My dearest, dearest Diary

Dear Diary,
Are you well? Feeling a bit overlooked, perhaps? I wouldn't blame you ...

It has been a while since my last Diary-post. It puzzles me. I l♥ve making them, and feel so inspired when I see Genines calendar pages. Or Anahatas journal pages. I really don't know why I don't make them more often. I have considered if I should decrease my number of creative activities :-) Perhaps go ALL journal-paging! ... Naahh --- I don't think I could. Oh well -- shouldn't try to figure this out so close to a holiday. Perhaps everything with be clear as morning dew once I am well rested.
I made two pages this time - will share the other soon, along with strawberries and rasberries :-)

Meanwhile, I recommend test: What Type Are You? (I was Cooper Black Italic ;-)
via Periwinklebloom (found via SmallMagazine, which I absolutely love. New issue is out now).

Take care. See you soon :-)

Matchboxes

Had a great evening making the boxes. Of course I wanna make more.
Meanwhile, I listened to Peter Bastian's Rosenkjær lectures (in Danish - sorry). Inspirational and wise - the nine lectures are for download here. Hugs and thank you, Vibeke :-)

I've been a jolly blog surfer the last couple of days, and have a list so long with images and words I want to share and to remember. Isn't this for instance the prettiest pastry you ever seen?? (at I art a day, also via sweet Vibeke).

And this:


I simply love it.

And on a more serious note, Mansuetude put her ever precise words to a point. I shall hold hands on Saturday.

Tonight is Midsummer's Night, which means bondfires and howling witches all over the country. It looks to be a wonderful, mild summer's night. Have a delightful celebration
:)

Long lost art of matchbox decor

There's a place in the flat where a decorative matchbox would be right. I don't have the time to make it right now. I hope I will later today though.

As I wrote earlier, I finished Murakami's What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, and found it packed with wisdom and word-candy. I find his way of expressing himself delicate, and so many of his truths about running to be also what I find to be true of life! I also said I'd share, so here goes (from a paperback with multiple dog-ears and underlinings) :-)

»After that, I didn't have to think anymore. Or, more precisely, there wasn't the need to try to consciously think about not thinking. All I had to do was go with the flow and I'd get there automatically. If I gave myself up to it, some sort of power would naturally push me forward« (p.112)

Did you see Marie-Louises new clogs?? So sweet.
See you soon

More old stuff

Iain Macarthur
Pretty poppies from Rotten Tuna

Old Stuff

Man! it's been good to take it slow. (Thanks, Cecilia - I did just that).
So, between takin' it easy, and work, I thought I'd share some old stuff.

I used to watercolour a lot, and my favourite way was to paint directly – not sketching the image and proportions first. I don't know if I'd go about it this way today.

Plus an ol' ass that snug in ... ;-)

I'll be face-painting a bunch of little people this weekend. (Hey! That's watercolouring too!) I hope it goes well :·)
Please have a sweet weekend.

Silly link, but so adorable
Claudia Pearson's summery tea towel

Re:charge!

I just come out on the other side of a bit of over-working. I crave creativity, space, peace, un-stress. I crave blogging, knitting, sharing. But really, I'm tired!
I hope you are well. I will see you soon :)

oldie

Flipping through my latest book buy Envelopes, reminded me of the scrapped envelopes we did for Scraps. This is one of them. 'Think perhaps I should open the drawer to the rubber stamps again soon ...

Found yet another way to have FUN

A small someone is having a birthday Summer party, and the party planner (that'd be me) thought a garden-thing with a small Tivoli-ish kind of games and colour could be fun to do. A ball toss, A magnet fishing pool (for paper with clips), a decorate-your-own-cup-cake, and face painting!
(I'm very early in the planning process - do you have any ideas for stuff to do that you'll kindly share? I would be very grateful)

The painting-thing got me completely giddy. I rushed to the nearest theater-supply-store and bought a few colours and a tube of glitter. And started practicing. Having made a face and an arm, I thought, "this is so NOT gonna work". But after having washed, re-painted, washed and painted s'more, I figured out a way to make the flower petals change colour and stuff. I still need practice, but I have time. And I'm having tons of fun!

A different kind of link today -- Being no particular Lady Ga-Ga-fan, I was prejudicely under the impression this girl couldn't sing. Shame on me. Link.

New books

Once upon a time, in the land of Employment, a young (well ... youngish ;) girl awaited spring's national holidays of bliss with light, rose-scented anticipation. These tiny drops of extra holidays — they were many and they were soothing — showered her with spare time, time to read or sit in the sun, time for leisure! Little would she know, that years later, in the land of Self-Employment, them very same days would be days of labour, hard work and bossy attititude. Ohh, how fortunate, that the young (-ish) girl held appreciation high then ...

