Vintage leather clucthes, warm pullovers & all about having d r e a m s

Hello! Happy Saturday!

Excuse my language, but is it  f r e a k i n g  cold where you are, too?

Spring in Germany IS totaly  b e a u t i f u l ,

as e v e r y t h i n g ,   e v e r y w h e r e   is green, green and greener

and the flowers are looking and smelling  g o r g e o u s .

Yet, the temperatures seem to have been left months behind!

Hellooo  w a r m t h ,  come back pretty please?

Like... n o w ?

No wonder I got a pullover on!

A very favorite one in fact, which is part of  a  S a l e  beginning here!

Blog + blog author  s u p p o r t   a l e r t !

We are both {the blog & I} in desperate need of money

say we shamelessly

and at the moment dozins of pretty clothes

are not gonna takes us anywhere nice or exciting.

And we both want to keep it rolling here,

making our dream come true

{I'll get down to  d r e a m s  right after the details}

But  m o n e y  will!

So, give us a helping hand, while you add  s t y l e  &  b e a u t y 

 in your already pretty - I'm sure - closet!

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

W h a t   c a n   b e   y o u r s :

P u l l o v e r  from Zara Woman, in a warm soft wool mix,

in a very good condition, worn lovingly only but a few times.

Genuine  l e a t h e r   v i n t a g e   c l u t c h  

with stylish details, in almost unused condition.

They make a lovely match together, don't they?

€33 for them both + shipping {according to country}

You may use your  p a y p a l  account to pay,

sending money to -> ironassopoulos@hotmail.com

or make a bank transfer

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

Now let's get down  to our  d r e a m s discussion...

get that favorite hot or cold drink of yours... get all cosy

in your favorite nook for blog reading & on line connecting 

{ you do have one, don't you?}

and get busy sharing

cause I'd love to hear  from you!

So, do  y o u  have dreams?

{ I know, I know... who doesn't! I just don't rule out the chances that there are people

a l r e a d y  fully or partly living in their dream! And those of you who do, your contribution is crucial.

Also some people are simply very pragmatic. Full stop.}

Have you acheived any of them?

How?

Are you perhaps on the road of realising some aspects or parts of your dreams?

How has the road so far been?

What are you future aspirations?

Yeah, I know too many questions...

but life is demanding that I learn and adjust right here, right now,

so I'm gladly reaching out my hand to all those of you !

So many chances to learn!

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

btw, here is what else can also be yours:

-> s t y l i n g   c o n s u l t a t i o n

-> i n t e r i o r   d e s i g n , o r g a n i s a t i o n   &  s t y l i n g   o f   y o u r   s p a c e

-> p r o d u c t   p h o t o g r a p h y  for your  p e r s o n a l   b u s i n e s s e s ,

so long the products communicate the  a e s t h e t  i c s  shared here.

Are you somewhere at or between the F r a n k f u r t ,  M a i n z  & W i e s b a d e n   areas

and would like to show me your  f a b u l o u s   s h o p ?

In need of  b e a u t i f u l   p i c t u r e s  &  a  g o o d  write up?

Are you somewhere else gorgeous and would like that we work together anyway?

I  L O V E   t r a v e l l i n g !

Drop me a line! I'm looking forward to  n e w   p r o j e c t s  :) 

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

picture credit: 

left: Iro Ivy Nassopoulos / right: here

~ all about elegance... {discussion board}

[via]

good evening everyone & thank you for nice comments as always,

on the previous posts, such as this one

about {cherishing life} 

I don't know about you,

but for me personally, apart from mental & physical health,

love and enough food on our table,

elagance and all it brings together with,

may it be style, taste, quality of living, manner of speaking,

maner of thinking,

moving, eating, dressing, keeping our homes,

or choosing how & where to invest some money

is a very important factor in life.

