summer lasagne

I've been asked to make Lasagne since I've been back from Switzerland (2 weeks 1/2). Honestly who feels like lasagne with this heat? I really don't. So when I saw this I thought it might be a good version in this hot hot weather. 

Lasagnetta Fresca / Fresh Lasagne by Basilico & Pinoli

The recipe is in Italian, but I'm sure with a little bit of intuition you can guess it. In case I'm always here available for a good translation :)
p.s. oh and if you didn't know it's not called Lasagna but Lasagne. Yep!

Upholstery for genius

Who would have thought that another way to use fabric material would be covering an inner tube?

The Drops Recycled Upholstery Chair is an amazing piece of art. Everything is recycled and designed by Camilla Hounsell Halvorsen a Norway-based furniture Designer. I love the idea, it seems so simple and so genius. Of course "simple" is not after all. I wonder how comfortable this is but here is some more info about it. All I can say is that I love it!!!

{via inhabitat, by Camilla Housell}

baby shower is here

Honestly, I have no clue what to get for baby boys. I know my bad. I've asked around for hints, but I think my problem is that I always want to find something special and unique. And usually I like to make things myself, you know handmade. I think you can always come out with something original when you put your hands in action with your ideas. Only, again, this time I'm a little restricted to do so, but I've still looked around for some ideas.

Oh there's so many talented ladies out there, and so many cute things to put eyes on.  I know, I went from baby finders to older kids beautiful things, but who can stop now? I think I spent hours and the hours have become days. Now I just can't stop but to keep looking for adorable baby and kids things.

{Etsy is the place.  Six tiny Wooly Baby Animal by asherjasper, Tree Friends Mobile by inhabitatshop,  Felt Stick Animal by Wisteria, Biting Bone Plush Teehter by thefreckledelephant,  Oeuf Animal Mask and Tail set on inhabitatshop, Monster Swipers Set by Frankadme, Farm Closet Clothing Organizer by potatopatch, Animal puzzle cubes (missing info coming soon), Design your own Minky Ribbon Lovey by littlebnursery, Baby Whale rattle teether by LilBoppers, Softie toy Rattle Monster by Chunkychooky, Oeuf Animal Mask and Tail set on inhabitatshop, Sailboat pillow by Katedurkin, Cat Kitty by Supersockmonkeys}

{living in a garden} one day..

Where do you dream to live one day? No really, have you ever thought about it, or have you given up already? In my case I'm still dreaming, and it definitely starts with a garden. Since the very beginning I told my husband that I'll never want a big house, but a garden for sure :) Can you picture it? A little house in a big garden?

Oh man, I had to laugh so hard for excitement when I actually found an extremely cute picture of what my dream looks like.. only I have much more details in mind and, very important, my entrance door is red :) I love this home, a d o r a b l e!

{by home ideas}

p.s. by the way, yea that would be me on a bicycle coming back from a farmer's market with flowers.. yep :)

when summer makes you dream a little

we spent a great day and 1/2 with our 4 nephews and 1 niece. I almost packed them all up and took them with me. They are so great, I love them.
We hadn't seen each other for almost 2 years. I can't believe how everyone has grown so much. It has been so much fun to be called "aunt Naomi" so many times in a day and to play around with all of them. Playing ping pong, tennis, pool time, eating ice cream and sleeping all in the same room. What do you want more really? It's amazing what a day like this brings to you. I feel like it was long a month for all it has brought me.

After a day missing them all we are able to get back together again. San Diego is the spot this time. I can't wait. It is our short getaway for 2 days, with more nephews and niece time, and camping in our new volvo :) That should be fun hahahaha who knows, might be the only time we actually want to do something like that, might as well keep ourselves young right?

Here we come sunshine!

{beautiful photography by Elena Kalis, others via Design Mom, and ffffound}

Yogurt take out

Yessssssssssss!
Oh this is so for me. Finally someone has invented it!

