captured moments + smily rain

[via]

hello again : )

am coming here with a big smile cause I read the comments on the {previous} post

just a little while ago... thank you so much.

it's everything but a typical thank you...

I feel that you connected with me

&

to say the truth, I have momentarily not a very reasonable explanation

for the happiness that it brings me...

 still since it does so,

I only wish you to know that it does : )

so this post was originally prepared in order to share with you

{the collage} put together by me yesterday,

combining some of {my favorites pictures} from friends & contacts on flickr.

there seem to be some people to whose work I'm constantly drown,

not only for the visually delightful images,

 but also & mostly

cause of the moments that are captured

&

 the personalities of the people themselves

as they are expressed through their on line presence...

 there is nothing that attracts me more

than  looking at an image I can loose myself into...

 such images, I tend to believe, are always images

which capture reality as it is,

feelings, moments, passions,

and are not made per se,

or else in purpose,

rather

they are the outcome

of being tuned to our inner selves

and our realities around us.

 from top to bottom & left to right,

enjoy the fabulous work of:

~ Cindy

~ Cindy Taylor

~ Krista

~ Doreen 

~ Theresa and

~ Cindy 

when you have some time to spare or maybe nicely invest,

you can take a virtual visit in their photography streams,

portofolios, websites and/or even some of their shops.

All you need to do to access the links is to visit

the {profile} information of each respective person

much like to my own linked here as an exaple

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

on another notice,

as I took a refreshing evening walk in {Verna Park} a while ago

and just before we had dinner,

 all that came to mind is that

 this rainy season to be approaching

 is going to give me the chance

 to wear my favorite

pair of grey rubber boots, with silver details 

{promise to make a close up picture, they are really brilliant!}

bought during our Christmas trip / vacation in Rome

this past Christmas,

for the only reason that it was raining so heavily

and I had only brought leather boots!

was happy to find them reduced to half the price, too...

so here is me during one of our walks in magical Rome,

posing in front of my favorite object to photograph:

doors!

please do not take me wrong

when reading the label of the pictures

"Travelling & fashion stories with Ivy"

I do not consider myself any fashion icon,

it's just that I take a lot of pleasure in dressing myself

and combining my wardrobe's clothes

and usually like to be photographed when in outfits

which were put together easily

& made me feel very comfortable 

in them

am temporarily leaving you with this 

picture which is named:

"Smily rain"

and am actually 

promising & planning to post pictures from {this trip}

as there are tones of beautiful ones,

which were never shared!

hope your Fridays have been really lovely!

will come in a short while, 

posting about a part of our day yesterday

worth of mentioning ~

xx

~ the light, bright, sunny side of life . . .

[via]

good morning everyone : )

before proceeding with the posts mentioned {here},

I'd like to make a small pause to devote a little bit of time & space

to posting a collage dedicated to some "wonderful others", 

all inspiring people with whom we meet on {flickr}

since I returned to an autumn like Germany, especially after having both spent {fantastic summer days on the island of Kos}  & left our home in a quite summery mood {the temperatures in Frankfurt were between 25 - 33 C° just a couple of days ago!},

I've been concentrating on finding the bright, light, sunny, fun & joyous side of life,

no matter what the weather forecast has in store for us

some of the {tricks I used at our home} were mentioned {here} yesterday, 

together with a couple of informative links

 to what actually is + the making of a Greek coffee,

along with a few of my very favorite Greek products.

 today, I've veen strolling in the magical corridors of flickr,

getting all inspired by my marvelous contacts...

~ a few flowers in a bottle in front of a window

~ cooking & baking with love and passion

~ making delicious homemade ice cream

~ bringing joy + colour in your daily life by adding striped straws

~ making the simplest of candleholders using delicated wire

 and finally

~ having the best time of your life with your fury friends

aren't all these great ways in bringing sunshine in our lives?...

~ how about you?

~ how do you make your days just a little bit brighter?

~ which simple ways do your have to make your days

memorable and sweet in feelings? 

looking forward to hearing from you,

hope you are all well, whether at home or on vacation : )

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

P:S {click on each colourful sentence to visit each picture of the collage, starting from the top left to right, row by row}

~ sunshine in my soul

hello :)

happy Saturday!

