Tea time

Tea time, originally uploaded by shoobydoo.

I love, love, love the works made by Kate from London. I have probably already shown her lovely birds, but Kate makes new and funny ones all the time....

You should have a look at her blog and her etsy shop.

Accidently knitting

A big "Mini" by Design Club dk, originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

Good thing, that I prepared the yarn!!!

I knew it would end like this.....so, the bed jacket might have to wait a bit!

Yesterday my sweet neighbour Dorte, from Frøken Solhat, gave me this award:

I'm actually quite honered that she thinks that my little blog has a purpose.

To me that means that my stories, pictures, craftings and other stuff matters to someone. It's always a risk to start a thing like a blog, because what if noneone wants to read what I have to say???

So thank you SO MUCH, Dorte!!!

With the award comes some simple rules for me to do:

A. I have to find 5 blogs to nominate, which haven't had this particular award before.

B. Each of the 5 blogs must have a purpose.

C. The nominated blogs must make a link back to this page.

D. The logo must be put on their blog and it must link back to this blog.

The selection of blogs is huge, and this award makes me think about the reasons why I keep coming back to these particular 5 blogs:

Blasse vielfalt - because I always feel so humanely inspired when I read the blog, get a lot of ideas for my home and get to practise my dusty German!!

Aux Petit Oiseaux - because on this blog I find the most amazing little stories and craft inspiration written by a beautiful person.

Sew me something good - because I admire the crafty things this woman is able to achieve and the wonderful way she writes about her family.

Whimsy - because she writes so lovely about her everyday life and she always makes me smile. She also takes the most fabulous pictures, which say more than words.

Nutty Irishman knits - because this blog gives me a wonderful feeling of hapiness and admiration. A great deal of knitting inspiration fills my mind every single time I see this blog.

So now it's up to you 5 girls......

A quarterpipe

Ever since Emil was 3 years old, he has been completly crazy about these flat ones with wheels....

He has spent innumerable hours on his skateboard, while his little 3 year old legs managed to stay upright.

As time has passed on he has become rather good at skateboarding. He has had a lot of boards and every single year he has talked about getting a ramp....His absolute biggest wish ever (and that goes for the size as well!)

Here in Denmark you have to pay an unreasonably amount of money to get one, so that was out of the question.

So Emil started to gather many pieces of information on ramps.

Many American skateshops have been carefully investigated, prices have been converted into Danish kroner, shipping regulations have been read down to the last detail!!

But every time we have concluded that a skateboard ramp is far too heavy and expensive to be shipped across the pond...

But this weekend I know his dream will come true.....

Christian and Emil have bought a lot of materials at the timber merchant and this afternoon they started on their project: they are going to make Emil a ramp!

He is so excited, that it's really touching.....I know that he will spend hours and hours skating up and down the ramp.

My only concern is how on earth we integrete a big (and not that charming) ramp into our garden ;0)

Two dotty legs

Two dotty legs, originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

Maybe you remember me showing this fabric before? From Liselotte on her trip to Malmö...

Now I have turned it into 2 dotty trouser legs.....with tiny stripes at the top and at the bottom.

I hope the trouser legs get to jump, skip, dance, bike and play a whole lot in the future. Untill one day where they no longer fit or get a big hole in the fabric, which needs to be stitched....

To me, that is the best possible way they can be used.....

The 1st BIG knitted thing

I completly forgot to tell you about a very important thing, which took place yesterday.

In this book - "The knit stitch" by Sally Melville - Anne-Sophie found her 1st big thing to knit. In the book you can find so many wonderful knits - all easy to make and for knitters who have just begun the adventure it is to knit!

Anne-Sophie decided on a poncho knitted on needles number 8....

She was so excited about getting started and I had promised her that I would pay for the yarn, so off we went to "Mathilde".

At first Anne-sophie had thought about making the poncho in off-white yarn but ended up choosing a wonderful, soft wool in black. With 10 skeins and new knitting needles in the bag, we left the shop.

Afterwards we had to get a little suitcase for knitting needles. It is supposed to contain her newly started collection of knitting accessories.....

While walking to the bus Anne-sophie happily said to me: "If only we were in the bus already so I could knit........"

She is definitely hooked on knitting.

