Connecting the dots…

On The Lookout

Weekend. This week became the week when I found out I will be spending the next few months looking for a new job. Not really the situation you would want at the moment, is it..? Especially not since I love my job and have the best colleagues. Well, not for long now.

Do you remember back when you were young and going to school and you had so few responsibilities? And still everything seemed tough enough, because at that time you were in your teens. If only you could have understood the amount of freedom you had…

I wouldn’t mind being able to press the ‘pause’-button on the responsibilities right now.

The Simply Stylish Handbag

I have started looking at my pile of unfinished pre-kitchen projects, and this is the first one I decided to pick up again. I bought the pattern from U-handbag a little while ago – before I went into my non-sewing period. It came as a kit, actually – something I don’t usually buy, and still this time I did, because I just loved the fabric. I was looking for the pattern on the website just now, but it seems this exact pattern or kit isn’t there anymore. However, there is a description of it here, and a more recent version here – though I have to say, I like this one. I managed to cut the fabric, and after that it has just been sitting around, waiting for me to get on with it. So a few days ago I did.

This purse isn’t hard to make, and the instructions are very clear, though attaching the leather handle would be easier for someone with more hand-sewing skills than I have. Otherwise it was a fun project. The purse isn’t big enough to use as an everyday handbag (not for me anyway), but it’s big enough if you are going out for the evening and just need to bring a few items like your phone, money and whatever. I went with contrasting thread for attaching the leather handle, and I’m not quite sure about that decision – however, I do think the handle adds that little extra to make the purse look stylish.

I feel confident I will get a lot of use out of this one!

Head Above Water

Let me see… Now where do I click in order to create a new post – ok, found it.

Hi guys – long time no see. I want to start out by saying thank you SO much for the concern in shape of comments, as well as emails and messages on Facebook and Flickr. Don’t ever think you can just wander off in the blogosphere and disappear – no siree! I’ve missed you all, but I had to take a break, due to – busy life, I guess. No blogging as you know (not even blogreading), no sewing, and the camera has been taking a bit of a vacation.

Where were we? Oh yes, the kitchen arrived and was installed. The pictures below give an impression of what it all looks like now, if you want to see more, go here.

We are missing a few details, but we love the kitchen, and we so enjoy using it. The finishing touches will be there when we feel like it. The pictures were taken on a sunny day in December, and they don’t even quite show the kitchen the way it looks now, because some wall cupboards are missing, but I’ll show you sooner or later.

But so many other things happened during November and December, and I’ll just leave the very short version here – wouldn’t know where to start otherwise. In November they had mass lay offs at Mads’ work, which happily he avoided. Frida’s hearing kept getting worse, followed closely by her speech, which caused her to have new ear tubes inserted in December – it’s all much better now. My father passed away late November, which kept me busy emotionally and led to lots of thoughts. We all went to funeral in December, and in spite of the occasion we had a nice day with the family. And then of course winter colds, flus and the likes to top it all off. Just before Christmas Frida had the chickenpox, followed closely by Ronja on the morning of New Years Eve.

We have had our share to deal with over the last couple of months, but during the Christmas break we have done nothing but relax. Nothing! Stayed at home, gone for walks, watched movies with the girls, had friends over for dinner, spent an afternoon at Tivoli’s Christmas Market as we do every year. It has been great, and we could’ve easily spent another month like that.

That’s pretty much it for now – but I won’t be gone long this time. Finally I just want to show you the beautiful picture of Ronja walking in a Lucia parade in the day care – even though it has been a while.

Guess What Just Arrived?

We now have plans for the weekend!

One Step Behind

Every time I take pictures of Project Kitchen and get ready to upload them in the evening, by the time it’s done, Mads is several processes ahead of me. It’s no different today – and hats off to Mads, because he is working so hard to transform the room into a kitchen at the moment. We really are getting there too – just take a look below. Remember what it looked like a few months ago? Note to self: Tell Mads he is doing a helluva job!

