The Book That Turned Me Into a Reader

What a great idea to create a link up book club! As soon as I saw this on Stephanie's blog Bassability I knew I had to link up - I have wanted to blog more about books in the last few weeks and I knew I had to join in!

The question for this week's No Stress Book Club post is: 

What book turned you into a reader?

I grew up with next to no television (ours had three channels and we were only allowed to watch about an hour of children's programmes a day) and reading took its place. My parents read aloud to my brother and myself and one of the books I loved so much that I couldn't stop looking at them and that really made me want to read was "Malwine in der Badewanne" ("The Mysterious Tadpole") by Steven Kellogg. This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of a boy who gets a special birthday present from an uncle who visited Scotland: a tadpole that keeps on growing until it gets even bigger than the bathtub. The German title "Malwine in der Badewanne" means "Malwine [the name of the tadpole] in the Bathtub" and I remember that even the title sounded weird and magical to me.

I am sure that I owe some of my passionate interest in books to this early reading experience and maybe my later fascination with the more unusual kind of fantasy literature has to do with the fact that Malwine is a very sweet kind of monster ...

OOTD: Be My Valentine @ Fatty Fashion Fun Challenge

Scarf/Schal: selfmade/selbstgestrickt; Cardigan: Samoon; dress/Kleid: selfmade/selbstgenäht; tights/Strumpfhosen: Ulla Popken; shoes/Schuhe: Clarks

As this month's FFFC's theme is "Be my valentine vs. Celebrate yourself" I thought I would try to do a bit of a mix up. I have worked on this dress to wear it specifically on Valentine's Day to celebrate myself and I am so glad I didn't make a mess of it ... it's made from a green and beige striped cloth bought years ago from Marc Aurel and I just love the sleek feel of it!

On my particular Valentine's Day I ended up wearing mostly nothing as my bestie and I celebrated ourselves by spending a whole day at a sauna and spa - the perfect antidote for this frosty weather.

Have a fabulous February!

Love, Qaroline

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Das Thema des FFFC in diesem Monat ist "Be my valentine vs. Celebrate yourself" und da dachte ich, ich mach mal da mal einen Mischmasch draus. Dieses Kleid habe ich mir speziell für den Valentinstag genäht, um mich selbst ein bisschen zu feiern und ich bin ja so froh, dass ich es nicht verhunzt hab ... Es ist aus einem grün-beige-gestreiften Hosenstoff von Marc Aurel und fühlt sich wunderbar kühl und geradlinig an!

An meinem tatsächlichen Valentinstag hatte ich dann die meiste Zeit eigentlich gar nichts an, da meine beste Freundin und ich uns einen ganzen Tag lang in einer Saunatherme selbst gefeiert haben - das perfekte Gegenmittel zum frostigen Februarwetter.

Wünsche Euch allen einen fabulösen Februar!

Love, Qaroline

glasses/Brille: eyes+more; earrings/Ohrringe: Bijou Brigitte

Fat Bitch Assignment #2

This is the second assigment for Rachele's ECourse: 


Reclaim the word fat and do something amazing with it. Make art, take photos of yourself with fat written on you, bake a cake with fat written in frosting, etc. 

As I love, love, love statement buttons and am a passionate cross stitcher, I have made myself a new one:

Here are some DIY-style pictures of the process: 

 

The button is made from three individual buttons; I used Danish flower thread which is my absolute favourite for cross stitching. Here is an old FAT button I made earlier:

The discussion part of the ECourse assigment reads:

What do you love most about the word fat? How has the word fat evolved for you?

As I thought back upon this I was surprised that the word "fat" has been a positive word for me for quite some time - (the German word for "fat" is "dick"). I haven't been bothered by this word for a while now - but I really don't like it if it is treated as a "bad" word to use.

This happened to me a few weeks ago:
I was sitting in a café when a boy of about 4 or 5 years who sat with his parents at a neighboring table turned to me and said: "She's quite fat, isn't she?" - His parents didn't hear him at first and I said to him: "You are right, I am fat." When his parents noticed what he had said to me they were absolutely horrified, even when I said that it was fine, they told their son it was bad manners to tell someone who is obviously fat that he/she is fat. 

I have thought back to this incidence a lot and I was sorry for the boy who obviously didn't mean to say 'Euurgch, she's fat", he simply stated a fact. This experience is the perfect example for me why we need to think about re-branding "fat".

Regarding my list from last week: my stripey dress is almost finished, I have written a few pages of the fat-teenage-girl story, I have adopted an English muffin recipe to make it vegan and the muffins tasted really great, I have made plans to plant lots of leafy salads in an old dog basket which I found by the road and I bought some gorgeous tulips for my room, a pink double flowered variety:

Have a fabulous week!

