Angels And Blossoms

40!

2012-01-06T20:57:00.002+01:00

Forty today, yay,
no time to blog,
I'm celebrating,
will get back to you later!

Weekly Gratitude - Expanded!

2011-12-26T23:50:00.005+01:00

Considering my current blogging presence, this is most likely my last post this year. So let me make the most of it! Therefore, I'm not expressing my weekly gratitude this time, I'll expand it into the entire year's worth. So, some of the things I've been grateful for this year:

- my family, the immediate and the expanded one, and the fact that we've all reached the end of the year (relatively) healthy
- the fact that oh so many years ago (23!) I found my soulmate and best friend, my husband
- the wonderful period in our lives, seeing our two children grow up from day to day (sometimes they're too smart for their own good, if you ask me...)
- the first half of the year when I had more time to be creative and managed to spend more time on my blog
- the second half of the year which brought many challenging tasks - and they were all mastered with flying colours!
- our new home - I felt cosy and really at home in our house the very first night we slept here
- all of you, again, my dear blogging friends - you allow me to travel the world without actually leaving the house (even though, every now and then, I wouldn't mind having a cup of tea with you in person... in your living room, perhaps...?)
- the fact that my husband & I actually managed to leave the house and flew to London for the weekend back in June; it felt great to be 'home' again
- our lazy and peaceful Christmas, with my two children singing at our local church - so sweet!
- my little girl's first solo performance - goodness me, she was so proud!
- once again, our friends - I'm really looking forward to spending New Year's Eve with them!

P.S.: In case this really is my last post this year - in 2012 I wish you much love and health and happiness and pretty little things to make your hearts sing... and for myself, I sincerely wish to have some more blogging opportunities! See you next year, then!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-12-19T23:50:00.002+01:00

This week, my dear friends, I'm really grateful for:

- the fact that I can find at least one evening a week to visit my own blog and actually write something
- my little girl's 'Open Door Day' at her ballet class
- my boy's upcoming piano recitals (two in a row!)
- my husband working from home every now and then
- last Friday's Christmas shopping with my Mum
- the most wonderful Christmas crafting book (thank you so much for the idea, Lucy!)

Weekly Gratitude

2011-12-12T23:20:00.002+01:00

This week I'm very much grateful for:

- wooly scarves and mittens and gloves and hats, great for fighting the cold
- our busy, busy lives - we can manage everything as long as we're healthy!
- pretty little things (again) that make our busy lives easier to manage
- my crochet cushion covers, finally finished after several months...
- my darling new little grey coat with bright red buttons (an early birthday present from me to me, found in Bratislava; pictures to follow!)

Weekly Gratitude

2011-12-05T22:41:00.006+01:00

Well, it appears that my Monday gratitude posts are the only thing left I can actually manage on my blog. What is happening? Where did I find the time for (almost) daily posts not so very long ago? These days I'm jumping with joy if I can actually read some of your blogs, I'm totally extatic if there's a second available to write a short comment, and that's about it. Does this happen when you're a month and a day away from forty? Do share, please... And may I add how happy I am to read all your comments on my random thoughts!

So, today I'm totally and utterly and completely grateful for:

Photo source: Wikipedia

- four days spent in Slovakia's capital, Bratislava, where our choir attended a festival of advent music
- the rather unexpected SILVER medal won at the said festival!!!!!
- the absolutely fabulous time we had in Bratislava
- all my friends at the choir, lovely people and great party animals...
- the delicious Slovak food (am I allowed to mention the drink as well? I'm grateful for that too...)
- the beautiful sights we got to see, despite the lousy weather, including this unbelievable Blue Church
- the fact that my beloved husband joined the party as well (his joining the choir was his early gift for my 40th birthday!)

Weekly Gratitude

2011-11-28T21:32:00.005+01:00

Yay, it's Monday again, and this week I'm saying thank you for:

- books (in general)
- languages (English in particular, I absolutely adore it)
- being able to work from home (again)
- the lovely sunny day today, despite the cold
- small mercies, like morning school walks with my girl!

Blossoms & Tweed & Cheep-Cheep

2011-11-24T19:02:00.003+01:00

The last one from the old-outfit lot. Oooold! Still at our flat, which was over a month ago (and let's be honest, for an outfit to be blogged about, that's old). I liked it, though, and wanted to share it.

I'm wearing:

- shoes - Slovenian brand, bought at the local shoe shop about fifteen years ago; the shoe shop no longer exists...
- (double) tights - local store
- dress - Benetton
- rollneck - Dorothy Perkins
- jacket - InWear
- scarf - Benetton
- bird brooch - hand-made by my friend Marysia

A very happy Thanksgiving to all American bloggers!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-11-21T21:50:00.002+01:00

This week, my dear blogging friends, I'm grateful for:

Picture: source

- you!
- my upcoming meeting with best friend
- celebrating my friend's 40th birthday last Friday (we watched 'Johnny English 2'!)
- my friends' phone calls
- friendly strangers

Nothing But Favourites

2011-11-17T22:15:00.003+01:00

Another favourite! From a few weeks ago, sorry, but what with all my working projects it took me a while to get round to posting it. Apart from the photo below, featured in one of my gratitude posts...

I absolutely adore this outfit. The textures, the colours, the accessories, the lot. I love the thick black tights and the chic flats. I love my old jeans skirt and black roll-neck (can't be seen, actually). I love my tweedy jacket and Harris Tweed bag. And, last but not least, I loooove my Mum's Laura Ashley scarf, my pink beret and my birdie brooch!

I'm wearing:

- flats - local boutique
- tights - local supermarket
- skirt - ek jeans
- roll-neck - Dorothy Perkins
- jacket - InWear
- scarf - Laura Ashley (borrowed from my Mum)
- beret - Seeberger
- bag - BlackHouse bags
- brooch - hand-made by Marysia

Oh, and I love the sun!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-11-14T20:21:00.003+01:00

On this sunny yet incredibly cold November Monday I'm extremely grateful for:

- the prettiest bird in the world, Bibury, which 'flew in' from Britain last week; thank you so much, Gretel!
- my new favourite brooch, from Britain, of course; thank you so much, Vanessa!
- parties, parties and more parties last weekend; thank you, friends!
- my lovely neighbours, always ready to help; thank you, Marysia!
- any housework I manage to do these days; thank you, Time!

Alison's Gift

2011-11-13T22:35:00.003+01:00

I'm about two months behind the whole thing but since I did say thank you at the time I guess it's not too late to present this lovely surprise from my dear blogging friend Alison.

This lovely surprise package couldn't have reached me at a more appropriate time - my husband had just broken his both arms and I was caught in the middle of an extensive and demanding translating project.

So what can be better than a packet of precious Harris Tweedy goodies all the way from Scotland? Not much, if you ask me! Add a little dress-up doll and some Liberty fabric on top and you've got me!

Just look at all these lovely colours and patterns - and the crafting possibilities, endless!

As I'd already purchased two similar dolls from Alison she kindly decided to send me another one so that I can dress her myself. Being the kindest person there is, she provided the clothing material as well. So, ta-dah...

Quite fancy, don't you think?

I've already managed to make some other little projects with the Harris Tweed scraps, but that's for another post. Until then! And thank you so much once again, Alison!

An Outfit (Well, Two, Actually)

2011-11-11T21:24:00.003+01:00

At long last an outfit (two outfits!) post again. You can tell it's from ages ago because
a) it's taken at our flat, and we moved three and a half weeks ago, and
b) I'm not wearing as much as I am these days - it's getting so cooold!

This is an awfu lot of pictures, but I like picking out details these days, so bear with me, please.

I love grey even though it seems boring and sad at first. With a few shots of pink and green, I think it's a happy colour! Well, almost anything pink and green is happy in my book...

I found these grey flats at our local shoe shop which I don't wander into very often, but every now and then there's a delightful pair of footwear waiting just for me! Or so I like to believe :)

I'm wearing:

- flats - local boutique
- tights - NKD
- skirt - Boden
- grey top - H&M
- pink top - Mexx
skinny leather belt - H&M
- jacket - InWear
- scarf - local boutique
- corsage - H&M
- leather bag - Zara

Another picture of my blog title - Angels & Blossoms...

