Frankfurter Villa

At the beginning of each month I want to show you places where I’d rather be at that very moment. As you know I am constantly either travelling or dreaming of travelling and I want to share my favourite bars, restaurants, hotels, cities and countries around the world with you. And I am looking for your recommendations for my next trips.

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After a bit far-away dreaming last month, I want to share a beautiful hotel with you today that is a bit closer by. If you live in Europe anyway ;-)

I have been in Frankfurt on business trips quite a bit and I haven’t found many nice hotels. None to be honest. Until a colleague recommended this one to me – and from then on I never stayed anywhere else. It is lovely! It is close to the centre, but a bit away from the action. The staff is very friendly and helpful, the food is so yummy that once I was almost late for my meeting because I could finish breakfast and the drinks at the little bar are not bad either. There is nothing more relaxing than reading a book at the library with a wonderful red in your hand, before soaking yourself in one of the old-fashioned bath tubs and then falling into a canopy bed. After such an evening, I promise, it doesn’t feels like a business trip anymore.

The most amazing canopy bad I have ever seen – so modern, so luxurious, so big and not a sign of romantic princess style. I love it!!!

The modern yet luxurious style continues in the bathroom. Old-fashioned lion-footed tub meets clean chic.

Aren’t these door plates just the cutest? I wish I would have a pair like these at home and someone would act according to these adorable orders. Please don’t disturb – I need my beauty sleep ;-)

Where: Hebelstraße 1, 60318 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
phone: (0049) 069 40584-0, fax (0049) 069 40584-100, email: contact@villa-orange.de

Highlight: well-stocked library with great books and not only trashy novels like in so many other hotel libraries

More photos, information and ideas: Villa Orange, Museum fuer Moderne Kunst, Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt

First Birthday

picture found here

My little one is turning one!

Unbelievable!

Fabulous!

Wonderful!

Amazing!

No time for further blogging today, because the queen absolutely decides what we do today and I guess it won’t include playing on her own on the floor, while mama is sitting at the computer ;-)

Baby Food a la Jamie Oliver

Exciting new times have started when it comes to baby food. My little one doesn’t only have some teeth to chew now, she is also interested in literally everything on our plates. And she gets very annoyed when we don’t allow her to try it straightaway. I am very happy about that because I wasn’t a big fan of buying canned baby food or cooking separate dishes for her anyway. Now that these times are over, I enjoy cooking food for our whole family. With a bit more seasoning to add for the adults, a bit of pureeing here and there, but basically we share the same food.

Last week I made a hot pot a la Jamie Oliver for all of us and the little one ate twice her usual amount of food. Who says that a baby cannot be a gourmet ;-)

Easy Spring Vignole a la Jamie Oliver
For 8 portions (believe me, you will finish them in no time)

Olive oil
4 spring onions
400ml good vegetable stock
1kg frozen peas
1 can of artichokes (drained and halved)
1 small bunch of mint
6 slices prosciutto

Heat up frying pan, add 1 shot of olive oil and sauté spring onions for a few minutes. Add the broth and peas. Stir in artichokes and add a few stalks of mint. Season with salt and pepper. Lay prosciutto slices over the pan like a lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove prosciutto and tear it into small pieces. Put prosciutto pieces back into the stew. Season to taste and add a generous splash of olive oil plus the remaining chopped mint leaves.

Serve with some bread or couscous and puree for the little one if necessary.

Very yummy and very healthy!

Recipe found here

Wild flowers

I would choose these over any bunch of expensive red roses!

Words to live by

found here

Not a traditional Baptismal motto, but still a motto a child should be allowed to realise in her or his life. Not always easy for parents to accept, but something we should work on ;-)

Happy Saturday!

A Casual Christening – Preparations

I love parties! I love to go to parties! I love to throw them! I think there are many things to celebrate, not only birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and Easter. Therefore I now dedicated my Friday posts to parties: to creative party invitations, to easy-to-make party food, to party decorations that make all the difference... I hope you feel inspired by the festive atmosphere on Fridays and celebrate many small and big events.

I am in the final stages of preparations for my little one’s christening. Since we decided to make it a special but casual celebration, I am not stressed at all, but look forward to celebrating with our closest family and friends. While organising the christening I faced two “challenges”: deciding on how to handle the religious traditions (plus I had to do some research because I wasn’t familiar with all of them) and putting together a little wish list (and I am not a fan of silver rattles and spoons).

