maple bear

status.cafe

webrings

flowering // forget-me-not

updates

19.04.24 new page! you can now find my monthly journal spreads here! and updates at photo diary and my currently page c:

11.04.24 new digital journal and diary entries + new updates in bookbug, thoughts, and currently!

22.03.24 new page: thoughts, and updated pages: currently, sitemap and bookbug

15.03.24 updates in Q&A, bookbug, currently and made a new button for linkback!

07.03.24 new entry on digital journal page ꒰* ꈍ◡ꈍ ꒱

13.02.24 a month later update (what a coincidence!): changed some images and little things around the website (feel free to try and find them), and added a small new diary entry.

13.01.24 new layout is up!! thank u vini for helping with the code!! i'm eternally grateful~

13.10.23 updated the photo diary page, now it has captions that make sense!

06.10.23 finally took the time to fix the photo diary page! also made a brand new to-do list page (yes instead of doing what i need to get done i made a whole page about it. that's some gooood procrastination!! i hope to have time this weekend to make a new diary entry too. hope you are doing good today, buddy!

18.09.23 added more blogs i like on my bookmarks + thank you everyone that visited my site and left a little comment on my guestbook! i'm so happy to have reached over 1k views here. i never expected anyone to read it... thank you, really !! (*´꒳`*)

31.08.23 edited some more pages, added a photo diary (but not really happy with how it looks, i need to learn how to code it properly!! added bookmarks, resource links, a link back button (maybe i should make a new one...), a hobbies page... oof! will i ever finish it?

29.08.23 edited loads of pages and learned how to make this box

28.08.23 started the website! my bf had to help with some simple coding issues because i'm a noob when it comes to these things!! i only ever edited very simple code ok !!

1994 i was born

about me

tabata: tabi, tabs
long-dead authors hold me by the hand

about me:

i'm a ✧starry-eyed✧ girl, and a morning person. i'm a bad sleeper, a collector, and someone who loves handwritten notes. i'm passionate about literature, fashion and taking pictures (they are not good, but I take them for the memories).

likes:

reading, matcha oatmilk latte, crochet, journaling, putting ribbons on all my stuff, baby pink, aperol spritz, lowercase text, miffy, picnics, and other cute stuff.

more maple

✲ for a short list of some of my favourite things, please click here
✲ some random facts about me
✲ online & offline ✧ (｡•̀ᴗ-)
✲ feeling nostalgic? you can visit my blinkies page
✲ what am i up to now: check my currently page

why maple?

i just needed a username one day and came up with maplebear! i like maple from acnh (i think she's my favourite villager!), and i think bears are cute (who doesn't?), so it made sense at the time! (plus, i didn't want to use any usernames i had used or still use in other places (like ciaotabs, neptunenymph and baudelaire to name a few) ヾ(-ω・*) most people think it's about maple syrup, but it's really not - even though i really do like it! and i still think i prefer honey... (a bear after all, huh?)

୨୧ digital journal

11.04.2024

spring °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
spring is my favourite season - i love the weather, the pretty flowers everywhere, the kind of activities you can now do, the clothing, everything! so this is my spring to-do list, what i'm excited for and other flowery thoughts:

⋆˚✿˖° picnics laying in the grass, eating snacks and drinking something refreshing - how could you not love it? this is definitely my favourite activity. can't wait to use my red gingham picnic blanket and make delicious foods to share.

⋆˚✿˖° light layers i think spring is when i'm most creative and when i have the most fun getting dressed up. i love the possibilities of layering - changing up the same base outfit with different items, mix and matching, having fun with accessories... i wish spring would last longer!

⋆˚✿˖° buying flowers a more or less recent habit that i picked up is buying fresh flowers for the house. i grew up thinking i wasn't a flower person, that i much rather plant flowers in a garden than having them arranged in vases... it seemed like such a waste... but now i feel very different about this. i don't feel as if it's a waste, i feel like it really brightens up a space and really makes me feel so much more at home. it also inspires me to have the rest of the house tidy and neat, so the flowers have a chance to stand up!

⋆˚✿˖° sunday brunch i love going out for brunch, but i feel like that is a saturday activity - however, making brunch at home is definitely a sunday thing. it just feels right! i wish i could do this one more often, but our apartment is really small and we don't have a dining table (well, we do, but it's what we use as working desks, so there's always two computers on it, along with all the rest of the stuff), so it doesn't come as natural as it would. nevertheless i would like to this year, really try and make that into a routine (including taking everything off the table so we can actually sit and eat haha).

