Monday Love: Roses in Mai

A rose is a rose is a rose ...
Have a big bush of roses in my front garden - they are so beautiful! This little stillifes features some of the good things in summer - flowers, fruit, easy living ... Hope your week gets of to a lovely start!

Painting: Martina Voigt-Schmid

Friday Pretties: Paris fashion










What makes french women special?
Are they really special in the way they look and dress, or is it more the myth of Paris, being the City of love, lights, fashion, art and style, we project on to them? Looking at a lot of pictures - from my own memory and experience, and from magazines and blogs i'd say, french women are very feminin - and they enjoy to be so, even if they look "gamine", like the girl in the first picture here. (I just got me a leopard blouse like that, ha!)

They know how to combine elegance with playfulness and a sexy nonchalnace. I've always enjoyed seeing the women in Paris, women of all ages, being dressed up in such an inspiring way. Putting together an outfit, like a work of art - which in some ways, it really is.  So, wether in Paris or not, let's not forget that dressing up nicely -  and a little daring  - makes life, street life anyway, more interesting and beautiful - not just for ourselves, but also for others. (A good excuse to schedule a little shopping soon, huh?).

All the pictures i show you here are taken by incredibly talented street fashion photographer Vanessa Jackmann. Her blog is so full of beautiful women it drives me crazy ;) You can read an interview with her here.

More fantastic Paris inspiration for your weekend at the linkup party, hosted by my friend Anita from Castles Crowns and Cottages here.
More Friday Pretties at Joyces, here.

Monday Love: Yellow and blue





How about lunch on the beach?
Would love to invite you today - to this lovely setting with vintage chairs, selfmade-cushions and stunning fresh flowers, all set up to celebrate life (discoverd on style me pretty., a blog i love to visit although i'm not planning on getting married again ;))). 

Are we entitled to celebrate a little bit today? No matter what else is on schedule, we really should. I've brought a little salad, french bread and a nice cool bottle of Prosecco for us. Here's chin chin to all of you lovelies - and to a fantastic week of spring for all of us!

Am so grateful for all the pretties i see in blogland every day. Have a look at more photos from the amazing team listed below:
Photography: Limelight Photography / Dessert Table Concept and Design: Chic Sweets / Tablescape Concept and Design, Model: MMD Events/   Printed goods, Signage and Custom Blooming Pillows: Two Yellow Shoes

Friday Pretties: strawberry trifle



Red and sweet
Are strawberries ripe yet in your part of the world? This is a yummy dessert we tried for the magazine a little while ago, and i tell you - it's worth making! Somehow, i have a fable for casual, improvised meals and for english teatime baking and desserts.  I love a good teatime from time to time, and secretly dream of having a butler, who serves it up in style for us, complete with a white table cloth, a wildflower bouqet, scones, cream, and evrything else. Even if was just like - once a week ;)

For this version, we used layers of crumbled cake, soaked with orange juice and brandy, cut strawberries and cream, whipped with a little sugar and vanilla extract. It looks pretty when you put it in individual jars, and decorate with berries and a bit of flaky chocolate. Try it, to add a delicious note to your weekend!

Photos: Martina Voigt-Schmid
More Friday Pretties here! 



Monday Love: Into the blue



A blue monday ...
is a free monday, and i'm having one of these today. Am feeling rather out of it - headache, stomach ache, backpains - all good reasons to do nothing but read, sketch and occassionally have a cuppa and a little mouthful! I hope this plan works out today!

These two blue paintings are a from a series i did with my artist friend Andrea König.
In this case, she lay a cobweb of tiny silver dots over the paintings. The structure looks different in the changing light and sometimes gives the impression of movement - quite fascinating!

 I always like to work in layers, one partly veiling the others. It takes trust, to let someone else do part of the work for you, when your art is concerned - surprises guaranteed!

Friday Pretties: Birthday-cowboy


Saddle up and ride your pony!

If someone in our family has birthday, i do a special painting as a decoration. It's a tradition we started, when the kids were really small. We had all kinds of animals, comic-creatures and super-heroes already. Now big boy is riding out on his own trips, and, since mama has the cowboy-feeling on her mind i dedicated this theme to him this year. I'm dreaming of painting a big canvas with horses and all, maybe soon! Hope your weekend will be filled with sunshine, love and fun. See you soon lovelies!

There never was a horse that couldn't be rode;
Never was a cowboy who couldn't be throwed.

Painting: Martina Voigt-Schmid
More Friday Pretties here! 

Monday Love: Let love show!



Mums the best!
And why not show it by wearing one of these super posh ribbon medaillons on your shirt today?
The best thing about them is - YOU can make them. Either for yourself, or for your mum or for your best friend. Found this gorgeous DIY on the pages of style me pretty.  Hop over there to see the tutorial -
and make this monday special!

Design: Posh Paperie, Photos: Jackie Wonders

Friday Pretties: Pink and yellow





Shoes and Flowers
Two of my favorite items in one painting - 3 paintings that form a whole. Some of you might know these paintings - i think i have shown them last year already, but somehow, these colors and the spirit of that work are exactly what i feel today, a combination that makes me happy, like a dance or a piece of music i love. It was sold, so i only have these pictures to look at. After a period of hard work on the magazine, i hope to find more time for my art again. I miss it and crave to dive into the free flow of colors and shapes, that special energy that comes back to me with more sunlight and longer days. A creative celebration of spring!

Am grateful for all the beautiful things around - and for you my friends, who are always so kind and uplifting in your sweet comments and in your own blogs, little spaces of wonderful energy i love visiting. Isn't a free weekend such a lovely thing? Have a great time - and see you soon!

Photo: Martina Voigt-Schmid
More Friday Pretties here! 

Monday Love: Cherry blossoms




 Little spring treasures
Some photography, playing with white blossoms, a shocking pink felted bag and a green tea-bottle i had to buy in a café last week - just because it looked so nice! And some sea-creatures i found at the flea-market. The white blossoms have been blown away by April winds since - a reminder to really cherish and enjoy everything, before time is dancing away with it! Hope your week starts smooth and lovely!

The winner of my giveaway - names were put in the pink bag and picked out of it -
is Poppies and sunshine, a blog i really like. I'll send you a mail on how to proceed with your photo to get the jigsaw. Congrats! 

Photos: Martina Voigt-Schmid