Children of the forest

When I was little my grandma had an old book that was used in school to teach children reading. It contained many stories and my favourite was the one with the children of the forest by Elsa Beskow.



I loved the illustrations with the children, all so small, living in the nature and of the nature. And I loved all the details, like the mushroom hats and how they played with the animals. I think I've always been fascinated by things that are small :-) and I used to imagine small people living in the trees when I was outside playing.



I was really happy when I found "Children of the forest" ("Tomtebobarnen" in Swedish) in the English Bookshop in city.




"Click" the images to see bigger versions.

***

I have told you before that my job and travelling back and forth takes a lot of time and energy, but the good thing about that is that I get so many good crafting ideas. I write them down on pieces of paper (my bag is full of them now ...) and I think I've never been this creative when it comes to getting ideas. The bad thing is, ofcourse, that I seldom have time to try them. I have made some necklaces - completely new style - but I have to work on them a bit more before showing you ;-)

~october~

It's October.

I've painted an old wooden box.

bird cards

I love paper with nice structure, paper that feels good to work with, to touch, to look at. I was happy when I found out that a "home decor shop" (I don't know what it's called, hm) had begun selling things for card making and scrapping. I found some great little cards with envelopes and got the idea of making bird cards with those little birds I had at home + aquarelle.



I like how they came out and I've added them to my shop.

stationary swap

I hadn't been swapping much at all this year, until June I think. Then I had had a period of hard work and little money so I decided to let myself in to some swaps over at Swap-bot ;-) I love the challenge of having a theme and finding or making things for a person I know very little - or nothing - about. That's the pleasure about swapping. But it's also a pleasure to recieve things from someone unknown in another part of the world, things they have put together to ME. I'm always so excited when swap packages arrive since I have no idea of what will be in them. Most swap partners are so generous and send the most amazing and inspiring stuff and I try to do the same when I send out packages (although it's always hard to know whether you succeed or not).

When participating in a swap you're aware of that you might get nothing in return. Things do get lost in mail, although very seldom, and some people do not send anything. It's the way it is and there's not so much to do about it. However, I was disappointed that it was so common not to recieve anything at all. Recieving isn't the most important part of swapping, but it's not something unimportant either. I started a swap at swap-bot, but I never got anything myself. I didn't care. Then I started another swap and this time I so much loved the idea of the swap that I decided everyone would have two partners to ensure they'd get something. I got nothing. And when things like this are repeating all the time it doesn't feel so fun to put effort to make nice packages so I took a break in swapping.

I decided that if I should send gifts to people but not getting anything in return, then why not sending to my irl and internet friends instead? I don't expect anything in return from them, but since it's people I like I know they'd be happy if I send something and that's enough for me.

(And of course I'm always up to personal trades with known and unknown crafters, but for me that's just another thing than swapping.)

However I had signed up for a swap at swap-bot some months ago and I had almost forgotten about it. This week I recieved this great package from Martha, filled with stationary, cards, pen, candy, stickers ... and more! It really made my day and it also put me in the mood for writing letters. Maybe swapping isn't that bad at all ;-)



A while back I bought a book for a blogging friend somewhere in southern Europe (I wont tell who) ;-) I'll show photos and I'll send it to her as soon as possible. I should have sent it long ago, but then I had visitors and put it on the book shelf and completely forgot about it!!

some hats

I have been into making hats lately, as you might have seen ;-) Knitting is easy to do on the train (well, when not sleeping ... which is what I do most of the time), as well as crocheting. Here are some hats I've made the last few months. Some of the hats turn out excatly the way I want them, some different, some better and some ... quite ugly, actually. Still, I think that's the charm with knitting. I haven't been knitting a lot and I still cannot tell whether my ideas will work or not so I just have to try and see.

