Pearls In Your Hair

Winter vacation

2011-02-18T08:52:00.001+01:00

Today's the last day of work before the winter vacation next week. I love being a teacher and having many long vacations to enjoy! Nevertheless I have two big piles of essays and tests that I need to correct next week so I won't be able to relax completely. My boyfriend's mother arrived yesterday and she's going to stay with us for a week. Hopefully it won't be too cold outside so that we'll be able to get out a little bit while she's here. She's not used to cold or snow (I think this might be the first or second time she's seen any)at all, so her threshold of cold is definitely a lot lower than ours.

Coat and dress from Asos, tights, gloves and beret from H&M, Miu Miu purse and docs.

Sunday

2011-02-08T23:52:00.000+01:00

I'm so horrible at blogging, yet I don't want to be. I want to keep up with my blog, but at the end of the day I feel too lazy to do anything. I think I just need to get into a routine again, but I'm not quite sure how to do that since I'm a pretty unstructured person. I've dyed my hair as you can see, but that's something I got done in early January in fact. Actually I need to re-dye my roots pretty soon!

We took these pictures on Sunday when my boyfriend, my dog and I went for a long walk together. It felt kind of springlike outside since the sun was shining and the air warmish.

I was wearing a coat and a cardigan from Benetton, a hat and dress (worn as a skirt) from H&M, tights from Noa Noa and docs.

Norwegian Wood

2011-01-15T23:39:00.001+01:00

I had no idea there was a film adaption of "Norwegian Wood", the beautiful book by Haruki Murakami that I read a couple of years ago, until I by chance came across the trailer for the movie. I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the book, but it's set in Japan in the 60s where 20-year-old Toru Watanabe is a student. He begins a friendship/relationship with his deceased best friend's girlfriend, Naoko, and they grow quite close, but she suddenly goes away to a sanatorium. While she is away Toru also becomes attracted to Midori who he studies with. The book is about love, emotions, sadness and is written in such a beautiful language. As for the movie (judging by the trailer), it seems so, so beautiful. I really can't wait for it to be out here in March.

Trees

2011-01-07T19:00:00.000+01:00

Happy new year, everyone! I feel bad for being such a lousy blogger. It feels quite challenging to be blogging again after not blogging for over two months in the fall, and I just need to get back into the routine of blogging again somehow.

Anyway, these pictures are from about a week ago when my boyfriend and I went out for a walk in a park together. I was wearing a new knitted top I had bought at the Mango sale - it's so warm and cozy!

Top from Mango, skirt from Gina Tricot, tights from Noa Noa, and Docs shoes.

Wintertime.

2010-12-19T01:48:00.000+01:00

Things have been really busy the last couple of weeks with lots of tests and essays I've had to correct, but now, finally, I have a holiday for the next two and a half weeks. It feels so nice to be able to relax and just be with my boyfriend (he came a week ago and it's been lovely so far) without having to get up while it's still dark in the morning.

Coat by Thomas Burberry, sweater from Mango, skirt, beret and tights from H&M, shoes from Sixtyseven and bag by Miu Miu.

Stripes in the window sill

2010-12-04T23:55:00.000+01:00

I've been wanting to do some outdoor outfit photos for a while, but with this freezing weather (last time I've checked it was -16 degrees Celsius), I think I'd basically turn into an icicle if I even attempted that. So, indoor photos will have to do, but I really hope I'll be able to take some outside soon. If only the temperature would go down (or up?) to around 0 degrees, I think I should manage...

Thank you all for all your sweet comments in my last post. I hope you are all enjoying your weekends. I'm trying to catch up on sleep this weekend since I was so busy during the weekend and really got too little of it!

Cardigan from Sonia Rykiel pour H&M, vintage skirt and the tights are from Gina Tricot.

Hello!

2010-11-27T19:49:00.000+01:00

I haven't stopped blogging and I'm back again after a break that has lasted much too long. A lot has changed since we last spoke, for instance the fact that I've moved back to Norway. I wasn't feeling happy in Israel mainly because I couldn't find a proper, well-paid job and that was very depressing since I have an advanced university degree. Therefore I decided to pack my bags and leave, for Oslo, to be precise, and over the last month and a half I've found an apartment and a job (well, two since I work a 50% position in two different schools). I wasn't able to blog when I was in the middle of all that because it just seemed too stressful on top of everything.

Now, life is a lot better and easier. My boyfriend is moving here in two weeks and I am beyond excited for that.

P.S: Thanks for all the sweet emails and comments you've sent me. It really warmed my heart that you missed my blog :)

My new watch

2010-09-19T00:59:00.002+02:00

Another one of my birthday presents was this watch that my boyfriend gave me. I haven't worn a watch in years so it feels a little bit strange wearing one again. However, I love it to bits and I will definitely be wearing it a lot. I find it incredibly pretty because of the vintage look that it has and the fact that the band is made of leather.

Today's been a fun day where we've been biking on an empty highway, which was pretty surreal. I'll show you some pictures of that in a few days time. I hope all of you are having a lovely weekend!

Skirt: Sonia Rykiel for H&M, blouse: vintage from my boyfriend's mother, shoes: Noa Noa, headband: H&M and the watch is a present.

Three lovely things

2010-09-15T01:11:00.005+02:00

1. Sandy and the 1000 paper cranes.

I don't know how many of you have heard of Sandy and her crane project - I myself only learned about it a few days ago - but I think it's such an inspiring and wonderful project that needs to get some more attention. After reading Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, a true story about a Japanese girl who on her death bed attempted to fold 1000 paper cranes in order to be granted one last wish (according to Japanese folklore), Sandy was so inspired by the story that she herself made up her mind to start making one thousand paper cranes. But that's not all. She decided to write a positive word at the bottom of each crane from a list of a thousand unique words she'd compiled and then place them on different locations, mostly in New Jersey, in order to spread a bit of happiness to the person who happens to find one. Sandy, in addition hopes that those who find a crane, after contacting her, go on to place it at a different place for someone else to find it. I think that's just lovely, and so sweet.

2. A little recipe book I go for my birthday on Sunday.

Such a sweet little book for writing my own recipes in, and hang on the wall or keep inside the little box which may even be cuter than the book itself!

3. Zara's autumn collection

I stopped by Zara this evening and I loved so many of the clothes that were out at the moment. There were so many pretty brown and autumn shades, and so much I wanted to buy. The polka dot dress with the peter pan collar I spotted on the website while finding pictures for this collage and I desperately need to find that dress. It's just gorgeous.

On a little side note, Emily posted a guest post on her blog today that I've written on how to bake a honey cake. Go and check it out!

Neve Zedek

2010-09-11T19:25:00.006+02:00

It's been much too long, again, I know. I'd planned on posting at the beginning of this week, but then I caught the flu so the hiatus became even longer than I'd anticipated. Oh well.
I'm going to share some pictures with you that we took a week or so ago when my boyfriend and I went to walk around in Neve Zedek, an old neighborhood in Tel Aviv one evening. It has a bit of a European atmosphere, I think, and felt nice and romantic. I'd never been there before, and I really liked seeing the old houses and narrow streets. It is very different from the architecture elsewhere in Tel Aviv which is very modern, worn down and dare I say quite ugly.

While we were there I also spotted a little shop that seemed to be filled with antique or antique like treasures. Unfortunately it was closed, but I was standing there staring through the shop window for at least ten minutes, so I simply need to get back there one day that it's open.

Stroll on the weekend

2010-08-31T20:36:00.000+02:00

Thank you for all your good ideas and advice on what to do if you have troubles sleeping. I've tried out some of them already and my sleeping routine's gotten better. It's still not perfect since I still go to bed at about two or three in the night, but at least that's a whole lot better than eight in the morning. Hopefully I'll be able to go to bed earlier and earlier and slowly get back on track.

We took these photos on the weekend when my boyfriend and I went for a really long walk (we probably walked for an hour or so) along the beach promenade in Tel Aviv and in a little park that we got to at the end of the walk. I've always loved going for long walks, but here that is nearly impossible due to the extremely bright and hot sun and the humidity. In the evening walking is a little more manageable (though the humidity is still there), luckily, and therefore that is something I try to do very frequently.

Skirt and hat from H&M and top and shoes from Asos

Tiredness?

2010-08-27T22:57:00.002+02:00

I've had such a horrible sleeping routine the last few weeks going to bed in the middle of the night and sleeping until very late. The last few days have been even worse and I've only been able to fall asleep at seven or eight in the morning and getting up at three in the afternoon. It's driving me crazy and I feel like I'm wasting the whole day. One of the reasons why it's become so bad is probably that I have a lot to think about these days. This evening I am feeling tired though, and it's not even midnight, so I hope tonight will be better.
Have any of you ever experienced sleeplessness or having a bad sleeping routine, and if so, how did you fix it?

Hair band, skirt and dress worn as a top from H&M, shoes from Sixtyseven and bag by Miu Miu

The old station

2010-08-22T23:09:00.000+02:00

I had a such a wonderful evening yesterday going to the old train station of Tel Aviv, which had been newly renovated, together with my boyfriend and his parents. I'm quite sure that that's my new favorite place in Tel Aviv as everything looks so picturesque and pretty. There are lots of small boutiques there selling pretty and unique jewelery, lovely clothing shops, and romantic restaurants. We neither shopped nor ate anything while we were there, but just strolling around was enjoyable experience as well. I hope I will be able to go back there with my boyfriend again soon - maybe on a weekday when it'd be less crowded and while there is still daylight - to take more pictures of the sweet little shops and houses and maybe to enjoy a dinner in one of the restaurants as it starts to get dark.

The first few pictures are by the way taken by the sea shore where we had a stroll before we walked to the old train station.

I was wearing a playsuit from Dahlia and shoes from Topshop.

Long time no see!

