All time favorite film for Christmas - Fanny och Alexander

And my all time favorite Bergman film, too. I watched all 5 hours of it on Swedish tv yesterday.

The White Christmas Tree

OK, so I finally got it up and decorated... Doesn't look too bad now, considering my last post on this topic.

White tree and gold decorations is a first for me. I'm particularly happy with the huge gold sequined apples (from Åhlens) and the white vintage hearts (from ebay). The black and gold peacocks are from Paperchase in London. I also put up some vintage origami stars I made as a kid, plus some of my grandmother's old decorations.


Oh, and a merry Christmas to you all!

Cushion order

I got a few orders for cushions after the christmas fair a couple of weeks ago. This is the first one of the lot. I think it turned out very nice. Thanks again to Cecilie for donating all those beautiful silk scarves!

White christmas tree update

OK, so I got a white tree, mail order (from Ellos). This is what it looked like when I took it out of its box... Looks a bit sad, doesn't it? What are the chances of this turning into a stunner? Watch this space.

I heart this

My son is friends with Alma in kindergarten. Her mum, Gro, of Rekkehusliv blog, had made us this little surprise present last week. It is so sweet! Nice paper too :-) Thank you, Gro and Alma! Now, where to hang it...?

LooLoos toilet roll dolls

I don't know if crocheted toilet roll dolls was a particularly Scandinavian trend (in the 1960s?). Anyway, the girls behind The LooLoos have put a new spin on it and these dolls were for sale at the previously mentioned Christmas fair. I think they're so funny. Not to mention creative!

Sir Bob Geldof live in Oslo

I just got home from seeing Bob Geldof with band live at Gamle Logen in Oslo. It was a great event. Thanks, Bob! :-)

Christmas cards

I got out my Gocco and printed these to sell at the Christmas Fair last weekend. They didn't sell as well as I'd hoped for, but you can't win them all, right? I'm quite pleased with them all the same. The orange print reads 'It’s Christmas again' and the brown reads 'Oh, joyous Christmas' (or something to that effect.)

DEJM Christmas Fair purchases

Here are a few things I couldn't resist at the Christmas Fair: Long knitted silk scarf by SoHee, black Bambi brooch and white mustache necklace by Cecilie Ellefsen/Happymeat and silver and porcelain earrings by Sara Skotte.

New SCUSI products

I had the pleasure of creative duo SCUSI’s company at last weekends Designers’ Christmas Fair. Amongst their new designs were Mette Fjørtoft’s fantastic porcelain lamps with vintage glass shades and gold (or white) owl vases.
Her partner in crime, Hege Gimle had beautiful cups, plates and ornaments - like these white porclain hanging cones with doily imprints. (Mittens by www.ragniafeef.com).

Here's a little snapshot of my table last weekend. Will be back shortly with my favorite purchases from the fair.

Designers’ Christmas Fair in Oslo this weekend

If you should be in Oslo this weekend, do not miss the annual Designers’ Christmas Fair (Designernes eget julemarked) at DogA. It's the 10th time running, and this year there are over 100 designers selling their designs and crafty goods. There's always a good atmosphere and usually quite busy, so come early! Open Saturday and Sunday 10am - 6pm, address: Hausmannsgate 16.

Vintage advent calendar

This advent calendar was made by my mum back in the late 60s or early 70s. I remember so well the anticipation of opening a new item every day in December up until Christmas Eve, when I finally got to open the BIG one... If you look closely, there's nothing up on number 24 yet. That's because it just wouldn't fit (it's a book. But don't tell him.) I decided to go for a set of toy farm animals for my son's first advent calendar experience. He's not expecting too much... Other than a sheep (again) tomorrow.

Final rest

It's been some very though days around here lately after my dog passed away. Nothing could have prepared me for all the strange reminders that pop up everywhere. Her absence is so overwhelming. I keep thinking she's in her favorite spot on the sofa, keep wanting to give her a little treat from the left-over dinner, I can't get used to her bed and food bowls being gone (although keeping them in place would be even more painful). Yesterday when I came into the house I thought for a second that I saw her shadow through the frosted glass door in the hallway - as she always came running to greet me when I'd been out. If only...

