merry christmas
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year´s!
I forgot to say
Happy Easter, so you get some late greetings!
trolltyg i tomteskogen, for those of you who miss it on tv
Here comes a Christmas present, especially for my Swedish readers:
"Trolltyg i tomteskogen"
del 1, del 2, del 3, del 4 och del 5.
Enjoy!
"Trolltyg i tomteskogen"
del 1, del 2, del 3, del 4 och del 5.
Enjoy!
it´s about time for this:
I´m a winner!
Sometimes I enter competitions in blogs I come across - the prices are usually so wonderful. Of course I never win anything. Until today! Yvestown had a wrappingpaper giveaway, and I won! Aren´t they so pretty? I can´t wait to find them in the mail!
Another lovely generous thing, Karla over at the Brocante Forum had a spare copy of Sarah Ban Breathnacht´s book "Something more", and she´s giving it to me! I have to think of something nice for her, as a thank you.
Another lovely generous thing, Karla over at the Brocante Forum had a spare copy of Sarah Ban Breathnacht´s book "Something more", and she´s giving it to me! I have to think of something nice for her, as a thank you.
oh, the wonderfulness!
I somehow ended up over at Cath Kidston, and oh, so wonderful Christmas things! Look for yourself!
sewing gift box
washbag, soaps and washmitt gift box
hope & greenwood chocolate truffles
house print mug
happy samhain!
And to you non-pagans and non-wiccans out there - Happy Halloween!
what did you get for christmas?
I forgot to ask - what did you all get for Christmas?
I actually got more then I thought I would (and I´ve heard, that there´s more on it´s way!), I got some yarn, a mohair mix called "Malin" (I understand why my sister had to but it, since it´s my name too...), a very chocolate smelling hair conditioner (I can smell the chocolate as I speak, sorry, write), candles in pin-up holders (I love pin-ups, no wonder my icon is Dita von Teese), Cram Cream trays, ear rings, "crystal" lights (I will try to paint them, pink perhaps, or gold, since the light is very blue, and I can´t stand blue light), and if I forgot something, my apologies. Thanks, everyone!
And now it´s your turn to share - tell me about your goodies!
And then I won´t say a word about xmas, until that time in the end of the year, I promise!
I actually got more then I thought I would (and I´ve heard, that there´s more on it´s way!), I got some yarn, a mohair mix called "Malin" (I understand why my sister had to but it, since it´s my name too...), a very chocolate smelling hair conditioner (I can smell the chocolate as I speak, sorry, write), candles in pin-up holders (I love pin-ups, no wonder my icon is Dita von Teese), Cram Cream trays, ear rings, "crystal" lights (I will try to paint them, pink perhaps, or gold, since the light is very blue, and I can´t stand blue light), and if I forgot something, my apologies. Thanks, everyone!
And now it´s your turn to share - tell me about your goodies!
And then I won´t say a word about xmas, until that time in the end of the year, I promise!
christmas shopping, just for me!
Ok, I made another entry before xmas, I´ll be home a half hour later instead, I think I should survive that. But after today, on the other hand, I just might not.... First I went with friend and kids to Stockholm for some last minute present shopping (toy stores are crazy two days before Christmas!!!), I managed the 5-year-old, she took the 10-year-old. Then, after sweating in the shops, I had to go meet my sister and son by the train, because she couldn´t carry all of her luggage, so I had to help carry. And then, finally, I could wave all of them goodbye, as they left for Jämtland (northern Sweden, back home). And then I could do my stuff. That is, I could shop just for me. Some things I wanted were gone, some were more expensive than I remembered, but I got some things anyway.
Pale pink bowl (so pretty!), pink plastic chopping boards and a tea ball with a pink handle, all for my kitchen, a couple of manga books, a gorgeaus nail polish (I had to let them gift wrap it, the wrapping bags were so beautiful, purple and black). Then I got some swap things too, for Charlene and Cat in California, USA, and for Shikin in Singapore. Yesterday I swap shopped some too, and found a dead cheap pink plastic bowl and a couple of plastic canisters. I love pink stuff, and I can´t deny...
Pale pink bowl (so pretty!), pink plastic chopping boards and a tea ball with a pink handle, all for my kitchen, a couple of manga books, a gorgeaus nail polish (I had to let them gift wrap it, the wrapping bags were so beautiful, purple and black). Then I got some swap things too, for Charlene and Cat in California, USA, and for Shikin in Singapore. Yesterday I swap shopped some too, and found a dead cheap pink plastic bowl and a couple of plastic canisters. I love pink stuff, and I can´t deny...
xmas greetings!
