Life's not perfect

The weather is dull (rainy and foggy), I forgot my blogging tool numberr one (my camera) at a friends house, I was feeling a bit under the weather the past days and had my hands full just to stay on top of my housekeeping... That's life, isn't  it?

Some time ago I tried myself on some (mis)treatments on the window behind my sofa (I got them for free, so I had nothing to loose). But I'm not quite sure if I like the before or after picure better! 

Here we go:

before

after

I just used safty-pins and small nails to pin the curtains on the wall.

Have I said before that I dislike (perhaps a bit to weak a word to express my sentiments) my pink walls? 

Patience, Margitta. Patience. There will be a time this will be fixed. Just not now.... 

I am thankful for what we have, and I mean it. But than there 's this little perfectionist in me, who knows the room would just look so much more stunning with light grey walls.

I think for winter I'll put the brown blinds up again :)

(Mette, den stygge 80tals greier i taket henger fortsatt der!!! Ka ska eg gjera?)

creativity

I believe being creative is something which connects us to our creator. 

We are made in Gods image and he is a creator. And so are we.

 There is something deeply satisfying to making something. 

God created and it was good. 

Not everything I do is reaching that label: good. Our creations are not perfect, but they still witness:

 there is a Creator-God.

Thats the reason why I allow my children to play with food (sometimes at least... )

Eg trur å være kreative e en ting som Gud har lagdt i oss.

Me e skapt i hans bilde og han er en skaper. Og me og e skaperer.

Å skaper noge gjøre en tilfreds.

Gud skapte og det var godt.

Ikkje alt eg gjære kan kallast for godt. Våras kreasjoner er ikkje perfekt,men likavel vise de te at der finns en Skaper-Gud.

Derfor får ongene mine leker med maten (i alle fall av og te...)

simple spring decorations

fill different small glass jars with wild (or from the garden) flowers and leaves and group on a tray...

Martine

A dear family friend had a special day today. Most norwegians are members of the lutheran state-church (we are not) and confirmation is an important day. Martine has helped me with my children for years. She is like a bigger sister for them, escpecially for my five year old girl. She loves Jesus and is very responsible and loves to take care of small children.

Girls that get confirmated receive their norwegian folk costume that day. It's called "bunad" , and its an handmade garment that is used through all grown-up life. It varies from area to area, but its made from the best linen and wool fabrics and embroidered with colorful flowers. A lot of silver jewelery completes the look.

My daughter has a childrens version, handmade by a 94year old lady.

Even her teddy has a "bunad" :)

Thanks for a wonderful day, Martine. We love you!

Martine hadde konfirmasjon idag. Hun har passt på ongane våras siden hun akkurat klarte å kikke øve barnevognet. Lykke te med livet videre, Martine. Har du Jesus har du alt! Me e glad i deg!

things are happening in my kitchen...

I have this 30year old hardwood kitchen, and started to give it a make over some time ago. So today I just will show some before pictures...

It's big. Its airy... but....

the wood is faded, one of the glassdoors is broken, blue tiles, ugly countertops...

Did you see that one of the shelves under the cabinets is shorter than the cabinet ontop? Weird.

I have not a lot to spent right now, so the makeover will mainly involve painting...

Question: should I paint the timberwork (ceiling) aswell?

a little peek:

Eg har begynnt å maler kjøkkenet... Ska eg mala bjelkene i taket, og?

aqua blue

I posted pics of babyboys room before. I know. Today I moved his crib into another corner of the room, hoping he won't wake up so easily by the shouting and screaming from his siblings ( he has three older brothers ;)

Eg vet, at eg har vist bilder av babyboys rom før. Idag flytta eg senge hans litt lenger vekk fra døret i håp om at han ikkje våkner so lett av bråket te syskene sine.

And I'm still in love with the aqua blue wall...

Beautiful knitted garments made by grandma...

Besta som har strikka....

My little sweatheart. I know he's chubby. All my babys are. 

(Not any longer when they have turned four.)

Min lille gullklump. Eg vet han e tjukke. Alle mine babyer e det.

(Men ikkje lenger når de e fira.)

painting a sofa

Yes. Painting a sofa. I did it... I have painted a lot of things, but painting the sofa was the highlight... People would not believe me... Well here it is:

First of all I have to thank my sweet sister-in-law for donating this cute pillow and plaid to me yesterday!

But back to the sofa. I got it together with two chairs for 30 euros (45USD). It had a typical early 90s red/blue/green checkered cover and dark wood.

First I thought I would reupholster it, but that would be hard work. So I thought I could try to paint it. (I had nothing to loose anyway...) 

I painted it a year ago, it's daily used and it looks still ok. But  it started quickly to look bad on the seating so I had to slipcover the seating. I used an acrylic wallpaint.

Stick bread / pinnebrød

(picture from chefkoch.de)

We had a delayed birthday party for our 10 year old yesterday and went into the woods and had a barbecue.

I forgot the camera, silly me. But here's the recipe for the stick bread we made. It was a succsess with the kids :

1kg flour 2 pk yeast
3,5 tsp salt
3,5 tbsp oliveoil
1/2l lukewarm water
a little pizza seasoning (oregano, etc)
2 cloves of garlic

Make a dough. Beat well. Let it raise at least for 1/2 hour.

Twin the dough in a thin layer around a stick and bake it over open fire until done :)

Kan you believe my baby is ten years old?

drifttwood hunt / rekved jagdt

It was another beautiful springday and I went to a small hidden beach to gather some driftwood and shells.

Ennå en fantastisk vårdag fikk meg te å gå på rekved jagdt...

I found this cool sign (from a ship?). What shall I do with it?

Eg fant en kul skilt. Ka ska eg gjera med det?

It's always special to see the new lambs...

Alltid fint å se nyfødte lammer...

I can't get enough of the sea...

Eg kan ikkje få nok av sjøen...

these glorious days... / disse herlige dager...

where you can hang the clothes out on the line to dry...

der en kan ha klær ute te tørk...

where the baby eats banana in the sun...

der babyen spiser banan i solen...

drinking sourmilk with blueberries...

drikker surmelk med blåbær...

Spring is here!

Våren er kommen!

familiy room

Since we moved to this house last year I dreamed to convert it into a beach cottage (we live after all just a couple of hundred meters from a fantastic beach) . So yesterday while Mr.Viking and the kids went biking and the baby was asleep, I gave the familyroom a make-over. No buying involved. Just shopped the house...

Siden me flytta inn ifjor, hadde eg lyst å gi det huset en litt strand-hus aktig preg (me bur jo bare noe hundred meter fra Karmøys finaste strand). So igår mens Mr.Viking og ongane var på sykkeltur og babyen sov, fikk daglig stova en liten øvehåling. Kjøpte ingenting. Gikk bare på jagd i huset...

Before:

After:

Then my family returned from their biking and enjoyed the room:

So kom familien him og kosa seg: