and life continues

It has been a good week. Surprisingly so. For which I'm deeply grateful. (Which includes the heartfelt comments and emails, treasured as always, I hope you know that even if I haven't replied to them all yet.)

** Together with M's parents, brother and sister-in-law - I'm okay, we've spent some time together this week, talked (if not about the really hurtful matters) a lot and it has been friendly like it once was - I've been to his apartment twice during the week to sort out memories and things of importance. It has been both mentally and physically exhausting. But also an important step on the way to a new normal. Have cried, laughed, been practical, melancholic, sad and also very appreciative of things I picked up to now come and live with me. And grateful for all the memories.

They gave me a lift home this evening and the car was full - next week I've booked an appointment with a charity shop to come and pick up stuff I need to get rid off and with the long weekend to come before that I have plenty of time to sort through all this too. To see which things and memories to actually keep, the most important. The useful and the happy memories. Not stuff for stuff's sake. (Which is THE one thing I've been really good at doing on my list of personal goals for 2016...)

** I was on an interview for a very short Wordpress web gig on Monday. I'll begin working for a couple of days on Tuesday and continue next week, possibly a few days more depending on how much work that's needed. It may not be super creative or super well-paid, but it's a fun and useful way to use my language-police and stickler for details and proofreading skills on. For a good cause. And it's another important, little step towards my new normal.

** I visited my new accountant with a lot of papers and it was a really nice meeting. Partly because she was well aware of the current sad situation (she knows friends of ours and have met M), partly because she's very helpful, keeps it simple so I can understand - the fact that accounting and tax law were two of my best subjects when I studied law is now a mystery... - and isn't at all patronising (unlike my previous accountant). 

The drawback is that her company is situated in Norrtälje, which isn't an issue if you have a car, but from door to door one way it takes me around 2,5 hours. Not ideal, but luckily most things can be sorted via email, mail and telephone so we probably don't have to have meetings more than 1-2 times per year. And the bus ride was really nice.

After the meeting I had lunch with my mum and was so happy that a cafe I used to love in Norrtälje, which sadly had declined now has new owners who are really keen on serving more vegan options! Two lovely dishes on the menu already and we had a good chat about the importance of flavours and textures.

Also I was really pleased that my favourite coffee chain Espresso House had opened in Norrtälje - thus a more than decent soy-latte in a keepcup was my friendly company on the bus home.

** There have been plenty of sunshine all week. Pretty cold April weather overall, but oh the sunshine, good for body and mind.

** Have had two really great and inspiring conversations with fine friends over coffee. Inspiring, soothing and thought-provoking. Grateful.

Same day I also visited the Stockholm Foodtruck Lounge - too bad it was absolutely freezing that evening which cut the visit very short - and tried a new (to me) vegan foodtruck. Turned out I was so hungry I completely forgot to  snap a photo of the Seitan Schwarma Wrap (*insert shocked emoji*), but it was really good.

I've shyed away from social events and crowds ever since life drastically changed. But it was good to get out in an unpretentious way, to distract the mind a bit. To see that life somehow goes on, in parts actually not that different from how it once was.

And now it's May already. May May be a lovely lovely month, in every way. Much needed, thank you in advance, life.

cool cats wear green houndstooth

One of my personal goals for 2016 (on the plus-list) was to (cleanse cupboards, wardrobes and) give at least one big bag to charity (which by the way is a word I loathe, help is a much better) per month. 

So far I've done 10 bags and 1 big box. I'm on a roll! And obviously I'm doing a much needed wardrobe cleansing. So much stuff (clothes) I've kept for sentimental reasons. Partly stuff that's really not my cup of wear tea anymore, partly things that unfortunately don't fit anymore. 

So (high) time to make room, and not for more but for air and change. To be even more mindful of what I decide to buy.

A gazillion (slightly exaggeration) have left the building. And these two delightful wearables have moved in. The houndstooth sweater is a quirky, comfortable piece in organic cotton. Its companion, the green kimono, is made of viscose. I've never thought of a kimono as an interesting and useful garment, but really it's rather flattering and uncomplicated to wear over a long sleeved t-shirt or a dress instead of a jacket. Which is a garment I don't find very comfortable and useful anymore.

Looking forward to pair the two of them with existing pieces.

And fill more bags with things that don't fit into my life anymore. But will most likely make other people happy.

