Far over the Misty Mountains Cold...

this happened a bit before Yule, but here it is:

me and my Skav went to the early screening of  "The Hobbit" with some of our friends.

this movie was so touching, I could barely hold the tears.

it was just filled with small little details that would go unnoticed unless you actually read the book, or even the official comic book. so maybe in that sense, not everyone will understand why somethings are said.

rest assure that it won't stop you from understanding the plot.

it just means you won't be in on the private jokes and meanings.

I'm a bit of a book snob, so I kind of liked that the people involved in the making of this movie did it this particular way.

it makes you appreciate reading the book.

To dungeons deep and caverns old

we must away ere break of day

to seek the pale enchanted gold

The dwarves of yore made mighty spells

while hammers fell like ringing bells

in places deep, where dark things sleep

in hollow halls beneath the fells

For ancient king and elvish lord

there many a gleaming golden hoard

they shaped and wrought, and light they caught

to hide in gems on hilt of sword

On silver necklaces they strung

the flowering stars, on crowns they hung

the dragon-fire, in twisted wire

they meshed the light of moon and sun

Far over the misty mountains cold

to dungeons deep and caverns old

we must away, ere break of day 

to claim our long forgotten gold

(...)

see you soon <3

OOTD and DIY proactive thinking!

I came to my darling's house for us to get ready for New Year's Eve, which we are going to have here due to the practicality of it.

 and also because this year (and the next) we are committed to spend much less money in all sorts of things so we can afford more quality time instead of just having "time" together.

 *Fluffy Blouse - H&M / Underneath Blouse - Flea Market / Veggie Leather Shorts - Chinese Store/ Demonia Transformer 800 - Second Hand / Pentagram Ring - Androm / Alchemy Gothic Undead Coffin Ring - Second Hand / Mjölnir necklace - Gift from Bf*

and I will not lie.

I really want to afford some things that go beyond the "really need" factor.

for instances, I love to have gel nails. 

(it is my understanding that in the USA and in the UK people use more acrylic nails.)

but I cannot afford the ridiculous prices for a well done job.

I went a couple of times to a more affordable place and the job was so badly done that the nails started falling off after two days.

So I decided to start making my own!

impossible you say? why, no my dear.

I did a great deal of research on the subject and watched an insane amount of Youtube videos, weeded out the nonsense and superficial and in two months time I had bought all the necessary equipment for nail galore manufacturing. now remember, this takes a bit of effort from your part.

but as you can see, the results were divine:

I will be sure to make a post so you can see my materials.

also, you need to be smart and think which materials are best to be bought at a high end store and which ones you can get away with going to the chinese store (or dolar store).

this was my first time only and I'm in love with the results.

also, I believe I will disclose how much each item cost me and the differences in price ranges, all you'll need to know for nail galore.

there will also be a video, so I'm sure I'll cover all aspects of this DIY project, but any questions just ask away! : >

*My Darling Skav always feeding my Belly*

See you soon my dearies <3

 

Bake & Cake for Yule's Eve!

 *In Portugal we do it the Greasy Way*

on the 23rd my mother's kitchen was filled with delicious baking smells!

 pots and bags of ingredients were a plenty from across the table, and the excitement to prepare the typical foods and sweets had completely taken over us.

*Mother's Almond Pie* 

my mother was tired from work, and I had been going around the town gathering a few more supplies for a DIY project I have on the side, (more on that later) and even my father lend a hand!

me and him don't do activities together that often, so I was very happy that we could share this experience.

*Father helping out with the savoury starters*

as it is tradition in Portugal, on Christmas Eve the 24th, we dined boiled cod fish with a side of boiled grain, collard greens, potatoes and carrots, with olive oil, vinegar and chopped garlic to season.

to this dinner we call "Consoada" which comes from the latin "consolata" in the root word "consolare".

this term only appeared in the 17th century.

according to older traditions the table must not be cleaned and none of the plates or glasses should be washed, all of the left overs should stay on the table as a sign of respect for the dead relatives of the family, or for the baby Jesus to come and eat during the night.

 *Our Christmas Lunch*

I have never seen the latter but my grandfather remembers her mother doing this particular tradition.

they lived in a remote part of Portugal.

currently we only leave a table with food overnight if it is the one with all the appetizers, sweets, baked goods, and during the rest of the week that table will have food as long as people don't finish everything or the New Year approaches. 

I shall leave you with our three main dishes for Christmas (Yule) lunch!

yummy, am I right?

*Roasted Fat Chicken with Chestnut Stuffing and Lemon & Orange Sauce*

*Roasted Octopus with Fried Bacon and Mushrooms & Potatoes*

 *Rabbit Stew with Sweet Potatoes & Chestnut Gravy* 

I think I already miss Yule... sigh!

Norge, how I love thee...

Norway.

it has increasingly rise an interest and love in my heart.

 *Bergen, Norway*

I'm quite fond of Scandinavian countries, just the way people carry themselves, much more civilized than most Latin countries. of course you are in your full right to disagree with me, but I live in a Latin country... and most of the times I get flat out shocked on how people living here behave in public spaces, and even to one another.

I know my country has beautiful architecture, landscapes and historical spots that are a must see.

but unfortunately it's the people that make my heart sad. :(

every place has its flaws, and Norway is bound to have a few as well... but you can feel when you belong somewhere. and I always knew... I belong somewhere else.

