Happy New Year! / Sretna Nova godina!








Happy New Year! I wish you all much  happiness, bliss and  personal growth. Something about the beginning of new year always fills me with optimism. I know it doesn't make that much sense, it's just a date, but it feels like a blank page, a blank page that can be filled with wonders...There are times we must put our retrospective and intellectual self at rest and marvel in that childish joy of getting something new in our hands...even if that new is something symbolic, just a date really. I started this new year feeling very peaceful, but then something happened that reminded me of my personal sorrow. Still, I'm old enough to know that happiness without sorrow is often a very empty kind of happiness.  It is as much what we had lost, as what we have, that makes what we are. I wanted this new year to start with homage to the years gone. This traditional  folklore bag was hand made for me by my late grandmother, who died on my eighteenth birthday. I've come to realize that the greatest hardship in life is being separated from those we love and in this year, I'll try to treasure my time with loved one as much as I can. It's my main decision (or goal) for this year.

Sretna Nova ( i nova)  godina! Želim vam svima puno sreće, blagostanja i osobnog rasta. Zbog nekog razloga početak nove godine me uvijek ispuni optimizmom. Znam da to nema previše smisla , to je samo datum, ali imam osjećaj kao da je to prazna stranica, prazna stranica koja može biti ispunjena čudesima...Ponekad postoji vrijeme kada moramo odložiti ono intelektualno i pronicavo u nama i uživati u tom djetinjastom osjećaju nečega novog u našim rukama...čak i kada je to novo nešto simbolično, samo datum zapravo. Započela sam ovu godinu osjećajući se vrlo mirno, ali onda se nešto dogodilo što me podsjetilo na osobnu tugu. Ipak ,dovoljno sam stara da znam da je sreća bez tuge često prazna vrsta sreće. Ono što smo izgubili nas čini onime što jesmo u istoj mjeri kao ono što imamo. Željela sam započeti ovu godinu s odavanjem počasti onim prošlim. Ova tradicionalna folklorna torba je ručni rad i dar moje pokojne bake koja je umrla na moj osamnaesti rođendan. Shvatila sam da je najteže u životu biti odvojen od onih koje volimo i ovoj godini pokušati ću vrjednovati vrijeme provedeno s najmilijima najviše što mogu. To je moja glavna novogodišnja odluka i cilj.

Comments

  1. justynapolska1 January 2015 at 13:07

    NICE!

    ________________________________________________
    6 stylizacji, oceń najlepszą na
    WWW.JUSTYNAPOLSKA.BLOGSPOT.COM

    ReplyDelete
  2. Daisy @ Simplicity Relished1 January 2015 at 13:19

    Wow. What a neat story from that bag!! I have some paper cranes my grandmother made me many years ago-- they're precious to me! You're right that happiness has little meaning when we haven't also experienced real grief. I hope you have a fantastic 2015, my friend!

    Simplicity Relished

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivana Split2 January 2015 at 07:19

      thank you Daisy...so nice you have something that your granny made...hand made gifts are always special.

      Delete
  3. Sunstreetbymonica1 January 2015 at 13:45

    Tanti auguri di buon anno anche a te cara!:)
    un abbraccio,
    http://sunstreetbymonica.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Unknown1 January 2015 at 13:54

    Buon 2015!! Auguriiii!!!!!!
    www.glitterchampagne.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Vanessa1 January 2015 at 14:06

    Wish you a Happy New Year 2015!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. elpuntodelola1 January 2015 at 14:17

    Bonito look. Besos y feliz 2015

    ReplyDelete
  7. styleyourselfinstyle1 January 2015 at 16:32

    Beautiful words, and you're so right - family and loved ones are the only real sense in life, and even if they are gone the stay with us. You're very skillful to have made the bag! Does your cap have the traditional pattern as well?

    Have a good start into 2015!!
    Rosa
    Styleyourselfinstyle.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivana Split2 January 2015 at 08:01

      my grandmother made the bag for me...I wouldn't know how to make this bag. I can do traditional embroidery but that is about it. I have yet much to learn when it comes to sewing.


      the cap is not a Croatian traditional pattern. My husband bought it for me a few years ago, I think this pattern is called Scandinavian or Norwegian pattern, but I'm not completely sure.

      Delete
  8. Unknown1 January 2015 at 18:04

    Like this post, and very nice outfit dear :)
    Kisses
    Svetlana
    http://capemaychic.weebly.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Kristina1 January 2015 at 18:06

    Sretna Nova. Svidja mi se kapica. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Andrijana1 January 2015 at 19:11

    Divan tekst! Sretna Nova godina i tebi :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mica1 January 2015 at 20:41

    How nice that you can carry around a beautiful reminder of your grandmother! I hope 2015 is a good year for you, a year of a lot of happiness and growth, and a little less sorrow!

    Away From The Blue

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivana Split2 January 2015 at 08:18

      yes, it is really nice to have this reminder!

      Delete
  12. Unknown1 January 2015 at 22:14

    Agree that the hardest thing in life is to get separated from those we love so it's so important to treasure the time we spend with them! Love the fun colors of the cap and bag by the way! Thanks for sharing and wishing you a great 2015!

