Ten On Tuesday. Peeing rain worms, a pancake recipe and a bright lipstick.

Hallo meine Lieben,

happy Tuesday everybody! I hope you are all having a sweet week.
It's time for Ten On Tuesday again, you can link up here.

Number 1.

Yesterday I have found a rain worm on the street so I picked him (it was clearly a boy) up and carried him into a garden because I did not want him to die on the street. He peed on my hand, I guess he was just so thankful that I helped him.

Number 2.

I want to share how I make the pancakes I talked about on Sunday. It is really easy. So for one pancake you need 100 g of flour (I guess that is 1 cup), 100 ml of the milk of your choice (3,6 oz). I use coconut or almond milk. Egg replacement for one egg (it is possible to make this without eggs). 25 ml of sparkling water, normal water works too if you don't have sparkling water. And salt and sugar. Mix all these things together and try to make a pancake, I am really bad at this so sometimes they look more like Kaiserschmarrn.

For the filling you can use tomatoes or a tomato sauce in a jar. Cut 2 tomatoes into pieces or use 4-5 tablespoons of tomato sauce.  Okay, first you need to roast some mushrooms in a pan, then add some broccoli, corn or chick peas. Add lots of spices (salt, pepper, curry, chili...). Then add the tomato (sauce). At the end you can add 2 tablespoons of the hummus of your choice. 

Then fill the pancakes, roll it up and enjoy. 

Number 3. 

I am in love with baby stingrays.

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Number 4. 

This is a really great and informative video by Lush about animal testing. A must see.

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Number 5.

The next lipstick I buy will probably be this one. "Geradium" by Lime Crime. Their lipsticks are my favorites. 

Lime Crime

Number 6.

"Smelly cat" by Phoebe Buffay got stuck in my head. I am singing it all day long.

Number 7.

I need to have more plants around me. Plants make me feel good. Just like trees but I can't I can't have a tree in the house unless it is a bonsai tree.

Number 8.

I really appreciate it that you are reading my blog! I love all of you guys! Thanks so much for your constant support!

Number 9.

I started to watch "The Bridge" and I am really liking it so far. I mean, it's about murder and one of the main characters is a German (in real life). Enough reasons to like it. I have only seen 2 episodes so far but I will definitely keep watching.

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Number 10.

I have a gift card for books and I just can't decide which books I want to buy. There are just too many I want. 

Have a lovely Tuesday!

Sunday Confessions. Vegan pancakes, kitty birthday cards and trees.

Hallo meine Lieben,

& happy Sunday! I have something to confess which is why I am linking up with Alyx.





Confession #1.
I had the same dinner 4 times in a row and I am planning to cook it again tonight. I am talking about vegan pancakes filled with broccoli, corn and mushrooms in a tomato-hummus-chili sauce. Yes, it is that good. 
Confession #2.
I bought a pretty girly birthday card for my Dad. The card is pink and there is a cat on it who is wearing a glittery tiara. There are also some fake diamonds glued on it. I am sure he will love the card.
Confession #3.
I like looking at trees. It feels very comforting to do that. 

What do you have to confess? Have a great week!

Five things. Marching cats, a heavenly moisturiser and peanut butter lip balm.

Hallo meine Lieben,

how is your weekend going? I hope you are having a great time! It is pretty rainy here today so I am planning to do some work, read a good book and catch up with some shows. 

You should all check out my friend Celeste's Five Things.

1. This moisturiser

MuLondon

It is the Organic White Chocolate Truffle - Face Moisturiser by MuLondon and I just have to try it! I stumbled upon MuLondon's website and I am so fascinated by the products, I think I have to order this and the Organic Rose - Foaming Face Wash. It just sounds too good to be true. All products are handmade, natural, organic, cruelty free and vegan. 

2. This giveaway.

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My friend Martha is giving away a bottle of Ageless Derma Anti-Aging Intensive Skin Brightener which is also vegan-friendly. You can enter here!