....missed posting yesterday as it was a busy one...

...but have just made some time 

in order to share some recent shots that bring sunshine in my soul

&

hopefully to yours, too!

...today I'm colouring my mood in sunshiny yellow & different shades of blue...

...to demonstrate this, a little collage was put together..

...what do you think?...doesn't it lift your mood?

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

{top right} don't you want to set of for a flea market diving into piles of vintage finds, 

much like {this awesome pitcher}?

{bottom right} or take out this sewing machine of yours & create even half the awesomeness Miss Tiff does with Miss Ethel, her loyal sewing companion - mashine?

{bottom left} how about sitting by the sea, by the river, under a tree at a park near you,

or at your veranda playing with water colours much like Ez did?

{top left} and last but not least simply enjoy a day with your family, your lovely pet included if you have one?..much like MissVivi, 

one my ever favourite virtual doggi friends whose ability to pose, 

the strong connection she has with her pawrent {as she likes to refer to her human mum & dad}

& 

 the happiness she lives in, 

always make a visit in her photo stream a delight and touching experience!

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

...those who know me just a little tiny bit are familiar with the huge love I feel for dogs

....not just the ones that live with me 

{they currently don't, as Bianca & Grace are taking a rest in dog heaven}

but all the dogs of the world...

those of friends and of others I might not know....

and especially these adorable stray ones...

like {this} here

& 

this little guy below, who lives under a tree close to Apart44

and whom I regularly visit...

what a smart young fellow he is!

....he seems to already recognise the sound of my little car's engine and approach happily wagging his tail, waiting impatiently for me to come out...

pretty photogenic he is right? ; )

have a great Saturday everyone!

off I go for a day of jobs & friends & a little taste of the sea....

fresh ~ cool ~ fun ~ & ~ romance ~

good morning : )

shall we begin the day with something cool & fresh today?

...agreed?....lovely!

...as a matter of fact...have been making some time to stroll around the fascinating , inspiring & fabulous virtual corridors of flickr,

and here are just a couple of the images that caught my attention.

Have created two collages with them,

both fresh & cool I find,

the one above focusing mostly on aqua hues

&

the other below in tones of raspberry pink

{which I btw find to be such a sophisticated expression of pink!}

Other than enjoying creating little visual stories combining pictures of wonderful artists & photographers together, I also wish to link you from here to some of my very personal favourite people around the blogosphere

So, starting with {cool & fresh}:

top left ~ {doodling} by Ez {Creature Comforts}

top right ~ {twirling chucks} by Jaqui

middle left ~ {junk shop find} by {decor8}' s Holly

middle right ~ {sea air} by  Krista {Joy Hay}

bottom left ~ {in a land far away} by Natalie {The Shaby Photographer}

&

bottom right ~ {on the quayside} by Suzi

and moving on with {fun & romance}

top left ~ {flowers have spoken to me} by Krista {Joy Hey}

top right ~ {Blueberry Lassi} by Laksmi

middle left ~ {playing with pattern} one of Ez's awesome watercolours

middle right ~ {lo and beholdness} by Miss Tiff  {Dottie Angel}

bottom left ~ {untitled} by Sue h. 

&

bottom right ~ {redbud} by Shannon blue

aren't they all just gorgeous?

when you have some time to spare, I'd suggest sitting back and enjoying visiting  

the photo galleries and blogs mentioned above....that is if you aren't already doing so ;)

I' ll be leaving you with a glimpse of one of my favourite corners on earth,

a tiny beach just a few min drive from Apart 44, where I go swimming when in Greece.

via

...take a {virtual} dive {here}

...and a have a fabulous day! 

~ silence's beauty

...the beauty

...the secrets

...the truths

...the transformations

...the music

...and birth that take place

all in the arms of silence

{Please visit this link to be directly taken to the amazing photographers whose work is portrayed above}

This is a way of saying that I' m rather tired of speaking, of many words, many interpretations,

much sharing... I don't know where this will lead to, neither do have I plan (I wonder how do I even dare to say that I don't actually have a plan in this goal setting society!)

