Spring Is In The Air

The mag is on it's way to the printer, and I've been outdoors enjoying the beautyful spring. Went for a walk and got totally overwhelmed by all the georgeous white anemones! I love spring.

Et glimt av de flotte damene i DameEtagen

Come on - sing along! A video from one of our concerts. Enjoy :)

http://www.dameetagen.no/

Favorittante-stunt!

Jeg har jo blitt tante, og det er noe jeg akter å ta seriøst! Jeg har faktisk store planer om å bli faderitt-tanta over alle tanter. Det er jo ikke så mye jeg kan finne på med det lille nurket ennå, men jeg tenker det er viktig å komme på banen så tidlig som mulig. Derfor har jeg startet et lite enkeltmannsforetak som jeg har valgt å kalle "Den kule ammehjelpen". Nå kan jeg gi veslesnuppa et sprekere alternativ til lunken, slapp morsmelk. Hos meg kan hun velge mellom 4 ulike smaksvarianter:

1. Sjokomelk - et uslåelig alternativ for småtroll.
2. Litago med jordbærsmak - spesielt fristende nå når vi går mot sol og sommer.
3. Milkshake med banansmak - genialt til lørdagskos
4. Og sist, men ikke minst: Kaffe latte - et modent alternativ

Er jeg kulest, eller er jeg kulest?

*fnis*

Super loppishelg i Sverige

I helgen hadde jeg en lenge planlagt og etterlengtet Sverigetur:

To fulle dager på loppisraid!

Vi satte oss i bilen tidlig lørdag morgen, rakk så vidt hjemom noen timer lørdag kveld før vi var på 'an igjen søndag morgen. Supert selskap, en haug med morsomme loppiser og baggasjerommet fullt av små skatter - det skal mye til for å slå den!

Her kommer skattene - på rekke og rad.

En nydelig glassvase i blåturkis farge og en knaggrekke med knallflotte knagger! Tror den blir lekkerschmekker som smykkeoppheng.

En liten grønn skål - i samme serien som to andre skåler jeg kjøpte i en bruktbutikk for noen uker siden. Og noen nydelige glassting i turkistoner - en liten skål, samt et sett med sukkerskål og fløtemugge. 

 Her er de tre grønne skålene samlet.

 Sist svenskeloppisraidtur kjøpte jeg meg 4 små dessertskåler, men nå når jeg skulle på ny runde, husket jeg ikke hvordan de så ut... *stønn* Men i den siste butikken vi var, så jeg disse to som jeg syns liknet på et eller annet jeg hadde sett før... De ble med hjem - og jommen var det akkurat de samme skålene jeg kjøpte sist! Nå har jeg med andre ord seks like :)

 Jeg hadde skrevet opp 'eggeglass' på huskelappen min, og jommen ble det eggeglass. In plastic-fantastic! Syns de er morsomme, jeg!

 Og et sett på fire knallgule:

Et av stedene vi var på, hadde så utrolig mange flotte bokser. Jeg har egentlig bestemt meg for at jeg ikke trenger bokser, for de blir bare stående likevel... men denne lille sjarmisen kunne jeg ikke gå fra... Sjekk de nydelige fargene, da!  

 Kleshengere sto aboslutt ikke på lista mi, men hvem kan stå i mot disse morsomme? Dessuten - kleshengere har'n vel alltid bruk for, ikke sant?

 Jeg hadde en plan om å kjøpe lamper. Og gjerne noen i morsomme farger. Aller helst skulle jeg hatt en lampe som kunne henge over spisestuebordet, men det fant jeg ikke... Derimot var det flere morsomme vegglamper. Disse to for eksempel:

 Men denne er den kuleste av de kule! Blir glad bare jeg ser på den, jeg!

Og jepp, jeg tror jeg har fått en hang-up på gult... knall gul plastikkblomsterpotte *fnis*  

 Manglet et brødfat og plukket derfor med meg dette oransje metallfatet (sammen med noen flere ubrukelige grytekluter til samlingen min..)

 Og - E N D E L I G - retrostoff til stolene mine! Sjekk det morsomme guloransje, 'a!

 Og et nydelig rosa - med sommerfugler...

 Og noen fine i grønt.

Moro, ja :)

Beautiful Ida ♥

She's born!

What a beauty ♥
Born: 23.59
Date: 22.03.2010
Lenght: 54 cm

Weight: 4095 gr

Congrats, Margrethe & Tomas ♥

"Sorgen og Gleden" - "Grief and Joy"

"She walked
- hand in hand with them both...."

Dette er en av disse dagene hvor salmetittelen "Sorgen og gleden de vandrer til hope" virkelig føles sann. Lillesøster føder i dette øyeblikket sitt første barn og jeg gleder meg så til å få møte lille Ida. Solen skinner fra skyfri himmel og jeg kan ikke annet enn å smile - mens jeg venter på "Hun er født!"-meldingen...