3. These marching cats.

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I have found it here on Rooth's blog a miusmie. I just can't get enough of this video. So much cuteness. And it always makes me smile, even after watching it 10 times. 

4. This book.

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Here is a description:

"Natalie has been described as "Martha Stewart meets Iron Maiden," taking vegan cooking to places it has never been before. Influenced by slasher films, pro-wrestling, punk rock and heavy metal, her quirky-yet-delicious comfort foods are a refreshing take on vegan eating with award-winning flavors. Along the way, her off-color humor, irreverent rants and density of pop-culture references will make you laugh out loud."

Martha Stewart meets Iron Maiden? Sounds awesome. The book is already in my shopping cart, it will be released on August 6. 

5. This  peanut butter lip balm.

The Fanciful Fox

Peanut butter lip balm?  I am stoked. I also need one with Pistachio flavor, one with Chai Tea, one with Root Beer....they all sound wonderful and are all vegan. 

Have a sweet weekend!

Random Thursday. Beaches, rustic, cabins or cities?

Hallo meine Lieben,

it's Thursday already which is not only the birthday of my mother-in-law but also time for another Random Thursday post.

And here's the topic.

I love traveling as you probably know. And I am pretty much open to anything but I have to admit that I have never been on a classic beach vacation. I don't know why. Not that I don't want to, it just never happened. I guess I am more the "explorer" kind of person. So when I travel to a place then I want to see as much as possible and not just spend the time at the beach. 

I am not sure that traveler type I am exactly. I love to discover new cities but I also want to see the area around. I want to meet the local people, eat some local food, see the nature, go to all the museums, see the touristy spots, try all the restaurants, buy some souvenirs, see all the shops they have....
I want to see it all. Which is why I always buy tons of traveling books before my vacation to make sure that I don't miss anything. 

On top of my traveling bucket list right now are Ireland, Iceland, Christmas Island, India, Norway....oh, and many many more. 

I guess now I should share some impressions of my recent travels with you....

In Bruges, 2011

Canyonlands National Park, Utah, 2011

Venice, 2010

Las Vegas, 2013

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, 2011

I had to crawl through this tiny hole in a cliff dwelling. I enjoyed it a lot, even with a kidney infection. 

Zaleski State Park, Ohio, 2011

That is how you look after a 3 day backpacking trip and no shower. 

What kind of traveler are you? What is your favorite vacation spot? What's your dream vacation? 

Ten On Tuesday. Slow German mail, vegan gummi bears and a capybara.

Hallo meine Lieben,

time for more random things on Ten On Tuesday. 

Number 1. 

Yesterday I got some birthday mail from my best friend Julia.  Sometimes the mail from Germany is really really slow but the package finally made it. I can't even put into words how much I love getting mail!

Number 2.

Julia knows me very well so she sent me a pack of vegan gummi bears. Well, gummi hearts with cherry flavor to be correct. I got so excited that I immediately ate half the bag and then felt a little sick. But it was definitely worth it. 
Where can I get vegan gummi bears in America? I haven't been able to find them yet.

Number 3.

She also sent me a DIY cuckoo clock which is totally awesome and also totally German. It immediately got a special spot in the living room. 

Number 4.

Yesterday was an awesome day for mail because I also got a new case for my iPhone which David ordered for me. It did not make it in time for my birthday but as I mentioned before: I love getting mail so this was an awesome surprise. It is blue with white dots and red edges and there is a little red anchor on it. 

Number 5.

I am in love with this little bat and her/his stuffed animal. 
I am pretty sure you will love this too, Martha!

cuteoverload

Number 6.

The ingredients for my favorite pasta sauce right now are: tomatoes, peanut butter, chili, horseradish mustard, garlic and pepper. 

Number 7.

My sister-in-law will fly to Australia on Thursday and I have to say that I am a little jealous. Hehe. But I do hope that she will have an awesome time. I can't wait to see her pictures.

Number 8.

My desk is a huge mess. But I would still call it an organized mess. It is full of papers but I know where everything is. 

