Entering the new with the last of the old.

My crafting corner and I are entering the new year, by showing the final completed project of the old year here on the blog. 

May the new year bring goodness, kindness, happiness, time to craft, laugh and smile - to you and your family!

Happ New Year 2017!

SSCS 2016 - 10th anniversary parcel opened

I know I've probably said this every year, but it's the truth non the less. I feel so spoiled by my Secret Santa, just look at this adorable stitchery wallhanging that was wrapped up under the tree - for me!

Michelle, my Secret Santa, made these adorable stitcheries, and included some extra treats too. She's a very talented designer, and if I'm not completely wrong, I think some of her designs have been wrapped up and sent all over the world over the past 10 years of the SSCS. I highly recommend a visit to her blog to see her designs and work!

In the parcel was also a very cute birdhouse scissor fob, one of her own patterns (the snowmen are so cute!) and embroidery thread in the most gorgeous shades of red. It just screams "make something christmassy with me!".

I'll leave you with another photo of the ornament from Michelle - and my wishes to you for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The 4th Sunday of Advent

Some days sparkle all by themselves - and others need a little help.

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Lucky, lucky me! I got a copy of the gorgeous redwork-book Simply redwork by Mandy Shaw. I can't wait to choose and start my first project!

***

Almost Christmas now.. only a couple more days to go.

The 3rd Sunday of Advent

A time to make - and a time to take a break..

Lucky me - two new skeins of thread (in new to me-colours) and a mini craft cutter! 

Santa's sleigh has arrived!

And look at the adorable ornaments Michelle sent me!

An ornament with a kangaru - so adorable! And the tiny stocking too.

The main parcel is safely stored with the rest of the wrapped gifts, ready for Christmas. 

Only 13 more days... time flies!

***

This post is a little overdue - thanks to a nasty stomach bug.. the whole familt went under - first A, and when she was back on her feet, the rest of us dropped like flies during one short evening.. 

2nd Sunday of Advent

Today is the 2nd Sunday of Advent, and it is a day for marking. According to mom's Advent Sunday Calendar, anyway. 

What my parcel contained? Well, you'll just have to wait a little while longer. There's a busy day on our schedule..

Or! You can look here :

New mittens! 

1st Sunday of Advent

A time for remembering.. that's what mom's parcel reads this 1st Sunday of Advent. 

And my parcel?

Mine gave off a fascinating rattling noise when the kids shook it. And inside?

Two boxes of my favorite french treats - anis candy! - and a pouch to keep cards and other necessities when travelling. 

I love my parcel! 

Knitting for a cause

On November 1st for the past few years a group of volenteers and Kirkens Bymisjon went around several cities in Norway, hanging up bright orange knitted scarves. It is done to raise attention to the many people who - due to different reasons - aren't looking forward to the Christmas season. Many of the scarves are marked with labels reading Gled en som gruer seg til jul. There are about 10 000 scarves made and left hanging in trees, on benches and poles all over several Norwegian cities.

I brought yarn and knitting needles with me to London, and had a scarf approximately 2,5 - 3 meters long ready when I came back home again. And on November 1st I brought my scarf with me on my way to work, and found a nice place to hang it. 

It was gone by the time I went home that afternoon. I hope that whoever found it, got to feel a little warmer, knowing that someone's thinking about them. 

What happened to the last four weeks?

It's strange, how time flies. Tempus fugit. It seems like a dream, that weekend in the beginning of October, and yet I know it was real!

My mom and I flew to London on Friday October 7th, and our main goal was this : 

The Knitting and Stitching Show! 

And boy, did we have a wonderful time! Two whole days (Saturday and Sunday) spent in the glorious Alexandra Palace (it truly is a wonder, the design, the statues, the history..) with thousands of other visitors, over 400 shops, a wonderful exhibition, and so much inspiration I think we both went completely into a mental emptiness after that first day..

I remember thinking that first day that all i could see were knitting and yarn shops.. but on Sunday, all I could see were fabric and sewing shops. Strange.. 

After these few weeks, everything seems like a dream. And it was not until I sat down and really looked at all the things I managed to bring home with me that I really felt like it was not a dream - but a trip of dreams!

Just look at all these pieces of fabric! Some are fat quarters, some are strips of panels, and some came from show books. All of them were just right for me - for us, as we did share most of the fabric, one way or another.

And I just had to nerd out a little bit - stumbling over several shops carrying Doctor Who-fabric. *yay!*

Some strips of Liberty-fabric - I actually have a plan for these, believe it or not! It includes some half linen in grey tones..

Of course, I had to bring some yarn home. These skeins will become something just for me (and for the price I paid, there's no chance in the universe I'll let anyone else get their hands on these babies...). I've started knitting of the skein to the far right, enjoying the colours and the glitter, and looking forward to being able to wear the finished project.

