~ back to simplicity + the joy of simple luxuries

hello on this more cloudy that it should be Tuesday!

hope you are all doing fine!

I have very much enjoyed your recent visits and comments, 

therefore despite time being a little squeezed these days,

here I am posting a little again...; )

...have I by any chance mentioned that besides...

~ making paper boats,

~  photographing spaces previously designed and decorated by me here in Greece

{in order to build a detailed portofolio}, 

~ sporadically organising shoes & pretty bags for a shop, 

~ engaging in various decorating, painting & organising projects around Apart 44, 

~ I'm also helping my mother build a home based business selling her heavenly made chocolates & other unique sweets?

Much like these ones below...

Are you already drooling?

Oh we certainly hope so!

If you are a resident of Athens, where I'm currently visiting, then you may contact me by email and all precise information about accepting orders, prices and delivery or picking up service will be provided to you.

International shipping is currently under examination.

In the meantime, do accept a treat from me...

all packaged by my hands,

using nothing else but lots of love, care, baking paper, baker's twine

& special labels made from delicious looking pictures of my etsy shop,

all supporting the moto:

~ B A C K   T O  S I M P L I C I T Y  ~

...can you think of anything more enjoyable than being able to appreciate and enjoy the pure luxury of the simplest things in life?

Here, luxury is made an everyday and approachable to many story ; ) 

How is that for an idea for you?

would love to hear you out!

Crafting bliss ~

 {via}

...you know, us who love crafting, do so not only about the craft itself,

but also all that it involves...

~ the materials

~ the colours

~ the possibilities

~ the excitement

~ the search

...as much as the actual creative process

{via}

and then the cups of coffee or tea while crafting always have a different taste....

~ a richer one

~ a sweeter one

~ or a more spicy one

~ whichever the case,

~ a flavour we never forget...

{via}

there is so much intellectual & emotional activity involved in crafting & creating 

hard to compare with anything else...

Pictures from my crafting {and photography of them} sessions

1st ~> today in Greece at {Apart 44}, 

with materials found in Athen's mystic corners

2nd & 3rd ~> this winter at my beloved {home & studio in Germany}

...hope you've had a lovely weekend and thank you all dearest friends of mine and regular readers,

as much as newcomers and passers-by for every kind comment that you leave.

It means a lot to me ~ Thank U!

~ summer call...

~ summer call & everything is going to be fabulous after all!

One of the latest treasuries I curated with finds from the world of Etsy...

hop here for the link to these beauties and then return with a cup of your favorite drink to read along with me....

...so, I' ve been spending a quiet morning today with not much talking being involved

...all of a sudden I realise how tranquil one can feel inside even when a....revolution is going on around him/her

...all of a sudden I realise the energy economy that is done when one speaks less and simply does more

...being a firm believer of the power of words, especially the power of {positive affirmations}

...silence's power & the one evoked by coming in touch with our own selves is also added to my belief system

{if I may call it so}

...am {deeply}concerned with what is happening in today's society, regardless of which my current home is.

...for me home is where the heart is, and that could be anywhere on this planet.

~ for all this wave of protests going on,

there is no need to take a stance,

still I' d like to share some thoughts I often remind myself of

...................................................................... 

~ when you want peace, start by being peaceful youself,

~ when you want to be rich, start by realising how much you have compared to millions of people who are starving

~ when you think you are treated unfair, start by practising fairness yourself,

 or else simply break the contact,

with whomever it might be,

family, relative, friend, work or country.

~ when you want to be respected, begin by gaining respect in yourself and then showing it to others

~ when you notice a constant need for complaining,

maybe it's time to realise that it's yourself you are looking for

and unless it's him or her you find, accept and eventually love,

mountains could move,

the sea could freeze,

still the same need for complain will prevail.

If you an adult, it's time to realise that there are choices in life.

and that with choices change may come

and through change, difficulties will come as well as blessings,

cause noboby sighed a contract with us,

 that life will be only easy and fair.

~ if you want to be different, act different.

