It's a beautiful day

I have a day off work (and am determined NOT to check my blackberry!) and my sister is coming to visit. Good times!

And I still need to catch up (on the blog) with my adventures earlier this week - too busy having fun and eating delicious food! :-)

Bloody darts

Sewing was very frustrating on Monday. I kept having to undo my stitches and even after three attempts my darts were still not right. I think I will have to cut the fabric again and start from scratch (if I have enough of the fabric left).

Who knows - maybe I am discovering my perfectionist side after all?!

Start the week with cookies

Mondays can be good:
I started with a business meeting with a fellow German - great to speak my mother language for a change!
And I got a delicious cookie.
And a friend got in touch who I hadn't heard from for a while.
And I booked a week's leave in March.

just because

Sometimes there is no specific reason to feel happy. You just do. There's something about the universe and life and you feel a little bit like floating through the day. You cannot help but smile.

Lars time

As most/all of Lars von Trier's films, his latest - Nymphomaniac - attracted a lot of attention even before it was launched. Not surprising with a title like that. And those posters and the trailer.

Yesterday, cinemas across the UK were showing both parts of the film - and I would strongly recommend watching them together! I had made a point of not reading any reviews beforehand. Reading them after the viewing, they generally reflect my thoughts actually.

The film tells Joe's story. Aged about 50, she gets found by an elderly loner (Seligman), beaten up in the street. Seligman takes her back to his place as she refuses for him to call the police or an ambulance and begins to tell him her life story.

Yes, there is a lot of sex and nudity in the film. Porn doubles were used. But overall, there is less sex than I expected. It's also funny in parts; there were several moments when the whole audience was laughing out loud. Not what I had expected either. The second part is a lot darker. And I found some of it rather uncomfortable to watch, especially the storyline with Joe and P (played by Mia Goth). The world and the people in it are portrayed in very dark colours. While there is a lot of sadness in the first part, there seems to be a lot of evil in the second. Further reinforced by the ending.

And can I just say: Jamie Bell is gorgeous! Despite (?) the role he plays. I read in an interview that he didn't speak to Charlotte at all during the filming. Which is very weird on the one hand but on the other hand might have indeed helped with the atmosphere between the two of them on screen.

When less is more

Or something like that...

I can be a terrible chatterbox. And the worst is when I realize that I'm just talking for the sake of making other people listen to my voice. Which - accidentally - I don't even like (my voice that is). I'm not sure whether that's just me, but sometimes, there is this voice in my head telling me to just shut up. But for some reason, I keep going. And it's just a tiny bit ironic: under certain circumstances, I can be extremely quiet. And this voice in my head tells me to speak. And I don't.

The lesson to be learned here is to listen to my inner voice more often!

The Peasant

... is not The Pheasant. It only dawned on me when I saw their business card at the end of the lunch. Which has a picture of a peasant on it. Or at least I presume it's meant to be a peasant.

Anyhow, while we've booked this restaurant/bar for business lunches and dinners before, I had actually never been myself. Until yesterday when I went for lunch with a colleague. We sit on different floors and don't get to talk very often. To be honest, I was a bit reluctant to suggest it at first, as I felt as if I had to include the rest of the team, too. But I don't like going out with the whole group. So I finally just thought: sod it! I will just ask. And he said yes. And it was lovely. And I should stop over-complicating things in my head.

We shared pork belly and fish'n chips. And the chips were actually fries, which I much prefer. And anyone who shares their food with me, gets extra brownie points! :-)

The Peasant on St John's Street in Clerkenwell

VIP at the office

My colleague brought her baby to the office last week - and he is cute!!!! And has so much hair! He was quiet to start with while we all took turns in cuddling him. Until eventually, he was bored with us and started crying. And who can blame him?! More interesting things to do out there in the world than being stuck in an office.

Let the cutting begin!

All New Look patterns are currently reduced to just £2.95 on www.simplicitynewlook.com. And I think it's time to sew from patterns rather than to continue my freestyle self-made pattern sewing. That is probably better left for a time when I actually know how to sew...

I ordered the below patterns which arrived really quickly in just two days! I still have serious doubts that I will be able to sew any of them, despite some of them saying 'easy' - but I will give it a go. The weekend will be dedicated to measuring and cutting out patterns. That's the plan anyway.