Two days ago, we took an important step by ordering the kitchen – isn’t it just totally exciting? We’re going with an IKEA kitchen – it’s quite simple but we’re aiming for a room that will be nice and welcoming to walk into, and something that’ll last for a good many years. Oh, I can’t wait! Just imagine what it’s like to have a dish washer again? We have been shopping for domestic appliances like oven, cook top, refrigerator, etc. the last couple of months – finding everything new – or nearly new – at great prices. That’s just something we do – we don’t mind doing our research thoroughly to save money, and it works really well for us!

Today, I have been working from home, because Ronja’s day care was closed for the day, so I needed to have her home with me. Not having my usual long transport at the end of my workday, made it possible for us to have fun in the late afternoon – so we made a carved pumpkin. I only had a really big knife (our kitchen is packed in moving boxes, as you know), so there’s not much detail to it, and the girls lost interest quite quickly. Anyhow, now he’s here – greeting passers by outside our house with style.

Blue Monday

Actually, today has been more of a greyish Monday. It has been raining all day, but my mood really hasn’t been affected by it.

I had a wonderful weekend. Saturday, I met up with a bunch of open, creative, strong, sensitive, wise, funny, inventive, remarkable women. The day contained humour as well as seriousness and many good talks – it was a bloggers meetup, and though it took place a two hour drive away from here, it was definitely worth the trip, and it left me with a feeling of having connected to a bunch of wonderful women outside my usual circles. Thanks, girls – and Yay for blogging – did I say that before?

Sunday was all about kitchen (I’ll get back to that) and kids – and visiting good friends in the late afternoon.

So back to the blue Monday. I was tagged by Annette in a colour game, and I wasn’t sure whether I would find the time, because as you all know, time is a luxury around here at the moment. However, I started looking for light blue items in my home, when I wasn’t thinking about it, and finally I couldn’t resist getting out the camera.

I thought it would be difficult to find light blue around here, but while there may not be many totally light blue items, it’s still a colour that pops out here and there.

Like in the new issue of Ottobre, which arrived a few days ago – such a gorgeous girls tunic pattern in there, by the way!

There is one among Frida’s crayons…

In this painting by Ronja, a sweet girl has light blue arms – or is that wings?

And this blue wire will help spread atmosphere in our kitchen to be – they’re coming out of the walls everywhere.

I managed to find light blue – so I’m sending on the challenge:

Marina, Amy, and Lisbeth – would you play along and find 7 green items in your homes?

My Second Lickety Split

I am so fond of my Lickety Split bags – the one that I got from Rae at Made By Rae as well as the one I made from her pattern. That is why I made this for my mother-in-law’s birthday a little while ago.

It’s a gift card – for a custom made Lickety Split bag. This means that she got to choose the colour, and I went on to choose the fabric and make her the bag.

My mother-in-law decided on a purplish bag that would go with a felted wool jacket she just got for herself. Below you see the result.

The outer fabric is from Stof & Stil, and the fabric for the outer pockets and lining is from Malika & Rosa – this is actually fabric from Onion, the same Onion that makes many of the patterns I use. I was actually going to use this for the exterior of the bag, but the cotton quality was just too light for that. I do like the combination the way it turned out, though. So I followed the pattern instructions and added sew-in interfacing for padding the way I did with the one I made for myself. I also installed a magnetic snap at the opening, because it’s nice to be able to close the bag if you’re carrying a lot in it. I have missed this a few times in my own.

This has been my first sewing in quite a while, and I must say I’m happy with it – I just hope that goes for the recipient as well!

Not A Cloud In The Sky

That’s the weather we have been having today. Mads and the girls woke me up with a birthday song – they had flowers for me, and they had prepared breakfast. Ronja gave me a beautiful drawing of me wearing a gorgeous, and very colourful dress.

34… wow.

Mads took the day off in order to work on the kitchen, and he had come a long way when I returned home from work. I love seeing the progress he’s making at the moment!

This evening we all walked to a nearby restaurant – the girls were a bit tired, but we still had a very nice time. Now I just finished a sewing project, and before long it’ll be bedtime.

What a wonderful day!