FamILIAR caOS !!!!!

yes we are proud to be in the first edition of this very cool family internet magazine
CAOS has surpassed our expectations....
Gracias

kids in barcelona

spread the word - when in Barcelona come and see us
and do check this lovely article written by emma from kids in barcelona

menu del Brunch

book we got

it cant be more inspiring - the book of eating-designer Marije Vogelzang
the person behind design studio Proef.
Had seen her work at the design week in Eindhoven, and following per web since then.
Now a proud owner of this fantastic book
Food is fun!

ooops

one month has gone by so quickly and here we are again...
our Sunday brunch

Off now to get things ready for you and for now I leave with this inspiring talk at TED

its time for sunday brunch again!!

juast a quick reminder that we will be having our brunch again tomorrow from 10:00 to 15:00 at vonblum. For those of you in Barcelona do come by and see us!

yes indeed ...

.....we are child friendly!
Thank you Lou for posting about us on your blog.
Check out her shop at C/ Carders 28
not only lovely kids things!

the pic above is from Kelley Ryden
lovely baby photos - if you have time do look thru her work.

focus

via swissmiss

drawing by marc johns

Happy 2009 and Reyes

time has just zoomed passed us.
we didnt even manage to post on new years!!
So today we wish you a HAPPY REYES MAGOS and
of course a FANTASTIC 2009

P.S. the winner is Isabel!!!!

TWENTY FOURTH

Its today! Spread the joy.... its not only about the gifts.
Do, sit together and think about the ones that are not with you.
Share stories from past Christmases
Sing, eat and be merry

We wish you a very Merry Christmas

we will celebrate Leon's first Christmas!!

TWENTY THIRD

Christmas give away!!
A little gift from us at vonblum, leave a comment and the winner will be chosen on the 25th!

TWENTY SECOND

I have already mentioned sweetpaul on this blog and I must say it is always a pleasure!
have to add one of his Christmas ideas for our countdown...
candy snowflakes!
highly recommend to browse the other ideas

TWENTY FIRST

a classic send to us via nicole

TWENTIETH

lovely origami wreaths tutorial at bloesem for today

NINTEENTH

twenty holiday party ideas from food& wine you can still pick out one or more just before Christmas :)

EIGHTEENTH

sit back & enjoy
via swissmiss

SEVENTEENTH

From 8^th December here in Barcelona there is a interesting & different christmas tradition apart from the caganer I had mentioned to you last year.
Children (and adults!) look after a Tió de Nadal or Caga Tió. This hollow log, often with a smiley face is cared for until Christmas Eve or Christmas Day when it is then brutally beaten or thrown on the fire while children sing to it asking for presents to appear!

SIXTEENTH

A very lovely online advent countdown by illustartor Hanna Konola

FIFTEENTH

its getting colder and darker outside as Christmas approaches
We couldn't think of a better way to get through this is a merrier way then
with a good hot chocolate
At cookie they have the perfect recipe for you to make at home
or come by vonblum and enjoy one made by us.

FOURTEENTH

Today I will tell you about a Scandinavian Christmas tradition,
seeing that yesterday was Santa Lucia day.
There is another common symbol to the scandinavian christmas and it is that of a straw goat.
They have a tradition of making goats out of straw and using them to decorate
the house at Christmas time.

Some believe that it comes originally from Norse mythology, in which Thor’s chariot was drawn by two goats Tannginost and Tanngrisnir

Nowadays, it is customary for one of the adults to dress up as a Christmas gnome (tomte) and deal out the presents, but apparently, before this became the custom,
someone would dress up as a goat to do so.

There are other stories told about Christmas goats; one says that there was a game played, whereby people would make a large straw goat and attempt to hide it in their neighbors’ house, who, upon discovering it, were obligated to hide it in another house without being discovered, and so on.

THIRTEENTH

Follow the link to maya's blog and look what a lovely family tradition.... Leon will have something to look forward to the following Christmases ;)

"It's such a surprise every time you unfold a snowflake, but the magic of opening one that my grandfather had drawn just for my delight cannot be described in words."

TWELFTH

spread the christmas joy with these lovely angels by Jurianne Matter
more about her and her lovely work at this blog

ELEVENTH

Today we thought everyone should get a chance to make a gingerbread house.
Get a ready made one as Blavish suggests or
for the traditional way and then for the architects around, go to bake for a change.
There you can show all your cooking and environmental skills in one!
If you dont have time to make a real one, have some fun with this online version by Jenny b. Harris from allsorts blog.

TENTH

Found via FRYD+DESIGN these lovely vintages posters
to celebrate xmas in style
look for them at all posters

NINTH

We love this creative Christmas card idea
follow cheeky magpies template
and do one yourself
If you dont want to send it off....keep it as a Christmas ornament

EIGHTH

Lovely gocco gift tags, will make any christmas present special
Go check this at SAmantha's and Owen's Etsy Store
desTroy

SEVENTH

Today apart from our brunch at vonblum, we also celebrate the second advent.
I found out that many people didnt now what it was about so....

Advent (from the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming"), the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus; in other words, the period immediately before Christmas.

So join us light up the second candle on your wreath, if you dont have one improvise with two candles in the house and sing some carols or read a nice christmas story.

SIXTH

Widely celebrated in Europe, St. Nicholas' feast day, December 6th, kept alive the stories of his goodness and generosity.

In Germany and Poland on the evening before children put letters to the good saint along with carrots or other food for his white horse or donkey on a plate or in their shoes. These are left outside, under the bed, beside a radiator, or on a windowsill in hopes of finding goodies from St. Nicholas the next morning. During the night Sankt Nikolaus goes from house to house carrying a book in which all the children's deeds are written. If they have been good, he fills their plate, shoe or boot with delicious fruits, nuts and candies. If not, they may find potatoes, coal, or twigs.

In the Netherlands and Belgium, St. Nicholas arrived on a steamship from Spain to ride a white horse on his gift-giving rounds. Dutch television broadcasts the official arrival of St. Nicholas and his helper Zwarte Piet live to the nation.

During the next weeks children put out their shoes with wish-lists and a carrot or hay, or maybe a saucer of water, for the horse. When St. Nicholas happens by, the next morning children may find chocolate coins or initial letter, candy treats, pepernoten, and little gifts in their shoes. Everyone hopes for sweets, not coal or a little bag of salt. In the Netherlands, unlike other places, adults as well as children join in the fun. As the Dutch like an element of surprise, a small gift may be wrapped in a huge box, or it may be hidden and require following clues to discover where it is.

St. Nicholas, is a popular saint in Spain, has many churches dedicated to him. As a special devotion people make a Caminata in honor of Saint Nicolas of Bari.

To find out some more about how to celebrate the day like other countries...follow this lovely link.

P.S Tomorrow we have our Christmas Brunch in vonblum

so if you are in Barcelona, come see us

FIFTH

did you know....

St Francis of Assisi introduced Christmas Carols to formal church services.

The word comes from the ancient Greek choros, which means "dancing in a circle," and from the Old French word carole, meaning "a song to accompany dancing."

The first instrument on which the carol "Silent Night" was played was a guitar.

The popular Christmas song "Jingle Bells" was composed in 1857 by James Pierpont, and was originally called "One-Horse Open Sleigh." It was actually written for Thanksgiving, not Christmas.

FOURTH

Christmas pudding anyone?
Head to ouissi's lovely etsy store and find out some more about the one you see in the picture
plus some great pudding knowledge