Last post in 2011

Just a quick hello, before I'm off to California! 
Today was my last day at university this year, it's going to be great with a week off where I don't have to think about homework and exams. Almost week ago, we finished our semester project and delivered it at the printer's after 26 hours of hard, concentrated work. It was a bit hard, but we managed to get through the night with good music ("All night long" seemed perfect for the occasion). And when I finally got home after being awake for 29 hours straight, I slept all day, which was much needed. 

As you can see above, I finished my book challenge the other day! I've read 100 books this year, I'm so happy I made it. In the beginning of December I was afraid I didn't reach my goal, and then I finished more than a week before deadline, yay!
I haven't decided whether or not I'll join a reading challenge again next year, but if I am, I'll make it easier than this year. It was quite stressful at times and reading for fun shouldn't become a chore. Maybe one book per week is fine?
Anyway, my plane takes off tomorrow morning (maybe I should start packing my suitcase?). I wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope you'll get safely into 2011! I'll be back in 2012!

The days run away like wild horses

Time really flies these days! This weekend I've been drawing like crazy for our semester project. We have to deliver the file at the printer's on Thursday, so there's just a few busy days left. And then another paper needs my attention. Luckily, I can listen to Christmas music all day if I want to, so it's not too boring. But I'm still looking so much forward to the holidays!
Especially because I'm going to celebrate Christmas in California this year! Pretty cool, huh? I've never tried to be in another country during Christmas, so it's pretty exiting, I think. And I've dreamt about visiting California for a long time, so it's just perfect.
But first I have all these papers to finish... On the bright side my birthday is just around the corner, so there's plenty of good things happening too.

This is one of my favourite Christmas songs. I'm a huge fan of Jason Mraz and actually this is the song, that made me listen to his own songs. I love the way he sings this song, sometimes I listen to it during the summer too, I can't help it. His voice is just amazing. And he's looking so cute in this video, you have to watch it, haha.

Pink Geometry

I can spend hours browsing Etsy for beautiful stuff I don't have money to buy, but it's always fun to dream about all those unnecessary things I basically don't need.

I've made my first treasury list, it was fun! As you can see I have a weakness for earrings... Click here to go to the treasury list, if you want to take a closer look at the items.



And some music for your Sunday: Elou Elan - Sunday Times

Postcards from Italy VII - San Marino

Phew, finally weekend!
I've been busy with my studies lately. Last week was workshop week, which we finished this Tuesday with an exam, so last weekend was quite stressful (and frustrating at times), but I managed to get out of it with a decent grade, so that's great.

My series with postcards from Italy was supposed to be finished a long time ago, but since I've been busy with other things than the blog, I still have 3 posts left. Here's the one from San Marino. So in this case it's "Postcards from San Marino". Enjoy and have a nice weekend!





The photo above reminds me so much of China. The landscape is a little bit similar to the view from the Great Wall, I think.

What a wonderful world

Today, exactly two years ago, I spent a lovely day at the Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand (oh, I really, really miss New Zealand!). I went on a kayak trip with four of my travels buddies and a funny guide and then we paddled along the coast until we came to this beach at Te Pukatea Bay. Our guide took us for a walk up to a viewpoint by a narrow track filled with pricking things from the trees, quite painful when you're bare-footed. Hobbit feet (or maybe just shoes) would have been nice. But we all managed to get down to the soft sand again. While the others took a sun bath I went for a little walk on the beach. I don't know why, but that walk was just amazing. I loved to travel with my travel buddies, but I guess I just needed a break from other people. While I walked down the beach with my camera I just felt truly happy and free. Ok, I know it might sound sentimental, but that afternoon was pure happiness. Just being grateful for everything. For being able to walk around on the other side of the planet, in one of the most beautiful countries, I've ever visited, and do whatever I wanted. One song was in my head during that walk and it was, of course, What a Wonderful World.

Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World

Orange Coloured Sky

This morning the sky was incredibly beautiful when I rode my bike through the morning traffic. The sun was shining, a few raindrops fell from the orange and pinkish sky and suddenly I saw a full double rainbow when I waited for the traffic lights to turn green. The perfect start of a perfect day (but what a pity I didn't have my camera with me).

Natalie Cole - Orange Colored Sky


I couldn't resist posting this song, a more suitable title is hard to find. Hope your day has been just as good as mine, and have a nice weekend!

[Photo by Gregg Anderson]

Postcards from Italy VI - Venice again

The shop in the last photo was all covered up in masks of any kind. There were seriously masks everywhere. It was a very nice and cosy place, but also a wee bit scary. I bought a little mask, I'll show it when I've found a place for it. Right now it's still wrapped up in bubble pack.

