Maxi dresses

My latest obsession is caused by fantastic weather - I want a maxi dress. But can I be asked to trail the shops in this heat...? I fear defeat on this mission, so I've been searching a bit online, and I quite like these:


By Marimekko. Breaking the bank, I'm afraid.


From mail order catalogue LaRedoute. I might just get this one, taking the risk that it will not fit.


H&M. Too synthetic, I'm afraid. Nothing but cotton will work in the heat.


From Asos. Not available in my size...

Coming up roses

It's suddenly turned really really hot and summery here, and I'm finding myself trying to fix up the garden a bit. It doesn't come naturally to me I don't think, green fingers and all that, but I do like some colourful flowers around me. I was trimming some rose bushes (which for once have decided to bloom fantastically) and three tiny rose buds came off, so I put them in my smallest vase, not expecting much. But this morning they had sprung and were quite stunning in their minuscule way.




Have a nice weekend everyone – I hope to bring you some more summer treats later.

Etsy shop update

I have just added some items from my vintage mid-century collection to my Etsy shop. Please check it out for more info and bigger images.

The shipping costs are based on International shipping outside of Europe. Shipping within Norway will be less than half that, and anywhere else in Europe somewhere in between. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions :-)

Designer home: Eero Aarnio

I keep a scrap book with articles of houses and interiors that I like. One of the houses I have in there is Finnish designer Eero Aarnio's. If you're not already familiar with the name, he is the designer behind such classics as the Ball Chair (1963), Tomato (1971), Pastillo (1968), Puppy (2005) and Double Bubble lamp (2001). Aarnio is regarded as one of the great innovators of modern furniture design, experimenting with plastics and bright colors in his furniture pieces. He's represented in some of the world's most prestigious museums (naturally :-).

I particularly like the bright, light feel of this house, all the built-in bookshelves and the touches of bright colors.

These photographs are all borrowed from photographer Rachel Smith.

Kiddie room

I got the latest Expedit shelf from Ikea that I like so much. I decided it would be great for storage in our son's room, as toys and books started to take on a life of their own, multiplying like rabbits. Unfortunately Ikea were all out the red drawers that fits the shelf so nicely, so I will have to go back for those at some point. The shelf was really easy to assemble, by the way. Although I was a bit taken aback when I opened the boxes and found the little bag of screws and counted 76 wooden pegs...

When I put the dollhouse on top of the shelf, I thought it was quite interesting how the shelf compartments resemble the room compartments in a dollhouse. If you're looking at this thinking it's a bit too high up to be played with for my boy, you are right. It's MY dollhouse, you see, and as long as I can reach, selfish, childish Mum is happy. (To be honest, he's not that into it anyway. Cars are more his thing.)




The first sewing project to come out of my new workshop is this banner of flags (what IS the proper name for it?). The framed illustrations hanging on the walls are two etsy finds, one by Mrs Eliot books and the other one by Dee Beale.

Designers Go Playground - contemporary dollhouse and so much more

I can't believe I haven't seen this before: It was shown at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair , in New York a year ago and it's had publicity both online and in papers. Where have I been?? Thanks to Sari for requesting my friendship on facebook I found this on her web. I SO want it! I love everything about it - the clever combination of modular furniture and the über-cool dollhouse... The colours, the patterns. What's not to like, really? I can't wait to see this in the shops.

Designers Go Playground is a collaboration between Finnish textile designer Sari Syvaluoma and Norwegian industrial designer Johan Ørbeck Aase.

My workshop

Or: How to make a workshop in a tiny place? This storage room attached to the front of our house is about 3 meters long and half that in width. It is narrow, but I've decided to attempt using it as a workshop anyway. For sewing, mainly, but also to print my little gocco silk screens, etc.

I managed to fit in an OK size worktop of solid wood. It's resting on legs which has storage and can be adjusted in height (for tasks that require standing). Storage is key for me. I brought out the old cupboard inherited from my grandfather (we just call it no. 33 and 34) for holding cushions. I got an Ivar shelf from Ikea for my fabrics. The spare fridge is not storing anything (yet :-) but it was hard to get rid of, as it comes in handy for the odd party or barbeque. Plus now I don't have to run upstairs for that glass of bubbly. Just kidding.



