Simplicity

I am a teenager, and I don't have a lot of money to spend. I think that's a thing 99% of all the teenagers can agree with (or you must have some really rich parents).
I do like decorations, though, and I spend a lot of time in my room, so I want my room to be nice and cosy. Oh, and I love tulips. How do I combine those factors?
Just use an empty bottle which used to contain beer, stick one single tulip in it and place it on an empty desk. Simple cosiness - I love it.

It creates some nice shadows too. 

So Many Plans (But So Little Time)

I'm a teenager. I go to school. I have a small job. I am creative. I love travelling. I like taking photographs. I like drawing. I like running. I like skating. I like a million other things and I have to put all the things I love in 24 hours a day (of which I sleep at least 6). How do people do this? I can't even find the time to write a proper blogpost, so I'll just be writing about what's going on. And not much is going on. Everything that's going on at this very moment is homework. I haven't been spending a great deal of time on my homework and that's why I'm drowning in it at this very moment. I am glad that the weather is not too perfect right now because otherwise I'd be spending all my time outside (and I really don't have time for spending time at this moment). My mind is exploding.
Well, enough about school. I have recently discovered that I love Milky Chance. Everyone knows the song 'Stolen Dance' (and if you don't know it, YouTube it, I'm sure you know it) and I started digging further into the band. And I love their music. I am really easy to obsess and the result of that is that I know everything about Milky Chance now and I know all of their song lyrics (I discovered them a week ago). Now I know what happens to my time.
Well, I'll just go on writing about China and stuff for my history class because that's what I love to do (yup. No, I don't. I'm trying to motivate myself). Have a lovely day!

Decisions Decisions

I live in a country where I can make my own decisions. I am very grateful for that - but the decisionmaking part is something which terrifies me at the same time.
I am currently still in school, but the day on which I'm leaving is coming closer and closer. I'll have to make choices: what study will I start? Which city am I going to? Will I stay with my parents or will I leave home?
The fact that I have to make decisions doesn't creep me out - the fact that I know that I can make the wrong decisions creeps me out. What if I start going to a university I don't like? I can't go back to my old school, I can't go to a 'new' university. What if I'll fail? What if it's too hard?
I am aware of the fact that everybody's having a hard time making such important decisions but I want to make the right decision so badly I'm beginning to think my overthinking will make me do the wrong things. Can you follow? I know I am being vague.
I'll keep you up-to-date and in the mean time I'll just be visiting university's websites like it's my job.

Snapshots With My Phone

Even though I love my camera I don't carry it around all the time. One thing I do always carry around is my phone and today was so beautiful I just had to take some snapshots.

My little sister.

Has the weather been as beautiful at your place as it has been here? - Sjoukje

Yesterday Was Beautiful

The weather is absolutely beautiful, just like it was yesterday. My best friend and I visited Amsterdam to have a laid-back day and it was perfect. We got on the train, traveled for about 2.5 hours, did some shopping in a city nearby Amsterdam, but we decided to go back because we like Amsterdam more.
We did some walking but our bellies were craving for some good coffee so we decided to go to Starbucks, purchase a 'Filter Coffee' and go to the Amsterdam Canals. Sit back, relax. It was perfect (and the coffee was delicious).
I wanted to capture the atmosphere on camera but some things can't be captured beautifully enough to describe it.

Anyways, here is a photograph of my shoes, coffee and the water.

The Weather Was Beautiful

I live in The Netherlands and the title explains everything. It was sunny enough for me to wear sunglasses so that's what I did, and a friend of mine and I explored a little part of the nature surrounding us. It was a good day and I wanted to share some photographs with you.

And this is me!
I hope you liked the photographs ^^ - Sjoukje

Why I Love Primark

Although the quality of the clothes they sell at Primark may not be  too good, they sell some of the cutest things in that store. And because all of the clothes and accessories are so extremely cheap, I mostly can't contain myself when I'm there. I am glad the shops are almost 1.5h of traveling away because otherwise, I'd spend all my money there.
One thing I bought at Primark last time I was there, are these extremely cute sock-like-thingies I bought for my little sister. I couldn't simply not buy them. The cuteness level is too high!

Too cute. - Sjoukje

How To Use Mason Jars

Well, not actual Mason jars because we don't have them here in the Netherlands. I used some basic food container-jars but they work just as well, even though they're not as cute as the official Mason ones. I wanted to share 3 of my favorite ways of using your jars with you because it's a cheap solution for all your problems!

 Use your jar as a cute little vase to display cute little flowers, like I did here. :-)

You can drink from your jar if you're really thirsty. Add some lemons, cucumber slices or strawberries to make the drink summer-proof (even though it's still winter), stick a straw in the drink and you're ready to go (even though you're not leaving, I should really think about my sentences a little bit more).

You can use it as a bowl. It's not really practical but you could search for a smaller jar with a wider opening, for example. Add some fruit and it looks extra cute.

There are many more ways to use your jars. You can use it as a candle holder, storage bowl and many more options (I can't think of more right now). I hope you liked these options!

Good Food

I don't like quick meals and when I have enough time on my hands, I like preparing big dinner. Today's lunch was easy, semi-quick and healthy and I wanted to share it with you.

The few ingredients I used. I changed the ingredients a bit afterwards: I distracted one onion, I added one egg, and I let away the minneola. I also added a miniscule amount of cheese to the eggs to make it more 'juicy'.

First thing I do (always) is chop up all the ingredients and put them in small bowls. This makes the division more clear and this helps me cleaning up the mess afterwards. I chopped up the banana and pear and added a few grapes to the small fruit salads, I cut some chease and stirred the eggs.

This is how I like my omelets. I bake the eggs and add the onions when the egg is getting solid. I add a super small amount of cheese when I'm almost about to serve which adds some extra flavour and makes the egg less tough.

I hope you liked this sneak peek into my lunch. It wasn't an extremely special lunch but it's delicious and easy to reproduce. I drank a green smoothie I made this morning: I'll share the recipe for this one in the near future.

Have a lovely day! - Sjoukje

Ode To Ben Howard

When you see me, you probably see me with 1. headphones or 2. tears because I am not listening to music. I'm exaggerating a bit but I love listening to music and not a day passes without me, listening to my favorite bands.
Did I say bands? Yes, I said bands. I love rock music (with my favorite band being the Foo Fighters) but sometimes, I need a break.
I knew Ben Howard from the radio but when I started looking him up on the interwebs, I noticed I adored his music. I first came across his 'Call Me Maybe' cover which is wonderful (you should listen to it) and after that I just listened to his music on repeat. I have intensely listened to Ben Howard for about a year now, and I can't get enough of his music and his lovely voice.
I sound so fangirling but Ben Howard deserves fangirls because his music is like poetry. If I were a poet, I'd write him a serenade.

A picture of my #1 thing ever: being creative in my A4 notebook, drinking tea, listening to music.