Hope you all have a good xmas, with lots of cheer and goodwill toward men. Or that you eat well and get lots of presents, if that´s your wish. Talk to you after the holidays!
nah
Soon it´s xmas, I´ve got nothing to say. Not today, anyway. Hey - it rhymed!
tree trimming
Yesterday I couldn´t put it up any longer - I trimmed my tree. For Sweden it´s very early, as most people do it the day before Christmas Eve. But since I can´t stand xmas after Boxing Day, I begin early, and end it soon. I´m really happy with my tree, to most it wouldn´t be the most xmassy, to me it´s perfect. I got a white plastic tree, lots of lights and all the decorations are white, silver and pale pink - gorgeaus, if I might say so! But I discovered - I have too much decorations, they almost didn´t get on the tree, all of them. And I love buying more every year - what to do, what to do?
xmas spirit
Yesterday was the 1st of Advent, and all the windows in all the houses are glimmering with xmas lights, both stars and candles, and it´s so beautiful. For all of you, not so familiar with Swedish Advent decorations, here´s a peak for you:
It´s only three weeks until xmas, if you haven´t started decorating yet, maybe you should, and if you need some inspiration, looky here:
Martha Stewart
Bo Bedre (in Danish)
Nu är det jul igen (in Swedish)
And don´t forget to play some Christmas music, light some candles, and relax. Xmas is best enjoyed in a mellow mood, I promise. And for you non-celebrating: it´s only one month of the year, and it´ll soon be over.
baubeliscious
I made a whole bunch of Christmas baubles last night, and they turned out quite nice - I might be able to give them away without being to ashamed!
Next week it´s the 1st of December - it´s about time! I play xmas music, drink glögg and read xmas magazines (I´ve got a quite big collection), making presents and decorations, and dreaming of snow. Next week I get to decorate! Or perhaps this weekend...
Next week it´s the 1st of December - it´s about time! I play xmas music, drink glögg and read xmas magazines (I´ve got a quite big collection), making presents and decorations, and dreaming of snow. Next week I get to decorate! Or perhaps this weekend...
santa´s workshop
I´ve been working on my niece´s Christmas present, she gets a sheer pink layered skirt, with a matching skirt and a knitted cardigan for her dolls (she´s four, she loves dolls). It looks like it might turn out nice.
And today I got the things I´d ordered from Panduro, so I can start making baubles for niece, nephews and friend, who all get some for Christmas. Every year I give the children in the family pretty, kiddish baubles, so some day they will have quite a collection. I´ll just have to change the style as they grow - a 15 year old might not appriciate a car bauble, or a cat, or whatever.
Because I work now, more than in a long time, I get in money trouble - strange, huh?! No wonder people turn down work, to collect unimployment compensation (a-kassa, that is). Next month I get more money, this month I might not be able to pay my rent.
And today I got the things I´d ordered from Panduro, so I can start making baubles for niece, nephews and friend, who all get some for Christmas. Every year I give the children in the family pretty, kiddish baubles, so some day they will have quite a collection. I´ll just have to change the style as they grow - a 15 year old might not appriciate a car bauble, or a cat, or whatever.
Because I work now, more than in a long time, I get in money trouble - strange, huh?! No wonder people turn down work, to collect unimployment compensation (a-kassa, that is). Next month I get more money, this month I might not be able to pay my rent.
mostly glögg
I´m in such a Xmas mood, and then I discover it´s more than three weeks until the first of Advent. How is that possible - there are all these Christmas magazines and decorations in the stores, you can buy glögg and pepparkakor (ginger cookies). Well, I´ve gotten started, I´ve had my first glögg, Dufvenkroks non-alcoholic vanilla, which was really good, and I´ve had pepparkakor and gorgonzola(type)cheese. If you can´t buy your glögg, try this recipe. Me, I like my glögg white, so try it with white wine or apple cider instead of red wine.
