HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025 (PLUS A RECAP OF YEAR 2024) !

 Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! I wish you all the best in year 2025! May this new year be blessed!  In this post, I'll share some photographs taken during the holidays. I'll also do a little recap of year 2024. My holidays were pretty calm and nice, but it seems that I haven't fully recovered from my cold and sinus infection. Either it's that or I'm just feeling down for other reasons, but that's alright. Nobody is happy all the time.

The start of the new year can be an exciting time. There's something positive about sending, receiving and sharing all those good wishes. That's the part of this year I personally love. All the congrats on the new year and the feeling that the future is a blank canvas, a new page in the diary of our life. Still, as I said, holidays can also be hard, and there's such a thing as holidays blues.

 I do look forward toward the year 2025. I hope it will be the year when I'll do my absolute best. As I look forward to the new year, I expect it to be a challenging and perhaps even a difficult one, but also a year of new opportunities. To be honest, I think we're heading towards challenging times in general. So, I don't think 2025 will be an easy year for anyone (including me). Still, I'm aware that I have so much to be thankful for. I'm thankful and grateful for friendship and love I receive from my friends and loved ones, for the talents and the gifts I have been given, and for the opportunity to work hard. 

You could say that I have a tradition of posting on New Year day. Yesterday, I wanted to keep that tradition, so I posted even if I didn't finish the post yesterday, and will continue to update it today.

I will also include some links from my previous New Year posts: 

This is how I congratulated you New Year in 2015

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2015/01/happy-new-year-sretna-nova-godina.html

This is what I wrote on the first of January in 2019: 

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2019/01/happy-2019-new-art-and-winter-outfit.html

...and I also posted a fashion illustration on the same day: 

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2019/01/happy-2019-new-art-and-winter-outfit.html

In 2020, I posted with a business chic outfit because that year I meant business: 

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/01/happy-new-year-2020-with-suit-outfit.html

In 2016, I shared a cute outfit and wrote about how much I love the first day of New Year:

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2016/01/happy-new-year-sretna-nova-i-nova-godina.html

Last year, I was late with publishing my first of January post and I only did it on third of January:

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/01/happy-2024-above-all-i-wish-you-love.html

Zagvozd, a small village in Croatia where we stopped for a coffee break during our drive to Croatia. I enjoyed seeing the snow. For some reason, the snow made me feel very happy.  We only stayed in Croatia for a couple of hours (for a family dinner) than we got back. 

DURING THE HOLIDAYS, I SHOPPED MY CLOSETS AS USUAL

For Christmas dinners and lunches with family, I wore silver and golden tones (shopped from my closet). At home, I wore some cute outfits too, such as this blue jumpsuit I wore to pose next to a Christmas book tree. 

Even without analyzing 2024 in detail, I can say that it was a good year. Of course not everything that happened was reflected on the blog. There were travels, events, emotions and stuff I didn't write about. We don't need to blog about everything that happens in our life, do we? Still, there's no doubt that this blog does reflect my life in many ways. 

What was the last year like on my blog? It was filled with book reviews, art, travel and fashion posts. I even branched out a little bit and posted some movie review posts. Considering the hours I worked, I was pretty productive on this little digital place to call my own. 

What has changed since I started blogging? I would say that I put a lot more effort and energy into my posts now. I try to make them educating. I also try to make my blog more user friendly, easier to search and so on. 

SAYING A GOODBYE TO 2024 WITH A RECAP!

DECEMBER 2024-  EIGHT PUBLISHED POSTS

We had a variety of posts in December, some focusing of fashion illustrations, some on outfits and travel. The locations shown were Buna, Čapljina, Malta, Mostar and Split. December is usually a busy month, so eight published posts is still good. 

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/12/styling-burgundy-jacket-in-mostar-city.html

This was a post where I showed you around Mostar city, while simultaneously showing you two outfits featuring a burgundy jacket. This post took forever to write because I was looking for links with all the clothing items I wore in it. The conclusion is that I do shop my closet well. Plus, Mostar is really beautiful. So, a good post I'd say!

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/12/merry-christmas-and-happy-holidays-with.html

This post was all about me showing you my art and illustrations. I also shared some links with holiday themed posts that seemed relevant. 

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/12/33-ways-to-wear-short-camel-coat.html

Another post that took forever to make because there was a lot of links to find and include. Still, it was a fun trip down the memory lane. 

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/12/burgundy-and-yellow-outfit-in-split-city.html

There was also a post from Split city, my hometown. I don't visit it often, but when I do I always have fun. I also included links for different ways to style a burgundy jacket. 

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/12/what-i-wore-in-mostar-for-wonderfully.html

There was also a post that documented warm days outfits and where I wrote a bit more about some historical buildings in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

6) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/12/visit-malta-with-ivana-hiking-tales.html

There was also a travel post dedicated to Malta, showing my hiking experiences on the island.

7) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/12/an-earth-toned-outfit-for-visiting.html

In this post, I showed you a fashion illustration of my earthly toned outfit. I also took you with me to Čapljina, a small town near Mostar. 

8) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/12/happy-first-of-december-30-plus-way-to.html

The first outfit of December showcased my iconic green tartan jacket and one of my favourite green destinations- Buna river near Mostar. 

