inspiration on a daily basis

for k.

2012-01-18T20:01:00.000+01:00

hello lovelies,

k is a very dear friend of mine and she knows that I have a slight addiction to nailpolish. other than in my ordinary lothes I like my nails with colours. not the ordinary red. no way! it has to be pink, blue, green and lilac and of course black. and since there are sparkles all over nails now I couldn't resist on painting ,my nails with a little sparkle here and there. so k wanted to know, a very long time ago..ehem...how many nail polishes I own. quite honestly: I have no idea (since I took the pictures there were a few newcomers into my collection).

so, with this I leave you to same collection. (and I hope k ist satisfied ;))

as you can see most of them you can easily buy at the local drugstore.

and now two pictures taken with my cellphone camera. just to show you the sparled nails ;)

the upper version I wore on christmas and the other one on new years eve.

for further information don't hesitate to ask.

I wish you an nice week

amanda

pictures taken by me

just a litte reminder

2012-01-16T21:14:00.000+01:00

hello lovelies,

great words by marilyn m.

so, remind yourself that somewhere out there is someone who adores you for who you are. no matter what. and if you find that soemone or he/she finds you-don't let that person go. ever.

have a nice week,

amanda

quote found via pinterest

Happy belated new year!

2012-01-10T17:10:00.000+01:00

Hello lovelies,

I hope you all had a fatastic start in this new year - although it's 10 days old by now. I don't have any resolutions for I don't believ in them but I found something very cute, which is a kind of resolutionything and I wanted to share.

that's as far as I get for making a resolution. and these are easy to do and not to break. it's what we all should do-be more ourself.

Which brings me to a few alterations I will make on this blog. First of all I need to apologize for not blogging the last months. I didn't felt it. I didn't felt inspired- at all. And there were so many things going on in my life that I needed to focus on theses matters first before I felt I could go on with this little tiny blog of mine. Well, I didn't forget my little blog instead I started to wonder what do I want to show. There still will be designs and homes and photography on this blog but also will there be fashion and beauty. Not that much but I found out that I do like them anyways so I will share what I like here. And perhaps movies and books and a little of music.

So, what do you think? Did you like it? Are you curious? I do hope so.

With this i say good bye for now,

Amanda

picture found via pinterest but actually from here.

autumn fashion inspiration

2011-09-12T09:00:00.000+02:00

as soon as i saw the blogpost on sodapop-design i wanted to do something for my blog too. caro did a wonderful post, don't you think?

well, at the moment it is wonderful weather outside (it is saturday while i write this and really sunny). but autumn is just around the corner and this online shop zalando is offering a fashion-flatrate. and to be honest: girls always need some fashion flatrate, don't they? yeah, thought so ;)

well, here is my collection from zalando :

checked dresses are the best by amandajames featuring a knit vest

exhibition time

2011-09-05T00:00:00.000+02:00

hey there,

as you might know i am from berlin. and every time i got time i am on my way back to my hometown which is always nice. spending some time with family and friends, get to know my old neighborhood again, purchasing little thingsyou only get when you in your hometown...you get the idea.

well, this time i went to two exhibitions which are taken place in berlin right now.

the first one is called gesichter der renaissance ( renaissance faces )and it's held at the bode museum which is always a place to visit when in berlin.it is renovated and it looks better than it used to be (i know for i was in there when there was still the gdr).

the exhibition shows portraits of people painted by renaissance painter like andrea mantegna, fra filippo lippi, sandro botticelli and leonardo da vinci. just to name a few. and i can tell it is a great exhibition.

leonardo da vinci - dame mit hermelin

sandro botticelli - idealbildnis (städel, frankfurt)

sandro botticelli (gemäldegalerie, berlin)

the next one is kind of totally different. it is held at the martin gropius bau (near to potsdamer platz) also new renovated (not as new as the bodemuseum, but you know what i mean. don't you?)

well this one actually is about the japanese artist hokusai.
it's called hokusai-retrospektive ( hokusai- retrospective).

it shows the development of this great artist who is known in europe for his serie about the mountain fuji including the well known big wave. his art has a huge impact on european artists of the impressionism i.e. gauguin, manet and others.

the big wave

fishes

so, if you are visiting berlin in the next couple of month i suggest to have a look at the great pictures in these exhibitions. i really liked the shown art for many reasons and it reminded me why i started studying art history in the first place.

have a niceday,

amanda

Stripe Mania!

2011-06-08T10:00:00.000+02:00

Hey there,

did you noticed Hollys blog post about Blogger wearing stripes? I do love stripes and i thought i participate in this one. I think one can't have to many stripey things. for i own not only one but four striped shirts in all kind of variations. and i own some scarfs and i own a bag with green stripes which is my summer bag. i am currently wearing it with everything 'coz it's perfect. and it's summer. well, holly also created a pinterest board so you can see all the lovely bloggers out there who are wearing stripes-like yours truely.

i hope you have lovely day ;)

33 ways

2011-06-07T13:21:00.000+02:00

hey there,

i know i am a terrible blogger, for not showing up here a bit more often, but to be honest i am feeling a bit uninspired and not creative enough to share things here on my blog. i hope it will change and i hope i can drop in once i a while. for now, i show you a little something which might help me to get in a creative flow again.

i really like number 24. although i think it's always better to know the rules first and then breaking/bending them ;) i think you know what i mean, don't you?

source: idea-obscura

room update

2011-05-18T09:00:00.002+02:00

Hello there,

i thought i share some new pictures of my room with you today. as you can see, i managed to change the furniture-again. and i realised i need a ~~new~~ bigger dresser. mine barely can't hold all the stuff i own. jeez...

all pictures taken by me and more on flickr

this is...

2011-05-10T19:09:00.000+02:00

...for all the coffee lovers out there!

Coffee Time from wan-tzu on Vimeo.

isigami

2011-05-03T09:00:00.004+02:00

isigami is an origami orientated form of paper work. it was developt by a museum worker, who doesn't know what to do a) with the little scraps he got from scratching the tickets and b) with his hands while standing and watching. so he started to create these little creatures. if you want more check out his blog (which is in german-but you can look at the pretty creatures anyway) or have a look at this article (which is also in german)

a friend of mine, who was visiting hamburg for a short trip brought me a little isigami she did for me. and she tought me how to do it myself.

and this is what she brought me along with a slightly bigger version i made

i send my version to a friend of mine for her birthday. i am pretty sure she likes it.

this little frog is another present my friend gave me. i think it's pretty awesome.

pictures are taken by me ;)

share it!

2011-04-18T09:30:00.002+02:00

nothing left to say ;)

via miss moss and stay fancy free

impressions

2011-03-09T13:16:00.000+01:00

in lack of inspiration some shots i took recently

pictures taken by me.

laura laine

2011-03-07T09:00:00.001+01:00

i think i should show an inspiring new artist: laura laine. laura is a helsinki based illustrator, who studied fashion design but finds it more interessting to focus on fashion illustration.when you follow the fashion mags around like i do, you will recognise her work in an instant. i think her figures look awesome with their long legs and wavy hair. but sometimes they seem to play with each other not in a very nice way ;) she worked with h&m and thats how i discovered her.

for more information click here

i'm a winner baby!

