Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Happy

I get so happy when Anne-Sophie sends us photos from Thailand. It's fun to see the places they have been to, but most of all I love to see how they are doing.

So when we got this particular photo, I knew that our daughter is enjoying her time with sun, warm weather, new experiences, lovely food and sweet people - I can tell by looking at her eyes that she's happy. And I hear it in her voice when she calls us on the phone.

Then I need no more for the time being...

Monday, December 27, 2010

All about knitting




I did knit one gift this Christmas - a scarf for my dad. But for obvious reasons I didn't dare show it on the blog (eventhough I doubt that my father reads my blog!)

The scarf is grey and knitted in a simpel pattern - seed stitches - and the yarn is wool, which doesn't itch. A very important detail when it's going to be used close to the skin on one's neck...at least if I should decide it.


Another Christmas present - the one for my niece Ida - was related to knitting too.

Ida has recently started knitting, so I bought her several knitting needles in different sizes, a measuring tape, needles for sewing in yarn and a gauge ruler.
I also gave her this yarn - enough to knit this pattern.

Luckily both the scarf and the knitting packet were well received....

Saturday, December 25, 2010

And then...


After a very cozy night it's time to try out one of the - outdoor - presents....

A snow skateboard (not snowboard) which we ordered in the USA. I never knew that such a thing existed before Emil wrote it on his wishlist. But I knew that he would be able to skate it the very minute he stood on it...and I were right.

He had so much fun skating down the long and steep slope, and after him ran happy Otto - trying to catch up with Emil.

Now we are all back in our warm house, and soon we will begin the family Bezzerwizzer tournament.
Take care and enjoy the day...I sure do.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Yeah!!


They are done!! And the snow hasn't dissapeared....

Monday, December 20, 2010

A different Christmas evening

This year's Christmas evening is going to be different from the ones we have held before. Anne-Sophie has - once more - been invited on a holiday in Thailand by her boyfriend Tim.

Only this time they leave tomorrow and doesn't return before January the 3rd. That means a Christmas evening without Anne-Sophie - something we haven't tried before.
I know that it's going to be very hard not to have her here, but on the other hand I'm happy that she will have a lovely time. She has just had 14 very stressful days due to the fact, that she (and the rest of  her classmates) had to make a big assignment. She has had very little time to relax, and I really think it will be wonderful for her to have the time to enjoy herself and take it easy.

However, I'm convinced that lots of thoughts will be sent to her from all of us and the rest of her family, when Christmas evening arrives...and the other way around.

So now I have made her a Christmas letter to bring to Thailand. And it's not to be opened before the 24th. (All her presents are left at home for later).

When Anne-Sophie and Tim return in the beginning of January, I have promised Anne-Sophie that we will make a traditional Christmas dinner for them.....with Risalamande and - of course - an almond prize (the one who finds the almond which has been put secretly into the Risalamande, gets a little gift)..

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Little Mibo friends




I love these little creatures from Mibo. Especially the reindeer I'm about to glue together...

These Christmas ones have been lying on my computer for a long time since I bought them...(and so have the Easter ones). Finally I got them printed and cut out.

Soon the mouse, the icebear, the reindeer and the birds can stand on our wall and look at us during the holidays. I know that I will look back at them ever so often...

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

It's A Wonderful Life




How come we don't get to see this fine, old Christmas film in Denmark anymore?
I remember seing it every Christmas in my childhood.

Has it ever been a part of your holiday memories?
 Or perhaps you love another film, which you just have to see in December?

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Never too old....

...for making all sorts of confections for Christmas. Emil (who froze his ears in this photo!) has always loved that and I remember how Emil made huge pieces of marzipan with lovely chocolate and other goodies, when he was little. He was so proud of his work and enjoyed the fact, that he had his very own to eat during Christmas.

Nowadays he's much more fuddy-duddy and makes fine little pieces. All lined up and ready to be put in a tin and saved for Christmas days.

I do have to keep an eye on the tins, though. Sometimes the content in them seem to become reduced...rapidly.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

My perpetual guilty conscience

Every single Christmas I have one thing hanging over my head. Something which I have put upon myself.

Actually it was a joy in the beginning, but in recent years it has only become a greater and greater source for guilty conscience.

I have always wanted to embroider a blanket on which we could put our Christmas tree. And 4 or 5 years ago, I found the perfect kit. It's designed by fabulous Pelse Asboe and is called "Skøjtenisser".

And I started to sew lots of x-stitches when the kit had arrived. It was so much fun but soon I found out that the fibres from the burlap made my astma bad.

I tried to continue with the blanket several times, but had to give up.

So now it's in a tin box in my sewing room, and every time for Christmas I go have a look at it, and become annoyed about the fact that I haven't been able to finish it.

Now I just hope that someone has a great trick to keep the fibres out of my throat....

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Cozy Elf Tuque


That's the name of a new pattern I bought. It's designed by Barbara Prime. Here's a photo I took of it and it might just become a favourite one, when I knit for little baby and toddler friends of mine.

The shape looks so promising - I think that it will have a great fit. Maybe as good as the Devil hat pattern.

But trying it out will have to wait for a while. But when the time comes, I think I will start with the version with the small buttons....

Well, isn't it....Otto??

I did have an eye on Alyssa's new dog embroidery patterns some months ago. You know Alyssa, who designed the fabulous alphabet which I have written about several times before.

And when the dogs turned up in her etsy shop I simply had to buy this particular one:


Because can't you see it? It looks so much like Otto...Hmmm, at least I think so!



It will be embroidered in black - that's for sure.

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

I hope for a Butterfly Mambo for Christmas!

I am indeed crazy about porcelain clay and this beautiful butterfly swept me of my feet.
I adore the thin, graceful wings and the red legs and antennas and could easily see the butterfly soar in my livingroom.

It's designed by Wapa Studio and it will definitely be on my wishing list from today...

Monday, December 06, 2010

A little bit of etsy love...


I would have loved something like this when I were a child. Something to cut out and glue together. And play with afterwards...

It's called the Candy Cane Gingerbread Cottage Playset and only costs about 18 Danish kroner!
A perfect little present for the young children's advent calenders, if you ask me.

Friday, December 03, 2010

No cold ears!



Anne-Sophie had seen a beautiful knitted hat in the window of our local yarn shop. She showed it to me when we were in town together and immediately I decided that I wanted to make it for her. Which mom doesn't seize the chance to keep her children's ears warm. ;)

So I bought the kit the other day and paid almost 200 Danish kroner for it! I don't consider myself to be miserly - especially not when it comes to my children (and crafting stuff!) - but I did think that it was quite a price for a hat...

It is designed by Hanne Falkenberg and the hat is called Stella. Anne-Sophie wanted to keep the colours in a classic and dateless way, so she is getting the hat in black and a linen colour.

Now it's up to her mom to finish it before the cold weather is over...