decorate my own home
visit Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
find romance again
spend some days in the woods
take more photos
enjoy a hot cup of coffee near a very special window
read about new stories
This Year I Want
December 28, 2013
decorate my own home
visit Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
find romance again
spend some days in the woods
take more photos
enjoy a hot cup of coffee near a very special window
read about new stories
Free Printable Tea & Dessert Tags
December 23, 2013
Hello cuties! Well this post is definitely for all tea lovers! I designed for you printable tea and also dessert tags! Print them on matte heavier paper, fold them in two, and secure the edge of the thread using a staple or glue for the tea tags, a toothpick and some glue for the dessert tags. So download them HERE and enjoy your tea party!
Ps: I was pretty excited to find out that my christmas printable gift tags were featured on Apartment Therapy website! Check the post here.
Spread the love - Favourite things and some tunes
December 19, 2013
Some of my favourite tunes of 2013 : Crystal Stilts-Star Crawl // Ty Segall-Sleeper // The Black Angels-Black isn't Black // Vampire Weekend-Step // Foxygen-San Francisco // Growlers-One million lovers // The National-Fireproof // David Bowie-The stars are out tonight // The Men-Half angel half light // Deerhunter-Monomania
My super cool mom is a blogger!
December 13, 2013
I never had the chance to post here about my super mom! well there's no way i can be objective about my mom but i can definitely say she is a very creative person, full of ideas and fantasy! She enjoys knitting and embroidery, she loves every thing small, cute and handmade. And of course she makes the most delicious delicacies (yes! this is totally objective!). So last spring she had the idea to start a blog and share with you her ideas, her goodies and creations and whatever inspires her. She picked the name Oikodespoina (in greek it means hostess, but also her name is Despoina) and voila...here is a small sample...enjoy!
So check my mom's blog Here and so your love people and like her Facebook page!
Ps: The giveaway winner is this supergirl.Gongruts Annie!
Updates on Lorelai's Themes
December 5, 2013
Hello readers! Well, if you don't already know it, some months ago, I launched an online page with premade layouts for Blogger template, available for purchase. Well I have new for you ... First of all, Lorelai's Themes page changed a bit and also moved on tumblr, so here it is. Plus I designed two new themes for you! Here they are...
Girls & Stories Theme Features : Header Title & Description // Horizontal Menu // Post Width: 640pxRight // Sidebar For Widgets // 2 Custom fonts
A Girl and Some Tunes Features: Full Screen, fixed and transparent, Navigation menu // Blog Title and Description // Post Width: 640px // Right Sidebar For Widgets // 2 Custom fonts
These themes were designed to be simple and clean, however keep in mind, that you can always customize your blogger layout! You can change the fonts or the colors and you can add a custom header, sidebar buttons, signature, social buttons, favicons, banners etc. regarding to your needs. So feel free to take a look at Lorelai's Themes and don't hesitate to contact me at stellina_stevi@hotmail.com for any questions you may have. Your e-mails are always welcome!
Ps: Don't forget to enter my giveaway here!
Christmas Giveaway! {Closed}
December 2, 2013
Hello dear readers! I have very good new for you! Now that December is officially here, and Christmas is on the way, I feel pretty excited actually, and I thought I could prepare a small giveaway for you. So miss Becky, a lovely girl from England, agreed to be part of my idea and giveaway this Geometric Bear Brooch from her Etsy shop Sketch.inc to one lucky winner! Becky is a designer and a crafter, she loves sketchbooks, nesting dolls and she draws silhouettes of animals and objects. Here are some of my favourite pieces! Click Here for more.
Keep up with Becky on her ( ♥ ) Instagram account or her facebook page, twitter and read even more on her blog!
So to enter the giveaway you have to:
1.Follow Lorelai's Things with GFC or Bloglovin.
2. Like Lorelai's Things on Facebook.
3. Like SketchInc on Facebook
4. Leave a comment here with your favourite item of Becky's shop.
(please include your email so that I can reach you in case you win.)
For extra entries: Follow Sketchinc on Instagram / Favourite Sketchinc on Etsy / Follow Lorelai's Things on Instagram / Follow Lorelai's Things on Pinterest / Tweet about this giveaway (mentioning @lor3lai & @sketchinc )
{Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry}
Cross your fingers please! Last day to enter the giveaway is 13th of December! Good Luck to all!
Blogging Tips
Hello lovelies! I recently added a FAQ page on the blog and I asked for you to shoot me with any questions you may have. So I received an email from a sweet girl asking me to give tips / dos and don'ts about the fashion blogging. Actually I don't consider myself a fashion blogger, but I thought this is a very good opportunity for a post with some very essentials blogging tips for a beginner. Let's see then...
Well lets start with the first thing that a reader will notice...the layout! Looks does matter here! As a designer and a blog reader I can assure you that attractive aesthetics are very important. It's the first impression. That doesn't mean that your blog has to be flashy, just appealing to the reader's eye. Keep it clean and simple. A overloaded blog with a million over sized banners it's something really unattractive and nonprofessional. Pay attention to the fonts and the colors. You can find online tutorials and html tips on how to redesign your blog, or you can ask a professional to do it for you. Pay also attention to the photos you use. Bad photography are a very good reason not to scroll down. You don't have to be a photographer, own a professional camera or be a photoshop expert. You can find online many tools/pages to edit and resize (please do that, so that on a blog post all your photos have the same width and are properly aligned) your photos. Check this online editor here. (I will prepare a different post, only with design and photography tips soon.)