2011-03-03T13:10:00.000+01:00

well, as it appears i won ;-) a cute little pocket watch necklace made by ninexmuse. i love it!

all pictures taken by me

oscar-fashion 2011

2011-02-28T12:59:00.000+01:00

tonight were the oscars and i am pretty sure a lot of you guys have watched it. i am so glad colin firth got his award for his stunning performance in the king's speech. which you have to see-if you haven't already. it got its oscar for a reason.

well, as i did last year i will do this year: talking about the dresses i really liked on the red carpet.

like last year i want to start with the actress who won the oscar for best female in a leading role: natalie portman. i think she looks very great in her rodart gown. even her earrings matches the colour of her dress perfectly.

the next one is michelle williams, who was nominated for an oscar as best female in a leading role for her performance in blue valentine (which i haven't seen yet, but will) i admire michelle williams for her effortless style (and her longer pixie-cut hair). her dress was from chanel.

next one in line is helen mirren, who looked as stunning as ever. it should be declared illegal to look as gorgeous as she is in her age. (i so wish i look just a little like her, when i'm in her age) her dress was from vivienne westwood couture and i think the colour suits her fine.

the next one isn't an actress but singer celine dion. her giorgio armani prive dress seems to me a very good choice.i really like the simplicity of the cut.

and last, but not least, jennifer hudson, who won the oscar for best actress in a supporting role in 2006 for dreamgirls. the colour of her versace dress is a great choice and she looked amazing.

i know i finished last year here. but this year i think one dress shows that the oscar isn't all about dresses the ladies wear (apart from the little man, the all want so badly), but about the movies. and i think no other person can show that more than helena bonham-carter in a dress designed by the costume designer colleen atwood from alice in wonderland (who won an oscar for exactly this film). both ladies show that there is no fashion but film. and i think helena bonham-carter looked absolutely amazing in her dress.

so, what do you think? which was your favourite dress? and did the film, the actor, actress won, you wanted to win? i like to hear from you.

pictures were taken fom instyle.com

a walk in frankfurt

2011-02-28T09:00:00.000+01:00

i was visited by a friend from berlin. we decided to have a little walk around frankfurt ignoring the foggy and rainy weather. after that we eat lunch at vapianos totally exhausted. although the weather wasn't the prettiest i could shot some pictures ;)

pictures taken by me

a quote

2011-02-26T16:39:00.000+01:00

by rosemary urquico

found on a lot of tumblr-pages and i think it is worth spreading.

"Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag.She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilight series.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes."

sources: hi, i'm francesca; kblitz; lived and ignify
picture from MarianneLoMonaco

nothing elegant

2011-02-25T10:40:00.000+01:00

it finally arrived. my little package from nothing elegant. as you might know, or maybe not, i am a sucker for nice packaging and design. and a little playfulness in my stationary. i'd rather have one cute thing then ten boring. which you wouldn't expect if you knew me ;)

picture taken by me

lineanongrata

2011-02-15T16:40:00.000+01:00

lineanongrata you say? what's that? does she speaks in tongues now? no,i am not. it's the name the shop of julia, who i discovered, well, yeah, more recently. so to speak. i got this brooch for christmas from a dear friend of mine. and i thought what a cute thing it is. thing is/was while i have my mind full of other things i totally forgot about it. but after setteling again and going through my things i found it again. and while there was no name tag on the brooch i just googled 'dreamy elephant' and found lineanongrata. as i took a look around in her shop i just saw the cutest things and loveliest illustrations and had to share immediatly. so, have a look for yourself. it is worth it!

above: the brooch i got from my friend below: illustrations from the shop

pictures: 1, taken by me; 2 and 3 are taken from linenongrata's shop

she also has a blog and can be found on dawanda.

inspirational thought and picture

2011-02-09T13:10:00.000+01:00

“You were created to create - not to react. Creation is the highest form of Divinity, and your birthright. Truth is, you are creating all the time. The central question in your life is whether you are doing this consciously or unconsciously. Conscious creation is what is needed now. Stop moping. And stop thinking negative thoughts. Just get on with it! Tomorrow awaits your choice as to how its going to be. Call the shots, make it happen. You’re in charge here.”

Neale Donald Walsch

via happy thing's tumbleblog

above and below from hi, i'm francesca

pictures and quote linked to theris sources

IRM DESIGN

2011-02-03T11:59:00.001+01:00

i just stumbled over irm design while browsing le blog de Big Beauty stephanie. i couldn't believe my eyes: they made fabulous necklaces from ropes you use while climbing! i do used to climb myself so i recognised the colours and patterns in an instand ;) isn't this idea just great?!

pictures 1 and 2 : le blog de Big Beauty

picture 3: IRM DESIGN

a new hat and a diy

2011-02-02T14:09:00.000+01:00

i finally finished the hat i wanted to give t's boyfriend. i hope he likes it.

above: me wearing his hat. below: wrapped as a present ;)

pictures by me.

and as i said in my title: a littel diy! just head over to sodapop-design. i know she writes in german, but you can easily understand by just looking at the pictures. her diy doily-bowl really started me thinking...

picture taken from sodapop-design

happy things

2011-01-28T14:32:00.000+01:00

whenever i feel a bit down or low i peek over at happy things's tumbleblog and feel much more better in an instand. and i want you to feel it too ;)

picture taken from there

frankfurt gets creative

2011-01-28T13:30:00.000+01:00

just found via cut-leute machen kleider. there is an creativ fair in frankfurt main. for more information click here.

to bad it's not open for visiotors :(

almost finished

2011-01-28T11:10:00.000+01:00

with my room. and i like it-so far. what the room needs are a few more pictures on the wall (i.e. my caravaggio-poster) and a few more books.hey, i am a book lover. although i don't have the time while studying i always make sure i got the time. can't live without a book in my hands, bag or mind ;)

as i said: almost finished ;)

pictures taken by me.

the sartorialist

2011-01-25T17:52:00.000+01:00

among others is one of my favourite sites on the internet to have a look what other people are wearing. scott schumann not only has his blog which was selected as one of Time Magazine's Top 100 Design Influencers he also published a book and now there is this tiny little documentary film which is dicovered at les mads and wanted to show you.

i like how the sartorialist changed our way of looking at other peoples fashion choices.

other blogs i often search for fashion inspiration are:

face hunter - who also published a book

these blogs are in no particular order ;)

hello 2011!

2011-01-04T14:28:00.000+01:00

i hope you all had a wonderful start into 2011. i had a very quiet one, which was exactly what i needed. beeing with friends and just hang out is the best you can do ;)

do you have any resolutions for the new year? i must say-i don't. because i am quite confident with the way everything appears to be. well, i know i need to blog here more often and i hope i can make that happen, but besides from that-everything feels totally right the way it is.

saying i like to blog more often-what would you like to see here? i hope, with your help, i can make this little blog a bit more organised, structured and more appealing to the eye. what do you think? it'll be awesome to here your suggestions.

picture taken by me ;) oh yes, i had fun doing those snow angels :D

merry christmas!

2010-12-26T15:59:00.000+01:00

to all of you. i know i am a little behind, but better late then never, don't you think?

i just wanted to show you the view from my balcony the day i arrived and my little christmas decoration.

more to see on flickr ;)

note: can somebody help me? how can i rotate my pictures here on blogger? your answer is much appreciated. thanks.

{the ardent sparrow} giveaway

2010-12-16T20:30:00.001+01:00

again! Rebecca did it again! she found one truely remarkable shop on etsy: Lola's Room. and the owner was so nice to participate on her little giveaway-series she held for such a long time now. thanks again rebecca, for finding such great artists and shops!

aren't lola's room pictures sweet and nostaligic?

just hop over to rebeccas blog and look if you'll be the lucky one ;)

pictures from Lola's Room

being busy

2010-12-02T20:42:00.001+01:00

...with some gifts for friends. since i love knitting so, so much and everyone seems to love my creations (well at least no one complained to me!) i thought i share some of my latest things with you. i just knitted some hats so far and i am not very versatile with my pattern, but i think you get the idea, right? yeah, thought so :)

a childrens hat

the version for adults

more will follow ;)

pictures taken by me

what i like at the moment...

