Thursday - Loves

This week I liked:

Harry Potter inspiration (this tumblr is amazing).


Pretty cosiness

Gorgeous illustrations and style



Beautifully organised shops


Yummy Breakfast

This was my weekly dose of inspiration, I am really looking forward to spring, and to sun, nice weather and floral patterns on my clothes =)

Juliette

Project 365 - Week 7

Hello!
I haven't got much to tell you about this week. I just survived on tea and books. Today I had three exams, I am so glad they're over! Now I still have one more to go, for which I have to read six books. But for today I'm going to relax a bit, and since it's already evening, I think that will mean, I'll sleep. Tomorrow I'll catch an early train back home and start studying again.



43/365 20012011
It was so cold today, after these few days of mild weather. It was super windy and I stayed homw the whole day to study and did nothing else. I am looking forward for these exams to finish and go to London! =)



44/365 21012011
Roberto and I went to the pub where we used to spend almost every evening some years ago. There's where he first gave me his hand and where we went on our first dates. It was a lovely evening and we had this special, sweet beer, I loved it! =)



45/365 22012011
First thing in the morning we had a wonderful breakfast with a 5 cereals focaccia and a latte macchiato for me and a cappuccino for Roberto. Then we headed back home because I had to study. I studied unti late in the afternoon and then we went out for a drink in the evening.



46/365 23012011
I baked bread, and I studied, that's all I can remember from that day. Study is overwhelming me and it's as if I am living in a sort of limbo. It's a pity because I think I won't remember that much of the thing I do during these day, even if they may be nice.



47/365 24012011
This is the list of some of the authors I had to study for the English Literature test II. I had to know also all their works, the period they lived in, their lives, the history of the period and the plot of each and every single of their works. Fortunately there was a pretty sun that day, I studied outside enjoying it for 10 minutes. Then I went back inside.



48/365 25012011
Why do we have a Helly Kitty ball around the house? I don't know, I don't like Hello Kitty. If you want the answer you could ask my father, he bought it. Oh, he bought two of them.



49/365 26012011
This was a solid help today. I had three exams. Two of German, Grammar and "Textarbeit" (we were allowed to use the monolingual dictionary, for the second part only. And an English Literature Exam. I cam home exhausted. Now I still have one week to go, and then we'll leave for London. =)

Juliette

In days like these..

I often wander through my memories and dream about the most wonderful places where I have been. This summer Roberto and I went on a roadtrip through Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Belgium and France. The most amazing experience.
I wish I could go back to those 10 days even for a minute.


Juliette

Thursday - Loves (on friday)

Hello!
This night has been so windy and today is even worse. It seems as if the house could fly away at any moment. I'll study the whole day and maybe I'll go out with Roberto this evening.
Here some things I liked lately:

This wonderful video, I always have wondered how they get so organised and coordinate.

100,000 starlings fill the skies in Poole from Mark Rigler on Vimeo.

These wonderful dresses, I want spring back =)

Diagrams which speak the truth

Pretty illustrations

Yummy ideas

Dreams

This hair

Have a nice weekend, hopefully it won't get too cold!

Juliette

Project 365 - Week 6

I am quite tired of studying and I am so looking forward to go to London again in a few weeks, with my best friends. I passed all of my exams until now and after the trip to London I'll have to start writing my final essay, wow! =)

Here's week 6 of my project 365. Hope you'll like the photos ^^


36/365 13012011
Woke up very early to catch the first train to get back home. Delay of 40 minutes, had to take the next train (studied a lot in the train, having more then 5 hours) which arrived at destination at 12.20 pm. Was quite tired when I got home, read blogs and unpacked. I plan to see Roberto this evening for a beer date, haha, will be fun.
These are the photos I've hanging in my room: Giada, my beloved dog (who was poisoned a few years ago and therefore died, I miss her every day) when she was a puppy. My class at our first day of exam at high school and my brother and me some years ago, I think four of five.



37/365 14012011
I baked sourdough bread in the breaks between one book and a notebook.




38/365 15012011
We enjoyed the wonderful day. The sun was shining, it was like being in spring.



39/365 16012011
Another nice sunny day, we ate breakfast outside. This was R's breakfast: my bread and imported stuff from Holland.
To Turin in the afternoon. With my mum.



40/365 17012011
In Turin with my mum for an exam. She painted this for me, inspired by a painting I found on the Internet one day (I cannot find it anymore, so write me if you know the source and the amazing artist who made this). It now hangs on the wall in my room. I spent the whole day waiting for my exam to take place, but 30/30 was the result, happy.



