Good Friday

Oh what bliss it was to stay in bed a while longer this morning, a total luxury! Then to start the Easter weekend my children received their Easter gifts at breakfast today. Here, as large chocolate eggs are not available, as they typically are in England, children receive a decorative cardboard egg which can be filled with small gifts and sweet goodies. Rather preferable I think as the eggs can be re-used !! My children were pleased with their treats and are looking forward to their Easter egg hunt with their small cousins later today. The sun is shinning here today so we plan an outside event, despite the snow and ice that remains on the ground. Heres hoping that you have a really ...Good Friday !!! Lilly x

Brighter Times

So Easter is just about upon us. We have few plans this weekend, but to enjoy the fact that the commitments of work and school fade. I also look forward to the time changing this weekend, where we wind the clocks forward one hour to welcome the arrival of spring and then summer. Well, the temperatures don't reflect that, but at least we are assured of much brighter, lighter days in the coming months. Have a fabulous Easter break. 

 Lilly x

Psst. Hope you like some of my most recent flower pics .... So cheerful !

Feathers and Eggs

This year, probably because of the prolonged winter I have noticed that many people have not put out their Easter decorations. A real shame, as the coloured feathers and eggs which people tie to tree branches in their gardens look so cheerful.
So, far this year I too have been rather slow bringing out my Easter bits and pieces, but yesterday I decided to hang up my pretty Easter wreath and filled some Kilner jars with chocolate eggs to put on display.  This weekend my  children and two young nephews will do their yearly egg hunt too, although this year as snow still lays on the ground, it may have to take place inside!

Easter wreath - tabletop sale £3 
Kilner jars - tabletop sale - two for £1

Chick egg cups - charity shop -£1.50
Chocolate  eggs - Lidl 

Birthday Days

I had a really lovely birthday weekend - lots of treats, gifts, dinner in town and time spent with my family.  Yet, I still miss that my only contact with my  parents on such days is a brief telephone conversation.  I miss our getting together and this feeling doesn't seem to ease with time, its one of the tough sides of living in another country!  But exciting changes are on the horizon for us..... more of which I shall share with you later!!! 

Psss.  I must  just tell you that I visited a wonderful little shop called 'Countrystyle' over the weekend which is the only stockist of Cath Kidston in Sweden.  Needless to say a few pieces found there way home with me!
  Check out their website www.countrystyle.se
Enjoy Monday !!  Lilly x

Celebration Bubbles

 Much to celebrate ... to begin with its the weekend, (well almost) the sun is shining and I have my birthday to look forward to on Sunday. As I like to prolong such occasions I shall begin my festivities today - first up is a haircut, and a bottle of 'bubbles' is chilling in the fridge for this evening. Have a great weekend everyone! Lilly x

Our villa, the story so far.......

Living in Sweden it is hard not to be influenced by the light, white interiors that are so typical here, so when we bought our villa (built 1909) three years ago, I had a pretty good idea of how we should tackle our project.  Many rooms were in a poor condition and looked really tired and extremely dated, so were definitely in need of a makeover!  So, we have undertaken a great deal of re-decoration, and in some places re-design, in order to reinstate some of the buildings original character.  We have removed plastic lino flooring to expose original floorboards, taken away wallpaper to reveal tongue and grove wood panelling, re-plastered walls,  painted brown walls and ceilings and the beautiful staircases, which were painted black, white, and we also installed the Scandinavian style wood burner,  and replaced plastic concertina doors with wooden ones. However, much more work is still required, but isn't that always the case with older properties?  Yet, the house already seems more comfortable with its fresh, light and white 'back to basics ' interior, which is much more fitting to a building of its character and age I think!

