Saturday 31 December 2011

happy new year - gleðilegt nýtt ár

How festive are these photos of model Daga Ziober, shot by Sebastian Kim for the January 2012 issue of Vogue Germany? I love the mood; perfect for New Year's.

So, the final day of the year is upon us. I'm soon off to the kitchen to start preparing our turkey meal which I love putting my heart into. I feel blessed having children that enjoy eating, savouring every mouthful. No need worrying about leftovers in this home.

Today I decided to share with you some of my favourite links posted by wonderful blog friends in December 2011. I could have made this list much longer but I narrowed it down to nine. Here they appear in random order:

  • Nicole at La Buena Vida brought her camera and talent to the West Village
  • Helen at The Style Schedule enchanted me with the Eiffel Tower
  • Milla at Not Just Another Milla touched my heart with her LatteLisa praise
  • Ada at Classiq shared with us a beautiful bookshop in Bucharest
  • Natalie at Fashioned by Love shared a stunning wintry editorial featured in the latest issue of Tatler Russia
  • Rachel at Little Bits of Lovely posted her 2011 favourite red carpet looks and I loved the blue Burberry worn by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
  • Sarah at Haute Design's 'In Spirit of Kindness' posts were beautiful and I especially liked the photos in the one called Invitation
  • Eleni at My Paradissi shared a living room with a gorgeous colour palette
  • Signe at SignePling swept me off my feet with her green 'Monday Morning Random' post

Happy New Year dear blog friends and followers, may 2012 bring you all the happiness and luck you deserve!

I'll be back on Monday.

photo credit:
Sebastian Kim for Vogue Germany

Friday 30 December 2011

fashion friday - marion cotillard


I thought this gorgeous photo of Marion Cotillard by Ellen von Unwerth would put you in the right celebration gear. Do you have any big plans for New Year's? Tomorrow we're having another turkey feast, as we did on Christmas Day, but it'll just be the five of us; we're not doing any partying. I'm even predicting hubby will be snoring before midnight but I'm staying up late with the kids. They love seeing some fireworks. As there isn't much of those where we live, we can watch the firework madness in Reykjavik, Iceland online. You wouldn't believe me if I told you about it so just see for yourself and note the time difference. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Have you seen the Lady Dior comedy starring Marion Cotillard? It's called L.A.dy Dior directed by John Cameron Mitchell and it's fun and fantastic. It was inspired by this Lauren Hutton piece from 1973, directed by Richard Avedon.

Have a fabulous Friday!

photo credit:
Ellen von Unwerth for Tatler, June 2010

Thursday 29 December 2011

quality morning

I've been enjoying a quality morning with hubby, as I call mornings spent in peace and quietness with the children still asleep. We were up at six-thirty after a good night's rest and have been sipping our coffee, reading the news, browsing through magazines and reading books in complete stillness. I love mornings like that.

I wish I had become a morning person earlier in life. I used to be such a night owl and sometimes I almost look back in shame thinking of the time I wasted, the pointless TV shows I watched, etc. I'm never getting that time back so to make up for it I, at some point, started going early to sleep and rising early.

I hope you've been enjoying wonderful holidays. Mine were relaxing with plenty of good food. I didn't let the flu ruin my festive mood or appetite. We watched all the Lord of the Rings films for the 100th time or whatever. We got so excited when we saw The Hobbit trailer that we had to make popcorn and forget ourselves in the world of Middle Earth. I'm predicting more moments like that in 2012 until we'll be able to see the first film. How awesome they're making two Hobbit films!

I want to end this post by thanking my blog friend Anait at Cap Ou Pas Cap, also known as my Paris obsession soulmate, for the book she sent me, Pastry Paris: In Paris everything looks like dessert by Susan Hochbaum. It was such a wonderful surprise Christmas present.