And here's outfit number two!

She knows what to do in front of the camera,
she's seen Mummy too many times, oh dear...

Oh, how I love this girl! And her big brother, of course!

My girl is wearing:

- boots - H&M
- tights - local supermarket
- dress - Benetton (birthday present!)
- cardigan - H&M

Happy weekend, dear friends!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-11-07T22:10:00.002+01:00

This week, my friends, I'm grateful for small mercies:

- our first weeks in the house together as a family (today my husband started work again after three months away - summer holiday plus sick-leave - or better put: broken-arms-leave)
- my health (no small mercy, actually)
- our family trip to the capital last Saturday
- lovely weather last weekend, even though only so slightly unusual for the beginning of November
- colourful leaves
- my walk & jog today

Fancy A Giveaway?

2011-11-06T18:46:00.003+01:00

Not here at my blog, unfortunately (hopefully soon, though!), but there are two absolutely wonderful giveaways hosted out in the blogosphere, by two lovely ladies and my dear blogging friends, Alison and Jenny.

I realise I'm slightly behind time, as the giveaways were announced a few days ago, but they're still open, so do take your chance - even though mine are decreasing by this announcement...

I really, really love the goodies to be won, and a selfless person that I am, I'm spreading the word! So, do check Alison's and Jenny's blog and leave a comment! And keep your fingers crossed!!!

Current Reading & Favourite Books

2011-11-04T15:46:00.006+01:00

Hi, everyone, it's been a long time! Another translating job done, hopefully I'll have some time for myself now... :) As I've mentioned in my last Gratitude Post I do follow your blogs regularly, I just don't invest much time into comments when I have deadlines to meet.

I've just checked Franca's blog and her topic really appealed to me - reading! I've told you before that I can't imagine life without books and I'm always ready to share my current bedside (and any other side, for that matter) read. As a voracious reader, I have a list of favourite books as well, naturally. So, here goes:

- at the moment I'm reading 'The Miracle of Grace' by the contemporary Irish author Kate Kerrigan. It's a brilliant book about mother-daughter relationship, highly recommended for all mums and daughters out there!

- before 'Grace' I again spent a considerable amount of time re-reading Agatha Christie's books. What can I say? I'm a fan.

- another great book which I read about a year ago (at the time when my husband lost his Dad) was a breath-taking novel by Brian J. Gail, 'Fatherless', about a Catholic priest and his parishioners dealing with Life.

- I totally adore novels by Louise Harwood, my two favourites being 'Calling On Lily' and 'Six Reasons to Stay a Virgin' - I know, chic lit, but really irresistible.

- one of my all-time favourite authors must be Ian McEwan - every time he publishes a book I literally devour it, and am always hungry for more...

- another member of the above-mentioned category is definitely the British author David Lodge, his books practically read themselves once you open them...

- I really enjoyed 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows that I read a while ago - do have a look!

- books that I've re-read countless times include 'Pride & Prejudice' by Jane Austen (I bet you've never heard of her!), my Collins Cobuild English Language Dictionary (yes, I'm afraid I'm the sort of person who enjoys reading dictionaries...), and DK's Eyewitness Travel 'Back Roads Great Britain' - yes, I read travel guides for pleasure as well. I'm that weird.

- plus there's a book I'm really looking forward to reading as soon as I finish 'Grace', it's a study on modern Britain by Danny Dorling called 'So You Think You Know About Britain?' - I was told it was tremendously enjoyable. Can't wait!

What are your favourite books and what are you reading at the moment? Do share, please!

Weekly Gratitude & Apology

2011-10-31T21:55:00.003+01:00

Right, so, let me express my gratitude first... This week I'm very, very grateful for:

- our family finally living in a house!!!
- our dear, dear friends who helped with our move
- my husband getting much better; his plaster cast came off last week (after nine weeks...) :)
- more translating work, even though it takes up enormous amounts of my time
- my two sweet children on a school break this week
- enjoyable get-togethers with our friends, big and small

And now the apologies... what can I say? As usual in cases like this, life has taken over. I even skipped last week's Gratitude post, that says a lot. First of all, we moved. Finally. We spent our first night in the house on October 19th. We love it here. The flat is not completely empty yet - I'm amazed to see how much one family can stuff into a flat in a decade and a half... And unfortunately, I'm not one of those people who can get rid of things easily. I tend to keep everything. Put on a 'Made in England' sign - or at least 'Bought in Britain' - and it's a keeper! For life!

Anyway, we enjoy living in the house, even though we still partly live out of our boxes, the reason for that being my new translating work. I have no idea why people always come to me with last-minute commissions... Everyone needs their texts translated yesterday, which leaves me with afternoons and evenings behind my computer, typing in word for word and living in the world of the text topic for the following few days. This time, it's the church history of our capital... Amen!

Apart from my Gratitude post, I'm afraid I'm missing another important project this month (I was sooo hoping last month that this would not be the case!) - my Being Creative challenge. I really love this project, but what with the move and the evening translations, there was absolutely no time left for anything creative. Perhaps next month?

I've got a few more pages to go with my translation and then, hopefully, my normal blogging service will resume. I've got so much to show you! I do follow your blogs, though, my dear friends, and enjoy them enourmously. Let's stay in touch!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-10-17T22:06:00.004+02:00

On this sunny yet breezy October Monday I'm very much grateful for:

- my little girl and her fabulous sense of style (I wonder where she gets it from...)
- my big boy, still craving cuddles from his Mum (that's me!), but only within the four walls of our flat... :)
- blogging, which has enabled me to follow the incredibly creative crafting of my (mostly Scottish) friends; what's more, I can actually purchase their fabulous products (thank you so much, Alison & Aileen!)
- a very enjoyable party I attended last Saturday night - the reunion of my primary school friends!
- my dear friend from the capital who celebrated her birthday yesterday

Japanese Flowers & Granny Squares

2011-10-16T21:45:00.005+02:00

I still have some early summer crafting to show you. Months ago (seems like ages and ages ago...) I made these pretty Japanese flowers from my beloved Liberty fabric scraps.

They're really tiny and delicate. For quite a while, I wasn't quite sure what to use them for. In the end, I decided to make a necklace.

It looks very pretty around the neck. The flowers resemble tiny little buttons. My necklace has already received a number of compliments!

My other summer project was this Granny Square belt. I wore it several times but I always managed to leave my camera at home at the time so no photos I'm afraid. Until next summer...

It was really easy to make. I crocheted twelve squares but it turned out eleven were more than enough to fit my waist (the belt is very stretchy, actually). I added some pearly buttons, and voila! The pattern of the squares provides the button holes so there's no extra work!

The colours are my usual yarn colours, nothing new in that department, but I totally love them. The belt was mostly worn with my blue dress. Like it?

Inspiration: Vanessa

2011-10-13T22:00:00.006+02:00

Last week's outfit, of course. No socks, see?

It was inspired by the ever-so-stylish Vanessa from do you mind if i knit. I love her blog.

I also love this skirt, it's my favourite. Oh, the colours! And the pattern!

I'm pretty sure you recognise my accessories. An angel is always present!

I'm wearing:

- flats - local boutique
- leggings - NKD
- skirt - Boden
- grey top - H&M
- stripy top - Petit Bateau
- jacket - Tom Tailor
- angel pendant
- amber beads - borrowed from my Mum
- watch - Calvin Klein (graduation present, hence rather old...)
- leather bag - Zara

I've been definitely wearing socks this week...

Weekly Gratitude

2011-10-10T23:03:00.004+02:00

This week, my friends, I'm grateful for:

- my Dad - he's turned seventy today!
- my gorgeous new Scottish treasure box - thank you so much, Aileen!
- sunshine again after some serious winter weather - we had snow last Friday...
- delicious produce from our garden, yummy & healthy
- my very special best friend
- books, in general

Roses & Tartan

2011-10-07T22:32:00.005+02:00

Right, I've got a few outfit photos in stock, from last week. You will definitely know they're from last week, as I'm not wearing any socks and the background on the pictures is lush and green.