Crochet inspiration

Two sweet women - Gitte and Jeanette Mariae - gave me some wonderful links and ideas for crocheting.... I feel so lucky that people want to make me gratefull, happy and inspired by doing things like this. The ideas are all in this magazine from "Interweave Crochet" - and there are so many and pretty patterns that I almost consider subscribing to the magazine. Crocheting is a skill I don't posses that well, but definitely one which I wish I had!! And one that I will work on in the future....

The only item which I have been able to crochet so far, is a pale pink beret for my daughter...

But when I see a sweet little dress and hat like this...

An elegant skirt like this....

A neckline like this.....

Or a cute babydoll dress like this.....

....I feel like grabbing a crochet hook and just give it a go. Eventhough I know that these projects might be a bit too ambitious to begin with!!!

But one is allowed to have BIG dreams.....

This I love on a monday

This I love on a monday, originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

More beautiful and inspirering creations....

P.S.

After Emil made a new tasty dish for supper, I suddenly remembered that Pia asked if she could have the recipe for Emil's cake experiment - I'm so embarassed to have forgotten it!!

But now it's here and you can find the ever so tasty "Makrosiand Cake" from Emil in the sidebar and right here.

I bought too much...

While winter has come outside I enjoy the kind of spring these "Ranunkler" give me inside....We were actually buying some "welcome flowers" for our new opposite neighbours, but I couldn't resist the wonderful colours and had to get some for myself too! Maybe they can cheer my flower mood up a bit, since my newly planted pale pink daffodils are laying flat on the ground, due to the frost!!!! Another amazing thing I brought home was yarn for a big "Mini" for me made by "design Club dk" - what really got me hooked was the pictures I saw the other day at Ravelry. Just have a look for your self here at cjespers flickr!

The yarn I chose is 100% pure wool from Henrichsens Uldspinderi. I love the brown colour and the fact that it's to be knitted on needles number 5. I'm so excited about making a cardigan for myself..... Today Liselotte and I had to make yet a little trip to Eva Jessens lovely shop. If you ever get the chance you should go see it... We saw some georgeous things and this characteristic, flowery, red Marimekko fabric has got to be turned into a tunic - for me as well - so that I bought! Eva Jessen also sells the fabulous bottons made by the Danish ceramist Birthe Sahl. I have some of them allready, but I couldn't help getting these. I think they will make a nice touch on the "Mini" cardigan. (When I finish it sometime in the future - I have a bedjacket that needs to be done first!)

Oh, perhaps I should wind up the yarn so it's ready.........just in case.

Germany, loved ones and phony candy

After my own 2 children, these 3 beautiful people are the children I love the most....

They are Andreas, Emma and Ida and are my sister's children. All 3 of them have warm, beautiful, loving hearts and minds....And we love to be around them and their parents.

They have been such a great part of our little family's life ever since the day they were born.....or that is, even before they were born.

Yesterday we went to Germany with them and their parents (It's them in the pictures). We always have such fun when we spend time together.

We decided to have a little look in Flensborg, which is a town we have visited many times before, when Lotte and I were children. It's a beautiful place with a lot of old houses, churches and narrow, steep streets.

And while we were there, I tried to find some German fabric shops - not an easy task I tell you. I saw several yarn shops, but none with fabrics. Finally I found some in a big shopping center.

The selection, however, was some what special. A lot of the fabrics were mostly synthetic, a quality I don't appriciate that much!

I did find a beautiful linen in a wonderful green colour - I adore green....

A matter of course when ever we go to Germany, is to buy (too much) candy.

These bonbons I know I bought with my eyes. Due to their amazing pastel colours I had to get them.

And these I thought were my all time favourites.....BUT (and this is a special note for you, Gitte J.) don't ever get dazzled by their supposedly true looks.....only the Swedish ones have the right taste. The German ones taste just like it smells in a handball hall!!!!

Spring shoes

If you ever have tried to wear Converse shoes you either hate them or love them - there is nothing in between... I'm a Converse lover and so is my daughter. It's - almost - like walking on clouds. We both use size 39 and that is quiet nice - except for the times where I want to wear a certain pair of Converses, and discover that they have already left the building to go to school!! We have a lot of different versions: blue, black, red, flowery, beige and some with skulls. And new ones are always welcome. In London we found the most geogeous little shop which carried SO unbelievably many kinds of Converse shoes....we were there for more than an hour!

This spring/summer I would love to have these..... By the way, do you know that you can design your very own pair right here? In your favourite colours - and you can buy them as well. Sadly they can't get shipped to Denmark, though!!

