tiny happy

seedlings

This weekend I worked on some cards for the mid-winter gocco swap organised by Sarah. It was exciting to bring my gocco printer out of hiding and justify my bringing it across the world in my suitcase.

As has happened before, I made a few mistakes with these. I had been hoping to use two colours of ink, but I ruined that screen, and then decided to play it safe for the remaining one i had. The only type of card I could find in town was thick Italian watercolour paper, but actually I quite like the look of the fine brown ink on its texture. I really need to experiment more with this little machine. There's so much inspiration out there. 

So these are little postcards with birch seedlings on the front. The other day when walking down our road, I saw a little circle of these, freshly planted in a garden. While birches are so much a part of the winter landscape here, they also remind me of home- there's a row of them at the bottom of the garden at my parent's place.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the other participants in the swap make. You can see some more here at the gocco-swap flickr group.

Thank you for all your comments on my last post. It was great to read your suggestions and thoughts, and I am hoping to respond to my overdue emails over the week. I've decided that I'll answer any questions within the comment section of each blog post. I hope you know how much I appreciate your feedback and love the comments you leave. But I have gotten so behind in my correspondence lately, that I think this will be a good move.

Some very good things that happened today: I found a shop here that sells thin elastic (this is more exciting than it sounds), the NZ comedy duo Flight of the Conchords won a Grammy award (go on, treat yourself to some clips on youtube), and it was warm enough to eat our lunch while sitting on the front step. For ten minutes or so.

at the post office

A very favourite activity around here at the moment is letter writing. As I've been writing a few letters to friends and family at home and posting them off, Arlo has been enjoying the thrill of snail mail too. Here he is writing a 'letter' to a kindergarten friend. Luckily the friend likes trains as much as he does.

We feel so lucky to have exciting and thoughtful parcels arriving here since we've been in Norway. This week I received a package from Chara Michele who said it was a gift for leaving the 1000th comment on her blog a while ago. Inside was this beautifully-made linen and cotton scarf. It's backed in cosy flannel. Something about the colours she chose make me very happy- as if spring isn't too far away after all. She also sent some beautiful fabric and photo cards- the leaves are her photography, and the flowers are by Laura Crow Miller.

And these little beauties came from Jo: craft packs for A and K (as well as chocolate and NZ diaries for Tom and I). Perfect for all our indoor time at the moment, and filled with coloured papers, beads and stickers. They love them.

 

We are so completely spoiled in fact, that I'm afraid the children will think parcels full of treats for them are just everyday occurences. So from now on, they'll be helping me write letters in return, put them into envelopes and stick the stamps on. I figure that love and respect for proper mail is a good thing to instill in them.

Today, on our way out of the post office, we walked past a man crouched on the ground, holding a paper cup and talking quietly to himself. He reached his cup out to Arlo as we walked by, asking for money in Norwegian. I gave Arlo the coins from my wallet to plonk in the cup, which he did, but then we stopped. 'He looks quite hungry, Mum', Arlo said. We had a few biscuits in my bag, which he put in the cup. I also thought the man looked extremely cold. Everyone on the street was hurrying by, and we did too.

'That's what we have to do, isn't it Mum.' Arlo said as we walked along the street. 'Give him something but then walk away.' And I just didn't know what to say! Because yes, that is exactly what we do when we see a beggar on the street. Sometimes, we even look the other way, if we don't have any change, or are in a hurry. But it really seemed quite lame. And I felt that it wasn't an adequate explanation of the situation to Arlo. I'm still thinking about what would have been though.

Suggestions welcome.

 

yoyos continued

I finished my cream and brown yoyo creation. It's a belt, well more of a sash really, considering it's really just a ribbon with fabric pieces sewn on. I used some small pieces of cream linen and cotton to create the yo-yos, then hand-sewed them to an oval-shaped fabric band. Lastly, I sewed the whole thing to a length of cotton crochet ribbon. (Thanks, Katja)

Now, to have occasion to wear it...?

And while I am thinking about this style of clothing, here are some more pictures from another Noa Noa catalogue- this time, their 'miniature' clothes. I'm looking forward to choosing something for K from here sometime this year.

seven things and ten blogs

Quite a while ago, I was tagged by Libby and more recently, Florence to write seven things about me on here. While I was really honoured to be chosen in their list of blogs they enjoy, I must admit that I'd been putting off the seven things, both because I've done this one before (here and here) and because I feel as though this whole blog is pretty self-obsessed anyway, and I'm sure you don't need additional lists of details about me!

Also, over the last few weeks, I've been nominated for the 'you make my day' award by Cyndi, Ruth, Kate, and Suse which is a real honour- thank you! For this one, I have to give a list of 10 blogs I love but I can't possibly do that, because there are far too many!

So anyway, here are seven more things. I'll try to use these to answer some of the questions I've been asked in emails or comments lately. (Sorry I've been so bad at replying to those lately!)

1. We don't know how long we'll be staying here in Norway. We came for an adventure, and a different work experience for Tom, so, all going well, we'll probably be here for 1-2 years. I can't believe we're into our second month already- it's all been a bit of a blur really.

2. I don't much like having my photo taken, never have. I suppose it's a combination of vanity (I never look how I think I 'really do' when I see myself in a photo) and shyness. That's why I don't usually have pictures of myself on here. But I can assure you that I *don't* look like any of the models in that catalogue from yesterday. Thanks though, Fiona, for your nice comment!