Not anymore, my friends, not anymore. We had the first snow today, imagine that! It was all summery yesterday, short sleeves and no socks, and today, bam, harsh winds, torrential rain and then snow. Just like that!

It's as if God the Father decided there would be no more springs and autumns, only summers, and then, out of the blue, winter! It's October 7, for crying out loud! And it's literally freezing outside! After twenty-five degrees Celsius yesterday afternoon...

Anyway, as I've said, I've got a couple or so oufit photos in store, so here they go.

I'm wearing:

- flats - local boutique
- cropped jeans - Wallis
- polo - PlayLife
- cord jacket - Tom Tailor
- scarf - Laura Ashley, borrowed from my mum, my absolute favourite (check the post title!)
- amber beads - borrowed from my mum as well, family heirloom
- leather bag - Zara
- sunglasses - M&S

Remembering the good times...

Mirror, Mirror...

2011-10-04T19:01:00.004+02:00

... in my purse! Aren't they absolutely gorgeous? Made by my cousin, who also makes these very pretty cards - remember? Anyone interested let me know, they're for sale for eight euro a piece!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-10-03T22:12:00.002+02:00

On this unbelievably warm first Monday in October I'm incredibly grateful for:

- my parents, the best grandparents to our boy & girl
- my husband, who has another three weeks to go with his left wrist in plaster cast
- absolutely gorgeous weather in the past few weeks
- hanging out with friends after church on Sundays
- cycling & walking
- kind & encouraging comments from fellow bloggers - yes, you!

Being Creative Gallery - Autumn

2011-09-30T20:21:00.005+02:00

OK, I realise this is getting slightly out of control. Last month I posted one of my old projects. This month, I'm not even posting my own project! But, with both children starting school again, which also includes their afternoon activities, and with my husband still being partly disabled (left wrist still in plaster cast, hopefully only three days to go!), I simply cannot find any time for crafting. I hope things will get better next month :)

However, autumn is my favourite season and I really didn't want to miss this month's project. And, since creativity runs in the family, I paid a visit to my Mum's house. Ta-dah! I'm presenting one of her latest projects, her 'dry leaves & flowers' wall - isn't it gorgeous?

She had been collecting the material for quite some time, and managed to finish the display a while ago. She's very happy with the result, and so am I! I think it's absolutely and utterly gorgeous!

Sooo, please excuse me for not really being creative this month, I promise to make something for the October gallery!

In Our Garden

2011-09-29T19:43:00.003+02:00

- me & my little helper

- our aubergine in bloom

- our yummy tomatoes

-our basil (goes really well with the above!)

- our peppers

- last but not least, delicious carrots

And I'm only a beginner!

Outfit Post

2011-09-28T20:45:00.004+02:00

Blue dress - take six! I haven't posted an outfit for a while, so here it is. Worn on Sunday, to church. I put on my favourite item from this past summer - the incredibly versatile blue dress! I've worn it a lot already and it still gets an enormous amount of wear paired with my skinny jeans. There will definitely be more of it to see in the weeks to come!

This time I wore it with a blue polka dot Laura Ashley scarf slash obi belt and a linen jacket, and I added some red for the fun of it!

I purchased this gorgeous vintage print Laura Ashley messenger bag in London four years ago when I spent a long weekend there with some friends.

The peeptoes do not represent my usual footwear as I'm more of a ballerina flats girl but I do tend to wear heels for church. God knows why.

You may have noticed a slight change in my hair do as well - I finally managed to find some time to have my roots dyed and then I decided to have the split ends chopped off as well. I'm quite pleased with the result. For now...

Things are slowly getting better on the home front, the huge project was finished - and I'd like to thank everyone here who had put down some words of encouragement during the stressful time. My husband's broken arms (left wrist, right elbow) are healing slowly as well, and at this point I'm really happy to have him home. I haven't spent so much time with him since we were married!

Life is good.

Birthday Cakes

2011-09-27T20:45:00.003+02:00

Sooo, these are the cakes I made for my little girl's birthday celebrations!

She wanted a four-leaf clover for the party with her girlfriends...

... and the chocolate smiley one was made for the celebration with family & friends.

These are both chocolate cakes - my girl is not a fan of fruit cakes!

My birthday girl helped with the decorating, of course. And yes, the cakes were absolutely delicious!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-09-26T22:57:00.004+02:00

This week, my dear friends, I'm very much grateful for:

- the lovely weekend of birthday celebrations
- our friends & family who attended
- my husband & our wonderful marriage
- the christening of my brother-in-law's sweet little granddaughter
- an unexpected invitation
- my family

Sixteen!

2011-09-23T23:25:00.000+02:00

Two!

2011-09-22T22:15:00.005+02:00

Second bloggiversary today, yay!

Photo: source

The cake for my little girl's party tomorrow is in the oven, so I've had to borrow a picture for my bloggiversary one! She would like to have a four-leaf clover this year. Green, of course. Yummy. Will keep you posted :)

P.S.: A celebratory giveaway to come - as soon as I can find time to breathe, so watch this space!

Seven!

2011-09-21T22:55:00.003+02:00

My little girl is turning seven today.

A proper cake (or two...) to follow over the weekend.

Happy birthday, my baby!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-09-19T21:09:00.002+02:00

This week, my friends, I'm saying thank you for:

- wellies, coming handy again after weeks of hot summer weather

- cycling with my boy

- crossing things off my to-do list

- finding a little time for myself

- an incredibly enjoyable birthday picnic our family attended last Saturday

- meeting my British friends and having a proper chat

- Agatha Christie, still

Weekly Gratitude

2011-09-12T23:22:00.006+02:00

This week I'm thankful for:

Photo: source

- the fact that I work from home, which means I can take care of my children plus my husband with both his arms in plaster cast

- my husband having joined our local choir

- working in the garden

- the abundance of yummy vegetables from said garden

- Agatha Christie's books

Seaside Cycling

2011-09-09T21:39:00.003+02:00

It's been three weeks since we returned home from our seaside holiday. A lot has happened in these three weeks. My husband had a bad cycling accident (both arms in plaster cast as of yesterday!), I managed to translate eighty-five pages (of densely printed text) in seventeen days (Slovenian into English), my boy and my girl are back to school.

Our seaside holiday seems like ages and ages ago. We had a great time, though, and memories of enjoyable moments are always welcome when life gets a little rough.

We usually take our bikes to the seaside, there are some absolutely wonderful cycling paths in that part of our country. This year was no exception. The only problem is that I very rarely remember to take my camera along, I only make mental pictures of the absolutely breathtaking scenery.

These pictures were taken in the town of Koper, Slovenia, where we cycled along the coastline from our holiday resort, fifteen kilometres away. The cycling path between Portorose and Koper is truly enjoyable, winding its way through old railway tunnels, sweet-smelling vineyards and peach orchards. Heaven on Earth, I tell you.

It somehow never occurred to me to actually take a picture of us cycling or at least one of our bikes, but here we are, relaxing after our first half of the ride, and after some delicious ice cream, at one of Koper's beautiful lush and green parks.

P.S.: This is how our little girl manages to push her Lil Stardust for thirty kilometres...

Weekly Gratitude

2011-09-05T23:14:00.005+02:00

On the first Monday in September I am really, really grateful for:

source:Wikipedia

- my almost finished work project - I have been absolutely too busy to live at the moment (hence my lack of blogging) and I can't wait for this to be over

- the most wonderful tweedy surprise from my blogging friend Alison that came in the post this morning; it couldn't have come at a better time!

- my boy and my girl, back to school after their summer holiday

- pretty little things that bring sunshine into my life; I really need that right now!

- daisies

Being Creative Gallery - Travel

2011-08-31T23:20:00.006+02:00

I'm cheating a little bit again. This project hasn't been created this month. When I saw this month's theme, however, I immediately thought of it and was absoutely determined that I wanted to post about it. It seemed so appropriate!

