Sweden - here I come!

Swedish stuff. These are some things I think of when I get home sick. But now I don't have to be home sick anymore. We are going to Sweden for two weeks, starting tomorrow. To the summer house. I can't wait. No phone. No computer. Only the woods, the ocean, Swedish food, TV and radio. Swedish conversations, jokes and laughter. Family, friends and just home sweet home. Mushroom picking, fishing. Chilling and crocheting (I am bringing my crochet bag). And after two weeks I have filled my need for Swedish stuff and coming back home to Switzerland will feel so good. That is how it works when being an emigrant. ost of the time. So, see you later, with pics of course.
xxx

Play time!

A big thank you to my new friend Christine who inspires me with her colours, laid back attitude and thoughtful conversations. Thanks to you I had some "play time" yesterday morning.

Talking about how you can get stuck in your creative mind and how you fear to create and believe in yourself as a creative person, I really took on board her advice on starting to play. It doesn't have to be perfect, fool around. Sometimes you might not be happy with the result but more often you will be successful and create amazing things. Either way it is practice and fun for your heart, mind and soul. So...

I took out a note book (designed by Pip Studio) purchased a couple of weeks ago to be my Creative Scrapbook. I decided to make a first page. With all the gear and Emmy by my side we both started to play around. Two hours went by in a swisch and ta - dah! My book is done and all my ideas on pieces of reciepts, bank statements and other type of paper is now ready to be glued in. Great fun and I am very pleased with the result. And so was Emmy too.

Rainy day in pictures

The other day started rainy. Continued to be rainy and ended rainy. But it was a colourful and happy rainy day. When you count your precious moments any day could be a happy day.



















Started my Creative Scrapbook. Cutting, pasting, drafting, coloring...



















I am a plant killer ( no matter how hard I try everything green I touch dies...) and I almost killed my Geranium flowers recently. But after a saving act (called "water the plants" - so simple and so hard for me to remember...) from dear husband they are actually picking up and starting to get flowers again. Yippi!



















Baked a tiger sponge cake. I love to whisk egg and sugar. I always make extra as all kids wants some "egg toddy" (that is what we call it in Swedish) and me too. Yum!



















Emmy insisted on wearing her worn out favorite "princess shoes" in the rain. They are ready for the bin though, I have to admit, but still so cute. A 2 dollar bargain at a market this summer.



















Lunch pick up time at school was a colorful inspiration on a rainy day.



















And Luca was very happy to be picked up in the car.



















Beautiful pumpkins in different shapes and sizes at the neighbours front yard. So gorgeous when wet from the rain.



















More pumpkins! Look at the colours. Amazing!



















Emmy drawing while I find inspiration on blogs.



















Started on a beanie hat for Nelly.

Ain't that a nice day?

Sleeping problems

Breakfast is a bit of a stressful time in my house. Three kids between ages 2 and 8 needs to get dressed, fed, tooth brushed and brought to school (not Emmy though, she hangs out with me all day. that's why I never get anything done!)...

My daughter Nelly (8) has suffered from sleep problems for quite some time now. It started with her watching Michael jackson's Thriller video at a friends house and ever since she can't fall asleep on her own. Luckily she shares her room with her brother Luca and they sleep in a bunk bed. So for about six weeks now Luca crawls up in her bed or she sneaks in to his. But it is kind of getting out of control. They giggle, play games, tickles and mess around and falling asleep never occurs before 10pm. Bedtime is a struggle.

After laying down next to Nelly to make her feel comfortable (not a good idea in the long run), doing affirmations like "This is my bed. I am safe here. Nothing can hurt me. I can sleep comfortably and Mama and Papa are just next door..." and talking about the music video, trying to explain it is not real (which she understands but the image of Jacko with the yellow eyes still remains in her mind, of course) to mention some things we have tried to help her overcome her fear, we still have not been successful. So last night I changed the night light into an old one she used to have when she was younger. A bright red heart lamp that lights up the room quite a lot. I would prefer to have less light as you tend to sleep better in the dark, but you know what? She fell asleep! On her own. Without fuss! And slept all night!

So at breakfast this morning I am filling up bowls with cereal, toasting bread and all that stuffa nd when I come to sit down for my cup of tea with the kids I find this. Isn't that just adorable? A quick translation as it is in Swedish (and very much spelled in a nNelly way) the note says:

Correct Swedish:
"Tack Mama du har provat att hitta en lösning. Från Nelly" with hearts

In English:
"Thank you Mama for trying to find a solution. From Nelly (with hearts)"

Can you have a better start than that? I love you sweet heart!

Granny squares

Cate Blanchett in a crochetted dress. (Photo: Getty Image)

I started to crochet resently. I did some crocheting many many years ago (like a half dozen potholders when I once stopped smoking in my early twenties...). With a yarn shop in sight at the train station on my way to the airport last week (flying to my best friends wedding in the U.K) I thought : "I have 7 hours to kill at Bristol airport for my connection flight (yes - 7 hours!!!)... I'll get some yarn and do some crocheting while waiting in the terminal."

Said and done. I spent hours on the airport with my bag of yarn and tried hard to make granny squares, hearts and other stuff that I thought would be easy... Not! I crocheted and unraveled, crocheted and unraveled. By the end of my 4 day trip (this became quickly an obsession to figure out HOW to make a granny square) I actually managed to crochet a winter hat and scarf to the bride's daughter's stuffed monkey. Not to bad for a learner I have to admit. But still no decent granny square to show off.

Now I am hooked, reading blogs and crochet school websites on the subject. And after days of training (and unravelling) I have now managed to make some beautiful traditional granny squares. Yippi!!! And it is so much fun. I never want to stop. So satisfactory. And all the things you can make out of granny squares; blankets, pillow cases, hats, scarfs. Even dresses. Cate Blanchett wore a crocheted dress to the opening of the Screen Worlds exhibition in Melbourne. Ain't that funky? Who would have thought that the granny square could become a fashion statement in 2009?


















My first granny squares. Pretty good aha?

Kites and cows

Flying kites with the kids in the cow field. A bit tricky to get started but once we got them flying it was a pure pleasure. Great family time! And nice to be around the local cows aswell, and give them a cuddle. I have never cuddled a cow before, but it was quite nice...

And on the creative side? Well, half the kitchen cabinet is now stripped and sanded. This weekend I hope to finish the rest. And yes, I am now learning how to crochet flowers. Like the flowers in the previous post on the top left picture. Good fun. Very relaxing. Enjoyable. Like always with handcrafts.