A whole different choice

Remember this??

Well, I ended up in a different shop where I had other colour options. 

Actually I had made up my mind, and had picked out the teal one with the yellow letters. But before buying tags in that look, I wanted to see what else was on the market.

I headed for the shop I used when I bought my old tags. And it had something which tempted me even more.

So these are the 2 woven tags I ordered a while ago. 100 pieces in each colour combination. I'm happy about the fact, that I chose a girlish and a boyish tag. So now I'm ready to make more stuff for our nieces and nephews.

Oh my, I'm exited to see how the woven tags look like in real life...

Oohhh! New combinations

I'm so thrilled about this new colour mix for Christel Seyfarth's Masai shawl. The vivid red colours are so lovely amongst the gentle shades of rose. And with my favouorite green in the middle of the flowers, it couldn't be any better. I definitely prefere this colour palette.

Photo from Christel Seyfarth.dk

Christel Seyfarth has also made a new version of the beautiful Starsweater, which I by the way still have on my wishlist.
Eventhough it has been given a new and wonderful look, I will still write down the kit for the old Starsweater on my little hidden wishlist* - it must be my neverending love for pastel colours which comes into play in this matter.

*(I always keep a little piece of paper in my noticeboard, so I can add the things I would love to have all through the year. Otherwise I'm really lousy at remembering wishes when Christmas and my birthday come up!! I do keep it hidden behind all the other stuff on the noticeboard).

Photo from Christel Seyfarth.dk

Actually, I will  recommend you to go have a look at Christel Seyfarth's website - it has also been renewed.

Milk, butter & sugar

From Sorbet Living

How great is that! I would love to keep my sugar in a milk carton...

Pockets with Petting Zoo Party Girls

 

I'm making a dress for Sarah. I cut out the parts for the dress some days ago, but the pockets were cut yesterday.

It took me some time to figure out which fabrics I wanted to use. Finally I decided on some Gingham  and a couple of other ones.

It was important to me that any prints on the fabrics were small. Otherwise it could easily be too notable and overwhealming.

The pockets in the photos are not the total amount, there are 3 more. 5 are going to be sewn in front of the dress and the rest on the back.

I had an idea about embroidering Cathy's sweet Petting Zoo Party embroidery on 3 of the pockets. I'm really exited to see how it turns out in the end, but so far I'm satisfied with it.

I can't remember whether I told you before, but the 3 girls in the embroidery pattern are actually drawings of Cathy's own daughters. It's such a sweet and fine idea.

Now I only have 1 problem - I don't have an embroidery hoop which is small enough to hold any of the pockets.

Anne-Sophie's old invitation

Anne-Sophie's invitation, originally uploaded by lille-ursus.

While looking for a certain type of paper in my drawers for Emil's invitations, I found some of the elements we used for Anne-Sophie's invitations 5 years ago.

The photo and the the dotty cardboard were the outside and the red paper with the white flowers was the inside of the invitation.

We wrote the text on a special kind of paper, which was a bit transparent, so one could see the red paper underneath it. And we attached it inside the invitation.

I remember that it took a whole lot of time to make them, but Anne-Sophie was very happy about the result, so it was worth the effort.

Now we only need to finish Emil's...(can you feel that I'm kind of beating around the bush with that one?)

Parachuting Lambs

That doesn't sound bad, knowing that Easter isn't that far away...

Photos from BossysFeltworks's

You can find them here - dropping from the sky right into your basket.

 

Dreaming of Holly Hocks

I hope for many more Holly Hocks in our garden this year. We already have some, but not enough.

Having a whole bunch in different pastel colours - like the ones in the mosaic - would make a dream come true.

Ever since I, at the age of 7, saw all of the beautiful Holly Hocks at my grandparents' little farm in the country, I have dreamt of getting an old house with those exact flowers growing along the outer walls.

The old house we already have. Our little white house from 1912 is a suitable background for the tall plants with the delicate corollas - now it's time to go looking for seeds and herbaceous perennials.

