From drawings to needlepoint

This post have been saved as a draft for quite a few days now. Haven't been able to add photoes for some reason.
I think this may be the last post for a while, we are going to Canada for two weeks. We'll be back on the 16.th of August, the day before school starts in this community.


Dug these two UFO's out the other day, have finished one.. My oldest drew the dog when she was 6 or 7 years old, the other one my youngest made when she was 4.


While we were at the cottage a couple of weeks ago I casted on another pair of woolen pants for my youngest nephew. I am now on the first leg of it and thought it would be a good project for travelling by plane for hours!



I am using Gjestdal's yarn and pattern as you see here. (only the tights , mind you)


I have worked even litlle further than on this photo now..


And here is the precious nephew taking a break in the kitchen of my sister's cottage.




This is my stack of crocheted squares so far. Whenever I am sitting in the back yard in the sun I try to do one. It's getting close to 50 now, but I probably need about 100..


My oldest is working in a flower shop every now and then and is really into making flower baskets etc.. Here is one she made for us because we had just celebrated 16 years of marriage. The picture really isn't doing the basket justice, but it'll have to do..


At last -but not least- a photo of my dog laying in the sun in the back yard. She will be in a kennel while we are away. We feel bad, to tell you the truth. There will be no one to roll around on the floor with in the evening for her. No couch to sleep on. No goodies every now and then - and for no apparent reason.. All in all her vacation will be spent learning how to be a dog...!



ooops! She forced her way in on yet another photo; showing how utterly depressing the thought of no couch is!

One less UFO (Unfinished Object)

Some things are being finished too! Like these two necklaces that I made.

Local outdoor play coming soon!

My headline this time is a link to a great local play.. You can read about in this posting- a little further down in my text... the link will take you to great photoes from last year's performances.. (go to link- then go to "fotogalleri")

My garage wall (before the blooming were at its fullest..) Don't you think this little window requires a crocheted curtain..? (mind you -I got too many UFO's to even think such a thought) I am a little caught up with painting my oldest's room these days. I do however have some things I could show off, but don't have much time for taking pictures and posting on the blog.. Have to try again on Sunday.
Thursday and Saturday I'm on duty for all kinds of practicalities at the local outdoor theatre "Marispelet". My daughters are in it this year. Can't wait to go see it.
It is put on right by this spectacular waterfall that has been a tourist attraction since at least the 1800's when the upper class tourists came here to enjoy the hotel, tennis court and billiard hall that was built on this site to attract them.. Since the town is founded on hydro production from this very waterfall now, they only release the water at the very end of the play of each night of the performance the four days the play is on. A very powerful experience.

Showing some things my daughters made this time:


This is a picture my youngest drew a few weeks ago..


The next is a collage that my oldest made with painted old book pages that she painted and tore, dried and torn tissue paper and a victorian picture.


Also a collage, but this one was made during art classes at school. Not a good picture. (That's my fault though!)

Have finished a couple of smaller crafts these last days. Will show them in the next posting. I have also finished a bigger one- cannot show that one however. (Cristmas, Christmas)

A rainy Sunday- made for doing crafts..

It's raining today. So I thought it would be a good idea to show the sunny photoes I took while we were on the beach last week. Beautiful place isn't it?My oldest daughter is lying in the front of the one photo.. She just lifted her head a couple of times and said, smiling: isn't it nice to just lie around..."



Woke up at five this morning due to a party in the neighbourhood. Was up doing a bit of knitting and drinking coffee from then on, but around eight I got tired and had an hour nap on the couch.
I've been on the computer visiting all my favourite blogs after that..(Have so many favourites that I could spend all day sitting here)
Better put some photoes in my own blog.. Unfortunately I startet yet another project I can not show because it is a present for a nosy person.
Went to Hamar to a surprise birthday party on Friday.More than fourty people showed up out of about 60 invited. It was a fun and very special experience. I met quite a few people that I haven't seen for 22 years! And when talking to them it was as if no time had passed- the same connection between us was still there.
With the present I bought for the birthday "girl"(turning 50) I made a collaged card. Forgot to take a picture of it before I left but I was quite happy with the result.

Something I CAN show here is some of my journaling pages and collage sheets that I just do to relax and give my mind some rest when I need to unwind. The collage sheet is still not finished. I am going to add some text and maybe a photo..

Staying at home today

My youngest and I decided on staying at home for the most part today since we were pretty worn out from a little too much sun yesterday.(My oldest and the hubby are working poor things..) For her it is hard to keep out of the water if we are on a beach and that means being in the sun for hours with no protection on her head. She was to the point of being sick before going to bed last night.
My plan is to make a quick run to the store to get some more supplies for drawing/colouring/ collaging/journaling. Then I will do a LITTLE BIT of housework (beds need changing, laundry must be done) and the rest of the day I will spend working on my knitting/ sewing on the porch.
It's hard for me to stay in one spot and just relax for too long when I am at home, I tend to think of all the things I ought to do all day.. This is something I know I have to practice to get better at, it's an unhealthy "mind-bug" I have. (the Being a Good and Sensible Girl Syndrome, I call it..)
The crafting stuff I fiddle with at all times is a way of not being som damned occupied with "chores" yet not just looking out into space either. It relaxes me and keeps my mind focused on something enjoyable.
The photo above is from some journaling I've done. ( I really suck at taking good pictures of my journal-entries)
Here is the counter in my kitchen where i spread my stuff when I use pencils, paint and glue
Have a nice day, folks!

Almost 30 degrees celsius

It's too warm today! my oldest daughter has had two days off her summer job (at a florist's) and we have headed down to a beach some 30 km from here. It's at a fresh water lake - and the water is too damn cold for anyone with a normal sensation in her skin- but kids go swimming all the time....and the odd viking of an adult..
We've spent all day Monday and today, Tuesday on this beach under some trees my daughters and I. Armed with a book (Salman Rushdie is the author I enjoy right now), my crochet and a cooler with drinks and some lunch I get in a real holiday mood.
I even brought my sketch book but I ended up pouring myself a cup of coffee in the middle of sketcing - and that was the end of that little activity for today...
I did take a couple of shots down there but I haven't downloaded them onto my comuter yeat, so I'll post some shots from my house instead (and a photo of myself- would you believe it...Not something I usually do)


The last photo is from the kitchen- the counter I usually spread my journalling and collage supplies on. That's the scary thing about having a big kitchen with a lot of counterspace: you end up making such a mess- and leaving it there for days on end..

Summer at its best

Every day we wake up to lovely, sunny and warm weather. it's the most wonderful feeling. You never know what kind of summer you'll get in Norway. We certainly learn to appreciate the sunny days.Here are some shots from my yard..





I am working on one more little thing these days: AI bought one of these things called "Strikkelise" in Norwegian, I think the technique is called french knitting in English. I'm use gold coloured yarn and it will be a necklace in the end. They say the big rave with this craft was last year and that now it is slowing down.. Who cares; I'm not always that quick at catching on to such things. Sometimes "everybody" try - and get to love- new techniques that pop up- like needle felting... Let me tell you; i tried it and found it to be Booooring. That is , I love the result people getwhen making something needle felted, but I get impatient while working on it, so I think I'll leave that kind of thing to others..