2010-11-24T21:59:00.000+01:00

...this song. i don't know why, but it makes my heart feel upliftet.you surely had to turn up the volume!!!

this side a friend of mine recommended ;) and i must say: i like it!!!

and according to that: i wanna have this, or this, or this? or can i have them all? ;)

and a little something ;)

picture taken by me

slightly alterations in my room

2010-11-23T11:13:00.002+01:00

hi there,

as it seems i am not that satisfied with how my room looks like (who thought that, huh?). well, on sunday i finally rearranged some things i.e. changes the lamps on my bookshelf and my nightstand, changed the dresser to the wall and my clothing rack just beside it. i am not sure if it stays that way, but for now, i like it as it is.

picture taken by me. for more go to my flickr-stream.

jasnas jewellery

2010-11-17T11:12:00.000+01:00

hi there,

as you might already know, i am a huge fan of jasna and her products. i didn't had the time to follow her steps while we hadn't had an internet connection but you can imagine how astonished i was when i found out (via flickr) this crafty lady is doing some jewellery! and i was more astonished when i saw her necklaces. they are so cute and whimsically i had to have one for myself!

and here it is. a cute little necklace which came with the post the other day. and as always, yes jasna is that nice, there was a little goodie in it as well.

as mostly: pictures taken by me ;)

{the ardent sparrow} give away

2010-11-16T11:55:00.000+01:00

hello there,

i just want to show you another great give away hosted by rebecca from {the ardent sparrow}. she is doing this for a couple of times now, and i think it is a great idea to spread the word for some very talented artists.

this time she is offering something from eyeshoot a photography shop on etsy. just have a look, enter and maybe you win!

picture taken from here

my latest art addition

2010-11-15T22:14:00.000+01:00

hello there,

a friend of mine came over to visit me in my new home and she brought a gift. she is a art student and had an exhibition a couple of month ago. she showed me her print while i stayed in berlin the last time and with one of the prints i felt in love immediatly. and guess what? she gave it to me along with a frame. and now it's hanging on the wall over my bedpost.

isn't that the coolest thing ever? i love it.

and in detail ;)

as usual: all picture taken by me

i am baaack!!!

2010-11-01T20:20:00.000+01:00

finally i am able to blog again. why it took me such a long time you really don't want to know. (ok. honestly i don't want to talk about it because it's to upsetting. even in germany it takes some [long] time to get someone who can fix your somewhat broken internet connection).

well, if you all want to recall- i moved. to frankfurt-city. and then i moved, or was about to move, again to the outer area of frankfurt. which is good for me writing my thesis, but not so good shopping wise and other things you like to do when in living in a town. but, i don't want to complain. i try to make the best out of it. the nature, i am surrounded by, is truely lovely. i have made new friends here and it seems we (my roommate and i) are having a cat in the near future. and i like the idea in that. and, i very much was looking forward to fill my emty room with new things or things i brought here from my hometown or i got as a hand me down from friends. and i will tell and show you a tiny bit of my room now.

this is my new bed. i bought it on etsy for 5euros.and i love it. actually it is from ikea a few seasons ago, but i fell in love instantly. in my room in berlin i don't have the space to get me a iron bed with that high a food end. but living here now, i just thought: why not?

this is my new desk (very clean i must admit). which i got from the father of my room mate. she asked her father, if he would be so kind to give it to me-and he was. i really like it and i think it is somewhat danish or so. if you could help me out with this i will be very thankfull.

i'd like to share some more, but somehow blogger got some issues with my picures. so, if you wanna have a look at some other things i bought or just got or brought with me go to my flickr account and there you find some more ;)

(pictures taken by me.)

friends will be friends

2010-06-26T16:21:00.000+02:00

no matter how far away from each other. this is a declaration which was proofed this very week. my friends are so great, not only welcoming me warmly in their homes. they also send me great post cards and cute little packages!

i was so surprised by the postcard i received on wednesday i nearly cried. it wasn't expected and therefor it was so, so cute.

but i told you about a package too. this little fellow doesn't came so unexpected. my dear friend k wrote me that there is a surprise coming along. well, i didn't knew what to expect but only to expect. and to open it to see what she put together so lovely. i nearly felt my heart sink. and i must admid i feel a tiny little bit homesick though everything here is working out very fine so far. to make a long story short-have a look for yourself.

k put an extra effort in sending me all the things she knows i would love to have. and she never fails btw. if you want to know where she got all the goodies. no worries i tell you: the little candle holder and the tin tea box are from moses. the little thin booklet is from correspondances and the environmental friendly bag is from envirosax. that cute little pinkish booklet is made by her. she surely know how to make paper (goods).

i surely have the best friends in the world! and the best readers! thanks for the lovely comments or for just stopping by. i really appreciate it.

xo,amanda

i am sorry!

2010-06-19T14:05:00.000+02:00

yes, i really am. i didn't mean to neglect you, but it just so happened i don't have any time at all to write or search through out the internet to keep this blog going. i still try to figure things out here in frankfurt but it is oh so hard. i never thought it'll be this way. work seems to be good. i got a lot of stuff to learn which is always a good thing. and living wise it is also good. anna is a fantastic friend. she is more than helpful withe everything and organise so much things i didn't know due to not living here. in the middle of next month i am able to move into my room and i am so excited to do so. (actually i can't wait.) i am playing with my sketches to find ot how my room looks the best. but i am not sure. i guess i will see while working on it. but so far my colour scheme and furniture seems to fit. and yes i will have a trip (or two) to the local ikea store. but when it comes to accessorizes i will buy things from local shops around my street. which is a great street. whith a lot of little shops and cafes. so, there are a lot of things i have to tell you when it's about time.

i am moving

2010-05-31T16:55:00.001+02:00

yes, i am about to move to frankfurt. i am very excited and can't wait to share what i found there. shop wise and design wise and even diy wise. it is an experience i made before but this time i feel mor prepared to make it. i can't wait to fill my little room with all the goodies. well, if it happens you are from frankfurt or surrounding villages just let me know what you think is interesting to watch. or where to shop i.e fleamarkets or thrift stores.
i know a few stores at the berger strasse which i will show you. in a few weeks time i will be a citizen of frankfurt! wich me luck!

picture found on google.

wedding time

2010-05-31T16:23:00.000+02:00

on friday it was time for a wedding. a long awaited wedding-well, on my side. the best thing was the bride did all of the designs herself. she is a very talented young woman. and she made a phantastic job.it reminds one of the arts and crafts movement (also known as art nouveau, art dèco or jugendstil)

invitation card

menu card

table cards

( the women got easels and the men got tiny little buses, you can see one in the background)

and here you can see bride and groom while chatting with some guests

it was a honour and pleasure to be a guest at this wonderful wedding with a lot of games and food and laughing ;-)

pictures taken by me.

my dyed dress

2010-05-20T14:30:00.001+02:00

i purchased, a few month ago, a beautiful vintage dress. unfortunately it was a bit seen through. i wan't sure what to do about it. so i asked a few friends of mine what i could do. and we came up with the conclusion of dying. i did it with other things, i.e. my curtains are in a lovely chocolate brown, but i wasn't so sure about the delicate condition of the dress. well, i did it and it went very well. it is not seen through anymore but still looks gorgeous. and i have to thank dotti. she gave me some advice if a fabric is able to be dyed or not.

befor and after

detail and me wearin it (i just put it on for the picture)

as i told you. it still looks gorgeous.

picture taken by me.

pink panther

2010-05-14T18:08:00.000+02:00

the fact the sun isn't shining and we still have to wait for warmer weather makes me rewatch a lot of my dvds lately. and believe me i got quite a collection. not as much as a dear friend of mine, but it is nice and colour coordinated by the way. today i rewatched the pink pather from 1963. i loved the movie as a kid and i love it even more, now that i am older. and now i realised yves saint lautrent did the costmes for claudia cardinale and capucine. they are so, so lovely.

unforunately there are no good pictures of the costumes. so, i looks as if you have to watch the movie ;-)

pictures are from google picture finder.

the notebook doodles

2010-05-12T13:37:00.000+02:00

the blog the notebooks doodles is in my folder for some time now. and she never fails to inspire me.

see, i told you so ;-) but not only shares she her art and photography combined with quotes. she also shares collages and even shares the process of her doodles! isn't that great?!

so, head over to her blog and see for yourself. or check her flickr stream or her tumblr site

as usually pictures taken from their belonging site.