I couldn't help myself

I swore to myself that I wouldn't start knitting the WONDERFUL Nova dress I found on Signe's blog yesterday - and she shares it here as well.

I'm already knitting elephants, I said to myself.

My willpower lasted for at least 4 hours!

Then I had to give in.

I pulled out the gorgeous yarn Hindbær from Garnudsalg and some of the Junik yarn from Noda, and cast on the stitches for little beautiful Nova - with lots of stripes and raglan...

And out comes his board - for real!

He has been waiting and waiting - for the snow to dissapear, for the sand to be swept away from his usual skatespots, for the weather to get warmer...

And now it's finally time! His skateboard can be used all over the place and not just in tiny areas, which happened to be free of snow and sand during winter.

Emil has been skating indoors this winter,  but being outside is something special. He is so dedicated to this hobby of his, and we admire him for the time and energy he puts in working on his skills. Always training on a new trick and new moves.

So I think that it's up to us to support him in his heartfelt sport. We often go to bigger cities as they have better and much bigger facilities for skaters.

This photo - which I picniked and turned into the 60ties style - is from a skatespot we went to last week. We wanted to take some fine photos to use on Emil's invitations for when he is going to be confirmed. I like this one and several others, but as I'm not the skater expert, I will leave it up to Emil to decide which photos to use...

Abstraction . . .

While recovering from the hideous pain, which a long trip to and from Copenhagen give me, I just try to abstract from it with the thoughts of gorgeous colours in little squares...

A brand new red bike...

Waffles on a stick...

And a green horse box on wheels...

Norwegian friends

While sitting here at the computer, looking at the flowers I bought a while ago from Spagat's etsy shop, I can't help thinking about the kindness my daughter recently met on her trip to Norway.

Back when Anne-Sophie had started in 1.G. in upper secondary school, we had the pleasure of having Fredrik staying in our house for about a week.

Fredrik is a Norwegian exchange student. He is part of the class which was on a week long exchange stay here in Denmark.
Anne-Sophie and her fellow students went to Norway several weeks later, and there she stayed in Fredrik's home.

I can't tell you how happy we were about the fact, that Anne-Sophie lived in this particular family during her stay in Norway.
First of all Fredrik is such a sweet, polite and funny young man. And his family possess the same human qualities.

Fredrik's mother is very interested in crafting and when Anne-Sophie arrived in Fredrik's home, she got the most wonderful pair of knitted and felted slippers. It was Ann Helen, Fredrik's mum who had made them especially for her, and Ann Helen even embroidered Anne-Sophie's name on them.

I must admit that I did cry a bit when Anne-Sophie told me this. It was such a heartwarming and  lovely way to welcome Anne-Sophie.

This summer both Anne-Sophie and Fredrik will be students. And during the period of time since their first visits, we have had Fredrik visit us, and last weekend Anne-Sophie went to Norway to visit her Norwegian friend. Once more she was treated with such kindness and warmth. And Fredrik and his family did so many other things to make Anne-Sophie feel at home and happy.

A friendship is definitely built and I hope that both Fredrik and Anne-Sophie will continue to keep the contact between them.
Isn't wonderful when people you haven't seen before, welcome your child with open arms and such  warm hearts? The whole experience has really left a lasting impression on me and my family.
I hope that we can welcome people in our home in the same sweet and respectful way...

Etsy art love

Photo from Parada Creations

Etsy art love is a subject which will never end for me. With so many fabulous artists in etsy, we can all afford the work of talented people from foreign places.

It seems to be an inexhaustible source of clever and beautiful art.

Photo from Parada Creations

And today I found yet another fine shop with brilliant art prints.

The 2 pictures you see here are made by Susana Parada and are sold along with many more in her shop Parada Creations.

Oh, and by the way! Try to click on the mushroom print to enlarge it - then you will see the many different tiny patterns. I love that sort of details...

Garniture from GARN-ITURE

The word garniture means something which decorates, or it means a kind of accompaniment (often used when talking about food).

