Welcome Back!

I did promise I would return ;-) 

So here I am on the other side of the world blogging from our new home. So much has happened since we left Germany in early December. I think this has been one of the most emotional times I have ever experienced. 

Joys and Sadness so closely interlinked. 

Saying goodbye to my family and friends in Germany has been heartbreaking but then we've had the most wonderful welcome here in Christchurch and I feel deeply happy about being back here.

After two wonderful weeks with my mother-in-law (thank you Jane!) we have shifted into our new house yesterday - just in time to celebrate the start of a New Year.

I am so excited to turn this house into a home. We chose location and size over style so there is a lot for me to do to turn this ugly duckling into a pretty swan ;-) 

I will also be blogging a little about life in New Zealand for those back in Germany interested in a slice of the kiwi lifestyle.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful start to the New Year!

Tschüss...

Dreaming of a cottage by the sea

I feel like my blog is at times facing the same fate as my pot plants - somewhat neglected but still loved. Life has been so hectic I have barely had the time to sit in front of the computer.

Our move back to New Zealand is looming and the list of things I need to get organized before we board that plane in December seems endless. My emotions are a bit all over the place at the moment. I can't wait to see family and friends again after almost three years away, but I am dreading saying goodbye to everyone here. Moving house is something I'm pretty used to, growing up we lived a pretty nomadic lifestyle and that has continued as I got older and started my own family.

I tend to look forward rather than back once the decision is made i.e. the flights are booked. I think moving is always a great opportunity for a fresh start and that of course applies to making a house a home as well as to any other aspects of life. I love our modern, light filled apartment with great views over the city but am secretly dreaming of a little cottage by the sea.

I have recently discovered the wonderful blog a beach cottage.
Originally from the UK, Sarah set out to live a coastal lifestyle with her husband and three kids. They moved to Australia in 2005 and purchased an old seaside property which they have lovingly restored. Sara's blog is more than an interiors and diy journal, it promotes a certain lifestyle that I feel very drawn to.

Whenever I feel a little sad about leaving behind the hustle and bustle of German cites, great shopping, cultural life and architecture I turn to Sarah's blog and feel excited at the prospect of throwing on some wellies and heading down to the farmer's market for some freshly gown organic veggies which I would bring back to my very own cottage by the sea - a girl can dream :-)

I hope you are coming along with me on this journey...

Tschüss....

(all images: a beach cottage)

Mmmmhhh for Mother's Day

Today I woke up to a beautiful breakfast in bed - prepared by my two little boys (with some help from their daddy). It felt quite odd sitting there all by myself eating while I heard them have their own breakfast downstairs - as lively as ever. Isn't it funny how we often wish we could escape the craziness for a little while but when we get the opportunity we feel left out? I had such a wonderful day with my family today and feel so utterly grateful for having my two precious boys. They make my life complete and have given it a true sense of purpose. 

I also feel blessed to have two wonderful women in my life - my mother and mother-in-law. Both are a great inspiration to me. They have devoted much of their lives to staying at home and raising their children but have also then found meaningful careers that they are passionate about. Thanks to them I don't feel torn between being at home with my children and my career goals because they have shown me that you can still pursue your "professional" dreams at a later stage.

Thanks you so very much for your lovely comments on my last entry.

I hope you have a great start to the new week. 

Tschüss...

Majorca holiday

No, I have not changed sides from the Scandinavian to the Mediterranean team. Below are a couple of shots I took on our short holiday to Majorca. It was a rather spontaneous trip and we only just got back this afternoon. I thought I would quickly sign in to say hello as I haven't been online all week.

I was actually pleasantly surprised at how pretty the Island is. When thinking of Majorca I had the perception of crowded beaches with drunken teenagers on one side and hordes of retirees on the other. 

There certainly is that aspect, but you can find some really beautiful spots off the beaten track. 

I love spending time as a family when on holiday and particularly seeing my husband wind down from his job to really enjoy the boys' company.

We purchased some beautiful art prints in a remote little village - I will share those with you as soon as I have them framed. 

Tschüss...

(images: Nina Lamb)

Mood board

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. We are celebrating Fastnacht (Carnival) here in Germany and although I don't get too involved myself I've greatly enjoyed organising costumes for my boys. Tomorrow we will all go to a street parade and they will wear their little lamb outfits.