⋆˚✿˖° taking instax pictures my instax camera is really old (it's the mini 7s), and i go through phases of being obsessed with it and taking lots of pictures or forgettinh that it is there. i want to get a good balance on it (film is too expensive now too) and get some nice memories on it again. some of my favourite pictures were taken with it!

⋆˚✿˖° baking as i write this, i'm waiting for my loaf of bread to rise. i want to try new recipes, instead of always making the same lemon cake and brown butter miso cookies (don't get me wrong, i LOOOVE those)! i have been saving some recipes for different types of brownies that i really want to try (plus my boyfriend loves brownies! i'm not such a fan tbh). again, living in such a small space can limit my cooking and baking adventures, but i'll give my best shot - i don't have a standing mixer, or a blender, so everything must be doable by hands haha

⋆˚✿˖° weekend trips i can't complain about not travelling a lot, i've already been doing this the whole year; but i really want to keep doing it specially with nicer weather. i really want to visit copenhagen soon! but there's really so many options to travel for a long weekend. that's one of the things i like the most about living in belgium.

⋆˚✿˖° wearing my basket as a bag yes you read that right!! a basket just goes with absolutely every outfit and you cannot make me think otherwise. it adds a bit of fun and cuteness that i simply adore. i will say though, not the most practical. if i'm going to the supermarket, carrying that plus the groceries is not really fun.

⋆˚✿˖° collages, watercolour, getting crafty me and my friends did what we called 'arts and crafts day' a couple times already, and i love it! we did tiny paintings once, the other time was watercolours and we have been planning a ceramics day for a long time (it's just so expensive here!) if you never tried this, you really should! it's not really about being good with art, but getting together, getting creative and of course, talking and having fun!

⋆˚✿˖° reading outside it could be during a picnic, but also just sitting on a bench, or at a café, or even at your local library if it's one of those rainy spring days. there's something about being outside that makes me read so much more for a lot longer - being at home sometimes distracts me from actually reading.

⋆˚✿˖° friends of course!! all these activities would be so nice by yourself, but there's nothing better than spending time with people you love - and that's really the best part of it ପ(๑•ᴗ•๑)ଓ


leave a comment!

07.03.2024

sandy liang wishlist
this is an unrealistic realistic wishlist because 1) if i had a crazy amount of money, i'd probably buy almost everything sandy liang puts out, but 2) i'm being honest with myself since a lot of her clothing items are polyester and i'm not comfortable wearing it - this wishlist contains things i know i'd get a looot of use out of! i love the brand aesthetic, and it inspires me not only in my personal style, but in other aspects of my life. her playfulness and cuteness without being childish is really something i resonate with!

✲ the petal wristlet: not really a big fan of bracelets/other things in my wrists, but oh my god am i obsessed with it!! it's such an adorable detail to add on a plain outfit. i think, however, that this is something on the easy side to diy if you know how to sew (or knit/crochet? i mean, it doesn't have to be in satin!)

✲ narutomaki studs: if you know me, you know one thing i love to collect is cutesy fun different earrings - i know she also made ballet slipper earrings a while back, but since i could not find it on the website today, i'm only including these ones. i know that technically i can't eat narutomakis (they are made out of fish), but they just look TOO cute to pass up.

✲ goto skort: let me be honest; i think every skirt should be a skort and i'm so glad this is a trend now! (however i am of the opinion that a skort should look like a skirt even from behind - i know this is a dividing comment to make, but it just looks nicer!!) this one is also made out of mostly polyester, but for a mini skirt it doesn't bother me. i love the star shaped button detail and the brown colour of the fabric.

✲ small regalo bag: can we just stop for a moment and appreciate how GORGEOUS both the colour of this bag (i'm still obsessed with chartreuse) and the shape?? if you put it on your shoulder, it looks like a big ribbon is tied on, and if you carry it, it looks like you are carrying the most beautiful wrapped gift ever. this bag is one of my favourite pieces of the year already!

✲ mary jane double strap shoes: i have been wanting a pair of red shoes for a while now, and after having my mary jane tabis for a while, i know for sure i'd wear this one a lot too! the square toe and double straps make it so unique yet i feel that it would work with so many different outfits and occasions. the fact that they cost over 500 dollars is the only thing standing between me and the happier version of me, wearing them out and about.

✲ verona bag: if i had this bag, it would definitely, without a doubt, become my new everyday bag. baby pink for me goes with pretty much everything else, and the big bow only adds to my desire of becoming a ghibli character in real life. the only thing that bothers me is that it does have a black buckle on the strap... it kind of ruins it in my opinion. this also looks like something you could diy if you have really good sewing abilities. not my case, unfortunately.

p.s. after i wrote this post, i found the ballet slipper earrings so please go look at how lovely they are!!

leave a comment!

