Project Studio Make Over - The beginning

Have you ever started a project and once you've started all your energy goes dead and you can't bare to continue... To finish... Not knowing where to actually "start to continue"...

That is pretty much what happened to me when I, with huge excitement and lots of energy,  packed all my bits and pieces in my studio into boxes and bags to clear the space as I decided to do a make over... Bad idea! Very bad idea... I should have just done a good tidy up.

Well, well... Somehow this project will be finished and I am hoping that it will be an inspiring place to escape to within the next week or so. After all furniture are in place, new book shelves are purchased and assembled and all the bits and bobs are sorted in their own little space.

I'm putting my head down and I'm going to do this. Even if every part of my body feels exhausted just by looking at the half dozen boxes filled with everything from beads to fabric, yarn to buttons, scissors to Washi tape and a million other things... Just things! I am for sure a collector of crafty stuff I have realised...

Wish me luck because I need it (Can you see me swipe my forehead with the back of my hand to get rid of those sweat pearls of stress???). I'll show you the result when I'm done. Now, lets tackle one box at the time...

Kärlek
Annette

Maybelle crochet flowers & tulips

Tilda yarn used: 580 - Chalk green, 005 - Cream, 507 - Chalk beige, 541 - Chalk pink, 040 - Pink.
BUY TILDA YARN HERE.

What's on my hook for the moment, you might wonder... Well, after buying the most gorgeous pink tulips I got inspired to make a new Maybelle flower garland. Because what is NOT to love about tulips? And what is NOT to love about Maybelle flowers? What is NOT to love about pink and green, cream and lime Tilda yarn? What is NOT to love about a handmade patchwork table runner? What is NOT to love about my new lace basket holding my new project? What is NOT to love about crochet time outside when the spring sun makes your cheeks blush? This is all absolute perfection if you ask me. This is pure bliss.

Kärlek
Annette

I miss him at night...

My side of the bed is messy and warm. His side is untouched, flat and cold. He is away on a trip. I am home alone. The bed feels big. Too big. Going to bed is the hardest thing when he is not here...

I could take my chance to stretch out and make it all mine, but I am too used to sleep on my side. Under my blanket and on my pillow, with my foot resting outside the edge... Knowing he is right there beside me.

It is lonely to go to bed alone. I could invite a little cuddly child to sleep next to me, but they are actually very happy to sleep in their own beds now. So typical...

I love my messy bed. It looks cozy and inviting. At the same time, I am the kind of girl who can't go to bed in an undone bed. So even if it is only me here now, in the big BIG bed, I do make my bed every day. Nice and neat with pillows and Grandma Eivor's crochet blanket at the foot end.That is a must. Every day, all year around.

I think the bedroom is my favorite place in the house... The light is fabulous, the floor is real. I have the Dala horse, the homemade pillows and quilts...  This room is very much Scandinavian Homespun to me. Just the way I like it. I would love to add a head board to the bed, handmade from planks. I would like to crochet cute lace skirts for the lampshades, add some practical hooks on the wall for my jeans and my pj's... Maybe I should just "do it"...

Soon it won't be just my side of the bed that is left messy in the morning. Soon he will be back and fill up the empty space beside me. And the loneliness will go. That feels good to know. The last few day's of loneliness is only temporary. It is good to miss the one you love.

Kärlek

Annette

Inspiration hits in growing pain

Picture left from here. Picture right from here.

Picture left from here. Picture right from here.

Picture left from here. Picture right from here.

He woke up with enormous pain in his feet. Crying and almost falling in through our bedroom door. I went from deep sleep to wide awake in a second, like a mother does in situations like this, no matter what time in the day or night it may be. He sobbed and squirmed in his bed while I was preparing the medicine cup, and then he gulped the medicine in a whim. Desperate for it to take away the pain. I softly massaged his feet and legs and we waited for the medicine to do its job...

Growing pain. Do you remember? I remember... I remember counting the minutes for the medicine to kick in as the pain was so bad. In my knees... that was the worst pain. A cutting, throbbing, splitting pain... A pain that just would not go away by itself.

A few minutes later Luca Bo lays down to fall back asleep and tells me:
"Mama."
"Mmmm..."
"I had this terrible dream."
"Oh yea?"
" Yes. I dreamt I had to solve everyone's problems..."
"Oh dear. That IS a terrible dream. Lucky us it was only a dream. Good night my love."

He had already fallen back asleep now. I tip toed back into bed thinking about his terrible dream and actually how terrible it would be if it was true... Poor thing, no wonder he thought it was a night mare.

For a good 45 minutes or so I tossed and turned as I now suddenly got struck by a million ideas of how to pimp our bathroom. I visualized how to turn our old beautiful vintage dresser into a sink in the bathroom... It shouldn't be to difficult. I just have to cut a hole in the back for the pipes and one at the top for the sink, paint it with waterproof varnish. And then I would like to crochet a round bathroom mat from old vintage sheets... And maybe add a bunting and sew on some trim to white fresh towels. Shall I go for light creamy blue or maybe aqua green... Or just greek blue and white? Or maybe naturals... When one person is in growing pain, another person  is hit by inspiration... These things always happen at night... I think it is supposed to be that way.