    Prudence
    www.prudencepetitestyle.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. Szöszi2 January 2015 at 03:03

    Good Blog ♥
    Happy New Year!
    Nice pictures!
    http://judymuhely.blogspot.hu/2015/01/nyomdazasom-tortenete.html
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Snowdrop-life/456075121159570

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hana2 January 2015 at 03:17

    Vrijeme provedeno sa bliznjima je zaista najbitnije. Sretna Nova godina!

    TRENDGALORE
    BLOGLOVIN

    ReplyDelete
  15. Olga Rani2 January 2015 at 04:49

    Well said, dear Ivana! Happy New Year to you! This folklore bag is a small piece of art and how great it is that it was made by your grandmother. I have two bed covers in patchwork style that were made by my grandmother. She is not in this world any more but the things that were made by her hands are here and it is like having a part of her soul with me always.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivana Split2 January 2015 at 11:22

      Thank you dear, I feel the same as you. This bag reminds me of my late grandmother and it is nice to have a reminder...and it's nice you have such a lovely reminder of your grandmother.

      I also have some bad covers made by my other grandmother who is still living but I'm afraid to use them because they're made of delicate lace! They're also a work of art.

      Delete
  16. SpaFurnish2 January 2015 at 05:41

    Awesome post Ivana! Happy New Year! :)


    http://spafurnish.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Chidiogo Maxwell2 January 2015 at 06:43

    Absolutely perfect! ♥
    happy 2015!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Ivana2 January 2015 at 06:50

    Lijepa odluka nad kojom bi se svi trebali zamisliti! Često zaboravimo od gužve i ... života na one koji su stvarno (i jedino) bitni!I torbica i kapica su odlične! :) Sretna ti nova 2015.! :)))

    ReplyDelete
  19. Rowena @ rolala loves2 January 2015 at 07:11

    I agree that a new year feels like we can start over with a blank page. Happy New Year Ivana! May 2015 be filled with nothing but good things for you!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Shireen L. Platt2 January 2015 at 07:31

    That bag is gorgeous, Ivana and what makes it more special is the sentiment behind it. I also agree that when the new year arrives, it feels like we're given the opportunity to start over, a blank slate as you put it. I hope this year will be slightly toned down than 2014 when so many major life changes happened in mine. Hopefully we get to travel a little too when our little one is slightly older. :-)

    Shireen | Reflection of Sanity

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivana Split2 January 2015 at 11:36

      thank you for sharing Shireen...now, when I think of it...travelling is something I would like to do too...hope I get the chance in this year!

      Delete
  21. Eniwhere Fashion2 January 2015 at 07:42

    Ciao Ivana e grazie per la tua visita. Sono passata per mandarti i miei auguri per un felice 2015. Baci,
    Eni

    http://eniwherefashion.blogspot.it/
    https://www.facebook.com/eniwherefashion

    ReplyDelete
  22. Unknown2 January 2015 at 20:17

    Oh wow girl, you post a lot! :) I wish I could do that. Happy New Year to you. It's great to be intentional with your time with people who you care about (or even those you don't know much about). It's so easy to ignore people or pretend you care, but you wouldn't want other people to do the same to you. It helps for me to think of it that way, even though it sounds a bit selfish.

    My grandma died when I was a teenager. She died so peacefully, the night of her last birthday. She spent her birthday with our whole family and cousins. It was like she waited to die after she spent quality time with the people she loved.

    What a cute scarf/shirt!

    Rachel
    http://alamodest.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ivana Split3 January 2015 at 08:14

      that's so sweet...I remember once I went to visit my friend's grandmother who was sick even if it was late at night. My mother and I were quite closed to her because she, like my mother, was from the islands. When I left, she thank me for visiting her and I still can hear her say it. She died the next morning and I felt so thankful I had the chance to say goodbye to her. I do still miss her, even if she wasn't family but a grandmother of a friend of mine.

      I had the chance to say goodbye to my grandmother as well. When she got really sick, she moved in with us, so we were with her until the end.

      Delete
  23. Caro *3 January 2015 at 09:00

    Happy New Year Ivana !
    I wish you the best for 2015 ! :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Oksana Zolotukhina4 January 2015 at 05:33

    Happy New Year Ivana!!!

    http://fairyland111.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  25. Blackswan5 January 2015 at 04:53

    Love your headgear, Ivana! You look fab, dear! xoxo
    Luxury Haven

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

All your comments mean a lot to me, even the criticism. Naravno da mi puno znači što ste uzeli vrijeme da nešto napišete, pa makar to bila i kritika. Per me le vostre parole sono sempre preziose anche quando si tratta di critiche.