23.12.2023

this time of year i love watching and reading some fashion predictions for the next year, mostly because i find it interesting to see what other people are thinking of wearing, and less of a guide (i realize i named this post fashion guide, excuse my lack of vocabulary!!). i believe that now, being a bit older and more confident in what i like and, maybe even more important, what i don't like, i have actually find my own personal style! what impresses me is how much less that has to do with actual clothing items than one thinks - what i like to read, watch, visit, eat, drink and buy (this goes from glassware to couch pillows to stationary, etc) really influences my personal fashion choices... which makes sense when you think about it! why would i be a different person when buying cutlery and buying clothes?

this are things that are in my mind and that i want to maybe incorporate into my wardrobe and daily life - definitely not a guide for anyone but myself, and even i might change how i feel about all of this (isn't it lovely to evolve?).
real people, no trends
wear what you want to wear, what you feel comfortable in, what makes you feel beautiful!! who cares what's trending - that changes so often i'm surprised anyone can keep up. i love people-watching and noticing what people are actually wearing outside. the influencer you see in crazy outfits might only be wearing those for a picture, and that's why you don't wear that piece of clothing you bought because of her. i've been victim of this for a long time: seeing a photo that is well edited, well posed, well marketed and thinking i wanted to look the same - the problem is, i actually don't have anywhere to go wearing a colorful pastel sequin skirt, and i definitely didn't have anywhere to use it when i was 15... but i bought it. and it's now sitting in my wardrobe for a long time (was going to say how many years but i don't think that bodes well for me...). long story short, somethings are fun to look at or maybe try it on at the store, but if there is no use or too little use for it in my actual life, i'm not buying it anymore.
yes that is me in the picture !!


paying attention to materials
this is the one that really turned me into the most annoying person to go shopping with. "what does it say on the tag?" is being repeated so often even i get bored. but listen, i'm in a point in my life where i cannot be doing with polyester anymore. i turned down sooo many cute pieces at stores (and at the thrift) because the material was just not nice!! and i don't regret it at all. natural fibers is the only way to go.


hats
for most of my life i believed that i didn't had a head for hats. that's crazy talk. everyone can look nice in a hat! i'm specially obsessed with these vintage kerchief-balaklava-bonnet type of hats that tie it on your chin. it's so adorable and it keeps my ears warm on cold winter days. does it make you look like an old lady? maybe. is that bad? no.


unflattering
hear me out... what is unflattering, at the end of the day? rudeness, violence, selfishness. a silly little outfit that does nothing for your figure is just that: a silly little outfit. wear it!! i don't care if it doesn't show my waist, makes me look short (i am short), or frumpy. that kind of look has its purposes and its days. if it makes me feel cute, i look cute.


ribbon overuse?
this has been the year of the ribbons and bows, and in the fashion bubble that i'm in, there's talk of how it will die down soon and make space for a new obsession amongst the girlies. i do not care. i love ribbons and i'll keep on wearing them, putting them on my bags, shoes, hair, etc. i think it suits me, fits my personality and it's such a cute way of changing up your outfit by adding it (not to mention, cheap!). i don't love a bow though. maybe i'm wrong (not surprising, as english is not my first language), but there's a difference between ribbons and bows - i don't love how the bows look, it's too stiff!


tights and socks
the obsession with tights and socks continues - this year i bought colorful tights (so fun!) and they can really transform an outfit into something new! they elevate your look and they are (usually) cheap. they make mini skirts and dresses wearable during cold weather. i'm also crazy about wearing a simple outfit like a pair of jeans, neutral sweater and black loafers and making it super cute and fun just by adding a colorful sock (like bright red!!) and some accessories.
in the pictures, francesca perks, she's a big inspiration for me!


bloomers!
i'm the kind of girl that always wears short shorts under skirts and dresses (i feel more comfortable knowing the wind can't reveal to the world my underwear), but this year i changed them to a cute pair of lacy bloomers i found and let me tell you, the difference is astounding!! not really on how you look (cause they are hidden anyway) but in how i feel! it's adorable and i'm dying for a second pair.


