Posts from — September 2010

The other day – speaking to a friend – we realized that we spend so much time in the office that we actually wish that we could decorate our offices just as our homes. I mean sometimes we’re here all day and night and just go home to shower and sleep. So why not make our room cozy and nice. I’d love to have a wall paper on one side and a lounging area with a nice table and chair for guests.

But since wall paper is out of the question and a table and chair is still to be chosen I remembered I saw some fun gadgets for the office around the net that will make any (office) desk a better place.

I fell in love with those pencils as they would always remind me that even a day in the office can be an awesome happy day. Earmark on Etsy  has more pencil styles and a beautiful collection of paper items as well.

Here in Germany you can only find the normals paper clips we all know. Functional but boring. Sometimes – when you’re lucky – you can find heart shaped clips. Still boring. On Geek Stuff 4 U I’ve found animal shaped clips that are just too cute to use. They have squirrels and birdies but even pigs and penguins.

The Paper Source is one of my favorite places to shop gifts and they have a fun selection of office items and those task clips made me laugh hard. I imagined passing on some papers with one of those poopy clips. I’d even take them without anything written on it. The colors are just gorgeous.

You may have noticed that I’m a huge Anne Taintor fan and of course I have to have those fabulous sticky notes. The Taintorettes just make any work day more fun. “Why don’t you go Xerox your ass?” or (my favorite) “Had she really hit Reply to all??!!??!!” are just hilarious. The silly faces of the ladies together with the phrases – just my sense of humor.

I personally don’t work with file folders but if I had to I’d use those here.

Even USB Sticks can look classy when some smart designers take care of it. Made of wood or delicate nylon they are pure eye candy.

Sometimes I wish I had the balls to use this stamp. I have enough opportunities, believe me! Knock Knock Shop has a nice collection of stamps for any occasion though. I’m sure I’ll find another good one. I also like this box of stickies that would save me time, ink and discussions.

And finally there is a Workday Recovery Kit! It contains a bunch of lovely things for those who need to heal from their stressful days. It doesn’t come with a shot of tequila but maybe that would be a tall order.

I will stop complaining about my (ugly) workplace as there are so many nice things available out there that are so much fun and make me laugh. We all work too much to feel uncomfortable at work so let’s rock our place!

Some of you might remember my post about Sardinia where I wrote about our upcoming trip to the most beautiful island. We’ve just returned from a week of sunshine, delicious food, salty air… I’m still overwhelmed and can’t believe that I’m back in the city with all the noise and different smells.

The trip was amazing and I would have never thought that I could relax in only one week. Actually right now it feels like we’ve been away for months and still I don’t realize I have to go to work again. But I’m not sad or angry that the week is over and that we’re back. This time it’s different because we swore to go back as soon as possible. This little island was my love already but M fell in love head over heels, too.

I knew this island my mom comes from already and couldn’t wait to show it to M. But now that I’m grown I valued the beauty of this heavenly place even more. Everywhere it’s very clean and neat, the air crisp and the waters crystal clear. This was the first time in my life where I just looked around and wasn’t able to grasp the beauty and the magic that this place conveys. And it’s only a 1,5 hour flight from where we live.

Sardinia is worth every penny and I can only highly recommend it to everybody.

We stayed at Golfo Aranci which is located 15 km east of Olbia. The north-east coast of Sardinia is the area I personally like best but other parts are amazing too. The coast is like paradise. This was the view we had from our room. Due to the little island Tavolara right in front of the coast the water was calm and quiet.

In the caribbean you’ll find palms by the beach in Sardinia there are pine trees.

This is how they welcome you! :-)

Stella Maris church at Porto Cervo is just adorable. Overlooking the old port the building is kept very simple.

Yes and the food was heavenly. Normally we had this kind of lunch at the beach. Some cheese, salad and salami with a beer (or wine)…

… or a little bit of pasta… homemade and fresh…

… and the dessert… this is called Peretta and it’s  slices of peretta cheese on the traditional Sardinian bread, put in the oven for some minutes so that the cheese melts a little bit and then covered with honey. Delicious.