2010-08-20T03:10:00.001+02:00

I didn't intend not to update my blog in nearly two weeks, but after I came back to Israel up until now my boyfriend was busy preparing for his final project in architecture (he's now officially an architect - hurray!) and couldn't help me take photos. Naturally, I could have thought of a post where I could have taken the photos myself, but I wasn't feeling very inspired since I feel a little sad being back here (being home made me realize that I really miss being in Norway).

This post was not meant to sound completely depressing - I do feel better now as the last couple of days we've been able to spend all our time together and that's been wonderful. I have also begun teaching my boyfriend Norwegian which I think is a lot of fun - especially since he is a clever student!

Shorts, socks and hair band from H&M, blouse from Noa Noa and shoes from Zara.

Countryside

2010-08-09T21:23:00.000+02:00

This weekend I spent at the countryside where my late grandfather grew up - picking cloudberries, a few blueberries, visiting my godparents and reading books. I have many fond memories from this place, where I as a little girl spent a lot of time with my grandparents in their cabin. The meadow where these pictures were taken used to be one of my absolute favorite places to play when I was younger; either with animals that I would make from cones and little sticks, running around and making flower crowns or just lying amidst the straws and flowers and gazing at the sky.

Vintage dress, cardigan from H&M, tights and shoes from Topshop

Weekend wedding

2010-08-06T01:38:00.001+02:00

As a promised a few days ago I'm going to show you pictures from my friend Amalie's wedding that I went to last weekend. The wedding took part over a whole weekend and I stayed in a cabin with three of my friends - that was a lot of fun! A great wedding all in all, and Amalie looked so beautiful and luminous the whole time.

The weekend started with a three hour drive to where the wedding was held. A long drive, but it was spent chatting (I hadn't seen my friends in six months) and sleeping (for my part).

Linn, Jeanette and Amalie.

Kristine and I.

When we arrived we changed and went to the barbecue that was held on Friday evening. For dessert there were lots of yummy strawberries.

The latter part of the evening we spent composing and rehearsing a song that we were going to perform at the wedding the following day. Then we went to sleep.

(Odd photo of me in the morning)

The morning of the wedding was somewhat stressful doing our make up and getting ready before we drove to the church where the marriage took place.

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We were given heart-shaped rice to throw at the bride and groom.

We then made our way to the reception where there were canapes and heart shaped toast.

While we were waiting for dinner we hung around outside.

Dinner - which included many touching, warm and funny speeches, excellent food and kisses (I'd never heard of these traditions before, but whenever the bride or groom left the room all members of the opposite sex had to run up to the one who hadn't left the room and give him or her a kiss on the cheek, or, if everyone was stomping their feet or knocking on their glass with a knife the bride and groom had to get down on the floor or up on two chairs and kiss). I haven't included any more pictures from the dinner as the rest didn't turn out the best.

After dinner we went back to the cabin to rehearse the song a few more times, and I also changed my dress as I wasn't feeling comfortable in the one I was wearing.

Then, when we came back again, the tables had been moved and a dance floor had emerged. We performed the song we'd written for Amalie and although it included some slightly embarrassing stories about her, she was delighted.

The rest of the evening there was dancing, drinks, night food (the potatoes - as I'm a vegetarian) and fun.

We took a taxi back to our cabin at four in the morning and went to sleep. The next day we had brunch, which I unfortunately have no pictures of before we drove to the airport.

Back home in Tromsø...

2010-08-03T01:19:00.000+02:00

After attending my friend's enchanting wedding over the weekend (which I'll probably post pictures of in a day or two), I came home to my parents' house in the north of Norway yesterday. So far I've just been relaxing, chatting to everyone and going for walks with their dogs and frankly, I don't plan on doing much besides those things while I'm here. Sometimes it's so nice not to do anything at all. I'm also really enjoying the chilly weather and having to wear tights, cardigans and a jacket (I was too cold when taking these pictures) and not feeling the sun burn for a change.

Skirt and blouse from H&M, tights from Pamela Mann and shoes from Sixtyseven

Sun and sea

2010-07-29T13:01:00.001+02:00

I am now in Oslo, enjoying a couple of days here living in my sister's apartment before I tomorrow take a flight to my good friend Amalie's wedding near Trondheim. I am so much looking forward to it as I'll surely be such a wonderful wedding and also because I will get to see my friends again (we're sharing a cabin together for the weekend). So far in Oslo, I've just been walking and looking around, shopping a little and pondering the purchase of an SLR camera.
I had planned on blogging more while I'm here, but my sister's internet connection is down and right now I'm blogging from a library. I am not sure whether I'll be able to blog before Sunday, when I'll be back in Tromsø - it all depends on whether the cabin I'll be staying at for the wedding has a wireless network. We'll see.

Anyway, over to today's post. These pictures (and video) are from last weekend when we stopped by at the beach in Tel Aviv. We were frolicking about in the waves (I really regretted not having taken my bathing suit as the sea looked so inviting) and taking pictures. I had also taken my Diana camera that I had just received and I am longing to see how the pictures will come out!

Dress by Dahlia, hair bow bought in Sweden, sunglasses from H&M and Diana camera

flowers, flowers, flowers.

2010-07-26T01:10:00.000+02:00

On Friday I wore this Zara dress that I bought in the sale a couple of weeks ago, and it is actually the same dress as this one that I bought in April. I felt a little silly buying the same dress, but I decided that I really like the shape of it and since it was discounted I told myself that it was okay.
I'm pretty busy at the moment as I am flying to Norway for a holiday on Tuesday (which I am beyond excited about: cool weather here I come!), and won't you believe it, I still haven't started packing. Tomorrow I'm going to have a little packing marathon between everything else that needs to be done (giving English lessons, babysitting, making purchases for the travel).

Dress from Zara, socks from H&M and shoes from Chie Mihara.

Pea and potato curry.

2010-07-22T20:03:00.004+02:00

I promised some of you to post a recipe of the pea and potato curry that I made nearly two weeks ago, and here it is finally.

1. Start by cutting about 750 grams of potatoes in rather big cubes, and chopping two onions into rings.

2. In a large saucepan, put two teaspoons of mustard (the recipe originally calls for mustard seeds which is probably better to use, but we didn't have any so I thought I would just go for the second best option.) and heat until it starts bubbling (if using mustard seeds, until they start popping).

3. Chop three to four cloves of garlic and grind two teaspoons of fresh ginger.

4. Add the onion rings, garlic, ginger and two spoons of ghi or oil to the pan and stir at medium heat until the onion is soft.

5. Add 1/2 teaspoon of chili spice, 1 teaspoon of turmeric (silly me for misspelling it on the label of the spice), 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of garam masala, and some salt and pepper. Also, add the potatoes. Stir until the potatoes are evenly covered in spice.

6. Add 1 1/2 dl of water and let everything boil at very low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are slightly tender with a lid on the saucepan.

7. Almost finished. Add 100 grams of peas. It's best to use frozen peas rather than canned since the taste is fresher. Boil at very low heat for another 3-5 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed.

8. Stir in a little bit of chopped fresh mint.

9. Ready to eat! Serve with rice.

Lace playsuit

2010-07-19T00:25:00.004+02:00

I've been wearing my new playsuit (that almost looks like a short dress at first glance!) nearly every other day since I got it around a week ago and on Saturday when my boyfriend and I went for a little walk I had him take some pictures of me wearing it. As you can see, I've also had my hair cut. I'm not sure if I like it yet since the hairdresser I went to cut it about five cm shorter than what I asked for (something that has never happened to me before - I always find myself needing to tell my hairdresser to cut my hair a little more) and I'm a little annoyed with that. I had wanted my hair to be cut in the same length as it was last year at this time of the year, but there is nothing to do about it now. In a few months it'll be a bit longer and by then I'll beyond doubt be used to it.
Now I'm off to make myself a cup of tea for the umpteenth time today. I've caught an unpleasant cold that my boyfriend had last week. I don't mild colds so much, but when one has to cope with one in sticky hot weather it is near torture.

Playsuit from Dahlia, horse shoe shoes from Topshop.

I love Dahlia...

2010-07-16T00:03:00.004+02:00

Ever since I stumbled across the Dahlia shop in Carnaby street in London two years ago, Dahlia's been one of my favorite brands and every summer (I think their summer collections are the prettiest) I've bought a couple of pieces from them. This summer has proven to be no different as I couldn't help myself from ordering these two items a few weeks ago: a delicate lace 50s inspired playsuit and a stripy dress with pretty sailor buttons.

I'm going to try taking some pictures wearing the playsuit on the weekend.

I really like the new website Dahlia recently launched which is so cute and so easy to navigate through. One of my favorite things about it is that each piece of clothing is accompanied by sweet description and styling advice! And also, as a nice change from the previous website, now there are pictures from every angle of each item.

Gosh, there are so many darling clothes and accessories that I would like to get on top of those I've already bought...

Nine pictures from Saturday.

2010-07-12T02:29:00.003+02:00

My Saturday more or less. Woke up much too late, got dressed and did my make up, went for a walk with Tassus, ate a delicious and oh so filling bagel that my boyfriend made, biked to and from a private German lesson I gave, cooked potato and pea curry. Quite an ordinary and relaxing Saturday.

Sorting out my wardrobe.

2010-07-10T01:15:00.004+02:00

my improved wardrobe

I guess it's actually much too late to start sorting out my summer wardrobe in July, but I've never had the need to do any seasonal wardrobe cleanses before, and I didn't imagine that this summer would be any different. I've always been able to wear all my clothes (aside from heavy winter coats, mittens, scarves and such) at any time throughout the year just by putting them together a little differently: switching thicker tights for thin ones, and occasionally not wearing tights at all, or wearing thin cardigans over blouses or dresses instead of thick wool cardigans or sweaters (that's Norwegian weather for you).

These past weeks I've come to the realization that putting away my thicker and darker skirts, dresses and cardigans would give me a better overview of my dressing choices, and there is really no point letting clothes that will be too warm to wear in Israel for the next few months take up valuable closet space, is there?

I tidied these away:

Half a dozen skirts, half a dozen dresses and some tops and cardigans that are too warm for this weather.