Happy Tuesday all.

Kärlek
Annette

What's up?

YARN: Ideal by Bergere de France.
COLORS: Cendre (grey), Everest (white), Brouilly (burgundy red), Cyklamen (berry pink),
Danseuse (light pink), Fougere (dark green), Olivine (light green).
HOOK SIZE: 3,5mm/E4 US.
PATTERN: By Annette Ciccarelli, buy it here.

I am finishing the last row on my second Nordic Shawl. I have to admit I love the color combos on this one. Now it is only to fasten off ends left before I decide if I should give it away, sell it or keep it for myself... Decisions, decisions.
So, what's up? I haven't been around much have I? Well, I am here. And not here. I am actually very much present in Real Life more than in Cyber Life for the moment. And I like it that way. My list of things I need to do is so dreadfully looooong. But the list of what I WANT to do is what gets priority this time of the year:

- Finish some small crochet projects I have lying around
- Start on a new stripy blanket that I have in mind
- Lay puzzles and listen to Christmas music
- Bake ginger cookies and saffron buns with my kids
- Wrap Christmas gifts without stress
- Christmas decorate my home
- Walk around in Christmas PJ and warm slippers looking lazy
- Drink Swedish Glögg (spiced hot red wine) and eat chocolates
- Light candles
- Watch the Swedish Advents Calendar
- Watch Christmas movies
- Let someone else take care of all the cleaning and laundry
- Eat delicious dinners
- Do crafts with the kids
- Go for chilly walks and have a hot chocolate after - because I deserve it
- Just chill out with my loved ones and go slow, absorbing every minute of the Christmas countdown.
- Sit still and just be

So that is what I am trying my best to do. It is not easy, I have to admit, to just chill out and enjoy but I think I have done very well so far this year compared with previous hectic and totally stressful Christmas countdowns. So how are you doing? Are you chilling out or are your heart skipping at high speed and you find yourself rushing from one thing to another not getting anything done?

Breathe! Sit down. Grab a cookie and a coffee. Listen to Michael Buble's Christmas CD and get carried away by his smooth voice. You don't have his CD? Get out there and buy it.

Dear cyber friends. I love having you here. Welcome to all my new followers. You are truly amazing and wonderful and I am so flattered to have you come to visit my world. Happy Christmas countdown everyone. See you around.

Kärlek
Annette

Buy the Nordic Shawl Pattern here!

Roses on fire!

Roses on fire. Orange, deep red, pink and yellow. Egg white and deep green leaves and stems. And somehow it matches not only my Scandinavian blouse (H&M) but also my new hearty neckless. I think the setting is just awesome. It says: "I am intensely happy right now!". And if I wasn't happy I sure will be just looking at this. :D

Kärlek
Annette

Folk art prettyness

[Folk art is primarily utilitarian and decorative rather than purely aesthetic. Folk Art is characterized by a naive style, in which traditional rules of proportion and perspective are not employed.] Source: Wikipedia.

I am big fan of folk art. I adore Swedish kurbits and German fraktur with the sweeping painted flowers and old fashion "doodle" patterns. Simplicity. Delicate and robust at the same time. Beautiful plain colors harmonizing in layers.

I stumbled upon a dozen hand painted wooden hangers at my favorite thrift store not long ago. It is funny how hanging your favorite clothing on a pretty hanger can bring that little extra happiness to your every day life. It's the small things in life that matters...

PS Thank you all for your sweet support on my last post. You really are the best. Heart you all!!! I am still resting my arm and hand, getting better by the minute. Will continue to pop in with picture posts and a comment here and there until things are back to normal. Have a lovely Sunday and rest of the week.

Kärlek
Annette

A Cinderella chair make over

I found three crappy chairs at a flea market. 7 dollars for the lot. It was 3 years ago. You know how it is, you find something and you think:
"These will look great with some paint and new fabric!"... and then nothing happens. They remain crappy and every time you walk by them you think:
"These chairs desperately need a make over... I really should just go ahead and DO IT!", but still nothing happens...

After vacation this year, my oldest daughter Nelly Bo went on and on about how she needs a study desk and a chair in her room and after a couple of days of her constantly repeating how much she really really needed a study desk in her room, I gave in and we drove to IKEA (just 10 minutes away - YAY!!!) to get her a cheap and cheerful desk. (Look at those awesome new curvy legs IKEA have now for their basic table tops... I got to get more!!!) But a new chair...??? No, we have many chairs that we can fix up at home, I thought. And suddenly it happens.

Nelly Bo collected her favorite flower prints from my fabric stash. There is Tilda fabric, Sweet Shoppe by Michele d'Amore, Rosie Two Step and Pam Kitty Mini Roses by Holly Holderman... A fabulous choice if I may say so without being biased... She has good taste my girl. :D

I decided on simple stripes instead of squares and simply sew some fabric strips together and dressed the seat using a stapler gun. Painted the chair with 3 layers of white acrylic water based paint after lightly sanding the chair before and VOILA!!! Why didn't I do this earlier? It is stunning!!! A true Cinderella story!!!

