The helylle-foträta styling experience

A walk in the forest - skogspromenad

2009-11-01T12:17:00.003+01:00

A walk in the woods. Quiet, still and a constant hollering of children finding mushroom, moss covered stones in troll shapes and - ?? What is this??

We saw the golden shining reflections from far away and made our way through the underwood.

Some kind of balloons??

Yes indeed, a whole bunch of balloons for Mother's day - which is in May... We also found the biggest mushrooms I have ever seen!! Is it edible? Poisonous? No idea, but it sure was impressive.

Mess and colour - stök och färg

2009-10-28T15:50:00.004+01:00

Over at A common place life you can read a post about sharing the real - real life. I think I always have, some of you remember the messy mirrors, unmade beds and other unwomanly sights I've shared with you.

But, I have to confess I never post a picture of myself that I find unkind and unflattering... That's ok by me. And I bet those of you posing to post do the same!?

But in order to stay true to myself I've found it helpful to stay within the range of probability- or running in to other bloggers would be embarrassing (you know I found out that Jeanette at Handmade lives across the park from me).

So here it comes:

Late October is grey and dark. I do my best to bring colour to people I meet. I turned it up a notch - behold the Tizian red! (Yes, I make as much fuss about my hair as ever before - I just spare you the details.)

Speaking of colours, this is my closet. The mess below is real too. The little man is away with his father for a few days and since I don't have to rush in to his room when he has a nightmare I don't worry about the lego on the floor. The pain of stepping on a piece of lego with sleepy feet is close to that of a biliary colic (that's my new word for today = gallstensanfall!)

2009-10-26T19:49:00.003+01:00

No, I was all wrong in my last post. It wasn't glamour I needed, it was a good old night in with different projects going on and lots of tea and cookies. I got it and now I'm human again.

tisdag - tristdag

2009-10-20T20:04:00.002+02:00

Some days just don't lift. They stay at ankle height and just work their way down. Today was like that to me. No clementines left, one week to pay day, dog hair everywhere, dishes and brain killing drama for teenagers on TV. But do I complain? Yes. Bring me some glamour. Quick.

En del dagar lyfter inte. De håller sig i ankelhöjd och jobbar sig nedåt. Så var det för mig idag. Inga clementiner kvar, en vecka till lön, hundhår överallt, disk och hjärndöd tonårsdrama på TV. Men klagar jag? Japp. Ge mig lite glamour. Snabbt.

Tabi socks and tea

2009-10-19T19:27:00.005+02:00

I bought a pair of Japanese Nike sneakers. That was in July so I had plenty of time to finish the tabi-socks in alpacca. Now I'm warm and cosy, bring on the autumn storms! I'm also armed with incredibly delicious saffron tea so there's no stopping me now.

Update

2009-10-16T10:18:00.005+02:00

If you're paying attention you can hear the cranes passing over the city, hovering high up in the air. I consider them my birds but this time every year I realize they belong somewhere else too. beautiful birds. The japanese think so too.

Since it's been a while I'm updating my personal info through the help of Alexis.

The thing is to answer in one word - just one.

1. Where is your mobile phone? Bra

2. Your hair? Short

3.Your mother? Intense

4. Your father? Dead

5. Your favourite food? Müsli

6. Your dream last night? Forgot

7. Your favourite drink? Gin&tonic

8. Your dream/goal? Peace

9. What room are you in? Office (!)

10. Your hobby? Living

11. Your fear?Loss

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? San Fransisco

13. Where were you last night? Choir rehearsal

14. Something that you aren’t? Quiet

15. Muffins? Blueberry

16. Wish item? Sewing machine

17. Where did you grow up? Vänersborg

18. Last thing you did? Staffmeeting

19. What are you wearing? Sneakers

20. Your TV? Ignored

21. Your pet? Kids

22. Friends? Few

23. Your life? Rewarding

24. Your mood? Relaxed

25. Missing someone? Grandma

26. Vehicle? Minivan

27. Something you’re not wearing? Ladylike

28. Your favorite store? Myrorna

29. Your favorite color? Green

30. When was the last time you laughed? Today

31. Last time you cried? Forgotten

32. Your best friend? Husband

33. One place that I go to over and over? Österlen

34. One person who emails me regularly? Boss

35. Favorite place to eat? Home

And I'd like to add:
36. Tattoo? Lizard

37. Work disciplin? Mostly

38. Why do you blog? Share
39. Skill you wish you had? Cartwheeling

40. Favorite trait in others? Tolerance
Play along, if you like!

Höst och återkomst - Autumn and return

2009-10-15T19:16:00.005+02:00

Kära, kära vänner.

Jag har egentligen inte haft något särskilt för mig sedan sist, jag har bara levt livet, vardagslivet utan större åthävor. Ibland är det tillräckligt. Det finns några djupsinnigheter jag tänkt ut som jag nog delger er så småningom. Just nu är jag bara tacksam om någon av er är kvar där ute.

Dear, dear friends.

I haven't really been up to anything special since my last post. I've just been living my life, an ordinary life without any fuss. Sometimes that's enough. I have some profound thoughts I'll probably share with you ecentually. For now, I'm just gratful if anyone is still out there.

You'd never have guessed...