Love, Qaroline

Fat Bitch Assignment #1

I have just now enrolled in Rachele's "How to be a fat bitch" ECourse on www.nearsightedowl.com ["A fat bitch is confident, out-spoken and proud of who she is. The word bitch has been used by feminists as a way to reclaim an insult used to demean our cause"] - and this is the first assignment: 

"Write down 5 things that you are going to do that make you happy. Not "even though you are fat" but because you are fat and awesome. 5 things that have nothing to do with trying for the sake of others."

This is my list of 5:

#1: Finish sowing my short stripey dress to wear on Valentine's Day.
#2: Learn how to bake vegan cakes that don't taste like cardboard.
#3: Read more about self and fat acceptance.
#4: Finish writing my story about a fat teenage girl who does not hate herself for being fat.
#5: Planting herbs and vegetables in the garden and buying shedloads of tulips for my room.

If you would like to enlist in Rachele's "How to be a fat bitch"-ECourse, you can do it here: http://www.nearsightedowl.com/2013/02/how-to-be-fat-bitch-ecourse-1.html

I will keep you updated about the actual "doing part" of this list!

The discussion part of this assignment reads: 

"How do you deal with people that make assumptions about you based on being fat? Is the best revenge to live well and be happy? How do you feel about the concept of there being a "good fatty" and a "bad fatty" perceived in society?"


I am not great with confrontation but in the last months I have found the courage to speak up more. It is true - most people automatically assume that I am unhappy with my body and most of them are shocked if I state that I don't want to lose weight. Some people cannot handle this very well and try to discuss this topic at length. Usually I try to explain that I feel much healthier and much more self-confident since I have quit obsessing about my weight and if that doesn't serve to shut them up I know that they are not the sort of people I want to be my friend. Regarding the "good fatty" and "bad fatty" issue: size-wise and weight-wise I am definitely in the "bad fatty" category. To say that some people are allowed to love themselves and others are not is principally not acceptable to me. I know that I have been conditioned to judge people and myself just because of their bodies and my body all my life and I am still battling this seemingly automatic process from time to time. 

Love, Qaroline

OOTD: Curls & Crows

scarf/Schal: gift/Geschenk; top: thrifted/vom Flohmarkt; skirt/Rock: handmade/selbstgestrickt; tights/Strumpfhosen: Ulla Popken; socks/Socken: H&M; boots/Stiefel: Bluntstone

Last week we had a lot of snow and I am a bit sad that now that I have the time to post this OOTD almost all of it has vanished again ... this is me wearing my handknitted skirt and experimenting with my hair. Usually I use curlpapers made from Kleenex (just fold each tissue into a triangle and roll it up) and leave them in over night - result!

A few days earlier I went for a walk in the snow and met lots and lots of crows ... I will miss winter.

Love, Qaroline

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Letzte Woche hat es hier unglaublich viel geschneit und ausgerechnet jetzt, da ich endlich Zeit habe, dieses OOTD zu posten, ist die ganze Pracht schon wieder weggetaut ... das ist mein selbstgestrickter Rock, aus selbstgesponnener grauer Wolle und ein Haarexperiment. Ich drehe mir meine Papilloten aus Tempotaschentüchern (einfach ein Dreieck falten und aufrollen, darauf die Haare drehen und die Enden verknoten) und lasse sie über Nacht drin - das ist das Ergebnis!

Ein paar Tage zuvor habe ich einen Spaziergang im Schnee gemacht und bin vielen, vielen Krähen begegnet ... ich werde den Winter vermissen.

Love, Qaroline

glasses/Brille: eyes+more

OOTD: Winterqueen @ Fatty Fashion Fun Challenge

Scarf/Schal: C&A; cardigan: Samoon; linen blazer/Leinenblazer: H&M; dress/Kleid: Ulla Popken; socks/Socken: H&M men; boots/Stiefel: my trusty Bluntstones/mal wieder meine Bluntstones

This is my outfit for the first Fatty Fashion Fun Challenge , hosted by the marvelous Miss Temple and 2moro - this month's theme is "Winterqueen". I am chuffed to bits that it snowed this week and I was able to take pictures for this in the snow - it couldn't be much more wintery [not sure that this is a word ... nevermind ...] than this!

For this themed post I chose to wear one of my favourite summer dresses [ironically ... maybe ...] from Ulla Popken, over layers and layers of tights and leggings - and I used this opportunity to do two things I haven't actually done before: a) wear a cardigan over a blazer. I saw this in one of magazines some time ago [I think it was Glamour] and I have always wanted to try this. I think it's a success. Not quite sure about b), the orangey lipstick. I wanted something KA-POW to work against all those blues and the beige blazer. Admittedly, it works for my green eyes and it is definitely a statement lipstick but I don't know if I am brave enough to make this into a habit. I usually don't wear that much lipstick anyway ... we'll see.

Have a wonderful winter week!

