The one with the packaging

I'm a sucker for old-fashioned things, or things with an old-fashioned feel to them. I love how these anice cubes and liquorice are packaged. Don't they look awesome?

The one with the things for the home

With spring just a couple of weeks away (the countdown for warmer weather started months ago), I am ready for something fresh and new. These items keep calling my name and some of them might end up in my home. I love greys, wood, gold and just a little bit of quirky. I bet DMX never expected to be turned into embroidery hoop art!

Paper mache bowl
Pencil cup
New York wooden sign
Gin and tonic
Vintage wire basket
New York photography
Chevron pillow cover
DMX hoop art
Coco pillow

The one with Nigella's banana bread

My favourite cookbook (when it comes to the sweet stuff) is Nigella's 'how to be a domestic goddess'. This is a cookbook I actually make things out of, and so far, none of the results ever disappointed. Last sunday I made her banana bread, and this one was no exception. I did make some small changes to the recipe. I used cane sugar instead of white sugar, amaretto instead of rum, and lemon zest replaced the vanilla extract. The banana bread tasted very good, and because it has banana, raisins and nuts in it, I like to think it's quite healthy. The recipe can be found here.

The one with the first birthday

My Etsy shop is one year old! I joined Etsy as a buyer three years ago and on february 24th of last year I thought I should give opening up my own shop a try. So far, it's been fun, I have learned a lot and I met some amazing people online. Part of the celebration yesterday, were Belgian chocolates. 

The one with the things I liked this week (part 4)

I've been trying out some new things, like making these brooches

The first (and probably not the last)

China is just across the street

I could eat sushi every day

The one with all the neon

My love for neon is a renewed love. Been there, done that. Maybe I'm attracted to neon because it brings back childhood memories. I wouldn't dress in head to toe neon, but I do like a pop of colour every now and then. A while ago I bought some neon paint in pink and yellow, now I need to come up with a project to use these for. Here are some of my favourite brights. 

Hello Nowhere print by Brown Bear Studio
Big Knot necklace by Elfina Design
Neon Domo figure charms by Kandy Land
Night Light by Owly Shadow Puppets
Hot pink sunglasses by Sunnyspex
Abstract art print by Villavera
Little black notebook by Happy Serendipity
Textile cable lamp by lacasadecoto
Neon brooch by Madame Robè

The one with the mugs

I have a board on Pinterest that I (very ambitiously) named 'one day I will make this'. On the pinboard is where most of these DIY-ideas stay. But I got creative a couple of days ago with two cheap mugs and a set of Sharpies. I used this tutorial. 

The one with the books

One of my New Year's resolutions for 2013 was to read more books. I stopped making resolutions about my health (go to the gym more often, less chocolate, more fruits). They always made me feel bad about myself because I never managed to reach these ridiculously unrealistic goals. Instead, I promised myself to do more of what I love, like reading. So I started taking more trips to the library. These are the four books that were taken home with me after my last visit.

The particular sadness of lemon cake (Aimee Bender)
The secret agent (Joseph Conrad)
Ghosts & Lightning (Trevor Byrne)
One Fifth Avenue (Candace Bushnell)

The one with the trip to Breda

Yesterday my mum and I took a little trip to Breda. Our first stop was the Museum of the Image (website here). It was the first day of a new exhibition named Couture Graphique, which was about fashion not just being about looking pretty. It's also meant to give ourselves an identity and communicate who we are. Some of the brands represented were Raf Simons, Paul Smith, Viktor & Rolf, Louis Vuitton and Bas Kosters. Unfortunately, the museum-people were very fuzzy about taking camera's inside of the museum. I did manage to smuggle in my phone, and I took a very terrible picture of a very beautiful Viktor & Rolf dress. After that, we walked through the park to our lunch. I was terrified to see that there were like a gazillion birds, chickens and roosters in the park. I haven't managed to watch 'the Birds', but I can only imagine what those creatures are capable of. Last stop was the Breda Museum, it had an exhibition about Dutch romantic painter Petrus van Schendel, which was pretty awesome.

