Update

Hi everyone,

I wanted to give you a little update on what I'm up to recently.
Semester break from uni is nearly over and I'm currently busy reading books for preparation, working out and shopping excessively after having saved loads of money because I was busy working out. Sounds confusing maybe. Anyway, what I haven't done in a while is crafting which you might've noticed because all you're seeing here is Inspirations of the moment, Things I love etc., but no tutorials really.

Btw - next to my Kindle eBook (with Game of Thrones on because I have to read it) lies a brand new necklace I bought last weekend, I love it. It was the kind of necklace I wanted for months but couldn't manage to create. It's made of metal and leather, and sadly I'm not trained in working with metal... But I hope to find time soon for trying to copy the shape of it - for new necklaces. And yeah, I'll share the pattern with you!

But here's something new anyway. Half a year ago, I painted the tops of some little jars which I use for my craft supplies. I haven't shown them yet. Here are two of them:

I decided to paint them with nail polish and acrylic paint in fruit patterns. Maybe that's an inspiration to you. :)

I can't tell you when I'm back on crafting track again, I hope soon. Apart from that, I have a spring jacket and a vest I made I HAVE to show you! But I couldn't take proper photos yet :(

Have a nice weekend!

My 2012: Personal Review

I can't believe 2012 is nearly over. I still remember writing a list of resolutions, ways to make things better, wishes and dreams at the beginning of the year like it was yesterday. Btw., you can find some of my wishes
here:

-> http://almostaliceblog.blogspot.de/2012/04/wishes-for-2012.html.
(Sadly, I didn't meet or hug Taylor Swift :( )

And I only can recommend making lists with resolutions, because when I look at mine, I can tick off every single point. (I should make a list with more for 2013...)

I'm absolutely where I wanted be: Vocationally, educationally, personally. I'm happy and it's because I achieved my goals and changed something. Now that I'm here, where I wanted to be, you know... I get used to the feeling. But that doesn't mean I'm not absolutely grateful and proud and aware of the big luck I have.

I don't look back at a year of worries, sorrow, giving up, pressure or wasted time.
I look back at a year of standing up; a year of jumping around celebrating who I am, a year of aimless happiness just being with myself, a year of success and selflove. I promised 2012 and myself many things I totally sticked to.

Because I'm not a big fan of

, since I rather take matters into my own hands, I wrote a list for those of you who are hysterically running around in circles not knowing what to expect from the new year. With these notions put into action, I don't think much can go wrong (apart from strokes of fate you just can't control).
I wish somebody would've put together a list for me some time, but I guess you have to learn it yourself.
Anyway.

Rules I sticked to in 2012 which made it awesome: 

- Avoid harmful people.
(Those are people who, without exception: - give you a bad feeling about yourself, - make you feel insecure, - don't treat you right, - lack respect towards you and themselves, -give you negative thoughts and feelings. In fact, people that are just assholes. Get away from them.) 

- Stick to people who are only gonna lift you higher.

- Focus on your dreams in your heart and then work for them. 

- Be kind to yourself.
(For me this means: Treat yourself like you would treat a person you love. If you take a closer look, you will see that in everyday's life there are situations where we force ourselves to do things we wouldn't force our best friend to do. In fact, not at all! Always remember how it feels to let a close friend suffer before you do it to yourself.) 

- Realize that you are enough, you have enough and you do enough.

- Never apologize for who you are.
(I'm an insecure person who fights an endless fight with weird looks from other people, criticism and self-justification. But honestly, there's no point.)

- Trust yourself. You know more than you think you are!

- If you're not happy, change something. Your happiness depends on what you allow. Both negativity and positivity can be strong, but it's what you feed that wins.

- Realize that the past is only like a book full of stories. Don't stumble over something behind you.

I wish you a self-determined happy new year. Let 2013 be awesome.
And keep reading my blog! :D

My Halloween Inspirations :)

Here's a special Halloween post I've prepared. Bright and colourful, with recipe links, pictures of home decoration, make up and costumes including an awesome Zombie Walk, cute stuff and even new ideas for pumpkin carving and decorating! :)

When I was a kid, going around collecting sweets was something really new not everyone here was used to. In Germany it's far not that a big deal like in the US or the UK, but when there was a little Halloween party when we scurried around with toothpaste, toilet paper and tote bags, having used kajal for the first time, it was awesome. I remember us attempting to scare a former teacher, rang at the door intending to hide ourselves when he was quicker, teared the door open and scared us to death! Though it was very funny and I only have best memories concerning Halloween.
Sadly, I'm 21 now so ringing up for sweets isn't an option anymore. :(

Here's what I found this year:

This no carve pumpkin DIY is awesome!
http://www.metatube.com/en/photos/8054/Halloween-2012-37-Easy-DIY-No-Carve-Pumpkin-Ideas/foto-75434/

I also love this pumpkin painting idea. (found on google)

These decoration ideas on Martha Stewart's blog are awesome! I want them ALL!

http://www.marthastewart.com/274309/outdoor-halloween-decorations/@center/276965/halloween#908817

This cute and so simple costume idea is to be found on http://modernkiddo.com/its-the-modern-kiddo-costume-parade-2/

If you're, like me, a fan of Dexter, those edible blood slides will be the best for your Halloween party. Check out the recipe from forkable: http://forkableblog.com/?p=908

Talking of Dexter, this cake is genius. Unfortunately I couldn't find a recipe.

