tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66045449433722432024-03-25T15:06:54.255+01:00 nordic craftKarinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-28185369427654806442015-02-21T15:08:00.000+01:002015-02-21T15:08:00.202+01:00A coloring book for grown-ups: Secret Garden reviewWhen I was a kid, I used to love coloring. Well, I loved drawing and painting free-hand, too, but a really good coloring book was always a treat. Once my family got a home computer, I even started printing and stapling together my own coloring books from clip art images. Those were the days!<br />
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Most kids tend to like coloring books - they're usually a safe bet for gifts to kids you don't know too well. Have you noticed though, that as you grow up, you're supposed to stop liking them? Either you turn your love of drawing into a serious endeavor and attempt to become an "artist" (in which case coloring books are frowned upon because they're obviously not original art), or you just grow up, cut your hair, get a job and prepare for a life without this childhood treat. How sad is that?<br />
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Lately, though, I've seen a lot of books which challenge the idea that coloring is just for kids. More and more coloring books are cropping up that are completely geared towards the adult population. Yay!<br />
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A few months ago, I picked this fantastic coloring book by artist and illustrator Johanna Basford. It's English title is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Garden-Inky-Treasure-Coloring/dp/1780671067" target="_blank">Secret Garden</a>, and it really reminds me of the classic children's book with the same name - which, incidentally, is one of my favorite books ever! What can I say, I'm a child at heart...<br />
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The pages in this coloring book are really beautiful and very intricate - there's a reason this book is not marketed towards six-year-olds! At 96 pages it's really thick, and since the pictures are so complex you really get a lot of bang for your buck! Animals and plants are (obviously) the main theme of the Secret Garden, and I love Johanna's drawing style. Flowers, leaves, vines and bugs intertwine into gorgeous designs that will keep you busy for hours. <br />
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I use regular colored pencils or my Derwent Inktense pencils (dry, not wet) in my book - the pages are not super thick, so I'm not sure how well they would hold up to paint or markers. Plus, the book is the perfect thing to keep your hands busy in the evenings in front of the TV, so colored pencils are really the easiest way to go. <br />
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Aren't these pages just great? I definitely recommend checking this book out! If you'd like to try some coloring yourself but you don't feel up to buying an entire book, there's a really sweet giveaway on Johannas blog - have a look <a href="http://www.johannabasford.com/blog-article/395" target="_blank">here</a> to download a Valentine's themed coloring page. I promise, once you get started you won't be able to stop!<br />
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<br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-20598414666628335492015-02-19T17:10:00.000+01:002015-02-19T17:10:00.727+01:00Subversive cross stitch kitchen towels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Time for more machine cross stitch! I visited my mom three weeks ago and we spent an entire day in her sewing studio, but I only now got round to photographing what we made. Kitchen towels! <br />
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A friend of mine put this idea in my head a while ago, and I just had to try it out. I bought some cheap kitchen towels from IKEA and from my local fabric store - I figure that if I decide to make more I can get nicer towels, but for a first attempt I didn't want to spend too much. <br />
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We all use them, so why not make your kitchen towels a bit of a
statement? In this case a (slightly snarky and sarcastic) statement in favor of love and respect. The saying is sort of hard to translate into English - humor doesn't always translate well, plus it does have some cussing in it and I know not everyone is as relaxed about that as us Swedes are. :-) <br />
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They were easy and relatively quick to make - the most time consuming part has been snipping off all the little threads and pieces of stabilizer on the back! That's the only downside to making these compared to the framed and hooped pieces I have made before; you have to be a lot more conscious of how the back looks since it won't be mounted. But they were still a lot of fun to make!<br />
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<br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-71933476329846256432015-02-15T09:39:00.000+01:002015-02-15T09:39:09.592+01:00Stockholm Sewing Festival<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwnxPY2gp_6hJzX06KcOqmhz7DOh9mD32QoU9QoY3zJcu5LamjMp-JpSB9Az__c4eLX0dlYZFIqvg6d0UDVU9X0OX5BtoczdRe-wOhSLdslHXyOVnyLRGTWrcu5asNpoBj6k8aGH6F60/s1600/sewing_festival_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwnxPY2gp_6hJzX06KcOqmhz7DOh9mD32QoU9QoY3zJcu5LamjMp-JpSB9Az__c4eLX0dlYZFIqvg6d0UDVU9X0OX5BtoczdRe-wOhSLdslHXyOVnyLRGTWrcu5asNpoBj6k8aGH6F60/s1600/sewing_festival_2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a>This weekend my aunt, my mom and I visited the <a href="http://syfestivalen.se/" target="_blank">Stockholm Sewing Festival</a> at Stockholm International Fairs. I love the Sewing Festival! It's the largest Swedish fair for sewing, quilting, knitting, embroidery and a host of other, fabric related crafts. Always really inspirational to visit.<br />
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It's been a couple of years since I last went, and to be honest I think that's a good thing - a lot of the sellers return every year so you start to recognize things from previous years. But after waiting a couple of years I found lots of new inspiration!<br />
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One of the biggest thrills for me this year was visiting an entire stall devoted to English paper piecing - I rarely see a lot of EPP in Sweden but apparently it's on the rise! If you're in Sweden and feel like buying some EPP supplies without splurging on overseas shipping, have a look at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/quiltpassion.se" target="_blank">QuiltPassion</a>! I couldn't resist buying some hand quilting thread, it will
come in very handy once I start sewing my hexie quilt together. I also
got some clamshell templates - not sure what they will become yet, but
I'm thinking maybe a pillow using some of the <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2014/12/the-london-report-part-two.html" target="_blank">Liberty fabric I got in London</a>? <br />
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Of course I had to get some fabric, too, but I tried to resist impulse buying. The yellow, orange and red in the photo above is going straight into a project, so I figure it almost doesn't count... Oh well. I did manage NOT to buy this amazing wool embroidery kit from Swedish embroidery artist <a href="http://www.karinholmberg.se/" target="_blank">Karin Holmberg</a>. I love the look of wool embroidery and I would really like to give it a go, but I just don't think I'm ready to take on a huge project like this. I'm hoping to take a class on wool embroidery someday, there's so much to learn!<br />
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I spent a lot of time ooh:ing and aah:ing over all the traditional swedish wool embroidery at the fair though. All those vibrant colors - yum!<br />
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In other news, I have had my hands full with starting a new job, mom visiting and Keith contracting a really nasty virus which completely knocked him out - meaning our Valentine's Day was spent on the couch watching TV. I did get him some flowers and chocolate though, so not a total loss! I hope to get back to blogging regularly soon, I just need to find a way to organize myself and get settled with the new job. Hope you all have a great week!Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-18528119481491921872015-02-04T08:27:00.002+01:002015-02-04T08:27:54.907+01:00Another alphabet quilt updateI apologize for sort of dropping of the map this past week! I just started a new job (I'll be working at my favorite NGO, Amnesty International! Yay!) so my mind has been on things other than crafting this week. But I did want to show you what's on my living room floor at this moment:<br />
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Progress! That's all the background pieces for my hexagon alphabet quilt, cut out and prepped. Finally! I was getting so sick of cutting and gluing a thousand shades of white and off-white... <br />
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I laid all my pieces out in order to get a feel for what the background will look like when it's all sewn together, and to check that I had a balance of solids and patterned pieces that I was happy with. I'm hoping to keep the background interesting, without detracting focus from the letters themselves. Do you think I've found a decent balance between the two?<br />
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I will be taking a bit of a break from this quilt for the coming month, as I have another patchwork project (do you remember the <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2014/10/colorful-candy-patchwork.html" target="_blank">secret project </a>I mentioned a while ago?) that is demanding my attention. But my hexie quilt is never far from my thoughts! I'm really excited about how it's looking so far - I'm hoping I will still be this excited about it once it's completed. I can't wait to begin stitching it together!Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-80362383415323731002015-01-29T09:33:00.000+01:002015-01-29T09:40:26.786+01:00Photo Fabric Cushion finally complete!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzjFBDUfQBBv961kQkj3zb7r-EJjs2SvsUCS0DJUvoJNDP_4fFoeW3yqF5MwIlKJoZzWYj0ehqeBhcngKVAVSXEDk5RQP6JudA59Z8Vikn6xjzDnkMp-_LZHUiURZmz0upfCYE4kM76c/s1600/patchwork_photo_cushion_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzjFBDUfQBBv961kQkj3zb7r-EJjs2SvsUCS0DJUvoJNDP_4fFoeW3yqF5MwIlKJoZzWYj0ehqeBhcngKVAVSXEDk5RQP6JudA59Z8Vikn6xjzDnkMp-_LZHUiURZmz0upfCYE4kM76c/s1600/patchwork_photo_cushion_1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
