Sleepless in December

It's not the worst thing in the world, being sleepless in December. At least not when I've got vacation (no office to worry about in the morning), knitting and the fancy DAB- radio hubby and P gave me for Christmas. 

(I woke up around 3:30AM, and couldn't get back to sleep.. It's now 6AM - I think I'll swap to a stirchery soon, once this part of the pattern is complete.)

SSCS 2014 - parcel received, opened - and starstruck!

SSCS 2014 - the 8th year running, and I've been a part of it since the beginning in 2007. I've gotten to know (and spy on) a lot of talented, crafty bloggers from all over the world. Many of whom I still follow through Feedly (the app/program I use to follow blogs). Each year I have tried my best to make something for my receiver that will not only be good enough, but something I'd like to receive myself. (Why stop at good enough anyway?) - and every year I've felt spoiled and starstruck (and more or less felt like the things I've made and sent are far from the quality and detailed perfection of the items I've received back). (But maybe this is a quilter's/crafter's thing - we're never as satisfied with our own work as we are with the works of others?)

Anyway, back to SSCS 2014. This year I was the lucky receiver of the parcel from Annette (Australia) and I feel like she's managed to find me spot on. I mean, first the ornament - with the mouse/rat, as shown in a previous post - and now this? A gorgeous knitting/project bag. And with a purple stitchery! (I love purple..) 

The main present, opened on December 24th.

Annette not only made me a gorgeous bag, but also a mug rug - a TARDIS mug rug! (How on earth did you know that I love Doctor Who? You've been spying, haven't you? ;-) ) And she very generously included a 2015 calendar with images of Australian wild flowers. (Those calendars are so nice, the pictures are just breathtaking!)

Details of the project/knitting bag stitchery.

Seeing as we're leaving for Trysil in a couple of days, I'm considering which knitting project to bring - in my new bag. I simply cannot wait to find a project to keep in it (not keep-keep, you know what I mean). 

Doctor Who/TARDIS mug rug!

And the mug rug? It'll be mine, my own - my precious.. I'd bring it to work (to keep it safe..) but with only four weeks remaining of my office life (for now) I think it'll stay at home so that I can use it here. (But I'm the only one who'll be allowed to use it. ;-) )

This year I was the lucky Santa for a first-timer, Lisa, who joined the swap for the first time. And this is what I sent to Lisa (I'm so glad she enjoyed the parcel) : 

A quilt/mat with houses (pattern from Norsk Quilteblad - I think I have to make more, the pattern was so fun to work with)

A small fabric basket for sewing supplies or threads 

A knitted cloth (the pattern was called Høstløv (Fall leaves), but with the colour combination of the yarn I think that Vårløv (Spring petals) would be a more suitable name)

A miniature advent calendar

Thimble with an image from Oslo

Nail file with norwegian flags

A tiny pin with a norwegian flag

Lisa's gifts, SSCS 2014.

The ornament I sent, was the woven heart basket - and I included a small star ornament (made of straw) too.

Thank you again, Annette - and thank you, Chookyblue, for once again arranging this wonderful swap. And thank you, Lisa, for joining SSCS 2014 for the first time (hopefully not the last), giving me the opportunity to read your blog and get to know you. 

***

It's simply not Christmas without SSCS!

Here comes the sun..

Suddenly, the world lit up in a magical soft glow. The sun made an appearance today. Unusual to be home at this hour, but that's Christmas vacation for you. :-)

We're getting packed and ready to go to the inlaws tomorrow. Staying there over Christmas - and then travelling north/east over the new year to see my side of the family. (All the Christmas presents are done - and ready for the car tomorrow.) 

Confused flowers?

This summer I planted some spanish margerites (spanske margeritter) on our balcony. I think they spent most of the summer and fall complaining about the heat, nearly dying and losing all their flowers.. Well, November came - and suddenly they started to grow!

Green November.

The past couple of years the fall and early winter here in Oslo have been strange seasons. Much warmer than normal - well, let's not discuss what's considered normal or not.. - and so the plants have continued to grow and bloom. I took the above picture on December 7th. I'm curious to see how the balcony will look later in winter - seeing as we were lucky and received some snow last night. Perhaps these spanish flowers prefer a cooler period to grow/bloom than I thought?

Roses, picture taken 14.12.2014.

