inspired by san i thought i’d share my beauty spring favorites with you as well :) you will notice quite a few german products because, well… i live in germany. i apologize if you can’t get them where you live but at the same time i would like to offer to serve as your “dealer” if there’s something you really, really want to try and send it to you. i’m sure we can work something out :)

1.) balea getönte feuchtigkeitscreme = a tinted moisturizer. my best friend uses it and i tried it when i visited her last weekend. right away i found it to be perfect for my after-winter-white-as-a-ghost face. plus, it gives a bit of coverage as well which is great since i try to not use a foundation every day any more to give my skin a break after all that bare minerals covering up for two years or so… it’s very light but i still “mix it” with a little bit of my normal moisturizer – yes, i’m that white *sigh* – and i think it looks very natural and i’m loving it.

2.) alverde products. i tried to narrow it down to a couple of my favorite products but realized i really couldn’t. i just love all of their products. it’s a german brand of natural products with mostly certified organic ingredients. right now i’m using their eye cream, powder, foundation and blush, daily moisturizer and night cream… love it all!

3.) volume & define (GER) / liquid line definer (US) eyeliner by maybelline new york – i’ve tried a lot of different eye liners over the years. never have been this happy with one before. it’s really easy to use, it’s a nice and dark black (as opposed to the grey-ish color of a lot of the other ones i’ve tried before) and it absolutely lasts all day without smudging or anything. another plus is the price and the liner lasts months (with daily use) before you have to buy a new one. i absolutely love it.

4.) stretch&define (GER) / define-a-lash (US) mascara by maybelline new york – again, have tried a lot over the years. i always use waterproof mascara because i’m wearing contact lenses and this one is easy to apply, actually parts the lashed nicely and lasts forever as well. no smudging, keeps my lashes curled up nicely and has a nice, dark black color.

5.) rival de loop (rossmann) fruchtsäure peeling / fruit acid exfoliating scrub – refines the skin very gently. i love using it a couple times a week in the evening just before going to bed. you put it on, leave it for a few minutes (and it gives you the tiniest of a tingling sensation) before gently scrubbing and taking it off again. it just feels good and like your face is really, really clean. love.

6.) essence show your feet intensive repair balm – i have dry skin. especially in the winter time from lack of air/sun for the skin and dry air from the heat. dry hands, body and feet. so i pretty much use this all year almost every day. which i think is even more important now that the flip-flops, sandals and bare-feet season is about to start (yay!). speaking of feet: i think there’s still too many people out there who are not taking good care of their feet and then “share” the disaster with everyone during the summer = fail. sorry.

now, what are your favorite beauty essentials?

this is one of my all time favorite photos. of one of my favorite flowers. i took it on easter sunday of last year at some friends’ house in their absolutely beautiful backyard. it just makes me happy and giddy for spring :) but that’s not the only reason i’m sharing this photo today. i’m sharing this because i would love a new camera bag in my favorite color and – believe it or not – i can win one just by sharing this photo with you. so it’s a win-win and me likey :)

beyond snapshots is having this contest and of course i’m in! red is one of my favorite colors and i would really LOVE a new camera bag. or, you know, A camera bag since i don’t have one at all. i just usually put my camera in my zing bag and then carry it around in whatever purse/bag i’m using that day. i think that should really change. plus, that bag is really pretty… just go and look for yourselves…

It’s been a while and why not? (plus, all the cool chicks are doing it, so…)

1. What kind of SOAP is in your bathtub right now?
nivea diamond touch creme oil, philosophy cinnamon buns and some cheap local drugstore brand “honey-milk” or something…

2. Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator?
unfortunately not…

3. What would are you going to change about your living room?
a lot actually. we’re gonna have new laminate floors in the new place and plan on painting one of the walls a nice color. also, there will be NO DESK in the new living room but instead we’re going to have our dining table there right in front of the big window(s). overall a lot less furniture and clutter. i cannot wait!!!

4. Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty?
probably dirty.

5. What is in your fridge?
off the top of my head (i’m not at home right now): cranberry juice, milk (0.3% and 1.5%), buttermilk, beer, cream cheese, salsa, maple syrup, lemon juice, mustard, worcestershire sauce, lettuce, carrots, potatoes, bell pepper, sliced turkey breast…

6. White or wheat bread?
whole wheat.

7. What is on top of your refrigerator?
wine rack, small sound tube for ipod, a small basket for “crap” and a fruit bowl
(with too little fruit in it right now)

8. What color or design is on your shower curtain?
milky white with circles/dots in orange, green, yellow, light blueish…

9. How many plants are in your home?
hmm, dead or alive? j/k. does basil count? well then seven plus the ones on the balcony.

10. Is your bed made right now?
nah. we never really make our bed. there, i said it.

11. Comet or Soft Scrub?
i don’t even know what that is…

12. Is your closet organized?
i wish. it was if we had nearly enough room for all our sh*t. i like organized closets and hope that’s going to change in the new place. C’s side is pretty organized. he’s kinda anal about his clothes…

13. Can you describe your flashlight?
um, i think the one we have was an incentive or something and is a mini maglite…

14. Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home?
glass. always. we have a few plastic cups for visiting kids but i don’t like to drink out of plastic.

15. Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now?
nope. don’t really like iced tea.

16. If you have a garage, is it cluttered?
i don’t have a garage.

17. Curtains or blinds?
both in the living room and bedroom. blinds only in the bathroom and kitchen.

18. How many pillows do you sleep with?
between one and two. one for my head and sometimes one between my legs cause it’s more comfy.

