Are you addicted to Pinterest?

Because I am ;-) What a brilliant source of inspiration! Since I have discovered this website, my to-do-lists exploded. So many things I want to make, I want to cook, I want to decorate, I want to give as a gift...

Of course there are hideous things or stupid tipps (especially the whole weight loss which are actually ads), too, but overall I have to say: I am thrilled!!!

So in case you haven’t discovered it, yet, it is really worth a look: Pinterest

If you want to find out, what my fantastic finds are (which I keep rambling about), you can also click on the little Pinterest button in my right sidebar and it will take you straight to my folders:

At the moment I have 14 boards with topics ranging from Accessories to Yummy (Food). You see, all my favourite topics ;-)

Oh and just before you go, I have to warn you. Pinterest is highly addictive. You will forget to bring your children to bed, you will be late for work or dates, you will stay in your pyjamas all day, you will burn your food in the oven and stay up too long... but it is worthwhile ;-)

Advent Calendar Inspiration

Advent calendars are one of my favourite things about Christmas. Maybe even the most favourite thing. My late granny used to make them for us every year. They were always full of little presents, sweets and lots of love. I will never forget the feeling of curiosity and joy when I stood in front of the 24 little parcels and tried to guess what they might contain. Granny held the tradition until we were late in our 20s and we begged her for a new calendar each and every year. A little present a day was so much better than just another present on Christmas Eve!

Now I am the one who packs the little parcels and watch my little one fill with excitement when looking at the 24 little parcels filled with unknown little treasure – and to my surprise it is at least as much fun making an Advents calendar than making it. Starting to think about little presents or big ones which can be split up. Trying to find things which are fun and tiny and not too expensive. Filling a secret bag with more and more treasures. Looking for the little bags. Laying them out on the floor. Distributing the treasures to the 24 days. Adding sweets. Wrapping everything in Christmas paper. Hanging them on a ribbon the night before the 1^st of December... I can tell you making Advents calendars really made my November!

So here is some Advent calendar inspiration for all of you, who still haven’t gotten all the necessary 24 little parcels. Or for all of you who urgently need an alternative for the contaminated chocolate Adventcalendars.

This year I made two Advent calendars. One for my little one, who is 2.5 years old. Her Advent calendar will transform her play kitchen into a play shop and I will share its content throughout December with you. So, no pictures yet, sorry ;-)

 

 

The second Advent calendar I made for my goddaughter, who is 3.5 years old. She is really into drawing and colouring...

... and she is obviously becoming a real girl now.  Her mum told me that nail polish and necklaces are the things to have at kindergarten at the moment. Holy Moly  ;-)

 

 

 

I also included some things which I just find magically like stickers, little books, a kaleidoscope...

... and some sweets, of course. My goddaughter is not into chocolates, so it had to be gummi bears.

 

All wrapped up in Christmas paper and put into the little bags. E voila!!!!

In 2012 I am looking forward to...

... 2 weddings of my nearest and dearest

First of all the big wedding of my best friend, who celebrated her Standesamt wedding last year in Bavarian tradition. The big party will be in the Bavarian countryside, but I think it terms of style it will be quite different. More traditional bridal. Which means I can wear a new dress ;-) I am her maid of honour so there will be a lot of wedding planning, crafting and sewing, I promise. Yippee!

Then later in the year my sister will have her wedding. I am super-excited about this. My little sister. And my favourite brother-in-law. At the moment they don’t know whether it will be in a small castle in Bavaria or a ski lodge in Austria – I don’t care, because I know it will be a unforgettable celebration and party. No matter where.

... writing a book

I always wanted to write a book. Not for others. Not because it could make me rich. Or famous. Just because I would love to see something I wrote printed in a real book. I always thought it would be a crime thriller, but recently I think of something else. I think I could really do it. I would love to. Let’s see whether 2012 will be the year of my first book ;-)

... sewing more

I have so many sewing projects in mind that I honestly do not know where to start. Another one of my favourite shift dress? Another wrap dress? A Jackie-O-dress? A cape? Another hat ? A Carnival costume for my little one? A dress for my best friend’s wedding? And for my sister’s wedding? Finally something made from Jersey? More skirts?

... looking better after myself

My lovely husband just started a new job. Great challenges. Great colleagues. But 300km from home. So me and the little one are on our own during the week and see Papa just on the weekends. Very strange feeling. I have had long-distance relationships before – which I didn’t like particularly either – but a baby really gives this a whole new dimension. Anyway, I better stop whinging and start to look at the positive sides. No compromises on the evening TV programme! Evening after evening on my beloved sewing machine! Vegetarian dishes for dinner! ... Well, I cannot think of much else at the moment, but I am sure that I will discover more along the way. Right? Right!

... getting better at juggling work and my little one (or at least with a bit less running)

I know life won’t get less hectic, especially with my lovely husband not around every day. But I will try my very best to take it less serious. Walk instead of run. Be more pragmatic and less perfectionistic. Get a babysitter. Not look at the dust bunnies too closely – at least they are quiet pets ;-)

... and an unexpected present

I have no idea when to expect this. Or from whom. Or what it will be. Whether it will be big or small. I just hope I will recognise it whenever it will come my way. Because that is what my New Year’s Eve fortune cookie promised me. And of course, I believe in fortune cookies J

Oh well, 2012 looks pretty good to me ;-)

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!

For me made pressies

Paula had a wonderful idea. She shows us not only what beautiful presents she made for her loved ones, but also what amazing self-made presents she got. And believe me creativity runs in her family. I love the idea to show how great and creative your family is and how much you like the gifts you have gotten.

