the stockholm beard

i learned recently that sweden holds an annual beard competition in the city of malmö.  i thought it was the funniest thing ever.  but the beard is no joke.  the selection process, done by a jury of barbers, hairdressers, and other important persons in the industry, apparently takes weeks. 

it was one of kai's first impressions, when we moved to sodermalm... alot of beards!  sodermalm is referred to as the hipster island of stockholm - anything you read about it mentions a reference to hipsters.  it makes me giggle a bit because sodermalm is made up of all sorts of people, predominately families hanging out in parks and cafes.  i love its diversity... and yes, while the amount of beards can be a bit ridiculous, i wouldn't live anywhere else in stockholm.

i am working on a guide to sodermalm post to share with you all, stay tuned.

the art print is by lisa bengtsson.

my new camera strap

stefan gifted me the most beautiful camera strap for my canon eos 70d.  it's been to europe with me and all around stockholm too.  it's next stop is london, this coming weekend!

made in finland by designer lina kettunen.  her shop is called field day, "field day is a day spent outside, away from the ordinary.  it's about being together and doing together.  it's a day like no other."  love this sentiment.

i love my braided strap, the small details, the way it feels slung over my shoulder.  it's such a classic piece that i will have for a very long time.

in the beach bag

while travelling in cuba, i kept a swim bag packed and ready at all times.  it was filled with the essentials so my boys and i never had to frantically search our luggage when all we wanted was to head straight to the beach.  so here’s some inspiration - summer is around the corner!

a bathing suit, of course

a practical bag to carry the wet suits + keep them separate in your larger bag



a white cover up... will look great with the sunkissed skin

i use this sunscreen for my face and then share something less expensive with my boys for everywhere else



 

sunglasses, loving the aviators





hat, with large brim



flip flops for actually getting wet and these are super lite... i wore them on and off the beach although these would do the job too





 towels, i would love to get some hammam towels but in the meantime i just throw in some sarongs (perfectly light for travel)



and a lovely bag to put it all in

add your electronic reader and a deck of cards (kai was addicted to the game crazy eights) and you are ready for the beach... or the pool.

hearts galore!

tomorrow is valentine's day.  will you be celebrating?  kai will be at a dance and stefan and i will probably be home watching a movie and eating take out.  although we don't celebrate valentines, i do adore anything heart.  kai says i have a gazillion around the house! 

that heart shelf is crazy cute, right?  i'd be happy having it hang on my wall.  and wouldn't those mini pans be perfect for pancakes  :)



ring



source unknown



shelf



bottles



phone case





mini pans





hair clip



pyrite stone



t-shirt... it's in my closet :)







balloon



tote



embroidery art



paper boxes

if you are in the mood, see a couple of my previous valentine posts... paperman and love ever after.



the knitted home

knitted products give a warm and cozy atmosphere to a home.  the days have been colder here in vancouver and these knitted interior products are the perfect accessories to create a warm winter look in your home.  my favourite is the knitted stool but i want those cute and fun leg warmers for stools.  they made me smile.

basket



hot water bottle cover



tin cover



chunky blankets



tea pot cozy



beanbags



diy ornaments





stool



leg warmers



m0851

suji, my friend, has an obsession with m0851 bags - let's just say she owns many more than one - and its spilled over to me.  i have had my eye on the cute 'mademoiselle pouch' for awhile so when i accompanied suji to m0851's customer appreciation/sale party last week, i hoped to leave with said cute bag.  instead, she bought it!  that's okay though, i didn't leave empty-handed :)

  

i left with the weekend bag - in black.  it really was better suited for my needs since i am lacking a good sized basic black bag - everyone should have one, right?  i particularly love that it has that bit of slouch appeal but also polished with its rich black leather.

and, the leather ages beautifully.  they have older samples at the shop and i swear the bags do get more beautiful as they age; softer and suppler.  i love finding something that is well made (the craftsmanship is evident), timeless, and classic; it's a worthy investment.  bonus?  they are canadian made, in montreal. 

i was also eyeing that 'shopping bag' but i'll need to wait for their next big sale :)

 



mademoiselle pouch





small weekend bag











shopping bag







basket bag

m0851 also make accessories; cute rain jackets and gorgeous scarves too.  loving the images from their 2013-2014 lookbook:







circle craft

last year, i came home from the circle craft fair empty handed but not this year - see my stack of rings post.  there was so much more of course that could have followed me home.  take a peek:

gorgeous hats from wildhagen.  when i visit toronto next year i plan to visit them.



felt products from trifly design, especially this little vessel.

 

 

 

adorable rattles from mimi.  they also have a cute elephant.  perfect for a little one, yes?

 

 

 

ceramics by erin morris are influenced by nature... trees, birds, and dragonflies.  so lovely.

 

 

a simple wool cowl for men and women by pip robins accessories.

 

 

 

patrycja's very cool mom, jagoda, is a jewellery maker that i have written about here. and she fell for this cute pant apron for makers; it looks so adorable on.  made in vancouver by glasnost.

 

 

 

porcelain vessels, by russell hackney that i have eyed and coveted in vancouver boutiques.  gorgeous.

 

 

abeego, reusable 'saran' wrap, is genius.

 

 



 

thank you circle craft!  they are a british columbian artist cooperative that exists to connect craftspeople with the community and i am so grateful otherwise my right ring finger would be empty. and i now have ideas for gift giving - myself included :)