One Year Ago - Almost

These are a couple of snapshots a friend took of A and me New Year's Eve last year. So strange to see them now. They make me think of all the things that happened during this year - my big stomach right now, the wedding this summer, Frida Viola starting in kindergarten last spring, me stopping working at the gallery this autumn - and many more smaller changes and stories that are no less important for us. This year we won't go to the party, I think - A is ill and we are all exhausted.

Three of a Kind

We are back in Copenhagen again after some days at my mom's place. We practically saw the entire family and it was wonderful - but we are all very tired now and A is having the flu.

At the photo Frida Viola is together with my sister's two girls - all three of them wearing dresses my mom made. She used the same fabric but very different patterns and styles to fit the different ages (2, 4 and 6). The girls look cute in each their way.

and the day after...

Just a little hello and a Merry Christmas for all of you sweet bloggers and friends :)

We had such a nice day yesterday. Frida Viola has the perfect age for loving everything about Christmas - and her enthusiasm is irresistible. My mom made the dress Frida Viola is wearing in the last photos as a Christmas gift. She used a pattern from one of Elsebeth Gynther's books ("Børnetøj du selv kan sy 5-12 år" - sorry, can't find a link!) and converted it into a size 2-years. I had the same model when I was 5 and remember loving that dress.

The day before...

We are home all three of us - finally. The tree has been decorated, and today I have been cooking most of the day. Right now we are listening to old Christmas records while working on a kitchen stove for Frida Viola - as always in last minute... Hope your December 23 has been good too.

Frida Viola's Advent Calendar - December 23

December 23 - a tiny little carousel. Actually a pencil sharpener - when you sharpen a pencil the animals turn around. All pencils in the house are super sharp after today ;-)
From here, 10 DKK on sale.

Frida Viola's Advent Calendar - December 22

December 22 - another of Gunilla Bergström's stories about Alfons Åberg. I have been away all day until now so I haven't read it with Frida Viola yet, but A says it's good.
Found in the local thrift store, practically unused, 20 DKK.

Johanne, 5 years

Sweet Johanne, just turned 5, made this fantastic painting for me, also a birthday present :)
What more can you ask for?

Frida Viola's Advent Calendar - December 21

December 21 - nice little handknitted wool mittens from
El Puente's fair trade project in Nepal - to keep her little fingers warm. From this shop, 89 DKK.

New Book # 2: Vintage Craft

Another nice book I had for my birthday is "Vintage Craft" by Cathy Callahan. The book is filled with updated inspiration from the '60s and '70s. I especially like the crocheted mobile in the photo just above - a nice mobile for the baby to come :)
There is also a section on macramé hangers that makes me feel like throwing everything else away and immediately start making knots.

Frida Viola's Advent Calendar - December 20

December 20 - a little comb and some hairclips to go along with the mirror she had earlier. She uses at least a package of hair clips per week over at kindergarten. Where do all these hairclips go...?
The hairclips are from this nice shop, 20 DKK, and the little comb is found in a local supermarket in Cairo when I went there last spring. I remember this model from my own childhood (should have bought some more!), can't remember the price, but it was close to nothing.

New Book # 1: a perfectly kept home is the sign of a misspent life

This is one of the books I had for my birthday - "a perfectly kept house is sthe sign of a misspent life" by Mary Randolph Carter. I guess many of you are already familiar with this book. It is filled with beautiful photos of very personal, atmospheric and wonderful homes - many of them with kids. So far I have only looked and looked and looked and done no reading yet - but the picture part does fully live up to my expectations. I love books like this!

Frida Viola's Advent Calendar - December 19

December 19 - a friendly sock horse. It's in family with (but not at all as beautiful as!) the fantastic sock horses at mummo. This good horse I found at the local thrift store near our old Swedish house, only 13 SEK. Frida Viola has been riding all afternoon and the horse is now asleep beside her bed with a blanket over it.

Frida Viola's Advent Calendar - December 18

December 18 - nice wooden eco-beads, already turned into a necklace...
From this shop, 20 DKK for a package.

December Birthday

This weekend we celebrated my birthday :) It began Friday morning when my sweet family woke me up with good coffee, birthday song, gifts and kisses, and it ended today with friends, pan forte, chai and these three beautiful little Lucia brides that walked through our home with candlelights and song...

Such a nice weekend...

The books are presents - books of all sort were on my wishlist, and I had so many super nice ones, that I will show you more about tomorrow.

Frida Viola's Advent Calendar - December 17

December 17 - one of Elsa Beskow's sweet stories,
"Puttes Eventyr i Blåbærskoven" ("Peter in Blueberryland"), that I remember from my own childhood.
The book was first published in 1901 in Sweden, and the story is written in verse but still captures little ones.
From the local thrift store, 5 DKK.

Frida Viola's Advent Calendar - December 16

December 16 - Talkie Walkie ballarina socks from Danish Ubang. She likes them!
Found on sale, 50 DKK.

Frida Viola's Advent Calendar - December 15

December 15 - today a little sample for her dolls: a red potty, cute panties in nice fabric, and two hangers for the ever growing wardrobe of the dolls...
Found in the local thrift store near our old house in Sweden, 5 SEK for the three items together.

The doll is my favorite from my childhood and is also wearing a little jumpsuit from the same thrift store.
A sometimes says we should buy some new toys for Frida Viola, but I like it this way and Frida Viola thinks it's funny that the doll once belonged to me - and the old handmade doll clothes are much better and prettier than the new stuff you can buy :)

Garlands...

I like these knitted letters made by Danish textile designer Line Dyrholm in wool. I have used them to write "snow" and "christmas" (in Danish "sne" and "jul"), but they are nice as a garland with the kids' names as well. You can buy them here.

In Frida Viola's room some of the pennants from the wedding are up as well - along with her little name-heart and a crochet garland I made a while ago. Not real Christmas decorations - but it looks nice anyway :)

Frida Viola's Advent Calendar - December 14

December 14 - a tiger mask that came together with the owl.
From this shop, 30 DKK for a package of 2 masks.

These little dala horses from Wiksten are wonderful - would like a couple for the tree...

Frida Viola's Advent Calendar - December 13

December 13 - "Pippi vill inte bli stor", one of Astrid Lindgren's fantastic stories about Pippi Longstocking. In this story Pippi, Annika and Tommy decides, that they will never grow up. They want to remain children so they can play until they are a hundred years, at least...

Found in the local thrift store near our old house in Sweden,
10 SEK.

Lucia

Today was a big day for Frida Viola - the Lucia procession in kindergarten. They really looked cute, all of them very proud and excited. Frida Viola's little white Lucia dress used to belong to my grandmother when she was little - originally a little undergarment. And the Lucia gingerbread is a tradition my mom started when my sister and I were kids - she always made a Lucia cake like this for each of us, and I used to love it.