Owl Things Considered

2015 was the year I started supporting projects through crowdfunding websites. I really like to see the variety of things that people come up with, and every once in a while I find something especially wonderful! Like the Oliba.

This is one for readers with "owlettes" of their own. (Or for children at heart that can also come up with a good and creative (exc)use to still get one!) You should really just check out the Indiegogo page, but here's the bottom line:

Oliba is an owl you attach to your kid's favorite stuffed animal. It serves as a tracker, so you can relocate the plushie if you accidentally lose it somewhere. However, it is also a nightlight that either reads your child a story, or plays soothing music for as long as you've set it to work. The child can also touch the face of the owl to have the sequence go again. Anyway, it all works through an app. Or you can get a few basic things to work without a smartphone too.

There is still time to help fund Oliba, and the Christmas special is running too, if you want to get an extra good deal!

Merry Christmas!

Do you celebrate Christmas as well? And if so, do you do huge family get-togethers or smaller celebrations, like I did? Either way, whether you have just finished or have yet to begin celebrating, I hope Christmas is amazing for you!

I just wrapped up my relaxed evening of exchanging gifts and eating chocolate, which was lovely! The things I received were wonderful and I was so thrilled to finally reveal the gifts I had bought too. If the light is bright enough for taking pictures I hope to be back quite soon to show you a few of the things I received. So stay tuned!

Mood & Music Mosaic

Silver Bells - Meaghan Smith

poncho - mug - marshmallows - slippers

It'll be Christmas in just a few days! Can you believe it? I've been looking forward to it for so long that I can hardly believe it's nearly here. I have all my gifts at the ready, most of the food in the kitchen, so I'm pretty much set!

How about you? Do you have anything nice planned?

Mood & Music Mosaic

Don't Wait Too Long - Madeleine Peyroux 

coat - envelopes - mug - hand creams

It is definitely getting colder now! I'm still prepping for Christmas, running errands and sending out letters etc. But it won't be long until I'll hide inside a fort made of blankets and books to keep me warm and entertained till Spring.

P.S. The mug above has a library card print. I think it makes the combination of reading and tea even more fitting!

Lovely Movies: Tangled

So I've been catching up on Disney movies. I hadn't seen many of the more recent ones yet, including Tangled, which I finally watched yesterday. I loved it! I hadn't expected that much of it, but it actually ended up blowing me away.

It wasn't as much of a love story as I thought it'd be. There is plenty of romance, but thankfully there is way more to the plot. There were lots of funny moments, very nice songs and gorgeous animation. And the characters were lovely!

Also, it's not one of those standard guy saves girl type of stories. It's more of a joint effort. And let's not forget the wonderful animal sidekicks! And the love isn't instant either. Yeah, it's definitely a better, and more layered, movie than I expected!

Plans & Goals: December

The final month of the year has started! Christmas will be here soon, with all its coziness, pretty decorations, gift giving, delicious things to eat… I just love it! And it makes up for the cold too! Anyway, this fun month I hope I get to:

• Write a few Christmas blogposts.
• Cast off my current knitting project.
• Read some wintery books.
• Re-learn some Christmas songs on guitar. A few… not all I knew last year.
• Take the time to do some wonderful gift wrapping.
• Try out this cool unopened card game I have.
• Finish a Christmas present I've been working on for a friend.
• Reach my Goodreads goal.
• And just enjoy the holiday season with the people -and cats!- I love!

Do you have any plans for the holidays? And is there anything you'd still like to do in 2015?

Lovely Movies: When Marnie Was There

Well, hopefully I am back blogging and can manage to do so more often. And what better way to ease back into it than with something about Studio Ghibli?! I recently watched When Marnie Was There and it was lovely! Of course!

It's quite a calm film that is mostly about inner life, friendship and family ties. And I really enjoyed the family dynamics in this film, and by that I mean the way her aunt and uncle treated and supported her. It seemed so realistic. Far more realistic than the actual plot twist. But it wouldn't be Studio Ghibli without a little magic, now would it?

It's not quite up there with my favorite Ghibli films for it lacks a little something plotwise, but it's beautifully made and I very much enjoyed it. And I was also pleasantly surprised to see they used a Priscilla Ahn song in the soundtrack!

Owl Things Considered

Today I came across this dancing owl! Not only is it a very cute video, it's even seasonally appropriate. Enjoy!

Mood & Music Mosaic

Wah Ha - Lisa Mitchell 

dress - candle - shoes - satchel

So I thought I'd try some new posts to shake things up a little bit… I've been wanting to bring back music and also to create another platform to share pretty things that fit a certain mood, be it personal or seasonal. Hope you'll enjoy!