Another old project has been crossed off my to do-list! I stared this photo fabric cushion <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2014/10/patchwork-memories.html" target="_blank">back in October</a>, but really I have had the idea in the back of my mind since 2008 when I made a <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2008/06/memories.html" target="_blank">photo memory quilt for my mother</a>. Yes, I'm that slow! But this weekend I visited my mom and we spent a day out in her sewing studio. Working on old WIPs is always more fun when you have company! I'm really pleased with the final product.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfD79ptTlWbSrT1bJvLwWFj18N0t69oMnE08XVP0sbbD6axPFgiEG_oKdtUlR-fjc70all4ki8rc_hH7xRjw6CoNTwP_9tYtMh3eQ3le36qN3RRD7L6DPM0nEeoqSOmGWJeT5tzN6jsW4/s1600/patchwork_photo_cushion_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfD79ptTlWbSrT1bJvLwWFj18N0t69oMnE08XVP0sbbD6axPFgiEG_oKdtUlR-fjc70all4ki8rc_hH7xRjw6CoNTwP_9tYtMh3eQ3le36qN3RRD7L6DPM0nEeoqSOmGWJeT5tzN6jsW4/s1600/patchwork_photo_cushion_3.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a>If I was going to do anything different next time, I might add a border to the front in order to make the photos "pop" more - you can see in the photo above how the curve of the cushion sort of hides the edges of some of the photos. Ah well, live and learn!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeGdjujrm8dMUxVUmMP_3r64NGGiWHIJ3S3-z-DWXTnqPqrjAYXqaKJfj0UJCgZ3MNWFqXNz1QrkSVE6W_waf0nKnhQh9K0XHvRUgJZNh7Ppft1NInJM8BJxAlKM-5D6yDjpzkU8s1q0/s1600/patchwork_photo_cushion_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeGdjujrm8dMUxVUmMP_3r64NGGiWHIJ3S3-z-DWXTnqPqrjAYXqaKJfj0UJCgZ3MNWFqXNz1QrkSVE6W_waf0nKnhQh9K0XHvRUgJZNh7Ppft1NInJM8BJxAlKM-5D6yDjpzkU8s1q0/s1600/patchwork_photo_cushion_4.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is the back with a single button closure. Since the cushion cover is not very large (finished size is about 33 cm / 13 inches squared) I figured I'd only need one button to close it. The cushion is a tiny bit over-stuffed though, the reason being that the cushion insert is about an inch larger than the cover. If I can find the motivation, I might pull the insert out again and remove some of the stuffing, but I figured we'd use it for a while first because pillow and cushion inserts tend to flatten over time. Either that, or I'm just lazy! :-)<br />
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In other news, a cold and dark January is finally over this weekend and we are moving towards lighter times! I apologize again for the bad lighting in my photos lately - there's only so much you can do in Sweden this time a year without buying a bunch of professional lighting equipment... But as I say, we're moving in the right direction. I can't wait for spring!Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-73336064044527030402015-01-23T18:47:00.000+01:002015-01-23T18:47:00.260+01:00Upcycling vintage teacups: Making teacup candles<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZMicW1yC_FYrjjqAhnQqUSrzkaV6bx6NdP2IyRpiSdcrUFvJPgvvnl_F7FJZX0eYHFNJJ9FqjYdoaSN409oI0Zvj0id0uC7LJXLEiVqE1REgG5e_-qnrM6GYIzvh2FfD0Cemk8Fs2Eo/s1600/vintage_teacup_candles_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<b>This project is something I've been planning to make for AGES, but I only got around to it last week. There is SO much you can make with vintage china - have a look at <a href="http://www.architectureartdesigns.com/40-ideas-of-how-to-reuse-tea-cup-artistically/" target="_blank">this list</a> for example. This is a quick and fun way to upcycle old teacups you may have lying around!</b><br />
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First, some back story: When Keith and I first moved in together almost a decade ago, all our glassware and china was of the cheapest, most boring IKEA variety. Completely usable, but uninteresting. Then in 2010 two of our friends got married, and for their reception they went out and bought a ton of vintage china plates, glasses and teacups from various charity shops. They mixed them up and made adorable mismatched china place settings, and after the wedding (as, unsurprisingly, they didn't have much everyday use for 80-100 dinner plates and teacups) Keith and I were invited to take some of the china home with us. I was completely in love with the idea and replaced most of our boring china with this vintage variety. This worked really well over the next several years. But there are some less than practical things about unmatched vintage china - for example, most of it was neither microwave or dishwasher safe. So once we both left school and started working and our budget wasn't as tight, we started looking around for a third option. Two years ago, we started collecting a set of tableware which I really love: <a href="http://www.rorstrand.com/index.php/products/dinnerware/pergola/" target="_blank">Pergola</a> by Swedish porcelain makers <a href="http://www.rorstrand.com/" target="_blank">Rörstrand</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVkw4jplWr_sDyQNchq4YnR1F2qaVXGQhB13mO8qdEuqM8m3zjtT4kXJXZF9xv18GBSwFkM5n2ZZ2CIBPXi4-tTcPzXWOFSrAVBPUnwSNScxexKqvfl3IyThqLxTMYXk_GcuIitGmgsA/s1600/pergola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVkw4jplWr_sDyQNchq4YnR1F2qaVXGQhB13mO8qdEuqM8m3zjtT4kXJXZF9xv18GBSwFkM5n2ZZ2CIBPXi4-tTcPzXWOFSrAVBPUnwSNScxexKqvfl3IyThqLxTMYXk_GcuIitGmgsA/s1600/pergola.jpg" height="288" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Image from <a href="http://www.rorstrand.se/index.php/produkter/porslinsserier/pergola/">Rorstrand.se</a>)</td></tr>
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By now we have switched out almost all of our old china, and most of it has gone back to the charity shops from whence it came. But I still love many of those old cups and plates, and I've kept some of them with the intent of re-purposing them into something different. I also love "green" and earth friendly crafting - making something new out of something that would instead just become trash. This is the first project I have made so far, and it was both simple and fun.<br />
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Vintage teacup candles </h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbq5fCsR-x6WrNin7ovKwAGdy7cTqVUTogTcDNPS_9QJWNvRqYnGXnhcuMav392REdPwbGnY_pijMNeecgLPBAq7oT4tjIgXakkmpGaZve8HusE60eeHgrYC8ZscTekrfZ0iKCkX-1Ic/s1600/vintage_teacup_candles_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjbq5fCsR-x6WrNin7ovKwAGdy7cTqVUTogTcDNPS_9QJWNvRqYnGXnhcuMav392REdPwbGnY_pijMNeecgLPBAq7oT4tjIgXakkmpGaZve8HusE60eeHgrYC8ZscTekrfZ0iKCkX-1Ic/s1600/vintage_teacup_candles_7.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></h3>
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To make your own teacup candles, you can either use the stubs of old, nearly burnt-out candles, or buy shredded candle wax at the craft store. You simply melt the wax in a double boiler (put a metal or thick plastic bowl over a regular saucepan filled with barely simmering water), place a wick into the teacup and pour the wax into the cup.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEy1ibXyxd0Eaeg_ZVG1mg0HkP2DiTvuchkwFz6Vnl5V5rq75m7jvNYpY8miENR7mI1HJsPOwE0JoY02JMUlwAzQRat0XKu9zpBGz-MOmMKxYC67avVtnoDBkjfY9rbdM2oUuSG7hd9o4/s1600/vintage_teacup_candles_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEy1ibXyxd0Eaeg_ZVG1mg0HkP2DiTvuchkwFz6Vnl5V5rq75m7jvNYpY8miENR7mI1HJsPOwE0JoY02JMUlwAzQRat0XKu9zpBGz-MOmMKxYC67avVtnoDBkjfY9rbdM2oUuSG7hd9o4/s1600/vintage_teacup_candles_8.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
I started out by using candlewick yarn, waxed yarn which you cut and tie to a pencil or skewer (as when you're making regular tall candles) and rest over the mouth of the cup. But I also had some <a href="http://www.pandurohobby.se/Katalog/50-Skapa-Dekorera/5090-Ljus/509030-Tillbehor/1/040998-Vaxade-ljusvekar-O-2-mm-10-st">shorter, waxed wicks</a> which I believe are supposed to be used for making gel candles, and I actually found these easier to use. They are sturdier than the candlewick yarn, so you just pop one into the cup and hold it with your fingers as you pour the wax. In this picture, you can see the little metal plate at the bottom holding the wick in place.<br />
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I added some pink wax coloring to the wax as it melted, the color turned out a bit brighter than I was expecting but I still like them. You also have to leave the cups in place for an hour or so to let the wax set and harden - otherwise you can get creases in the surface of the wax.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJ4nx6fFf4ISmCvQRneaZr0neWnMwovGt2Jeg6WFOC4jBwwt1zepVlyVG6DnIPwr2XecmkUBn8nu_NoThIoQ4uHQNo4Fhu4BrnPAH6L9BysryZHyhkWGmjGbq6CgPCfInIOiMoHUItc0/s1600/vintage_teacup_candles_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJ4nx6fFf4ISmCvQRneaZr0neWnMwovGt2Jeg6WFOC4jBwwt1zepVlyVG6DnIPwr2XecmkUBn8nu_NoThIoQ4uHQNo4Fhu4BrnPAH6L9BysryZHyhkWGmjGbq6CgPCfInIOiMoHUItc0/s1600/vintage_teacup_candles_2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
All done! Right now I'm trying to decide whether to glue the cups to their saucers or not - I'm not sure whether I like the candles better with or without saucers. What do you think?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-hy0CrNyWGYW36aAarluAZpBQIRI-ULChlhdgFt7w_yW-tfy7o1oFBcM1BZyUTNqBHi0k8zZ6XpQnxNfrKbK6dwplkEXtNkPUV03c57arRd82ODXFwLfFPWFyUDAy2GAwZO5ZgSWuUs/s1600/vintage_teacup_candles_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-hy0CrNyWGYW36aAarluAZpBQIRI-ULChlhdgFt7w_yW-tfy7o1oFBcM1BZyUTNqBHi0k8zZ6XpQnxNfrKbK6dwplkEXtNkPUV03c57arRd82ODXFwLfFPWFyUDAy2GAwZO5ZgSWuUs/s1600/vintage_teacup_candles_3.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
I'm planning to give these candles away (they make great hostess gifts, for example) over the coming year. And I have another vintage china project in the works, too: Making a couple of vintage china cake stands (like <a href="http://www.gomakeme.com/2013/04/go-make-me-how-to-make-a-jewelry-stand-diy-project.html">this one</a>) is on <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2015/01/my-2015-crafty-to-do-list.html">my crafty to do-list</a> for this year. I'm happy that those lovely plates and cups will get some more use, instead of languishing in my cabinets! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZMicW1yC_FYrjjqAhnQqUSrzkaV6bx6NdP2IyRpiSdcrUFvJPgvvnl_F7FJZX0eYHFNJJ9FqjYdoaSN409oI0Zvj0id0uC7LJXLEiVqE1REgG5e_-qnrM6GYIzvh2FfD0Cemk8Fs2Eo/s1600/vintage_teacup_candles_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUZMicW1yC_FYrjjqAhnQqUSrzkaV6bx6NdP2IyRpiSdcrUFvJPgvvnl_F7FJZX0eYHFNJJ9FqjYdoaSN409oI0Zvj0id0uC7LJXLEiVqE1REgG5e_-qnrM6GYIzvh2FfD0Cemk8Fs2Eo/s1600/vintage_teacup_candles_5.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a>
