Finding Vivian Maier

The story of Vivian Maier is extremely interesting, as is the story of how her work was quite recently discovered. I was very intrigued by the documentary about her stunning work and the unusual circumstances of her posthumous fame.

Eight years ago John Maloof found a random box of negatives in an auction. He was blown away by what he found and ended up tracing the rest of Vivian Maier's pictures, her life's story, and bringing her work to the public.

I was very sad to find out I actually just missed an exposition of her work in my city, but I only found out about her after that had closed down. Either way, this documentary was well worth watching. It has it's darker moments as well, but it was just incredibly captivating to hear all about such a complicated and solitary photographic genius.

(mtb) Decluttering: Starting Easy

For as long as I can remember I've had a hard time letting go of items. And I also really loved the thrill of getting something new. The perfect recipe for a vicious cycle… a cycle I'm now breaking by making downsizing my belongings a new priority. I started with something that's easy for me to part with. Toiletries.

~

I had (ok, have) quite a big stockpile of skincare and cosmetics. However, I read that you can not keep those things for ever, studies show even sealed ones "go bad" eventually. So I went through my stuff and threw out the vast majority of what I had. Open bottles that had been in my shower forever and that I either didn't like or that had begun to look a little dodgy; Lush products that had expired years ago; any usused things I had had for way too long… (I figured that if you know a certain store/brand has had a few label changes since, it is probably time to throw it out.)

There were also things that were still good, but I knew I would not get any use out of them myself, because I switched to natural products. Most of those I've already given away,  the small remainder I'll offer to other people soon.

I care about the environment a great deal. I recycle, try to eat as organic and animal-friendly as I can, and to waste as little as possible. Throwing something in the garbage is a huge deal for me. But I flicked a switch recently. Where I can I will always sell, donate or give things away, but if something is useless to anyone else and I'm only hanging on to it and letting it get even older, I'll have to throw it out eventually… So why not cut out those extra 3, 5, 10 years it would be lying in some cupboard taking up precious space, and just throw it out now?

Hopefully soon I will have minimal stock and only things in use that I actually like and that are working for me.

I'd love to hear from you! Are you in the same situation? Is it bugging you or is it more of a dormant problem? And do you think this is an easy place to start, or would you tackle something else first?

~

In "making things better" I share what is helping me better my life while hopefully inspiring others in the process. It might include things that either don't apply to you, or that you disagree with. That is fine too. Read it, think about it, and decide for yourself whether it can also make things better for you.

Owl Things Considered

If you do any drawing or painting you might be familiar with the stress of a blank page or canvas. So how Tommy Craggs doesn't get overwhelmed when he sees a blank tree, I have no idea. But he sure knows how to work magic.

If you're worried about the trees... He never cuts them down for the purpose of carving them, he uses dead pieces, found after storms for example, or trees that had to be cut for woodland management. So there's no harm done.

From what I gather, he is a self-taught artist that used to work in forestry and decided to put his skills in wood to a more artistic use. And as you can see, he likes to make owls! He does many other animals and scenes as well though.

You can follow him on Facebook to stay updated on his new works. Or check out his website for a beautiful gallery of things he has made in the past. Also, if you live in the UK you might be able to see him work at events sometimes.

Giveaway Time! -> Blippo

Today I have some great news for those of you that were very excited about my recent Blippo review. Because they are back with a new batch of items, this time for a giveaway!

One winner will receive a pack of caramel panda cookies, a pink OMG kerychain and some watermelon hair clips.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

"I rock mom jeans, cat earrings, extrapolate my feelings..."

There's really no excuse for waiting so long to post this fantastic video. I found it last year and have been coming back to it quite often since. Not only is it a catchy song with a great message, but the video is also absolutely wonderful!

Even if you weren't aware of it, I'm sure you've heard Mary Lambert singing in Macklemore's amazing Same Love. Another great song with a great message! Anyway, she's so nice and genuine in interviews too, so check her out!

Review: Blippo

The Kawaii Box is a lovely subscription service I got to review at the end of last year. Their makers also run an online shop called Blippo. It is full of cute things, four of which I got sent to review for your you today. Let's get started!

Blippo carries a lot of different squishy charms. When I got my Kawaii Box I got a cute Rilakkuma, and this time around they sent me this adorable panda. It reminds me a lot of a mochi, because of the shape.

More pandas! Because I also received these chocolate cookie balls. They have a soft almond filling on the inside and a cute panda design on the outside. They were tasty too! Needless to say, I ate them and they're all gone now...

Apart from pandas you will also find a lot of nail art supplies on Blippo. Fake nails, nail polish, rhinestones, stickers… you name it. I received some little heart sequins. They can be put on wet nails polish and under a clear top coat, after the base layer has dried. The packaging shows that you can also use it for crafts or other decoration.