Number 9.

What would you say is the best DSLR camera for beginners? What camera do you use? I need some recommendations, please.

Number 10.

A capybara is an awesome animal. 

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Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Confessions of a suspected crazy cat lady who watches a lot of TV and listens to one single song over and over.

Hallo meine Lieben,

I hope your Monday is going fine. It is pretty rainy here in Ohio which is nice because I like that kind of weather. 
Sunday Confessions is back. Yay for that. I know it is not Sunday and I apologize for being late but I just did not find the time to write a blog post yesterday. Don't know why. 



Here are my confessions.

Confession #1.

I really want to steal our neighbor's cats. They always come over to cuddle with me. Well, I guess they come over because we also feed them but I still think they like me. How many cats do you need to have to count  as a crazy cat lady?

Isn't he adorable?

Confession #2.
I am currently having an unhealthy addiction to the song "Don't You Want Me" by The Human League. I can't get it out of my head so I gave up trying and now I am listening to it in an endless loop. 

Confession #3.
I love to play the Friends trivia game because I can answer pretty much all the questions correctly. 

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Confession #4.
I haven't had a coffee in weeks. Months. But I drink at least 5 cups of tea every day. Especially Irish breakfast tea. 
Do you have anything to confess? Have a lovely Monday!

Five Things. A German magazine, cook books, funky nail polish, a fluffy cat and some British guys.

Hallo meine Lieben,

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend! I spent a wonderful Saturday at my sister-in-laws new house surrounded by fish, two dogs and two cats. And yes, it was awesome. 

Here are my Five Things. Make sure to visit my friend Celeste's blog to check out her Five Things.

1. This magazine.

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My Dad sent me a little surprise package which included some German magazines. I love to read magazines and this is one of my favorites. It is a living and fashion magazine and it always inspires me to decorate the house or create something fantastic.  My Dad really rocks.

2. My new addiction.

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Yes, cook books are my new addiction. I am really in a cook book collection mode. I think I got 5 new cook books in the last 2 months. I am dreaming of one huge book shelf full of cook books. 

3. These guys.

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What can I say, I just love these guys. They are British and hilarious. And I can watch their show over and over. 

PS: You all need to watch The Inbetweeners. 

4.  This nail polish.

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I guess I am more nail polish than I need (well, it depends on your point of view) but this color is just so pretty. Plus Butter London polishes are vegan and cruelty free so you really can't go wrong.

5.  This cat. 

One of my sister Katie's cats. He is such a sweetheart and soooo fluffy! You can totally use him as a pillow. He won't mind. 

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Random Thursday. 5 things on my bucket list.

Hallo meine Lieben,

it's Thursday again. Time is flying by. It means that it is time to link up with these great girls. 

It's also time to talk a little bit about this topic.

Well, I have to say that my bucket list is so long that I probably need 5 more lives to do all the things I want to do. But let's start with these. 

1. traveling

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There are so many places I want to see, I guess I would travel pretty much anywhere but on top of my list are Iceland, Ireland, Christmas Island, Norway and India. So yeah, hopefully I can travel to at least one of these places in the near future.

2. write a crime novel.

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I love to read them so it would be awesome to write my own crime novel. I have so many ideas and I really need to sit down and start writing...Why can't my day have 34 hours?

3. ride in a hot air balloon. 

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I think I have mentioned that before at least 37 times. I really really want to do this someday. The sooner the better. 

4. Adopt more animals. 

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I really want to be able to offer lots of animals a home, not just cats, dogs and bunnies. Also chicken, donkeys, cows and pigs. So I need the time, space and money to do this. I want to run my own animal sanctuary. 

5. Bake more. 

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I love baking. I am just not very good at it. And I don't take the time to become a very good baker. So this is definitely on my bucket list.

What's on your bucket list?

Have a lovely Thursday!

Ten On Tuesday. A cat piggy bank, a really mean word and book shelf love.

