Ivega Designs

Under Construction

2010-01-31T15:46:00.001+02:00

It’s time I give this blog a face-lift. For the next few days things will be moving around, some items will be removed, others will be added. I believe a thorough cleanup is in order to make the blog more on-topic and user-friendly. If you have any suggestions, I’ll be more than happy if you share them with me – I appreciate all feedback!

I am also in the process of launching a brand, so to speak. I have been working on several ideas so far and I believe more will be explored.

In the meantime, I hope you are all having a great weekend!

Finding Inspiration

2010-01-27T15:29:00.002+02:00

Well, it seems it’s been a long time since I last made a blog entry, so I decided to remedy the situation. Unfortunately, not only have I not had time, but I also lack inspiration. I have so many ideas floating in my head for bead jewelry, different small projects here and there, polymer clay projects… but, for some reason, I just haven’t felt like tackling any of them. I have bought materials, gathered ideas, drawn sketches, and still nothing. I guess I just need a jump-start!

Our holidays were great, we spent a lot of time with the family in the countryside, then went on a trip to the mountains. School has been doing great, I’ve had a large amount of projects to finish, but now I am only one final away from the finish line (for the semester, anyways). My job is still there, and I actually took an offer to teach a TOEFL class for 10 weeks. I have enjoyed several shows on TV, bought several books to read, and some with craft projects, and I think that finally, finally I see light in the tunnel.

As of right now, I am thinking of revamping the blog to give it a different feel. Not sure what exactly yet, but maybe a small change will do the trick. In addition, I am fully planning on crushing that fear of ruining the perfectly beautiful polymer clay block and trying my luck – if it doesn’t look good, then maybe something else will!

I have missed all of you, blog-friends. I have to admit I haven’t even been to my own blog in over two months, and I am eager to find out what you all have been up to – maybe even find the inspiration there, with you!

In the meantime, here’s some beautiful pictures that may hint what project I want to try next (in addition to all the projects I have already started and not finished). Hopefully!

And so, here’s to a new beginning!

[Click on images to go to source. Beautiful image of garland over headboard – courtesy of silverkeys.writes]

The Summer Months…

2009-09-13T15:27:00.002+03:00

… seem to be so busy for everyone in blogland! I myself have been swamped with work and have not really been able to make any blog posts for almost a month and a half, as is evident by the date of the last post.

My head has been swarmed with ideas of all kinds, from crafting projects to design concepts that I have put down in a sketch-book. I am hoping that in another two weeks I can start putting those concepts and ideas to work.

To recap what’s been happening to me in the last month and a half, I can say that I had a tooth pulled out, went on a nice little vacation to the seaside, determined my Etsy policies and completed a few items. One of which sold before it was up on Etsy, even!

Among some of the projects are the two birdhouses I’ve been working on. Each one is embellished with shells from the Black Sea and nautical hand-crafted clay ornaments. Both will be sold separately.

And the pair of wooden picture frames, painted white and embellished using the serviette technique. They sold for 50 Euro.

And, of course, some vacation photos:

Hope you’ve all enjoyed your summer months! I know I did.

Wallpaper Projects

2009-07-30T21:07:00.002+03:00

Do you get the Martha Stewart’s Organizing Tip of the Day? If so, you are probably familiar with today’s newsletter, but for those of you who don’t receive her daily e-mails, here’s what’s on the menu today: decorating with scraps of wallpaper you have left! I have to say I’d never thought of that, but good ol’ Martha is always full of fresh ideas:

Aren’t they just gorgeous? Head on over to MS's website to take a look at all of the lovely ideas posted there.

In the meantime, I’m working on the first few items that I will list for sale on Etsy very soon. I actually have the first four completed.

Hope you’re having a fabulous week!

[All images courtesy of marthastewart.com]

A Trip to the Mountains

2009-07-21T13:20:00.002+03:00

We had a great time this Saturday!

Last week I got to remembering the many endless summers I spent with my grandma and grandpa at their gorgeous little house high up in the mountains. But when Gran passed away in 1997, the house was left to my aunt, who doesn’t have time to take care of it, and so in 12 years no soul has gone there. Consequently, the yard is now so overgrown with grass and shrubbery that you can’t even see the house from the street.

I thought that maybe it would be a great little adventure if I and Mr. G&C took the train and hiked all the way up there to go visit – not that I would be able to enter, but I just wanted to ‘scratch’ my emotional itch.

So, we took off and got on the train at 7 a.m. for an hour-long ride. Needless to say, I had forgotten how gorgeous the place is:

View of the mountains as you get off the train

The river

It isn’t very clear from the picture above, but there’s a large monument at the top of the cliffs, dedicated to all who died in the September Uprising. Here’s a close-up as viewed from the bottom:

We decided to walk along the road up the mountain to the village, about 6 miles from the train station. Thankfully, it was still early in the morning and the sun wasn’t too hot, but by the time we hiked up there it had gotten very very ‘warm’. Took us about 2 hours, and a lot of panting, but the scenery was gorgeous:

And the very sweaty own selves!

Once we finally made it to the village, I was overwhelmed by an emotional wave. Familiar sights and places brought memories of my dear Gran and all the months we spent there, tending the vegetable garden all summer long. Then we walked to the house, and this is all you can see:

It’s so overgrown that even peeking through the gate I couldn’t see anything but greens. The house that I so miss was barred from my sight.

A very old house in the center of the village

We had lunch and headed back down. This time however, we took the hiking trail.

After about an hour and a half hike down, we came out on the top of the cliffs. Remember where the monument was? That’s the view as you’re looking down this time:

The town and the train station, looked from the top of the cliffs.

After another 2 hour hike down. we made it to the bottom again. We sat and had a late lunch at the restaurant near the waterfall and then headed to the train station. We were so tired by that time that I actually took a 45-minute nap while waiting for the train.

When we got home at 6 p.m. we spent a couple of hours relaxing and went to bed at 8. Yes, that’s right, at 8! I know I slept like a rock, but it felt so good. I am very happy we went, and we might do it again next Saturday.

Been So Long…

2009-07-20T19:39:00.001+03:00

I know, I’ve been a total slacker when it comes to keeping the blog updated lately! I can’t really say I’ve been swamped with projects and things to do, but work has the tendency to suck all juice out of me to the point where when I come home all I want to do is… nothing. Is this really bad of me?

In the past couple of weeks (and then some) I’ve only worked on a couple of things. On a good note, I have the rest of the week off of work!

I bought a cardboard sheet to use as backing for my serviette technique pictures, but I still need to go out with mom to buy some frames for them. I’ve also got a random ideas for napkin rings, which I will probably complete by the end of the week, so that will give me a chance to finally start that Etsy shop. In addition, I’ve got some cups and plates lined up that I can work on, and I’m buying some really neat boxes I found at the craft store that I will decorate and list there as well. In fact, something similar to the box I did for my mom:

And I had a neat little ‘thrifty’ find! While rummaging though my grandma’s closet I found this little beauty:

Isn’t she gorgeous? I have a couple of leaves in there that I am trying to grow, but imagine the teapot with a small bouquet of random little flowers! I think it could make the perfect provance center-piece!

In any case, now that I have a few days to myself, I can not fully indulge! I will keep you all updated!

A New Month – New Beginnings

2009-07-01T20:53:00.002+03:00

Today Bulgarians celebrate July Morning – a tradition that is traced back to the 70s and the hippy movement in America, and was regarded as a quiet protest against communism in the 8os (and gets its name from the famous Uriah Heep song July Morning). Enthusiasts travel to the Bulgarian sea-side to greet the morning sun on 1st of July – symbol of a new beginning.

That being said, I hope to see some new projects on a more personal level this month as well! Needless to say, I am very much behind on my June list, and I’m quite embarrassed about that. I guess I didn’t really take into account the fact I was going back to work full-time after my finals and how that would cut into my spare time – significantly, I have to say. And as much as I would have loved to have crossed all items off that list, I only managed to do a few… very few. Here’s a recap:

1. Go shopping for craft materials:

Spray paints – various colors (Not done, but at least I have a vague idea about what colors I want)
Wooden picture frame, plus some cheap plastic ones (On the to-do list this month)
Chicken-wire and some hooks (Not done)
Mother-of-pearl ornaments and shells (Some progress)
Twine (Not done)
Bamboo piece (Not done)
Decoupage paper and some napkins (Done)
Wooden jewelry ornaments (Done)
Wind chime kit (Done)
Felt of various thickness and colors (Not done)
Buttons (Not done)
Sea salt (fine) (Not done)
Glass bottles (Found some while cleaning the house)
Metal plaques (Done)
Tin wire of various thickness (Not done)

Such a sad, sad state of affairs. But the list continues!

