fly agaric fly

Since Little Heart Bunny is an Alice-in-Wonderland-ish bunny he just can't be accessorized with anything as obvious and trite as a carrot. Instead he got a wee mushroom. The pretty but deadly kind. A fly agaric (in Swedish "flugsvamp"). Of the (addictive) amigurumi stuff I've made so far the one that was quickest to make.

In case you kind of think this world of mine at the moment is very much about needlework, yarn, hook, crocheting and knitting, you're probably right. It is very much a stress reliever, it's lovely to see how quickly one can accomplish something really nice and that's what I need in my life right now. I can't concentrate on reading (alas), but I'm able to concentrate on this when I'm not doing the must-things. So I create. In yarn. Mostly.

If you'd like to read about something else than yarn, that may have to wait some while yet. Or perhaps, I may feel an inspiring twitch sooner than later, to put something other than yarny to blog. Time will tell. For now, fly agaric.

Little Heart Bunny might also be accessorized with something for the sweet tooth, something Swedish, something the-must-thing for a tea party. To be continued.

the love clasp

I'm yet not sure what I will make with this beautiful, quirky clasp and leaf toggle, other than it will be a necklace (most probably for self), that I want 2011 to be a year I make more (and better) jewellery again and that I just had to have it when I spotted it in Heather Wynn's Etsy shop.

Ms Wynn, the same person who made my favourite piece of jewellery 2006 (surprise ---> earrings) and last year's fortune favors the brave-pair.

Love is the only thing that matters, good words to remember. Always.

the sprig of spring

Out in the garden the other day - which is truly a rather sad and horrific place at the moment, the snow half melted, showing a bit of green, frosty grass beneath, the rest still covered in snow, crust snow, icy snow, dangerous snow plus remnants of one loaf dog's doings during winter. That so much can come from one small dog, it never seize to amaze and appall me. I'm predicting a whole lot of garden work and cleaning to come... - I spotted this. One sprig, one little pussywillow. It really is way too soon for it I think, it should go back to sleep for yet a couple of months or so, but it really seems to be waking up. I love pussywillows, their little soft, fluffy, dazed appearances make me happy. And so another cycle, another year begins.

little heart bunny

I know I said that I even if it was fun to make one fabulous frog named Evert I wouldn't be doing a lot of amigurumi since its tiny delicate work, the filling, the minuscule details you have to get right is quite hard on you hands.

But then I got an order, something Alice-in-Wonderlandish. I immediately thought of White Rabbit, but I liked the idea of a lavender one. So I began crocheting. As with most recipes I usually tweak patterns and this I did with Little Bunny too, a bit here and a bit there.

I love his little clubfeet. And see those tiny "thumbs", what a great wee thing to come up with (thumbs up to whomever did originally!) - yes, as always xx is in the details.

A helping paw has never been far away.

Little Heart Bunny has an adorable fluffy white tail. He has a pure heart - which I just now realised was more than befitting since White Rabbit is a servant of the Queen of Hearts. I always love me a bit of serendipity! - and a little lace collar. I'm quite pleased with the way Little Heart Bunny turned out.

Admittedly I'm quite hooked on this amigurumi thing, bunny has a little accessory which I'll show later plus I confess to having become a cake-making-addict. Oh woe. (On the other hand quite nifty when it comes to my "finish some small project every day-thing"...)

the bleeding heart of the summer that was

The current weather is, believe it or not, even more depressing now than it has been in general for these past few months. I can definitely take both the snow and the cold, what I really, really can't stand is the ice and the slippery, scary streets (which no-one seem to take responsibility for anymore these days. This winter's fractures and ice induced injuries are probably at an all-time high...). It's just awful.

The snow has melted this past few weeks, it has rained. Snow slush isn't much fun at all, but ice is so much worse. When slush turns into ice, that's were we are right now. For many reasons I would love to go into hibernation, ice galore being one. Sadly I can't.