having being raised in a rather wealthy suburb of Athens,

despite my parents simply having chosen for us to have a house there,

mainly for the quality of living next to the sea and away from a busy, loud city center,

still always close enough to cultural facilities, 

and this without neccessarily meaning that we could follow 

the "rich" standard of life of most of our neighbours,

there are a few things about true style & elegance that

seem to have accumulated over the years,

forming my opinion

about what is trully stylish & what not

here are some words and notions that go together with elegance {remember, for me personally}

     being ~

 ~ discrete ~

~ down to earth ~

~ open hearted but not naive~

~ approachable but not over available always & for everyone ~

~ kind ~

~ non provoking ~

~ sufficient ~

~ balanced ~

~ self concious ~

~ original ~

~ non snobbish ~

~ informed but not over exposed to the media ~

 ~ classic but not boring or worn out ~

~ wisely spending, investing & donating ~

...ok... perhaps I could be writing forever,

when infact I'd also like to hear what you think of elegance to be,

while you also take a look at some choices gathered together,

making up {my newest curated treasury},

all that, just so that there is some food for thought

and hopefully useful to you links,

until I return,

sharing the winner of the give away,

which I do by now know

and will share with you in a while!

♥

P.S: just posting this {extra} now... 

[via]

elegance might be saving to invest in such a dress

&

 not indulge in not well thought off buys just in order to buy something...

and then, that only if we could really afford it,

instead of putting ourselves into... debts!

otherwise, there are countless elegant & affordable to most of us choices

; )

Yes?.. 

photographic memories

... teaching myself photography

  &

being involved in online communities like flickr,

{to mention only but one of the very many}

which I happen to consider the most communicative and educative one at the same time,

make it alsmost impossible to forget the value of photography as a form of art.

Undoubtably there are numerous artists out there which create breathtaking pieces of art,

putting into use:

~ a fabulous sense of perspective

~  an eye that sees more than what is commonly noticed,

~ an eye that is there to serve the heart and the mind,

~ and then come the mediums,

~ a lens & a camera body, 

~ film and of course today 

~ digital photography & post processing.

Not to forget the most valuable ingredient in creating stunning photography,

{allow me to exclude from this discussion night photography}

a good appreciation and use of natural light.

So, photography as a form of art ~> checked

...and then comes the madness of our consuming societies,

with victims like myself, who try hard to prioritise and buy the essentials,

resisting overconsumerism and buying just for the mere pleasure of it 

{oh how often do I fail!}

while at the same time being insanely in love with beauty & style.

Quite hard to achieve my goal, considering the endless possibilities offered around us.

And lately, it's even easier, with just the click of a button,

on a virtual shopping cart.

...to get right back to my point, had it not been for gorgeous photography accompanying the products,

had it not been the super clever advertising methods of "selling people dreams",

most of us would harldy be so tempted.

But as lots of us are visual types, we are enjoying our dosis of "eye candy"

and indulging in it.

Therefore, photography as a means of advertising and promoting products: ~  also checked

All fine and all well, but in between all this, could it be that we have perhaps forgotten a little bit the simplest of the purpose that photography serves?

That of keeping memories alive.

I remembered this morning...and searched to retrieve this picture {3rd in the row above} of my mother & seven year old me...somewhere on Easter vacation in one of Greece's breathtaking places.

...and then with Mother's day approaching, I couldn't help thinking that together with every present that we'll come up to offer to our mothers, wouldn't it be nice to include an old photo of us together?

Or perhaps, arrange a fun visit to a photoboot together and make new ones...

...and then as nice as you are {and hopefully a little handy},

 build her such a displaying board,

as the one seen in the second picture {above}.

Finally, a simpler gesture, to buy and offer her such a romantic picture as {this one}.

What do you think? 

Are you still in touch with this fundamental purpose of photography?

Are you going over old family photos once in a while, 

as much as you loose yourselves among visual candy?

Are you displaying some of your favorite pictures,

 related to you and moments of your life?

Are you cherishing fragments of your past, 

as much as your present and your future to come?

...meaning are you cherishing all that you are?

recently I have...and it seems to be unlocking step by step many of the blockades,

which came up intensly and shouted to me to start dealing with them.

And now my boss {in this case myself} is urging me to work and deal with my projects,

after publishing this post and wishing you a lovely day ahead.

Have a great one!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photo credit: 1. Lucy Snow Photography 2. via 3. Stratos Nassopoulos {aka my dad}

Comforting light

...when we feel that things are hard, what do we usually do?

We seek for comfort, right?

And sometimes it seems comforting to run away and seek for shelter.

