I'm back:)

I'm at home again and recovering from some amazing days in London.

It was a truly great experience and I won't forget the funny, interesting and cool people I met. They even convinced me to open a facebook account!

London is a great city, with lots of character and though I had no time to see everything I wanted I did the best I could and had lots of fun.

The course itself was very good and a made me more confident and sure that this is what I want. Interior design is a very demanding career and I got the chance to make the questions I wanted and to learn how interior design projects are made and presented among other things.
The tutors were amazing and really supportive and lectures really interesting. The work itself was more intense than I could've guessed before but very fulfilling:)
Unfortunately I had no time to see the showrooms at Chelsea Harbour or the London shops I wanted, but I guess I'll see it later.

The hostel was really good and felt like home. The guys and girls who work there are very supportive and fun to hang out with:)
Looking back these 10 days felt more like ten weeks and I would have stayed if I could. It was truly sad to leave London at 4:30 am when I just wanted to stay at least one more week.

I have so many things to process inside my head and so many things to catch up with that probably won't really be around here for real until the end of the week.

Thank you for the messages you left me while I was gone:)

I leave you this photo I took of my mood board while still exploring my options. This was made after reading a client brief and cutting images from magazines.
Later I'll explain with details my week at KLC.

Day 2

Today it was the strangest day. A man (a gardener I believe) from Holland park read my aura, talked about my life a new things I did not tell him. WEIRD.

Apart from that I've been to Victoria and Albert Museum, Hyde Park, Nothing Hill, Portobello Market, Chelsea and... Well I think that's enough for one day.

I'll give you the details later:)

*

Hello:D

It's real! I'm at Kensington:D

I almost didn't sleep yesterday but things worked out pretty well:)
Easy to go to the plain, great flight (quite boring actually, I was hopping for some excitement, maybe a little turbulence:P) and company. I met a British lady who kind of showed me the way 'till Heathrow.

Easy to get to the Hostel, nice people there and it feels like a safe place. Oh and there's a party tonight:P

I already went to Kensington garden and to the Natural history Museum but that's too big to see in one day, I must go back there later.

So far, so good. I'm just a little worried about getting hit by a car because I'm a bit well, distracted:P

No photos because I'm stealing internet from someone and that means week net, falling repeatedly so...

By the way, the houses around Kensington are so great! The doors and the flowered windows are totally yummi:)(edit: I managed to get a photo here;)
Cya****

Byeeeeee:)

Oh God it's tomorrow. I'll be leaving home around 5h30am.
Oh no, oh yes, oh no, oh yes, oh no, oh... This is me right now:D

Hope I'll return inspired, with stories and cool photos to illustrate my London days:)
I'll have internet access over there but not sure if I'll be able to post. Just come here and confirm:P

Thank you for the supportive words ladies:)

Packing stress

Like I've mentioned before, I'm going to London Friday morning. I've never even flew before. I guess you can imagine how I am. Though, I could be freaking out more than I am. "Keep it together girl!"I say to myself:D

This is something I really wanted to do, the one week interior design course at KLC. The fact that I'm going alone to London feels like a challenge, a good one that will make me stronger and probably change my life in the sense of knowing who I am and my views of the world. Ok I'll stop because this is not really a diary:P

Thinks I'm thinking:
- please, get me nice bed neighbours (I'm staying in a hostel)
- please plain, don't shake that much:P
- please rain, just go on vacation the next 10 days
- please, I don't want to catch any kind of flu or some airport problems because of it (I have a mask with me but no intention to use it)

And following the rules of luggage limitations is quite a headache. Damn you terrorists for this too!

- Oh and no terrorism OK? Be nice? Like... forever?

(Photo: my latest favourite scarf)

Kitchens and books and quiz answers

My dream shelves are here! Walls covered with books (not organized by colour PLEASE. What? You like when people do that? Oh you just lost some points dear!:P Just kidding)

I wish I could do this to my kitchen. The slope ceiling which is normally a problem has a nice solution and in my opinion it gives character to the kitchen. I would use some colourful accessories and a cool rug just to spice it up:)

(Photos via sköna hem)

Answers to the quiz:
- How much is a quid worth in England? One pound
- Whose picture is found on all banknotes and coins in England? Elizabeth II
- What colour is a one pound coin? Gold
- How many pence does it take to make a pound? 100
- What's the other expression for 50 pence? 50 pee

:)

Quiz: British pound

Do you know?

- How much is a quid worth in England?
- Whose picture is found on all banknotes and coins in England?
- What colour is a one pound coin?
- How many pence does it take to make a pound?
- What's the other expression for 50 pence?

Answers on the next post:P

"Show me the money!":P

Today I've reserved money, British pound to be exact.

