October shopping

Yes! Finally a day off!
It's official, my bike's tyre is punctured T^T So this morning my folks gave me a lift to the post office. My idea was to go to send a couple of packages and then take a walk through the stores but I had to change my plans, so I took a walk around the neighbourhood instead. And that's how I made an awesome discovery: there is a huge mall close to my place that sell all kind of things!! Usually I've to stalk Chinese malls and the local 0.99€ shops because I don't have that much money to spend and, unbelievably, I'm able to find the most useful/cute things there, so the thought that I've a new one close at hand it's quite nice.
I know this is not a good sign for the current economic situation, but oh well they're already there and I'm penniless, what should I do?!
Anyway I noticed that I've bought quite a lot of things this month, especially crafting and swap stuff so I decided to make a super useless monthly shopping post (maybe this way I'll realize how much I spend in useless stuff and I'll just stop wasting my money XD ).
Here you go:

Crafting supplies: Pearl glue and glitter glue (I'd begin loads of xmas crafts soon 8D )

Halloweenish embrossed confetti!

Red felt bats tulle 8D

I found this at the market. I bought one with spider webs too, but I used it to make a candy bag for a swap (pics're coming soon :D )

Ok, this is a mysterious object. The label says that it's a magic towel: you put it in wrm water and it'd expand. I can't come up with a decent explanation to the question: "Why he hell did you buy such a thing?!?!?". But to my defence I can say that I was curious and that it cost very few cents. I'll let you know what happen when I'll mercilessly throw it in the water >:D


New nail polish! It's an awesome pearly green/blue & few cute boxes.

Aaaand my new lovely note pad. Just.. aww!!

That's all! Sad to admit that I do have fun shopping.. and that I so want this (stupid sale mails >__< ):

Current Music: Jethro Tull - Up To Me | Powered by Last.fm

50 random things about me....

An extract from "50 random things about me...." swap.

"you will make a list about 50 things that make you who you are:)."

1. When I was a little girl I hate to eat, my mum had to force me and everyone complained cause I did it soooooo slowly XD Now things are fat-ly different..

2. I love music! According to Last.fm the most played song in my mp3 player is “Mysterious ways” by U2. It’s my favourite band, I’ve seen them live twice and I’ve wonderful memories of those gigs. I also like Japanese music, one of my favourite bands is called Dir en grey and I saw them live in Milan in 2009.

3. I’m very messy!! I’m a crafty person and I’ve always lot of stuff lying around the room. When I’m making some project and I’m preparing an exam a the same time, since I’ve no time to lose, I put everything on the floor. It happens that sometimes I’ve to see where I put my feet in order not to step on something. My mum hates me during these periods XD

4. I love xmas! I spent it with my family that’s rather large. I love the atmosphere and the warm sensations and memories it brings to me.

5. I love to trave, but sadly I can’t afford the costs, since I’m a penniless student, so I go abroad just once a year (especially on summer). Last august I’ve been to Santorini. I loved it, it’s a small island, so were able to visit all of it. I took a lot of photos and I’ll always keep a great memory of that place. Then I’ve been to Berlin with my friends last year. We visited the city in 4 days, we walked so much! And I’ve been to Prague on a school trip. I really liked both of them.

10. I’ve my grandmother’s (the mum of my dad) name I used to hate it, but now I’m very fond of it .

13. I study marketing at uni, but I wanted to study oriental languages when I finished high school. I thought that a marketing degree’d be make me find a better job. All the marketing classes are very interesting, they teach us how to understand people and give them what they want and I really like the creative side of this work. It’s hard to explain, actually we kinda fool with people to make them buy stuff that they don’t really need, but we work hard to get that result!

15. I love reading novels! When I went to elementary school my teachers used to organize games based on some books we had to read. I loved to do it and always red lot of books. My favourites were Roal Dahl’s stories..