Glögg or Mulled Wine
Glögg or Mulled Wine
Ingredients
- 1 bottle of red wine (inexpensive)
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup (50 ml - 100 ml) vodka (optional)
- 5 - 20 whole cloves
- 1 large teaspoonful cardamom seeds
- 2 - 4 pieces (sticks) cinnamon
- 1 - 2 pieces ginger
- Peel from half a lemon
- 1/2 - 1 cup (125 - 250 ml) sugar
- 1 large teaspoonful vanilla sugar
Preparation
- Crush the cinnamon and cardamom. Peel the lemon. Put all the spices and peel into a glass jar with the vodka.
- Cover. Leave overnight. Strain the vodka, discard the spices.
- Mix the spiced vodka with the wine and sugar.
- Heat all the ingredients in a large saucepan until steaming hot. Do not boil! Stir and taste.
- If not sweet enough, add more sugar. If too sweet, add more wine.
I had my glögg in my lovely glögg cups, which I bought last year, after wanting them for a whole year. You might not be able to buy them, but you can look at them: 
The words inside are all pretty winter words - I really love these, and I´m so happy I bought them!
I re-thought my parents presents, I´m not in the knitting mood. They are getting a calendar, which I make collages in. Hopefully it´ll turn out nice, and hopefully they´ll like it!
a bit of shopping, and some xmas music
I went to Haninge Centrum for some shopping with my sister, and brought back some good stuff - a couple of things for Pei, Hello Kitty socks for me (I need socks - all I´ve got are those short summer socks - way too cold now), a make-up case with sculls (dead cheap and really cute) and a Christmas/advent gift for my sister. Not bad for a couple of hours work... Now I remember I forgot my sweater in my sister´s car - coing home may be a cold venture...
I got my Chris Isaak Christmas CD, and it was great, exactly my style. It went straight up in my top three, together with Elvis Presley Christmas and Christmas Cocktails. Do we spot a bit of a trend here?
Don´t they look pretty, all lined up?
I got my Chris Isaak Christmas CD, and it was great, exactly my style. It went straight up in my top three, together with Elvis Presley Christmas and Christmas Cocktails. Do we spot a bit of a trend here?
Don´t they look pretty, all lined up?
you can never be too prepared...
I sent for some stuff from Panduro a couple of days ago, things for the Christmas baubles I give to my niece and nephews every year (they will be decoupage this year), and some felt.
On Friday I´ll go to Stockholm, to shop a bit for Pei, and perhaps some Xmas presents, or just some xmassy things for me - I´m in the Xmas mood, and can´t wait for December and the 1st of Advent. Decorating time!
On Friday I´ll go to Stockholm, to shop a bit for Pei, and perhaps some Xmas presents, or just some xmassy things for me - I´m in the Xmas mood, and can´t wait for December and the 1st of Advent. Decorating time!
I know it´s early, but I can´t wait!
Am I a bit early, or right on time? Here´s some Xmas stuff I really like, anyway. I want my Xmases to be white and pink, a bit on the kitschy side, and with a very Danish twist. The white plastic Christmas tree is the one I´ve got, I´d wanted it for years, and bought it last Xmas, and love it. Everyone I told about my white plastic tree were very sceptic, but when they saw it, all decked in white and pink, they all agreed that it was beautiful. I actually can´t wait to get it out! But I just love the month before Xmas, sometimes before New Year´s, all the decorations are put away, then I can´t stand them. 
halloween´s up soon!
It´s almost halloween, and I love halloween! Despite it being such a new holiday in Sweden (especially older people dislikes it, being "American import and just an excuse for spending money, and people forgetting the old ways of celebrating All Hallow´s Eve, with lighting candles on the graves of our dearly departed" - I can´t see why you can´t do both), it feels like a natural way of lighting up fall. And it fits my personality like a glove, with the sculls, and Jack o´lanterns, and bats and stuff. We´re in no way near the Americans in the way we celebrate or decorate, but a carved pumpkin face is an absolute must. I´m thinking of inviting sisters and friend over, but the thing is, it´s on a Tuesday, and all of them have kids, and I don´t plan on inviting the kids, just a girls night.
Another reason, I think, that I love Halloween, is that it´s also the Wiccan new years eve, Samhain, and Wicca is the closest thing to a religion I´ve found. Christmas for me is not about the birth of Christ, but instead it´s Yule, celebrating the Winter Solstice, and the return of light.
Another reason, I think, that I love Halloween, is that it´s also the Wiccan new years eve, Samhain, and Wicca is the closest thing to a religion I´ve found. Christmas for me is not about the birth of Christ, but instead it´s Yule, celebrating the Winter Solstice, and the return of light.