2. Work on some hand-made jewelry. (Not done)

3. Figure out what to do with that tin can I salvaged (love being so vague, ha!) (Done – for now, the tin cans are perfect for storing my brushes)

4. Find some old glass jars and use them as hanging planters on the wall. (Partially – found the jars, haven’t used them yet)

5. Make the jewelry rack for mom. (Erm… not done)

6. Make a tag from the metal plaques. (Got the materials, still working on the creative part)

7. Make the chicken-wire ‘hanger’.(Not done)

GARDENING:

1. Repot the Dracena Marginata in a larger pot. (Not done, I think the plant is doing alright in the pot it’s in)

2. Move the cherry tomato plant in a bigger pot. (Not done – but I got a ripe tomato)

3. Move the Pelargoniums outside and prune them. (Not done – some serious space issues. For now they are out on the steps are not doing too shabby)

4. Buy potting mix and more planters to plant the rest of the small petunias. (Done)

5. Sow more basil. Also, check the lavender seeds and transfer into a pot. (Not done – I bought a lavender plant, and don’t need more basil)

6. Buy some petunias from the market and plant in pots at the bedroom window. (Done)

PERSONAL:

1. Stick to my diet at all costs! ‘Cheating’ only allowed on Saturday/Sunday. (Semi accomplished!)

2. Do some exercising. (Not accomplished – not in the least)

3. Find a good book to read. (Done)

Alright, after this boring wall of text, I am ready to proceed with the July list, which is not ready yet, but will make sure to post it once it’s ready. To shed some light, though, I am working on several projects, some personal, some not so. My mom has a set of cups she’s donating to my future Etsy shop, where I’ll be offering similar items. In addition, I’m working on decorating a small vintage stool she has, and I actually can’t wait to start on that. Right now I am working on decorating a cigar box she found, and that’s been a fun little project. The box is almost complete, so I’ll make sure to post the “after” pictures soon. Oh, and I scored some vintage chairs from my aunt (which she was getting ready to throw away), so I can only picture the yummy goodness these will be! Of course, in order to do that, I’m planning on taking two weeks off of work sometime at the end of July/beginning of August. Fun fun!

Are you guys getting the BHG newsletter? They have some beautiful flower arrangements and tips today. Check this out!

Beautiful, aren’t they? And the tips are so simple, and yet form the ‘core’ of flower arrangement. Head on over to check all the gorgeousness!

I would also like to say one big WELCOME to the couple new followers I have. You all make this so worthwhile!

[Click on image to go to source. Flower images from BHG.com]

So Happy To Be Blogging!

2009-06-25T20:44:00.001+03:00

Sweet, sweet Rose @ Victoria Rose Paper Craft has given me a second award, and has also made me feel so happy to be blogging!

I am so thrilled and excited to know that my blog makes someone out there smile. Because in essence, a blog is very ‘selfish’ – it’s all about me, me, and oh, me and what I did today! It warms my heart to know that this ‘selfish’ island in the Internet ocean makes a person (or many!) happy. And it reminds me why I started a blog in the first place – to trace my baby steps towards a more crafty self and to keep track of my every-day doings and gardening progress. Of course, the blog itself moves out of track from its original intent every once in a while, but that’s the beauty of it! So, thank you so much, dear Rose!

Passing it on to 6 other people that make me smile every day!

1. Kennesha @ Me & My House

2. Design it Chic

3. Melanie @ The Old White Cottage

4. Kate @ Centsational Girl

5. Tim @ A Writer's Haven (hubby’s blog, because the way he sometimes describes our lives makes me giggle)

6. Steph @ Painted Shed

Very difficult choice – every single one of your blogs brings a smile to my face. I love you all – you make this blog-thing meaningful!

What Was All This Noise About?!

2009-06-24T19:43:00.001+03:00

Do you remember the mystery project? Well, I think it is time for it to be revealed!

Beach-time Wind Chime is here!

I know it took me much longer than anticipated to finish this project, but I had some minor complications, namely the shells on the rim took waaay too long to dry once glued on. I had to do one shell at a time to allow the glue to dry before attempting to put the next one on. Overall, however, I had a blast while working on that one!

I am debating making the raffia bow a bit smaller, as I think it dominates the whole wind chime right now. What do you think?

Enjoy!

One Huge Thank-You & Other Little Notes

2009-06-21T22:32:00.001+03:00

I was overwhelmed by the comments you all left on the tea/coffee set for the junk party, and I just want to say a big thank you to all of you, and to Kennesha for hosting such a nice event! This has, by far, been the most fun event I have participated in Blogland, and it really made me feel like starting a blog is a great and rewarding experience. Once again, thank you!

I would have loved to reply to every single comment you guys left, but unfortunately some of the comments get e-mailed to me without an e-mail address. Some of you asked if I was planning on selling the set, and the answer is yes. I am planning on opening my Etsy store very soon, and I’m currently working on acquiring a nice stash of napkins to do custom orders. Of course, I’m not selling that particular one, because it was more of an exercise, but all sets would look similar to what you saw. So, stay tuned and I will make sure to let you know when the shop opens!

On the home front, my Echinacea is in full bloom and it looks so perfect!

Also, I am now the proud owner of a cute little Ageratum, fondly called Blue Puffy in Bulgaria.

In the background you can see the tiny Rosemary plant I started from seed. I have to say it’s developing very well, and I hope it continues to grow that way. In addition, I now have a baby lavender, too, for which I am extremely excited!

I’m also still working on the mystery project and I am hoping I can have some more time tomorrow to take detailed pictures and finally get it completed. In the meantime, here’s what happens when I’m not looking:

Poor little thing was so terrified when we took the picture. On top of it, I now have blue paw-prints on the carpet that I have no clue how to clean up. Fun, fun!

I hope you’ve all had a great weekend, and wishing you a great week!

A Junk Party!

2009-06-18T16:22:00.001+03:00

Yes, that’s right! Sweet Kennesha @ Me & My House is hosting a Junk Party!

Hop on over and pay her a visit! She’s got some lovely lovely transformations, and the ladies that have posted have some sweet ‘junk’!

Me? I’m going with my own little piece of junk which you’ve already read about, but since I was about to throw it out I think it qualifies, hah!

So, join us for a fun little party!

Mystery Sneak-Peek

2009-06-17T19:51:00.001+03:00

Things have been quite busy around here, and while I’m not as far in my ‘to-do’ list as I’d like to be, I’m slowly creeping forward and crossing things off.

I bought some lovely pink cascade petunias the other day, along with some planters, and planted them yesterday. Now they are happily sitting at my bedroom window creating a lovely patch of color on the otherwise boring facade. Some time this weekend I will find the time to do one more planter, but this time it will be the petunias I started from seed.

I can only hope my bedroom window starts looking something similar to this soon! Ha.

We went shopping last night but got to spend only 5 minutes in the store because they were closing, but I managed to pick a couple of things. And so, I give you a sneak-peek of what I am working on now, and I will hopefully have a tutorial posted in a couple of days!

Can you guess what it is?

Stay tuned!

Wish I Had One Of Those…

2009-06-15T17:34:00.001+03:00

One bad thing about living in an apartment (among many other bad things) is that there isn’t enough room to go crazy with decoration ideas and set up special rooms for hobbies, crafts, etc. I have seen pictures of craft rooms, in particular, that really draw my attention and make me really wish I had some space to make one of my own – especially with my stash of materials growing!

Oh well, I guess that’s something to aspire for – getting a house where I can have a room to call my own craft room! In the meantime, here’s some eye-candy:

You should really check the last link, there’s some gorgeous craft room photos there!

Here’s hoping!

[Click on images to go to sources]

Finally, the tea/coffee set!

2009-06-13T00:00:00.001+03:00

Well, it’s been a few days since I last posted and promised “before” and “after” pictures of the tea/coffee set! The set has been complete for almost a week now, but in my defense I now get home late in the afternoon when the lighting is bad and I didn’t want to post pictures where you couldn’t really tell the difference. That, and I’ve been dropping like dead as soon as I get home…

Here’s the “before” pictures:

As you can see this was a pretty boring and bland little milk glass set that we bought 10 years ago. In fact, I was tempted to throw it out a few weeks ago when I was going through the cupboard. Needless to say, I am glad I didn’t! Even though the set didn’t quite turn out like I would have liked it to, it gave me a nice base of experience.

Here’s the “after”:

Overall I think it turned out nice, but I need to work on the edges and a technique of folding the napkins so that they turn out even. However, the most important thing I learned – the motifs brown slightly after being baked in the oven. Believe it or not, I actually didn’t account for that. Here’s what a cup looked like before baking, and after.

It is difficult to see from the pictures, but the “after” product has a slight brownish tint to it. When I took them out of the oven the pieces looks so brown I was terrified, but once they cooled completely off and after three coats of varnish, things looked better.

This, if nothing else, was a lovely little learning experience! In fact, I’m really looking forward to “upgrading” something else that has been forgotten about for the past 10 years – and there’s plenty of that in my house!

Hope you have all had a great week so far!

Tea/Coffee Set Sneak Peak

2009-06-05T19:07:00.003+03:00

Remember me talking about the tea/coffee set transformation? Well, I went out and found some really cute napkins that I thought would do just fine. After spending a couple of hours working on it, here’s what I have so far:

This is one of the cups/plates before baking and before glazing. The cups are currently in the oven, as I had to make some finishing touches on the plates, and the glue is still wet.

