Schemel

I love these Schemel benches from taschide, they look like they're wearing lil' booties.. :) They are made from beech wood and can stand alone or in a row. Alone it is a beautiful small seat. In a line it becomes a long bench.

Natural Cleaning Products

After my last post i thought i'd go look up some natural cleaning supplies. :) Here's the Mrs. Meyers All Natural & Great Smelling Cleaning Kit and Surface Scrub, Nellie's All Natural Super Clean Laundry Nuggets. All of the cleaning supplies are made with natural essential oils, are biodegradable and phosphate-free, and they never test on animals. You’ll find the products are good for your house, your nose, and the environment. All available here.

images & info text from delight.com

Cleaning Day

Today is cleaning day at the Smidhagens. We're getting some help with the cleaning, with my cleaning supply "kit" wicker basket, we're all raring to go.....grills, toilets, fans, floors and dusting.....check!

Joakim says we can't call Spring Cleaning coz we don't get spring here so we're gonna call it "Raya Cleaning" What do you guys think of organic cleaning supplies? Apparently it's good for those trying to get pregnant... :) like me!

Catch some sun and put it in a jar

Oooh i'm so facinated by anything that glows! Just as a jam jar stores jam, the Sun Jar from delight .com collects and stores sunshine so that you can use it at night. Designed by Tobias Wong, we'd be lying if we told you we're not completely obsessed with this simple, adorable and fabulously functional Sun Jar. Leave it in the sun all day, and watch it light up at night. When fully charged, the Mason jar will glow for 5 hours. We love sun!

images & info text from delight.com

Phillips Living Colour

LivingColors is an exciting innovative new form of lighting for your home, putting endless colour at your fingertips. Express yourself and colour your emotions, capture your mood and constantly change the colour of your home. I think it goes at about $150+ in Singapore. We've tried it out before using the remote to change the colours and it works really well and is user friendly.

I love the design too, it reminds me of a speaker system i've seen in the mac store. I think it would work best as a night light in a baby's room.

Good memories - Europe trip Feb-June 2006

This was a post from my Europe trip two years ago on an old blog address. I miss traveling so so much! I love how i wake up every morning thinking 'what exciting thing should i do today and what will my next destination be?' Can't wait to get away again! This Europe trip took me through England, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands and Denmark.

Next trip will be to Bangkok in Jan, and hopefully back to the UK and Sweden next! :)

harlooo my loves, i will be in wales till Wednesday then flying to berlin to see tanja and kak fareen! How Exciting!! i'll be flying german wings to get there from liverpool. will get pix of wales in my next post when i get on the internet again! lots of love tas

Car Mobel

Ahhh i'm in love! This has to be my favourite furniture store ever! Thank you holly for introducing me to this lovely german store! Everything in this store would look so good in my home! Wish they had a store here too!

photos from carmobel

Birdy Etsy Finds

Love these beautiful sparrow plates from justmare, the custom tiny text dove bowl from palomasnest, the handmade ceramic tray by gigiphillips, Simon the blackbird wire sculpture by bluedogrose, green bird hand bound notebook by paperloin, cherry blossom branch with birds vinyl decal from singletonestudios and the lola pillow by jkhilldesigns.

Ice Hotel

How cool is this!! hehe

Sweden's Ice Hotel is built from scratch every year. A new design, new suites, a brand new reception - in fact everything in it is crisp and new. The Ice Hotel is situated on the shores of the Torne River, in the old village of Jukkasjärvi in Swedish Lapland.

10 000 tons of crystal clear ice from the ‘ice manufacturing plant’, the Torne River, and 30 000 tons of pure snow generously supplied by Mother Nature are needed to build the Ice Hotel every year. The hotel sleeps over 100 guests, and every bedroom is unique.

Covering more than 30,000 square feet, the Ice Hotel includes an Ice Chapel, the hotel itself, an ice art exhibition hall, a cinema and last but not least, the world famous ‘Absolut Ice Bar’.

from www.scantours.com

Bills Food - Azreen Style

My sister Azreen who's 6 months pregnant (figures) has suddenly turned lil' miss baker, and she's so good at it! Last night she made us a lovely butter milk cake topped with her homemade (did i mention home made!) raspberry sauce with whipped cream and fresh blueberries on the side! It was heavenly! Even better than the lovely sweet banana updside down cake she made last last sunday! Yummm.....

