spring clean(s)ing

 

 

I've never been much of a 'spring cleaning' person;

I've never had the patience or energy required for this.

So I just did a bit of cleaning here and a bit of decluttering there;

the result was a decent home but never a perfectly organised one.

Procrastinating is my middle name and as long as the flat is

clean enough to be healthy and messy enough to be happy

it was fine by me!

This year something changed, though.

I'm not sure I can put it to words.

It's this need I have for simplifying;

for having less stuff,

having fewer obligations,

having more time for my family and for me.

So before going away for the Easter holidays, 

I looked around for inspiration

- blogs, pins, spring cleaning lists-

and kept some notes on my,

truly inspiring, Susan Branch wall calendar.

My biggest challenges were the bedroom walk-in closet,

the kitchen glass cabinet (it's huge) and the balconies.

I'm proud to say I managed to do them all.

There are still cupboards and drawers to be sorted out

but I have a plan

and a whole month ahead.

Of course, with schools starting again on Monday......

we'll see. I'll keep you posted.

Wow! Look at how much I've already written.

And to think that it's the cleansing part I'm mostly 

interested in.

I'm trying to look after myself a bit (or rather a lot) more.

I eat healthily and try to walk as much as I can. 

(going to the gym is not an option for now)

I love seeing my fuel -salad-  all washed and ready to get in the fridge.

I make beautiful combinations; yes, beautiful.

I take my bowl to the study and search the net for spring images.

Finally, the most important part.

I seek inner peace.

I want to get rid of any past bitterness and find the strength in me to forgive.

I need to stop reproducing mean dialogues in my head.

It's the only way I can think of 

to move my life forward.

Cherishing the simple things and enjoying the gifts I was given.

Making others happy.

It's not easy. I've been through a tough period

and quite often I didn't even like myself.

So spring clean(s)ing it is, then.

Wish me luck

and do stop by.

I'll do my best to do so, too.

Take Care!

Yiota

Monday morning

It's a bright sunny morning this one.

Just as Monday mornings  should be.

You know, to set the week off on a good start.

It was an easy-going weekend, too.

Coffee with a good friend at the cosiest cafe at the city centre.

I brought a lovely bunch of sunshine at home. Love!

A slow pace at home.

Sunday morning service at church. We need to do this more often.

Some ironing in the evening, without moaning about it -dare I say it was enjoyable? Too far-fetched!

A pleasant film.

A wonderful book (more on this, on another day)

Have a great week!

xxx

PS. In case you're wondering why I'm here, read the previous post.

new gear!

~ loving our new picnic plates, bowls and cups

(draining on the rack after little one gave them a good wash-up)

~loving this flowery cooler bag, just big enough for a few sandwiches,

some summer sweet fruit and something to drink

~~ linking with Fiona for the 3rd green day ~~

have a great weekend!

i hope ours will involve some use of the above recently bought new picnic gear

(together with our fabulous hamper, of course!)

xxx

fabric + flowers

~~ two of the things i love

~~ one frantic afternoon trying to finish my son's teacher's gift on time

(do you like what I made for her?)

~~ one stress-free afternoon to make the mosaics

enjoy!

~~ hope you all have a fabulous week!

xxx

green is the colour

I've been meaning to tell you and show you what I've been up to lately,

but I have been too busy - and lazy- and I also seem to have become used to

silently enjoying your posts ; it's much easier to read than write, right?

Anyway, it was Fiona from Raindrops and Daisies with her wonderful idea of 'Green Day'

that got me out of my hiding place and into the world.

So here's (part of) how I spend my days, now that schools are closed for the summer.

For more green love pop over at Fiona's.

Have a great weekend.

Back soon. I promise!

xxx

on my camera

~ loving my new purple mug, a free gift with cadbury's chocolate

(hubby drinks the chocolate, i use the mug)

~ noticing how the colours of the beetroot leaves and stalks match my colander

~ planting herbs - thyme, corriander and savoury

~making crafts and decorating the flat for easter

(which for us is this sunday the 15th)

have a happy week!

are you back to work/school today?

our 2-week easter break starts today!

xxx

Happy New Year!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

I've found myself with some priceless me-time this morning and decided

to look back to the year we've left behind.

May you all have Health and Joy in 2012!

xxx

christmas

May you all have a blessed Christmas

and a wonderful holiday season!

xxx

hi!

Hello world!

How are you lovely people?

I really hope you're enjoying the new season!

Autumn has been here for a while; it's the time for pomegranades,

pumpkins and chrysanthemums around here.

I'm trying very hard to squeeze some moments of seasonal appreciation in

my otherwise crazy life.

I haven't just been busy lately; I've been crazy busy!

I haven't finished reading a single book since schools started;

I haven't done much progress with my crochet project;

I haven't even cleaned and organised the place properly since summer

and my wardrobe is a chaotic mixture of summer and winter clothes!

(I'm actually working on this today)

The reason I've found some time to be here today is the long weekend ahead,

which means there are no schools tomorrow. Yay!!!

So, do tell! What have you been up to lately?

