This week I ran out of crafty projects. I have weeks where I do one project after the other, this week isn’t one of those. :-) It’s very hot outside and I’m glad when I come home and don’t have to do anything. Though I’m still browsing my favorite sites and blogs everyday and came across some very great tutorials that I want to share today.

My latest favorite discovery when it comes to crafty blogs is Noodleheads. Anna is one talented mom that sews the prettiest things for her kids and is so generous to share them. The other day she posted this super cute car pillow tutorial which isn’t that hard to make. Her instructions are very easy to follow and this little pillow makes a wonderful baby-shower gift.

Another tutorial I liked very much is by Martha Stewart. A tooth fairy pillow for little ones.  Perfect for my step-kiddo who’s loosing teeth every week at the moment :-)

I recently found Amy Bindel’s Early Bird Special Blog where she shows her beautiful embroidery projects. The cool thing about this blog is that Amy teaches her readers how to embroider with detailed step-by-step instructions and even a little video. How cool is that? See Lesson 4: The split stitch for example. I love to embroider but yet only know how to back stitch. She opened my horizons and I can’t wait to practice my skills as soon as the fall comes.

Anna Maria Horner posted this beautiful and ass simple to sew Museum Tunic Dress. Doesn’t it look fabulous? I must definitely try this as long as the weather allows me to wear it.

And here is one more tutorial for you. How to turn an old t-shirt into a halter-top. I’ve done this myself twice already and it’s really as simple as Threadbanger is claiming and it takes only 15 minutes. YAY.

• author: lou
• category: blogs and websites, DIY, sewing projects
• comments: 2

… COULD ESCAPE ANYWHERE RIGHT NOW IT WOULD BE KAUAI!

I’ve been stumbling over many pictures of KAUAI lately and I’m totally in love now. Merissa was the first showing beautiful pictures on her blog and I’m hooked ever since. That’s the place I want to honeymoon, a place that seems to be paradise, where I would stay forever. The beauty of this island is amazing. I have no words for it.

Patrick Smith Photography

ian73r

ornellawouldgo

ChibiJosh

I am so fascinated by the landscape and the beaches. This must be the ultimate getaway. Kauai is the smallest island of Hawaii. and it’ll take probably a fortune and 15 hours of flight to get there but one day I definitely have to go.

If one of you was there – please tell me how you liked it. I’m really curious!

Dream on!

• author: lou
• category: wishful thinking
• comments: 5

I don’t want to end this week without saying thank you to so many people. This was a crazy week and it had its ups and downs – yesterday was the worst day of them all – the Italian team played an incredibly bad game, lost and will not be a part of the world cup anymore. That made me sad thought they didn’t deserve it better but watching the world cup now is not the same anymore. And to make a bad day worse me and my sweet Italian colleague had to deal with a lot of negativity towards our country. I guess there will always be people who take advantage of other people’s emotions and me personally had a hard time not to return that and to take it easy. Therefore I would like to thank everyone who patted our back, who had a nice word left, who could understand our sadness. I don’t want to exaggerate now, it’s just soccer, it’s just a game, but we Italians tend to be very emotional and seeing your team loose like that is a real pain in the ass.

I want to thank my readers for joining me here, for always making my day with a nice comment and to my Facebook fans who spread the word. DANKE!

And a special thanks goes out to Brigitte from Covet Chicago who made my day today less miserable by an incredible act of generosity which just blew me away. Thank you so much! I’ll never forget that.

I wish you all a great weekend, relaxing and calm. Enjoy your days off.

Xo, Lou

• author: lou
• category: quote of the week
• comments: 3

I am so in love with the color turquoise that I’m very close to decorate the whole apartment in this color. You might remember my Ikea chair I already painted and today I found so many wonderful items on Etsy that are so marvelous that it was hard not to shop….

vintage cake stand – wooden sign – picture frame

such a fantastic rug – aroma sachets – cloud mobile

home sweet home pillow – welcome wrath – home pillow

vintage jar balls – kitchen canisters – letterpress print

I have no idea how I was able to put this post together without buying everything on this list. At least the ball jars and that rug. They’re my most favorite items here. Isn’t turquoise the most beautiful color in the world?

• author: lou
• category: etsy finds
• comments: 8

… COULD BUILD AND SET UP MY OWN HOUSE RIGHT NOW IT WOULD LOOK LIKE THIS

The other day I wrote about what home means to me and today I’m visualizing how I would love it to look like. I heard visualizing is a powerful tool to make dreams come true so I hope I do it right :-)

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The outside… I like modern architecture with wide open spaces. And since don’t have the green thumb I can live perfectly without a green garden, some plants on the sides are fine and I want a lounging area for my M and me and lots of family and friends.

By the beach would be wonderful!!

The perfect kitchen – a gas stove and all white…

Or light green!! (but without the rugs)

The bathroom – I LOVE nice designed bathrooms! Concrete rocks!!

Though I like wood in the bathroom as well…

Colorful living rooms are just what I’m dreaming of. The height of the room is awesome though I’m a fan of biiiiig windows.

Though it can be as simple as this too…

Yes… and the nursery of course have to be colorful!!

Yep… my dream home would look just like this.. or similar. A fresh and modern home, a bit playful but not too much. By the beach. With great neighbors of course, where the weather is warm and the sun shines 300 days a year. *sigh*… I’ll start working on fulfilling this dream now. :-)

Do you do that as well? Dreaming of your dream house? Or are you already living in it?

I used many many pictures here and the sources can be found and and here.

• author: lou
• category: wishful thinking
• comments: 8