welcome april, bye march 2022

 

On April 1 2022 this was not what I expected. But there you are. In line with what 2022 has offered so far. 

(I remember we had snow in May when I was a kid, so I’m not saying capricious weather always is linked to the human induced climate change, but it would be nice not to see this backlash now after a couple of weeks with +10C and April arriving…)

So, March. It has been a really really weird month, yes some good things happened but also some really really bad ones, or just one, a very big one, in particular. It has taken me by surprise, shaken me to the core, the absurdity, the violation of the innermost me and my values, the total unprofessionalism, it is nothing short of a real life Twilight Zone situation. It’s nauesating, infuriating, sick and insane. Is it even legal? Yes, I could go on and on, but it is not over yet, so I will leave it at that for now. Needless to say it has overshadowed the whole month.

I have experienced my fair share of absurdities and awful human behaviours before (haven’t we all…?) but this really win first prize in my book. Something quite like this has never happened previously, and just because it is so completely bizarre, and scary, and incredibly stressful, it has been difficult to appreciate the small things and the much much needed pockets of joy in March. 

And of course everything may pale in comparison with the horrific Russian invasion of Ukraine. Two peas in a mad pod, the crazy orange guy in the west and the little pale one in the east. Seriously, what is wrong with men and their inferiority complex and illusions of grandeur? 

It’s 2022 and the world is burning, we literally have a climate emergency, the ice caps have melted, tipping point by tipping point will be reached much much sooner that expected - and then some weird little pathetic dictator think the best thing to do is to start a war commiting countless of atrocities and war crimes within weeks alone. 

Can’t say I’m terribly impressed by the actions from the rest of the world’s democratic politicians either (including Sweden’s). The continuation of fueling the dictator’s war with dirty oil and gas money. And the gobsmacking ignorance of people in general (especially people with cars) expecting nothing to change, that it is always someone else who should pick up the bill and the pieces. 

When we will all have to pay a price, quite possibly a much higher one the longer we wait for a green shift to automagically happen. The spoilt brat syndrome of our western world. It’s sickening and embarrassing.

So apart from the world crisis on the brink of World War III, the climate emergency as well as my own private little hell to deal with, what have been the little pockets of treasured joys this past month then?

Well, enjoying perky Snag tights with shoes for warmer weather, vegan cooking, and baking (there may be a recipe or two appearing soon). Met up with a woman I briefly worked with a few years back and got to see her lovely art in person. It was amazing and inspiring!

Unfortunately I picked the day when the commuter train system collapsed (again) and I ended up stuck waiting on a station for three hours for a train. This was my face when I finally got home after nearly five hours (had everything ran as usual that journey would gave taken 1 hour and 15 minutes door to door).

And yes, that is a middle finger to the usual lack of communication and problem solving skills from SL (the local Stockholm public transport) that day. This is certainly a case of things used to be so much better in the good old days.

Weather slowly turning into spring (until now).

Spending time with my own two little lovable fluffy weirdos, and a couple of fun job projects (but no, still no dream job caught, or my kind of people met).

Books read, but so far none wow of 2022. 

I haven’t found any new wow-series on Netflix (after Dark) but I have almost binge watched all six seasons of Queer Eye. Used to enjoy the original series a lot, and I didn’t like this new one at first but the gang grew on me and now I found them great and in fact much better than the originals. Skipped all the animal eating focused episodes, loved the climate activist and animal sanctuary-episodes the most (obviously). Found the episodes in Japan dispiriting, sad and zero relatable. Watched the German version too, but I find it so theatrical and odd, one would have thought it would be easier to relate to Germans in need of Fab 5’s intervention but apparently not.

Welcome April, I am in desperate need of kindness, reason, less stress and more help from the Universe, new healthy change and purpose, amazing heartfelt beginnings and a lot of relaxation and relief. I’m really really REALLY hoping you will help with that April, please? 

PS Thanks for all the lessons March, it has been rough and bumpy ride. Still not sure why you felt the need to do teach me all that, maybe one day I will… DS

thursday thoughts, july 2020

I had planned a little thoughtful post of things that has been swirling in my mind lately, but now I'm pretty empty. Apart from the fact that it's crazy that tomorrow is the very last day of July. And it's not that I've felt it's been a slow month as such. Only a very uneventful month, compared to a normal July, when the world was very different. But, let's save those wistful thoughts for tomorrow.

