The Berlin Wall: then and now

Today is a big deal kind of day here in Germany. It marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Regardless of how and when this all exactly came about, today is the day of celebration.

Here's a look at the first border crossing to open - watch how things change in less than 9 minutes. Realize that you are literally watching people walk into freedom. If you understand German, it's even better because the translation, while fair, misses a lot of things.

Where were you when you heard the wall was down?

(my answer's in the comments)

Free Printable: 2010 Calendar

I was over here originally admiring this free printable moving card (even though we're past that point ourselves) and then checked out her list of free printables (always fun) and found this gorgeous printable 2010 calendar from Gleaux.


Normally I operate on a 2 calendar basis: a big one in the kitchen for everything so Stefan and I are on the same page, and a second one in my purse to write in appointments as I book them when I'm out running around. Now that I have my own little office space, I was wanting a small visual to have on hand. This free download perfectly matches my office space aesthetic.

To get your own, head over here.

Autumn Window Shopping in Germany

We've been out and about the past two weeks thanks to the fall vacation break for the schools. In that time there's been some wandering around, enjoying the fall colors, weather and, for me, the pretty fall displays. Would you like to come along?

First up is the floral arrangement at our table in a little cafe we went to. I just love how creative this is!

Here's my favorite Einrichtungsladen (interior decorating shop) in our town. Lots of purple, the big hit for this year:

I liked this tablecloth but I don't think Stefan could handle
that much pink in our house!

A blurry shot of the fall browns and oranges (sorry!):

Dishes in a rainbow of colors:

One of my favorite flower stands in a nearby town
sporting the purple again:

And giving a wink towards the upcoming Christmas season:

We ended up in Bamberg one evening and I spotted some of the Pip Wallpaper china collection - really lovely! I could easily enjoy the whole set, but Stefan said he'd weed out the pink stuff. Surprise surprise.


There were also some bags and satchels from the same line. So sweet! To enjoy clearer, non-phone pix of the Pip Wallpaper line, click here. *Be sure to hold your mouse over the music box on their main page, lovely little tune to enjoy as you look at what must be one of the most beautiful websites ever! There are lots of little 'hidden' gems on there, play around with it for a minute!

Back home I spotted a display of the fun Christmas china pattern Villeroy & Boch put out this year. It makes me want to host a huge Christmas party!

I really like the serving plates and the tall mugs! Can't you just picture some spiced hot chocolate in them? To enjoy clearer, non-phone pix, see the My Winter collection here.

That's it for the window shopping tour. It's always fun to see what's out in the stores and, by taking pictures and posting it here to share, it's like shopping without spending money!

Little Girl's Bag: Take 2

So I made another bag, this time for an almost-2yr old who acts so much older than 2. She's a very girly-girl who puts on her own 'make up' when her mom is getting herself dolled up. I thought she could use a purse. I even added some pom-pom trim because I had a feeling little fingers would love to play with the soft little pom-poms, and I was right!


I mistakenly thought the trim would hide my crooked stitching, but the trim itself proved hard to stitch on straight. Short pom-poms and the sewing machine presser foot = eng (tight fit).

Then I realized it only added to the mess
that was going on inside the bag! grrrr...

However, I did a much better job on the shoulder strap this time (even though attaching it wasn't as pretty as last time). It turned out to be way too long for her, but oh well. I hate straps because you have to turn the whole thing inside out after sewing it shut, but after much tugging and sighing and trying various methods, it came out the right way. Phew!

I also had a reoccuring problem that I think has to do with the bag liner being too big or small compared to the outer shell. It bunched up here on the side again. Super annoying. I'd already had a mishap that required 4 separate uses of the seam ripper, so I gave up on this problem and just left it. I should've just taken a break and come back to it again.

I was pleased with the bag liner and
the little inside pocket I added.

I also tried something a little different with the flower on the outside, making the inner layer more daffodil-esque. I used a skinnier and much shorter length of fabric than I used on the bottom layer.