60s
those mod, a-line mini short dresses and coats and jackets are so lovely, i adore the sillhouette! i think it looks so cool and cute at the same time, and of course, those would look so pretty with tights and a mary jane kind of shoe or high knee boots. chef's kiss. may the thrift store gods bless me with something like this soon!!


buy less, repeat more
i don't think this will come as a surprise after you read all of this annoyingly detailed post, but yeah, i think reusing your clothes is so cool. they start to become part of your personality to your friends or people you see often, but not really anyone else. i don't know why we grew up thinking that repeating outfits is a bad thing (actually, i do know... capitalism), but we (i) need to break that line of thought. even the other day i messaged my friend saying "so sorry i just realized both times i saw you i was wearing the same dress" and she replied with "why? you look lovely in it". is she wrong??? never!! i want my clothing to be sick of me, the washing machine bored of seeing the same pieces over and over again, and my wallet happy.

leave a comment!

17.10.2023

vintage bags
i mentioned one of these days that i was on a vintage bag shopping spree (mostly on vinted) and some of you said you'd be interested in seeing them! so this is for you and whoever else is interested in it. the thing i like the most about buying second hand bags is how cheap i can get real leather! as a vegetarian, i get a bit uncomfortable buying new leather pieces, but i see no issues if they are 2nd hand, as i'm not directly contributing to them being manufactured.

1. reg furla bag
the newest addition to my wardrobe! it's a great size and shape for everyday use, but i got it mostly for carrying things for class. i'm planning on getting back to studying japanese (yes, i'm ditching dutch! reasons will follow on a diary post soon... i think...) and honestly i got tired of carrying a tote bag for class every week!

2. my perfect bag
this one is honestly my favourite bag ever, and the one i use the most! as you can see, i have attached a baby pink ribbon and a little miffy keychain to it. it fits everything i need on a everyday basis, and it keeps it organized since it has two zipper compartments instead of opening to just one big pocket. i got it on a local thrift store, and the brand is okay's!

3. baby missoni
another great vinted find - this square small missoni bag is just too cute! as you can tell, i love brown coloured leather, and this just screams autumn for me. still haven't got a chance to wear it, but i'm very excited to do so! and it fits more than it looks (well, not on this picture i used, all three bags are kinda the same size haha)

what's in my bag?
this has always been one of my favourite posts in blogs back in the day. i'm just a nosy person that loves seeing what everyone carries around... i hope this can be interesting for you to see too!

boring essentials
you know... keys and wallet. nothing exciting unless you think a 101 dalmatians wallet and a spongebob keychain is interesting! they are pretty old by now, but i haven't found anything that i like more to replace them with... i like the size of the wallet cause it fits into most of my smaller bags. the keys not so much, but if i leave the house with my boyfriend then he carries his keys, haha

nicer essentials
i'm the kind of girl that carries little bags inside her bag. the pink thing with the eyes is where i carry my ultimate essentials (really, i don't go ANYWHERE without them): lipbalm and liptint. there's also two lipsticks inside, but the lipbalm and liptint combo is my go to, i open this little bag every hour or so to reapply! the small tins are to carry mints (in the blue miffy one), and medicine (in the van gogh's sunflowers one). the big miffy pouch is for other girly stuff - tampons, pads, napkins, more medicine, band-aids, safety pins, handcream... you name it, i've got it.

not everyday, but often
these are not absolutely always in my bag, but pretty often: my planner/diary (yes, it's miffy, again...), a small pencil case with a mechanical pencil, pen, eraser and post-it notes, and a book! the book of course changes often so this one is just to illustrate. usually if i'm carrying these, i'm going to a cafe to read and write, or to the library (or both!!)

leave a comment!

16.09.2023

recent fashion obsessions
after some recent fashion shows, specially the sandy liang spring 2024 rtw, i decided i needed to write more about fashion, or at least my current obsessions, since i saw a couple of them being presented in the runways! i feel like now is such a cool moment in fashion, because there's so many different trends going on, or different aesthetics, that... everything is in? and i feel that this makes me more comfortable wearing what i want to wear instead of what everyone is wearing. customizing your real life character is fun again.

butter yellow
i need everything that i buy now to be in butter yellow. it's such a underated, warm and cosy colour. i specially like it in cardigans and tops, or in accessories (a ribbon in your hair, bags, or shoes). for a long time i thought i coulnd't wear light yellow because of my complexion, but honestly, i'm over dressing to be "flattering" most of the time. what even is flattering? i think it should be things that make YOU happy. so what if i look a bit washed out? i'm pale anyways.