Today the rain has been pouring down, pretty much nonstop since 3.30 pm. Just managed to get home from a walk before it got totally crazy. But, as usual, much deserved for nature. And apparently it's suppose to be a heatwave over the weekend. Phew.

In a couple of weeks I've booked tickets /(free) for two miniature local outdoors cinema experiences. 50 *seats* only. I'm very curious how they'll do the setup, as you can come both with and without car. Sounds fun in theory at least. We'll bring a picnic and if it's a shambles we can always leave, without losing the ticket money.



For today's walk I had some specific photo plans, but before the rain began to pour the wind was crazy strong, so it was impossible to accomplish that mission. But the books were slightly more cooperative. Taking ones Haruki Murakami books for a walk, as one does... I never do (promise), but I wanted to take a different book photo, instead of my usual cats and books, fika and books, in the garden, on the sunbed, in commemoration that I've now finished the second book of Killing Commendatore. Not sure it was the best of ideas (pun! for everyone who has read the books) to take it slow with that read, contrary to book one. It kind of killed the momentum and magic somewhat. But, great book/s, magic realism is da thing!

Still, my very first read of his, "Kafka on the Shore", which I bought for the cover alone, 13 years ago, is still my number one favourite of his.



Was contacted by a recruiter of freelance content editors/managers/writer on LinkedIn the other day. Not The Dream Job - or even Dream Gig - but to keep an open mind to offers is a good thing. At least until one understands that the recruiter (fot the umpteenth time) is unprofessional, inexperienced and hasn't really read my profile properly.

And then don't want to/can't answer basic and valid questions. Oh my, how tired I am of this well spread behaviour - of which LinkedIn sadly is a serious culprit, or perhaps is a willing platform for it. How come so many people (not least recruiters) don't take any pride in their work and in being professional and decent anymore?

The search continues. And the trust in the Universe too. It's August soon. A new working year is about to begin. Now is the time for amazingness, ne s'est pas, Universe? Surely a brilliant sustainability dedicated company/organisation with likeminded my-kind-of-people must be in dire need fo a communications manager or alike right NOW? And I'm pretty sure, convinced really, that it IS me you're looking for!



Long term readers might remember those shoe buying bonanzas I had in Berlin a few summers. It seems like another life. And it very much was so really. Anyway. These green El Naturalista wedges I got in 2010. Have never liked the look or feel of wedges. Until I tried these on and they turned out to be really comfy. And as apple green is my number one shoe colour, who could walk away NOT getting them?

Wore them lots for several summers. But haven't worn them fore some years now. But as my feet have enjoyed the vegan wedges lately, I thought I'd give these a go today. The were pretty great. Once again, how enjoyable isn't it to thrift in your own wardrobe?



Slowfashion, OOTD and shoe per diem:

Organic cotton/linen sweater, Bric-a-Brac Stockholm
Denim skirt, Levis
Green wedges, El Naturalista
Re-Kånken, Fjällräven
Unikko Umbrella, Marimekko

Block colours, gott love them!

And thank you brain, thank you fingers, once again, for actually getting to work when I start. writing.

all the pretty dresses go granny toddler style

All the pretty dresses I was so looking forward to wear again this spring and summer, is mostly a sad reminder that the world isn't what it was merely 4,5 months ago.



My initial goal was to hang the main dresses I'd chosen to wear for the season on my bedroom wardrobe doors as a reminder to use at least one pretty dress per week, despite the stay at home situation. Go grocery shopping, go for a walk, go buy take away, heck, go to the garbage bins, make an effort wear a pretty dress!

I think I've blogged about this dresses on the wardrobe doors-tradition of mine years ago, can't be bothered to look for that post though. And somehow, now more than ever it seems important to loo at pretty things and remember the fun you've had in them and the joyful things that will hopefully, maybe, perhaps happen to them, in them, again.

People seemed to enjoy the idea when I posted it on Instagram last month, which was nice. I think we all need a bit more (superficial) pretty in our lived these days.



I've lived up to my original wear a pretty dress at least once per week-intention for over a month. Then the plantar fasciitis hit and the live put on hold got put even more on hold if possible (and it was).

