once upon a time i painted pots

Those painting pots days seem awfully far away. I don't feel the least bit inclined to do such painting now. Back then I used to paint, sell and give pots in different sizes as gifts. I loved coming up with colour combinations (obviously) and details. The odd pot I kept for myself. One of my favourites from those days is still this one for kitchen utensils.



Though the impression of the pot clearly improves with a feline inspector posing with it.







Another favourite is the vegetables pot. It's been used and worn with time. But with a motive that still rocks my vegetarian boat.







And of course the old carrot pot!

A while back I discovered a couple of pots with a style that felt similar to mine. Turned out it was indeed my painting. I had forgotten about that lingonberry and apple pair. A rather sweet pair me thinks. After all these years.

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!

happy easter 2012 ~

Little Loaf is doing well (touch wood). He's naturally not too happy about his plastic funnel, but he has also discovered it's a great new way to chase kittens, you can kind of scoop them up in the funnel if they're not fast enough (which they sadly, from his point of view, always are).

I've also realised that giving antibiotics to dogs aren't like giving it to cats, I don't trick cats to take them, I simply force them, and yes we are still friends, the felines and I. A dog obviously needs to be tricked, there's no way I can force his jaws open to something he doesn't agree on. But on the other hand he's oh so easily tricked, anything hidden in a small edible matter is happily swallowed.

The medicine gives him new and interesting flatulence habits. Delightful. Or not. But after this ordeal he can fart all he wants (in moderation over time of course).

Now all I want from Easter, my very favourite holiday, this year is as follows;

~ getting rid of the cold, for real
~ finish something yarny, like the, ahem, tulip project... and
~ possibly paint some furniture
~ a new pruning-shears - I lost my best one (don't know where, don't know when) some years ago, I have my eyes set on a fab violet one called Viola...
~ good sleeps and lovely fikas
~ I would also love to have a yellow Easter Hoptimist, a Chick or a Chuck, but sadly they were sold out when I returned to shop... I suppose I could order online, but that's just not as much fun

Next week I promise to have sweet news of this and that plus of course announce the tea giveaway winners - yes, it would have been nice to have done that in time for Easter, I know...

Oh, I almost forgot that Ms March is of course followed by Ms April - but no it's a long time yet until the wood anemones arrive, probably by late April.



now I will just wish you all a wonderful, relaxing,
kind and caring Easter time,
happy weekend!

on the last january friday

It has been a crazy hectic week. Only in a good way though. Yes, pretty much only in a good way. I'd say great ways even. Good ways make those ruffles seem insignificant, easy to deal with and laugh about. Gosh, I wish life could be a bit more like that. Perhaps it's an attitude thing, perhaps the stars have aligned, properly, finally, but I have to say, I worry less (touch wood) and it feels like some invisible weight has been lifted off my shoulders. So, please, life, let this be the path for 2012 onwards.

With that weight being lifted I find things in myself that apparently have been hidden, the feeling of not having to explain why I'm here in life, what have I done, my background, being analyzed, treated in degrading manners by little people, it amazes me. Instead I'm just me, answer to noone, seeing people and meetings in another light, from a business point of view, noticing opportunities and always thinking about that useful phrase "what's the worst that can happen?" - it's simply immensely uplifting.

I've met several inspiring people this week, people that actually not only talk but act. I haven't had the pleasure and relief of having many of those in my life these past few years - inspiring and talking yes, acting, not so much. I am so glad I can brush the odd shoulder with such people regularly from now on.

And when January draws to a close I'm pleased to share that it actually looks like Prosit has it's first proper client. Not at all something I've actively looked for, it was simply a fluke and very unexpected. Though rather fun, simple  and familiar. It's all hush at the moment, but in March all will be revealed.

Next week will probably not be as hectic, but I have a few appointments. The rest of the time I will spend doing paper-work. Paper-work will be done in pink office, because yes, pink office is all finished! And as you can see, the sun is shining brightly and benevolently over it.

Not counting the dreadful door that needs painting, but that I'll do outdoors when weather permits, the window sill that needs a new costume, the lampstand and the caste that'll get a pink sprucing up, also weather permitted procedures. But that aside, only minor pimping compared to all the other major works, it's an office to be proud of, happy about and inspired by.

