Lovely summer days

We have come back from a wonderful vacation in the south of Denmark. We camped in our tent in a beautiful town called Sønderborg. It's beautifully placed on the small island Als with lots of beaches and water. That town had everything we wanted:

Exiting historical places (Sønderborg Castle in the picture above). We actually all like that...if it doesn't take too long, as Emil says. ;)

We also went to see Dybbøl Mølle (which was covered in plastic due to renovation!) and Dybbøl Banke, the place where the Danes were at war in 1864.

We had beautiful views.

We found out by mere chance that the Danish royals' ship Dannebrog was anchored outside the castle. So we got to see it through the windows of a castle and for real. Beautiful ship...but without our queen.

We went to the beach, which had fantastic water eventhough the beach was full of stones! But stones are suitable for knitting too - and while I did that....

....Emil and Christian went bathing several times. (It's Emil sliding down the slide and Christian waiting for him in the water). It seems that Sønderborg was the only place in Denmark with 22-25 degrees and sunny weather. The rest of the country had rainy days while we were away.

It's always nice to come home again, though and we still have more than a week left of our holiday. I know that we will enjoy those days as well and celebrate Emil's 12th birthday next Tuesday.

Kaffe Fassett

Once more Kaffe Fassett has designed the most gorgeous fabrics. I actually got to know his designs through his fabulous knitting. But that man is so much more than yarn.

I love so many of his fabric designs, but this time the fabrics above turned out to be the ones I love the most from his new collection.

Which one to buy is quite hard to decide, because I like the 4 color combinations equally.

Which is your favourite? (if you like them at all!)

By the way...

...my sister liked it. That really makes me happy. :)

A foolhardy dog

Every night we take Otto for a long walk out in the meadows. He has always been a bit afraid of the many cows we meet out there. But getting older has improved that a lot - now he sometimes acts foolhardy towards them. Like yesterday. I don't think that he will go that close to them next time.....

This goes on the white dress...

....which I'm sewing for my big sister. It's a dress with narrow straps - I love wearing that myself. It's so nice when the weather is hot.

I hope that my sister likes the shape of the dress too. I used the same pattern as I did on the 2 tunics, which I made in spring.

At first I thought that the straps seemed to make the neckline far too small - I actually was afraid that it wouldn't be possible to put it over my sister's head. Luckily Anne-Sophie tried the dress on...and she could get her head through! Then my sister definitely fits that part too.

I have 3 fabric covered buttons, which I'm going to sew onto the front of the dress. The fabric I used for them, is supposed to look like cross stitches...I really like that idea - to print it on instead of embroidering it.

How the buttons are going to look on the dress, I don't know...but hopefully fine.

Waiting for a parcel from Japan....

I can hardly wait untill this book will drop into my letter box....and neither can Anne-Sophie.

There are so many elegant patterns in this book, that I don't know how to pick out my favourite. Really!! However, I'm sure that I will get to make lots from this book. For my daughter and for me....and maybe something for my sister.

It is certainly Japanese casual elegance in the way both Anne-Sophie and I adore it. And so many of the designs are suitable to be sewed in linen and flax.

But other kinds of fabric will do as well. Liberty fabric would be very appropiate for the tunics and dresses and of course my beloved Gingham. Or maybe Mælkedrengestriber!

For now I will eagerly await for the book to be sent - all the way from Japan.

Back from Samsø

Now the girls are back home from their cycling holiday to the Danish island Samsø. I think it's wonderful to have them home...

They had a lovely time and all the days they had sunny, warm weather. (That was rather easy to see when they returned - they both had a lovely tan).

The girls were supposed to return Saturday, but the weather forecast said LOTS of rain, so they decided to pack their things while the tent was dry. We went to pick up the girls at the ferry - my sister and I thought that it was a fine idea....and actually the girls thought so too, especially when they sat in our car on the way home.

A heavy shower

My son absolutely don't think so.

And where were I?? Sitting inside our house filming out the window....

Fabric, flowers and bees

Today in my garden, originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

It has been a fine, warm and sunny day. And I spent most of it in our garden.

Doing a bit of gardening - and sitting in a sunny spot, enjoying the sun.

Yesterday I got the beautiful fabric, which you can see on our table in the garden. I adore those flowers on pale pink. I'm sure it will work well on a little summer-something.

We have also got lots of bees in our garden at the moment, and I had to see how that little busy bee flew from one flower to another.

Our 2 bicycle girls are doing very well, by the way! They manged to bike 118 kilometres in one day. Today they enjoy themselves in a sunny beach - and they definitely deserve it.....

2 sweet cyclists

Off they went at 7 o'clock in the morning our precious girls. It's my sister's girl Ida at the right , and our daughter Anne-Sophie at the left hand side.

They looked so happy and exited - ready to start their bicycle holiday together. With helmets!! With them they have a little tent, in which they are going to spend some cozy and funny hours - and days - in a nice place many kilometres away.

They are so lucky if you ask me....I just love holidays on bicycle (eventhough it's a long time ago since I tried it).

I love those tiny chandelier dots.....

I love those tiny chandelier dots....., originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

The dress is done. I'm pleased with it - especially the Lilybird Chandelier. It goes well with the white and purple Gingham.

Those tiny little dots - which are pearls on the chandelier - have a huge effect. They give the chandelier some lightness.

So Cathy, it was such a pleasure to embroider your pattern - I'm absolutely ready for more of your brilliant embroidery design.... ;)

They are here!

I won!!!, originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

The GORGEOUS postcards which I won at Minimega, have already arrieved!

They are really something special.....and their quality is simply outstanding. And when you look at their backsides, this is what you see:

Isn't that amazing?

I'm so happy that I won....

5½ pairs

Coming along, originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

Finally I can take pictures again - so here are 5½ pairs of Espadrillos!

It's so much fun - especially the striped ones. I definitely have to embroider a dotty pair too...

I still haven't decided what the shoes are going to become, but a bag keeps popping up in my head.

And after searching for the back piece of the Lilybird Chandelier dress for A LONG time, I started to sew the dress together.

Now that one is coming along quite fine as well. A light and soft summerdress....now we only need the summer to return.

Oh my!!!

Hurray, hurray, hurray!!!

I won a second prize - right here!!!

Summer favourites

Summer favourites, originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

Marvellous Minimega

While talking about artists who create gorgeous things for children, I can't leave out mentioning the fine shop Minimega. (I'm sure that most of you Danish blog readers have heard about the shop before...)

Picture from Minimega

Minimega is the place to buy beautiful cards, lovely wrapping paper and inspirering posters. All made from 100 % recycled paper.

The shop is owned by the Danish graphic designer Sara Andersen, and she makes her figures and patterns look in an amazing way. She manages to create with her head and her heart - and I think that it definitely shows.

A while ago I bought some of her wrapping paper - I really like the clean and elegant prints on the different sheets. And I see so many possibilities in that paper....if I had the heart to use it! (Luckily I can always buy more....)

Sara Andersen has a bunch of ideas on how to use her paper too. You should definitely have a look at her Minimega - do it yourself site.

And while you are at it, go check out the shop and her blog....I don't think that you will regret meeting her new lions, giraffes and whales. If you are lucky, you might even win some!!!

Embroidery for little miss crafty

Today I recieved this gorgeous, gorgeous book. It's written and illustrated by Helen Dardik - a favourite artist of mine. Sadly I can't show you my very own copy of the book, because we have not yet found the right camera.

As the title of the book might have told you already, it's a book for children who wants to learn how to embroider. My children do know how to do that, but nevertheless, I had to have the book.

I'm crazy about the little projects which you can find in the book - something for girls and something for boys as well. Boys might want to embroider too, you know and in this book, there are cool dogs and skulls...

I can definitely recommend you to buy this happy book. And eventhough I'm grown up, I enjoyed every single page of the book.

Hurray for artists like Helen Dardik, who creates and respects children's creative skills in such a fabulous way!