We buried her on Sunday, and I thought she should have something with her in the grave. I decided on her small pillow which she loved to rest her head on or give a good toss around when in a playful mood. I found it many years ago from a fleamarket in the children's ward of a hospital, and thought the hand-crafted dandelions where beautiful. That pillow's had a few lives already and now it has its final rest together with Gunn.

Thanks to all of my blog-friends for all their kind words and comments on Gunn's passing. It means a lot to me.

Goodbye Gunn

My beautiful dog died yesterday morning. This has been a huge blow. Athough she was diagnosed with a heart condition some time ago, I really didn't think she would go yet. She had what seemed like a heart attack and passed quickly. It was a terrible thing to witness, but at least she got to die at home with her loved ones around her. For 11 years she was there welcoming me with an ever wagging tail. I'm going to miss her terribly.

I'm dreaming of a white christmas tree

Ever since last christmas I've been wanting a white christmas tree. I have never wanted a fake green tree, but a white one is not trying to look like a real tree plus it has a different decoration feel altogether in my opinion. This one from Urban Outfitters is the best one I've seen so far, but unfortunately they don't ship to Norway :-( So, the search goes on...

Wish list II

Here are a few things I wouldn't mind owning... Orange desk clock from the MoMA store, Ultima Thule on-the-rocks tumblers from Iittala, Finland,Similaisydämet duvet cover and pillow case from Marimekko, Sarpaneva cast iron pot, Icon wrist watch from the MoMA store and mp3 player pouch from Jonathan Adler.

Nice cuppa

I set a cup of tea to brew while catching up on all the lovely blog posts on my RSS feed tonight. The orange looked so great I had to get the camera out... Lipton tea, if you're interested. In a big Ego cup from Arabia.

More TwentyTwentyOne purchases

This was the only really good shop I had time to visit in London last weekend (I even had to give Orla Kiely a miss :-o). I could have bought a lot in TwentyTwentyOne, but limited myself. For once. I was intrigued by this simple and beautiful notebook by Korean company o-check design graphics. The words on the cover reads: Another day, cloudy memory Recollected. I looked up their website, and they do some interesting stuff. I'm curious about the Swedish influences to some of the items in their online shop .

I also got this Lucienne Day teatowel, which I think is fantastic. There was 4 different ones to choose from, which wasn't easy as they are all great. Here's a snippet from their web about this product: Produced in pure linen, these designs differ from the repeat-pattern of much of Lucienne's other design work. Though not undermining the functionality and everyday value, the Lucienne Day teatowel works as a stand-alone artwork, as well as a household tool.

Desperate measures

What do you do when your 2-year old refuses to sit strapped into his seat on the plane? Distract him as best you can! Buy him a way too advanced radio-controlled airplane toy from the tax-free trolley if necessary... (The trick worked for a few minutes.)

Cold War Modern Exhibition at the V&A

I'm kind of kicking myself for not having time to go and see this exhibition at the V&A over the weekend when I was in London. I heard it was very good. Maybe I have to go back in January...

Favorite purchase

This is my favorite purchase from my trip to London over the weekend. It's a silicon cake mold that fashions different sized slices. You know how some people go 'oh, give me just a small slice'? Well now they can have THE small slice. Or if you're like me, go for the BIG one... I think it looks brilliant as well as being fun. And the graphic designer in me is also thinking 'pie charts'.

The design is by Konstantin Slawinski and I bought mine from TwentyTwentyOne on Upper Street, Islington.

Packing my bags

I'm going to London on Friday, and have started packing my bags. Looking forward to meeting up with some old friends and hopefully a new one, Francesca ;-) A bit of retail shopping is also on the cards, hopefully I find something so fantastic that I have to post it when I get back next week.

Unfortunately I'm coming down with a cold at the moment, which I guess is just typical when going traveling... Hoping for the best!

Etsy shop update

Here is my third product type for JB design at Etsy. It's a collection of brooches made from vintage china/faience plates. I might add a few rings to the collection soon. I'll keep you posted.

Not so good vintage

These made me laugh.



