Five Things. A book chandelier, a little vampire and movie excitement.

Hallo meine Lieben,

I hope your Sunday is full of sunshine and happiness. Please check out my friend Celeste's Five Things as well. 

1. Fave book from my childhood.

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Der kleine Vampir (the little vampire) was my childhood hero. I wanted to have a vampire as friend as well. Never met one unfortunately. But I named my cat Lumpi after one of the characters (the coolest character of course). I re-discovered the books a couple of days ago and now I feel like re-reading them. And watching the TV series. Luckily I have it on DVD. 

2. This chandelier. 

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Obviously there is not much to say about this other than: I need a chandelier like that. Desperately. 

3. This movie.

I can't even put into words how excited I am that I found out that there is an Adler-Olsen movie out there. The keeper of lost causes. One of my favorite crime novels ever. I need to watch this gem as soon as possible. My only problem is that Carl Mørck and Assad do not look at all the way I pictured them. And I hate when that happens. 

4. This bookshelf.

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Okay, this is what I always wanted. Just add a fireplace, a comfy chair and a globe bar. Maybe it would hold all my books. 

5. More bookshelves.

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Here are 20 insanely creative bookshelves because you can never have enough bookshelves. At least not in my house. Which one is your favorite?

Have a happy Sunday and a fantastic week!

Random Thursday. Fantasy shopping spree...

Hallo meine Lieben,

welcome to Random Thursday! As always, Lin, Em and I are happy that you are a part of it! Thanks for reading!

Okay, if I would have unlimited money then I would buy stuff for animal shelters, homeless people and animals...give them food, supplies and so on. But I guess that's not what this topic is about. So I will list you some of the things that I would like to buy for myself.

My own library.

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I would like to own all the books in the world (well, maybe some exceptions like Shades Of Grey and that kind of stuff) and that is why I need my own library. Definitely on top of my shopping list.

Vaute Couture dress.

Vaute Couture

I am still in love with this dress. I think at some point I just need to buy it. It is just so beautiful. And I can't stop thinking about it. 

A huge cat tree.

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Something like this. But bigger. The cats and bunnies deserve the best, that is for sure. So I would also get something cool for the bunnies. 

Boots.

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Lots of vegan Stella McCartney boots for Celeste, Martha and me. Because we all want them. And deserve them. 

ER collector's box

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Just because the box is so fancy. I already own half of the seasons so it does not make any sense but things that make you happy do not need to make sense all the time. 

Beauty products.

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I would definitely treat myself with some fantastic vegan and cruelty-free beauty products...such as MuLondon, Beauty Without Cruelty, Crazy Rumors, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Hurraw balm....

A new laptop.

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I really need one. So if mine stops working then I will probably get a MacBook. 

Another Jill Milan handbag.

You can read my review about the Nob Hill Bag here. I love the Jill Milan bags so much. The are vegan, handmade and absolutely beautiful. 

An old castle.

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Because there is enough space for all the rescue animals and some friendly ghosts. 

What would you like to buy on your fantasy shopping spree?

Happy Thursday!

Jill Milan - the most wonderful vegan handbags the world has ever seen.

Hallo meine Lieben,

hope you are all having a fantastic week full of sunshine.  
Today I want to introduce you to the handbag I fell in love with - which was kindly send to me by Jill Milan. When Jill contacted me  I was overwhelmed with emotions. I could not believe that she contacted me and I felt so honored and happy - she offered to send me one of her beautiful handbags to review. I can't thank you enough, Jill. You absolutely made my day....my year! Everything. I am so in love with the handbag, I can't even find words for it. The handbag I have chosen is the Nob Hill Bag in Berry. You can see here that a lot of celebrities wear Jill Milan bags - Jennifer Lawrence, Eva Longoria, Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Stana Katic (Becket from Castle), Anne Hathaway, Isla Fisher, Elizabeth Hurley - and now me! Unbelievable. 

I am clearly not a fashion blogger but I hope you don't mind. Just look at the beautiful bag and ignore me. 

All the Jill Milan handbags are handmade in a family-owned atelier in Florence, Italy. They use PVC-free, vegan materials which are often recycled - no leather, fur, wool or other animal-based materials. You can read more about it here.

I love the way the handbag feels in my hands. It is such a soft material. I wish I could describe it any better.

I think the bag is perfect to wear when you go out but it is also great during the day. There is definitely enough space for your phone, wallet, make up, keys and whatever else you need. And I know what I am talking about since I always carry way too much stuff around.

I guess you can tell that I am really in love with my Jill Milan handbag. I guess this won't be my last. I mean, just check out all the other bags. They are all lovely and it was a hard decision for me to choose one. 

I love the combination of grey and the dark red. I really wish you could see the bag in reality because the pictures don't do it any justice. It looks even better in reality.

I even have matching shoes. I guess it could not be any better. But I feel like I can wear this bag with pretty much anything in my closet.

It really is love. Handbag love. I really don't know how stupid that sounds but it is what it is. The quality of the bag is fantastic so I know that it will be with me for a long long time. Again, I am sorry that the pictures can't show the bag in all its glory. You just have to trust me that it looks even prettier in reality. 

