karkovski

Blog Love

Helsinki Blogger Vasilisa The Fair, makes me very jealous.

As does another Finnish gal Inka.

Minja's (also Finland) photo's are so inspiring. Also I must admit: I think she's pretty darn cool!

And Janne in Norway has the greatest sense of style. She has a wonderful pottery collection and awesome thrift finds. She will be opening a shop soon, where stuff like the gorgeous yellow pillow will be for sale. Come on. Open. Open now.

Oh and finally the wonderful Marion from France at chez Mai, formerly Vintage-Flower and tea-time Blogs - all filled with her very personal style.

Check out her illustration style at Flickr. The ones below being my favorites. I don't remember where I found them, but I have to share. Now Marion, please don't say they are not yours! 

Blog Love

Three week ago, we had a visit from 3 wonderful people.

Mette and I had been writing back and forth a bit and when she told me, they were going to the Roskilde Festival - in pouring rain - I invited them to drop by. And they did! Mette and John are such an awesome couple and their little guy Seth, is soooo sweet! Thanks for your visit - please return soon!

Mette works with ceramics and textiles - check out her fantastic baby pants! She has submitted these to one in ten.

More Blog Love:

Elisabeth Dunker's fine little day is my absolute favorite at the moment. I just love her style and her work. More of her at flickr.

These 2 Blogs - Liivian talossa and puhti  - are only in Finnish, but have gorgeous photo's. Definately worth checking out!

Guest Blogging

This week I am guest blogging at Emmas Design Blog!

Emma blogs mainly about everything interior decorating wise. I am a huge fan of her blog, so I was VERY honored, when she asked me to do this. She finds a lot of interesting stuff from around the world, most of it in the Scandinavian spirit, I think. She just started writing in English too, so go ahead and flip through her pages of super inspiring photos and links!

• Guest Blogging
• Post # 1
• Post # 2
• Post # 3
• Post # 4
• Post # 5

Thank you Emma for asking me to do this. It's so much fun.

I'll be back here one of these days! Today was the final Post I did for Emma. It has sure been a lot of fun Guest Blogging and I'm looking forward to see the next Guest Blogger at Emmas!

Made For A Good Cause

These 10 Chinese girls went to Carol's Made For China project and I can see they already arrived! I think it's such a great idea. I just had to support it. Carol's sister has adopted a little girl - Jane - and will be going back to China in late March to visit orphanages. Carol then planned to make 325 little gifts for her, to take along and give to the kids there, since they don't have anything. She asked if anyone was interested to help her and if you take a look through her "pages" and "loot" - I would say a lot was interested in supporting such a great project! If you're super fast, you can still contribute, as she will need the gifts by March 20 th.

(More here, here and here.)

I've had some more packages going out of here lately. Since Amy send me such sweet gifts I wanted to send something back. She has 2 boys, so I made a blue giraffe and the boat elephant for them all to enjoy!

Post # 100

I am celebrating my "Post # 100" by sharing a whole lot of other blogs. So here goes:

sam lamb has showed this amazing bag by Shinzi Katoh. I immediately got lost on the website and purchased one for me and one for my Mini Sis - I'm just waiting for them to arrive. (This one will be mine!)

Angela did this great post about cheap, fun and homemade toys. She also has this charming window display in her house.

Julie made these beautiful iPod cozies and even shared a tutorial.

Kirsty made these cool prints - I LOVE them - she even send me some samples!

Amy has made these wonderful toys.

Alicia makes these gorgeous dolls.

Courtney has such a great style - I love photo's from around her house and of the stuff the makes.

Tiel has been a part of a Calender Swap and made these spectacular birds. She has also made the handsome King Ari and pretty Princess Lena.

Sue has made these striking soft toys - I love the design. So simple and yet they are sooo decorative.

All the above bloggers, has agreed to let me use their photos for this post - thank you everybody ;o)

I also want to mention mi, dear meagan, robot jumping rope, muddy yellow dog, and musings of an unplanned mother as blogs i really enjoy!

HAPPY POST # 100 TO ME!

By the way: Kirsty has tagged me, but I already did it!