What I found out is that it is incredibly difficult to measure the size of the napkin cutout against the size of the cups/plates, not only because they are very angular, but also because once the napkin is wet it stretches beyond my expectations. I’m not very happy with the way the edges of the plates turned out, but I guess I can file them slightly once done.

When the set is fully complete I’ll post before and after pictures.

Hope you’re all having a fabulous day!

Six Things I Love

2009-06-04T11:37:00.002+03:00

I was tagged by Design it Chic a few days ago, but with projects and one last final coming up, hadn’t had the time to play along. Today, however, I have plenty of it, so here comes the six things I love!

Rules of the game:

List six unimportant things that make you happy;
Mention and link to the person who tagged you;
Tag six of your favorite bloggers to play along , and comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

1. A cup of fresh home-made coffee early in the morning (paradox, since I don’t like getting up early on my days off – but I still love the whole combination!). This makes me really, really happy, knowing I have the whole day in front of me, and celebrating that fact with a delicious cup of coffee. Yum

2. Blooming flowers – no matter where, no matter when. Blooming flowers always make me so happy I can totally forget all my other thoughts.

3. Crafting – of all kinds, that is. I love being able to take aside a few hours of the day and fully indulge myself. There is nothing quite as spectacular to me as creating things.

4. Chocolate. ‘Nuff said!

5. The sea. I simply love going to the seaside – I adore the smell of the sea, the cry of the seagulls and the view of ships in the distance. I love to see the waves, and laugh at the ducks that swim above and the way they look. I imagine being a ~~pirate~~ sailor thousand of years ago…

6. A good book. Trivial, I know, but oh the way a good book can suck me in! I am capable of not leaving the bedroom when such a book finds its way to my hands. Utter bliss! Especially when combined with the previous five!

And here’s who’s tagged:

Kennesha @ Me & My House

Rose @ Victoria Rose Paper Craft

Karen @ Musings of a (mostly) Self-taught Knitter

Kim @ Heart In The Country

Melanie @ The Old White Cottage

Tim (hubby) @ A Writer's Haven

Now it’s your turn to share!

[Click on images to go to source]

June’s Projects

2009-06-01T16:50:00.004+03:00

Sweet Kim @ Heart In The Country had a great idea and posted a monthly ‘to-do’ list. I was so thrilled when I read her list that it inspired me to write one of my own – and maybe that would be an incentive enough to keep to it, ha! Plus, remember me talking about starting a crafter's journal? Well, what is a better place to do that than my blog?

So, here it is, the ‘June to-do list’:

CRAFTS:

1. Go shopping for craft materials:

Spray paints – various colors
Wooden picture frame, plus some cheap plastic ones
Chicken-wire and some hooks
Mother-of-pearl ornaments and shells
Twine
Bamboo piece
Decoupage paper and some napkins
Wooden jewelry ornaments
Wind chime kit
Felt of various thickness and colors
Buttons
Sea salt (fine)
Glass bottles
Metal plaques
Tin wire of various thickness

2. Work on some hand-made jewelry.

3. Figure out what to do with that tin can I salvaged (love being so vague, ha!)

4. Find some old glass jars and use them as hanging planters on the wall.

5. Make the jewelry rack for mom.

6. Make a tag from the metal plaques.

7. Make the chicken-wire ‘hanger’.

GARDENING:

1. Repot the Dracena Marginata in a larger pot.

2. Move the cherry tomato plant in a bigger pot.

3. Move the Pelargoniums outside and prune them.

4. Buy potting mix and more planters to plant the rest of the small petunias.

5. Sow more basil. Also, check the lavender seeds and transfer into a pot.

6. Buy some petunias from the market and plant in pots at the bedroom window.

PERSONAL:

1. Stick to my diet at all costs! ‘Cheating’ only allowed on Saturday/Sunday.

2. Do some exercising.

3. Find a good book to read.

I’m sure I will think of something else to add to the list so I will update it regularly. I so wish I can keep to it – I am excited about everything I want to do, and yet I find myself lacking the motivation sometimes. Hopefully, with the list being now ‘public’ I will feel obliged to follow my list and complete the projects I have set myself to work on.

Alright, now I’m going to work on that tea set!

[Click on images to go to sources]

A House for the Birds

2009-06-01T15:55:00.001+03:00

I’ve always wanted to have a birdhouse that I can put outside and have little birds come over to feed or live, but I have never had one. Sadly, I can’t find any birdhouses in Bulgaria, unless they are custom ordered. That’s why I decided to find some beautiful photos and post them here, and maybe one day I’ll get around to making one for myself.

It’s amazing how a single, so ‘trivial’ object can have so many designs! Each one of those birdhouses is distinctly different from the next, while still maintaining a relatively similar shape. I’m not even taking into account all the fancy birdhouses that are out there!

I would definitely love to make one, but I think that’s a project way beyond my capabilities. Maybe some day!

In the meantime, however, I pulled out an old tea/coffee set of boring milkglass that I am about to transform. I’ll post the results!

Hope you all have a fabulous Monday!

My Very First Blog Award!

2009-05-31T13:48:00.003+03:00

I am very excited to say that lovely Rose @ Victoria Rose Paper Craft awarded me with my very first blog award!

I am so happy I can’t express it in mere words, because I feel like I have accomplished something. I only started this blog in February and I am extremely glad that there are people out there in the world who find my random blurbs useful and interesting. I can only hope I continue to keep you all interested *wink wink*!

Now, as per the rules of nomination, there are several things that need to be done:

1). Add logo to your blog – done.

2). Link to the person you received the award from – done.

3). Nominate 7 or more of the lovely ladies whose blogs you love:

Here they come!

Kasey @ Lola B's

Karen @ Musings of a (mostly) self-taught knitter

Seleta @ Simply Seleta

Melanie @ The Old White Cottage

Kennesha @ Me & My House

Design It Chic

Centsational Girl

Kim @ Heart In The Country

4). Finally, leave comments on those blogs to let them know you have given them an award – done!

Now I go off to relax and maybe get some studying done today. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Ah that tin…

2009-05-28T11:38:00.001+03:00

I guess I am looking for some inspiration with all the photos I’ve posted lately. Yet, that being said, I have so many projects shaping in my mind that I find myself wanting to start a crafter’s journal just to keep them all organized. My real problem right now is that because of finals I took 3 weeks off of work and that really limits our income. Plus we’re having our AC fixed, so I really have to watch my spending and this puts all my crafty projects on hold.

In the meantime, however, I really have found some great inspirations and have added a ton of little things to my projects. I’m just waiting to go back to work so I can afford all the little things I so desperately want to get.

I haven’t decided what will be the first thing I make, but I have some vague idea – either a tin can planter/lantern or a jar lantern. Maybe. I hope. Who knows what will spike my interest next? Hah, I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

To keep the inspiration flowing our way, here’s some photos I found to support future projects. Enjoy!

So much color! Imagine the cans wrapped in deco paper, adorned using the serviette technique or decoupage, with added felt or buttons, or simple paint. I have so many ideas that I don’t know where to start!

For now, thought, I think I will go for a set of three different-looking cans to hang on the empty wall of my balcony. What do you think?

[Click on images to go to their sources]

Light

2009-05-26T12:09:00.002+03:00

Well, now that it’s been two eventless nights (other than paranoid), I want to share with you my love for lanterns. All kinds of lanterns!

Don’t you just love them? I really wish I could place some lanterns in my house, but I really can’t think of where to put them! Maybe on the balcony? What do you think?

Hope you have enjoyed the photos!

[Click on image to go to source]

My Knees Are Shakin’

2009-05-25T00:54:00.002+03:00

Three earthquakes in less than 4 hours in more than enough for me, thank you very much.

I was quietly sitting at my desk today at around 7:20 p.m. when all of a sudden everything started shaking around me. I looked at Tim, with my eyes (and his) as big as saucers, and felt my knees shake. Panic was written on both our faces, but because it lasted only about 5 seconds, we continued doing what we were doing. But 5 minutes later I about peed myself again. Another one, at which point I put my shoes on, grabbed my cell, and out the door we went… 6 stories down… in my nightie.

Now, it wouldn’t be so bad if we lived in a house. But when you live 6 stories off the ground, things change a little – none of that stand-under-the-door-frame mumbo-jumbo would work, because if the building decides to come down, you go with it. Damn scary, I tell ya! I couldn’t even walk down the stairs properly because my legs felt like they were not mine.

But, everybody seemed calm and we went back upstairs. I checked the news, the earthquake epicenter was about 100 miles south-west from Sofia at the Macedonian-Greek-Bulgarian border, with magnitude of about 5.0 on the Richter scale , so reason to panic (I send my prayers to those people who live near that area).

At 10:37 p.m., however, we go again! That one was short and not so strong, but oh my, my nerves had already flared up. Out the door we went again.

