Saturday 28 November 2009

Christmas inspiration...

crafts...

decoration...


children's books...





a trip...?
If only...

Take Care!
xxx



Tuesday 24 November 2009

View of the sky from my kitchen window


I like looking at the different colours and shapes the sky takes;
it helps me forget I'm in a big city
and dream of open spaces.







What do you see when you look out of the window?

Take Care!
xxx

Sunday 22 November 2009

Sunday Outing...


... to Palios Panteleimonas,
a mountainous, traditional village near Mt Olympus.





















Thank you all so much for your lovely comments!
Have a wonderful week!
xxx

Thursday 19 November 2009

Winter Solstice

Feeling a little blue since yesterday
(I won't get into the 'why' part- at least not now-
as it relates to blogland
and I don't want to get into explaining things)
I decided to start my yearly ritual of reading Piltcher's Winter Solstice
a couple of weeks earlier this year;
something to comfort me and bring me warmth.
I love this book.
I'm looking forward to starting reading it as soon as I post this.
Take Care!
xxx

Wednesday 18 November 2009

And the winner is...

... lovely Lucy!
Lucy is a very talented and sweet young girl and I'm truly honoured that she reads my blog.
Congratulations Lucy!
Hope you enjoy your little presents!
Thank you all so much for participating!
Take Care!
xxx

Monday 16 November 2009

The Simple Things

Joining Christina at Soul Aperture
here is a -short- list of some of the simple things
that make my heart sing...


watching the sunset from the kitchen window...

finding the perfect frame for a picture I love...

(picture won at Lecia's giveaway; see it better here)


a pupil's drawing with the heart-warming words " I love you, Miss"...




the first bloom in spring...

my geraniums which are still in full bloom today...

making my son laugh and laugh and laugh...

a shower of rain in the summer...

precious family breakfast...

reading The Shell Seekers every summer and Winter Solstice every winter....

collecting shells and pebbles in the summer and making crafts with them in winter...

coffee and cake on a quiet afternoon while the flat is still filled with the aroma of baking...

my angel's face while he's sleeping...

a walk in the countryside...

beautiful stationary...

the smell of old books...
girlie pyjamas...

floral bedlinen...

planting bulbs on a sunny November afternoon...

mail - sending and receiving...

laughing...

crying...

being human...
Ooooh! That was a lot of fun!


Visit Christina's blog for more Simple Things.

xxx



PS. The giveaway is still open; see previous post


Thursday 12 November 2009

Interested in a giveaway?


Hey you!
How have you all been this week?
I've been quite busy here and haven't visited many of you but I'm here with you now, as a tiring day is nearly over. I just hope I won't fall asleep with my book in my hands again as I do want to see how The Secret Garden ends.
Anyway, there was a parcel for me in the mail this week.
Well, not for me really but for my friends;
the ones here in my everyday life
and the ones from all over the world: you!
I was so excited to get it and when I opened the box I saw this
rainbow of little packages!!!
Don't they look great?
I just had to take a picture!


Do you want to see what was inside?


A collection of writing paper, envelopes and cards all with the same theme:
nature
and....
these gorgeous notebooks,
each with a unique wildlife theme
...
from...
Starfish and Mermaids...


...to
The Universal Known (my personal favourite)...


...to
Shells and Snails...

...to
Lagoon wildlife


On each page there's a different drawing from animals, plants etc that can be found in Greece
(I don't know about the mermaids though!! :) )
I love them!!!
Well, if you'd like one of them to be yours,
together with some of the stationary you see in the second picture
and...

some surprise 'girlie' things,
all you have to do is tell me which one you like best - simple, right?
I'll draw a name at the beginning of the following week (and send the winner the notebook of your choice).

Edit: the draw will take place on Wednesday as there's something else to blog about on Monday and Tuesday is usually a very busy day.

Hope you like them!

I'll visit you over the weekend.
Take Care!


xxx

ONE LOVELY NOTEBOOK HAS NOW FOUND AN OWNER. THANK YOU.

Monday 9 November 2009

White Chrysanthemums...

... on my kitchen table...

... on my bedside table...

... on my desk.


