Charity Auction

The European Street Team on Etsy is auctioning a handmade grannie square blanket for charity. All the proceeds will go to Architecture for Humanity. Go to their blog to find out more and bid!

AUCTION PAGE

Blog Award

A BLOG AWARD AND 7 LITTLE THINGS ABOUT ME
Lovely Anna of Annukcreations has given me a lovely award that I'm now going to share with you.
So this is how this award works. You have to:
- Thank and link back to the person who awarded you;
- share 7 things about yourself;
- pay it forward to 15 bloggers you like (but 3, 5 or any number is ok!);
- contact those bloggers about the award!

1. I am extremely nerdy, I like watching documentaries and read scientific books (easy ones LOL)
2. I am also a little bit obsessed with UFO stories, one of my favorite pastimes on Sundays is reading UFO books. I don't believe in extraterrestrials though
3. I am very gaga about my cats, I talk to them and they answer...well, actually it's me talking in a little Mickey Mouse voice.
4. I have over 300 editions of Alice in Wonderland.
5. I love Nutella pancakes with rooibos tea.
6. If, I mean WHEN I win the Euromillions I'll go live somewhere sunny and warm, I hate winter and cold...I mean really, really hate that.
7. I love movies, old ones, new ones...all sorts of movies...

Now as I am lazy and don't like to force people I won't be choosing 15 blogs...but feel free to take part and share 7 things about you.

Monday moodboard Animal Rights

1. Shebbodesign

2. Felttess
3. Thehouseofmouse

4. Krize

You can view more moodboards on Star of the East blog.

And if you have a moment, please sign the petition to stop the Japanese government from poisoning the animals abandonned around Fukushima. SIGN the PETITION

Challenge winner

And the winner of the RAINBOW challenge is.... LondonFelt with her "rainbow necklace"

Congrats and thanks to all who entered!!!!

SUMMER SALE

The summer sales have started here in Belgium!

Here's your chance to get your DF jewelry at a discount price!!!!

On ETSY, check my SALE SECTION

On DINAFRAGOLA.COM 15% off with coupon code "summer2011" on all orders even items already on sale!!!

On Dawanda, check my SALE section

New challenge

I won the last European Street Team challenge hosted by StaroftheEast with my Picnic in the grass necklace.

So I get to pick the new theme...and it will be ... RAINBOWS

The challenge will run two weeks and I'll pick the winner on July 4.

Please post your item below.

Monday moodboard Cute

1. RenatheS
2.TheHouseofMouse
3.MissusD
4. Mistyaurora

Some cuties from the European Street Team on Etsy. You can view more moodboards on Star of the East's blog

Gazette's nose

If you remember Gazette you noticed his nose was entirely black...well that was until recently.
Yes, a tiny pink dot appeared on his nose after a trip to the vet. Gazette hurt his nose a little while in the carrier...and it healed pink. How cute ^_^

Monday moodboard Kawaii!

Kawaii picks from the European Street Team on Etsy!
1. PetitsPixels
2. Swiedebie
3. Tizzalicious
4. Sabahnur

You can view more moodboards from Europe on Star of the East blog

Dina Fragola GRAND OPENING!

FINALLY I have my own online shop! It took a while with many setbacks but I finally got there.
For the time being I'll just offer my gooey cute line there but will hopefully expand to other things fast.
So to celebrate there's a 20% discount on everything! Just enter the code OPENING at check out!
Enjoy! Click here to go to my brand new shop!

Star Cat of the Day : Frank

Frank with mouse toys in daybed

Frank Kitten McBain is Bob's brother, and Eugénie's son. He is also known as Fronk, Frankie Nutella, Frank d'Amour.

He was the smallest of the 3 kittens but the bold one! First to leave the nest, first to explore the garden, first to try new food...Oddly he is a real little homebody. He loves his routine and tends to do the same things at the same time everyday...which is mainly napping.

Frank doing the Cheshire Cat

He is also the only of the 3 kittens to look a bit like his Persian mom with a flatter nose, big chin and big round eyes. He is very good-looking...and I usually take a lot of pictures of him as he is so photogenic (and doesn't move much).

Frank in the snow

He got his nickname "Frankie Nutella" after he stole a bit of nutella pancake in my plate. He didn't eat it but he got nutella all over himself...and I can tell you that a nutella smelling kitten DOES send mixed messages to my brain LOL

Frank being übercute

Frank is not very cuddly. Well, he hardly ever asks for a cuddle...but as a friend pointed out, why would he bother "you're always running after him and cuddling him whether he wants it or not". True enough ;)

Release the kraken!

Frank is usually very quiet and easy going...except when you eat poultry...then he completely loses it. He'll attack you and try to steal everything he can.