To make more space for:

Floaty, lightweight dresses and some colorful ones

summery skirts, blouses and tops.

I feel more inspired looking at my closet after this little clean-up, and hopefully this feeling will stay on even if I still think colder weather allows more dressing choices.

I want to thank all of you who commented in my last post for all your encouraging words and suggestions. I'm going to try and go ahead with the ideas that I first have in mind for my post and blog more frequently even if it seems like quite a challenge at times.

New lace dress...

2010-07-03T20:38:00.014+02:00

I am such a lousy blogger - I know. I keep wanting to post more, but my inspiration seems to be going through a downfall at the moment and that is really bothering me. I also keep thinking "Oh, this would be nice to post about!", but, then it doesn't seem like worth posting about a little while later. After re-reading these couple of sentences, I realized I've kind of made this sound like a blog depression (is that even possible?). A bit silly maybe, but I suppose what I wanted to put into words is; is there anything you would like to see on my blog, anything that you miss seeing here, or, in other words, do you have any ideas of what I could post about?

Over to something else. Yesterday I went to the Topshop sale and I got this pretty little dress that I was eyeing on the Topshop website a few months ago, and that I've been trying to get on ebay (but it's always been selling for too much), so I was really happy to get it for half price yesterday. The downside, however, is that it has a small foundation (I'm guessing) stain at the neckline and the shop assistant refused to give me a discount because of that (quite ridiculous since in Europe I'd get it in a second). I really hope it'll come off. I love the fact that it has long sleeves as well as being very light weight so that I can protect myself a little from the sun in it.

Lace dress from Topshop, necklace from my grandmother and scarf (worn in hair) from my other grandmother).

Visiting a farm

2010-06-26T22:45:00.004+02:00

This afternoon I went to a little near-by farm together with my little nephew and sister in law. We had a really nice time together patting animals and taking pictures of them. However, the best thing about it was being able to cuddle with a couple of baby rabbits that were so cute that I just wanted to put them in my hand bag and take them home with me. I cannot get past just how adorable they were, and how calm they were lying in my hand.

I was wearing a blouse from H&M, skirt from Topshop, hair band from Bianco and shoes from Sixtyseven.

Never let me go

2010-06-22T23:52:00.006+02:00

I am beyond excited for this movie and have been watching the trailer about a dozen times over the last few days. I'm a sucker for period dramas (although this is actually not really one with the movie being dystopian), but what makes this movie different is that it's also a sci-fi movie. I've been reading the plot summary of the book (which I now also want to read!) the movie is an adaption of, and found out that it's set in a boarding school where the children are clones who are grown in order to provide organs of transplants with the final donation being fatal. It sounds so creepy, yet the movie looks beautiful and I can't wait to see Carey Mulligan again since I loved her in An Education.

Yarkon Park

2010-06-19T01:14:00.005+02:00

On Tuesday evening, my boyfriend and I went to Yarkon Park, which is a massive park in Tel Aviv. We'd planned on going there for quite some time, but due to my boyfriend being extremely busy with his final project in architecture it was always canceled. I had been to the edges of this park before, but not ventured deep into it like this time. Being there was absolutely wonderful with the enormous green lawns, trees growing sideways so that one can easily sit in them, and a lovely lake with boats and ducks. Somehow, it reminded me of being in a completely different country. We both agreed that we need to go back there again, especially to rent a boat and sail in the lake which is in the park, or to just have a little picnic there - something this park is surely perfect for.

Staying in

2010-06-14T02:29:00.003+02:00

Hello to all of you - I hope you've had a good weekend! I've been, for the most part, staying indoor in order to avoid the sun (my arms - especially my lower arms - have gotten way too tan without my blessing!) and the heat (It was 35 C here on Friday!), trying to cook recipes I hadn't tried so far (like baked eggplant in tomato sauce) and reading Haruki Murakami's "Kafka on the Shore" and Jonathan Safran Foer's "Eating Animals". A nice, relaxing weekend, one of the best ways to spend it, in my opinion.

Green stripe dress from Cala, shoes from London (bought them some four years ago and cannot remember from which shop) and bracelet given to me by my grandfather when I was 14.

Discovering new places.

2010-06-10T00:30:00.010+02:00

These photos are from last weekend when my boyfriend and I went for a walk to the outskirts of this town and ended up in a very nice place with fields, trees and a little forest. We walked around a little bit and got to a little kibbutz as well, which was fun to see. For some reason my boyfriend had never been to this place before, even if he has lived here for years and years and I think that's pretty odd. I think I have this compulsive need to get around, get to know and see every little corner of a place as fast as I can once I get somewhere new. I've been that way ever since I was little, and at the age of 25 it's maybe a little bit childish finding enjoyment in exploring, but I just can't help it.

The dress I am wearing is one that my mother bought for me at a flea market in March. It's vintage and has the cutest little buttons and check pattern. I don't get a chance to wear it much because of the heat, but in the evenings when it's a little cooler, it's just perfect!

Vintage dress, hair bow from Glitter and shoes from Topshop

Dull weekend.

2010-06-05T22:56:00.004+02:00

This weekend (yes, tomorrow's a weekday again over here!) I had planned to do so much: clean and tidy the apartment, go jogging and prepare a lecture for monday (I've started giving private English tutoring), but, of course, I managed to catch a small flu and thus didn't have the energy to do any of those things. I get ill a lot in Israel for some reason, despite the fact that I've always had a very good immune system, so I wonder if the change of climate might be to blame. At any rate, it is surely not fun.

What have you all been doing (or will still be doing) this weekend?

Blouse from H&M, shorts and shoes from Topshop

Sitting in a tree

2010-05-30T21:19:00.002+02:00

It's so hot and sticky these days that wearing lightweight dresses that don't stick to your body is the best. Though I think I may only own two or three dresses that qualify as non-sticky in hot weather so it might be an idea to invest in a few more since it's not even proper summer yet. I bought the dress I am wearing in the photos a couple of years ago in London and it is by far one of my favorites although I seldom wear it since it feels so overly romantic.
I suppose most of you are not burdened with such impossibly hot weather (at least not yet!), but what do you wear to feel a little bit more at ease when it is incredibly hot outside?

Dress from Traffic People, leotard (underneath) from American Apparel, and hair bow from Bianco.

Lentil and quinoa salad.

2010-05-26T22:09:00.002+02:00

I keep forgetting to eat enough legumes (most likely because I don't know enough recipes with legumes in them), which I absolutely should as a vegetarian, but every so often I commit myself to making a meal with lentils, beans or peas. Yesterday was one of those days and I came up with a lentil salad that contained a lot of quinoa as well - the reason why I've opted to call it a lentil and quinoa salad.

1. Boil about two dl of green lentils and about two - three dl of quinoa. Let cool.

2. Chop one small onion and a few cloves of garlic.

3. Grind three small carrots.

4. Slice one big cucumber or two small.

5. Slice some green onion. I used quite a lot of it since I love green onion.

6. Slice one paprika and mix everything together.

7. Add lemon zest.

8. And sesame seeds.

9. Voilá! Sprinkle with some salt, a tiny bit of pepper and add parsley and coriander (preferably fresh!)

Random photos from when my parents were here.

2010-05-22T14:59:00.005+02:00

I had planned to post this a few days ago, but these last couple of days I've been feeling somewhat under the weather and haven't really been up to blogging. I'm sure I'll feel better in a few days time and then I'll be back again. These are just random pictures from my parents' visit here; from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and from Max Brenner (chocolate restaurant).

Bow overkill?

2010-05-16T22:04:00.003+02:00

Since purchasing the Zara bow shirt and the American Apparel bow hair band a few weeks ago I've been tempted to put together an outfit incorporating both of them, and perhaps adding more bows as well. And when I ordered some new tights online a little while ago (and one of them being with bows!), I decided to take the idea even further and wear a very bow-y outfit.

I always feel pretty reluctant to wear two or more print items (either if it's the same print or different prints) in the same outfit even if I often feel like matching a polka dotted skirt with a polka dotted blouse. Every time I end up telling myself that it looks out of place and that it's a little too much. However, after wearing this outfit for a day I think that it could work out wearing matching prints and I think I'm going to re-attempt matching polka-dots.

Shirt by Zara, skirt by Gina Tricot, hair bow by American Apparel, shoes from Benetton and tights from Pamela Mann.

A tour of our apartment.

2010-05-10T22:15:00.003+02:00

I've been wanting to show pictures of the apartment me and my boyfriend live in for quite some time, but not until recently have I felt that it's come together the way I've been wanting it to. Despite the fact that it doesn't have as many things as I'm used to having around me (and I doubt we'll get much more since we may only be living here for another year, or maybe two) I really like living here especially because it's spacious and the view is really pretty. Enough talking, come on in!

One enters through this door, and then one some of our shoes (mostly mine) and my coats, jackets and bags. To the right is the living room:

Most of the furniture is from IKEA, but that's okay since IKEA is great. Now some details:

Candles and a bowl with cherries on the table.

A shelf with a plant that looks like a tree, books, and my Lula magazines.

We have an inserted balcony, if you will. It's just the windows of the living room that can be opened all the way, but it feels almost like a real balcony and and having all the plants, flowers and herbs outside really add to that feeling.

I love the view.

To the left of the entrance is the kitchen....

...but if one continues straight ahead there is the eating area:

and further on, there is the bedroom:

Tassus has his own spot to sleep next to the bed!

The other side of the wall has a big wardrobe. Let's take a look inside some of it:

And the bathroom with all my skin products and make-up:

There is also a guest room/study which is right now occupied by my parents who are visiting me, so there will be pictures of that another time. The reason for my lack of blogging lately is because I've been too busy showing them around, and having fun with them. I am so glad they finally made it here!

Thank you for the visit :)

Heart print playsuit.

