::la casita::

vitamin C

2012-02-06T13:42:00.005Z

Vitamins are what I need now.

I noticed that in February I prefer yellow.

Carrot and sweet potato soup with sunflower and sesame seeds.

Socks and other knitted stuff will be in the shop.

Rays of sun around the home.

Renilde made a micro weaved carpet for our dolls house (at the moment is on the piano)

//Forget the snow, if you have the chance, go and visit the Tropical extravaganza

in Kew Gardens.

Enjoy your week

ciao::

Update: blogger is going mad these days, again...sigh!
Things move around unexpectedly, fonts change and some stuff appear and disappear...
sorry about this :D

my new pillow

2012-02-03T14:15:00.000Z

The black&brown smyrna pillow is arrived!

and now it's on our wall above the piano.

Thank you Renilde.

Our living room faces north and it gets very little sunshine, but is not dark just has a diffuse light all over.

In the late afternoon we see glimpses of sun on the walls.

Have a good weekend!

keep knitting (and don't complaint)

2012-02-01T10:23:00.001Z

{February started cold but sunny, outside a thin layer of ice cover everything.

It's -3C here today but this house is warm and I can't complaint :)

New items in the shop very soon.

New (for me) blog love: here and here

Lots of pins

knots

2012-01-27T11:11:00.000Z

Knitting is my daily meditation.

I used merino wool to knit these mittens they are far too warm; the pattern is from here

But you can find it for free here

The beads are for my next diy project, I saw it here (follow the link and you'll find the source)

The third pic is because if I had superpowers I would be invisible! ;)

Enjoy your weekend.

a little more

2012-01-24T12:17:00.001Z

Much more calmer now//

Elephant doll from here

Fox doll and mushroom pillow from here

And what if...

2012-01-21T11:33:00.002Z

kindness will save the world?

/ this is what I keep saying to myself (call me a deluded person).

The beautiful image is from Lilli, one of the most talented persons I know.

♥

//How old are you?

Thank you Paola

Friday finally//

2012-01-20T09:59:00.000Z

The Forest poster from here
Pirum Parum postcard from here
Little mirror with girl and bubblegum from here
Have a nice weekend!

I join the protest against SOPA

2012-01-19T09:09:00.004Z

Let's turn page

2012-01-17T11:31:00.003Z

My mind is at ease when my hands are working.

Since I'm always making something, my hands are rough and my nails a disgrace!
I often get comments from people that suggest me that something has to be done for my nails, but I'm crap at manicure and I rather spend the money on some material than to go to a beautician! :D

Lately I've been busy renovating Anita's bedroom: with a tight budget I just re-painted basically almost everything, even the dolls house I made for her is now white.

For the walls I used "strong white" from F&B, a very nice greyish shade of white that reminds me of the colour of the flour.

In Italy I bought some beautiful linen (made of linen) and that is my next project: a quilt for her bed. What are you up to?

Below a hint of what I did.

The sun shines and I feel OK.

/

2012-01-16T10:29:00.005Z

Good Monday,

I must say that we've been through a hell of a week.

Sometimes, I guess, you have to yield to what invests you and wait until the storm pass, but not in a passive way! In my native town, in the old quarters, there's a square where a battle took place and there's a building with a door with a tablet on top of it that says :«Frangar non flectar» (I break but I don't yield).

That's a say used by the Genovese people during the battle against Pisa (one of the four Sea Republics in Medieval and Renaissance times in Italy) meaning that the Genovese have rather died than been besieged by the Pisans. I don't know why I'm telling this story here, since it has very little to do with my behaviour towards what happened to us last week, though, I feel like to start the week with this story.

*photo 3: my dad (first on the left) in 1941

*photo 5: my mum (the girl with the bow)

HAVE A GOOD DAY!

memories (I came back with) part 2

2012-01-09T12:56:00.000Z

My grand father was an iron monger (I never met him).

He made that gate.

My father is very old now, that picture was taken on the hills of Genoa called "fasce".

The beginning of the year always starts in blue.

memories (I came back with)

2012-01-04T09:43:00.002Z

1-2 The seaside is an infinite playground.

3 a clear sky helps to ease the mind.

4 Italy can be epitomized in this shot.

5 Mary Poppins played a big role in my ethical behaviour. Glad to see pigeon ladies are still around, although, nowadays pigeons are barely starving.
HAPPY NEW YEAR

last post of the year

2011-12-21T13:51:00.003Z

We are going to Italy for the holidays.

Looking forward to meet family and friends and to eat the Italian food that I miss so much.

Thank you, Papier Mache, for the mention in your 10th digital issue (beautiful as always).

Deborah Beau has opened her shop, it's full of treasures like her blog.

Good times to you all.

xAlessandra

* the shop will stay open but orders will be dispatched after the 3rd of January.
I will updated it at some time in January. Thank you for your support.

*

2011-12-17T20:42:00.000Z

I tried hard but I have no words for this post.

It's been a strange week.

Hope you are enjoying the holidays...

(The doll on the third photo is from Mieke Willems, I bought it for myself at the SolarShop :))

what a great time I had!

2011-12-11T15:35:00.001Z

Hello I'm back with a big smile on my face!

The talk went very well it was fun, the exhibition, something you must see if you are in the area (ends the 31st of January 2012) is fantastic: so well curated and full of amazing antique pieces, clothes and embroideries.

I also managed to go to Antwerp and finally met Renilde. to do some shopping at the Atelier SolarShop which I really liked it, not only for the beautiful products they sell but for the fact that the people there are so super nice too. Shame I couldn't stay longer. But still I did most of the things I wanted to do, thanks to Leonor who took me to one of the nicest area in Brussels crammed with beautiful independent shops and here to make the evening even more special for us.