On Sunday I had to stop and take a picture outside a retirements home close to our house. Not the best picture in the world, but you can clearly see the pink rosebuds. Now, this picture was taken on December 14th. Who'd think they'd see rosebuds like these in Oslo in December? Not me.. But it is enjoyable to see some colour in the otherwise quite gray and dull city life.

Christmas tree

We have a Christmas tree outside our building, just with lights, but it sure makes the area seem nicer and lighter these days. 

The lights were switched on on the first Sunday of Advent - and they will be lighting until after New Year. 

On the eve of the first Sunday in Advent

The evening of the lighting of the tree (aka the first Sunday in Advent) it was cold.. it was so cold that walking around the tree singing had to be done to some energetic songs so that people could get warm again. (Gløgg didn't really help much, I'm afraid..)

The next day.

The following days were warmer. Which is quite evident in the picture above. The grass is green - and on our balchony, the spanish margerits (spanske margeritter, the flower) have been green and growing - mid-december.. but in summer they almost died of the heat. Figures..

Light bulbe.

I tested some filters on my camera phone. One of the light bulbes on the tree was the lucky "victim". 

Quite interesting to see the result from the different filters. 

Black and white. 

Nice glow.

More blue'ish feeling?

Old-fashioned?

Finally! Last night it started to snow! This morning the ground was covered, the roofs of the nearby buildings were white, and the cars parked along the street and in the parking lot were also covered in a soft, thin layer of snow. The whole world suddenly seems cosier, warmer and lighter - as if hope suddenly returned to the otherwise dark and gray world of November and December. 

The tree, photo taken 18.12.2014.

It sure beats rain and not seeing the sun for ages (or so it seems). The sun is absent today too, but the pureness of the snow helps lift the mood. 

The veiw from my office today, 18.12.2014.

There's even snow downtown. Not much, but enough to lighten the view. As you can see from the photo taken from my office window. Someone claimed yesterday that it would snow last night, and that it would stay until after Christmas Eve. I'm not quite sure it will, but we will enjoy it while it lasts.

SSCS 2014 - parcel arrived!

The SSCS 2014 parcel arrived this weekend, all the way from Australia! (Unfortunately, a nasty stomach bug also arrived, leaving 2/3rds of this household off the radar for the past couple of days - thus no blogging until now..)

The "save for later" parcels - I'll be a good girl!

The ornament was opened right away - and I absolutely love it!

Gorgeous fabric on the back.

Love the rat/mouse!

I wonder if my Secret Santa knew that we used to keep pet rats a few years ago? I'd like to think of this cute, little critter as a Christmas rat - with a gingerbread man and a glittery parcel in each paw.

Thank you thank you thank you, wonderful and talented Anette - I'm eagerly awaiting Christmas Eve! (I've chosen to save the second little parcel until the 24th too.. even if I am curious.)

Testing the lights on the tree.

We (Peder and I) managed to decorate (and clean.. well, _I_ did the cleaning) on Sunday while hubby went climbing (indoor climbing wall). Took us about 3 hours - with the cleaning and negotiation around why we were not going to use the easter decorations (even though they were for hanging) - but the apartment is now nice and Christmas-y 

Our little, but well-decorated tree.

I'll see if I can't get some good photo light and share some snapshots from around our little home and our decorations later this week (more like closer to or during this weekend).

Sneaking off..

I snuck off to get some quilting done while the boys were busy decorating gingerbread cookies. 

I knew I didn't have that much time, seeing as P doesn't have the biggest patience when it comes to.. well.. anything, but I managed to finish everything (just missing the binding). The last one was quilted with P in the room, complaining about the noise.. Djee.. No wonder I seldome get stuff done, having to wait for me-time.. 

One day I hope to have my own sewing room - beats having to use the living room.. I guess that is why I'm prone to knitting lately (not quite as noisy and makes less mess - most times, anyway)..

When the child is..

In a birthday party at a playland, what does the mother do?

Knit, of course. 

Trip outside!

Had to go for a quick walk.. Couldn't just sit inside and look at this sky..

Finally some light!

After seemlingly endless gray, the sun and the sky finally showed up yesterday afternoon, giving us a sunset unlike anything anyone in this town has seen for at least a month!

And this morning the crispiness of the night cold had given the world a touch of glittery frost. 

Today is a dreaded day to stay in the office. I mean, with this view of the sky, who would want to stay inside?