The other day I pulled out a skirt from my wardrobe which I had forgotten I even had. I think that's a pretty clear sign that I have enough clothes at it is. I've therefore thought that I should stop buying any news clothes. This should also act as an incentive to sew my own clothes. Cause let's face it, I still want more!

Derek - season 2

I can't wait for Derek season 2! In the meantime, enjoy some outtakes from season 1:

Katzenjammers

Who would have thought that German food is so popular in London? Well, admittedly, it's probably the massive beer jugs that are the main attraction at Katzenjammers (should it not just be Katzenjammer??!) near London Bridge. In any case, all tables were booked when we arrived and by 18:30 the place was packed! Fortunately, S persisted and we were able to share a table.

The waitress talked me out of my very ambitious order and I am glad she did! While I was hungry, I would have never been able to finish it all. In the end, I went with a Rinds(beef)bratwurst in a bun (bun wasn't great but sausage was yummy!) with sauerkraut and a 'side' of cheesy pasta (Spaetzle).

cheesy pretzel and Jaeger Schnitzel for S

More goodies

The BNC was holding another event at the Brewery. Only when I checked last year's blog entry, did I notice that this was run as a two day event last year - and shrunk to just one day this year. I wonder why.... This year, I had a (short) list of venues and hotels I wanted to speak to. Went in, collected and gave out business cards and was done. That worked really well!

And I of course left with a lovely goody bag:

All from Fortnum & Mason: tea, strawberry jam, milk chocolate, and lemon biscuits

A £15 itunes voucher

And Jo Malone body and hand lotion

precious@precious

I had booked this massage a while ago - certainly before I went on my Wahanda break - and I'd say it was good value for money. Precious Stones are just a short walk from Angel station and thus close to my office. They run a shop (selling precious stones) as well as offering a number of treatments, including healing and psychic readings. I went for an ordinary Swedish 60 minute massage.

The treatment room is clean, spacious and warm. Nothing overly luxurious though but miles better than the last place I went to... I arrived early but they were able to see me nearly straight away. The therapist was very friendly but left me to enjoy the massage in silence (well, with music in the background). I've had better massages and while it was a full body massage, she didn't massage my arms nor my feet. But it was still very relaxing and I nearly fell asleep. Which is always a good sign.

Thanks to a Christmas gift voucher, I only paid £30 for the 60 minute treatment. Normal Wahanda price is £40, and normal price via their website is £45.

looped

Currently this song is playing in a constant loop on my ipod:

Maximo Park, from their album Too much information

The Great British Sewing Bee

Second season of the Great British Sewing Bee started today. I halfheartedly watched the first season - primarily cause I have a massive crush on Claudia Winkleman.... This time round, I am finding it so much more interesting as I can actually understand what's going on. Well, mostly anyway. I of course wouldn't be able to complete any of the challenges but I am hoping to learn a thing or two.

Fake anger

Things have been different recently.

I think it's safe to say that I tended to blow my fuse rather easily. I got annoyed quickly, complete with quite strong physical reactions (racing pulse etc.). Moreover, I would carry that anger around with me - sometimes for days.

I can't quite put my finger on what or why things have changed - a combination of books I've been reading, the effects of the hypnotherapy, conversations I've had and maybe growing old and wise (hahahahaha) - but the anger seems to have been replaced by more of a 'shrugging my shoulders' feeling. I still find it hard to get my head round people's stupidity but it doesn't affect me in the same way anymore.

What is happening though is that when I tell people about certain situations, I seem to get angry 'in theory'. I'm telling a story that 'on paper' should or would have ordinarily made me angry. It seems a bit like getting angry for the benefit of the person I am telling the story to. As if my anger is part of an 'act', of a role I play.

This probably sounds a bit crazy and I am not sure I understand it myself....

The next step will be for there not to be any anger anymore. Neither real nor fake. :-)

it's back!

Finally. After more than a week, and having mainly eaten crispbread, my appetite has returned! And I feasted on this delicious (vegetarian) Pad Thai at Busaba Eathai:

her

A great film! And so much more than what you might assume based on the trailer. I like Joaquin Phoenix, and he was really the main reason to go and see the film.

It's a story about a guy falling in love with his OS (operating system). I'm not even going to attempt to describe the story cause I know I wouldn't do the film justice.

The dialogues are great, there is so much going on, so much sadness, so much love, so much that I could relate to. Go watch it!

