Knitting up a storm

Winter is coming, no doubt about that. Yesterday I woke up to a thin white blanket covering the streets infront of my house. Not long until I will be shoveling snow again.

In preparation for winter, the girls need a layer of warm clothes to wear with their overalls. I concluded I would use the Drops “Starshine” pattern and make my own pattern on the yolk. For the pants I started with the pattern for “Power leggings” but didn’t like the shape of the finished pants. So after recommendations from a good colleague, I ended up using “Winter wolf” for all three sets .  I bought Drops Karisma yarn when they had a sale earlier this year. I even made a set for my niece, hope she likes it.

For the waist I followed a youtube video on how to knit an icord.

For my niece I used the colors “dark purple” (uni color 76) for the pattern and “rose” (uni color 80) for the rest. She got two pair of pants as I made that one first with elastics in the waistline. I used 5 skeins of the main color for the sweater and 5 skeins for the pants. for the accents I used 2 skeins.

for my niece….

For SweetieL I used the colors “light denim blue” (uni color 30) for the pattern and “navy blue” (uni color 17) for the rest. When I was almost done , SweetieL requested the waist cord to be in a different color. So she got to choose from some yarns I had in my stash. She was still not happy with the end result until we added the pom poms. On this set I also used 5 skeins of the main color and 1 skein for the accents for a total of 12 skeins of Karisma.

for SweetieL….

And the last set, for SweetieS, I used the colors  “light grey green” (uni color 69) for the pattern and “sea green” (mix 50) for the rest. SweetieS got her set in a bigger size. So for her set I used 6 skeins for the sweater and 5 on the pants in addition to the 2 skeins for the accents.

the picture doesn’t do the color justice…

These would make great Christmas gifts, but the girls need these garments now. Not in a few weeks….so will just have to go shopping for other gifts for Christmas.

Before I forget., Drops is having a sale on all alpaca yarn. 14 different alpaca yarns to choose from and beautiful colors. With 30% discount you can save some $$$. The sale lasts thruout the year, so stock up while you can.

- what are you knitting these days?

- any knitted Christmas presents?

Just a month until Christmas

This is gonna be a short post from me…have too much going on these days to sit down and be creative.

But as I got a reminder yesterday to post the families Christmas wishes..here they are (in Norwegian this time). There are of the top of my head….If I remember more, I’ll update this list….

Sophie
	Klokke 249,- (link Juvelen) Sylvanian families dyr Heldress pysjer str 110 Enhjørningbamse My Little Pony prinsesse, Twilight sparkle eller Candance, 429,- (link Toys'r'us) Ulltøy, str 110
Lily
	Lego classics boks, art.nr 10696 Dukkeklær til en 30cm dukke (Lily er blitt veldig bevist på hva Sophie får, så alt Sophie ønsker seg vil “Lily også ha”
Sheila	Polaroid Zink fotopapir (fotopapir til Zip fotoskriver link Elkjøp 349,-) Bunadtilbehør -Sunnmøre: Sølje (art,nr 198 5 41 Husfliden Strømmen 2250,-) Bunadtilbehør -Sunnmøre: Hårbøyle (Husfliden 1450,-) Bunadskjorte Sunnmørsbunad Dis, clean linen Kremmerhuset 149,-
Ole
	Olabukser str w:34 L:32 Deostick (type Hugo boss…) Gavekort: Dressmann Militærstøvler M77 str.42

For now…Have a wonderful weekend!

Getting into the Christmas mood

Yesterday I went Christmas shopping with SweetieS.

Buying Christmas decorations and gifts for family and friends got us in a Christmas mood. Despite it being December and the trees are bare. Mother Nature still hasn’t released a huge amount of snow upon us.

This years Christmas wish list has been updated, here.

Now off to put together this years Christmas cards…they need to go postal ASAP….

Some stuff to give you some Christmas spirit…

gingerbread soap, available @Rusta

some “real” Christmas cookies, yummy
(had to borrow a picture as I never am fast enough with the camera when these come out)

what’s December without an Advent calendar? here is SweetieS 2015 advent calendar

- what gets you in the Christmas mood?

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

Today the first snowflakes of Winter came falling down….late for a typical Winter in Norway. While most Norwegians start singing “det snør, det snør tiddeli bom” in my head I start playing “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” by Johnny Mathis.