2010-05-04T22:49:00.002+02:00

I love Zara at the moment. Every time I go there I find at least ten different pieces of clothing or accessories that I want, but unfortunately I need to restrict myself. Yesterday, though, when I was there I found this pretty heart printed playsuit (which has heart buttons as well), and I simply had to get it. Playsuits are one of my favorite things to wear and this particular one is extremely comfortable to wear, which doesn't hurt either.

My parents are supposed to come on Saturday (after the annoying volcanic ash stopped them from coming three weeks ago), and I'm getting really excited about that. At the same time, I'm a little scared that the volcano will erupt again, so I am afraid to get my hopes up. Quite silly, I know, but I can't help it...

Playsuit from Zara, bag from Miu Miu, hair clip from Accessorize, belt from a little shop in Ramat HaSharon in Israel, and shoes I bought in London years ago.

Friday.

2010-05-01T17:00:00.007+02:00

Yesterday, after my boyfriend had finished a test he had dreaded for ages, we drove to Tel Aviv together in order to do something fun together which we had not done in a long time due to him having been studying. I also wanted to look for a sun hat, but I had no luck. I need a big, floppy 70s style sun hat which will keep the sun away from my face completely, but for some strange reason that's something I can't find in Israel. I think I might have to resort to finding it on Ebay...
Nevertheless, we had a lovely day together and bought some delicious macarons to celebrate that my boyfriend is nearly done with his architecture studies.

We got a couple of eclairs for free from the pastry shop, but since I'm not fond of eclairs my boyfriend had both of them

I hope all of you are doing well and having a great weekend.
Oh! I wanted to ask you: How do you feel about bigger pictures? For me they look a lot better on the computers I use, but are all of you able to view them?

(I had to remove the pictures I'd posted of my boyfriend because he didn't like himself in them).

In the garden of flowers.

2010-04-26T21:35:00.002+02:00

Or rather in the playground of flowers, to be precise. There is a really pretty playground/park near my boyfriend's parent's house where I really enjoy going because it's always so quiet and beautiful with a lot of shadow casting trees, darling flowers and little benches to sit on. I decided to wear my new dainty and white summery Zara dress yesterday in the warm sunshine, which was, together with my straw hat, perfect for a little stroll. I can feel it getting warmer and warmer by the day here, and I wonder what it'll be like in the summer as it is already really hot already, in April. I was a little upset today when I realized that my arms have begun to tan despite wearing a high SPF every day as I really do not like to be tan. I guess the only way to avoid that is to wear long sleeves - though knowing me, that will be impossible, so I suppose I'll just have to live with it. Though one thing I must do is to buy myself a bigger sun hat as the brim of the one I have and the one I'm wearing in the pictures is not big enough to shade my face as much as I need it to. That's quite a pity since I really love it so much and would like to wear it every day.

Dress from Zara, vintage hat, sunglasses from Prego, and shoes from Kipper.

Bows, lace and grids.

2010-04-24T23:56:00.002+02:00

Yesterday I went on a little shopping trip to Tel Aviv, which was lovely. I really need to go there more since I feel that I need to get to know the city better, but I rarely have the time. Nevertheless, I managed to snag a few pieces which I am extremely pleased about....

A white summery lace dress from Zara. I am absolutely and completely smitten with it, and it is such a little treasure. In my next post I will be wearing this.

A bow t-shirt from Zara. Bows are nearly impossible to say "no" to.

A bow hair band from American Apparel. I had a similar bow hair band from Topshop a couple of years ago, but it's gone missing so I was happy to replace it with this one. Unfortunately the picture doesn't do it much justice.

And finally, some tights with grids on from American Apparel. I had actually set out to buy some heart shaped tights, but I thought these were so much more impressive, and architectural (which means that my boyfriend was quite amazed by them as well).

PS: I apologize for not really replying to comments lately - I have no other excuse but laziness - but I will start replying to them tomorrow. Right now I must surrender to the sandman. Yawn.

Little river.

2010-04-21T21:36:00.003+02:00

Yesterday I went on a little day trip to somewhere very pretty in the north of Israel (which I've forgotten the name of - shame on me!), and had a lovely time. There was a little river there which was wonderful to walk in, and the water was a little cold, but still very refreshing. I wish I were able to go on trips more, at the moment my boyfriend's too busy with his studies... Oh, maybe in a few weeks...

Blouse from H&M and shorts from Zara.

Before I forget: You can now follow me on Twitter here. It's quite silly, I've had an account there for over a year, but only decided to start using it a few days ago. Let's see if I can keep it up!

Sad.

2010-04-17T17:46:00.002+02:00

I've been feeling really sad for a few days now as my parents, who were supposed to come and visit me on Thursday, are probably not going to be able to come at all due to the volcano eruption on Iceland. I had looked forward to them coming so much; spending time with them, showing them where we live, going places with them and them meeting my boyfriend's family and also getting a whole suitcase of my things that they were bringing from home. It's terribly, terribly upsetting and I have no idea when they would be able to come.

To cheer myself up a little I bought this belt with a little bicycle on it from a little boutique. I think it looks adorable.

Sweater from Cala, shorts from Topshop and tights from Accessorize.

Beams of sun through the treetops.

2010-04-10T12:12:00.003+02:00

My two week passover holiday from my Hebrew course is coming to an end in a couple of days which means no more getting up at 11 or 12, but at a terribly unholy hour. I cannot say that I am looking forward to that because knowing myself, I have the worst time adjusting myself to getting up early, but changing my routine to getting up late (and staying up late) is easy peasy. Strange, isn't it? Nevertheless, I am trying to enjoy my last couple of days of vacation - and after posting this, I plan to on a little biking trip! How are all of you doing these days?

Playsuit from Dahlia, cardigan from Zara, shoes from Topshop and hairband from Bianco.

Cliffs by the ocean.

2010-04-04T22:48:00.002+02:00

On Thursday, on our way to look for a little carpet for our apartment, my boyfriend and I, drove off on a little side road where the landscape looked really beautiful. At the end of the road we reached some lovely meadows along with steep cliffs. It was amazingly stunning and unlike anything I'd seen in Israel so far. In a way it reminded me of landscapes I've come across in Europe. We stayed there a bit, sat down and enjoyed the view and talked about how lovely it would be to come back for a picnic there another time, or even go to the beach further down which was almost deserted.

Blouse and belt from H&M, skirt from Gina Tricot and shoes from Din sko.

Jerusalem.

2010-03-31T23:23:00.003+02:00

I ended up not going to the Dead Sea on Saturday since the weather wasn't the best, so instead I went to Jerusalem which I think I enjoyed just as much. I hadn't been there for a very long time, which is a pity since it is always such an interesting city to visit. It's such a unique place due to its history, ancient architecture, beautiful scenery around it and the atmosphere with almost everyone being very religious. I should have taken more pictures of it, and especially of the old city, but it was quite rainy so we didn't spend enough time there. I will most likely go back there again in a couple of weeks when my parents are coming for a visit, so then I'll try to take more pictures.

Holiday, finally.

2010-03-26T18:33:00.002+01:00

Yesterday the passover break begun - which is really nice - not because my Hebrew course has been so demanding that I neccessarily need a break, but it's nice to have a break from homework and have entire days off. I bought a bike a few days ago so I'll be using the break to bike around exploring places. I really am looking forward to that! Today I had a nice day going shopping with my friend Elise and I bought a really pretty sailor scarf that I will show you in a couple of days. Oh, and tomorrow I am most likely going to the Dead Sea for a day trip, which I am hoping will be fun.

The shoes and the vest are from Zara and the blouse, skirt and belt from H&M.

Good morning....

2010-03-21T14:17:00.002+01:00

... except it not really being morning anymore at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. However, I woke up late and to me it sort of still feels like morning. I love days when I have nothing in particular to do and I can have a long breakfast: today I had spicy toast with cheese, tomatoes and basil and drank green tea with stevia leaves (a natural and healthy sweetener so much sweeter than sugar. I am so thrilled that I found a stevia plant since I was under the impression that they've been banned nearly everywhere due to the immensely powerful sugar industry).

I also love having enough time to spend as much time as I want getting dressed, and rummaging through my closet sorting my clothes. This is what I am wearing today.

Now I am going out to buy some groceries and make tortillas for my boyfriend when he comes back from university.

I also wanted to say that you are all so sweet for continuing to read my blog even if my updates are quite inconsistent and even if I have not been very good at commenting back on your blogs lately. I really appreciate all of you :)

On top of a rock.

2010-03-12T21:15:00.002+01:00

One of you asked me if I could write a little bit about my daily life here in Israel, which I thought was a good idea. I think I mentioned a few posts ago that I've begun learning Hebrew - which I do for a couple of hours in the morning from Monday to Thursday. So far it's fun and because I hear Hebrew being spoken around me so much it feels like I am learning the language quite fast. Another good thing about the course is getting to know other people since I really want to have friends here. Other than that my days have more or less been occupied with fixing the apartment (I really hope we can move in this weekend!), and just being with my boyfriend and his family. I wish I had a job, too, but unfortunately I have to wait quite a while until I get my working permit. At the same time I saved up quite a lot of money in Norway so it isn't that urgent, and I do enjoy having time off and just enjoying myself - especially when the weather is so nice!

Top and shorts by H&M.

PS: I mentioned a few days ago that I was going to the H&M opening party in Israel, and while I was there I was photographed and interviewed about my outfit by one of the biggest newspapers in Israel. Really exciting! You can see it here, but it's unfortunatley all in Hebrew.

In a rush.

2010-03-09T17:25:00.002+01:00

I am really disappointed in myself for being such a bad blogger the last week - especially when I promised myself to blog more frequently after I was done with all the stressful things which occupied my life the last few months. I imagined that things would be calmer once I got here and wouldn't have anything to do, but I suppose I was wrong (at least for the time being). You see, I've been very busy fixing the apartment we're about to move into (I had no idea it would take this long, but there is a lot to fix, and I am really anxious to finally move in). I really do apologize for not blogging more often, but I hope that things will be better very soon!