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This is what my desk looks like when it's not covered in a complete mess of papers, books, fabric and thread. The desk itself is actually an <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S19011777/" target="_blank">IKEA Melltorp</a> kitchen table. We have two of these in our combined home office/craft room, this 125 cm one and a (now discontinued) longer one which we use for our computers. We didn't really plan it this way, we actually spent ages looking for matching office desks that fit our needs (white, simple, with a decent depth that would fit monitors and printers, and durable and not too easy to scratch/stain) but we just couldn't find any. Then one day we were walking through IKEA, having just dismissed most of the desks they carry, and stumbled on these tables in the kitchen/dining section. Perfect! We also got a couple of white <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40107872/" target="_blank">Helmer</a> drawer units, one of which you can see here holding craft supplies. To the left is a stackable drawer unit which I bought at <a href="http://www.muji.com/" target="_blank">MUJI</a>, holding supplies for paper crafting. <br />
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Actually, I'm realizing as I type this that almost our entire home office is made up of IKEA furniture... How predictably Swedish of us! This <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/series/28102/" target="_blank">Billy</a> shelf holds my fabric collection, of which I am totally proud (it's usually the first thing I show people when they visit for the first time!). I love being able to get an overview of all my fabric when I'm planning a project, and keeping it sorted by color is both practical and decorative in an otherwise pretty boring and functional space. The sweet little thread rack on top of the shelf was a present from my mom a couple of years back, but we have yet to mount it to the wall because our apartment walls are made of incredibly hard concrete - meaning putting anything up on the walls takes a ton of hard work. Seriously, we have already worn out one high-end hammer drill on those bad boys!<br />
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In the corner next to my crafting desk are two closets which are gradually being taken over by craft and sewing supplies. In one of them I keep general supplies that don't fit into the two drawer units, and in the other one I store WIPs and ongoing projects, plus clothes that need mending or altering. I'm really grateful to have this extra storage space - in the last apartment we lived in we had barely any closet space so supplies and ongoing projects would always end up littering the desks, the kitchen table, sofa, or even the floor when I wasn't working with them... Having somewhere to put these things away feels like such a luxury.<br />
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So, that's my entire crafting space! I know there are people who have entire rooms dedicated to crafting, but I'm really happy and content with my little nook. The only thing I can miss sometimes is having a cutting table, to save having to crawl around on the floor when I'm planning or assembling larger quilting projects. But that's a dream for far into the future! <br />
<br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-89384309380762280222015-01-14T08:57:00.002+01:002015-01-14T08:57:55.274+01:00Another item on my to do list...Okay, so my crafty new year didn't get off to a very good start - I didn't do anything creative at all this weekend. Just a lot of cleaning and binge-watching the Tudors (HOW did I not watch this brilliant series before now??)... One reason I haven't crafted a lot lately is that my craft space looks like THIS:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjyK2y4lakqe4vhSdGwkEAflxkuTCOXGnyq218nlqxT-1spLVYK__r2J-WYHTMGIVFWPyi_Nqsk8o-HDxQgKt83LgAnXLmJU-RGXAYcLT_h2xpYsttjCf5w-KHxgGzN7hMn8R7cZBcSZw/s1600/DSC_0508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjyK2y4lakqe4vhSdGwkEAflxkuTCOXGnyq218nlqxT-1spLVYK__r2J-WYHTMGIVFWPyi_Nqsk8o-HDxQgKt83LgAnXLmJU-RGXAYcLT_h2xpYsttjCf5w-KHxgGzN7hMn8R7cZBcSZw/s1600/DSC_0508.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>Yes, that's the very ugly truth! In all honesty, this is what my crafting desk looks like most of the time - I do a lot of my crafting in other parts of our apartment, like the kitchen table or in the living room, so this desk usually turns into some kind of "I'll sort this through later" dumping ground for works in progress, supplies and little bits of thread and paper that don't have a proper home yet.<br />
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So for week three of the new year, my big crafting goal will be to sort this desk out and actually spend some time at it! Wish me luck! Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-30837542315820335122015-01-11T18:41:00.000+01:002015-01-21T12:08:22.986+01:00My 2015 Crafty To Do-List<div style="text-align: center;">
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I told you <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2015/01/happy-2015.html" target="_blank">last week</a> I was working on a crafty to do-list for 2015. I started the year by doing a quick inventory of my ongoing projects, and soon realized that before I start too many new projects, I really need to focus on finishing old works in progress. I have a ton! So instead of listing the 200+ new projects I want to try out, I focused on the projects that I want to finish. Without further ado, I present my 2015 crafty to do-list!<br />
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<h3>
KARIN'S 20 CRAFTS TO DO IN 2015 </h3>
1. Finish <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2015/01/sashiko-embroidery.html" target="_blank">1st sashiko pillow </a><br />
2. Finish 2nd sashiko pillow<br />
3. Cut out and prep all hexies for my <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2014/10/hexies-hexies-on-my-mind.html" target="_blank">hexagon alphabet quilt </a><br />
4. Finish <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2014/10/colorful-candy-patchwork.html" target="_blank">secret EPP project</a><br />
5. Finish a <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2014/11/utility-sewing-cover-or-cozy-for-my-lg.html" target="_blank">PocketPhoto cozy</a> for Ella<br />
6. Make 2 china cake stands<br />
7. Make 4 vintage tea cup candles<br />
8. Finish sewing basket make-over<br />
9. Finish <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2014/11/cushion-cover-in-works.html" target="_blank">photo patchwork cushion cover </a><br />
10. Sew wool embroidery pin cushion<br />
11. Sew a hanging sleeve and mount mom’s wall quilt<br />
12. Frame (and hopefully, sell) all <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2014/11/geek-week-more-geeky-cross-stitch.html" target="_blank">machine embroidery pieces</a><br />
13. Practice face and figure drawing<br />
14. Make watercolor resist paintings<br />
15. Cut and mat old linocut postcards<br />
16. Finish <a href="http://nordiccraft.blogspot.se/2014/11/my-pinterest-to-do-list.html" target="_blank">little house lavender satchets</a> <br />
17. Start on vintage embroidery patchwork quilt<br />
18. Sew doll quilt for mom’s garden play house<br />
19. Finish yo-yo Christmas garland<br />
20. Make 3 potholders from old quilt test blocks
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<![endif]-->What do you think? I will post updates to my list as I (hopefully) start to check things off. Here's to a crafty new year!Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-54943047696488529662015-01-09T14:19:00.000+01:002015-01-09T14:19:00.043+01:00Vegan New Years Feast: Recipe SuggestionsAs I mentioned in my last post, I'm trying to go sugar free in January. It's tough! Another goal I have for 2015 is to eat more vegan - I'm a vegetarian but I'm hoping to reduce my carbon footprint further by eating less eggs and dairy. And I got off to a great start on New Years eve with a delicious vegan New Years dinner! <br />
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Keith and I spent a pretty quiet New Years with his parents and sister. With me being a vegetarian and my sis-in-law being allergic to both gluten and dairy, the New Year's dinner proved a bit of a challenge. In the end we went with three recipes from the fantastic vegan food blogger <a href="http://ohsheglows.com/" target="_blank">Oh she glows</a>. And since it was such a hit, I thought I'd share the menu with you! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHY6lCi6ofyAsNhXgI-75d3jaEaPM9Q29N33iP479uX6mYQaZ0Y3s_KZuMGG4RMJ4zU2zvMpp2se2bU5CWbQs_eIJzyxKpp9cpEcI2ue8_kQamLQwya1NJ7k6UmXp388N18aID48V9wIE/s1600/vegan_new_years_feast_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHY6lCi6ofyAsNhXgI-75d3jaEaPM9Q29N33iP479uX6mYQaZ0Y3s_KZuMGG4RMJ4zU2zvMpp2se2bU5CWbQs_eIJzyxKpp9cpEcI2ue8_kQamLQwya1NJ7k6UmXp388N18aID48V9wIE/s1600/vegan_new_years_feast_2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a> My apologies for the bad flash photo, I didn't think to document the process so all I had was
my phone camera. But you'll find much more appetizing photos on the Oh
She Glows blog anyway - I definitely recommend checking it out!<br />
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- <a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2012/10/05/glazed-lentil-walnut-apple-loaf-revisited/" target="_blank">Glazed Lentil Walnut Apple loaf</a>. Though a bit labor intensive, this loaf was a big hit. I love bean/lentil loaves, they're so hearty and filling. The tasty glaze made this loaf feel a bit more festive, and I loved the addition of the apple and celery.<br />
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- <a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2014/10/15/crispy-smashed-potatoes-with-avocado-garlic-aioli/" target="_blank">Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Avocado Garlic Aioli</a>. This was my sis-in-law's favorite recipe of the bunch - the potatoes were the perfect amount of crispy and the avocado aioli was fantastic. We did "cheat" a bit here as we didn't manage to find vegan mayo at my in-laws' local grocery store, but next time I make these I fully intend to use vegan mayo (I have used <a href="http://www.plamilfoods.co.uk/egg-free-mayo" target="_blank">this brand</a> before with great results).<br />
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- <a href="http://ohsheglows.com/2010/04/16/these-fries-will-change-your-life/" target="_blank">Nut Butter Crusted Parsnip Fries</a>. Since Keith is not a fan of potatoes, we made these parsnip fries as an alternative side dish. They were fantastic, and far healthier than regular fries since they were baked rather than deep fried. I've already bought another bag of parsnips to make them again!<br />