Enjoy your day!

photo credit:
Laurent Durand and Christophe Rouffio

Saturday 24 December 2011

merry christmas – gleðileg jól


¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Merry Christmas ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Joyeux Noël ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸. Zalig Kerstfeest ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Feliz Navidad ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ Fröliche Weihnachten ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Buone Feste Natalizie ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Gleðileg jól ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪

As I write this I'm setting the table and listening to our Christmas songs playlist. The Christmas present to myself after days of dealing with the flu is not ironing the tablecloth. wink No one will notice when it gets darker and no one in our home really cares. Everything that needs to be ready for Christmas Eve dinner is ready. We're having smoked lamb, which is an Icelandic tradition, and I must add that the children are more excited about the smoked lamb than the presents. I'm not kidding; they love it.

Dear blog friends and followers, I hope you have wonderful holidays ahead of you. May peace and happiness fill your days. Christmas greetings from Antwerp.

photo credit: Lisa Hjalt

Friday 23 December 2011

large christmas card

I was looking at my calendar and thinking, and kind of hoping too, that it was wrong. Christmas Eve tomorrow? Can it be? I was feeling so out of touch with everything so my sore throat and I decided to go grocery shopping with hubby. As we were picking the turkey for Christmas Day, the sweet potatoes, pecans, and everything that goes with it, I think I connected with my Christmas spirit again. Just the idea of knowing that ahead are days of delicious and mouth-watering food lifted my spirits.

Speaking of food. Christel at Captivated by Image (currently on a blog break but will soon be rejoining blogosphere) got my address to send me a Christmas card. When the card arrived in a big box I thought to myself that either Christel had taken her card writing to a much larger level or that she was surprising me with something. I found a copy of the Dutch foodies magazine in the box and I'm drooling over its pages. I only wish I could understand more but I have three young translators so I'm good. Thank you so much Christel, how well you know me!

I hope you're enjoying a wonderful last day before Christmas!

photo credit: Lisa Hjalt

Thursday 22 December 2011

romantic christmas


Another inspiration from France, a romantic Christmas theme. I love the contrast of the raw tablecloth and delicate glassware on the dining table.

It seems like the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe baubles in my last post were quite a hit. Unfortunately, I don't know where you can buy them, probably in some vintage shop in Paris.

Things are the same on the Flemish front. Yes, I'm still in bed; the last phase, hopefully, of this flu is a wonderful sore throat (the positive adjective is sarcasm, in case you didn't get that). It would have been nice to get a haircut and buy the rest of the things I wanted to buy, but I'm not going anywhere.

This post's Christmas song is my favourite Icelandic version of O holy night, performed by Egill Olafsson. I hope you are enjoying these last days before Christmas!

photo credit:
Christophe Rouffio for Art & Décoration


YouTube: Egill Ólafsson / Ó helga nótt

Tuesday 20 December 2011

noël blanc



A little French Christmas theme on this last Tuesday before Christmas. How are you doing? Thank you for all your kind get well wishes. I'm still in bed but about one hour ago I honestly think I felt some kind of shift. I'm predicting that I'll be back to my usual self on Thursday. I'm dreaming of the moment where I sit down at the dining table and dip a biscotti into my latte again.

Enjoy your day!

photo credit:
unknown source


YouTube: Vox Angeli / Noël blanc

Monday 19 December 2011

rose christmas


Still trying as best as I can to hold on to the holiday spirit but the way I feel now I just want to postpone Christmas until New Year's. Yeah, even Boney M didn't work! I'm still in bed ... coughing like a moron. I want my sense of smell and taste back; I want my appetite back! Let's see if the combination of rose pink from Marie Claire idées and Coldplay is the miracle cure I'm looking for. I've heard them perform this song in concert so it always brings back good memories.

Have a wonderful Monday!

photo credit:
1, 2, 3, 4 - Marie Claire idées

YouTube: Coldplay / Have yourself a merry little Christmas

Friday 16 December 2011

cosy & warm homes

I haven't abandoned the Christmassy posts with the Christmas songs; I simply don't want to overdo them, as there are followers out there who aren't quite feeling the holiday spirit ... yet. Here is hoping!