A New Scarf

I made me a new scarf to match my recently thrifted coat. I was inspired by Denyse Schmidt's Scrap Wrap, that Carol also made and 6,5 st.'s way of mixing fabric and knitted pieces. I love her style, it's very unique. In The Crafter's Companion she gives instructions on, how to make the cutest "Zakka Style Pouch" with the knit/fabric combo as well - as you all probably know! Very inspiring. I wish I could hold her stuff. You know. Just feel it. Have a better look ;o)

The back is flax fabric. The yarns are thrifted, as is the fabric with the pattern - an old duvet cover. I'm real happy how it turned out.

W.I.P.

I'm making one more cat. For fun. And for the love of this fabric. I thrifted it a while back. It's bed linen. I want to use it for a scarf as well. Mix it up with some thrifted yarn. Maybe in the line of this.

To wear with this coat I recently thrifted. $ 8,- I love the color. I just had to remove the shoulder pads. Maybe I'll lift the shoulder seam abit.

I also thrifted these "ZOO" pants for my son's birthday. Have to shorten them abit. I got him a black shirt to go with them. He didn't like it. Then I got this transfer from Shannon. She send me some cool fabric, that I decided would look good with the transfer. He doesn't like it.

 

My daughter loves the transfer. Will make something for her in stead.

I bought me some Christmas Cards from Shannon's Etsy Shop. Don't know if I'll send them anywhere. As you might have noticed - I LOVE HER LITTLE CREATURES!

She even sent me some extras!

Magazine Swap 2+3

My Magazine Frenzy is (sadly) over. My last bash was from Alexa of Lille Hus - an on-line shop, selling great Scandinavian stuff, like this little pot and stainless steel kitchen unit. Which - by the way - is VERY popular around these parts of the world!

Check out how cute she looks too ;o) And I'll meet her! Early next year she's coming to Denmark to shop for her shop!

Anyway....she send me *Blueprint* + *Domino* and *Real Simple* and I just love all of them!

In return I send her Isabellas, Boligmagasinet and Boligliv. The same package will go to Annu (DO NOT scroll down to see photo of me looking VERY pregnant, when we met in August - y'all know I'm not pregnant) in Finland, who ALSO has an on-line shop + real life shop, selling Scandinavian stuff! Here she is (to the right) with her sweet sister Liinu.

OK...so in return she is sending me these.....need I say more?

Check them all out here. Maybe I'll show MY collection soon?

Jennifer

When I was a kid, my Grandpa had a colleague and friend in New Jersey. One summer he and his family came to visit Denmark and I got to met them too. They had a boy my age and a daughter a few years older, who came over for Danish pancakes - they're more like crepes!

The girl - Jennifer - and I became pen pals and I wrote her letters with help from my Dad's sister, since I didn't speak English! We always wrote about me visiting them and in the summer of 1989 - when I was 14 - I went on my first trip to the U.S. It was my first flight EVER and I was 14 and I went by myself!! Can you believe it??? Anyway....I had a great time!

After wards, the years went by and we lost contact. In my mid twenties (I think) I met her Dad again. He was visiting my Grandparents. He told me that Jennifer was a law student. Later on I learned she got married, gotten a new last name and lived in Paris.

Then one day about 6 months ago I was reading this press piece at Genius Jones - don't ask why I do that - and the writers name popped out of the screen!!! Hmmmm....can't be THAT Jennifer Cattaui? The Lawyer? I Googled her and found out she has a blog and even a super cool on-line shop - Babesta! I immediately contacted her and got a little update. How much fun is that. We are both Moms, we share a common sense of style - what's more to know? Oh I can tell you this: She's still a Rock Chick! She'll always be a Rock Chick to me ;o)

 

All the t-shirt's are from her shop - I  L O V E  prints like these. All these I want for my kids ;o)

She also sells bedding, furniture and other GREAT stuff. Check it out!

:: P A R I S ::

Thursday morning on September 7. at 7:30 CET, Steen and I will fly off to Paris - AGAIN - for FOUR days....without the kids! We have then known each other for 10 years and felt it was appropriate to celebrate!!!

OK, so since this is the month of September, I would like to share my Camilla/Ana/Sabine wall, because it's my fave month in Camilla's calender and it'll be my contribution to this weeks Corners of My Home.

