I’m really crushing on this house.  I don’t think it suits where it’s been built, but I appreciate the design of it.  I love how it’s vertically open and still maintains a relationship with the second smaller studio at the back of the house.  It’s just what I would like in the house we one day build.  I love the use of metal walkways and balustrades to continue to give the place a sense of transparent structure.

The house was designed by Swedish architects Elding Oscarson, and they provide some history and description of the site:

The narrow site is sandwiched between very old neighboring buildings in Landskrona, Sweden. Since mid 20th century it has been empty, waiting behind a wooden fence. It is only 5 meters wide with a tiny area of 75 square meters.

It’s truly amazing what people can do with a tiny space.  Makes you wonder why we all think we need McMasions to live in.

Found via Hindsvik.

For this weeks Flickr Faves Mitsy set us some homework.  This week’s theme was set for us; Self Portrait.  We were tasked with finding images that represented who we are.  So without further ado here’s the 9 images I chose to speak to who I am at this moment in time.  The lists is by no means definite or exhaustive. It’s just 9 somewhat random images.

1. gnome – This one is a no brainer in some ways and yet in others it’s surprising.  My gnome “fetish” was well over a decade ago and yet I still have this link to gnomes.  It’s one that I propigate through my own choices, but it still amazes me that these little guys keep coming up in my life.  Sometimes the gnome thing is really random and then at other times it seems apt.  I’m sure when I move on to the next stage in my adventure a gnome will adorn my body’s final resting place.  I just hope it’s a tasteful one, like this one, and not some $2 Crazy Clark’s job!

2. Colored Pens #8,- I love stationery.  I’m a mad pen collector.  I might not drink coffee, but I have a coffee mug collection that grows just to house all the pens I acquire.  I love notepads, blank paper, wrapping paper, envelopes, cards, stickers and the list goes on and on.  There’s nothing more thrilling than a fresh notebook.  That first beautifully empty page.  I love the beginning of a school year when school supplies litter all the shops.  I love stationery!

3. Groovy Rainbow Cupcake,- Food.  I’ve had a constant battle with food.  I love to bake and I love to eat.  Two things that have not been conducive to a healthy lifestyle.  My relationship with food is changing and evolving and I want to be able to still have fun with my food and enjoy my life through my enjoyment of food.

4. star dust and rainbows. 156:365, – I love rainbows.  I love colour.  Lots of colour.  Bold colour.  I also love Converse Chuck Taylor shoes and mad socks.  Rainbows are happy.  I love to be happy.  Happiness is a state that I want to be in for the largest chunk of my life.   I love this image.

5. Tattoo pioeuvre 9,- Much to the misunderstood amusement of my friends and family I love tattoo’s.  I have four.  Two rather large and prominently placed and two smaller pieces.  I will get more.  I love them on other people (when they’re done well); regardless of their age, race, size or subject matter.  To me they’re like a living canvas.  I love the images that people chose to carry with them.  The stories behind them.  The technique that is used to make them.  I love them.  I will continue to think that people that have them are beautiful in their own way, and that the tattoo doesn’t distract from that.  I don’t regret mine, and I hope that those that get tattoo’s don’t regret theirs either.

6. I Want To Read: cover,- I’m a bookworm.  I love a good book.  Although I suspect what I consider to be “good” is not to everyone’s taste.  I love getting lost in a book.  I love the sense of accomplishment when I finish a book.  I love listening to people read from books.  I love going to bookstores and wondering the story picking up and caressing various books.  I’m a bibliophile and proud of it!

7. Girl Painting a Rainbow,- First off, I love the name of this image.  It sounds like it should be a Rollingstone’s song.  I love being creative.  I love to take objects and re-purposing  them.  I love the imagination.  I love seeing what others come up with.  I love the design revolution that’s happening now.  I love spending hours looking online at what people have created and how they incorporate the design trends and their own quirky style into their homes.  I love getting my hands dirty in the creative process.

8. A-Maze-Ing Laughter, – A day without laughter is like a day without sun.  It’s not right.  I can’t get enough of laughing.  I love to laugh; I love to make others laugh.  I love hearing a child just cracking up with their own laughter.  I love watching other people laugh.  I love infectious laughter that flows from one person to another.  I love a good joke.  I love a smartarse comment.  I love a witty insight.  A good pun.  I love a fart joke.  I want to laugh.  I believe our bodies were built for laughter.  I believe laughter is the sound of love.  I want to see this sculpture in person!

9. Macro Game Piece Monday – I’m an online gamer.  I’m addicted to playing an online game.  I love it.  I love playing board games and card games with my friends.  I love strategy and I love the escapism.  I love games.  I love nothing more then a good meal, great company and a few rounds of various games as a good night in.  I love trivia nights.  I love competition.  I love playing.

I loved this task so much it inspired a redesign of my blog theme where I chose photo’s from my life that I have taken that I feel represent all the great things in my life.  (With the exception of friends and family because I didn’t want to use their images without permission.)  I also realised that I used ‘love’ a lot in this task and I think it’s reflective of where I am at the moment.  I’m loving life.  Are you loving your life?