And then last week, amidst the heat wave my left armpit went a bit itchy (which has never happened after I began using the toxic-free, vegan Nuud deo a year plus ago). When I took a closer look it looked like a pretty bad serious rash even. Which I've never experience during all those years with conventional deos (itches yes, rashes never). I read up on what could have caused it, allergies (which I've never had either), careless shaving, sweating, bad hygiene, excessive moisture was mentioned.

As I've never had any such issues, heatwaves or not, I thought it was the deo that caused it, even if it's pretty weird it would happen over a year down the line. Stopped using the deo, cleaned and dried the area extra carefully. And I thought it looked better after some days. Used the deo again. It got really bad. Am in a conversation with the company, if they have any suggestions what might have caused it. But also went to the pharmacy today and they said it was probably fungal infection due to the hot weather. Oh the joy. So I got a healing powder to begin with, maybe I need to get a cream too, but let's see how this works for the upcoming week.



I'm not at all keen to see a doctor for this, and especially not during these social distancing times, so fingers crossed it will work magic. And I will be really sad if the Nuud deo has anything to do with it, hopefully it is just the heat. The world is weirder than ever now, and who knows, these sort of bodily reactions might quite possibly be a twisted part of climate change. Everything is connected, so who knows.

The not so nice extra news though is that this treatment (without strong medicinal creams I'd imagine) might take 2-6 weeks to heal. Plus then one's supposed to use the powder for two extra weeks. Not using deos during that time. Oh the joy times two.

If times were "normal" I have no idea how it would be possible to function like that around people. Or maybe I'm just too priveleged seeing it that way. But most of us do not enjoy feeling sweaty, stinky and icky, if not caused by exercising or hard work. And having to wash your tops after one day's normal use isn't very fun, when airing should be enough.

So that brings us back to the pretty dresses goal, that's just not on the table anymore right now, if washing after one use is what needs done. So T-shirts it is from here on, until this has healed.



With this situation in combination with the stay-at-home-times my once frequent granny toddler style, seriously toned down over the last years, has returned with a vengeance. I. can. not. be. bothered. If it's a reasonable colour match I mix anything. Which I'd never normally do if I was doing something professional or were around more people. But nothing is normal now. Or it's a very new, unfamiliar normal.

So I give you today's slowfashion (always) outfit form top to bottom -

- Happy hamster on a scooter t-shirt (still one of my favourites, bought in Krakow in 2014)
- Grey cardigan, Filippa K (about 10 years old I think)
- Flowery skirt, Marimekko (haz pockets)
- vegan sneakers, Marimekko (Unikko pattern ftw)
- Re-Kånken, Fjällräven
- shopping tote with calves (!), Marimekko (Helsinki 2012, oh how I miss that city...)
- snoopervisors and shoe loving kitty: Pelle and Sigrid

the waiting game

”Step outside, take a breath, listen to the calm and gentle sounds of nature. It is the sound of recovery.”

I know, it's been a long month since I last blogged. It's probably been a month of many ups and downs for us all. A bewildering month of many adjustments, a lost month but also full of insights and learnings.

Myself I also managed to catch a nasty cold - I'm pretty sure it wasn't Covid-19, as it was acting like my colds act, only it was prolonged into 2,5 weeks before I felt really well again. So during those weeks I only ventured out a few times to the garbage bin at dusk, to avoid people.

I haven't been in to inner city Stockholm since March 16, thus obviously haven't travelled by bus or train since then. Just walked around the neighbourhood and to the grocery store (it's great to get there at 7 am when they open up, perfect for social distancing). It feels surreal, life's taken a time out somehow.

I'm still proud to be a swede and our strategy of course, but I'm appalled at the selfish flippancy too many people seem to show as of lately, filling up restaurants, restaurateurs not taking responsibility despite clear restrictions, not taking the social distancing seriously as if spring and warmer weather is some magical overnight cure. The stupidity and ignorance, mindboggling.



Before corona struck I bought two vegan shoes from El Naturalista. I've been eyeing them for a year, but resisting since I (obviously) don't desperately need new shoes. But now there was a decent sale on, and I would (also obviously) love to have a few more non-leather shoes. I'm also thinking I'll finally sell some of my El Naturalista leather sandals, that I have only used a couple of times (not really my style or fit, but once I thought they were a must...), so less in more out.