Like running into mummy's or daddy's arms when we were children.

Only that it simply doesn't work this way when we are adults.

So I guess lots of us, create our own comfort zones, to which we run instead, when we wish to feel safe, relaxed, loved, peaceful.

I was wondering, what do you do in similar life situations?

What brings you comfort?

How do you deal with the child inside you?

I believe that my primary adult sanctuary is...light, abstract as it may sound.

It's the reason why I adore the current place I' m living in.

The reason why I love Greece, the country of light, where I originate from.

The reason why I'm passionate about architecture and photography, 

as their good functioning depends so much on light.

The reason why I love white.

I'm sure that many of you must be wondering why have things become so hard for me recently and why has there been so much difficulty to return to things I loved.

I trust that when there is a good basis for communication established again, my thoughts will be shared.

But what is more important right now, is that no more time is consumed by staying away from posting, sharing and generally being openely involved with my passions, just because

I do not actually know where to start from.

And eventhough I'm fully aware that this could be "harming" my whichever public image had been formed and that I could have been planning my posts instead and appear stronger,

clearer and more determined than I actually am,

it would be wrong,

simply cause it would not be the truth.

So, uncertain as I might be feeling, probably a little lost, too,

wondering how years have passed

and how did I ever end up here,

here I am

and I hope that you' ll also be feeling honoured that you are respected enough for truth to be shared with you. Consider my absence not as lack of care for all of you who have been taking the time to read, comment and become readers, but as a sign, that I chose to say more by not speaking for some time.

A picture might equal a thousand words,

but also silence is golden

and there was no way that words could fit in this little online journal.

Furthermore, the only way to actually realise whether we like something or not, 

and how much, 

is perhaps by being deprived of it.

I know that, accidentally through blogging, I have discovered a part of myself I never even thought I had.

I discoverd that I love to write and share my feellings, point of views and thoughts,

as much as I love to create beautiful interiors, decoration and photography and talk about these subjects, too.

And I must say, that indeed through writing similar lines and sharing the world through my eyes,

I' ve met a lot of wonderful people I would have otherwise not.

So before closing this post, (knowing me I could be writing for ever!) I'd like so much to thank all those who have cared throughout my absence and have dropped a mail or two in my electronic and/or actual mailbox.

In time, I'll refer to you all and thank you properly.

In time, a desired and appropriate rythm will be developed and established in posting here.

Simply, organically but with effort and devotion, too.

And I'm happy to have freed myself from the need for perfection and have come to share here despite not being perfectly ready for it.

I've read a million times that doing is loving.

How incredibly right and true is that!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

P.S. the lovely "Keep calm & carry on" print that is pictured together with my favorite vintage wallpaper is bought a Anne's fabulous etsy shop magalerie

~ a life of inspiration ~ yours!

In my previous post today I mentioned that tiredness has reached me in terms of sharing and that I wish for a plan before I go on. What occured to me as most important though, is to actually talk things out after all.....much like a cleansing process.
So, reaching the end of this year, looking back, seeing where I was right and where wrong, what brought me happiness and what misery...has also brought online existence under the spectrum.


So I'd like to share a few thougths on the issue. Why so much thought though?
Why is there a little, temporary blockade?
....because unlike many that begun having an online presence and sharing publicly, I did not have a plan, neither did I really know where I was getting into. Of course, as everything in life, online/public presence is two sided, too.
On the one hand, a vast world of opportunities, beauty, inspiration and all things nice opens before our very eyes and then also an impersonal world, where one cannot really be certain of people's motives, other than rely on some common sense and perhaps a little bit on our gut feelings.


I've been mostly delighted with my online presence and have received lots of warmth, support and praise, without really having done anything to cause it, other than sharing the world through my eyes.
I found out that being able to offer inspiration simply by my thoughts, doings and everyday life adds nicely to my reality. I also thought that this is a world of give and take and since I also receive inspiration via my screen, it would be nice if I could be able to do the same.


Let's face it  though, being only a simple human being, I started growing connections to this online world and presence of mine. In the happiest of cases, connection can be now interpetted as a few, but really wonderful, meaningful and strong friendly relationships.