THANK YOU: Leonor, the director and the kind staff at the Museum, the people who came to listen to us and my friends Gordon and Sonia.

Sorry, the photos are quite snapshots but there was too much to do and very little time to think!
\ Brussel

\The Lillicup Cafe

with Leonor
*photo by Leonor

\The making of the Xmas window at BoucleD'Or

\Little Circus

\Antwerpen

the Railway station.

\Atelier Solarshop

to start the week

2011-12-05T12:11:00.001Z

Monday starts with a rose flavour - I have the suspicion that is not quite natural!- ;)

To knit or to crochet? still don't know.

"Like a butterfly in your home" came this morning and brought other sweet flavours to this morning.

I'm getting ready to go to Brussels (and possibly to visit Antwerp).

Leonor and I will participate to a talk in occasion of the exhibition "Handmade" at le Musée du Costume et de la Dentelle, this Thursday (8/12) from 5.30pm.

Hope to meet you there!

the little apprentice

2011-12-01T11:12:00.001Z

I've been waiting for this moment since the day the sonographer told me I was expecting a girl!

She's quite keen and it's nice to have company in my solitary knitting.

It was the same for me, my mum taught me. I started to knit and crochet when I was around 6 years old and at 7 I was selling my crochet pot holders and doilies to the ladies in the neighbourhood. My mum and I spent a lot of time knitting together, that was my play time with her. Most of the knitting things I know I learnt it from her and from her friends. Knitting is a staple of my life, something I never stopped doing no matter if it was fashionable or not.

Now I can knit without even watch it: the "nonna" of a friend of mine used to knit all day sitting outside in the balcony (in warm weather of course) and looking over us play in the backyard. I'm quite fond of those memories.

black stars white stars textile surgery project

Ra Fa Kids clouds pillows everywhere :)

///

2011-11-28T10:05:00.001Z

Good Monday,

is quite cold here today.

I'm making scarves and other knitted things for the shop.

The old white clouds are here.

jung jung amazing crochet work (via Maria)

//

2011-11-27T15:07:00.001Z

today.

tomorrow new old white clouds in the shop.

/

2011-11-26T15:34:00.001Z

Lillibet in the shop.

Have a nice weekend

. . .and the winners

2011-11-23T12:59:00.001Z

Afternoon update: TA-DAM! Anita picked up... 4WINNERS!!! (I couldn't stop her)

CONGRATULATIONS to:

OH dear, if I haven't stopped her she would have kept picking up!!!

Please ladies, send me your address and tell me (if you haven't done it yet) which print is your favourite.

THANK YOU ALL!
...............................................................................................................

This was before (this morning).

When Anita comes back home from school we will do the draw for the give-away.

Some random from home.

Ana (thank you for the postcard*)

Fanja

Kerry

THE POWER OF MAKING

2011-11-22T09:39:00.001Z

I was in London yesterday, after I spent a morning in Purgatory (to me, the Italian Consulate) I finally managed to escape from there ( without haven't done all the things I needed to do, because of the inefficient Italian bureaucratic system...not too far from them) to meet lovely Kerry and Bertie (which is adorable) for the first time at the V&A.

Sadly, we didn't have much time, we also got lost in the huge museum in search of the cafeteria...we definitely have lots in common!:D

"The power of Making" exhibition is quite cutting edge, I will definitely go back with my family.

Eloise cat on "Another magazine/ loves": yay!

*The winners of the give-away will be announced tomorrow evening,you still have time to enter, if you like!*

2 years and a giveaway...yay!

2011-11-18T09:25:00.001Z

I totally missed la casita birthday! hum...well it's OK, it's never too late!

2 years after the first post, let's have a give-away to celebrate.

"UP" or "on the beach" prints the prizes for 2 winners (one print each winner, just let me know which one you prefer).

So, don't hesitate, leave a comment here (if you tweet or facebook or re-blog about it, it will be counted as double entry).

Ah and THANK YOU: for your support, encouragement, inspirations, nice words, friendship, tips and hints, images, artworks, craftworks, blogs and most of all for the amazing job that many of you do adding beauty to this mad world!

Oki doki now, let's play!

Oh I almost forgot...the winners will be announced WEDNESDAY 24, Anita will do the draw (she doesn't know yet)

Update: If you don't have a blog, play anyway, you can choose the button anonymous (remember to write your name and if you win, send me your email) or you can link your email to your name if you have a goggle account.

Thank you all, for your good wishes and to play here with me ;)
x
Alessandra

UPDATE 24/11: the game is over :) the winners will be announced later. Now I have to (painstakingly) write down all your names!!!

*it all started from here

Happy Friday.

lots of talking and a cute DIY project

2011-11-17T14:04:00.001Z

I can't believe tomorrow is Friday already... time flies!

I've been making lots of stuff lately. I've almost finished to re-decorate the living/dining room.

I had to make space for a piano we got for Anita, yes a piano!

I made a DIY project too: a new lampshade for the room. For some in-explicable reason there are two lights at a very close distance to each other, but none on the other half of the room were is needed, so I bought a long cable and made a pretty lampshade with Liberty fabric (I know it's red! I never do reds...but hey never say never :))!
I purchased a lampshade kit from Helen Rawlinson , she makes pretty textiles and lampshades, I found her shop via Kerry. I bought it ages ago and then let it in a corner until I knew exactly what I wanted. The idea was to put something on the ceiling to hang the lampshade on top of the table but we realised that the ceiling is made of "cardboard" so we (or he, the husband) wisely decided not to do it. Hence the lamp hang there in a stupid position really. Aaanyway, to make the lampshade was much easier than I thought, it only took a while to tuck the fabric in. What do you think?

I added few more vintage stuff in my shop (I will add more the next week).
Also, I'm working on some new handmade, woollies goodies to be precise.