So here is my tribute to my wonderful creative family:

My husband turn one of his beautiful photos into an amazing piece of art by getting it printed onto Alu-Dibond.

My little one made beautiful drawings, ok let’s say scribbling, for her grandparents.

My mum made me a beautiful hand bag. With my choice of fabric (top and bottom), my choice of handle, my choice of interior fitting (room for my mobile, for my calendar, my keys, my pens...). That is real luxury: something which caters for your individual needs and aesthetics.

My mum also knitted me another one of these wonderful warm scarfs. I never wear them outside (no need to this winter so far anyway), but love to wrap them around me when I am sitting at my sewing machine or laptop. It feels like a big hug.

My sister is also a kitting champion and made this beautiful woollen flower brooch for me. I love its vibrant colours and the combination of something so cosy and spring-like at the same time. I could never make something as delicate and as knitted.

My brother is a passionate photographer and made some amazing photographs using a special lens that makes the photos like a miniature landscape has been photographed. A bit like these ones. Real pieces of art.

And my dad made us all dinner. A family tradition, but still we appreciate your efforts every year, dad.

Thank you so much for each and every of these wonderful pressies, dear family. I love them more than any diamond ring and I thank you so much for making them for me.

Homemade Christmas: Adventskalender

It is almost Christmas. Unbelievable, but so true.
This year I decided to make my Christmas as homemade as possible.
Because I love crafting and doing lots of crafts as decorations and presents
make my day uhmm December. So I try to share one idea for a homemade Christmas with you
as often as possible and hope that you feel inspired, amused or simply festive.
Happy Christmas time to all of you!

Today as a start I will share the Adventskalender, which I made for my little one this year. She is just 1,5 so I am not sure whether she enjoys it as much as I did putting it together. But she loves the daily unwrapping anyway ;-)

I love Adventskalender as I told you yesterday  probably in too much detail. I love the anticipation. I love the surprise. I love the chocolates. And I love that my little one’s face lights up every day when she gets one of the little pressies and rips them open at once.

Following Catherine’s creative challenge ‘Christmas dresssew along’ and her wise advise to refrain from sewing millions of little bags for Adventskalenders, I simply bought this adorable one at Ikea

Simple – stylish – in my favourite colours – well, not self-made, but self-bought and giving me hours of extra time for more satisfying crafting.

Since the little one likes to eat as much as we do and started to imitate our action in the kitchen with whatever she could find and that was not an awful lot...

... we decided to give her a play kitchen for Christmas. And that of course gave us the greatest possibilities to fill her Adventskalender:

Here is its content in detail:

an apron and oven mitts with red-white polka dots and an oh-so-cute Christmas dog

empty metal containers from my kitchen cupboard

other empty containers to be filled with healthy snacks and the like

a set of wooden fruits and veggies which can be cut with the wooden knife thanks to Velcro

a set of wooden spoons and a plastic fish (with a plastic letture leaf I guess)

a bag of apples and a bag of oranges (her favourite fruits – at least I guess they are her favourites, because they are the only ones she can say until now ;-))

The Ikea breakfast set: with felt knife and board, bread, cheese, pancakes, sausages, bacon and eggs. Initially I wanted to make felt food myself after these wonderful examples of Schokoli. But then I completely ran out of time. Why is Christmas always coming so soon and so unexpected ;-) Anyway, make sure to have a look at all the amazing things Schokoli made for her little one and his little shop. It takes your breath away.

two fruit bowls

Of course she also gets a few things which have nothing to do with cooking. Or eating. Or pretending to cook. Or pretending to eat. Well, a few anyway. They are all truly home- resp. me-made and I am going to show them in more detail in the next couple of days.

Now, I will get myself a lovely glass of red, because it is Friday after all. Have a great start of the weekend!!!

Tutorial - Colourful Eye Candy

I cannot believe it - yesterday I found this wonderful picture of a cocktail umbrella lantern that left me (and Christiane ;-)) thinking how to make one ourselves.

And today I found a how to video on Etsy. That is really just-in-time delivery ;-)

Here it is:

Just for you, Christiane ;-) I am sure it will also work perfectly with your old Sisal lamp shade.
From now on I will save all my cocktail umbrellas from sundaes, cocktails and the likes as well and make one myself. I hope I can finish this project this year, since I am not a great consumer of cocktails and sundaes ;-)

Tutorial – Dummy Band

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.

* * *

Today I want to share a little baby crafting project with you – something which comes in very handy when your little one likes her or his dummy and you don’t want to spend your days looking for it. In short: a dummy band.

All you need is a piece of band and a clip

Then just run in the band through the clip...

... pull the band in a double layer...

... pin it down and fold the other end of the band over and fix with a pin...

... sew both ends of the band and double-stitch back...

... sew a snap fastener  to the seams to fix the dummy...

... and voila your done!

Happy Easter – part I

This year my Easter decoration is very pink and turquoise. These metal eggs hold the little surprise presents for my daughter resp. my goddaughter:

A apron made out of a kitchen towel for my goddaughter – and a matching one for her little doll – and ...

... an ice-cream set for the sandbox for my little one.

I am going to visit my friend N. today, so I won’t have much time to blog. Instead I will have coffee and chat, hide and seek some Easter eggs just as a warm-up, play in the garden, eat too much from the barbecue and enjoy the sun till the very last minute.

Have a great start to the long Easter weekend!