Next on my movie list are Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel and Lars von Trier's Nymphomaniac.

Practicing patience

I finished my second skirt this weekend. And I really need to get better at hemming....
Sewing is also providing me with plenty of opportunities for practicing patience: the rather thin stretch material isn't easy to sew with and when I attached the waistband to the skirt, I was sewing too close to the hem and especially as I'm not very good at sewing a straight line, I ended up with some holes, where the three layers (two of the waistband and one of the skirt) didn't quite align. To be honest, my first instinct was: ah, whatever... I'll just wear a top with it that goes over the waistband and nobody will see. But then I decided to do it properly as there was of course the risk of the waistband tearing off altogether.

So, I unpicked the seam (which by the way takes forever - so much longer than putting it in!) and redid the whole waistband. I did not however unpick the hem which is anything but straight. Which is why I am not posting a photo of the skirt on a hanger - as it's very obvious how the hem is longer at the back...
And don't you think, that the red satin bias binding would have looked great on it?

difficult to take a photo of myself...

Before Sunrise

I first watched this movie in 2008. And loved it. I watched it again last summer. And it was on TV the other day. I missed most of it, and only watched part of it. And while some of it was very familiar, other things I couldn't remember at all.

Isn't it interesting how things always exist in their contexts? Depending on circumstances, I picked up on different things. The same storyline meant different things at different times in my life.

Or maybe it's just further proof of my deteriorating memory...

Baked goods

I bought ready made puff pastry the other day, and when looking for recipes, I came across these Streuselzungen. Super easy recipe and very tasty result! I slightly amended the recipe:

Cut pieces off the puff pastry, roll out, and instead of using egg yolk, I spread jam on it. And added thinly sliced apples before adding the Streusel (=crumbles) on top. Bake for 12-15 minutes. And enjoy!

I think it was the first time that my Streusel turned out perfectly. Seems that I finally got the flour (150g) - sugar (100g) - butter (100g) ratio right!

I'd say they tasted better than what they looked like

Bias binding is a b*tch

I'm currently trying to make a little box out of fabrics (including heavy weight interfacing) as well as another skirt. And in the interest of learning new things, I decided to use some bias binding - on the box to line the edge and on the skirt to add some colour.

I should have listened to my teacher! She had suggested making your own bias binding, rather than buying it. The red satin one I bought was not only difficult to work with, but then also frazzled and got all ruined. Which is really annoying, as half of it looked really good...

the bit that worked - and where it all went wrong...

Year of the Horse

With a little delay, the Hong Kong Tourism Board had invited for a Chinese New Year celebration at Bounce - the Home of Ping Pong. I had been all set on NOT taking part in the ping pong competition: I get way too competitive and in combination with abysmal table tennis skills and a constant fear of embarrassing myself in front of other people, it just didn't seem like a good idea. But my darling friend A signed me up anyway. And against my naturally stubborn nature, I just went with it.

And of course we lost our first game (5:11...). BUT we won our second game AND we lost against the girls who eventually won the whole tournament. No shame in losing against champions, right? And more importantly: it was fun! :-)

It was also one of those evenings, where I caught up with friends, met old acquaintances and got introduced to new people. A perfect mix.

But here's the most exciting bit of the evening:

I won the grand prize!!!!! 

This time, I had remembered to bring business cards, and one of them went into the bowl of cards. There were a number of prizes to be won. My business card is dark blue at the back. So were a number of other cards. A couple of times, I already thought my card had been drawn. But it hadn't. The grand prize (two flights to Hong Kong and five nights' accommodation) was up last. She draws the card. And I am like: oh my God, it would be so amazing, if that was me. But surely it won't be me. Even thinking it might be me, will surely jinx this whole thing...

When she started reading out my company's name - I just started screaming.
And I still can't quite believe it. It just seems too good to be true, right?

notepads, bookmark and book - the goody bag

Ystävänpäivä

Valentine's Day in Finland is Friends' Day - celebrating friendship rather than romantic relationships. And in that spirit, I had a great evening with three lovely girls. At my place. Which basically never happens as a) I live far out and don't want to inconvenience people by having to trek out all the way here b) I feel a bit embarrassed about my tiny flat. In addition to lovely company, and chats and Chinese food, I was also told that my tiny flat is actually rather nice. And maybe not perceived as quite as tiny by other people.

