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Lucky me! While I was off-blogging and sick I received this wonderful package from the sweet Rosemary at Living as Rosa. It was filled to the bursting point with all kinds of goodies; magazines, sweets, a Martha Stewart daffodil kit and she had made the cutest banners with M&Co on! What a sweet friend! And now I'm hooked on those Cracker Jacks, what a weird, wonderful and super delicious taste?!
Photo:me
Firstly I have to apologize to you, my super sweet friends and readers for the lack of posts here lately, and for my unexpected absence from blogging. I'm now back with regular updates :-) I'm so grateful for all the sweet comments you've left while I was away! You are all just too sweet!! and I've missed you immensely! Thank you for not abandoning me ;-)
I just had to show you these spectacular black tulips today. I'm crazy about them these days, and I wish I had planted more of them ;-) Last year I started adding some black flowers in an area of the garden, and I'm quite thrilled with it (Even though I'm opting for an all white garden ;-)) They really are quite striking for cut flowers!
Photos: Husfliden.no
Tomorrow is the Norwegian National Day, and what better way to celebrate than to show you some of our beautiful national costumes: bunader. Most Norwegian regions have their own bunad, and these costumes are often passed down in family from generation to generation. I'm showing two versions from Telemark in Norway, as these are very close to my heart since that's the region my mom comes from. I have a Beltestakk from Telemark (left) and I use it on big celebrations as 17th of May, Weddings, Christmas, Babtism etc. I must admit I do not use it as often as I should, as its really heavy, and warm...and the temptation of a cute new dress is often too big... but at least I have the option ;-)
Traditional costume from Telemark
You can see all the different national costumes of Norway on Husfliden, as well as all the beautiful accessories that goes with it. The craftspeople creating these beautiful costumes today is immensly talented people, as our national costumes are often highly decorated with woven fabrics, ribbons, detailed embroidery, and beautiful silver work. Beacause of the craftmanship that is put into Beltestakken from Telemark, the price of these costumes can range from 7000 - 14000 USD
If you are interested in Norwegian national Costumes you can get The Norwegian Bunad encyclopedia or see more of these costumes at the Bunad Flickr pool were you'll find som wonderful detailed examples of embroidery, silverwork, woven fabrics etc.
photo: me
Fresh from the garden today :-)
photo: Me
Speaking of snails in the garden ...this little fellow is quite welcome ,-)
The Narcissus poeticus is growing happily in my garden this year. Last year I divided some that never bloomed, and this year I'm rewarded with masses of beautiful white flowers. I really like the yellow and bright orange cup, it sort of gives it this really retro feeling, and makes them gorgeous in cute little boquets ;-)
Images: StudioIlse.com
Modern and Emotional design is what Studio Ilse do, and I love it! Many "design items" seems to me, cold and masculine, but the furniture design of Ilse Crawford and her team is on the conterary feminine and sophisticated without loosing its strong, clean and functional design, that will make them tomorrows "classics". I'm particulary fond of the mirrored furniture collection they did with Baleri Italia. Completely modern, with just a hint of nostalgia!
Images: Studioilse.com / Grand Hotel Stockholm
Studioilse also does fabulous interiors. My favorite is the Grand Hotel Stockholm, were they have managed enhance the old soul of the hotel while giving it a new contemporary feel. Pure beauty!
For the past few days we've been having gorgeous, sunny weather with +20C, and the garden seems to have exploded! Unfortunately I've had other priorities than gardening lately, so its sort of a jungle out there by now ;-) I'm a bit annoyed though, as today I discovered that the brown, disgusting, Iberia snails have been having a feast in my absence.... It seems they are everywhere, which means I'll have to start my nightly routine of "removing" them....
Over to something more cheerful ;-) Inside, my Dahlias are getting big and ready to plant outside, my Pelargonias are thriving, and all the seeds I collected from my garden last year is growing bigger day by day! I really want to have an all white garden...but since I also have a lot of flowers from when my grandmother did the gardening around here, I still have some areas of color, especially behind the house. One of my favorites are Sweet Williams (Dianthus barbatus) especially since the make the cutest summer bouquets. So every year, keeping up with my grandmothers tradition, I collect the seeds, and grow new plants in the Spring. I've discovered that If I plant them quite early in Spring I get flowers the same year, otherwise I'll have to wait until next year for them to flower. For next year flowering you could plant them outside in a few weeks :-) I'm sure this beautiful flower will have its renaissance this year!
Snowy Egret & Great Blue Heron by Holle Black
Thanks to Traditional Home, I figured out who made that gorgeous painting in the last post! Its called Snowy Egret, and is by the Georgia based artist Holle Black. Traditional Home borrowed this picture from the Sandler Hudson Gallery, were you also can find more work by this artist.
