DIY lemon boat - i'm sailing away ...

to take a trip with little lemon boat - to see, where the lemons grow - to Italy!

And so lovelies, i'll be taking a little break from blogging until ... we all go to France together soon. More about that at the end of this post.

Have been very busy making little boat  - along with other things - for a new project of our magazine KidsLife, called "GreenKidsLife", which is meant to encourage a greener, sustainable lifestyle in kids and families. But these would also make a very cute table decoration for a kids party - or even an adult party, why not?

 I've used cocktail stickers and a bit of paper to make the sail. And that is basically all you need, except for lemons you cut in half lengthwise. Give it a try. You can also write names on the sails, if you like. 

We'll have a family celebration in Rome next week, where my brother and his family are living. and i so hope to catch some sun there! As i get back, my friend Anita, from Castles, Crowns and Cottages will be hosting this:

which will be surely great fun. Check out more by clicking on the picture 

 Let's make the most of may, such a gorgeous month! I'm in love with all the crisp, bright green around and am sending you greetings from our garden. Hope you'll all have a splendid time - see you back soon!

New DIY Gallery

If times are rough ... 

Keep calm and make something!

It'll always help to make you feel better! If you're looking for some good ideas, check out my new DIY Gallery. I'm working to get all the projects i've created myself over time for this blog or for my magazine KidsLife in line for you - and adding new ones of course.

Have a bright and inspiring day!

Photo: martina Voigt-Schmid

Merry Christmas, one more DIY - and a BIG Thank You!

Remember

This December,

That love weighs more than gold!

Josephine Dodge Daskam Bacon

How are you lovelies? Have you decked the halls and wrapped all the presents? I've still got a little bit of work to do, but not very much - and look forward to a peaceful and relaxed christmas time and after with my 3 boys (4, if the tomcat counts!). Am curious already, if the christmas fairy will give me the magic wand i secretly asked for - the one that gets everything clean and tidy in the wink of an eye, accompanied by a sweet birdsong!

Thank you so much for another year of bloggy friendship and fun! Your sweet comments mean so much to me - and your blogs do! I just love how the blogworld is an antidote to the bad "news" we get everyday and shows, how many people are out there, celebrating life and adding to it's sweetness and beauty.

Because i want to do a bit of planning for next years blogging, i would like to hear, what you would like to have more of here:

original art

interior decorating

design and lovely things

fashion and styling

easy DIY's

photography

lovely food

... i'd so appreciate, if you took a moment to tell me!

In case you're in the mood to make one or two more things - this is how we created the things in the photos above. The big X:  tale a cardbord letter from a shop, and cover it in simple cotton wool - from pads you use, to take of your make-up, by gluing it on to the surface in a "snowy" manner. The ornament: Use several layers of tissue papers, cut them in a round shape and sew them together in the middle with a sewing machine. Then fold the layers to ball shape, and add a string and a crystal - ready!

Have a lovely and loving celebration and a wonderful start into the new year! 

Photos: Martina Voigt-Schmid, Robin Benito

Monday Love: DIY-shopping bag

 

Are you looking for a cute last minute present idea? This bag can be ready in an afternoon of crafty fun. We took a vintage photo of my friends mum, printed it on a sheet lazertran and ironed it onto a plain white linen bag. The photo was then embellished by hand with buttons and ribbon, to match the pictures nostalgic appeal. This bag is a handy companion, because it can be kept folded in your handbag and taken out for that extra bit of shopping you have to do sometimes. Breadrolls for sunday breakfast look very good in it as well as fresh veggies and flowers from the farmers market!

Have a spelndid start to your week!

Bag design: Monika Dziondziak, photo: Robin Benito

Monday Love: DIY booksign

Nostaligc photos ...

i have a whole box of them, and sometimes i open it and revell in the spirit of times past by looking at portraits of my great-grandmother, countess Marie-Louise D'Harnoncourt and her brothers, sisiters and cousins. She was an adventurous spirit who once ran away from her home chateau with her house teacher and caused a big scandal. One day, i would like to write her story. This year however, i got the photos out to play and my good friend Monika designed sweet ideas for handmade presents for our magazine KidsLife, using these romantic pictures.  