Finally the weather has become just right for Converse shoes - at least for a little while before the snow comes. Oh yes, snow is on it's way.....and I suppose the shoes goes back in the wardrobe to wait for warmer days.

Spring happiness

Friendly colours, originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

Today I got my new bias tape - I simply love it so much. If only I could buy this in Denmark... And one of my easterbunnies thought it was time to juggle the eggs...

Surprises in boxes

Ta-daaaaa!!!! Christian's Cobblestone is done and all I have to do now is to wash and blog it.......And tomorrow he will be able to wear it for real. He did however try it last night and it fits him perfectly. It's a wonderful feeling...... So, today I had to look for the blue yarn for the bedjacket, which I bought in February.

While doing so, I had to have a little look in my boxes - I must admit I have a thing about boxes....there are so many wonderful ones!! Especially here , here and here. I keep my sewing stuff and loads of yarn in them in order to keep it all look a bit tidy...

It has been a while since I last saw my yarn stash. And I did find a few repressed "surprises" which I had completly "forgotten".

The colourful scarf which I was making for a grey winter's day....

..........and the ghost cardigan for Emil size 3-4 years - all sleeve less - I still need to make them!!

The scarf will be unraveled and transformed into a little babysweater, I think and luckily we have a 2 ½ year old cousin who might wants to wear the ghosts, when I get to finish it sometime in the future.

Boxes sometimes reveal bad conscience....

Winners in a dotty horsebowl!

Along came the day.........I have to pick two "winners" in my little giveaway!

Emil had promised that he would help me. He had to be the one who chose two of my stripy, folded notes. Emil was extremely careful not to look, while picking up the little notes

one by one

from the dotty horsebowl.....

On the 1st note he read the name: Julia Zahle - she would like to have the hedgehog dress.....

On the 2nd note he read the name: Christine - she would like to have the tiny trousers with the planes and cars. How lucky that Emil picked out a winner for both the boys' and the girls' clothes.........and that it was two people who didn't choose the same piece of clothes!!!!! Congratulations to Julia and Christine. I hope you and your children will enjoy the clothes....and that it fits! I would love it if you wrote me a mail to tell your adresses.....

You can mail me at this adress: v.jespersen@newmail.dk

Thank you so much to all of you for joining my little giveaway!!

A 2 year old....

Today this wonderful shop turns 2....and I'm so happy that it's there.

Without Små Tekstiler I wouldn't have been able to make this.....

or this

or this

If you haven't done so already, you should definitely go have a little look.....

A small victory - hopefully not too small!!!

Many people in blogworld have made this sweater ages ago and several times. I'm sure it didn't take them half the amount of time, which I have spent on Christian's Cobblestone by Jared Flood.

But I don't mind - I was a fast knitter once - now I'm not even embarrased that I have become such a slow knitter.

No, on the contrary I'm happy that I have managed to knit this much. Actually it's a little victory of my own.

This is the 1st grown up sweater, which I have made since the car accident - and that is almost 7 years ago.

I 'm really excited about giving Christian the Cobblestone. He is looking so much forward to wearing it, and at the same time, he definitely appreciates the hard work and love, which he knows I have put into it....

I sure hope it fits ;0)

How come I'm not a Swede at Easter?

Easter is just around the corner, and my need for eggs, chickens, easterbunnies and that sort of stuff, is rapidly increasing....

Maileg is a very good supplier for my Easter ornaments and these are already a part of it..

Every year I have to get a tiny bit of new things for Easter. I love it when I can get hold of relatives to these wonderful fellows and their swedish sisters.

You see, in Sweden is where the fun is when it comes to buying adoring and funny chickens and easterbunnies.

I would be thrilled to have these 2 in my livingroom...they could even be allowed to bring their flying brooms...

And the fact that swedes say: "glad påsk" instead of "god påske" makes me even more sorry that I'm not a swede....

Or how about some happy, happy swedish bunnies? And the wonderful table cloth they have their elegant feet on, would be very welcome as well....

Another clever swede - Karin Eriksson - made these amazing cups, which would decorate any table for the big Easterlunch. Actually you can buy some here.

I already have put out my old chicken bowls from Lange in Ålborg. They hang around all year and make me happy....

Perhaps I could make something myself? This would make a great inspiration..

For now I stay right here in Denmark....although becoming a Swede has SO many tempting options!!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Would you like some new clothes for your small children, a special little friend of yours or perhaps grandchildren?

Then do have a look a my giveaway.........it goes on for 3 more days!