Lovely Movies: Finding Neverland

Whenever I'm home sick with a cold or flu I tend to watch old favorites. It had been quite some time since I'd last seen Finding Neverland, so it was due for another watch. I thought I knew what to expect, but it still blew me away.

The story itself is wonderful, intriguing and quite the emotional roller coaster, but my favorite thing is Freddie Highmore's performance. It made me cry when I first saw it -back when films never made me cry- and it still does today.

Anyway, this is a film full of wonder and imagination, but also of harsh realities and very bad luck. Which is, of course, why we so need the first. It is based on J.M. Barrie's life and how he came to write Peter Pan.

I will actually be reading Peter Pan soon, and after that I might even read a J.M. Barrie biography at some point. Although it might not quite live up to the magic of this movie… But he seems intriguing and I'd like know more.

Plans & Goals: October

Last month I was able to very little, because I was wiped out by a bad cold. Still am, so I'm planning on taking it easy for a while, but I also hope to catch up on some stuff and make up for the slow few weeks I've had. I'd really like to:

• Meet up with some friends again.
• See my first ever professional ballet show.
• Send some lovely things to lovely people.
• Get back into Zentangling.
• Continue meditating.
• Take more pictures for blogposts.
• Listen to some unopened CDs.
• Sew something again.
• And also just snuggle up and relax. Preferably with the little guy above!

So what do you have planned? Anything fun?

Lovely Movies: Justin and the Knights of Valour

Last week my supermarket had a couple of DVDs in the bargain bin. One of them was a promising looking animation about a young knight. For less than 3 bucks, I decided to just go for it. And I'm very glad I took that tiny little risk.

Turned out Freddie Highmore did the main character's voice! I had no idea he'd done this film, so I was pleasantly surprised when I popped this in my DVD player and suddenly heard his voice. I then knew the movie would be good.

It was quite a lovely film. Perhaps a bit predictable, but well done and very entertaining. The plot and pacing were good and the animations pretty excellent. And well, there was a little mechanical owl in it… So bonus points for that!

Nephtali

Nephtali is a beautiful video for the Paris Ballet that shows what happened when Glen Keane went to sketch a ballet dancer. It's a short but gorgeous video that's part "making of", part animated story/dance performance. Enjoy!

You can follow Glen Keane's projects on facebook if you'd like to see more of his work.

Wishlist

Pretty covers are something I can't resist. Especially cloth or leather-bound ones with lots of illustrated elements and a title done in a gorgeous font. Now throw one of my favorite illustrators into the mix… and it's love at first sight.

Flora Waycott recently posted the cover she designed for the B&N collectible edition of the Secret Garden. Of course it is absolutely stunning… just look at it! Wanna guess how much it costs? Only 9 dollars! I kid you not. Promise.

The Secret Garden actually happens to be a book I'd been wanting to read for a while. So her timing's quite perfect!

Anyway, I strongly urge you to check out Flora Waycott's work. I myself follow her on facebook and just love seeing her posts pop up. She's always starting fun projects that allow her to make wonderful series of illustrations. So enjoy!

Owl Things Considered

I was so happy to stumble upon two talented ladies that bring woodland into your home. Orwell and Goode have made an exquisite line of furniture and home decor featuring owls, badgers and foxes. It really is stunning!

They've incorporated the same three designs into pillows, pouffes and ottomans, but they're all very different color-wise which is quite clever, because that way one of them is bound to fit into your home's color scheme.

They'd probably blend into any environment, but if you're a little messy -like me- they have the advantage of elevating any randomly scattered items or piles of books to something you might find in a home decoration magazine.

The ottomans and pouffes are quite an investment, but if you still want the illustrations in your home and have a smaller budget, there are also wooden coat hooks available. A set of three, or separates...

And if you're getting by on a student budget -or just have some wall space to fill- you could always just get the affordable, yet adorable, set of prints and frame them yourself. (Or hang them with wash pegs… I always think that looks incredibly cool too!)

There are some other designs and items available as well, so check out the actual shop if you'd like to see more.

Bliss

When I saw NEnz, a Dutch blog and a definite favorite of mine, held a "bliss" photo contest, all the gears in my head started working. Creating things makes me feel most blissful, so I made something that combines a lot of what I love.

It turned out to be a winning picture too! And I'll show you my lovely prize very soon. Anyway, I really enjoyed making this and hope to continue making similar things. Possibly even turn it into a nice blog project. What do you think?

Lovely Series: Love Child

Three weeks ago I happened upon a television show called Love Child. I saw one episode on tv and as I was instantly hooked, I was relieved to find the rest of the episodes on the network website. Today I watched the last episode.

