21.5.13

The Sun is always t h e r e ... { and I believe in m i r a c l e s ! }





I'm an avid gardener.

Pretty proud of my succulents in the winter garden,

the olive tree in the bedroom,

{brought straight from Greece in my mother's suitcase pretty please, when she came to visit last winter,

mom you are a darling hero, have I ever told you that?}

the new, wonderful - whatever its name is  - dark green leaf plant

also currently residing in the bedroom

{which I'll show you very soon - smiles},

the aloe vera which has finally grown its roots and is happily multiplying

{also brought from Greece during a visit in the early autumn of 2011.
These "babies"  have grown from two large mother plants, residing at my parents balcony at Apart44.
And these two large plants have grown from the very first aloe vera I planted for one of my own apartments,
when I lived alone back in Greece, sometime in 2006...
you get the picture I guess ;)}

and most of all,

the plants that are welcoming us and people,
when they take the private stairs to our maisonette,
{located on the 1st and 2nd floors of a little house,
hosting alltogether 4 homes}

and the little trees and bushes and flowers planted in the front veranda.

All with my hands.

Dipped in dirt.
Placed in carefully chosen flower pots,
patiently bought one by one with little back then own earned money.

I look at them all now, during Spring,
taking so much pleasure and happiness for every new, fresh leaf they grow

and I think to myself *

If I can do that,
if I can plant and carefully nurture plants,

I can nurture myself and my life.

This is why, 

I   d o n ' t   g i v e   u p 

cause I already passed with success {to my surprise}
the moment I was ready to do so.

I didn't.

I'm still here.
Fighting for my LIFE,
the way I choose to do so.

As an adult.
With a clear vision,
Lots of faith,
and ready to enjoy every moment of the journey.

I don't know if you can follow or understand, but I'm immensly happy about it.
In ways that words cannot express.

Few months ago when it all seemed that all possible forces in the Universe
were against me,
I managed to say with a quiet but firm voice
sourcing from the deepest center of my existence:

I   t r u s t   m y s e l f .

I'm happy to share with you my way.

I'm convinced that something incredibly wonderful & positively impactive
can take place.

To close this post,

let me use the title:

The sun is always  t h e r e  {even when there are clouds in front of it}

&

I  b e l i e v e   i n   m i r a c l e s


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


* {pretty often I think to myself... "what a wonderful world"}


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


picture credit clockwise from top left: 
/ 3 {kindly drop me a line if you can help with locating proper credit} / 

collage curation: Iro - Ivy Nassopoulos for Domestic Stories with Ivy, 2013



20.5.13

Just b r e a t h e . . .





in order to keep the flow going,
 when remaining  c e n t e r e d , 
f o c u s e d ,  g r o u n d e d   &  f e e l i n g   g u i d e d 

seems like a hard task to accomplish,

I hereby decide to take but a few moments to put together posts,

which will be expressing  emotions,
while keeping my feet on the ground,
distracting me from feeling helpless,
while also putting into use the combination of visual & verbal inspiration
that I have discovered to not only love, but indeed actually
being able to  b r e a t h e  through it

till  R o o t s  grow...
l o v i n g l y ,
s t e a d i l y , 

till the first twigs and leaves appear,
till the little tree,
creates a  s o l i d   f o u n d a t i o n
able to sustain  g r a c i o u s l y   &   t h a n k f u l l y 
any kind of weather

I hope that you'll also enjoy seeing and reading such posts,
till I share again some of my own visual work,
while also having the chance to come along, to participate,
to support, or to even perhaps and hopefully find some support yourselves.

Much love to you,
I'm immensly grateful for your support and sweetest, kindest of "welcome back's"
in my latest post  There can be so much love...

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

picture credit:
up left { adoring the mix of geometric shapes and the freshness & coolness of the blues!}
up right {what a beautiful package design for dairy products!}
down {got to love all the collection!}





16.5.13

There can be so much l o v e...



When it all looks as if  THE END has come,

I'll pick up my paint brush and draw A NEW BEGINNING.