Our family spent four lovely days in Vienna three years ago. It was August, so at least one thing co-ordinates with the project. We brought home all sorts of souvenirs, mainly in the form of tickets and postcards. As these things often get lost I decided to put them all in one place, i.e. a huge poster, and put the whole thing on display.

Both children were delighted to help. It took us quite a while to actually start working on our little holiday project, I remember it was a gloomy late autumn day, but we sat on the floor in the middle of our living room and in our minds, we were once again taken to the lovely streets of the Austrian capital.

My boy was seven at the time, my little girl four, and they did their best to capture their memories of the unforgettable adventure.

I can't remember exactly where I'd got the idea for the poster, but I do remember being absolutely delighted at the sight of it. And so were my little ones.

We love our Vienna poster so much that it is still on display in our hallway. As we are moving house in the near future, the poster will have to move as well - it may find its new home stuck in a box with other 'artistic creations', but nevertheless it has provided us with many beautiful memories of our family trip.

Our next family destination - London, perhaps?

Stay tuned.

A Glimpse Of Heaven

2011-08-30T13:19:00.005+02:00

Our seaside holiday in pictures...

... heaven!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-08-29T23:38:00.006+02:00

This week I'm so very much thankful for:

- my husband getting better every day; plus we get to spend a lot of time together!

- the new roof on our house (we still haven't moved, though)

- S-i-L's 50th birthday party last Saturday - great fun, we got to explore some local caves!

- my health, again

- a phone call from a friend, greatly missed for several months

Oliver Cycling To The Sun

2011-08-29T12:17:00.003+02:00

Whatever. What a title, ah? Makes no sense, really, only my association with today's photos. I took some detail pics of my outfit today. I didn't go for the whole thing as it was rather boring, but the colours are quite fun, don't you think?

This pink beauty is my holiday souvenir from this year. It was love at first sight! I mean, it's bright pink, what more can you ask for in a watch?

The gold bike pendant is borrowed from my son. It was his Christening gift ten years (and exactly a month) ago. Who could have thought then that he would really be an avid cyclist one day!

And my sweet sunflower Boden sandals - comfy and joyous, another summer favourite.

I'm wearing:

- sandals - Boden
- cropped jeans - Wallis
- shirt - McKinley
- watch - S.Oliver

P.S.: 'Oliver' is not my boy's name...

Oh, Alex!

2011-08-25T17:02:00.006+02:00

The August issue of the Country Living magazine revealed the most beautiful secret - somewhere between the pages I had found a website address I decided to check - and oh my, I was in for one of the most beautiful surprises! In terms of accessories, of course, nothing more earth-shaking...

I can easily say that Alex Monroe has just become my all-time favourite jewellery designer. I have always loved jewellery depicting real-life flora and in my opinion Alex does that in the most enchanting way.

I have only chosen some rings for today's post. Had I picked everything I really liked the post would have been far too long. Apart from rings, there are absolutely gorgeous necklaces and bracelets and earrings to be had... jewellery heaven!

As I'm celebrating my 40th birthday next January I guess my wishlist will be full of flowers... in gold and silver!

My absolutely favourite is the Daisy Wreath Ring at the top of this post. Ring perfection, I would say.

Let me assure you at this point that this is by no means a sponsored post. I have just really totally fallen in love with this jewellery. I wouldn't mind some sponsorship, actually... in the form of a very pretty daisy ring!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-08-22T15:43:00.003+02:00

This week I'm really, really grateful for:

- our lovely week spent at the seaside, in an absolutely fabulous apartment (room with a view, and oh my, what a view! will keep you posted!), and with absolutely fabulous weather
- lots of cycling
- my husband 'only' suffering a broken wrist and some serious scratches in a cycling accident
- our friend's 40th birthday party last Saturday
- my new followers, yay!

Flower-Power T-Shirts

2011-08-10T09:51:00.004+02:00

Some of the T-shirts I embellished with crochet Japanese flowers. The turquoise one was a birthday present for my husband's niece. I really like it, I think a daisy looks very pretty on a darker background.

I'm taking a few days off blogging, see you next week, my friends!

Christening

2011-08-09T18:48:00.004+02:00

Last Sunday we attended a lovely celebration, the christening of a little girl, our new goddaughter. It was a beautiful ceremony in a little church just outside the capital, with a tiny congregation and an artistic vicar - who apart from being a priest is also a painter.

This was our christening package, containing a white napkin symbolizing the white clothing, a candle, a lovely Children's Bible (officially translated from English into Slovenian by yours truly!), a golden cross and a painting of a sweet little angel (by my friend Marysia).

As required by tradition, I embroidered the little girl's name and the date of the christening on the napkin.

Then I placed the napkin in a jar. It's been my obsession of late, I love putting foldable presents in old jam jars... Doesn't it look adorable?

We bought the candle at our local parish church shop, and I loved it! It was decorated by our friend's mum.

We included a tiny golden cross in the package, I thought it was really appropriate, tiny & shiny, just like our little goddaughter!

No pictures of the Bible and the angel, I'm afraid, as I'd wrapped those long before it crossed my mind to take some pictures of the christening goodies. So me. Sorry!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-08-08T14:33:00.002+02:00

This week I'm incredibly grateful for:

- our little goddaughter R. K. whose christening we attended yesterday - it was a lovely feast and my husband and I are honoured to have been entrusted witht the role of godparents
- our goddaughter's family: her parents K. and G. and her two little brothers R. P. and R. B., our very dear friends
- my pretty little new kitchen at our future house - it's yellow!
- our 'moving house in progress'
- our upcoming seaside holiday

If You Go Down To The Woods Today...

2011-08-05T14:55:00.003+02:00

...or rather, if you came to our flat the other day...

My little girl was having a picnic for her toys. I thought it was really sweet, the way she matched the colours of her crockery with the 'recipients'. And she was thrilled at the prospect of having her picnic featured on Mum's blog :)

P.S.: In case you'd like to know about the applique sheep baby blanket in the top picture - I made it when I was expecting my boy, this was his pram blanket. Very Scottish... :)

Colour Burst

2011-08-04T21:58:00.002+02:00

Tuesday's outfit. It was a lovely, warm summer day - most people would call it 'hot' (obviously, I'm not 'most people'...). I had some errands to run after lunch so I took my two (not so) little ones and off we went.

My boy took these pictures on our way back, as we crossed the bridge at the local library. You can see our magnificent parish church in the background! Seeing these pictures makes me realise that ours is a very pretty town!

I'm wearing:

- sandals - Boden (arrived safely!)
- skinny jeans - miss bonbon
- dress - Ivko
- top - Mexx
- crochet bag - I made it!
- sunglasses - Marks&Spencer
- watch - Calvin Klein
- angel bracelet, open heart bracelet - self-made
- house earrings - made by Marysia

Hot summer? Memories... Another cold & rainy day today...

Weekly Gratitude

2011-08-01T23:14:00.004+02:00

This week, my lovely readers, I'm very much grateful for:

- friends from abroad, on holiday in Slovenia at the moment
- a long chat with an old friend whom I only get to see once a year (see above) and our children playing together merrily
- our beautiful capital
- cycling, especially all four of us together
- my health

Being Creative Gallery - Summer

2011-07-31T18:48:00.007+02:00

I really like this month's Being Creative theme, it provides so many different options to make something pretty! I thought for a long time about what I should make and in the end it took one extremely enjoyable bike ride with my husband for me to make my mind up.

I have been admiring blooming summer meadows for weeks now. I simply adore the colours they offer, from neutral whites and creams to vibrant pinks and violets, and the smell of fresh flowers blooming in the field cannot be compared to anything - yarrow, meadow clary, buttercups, shasta daisies, bluebells, goldenrods... oh my!

The area where I live provides us with abundance of quiet country lanes for cycling. The other day my husband and I embarked on an evening ride towards a secluded village not far away from our town. We followed the road along the edge of the forest and throughout our journey we were blessed with the sights and smells of the most gorgeous summer meadows. I inhaled every bit of the fresh air I could get and the entire time there was one thing in my mind - how could I capture this moment and make it eternal?