NOVEMBER 2024- TEN PUBLISHED POSTS

In November, I published 10 posts in total, some focused on art, some on travel and some on outfits. My outfit posts were mostly focused on sustainable fashion, and they took some time to make!

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/11/30-plus-ways-to-wear-olive-blazer.html

A post that focused on showing 30 ways to wear an olive blazer.

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/11/2-sustainable-autumn-outfits-and-37.html

In this post, I showed you two sustainable fashion outfits and 37 ways to wear leopard heels. 

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-luncheon-three-fat-women-of.html

I also managed to write a reading review and recommendations of short stories.

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/11/visit-sinj-croatia-with-me-explore.html

In this post I took you to town Sinj, one of the pearls of Dalmatian highlands. 

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/11/forgiveness-day-by-ursula-k-le-guin.html

Another reading recommendation focusing on Ursula K Le Guin that also showed of some cute outfits.

6) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/11/malta-hiking-tales-part-five-ghajn.html

In this post, I took you to some iconic beaches on Malta. This year I posted about Malta several times.

7) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/11/summer-to-autumn-transition-mostar.html

In this post, I showed you a number of black and white outfits. 

8) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/11/fashion-illustration-friday-wiw-as.html

In this post, you can see a fashion illustration showcasing a dress I wore to a wedding.

9) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/11/travel-with-my-art-43-ghajn-tuffieha.html

In November, I also found time to do one 'Travel with my art post' dedicated to Malta.  

10) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-ant-and-grasshopper-short-story-by.html

Besides some lovely outfits, in this post I shared my review for one of Maugham's short stories.

OCTOBER 2024 - SIX PUBLISHED POSTS

In October, I posted six times. It makes sense I didn't post as often as I usually do, as October is always a very busy month for me. Generally speaking, I'm content with how often I post. My book reviews were pretty lengthy and time-consuming but I don't regret writing them.

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/10/supporting-local-designers-in-mostar.html

This post was all about me showing appreciation for local designers in Mostar. These were fun outfits to wear. 

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/10/siege-and-storm-ruin-and-rising-by.html

In this outfit post from Buna, I shared the book review for the third and the second book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy. 

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/10/shadow-and-bone-by-leigh-bardugo-book.html

In this post (also shot on Buna), I shared the review for the first novel in the Shadow and Bone trilogy.

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-wild-girls-story-by-ursula-k-le.html

In this post, I shared one more reading review focusing on one of my favourite authors- Urusla K Le Guin.

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/10/summer-to-autumn-transition-2024-split.html

In this post, I wrote about Split city. I also shared outfits showing transition from Summer to Autumn.

6) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/10/travel-with-my-art-42-drvenik-croatia.html

I also found the time to do another 'Travel with my art' post. This time I painted Drvenik in Croatia. I also shared some photographs from this lovely place.

SEPTEMBER 2024 -SEVEN PUBLISHED POSTS

In September, I was on a roll 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 almost every post! Not only did  I get back to my destination art series, I also found time for posts in my fashion art series. I got back to art posting, and I enjoyed it. There was also a book review post that I did put some effort into.

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/09/fashion-illustration-friday-watercolour.html

In this post, I shared watercolour fashion illustrations focusing on maxi dresses. I also shared the real dresses that inspired those posts. 

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/09/travel-with-my-art-41-sucuraj.html

In this post, I shared a mini acrylic painting I did of Sućuraj (more precisely the lighthouse there) on island Hvar. I also showed you my photography focused on this little village on island Hvar. It was a fun post to make.

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/09/portrait-of-soul-portret-duse-novel-by.html

In this post, I shared a book review of a new novel by one of my favourite Croatian authors. I actually had this book signed when I met the author back in March. This is a lovely novel and I'm glad I managed to write a few review for it. 

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/09/travel-with-my-art-40-view-from-marine.html

I have just framed this painting a few days ago, and I'm glad I did. It's a lovely painting for sure. In this post, you can see and read about my painting process for it. I try to keep it real when I write about art making. I think it's important to understand that it's not always a romantic process. Indeed, maintaining your art skills takes times and patience. If we're talking about improving one's art skills, well that takes even more time. 

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/09/travel-with-my-art-39-stjepan-fortress.html

This stunning historical fortress overlooking Blagaj in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a sight to behold. Trying to capture its magical beauty in a painting was a challenge! The medium for this painting is acrylic paints on cotton canvas. The painting process was actually quite long and tedious. I've worked on this painting since Autumn and I only finished it towards the end of Summer. I rushed the painting towards the end, because I wanted to participate in the joint artist exhibition. There was a submission deadline to meet, so I submitted this canvas not feeling confident it's actually finished. This was a long post, and it took me a long time to complete. I included many collages, some wip photos, and the actual photographs of the fortress. I hope it was useful in understanding how art is often a journey.

AUGUST 2024 - EIGHT POSTS

My August was pretty eventful, as I took another short vacation. I devoted a lot of time to art posts this month. I also showed you around my wonderful home city once again!

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/08/travel-with-my-art-38-buna-canals.html

Like September, August saw me investing effort and time into my art. In this post, I shared a quick acrylic landscape painting. As I usually do,  I used one of my own photographs as a reference for this painting, and I included it into the post, so you can see it. Most art posts take a lot of time to finish, and this one was no exception. I included reference and 'wip' photographs, made collages and so on. All these things take time to make. Even without the writing part, every art post is time consuming. Anyway, the location was Buna canals, a nature monument located in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It's a truly magical place, and I often post about it.