Instead I dream about the summer that once was. All those days when one complained about the heat, the stickiness, the sleepless nights - what one wouldn't give for that right now. The grass is always greener (or in this case, yellow) on the other side of the season fence.

I dream about that bleeding heart I bought. A white and innocent one. I hope it has survived winter, that it will stand tall and lush again come summer. The summer that seems an awful long time away looking out the window.

365 days in the world according to pia

I've decided to have my own little 365 days in 2011. In a very simple style on Tumblr. Like one needed another project... Well, apparently one did - 365 days from the world according to pia

As I usually do some camera work every day, why not make something of it? Some days SLR, some days iPhoneic. And those scarce days when one doesn't have the snap-bug one has to challenge oneself (which isn't challenging like riding a bicycle around the world, living in a cave for five years and such, but still a little everydayish challenge)

I wasn't a part of last year's 365days-project or any blog camp (the latter doesn't go well with my non-group thing), but by kind invite from Julie I'm a part of the Flickr-group Postcards to Blog Camp. And from there she also inspired me to do the Tumblr thing (yes there seems to be a lot of "things" going on). It's really very unpretentious. I like that. And I'm hoping it will be interesting to look back at when 2011 has turned into 2012.

Above snap was January 5, light and heart is what it's all about...

three extralong magical socks

Finally all of them are completely finished and ready to be worn - three extra long magical socks. The first pair, with its little furry rim, I did finish over a year ago and have happily, warmly worn already.

Violet-purple-beige-white in lovely subdued hues but still quirky and personal.

The other two, pink and green (my favourite colour combination) I had plans for, then came spring and there was no need for extra long socks, magical or not. When winter surprisingly came early I hadn't finished them, then other things took priority and suddenly "hey 2011". When Evert was completed, these were next on the projects-to-finally-finish-agenda.

The pink pair got a chiffon rim and some thrifted buttons - from curiosity shop in Nora -

The apple green ones were adorned with buttons (from same place above) and also a little border with some of my grandmother's old lace. Which certainly makes them completely unique and guarantee there will never ever be a pair exactly the same. And with a piece of history that's mine alone. They've also socialized with generals and gnomes.

I'm happy with end result. Thinking one could spice up life with not wearing the same colour on both feet all the time. Variety really very much being the spice of life. And yarn. Pink and green and magic.

I'm also thinking I'll never ever make another pair of extra long socks, they took ages and were quite boring to make, the colours, the magic, the idea I had of end result were the things that got me persevering.

the tulip day

January 15 is a day of mixed emotions, a day of extremities;

:: a day of sorrow over the senseless killing of wolves

:: the day of the tulip

:: 2011's first twitterjunta

Life's blessings and sorrows gathered on a bleak winter day.

the killing of wolves

Tomorrow, on Saturday, begins another senseless slaughter of wolves in Sweden, January 15-February. Like a year ago. The wolves are critically endangered in Sweden, yet our government in all its brainless non-wisdom calls it "protective hunt".

Last year 12000 bloodthirsty, trigger-happy murderers (those who some call hunters) signed up to kill 27 wolves. This year 20 wolves are supposed to be killed.

Nature conservation and animal welfare organisations have reported Sweden to the European Union. The environmental commissioner have been very critical. There have been talks about severe penalties. That sadly does not help the wolves being killed tomorrow.

Wolves are, and should be, an important part of our Swedish fauna. I am deeply ashamed and saddened to be living in a country with a government that both instigates and condones such blatant abuse of animal rights and nature conservation. While ignoring international opinion.

One of many things that are so very obviously perverted in this country one once upon a time had many reason to be proud about. Those days are long since gone. That breaks my heart.

st knut's day

Almost two weeks into January and we've reached St Knut's Day, the official end of Christmas in Sweden. Which is fine by me. Although I totally refuse to take down my advent candlesticks. They light up my kitchen, my day, my evenings, my nights, my life still.

But I will enjoy this season's first tulips. That I will do. The climate smart and locally produced ones. Happy St Knut's Day!