red accent
like the butter yellow, i also never wore red. not because of it not being flattering (who doesn't look great in red?), but because all my life i believed it was a "grown up woman" colour. being called cute all the time instead of pretty also lead me to believe i couldn't wear red. now i think i can still be cute in red (*∪`) and red nail polish on shorter nails? adorable. a red ribbon on my bag or hair? lovely. i really like the look of a red pair of socks with a neutral outfit too. i'm still on the lookout for a nice red leather bag - preferably second hand!

chartreuse

another colour? yes!! look, i've been thinking about chartreuse for a WHILE now. months ago i got a really cute crochet bag pattern, but couldn't use it yet because i cannot find a nice chartreuse yarn! it's just such a fun colour to add to your wardrobe. i think it's on the same level as royal blue, which is also kinda trending. it goes so well with all the neutrals, and with other colours too, like baby pink! however, unlike the royal blue, i feel like chartreuse belongs on accessories. i just don't think it will age as well in clothes. and i'm over buying things to wear just now! cool girls buy stuff to wear for yearrrs!

handmade detail

i have so many plans to customize pieces of clothes i already have, it's insane. instead of buying new stuff, how about just customizing what you already have? a plain white t-shirt that you got a pasta stain on? you can add a cute embroidery on top of it, and it's like a new tshirt! or adding a safety pin with a ribbon on, or sewing a pattern piece of fabric, patchwork style! you can also dye your piece another colour, or remake it into something else (this one requires a bit more technique, maybe a sewing machine, or just take it to a tailor!)

boring is cool

you heard it here first. what i mean by that is, neutral, plain items are just more realistic to be worn more often. this doesn't mean to wear just a plain outfit everytime. it's about re-wearing your items in as many different ways as possible! now, of course this is easier when the items itself are a bit more boring - but, what i consider a neutral is personal to me. for me, pink and leopard print are neutrals. for you, maybe black and white are neutrals. for someone else, all those things are neutrals. we just need to find what works for us, what we like and how to have fun with it. i'm still in the process of clearing out my wardrobe (there's things in there i bought when i was 15 that just don't fit my style anymore!) and shrinking my options (i've come to understand that i get overwhelmed by having so much stuff... plus i ended up wearing my favourite things over and over again. i want my whole wardrobe to feel like this. i want to look at every piece and WANT to wear them)!

you can check the moodboard i made for this post on my landing page!

26.08.2023

tabi shoes: a love story
i cannot tell you for how long i've loved tabis... and now my dreams came true! (well, almost, but honestly for me it makes no difference...) i got tabi mary janes! they are not real margiela's (who can afford those?), but a dupe from an etsy shop! they are SUPER comfortable, cute, handmade with real leather... and at a fraction of the price! if you are looking for a tabi shoe, i highly recommend them. anyway, the moodboard is a little inspiration for how i'm planning on wearing them - i cannot wait for autumn weather! ╭( ･ㅂ･)و ʸᵉˢ！

24.08.2023

ceramics ideas
a moodboard with ideas and inspiration for when i return to ceramics class at the end of the year! i'm very excited to make more kitchen stuff (bowls, plates, mugs!) and to make some as gift for friends (is there anything better than a handmade gift?) i really wanted to already live in my dream house, so i'd also have space for all the cute and unique pieces in my kitchen... right now i don't think i could fit much more in our cupboards!

10.08.2023

high knee brown boots inspo
just bought knee high boots and needed some inspo! i think they look nice with socks that are a bit higher than the boots itself, and i love how the brown leather looks with other colours (even black)
adding ribbons to the hair or bag gives it a romantic and feminine touch, which i simple adore ୨୧ it goes nicely with skirts of any lenght, dresses and shorts - i think it will be such a good autumn wardrobe essential (•ᴗ<)

30.07.2023

the fantastic
the fantastic is based essentially on a hesitation of the reader — a reader who identifies with the chief character — as to the nature of an uncanny event. this hesitation may be resolved so that the event is acknowledge as reality, or so that the event is identified as the fruit of imagination or the result of an illusion; in other words, we may decide that the event is or is not.
(to read more, click on the image above!)

28.07.2023

a strange softness III: ophelia
For more than a thousand years sad Ophelia
Has passed, a white phantom, down the long black river.
For more than a thousand years her sweet madness
Has murmured its ballad to the evening breeze.