Star Cat of the Day : Bob

Prince Bob (mega)Kitten Mc Bain, also known as le Beau Bob or Bob le Beau (the beautiful Bob), Bob le Bon or le Bon Bob (the good Bob) or Bobo is one of the 3 kittens born on my bed during the second night in the new house.
Bob was always the biggest of the 3....he is also the cuddliest...as a baby he could stay for hours in my lap...and he still does that from time to time.

What else can I say about Bob? He is his mommy's boy, he is easily scared and will hide away if anyone comes to the house. He loves staying outside when the weather is good. He is a nap expert.

When his sister Zoé died last year he was really upset as the 2 were really close...and that made him even cuddlier.

He disappeared once when he was a kitten, we looked all over for hours...only to find him sleeping in the bottle rack in the kitchen (first picture).

I love his eyes, he is very good at making sad puppy eyes (but don't tell him because all doggies are ugly and stink)

Star Cat of the Day : le 1/4 d'une Noix

Le 1/4 d'une Noix Mc Bain (1/4 of a Walnut) got his name because he was such a tiny kitten when I got him.
On a warm spring day 4 years ago, I heard a kitten meowing like crazy somewhere in the garden. I quickly found the tiny black as night kitten perched high in a tree...and he wouldn't come down.
He stayed there for hours, constantly crying...I gave up trying to get him down, figuring he'd come down by himself when he was hungry or bored enough.

And in the evening, the tiny kitten was finally down and checking the food in my kitchen!
At that point I thought he belonged to someone, he'd probably go home or someone would come looking for him. But no, he didn't leave and no one came looking...so he stayed.

Le 1/4 no longer fits his name much, he grew a LOT. He is always eating or looking for food. I don't think he was ever hungry except for that time in the tree...but that caused a life long trauma ;) Each time you step into the kitchen, he appears, you cannot cook without having him around....and I SWEAR he can hear the sound of milk!
And he never skips a meal, whether his or yours!

He is not terribly cuddly, except at times when he suddenly needs a hug...and then leaves as quickly as he came. He is hard to take photos of, he never stands still + he is all black and pictures of him tend to look like just a black spot. He is a very handsome cat, all black, sleek, with super shiny fur and a super cute turned-up nose.
He has got many nicknames, all starting with "the 1/4" of something... The 1/4 of love, the 1/4 of a pain in the ***, the 1/4 of a coconut...

Europe for Charity

Did you know that the European Street Team on Etsy has a charity shop? The Europe for Charity Etsy shop offers a large selection of items donated by members from the team. Currently all proceeds go to Japan via Architecture for Humanity. Be sure to check the shop!!!

Star Cat of the Day : Diego

Diego "el loco blanco" Mc Bain is Dora's best friend. Yes, I highly suspect the only reason he moved in when he was about 1 was because he loves Dora so much. I have no idea where he comes from, he just appeared regularly in the garden to lick Dora's head...and one day just stayed. Maybe Dora liked the idea of having a hairdresser 24/24.

Diego is hyperactive. He is constantly moving thus making it really hard to take a good picture of him.

He is not exactly the sharpest kitty ever, but what he lacks in brain he sure makes up for in sweetness. And no, though he is white he is not deaf. I have learned that white kitties with green eyes are genetically black and white cats with just a large white spot .

I called him Diego because it's the name of Dora's cousin in the cartoon...and also because of Zorro, Don Diego de la Vega...for the way he always zooms around the place.

Star Cat of the Day : Dora

Princess Dora Mc Bain is the sweetest kitty ever. She arrived to my house with her sister Sally when they were a few weeks old and after they decided they were not meant for feral life. Sadly Sally, an all black kitty quickly died of FIP. At first Dora was extremely shy, I could not touch her but I could talk to her. Dora enjoys talks. Though she would not come to me during day time, it was a different thing at night. When she thought I was asleep, she would jump on my bed and sleep right next to me. Really, really close with her little nose almost touching mine. Dora is no longer shy. She adores cuddles from both people and other cats. And she has a best cat friend, Diego who enjoys licking her head. Dora must have a very nice smelling head because I have noticed that most of my other cats like to lick her head too.

She has grown a little bit chubby over time but she is the nicest cat ever. Exercising is not one of her priorities. I have never seen her being mean or naughty, or even hissing. And she has the cutest kitten eyes and nose.

Star Cat of the Day : Eugénie

Let me introduce you to Eugénie McBain. Little Eugénie (yes, she may look big but it's mostly hair) didn't have a fun start in life. She is Persian and her previous owners used her as a breeding cat. She was in a house where she was mostly neglected, never being groomed nor much looked after. Over time the previous owners got tired of her and let her out (she was locked inside before that)...and Eugénie found the way to my house...Where she mostly hid in various places. I let her in because she was limping...I quickly found out it was because of a huge tick on her paw. For a while it was like that, Eugénie would come and hide in my house, and the previous owners would come and get her back. As she was not neutered, she had kittens quite often, and the first time she came in my lap was to give birth. When I moved, the previous owners just told me I could have her...though their nasty brat was adamant they had paid for her and that they should just keep her :/ Eugénie gave birth again, on the second night in the new house. On me again...while I was sleeping. That's how I ended up with 3 extra kittens, Bob, Frank and Zoé (on the top picture). Eugénie stays a very aloof kitty, she never asks for cuddles, never sleeps near me. She hates being groomed so she usually is a big mess of tangled hair in the winter (I shave her in the summer). She is no longer hiding though, now she prefers to sleep on her back in the middle of the room, the more in the way, the better. She is neutered now, and though she always looks grumpy I think she must be happy ^_^

Banana muffins

Some of my favorite muffins. I love them because they are not too sweet and the banana taste is subtle. I know it's a lot of ingredients for muffins, but they are worth the trouble!