Og samtidig - hånd i hånd med gleden - rusler sorgen stille med. For det er tøft å møte et nyfødt lite mirakel - hånd i hånd med sorgen over å ikke få oppleve det samme. Jeg skulle ønske jeg bare kjente glede, men aksepterer at dette er en av de dagene hvor jeg må gå hånd i hånd med dem begge - sorgen og gleden.  

This is one of those days where Joy and Grief walk side by side - or hand in hand. There is a Norwegian psalm named "Sorgen og gleden de vandrer til hope" (Grief and Joy walk side by side). My little sister is at this moment giving birth to her firstborn child and I'm longing for the first meeting with beautiful little Ida. I'm filled with joye, and love the fact that I'm soon to become Aunt Åshild. The sun is shining from a blue sky and I just have to smile. And wait for the "She's born!"-message...

And still, hand in hand with the joy, is my grief. It's hard to face the beauty of a newborn miracle with a deep and strong longing for a child of my own.

This is one of those days when I'm doing my best to walk along, hand in hand with both of them...

"She had something on her mind"

It's only 08.00 and I've been awake for more than 3 hours! I woke up after a dream knowing I just had to paint a picture. Funny. I've had a huge lack of inspiration for weeks now, but this dream (and a great teraphy session yesterday) kicked my butt and made me run down the stairs to my studio. Not only did I knew exactly what to paint - I also felt a growing conciousness: I have to create. That's my gift. A gift from me to me. Using my creativity makes me able to breath. I need to express myself - that's how I live. To hell with all the stupid voices inside my head that are telling me that I'm not talented enough, or that I'm talking too much, laughing too loud... I'm breathing through my expressions.

Sometimes words are too hard to say out loud. Okey, right now I just have to accept that. But that doesn't mean it's forever impossible. I just need some practise. And a great way of practisising is to use other kinds of expressions. I've found myself a perfect song that says the words I need to say, and I even dare myself to sing along... It is pure magic. The song works in mysterious ways... Gives me strength and power.

And during my deams I'm given the "stories" I need right now. My dreams are the best way of communicate with my inner self. I just have to listen. And believe. Like this morning, when I woke up knowing that painting would give me both joy, peace and selfesteem.

These experiences make me trust the prosess. I'm not strong enough yet, but I'll be there. When the time is right. And in the meanwhile I'll keep on practisising.

The picture is inspired by a norwegian saying: She held something in her heart. (In English: She had something on her mind.) I've played with the background - mixing several techniques and colors, but I wanted the picture to be as simple as possible. I know the whole situation feels ovewhelming - like a chaotic mix of techniques and colors - but in the end it's all very simple: Listen to your heart. That's it.

A detail picture of the background...

Wish you all a great day!
Remember to express what you need to express - in either way. It may make you feel more alive.

Love,
Åshild

Långsamt...

Långsamt

Text: Lisa Nilsson, musik: Lisa Nilsson & Henrik Janson


Jag har kommit att röra mej långsamt
Det har sina olika skäl
Benen de känns inte lätta
Lusten finns inte där

Och jag har kommit att sluta försöka
Känslan är full av besvär
Magen den blir liksom ihopsnörd
Flödet finns inte där, men...

Långsamt leder också någonstans
Långsamt leder också någonstans
Oh, långsamt leder också någonstans
Långsamt leder också någonstans

Jag har kommit att fastna i mönster
När ett steg fram kostar tre steg bak
Där att vakna på fel sida
Det är ingen ovanlig sak

Och jag har kommit att jagas av tiden
Hon går i ett tempo som inte är mitt
Min dygn är mycket, mycket längre
Där skiljer vi oss vitt, för...


Långsamt leder också någonstans
Långsamt leder också någonstans
Oh, långsamt leder också någonstans
Långsamt leder också någonstans


Och jag vill skrika högt över hela världen
Att jag kan andas av mej själv
Och jag kan flyga runt vintergatan
Och ta ner månen om ni vill
Men jag vill vara i lugnet inom mej


Långsamt leder också någonstans
Långsamt leder också någonstans
Oh, långsamt, den leder också någonstans
Oh, långsamt leder också någonstans
Oh, långsamt leder
Oh, långsamt leder
Långsamt, den leder
Långsamt, den leder också någonstan

"I'm dreaming of a white sideboard..."

I'm doin' it! I'm painting the sideboard white.
And - maybe - I'm adding some color later... who knows... :)

I'm spending the day along with the fabulous ladies of DameEtagen.
A whole day filled with good friends, laughs and singing <3

Styling with colors

I planned to paint the cupboard and sideboard white today, and who knows - maybe I'll get inspired to fullfill the plan too... in the meanwhile I've tried to do some styling. Seems like I have a crush on colored glass :)

Yesterday, after the dentist appointment I bought some cheerful flowers to brighten up my day. And I'm a simple girl - it worked like magic! 

