round trip

Returning home after an extended vacation is almost as exhilarating as taking off. I am sitting here in the studio trying to recap three wonderful weeks away, sifting through notes and photographs, and sorting through my thoughts...

The first week was spent with family and friends in southern Sweden. The weather was gorgeous and we were offered a plentitude of delicious meals and refreshing drinks. Our evenings were laced with engaging discussions, laughter, and friendship. We criss-crossed the region via train, bus, and car, visiting museums, shops, and cosy restaurants. We swam, basked in the sun, and strolled. It was the most perfect of times.

Paris was the destination for the second part of the trip. We arrived wide-eyed and ready for everything the city of light has to offer. The beautiful apartment on the left bank had a roof top view of the Eifel tower and was the base, for our daily excursions. We quickly came up with a long list of favorites including; Degas painting The orchestra of the opera at Musée d'Orsay, the tomb of Heloise and Abelard in Pere Lachaise Cemetery (what a love story), Papier+ in the Marais quarters, the Victory statue in the Louvre, the all out meat dinner at Relais de l'Entrecote, the kitchen store of all kitchen stores - E. Dehillerin, the stroll through the Porte de Vanves flea market, and getting to know Eva Besnyö and her beautiful photographs at Jeu de Paume. The list goes on, but it is still the everyday experiences that are the true highlights when visiting a new city, such as fetching fresh bread from the bakery every morning, walking down a narrow street at dusk, overhearing a conversations at the lunch table, perusing the market for fresh fruit, and going to bed at night with aching feet and a mind overfilled with new impressions.

Happily back home, I admit that we were ready to reunite with the dogs, sleep in our own beds, and cook a simple meal in our own kitchen. That is what vacations are for. And I am itching to get back to work, to continue pieces in progress and start on things totally new. Somehow the experiences from weeks past will make their way into the process of making and creating that I love so much.

 

here and there

I spent last week with my wonderful family at Sandbridge Beach, with lots of sunshine, delicious meals, reading, and quiet quality time. This morning I am getting ready for my drive to Sewanee, Tennessee and a week at the Shakerag workshops. I am eager to return to this magical place, to learn (this year I am taking a class with Michel Garcia), and to meet up with some great friends! The blog will be quiet while I am gone, but I will keep up with the weeks activities on my facebook page. Join me there if you like.

giving thanks

I have much to be thankful for. Health, family, happiness, friends, work... but without my boys, life would just stop in its tracks. They continue to amaze me with their accomplishments, compassion, smarts, and love. I am so lucky.

And my girls makes me to wake up every morning with a smile, whether I am ready for it or not.

Happy thanksgiving everyone!

happy returns

Three weeks seems like a short time. But much happened in this tiny time span. First off I had a birthday - a momentous and frightening one. Fifty years seems like a really long time. To relieve any possible angst, my mom and my sisters brought me to Kivik, a small Swedish coastal resort town offering sweeping ocean views, back massages, fresh berries, and the coolest weeping beech tree, ever. Thank you.

We dyed cloth with Swedish delights from my mom's garden - peach, maples, currant, walnut, among other things, with bright and beautiful results.

And then there was the three day trip with just my 15 year old son and I, filled to the brim with visits to military museums, history museums, art museums, and a few gourmet meals in between. So much fun!

Other small but equally wonderful things happened during these brief weeks. Morning runs along the water with my sister. Intense card playing with my nephew. Yarn shopping. Visit to my fathers grave with fresh flowers (top photo). Wine sipping and movie watching. Some more yarn shopping...

It is good to be back in my new homeland, to reunite with my lovely husband, house, dogs, garden, family, and the work I love. But it is always hard to leave the old homeland behind. Still one of the coolest places on earth in my estimation. Until next time...

new home

Some things are just meant to be. For years I have admired the quiet, elegant, and delightful design style of Maria. She is an interior designer and purveyor with impeccable taste and the loveliest persona. She shares her work and beautiful home on her blog vintage simple. Maria recently bought my textile collage whisper, for her new home in Ashville, North Carolina. I am honored and thrilled and I can't imagine a better place for this piece. Thank you Maria for your trust and encouragement!

I am packing my bags again. This time I am heading home with my youngest son to visit family and friends in Sweden. It has been two years since last and I am looking forward to many things, including eating new potatoes and strawberries (they taste much better over there), sipping gin and tonics on my mom's patio, hugging my nephews, and meeting Roxy and Rufus, the new family pets... I will try to post during my trip so stay tuned.