And finally, something very cool…! We all know the iconic Hello Kitty ears and bow. They've been used in all sorts of designs, but they work exceptionally well in these "beauty scissors". I've always known them as nail scissors, but perhaps they turn out to be a lot more versatile than I've given them credit for in the past. Time will tell.

Lastly, they also tucked a complimentary key chain into my review package, which was a very sweet touch.

Final Verdict

As you can see everything was really cute! And overall my two experiences with Blippo (and Kawaii Box too) have been absolutely wonderful! The shipping is not only free worldwide, but it's also always a lot faster than I expect, everything is packaged securely, and there is just something so friendly about the company in general.

So if you love kawaii items, Blippo is an excellent service to use. Especially if you otherwise have a hard time getting your hands on cute things from Japan. I've found them to be affordable, reliable and just plain cute!

P.S. I've been given these items for review, but haven't received any money or other incentive to write any opinions other than how I really feel about the products.

"L'amour est comme l'oiseau de Twitter…"

Being a blogger, it is perhaps strange that I have very mixed feelings about the internet. I absolutely love the blogging community, but do think that other social media are heading in a scary direction. This animation shows that so well.

I've never been extremely fond of Stromae, but I really do appreciate he is using his fame to send out a wake-up call like this. The music video is beautifully made too! And the story makes such a great  -and haunting- full circle at the end. But what else would you expect from the maker of the amazing animation gem that is Les Triplettes de Belleville?!

P.S. If your French isn't as strong either, you can get this extra in-depth translation of the entire song here.

Lovely Movies: In the Land of Women

This movie gets quite mediocre ratings online, but I think that mostly has to do with wrong assumptions. If you look at the poster/DVD, you'll expect it to be some sort of teenage high-school love story. Well, think again, my friend.

There is some romance in it, but to me that's not the main focus at all. It's much more about profound human connections. On one end of the spectrum there are family ties, on the other, short-lived but life-altering friendships.

I first saw this on a plane, never forgot it, and actually just saw it for the third or forth time. It struck a chord with me even more this time around. There is just something very honest and profound in this story. And well, Meg Ryan.

Plans & Goals: April

April is tends to be an exciting month for me. It's when we usually have at least some summery weather and there's my birthday as well as the national holiday King's Day (formerly known as Queen's Day). This month I hope to:

• Enjoy lots of fruit and a bit of ice cream.
• Really follow through on my new blog plans.
• Do an exciting review!
• Go to the first concert I've seen in ages.
• Do something fun and impulsive.
• Visit some sort of farmers or crafts market again.
• Sell/donate a bunch of stuff.
• Tidy my wardrobe.
• And have a great time on my birthday!

What do you hope April has in store for you?

Making Things Better: Introduction

Lately I've been changing and consciously making some lifestyle changes. Since I find it important -for both me and you- to have Blue Eyed Night owl reflect the things that excite me in real life, this blog will have to change with me.

I won't do a complete 180 or say farewell to the topics I currently write about, but I will be introducing some new posts on top of that. About life, organizing, habits etc. Things that are making my life better or easier. Interviews and TedTalks that struck a chord with me. And probably a lot of other wonderful things I have yet to discover.

Hopefully it will inspire positive change in others that feel the need to shake things up as well.

Feel free to leave questions, tips or thoughts in the comments of any of these posts:)

G.O. G.R.E.E.N. Go Green!

It really baffles me how little many people seem to care about the environment, and also how passionate people can be about watching sports games, so seeing the two hilariously combined in this amazing video totally made my day.

Watch Them Dance

When I saw the movie Pina I was blown away. It was such a beautiful experience that stayed with me ever since. You'd think I'd go see some real life dance performance right after that, but it took me until now to finally go do that.

I went on a bit of a whim, actually. I came across this particular show online one night, and minutes later I had bought myself a ticket. Anyway, it was wonderful. And as much as I would love to see a classical ballet one day, I think I prefer things like this. A bit more modern, with unexpected music and full of quirky elegance.

Owl Things Considered

I am good on coasters, and my cat Tofu would likely kill these in a heartbeat anyway (things need to be pushed OFF the dining table), but I can't deny that I'm quite smitten with these gorgeous ceramic owl coasters from MinkyMooCeramics.

The rest of the shop is amazing too, by the way. These coasters are just the tip of the iceberg. If you are in the market for a cat shaped planter or a ceramic cactus, you'd better take a peek in the absolutely adorable Etsy shop.

a Book Spine Poem

One of my goals of the month was to do some book spine poetry again. I tried my hand at it a while ago and loved it, and I've been wanting to do so again. And there will most certainly be more of these in the future…!

Far from the tree

into the wild,

the Forest lover,

the snow child.

Past the shallows

into the mist,

the dark flight down,

the vanished.