For more retro crafty fashion pics, go to: Flickr. Thanks to The Mid Century Modernist for leading me there.

Congratulations, America!

This photo is borrowed from Khoi Vinh's website (via SwissMiss). The caption reads: Just a few minutes ago, some of my colleagues noticed a line forming out in front of the Times Building. People are queuing up to buy already scarce copies of today’s newspaper, presumably as mementos of the historic election of Barack Obama to the office of President of the United States.

It made me think of Robert Frank's photography series 'The Americans', which I love. I think this one fits well today:
(Political Rally, Chicago 1956. © Courtesy Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York)

60s/70s ceramic lamps

I got these vintage lamp bases from my local fleamarket today. I'm thinking of making some funky lampshades for them using retro fabrics.

News from Rörstrand

I saw an ad for these new Rörstrand candle holders recently. Being a fan of retro leaf patterns, I just had to have a closer look. It is called Aurora and is designed by Hanna Werning. I want that matchbox in particular!

Rubrik meets Pantone

I'd love to have one of these. It's called the Rubitone. Not for sale anywhere, apparently. Yet, anyway - I wouldn't be surprised if someone put it into production. Meanwhile you could make your own with the help of an ordinary Rubrik's cube, a Pantone book and some glue...

More silly music videos

I love Flight of the Conchords, so I thought I'd share two of their music videos. Have a fa-fa-fun weekend!

My French is just about on this level (I remember repeating the ingredients for salade niçoise for a whole year at school).


Apart from the lyrics, I dig the moves and pictures in this one. And I always wanted a pair of those old school roller skates...

Aha video. Literally.

«Ever wish songs just sang what was happening in the music video? Well now they do.» Thanks to Happy Mundane for sharing this.

Shake it like a Polaroid picture

Being a lover of most things retro, this is just up my alley: convert your digital photographs into (virtual) polaroids! Or Poladroids, as the case might be. Get your free application download here, drag and drop and shake, shake, shake it. Or just sit back and watch your image develop.

PS. You can grab versions of your poladroid at any stage during development. Cool, ha?

There's also a Poladroid flickr group.

David Shelley, fab house follow-up

Back in spring I posted some fab houses that I had found in various magazines. One of the responses I got was from a Julian Shelley who could inform me that his dad had designed one of them! His dad is architect David Shelley and apparently he was more than happy to provide me with more samples of his work, if I was interested. Wow... Was I interested? You bet. Father and son Shelley most kindly photocopied and sent me magazine articles, plans and pictures of 3 different houses. (I have to apologize for the quality of my scans, and for the delay in posting this - I haven't been able to borrow a better scanner).


The first house was called 'House of a hundred curves' when it was featured in Ideal Home Magazine in the 1970s. Here is a quote about it from a local historian:
The present Stainsby House was completed in 1974. The architect was David Shelley, of Nottingham, and it was built for Robert Morley, then owner of Alida Packaging of Heanor Gate.
A most unusual design, which attracted both praise and criticism at the time, the house had a helicopter landing pad, an indoor swimming pool, marble floors, solar panels, and gold-plate fittings. The living area was 15,000 square feet (about the size of 15 three-bedroom terraced houses!), and there were 18 acres of land to accompany it. It is often described as being "Spanish style," but I'm not sure that that is correct - the aim of the architect was to do away with straight lines, with the rooms being round or oval - curves everywhere. It won at least one award.
By 1975, Mr Morley had moved to Guernsey, and the house was put on the market at £425,000 (remember - this is 30 years ago!). The property did not sell until 1977, by which time the price had dropped to a mere £150,000. It was on the market again in 1986, for £350,000.
It has been used as a TV set. In BBC's "The Life and Loves of a She-Devil," it was meant to be an affluent clinic in California.

The second house is the Coward House which I posted in April. You can read more about it here.

The final house is called Monchen House and is from 1978. It's interesting to see the great span in expression of these houses although they are all designed in the same decade. By the same man.

HUGE thanks to Julian and David Shelley for going to all the trouble of sending me this info.

Small shop update

This cushion (Blue Rose) is now available in my web shop jb design. I do sell Internationally - just e-mail me for quotes and info.