24. I hate the cold weather! I was born in a city with the sea and I miss it terribly. I love snow though!

25. I’d like to work on a cruise liner.

26. I like basketball, beach volley and volleyball. I’m not a sporty person, but I love to watch and yeah, also practice them sometimes.

27. I’m such a forgetful person!! I always have to carry around with me a pad, to note down my ideas or I can forget them a second after they pop into my mind!

28. I love beer! I collect empty bottles after drinking the contents. One of my favourites is from Belgium, it’s called “Pêche”, it tastes like peach.

29. I joined scout lately. I’m doing the course to become a scout educator and I’ve to say that I’m really excited about it. The group of guys is awesome and they all make me feel at ease. I think it’ll be a wonderful experience.

31. I don’t have a driving licence, so I move around with my bike! I’m very ecologic XD

32. I had a lock of hair coloured in magenta last year, I was so proud of it :D

36. My parents always mock me cause when we do long trips with the car, the moment I sit down I fall asleep XD

37. I’ve a terrible hatred toward bugs.

38. I like to cook once in a while, especially snacks, cakes and sweet stuff since I’m “kinda” greedy. I eat pancakes with ice cream and I put walnut cut in big pieces in the hot chocolate. I love sandwiches with tomato sauce and meat balls and once I ate a huge piadina (it looks like Arabic bread, very thin but soft) filled with roast and creamed potatoes. SO.DAMN.TASTY!

39. When we were kids during holidays my parents brought my bro and me to our house in a village in Tuscany called Poggioferro. It was in the middle of the country, but an hour far from the Argentario, that’s a wonderful place. My parents want to sell the house, since it’s old and ruined but I love that village and my bro and I promised to reorganize it when we’ll have enough money.

40. I love to stay in bed a bit longer after waking up in the morning, especially when it’s cold. And I sleep hugging my pillow XD

41. I like bright colours!

44. I hate math!

50. Since I was little I have this habit to take a lock of hair between my thumb and forefinger so that its end pinch the tip of the middle finger.

Music:摩天楼オペラ - Genesis | Powered by Last.fm

Jrock_SWAP ....〆(･ω･｀*) - Halloween swap - part 1

Yes, it's me again. With another swap. But this time I'm supah excited cause I'm the one who organized it in my community and I'm happy to see that people do an awesome job. I'd receive another package anytime soon, but let's begin with this first one that actually made my day since I had troubles coming back home today: my bike has a flat tyre and I discovered it while pedaling around the city.
Have you any idea how difficult it is to actually move with a flat tyre?! At the beginning I thought: "Man I really should go jogging from time to time, I can't even stand 5 minutes WTH!! Am I that fat?!", then the freacking thing began to shake and make grim noises on his own accord and it hits me! I just hope it's not punctured D:
Anyway, let me show you some jrock love >:D

Halloween swap @ jrock_swap

"every swappers'll have 2 partners and to each of them you'll have to send:
a) a nice Halloween card jrock related!!;
b) ... Halloween sweets;
c) a little Halloween themed present ... Halloween themed"

Packages make you feel better

Ugh! Two more days and for the moment I'll be done with stupid exams. It's cold, rainy and the mood is under the shoes, but few news lately kinda made me feel all better!
First, this morning the postman came and ringed the bell (she must be like Hulk, cause she jammed the ringbell and it ringed for half an hour before we managed to stop the damn thing!!) and delivered a package I was waiting from a swap.

swap @ packageexchange

The box


*opens it*

Kiwi's Blogger Follower Swap #2

"BLOGGER Follower swap #2" @ swap-bot

Current Music: Kagrra, - 四季 | Powered by Last.fm

I love your blog

Here I am with another post. I won't talk about my stuff, so this'd be interesting XD

I swap with Swap-bot!

"..go to your partners blog and grab a button, you have to link them in your own blog, so your followers and readers will know your partners later =) Write an entry talking about this swap, and write what you like the most of your partner´s blog."

Aside you can see all my partners' buttons and now I can finally write a review of each one!!