I've been wanting to take my granola in plain yogurt with me since.. I've discovered that's all I need in the morning. Oh finally here is the solution. The Fresh Traveler ($45) by Arian Brevkled. Two separated container spaces as food storage and bowl at the same time. Genius! If I'll get this for Christmas I'll be more then happyyyy!!! Wait, I think Christmas is today! hahaha :)

{via the kitchn}

tomorrow is a great day

I can't wait. I'm gonna spend the day with my husband!!!!!!!!!

We have so much to do, and not a lot of fun stuff, but hey it will be SO much fun to be together. I can't wait. Even paying bills becomes oh sooooo crazily fun, when you haven't spent time with your husband for 2 months. Yep! hahahaha!

Saturday we were walking around and found ourselves in the beautiful Anthropologie. Yea I could live in that store. Of course I love almost everything in there, so I like to pass by every corner of it. Christian is so cute cause he just follows me and smiles at every "ooh look how beautiful this" and "oooh this is adorable" and so on. This time what got my attention was everything hand painted with bright colors on porcelain, glass, ceramic, etc. How beautiful really!

{ art work by Denise Carpentier Keegan}

It truly put me in a mood to make some myself. I remember when I used to paint with my mom. SO much fun. From all the things we did paint I recall the wooden napkin rings. With flowers and different colors for each member of the family. We made so many we didn't know what to do with them. I think at the end we just liked to use them as decor around the house.

Here is a little tutorial on hand painting ceramic on Etsy by Louche Lab's. Why waiting? Life's to short. In the next 2 weeks I'm gonna go get some colors and make my art work :)

it feels good

to be home. No matter where that is.

The trip went fine. It was long of course. Switzerland and LA are never close enough. When it becomes longer then 24 hours I just stop counting..
I got to hug my husband again after almost 2 months. If I have to count the fact we saw each other only for a week before I left, then it is over 2 months. Either way, somehow being together it is even better now :) I feel extremely blessed, that's for sure. He's so dang great. I think somehow he's even greater now, is that even possible?? yes it is :)
We promised each other we'll never do this again. Being away from each other for so long. It is crazy! But I got to hug my dad again, saying goodbye and be a little with my mom after that. This are things you just don't plan ahead. Being married for only 6 months and find out that my dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer, your life just changes. Even that fresh newly weds excitement is dissolved in pieces by a crude and hard reality. That isn't something you plan, or wish or could even see it happening. I thought we still had time ahead, our future kids were gonna have grandpa Emilio teaching them all the secrets of good nutrition, hard labor, simple life, good taste, laughing hard, passion for nature and all the things that are oh so good and oh so beautiful.
I hope that I'll be able to do all that, and to make my dad known to our future children by telling them all about him. Somehow I hope I'll be able to bring him alive in their lives. I think my husband is not too worried.. I have so much of my dad in me if I want it or not.

one of those days..

It is a day where I just realize how much I have thought of others and not enough of myself. Oh gosh when am I ever gonna learn this lesson? At the same time it just couldn't be different.
As much as I'm so exhausted I'm pretty happy and glad for all I've accomplished while here in Switzerland. I'll be leaving very soon now, to go back to my home, my husband I haven't seen for almost 2 months now. It has been quite a ride, hard, sad, happy, a little of everything but in big, BIG doses. Quite an experience. I'm not even gonna try to explain it cause I don't know where to start. But I do feel my dad very close to me, in a way I didn't even thought possible. It is great. I don't miss him like I thought I would, with that sad, desperate emptiness. He is close to me.
Somehow in me though I have the fear that taking a plain and get so faraway from where he built his life and finished it, I won't feel him that close. I know.. silly of me. I know I'll be taking him with me no matter where I'll go and be, but for now I have to deal with this feelings.

I have new goals for the next months, year. I hope I can be as good to myself as I'm to others sometimes. I hope I can get that balance I once had to make my life a little easier and oh much better. I'll just need to follow my new motto of the year "one thing at a time" and I'll be able to accomplish everything.

For now, so long and see you in L.A. My husband-my home :)

happy 4th

.. mmmmm I can smell barbecue in the air!

I'm gonna miss it all since I'm still in Switzerland, but I'm happy some of you are with families to celebrate. Enjoy your week-end!

gotta love this colors

{all by Martha Stewart and Country Living}