New hair, new me

For once I have actually realised my high-flying plans straight away. I went to the hairdresser and got a new cut – just days after putting it onto my maternity leave to-do-list and promising to look after myself more. Wow, I am impressed by myself ;-)

On the other hand, I don’t know why it always takes me 3 months to get my hair cut. I love the feel and look of freshly-cut hair so much that I should really do it every month or at least every 6 weeks. Maybe I should start getting into the habit of booking my next appointment while I am there?

The cut itself is nothing crazy or mind-blowing, but one I had for about a year in various lengths and I definitely want to keep it a bit longer. Because it suits me (I think). It looks great even if I don’t blow-dry it (which I usually don’t do). It is long enough to pull it back into a ponytail. It doesn’t look too grown-up (for a 34 year old). It doesn’t look too try-hard-young either (for a 34 year old). At least I hope so ;-) Anyway, as you can see, I am really happy with my new look:

By the way: the ‘photo-cabin-style’ photo is taken by this amazing online tool. All you need is a webcam connected to your computer. So much fun. I could spend the whole evening making silly photos of myself. Don’t worry, the home website is in French, but then switches to English and I am sure you will figure out very quickly how it all works. Super-easy! And please send me some links to your photo booth pics if you post them on your blog ;-)

Becoming a parent but be yourself

I know becoming a parent is a life-changing moment. Nevertheless I think it is also important to realise, that no matter what will happen to you after you had the baby, you still will be yourself. Maybe a new version of you. Maybe a more responsible one. Maybe a more caring one. Maybe someone who sleeps less. Maybe one who is more focussed on the precious new little being
but
you will be still you. And I think that is something you shouldn’t forget about. Not during your pregnancy. And not afterwards either.

So, although a lot of my thinking, doing and talking is centred on the arrival of my little one in a couple of weeks (and you, dear readers, have surely recognised this in the blog as well – all that baby stuff!) – I try also to focus on things, which I like. Which are important to me. Or to other people I love.

So, dear mums and mums-to-be, please look after yourself as well. And make sure you spend enough time that is...

all about you:

• Spend money on yourself: buy a piece of art, buy beautiful (not necessarily practical) clothes

• Read a stimulating book: I highly recommend ‘Mother Tongue’ by Bill Bryson, which is an amazing book about the English language, but the key thing is that is has nothing to do with pregnancy, labour, breastfeeding or parenting
• Pamper yourself: get a new hair cut (and don’t just focus on easy maintenance), paint your nails (or ask someone to do it for you)
• Make something for you: sew a dress, craft some jewellery, draw

all about your loved ones:

• Spend quality time with your partner: have fun, be romantic, ask about his feelings/ thoughts and listen, talking about the little one is not allowed 
• Spend quality time with your family and friends: listen to what they have to say, what is going on in their lives (weddings, breakups, new jobs, holidays...), don’t only ramble about your pregnancy and baby  

And please enjoy these times without any guilt, because if you are happy, your baby/ child will benefit from that as well. Before and after his/ her birth!

So be happy!

What next?

So and now enough about me – of course I won’t stop bothering you with stories of my life, but I think you know enough about me now so I can move on to other interesting topics as well.

My plans for this blog look like this at the moment. I will have a few regular posts – so you can look forward to a specific topic ;-)

Oh Baby, it’s Monday!
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.

Wedding Wednesday

On Wednesdays I will share everything wedding with you: tips, projects, organisation, photos, faux-pas, fun things and golden rules I have ‘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’.

1st of each month: Fernweh/ Wanderlust
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.


12th of each month: 12 on the 12th
My favourite blog initiative ever. On the 12th of each month, bloggers around the globe take 12 photos of their daily life and post them. Not only great for getting to know other bloggers but also as a personal visual diary. So please join the fun here: http://www.draussennurkaennchen.blogspot.com/

15th of each month: My Top 5 books
As reading is one of my passions, I want to share my 5 favourite books in a number of categories with you on every 15th of the month. There will be cook books, children books, magazines, thrillers, coffee table books and and and... I hope you give me also some advice on what to read next as well.







 Besides all these planned posts, there will be, of course, also a lot of spontaneous blogging.

About things that inspire me.

About things that make me laugh.

About things that happen in my life.

About discoveries.

....

And about everything else you are interested in.

So please let me know

• what you like

• what you find soooo boring

• what you would like to hear more about

• what I should stop talking about

• and what is missing in my blog


If you have any other questions about me, please just ask them, either via email or comment and I will answer them as honestly as possible.

Hope you had a great January 2010 and look as much forward to February as I do!

My Shopping Mania

Image from here

Online:

- Etsy – for everything handmade and creative, but in particular for accessories

- Dawanda – for everything handmade and creative in Germany

- ebay Germany / ebay Australia – for occasional bargains

- amazon Germany / amazon International – for books, dvds, music and more books

- Itunes– for music, music, music



Offline:

Image from here

Specialists:

- kikki k. – stationary heaven (

- Olga Berg – affordable handbags of all shapes, sizes and styles

- Elk, AUS – fashion jewellery with stylish natural appeal

- Kinky Gerlinki, Acland Street, St.Kilda, AUS – quirky fashion and flattering accessories

- Luxus International, Kastanienallee, Berlin, D – gifts, independent artists can rent cupboard space to set up their own mini-shop

Image from here

All-rounders:

- Muji, all over the world except AUS– everything beautiful, everything practical

- Spoilt, Melbourne, AUS – wonderful presents, hand bags, jewellery, baby stuff and amazing cards

- Urban Outfitters, UK & USA – fashion, books, interior decoration

- Lagerhaus, Hamburg, D – gifts, fashion, kitchen ware, wine, hair dresser and cafe all under one roof