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/08/wearing-summer-florals-in-split-city.html

This was a fashion post, and I showed you how I wear summer florals. It was fairly short post, but I included links to other posts that I found relevant, and I also posted some of my old fashion illustrations.

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/08/visit-unesco-protected-site-in-cista.html

In this post, I took my readers to a historical site, a small necropolis, that is located right next to the road in Cista Provo, Dalmatian Highlands. I explained the  rise of interest in Dalmatian Highlands. It's a perfect place to escape the more crowdy or touristy places. Cista Provo is a small municipality in Croatia with only around two thousand inhabitants, but it has considerable touristic potential. We didn't explore it any further than these site for now, but some day we might. As for this Stećci site, we visited it many times. If you happen to visit Dalmatia, check out this site. You really can't miss it if you drive through this area and it's only a short drive from the sea. 

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-masters-by-ursula-k-le-guin-short.html

In this post, I reviewed a short story  by Ursula K. Le Guin titled The Masters.  Some sources list this story  as her first publish work, some as the second one.  Published in 1963, this short story is set in a dystopian future. It opens with a young protagonist undergoing an initiation of some kind. Soon, we as readers learn more about this initiation as well as the dystopian society he lives in. It's a preindustrial sort of world where the Sun is only occasionally seen. It's possible that what Ursula describes is a future on planet Earth. It's a bleak future, where people are prosecuted for expressing interest in Science and Math. 

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/08/tehanu-novel-by-ursula-k-le-guin-book.html

In this post, I reviewed Tenahu, the fourth novel in the Earthsea Cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin. The novel reintroduces Tenar as the novel's protagonist. If you remember my previous reviews, Tenar was absent from the third book, so I was thrilled to read about her again. This fourth novel didn't disappoint. It connects quite nicely with the third one.  Now, for Tenahu Ursula herself chose the subtitle- The Last Book of the Earthsea, when the novel was published. So, is Tenahu the last book in the series? Well, actually it is not! Surprise, surprise! Ursula must have fallen in love with the world of Earthsea as much as her readers, for she continued writing about it. This post was quite time consuming, but then again book reviews always are.

6) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-farthest-shore-novel-by-ursula-k-le.html

In this post, I reviewed The Farthest Shore, a fantasy coming of age (bildungsroman) novel by Ursula K. Le Guin.  Published in 1972 and set in the Earthsea fantasy land, The Farthest Shore is the third book in the series/saga known as Earthsea Cycle.  What about the first two? The first book in the series is A Wizard of Earthsea. Focused on young Ged, the first novel introduces us to the world of Earthsea and the school of magic. While sequel, The Tombs of Atuan, focuses on a young female protagonist Tenar, it also features Ged, the protagonist from the first novel. Both of these Earthsea novels feature a young protagonist and fall into the bildungsroman genre. The third one is no exception. While Ged again has an important role to play, the third novel in the series is focused on young protagonist Arren. This was again a time-consuming post to make as I tried to make it visually interesting with lots of collages and quotes. Writing a book review ever takes time!

7) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/08/the-tombs-of-atuan-by-ursula-k-le-guin.html

 In this post, I reviewed The Tombs of Atuan, a novel by Urusla K. Le Guin. Published in 1970, this fantasy bildungsroman is the second novel in the famous Earthsea series, but the first one to feature a female protagonist. Just with its prequel, the reviews and the critique for this novel have been mostly positive and the book was on overall well received. The Earthsea saga has won many awards and it continues to win hearts! Besides book reviewing, I showed you  four Mostar summer nights outfits. 

8) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/08/prado-museum-open-air-exhibition-on.html

In this first post in August, I couldn't contain my positive impressions from an open air exhibition held in Mostar by the Spanish museum Prado. You can learn more about this museum by visiting their official site . Basically, what you can see on the streets of  Mostar right now is a selection of some of the museum Pardo best known works. Of course, you can also zoom in on these painting online, but it's a bit different viewing and studying them in person. To get a real feeling of a painting, it's important to see it in its original size.  This Prado museum open exhibition is a part of a project that is all about bringing art to the people. Mostar is not the only city where this outdoor exhibition has taken place, nor shall it be the last. In fact, the museums has been doing it for years!  

JULY - THIRTEEN POSTS

In July, I posted 13 posts. It makes sense I blogged a bit more in the Summer because I wasn't working full time. Not being paid during the summer break, I did some freelance work, but I didn't work full time, so I had some free time to focus on the blogging. I remember that at the start of July I was really excited to start blogging more again and I had a lot of ideas for posts.

If I were to put it in numbers it would be: 4 READING REVIEWS, 2 MOVIE REVIEWS, 2 ART POST...and the rest are outfit/travel posts, I guess..

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-fall-of-edward-barnard-short-story.html

Besides a summer outfit featuring a striped animal print dress, in this post I shared a review for a short story The Fall of Edward Barnard by William Somerset Maugham.  Published in 1921, The Fall of Edward Barnard  is a wonderfully ambiguous and modernist piece of writing that through irony, contrasts the the East and the West. Indeed, you might say that Maugham criticizes the Western culture, or at least its perceived inability to appreciate other cultures, and a simpler way of life. 