These days I'm in the mood for cosy, comfortable and homey interiors. I think it's the fact that I'm still, yes still, fighting a cold and I find it best to spend as much time as I can on my chaise lounge under a blanket, with candlelights in sight. I was coughing like an idiot earlier this morning so hubby ordered me to pour Cointreau in a glass (the only strong liquor in the casa). It seems to be working. Maybe I should become a more active drinker!

These images are from various homes, except the last four, the smaller ones, which were taken in designer Billy Reid's decorated home in Alabama. I love the piece of furniture – the desk – in the photo to the right. The simple decoration on the desk is so beautiful and the entire space is very inviting. In Reid's home I'm fascinated with the 19th-century English sideboard that holds their antique plates collection. And that photo with the mixed plates makes me swoon. I know; I'm a sucker for pretty table settings.

Have a healthy and fabulous Friday!


photo credit:
2: Mikkel Vang for House Beautiful
3: Simon Upton for House Beautiful
4-7: Justin Bernhaut for Country Living

Thursday 15 December 2011

desk talk

These photos are from a Californian home with Tuscan accents featured in Architectural Digest, the interior design is by The Wiseman Group. I fell for the photo of that beautiful desk with the 16th-century painting hanging above it. In my opinion, it's not often that desks work in living rooms but when they do there really is something wonderful about them; a desk gives some kind of security. This home feels somehow solid to me, if you know what I mean. It's like no matter what is happening in the exterior world, this home will always stay the same. I like that feeling.

The photo of the dining room below is actually a before photo. The room was changed as it was thought to be too spacious but I like the before-look much better. I have mentioned it in an earlier post that I love using a desk instead of a bedside table as in the first bedroom photo below (also a before-look). I've been thinking about doing this in our bedroom but first I'll have to find the right desk. Look at all the stacks of books on the table – I love that! And I love the chair too.

Happy Thursday to all of you!

photo credit:
(1-2) Tim Street-Porter for Architectural Digest
before photography (3-5) by Jamie Hadley

Wednesday 14 December 2011

a trip to illums bolighus


It's almost Christmas, which means that my mind tends to drift to Copenhagen ... a lot. I've said it before that December in Copenhagen is a wonderful time of the year; everything looks so festive. If I were in Copenhagen today I'd head straight to Illums Bolighus on Strøget (the main shopping street) to view – and hopefully to buy – Scandinavian design. It's definitely my favourite shop in the city. Afterwards I'd sit down at a nice café or restaurant, continuing to dream about the beautiful design.

So, today I'm doing a bit of imaginary shopping. With plenty of cash in my wallet this is just a small portion of what I would buy: 

  • Cocoon bowls and vases in black glass with white glass inside from Holmegaard. Design: Peter Svarrer - maybe I would choose another colour but the black ones have that perfect classic look
  • Etagere 3 layer from Royal Copenhagen
  • Dania teak boxes from TripTrap
  • Tivoli Audio Music System - we have a radio from them and we love it
  • Cocoon tealight holders in various colours from Holmegaard. Design: Peter Svarrer
  • Miniature versions in pink of Arne Jacobsen's the Ant and the Number Seven chairs from 1:6 DESIGN - I would buy a miniature of the Egg chair too
  • Uten Silo storage system in ABS plastic from Vitra Design Museum. Design: Dorothee Becker – a white one for me, please
  • Leather baskets with white stiches from Ørskov. Design: Jørgen Møller – I would choose a brown one

Is there a city in the world, which you especially connect with this time of the year?

Yesterday I took an unplanned break from blogosphere. I had to run some errands and when I got home I simply decided to keep the day blog free. I didn't view one single blog and that hasn't happened since I started blogging. As I was busy on Monday I'm afraid to open my Bloglovin' right now; I think the number of unread posts will bring on a panic attack!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

photo credit:
all images from the website of
Illums Bolighus

Monday 12 December 2011

quick hello

Some time ago I found this cute Advent calendar on the website of Marie Claire idées and I liked the idea of using vintage postcards. I wouldn't mind having something like that on a beautiful table in my hallway.