The downside of a hectic week - I haven't taken any photos of the fabulous kitty sisters, Ztina and Zigne, now six weeks old already. I bow my head in shame over that sad fact. But I will try my very best in redeeming that blatant negligence this weekend. I can say as much as they've grown well, they either sleep the sleep of innocence or are superactive li'l tykes, but no matter what, they're always, always super-adorable.

Wishing you a joyous, relaxing weekend ~

random sunday musings

Life is a lot about thinking right now - and kittens plus blue boots, oh how I adore them all in their own ways - so here goes another post on this and that ~

:: Enjoyed reading your different views on blogging and blogetiquette the other day very much. And yes, to put it plainly, as someone clever said, "do what is right for you, blogging isn't an obligation".


:: I find it mind-baffling that someone I know reasonably well refuses to text or call me on my *new* mobile phone number, contact me at home or via email, or Facebook for that matter. Instead she keeps using my old mobile phone number, the one that noone I care about uses anymore.

I've had the iPhone for nearly two years now, I've repeatedly told her to use that number. When I on the very odd occasion check it I find strange sms:s she left there months ago. We've known eachother for, let's see... 16 years now. At times a friend, others an acquaintance and for longer periods we haven't had any contact at all. She is, shall we say, a peculiar kind of person, caring and kind, creative and fun, but also at times showing other not nearly as nice features if you rub her the wrong way. Well, at least she suddenly insists it to be the wrong way.

The last time we had any real contact was rather awkward and her acting like this doesn't really make me want to revitalize our ... acquaintanceship. I don't need any more weirdness in my life. Not the energy absorbing kind that this would be. And once again, I ponder the thing about friends for different occasions.


:: Today I overcame a great hurdle, something I've been dreading for months now - I finally went and got my picture taken in a photo machine (I emptied my piggy bank for it, but hey, photo machines of today apparently only takes credit cards. Wow, it really is modern days of our lives).

And despite me really, really hating this, having my picture taken, as I mentioned before, and having braced myself for having to take loads of x4 photos, it turned out the very first one was good. Quite good, and I'm really super-critical and annoyed about pictures of me so if I deem them quiet good I think they're alright. I was so surprised about that when I spotted it in pre-view mode I inadvertently made a weird face in the second pic, but the latter two were also alright. The dotty spectacles helped a lot.

So tomorrow I'll head to the bank and get a new ID-card. If they deem the pictures ID-card-worthy (size, shadows, visible pupils etc) that is.

And this I have dreaded for months. The utter silliness.


:: The first really job-related meeting I had last week was a really good one. No it wasn't the dream-client I mentioned - that'll hopefully be next month, touch wood and all that - but an old job contact, which will hopefully lead to new good contacts and contracts. Yes it really was a good meeting, over a cup of tea and scones in a pretty tea room. My kind of job meeting indeed.


:: I'm thinking that photogenique cats and kittens ought to be concidered a work-related, deductible stock-in-trade. I'm thinking sister Almost White and sister Dotty Red are perfect photographical stock-in-trades. The more I think about it the more sense it makes, wouldn't you agree? I really have the best of opportunities to work with their abilities and temperament right from the start, I always have, but still, now I'm thinking about it from a slightly different angle.

It would be a relief not having to even think about the selling of li'l ms Dotty Red, since she then already has her future set as a Prosit representative. Not having to separate the two peas in a pod, one red, one almost white.

I mean, creative, intellectual people do enjoy the company of cats, they are inspirational as well as soul soothing when needed. Wouldn't it be perfect somehow, that the company of Prosit would have two tiny furbabies as spokecatpersons, groomed the part right from the start? Not that I would go all crazy-cat-lady of course, but I find the sheer idea of spokekittens rather exhilarating and amusing.

And actually, I am thinking of a logotype that would be a good symbol for Prosit, what I am and what I'll bring to a client - not a cat, silly - but the things that a cat stands for. Ah, this could be a neat idea me thinks. Brought to blog under the influence by Ztina and Zigne, or Ord and Bild if you will.


:: Yesterday I bought three cans of spray paint, three shades of pink. My plan is to A) paint this case shelf - I know that wasn't my original intention, but its not an antique piece, I'll use it in my office, dark furnitures have no room in there and it really needs to be transformed into something happy looking. It has waited for its new purposes for plus two years. It is time.

B) to paint this curvaceous lamp-stand. It was my original intention to do so when I charity shop bought it plus one year ago. And make a new shade for it. I still haven't gotten around to it, the shade kind of grew on me - after all it's pink - and it's been standing beside the TV awaiting its destiny.

