Feb
06
I’m having a great time here in London! So far we have done a lot of shopping, wandering around (my favorite areas are covent garden and soho), eating and drinking. I have spent a lot of time around Charing Cross Road and all the bookstores around there, and one treasure I bought at The Dover Bookshop is the Pictorial Webster’s Visual Diary of Curiosities. You can see some of the pages above, and aren’t they inspirational? the book has 477 pages filled with interesting drawings of science items, flora and animals etc. I think I could sit for hours just looking through the pages here! And some of the items are so weird I would have to look them up further to understand their history. Cool, right?
I have also been to some wonderful independent shops and cafes that I can’t wait to share with you. And I have spent all my money on some rather wonderful items, so stay tuned for further London updates!
ps. would you like a guide to London’s bookshops? I could make a post where I write about all the bookshops I have been to, and then you can add your favorites in the comments?
Feb
04
Source unknown
I’m currently in London and, sadly, I will not have much time for blogging. I have some post ideas though, so if I get the chance, I’ll post as soon as I can! I can’t wait to share all my newly gained inspiration from Barcelona and London! :) I’m getting my lomo films developed today too, so chances are that I can’t resist taking time to post them if they are any good! Until then, have a great time!
ps. If you’re in a sharing mood, I’d like to know where your favorite stores and cafes in London are! I have some favorites of my own, I’ll make sure I take some pics and share with your guys after I get home! :)
Jan
31
Debi Treloar.
I am really inspired to photograph, I find so much inspiration online all the time! However, when I try to photograph I get really frustrated because I don’t get the result I hoped for… any tips? Also, I got two rolls of diana mini film developed in Barcelona, but the lab couldn’t scan them because I had switched between half frames and square on the same roll. Can anyone put me in the direction of a lab in London that can scan them for me (not too expensive please)?
Jan
30
I came across the KORRES store in Barcelona, and I really enjoyed the look of the products. Don’t they look nice? I’m going to check out their store in London next week too. I bought a Jasmine shower gel that smells really nice and looks gorgeous. I have to admit, I do judge books by their covers and products by their packaging. I apologize for the huge amount of white space in this post, but I’m too lazy to edit the pictures. I’m flying home from Spain tomorrow morning (really early thanks to ryan air). It’s been a great week and you can expect to see more pictures soon!
Jan
26
I have found yet another source of inspiration, this time from tumblr. House of Elle is posting so many inspirational photos! Sadly, they are not credited, so if you happen to know the source please tell me! I would love not only to give proper credit, but to see more of the artists work! This is the reason why I don’t really like tumblr. Too easy to post without credit, and credit is often lost when reposted and reposted. Enjoy these from House of Elle and make sure you add it to your reader!
Jan
24
I’m in Spain! My parents own a little summer house close to Alicante, and I’m taking a week off to relax with my friends. On monday, we are heading out on a road trip to visit Valencia and Barcelona! Ever since I first saw Vicky Christina Barcelona, I have been IN LOVE with the city. And finally, I’m going there! I’m all packed and ready with my canon camera, my diana mini, lomo LC-A and lots of film!
Have any of you been to Barcelona before? If you have, please share your secrets on where to shop vintage, boutique, interesting jewellery, books, stationary and cheap trendy clothes! ;) If you know where to develop film (1 hour) in Barcelona, please tell me!
I think the reason why I love Vicky Christina Barcelona so much is because I see so much of myself in both Vicky and Christina. In a sense I am so rational and controlled as Vicky, but I am also artistic and impulsive like Christina. And I love photography and art and love and architecture and everything else about the film. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should do it today… Here are some photographs from the city of Murcia that we visited yesterday: 
All photos are taken with my iPhone and an app called Shake It Photo. I forgot my Canon cable at home, so you’ll have to wait until I get home to see the other pictures. However, if I find a decent one hour photo lab in Barcelona, I might be able to share some lomo love!
Jan
18
Click for sources
I’m sorry for being so absent lately, but I have rediscovered the joy of reading once again. I’m in the middle of Siri Hustvedt’s The Sorrows of an American and I can’t put it down! The novel starts with a description of an old study. It’s full of notes, old books, archive drawers, index cards and dusty items. I found this so inspiring! As you can see from my previous posts, I am really into science and vintage these days. Here’s a little piece of writing I did, trying to put the inspiration at use and challenge my descriptive skills:
When I close my eyes, I can envision a room with a window with white curtains who fill the room with natural light. The walls are covered with heavy book shelves and archive drawers. In the shelves there are books with drawings in them, science books, some classical literature and lots of notebooks filled with handwriting. There’s a huge old desk by the window, and it’s loaded with open books and notes. In between the paper there’s a feather ink pen and an old wooden globe. On a small table close to the door there’s a small collection of bird skulls, a camera and a candle. Everything is covered with dust and the room smells old.
Wouldn’t this be the perfect place for a treasure hunt?
Jan
14
Photographs by me
I have been so inspired lately! I think I found most of my inspiration from browsing and adding favorites to my flickr. And also, magazines can be a real treat when it comes to inspiration for me and today I read the most amazing Elle Decoration Norway! I’ll show you a few favorites later. All the inspiration lately has resulted in photographing (see above), writing (see below) and small moments of pure joy! Tonight I am cuddling up in bed with my unravelling writing exercise, a couple of magazines, my laptop and a school book (just for good intentions).
When I’m feeling inspired and joyful, I also tend to get thoughtful. Who are all these wonderful people leaving sweet comments on my posts? I would love to get to know you as you get to know me. Please let me take a little moment from your time and ask you to answer a few questions I have about you!
How old are you?
And where do you live?
What are your dreams for the future?
And who is your favorite artist?
