Loop scarfs for loved ones

I somehow stumbled into November (or November happened upon me), and can't believe Christmas is actually almost there. Time to get ready for the coldest season. I've been making loop scarfs recently and am quite enjoying the results, as they're fairly easy to make and therefore so rewarding!

For her birthday I made A. one in rather funky colors (in remembrance and anticipation of our traditional New Year's holidays), lined with a cozy warm fleece fabric in blue. Of course we had to go outside and snap some pictures of it in the warm autumn sun. It's been spoiling us all weekend.

I assume autumn is pressing every button to make up for the rather weak and moody summer. Enjoy, until you'll have to go all onioning by putting on 3 tights and at least 2 cardigans! 

Weekend Treasures

I've enjoyed the beautiful sunday outside in the autumn sun, brunching, drinking spritzer, and chatting the day away. I've also started on some Christmas presents, unusually early. But it's the same traditional toil every year; come the week before Christmas I am stressing out like nuts and can't find anything appropriate for the ones I love. Because I want gifts to be special, thoughtful and suiting. Perfectionism always breaks my legs.

Well, but I started. And I would love to post the result right now, but the lady it's for stumbles upon this site every now and then, so I will have to keep it a secret. Oh, the tensionnnn...

Grandma sent me some recipes from my childhood (with the most awesome vintage illustrations). She used to make this unbelievably rich and luscious chocolate cake. And even though she says the recipe is nothing special at all (my grandma isn't exactly of the cheerful kind, as you might remember from the conversation at my grandparent's diamond wedding about her lovely hairstyle), it brings back memories from good old times. Like doing crossword puzzles together. Feeding the chicken. Spending half the day in that old tree, playing with my cousin. And 4 o'clock sharply we had to come in for tea. There it was, that juicy chocolate indulgence. Even though I've got a ton of new recipes for chocolate cakes, none of them will mentally send me back into that old tree - big-eyed and red cheeked.

And some more music is on the way. I'll see these talented guys in concert this weekend. Here's a little video of one of their rehearsals.

Time out

The past weeks have been turbulent. And they were gone in the blink of an eye. Has it really been 3 weeks? I'm trying to pick up where I've left before I started my course. So many lovely blog posts to go through! And so many projects still to finish..

I've come to see a few parts of Berlin in another light during my stay there. My friend built such a comfy nest for me (and Mada), and we spent most evenings falling asleep while watching slightly unsubstantial tv shows (thanks to the unsurpassed invention of a timer). There were chaotic concerts by Mada exploring the piano at 3am, reparative lovely breakfasts, reunions with old friends, probably too many cigarettes and wine, and the desperate attempt to go shopping.

We spent a few evenings and a small fortune in one of those new old photo booths. It's just as good as old polaroids. Makes you happy within 4 minutes, smells like addled eggs though. 

This weekend we had time to properly acknowledge autumn's arrival, strolled through sunny streets with wintery jackets, watching our breath turn into little clouds. If it wasn't for all the beautiful colors I would believe we went straight from summer to winter, since the temperature has plunged dramatically. 
Time to start knitting some cozy scarfs again.