Author: Marina

Pick of the Month: November // Warm and cosy

1. Wooden Crate Cabinets (9 Drawers) from truffula forest / 2. Birdie Print Weekender Bag from Accessorize / 3. Hand.Book Journal Square Sketchbook from CASS ART / 4. Print Leggings Trousers from Uniqlo / 5. Chunky Long Snoodfrom Accessorize / 6. Fleece Full-Zip Long Sleeve Jacket from Uniqlo / 7. Baby Body Warm Lite Full-Zip Parka from Uniqlo / 8. Garden Path Bootiesfrom Anthropologie / 9. Willow Catkins Botanical Giclee Art Print by Golly Bard on Etsy
November, November, November. It is amongst my least favourite months. The clock has just changed to winter time, the days are noticeably shorter by the day, the weather sucks and the Christmas holidays are still far away. But on the positive note, November is my other half’s birthday month, so we get to celebrate, it only has 30 days, so it feels less long, it brings up beautiful colours, and a lot of inspiration, it’s the month to make things and to start prepping up for December. xxx

46/52

It’s week 46 and I still love this project! This week we were back home and our life went back to its daily routine.
This week you:
  • Asked to join in every time your dad and I kissed and/or hugged each other. We love family hugs and kisses.
  • Had a play date with your little friends and finally started to sort of play with each other. We have been been waiting for this moment since you all were born.
  • Refused to sing happy birthday to papa (didn’t even let me do it!) but loved blowing the candles of his birthday cake.
  • Loved lying down next to me after waking up in the morning and putting your arm around my neck. And I looooove it!
And from last week, I love this little dancer from Woven with Spirit. What a beautiful scenery to enjoy. 
If you are curious about this project and want to know more, you can check Jody’s blog @ Che and Fidel.
All my previous posts can be found here.

A project a month

Every year, around December time, I start thinking about the following year goals and expectations. I start making lists of thinks I would like to accomplish, plans I would love to follow and specific goals to achieve. Unfortunately, only on rare occasions I have been able to stick to my plans (like that year I decided to enter a painting competition). But this year, something changed. I didn’t make any plans, if not very bold ones, and somehow I managed to do a lot more than expected. How did I do that? I discovered the beauty and easiness of monthly projects.

My first ever one was 30 days of lists, back in March. I discovered it on twitter, and didn’t know what it was exactly until I signed up for it. But as soon as I did, it was love at first sight! Then an online 4-week sketching class followed in April/May, the phone photography project from BPC kept me occupied in July, 30 days of lists started again in September, October was the month of a doodle aday, 30 grateful days from Paper Issues is still going on in November and next month I will be joining the December edition of 30 days of lists.


The best part of these monthly projects is that they involve as much time and effort as you feel like. You can choose to do them at your own pace, or put some work in every day. It has been a very rewarding process for me. I’m one of those persons who lose interest with time and long term projects are not really for me (although I also joined a yearly project this year and still keeping up with it!). The other good thing is that there are millions of monthly project to choose from, covering photography, art, scrapbooking, crafting, just search on twitter, instagram, flickr and so on. These are mainly free, although for some you have to pay to join. And if you can’t find anything interesting, you can still make up your own monthly challenge. Just make sure you share it publicly, as this is the best way to keep up with anything.  I love the feeling of community each project creates; you get to share your work and see others’, make online friends and get inspired by them. And by the end of the year you are left with something tangible to enjoy.
Surely I will try it again next year, maybe with a bit more structure and planning that it was in 2013.

Last week in pictures

Last week we were in Central Italy, visiting family. As we live in a different country and don’t see them often, we try to go back every now and then for a quick visit. This time we had a special occasion to celebrate and decided to make it into a mini vacation. Little we knew that we would all catch a cold, as soon as we’d land, and someone would even get high temperature and a yeast infection. But despite these minor shortfalls, we had a great time. The weather was still warm for daily walks, our usual breakfast place was still in business and as good as ever, Olivia played a lot with the dog and loved having her grandparents and aunty around (not so much her little cousin!).
We do miss Italy, a lot, and every time we go back there, it’s harder to leave, even more now than my little is growing up. Dreaming of going back one day and living in a nice house in the countryside or by the sea. In the meantime we treasure out time spent there and collect photos over photos.

Italy we love you!

45/52

It’s week 45 and it’s only 4 weeks away from your 2nd birthday! We spent the week in Central Italy visiting your grandparents and as usual, time went by too quickly.

This is you in your grandad’s vegetable patch, apple tasting. 
This week you:

  • Asked to play with the dog all day long. It was your first thought in the morning and the last in the evening.
  • Had a temperature for two days and a candida infection, but you did brilliantly, except for one night where you woke up screaming several times and only felt asleep in mama’s arms watching some tv.
  • Visited the local playground and loved it. On top of playing with the seesaw, sling and slide you collected lots of leaves to carry around.
  • Went out almost everyday for a walk with your cousin’s bike. As soon as you were on it, you adjusted the mirrors and put the music on.
  • Got a new pair of shoes and still trying to figure out how to put them on.
  • Had a go at blowing bubbles. We ended up with no bubbles and a very soapy grass.
And from last week, I love this little red head from Ellieboo. Doesn’t she look like a top model in the back stage of a catwalk?

If you are curious about this project and want to know more, you can check Jody’s blog @ Che and Fidel.
All my previous posts can be found here.