The English Theatre Frankfurt

2010-05-06T13:19:00.000+02:00

you might didn't know it, but i lived in frankfurt/main a few years ago. i din't liked it that much. well, to be frank you can't compare any other city (except hamburg, maybe, sort of) to berlin.

but i met a bunch of lovely people there. and most of all at the english theatre frankfurt were i used to work (as a backstagehand. now you know how crafty this girl can be). they are some kind of family and i always love to visit them and to watch the shows they put together.

if you are happen to be in frankfurt you just have to visit this remarkable theatre. and to show you a glimpse of how remarkable these people are watch this little movie. although a few people talk in german you will see what i mean ;-)

silly stuff

2010-05-04T17:09:00.000+02:00

as you might know i do love some silly /whimsical stuff. and the shops i will show you just got what i want ;-)

UrbanAntix recycle, reuse and repurpose as much as possible.

for the vampire lover

for the moustache lover (there are a lot out there)

And ArtMind makes the cutest ceramics. ever.

ambitious

a few of artminds creations

aren't these things super cute? I think they are.

well, there are other things i wanted to share:

if you happen to live in berlin next wednesday (may, 12th) is a screenprint workshop hosted by etsy labs. you can come if you want to. just make sure to bring a t-shirt or bag to print on. (of course you can buy a bag there.)

and the other one is a give away hostet by Cookie Queen's Diary. in celebrating of her first anniversary in blogland you can win a bag. made by her. so, head over to her blog and comment and make sure to have a closer look too. that girl's got a crafty hand! ;-)

as always: pictures taken from their belonging sites/shops.

dresses i would like to wear when summer is here

2010-04-27T15:42:00.003+02:00

well, albite from the constantly changing weather over here i am dreaming about wearing dresses all the time. i can't wait for summer. and i am a winter person!

above and below: kikirikikikiriki

above: necessity is the mother below: lamixx

above: nadinoo below: blythe hope vintage

above: babooshka below: parsimony

at the moment i would wear them with boots and a cardigan. it is still freezing and windy.

pictures are taken from the belonging sides.

miniature apartment

2010-04-21T17:14:00.001+02:00

i recently stumbled over brinjas little blog where she shares a lot of great things with the online communtity. among other things like great pictures, things she creates for herself, her newborn or her shop (yes, she is a shop owner in cobenhavn) she shares her passion for her self made dollhouse which is a miniture version of her home.
not only build she the body of same dollhouse. she also creates and builds the tiny little furniture all by herself. isn't that impressing? i think it's a wonderful piece of art and i am glad she allowed me to show it to you. the local newspaper also made a little feature which you can find here (but only in danish so just have a look at the pictures)

as you might have noticed: she rearranges thing from time to time, like she does with her 'real' home ;-)
it always makes me smile and think of my dollhouse i had when i was a kid.

and it seems she is not the only one with this passion. you can find examples here and all over the blogosphere ;-) (i.e.: decor8, design is mine and marvelous kiddo )

pictures are taken from brinjas blog and i want to say thank you for being so kind!

hayao miyazaki

2010-04-14T15:30:00.001+02:00

i am not sure if know this about me, but i am in love with the movies of hayao miyazaki and his studio ghibli. and i am a lucky girl. this tv programm arte showed a lot of his movies recently. they have hayao miyazaki weeks. yes, weeks! and they show a lot of his masterpieces in heavy rotation-so to say. here are a few of my favourite movie stills. although they are stills they show the great love for the subject and the love for the details for which i love the stories so, so much. and of course studio ghibli and hayao miyazake!

spirited away

my neighbor totoro

princess mononoke

nausicaä of the valley of the wind

castle in the sky

howl's moving castle (showing while i write this :D)

kiki's delivery service

all pictures/movie stills, except for kiki's delivery service are taken from arte.tv. kiki's delivery service taken from animey.net

i wanna have this

2010-04-11T17:09:00.001+02:00

in my flat! right. now.

you can find it here.

help wanted!

2010-04-09T17:08:00.000+02:00

this little friendly lady who i met at the cut-magazine stand actually works for a great shop/cafè called "kauf dich glücklich" where you can have the best waffles in berlin. and i am not lying here!

well, anyway the owner of "kauf dich glücklich" want to have a new design for their bag. and they want you to design one! the rules can be found here (in german)
well, let's see with what you can come up with...

and this is what the bag (still) looks like

again, i am sorry for the blurry pictures...

etsy and cut magazine

2010-04-09T16:44:00.000+02:00

as i told you i went to the new etsy labs party in berlin. and i must say it was really nice but really, really crowded. it seemed half of the diy people were there. but it was very interesting.

and i liked the room where all the etsy things were displayed a lot.

very crowded was it around the diy table where you could do your own jewellery

and of course you could purchase the new edition of the cut magazin along with the second edition. (the first one is still sold out :-()

besides the crowded rooms, people seemed to enjoy themselves a lot. i think it has a lot to do with the music (although noone really cared to dance), the beverages (free beer, applejuice and water along with cute little cut out cardboard mustaches and glasses) and the food (rostbratwurst and veggie spits- which were great. very tasty.)

and this is what i took home :D

if you want to know more read here and here ;-) but be warned it's in german!

and i am sorry for the (mostly) blurry pictures...my battery nearly died...

little shop of prints

2010-04-07T19:51:00.000+02:00

found this little shop while wandering through the shops on etsy.

this print is totally fine with me...it's spring finally ;-)

...right now,over me.

and this cute pouch is for the manual camera lovers...

pictures taken from slidesideways on etsy

do-it-yourself sause mit CUT und etsy!

2010-04-01T15:53:00.000+02:00

today at 8 pm is the long awated party of CUT and the german etsy-lab here in berlin. i will be there and i hope to meet a lot of new people/blogger/designer. and of course i will take some pictures. well, eventually i see you there ;-)
till then x

picture taken from cut-magazin-side

i love your smile

2010-03-30T22:34:00.002+02:00

and i love this video! the setting, the music, the people(audrey tautou!!!) the clothes the people wearing, the band in the end...*sigh*

thanks to {bitsofbeauty} who found this amazing video.

apartement therapy: michael's michigan cottage

2010-03-25T16:58:00.000+01:00

while browsing through apartement therapys side i came across this great cottage. the owner moved from california and did most of the painting himself for very little money. i like the neutral coulours a lot combined with a few vintage treasures he own. it looks very calming.

pictures from apartement therapy

and speaking of inspiration: head over to etsy. they made a feature of the ladies behind the cut magazine. and they featured victoria of sfgirlbybay.

SchwindleShop

2010-03-22T16:10:00.000+01:00

while browsing through etsy i found this lovely little shop called SchwindleShop. don't you love those terracotta pots to put on your terrace or balcony? i think they are great to bring up some colour even your flowers aren't growing and blooming yet.

the red bird on a pink background is my favourite.

pictures are belonging to the SchwindleShop on etsy.

hello there!

2010-03-14T19:04:00.001+01:00

i know it's been a bit slow and silent over here, but i do feel a bit uninspired lately. sad but true. i am (not) in the mood for spring although i wish that it starts now (while i write it snows-again). but i still think it's great to have such a long and snowy winter. that doesn't happen that much anymore. well, anyway i try to be better in posting and so you see i didn't forget how this works i wanna share some of my online finds with you.

a cute dress-for the one who loves dresses.
and would like to wear this on a wedding party.

and another one...isn't this adorable? just make sure you have a look at her blog too.

well, spring means everything new (okay, kind of) so why not add a new mug to your collection?

and with this one you don't even have to ask when you consider yourself the silent kind of person in the morning ;-)

or you have alice for a cup of coffee (the mad hatter is also somewhere...)

and speaking of something new, i'd like to add new cushions on my sofa.

doesn't this one screams spring?

i like this cushion very much. it reminds me of my grannys old towels

and i love to see great posters or photographs. which is, in my opinion, an instant installment to your walls without much effort and cost...

this one is called 'spring greens' and make sure to check her blog it is inspiring (and she has a spring special in her etsy shop the whole march...)

and make sure to visit {the ardent sparrow} EVERYDAY the following week for there is a huge spring giveaway the whole week. i will check back everyday that is for sure!

i hope you have a wonderful week ahead!

pictures are taken from the belonging/linked shops

Oscar-Fashion

2010-03-08T20:14:00.000+01:00

yes, believe it or not, i saw the acedemy awards this night(and i still feel a bit sleepy though). and i must say i liked it very much. and what else could i talk about today others than the fantastic dresses the actresses wore for that special event.

i wanna start today with the actress who won the oscar for best female in a leading role: sandra bullock. she looked stunning in her marchesa dress. almost like the little fellow she won. i never saw her that beautiful (and i liked her acceptance speech very much-very touching).

next is the fantastic dame helen mirren. who was also nominated for best actress in a leading role. her dress was from badgley mischka and she also looked great in her dress.

the next one is carey mulligan in prada nominated for best actress in a leading role. i didn't like her choice in shoes but i really admire her short hair.

the next one will be sarah jessica parker in chanel (she presented the award for best costume along with tom ford) whos dress reminded me of one of those empire-dresses. i like it very much.

and last but not least zoe kravitz with papa lenny. i couldn't find out which designer she is wearing, but i will. i like very much the two colours in her dress. she really is grown up.

pictures: the huffington post (1-3), in style (4) and les mads (5)

it is time...