But here in Denmark garniture has a whole new meaning as well, because

GARN-ITURE is a shop in Copenhagen. Garn is the word for yarn in Dansih and so it's perfect for the little play on words in the name of the shop.

I have mentioned this fine and fanciful shop several times before, but it deserves being talked about a lot.

Once more I got tempted by some of the lovely things, Dorthe Hass shows on the blog she has in connection to the shop.

With my favourite dotty fabric in mind, I fell in love with these tiny knitted mamelukes. I can easily see them with a dress, a tunic or an apron like this.

So I ordered some yellow yarn at GARN-ITURE and the pattern for the mamelukes. I also ordered yarn in orange and pink for a pair of knitted baby pants. Those colors will suit many of the dots perfectly.

I have bought things from the shop quite a few times before, and the owner Dorthe Hass is alwyas very helpfull and kind, and I'm thrilled that she gives the ones of us who don't live near Copenhagen, the chance to buy her materials and other goodies.

And that's how I got some garniture form GARN-ITURE...

Creative clutter

Somehow I always end up making creative clutter. Especially with floss, books, yarn, needles and patterns.

I need to have them close by, in case I get a thought about someting to make. Otherwise I forget about them. Don't you know the feeling of seing a beautiful mix of colours or a texture in a knitted sweater, which you wan't to try out in the future?

So I always have a notebook with me as well.  It's filled with drawings and little notes which only I know the meaning of - and small torn out pieces of magazines and papers.

No one but me likes my creative clutter. Even though I confine myself to a very limited area, I get the occasional "do you know where your needles are" comment from my husband.
Then I know that it's time to gather - some of - my stuff and take it upstairs to our hobby room.

But after a day or two, I have created a new little pile of creative clutter...I'm hopeless!

I'm still no good at crocheting -

. . . but that will not keep me from buying crochet books. (I know that I will improve my crocheting skills. . . it's just a matter of time).

And when the books look as promising and interesting as these, then it becomes even harder not to get new and lovely inspiration.

Photo from På Krogen

By accident - and what a happy one - while surfing on ravelry, I came across these brand new books by the Danish girl Sidsel Sangild. They are called Blødt Til Baby (soft for baby) and Hæklede Gaver (crocheted gifts).

They are soon to be sold from a number of Danish yarnshops. For example from Rasmilla's shop. But you can already pre-order the books from Sidsel's blog.

They each cost about 100 Danish kroners.

Photo from På Krogen

If you would like to have a closer look at the 2 books, then go have a peep here and here.

A box of beauty

Today I got the yarn I ordered at Garnudsalg.dk.

It's the second time I buy yarn from that fine little shop, and it's absolutely not the last time.

In the cardboard box I got in the mail there were wool skeins in the colours called Lammeøre and Isblomst - beautiful names, don't you think? And I also bought a bit of some charcoal grey cashmere.

All in all 700 grams of lovely yarn and breathtaking colours.

I still have the skeins in the box, but soon I will take it out and put it in one of my knitting baskets. It will have to be in one, where I can see the yarn when ever I like to. They are far to pretty to be put in the buttom of a basket, if you ask me.

It's such a pleasure to look at beautiful yarn, and I know that I will have to do that many more times today...do you know the feeling, or am I just a bit weird?

I had specific ideas for patterns when I ordered the yarn, but I know from experience that new patterns will be considered before stitches are cast on...

Dear Sylvia is on her way!

I have always loved the work of artist and illustrator Kate Wilson. Ever since I started going on flickr, her work has been a joy to follow. She makes me smile ever so much with her art, and at the same time her talent is an object of my huge admiration.
The way she portraits everyday things is so good, and her use of colours keep amazing me time after time.

But most of all I love Kate Wilson's birdies. Birdies with a huge love to fashion, shoes, delicious food and candy. How can that ever be a good combination you might ask yourself? This should convince you...and do remember to click next to see all the rest of the 22 chic birdies.

And now I thought that it was time for little fancy Sylvia to come to my house.