While it does feel like home and I do really appreciate to have my own place, I think I had started to overlook and take for granted certain things. So, it's nice to see things through other people's eyes sometimes.

February Birchbox

Beauty Protector hair oil

• hm, I have a number of hair oils, which I never use. The idea of putting oil in my hair just doesn't seem right. I suppose I should give it a try, shouldn't I?

Eyeko - skinny liquid eyeliner

• I'm a complete loser when it comes to putting on eyeliner... 

Coryse salome - ultimate anti-age restorative night cream

• perfect timing: my current night cream is coming to an end

Erb Asia - Eastern treat hand cream

• smells lovely and great size for travelling

Leighton Denny nail polish - Mine's a rose

• always happy to extend my nail polish collection :-)

And Green & Black dark chocolate - yummy!

The art of reading instructions

Last week, they were giving out samples of porridge outside the tube station. I don't normally eat porridge, but a) I don't say 'no' to a freebie and b) given my tummy problems, I thought I'd give it a try over the weekend. Not sure whether being poorly also affected my brain capacity... but it took me a while to work out the instructions. To give you a hint: I ignored the numbers and read down (1./3./5.) rather than across...

No worries - I did work it out eventually and did NOT try to heat the milk and porridge inside the package in the microwave... Tasted all right actually, even if it was a tiny portion.

Pressie time!

Last week had started so well (and then it all went downhill.... but I have moaned enough about being poorly!):
Ah, my colleagues have outdone themselves again! Yes, I had to wait more than a month for my birthday presents but it was well worth the wait! They did a good job last year - and a great one this year:

- The Sting Man - the true story behind the film American hustle
- a book on creative paper cutting with some great patterns to try out
- a silver necklace with a monkey and K pendant
- two tickets to the Creative Stitches & Hobbycrafts fair at the Excel
- and a birthday card suitable for my mental age (well, it has a monkey on it, that's all that matters!)

I can honestly say that they are great present-pickers! They are all just perfect for me.

close up of the monkey pendant

It's a girl!

❤ Just had a message from a friend: her baby girl was born today! ❤
Both Mummy and baby are well and I cannot wait to meet her!

My first garment

... made with my own sewing machine! My second skirt, and the first one, I'm planning on wearing. Ah, actually, it's my second skirt: my very first sewing project as a teenager was a maxi-wrap-skirt in a red tartan fabric. Which I wore many times. I wonder whether it's still somewhere in my wardrobe at my parents' place...

Anyhow, sewing with the stretch fabric was a bit tricky and I think is the reason why the hem isn't entirely straight and slightly curled up. Luckily the fabric doesn't fray (she says...) so I didn't bother overlocking the seams. Most of all, I LOVE the fabric. Which also came with the black bit that I used for the waistband. I also inserted a wide elastic - even though I am not sure it was necessary or even makes any difference. But it seemed like a good idea.

4 days

I am feeling much better than I did on Thursday, but unfortunately still not back to normal. Feeling sluggish and my tummy isn't quite right either. I feel slightly nauseous all the time and have no appetite. Other than for fruit. Which is very unlike me and also not very filling.

As per usual, I am promising myself that as soon as I am all fit again, I WILL be more grateful for my good health and I WON'T take it for granted. And I also can't wait to DO things again. As much as I'm up for lazing around, it does get a bit boring.

Having said that, I did finish my skirt and - inspired by a necklace I saw at Oasis - I also put together a new necklace. Jury is still out though - not sure I like it the way it currently is.

And I finally watched Moonrise Kingdom - and absolutely loved it! There always are silver linings, aren't there?!

dreams

T recently decided to return to the job that he left just half a year ago. That reminded me how I have this recurring dream of returning to my very first job (after uni). In my dream, I'm back at the office. The building looks different, but my boss and my team (in real life, none of them are still there) are the same. And while I've only just returned - I'm already planning my resignation as I cannot stand being there. And I also feel guilty about doing this to my boss again.

I cannot make sense of it. I have never regretted my decision to leave. At no stage did I consider going back to the job and I've had a few jobs since but never dream about returning to those. It's not that I dream about this often but it does return once in a while.