- Beck, Munich, D – beautiful fashion, gifts, stationary, craft equipment and great Japanese food on the top floor

Cheap & cheerful:

- H&M, everywhere except AUS – latest fashion and very affordable basics for customising
- Primark, UK – the cheapest and hippest fashion store ever, but with the most doggy store display

- 2-Dollars-Shops / 100-Yen-Shops/ 1 Euro Shops, all over the world – so cheap that you buy things you never thought you need (and probably you will end up loving them to death)

- Mauerpark flee market, Berlin, D – real bargains, real characters and great coffee

- Century 21, NY, USA – %%% on last year’s designer wear, a shop that prints the savings you made on the recipe

Image from here

Craft heavens:

- Spotlight  AUS - everything you can imagine for all types of crafting

- Tokyu Hands JAP - everything you ever dreamt of and much much more

- Idee Creativmarkt D - great choice of craft material and great inspiration via classes

- Kiwiquilts NZ - wonderful fabrics with a great online shop

- Frau Tulpe D - beautiful fabrics in the nicest colours and patterns

My monthly online readings

Image from here

Online Women’s Magazines:

although I prefer the paper version, but better than the 3 months old versions of the German magazines I get at my local newspaper agent ;-)

o Brigitte, D

o Frankie, AUS

o Petra, D

o Real Living, AUS

o Vice, AUS

Image from here

Online Fashion Magazines:

to know what to wear and not to wear this season, to ‘steal’ ideas for my next sewing session and enjoy the view of virtual high-gloss paper

o Vogue, D

o Elle, D

o InStyle, USA

o Shop til You Drop, AUS

Blogs:

even more ideas for my crafty self, stories to remember, interior design ideas for my dream house, party inspiration and new cooking adventures

o A Beautiful Mess

o A Little Hut

o Adventures in Renovating a Brooklyn Limestone House
o Bliss

o Cannot Stop Making Things

o Craft Werk

o Delicious Days

o Design Sponge

o Heart of Light

o How about Orange

o Ich werde ein Berliner

o Little Glowing Lights

o Maedchen mit Herz

o Making Chicken Salad

o Not quite vintage

o Oh Hello Friend

o Poppytalk

o Rearranged Design

o Sparkling Ink

o Sparrows & Oranges

My Melbourne

Palm Trees at Beaconsfield Parade

Characters and lama on Acland Street

‘Little Audrey’ on Victoria Street

Fresh fish and seafood on Carlisle Street

Sunset at Elwood Beach

My first day at work

The first day in a new job always feels like the first day at school to me. You don’t know the other people. You don’t know who is going to sit next to you. What the teacher will be like. Whether you will find friends quickly or not. You don’t know the place. You don’t know where your desk will be. You don’t know exactly what is expected from you. What you should do straight away. What you should avoid altogether. It is extremely exciting!!!!

Anyway, my first day at school aehm work today was good. My colleagues are nice. My boss is also nice. I got my own desk in a sunny office. I have a phone and the computer will be set up hopefully tomorrow. I got my first project. I have a to-do-list for tomorrow. I am back on solid ground.

And my little one also feels comfortable. I got lots of happy kicks from her today.

Life is good.

Passion No 12 - all simple & clever ideas

I ♥ easy-to-make heart paper clips

Idea and picture from here

I ♥ chandeliers made of plastic service ware

Idea and picture from here

I ♥ un-kitschy tea light holders

Idea and picture from here

I ♥ beautiful geeky fridge magnets

Idea and picture from here

I ♥ simple & sophisticated jam

Jam and picture from here

Passion No 11 - fireworks

I ♥ red sparklers

I ♥ golden fountains

I ♥ colourful balls

I ♥ silver rains

I ♥ sparklers

Passion No 10 - Audrey Hepburn

I ♥ her as Holly Golightly. I just cannot help it, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is my favourite movie. Ever!

I ♥ her as Princess Ann in Roman Holiday

I ♥ her as Sabrina

I ♥ her as Nicole in How to Steal a Million

I ♥ Audrey as herself

All photos from here

Passion No 9 – accessories

I ♥ earrings

all shapes, all sizes, all colours

I ♥ hats

the bigger the better

I ♥ necklaces

yes, there is a red theme going on

I ♥ bags

easy to tell from the look on my face

I ♥ rings

every girl should have a Tiffany's ring - I bought myself one in NY and will treasure it forever

My favourite TV series

The Office is my favourite TV series ever since I have ‘discovered’ it about 1.5 years ago.

It is hilarious! It is sad! It is funny! Frightening! It is clever! Stupid! It is so over-the-top!

And it is all so true!

What a great reminder for everyone staying or working from home what it is really like to work in an office! What ‘wonderful’ ideas your boss sometimes has. What useless meeting you often have. How bitchy the girl sitting next to you can be. What goes on behind closed doors. How the copier always breaks down when you need it most...

In case you haven’t seen any episode yet (shame on you) or it isn’t on air in your country (shame on your TV stations) here is a little teaser:

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

In case you have seen it before and love it as much as I do, you can here watch all episodes of all seasons again.

Happy watching!

Passion No 8 – fabrics

I ♥ fabrics!

I ♥ the different textures of fabrics. Their softness. Their stiffness. Their colours. Their plainness. Their patterns. Their weaves. Their sheen. Their shine. Their mattness. The possibilities they offer you.

These are my latest treasures from Spotlight. As you can see I now really get into baby colours, although I try to stay away from an all pink colour scheme. I am not entirely sure, yet, what I will make of each of those beautiful fabrics, but I will definitely show it to you in the next couple of weeks or months.

Passion No 7 – paper

I ♥ paper dolls

Image from here

I ♥ stationery

Image from here

I ♥ thick books

Image from here

I ♥ origami

Image from here

I ♥ notebooks

Image from here