Coffee and sunglasses

February gave way to March, and just like that, spring arrived. On the evening of the first of March, a strange, dense fog enveloped the whole town. It was a night of odd coincidences and unexpected encounters, and it made me think of a play I was in where we used artificial fog to distract the audience during scenery changes on stage.

The scenery change thing turned out to be a pretty apt metaphor, because the next morning the dreary February weather was replaced by blue skies and bright sunshine. Since then, I’ve not left home without my beloved tortoiseshell (extremely fake) Raybans and my floral wellies, and the sun stays up for longer each day, as a promise of the white nights of June. March is off to a lovely start.

Lent is going surprisingly well - the only sweet thing I treat myself to is some sugary, milky coffee every now and then. I’m doing pretty good with my writing too: Right now I'm happily submerged in a particularly theory-heavy chapter, a cup of aforementioned coffee next to me. Tomorrow I'll hop on the train to my still-wintery home town for a long weekend of family celebrations and reunions with childhood friends.

(No, not really. But I do love that quote.)

Whishing you all a beautiful month of March!

Green ink

Whenever I find myself procrastinating, I imagine Hermione's 

disapproving face and pretend I'm writing in green ink.

(Just a random quote found somewhere on the internet. Is it weird that this works for me too? Probably. But it does. And with that, I'm off to do some actual thesis writing.)

Art is

I went to see a contemporary art exhibition yesterday. Now, I'm first and foremost a lover of expressionists like Chagall or impressionist like Renoir, but that love is mainly about passive appreciation and admiration. Looking at contemporary art, on the other hand, is rarely as enjoyable, but it definitely kicks my own creativity into gear.

As a result, I'm now in that slightly pretentious, artsy mood where I just want to listen to Scarlett Johansson while being crafty. Right now I'm crocheting hippie-ish beaded bracelets and stitching together decorative hearts with little trinkets and words on them. Just because it's fun to actually create something, not because I actually know what to do with my creations. Oh, and I'm listening to Falling down on repeat. Anyway, it's a very nice way to spend a sunday evening.

Loving lent

Life is peaceful right now. I had a nice weekend with baking, concerts and one last bowl of mint ice cream before ash wednesday: I'm giving up all things sugary for lent this year. I've done it once, and it was definitely a challenge, but then again, that is kind of the point. The religious aspect of it all is a strong motivator for me, and of course, it's also about being healthier. Plus I want to prove to myself that I do have the willpower to do it. Mind over matter, and all that.

Just to warn you though, as a consequence of this, there might be whining. I'm going to miss my chocolate, that's for sure. But at the same time it's a relief, in a way, to be able to pass by the candy section in the grocery store and not even have to think about buying something. It's just not an option, it's like that whole decision is out of my hands for the next month and a half. Which is kind of liberating.

Are you giving up anything for lent?

Valentine's eve

In my language, we call tomorrow "All hearts day".

I'm going to paint my lips cherry red for no reason at all, and buy myself white chocolate with strawberries. I might also go get some roses and watch a movie, or simply go about my day as I always do. Whatever I do, I know I will enjoy my singledom tomorrow. My friends seem to be breaking up left and right at the moment, and while I'm happy to be their shoulder to cry on, I'm not at all jealous of their heartache.

On this Valentine's eve, I want to share three brief boy-related memories with you:

There once was this boy who unexpectedly picked me up and threw me into a huge pile of snow as we were out walking in the city. I could have been furious with him, but I wasn't - I loved it. Then there was this other boy who put his leather jacket over my shoulders after noticing that I was shivering as we were walking home from the cinema. Yet another one wanted to take me on a surprise date, which turned out to be an art vernissage.

I didn't even properly date anyone of these guys, but they all gave me some nice memories and taught me a lot about what I actually like and how I want to be treated. (Respect + playfulness + chivalry = Win!) I think it's a good thing to remember things like these on a day like Valentine's day. Or on any day, really. Remember that you deserve to be treated like the princess you are. Remember that there have indeed been boys in the past who have known how to treat you. And above all, remember that there most likely will be other boys, or men, in the future who will treat you even better.