After we'd come home I started stitching. The image must have grown in my mind during the bike ride and this is what came out. A pretty little embroidery of a summer meadow! I wasn't entirely sure what to do with it at first but then it crossed my mind that I could not only capture the sight but also the smell so I made a little bag and filled it with lavender.

I love the smell of lavender - even though it doesn't entirely match the smell of a summer meadow it does remind me of summer and this little bag is now a faithful companion on my summer outings.

Houses & Blossoms

2011-07-27T15:53:00.004+02:00

Monday's outfit. I'm wearing a trenchcoat and leather boots. Leather boots!!! At the end of July! And I don't live in the southern hemisphere!

Sorry about all those exclamation marks. It's just really difficult to comprehend, this awfully cold and rainy weather at this time of year. I don't mind lower temperatures, really, I like to put on my coat, but my body desperately needs the warmth (the heat, to be honest) of the sun and summer months are the ideal opportunity to stock up for colder seasons. None of that this year, I'm afraid!

Anyway, I wore this outfit for a day trip to the capital, for a meeting & lunch with a good friend. It was lovely, the weather doesn't bother me at all when I spend time with my favourite people!

If you checked yesterday's post you can see that I'm wearing a few of the items from the 'Three Things' list - I love my new house earrings and the precious flower brooch, so delicate and pretty!

I'm wearing:

- boots - Alpina (local brand)
- socks - no idea
- skirt - local boutique, I guess, many years ago
- cardi - Monsoon
- tank top - see 'skirt'
- trenchcoat - Zara
- belt - Brora
- scarf - fairtrade boutique in the capital
- earrings, brooch - hand-made by Marysia
- crochet bag - I made it!

I hope at least some of you are having a warmer summer!

Three Things

2011-07-26T22:46:00.002+02:00

... that put a smile on my face in the middle of our July winter (ten degrees Celsius in the morning!):

- a pretty bloom from my little girl

- my gorgeous new jewellery, two brooches and a pair of house earrings, hand-made by my dear friend Marysia

- my silk embroidered belt from Brora, on sale (sold out, actually, I'm afraid...)

Technically speaking, these are more than three things, but who's counting :)

Weekly Gratitude

2011-07-25T21:57:00.004+02:00

This week I'm very much grateful for:

- a new baby boy in our circle of friends, born last Saturday.
Congratulations, little A's mummy & daddy, and big brother J!
- my husband & I being godparents to a little girl at her christening in a fortnight.
We feel extremely honoured!
- our friends' little girl's nameday party yesterday afternoon, an enjoyable gathering of friends old (the parents) and young (the children)
- the party which followed the above-mentioned one, celebrating the birth of little A
- the lunch with my husband & our dearest friend in the capital today

Hurry Up, Mr Postman!

2011-07-21T21:53:00.004+02:00

Any day now... I got a pair of these last week but the sole on the heel cracked after only two wears so I sent them back. A replacement is already on the way, I've been told. Apart from the cracked sole, they're absolutely gorgeous, and as I don't wear heels very often, it's kind of nice to feel taller for almost four inches!

The bottom pair says 'summer' to me and because both pairs of sandals were on summer sale I kindly invited them into my home!

Patiently waiting for the postman, should be any day now... Thank you, Boden!

Weekend Hiking - Flora (And A Wee Bit Of Fauna)

2011-07-20T12:07:00.007+02:00

... can you spot it?

Weekend Hiking

2011-07-19T22:13:00.005+02:00

It was a lovely afternoon. With our dear friends, we set off for the hills south of our hometown -

imagine unspoilt nature, clear waters,

windy hill peaks,

precious flora,

precipices,

virgin forests,

tiny churches,

old castles...

... with tourist information boards in English!...,

forgotten villages...

We live in a beautiful part of the world!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-07-18T22:16:00.003+02:00

This week I'm saying thank you for:

- Saturday's night out with the girls - it's been a while!
- yesterday's hiking trip with friends
- cycling with my husband & kiddies
- summer sandals
- delicious courgettes from our garden, and lots of them!

Very Exciting!

2011-07-17T22:20:00.011+02:00

I love shopping. You know that, right, with all those new acquisitions premiering on my blog? Living in a small town, though, I don't get to visit a wide range of shops all that often. Which is why I have become a big fan of online shopping!

Every now and then I take a moment to share my picks with you, be it from Etsy or various fashion retailers. This summer I have been very much impressed with the trend of maxi dresses, so today I'm giving you a pick of what I'd love to wear - and my budget wouldn't really suffer all that much!

I came across these gorgeous numbers at a recently discovered website, http://www.very.co.uk., which, in my opinion, is a shopper's paradise! So many things at your disposal and many of them oh so very affordable! It would be a shame not to treat yourself to that perfect summer dress! I actually might give it a try...

So, these beauties definitely caught my eye:

Mint Velvet Layered Maxi Dress

I love the delicacy of this breezy summer dress which could easily be worn for an informal summer wedding. Pair it with some white flat sandals and a white straw hat and you're all set!

Vicky Martin Emme One Shoulder Maxi Dress

First of all, I fell in love with the colour of this one. And then the cut. Oh my! I'd definitely add a corsage, of course - or two...

South Crinkle Maxi Dress

Another gorgeous summer dress - it comes in a variety of colours but this blue one would be my choice - it reminds me of the ocean!

Glam By Caprice Halter Maxi Dress

I just looove this dress. An outdoor summer concert perhaps? Picnic under the stars? A walk on the sandy beach, maybe? Anything, as long as I get to wear it and have someone by my side to admire it, too!

South Printed Halter Maxi Dress

After all those yummy colours this was an obvious choice - a rainbow of the lot! I must say that this is my favourite of them all - great cut and lovely pattern in pretty summery colours - what's not to like? And the price is very reasonable... Hmmm...

Should you feel tempted, do visit http://www.very.co.uk - you never know, you might find that dress you've always been dreaming of!

P.S.: I'm posting this in association with very.co.uk. but the choice of items and the opinions on them are entirely my own. I would never accept sponsorship from someone whose products I wouldn't believe in and wouldn't be prepared to purchase myself. This is my very first sponsored post and I promise to tell you whenever something like this occurs again. Thank you!

More Crochet

2011-07-15T23:41:00.007+02:00

Yesterday I told you all about my beautiful new crochet bag and today I'm presenting a faithful companion, a pretty little crochet purse!

I love making Granny Squares and after having made a couple of tiny ones I wasn't quite sure what to do with them but then got a brilliant idea - why don't I make a purse? There is definitely a shortage of purses in our household...

I do love my little purse. I hand-sewed the lining and even attached the zip with my own hands! I'm thinking about making some more and then perhaps try to sell them... or give them as gifts, more likely!

Last but not least, I made this doilie a while ago, when I was learning how to make crochet hexagons (great instructions over at MeMe Rose, thank you so much!).

Enjoy the weekend!

My Beautiful Crochet Bag

2011-07-14T23:19:00.003+02:00

Ta-daaaah....

So, this is it! This is my beautiful, gorgeous, brilliant, oh-so-pretty self-made (!!!) crochet bag! I'm not being modest here, am I? I can't help it, though, I'm really proud of myself, I think it has come out perfectly, just as I've always imagined!

I got the idea for the bag when I spotted these handles on a bright orange summer bag I got a couple of years ago, as a gift with a magazine. I never wore that bag, I used it as as storage for my plastic bags, so I just chopped the handles off and transferred them to my new favourite!

Before I could do that, of course, I had to make fifty-four little granny squares and sew them together. I pictured my bag with white borders and I really like the result! I even took my sewing machine out to make the lining - I hadn't used it for ages! I picked some left-over fabric that I'd made sofa covers from when we first moved into our flat (sixteen years ago - the old sofa no longer lives here but the fabric remnants are still pretty...) - I even remembered to sew on a little inside pocket for my keys!

