Living in the country

I live in a farmer's village. It is a small community with only a few hundred people. It smells of cow poop and fertilizers and a few times a year we hear the guns shoot from the military base in the next village when the soldiers practice war.

When we first arrived to Switzerland we settled in one of the posh villages near the lake and the train track. It was a rich community with pretty villas, lots of expats. And very expensive. We quickly grew out of our small town house and decided to move. Up the Jura mountains, away from the lake and the train. We found our farm house, paying half of what we paid in the posh village for our small apartment. And our new made friends couldn't understand how on earth we could chose to "move so far away" and how could we "move to a place that stinks of cow shit?"

Well, I guess we are all different in what we need, but I certainly prefer the natural smell of cows and views like these on my walks.

I certainly prefer the laid back farmer's mentality in the village where no one is judge by their appearance, come fashion or what type of car you drive. Or being born with a cleft palette like my Luca Bo.

I certainly prefer the small community of French speakers to force me to integrate in the society as we are here to stay.

I certainly prefer hanging around my house instead of popping in and out in shops and cafées and developing needs I didn't have before I saw yet another beautiful ceramic bowl or bag or pair of shoes although I have everything I need.

And I don't mind driving 10 minutes to the lake in summer time to spend a day on the beach.

I don't mind driving 10 minutes to get to the big shopping area where I quickly can purchase everything from construction material to garden tools, flowers and food, toys, gifts and interior design items if I need.

I love it right here, right now. Just look how beautiful life is in the country. Even on a cloudy and rainy day.

Kärlek
Annette

Crochet errors - I'm frogging it!

I followed a pattern for this granny stripe cowl (checking the amount of chains to start with which was132 if I remember it right...) and I thought it looked great, but when trying it on it just sits there like a wide cylinder with no function, no drape and no warming cuddle effect at all. It is simply too wide for a cowl and too short to wrap around twice... I think I will have to start all over and either make it a double wrap cowl or a snug one. It is frustrating when crochet goes wrong and you don't realize it until you are almost finishing it... And now I have to sit and fibble, trying to find those very carefully weaved in ends. So typical that I weaved in all those ends row by row this time... I am frogging it!

Kärlek
Annette

Packing orders - a joyful job!

The vintage sheet Fat Quarter's are listed in my Etsy Shop and I've been packing lots of orders from near and far around the globe. I cut my pieces as I go, making sure those who wants larger cuts gets what they want. I fold them nicely and wrap them up in silk paper together with business cards and a Thank you postcard with a personal note, and then I put them into bubble wrap envelopes. I try to make them as flat as possible as the shipping cost goes up as soon as your envelope measures 1 inch thick... It can be a balancing act at times.

I label and decorate my envelopes and then I walk down to the post office to ship them all off. When coming back home I fold up my sheets again and put them back into the shelf, waiting for the next orders to come.

It is a time consuming procedure, don't think anything else if you have ever thought of selling fabric, yarn or craft supplies online. But it is a fun procedure. The key is to be prepared with your packing supplies and a great space to make your work smoothly.

I love seeing what colors people chose of my Tilda yarn and Vintage fabrics, what patterns they match together. I love folding the colorful Fat Quarters and wrap it all up. I feel so happy to prepare these orders. It is color therapy, play and work at once. Not to bad of a job in my opinion.

Kärlek
Annette