You shall be missed, 2010.

Hello 2010. 

You were really good to me. There was no drama and that's the way I like it. 

Thanks for the beautiful memories. 

I can only hope that 2011 will be as nice as you were to me.

in 2010...

• i went with my best friends to Morocco and had an amazing, hot time.
• boyfriend and I explored Bruges with the vespa,
• and had afterwards a romantic time at the beach watching the sunset.
• i started this blog and am overwhelmed by all the love and support you give me. thanks!
• i found the study that really fits me and
• that stimulates my creativity.
• we went wild on theme parties, like Sex and the City.
• added the sweetest kitten in my life and am so in love with him.
• i saw one of my favorite music artists, lady gaga.
• we played in the snow,
• but also enjoyed the heatwaves and cocktails named full romance and bambi.
• i had a drastic haircut. bye bye hair!
• and danced in open air with thousand of other people.
• i had a lot of fun having girls only nights.
• i enjoyed decorating my apartment, but have still a lot to do.
• i baked a lot of delicious cookies and cakes.
• and hopefully, it will be an awesome NYE party!

2011, come out and show yourself, I'm ready :)

A perfect winter day

Last sunday I had an amazing time walking around with my boyfriend and his dog, named Trigger. It was a perfect winter day, cold but pleasant and a wonderful blue sky with a shining sun in the leading role. Mmm, I am really looking forward to have a day like this again. We took some silly pictures with Trigger who didn't understand what was happening. Poor dog.

Made big snowballs and threw them as high as possible in the sky, hoping Trigger would try to catch them. Unfortunately for us, he was smarter than that.

We were a little bit jealous, okay I will speak for my own. I was jealous of all children who were dragged with a sledge by their parents. It was icy, so come on Trigger pull!!! Hehe. Just kidding. What did you do this special weekend? And are you ready for celebrate the New Year this friday night? I am having troubles choosing my outfit for december 31, I think I will change my mind a 100 times before I am getting ready that night.

My all time favorite present

How was your Christmas? I hope it was merry and bright! 

I had a wonderful weekend with my family and made a beautiful winter walk with the boyfriend and his dog.
More photos and udates to come tomorrow.

Happy monday!

Tonight it's Christmas Eve

I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas, full of love, happiness, lots of fun and family get-togethers! I won't do anything special tonight, although I'll cook for my parents. But I don't know what, so if you have some suggestions: SHOOT! Tomorrow I'll celebrate Christmas with my father's family,  yeah! What are your plans for this special weekend? Are you going to open some gifts one Christmas Eve? Well, I hope you have an amazing day surrounded by your loved ones.   ♥

Happy Winter!

In the midst of 

winter, I found 

there was, within 

me, an invicible 

summer.

Albert Camus

Happy first day of winter! These pictures were taken this weekend, when there was fresh snow in our garden. I already posted pictures of our dog playing in the snow last year, but he was just too cute with his snowy woodblock that I couldn't resist snapping some photos. I think he's the most beautiful dog I ever seen in my entire life! 

Yum, apple cake!

My all time favorite cake is apple cake! When I was young my mother always made it, but now I am older I wanted to do it myself. Improve the recept ;) And I think I accomplished my mission! It's a really simple recipe, it's adapted from Smitten kitchen. The only thing I don't like about apple cake is that you have to peel, core and chop all those apples, what a hell of a job! But when your cake comes out the oven, it just doesn't matter anymore!

You need:
6 apples, I use pink ladies
1 tablespoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons sugar

2 3/4 cups flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celcius. Peel, core and chop the apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean. 

Then enjoy your apple cake!

My outfit essentials

1. Vintage handbag. Hello I am Renée and I am a handbag-aholic. (Hi Renée!) No serious, it's always hard to leave a store without a bag. I am training myself to not take a look at them, because I love them all. The collection of my grandmother is gradually transeferred to mine. Oops! Well, it's a compliment, she really has good taste when it come to handbags.

2. Skinny jeans. I seriously live in my pair from Gstar. Since I met the skinny jeans three years ago, it became a classic in my daily life. 

3. Red nail polish. I love painting my nails mint green, grey, pink, blue and black, but when I am bored with everything else I always go back to deep red. I think it looks always classy and stylish. My favorite brand is Gosh, the price is affordable and the colors endless.

4. Mascara. Blond hair means blond eyelashes. And that means cold zombie eyes. When I was 13 years old my mom fount it time to start putting on mascara, and I was savage because I would never put on any make up. Seven years later I promise myself never ever leave the house without some mascara. It's the least. 

5. High heels. They provide instant femininity. Your legs look twice as long and thin in just a second.

6. Ballet flats. Because we can't be always a femme fatale. No, I think this will sound pretty familiar: Arriving at a party with killer heels and two hours later kicking your shoes off with burning soles. Tip: Rollasole has the ideal solution, this little ballet flats can you roll up as small as thinkeble in your bag and take them out at the decisive moment. A plus, they cost much and are available in beautiful colors!

7. Ray-ban sunglasses. I love sunnies and I have them in many colors and shapes but after my boyfriend brought me Ray-bans I'm smitten. Actually, I doubt I will ever replace them. 

8. Cute little black dress. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I own over a hundred of dresses. When I have to make a selection of my favorites, most of them will be black. You can wear them on any occasion, match them with so many accessoires: they will never let you down!

9. Cardigans. My favorite thing about cardigans is that you never have to think twice about putting one on, no matter what weather it is. 