Hallo meine Lieben,

how is your week going? It seems like everybody is having some great weather. Even in Germany! Weather has been a little unstable there but my Dad told me that it is finally summer there now. 

Time for some random Ten On Tuesday.

1. Here is how the cat piggy bank works that I got for my birthday from David. But mine is a polite one: the cat says "thank you" when you give her some money.




2. My mean English word of the week is "rural". Trust me, I tried it but I just can't say that word correctly. Can you? I think it is just a terrible word. David enjoys it when I try to say these horrible words in the correct way. Then I try to make him say some mean German words...

3. I bought this magazine on Saturday and I am in love. I am thinking about getting a subscription. 

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4. I am really into book shelves right now. This is the one I am currently loving. I might consider buying a house which is exclusively for books and books shelves. Wouldn't that be awesome?

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5. I got this book ("Veganomicon") for my birthday and wow, it is so good. So many mouth-watering recipes. I want to try all of them (without using onions of course). I really love cook books, I can't get enough of them so my goal is to have one huge book shelf filled with only cook books. 

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6. I have to admit that I always modify the recipes, at least a bit. I mean, I just can't stand onions so I would never use them in any recipe. But I also change other things about the recipes when I think that my idea is better. I have to admit that this does not always turn out that great, especially when I change baking recipes....

7. Although I love in America I still watch the German news every single day. First of all, I want to know what's going on in Europe. Plus it is still the best news program I have found so far. 

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8. On Saturday evening we went to a concert and the singer of one of the bands which played there carried Yoda in a backpack which was pretty cute. After I have read that the band loves hamsters and wants to save animals from the animal holocaust I was in love. 

9. I am addicted to Charley Boorman's travel documentaries. So far I have watched "Long Way Down", "Long Way Round", "Race to Dakar", "By Any Means" and "Right to the Edge: Sydney to Tokyo By Any Means". I am scared of the day when I run out of Charley Boorman shows. That guy is freaking awesome. Except when he eats bats. 

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10. Air-conditioning is so confusing.

I hope you guys are having a wonderful Tuesday! Thanks for reading!

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to (aka time for presents)!

Hallo meine Lieben,

first of all: thank you for all the wonderful birthday wishes! You are all so sweet! Thanks thanks thanks!
I had a wonderful birthday yesterday and I want to thank David who made my special day really awesome! Thanks Schatzi, I love you and I had such a fun time with you!
I think I should write a little birthday recap and I want to start with the presents. :) I got so many wonderful presents and I feel so spoiled and loved! They really made my day and all I can say is THANK YOU! 

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So here is a little collage of the presents I got. I am sorry for the bad quality but my iPhone is a little stupid right now and my real camera is broken. Yay. 

Also I am still waiting for some mail from Germany to arrive. Boo for the German mail which is surprisingly slow right now. 

So here is what I got:

The most awesome piggy bank ever. The cat comes out of the box, grabs the money with her paw and then vanishes again. She is also very polite and says thank you. I have seen this on the internet months ago, showed it to David and told him how much I love it. He remembered it and got it for me for my birthday. He really is the best!

My wonderful friend Lissa from the rain girl send me a surprise package and she spoiled me so much! A little coin purse, a photo album, postcards, a notebook, a beautiful flower pin...I came home last night at 2 am and saw this package and got so excited that I wasn't able to fall asleep. You should all go over to her blog and say hi because she is such a wonderful person, the greatest photographer and writer and her drawings are so beautiful! 
Thanks so much, Lissa! <3

My sweet friend Martha also spoiled me so much! That was another reason I could not sleep last night. When I came back I saw that she sent me a gift card for such a wonderful store that sells all kinds of vegan and cruelty free goodies and I am spending my Sunday browsing through that store. Martha, thank you soo sooo much! You are wonderful! <3 Please go over and say hi, her blog Quick Cheap & Pretty is awesome...full of animal stories, product reviews and things about her life. I love the fact that she loves animals as much as I do. 

I love getting mail so I am very excited about all the lovely birthday cards I got! Please German and American mail, hurry up and deliver the rest of them!