An outfit from a couple of days ago:

Vintage blazer, cardigan and tights from H&M, dress from Cala, shoes from Sixtyseven and bag from Accessorize.

I am also in quite a rush now, in fact. I am going to the opening party for H&M in Israel and I am really so excited about that. It's going to be fun to have a store I like so much and that I am so familiar with here finally.

Rainy.

2010-02-28T15:15:00.002+01:00

It's been rainy here for a few days now, and I actually kind of like it since I think I have more outfit choices when it's not as warm (perhaps because that is what I am used to), but I am sure the warmth will come back pretty soon again anyway. I started going to a Hebrew course last week to be able to learn the language. I really like feeling that I understand more and more of what people are saying every day, though I think I am a little lazy not studying as much as I should. I have quite a bit of homework to hand in for tomorrow, so I suppose I need to go and do that...

Tights from Accessorize, shoes by SixtySeven and everything else from H&M

An Education.

2010-02-24T19:55:00.002+01:00

On the plane last week I watched "An Education", which is a movie that I need to add to my favorites since it is simply brilliant: 60s nostalgia, haircuts and hairstyles, dresses and coats, well dressed men, Paris and London - what more can you ask for? Carey Mulligan is so beautiful as Jenny in the movie, and I think both her and Peter Sarsgaard play their roles wonderfully. If you haven't seen "An Education" yet, I absolutely think you should.

Pink balloon.

2010-02-20T23:29:00.004+01:00

I've been meaning to blog since I got here on Tuesday, but I've been too busy enjoying being with my boyfriend again and celebrating his birthday, enjoying the warm weather and getting somewhat settled (though we still haven't moved into our apartment). It's been quite strange to go from -10 degrees to around 28 degrees Celsius, at least for Tassus who has never experienced such warm weather. He keeps sweating every time we go for walks, so he really has to get used to these temperatures, I think.

50s vintage dress, shoes from Chie Mihara and the hair band is a gift.

Miu miu, miu miu, miu miu....

2010-02-06T23:34:00.002+01:00

I got a Miu Miu bow! It's been my dream bag for the last two years so I'm so happy to finally own one - and in the color I've always been lusting after as well! I'm moving in just nine days (very scary!) so my house is a mess at the moment: boxes, clothes and things everywhere... I'm trying to decide what to leave behind, what to bring and what to send and that's no easy task when you have so many things. Oh, and to those of you who've been asking: I am not moving to Israel for forever, but for a few years, I suppose.

(my tights are wet because I fell in the snow)

Blouse, skirt and tights from H&M, shoes from sixtyseven and bag by Miu Miu,

Lula magazine and more clothes for sale...

2010-01-29T23:23:00.005+01:00

I just wanted to let you know that I am selling the two previous issues of Lula magazine over in my shop, as I have mentioned before. I am also selling clothes (including a brand new dress). So if you are interested you should go and have a look! Also, the things won't be available for very long since I am soon moving, and for that reason I'm also trying to sell everything other places.

And - just to let you know - the prices have been lowered on all of the items in my shop.

Spinach soup.

2010-01-24T21:45:00.004+01:00

Recently I've been making this soup at least once a week, but it is so good that I could eat it daily, really. It is a simple and fast soup to make, which also calls for very few ingredients - and what could be better than that?!

Here's how to go about making it:

You need:

- one medim-sized onion
- three cloves of garlic
- frozen spinach
- water
- butter
- flour
- cream
- salt and pepper

1. Thaw frozen spinach. I used about 800 grams since I wanted soup that would last for a few days.

2. Chop the onion and garlic into small pieces.

3. Sauté in a pan on medium heath for 5-10 minutes.

4. When the spinach is thawed, add it to the pan and fill up with water. (Sorry about the blurry photo).

5. While the soup begins to boil melt about 50 grams of butter that you mix with a couple of teaspoons with flour. To that you add a little bit of cream. Add to the soup and stir well.

6. Let it boil for ten minutes and season with salt and pepper as you see fit.

7.Ready!

Wearing my self-made dress!

2010-01-20T19:26:00.003+01:00

I finally managed to get around to sewing the hem and fixing the collar on the dress I made at the sewing course I took part in for a few weeks in the autumn. I'm so pleased to finally be able to wear it, and it's so much fun to wear something you've made yourself (even if I know it still isn't perfect with it being somewhat too big at my back).

I also want to apologize for being such a bad blogger as of lately - I am moving to Israel in less than a month and there is so much too fix before that can happen (I often think I'm going to get crazy dealing with everything), and I am also trying to work a lot so that I'll have some money while I'm there. Until then, I will be trying to blog as often as I can - if the weather continues to be mild like today that shouldn't be too unachievable (except that it would mean that I'd get wet if I sit in the snow!)

Self-made plaid dress, tights from Gina Tricot, shoes from Kipper, whistle necklace from Les Jumelles Boutique, and hair band from Vero Moda.

PS: Before I forget, I hope to be able to put up some more things in my shop that I need to get rid of before I move. That includes two mint issues of Lula magazine (the recent one and the one before that). Would any of you be interested in that?

An outfit - at last.

2010-01-12T22:07:00.003+01:00

Wow, it feels like forever since I've done an outfit post (a real one, which in my case needs to be done outside). The days are finally getting a little brighter so it is now possible to do them outside (as long as it isn't too cold!)

Playsuit from Topshop, top underneath from American Apparel, hair piece from Bianco, tights from Lindex, shoes by Sixtyseven, and harmonica necklace from Les Jumelles Boutique.

Pasta gratin.

2010-01-08T17:26:00.002+01:00

After coming back from being with my friends all day yesterday (spending five hours in a café and three hours in a friend's apartment drinking wine), I made a lovely pasta gratin. It is really simple to make and such a great dish in this freezing weather.

You need:
- Pasta
- Vegetables such as olives, tomatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, paprika and spinach (choose those you like)
- Cheese
- Cream

(how much you need depends entirely on how much you are making)

1. Boil the pasta until al dente.

2. Cut onions, garlic, olives, paprika, mushrooms and tomatoes.

3. Rinse the spinach and rip it into smaller pieces.

4. Mix everything together in the the mould you are using to bake the gratin in, and add cream. MIx some more.

5. Sprinkle with some cheese, and mix in some of it.

6. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit).

7. Done! Serve warm.

Sales shopping finds.

2010-01-03T23:31:00.002+01:00

When I went to see what the what the sales had to offer I never expected to find so many things that I couldn't leave behind since I try to be quite restrictive in what I decide to purchase.

At Bianco I found a lovely navy, and simple bow hairband (not shown well on the picture) that was too cute to pass up.
Then I went to Accessorize, where there were also lots of pretty things on sale. Pretty underwear, tights, and adorable hair pieces. Thinking about it, I always tend to buy underwear from Accessorize whenever there is a sale, and tights are the one thing I always feel compelled to buy since I wear them so much.

The shoes I probably would not have bought had I not in the last minute decided to check out a shoe shop that was closing down. I simply could not leave either of these pairs behind. Both of them have such beautiful color and are so easy to walk in, I adore the heels and the buckle on the brown pair and the red ones are so striking (I was just a bit hesitant about the wedge), and I'm really looking forward to wearing them when it gets less slippery outside! It also doesn't hurt that they were about 70 percent off.

Have you done any sales shopping yet?

Outfits throughout 2009

2009-12-31T13:33:00.003+01:00

Like so many other bloggers I've decided to make a little (or maybe not so little) post with some of my outfits throughout this past year. It's always so fun to look back and see what I used to wear both because it gives me inspiration again and because it makes me memorize the moments in which I wore them.

January:

The year started with me being in Israel visiting my boyfriend. The first one is from a trip to the beach where it was quite cold and I cuddled up in two cardigans. The white cardigan and tights are from Vero Moda and the skirt from H&M. In the second photo I am wearing my new top from Cala (an Israeli shop) and a skirt from Zara).

When I came back home again it was cold and snowy. I am wearing my mom's knitted cardigan, an H&M skirt and blouse and shoes from Benetton.

February:

In early February I moved to Sweden for two months to have my teaching experience at a high school there. Coat from Mango and bow from Glitter.

It was a bit sunnier than here there, but still cold. Everything is from H&M.

One of the things I used to do while being there was going for walks in the area. Dress from Zara, top from Noa Noa and tights from Filippa K.

March

In March the snow disappeared and it got a little warmer. Coat from Burberry, blouse, socks and skirt from H&M, vest from Zara and shoes from Benetton.

I had fun posing with clothes and an umbrella that I'd bought on a trip to Malmö. Blouse from H&M, tights and skirt from Gina Tricot, shoes from Din sko.

My sister came to visit me at the end of March and that was a lot of fun. Skirt, hair band and tights from H&M, blouse from Noa Noa.

April:

In April I went to Israel again. My boyfriend had bought me this dress from Cala.

We went on a trip to northern Israel. It was so nice to feel summery weather there... Top from Vero Moda and shorts from Tjallamalla.

...and dresses without tights. Dress from Dahlia.

My last day was spent shopping in Tel Aviv. Dress from Cala and shoes from Topshop.

At home it was still pretty cold, but it was wonderful to see Tassus again. Dress and tights from H&M, trench from Dahlia and shoes from a shop in Germany.

May

Despite the cold, I tried to wear summery outfits by incorporating tights. Vintage shorts, Mango t-shirt, shoes from Topshop, and tights from H&M.

I explored places I had not been. Skirt from American Apparel, vintage top, shoes from Benetton and tights from Noa Noa.

I got a lovely 40s vintage dress with the cutest lace and bows.

June

Summer finally arrived - the sort of summer we're used to so far north. Dress from Noa Noa, tights from Cubus and cardigan from H&M.

I went to England to see a good friend. It was a really lovely holiday. Vintage blazer, Tjallamalla shorts, H&M blouse and Topshop shoes.

Had a picnic with my little sister in a field full of buttercups. Dress from Traffic People.