This hat I made for a friend. It looks rather different when wearing it though.

bags, bags, bags

Yesterday I left work a little earlier and went to buy some blue fabric for a project I'm in (it's about sewing a picture for each month of the year and we begun in November so it's close to its end now). But then I also found a cute fabric with tea cups on and since I wanted tea cup fabric (and cup cake + cake fabric, but I haven't seen any yet) since a long time I bought some although I had promised myself not to buy ;-)

I begun making a bag out of it (+ black fabric) yesterday evening and I will continue today. It's just a perfect day for crafting, outside it's raining and I don't have to go anywhere (except for doggie walking).

Those bags on the photos are not made by me (hey, I'm not good at sewing at all, I make a lot of stupid mistakes all the time. But that's how we begin, right?) but by my friend Jenny. She's making wonderful bags that she's selling + other things such as hats and bracelets.

hat for grandma

hat for grandma
Originally uploaded by maria nenita.

During the weeks I think "soon it's weekend then I'll have time for this and that and this and this". I think I'm too optimistic about time and about my own ability, after all I also need time to relax and time to do the laundry, walking the dogs, cooking ... such things. I have some finished and half finished things, some photos but it also takes time to upload to flickr, to blog. I wish it was different and one day I will make it different.

Here's a hat I made for my grandma. The photo doesn't really do it justice. It's a soft & cozy hat, red, a little green and with small white "balls". For me it's a Christmas hat with snow falling ;-) And since my grandma loves Christmas she also loved this hat so I gave it to her. At the moment I'm knitting a scarf that'll go with the hat.

turtle necklace

turtle
Originally uploaded by maria nenita.

I made this necklace a while back, but I never manage to get a good photo of it. I don't know why. Tomorrow I'll try again (it's too dark now). Anyway, I like the idea with this necklace with both a chain and glass beads, and the turtle ;-)

sakura hat

sakura hat
Originally uploaded by maria nenita.

Of all hats I've made, this is by far my favourite. And I wont even use it 'cause I'll put it in my shop. *smile*

swedish vintage ...

swedish vintage ..., originally uploaded by maria nenita.

Busy me. Already Sunday again, soon Monday ... *phu*
I'm playing "catch up" with myself, but I loose ;-)

Anyway, two new categories added to my shop Sweet Daisy - paper and accessories. Go check it out ;-)

(This little package for crafting and collage making includes Swedish vintage cards, bits&pieces from 1906-1942.)

card making kit #1

card making kit #1, originally uploaded by maria nenita.

*champagne*

I think this is one of my favourite bracelets. It's sterling silver, glass beads and hand felted beads with "gold" details. I've added it to the shop, Sweet Daisy. And now I have to go make a necklace or something instead of blogging, Sundays pass by way too fast, don't they?

shop update

shop update, originally uploaded by maria nenita.

I put some of my bath products in the shop. It's, from the top, mint chocolate fizzing bath melt, bath fizz orange and lily of the valley fizzing bath melt. I also added some other products, go to the shop to see ;-)

And the answer to Jes' comment yesterday is Yes, I do ship to the US. I'd ship to the moon, if possible ;-) I haven't had the time and energy (not to mention inspiration *ha ha*) to translate the shop, but now I've translated almost all prices into USD and also many of the texts. Feel free to email me if there are any questions, and PLEASE email me if my english is too strange somewhere in the shop :-) info@sweetdaisy.se is the shop email address.

*visiting my grandparents*

*visiting my grandparents*, originally uploaded by maria nenita.

Last weekend Magnus and I travelled south to visit my grandparents. The reason for the trip was actually my friend Martina's wedding, close to where my grandparents live.

This is the house where my grandparents and their cat Bonus (who decided - all by himself - to move in there a year and a half ago) live. They have a nice garden next to the forest with flowers, berries, fruits, vegetables ... and more flowers :-)

I have actually been crafting & creating lately, mostly knitting knitting knitting on the train ;-) , but I'm far behind in uploading my photos. Sooner or later ... I'll show you ... and sooner or later I'll catch up in emailing and answering comments. Promise!

thea+chocolate icecream = true

thea+chocolate icecream = true, originally uploaded by maria nenita.