50 Questions Answered

An extract from "50 Questions Answered" swap

I swap with Swap-bot!

"Copy and paste the questions below into a email, answer them and email it to the partners assigned."

1.What was your favorite food when you were a child?

I remember quite good that my mum had to force me to eat when I was a kid. I hated food back then, even if I’ve always had this passion for sweet stuff.

2.What’s the #1 most played song on your iPod?

According to Last.fm it’s “Mysterious ways” by U2.

10.What sound do you love?

The sound of my bass and deep male singers’ voices

11.If you could throw any kind of party, what would it be like and
what would it be for?

I used to do dress-up themed party with my friends when we were in high school! It was very fun and we took loads of silly pictures. So a huge dress-up with an awesome theme and lots of people I guess!

12.If you could paint a picture of any scenery you’ve seen before, what would you paint?

This! Definitely! It’s a photo I took in Portici that’s a city close to Torre del Greco (my birthplace) in province of Naples. My dad took me there to take a walk one evening. It’s really inspiring..

14.If you knew the world was ending in 2012, what would you do differently?

I’ll ignore my shyness and do things I’d never do now, like glomp a handsome stranger in public XD

16.If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

I’d love to learn how to read people’s thoughts >:D

17.If you had to work on only one project for the next year, what would it be?

Sew my own collection of clothes! Or the London project (more achievable!!).

18.If you were immortal for a day, what would you do?

Something stupid and lethal without worrying about the consequences.

24.If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose?

Sam Winchester 8D (from “Supernatural”).

27.What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life?

U2 for sure! But it depends on the period, I guess, cause I listen to different kind of music according to my mood/the occasion/the current activity/…

29.What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?

Well, it’s difficult to get me all teary, but “Little miss sunshine” it’s somehow touching for me every time I see it.

36.What is your first memory of being really excited?

First? Oh I know!! When I received a huge, super accessorized play-kitchen! I loved it!

42.Which is the most funniest prank played on you or played by you?

I remember a prank played on me by a friend in high school: he tied my shoe laces’ around the desk’s leg and when our teacher asked for someone to go at the blackboard to solve an exercise he called her and said I was offering. In the meantime I noticed what he did and tried to shush him and untie the knot at the same time! Luckily the bell save me!

43.If given a choice, which animal would you want to be? Why?

A cat! I’d like to be cuddled all day along! Purr!

47.What is your favorite book?

I’ve a lot of favourites, but I’ll say “Hiob” by J. Roth (my favourite author when I was little was R. Dahl instead :D )

48.Where is one place you would love to travel?

Japan for sure!!

Current Music: Massive Attack - Teardrop | Powered by Last.fm

Stuff my handbag

Waaaah I received a package from Israel today 8D This because I joined "Stuff my handbag" swap last month!

I swap with Swap-bot!

"Take a handbag/purse ... and stuff it with almost everything you can think of that you would find in your own purse. "

The box I got this morning

Inside

Oreo + melted white chocolate make the win!

Quick update to share this recipe I tried today: Cookies 'N Cream Candy

I know it doesn't look pretty, but damn it is goooood!
And today's shopping. Embarassing, really..

Current Music: Kagrra, - 四季 | Powered by Last.fm

Handmade bookmarks

"Handmade bookmarks" swap

I swap with Swap-bot!

"send 2 handmade bookmarks to your partner"

Yesterday I received my package, so it's only fair to share what I got and what I made for my swap-partner.

Here it is, from USA

Loooooove the red one :D

And these are the bookmarks I made

The "put it in the page's corner" one is unusual as bookmark but cute :D

Oh, since I can't draw I used as template pics I found around the net for the star and the puppy. So credit to the artist!

Current Music: Portishead - Roads | Powered by Last.fm

Happy b.day to me :D

Yaay! 22 years old and I don't feel them XD

The past two birthdays were.. well, not nice. Sad stuff happened, but this year it was actually better!