I know that there has come a time of change,

I'm a little undecided about the online world,

a little uncertain of what I do here after all.

Though I do know for sure that when I read in your comments 

that here you find a place of calm, peace and inspiration,

a smile is brought on my face.

It feels to me that this diary is a way of doing some charity,

but am also quite concerned that I might be simply too preoccupied with ouselves and our lives.

It seems to me that the best things have happended unexpectedly, without having a plan....

...meeting my partner

...relocating in Germany

...being able to enjoy a life in two so different to each other countries ( Greece & Germany)

....beginning to make my hobby a job

...creating a blog

...meeting an incredible ammount of extremely talented people  on line

......

But I also feel that to go on, I actually do wish for a plan.

A plan and practical applications in life.

We shall see....

so long with thoughts and time spent in front of a screen on what is a marvelous day my dears

...wishing you a lovely Friday and weekend ahead....

Hope you to enjoy every moment ~

Ivy

~ looking for the golden balance

It's Friday...and may it be a lovely Friday for us all!...it has found me in a rather quiet mood, 

 beginning the day with thoughts such as how can we find the golden balance between being part of this commercial and competitive societies,

still having a rather eastern approach in our everyday lives.

In this little morning quest

I ended up playing with gravity and balancing kitchen porcelain stuff, placing them on top of another.

It might have not saved the world, but it brought my rushing mind thoughts in ease.

So here is a smile for that :)

Speaking about easing our minds, how totally soul soothing is this?

A collage (all links to the photogrpahers can be found here) I created yesterday morning while strolling into this magical photography world of flickr!

All inspiration credits go to wonderful Miss Vivi, a female Labrador that has been stealing my heart since months. With her incredible deep concentration and focusing abilities, she has definetely brought a huge smile on my face and has acted as a day's reminder for taking a little time to stop and think about balance in my life.

I do am aware that I'm on the right track since quite some time now, still there are times it feels that I've lost the way. When we've seen the light at least once though, then we know that it exists and sooner or later we'll back on the path we've chosen, fullfilling our lives unique potentials, 

being the best people we can be, first for ourselves and then for others.

Finding peace inside and joy in our every day realities.

Now how about a little more of photography inspiration?

....and a dose of elegant humour?

....among winter places, lines and muted colours?

The fabulous little girl on the bottom left of the mosaic is Doreen's daugther, 

a photographer I admire so much words cannot describe.

A person with tremendous potential and a bright carrier in film industry, 

should she had only wished for that.

But I recon she prefers to live a quiter life.

So that she can enjoy unique moments with her family, sometimes capturing them, 

through the lens of her camera, but moslty with her heart and splendid mind.

Much like she did with this

"Manolo moment"

Now let's leave gently this magic world and return smoothly to realitly, 

as I need to inform you for a couple of things.

While I was away, there was a wonderful post I took part in,

playing the role of a muse for just a little while,

talking about Love as an expression of art, 

over at Mortal Muses blog, invited by Tammy Lee Brandley.

As internet Gods were not cooperating at all at that given point and mail pigeons were possibly on a strike, it took us a while to finally contact the lucky winner of the give away that also took place.

Finally, Holly from soupatraveler can happily be expecting her Cupcake Love print to arrive to her, 

giving her kitchen wall a note she is very much looking forward to!

Since I'm summing up a few online issues here today, let me also thank Torie from wonderful 

Torie Jane blog for the mention of my beloved Mrs Deer 

in her mostly beautiful Neutral deer mosaic

Wishing  you to be having a marvelous Friday, 

whether you already have the balance you wish for in your  lives,

whether you are working on it,

or even if you just have realised that:

"Hey!....where am I heading to?...I' ve completely no clue were I started from, 

where I'm going to and what is my quest in life"

In the last case, just a little, tiny bit of advice:

hurry not to get yourselves out of this indeed unpleasant situation,

as it is through the passage of time and deep sincerity with ourselves,

 that we'll reach there where we eventually wish for.