I have been greatly enjoying Holly Becker's Blogging Your Way course and today I worked on a little assignment we were given. She asked everyone to create a mood board that represents the look and feel of our blog.  Initially I found it a little difficult cutting into my interior magazines but I think it was worth it in the end. I had great fun. This is what I came up with.

Tschüss...

(image: Nina Lamb)

Home...

For a long time I have been thinking about what 'home' means to me. From a very young age I became used to shifting around the globe and that has remained my way of live until now. Home has been more of a feeling rather than an actual place. I never got too attached to a physical house or place and it was more the people that I shared my life with at the time (first my parents and siblings and now my own family) that made a house a home.

If there is anywhere in the world I feel a strong connection with, it would have to be Christchurch in New Zealand. I absolutely love the city and my best memories are in that city. My husband grew up in Christchurch and his family, which I feel very close to, is still there.

Christchurch's wounds were just healing from the September earthquake when on Tuesday 22nd the earth shook again - this time more violently than ever. Precious lives have been lost and the heart of the city has been devastated. 

It's effected me more than I ever thought possible. Although I am so far away I feel this huge sense of loss. Christchurch won't be the same on our return and I have so many memories that are directly connected with the buildings damaged. For example we were married in the catholic cathedral, which is severely damaged and we lived in the city centre a stones though from some of Christchurch's most iconic historic buildings. 

Jonas Salk once said you need to give your kids roots to grow and wings to fly. And as they are very much still in the growing phase I feel at this point in my life I want to create a home for my children - a physical place that gives them comfort and a sense of belonging. 

Christchurch is this place and although our immediate plans to return are now a little up in the air I see our future in this city that will no doubt retain its spirit because of all the wonderful people that live there.

Tschüss...

(image: Timo Schneider)

the best 5 years of my life...

I am a little relieved this week is finally coming to an end. My husband has been away all week and I realise every time he's on a business trip how much help he is with the boys. I have the biggest admiration for single mothers - god knows how they do it. It's not so much the work he does to help out at night it's more about having someone to talk to and chill out with after a busy day with two active little boys. 

Today is our 5th wedding anniversary and I feel a little sad that we're not together to celebrate. All the more time for me to plan something special for Sunday. We have been together for 10 years and married for 5. It's been such an amazing time and I feel utterly blessed to share my life with such a wonderful man. We talk a lot and laugh even more.

I have a little surprise planned for him but I won't spill the beans here as he's my most loyal reader.

I hope you have a great weekend with your loved ones too!

Tschüss 

(image: Nina Lamb)

Have a great weekend!

(image: Nina Lamb)

I love looking at this headpiece sitting on my dresser as it reminds me of my recent 30th birthday party. I had such a wonderful time. I think it's important to display items in your home that you connect with in some form. I can't wait to unpack all the treasures I own when we return to New Zealand. Don't you think collecting special things over time is what makes a house a home and gives it a soul?

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Tschüss

Welcome!

So I am finally taking the plunge into the blog world. I have been following mainly interior design blogs for quite some time now and my inspirational & ideas folder on my computer is taking on astronomical proportions. 

This blog will mainly be my personal creative outlet but I hope to inspire others along the way.

Interior decorating and design will be my main focus but I am also very interested in fashion and art. I believe they are all interconnected and influence each other.

Having access to so many interior magazines, blogs and of course books is fantastic but it can also lead to a certain restlessness – at least for me. I constantly am inspired and feel like changing my surroundings all the time. It’s always been that way for me. Even as a young girl I would rearrange my bedroom almost every week and mum struggled to locate the bed when walking into the room every morning. My life up until now has been a rather nomadic one, in the last 10 years alone I have moved house 10 times. The upside of that is never getting bored with a home but having the opportunity to start with a more or less blank canvas all the time.

Currently we are on a “Germany” adventure and will be here until the end of this year before returning home to New Zealand. “Home” in this case is where we store the majority of our belongings (furniture, books etc).

Life as a mother of two boys (1 1/2 and 3) certainly keeps me busy but I love being at home while they are young and I never tire of creating a happy home for them.

images: Nina Lamb