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- <a href="http://vegan-magic.blogspot.se/2012/09/chocolate-mousse-no-added-sugar.html" target="_blank">Vegan Chocolate Mousse Without Added Sugar</a>. This is a recipe from another (now dormant) blog called <a href="http://vegan-magic.blogspot.se/" target="_blank">Vegan Magic</a>. I was very excited to find a creamy vegan mousse recipe without added sugar. It may be because we were already so full from the main course, but we found the chocolate mousse almost TOO rich - next time I will try adding a bit more liquid coconut milk to dilute it a bit.<br />
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With fantastic recipes like these, there's no need to miss dairy. I'll keep you posted as I venture further into the world of vegan cuisine! Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-46922074030259812432015-01-07T12:46:00.002+01:002015-01-07T12:56:40.248+01:00Sashiko embroidery class<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oFZN0VCjXWJFxczw8gSM-erqA-3AFnrOzRGokW5NUms3IYnTFSRkmGWOqDIUHs2OrhUkJrZosHNKP5TL3M6DxBGtvE_LO68ni_zL2GHM-DoBWeKjRmxiyJajzzZl1gzH3ji4kAJdbLE/s1600/sashiko_embroidery_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oFZN0VCjXWJFxczw8gSM-erqA-3AFnrOzRGokW5NUms3IYnTFSRkmGWOqDIUHs2OrhUkJrZosHNKP5TL3M6DxBGtvE_LO68ni_zL2GHM-DoBWeKjRmxiyJajzzZl1gzH3ji4kAJdbLE/s1600/sashiko_embroidery_1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a>Are you having a good 2015 so far? I've had a busy first week of the year, packing away Christmas and sorting out all those things that tend to stack up after a two week vacation. I'm also still trying to sort out my goals for the new year, and planning for the next couple of months. All this while having a massive headache - Keith and I are doing a "Sugar Free January" challenge and for the first few days I was in complete sugar withdrawal! That means not to much crafting got done, but I did have something I wanted to share: Before Christmas, I took a class on Japanese sashiko embroidery.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05kPQH4Wg78blOvgIhFohZW0RH-SEfUyRF-uRL3qOGbD-MnrmOfOXPcHAQeOddo9Uix8vvfFkOw8vW-388N9E4RDKd97YgImTAzjGSo1cd2_ETJaz1g_YRSqbY-nenykj6nlJMTzdIFc/s1600/sashiko_embroidery_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05kPQH4Wg78blOvgIhFohZW0RH-SEfUyRF-uRL3qOGbD-MnrmOfOXPcHAQeOddo9Uix8vvfFkOw8vW-388N9E4RDKd97YgImTAzjGSo1cd2_ETJaz1g_YRSqbY-nenykj6nlJMTzdIFc/s1600/sashiko_embroidery_2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sashiko is a traditional Japanese form of embroidery which uses simple running stitches in intricate, geometric patterns on indigo cloth. I've long loved the look of sashiko, and I have made several unsuccessful attempts at this technique previously. This winter I thought it was time to do something about it and actually take a class! I was thrilled when I managed to snag one of the spots on the <a href="http://www.stockholmslansmuseum.se/english/" target="_blank">Stockholm County Museum</a>'s one-day class with <a href="http://www.riekotakahashi.com/" target="_blank">Rieko Takahashi</a>, textile artist and author of the first Swedish book on sashiko. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91mGXyNIWok5IDrQrux5z1CKUGbTfCsfCOYZxnVx9yIl0vfrvWPn8AyZVlOVGf-uOeb8GQ76Jt0Du9YwvcyHoYhRV1t1G-saZ-rljB6sl996qfnDvipA8ubquPPLXkNbh7b3TPahL9SM/s1600/Sashikokurs141129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91mGXyNIWok5IDrQrux5z1CKUGbTfCsfCOYZxnVx9yIl0vfrvWPn8AyZVlOVGf-uOeb8GQ76Jt0Du9YwvcyHoYhRV1t1G-saZ-rljB6sl996qfnDvipA8ubquPPLXkNbh7b3TPahL9SM/s1600/Sashikokurs141129.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Rieko Takahashi, www.riekotakahashi.com</td></tr>
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The course was lots of fun. Rieko was a great instructor, and once you got the hang of the basics sashiko stitching turned out to be pretty simple and very meditative - up and down, up and down... The class was almost seven hours long, but I could easily have kept going! We we're a pretty small group of stitchers and we ended up having a lot of fun, chatting and eating the tasty Japanese snacks which Rieko brought with her. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4EaCzttplXGlLIFKLxMhFIoAeQdqA_0TVnnr7Dmkcc-iaXUW0OJU-iegbWzV_DCmxeXc9399VDIH7uzqVmG5Dc-RzatNIto3R8vNmCkPCgXnAQ3erLi9RjZkWZ7Z8cuJacS8JgxDQRw/s1600/sashiko_embroidery_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4EaCzttplXGlLIFKLxMhFIoAeQdqA_0TVnnr7Dmkcc-iaXUW0OJU-iegbWzV_DCmxeXc9399VDIH7uzqVmG5Dc-RzatNIto3R8vNmCkPCgXnAQ3erLi9RjZkWZ7Z8cuJacS8JgxDQRw/s1600/sashiko_embroidery_3.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
The most traditional form of sashiko uses white thread on indigo fabric, but Rieko showed us some modern pieces using blue, or even red, thread on white or cream backgrounds (you can see some of these in the first photo above). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNFXoipxGYAf-8XX3cDm52PxZwb8qwPlW7YvAtsM8rULFFvFFBo-YeuJzRmgkE2FhJj0oe9GdSzp8NHT_Dkrbz_fpOu9XY3H7KnFb4EAdHHAEBNAVmU5N7N-sNpAQqe02UwmspEBxtjc/s1600/sashiko_embroidery_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPNFXoipxGYAf-8XX3cDm52PxZwb8qwPlW7YvAtsM8rULFFvFFBo-YeuJzRmgkE2FhJj0oe9GdSzp8NHT_Dkrbz_fpOu9XY3H7KnFb4EAdHHAEBNAVmU5N7N-sNpAQqe02UwmspEBxtjc/s1600/sashiko_embroidery_4.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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I started on a cushion cover, and even though it's not finished yet, I still went straight home to order some more sashiko supplies off Ebay. You can't really buy proper sashiko thread in Sweden, so I got a couple of different colors to experiment with. <br />
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I also bought a copy of <a href="https://www.adlibris.com/se/bok/sashiko-japanskt-broderi-for-alla-9789150220117" target="_blank">Rieko's book</a>. At around 40 pages it's pretty brief, but it's a good introduction if you're looking to try sashiko embroidery (only available in Swedish, unfortunately).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxtm1-NZx0EcYuTUs2S00PI4kE7JyjMLqCMisypxN17hmZkTlgL89d4RWwvJaixm6t2vQgefSWvpST6L_fSaW9-sYSF7YIL0qvl2jYGCupkQdhnlgvlJ_UnsqTk4Srgue1neAh8Tdda0/s1600/sashiko_embroidery_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxtm1-NZx0EcYuTUs2S00PI4kE7JyjMLqCMisypxN17hmZkTlgL89d4RWwvJaixm6t2vQgefSWvpST6L_fSaW9-sYSF7YIL0qvl2jYGCupkQdhnlgvlJ_UnsqTk4Srgue1neAh8Tdda0/s1600/sashiko_embroidery_6.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
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Have a great second week of 2015! <br />
<br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-15296915835268614912015-01-01T11:00:00.000+01:002015-01-01T11:00:05.063+01:00Happy 2015!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fireworks, public domain image from <a class="external free" href="http://pdphoto.org/" rel="nofollow">www.pdphoto.org</a></td></tr>
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Happy New Year everyone! Here's hoping that 2015 will be the best one so far!<br />
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I'm working on list of craft projects I want to do in 2015, but it's not all done yet. I'll share it later on in January, maybe it can serve as some inspiration for someone. I generally don't make New Years resolutions (feels like I'm just setting myself up to fail...) but I do hope 2015 will be a crafty year for me. Do you have any resolutions or plans for the year ahead?Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-10227204852052691362014-12-28T09:26:00.000+01:002015-01-07T18:20:40.396+01:00Smash Book Sunday: Summarizing 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I hope you all had a lovely Christmas! We're still at Keith's parents' house having a nice quiet time. I'm thinking a lot about the past year and preparing for whatever 2015 might bring. In that spirit, I thought I'd do a post showing some more of my 2014 smash book. I've been smashing regularly all year, and I'm just finishing the last spread of my 2014 book.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6O89KcLt-W8UvCwnOQYsThFMoZjRy2PAbWK9mthu-2nBi7X826aFI0cK1oU7_X6m_qyB_mtuFtWJ9UjUbMZni8-HsFDzTS55CchGEPd9L2UDTZCTdCZhR6XPl-W7AvySEmxawePxsAtE/s1600/smashbook_sunday_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6O89KcLt-W8UvCwnOQYsThFMoZjRy2PAbWK9mthu-2nBi7X826aFI0cK1oU7_X6m_qyB_mtuFtWJ9UjUbMZni8-HsFDzTS55CchGEPd9L2UDTZCTdCZhR6XPl-W7AvySEmxawePxsAtE/s1600/smashbook_sunday_4.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
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The K&Company smash books have the perfect amount of pages for me to record one year - I usually do 2 or 3 spreads per month, or more if something particularly exciting happens. As I write this I'm finishing my third book, and I'm considering what type of memory keeping to do for next year.<br />
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So far, I have used the Mod, Doodle and Simple smash folios - I like simple smash books where the pages are not too full of illustrations and other distracting stuff. For next year I have ordered the Eco smash folio as well as the Pink folio gift pack bundle, which includes a new elastic band and a really neat pocket smash book which I think could work well on vacations or trips.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPsP3Mn4j_PvbCcUwiG1AULBBCBwBLz5qgkfW-rArYXWehNliOfG4aO1PHFA9rNQYwn7X-fw5XZwBAIkxA4n4oOAcP6l-KPCR2GisQIDMsP7HWJVWnRXoBNii_n6ykZ7g85cNiJPhyphenhyphenFY/s1600/30-671768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPsP3Mn4j_PvbCcUwiG1AULBBCBwBLz5qgkfW-rArYXWehNliOfG4aO1PHFA9rNQYwn7X-fw5XZwBAIkxA4n4oOAcP6l-KPCR2GisQIDMsP7HWJVWnRXoBNii_n6ykZ7g85cNiJPhyphenhyphenFY/s1600/30-671768.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.eksuccessbrands.com/kandcompany/Products/K_Company_SMASH_Pink_Folio_Gift_Pack_30-671768.htm" target="_blank">Pink Folio Gift Pack (image by K&Company)</a></td></tr>
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But I'm also considering keeping a more traditional journal this year. Sometimes I feel like doing longer, more personal journal entries, and I don't think Smash books are the best place for that - if nothing else, I want to be able to show off my smash book here on the blog or share it with friends and family without having to "hide" those more personal pages! This summer, I got a <a href="http://www.paperblanks.com/se/en/collections/1/filtered?collection_id=372" target="_blank">fantastic Paperblanks notebook</a> which would work well as a journal - if I can bring myself to actually write in it, that is. Still debating with myself, we'll see what I come up with. <br />
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Happy New Year!Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-44907578633546168982014-12-24T09:49:00.000+01:002014-12-24T09:49:00.364+01:00Happy Holidays!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFj2618csVA6Vb3bD8341JggV1JQyuSAeW5_G813CsQMhdIBkS_97co0sPCA1WFCdCRzWB-i3boQlrzNvwuzPALX6PVSPtUT7xm4QAsprZGkYBswCKhDhGTQ683_jxdG1ZceR6SDrlwo/s1600/Public_domain_GraphicsFairy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGFj2618csVA6Vb3bD8341JggV1JQyuSAeW5_G813CsQMhdIBkS_97co0sPCA1WFCdCRzWB-i3boQlrzNvwuzPALX6PVSPtUT7xm4QAsprZGkYBswCKhDhGTQ683_jxdG1ZceR6SDrlwo/s1600/Public_domain_GraphicsFairy.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></div>