Bill's been helpin her out a lil. I'll be sure to try out a recipe or two soon once i get my hands on his book too!

The pix above are of a chocolate bread she made last sunday droools!

Thanks Kak Az

photos by azreen noor

Pretty organised!

I wish i were more organised! With these pretty products from seejanework.com, organising will be a breeze!

Images from seejanework.com

Its a shemergency!

How great is this! An emergency kit for all our "she needs".

This compact case is stocked with 24 items including; a folding hair brush with mirror, hair spray, clear elastics, earring backs, hand lotion, nail clipper, an emery board, clear nail polish, nail polish remover, a mending kit, a safety pin, double-sided tape, lint remover, shoe shine wipes, stain remover, static remover, breath freshener, lip balm, dental floss, pain reliever, deodorant wipes, a tampon, adhesive bandages, and facial tissues.

Get yours at seejanework, or you could make your own. :)

New Ironing Board Cover

It took me so long to get a new cover for our ironing board. It's so annoying getting a print from the metal below on my clothes when i press too hard because the sponge was getting thin. Moreover the ugly blue material with a yellow sun print the board came with didn't quite make it!

I love the print on this new textile... makes ironing a thad bit more bearable. Joakim stringed it and installed it... :)

On the streets - Amsterdam

What a lovely family portrait!

from borderlinemag.com

Red - bianca-and-family

French online store bianca-and-family have tonnes of vintage childrens play things! Here i've chosen some red ones that i love!

Perfect for either a boy or girl!

My favourite child.

I love kids, but this one will always be my favourite.

Tim Walker - My Favourite Fashion Photographer

London based photographer Tim Walker has established himself at the cutting edge of fashion photography. His images capture a sublime moment in time, evoking a sense of epic drama and beauty. Stunning sets and lavish locations juxtapose the everyday with the absurd and the fabulous, to create captivating, original photographs. Tim’s evocative images are full of textured nuance and intriguing detail. His innovative photography is amongst the most imaginative and exuberant being produced today.

The Surgery - Images not for the faint hearted

Last Thursday i went for a surgery to remove the cysts in my ovaries, this week on the same day i went back to get my "battle scars" cleaned and checked. The best part of the visit other than good news of everything "looking good" as far as holes in my tummy go was that my doctor gave me the still shots of my operation!

It so amazing how far we've come with technology but seeing my insides was "way cool"! hehehe....(looks at the fat lining and is a little grossed out).

The procedure took less than two hours and i left the hospital that same evening! It's pretty amazing how quick it went!

Laparoscopic surgery involves 3 or 4 small incisions on the abdomen through which special instruments are passed. The surgeon is able to see inside the body through an instrument called a laparoscope. This instrument is a form of telescope with a fibre-optic light source. Through a miniature video camera connected to it, a very clear image of the inside of the body is transmitted to a TV monitor.

The little burnt black holes are from the "drilling", sounds a little scary but its actually to destroy (cauterize) the testosterone producing tissue of the ovary. From 4-20 "holes" can be made in each ovary, usually 3 millimeters wide and 3 millimeters deep.

Thank you my joakim for taking such good care of me post-op.

Indoor Outdoor Living

The greenery doesn't have to end when the seasons change. Ideas for bringing the outdoors in, no matter what time of year it is.

text and pix dominomag.com

The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson

If you were falling, then I would catch you.
You need a light, I'd find a match.

Cuz I love the way you say good morning.
And you take me the way I am.

If you are chilly, here take my sweater.
Your head is aching, I'll make it better.

Cuz I love the way you call me baby.
And you take me the way I am.

I'd buy you Rogaine when you start losing all your hair.
Sew on patches to all you tear.

Cuz I love you more than I could ever promise.
And you take me the way I am.
You take me the way I am.
You take me the way I am.

j&o dutch "scout" city bike

These dutch J&O bikes are so precious and classic! You can even order it with a basket! So many choices!

pix www.jorgandolif.com

'Charm 4 Life' Bangle Set - benifit the Prevent Cancer Foundation

Visit Charm4Life and get yourself one of these gorgeous bangle sets.

Scuba Barbie

The original High Tide Heels are made in 2006. (exhibition December 2006)

In 2007 a photo of the High Tide Heels started to circulate on the internet. As a new 'fresh' object, this image was send to numerous people. Quite amusing is that some of them jumped on this design and took over its concept, sometimes with good results.