I have a precious role today, I'm taking care of a 10 months old boy who is now sound asleep in our son's bed. I have spent the morning playing and singing for him in Icelandic on the living room floor. He is fascinated with the lights on the Christmas tree (evidently it did pay off decorating it so early) but he can't stand the sight of hubby, haha. Hubby is usually very good with children but this little fellow is not giving him a break just yet.

Now it's time to enjoy some coffee before my little friend wakes up. Enjoy your day!

photo credit:

Sunday 11 December 2011

the place mats


Our younger daughter turned ten years old today (thank you for the birthday wishes!). Yesterday I told you about my place mats idea. I bought neutral ones in IKEA and asked the girls to colour them for the party. Our birthday girl is all about hippos, they are her favourite animals and she draws them all the time. As you can see, she is very artistic. I love her attention to details; she doesn't need to have a picture of hippos in front of her when drawing them. That actually applies to everything she draws. In her mind hippos are very innocent animals and full of love, not the aggressive creatures they actually are. She's often asked us for one as a pet! A hippo in our home would be quite a sight, I guess.

She drew the cat for her friend who is a cat lover and our older daughter drew the ship for her brother (believe me, that ship has now been smeared with lasagne and chocolate tray bake!). The birthday party is over now and it was quiet and lovely.

I hope you're enjoying a lovely Sunday!

photo credit: Lisa Hjalt

Friday 9 December 2011

christmas cottage


Who's with me to this gorgeous cottage? We've talked about the option of renting a cottage over Christmas but I need a guarantee that everything will be spotless (I believe it's my constitutional right ... and if it isn't, it should be!) and that the kitchen has a clean oven and contains everything I need to prepare the Christmas meals. And I'm not talking about pots, pans and spoons only; I need a food processor and the whole kitchen appliance package! And a fireplace! (Yeah, I'm demanding, just let it go will ya!) It's so easy to post beautiful photos of something online and then offer the complete opposite and I'll let no one ruin my Christmas mood with that kind of marketing trick. So, if a cottage owner is reading this and can promise me what I ask for then I'm ready to spend Christmas 2012 in a cottage, hallelujah!

Have you ever rented a cottage over Christmas?

There were many interesting fragrance ideas in the comments yesterday, even mentioning of perfumes that I had totally forgotten about. Thank you. And yes, I'm feeling better, I still have a cold but I'm getting my groove back.

Have a fabulous Friday!

photo credit:
Spike Powell for Country Homes & Interiors

YouTube: She & Him / Rockin' around the Christmas tree
(she: Zooey Deschanel, he: M. Ward)


Wednesday 7 December 2011

lovely pieces


I found this photo some time ago on Eleni's blog, My Paradissi. I love the styling by Hans Blomquist; the furniture is so my taste. I like stripes but I would probably choose another rug. Well, let's say I'd use this one during spring/summer and choose a different one for autumn/winter.

Right now I'm turning off my computer, as I'm about to tackle 1000 lovely pieces of cute houses and houseboats in Amsterdam. Hubby brought home a few boxes of jigsaws and everyone is now busy on the living room floor fitting their pieces together. The silence is unbelievable.

I hope you're enjoying a wonderful Wednesday!

photo credit:
Hans Blomquist

Tuesday 6 December 2011

evening post


It seldom happens that I blog in the evening but I had a busy day and simply wanted to say hi to you guys and leave you with a nice photo before going early to bed. We woke up earlier than usual so the children could open the presents from Sinterklaas, the Belgian Santa Claus. They had plenty of time to play with their new toys and we enjoyed a festive breakfast together before they went to school. It was a lovely morning but now I'm tired and unfortunately dealing with a cold, which I'm in no mood for in December.

Are you guys done with your Christmas shopping? We almost finished today and the rest is decided so we just have to pick those things up. I'm hoping to have everything wrapped by the weekend.