~ think as an individual,

~ exercise your right for free thinking

be the best you can be,

in order to benefit others and society as well.

Use time efficiently,

learn to love 

{no, being madly in love and just dependent on someone are not included}

and most of all take time and invest in making use of all the wonderful potential that lies in you.

Then, the earth could stop turning, but you' d still be centered and in peace.

......................................................................................

All right friends, I know that lines like these ones written above are not exactly expected,

when ones sees a bunch of pretty items grouped together...

but this online place here is about living a life of awareness,

a beautiful life which resuts from deep understanding, acceptance and most of all efforts in order to change eveything we do not like.

Off course pretty items and wisely put together interiors add alot in to beautifying our everyday lives,

still it's a heart & a mind in peace that it all begins from...

You want magic in your lives?

prepare to make some first and offer it generoulsy.

...you have high standards of living?

prepare to pay for them.

Both practically and symbolically

JUST DO IT! ; )

{it's exactly what I've been saying to myself, too}

and in the meantime enjoy this last weekend of May as well!

~ inspired by Lisbon

hi there....already Thursday night and I can honestly say that I've lost track of days...

Today has been a wonderful rainy day...

the sea totally calm, I could see "her" changing colours in various stripes from the veranda of the place I'm staying and the gorgeous apartment of a family friend I visited this morhing,

where I had breakfast.

Fresh air, a loud storm, the sun, the clouds & the rain at some point dancing simmultaneously...

 Don't you just love the smell of the ground after the rain has poured?

Before the rain burst out, I had spent the early afternoon 

by the sea with my girlfriend and her little 18 month old Prince...

I just love watching him, hearing him, holding him,

playing with him and especially going on a walk so that he eventually takes a nap...

I could be taking pictures, but there's something about the camera lens that I feel gets in the way of living with a capital "L" & 100 % percentage such moments...

 perhaps because I visit here and see him only a few times a year...

I want to suck in every moment, I want to touch him and let him touch me...

it's such a wonderful feeling....

Still, I'm sure that before I depart for my German home, the right time for a new photo session will come,

 {no promises for publishing pictures though,

as the parents are in a rather quiet wave length}

I know I should be having at least some other of today's pictures to accompany this post,

yet my mood is totally coloured in the hues of the photos seen above & below

and somehow my mind wandered somewhere in Lisbon,

where I spent a couple of days in March in order to celebrate my birthday.

...fresh green

...communicative turquoise

...and tranquil grey

are colouring my mood today

as much as this week's so far favorite outfit,

randomnly put together, only to realise that I must have been having something in my mind...

look below...are you following me?

...the light greyish blue fading paint jumped and coloured my silver cardigan...

....the turquoise tiles got transformed into the cotton top I wore

and the intense green paint showered the wooden beads I handmade the necklace from...

 its name: ~ fresh DNA ~ simply cause it reminds of the DNA helix...

and I guess cause I never got over of the days I studied Biology as part of my Psychology studies back in the days...

as for Doors in general {all the ones portrayed here are photographed in beautiful Lisbon},

 I've been forever having a love affair with them...

Apart from their architectural & aesthetic interest, doors symblolise life choices to me.

The ones {choices} we intent to make, are the doors we dare and put effort to open.

The choices we intend to correct by realising past mistakes, are the doors we close firmly behind us,

while no longer being tempted in opening again, no matter how often they may be encountered.

...are you perhaps feeling chatty tonight?...I'm wondering, what do doors symbolise to you? 

...finally, the package of a custom order above,

 which rather falls in the colour mood described here today, don't you think?

Since it was a special one, 

I prefered to use an equally special box from my personal collection

 instead of the usual ones. 

It held a mug displaying the box's design, 

bought in Amsterdam last year in Rijk' s museum,

(special Hema collection)

...don't worry, I bought a pair of them, so I can still enjoy it, while here in {Apart 44} ; )

....all right, the clock is ticking and tomorrow is a day I work, 

organising shelves of shoes and temptingly pretty bags by colour,

so I'd better bring this to an end...

but not before I share with you the happy news that these little guys made it {again!}

to Etsy's Front page yesterday

~ how lovely is that? 