:-D Danish springtime is packed with national holidays - Easter, Whitsuntide, Ascension Day, + "Store Bededag"; fourth Friday after Easter, Constitution Day. They were GREAT back in the days, 'cause one could plan extra holidays around'em, and have so much time off.

Not s'much anymore. Around Ascension Day, I talked to my Printer, and had completely forgotten about holidays! "Whut??!! - You won't be able to do the job 'till Monday?? What holiday?? ... ouhhh ...! Yeah, no, sorry. Yeah-- 'course it can wait."

Yes, much is different. Work hours have sifted out into free-time, free-time to work; the two are now pretty much just time. I do think of this also, the days (it's been a while, though) when I sit on my balcony at 11 am, thinking: "perhaps I'm done working for the day now!"

This weekend was Whitsuntide. I was working. And for this, I am grateful.
One of the jobs I did even presented a great link : Donna Wilson

The collage is of the books I bought recently. Rina suggested A Mano - I love it. The other book is Envelopes, by Harriet Russell (+blog). Awesome. + Indian Gods card deck :-)

Feet cosies

Crocheted from design purchased at Sylver Designs.
Thanks for kind words on ink and sun flower :)

Rebecca Thuss

Soon ...

Soon the sun will warm our skin, and blind us in that soothing way, eyes will close in mellowness. I'm a plant!

Today we plants are being watered here. 'tis nice. I love the rain. Especially from inside my house :-)

Pia Jane Bijkerk
Papéis por todo o lado

Take care

Friday Ink Doodle, and some shoppin'

Hi :-)
Thank you for poll'in with me in the "do-you-finish-or-not-before ..." :-) I enjoy seeing your votes so much – right now we have an overweight of "Rarely, but it happens", with 60 % :-)))

Thanks also for the great many sweet comments and sharings :-) I love hearing from you guys! Love the communicating. Don't you?


So! Ok. Weekend up ahead. Hmm, mostly work for my part. Which is good. I'm fortunate I have work. Gotta when it's there, no? The Way of the Freelancer.

As a little treat, though, I bought'sm stuff (Yeah — all right — it's out--I shop to be happy!! ) :-D No-no (okay a little), ANYway, I ordered one of Cecilias gorgeous cutting boards. And it arrived yesterday! Thanks, Cecilia. I love it - it's beautiful! And thank you for the note and the little extras inside the package :-))

I also puchased books. Elsewhere. With pictures in'em! Ouuhh -- can't wait. (Thanks, Rina, for the great tip! ;-)

What shall you do with your weekend?
Have a good one
;-)
btw — have you even the tiniest knitty fiber in you — please check out The Shetland Trader. Yummy!

Happy hippie Sunday :)

Makes me feel great when I finish a project! I mean; they begin more or less by themselves — jumping out of drawers at me, grabbing me in my sleep, always ready to play. I've never been very good at finishing a project before starting a new, thus making my home packed with more or less finished projects. I wonder what you guys do ...?

Do you finish projects before starting new ones?

Here is the beginning of the freestyle vest, and here another step :-)
It's been fun — and easy. I simply cut out a shape of paper as seen in the second link, and tried it on (by taping the shoulders together), cut and reshaped until I found it just right. Then un-taped the shoulders, layed it out flat, and crocheted, using old scraps of yarn, keeping the shape of the paper-dummy, not crocheting outside the edges. I (gently) ironed it flat every once in a while, and finished it by crocheting twice around the edges (after having sewed the shoulders together ).

Happy Journey, started by Thereza and two friends. Contributions are all so great.
Do very much like überkraaft's (didn't know him before)

Happy Sunday :o)

sweeeet

Imma kindda taking a break from dairy, sugar and wheat these days. Not dieting or any such thing, but I find it makes me feel rather good. I don't want to lay off for ever and ever (liking lattes, chocolate, cream and butter), but a while is ok.
however!

This doesn't mean the end of Mrs. Sweet Tooth, and yesterday she and I, in collaboration with a little person who also likes sweets, played a game of tip-the-cupboard.

The coconut ones are cocoa, and was made with (if I remember correctly): dried dates, cashew nuts, cocoa, carob, coconut oil, water, sunflower seeds, dried apricots ... and rolled in coconut.

The sesame ones are liqourice, and was made with dried dates, dried apricots, cashew nuts, tahin (sesame paste) powdered liqourice root ... and rolled in sesame seeds.
:) Not many are left today.