There's only one pink cloud left but I'm making some off white ones...let's see the result.

Enjoy the rest of the day, ciao for now //

Hackney

2011-11-14T09:47:00.001Z

Good Monday,

we spent the weekend in Hackney (London), were we stayed at friends who just bought a house there.

Really, it makes me (badly) want to move back to London, not only for the London buzz but for the fact that most of our friends live there.

Anyway, they live in a beautiful Victorian Terrace house, with their cat. They are doing lots of DIY to get rid of strata of ugly previous decorations and the result so far is beautiful.

The weather was great and so we walk all day on Sunday, Columbia road is not so far and we spent the morning, browsing the market and shops and eating delicious Italian food in a gastronomia (deli) called "Campania" (highly recommended).

Today I'll paint the living room white, finally :)

Have a nice day.

☆

2011-11-10T09:44:00.001Z

Oh hello there,

yesterday I was in London to buy fabrics, wool and some paper (and a long wish list made by Anita: sweets, cards, little toys, anything japanese food and possibly a Totoro doll ;)). This is the kind of shopping I do, when I'm not rummaging through antique/vintage market stalls or thrift shops.

I wasn't in London for that though, but to (finally) meet Leonôr: we talked non stop, it was super nice!

That's Leonôr (in the pic) looking at the fab window of the Cloth House shop in Soho.

I will see her again in a month time, in fact, I'm quite chuffed to tell you that I've been invited to the Musée du Costume et de la Dentelle for a talk at the Night Opening for the "Handmade" exhibition, which will be held the 8th of December, more details to come. If you are around and interested would be lovely to see you.

Thank you for stopping by my shop, for your comments, for your emails and thanks to Deborah of Kickcan and Conkers for her post.
I'm so glad I started blogging, so many wonderful people and things came with it.
x

shop update

2011-11-08T21:33:00.000Z

Hello there,

sorry if I haven't being much on your blogs lately, I've been busy with my shop:

it's open again, please have a look here.

More items will be added soon.

This time there are also some vintage findings and my prints.

Thank you, hope you like it :)

Goodnite and Good day

in the dark

2011-11-07T10:22:00.004Z

Hello and good Monday,

I don't want to moan about the weather because this weather makes me quite productive:

I have five knitting projects on the go, few crochet ones and some sewing to finish.

I made new pastel pink clouds (although with this light it's hard to show you the real colour).

New cat dolls which I had fun dressing and naming them, the one below is called "Milou".

And yesterday night in my dark, dark studio I made another collage.

wall

2011-11-06T12:49:00.003Z

This house starts to feel like a home.

On the wall:

.Anita's painting (aged 3)

.Fine Little Day "Boabab" 

.Hilda Grahnat "for Japan"

."Up" and "On the beach" will be on sale in my shop
(the unframed prints).

The walls will be white very soon.

vvv

2011-11-05T10:58:00.000Z

We went to Brixton last Sunday, we lived there for 6 years, it was intense.

Rock bottom raiser (beautiful video too)

*My thoughts are for Genova, the genovesi and our families. Coraggio!

and now for something completely different*

2011-11-02T21:34:00.004Z

At the seaside on film, from our last camping trip of the year.

* to S. who suggested the title, she just sent me a Monty Python's video

I'll buy a rubber chicken tomorrow ;)

combinations

2011-11-02T13:44:00.004Z

Greys and browns a favourite combination. 

I like black but I find that the more I ageing the less I fancy it (it was mainly the colour of my teens years).

On another note,herewe go again (I'm sure most of you already know but check if your blog is in that list as well).
Here is the list of blogs. 

Have you seen Morran spectacular collection of artworks?

I went for a walk this morning, such a beautiful day, but my friends in the local wool shop are not happy at all! I must be one of the few weirdos who knit even at the seaside with 40 degrees C.

more peeps

2011-11-01T11:21:00.002Z

What I wear these days -since it's quite warm- and new shoes, already scratched, yikes!

Have a good day :)

// + a little update

2011-10-27T15:09:00.001+01:00

I found a "stranger in my home" thanks to poppytalk :)

Mayo 

blog

shop

It's raining here, I made another collage.

*My shop is still closed, I was optimistic but with the school's holidays it's almost impossible to have anything done.

...

I'm on Twitter: lacasita_at

*Update: the collages (as all the other things I make) are not made to be copied by other people that come here and then think that that is the purpose! It has happened already with other stuff and it really put me off. It's not fun, it's not nice and deep down people who copy should be ashamed and not proud at all. 
Perhaps, also, you'd like to read what happened to Barbara Berrada (if you haven't done it yet). 
Shame on you, really.

∴

2011-10-25T15:05:00.004+01:00

I collect teapots (and my curtains are always either too short or too long).

*for Christine

Tea and Cake London or here, you can peep inside :)

with paper, scissor and glue

2011-10-23T13:18:00.001+01:00

A collage I made last night with paper, scissor and glue, perhaps I'm dreaming of Switzerland! :)

"cloud head" a photo by Séverine of iwishiwasacatfish blog 

Vermeer's Women Secrets Silence

2011-10-22T16:06:00.000+01:00

Hello,

I'm spending my weekend at home with a huge cold! 

Yesterday I went to see the exhibition "Vermeer's Women Secrets Silence" at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, if you are in the area I highly recommend to go and see it. 

Also, the museum has lots of "hidden" gems too, well worth a visit (even more than one if you can).