Well now I only have two more chairs to play with. I think one will become a boyish blue chair with gingham and classic stripes for Luca Bo... And the third one maybe light light pink with some floral fabric... For me to sit on at my sewing desk.

Kärlek
Annette

Vintage table cloths

I look at the stitches and wonder who this woman is or who she was? Where she was sitting stitching all this? If she was admired in the way I admire her table cloth today? All that wonderful work to dress a table. I wonder if she served coffee in a vintage cup on it? With a small vintage milk jug and sugar bowl. Maybe she served coffee to her husband who then poured some of his coffee on the saucer, took a sugar cube between his teeth and sipped his coffee old man style. Maybe. I would love to think so. And I would love to do the same. Although my husband drinks his coffee in mega big cups, no cute vintage china will be enough for him. I can always serve myself pretty style. :D

My collection of beautiful vintage table cloths is growing. And yes, I use them. They have some stains and holes but oh so lovely they are. Just look at them there air drying on the cloth line. Happiness that is. To me.

Kärlek
Annette

Amsterdam - the city, the people, the bicycles

Beautiful window displays and lots of cute souvenirs.

There are more than 6800 old buildings in Amsterdam.

Evveryone rides a bike, young, old, big, small, business, hippie, family, child. I had the most wonderful Dutch apple cake with almond paste and whipped cream. Yum. And I met with dear Maaike at a cute café for lunch.

Stunning architecture from the 16th, 17th and 18th century, 165 cute canals and more than 600 000 bicycles
can be found in Amsterdam.

The workshop - I'll tell you all about in my next post.

Last weekend I went to Amsterdam to join a Create n' Date event that dear Maaike at Crejjtion had organized, some of you might know about it already. I am still high on this experience which was absolutely the best I have had in a long long time.

I arrived early in the morning and although the day was cloudy and grey, I couldn't resist strolling the streets from the Museum district towards the Central station. I fell in love with this town within minutes. ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I love everything about this town. The buildings, the trams, the canals, the cafés, the shops, the squares, the puls, the people and the bicycles. I think the bicycles made the biggest impression on me. I just could not get enough of them and they were everywhere. I mean everywhere. Mostly traditional black granny bikes with some exceptions of color sprayed ones and some decorated with flowers. Family bikes with kids put in trailers or on handle bars.

Everyone rides a bike in Amsterdam. I find it so so so charming and healthy. Old ladies showing their panties (ooops!!) riding in knee long skirts. Young men with girlfriends snugging their loved ones waist sitting in lady position in the back. Business men with suits and ties and tied up legs on their pants to avoid getting caught in the chain. Young beautiful girls with long blond hair flying in the wind as they swish down the streets in confidence. I could easily go back to only look at the Dutch riding their bikes. That is pure entertainment and bliss right there.

The people are so kind, everyone I met spoke English really well, the shop employees were so helpful without being pushy, just cool and extremely nice. I met a sweet girl called Agneta at a Sassy Boy shop down town, and we happily chatted about this and that for a good 15 minutes like old friends. And I didn't even buy anything... But  she asked for my business card and maybe she will visit My Rose Valley here in cyber world. I hope you read this Agneta, it was nice to meet you!

I met with Maaike from CreJJtion for lunch and it was like meeting an old friend. We had so much to talk about and 2 hours passed to fast... She is such a lovely girl Maaike. I am sure I will meet her many times more in the future.

I had caffe lattes, fabulous pastries, ate a nice dinner with some friends in the Red Light District... I went shopping and I went to the big event, the Create n Date workshop. More about that in next post.

Kärlek
Annette

Stripy crochet pillow - VOILA!

Ideal yarn from Bergere de France from left:
Cyklamen, Girolle, Everest, Dinosaure, Gerbille, Calanque, Danseuse, Brouilly, unknown, Olivine, Belladone.

A stripy crochet pillow has been added to my collection. The old ones are getting a bit worn out and most of them need some repairing of holes and broken yarn threads... Hmmm. But this new stripy friend that I started on a few weeks ago, is cheering up the league.

I used 10 different colors of Ideal yarn from Bergere de France and one odd color from my "this and that unknown scraps" basket... It is hooked on a hook 3,5 mm with treble (UK) stitches only in the back loop which gives the ridge effect, 5 rows of each color.

To make it a pillow I made a white pillow cover with a simple envelope backing and hand sew the crochet front on it with slip stitches.

The only tricky part with this project is to make sure your edges are even. It is one of those basics you really should know as a experienced crocheter but I have to admit I constantly forget and fail on this one. Therefor I have prepared a small tutorial regarding this that I will post soon.

Well, dinner time is getting closer. Time to let go of blog land for now. See you again soon.

Kärlek
Annette