Whishing you all a happy Valentine's day!

Anna Karenina style

We still don't get a lot of sunshine here, but the days are slowly getting longer - darkness doesn't fall until after four these days, which definitely makes a difference. I really don't mind the dark - I've never been one to be negatively affected by it - but it's still a funny feeling when you suddenly realize it's been three weeks since you last went for a walk in broad daylight.

Still, like I said, I'm fine with it. And it probably helps that I love, love, love winter clothes. There is something so romantic about the careful, time-consuming layering of knits, leggings and scarves that this season demands, even if you're only popping to the grocery store. I have a belted, hooded, knee-lenght black wool coat with a very wide skirt that I think of as my Anna Karenina coat, in which I've practically lived for three winters now. At a hundred euros it's by far the most expensive item in my wardrobe, but it was definitely worth it - it's wonderfully warm, it creates the most beautiful hourglass silhouette, and I'll probably wear it forever.

 This is not what the coat looks like, but this is how I feel when I wear it: 

Like an old-fashioned, glamourous tragedienne. 

And that's really what matters, isn't it?

I pair my beloved coat with a huge flower-patterned scarf in muted colours, and chocolate brown knee-high boots - or if it's really cold, black combat-style leather boots. Add a simple black hat and mittens with a folklore pattern (Leather gloves might look better, but I find knitted mittens so much warmer!), and you're perfectly ready to brave the cold.

On a wing and a prayer

My first week of February has consisted of thesis work, working out, Pan Am, gospel singing, marshmallow fluff and long lunches with friends. Not much else, but that's fine. It is now midnight, and I'm taking a study break to share with you a couple of pictures inspiring me this month:

Remember to stand tall, no matter what. 

(Even if the surroundings are intimidating...)

The conditions might not be perfect, but that's okay. It will not limit you.

You're still free to strive for perfection.

Do what Mary did - put your trust where it belongs.

Take ink and weep

 

February. Take ink and weep,
write February as you’re sobbing...

Okay, so Pasternak's poem is a little too sad. But it is now officially the shortest month of the year, which means it's time for me to get back into some kind of routine - regarding studying, workouts, sleeping, cooking, everything.

January was pretty great, and I was a little all over the place, not really focusing on anything. It was fun, it really was, but this month, I need to get things done. An absurd amount of things, to be specific. Still, it just might be a good month. Here's hoping!

January loves

I'm a little sad that january is over already. The first month of 2012 was a good one for me overall, and I will kind of miss it. Is that silly?

Anyway. Milkshakes and fireworks and poetry and green tea are perpetual favourites of mine, but in addition to that, each month has it's own little highlights. Here are my January loves:

Steampunk inspired jewellery
Imagine a cameo brooch combined with an old clockwork, or a locket adorned with cogwheels. I would love to try my hand at this, but finding supplies might be a hassle... I adore the estethics of it, though.

The moomin books
You do know those, don't you? They never fail to inspire me creatively.

Essential oils 
I go trough periods with these, but this month I've been loving aromatherapy.

Eliza Doolittle
Pack up, Rollerblades and Skinny genes have basically made up the soundtrack to my life this month.

Creative writing
October was a wire crafting month for me, November was a crocheting month, December was a card-making month, and January has most definitely been a writing month. I got inspired by a picture of a lighthouse a couple of weeks ago and somehow it grew into this huge story, which I write mainly to entertain myself on study breaks. It's a little addicting - I cannot wait to see what my characters will do next...


Farewell, January. Welcome, February. Please treat us all well.

This little town of mine

I'm back in my university town again, after spending the weekend in the capital, like I mentioned. And yes, it was exactly what I needed: Hours and hours of deep conversations with people who know me almost too well, but in a good way. A great gig at a cozy bar. Some nice shopping and a much-needed change of scenery.

The trip also served as a reminder of how much I do appreciate this little town of mine: No hour-long bus rides to get everywhere, no walking for ages looking for that shop you've been to several times but suddenly cannot find... But mainly the bus thing. And the grit-and-gloom-of-a-big-city thing. These things are kind of nice every once in a while, but in my everyday life I can definitely do without them.