The exhibition rotates around the famous painting of Vermeer "Lacemaker", there are paintings from other seventeenth-century Dutch painters and it's an insight of the domestic life of women and children in that historical period in the Flanders. It made me think a lot about the role of women in the house (I'm not going to say family life because it's not about family only) and I was left with a question: "how much, really, has changed since then?" I can relate to those women somehow, feeling a connection almost. I can understand the silence and the focus but what puzzles me most is the painter, the man that recorded such intimates scenes. It's indeed a predominantly female world but we can only witness that through the eyes of a man, well, not ordinaries men though ;^)
Hope I didn't bore you with all this gibberish.
Have a nice weekend.

Sunday already? eeek!

2011-10-16T16:52:00.001+01:00

.My lunch today

.I'm making new things for the shop.
. I will also add some vintage items too (again) and if  everything goes as planned it will re-open in about a week.

.In the second picture there's a glimpse of what Anita calls "grandpa cat" because it reminds her of my father and of course the she cat has become "grandma cat". 

Do you think it's possible that while creating, unconsciously, you make something that resemble to someone that you are thinking of?

Anyway, it makes her laugh so much.  

.She made this
 (thank you, papillon).

.A song

Have a nice time.

senza titolo

2011-10-10T14:22:00.004+01:00

Things I have:

A flier found in a gallery 

Fine Little Day drawing 

Red enamel teapot(now broken) re-purposed as knitting needles holder

A red frame, once belonged to my paternal grand mother

Paint bucket that with water becomes rusty and I think is nice

A temporary linen curtain for a temporary window

I don't know if I love art (today) as I used to love it (yesterday).

*Update at 17:23 pm GMT:
After I thought about it I can say that I love it more than yesterday.

knitted

2011-10-04T11:51:00.002+01:00

Knitted for little friend E.

One ball cardigan (FF08)Designed by Frances Fletcher

4 ply Opal wool 

I still have lots of knitting to do, crochet and parcels to send out. I don't want to stress myself out, so I take it the way it is: without stress.

*and happily keep knitting with love! 

first we of october, last camping trip

2011-10-03T10:59:00.000+01:00

Friday afternoon I said to my family: "Let's go camping!" and so we did.

This time we went to the Norfolk Coast stunning seaside, so different from what I was used in Italy.

We pitched our tent in a camping site in Stiffkey (a lovely little village with red bricks and flint houses, narrow streets and antiques shops), just above the salt marshes.
You can adventure there and after a long walk you'll reach the sea.
In the late afternoon we went to Holkham beach, where you have to do...guess what? a long walk in the mud before you make it to the amazing sandy beach, quite rewarding I say.
Back to the tent: a barbecue in the dark, star gazing with a cuppa and a nice sleep with concerto for oboes and trombone (lots of snoring people around, the down side of camping even with a bell tent!).
The next day we went to Blackney and then followed a route to Wiventon Hall tearoom&farm for raspberry picking and dinner "al fresco", where I had the best Summer pudding of my life, sadly no pictures of the pudding.

Wells beach was our final destination, there was such a wonderful light, I took some photos on film, dunno about the result but that is what I love with film.

Sadly, this, was our last camping trip of the year, unless the weather goes completely crazy and give us more sunshine and hot days...mhhh I doubt it.

Talking about film, please, have a look at my contribution at Nancy's: get it on the neg.

it looks like a land of desolation!
but with the high tide all this area is covered in water.

I try not to use plastic, I'll keep my plasticized tablecloth for ever , see the horror we are creating.

the tomatoes are the heirloom I planted ages ago, they were delicious.

in the mud!

These are the kind of raspberry we picked and also the ones used for the summer pudding I ate with gusto. Behind the t-room kitchen hens were roaming free, the eggs come from them for the cakes and delicious food served there. This is my ideal way of living: being able to pick up and grow your own food... a dream.

In Wells, another long walk before you reach the sea.

Something tremendous has happened

2011-09-27T12:02:00.000+01:00

Hello,

I woke up this morning looked at the window and saw fog, here we go with endless foggy days (but fog can be beautiful and mysterious too).

Anyway, if you don't like fog, a foggy mind can always find some inspiration from Intelligent Clashing which, luckily, has a magazine now. So clever and good looking that you can use the pages as posters too! 

Thank you Rhiannon :)

Changing subject, my desk is beginning to look like a working desk, finally.

And today I start my new volunteer job in a very, very nice place. I'll tell you more another time.

Have a good one.

HELLO FOG!

another camera

2011-09-26T11:16:00.002+01:00

Hello and good Monday,

my Monday started with very burnt toasts for breakfast and cold coffee, but never mind.

Last week(vintage)finding is a camera: a Zenit 11. 

I found it rummaging in the local antique shop for £8 and I decided to buy it just to experiment a bit more with film.

It has no lenses and no manual but I'm bidding on them, that's why I burnt the bread this morning ;)

I used to be a photographer for an Italian skateboard magazine which is very defunct now, but that was long, long time ago almost like in another life.

No One Is (As I Are Be)

2011-09-25T18:36:00.001+01:00

white VS cream

2011-09-21T10:50:00.001+01:00

I have a pet hate (well more than one) which is: magnolia or cream walls. Hence, every time we move to a new house (which inevitably in this country has magnolia walls) I, after a couple of months staring at those walls, can't take it any more and so I head to a DIY shop, buy my favourite kind of white and start to paint ONE little room (this time is my studio) and then the white fever spread and I re-paint the whole house white...only that as soon as I finish we eventually move again and I have to re-paint the house with that magnolia colour! How silly is that?

Changing subject, my shop is still closed but if you like you can order my dolls or little clouds (the fabric ones not the wool ones) just contact me via email.

Thank You, Merci.

Now off to finish that blissful white room ;^)

This is my family

2011-09-20T11:36:00.004+01:00

on film Fuji Superia 400
Isle of Wight 2011

in Cambridge (on film part two)

2011-09-19T20:54:00.001+01:00

On film (part one)

2011-09-18T16:39:00.000+01:00

Hello, here some photos on film or "pellicola" (I find the Italian word much intriguing) from the holidays.