Altogether it was a successful venture. It was an improvement over the last bag and I think it was good to try the same thing again so I could see where I still need some practice. These little projects are great for encouraging me to keep trying: they're simple enough to be do-able within a short amount of time. Of course, seeing a little person's eyes light up and watching them continually use the item is an encouragement as well! Off to cut some fabric for a new and different project!

Corner View: Love

This week's Corner View theme is love. I don't have much to say on this because the one I love has 2 weeks vacation right now so we've been busy doing projects around the house, running errands, watching movies, and just hanging out.


One of the things we've done so far that I love, is enjoy the fall German specialty of Kürbis Creme Suppe - pumpkin cream soup. Along with Pflaumenkuchen, Kürbis Creme Suppe is another typical dish served during the autumn season here in Germany. I don't have a recipe for it, but I found this one and it looks tasty!

For more Corner Views on love, head over to Spain Daily and check out the link list on Jane's sidebar!

Sewing: A Little Girl's Bag

Somebody I know turned 4 this weekend and I wanted to make a little something for her. I had lofty dreams that clashed with my limited skills and available time. I tried anyways. Four hours later I had a bag and had learned a few things.


1) Plan ahead and make time for the project. Rushing creates mistakes. I made some really stupid and ugly mistakes I didn't have time to fix because I rushed. The seam attaching the liner is crooked, the flower and leaves could've been attached in a cleaner (and just as secure) way. I should've ironed out the old crease in the strap fabric. (rushing when all you have is a phone camera is especially bad!) I could go on. It was a learning experience.


2) The rotary cutter and big rectangle ruler my mom sent over are AWESOME! I can't cut straight to save my life, especially when I'm rushing. These things saved me big time! That disappearing ink pen is fantabulous as well. Pinking shears make cute leaves. Yay for imports!


3) The web is a great help in my learning-to-sew venture. I used one tutorial to figure out how to create a flat bottomed bag like this. I used another tutorial to figure out how to make and attach a bag liner. Heather Bailey provided me with a tutorial on making a super fast fabric flower that was perfect.


4) Bag liners are not as hard as I thought and hide a multitude of sins. I'm all about liners now!

This project cost me nothing, which was awesome! The bag was made from the same stack of curtain remnants as my sewing machine cozy. It's liner was the liner from the old curtains, perfect coordination! The pink fabric was something I picked up in a free bucket at some yard sale in the States and it came over when we moved here. The buttons and other stuff came from the one-day-I'll-learn-to-sew box as well and I'm glad we brought it!

My 4yr old friend was quite pleased with her gift and I now have a bag template for a few other little people. Little people are easy to please and generally don't notice the seams, so I will continue to practice on such a forgiving audience for now!

Corner View: Typical German Souvenir

This week's Corner View theme was 'a typical souvenir from your town'. I live in a German university town that doesn't have a typical 'thing'. When I visit friends in the States (or they visit us), we usually hit up the local grocery store for the best treats to take back. We find it's the cheapest, tastiest, and usually most unique and practical place to go. Everybody likes chocolates, so we can start with the chocolate aisle. Lots of Lindt:

Lots of Milka:

Really, lots of it (it's not even the Christmas chocolates!):

There's always the group of women who love pretty paper napkins, so there's something for them:

For those who bake, there's all sort of stuff that's standard here, but sometimes hard to find in the US:

I didn't include pictures of the beer and wine section, or the mustard section, but they're great, too. When my dad was in Germany hosting some Spaniards here for a business trip they were asking for a certain German mustard that was semi-sweet and impossible to find in Spain. I took them to a German grocery store and they all went home happy with armfuls of Händlmaier's (typical sweet Bavarian mustard). So the grocery store really is the spot to go. There's something for everybody!

For more souvenirs, head over to Spain Daily.

Reveal: Pom Pom Trim

So I finished my project. I dressed up our two kitchen chairs. We started with plain Ikea chairs and pads.
Clean and simple, but nothing special. Here's the before:

I've been in a pom pom trim craving phase and decided to add some to our kitchen chairs. Something fun, yet subtle, especially since I used white on white.
(should've done this for my last Corner View post, huh?)