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-painted-veil-novel-by-wsomerset.html

In this post, I reviewed The Painted Veil, a novel by British writer William Somerset Maugham. I stayed up late reading this novel. First I saw the most recent movie version by chance, and was quite impressed. After that, I knew I had to read the novel, and I did. I even I stayed up all night reading this marvelous novel, and I was even more impressed with the novel itself.  Published in 1925, this novel was initially considered controversial because of its frank portrayal of martial infidelity. However, I think the implication of diplomatic corruption and the critique of British class system had something to do with it as well. Perhaps it hit a bit too close too home for the 1920th society!

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/summer-2024-when-sun-sets-in-split-city.html

In this post, I took you on a night visit to Split city. Together, we went for a night stroll around Split city. Isn't it lovely how blogs allow us to visit places virtually? To enjoy a night stroll from home? Evening strolls in Summer hit different, don't they? I also showed you what I wore. that is my summer outfit, but the emphasis of the post was my gorgeous home city Split. Split city is beautiful at any time, but it can feel especially magical during those warm summer nights. As I already wrote in my earlier posts, I visited Split at the start of this month. 

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/travel-with-my-art-37-seaview-from-park.html

 In this post, you could see and read about  an acrylic painting I did. This painting that depicts a view from one park in Split city was painted exactly a year ago before that post. Earlier this month, I visited Split with my husband and that's when I showed him this place. He loved it, so we took a lot of photographs. A year ago, he also enjoyed the painting I make. So, I guess we have come full circle. Seeing the photographs we took together, I really wanted to share that landscape painting I did a year ago (in an effort to capture this lovely view). This was a fun post to make, but of course also  time-consuming because of the links, the writing and the collages.

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/summer-2024-when-sun-goes-down-in-mostar.html

In this post, you had the opportunity to accompany me on my late night strolls in Mostar. I showed you a few fun outfits. I honestly still love them all. There were also links relevant to the post and topics in hand. This post wasn't so time-consuming to make, just because I didn't do much writing. Outfit posts are often easier to make than other kind of posts. However, if I have to spend a lot of time looking for links (as when I focus on a certain clothing item), then they can get quite long.

6) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-count-of-monte-cristo-2024-movie.html

I usually post book reviews on this blog, but I branched out in 2024, and opted for some movie reviews. In this post, I  shared with you a review of The Count of Monte Cristo. I don't go to theatre/movies often. In fact, years have been known to pass without me seeing a film on the big screen. However, when I saw the poster for the new 2024 The Count of Monte Cristo movie, I knew I simply had to go. I really wanted to see this film, and I didn't even read the reviews or watch the trailer for it. I wasn't even intimidated by the fact it is a three hours long. Afterall, it's based on a rather long novel, so I didn't expect it to be short. This post did take a lot of time to write, because I did research and stuff, but I think I did a good job with it.

7) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/a-split-city-girl-who-loved-painting-sea.html

In this post, I wrote about my love for the sea (and for painting the sea). As I headed over to the beach, I found myself once again mesmerized by the sea. Like Cousteau, I wanted to explore the beauty of the sea. My eyes just couldn't get enough of it. Even as I was swimming, I found myself trying to take it all in. I shared some of my old paintings of the sea, and talked about how I picked up my brushes again.

8) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/3-hot-summer-outfits-plus-movie.html

In this post, I shared with you three warm summer outfits featuring skirts and a movie review.  Skirts can be a great option when the weather gets really hot and the temperatures rise sky high, because skirts are just as breathable as dresses, but allow you to mix and match. You can wear your skirts with different tops, blouses, or even dresses. Of course you can still layer your dresses in summer (I even published a two part guide for doing it 1 &2), but it's easier to achieve versatility with skirts. As I said, I also shared a movie recommendation for the French movie The Odyssey (L'Odyssée) about the explorer and activities Jacques Costeau. This film focuses both on his professional and personal life, showing the complexity of his characters. Moreover, it really stresses the role he played in rising awareness about environmental issues and the damage we've been doing to the oceans. This was a fun post to make, a bit time-consuming but fun. 

9) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/a-striped-scarf-to-rule-all-scarves.html

This was a simple outfit post, so it wasn't very difficult to make. I talked about my love for scarves, and one striped scarf in particular, shared some outfits, and that was it.

10) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/two-ways-to-style-summer-top-casual-vs.html

In this post, I showed you two ways to style a bow tie top. Moreover, I pondered a bit on the subject of eco-friendly fashion. I wrote about sustainable fashion, explaining why it is an important topic to me. Writing about fashion is always interesting and I've certainly done it many times on this digital place to call my own.

11) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/memories-of-hadrian-by-m-yourcener-part.html

 In this post, I continued my review of Memoirs of Hadrian, a historical fictional biography written by Marguerite Yourcenar.  As  I already said (in the first part of my review), I was absolutely enchanted by this historical novel that read like a genuine memoir. Yorcenar used a first person epistolary narration in the Memoirs of Hadian. The Roman emperor writes his story in a form of a long letter to his adopted grandson Marcus (Mark) who is also his future successor. The letter is both intimate and instructional. While Hadrian often drifts into personal digressions and philosophical arguments in the letter, he does address Marcus directly on a number of occasions, adding to credibility of this narrative letter.  

12) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/memoirs-of-hadrian-by-marguirete.html

In this post, I reviewed Memories of Hadrian by Belgian French author Marguerite Yourcenar is an extraordinary novel about  Roman emperor Hadrian.  Published in 1951, it won its author critical acclaim and was an immediate success. Originally written and published in French, under the title Mémoires d'Hadrien, it was translated to English in 1954 by Grace Frick, who was not only  Marguirete's lifelong translator but also her lifelong partner.

13) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/07/magical-buna-and-unicorn-variation-by.html

In this post, I shared a reading recommendation and review, and I also took you to recreational area Bunica aka Buna river. Buna is a settlement in vicinity of Mostar built around Buna river. It is somewhat of a favoured destination on this little digital place to call my own. I reviewed Unicorn Variation, a short story by Roger Zelazny. It was originally published in Asimov's Science Fiction magazine. I'm currently reading the Unicorn Variations book, a short story collection.

JUNE - SEVEN POSTS

I posted seven times in June. Some of those posts were quite long (for example my spring recap), so it makes sense that I didn't post as often. The outfit posts were of course a mix of spring and summer looks, but what was really interesting were the book posts- I wrote a lot of those in June.

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/06/typhoon-by-joseph-conrad-book-review.html

In this post, I reviewed a novella by Joseph Condrad and showed you two of my summer outfits. 

Published in 1902, Typhoon is a novella that, for all that we know, might have been based on a real-life experience. Joseph Conrad drew on his own personal seaman experiences in many of his works, so why should this novella be an exception? To what extent it's autobiographical, we don't know, but it's definitely based on his mariner expertise. At any rate, Typhoon can be classified as one of Conrad's a seaman's books. The novella itself focused on Captain MacWhirr's (notice the name) decision to sail through a typhoon as well the consequences of that decision. As in most (if not all) Conrad's stories, the dire circumstances serve as a tool to examine the psychological states of the characters. Conrad always digs deep and this novella is no exception. Captain MacWhirr makes for an interesting protagonist and the other characters are just as fascinating.  In the Author's Note, Conrad assures us as readers that Captain MacWhirr is absolutely authentic in that it is a product of himself and twenty years of a seafaring experience. 

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/06/my-spring-alphabet-2024.html

In this post, I decided to write a Spring Alphabet, that is to basically do a small summary of my Spring. I will pick one word for each letter of the alphabet and write a bit about it. I did something similar a few years back when I wrote my Summer alphabet and it's been fun reflecting on that post. My Spring was really eventful, so I can't complain. In this post, I'll also share a few of my Spring outfits that I haven't had the chance to share before. Scroll down to see and read more!

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-secret-agent-by-joseph-conrad.html

In this post, reviewed Joseph Conrad again, this time The Secret Agent, a  novel  somewhat different than other Conard's works I've read so far. For one, it's neither set on a boat nor does it talk about the sea. Indeed, seafaring plays no part in this one. Published in 1907, The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale is a novel that focuses on topics of politics, terrorism and espionage. Some might call it a political piece of writing, I would describe it more as a psychological triller. However, the role of politics in this novel is certainly very important, as the protagonist Verloc works for a political organization.

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-time-of-indifference-novel-by.html

 In this post, I reviewed The Time of Indifference, a novel by Alberto Moravia.  You can read this novel in English for free here. Published in 1929, The Time of Indifference is a beautifully complex psychological novel that explores human emotions and relationships. The novel focuses on one dysfunctional family specifically and is spread over a very short span of time (a few days). Rather than on events, this novel focuses on inner lives of its bourgeoise protagonists.  It could perhaps be best described as a work of psychological realism with elements of existentialism. Besides reviewing this novel, I also showed you a spring outfit I wore in Mostar. Like most of my book review posts, this one was also an outfit post. 

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/06/how-to-style-vintage-pleated-dress-for.html

In this post, I shared what I wore to a traditional wedding in Herzegovina. Some vintage dresses are more special than others. This royal blue one falls into the category of more special ones. Not just because this long formal dress is absolutely gorgeous (more about that later) but because there's a story to it. Worn for several wedding celebrations spanning several decades, this dress has lived quite an interesting life! This long blue pleated dress was a gift from my aunt. 

6) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/06/a-wizard-of-earthsea-by-ursula-k-le.html

This post was another mix of my literary and fashion interested. I shared my review for A Wizard of Earthsea, a novel by Ursula K. Le Guin, but also some black and white outfits that I felt reflected the theme of the novel. You could say, we dived into reading and dressing styles, fashion and art that day on my blog. I often do try to match my outfit with my reading recommendation.  Perhaps this outfit was me showing you how I would dress if I worked in a school for wizards! 

7) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/06/great-essays-in-science-by-martin.html

In this post, I shared my review for a book of essays and two outfits I wore recently in Split city, Croatia.  I did some vintage shopping in Split, buying both books and clothes. One of those books was this book of essays  titled Great Essays in Science and edited by Martin Gardner. It contains 30 scientific essays on different topics. Most of the essays are still relevant and quite interesting. Honestly, I found only a few of them a bit dated and only one was tiresome. All the rest were quite fascinating, even those that felt a bit dated. So, I'm really happy I got this book. Of course, the post also included some fashion talk- but mostly it was about this book of essays. I went into trouble of hunting these essays online, so you can read them for free.

MAY - ELEVEN POSTS

In May, my posts were mostly focused on travel, with some fashion illustration, art and book reviewing thrown into the mix. A lot of posts were about Malta, an island country I visited a few years ago, but only managed to blog about now! I enjoyed doing those posts, because it allowed me to also do some research about Malta. It was great to revisit these places with my photography.

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/05/inspired-by-vintage-edition-of-anna.html

In this post, I shared an outfit focusing on vintage items. My reading choice was vintage, too. I shared a vintage edition of Anna Karenina, a book I have read countless times.

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/05/a-builder-of-inn-graditelj-svratista-by.html

In this post, I reviewed a historical novel by Ivan Aralica. The title could be translated as The Builder of an Inn. The novel is set during Napoleon wars. More precisely, the novel takes places during the French occupation of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The author is extremely knowledgeable about this period and exceptionally gifted at recreating past times. However, this novel is more focused on the psychological exploration of its main characters than on historical events or politics.  I picked up this novel about four years ago in Jelsa one of those book exchange boxes, but I only managed to finish it thanks to spring break and weekends. I love Aralica, but his novels need to be read with concentration. My work days are long. I desperately needed both that spring break and some reading time on the weekends! Life flies by so fast and even if I don't really see the traces of time when I look in the mirror yet, I do feel those traces on my soul. Sometimes a day of reading is what I need to recharge my mental batteries!

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/05/daindy-by-jan-guillou-book-review.html

In this post, I shared my tips for styling statement balloon sleeves. I showed you different ways to style a balloon dress.  I also added in a book review, because (to paraphrase) Oscar Wilde and Coco Chanel, a girl who should be four things: classy, fabulous, overdressed and overeducated.  

Wilde was known to be a dandy. The book I'm reviewing is titled Dandy, so there's a connection. Therefore, I'm combing these two quotes. Wilde famously said he makes up for being overdressed by being overeducated and Chanel said that a girl should be classy and fabulous. We combined outfit posts with book posts because being well read is basically the same as being well educated. Well, at least in my book. Mixing outfit posts with book posts,  it's kind of more fun that way. I hope it's entertaining for you as well, because you can always fast forward the part of the post that's less compelling to you at the moment. Dandy was actually my first novel by Jan Guillou and you can visit this post to see what I thought about it.

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/05/what-i-wore-for-miro-gavrans-book.html

In this post, you can see what I wore for Miro Gavran's book promotion in Mostar, as well as my impressions about it. The post also included links about Mostar city, showcasing its historical buildings and so on. 

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-shaping-of-modern-mind-by-crane.html

In this post, I reviewed The Shaping of the Modern Mind. Book reviews and recommendations are an essential aspect of my blog, but usually my reading choices lean towards fiction, mostly fine literature.  However, today I'll be reviewing a book that could be labelled as an academical reading belonging to humanities. As someone who studied literature, this is right up my alley. The book is academical, but it's not hard to follow. Moreover, it's not very long either. It's not a comprehensive survey of modern thought, but it's an useful guidebook. This was also my first book by this author.  I should try and read more non fiction! How about you? Do you prefer fiction or non fiction?

6) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/05/venera-stojan-skalule-i-batule-book.html

 In this post, we went Split city to share a book review and an outfit post. I reviewed a book that made be both cry and laugh. You could say I believe in fate. Never has fate seemed more obvious to me than when it comes to books. So many times in my life has a book arrived at the right time! Every time that happened, I would wonder: 'What are the odds of that?' There's a whole story behind how I bought this  book. Basically, I googled events in Split city and saw there was a promotion at Split city library. I have to say this was the best book promotion I have ever attended for a number of reasons. I'll get back to them as I don't have time to go in detail right now. I'm literally typing this on my cellphone, sitting in a café in Split city. What kind of novel is this? Written in Dalmatian dialect, an autobiographical novel by Croatian author Venera Stojan is a journey in her youth and adolescence. It starts bleak, with Venera confronting her breast cancer diagnosis. However, soon it turns positive as he writes about her childhood on one Croatian island. Moreover, she writes about her first visit to Split that was to become her home. Venera wrote this book from her heart and it really shows. All I can say right now is that I really recommend her novel.

7) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/05/visit-malta-with-ivana-hiking-tales_7.html

In this post, I took you to Saint Julian's on Malta. Saint Julian's is a touristic town that is perhaps best described as a mix of traditional and new. The contrast is quite dramatic, you can literally see ancient ruins next to high skyscrapers. As you stroll Saint Julian's, you might even feel like you've wondered upon a construction site, as new skyscrapers seem to be rising continuously. Still, despite all of continuous construction and urban development, Saint Julian's has kept some of its old charm and remains a popular tourist site. Located only about ten kilometers north from Valletta, St. Julian's is a great place to visit. Here you'll see old traditional fishing boats located next to restaurants and night clubs.

8) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/05/visit-malta-with-ivana-hiking-tales_6.html

In this post, we explored Valletta, a city of incredibly rich history. Besides it being the capital of Malta, Valletta is one of the most concentrated historical sites in the world. Simply a dream place for a historical lover like myself. Apart from being a historical landmark like no other, Valletta is simply amazingly beautiful. 

9) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/05/visit-malta-with-ivana-hiking-tales.html

In this post, I shared more hiking tales from the stunningly gorgeous island Malta. I focused more on my solitary hikes, and the interesting experiences I had wondering the less taken paths.

10) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/05/friday-fashion-illustration-fantasy.html

 In this post, I shared some of my fashion illustration sketches. It was nothing too ambitious, basically just a few drawings I made recently, but I'm happy I shared them. Sometimes a quick sketch is all we have time for, and yet that sketch often has a way of growing into something more.

11) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/04/visit-malta-with-ivana-hiking-tales.html

In this post, I blogged about my hiking experiences on Malta island. I visited Malta a few years ago, but besides sharing one oil pastel sketch drawing, I haven't blogged about my visit at all. I guess that the time to talk about Malta has finally come. Today is the first of May and that means that  as an educator I have a day off. Yes, I don't have to go to work. So, I have some time to put this post together. While I was pondering what to start with, I decided that I should do a Malta series. I might as well since all I wanted to write about definitely won't fit into a single post!

APRIL 2024 - SEVEN PUBLISHED POST

I had my spring break in April, and I visited island Hvar (as one does), so I wrote about that. The rest of outfits were a mix of travel and outfit posts. 

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/04/visit-stobrec-with-me-croatia-wiw-for.html

 In this post, I took  you to Stobreč, a charming historical village that has become a tourist resort. I love to show you around Croatia! Located between Split city and Podstrana, this little village is a wonderful destination for a stroll or a day at the beach. It's actually been inhabited since the ancient times. Starting its life as a Greek colony, this village is genuinely historical. It's so closely tied to Split city, you can hardly tell where one ends and the other begins. In fact, administratively Strobreč is a part of Split city. Regular readers of my blog will remember that Split is actually my hometown. I grew up thinking of Stobreč  as a part of Split city. As it develops, it might become more independent, but one can also think of it as suburbs of Split city.

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/04/visit-stobrec-with-me-croatia-wiw-for.html

 In this post, I shared with you sustainable baby blue and leopard spring styling. A pale blue might not be the first choice with leopard, but why not? For me leopard print is sort of a classic. I actually love to pair it with all kinds of colours, from more vibrant ones to pales ones. In the past, I paired it with cobalt blue. I definitely do not feel that leopard should be worn only with neutral colours. I mean I paired leopard with white, grey and black clothing items often enough, but I love to pair it with something that pops, be it a coloured or pattern item. I do love patterns. So, it's not surprising that I love to mix patterns. 

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/04/spring-in-split-3-outfits-one-worn-for.html

In this post, I showed you three outfits I wore in Split city for different occasions: book promotion, art exhibition and a stroll with my significant other. 

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/04/spring-in-mostar-city-vintage-purple.html

In this post, I showed you a sustainable spring styling shot in Mostar city. A fun and simple post, nothing more to say about it!

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/04/welcoming-spring-with-15-ideas-to.html

In this post, I shared 15 tips for dealing with spring tiredness. I also shared an outfit post with a beautiful panorama. The photographs were taken on an edge of a cliff, near a road that is under construction.

6) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/04/sucuraj-on-island-hvar-welcome-spring.html

In this post I took you to Sućuraj on island Hvar. I also talked about how much I needed that Spring break!

7) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/04/spending-easter-weekend-on-island-hvar.html

In this post, I talked about spending Easter weekend on island Hvar and I mentioned its Unesco protected Eastern traditions.

MARCH 2024 - FIVE PUBLISHED POSTS

Some of these posts were about sustainable fashion and travel, some about art, and some book and movie reviews.

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/03/plus-20-ways-to-wear-wool-floral-skirt.html

In this post, I showed you 20 ways to wear a wool and silk skirt from a local brand (fashion house Edi).

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/03/a-commissioned-painting-of-chapel-in.html

In this post, I shared a commissioned painting I did. The painting was commissioned as a gift for retirement. Honestly, I think I've done a good job with it. 

3)  https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/03/eugene-onegin-verse-novel-by-pushkin.html

 In this post, I reviewed Eugene Onegin, a verse novel by Alexander Pushkin. I decided to reread this surprisingly short novel, so that's what I did. In fact, I finished it yesterday. If you want to read a Russian classic that isn't desperately long, this is a solid choice. 

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/03/happy-international-womens-day-15.html

In this post, I shared fifteen reading recommendations for an International Women's Day!

5)  https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/03/dune-part-one-two-2021-2024-movie.html

In this post, I shared movie reviews for Dune one and Dune  two. I'm not one of those people who gets upset when the movie is different from the book. That's the whole point of adaptations, isn't it? To add something new, to offer your perspective on the book. Some books are quite different from the books and that's fine. However, when they are extremely different, one wonders what is the point? Why not just name it something else, I mean, if it has nothing to do with the original book? Not that I think that's what happened here, I'm just making a point. I think changes made to book are alright as long as there is a creative or artistic justification for them. Sometimes there is, sometimes there isn't. Sometimes you can feel the creative drive behind the adaptation, sometimes you can't. In the case of the new adaptations, I think there's definitely vision behind the adaptation and I respect it. It might not be my favourite adaptation, but it's a work of love.

FEBRUARY 2024- FOUR PUBLISHED POSTS

This month was all about book recommendations and reviews. I took book reviewing very seriously in February, writing about some of my all time favourite authors and novels. 