Popular posts from this blog

THE ISLAND OF THE MISSING TREES BY ELIF SHAFAK (BOOK REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION)

Image
Today I shall review The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. I was actually gifted this book. What a wonderful present it proved to be! Published in 2021, this postmodern  novel  follows two  story lines and uses framed narration.  The Island of Missing Trees  tells the life story of a Greek Turkish couple and their adolescent daughter.  This novel examines and explores a number of topics such as identity, migration, immigrant life, war trauma, memory, love and family. It's an ambitious novel that examines serious topics with due respect and sensitivity . I read it months ago, but I remember it vividly. Honestly, I cried a lot while reading this novel. It really moved me greatly. In fact, that is probably why it took me this long to finish this book review. I needed to emotionally process the story.   The Island of Missing Trees is   set in London and Cyprus. The narration isn't chronological .  The story jumps back and forth, following two main timelines, one set in moder
Read more

SUPPORTING LOCAL DESIGNERS IN MOSTAR: TRANSITIONAL AUTUMN STYLING WITH OZZ BRAND

Image
Hello readers and fellow bloggers! In this post, I'll share two transitional outfits featuring a lilac skirt from fashion designer Stanka Zovko. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you've probably seen this skirt before. Afterall, I'm really good at shopping my closet. I've been wearing this lilac skirt a lot in the past few months. It's also a great piece for transitional weather because it can be easily layered, or dressed up and down.  Supporting local designers and artisans is certainly something that pays off in the long run. If you want to own unique pieces and at the same time, support your local community, you should really explore shopping local, or commissioning local artisans and designers.  Sustainability in fashion is a big topic nowadays! However, sometimes I feel like people make it more complicated than it really is. We should go back to our origins. Explore vintage, second hand and local shopping. Learn how to stay away from the big shoppin
Read more

FORGIVENESS DAY BY URSULA K. LE GUIN (BOOK REVIEW AND AN AUTUMN STYLING)

Image
Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! How are you today? I'm back with another Ursula K. Le Guin book review. In this post, I'll review " Forgiveness Day" , a science fiction novella that is a part of the Hainish Circle. Published in 1995, "Forgiveness Day " won multiple awards. This novella is often published together with her other novellas from the Hainish Circle, and it can be find in various editions of Four Ways to Forgiveness and Five Ways to Forgiveness.   Thematically, this novella is a part of five stories featuring two Hainish planets, but it can definitely be read on its own. I think it functions well as a stand alone novella. I listened to it in audio form, and I didn't have any problems following the story.  The world building is simple and effective. The author fills us in about the history of the two planets as the story enfolds. For such a short work of prose, this novella is really impressive in that it manages to explore the theme o
Read more

MALTA HIKING TALES (PART FIVE) GHAJN TUFFIEFA AND QUARABBA BAY

Image
Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! I'm back with another Malta themed post. Recently I posted a painting inspired by Malta. As some of you might remember, I visited Malta a few years ago, but I only blogged about it last April, when I published a series of post on Malta. My series about Malta isn't finished, though. In fact, today we're going to continue it. Considering my stay on Malta was two weeks long, it deserves more than a couple of posts. There is a lot to see and do on Malta. It's a small island, but one that's filled with so much life and beauty. Although Malta faces some problems caused by fast tourism, it remains an unique and magical island.  In this post, I'll take you to the bays I visited while hiking on Malta. One of them (Ghajn Tuffieha Bay) is the one I painted. You can visit that post by clicking on the link below: TRAVEL WITH MY ART #43, GHAJN TUFFIEHA BAY, MALTA LET'S START WITH THE GOLDEN BAY We actually didn't go all the way
Read more

FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY WATERCOLOUR: LONG DRESSES AND DE PROFUNDIS QUOTES!

Image
 Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! It's almost ten. I've had a long week and I'm quite tired and sleepy. However, I'll try to wrap this post up for you tonight. What kind of post? Well, a post about art. Fashion art to be more precise.  I've been on a roll lately with my art posts. After a period of not posting my art at all, due to a variety of reasons, I started posting my art in every post. I got back to my destination art series, and now it's time for another post in my fashion art series. Friday Fashion Illustration  is somewhat of a regular feature on my blog. Today I'll share two watercolour pencil fashion illustrations of mine. I sketched both of them this Summer in my A3 mixed media sketchbook. I sketched the long yellow dress first, and then the blue and read one. The medium for both of them is watercolour pencils on paper, the same brand I always use. I find watercolour pencils to be quite practical, especially for sketching. I often use the
Read more

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER, A SHORT STORY BY W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM

Image
Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! Welcome November! We'll welcome this new month with a blog review. In this post, I'll share my review for Maugham's short story titled T he Ant and the Grasshopper . This post will also be  a reading recommendation because I enjoyed this story a great deal. I've been reading Maugham's The Complete Short Stories for some time now. I've been taking my time with this collection, but I enjoyed it a lot. When I finish this book in its entirely, I'll share a review for all of his stories. Until then, I'll keep posting individual reviews of stories I liked the most. If you want to read Maugham yourself, you can find his collected works online (among other places  on project Gutenberg ) and read them for free.  W. Somerset Maugham is a writer whose subtle use of humour is delightful, but sometimes it's easy to miss it just because it's so subtle. He's wonderful at mixing the harsh realities of life with clever
Read more