Putting up some easter eggs

You might wondering what I've been doing lately. Well I've been busy doing some easter eggs for my home decorating. A week ago I planted tiny daffodils in pots to make it nicer at home. Of course Tuli had one in his window.
I know, you have seen these eggs before (if you are an old reader of my blog) and this kind of decoration is coming back year after year. The dead twigs with moss on, so lovely in my opinion with real eggs decorated with old prints, paper crosses and natural hen feathers.

I bought brown eggs from a local supplier the other day and theese I've been busy decorating. Right now they are put on sticks for the glitter and glue to dry. I will do a post in one day or two showing how I make my easter eggs. Until then, take care of you!!

Trying to save some money

I decided to bake my own bread from now on. Why not? I’ve found the perfect recipe for a person always in a hurry. It also has an economic side, this choice. You get 3 breads for the same price as one from the store and you can use leftovers from the dinner. This is how I make my baguettes: Crumble down 25 g of yeast in a bowl and mix it with 6 dl lukewarm water, stir in 2 teaspoons of salt. At this step you can stir down what you like to add to the bread: grated carrots, sunflower seeds or maybe porridge. If you use porridge you may adjust the amount of oat and water. Add at last 1,3 litres of wheat meal (change some of it to whole wheat meal for the health). The dough will be rather loose and sticky. Allow it to rise for 2 hours. Pour it on the table and part the dough to 3, form it loosely to 3 baugettes and lay them on a plate to rise for 10 minutes. Bake them in 250 degrees for 15 minutes and then lower the temperature to 150 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes.

Instead of butter I serve this black mess called Tapenade. It is easy as a pea! Mix 350 g of black olives (no kernels) with 2 garlic cloves, a little pinch of salt, a hand full of basil and a little black pepper. While mixing, pour down a half cup of extra virgine olive oil. Ready to spread!


I will try to use this recipe and method to make foccacia this weekend. We'll see how it works.

From scraps to flowers

The ugly, dirty and worn out fabric from the lamp in the post below, was saved and washed. I had an idea that i could use it for something as I torn it of the lampshade. This is the something I thought of. I had seen a tutorial somewere on the internet, an youtube clip, were they made flowers like these. It is made of 9 petals folded from cut squares and sewn together.
It was at bit tricky but hiding my stitches with an old button in the middle of the flower made it look nice. I will sew on a brooch pin on the back and then use it on my jacket or maybe I could wear it in my hair.
Yesterday we had a backlash in the weather. A heavy snowstorm swept over the country, at the same time we decided to take an hours trip by car to visit my brother. Eh usually it takes one hour to drive. Today the sun is shining again so there is a small sign of hope. Well I hope you will have a lovely spring week my friends.

How to transform a lamp

Have you ever seen something more hideous than this lamp? Isn't it ugly!!! Can you even imagine I bought it! But I did. When I saw it at the flea market I yelled at my mother and pointed at it. Look what an ugly thing. But I passed this horrible thing looking as if it came from the Addams family estate several times and suddenly an idea came up in my head.

I tried to leave the lampshade but the owner insisted that I should take it with me. Back home I carried down in the cellar and painted the foot with white paint. I tried to find a smaller lampshade that might fit but It took 2 years before I realised I could actually re do the lampshade. I cutted out pieces in the bottom and with a little help with welding, the base of the lamp was smaller. Then I got in a hurry and just sew a skirt to put over the shade. I will do it properly when I have the time ( or should I say if?).

It was the details of the foot that caught my eyes. It looks ugly in brown....

I like it better in white... The dirty ugly fabric on the shade was saved and washed. Yesterday I made something of pieces of this fabric. I will show you later.

So things that seems to be ugly or just waste material can be transformed to something nice. Have a wonderful weekend dear friends!!

Clooning myself!

Ja tänk om man kunde cloona sig. Så mycket att göra, så lite tid. Tänk om jag hann göra fler av de här söta äggen som jag gjorde för 2 år sedan till påskriset.

Well I wish I could do that in reality. To much to do, to little time. I wish I could have the time to do more of these pretty little eggs I made for two years ago.

Jag har ju en förmåga att hoppa på allt som fångar mitt intresse och nu har jag blivit erbjuden att blogga för den lokala dagstidningen. Självklart ska jag fortsätta även här men det kanske blir mer på engelska och möjligen lite personligare. Här är länken till min nya blogg.

There is a tendency to jump into things that interest me. I was proposed to write a blog for our local paper and I took the chance. Of course I won't leave this particular place. I will keep on here writing in english and maybe in a more personal way than on the new place. Here's the link to my new blog, observe that it is written in swedish though.