I have looked at her and her little tea bag bag so many times - I know that the look of her hanging on my wall, will make me happy every single time I pass by her...that sweet Sylvia.

I have decided that I would like to have many more of Sylvia's friends framed and hanging on my wall in the future. And finding new and precious ones, will not be a problem at all.

Happy mail

There is happy mail and there is not so happy and annoying mail. Luckily 2 happy - and  funny - things came to me in the mail today.

The LOVELY dotty fabric that I already mentioned here. It's even more beautiful and cheerful in real life, and my head is full of ideas for what to make of it.

One thing could be this sweet cape from the book I ordered a while ago. I have been waiting for it and today it came.

I really recommend this book for it's beautiful and well designed patterns, and reading it is an aesthetic pleasure.

I  can easily see this little cape being worn by a girl with a warm knitted sweater underneath it on a sunny spring day - like today. It's so nostalgic this pretty piece of clothing. The cape would be great with the dotty fabric on the backside.

Under me you see the new embroidery I'm working on. Little Redcap is done and this fine Princess on a pea pattern has been waiting in my maps, for me to begin sewing it.

Has anyone seen one of these lately??

My old handlebar basket has seen better days, and the other day I had to throw it in the bin. Of course I need a new one, and I have found the one which will match my bike perfectly. Simple and yet with a tiny splash of colours.

It's the little beauty- above - from rice, but sadly I think that it was from their former collection in 2009.

SO if anyone has seen it out there in the shops or online, then I would be more than pleased if you would drop me a line. Thanks...

Come Paris, come Palermo!!

Remember when I told you about one of my absolute favourite pattern designers of children's clothes?

Photo from C'est Dimanche


Well, now they have just launched some brilliant new things for spring. The pretty little dress PARIS is so fine. It reminds me of when I lived in England and worked as an au-pair - it looks a bit  like the grey school uniform dress, Laura wore to school.

And there is also the fabulous shirt PALERMO. I really have a thing for crisp, white linen shirts and this particular one, is certainly in my top 3 of lovely shirts.



Photo from C'est Dimanche



I ordered both patterns yesterday, so I know by experience that it will not take more than 3-4 days, before the little wonders reach my doorstep.

Which one shall I pick this time??

Whenever I sew and knit some clothes for myself, for my family or for gifts I always sew on a little woven label with the name ursus on it.

It started many years ago when I had the thought, that it would be funny to get the ursus name put on a woven label (ursus means bear in latin, and my name Ulla means the little she bear, so hence the name of my blog lille-ursus, which is a mix of Latin and Danish. Lille-ursus means little bear). Did that make sence?

Back then I ordered a lot of labels with this look, but now I'm soon out of labels and it's time to order some new ones.

1.

And this time I would like to use new colours. I have spent a lot of time on mixing colours and fonts to the very right label, but I'm still not sure which one I prefere. (And I have to keep in mand that the label must look good on both girls and boys).

I do already have a few favourites, though.

But with all you clever people out there, I wouldn't mind getting your opinion on the issue.

Which new label do you like - or do you like the old one better?

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

The search is over!

Finally!! After several months of search Anne-Sophie has found the pattern she likes for the gala dress I'm going to make her for the gala party in May.
She wanted something simple and elegant, and not too dressed up. And furthermore she would like to find a vintage pattern from the 50s.

Besides that she had several wishes in proportion to the neckline, the sleeves, the length and the shape.

We looked for the perfect pattern on etsy, we clicked and flicked through the pages of the vintage patterns from Vogue, Mccalls and Butterick. And I found dresses which were already sewn in order to get the right look.

Whenever we found something Anne-Sophie liked, we were met by difficult circumstances. The size was wrong, they didn't ship to Denmark or they only took cash payment.

But yesterday was our lucky day. All of a sudden the dress was there. A vintage Butterick pattern from the late 50s or early 60s turned out to be the right one.

So, if you can imagine the sleeves from the fitted dress put on the dress with the circle skirt, then you know how we are going to sew Anne-Sophies dress.

Now we only need to find the right fabric and a petticoat....