Having written this down just now, I wonder whether it's meant as a reminder that I can trust my intuition. At the time, there were a lot of 'rational' reasons to stay in the job but I just knew/felt, it wasn't right for me. And I remember, one day on the daily commute, thinking: I really don't want to go to work. And that instant, I decided that I had enough and was going to leave. And as I said above: I've never looked back.


And as an *: my job wasn't the job from hell, but not right for me and it's not an assessment of T's decision either. Different people, different jobs, different context etc. 

Sochi 2014

The 2014 Winter Olympics opened yesterday in Sochi. In the run up, there has been a lot of coverage about the controversial Russian anti-gay laws and the question was raised whether the games should be boycotted under these circumstances.

And Channel 4 launched this clip to wish everyone good luck:

What does Karen look like?

My sewing teacher is struggling to remember my name. And the other day, when once again she called my name and looked around the classroom, she said: It's because you don't look like a Karen!

Now, what does a Karen look like? In Germany it's not a very common name at all. The spelling with an i - Karin is more common but probably not for my generation either.

I've never liked my name and consequently don't like being called by my name either. And I think that's one of the reasons that I hardly ever call other people by their names either. The other day, I noticed though that this has led to me not even remembering other people's names. Like that of the sewing teacher... (or anyone else in the sewing class)

Am I mad?

When you complain, you make yourself a victim.

Leave the situation, change the situation, or accept it.

All else is madness.

Eckhart Tolle

poor me :-(

Maybe a bit too much information - so now's your chance to stop reading!

Today was/is not a good day. I don't think I've ever had such a terrible gastroenteritis. I couldn't even keep a little bit of tea down. And everything is aching. I'm feeling cold and hot and have done nothing than wander to the bathroom and dose off. My back is also aching again. And at one stage I thought I'd choke during  a violent bout of vomiting... (I told you to look away!).

I really hope I'll feel better tomorrow.

overheard

A couple of people were discussing the film Dallas Buyers Club. Matthew McConaughy famously lost a lot of weight for this role. When one person says: Yes, he lost so much weight, he actually looked ill!
Um, I think that was the whole point...

Finding clarity

Only a few days ago, I wrote this blog entry about my confusion. Shortly after, I read this article in the Tiny Buddha newsletter: How to find clarity when you're confused about what to do by Dr Amy Johnson. Also another useful reminder, to stay in the present instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.

If I am honest, I can feel that the answer is there. Somewhere. I even have a good idea of what the answer is but I also feel that now isn't the right time. Not just yet.

Another Cooking Masterclass

Following the success of the Leith's Masterclass held in December, they invited us to another one, this time Valentine's Day themed. And I had my first Oyster! Well, my second one actually. The first one was baked though and I could really only taste the cheese. It was ok and really tastes of sea. It just doesn't look very appealing though and it's not going to be my favourite food. But I am glad I tried it.

I was much more excited about the scallops though - which were amazing! And one day soon, I think I will finally dare to prepare them myself. It seemed easy enough! And the whiskey truffles were amazing, too. Quite boozy, but delicious. And you can replace the whiskey with anything - I might try them with Baileys!

After the cooking class, we had more food. Given the tube strike, we all left relatively early though - just to be on the safe side.

life

For a while now, I've been thinking about getting a mentor. For life as well as for work related issues. I haven't been able to quite figure out though who this mentor could or should be. Someone from the industry I work in? Or someone from outside? And how to find him/her?

As a first exploration in that area, I arranged a lunch with somebody who I respect a lot. You know these kind of people who everyone not only likes but also listens to and respects, who has authority and is kind and sensible and has this calmness that I so very obviously lack.

Lunch was not only delicious, but I also went away with food for thought (clever, hm?! ;-)). Above all else, I need to structure my thoughts.

PS: He sent me a book in the post together with a sweet letter:
Mindfulness - a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world.
That really made my day! How lovely and thoughtful is that?

Do you know this feeling, when things just fall into place and the 'right' people cross your path at the 'right' time?

BBC and relationships

CBBC is the kids' programme of the BBC. According to the news, there had been some issues with some of their female presenters dressing "too sexily".

According to the Metro: "CBBC executive editor Melissa Hardinge said the stars’ clothes were also checked to make sure they were not too provocative. ‘Sexualisation of girls is something we take incredibly seriously,’ said Ms Hardinge at a Bafta event last night. ‘We try to show fantastic female role models. The older end of our six to 12 age groups are very interested in relationships, and we have to show positive role models and the correct way of going about having relationships.’"

