The birthday edit

I am big on celebrating. After Christmas come birthdays and mines is coming up in a couple of weeks, followed a few days later by my musical, speed demon named wonder; Mika Dylan Jagger Arts (can you guess that I adore him and his name). And since we’re so close together in date and  personality, I figured it would be cute to do a joint inspiration post.

The cake

Starting with the cake because no birthday is complete without one. This year it will be homemade. A big switch to the specialty cakes I got for my daughter’s first and second birthday. I want to make a towering vanilla layer cake, decorated with more vanilla in the shape of macaroons.  These are my fav cookie and Mika first and last word of the day is 'coo-ka' which is his word for cookie. To be topped with long skinny candles.

The gifts

Hey I love gift selecting, buying, wrapping, giving and receiving. My Mika makes his namesake proud as he is wild for cars. These are what he reaches for in the toy bin nine out of ten times. I want to get him one with a remote, that he can hopefully control himself. I can hear his super infectious giggles already. Besides that I really want to make a Mika photo album. Picture after picture of my little guy from wrinkly little newborn to the kids cool version of Lenny Kravitz that he now is. Seriously, I got several such comments based on his super cool head of hair. 

And for me, it’s taking a bit of time off to recharge as I will hopefully be spending a day or two away in February getting pampered and relaxing. & I spotted the most fabulous housing unit for my jewelry collection in august at Puha; the idle wood collection from Jenna Postma. I decided this is the gift to mark fully and truly arriving in my thirties.  Great way to get all my stuff in one spot and showcase them. Plus it is such a beautiful piece. I just might divert the nest egg I was building for a piece of art to this piece of art.

The clothes

Clothing, because you dress up when celebrating. For Mika, a tuxedo style jacket I have been saving in a size two since he was a size one. Probably in combo with his lightning bolt harem style pants and a new pair of sneakers. His current pair are bit on the tight side. I’m thinking high-top basketball sneakers, but a bit funkier (like this pair from baby Zara). And for me I’m thinking a dress, one that I already own but have not yet worn as I can’t go breaking my resolutions so soon. Of course with heels, also a pair that have been sitting and waiting and I know exactly which one.

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For the love of coin

There is only a very small handful of stores that I actually visit as I am very much a cyber-chick. These are the exceptions to the rule ‘If it can’t be found online than it can’t be that good’. Such a store is You are here, and their facebook page which is more up to date. A great mix of funky, different than the everyday, clothing brands, shoes, accessories and interior products. Even the way the store is laid out and the presentation of the products is fun, cool and above all interesting.

But enough about the store, just go check it out. What I want to share is this cool perforated calfskin wallet from Kenzo I spotted there a couple of weeks ago. I waited to see if it was just an infatuation but it turned out to be true love. I ended up going back this week to seal the deal. Thank god for after holiday sales! But is she a beaut or is she a beaut. Simple, classic, young and fun without being sweet or standard. Standard meaning boring, which is to me what garlic is to a vampire (is it obvious, I'm a sci-fi chick as well). May me and this wallet spend many, many happy years together.

P.S. there are one of two things in the You are Here jewelry cabinet that keep catching my eye. You never know, my jewelry box might get a new bauble.

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Friday favs

The search for the inspiring is a constant one. In a week I see so many wonderful things, deliberately searched or accidentally found, that I thought ‘Why not bundle those suckers together at the end of the week'. And make it my first official recurring post! Mondays is unofficially my day for posting about enjoying the weekend, which means stuffing my pie hole. Hey that reminds me, I haven’t made pie in a while..