We haven’t felt anything since that last one (other than the fact I keep thinking everything is shaking). News reported it’s been over 100 micro-earthquakes since the first one we felt, and that there’s been seismic activity in the area since yesterday. Oh, and that we can expect this to continue for the next couple of weeks. Hello? Are you serious? I have a feeling I will die of heart-attack any time soon.

It’s time for me to go to bed, but oh my, how I am so afraid to do so. It’s all dark and creepy. But oh well, we have to sleep, don’t we? I seriously think it’s nothing to be afraid of, but my heart skips a beat when I even think about it, and leaps from my chest when the ‘quakes actually happens.

But to make this post a wee bit more cheerful, here’s a few photos to make me (and hopefully, you) feel better!

Here’s hoping for a tremorless night.

[Click on images for sources.]

Kitty Time

2009-05-23T00:58:00.001+03:00

Meet the Guard Cat, Hope.

She’s a 6 year-old mix that Tim bought for me for 10 buck from the pet store. I have to say, that was the best 10 bucks ever spent! She’s warmed my heart for almost 6 years now, and I hope she keeps doing that for many more to come.

She’s very easily frightened. If the doorbell rings, she’s off to hide in my closet for the next hour, looking all petrified. My grandma tells me funny stories (when we go on vacation, my Granny comes over to feed Hope), namely, she comes in, there is no cat to be seen, but there’s no food either! My grandma calls Hope the Ghost kitty.

She must have some black-furred ancestors, because she has black freckles on her nose, gums, butt (yes, that’s right), a couple of black whiskers, and maybe 10 black hairs total on her tummy.

She’s also a very playful kitty! She loves to hide under the couch and wait for someone (especially Tim) to go to the bathroom so she can attack your feet. Then she waits for you to make a funny face and goes to hide, waiting to attack again. She pats your legs gently, and runs off again. She also loves pens, coins, and one particular stuffed toy I received a few weeks ago.

When she’s cuddly she likes to get in your lap, drape herself over your arm and purr. Oh, and her nose drips! Yes, her nose gets all wet and starts dripping on your arm. She also likes to bury her head in your elbow.

Custom is when I snuggle in bed at night to read, Hope comes over and plops herself on my chest, purring. She doesn’t move until I go to turn the light off, at which point she re-positions herself on my feet.

She also has a fat tummy, as is evident by the above picture (that’s her back paw hidden under all that).

I love my kitty.

One Final Down The Road…

2009-05-20T22:23:00.001+03:00

… and I feel content! Accounting is over with, and I can’t be happier! See, it could be fun, if you get it, but I can’t say it’s my favorite subject. Now, next week is going to be the tough one, so much information to know that my head starts spinning just thinking about it.

Dessy and I decided to go to the University where we’re planning on taking our Landscape Architecture degrees. I called in advance, they told me they were open until 4:30 p.m. so after my final we hopped in her car and drove all the way out there. Except, we didn’t know there are 3 different universities all in one stretch, so we walked in the 2 wrong ones (thank you, old communist regime, for not putting any signs, anywhere) before we made it to ours… at 4:33 p.m. Well, suffice to say the Dean himself looked at us in such surprise and told us to come back the next day, because the secretaries had left a minute ago. What a waste of gas.

By now you’re probably wondering why we don’t just call instead of going in. Well, there’s an unwritten rule in Bulgaria that states that you get half-a**ed information over the phone, and only quarter-so when you go in person. I’ll take my chances.

On the plus side, we now know exactly where the University is, so next time we can walk straight in, with no side-trips.

And since I’m in such a scholarly mood, here’s some inspirational pictures. Enjoy!

[Images by book/daddy, Liam Quin, FreshHome, Renovation Design Group, oliveaux, Design Wonderland]

Back to blogland

2009-05-18T14:34:00.001+03:00

It’s been more than a week since I last posted, but I’ve had a hard time finding my blog mojo lately. I’ve had so many things to do this past week, and with finals knocking on my door it’s been a little too difficult to concentrate.

However, I worked on several projects this past week and have some other ones in my mind, so I decided it was high time I came back to blogland to share!

Sadly, I forgot to take “before” pictures of the box I got to hold all my craft materials, but here is is “after” the fact:

The box is made of wood and came ‘as-is’, meaning that it was what I call ‘raw’ – just the woodsy color, and that’s it. I decided to experiment, plus I wanted something different, so I got tubes of white and cream acrylic paint, some crackle and went to work. Originally I was going to paint the whole box in cream and only the face white, and that’s what we did (Timmy helped), but then I changed my mind. One coat of paint, then one coat of step 1 of the crackle medium, then a coat of contrasting paint and coat of step 2 of the crackle medium, and here’s the result:

I had no idea what it would look like, but it turned out alright! Now all I need to do is distress it and put a light coat of lacquer.

In the mean time, I also worked on some hand-made mother-of-pearl earrings. I even wore them once, and I have to say I am very happy with them. Since then I’ve had a ton of jewelry ideas!

On the plus side, my plants are finally getting full sun and have started to develop really well. My petunias are still tiny, but have a number of leaves, and I worry they won’t bloom any time soon, considering I see full-grown and blooming petunias at the flower stands all over town. I am actually planning on going to the farmer’s market some time this week to buy a few more planters and a few petunias and forget-me-not’s, because mine are not enough to do what I want. Something like that, maybe:

Speaking of which, I haven’t told you the most important news! I am planning on enrolling to another university next semester to get a bachelor in Landscaping! That will give me two bachelor degrees, and Landscaping combined with Business Administration will give me the opportunity to open my own company after I graduate. How nice would that be?! My friend Dessy wants to join me, so we’ll both be enrolling. That would give me a chance to work with my favorite plants. I am so excited, even just talking about it. I will make sure to keep you updated on our progress.

My Etsy shop is also in the works, but I can’t give a concrete date yet. But I will keep you posted.

I hope you all had a great week – I know I did!

[Image by AllPosters.com]

May Giveaway Winner!

2009-05-09T11:33:00.002+03:00

My friend, random.org had the final say!

The winner of the little hand-crafted wall decor is Heart in the country!

Dear, please e-mail me with your address!

Thank you ladies for participating!

Just a Few Hours Left!

2009-05-08T21:40:00.002+03:00

Posting a quick snippet to remind you that there’s only a few hours left ‘till the end of the giveaway! If you want to have a chance to win, head on over and leave a comment here!

Good luck!

New Garden Addition

2009-05-05T01:00:00.003+03:00

Walking through Farmer’s market the other day I came across a small treasure in a pot.

Source

Wonder what it is?

Echinacea. I had actually never thought of getting one before, but when I saw it the idea struck me and I wondered how I had never even though of having one. I had heard amazing stories about its healing and anti-cold properties, had taken it in the form of pills or syrup, but never plain. I did some googling and discovered that the leaves can be dried and used to make tea for when you’re feeling a bit under the weather or about to be hit by a cold or a flu.

And to think the thing was $1.7! Totally amazes me! Of course, poor plant was barely home and the guard cat decided to attack it, either thinking it’s so big and scary, or that it just smells so heavenly and inviting (the latter is more likely) and so, as a result, my plant’s leaves are chewed up and have teeth marks all over. Hence, no pictures of the actual plant I got. Thankfully, I managed to save it in time.

On a side note, I have some ideas swimming in my mind. One of them includes some blog sprucing, but I haven’t thought of anything specific yet. The other two need some more brewing still.

Don’t forget about the giveaway! Just leave a comment under the giveaway post (not this one)!

May Giveaway is Here!

2009-05-02T17:04:00.001+03:00

Well, here it is! My first giveaway, so I hope I do good.

I was supposed to post it yesterday, but I decided to do some last-minute finishing touches.

Without much ado, I present to you my very first decorative wall ornament!

If you want a chance to win all you need to do is leave a comment! If you want an additional entry you can post about it on your blog and link back to me, but make sure you leave a second comment.

The contest will be open until 11:59 p.m. (EST) on Friday, May 8th.

Good luck, everyone!

I Miss Good Ol' "Made in the US"

2009-04-30T22:34:00.004+03:00

Ahem, let me start over.

Do you remember our new bed? And do you remember the oopsie? Well, guess what...

Yes, we ordered a mattress - one that actually fits. It got delivered today. Sort of.

They were supposed to be here at 4 p.m. Five hours later it was finally in - I was particularly happy about that especially after having a day at work where I just wanted to strangle everyone, figuratively speaking.

Only, when the mattress gets here it turns out it's not a mattress. It's a box spring. Yes, that's right, your eyes are not deceiving you. A box spring. Technically, it's a box spring/mattress because it has padding on top but a wooden frame beneath. A wooden frame that's over 1/2" out of square and doesn't fit the bed frame at all. In times like this I let a mental curse out and really miss the good old American craftsmanship where things actually work and are built with attention to detail.

Good thing I have a hubby who grew up in the construction industry, knows what he's doing and has some serious muscle going on, because if it were up to me I'd be drowning in my own tears by now. After some extensive pushing and pulling, prodding and tweaking, and some scary screeching and cracking noises that our poor little bed frame made to let us know it didn't really appreciate all that attention, the thing is finally in. What a sigh of relief!