Notions.. I'm very weak when it comes to notions.. Understandably from looking at the picture above. Thread, needles, new blades for my rotary cutter, hand coloured felted wool, knitting needles (some new ones to me, and some old favourites), a pair of scissors from Liberty - and in the back, a pack of about 100 squares of fabric from The Victoria and Albert Museum (I'd love to spend a few days there...). I have a plan for those squares - I'm thinking of following my mom's idea and make my own.. well, you'll just have to wait and see.. :-)

***

While we were in London, The Great Elf-Mother notified us about getting the partner information sent out some time that weekend. Well, we begged and pleaded to get the info early, as we wanted to find something just perfect while we were at the the show - and I think we did! I can't wait to see if my recipient will like the project I'm sending him/her, but you'll all have to wait until Christmas... Only a few weeks left until THE GREAT WEEK OF SHIPPING.

Are you ready? 

Strawberries?

Strawberries in October? Yup.. 

Very strange..

Oh dear..

Time sure is flying!

I'm sewing up a storm of secrets - and I need to blog about London. It seems like a dream - until I check my bank account.. 

Almost everything falls in the category of secrets - but some things do not. 

I'll be back when the storm of secrets settles to a breeze (shouldn't be long now..). 

Some more finishes

This summer, during our stay in Trysil, my mom and I worked on a kit from Anni Downs called Village Sewing Trio, consisting of a scissor keep, needle book and pincusion. When we went home, I only had a little work left on the pincushion (filling it, and sewing the decorative stitches around the edges). The set came together swift and easily - what took the longest time, I think, was to cut and prepare all the little bits and pieces.

My apologies for the dark picture..

After seeing the tutorial for the Simple Zipper Pouch at the Fat Quarter Shop's blog, I got hooked on making them. I've now completed four of them - two I've shown earlier, and here are the final two. 

Yellow and gray is a nice combination of colours.

The same goes for aqua and lime.

The pattern is so very easy, and it's easy to make little changes to make your own variations. (In these two, I've skipped the top edge above the zipper - I didn't like how it turned out on my first two, all bulky and weird..) I've used mini-charm packs for the front, and a plain or contrasting colour on the back. Lucky for me (? haha) I have about a hundred of these mini-charm packs.. Lots and lots of colours to play with!

The yellow-gray one is currently in my bag, containing my hand sewing project for a trip that's happening this very weekend. (I'm very excited!)

Getting ready for Fall

It's October! It's Fall! And our tiny garden (and patches) are slowly getting ready for fall.

Our sunflowers have bloomed and died, so on Saturday we went to Plantasjen and bought a couple of lyng (ericaceae) and planted those. 

A fell asleep during a short walk, so I ended up sitting outside in the shade (until it got too chilly..) while she napped. We're very pleased with getting all the house painting done - and not having to think about painting anymore this year. (Some of our neighbours are not completely done yet..)

It was a nearly cloudless day, warm in the sun - but a little chilly in the shades. 

***

I'm tackling our garden project soom too. Our tomatoes need to be cut down and harvested (those that have any chance of getting ripe) and the boxes cleaned up before winter's here. It's already October - winter can come quite swiftly, if it decides to.

A trip to Gjersjøelva naturepark

A sunny and warm Sunday saw us taking the trip to the nearby Gjersjøelva naturepark, where there is a small marina and a very old water-run saw (and mill).

A needed to take a nap, so she and I took a walk down to the nearby marina and enjoyed the view (and the boats of many sizes). 

We could see Hvervenbukta, where we collected shells and pretty rocks a few weeks ago, from a different angle. 

This old house reminded me of my grandparents' cabin in the woods.

An old steam-engine saw.

The old saw was called Gurisaga.

P tried fishing for the first time - and although he didn't catch any, he thought it was fun. :-)

Trip to Sundvolden (with work)

My office took a trip to Sundvolden a couple of weeks ago, as a joint teambuilding, extensive department meeting and Christmas party. Workrelated pictures are usually quite boring, so I'm not going to post any of those. Instead, here are a few pictures taken in the area around the hotel. 

It was a lovely and sunny day when we came (and the day after it was gray and foggy..). 

I found this stack of wood kinda fascinating. The change in colours, how some had cracked.. A picture one could keep looking at and see new details everywhere.

A tunnell leading from the gas station down to the water. 

It's not easy to take pictures towards the sun, but the view was just spectacular!

Sunshine reflecting in the water near the (tiny) marina.

More wood - this time a lumber wall of a small building.

The wall of a trafo-station. The spiderweb was gleaming in the light of the sun.

Orchids growing near a small stream. I don't think I've seen this particular one anywhere before. It was small, but very beautiful.