July

Most of the time I was working, but I also found the time to enjoy summer. Skirt from H&M, blouse from Noa Noa, shoes from Topshop, tights from American Apparel and Marc by Marc Jacobs bag.

I also manged to turn my days around - staying up in the night, taking pictures in the midnight sun. Dress from H&M, tights from Cubus, shoes from Chie Mihara and a flower crown from a flower shop.

I bought a straw boater hat. Skirt from Gina Tricot and blouse from Vero Moda.

And fixed a vintage playsuit I'd purchased months earlier. Top underneath from Benetton and parasol from Kremerhuset.

August

In August we had lovely, warm weather for three weeks. Then it's nice to sit in trees and just relax. Dress from Vero Moda.

And just enjoy the last weeks of summer. Shirt from H&M, shorts from Tjallamalla and shoes from Topshop.

I took advantage of the sales and got this lovely dress from Lover. Shoes from Noa Noa.

September

In September it quickly got colder. My aunt gave me this vintage jacket that I still haven't fixed. Skirt and tights from Gina Tricot.

My boyfriend also came to see me. Sweater from Cala, skirt and tights from H&M and shoes from Topshop.

I bought this wool, long sleeved playsuit from Sea NY, which is great for colder weather. Tights from H&M and shoes from Noa Noa.

October

My boyfriend and I went for a walk in the cold woods. Shirt from Bikbok, playsuit from Primark, tights from my boyfriend's mom and shoes from Benetton.

Soon the mountains were covered in snow. Skirt and cardigan from Gina Tricot, scarf from my grandmother.

I bought a fun hat from H&M, which I hope to be able to wear more. Top and tights from Oasis, skirt from H&M and boots from Bronx.

November

In November life got really stressful due to my thesis. Blouse from Vero Moda, shoees from Din sko and skirt from Asos.

I tried to wear bright colors more as the days got shorter. Jacket, tights, and skrirt from H&M, shoes from Noa Noa and beret from my sister.

December

This is the only outfit I have to show for December, which has been such a long, dark, uninspired and cold month. Skirt from H&M, cardigan from Oasis and tights from Topshop.

I suppose all that remains is to wish all of you, my lovely readers, a wonderful, inspiring and eventful new year!

Plaid homemade dress.

2009-12-28T23:46:00.004+01:00

Sadly, it is quite evidential that I've yet again been absent - for a week. I've been so tired every day that I have had no energy left for blogging. I've been working a lot and it's completely freezing cold both outside and quite cold inside, too. On top of that, the near-constant darkness outside has made me feel like hibernating, which is practically what I have been doing every day after work.

I have, however, found the time to almost complete the dress that I've been making at my sewing course this autumn (I didn't manage to finish it there so I've had to do bits of it at home), and I thought I'd show you it. I'm quite proud that I've made this dress myself (although I am doubtful I'd be able to do it again alone) and I can't wait to wear it. The collar needs a little fixing and I need to make a hem since the dress ended up being a lot longer than I wanted... but after that, I should be ready to go!

My Hanukkah get-together.

2009-12-21T00:37:00.003+01:00

On Friday, I had a small get-together with two of my friends and my sister to celebrate the last day of Hanukkah since I had no time to celebrate it while I was busy writing my thesis.

I made some latkes, which were excellent, and something called sambusak (a sort of turnover that I found the recipe to in a cook book of mine), which also turned out excellent. I wish I'd taken some close up pictures of the food, but I forgot to do that.

I wore my new cardigan from Oasis, with this:

Cardigan from Oasis, skirt and hair band from H&M, and tights from Topshop.

Calendars.

2009-12-18T00:24:00.003+01:00

First of all, I'm back! I'm finally done with my thesis, and my studies. It feels so amazing, but also kind of weird not being a student anymore after having been one for the past five years.

I bought myself a new calendar to keep organized for the next year. I always used to have yearly calendars when I was younger, and they used to be filled with everything and I kind of missed having one. I am, however, a bit worried about just forgetting about using it, but with one as cute as this one I hope I'll remember to use it.

The thing I really liked about this calendar is the fact that it's set up for you to write lists about all kinds of things every week throughout the year. It's so great to be able to keep track of all the things you like, or think, or aspire to do - but maybe, in between everything, forget that you do.

Do you keep a calendar or planner, and what kind?

My new Zara brogues.

2009-11-26T22:25:00.003+01:00

I bought these lovely brogues at Zara when I was in Oslo over the weekend. I love them so much. They have the perfect color, pattern, laces and heel height - just maybe not for me since any heel over about five or six, at the most, centimeters (these are nine centimeters) make my feet hurt after a very short while. I really need to improve in that area.

I will unfortunately not be blogging so much (as you can see already) over the next few weeks since I really must concentrate on my master's thesis due on the 15th of December. But I promise to be blogging a lot once that is all behind me!

Hello and sorry...

2009-11-20T06:09:00.002+01:00

about my lack of blogging over the last week or so. I've been feeling incredibly uninspired and I don't think there is any point in blogging when you feel like you've got nothing sensible to talk about. Judging by other blogs I read, I think other people also feel the same (I guess it's the time of the year) way since generally there have been less posts overall.

I'm now at the airport, on my way to Oslo to visit my sister and attend a conference over the weekend. Hopefully that'll give me some inspiration.

This is an outfit I wore a few days ago.

Fake fur jacket and tights H&M, skirt American Apparel, bag Marc by Marc Jacobs, shoes Topshop.

A little bit of colour.

2009-11-12T17:02:00.002+01:00

As it starts to feel more and more like winter I find myself dressing in darker colours. I am not quite sure why, but I feel it suits my mood better - I couldn't bring myself to wearing pastel colours at this point. However, even if I enjoy dark colours in the winter, they are usually a bit too gloomy for someone like me who generally likes colour. Therefore, a few hints of colours can be the perfect fit, and enhances any outfit perfectly.

Jacket, tights and skirt from H&M, beret from my sister, scarf from some shop in Germany, gloves from Bianco and shoes from Noa Noa.

Chickpea soup.

2009-11-09T23:19:00.004+01:00

When my boyfriend and I made this chickpea soup for Rosh Hashanah back in September many of you asked for the recipe. Yesterday I made it again, so I made sure to take photos of it so that I could share it with you.

You need: Chickpeas that have been soaked overnight in water (I suppose it's possible to use canned ones too, but then you don't need to cook the soup for an hour - perhaps only some 15 minutes). I didn't measure how much I used, but if you want to make a lot of soup I'd say around 10 dl.
3 carrots
1 onion
2-4 cloves of garlic
2-3 bay leaves
Spices (cumin, pepper, chili and coriander)
Some parsley

1. Cut the carrots and onion and mince the garlic.

2. Sauté them in oil on medium heath in a pan for around 10 minutes.

3. Fill the pan up with water, add the chickpeas and bay leaves and cook for an hour with the lid on.

4. Add the spices according to your own liking and let the soup cook for five more minutes, but be careful with the chili. This soup is meant to be a little spicy, but I have made the mistake of putting too much chili into my food more than once. You probably don't need more than 1/4 teaspoon.

5. Remove the bay leaves and, voila, a quick and very tasty soup! Sprinkle with some chopped parsley.

Yesterday's outfit.

2009-11-05T23:06:00.003+01:00

Sorry for being such a lousy blogger lately, but my thesis is taking up a lot of my time. Actually, that is a lie. To be frank, I wish that it was. I've been complaining more often than necessary about my lack of concentration skills so I won't do that again. I actually do have time to blog in between not doing anything productive, but for some reason I can't do anything well when I feel stressed out.

Blouse and tights from H&M, skirt from Asos, pedant from my grandmother and shoes from Dinsko.

And the winner is...

2009-11-02T22:34:00.002+01:00

Wow, I was quite impressed that so many of you entered the giveaway I had at my blog last week. I wish more of you could win, but I could unfortunately only choose one winner. Hopefully I'll get the chance to have more giveaways here at my blog because I really enjoyed it. Oh well, enough talk, the one who's been chosen as the winner by a random number generator is...

Sarah-Lou!

Congratulation, sweetie! Please send me an e-mail so that I can pass on your details to Les Jumelles Boutique.

My Thursday.

2009-10-30T21:13:00.003+01:00

First of all, it's great to see that so many of you are entering the giveaway! Remember, you still have another two days to enter it if you still haven't done so.

I thought I'd do a little post documenting what I was up to yesterday since I unfortunately don't have much else exciting to post about. There's not much going on in my life right now as I'm pretty preoccupied with my thesis.

Woke up around 9:30 and had my usual breakfast - buckwheat porridge with blueberries sprinkled on it while reading Elle.

Then Tassus and I went out for a little walk.

Fixed my hair and make-up...

...and got dressed in this.

Wrapped a present and made a birthday card for a friend.

At 12:30 I had an appointment at university with my coach professors regarding my thesis.

Came home again at 16:00 and had received a postcard from my sister who's just been to Dominica, and took Tassus out for a walk.

Ate some pomelo. I love the combination of the pretty green colour of the peel and the nice pink colour inside.

Then Tassus and I took a little nap together.

Ate dinner at around 18:00. Just some vegetables I mixed together and rice.

Talked to my boyfriend on skype for around an hour, then worked on my thesis a little bit.

At 21:30 Tassus and I went for a long walk together.

Watched some episodes of Sex and the City when I got home again.

And ate this for supper. Bread with homemade blueberry jam, avocado and tomato slices with basil.

Giveaway: Les Jumelles jewellery

2009-10-26T22:18:00.000+01:00

I love vintage and vintage-inspired jewellery. It's just so pretty with all the details and the novelty it possesses. And what could be better than just that, with a French touch to it? Perfection for a francophile like myself. Say hello to Les Jumelles Boutique, which offers just that.

Les Jumelles was launched earlier this year by two sisters (twins! Which is what the word "jumelles" means - now I know another French word) from Barcelona, Spain and they're already doing very well with their designs! All of the Jewellery is a mix between new parts and recycled vintage beads, charms and pendants and it's all so incredibly cute.

