Happy New Year!

Dearest readers,

I wish you all a very happy, healthy, successful, exciting and relaxing

We had a wonderful start of the year with some of our nearest and dearest friends!

 

 

Great food! Good music! Fireworks all around us. What else can you want? Well, maybe pink decorations. I will tell you a bit more about my frenetic decoration craze on December 30^th soon ;-) But for now, have a wonderful evening! And an even better New Year!

Good-bye 2011

I cannot believe 2011 is almost over. It was mostly a good year! It was also sometimes a bad year! You know, it was just a year with up and downs – like most years are ;-) – and it was definitely a crafty year for me!

In January 2011 I rediscovered the good old Strickliesl and remembered how much fun it is to produce meters of “Strickliesl sausages”: here and here and here

In February 2011 I took part in Me-made-February, a wonderful initiative by Cat, and discovered how many me-made things I own, although not nearly as many as the other participants.

In March 2011 I made delicious Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes.

In April 2011 I worked on my balcony – to transform it from a triste concrete place to an urban oasis.

In May 2011 I saw parts of my little one’s christening outfit, including crawling pants and sunshade cap.

In June 2011 I made a lot of decorations and pressies for the twin baby shower, I organised, e.g. this dummy band .

In July 2011 I continued making little baby things like this onesie.

In August 2011 there was little time for crafting, but I managed to make at least some great food like these spaghetti vongole.

In September 2011 was a failure in terms of crafting. Too much working didn’t leave a minute for DIY L

And the same was unfortunately true for October 2011. Don’t like!

In November 2011 I finally got more time for crafting: my little one’s first lantern and starting my dress for Cat’s Christmas dress challenge. Yipee!!

In December 2011 my creative juices really went crazy thanks to a few days off work: cinnamon balls, lemon-rosemary bath salt, a ‘stolen’ piece of art ,  a leather necklace for my aunt,  ginger-almond-crossies and of course my Christmas dress.

Wow, what a wonderful DIY year! I wish 2012 will be equally productive, creative and fun!

Wish you all a great New Year’s Eve! With great food, friends, bubbly and of course spectacular fireworks!

Fireworks Sale start today!!!

picture found here

Just a little reminder for all the other firework addicts in Germany: the fireworks sale starts today.

I know many think it is a waste of money! Just dangerous! And over in a second anyway!

BUT

I am so excited!!!

Aldi? Lidl? What do you think? Who has the better offer? I am big fan of the Aldi website, because you can have a look at the fireworks virtually beforehand. Which saves you a lot of time and pushing in front of the shelves in store. Which is what I DON’T like. I just want to get in, snatch MY fireworks and leave this crazy-grocery-shopping-because-there-is-one-public-holiday place as soon as possible.

So I better go. The early bird, ... you know ;-)

I ♥ Fireworks

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’.

* * *

Today is the day when the fireworks sale starts in Germany. And I was among the pyromanias, who couldn‘t wait for the stores to open their gates. For me this feeling is better than the start of Myers Boxing Day sale ;-)

I ♥ fireworks . I ♥ the visual effects. I ♥ the sounds. I even ♥ the smell. I ♥ it’s magic.

Of course, I know that it is dangerous (yeap, I hear all the horrible stories about people losing their eyesight or important limps while playing with fire). I know, it is bad for the environment. I know that you could do so many more meaningful things with the money you spend on fireworks.

BUT

I ♥ fireworks . I simply cannot help it. It’s beauty always makes me very emotional. And it makes me gasp in astonishment every time. I feel like a child, marvelling at it’s beauty.

So, I HAD to have fireworks at my wedding. Because I wanted to have all the things that really matter to us. And fireworks definitely ticked this box for me.

So, the first thing that I did when we got engaged was organising some fireworks. I knew our budget wouldn’t allow for professional fireworks, so I needed to find an affordable alternative. I also knew that you couldn’t get fireworks in Australia and take them home on the plane. Or buy fireworks in Germany in October.

So, I needed another plan. Fortunately it was shortly before New Year’s Eve and therefore I was able to ask a friend to buy a 100shot-firework box at the supermarket. Thanks again, J.!!! I think it was about 20 Euro. Then he stored it away for about 10 months and ... I got my fireworks at the wedding. It was beautiful. It was breathtaking. It was very emotional. It was a wonderful surprise for everyone. And it was a dream come true for me.

Virtual fireworks here and here

Festival of Lights

picture found here

Yesterday the Festival of Lights started here in Berlin. Until October 24th buildings across Berlin are in illuminated in all colours of the rainbow. Every night! Plus there are amazing fireworks as well. Isn’t that a wonderful start into the dark winter season?

Friday Football

picture found here

Soccer actually rather than football. The German national team plays against Turkey tonight. In the city with the biggest Turkish community outside of Turkey – Berlin. And I reckon I now live in the street with the biggest Turkish soccer fans in Berlin. Which means: a chorus of horns since noon, red flags on half of the balconies, black-red-gold on the other half, a big party no matter who wins and a lot of very disappointed fans (dito) and fireworks (triple yipee!).

Happy Friday!

Passion No 11 - fireworks

I ♥ red sparklers

I ♥ golden fountains

I ♥ colourful balls

I ♥ silver rains

I ♥ sparklers