So what are your thoughts? Which one is your favorite handbag? Do you sometimes fall in love with an object? Have you heard of Jill Milan before? 

Have a great day!

And thanks again to Jill! I feel so honored and I can't thank you enough for giving me this opportunity! It means so much to me! I love and admire your work! Thank you!

The handbag was sent to me by Jill Milan, all opinions and pictures are my own. 

A meowtain, lots of cuteness and weird dreams {Ten On Tuesday}.

Hallo meine Lieben,

happy Tuesday! Let's all link up with lovely Alyssa, shall we?

1. Daily dose of cuteness: a Japanese dwarf flying squirrel.

CuteOverload

2. Okay, more cuteness because you can never get enough cuteness. Plus it is just really funny. 

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3. I heard this quote on Criminal Minds and I could not agree more: "Hunting is not a sport. In a sport, both sides should know they're in the game."

4. This video will make you laugh.

5. I really can't understand that more and more former cruelty-free beauty brands are sold to non-cruelty free companies. Last example is Tarte cosmetics. 

6. Even more cuteness. 

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7. I am really sick of coffee right now. Don't know why but I have no desire to drink it. I do have a desire to drink lots of peppermint tea and eat lots of cashews. 

8. I always have pretty weird dreams. A while ago people always tried to kill me in my dreams but the dreams I had in the last two weeks or so were just weird, not dangerous. Last night I waited for a boat together with the cast of New Girl and we had to sing "Don't go breaking my heart" by Elton John and Kiki Dee to be allowed to go on board. 

9. In another dream I had to drive my Grandma to a hidden football field which was only accessible through a secret passage. And only elderly people were allowed to watch the secret football match there. 

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10. I don't know why I always miss things like that but they made a movie out of another book I like. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. Of course I need to watch it as soon as possible. 

Happy Tuesday!

Five Things. An old school doormat, the best noise ever and German crime.

Hallo meine Lieben,

hope you are all having a fantastic weekend! Please check out my friend Celeste's Five Things as well. 

1. This doormat. 

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I have always searched for the perfect doormat and I think I found it. I am a huge fan of mix tapes, I still own a whole lot of them. When I was 12 or 13 I started to swap mix tapes with my pen pals which was so fantastic. I still love to listen to them or just look at the tapes and see what they recorded for me. I mean, it was so much effort to make a mix tape. So they really are little gems to me. I am old school, you know. 

2. This lamb.

You can find the video here on Cute Overload. Please invest seven seconds of your life to watch it because you won't regret it. This makes me laugh even after the 50th time of watching. And turn the volume up. 

3. This story.

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A heartwarming story of a foal rescue. Find it here. My furry family members love to snuggle with stuffed animals as well. 

4. This book.

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I realized that I read a lot of crime novels but never a German one. I just always preferred the Scandinavian/Icelandic ones. But this one sounded so exciting that I had no other choice. The modus operandi of the killer is not for the faint-hearted, that is for sure. 

5. These sunglasses.

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I might need some new sunglasses for summer. Those look pretty fantastic, I would say. 

Happy weekend!

Random Thursday. Worst thing I've ever eaten....

Hallo meine Lieben,

welcome to another Random Thursday with Lin, Em and me. Thank you for reading and linking up. I hope you are all having a fantastic week.

The worst and most evil food in the world is obviously the onion because it comes directly from hell to make my life miserable. Onions are definitely the most terrible things in the whole wide world. They are disgusting to eat and the smell is horrible. Plus that texture. Ugh. I really really really hate them and when I go somewhere and people want to make me eat onions then I need to run away. Sorry but they really want to make me throw up.

And of course meat is one of the worst things I have ever eaten. And eggs and that kind of stuff. I honestly can't imagine anymore how I was ever able to eat meat. I ate my last piece meat a long long time ago but I did eat it back when I was a child and now that seems really really far away. Must have been someone else inside my body and not me.

Not my food adventure but very disgusting: my friends and I went to eat at the cafeteria of our university and my friend Barbara ordered some Mexican dish and after a couple of minutes of eating her face completely lost its color and she showed me some piece of meat she found on her plate...and there was black hair growing out of it. Long black hair. I assume they murdered the cook and this was his eyebrow but I don't know for sure. Another reason not to eat meat. 

What is the worst thing you have ever eaten? 

A corgi pillow, bookworm happiness and baking fails. {Ten On Tuesday}

Hallo meine Lieben,

happy Tuesday! It is time to link up with the lovely Alyssa again so here we go.

1. I want to eat brussel sprouts every single day. I think it is getting a bit weird. But what will you do...

2. I am in desperate need of this corgi pillow. I love corgis so much and when I can't adopt one right now then at least I need a corgi pillow. 

ModCloth

3. I made a cake on Saturday which looks pretty ugly because it got stuck in the pan but it tastes pretty great. I did not really have a recipe, I just added various kinds of things like peaches, coconut, chocolate and caramel syrup. 

Ugly cake.

4. I made another cake today (with chocolate and cherries) and the same thing happened. But worse. I think I need to blame it on the pan. It can't be me.