Unexpected feline bonus of the purchase, Ågot absolutely adored the mesh bags that came with the shoes. You might think they were drenched in catnip.

Before corona I also had my discerning eye on a gorgeous skirt and dress from Marimekko. But I have to say that, nowhere to go, noone to see, working from home and only going for walks and picking up groceries has been a most effective way of curing shopping urges. And given the gazillion emails about sales, new collections at reduced prices I get every single day, I'm not the only one. I also think that with incomes and future job situations being really worrisome for many of us now, shopping for things that aren't a must seems pretty crazy. I mean, I already struggle to use my existing beautiful wardrobe right now.



Talking about shopping and consumerism, one of the two online classes I've been taking this past month is about Consumption, environment and climate. I can't say it's been an eyeopener as such, since I've spent so many years already reading and learning about the topic of sustainability. Obviously. And the obligatory test I took about my ecological footprint clearly shows that if people lived like me, the planet would be healthy, thriving place for us all. Yes, the combination of vegan living, chosing organic, slow fashion, not owning a car or flying a lot, choosing energy from renewable sources and more, can truly make a huge difference. It both infuriates and saddens me that people still don't get that. When politicians and big businesses fail us, we could make such a big difference ourselves just with our daily choices.



My other class is a Yale-course on the Science of Well-being. It's great! I'm also proud of the insight it has given me, that my main signature strength is Perspective, followed by Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence, Humour, Creativity and Love of Learning. I do love my perspective strength, but I have to say that given how the world looks and people still behave, it has also always been a struggle with this blessing. I so wish people would finally learn how to connect the dots, our current situation is such an obvious, heartbreaking lesson from Mother Nature we MUST. I will now embrace and acknowledge my strength more, use it even more for a greater good.

I'm now on the shivering last weeks of the course and rewiring my brain, which in my case is meditating regularly every day. And you know how long I've been struggling to make that a routine, in vain. I still struggle with focusing. But now I have better tools and insights to make it happen. And the quote from the course "A mind-wandering mind is an unhappy mind" has certainly striked a cord.

I've also applied for a university course at Stockholm Uni - Resilience Center on Sustainability Science. They've changed it into a digital class, still in Swedish, but available from anywhere in the world this time. I hope I'll be accepted, it's pretty much exactly what I've been looking for in vain until now. It'll start in late August, part-time for 6 months. I'll know if I got in in June. Fingers crossed.



As an intro/ambivert I don't miss interacting with people that much - I still go for social distancing walks with my mum and the neighbourhood's dog ladies - but I do miss the freedom of just taking the bus-train to the city, museums, walks, seminars, meetings, fika, lunches, you know, all those simple things we take for granted. Most of all though, I missed not being able to experience the blissful cherry blossom trees in Kungsträdgården this year. Last year seems like another world... Which, crazy enough, it truly is.

But I'm also grateful for the fact that the sadness over that has been alleviated by the fact that there are actually more cherry blossoms trees in my neighbourhood than I realised. They're obviously not as impressive as rows of 20+ years old trees, but the sight of them still light up my heart and mind.



I didn't get the job I went to an interview for in March. I was over-qualified, I was told that before the interview, but there were other benefits and great things about the job in question so I didn't mind at all. But it wasn't meant to be.

I've applied to two fantastic sounding jobs lately, they both get me salivating really (that is an extremely rare thing), last day of application hasn't been yet. So I'm holding my fingers crossed more firmly than ever before. Please join me in that firmly-fingers-crossing activity.



I promise there won't be a month's hiatus until the next post. I want to write about books, the fact that lipstick has become one of my small things in order to keep up some sort of normalcy, about all the lovely vegan food I've eaten, cooked and baked (yes even that, I haven't baked since 2017!) recently, about the thai food truck that has put up doors within walking distance and that they can veganize pretty everything on the menu, tea, feline shenanigans, great TV-series, movies and much more. So for a month lost to us all, April 2020, things still happen, life is slow but still very much there around us, within us. Savouring the little things is more important and obvious than ever before.

Goodbye April, I won't miss you, but you've been a master teacher of what's important and of what must change.

