Words for the Week // No.7

Happy Monday, guys! It's a new week full of new things to get done. So, imagine, plan and make is definitely my motto for the week. What are your plans for this week? Any projects you want to tackle? Do share in the comments!

xo Hanna

Sunday Spirit: A day in monochrome

It's been a busy sunday. A good busy. We had breakfast with my 2 best friends. These days it's rare that we all get to spend time together like this. But, when it happens, it's oh-so-good. Love you, gals!

Kärdu stayed to help me make some decorations for the wedding. That's a lot of drawing and cutting circles, and we only made a small dent into the to-do list. These are going to be some crazy busy weeks, and I can't wait for the big day. I'm just trying to soak in all in. It's so easy to get lost in the craziness of preparing for a wedding and forget to enjoy the process. Although it's super stressful, but I'm loving every moment. You only get to do this once, you know.

I'm off to do some paper folding now. I hope you had a wonderful weekend.

xo Hanna

My wedding moodboard

You can find all the images here

Now that our wedding is just a few weeks away (insert excited clapping and jumping up and down here), I thought I'd share some of my wedding inspiration with you. We're on a tight budget, so we've had to figure out ways to save yet still make it our dream wedding. And as you probably guessed by now, there are going to be a lot of DIY elements at our wedding. There are still a million details to figure out and make, so these 5 weeks will fly by in wedding mode. If you know any good wedding ideas or tutorials I could use, share them in the comments below.

xo Hanna

Words for the week // No.6

Tweet: "You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love." @JimCarrey via @hapanaal

I stumbled on this video of Jim Carrey giving a commencement speech, and his words really resonated with me. Especially the quote above. I'm going to be honest. Ever since I was rejected from Cologne, I've had moments of doubt. Moments, when it seems like I'm chasing a train I can't possibly catch. Moments that make me wonder why I even bother to try. Those words gave me the perspective I needed. You can fail at what you want, but also at what you don't even want. I'd rather choose the first. I hope you will, too.

xo Hanna

My Style // A not-so-summery outfit

It seems that we're skipping summer this year here in Estonia. It's been cold, windy and rainy all week. Like, seriously cold, as in 12C°. So, instead on wearing cute summer dresses, skirts and shorts, I have to resort to wearing my winter gear, just in a more summery way.

I do hope summer will arrive shortly. Until then, you can find me in my favorite knits, preferably near a fireplace.

xo Hanna

27

Today I turned 27. That's a weird feeling. Getting older is weird. I feel I'm the same person as I was when I turned 18, but in another sense, I'm totally different. I wish my selves from the past and future could someday sit down and talk. That would be a fun gathering. Oh, the stories they could tell each other... But, alas, although we can try to remember the past, there is no way of knowing the future. And, I think that is for the best.

Looking back on my 26th year on this earth, I can't stop but be grateful. Never in my life would I have thought I'd be here right now, doing the things I'm doing. Some thing I couldn't have imagined, and other I just wouldn't have believed. Above all, what I've learnt over the past year is that I have so many amazing people in my life who support and love me for who I am, and that they are the most important part of my life. Without them, I wouldn't be happy even if I got offered a role in the Metropolitan opera tomorrow.

In many ways, this has been the most difficult year in my life. But, after all the struggles, I'm happy and more certain than ever that this is my right path. The funny thing about life is, that the things that cause you trouble are usually the things worth fighting for. I hope I never forget that.

I'm ready for a new year, a new chapter, new challenges and new memories.

xo Hanna

My graduation concert reveal! (Hear me sing)

You guys, I'm so nervous about today's post. It almost feels like I'm about to post naked pictures of myself (lol). Singing is such an intimate act in some ways. I'm sharing a very important part of myself, and whenever you put that much of yourself out there, it's scary. But, on the other hand, I really want to share this with you. So, I hope you enjoy!


First video: Me & Rein singing the duet of Dorabella and Guglielmo from Mozart's opera "Cosi fan tutte"
Second video: Me, Rein & Ann singing the ensemble from Cimarosa's opera "Il matrimonio segreto"

xo Hanna

Words for the Week // no.5

Yesterday was the day of my graduation. It was my 8th time graduating. That's... a lot of graduations.

I'm so thankful for all the support my family has give me through all the years. I'm looking into the future now and planning my next steps, which will inevitably entail another school and eventually another graduation. Let's see if I can make it an even 10, shall we?

Congratulations to all of you graduating this summer! It's sad and exciting at the same time. Maybe you already have your next steps planned, or maybe you're still searching for the right fit. Whichever situation you're in, let your dreams lead the way and you'll be fine.

Have a wonderful week, guys!

P.S! I'm posting a video of me singing tomorrow, so check back for that.

xo Hanna

An easy fix for a gaping back on jeans/trousers

Most of the jeans I buy have the same problem. Everything fits fine, except the back. I've had years of experience with gaping backs, and I've tried several options for fixing them. A belt never works, and reconstructing the waist at the back takes a lot of time that I really don't want to spend on an alteration.

After some trial and error, I developed this method. To some of you, this might be reinventing the wheel, but for me it was a game changer, and I really wanted to share it with you. It's super easy and works for almost all waist problems, whether it's an overall too wide waist or just a gaping back.