Also, I would like to know your top 3 favorite blogs?
Thank you so much to take the time to answer! And make sure you leave your blog address in there too, if you have one, I would love to visit yours!
Jan
13
Click for source
We can all feel a little sad and depressed sometimes. Especially in winter, I know it is just part of life. When you feel sad, it might feel like there are no solutions and nothing can ever make you feel better. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to lift yourself up and feel better? Here are some tips to help you feel better instantly. You don’t have to do everything on this list, but chose what feels right to you. Some things may work better for you than others. The important part is that you consciously decide not to feel sad anymore and do something about it! I know that sometimes when I’m sad, I don’t want to feel better, I just want to lie somewhere in my dark misery. But it’s time to realize that we are in control of our own feelings, and if you want to be sad, you will stay sad. And if you want to do something about it, well, then try some of these tips:
Body
- Get up. I know how comfortable and safe it is under that blanket, in that bed. But do yourself a favor and get out of bed. I know it’s hard. One foot first, then another. It’s impossible to begin to feel better if you’re still going to lie in bed or on your sofa.
- Straighten up. Lift your hands over your head and stretch. Try to be as tall as you can be! Then pull your back straight up and your shoulders back. Take a few steps imagining you have a bucket of water on your head. I know that when I’m sad, I want to make myself as tiny and invisible as possible, but now that we have decided to feel better, we need to get rid of that feeling. Take your space! It’s all about breaking the sad feeling and the sad habits.
- Change your clothes. It’s hard to feel better if you are still wearing your comfort clothes. Get out of your comfortable, but oh so boring, depressing clothes and change into something you feel nice in! Put on your favorite dress, a skirt or a pair of jeans you look good in. If you want to stay comfortable in what you are wearing now, at least put on some nice jewellery. It’s harder to stay sad when you are wearing pretty clothes, isn’t it?
- Erase the evidence of crying. Put some cold water on your face, reapply your make-up or wear sunglasses. You’ll feel so much better when you don’t have to be reminded of your sadness every time you look yourself in the mirror. After you have done this, smile at your reflection. Even though it’s a fake smile, it sends signals to your brain. Pretend to be happy, and you’ll be happy!
- Treat yourself. A cup of tea, cocoa, ice cream or chocolate. Or maybe you feel better by eating fresh fruit instead? Just don’t overdo the comfort food, or you’ll end up feeling worse. A small sensible portion should make you feel happier in an instant!
Mind
- Let it go for now. Tell yourself to take a little break from being sad. Make it just 15 minutes. There’s no point at thinking about what is making you sad right now, because you have scheduled time to do that later. For now, take a little break from it all. Take a few deep breaths. Really feel how your spirits rise and your sadness drifts away into the shadows. Isn’t it good? If you can’t seem to be able to let go for now, just pretend you are happy for a while. Use your best acting skills and fool yourself into thinking that you are happy today.
- Put on an upbeat, happy song. Oh, I know you want to put on heart-aching, sad music today. Sometimes when I’m sad, I am longing to hear those sad lyrics, because at least somebody must know how I feel. This may help you feel better, short term, but for long term, it is not helping at all. Put on the happiest and most up-beat music you know. Lisa Mitchell does it for me. And the Pointer Sisters’s Jump (for my love). Just dance!
- Do something silly. Do something silly, and you just have to smile at yourself! Dance and sing loudly, blow soap bubbles (use dishwashing detergent and something round), play dress up, take silly pictures of yourself, you name it. Gala Darling’s Sad Trombone List may be useful here!
- Write a love list. Write a list of ten things you love right now. Or ten positive things in your life. Or 10 persons you are grateful to have in your life. Just force yourself to think about something else for a little while. Who knows, if you give it a chance, it might actually help!
Life
- Call a friend. If you are feeling better by now, call a friend and talk about something that makes you happy. Plan something together like a picnic or a party. If you still feel sad, tell your friend about it. You’ll be surprised of how much a friendship can grow if you just open up and share everything.
- Start something new. Sign up for a new class or start a new hobby. Do something that you have always wanted to do, but not yet started. When you have something to look forward to, and your life is changing just a little, you’ll feel much better!
- De-clutter. What really helps me when I’m sad is to de-clutter and clean. It has a therapeutic effect for me, because as I clean my home, it also feels like I’m de-cluttering my mind. And it makes me feel good when I can relax in a tidy and nice apartment afterwards! Also, by sorting through things, you might get your anger out by throwing stuff you don’t really like away, and you might come by a treasured item you thought was lost. If your apartment is as messy as mine can be sometimes, cleaning up can be quite a treasure hunt!
- Take a walk. By doing something physical, you can get a different perspective on things. Personally, I like to take long walks around my city, just looking around a new neighborhood, discovering a new cafe or shop and just being outside breathing fresh air. When I walk, I find that my thoughts about the subject becomes more calm and rational. If you have a bad day, try to be outside as much as possible. Maybe there’s a forest or park close to you somewhere?
- Do some art. Play music, draw, paint, write, photograph. Just set yourself one goal when it comes to this. No misery, ok? Transforming your emotions to art is a good thing, but not today. Playing the saddest music or painting black canvases are only going to make you feel worse today. Make some cheerful art instead, and you’ll feel much better!
I hope you feel better! If you want to procrastinate a little more, or need more inspiration see also Mermaid’s How To Pick Yourself Off the Floor and Gala Darling’s Being Happy!
Jan
10
Click for source
I have been getting so much inspiration from flickr lately! You can see some more inspirational photography over at my flickr favorites. In my mind, I am already redecorating my bedroom to make it more whimsy and sweet. Speaking of whimsy, I have reserved the domain www.whimsyandlovely.com. Do you think it is a suitable domain and name for my blog?