You always learn new things. I didn't even know there was a "correct" way of going about having relationships. And is it different for teenagers than it is for adults?

Mood enhancing sewing

I swapped my Friday for the Monday evening class, as it was quite hard work to motivate myself to attend the class after work on a Friday. Or so I thought. Turns out that the day of the week doesn't make a difference. Last Monday, I was on my way to Waterloo and I was seriously tempted to just go home. I just felt like sleeping (and no, it wasn't even late. and yes, I'm quite sad like that).

But every time, I am so glad to not have listened to my inner devil voice. All sewing classes have been so much fun so far. Three hours later I had not only cut out all the pattern pieces for the top, I was also feeling happier and relaxed. Being mindful and in the moment comes naturally (to me) when learning a new skill. Unless you are naturally gifted, you've got to focus on the task at hand. Everything else just exits my mind.

My flat is unfortunately not the ideal place for sewing. I could do with a bigger table for cutting the fabric. Cutting on the floor/on carpet is probably not the best idea. And my coffee table is a) too low and b) too messy.

My weekend's work: another cushion. Which I also used to try the buttonhole function of my machine. And it worked a treat! I also tried to make a hairband. Which didn't work out. Not sure whether I didn't measure very well, or whether my head is abnormally big. But I can't get it over my head...(the second attempt worked though AND I've made a start with a skirt, too! :-))

Proof that the sun was shining in London this weekend; ignore the chalk marks around the button and the fact that I used the pink thread I had here, rather than going out to buy a matching thread...

Can I become an angry smiler?

That should probably read 'a smiling angry person'. But anyhow...

I don't have a poker face and I am not good at hiding my emotions. I get angry and frustrated easily. And everyone will know. I also swear a lot. Interestingly (?), the swearing only started when I moved abroad. I wonder whether swearing in a foreign language somehow removes the severity of the words' meaning and thus the inhibition threshold is lowered.

I've tried many times to swear less but it hasn't worked so far. But I haven't given up trying just yet. I do think that it's helpful (for me anyway) to get those emotions out rather than swallowing them. But it would be even better to just let them go altogether.

During the past week, I've noticed the 'angry smilers': they seem to get just as angry as me but they express it all while smiling. And that makes such a difference. While I come across as aggressive, you simply feel for them. I even admire them for having experienced a terrible situation but still being able to tell the story with a smile.

So, the plan is to become more like them. My job provides me with sufficient practice situations on a daily basis, so let's see how next week goes.

New perspectives

I regularly read my horoscope in the Metro and while I don't really believe in them, I do find them amusing and of course want to believe that the good things will indeed happen. I found that I could relate to a lot of them in the last few weeks, and here's one from last week:

"Although you're on the threshold of the New Moon in the sign of Aquarius, you're still mulling over the events and insights triggered by the Capricorn New Moon. That's because it isn't just about straightforward change but about straightforward change but about adopting an entirely new perspective on life."

What am I thinking?

The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but thought about it. 

Be aware of the thoughts you are thinking.

Eckhart Tolle

The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.

Marcus Aurelius

  

I'm going on a Wahanda break

I had a £10 Wahanda voucher which I had to use before the end of January. So, I booked a 1 hour massage at Stratford Salon. It had very positive reviews - not sure who they are written by. I can honestly say, it was the worst massage I've had so far.

The salon is shabby, the treatment room small and due to lack of heating, they use a portable heater - the noise coming from the fan doesn't exactly contribute to a relaxing atmosphere. The massage bed is very basic and you have to lie down on some sort of mini-pillow - which most certainly doesn't get cleaned after each customer - yuk! I was asked to get undressed and was then made to wait 15 minutes.

The massage was just terrible. I can't really describe it, but it was just random and amateurish. Besides, she kept digging in her nails and when I came home, I noticed scratches on my neck. I honestly considered leaving early but I suppose I hoped that it might get better and while I had fortunately only paid £20, I had already paid.

I will certainly not go back and will probably stick with Time Out and amazon local vouchers with regard to massages.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

New US comedy - love it!

MoYou

I only just discovered MoYou - and of course I had to place an order:

And yes, I know that you can see my hands mirrored in the stamping plates...

Aren't they super cute? And I love the design of the packaging, too.

It's Pingu! On china glaze wicked style