Both pieces from on of my favourite shops Bric-a-Brac Stockholm, on sale. You know, the place were I won the Instagram-competition a while back.

my personal goals in 2016

The other days I wrote about my business goals for 2016. Today there'll be the a few words on the personal goals - which could grow into a very long list actually. And that made me think that hey, I got things pretty sorted business wise, I even struggled a bit to come up with 5 of them. But still open to new adventures for growth and inspiration of course! -

My 5 personal goals for 2016 -

• Get back to doing yoga at least 3 times per week
• Meditate for at least 10 minutes every day - I have begun, downloaded an app for it and will explore other ways that suit me.
• Finish one old knitting project every month - too many half finished yarn projects lying around... And yarn/patterns for new ones. I'm just so bad at finishing the projects, but great at starting new ones...
• Travel alone abroad - which of course will be the Schwarzwald trip.
• Give at least 1 compliment to a stranger every week

And here are some bonus things to the 5 goals-list -

• Sign up for a mentor/friend-programme for people new in Sweden - done. But the good news are that there are apparently so many people doing that that there are no slots for interviews/matching until late March/April. And of course for me it's very important that the new friend person I match with one day is vegetarian/vegan and non-religious. Let's see how that goes. 
• Try 1 new recipe per week
• 1 facial + 1 hair pak per week
• Get rid of that darn runny nose
• Give at least 1 bag of things per month to charity shops - I've already done a big box plus 6 bags, so I'm well ahead. Yes, I feel a cleansing year coming!

How about you, do you have any personal 

(or professional) goals for this new year?

green and pink glasses

Remember I recently wrote about great things that can happen when you use the right hashtag on social media? And in this particular case it was simply about getting a free pair of glasses because I used the right hashtag on Instagram.

The voucher had a due date on May 1st, so even if I'm quite happy with the two new pair I got now it would be foolish to not get that free pair. Sure, one could argue I could have given the voucher away to someone in more need of a new pair of glasses. But some times I'm selfish. Others I'm not.



Then in the optician Smarteyes' latest newsletter I read about their new organic, biodegradable range of glasses called Elements. And one of the glasses were round. And apple green. They called my name.

It was a long time since I could find a pair of decent round frames that fit the shape of my face - ie a) not to small and b) too narrow over the bridge. It's easy enough when it comes to sun glasses, far from when you're looking for great round, larger frames for prescription glasses.



I tried on several of the organic frames but none called my name as much as the applegreen ones. Although they turned out to sadly not be as large as I had hoped. Since I could get that second pair for half the price even with a voucher I decided to do that. Two pairs, not one free pair only. Call me frivolous.

I continued trying different frames on, organic and not. In the end I had them boiled down to 8 pairs in various colours and styles. And then there were four. On of which was the pair the blue frames won over last time. Round, black and red thin frames. But since I had found a pair of slightly bigger, round frames in old fashioned pink (what are the odds?!) those won. Sorry, poor red and blacks, second time rejected.



And then they were three. The square, winered pair was just a pair I found lying on a desk at the optician, tried them on and they were really wonderful, both in fit and colour. In the end though, I really wanted a pair of organic glasses. It just felt wrong not too. Plus, seriously, dark pink frames. Amazing.

So I went with the apple green and the pink ones. Both round frames, but very different in looks. I would have prefered if they'd been larger but on the other hand, it's good to venture outside one's comfort zone now and then. Even with such a thing as style of glasses.

I still find it absolutely mindblowing (in a luxuary way) that I managed to get both a pair of applegreen AND a pair of pink glasses. My two top favourite colours. And definitely not two colours common in frames. Will pick them up next week. Oh the excitement!

And what about my old prescription glasses that doesn't fit my sight anymore? Well, those 4-5 pairs I will now give to the project Vision for All. A great organisation that provides glasses for people in need in developing countries.

on consumerism

I know, I know, I do buy new stuff, less than I used to, but most likely more than I should. Although, as usual, I shy away from cheap, massproduced things and I do thrift a lot too. And of course create a lot myself. But I could do better, much better. Less shopping, less consumerism for most of us on this planet would be beneficial. And more inspiration and encourage to create ourselves, like with the peace scarf.

We live in a world with finite recources, it's about high darn time we take personal responsability for our choices, whether it be eating habits or shopping. If we are completely honest, we all know that, right? Right.

Doing a spot of shopping to soothe a troubled mind or treat oneself, it's so easy, I know too well. "Because I'm worth it." On the other hand I know both money and time could be much better spent, most of the time. Thrifting and charity shops are great in that way, they don't tear and wear on the planet's resources and the money spent go to good causes. And you always know where to leave the things you have no use for anymore, someone else might find use and joy in them. For an affordable price. Such a simply thing really, that can make such a great impact on so many levels.