Also remember, the only destination is the trip itself.

So make it a worthy one.

Every step is useful and there's no such thing as:

"when I have more I'll be happier"

"when I earn more, I' ll be giving to charity"

"when I'm better looking, I'll be loved"

LIFE IS HAPPENING NOW

..and as Christmas and a new year are on the way, besides exercising our consuming habits,

we might as well do a little soul searching.

Love you all!

Till next time,

Ivy ~ xx

Seeing the poetry ~

~ seeing the poetry ~

Isn't life all about seeing the poetry of it and in it?
Isn't it about stopping in order to enjoy the moments?
Diving deeply in them....
Have we realised how everything else is senseless?
We'll get  no possesions, when we leave this life, with us.
All we'll take with us is who WE are,
and who we are is an accumulation of our moments in life.


Some people will never learn, 
they'll forever remain captivated to the prisons they have themselves built, or entered.
They'll spend precious lives looking for happiness and successes,
faling to comprehend that
both these notions cannot be pursued, imposed or forced.
Some will invest their efforts in trying to change.
Most probably they will succeed.


To see the magic in life, we have to be willing to find it, there where it is sometimes hidden.
To see the magic in life, we have to be able and willing to offer some ourselves.
To be magical, we have to enjoy the trip of life.


We will all reach to the same point, one way or another.
How we reach there is what makes the difference.
It's the journey that matters. Not the destination.


When ambitious people have plans, artists of life have visions.
When hectic people obsess with gaining attention, happy people find themselves in the center of it, accidentally, just because nothing can be compared to living our lives trully, genuinly and with passion. Not obsession. Passion, as there is a tiny little line in between them, making all the difference.
Living connected to our deep existencies. There is all the attention we might need and wish for.
Right in the center of ourselves.


I hope you to be spending a marvelous Thursday and to enjoy yourselves, while visiting the streams of the fabulous photographers, whose work has been combined on the collage above. Their links are also available here.
I'll be seeing you soon, till then, be well, be in love and stay stylish.
Remember life is not about what, but how ;-)


Love to you,
Ivy ~ xx


P.S: I got recently invited to Panama and had a mostly enjoyable time having a talk with lovely, creative Mayi at her blog whose name couldn't be better standing for itself: "heartmade".
We'd both love if you took part in our conversation here.
P.S2: there is still time to enter this give away and win one of Natalie's fabulous photography prints.

Dear Diary...

Dear diary, it's late at night, actually the very begining of a Friday. I very much doubt that anybody else is reading us at this time, but stil have missed you today and decided to pass by for a quick assortment of the day's news before going to bed.

The mosaic below is made from pictures of fantastic flickr friends who happem to be very talented in photography whether they take it up more professionaly, less or only as a hobby.

I'll just share their names with you but you can click on the link here, to be taken to the respective flickr page and be directed to their magical streams.

So these ones belong to wonderful Barbara, Victoria, Fabio, Kelven Cindy, Beverly, Theresa, Ciel ( I'm sure you remember her from the Tea party with a Queen we had set up for her) and Carmen.

Other than this collage made for Things I love Thursdays, there was not much flickr action today from my side.

There was quite a lot of Etsy action though, as the shop's items were featured in a couple of fabulous treasuries, which I'll share soon with you as Instant Choices.

Moreover the shop now offers two new sets of four pictures, in a friendly price of three.

The ~ dusty blues and silver greys ~ collection 

and the  ~ beige and naturals ~ collection 

Before I go, I want to share with you that I 've stampled up on these gorgeous lamps and I want them badly, for the new home we'll one day have.

Two of them please...three would also be just prefectly fine.

Merci beaucoup :)

ok time for nighty night has come....

may we both enter the magic world of dreams through this enigmatic door, which mother and I found in Rüdesheim some weeks ago.

PS: tomorrow the winner of the give away that Heather and I put together will be announced and there's a lovely person coming over to say hi, while being in a very generous mood with us and our readers...now isn't that so nice?

See you tomorrow,

Love,

Ivy ~ xx