Mirrored details

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest and smallest of them all?

Schedule

This schedule is a bit different. Can you guess...? I always use my own pictures but these babies were too tiny for a post but to fun and cheeky to pass up.

Yogini style

I write about running and figured it time to write a post about the other side of the coin; power yoga. What’s power yoga? To me it’s taking the calming effect and unity of mind, body and soul that is what you think of when you hear yoga and amping it up.

S.H.Y.

Who has not seen and loved the City of Champions print from Playtype? I actually have a print from that collection that will probably pop up here some time soon. But what I want to show you is their latest work; the shy prints.

The dirty little secret..the laundry room after

This space was relatively neat till Christmas but when my collection of Christmas decorations moved in followed by a massive editing of my wardrobe I gave up on organisation and neatness. Stepping over multiple things to get to the washer and ironing without the board (machete needed to make it to the back wall) became the norm. 

What’s in my spring beauty bag..

This post actually started at Christmas when I took a trip to town to visit M.A.C because I was almost out of powder, the horror. Plus I wanted a daytime counterpart for the red lippy that ending up lasting a hot minute and then I went right back to red. But come longer days, spring rays and I go back to wanting a lighter look and I’m now loving it. This is in my spring beauty bag;

Chocolate, coffee & cherry biscotti

My kind of cookie..ultimate crunch. I’m not big on soft cookies and when I make sugar cookies or any other softer kids cookie I save the ones closest  to the heat just for me. I feel the same way about bread..soft slices just make me sad. 

Spring schedule

I know spring is here when;

My home rules

My current home I treat differently to all others before, despite having left my parents’ home at seventeen for college and giving me a decade and a half of learning my home rules. The fact that it’s a rental doesn’t factor into the equation much. Not having another adult to quibble with about the decor does factor in. Yea for girly, pretty and sometimes a little less functional. But still even removing that factor and this home is special. This home, from the time I saw it dust-covered as an empty shell, felt like home, my home. The lay-out is right for me but the biggest thing is the light. Most Dutch homes are skinny but my home is built in the width giving me oodles of sunlight. 

Rule one                                                                                                                                     

Sunshine makes me happy but recently I realised I'd had gotten into the habit of shutting all the blinds and curtains all the time. A no-no because nothing makes for happy more than sunshine. Even on a icy cold but sunny winter day I can't stop smiling. sunshine is too stinking happy. Rule 1: open up, let the sun shine in!

Rule two

I love the light that floods my space during the day but when nighttime comes I want it just as bright till it is time to hit the hay. I have six lights in my bedroom and they all go on because dark corners drive me mad. Same said for all the spaces, from living to kids room. I have more lighting than ever but it’s not about creating an airstrip. The lighting is layered and spread to make it feel comfortably well-lit. Rule 2: Light em up!

Rule three

Number three is a spin-off of rule two; candles. I have candles spread out around the house, from bedroom to living to bath. The softness of candlelight is unmatched. The twinkling automatically calms and relaxes me. Rule three: In the candlelight!

Rule four
This is one of m absolute favourites. Greening it up, living things make a space feel like home. Nothing says comfort like being surrounded by plants and flowers. I have then everywhere, from kitchen sill to bathroom and everything in between. Rule four; Land of the living!

Rule five

The first four rules are expanded on but not new. Number five is a newbie; scent. My candles are (lightly) scented and specific to the setting, I spritz my pillow at night with a calming scent and one of the three particular bedroom scents in the candles go on. Even my loo and bath have a real if tiny bottle of a scent I want to smell because air fresheners just won’t do. Rule five; Sense of smell!

Rule six

What’s sense without touch? I love softness of touch. Sheepskins, plaids, furs. I love running my hands over the surfaces and feeling the different textures. I love the hard lines and look of minimalism but crave the softness texture brings. Rule six: Soft to the touch!

Rule seven 

Rule seven combines all of the above. Mood. Each space has a mood. Lighting, scent, texture all add to the feeling of the space. Indirect and more subtle an impact than the decor but equally important in getting it right. When I have the lighting set to soft in the heady scent of my retreat, with candles blazing and Vivaldi (literally the only time I don't go for beats) softly on, while lounging on the dozen or so cushions and plaids that my bed holds, it is the sexiest spot on the planet. My woman cave. Rule seven: Mood matters!

Rule eight

Last and most important; Enjoy home!

Big boy room; rocket pirate

I remember when my due date was set for my birthday. All I could think was ‘I don’t want to share my day’. Three years later and on my birthday I was prepping his and happy as a clam to do so. Mika is pint size dynamite. I love his unpredictability. He can be extremely sweet, a totally baby or ultimately naughty.. a growing boy and so his room needs to grow with him as he will be transferring from the pre-school to Kindergarten group soon. 