*Public Park in Bergen*

 

the grass is always green on the other side of the fence, they say.

I have had that experience when I visited England for the first time in my life, and I was smitten by it right away. I really thought my life path had been setting me up to go work and live out the rest of my days in that wonderful gloomy land.

 but fate thought otherwise by entwining my path with a very interesting young man, with family in Norway.

*Typical Norwegian Breakfast*

 

after that I realised we would both be happier living our life there, as true citizens.

life is made of choices.

I love my spouse and this was a choice I made alone, and now I am excitedly working towards that goal.

England will have a major roll in my life forever.

as I know Scotland will also have the moment I'll be able to visit it.

 *Typical Yule Baked Good*

 now we have discovered that the Erasmus program of mobility will still be active in the next school year, and our first thought was immediately "we need to go to Norway!"

If everything goes according to plan, it will be our next university year, the 3rd and last.

this will open a wider door for the possibility of us staying there after graduation. we will know the places and on goings of the culture and we will have roughly 1 year counting towards our citizenship.

*Happy Yule*

Disclaimer:

I tried to use stock photos of beautiful Norway, but if one of these belong to you and you want them removed or credited, please say so and I'll be happy to oblige.

 

Occult spells and deep red wine, but all I see is love

Before the Christmas Eve sparkles down upon us, my dear lover Skav and me went shopping for some warm clothing to keep our lovely pale bones protected from the humid cold that prevails in this country.

I ended up buying some lovely things, but that will constitute another post for sure. ;>

We came upon the most adorable book fair on our way to the shopping mall, and I couldn't stop myself from getting my tiny fingers on some occult literature!

these were all rescued, second-had or donated by publishers. I find this wonderful because the thought of giving new love to an old book just fills my heart with glee.

I completely adore the smell of old books.

the touch and feel of it never ceases to please me. the way the pages crackle and the sound they let go among the collected dust of years past... sheer heaven.

I tend to go for the original language; no translations please; and I know how odd that may sound coming from a translations student. but then again most people think the only job translators have is to sit down and convert a text from one language to another, like reading a story and telling it to another person.

this could not be farther from the truth.

 when I come to this blog, I'm not working. 

I'm just having fun.

I have many particular rules on what language to buy books, but if interest rises I won't mind putting up a few bullet points on the subject. ;>

we shopped until dinner time; and might I say, the entire odyssey of taking ones clothes and trying out new ones, while trying to navigate through a multitude of young teenage girls with their daddy's MasterCard, and withstand the furnace of a heat in the dressing rooms, is enough to make one despair and desist on buying a single sock!

*My darling spouse opening his gifts from his truly*
 

if there's one thing my partner knows about me is that, I do love to eat out at a proper restaurant where you can actually sit down, talk and order a bottle of wine.

sometimes we cannot indulge in these wishes, but since we were already there and it was late, we thought it wouldn't hurt to check out the restaurant area of the shopping mall we were in. 

soon enough we came upon this lovely Italian restaurant (which I'd been itching to try for the past weeks) and the lovely lady at the front door was handing out coupons for a free pizza! 

sadly to say I did not take pictures of the place or the deliciousness of the steamy pizzas, has I am still getting used to carry a camera around and the excitement was a little too much...

you will have to settle for this very unforgiving, and oh so unflattering photo of me laughing among a sea of reds and yellows with wine on my smile and love in my face.

*my darling spouse understands my taste for fine dinning!*

I do believe this is it for now my dears, Yule is almost here and there is much work to be done tomorrow, stirring syrup cauldrons, baking gingerdead men and cooking pumpkin pie (for, I now realise, a very Halloween-themed Christmas... hm.)

have a very special Yule with your loved ones,

that is my wish to you.

<3

I shall share the love

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/4437255/?claim=ynbn3vhtvdy">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

something sweet, something savoury, on a rainy day

I´ve come down with a nasty bug this weekend.

my boyfriend was sick and I stayed with him at his house to care after him, and for the second time in our relationship, we cant's stop ourselves from sharing love germs.

I'm happy to say my tender love and care nursed him back to health.

so, while he went to the shop to get us some goodies for us to cook dinner, I stayed cozy in the sofa wrapped around a mountain of blankets, with ice on my cheek (yes, my tooth is acting up again...) and warm salt in my chest (I'll explain further) for the cough and pain.

he came home with a bag of groceries and romantic chocolate to bright my gloomy day.

 made me melt like a lollipop on a summer day.

I love you my dearest.

now... the salt in the chest:

when I was in England I became very ill with something very similar to this pesky bug. fortunately my friend's boyfriend was studying to be a doctor, so we quickly knew what ailed me and gave a Lithuanian home remedy called a warm poultice, or a cataplasm as it is also known, made out of regular household items.

this can be used to relieve pain, inflammation and accelerate the process of healing.

Lithuanian Salt Poultice Recipe

1 cozy sock

1 packet of table salt

1 frying pan

1 spoon 

Preparation

pop the salt on the frying pan and stir smoothly with a spoon.

continue doing so, and touch the salt with your finger now and then to see how hot it is.

when it reaches the point where it's too hot to poke it, slide the salt to the sock with the spoon.

secure with a knot in the sock and put it on top of your chest over your clothes.

and relax.

see you soon my dearies,

xoxo