I didn't get back until around midnight last night, so today I started my week with a lovely, lazy morning trying out some of yesterday's shopping, i.e. showering with the Lush Sweetheart soap and moisturizing with the Mange Too massage bar. My apartment now smells like a Lush store. If I just ignore my slight headache from lack of sleep and the fact that my apartment is freezing, this week is off to a promising start.

Take a smile

While I was grocery shopping today, I bumped into Hot-guy-from-Italian-class. We don't exactly know each other, but we said a quick hi. Afterwards, as I was wondering why that had cheered me up so much, it occurred to me that he is one of those people who actually bother to turn on their smiles when saying hi.

 

Cheesy post needs cheesy illustration to match... 

Actually, I'm planning on putting something like this up in my grocery store.

Do you know what I'm talking about? Surprisingly many just nod and mutter a "hey", mainly signalling "Oh, it's you, yeah, I recognize you." That's it. Next time, why not try a smile as well? Not only does it make people around you happy, it's clinically proven to make you happy too.

I know this post is cheesy, but this is what was in my head today: Like most other human beings, I love it when people smile. Especially if they're as good-looking as Hot-guy-from-Italian-class.

And especially considering the fact that last time I saw him, we were both crying.

I quite like how dramatic that sounded... But it wasn't. We were actually in class, watching La vita e bella. Need I say more? I shouldn't think so. Oddly enough, the rest of our class were completely unfazed, as if we weren't watching the most moving film in history.... Not me, though. And not him.

So here's to letting your feelings show, be it joy or sorrow.

Casual adventures

In my last post, I mentioned going to the capital, and it turns out that trip will happen sooner than I expected - I'm going this saturday! I'll be doing some shopping (As always, I'm on the lookout for bath products, whimsical jewellery and floral prints), have coffe with an old friend and then meet up another to go to a concert: a dear childhood friend is playing his first payed gig. It will probably be, well, perfect.

As I hung up the phone after confirming that I can indeed stay the night after the concert, I had to jump around in my apartment and squeal for a little while, chickflick heroine style. I'm ridiculously excited. Which is probably a sign that I really need this. I love the thesis work I'm doing right now, but I'm getting a little fed up with my university town - I simply long for new surroundings, old friends and casual adventures. Yes, this is perfect.

Lush loves

I'm still feeling a bit low, and I'm really longing for a hot, fragrant bath today. More specifically, I'm longing for a Lush bath. However, my tiny studio apartment doesn't have a bath tub (shocker...), and my university town doesn't have a Lush store, so, well, no Lush bath for me.

In an attempt to cheer myself up, I will now write a blog post purely about Lush. Consider yourselves warned: Few (materialistic) things get me as excited as good bath products.

My top ten Lush favourites:

1. Cinders, spicy christmas bath bomb
2. Yuzu and cocoa bubbleroon, mandarin and cocoa butter bubble bar
3. Miranda, kiwi soap
4. Whoosh, lime shower jelly
5. Business time, spicy lavender massage bar
6. Butterball, cocoa butter bath bomb
7. Lady Catrina, agave and lime soap
8. Strawberry feels forever, strawberry massage bar
9. Happy Hippy, grapefruit shower gel
10. Karma, orange-pine-patchouli solid perfume


Basically, these are all my favourites because of their absolutely gorgeous scents. Lush is quite expensive if you're on a student budget, but just entering the fragrant store is such a lovely experience that whenever I go to the capital, the very first thing I do is pop into the Lush store and stroll around for a while just smelling things.

On my next visit, I'd like to pick up a bath melt of some kind (to use in the family bath tub back in my home town), along with a Butterball and a Fizzbanger or a Mrs. Whippy, some bubble bars and a Strawberry feels forever massage bar. (My Business time is at the end of it's life, and nothing makes my legs as smooth as these massage bars!) The really problematic thing about living so far away from a Lush store is that when I actually do go there, I kind of feel like it's okay to splurge a little...

Sadly, I'm not thrilled about the Lush soaps. Their scents tend to not linger on my skin, and I don't find them moisturizing in the slightest. Still, I am quite fond of Miranda, Candy Cane and Lady Catrina, since they smell so nice, but I would only ever use them on my hands.

