February means ski-break for most of the students and schools in Europe but not for the Germans school or at least not here in Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen (here instead schools have two weeks off for Easter and two for Autumn-break) But we do have a couple of February days off to celebrate Karneval.  Karneval is a big deal! I have lived here for five years but still karneval is something special to experience and impressive to see how germans old and young likes dressing up to this level.  This year we did the Rosen Montag Karnevalzug in Wittlaer instead of the big parade down-town.  And instead of doing Karneval all weekend - me and the kids had planned a trip with friends to Lille in France. We left on Friday which was a day off and it is cool to live here in the heart of Europe and in 3 hours drive through 4 countries, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France. Lille was very cute french town and we do have a soft spot for cute French towns so this fitted us...

Oh yes I try to do a some sort of year summary each year at least in different fields. To do a illustrated summary is a must and covers important fun fragments of the year. Another one of my favorite list and summary of the year is of my books. I have a target to read one book per month. I love books and take great pride in every book I purchase and read. This year I managed to read more because I have fallen for the listening form of books and can focus better on other things such as washing, cleaning, sewing, drawing and walking if I at the same time listen to a book. And I picked good books this year I enjoyed all of them ! 

 Week 5 of 2023 and after a fair share of very grey days here in Düsseldorf it was very very nice to see some sun rays again. I know it is nearly like spring here if you compare it to Sweden but after 4,5 years here I have now a higher standard for what spring is and to be honest I can't wait for it ( I am guessing I am not the only one)  Last week I was busy going for some necessary but not so fun appointments. A friend of my told me that she tries to book all necessary check ups in January so she will be done with it, I like that idea instead of avoiding to book and just thinking about which I tend to do. So I have removed birthmarks ( I was soooo nervous) done an ultrasound on my breast to make sure all ok, and now I should also book dentist appointments for me and the kids. Dentist for me definitely before moving back to Sweden because In Germany check up is covered by insurance and also simple fillings and in Sweden a small robbery for just a check-up.  On the creati...

This week I have been making some new gift bags. A friend from Sweden came to visit on Sunday and she had ordered bags and hairbands, with instruction that she likes stripes, polka dots and turquoise. That gave me an excuse to go to this nice fabric shop Dori & Ellen in Lindtorf, Ratingen to pick up some new spring color fabrics for bags and hairbands. I made some bags and hairbands in different colors to send with her but also continued to make some more for the webshop. Check it out I managed to upload a few bags in the size of a hard cover book, just in time for the Swedish book sale coming up in Feburary.  I am constantly looking for new ideas and things to make and explore, thats what drives me. A friend of mine got a Cricut cutter for Christmas and she has showed me how it works and what you can do. That gave me inspiration that I can iron-on printed pictures to my bags. So I ordered transfer papers for laser printer and started testing. I am using my Düsseldorf and summe...

Alright here is one of my New years tasks to myself and my creativity - to continue the weekly update !  It is week 3 of 2023 and lets do this !  A few weeks before Christmas I was selling my stuff at Kiwifalter's Winterfest here in Düsseldorf.  Vonkreation  was also there selling her nice cups, bags, shirts etc. All her stuff and ideas are super cool and I asked if it would be possible to print one of my illustrations on an enmal cup. The enamel cups are cute and great for picnics to serve coffee or even better Glühwein. I picked my Düsseldorf motive and also got help to pick a nice German quote used during Glühwein season " Lasst uns froh und munter sein".  I am very happy with the result and I will bring them with to nice adventures in the nature in the future. 

  Om jag skulle summera mitt kreativa år 2022 med en topp tre lista... Ja då skulle det se ut såhär. Nummer 1= Påskhararna. Påskhare presentpåsar i tyg   som jag efter en del trixande och testande fick till. Kul med trix när resultat blir bra. Ett alternativ till påskägget till påskpresent för t.ex en flaska av nåt slag som får plats i dom högre påsarna.  Nummer 2 = Glada örhängen. I våras lekta jag fram en hel kollektion av färggranna örhängen. Det var en vårkväll och barnen hade lekt med nån slags fluffig lera som jag köpt på Teddi ( en affär för typ allt inklusive stort utbud av pysselmaterial.) Mila hade skapat nån slags stor grej med olika färger på och jag kunde inte låta bli och testa om jag kunde göra något liknande till örhängen och det var då min skapa örhängen mani började. Den fluffiga leran var lufttorkande och sen lackade jag och limmade på örhängesploppar och fixade display pappbitar. När jag hade slut på fluff lera övergick jag till Fimo. Sen tröttnade ja...

  2022 is over and for me personally it was a good year and that is all I choose to focus on here. I am happy that I decided to try to do a weekly update here on the blog, even if I didn't managed all weeks it made me update something more often then I would have otherwise. I had a good creative year and proud that I participated with my stuff at 4 markets here in Düsseldorf. Next post I will present my top 3 of my creative 2023 

Last weekend it was finally time for Winter market at Landhaus Freeman a very nice and popular restaurant here in Kalkum, Düsseldorf. It is so nice of the owner to organize these great cute and well attended markets, normally one market each season. I am very happy to participate at these markets and they have made me more and more confident to be there and to show and sell my products.   This year I brought with my hats and I had made some new for this season. I would say that the fabrics and patterns I have bought this year at a craft fair here in Germany are more earthy tones. I don´t want to fall into the grey and beige trend because I believe in colorful especially for children. I hope I did I managed to stay colorful I hope but I will pay extra attention on this next year.  I also brought my hairbands and scrunchies. My Christmas gift bags made out of fabric was very popular this year that I almost sold out. I also sold postcards and prints of my Düsseldorf motive. ...

  Kids with friends have watched Ghostbusters and yes decided to all get dressed up as Ghostbusters this year. Our friend Ange is a master in creating costumes and made great Slimer costume for herself and made ghostes for me and Loren. The Halloween celebration in our area here in Düusseldorf is well attended and organized since it lives a lot of expats in our neighborhood. 

  I have been creating some new hair-bands from different fabrics and patterns. It is so much fun to make different style hair-bands and they are such useful accessory. Mila helped me to modell them for me under our beautiful maple tree. I am already getting sorted for the open-air Winter market which is coming up here in Düsseldorf end of November and first of Advent.  Which pattern is your favourite?