I'm thinking about purchasing another old manual camera, any suggestions?

To shoot with a manual again made me think about the beauty of the photographic process and how I missed the heaviness of a manual camera; no joking,seriously.

Fuji S400

.Bournemouth Air Festival

.at the beach 

.Isle of Wight 

.camping

Monday's blabbing

2011-09-12T11:21:00.002+01:00

Hello!

I've started to work on new c(h)ats for the shop and Anita has made hers!

Thank you for your words in the previous post,the wedding reception was great, the couple so happy and the singing went ok but funnily enough the best song we sang was the one we secretly rehearsal during the Summer holidays as a surprise for them (this one, love the outfits!). Since we started the rehearsals I have impress it in my mind in an almost endless loop (the obscure reasons of the mind) and now I badly need to brainwash myself with some good old punk music, otherwise I'll go mental! ;)

Now I'll do some decorating in my studio and then will took some pictures to show it here (please keep posting your photos there to make this group grow, you are all welcome).

Thank you, now I'm off to buy some white paint for my walls.

about clothes

2011-09-09T18:44:00.001+01:00

Tomorrow I'll go to a wedding reception. 

It's a bit special to me because I sing in a choir (nor a church choir neither a professional one) and the reception is for my master of choir and her partner which also sings in the choir,not only we will celebrate with them but we will perform for them. 

I have butterflies in my stomach, because although I'm now used to perform in front of a public I know it will get a bit emotional!

I needed a dress for the occasion and guess what? I found the one I like in H&M, I rarely go there since I passed my 35's ;) 

I will wear it with my favourite (and only) cashmere cardigan, a sweet vintage bag made in Paris and the shoes I wore for my wedding which are pink of course! 

Have a nice weekend you all!

beautiful video from mina perhonen 2011 autumn winter collection

::

2011-09-07T16:04:00.004+01:00

Sometimes I feel random too.

Thank you C. for the little houses!

N.W.3

2011-09-04T11:51:00.002+01:00

Saturday in London. 

We went to Hampstead, it was a beautiful sunny day; the hill is a great place, one of my favourite in town.

Today is a dull day.

latest vintage findings

2011-08-24T09:58:00.001+01:00

.1960's leather baby shoes (made in England!)

.a beautifully hand sewn-embroidered silk baby camisole

.few cones of natural linen (perhaps not so vintage)

we went and now we are back!

2011-08-22T10:57:00.001+01:00

Hello and sorry for the long absence...

Sooo, we went camping and we had a fair share of adventure!

Make yourself comfortable as this post is a bit long...

{the Ttowel is a gift from Nathalie}

We went here, which is a wonderful place to experience a bit of wilderness, without having to go too far. This is the forest of wild horses, ponies and reindeer and many other amazing creatures that we never see in our ordinary life.

{the marks on the tree were made by a reindeer to mark his territory}

All was going well until a big and noisy family pitched their several tents and a large gazebo

very closed to us, after a hell of a day and night, I had a nervous breakdown and moved to a more solitary place....

But...

It started to rain and rain and rain until our tent was flooded! 

It was several years since this county hasn't seen so much rain and a flood!!! (by the way the noisy family was flooded too...he he he, with an evil grin in my face!).

So we moved near the burrow of this poor blind rabbit, which we fed with veggies. 

Anita made some (humans) friends and we managed to relax a bit.

The stuff I was drinking is a dandelion coffee with rice milk, which I pretend is a nice thing to drink but truly is not! You see, I am on a kind of healthy diet, but after few days of hard camping I gave up, I will eventually start again as long as I get over this dandelion coffee!

The salad was for myself and not for the rabbit! ^.^

We also went to the seaside and to the Isle of Wight and after several years of digital I took with me my dear old analogical manual camera and took some pictures, which I can't wait to see and eventually show to you too.

And finally on the last day, my dear friend came to say goodbye to me (actually I was sneakily scoffing a packet of "healthy" crisps when suddenly I sensed a presence! I cried and then realised that few people gathered around to take pictures.... how embarrassing... but I managed to stay calm and even took her a picture.

Aaanyway, now I'll go to make myself a well deserved cup of strong coffee and I will start to catch up with you, lovely folks.

Have a nice Monday...so long, goodbye.
x


*UPDATE: if you were reading this post before, you might notice that it is slightly changed, that's because my original post disappeared nowhere amidst lost bytes and mega bytes in the obscurity of the world wide web, hence I had to re-write the all thing, but my memory is not a computer so...

we are still here

2011-08-06T18:35:00.004+01:00

...Only a bit lazy.

She's wearing the dress I made for her last Summer.

Have a nice weekend : )

/\

2011-07-31T19:02:00.005+01:00

So far...

Went to the cinema to watch "Arietty" (liked it but...).

Half started the teepee, made lots of mistakes, first of all: I didn't measure anything,

(must stop to follow my instinct and get more organised, I always say that to myself but then fail miserably).

Today we tested our new canvas tent: we are going camping in about a week for the first time in England and for the first time ever with Anita. We managed to put it in the garden and had an afternoon tea in there, which in Italian is called "merenda" and it's something that Italian kids rarely miss. My favourite merenda when I was a child myself, was bread (the Tuscany type kind of bread) and olive oil, which it was very popular in the 70's... then the 80's came and all the junk with them. Nowadays you get served "pane e olio" in posh Italian restaurants in London as a starter, perhaps accompanied by a rocket salad and some parmesan, but pleeeeease don't put pepper on it! ;^)

See beautiful inspirations on camping (and lifestyle in general) in Artemis blog "Junkaholique".