Lovely Aurelia Deschamps. Via Eddy and Edwina

Ooh, I would have liked to have done ...

this!
I love it. My heart melts for the hand writtens fonts, and for the perfect layout and choice of carton.
Flipped the box, and the design people had written their name: Big Fish. In the words of James Bond: (link)
Clipper Teas have a web site too (that Big Fish also made). More melts.

Tonight I will have a taste, and sleep easy :)
Hope you sleep easy too
:)

Last - not least - from Paris

Congratulations, Noma, for being awarded The Best Restaurant in the World :-)
I never had the pleasure of dining there, I think of all the lucky ones who have, who, I bet, can taste their experience right now :-) Yum!





On a slightly different note, please visit Julia Humpfer.
Did you know Camilla Engman is doing a workshop?
Dottie Angel too!

Sunday

One of the places-to-visit on my wish list to Paris was Le Petit Atelier de Paris. This little pottery+shop is so delicate and poetic in every of its details. The items, the shop, the wrapping, and by George ... its people. So quiet, and delicate was these two sweet habitants of the shop.
A wonderful experience.





1 walk+lunch with dear friend
+ 1 tax accounting
+ 2 emails
+ 1 movie (in two minutes from now :)
___________________
= Sunday (it really was a sunny day. Absolutely gorgeous)

I hope you Sunday was great!

Coralie Bickford-Smith made these clothbound book jackets. I know they are a few years old, but I love'em so.

Back :)

Ohhhh, what a treat!
Paris was (need I say?) absolutely wonderful. Thank you A and thank you P for having us, and thank you ML for trodding les rues with me :-)


Thank you Paris for your wonderful cafe cremes, your delicious pain aux raisins, your awesome foods, sweet people and summery temperatures (it was twentysix degrees C on Sunday afternoon!!!)

As a first, I decided to travel by train on this trip. I gotta say - 15 hours by train (each way), with audio book and knitting kit was soothing in a way I hadn't seen coming. And I can't believe my luck that I'd chosen this way of travelling. I met so many people on my way back who had tickets but no reservation for the train, and was stuck just the same.
...
Thanks for your sweet comments on the book jacket post :-) I feel amazingly privileged for design jobs like this.

I hope you are well. I haven't had time to go surfin' yet, so no links today, but can't wait to do so. e-see you soon ;-)

more Parisian pictures to come :-)

Book Jacket

Did this jacket for the Danish edition of German writer Costin Wagner's icy cold horror novel Ice Moon. Brrrr.

Please visit Aimee for her wise, heartwarming post on parenting
And Dottie Angel to crochet a 'happy hanger'

Thank you for Paris-tips :-)

Tagged

Rina tagged me for 7 random facts about myself (thank you, Rina) and to tag 7 bloggers to do the same. Here goes:

random fact #one: Currently reading Murakami's What I talk About When I Talk About Running, and have marked several pearls of wisdom. That guy is so clever! Intend to share pearls!

random fact #two: I run sometimes too. Post easter, I should run a lot 'cause ...

random fact #three: this easter holiday I made dessert every day! One day I made Tarte tatin with vanilla ice cream (picture above) for the first time in my life. Not the last!

random fact #four: I have considered giving up coffee, but don't want to.

random fact #five: Last item I bought was a huge pot for a rose my mother gave me as an easter egg :)

random fact #six: Last concert I attented was Sias.

random fact #seven: I would love to make pottery. A lot!

Thank you Rina.
:-) I tag Tiny Red, Gracia and Louise, Dear Oly, Alexandra, Cecilia and Aimee.

·.·*· And The Winner Is ...

Thank you so so much for playing :-)
I listed you guys in commented order and let random.org do the choosin' :-)

1. Maja
2. Rina
3. Linnea
4. Char
5. Mette
6. Esti
7. Louise
8. Gracia
9. T.L.Holmes
10. Alexandra
11. Liz Howell
12. Bleubeard and Elizabeth
13. Veja Cecilia

which makes Gracia the winner of one pair, and Alexandra the winner of another.
Will you please email your adresses, and I will send you a package :-)

Thanks again for playing :-)
(Rina - I owe you 7 facts :-) I'm on it - will post them soon)

Soon to be published

Making more collections (this is a little part of one). Made a whole bunch which were accepted to be published as cards (I'm so happy). Can't show'em now, but will, of course, as soon as they hit the streets :-)

Did you have a nice easter holiday?
Here, both me and my computer took time off, which was brilliant!
Back in the saddle (yii-hahh) we are working again. To meet a certain deadline ... 'cause quess who's going to Paris for a few days next week ...??? Yeah-I-am. IamIamIam (can you tell I really look forward to this??) :-))
If you have a city-tip, and if you'll share, I would be so happy to hear from you. Also if you have none :-)
Back to work!
Take care :)

Sara Maragotto Anatomy + interview
via Studio Fludd

A small collection of things

Gitte Brandt
Sparkle Seahorse Smiling

Please remember, you can still sign up for Ye Give-away :-) —if you like.
♫ Midnat i Europa ;o) (gotta dig this album out from the attic soon)

Re:set

Thank you so much for participating in Give-away :-) There is still time to enter.