I really love these little paper boats and it seems that I'll be customly preparing more of them for somebody's special occassion...

....so looking forward!

Hope you are all doing fine...am thanking you dearly for visiting & commenting...

...still waiting for this comfortable amount of extra time to pay visits, read and comment myself,

 giving the attention that you deserve.

 have a nice Friday ahead + c u soon!

~ Mrs Linen Beige meets Mr Gold...

well, it seems that when Mrs Linen beige met Mr Gold, 

despite their tremendous differences,

they clearly fell in love...

and in time found out that they complement each other rather wonderfully

...just a little colour mood board inspiration for today...

...linen beiges, soft grays & altogether natural tones and materials,

paired up with a touch of golden,

for this down to earth, discrete and elegant approach to stylish interiors,

with an air of luxury.

How do you feel about the combinations seen in this post?

What is your colour mood today 

and 

which is one of your ever favorite colour & material combos?

oh, do share!

Above, the {latest treasury} that I curated with finds from Etsy,

portraying a successful and harmonious marriage between 

modern & classic

boldly yet wisely combined materials,

like reclaimed wood & bronze or fine, gold-plated porcelain.

Below, a {collage} of recent pictures made during my stay in Greece,

mostly with scenes shot around Apart 44,

speaking of some of the materials & colours I love to combine.

via

And here, a {room} I cannot get over, no matter how often I'm taking a look at it...

Finally,  my current home in Germany in the two pictures to come, 

{which I happen to be missing a lot}

put together with a more than tight budget,

an extra reason which makes me kinda proud for the outcome...

 via

via

...speaking of being proud, I read a relative {post} I really liked last night by Holy Becker at decor8.

As for me, is there something I'm really proud?

well, don't know if proud is the right word,

but I have a lot of respect for the person I'm growing to be

and feel absolutely grateful for the abilities & charisma that were given to me

Now, what's the next step?

~> direct them into supporting my living a life according to the standards I set.

...with the right planning, devoted work & effort, persistence & patience, it shouldn't be that hard, right ; )?

~ one step at a time...

                                        hello everyone ~ I'm a little under the weather today...
It seems that I'm in need of reading my own yesterday's {blog post}, reminding myself of my own clarity moments and putting them into practise...

Life in Greece at the moment seems very confusing...there' s a lot of expressed or hidden tension for the whole situation, which actually forces most people to live with much less, when everything is much more expensive. On top of that, a huge question mark seems to wander above the word "future"...
My own family being deeply affected, sympathy prevails from my side.

What is also prevailing as an emotion though, is that I'd prefer to see people {hopefully my own parents first, but I can dream and then please wake me up ; )} have a better understanding of the issue just a little tiny bit more spherically. We are definitely not the only nation that suffers...

As much as we love our country and feel proud citizens of it, we need to understand that we are also part of a  wider community, like European Union and eventually just another nation on this planet.

Lamentations won't bring money, stubbornness won't pay debts & showing a face that really cannot be characteristic of this once so great & honourable nation will certainly not attract people as investors, helpers or even tourists.

Facing in my own family a mentality that I never realised we had, has really shocked me and all I want to do is take the initiative and be myself a good example.
Not in order to actually be a good example, but just because this is the only way for me to survive, pick up the pieces and start building all over again on a solid ground, step by step, enjoying the process.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the meantime, I need to manage my stress levels and take care of my mental and physical health. And I know that this means taking life every day, hour by hour and minute by minute...

A funny arithmetic equation was made on the amount of paper boat garlands in {this recent post}, about how many of them need to be sold daily for the next couple of years in order for my family to be supported.

I hope you don't really think that I'm that naive that I intend on saving the situation only by making paper boats. Good. Cause I'm not. It's just a huge call from life that it is right here and right now, that myself needs to be put together, my abilities & charisma weighed and simply go out there and work getting rewarded till the last cent that is deserved. And I know that everyone loves things & services for free {which I have always been so eager to offer!}, still it is time for me to learn that charity in this phase is helping my own family and my own self.

