the flower market

On my last day in L.A. (all those many months ago) we went to the flower market. It wasn't quite what I was expecting but it was still beautiful with all the colors and sweet smells of the flowers. After much deliberation we got a bouquet to bring to my grandparents.

kendall

the thing about traveling

The funny thing about traveling is, when every day routine and familiar surroundings and knowing-what-to-expect has all been stripped away, you are left with just the essence of your soul. Without distractions, you only have what's in front of you to fill you up and maybe break you down. And when you're sitting in front of the Eiffel Tower crying, futilely wiping away tears with the back of your hand as they fall faster, everything makes brutal sense and at the same time no sense at all. But the best thing about traveling is that, in the midst of the walking and the talking and the street lights blinking from green to yellow to red, you might just find yourself.

cc

diy ombre shirt

Today, we've got a lovely guest post from Fernweh reader Kryn. She emailed us with this DIY, pointing out that we hadn't had as many recently, and we instantly knew we had to share her ombre shirt diy. What do you think?

I know neon has been around for a while now, but I didn't really jump on the bandwagon until a few days ago. I'd seen several ombre shirts and such, and I wanted to try my hand at one. Give it a try, the total cost of this project is $9, so it's an affordable way to get a little neon in your wardrobe!

First gather these things, along with one cup of water. You also might want to use a different bottle than the one the Tumble Dye comes with - I found it didn't work so well. (And yes, Angela Merkel is really excited, Germany loves neon too!)

ONE: Spread out your shirt on the newspaper (you may want to layer a plastic bag under it, just in case there are any drips) 2: Begin spraying the shirt. You can start at the top or bottom. THREE: Add 1/2 - 1 tablespoon water to the dye. Shake it so it mixes. 4: Spray a little further down, about 3 inches. 5: Repeat steps 3 & 4 (as many times as you like). Let the shirt dry COMPLETELY. 6: Set the dye by drying the shirt in the dryer on high for 20 minutes. 

Much love, 
Kryn
p.s. Just to let you know, I know the hearts on the 2nd photo don't really go, I used them just because I didn't realize there was a woman hardly clothed next to the shirt. Please excuse my little error...

august mixtape.

This playlist is especially good because there are so many songs on here that I love (ie. Atlas Hands) and it makes me happy that collectively, we have such great taste in music ;) Hope you all have a lovely   August full of good music.

i want...

A lovely Fernweh reader Bethany (currently blog-less but leave her lots of kind comments anyway!) emailed this piece to us. It really resonated with me, and I think you'll like it too.

I want to turn cartwheels in the rain and stand on the roof and shout my favorite quote to the world. 

I want to get shivers from looking at the sky.

I want to inspire people to laugh because it's fun, and write even if they think they have nothing to say. 

I want midnight strolls to clear my head, and nights where heart-to-hearts seem the thing to do. 

I want sudden revelations and rainy days spent at antique shops and coffee houses.

I want the second to blend into minutes while I sit doing nothing and everything.

I want to see something that makes me cry with wonder and makes me think about life and my existence on this spinning globe flying through infinity. 

But mostly I just want you. 

tiny stories from the big city

I just got back from my holiday, and one of the things that struck me most was the sheer volume of  New Yorkers going about their daily lives. They were running errands, going to work, and living the kind of life that called NYC home. Everyone clearly had their own reasons for being there. Their own explanations for their actions. Their own stories to tell. And my family loved the people-watching. Living in a city like New York is so different to living in a village like ours and I for one grabbed any moment I could to step back, pause, and watch the 'show'.
Several people and situations interested more than others. There was one woman I saw swapping her flat shoes for patent heels around the corner from an office block. What was her job? Where was she walking from that she couldn't wear heels? Or just wear flats at work?
Then there's the stunning habadashery shop that we happened upon, filled with colourful and sparkly trim, run by two relatively dressed-down women. I was curious as to how you could resist trimming everything you owned with lime green pompoms, working in a place like that. I wondered if there were actually crazy buttons or funky trims on their clothes, hidden by the counter or the apron.
I even got distracted in a bookstore, one place where I'm normally completely and utterly absorbed in my shopping! A boy and his dad were walking up and down the aisles, as they collected a growing stack of dystopiaN fiction and paranormal novels. I wondered if they were all for the boy, or if his father was a fan and they were bonding over it. Had they read some of the few dystopian novels that I had enjoyed? And did the scarier elements leave them awake at night too, wondering about the world?
Most of what I saw sparked stories in my brain, and I also instantly tried to connect myself in some way to those people who interested me. I couldn't help but be curious about the whys and wherefores. Whenever I travel, there are certain people that I remember. Ones I had just briefly passed on the street, but that were so representative of a trip that I can't forget them.
Do you have any people-watching stories to tell?
xx
L

august desktop

I'm having trouble realizing that it's already August. I feel as if June had just beckoned and the promise of the summer was in everyone's eyes. As August rolls on by, I'm secretly excited to start prepping for the fall (including school), but I'm not ready to part ways with summer just yet. This month's desktop (after a break in July), celebrates the end of summer while still welcoming fall.

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