You will need:

• wide elastic (the width should be 0.5cm less than the width of you waistband)
• safety pin
• sewing machine or needle and thread (in matching color to your jeans)
• scissors
• pins

1. First, cut an opening for the elastic. Make a vertical cut about 2cm from the buttonhole and in the same place on the other end of the waistband. The cut should be wide enough to move the elastic through. I recommend not cutting closer than 0.5 cm from the edges of the waistband. Make sure to only cut the inner layer of the waistband!

2. measure the needed length of you elastic. Just put the elastic around you waist where the waistband hits, pull the elastic tighter until it's a comfortable and supporting length. From that length deduct the length of the waistband that the elastic won't be going through, and cut. Attach a safety pin to the one end of the elastic and guide it through the opening. Guide the elastic through the waistband until you reach the other side. Make sure to pin the other end of the elastic to the side of the opening, so you won't just pull the elastic out from the other side.

3. Tuck the end of the elastic into the opening. About 1cm of the elastic should go towards the button(or buttonhole) side of the waistband. Sew the opening shut with a zig sag stitch (to prevent fraying). Make sure you sew over the elastic as well since this is going to secure it in place.

Done! It's harder to explain than it is to do. After one try you'll be able to fix a gaping back in 10 minutes tops. I hope this tutorial helps.

Words for the week // No.4

quote adapted from We&Serendipity

Mondays seem to escape me these past couple of weeks. It's Sunday and then it's magically Tuesday. How does that happen? Anyways...

This weeks words are becoming my motto. I've had a week to adjust to the idea of staying in Estonia and I'm slowly re-directing my dream route. At this point, I'm not excited about the future, but I'm curious. Curious about what new opportunities this new road will take me to. That's what makes life interesting, right? Shortcuts, detours, getting lost, and finding the right way.

Have a wonderful week!

xo Hanna

Sunday Spirit // Greetings from Cologne

 

Greetings from Cologne! It's already been a whole week in this beautiful city of Cologne. I won't say it's all been sunshine and butterflies, because, you know, my rejection and all. But, on the bright side, Rein's been doing really well in the auditions, so wish him luck for the final round of examinations on this coming Friday. Which is why we're staying another week. 

It's mostly been a waiting game, but we've also been sightseeing, cycling around the city and enjoying to warm summer days. I could definitely see myself living here. Although the city is big, it's also kind of cozy and full on friendly faces. If all goes well, I'm definitely going to be visiting often. But, we'll see about that in just a few days. 

We're off to buy some ice cream. Have a wonderful Sunday, my friends!

xo Hanna (& Rein, too)

His & Her Style: 90's comeback

It was a super hot day in May and we decided to take a walk to Kadriorg park. It's one of my favorite places in Tallinn. I'm definitely going to do a special post on this gorgeous park once all the flowers are in full bloom. It's stunning. I love that it's just a short walk from the city center, yet you feel as if you've reached a whole new world. Whenever it gets hot in the city, I need to get into the green, so it's also the perfect getaway.

I'm totally loving the overall trend! I remember getting my first pair of overalls in the 6th grade. I looked like a rapper, or a construction worker. The overalls were massively big, but that was the trend back then. And then, in 8th grade, my Dad went to the USA and brought me back another pair of overalls. Better fitting this time, but by then the trend was already so last season. So, I never really wore them much. And then I went through a major overalls-are-hidious phase. But, me and overalls are friends again.

It's a funny thing with trends. They come and go, and so one day we hate something and the next day we love it again. As far as I can tell, the 90's are so back. I mean, overalls and denim shirts pretty much sums it up. Can't say I'm complaining, though. It is the decade of my childhood, so I'm very fond of it. And the style was pretty great back then, I think. Floral everything and denim dreams - what's there not to like. So, I think a pretty floral dress and some high-waisted denim shorts are definitely lurking back into my summer wardrobe.

How about you? Are you on the overalls' train? And, what do you think of the 90's being back in vogue?

Refashionista: Men's turtleneck into a Henley-style shirt

Today is a new day and I'm back with another men's refashion. This was actually the very first refashion I did for Rein, but it took us months to finally get some photos of it.

This refashion started with a men's turtleneck long-sleeved t-shirt I found at the locals thrift shop. I wasn't crazy about the fabric, but I loved the color and it was in an almost-new condition. Oh, and the price of the day was only 2€. Couldn't resist, now could I?

The first and most important thing to go was the turtleneck. It was hideous. I mean, I don't have anything against turtlenecks in general, but it's not Rein's thing, so it had to go. I decided on a Henley-type neckline. But, as you can see, I deterred from the definition of a Henley neckline a bit. First, the neckline isn't round, and second, the placket is not 10cm long. In fact, there is no placket, it's only the binding overlapping. I love it though, and it's way easier to construct than an actual Henley.

The t-shirt needed shortening as well, but we got the measurements a bit wrong, so finally it came out a bit too short. Oh well, I was wiser the second time around. I used the left-over fabric from the turtleneck to cut a binding for the new neckline. That's the bonus of a turtleneck. Lots of extra fabric to use.

All in all, I'm pretty content with how this refashion turned out. It has it's faults, like every "first" has, but I learned a lot and that's also a big win in my book. I think it's time to go thrifting for men's wear again...

What do you think of this refashion?