On the plus side I have 6 days off of work starting tomorrow so that will give me time to focus on my crafting and gardening. I am really looking forward to that!

Don't forget, I'll be posting about my giveaway tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Some Book Lovin’

2009-04-26T20:25:00.001+03:00

My friend Dessy recently loaned me her copy of The Historian to read since I left mine in a box in Melissa’s basement in Colorado. And because books here, for some odd reason, are overly-priced, I borrowed rather than buying. On the plus side, I’m being Green!

Because Dessy’s book is in mint condition (it looks like it hasn’t even been opened!) I decided I’d bind it to keep it that way. But I didn’t want a boring binding, so I was slightly creative and came up with this!

I made the binding from hand-made paper, and added an odd little mother-of-pearl detail at the top right corner, finished off with a cord.

I’m not sure I like the way the cord is tied and I am thinking of re-doing that one.

And to add some more book lovin’, Dessy gave me two ribbons she salvaged from a shirt and because I thought they were the perfect size I made me and her a couple of bookmarks! Nothing fancy – in fact, it’s even quirky!

Not the best color combination either, but I like the kitty ornaments.

The whole set of “Book Lovin’”!

In addition I am working on a little hand-crafted item I will be hosting a giveaway for, so stay tuned!

Hope you’re having a great day!

Such an Oopsie…

2009-04-23T19:08:00.001+03:00

Remember our new bed? Well, after all that excitement we discovered that we had made a huge mistake with certain measurements….

When we bought the bed, I went with my mother. She had just bought a new mattress a few weeks before, and so we decided it would be wise to just buy the bed frame and a topper and use her old mattress. I trusted she knew the measurements on her old one, since she had just ordered a new one, so we all went home merrily.

But yesterday the bed gets delivered, along with mom’s old mattress (which we had shipped to my grandma’s house for storage) and lo and behold – the mattress is 8 inches narrower and 5 inches shorter than the new bed!

We assembled everything and put the mattress and topper on, since we need to sleep somewhere, but now we’re looking at spending more money to get a brand new mattress that fits the bed. Thankfully, we only need a cheap-o one, since the topper is what makes the whole bed what it is (did I mention I love memory foam?

See, I’m not blaming my mom for not remembering, I think the whole thing is funny, and we should have measured before buying such a major thing, but oh well… Lesson learned.

On the plus side, this new bed is so much bigger than our old one, I feel like I’m swimming! Timmy liked it too, other than the fact he was sliding off the bed the whole night!

Of course, this new piece of furniture inspired me to do some constructive re-decorating in the bedroom. Here’s some inspirational photos I found. Hope you enjoy them!

Source

Source

The last picture is part of Laura Ashley’s collection. Have you heard of Laura Ashley? I adore her style! I wish I could decorate our whole new house with her design, but due to some hubby disagreement and pricing issues, that will not happen…

Here’s the official website.

Hope you all have a great day! More updates coming soon.

SITSas!

2009-04-21T22:40:00.003+03:00

I wouldn’t know what SITS stands for if it weren’t for Chris over at her blog, who is the reason I found out about that lovely community with an amazing goal.

So if you would like to find out more about SITS, head over to the website and join in the fun!

In the meantime I am enjoying a hot cup of white/mint tea as I am preparing to go to bed, early for a change. I had a tummy ache all last night and managed to fall asleep at 5 a.m. but had to get up at 8:30 a.m. so I really didn’t get to sleep that much. Besides, tomorrow we have a busy day!

Remember me telling you about the new bed? Well, it’s getting delivered tomorrow morning, and we need to take out the old one before that, so we’ll have an early morning. Fun, fun.

And so, since I am in a “tea mood”, let me share some tea photos I found to (hopefully) set you all for a nice relaxing evening! Enjoy.

Source

Hope you have a wonderful rest of the day!

Fabulous Friday!

2009-04-17T12:41:00.002+03:00

Lovely Seleta has been hosting a cute event every Friday in order to make people end their work week with something nice on their minds. This is the first time I participate, and I feel excited!

My fabulous thing? Easter.

Strangely enough, our Easter (Orthodox church) is this weekend, a week after pretty much the rest of the world’s Easter. The church follows a different calendar and so some holidays are a bit off.

But I am really looking forward to finishing work today, then coming home and relaxing, because tomorrow we get to paint eggs!

Source

The custom is to wake up before dawn and paint the eggs. The first egg has to be red and before it’s dry you dab some color on your forehead and cheeks (don’t ask why, because I don’t know!). Then we leave it out and name it for the house. The rest of the eggs you can do whatever you want to!

However, we don’t do much before midnight, when we go to the church. And when midnight comes, we celebrate Easter.

We have “egg fights” instead of egg hunts! We hold the eggs, pointed sides up, and smash the eggs together. Whoever’s egg stays whole is the winner.

But, the best part about Bulgarian Easter is the kozunak.

Source

Kozunak is a sweet bread with dried fruits and nuts, sometimes stuffed with jam. We only make it for Easter, but people crave it all-year-round.

This is my Fabulous Friday snippet!

I will make sure to take come pictures over the weekend and post them here.

Have a great day!

DIY: Dress a Box!

2009-04-15T23:43:00.003+03:00

It’s my aunt’s birthday today and I really wanted to get her a handmade gift, rather than something I bought from the store. And so, after an idea-seeking visit to the art store, here’s what I came up with. This can be used to store napkins, jewelry, or anything else you see fit.

All materials I used came in a set, but you can get your own materials and play with the box as much as you want.

What you need:

Box with a lid
Cloth (different kinds or just one)
Quilt batting (or a sheet of cotton, or anything that can provide light stuffing)
Double-stick tape
Cardboard to cut inner walls, bottom and lid parts
Cord
Glue
Scissors

How to make:

1. Cut cloth so that it would be able to warp the whole box (without lid), leaving about an inch on each side to fold.

2. Cut batting slightly smaller than sides of box and lid.

3. Put tape on each side of the box and the lid, and stick batting.

4. Next, put tape on the inside of the box (on the walls), keeping close to the top. Do the same to the sides of the lid.

5. Next comes the tricky part. Make sure the box is in the middle of the cloth and carefully fold it around the box, then stick excess to the tape on the inside of walls. A good practice is to do opposite sides first. You can use a pen to make the folded edges look better.

6. Do the same with the lid.

7. You now need two pieces of cardboard slightly smaller in size than bottom of box and inside of lid.

8. Put tape and cut cloth to fit, leaving about an inch on all sides.

9. Repeat step 5 with both pieces.

10. Now put some tape in the middle of the lid piece and stick it to the lid. Don’t stick the bottom piece yet.

11. Use cardboard to cut 4 pieces for the walls of the box. Make sure the pieces are smaller!

12. Now cut cloth (of a different color and pattern, or the same, depending on what style you want) to fit all 4 pieces and stick with tape like before. Put tape in middle as well, and stick to the walls.

13. Now you are ready to stick bottom piece to the bottom of the box.

14. Put glue on inside of the box, on top of the “dressed” walls.

Glue cord.

Now let dry and you have a newly dressed box to keep napkins in and serve dinner with style, or store your jewelry, or use for whatever you see fit!

I also have something else in the works, but more on that later.

Hope you had a great day!

Garden party goodies!

2009-04-10T08:46:00.002+03:00

Lola B is hosting a lovely little giveaway over at her blog, so head that way and sign up!

If you’re a new reader, then you can enter an additional pool of names for a $150-worth shopping at her Boutique – and trust me, her Boutique is gorgeous!

All three pictures taken from Lola B's Boutique.

Some Inspirational Photos

2009-04-08T22:52:00.002+03:00

I was browsing the good ol’ net and stumbled across the lovely photos that I find extremely inspirational. With our new house almost in the works, I’ve been looking at deco ideas and while Timmy and I don’t really agree on the painted wood I love, I’m sure we’ll find a compromise.

Enjoy!

All photos taken from here.

Strawberries!

2009-04-08T22:05:00.002+03:00

I finally received my order of five strawberry roots and was able to plant 3 of them yesterday, the other 2 I put in the fridge until I decide what I want to do with them. Apparently, those plants come from France in a frozen state, so poor little things are so pale due to the lack of light. The three I planted grew overnight even, and I made sure to place supports in the pot to aid the growth and weight of the plants (since they are cascade).

Because I didn’t take any pictures (how typical of me), here’s some red yummies for you!

Source

Can’t wait to have the first fruits! I’ll let you know if they are good.

Meme Monday

2009-04-06T19:11:00.002+03:00

Meme Monday is something new to me that I read over at Karen's blog and considered myself “tagged”. I’ve seen her post a few of those, and I always wanted to participate, but never found the time. Today I have some spare time on my hands, so here it goes!

1. Can you cook?

Yes, I believe I can, although it doesn’t happen very often anymore. But all meals I have cooked for Tim he says he loved.