2010-03-05T17:47:00.000+01:00

for another weekly round up.(and alice of course)

so, here's what i found inspiring this week:

already pretty had an amazing story to tell about "plus-size model" crystal renn (who isn't that plus-size in my eyes)

i am not really into pastels but the pictures design is mine found are just awesome...(btw. her flick friday mosaics are great too)

rebecca of {the ardent sparrow} had this time of year around some kind of wanderlust. she can't travel (due to two small children and a great etsy shop)she did online and shares a lot of her inspirations with us. this week it is greece. a place i would def like to travel too and see all the great temples myself.

(make sure you have a look at ireland and egypt too)

the girls over at nestled in are having a home tour once in a while and this time the tour just stunned me. i want to live in that house! (here you can find a link to the house owners blog and flickr account)

do you know yokoo? if not head over to sfgirlbybay and read what she says about her.

if you happen to don't drink tea but have friends who gave it to you as a gift here you find a use for all the useless tea bags.i just love the idea!

well, that's all. i hope you are inspired as i was and still am!

have a nice weekend, and don't forget to vistit hedwig (it's on tonight and tomorrow!!!)

amanda x

picture: garance doré

frankfurt: hedwig and the angry inch

2010-03-01T16:14:00.002+01:00

i told you before, i was in frankfurt and saw an amazing musical called: hedwig and the angry inch. well, i had the opportunity to ask the producer and actor of same hedwig, nigel francis, a few questions. which he was more than willing to answer.

so, see and read for yourself:

1.you are originally from great britain. how and why do you came to frankfurt?

I originally came to Frankfurt at the end of 1990 to work on a musical called A Slice of Saturday Night, for the English Theatre Company. I returned again in 2004 to play the Emcee in Kander and Ebbs musical Cabaret. It was during this time that I met my partner Angela. We eventually got together in the summer of 2006 and after about two years of us both travelling to London and Frankfurt, we decided that we wanted to be together on a more permanent basis, so I moved to Frankfurt to give it a go, I'm still here, so we must be doing something right.
2.why do you want to produce "hedwig" and what's so fascinating about it?

I was first introduced to Hedwig about four years ago. A good friend of mine, gave me a copy of the soundtrack, which I didn't touch for at least a couple of weeks. Then one day, when I had nothing better to do, I decided to give it a listen. From the very first spoken words of Yitzhak, to the last notes of Midnight Radio, I was hooked. I was then lucky enough to see a production of the show when I was visiting my parents in my home town of Coventry, seeing that performance ultimately change my life. I remember thinking that I had seen something really special that evening. I have only ever had that a couple of times in the theatre. I couldn't stop talking about the show to whoever would listen.
What I find most fascinating about Hedwig is that it talks openly and honestly about real issues, real situations and real emotions, emotions that each and everyone one of us can relate to on some level. Many people who have not yet seen Hedwig ultimately think that it's a show about a Drag Queen, these people couldn't be more wrong. What I have found from talking to people after the show, is that there is a little bit of Hedwig in us all. For example, we all know what it feels like to be in love. We all know what it feels like to be in love with someone that doesn't necessarily love us in return. We all know how it feels to be let down by our family or friends. We all know what it's like to not fit in. Some of us might know what it's like to risk and sacrifice everything you have for freedom, so Hedwig isn't that different from any of us really, we all have something in common with her and the story she has to tell. I like to think that is what myself and 80 other Hedwig virgins felt that night when we all sat together in that little theatre in Coventry, laughing, crying and singing along with the East German rock goddess. When you have the power to move people in that way, with the words of a brilliant script and the music of eleven fantastically written songs, as a producer, you can't help yourself, you just have to put the show on.

3.is it hard to play this character?

Personally I think the character of Hedwig is really hard to play, not only physically but mentally. It's a character that is really complex and one that has many different layers.
It would be so easy to play the role as a caricature with very little regard for who Hedwig is, what she has gone through and where she has come from. This part deserves as much respect as any of the great shakespearean roles and if I am playing any of the great classical parts, I would approach them in exactly the same way as I do Hedwig.
When I first read the script, the first thing that struck me was how deep and emotional the play was, it wasn't just camp, crass jokes mixed in with some rock songs, it had substance and that was something that I wanted to get across to the audience. I've played Hedwig about thirty times now and it still feels very new to me, i think if I play her another 300 times, there will still be something new to find. If I ever get to the stage where I'm not finding anything new about her, then that will be the time to give the gorgeous blonde wig to someone else.

4.are you satisfied with how it turns ou?

I'm very proud of this production, mainly because it's the first that I have produced with my own production company. Having done this once, you really appreciate what it takes to get a show on.
I've seen this production grow so much over the last years, from telling friends that I want to produce this play, sitting down at the first meetings, choosing poster designs, rehearsals with the cast, first night premiere and first night press reviews, which were all great, so from that point of view I'm very satisfied with what we have achieved. From the performance side, I love what we have created but the people who work closely with me on this production will tell you that I'm never 100% satisfied, I think it's actually a bit of an illness with me. It can always be better and I'm always looking at ways to improve the show.

5.how does the audience respond to your show?

The audience response has been fantastic. It's always been very difficult to convince people to come and see this show. Even the original production on Broadway took forever to get people in, but once they are in the theatre I genuinely taken in by the show. I don't think they expect to see what then see and I think that is one of the great things about Hedwig, you come out after two hours surprised and hopefully moved in some way by the show.

6.do you have a special routine to get into the character?

I don't really have any special routine. On the day of the show, I start to warm up quite early, just taking it easy. I run a few lines, do a little physical warm-up and then when I get into the theatre as the time of the show get nearer I start to get a little quite, just thinking about what I have to do for the next couple of hours. I defiantly feel a change in my character, I'm normally quite chilled out but as show time approaches, I find myself getting more serious and very Hedwig-like. That's about it.

7. will you/are there any plans to tour with "hedwig"?