୨୧ diary

11.04.2024

november 2023: london edition
(a bit of a late post, but time is meaningless) in november last year we went to london for a few days. our friends were here visiting and we decided to join them there - london is one of my favourite (if not the favourite) places in the world. the first time i was there, i was maybe 15 and i still remember the feeling. it was such a different atmosphere being there compared to my usual life at the time. last year it was the fourth time i visited, and i still feel the same as back then. in another life i must have lived there, because it really is not possible to describe (at least i cannot put into words), how much i love it. it is always different travelling with friends too - we visited places we wouldn't otherwise!


london favourites
here's some all-time and some recent favourites if you are ever there:

✲ the mousetrap yes, i have watched this agatha christie's play twice instead of watching something new - that's how good it is. i would go a third time if possible too.
✲ the british museum quite the obvious addition to the list, but it's obvious for a reason. we could spend a whole day there and not get tired of it (we are museum people). i think if i ever lived in london, i would visit the museum at least once a week.
✲ daunt books i love a good bookstore and this one is so cosy! at least it was when i visited it for the first time last year. too bad i didn't have a lot of space in my luggage to carry more books with me.
✲ seol+gold a jewelry store - i have a really nice relationship with them (they gifted me a couple pieces in the past), and when i told them i was going to be in london and wanted to come and see the store in person, they gifted me some more pretty things! i'm really grateful for it, and i wear them so so much.
✲ the moomin shop !! does this need an explanation!? i love the moomins! the store is super cute and filled with many cute items to bring home - including books!
✲ pizza pilgrims some of the best pizzas we ever had! it really is amazing and so cheap (specially compared to eating out prices in belgium)

leave a comment

13.02.2024

新年快乐 ｡⋆୨୧˚
"what is growth? what is maturity? transforming wrong things into right things is growth; transforming wrong things into right and turn them perfect is maturity." this was my lunar new year card (hongbao 紅包) - of all twenty different messages, this was the one i got. i'm still thinking about what it means exactly and how i can put it into practice. i'm really enjoying being part of the tao study group (not taoism), my heart feels so light after being with them!

this is my second year participating in the lunar new year festivities. it was three days filled with traditional ceremonies, good food, fun and games! i hope i can participate in the years to come too.

it is very interesting for me how this really is making me feel like a new year started (again), since this week i will return to belgium, to what i call my home away from home, to my boyfriend, our things, our friends and the daily routine i adore. i cannot wait to get back into it - and at the same time i want to enjoy this little time left to do everything i can and need too. this will be a year full of changes (something i never liked, and that has caused me great anxiety and sadness), but i am trying my best to refrain from thinking about everything i cannot control and, instead, focus on the now. now i am in my room writing this post. i hear my brother coming home from the cinema, the fan noise, and the clickity sound of the keyboard as i type. i feel my body tired and a bit sore after a bad night's sleep, and i'm a bit thirsty. i smell the popcorn my little brother made for himself. after this i will get a glass of water, lay on my bed and read an agatha christie's shortstory before turning off the lights to sleep. i wish you all a great day or night ˖ ࣪‧₊˚⋆✩٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ✩

leave a comment

31.12.2023

new year thoughts
i was feeling down the other day and started writing this post - but i have now deleted it and restarted it, for i do not want to finish this year with negative thoughts. instead of thinking about everything that i will miss and the things i did not want to let go of, but will have to, i want to focus on the things that make me excited for 2024.
yesterday i made my annual moodboard for the new year, and i filled it with everything i want to accomplish! i love having it as my desktop wallpaper, and this time i even made a phone wallpaper version. so let's get into my NY resolutions:

1. be more active and mindful of my body - of what i eat and drink, how i feel, and try to feel a little better everyday. i want to be healthier and feel comfortable and confident in myself. take more time for not only exercises, but for taking care of my skin, my hair, my mind. (also i need to get back into taking my vitamins!)

2. travel as much as possible. enjoy new places, new people, and new experiences. as i'm also moving to a different country next year, i want to stop being sad about it and try to focus on the things that make me excited for it. this does not mean i am not sad about it anymore, but just a change of focus.

3. keep reading a lot. this year i have read 24 books, and i loved it. i also want to get back into improving my language skills in Japanese and Italian! maybe i can get into a language course... that will be nice to get out of the house and meet new people.

4. make a new place feel like home. be positive about changes. nothing is fixed.

5. take more pictures! ask to have my picture taken too. memories are precious and i do not want to feel shy or embarrased about wanting them.

6. write more. i want to maybe keep a journal (be that in paper or online), just a simple thing to write down my thoughts and feelings. i think i keep things bottled for too long. that includes this blog - i want to keep updating it!

