1st of Advent

Today Sweden celebrates the 1st of Advent.
Every home lights a candle on their Advent candles.
We do this every year to celebrate the 4th Sunday before Christmas. Then next Sunday we light the next candle, then the next, then.... it's Christmas!

We eat pepparkakor (like the two hearts above) , the Swedish gingerbread biscuits,

and drink glögg, the Swedish mulled wine,

and as Lucia is coming soon, we eat lusse bullar, the Swedish saffran buns.

Delicious and so cozy!

Every house has a shining star on the window and it's such a beautiful sight! Every home looks so warm and welcoming!



This year I got the idea of using a baking tin as part of the Christmas decoration from Drömhem och Trädgård. No ambition of being the perfect design home, but it was fun to try something different.

The magazine suggests you use a vintage baking tin, but I just used my old one. It looks sort of rustic anyway.
We had friends over for the Advent pepparkakor and glögg and they thought it looked great! Wonderful friends!


This is one of my favourite times of the year!

Puppets go to the doctor

Some months ago I made these sock puppets for my children.
I made them really simple and quickly and it looks more like my kids have made them!

They call them Frans and Frans.

I had to take my oldest son to the children's hospital one day and he took his little Frans with him.

The nurse was so sweet and talked to my son about the puppet.
She said how fun it would be for them to have some puppets at the hospital for the children to play with and for the nurses to use with their little patients.

I promised her I would make some.

And here they are!

Say Ahhhhh!

Now, we'll take them to the hospital.


I leave here a special BIG THANKS to all the nurses who are always so kind and always have a smile on their faces!

I thought of making cute little puppets, but they just turned out like this. Sort of weird. Sort of scary.
I hope the children won't be scared!


My children actually have had loads of fun with them!
I hope all the other children will enjoy them too!


Note: My patterns and names of patterns are registered. You are welcome to contact me for a pattern. You are welcome to use these ideas but I would really appreciate it if you link to my blog/post! Thank you! And have fun!

A table is a table. Or is it?

Challenged by Concha at Saídos da Concha, who was challenged by Alice, who also challenged others, here I am showing my working table.

It isn't actually a table, but it works as one. And as an ironing board as well (because it is one), which is really practical!
Because of lack of space, this is the best solution. I tried several. And working on the floor - which I still do for bigger projects, like when I make clothes - wasn't so practical with two young children around.
I like being able to leave unfinished projects visible and ready for the next move.

And now I also challenge Mona, Mai and Amélie to show their working tables.
Mona, for her collage like houses, Mai, for her delicate and incredible handsewing of all her creative projects, and Amélie for the perfection in her sewing and her short animations.

Then they must also challenge three other people to do the same!

This table business made me think of a Portuguese children's book I bought a while ago.

A Table is a Table. Or is it?
Isabel Martins, Madalena Matoso
Planeta Tangerina

A little girl sees a table and for her that's exactly what it is. A table. She meets different people that day who have so many different ideas of what a table is.
I like the collage illustrations! Just like Mona's collage like sewing.

It'll be fun to see other people's working tables!

And I hope you enjoy visiting Mona, Mai and Amélie!

Grey

This week I bought this fabric. Grey, grey, grey.
It's been grey for the last two weeks.
Today the sun came out for 3 minutes.
Now it's all grey, grey, grey.
Again.

Dots and Roses reversible handbag

Happy Birthday Rachel!

For our 17 year old niece I've made this handbag with bamboo handles.

I wanted to use the bamboo handles and make a simple bag.
I didn't have a pattern and I just started adding little things to the simple bag I had in mind: extra fabric handles, lining, squared bottom, pleats, inside pocket.....
So it wasn't so simple in the end, but it was so much fun to not have a pattern and to be free to add and change as I went along.


And I made it reversible.


I bought this little green tassel ages ago and I finally found a good place for it.


It's more of a Summer handbag, but anyway, time flies and it'll be Summer again soon!

My five year old son took this photo of me with the Rose and Dots reversible handbag!

The floral fabric is by Vera Bradley.

Note: My patterns and names of patterns are registered. You are welcome to contact me for a pattern. You are welcome to use these ideas but I would really appreciate it if you link to my blog/post! Thank you! And have fun!