Guest post 02: 'Countryhello from Southern Sweden!'

Hello, Minna Mercke Schmidt here from 'Blomsterverkstad' in Sweden.
(I'm originally from Finland, but live in Sweden with my Danish husband & three children. )


This is the very first time I'm blogging elsewhere and I am so excited!  I am also very honoured that darling Charlotta asked me, and glad to get the change to get to know her friends!
This blog world really is a fantastic place - so much inspiration and so many new friends! I've even managed to change my profession from sales to styling & photography. So go girls, if you have a dream, make it happen!!!

Four years ago when we moved to the countryside, I discovered all the fantastic materials in the forest. Soon the house was filled with my creations. Because none of my friends were interested in my wreaths, I started to blog, hoping to find other flower-loving souls out there. And of course there were!! Since then I've had the pleasure of meeting many of them and have visited two 'blog-soulmates' abroad as well; fantastic girls Coty in Australia, and Laetitia in France.

Over here the temperature is dropping. We still get beautiful sunny days, but Summer is definetely over and my favourite season starts. Autums is so beautiful. It feels like I 'wake up'. The air is fresh, the colours are bright and anything is possible! Autumn is like a Monday - a new beginning. The lazy weekend is over and it's time for new adventures!!

Autumn makes me very creative and I never go for a walk without a basket (or at least a jacket with big pockets..!). In this post I'd love to share some of my work with you hoping to give you some inspiration and ideas. Making wreaths is easy once you learn the bacis rules.



Just check out this one below. A bunch of leaves laying around on the lawn can easily be turned to a simple and colourful wreath!

You need a base - a straw wreath, some thin iron/steel wire and wire cutters. Just place the leaves on the straw wreath (leaving the back of the wreath bare) and attach them with the wire as shown below.

This next wreath is made using the same principles. The materials are wired onto the wreath base, and as you can see the materials are from my garden, nothing fancy - but fantastic when used together!







Another easy and decorative idea is to place pumpkins and some leaves in a old tool box like this.



It's been a pleasure to meet you, I hope that I'm not too pushy with my decorations - it just feels that it's my mission to tell everyone how easy, fun and meditative it is to make things with your own hands! On my blog Blomsterverkstad you'll find more inspiration for making wreaths and other decorations, kitchen gardening (my new hobby) and lots of beautiful fleamarket findings.

Hugs to you all!

Minna :)

 
Images: All photographs by Minna Mercke Schmidt

**************************** * ****************************

TUSEN TACK Minna for this gorgeous post and your stunning photographs!  

I LOVE how you refer to Autumn as a Monday - 'a fresh start'. That is exactly how I feel and I am so ready to leap out into the Swedish Autumn bliss and enjoy it to the full! Just have to shake the nasty influenza I have been bedridden with since I landed in Stockholm on Sunday.. Life amongst brightly coloured leaves and fresh air awaits!!

And Minna may I just say that I will be knocking on your door for many more creative chats when I move back to Sweden next year! I'll be your 'creative apprentice' (slave if you want!! :) Bright eyed & bushy tailed I will follow you every instruction. You rock girl!!

So my darlings, I know you really enjoyed this. For more amazing ideas and for details of how to buy Minna's wonderful book, please click on the banner below! You will love this blog!

Next in this lovely series of guest bloggers I look forward introducing you to sweet Anna who blogs over at La Boheme. Anna  is originally from the Czech Republic but has settled in lovely San Francisco where she shares with us her thoughts on Autumn. I love this girl!

 

xx Charlotta