Thank you all for your wonderful, meaningful comments on my last post. I'm so happy to see that lots of people love reading.
I've been planning a giveaway for a while now but still not ready as I have ordered something for you and it hasn't arrived yet; hope it's here by the end of the week.
Have a lovely week!
xxx



Friday 6 November 2009

Read, read, read.

Read, read, read.
~ William Faulkner ~


Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?
~ Henry Ward Beecher ~



If I read a book that impresses me,
I have to take myself firmly in hand,
before I mix with other people;
otherwise they would think my
mind rather queer. (1952)
~ Anne Frank ~

The person who deserves most pity is a lonesome one
on a rainy day who doesn't know how to read.
~ Benjamin Franklin ~


I have good reason to be content,
for thank God I can read and
perhaps understand Shakespeare to his depths.
~ John Keats ~

Books are the treasured wealth of the world
and the fit inheritance of generations and nations.
~ Henry David Thoreau ~

This pile was on my bedside table some days ago. I had to put some back on the shelf as there's no way I'll manage to read all of them any time soon. Do you like any of the quotes? My favourite one is the second. My defences are all down when I'm in a book shop. I could have added a couple of magazines in the photo.What are you reading these days?

PS. Stay tuned; there's a giveaway coming up!

xxx

Wednesday 4 November 2009

Being spoiled...

Lately, I've been feeling much loved, even spoiled sometimes.
I've won two giveaways (I've yet to blog about the second one), got birthday presents in the mail and a surprise present by my dearest, closest to my heart friend and I'm expecting another book from a blogger friend (details in due time).
=====================================================================
A couple of days after my birthday my best friend came over after work and not at all empty-handed! She brought treats for little one/her godson, two little herb pots (see previous post) and this parcel.
Do you like how it looks? I was speechless! You see, my dear friend is not a crafts person and she would always admire the way I presented my gifts to her -from homemade tomato sauce to a little trunk with all sorts of goodies.
So in order to please me she sat down and transformed this box (of ? I don't really now what) into a girlie, lovely box for me.
Do you want to take a pick inside?

...matching wrapping paper...

...and..Ta-dah! A gorgeous, feminine, tight-waisted (I know that's not a word but you get the picture)red (much brighter than in the picture) shirt (blouse??)!!!!
=================================================
Last Friday I received my birthday present from my pen-friend in Malaysia. I sort of guessed part of the contents; you see, when we met in London in April we were talking about books and told her I didn't have time to find a second-hand copy of The Shell Seekers and she said she would find it for me. She's sent me other books since then but not this one. So (clever me!) I suspected she was saving it for my birthday. I've read the book a hundred times (almost) but always in Greek; I can't wait to read the original.

There was also another book which she says is very good (and if she says it's good then it is), two more bookmarks (I need to take a picture of all the bookmarks she's sent me and show you, they're endless!) and ...


... a silk caftan with a hand-painted peacock on it!!! It's gorgeous (if I may say so myself)


Thank you my friends for spoiling me! I need it and I appreciate it so much.



Take Care everyone!

xxx

Monday 2 November 2009

November

Hello ladies!
I just got back from work, prepared little one a snack -he's always hungry when we come home although he's had lunch at school- and sat at my desk to wish you all a wonderful, sweet, cosy November and show you a few of the things we did over our stay-at-home weekend.
Soooo, ...
...there was changing pots to some newly acquired herbs (thyme and oregano); I know this sounds more like a spring task but the little plants were a gift



... there was a ♥ precious ♥ family breakfast


... there were beautiful colours in the sky (please ignore the rooftops)


... there was a delicious, warm meal on Sunday



...there was lego-playing while mum was ironing (imagine whole mountains of clothes)


...and 'pic-nicking' on the living-room floor (the piles of clothes you see is the 'food')

...and of course, there was coffee, home-made biscuits and a good book

...and, needless to say, more coffee, cake and the same good book.
How was your weekend?


While thinking about November, these two ideas sprung to mind:
film: Sweet November (listen to this song by Enya-gorgeous!)
and
Can you suggest anything else relating to this month?
Enjoy what's left of autumn and be prepared to welcome winter (scarves and gloves all ready here)
Take Care
xxx