41/365 18012011
The small bed my mom bought for her grandchildren. Ready to be used by my nephew Mattia.



42/365 19012011
And there he is, the protagonist of our day: Mattia, my wonderful nephew. We are all fond of him. He's so funny and playful, he walks kilometers and never complains.

Have a nice evening!

Juliette

Music - Elisa "Qualcosa che non c'è"

I thought I could share an Italian music video, you know, maybe you like it. ^^
The singer is called Elisa, she has a beautiful voice.
She released her first hit when I was about 11 and this song I'm sharing is from 2007. It has some meaningful lyrics in my opinion and I really like the video because of the colours and lights.

Let me know if you like it ^^
(I don't like not being aroud that much, but I have so many things to study)

Sourdough Starter & Sourdough Bread

Since a few day I was finally successful in keeping my Sourdough Starter puppies alive =).
I tried it in Turin, but there the temperature was simply too low, so I am not the one to blame.
I tried here. My mom is superactive the whole day keeping the house warm and cosy.


How to make a successful Sourdough Starter?

You will need :
a jar (that you can close).
50 g flour (+100 g)
50 ml water (luke warm) (+100ml)

Mix the two ingredients, put in a jar which you will close and store in a warm, dry place.
After 24 hours, add another 50 g of flour and 50 ml water (not cold!, but lukewarm).
Store again and the day after repeat the process another time.
At this time, bubbles will fill your jar.
Don't panic if there aren't many many bubbles, if there're just a few bubbles it means they're alive down there!



Now you can use your starte to make Sourdough Bread
If you don't use the starter in one week you can keep it stored, no problem, but after a week remember to refresh it, the little ones there need to eat, so add 50 g of flour and 50 ml of water.

If you want to keep some Started for the next time, not to have to redo the whole process, just put a ball of dough in the jar (and remember to refresh it if not used to a week).

Directions

Mix the Sourdough starter in a large Bowl with flour and lukewarm water until a dough ball, if you're familiar with bread baking you just fell and know when the proportions are right. You'll have to have a soft and light dough, do not add too much flour because the Stater has to do his work, and carrying all that flour can be heavy for them.
Don't forget to add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Allow to rest for 1.5 hour or 2 hours if you aren't in a hurry.
Butter or oil a baking pan.
Knead the dough and put in the baking pan, allow to rest another hour.
Preheat the oven at 190 °C (380 F).
Bruch a little of olive oil (easy for me to say, I live in Italy and in a olive oil producing region too) on top of the dough and put in the oven for 20/30 minutes.
Allow to cool on a rack (ok, this is the most difficult step, I never do this) and..eat!


I hope I helped somebody, it's so easy and nice to know you can make bread out of scarcely three ingredients.
I know it seems an impossible mission to do this, and it takes three days to get the starter ready, but you have to do almost nothing if those three days. And it has a delicious taste.

Juliette

Project 365 - Week 5

It's already week 5 of the 365 project. I know I already said this, but time if flying! If you want to see all of the photos, visit my flickr!



29/365 06012011
I planned on reading the whole day. Exams are approaching and I am pretty nervous. But a loooot of inespected guests arrived and I just made coffee and gave panettone for the shole day. It was funny by the way, but now it's really time to read, read, and read. Oh, and it rained the whole day.


30/365 07012011
Mattia, my little nephew of 10 months came to visit us. My brother's eyes shine when he looks at his son. I love both of them.



31/365 08012011
A simple, italian, breakfast at a very nice bar.
Roberto and I did some grocery shopping, went home to study a bit and at evening went out to go back to a pub where we used to go everyday the year that we met. The place where he first gave me his hand, where a lot of magic happened. We learnt to know each other there, and going back after such a long period was touching in a way. I felt like coming home after a long trip.



32/365 09012011
Reorganised my room before leaving, so when I'll come back in a few days I'll a have a pretty, clean, tidy room. Came back to Turin today, had a chat with two friends on the train and had the chance to read a lot in those 4 hours. Tomorrow classes will start again, and next week: exams!


33/365 10012011
Back in Turin, my bed was immediately a mess with my bag, clothes, scarf, planner, etc. I'm studying a lot, and when I feel I've to study I don't think at being tudy at all, I just throw anything where I want and think only "study, study, study..". Many times I am overwhelmed by anxiety for not being fast and good enough in my studies, but then I face reality, I am one of the first in my course, so don't panic!


34/365 11012011
Another day of study. Woke up, studied a lot, rad book, wrote notes, and then I went to the library, doing some errands and at last to a 6-8 pm class. Came home, read blogs, and studied a bit more. These slippers because most of the day I stayed home, but not exactly doing nothing.
Come on in a month I'll be in London!