So when I headed to the department store to get one of those button stools - to sit on in the hall while putting boots on, I usually do that on the toilet seat, but that moo toilet seat from less than a year ago has slowly broken in to smaller pieces and is now beyond repair. Which makes a perfect example of massproduced, cute, cheap, too cheap = bad quality of course. My old toilet seat, which also could be recycled in to the system, didn't broke until after 20 years. Higher price, cheaper in the long run and better for the planet. - I saw these colourful candlesticks.

Very cute idea, massproduced with really bad quality, finish and wobbly. For that they wanted 169 sek (~26 usd). I'm constantly amazed that there are people who buy stuff like this and that noone along the production line say no. Which of course is down to the world we've built, where money, the holy financial growth, the paycheck, the threadmill, work as we know it is opium for the people.

It's just so heartbreaking that the specie with the brain who can think, create, feel and make so many fantastic things has so little compassion, so little grasp of everything being connected, makes so many mad choices, is so very stupid and has bought in to so many crazy notions and ideas.

My Weltschmerz is constant, my soul is forever misanthrophic, I'm glad I can still find joy and inspiration in some humans. But overall, I just do not get humans. More often than not, it feels like socializing with beings from a whole other planet, we do not speak the same language. I smile, nod, move on, because when I speak my heart most people don't seem to get it. I'm that tiresome one who always take things so seriously, who is uncomfortable to hang with when life should be simple like "I enjoy meat I eat meat, I want to shop til' I drop, wear and tear, cheap rules, f--ck organic and fairtrade, compassion and slow living".

Someone gave me the advice to stop watching and reading the news and newspapers, I actually have and even if Weltschmerz is my companion I feel more than a tad bit calmer. And try and live my life, on my terms, do good things, even if they're seemingly small they're so much better than no kind deeds at all.

I'm in no need of a new candlestick, but if you are, I think the above ones, if nothing else, at least hold a great DIY idea; if you have old, boring ones or find some at the thrift shop, spruce them up with a splash of new colour/pattern. So much better, on so many levels.

This kind of blog post certainly is a good way to remind myself I still need to scrutinize my own shopping patterns. I should make a BIG mental not in reading it before I get myself another pair of shoes. Which reminds me, just last week I just had to, since it was a big sale on models going out of stock... See, sometimes (quite often actually) I just don't get myself either.

And of course, instead of getting a button stool, I could have gone to the charity shop and looked for something. That constant battle of being kind to oneself, treat oneself and making good choices in a greater scheme of things.

What do you do to step off the threadmill, 
battle against consumerism, 
fight the good fight for a kinder planet?
I would love to get new, kind ideas!

little miss bookcrossing helper

i was pretty good at leaving bookcrossing books here and there during all of 2012, in helsinki, gdansk and budapest too.

but for this last month, when i've been rubbish at it, all out of registered/labelled books. not too keen on that bit. though i do have a big bag of second hand books that need just that, when that's done (asap) i'm sure 2013 will be a nice bookcrossing year too.

how can it not be, with such a little miss bookcrossing helper with a paw?

edit - noticed that there wasn't a single comment to my first bookcrossing post two years ago, thus i still would love to know your views on it, like i did then;

are you a member of bookcrossing?
for how long? 
do you enjoy it? 
do you just leave books or do you pick some up too, to read?
have you found a travelling bookcrossing book? 
was it a good read? 

back to black

Well, not really black, but it may look like that at first glance, the nailpolish I finally decided on as birthday treat. Essie Stylenomics - don't you just heart the name?? - is in fact dark dark dark green. I know I will miss colours on the nails soon, but it's rather elegant and relaxing, solemn and strangely fierce.





And just so you don't think I've gone completely bonkers with the almost black thing - I did get a pink polish too, one of the four in the Pink Ribbon campaign; We're in it together. I think it'll be a nice change when I grow tired or chipped of Stylenomics.

Have you gotten any new nailpolish bottles recently?
What's your favourite colour/s of the season?

books and cats

still on the involuntary reading hiatus - over two years now, but i'm doing better, i've finished a few these past few months - thus i basically do not but any new books. but who can resist 'old' ones? thrifting for the win!

i think there are many gems in these heaps. the one i'm most happy about is of course the nuala o'faolain's self biography, it has been on my wishlist for years. imagine to just stumble over it at a charity shop in sweden!



and finally, one of those universal thruths of life 'man kann im leben auf vieles verzichten, aber nicht auf katzen und literatur!' -

happy reading, 
happy week to come!

advent sunday week-list

Time for the weekly list. I'm proud to say, that even if it didn't feel like I accomplished much during the week - the wet, grey, dull blanket above is really doing its very best to dampen the spirit! But now we've had some rays of sun on two (!) different days and things feel a bit better - it seems I did.