♣♣♣♣♣♣

Wanna see more wonderful self portraits?  Or maybe you want to submit your own.  Head on over to Artmind where Ms Misty is hosting the Flickr Fave party.  Happy St Patrick’s Day!

I can’t stop looking at this image.  The combination of that oh-so-inviting water and the lush greens of the garden.  That little hint of purple foliage and the shine in her hair.  Down to the wonderful red of her fingernails.  I can almost feel the warmth of the sun in this painting.

I would die to have this painting hanging in our home.  I’m in serve artist lust at the moment.  This is amazing.

Check out more of Diego Gravinese at his Flickr or his website (which is currently under construction but has his contact details there).

I have a weak spot for pop and this artist pushes all those secret buttons.  I can’t help it, I really do dig her music.  It’s like candy.

This film clip epitomizes the reason she’s the star of the moment in the music industry.  It’s got all the great elements that a film clip should have.  Catchy tune, fashion forward diva’s, the car from Kill Bill and a Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.  It also pokes fun at some of the rumors that have been swirling around Lady Gaga for the past twelve months.

All in all I love it.

I found this house on Hindsvik and I’ve fallen in love with it.  Admittedly I would have a tad more colour, plant life and wall coverings; but the principals of the house are brilliant.  I love how the house doesn’t look like much from the street but it’s normal facade hides something special behind it.

The house has been designed by Suppose Design Office and is in Buzen, Japan.

I adore the ‘arcades’ in the house.  It would be like having a alfresco cafe in your own house.  I also love the idea of having a clear ceiling where the house is directly influenced by the environment.  Imagine laying in bed and watching the stars as you fall asleep.  Only one small problem would be if you had neighbours that looked into your home.  You’d have to be awfully careful when bathing.

Heating and cooling would also be an interesting proposition.  Practicality aside it’s a rather lovely home.

This time five years ago HUBBY and I made our union official and were married at the National Gallery of Australia.

Five years seems like a major milestone, but both of us have been really blase about it.  We had a hard year last year and it really tested us.  But we bounced back and now I feel like we’re stronger than ever.

It’s amazing how every day brings something new.  Just when you think there’s nothing more you can learn something funny happens.  Everyday is a mini adventure.  It’s wonderful.  I’m a big advocate for a good marriage; which is what I think we have.

Case in point, I woke up the other day and headed for my morning (afternoon by the time I woke) shower to find this message written in bathroom crayon. (No, we don’t have kids. Yes, I have bathroom crayons. No, you can’t borrow them.)  It cheered me up immensely and made me do the “Awwww…” thing.

He is my best friend.  He is the first person I want to talk to.  He is the person I look to for comfort and advice.  He is the one that holds all my secrets as if they were his own.  He’s the one that lets me constantly touch him inappropriately.  He’s the one that laughs as loud as I do about fart jokes.  He’s my everything and I am one very lucky gnome to have him in my life.  Happy anniversary Baby, I love you to binoculars!

1. I Carry Your Heart Necklace - This is from one of my favourite poems by e.e.cummings.  I love the simple design of this pendant.  It’s just so wonderful.

2. Drawer Ring – How awesome is this ring?  I love it, it’s like a spy ring.  I can only imagine the cool things you could hide in this ring.

3. Tea Roses Stacking Ring – I love these colours and the funky style of the stacking rings.  Would love to add these to my collection.

4. Bowl of Cherries Ring – Too cute!  I’m going through a bit of a cherry phase at the moment and this cute little stacking ring is just what I’d like.  Anyone want to buy it for me? *wink*

5. Green Rose Earrings -  You can’t go past the classic green and pink combination, add to that some bling and roses and you’ve got a winner.

6. Make Do and Mend - I’m really starting to embrace this as a motto for life.  There’s so many things that we’ve got in this house that can be repurposed and save us money and the environment.  I love this poster.

7. Sea Urchin Collection - This is so amazing and unique.  I can only image how cool it would feel as well.  I love the soft pink tones and the addition of the little bit of sparkle.

8. Slut Teacup - If only I drank tea I could buy this without feeling guilty.  Alas I don’t.  I love the collection of china in this Etsy store.  The subversive text is just so wonderful, if not a little inappropriate.  In a good way!

Today’s creative space is rather similiar to last weeks only on a bigger scale.  I’m currently embroidering this image from Andrea over at BadBirds.  I was originally intending to do it all in red, but then I started and for some reason I picked other colours.  (I did chuckle that the colour I originally planned to use is number #666 from DMC.  It’s the red in this photo.)  I’m hoping to have it finished this week before I head back to work next week.

To add to the wonderful experience I’m having with stitching at the moment my little present from Etsy turned up today…

I purchased it from Namolio and it’s just as divine in person as it is in that photo.  I’m not sure I’ll be able to bring myself to actually use it, it’s just too wonderful.

If you’d like to see more Creative Spaces, or even add your own, head over to Kootoyoo.

Megan @ Simple Pleasures

Thank you to all who took the time to read, comment and enter.  Your lovely comments mean the world. Thank you!

This is why I adore Twitter so much.  One of my Tweeps sent me this message:

Click on the image link and I was greeted with this:

This is all kinds of wonderful!  Thanks @elimaschio you made my day!