So many exclamation marks in one post - you can tell I'm pleased with myself, can't you... I've got some more crochet revelations for you tomorrow, only slightly smaller than today's... Until tomorrow, then!

Weekend Highlights

2011-07-13T23:41:00.004+02:00

- arriving on Saturday morning, husband and kids already spent the night at the cabin

- being silly with my little girl

- playing cards late at night - who cares about sleeping?

- some lovely forest flora

- on top of one of the hills, you can see the whole town - can you spot the lake?

- with my husband

- even my big brother cycled by for a quick drink!

Blog Award!

2011-07-12T13:08:00.000+02:00

I've got another one! A big thank you to the lovely Mathea from Lolavie, who already presented me with an award a while ago.

The rules of accepting this award are as follows:

- thank and link the blogger who has given you the award
- copy & paste the logo in your blog
- share seven facts about yourself
- nominate fifteen other great bloggers
- comment and let them know about the award

So, here goes:

1. I wanted to have six children when I was younger. I had the names ready and all... I cut the number in half later on, so I would still love to have another baby one day. Even if not, I'm really grateful for my two treasures.

2. I love being near the water but not actually in it, I don't like getting wet unnecessarily.

3. I adore porridge, yummy!

4. I'm desperately in love with purses, I already have a large collection and still can't resist a new one. I particularly love clasp frame purses with antique metal frames.

5. I'm also mad about brooches and pins. The more colourful, the better.

6. And scarves. I get this from my Mum, she loves her scarves. I used to admire her collection when I was little. I have my own now... but we still borrow from each other whenever the need occurs!

7. I have three bicycles. I ride all of them (not at the same time, obviously...).

Yikes, now I would have to name fifteen bloggers and pass them this award, but I'm not very good at this. I love the blogs I follow but most of the lovely ladies behind them have already shared many facts about their lives, so I'll just let anyone pick up the award if you fancy and tell us something we don't know about you yet.

Thanks again, Mathea!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-07-11T19:29:00.005+02:00

On this extremely wet Monday I'm very much grateful for:

- the weekend spent picnicking & B-B-Qing in the forest, with lots and lots of great friends
- my two children having wonderful playmates all weekend long
- the comfy bunk beds & warm sleeping bags
- our conversations round the open fire
- the fun card games & bowling & darts with friends late at night
- the delicious food we had and particularly for the people who prepared it
- the freshly picked wild strawberries, oh so yummy!
- the hiking round the forest
- our laughing all weekend long

Fun In The Capital

2011-07-08T23:29:00.003+02:00

Last Friday's outfit when we spent the afternoon in the capital, listening to concerts being performed all around the city. The top picture was taken by my little girl, hence no feet... :)

I put on some favourite pieces to feel comfortable walking around, plus it was a really cold and rainy afternoon, so at the end of the day I could easily have put on a trenchcoat or my Barbour jacket. I did swap the sandals for my leather boots!

I really love the colours of this outfit, so happy and vibrant! One honestly cannot be miserable wearing this cardi... Add a pair of my favourite earrings and I was ready to have some fun despite the miserable weather on the 1st of July!

I'm wearing:

- sandals - local shoe shop
- skirt - NKD (girls' range)
- cardi - Ivko
- T-shirt - H&M, self-embellished with a crochet flower, details to follow!
- corsage - TopShop
- leather bag - Laura Ashley
- crochet bag - I made it! I promise a detailed post on that one!
- angel earrings & bracelet
- self-made open heart bracelet
- Calvin Klein watch

Enjoy the weekend! I'm off to this lovely place tomorrow morning, for another weekend in the woods!

More Music!

2011-07-07T22:25:00.003+02:00

Just got home from their concert.

Absolutely delighted!

A Giveaway At Used-To-Bees!

2011-07-06T23:43:00.003+02:00

Lovey Alix from Used-to-Bees is having a holiday-themed giveaway.

There are some lovely goodies to be won - handmade, mind you! - and if you're interested, do check her sweet blog!

Don't you just love this Union Jack brooch cushion? And the brooch, oh my!

Good luck, everyone!

Rosette Necklace & Embellished Clutch Bag

2011-07-05T15:46:00.003+02:00

I did a bit of crafting again. Quite a while ago, actually, but you know how it is... it takes me ages to take a semi-decent photo of my 'works of art'. So, here's one I hadn't been able to part with for days...

...until I changed my mind, of course. And transferred the rosettes onto my clutch bag (see bottom photo) - I couldn't make the exact replica of the necklace as I'd run out of my Liberty swatches. I really really liked the first necklace and wanted to have these rosettes on my clutch bag. So I made another necklace:

I love this one just the same. I even managed to find seven matching buttons in my button tin. Imagine that! I wear it a lot as well. It really spices up an outfit.

And finally - ta-dah! My pretty clutch bag! It usually lives in my big bag but I grab it when I only need my keys & my phone. I got the clutch at our local boutique, it had been on sale for years (literally). I went there the other day and inquired about it, 100% sure they wouldn't have it anymore. Wrong! It had been waiting for me all along, waiting to be embellished with Liberty rosettes... Go figure!

Like it?

Weekly Gratitude

2011-07-04T16:53:00.004+02:00

This week I'm saying thank you for:

- our weekend in London, still, as my batteries are still full!
- our family Friday afternoon in our capital, with lovely concerts going on
- a friend's celebration on Saturday afternoon, a lovely gathering of acquaintances old & new
- yesterday's lunch at my parents' house (garden, to be precise) - delicious!
- my inner peace

Mine!

2011-07-01T12:14:00.003+02:00

- purple Lisbons

The wishlist is getting shorter...

Ocean on Etsy

2011-06-30T23:43:00.003+02:00

I found some 'Ocean' inspired beauties on Etsy to go with this month's Being Creative theme:

- Against the Flow Art Collage by CarolineRoseArt

- Sea Shell Wrist Cuff by aileenclarkecrafts

- Beach Bag by LifeCovers

- Big Bobble Coin Purse by janecoe1

- Sail Away Necklace by Sophiasparkles

Being Creative Gallery - Ocean

2011-06-30T23:20:00.003+02:00

Right, this is my 'Ocean'. I imagined a little red sailboat with white sails, perhaps a seagull in the distance (so far away you can't actually see one...), the sun shining (symbolised by the bright yellow frame)... pure bliss. I'd keep my sailboat close to the shore, though, I wouldn't want to be swept away by the wind to the open sea in a little nutshell like that!

I hope you'll enjoy my little collage. I really enjoyed making it!

For Lorena!

2011-06-29T15:50:00.004+02:00

The package was finally put in the post last Monday!

There's this flower-power T-shirt wrapped inside - I hope it fits and I hope you like it!

London Purchases

2011-06-29T12:26:00.011+02:00

Right, so, when I'm in Britain I simply have to shop. I urgently need to bring home something from my beloved island. No matter how trivial the purchase, it reminds me of the happy times spent in paradise...

My weekend in London was no exception, of course. I brought back some lovely 'souvenirs'... Mostly from Monsoon & Accessorize, don't ask me why, I seem to have focused on these brands this time!

- sooo, I got this lovely pair of white leather sandals from Monsoon

- a couple of purses from Accessorize - I've already re-embellished them...

- an Accessorize scarf

- a tiny owl pendant from Accessorize, sold as a mobile phone charm, but I put a key ring on, I find it much prettier...

- a pair of flip-flops from Accessorize - flip-flop perfection!

- this little frilled cardi from Monsoon - so versatile!

- a headband from Monsoon (for girls) - both my little girl & I will use it

- last but not least, I bought a copy of Mollie Makes magazine and made this lovely corsage from the kit that came with it!

Pretty, isn't it?

P.S.: We also got some presies for the kiddies, naturally.

A Weekend In London

2011-06-28T22:03:00.006+02:00

Just a few snapshots from our absolutely perfect weekend in my absolutely favourite capital.

I'm not much of a photographer when I travel, I tend to take it all in with my senses and forget about my camera...