19. Do you sleep with any lights on at night?
no way. we need it as dark as possible.

20. How often do you vacuum?
once-twice a week. usually C’s job but because i don’t always agree that once a week is enough i sometimes do it a second time.

21. Standard toothbrush or electric?
usually standard. i have an electric one but the batteries are empty…

22. What color is your toothbrush?
right now it’s white + orange.

23. Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch?
no front porch. we have a mat in front of the apartment door though. it’s got sunflowers on it.

24. What is in your oven right now?
nothing as far as i know…

25. Is there anything under your bed?
oh yeah. crap. again, because we don’t have enough room. there’s two plastic containers with sheets and stuff, a sleeping bag, a couple extra pillows and our toolbox(es).

26. Chore you hate doing the most?
mopping.

27. What retro items are in your home?
i have a really old bottle opener from when my parents first moved in together. it’s wooden and metal. we also have a few beer-steins from the swap meet (that’s C’s department). would that be considered retro?

28. Do you have a separate room that you use as an office?
not yet but we will in just a couple of months. YAY. it’s going to be our office and guestroom.

29. How many mirrors are in your home?
one in the bathroom, a bigger one in the hallway, two doors of our current wardrobe are mirrored and we have one hanging at the wall in the bedroom. also, four mirror-tiles on the bedroom door outside.

30. Do you have any hidden emergency money around your home?
nope. unless you count C’s change-jar as emergency money. i run out of cash all the time…

31. What color are your walls?
still white. that’s also about to change ;)

32. Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home?
no. we can always throw the cat at intruders :)

33. What does your home smell like right now?
fresh air i hope. we usually keep almost all the windows open during the day. i have a raspberry-candle in the living room right now so that’s what it’s going to smell like tonight.

34. Favorite candle scent?
i love apple-pie, vanilla (if it’s not too strong) and berry-sents (if they’re not too sweet).

35. What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now?
none. yuck.

36. What color is your favorite Bible?
don’t have one. never had one. doubt i’ll ever have one.

37. Ever been on your roof?
no.

38. Do you own a stereo?
yeah, we still do. the CD-player is broken though (i got it for my 16th b-day if i remember correctly) and we use the DVD-player to play music CDs (of we do). also, the TV is hooked up through the stereo.

39. How many TVs do you have?
two. one (sweet, big LCD) in the living room and one (our old one) in the bedroom. we never watch TV in the bedroom though and the second TV will go into the office/guestroom at the new place.

40. How many house phones?
one.

41. Do you have a housekeeper?
oh man, that would be SUEET!

42. What style do you decorate in?
i like it modern(ish) with not too much clutter. light colors (mostly white and wood) mixed with dots of color.

43. Do you like solid colors in furniture or prints?
yes, i like solid colors in furniture.

44. Is there a smoke detector in your home?
i don’t think so.

45. In case of fire, what are the items in your house which you’d grab if you only could make one quick trip?
the cat and my photo-albums. as many as i could carry.

obviously – and according to san – i need incentives these days to blog more often. so this tagging-game – originally started by mrs. fabulous – came just at the right time i guess… and here it goes: my nightstand.

water, the book i’m currently reading (it’s okay but nothing great…), (hand-)lotions, chap-stick, ear-plugs so i can sleep even when a certain somebody is snoring, hair-bands, an ancient picture of C and me but one of my favorites and my tumult-angel – my secret santa gift last year…

i’m not going to tag anyone but you’re all more than welcome to play and let me know so i can check out what’s on your nightstand. also, i’m wishing all of you a happy weekend. xoxoxo

i saw this over at ulli’s and really love the idea. it’s fun to do and read, so here you go.
my july 31st 2008 in pictures:

i love it when a day starts like this…

stupid cat took a dump on the rug. she does this sometimes, for no apparent reason, just to piss me off. i swear. i ruled out all other possible reasons. she’s mad about something = shitty rug. this one finally went in the trash that morning…

feeling much better after my shower though :)

can you believe that after what she did she still has the guts to yell at me for food? of course she does. and of course she got food, too. because a starved cat would be much more inconvenient than a little cat-shit every once in a while…

getting a broetchen for breakfast at the bakery across the street. it’s nice to have a place like that where they still know your name, have time for a chat, sell the bread by the slice because some of the older customers who live alone just can’t eat a whole bread before it goes bad and you just “pay the next time” when you happen to have forgotten your money…

riding my bike to work in the sun. a little late [as usually] but, ooookay…

guess what was on my desk when i came in: a package from amazon, containing this beauty :)

but first things first. coffee!

now it’s time to get to work unpack. isn’t she pretty? :)

of course, the day at work is draaaaaaagging along. is it 6:00 [18:00] yet?

cause i’m hot and tired and i just wanna get outta here!

even though we’re pretty lucky in our building because we have high seilings, are in the bottom two floors and it doesn’t get too hot, it’s still nice to have a fan today!

FINALLY out of the office and at a biergarten with antje [who in the bottom right of the picture is just getting us drinks!]

ahhhh, berliner weisse. perfect two wrap up the day in the summer… prost!

back at home around 10:30 pm and of course there’s baseball on. so i crash on the couch to watch the cubs kick the sh*t out of milwaukee :)

okay now, it’s almost midnight = time to get ready for bed.

nothing better then some reading about skeletons being taken apart at the morgue before you go to sleep. nightnight :)