Enjoy your Tuesday! Go outside, if you can - and catch some fresh air. 

Stuffed..

I almost wrote the title of this blogpost in capital letters.. because that's what my head feels like. STUFFED. Not with ideas or inspiration.. no, I wish.. it's plainly stuffed with yucky stuff perfectly preventing any type of normal breathing or taste of anything.

Yep, we're at it again.. this is my third cold this season. (And it sucks..) According to my doctor (had to go there today to get some eyedrops for Peder, who woke up with an eye infection this morning) it's just comes with my condition. Apparently, my body's too busy doing other things than making sure the immune system works properly. Which sucks.. In a way. I don't like runny noses or being unable to breathe normally (I'm a nose-breather, I like breathing through my nose - I can't sleep breathing through my mouth. (And I'm very sorry for this totally TMI - too much information!)

Right now I could've been sewing or cutting a new project, I could be knitting on the mystery knitting project - but I'm stuck barely paying attention to VH1 and their playlist of The Ultimate Movie Soundtrack, hoping things will get easier by Saturday. On Saturday my mom and I will be going to Juleexpo (a huge Christmas market, with several booths filled with knitting, sewing and other hobby stuff). We missed it last year, due to the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who in London, but this year we're going! No matter what. (I hope..)

And now, if you'll all excuse me, I'm going to blow my nose for the eleventh-hundred time today, and continue to do nothing (except perhaps feel a little sorry for myself).

www.juleexpo.no

What time? Oh, that time..

Time seems to have been running too fast for me again. Here I am, thinking it's just been a wee bit of time since my last post - and suddenly we're in the second half of November!

My last post may have been on October 31th, which isn't too long ago, but when the thought running through your head says that your last post was a couple of days ago - then it just doesn't add up.. I feel like a lot of things don't quite add up these days. I mean, this morning a colleague and I went out for coffee (good coffee, not crappy, makes you feel sick, office coffee machine stuff) and the coffee shop had a sign reading 37 days till Christmas (we celebrate on Christmas Eve here in Norway, not on the 25th as so many other countries do). Well, where did that time go?

Angel, made a few years ago.

 With Christmas decorations popping up everywhere, especially in the streets and the stores, the urge to prepare lists and start shopping/making hits me like a brick wall. I have some ideas that I think will work out - but there are always those special people in your life which are really hard to figure out stuff for. I mean, how hard can it be to get a really good idea? Very!

Snow from Trysil, picture from ages ago.

 But I am looking forward to snow. I like snow. I miss snow. Do I like the late fall/early winter season here in Oslo? Nope. Why? Because it rains.. It's been raining for like a month now. Most of the trees have lost their leaves, which are on the ground, rotting to a mushy brown mudlike yuck (sorry for creating pictures..). A few weeks ago we had some snow falling during a Friday afternoon (but, since it was too moist, it barely stayed on the ground for more than an hour). I think I spent most of that afternoon listening to Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby singing Christmas carols. Which was nice - nice voiced and nice background music for work (I like listening to music while I work).

One of my mother's angels.

I'm looking forward to decorating our home for Christmas too. Since we're going away for most of the holidays, we're thinking of decorating a few days early. (Us being Norwegian, we have a tradition of not putting up any or just a very few decorations until December 23rd.) It is, however, nice to be able to enjoy the decorations and the lights for a few days before leaving. 

A yearly tradition, loved by many!

Today I'm off to the post office with Peder. I told him I had to go there to send a parcel today, and he really wanted to come. Which is fine by me, it means that I won't have to stress to get to the post office right after work and be worried about getting stuck in a line and being late picking him up from kindergarden. Instead I'll go pick him up first and then we'll both go. I wrapped the parcels yesterday, and barely managed to squeeze them into the bubbly envelope I'm sending. I sure hope the receiver will like them, otherwise she's free to return them (I wouldn't mind keeping them for myself)! Just joking, I think she'll love them!

Happy Halloween!

(I love this move!)

Trash throwing view

This was my view when I turned away from the trash cans this morning. Not a bad start on a very nice, but a bit chilly day. (Too bad I spent most of it in an office.. And tomorrow they say it's gonna rain..) 