I have bought 10 sheet of awesome thick cotton paper, and want to water colour something. Nothing in particular. Just colour.
So this is today's sheet. I had a wonderful time.

In three days, a little Easter holiday is coming up. How will you be celebrating Easter?

Ohoy Matey! *GIVE-AWAY*

Felt a little necklace comin' on, and went with it. + made earrings with skeletons. (Remember this?) These pirates are new though, not from fleemarket.
Wanna celebrate with me? (the necklace??) Heck yeah! Why not?! And the Saturday, and the Spring and the Freedom of Thought! Anything you feel like celebrating?
— lets! ...

With a ·.*· GIVEAWAY·*.·
Two pairs of black skeleton earrings (two winners - one set for each winner). Rings are silver plated cobber.
To enter, please leave a comment to this post before April 8th :-) Perhaps you'll tell me something you wanna celebrate. Perhaps just say hi! :-) Anything goes.
I'll be using random.org to find winners. I do hope you'll play :-))

Have a sweet weekend
♪ Playground Love
Karö Design

New cover design

Just out :-)
Still so busy. Miss blogging.

Two l♥vely blogs from bookmarks:
Pen, paint, paper
Peter Nencini

I hope you are well :)

Working Sunday

Allowing myself little break from otherwise worky Sunday. Next week will be as busy as the two just passed, so I'm trying to get a little bit ahead (I'm starting to sound like a broken record here ;-)
A bit of overload + spending time in the spring-to-come-first-sunshine without the proper overclothes has made me catch a cold (allthough I can't for the life of me understand why I would want to do that. Catch it, I mean). In Danish one "gets cold" (like in gets sick/bliver forkølet), but in English one catches a cold? I imagine how "Cold" or "Flu" are throwing stuff at people, and some are stupid enough to raise their arms and catch it. In this case me! (Maybe you should go lay down now. Rambling woman you).

Okay. But before I do; sneak preview of my time with 下田直子のビーズ編み—きらきら光るビーズは私のスペシャル. (Huh??). Nope! I don't understand either. But I bought the book, and did the chart. And it looks like the one in the book!!! (or close enough). Imagine my pep!
Now I could let off that this (picture) was my first try. That I simply opened the book, and first time 'round crocheted this. But that wouldn't be telling the truth. Truth is, I looked at the chart, at the pictures, at the chart, made a sample (total disaster), different yarn; looked at the pictures, more samples (more disaster), new yarn, different beads. And finally got the chart's ±'s and X's and O's.
:-)
grrl+dog made fabby paper marche dog Candy (pls scroll down a bit to see)
Dreaming of summer yet? Try listening to Sonia Levy's birdies on Cornwell meadow :-) (via FruensWerk)

The granola:
rolled oats (more)
rolled buckwheat (less)
sesame seeds
sunflower seeds
chopped almonds
chopped hazelnuts

In large pan, pour 2-3 tblsp rape oil + 1 tblsp honey. Place in warm oven (200°C/400°F) a minute until honey has melted. Stir in the granola, and mix well. Bake until golden, stir a few times to make sure it's all crisp.
Spread on baking sheet, and let cool completely. Store in air tight container.
:-)

Things to be Thankful for

on Monday 17:16
- Beautiful, shining family
- Peace of mind
- Gorgeous, wise, loving friends (with big ears and huge hearts)
- Warm cheeks and cold feet (litterally, that is ;-)
- Abundance of work (= main reason for being so quiet on blog lately)
- Winning Tsk Tsk Tiel's awesome contest, and receiving wonderful package of babuschka goodies all the way from Australia. Thank you so so much, Tiel :-)
- Last of beautiful day's beams of sunshine on floor

Please have a lovely evening, and if you feel like it, I would love to hear which things you are thankful for today ...?

✶
The New Yorker magazine covers

♫
Camille: Ta Douleur

Gallery

Tuesday is SMK-day. Right picture is from the exhibition RE:THINK.
...
In the book I bought recently was many great artists, one: Lorenzo Petrantoni. Please watch these awesome animations with his work: 1 and 2
c·u·soon :)

Illustration Friday: Propagate