“Many fine things can be done in a day if you don’t always make that day tomorrow.”

~ Unknown author

Happy New Year to you all and a warm welcome for my new followers! I wish you a great 2012, full of everything you have always wanted and hoped! May this new year bring you a lot of joy, health and happiness! I can’t wait for the new challenges to take up, new places to discover, and many many new things to learn. Most of all, I’ll keep enjoying this wonderful journey. Feel free to join if you’re interested!

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners, who make our souls blossom.”

~ Marcel Proust

Are you ready for spring? I took a short photowalk in the neighbourhood to look around and get to know my new city better. Here is a little collection for those who are still suffering from heavy snow storms in the Northern parts of Europe and the US. Don’t worry, there are only a few more days to sleep till spring goes to your end, too. Enjoy the series, I missed snow here in London though.

Magnolias are one of my favorite flowers. I thought they are very rare in Hungary, but when I showed the flowers to my Mom, she said we had it at home too. Flowers can be really tricky sometimes, they can have totally different names in Hungarian, and I’m not an expert in them either. There’s only one thing that counts: their beauty makes our souls blossom, our days shine and our hearts brighten!!

I just love bokeh and fences, and when I can mix the two…hmm it’s almost like heaven.

Happy weekend to all of you! Let your hearts be filled with sunshine and happiness!

Hello my friends!

Today is International Women’s Day, a major day of global celebration of women. So I thought I would share one of my favorite images with you on this special day. I like that this photo looks like a canvas, I might have it printed one day.

While in some countries the focus of celebration ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women, then in other countries they also celebrate women’s economic, political and social achievements, too. In Eastern Europe, including Hungary too, we are given beautiful flowers, sometimes gifts from family, friends or employers. In Portugal for instance groups of women usually celebrate on the night of 8 March in “women-only” dinners and parties. This sounds like fun, right? I also heard that Italian men give yellow mimosas and chocolate to women. Is there any feminist movements or demonstrations in your country? How do you celebrate this special day?

Have a wonderful Women’s Day!

xoxo

Lolo

“Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more.”

~ Vincent van Gogh

I just received my new business cards via Royal Mail. Somehow it made me think. When I picked and held a piece in my hands, I felt a kinda soft and velvety touch that I never felt before on any cards. How can this be recyclable? MOO knows the answer. The paper used for these cards are sourced from sustainable forests, and even the packaging is 100 % recyclable. I am just WOW!

Without the world being like this it would be impossible for me to capture the photos that you can see on my blog or Flickr stream. I’m trying to show you how beautiful the environment is, the planet where we live and work every day. With that I hope you’ll easily understand how important it is to take care of our own “ecological footprint” and start saving the world for the next generations. They will be happy and grateful too if they can live and celebrate their lives as we do now.

Today’s post is rather personal instead of photographical. I found this photo in my archives, almost sent to the bin when I started playing around in PS. I like the result and it made me think.

I’m awesome at creating hundreds of lists in my life, and I pretty much like using them every now and then. It’s another girlie thing I think. I have simple ‘to-do’ lists, ‘masters lists’ stuck here and there just to keep my life together. I also have a kinda ‘life list’ about interesting or even inspirational thingies I’d like to try or do before I die. And not mentioning my never-ending (!!!) photography list that includes millions of things I’d like to learn or try, or it contains tons of creative ideas of my crazy mind. Well, these lists are not that serious ones, sometimes I completely forget about them lol maybe because I have that much. I should just live for the moment. Well, I do – quite often! But com’ on we women have to be well-organized when it’s about leading a household, remembering birthdays, doing daily shopping and so on.

Putting together a list of things, more exactly 50 things I like about myself wasn’t that easy at the first sight. All those negative things came to my mind first. We tend to point out things we want to change in ourselves. Having read a few other articles like this one or this one for instance made me create my own list.

So here I go. From head to toes. Rather inside. All the things I like about myself.

1.   I like to show love. I love my life, my family and all my friends with all my heart.

2.   I like to give. Give a kiss, give a hug, and give food to the poor.

3.   I like to listen to others with all my ears.

4.   I like to share my happiness.

5.   I like to make others happy.

6.   I tend to put other people first in my life. I even put my own happiness on hold to focus on others.

7.   I’m a loyal friend. The bonds become stronger only if we are truthful with each other.

8.   I’m honest. Even if sometimes it comes off as ‘blunt’ or ‘brutal’.

9.   I try not to judge other people for the first sight. And I don’t hate myself when I slip up sometimes.

10.   I’m a good sister to my brothers.

11.   I can decide I need to forgive and actually do it.

12.   I know how it feels to hate life too.

13.   But I always try to make a better tomorrow.

14.   I’m passionate.

15.   And I’m not afraid to be myself.

16.   I’m grateful for so many people in my life, also for what I have reached so far.

17.   I have crazy strong intuitions.

18.   I’m a Daddy’s girl.

19.   And like my Dad, I can see things from a different point of view.

20.   I can see people’s inner beauty.

21.   I like my naturally curly hair and the way other people moon over it enviously.

22.   I like my blue eyes that never lie.

23.   I happily wear skinny jeans and look decent, even if I’m not a stick.

24.   The color of my skin is healthy white.

25.   The tiny little freckles on my nose are just gorgeous.

26.   I’m not afraid to leave the house without any make-up on.

27.   I’m not afraid to cry when I say goodbye. Be it a friend, a colleague, a boss.

28.   I find happiness in every little thing.

29.   I’m good at spelling.

30.   I’m not a picky eater.

31.   My passion for photography and my much improved photography skills.

32.   My love of learning. I wanted to learn water-ski for instance and finally did. I could list a lot more things here other than photography.