By no means do I make these public lists to boast about how *much* I do in a week, most of us do the best we can I think, but I've found that if I make very public lists I really feel I have to start ticking things off them. If I only write them down in a notepad, as full of intention-to-do I might be while doing it, it's so much easier to slide in other directions...

So ticked off last week's list are;

~ three bags of stuff to charity Erikshjälpen, four bags of cat related things to one of the cat shelters in Stockholm (they're having a flee market next weekend) and two more for another cat shelter that will be dropped off next Friday

~ another week without snow. Yes it may be darker than usual this time of the year because of that, but really, the problems with the trains running very VERY less than smoothly during winters have been reasonable scarce (touch wood) plus no slippery, icy, nasty streets to worry about. And of course, the electrical bill is moderate.

~ the issues with the web host have been sorted. I'm working on the website. Finally. Though I'm still not all that friendly with WordPress. There are several (possibly minor, but just the same) annoying things that still needs to be sorted before I can officially launch it. But just being able to actually work on it for real - big sigh of relief.

~ and yes, it looks like (touch wood firmly) the problems we had with the registration of business name may be solved very soon. Affirmative phone calls have been made, letters have been written and posted. I am so hoping all these administrative matters will be sorted properly in the next fortnight. (And in this case  due to the special circumstances, of which I'm not going to tell at the moment but it has to do with bureaucracy that leaves a lot to be desired as far as efficiency goes, superfluous matters. Well, bureacracy often lacks in efficiency I suppose.)

~ the cowl is finished. But I need to tweak it, elevate its cuteness if you will.

~ obviously the saffron rusks got baked

~ went to a lovely Thanksgiving party - bringing a special little gift of appreciation to the hostess that I'm pretty pleased with myself - where the highlight of the food was a scrumptious butternut squash gratin. I'm now anxiously awaiting the recipe.

A *wee* fly in the ointment - pre-party, only something I was aware of and disappointed about - was the fact that the lotsa pockets dress had shrunk in the laundry (yes really, cotton apparently does that sometimes...), it didn't fit over my chest area buttoned up. Pure sadness in a dress situation. So yes, mum, the dress is all yours from now on... sigh.

~ I also managed to run a few miscallenous errands, cook a few dinners, vaccinate cats, install the Advent candlesticks and an Advent star in the window - but other than that, I don't do Christmas decorations anymore - and attend a little local Christmas fair.


For the week to come I plan to;

~ go to two different job related meetings, one definitely more pleasing than the other. But both have to be dealt with. Though with the various administrative and practical issues like the ones mentioned above, where I'm unable to really speed things up, I'm not sure what I'll bring to the meetings. Ah well.

~ have two nice lunches and one afternoon tea

~ f i n a l l y  announce the winner of the bobbaloo book - I'm so sorry it has taken this long...

~ prepare for another little blog giveaway, if the things I'm looking for is available

~ bake cookies (and possibly lussekatter)

~ work on the business website

~ start making a new cat breeder website, the old one has been up since the early 00ies and as much as it really needs a serious updating in so so many ways it hasn't been a priority since I haven't had kittens since 2007. But now that will hopefully change.

~ possibly finish that pair of Lovikka mittens

~ making the Christmas cards-list

Feels like it's a rather full week. Mostly in a good way though.

And yes, I recommend making public to-do-lists (of things okey to share), of course they're only ambitions and not set in stone, but I find that they do help my (at times wandering) mind staying focused.

random sunday reflections

Some recent snippets of thoughts in a random row;

~ A week from now I will be walking the streets of another capital in Europe. It's time for the very much treasured little birthday-getaway we've had since 2007. I'm not interested in getting regular gifts - since I can't say I need more stuff really... - but I love if we can find cheap tickets to a nice city for some exploring during a few days in october.

The best trip by far, so far, was the one to Gdansk in 2009. Loved that place. So I had hoped this year would bring some days of walking the autumnal streets of some eastern European city with beautiful  architecture, cultural ambiance (preferably without any real shopping temptations but many good cafés).

Yes, I had planned the packing, my mind was set. See, I had told M to keep the destination a secret until at the airport. That secret slipped yesterday - when talking about vegetarian restaurants, "this one is said to be the best in xxx"... oh dear - and even if this certainly is a city I've had on my want-to-visit-list it is not;

:: an eastern European one reaches with a couple of hours flight - I hate long flights if you desperately lack room to stretch legs properly 
:: an autumnal city as we now it in Scandinavia, in fact the temperatures are rather summery indeed and now I have to revise my packing - oh my
:: a place lacking of ample shopping temptations - need.to.save.money.
:: a place where there's a need for a red tassel cap

I know, know, know, all this is such a luxuary problem indeed, but I fear I am a tad disappointed about the lack of autumnal-eastern-european-street-walking a week from now... At the same time as I know it will be a fabulous trip - minus the long flight... - with ample photo opportunities (but probably a lack of easy and free/affordable Internet connection) and yes, a castle in the city.