A book I've read and liked it so much that I'm reading it again : "Revenge of the lawn" .

evolution

2011-07-26T11:59:00.003+01:00

It is quite hard to accept that human beings are the slowest to evolve.

And we, have the privilege to gather flowers.

Holidays start today:

2011-07-22T13:59:00.005+01:00

No school runs, no uniform, no pack lunch, no stress, no tears and dramas because too tired.

We started the morning building a tee pee, but we had to retreat inside home because of the rain.

The structure will stay there for the rest of the Summer. Initially I thought to use an old curtain
and a quilt, but I think I will try to sew a tent for it.

It's very easy to build up a tee pee without spending a penny or with less than a fiver,
you just need bamboo sticks, cord, pegs, old sheets, quilt, fabric and a bit of fantasy.

I will show you more when the sun is back....when?!

it's raining a lot

2011-07-19T10:00:00.001+01:00

Thank you ♥ for the birthday wishes.

Our weekend in few words:

London

Tate Modern

Joan Miró

The Itch of the Golden Nit

(a brilliant film made by children for children with the help of clever grown ups).

The new playground in Bury St Edmunds is environmentally friendly,

children seem much quieter and at ease surrounded by natural elements.

Who needs ugly plastic playgrounds?

Thank you for your orders (and support), the sale is still on until the 31st

little sale

2011-07-15T11:29:00.001+01:00

To celebrate my birthday, I have a sale in my shop until the end of July.

Then it will be closed until September.

Thank You.

what happened to Summer here?

2011-07-13T13:23:00.003+01:00

Unsurprisingly, today is cold (this is England you know, but today started with 13C degrees here)

but it's a perfect day to wear my finally finished wrap, that I quietly started last winter.
It's made with recycled wool Rowan Renew in Truck 686, which I have to admit it's very warm (maybe too warm for Summer?) although I was concerned while I was knitting it because a bit stiff but eventually became softer after washing it.

I followed the pattern on Rowan Purelife Autumn 2010.

The shoes are kind of vintage Italians made for a shop I used to work for

I like them so much that I rarely wear them now, because I have the bad habit to wear

my fav shoes until I have holes in the soles.

(Never mind the carpet, which I hate).

Have a good day.
x

to Claude

2011-07-12T20:49:00.001+01:00

Hooray, Claude is back!

(thank you Deborah)

*photo by Claude

//

2011-07-11T10:26:00.000+01:00

Like wandering tourists.

To the seaside

Lavender fields in Norfolk (not quite Provence)

She's becoming a mini me :)

Had a good weekend?

The Way It Goes

Have a nice Monday

botanic garden

2011-07-07T16:40:00.000+01:00

A visit to the Botanic Garden
I forgot the names of the flowers though.

2011-07-04T09:50:00.002+01:00

Random images from our weekend:

Our little girl can make her own daisy chains

Musicians on the street: a sink guitar is what I call thrifty

I like this people with their own dinghy

Our car broke down and so we walk

Hope your Monday started with a smile

: )

for the soul

2011-06-27T12:33:00.002+01:00

And have a look at their website too

this is me (today)

2011-06-24T12:27:00.004+01:00

A while ago I received some awards, I'm so sorry that I actually can't remember the people who gave it to me, as I received few in a very short time, but that was before I was loosing my mind with this last moving!

Hope you understand and perhaps help me to remember who gave me what! (I know it sounds rude, sooory ; ))

Basically I'm supposed to tell 7 things about me, but because I already did something like that, I will tell you (I know you are yawning by now) 7 things about the way I dress:

• I always wear flat shoes, the only time I didn't I regretted deeply, even on my wedding day I wore a 3 cm heel shoes, which is the maximum height I can bare.

• I rarely wear make up, and if I do it's a bit of blusher in the winter and some grey stuff on my eyelids.

• Most of the time I wear trousers, but I do love wear skirts and dresses too, oddly enough I tend to wear them when it rains, because I hate wet trousers legs, especially jeans.

• I'm obsessed with details, that's why I love shoes, bags and scarves, but also hats (basically everything most of the women love, so I'm pretty average).

• I go through colour phases but I never wear red or burgundy, because my mum was obsessed with those colours and I spent most of my childhood with red stuff on, which of course I couldn't stand.

• My style icon is her in this film especially

• I can't live without a cardigan, so basically I'm a bit of a granny!

*in this shot my legs look very short, in reality they are ok (damn camera)

For more have a look at my pins here

I'll pass this award, which now has become "Tell me 7 things on how you dress" award to:
Nicole , Fanja, Fliss, if Jane, Karen,Celine,Theo

*And a big THANK YOU to those who gave me the awards!

Have you all a nice weekend, see you next week!

ovo

2011-06-23T16:26:00.002+01:00

Today I saw my kind of bike.

Why can't we have decent bicycle's lanes in England?

The mission

*Severine this song is for you : )

*thank you for playing along, I love to see your working spaces!

box+room=play

2011-06-22T00:20:00.004+01:00

Light and shadow in my cubicle, I mean, studio.

My desk in no time is full of stuff.

How about yours?

(I just started this group, do you want to play?)

!

2011-06-21T09:59:00.002+01:00

Summer solstice today.

An English Summer, three years ago.

A message from an expat from Tokyo on Fukushima (in French).

A song

ramblings

2011-06-20T11:39:00.005+01:00

Hello there, after a rainy weekend another sunny Monday.

Some more random pictures from my little garden:

where I drink my daily and sacred coffee :^)

Anita's pink blanket is almost finished, I'm working on the border now

Bacopa's flowers

White hydrangea and white pelargoniums

Oriental mustard seedlings just appeared

I added French marigolds and basil to my toms as companion plants

apparently they keep diseases at bay and encourage an healthy growth,
finger crossed!