We're pleased with the outcome: fresh, subtle, and deviating from the Ikea-ness of it all. It was super fast and easy to just whipstich along the seams of the chair pad.

Yay for pom pom trim! Even Stefan likes it and
he was really skeptical at first!

I'll be posting another project I finished later, but for more DIY, head over to Kimba's blog for more links and inspiration!

Something's up: threads and pom poms

I'm working on a creative project. Today is my calm before the storm of a new work opportunity which starts tomorrow. I'm prepared and am now doing a little creative de-stressing. Here's a preview:


The reveal should come early next week. In the meantime I'm going to go enjoy some homemade Pflaumenkuchen (plum cake) our lovely neighbors just brought up!

Corner View: White, or What To Do Over the Fireplace?

This week's theme is white. I like the idea of white. I like our white kitchen cabinets. But I don't really like white walls. I've tried. I just always feel like I'm in a hospital, or a creepy insane asylum. I feel like I should go to colored-walls-anonymous because here in Germany most homes have all white walls. Hi, my name is Juliette and I paint my walls. Yes, I do. Except when their surface doesn't permit paint, like below:


Here you see the horrid fireplace wall. We didn't paint it blue like the rest of the room. Well, the wall opposite the fireplace isn't painted either. It's just white, but it has tons of windows on it and we wanted the room to look balanced somehow. I drew red boxes all over the picture of our big, white wall in an effort to get a feel for what I might could do. Perhaps a large rectangle mirror, lots of framed pictures, we don't know what. The fact that the wall is actually two different depths doesn't help.

It's turned into a dumping ground in the living room. Yuck. Everything on the mantel can go. The wood box is our TV garage and should get painted and get decorative knobs. The random tools should get cleaned out of the niche by the fireplace and filled with chopped wood for the winter. You get the picture.

Something needs to happen to this white wall ASAP because although we like the whole fireplace idea, it's a bit of an eyesore just now.

Ideas?

To see more white - usually pretty, non-angst-ridden things, click on over to Spain Daily.

Stoffmarkt Holland in Frankfurt: a Fabric Market in Germany

Well, we went! Even though my budget was pitifully small and after 10 minutes my husband was bored, we made it. He found a cafe to sit and read in while I spent 3 hours perusing the 140+ booths at the Holland-Stoff Markt. I was really on sensory overload - so much to take in!!


I chatted to a couple of friendly German ladies while we waited in line at one booth and learned a few things: 1) the fabric markt comes 2-3x a year (Feb/March, May, and Sept/October) to Frankfurt. Sometimes the third time will be nixed in favor of a stop in Wiesbaden or Koblenz. This was important to learn because of fact #2.

(cute printed jersey fabric)

2) There really aren't any good shops in Germany to buy fabric. You can find some things in Karstadt department stores "if you're lucky", but it's not likely. Plan on buying your fabric online unless you come to the fabric markt. (see their resource list at the bottom of this post)

(wool and jersey prints)

3) Since fabric is really scarce here, you buy as much as you can afford when you see it. Then you go home and figure out what to do with it. This didn't work for me as I only had 40 Euro to spend and already had a list of projects requiring specific amounts/types of fabric. They couldn't believe how organized I was, but I said it was thanks to the tiny budget, ha ha!

(Cotton prints and polka dot jersey)

Cotton print pricing:
40 Euros doesn't sound like a tiny budget until you see the prices of fabric here. 5 Euro/meter was a good deal at this market.

(cotton prints on the 5 Euro table)

This was almost exclusively cotton prints with some bolts of jersey and fine-wale corduroy mixed in. The patterns I really liked averaged between 7.50 - 14 Euros/meter. There was gorgeous fabric from the designer Tilda at 18.50/meter, which was just ridiculous! I didn't see any American designers or styles.

(Tilda fabrics for 18.50/meter. I should've moved the book!)

What other types of fabric were available?
I would say about 50% of the booths were selling heavy woolens, tweeds, herringbone patterns, etc. If you wanted to make your own coats, winter dress skirts/trousers, etc. this is a great place to visit. Many 'inspiration projects' were hanging from the booths. There were so many bolts of boiled wools!


