What's in my Bag

Isabelle inspired me to show off my bag content of the day - actually every day: phone, a lipgloss from The Body Shop, my wallet on a notebook, the key card to work, two reflector bands, a make up bag from Skrekk&Gru, hand lotion, wrist worms from Sandra Juto and my keys.

To play along, go to Dos Family

The Norse American Line

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll leave you with these images from out and about lately. Can't believe I'm going to America. When I was eight my father went over and came home with totally different pink bubble gum. I will now do the same.

Do you still have it?

Arctic Dad will be in charge of Department for longstockings and snot for a week. I will try not to remote control.

See you!

Vintage toys for rainy days

 

 

 

 

It's raining and we're all a bit bored.
Luckily my children like to play with the toys I had as little,
and even what my sister had in the late 1960's.

I love that it's not plastic and that it doesn't break.
Vintage Brio was made to last, and let's just admit that Polly Pocket's not.
(and sometimes I spend whole afternoons searching for little pieces that are missing.)

Have you kept your childhood toys? (p.s boat trip photos coming up soon)

Vintage Swaps sneak peek (and some thrifting)

 

I couldn't resist this summers Vintage Swaps. It's so much fun, last time was a blast. This time I'm sending off to Tracy from the beautiful blog Ladybug-n-Turtle in Minnesota. How cool is that! Right now the package is on it's way to the Atlantic.

 

Some other thrifting in the meantime: A pyrex bowl(I remember my grandmother had these) Love the style.

 

And two Figgjo bowls of unknown pattern for my girlies.

 

For 10£ (!) this leather coat was mine in the local op shop. The lining smells like it's been hanging in someone's closet for 30 years (which it probobly has). But nothing a spray of lavender oil can't fix.

See you soon!

On what Daylight 24/7 does to you

 

So here's what 24 hours of daylight does to a body and soul: it makes the body move around a lot, and the soul restless.

This is for instance what I did today:
*Bringing my children to kindergarten
*Working at my brand new job
*Eating dinner out
*Putting my children to bed (explaining that no, coins are not considered a cuddly bear)
*Filling the dishwasher
*Hanging up clothes and start a new machine
*Cleaning the bathroon
*Vacuuming the whole flat
*Waching the finale of American Idol(my guilty pleasure)on You Tube whilst wrapping two gifts and eating crisps
*Run out to take these pictures of the Midnight Sun, which happends to be the end of my street - this week's Corner View.
*Saying bye, bye to the pile of snow who have surrended (almost)to the power of the sun.
*Writing this blog post and maybe have a conversation with Arctic Dad (ooups, too late).

But sleep? Not in a million years.

 

 

 

From the National Day to a (more rewarding) vintage hunt

 

We celebrated the National Day with parading, waving with flags and eating tons of ice cream and hot dogs.

 

Lots and lots of people wear the national costume - bunad - this special day. I own one too, but never seem to manage to polish the silver and iron that shirt in time.

 

Just after I volunteered at a flea market for the Climate Cause and brought home for Arctic Dad's growing collection an old Yashica camera with lenses and all, in it's original box. That must have been a bargain.

 

Found another one too. Looks like a toy, but is not.

The benefit of getting all these cameras is that it allows me to drag in lots of other stuff. Women are wise, what can I say.

 

And no, I couldn't resist this 70's doll house even though we don't have space for it. I would love to live in a house just like that.

 

And some 70's children's clothes. Not a pink garment in sight, just how I like it. I think it's ridicilous how the clothes industry focuses on differences between sexes: girls in miniature grown up princess dresses, boys in blue sweaters with race cars on.

Children should be allowed to be children. End of line.

 

Of course this 50's plastic salt and pepper set and sugar bowl had my name on. They're so charming I may have to get them their own caravan.

Have a great week!

Corner View: My garden

 

I just couldn't resist this week's Corner View. Maybe someone wonders how that pile of snow in my garden is going decreasing wise? I sure wonder, and had to document that it's still right there.

 

The evenings are so light now, the sun sets later and later. This is taken at eight. Midnight sun is here the 22nd.

Starting to clean all the windows at nine o'clock at night is a sign that my body tries to keep pace with all this light. That would never happen in December.

Want to take a look how it is even further (and further) north? Visit Mushamna.

Arctic Mum is leaving the building

 

Our new old Polaroid is working, not bad for eight dollars. The film is from here, and the picture shows what we are leaving: These buildings.

 

The decision to sell this flat has not been easy, but sometimes you just have to move on.

 

There are a lot of emotions attached to these walls. I moved in as a teenager with my mother, but she died fifteen years ago. Then it was mine.

 

Me and Arctid Dad have fixed it up for the last ten years. It looks pretty nice, don't you think? (even though all the clutter is shushed into the laundry room for the occasion)

 

There are two entries from the kitchen, which makes a perfect roundabout for small feet.

 

Walking out of that door for the last time will be very strange. But I'm a big girl now, I'll be 38 in September.

 

OK, so that is a bit turqouise styling overload. Just couldn't stop.

 

We're desperate for one more bedroom so that our families can come visit. A small garden won't be rejected, and Arctic Dad especially looks forward to not being squeezed between the kitchen table and the window when eating anymore. But we still haven't found a house.

 

The small pink bunk bed was a second hand bargain. I love bunk beds, it's practical and cozy.

 

The thing I was doing I'm not doing anymore (to quote Julia Roberts in Notting Hill). The ashes stopped my trip to Svalbard, but what can you do. The tulips are coming, I've heard.

 

The photographer behind these images Karl K from K2 Foto is worried that buyers will be put off by the big (but decreasing!) pile of snow in the main view. I'm not that worried, it will soon go away..

April back in white

 

This time last year I posted how winter stroke back once we started to get cozy with spring signs.

No surprise same thing happened this year. April always comes along with a blizzard or two.

 

Hopefully this car will not be looking like this the rest of April.

In a couple of weeks I'll be going to the Svalbard Archipelago, as close to the North Pole you can come without being a mad explorer. Will bring my camera.

Hope there are no hungry polar bears around.

Vintage Swaps: US delivery

 

 

 

 

I joined Vintage Swaps and that has been so much fun! Nancy from Summer Sky: Learning as I go treated me with some fabolous vintage items, sending it all the way from Virginia, US. For me that is very excotic, especially since I have never been over the pond:

* an old singing book from her daughter's school
* an antique children's illustration.
* a silver-plated butter knife. My 5-year old girl immidiately fell in love with it, commenting that she didn't know they had such pretty knives in the US!
* a gorgeous embroided pillow case
* a 1956 calendar handkerchief

Thanks Nancy, it's been a pleasure!

Coffee Companion and a cushion winner

 

Don't you find it comforting that some things stay the same. Like this packet of chocolate, the design has been like this forever. A small reassuring thing in a changing world.

 

They're filled with peppermint cream, perfect as a coffe companion. Before I associated them with my grandmother, now I eat them too. Don't know if that means I'm getting older or the chocolate is trendy.

 

And I believe we have a winner of the cushion giveaway. The winner was carefully drawn in a process worthy the rules of the Lottery, as you can see.

Congratulations 9patchnurse . This baby's off to the US.

 

See you later, we're kicking our way to the post office!