The idea was to find a similar lamp-stand for the pink office, to repaint it and make a new shade. And have it as a reading lamp by the armchair (which will also enjoy the company of the granny square footstool). Finding the right kind of lamp-stand is however trickier than you might think, they're probably quite sought after these days.

So, I'll spraypaint this one, better late than never, and use it as an office-stand-in-lamp-stand - or maybe it'll be more comfortable in there, who knows. A new shade it'll get too, I've had a few fabulastic ideas cooking for a while now, one of them it will be. (But I'll save this current pink shade for special occasions or the living room life.)

Since snow fell in an abundance today - I can't help but thinking that these soft, supersized snowflakes that create a silent, winter wonderland with reasonable temperatures only around zero are really really beautiful. I may not think so if it gets colder, icier, creates a public transportation mess and give me hellish electrical bills for months, but for now, for a while, let me declare winter bliss - I won't be doing any spraypainting outdoors until temperatures and weather allow. But as soon as it does, hello pink caste, hello pink lamp-stand.


:: Pretty much the rest of the office is now painted in pink also. Tomorrow I'll do a second coat. A few odd corners and holes that need more extensive plastering will hopefully be done next weekend. Then all the walls are finished!

Oh, then someone (not so) clever once upon a time thought it was a fantastic idea to wallpaper the outside of the closet door. Thus it looks the same rubbish as the walls used to and need painting. I would love to go all applegreen on it, but I think a pale lavender hue would emit a more tranquil and seamless feeling with the pink walls. So that it will be.

And then there's the tired, worn ol' marble window sill in dark grey. It needs either a few coats of paint or a plastic cover film. Since I'm in painting mood the paint idea seems nicer, though a cover film in a cute pattern would be rather pleasing.


:: Doing all this painting and refurbishing has made me thinking about other projects I've been pondering for years. Home improvement projects I can perform myself for a reasonable sum of money. With Rutger moving to my mum - yes he's doing fine, although he probably needs time to adjust to the fact that he is not a fertile mister anymore, but a neuter consultant and calm down with his plucky behaviour towards his brother and mother - there's another room liberated. A room I've been thinking of repainting ever since we moved here 10 years ago (last December 19). Now-ish is finally the time.

I was thinking green, but with the pink paint leftovers from the office space I'll probably use that. But only for three walls, the fourth will be wallpapered. I'm thinking this birdie and flower one would be wonderful, but I 'm not interested in splurging the money it'll probably cost. This butterfly wallpaper is gorgeous too - but probably also a costly alternative. So I'm looking for more affordable alternatives.


:: I need to be a more demanding boss this week. January is almost over, time to stop semi-slacking.

hedgehog 2011

This evening we spotted the first hedgehog at Hedgehog DropInn, or rather, GardenInn. Because as mysteriously as last year, the hedgie appeared, a well-fed one, on the inside of fenced-in garden. With one  loaf dog bouncing up and down barking (like last year).

As hedgehog, loaf dog, cats and a few humans on a limited garden area is a bad thing we managed to trick him (?)with a trail of cat food, to venture out into the usual Inn area. He (?) continued to munch away there. Hopefully there isn't a hedgehog family living inside garden, will have to keep an eye out for that. Another hopeis that Number One Hedgehog 2011 will be back for more munchies. And bring friends.

M built such a nice little weather sheltered eating area for them last year, never got around to paint it as planned. Will do, once hand allows again. Thinking applegreen would be a nice colour for the fancy Hedgehog Drop Inn of 2011.

two perky chairs

Venting in blog seems to do a lot of good for health, the miserable days I experienced recently actually (touch wood, as usual) petered out. And thank goodness I avoided going to the doctors-without-much-competence. For that I am grateful beyond words.

So now will finally follow the answer to whatever-did-I-do-with-the-fabtastic-fabric show in that not so perky post ~

There once was a very boring looking chair - well, in the beginning there were actually six of them at our once-upon-a-time-country-cottage, when the cottage was sold the chairs were scattered and two of them ended up with me. I never did like their colour or that horrific seat cover and vowed one day to make them both look better.

One chair got the same turquoise treatment as the stool.

The other one was blessed with apple green.

I should probably have de-coloured or de-varnished the chairs and not only sandpapered and washed them before I begun the repainting procedure. Because it took a whole lot of coats. And yet the varnish was of such good quality (unfortunately for my plans) the paint didn't covered the chairs in such a comprehensive manner as one would have liked and thought.