High Tide Heels are not (yet) wearable shoes .

photos and text from www.hightideheels.be

Mirror Art by Miriam Bereson

These would be perfect for any room! I would like one for my dresser.

Click here and be forwarded to MiriamBereson webshop to place your order!

Seven White Rooms - Lena Lundqvist Werner

It's so lovely how fresh, bright and clean these rooms look! I love the Tord Boontjes paper lamp in the little girls bedroom. Perfect i would love to live in this house!

Photos: www.skonahem.com

Our Kitchen in Home and Decor Magazine

Here are the scans! :) tas

Hotel J - Stokholm

This little hotel would be a great destination to get away for a quiet weekend.

Othe water's edge at Nacka Strand, Hotel J in Stockholm has mile wide views over the royal Djurgården, Lidingö and the boats on Saltsjön. With its own guest harbour for 25 boats, Hotel J is only 15 minutes sailing from Stockholm. Inspired by J boats of America's Cup history, the original 1912 brick building has been decorated in a contemporary marine style recalling the boathouses of New England. Architects, Millimeter and designers, R.O.O.M. have used white-painted wooden boards, strong cotton cloths in pure colors and oak furniture to create the look.

text and images from : http://www.designhotels.com

Illustrations by Jayme Mc Gowen for Small Magazine

These paper cut illustrations are so gorgeously crafted by Jayme Mc Gowen!

images from small magazine

Little People

Some people have such talent and creativity!

'They're Not Pets, Susan,' says a stern father who has just shot a bumblebee, its wings sparkling in the evening sunlight; a lone office worker, less than an inch high, looks out over the river in his lunch break, 'Dreaming of Packing it all In'; and a tiny couple share a 'Last Kiss' against the soft neon lights of the city at midnight. Mixing sharp humour with a delicious edge of melancholy, "Little People in the City" brings together the collected photographs of Slinkachu, a street-artist who for several years has been leaving little hand-painted people in the bustling city to fend for themselves, waiting to be discovered...' Oddly enough, even when you know they are just hand-painted figurines, you can't help but feel that their plights convey something of our own fears about being lost and vulnerable in a big, bad city.' - "The Times".

Our Kitchen in Home and Decor Magazine

Here are the photos that were taken by Justin for the September 2008, kitchen special issue of Home & Decor. Chiquit wrote a lovely write up and Woei Noe did the styling! Thanks guys!

I'll scan in the article soon!

Spanish Cod Soup With Spinach, Chick-Peas, and Parsley

Spanish Cod Soup With Spinach, Chick-Peas, and Parsley (James Peterson, Simply Soups)

Note: You can make everything in advance, except poaching the fish. Do that step right before you serve the soup.

fish stock or chicken stock or water (about 4-6 cups)
2 pounds cod, grouper, or other fish good for poaching
1 cup dry chick peas, soaked overnight
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 medium sized tomatoes, seeded, peeled, and chopped, or 1-1/2 cups canned tomatoes, drained seeded and chopped
1 large bunch of spinach, stems removed, large leaves torn in half--enough to make 2 cups of tightly packed spinach
2 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley
salt
pepper

Drain the chick peas and combine them with enough fish stock or chicken stock or water to cover them. Bring to a simmer, then cover them and cook gently until they are soft enough to smash a few against the side of the pan. Add more stock or water as the chick peas cook, if necessary--don't let them get dry. Set aside when done.

Heat the olive oil and saute the almonds over medium heat for 5 minutes. Don't let them burn. Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes more. Then add the tomatoes, spinach, and parsley and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the chick peas to the mixture. Set aside.

Just before serving, put the pieces of fish into a large pan with sides, so that the fish are in a single layer. Add enough cold water (or fish stock) just to barely cover the fish. Bring the water to a simmer over medium high heat, then turn it down to low heat. Let the fish poach until done at about 4 minutes per inch thickness. When done, remove the fish to a heated platter.

Pour the poaching liquid from the fish into the chick-pea mixture and season well. Divide the fish into serving bowls, then ladle the hot soup over it. Serve with hot crusty bread.

photo and recipe from : http://whatdidyoueat.typepad.com

Vintage Illustrations

I love this illustration, reminds me of the wall paper in our room when we were young.
Image: Dreamstime.com