2. What was your dream growing up?

I wanted to grow up and have a nice family, house and a dog.

3. What talent do you wish you had?

Above all, I wish I could play the cello and draw.

4. Favorite place?

Seaside. And home.

5. Favorite vegetable?

Artichoke! Unfortunately, I can’t find it here, so I am planning on asking Tim’s sister Melissa if she could mail me some seeds.

6. What was the last book you read?

I recently finished Philippa Gregory’s ‘The Boleyn Inheritance’ and loved it!

7. What zodiac sign are you?

Scorpio

8. Any Tattoos and/or Piercings?

My ears are both pierced (one of them twice), but I have no other piercings or tattoos.

9. Worst Habit?

Sleeping late, procrastinating, and cutting my fingernails too deep.

10. What is your favorite sport?

If you consider dancing a sport, then that would be my answer.

11. Is a glass of water half full or half empty?

Half full!

12. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me (after we called for help, of course)?

Start panting and crying, and more than likely pee myself – I always have to pee when I’m in the elevator.

13. Would you share an embarrassing moment with me?

I really don’t keep tags of those (maybe because I have so many!) and can hardly remember any of them. But, for example, I got drunk off of one glass of wine yesterday and started acting like a child on sugar rush in my mother’s car while slurring my speech. Both her and her friend had a blast.

14. Tell me one weird fact about you.

I am a fan of a symphonic epic metal band called Nightwish. You didn’t expect that of me, did ya?

15. Do you have any pets?

The guard-cat, Hope!

16. Can you read a book upside down?

Yes, but it would take me ages.

17. What time is it where you are now?

7:06 p.m.

18. Who was the scariest fairy-tale/children movie hero ever for you?

Baba Yaga.

19. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?

I’d make my feet look a little less like bear paws.

20. Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?

Uhh… I’d stick with your conscience.

21. What color eyes do you have?

Almost black.

22. Ever been arrested?

No.

23. A cop or a robber?

A cop (but an office rat, I don’t like all the action).

24. If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it?

Remodel the bedroom, buy a used car, and put the rest in the savings.

25. What kind of bubble gum do you prefer to chew?

I love fruity gum.

26. Favorite fast-food restaurant?

Wendy’s.

27. Do you believe in ghosts?

Yes, I do.

28. Favorite thing to do in your spare time?

Craft and care for my plants.

29. Do you swear a lot?

No, not really. I try to keep it civil.

30. Biggest pet peeve?

When people eat with their mouth open. And when they wouldn’t stop talking even when they see you are busy with something else.

31. In one word, how would you describe yourself?

Casual.

Gardening News

2009-04-06T17:54:00.002+03:00

Like I posted here a few days ago, my poor hydrangea was suffering from some serious disagreement with the temperatures outside. But once some necessary doctoring was done (including cutting all those beautiful blossoms and leaves), poor thing now looks to be in a better shape.

Now I just need to wait for the temperatures to go up, continue to water it, and soon enough I will have those gorgeous blossoms back.

I am so happy I managed to save it!

Moments of Life

2009-04-06T17:45:00.002+03:00

Like I promised, here’s some pictures from our gardening adventure yesterday.

This is my mom, digging a hole to plant her cherry tree.

And this is the clothes’ hamper we bought yesterday:

Isn’t it cute?

Timmy and I had homemade bruschettas today! SO yummy.

We have a really simple recipe for them.

Homemade Bruschetta

Ingredients:

Loaf of French bread

2 Tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

fresh/dried basil

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

How to make it:

Cut French bread into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Crush one clove of garlic and lightly rub the garlic on one side of the bread. Additionally, lightly coat the same side of the bread with olive oil using a brush.

In the pan: Place in pan to bake until the slices are golden-brown. This takes about 3-5 minutes per side at medium heat.

In the oven: Place slices on a baking sheet and bake/broil them for a few minutes. Make sure you pay close attention, because once they start to brown they are done, and they go from brown to black in seconds if you don’t pay attention.

Meanwhile, dice the tomatoes and squeeze them slightly while transferring to a different dish to get their juices flowing. Add olive oil, some minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and then add the basil. Stir and you are ready to go!

This is a very quick and easy basic bruschetta recipe. You can add different ingredients depending on taste and preferences. Hope you enjoy it!

And, as promised, here’s a picture of my new hair style:

Productive Day

2009-04-05T22:48:00.002+03:00

I had a lovely and productive day. Mother, me, my aunt, grandma and family friends went to Grandma’s villa to help her plant some cherry, peach and apple trees, and some flowers. We had a warm and sunny weather today, ate lunch on the lawn and spent almost the whole day basking in the sun. Then we had dinner and the biggest news of the day is: I bought a new bed! The set includes a bed frame, mattress and topper, and will be delivered in 15 days. That’s what it looks like in their catalogue:

I loved it for its simplicity and color. It can easily be combined with other furniture pieces to make a nice set if needed. And it will be perfect for us once we move into our house.

We also got a lovely little clothes hamper (black and white, woven). I’ll take a picture and post it here (hopefully on Monday, but we know how that works).

All in all, a lovely day!

Hope you all had a great weekend and I wish you an even better new week!

Gardening Woes

2009-04-03T20:49:00.002+03:00

It’s been almost a week since I last posted, but my life swirled around me and caught me in a hurricane I haven’t been able to get away from for a few days. Been so swamped with things I couldn’t even think of anything inspirational to even blog about.

But, some gardening troubles can quickly get me back in mode!

So, here’s the bad news. My grandma gave mom a beautiful hydrangea for her birthday, and so I was promoted to be the sole tender after mom put it out on the balcony because the weather has just been so gorgeous. Well, the plant didn’t think it was that gorgeous… I came home to a withered hydrangea last night, all the beautiful blossoms looking like someone dragged them 5 miles from the back of a car… I can’t tell you how much it pained my heart, especially since I love those plants. I didn’t get to take pictures of the poor creature, but here’s what it looks like after some necessary doctoring…

But, it’s not all that bad. I believe she (yes, I think it’s a girl, and yes, I am that badly involved) will get better now that I cut all withered parts and gave her some fresh water.

On the plus side, do you remember the liliums? This is what they look like now!

They took a while to start growing, but once they did, they’ve been like mushrooms.

I also spent some time repotting my basil, rosemary and petunias. They have grown significantly in the past day and a half.

And another update! I don’t know if you have ever used it, but it’s a program that came with my MS Office package, and it’s called OneNote. I love that program! You can create your virtual notebook with as many separators, tabs and folders as you like. You don’t have to save it, you can add colors and borders to it, you can write anywhere you see fit, and they give you templates for all kinds of theme notes in case you don’t want to have a custom one.

So, if you remember, I talked about creating a Gardener’s Journal, and guess where I did that… yes, my Journal is virtual, paperless, totally GREEN Gardener’s journal. I can add pictures and notes to my heart’s content!

In addition, I found an awesome lady’s blog that truly inspires me - Simply Seleta.

Oh, and I got a new hairstyle I will show you tomorrow.

Have a peaceful afternoon, everyone!

Did you Take Action?

2009-03-29T18:39:00.003+03:00

Vote Earth! Switch Off Your Lights For Earth Hour by Shepard Fairey, originally uploaded by Earth Hour Global.

I know this was yesterday, but did you participate? I did, even though I wasn't home, but all the lights were out at home and in the hotel room, and I felt like I was doing something significant. We didn't have any candles, but the feeling was amazing.

In any case, I believe we should all take little steps toward helping our Earth stay alive every day. Things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator (unless you live in a skyscraper, of course), or using public transport when you can, switching your lights off every evening and recycling are little things we can all try to do in our day-to-day life.

So, did you participate? Share your stories!

Weekend Pictures

2009-03-29T18:29:00.002+03:00

Like I posted below, we had a great weekend. Here’s some pictures!

View of the mountain.

That's me walking down the street with the mountain in the background.

Timmy at the restaurant.

Some interior pictures.

An old monastery.

Timmy and me.

Some of the tiny streets in town.

Clouds rolling in over the mountain (ignore the trash cans, please!)

Dinner! (More like a feast, eh?)

And that was our weekend – now I am refreshed and have the strength to face the challenges of the new week.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Back Home!

2009-03-29T15:35:00.002+03:00

We left on Friday afternoon and spent a few hours at an opening of my mother’s new store in the chain. Afterwards, we headed to the ski resort town of Bansko, where we spent a lovely day and a half and slept in a nice four-star hotel. We went for a long walk, had lamb with mint, and I bought a book… I will post pictures in a few hours.

All in all, I had a great time this weekend. I hope you all did, too!

DIY: Decopatch/Decoupage Tutorial

2009-03-22T16:11:00.022+02:00

I finally had some spare time to do this project and take some pictures to put a tutorial together. Between this and the serviette technique, I'd have to pick this one as my favorite, even though it's more time consuming. While they both look effective, decopatch gives you a lot more options in terms of motifs and places you can apply it to. So, here it goes!