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/02/steppenwolf-novel-by-hermann-hesse-book.html

In this post, I reviewed Steppenwolf, a well known novel by German-Swiss author Herman Hesse. Steppenwolf was the tenth novel published by Hesse and it remains one of his most popular works. Originally published (as Der Steppenwolf) in 1927 in Germany, it was translated to English two years later.  I read this novel years ago. It was not my first work by Hesse. I remember liking it, but not as much as some of Hesse's other works. When I prepare my book reviews, I often reread either part of the book or entire books. I like rereading and I enjoy a chance to compare my impressions.

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/02/siddhartha-by-herman-hesse-book-review.html

In this post, I shared another visit to Hutovo Blato and a book review for Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. So, we'll have two posts in one: a travelogue and a book review. A year cannot go by without a visit to Hutovo Blato.  What about my book review? Well, let's start with that. Published in 1922 under the original title Siddhartha: Eine Indische Dichtung, this novel focuses on the spiritual journey and the search for self awareness of its fictional protagonist. 

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/02/narcissus-and-goldmund-novel-by-herman.html

 In this post, I recommended and reviewed Narcissus and Goldmund, a novel by Herman Hesse. Published in 1930, is a critically acclaimed novel. In English, it's also published under the title Death and the Lover. Like many of Hesse's works, Narcissus and Goldmund focuses on the protagonist's struggle to find himself. This novel is considered a literary classic and rightfully so. I've heard many people recommending novel and saying how it moved them.  I read it years ago, but it is still very close to my heart. It's definitely a novel that is worth the hype. No wonder it remains a very popular read. If you want to know why I consider Narcissus and Goldmund  to be a work of art, click the link above and read my full review. 

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/02/stranger-in-strange-land-novel-by-roger.html

In this post, I reviewed A Stranger in a Strange Land , a novel by Robert A. Heinlein. This is an iconic novel, and I really tried to do it justice with my blog. I shared some old outfit photographs with this book review post.

JANUARY 

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/01/language-learning-myth-8-you-always.html

Sometimes years go by until I finish my thought. That's alright, though. In this post, I explained and debunked a language myth that says you always need new resources to learn a language. Language is such a fascinating subject and I love writing about it. In addition, I will also show you what I wore yesterday for  a stroll in Mostar city.  The weather was sunny but windy and I dressed accordingly. This post is actually a continuation of the one published in 2022. In that post, I wrote about  the seven most common language learning myths. 

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/01/lady-chatterleys-lover-by-dh-lawrence.html

In this post I reviewed Lady Chatterley's Lover. It used to be somewhat of a controversial book. Originally published in Italy almost a hundred years ago (in 1928), it had to wait for decades to be published in England. In fact, it was well into the 1960s, that the uncensured version of this novel was published in English. When it was finally published as it was, it was put on a trial for obscenity in England! A trial it lost. Not surprisingly, if it is true that the prosecutor opening statement was: 'Is this a book you would want your wife or your servants to read?' Did somebody really think it was a good question to ask in the sixties? I wonder at it. Anyway, this is a great novel and I do recommend it.

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/01/visit-omis-croatia-with-me-and-learn.html

In this post I took you to Omiš (English speakers might better understand how it is supposed to be pronounced if I spell it like this 'Omish', with 'sh' pronounced as 'ship'), Croatia. In this post, I showed you some photographs of Omis city but this post presented you with a more detailed look of this stunning Croatian seaside city. There were maps, photographs, history facts and everything you need to experience this town from the comfort of your home! This town has a fascinating pirate history! Pirates that ruled the Adriatic for two centuries. I don't know if the world has never seen pirates quite like these ones!

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/01/alongside-river-poem-by-vesna-parun.html

In this post, I decided to mix Croatian poetry with travelling. Isn't poetry a way of travelling into our soul anyway? So, we might as well do some soul travel with real one? I not only reviewed one of Vesna Parun's poems in this post,  I also translated it to English, so that you all can enjoy it. I've translated Vesna Parun's poetry on my blog before and I will do it again in the future. Not that Vesna's poems haven't been translated in English. There is at least one edition that I know of containing her selected poems. However, since I've actually studied translation and literature, why not give it a go myself? 

5) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/01/happy-2024-above-all-i-wish-you-love.html

In first post of year 2024, I wished you a Happy New Year with Dolly Parton's words- above all I wish you love! I also noticed that I didn't feel very optimistic as I usually do on this date, but that I was still happy to receive and give happy New Year wishes and cheers. Oddly enough, I felt exactly the same at the start of this year as well.

A LITTLE SUMMARY OF YEAR 2024 ON THIS LITTLE PLACE TO CALL MY OWN

NUMBER OF PUBLISHED POSTS- 91 PUBLISHED POSTS 

I managed to published 91 posts in this year, and I can honestly say that I'm proud of the posts I published. I invested a fair amount of effort into them.

MOST VIEWED POSTS FROM LAST YEAR (ACCORDING TO BLOG STATISTICS) were actually posts published in previous years. Posts published in the previous year didn't get as much views as those published  in other years. Maybe posts from year 2024 will be trending some day in the future. 

Anyhow the two most popular posts in the last 12 months according to Blogger were: 

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-island-of-missing-trees-by-elif.html

4, 5 thousand and something views 

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2019/07/10-style-lessons-learned-from-malena.html

Two thousand and something views last year, and about 17 thousand views since it was published. 

Once again, I wish you all the best in 2025! Thank you for your support and for reading my blog.