Social Networking is the best! Bloggers turn to social media when it comes to building an audience. Keep also in mind that not every reader of yours is a blogger, that means that your audience must have a lot of options to keep up with the blog updates. Facebook (page), Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram (Bloglovin as well) provide you with many opportunities to attract new readers. Be genuine and keep it real please! Also remember that nobody likes a spammer! Don't forget to display your social media icons on your blog somewhere visible to your readers. Besides using the social media for promoting your blog you can find other communities, which will help you connect with bloggers from all over the world.
As for the giveaways, its a great way to gain exposure and popularity, no matter the type of your blog. There are a few ways to run a giveaway. If you are the sponsor and no one else is involved, you can set the terms and the limits yourself. You can giveaway anything really! Not necessarily something you made. It could be ad space for example or a product you own, except If you have a shop or you make handmade goodies, this is the best way to promote them. Now if you are interested in working with someone else, that means that a sponsor (another blogger, a company, a shop owner) will provide their products or their services for the giveaway. Always remember that your blog's and your personal style is very important, so remember to choose your sponsors and the products wisely. Approach the company/blogger/shop-owner introduce them to your blog and let them know that your readers will be interested in their products and encourage them to sponsor your giveaway. Make sure to inform them that you will feature their services/work/products on the giveaway post and on your social media accounts. So that means that for the giveaway to be successful you have to promote it.
Well lets start with the first thing that a reader will notice...the layout! Looks does matter here! As a designer and a blog reader I can assure you that attractive aesthetics are very important. It's the first impression. That doesn't mean that your blog has to be flashy, just appealing to the reader's eye. Keep it clean and simple. A overloaded blog with a million over sized banners it's something really unattractive and nonprofessional. Pay attention to the fonts and the colors. You can find online tutorials and html tips on how to redesign your blog, or you can ask a professional to do it for you. Pay also attention to the photos you use. Bad photography are a very good reason not to scroll down. You don't have to be a photographer, own a professional camera or be a photoshop expert. You can find online many tools/pages to edit and resize (please do that, so that on a blog post all your photos have the same width and are properly aligned) your photos. Check this online editor here. (I will prepare a different post, only with design and photography tips soon.)
Social Networking is the best! Bloggers turn to social media when it comes to building an audience. Keep also in mind that not every reader of yours is a blogger, that means that your audience must have a lot of options to keep up with the blog updates. Facebook (page), Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram (Bloglovin as well) provide you with many opportunities to attract new readers. Be genuine and keep it real please! Also remember that nobody likes a spammer! Don't forget to display your social media icons on your blog somewhere visible to your readers. Besides using the social media for promoting your blog you can find other communities, which will help you connect with bloggers from all over the world.
As for the giveaways, its a great way to gain exposure and popularity, no matter the type of your blog. There are a few ways to run a giveaway. If you are the sponsor and no one else is involved, you can set the terms and the limits yourself. You can giveaway anything really! Not necessarily something you made. It could be ad space for example or a product you own, except If you have a shop or you make handmade goodies, this is the best way to promote them. Now if you are interested in working with someone else, that means that a sponsor (another blogger, a company, a shop owner) will provide their products or their services for the giveaway. Always remember that your blog's and your personal style is very important, so remember to choose your sponsors and the products wisely. Approach the company/blogger/shop-owner introduce them to your blog and let them know that your readers will be interested in their products and encourage them to sponsor your giveaway. Make sure to inform them that you will feature their services/work/products on the giveaway post and on your social media accounts. So that means that for the giveaway to be successful you have to promote it.
Christmas Cookies and a great app!
November 28, 2013
Well I'm all into Christmas spirit as you may alredy know, so yesterday I went for a afternoon walk in the city and I found these yummy Danish ginger christmas love cookies( from Tiger). The perfect snack to enjoy with a hot cup of coffee. Also yesterday A beautiful mess launched their photo editing app on Google Play. You can edit your photos with custom filters, fun fonts, and hand-drawn doodles. Learn more Here. Check the photos below, and use the hashtag #Abeautifulmess on Instagram and find even more...
Enjoy and get inspired!
They call me the wild rose
November 24, 2013
{click on the phtos for the original sources}
On the second day I brought her a flower. She was more beautiful than any woman I've seen
I said, "Do you know, where the wild roses grow...So sweet and scarlet and free?"
Free Printable Christmas Gift Tags
November 22, 2013
Download them HERE
Hello lovelies! As you see Christmas spirit got me alredy, so I prepared for you these cute printable gift tags. Υour presents will be super ready to put them under the christmas tree! Print them on matte heavier paper and use a paper punch to make a hole near the edge. Enjoy please! I also have made some changes on the blog's layout, I hope you still like it and you know I always appreciate your feedback!
Blog Design for The Amethyst and the Emerald
October 29, 2013
So HERE you can see the blog's layout and design and of course check out the blog of a very talented girl!
DIY - Create Your Own Bokeh
October 7, 2013
Well here is the result! I'm so excited I finally had the chance to try it myself. Few days ago i bought a M42 adaptor and now I use the Helios 44M-4 lens of my Zenit camera to my Canon Dslr. I already tried a few click and I'm super satisfied with the result, I think this lens is Just perfect for portrait shots. Anyway now was the time to try the bokeh effect because you have to set your camera to its lowest aperture value (completely open), and on canon's 18-55mm that wasn't possible(the lowest is f3.5), but with this lens the lowest option is f2! You can find online other shapes too if you want to experiment more and you can just read more tips Here or Here.
Good Luck!