Getting in a Christmas mood…

Growing up watching Macaulay Culkins movie “Home Alone” EVERY Christmas has left its marks. Hearing this song got me into the Christmas groove and had me thinking of this years Christmas wishlist for the girls…so here goes! This year the list is in Norwegian, as it was put together by DaddyO (and I’m too lazy preoccupied to translate). I’ll try to add more as I think/come over more stuff we “need”…

Dec 3^rd – added more to the list
SweetieS

• Bukkene Bruse på Badeland, klaffebok 239,- (link Ark bokhandel)
• Bukkene bruse på Badeland, DVD 199,- (link Ark bokhandel)
• Bukkene bruse vender tilbake, innbundet 189,- (link Ark bokhandel)
• Fargeleggingsbøker (fargeblyanter?)
• 2-delt pysjer (str. 98-104)
• Fleecesett (str.98-104)
• Smykkeskrin, svart med to "lag" (link Zendi) 460.-
• Klokke 249,- (link Juvelen)
• Barnekniv/knivsett, 349 (link Brødrene Øyo)

BabyL 

• Jellycat Bashful Kanin, beige 219,- (link: kortogkos)
• Ullsett (str. 86/92)
• Fleecesett (str. 86-92)
• Smykkeskrin, svart med to "lag" (link Zendi) 460.-
• Gyngesau, 699,- Coop obs
• Chicco Animal cottage, 279,- (link Kozmos)
• Dyne, Junior str.
• IKEA gavekort
• Trunki koffert (link cdon) 359,-

DaddyO

• Dressokker (str 43)
• T-skjorter (str L) ensfarget
• Boksere (str L)
• Deo, type Hugo
• Bildekkoppheng, til fastmontering på vegg (link Biltema) x2 sett

MommyS

• Wink of Stella shimmer pen, clear (link: Bikuben) 69,-
• Smykkeskrin, svart med to "lag" (link Zendi) 460.-
• Twilight forever DVD set (link Amazon)
• Sjerf/sjal i ull, str 60x200 i nøytral farge (f.eks: Spennerigården)
• Johaug Åslia votter (link: Gmax) 399,-

Finally done and beautiful globes

I’ve been working on these pillow cases for ages. Well the knitting part was done in a couple of weeks, but adding the zipper took forever. Over the course of the last few weeks I have added the zippers. And now I’m finally done! Just four more pillow cases to go…but before I can start with them I have a few Christmas gifts that I need to finish first.

Knitted in Lana Grossa Classic Tweed, color 002 – a speckled brown/beige color. Lovely.
December is here and time for some Winter magic. These days I’ve been busy with another project. Making ice globes for Lysnisseprosjektet/Making a magical December. I found a tutorial thanks to Pintrest. So I’ve been experimenting with balloons and various amounts of water. It’s not cold enough outside to make these globes, so I’ve made them one at a time in my freezer.

my two globes yesterday…

I have placed mine on a bed of pine needle branches on top of a storage case I have on our front patio. Today I added another one…but forgot to take a picture. Instructions on making these can be found here. Thank you Anne! The tutorial is in Norwegian, but the video shows the steps so well no need for sound.
- How do you create your Winter magic?

Wishlist Christmas 2014

Done some thinking…here are some of the things we need/want for CasaR this Christmas

Thank you family and friends for fulfilling our wants and needs  

Update September 22nd: Added a few things I want for the girls
Update October 28th: A few more things for the girls
Update November 19th: More stuff for the girls
Update November 30^th: Gifts all around

For us all

	Rosendahl Grand Cru pasta plates Note: not the Grand Cru Soft series – that’s another Rosendahl serie
	External portable hard drive – size 3TB Like this one by Seagate
	Christmas curtains, going for simple and elegant. Like these from Hansen & Dysvik 3 of these “Perla Gardin Rød – size 140x160cm”

DaddyO
Hair cutter, wireless
Jeans, size: length-32”, width-34”
Cotton T-shirts, size L
Deo sticks – Hugo
Boxers, size L
Socks, plain black (“dressokker”), size 42-45

MommyS
Twilight Forever DVD boxset
Pierre Robert Wool Collection Wool Top and Wool Long Sleeve, size S/M
IKEA Senior cast iron casserole, 5l size
Kari Traa Rose Wool set: Long Sleeve and  Pant, size S/M (colors Rose, Wildberry or Cinder)
Sharpie Ultra Fine Permanent markers, the 24-color pack.