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I hope you all have a lovely holiday with lots of good food, friends, family and maybe a little bit of snow. The ground is still bare where we are (south of Stockholm) but I'm still hoping! All the best!<br />
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- Karin Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-78621377336559619242014-12-22T10:36:00.000+01:002014-12-22T10:36:00.402+01:00Wreck this Journal, NordicCraft style!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xMhRwWUGoNJpfZvJlsC9JGPyF5mYKq2k2pK_hK1yW8qo4aecu6SSG-ZUHNcbA15lFYCNMlI1rqXVfAGS9XsgvQ8TUX1auQ_EQ2JuhcGyR3L7k1f_bFEOuXKP8zu08rYwIVqHH3oyCO0/s1600/wreck_this_journal_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5xMhRwWUGoNJpfZvJlsC9JGPyF5mYKq2k2pK_hK1yW8qo4aecu6SSG-ZUHNcbA15lFYCNMlI1rqXVfAGS9XsgvQ8TUX1auQ_EQ2JuhcGyR3L7k1f_bFEOuXKP8zu08rYwIVqHH3oyCO0/s1600/wreck_this_journal_1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
There's still one thing from my London trip I haven't blogged about: I finally got a Wreck This Journal! I've been eying these <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wreck-This-Journal-Black-Expanded/dp/0399161945/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y" target="_blank">creative journals by Keri Smith</a> for years, but I always felt that it seemed frivolous to spend money on something I knew I would "wreck" in the end. But on our London trip I finally broke down and got one. And I know I'm a bit late jumping on the bandwagon, but I LOVE it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdbpN2jerBh1s-TbC3aadm6AoBrX2rvKUfo4swZJ88E55rzG_hY93N8MKry8mh29ojt1u5mhhbmCnLozawvxvTbmr7byoNeBWYMJRlwVq_HtYDl2qzc4aZ11OY41zsl9-JGCEr33KmnM/s1600/wreck_this_journal_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdbpN2jerBh1s-TbC3aadm6AoBrX2rvKUfo4swZJ88E55rzG_hY93N8MKry8mh29ojt1u5mhhbmCnLozawvxvTbmr7byoNeBWYMJRlwVq_HtYDl2qzc4aZ11OY41zsl9-JGCEr33KmnM/s1600/wreck_this_journal_2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Wreck This Journal is a best seller in several countries from what I understand, but if you've somehow managed not top hear about them before, here's the lowdown: WTJ is a prompt journal which fuels creativity and challenges your inner perfectionist, forcing you to do lots of things you've been taught NOT to in the process. Each page contains a prompt, and examples include "Spill your coffee here", "Tear out this page", "Write backwards", and (this was one of the worst ones for me) "Color outside the lines". The idea is to get rid of some of those inner "controls" which temper your creativity and make you second-guess yourself. And it really works!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuI1ygs7d1Trf4VI-xCHGkr87_PQ5MSXxJ-lW4X8NY-PsAe3RJ3CGk7jLe0zcboh4ArIzcN_lAD_HxqO0VySImcwRnF2WTrfbyw02Fl3Whxic5Uy8ATcb23-1VJCeFwOjtGrHEESpO_4o/s1600/wreck_this_journal_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuI1ygs7d1Trf4VI-xCHGkr87_PQ5MSXxJ-lW4X8NY-PsAe3RJ3CGk7jLe0zcboh4ArIzcN_lAD_HxqO0VySImcwRnF2WTrfbyw02Fl3Whxic5Uy8ATcb23-1VJCeFwOjtGrHEESpO_4o/s1600/wreck_this_journal_4.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
I've been working on my journal on and off over the past two weeks. It was really challenging at first, forcing myself to do all sorts of destructive things to the journal. But once I picked up steam and managed to let go of my inner perfectionist, I really got into it. I think I've probably done at least a fourth of all the prompts already. I've jumped on my journal, brought it into the shower with me (yes, that's one of the prompts) and slept with it under my pillow. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbJTo6GDZM6VOANDYrou0cqK55NKcsUtY-Tg9Y4BVLAlfsmoinULlgMqmksvaIR5ViYblxJf3BEvJTdJbGyBhos1Z9ARvaFb2M7SD-ZwhZEh1AOpK8n8pRwcrnXj8w51SUeS6SWUL5wc/s1600/wreck_this_journal_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbJTo6GDZM6VOANDYrou0cqK55NKcsUtY-Tg9Y4BVLAlfsmoinULlgMqmksvaIR5ViYblxJf3BEvJTdJbGyBhos1Z9ARvaFb2M7SD-ZwhZEh1AOpK8n8pRwcrnXj8w51SUeS6SWUL5wc/s1600/wreck_this_journal_3.jpg" height="482" width="640" /></a> I love my new journal and I'm sure I'll be spending lots of time with it in 2015. And as I had hoped, working on the WTJ has really made me miss writing more regularly - I'm thinking of starting a "normal" journal this year as a result.<br />
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So if you'd like to get those creative juices flowing in 2015, I'd highly recommend getting a Wreck This Journal for yourself, too!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1F_Bc6BV3UYMjrdBGdjxHdct6Eoh6E3VgECy_jTWqS6LEBIX9kAOv4Y_JMIlgvZvizDP-nX-hrxhO-Kg7NIoEp451BnrkkQOOC8n7GyECEbSl-ePOBC9ZZDShnClc5MJMMFlnh_LQS0/s1600/liberty_fabrics_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1F_Bc6BV3UYMjrdBGdjxHdct6Eoh6E3VgECy_jTWqS6LEBIX9kAOv4Y_JMIlgvZvizDP-nX-hrxhO-Kg7NIoEp451BnrkkQOOC8n7GyECEbSl-ePOBC9ZZDShnClc5MJMMFlnh_LQS0/s1600/liberty_fabrics_2.jpg" height="452" width="640" /></a> </div>
No London trip is complete with at least a little bit of shopping. And while shopping wasn't the primary goal of our trip, we did manage to stop by most of the stores I was hoping to visit. The Cass Art flagship store was great, as was Foyles and Forbidden planet (geek heaven!). And of course, the fabric and haberdashery sections at Liberty was fantastic as always. Above are my Liberty finds: gorgeous washi tapes, a pretty lavender sachet, and... What's in that white package, I wonder?<br />
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The above is a phone picture I snapped as we were unpacking our bags on Sunday. With the exception of apparel (because really, this is not a style blog - I doubt you'd be interested in a couple of <a href="https://www.primark.com/en/whats-new" target="_blank">Primark</a> cardigans) and a few gifts, this is everything I bought on our trip. Of course, leave it to the librarian's daughter to pack her suitcase full of books she could just as well have bought online from the comfort of her living room... I can't help it, books just call out to me! But I also happen to think that books make great souvenirs - every time I pick up a particular book I'm reminded of how and where I got it, and that's the whole point of souvenirs, isn't it?<br />
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As you can see these books are mostly my regular brand of non-fiction, but there are a couple of craft/art books in there too. My plan is to learn how to <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draw-Faces-15-Minutes-Portrait/dp/1781570353/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y" target="_blank">draw faces</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draw-People-15-Minutes-Friends/dp/1781572089" target="_blank">draw people</a> in 2015! I also got some postcards, brushes and <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/10/using-masking-fluid/" target="_blank">art masking fluid</a> for a watercolor project I'm planning. And of course there are a few geeky things in there too - the Deathly Hallows key ring has since been turned into a necklace, and the chocolate frog has been devoured. <br />
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But now, for the all important fabric reveal. Get ready to drool!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2k2y6pSFez7Jy3Cfn6VBrePSD16Bg2Yjrz1LUp2rsOkj0iHobAbPC2sOW_2T3tW-j60FGf_8NM4UIZr1PZAT7hRQ88sBYsg1_Awnmty7JKO9chffKG36s5Fpd6LL3vxJBPhEILywE1X8/s1600/liberty_fabrics_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2k2y6pSFez7Jy3Cfn6VBrePSD16Bg2Yjrz1LUp2rsOkj0iHobAbPC2sOW_2T3tW-j60FGf_8NM4UIZr1PZAT7hRQ88sBYsg1_Awnmty7JKO9chffKG36s5Fpd6LL3vxJBPhEILywE1X8/s1600/liberty_fabrics_1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
Seriously, how amazing are these?? I've been trying to pick a favorite but it's just too hard! I love the <a href="http://www.liberty.co.uk/fcp/product/Liberty//Kayoko-B-Tana-Lawn/100188" target="_blank">Kayoko Tana Lawn</a>, I bought it in red this time but I actually have it in another colorway (pink/cerise) as well. But I think my favorite of these is actually the red and green print at the top of the stack, I can see myself using that a lot next year. The only problem with Liberty fabrics is that they are so nice, you almost have to force yourself to cut into them. But I wan't these fabrics to be used, not just sit around, so I will have to get over that. Any tips on Liberty-worthy projects I should add to my list?<br />
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<br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-32373486293730938812014-12-17T21:56:00.000+01:002014-12-17T21:56:14.723+01:00The London Report, part one<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pouqaUst1pomJEnl13QMrlSZntg5UuwUbVtUL6inZj7CEpF-qH6PQe072d2HJnm5UDdwCXiTm627BqyIIobTTW7WcoRkURkGetbE3sdwDyAI3dKKgLgI0pFBpFNSEGhY9HOtkmmymvs/s1600/DSC_0256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pouqaUst1pomJEnl13QMrlSZntg5UuwUbVtUL6inZj7CEpF-qH6PQe072d2HJnm5UDdwCXiTm627BqyIIobTTW7WcoRkURkGetbE3sdwDyAI3dKKgLgI0pFBpFNSEGhY9HOtkmmymvs/s1600/DSC_0256.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
My one week blogging break somehow turned into two - my apologies! Things has been a bit hectic since we got back from London. The past week has been all about job hunting stuff, Amnesty activities, Christmas prep, and hosting a <a href="http://kokblog.johannak.com/2553/" target="_blank">Glögg</a> get together for most of my extended family. It's been a great week though!<br />
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So, time for a report from our trip. We arrived on Wednesday afternoon and left Sunday morning, so in all we had three and a half days in London. It felt like a lot of time beforehand, but of course time flies when you're having fun! Still, I do think we managed to find the perfect mix of shopping, sightseeing, good eats and just hanging out with friends.<br />