I'll draw and build a life where love & creativity prevails

A life where shortcomings, difficulties & apparent blockades are but

a CHANCE to gain insight, 

to deeply comprehend,

to listen close to the heart,

 to accept and 

fear not to let go of all we LOVE.

For how could we ever loose all that we truly love?

that would be a contradiction

Life makes its circles,

people we deeply love might go,

but so long as we keep them in our hearts

they remain forever alive.

About letting go,

the time for me has finally come

to let those fears behind...

let them turn into a fairy dust...

 a fairy dust of countless sparkling stars that will serve

as my guide through my quest in life.

I let go of the child inside of me...

it has been enough loved and can finally grow up

I let go of my fear of being poor & alone

I embrace the woman I have developed into

I set up plans to support my life & my dreams,

step by step every day,

one day at a time

always keeping my vision crystal clear in sight,

while simmultaneously allowing space for it to manifest 

in any way it's meant to be the best.

Hello everyone,

I've missed SO MUCH being HERE

I'm sorry for some readers that were dissappointed

and so very grateful for all those people,

who despite the silence here

kept on believing, having trust and patiently awaiting for the time

that this place is ACTIVE again.

Thank you to all new readers who subscribed despite the inactive posting of last months.

There'll be lots to share and so much WORK to do!

If you are reading this,

give me a shout, by raising your hand, puttng a smile on your face

and letting me know that together with you,

I CAN DO THIS

I CAN BUILD THE LIFE I DREAM FOR MYSELF

to share with the world & the ones I love.

Kindly yours,
Iro - Ivy


Collage creation: Iro - Ivy Nassopoulos for Domestic Stories with Ivy 2013

Picture credit from left to right: 

20.7.12

Aujourd' hui j' aime... l' amour!




early good mornings everyone!
... almost 2 months ago a post was written here about Morning Sun...
This is a quite spontaneous post put together
on the spot last evening while waiting to be picked up for dinner
and worked on also the last hour or so.

I thought that it would be a lovely treat for these pages,
its most devoted and patient readers in the world,
but also for its author and creator
who has been rather missing
her work here.

So: Bonjour amour!

Amour of all kinds but mostly love for
 the pretty, 
the stylish, 
the inspiring, 
the creative, 
the genuine,
the inspired,
the loved 
&
the loving ones...

and the patient ones,
the brave ones,
the kind ones,
the sincere ones,
the forgiving,
the warm hearted,
the understanding,
the ones who have known pain and defeat
but never seize to believe in themselves,
in goodness,
in "Das Gutes den Menchen"...

{so said a mostly lovely old lady I met last week, ready to set off on her bicycle
bringing home flowers, while mine was parked next to hers,
carrying also a bouquet of white lilies ready to bloom,
from our local grocery store.
She noticed I was considering leaving them
in my bicycle's basket unattended,
when going in to that other shop to purchase some more of the
lavender that I have been planting in our veranda.

I left, stood for a sec, looked back
and then thought,
"oh come on, who's gonna steal flowers!"
and even if someone does,
good for them!
They'll bring flowers home.
But actually no person who
 has the sensitivity to bring flowers home would ever steal some other 
person's flowers.
When personally asked, 
I would gladly offer them to someone.

Making a short story, that only lasted but for a few minutes,
shorter,
the slim, white haired lady looked at my flowers,
looked at me
and with the kindest eyes
and an encouraging, wise voice said:
believe in people's goodness...
"Glauben Sie in das Gutes den Menchen"

German language can be so magnificent,
so descriptive, so strong...
poetic, too.

But in that case it didn't matter at all which language this lady was speaking.
She was speaking from experience,
from life experience where the mind and the heart
are one.

