

Old MacDonald had a farm and we went to visit it.

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California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Dr.
San Francisco, CA 94118

Eleanor turns 1 and celebrates with a peach festival!

How did we come up with the theme? Worth (Eleanor's mom) didn't want a prefab birthday party so Ricci suggested doing a color theme. Somewhere along the way we picked up that Sam (Eleanor's dad) likes peaches. Peach is a color. It's peach season. Voila! a peach-colored peach festival.

When I said I'll take you through my party planning process on a previous post, I meant I'll show you the plan and then the finished product. Haha. I really meant to show a little bit more of what goes into it but time just ran away from me and my event co-planner Ricci. It was something of a mad dash to get things done the morning of the party. Shhh, don't tell our "clients." Haha.

Nothing beats a grand setting. I think this peach festival turned out beautifully in large part due to Sam and Worth's gorgeous backyard, which is Sunset Magazine-worthy. Check it out.

I designed the invitation, Sam printed, and Worth mailed them.

Welcome to the party! Here's the sign I made an hour before the party. There's Sam on the grill.

This garland was finished and hung right when the party started. Talk about 'behind schedule.'

newborn, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months,

6 months, 7 months, 8 months, 9 months, 10 months, 11 months,

12 months old

Sam's grilled shrimp with peach salsa. Peaches and teriyaki chicken on the grill.

Ice cold sparkling juice and peach sangria are perfect for a sunny day.

Worth made peach water for kids and peach sangria for parents. Haha.

the dessert table

The peach filled cupcakes with peach icing were baked by Ricci, iced and decorated minutes before the party.

Happy 1st Birthday!

pretty baby and pretty mom

Eleanor's first cupcake

We think she liked it.

Favors. Please take one. Worth assembled the jellybean-filled popsicles.

Ricci ordered the peach cookies and berry boxes online.

Thanks for coming to the party!


Photo credit: Ricci Sylla