Well, I'm off to bed, I need to read at least one chapter in Dickens's Bleak House before I fall asleep – probably with the book on my face. I hope you all had a wonderful day! 

photo credit:
styling Lindsay Mens
Stacey Brandford for Canadian House & Home

Saturday 3 December 2011

dining well


This look could work at Christmas or on any other special occasion. I love the prettiness of it, so festive and beautiful. Let's be realistic here, at least those of us who have children, this is something that works for a few seconds, before the dining begins! But those few seconds are worth it. For me, it's all about the right table setting. Those of us fortunate enough during the holidays to actually being able to put good food on our table shouldn't take that for granted. We should honour that with a pretty table. At least I think so.

Have you seen the film The Blind Side, the one that got Sandra Bullock an Oscar? Want to know what was my favourite scene? It was the moment at Thanksgiving when the Tuohy family was enjoying the turkey meal lying on the sofa watching a game on TV (how horrible; it broke my heart!). Suddenly Leigh Anne [Bullock] notices that Michael Oher [Quinton Aaron] is missing and then she sees him eating in the dining room by himself. She turns off the TV, well two TVs, and moves everyone and the food into the dining room. I loved that scene and you can watch it here.

I'm off to the city centre, hoping to find the things I need for our table this year. Hubby has promised to behave well and follow me into any shop I like and to allow me to browse as much as I want. I already have some ideas on paper and hopefully I find what I need.

Have a beautiful Saturday!

photo credit:

Friday 2 December 2011

christmas beauty blues


I cannot believe it's Friday; where did the week go? I guess I've been too occupied with thinking about how I want our home to look at Christmas. I've got so many ideas but I have to narrow them down, as I want it to be tasteful. And there are some things I cannot do. For example, we don't have a staircase, but if we had I'd like to decorate it with white, silver and Tiffany blue baubles as seen in the top photo. I love the crisp look; these bright colours are so beautiful together.

We have a double pendant lamp above the dining table so I was wondering if I should go bold and hang baubles in different colours and sizes on the rod between the lamps, maybe gold, white and turquoise, if I find the right baubles. Last year I kept it minimal and had only three small ornaments hanging there. As I don't want the table itself cluttered with ornaments – only cluttered with food! – this could be the perfect solution.

Are you were I am or not really thinking about decorations at all?

Have a fabulous Friday!

photo credit:
top: Virginia Macdonald | stylist Erin McLaughlin
for Style at Home
bottom: Livingetc

YouTube: Nat King Cole ft Natalie Cole / The Christmas Song


Thursday 1 December 2011

it's beginning to...

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a dining room like this one in December? I'd love to have that wood-burning stove in mine and a beautifully decorated Christmas tree but I'm afraid that rug would suffer some serious food damage. Well, I could put a large garbage bag under my son's chair or simply ask him to eat in the bathtub!

Can you believe it's December already? I got up early this morning and made spice bread with my friend Emile Henry. I'm talking about a loaf pan, not a person! The home smelled of cinnamon, clove, ginger and nutmeg when I woke the children up. It felt very Christmassy and made up for the fact that I don't have a dining room like that.

Have a wonderful day!

photo credit:
Spike Powell for Country Homes & Interiors

YouTube: Johnny Mathis / It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Wednesday 30 November 2011

noël et neige


Look at me all fancy and French with that post title! wink Most of you probably know that Noël is the French word for Christmas; neige would be the French word for snow.

Earlier this year decorative letters seemed to be the hot item in the world of home decor. I'll not go so far as to call them tacky but – no offence to those of you who fell for them – I'd go insane having those on my shelf or mantelpiece or anywhere in my home for longer than a day. I don't know, I guess I'm not much of a the-latest-fad kind of girl when it comes to home decor. Usually, when the interior magazines try to tell me that I have to have something, be it letters or whatever, you'll see me running away very fast. However, I think I would be okay with something like Noël or neige in December because I would know that it was temporary; by January the letters would be in a box.

Now I think it's time for latte and biscotti. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

photo credit:
top right: Janis Nicolay for Country Living
bottom-left: Marie Claire idées
bottom-right: Marie Claire idées