Couture Graphique

Viktor & Rolf dress, sorry for the poor quality. Camera's weren't allowed

rooster at the park, after taking this picture a made a run for it

lunch

artsy looking lamps

on the streets of Breda

Breda museum

The one with the things I liked this week (part 3)

mail from the UK!

my Alber, Marc & Karl buttons have arrived (ordered here)

on the streets

handdrawn envelopes, because plain white ones are, well, just plain white ones

The one with the Valentine's cookies

Yesterday after work I wanted to make something sweet for Valentine's day. I didn't want to spent too much time in the kitchen though. So I dipped some store-bought cookies in melted dark chocolate and added different kinds of goodies, like raisins and chopped M&M's. Happy Valentine's Day!

The one with Pablo Neruda

The one with the last minute Valentine shopping

I do like giving presents and sending out cards all year round, so Valentine's day is no exception. Here are some of my Valentine's favourites.

for your single friend 1/2/3/4

for him 1/2/3/4

for her 1/2/3/4

The one with the toy soldiers

Last weekend was a slow one. Between eating chocolate, watching CSI:NY and eating some more chocolate, I managed to do something a bit creative. A while ago I bought myself a big bag of vintage toy soldiers at the thrift shop. I had no clue what to do with them, but I needed to have them. Last weekend I came up with the idea to turn some of them into brooches. I painted them with nailpolish, sprayed them with varnish and glued the pins on the backs. Now I need to figure out what to do with the rest of these green men.

The one with the things I liked this week (part 2)

a visit to the last day of the Shinkichi Tajiri-exposition at the Valkhof museum

the newest addition to my scarf collection, knitted by granny (90 y.o.!)

homemade zucchini soup for lunch

The one with Waldo

I have this thing for graffiti and other creative outbursts on the streets., they make daily life a lot more fun and colourful. Lately, I've been discovering Waldo's all over town. One of them can be seen here. Another one was found yesterday on my way to the trainstation. There are twentyfive Waldo's throughout the city. I have found six of them so far. 

six out of twentyfive

a Waldo inspired outfit

Striped top by Zara

Baret by Zara

Glasses by Bibby's Rocket

Clutch by MeDusa

Jeans by G-Star

Handmade loafers by Lively Legs

The one with all the snow

I've never made a secret of my love for the sun. I really, really dislike winter and the discomfort that comes along with it. I have been living like a couchpotato since october, and I am done with hats, gloves, scarves and other winter necessities. Why I can't wait for spring and summer? Being able to sit on my balcony, take walks after dinner, use my sunnies again, eat icecreams, drink lemonade and wear ballet flats instead of boots. Well ok, I admit the snow does look magical. I just wish it looked magical somewhere else.

The one with the wishlist

Although I try not to wear only dark clothes (I recently added a neon pink sweater to my wardrobe), I just keep being attracted to the dark side. I love black clothes, and outfits with an edge. Studs, lace and/or sparkles, the more the merrier. Still a long time before christmas, but it never hurts to start making a wishlist, right?

Vintage sequin dress - Boat People Vintage
Skindo black vintage glasses - MOD Vintage
Lace collar - Amorous Cats Attic
Leather arm bands - Love at first Blush
Studded Converse - Urban Eclectics
Black leather biker jacket - JOD Clothing
Cat skull ring - HidenSeek
Cross print tank - XZOUIX
Don't grow up print - Vaporqualquer

The one with all the food

Last saturday was all about food: recipe-searching, food-shopping and cooking (and eating ofcourse). I was invited for diner with friends. My task was the main course. I decided to try out a new pasta dish with spinach pesto and shrimp. My friend made a semifreddo with pomegranate for dessert.

our starter, can't go wrong with cheese

ingredients waiting to be turned into pesto

this photo doesn't do the dish any justice. Luckily, it tasted better than it looked

Semifreddo with pomegranate

Done

The one with the things I liked this week

This is my seventh blog, so I have been doing this thing for a week now. I started taking my camera everywhere again, just like I did when I was a kid. It makes me look at things differently and see more of the beautiful, everyday things that surround me. Some of the things I liked this past week were spicing up a simple, sheer, black blouse with collar tips. In Amsterdam I was feeling like a kid in a candystore with lots of luxurious make up. I have a fear of lipstick (I'm afraid it will end up everywhere, except where it's supposed to be), which I wanted to overcome when I saw all the beautiful new colours for spring. I have been postcrossing for over 3 years now, and finding something good in my mailbox still makes me extremely happy. And who doesn't like flowers?

These collar tips spice up a simple black blouse

Lots of colour

I love receiving old-fashioned mail

Beautiful stamps from Japan

Fresh flowers