THINGS THAT MAKE ME SMILE

eiskreem via au pays des merveilles

Eiskreem is a new Belgian brand of home made ice cream that creates exciting new combinations of flavors and delivers them to your door each month.  That’s right, you can take an ice cream subscription!  A-ma-zing.   (source)

new yeezy resolutions via au pays des merveillesWe might be a few weeks into 2014 already, but maybe you still need some inspiration for your new year’s resolutions?  Look no further… Kanye can help you with that, at new yeezy resolutions.

i'm google via au pays des merveilles

I’m Google is an ongoing digital art project by Baltimore artist Dina Kelberman, and serves as a visual representation of the wonders of google image search.  If you scroll trough this tumblr, you will see the subjects seamlessly change, from hay sculptures to crocheted pumpkins to pot holders to balloons… Very fascinating.  (source)

theo and beau via au pays des merveilles

Chances are you’ve already seen this one, but I had to post it anyway since they are so incredibly adorable.  Theo and Beau take naps together every day. Too cute!

i was an awesomer kid via au pays des merveilles

I was an awesomer kid collects photos of awesome kids and proves you will never be as cool.

this is sand via au pays des merveilles

Thisissand lets you relive those days when all you had to do all day was play around in the sandbox, only now you can add some color and save your creations to the gallery.

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PRETTY THINGS: from Portugal

PRETTY THINGS portuguese design via au pays des merveilles

This blog post has been on my mind for so long, but it’s only now that I’ve found some time to actually finish it.  During my 5 month stay in Portugal (and the several trips I’ve made there ever since), I’ve discovered lots of Portuguese talent that I’ve been wanting to share with you, so here they are!

  1. Best Sunday Dress stands for everything I could possibly desire from a fashion brand: apart from working only with sustainable and ethical materials, they also aim at a sustainable design aesthetic by using simple lines and special details, resulting in items that are interesting and basic at the same time.  I own the runner shorts, made out of the softest recycled polyester and I wouldn’t mind adding more items from their line to my wardrobe.
  2. Wetheknot makes board shorts out of the textiles of broken umbrellas, resulting in unique items.  Also worth checking out: their limited edition backpacks out of quilted cotton.
  3. Raquel Castro and Francisco Vieira Martins, alias Alma Geméa (Portuguese for soul mate) designed this beautiful tea set for their product line ‘The Whistler’, named after one of the oldest cork oak trees of the world, which can be found in Alentejo.  The line beautifully mixes cork with ceramics and I’m absolutely in love with it.  Available here.
  4. Handmade Emílio Braga Notebook, with a cover made from vintage Portuguese wall paper and named after the founder of one of Lisbon’s best stationary shops which is now over a century old.  Available here.
  5.  Handceramics makes pan stands and coasters with prints inspired by the typical Portuguese tiles.  Available here.
  6.  Toyno is a collection of cardboard animals that are willing to hold your stuff for you, every one of them with their own personality.  Their office used to be located in my street in Lisbon and walking past it would always bring a smile to my face.
  7. White Tent is the brand of Russian-Portuguese duo Evgenia Tabakova and Pedro Noronha-Feio, which gives a lot of importance to sustainability and exploring new design concepts such as laser cutting, combined with a minimalist aesthetic.  Available on asos.
  8. I’ve already proved to you that Portugal has the most beautiful packaging, and this is yet another example: O Melhor shaving cream, after shave and soap by
    Confiança, a company founded in Braga in 1894.  Available here.

If you do happen to go to Portugal (Lisbon in particular) and you want to score some original Portuguese products, you should go to A Vida Portuguesa, Feira das Almas, Fabrica Features or LX factory, but you can read all about that (and more) in my Lisbon guide.

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PRETTY THINGS: calendars

PRETTY THINGS calendars via au pays des merveilles

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To celebrate the start of 2014, I collected the prettiest calendars around.  There’s a little bit of everything, from year calendars to monthly calendars, there’s one you have to embroider yourself and there’s one from which you can fold pretty origami shapes.  For more pretty calendars, look at my pinterest board.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS

christmas cards via au pays des merveilles

Merry Christmas!  After spreading so much Christmas inspiration, I figured it was about time I showed you what I came up with myself this year. Above you see the Christmas cards I sent to my family this year.  I made them with some materials I still had lying around (blank cards, paper and cardboard scraps, alphabet stamps (from Muji), silver dot stickers and white and silver markers).  Really easy and cheap, but I like the result.

gift wrapping via au pays des merveilles

This is what my christmas gifts look like this year.  I used wrapping paper and an envelope from Hema, baker twine, black and white prints of my waterscape photos and labels made with Hema’s embosser (can you tell I’m a fan of the shop?)  I also changed the regular white cord on the envelope for baker twine to make it match the other presents better.

gift wrapping via au pays des merveillesall photos by me

… and a little collage to show you what my presents have looked like in the past.  (You might have seen some of these already on the blog or on the facebook page.)  Anyway, glad to see not only my gift wrapping skills but also my photography skills have improved!

Anyway, to spread even more Christmas cheer and to say thank you for reading this blog, I’m handing out a little present to one of you!  Check back tomorrow to find out more about what and how… now go and enjoy Christmas!

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CHRISTMAS THINGS THAT MAKE ME SMILE

christmas things that make me smile via au pays des merveilles

This year I’m spending Christmas with my parents and sister in my beloved Portugal, so no traditional christmas this year but we are making new traditions instead.  I’m not sure what to expect just yet, so that’s why I collected a little bit of christmas inspiration to get into the holiday mood… enjoy!

  1. I have to admit, traditional Christmas carols drive me nuts!  So that’s where this alternative christmas playlist comes in handy, with songs by The XX and The Knife among others.  Can’t go wrong with that!
  2. Confetti Ssystem designed this fun alternative for a traditional Christmas tree.
  3. Another alternative christmas tree, made out of bits of nature found outside.
  4. If you don’t have enough room for an actual Christmas tree, these pine branches in vintage cups are a good alternative!  (source unknown)
  5. Amazing Christmas ornaments by Ferm Living that shouldn’t be too hard to make yourself.  My next Christmas tree will definitely have similar ornaments!
  6. Emilie Voirin designed this minimal nativity set, for the design-loving believers out there.  (source)
  7. Quietroom is a British office specializing in brand analysis and worked their magic on the ‘brand’ of Santa.  (source)
  8. Yule Log 2.0 asks artist around the world to redesign the traditional yule log, resulting in an infinite loop of different animated logs.  Pretty cool!

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PRETTY THINGS: gift wrapping

PRETTY THINGS gift wrapping

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If you know me, you know that I love giving presents and I love wrapping them!  So here are my current favorite inspiration shots to help you get all your presents shining on time before Christmas.  Although I have to admit I had a very hard time choosing just eight!  Find more inspiration on my pinterest board, or in my archives.

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