And then, there is the issue of freely offering inspiration and parts of somebody's self. Does this mean, that since there is no official law attached, that anybody can simply get inspired and build an online presence of their own, based on other people's thoughts, ideas, inspirations to name only but a few?
Taking a little bit from here....a little bit from there...adding a little of our own on top....and there we go, ready we are! "Birth" of something new...


This is the real world and I know that the answer is: Yes, dear Iro (Ivy) this is a free world and a free "market". Based on this very correct truth, getting inspired from others and then making it "yours" is o.k.


Still, as in everything in life, there is a "but". What is the "but" in this case?
That somebody is building with precision and extreme care castles on sand. Because however hard, we try to make something ours, when it is really not, no wrapping, no label will ever make it ours. The only thing that is genuine and trully ours is something that is a true expression of who we are.


Why am I being bothered with all this issue? After all I so often talk about love and positive aspects of life...well, because by emphasising beauty, peace, calmness, love, truth, real emotions and other such things not only like minded people  are attracted, but in a few cases, people who behind their admiration actually hide an envy.


There is a Greek proverb that says: "Lots have hated money but nobody has ever hated glory". Around the net there can be found many who simply thirst for attention and will go all the way for it. Let your imagination go wild....


Ok, and now stop pointing the arrows to me, saying: "and what about you misses?...you think that you are anybody better?....No, I don't. Actually, I'm recently very concerned, that I might be simply part of all this game. 


And here comes the point I believe that this situation is a chance to learn, to be strong and have at the same time a big heart but also a firm, decisive mind. To be able to balance between sensitivity and strength, while keeping in touch with reality. And knowing where I'll be devoting precious time to support others and where not. Sometimes saying a "no" is an act of love towards ourselves and quite possibly others.
So, to whomever wishes to be inspired by whatever is offered through my presence and "add" a little hat of his/her own baptising it as his/her idea, I'll say that you aren't playing fair and that's not nice.
And if you wish to play "dirty", you may as well do so.  I'm simply staying out, cause I'm neither interested, neither do I have the time for such games.


So, I've not decided to go away, but I wish for a solution to be found. Because such incidents might reoccur and it would be a loss of time to go over the same thought process again.
All I need is a clear mind and light heart to go on unfolding the chapters here...just being more aware....still having the best of intentions.


Thank you for sharing some of your time here with me. It's mostly appreciated :)
All the very best,


Ivy

~ welcoming....

Good morning and happy Friday!....the first in December....I was wondering....what are you really welcoming in your life these days?...what are you letting go?...or what do you wish to let go?

...what do you wish to welcome in the new Year?

...are you the kind of person that makes plans?

...or are you perhaps taking one day at a time?

....do you trust and rely on your intuition?

 .... if yes, how do you combine such an approach with practical issues?

If you'd like to have a look at some aspects that I wish to be present in my life you can hop here and read the picture's discription.

I'll leave you with these thoughts until later tonight when I'll come back,

...all things well first of all, as our Internet connection has been having hick ups(!) all morning....

wishing you to have lovely days...

Ivy ~ xx

~ a "make a wish" give away & the essence of giving

So, Christmas is coming....and we are all getting in shopping moods...some of us are also getting perhaps a little frustrated about what to shop for whom. Some others might be having a little bit of a hard time managing economically...and Christmas can make this so much more intense...
But let's go a little bit behind in time, before overcommercialism took over our lives....then when people were looking forward to holiday season, mostly for the mere fact that they'd be able to spend  time together with their families and loved ones.
Then, when present giving was more clearly a gesture of showing our love, appreciation and care to someone. 


So if you stress about what to offer this Christmas, here are a few reminders:
~ Remember that offering a present is mostly about how you offer something. Taking time to create a package which is personal will as an act of its own, bring pleasure and feelings of warmth to the receiver. Investing time & effort in preparing a package is actually how we show we care for someone. In this way, even the most humble gift can become the most precious present!
~ If you cannot afford at all purchasing something, how about offering some of  your most delicious home made cookies, or a cake?
~ How about donating a book in a good condition that you no longer want, which you know belongs to the wish list of a friend of yours?
~ How about simply creating a gift on your own? Do you perhaps draw?...sew or knit?...make ceramics? Whatever it is you make with your hands will certainly be a wonderful present  to people who are close to you, so long as you also take into consideration their own personal taste when deciding what to make for them.
~ Finally how about simply offering some of your time in helping someone those days? If they are children spend this extra time with them, being really there, doing things together and being part of their world. If they are old people, how about helping them in doing some things that they have trouble doing on their own? Helping them clean & organise their spaces or simply being with them while listening to their stories?