Decopatch is an effective technique you can apply to almost any flat surface, including wood, glass, plastic, porcelain.

What you need:

Decopatch paper
Decopatch glue and lacquer. I used Marabu's products

Craft knife

Scissors

Soft, flat-tipped brush

A bowl with water

Paper towels

The object you want decorated (I used the wooden box where I keep my plant seeds)

Here, too, you can apply special varnish if you want to change the color of the object you are decorating to better match the motif. I left the box as it is, though.

1. Using the craft knife, carefully cut out the desired motif/s.

2. Dip motif in the water for a few seconds.

3. Pat dry using paper towels.

4. Using brush, apply glue to the back of the motif.

5. Now place motif on the object and carefully smooth it out with your fingers.

6. Apply glue to the face of the motif.

7. Repeat if you have more motifs you are placing. Allow to dry.

8. Once glue is dry, apply laquer. When first coat of laquer is dry, apply one more.

NOTES:

You should apply 2 to 4 coats of laquer, allowing each coat to dry before applying the next one.
I will post pictures of the box once I've applied 2 coats of the lacquer.

Hope you have enjoyed the tutorial!

DIY: Serviette Technique Tutorial

2009-03-19T01:07:00.010+02:00

Here's the serviette technique tutorial, quick and easy! Hope you enjoy it.

What you need:

Napkin with the motif you have chosen

Scissors

Object you want the motif placed on - porecain, ceramic, glass, cloth, paper, etc.

Medium. Bear in mind regular glue will not work. For this I used Marabu GmbH & Co.'s porcelain medium.

Soft, flat-tipped brush (painting brushes work best).

1. Make sure the object you are decorating is free of dust and grease.

2. Carefully cut out the motif you want to use.

3. Remove the uppermost printed layer (you want to use that one) and discard the others.

4. Place motif on the object you want decorated and using the brush gently apply medium over the motif, making sure you start from center and work your way to the edges.

5. Let it dry for at least 4 hours.

6. Place in preheated oven (170C, 338F) and bake for about 30 minutes.

7. Once the object is cooled, apply lacquer (Marabu offers a wide range of lacquers) and let dry.

Quick and easy!

Here's what I have right now (before baking):

After applying lacquer:

NOTES:

When working on anything but glass, Marabu (or any other company that has products for the serviette technique) offers varnishes in a wide range of colors that you should apply before glueing the motif. Make sure the varnish is dry before continuing with the motif. A good practice is to choose color close to the color of the motif.

When looking for motifs don't limit yourselves to napkins only. You can use almost anything - from newspaper cutouts, through thin gift paper, to leaves and flowers.

New Projects

2009-03-19T00:40:00.010+02:00

Like I promised yesterday, it's time I give some detailed information about the two projects I am working (and experimenting) on. I am very excited about them, but with free time being so short I am not sure when I'll be able to fully dedicate and finish what I have started.

1. Serviette technique - involves placing a motif on glass, porcelain, ceramic, clay, paper, cloth, etc. It's very easy and extremely satisfying. Using this technique can help you decorate almost anything you think needs some color without requiring you to be able to draw whatsoever. Effortless as it is it can definitely become anyone's hobby!

Decopatch - somewhat similar to the serviette, but this one involves using different glues and finishers, and a slightly different technique. I haven't tried that one yet, but I am buying some materials tomorrow and will post a tutorial. The project I have in mind is decorating the kitchen cabinets and some of the doors in the house.

Here's the things you can do using these techniques:

2. Button-covered satin bracer/bracelet - that one is a bit different. It requires about 20 buttons, satin bow, lace and some patience. Other than that, you can be as creative as you want when working on that one.

Once I have some more time this weekend to work on it I will take pictures and post a tutorial. I only have 3 buttons done so far (dressed in lace):

I hope the bracer/bracelet turns out alright. I found some cute gems I can put on any future ones I make. So excited!

Updates

2009-03-17T23:54:00.003+02:00

Haven't posted in a few days, and so I believe it was high time I dropped a line!

It's been extremely busy the last few days with spring cleaning, school projects and work. The fact it's been really gloomy and soggy out doesn't help me feel any better about myself - I am the kind of person who likes the warm touch of the sun in the mornings, and that can get me going all day long. At the very least there are birds singing during the day now, and that makes it all so much better.

I am craving for springtime to get here and transform us all from grumpy winter creatures into happy and cheerful individuals. Life is so much better when the people around smile rather than growl at you (only figuratively speaking, thankfully).

I have started a new project I will post about soon (including pictures) and have been musing about another one I am very eager to try, but more details on that one later. Reading all the lovely blogs I have been reading and following lately has given me a ton of new ideas, some brand new, some wide variations of what I have seen. It's just that there isn't enough time to fully dedicate to that passion!

The garden is doing great, and as the days start getting longer, I am hoping the plants will start growing as well. Here's a short recap of all the "green" updates!

Received the order of two Gloxinia bulbs and planted them;
Planted chili peppers!
Became the owner of a brand new pair of pruning scissors;
Lilacs are growing leaves;
Liliums continue to grow;
My seedlings continue to multiply.

Other than that I have 3 different school projects I am working on and am finding that juggling that many is slowly drawing me to the verge of my sanity.

But above all, I am so proud of finally managing to clean one of the balconies from all the trash that was stacked there.

More tomorrow!

New blog on the block!

2009-03-11T23:48:00.005+02:00

After spending a couple of weeks trying to convince Tim to create a more professional blog, rather than using the one integrated into MySpace, my quest was finally completed! Here is a link - click me!

Tim has finally been able to work on his lifetime dream - becoming a professional writer. In his blog he will be keeping tabs on his works in progress, future and past projects, as well as rambling (in the good sense of the word!) about the trivial things that happen in our every-day life.

Cheers!

How to plant Liliums

2009-03-11T23:10:00.011+02:00

We got a cute set from my mother - a pot, potting tablets, and 3 Lilium bulbs. So when I found some spare time today I decided it was time for them to be planted.

This was my first time working with tablets, so that was learning experience. I have to say it looked a bit creepy - the way the soil grew from a smashed tablet to actual soil filling up half of the pot in a matter of seconds.

This is the tablet.

Place tablet in the pot.

Add 200ml water - 6.8oz.

And pour it in the pot...

In about 10-20 seconds, the little itsy-bitsy tablet turns into soil that is enough to fill half of that pot!

The rest, I am afraid, I wasn't able to photograph, but it is really easy and quick to do. The important thing to remember is that because these bulbs will be grown inside and because of the fact these will be somewhat forced, the bulbs need to be potted shallow, with the nose of the bulb slightly sticking out.

Some people, when planting the bulbs earlier in the year, put them in a pot and place the pot itself in a cool, dark place, while continuing to water it (but not too much, or the bulbs will rot). Once foliage appears, they place the pot in a warm place, preferably in full sun. This helps bulbs "think" that the snow is gone and it is time for them to grow.

If you're planting bulbs in the garden, they need to be put in the soil in Fall. Make sure to place them deeper in the ground - about twice the length of the bulb itself, and cover nicely.

And so, here is the final product! My bulbs happened to already have foliage growing while they were still in the bag!

Green Week, Days 4, 5, 6...

2009-03-07T19:43:00.007+02:00

Well, I slacked the past couple of days and didn't post any pictures for the Green Week, so here they are today!

(A jewelery box from India)

(An art piece)

(Detail from a candleholder)

Also, I started working on a project I'm eager to finish, even though the weather has warmed up significantly and more than likely I won't be needing a cowl in the near future. But I consider that project more of a learning experience more than anything else, and I have to say I am really enjoying it so far.

My lilac shrubs already have leaves growing, and I am so excited. All in all, it has been a great week so far! Will keep you updated.

Cheese Grater Candle Holder

2009-03-04T23:07:00.006+02:00

Ever wondered what to do with your old and rusty cheese grater you received from your grandmother? Well, too much free time on one's hands, and look what crazy ideas are born!

Yes, that is right - I used mine as a candle holder! It's surprising to see the way light comes out of the small or big holes of the grater, together creating a lovely picture of light and shadow on the wall. So now the old cheese grater with such a long history can be used again, and whether you put it on a wooden table or a slate counter top, it looks good both ways.

TIP: Use an old ashtray or a wooden block to get a bottom.

WARNING! Do not touch with bare hands immediately after extinguishing the flame - the grater is hot (own experience!).

Green Week, Day 3

2009-03-04T22:17:00.004+02:00

Here is a picture of a green pouch to contribute to the green week. This pouch is filled with seeds - corn, bean, wheat, etc. It symbolizes the power of nature and reminds us of the greatest miracle - that of creation, spring has to give us. Don't know about you, but looking at that pouch makes me feel extremely insignificant in the great circle of things - in a good way!

Button Brooches!

2009-03-03T17:46:00.006+02:00

After reading artsy-crafty babe's button flower tutorial I thought I could give it a try. I must say that I had a blast, both picking out the buttons I was going to use, and then making the little flowers, which then I turned into brooches.

