Our blog needs a makeover!

I really think it's time we changed things up around here. I'd like our site to return to it's original web site-ness and away from blog-ness... I know that it's main function is a blog, and we obviously have to be realistic about that, but I think some changes would be fun!

We also apologize for the lack of posting, and how boring we've become, but life has been really very normal of late, and I, especially, find splashing mundane every day life all over the web a waste of time, quite frankly!

Today, right now actually, I'm going to sew/moleskine/tidy up/ paint my nails, so later on there should be something happening around these parts! Keep your eyes peeled!
x

Happiness Economics

I've always considered happiness to be something elusive, a desire deep down in the heart of every man, even if they aren't willing to admit to themselves that it's there. I've listened to people over the years saying that happiness is found within, it's about the journey, not the destination, and 'if you have to move 10 inches from where you are now to be happy, you'll never truly be happy.'

Even though I agree wholeheartedly with these statements, theories, if you will, but I always wondered if maybe there was more to it than that.

I've recently started studying microeconomics as one of my first year subjects, and our professor just so happens to be a high-profile economist. One of the topics he has widely covered over the years is just this, 'Happiness Economics'. While it may seem really strange, once he started to speak, this curiosity and desire to understand this concept was growing inside of me!

I find it so fascinating, and so true, that our happiness, according to research, is not very often linked to our average income, and that it's not always possible to transform income into happiness and goods into wellbeing, to loosely translate from the Italian.  He also sustains that we are the main actors, the stars in our own happiness. And each one of us has the ability to bring out the capacity to become excellent, to do extraordinary things. Could it be that the economic world, the least likely forum imaginable, will be the one to point out to the world that everyone is searching for something deeper? Could it be that economists will reveal the flaws in our western belief systems? Could it be people will start to really consider the true source of happiness, all by seeing the beauty of 'relational goods' and the emptiness in material possessions?

I'm inspired.

Even though the link to economics may seem unclear, (I'm no economist... Not yet anyway!) I finally, for the first time, realised that, yes, the economic world IS searching deeper. It's no longer considered acceptable to assume that money means everything. But over and above this, I realised that this is something I'm passionate about!

I think I've found my place in the world.
Everyone should have a place. I hope that whoever you are and whatever you do, you're inspired, firstly, and you're passionate, secondly! Inspired, passionate people make a difference.
Ale
xx

I find this picture the twins took of a bud very appropriate!! (and cool) 

And this picture of me looking like a hobo, unrelated, but a nice pic.

A very special Tuesday..

So today is our dad's birthday, and in his honour I decided to take a short trip down memory lane. Seeing as he's not a big birthday person, and might actually be offended by my posting of this, I'm going to keep it short, to the point, and not too sentimental!

I was looking through some old photographs and I thought maybe I'd share a few here..

We've had some really hard times in the past few years, but we've had some really great ones too! And I absolutely know that we would never be where we are today without his ability to make us smile, his wonderful coffee and his love for God! (To name a few!)

This is from my dad's birthday a few years ago

During one of our beach holidays..

I absolutely love this photo..

After his performance as a matador!

A traumatic memory, this one..

Dad, I don't believe there's anyone on this planet who has an ability to make people smile like you do! I really feel so blessed to have a father like you. So many girls would die to have what I have, a father who loves God, loves his wife, and also his very rowdy and somewhat annoying kids (obviously, I, Ale, would not fall into the annoying category.. Can't say the same for the others :D ) Jokes aside, so many of my happiest memories have you in them, and I am so unbelievably grateful for everything you and mom sacrificed for us, and how you have both demonstrated to us everyday what it means to obey God.

Thank you so much for everything. I hope that today is really a wonderful day, even though you hate birthdays!!!
Looking forward to a salad and a glass of water with you tonight. (With fillet and some cake on the side.. obviously!)
Lots of love
Ale.

So you may have noticed...

Our website has gone under a small 'face lift' of sorts. The twins and I had a super busy, super productive weekend making our most exciting stop motion to date, but perfection is hard work, let me tell you!!!

So when we got back from a wonderful day on location, (lake Como if you don't mind) we figured the blog could use a little work too.

WOW!

This funny old guy was chit-chatting with us on his way past!!!

Talking about the video, here are a few of our behind the scene shots from our eventful day by the lakeside!!! Keep your eyes peeled for more lovely still shots and THE ACTUAL STOP MOTION!!!!!! Excitement?? I thought so...