Love, Qaroline

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Das ist mein Outfit für die ersten Fatty Fashion Fun Challenge, großartigerweise ins Leben gerufen von Miss Temple und 2moro - und das Thema dieses Monats ist "Winterqueen". Passenderweis hat es diese Woche geschneit und ich freue mich diebisch, dass ich die Bilder im Schnee machen konnte, schließlich gibt es in unseren Breiten kaum etwas Winterigeres [ist das ein Wort? Egal ...] als ungefähr fünf Zentimeter Schnee ... yay!

Für diesen Themenpost habe ich eines meiner liebsten Sommerkleider von Ulla Popken an [vielleicht nicht ganz un-ironisch, hüstel], natürlich mit endlosen Schichten von Strumpfhosen und Radlerhosen drunter. Und ich habe diese Gelegenheit genutzt, um mal zwei Dinge zu machen, die ich vorher noch gar nicht ausprobiert habe: a) den Blazer unter der Strickjacke zu tragen. Ich habe das vor einer Zeit in einem der üblichen Hochglanzmagazine gesehen [ich glaube, es war die Glamour] und wollte das schon immer mal ausprobieren. Ich glaube, das mache ich öfter, der Look gefällt mir. Bei b), dem orangigen Lippenstift, bin ich mir da nicht ganz so sicher. Ich wollte was mit KA-WOOM, um ein wenig gegen die potentiell öden Blau- und Beigetöne anzugehen. Die Farbe passt zwar richtig gut zu meinen grünen Augen und das ist ein absoluter Statement Lipstick, aber ich weiß nicht, ob ich mutig genug bin, um das öfter zu machen. Eigentlich trage ich auch gar nicht so viel Lippenstift. Mal sehen.

Habt eine wunderschöne Winterwoche, alle zusammen!

Love, Qaroline

glasses/Brille: eyes+more; earrings/Ohrringe: gift/Geschenk; lipstick/Lippenstift: 380 exotic by Alcina Cosmetics

Sunday Social 14/01/13

1. What is the name of your blog? How long have you been blogging? Qaroline's Qonundrums. The name refers to the fact that I regard being a fat woman in a society that constantly tells me that I have to change as the biggest of my daily conundrums. I have been blogging since August 2012.

2. Why do you blog? Because I want to show that it IS possible to be fat and love yourself.

3. What is the first blog you ever followed? Kirsty Lou's fabulous blog "Fatty Unbound". I saw a television programme about body acceptance that featured her and her blog - I have been hooked ever since.

4. What is your favorite post you wrote in 2012? The one I wrote about writing as my method of choice for escaping from self hate, here is the link if you would like to read it: The Body Politic No. 3 - Escape

5. What are your blogging goals for 2013? Continuing to write the Body Politic-post series.

6. Top 3 favorite blogs to follow? At the moment my three favourite blogs are:

Rachele @ The Nearsighted Owl
Jess @ The Militant Baker
Charlotte Cooper @ Obesity Timebomb

Thank you very much for stopping by, I hope you have a fabulous Sunday!

Love, Qaroline

OOTD: Back on Track

Cardigan: Samoon; scarf/Schal: gift/Geschenk; dress/Kleid: vintage via Mom/vintage von meiner Ma; tights/Strumpfhosen: Ulla Popken; boots/Stiefel: Bluntstone

I am sorry for dropping off the radar for the last few weeks - it was very grey and very rainy here in Germany but today I saw my first bit of blue sky since ages - so I did another quick OOTD. [You can't see it in the pictures but there are actually teeny tiny snowflakes falling, yay!]

This dress is perfect for this kind of weather, made from flannel and really warm and comfy. It belonged to my Mom who wore it when she was pregnant with my younger brother, back in the '80s - it is officially a size 12 maternity dress [!] - I just snipped off the sleeves and it fits! Weird world, indeed.

After consuming exorbitant quantities of herbal tea and aspirin over the last days I hope that everything will be back on track now - happy new 2013 to you all!

Love, Qaroline

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Sorry, dass ich die letzten Wochen so tief untergetaucht war - es war sehr sehr grau und sehr sehr nass hier in Deutschland, aber heute habe ich mein erstes Stück blauen Himmel gesehen und wieder mal ein schnelles OOTD gemacht. [Man kann es auf den Bildern nicht wirklich sehen, aber gerade fallen winzig kleine Schneeflocken, yay!]

Dieses Kleid ist absolut perfekt für diese Art von Wetter. Es ist aus kuschligweichem Flanell und hat früher einmal meiner Ma gehört. Sie hat es getragen, als sie in den '80ern mit meinem kleinen Bruder schwanger war, denn eigentlich ist es ein Umstandskleid in Größe 38 [!] - ich hab nur die Ärmel abgeschnippelt und schon passt es! Merkwürdig, all das.

Nach gefühlten hundert Litern Kräutertee und gefühlten Myriaden von Aspirin in den letzten Tagen hoffe ich, dass jetzt alles wieder ganz normal läuft - fröhliches neues 2013 für Euch alle!

Love, Qaroline

glasses/Brille: eyes+more