5. What is your all time favorite book which I need to read? The thing is that I already have more books on my reading list than I will ever be able to read but  I do love to discover new ones. I just can't help myself.

6. I need more book recommendations because....

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7. ...which is why I will probably need something like this. In every single room. 

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8. I can't even put into words how much I adore quokkas. They almost look unreal because of all the cuteness. 

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9. Did you know that millions of kangaroos are slaughtered in Australia every year to make soccer shoes? They slaughter the mother and leave the baby to die in the pouch. I honestly did not know. But you can read all you need to know on GirlieGirlArmy. And you can sign a petition against the kangaroo slaughter here. Thank you!

10. I am currently reading a German crime novel and I think it's a first. It is pretty exciting. I might read more German crime. 


Happy Tuesday!

Thought provoking questions #2 - #7.

Hallo meine Lieben,

my fantastic friend Martha started to answer the 365 thought provoking questions to ask yourself and I decided to do the same because Martha always inspires me. 

So here we go. 

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(This has nothing to do with the post, I just liked it.)

#2. Who do you sometimes compare yourself to?

I try not to compare myself to anybody but that does not always work out very well. There are always people who can do something better than you, look better, know something that you don't....things like that. It does not make sense to compare yourself to these people because you can't be best at everything. I am aware of that but sometimes it is really hard not to compare myself to others. 


#3. What’s the most sensible thing you've ever heard someone say?

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It always makes me feel horrible to know that there are so many people and animals suffering in this world. I know I can't help all of them but every little thing you do counts. 

#4. What gets you excited about life?

All the goals I have in my life. Helping and being with animals. Books. 


#5. What life lesson did you learn the hard way?

That being related does not mean that you are family and can count on these people. That relatives can come from hell to make your life terrible. 


#6. What do you wish you spent more time doing five years ago?

Use time more wisely. 


#7. Do you ask enough questions or do you settle for what you know?

That depends. When I want to learn something about a specific topic then I ask many questions. When I talk to others then I wait for them to tell me something. I always feel like if people want to tell me something then they will. If they don't tell me then they have a reason not to. So I don't pressure people to tell me things. 




Happy weekend!

Five Things. "Hakuna matata, bitch", something crafty and a coconutty dream.

Hallo meine Lieben,

happy Friday! Please check out my friend Celeste's Five Things as well!

1. Adopt a guinea pig month.

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It is Adopt a Guinea Pig Month which I think is awesome because they are fantastic animals. When I was a kid I had a guinea pig (Puschel) and a bunny (Knuffi) living with me (I know you say that they don't get each other but they were best buds) and they made me sooo happy. I really want to adopt more guinea pigs at some point. You can read more about it here. 

2. This book.

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"One grump's search for the happiest places in the world". I don't need to know more. I need to read it. Have you checked it out? What do you think?

3. This shirt.

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I found the shirt on Etsy and I feel like I need to own a shirt like that. It's pretty fantastic. 

4. This magazine.

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Mollie Makes is definitely my favorite craft magazine. So many fantastic ideas for Easter. I just need to find the time to try them all. I need to be more crafty again. What is your favorite craft magazine? Any recommendations? 

5. This chocolate bar.

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A chocolate bar with almonds and coconut. Which is vegan. I want one. Or more. All the other Go Max Go sounds heavenly as well. I do have a sweet tooth. Won't fight it. 

Have a happy weekend!

Random Thursday. I started blogging because....

Hallo meine Lieben,

happy Random Thursday! Thanks for being a part of this and linking up with Lin, Em and me. I hope you are all doing fantastic! 

Well, I first started to only read blogs when I moved to the United States in 2011.  I started searching for expat blogs because I wanted to read what people in the same situation have to say. But I did not only look for expat blogs...I started reading all kinds of blogs about things I am interested in...veganism, books, traveling, animal rights, food, fashion....I got really into it and checked for new posts of my favorite blogs every single day. I left comments and started to get to know some of the people.

At some point just reading and commenting did not seem to be enough. I had so much to say and I wanted to share it with others. Which is kind of weird since I am a very private person. But there are so many things I care about and I felt like I needed to share.

So one day in 2012 I wrote my first blog post...nothing exciting or special but I was so nervous. I mean, I did not know if anybody would care to read it....if people would welcome me into the world of blogging. But they did. It was fantastic...I met so many fabulous people, I am happy to interact with them, I made new friends, I was able to discuss topics I care about with people I care about, I look forward to check my favorite blogs every evening. I never regretted the decision to start a blog myself. I even met people who I call my best friends now (you know who you are!) and I can talk to them about all the things I care about. I found people to talk about all things vegan which means a lot to me since I don't know any other vegans in real life. I found people to discuss books with which is so fantastic because it feels so good to be able to. You guys all rock so much!

There are still many things I need to learn (especially about blog design) and there are so many things I want to blog about (just need more time!) so I am looking forward to many more years of blogging.

Of course, sometimes you just don't find the time or have no idea what to write about. But I guess that is normal and people understand.

So thanks to all of you for making this a wonderful experience!

Please let me know: why did you start blogging?