I felt blessed to have crossed her way
and
was instantly in love... how could I not!
went in...
purchased some more baby lavender for 
almost 50 cents each
and returned to my bicycle
where the lilies were also awaiting
to get some water and a place to rest.
Off I was cycling through the pretty neighborhoods 
and the woods on my way back home,
feeling as happy as if I had won the lottery}

well, after having written this parenthesis,
I start feeling that this could actually be the essence of this post
but anyway, let's return to our tangible, materialistic
world and its pleasures 
; )
 ..............................

I'm sharing here today some of the inspiration gathered recently while on Pinterest,
where one can virtually meet with amazingly talented people,
like designers, stylists, you, and you... and you...
and me (since I'm... shamelessly bragging about myself,
come and follow my inspiration boards!)
people with impeccable and quite personal taste,
people who live to experience this life 
in a beautiful way.

So...

1. Thank's to Stylizimo's loveliest Nina Holst, I stumbled upon this fabulous way to wear
a pair of black skinnies, or else black, tight, jean like trousers.
I love this styling cause it can be worn comfortably from morning to night,
discretely drawing attention, while feeling simply fabulous
                                                       in the most elegant and natural of ways.

2. Then, thank's to decor8's (you must have already seen the new super pretty blog design!)
 brilliant Holly Becker, I familiarized myself with this
all featuring mind blowing (to me) patterns.
{If Santa Claus is interested in early gifts, just send me a mail, I'll give you our address ; )}

3. Then, thanks to the pinterest suggestions in my mailbox, I was lead to follow
Boom! You know the feeling when someone's etiquette style has so much in common with yours,
that her choices are just a perfect illustration of your craziest ever images?
Yes, indeed.
So I ended up in this lovely Scandinavian blog of a super gorgeous home,
where a nice family lives in and about which I recently read about
in one of the few German design magazines that usually come to our home.
What a lovely marriage between modern & retro,
white and wooden details,
simplicity but not too much minimalism,
a marriage of love with more love for 
all the essence that home carries!

4. And as lately there is a lot of baby action going on,
baby &children spaces  are occupying some
of my creative projects.
h&m's home-line is always a great source to find
adorably affordable items.
Much like Mr Fox in his pointy shoes,
ready to fly while dancing
and a few other
cute things which you can find
on my pinterest board.

Hope you' ve all been well!
Thank's so much for coming here, reading & sharing.
till next time

sweet smiles + kind regards
yours truly

P.S: having mentioned in the post's beginning the Sun,
there is no doubt sun, sunshine and natural light are so important for our well being,
an issue that has been concerning me lately

Would you mind sharing your opinion in the comments section?

If your current financial state was such that finding a place to live in
featuring all the characteristics you wish
was a rather complicated matter,
what would you be willing to sacrifice:

1. some square meters. 
2. the amount of natural light that shines inside your living areas.

I tend to believe that people who look for natural light in their living environments
will be also concerned in leading an enlightened life.
What do you think?

There is scientific evidence that natural light enhances health, mood,
cognitive abilities and creativity,
obviously supporting people's desire to live a joyful, successful
fulfilling and happy life,
while living in dark places which get very little or a poorly 
amount and quality of natural light
is correlated with exactly the opposite.

I hold the opinion that some notions cannot be measured the usual way.
Therefore, 
I'd avoid choosing a large place over a smaller place,
having to compromise the amount of natural light
that happily strolls inside my home dwelling, my abode.

In German they say, "Klein aber fein"...
"Small but nice"
Thanks to good interior design planning,
even small places have such many possibilities,
resulting in clever solutions and a multiplication
of the actual square meters.

In case you cannot on your own,
 do get yourself a capable and experienced interior designer handy
and set of to choose the sunniest place you could ever get!

Remember that size and money isn't ALL that matters.
Money is a valuable asset, useful in clever hands and minds.

25.5.12

morning sun...



... morning sun shining in the kitchen makes me happy,
and I thought sharing this is a nice way to thank you for your tender support in yesterday's post 
and wish you a nice Friday

So happy Friday it is!

... with a little glimpse in the organised studio corner, yet to be shared...




Pictures: Iro - Ivy Nassopoulos for Domestic Stories with Ivy 2012 



24.5.12

the right words for a "wrong" mood...