It has nothing or very little to do with being selfish. It has simply to do with survival. So my dears, as much as putting effort into promoting paper boat garlands might seem unimportant, it is one of the many things that I can currently do and so am I.

With all the love and care that I put into making them, official custom made orders are now open and you can have one - or many more! - specially made for you, with your chosen colour combo.
You can drop me an email here: Ivy_style33@hotmail.com or purchase directly via Etsy {right here}.

As for the rust seen as the blurred background of the image above, it is the project that I' ll be working on these days...it's a secret right now ; )

Will tell you more soon and demonstrate the process. Till then, if you are in the mood of reading tips on how to make a budget friendly art wall with character, you can follow the process in two parts, as shared by me on Ikea Family Live's site {here} & {here}.

~ have fun ~ be creative ~ and invest effort in learning to think outside the box....it's worth the tears ; )

~ about doing the dishes, practising yoga & the magic side of life...

hello everyone!

 ~ it took me longer than I thought to return here actively posting...

due to a slow as a snail or tortoise {and sometimes failing} connection,

a post or two that I was preparing and intending to share during the weekend were gone...

~ no problem though....there is the right time for everything,

so here I am starting all over again,

having spent relaxing moments this weekend and a nicely busy Monday.

I"m here to wish you a nice start in the new week and share some favorite moments...

To begin with, I understand that doing the dishes is not exactly a fascinating procedure,

nevertheless, I felt real pleasure washing the pretty dishes seen above 

{older than me in years and dating back to my parents wedding} 

last night after a dearest family friend came over.

The best of all, was their sight early this morning as the sunlight sneaked inside the kitchen...

Now, my intention is not really to talk about doing the dishes,

instead about yoga & meditation as a way of life.

Since the very first months I relocated in Germany, I had the extreme luck of meeting an amazing yoga teacher and be participating in her classes at the Volkhochschule in Mainz.

During every lesson, we are always reminded by her gentle voice that yoga & meditation are not {only} about doing a couple of exercises a few times a week or a day.

Neither is meditation only about finding a peaceful place and tuning in to our boby' s natural rhythms and needs, while resting our rushing minds.

Yoga & meditation are actually ways of life, able to happen every single second of time.

Every action can become yoga and meditation, 

so long as we are present, concentrated and allow ourselves to dive in them.

A simple act as washing the dishes can have a relaxing effect on us, when we enjoy the flow of water, the nice smell of the soap and most of all this simply magical process of making something clean.

It can work also symbolically for washing away our frustrated thoughts, stresses and stagnant energy.

...and there is a slight tip into making this and most of simple household everyday chores into enjoyable activities...at least I've found it to be helpful...

~ have just enough

~ have only things that you really love to see & use

~ have things to somehow match with the rest of the spirit you have put your home together.

Luxury and money needn't be present, despite the undeniable truth that money can buy pretty things.

It can't buy you an attitude to life that will allow you to feel bliss though...

So, whether the simplest dish ware from stores such as Ikea,

or vintage, second hand pieces scored at flea markets,

just make sure you really love what you have.

Then loving what you do with them is made easier...

Anyways, let me not keep this post much longer with words...

Below are just some of very favorite moments these past few days,

where the feeling that yoga and meditation can be a part of daily life prevailed.

Simply cause I was deeply involved at the time and actually happily involved...

Above & below is the first custom paper garland prepared for the online shop 

{only direct orders from private clients & friends were made so far}

I enjoyed every bit of the process...

from finding the right colours according to the customer's wishes,

to cutting the papers,

to folding the paper boats,

to sewing them with baker's twine,

 to photographing them

and finally packing them {pictures to come in another post}

I love this wreath made from paper branches which my mother had bought as a Christmas decoration...