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The most time consuming (and fun!) thing we did was the tour of the WB Harry Potter studios in Leavsden - our bus left at 8 am Thursday morning and we weren't back in the city until 3 in the afternoon. It was totally worth the time though, there's so much to see! I loved the whole experience, but some favorites included seeing the Diagon alley set, the Great Hall and the amazing set of Dumbledore's office which had SO much detail. We spent about three hours going through the exhibit but you could easily spend another five I think!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhXACMtwOWJNPkBxLpZIqoJIhDxUYvS-LxVddQMOOTV7ImGpme6UEvy_pSNQ1N1m8CkiW_kaiungNXpVa2LHeDnOAlqn0Amhst6ZAe6xm1M-DQE3dJbD9jzOfYT77c9Xb_0qcePmWM6U/s1600/DSC_0106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhXACMtwOWJNPkBxLpZIqoJIhDxUYvS-LxVddQMOOTV7ImGpme6UEvy_pSNQ1N1m8CkiW_kaiungNXpVa2LHeDnOAlqn0Amhst6ZAe6xm1M-DQE3dJbD9jzOfYT77c9Xb_0qcePmWM6U/s1600/DSC_0106.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>My birthday on Friday started with a huge breakfast at Pret a Manger - I used to work at Pret when I lived in London so I am naturally biased, but I just LOVE Pret sandwiches. Then we spent a couple of hours exploring St Paul's cathedral - despite living in and visiting London a ton of times, I had never been up in the dome before. The last part of the climb was a bit nerve-wracking, but the view from the top more than made up for it. If you're curious, there's a virtual tour of sorts on the <a href="https://www.stpauls.co.uk/visits/visits" target="_blank">St. Paul's website</a>. After a bit of shopping and a change of clothes at <a href="https://thehoxton.com/london/shoreditch/sleep" target="_blank">our hotel</a> we headed out for an amazing dinner and cakes with our friends Johanna and Marc, who had booked a fantastic indian restaurant (I love indian food) for the occasion. A great time was had by all!<br />
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On Saturday we did a bit more shopping, and then headed to the V&A museum for the necessary dose of culture (my dad the librarian would be disappointed in me if I spent all that time in London without visiting at least one museum). V&A was fantastic, even Johanna who is not usually a museum fan was swayed. The evening was spent at Johanna and Marc's place in Wapping, enjoying some excellent vegetarian shepherd's pie (beer might have been involved as well) and talking. And then on Sunday morning it was time to check out and head back home. I can't believe how much fun we managed to squeeze into those four days, but it was tough to go back home again. Can't wait to come back again!<br />
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In my next post I thought I'd show you some of the shopping I did. I didn't buy too much in the way of clothing, but I did get a lot of books, craft supplies, and of course, fabric! We didn't make it to Goldhawk road for fabric shopping in the end, but that was probably just as well since I already spent a ton of money on fabric at Liberty. Lucky for me, Keith's parents had made a secret deal with him that if I found something I loved that they would pay for part of it as their birthday present to me. A big thanks to Maria and Dennis! Anyway, more on that later. I'm off to start wrapping the Christmas presents!<br />
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<img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25z0JAOKJWoeJU_0BjAGsCtbmpgLWZimeSlwbtahlleHQJOktWrYhNRQtg0DAOwX3ADcG6EPLg-F9dqMS-PqoJM1BYr2Aj0pEgdebePz69tqQaLoch2ODZAyTvXbSfBBxfhj2v_297pw/s1600/Scandinavian+Christmas+2014+button.jpg" title="Scandinavian Christmas with Nordic Craft" /></div>
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ETA: I almost forgot to mention: I'm guest blogging today over at <a href="http://the-pickled-herring.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Pickled Herring</a> today for Kathryn's Scandinavian Christmas series! <a href="http://the-pickled-herring.blogspot.se/2014/12/scandinavian-christmas-day-5.html" target="_blank">My post this year</a> is about making pomander oranges, one of my favorite Christmas decorations. Head over there if you's like to read my tutorial!Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-20304169443004626932014-12-03T07:30:00.000+01:002014-12-03T07:30:00.252+01:00December is here!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I can't believe it's December already! I'm already starting to feel the holiday cheer, and since this weekend was advent first, I don't feel guilty for getting started on the Christmas decorations. But before I go into full Christmas mode, I have something else to focus on: This is the week we are going to London to celebrate my 30th birthday! I've been looking forward to it for months and I am thrilled to finally be going. I will be taking a blogging break for the rest of the week, but I hope to be back next week with lots of pictures from our trip. Have a great week!Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-17141741591506827342014-12-01T11:29:00.001+01:002014-12-15T15:48:22.113+01:00Super simple Nutella cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy01YihKHamdS-Slu0fd6Pqb0s9G-cxCxQHDW8eIQIZ5G8AT1u5moH0Lhw97cgzv2H3kLoEuvkkcMNPD6enQynHWIiVlOydVA42v7IUBb-fYujNZw155a7iU52pu-pTIyZKIGffEvoQk/s1600/nutella_cupcakes_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy01YihKHamdS-Slu0fd6Pqb0s9G-cxCxQHDW8eIQIZ5G8AT1u5moH0Lhw97cgzv2H3kLoEuvkkcMNPD6enQynHWIiVlOydVA42v7IUBb-fYujNZw155a7iU52pu-pTIyZKIGffEvoQk/s1600/nutella_cupcakes_4.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
Today I'm sharing a quick and simple recipe that I really love. I like baking, but I rarely feel like I have the time to, especially if I'm just making something for Keith and me. That's why I like this recipe - it only takes three ingredients and very little time!<br />
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These Nutella cupcakes have a more brownie-like texture than regular cupcakes, which I appreciate. I made them several times over the summer, and they usually go over very well. If you want to make them really decadent, a coconut or cashew cream frosting should work well with the Nutella flavor - I usually just powder some icing sugar on the top, since the cupcakes are so rich as they are.<br />
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<h3>
Three-ingredient Nutella cupcakes </h3>
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1 cup Nutella <br />
2 eggs<br />
1 cup flour<br />
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<b>Instructions</b><br />
Preheat your oven to 175 C (approx. 350 F). Put cupcake liners in a muffin pan (this recipe will make around 12 cupcakes). Whisk together Nutella and eggs in a medium size bowl. Add the
flour, and whisk until blended. Spoon batter into the pan, filling the liners about half-way up. <br />
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Bake for 8-12 minutes, just until the tops have set and cracked slightly. Test with a toothpick in the middle, the toothpick should come out wet and sticky. Allow to cool.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbE86s3sYm7K53AkZhZMkV9TQyMEtahXb-VJvwVFvpzYm_z1j9F1jHnXByLQQvLoJUd57X_1CxUk7Rr8b3l044w2Frv2zacgKqQVttpZHqqPEHAXvJFUFAQApALHs_FBAYj-fdZrY6-5M/s1600/nutella_cupcakes_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbE86s3sYm7K53AkZhZMkV9TQyMEtahXb-VJvwVFvpzYm_z1j9F1jHnXByLQQvLoJUd57X_1CxUk7Rr8b3l044w2Frv2zacgKqQVttpZHqqPEHAXvJFUFAQApALHs_FBAYj-fdZrY6-5M/s1600/nutella_cupcakes_3.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a>
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Now, we only have 3,5 days in the city and we want to have as much time as possible to hang out with Johanna and Marc, but I couldn't resist putting some crafty things on the to-do list as well. I thought I'd share them here as inspiration, if you're planning a visit to London anytime in the future.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXK_mtM7oQsTcXpyWB4_0u5jtGqhTTDPx-iNalbTgkbA3drqjQgPpPTxduZKpzr9um8QmAOgmlpQ0OqyH8UmiWgNJ4zp21JDUTYq4vnQc3HDQxZ0DiRDI680xp8_KqTKX1SQ7cfqIiGs/s1600/Liberty_London_21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXK_mtM7oQsTcXpyWB4_0u5jtGqhTTDPx-iNalbTgkbA3drqjQgPpPTxduZKpzr9um8QmAOgmlpQ0OqyH8UmiWgNJ4zp21JDUTYq4vnQc3HDQxZ0DiRDI680xp8_KqTKX1SQ7cfqIiGs/s1600/Liberty_London_21.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image by Gryffindor (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0] via Wikimedia Commons</span></span></td></tr>
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1. Liberty of London. Of course, no visit to London is complete without a trip to Liberty's. This department store has an amazing fabric section selling (among other things) the signature flowery fabrics. I plan to stock up on some Tana Lawn and soak up the atmosphere before taking on Oxford street.<br />
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2.<a href="http://www.cassart.co.uk/">Cass Art</a>. When I started looking around for the best arts and crafts shops in London, this one kept popping up in all my searches. Looks like they have a great selection of paints and tools, can't wait to visit!<br />
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3. <a href="http://www.paperchase.co.uk/">Paperchase</a>. As a stationery nut I LOVE Paperchase products, but unfortunately they don't ship to Sweden. So I'm planning on stocking up during my visit!<br />
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4. IF we have the time, I would so love to visit the fabric shops on Goldhawk Road. Apparently, this is THE place to shop for fabric at reasonable prices. It is going a bit off since we will be staying in and spending most of our time around Shoreditch, and I'm not sure whether we'll find the time. If we do go I promise I will update you on my loot!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUFQCqv81SoBB5kSbhsG0fP3W4VG5wZnqF9Xrjx2kyy-EZIRmZiw1m2C1DAwJpF_zu6HYWzITaosEDXZIozD2lkSXStQAWVizPeR0wtGiil4pi5yF1L8gXCI3jW7KH6RzOvZzP9PsywA/s1600/Harry_Potter_Leavesden_entrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUFQCqv81SoBB5kSbhsG0fP3W4VG5wZnqF9Xrjx2kyy-EZIRmZiw1m2C1DAwJpF_zu6HYWzITaosEDXZIozD2lkSXStQAWVizPeR0wtGiil4pi5yF1L8gXCI3jW7KH6RzOvZzP9PsywA/s1600/Harry_Potter_Leavesden_entrance.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image by Karen Roe, The Making of Harry Potter 29-05-2012 [CC-BY-3.0] via Wikimedia Commons (image has been cropped)</span></span></td></tr>
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We have lots of not-so-crafty plans as well, for example we will be spending almost an entire day at the Harry Potter Studios outside London. What can I say, I'm a geek! Also, Keith has only visited London once before so some touristy stuff is a must. A lot of the "standard" sights we did last time he went, like Trafalgar square, Parliament, that sort of thing. We've done the London Eye and visited Tate Modern, so this time I'm thinking the St. Pauls whispering gallery, the Tower (I loved it when I visited as a kid!) and the V&A museum (I've never been!). And I'm also considering booking a Jack the Ripper tour of Soho - a fun way to introduce Keith to some of the history of the city. <br />