7. keep in touch with the people i love - i am not very good at messaging (or calling, yikes, i am not used to calling), and i want to change that!

this list is all from my (not online) planner/diary, and besides a few little personal things i removed, i am very happy to share with you all! i hope this new beginning will be good for all of us.

leave a comment

10.09.2023

trip to sardegna
we just spent some days in sardegna, italy - it was such a lovely time! ꒰* ꈍ◡ꈍ ꒱ this time we did so many activities too. usually if it's just me and my boyfriend, we take things slow, walk around a lot, and don't really plan anything. but we went with friends and they are the opposite when traveling! which was a nice change of pace for us. everyday there would be stuff to do and see, and we even booked restaurants for dinner (we never do this!)
day one
on our first full day, we had brunch at our airbnb (big salad, bread, cheese and scrambled eggs! yummy) and then we went for a hike that was suppose to last 2 hours... we took 4 !!! (；▽；) it was a hike near spiaggia di notteri, climbing all the way up to a tower and then to the southest point of the island. there was an amazing view, but the cliff being so near us, and the wind so strong, i was a bit scared! ;; after we just went to the beach itself, which was nice. later we walk around villasimius and found a place to eat dinner (not the best... but everywhere else was full) and i bought a book! it's one i have read before, but this time i bought it in italian, so it will hopefully make me go back to study it harder haha (it's se una notte d'inverno un viaggiatore by italo calvino)
day two
we went to nora to visit the ancient city remains - super interesting and the archeologists were working on a part of the site as we visited! it was very interesting to see them digging in real life ✧٩(ˊωˋ*)و✧ and there was so many pretty mosaic tiled floorings... so inspiring! after that we went to the spiaggia di tuerredda to relax on the beach~
day three
we took this day to visit the city of cagliari! it's very pretty, we walked around to the bastione di saint remy which had a nice view of the city, and then palazzo regio which was lovely too! walking around a bit more we found the roman amphitheatre of cagliari - again, very pretty to look at, but it was not possible to visit the actual thing (although they had a ticket booth where you could pay to walk a bit closet to it? very odd and not worth it in my opinion!) at the end of the day, we stayed at the spiaggia di campulongu and watched the sunset. i think this was one of my favourite moments from the trip! ( ⁎ᵕᴗᵕ⁎ )❤︎

day four
guess what we did... yes... we visited some more ancient remains... this time we went to su nuraxi, a village from the mid-bronze age! it was actually quite fun. the guided tour made it better, too! and then we did a wine tasting tour (much more my style of traveling...) on the audarya winery. they even had a little farm with goats, chickens, ducks, donkeys and a pony! it was a shame that we only traveled with our hand luggage, so we couldn't buy the wine to bring home...
day five (last day!!)
boat tour day!! everyone was so excited for this, the boat would take us to three beaches only reachable by sea plus a cave! there was a problem thought... everyone (except my bf) got sea sick... (-﹏-。) just thinking about the movement of the waves... it makes me feel nauseous again... the first stop was the cave, which was very interesting!! the grotta del fico is a cave high on the mountains, and the guided tour was amazing (also it was such a relief to get out of the boat). we ended up going to only two beaches after that, because the third one was closed by the coast guard! the first beach we stayed for only 30 minutes, which was not enough for us to enjoy it - my bf was on the water, having fun, and we were sitting trying not to puke lol and the last beach we had 3 hours in! i went to the water but it was so incredibly violent that it was impossible to enjoy. the sea kept pushing and pulling you, the waves were big and crashed so hard on you! i almost lost my favourite hat...

let's talk food
now... sardegna was not very vegetarian friendly! (and if you are vegan, i think you should maybe meal prep...) but what i could eat, i did really enjoy. they had something called culurgiones (kind of like a ravioli, but with potatoes, cheese and mint filling) - that was really good! i had it a couple of times. the pizza there was just delicious, as you'd expect of italy! i think that's what i ate the most, as it was always the easiest and more widely available veggie option. but my favourite was a dessert called seada ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و they are a fried dough filled with cheese and lemon peel, and topped with honey!! omg... i'd fly there again just to eat it again! and of course, i had my share of aperol spritz (yummy!!)

29.08.2023

getting this website together!!
i'm so excited to finally have a blog that has everything i wanted - previously i tried making a wordpress site, a squarespace, and lastly, a tumblr, but they all had the same issue: i wanted something i could CUSTOMIZE, make different pages, add images wherever i wanted... and that's just not possible on any of those (at least not for free and not with my coding skills *cough cough*
i've always been into blogging, but that faded away with the rise of social media, and i missed it so much! i wish everyone kept a blog still... come back guys i need blogs to read ! !