Now, two important matters to ponder; which shoes to bring and which bobbaloos will be chosen for an abroad adventure...

Feel free to guess the city, from the clues above plus it's in Europe, in close proximity to water, it's the capital of a country I've been to twice before (but never to this city).

~ Got an email last week saying the Shakin' Stevens concert next Friday is cancelled (reason unknown). As disappointing as that in itself is, I have to say that I'm really most happy about getting my money back since I do need to put in quite an order at MOO this week. I hope he'll return to Sweden another time and that I'm able to get tickets then instead.

~ I've written about the recurring disappointment coming from the discussions with friends and acquaintances about starting up projects and businesses, that in the end just ends up in nothing. A lot more talk than action (which certainly is not something I need more of, the prior that is). But as disappointing as those matters are, just as relieved I am about others projects not becoming a reality.

The case being you have obviously misjudged people, since suddenly they show rather an appaling lack of perspective and more than a tad bit patronizing behaviour. I know, one will sadly never stop being surprised and sometimes appaled by human behaviour, but I confess, sometimes I really believe some people I meet are more caring, more knowledgeable about the surrounding world, more grown-up if you like. In those cases I'm simply dumstruck by their childish and petty behaviour, when it shows its ridiculous head. And then I'm grateful for another project simply having petered out into nothingness.

~ It's really well about time to do a bit of renovating and sprucing of the room that was meant to be my office space when I moved here - ten years ago come December! Yes it has bookshelves filled with books on important matters, an imposing desk - inherited from my father - but admittedly it has mostly been a room for dumping stuff I'm not sure what to do with at the moment (weeks, months, years...).

For a long time I've felt that the huge, imposing oak-tree desk with matching dark bookshelves have dampened my creativity, it's not a room I've enjoyed (even when clutter-free) spending time in, no matter light walls and a big window, those dark, heavy furnitures really aren't my cup of tea. I've just felt reluctant getting rid of the desk since it was after all my father's and I remember him spending a lot of time at it. But it really isn't what I want. And I would never ever contemplate getting such a desk myself - and the bookshelves I only bought dark to match the desk.

So time has come to say goodbye to my father's desk, I'm sure someone will have good use of it, it's a well-made, no fuss, heavy and imposing kind of desk. Myself I just want something airy and simple, a large white tabletop supported by trestles.

I'm also seriously thinking about painting the walls, the wallpaper works, but it's old and boring and it's really time I put some stamp of my own on the walls in this house. I've already decided on the colour, not I just have to find the perfect hue.

I've already three new bookshelves lined up to take the dark, drab ones place. If there's one thing I like about IKEA it's the Billy bookshelves. And these where of a limited edition, rather fabulous style at a reduced price. They have been patiently waiting for many months to be assembled.

Months ago I also got a lovely Emma-armchair from my favourite charity shop. It looked to be recently upholstered and was irresistable (as well as ridiculously cheap). That chair awaits its perfect place in my new office space too. It's a room off limits for cats (no space for hairs and claws) so the sweet velvet piece will have nothing to fear residing in there.

I then have all sorts of small painting and upcycling projects to get more creative and quirky storage space in that rather large room. Yes I'm rather excited about this (and a tad overwhelmed by the work getting there, or perhaps I'm just exaggerating the actual amount of work needed). When it's all finished I promise to show pictures (hopefully this time of New Year's).

~ Since this decision, I've felt more in balance than I think I've felt for a long long time. It has been a good few weeks, filled with both creativity and must-dos. I've spent them talking, talking, talking to people, emailing, writing, thinking, reading useful books (not the kind where you need a reading mojo), going to seminars and information meetings. I have some more things lined up for this week, then it's time for the little getaway with mindful relaxation, before one (ie me) has to really start working with the things I mean to do. In my own business. Finally.

As I've reached a place in my life where I have no other viable choices than to go ahead with this, there's no turning back and there's just no other outcome for this venture than success. It may of course not be a roaring such from day one, neither week nor month (touch wood), but it really has every chance to be given some time. I'm not talking financial success - even if I know what monthly income would make me happy, it's a goal and quite far from a millionaire's notion, being able to pay my bills, buy the not so odd pair of shoes, travel now and then and give more to worthy causes than I'm able to do today, then I'm well chuffed - but just the thought of being my own boss, having the overall controll and responsability of my work and days, doing what I do best, combining my creativity with my legal, formal background - I have to say, I am quite fond of my USP - that makes me so happy.