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I can't wait! I promise I will share some pics of the trip once we're back home again.Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-33793869434604275462014-11-24T13:28:00.000+01:002014-11-25T17:26:00.740+01:00Utility sewing: Cover or cozy for my LG Pocket PhotoMost of the time when I make things, it's as much for the joy of making as for the finished product itself. The process is usually the purpose, and I revel in learning a new skill, exercising my creativity and making something with my hands. Not always, though. Sometimes crafting is all about utility - when you really need something, but despite the sea of products out there in our consumer culture, you can't find that specific thing ANYWHERE. Such was the case with this cozy/case for my LG Pocket Photo.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvH3y4ur79ZYNCoa6UUXU05aEi1hWxbyhmlU0dC0hVL_jPZ04INqgMIWs5w1ni7W-guA7DJNIBfifedOJKRQd85RX-wovxRMv65EPW74-byTYE6bth0zGB4gyAmf0A7aBzEwz8ceRF8-0/s1600/Pocket_photo_cozy_closed_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvH3y4ur79ZYNCoa6UUXU05aEi1hWxbyhmlU0dC0hVL_jPZ04INqgMIWs5w1ni7W-guA7DJNIBfifedOJKRQd85RX-wovxRMv65EPW74-byTYE6bth0zGB4gyAmf0A7aBzEwz8ceRF8-0/s1600/Pocket_photo_cozy_closed_3.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a>The <a href="http://www.lg.com/ae/pocket-photo" target="_blank">Pocket Photo</a> is an awesome mini printer which lets you print off smartphone photos in one click - I love mine and use it lots for smash booking and memory keeping. Since it's so small (less than 13x8 cm) and light (220 grams), it's ideal for keeping in your bag, ready to use whenever you feel like it. However, if you're anything like me, that bag is also used to house a ton of other stuff which could potentially scratch, dent or damage your awesome printer. I spent ages searching for a Pocket Photo case or cozy to prevent this, to no avail. I wanted a case that fit snugly and didn't take up too much space in my bag, but still had some padding to protect the printer from wear. Unfortunately, that turned out to be near impossible to find!<br />
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In the end I enlisted my dear mom so help me sew a cozy specifically for the Pocket Photo, and this is the end result. It's made of a heavy cotton with a felt lining, and I used velcro for the closure because I didn't want any metal zips or buttons that might themselves make marks on the printer. I'm actually quite pleased with the end result. It may not be something to write home about, but it does exactly what I need it to, and for once that's all I ask!Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-8046188804509895312014-11-21T13:53:00.001+01:002014-11-21T14:06:51.508+01:00Cushion cover in the works<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRbPiUKGRLrYOAM9OoRDipGbYbLFaDB_bEuaAqYi2hATE6RDHLGhBBYM1wgkpKjNZeU4HRnXWjj0AtD5oMR65H9kcWhmVOlHEjaRo4jJmlxIHmXnk03ib5mLA8yRmfa08kZhDzc5R9ls/s1600/cushion_cover_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNRbPiUKGRLrYOAM9OoRDipGbYbLFaDB_bEuaAqYi2hATE6RDHLGhBBYM1wgkpKjNZeU4HRnXWjj0AtD5oMR65H9kcWhmVOlHEjaRo4jJmlxIHmXnk03ib5mLA8yRmfa08kZhDzc5R9ls/s1600/cushion_cover_2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a> Wait, how is it the weekend already? This week went by in a flash, but unfortunately I don't have much to show for it, craft-wise. I'm still working on the photo cushion cover I wrote about a while ago - this week I finally pieced the front together, but I still need to buy a pillow insert and finish the back. I am completely in love with the photo fabric by the way, I keep thinking of new projects to make with it! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGoltELhzABlyOBnFvief02t3YS6CGAnpqhH6gIziTrwILXs-ARFM1iML0UZx9rUIooGCBgkc00JvWi4Kpv-MDWdgo948aqVVk-tryiJ0BKKmgc1-KmhQ4iw2AHWrBt5dq_hwkgZGBco/s1600/cushion_cover_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeGoltELhzABlyOBnFvief02t3YS6CGAnpqhH6gIziTrwILXs-ARFM1iML0UZx9rUIooGCBgkc00JvWi4Kpv-MDWdgo948aqVVk-tryiJ0BKKmgc1-KmhQ4iw2AHWrBt5dq_hwkgZGBco/s1600/cushion_cover_1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
Speaking of photos, one of the worst things about living far north is the lack of daylight this time of year. At the moment, the sun rises about 8:30 am and sets at 3 pm here in Stockholm. That's not a lot of daylight as it is; and add to that the cloudy, rainy weather we've been having all week. It really gets on your nerves! It's also near impossible to take good photos this time of year, so my apologies in advance if you see a lot of photos on this blog in the coming weeks that don't quite measure up. I promise I'll do my best!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjWsoqfzvG_pH_YKhcZWbAuhRNRb4D3w957dQgLaWScpl0L4zW7DoIZYfRMJa4k4COXzPhgBg8wfttyATPac0iDeU2tkj0zKL-4g8lDxqfh-fKseKoK-zrS9QJFLb51gXkeGE2slTxNys/s1600/pinterest_to_do_list.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjWsoqfzvG_pH_YKhcZWbAuhRNRb4D3w957dQgLaWScpl0L4zW7DoIZYfRMJa4k4COXzPhgBg8wfttyATPac0iDeU2tkj0zKL-4g8lDxqfh-fKseKoK-zrS9QJFLb51gXkeGE2slTxNys/s1600/pinterest_to_do_list.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1. <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/2008/01/19/sashiko/" target="_blank">Sashiko embroidery @ the Purl Bee</a> 2. <a href="http://crafts.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-make-an-elastic-notebook-pen-and-pencil-strap--craft-9120" target="_blank">Awesome elastic pen strap @ tutsplus.com</a> 3. <a href="http://aspoonfulofsugardesigns.com/2012/04/house-sachets/" target="_blank">House satchet @ a Spoonful of Sugar</a> 4. <a href="http://honestlywtf.com/diy/diy-heart-friendship-bracelet/" target="_blank">Heart friendship bracelets @ HonestlyWTF</a> 5. <a href="http://aquilterstable.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/triple-zip-pouch-tutorial.html" target="_blank">Zippered pouch @ A Quilters Table</a> 6. <a href="http://www.erinerickson.com/2011/11/circle-zip-earbud-pouch-tutorial/" target="_blank">Earbud Circle Pouch @ erinerickson.com </a>7. <a href="http://www.missmarysews.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/easter-pot-holder-tutorial.html?m=1#!http://missmarysews.blogspot.com/2012/03/easter-pot-holder-tutorial.html" target="_blank">Brilliant Potholder @ Miss Mary Sewing Classes</a> 8. <a href="http://fortheloveofgeorge.com.au/archive/plus-quilt-in-progress/" target="_blank">A faster way to make plus quilts @ For the Love of George</a> 9. <a href="http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=236665.0" target="_blank">Quick hair iron cozy by gatheringtwigs @ Craftster</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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So much inspiration! I actually already started one of these projects a while back - fabric house ornaments made using the excellent tutorial from <a href="http://retro-mama.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/home-for-holidays.html" target="_blank">Retro Mama</a>. I'm planning to turn them into lavender sachets for our closets. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5cqCgHdQhIp2lOIdep_B5s0asX6iWqaK0nBt3ATjmIraNwJkW2N02LFIomV-rgwbhyphenhyphen_GVgu7RUN6Eku8icWfOEbMOv5dJhVp2o5BXdnvhoRJeh7hDbYnuqrBIrDOsB79sT_fo6zHgnc/s1600/pinterest_to_do_list_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5cqCgHdQhIp2lOIdep_B5s0asX6iWqaK0nBt3ATjmIraNwJkW2N02LFIomV-rgwbhyphenhyphen_GVgu7RUN6Eku8icWfOEbMOv5dJhVp2o5BXdnvhoRJeh7hDbYnuqrBIrDOsB79sT_fo6zHgnc/s1600/pinterest_to_do_list_3.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
See, I've already come this far. About time I finish these! I will keep you updated on my progress. :-)<br />
<br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-5800047230465748842014-11-12T13:27:00.000+01:002014-11-12T13:27:37.504+01:00First Lomo'instant review (and an unusually long post)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO49ldQkEZDr1Y2tO1AjqdQUOhFyYwjkY5P1IYmd8oOc3T-sfnYl5FSJt8_FIaNXoCxciF8lob35dL8nUcDsGtCj9Ol_oyxV-KDZbUFUr9xgbH9DhuG7QzAyUUN11CTlGMaAfuJA-V7eA/s1600/lomoinstant_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO49ldQkEZDr1Y2tO1AjqdQUOhFyYwjkY5P1IYmd8oOc3T-sfnYl5FSJt8_FIaNXoCxciF8lob35dL8nUcDsGtCj9Ol_oyxV-KDZbUFUr9xgbH9DhuG7QzAyUUN11CTlGMaAfuJA-V7eA/s640/lomoinstant_1.jpg" width="640" /></a>It's arrived! Feels like I've been waiting for the Lomography Lomo'Instant camera forever - I backed the Kickstarter project early on in June, choosing the special Kickstarter edition of the camera (for specs, <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lomography/the-lomoinstant-camera" target="_blank">see here</a>). But yesterday it finally arrived! I was totally giddy as I opened the package.<br />
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I thought I would post some of my first thoughts here for those of you who are still waiting for your camera to arrive, or are deciding whether to buy one. Now, I have only spent an hour or so with my Lomo'Instant so far, so this will be far from an exhaustive review. Just some initial impressions and a few test shots - I'm sure there will be more to come in later posts as I get to know my new friend better!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeySn3_WHjx3K3dv70KY0Wy6-OvmRIcXipAdp8-v73AMADnsfSF7MwZI_oAq3AkuDv-hbvV-PaSxeqLdJtuXbyMrVnocLi950Eg7HiNzkeT4mAiMcpklyClbWQdtwmC2fnHDhtfu-otzo/s1600/lomoinstant_collage_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeySn3_WHjx3K3dv70KY0Wy6-OvmRIcXipAdp8-v73AMADnsfSF7MwZI_oAq3AkuDv-hbvV-PaSxeqLdJtuXbyMrVnocLi950Eg7HiNzkeT4mAiMcpklyClbWQdtwmC2fnHDhtfu-otzo/s640/lomoinstant_collage_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Straight out of the box, a few things to note:<br />
<ul>
<li>The camera is large. At 14 x 10 cm it is significantly larger than it's Instax counterpart, the Instax mini 90 Neo Classic. I like how the rectangular proportions are more reminiscent of a regular camera (whereas the Instax 90 is almost square) but nevertheless, the extra bulk will be a challenge.</li>
<li>Despite it's size, the Lomo'instant is very light. Again, compared to the mini 90 this was a surprise. As a novice I figured more features, more weight, right? But not so! Straight out of the box the Lomo'instant is actually lighter, but once you insert batteries and attach a lens it outweighs the Instax by about 100 grams. Which is still not that much, so that's fantastic!</li>
<li>As advertised, the camera is completely analog. I love this fact, just holding it feels like you're catching a little piece of fleeting history. This also means though (and I know, I should have realized, but it didn't hit me until I actually held the camera), the camera will require regular alkaline batteries.Took a bit of scrambling until I found some in a drawer!</li>
<li>Lots of moving parts! Another thing which I was expecting, but which influenced my over all feel for the camera (see more on this below).</li>
<li>The lenses! Having never owned a SLR/D-SLR camera before, I first found the multitude of lenses a bit intimidating. But they are actually quite easy to use and the do lend a very "professional" feel to the camera. More on the different lenses will have to wait for another post though, there's so much to discuss! </li>