The girls behind the designs have been so kind to let me have a giveaway here on my blog where one of you will have a chance at winning a jewellery of your choice, so head over to their shop, find the jewellery you like the most and post it in the comment. The winner will be chosen at the end of the week - you have until Sunday at midnight. Oh, and if you don't have a blog, leave your e-mail address.

Good luck everyone!

My new vintage suitcase and autumn photography.

2009-10-24T21:22:00.002+02:00

Almost a week ago I found this great vintage suitcase in a second hand shop and I had to have it right away. I've been wanting a vintage suitcase (though my ultimate dream is a round hat case though), and this one is just perfect. However, while taking these pictures I realized that somehow the case has been locked on one side(it wasn't when I bought it) and now I have no idea how I am going to open it. Without running the risk of breaking it, mind you. Ideas on how to deal with this problem are more than welcome!

(please ignore the smudges in this photo. I tried to remove some glue from the suitcase in iphoto because I haven't gotten around to doing it in person yet).

Oh, and today was such a beautiful day, so I've decided to share some photos I took.

Now, before I forget. In a couple of days I am going to have a wonderful giveaway here on my blog (I'm sure you'll all love it!), so remember to come back then.

Red bowler hat

2009-10-21T20:43:00.002+02:00

So, this is me, wearing my new hat that I showed you a few days ago. The reason I bought it was that it really reminded me of the red bowler hat from the SS 2009 minimarket collection, a collection I really love, and that it's such a cool hat, that can liven up any outfit (seeing that it actually goes with the outfit of course).

Hat from H&M divided, top and tights from Oasis, skirt from H&m and boots from Bronx.

Things that make a gloomy Saturday a little bit better.

2009-10-17T19:53:00.002+02:00

My boyfriend flew away from me this morning I am feeling extremely sad, my house feels empty and I don't feel like doing anything (although I have so much that needs to be done...). On a day like this, I have found a few things that make my day a little bit happier:

Having a dear, little friend resting on my lap.

Coming across charming scrap pictures that I forgot I owned that make me feel like cuddling up to an Astrid Lindgren film.

Eating homemade cinnamon rolls and drinking hot cocoa.

And my new hat from H&M that I bought a few days ago.

Cold, cold and colder.

2009-10-10T12:36:00.003+02:00

I guess you're all really sick of my complaints about the horrible weather over here, but I just can't help it. Now we've even got snow (these pictures are from a couple of days ago), and although it does look very pretty, and it's nice to cuddle up in warm sweaters, socks, hats, coats and scarves, I miss the sunshine on my body terribly... hm, I think I need to find something else to focus on otherwise I'm afraid I might fall into a winter depression or something.

Cardigan and skirt from Gina Tricot, tights and blouse from H&M, shoes from Benetton, scarf (as bowtie) from my grandmother, coat from Thomas Burberry.

Autumnal forest.

2009-10-07T10:58:00.002+02:00

On Sunday, my boyfriend and I went for a walk in the absolutely freezing cold, yet beautiful autumnal forest. It was a very short walk because of the cold, but still rather enjoyable and we managed to take a few picture. It makes me sad that from now on it's only going to get colder and colder and that warm weather is still quite far away - if only I manage to get my thesis done and move away from here, that is.

blouse from Bik Bok, playsuit from Primark the tights are a gift and shoes from Benetton.

New finds today.

2009-10-03T19:06:00.003+02:00

Today was such a lovely, sunny (yet absolutely freezing!) day here and my boyfriend and I went to the city centre to pick up some fabric for a dress that I am going to sew at my sewing course.

It's going to be a very cute (hopefully!) plaid dress with a peter pan collar and buttons. I really can't wait to finish it!

I also got these adorable woolen knee socks at H&M. I think they are going to look great with my future dress as well.

Later on we went for a walk in the autumn coloured woods and I'll show you the photos we took there another day. Before I forget; thanks everyone, for all the wonderful tips on how to stop procrastinating!

Lazy girl.

2009-09-28T00:13:00.002+02:00

I wonder why it is so difficult for me to be diligent and effective when I have something important that needs to be done. I always end up prioritizing silly tv-shows, sorting through my stuff or even sleeping when I'm not even tired instead of - in my case right now, write my master's thesis which I have just begun writing. I really find it quite mysterious why I am like that - why I would prefer to waste time like that instead of getting it over with faster. If any of you have some good advice on how to beat this annoying habit, please do let me know!
On another note, here is the playsuit I bought a few weeks ago from Sea NY that I promised to show some better pictures of.

Playsuit: Sea NY, tights: Pierre Robert, and shoes Noa Noa.

Wind in my hair.

2009-09-24T12:11:00.005+02:00

I seem to be neglecting my blog these days -something I don't actually want to do, but is difficult to avoid due to my boyfriend being here, my studies, work, and a couple of afternoon courses I am taking. In fact I just started taking a sewing course since learning how to operate my sewing machine, and sewing as well as I would like to is not something I found myself mastering as well enough. I'm extremely excited by that. And as for my blog, I'm going to try to be a bit better at that.

A couple of days ago we went for a walk in the windy air. I really like it when it's very windy apart from the fact that my hair gets too tangled.

Sweater from Cala, skirt from H&M, tights from Pierre Robert and shoes from Top Shop.

PS. Since many of you were wondering, the rose pattern on the muffins in the last post simply turn out that way since I've got rose patterned muffin molds. Very easy!

Shana tova (happy new year)!

2009-09-20T19:21:00.003+02:00

On Friday, I celebrated Rosh Hashanah, or the Jewish new year with my boyfriend. It included wine and wonderful food that my boyfriend had cooked for us. It was all so delicious! I think Rosh Hashanah is my favourite Jewish holiday since it is always so festive, you eat good food, and it's a new year with new beginnings! So, happy new year!

Mashed potatoes with dill.

Tunisian chickpea soup with parsley. I think this is the best soup I have ever tasted in my life.

My sweet boyfriend.

And baked paprika with rice.

Oh, and I baked honey cake in muffin cups. Honey cake is one of the best cakes there are!

Me.

Wilted nature.

2009-09-16T19:51:00.002+02:00

The trees and plants over here are getting yellower by the day, which I really enjoy seeing. Though so far it's been raining too much and I want a sunny autumn day so that I can take my boyfriend with me on a little outdoor picnic. So far we've mostly been staying inside talking, watching movies and just being together - although that is lovely too.

And thanks for all the nice birthday greetings! They really put a smile on my face.

The skirt is thrifted, vest from Zara, tights from H&M, shoes from Benetton and trench coat from Dahlia.

Excited.

2009-09-12T21:01:00.003+02:00

My boyfriend came here last night, which I am so, so excited about as I hadn't seen him since April. It's so nice to have him here, especially since it happens to be my birthday today (something I don't feel that excited about since I despise getting older, starting to look older and all that...), and knowing that I am going to have him here for five weeks before he goes home again.

Before he came I spent the whole day yesterday cleaning and making my place nice - and I bought a pretty autumnal plant to decorate my window sill.

I baked some more blueberry muffins.

And then I did my hair and make up and put on a pretty dress before going to the airport to pick him up...

Plaid jacket.

2009-09-06T21:16:00.003+02:00

It really feels like autumn has come here now. The days are quite chilly, it is quite dark by nine in the evening (and the days decrease by around ten minutes every day - which is something that I hate), and the leaves are turning yellow. I like autumn for its lovely colours, crisp air and because everything feels fresh and new in a way (which is weird, since things should feel 'old' as the year is coming to an end), but what I absolutely loathe is the fact that the days are getting shorter and winter with its endless darkness is just around the corner.

I got this plaid wool jacket from my aunt last week. It's one that she used to in the 70s, I think, and I quite like it although the buttons on it need to be fixed. And it's also something that can make autumn a bit warmer and brighter.

Vintage plaid jacket from my aunt, Marc by Marc Jacobs t-shirt, skirt and tights from Gina Tricot and shoes from Noa Noa.

Only a couple of days left 'till the weekend begins

2009-09-02T23:51:00.001+02:00

and I couldn't be more excited. I've had such a busy work and getting too little sleep and it shall be nice to relax. I hope that my thigh muscles will have healed by then since I've hardly been able to walk today. You see, I started this self defense course/training yesterday, and it was extremely exhausting, but hopefully it will result in something. I don't know about my legs though since I am going again tomorrow and then it might be just as bad on Friday as today... Oh well.

Oh, and I wanted to show you my new playsuit that I got in the mail yesterday. I was in a rush so I only managed to get one half descent picture.

(Excuse the strange expression on my face!)
Playsuit from Sea New York.

I think this playsuit is going to be wonderful for winter since it has long sleeves and is made of wool. Plus, I adore the buttons on it!

PS. I've added a nice sailor dress to my shop!

Introducing my shop

2009-08-29T23:14:00.009+02:00

Well, actually it's more of a wardrobe sale. I decided to do one like so many other bloggers have because I really do need to sell some of my clothes (and shoes) as I plan to move in a few months time and then I cannot take everything with me. The things are quite reasonably priced, I'd say, but I also welcome offers (more info on that in the shop). So far I've listed five items but I'll be putting up more over the next few days, so do check back to see if there is something that might interest you. Anyway, enough talk, check it out for yourself here

I ship worldwide!

Vegetable pie.

2009-08-26T23:33:00.004+02:00

I made a delicious vegetable pie today, and here's how to make one:

This is what you need (feel free to leave out and add your own ingredients, too): spinach, carrots, paprika, tomatoes, mushrooms, sugar snaps, onion and garlic - and a pie dough. Usually I'll make the dough myself, but sometimes I'm too lazy and will buy those where water is the only thing you need to add.

Mix the spinach in with carrots and onion that you've cut, and grate the garlic ( I love my little mini grater!)...

...then spread onto the pie.

Cut and add sugar snaps, mushrooms and paprika (I also added sun-dried tomatoes).