Here's to more balance in life and happiness in the week to come!

the blue stripey dust-coat dress

For some reason I've always had a soft garment spot for dust-coats and shirt dresses. Admittedly I try my very best to dust as little as possible, so the appeal of the dust-coatish dresses must be the overall unpretentiousness of flattering design I think (like the lotsa pocket dress ).

Admission number two; over the years I've rarely ever found the perfect dust-coat that fits and flatters. It's just a little dream of mine.

Browsing a Red Cross charity shop last summer I happened upon a row of dresses with a sign saying "Party dresses 75 sek, other dresses 60 sek" (~11 usd resp 9 usd). The so called party dresses where definitely not suitable for any party I'd like to attend (to put it politely), but then this "other dresses" blue stripey piece in sturdy cotton caught my eye.

It was one of this sticky hot summer days and trying on clothes in a poky fitting room was not high on the agenda. But somehow the dress felt special, well made in a home-sewn style, crisp in that just washed way, probably never worn, in a style reminding me of a shop assistant in a 1930-40ies shop. So I tried it on. And it was lovely. I'm pretty sure not everyone would agree on its perfectness, but I really really enjoy the understated style, the sturdy cotton, the slight puff sleeves, worn unrolled or not, the tad oversizedness which will look great both with and without a belt.

The full row of buttons allowing you to wear it like a dress or a coat. Teamed up with a great pair of  stockings (I do enjoy these lace ones which have served me well, violet walking or not) or socks, a fabulous pair of shoes, jewellery and possibly a hat I think it'll look quirky swell.

How's your relationship with dust-coats?
Good, bad, indifferent?

tuesday moo and gifts that keep on giving

Had a brilliant weekend (it was darn cold, but also a reasonable amount of sun which made it so so pretty), which I had planned to show glimpses of in a photo cavalcade today. But as I'm too tired for that I'll just say that I'm most pleased with the MOO cards that arrived in the mail today - well apart from 20% of the business cards that had a crap finish, which wasn't my fault. let's see what the MOO guys have to say about that... - let the Christmas card-writing begin!

Which is pretty much the only thing I'm fussy about when it comes to this time of the year -

the older I get, the less I enjoy Christmas, at least the commercialized consumeristic overindulgent meat-eating alcohol soaked state too many people spend it in. It's just such an incredibly tiresome part of the year I think. Because even if you're free to spend it anyway you like, one can't completely (unless living on a deserted island) escape the whole hullabaloo everywhere.

As I've probably mentioned before, we've long since stopped exchanging Christmas gifts in the family (if one doesn't feel like giving magic socks and such handmade things of course). Sometimes there's some small token of appreciation to friends. But other than that. No unnecessary shopping of gifts for us.

This year I've discovered the most perfect of gifts over at Action Aid though. Gifts to help people, especially women and girls who usually are the ones most in need of help, create better lives for themselves and their families. Now I'm looking at goats, beehives, chickens and trying to decide on what gifts will do most good. Gifts that keep on giving, they're truly the best!

If in Sweden you'll find gifts against poverty here, but I'm sure this is available in most countries. I also very much recommend becoming a sponsor for one or more orphan children in countries that perhaps are not as well-developed as your own. Myself I've been sponsoring a little girl in South-Africa for some years now. I hope that she'll grow up to become a good human being that will make a positive difference in this world -

and baking lussekatter of course. When ordering the Christmas cards I like to get a mix of the year that was. So now I'm looking at my new cards and taking a wee stroll down a short memory lane. Spring, summer, autumn, winter, a year.

a granny circle victory

Eureka, I've finally figured out how to make granny circles - as opposed to all the squares - this may be such a teenie weenie step for humankind, a pretty large one for me. One of those quite significant but seemingly small everyday victories on a personal level.

I had a go with my favourite colour combo, pink-green. Add a dash of red and beige (every little ball thrifted charity wool yarn or old left-overs from previous projects). And now I can't seem to stop crocheting these. Because guess how many combinations you can produce from eight different colours... Since last evening I have made a reasonably impressive amount of granny circles. I even fear I may have a budding crochet shoulder/upper arm. Darn.

I'm thinking these circles (can we call them magic circles? Because squares seem predictable and rather boring compared to the magic of circles. So yes, magic there is) will be put together as a perky winter pillow. Or a wee blanket. Or, who knows, I'll continue crocheting until there's an impressive pile of them and then figure out the rest. Because now is the time of roundness, magic and me.