 ... let not the title mislead you my dears... as no mood is ever wrong.
  whatever we feel is having its reason.
 it's not often that I come posting here a picture of myself and going,
 I just can't seem to find the right words and images to communicate my mood
 lately, which has been colored both with bright & dark tones at the same time.

 So, this is just a short notice to say that I haven't forgotten about you, all I wish to share and do in this place  and I'll be back, concentrating on all that is positive, carries beautiful, creative energy,
 while sharing my views on living a stylish, meaningful life, much as I try to do with mine.

 Till then, here is a corner freshly styled for the purpose of making a new display for


Enjoy!

Pictures: Iro - Ivy Nassopoulos for Domestic Stories with Ivy 2012 

P.S: some garlands are already stocked on the shop's shelves. More to come!




18.5.12

our rooster says it's Friday ...



 our rooster says it's Friday and he's in the mood to abandon once more* his role as a door stopper
  and do instead something more creative end enjoyable:

 show you around a favorite corner in our bedroom, where rather unexpected splashes of color
 in neon pink or else bright strawberry red shake up the tranquility of neutral tones,
 just enough to not be feeling like taking naps and relaxing all the time...

 {* during Easter time, this cute little rooster was seen a... chicken and jumped on our dining table to lay  eggs for us... isn't the world of writing & pictures so convenient sometimes... 
 everything can be curated as we wish ; ) }


 isn't it a nice example of how a little color in just a few objects can
 brighten up an otherwise neutral palette,
 wh ile at the same time leaving the space feeling light & airy,
without being overwhelmed with colors?

 what is happening here?

neutrals meet neon 
white sleek surfaces meet the texture of natural materials,

like the dried banana leaves from which this big basket is woven
 (so so long in my wish list and just a couple of days ago added to our home force)
- here holding an all cotton summer blanket from Habitat, purchased during sales of course, when I was renting my first individual home in Greece back in 2003, a 40 sm bungalow with its own garden .

the little basket on the surface of the wall mounded "sideboard",
 made out of two kitchen cupboard units as described here,
brings another color to the picture, that of orange, which is also found in the stripes of the pillows featured on the cover of a book which is all about exactly what the title says: a beloved Home or else a geliebtes Zuhause.

"wonderful" thinks the rooster ...


and proceeds with showing you around a little more...

look! the wallpaper meant to go on the wall of the bed's headboard like described here,
is unpacked and almost ready to be applied.

&

and an olive tree is enjoying the loads of light by the big windows,
after arriving here this winter in February,
when mother visited over and actually carried it in her suitcase

Yes, indeed, such things we do.

it is planted in a white ceramic pot with its own plate
and holds a little house shaped label,
where an important reminder is written:

"here lives Love"
period. hard times or not. this is the essence of life here.


  the rooster kindly asks you to not pay attention to the metal skeleton of our helping table,
the top of which is still not adjusted, as new screws are needed to be found.

instead he says, "focus your attention on this amazing London illustration print created by equally amazing

how more adorable can a city's illustration get?

not a single little bit.

to celebrate the occasion of welcoming long wished new items at home,
a new garland has been created,
to be added to the shelves of our on line store,
where you'll find "her" during the weekend.

"hurry up!" Mr Rooster is advising you,
"this is a one of a kind piece made from incredibly long lasting wallpaper samples,
which are though not available any more"




and to give you a rest to sink in all that has so far been said ans shared,
here is a little chance to relax by staring at the wonderful light of this
blurry image:



lost in light are here a pair of two more darling wallpaper garlands,
which though will be presented and revealed during the next post here,
when another secret corner of this bedroom is shared...




till then, enjoy a delightful Friday !

from our rooster and me the best of regards,

Iro, xx

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

All images of this post are styled & shot by me. Thank you for sharing/ linking / pinning with love & care.
Picture styling & creation: Iro Ivy Nassopoulos for Domestic Stories with Ivy 2012.