Vårstädningen har börjat med ett litet ryck

Det första folk ser hemma hos någon är hallen. Intrycket man får när man stiger innanför dörren är så viktig. Är det rent, luktar det gott, är det snyggt? Idag var jag hemma och vabbade en magsjuk Tuli, trots det var han på gott humör och roade sig själv med sin lego helikopter. Jag passade på att göra ett ryck i vår miserabla hall. Alla påsar, kartonger, och sånt skräp man tenderar att släppa innanför dörren åkte väck. Resten var bara lite damma och styling. Det lilla bordet vid spegeln har fått lite vårpyntat. Haren har fått en rosa rosett och ett påskägg har lagts dit.
Isn't the first impression very important when you step inside someones home? Is it clean, does it smell nice, does it look good? I had a day off taking care of a stomach sick Tuli so I used the day to clean our miserable hallway. The boy amused himself with his new lego toy at the time so it was no worry about him. The little table by the mirror got some spring items. The rabbit got a pink ribbon and an easter egg beside.
Den här glaskupan kunde jag inte låta bli när jag var på Åhlens sist. Den fick en passande glastallrik och lite gamla sybehörs saker under sig.
I couldn't resist another glass clouche when I was down town the other day. It got a matching glass plate and some old sewing items underneath.

Här i veckan så hittade jag ett par för små strumpbyxor i pysselprinsessans garderob, det var till och med hål på tårna. Eftersom hon har brist på leggings så klippte jag av foten och satte dit spetsar i kanterna. Nu har hon ett par ankellånga leggings till sommaren.

In the princess room I found a pair of too small stockings with holes on the feet. Well she's lack of leggings so I simply cutted of the feet and sew laces on the trimmings. Now she have a pair of leggings for summer.

Jag hör hur det skramlar i köket nu. Min goa sambo lagar mat till oss, det brukar alltid bli något gott då. Åh vad jag har längtat efter fredagsmys, heela långa veckan. Hoppas att ni får en fin helg. Kramisar.

I hear someone is making noise in the kitchen. It is my beloved one making dinner for us. I'm sure it will be something tasty served. I've been longing for friday evening this whole long week. Hope your weekend will be wonderful. Hugs.

Det underbara ljudet av takdropp

Tänk att man kan bli så glad av att se asfalten titta fram under snön. När solen värmer så kommer doften av varmt och torrt grus in i näsan, det är en sommardoft tycker jag.
Den här gamla klockan hittade jag i Johans flyttlass, den kommer visst från en släkting som hette Konrad. Han rökte pipa så jag fick jobba ganska mycket för att få bort den gula hinnan. Såpa är bra mot sånt. Klockan har ett frenetiskt tickande och ändå går den för långsamt så den får hänga som dekoration på väggen.
My face is smiling when I see the ground for the first time. Yes the snow has covered everything. It's a nice smell when the sun warming up the dry gravel, its one of the summer scents. This old clock was found in Johans stash of moving things. It's from a long gone relative named Konrad. The clock works to slow but the ticking sound is too frenetic so it is only used as decoration in the kitchen.

Något den där Konrad tog med sig i graven var hans kunnande i grönsaksodling. Han exprimenterade fram egna potatissorter och odlade egna frön. Tänk om man hade fått träffa honom, eller åtminstone fått testa en fröpåse. Det börjar klia i mina egna odlarfingrar nu. Jag har beställt frön från Runåbergs. Jag har ganska mycket frön sparade så det blev 'bara' 200:-.
Something that Konrad didn't share to the living was his knowledge in growing vegetables. He tried to grow his own kind of potatoes and other seeds. I wish I could have met this person or at least get over one of his seeds. I'm eager to start this season now.

Nu ska jag ta och stänga av här för att försöka vara lite kreativ också. Jag har haft mina projekt liggande alldeles för länge. Ha det fint så länge.

I have to close down my laptop now to start with some creative projects I haven't touched for a good wile. Take care!

A white gift and some celebrating

Det är en alldeles speciell dag för mig och Johan idag. För ett år sedan blev jag tillsammans med världens bästa kille. Det har hänt så mycket under den här tiden, allt i raketfart. Just nu sitter en mycket lycklig människa vid datorn :) . Vi har redan firat med lunchpicknick vid sjön och nu ska vi fortsätta firandet med en god middag och vin.
Today is a very special day for me and Johan. A year has passed since these two friends kissed each other for the first time. So much has happened during this time. A very happy person sitting by the computor and writing this down. We started the celebration with a lunch picknic by the lake and will keep this pace with a dinner with some good wine.
Är det inte härliga dessa tulpaner? Jag var tvungen att ta två knippen av dem för att få en lite fylligare bukett.
I måndags kom min present från vita gåvor swapen. Gissa om jag blev glad! Superdupersöta muffinsformar som jag givetvis redan hunnit använda till Leilas kladdkakemuffins. Ett fint zinkfat att servera dem på och sen måste jag ju bara spara det fina pappret som det var inslaget i...Stora tantvarningslampan tänds....
Aren't those tulips beautiful? I had to pick two bunches of them. They give me a little bit of spring feeling. This monday I recieved my package from the white gifts swap. Happy me! A so cute bunch of cup cake forms, which I already used and a nice tray to serve them on.
Bakgrunden till dessa bilder är ett qviltat överkast jag köpte på indiska för mitt presentkort jag fick av mannen i julklapp. Ha en fin helg alla, smhi säger vackert väder och jag hoppas att ni även har sol i sinnet i helgen. Kram.
The backdrop on these pictures are a quilt I bought yesterday. Have a wonderful week you all, the weatherman promise sunny weather, but I hope you'll feel sunny inside as well. Hugs!