PS Yes, I will finish some of last year's projects pretty soon, I will. Looking forward to actually showing something that's completely finished an not only in my head or in process DS

PPS And yes, as you can see, the lawn is once again green. Big sigh of relief heard. I actually don't want to see that white thing again until mid November at the earliest. Touch wood, fingers crossed, sincere birthday wish DS

charity rags

I've been meaning to start crocheting rugs and such with old cotton rags for ages. But I just can't seem to find the time, energy or fabric to tear for that kind of projects.

Looking at these bundle of rags balls it's rather needless to say that I got over the moon excited when I saw that my favourite charity shop/thrift store had begun selling them already torn, by the kilo... And the balls were already so nicely colour matched in their respective bag.

Each bag (1 kilogram) cost the whopping equivalent sum of... 3$. Which is way less than I would be prepared to pay for it. Just the turning fabrics into rags is such hard and time consuming work...

When I have finished some ongoing and left-over yarn projects I think I will start making some rugs of these kilos. Nice to work with new material (even if it's much trickier to crochet with fabric than manageable yarny yarn) for a change.

cheese is party

Admittedly I'm no great fan of cheese (if not halloumi of course), too few vegetarian such ones around (at least in Sweden) and that aside I'm not big on eating the more stinky kind of food. But I think this is one great little (once upon a time cheese filled) crate. "Ost är fest" = Cheese is party.

Gift from M. Found at favourite charity shop Erikshjälpen past summer. About 2$ he paid for it. Now it serves as a tea strainer holder. Holding a fine place on my (from same charity shop) red kitchen buffet. Tea is party.

recent bits in text and images

Is the way I spend my days still a struggle and a nuiscance? Unfortunately the answer to that is yes, yes and some more yes. Sigh.

I have applied for several jobs - have you heard that one before - that all sound really great in their very own ways. Still awaiting the said last day of application.

I constantly pull at strings here and there and everywhere that I hope might lead to something good.

Most days there's not much energy left when I get home. Others there's a reasonably reserve of it still there and I'm able to do the musts, shoulds, possibly a bit of craft and fun and even enjoy the bits and pieces of beauty around me.

The bits and pieces of beauty in shape of blogs I'd like to read, comment on and enjoy but can't muster the energy to really, really do has left me with a very full reader. I don't have the heart or the wish to mark all as read just like that, so hopefully one of these days I will pop by again and say a few words. Just like that.

But for now. A few words here, a few photos of things I've hearted. In my world. As lately.

The sun shone, som raindrops fell and the snow melted quicker than one would have expected. The garden still suffers from one loaf's little... visits past winter, but when everything has dried it will be reasonably easy peasy to make the whole of garden presentable, walkable and totally enjoyable again.

For now I settle with hearting the snowdrops, followed by a multitude of tulips and grape hyacinths buds and the lovely sight of

the first signs of rhubarb already (March 29)!

I celebrated Easter week with wearing yellow nailpolish. Even if the fantastic blue hue was more my kind of polish I think it kind of rocked that week (even without a tan). And as yellow is one of few colours that very much do not work for me in garments I'm no stranger in opting to wear it any other way but close to complexion.

Yellow is after all, in a very obvious way such a happy, sunny, moodlifting colour and I have been trying, consciously as well as sub-, to surround me with a lot of it lately.

I also celebrated Easter (my favourite holiday) with something of a personal newish tradition, a new kitchen table waxcloth. I love the colours of all the butterflies!

There was one particular food thing during the yellow holiday of Easter that made me (and my palate) especially happy, the homemade, rustic and sunny peach cream cake at 'the in-laws'. Simple and perfect in one peachy spoonful.

I think it's about high time I clean out my kitchen cupboards for real and give away more than I possibly bring home. But one always need happy mugs. Pretty mugs. And therefore I decided it prudent to invest in three more perky ones just like the two I have at-the-place-I-spend-my-days-at-the-moment. Meet apple green, lavendar and crushed strawberry.



Yes I have a thing for lavendar too right now - close to the last endevour, but I've decided not quite the same... - and have been nurturing a newish found passion, the repainting of bits and pieces of furniture (which I do plan to write and show more later). The charity shop chair (aka moo chair) has been transformed into a lovely pale lavendar piece. Through brush strokes by yours truly.

As usual paw approved.

Finally I managed to finish the very last magical socks, for self and others, now I'm officially all socked out for the season (more of that later too). Moving on to lighter projects. Other projects. As painting furniture and such.

Despite me now and then being able to see the finer things in life in a sunnier light, now and then again, there are undercurrents of melancholy more often than I would like. I share that feeling with this bird pair of sorrow. I adore these hairpins and thank the creator for making them...

