Fly away with me ...







... in my little yellow plane!
Well - it's not really mine, but i'd love to own it, so i could come visit you all at weekends. Wouldn't that be fun? It really belonged to a very friendly gentlemen, who allowed our kids to sit in it and have fun with it, while Robin was taking pictures for our last KidsLife fashion shoot. 

We had a great time at this little airport, all green and airy and with enough space to contain a bunch of wild boys that were supposed to model clothes. And look how cool they posed and played along! Also, their big sisiter was - wow - a natural at modelling, so pretty! Last photo: yours truly with her big son (who is wearing a T-shirt he got when he was 9 years old, decorated by my art sister Andrea ;))

Photos: Robin Benito, Susann Pfeifer

Monday Love: Summer bliss

Let the sunshine in!
It's a hot day today and i soaked up the sun while i went to work, feeling the warmth around my shoulders. It's a "let's wear sandals, sing a song, eat an ice-cream, look at the blue sky and do a happy dance" kind of day. A "barefoot glamour godess with flowers in her hair" kind of day, a day to swim in the fountain and have iced espresso! How do you like to celebrate a summers day?

Painting: Martina Voigt-Schmid

One girl, three faces




"Trust that little voice in your head that says: 'Wouldn't it be interesting if ...' And then do it. " Duane Michals, "More Joy of Photography"  
I just love these pictures my son Robin has taken from his girlfriend, lovely model and actress Julie Gaston.  They are both such talented artists and inventive people and can create something from almost nothing. And they keep inspiring me. Is there something, you have always wanted to try. but didn't get around doing yet?

Photos: Robin Benito

Monday Love: Stripes and Tulle





In every big girl, there's a little girl ...
And in every little girl, there's a princess! Sometimes, you've got to let her out and play. And what is better to get her going, than the right dress? Dont you just love the festive holiday feeling in these pictures? You can actually buy these dreamy outfits at Ouma's shop on Etsy - i feel slightly tempted ...

Hope your week starts on an easy and playful note as well. And if it doesn't ... wear stripes and tulle. I bet even god has to smile on you, if you do!

Friday Pretties: Jewellery design





Some drawings around the theme of jewellery design i found in my desk the other day. I did these several years ago, to be honest, quite a long while ago, for the last picture shows the design for our wedding band. The rings where the only thing that actually got made - from paper into metal. I had a client who had ordered ideas for a special watch to be made exclusively for him, and doing this, i got ideas for many other things. I had fun looking at these sheets again, so maybe you do, too!

 Are you ready for the weekend, like i am?  This week felt a bit tense for me and i can't wait to relax and come visit and chat with you.

Monday Love: Artful easy living






Summer dreaming ...
Beautiful improvised szenes and styles that are fresh and easy like a summer breeze are a speciality of  Tara Slogget.  Viewing her gorgeous photos gets me dreaming about days out in the country, tea outside, faded english floral cloths, crystal jars, sunlight playing in the leaves and good times with family and friends - just right for a little holiday feeling on monday. Tara is very talented as an art directer and décor and lifestyle stylist.  Discover more of her work here.

Hope your monday is lovely, whereever you are!

Friday Pretties: A colorful mess

If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing.
Marc Chagall

A wee peek into my room which is also my studio at the moment, filled with colors, canvases, books, magazines, papers of all kinds  – i just need a lot of insprational stuff around that i use all the time.

The two paintings on the wall are not really finished, but i like them this way, leaving things open a bit, leaving space to dream. Yesterday i was painting a bit on some small canvases, mainly flowers, which is always good to get me going. WiIll show you more about this soon!

I'm so ready for a break! If i don't have time to paint for a long time, i feel like all the colors in my head and heart get muddled up to a cloudy melange, and i need time to sort this out. We'll have a long weekend here, with monday being a holiday - how about you?

Photo and paintings: Martina Voigt-Schmid

Monday Love: Young at heart










Old, bold, BEAUTIFUL!
Aren't these women great? To me, they are proof that every season in life can be lived, enjoyed and celebrated in style. One of them is a legendary Yoga teacher, another one (1st. image) a famous model. But all of them are supertstars when it comes to giving  us new inspiration when it comes to staying attractive, fearless and young at heart. Also, they remind me of my own grandmother, who was an artist and a strong, beautiful woman, who kept being creative and interested in life for the whole of her 97 years. 

These are all photographed in New York City by Ari Seth Cohen, creator of the blog Advanced Style. "Respect your elders and let these ladies and gents teach you a thing or two about living life to the fullest." he says, and shows fashionistas that are up to a 100 years old. If you want to find out more about how good heels can look on 90 years old ladies and how to wear silver hair with pride hop over and have a look!

Photos: Ari Seth Cohen

Friday Pretties: Girlfriends in the garden






Gardening is how I relax. It's another form of creating and playing with colors.
Oscar de la Renta

 Everything is more fun, if you do it with a girlfriend. Yesterday, instead of getting back to my canvases, as i had planned, i got engaged in a day of heavy gardening, helped by a lovely friend of mine and my son, who both developed Crocodile-Dundee qualities in tearing out huge elderberry branches and other things, that made the place look like a djungle. In fact, it felt like creating a huge - 3-dimensional painting!

This weekend however, i hope to relax and enjoy the well tended greenness, look at the flowers, bronze my legs, do my toenails and maybe eat that yummy strawberry crumble we tried for the magazine some time ago. The crust is made from oatflakes, a bit of flower, sugar, melted butter and a bit of Cardamon - so good!

Chin chin to girlfriends - and by that i include YOU! You make the world go round in a nicer way and you totally rock!

Photos: 1st: Vogue, 2nd, 3rd and 4th: Martina Voigt-Schmid