See ya all next week ;o)

Strrrripes

 

 

Poor Baby! Her Mommy is crazy for stripes! Wow....I really AM nuts - check out the top right one. She even has a striped tank top, showing under the striped wrap dress! Geee....even my crafting is stripey ;o) The dog was for Blair. Ooohh by the way, she sent me a copy of Blueprint - very nice - we can't buy that or Domino or Cookie here. I just subscribed to Cookie though....hope it's good?

Anyway. We just started moving things around the house, to accommodate our new lifestyle. Now it's an even bigger mess. Upstairs we moved the closets out of our bedroom - where the 4 of us sleeps - into the kids room - where they never go. Loving the brightness and air....aahhhh.

The kids will then get the downstairs office/craft room, as a playroom and my husband and I will have to set up camp, somewhere else?

Photo's to come later....gotta get out in the sun....it's finally here! YAY! Time for shades.

Not TOtally gone ;o)

Hey everybody....I'm still here....thank you for all the nice comments and emails!!!

Well I can't just leave all my friends now, can I? I've been thinking a lot about this whole blogging thing - and I can see I got Shannon thinking too - what it means to me? I *spoke* to Blair a bit about it too. About the friendships we form here - are we REally friends? I can only say now, that we are! I can see how people think about me and take time to write to me and I think about my friends too ;o) (A smile for you Shannon - ha ha!)

• I LOVE blogging
• I LOVE crafting
• I LOVE selling my stuff

And I will continue to do so. I just need to find a daily routine around here, being new to staying at home and all! And I REally need to get my house de-cluttered, it clutters my brain, y'know? It was SO cluttered today, the weather is gray AND I just got my period (which bums me out), but then I got this in the mail:

Ever since Blair blogged about her first quilted handbag, I have LOVED them. When we arranged a swap, I never thought she would make me one - but she DID! And she even made it like *my first love*. She even send some other goodies: Fabric swatches, paper, candy, "Blueprint" magazine + pressies for the kids. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAVING MY DAY BLAIR!

AND if that wasn't enough: When I opened my email Shannon had written me a looong LOVELY letter - thank you sweetie ;o)

AND I got a request for more giraffes!!!! Phew!

More goodies:

1. From my swap with RUN AMOK                              

2. I bought this pocket wallet from three green apple's

SO! How are YOUR routines? Do you have any? You better answer this or I will make a meme and TAG you all!!

Happy Easter

How cute are these? I saw them last year, when I was rummaging around for Halloween inspiration, at Plum Party. They have some awesome stuff - really! As does Kitsch Kitchen, where I found the baskets. Be sure to snoop around! Similar baskets will be found, among other super cool stuff, at o.k. Versand.

I just thought of how bummed out I am, for not getting me one of these...

....from Jek in the Box. I was even reminded by Tracy LAST MONTH, so I could have it over here in time for Easter. Oh well. We don't go nuts for Easter anyway, but they sure are nice!

On the subject of printed/embroidered fabric figurines, check these out....

....Matryoshka dolls by RunAmok on etsy and Pillow Dolls by Ashley at Char Bea Lane - LOVE'EM! Ashley also does amazing illustrations.

*Update - just letting you in on all the good stuff!*

Ashley has a very cute blog - Kitty Genius - and A LOT OF GREAT STUFF in her Flickr pages.

Run Amok's Oona also has a blog: runamok

I wanna do something like these pillowy dolls. I just HAVE to. When I have time.

This week will be the week, where my daughter stops nursing. She WILL be 2 next month and I need my rest. Haven't had a good nights sleep in 2 years, dammit! So my son and I are staying 2 days with my Mom and 2 days with my husband's Mom. Aaaahhh....maybe some knitting will be in place? Reading a good book? A little paper cut, for a secret project perhaps? Hmmmm.....yeah....nice ;o) But absolutely no blogging - so until some time next week: Have a great time everybody!!

Blog Love

I've recently discovered some *new* weblogs out there, that I want to share, because they inspire me tremendously!

Aunty Cookie: Shannon has such great humor, which I think shows perfectly through her drawings - and one is on its way to MOI!

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Curious Bird: Leya is sooo creative. I just love her owls and pouches - on its way to MOI - that she sells in her shop. She has also started a Flickr group for collages of color - what's your color theme?

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Shim + sons: She is über productive AND organized!!! She has a very distinctive style and super cute kids ;o) Love her weblog!