I didn't watch their prices too much, I think they were mainly about 25-40 Euro/meter. There was one set of beautifully patterned boiled wool that was 69 Euros/meter! (see below)

I only saw this small display of oilcloth (waschtuch auf Deutsch). I thought it would be fun for some everyday placemats, but at 19.50/meter I wasn't prepared to take the leap!


There were many booths offering slippery printed rayon/polyesters which might be fun if you wanted to make your own tops. I'm not 'there' yet sewing-skill wise, and didn't really care for any of the designs. They were about the same prices as the cotton prints and were also the main fodder in the 2 Euro bins that could be occasionally spotted.

(bolts of blue boiled wools)

Trimming was offered at maybe 4-6 booths. Lots of selection, but they were always just jammed with people! Prices varied, but my pom-pom trim was 1.75/meter. It was so claustrophobic I couldn't stay long!

There were also a 3-4 booths with thread, scissors, cutting guides, sewing machines, and patterns. They were also jammed. I just can't imagine starting up this hobby had my mom not sent over a lot of basic start up things recently! Who would have thought sewing/fabric was such a niche market in Germany?!


Anybody and everybody was at this market. It wasn't just a bunch of grandmothers! I overhead people talking who said they sold online on DaWanda, were sewing for their daughter, wanted a new punk statement piece, needed new throw pillows, making a wedding dress, you name it! It was very intersting and very exhausting!


I purchased a few things for some Christmas presents I'm making - so sadly no pictures because the people who are getting them are also readers of this blog! But here are a few things I picked up for myself. I want to use the two fabrics in our kitchen to do something on the table - napkins, placemats, runner, etc. I have a few ideas for the pom-pom trim, but haven't made a decision yet. I'm looking forward to finally getting started on some projects now!

Resources for fabric in Germany:
Tipp Tapp Stoffe was present and selling the Tilda fabrics. Micha's Stoffecke and Kostenlose Schnittmuster were recommended by both German women. I wasn't impressed with any of the websites, especially the last 2. They're hard to navigate and look so primitive I tend not to trust them aside from their recommendations. They also said DaWanda and sometimes Etsy, would be great to find German sellers with cute fabric. The Holland-Stoffmarkt will continue again in the Frühjahr 2010, so early 2010. Keep checking their website for new schedules. I think now that I've seen a lot of this in person I'll feel confident to compare prices to German online sellers and make more online purchases. I'll defnitely come back to the Stoffmarkt-Holland when it comes again to Frankfurt.

Any other German fabric websites I should add?

To cut or not to cut: A Fabric Markt Soliloquy

To cut or not to cut: that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to cut the fabric your mother purchased and
sent over via your father,

Or to take arms/cash against a sea of fabric at the huge
Holland Fabric Markt in Frankfurt this weekend,

And by opposing the cutting angst, see if I'd prefer
something else for the projects?

To visit the Markt: to see the possibilities;

No more; and by shopping to say we end

The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks

That cutting fabric, committing it to a project is heir to, 'tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish'd. To the Markt, to possibilities;

To possibilities: perchance to dream and find fabric 'better suited':
ay, there's the rub;

For in the possibilities of the Fabric Markt what dreams may come

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, this land-of-no-fabric-shops,

Must give us pause: there's the respect

That makes calamity of so long life;

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
the few and far between and expensive fabric shops of Germany,

The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,

The pangs of disprized love, the law's delay,

The insolence of office and the spurns

That patient merit of the unworthy takes,

When he himself might his quietus make

With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life and empty sewing stash,

But that the dread of something after the Markt has gone, and I've missed it,

The undiscover'd country from whose bourn of cute fabric

No traveler returns empty handed, puzzles the will

And makes us rather bear those financial ills we have

Than commit to using that specific fabric for that project with no choice?

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;

And thus the native hue of resolution

Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought that
perhaps I should just first use what fabric I have,

And enterprises of great pitch and moment

With this regard their currents turn awry,

And lose the name of action.