33.   I’m harder on myself than anyone else.

34.   I like cooking and baking and that I can cook a damn decent meal from whatever I have in the fridge.

35.   My ability to win over anyone with baked yummies.

36.   I’m not afraid to ask for help when I really need it.

37.   I’ll happily give you my last £20 if you need it.

38.   My godson and his sisters love me to bits and I love spending time with them.

39.   I’m pretty much a DIY person and awesome at making handmade stuffs.

40.   I can watch every movie twice or even more because I always forget what it’s all about.

41.   I’m happy to listen to anyone’s music without having to smash it.

42.   More than once I’ve had friends calling me “I’m having a bad day, need some smile and talk, can you help me?”.

43.   I don’t smoke, drink alcohol or coffee either.

44.   Languages come easily to me.

45.   I take risks.

46.   I enjoy the seasons.

47.   “Why” is my all-time favorite word.

48.   I like being a woman.

49.   I can’t believe I made it to #49.

50.   I believe I made it to #50.

Whoah! This was really funny! I can’t believe that there are so many things I like about myself! The more things you think of, the more just keep coming. I’m still thinking of other things I like about myself. Isn’t that the way it should be?!! Now it’s your turn! Let’s see how fabulous you feel to make a list of fifty! Be sure to leave a link in the comments so I can visit you, or you can just simply write your list in the comments. As many things as you like.

A few tips on how to create your fifty list:

Things you’ll need: YOU + LIFE

1.       Start by listing 5-10 things you really like about yourself. Think of all the things you have done so far in this lifetime that made you smile and to be proud of yourself.

2.       Continue to think about what you did to make a difference in your life. Ask yourself: ‘What makes me smile when I think about myself?’

3.       Do this exercise over a couple of days, try to list at least 10 things a day until you have 50 things on your list. Look at this list regularly to motivate yourself especially so when you are down in the dumps and need something to inspire you.

Just be honest with yourself when you do this exercise. Think of everything someone has recognized in you as well.

I can feel I’m full of energy right now!

Have fun! Hope to hear from you soon!

Lolo

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”

~ Epicurus

Do you like thinking of old good memories? Hands up, who’s missing spring? Hands up, who’s missing warm weather and sunshine? Or having a splash in the pool? Well these are the things I definitely can’t provide you today.

No matter how cold it is outside, anyway I ♥ winter too – well for you aussies it’s completely different lol – so, Christmas is coming soon, and I hope I can post you some really nice seasonal photos very soon. Just let’s wait for our big move.

Hope you’re all doing well.
xoxo

Lolo

“Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.”

~ Coco Chanel

Hey y’all!

True, right? Happiness doesn’t depend on luxury though. All you need is a pure luxury of positive thoughts. Alright guys I wouldn’t like to tell you big words lol, it’s just worth considering how big power it has. It can change and improve your life in a way you have never thought of. As for me, setting up a new life in a whole new country is not easy. I was full of negative thoughts that definitely killed my creativity. And it’s not good in this photography thingy. The best cure for this is to recognize these thoughts, and put a stop to these very quickly if you feel your mood darkening again. What about hanging out with people who think positive as well? Good gooood.

“I do it because I can. I can because I want to. I want to because you said I couldn’t.“

~ Unknown author

I hope this will give you a lot of positive energy in the future. We women tend to think too much about unnecessary things lol. Do you have any other tips for kicking out the negative thoughts?

Anyway the photo was taken at the vintage car show in Cambridgeshire. I like how this came out in black and white.

Take care and keep smiling.

xoxo

L

Do you know what the best is in being an artist? I have a complete freedom and control on everything. As if I were a child, I can do what I want. It’s all about the power of my creativity, I just have to step over its border and enjoy freedom. It doesn’t matter if I get dirty and messy all around ‘cos I like what I’m doing. Some people might think that we artists are like some special human beings that are impossible to understand. We are the same people. When a new day comes, we wake up in the morning and go to bed at night. It’s just in between that we do differently.

Dare to dream. Think in big. And step over those boundaries that you might have in your life. It doesn’t matter if you’re an artist or not. Everybody is special in his own way. They are just the dreams and the willingness that make you continue your path. You’re at your very best and you’re the happiest when you’re fully engaged in the work you enjoy on the journey toward the goal you’ve established for yourself. It gives meaning to your time off and comfort to your sleep. It makes everything else in life so wonderful, so worthwhile.

Much love and take care of your precious dreams.

Lolo, xx

“Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.”

Anthony J. D’Angelo

Let me send your way some autumn sunshine. The weather is gorgeous here, a bit cold though. Autumn has really really arrived. But I like this season, too, with all its beauty and coldness. I’ll put on some warm clothes, grab my cam and hurry outside to sniff some fresh air. I pretty much like the weather after rain, it’s like when nature awakens again and again. And here in London we have quite much rain, especially from now on till the end of spring. But these are not so heavy ones, no need to open your umbrella lol. Anyway today the sun is shining so brightly, so let’s forget rain for now. And yeah, it’s already Friday!! Have a lovely weekend filled with sunshine and happiness!

xoxo

Lolo

“Fly, open up the part of you that wants to hide away

And you can shine, forget about the reasons

Why you can’t in life and start to try

‘Cause it’s your time, time to fly.”

~ Hilary Duff: Fly

There is a lovely game called “alphabet” going all around Flickr and this is my submission for the letter F. F for FLY. Feel free to ckeck the rest of my photos captured for this crazy game. The photo was taken in Valentines Park.