</ul>
Once I inserted the film and batteries (getting the battery hatch open was a huge challenge for some reason!) I decided to try a quick test. I set the Lomo'Instant to auto mode and auto aperture, and snapped a quick test shot of my bookcase. I then snapped the exact same shot with the auto setting on my Instax 90. You can see the difference here:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithEMXQpaoB6OZVTD6Jj6Kgbz06EXKpt26WeRisP98pUev6Bvq-iLeeRpLNrDj9kTOqE0c2lYTGt_Q5W7IN1CTiki7OSU4Yb9d4uGBdCgeogUr8aB9hRrfUNNN6nIZY4Jl3nqdxrrKGPM/s1600/lomoinstant_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithEMXQpaoB6OZVTD6Jj6Kgbz06EXKpt26WeRisP98pUev6Bvq-iLeeRpLNrDj9kTOqE0c2lYTGt_Q5W7IN1CTiki7OSU4Yb9d4uGBdCgeogUr8aB9hRrfUNNN6nIZY4Jl3nqdxrrKGPM/s640/lomoinstant_4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Obviously this is just one of a million ways you can shoot with the Lomo'Instant, but I still think it captures something essential about the camera. The two shots have a completely different feel to them! While the Instax shot looks almost like it could have been shot by a low quality digital camera, the Lomo'Instant shot has a much more "lomo" feel. The overall image is darker and there's tons of vignetting. You can also see how the wide-angle lens warps the image slightly (making the bookcase look crooked). This means that just whipping out the Lomo'Instant to snap a quick photo will be challenging - getting the best shot will always include some fiddling around with the settings. Whereas with the Instax I can usually get a decent shot in auto mode, the Lomo'Instant challenges me and forces me to learn - which is something I like!<br />
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In a way, this does take some of the "instant" out of "instant photography",
but in the end it really depends on what you plan to use the camera for. I had
this expectation in the back of my mind when I ordered the Lomo'Instant,
and since I already had the mini 90 I was looking for something that could complement, rather than replace, it. It does mean though that the Lomo'instant will probably get less use than the Instax - personally, I see myself using it more for artistic exploration, longer photo sessions and experiments, rather than as a "party trick". <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSQ0lffwpCIPqPnIdtNa6fqPLJZpJ1Y7tbSokc27PghHpnI6woSH5W0stbx0RcieaKotY280-uyba6hGKj3-B_PTRUA7ZMRYGvq_fcaItJOwXIi2djTYlunk2xSTcCFcJfsF3nQiu-Ac/s1600/lomoinstant_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFSQ0lffwpCIPqPnIdtNa6fqPLJZpJ1Y7tbSokc27PghHpnI6woSH5W0stbx0RcieaKotY280-uyba6hGKj3-B_PTRUA7ZMRYGvq_fcaItJOwXIi2djTYlunk2xSTcCFcJfsF3nQiu-Ac/s640/lomoinstant_2.jpg" width="640" /></a>One reason for this is the sheer complexity of the camera. With three different lenses and two packs of tiny color filters (I will need to find some way to store these or I can see them getting lost in the black hole that is my hand bag), the Lomo'Instant will be less likely to get tossed in my bag as I head out for dinner, a party or some sightseeing. Another reason is that, as I mentioned, the camera has lots of moving parts. The shutter itself is a lever, not a button as on most modern cameras. Then there's the focusing zone lever and the way the front (orange, in my case) part of the camera sort of pops out when you change the focusing zone setting; there's the MX switch, and the exposure compensation dial. Maybe this is just me being overly protective of my new friend, but it does make the camera feel more fragile. I will definitely need to look for a good camera bag for my Lomo'Instant - I'm hoping that the awesome folks over at Lomography will get to work on one soon!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCi3f6wvuH6Absk59b5nsjlpNQukCuE70nLMkuBbVQjjW3sspdnkxZIGFFo2FB48s0LvEgfMIOCJEyDcfN5z2-JmJ-mqBn2ErZaFKv-fX1RQQLKHQD09s1xlLNds4dxideDvLvq8vXigo/s1600/lomoinstant_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCi3f6wvuH6Absk59b5nsjlpNQukCuE70nLMkuBbVQjjW3sspdnkxZIGFFo2FB48s0LvEgfMIOCJEyDcfN5z2-JmJ-mqBn2ErZaFKv-fX1RQQLKHQD09s1xlLNds4dxideDvLvq8vXigo/s640/lomoinstant_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Some more test shots: The above are a couple of quick shots I took of Keith this morning (which is why he looks so adorably sleepy), using the portrait lens and a couple of color filters. I wanted to show the different effects you get with the two focusing modes (1m-infinity and 0.4-0.9 m, respectively). The first shot is taken with the longer focusing distance (which is the default), and even though I felt like I was looking up his nose the result doesn't show it at all. The second shot is taken at the same distance (I'm guessing about 30 cm) but using the shorter focusing range. Whoa! Huge difference in size and detail rendering. It's easy to forget this setting if, like me, you're used to digital cameras and auto focusing. But I will have to learn to remember it!<br />
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Also, a side note: I LOVE the color filters! The camera comes with four filters (blue, red, purple and yellow) and four additional ones were sent to all Kickstarter backers as a reward for reaching one of the stretch goals. They are all fantastic! And an added bonus: Since the camera has an unlimited multiple exposure setting, you can mix the colors by using one color filter for your first MX shot, and another for the second. How cool is that?? I'm hoping a mix of red and purple might get me some awesome pink MX selfies!<br />
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Whew, that was a long post! So what's the conclusion? All in all, if you're looking for a convenient way to take quick snapshots on the go, then I'd say you're better off sticking with the Instax mini 90 or the Instax mini 8. But if you want the chance to get more artistic and imaginative, by all means - the Lomo'Instant is for you!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGLMdcr9wvbeGSMwrE6yr51ED_qY-IOiUrBduJlh6AYbr31lqkKXHGsOf9wlnyF4ZM40h97JS3fY9UH7L1IFnlDtAqnqxVqI44it1bSqF7oDcRpBnNTbiIXtJBSoKu9kdFh5-WBkSZ_I/s1600/lomoinstant_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwGLMdcr9wvbeGSMwrE6yr51ED_qY-IOiUrBduJlh6AYbr31lqkKXHGsOf9wlnyF4ZM40h97JS3fY9UH7L1IFnlDtAqnqxVqI44it1bSqF7oDcRpBnNTbiIXtJBSoKu9kdFh5-WBkSZ_I/s640/lomoinstant_5.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span id="goog_285074569"></span><span id="goog_285074570"></span><br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6604544943372243.post-31516295548211145502014-11-10T17:23:00.000+01:002014-11-10T17:23:00.389+01:00Geek week: Harry Potter craftsAlright, this will be the last of my "geek week" posts. But since I am a huge Harry Potter fan, it didn't seem right to do a "geek week" without including some Potter-inspired crafts!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXOrqgB26IgPBQItdMClkC7B_L-X6rMJuoRXrMverMcKznX5LWZkqPBuiOSdzWSg0QM6t6Xy0LOlGsIfssfMFm5VGetTlXf6Szz8AsFCgT4Owu5r1D-rw0EBsFkNmOusePeTpHC_rgAo/s1600/favorite_harry_potter_crafts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXOrqgB26IgPBQItdMClkC7B_L-X6rMJuoRXrMverMcKznX5LWZkqPBuiOSdzWSg0QM6t6Xy0LOlGsIfssfMFm5VGetTlXf6Szz8AsFCgT4Owu5r1D-rw0EBsFkNmOusePeTpHC_rgAo/s1600/favorite_harry_potter_crafts.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">1. <a href="https://www.etsy.com/transaction/131910998?" target="_blank">Handmade Hogwarts Notebooks</a> 2. <a href="http://papercutting.blogspot.se/2009/07/template-tuesday-harry-potter-owls.html" target="_blank">Owl paper cut </a>3. <a href="http://giuliasnape.deviantart.com/art/Deathly-hallows-necklace-370465425" target="_blank">Gorgeous necklace by Guilia Snape</a> 4. <a href="http://www.epbot.com/2014/06/diy-harry-potter-death-eater-mask.html" target="_blank">Amazing Death Eater mask by Epbot</a> 5. <a href="http://tinyapartmentcrafts.blogspot.se/2010/12/golden-snitch-ornament-tutorial.html" target="_blank">Snitch Christmas Ornament tutorial </a>6. <a href="http://www.celestefrittata.it/blog/2010/12/free-printable-owl-post-gift-wrapping/" target="_blank">Free Owl Post printable </a>7. <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Harry-Potter-style-Hogwarts-Library-Spellbooks/" target="_blank">Awesome Potions book including instructions</a> 8. <a href="http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/features/crafts/quilting/deathlyhallows/" target="_blank">Deathly hallows paper piecing </a>9. <a href="http://www.sweetsillychic.com/index.php/reddit-rocks/" target="_blank">Amazing handmade wands</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The above are a collection of some of my favorite Harry Potter crafts from around the web. I especially love crafts that aim to recreate magical items from the books in detail, like realistic looking wands, school books or magical sweets. Quirky, but still grown up, you know? I don't want my home to look like the Warner Bros' merchandise store threw up all over it... I don't have a lot of Potter memorabilia at home, but I do have one distinctly geeky home decor detail. Here we go:<br />
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Yeah, that's a picture of our toilet. A completely normal, muggle toilet. Right?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUAgCHavMJ93EAYxSp7K3_t0Uos4Zn5w1iXspjKylNCg8o7Ms3cXhwAraslts-QdEyaR0jKmUXUPqP11NYm_ebsP7QuRTXRgOEVyoFOpJmT64GFLl5J31BL6OP7U86QCmWUpq5C5JnDY/s1600/harry_potter_crafts_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUAgCHavMJ93EAYxSp7K3_t0Uos4Zn5w1iXspjKylNCg8o7Ms3cXhwAraslts-QdEyaR0jKmUXUPqP11NYm_ebsP7QuRTXRgOEVyoFOpJmT64GFLl5J31BL6OP7U86QCmWUpq5C5JnDY/s1600/harry_potter_crafts_3.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
NO! In fact, it's the entrance to the Ministry of Magic! This is a nice easter egg for visiting Potter fans - I'm sure it looks completely crazy to everyone else. :-) It was a quick craft to do, all I did was do a google image search for "Ministry of Magic", print out the logo and cover the whole image with scotch tape. That way it's firmly attached to the inside of the toilet lid, and you don't have to worry about messing up the image when you're cleaning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIWw1tnMySszyvaaTfEJKZfNV0rPo-Z93xZq31fh0Xo8sDYTwLut6QeAFE1T88406tzzIRT4YBtE_EwkgkPZpnGqBcKwGzwLLeSBqP_ZO_k2kluuVUglGG0lBeBOnJ8mU6xGypVU9Gn0/s1600/harry_potter_crafts_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifIWw1tnMySszyvaaTfEJKZfNV0rPo-Z93xZq31fh0Xo8sDYTwLut6QeAFE1T88406tzzIRT4YBtE_EwkgkPZpnGqBcKwGzwLLeSBqP_ZO_k2kluuVUglGG0lBeBOnJ8mU6xGypVU9Gn0/s1600/harry_potter_crafts_5.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
Does your geekiness show in your home? How? <br />
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<br />Karinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021891890315679563noreply@blogger.com1