David also got me a new fancy red dress for my iPad which is awesome because my other one if falling apart!

I got some make up and beauty products. I love make up palettes, it is so much fun to play with them! David knows that obviously! :) The hand cream from Lush is heavenly and smells like chocolate and oranges. It is called "Charity Pot" and by buying a pot you can support a charity of your choice. I chose the "Animal Alliance of Canada". There are cute guinea pigs on the package. :) One of the palettes I got has a heart shaped mirror. Love it!

David knows that I am a book worm so he got me some of the books from my wishlist. One is called "Veganomicon" and contains some mouth-watering recipes. The other one is called "The perfectly imperfect home". Can't wait to read them! 

I also got some jewelry. Two necklaces, one with an arrow and one with a plane (thanks for the inspiration, Celeste!), a ring and a bracelet with zebras, elephants and other wild animals on it. 

We went to a thrift store yesterday and I found this wonderful vintage purse. And David got it for me! Yay!

Thanks again to all of you for making my day so special! I can't thank you enough, I feel so loved! Thank you thank you thank you!
And David, I love you so much!

I hope you are all having a wonderful Sunday!

Five Things. The birthday edition.

Hallo meine Lieben,

hope you are having the most wonderful weekend.
Please go over to my friend Celeste's blog The Good Girl and check out her Five Things. Celeste is wonderful! Plus you get to see a Poodle Moth!

1. my birthday.

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Happy birthday to me! Today we will spend the day with a trip to Columbus, we will do some shopping, go to a concert by the fabulous band "...And you will know us by the trail of dead" and I will probably receive one or two skype calls.

2. this birthday song.

My favorite birthday song. I will probably listen to it once or twice today. Isn't it cute? I just can't get enough of it. I have to admit that I listen to it once in a while even when it is not my birthday.

3. this cat.

My godfather and his wife adopted this wonderful kitten today so that their other cat Lisa would have a companion. My dad went over to their house to welcome the new family member and he sent me at least 20 pictures of the cat. Our family loves cats as you can see (all animals!). Her name is Klara and I think she looks very smart.

4. my latest tea addiction. 

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I drink Irish breakfast tea every morning but yesterday I had the idea to add some vanilla flavored coconut milk and I am in love.  I think I already had 6 cups in 24 hours. 

5.  these tea cups.

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This is an impressive collection. The cool thing is that my Mom collected cups like that and I have a little collection myself. I definitely want to add more cups to the collection.

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

Random Thursday. DIY project.

Hallo meine Lieben,

how is your week going? We're having some interesting weather here in Ohio...lots of rain, storms, sometimes even sunshine. 
It's time for another Random Thursday with these girls.

And this is the topic. 

The thing is that I love DIY projects but haven't taken the time to do anything in months (except of some drawing and painting). It is a shame because there was a time when I did something creative at least each week. So yeah, it kind of makes me sad that I don't find the time to do more of the things I enjoy right  now. I know that I should take the time but there are always "more important" things to do which just isn't right because the things I enjoy should be the most important things to do. Well, I don't want to go on about this so instead I will share an idea for a DIY project with you. 

My DIY book shelf idea.

I built a book shelf probably 10 years ago and I really enjoy that kind of work so I want more! You need some wine boxes, similar to this one. I would say 12 should do it. 

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Then you paint the bottom of of each wine box in any color you like. I would probably use 2 different colors. Probably a dark grey and white. 

Then you arrange the boxes the way you want the book shelf to look at the end.  I think I would use 4 as the bottom, then 3 for the next row and then another row of 4 and then 2 on the top. Which shows me that I need 1 more box. So you need 13 boxes. 

Then you need a hammer and some nails to but all the boxes together.

And in the end it should look similar to this, but without the TV in the middle.

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As you can see, I am in desperate need for some more book shelves. 

This is my next project. What's yours?

Oh, and I am still working on the scarf I started months ago. Maybe I can finish it until autumn. 

Have a wonderful Thursday!