The cake my mum made for me :D

And, as usual, when these kind of occasions come I always do a lot of thinking (baaaaad bad thing to do!).
I know it's trite, but still I can't help but think that despite few big (surprising) changes the things remained pretty much the same. And it's kinda awful XD !
Of course everything that happened made me change somehow (I hope for the better), but I'm the same as one year ago. Or at least this is what I think.
A thing that I noticed is that I became quite nerdy in the past few years. But even if someone ( ... ) scold me about this I don't regret it: as lame as it sound I discovered lots of things on the net that became few of my most enjoyable hobbies.
I learned English on my own reading stuff on the net and chatting with people around the world. I'm quite proud of my improvements even if my pronunciation sounds just like Mr. Pirelli's (from "Sweeney Todd") and this is a point that needs to be refined.
This to prevent any "omg, get a life!" thoughts. I mean, I've one, it's just plain boring in some periods so I need to find something new to do..

Talking about new things to do I made an elephant for a friend who's about to take off for the US. It's my birthday and I'm making a gift for someone else, ain't I super awesome XD ?!
He/she's cute though.

As first attempt in making plush I'm quite satisfied :D
Aaah I'd stop writing so much randomness..

Current Music: Titus Andronicus - Four Score Part Two | Powered by Last.fm

November challenge @ Bloggers United

"Are you ready for our first blog prompt challenge? For the month of November we are doing a four part prompt challenge. ... Over the next four weeks you will be sent an Question or subject to write a blog post about. The prompt will be sent on the Friday evening (London time, morning for those over the ponds), and should be completed by the time the following prompt will be delivered."

So, Bloggers United  hosted this nice challenge and I decided to try! It'll be the first time I do something similar and I'll do my best. I actually can't wait to start! :D
I get excited for the silliest things, have you noticed? XD

Current Music: RENTRER EN SOI - Crystal letter | Powered by Last.fm

Write On/Wipe Off Calendar

Aaah I'm making so much stuff lately. Like really A LOT! But I'm happy, I enjoy working on different projects with various materials. I've always wanted to do such things and I've to say that my laziness had never helped me, so I've never started it seriously. But joining CO+K and swap-bot was so very helpful (or the beginning of the end, it depends on your point of view): it's sad to say but having a deadline actually makes me work "better", I manage to defeat my epic laziness and create something.
I'm making lot of stuff that I'll send to my swap-partners, but to organize all the work and the precious deadlines I made myself a calendar.
I found the idea on that awesome site that's CO+K and I create my own version.

I choose some anime images as background

5 swaps, 2 exams and my b.day are already scheduled!

Easy and oh so cool >:D

Current Music: Noir Désir - L'Enfant Roi | Powered by Last.fm

Gesminus

We made Gesminus this evening at home.
It's a typical sardinian sweet, very similar to meringues, so it's very easy to make. The difference is that they're full of almonds and the recipe requires orange flower water.
I read that their name derives from the jasmine: in the past they used the jasemine's essence to confection them, then replaced with the orange flower water.
This is the photo of the magazine in which we found the recipe:

And this is our result, as you can see I made a little variation >:D

(before the baking)

(after)

Oh so yummy!! :D

Current Music: Joanna Newsom - Baby Birch | Powered by Last.fm

In my room.. (again!)

I joined this swap called just "In My Room.. (Again!)" days ago because I thought it'd be fun to take a peek in other people's rooms. Not in a nosey way though, more like I'm curious to see where other people in the world spend their time.

I swap with Swap-bot!

"you'll take at least 5 photos of your bedroom - big picture, little details, the monster under your bed, messy, clean, whatever! just show off your bedroom space"

So I took "some" photos around my room and this is what I sent to my partners:

I love my yellow walls! In the afternoon the sunlight enters in my room and everything turn orange! It's so beautiful and very Mediterranean XD

Current Music: Die So Fluid - Raven | Powered by Last.fm