Featured on a Lovely Blog

Melissa from So About What I Said… just put me in her Sponsor Spotlight! So if you are interested in a little interview about my Etsy shop and bookmarks, you can head on over there. And I urge you to check out her blog in general.

Melissa writes such a great blend of posts. She likes to share pretty things, but doesn't shy away from more serious life issues either. She'll make you smile and think. So if that sounds like your cup of tea, I suggest you pay her a visit.

Lovely Movies: Kate & Leopold

I still clearly remember seeing this movie for the first time. It was on an airplane and it made the terribly long flight fly by. I just loved it! Needless to say, I now own it on dvd. It had been a while, so I watched it again this week.

It is pretty much a rule of thumb that Meg Ryan movies are great. (At least, the older ones are.) She is so lovely and quirky but not too over the top either. And she has done so many amazing romantic comedies that never get old!

Hugh Jackman also did an amazing job. I had never really watched his part too critically, but his acting in Kate & Leopold is actually very good too. And even the plot is quite well thought out. So if you haven't seen it yet, please do!

Mixed Shelf #27

Lately I've been wanting to make some changes. Changes in how I feel, what I do, how my apartment looks and functions, and possibly even in what I'm doing on this very blog. So today I'm focussing on some self-help books.

Wanting: The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

This is getting a lot of hype right now. I've heard great things from people that tried and loved Marie Kondo's strategy. However, other people thought her to be a little over the top because she thanks old socks for their service before throwing them out. Anyway, it's worth the shot, right? I might pick up a copy soon, now I'm still so motivated.

goodreads // available here

Reading: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

I've had this book on my shelf for quite some time. When I started and saw the index I could feel myself starting to dread reading some chapters. However, I'm now well on my way in the marriage-chapter and find that even as a single twenty-something, I can find some good advice too, and it's also still fun to read. So yes, great book!

goodreads // available here

Waiting: Better Each Day by Jessica Cassity

This caught my eye in a bargain bin somewhere. It has one page per day featuring a tip to make you happier and/or healthier. I just flipped it open and read that chocolate is a great way to cure injuries… so, sign me up! It probably would have been nice to start at the start of the year, but I think I'll put it in my bathroom and start today.

goodreads // available here

Have you read any similar books that you really loved or that made a great impact on your life?

Plans & Goals: March

Despite being super careful, I still managed to catch the current flu. Apparently it's one that lasts quite long, but I'm still making some plans for this month. Nothing too extreme, but still a few things to look forward to. I hope to:

• Wear some pretty jewelry again.
• Show you some pages from my sketchbook.
• Go see a ballet show.
• Watch some Oscar winning/nominated movies.
• Play some board/card games.
• Pick up this knitting project I put aside for months.
• Try some book spine poetry again.
• Start thinking about my birthday plans.
• And clean up around the house.

What are your plans? Or you just waiting for the flu to pass too? And can you believe it'll be Spring soon?! I can't wait!

P.S. Necklace pictured came from Munieca

Lovely Movies: Love is Strange

Had I not seen the trailer, but had someone just told me there was an arthouse movie about an older couple played by Alfred Molina and John Lithgow, that tiny bit of info alone would have sold me on this. I mean, what's not to love?

Was it as great as it sounds? Yes, in fact, I was already moved to tears about 10 minutes into the film. The story did eventually go down a slightly different road than I was expecting, not in a disappointing way though, just different.

I have to say that there was absolutely phenomenal acting in this film. I don't think I've ever seen a more believable bond in any on-screen relationship than the one between these two long-time partners. It was absolutely amazing!

Mixed Shelf #26

After my first venture into epic fantasy, I'm now reading something a bit more familiar to me again: a children's book about fairies. And one in which the fairy- and the human world collide, which is something I tend to love.

Wanting: Dreamwood by Heather Mackey

I need to read this book! Not only is it one of those stories that immediately speaks to me (Girl having to travel through a magical forest in order to save her father, who is an expert on the supernatural.), but the illustrations are done by Teagan White, so that can only mean we're in for a real treat here! The cover itself is gorgeous already.

goodreads // available here

Reading: The Various by Steve Augarde

The Various is the first in a trilogy, which is very interesting time-wise as the second book is set 70 years before the first, and the third actually combines both periods of time. So far, I really like it. Some parts are slow because the author sometimes goes into a lot of detail explaining things, but I still love the story and the writing style.

goodreads // available here

Waiting: The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

This is one of those books I was really looking forward to, but apparently not quite enough to read it right away. I've also heard mixed things about it, but I'm still quite excited to read it myself and see what I think. It is apparently very dark, in fact, it's actually labelled as YA horror. I was expecting something lighter, so we'll see how I like it...

goodreads // available here

Do you have any stories to recommend that have a nice mix of the real world and a magical fantasy?
Or are you reading something good of an entirely different genre at the moment?