Happy New Year!! – Again!

  By K. | January 1, 2013 - 9:48 pm | Ramblings 1 Comment

Well, it’s a year now that I used this blog.

I’m still not entirely sure what I will do with it, if I keep it as is, change it, or, indeed, delete it. There wasn’t much sewing done last year, and not much knitting either.
But, I moved house again! …. and nope, this is not a new hobby of mine!

Apropos new hobby: I started spinning again, after an hiatus of 17 year and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe more about it at a later stage.

Berlin Marathon

Berlin Marathon 2012

I also ran my first marathon last year and I already signed up for the next one in September 2013. There is also the Connemarathon in April, where I will run the half-marathon distance for the third time.

Running is an integral part of my life for the last 2.5 years. Last year I was running and cycling over 2300 km (or  almost 1500 miles) and this year won’t be any different.

Other than that, I’m still writing my dissertation… something which will be taking over a large part of my life for the next 1.5 years….. as well as I hope that knitting, sewing and spinning might help to counteract the academic pressure. Who knows……

Happy New Year!!

  By K. | December 31, 2011 - 9:09 am | Ramblings Leave a comment

.... to you all !!

P.S. ….. that’s my gorgeous daughter in the picture!

Merry Christmas!

  By K. | December 24, 2011 - 7:32 pm | Seasons Leave a comment

Seasons Greatings !

Like every year I am wondering how quickly the month of December just passed by and the festive season arrived. Although I have to admit that I really took it ‘easy’ this year without any stress concerning the actually Christmas preparations and pressies and so I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!

Tagged ,

1st Advent….

  By K. | November 27, 2011 - 2:54 pm | For the Home, Interior, Seasons Leave a comment

... in front of the stove....

… well, not really. But then, this is the first year for a long while that I started to really look forward to the festive season. Maybe it has something to do with my increased interest in all things interior.

...pine cones and candles - harbinger of the festive season....

votive candle in a jar.....

Well, Happy 1st Advent!

1st Advent

Late Autumn, part 2…..

  By K. | November 25, 2011 - 9:49 pm | For the Home, Interior, Seasons Leave a comment

...warm candle glow....

So, the DIY and Crafts section over at Pinterest has me well in its grip at the moment. For the last few years I neither had the time nor the interest in decorating or DIY, but since my move I simply can’t get enough of it.
It’s amazing how many simple and beautiful ideas can be found there, and since the Christmas season is just starting now you can expect to see some of those ideas replicated here……

... autumn setting ...

Late Autumn…..

  By K. | November 21, 2011 - 1:11 pm | Ramblings 1 Comment

I am so much more aware of the seasons and changes in nature since my move. Hallelujah! I cannot get enough of that what surrounds me here, although I have to admit that it sometimes seriously distracts me from doing my work – just as… right now! I have to finish my chapter until the end of December and I am nowhere near even a 1/4 through it.

7th of November / sunrise: 7.41am

7th of November / sunrise: 7:42am

A few weeks ago I got the last hydrangea, and some dog roses into the house…..

the last hydrangea..... not quite....

.... some dog roses....

but as it turned out, the weather kept staying at around 12 Celsius (54 Fahrenheit), so there were still some more….. but now for the last week or so, and probably due to the high rain fall we had these are really now the last hydrangea….

.... really the last hydrangea.....

This coming Sunday is the 1st Advent and for a couple of weeks now I am really getting into the mood…. but this is for the next post…. enough pictures for today!

Reminiscing about an old DIY project

  By K. | October 9, 2011 - 2:20 pm | For the Home Leave a comment

Having recently moved into my new home I am still in the process of unpacking and arranging things, getting inspirations for new deco, etc.
Pinterest.com is a totally inspiring site, and made me reminiscing about an old DIY project.

DIY picture frame - from a leftover window frame

I made this approx. 13 or 14 years ago, out of an abandoned window frame. I found this gorgeous poster of a picture of John William Godward ‘Sweet Nothing’ and loved not only the theme, but also the colours he used – in fact, those are my absolute favourite colours.

Putting the design together was an easy one. I found some old note sheets I tore apart and glued them (using PVA glue) straight onto the frame. I then thinned some gold paint, and just covered the paper.
For the back of the frame I used some heavy card board which I painted black, cut the poster to fit the frame and attached it, and voila…. a new picture frame.

It was hanging now for so many years in my bedroom(s) – but I’m not sure about it now…. that’s the reason it is still not hung…… taste changes over time……

Look what the cat brought in…..

  By K. | October 1, 2011 - 10:02 am | Sewing Leave a comment

…. well, not quite.

But this beauty I found in the shed.

Singer front view

It belonged to my landlords mother, and as you can see it’s an electrical one, or better was, as it is not working anymore. That said, I actually didn’t plug it in. But then the damp caused to rust all metal parts, so I wouldn’t even dare trying it.

Singer back view

I am tempted to restore the good old thing, not for sewing purposes, but just for pleasure. She looks absolutely beautifuly, and so tiny.

Autumn is here…………

  By K. | September 29, 2011 - 1:26 pm | Seasons Leave a comment

September, 29th

Yeah, it’s obvious, autumn has arrived. I find that the sepia picture really captures the mood of the season and the spirit of the landscape I am living in. The house was build in the 1950′, and sitting here in the study and looking out of the window transports me somewhow right back to that era. It was a very harsh life out here. The soil is not rich at all and makes keeping cattle very difficult, and sheep the only really sensible choice to be able to make a living from the land – not that it is that much practiced now – unfortunately.

Misty days like that always remind me of my favourite poem by Herman Hesse ‘Im Nebel’ (translation further down). And “No!”, I do not find it depressing at all!

Im Nebel

Seltsam, im Nebel zu wandern!
Einsam ist jeder Busch und Stein,
Kein Baum sieht den anderen,
Jeder ist allein.

Voll von Freunden war mir die Welt,
Als noch mein Leben licht war,
Nun, da der Nebel fällt,
Ist keiner mehr sichtbar.

Wahrlich, keiner ist weise,
Der nicht das Dunkel kennt,
Das unentrinnbar und leise
Von allen ihn trennt.

Seltsam, im Nebel zu wandern!
Leben ist einsam sein.
Kein Mensch kennt den anderen,
Jeder ist allein.

 ______________________________________________

In the Mists

Wondrous to wander through mists!
Parted are bush and stone:
None to the other exists,
Each stands alone.

Many my friends came calling,
Then, when my life was bright;
Now that the fogs are falling,
None is in sight.

Truly, only the sages
Fathom the darkness to fall,
Which, as silent as cages,
Separates all.

Strange to walk in the mists!
Life has to solitude grown.
Only the Single persists:
Each is alone.

translated by Walter A. Aue (frome here)

September, 29th

Zig-zag Dress x2

  By K. | September 4, 2011 - 3:02 pm | Knitting 2 Comments

So here are now the promised pix of my sister’s and my interpretation of the zig-zag dress, the one which I started 5! times.
At the end of July I visited my sister and at the last day, a couple of hours before I had to leave again, the sun came out and we used the opportunity to make some shots.

Sisterly Love

....seing double in an interesting way