These booksigns are easy to make. She printed the photos in desired size on lazertran and ironed them on pretty, eggshell colored cardbord, cut it in shape and adorned it with simple, elegant ribbons. They adds such a lovely, personal note to your presents, if you intend to give away books.

Have a fabulous start to your week dear ones - and see you soon!

Photo: Robin Benito

Pots and flowers

"Painting is just another way of keeping a diary."

Pablo Picasso

Well, if one paints daily ... which is something i would like to do.  I strive to get a rythm in my creative work and make a fixed date for it and keep it, but so far, i'm not really good at it because job offers so many demands and distractions. This is a small canvas i was working on in a gentle kind of mood, a little study of something nice and simple. 

Love for a happy weekend!

Painting and photo: Martina Voigt-Schmid

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

It's teatime, kids!

 Tea can save a rainy day ...

... well, at least if you serve homemade scones with it, a tradition we came to love from our dear au-pair Janine from New-Zealand. I'm not a big housewife or baker myself, but these are so easy - and perfect for grey afternoons. 

Recipe:

2 cups of flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons butter (room temperature)

3/4 cup milk

Mix all dry ingredients, ad butter in little lumps, then stir in a little milk and knead a dough. Gradually add more milk, as you go along. Form a roll and cut little rounds from it. Place on baking sheet (covered with baking-paper) and bake until nicely browned. Serve warm with jam and whipped cream.

Fotos: 1st: Digitalstock, 2nd and 3rd: Martina Voigt-Schmid

And if you happen to have too many teapots in the house, stuffing your cupboards, here's what you can do with them: a teapot lamp! I really love this idea by Sweet Paul - a great food stylist, who never fails to inspire me. This was a project for for the magazine Country Living.

Foto: Country Living.

Creative idea: Yarn Mobile

Round and easy

If you are like me, and pretty yarns and fabrics appeal to you, but you don't like knitting, this might be a fun project to try. A mobile in your favorite colors of various baubles, some hollow, some full. You could use almost anything round, just as long as it's not too heavy. Or make your own balls, by putting yarn soaked in glue around a ballon wit a greasy surface, similar like you'd make paper maché. You let the yarn dry, and then remove the balloon. Messy, but fun! 

Foto via tumblr, seen on spearmint baby 

Banana Cupcakes

Cupcakes, anyone?

Some baking for our magazine KidsLife in the house of my lovely norwegian friend Ingunn. We made Banana cupcakes, following the inspiration given by the famous Bakerella, and had fun preparing everything and decorating with colorful sugar bits. The frosting was a bit too soft to keep it in shape, but nevertheless it looked good to us. If you're a perfectionist you should cool it for several hours to make it look like Bakerella did, but our kids couldn't wait that long ;) If you want to give this a try, look at the recipe here!

Fotos: Martina Voigt Schmid

4 crafty recycling projects

Tennis-racket mirror


Teapot-lamp


Picture-frame terrarium


Adorned Tank
All photos by courtesy of Country Living


Turning old into new - is always fun to do! Since i've been away for a week i haven't been crafty myself, but found these ideas that i really love. Unfortunately this whole weekend i have to work on the magazine finishing layouts, but maybe the next one ...
Hope you're all having a terrific time. As soon as i get time i'll post some fun things about my time in rome!

3 easy creative projects

snowflake curtain via: Bugs and fishes


Painted bottles: Photo credit: Angus McRitchie (L'express Bistro) for Canadian House & Home



instructions on transformed chair via: style at home

3 easy creative projects to get you going this week - aren't these ideas gorgeous? God, must force myself to work on the magazine today, would love to put on my workpants and play with paint and other fabulous things! Love to you all - and have a fabulous day!