picture found here

Religious traditions

• Godparents – in former times they often had a provider role in case the parents died, but for me they (ideally) become adult confidants, who offer the child help and advice
• Baptismal motto – here is a great source for German Taufsprüche, this motto shall guide the child throughout its life
• Christening gown – often handed down from one generation to the next, the white dress should symbolise the child’s purity before god
• Christening candle – more common in the Roman Catholic church, represents that Christ is the light in our life)
• Intercessions – typical read out by the godparents during the service, often follows this scheme (1. for the child to be baptised, 2. for the parents and godparents, 3. for family, 4. for present friends and relatives, 5. for the community, 6. for all in the world who are in trouble or sickness 

picture found here

Presents

• A special toy – something that is loved by the child for more than a few months, maybe a beautiful doll or a teddy bear
• A piece of jewellery – for me it doesn’t need to be a classic cross, it could also be a fish (the ancient sign of Christ), a little heart or a single pearl
• A savings account – on which the godparents pay an amount occasionally and the child can spend it on a holiday, a car etc. when it turns 18
• A quilt – I love fabrics and I love the idea of turning scrap fabric into something useful and something full of memories by using fabrics from baby clothes, blankets etc.
• The first tableware and cutlery – made from plastic or more classy from porcelain and stainless steal 

Oh, I am starting to get really excited! I cannot wait for next week.

My Creative Space – Still Stitching

It is Thursday and in my blogging world that means My Creative Space – a great blogging initiative initiated by Kirsty from Kootoyoo. Creative people from all over the world show their working space, projects they are currently working on and unfinished projects. I find it very inspiring and the photos that show the work spaces are truly stunning.

There is a finished project on my crafting table today. What an unusual sight! As you can see I am still stitching. Embroidery really has kept me going. After the snowflakes which I will show you soon, I did some photo album covers for the guests of my little one’s christening. Since it will also be the celebration of her first birthday, I thought it would be nice to give all our nearest and dearest a little photo album with pictures of her in her first year. The only problem was that I didn’t like the covers of the little photo albums you could buy. I was looking for something special which didn’t cost the world. And of course I ended up doing them myself ;-)

Sewn of blue jeans fabric...

... embroidered with different variations of my little one’s name and initials...

... in different colours and stitching techniques.

As so often, however, I more “ate more than I can chew”. I could have never finished them in time without my mum’s help. What a blessing to have a mum who is as obsessed with crafting as me and even more talented. Thanks, Mama!!!

Wedding Weather

 
On Wednesdays I share everything wedding with you: tips, projects, organisation, photos, faux-pas, fun things and golden rules I ‘learned’ from my own wedding. I feel I need to give something back to the fabulous blog community who helped me stay sane and enjoy every second of my ‘big day’.

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Let’s face it – you cannot plan everything. Not even for your big day. There are some things you just cannot control. Like the weather. I have seen beautiful warm wedding days in December. And incredible cold and rainy wedding days in July. Tropical showers on sunny islands. Bursts of sunlight in grey cities.

There is just no way to influence it and no reliable way to predict it. All you can do is be prepare (you know if you have an umbrella, it never rains and vice versa) and then no stress about is as much as possible. And then I am sure you will be rewarded with a beautiful day, no matter what the weather is like!

Ruby Tuesday – Pattern

I want to keep my holiday feel for a bit longer and therefore I wear this summery red pattern combination today. Nothing says summer more loudly for me than red and white pattern mix.

What is your favourite summer outfit?

A Casual Christening – The Outfit

Every Monday I will post something related to babies: inspiration, craft projects, baby news, and discoveries I have made in this new and exciting world for me. I hope you come along on that rollercoaster ride with me.

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I am back from my country holiday. Back in the city. Back home. And today I want to show you my little one’s outfit for her christening which I made with my mum during my little holiday.

First I had a look at my christening gown, which my mum made and my sister and I wore, because I am a sucker for traditions like inherited outfits. Plus it is soooooo beautiful. Slightly transparent cotton with yellow flowers, adorned with amazing lace. It is comfortably wide and very, very long.

Since my little one will be one at her christening– which means crawling, trying to stand and walk – we decided against my christening gown, which I wore when I was just 6 months old. It is simply way too long for any activity. It better suits a little baby who gets carried around all the time than a toddler bursting with energy.

Therefore we ‘pimped’ a summery dress, which I found at H&M. It was a white cotton summer dress with lining and some levels of lace, but we added some butterfly lace from Venice to dress it up a bit. It long, but she can still stand without stepping on the hem. It is not too hot, when the weather is fine. And if it is cool, we can just add a little white cardigan.

We also made lace trousers out of a table cloth that my late grandma gave me. I think we may take the dress off once the ceremony is over so that the little one can crawl more freely and is not constrained by the length of the dress in any way.

Out of the rest of the table cloth I made a little bonnet, because the christening will take place outside the church on the lawn and I want to avoid that the little one gets a sun stroke in the hour-long service. Plus, I think, it looks super-cute! Now please keep your fingers crossed that the little one allows the bonnet to stay on her head for more than 4 seconds. ;-)

I am really happy with the outfit. With the mix of new and old material. With the mix of practicality and nostalgia. With the layering.