There. Time to get back to studying. Please, do share your bath-related favourites, and give me ideas on new Lush products to try!

Brand new things

She's a butterfly in mid-july 

who just can't wait to try her brand new wings

on brand new things...

I've had somewhat of a mellow monday, but Johnny Cash never fails to brighten my day. I had a dream about the scent of fresh Jasmine last night - I can't remember ever having scented dreams before, and it was wonderful. Outside my apartment building there are several large jasmine bushes, and the scent they give off in the summer is unbelievable. But summer is far away, and life is moving slowly these days.

Rose coloured glasses

Good morning everyone! 

Well, it's almost midday, but I'm sitting here still drinking my morning green tea, getting some work done before meeting up a friend for lunch and another for coffee. Last week, my first week back at uni, was filled with so much socializing that I needed a proper break from it all, so this week I've completely isolated myself and focused on writing. It's been so nice!

I just realized I'm all flowers today. Flowery underwear (TMI?), flowery dress, flowery scarf. But I'm pairing it with black stockings and my chunkiest black knit cardigan, so it should work. I'm just feeling very spring timey today, which is probably odd considering that the snow lies deep on the ground outside, but it doesn't seem to matter to me... My favourite spring timey thing right now is my dainty rose-patterned tea mug to which I have matching napkins. Yes, matching napkins. That's borderline ridiculous. But hello, old-fashioned rose printed napkins, how could anyone resist?

(No, I'm not in love or anything. It's just one of those rose coloured days.)

Ice Ice Baby

I finally did it, I got started on my thesis work again. Finally. Which automatically means my week is off to a good start! I spent the weekend in blissful isolation after last week's excessive socializing - I only left my apartment to go to church and to go ice skating.

 
Oh, ice skating. Almost as fun as building snowmen, ice skating is by far my favourite winter outdoor activity: The beautiful white, oldfashioned shoes, the smooth ice, the silence - no gym shoes thumping against the floor, no water splashing, no music, no nothing - and the fluid motions, the ability to move so fast with so little effort - it's all pretty perfect. Plus for me, it conjures up these very romantic pictures of couples ice-skating together back in the day, of girls in pretty peacoats and (faux) fur collars and chivalrous gentlemen tying the ribbons on their lady's skates...
 

 
Although to be honest, I prefer to tie my own ribbons. And to skate alone, doing as many laps as I can. I do wear my prettiest winter coat when I go skating, just because, but the skating itself I treat more like a workout... And while I find it way too cold to do my 30 minute walk to the gym right now, I seem to be perfectly fine spending a full hour outdoors ice skating instead. I'm not even going to try to explain that one.

That, along with lots of ginger tea, crocheting and card making, was my weekend. Right now, I will finish off this lovely monday with a little more writing, then a movie - I'm thinking Melancholia, as it sounds beautiful. I'll let you know.

Getting started

I definitely wasn't planning on not blogging for a month. Sorry.

The thing is, I've been home for the holidays, and my family provides far too many distractions for me to actually sit down and write. Big distractions at that, such as playing the piano with my brother, cross-country skiing with my dad and crocheting with my mum. Oh, and board games. Lots and lots of board games.

I also got to properly catch up with my closest friends from home, the ones I get to meet only a few times a year these days. And then there were vintage-looking buttons to buy, cheesecake to make, sleep to catch up on, snowmen to build... I've been a busy girl. A busy girl who now has the hardest time ever to actually start focusing on school again.

I know. I KNOW.

But I'm back in my university town now, for a lovely spring semester of thesis writing. (I wasn't being sarcastic - I actually do think it will be lovely, once I do get started...) This first week, however, has been spent solely socializing with former coursemates and friends, culminating in a really nice get together from wich I just returned. Old friends, new friends, intellectual conversation and mindless crazyness - a perfect friday 13th. (Plus I was escorted home trough the blizzard at midnight in the most gentlemanly manner. Lovely.)

I hope you've all had a wonderful first few weeks of 2012!