Welcome gorgeous, green May, I hope you will be a kinder teacher and great enabler.



"...you've been wandering in between, the things you have and your longings and your dreams..."

karma come over and welcome june

With only a few minutes to spare before May 2019 turns June, procrastinator Pia realises she should write a farewell May-post. To at sum up these past couple of weeks, of sorts. And somehow try and keep it really short and sweet. *Do I hear sniggers again?*

:: I think I'll skip photos for now, and add them later. It has been such a hassle being without the computer. Luckily it's back and extra super luckily they did managed to save the hard-drive too. But alas it's not doing very well, so they recommended I'd get a new one anyway... Try not to think too much about that for now, and limit my time on it.

Really hate the fact that a computer is considered old after 4 years only, and instead of having a repair, service or update, which clearly would be better for the limited resources of this planet that are constantly diminished as I write, we should discard and buy a new one. The wear and tear society of poor quality is just so completely naueseating. One would think we should have come so much further along on the sustainable road by now.



:: There have been further developments in the mysterious case of little blue-eyed light of mine, Ztina. She finally had hear dental check-up and surgery, confirming FORL, several teeth already gone and then removing several tiny toothies (saved in a box). She must have been in such pain and I feel like a bad bad meowmy for not realising that earlier. One might think the vet should have thought about that earlier too though... It has been a costly and very worrisome path to get here. But then again, cats are so great at hiding pain. And showing weird symptoms.

However, pretty much immediately after waking up from her surgery she was a changed cat. Step by step back to her old self. She is still on pain medication, and have some weird quirks going on. But I feel she's on a strong path of recovery. She may not be her completely old self ever again, but I love her new self very much too.



:: Due to last year's incredibly hot global warming summer the aspen has been in bloom like never before this year. Covering the air and ground with thick whiter fluff lite snow, lint or dandelion seedlings for a week or so. It was a bit magical really.

And so far, touch wood, we've had much more rain and chilly days in May compared to last year. Please, please let that continue. It is so much easier to enjoy the days of sun when it's not tropically hot and dry for months.



:: I've attended four seminars. One on circular design - interesting topic, so-so presented. One on the Naturskyddsföreningen's (The Society for Preserving of Nature) new book "Naturligtvis" (translates Naturally but the word is also a double meaning in Swedish, it can also be Naturally Wise) about how to help insects, animals and biodiversity in your garden - it was great, bought the book of course. But can also affirm that I'm already doing a lot for it by not being a keen gardener, letting it tend for itself and be *a bit* wild is a great thing for biodiversity. And who knew that dandelions and its pollen are great for insects?



Extra plus for the fantastic vegan salad that's included in the lunch ticket at the bookstore that hosts some of these events.



The next seminar was on skincare, and how much of the skincare products sold are just clever marketing tricks and of now use for our skin, often quite the opposite. The writer who talked is a pharmacist and scientist. It was so very interesting, and yes it confirmed a lot of the things I've always suspected about skincare products. Eg that serums and tonics are basically useless for a healthy skin. It's the ingredients that are important, not the product. Yes, I bought that book too, Hudbibeln (The Skin Bible). It's fascinating, in Swedish only but I hope it'll be translated. EDIT: Horay, it's in the process of translation into several languages as of June 2019. Soon in English.

Currently using more skincare products in my daily regime than I've ever done before. But it has been a struggle these past few years to try and regain as much as possible of the once healthy skin of mine. And it wasn't until I began using Dermalogica I felt I was finally on the right track. So now I'm just trying to figure out the best products to continue with, and the ones that haven't made that much difference. I want to get down to a bare minimum. Don't think 2 + 1 + 6 products is viable in the long run...



The fourth seminar was on Rewilding Sweden. I've followed Rewilding Europe on LinkedIn for a couple of years now, and also worked with a client a few years back who was part of various wildlife project in Italy. Such an inspiring project. And also an important part of fighting climate change. The seminar was hosted by a politician in The Green Party and it was held in the Parliament. Some speakers far better than others, and the president of the Swedish Hunting Association was of course pretty nasty and offensive. Void of thinking outside her narrow little box and without compassion. But other than that, it was a really enlightening afternoon.



