ENVELOPE FOR THE "INVISIBLE FRIEND"

I’m ready for  tonight's dinner and New Year’s celebration, but while I’m waiting for Albert, I’m going to show you what I did  this Christmas  to my "invisible friend".

Here, in Catalunya, we do this ritual that is called “the invisible friend”. We make a  secret gift to someone, but that someone doesn't know who gives it to him. Some days before,  people write in little pieces of paper the names of all the people that participate in the game. Then you choose a paper to know the person you have to buy a present.

This year I did a gift to Sergi, my brother-in-law. With the present, I attached an envelope with a message inside. This is the envelope I did.

In a white envelope I wrote his name with a purple marker. Then I covered the surface with Washi tape. This Washi tape is semi transparent, so the name was still visible.

He liked it so much!

That’s all! Happy New Year!!!

Marina

CURTAIN OF FIRE

Today I’d like to explain you about our wedding, before New Year's Eve  celebration begins. 
Despite  we are in vacations this week, we are always going and coming, doing a lot of things, but it’s better than work, of course!

So this post will  give you some ideas if you are thinking about getting married.

After we cut the wedding cake, all the lights turned off and a fire curtain began to shine behind us. The saloon was sorrounded  by glass walls, so it was so beautiful and romantic.

See you soon!

Marina

MONDAY NEEDS MUSIC

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

HOW TO START THE DAY WITH ENERGY

Lately I'm so tired that the first thought that comes to my mind every morning is that I want  to go to bed again. This girl gave me a lesson! Nothing can go wrong starting the day like she's doing. 

Good morning!

Mònica

A CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST

Today I want to share with you a little present. Do you like Christmas carols? I do, especially when I'm wrapping gifts, waiting for a special dinner or home decorating. I like Christmas songs, but not only the traditional ones. Here's a little playlist, hope you enjoy! 

 

If you have any suggestion, they're welcome!

Mònica

WEDDING HAIRSTYLE

Hi all! How are you? It's been a good Monday? I hope so!

Today I want to show  my wedding  hairstyle. It was a low bun, so simple but so pretty. It was a work of Marta, my hairdresser.

I wore a beautiful brooch, as you can see in the photo. I bought it in LaCoqueteria Boutique. They have bride dresses and complements with a romantic style. They had headdresses for the wedding guests too. They are all handmade! Visit their bride blog.

Bye!

Marina

MONDAY NEEDS MUSIC

It's a good day. Less than a week for Christmas, four days of work, and in a week I will travel to Amsterdam with my boyfriend.  In addition, this afternoon I'm going to the opening of the first cupcake place in Lleida, yuhuuu!

As I said, It is a good day ;-P

Winter Songs from Crush Creative on Vimeo. 

Hope you have a great day too!!

Mònica

SUNDAY MORNING AND GIANT AQUARIUMS

It's Sunday morning and I am a little cold, ooooh ... Well, even so I love the feeling of knowing I have all morning for me to do what I want and I have no hurry.   I  can swim to these worlds of the Internet with a cup of hot tea in my hands, and find videos like this one.  I do not know if it's the cold,  but I was like hypnotized watching it.

This is the second largest aquarium in the world. It is amazing  to see the sharks and manta rays swim with  the background music ...

Kuroshio Sea - 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world - (song is Please don't go by Barcelona) from Jon Rawlinson on Vimeo.

Have a good Sunday, 

Mònica 

CHRISTMAS FUN

Hi there!! Today I'm back with  another alternative-Christmas post. You are aware...

Here  you can find  the strangest/funniest  Christmas family photos.  There's a selection of 53. They are no wasteful. I swear. Take a look and judge yourself...

More on the  web.

And  if you want more  Christmas stuff, take a look at this video....

                                                    Tommy Hilfiger Holiday Collection

Have fun, 


Sayonara!

Mònica

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

Christmas spirit has arrived to my office!

I work in a big office with great views and big windows, but these days something was missing... and it was the Christmas decoration! Because when we look through the window, we  can  see the precious Christmas lights of Barcelona, so we decided to decorate the office too.

Font: You Tube

We had done this little tree with stars, white stars and 3D stars. Doesn’t it look pretty??!!

Don’t forget the Christmas spirit, live it as if you were a child again!

See you!

Marina

MONDAY NEEDS MUSIC

Hey, I'm back! It's Monday and this song  will get you moving!!

Happy Monday

Mònica

3:17 NO SLEEP

I can't sleep. I have tried several times: I have read (the last book of Murakami, should be foolproof ...), I've watched TV, I've tried to relax but there's no way. I guess the afternoon coffee didn't help (I don't use to drink coffee). In fact tonight I'm far away from home and tomorrow two hours of plane and one hour of train are waiting for me. Wish I was there. What do you do the sleepless nights? There's a song that always comes to my mind...

Sweet dreams


Mònica

THE SEA

Today we have lunch on the beach. No restaurants, only a little picnic.

Has been a sunny day, 32 F in Barcelona in december 8th...

In Lleida has been sunny too.

It seems that winter doesn't want to arrive...

Marina

FLAN!

The recipe of this week!

Kisses!

Marina

CRAFTASTROPHE

Hi! Have you done any Christmas shopping? I have some little presents but I will keep the secret for now because you never know who might be reading... :-P

If you want to take a little break from all the Christmas shopping and have a funny time, take a look at this site. On Craftastrophe.net you can find handmade items quite surreal and quite horrible, because, as they say, "handmade isn't always pretty".

Here you have some "craftastrophes" from the web: 

Ha ha ha,  hard to stop!! Surely you are willing to find some of those gifts under the tree...

Do you feel inspired?


;-P




Mònica

MONDAY NEEDS MUSIC

Hi everybody!