Today me, mom, my sister, my niece and my old little dog went to a craft fair. I'm too tired to do anything about the photos tonight, but here's at least a photo of my niece Thea. We had icecream and fruits before going to the craft fair and she seams to like it, right? ;-)

6 am

6 am, originally uploaded by maria nenita.

(As opposite to the night sky.)

I've had a busy week but soon I'll show you some crafts instead. Tomorrow mom and I + perhaps my sister who is visiting at the moment are going to a craft fair which takes place the first weekend in September every year. I'll bring my camera if it's not raining ;-)

night sky

night sky, originally uploaded by maria nenita.

raspberry cake

raspberry cake, originally uploaded by maria nenita.

~by the lake~

~by the lake~, originally uploaded by maria nenita.

New bracelet added to my shop Sweet Daisy.

work in progress

work in progress, originally uploaded by maria nenita.

I just *love* making this kind of bracelets. I had one half-finished for more than a year, not knowing how I would continue. Then, suddenly, I got the idea of having a theme for each of them + adding ribbons etc. I haven't really finished this one yet though.

~of a fairy tale I~

~of a fairy tale I~, originally uploaded by maria nenita.

I've been into ribbons lately, adding them to all I create :-) Here's a bracelet that I made a while back but forgot to take a photo of. I've added it to my shop Sweet Daisy.

I'm queen of the mermaids ...

the most beautiful necklace
Originally uploaded by maria nenita.

... with this oh-so-beautiful necklace ("Sea Grass") made by sweet Jessica. We did a trade and she sent me this necklace + a dream journal + honey + hand made soaps that smells soooo good! To see more of her unique jewelry, go here.

journal by anne

This book is decorated by Annelito. I love her cute and ispirational illustrations and they turn up on every other page in the journal:





She's also made those bookmarks:



Go check out her website.

~cards~

I ran out of hand made cards and I cannot find those I've bought so one evening I sat down and made some new cards. They're nothing special, very easy design, but I like them because it's really good quality paper with nice structure and patterns, it doesn't matter that the design is simple. And it's always good to have some cards because you never know when you need one and you can be sure that when you need one you will not have time to make one ;-)



Sorry the photo's a bit dark.

Another way to felt beads

Normally when felting beads I do it with water, some kind of soap and my hands. However, my skin doesn't really like wet wool and after just a few it hurts so much I'm ready to cut my arms off ... almost. I don't have a needle for needle felting (but be sure I'll have one before the end of the year, I'm very curious to try it) so I tried a new technique to felt beads.



#1:


#2 Then I made small balls:


#3 And put them like this:


#4 Time for washing:


#5 This is how they came out. Some are really pretty and some ... are ... hrm ... not so good. But it's my first try and I'm happy about it, with some experience I might know how to make all of them round ;-)


#6 Final part, time for decorating!


(And they can be used for so many things, not only jewelry. I can see them in altered books, bookmarks ... even as Christmas decorations!)

Have you seen Én Gry & Sif and all their wonderful felted accessories?

dog ;-)

dog ;-), originally uploaded by maria nenita.

i didn't know what to do saturday evening so i just played around a bit ... and it ended up being a red dog ;-)

felting etc

felting etc
Originally uploaded by maria nenita.

just trying some new things :-)

baby hat # 2

baby hat # 2
Originally uploaded by maria nenita.

Here's another little crocheted supersoft baby hat. It's for my unborn niece/nephew. Crocheting hats is indeed a perfect thing to do on the train :-)

~dear diary~

journal
Originally uploaded by maria nenita.

I was the coordinator of a Swedish journal swap ("dear diary") and here's a creative (and soft! :-) ) journal that Anna decorated. For those of you who participated in the swap: I'd love to if you could send me a picture of what you sent or recieved (or a link to your blog, if any) so that I can show some more beautiful journals.

*work in progress*

work in progress, originally uploaded by maria nenita.

... and a cup of tea

detail of journal

6juni 006
Originally uploaded by maria nenita.

~journal

6juni 005
Originally uploaded by maria nenita.

~journals

6juni 001
Originally uploaded by maria nenita.