....have these suggestions perhaps been helpful? I'm certain that if not all, most of you being part of this blog and reading these lines wrtitten here, have already made all the above considerations and even more!
You are invited and I'd love you to share your opinions in the comments section! Tell us what you think, write your experiences!  As for yesterday's discussion board, need I say how delighted I was to be reading your replies about what makes you fall in love?
Dearest Elisabeth, Angela, Madhu, Judy, Christian, Sylvie & artist behind Tropical Garden, thank you so much for taking the time to come and write here, sharing parts of your life, opening your hearts. Thank you for warming this place and my heart with your presence.


Now my turn to do something for you. I've specially prepared for all those who know me here in this online neighbourhood (newcomers are also welcome of course!) a Christmas present from my gift shop:


A set of four fine art photography prints in 5x5 size, belonging to the "Love games" collection.

How to enter the Give Away:

Just leave a comment saying which wish you'd make if you only got to make ONE.
Come on, make a wish....Christmas is all about spirits opening and hearts warming up!
Winners are all who will enter, but as sadly I'm not really Santa Claus - despite me wishing very, very much that I could be - only one will be randomly chosen to receive the present. You may be entering until 10.12.10. Remember to leave your email address when commenting, so that the elves can contact you!
And here's how your little parcel will look like when you receive it, but please keep in mind that  I usually surrender to my instant inspirations ; )

From our little shop corner @ home,which is slowly getting in Christmas mood, while remaining simple, wishing you all a happy day. I'll see you all later tonight here.

Love and keep warm :)...got to go make more of those cards among a few other jobs!


Ivy ~ xx

~ do you ever feel like...?

So here I am again...I think that too many totally peaceful and lonely hours creating, also call for some extroversion and communication in order to be finding this so much wished for "Golden Balance"...
So let me please ask you...do you ever feel like...you are falling in love with.....what you do?
Cause being involved in producing these cards in all ways possible makes me fell this way.

~ from taking the pictures
~ to processing them
~ to finding suppliers for the best recycled paper cards & envelopes sets
~ to caring about the printer's inks and papers
~ to printing them
~ to cutting them one by one in the right size
~ to adjusting them on the cards (now in a new way which allows easier detachment )
~ to creating sets, in order to suggest to you which match nicely with one another
~ to cutting the stripes to tie them in (new) sets of threes
~ to stamping each one with " home made"
~ to creating the paper labels
~ to handwriting on them
~ to finally making their pictures in order for them to listed on an online shop

...have you really ever imagined the detail, care and hours of work that lies behind making such a simple thing as a couple of wishing cards, in an as professional as possible manner, still all done at home, handmade all the way?
Well, before I begun this, I had not ever imagined....

This is what I mean by "I support handmade"...not only do I buy (among other mass production products) handmade as often as I can, but by also throwing into the market my own 100% handmade products.
It's definetely time and energy consuming (and at the beginning costly!) but I simply adore the process and somehow I have a feeling that these cards will be finding many, happy, new owners and/or will be offered as presents to many others.

I'd so much love to know, what makes you fall in love?....other than your beloved others of course...in terms of doing things, from your own work, to your hobbies, to a simple past time, which process is it that makes you feel so grateful for being alive only to have the pleasure of being part of it and enjoying it?

I'll be looking forward to reading your replies, so please do not let me return to an empty comment section tonight!

Before I go, I 'd like to share with you that my most beloved handmade creation ever, my "Love of wire" was hosted at Etsy's Front Page yesterday, thank's to the wonderful treasury curated by the  artist & designer behind Tropical Garden. 

Here is a White Chrsitmas for you to be inspired. Hop here to see it live!

...and goodbying you with los of love, like the one that I feel when I engage in creating processes and wishing you to be finding all those things you adore to do and engage in them!

Ivy ~ xx