Kindergartners do not spend their nights in sleeping bags and four walls. Being a wee one, he still fits his baby bed and so I choose to convert it and adjust the look. It incorporates what he loves; pirates, trucks, rockets and his baby blanket which he dug out after losing the battle for the pacifier. 

Preview; the junkroom

Probably every home has one of these no man's land, wasteground, dropping ground spaces otherwise known as the junk room. Someone told me ‘I can’t imagine your space being messy’. Oh how wrong you are. I can now barely reach the washing machine that is only a metre from the door. Time for action, as the picture clearly illustrates.

Femme fatale fit.. sexy work-out clothes

I grab my work-out kit five times a week of which four are in public. While I'm not all too concerned with my looks during the workout (some of those yoga poses obliterate all intent of looking hot as I count how many rolls appear and imagine how unsexy that clam roll knees around ears looks). I do however feel the urge with the shift to spring and lighter gear to step it up..at least till I get started. Maybe not full battle gear but some rocking wear and maybe a touch of red lippy..

While I don't quite see myself working out in just a (smoking) sports bra the zipped Jasmine bra from Lisa Marie Fernandez or Daisy contour from Bodyism of which even the back sizzles..

No getting around it, I love a legging for working out. Polka-dots and mesh Prana leggings from The Upside, 7/8 length leggings in eggshell from Stella McCartney, Y.A.S. sports legging with seaming and mesh in evening blue and I am a shiny panelled leggings by Bodyism. And when it gets to warm these Stella McCartney shorts please.

Sexy functional tops are tough to find and so I stick to cotton and simple but man that zipped mesh running top from NLY sport and the intricate ergonomic running t-shirt from Falke has be already working up a sweat..working not for the faint of heart.

Despite near frozen digits every time I leave the house, I flipping despise running in the sun. I feel like a vampire when I see the sun starting to climb..and so I need some shade by way of this TPU and mesh cap from Stella McCartney because I also can't do sunglasses and movement. Yes, there are cheaper and more functional headbands but none quite so cute and fun as this floral headband from Live The Process. 

I ran across the pictures in my phone while looking at my work-out gear. Surprised because I was contemplating adding specific thigh-slimming moves to my daily core set (hello drumsticks). I still might add them in but was happy to see they actually do participate. More importantly a valuable lesson for shopping my fit femme fatale look..for me it’s longer lengths, below the knee does less than nothing. Live, learn, get the length. I have a new pair and the run cap that I might put on my instagram if I still love them after a run.

Now to tackle a cool work-out hairstyle because bangs are cute till they get sweaty.. 

Spring..glazed citrus & ricotta loaf cake with rum sugar-dipped strawberries

I had another dessert planned for this week but it was such a beautiful spring week of which I spent quite a bit of time on my back staring out of the windows at the clouds (back problems not a bout of extreme laziness) and this cake popped into my head as I thought about not just saying enjoying the moment but actually doing so. 

When I think of enjoying spring I think of spending longer than five minutes in my garden, having a slice of cake with a hot cup of joe in one my many beautiful yet unused coffee cups.. That thought brought me joy so of course I switched out the schedule to accommodate a little extra joy. It's what life is about, no?

This is my idea of an old-school loaf cake because I’m old enough to say old-school and still young enough to do so with a bit of cheek. And since I’m all about the cheek I went for lime as well as lemons, taking this traditional Italian ricotta cake  on a little Caribbean trip.

I had a punnet of strawberries I bought for Mika (his fave fruit so expect more with this summer berry) and forgot about. There were perfectly ripe and juicy and heady for some heat.. dipped in molten sugar after a rum steam and soak because it doesn't get more island flavour than limes and rum and I am at heart still and island girl. So throw away the syrup, nope reduce that to a gorgeous pink syrup for more intense flavour in each bite. 

This cake is rich and dense from the low flour amount of which half almond meal, the lime juice and the egg whites folded in at the end. Baked long and slow and then while still hot drizzled with a lime glaze. After two slices (yes, guilty) I could barely manage to finish my dinner in front of the kids despite eating late. But OMG so worth it! Here's to rum, limes and Monday leftovers..if I find self-control!

Schedule

This week has all the usual suspects including the results of the mini update of my man’s room. It also holds something a bit different; a post about the rules of my home. Interested? Check back later in the week, but first;

• I am eating like I haven’t in a long time..thankfully the next post is workout related. But first it's time for another sweet treat. This time based on the lovely spring weather we had but with a citrus kick.
• I swoon over suave workout gear like I do over shoes, so of course I want to share the kit to make you and my you I mean me the hottest thing at the gym, on the track or wherever we break a sweat.
• I have been craving out storage space after storage space and this a preview of the next spot to tackle.
• Here is the my heartbreaker's (girls go gaga for the hair and me for everything) updated bedroom.
• And as promised, rounding off the week with my home rules.