Ingredients : 240 gr white flour
75 gr oat flakes
3 coffee spoons baking powder
55 gr brown sugar
75 gr dry dates (cut in small pieces) soaked in hot water
40 gr pecan nuts (small pieces)
2 coffee spoons cinammon
salt
190gr Greek yogurt
115 ml sunflower oil
75 ml coco milk
60 gr honey
3 eggs
1 coffee spoon vanilla extract (I use a small pack of vanilla sugar)
225 gr banana (squished)

Mix all the dry ingredients together and the wet ones together, then roughly mix both dry and wet mixes. Preheat the oven at 180° Bake 20 to 25 minutes.

Monday moodboard Slightly Nautical

The sunny weather makes me long for some exotic trips... A few of my European favorites 1. violasboutique 2. LucieTalesVintage 3. Linocutgirl 4. Bijouxdellostregatto You can view more moodboards on FleurFatale's blog

Star Cat of the Day : GP

GP McBain (also known as Pounet) is the ultimate rescued kitty. GP stands for "grosses pattes" (big paws in French), as he has a strange disease that makes all his white cells accumulate in his lower limbs.
GP belonged to someone else but he occasionally came in the garden, I noticed him because he has a "bad" eye, he got wounded and it never properly healed. Obviously he was not much cared for .

He looked nice enough, not picking fights with my own cats. Then one winter I noticed that he was in the garden a lot, and that he walked funny...so I tried to to pet him and catch him to see what was wrong. Poor GP not only had this uncurable paw problem, he also had coryza and looked really thin and...well about to die really.

So I took him in.

The vet was not very hopeful, on top of his various health conditions, he also had a broken tail.

Well, we are now 3 years later. GP has good days and bad days, he sleeps a lot...but he seems happy, "I won the lottery" happy actually ;)

He eats well, and likes cuddles too...and he is the ultimate sunbeam napper :) But what I like best about him, is the way he looks at me with adoring eyes.

And the vet can't believe he is still with us!

Spring is here

Spring is here :) To celebrate I planted an apple tree and a raspberry plant. And I took some pictures of the garden in the first warm sun of the year!
On top photo, Philibert McGregor, a visiting neighbor kitty friend.

The askew bunny...about the only thing I kept from the junk the previous owners of the house left behind.

Hopefully many raspberries to come!

And the apple tree! Granted it doesn't look very impressive...but even the largest baobab was once a baby tree!

Monday moodboard Bon Voyage

Daydreaming about a holiday...

1. Crochet Hot Air Balloon with Cat - Around the World in 80 Days by Yoguiana
2.Lambswool English Rose Fingerless Gloves in Autumn Hues by vKnit
3. THE VOYAGE - A sailing vessel leaves harbour by Grainyman
4. Leather Passport Holder, Yellow by susanholland

You can view more mood boards on FleurFatale's blog.

And don't forget, 15% off everything in my Etsy shop until friday for Etsy Euro Week!

Euro Week on Etsy

Yes, it's that time of the year again! European week on Etsy !!!!
To celebrate, 15% off my whole shop until friday March 25th with coupon code "EUROPE"
Read more info about Euro Week here

Star Cat of the Day : Doudou aka Kevin aka Voldemort

I don't really remember how Doudou McBain became my cat...or rather how I became his human. Voldemort, his first name, just popped in the garden once in while. He seemed rather aggressive toward the other cats...but I am not sure whether he really was mean, or if it's just his imposing stature that made me think so. Yes, Voldy IS huge, a lot bigger than my other cats. He got his Voldemort name when the kittens flocked around him like little deatheaters ;) It was very sweet to see him being all shy around those tiny kittens.

When he decided to stay around, he got his second name, Kevin. Why Kevin you may ask? Well, it's from a sketch from a famous Belgian stand up comedian. He has recurring characters named Kevin and Nathalie (my name).

He got his third name, Doudou, when I found out he has no teeth left. My poor fearsome grumpy "little" Doudou won't bite you.
He kept his 3 names, and I use all 3 depending on my level of annoyance with him.

Doudou is very clingy, especially in the evening, when he just HAS to sleep on someone, and I can tell you it's not terribly comfortable to have that giant kitty on your stomach and lungs.