The first one I made was the pink flower with the black center, and I used liquid super glue to glue the buttons together, but I quickly regretted doing that - the glue went all over the place, a small drop of it became a huge blob on the surface.

Naturally, I equipped myself with a gel-like glue for the other two, and that worked much better. Later I also glued them from the back to ensure the bond was there.

I have to say, I love those. As my first attempt these are not very refined, and I need to find a way to put the center buttons in the center of the flower, instead of it being slightly crooked, but the ones I saw on the tutorial are incredibly cute, and I only hope I can reach that level of perfection.

For now, though, I need to grab the vacuum and go clean the house, which is desperately screaming at me. Then, I proceed with my knitting.

Stay safe!

Having a Productive Day

2009-03-03T17:25:00.010+02:00

Tim and I went shopping and came back with full bags - I got my so desired 2 Lilac shrubs, 2 pairs of gardening gloves and gardening tools! What is better than that?!

I can't wait to plant the Lilacs. The package says that roots need to be submerged in water for 24 hours before planting, then the stem needs to be trimmed to about 7 inches, and then the Lilacs can be planted. Since they are wrapped nicely, I can wait a couple more days to go and get a few bags of soil (didn't feel like lugging them all the way from the store today).

Tim then proceeded to make his super-secret recipe for home made tortilla shells (since there is no such thing in Bulgaria, and we really miss burritos) and we had the yummiest lunch we've had in a long time. Of course, our guard-cat Hope couldn't resist begging for food, like she always does! Enter Hope...

The oh-so-sleepy-and-lazy kitty had fun sitting on the windowsill, watching people go about their daily business in this gloomy March day. Oh well.

Green Week, Day 2

2009-03-03T16:06:00.003+02:00

After a productive day shopping (more on that later!) I got materials for Green Week, Day 2 - my new gardening gloves I am so proud of!

Up until now I have used bare hands when working on my plants, but because these looked so cute, were only $1 and have flowers on them, I got 2 pairs! I am so happy!

Additionally, Emily at Shining Egg created a Flickr Green Week Pool for all participants to upload their pictures. Just look at all that green yummy goodness!

Green Week, Day 1

2009-03-03T15:48:00.004+02:00

To start this month off and give us all the ability to feel the spirit of spring, Emily at Shining Egg is hosting a Green week, and so I decided to participate. I really loved the Yellow week the ladies had, and now this is a chance for me to join in! Technically, this is Day 2, but since the camera was charging yesterday, I'll post Day 1 and 2 in two separate threads today.

Here's one of my Pelargonum plants. I love the smell of its leaves and the amazing shade of green they have this time of the year. It's like a small patch of nature springing in the living room, and it so adds color and atmosphere in the room. I love it!

Grandma Martha is Here And She Brings Gifts!

2009-03-02T18:12:00.006+02:00

I am a day late to wish you all a happy Baba Marta (Grandma Martha) and hand you out virtual Martenitsi!

As much as she is a moody woman, she also brings gifts this year! Tim and I went and finally bought the elliptical we have been dreaming of for the past couple of months. Joy! But to make it even better, today I became the owner of a brand new camera! So I will finally be able to put tutorial pictures up and whatnot (once it's done charging).

My dad gave me a great idea today and I already got it in my head to go tomorrow and get a small Lilac shrub. I already got the perfect pot for it, but I doubt it will bloom this year, since I will get a baby plant. However, I think the balcony is a perfect place for it, and since it stands cold weather I don't have to worry about bringing it inside in winter. By the time it starts getting big, our house will be built and I'll be able to plant it in the garden.

I also need to figure out what to do with my little Gaultheria. Think I will need to repot it and put it outside for the summer. I haven't been able to find much information on it, so that's part of my project for the week.

(Image taken from here. )

I haven't been making great progress on my Martenitsi project, but we've had a bunch of family activities this weekend. I still have 2 more days before I have to hand them out, and Tim wants to help me, so that should be more than doable.

On the other hand, I was able to finish trimming the stalks of the Pelargonium plants, so that's one project completed. Now they are ready to invest all their energy into new leaves and blossoms!

Bulb Care

2009-02-28T16:19:00.005+02:00

It is that time.

I got some beautiful early blooming tulips from my mom this year. Naturally, their blossoms died and the stalks turned dry and brown, and it was time to take the bulbs out to store them. Of course, some people prefer to leave the bulbs in the soil, but I prefer taking them out, wrapping them in paper and storing them in a cool room until it's time for them to be planted again. So I took them out and I am going to leave them out for a couple more days to dry and then proceed to put them away for the summer.

I also have 4 Hyacinths, but their stalks and leaves are still bright green, so it will be some time before I can take the bulbs out.

Tomorrow will be a busy day - I need to trim the stalks of 15 pots of Pelargonium zonale to give them a fresh start for the season. Friends and family have already called dibs on the cut-outs, but I plan to keep some for myself too. These plants are so beautiful that I want to have more of them. And, they are dear to me - my grandmother, who died 12 years ago, started them and looked after them for years, so essentially, those plants are 32 years old!

Along with that, I need to find time to make more Martenitsi! Oh dear!

Martenitsi!

2009-02-27T23:08:00.011+02:00

Their time of the year is quickly drawing near!

In Bulgaria, 1st of March is a holiday. We give each other little bracelets or brooches weaved from red and white thread, called Martenitsi. This is the most unique Bulgarian tradition and represents health, fertility and spring. The story and the legend are quite interesting, though really different. A more contemporary information is found on Wikipedia.

Naturally, this presents a great opportunity for those who like to create things! I decided to give out hand-made Martenitsi to my family and friends this year, so I spent a few hours working on my first set, like the ones above. The good news is that I am going to look for a camera tomorrow, so I may be able to post a step-by-step tutorial on making these little guys.

I'm also adding a "My Projects" tab to keep track of them. Oh my, looking at the list I have compiled, I'll be slaving away tomorrow and the day after!

(Image taken from here.)

First knitting attempts!

2009-02-25T18:59:00.004+02:00

Alright, so I decided to give knitting another go.

Back when I was a kid my grandma and I would sit around the garden for hours on end knitting - she used to make the greatest socks in the world, and I'd make dresses for my dolls. Because I was little she always used to cast my stitches on and I'd begin knitting (what I found out today is called the knit stitch).

So to my surprise I actually remembered how to do the knit stitch - so far so good. Thanks to the awesome tutorials at KnittingHelp I was able to successfully do the long-tail cast-on and knit a couple of experimental rows!

I am thinking of maybe trying to knit something I can use (something easy, of course) and hopefully get the hang of it. And maybe soon enough I will jump to the next level.

So, here's hopin'!

Some work done

2009-02-24T21:44:00.004+02:00

After I spent a few hours working on the general overview of the blog, the thing looks like something. I added some more additional information, made a banner, changed layout and colors, added some links and a picture (omg!). Unfortunately, more original photos will be available only after I get my hands on a new camera.

On the plus side, while I was rummaging through my old pictures I found one I took in Paris at the end of October 2008. It amazed me the flower was still blooming (along with the hundreds more in the garden) - imagine the kind of care they had!

Enjoy!

Lavender

2009-02-24T11:46:00.001+02:00

I planted my lavender seeds directly in the soil, but I read there was a different way to make them grow - through stratification.

Stratification helps seeds "think" that winter is gone and it's now spring - time to grow! For this methodseeds require to be soaked in water and put in the fridge for few days to several weeks, depending on the seeds.

It's been almost 3 weeks since I planted mine and I see a couple of sprouts, but I'm not certain that's the actual plant or some random weeds, so I'll wait and see... If nothing happens, I'll try through stratification and see what I get.

Gardening - first attempts of the year!

2009-02-24T09:27:00.003+02:00

I believe I started my seeds way too early in the year!

I planted rosemary, lavender, mint, basil, 3 kinds of petunias (grandiflora, hybrida, cascade), and portulaca grandiflora... most of them have already turned into seedlings, yet there is fresh snow on the ground outside.

I planted them in the beginning of February, couldn't wait any longer! Yet, most of them should be planted sometime in March, so I am a month or so early and I am hoping I can keep them growing inside in separate pots until it's time to plant them permanently and move them to the balcony.

I have an idea I have been swirling around regarding the lavender, but more on that later!

Stay safe!

Campaigns

2009-02-24T09:20:00.001+02:00

Maybe you have noticed the links posted on the left-hand side of the page.

Please, if you are willing, take the time to read up on some of those campaigns and give each one a click every day. They say a click helps, and in my heart I hope that is true.

The world will keep getting darker and darker until people decide to do something together!

Welcome!

2009-02-24T09:15:00.002+02:00

Hi all and welcome to my little space on the Internet!

This blog is mostly dedicated to my home gardening experience and the newly discovered passion of mine for making things and decorating, and since I am still new at this whole blogging fiasco, I'll be taking my sweet time to start this up =).

Additionally, our camera is toast, so unfortunately I will not be posting any pictures until I get a new one.

Here's for a brand new blog!