Have a nice Monday!

♥

2011-06-16T13:49:00.003+01:00

While I was packing and eventually unpacking,
Wiebke, her lovely daughter and beautiful shop
where featured in this magazine.

I feel very much honoured that my cloud and
the garland are there too!

Thank you Wiebke ♥
*photo credit NIDO

2011-06-15T11:37:00.001+01:00

A while ago I won a give away from this lovely lady. Hermine does lots of wonderful things, somehow she reminds me of this song (I could only find this version but the original version is by Joni Mitchell).

On the second picture part of my living room which is still full of boxes, just behind me and lots of random stuff around...will I ever manage to find a place for every thing?

2011-06-14T14:50:00.003+01:00

Hi there, it seems ages that I've been away from this place, now you know why ;^)

Still plenty to do, but I've been planting some heirloom tomatoes, peppers, various salads, chamomile and potted some flowers etc.

Of course the house is a mess: still lots of unpacking to do and sort things out, honestly, with this weather I can't help but to be outside and I can't be blamed, can I ?

My new gardening bible and guru
(which I'm sure you all already know : ))

...

2011-06-06T22:22:00.001+01:00

I couldn't resist to share this blog with you:awesomepeoplehangingouttogether

David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed, 1972

2011-06-04T19:25:00.000+01:00

slow time

2011-06-04T18:35:00.008+01:00

Hello there : )

I willl be back as soon as I can connect my computer again
(meanwhile check my Pinterest if you like as I will add more stuff there
when my man lend me his laptop)

At the moment is quite chaotic: although I got rid of lots of stuff,
the house we moved in it's so... let's say cosy.
I have to make drastic decisions and de clutter even more!

do I need 5 different tea sets? mmmhhh don't think so...
Aaanyway, I'm sooooo tired but finally happy to be in the new home
(although still renting am afraid).
There are lots of things to do and most importantly lot of gardening to sort it out:
I have a desolate patch of grass to play with and I'm going to grown some stuff in boxes,
watch this space for green stuff.

Hope you are all fine and thank you for your words,
I just read it and publish it now.
Moderation is now off, hopefully back to normal and no more meanies!

Have a nice weekend

ciao for now

beep beep yay

2011-05-20T09:37:00.010+01:00

Thank you all, once again, for your comments and support. I took your advice, I deleted the hateful comment and the post I wrote to let you know about what happened.

I'm not good at keeping things to myself, I learnt a while ago that is very bad for my health.

I hope you don't mind that the good words you wrote there are gone too.

We are about to move to another house and next week start half term holidays.

I will take a pause from blogging and from other things too, to think about life, the universe and everything ;^) but I still be visiting your blogs.

I leave you with these two happy friends here, Anita has made a few days ago

(she's more artist than me although she doesn't have a degree!).

Needless to say, future anonymous hateful comments will be deleted from now on (that doesn't mean I don't accept criticism if it's constructive) the "anonymous good people" out there can sign with their name or use the name/url option (which can be linked to an email account if you don't have a website or a blog).

One of Anita's favourite songs
and one of mine

and check this out ....beep beep beep beep yay!

See you soon.... a bientot .....arrivederci....

update

2011-05-19T19:01:00.009+01:00

My shop has been updated.

I decided to add a "support my crafts button", given what happened recently

I hope to see more of these "support buttons" in many more crafters/artists/ bloggers
shops or blogs.

A big thank you and a hug to all of you that cheered me up today, came here with good intentions and shared a bit of love.

Love Power, the power of a flower :^)

day 3 and 4 and 5

2011-05-13T20:27:00.001+01:00

Now that blogger works again (that was weird isn't it?) I can show you what I did on day 3 and 4:

a pair of bloomers with beautiful Nani Iro fabric and a cotton top (which I had to do twice because I didn't use a pattern, stubborn me).

This evening I'm going to be lazy, I will watch a film instead and precisely this one.
Have a nice weekend.
*The shop will be updated next week (hopefully).

day two

2011-05-11T10:48:00.004+01:00

On day two (or rather evening) I made a top and a pair of trousers with the gingham fabric left from the dress.
Today I will try to make a skirt and a pattern for a dress, see how it goes.
I quite enjoy the fact that it's a challenge otherwise I wouldn't have done it at this pace...
eeek I must be crazy!

* the fabric I used for the top is Anna Griffin "Fifi&Fido collection" ( I guess this is Fifi).

+

2011-05-10T09:33:00.009+01:00

Crocheting two new pillows for the shop and a blanket for Anita,
started the KCWC with a gingham dress for school, slept very little!

The first roses appeared in the garden are bright pink and smell...
well, like roses ; ^)

I'm glad I saw them because we are packing and moving (once again)
to another house in about 3 weeks.

I will add new things in my shop later this week.
Find some pink clouds in Wiebke shop.

*update:

Although I did a statement a while ago about not making the clouds any more,

here I am, selling them again, occasionally.

That's because I had people asking for them since then.

I don't have a "proper job" at the moment, I decided that given my current situation,
it is better to look after my daughter.
I put the stuff I do on sale in my shop to support my love for crafting and this blog too
and eventually, who knows, to create "my dream job".

Hope it won't hurts the feelings of anyone if I changed my mind about it.

Thank you,

Alessandra

:D

2011-05-05T09:45:00.000+01:00

Check this out! Little fella is having a good time in NY!
*foto by Natsumi

///

2011-05-02T10:46:00.009+01:00

I can't believe is May already, today we are celebrating May Day here in England.

Anita needs new Summer clothes and a new quilt for her bed.I will use some Liberty fabric and Japanese pattern books. She grew up a lot lately and she has upgraded to a "big" bed (of course the cot bed, who became a little bed, was too small for her and she was keep banging her head... poor!).