We had a wonderful time. The weather was just right. It was cold and drizzly when we arrived on Friday afternoon but we only travelled to our hosts' house and had dinner with them so we weren't at all bothered by the weather.

Saturday was lovely. I expected rain throughout the day so when we were only met by wind in the morning I was fine. Saturday afternoon was very warm and sunny.

We didn't go around that much as the main event we were attending was a solemn mass at Westminster Cathedral on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Slovenian independence, presided by the Archbishop of Westminster.

In the evening, though, our good friend invited us to see the musical 'Les Miserables'. It was a total surprise and I nearly fainted of excitement!

I recharged my batteries for a while again... Everytime I travel to Britain - even if it's 'only' London - I feel I've come home. My heart literally jumps of joy and I tend to hyperventilate at the sight of the landscape when the plane starts to descend...

Next year, again?

Weekly Gratitude

2011-06-27T22:36:00.006+02:00

Image source: Wikipedia

This week, my friends, I'm extremely grateful for:

- the opportunity to visit Britain again after a long period of 'home-sickness'
- our safe journey to London
- our absolutely amazing hosts and all other people we met on our weekend away
- our dearest friend who travelled to London as well and treated us to the most pleasurable evening entertainment imaginable: we went to see 'Les Miserables'!
- the said friend's company, always extremely enjoyable
- our safe return home to our boy & girl
- the people who took such good care of our 'little ones' while we were away!

P.S.: London pics to follow!

Off To...

2011-06-24T08:05:00.001+02:00

See you on Monday!

Etsy Love - Earrings

2011-06-23T15:38:00.003+02:00

Some very pretty ear accessories from Etsy:

- Glass Cherry Earrings from bullseyebeads

- Summer Rain Earrings from joojooland

- The Almond Tree Leaf Earrings from rafya

- Four Petal Flower Earrings from joojooland

- Liquorice Candy Jar Earrings from PetitPlat

Which would you choose?

Flower Power

2011-06-22T22:50:00.003+02:00

Remember this post? I told you I had something to show you... ta-dah!!!

As you might have noticed, I've been crochet-mad this year and Japanese flowers have really, REALLY spoken to me. They're everywhere these days. Remember this? And this? Well, my old Levi's jean jacket was calling for some colour!

Careful, there's more...

One flower-embellished pashmina just doesn't do it for me...

I had to make another one, with happier, spring/summery colours. Like it?

Another flower-power project of mine is embellished T-shirts. The idea came from my lovely blogging friend Lorena and guess what... Lorena, this one's for you! At long last!!!

I'll post a better picture if you like, along with some other T-shirts I've embellished (for my little girl & myself) should you prefer a different colour scheme. If you're happy with this one, though, could you please e-mail your address so that I can send it to you!

Flower power!!!

My Little Artist

2011-06-21T22:50:00.003+02:00

I've had this precious little Camille doll from lovelysweetwilliam listed under my favourites on Etsy for a very long time. It gets sold and then reappears in the shop and I keep waiting for the right moment to make it my own...

The other day, though, I had an idea. Why don't I make something similar myself? Or even better, why don't I ask my little girl, who's a true artist (being very objective here, of course!), to help me?

Consider it done!

I made the little box and copied the beautiful house from the original and my little girl made the 'inhabitant' - a girl she named Maya. She drew a little lamp for her house ('so that she can turn it on in that dark box, right, Mum?'), made Maya a huge birthday cake (Maya is ten, as you can see if you carefully count the birthday candles, same age as my boy, who celebrated his birthday two weeks ago - coincidence, surely?) and a present.

I'm very pleased with Maya, my paper girl living in her box house. I love her vibrant red hair, the red bow, her pretty violet top and her denim skirt. And the best part? She reminds me of my little girl - the artist. Even though she makes new things on a daily basis, Maya will always keep a special place in my heart.

Thank you for the inspiration, Lovely Sweet William!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-06-20T15:20:00.004+02:00

This week, my friends, I'm grateful for:

- all my friends, 'real' and 'virtual' (you know what I mean!)
- fast walking & running - makes me feel healthy
- delicious cherries - my favourite fruit!
- the last week of school for my children
- the opportunity to visit London again at the end of this week - all excited!

In Bloom

2011-06-18T15:46:00.002+02:00

In our flat these days. So pretty, I had to take some pictures!

I was given this orchid as a birthday gift seven years ago. I'm not very good at taking care of my plants and I often manage to 'kill' them. I nearly got rid of this one, on several occasions, but somehow never made the final decision, as the friend, the gift-giver, passed away a few years ago. I'm glad I've decided to keep the precious orchid, as it's in bloom again! Yay!

These pretty carnations were a gift to my little girl, her ballet teacher presented each of her pupils with a little flower at their end-of-year performance.

Last but not least, my white kalanchoe, which I got for my name day this year, it's still alive, and still in bloom!

Cats & Blossoms

2011-06-17T15:35:00.002+02:00

Well, in my last post I told you about my friend's art, and today, let me tell you a little bit more about it. Not only does my friend paint, she makes adorable accessories as well! Last weekend I was invited to visit her stall at the local market, and of course, I couldn't not go away with at least one piece of her wearable art! Or two, come to that... :)

My first purchase was this cat pin. Isn't it absolutely adorable?

And then I fell in love with her floral earrings as well. Hand-painted, of course. My colours, all over. This particular pair was my little girl's choice. She knows me so well!

Once again, thank you, Marysia!

An Extremely Pleasant Afternoon

2011-06-16T22:22:00.003+02:00

Last week I got a kind invitation from my friend Marysia to the opening of her art exhibition. Marysia is an extremely talented artist and I am completely besotted with her work. The first time I got a glimpse of her creations I was hooked. So, when the opportunity arose to actually see her paintings on display in an art gallery, I simply had to be there.

I took my little girl and my best friend along and we set off on a short trip to a sweet little town not far away from where we live. It really was an extremely enjoyable late spring afternoon and a lovely art exhibition was exactly what we needed to make it perfect.

There was some singing and some talking, there were refreshments and pretty souvenirs, there were some old acquaintances, but most of all, there were friends, and there was joy and gratitude that we could spend this lazy Thursday afternoon in each other's company. May we get more of such gatherings come summer! And thank you so much, Marysia, for making us a part of your world :)

Purses & Clutch Bags, Oh My!

2011-06-14T23:25:00.000+02:00

I love purses and clutch bags. Particularly the hand-made ones. When I saw this beauty on Etsy it was love at first sight. We've been having an affair for a couple of weeks now, ever since it came into my post box. I love it to bits, it's one of the prettiest things ever. Thank you, Jane!

Clutch bag / purse: Etsy (designedbyjane)

Weekly Gratitude

2011-06-13T23:29:00.005+02:00

This week, my dear friends, I'm very much grateful for:

- being a mum
- my 'little boy', who turned ten last Wednesday
- his little sister as well, of course, turning seven in September
- having married the man of my dreams
- my very pretty crochet bag in the making (nearly finished, though!)

One Dress, Five Ways - Part Five

2011-06-11T17:17:00.002+02:00

I am truly sorry but one lousy picture is all I have this time. You get an approximate idea of the outfit though, right? I'll give you some more details: the blazer is white with navy blue pinstripes - this time I had nautical accessories in mind. I like a pop of red with my whites and blues, hence the belt & the flats.

I'm wearing:

- flats - Hush Puppies
- dress - Corazon
- belt - local boutique
- blazer - Labod (local brand)
- angel brooch

Once again, sorry for the blur, I promise to improve my images!

One Dress, Five Ways - Part Four

2011-06-10T23:50:00.001+02:00

Another obi belt. Embroidered linen this time. Had it for years, of course, but rarely worn it.

Anything new?

It goes really well with this blazer I got in last year's summer sale, courtesy of my Mum, so it's been getting a lot of wear since then.

An old pair of earrings to match my new brooch plus an old pair of court heels to match the dress...

I'm wearing:

- heels - Bata
- dress - Corazon
- embroidered linen obi belt - Kokoska (local brand)
- jacket - local boutique
- corsage - jysk
- brooch - Sisi Shop
- earrings - Haba

One more to go!