On the other hand the colours show a bit of personality and spiritedness like this. And with the fantastic fabric - which I stumbled over at IKEA of all places I rarely visit - I re-dressed the seats with - the well-made even personalized seats that had been carefully tacked with a whole lot of tiny, stubborn nails -they do show a whole lot guts I think.

The only problem in a multi-felined household is that the new seats most certainly will draw unwanted claw-attention. So they do sadly have to be covered with something more durable most of the time, as I plan to have the standing in all their perkiness in living room. I do believe they do deserve front seats and a whole lot of attention after all these drab, brown, insignificant years.

the perky turquoise stool

Yes, this will mainly be a post about a once very worn but now very perky old stool, but in order to get there I'll start with something else;

With some old things there's just no options than with a sigh say goodbye, no coat of paint that will make them come back to life and put a smile on your face. Goodbye I finally and well overdue had to say to ol' computer, for a long time reasonably reliable (as reliable as a computer will ever be...) but no longer keeping up with the amount of photos, info or demands I have (which are by no means unreasonable but for oldies they apparently are).

A little netbook named Selma might be a blessing and useful on-the-go-and-travel, but for daily business (and the lack of a decent screen) it's just not very practical or ergonomic. The new one has a lot of nifty things up its imaginary sleeve (that one has to get used to), it gladly accepts a whole lot of more photos and says yes to demands. It's clean, smells nice and new, I hope it will keep out of trouble, be faithful and make the life of me much easier.

This is the first blog-post it writes. May it be a good one and may there be many more to come.

Now for the things that can come to new life with some upcycling, some stroke of paints, a bit of yarn, love and time. A stool that was, beneath the perky paint still is, an old, to say the least, shabby looking one full of drill holes (as my father used it as a work- and drill surface). But it was, still is, a sturdy and uncomplaining being. As well as of a good size and comfortable height. Beyond its rugged looks hid something worth saving and transforming. From then to now, here's the short story of the perky turquoise stool ~

Before makeover begun

After a few coats of paint (hue was tad lighter and brighter than planned, but its Caribbean bright and perky looks makes me all happy and smiley)

The transformation would not stop at a coat of paint, oh no. The happy vibey granny squares I made earlier (before I even planned the revamping the stool) would indeed make a perfect cover and the crocheted cherry on the turquoise sundae.

The stool got its cover, the granny squares their stool. And all is well in the world of paint, yarn and blessed snappy new computers.

~~ Oh, and a happy midsummer to you too! ~~

the lavendar chairs

Time has come to reveal the two arm chairs in all their lavendar glory - the one formerly known as the moo chair has been glimpsed before. And the lavendar paint has found its way to covering some smaller projects here and there, such as the bookshelf and a couple of wee shelves.

Now, behold the moo chair a few months after repainting. Pleased with it in all its simplicity am I.

And here is moo chair's adirondack friend, thought it would be neat to paint it stripey. From bland in plain pine to lavendar - violet awesomeness, just seeing it in living room makes me happy.

Completing these two chair-projects I've found myself very much in painting mojo. Seeing old worn, torn, drab furniture turning into fab colourfulness makes me feeling very accomplished somehow. And it is relaxing. As well as addictive.

Am now working on a few stools and chairs - some of them will have the most gorgeous new covers too, which make me all giddy just thinking about - and have plans for old, dark bookshelves which I hope to turn into apple green loveliness during summer holidays.

I'm even seriously thinking about repainting the kitchen. Because I should be able to do that myself. Reasonably accomplished in painting as I am when I decide to put that colourful brush forward.

the lavender bookshelf

When I was in painting lavendar mojo - before rest of life and bronchitis got in the unfortunate way - I painted not only the moo chair (and have plans for more chairs having dates with lavender paint) but some other smallish things. This mini bookshelf being the largest of the smallish.

From drab light brown to pretty in lavender I'm quite pleased with end result.

And as usual a new-ish thing in this residence has to undergo the paw approval. Lavender bookshelf got many sweet paws up.

And obviously being the perfect poster bookshelf for the wonderful and apt saying 'Man kann im Leben auf vieles verzichten, aber nicht auf Katzen und Literatur'.

Loaf dog extraordinaire had to lend a paw to arrangement. As usual.

Thus all is well as far as books lavender bookshelf is concerned ~