Surprising myself...

Just when I thought I had figured it all out I surprise myself by wanting quite the opposite. Just when I thought I was all for colour and retro style I find myself going "back to basics".


It might well be that the recent dramatic events are partly responsible for the need to surround myself with less colour.


Somehow there is safety in the calming old white, in textiles that have stood the test of time, that are smooth to the touch and restful to the eye.


It is reassuring to wake up in the morning to the beauty and scent of the delicate roses from my garden.


Safety and reassurance is what I long for at the moment. At the moment I seem to find it in everything white. The need for more colour might come again later, but at the moment it is "back to basics"...

Colour on a Wednesday

I have a dear friend who has known me most of my adult life. She has seen my various homes and different decorative styles come and go.


She has always been supportive of whatever I have been up to. But after I had posted this entry, she told me she wondered "what on earth is Mia up to now...?"


She could really not see anything promising come out of my latest attempt. But here it is now, for all to see. A very colourful "vintage/retro" cushion.


I, for one, am tickled by the end result, as I like to think it turned out far better than I dared hope for. You (and my dear friend), on the other hand, are entitled to your own opinion...


And just in case you wonder... there is now falling out over a cushion cover, when it comes to old friends!

Comfort

Even in the darkest hour there is comfort to be found. I am forever grateful to you, dear blog friends from all over the world, for caring. Thank you!


But even in dark times life has to go on. And we find comfort in the near and dear. To take our minds of, at least for the teeniest while, from the recent events, we took a walk in the woods yesterday, to marvel at nature´s beauty and bounty.


With a basket under our arm, we filled it with the loveliest mushrooms in no time (must be due to all the rain we have had lately). And the comfort that can be found in a lovely meal with ones loved one can not be under estimated.


Baked potatoes served with sour cream and grated cheese, and the delicious fried mushrooms, enjoyed in candle light, made for a luxurious meal, despite the humble ingredients. Comfort food indeed!


No matter what has happened and how hard it has been, life does go on. We try the make the most of it, take pleasure and find comfort in the small things in life, that really are not so small at all!

Lost for words

Yesterday Norway experienced horrendous acts of terror and violence that have left us all devastated.


While trying to comprehend what has happened I find it impossible to take it all in, and am lost for words.


Yet I wish to thank you for your words of concern and comfort, and for having us in your thoughts and prayers.

Modern Vintage Style

I do not seem to be able to resist books, and my latest acquisition is a real treat. If you have a passion for all things vintage, quirky and bohemian, then you will love stylist Emily Chalmer´s book "Modern Vintage Style".


The book is full if delightful photos of interiors with a contemporary take on vintage style. I have to admit my heart skipped a beat (or two) at the sight of this lovely bedroom.


How lovely is that bed with its layers of vintage quilts and crochet blankets? And the different retro wallpapers. I wish I were that brave...


Modern Vintage Style is no ordinary "style" book, as "modern vintage" goes beyond being a "look". And none of the homes featured in the book were created overnight.


Inspired by this book I have taken some baby steps in creating my own vintage style. So imagine my delight when today I was at the receiving end of this lovely vintage coffee set.



A friend had bought the blue and white coffee cups in England some 41 years ago, and now gave them to me (being well aware of my love of blue and white). How lucky am I? Modern vintage, here I come...

The more the merrier

I guess this applies to many things in life... "the more the merrier". What I have in mind, though, is the more colours, crochet and knitted blankets and crafts in general, the merrier!


Not that I exactly work at the speed of a lightning, but I do knit new squares to what I hope in the end will be a colourful, pretty, warm blanket (yes, yet another one!) So far I have mainly used wool I already had in my stash, but will shortly add more colours to this mix.


I am thinking more blues, pinks and not least purples and lilacs. All in wool, or in a wool/alpaca mix. Don´t you think it sounds quite delicious indeed?


I have not yet decided whether I will add crochet squares to these (like in this one). Or maybe I will crochet the squares together with a contrasting colour. Remains to be seen... I "only" have 139 squares to go!

My summer paradise

High summer! The weather is fickle, but enough warm sunny days to be enjoyed. And I do! I am a bit of a homebody, and like nothing better than to spend the short Norwegian summer at home.


My favourite spot to enjoy these lovely summer days is the hammock. There really is nothing quite like it, to indulge in a lovely afternoon nap while listening to the gentle breeze and bees buzzing by.


It is also comforting to know that the house is not far away, in case I should want a refreshment of some sort. These days freshly picked strawberries are high on my list.


A bit of reading material at the ready, should I want to spend some time dreaming and scheming of new projects, and need a bit of inspiration.


The view is not half bad either... as I can see a bit of my beloved garden from the hammock. And a bit of blue sky (if I am lucky)!


NIB has challenged us to show our summer paradise, and this is my contribution to the aforementioned challenge. You can find all the contributions here.

Sunday favourites

A few months ago I had a brainwave, to do a "Sunday favourites" entry in case I lacked ideas for a post on that given day. But since then it seems I have had enough to "show and tell", and there has been only that one "Sunday favourites".


That is until today. It is after all summer and holiday-time, and not a lot of "blog-worthy" stuff goes on around here. So "Sunday favourites" it is.


And what could be more blog-worthy than the very first mushroom hunt of the season. I know it is a bit early, and in fact I do not recall ever having picked mushrooms this early in the season. Not that we picked a glut by any definition...


But what could be lovelier than to sit on the deck in the early evening sun, cleaning the pretty golden delicacies, and then quickly frying them in butter for a taste of heaven, or rather... a taste of the woods...?


And then to enjoy them in the glow of the late evening sun, accompanied with a glass of chilled wine. Pure heaven. One of my, not just "Sunday favourites", but summer favourites indeed!

The best one of them all...?

The peonies are on their last leg, but still hanging in there. The roses are at their height, and there are strawberries in abundance.


I know every season has its charms, but I tend to think it does not get any better than this. Would you agree...?

The potager... and more

Summer is a wonderful, busy time. The days pass by in a pleasant flurry of activity. Friends stop by, a leisurely lunch is enjoyed on the deck. And a lot of precious time is spent in the garden.


Now it is not just a pretty plot with perennials and a lot of promise of good things to come. For now there is even ripe stuff to pick and eat in the potager. And don´t we do it too.


Every day we pick more ripe, sweet, red strawberries than we manage to eat. And they taste just so delicious, more so than any store bought strawberry ever did.


The abundance of strawberries is partly thanks to the (less than becoming) blue netting, which we use to protect the ripening delicacies from hungry birds. The strawberry plants were very young last summer, and produced only a handfull of berries, most of which did indeed disappear into the the bird tummies.


Around the white picket fence, that surrounds the potager, I have planted my favourite perennials. One of which is the stately delphinium. I have them in various colours, ranging from pink to lilac, purple and various shades of blues.


But there are also other good things to eat in the potager than just the strawberries. Lettuce, radish and spinach end up daily on our plates. And more good things are just around the corner.


In the newer veggie/cutting garden, where I grow taller veggies and annuals for cutting, things are looking promising too. The broad beans and peas are in full flower, while it will be a little while till the annuals put up their show. But I like to think it is worth waiting for...