Soaking up a little bit of the delightful Spring sunshine

Como is the most beautiful place EVER!

A nice coffee break by the lake!

This beautiful girl let us take her picture!

The best is yet to come, let us promise you!!! We're really excited about this video! Can't wait to post it. Hopefully really soon!

Another bit of exciting news is that we're going to start working on a bilingual site. In a while you'll see our content packed pages translated or written in Italian.. Can't wait :)

Keep classy San Diego, as our beloved Ron would say!
Ale and the cobblers
(NO.. I'm not the thief!!!!)
xxx

Keeping things fresh..

It's been a while, and I apologise for the ridiculous lack of posting happening around these parts. Dim, Mil and I have been working on a really BIG EXCITING project, which we're really excited to share here! As you possibly may have read, we got asked to make a stop motion for some friends in England, it's going to be used as a sort of advert for a conference they're planning and they asked US to do it! So we've been brainstorming like CRAZY and on Friday I eventually had the breakthrough we've all been waiting for!!! We should have photos by this Saturday to share with you, and hopefully a finished video shortly!!

Here's a photo I took on Friday, yep I was HERE!!!!

In other news, one of my moleskine pages got reblogged over SEVEN THOUSAND times! woohoo!!! As a result we've launched
www.moleskinepages.tumblr.com where you can see our own original work, as well as loads of awesome reblogged stuff! Be sure to come and have a little look see.

And then a friend of ours sent me a link to her absolutely gorgeous art and illustration blog, china doll illustrations, which is also absolutely fab, a MUST SEE! Go have a look here

Another friend has a South African blog happening, really cool, be sure to check it out! Elephants and Easter..

Keep it classy san diego :)
More soon!

Moleskine!

So the other day I was taking a stroll around Milan, and I see a pack of moleskines. Then I notice there are exactly three inside the pack, and I realise, in that moment that they were for us! The Thief and The Cobblers. Dim and Mil have been desperate for a while, and so I decided to buy them and we could start an individual but group project.

Needless to say, the twins jumped right in enthusiastically! And in only three days, here's what we've done! I put scans in of all three of our books! Enjoy and comment!
(click for larger view)

These amazing monsters were drawn for us by our friend almost two years ago :')


















This one was completely inspired by statikmotion.




This one was inspired by a picture of oliva bee's that I like.

Dreaming.

On Friday, Dim, Mil and I went on a LONG overdue photo adventure. The lack of photos on our blog has mostly been my fault, with uni exams and well, just life feeling stressful in general. I've been putting off going out to take pictures.. But it's no excuse. I promised February would be a creative month, and I mean to keep good on my promise.

Mil decided she liked the look of these cyclists, and proceded to practically stalking them. Poor, innocent civillians! Maybe one day they'll randomly be surfing the web and come accross these pics of themselves while they were obliviously cycling around town. But probably not, so I'm posting the photo anyway!

In the end, the three of us sat down on a bench, and just started to dream aloud. We talked about short term projects, photo adventures we want to go on. First to close places, like the lakes around Lombardy, and then Verona, and then eventually Venice, and Rome, Dim and Mil building up a portfolio of incredible pictures. Capturing the beauty that others can't (me going along for the fun!!! :D) After that we're going to go European, Paris, Berlin, Dublin, but not only cities. Anywhere we can. And after that, INTERNATIONAL!! (This is obviously in addition to my beautiful vintage exciting book store, young designer's forum and coffee shop, all in one)

It's good to dream. Actually it's vital. I often think that when I stop dreaming I inadvertently stop living. I breath, and eat and sleep. I do things as per usual, but I'm not really living, I'm going through the motions. Dreams make life worth living, they put exciting into the mundane, they put fun into the boring, and they make the future seem less daunting.

Moral of the story.. Never stop dreaming!
Ale
xx

for ellie

so so so sorry this is so late!

happy birthday!

TODAY IS ALE'S BIRTHDAY! Happy birthday ale!!! While we only got to see you in the morning, we trust you had a fab day full of joy and glee!!!
(Below we thought we'd attatch some of the fond memories from this morning)

Gianluca took this one! thanks.

all pink!

and one from last year for good memories: 

Happy birthday, ale(ster)!!! we really do hope you enjoyed and celebrated your first day stepping into the non teenage digits! (no more teenage dreams... teenage dirtbag.. you're a ragazza seria now!)