The plates on the wall are there simply because they didn't fit in anywhere else but I thought they deserved to be seen. I put up an old plate rack to hold magazines and the odd book, as I will need some inspiration when sitting there without a pc. If you look carefully, you can just make out a corner of a drying rack hanging from the ceiling. This is for drying my printed cards. I was well pleased with myself when I came up with that idea. Let's hope it works.



Lastly, I have to mention that I was given lots and lots of boxes of thread from a collegue of my sister's - her mother had been a seamstress, and all of this used to be hers. There is a lot of silk thread, which I have never used before and they are the most amazing colors. There are boxes of pinks, purple and browns as well. I don't think I will ever need to buy thread again.

OK.On with the work.

Yellows (again)

I did once consider making sunny yellow the main colour in my kitchen. I might still do it one day. For now, I make do with yellow as an accent colour here and there. My happy Pluto dog from Brio has followed me from childhood. The bin is my most recent yellow purchase, it is 'Knodd' from Ikea. (I had to get a lidded bin for my office to stop Kurt from nicking papers and shredding them all over the place.) In the last yellow-themed image, is my Krenit bowl, a vintage Swedish flower pot and a precious glass bowl designed by multi-talented Swedish artist Vicke Lindstrand for Kosta.

Jane Foster

I've just recently discovered the talented Jane Foster's blog and web shop. She produces fantastic, bold 70's style screenprints and fabric items. Here are a couple of images from her house. The kitchen looks so inviting, and I love the yellow lamp. I have a thing for bright yellow - more on that later, I'm sure.



Hope you're all having a lovely weekend, by the way.

Decorative bargains

This my third Bruksbo bargain. I think it was originally designed to hold LPs, but it works just as well as a magazine rack. I have been wanting one since I first saw it many years ago, and lo and behold - yesterday I found this at what can only be described as a treasure chest of a local second hand market.


I also found these ceramic candleholders in a fantastic yellow colour. Needless to say perhaps, but yesterday was a happy day for me :-) The framed print is by Dee Beale. Check out her Etsy shop.


And what's a better bargain than free flowers, especially when they are as beautiful as these? I picked them by the road side coming back from kindergarten this morning. They are actually regarded as weed around these parts.

Vintage table lamps

It's been another successful thrift Tuesday for me. I've had this red and clear glass table lamp for a few years now, but never found the right shade for it. Until today. It was shouting to me from the shelf. I love the colors in the prism pattern, the slightly shiny texture and the soft light it gives. The stacked glass cubes of the base have a metal pole going through them, which allows them to be twisted at angles to each other.



Then I found this greenish lamp base sitting there with the ugliest shade. I guess that's why nobody had seen how beautiful the lamp itself was. Lucky me. I think it works OK with this plain white shade, although I might give it some new fabric at some point. It's signed Desirée Stentøs, Denmark. I've never seen the name before, but I'm intrigued to see more of her work.

Lemonade and awards

I have been spoiled with not just one but TWO Lemonade Awards recently. One from Keryn of Eighty Days Design and one from Zoë of Conversation Pieces. Thank you both so much, and big apologies for taking so long... I would like to serve both of them and my nominees a fresh drink of lemonade in one of my vintage glasses :-)

Here are my nominees (in no particular order). They are all fairly recent on my subscription list, and I so enjoy reading their posts:
* Tinkering Times
* Pouch
* Hei Astrid
* Dee Beale
* Fridas Fina
* Particular aesthetic

Receiving the award(s) come with a duty of course. You need to:
- Nominate 5 to 10 blogs you feel show great attitude and gratitude.
- Comment on the blog that awarded you.
- Copy the award and save to your computer, and then upload it to your blog.
- Link to your nominees within your blog post.
- Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award.
- Link back to the person who gave you the award to show your appreciation.

A Scandinavian summer night

This is one of the reasons I don't emigrate - the bright nights of Norwegian summers are fantastic. Over the weekend I was up at 2.30 one morning (checking e-mails and blogs, that's right..) and witnessed this daybreak through my office window.

Red Friday

I like a bit of red here and there.
The 'Ericofonen' phone is an all time favorite.
Kurt likes to chew some of Ellis' cuddly toys. Naughty dog.
That's when I try to give the dog a bone... This is such a ridiculous item, I can't help but loving it. A chewing bone from Gucci. Gucci Dog, to be exact. I was given it by my friend Paul after he had used it for a photo shoot. It came in a black box with embossed silver logo, ribbon and the works. Talk about going to the dogs.

Have a nice weekend!