SweetieS

	Chicco Animal cottage
	Lego basic deluxe set
	Two piece pajamas
	CD with Norwegian children songs
	Karsten & Petra DVD - TV-series: Season 1 & 2 and the movies: “Karsten og Petra blir bestevenner” ”Karsten og Petra på vinterferie”
	Pierre Robert Young Collection Wool size: 98-104 - wool long sleeve - wool longs

BabyL

	Bath towels with hood
	Toddler size backpack
	Toddlerfriendly drinking bottles, like these @iherb
	“Rocking sheep” this cutie is available @CoopObs Note: please no longhaired sheep
	Jellycat, Bashful Bunny in grey Size 31cm

Early bird?

(a little screenie from a fun phone game/app – cutie)

The other day my brother-in-law asked me what our Christmas gift wishes were. He thought he would be an early bird this year, and get his Christmas shopping over with already. Only problem…I have no idea what we need/want yet.

So time to start thinking….

- have you started your Christmas shopping

Christmas card 2012

A while back I promised a post on last years Christmas card. Here it is!

I love being creative when putting together my Christmas cards, but there isn’t enough creative juice to make 25 unique cards. So every year I play around and end up with a card design I like, which then gets “mass produced”.

For this years card base I chose a cream colored cardstock. With the largest die in Quickutz nested ornament die cut set I cut out the ornament for the front. To give the ornament a Christmas feel I embossed a pearlescent green embossing powder (unknown brand) after stamping with the Hero Arts Flourish Background Stamp (CG119) and Versamark ink. With Fiskars 1” hole punch I made a hole for the picture of BabyS (I’m trying to keep pictures of BabyS in this blog to a minimum…but the card just wouldn’t look the same with a blurred out picture). The ornament was then attached to the card with a little ribbon and a glue dot. Under the tree I had stamped (with a discontinued Inque Boutique stamp - Stephanie Barnard Mini Christmas -Model # 50437) a little Christmas greeting…The star on the top of the tree got a little bling to make it “sparkle”…cute!

Inside the card DaddyO had written our 2012 review and another stamped Christmas greeting together with a handwritten sentiment. The corner was adorned with a Magnolia swirly ornament stamp.

Hopefully friends and family have received their cards by now…

- Do you create your own Christmas cards?
- How many different designs do you make?
Do share your creations with a link in the comments.

Stay tuned I’ll be back before you know it…

Christmas baking

Earlier this week I spent time with my “stroller-girls” and we baked up a mountain of ginger bread “cookies”. We had planned on spending the afternoon decorating them, we wound up spending more time rolling out and cutting out shapes than actually decorating. Well the rolling and cutting part took longer than planned and I went home with a big borrowed cake tin full of “naked” ginger bread “cookies”.

before – a little plain

Well this weekend I sat down and did some decorating…

after – a tin of Christmas joy

The kitchen counter was filled with a color palette of colored icing sugar…hard not to be a little playful when you have so many colors at hand. Had a lot of fun decorating this ginger bread “cookies”, I’m already looking forward to next Christmas…when BabyS will be joining me in making a mess in the kitchen.

- Are you finished with your Christmas baking?
- How do you decorate your ginger bread “cookies”?

St. Lucia buns

Yesterday was December 13th, which for me means traditions…St. Lucia traditions. If your children are in kindergarten they probably participated in procession with candles and handed out Lucia buns. I’ve missed Lucia buns the last few years…so this year, I made some myself (though a half day too late…better late than never). Next year BabyS will hopefully be in kindergarten…

I found a recipe online. Though I didn’t use saffron (that’s one expensive spice!), I used turmeric instead…Here’s the recipe. 

yummy yummy buns

Signed and sealed

Last night I finally put the finishing touches on this years Christmas cards.

signed, sealed and ready for delivery

Don’t want to reveal any details  around the design as the recipients haven’t received their cards yet. Look forward to a future post with pictures And to the friends and family that receive a card, all I can just say is…this years card is super cute!

See the cool sender address stamp on the back of the envelopes? Those are personalized stamps ordered from this Ebay store. Love that they offer pre-inked, cling or clear rubber, handle mounted (or not)…you can get A LOT of designs and they can all be personalized to your liking. And for those of you out there in need of special characters (like the Norwegian ÆØÅ) – they offer that too!

Some examples of the stamps Loongchai74 offers – and I have…

InLinkz.com

 

Well off to put the cards in the mail…
Do you create your own Christmas cards? wanna share with me?
Are you finished with this years cards?