Though, I have to admit, I do stop by your places on my ... free time(?) - more like free minutes! Somewhere between studying with my first-grader,  preparing my work for the next day and keeping up with the most basic housework requirements, I check on my favourite bloggers whenever I'm online.

Well, this is it for now.

I don't know when I'll be back with a new post but I do come here every day so I'll definetely know if you waved 'hello'.

Take Care!

xxx

saturday evening at the orchard

"Under the apple tree?"

I nodded and he got out the picnic blanket from the trunk of the car. We lay back, gazing at the feathered clouds sailing slowly above our heads. Bees were buzzing over the clover, crickets were chirping, and we could hear the children playing...

Karen Andreola

Lessons at Blackberry Inn

lately

~ a little crochet goodness I've been working on (when it's not too hot)

~ The Happiness Project (this is the right chapter at the right time - referring to contents)

~ Colouring pebbles

~ Some sewing did take place (more to come)

~ We all want some rain!

~ One more caravan - lego, this time

We're going to be away for a few days;

my dad's tomatoes are ready to fill lots of jars with summer bounty.

Take Care!

xxx

yarn + fabric

Hello everyone!

I'm so excited to be talking to you!

My laptop has been dealing with some malfunction issues - viruses and the like- lately and I thought it went dead for good last night. I tried to switch it on this morning but I was greeted with a black screen. It's almost midnight now and while waiting for tomorrow's lunch to cook I thought I might give it another try before putting it in the bag, ready to take home.

But miracles do happen, so here we are again, my little blog and I, for a 'ta-daaaah' post!

~~~~ So, do you remember me mentioning a secret crochet project?

Well, now that it has safely found its recepient, I can let the cat out of the bag (boy, I love english idioms! they're hilarious!)

Look at this mosaic: do you see a colour scheme... kind of? do you?

It all started when I saw the blue yarn on etsy and thought of the perfect project for it; then I spotted the brown yarn and decided on a two-colour project.

Then, one evening, I was looking at bags on etsy and saw this one... the colours were quite similar. Finally, I decided the crochet part wasn't warm enough; I needed some 'back-up'.

Do you want to see what I've made?

Do you?

It was made with lots of love; lots and lots of love!

Here it is then:

a crochet baby blanket!!!

I added a couple of fabric details to make it more cheerful and the flannel backing for extra warmth ( because as my son says for our blanket:' cold manages to get in through the holes'!)

Of course, I used the best model for the photo shoot...

... and his best friend! The bag is, of course, for the baby's daipers, bottles, little toys...

Hope you're all keeping well!

Until we meet again,

Take Care!

xxx

light and colour

~ a child's toys

~ a mother's game

~~~~~

My childhood may be over, but that doesn't mean playtime is. ~Ron Olson

~~~~~

PS. This post is scheduled. It's my son's name day today and we're at our village(s) to celebrate it with friends and family.

We'll be back tomorrow. (maybe!)

weekend part 2: at grandpa's

The 3rd and 5th photos are at my in-laws';

the rest are at my dad's.

We made a fortress with mud and stones but I forgot to take a picture.

I made sure we had 'building equipment' with us, wherever we went!

~~~~~~

Can you tell how much my dad loves fruit trees?

And we are so grateful for that:

fresh fruit + something to keep his body and mind busy.

~~~~~~

Take Care!

xxx

a visit to an art museum

A couple of weeks ago,

we visited the Teloglion Foundation of Art

for a children's event.

I thought I should post a link here in case someone's interested.

~~~~~

My mosaic shows postcards from paintings exhibited at the museum over the years. I bought postcards of five paintings two from each. Some of them are scattered around my place, and some around the world

(via snail mail)

~~~~~

The photo below shows a team project (a collage) made by a group of 5-year-old kids who attended a workshop.

"Our Solar System"

It's huge and really impressive. I took the photo with my mobile and it doesn't do it any justice really!

~~~~~

And here's the result after I played a little with crayons.

I've been painting/colouring a lot these past few days, spending time with my son.

~~~~~

Take Care!

xxx

at the city centre? physically, yes - mentally, no!

Going to the city centre

~ by bus

~ in the summer
~ for boring paperwork business...
is simply out of the question...

unless...

...

...

there's some kind of lure;

for me that's two words: shopping + coffee.

...

...

So once the boring business was out of the way,

I got myself some eye-candy (see picture below)

and headed towards my favourite cafe.

It's on the first floor (second if you are in the States)

on the busiest street,

and there are plants on the windowsills to keep the city out!

I know the pictures are lame - I took them with my mobile- but I wanted to show you this little poem that was written with pencil on the windowsill; apparently, this girl saw someone she liked there and started going back again and again in case he appeared too but she had no luck and expressed her disappointment by writing a poem there. The last line is:

"I came...where are you?"

The cafe has a collection of books and magazines if you want to read something while you're there -I did prefer my magazines though today-

and often hosts art exhibitions.

Today, I found these wonderful flower paintings there

which made my day!

Having coffee with a magazine full of countryside images and flower paintings all around.... bliss!

As for the shopping part,

I made some purchases I'm very happy with,

but this has to wait for another post.

~~~~~

Hope you all have a gorgeous weekend!

xxx