How cool is that?:P
And I told this to the bank employee: "It's so cool to reserve money":P
He laughed. I'm such a goofy:)

Thank you

People should say "thank you" more often and really mean it.

Kitchen cabinets

One more example of a creative response to a need. No more "where are plates?":P

(Photo via The Selby - check the link to see the whole house)

Hallway wallpaper

Do you like this hallway? I'm not sure. It's a big statement that's for sure. And it works really well when all you need is a clean space with no clutter or decorative items, because the wallpaper is the star.

Now I kinda like it, I guess. Maybe with a lighter wallpaper.
What do you think?

(Photo via Alvhem Mäkleri & Interiör)

Swedish house

Swedish houses are cool. The fresh Nordic vibe is there and with some Ikea influences of course.
I also like how the soft blue works on tiles and walls with the wooden floor.
And this little detail on the reading nook: small, but nice view:)

(Photos via Alvhem Mäkleri & Interiör)

Wanna cook?

This is one of my favourite kitchens. The way it's organized, the wood and the colours just make me want to jump into the photo:P

(Photo scanned by me and from ZaraHome catalogue)

Pallet daybed

If you are a decor8 reader you probably saw these images there. But I posted them because I also wanted to share another version of a pallet daybed that I found months ago also in decor8 and made by Pia Jane Bijerk.
It's a really good idea. And not an expensive one too.

Do you like it? Imagine having a daybed like this?

Storage idea

I'll never look at a shopping cart the same way. Now I even want one:) It could be good to store bags, pillows in a living room, toys or... plants? Maybe too creative. I guess I need to sleep:P

(Photo via Office for Word and Image)

7:45pm

Interesting things about this image:
- The big clock on the wall
- Jack Daniel's whiskey boxes
- The lamp on the shelf pointing to the ceiling
- Beavis and Butt-Head action figures on the desk (left)
- The silver desk chair
- The desk drawers
- And the AWESOME orange telephone

Agree with me? Do you see more interesting stuff there?

(Photo via Office for Word an Image)
PS: The blog reached the 200 visits!:D Thank you all*

I've been tagged!:D

I've been tagged by Iva Y an it is a pleasure to be part of this game:)

The rules:
1. Respond and rework: Answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, add one more question of your own.

2. Tag 8 other people.

What is the thing that makes you happy? Doing stuff on the house like rearranging the furniture layout, painting furniture found in the garbage, buying stuff like duvet covers, pillows...

Coffee or tea? Coffee, oh yes. But really coffee, not water with a little flavour:P

What’s for dinner? I had fish pudding, something new for me. This was made by a friend of my dad. Quite good actually.

What was the last thing you bought? Hummm... An orange juice yesterday? Does it count? Apart from that I can only remember plain tickets.

What are you listening to right now? "Fever" by Peggy Lee and "Mad About You" by Hooverphonic

What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe? My scarfs. I love to use a scarf to spice up an outfit and since last year I've collected a few. Right now my favourite is the one I used yesterday, because it has many colours and looks good with a lot of outfits. And this one was an offer from a friend:)

What is your favourite ice cream flavour? Probably lemon and/or strawberry.

What do you think of the person(s) who tagged you? Since I'm a recent blogger I don't know Iva very well, but she is very sweet, creative and attentive to detail. Probably a little perfectionist, am I right?:P

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? Actually I'm going to London for the 1st time next week, but apart from London I guess I would love to go to Sydney, Australia

Which language do you want to learn? I have a thing for Italian.

What is your favourite colour? Deep purple.

If you had £100 now, what would you spend it on? I really need an external disc for my laptop. I'm a bit geek sometimes:P Oh and two chairs for my kitchen.

What book are you currently reading? "Memories, Dreams and Reflections# by Carl Jung. I'm taking quite some time to end it, but I do like psychology and psychiatry and I started to be interested in his work because of the "synchronicity" concept.

Describe your personal style? Eclectic and messy (which means I don't have a style at all:P)

What are you going to do after this? Nowhere, I have to install the sims game on a friend's laptop:)

What are your favourite movies? "Closer", "Chocolate", "Dialogue avec mon jardinier" (Conversations with my gardener) and "Le fabuleu destin d'Amélie Poulain". Well, it's hard to pick from the many films I've seen, but I guess these three are strong references for me.

What inspires you? Images, colours, people... If I start doing something creative, normally the inspiration comes naturally trough work, but I really need to start which most of the times just doesn't happen:/

What is your favourite fruit? Cherries, peaches...

Do you collect something? Dust. Does it count?:P

If you could change your name to anything, what would you call yourself? My first name is Cátia and I hate it, that's why I use my second name. So, if I could change it I would eliminate Cátia and turn Sofia into my first name.

How many times do you press the snooze button before you get up? I wake up with my cellphone's alarm clock, so no snooze for me.

