They are here they are here they are here…
I’m feeling really silly now. But they are here!

PS. Husband just dumped two big loads of cow sh… ehmm I mean manure on our backyard. Went to see our neighbor the cheese farmer and asked for it, and claims it doesn’t smell.  We’ll just see about that. It’s supposed to be super good for the soil (ours is terrible, 100% claybased)!

These are just too good to be left without mention: Two by Two Organic Strawberry Biscuits - lion and mouse shaped all butter biscuits with real strawberry juice, organic certified, baked by hand (huh? what other ways are there?). The box comes with the Aesop’s Fable The Lion and the Mouse printed on it for extra breakfast time comfort and the cookies are well packed (so much for organic…) for minimal breakage rates during transport.

Super tasty with tea!

* Oh, and I never understood this quote. Having replaced cat by lion I understand it even less.

***

Recent interests:

• Entrelac.
  Found some cuter than cute beret/tam knitting patterns and am waiting for Rowan’s felted tweed yarn to arrive by post.
• New sewing machine
  Just a supermarket one, a Toyota no less, and I don’t even have fabric or thread to try it, but still - can’t wait to give it a go! Amy Karol’s book should be here any day now.
• Composting
  Well, my husband is doing this. I’m merely chipping in by learning that you should not put in dairy or meat leftovers, however egg shells apparently are ok. I’m interested in finding out if he manages to make the compost work, cause then, soil for freeeeee!

This is more and more turning into a picture blog. Which is funny because then I should really pay more attention to the quality of the images. Alas, currently our only digital cameras are in our respective cell phones. I love it because I’ll for sure always have the camera with me, but the pictures are of course grainy and all weird colours. Hope you don’t mind.
Valentine’s day postage stamps from Finland. How cute are these!

Polka dot gift wrap on a gift from a dear friend. Thank you!

Tulips. Inspired by Lucia to buy flowers for myself (an idea that I am totally loving by the way) once a week. Money well spent, I say.

Miniature cupcakes with pink and blue buttercream frosting. We actually had a miniature tea party on the living room rug this morning with my son and some of his teddy bears, using his miniature IKEA kids’ coffee set. That was so absurd, but in a fun way. I always thought that would be one thing I’ll never ever be doing.

Homemade play-doh. I love how the colours turned out and can’t wait to play! )

Mittens inspired by Knitty’s Matrix pattern.

Here they come! Our first-ever self-planted tulips from our own garden! Yupii!

Have a nice work week, y’all.

On my way to work one morning.

Friday morning. Son has a carnival party at daycare. Is dressed as ninja turtle except for mask that was too scary.

Friday evening. Snow. Driving weather is terrible and traffic is jammed but the city looks beautiful.

Saturday. Hibernating. Made a paper butterfly with my son.

Bought flowers for myself.

Sunday. Weather is better and snow is gone. We made a bonfire in the backyard and burned all paper and wood waste we’ve accumulated over the time. We grilled corn in the fire. It tasted like smoke and sugar.

Easy cooking. I like the cookie dough better than the baked cookies, though.

I’m the proprietor of one of the most unusable cookers I’ve ever used. Wet fingers? Oil remnants on the surface? Don’t bother trying to manipulate the controls.

Washed a wool carpet in the washing machine and tumble dried it. Not recommendable, although, surprisingly, I think we’ll still be able to use it. It’s nice, felted and compact.

After running wild on and off the couch, carpet and dining table, it’s sleepy time.

Nap well, sweet dreams.

Lookie what I found! All these wonderful items - and more - showing up upon an Etsy search on chocolate. I especially like the chocolate coffee scrubby soap bar (top left) and the crysanthemum baby blanket. Wonderful chocolatey brown all over.