So, to make this task less solitary, I joined KCWC project (kids clothes week challenge) found through mikodesign.
(The nice basket is from here)

Past KCWC on the Flickr pool

Papier Mache # 7 out now

I quite like Lari Washburn sketchbooks and designs.

the party is over

2011-04-30T09:23:00.003+01:00

Knitted Royal Family in Yarn on the Square window display, I must admit they are quite resemblant!
The Union Jack is quite a cool designed flag.
Have a nice week end : )

x

2011-04-26T10:32:00.002+01:00

Hello there, hope you had a nice holiday.
This little fella is ready for a looong trip to the big Apple for a little project for a big cause...
^.^

...

2011-04-22T17:48:00.002+01:00

1) A little shop update, soon after the holidays.

2) Anita's paper bunny doll.

3) One year ago

⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂⌂

2011-04-19T13:51:00.001+01:00

The Easter break, here, is quite long... it's good that we have lots of paper to play with!

Anita made some of these yesterday.
Today the sun shines!

indie is good

2011-04-18T11:27:00.006+01:00

Hello there, how was your weekend?

I was in London to meet friends from Spain, it was three years since we last saw each other, lots to catch up!

We went to East London, had a lovely time away from the high street chaos, browsing lovely shops. Had the best Italian food in a little deli and a coffee break in a truly vintage tea room placed in the back of a vintage shop and run by a sweet family (it was almost like being in their home!).

So far this is my favourite part of London, with the indies shops, the cafes, the vibrant flower market and Brick Lane, the arty folks and the multi cultural inhabitants.

Guide of independent shops in London

Unchained Guide

ooo

2011-04-15T15:51:00.003+01:00

Pink and orange feel good.

Have a nice weekend wherever you are...whoever you are!

: )

Alternative Easter decorations by Theo the Crochet Bloke

snip snip snip

2011-04-14T14:24:00.003+01:00

Having fun with japanese paper, scissors, string and glue.

A new member of udder family, to celebrate, lovely Fliss is giving a giveaway,
go here to play.
(I shouldn't spread the word though ;^))

^.^

2011-04-12T14:12:00.003+01:00

A little craft idea for parties: tiny flags, cute looking on fairy cakes or sandwiches.

Easy to make with toothpicks and japanese washi tape.

(see also here how I used masking tape).
more masking tapes here
and here

♥Anita is 6 today ♥

2011-04-11T12:40:00.013+01:00

Good Monday.

Anita's birthday party was lovely but I don't think I will do a big party again! ;^)

So far we didn't have any tantrums, sugar highs were contained
and we had just a couple of minor casualties.
Moms had fun drawing and making origami with the kids (better say for the kids),
draw on tablecloths is very appealing to kids and it makes a great keepsake for you.

Competitive games make only unhappy bambini
( I banned them from our parties) unless everyone win something.

I had lots of wonderful helpers and little leftovers
(I hate food waste but home made is quite appreciated,
the best thing to do is keep it simple: brownies, popcorns,
mini pizzas, cheese sandwiches and little fairy cakes
are easy to make and easy to eat ).

I learnt that tablecloths are never enough and you need
extra treats for the siblings, because as probably everyone knows:
kids don't like to share!

Djeco origami

Biodegradable balloons
Shape Maker (her present from us)

Moomins

...Now I have to bake another cake!

*Sorry, the few photos I made of the party I don't have permission to publish them, far too many kids on it.

I've got mail!

2011-04-07T11:32:00.001+01:00

I had tea with Babette this morning and I managed to relax half an hour reading Toc Toc Toc the English issue!

Great work ladies, I love it!

Thank you once again Fanja, Sophie, Christine.

(almost) ready to party!

2011-04-06T13:39:00.003+01:00

A little girl will turn 6 years old very soon.

26 kids as guests for her big party ....eeek! I must be crazy!

There are treat bags to be finished, metres of bunting to be sewns and "tons" of baking to do:

because I like home made!

It's sunny and lovely and now I'm off "slaving" for the party!!! ; ^)

See on Toc Toc Toc issue 3 how my mum used to celebrate our B parties
(I was 3 years old then).

My little day (thanks Fanja for le link...sometimes I feel like I live on the moon!)

Hip Hip Hooray!

'''

2011-04-04T13:05:00.000+01:00

Today I feel a bit "under the weather" ;^)

More Petits soon.

Happy Monday to you!

2011-04-02T10:00:00.000+01:00

Spring time is awakening (?)

Have a nice weekend (at the moment I ditched coffee for hot chocolate).

and the winner is....

2011-04-01T00:04:00.000+01:00

Congratulations Emmanuelle, you won the raffle!

THANKS TO ALL!

sometimes dreams come true!

2011-03-31T10:25:00.005+01:00

I couldn't believe my eyes when I read a certain email I received a few days ago from a certain lady who work in a certain place:

one of Les Petits (le chat) will be part of the exhibition "Handmade"!!!
Where? at the Musée du Costume et de la Dentelle de la ville de Bruxelles (Lace and Costume Museum of Brussels)
from 8th of April until the 31st of December.

This is the last day to play the raffle, tomorrow there will be the draw.

Toc Toc Toc mag issue 3 on sale tomorrow+the sale of a poster for Japan
(don't miss it, is the British issue ; ))

Ooops...

2011-03-28T12:50:00.003+01:00

... Monday already!

At the purl bee I found this DIY project, I'm so enthusiast about it that I have to share...

I love it, I bought so many felt balls... ;-)

The baby cloud is on Kireei Magazine Spring issue (yay, thanks guys!)

Three days left for the raffle.

I'm still a bit "coldish" thanks for your good wishes in my previous post.