Fridays are now for favorites. These are the favorites I found this week:

 

1. Reminds of the cool mirror I spotted at DDW, this version would look great resting on a dresser.
2. I try to leave my bed as little as possible. This Sleeping Tomorrow concept bed from DesleeClama would help me get that much closer.
3. Black leather and chains. I am sold. This would be a great slim-downed version for my current &Other Stories workbag.
4. What a great way by Alessi to showcase all the great postcards and prints they seem to be so many of lately. Or birthday cards, Christmas cards, birth announcement cards. You name it, it holds it.
5. A convertible dress. Zip it off to take it from work to fun or from winter to spring. Totally digging this concept, also from & Other Stories.
6. I have a thing for white vases but I also love to change it up, especially in the spring. With these aptly named Butternut embroidery vases I don't even need flowers, just add wool.

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Suburban storage

Not a new product or even a new brand but a love none the same. I love pretty much everything Seletti makes, including this submarine I got for Christmas. They're cool, fun, weird and wacky take on product concepts makes me smile out loud. So how great is this wall storage, in collaboration with Note Design Studio? It takes the modness of the Utensilo to the place where I belong; suburbia.

I am urban chick, so why should my storage not reflect my love of buildings, pavements, trees and pools. What am I babbling on about? Check of the second pic, because when laid flat the neighbourhood emerges. I can't decide if white is the way to good as it also comes in a natural wood finish that is rather fab. What I can decide on is that this would be great above the kid's desk, holding some of the ginormous collection of crafting supplies.

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Brandy butter & mascarpone waffles

A while back I bought a jar of brandy butter from Wilken & Sons from MinTwintig in Amsterdam. An interesting take on the concept of frozen meals.  But I don’t live in Amsterdam, so not viable for me, plus I enjoy cooking and have/find the time to do so, but definitely handy for city-slickers. 

But back to the brandy butter, that stuff is just so good. Turns a simple piece of toast into a breakfast fit for a queen. Sadly, the jar emptied pretty quickly and I am left bereft of this delicacy. So there was nothing left to do than to whip up a batch myself. Super simple with nothing more than a handful of ingredients needed; butter, sugar, vanilla and of course the brandy!



And since we were already in the kitchen, why not make some mascarpone waffles to slather with said brandy butter. A bit of leftover rum caramel sauce and you’re good to go. What better way to make it through the greyness of winter? The downside... winter only as the caloriecount is not bikini season OK.

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Status quo

I only just got started on my bucket list but nothing motivates me like striking something off a list, so I decided to do a quick update. Here’s how far I’ve gotten.

1. Clear out and reduce my wardrobe to workable proportions. I started with the overflow cupboards. And plan to do shoes and accessories this weekend.
2. Organize and showcase my beloved shoe collection. B. Wear them all. I realize now that I missed several good ones in the photo op but after 145 pictures I’d had enough. I did work some new ones in this week.
3. Take better care of my skin. I don’t wear make-up at home/at weekends so never bother doing more than splashing cold water on my face. I am now pushing myself to be less lazy on weekends and cleanse properly. I started using an eye serum just this week to help with the darkness and bags I seem to have grown overnight. I got back on track with treating my dry, sensitive skin better with at least a daily moisture rubdown.
4. Make granola. Loved the cherry, almond chocolate version I made so much, I am going to make more with my second favorite; dried blueberries.
5. Sort and switch out toys. I weeded out the toy bins to manageable proportions. Result is a slightly less daycare room look and the kids can’t make choices because they can see and find what they have.
6. Get the kids involved in cooking. Took baby steps this weekend with French toast and caramel. Kudos to Zoe Isobel for getting in there and dipping and dunking. Raw egg still makes me squeamish. Even Mika was great, sitting and watching everything from a bar stool pulled up to the counter.
7. Learn more so I can do more. There was a masterclass photography and styling this week from Meet the Blogger that I saw too late and was already fully booked so I put my name on the wait list. The next class is mine as better photo’s is something I really want to be able to produce. Nothing like eye candy.

Let’s see if we can keep the momentum going as by the end of January the motivation usually wanes and by February all good thoughts and resolutions are forgotten. I’m determined not to slide but to have less stuff I don’t value and to experience more! Got to get that bucket empty!!

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