02.08.2023

✧ ˖ my current wishlist･ﾟ
1. en route jewelry: the mixed metal ribbon earrings are just perfect for everyday, and the july ring is just calling my name with all the pretty colorful gems
2. boris bear: my miffy plushie needs a friend
3. yarn: not necessarily pink, just trying to find a cute and unique one to make a bag - i bought a cute pattern but never used it!
4. the frenchman's creek by daphne du maurier: i love her books, and after i found this perfect edition from folio society's… not a want anymore, but a NEED!
5. fresh flowers for the house. always.
6. buttons: i'm thinking of replacing some of my cardigan's boring buttons with cute ones - a simple way to renew clothes you already own!
7. a miffy tattoo: not exactly that image, but i'm thinking thoughts!!
8. ikea gursken: a practical wishlist item. i just need to replace the ugly bedside table i currently have with something more spacious!
9. denim dungarees: the ones i have are ripped at the knees and that's not my thing anymore (i'm cutting them and making them into short dungarees), so i want a pair of plain ones!
10. a good pair of straight leg denim pants: everyone should have one. i don't have one. you do the math.
11. boston birkenstocks: a recurrent wishlist item: i think if i wanted them for this long, it means i will really wear them!

about this website

why i made it

maple's favourites

• books:
for a list of my favourite books and some quotes, please click here


• songs:
playground love (air) and cloudbusting (kate bush)


• games:
animal crossing: new horizons, poupée girl, neopets, zelda, mario kart


• characters:
miffy, pompompurin, snoopy, amalka the fairy, rilakkuma, howl


• drinks:
oatmilk matcha lattes, tea (so many kinds!), aperol spritz, WATER!!, lemonade


• flowers:
daisies, forget-me-not, tulips, violets, dandelion


• movies:
the virgin suicides (1999), the royal tenenbaums (2001), girl, interrupted (1999), picnic at hanging rock (1975), the breakfast club (1985), and pretty much everything else that sofia coppola and wes anderson makes


• tv shows:
the office (yes, i'm basic), derry girls, twin peaks, the x files, seinfeld, the it crowd, criminal minds & succession

online

find me elsewhere in the interwebs:

instagram
the lux files
landing.space
landing.space 2
goodreads
pinterest
tiktok
spotify
last.fm
tumblr
listography

offline

books

my favourite books

a dreamer, i walked enchanted,
and nothing held me back

• the virgin suicides, by jeffrey eugenides
• the master and margarita, by mikhail bulgakov
• rebecca, by daphne du maurier
• the importance of being earnest, by oscar wilde
• the mousetrap, by agatha christie
• the turn of the screw, by henry james
• lolita, by vladimir nabokov
• we have always lived in the castle, by shirley jackson
• dracula, by bram stoker
• the picture of dorian gray, by oscar wilde

maple is a bookbug

little bits about me

i have a butterfly tatto in my left arm

my birthday is january 31st! i'm an aquarius sun, pisces rising and libra moon

i don't know how to drive. i failed my practice exam 3x

i have been a vegetarian for... four years i think! the only thing i miss sometimes is salami and other cold cuts in a sandwich.

i love learning new languages - i've been studying japanese for many years (with many hiatuses here and there). i also studied italian for a while (and want to get back), and i'm currently enrolled in dutch classes (only because i live in belgium... i would not choose this otherwise... sorry!!)

some people don't like matcha because it tastes grassy... that's exactly why i like it!! (so fresh!! and with oatmilk... yum! creamy!)

i carry my keys in a sponge bob plushie keychain (i told you these were random)

i only play mario kart with yoshi! (or pink yoshi on mario kart 8) i just think he's fast

hobbies

crochet

i tried knitting first (went horribly! how do you hold two needles at the same time?)

games

currently i only play x and y

reading

you know it

ceramics

yay pottery

journaling

well

pixel making

tiny pixelies

learning languages

日本語を勉強します ! !

cooking & baking

yummy

blinkies

blogs i like

laini ozark's
cadnomori
quase inédita
marea

listed at

some resource pages✧

poupee girl

animal crossing: new horizons

contact me

sitemap

link back

<a href="https://maplebear.neocities.org/"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/5gWY3F4.gif">


<a href="https://maplebear.neocities.org/"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/I9cHT2L.png"></a>


<a href="https://maplebear.neocities.org/"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/YB9L6sN.gif"></a>

feel free to put my buttons in your site! hotlink is okay.
if you wanna exchange buttons let me know! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

credits

• layout: designed by me, but coded with the help of vini (thank u!)


• pixels: please refer to the resources pages listed on the bookmarks page


• collages: made by me on landing and or in photoshop
  
  
• buttons: made by me using adobe photoshop and gimp