Also slice tomatoes and place on top of the pie.

Now, for the sauce. I usually mix a lot of things together: soya milk, lemon juice, corn starch and egg replacer. I also add fresh herbs, and spices (pepper, salt, some chili and ginger). Just experiment and find out how you like it.

Pour onto the pie and bake at 200 degrees celcius for 40 minutes.

And voilá!

PS: Sorry for being such a bad blogger lately. I've had a lot on my mind, and I've also been lacking inspiration. Hopefully it'll be better soon.

Lover.

2009-08-21T22:52:00.003+02:00

Here I am, finally wearing this dress by Lover, which I love so, so much. It fits me perfectly, it has a fantastic shape, and the detailing is just wonderful. The only bad thing about it is that it can only be dry cleaned and thus I am quite paranoid about not making it dirty (something that isn't easy for someone who is an expert at spilling just about anything on myself).

Dress by Lover, tights from Kapp Ahl, and shoes from Noa Noa.

Now I'm going to go to bed and get a good night's sleep and then go to the library tomorrow to seriously sit down and figure out what to write about for my master's thesis... horrible.

Roses.

2009-08-18T21:55:00.004+02:00

These pictures were taken a few days ago in my parents' garden. I love it when the roses bloom since they are among my favourite flowers. I've been thinking of trying to make some food with rose petals since I've heard that that should supposedly be tasty - have any of you ever done that? Today I've been baking some blueberry muffins with the blueberries I picked the other day, and I must say they were extremely yummy, and too difficult to resist. Oh, why is it so hard to only eat one of something that is so good?

Shirt and tights from H&M, shorts from Tjallamalla, and shoes from Topshop.

What I want this autumn.

2009-08-14T23:32:00.003+02:00

Like so many others I have also begun pondering about what I want this autumn, clothes vise, and I decided to create a little set on polyvore of the items I want.

Wish list a/w 2009 by Ariellaa featuring American Apparel socks

1. A pretty cape. I want a nice and flowing wool one, in either navy, red or black. Maybe with a hood as well. I've actually been wanting a cape for a few years now, but I have yet to find the perfect one.

2. This tartan cross body bag from Topshop. It reminds me of something I had as a little girl, and I think it looks really cute.

3. Some pretty over-knee socks (that are long enough to wear with suspenders). I really like these sheer ones from American Apparel.

4. This blazer from the Divided Exclusive collection. I want it so badly, and really hope that I can get my hands on it. There are also some matching shorts, which I also want. It's going to be amazing to have a great suit like that!

5. A blue and white stripe top. I have tops with red and black stripes, on white, but I think I need one with blue stripes as well. It's such a classic piece and versatile piece.

6. A pencil skirt. If it has braces like this one from American Apparel, that would be fantastic as well, since I want a skirt with that, too.

7. These tights from Up Factory. I think they're so quirky and lovely. Though I don't know if I'd actually get them since they are a bit on the pricey side. Speaking of tights, I need some red ones, too.

8. A minidress with long sleeves. I know that this is a playsuit, and not a romper, but it gives the illusion of a dress a little bit, I think (and is also so beautiful). I couldn't really find any other good picture to illustrate it with.

What about you then? Which pieces of clothing do you have on your wish lists for this autumn?

Blue

2009-08-11T22:53:00.003+02:00

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all enjoying your week! All I've been doing is work, work, work, and I'm quite sick of working after doing that all summer. My university duties feel so distant - although the fact that I need to start writing my master's thesis is really starting to haunt me. And more so the fact that I absolutely cannot make up my mind of what to write about is really stressing me out. Enough complaining. Tomorrow I'm going away to my parents cabin for a couple of days, so that will be nice. I'm going to be picking lots of blueberries so that I'll have enough to make lots of delicious blueberry dishes this fall.

Blouse and skirt and earrings; H&M, tights; Noa Noa, bow in hair; Tjallamalla, and shoes; vintage from my grandmother.

Flower crown tutorial.

2009-08-09T18:08:00.003+02:00

Back in April when I made this post several of you asked how I made the flower crown I was wearing. I said that I would make a tutorial for you in the summer, and while it's been summer for a few months now, I had completely forgot about that tutorial until now. Nevertheless, better late than never, and there is still almost a month of summer left, so if you feel like giving it a try making a flower crown, here is a tutorial for you!

Just a little note though: It is very important that the stalks of the flowers you are using are strong and bendy, otherwise it will be nearly impossible making a nice crown. It will only break and fall apart. You can use any kind of flower you like, or several different ones (Some of the nicest crowns are encompassed by various flowers, in my opinion) - I used forget-me-nots because I have lots of them in my garden and because I wanted a crown with small delicate flowers. Also, you don't necessarily need to gather all the flowers you're using before you start (I just thought that might be easier for beginners)... usually I just pick the flowers and make the crown as I'm walking around.

Up in a tree...

2009-08-07T16:56:00.002+02:00

One of my favourite things to do on a warm summer day is climbing up in a nice tree (if there is one in sight), with thick and comfotable branches to sit on, and just think, dream, read, write, listen to music or anything else. I don't think I was doing any of those in these photos though, but next time I think I will. To me, that's one of the most relaxing things to do... I love feeling like I am a part of nature, in a way, like that.

Dress from Vero Moda

Photographs from yesterday...

2009-08-05T15:45:00.002+02:00

I had the chance to take these photographs of the beautiful scenery yesterday while going to a beach on the countryside with my mother and sister, which I thought I would share with you. I was mostly just relaxing, reading and going for an occational swim in the very cold water, but I also went for a little walk around in the area where I took these photos.

I hope all of you are enjoying your week!

Miso soup.

2009-08-02T15:30:00.003+02:00

I suppose I don't dislike all Japanese food after all... I made this wonderfully delicious miso soup yesterday - which I modified and changed a little from the original recipe, and it turned out great. It's really such an easy soup to make and extremely healthy. I think you should try it too, and here's how:

(I hope you can understand my handwriting!)

Yet another package....

2009-07-31T20:11:00.002+02:00

...arrived today. You must think I'm shopping like mad, but I've been waiting for this to arrive for two weeks now. Also I suppose I am making a habit out of buying pretty underwear from Agent Provocateur every time they have a sale. Their prices actually aren't that bad then, and I'd rather pay a little extra for quality underwear that also makes me feel like a princess.

So, so beautiful.

On another note, Sam of Daily Fashion Boost interviewed me about my style. Check it out here! Thanks, Sam.

Exciting package.

2009-07-30T21:39:00.002+02:00

Look what arrived in the post today:

I love getting things in pretty packages... it's almost like having a birthday.

Something pretty from Lover was inside.

More precisely this wonderfully gorgeous dress!

(As you can see, I decided to go with larger photos. Most of you said that you preferred the larger ones, and so do I. Frankly, I quite dislike the way my blog looks with smaller pictures - at least on my browser - and I think that has to play a significant part. I hope those of you who had problems with the large pictures aren't too unhappy with this decision!)

Pink heart buttons and lace.

2009-07-28T16:26:00.004+02:00

Do you remember this playsuit that I sew heart buttons on to? Well, a few days ago I wore it, and I absolutely love the way it looks -especially with soft, neutral colours and small hints of pink!

Playsuit; vintage, top; Benetton, tights; Kapp Ahl, shoes by Irregular Choice and umbrella from Kremerhuset.

I also wanted to ask you if you prefer medium sized pictures like these on my blog, or rather larger ones (a few posts down)? Personally I prefer the larger ones as they look the best on my laptop and my browser, but someone alerted me to the fact that they couldn't view the large photos properly. Therefore some feedback on that is much appreciated!

Rhubarb pie.

2009-07-26T19:55:00.004+02:00

I love picking and using fresh vegetables in my cooking when I can - it is so much better than buying them at the grocery shop, both taste vise and because you know they're absolutely chemical free.
My parents have lots and lots of rhubarb in their garden, but for some reason no one picks them, so I tried to find out what I could make with them, and decided upon rhubarb pie. Yum!

Do you want to make it as well? It's very easy.

Make a pie crust consisting of flour, margarine (I used vegan margarine), sugar and some water (how much you need of each depend on the size of your pie mould, but you need quite a bit since you also want to have some left to sprinkle on top of the pie). Mix the sugar and flour together, and then work butter into the dough until you have little chunks of dough, and then add water to bring the dough together.

Put the dough in the refrigerator for around half an hour to cool it down, then roll out the dough, and fit it into your pie mould. Make sure that you cover the edges with dough as well.

Peel rhubarb and cut into approximately 2-3 cm pieces.

Also slice a banana and some strawberries that you add - to make the flavour less sour.

Then sprinkle corn starch, sugar and cinnamon on top, as well as some pie dough crumbles and bake for 30-40 minutes at 180 degrees celcius.

This pie tastes lovely served with vanilla ice cream or cream.

A boater with a red ribbon

2009-07-24T22:35:00.002+02:00

For so long I had been wanting a straw boater hat - or just any hat at all - but I never quite felt that any hat I thought would look nice, actually did when I tried it on. I tend to be quite picky and I wanted a perfect hat that would suit me. Needless to say I was thrilled when I discovered the boater hat I am wearing in these pictures in Mars' Etsy shop. It has the perfect shape, and even has a red ribbon around it tied in a bow, something which makes it even more feminine and romantic looking. Ah, I just love it.

Boater hat; vintage, skirt; Gina Tricot, blouse; Vero Moda and shoes; Topshop.

By Malene Birger

2009-07-22T00:20:00.002+02:00

A few of you asked how the sushi that I was planning on making this weekend turned out, and the answer is pretty awful. Not only couldn't I make it stick together, but it tasted bad as well. I don't think I could ever get used to the taste of seaweed as it tastes, and more importantly smells too much like fish to me... From now on, I think I'm going to stick to western food as opposed to food from the east, which doesn't seem to be quite suitable for my taste buds!

Dress; By Malene Birger.