The pictures are of the flowers on my dining table..it's a pink thing!

To town we go

I shop about 95% of the time online. No matter the screen size, I can make it work. No matter how close the shop (Hema literally two minutes away), I prefer delivery to my door or more often than not to my neighbour's door.  I do this not only because it is extremely easy and handy but also because I have little time during working hours because..I work and when I’m not, I’m mom and when I’m not that, I’m working out and when I’m not doing that I’m working here. Shopping is an after ten pm activity mostly which is my goal time to stop with the chores and have a cuppa or go to bed, depending on how ahem moody I am. 

But sometimes, every couple months or so, I need to get out. This trip started with a visit to the salon because nothing relaxes me more than having my scalp massaged, except a foot reflexology session which is my favourite thing in the world but back to the town trip. I decided to make a day of it, meaning each evening the week before was extra-long to free up Saturday, usually my chore and blog day. Needless to say, like most chicks after a good cut, I left swinging my head and feeling like a goddess. Then it was time to hit the shops. 

The only clothing store I physically visit (alas no webshop) is Label which celebrated their 5^th anniversary and was extra busy. I shop here often because it’s fun and affordable, with good service and being an independent shop I run less risk of running into my double. What can I say..I did not leave empty handed but I’ll show you that another time with some other bits of Winter to Spring kit. 

I also stopped at You are Here which is amazingly hip and carries brands that I typically only find online in my neck of the woods. The fact that it has amazing home accessories, including lots of Hay, is a bonus. I fell madly for a pink bag from Orla Kiely that was on sale and had to quickly leave to avoid a bag purchase, because if there is one item I don’t need more of, (after shoes) it’s bags. Still contemplating and hoping for a windfall but happy just to browse this hip hub.

I originally planned to go home after then, as to get some extra chores done before heading out to the movies in the evening but my car drove me as if by magic to Strijp S, which is hip urban centre for my town (Eindhoven de gekste!) even though I technically live out in the boondocks. A stop at Urban shopper, where they had some cool example areas from VT Wonen going up, a fave spot for kids clothing at Siki (love that robot sweater and so would Mika), I finally got to try the natural lip balm from Kiyoko (protective but too bland for me), a definite option for my coffee table grouping sighting at Kriz and a fun light at Garderobe/Craft Industry. A stop at studioRUIG to pick up (link) my Pikaplant and another gorgeous cup by De Intuitiefabriek because I love individual coffee cups like I love sugar and I live for and on sugar.

The first stop and the best of the day was Out of the Blue. I visited this store last year but it’s so good now. I started snapping pics with my phone left and right, everything was so beautiful, innovative and unique. A creatively decorated space with creative products. 

Excellent and friendly service, which makes gives it a top spot in my book. I totally dislike snobby stores and quite a few design spots are just that, giving you withering looks that say ‘you do not belong to the upper echelons entitled to shop here’. None of that here, very helpful, lots of information and offer of coffee to someone just browsing from their indoor drinks station located at that gorgeous live-edge table. Stores like these are to be treasured even more for the snooty ones that make design something for the select instead of an inspiration for all. 

I left with a beautiful new addition to my ever-growing coffee cup collection and a spoon for my sugar. And a most lovely candle that is a series of six moments of the day including ‘ the fuck it moment’ and each has an accompanying poem. I went with friendship which is soft, subtle and sweet. I notice that I have been slowly adding scents into my space, something new for me, but which makes a space complete. These scents make such a great gift and are beautifully wrapped. Mine is a gift to myself and sits on my coffee table, because when I do relax, I want to drift away in the candlelight on a lightly scented cloud..

I finished my 'out on the town' outing with a bite and a coffee at Caffee Allee. I had a latte brulee which I will be trying to recreate at home. I mean how utterly brilliant? My favourite things, coffee and crème brulee combined in one. Yksi, located adjacent to the cafe, is a great spot for design accessories and showcases like the funky benches or 3 R's exhibit pictured. There was a example of the available lofts in the building where I spotted the ultra-cool clothing rack and suspended television. Spaces like these make me long a bit for being a young, fresh, unencumbered twenty-something despite loving being a thirty something mom of two with massive hoarding capabilities. The extremely heavy vessel containers, yes please. And the grey Olav Slingerland vase to join the blue one I own would be a dream. All in all I had a lovely couple of hours out on the town, visiting favourite spots and learning new ones.