Today needs music.

I’m lucky because I’m still on holidays this week, and listening to this song makes me feel good.

Maybe is the first time you hear a song in català (our language). I’m glad to show you how catalan people can do beautiful songs like this.

Perfect song for listen alone, looking the cold outside through the window, sitting in your sofa.

I hope you like it!!

Music: "Sense por" by Damià Olivella

Marina

LONDON HOLIDAYS!

Hi! Our holidays in London have finished… we are at home, home sweet home!

London has a special feeling that makes you love the city at first sight. Romantic buildings, friendly people that want to help you even if you don’t ask them, Christmas lights everywhere, amazing shops…

The weather was good these days, not too much cold.

We moved through the city by subway (called “underground”) and bus. Metro is faster than bus, but by bus you can see the city. Do you know the typical London buses? As you see in the photo, buses have two levels, and the view on the second floor is great. 

We stayed there three nights, I think it’s time enough to see the most important things in London, but you will need more time if you want to visit museums or do other activities that take more time. For example go to the London Eye, the big wheel (18 pounds, more or less).

Here you can see me beside the typical red telephone cabin. They are all over downtown.

One of the curious things in London and all UK is that they drive on the opposite side we do! So at every crossroad you can see this “look right” or “look left”.

In parks there were squirrels waiting for something to eat, and expecting that people give to them some food. Look how one of them climbed up for my leg to catch a cookie. It was great to see it so close to me!

Jacket potatoes! Mònica recommended them to me before depart to London. It’s a typical food that you can find all over the city. As you can see are cooked potatoes covered with sauce. It’s cheap and fast to eat.

One day we went to Hobbycraft shop, to buy craft materials. There are a lot of things to see there! I bought Mod Podge and a porcelain painter pen, things that I couldn’t find in Barcelona.

If you need to know something of the city you can ask me, maybe I  can help you!

Cu!

Marina

LONDON!

Thank you Monica!


London is great! We've just arrived this evening and we will stay here until saturday. 
Only for what we have seen today I think these holidays will be exciting! 
For the moment I can't send photos but I hope it will be possible tomorrow...


I can send you only this one made by phone...

Marina

BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

 

Illustration by Pascal Campion

It's been a week since we saw the sun for the last time here in Lleida. A week of foggy days and gray skies, and it's very cold!!! It seems that winter has come at once. So I started to unpack scarves, hats and coats and Christmas ornaments, of course   ;-P

Today Marina left Barcelona's sunny weather  to escape to London with Albert (her husband). I suppose we shall soon have some pictures... Meanwhile, I want to share with you this video, it goes for you Marina!

Bon voyage and keep warm!!

Mònica

POTATOE GRATIN

Hi everybody!


As Mònica says we are busy these days, but here you have the recipe of this week:

Marina

MONDAY NEEDS MUSIC

Hey, it's Monday! Sorry if we are a little bit missing these days, the truth is we are both very busy. Anyway, is Monday, and we need some music.

They are Pomplamoose and in their youtube channel  you can find a lot songs and versions of very  different singers  as Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson or Edith Piaf. 

Enjoy and have very good week!

Mònica

COOKIES!

As Mònica said, last Saturday evening we met with the purpose to bake some cookies!
Yes, we did the cookies you can see in the photos below. We have to confess that was the first time... but it was funny!  And the result was good enough and sweet! ;)

We used our chocolate and walnuts recipe for the mass, but we added lemon grated to give a different flavor.

If you decide to do these cookies, be careful  the mass is not  too much thick because it grows in the oven.

My nephew Pol helped us too! He enjoyed so much!

You can see me  and Mònica in action, painting cookies!

 Cu!

Marina, Mònica & Pol ;)

WINTER MOOD

Winter is coming, and I'm so happy!  Yes, I like winter, Christmas and foggy days... but in small doses. I love to live in a place where we have real four seasons.

I found Ruche's winter lookbook video the other day and I love i! Truth to be told, I didn't know this brand and I don't know if we can find it in our country, so it was not my idea to write a promotional post.

Anyway,  the video is so sweet!  The light, the colours, the clothes, of course, they're perfect! But to me the best part is the music...

 Music:  "stone to stone" by Emily Moldy.

Love,

Monica

GIFTS FOR OUR WEDDINGS GUESTS

When we were planning our wedding we thought a lot about what to gift to our guests. We wanted something different; something that people had never seen before at any wedding.

Looking for the ideal gift, we were lucky to find Papabubble.

We thought that it would be great to give this personalized sweets with our names inside, to our guests... We thought this was a different and useful present, because people would eat the sweets someday.

Albert and I visited Papabubble’s shop in Barcelona. They have shops all over the world. Curiously, we found Papabubble’s shop when we stayed in New York during our honeymoon! We were walking in the street and suddenly found the shop. We were very surprised that the shop’s name  was in català (our language). We decided to ask the reason why the name was in català in  a New York City shop. Kindly, the girl who was working there told us that the person who opened the shop had been working in Papabubble Barcelona.

So, we liked the shop in Ciutat Vella neighborhood, in Barcelona.  It’s a little place, but big enough to see how they work  and big part of their products. They do different kind of colors and flavours, and they don’t have to be related. For example, we chose pink color and apple taste. The  flavours are the typical ones, but you can find others not so typical...: mojito, lavender, kiwi, passion fruit, aniseed...

They work in the shop so you can see how they prepare the sweets. We chose our product, and they packed them and told us how to conserve them before the wedding. They keep them until you need.

We designed the stickers you see in the photos, we gave them to Papabubble people and they pasted them to the sweet packaging.

They treat us very well and listened to any of our  ideas. So... We did another order!!  I  will explain it to you another day, I hope you like it...

Be sweet!

Marina