I would love Hedwig to go out on tour one day. There are some talks going on at the moment about the possibility.
People have said to me on many occasions that the show would do really well in places like Köln, Berlin and Hamburg so we just have to keep our fingers crossed and hope that the theatre gods shine down on this little production and we see it on the road some day. I'd also like to take it back to London on day.

thanks again mr. nigel francis. and i surely would like to see you and hedwig here in berlin!

well, if you are curious about this wonderful man, his work and (of curse!) hedwig: watch it! it is a wonderful, thrilling piece of music, art and love. and it will be on this very weekend!!! so buy your tickets and go! and if you still need something to convince you here's a little scene from the movie (which i also highly recommend to you)

for further information: hedwigandtheangryinch or myspace

the pictures are from: facebook(1, 3) and the hedwig and the angry inch site (2).

frankfurt: botticelli exhibition

2010-02-22T18:31:00.000+01:00

hello everybody,

i hope you had a great weekend. i had one. it was filled with little girls, a lot of laughter, food, games, meeting friends.

talking of friends, you know i spend some time in frankfurt and it happens an exhibition took place of an artist i really, really adore: Botticelli.

he is very known for his paintings: primavera and the birth of venus. and was one of the best known painters in renaissance.

the exhibition is very small but nonetheless very, very good. that good people had to queued up! and it took me nearly 2 hours in waiting. but there is a soulution to that. the people who organised this exhibition extended the opening hours and when you spend more than a day in frankfurt there is the possibility of buying a voucher (that's what i did) and just go the other day without waiting in queue.

so, if you are interessted in art as much as i am-then go and see as long as this is in germany.(btw with your ticket you can see all the other great pictures that are in current exhibition)

staedel-museum for further information

as always: pictures taken by me

fashion and photography

2010-02-19T18:57:00.000+01:00

two of my daily read blogs postet something i wanted to do by myself or i wish i had the knowledge of.

first is a fashion round up from nadine of anmutig. she did the hard work and found great online sources for phantastic fashion shops. i wanted to do a post quiet similar but never found the time to do so. well, she did a great job here! btw. when you are on her blog just have a look. her finds are just great.

and finally holly postet some links you can use to make your photographs you are taken for your shop or blog a bit better looking and more appealing to the eyes ;-) i think a lot of us bloggers struggle a bit with all the endless possibilities. getting them all together is just great! thanks to holly for doing this!

and have a great weekend to you all.

a side note: if you are happen to life in frankfurt/near to frankfurt(germany) then i highly recommend "hedwig and the angry inch" to you. it is a great musical and i had a lot of fun watching it while i stayed in frankfurt!

picture source here.

WhatchaWearingWednesday and Whats in your closet?

2010-02-17T18:56:00.000+01:00

it's wednesday and you see this ;-)

and while browsing through different blogs i found a peek into dottis closet and i wanted to do so too. (anna sterntaler let you also see what's inside hers) i am always cusious about other peoples closets, but only the closest friends will let you have a peek into theirs.

my closet is from ikea and the hangers for the belts and skirts are from tchibo-if you want to know.

and as always pictures taken by me.

Frankfurt: the smallest library in town

2010-02-16T14:51:00.001+01:00

last week, well honestly now its been two weeks, i spend some time in frankfurt/main with a dear friend of mine. she is living next to the bergerstrasse which i highly recommended to you for it's little fashion shops, cafes and of course book shops. there is one on a corner near to u-bahn/metro station merianplatz with a cafe in it! they have great breakfast- perfect for a sunday morning!

but i don't want to talk about that. while wandering up and down i found this little closet, so to say, filled with books. and the little sign on it says: smallest library in town. everyone can lend books for free and donate books, only you have to write in the book you donate that you do so. isn't that a cool idea? i was head over heels for this. well, you know why, don't you?

i wanna share some pictures with you.

pictures taken by me

on vacation

2010-02-05T20:24:00.002+01:00

...right now. sorry guys. needed a time off.

a may wedding

2010-01-29T17:41:00.001+01:00

a friend of mine will be tie the knot in may and although the invitation isn't here yet, i know i am invited(she told me recently ;-)). so, i spend an amount of time over at polyvore and other fashion/online sites to see what i might be wearing. seems i found/create at least two sets which i think i could wear on that special day.

attending wedding #1 by amandajames featuring Monsoon accessories

yes, i know, one doesn't wear black on a wedding. but it isn't black at all. and i tried to down it a bit with all the nude colours.

attending wedding #2 by amandajames featuring TopShop dresses

this one looks a bit more posh- i must admit. but i like it anyway ;-)

have a nice weekend everyone. i see you next week!

a little self-confidence

2010-01-27T15:56:00.001+01:00

is all you need ;-)

via {Bits of Beauty}

You've got a very important date

2010-01-26T17:54:00.002+01:00

i am so looking forward to finally see the new masterpiece of tim burton:alice in wonderland. i think i need to read my copy again, so i can remember and actually notice when he changed a few things. but honestly i can't wait for this visually feast- for it will be one. it is always a feast with tim burton and luckily, the elder he gets the more people are getting him and his strange sense of humor. i loved him since beetlejuice. thihi.

did you knew you can see his art online?

weekend-finally

2010-01-22T15:25:00.000+01:00

i am a bit exhausted today for random reasons so i don't post anything from my own but want to share a few things i found recently.

first of all, a few of you know that i am not so happy with the current state of my home desk. anita at 1richtungsblog found some gorgeous pictures of neatly put together desks (which i all wanted for myself)

summer of design is mine has the same idea. seems we all want a great office at home:sigh:

little brown pen did a paris colour series which i love. yesterday it was grey on her blog and i love grey!

i like the house tour of libby alexander on sfgirlbybay's blog. it's a weekly feature and i am a sucker for it. it is as if you were guest in their houses but not seen (i like that ;-))

lolalina found some great style inspiration of gamine chic and i must say, i also love the french sense of fashion. one day, i will develop something like that for myself(well, i hope)

so, i am sorry, for not posting anything created by myself i still feel you will like the things i found.

have a nice weekend!

whimsical stationary

2010-01-20T13:29:00.003+01:00

hello everybody,

i realised i haven't talked to you in a while and so i decided to share a few of my latest stationary items i recently purchased with you. as you might have noticed i love, love, LOVE cute and whimsical things and all the shops i want to introduce to you are having things like that. everytime i see something cute i imagine the person who is opening my letter and see the sweet paper my letter was written on, or recognised the little stamp sign in the end or just, while watching me working, start to smile while i use my leaf formed post-its to bookmark something i don't want to forget. and be honest with yourself, aren't you a sucker for those things too? see, i knew it. ;-) so let's have a look.

above and below: artbox

minipunkt

nothing elegant

nora jane and iheart

haven't i told ya? these items are too cute.everytime i came back to those shops i find something i 'wanted' wanted. you know what i'm talking about, don't you? :sigh:

pictures taken by me.

i am tempted

2010-01-12T20:04:00.000+01:00

faux fur by amandajames featuring H&M jackets

Items in this set:
Motel Vintage Look Faux Fur Leopard Coat, $161
H&M Black Faux Fur Short Jacket, 80 EUR
Faux Fur Jacket, 40 GBP
Faux Fur Jacket, 40 GBP
Girlscene - Dikke winterjassen, 50 EUR

honestly guys, i never wanted one of those faux fur jackets but with this freezing weather i am really, really tempted. and it is sale-time...
so, as i said, i am tempted. faux fur jackets seem to promise to keep me really warm and when you purchase something in a neutral colour (oh come on, you know me) it seems to be in fashion in the end of this year (jupp, i am looking forward...)

keep it warm by amandajames featuring TopShop boots

Items in this set:
Striped long sleeved t-shirt, 85 GBP
Maison Martin Margiela Skinny jean, 110 GBP
UGG Classic Short Boot, 140 GBP
UrbanOutfitters.com > Folio Briefcase Bag, $225
Knit Beret, 20 AUD

doesn't this look good? and don't you feel a bit warmer? i already do.honestly.

i love cadles

2010-01-08T18:24:00.002+01:00

but i don't like it when they make a mess like my candle did and i didn't even recognised it! the moment i wanted to go to bed i saw the mess. well, you can't do anything during the night time when you're renting but i did this morning with the help of my hairdryer and my flat iron. and the mess was no more ;-)

the mess-before

and after ;-)

and i did some home improvement (so to say). this christmas i didn't used my little lights, because there was no tree to decorate and so i thought why not using it now? and honestly doesn't it look pretty?!

well, i think i will work on a little inspiration-book this weekend. something i wanted to do for such a long time i can't remember when that idea came to my mind...what are you up to this weekend?

pictures taken by myself

365 ways to say goodbye

2010-01-07T16:00:00.003+01:00

is a project by jo bradford the great photographer behind greenislandstudios. the projct is a goodbye to her beloved polaroid packfilm and she shares her pictures on this site. and i think her pictures are gorgeous. there is something in its texture i am really drawn to. so, let's have a look. and remember, this goes on for the rest of this year ;-)

i particularly love this one :D

if you are interested i her work just watch her blog or her flickrstream.