I will however end this post on a lighter non-melancholy note. That being the moodlifting combination of new shoes (a yellow simply swoonworthy gift), loaf and the seasons first pansies. I heart them all so very, very much, on different levels of course. But they are all highly loveable. In their very own ways ~

the weekend that was

A few highlights from the rather delightful and relaxing weekend that was. Hopefully the memory of it will take me sailing through the week to come. Far from sure it's enough, but I wish and hope.

been searching high and low for so long, for a kitchen buffet that screams to move in. i stumbled over it past saturday at favourite charity shop. it was love at first glance. it cost a staggering 30 $ and the red kitchen buffet now stands proudly in red in kitchen. i've always pictured my buffet in pastel and i still contemplate a change of colour come spring. but for now it looks grand in dark red.

a slice of heavenly cardamom-mango
cheesecake at sturehov castle café

there was lots of snow and sunday offered a plethora of sun and blue skies. there was walk in sweet munchkin land.

there was long coveted, at last found, boots moving in. as lovely as they are, after one day's use i've decided that the nasty slippery, highly treacherous cursed this winter grounds aren't the best of grounds for these boots. but come spring...

and there were tulips desperately reaching for light ~

my stockholm

I've just donated one of my Stockholm photos to the "Mitt Stockholm" (My Stockholm) exhibition at Galleri Kontrast. (No, not the above photo, far from really.)

There is still some space left for your personal glimpse of Stockholm to be one of the all in all 500 photos (one only for each photographer) exhibited until January 24th, 2010.

The motifs vary alot, as do the quality, from absolutely stunning to... not so.

All photos are framed and for sale (300 sek), the surplus going to Doctors Without Borders.

Galleri Kontrast,
Hornsgatan 8,
Stockholm
read more in Swedish

the charity shop chair

As much as I feel it prudent - for many reasons that I'll list one day - to spend money on shoes, good food, skincare etc etc and so forth, there are some things I see pretty much no reason at all to spend a lot of money on or buying brand new - for in parts the same reasons as above as well as others - and that some things are furniture in general.

I see absolutely no reason why one should buy new and expensive sofas, chairs, tables etc etc and so forth, when there's most always perfectly fine second hand such to get from family and friends or charity shops.

Once upon a time I did buy myself a very - for me - expensive sofa. A sofa bed for my one room apartment when I moved to my first very own place. It was white - what was I thinking? - comfortable, good looking and I do belive I loved it - as much as anyone can love a sofa without becoming a creepy weirdo. After 10 or so years it had to be concidered killed by the determent furminator gang. That despite it having been covered in different washable sofa covers for some years.

Since then I have been happy and feeling very thrifty with my hand-me-down or charity shop sofas and armchairs. Recycling furniture rules. For many a reason.

I then wish I could say that all my ideas for repainting, re-furbishing, re-covering were carried through, but alas but for a very selected few.

In theory I do enjoy interior decoration and design, pottering, painting, colouring, arranging. A lot. In practice I rarely seem to have the real geist and energy to effectuate.

It's a pity, since everywhere you look, everytime you think and feel there's inspiration to create that perfectly cosy, quirky, eclectic, personal, whimsical styled home where attention has been brought to most every detail. Where you can entertain with dinners and tea parties being the generous artsy hostess in a homely and slightly chaotic environment that perfectly reflects the inner to outer creative you.

I still nurture that fabulous notion. But somehow I don't think that'll ever be me in real life. I'm simply too unfocused, wrapped up in books, yarn, thoughts, cat hair etc etc and so forth for that to be viable in this life. Perhaps.

Whenever I actually manage to see through a ridiculous long awaited plan for something - like painting a chair, a shelf, a table, a lampstand or just sew together a sofa cover or new curtains - I am very pleased with myself. Indeed I am.

That said, I have reasonable plans for this latest addition of a a charity shop - my favourite nearby place of Erikshjälpen, where the prices are most always crazy good (as most second hand stores in Stockholm love to put a high price tag on most stuff) and true gems as far as most things needed (or not) can be found. Such as green jacket and red bureau - find.



The armchair might possible have lived a previous life as a garden chair (welcome indoors) and the misguided creativity of its previous owner with giving it an ridiculous and horrific animal print cushion abomination very much almost made me overlook it. I would have if it wasn't for M who saw it's potential.

It is actually most comfortable; just the right angle of back to give good support when knitting in front of the telly. The perfect size, width and height of armrest for resting not only arms (while knitting) but a cup of tea.

And no matter when or if it will undergo the repainting, sprucing, given a (new and proper) cushion, it certainly has the ever important paw and liquorice nose approval ~