Early Saturday morning

Friday to Saturday we had a child-free night. Hubby's parents were in town, and when Peder heard that they were leaving for the night, he asked if he could sleep where they were going to sleep (at hubby's aunt's place). I woke up early Saturday morning, and decided to get all my errands done before everybody came back, and had a nice, quiet stroll down to the subway by myself.

Not many cars or other people out, I think I met two or three others on my 10 minute walk to the subway station.

The sun rose over the park, and the blue skies were a welcoming sight after an almost full week of rain. 

Most of the leaf has fallen off the trees, but some trees are holding on to their leaves a little longer. No longer green, but yellow orange-y brown against the green grass.

Some birch leaves on the grass near the botanical gardens.

The sun seems to be burning like a roaming fire behind the birch trees.

From golden yellow-green to orange-y brown, the leaves show their colors against the white building.

Completely covering the grass near one of the playgrounds. 

I managed to complete my errands in a couple of hours and barely made it back home before hubby's parents came with Peder. There's been a bit of illness in our house lately - first hubby got a cold and then Peder - I ended up getting a sick leave for six days a couple of weeks ago, and now hubby's home sick (with sick leave). I hope we're getting all this crap done with now, and that the rest of the winter will be healthy and calm. (I think we need it - it will be busy enough when the new year comes, if we're not going to see more illness too!)

Oh, concerning SSCS-stuff? I'm almost done with the main parcel, the extras are fixed, and I'm thinking about the ornament. I feel the pressure coming, as the days seem to fly by in a whirlwind, but there's still a couple of weeks left until the deadline. 

Handquilting!

It's not often, but some times project just goes along so smooth that before you know it, you're handquilting a project you'd love to keep for yourself - but also enjoy making for your SSCS-"victim". 

I just hope the receiver will like it as much as I do..

(Just a sneak preview.. It's not Christmas yet..)

And so..

The knitting continues..

Another ball of yarn, another range of colours. Multicoloured yarn is actually quite fun to knit with. 

And playing with filters on my camera is also fun. 

The actual colurs are a bit clearer, though, the second picture is without filter. 

***

Have a nice evening!

Comfy..

There's not many things that can beat a chilly feeling like being wrapped in a quilt while sewing down the binding. It helps too, that the batting is wool. :-)

My view..

This has been my view for most of today.. 

Ended up on sickleave for the rest of the week. Throat and ear infection.. Lots of naps to follow.

Fall's here!

The other morning there was even frost on the cars parked in the street.

Anyone else humming the song from Frozen?

Enjoying..

Variegated yarn! 

Finally Friday

Happy weekend!

Fluffy and golden

The sun rose while I was on my way out this morning. I stopped to take a picture of the fluffy, golden clouds scatteted across the sky. 

Happy Wednesday, everybody! We're halfway to the weekend now. :-)

One hectic day.. (picture heavy post)

Yesterday I had the "joy" of getting up at 03:50AM to sneak out of the house.. took the first bus I could catch to go downtown and take the airport express train. The plane left at 07:00, and the destination was Trondheim!

Nice view from the air.

 I'd been invited by the bosses from work to hold a presentation at their monthly meeting, and after a 20 minute presentation, answering a few questions and giving some comments, I had the rest of the day to myself, before my plane went back to Oslo.

Apparently, I found the dentist district!

Hubby should've been with me, as the whole city is full of old signs and buildings, but I managed to take a few pictures for him.

A dragon on the side of the old post office.

The coolest lamp ever! also at the old post office.

A dove delivering a letter at the, you guessed it, old post office.

A pub, with the name "The Family" - with the sign/font from
"The Godfather".

"Mormors Stue", where I had lunch.

The local paper - since 1767.

The view going home. 

It was a very long day - I left home before 04:30, and wasn't home again until closer to 18:00. Managed to take a nap every now and then - on the airport express train, on the first plan, on the bus to the airport going home - and on the couch at home - before finally going to bed. 

Walking around Trondheim I managed to find a few of the shops my grandmother used to go to for sewing supplies - which was fun. Also the café where I had lunch is a place she used to take my sister and I for lunch or cakes when we visited. 

I hope to go back there soon, without the stress of a potential presentation hanging over me. (The presentation went great, by the way, and I was asked to do it again on Monday - this time for the people I work with.) 

But right now, I'm just longing to go to bed and get some more sleep. *yawn*

Good night and sleep tight - don't let the crafty bugs bite. ;-)