:: After the reversed job ad I published on LinkedIn a few weeks back I have some interesting meetings booked in the upcoming weeks. To be honest, yes I'm pretty jaded by now, I don't think that perfect illusive job will finally land in my lap any time very soon, even after all my hard work. But I'm curious and open-minded, who knows.

And as the song goes "Karma come over, lean on my shoulder, tell me what's good, I've been thinking about you" (Years & Years, great, catchy song).

This "Trusting in the timing of the Universe", that does take a lot of effort and energy. And frustration. Which could obviously be used in better ways.



:: I've finally bought a pair of lovely white, chunky vegan sneakers. I had a pair of Rombaut Boccaccio high on my wish list, but seriously, I could not defend paying that much for a pair of white shoes. Have not even paid that much for a pair of great quality boots now on their 10th season the upcoming winter. And I seriously doubt a pair of white sneakers will last for 10 seasons, no matter how well I care for them, if I'm honest.

Good thing was that when I compared them to the Matt & Nat pair I think they looked better, more I. At a way more reasonable price. They're super comfy, but it's also a fact that it takes time to get used to how well-padded sneakers work on your feet compared to sturdier shoes. All that softness, I find it... strange. But I'll get used to it, I'm sure.



:: I stumbled over the vegan, organic, natural deodorant Nuud on Instagram. Been thinking a lot about how rubbish pretty much every common deodorant is, and how about all those ingredients, are they really healthy? So I decided to order a bottle and have a try (free postage everywhere, in case you want to try it too). Love the package design, and clever, simple copy too. Have just started my detox, and even though they warned that one might experience extra smell initially during the process, I have to say that it's definitely better after +24 hours than with an average deo. Don't smell a thing actually. Can it be that Nuud is just as fantastic as it claims to be?


:: I've cooked some fantastic meals from the vegan organic food box too. It has been far too long since I wrote a post on that. Soon is the time for one.


:: Got some new solar lights at IKEA, this time three bigger bulbs that I hung in the tree. After only a few hours on a cloudy day they shone brightly the same evening already. Which is a small sign that there are so much free energy out there, waiting to be harvested, at no cost for the environment, the opposite. We should all install solar panels on our roofs, for goodness sake! Which has been high on my wish list too, for years and years.

But for now, I'm contemplating getting 3-4 more bulbs to put higher up in the tree. Imagine how magical that would look when the clematis covers the branches by the middle of summer.


:: I'm using the Bullet Journal every day. Not sure if I'm using it as one "should", perhaps more a simple diary than a planner as such. But I also do monthly and weekly lists and feel the pressure to tick them off more than I did before. So I suppose I'm on the right path at least.

Looking forward to start planning for June, do the monthly log, migrating tasks or deem them irrelevant.


:: In April I read five books. It has been ages since I did that. I had hoped to do the same in May, but I only started with two books and on the last shivering minutes of the month I'm only half way through them both. Too much on my mind, in my May days for reading I suppose. Reading fingers crossed for June.


All and all, I think May has been a pretty glorious month, full of fabulous learning experiences, inspiration and great food. Yes, there have been problems and worries too, but I've also solved most of them with pleasing results. And for that I can feel strong and proud, also on those days when I feel small and troubled (we all have them, if we're honest, no matter how great we are deep inside). Most grateful thanks, May, you've been lovely, mostly kind and caring.

Welcome, dear June, let's continue on this path of goodness and why not add sprinkles of glory, m'kay? An abundance of kindness and gratitude your way, in advance, yours truly.

it's beginning to look a lot like sustainable christmas

Despite never having been a fan of Christmas - which basically has become a holiday that celebrates consumerism and gluttony in dead animals and alcohol. - I do enjoy the lights, indoor snuggles, endless cups of tea, time for quiet reflection, doing kind deeds and giving thoughtful gifts. So in this post I'll give some tips on that. I know, it's to late to order something to get in time for Christmas, but a gift is a gift and giving/getting it as a New Year's is just as fun in my book.



Talking about books, that's always a great gift. I quite enjoyed "The woman in the window" by AJ Finn. Similar to "The girl on the train". A well written suspense story, partly predictable, partly not. Don't forget, there are plenty of great (many newly published) books to be find in thrift stores too!



By the way, The Christmas Gift of the Year 2018 in Sweden is the recycled garment. Which is heartwarming of course, but more a trendy sign of the times naming than something that will have a real impact unfortunately.