It's now permanently standing at the wall rolled in a circle,

symbolising the circle of life and as it reminds a bit of olive tree branches,

symbolising peace as well...

~ when I placed there the paper boat garland this morning to photograph it, 

do you know what came in my mind?

~ the deeper reason {other than earning a living while expressing my creativity}

for which I love making these little boats...

They are a symbol of Peace...

they represent peaceful moments I spent while preparing them

and their aim is to sail around the world in as many places as possible,

bringing a sense of tranquillity and love for life's magical moments...

reminding that beauty lies in the simple things in life

and allowing everyone regardless of economic status 

to enjoy having them.

Speaking of life's magic, the two pictures below, which are totally SOOC 

{straight out of the camera} except for the watermark addition,

were taken yesterday during the afternoon walk I took with the camera being my only company...

I do enjoy moments with myself ...and can hardly think of something better than walking by the sea, watching the sunset, feeling the fresh breeze on my skin, emptying my often busy & frustrated mind, and making space for new energy to come...

...hope you've had at least a couple of wonderful moments this weekend as well...

thank you for visiting this place so often to read 

&

sometimes share your thoughts in the comments section, too.

I really love writing and posting visual fragments of my life here...

and it gives me a sense of worth and happiness to know that some of you are getting inspired,

are feeling understood, are positively reinforced or simply are finding a tranquil place to pass by a few moments here and then...

Thank you so much for being my readers

c  you  very soon : )

~ destination summer

...hello, just a short post with pictures made this Saturday morning,

when I  managed to capture some:

~ tranquillity . . .

~ beautiful light . . .

~ and positive feeling . . .

...amongst a usual heavy and rather nerving atmosphere

no..no...not only due to the general crisis that Greece is facing,

but mostly due to the fact that there is no willingness in accepting

severe mistakes in life attitude and lifestyle from my family's part.

...after having been rather shocked & very, very upset with truths that were {finally & thankfully} revealed,

I'm coming into terms that no, I cannot save my family . . . 

I can certainly try to do my best,

but the one I really need to save is myself . . .

A person that the more I'm getting in touch with, 

the more I understand, respect and actually am comfortable being.

Other than that, wishing you a lovely Saturday and weekend ahead!

I'll be around, so keep an eye on me ; )

....oh! and do watch {this}

W a r n i n g:

~ extreme life sweetness ~  simplicity ~ beauty ~ happiness ~ pure bliss!

~ listen to the voices & look at the faces...

 {Interior design ~ styling & photography credit: Iro - Ivy Nassopoulos}

~ calm waters...

~ calm waters....

~ troubled waters...

~ life has it all

~ and it's up to us the way we see happenings

~ taking everything as experiences and chances to learn

~ understanding our own selves better

~ making space for understaning others

~ also deciding that we perhaps wish to devote our space and time

 in particular ways,

~ it's the privilege of Choice,

~ and most of us are lucky enough to have it,

~ some of us are brave enough to try to make use of it

~ and a few of us can actually make choices that work for the best of our own well being

and the one of others.

~ I'm in need of making such active choices

and then going all the way supporting them.

...what about you?

have such matters perhaps crossed your minds?

I know it sounds a little vague, but then this is my way of writing when life is persistenly pinching the little philosopher in me...

and then sometimes, I just prefer to not mention everyday life events, 

eventhough I might have promissed to do so.

{do not take this as cheating all right? you are cherished enormously as readers, just keep in mind that prior to all things happening, being true to my own self is my biggest challenge}

...then perhaps my day was simply not so worthy of mentioning,

but let's not forget, there are always the moments...

And to these I'm going to refer right now...

such as yesterday, when I - eagerly and just for a little short while - logged to this little place here,

and read all your responses and comments, right after work of the day was finished.

I literally burst into tears...I'm always rather easily taken by people's kindness, care and all things nice,

but the fact that so many of you react in a way a very good friend would, without actually having met me,

really touches me.

Thank you all so very dearly!

I hope you've spent beautiful days today, or that you at least had a few moments to cherish through out of it.

