Iconic Scandinavian Design - Ikea et al

Last night I finished what a good friend started, and we are now sleeping on a bed frame for the first time in 12 years! We finally decided that enough was enough and bought an Ikea flat pack bed frame and headboard and our bedroom looks 'finished'.

While I was putting together the drawers (my good friend spent 3 hours constructing the vast bulk of the frame) I thought about the week we spent in Sweden and how much I enjoyed looking at the decorative arts of the lived in spaces. From tea towls, to chairs, to bicycles, they all had a cultural stamp that made me perk up. I wish I'd spent more time at Lund's Kulturen museum investigating the nooks and crannies. What makes Scandinavian design iconic? Bold, saturated colours, graphic florals, birds, white and blonde wood, wool!

Wool and Woodcutter

I am gradually unpacking all the parcels, packages and boxes that we mailed to ourselves or packed away before we left. I'm just now getting into the English wool that I bought during our trip to the Weald Wool Fair. This is a sheltand/icelandic sheep's fleece. It is a wonderful chocolate brown with bleached blonde tips. It's gone into the wash to see how it turns out. 

Every self respecting woodsman needs a wool coat. Christopher is modelling one that I got more than 15 years ago in Prince George. The good stuff just keeps going. He's also got wool pants on and boots made from wool shearling (sheeps' skin with the wool left on). And a wool toque of course! The dog has her high visibility vest on so we can see her in the grey winter light.

Thank-you Fellow Canadians

We are so pleased that our new government is taking action to bring Syrian refugees to Canada. Overseas voting was impossible in the federal election, so I have my fellow Canadians to thank for choosing a government that is doing something that I had hoped for. I remember when I was a child the work that our tiny local town of Musquodoboit Harbour did to prepare a home for a family of Vietnamese 'boat people'. Our little town of Whitehorse has a similarly wonderful community of people who are pulling together to bring a Syrian family here.

Living in Italy for 5 months was a real eye opener to how valuable our multi-cultural Canada is - we can get so many kinds cuisine! Even in Whitehorse. In Italy, all  you can get is Italian food. So, I for one say; "yay for Syrian refugees!" I can't wait to try some Syrian food....

Woolish Obsessions

Long time readers will know that I am a little obsessed with sheep's wool, and that I like to spin. I tried very hard during our journey to acquire wool as my memento of our 7 month sojourn. The only place I succeed in doing this was England. They speak my language! Now that we are back home, I'm diving into my stash and re-discovering what I've got. On my return I was greeted by the wonderful wool that I got in England as well as some Canadian wool I'd arranged to buy in the spring. It is better than Christmas!

Yep, better than Christmas!

This is a close-up of the beautiful 'gulmoget' shetland fleece. 

Lovely Silvery BFL (Blue-Faced Leicester) Shetland Cross

Vancouver - On The Way Home

We stopped in Vancouver on the way home to spoil ourselves and slowly recover from our jet lag...

We stayed in a great apartment with a hot tub(!) right near Vancouver Granville Island Market.

Saw some family and our accountant Gary who is a long term family friend :-) to get our taxes done ;-(

We are unsure whether we will be able to return to Vancouver again before Christmas, but we sure hope so.

Fishmonger Granville Island

Green grocer (costermonger) Granville Island

Me, going just a little bit crazy, in Miawa supply on Granville Island. I love fabric, buttons, dyes and notions and this shop has it all. You can see how much more in the next photo how much they have ... Even the dog was allowed in, which made her very happy.

Italy, I miss your coffee bars

I've said it before, I'll say it again. If all of Italy was run like they run their cafe bars, the world would be a better place. You step up to the marble counter, make your order, and you've got it in a lovely china cup, at a perfect drinking temperature, within 60 seconds. If you want to linger, that's fine too, pick a table and settle in for a leisurely sip. If you feel in need of something with a little kick, there's everything from rum to bubbly. If you're hungry you can get a sweet or savoury nibble. It is fast, friendly, warm and the dog is welcome. Just what I like.

Halloween 2015

We got back to town just in time to see all the fabulous trick 'o treaters and their parents. I'm torn about my favourite this year. Among the 67 'kids' was a little girl who looked like Zorro/red ridding hood. In fact, with her foxy mask in place she was the wolf who ate red ridding hood! Her parents were dressed as zombie bikers and looked like they were having a great time too. Then there was the young man, at least 6 feet tall, who was dressed as Woody from the Toy Story searies. His costume was so spot on I just loved it. There were also some great Hogwarts charaters, Mrs. Mcgonagall, Hermione. Overall, lots of zombies.