Postcards from Italy VI - Venice Verticals

I haven't forgot about my blog, I just don't have much spare time these days. Anyway, today I had time to post a few more photos from Italy. Hopefully, it won't take weeks before the next part is ready.










Venice is such a charming and beautiful city. The colours are amazing, except the scaffold they'd covered "Il cielo dei sospiri" in. Next time I go to Venice (nothing planned, I just hope to go back there someday) I want to stay at a hotel in the centre, so it will be easier to walk around the city when it's dark.

Movies I've seen recently

A Good Year - It was good, a nice and quiet feel-good movie (wow, that was a lot of "good") and Marion Cotillard is still incredibly beautiful.
Yes Man - I loved it, in general I love Jim Carrey's expressions, which I think I've mentioned before, no? And Zooey Dechanel is very good in this film too. I also like the idea of saying yes to everything. Maybe I should try something similar, it could be kind of fun, don't you think?

[Photo sources: AllMoviePhoto and IMDb]

International Photo Awards - Non-pro verticals

Woops, it seems like I forgot to post the last favourite photos as promised. Oh well, patience is a virtue, right? 
At last the last three of my favourites from the international Photography Awards. Isn't the photo of the water lilies stunning? I hope he wins one of  the prizes.
By the way, I still have five posts left in my "Postcards from Italy" series waiting. So many blog posts, so little time!

William Scully, "Underwaterlilies", 1st category winner (aka finalist) in Nature Non-pro

Alexander Kitsenko, "Autumn story: Oak, Raspberry and Frost", 3rd place in the category Nature - Seasons Non-pro

Maciej Grzegorzek, "Kitten and charcoal burner", 1st place in the category Special - Pets Non-pro

[Source: iPA]

International Photo Awards - Non-pros

Ah, finally weekend! I have lots of things on my to-do list this weekend (exploring my new neighbourhood, unpack the last few boxes of things and put things into place and hopefully I'll have some time for reading as well - I have a book challenge to keep up with!).
Anyway, it's time for first part of my favourites by the non-pros. Again, it's mostly nature, but this time a few humans sneaked in too.

Maciej Nowacki, "Island Hvar", 1st place in the category Nature - Sunset Non-pro

Carlos Esguerra, "Calatrava - Valencia", 2nd place in the category Architecture - Bridges Non-pro

Claudio Allia, "Innocence", 2nd place in the category Fine Art - Other Non-pro

Kathy White, "Light through the windows at Boo", 2nd place in Nature - Underwater Non-pro

Marina Chen, "Poetry of Motion", 2nd place in the category Special - Moving Images Non-pro

Serhat Demiroglu, "Buddies", 2nd place in the category Nature - Wildlife Non-pro

Julia Gordonova, "Sunset in Bagan (Myanmar)", 3rd place in the category Nature - Sunset Non-pro

Monte G. Crofts, Jr., "Water-dance", 3rd place in the category Special - Moving Images Non-pro

I'll show you the last favourites by the non-pros tomorrow or Sunday. The verticals looks better when not paired with the horizontal ones ;) Have a nice weekend!


[Source: iPA]

International Photo Awards - Pros

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon this competition and the finalists and winners of this year's competition. I picked my favourites from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. First the professionals...

Emmanuel Coupe, "Southwest Autumn", 3rd place in the category Nature - Seasons Pro

Alex Bernasconi, "Wild Africa", 2nd place in the category Book - Nature Pro

Edmund Clark, "Guantanamo: If the light goes out", finalist in the Book category as well as 1st place in the category Book - Documentary Pro

Vincent Mathieu, "Aerial Landscapes", 3rd place in the category Nature - Aerial Pro

Russell Johnson, "Hwange's Silhouetted Giants", 3rd place in the category Nature - Wildlife Pro

Alex Bernasconi, "Wild Africa", 2nd place in category Book - Nature Pro

Cyrus Wong, "Break the Wall", 2nd place in the category Special - Pets Pro

Steven Friedman, "Tree Pathways", 2nd place in the category Special - Panoramic Pro

Emmanuel Coupe "Winter In the Rockies", 1st place in the category Nature - Seasons Pro

As you can see I'm mostly into nature photography (and animals) and beautiful colour schemes, big surprise, huh?
The category winners (only one or two of my favourites - apparently I do not share taste with the jury) are finalists competing for three awards; Photographer of the Year (professional), the Discovery of the Year (emerging) and Deeper Perspective Photographer of the Year. The winners of these three awards will be announced at the annual Lucie Awards on October 24th, 2011.

You can see the rest of the winners here: Source