Halloween Costume: Black & White characters using grayscale makeup! Reminds me of "Pleasantville"! ;)

This bat wall decoration might take some time, but the result is worth it!

How about dressing up your dog this year? :D

Another pumpkin decoration

Pumkin eating pumkin

This Jack Skellington costume is super cute!

Great Halloween Make up

Tinkerbell pumpkin!

Whoever did this was a master of craft. Victor and Emily from Corpse Bride carved in pumpkins!

Blood splattered high heels <3

Jack Skellington balloons!

I just couldn't resist putting that in my collection... <3

Nice: Zombie mother & child

...Which leads us to the last and final part of my inspirations! I found a website about a zombie walk with many awesome pictures depicting even more awesome costumes. I reaaaally recommend this, have a look at it!  Zombie lovers will be blown away. 

http://www.dashrevery.com/zombiewalk/2010/

Second hand clothing

This is a post I've prepared for a longer time, an important part of it was to get my clothes shot by Kimmy (her blog: http://kiamisu.blogspot.de/ , you can also like her photography on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Kiamisu ). Because I still don't have a new camera and because she just does it better than my Mama :D
So the thing is that I decided to visit a new second hand store on my way home a few months ago, and I found a red oversize jumper for 2 €! Considering this was a rather big amount of fabric for 2 €, it was worth it and I knew I could either use the fabric, or the pattern of the garment, or just sew it tighter. Plus, I love long shirts that go over my hip because they're perfect for winter.
So the end of the story was that I kept the shape of the jumper and used a belt to stress my waist, trying not to get lost in the big piece of fabric.

I got obsessed soon and went to other second hand stores, the fact that it was SO cheap and there were so many possibilities to change the clothes, I was thrilled by it. I bought sweaters, coats, shirts... even skirts, I turned one big pleated skirt into a cape. And these are the garments I got photographed:

A black cardigan for 4 € which was bigger before and had golden buttons. I bought new black ones and tightened the cardigan.

Sweater with a pattern I love! Was oversized before too, maybe owned by an old man. 2 €

Cosy grey oversize jumper, didn't change it, 3€

Black sweater, size M, had an ugly satin collar which I removed.1 €

I can only recommend to visit second hand stores. Those were only a tiny bit of the stuff I bought, actually now I have brand new (well, you know what I mean...) clothes for the whole autumn & winter and spent at most 50 € for all of them.

Of course I also still go to stores like H&M, and recently I bought a lovely jumper that I wanted to show you.

Oh, and I bought it in size XL. Soooo cosy. Way too big. I don't care!

Like Almost Alice on Facebook!

Dear followers & readers, I already mentioned that A. Alice is on Facebook, you can find the page here:

http://www.facebook.com/almostaliceblog

I appreciate likes & comments, so if you're on Facebook, please support me :) I'm only one 'like' away from additional services for the page like visitor statistics! ;)


Have a nice day,

I'm so lazy...

...and this post is an apology, mostly to myself and of course to you. But I'm having news for you and this isn't just a 'I'm sooo sorry, I don't have time to blog at the moment'-post, especially since I DO have more time than ever right now... ^^" It's just a creative trough. Not that I don't have the inspirations, I have tons of it, and tons of ideas, but I don't have the motivation. The only stuff I got to create in the past days I will show you now :)

Those skull beads are too cool! Bought them in Canterbury, UK. I always wanted to wear them where everyone can see them, so I decided to make a bracelet.

The necklace was planned for a long time as I wanted to try to make that fabric-wrap-pearl stuff. Gonna post a tutorial soon.

I also made a zebra-fur statement ring but I forgot it at Grandma's. I'm not making that up, it's true :D
Oh, and I made sea shell earstuds.

The shells were silver buttons once, I found them in Mama's button collection. And varnished them with blue and turquoise nail polish :)

That's all by now.

I have loads of links to craft websites I'd like to post, but I also would like to say sth about them, to know them properly, you know.. I should start read one. One by another..
I'm having semester break right now and also my tiny job at the school is pausing because of vacation, so I pretty much lay around the whole day, work out, collect blog links and ideas, watching the weather switch every day (summer in Germany this year means: rain/boiling heat/surprising cold) and, as a new point I just LOVE to add, this:

:)

No more to say. You know it.

Well.. to end it, I'd like to recommend you an awesome musician:

Florence + the Machine makes my day and plays my soundtrack for this summer. I recently discovered her and her band and I'm enchanted!

My faves on this album are You've got the love, Cosmic Love and Falling. I haven't stumbled over a band I enjoy that much since The Pretty Reckless :)



I hope y'all have an awesome week. I hope I can spread motivation and drive the next time - big time!