Lazy Sunday

Sundays are for waking up late and drinking bubble tea in bed. Sundays are for long movie marathons and healthy snacks in between and snuggling with loved ones. And for projects, too - we don't want to get too lazy.

My Sunday is peaceful. I learn German, then I play with alphabet stamps and plan on new diy projects, then I learn some more German. I listen to nice music, doodle in my journal and I welcome autumn with enormous amounts of tea, both bubble and latte. School starts in a couple of days so I take my time to enjoy myself. I know that soon enough I will be surrounded by German books about stuff I don't understand in my own language but I am excited because I know it would be fun. Learning is always fun. 

In the meantime, I will spend my days daydreaming about roadtrips, trying new recipes (I'll get the hang of cooking sooner or later!), reading (J.K. Rowling's new book is out! Eeek!) and, of course, drawing.

I wish you a peaceful Sunday and a great week! Take time for yourselves and do what you love.  xx

Things that make me happy.

A quick illustration I did about the things I enjoy in life. 

Hm, I guess one sheet isn't enough. But it's a start. 

The Perks Of Being... Dexter

Dexter loves to snuggle and is always polite. Sometimes he gets a little too excited when it comes to walks outside but it's alright: he loves the outdoors. He is interested in chasing cats not because he doesn't like them, but because he wants to make friends. He is shy and always waits for someone else to make the first move. But he is romantic, too, always ready to share a stick he has found or his toy, just to impress a lady.

Dexter's hobby (aside from reading) is... sleeping. Although he has his own, he often falls asleep on somebody else's pillow. Sometimes he likes to sleep on books, too. I guess he's a true bookworm adventurer.
Funny fact about him is that his nose changes colours. It is usually dark brownish, but during winter it gets pink. The resemblance with Rudolf the reindeer is amazing.

Dexter loves to try out new things: food, hobbies, dance steps. He's a little sceptic at first, but soon gets the hang out of things. He likes to listen to the piano and sings along, although he's a little afraid of trying to play himself. He likes to dance, but he gets bored a little too soon. Oh, and he's very good at playing hide and seek, too. A real partystarter.
We've been inseparable the whole summer. Running around, playing in puddles, taking pictures or just watching TV. Today he got a little upset when he saw me packing suitcases again. I'm leaving for Vienna tomorrow and I will see  him only on camera. I guess I'll have to play in the rain alone till December. But oh well - I've got many memories and pictures to keep me warm! :)

Matchbox cover poster

A couple of days ago I received a priceless collection of matchbox covers. At first I thought it was a collection of postmarks, but then I took a closer look. I found them fascinating and I felt bad that they were all hidden in a soap box. That is why I decided to make a poster out of them. It is an easy project to make and it doesn't matter if you use postmarks, matchbox covers or even public transport tickets.

I decided the poster would look better on stretched canvas. I used water-based glue for easier spreading. If you want to do a poster like this one, remember to always arrange the pieces beforehand. I wanted it to look like a puzzle, so I mixed landscape and portrait covers. I chose the oldest (and most interesting) matchbox cover for the center and then I picked all other ones by colour. I mixed the glue with water and used a soft small brush to spread it equally. After sticking all the covers, I applied a thin layer of glue over the poster, to make sure it wouldn't peel off and to give it a nice shine.

This poster is great because it's colourful and every single piece hides a story. My parents find it especially interesting because they remember all matchbox covers and I guess this brings childhood memories. For me it is a piece of history. A stylish one, too.

In my bag

My dad was looking for my car keys the other day and couldn't find them. I told him to check in my bag and he came 10 minutes later, my bag on his shoulder, and told me it was like a whole different universe inside. Well... he is probably right.

I carry around a lot of things, that is why I like big bags. I like to know that everything I need is within reach everywhere I am, even if this means that... my bag is a bit too heavy. Especially when my camera and lens are in it, too.

I carry a purse, where all my documents are, three sets of keys + my car keys, hand cream and a Miffy purse that holds a couple of lip balms, a notebook where I write down my ideas, pens, my yellow Nintendo DSi (you know... when I need to wait for something for too long.), my iPhone, chewing gum and drops, two pairs of glasses, Winnie the Pooh plasters (for all extreme situations with uncomfortable shoes), cards that I give away and a StickerBook with my stickers. Oh, and I also found an old lollipop and some change at the bottom. But no, I never carry old receipts or useless papers or anything like that. My bag might not be too organized, but every single thing has a purpose. 

That's what my Universe looks like.

What do you carry around in your bag?

Brașov

Driving on narrow mountain roads, stopping to buy baskets with freshly picked raspberries and listening to romantic German songs (yes, I've been crazy about German music lately.) felt just like traveling with a time machine. And when we finally reached Brașov, it seemed like we had really travelled back in time. 

Brașov is a cosy town in central Romania and it's part of the Transylvania region. What were we doing in Transylvania? I'll tell you later. But yes, it has something to do with vampires. 

Brașov isn't the typical Romanian town. As a matter of fact, it has little in common with any other place in Romania. Starting with the architecture, which is more typical for Western Europe, narrow streets, candy shoppes where you can find homemade chocolate and stands for freshly squeezed lemonade. Everything here feels like old times: vintage street lamps, beautifully detailed shop signs, colourful biuldings. The town is surrounded by the Southern Carpathians and the weather here is almost always gloomy and melancholic.  A travel in time indeed.

How did we find this place? We were on our way to Bran Castle - the place where Count Dracula himself once lived. Or so they say - it didn't seem much like it. We were planning on visiting for such a long time, especially after I finally finished the book. And we finally did!  It was a great place to visit, the Castle (sorry I cannot show you any pictures from there. Truth is - they didn't come up that well) and although I learned lots of interesting things about the history of Romania and even saw the place where Dracula used to write in his diary, I have to say that I found Brașov more interesting. Ah, it's probably because I'm too romantic. Or because I got kissed under the clock tower. Or because I drank too much mint lemonade. Can it be from the chocolate?

If you're planning to visit Romania, make sure you stop by Brașov. And don't forget to buy some homemade chocolate - it tastes divine!
~

Grey mornings

Summer is long gone and it's time to bring out warm clothes and tea cups and rain boots. It's been raining for a couple of days now and it is the perfect weather for chilling at home, reading books and sipping on sweet tea. Or taking Dexter for a walk which turns out to be a one hour chase in the puddles. Or watching TV shows with Lazar and falling asleep every now and then like an old couple. Or finishing a whole book in a day.
I love grey mornings. When I wake up and hear it rains outside I already know that it's going to be a good day. Today I am armed with green tea, Oreos, a bunch of favourite magazines and some lovely German songs as background. Dexter is not-so-silently sleeping beside me and I can see the rain pouring down the screen window. This is my september adventure.

A whole different world

On a gloomy September day I discovered a hidden world. In my granny's garden.