The show takes place in '60s Australia, a time in which illegitimate children were still quite unacceptable. Young pregnant girls would be dropped in homes until they'd given birth and put the child up for adoption. In Love Child you follow a group of pregnant girls as well as the people that run the adoptions and/or the hospital. Now this all sounds rather sad and serious, and though it definitely is at times, it really also is a fun show the watch.

There are lots of lovely characters. In fact, most are very likable. The group of pregnant girls is very close, despite their different personalities, and they really stick up for each other. Pretty much everyone -not just the girls- has a backstory and that really makes you feel and root for them. Well, most of them anyway. There are some twists as well, which I won't give away. Some of it is pretty predictable, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable to watch.

The second season was recently released and I'm keeping my fingers crossed it'll air here soon too...

Plans & Goals: September

Autumn has definitely been giving us many previews. As much as I'd love to cling on to summer, I also find myself looking forward to some aspects of the colder, yet cozier season. And this next month I hope to get the chance to:

• Make the cool outfit post I have planned in my head a reality.
• Figure out the furniture layout for my art studio room.
• Read all the still unread issues of Saga I own.
• Start knitting a gift I've been planning to make for a dear friend.
• Treat myself to a nice lunch and catch a movie afterwards.
• Share pictures of some wonderful things that arrived in the mail recently.
• Reorganize the area around my reading chair.
• Order a new case for my phone.
• And cook a few Asian meals again.

What are you up to? Are you all cozy now that autumn is getting closer or still feeling summery?

Wishlist

I have such a soft spot for adorable made-up creatures. And this one by Woolboon makes me feel especially warm and fuzzy inside. It looks so soft, the colors are absolutely perfect and he has such a cute look of curiosity on his face!

How wonderful it would be to wake up to him on my nightstand or to have him keep me company while I sit at my desk! Anyway, he's definitely my favorite from Woolboon, but check out the shop for more lovely creatures.

Le Petit Hobbit

Father's Day has long passed, but I still wanted to show you what I gave my dad. Or more importantly… how I wrapped it. It's hard to shop for my dad, but I think he was quite happy with the Le Petit Hobbit shirt I got him.

Anyway, I figured "Parent Days" are mostly about the effort you put in. So I took some extra time with the wrapping. As the shirt was a mash-up of Le Petit Prince and the Hobbit, I decided to combine the two in my drawing as well.

Somehow the gift wrapping I do for my dad always turns out well. (This one too.) It's quite magical, haha... I mean, even the Elfish ring became a perfect circle in one go, and I did it freehand! Since the actual shopping can be stressful, I'm very thankful the wrapping comes naturally. But I'm mostly glad he appreciated it. He even took it home with him!

Lovely Movies: the Boxtrolls

So I knew about the Boxtrolls movie way before it came out. In fact, the wait was so long(about 2 years), that by the time it finally hit the theaters I was still so stuck in waiting mode that I let it pass me by… But I finally saw it on dvd!

In this day and age, people can achieve the most amazing things with animation technology. However, there are still some crafty folks sticking to good old stop-motion. And honestly that pays off, it's still so much more magical!

And they could have just glued together snippets, but they even made a special trailer for it!

If I can make one complaint about the dvd… I wish it had extras! I would have loved to see some behind the scenes action for this, because that always intrigues me and makes me want to work on such a film myself! Thankfully I did find a very cool article about it on WIRED and there's also a talk at Google that I have yet to check out.

Midori Takaki and the European Makers Gallery

Since I first found -and blogged about- Midori Takaki, I've been following her every artistic move on her blog. The more of her work I see, the more I love it. And so when I had the chance to see some of it in the flesh, I made sure to take it.

I've always admired Midori's art online, but standing before her sculptures, I felt like I wasn't just looking at them, but meeting them too. Midori's creations aren't just pretty visually, but each and every one has real character and presence. You can sense that in pictures online, but if you can ever experience it in person, I highly recommend it.

Should you be visiting Amsterdam, you can still view the three sculptures above at the European Makers Gallery. The small gallery half below ground is a true hidden treasure full of beautiful ceramics, textiles, glass and paintings!

The set-up is absolutely wonderful! There's a lot to see, but everything has enough space to be admired separately and up close. And the grey and white space combined with the great lighting lets you really take in all the art work.

Also, there are a few pieces to discover away from the main area as well. As you enter there is a space behind the main desk and a few works of art will also welcome you or wave goodbye through a low window outside.

Amsterdam is such a wonderful place for art! Most tourists visit the museums and are willing to stand in line for hours to get in, but I feel galleries are often overlooked, which is such a waste, because there are so many great ones! Especially gathered on and around the Spiegelgracht. (Which is where you'll also find the European Makers Gallery!) So if you're planning a trip to Amsterdam and you like (contemporary) art, make sure to put it on your itinerary!