I am also curious, however: what did your little one wear for her or his christening? What would you choose if you had a little one and if you would christen her or him?

Country Holiday V – Blanket

Country Holiday IV – Spritz

Country Holiday III – Meadow

Beauty is where you find it – YOU are beautiful

Luzia Pimpinella initiated this great photography project which I discovered last week. I can tell you: pure eye candy. A real art gallery. Last week the topic was SIGNS OF LOVE, this week it is YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!

And here is the painted lady I want to tell: You are beautiful

Despite the weird lantern above your head. Despite the peeling colour around you. Despite the graffiti to your left. YOU are beautiful.

Now make sure to check out how beautiful the pictures of the others look like!

Country Holiday II – apple tree

Country Holiday I – sunset

Gräserkürzen

Chopping grass – that is what I am going to do in the next week. The little one and I are spending a week with my parents in the Bavarian alpine upland. In a tiny village with about 10 houses and 4 farm houses. With lots of cows, horses, chicken and very few people. With a garden full of amazing things for the little one to explore and lots of sunsets to admire for me. With a wonderfully striped canvas chair, where I am intending to spend as much time as possible. With a great barbecue and my dad as the barbecue master.

I am not sure whether I feel like blogging this week and I don’t want to promise anything. Because for me holidays are about deciding what you want or don’t want to do quite spontaneously. No deadlines. No pressure. No projects. No musts.

So, dearest readers I wish you a wonderful week! I hope you can free yourself up from some of your chores as well. See you, when I get back ;-)

TOP 5 books I want to read during my holiday next week

 

Die Identität – Milan Kundera
In German found here

Hin und Weg – Ethan Hawke
In German found here

The curious incident of the dog in the night-time – Mark Haddon
In English found here

The Poisonwood Bible – Barbara Kingsolver
In English found here

Schleier des Todes – Barbara Nadel
In German found here

I’ll let you know which I managed to read and how I liked them when I get back!

Treasure Find

Look what I found in my little magic thrift shop today:

The perfect birthday set.

As you might remember I was on the hunt for a special birthday plate, because I loved this tradition when I was a child.

And today I found it – just 200m from where I live. For me it is perfect. Something really special.

Beautifully decorated.

Golden.

And it even came together with a matching cup and saucer.

I hope my little one will love it as much as I do in a couple of years.

I am on sick leave!

Dearest reader, I am on sick leave from today onwards. I thought the winter and its nasty colds and flues are over. Not for us, unfortunately. Both the little one and I are not feeling well. So we will spend a lot of time cuddling on the sofa, napping during the day, eating healthy food and blowing our noses about a million times a day. I'll be back as soon as there are more positive and interesting things to report. Stay healthy!

Me-made Mittwoch: Stofflager

Cat  had another great idea. After organising a Me Made February and her weekly Me Made Mittwoch, she called on all of us to show our ‘Stofflager’ (fabric stash). What a great idea. I also often hear other sewing addicts ‘complaining’ about the mountains of fabric they have at home.

I have to admit, I don’t understand the ‘complaining tone’ of some of these comments, because I ♥ my fabric stash. Here is:

It is full of beautiful fabrics which I have gathered over the years and they are full of memories: of fantastic flea market finds, of amazing cities, of projects I had in mind but never realised, of time I spend with my friends chatting and shopping.

On top these fabrics are not just nostalgic memories, they are also full of future potential. I often sort through them and think of all the wonderful things I could make with them: dresses, accessories, baby clothes, doll clothes or maybe a quilt.

So coming back to Cat’s questions:

a) Is your fabric stash enormous? – No yet, but I am working on it ;-)

b) Is your fabric stash too big? – NO! I think you cannot have too much fabric!

c) Does it never, never contain the fabric you need? – That is often true, but it is just another reason for an enormous stash, isn’t it? And sometimes, on rare occasions it offers the perfect fabric for your new project. And this makes you even happier than finding the perfect fabric in a shop.

I am now heading over to your fabric stashes. Maybe you have a cleverer way to organise and present your stashes, because that is something I would love to improve.

Ruby Tuesday – For a Country Holiday

Yes, I am going on a holiday to the Bavarian countryside next week. Ah, I cannot wait! So, in the meantime I have to fire my imagination with these lovely ruby holiday finds:

A sun hat for the little one...

found here

... comfy summer shoes for me...

found here

... a booklet to start writing this travelogue I had in my mind for ages...

found here

... a big bag to have everything (sun cream, sun glasses, magazines, crafting material, water bottle, and so on) at hand at the canvas chair ...

found here

... and finally a soft cushion so my neck doesn’t get stiff after so much relaxation.

found here

Enjoy dreaming of your summer holiday!

All found at DaWanda today!