What is your favourite smell? Coffee, the grass after being cut, wet land after the rain, my incenses and food when I'm hungry:P

What is your biggest regret? Taking an architecture or graphic design degree instead of the marketing and advertising one (which I didn't finish, gave up on my last year)

edit: I meant the opposite I've written, what I meant was "taking a mkt and adverstising degree instead of architecture or graphic design" Sorry*

What are you most proud of? Right now I'm proud of two things: having the courage to give up my degree and recognize my unhappiness, with the internal and external conflicts such a decision brings and also having the courage to go to London for the 1st time and completely alone. I'm not that adventurous so this is quite big for me.

Cats or dogs? Dogs to love and live with and cats to observe (just observe:P)

What’s your biggest fashion mistake? Can't really remember one but I do not risk that much

What is your guilty TV pleasure? I never feel guilty about music or TV, I mean, to have an opinion about it I also need to watch it right? Focusing on the pleasure I'm a fan of The Mentalist, Everyday Food, Daily Show and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. And oh I'm a zapping girl:P

What did you want to be when you grew up? Many things: a professor, journalist, painter and an actress (this one was always a secret, I'm revealing it here)

How do you see yourself in ten years? Working as an interior designer with a baby inside of me and a kid secretly writing on white sofa pillows while dad is cooking dinner:P

What was the best unconventional gift you have received? A fridge for my attic when everybody wanted money, games, laptops, clothes. I just wanted an fridge and I got it:)


I'm tagging:

Renée at Renée's World

French at My Day Just Got Better

Jane at Sounds and Thoughts

Anna Caroline at Design Studio 210

Pia Jane at Pia Jane Bijkerk

Danni at Oh, Hello Friend

Lucy from The Design Files

Karina at El Beso


Photo: one of my favouriite things in the world, almond cake from Algarve, Portugal

Green sky

Thursday was a really hot day and nothing better that this fresh garden. Good for kissing and cuddling, reading, feeding the birds, laying on the grass, playing the guitar, eating at the vegetarian restaurant, going to the Art library or even doing some Tai Chi at 8am.

And yes, you can barely see the sky and this is in the middle of the city.

Do you have a favourite place in your city?

Yesterday, at Gulbenkian garden, Lisbon

Moral

Sometimes there's some rightness in the wrongness.

Right?:P

I like it

After my last post about creepy feet I think it's nice to have a really cool pair of interesting shoes.

(Photo via Shoe Lust)

Sandals

Girls, if you really want to use sandals, please avoid the too tight ones because it seems your feet are ready to explode.

That's not sexy.

Oh yeah

I bet the shoes on the stool were there not by accident. Pfff stylists:P

(Photo via Office for Word and Image)

4am

I like to see films at 4am when everybody is sleeping. It's like the film was made just for me, as a little secret.

Lovely detail

(Photo via Office for Word and Image)

Glasses

I use glasses, I mean, contact lens. I'm quite blind actually but since started using contacts (since I'm 15 years old) never really got used to wear a pair of glasses everyday. But I think I would change this for these! Oh my, they are handmade and bahh expensive. They are not even for sell right now, but you can pre-order them if you want.

Photo via Garance Doré and PRISM store here)

Oh the girl in the photo is the one who makes these glasses;)

Bougainvillea

This plant seems a bougainvillea to me. Even if it's not I love it anyway. I want to have a picnic under it and maybe take pictures with friends with it as background.

(Photo via cartoon styles)

Eclectic

I really would love to have a house with big windows and huge curtains just like these. No fan of the animal rug though.The bed in a mezzanine! This can be a great solution if you have a small space with high ceilings (and money to do the mezzanine lalala, details). And the mattress on the floor? A big yes:)
The tiles are very interesting and the rectangular washbasin on the counter it's definitely something I would have. But what are those chairs doing there? It's just to look? They are to small to someone sits on them while washing the hands.... Oh mystery...
This washbasin seems to be very very cool. But it's somehow weird because we can only see half of it.This is just a good idea. Maybe you could draw a face on the wall you hang the "tomorrow" outfit:P

(Photos via Office for Word and Image and taken by Hendrikx Diane)

Workshop

Love the simple and rustic entryway of this house. And the blue doors:DNot sure about this kitchen. It has an industrial vibe and maybe too cold for me. But wouldn't mind to have the upper cabinets.This blue with the coral sheets (and the green door) wouldn't be my first choice but surprisingly I think I would sleep in that room.
I love workshops. Specially when there's mess around. I can't be creative and organized at the same time. And this is the kind of place where we imagine people working right?

(Photos via Office for Word and Image and taken by Hendrikx Diane)

White Ikea drawers

I wanted them, but now I want these drawers even more.

(Photo via BoligLiv)