Sardinia became our favorite place to be. It’s easy (and cheap) to reach and it feels like a different world. I’m proud that my roots are there and can’t wait to go back again.

Hello everyone,

Last week I totally forgot to post the weekly quote but this week it won’t happen again.

Currently I’m working on my dream – I plan to open the Etsy shop before Christmas. Actually mid November. And though it’s hard work I’m having a good time. It’s really great to work on something that means a lot to me and even though I work late hours at the office and then sew a lot in the evenings I couldn’t be happier. That’s why I chose this quote. Yes my dream is big enough that the stress doesn’t count. And next week we’re heading to a little island that I call home to relax a bit and to get ready for the upcoming shop preparation.

I won’t be around much but this will definitely be my last little break from blog reading and blogging this year.

I wish you all a fantastic weekend and look forward being around again in a week.

Xo, Lou

I recently browsed through Etsy and was very attracted by some prints and when I compared them I realized they were all alike somehow. They all show “weird people”, they are all a little strange on the second look. They convey a certain mystic and are a bit oppressive. I like them all very much though.

Hidenseek for instance. My favorite prints show all a little girl but one gets bitten by some deers. And the second holds squids and the third has the ocean in her hair… I simply can’t stop looking. Hidden Eloise just draws great.

Emily’s drawings fascinate me as well. In her shop The black apple I’ve found prints of lovely ladies which have the most incredible look. Some are very detailed, some very simple but yet so artistic and I just adore the style. And yet she only doesn’t offer only prints but also buttons and pins and I read on her blog that she will sell dolls and totes, too! Yay!

When I saw the drawings in the When you Escape shop I was smitten. I love the idea and the mystic of the drawings. Jessica Stewart’s style is dark and a bit creepy. When you look at her Tumblr you feel a little goose bump coming up. Just the way I like it.

And then I’ve found these little dolls that made me smile because they are so unusual. There’s this little french guy and a red-haired dancer and someone that looks just like Einstein with button eyes (that actually reminds me of Coraline…) I’m so NOT into dolls but those I’d love to arrange on a couch. The french guy even has a small tattoo on his arm and the woman… the look on her face is just priceless.  Mademoiselle G offers those beautiful dolls but illustrations of weird people, too.  I could imagine her drawings in child’s book with creepy bedtime stories…

In the past I’ve been at a lot of tiny stores that claim to offer unique things… maybe I live in the wrong city but I’ve seen nothing more unique than some things on Etsy. It’s really the best marketplace ever when it comes to non-standard and affordable art. I can’t wait to be part of it. Stay tuned.

While I tried to assemble my Wiesn outfit I found adorable accessories for the ladies.

Thomas Sabo makes adorable charms for either necklaces or bracelets (first row). You simply hang them on the chain and they make a nice individual piece of jewellery.

What amazed me that even Longchamp/Le Pliage that mostly offer very basic and traditional bags – not playful at all – offers a little leather bag for the Oktoberfest. The front reminds you of the traditional leather suspenders the guys wear with their leather pants. Very chic. Very expensive. 310€.

Another bag I found and instantyl loved was the BREZNBAG. That made me think “DOH, why didn’t you think of THAT?!” It’s just too cool. The German designer Christine Münster invented this bag and uses high class materials like wild silk or velvet, the little logo is made of Svarovski diamonds… just too nice. And I think it’s even nicer than Longchamp and it’s only 180€.

On Dawanda (our German Etsy) I’ve found 3 adorable pieces, handmade by undiscovered talents. Nice white lace cuffs with red hearts make a nice addition to every dirndl. I find them very elegant. Then there’s a fantastic handmade felt necklace with a big edelweiss flower. I really like unusual findings combined with traditional ones. The white clogs made me smile and imagine how sweet they would fit to every dirndl.  The little deer pendant by “Die kleine Fee” would make a great gift or you can put it on your dress as well.

There are so many things available that it’s hard to choose (again) what to buy. But there are all kinds of materials and styles available it makes it much easier to find something you really really like.