Uprooted

Sleep is wooing me.
I always want more, I had too much...

I've had two people ask me in this last week what I want to be when I grow up?
I replied, older...

Just now, autumn seems to be in a bit of a hurry, as the yellow leaves get blown off before they reach their full red beauty.

Maybe I feel as though life is blowing me to the ground sometimes, just like the leaves on the autumn trees. And then there is nothing to do but stand naked and wait.

I feel naked when I speak Swedish, so fragile and vulnerable with my words.
My tongue feels like it is made of playdoh when I try to speak it.

Playdough, which you have to work very carefully with to mould it just so.
But it's heavy and sticky, and it doesn't taste quite right.

But those trees are tough, they will bloom again.
It might just take me a little longer, because I seem to have misplaced my roots.

Sweet as candy!

I feel pretty lucky to have been given such a cool name! 

Growing up I got offered a lot of crackers, (but never actually got that many?) 

 I probably had every Polly Pocket that was on the market in the late 80's early 90's.

And now, in Sweden, it turns out that the best candy around... is called Polly!! 

I'm quite happy about having a delicious candy as my namesake :) 

And I do like how it makes the new Swedes I meet smile as I tell them my name, 

"and yes it's just like the bag of candy!"

So what's all this got to do with anything?

Well, I've been on a bit of a bit of a cutting-and-pasting rampage lately, 

hauling out all the magazines that I have piled up in a corner finding awesome little patterns, 

putting them on pegs, then putting magnets on the pegs 

and topping them off with some varnish for a bit of extra shine... 

Suddenly half of our fridge is covered in multicoloured pegs!

What do I do with all these!? 

Sell them? Make a bit of pocket money to keep me alive this winter, but how? 

Not quite enough to have a stand at a weekend market yet... And along comes the Swedish vesion of Etsy, with an equally catchy name - Epla!

So, I've opened up a "shop" which I have called Sött som godis 

(Sweet as candy in English)

And there you go...Happy browsing!! 

There's more to add the the shop yet so keep popping back.
 

Old shelf new!

You may remember this post about the wonderful 60's sideboard / shelving unit 

that we scored from our favorite second hand store... 

Well I finally decided what to do with it!

Here's how it was:

Not very exciting, and very white! 

And now, (after testing it out in photoshop first) it has had a face lift, and looks this!

That's a wee bit more exciting aye?! 

P.S. I thought I should show off the darling little bedside table again

since it has now actually graduated to being beside the bed!

I love it! 

Just need to find a sort of matching one to spruce up my side now...

Except, I did actually renovate it with the intention of selling it, 

but I got a bit attached to it and I can't let it go just yet!

Mini makeover, Living room edition.

I absolutely LOVE rearranging our little apartment!

Actually, I've done it since as long as I can remember.
Even though the bedroom I grew up in as a child was awkwardly long and narrow,
I was always pleased to find that there was a different layout to try out.

Things are always being swapped around, moved over, added, or taken away,
painted, changed, and generally shuffled around...

This makes it always new and exciting to come home!
And a lot can be changed without buying new, expensive items.

When your surroundings are balanced and harmonious, it brings a wonderful sense of calm.
It's not about having everything symmetrical, balance is something that you feel.

Since I love doing this so much, I've even offered to do it for my friends too!

Here's some before and afters from the first brave (or should I say, lucky!) friend
to offer their abode for my shuffling about...

He had recently moved in, and the place is on a second hand contract.
Meaning that the owners had left some furniture that could not be removed,
and we had to be sparse with making holes in the walls.

before...

after!

Curtain track widened and curtains pulled out to the edges, 

instantly emphasizing the width of the room, otherwise all the attention is on the the stripey wall which makes the room appear longer and narrower than it is.

Rug rotated, no longer chopping the room in half. 

Some of the tv unit removed, making it a lot less heavy and dominating. 

He had thought that the desk was too big for the space, 

so had tucked it away in to the corner.
I suggested rotating it 90 degrees, breaking up the squarish room, 

giving it an "office" area and lounge area.

before...

after!

This is only phase one of the make over.
I'm yet to go back and help organize the book shelves which will make a big impact
as they are so dominating the room and can't be removed.

I was very pleased with the overall results, considering that it only took about 2 hours,

and made good use out of what we had to keep in the room. 

For example, the Emma armchairs, which are a dark golden colour, 

are fine and lovely and all, but just did not go with his furniture, most of all the red rug!

They aren't necessarily comfortable to sit on either

and stuck out like a sore thumb with his more modern furniture.

By throwing some blankets over them and placing them opposite each other in the room, 

they are out of the way, and actually look quite cozy I think!

So, if you are reading this and you live in Gothenburg, 

and perhaps you would like a mini home make over too. 

Please feel free to contact me, using either the comment section below or directly at:

 

pollyhaws@gmail.com

 

At the moment I am offering my time for free, to build up a portfolio. 

If you can spare an hour or two, 

I can help you to transform your space in to a place you love! 

 

 I will of course be very grateful for your help to me as I continue on this journey...

Hello Yellow!

I would like to make an old fasioned shout out.

You know like how you used to call up the radio station for, 

or write in to the local paper... 

Happy birthday Big blister!! 

Lots of love 

Little blister xx

In New Zealand at this time of year it is juuuuust about spring time, 

and daffodils are not far away. 

I always think of daffodils when I think of her day.

I remember a photo of her as a few day old baby, 

lying next to a daffodil which was bigger than her head! 

So as a little tribute to bright yellow daffodils from the other side of the world 

where the sun is rapidly loosing its oomph and there are hints of leaves turning red... 

I give to you a little before and after of a darling little bedside table...

which I had to have my way with!

Hello I'm a tired old table, brown and sad, why don't you paint me and make me glad!

Ahhh, that's better! But take a look inside... 

Bright yellow, because why not!?

With a formica top as sturdy as can be, it's a perfect place to rest your cup of tea!

Speaking of tea, today I scored a delicious set of Rörstrand cups and saucers. 

Only 3 made it in to the photo as the other two were busy, having tea in them! 

Unfortunately one short of a half dozen... but lovely none the less.

Another great find today was this gorgeous West German duo. 

I'm on a bit of a painting spree lately, 

I'm just about finished Mondrian-ifying our big white cupboard/shelf thing!

Stay tuned for the results, it's super fun... I can't wait to show it off!!