Tooth on sale!

Or I guess I could have said: Dentist on sale!
I've known about this dentist appointment for several months... Actually I've canceled it a couple of times too... It's not my favourite entertainment. I admit that. Even yesterday morning I considered giving'em a call telling that it's really pity, but I've got the swine flue and will not be able to go... You know, it's a 24-hours-before-the-appointment-limit: If you cancel without passing the limit, you don't have to pay. But I'm a good girl doing what a good girl's supposed to do. I went. And I admit I tried to calm myself by repeating over and over that "He ain't doing anything before asking. He ain't doing anything before asking. He ain't doing..." And usually the first appointment is a "Open-your-mounth-hmmm-yes-you-have-to-come-back-next-week-for-some-more-yawning-thanks-you-can-close-your-mouth-that'll-be-650NOK-please"-kind of appointment. Then you pay and count minutes for the next appointment while desperately chewing down your fingernails one by one... So, I went, sat down for 6 looong minutes at the waiting room, got called, handshaked and placed in the scary chair. And before even considering my possibilities, half my cheek was anaesthetized, the rest of me paralyzed and one of my wisdom teeth sighted it's AMEN.

So, here I am. Less wiser, a lot poorer but sure as hell having the fluffiest cheek ever seen! Not a bad trade, huh? He, Mr Dentist the Gentleman, got my wisdom and my money - I'm looking better than ever! And the best thing of all: He promised that he'd like to date me again!

I feel pretty

Oh so pretty

I feel pretty and witty and gay

And I pity

Any girl who isn't me today

I feel charming

Oh so charming

It's alarming how charming I feel

And so pretty

That I hardly can believe I'm real

See the pretty girl in that mirror there?

Who can that attractive girl be?

Such a pretty face

Such a pretty dress

Such a pretty smile

Such a pretty me!

I feel stunning

And entrancing

Feel like running

And dancing for joy

I feel dizzy

I feel sunny

I feel fizzy and funny and fine

And so pretty

Miss America can just resign

(The card above was made 3 years ago... just for fun. I finally found the occation to show it off for real! Something's seriously wrong with this stamp, right???)

She

She loved life and it loved her right back.

She listened to her heart above all the other voices.

She pursued big dreams instead of small realities.

She saw every ending as a new beginning.

She discovered her real measurements had nothing to do with numbers or statistics.

She was kind, loving and patient with herself.

She woke up one day and threw away all her excuses.

She realized that she was missing a great deal by being sensible.

She turned her cant's into cans, and her dreams into plans.

She ignored people who said it couldn't be done.

She had a way of turning obstacles into opportunities.

She went out on a limb, had it break off behind her, and discovered she could fly.

She discovered that she was the one she'd been waiting for.

She added so much beauty to being human.

She walked in when everyone else walked out.

She just had this way of brightening the day.

She made the whole world feel like home.

She decided to enjoy more and endure less.

She decided to start living the life she'd imagined.

She colored her thoughts with only the brightest hues.

She was an artist and her life was her canvas.

She ran ahead where there were no paths.

She crossed borders, recklessly, refusing to recognize limits, saying bonjour and buon giorno as though she owned both France and Italy and the day itself.

She held her head high and looked the world straight in the eye.

She not only saw a light at the end of the tunnel, she became that light for others.

She designed a life she loved.

She took the leap and built her wings on the way down.

She said bye-bye to unhealthy relationships.

She remained true to herself.

She made the world a better place.

Kobi Yamada

More pics of my new painted dining furniture

4 done - 2 more to go... I have to get some orange/yellow colored fabrics for one or two of the seats. This pink one doesn't work so well...

And this is how the stuff look so far. I wish I had white floors...

The table need one more layer of paint, and I'm planning on paintin the corner cupboard and the sideboard white too. Just need some time...

The cute table cloth is from one of the second hand shops nearby. Love it ♥

Til konfirmanten

I have designed 6 new sheet of stamps for Norsk Stempelblad and here is my first card made with two of the new stamps.

The inside of the card:

Painted chairs - part 2

Two chairs all ready to use! And I so like that I can mix & match the different seats :) It's like the chair changes personality when it gets a different seat cover. Funny! I think I just have to make 6 different seats too...

And the next two chairs - painted, but not dry... and I need to make'em some cute seats too.

The table - first layer of white. I like it :) I think it will be great together with the cheerful chairs.

Time for some dinner... I totally forget to eat while I'm painting! We're using our outdoor grill for the first time this season :) So long, friends!