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Kidding Around: Carol Lee is very productive, creative, has super cute kids (+ 1 extra at the moment!), great Corners in Her Home and a cool hairdo ;o)

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Jumilla Bugs: Tracy shoots some awesome photos and I just want to live in her house!

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swissmiss: Tina KNOWS kids stuff!

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design*sponge: KNOWS design!

( Recognize the little vases?)

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*NOTE: I plain out STOLE all the photos showed, so enjoy them - they might not be here for your next visit!*

( I don't know how to insert photos, that link to another persons page - yet! Is it do-able?Anyone?)

*UPDATE: Everybody returned positive emails - so all photos stay! YAY!*

Finnish Visitors

Yesterday I had the most WONDERFUL TIME in Copenhagen with Annu of Lovely Living and her sister Liinu. They were in Denmark to attend the Formland Fair, to shop for their boutique.

Me, Annu and Liinu.

We had lunch, went shopping, had coffee and exchanged goodies!

Annu gave me this vintage Marimekko dress, that I just looove. Now I have to buy a matching dress for my daughter! She also gave those cool mittens, my boyfriend got chocolate tools (that he wants to bring to work!), my daughter got a retro cat and my son got a cool t-shirt. She TOTALLY knows my style, which is very cool of her ;o) Everything was wrapped up so nice, with Moomin cards (that I so so love), but the photos I took were crap. We have the most lousy weather around here - as you can probably tell from most of my photos.....sorry....

Well I gave Annu the piggies...and yes the *cute* one too ;o)

Here's a peek at the Funny Lady I made her - the one on the right, the other one's for my Mom - and to the far left is an elephant card and a giraffe card for her (and her kids). They're all for framing.

I'll have some Funny Ladies and other funny cards up for sale, some time after the wedding - the 11. this month - I was being VERY optimistic saying they'd be ready now!

The Pig that didn't want to be made

I'm making a pair of pig-softies for a sweet girl and her baby brother. Weeeeel.....first I cut all the fabric and then I started on the girl piggy. It all went fine, until the stuffing: She burst! The felt kept expanding and I kept filling...poor thing! Then I tried to *operate* on her - doing a little *plastic surgery*. Oh my...her face got really big and weird, but I kept going! Adding a (to big) snout, messing up my stitching and now I can feel my vanity lurking: "Don't give her away - don't show her to anyone!" Wow...do I feel that? Well my son agrees, that she's ugly, but my daughter think she's wonderful and I know she funny, but I wanted her to be cute and adorable, y'know? The fabric was chosen thereafter. MmmmmmmK............I'll let you see her!

(I've tried to *spice her up* a bit, by adding some trim, that Risa send me - lovely colors, no?)

Her piggy brother, turned out the way he was supposed to and he took *no time* to make.

If I have time to make another girl, I'll make one to match him. I'm meeting Siiri and Vinski's mother - Annu - next week, so I don't have much time. I'm also working on paper cuts, but have really enjoyed making these softies after all!

The Happy Couple.

Cheer Up Goodies

Super sweet Sabine, sent me these goodies to cheer me up, because I was complaining to her yesterday, about our loan not going through :o( But today - tada - it seems that it will work out anyway ;o) She included two little business cards, from my favorite shop in Copenhagen: *Creme de la creme a la Edgar* - it's sooo inspiring!

Check out what I mailed to Risa!

Bunny Doll

Well...turned out she was a bunny! I made a little pillow filled with rice, that I put in her bottom, so she can sit. Her legs are filled with rice as well. It give her a little something else....

She reminds me of someone, I've seen in a blog or at Flickr? Don't remember where and I've even looked through (quite) a few blogs! (Don't tell my boyfriend - it IS a bit time consuming...) Have you seen one, that looks like her?

Oh...check out my Funny Lady at Littlest Flower - looks very cool in a shadow box!

I'm making some Funny Ladies and Elephant cards, to put up for sale here at my blog, in the beginning of February! Yippee...

Corners Of My House

Yay - a new great way to peak inside peoples houses and a wonderful new Flickr Group to join. Amanda - lovely idea! Very inspiring. I have many corners to show - some I have all ready posted here, here and here.