~ you know with your heart when you had such ones 

 ...and trully they can be the simplest ones of all...

Already Thursday evening here,

wishing us all a loveliest Friday ahead!

P.S: you've got to feel life's magic, when a smiling person {from India or Pakistan perhaps} approaches your little car at the traffic light, asking if he could and actually wanting to clean the front window, despite having clearly stated that there was no change to give him.
You 've got to feel life's magic and some people's effortless kindness, sourcing from deep within, when in the end he thanks you for having allowed him to do the window of your little, unimportant car.
He was just so happy that he could offer something, he could offer all that he could that moment...
and then I drove away smiling and for a short while was intensively happy, not only cause indeed the view from a shiny and crystal clear window is much better and enjoyable, but because actually at that very moment I had met a very important person....and this made me feel lucky and important, too.

If there is anyway that Power should be used, then it is the power of kindness and true care in humanity.
We don't need to cross mountains to do that, we don't need to meditate from morning to night.
We just need to live life every moment, every day and allow to be touched by its mystery and magic.
The only life we get is the one we live right HERE and right NOW.
And I'm quite happy to be sharing these thoughts with you. It makes my now and my here richer.

{Picture: Glyfada's marine, Wednesday late afternoon, sunset approaching}

~ a basket of happiness...

...facing the crisis...one paper boat at a time...

...well, as you might have guessed I have been busy, like very busy and my trip here, despite being 

quite enjoyable thank's to meeting and spending time with beloved friends,

 is not exactly going as I had planned.

In other words, I still haven't been lying on the beach... 

Something must be rather serious, correct?

Well, being always gratefull for what there is and what we have, rather than what is absent,

let's still do some simple arithmetics, shall we?

1 country in a HUGE economical crisis {actually flirting persistenly with bankrupsy}

1 mother + 1 father who are having a hard time facing their own truths

{therefore withholding it from themseleves and actually their only child, who in this case is their daughter = me}

1 father's pension 30 % reduced

1 minimum mother's pension which has been on delay since ONE year

1 private bussiness {institute of foreign languages} sold for less than half its worth

1 bussiness worth being deposited partialy only monthly cause of the new owner's difficulties

1 mother who is facing difficulty aquiring a new job

EQUAL about 3 paper boat garlands, for about 10 euros each, being sold daily for the next about three years in order to offer support and manage the new standard of living in Greece that my parents have to face.

Possible? ... do not know, still certainly I do hope so.

I simply feel obliged to give it a try.

I understand the amount of work it means, but then I make each and every one of them with enormous Love & Care. So why not?

...and aside from the fact that their whole process is one bringing me joy and happiness, I honestly believe that somehow...someway...they are charms of Love & Luck around our living spaces.

I trust  and would be forever grateful if you took a moment to spread the word and show them to family and friends of yours.

At the moment, they are available on line via Etsy, but I 'll see that soon you are able to purchase them via a plattform that no particular account is needed. Just a "shopping cart" and "buy" button.

If you live in Greece where I currently am, you may send me an email and we'll arrange a meeting. How nice would that be? ;)

The garlands are offered in various combinations of patterns & colours and also prepared for:

~ baptisms

~ marriages

~ parties

~ celebrations

at prices that reflect the crisis that is taking place.

I promise to be more chatty and share more of my current everyday life here soon.

For the time being I'm working every second day at the shoe shop of my dearest girlfriend's husband.

So hip hop hooray, I need to be fiding my way to bed in a while...

...leaving you with a few more pictures of the garlands having been made since this Sunday...

97 single paper boats so far...

...not bad, right? ; )

P.S1: the picture on the top of the post is the "basket of happiness" prepared today and brought to a lovely space for them to be sold...will tell you more all about it soon!

P.S2: am currently rather not interested in the mostly possible occassion that mummy feels a little embarassed and awkward with this post. 

Apollogies on behalf of Miss Truth, which as usual hurts.

....and with a big hug of positivism....

Have a gorgeous Wednesday everyone!