pictures taken from the belonging site.

btw: if you didn't noticed...this is post number 100!!! wheee

shamelessly birthday wishlist

2010-01-04T15:20:00.001+01:00

in a couple of weeks i'm turning older ;-) (hah, you thought i'll let you know the age? no way) but i thought it might be fun to come up with some lovely little things i like to have, though i know this is only a wishlist a girl can dream, right?

a coffee cozy for my french press

it's from pinkdixie.

next one is a knitting case (and i am pretty sure you know why)

this one is from go monkey design and this one is also great.

so the next thing is a lovely beret. i know i can knit them myself, but sometimes one is just lazy ;-)

it's from soft spoken and she has a lot of great knitted and croched things in her shop.

and the next one is a bag. well, you know i'm a girl and a girl can never have enough bags and purses and with this one i can carry my laptop and books and a lot of other things in it...

this one is from moop (one of my favourite shops...)

well, i am not only drinking coffee but also tea and to keep it warm i would like to have one of these thermos flasks. aren't they adorable?

they are from ok-versand and they are not the only ones there...

pictures taken from their belonging sides

a merry christmas to you all!!!

2009-12-23T17:52:00.000+01:00

so much for now. i don't think i will post something 'between the years'(it's a saying in german[y]). though i wish you all a merry and happy christmas and i hope to see you back in 2010!!!

picture taken by me in the early january this year ;-)

it's time!

2009-12-21T20:35:00.000+01:00

or do you want to be late? i don't think so. but to be honest i still haven't all my christmas gifts. but there are just two of them that need to be bought and on wednesday i will wrap them as nicely as it gets. for inspiration mine and yours head over to ez' 18 days of christmas inspiration series. it is worth watching. it is so inspiring and honestly i think i'll download as many of them as possible. it is so incredible. thanks to ez and the loevely bunch of people who participate in that! and by the way: you get to know a lot of new designers and bloggers!!!

holy shit shopping

2009-12-13T21:30:00.000+01:00

hello all,

as i told you on monday i wanted to go to the holy shit shopping this weekend which hold place in berlin this time. so anna sterntaler and i went to see. and honestly it was breathtaking. so many things to see, so many people to meet and so wonderful created things i was (and still am) overwhelmed. i totaly forgot to take pictures, but i will take pictures next year ;-) and it was great to actually see the people behind the shops and i reunite with the lovely juliane of st.anderswo who was also there.

well, i did bought a few things, which was pretty hard to choose. but i did. first i bought a wonderful print by united loneliness. i was lingering around their shop for a very long time and i thought to myself this is a wonderful coincidence, so i bought this beautiful lady. (and aren't we all born to fly?)

the next i bought was this cute little brooch (from fräulein holle) which was really hard to choose-there were so many of them. but i love purple and stripes(as you might know) and i like the animal on it very much ;-)

and i bought a poncho by EVAW/wave. which is as cozy and warm as it could get -now that the freezing winter finally arrived. no picture here, because i haven't wore it-yet.

and there were other shops i am eager to tell you about. like tyyli who makes the best memoboards one can think of. and i liked stange-design, who are making all things out of paperboard. and there was ruthtutgut, who makes wondeful girl-ish things.all in white and pale pink and a lot of baroque influences. and her jewellerys are just gorgeous(she makes the glass-beads all by herself and is giving life-long-insurance!)

well, i think i forgot a lot of great shops, but i am still filled with all what i saw.
i highly recommend to you trendmafia on the next weekend. another day to purchase christmas presents-if not for your family, loved ones or friends-maybe for you?

pictures taken by me.

whatcha wearing wednesday

2009-12-09T19:31:00.000+01:00

felt a bit nerdy today-sine the glasses. cardigan, skirt: promod; shirt: new look; tights, legwarmers: h&m; shoes: chucks :D

update

2009-12-09T19:04:00.003+01:00

i am pretty sure you want to know what i am working on these days (just a couple o' weeks till christmas!) well, i think it is no surprise to you that i am still working on some scarves and hats and wristwarmers. i show you what i finished and what i knit right now.

do you remember jasna? i did a post about her lovely home and i think we startet a little online friendship. she was asking if i could knit a pair of wristwarmers for her and i am glad to do so. she bought the yarn and send it to me and now i am sitting in front of my tv, watching a dvd and knit as fast as i can so she can put her wristwarmers on when it starts to get really cold ;-)

up: new scarf for a friend, down: begining of jasnas wristwarmer(isn't her colour choice grand?!)

pictures made by myself

don't forget...

2009-12-07T20:48:00.000+01:00

in a few weeks is christmas. yes, the time of year is coming faster and faster and faster ;-) i hope you all have your christmas gifts already.
if not and you are living in berlin or near around on the weekend is the holy shit shopping in town! it's a collaboration of designers and artists. and the perfect place if don't have all the gifts for your loved ones ;-)

well, i will be there on saturday and maybe there is a little present for myself i can purchase :D

picture from www.holyshitshopping.de

new wool purchases

2009-11-27T20:20:00.000+01:00

i asked you a while ago for some wool shops around town. and you guys were very helpful.

so today i wanna show you a few wool balls i bought recently. and they are in colour(you remember my renunciation of colour? i am the girl who only wears colour as an accessory abite from that black, grey and jeans) well, the wools are for items i wanna do for friends of mine and they do love colour and i really enjoy knitting something that is not black or grey or in a neutral colour. maybe, maybe we'll see someone wearing colour more often...

bought at idee

both yarns bought at loops

pictures taken by me

christmas purchases

2009-11-23T21:15:00.000+01:00

you think i already bought everything by reading the post-title, did you? well, you are wrong. i did some shopping, but only supplies. to wrap some presents. and i did some knitting for a friend of mine (just to finish one thing)

but i will show you anyway. so, first of all a few ribbons from frau tuple. a great shop to by fabrics and other things to sew. the shop was highly recommended by few bloggers and friends. and i bought some wool over at loops a shop, which was also highly recommended to me(thanks again for telling me guys!) but i will show you in another post what i bought there.

among the hat for my friend i startet one for myself which i will finish today, because there are only a few rows to knit ;-)

and i did some baking this weekend. a stollen. which was pretty hard.you really need some muscels in your arms! but it looks good. and i hope it will as taste as it looks.

pictures taken by myself

watcha wearing wednesday

2009-11-11T17:52:00.000+01:00

no explanation needed, huh?

the scarf is obviously one of st.anderswo's creations ;-)

picture taken by me (not the icon of course)

designer St. Anderswo

2009-11-09T10:45:00.003+01:00

hiya all,

today i want to introduce you to the lovely juliane of St.Anderswo. i came to know her work over at Kirschgeschmacks blog and that great "product of the day " feature at DaWanda.

well, on friday was the day-i met her for the first time and i met a very nive and lovely young woman. she made green tea and we ate vanille-kipferl (i suppose it's called vanilla cornets) we both seem to love it ;-)

we did a little interview (in german) and i try as hard as i can to translate.

me: first of all i want to know what did you studied?

StAnderswo: fashion design ( or in the term she likes most: bekleidungsgestaltung)

me: was there a particular reason/event for opening the shop?

StAnderswo: no, there wasn't. colleagues of mine (tilt) happend to find this place, our studio, and were asking me if i liked to join. and i thought: why not.

me: so, how long you've been doing this?

StAnderswo: my scarves? about a year now. in this studio? about two years now. before i startet with my scraves i did some dresses and things people were asking me for, but i realised it is much more satisfying to do my own stuff.

me: did you sell online only or can one find your work in shops?

StAnderswo: no, i don't sell online only. i do some craft markets (i.e. holy shit shopping) and my work can be found in several shops like godblessyou or freistil.

i really like doing markets because you got immediately reaction on the things your selling. and i can react on this very fast like if a costumer wants to have something altered. i also like doing some alternations on my scarves, so my costumers get the scarf they want.

me: where do you find your inspiration?

