HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I think there is something magical about the

last day of the year - a great 'something' in

the air urging us to reflect on what has been,

and what is about to come next..

Christmas has come and gone, and with it

all over-indulgences and celebrations, giving

way for some peace & quiet before we dive

head over heals into a new exciting year.

This past year, to me, has been eventful and a

bit intense at times, but as always I am grateful

for what I have and what I get to experience.

I would like to thank you all again for making

my blog so much fun to run and for the new

friendships that it has brought me. I wish you

all a fantastic new year with hopes that it will

bring you exciting new challenges & rewards,

good health, genuine love and lots of laughter!

Have a safe & brilliant New Year's eve!

xCharlotta

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!

I am in my beloved Sweden as I write this one last

post before I sign off for a relaxing and exciting

Christmas with my family. Outside my window is a

breathtakingly beautiful Winter wonderland - and

we are all having such a great time in the snow.

It is so wonderful to be 'home' !

 

The house is decorated and smells & looks heavenly!

We have dressed the tree, wrapped the presents, baked,

crafted, written cards and generally immersed ourselves

in all sorts of Christmas preparations and activites.

We are ready to welcome Santa and the rest of our family

into the house and to let the celebrations begin!

Before I go, I would like to say a heartfelt Thank You

to all of you who have become my friends and who have

inspired me so much through the wonderful blog world.

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone and I look

forward to seeing you all again in the New Year!

Stay safe!

With love,

Charlotta

-x-o-x-

Christmas spirit

Just a little mixed bag of Xmas goodies..

I can never get enough of candle light..

source unknown

Love this little tree in a glass bottle..

By Swedish Åhlens

Have shown this before, but the tilted tree is

so charming that it doesn't hurt repeating..

via Tine K

Adorable silver deer

source unknown

xCharlotta

Winter bliss

The snow keeps on pouring down here in Sweden!

Everyone is excited about the snow and went a bit crazy after
the initial snowfall - 'bit like this happy dog found via Tumblr.
I felt exactly like this! :)

Little by little we are decorating the house, however we are
leaving the tree till last as there is something magical about
hanging the ornaments in the last few days before Christmas.

Presents are bought and will be wrapped with great care and
a hearty dose of love in the next couple of days. In our family
we write rhymes on our tags and take our time in opening the
gifts on Christmas Eve (Swedish tradition) - it is so much fun!

Four days till my husband arrives from high-summer in Sydney
and land in an incredibly beautiful Swedish Winter wonderland.

The cultural / seasonal shock will be intense for sure and I am

bringing a great big sheepskin lined coat to the airport which

he can wrap himself in to endure the first encounter of Winter!

(love how this 'Living Etc' image includes drying socks..)

Five days till Santa arrives in Sweden, and the energy

is high and the air full of excitement in our house..

Can't wait to wake up on the morning of Christmas Eve!

xCharlotta

Bird feeder

As the snow is pouring down I am thinking of my friends

the birds (I love birds!). Here's a nice and decorative idea

that will keep the little darlings well fed & happy.

Image via Apartment Therapy

xCharlotta

Tropical Christmas

We try to alternate Christmas in Australia and Sweden so that

we get to experience both flavours of our 'Swedralian family'.

To me Christmas in Australia has to look completely different

to that of my beloved Sweden. With soaring heat and high

humidity I feel it is wrong to re-create a 'traditional' Christmas

look, and I am always on the look-out for new ideas to use.

Like these..

Banana leaf wreath.

Heavenly Eucaplyptus draped beneath the mantle - I am
so doing  this next year when we most likely will spend
Christmas in Sydney.  I love the scent of Eucalyptus!

 

Paper bag lanterns

 

Fairylight Xmas tree for the garden

 

Starfish and beach treasure lanterns.

Eucalyptus and herb Xmas wreath - would work as a nice

repellant for the Australian insects as well..

(I don't miss them a bit!)

 

xCharlotta

Danish Christmas delight

Having seen a couple of these pictures float around

the wonderful world of blogs, I was thrilled to find

the full feature of  Marianne Brandi and husband

Keld Mikkelsen's flat in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The 'Living Etc gallery' includes images of their

stunning 400 sq meter purpouse built rental flat,
that is full of inspiring ideas for both interior and
Christmas decor - a lot of ideas to adopt and adapt..

xCharlotta

Gustavian Goodness and Honest Scrap..

It is now a couple of weeks ago since the lovely Monika Claassen

over at 'Splendid Willow' granted me an 'Honest Scrap' award.

The award requests I share 10 unknown facts about myself,

and though it has been my intention to post these since.. it is
taking me quite some time to compile my list.. So Monika,
whilst you wait I share some Gustavian goodness with you -
as I know you love the treasures of our belowed Sweden
as much as I do.. Thank you for being so patient.. xx

Pictures via Desire to Inspire

xCharlotta

Gingerbread workshop

Tomorrow marks the peak of Winter here in Sweden

and we prepare to celebrate 'Lucia' with friends and family.

For us here in Sweden, 'Lucia' is always celebrated on the

13th December and it marked by processions of carol singing

children (big and small alike) who dress up as saints ('tärnor'),

gnomes ('tomtenissar'), guiding stars ('stjärngossar') or ginger
bread men ('pepparkaks gubbar'). One lucky girl is chosen
to be 'Lucia' herself, and is crowned with a wreath of candles.

Isabella & Oscar have been busy baking up a feast for their

grandparents, cousins and aunt, who will join us tomorrow for
what I predict will be a grand & joyful Lucia performance..

We made a splendid looking gingerbread house yesterday!

Nothing as structured and orderly as the one on this

picture, but rather a passionate expression of colour and

creativity that we are all utterly proud of, and that is now

protected by a guard of adults who try to ensure it will

remain uneaten by the kids until at least Christmas Day..

Today we made two large trays of traditional Swedish
ginger biscuits with intricate patterns and ornaments...
These will be eaten by the handful tomorrow, and may
in fact secure the survival of the gingerbread house..

I feel my upcoming 'New Year's diet' grow more rigid
for every day that passes here in Sweden... :)

xCharlotta

P.S. I want to scream this out loud´;
IT SNOWED TONIGHT!!
Not a great deal of snow but enough
for us to jump up and down and to run
outside in our PJs to toss some snowballs
before I tucked the kids in for the night.
I love the first snow of the season and for
us it is the first in two years since last time
we were here it was summer... YAY!!

Stuffing the boot

This will be the sight in our home if Santa doesn't bring

some snow & frosty bliss for Sweden this Christmas..

xCharlotta

Swedish Bliss

Hello my lovelies and sorry for my brief absense..

Had a mad rush in the week before our trip but

we are now safely here in lovely Sweden and

I can finally reconnect with life after the jet-lag..

Sweden is nice and cold , but snowless. Perhaps not the ideal
this close to Christmas but I have come to love a 'bare' Winter.

As much as I want to make a snowangel in perfect snow,

there is something so beautiful about nature when there is
nothing there to cover it up. It's honest and very peaceful.

Since we arrived we have mostly spent time adjusting to
the season (we left Sydney-summer behind) and to the time
difference, and we have as of today beat the jet lag (finally).
The kids are busy writing lists for Santa (!) and I am absorbing
ideas from abundant sources of inspiration everywhere.
This year, the Swedish approach to Christmas feels a lot
cleaner and sober. There is a definite return to basics, with

focus on natural materials and traditional designs that are
paired with modern objects. Generally there seems to be
a lot more focus on styling, rather than just relying on
obvious ornaments and overly rich layering.

I am taking notes for sure..

xCharlotta