3. The part-time job I started is only on Saturdays- once a week or once a fortnight, depending on how much I'd like to work. So I don't have to organise any childcare because Tom is home from school. So, for the rest of the week, I am at home with Keira who is too young to attend kindergarten here. I also have another job, caring for a baby two days each week, while her parents are teaching. K's enjoying being a 'big sister' so far, and the baby is growing to like me. She really didn't last month.

4. I worry that I sound far too confident and know-it-all on my blog. Like yesterday, about that job. Really, it terrifies me! And I should have been more clear about that. I tend to want to keep this space as a calm, inspiring one about the good things that happen in each day. I also hope (and trust) that people who read my blog know that there is a lot of craziness, unvacuumed rooms, chocolate-eating, dvd-watching, and real-world-avoiding that goes on 'behind the scenes'. Just so you know.

5. I am currently reading We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. I am finding it extremely harrowing, but I can't stop reading it. It brings up so many underlying feelings and fears that I have about motherhood. It's so cleverly written. There's a tension between wanting to read more, because it's good, but not wanting to get to the end, because I know what lies there.

6. Silverbirch trees are my favourite thing about Norwegian country-side so far.

7. I really appreciate your encouragement and support here on my blog. Have I said that lately? You're all really amazing, and have made our transition here to the other side of the world much easier. Thank you, a hundred times. xx

   

danish clothes

Here are some pictures from the current Noa Noa (a Danish company) catalogue that I thought you might like. I find these catalogues really inspiring, both for clothes I'd like to buy (sometime...) and things I'd like to make.

Last week I was offered a part-time job in our local Noa Noa shop. This was very exciting, for a few reasons: I love the clothes, I can't believe someone offered to employ me even though I can hardly speak any Norwegian, I'll be able to meet some locals, and hopefully, improve aforementioned language skills.

Of course, I'm forgetting one important advantage: I need to wear these clothes when I'm working, so it looks like I'm going to have to stock up.

I had my first day's work on Saturday and I was really nervous, but all was well. The customers and manager were patient and kind. I don't know if retail work (especially chain-store) is really my 'life-calling' but it makes a great part-time job while I'm here.

I love that fabric belt. We don't stock that piece in our shop, so I'm starting my yo-yo collection now.

patchwork shoes...

I've been playing around with different designs for the baby shoes I make, and last week I made these little patchwork shoes for a friend expecting a baby boy any day now. (I hope it's soon, for her sake!)

A friend of mine in Korea had a baby girl this week, so I made her these to include in a package. This pair was made up of slightly larger squares, so was a bit quicker to piece together. I used cotton prints given to me by Emily. I quite like the patchwork look for these reversible shoes. Not sure if I have the patience to make too many like this though.

I had a feeling last week that talking about the 'mild winter' and all that 'sunny weather' was going to get us into trouble. Over the weekend, we woke up to a fresh coating of snow, much to K and A's joy. They're so happy playing out there. I admire their tolerance of the cold.

(a few hours later.)

coats and books

These are matching cards and envelopes made from recycled magazine pictures, sent by clever Caireen in Glasgow, along with the embroidered linen below- thank you, C! She made them especially for me- with a somewhat 'Bloomsbury' feel to them. Each set of these cards is so beautifully made- with the images being carefully chosen and placed, and delicately themed. They're packaged neatly with little stick-on labels so you can write the address on them. And now that I've found the post office in this town, I'm looking forward to mailing these off to some friends. (Although the temptation to keep them propped up on my dressing table is strong.)

So as you can see, I've been very spoiled this week, as a shipment of 'very necessary' supplies (ex-estate sale, bought on etsy) also arrived:

Well, okay- so maybe not necessary, but very nice to have. I have this bad tendency to believe that I will be more productive in my craft work and achieve more in general, if I have lovely old supplies like these. So far, this hasn't been the case.

 

lunch in a storm

Today I made lunch for two women from the school that Tom is teaching at. I made salads and pizza, and Keira even helped: here she's stirring the tomato sauce on the stove. (I told her we were throwing a 'lunch party.') One woman, who originally set up the school, has recently retired; the other is a music teacher who is returning to work after having her first baby.

A storm raged outside while we had our lunch. The wind howled, branches snapped and a large piece of outdoor furniture flew past our window. Like Wellington, we have 'proper' weather here by the fjord.

It feels satisfying to be getting to know people in this new town, listening to their stories and putting together in my mind pieces of how people and places fit together. Often I find it overwhelming; as if there is too much I don't know. But I'm trying to be patient, and realise that it will take a long time.

I am finding comfort in small things though: knowing I have so many friends and family who have been through the same experience, rejoicing in the miracle of small achievements (catching the bus without making a fool of myself by slipping on the ice), laying the table with Charlotte's supper cloth, you know, stuff like that.

And yesterday I discovered how to post mail! It felt like a victory, pushing K's pram through the ice and snow, knowing that I had finally posted the postcards that have been sitting in my bag for 3 weeks. I know that should have been simple, but it wasn't for me. I was shown where the Post Office was when I first arrived, and even introduced to the people who worked there. But then when I tried to go by myself a few days later, and every other time I went to town, the electronic doors wouldn't open, and the building appeared to be empty even though the lights were on. I checked the opening times- they were open all day. A mystery.

But then last night I spotted the 'post' sign on another building in town. And inside were all those postal workers I'd first been introduced to. The post office had moved to a new building on the other side of town. Right, good to know.