StAnderswo: i often find them in the materials itself. if it feels good and looks good i want to do something pretty out of it as soon as it gets. but i am also a sucker for colours. one of my favourite colours is red(she wore a bright red blouse the day we met). i love clear contrasts. and one of my all time favourite source of inspiration comes from the folklore side of life. i really like the embellishmends on those items.

well, it was a wonderful friday at her studio and i hope i hear from her work more often.

i hope you guys had as fun reading this as i had doing this.

(oh, if anyone wonders, she wears her own creations of course-and i do to ;-))

pictures taken by me

music

2009-10-28T15:55:00.000+01:00

do you remember this post? if so and you are living in berlin or visit berlin right now, watch tonight tim neuhaus and band @bangbangclub. it starts around 8:30pm. just be there- the music is quite good ;-)

picture taken by me

ninexmuse-jewellery

2009-10-21T15:30:00.003+02:00

you all know i love to buy stuff over at etsys. one day i checked my mail adress and it contains this little message:

hi amanda,

This is Ninexmuse, come and visit my shop, you might find your heart item
here, enjoy:)

well, i must admit the seller was right! there are so many little treasures there one can hardly choose just one item to buy. well, i bought two cute little necklaces and they are so great i would love to wear them the whole time. but i think all the other great necklaces i own would be a bit jealous.
so, lets have a look for yourself. and maybe you find something for your own ;-)

pictures: pic 1 and 2 by myself. pic 3 and 4 from ninexmuse's etsy shop.

i need yarn!!!

2009-10-15T17:09:00.000+02:00

as i said,or you might realise, i love to knit. i feel it is very calming and kind of meditational and i love to feel the wools. (and i can watch tv or a dvd while i do so-when it's an easy pattern-hehe) well, i am a bit unsatisfied with my local yarn-dealer. because sadly- there is none. i went to that big shopping center but they have no great choice and i don't know where else to go.

so, if it happens that you know a really good yarn-shop please tell me. it has to be in berlin, germany, europe. maybe you have one around your corner who sells online?that'll help too.

i watched on etsy and dawanda but often i think its to expansive (although i would die to shop there).
so thank you in advance!

i'm on my way

2009-10-02T22:02:00.000+02:00

to a friend of mine. it's her birthday and for the very first time i spend it with her. and i am so excited. i haven't seen her since the beginning of july?! i guess. and it's been tooo long. so, we are going by car and the drive will take about 6 hours. a girl needs some comportable clothes, so this is what i will look like tomorrow:

weekend trip by amandajames featuring Old Navy

yarn inspiration

2009-10-01T13:53:00.002+02:00

i am pretty sure you want to know what i did the last couple of days. (well, i hope you want to know.) i knit a scarf. and i finished it yesterday and with cutting of the threats today i completly finished it. and in time! i am visiting a friend of mine this weekend and i will met some other friends and this scarf is a present for one of them. believe it or not-he suggested a scarf for his birthday. albeit his birthday is in november i am unable to be there to celebrate and so i thought it'll be nice to give it to him now. though the weather is very freezing right now having autumn here.

but to make a long story short: a close up and a full view ;-)

edit: yes, i used the yarn you can see in the header.

pictures taken by me ;-)

test...i am back!!!!

2009-09-29T21:46:00.000+02:00

i just want to know if it works...
after struggeling with myself (most of the time) i just had a look at my dashboard and found the solution in upgrading blogger. hugh..what a relief. i can blog now again!!!

picture taken by myself ;-) while working on that terrace of my friends and catching some tan

help- technical issues!

2009-09-18T18:55:00.002+02:00

i really want to do a post today, but somehow i can't upload pictures to blogger. does anybody has some issues lately? can anybody help? it's horrible. boo hoo

in need of...

2009-09-18T12:37:00.010+02:00

...an apron. honestly, i don't have one and i never wanted one. because mostly aprons reminded me of something my granny used to wear and believe me, her aprons were never in style or fancy or something like that. but if you remember-i love baking and cooking, but baking i think is more satisfying. anyway, i got this habit to clean my hands on my clothes so, i really have to watch out for same clothes. cause i can't change every 10 minutes or so, can i? (i used a towel last time i baked!)well, i think it's time for aprons. i found out they are practical, i don't have to change and they are cute as hell. and not as boring as they used to be :-)

note: for some reasons i am not able to upload any pictures to this blog. so i thought i link to the sources ;-)

i know this is something i didn't do usually, but it's better than nothing, right? good, so here are some great apron-styles for you.

an apron who know whos the best in this baking business ;D

one you can use on both sides

one who says what we are being in the kitchen and cooking/baking all that stuff ;-)

a really nice one from a swedish brand with four pockets (always usefull)

and another from a swedish brand- more known for its design...ehem...

and one i like its design (dots!!!) very much but its a bit costy (well, for me being a student)

well thats from me for now. i am really, really sorry for not posting any pictures. i WILL figure things out.

autumn has arrived

2009-09-16T18:42:00.007+02:00

because i caught a cold.buhu. no wonder when the weather is up and down. so i was thinking what can i do to myself which is good?
and i came up with this: a good book or even a movie, well in this case a whole collection :-) turning on a candle and have a cup of tea wrapped in warm socks, a plaid and because my hands are freezing putting on some wristwarmers. hey, i still have to turn that pages :D

aunaturell

flyingbirdbotanicals

knit twits

so, what do you do when you feel a cold coming or just want to be by yourself. oh, i forgot, i put some music on(when i not watch a movie). but something soothing like adele

pictures linked to their sources

baking...

2009-09-13T13:40:00.008+02:00

...makes fun!!! and tasting is even better ;-) oh i wish i could have a slice of it right now. the smell is just divine. you can't imagine. even my mom, who dislikes cakes and baking, said it smells delicious.
well, i think i should do this more often. i know a lot of people who will happy be volunteer for sorting different tastes and cakes out.

and here is what i am talking about:

apple cake

lemon cake

almond cake

i hope my collegues will like them. but i am pretty confident. the liked the last one, they will like these :)

edit: not only did they liked them i hear comments like: "yummy", "delicious"," you are a baker!" and : "can i have the recipe?" which is always good :thihi:

pictures taken by myself ;-)

weekend

2009-09-11T18:10:00.005+02:00

i have to leave my beloved bookstore and in doing so, i thought i do dome baking for saying goodbye and thank you. i will not see all the people i am working with on my last day there, so i decided to bake a cake for those who will see me tomorrow.

preparations

first result

it's a first result because i will bake three more on sunday. different ones. they are all quite delicious ;-)

what you are up to this weekend? i hope you have a nice one!

pictures taken by myself

purchases

2009-09-10T18:43:00.005+02:00

as i told you yesterday, i bought some balls of wool to knit into something great. and here are some pictures of the different balls i bought. and i promise, i will show you into what great item i transformed them. (this one is pretty serious-i don't make promises-ever)

pictures taken by myself

watcha wearing wednesday

2009-09-09T21:59:00.004+02:00

i saw it on different blogs and start a try ;-) not sure if i will make it every wednesday...

knitting

2009-09-09T21:15:00.003+02:00

is one of my passions. but to be honest, i can't do it very well. i forgot way too much. but i try and it will go better and better. today i went to one of those stores where you can buy some balls of wool and other supplies. i like the texture of wool and to create something great with something so little.
talking of creating: i bought a book about knitting and making presents out of it. it's really cool. you can find it here.

sadly it's too dark to take some proper pictures, but tomorow i will post some pictures of what i bought.

what i did on my weekend

2009-09-08T14:05:00.005+02:00

was helping friends building a terrace. they did most of the work, even as it rained, but i entertained the kids (which is as helpful to them as helping them building that terrace).
and here are some inspirations:

see, they did a great job. i am pretty sure that terrace is finished when i'm with them the next time :lol:

pictures taken by me

longing for autumn

2009-09-02T20:10:00.002+02:00

is it bad to wish for autumn? i start to run out of outfit inspiration for summer though it's still on...

wish for autumn by amandajames featuring Miss Selfridge