One Dress, Five Ways - Part Three

2011-06-09T21:52:00.002+02:00

Still lots of styling ideas, I might stretch this further than just five days!

Today's outfit. We had some rain during the day so flats had to be replaced by boots at some point but they fit in perfectly with the dress. No pics, though, sorry, I wore flats again for my boy's piano recital in the evening.

I put on my silk obi belt which I totally adore as it makes practically any outfit only so slightly special. Even a plain blue dress...

And a pink obi belt calls for pink earrings, obviously...

I'm wearing:

- flats - Vagabond
- dress - Corazon
- silk obi belt - Kokoska (local brand)
- cardi - Tulchan
- earrings - local boutique
- bag Cath Kidston

Stay tuned...

One Dress, Five Ways - Part Two

2011-06-08T20:15:00.006+02:00

Second outfit of my blue dress 'styling challenge' - pinks and greens, my favourites! I've had this top for ages, but I don't wear it very often. It's quite 'loud', and every now and then a girl needs something loud in her outfit!

I bought this barrette when I was still at the university. I had a thing for 'United Colours of Benetton' accessories and this was 'it'! I used to have a large collection of barrettes, but I gave most of them away - I've only kept my favourites and this is one of them!

Another favourite pink accessory is my camera - it goes really well with most of my outfits as there is often a hint of pink somewhere...

... like this trusted pink corsage from TopShop, for example.

Still keen on self-portraits in the mirror...

I'm wearing:

- flats - Boden (girls' range)
- dress - Corazon
- top - local boutique
- corsage - TopShop
- barrette - street vendor in the capital, some twenty years ago...

To be continued...

P.S.: My boy is turning ten today. Happy birthday, my darling, and thank you for making me a Mum!

One Dress, Five Ways - Part One

2011-06-07T15:15:00.004+02:00

I've got this supercute simple blue dress which calls for all sorts of accessories. I've decided to do a series of five different stylings of the said dress - today's being number one.

My first version is flowery pink. I added floral leggings (I've had them for ages but never worn them so far) and some hot pink accessories: a wooden bead necklace, a suede belt and a pair of ballet flats:

Here's a close-up of the accessories:

I picked my brand new earrings which I think are just too adorable for words:

Don't you think?

I'm wearing:

- ballet flats - Boden (girls' range)
- leggings - can't remember
- dress - Corazon
- suede belt - TopShop
- wooden beads - local boutique
- jean jacket - Levi's (it's got a little surprise on the back - will show you later!)
- earrings - Lintu

Until tomorrow!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-06-06T14:18:00.004+02:00

Things I'm grateful for this week:

- my little girl's performance at her school
- my boy coming home safely from his school camp
- a friend's invitation to the opening of her art's exhibition - very thoughtful!
- my red Hunter wellies - they come in handy a lot these days!
- sunshine - on the rare occasions which do not call for my red Hunter wellies...

Reading Stuff

2011-06-03T22:36:00.004+02:00

A selection of books I've been reading lately. I read a lot, I can't live without books. I'm happy to say that I've passed my love of books on to my children. They're both avid readers, they literally devour books. I'm thrilled!

1. Barnes is one of my favourite authors. I've only just started reading this novel, and yet I already know I'll love it.

2. Ms Ahern is an absolutely wonderful contemporary Irish novelist. Her novels are unputdownable, you can't stop reading them until you've covered the last sentence in the last of her books.

3. Some spiritual reading - truly inspirational.

All of the above - highly recommended!

My Crochet Scarves

2011-06-02T21:27:00.004+02:00

Promised to make an entrance a long time ago, here they finally come -

my crochet scarves:

1. Japanese Flowers

2. Granny Stripe

3. Granny Square

4. Circles

All of them inspired by the master crocheter Lucy from Attic24. A massive thank you for all your creative inspiration, Lucy!

Three Things

2011-06-01T22:15:00.002+02:00

I haven't posted about my current favourites for quite a while. So, here they come:

- gorgeous peonies from our garden; they smell like heaven!

- a precious new brooch & a pair of hair pins from the Sisi Shop - sooo pretty!

- one of the most beautiful books I've ever seen - Edith Holden's 'The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady' - do browse through it if you get a chance!

Being Creative Gallery - Home

2011-05-31T21:56:00.002+02:00

I have to admit, I'm cheating a little bit. These houses were not 'built' in the merry month of Maying. In fact, they were made in March, and already blogged about (shame on me!). You can read all about them here.

However, the opportunity was just too tempting as this month's theme of the Being Creative challenge was 'Home'. I thought these two houses were on the spot, as we're actually moving into a house in a few weeks' time!

Red!

2011-05-30T20:43:00.004+02:00

Another favourite skirt,

bright top for a pop of colour

(as if the skirt needs that...),

a hand-embroidered brooch

and I'm off into a lovely summery warm day!

I'm wearing:

- flats - Nike
- fishnets - Polzela (local brand)
- skirt - Boden
- top - Playlife
- belt - TopShop
- brooch - Etsy (designedbyjane)

Until tomorrow, then!

Weekly Gratitude

2011-05-30T20:32:00.004+02:00

This week, dear friends, I'm grateful for:

- Jane Austen's 'Pride & Prejudice' - I'm re-watching the Ehle - Firth series at the moment
- lovely novels by Cecelia Ahern; not exactly Miss Austen's, but enjoyable nevertheless
- great time spent with friends on Sunday afternoon, celebrating the First Holy Communion of their little girl
- more gardening & furniture assembling
-home-grown lettuce & mozzarella for lunch

Pastels

2011-05-27T21:51:00.003+02:00

More self-portraits

in the mirror

at my parents' house.

Judging by the temperatures

summer's on the doorstep.

Yay!

I'm wearing:

- flats - Vagabond
- fishnets - Polzela (local brand)
- dress (worn as skirt) - Benetton
- top - Madonna
- skinny belt - H&M
- jacket - local boutique
- corsage - jysk
- beads - present from Mum
- angel necklace
- bracelet - self-made
- thistle earrings - Etsy (SmithKnit)
- sunglasses - Marks&Spencer
- hair pin - can't remember

Happy weekend, everyone!

How About Winning A Fabulous Tote?

2011-05-26T15:53:00.002+02:00

Sweet Janet from The Empty Nest is having a giveaway. She makes these absolutely fabulous totes (and all sorts of other fabulous things) and she's giving these two beauties away to two of her readers. Tempted?

I definitely am. If interested, do check Janet's blog. Even if you're not entering the giveaway, there's so much to see and lots to read!

Good luck to us all!

Roses & Blues

2011-05-25T23:05:00.005+02:00

Favourite dress, some fun accessories,

latest Cath Kidston addition, different hairstyle...

... new outfit!

I'm wearing:

- flats - Boden (girls' range)
- tights - no idea
- dress (worn as skirt) - Laura Ashley '94
- jacket - Tom Tailor
- suede belt - TopShop
- book bag - Cath Kidston
- earrings - Lintu

Yay, my laptop is back!

Botanical Gardens Part Two

2011-05-24T21:45:00.000+02:00

Weekly Gratitude

2011-05-23T15:05:00.004+02:00

Hello, everybody, just a quick note to say that my computer has died again (how many lives does a computer have, I ask you?) so I'm using my husband's machine again, which means there might be a slight problem with the pics. Anyway, there's still a great many things I'm grateful for, so here we go.

This week I'm grateful for:

- the lovely reception at my husband's workplace last Wednesday - an opportunity to dress up!

- our local choir's annual concert. It was lovely, many people came, the audience was happy with our performance, and if they're happy, we're happy!

- the after-concert party - we had a blast!

- the picnic on the riverbank on Saturday, we celebrated the birthdays of my two godsons, turning thirteen and sixteen respectively

- the crafting with my little girl - we made the loveliest little thing, pictures a.s.a.p.!

Enjoy the last week of 'the merry month of Maying'!

Edited to add: computer well again - for now, so I'm adding a picture!