10. Watch. I am a stressy person, so it's important for me to know what time it is. The problem was I never found the right watch. They are too big, too small, irritating band, etc. Therefore I had to rely on my mobile phone, sooo wrong! So since I found my Thomas Sabo Rebel at Heart watch I am an addict.

I heart classic Disney

I think it's a sad thing they stopped making animated movies like they did when I was young. Now everything is made with a computer and it's fun, but call me old fashioned, it don't bring the same feeling. My parents are cleaning out their storage room, and my mom told me that she threw away my beloved video cassettes that I worshiped when I was younger. My All of the happy memories are flooding back to me as I relive my favorite stories. Oh, thinking back how young I was and how much happiness, grief, laughter, fear they gave me when I was seeing them for the first time. Case in point: Classic Disney movies are the best. 

Pocahontas (1995)

"Sometimes the right path is not always the easiest one."

Grandmother Willow

Peter Pan (1953)

"So come with me, where dreams are born, and time is never planned. Just think of happy things, and your heart will fly on wings, forever, in Never Never Land."

Peter Pan

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

"Ohh, isn't this amazing? It's my favorite part becaus, your see, here's where she meets Prince Charming. But she won't discover that it's him till chapter three."

Belle

The Lion King (1994)

"Hakuna Matata"

Timon & Pumbaa

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

"Paris, the city of lovers, is glowing this evening. true, that's because it's on fire, but still there's l'amour. Somewhere out there in the night. Her heart is also alight. And I know the uy she might be burning for."

Hugo

Aladdin (1992)

"I am history! No, I am mythology! Nah, I don't care what I am, I'm free!"

Genie

They are so many good one, I can go on for ages! One thing is certain: I will never, ever grow out of these movies. Ever! I will still watch them when I am old and wrinkled. I love Disney! What are your favorites?

Tonight I heart, edition I

Oh my gosh, I don't know what's come over me, but I just can't seem to shake those December blues. They've completely taken hold and have consumed me. So I'm sorry, my usual chatterboxy self seems to be a bit tongue tied as of late.  I've sat down countless times to write entries, but the words just don't seem to want to flow. No short of inspiration. They're all bottles up, swimming around inside my head, but they refuse to do anything more than mash together in nonsense. I'll just let this handful of lovely images of the things that are currently inspiring me do the talking.

So Tonight, I heart...

maps.

yawning owls.

light painting photographs.

cute animals.

adorable hair updos and bows.

pianos and lace.

candy shops.

4 simple goals (before turning 21)

I am turning 21 in June & I have several goals I would like to reach by this, I think, landmark age. I have to admit that I am always making lists and jotting down goals but then I rarely keep track of that list and don't end up holding myself accountable. Bad habbit. So let's hope I'll be able to change that ;)

Get into shape - I hate to admit it, but I've let myself go a bit. I've lost all muscle tone & am feeling a bit plush. So let's eat more healthy & organic foods and incorporate an excercise routine into my daily schedule again! 6pack, here I am coming! just kidding of course :)

Be brave with my camera - This blog has been great in encouraging me to take some kind of photo everyday, but it's still not what I want. I want to grow in what I do. More photos, better photos. And feeling no shame anymore because I am taking -again- pictures. It's simply the way I am!

Make life the adventure it should be - This is a bit over the top. But I hope you understand what I mean. Life's too precious to just let it flowing by. I want to experience as much as possible, and renew myself from time to time. 

Turn my living space into an inspiring room -  I am dreaming of living in a space I truly find beautiful and suits me. I am going to work hard making this happen with some cute DIY's. 

Dear Santa,

1. Sony NEX-5 Silver Double Pack + 18-55mm + 16mm 2. Modcloth In the Gardens Turban 3. Tea time in Salon de The Claude 4. Modcloth Wreck this Journal 5. Modcloth A Sprinkle of Shine Scarf in Cosmos 6. Iphone 4

I'm so excited for the holidays! It's such a wonderful time of year as we all prepare for the end of the month. 2010 has gone so fast, isn't it? My friends and I buy every year a little present for each other and I always get stressed because I never know what to get anyone. If everybody had blogs and posted their very own wish lists, it would be so easy. But can't be always that easy, so I have to keep looking for something perfect.

Don't worry, a few of the things on my wish list are pure wish! I would really love an Ipod 4, but it's so expensive and I'm scared of getting too dependent of the internet- that damned wifi! Hehe! So let's do with my present phone... The Wreck This Journal looks like so much fun, I think you can fully live up your artisic possibilities with it. And those turban and scarf? Looking for ages for it and so smitten for it! I really love to see your wish lists too, what's on yours?

Sssst it's Saint Nicholas' Eve

I don't know if you know the concept op Saint Nicholas but it's the primary occasion for gift-giving! In the days leading up to 5 December young children put their shoes in front of the chimneys and sing songs. Often they put a carrot or some hay in the shoes, as a gift to St. Nicholas' horse, named badweathertoday. Of course the old man doesn't work alone, he has a lot of helpers, called Zwarte Pieten ("Black Petes") The next morning they will find presents near to their shoes, ranging from sweets to marbles or some other toys. Yes, I believed in this! And for me it was even more important than Christmas! So let's pretend I am a little child today!

I have to admit it's not the same when you have to buy your own present for this celebration, but it's still fun! 

Coco thinks that everything smells amazing! I can not blame him. Oh, I really can't wait to use all these. We have a pink Santa-Claus bath ball, a lip crub and lip gloss, hair conditionner for blondes and the yellow thing is massage oil for dry skin! Me happy! Happy monday sweeties!

One year ago...

I was playing with my dog in the snow. So sad I cann't come over this weekend to see my family and our snowy garden.