 Enjoy your day....  Lilly x 

Cream Teas

I had a real craving for fruit scones yesterday, perhaps its due to the cold weather? So as traditional 'English' scones are not available here, there was nothing for it but to bake a batch, (they are super easy to make anyway).  In my opinion there is nothing quite so delicious as a freshly baked fruit scone filled with fresh cream and strawberry jam,  just perfect, especially with a cup of English tea.  !!
Here's the recipe I used if you fancy trying them out for yourself....Lilly x

225g self-raising flour

2 teaspoons baking power

50g butter

25g caster sugar

50g dried fruit

1 egg

150ml milk

Mix flour and baking powder, then add butter and mix to resemble breadcrumbs  Stir in sugar and fruit.  Break egg and mix with milk. Add to the dry ingredients (saving a little liquid back) until you have a soft dough, adding the rest of the liquid if necessary.  Roll to thickness of 1cm.  Cut into rounds using a 5cm cutter.  Brush tops with egg-milk mixture and bake on a greased baking sheet for around 10 minutes at 220oc. 

Ps  The pretty vintage tea set was a charity shop find.

Tea pot, milk jug, four cups and saucers, and four cake plates - £10

Winter Returns

The snow began falling again yesterday ....  bringing a return of winter on the day when spring should officially arrive in Stockholm. What's happening with the weather, and where has the spring disappeared to ?? 

Oh well, yet more cosy nights by fire I suppose?

Enjoy Tuesday.....Lilly x 

Tidy House, Tidy Mind!

This weekend just flew past as they often do when you are really busy. We took a trip to the cinema Saturday afternoon, a good choice given the chilly weather, and yesterday I was out early and cycled to the loppis (table top sale). Then it was home again to tackle the household chores, washing, ironing, cleaning, and preparing meals for the week ahead. 

Now, suddenly its Monday again, but I have to say it feels really good knowing that everything is clean, tidy and in order......in our 'little world' at least.
PS. I have had great fun finding homes for my loppis finds today too.
Have a lovely day. Lilly x

Loppis finds yesterday  Rustic cookery book holder £7, white painted wooded lamp base, £2, and a fireside stool - brand new and boxed - £25 !! 

All Things Pretty

In my constant trawling of charity shops and second-hand sales I have managed to collect many really pretty pieces which I love to display together. When organizing my finds I try to keep some sort of theme running through the collection.  On a French Vintage inspired shelf in my kitchen, I have placed together pieces which blend in colour and which have a 'rose bloom' motive running through them.  I think it's more more pleasing to the eye when each piece compliments the other, creating a really pretty display!
Have a fab day.  Lilly x

Chilly March Days

This winter which began for us in early November, seems to have lasted forever, and shows no signs of releasing its grip for the next ten days or so. I now truly long for the spring to arrive.  So to try and brighten things up a little during these really chilly days, I have added a few touches to the inside, which at least bring a feeling that spring is nearly here.  I dressed the kitchen table with a jolly gingham table cloth, found some of my pastel kitchenware and put some vases of spring flowers around the house.  Well, its not the real thing but at least it feels a bit brighter !!     Stay warm.  Lilly x 
Gingham table cloth - charity find £2 
White vintage enamel vase - yard sale 50p
Gustafsberg vase - 40 sek  around £4

Fancy Florals

I just love anything made by Cath Kidston. She consistently produces every day items which are stylish and totally gorgeous, yet long lasting and durable. From a flowery tea towel to a pair of spotty dotty wellies, things always seem to stand the test of time.  Yesterday my 'Cath' laptop and Iphone cases arrived. Pleased... Yes I am.  Made in a pretty floral oil cloth they really help to make the mundane just a little bit more fancy...and why not?  Enjoy today.  Lilly x

 

Weekend Treats

Saturday night we met some very good friends in Stockholm for dinner. We ate at a restaurant called B.A.R which specialises in fish dishes.  There you actually chose which type of fish you want to eat from their fresh fish counter, a truly novel idea and what a treat to eat out !!
Further treats came yesterday when the children surprised me with their Mother's Day gifts. Two beautiful candle holders in a rustic silver finish and some delicious smelling 'wild strawberry' scented tea lights.  They obviously know how much I adore candle light? Then to finish the weekend, it was a simple dinner, a family movie and a very much needed early night. 
So now another week begins.....and I hope you have a really great one? Lilly x