• Chocolate Coffee Scrubby Bar
• Hot Chocolate Badge
• Chocolate Lime Baby Booties
• Brindle Handspun Merino Yarn
• White Chocolate Rose Earrings
• Chrysanthemum dreams Chocolate Minky Baby Blanket
• Alexander Henry Kleo in chocolate
• M is for Monkey
• Large Cloth Play Ball Chocolate Lollipop
  
• Decadent Chocolate Whipped Body Frosting With Shea Butter, Grapeseed and Jojoba Oil
• Lavender Eye Pillow in Chocolate Brocade
• Dark Chocolate Chef Apron

After writing down the Mondo Beyondo, I started thinking how easy it is to write things down and not follow up with concrete actions. I have piles and stacks of diaries full of to-do lists and new year’s resolutions where the items were never ticked off as “done”! So I decided to cook up a list of things I am doing right now in order to be happier and wholesomer with myself, and here it is.

1. Champissage (= Indian head massage). After many years of thinking about it, I have finally had a go - even two, at it. It’s just perfect, although much more physical than I had expected, and leaves me in a state of mixed alertness and relaxation. Although I must say that my shoulders are so jammed that it’s going to take more than two sessions to untangle them.
2. Regular doctor’s visits. Not quite there yet, but I am definitely in the planning stage for my annual medical visit. Have printed out the necessary forms, checked the doctor’s phone number etc. Just need to make the appointment.
3. Not taking things personally. I am committed to not thinking people out there are on a mission to “get me” but to ask why, what is it that they want when they greet my ideas with opposition. I guess this is about objectivity and distancing yourself from emotions and working with facts. I must say that, at the end of the day, striving towards this attitude leaves me much happier than the never-ending self-questioning.
4. Stopping being a perfectionist. Perfection is good but not if it takes days instead of minutes to achieve. Real-life example: I will be happy with a “pass” note for my MSc assignments. Being a perfect mom (ha haa!= is enough ;o)
5. Not buying into what the hairdresser is saying. It’s been years that I’ve wanted to cut my hair into a bob that’s shorter in the back, and I especially love the new style that’s been around for a while where the difference between front and back is really big. For years, hairdressers around the world have reunited in order not to let me have my way, and I have stupidly let them persuade me to getting their proposed layered/not-layered/sleek/rock-star-type style. No more! After lurking outside several salons, I finally spotted a shop where one stylist was sporting my exact cut, went in, pointed my finger at that lady and said “I want that”. And they believed me.
6. Low-key weekend. This will sound silly and superficial, but I am one of those people who just can’t go out the door wearing no makeup. I’m not saying I mind the morning hair and makeup routine on weekdays, but admittedly it can get in the way on weekend. So I have decided, one week ago, to be brave and just wear concealer on Saturday and Sunday (taking little minisized steps here, folks). And I did! And, lo and behold, no-one made any remarks! No “You look tired” or “What’s happened to you” comments. My husband even said, yesterday: “You know, you don’t really even need all that make-up”. It’s all in the head, I say.

Feeling inspired by some fabulous blogging ladies out there, and skipping part one, here is the ultimate list of things I dream about, alias the Mondo Beyondo.

1. Learn to wake up early. Really early, like 4 or 5 am.
2. Learn about gardening and grow herbs and remedies and unusual flowers.
3. Sew more.
4. Work part-time.
5. Own a small house in Antibes.
6. Travel to New York and Key West.
7. Learn to make rice and chicken tikka masala that tastes the way it does at our local Indian restaurant.
8. Be very flexible and stretchy until very old.
9. Have a big family.
10. Smile more.

Wow, that felt good. I guess I’m not dreaming about winning the lottery after all!

Recently, I haven’t been such a good pupil as far as the sacred life project is concerned. But, I do have something to smile about! Following Penelope’s lead, here are ten things to smile about right this second:

1. Indian head massage: next appointment Thursday this week
2. Week-old new haircut is just getting better day by day
3. A super cool winter coat I found on sale for -30% (never mind about the actual price)
4. Oatmeal and raspberries for breakfast
5. Cup of coffee from my Fantastische Moeder (fantastic mother) mug
6. The sound of a nearly-three-year-old little boy playing with his dad downstairs
7. Dreaming of using the grey clouds that fill up the sky: jumping up and falling asleep on one of them.
8. Planning a huge and hilarious birthday cake for my son’s third birthday in a couple of weeks, made of marzipan and marshmallow (well, also made of cake)
9. A break from studying
10. This desk by KARE design

Feel free to continue!

If only there was time.