OMG Godagers!

I've been a facebook-follower of this fantastic little vintage furniture shop in Oslo for some time now. It's called Godagers. Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/godagers
 I'm always amazed by their beautiful mid-century modern furniture, some of which they re-upholster and paint before they put it up for sale. Such nice stuff! Here are some recent samples.
 

This Norwegian sofa bed I actually do have an original version of. I'm very inspired by this picture to upholster mine...

Creative vehicles

I'd like to share with you these cute motoring discoveries from my summer holiday, both very crafty :-)

 Crocheted car cover, Alicante, Spain.

 Mountain roadworkers' lunch room, Hallingdal, Norway.

R.I.P. Google Reader

Goodbye Google Reader, it's been good knowing you. Hello Bloglovin'! I love you already :-)

 

To the right you can see some of the blogs I follow. I have over 600 posts to catch up on at the moment... Been kind of busy lately, but hope to get back into the lovely blog world properly again this summer.

Stavangerflint collection on YouTube

I thought this little film needs sharing :-) I found it via this site: http://stavangerflint.gratisnettside.no/

Clarice Cliff 'Bizarre 5948'

I do like a bit of art deco, but until now I haven't purchased or collected any items from this period. Yesterday however, I came across this beautiful set by Clarice Cliff and my heart skipped a beat :-) I know her designs are very sought-after, especially in England, and I've never come across any of her designs here in Norway before. And what a great pattern this is! I love the simplicity and the colour combination on these. The price was really good too, so I'm very happy with this purchase.

 The marks underneath the creamer reads Clarice Cliff, Newport Pottery, England, 'Notification applied for' and it has the number 5948. On some of the other pieces it says 'Bizarre'.

If anyone reading this should need plates in this pattern I've got some spares for sale.

William Knutzen vase

This is my first piece of William Knutzen pottery. As with so many items that I find in fleamarkets, I buy it with the intent to sell it on, but once it's been in my house for a while, it really grows on me and I find it hard to part with.

William Knutzen was one of the big mid-century ceramicists in Norway. I tried finding a link in English with more info, but could only find this in Norwegian. Sorry, English readers! For more pics of his work, check out this link.

More Inger Waage dishes

I have recently added some fat stripey dishes to my Inger Waage collection (Stavangerflint). They provide a nice contrast to my other IW items in the same colour range, I think. When I search for Inger Waage designs online I'm always surprised at just how much this woman produced in her time. Not to mention her creativity!

Creative friends

I am lucky enough to have some very talented creative friends. One of them is Mette Fjørtoft Vågnes, half of pottery designer duo Scusi. I visited her yesterday in her workshop at Kirkeristen in Oslo. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, I just want to add that it was such an inspiring visit - I love seeing all the wacky but beautiful products that Mette creates.

Some visual muzak while you wait

I'm preparing an exciting post for tomorrow. 

Meanwhile, here's a little something I made earlier ;-)

Forgive me Reader, it's been several months since my last post

3 pics and a few hail the blogosphere and I'm forgiven... Right?

I'll admit it - I almost gave up blogging. I have however decided to give it another go. There has been a lot of things going on in my life lately, distracting me from posting on the blog, and also I've simply lacked motivation. I'm very happy to say it's slowly coming back :-)

I am thinking I might do some changes to the blog - maybe also move it to a different location. (I'll let you know.) Or maybe it will just continue it's bumpy journey much in the same way that it has done for years now. We'll see.

Anyway, I think I know what you guys like, and here is some of my latest vintage finds:

Two teak chairs with beautiful green wool upholstery, produced at Låte Møbelfabrikk, Norway. My guess is they date back to the late '50s/early '60s.

 

 This huge rug is Danish and most likely from the 1960s. This snap shot was taken with my phone in the second hand shop where it still resides (waiting to be dry cleaned before I pick it up), hence the not so great photo quality. I might post a better pic once I get it home.

I can't give you any info on this beautiful vase, I'm afraid... In fact, I hope maybe someone out there can help me. It is a medium sized vase and very heavy. If I were to guess I'd say it's either a Hadeland item or maybe from Orrefors. It could be something else entirely, of course. If you recognise it, please drop me a line.

First Christmas decoration, paper snowflakes

When my 6 year old son came home from school yesterday and wanted us to make these, I was happy to oblige. It's great to have a kid to do crafty stuff with - I don't get to do too much of it these days. Also it brings back memories of making Christmas decorations in my own childhood - good memories :-) 

In case you wonder, I made the top one and E did the rest. I think they look great together on the window with the blinds behind them.

Finn Hald dishes

I simply had to share with you my little collection of Finn Hald pottery dishes, as I recently purchased two at an auction site (the bottom two in the picture). I think all three are beautiful on their own, but I really love the way they look together.

From before I also have a Hald vase which you can see here.

Colourful Octons

This display greeted me at the breakfast table this morning. Nothing like a solid splash of colour to brighten up the day, eh? Thank you, Ellis :-)

And thank you yet again Francesca, for introducing us to (vintage) Octons. We also still love your Octons print!

 Here's a link to Francescas fab etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/listing/54039185/octons

Beautiful blues

For a short while around 1997 I was into blue stuff in my kitchen. Since then it hasn't really been 'my' colour (other than mostly Rimini blue type ceramics – but more on that in a different post). Every summer there seem to be blue stuff featured in various interior design magazines, and lately it's been growing on me again. Pictured above are some of my recent finds while thrifting. From the left: a big Cathrineholm ashtray in blue enamel, designed by Grete Prytz Kittelsen. Floral cookie tin from Ira, Denmark. On top of the tin is a tea cup and saucer in Koka Blå from Rörstrand, designed by Hertha Bengtson (a set I'm now collecting and love for its beautiful simplicity). To its right is a tin in the Unikko pattern from Marimekko (thank you Gro! ;-) and in front is a coffee cup from Bilton’s, England.

Erik Pløen lamp

At this point I have quite a few vintage ceramic lamps in my house. I really didn't need more, but I just couldn't resist this unique one when I saw it in a second hand shop last week (at a bargain, I might add). It was the blue and green pattern on its back, picturing sky and sea with birds and fish that attracted me to it at first, more than the fisherman, although I think he's pretty cool looking too :-) Also the sheer size and weight of this lamp is quite impressive. The lamp is signed Erik Pløen, one of the best known Norwegian pottery artist. The lamp dates back to 1948.

Fuglen, Oslo

Last week I had coffee with my good friend Paul (of Sweet Paul fame) at Kaffefuglen in Oslo. The interiors is just up my alley. Not only is it a cool coffee bar - you can even buy some of the interiors! It's very expensive, mind you... Check it out: http://fuglen.no/daylife/coffee-tea/

I simply love this room. The built-in shelf is fantastic, the ceiling, the lamps, even the column! Fuglen is situated on street-level at a big (then) stately building from the late 50s (I believe) where I once was fortunate enough to be working. As I remember it, big sections of the building was full of these wooden teak elements, the lamps where everywhere too - it used to be a prime example of Scandinavian mid-century architecture. I'm so happy someone has managed to keep at least some of this beautiful interiors and that it's available for everyone to enjoy.

Glass, glass, glass

My collection of glassware is forever expanding... Unfortunately it's impossible for me to find room for it all, not to mention have it all on display. I also find it hard to keep it all dusted and sparkling clean all the time (so I don't). I know I have posted most of these items at some point before, but I'll go through them again, from the left: yellow ashtray by Vicke Lindstrand for Kosta (I think), yellow candy bowl from Hadeland, blueish black dish also Hadeland, slim grey vase from Hadeland, brown bottle vase unknown (similar to Holmegaard), tiny dish from Orrefors and last but certainly not the least in this collection, a huge vase from Habitat.

Wild summer flowers

So far it hasn't been much of a summer in the part of Norway where I live. Still, have to try and enjoy what there is, I guess. Like the wild flowers. Above is a sample of what's growing like weed in our neighbourhood at the moment, and below is the best little bouquet that my son picked for me earlier this summer. Bless.

Mystery Stavangerflint tea set

Here's a pattern by Stavangerflint I really, really like. It's cobolt blue on grey stoneware. I have only come across this pattern twice and never seen it online on any blogs or web shops. I would guess it's a 70s design. If you should happen to know the name of the designer or the design, please let me know!

Also, if you know anything about the blue candle holders in the back of the photo, I'd love to hear from you.

More from the fleamarket

In hindsight, maybe the fleamarket wasn't too bad compared to last year's...

The two vases are German pottery goods.

I love smoked glass. I suspect the bowl is from Hadeland. Maybe they all are? If you know who's behind producing any of these items, please let me know.