And no, I'm not giving away the perfect blingy Christmas sweater for the ultimate not so crazy cat lady. We have spent a lot of time together one month per year, for four years now, and hopefully will for many more.



Of course you can adopt an orangutang, plant a tree or many, give to a good cause, volunteer at the local shelter, adopt a cat or dog or someone else in need of a loving home or give something handmade or homebaked. But that doesn't have to exclude giving a kind, bought gift to someone you care for.



Vegan, palmoil free handcreams Xmas edition from Body Shop. Even if one says Candy Cane, the smell is nothing like the amazing seasonal candy cane scent from Bath & Body Works though (lucky you who has it available in your country...). I'm sure they'll go on sale after Xmas. Good stuff and great for the handbag. Might stock up on them myself...



Cute christmassy earrings from Clay My Day (I got mine at the vegan Christmas fair, but she does other things too). But hey, lussebulle earrings, a must!



I've finally landed in some sort of skincare regime that suits my dry and sensitive skin, mostly Dermalogica products, which are pricey but great, cruelty free and long-lasting. Got the Dr Botanical Moroccan rose superfood facial oil from a friend last year and I was sceptical (as sceptical as I am about serums in general). But it does not only smells absolutely amazing, it does something great with the skin. On the very pricey side but also very long lasting.



I've now tried a couple of cruelty free products from The Inkey List, as a comparison, that people seem to rave about. Good quality budget brand. But I'm not impressed at all with the acclaimed Rosehip facial oil, a cheap bottle with no pimpette thus really difficult to dose a tiny amount of. Plus it leaves the skin surface oily.

The Turmeric facial cream on the other hand is quite lovely. Smells a lot of turmeric - which a real superfood plant - and leaves skin supple and rehydrated. As the bottle is 66,66% smaller than the Dermalogica I use, the price is pretty similar to it.



The wonderful, handmade vegan candles and scented candles with a message are from thehappywhale.se, them I bought at the fair too. They burn bright, steady, slowly and don't drip at all. And the pink grapefruit sent is wonderful. The future is vegan.



The delightful vegan pralines in many flavours, from vegandelights.se, which I wrote about in the previous post.



These El Naturalista red boots aren't vegan, thus I wouldn't buy them today but some other from their vegan range - so far less colourful alas, but they do have the Iggdrasil model too and I'm very happy with my new vegan oxfords - but this is their 9th winter season and they are still going strong. How amazing is that? The soles are from recycled rubber and the leather vegetably tanned. This is simply great quality to last. And if I didn't say no to new animal leather products and were in need of great, comfortable, durable boots I'd get a pair or two asap. (Yes you can gift things to yourself too.)

Their made to last for many years, and that's reflected in the price, but nothing good will come from buying cheap, That will only be costly for your wallet, comfort and the environment in the long run. Buy less but buy better. Buy more good quality.



These fluffy socks are from Thought Clothing. A sustainable brand which has some lovely bamboo socks I adore. Browsing their website for those these came up when I searched bamboo socks, so I ordered a couple for those cold cold winter nights, without looking carefully at the description. (Stupid me.)



Unfortunately it turned out they were not made from bamboo, but from a plastic bottle turned into yarn. Ie fleece. And fleece isn't a sustainable material since it when washed the microfibers sheds and enters the waste water and thus seriously pollutes the environment.

The socks are really fluffy, cosy and warming on cold winter nights, but truly sustainable they are far from. It surprises me that a company such as Thought make them. Buy their fantastic bamboo socks instead!

Or if you like the idea of recycled plastic bottles, a Fjällräven Re-Kånken backpack which you don't have to wash.



Last (and least) on my list of kind gifts is this bottle of organic vegan nail oil from meanima.se. I met her at the Christmas fair and she has oils for face, hair, body, baby and tattoo care too. Handmade and aromatherapeutic.

The wonderful ceramic Christmas ornaments with vegan quotes are from Kinga Kremer, the fantastic ceramic artist who made my silver Vegan ring.



A subscription on tea or coffee, gift card for the movies, massage, pedicure, season tickets to a concert hall or museums, plantbased cooking classes (or why not an organic vegan food box?) are other great gifts.

Happy Giving 2018!