35/365 12012011
I had a day full of University stuff going on. I had to register a note on my personal record book, go to the library, meet a teacher, wait for the apprenticeship office to open, go to classes and study. It was a long day which finished with a reading session until 00.40 am. I had to wake up at 5.30 am the day after (today).

I am being a bit absent and silent lately, you know it's only because of the exams, I have really many many book especially for German Literature to read.
I'll be back one day, haha.

Juliette

Video Inspiration

I am seeing a lot of lovely videos on Vimeo lately, it's an obsession. I don't understand how people can make such beautiful videos. It's like being in a dream.

Watch this for example, I found it browsing around the Internet. It's "just another couple showing their love", but I always think they're the cutest: people showing love.

Lex & Loren - Engagement/Save the date! from Loren Brinton Films on Vimeo.

Juliette

Hey there,

just a quick update.

I won't be there often these weeks, because the winter session will start next week until the 5th of February. Therefore it will be a busy month for me, but not here on the blog, unfortunately.
However, I have some nice things to look forward to.



From the 8th to the 15th of March I will be in London.
Like last year, when we went ot Berlin, we are going (with we, I mean two of my best friends and I) on a one week trip to London to talk a bit of English, because we don't get many opportunities of actually speaking English here.




When I'll come back Roberto and I will go to Gubbio for two days. Just a lovely, romantic weekend to celebrate Roberto's birthday.

(the wonderful hotel we will stay in)

I hope there will be many other lovely plans coming, I love traveling and having fun, who doesn't!

Juliette

Project 365 - Week 4

It's already week 4 of my project 365!
I am feeling good about it, I like writing a short recap of the photo I took and of the day.
Even if sometimes I almost forget of taking a picture or think it's a horrible photo I took (it's the only one of the day) and am wuite ashamed of posting it (like the one under, terrible light).
But it's a way of remembering what I've done during the year, not a photography competition, right?
So, let's see the pics of this week:

22/365 30122010
Run away from parents' houses and have a cheap dinner on our own? Quite impossible, but we did it. We bought a prepacked salad, some bread, a martini to spoil ourselves and had dinner in the car! haha, it was much fun and we had the chance to talk a bit without having always people around judging and saying what we should do.


23/365 31122010
On New Year Eve Roberto wore a tie , wow! Haha, apart form this we had more fun than we'd have thought. We wanted just to go out for dinner, to see firework and walk around the city with no destination for a few hours and then go back home. We basically did that, but we missed midnight and instead of being in the first row for the firework, we were in the middle of the crowd. Than Roberto met someone very important to him, he was so happy. And then we danced for some hours.
It was funny because usually I have dancing and hate when people stare at me (or I think people is staring), but I felt that I had the right to celebrate this new year, because maybe it'll bring me nice surprises =)



24/365 01012011
Happy New Year!
This is just a little something I am painting for my blog. It's a foggy day and today I just read, listened to music, read blogs, and not much more. A typical 1st January.



25/365 02012011
Roberto and I went for a walk and while walking to the car we met this cutie. He was in the middle of an enormous (for him) parking and I think he was trying to see something except from asphalt.



26/365 03012011
We just stayed home reading, then went to buy some tofu for the veggie-eater here. Last days at home with my father's Christmas decorations. In Italy it's a tradition to leave the decorations until the 6th of January.



27/365 04012011
Cereal yogurt with walnuts. So yummy, especially if eaten with my favorite spoon. =)


28/365 05012011
Roberto woke up with a terrible cold. He didn't feel well at all, so I made coffee, brought him cookies, mandarines, apples.. We stayed home and at the evening I watched Inception with my family.

This was last week.
We're having such a bad weather now, it's pouring! I can hardly get any sleep since a few days, therefore I'm not feeling 100%.
The Christmas decoration are being put apart until next year and exams are approaching inexorably.

Have a nice weekend!

Juliette

Organizers, Planners and Calendars - Paperblanks

When I first saw these planners I fell in love immediately. They're so different than the normal ones which normally are:
a) monocromatic (normally black, pink or light blue)
b) with cartoons, paintings or for children
c) with lots of Jesuses and Marias all over them (especially here in Italy, and I am not really what one call believer).

These paperblanks are so different. Colorful, romantic, shiny, compact..
And I am happy this year I got one for my birthday!It looks a bit like a holy book or something, but I love it. Every day has its own page and it's so useful.
Anyway, there are many other planners and journals.




Juliette