This is the corner where I knit and do other "hand projects". It has the best light, because the mobile is right next to the window. There are more details here. The photo on the shelve is of Me, my Great Grandma (Olga), my Grandma (Inge) and my Mom (Susanne). My Grandma passed away a few years ago and I miss her terribly. We were very close and it makes me feel very sad now, thinking about her. But I love this photo and it fits right in, to this months theme at SPT.

The sofa is from IKEA and it's very stained. I really want a new one, but then I stumbled upon this place and they have all these slipcovers! I don't know how to choose? I think this one here is  awesome...

 

(Oh and check out Stephanie's "Chickmobile".)

My daughter's new boots and blouse

Ordered at Filabel Baby. The boots are by See Kai Run. They make wonderful shoes, that are flexible and fit children's feet! They also sell via American stores.

The blouse is by EjSikkeLej, which is a Danish brand.

On another note:

I've had my share of "New years Thinking". What is 2006 gonna bring me? Or what am I gonna bring me in 2006? Will I start realizing some of my "creative" dreams and goals?

Like Amanda and Blair, I don't DO resolutions, but there IS something about the number turning, that makes me think. Well....I think I'll get back on that....my daughter is trying to get my attention ;o) Here she is - a bit tired....

Sundays Crafting Projects

Yesterday's projects are ready to be shown to the world ;o)

The Christmas cards says: "God Jul", meaning "Merry Christmas"....

The trylledej (salt dough?) trees was inspired by Stephanie's soft trees, I think they turned out pretty cute! I've been thinking about making some trees like that, to match my candles, because I really love the color combo. We also made hearts, angels, Santas, other trees and even a :-) and a dinosaur, but the photos were very mushy...bummer...I must try again tomorrow.

Today I went shopping for a small tree, to stand beside our front door with lights on. That'll be pretty. I also got these angel wings for my daughter.

TIVOLI

Yesterday the kids and I went to Tivoli with my Dad. It was so beautiful with all the lights, Christmas decorations and happy people! Tivoli is an old amusement park in the middle of Copenhagen, it's very pretty and has a lot of rides. Usually it's open during the summer, but in all of December it reopens  - full of lights and Christmas spirit....

Check out my red nose and very yellow teeth!??!!

It was a great day and after Tivoli we went to a Greek/Turkish restaurant - yummmmm....

Anyway...today is 3. Sunday of Advent and I had my friend Laila over with her 2 sons, for a little Christmas decorating fun. We made Christmas cards and "trylledej" - which is a kind of dough to make cut-outs and different figures with. Then they have to go in the oven for 2-8 hours, so photos will have to be posted later! Laila had sent me a little present one day, that said it was from the "nisse" (goblin?), but I could tell it was from her by her handwriting!! Ha ha...It was this felted cone, to hang on the Christmas tree in my favorite color: Purple. I made the mushroom on the first Sunday of Advent, only to realize after wards, that a mushroom is NOT brown, but white!! Oh well...this must be a mushroom gone bad! The cute bird was from my swap with Jackie, so now I have 3 felt ornaments for my Advent Candles, which means I will have to come up with a 4. by next Sunday!?

I have a few minutes to blog!

(*Note: or an hour!?*)

Sooo... I couldn't resist buying some Christmas stuff at the shop I work in!

It's a Medusa Christmas tree along with a snow globe I got a few years back.

AND as you can tell: I got my owl print from my swap with Jackie and it's really pretty - I can't wait to frame it and hang it on the wall....sigh...

She also included the 2 tiny figures, standing next to my (new) candles and babushka Santa Clause that I got last year. On the opposite photo, is a candle light holder spelling out "JUL", which means Christmas in danish.

Getting in the spirit here...huh?

The other me?

Have you tried this?

   

Here you have the baby me, the old me, the Asian me and the male me....pretty freaky....

How's that for Self Portrait Tues....oh....Wednesday?

I once found it through Jessica, who got it from Katey. Here it is, knock yourself out!

My photos were made, with this older photo, where my hair is real short.

Thank you for commenting my blog.

Yay...thanks for my first comments, I was sooo surprised!

I've tried to  leave comments for all of you: Blair, Lynn and Risa but they won't be posted, so that'll be some other time, when I've found out what's wrong.

Anyway...not only am I throwing myself into the weblogging world; I'm also experimenting with softies:

I bought this fine book from 1969 from an antique shop.