Back to routines

We get up early in the mornings and get ready for school and work. I pack school bags, sign papers, wrap books, make lunch boxes... Clean the house, do some laundry, harvest our garden little by little.

A rainbow of carrots awakens interest at snack time. We do a blind test to prove they all taste the same. All kids  says "Yellow!" when it is red, "Purple!" when it is orange and etc... They say we eat with our eyes... So true... It feels weird to eat a purple carrot... I expect it to taste like a red beet. :D

I take cat naps and photograph Tilda yarn to use for a external online shop eventually. It is where my focus lie right now. I do some make over projects for my oldest daughter and mini pancakes for lunch.

I kill flies. They are everywhere. Up my nose, in my ears, at my food, on my legs, on my computer screen, in my coffee... I truly dislike flies to say it nicely.

I fasten off the last ends on my shawl. I'll show you soon. It is amazing and I have already started on a new one in a new color theme. Pattern will still be a while. Be patient with me. It is a lot to write and I am writing it as I go with Shawl No 2. A few things needed to be tweaked...

Now I will make myself a coffee and sit outside with a new issue of Crochet Today. Happy afternoon dear you.

Kärlek
Annette

Shipping Tilda Yarn

Every Wednesday, and sometimes on a Saturday depending on how many orders I have, I ship Tilda yarn to all corners of the world; Malaysia, Australia, England, USA, Netherlands, Venezuela, Italy...

I like the packing of orders. Collecting all the yarn, my cards, stickers, washi tape, envelopes... imagining what the receiver will make out of their color choice... The top picture's order was for a girl in Australia. She is making a circle in square blanket. I think it will be an amazing blanket. Don't you think so too? The bottom picture is for a lady in England. I like her color theme...

You can find all these colors and more in my Yarn Shop. Welcome!

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

My Maybelle Squares

My Maybelle squares. They are growing in numbers. I've been holding on to them all summer to decide what they shall become. A bag? A baby blanket? A sofa throw? Pillows? What did yo make? I am curious to know. It is time for me to make a decision. Soon the joining will begin. 
Kärlek
Annette

PS Pattern can be found here.

My Musli Mix

I am the kind of person who could sit and eat breakfast for hours. Jay is the complete opposite. If we stay in a hotel I always want to make sure it has a GREAT BIG breakfast buffé. Jay never has more than a cup of coffee or two. On weekends I usually treat my family with pancakes, French toast, waffles or scones to make it special. Jay might then have an American pancake or two with Maple Syrup, if I'm lucky.

During the vacation we ate a lot of bread and when coming back home I really longed for some plain yogurth with my homemade musli for breakfast. I think that is my everyday breakfast favourite after all. Simple, quick and perfect for a helathy start of the day.  I make my own nutty musli mix form my favourite nuts, grains and seeds.

My Musli Mix

1 cup walnuts
1 cup pecans
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup linseeds

Mix chopped up walnuts and pecans, sesame seeds, linseeds and some oat meal in a bowl. Put in a pretty jar and label it. Keep dry. Sprinkle on top of Greek or natural yougurth. Drizzle with honey. Bon appetit!

You can of course alternate this recipe and use any nuts of your choice. Add sunflower seeds, raisins or chopped up dried apricots.

I make sure to fill My Musli Mix jar regularly, ready to be sprinkled on top of my yogurt.  That to me feels like a healthy start of a brand new day. And today I am going back to CrossFit. The first class after 4 weeks of absence... It is going to be a tough one. Cheer me on! Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

Kärlek
Annette

I'm on the edge...

...of this wonderful shawl I am making. But how do one choose the right edging? How do you choose the right edging for a project? Do you just know or do you try out different ones and frog it if you don't like it? At first I thought I will just continue to "wing it" like I have done with the rest of this shawl, but soon I realized that winging it is NOT going to work on the edging.

I had a picture in my head - something not toooooo lacy but also not toooo plain and boring. Something shell shaped but a bit more fun. And I wanted a little bit of a challenge. A twist. To push myself out of my comfort zone. I am a girl of simplicity but sometimes I just need to be pushed a little bit towards the more complex side to re-discover my own ability of designing and creating. Sooo...

...a little bit of investigation started in Cyberworld and my crochet books, magazines, thrifted doilies. And then I decided to do some trials and came up with these four... I have to say this was a fun process and usually I am not structured like this at all when creating.

Making crochet edgings are a really fun project. I might just experiment even more. But for now I think I have a winner. The purple. It's a mash-mix of 3 different edgings I found. Now I just have to figure out how to start and end. I think it will look great.

Kärlek
Annette

Flea market - Loppis - Marchés aux Puces

Do you love to go on treasure hunts? Dig around in containers? Do you stop your car to pick up an old thrown out chair or dressing table that someone has thrown out to be picked up by the garbage truck? Do you knock on a neighbor's door to ask about that old reading chair that has been standing in their open garage for over a year collecting dust to see if maybe you could take it home for a twenty or so?

I do!
I love treasure hunting. I dream of a home made from treasures. A cozy, odd imperfectly perfect home. Jay, my husband, on the other hand, thinks I drag home more junk then I get rid of. But you see - everything has its place when I come home. A purpose. And it is loved. At first sight. It can transform with some paint and fabric. Easy. Quick. Like Cindarella. From dusty and grey to sparkly and beautiful!

In English you call it Flea market, in French Marchés aux Puces. In Sweden we call it Loppis. It is all the same thing: A place filled with someones junk or old not needed stuff which will become someone else's much loved and needed treasure. Things you might think has seen its better days and you want to throw out might just be the thing I have been looking for and need in my home.

"Loppis" is a big phenomenon in the Swedish country side, especially during the summer months. This year I have visited somewhere between 10-15 of them. There has been junk yards, rustic barns, pretty old houses... I have found some fabulous Swedish art, china and textiles... Some was brought with me home but most of it stayed to find their place in our summer cottage. The treasure hunt continues, here in Switzerland.

I am addicted.

Kärlek
Annette

Sweden 2013

"Rosendalen" - Rose Valley in English. My happy place and therefor also the name of my blog My Rose Valley.

Hans Rosendahl was my grandfather's brother. He was a ceramic artist. He built this house and lived here until he died.

Vacation crochet of course! From left: The Shawl, a stool cover project that was left behind and my pot holder
together with my new cool specs. :D

I went away for 3 weeks from Cyber world and my home. I disconnected. I was together with my kids. My man. My family. My crazy big multi faceted family. Seven cousins playing from early morning until late night. Seven grown ups organizing, preparing, cooking, shopping, blowing away pain from bumped knees and elbows every now and then and just chilling out actually.

We were outside, in the water, in the woods, on the fields, markets, cafées... We were pulling fish off the hook, doing dishes by hand, sipping coffee, listening to birds in the morning, killing flies, sleeping in collective arrangements. Talking about life and about nothing. Laughing. Like you only can life with your family. 14 people together for 21 days in a red and white Swedish cottage somewhere in the archipelago north of Stockholm. It was intense, chaotic and absolutely wonderful!!!

We collected wild flower seeds to bring back home to Switzerland. To plant next spring. To feel more "at home" in "my home". Many childhood memories were made. The Swedish language has blossomed for my kids. Its been good. It was necessary. I now have new plans, energy, ideas. I am ready to take on fall and start on new projects, learn new things. Challenge myself - make my dreams come true. I am happy. Next time I show you even more.

Kärlek
Annette