Or do I lose action?? Even Stefan is starting to get interested in going to this Holland Fabric Markt on Sunday afternoon in Frankfurt. Especially after seeing all the beautiful pictures Holly posted over on Decor8. Amazing! Here's one of them:


At first we thought we were booked solid this weekend, but the event in question is thankfully only all day Saturday. Sunday is also the big voting day in Germany. I think we can manage church in the morning and take the train into town for the fabric fair with a swing by the polls in between.

Vintage 1978 Sewing Guide and Projects

I was flipping through my Reader's Digest Guide to Sewing (original copyright 1978) yesterday when I found myself again laughing over some of the projects in the back. First up is a convertible quilt - which wouldn't be so strange if the child model didn't look so scary somehow - Chucky? are you sleeping over?


Then comes a gardening coverall modeled by a woman who looks like she's about to punch herself in the face:


Maybe she wanted to punch herself because she missed out on the chance to model the beach coverup below. Or is it a cape? or changing-tent? With no arm holes I'm going to suggest we just stick with calling it a simple skirt and not try so hard.


Packable rain hat: what can I say? trenches and scarves are back in vogue, but I doubt a hat styled like a fairy hat is anything a serious career girl would sport walking into her cubicle. Could be useful for the odd little woodland fairy costume one might sew.


This woman looks like she could be Madonna or Gwyneth Paltrow stepping out after a private Pilates session with her trainer. Funny how looks come back around again! This project is for a duffle bag, but today I think you're more likely to find a yoga mat and bottle of Evian in there.


Then came the myriad of home decor projects. Some of this has definitely come full circle and is back in style, perhaps only with a few minor tweaks here and there. Fabric covered foam blocks in a fresher fabric would make a great lounge area and the fabric covered trash can is a clever way to bring in pattern. However, those lamps, sea chest, and random roller shades would have to go...


I think the curtains are horrid but, in principle, the rest of the room isn't too bad and wouldn't be hard to bring into a current style. I'm still confused about the random roller shades: how practical are they as room dividers?


The bordered curtains and the monogram shams are totally something I could see somebody doing now, but the coverlet and the shag rug...seriously...a pattern for a shag rug??


This little boy room actually features some good mod-kid projects. However, how does one sit on a stool that has a giant pom-pom in the middle?? And who styled this room so that there's not a chance of opening the dresser drawers??


I love the lamp on the bedside table in this teenage girl's bedroom. The ridiculous amount of throw pillows is only possible in a kid's room where slumber parties and pillow fights abound. I'm just not buying the supply list that says I need vinyl sheeting for the bed coverlet...ew and ew again.


The last room is sooo dated looking, but I suppose you could find use in the wall pocket organizer project. I really don't think I could trust the organzier hanging up on the curtain rod, though. I could see a kid overloading or tugging on it and pulling the whole thing off the wall.


For all it's dated looks and projects, this book has a ton of good information that's already been a help. Today I washed and ironed some fabric and tomorrow I hope to start sewing again!

Post It

I received a cute card in addition to the beautiful slippers
I won from Tina over on TravelingMama.

I highly recommend checking out her Etsy shop where you can purchase a pair of slippers of your own. 100% of the proceeds go towards helping a school in Morrocco. Read about it here.

Corner View: September and a Science Fair

We're back to the Corner View series after a summer hiatus. This week's theme is September. School is in full swing here with Stefan back to teaching and this past weekend we had the chance to cast our votes in a local science fair from area elementary schools. Each project had to incorporate a mini solar panel to create movement. There were lots of windmills and sets of flying swings!


One of the more impressive creations had a solar panel that caused a beater in a jar to rotate; essentially a solar powered mixer.


Then there was this one named "Flying Saucer Standing Still". It's solar panel created zero movement on the project (bad) and looked more like it should be called "Grasping at Straws: a no imagination project".


Somehow a science fair seems very September-ish, and one focused on alternative energy seems very German! For more Corner Views, head on over to Spain Daily.