pretty things and some holiday hints

little petra chair from and tradition

black pendant lamp from myrle en marikie

rodebjer's green scarf from grandpa

lotta chain bag from pap

spoons from hope in the woods

deep plates from iittala

green vase from iittala

tray from skenskt tenn

moisturizer from face stockholm

black dress from filippa k

white hydrangeas painting from big cartel

rug from myrle en marieke

happy holiday shopping!

swedish hasbeens!

it's a swedish hasbeens kind of day... and loki agrees :)

coveting, 10 things

1. gorgeous carpet and mirror

2. pompom blanket

3. banana leaf wallpaper

4. soft lit photograph of venice

5. cute summer dress

6. trip to australian

7. latch hooking my own rug

8. this pillow, love. 

9. classic tote by swedish designer

10. round coffee table, to fit our new sofa

swedish hasbeens

happy collage - and pics - by laurie / pic of laurie by me

swedish hasbeens had their annual garage sale this weekend - 40% - 80% off!  

they are a cult shoe label in stockholm. when spring rolls around women cannot resist wearing their swedish hasbeens. i've noticed that they seem to go with everything!  and the colours are such fun... pink, orange, and yellow.  blue, green and white.  purple too!  you must take a peek at their instagram page.

the shoes are handmade and manufactured using traditional techniques in small factories where the shoes have been produced for years. they are environmentally friendly too, using vegetable tanned leather and you will have them forever.  from the owner, "we have a strong belief in making better shoes for a better world. we want to make fashion more fun, creative and friendly to both the environment and people."

i read an article in which one of the owners, emy blixit, shared how she remembered her neighbour, a cigarette smoking housewife named anita wearing the original braided high-heeled clogs and how glam she thought they were back then, in the 1970s.  

fast forward to 2006, emy found the shoes anita wore in the basement of an old clog factory in her neighbouring village and brought back all 300 pairs (reds, whites and blacks) to stockholm. soon after, swedish hasbeens was born.

it was fun to shop for them.  we all eyed one another trying on the shoes... it was so hard to make a decision.  all styles and colours just looked perfect on everyone. while i was at the sale, another woman said they were her absolute favorite shoe, ever.  

i came home with a pair - the peep toe high in nature - and laurie left with two pairs, the super high slip clog and the peep toe too ;)

and yes, they are super comfortable too, regardless of heel height.

here's to a cloggy summer!

tees please

kai is growing like a weed.  the voice is changing, his feet are no longer small and cute, the shoulders getting slightly broader.  sigh.

all this to say he needs new tees!  

kai is a tee and jeans guy (preferably "skinny jeans mom").  with his growth spurt, i need to stock up on tees and fast. here in stockholm, clothing can cost many kronor so i have a plan to purchase online from north america and ship them to seattle, where stefan will be for work at the end april.    

i have been devouring online shops and it appears i need to buy x-small adult size for kai, i know!  anyway, here are some favourites, for both my boys:

curious george tee; love your mother; jolly hiker tee; p.s. i love you; gentleman tee; take naps not drugs tee; downhill skiing tee; geometric science tee; cat tee; life is better by the bonfire; give peace a chance; the flash

do you have any favourite online shops to buy tees?  do share!

scandinavian gift buys

in lieu of christmas presents this year, stefan and i will buy ourselves a new sofa!  ours is a month older than kai (13+ years) so it's time.  and while ours is comfortable, it's more suited for a 9 month pregnant woman (which i was at the time of purchase) than for movie night lounging. i already know the one i want, and fingers crossed, i hope it will fit our space.  

in the meantime, yes, i am thinking about all the lovely gifts i will miss out on, here are a few favourites... 

for the home, i am loving skultuna at the moment, all of it.

lily candlestick holder

feather votive holder

brass flower pots

a very pretty trivet

a cute little vase

for skin care, there's the cult favourite face stockholm and the swedish pharmacy, apotek, also has a couple of beloved brands - maria akerberg and estelle & thild.

yes, adult women buy this for themselves :)

to wear, i am loving the tunic styles that the swedes wear, and although the sneakers aren't swedish, the swedes love their sneakers.

image credit

a swedish spa day at the grand hotel!

i love this time of year and not only for the prezzies ;) 
happy gift buying.

levis love

i haven't worn levi's since i was in my 20s.  i had quite a collection of levi's jeans, second-hand mostly but also a new pair every now and then.  i lived in them practically everyday. 

now in my 40s, i finally bought myself a pair!  how did i live so long without them?!  my black 721 high rise skinny jeans are my go to.  they are not cheap, buying levi's in stockholm, but so worth the monies, i wear them often.  always comfortable.

they come in a rainbow of blue hues, you can dress them up or down... and my closet will never be without them again. actually, it's probably time for a second pair.

pics from here and here.