2009-08-16T12:22:00.004+02:00

A couple of nights ago I met with Jeanette and Monne to craft and chat (and eat and drink). Jeanette explained to me how the linking to other's older posts work - which would've made my last post quite different because I would've guided you to the posts I was referring to (are you following??).

Jeanette: You just click on the headline of the post you want to link to.

Me: ??

Jeanette: Yeah, and then you copy and paste.

A big slamming sound fills the room and a light appears - Anna is getting the concept.

Me: You mean that's why the headlines are underlined? To show that they are clickable?

Jeanette nods in astonishment over the abyss of no-nothing I reveal.

Me: I just thought that was for decoration and to emphasize the headlines...

Monne: More wine, anyone?

Loose ends and oddities - philosophing over the state of things

2009-08-12T15:34:00.005+02:00

A smile for those of you who are still out there.
My head is full of posts I've read over at various blogs, i.e Eleanor's post sometime ago, about jeans. Or the impossibility to find comfortable jeans. I love baggy jeans but I'm very concerned about my butt in them and never am quite relaxed. I still hope to find the perfect fit and the perfect hue of denim. I wonder why I don't stop chasing the perfect pair, because deep down I know there is no such thing.

Ett litet leende till er som är kvar.
Jag har huvudet fullt av saker jag läst på olika bloggar, bl a Eleanors inlägg om det omöjliga i att hitta sköna jeans. Jag älskar säckiga jeans men kan inte slappna av angående min rumpa. Jag hoppas fortfarande hitta det perfekta paret - fast jag vet att det inte existerar.

I read another post at Anna Stilla about the glorious shape of Venus of Willendorf and thought a little about the possibility that they ( women of the Stone Age) held this as an unreachable ideal, because seriously, we've all heard of the Neolithic diet, right? No way they could have looked like that. But she's really cute.
Jag läste ett annat inlägg hos Anna Stilla om Venus från Willendorfs sköna form. Jag tänkte lite att det kanske var ett ouppnåeligt ideal för dem, för inte kunde de se ut så där med den mathållningen? Stenåldersdiet är ju inget man blir fet av, precis. Men söt är hon.

I've also been thinking a lot about the economic crisis. Or the lack of evidence of it. Shopping in Sweden reached new heights during July. People spent 18 % more money on clothes and shoes this summer than they did last July.
Do we consume to quiet the anxiety over the crisis? Or take our responisibility as citizens and shop as much as we can to make the wheels keep turning?
I read somewhere that if you can make a cup of coffe, take a shower and have butter at home you belong to the absolute upper class of this planet.

Jag har också tänkt en del på den ekonomiska krisen. Eller brist på bevis för den. I juni slog detaljförsäljningen nya rekord. Svenskarna handlade skor och kläder för 18% mer än förra året samma månad. Shoppar man för att glömma krisen? Eller vill man bidra till att hjulen snurrar vidare?
Jag läste någonstans att om man kan göra en kopp kaffe, ta en dusch och har smör hemma tillhör man världens absoluta överklass.
What do I do with my lust to consume things? Try to buy as much second hand as I can, which really isn't hard in a city like Malmö - and also used clothes for instance doesn't have that uncomfortable stiffness that new clothes often have. Best thing of course is to hug or kiss someone instead of shopping. Or blog.
Or do it yourself, but I don't have to tell you that!

Vad gör jag med min lust att konsumera? Föröker köpa så mycket begagnat som möjligt, vilket inte är svårt i en stad som Malmö. Och dessutom är second hand kläder mycket skönare än nya. Bäst att pussa och krama någon i stället för att shoppa. Eller blogga. Eller tillverka själv. Men det behöver jag ju inte tala om för er!

2009-07-21T17:07:00.002+02:00

Yes, we've come a long way this week. Well, not we, Siri has. She got caught in origami frenzy last week, folding cranes and frogs. A giant leap to, yes, you're correct; it's Yoda. My photo doesn't do him justice. He's got little fingers and a neat little cape. My biggest frenzy, as always, is shoes. I found these at a church thrift store for less than £10. They're genuine Earth Shoes, originally from Denmark and usually come at the proce of £80. I'm extremely pleased, comfortable and pretty as they are.

All of me!

I've made a little hanger for my necklaces of an old school ruler. I made some of the necklaces too, come to think of it!

I'm here. With you.

2009-07-20T23:41:00.004+02:00

Tonight I feel very emotional. And present in the world. Why? I don't know. Sometimes you just hit a philosophical inner string and it keeps sounding.

You know the feeling you get when travelling on a train? You pass through the middle of little towns - instead of riding on the highway around them. If you're lucky you get all sorts of glimpses from ordinary people's ordinary lives. (I know, I know "what's ordinary anyway??")

I love that feeling of participation and coherence. We're all in this together-kinda-feeling. Blogging does that for me, too. I've been browsing and visiting new acquaintances and old friends. I know it's the walk-on-the-moon-anniversary tonight but that doesn't really impress me.

The fact that so many of us share and give so much, quite philantropically and unselfishly (though it really doesn't matter why you give, actions count!), impress me. That we as humans continue to try to make good without knowing for certain that we'll ever get anything in return.

Sending you lots of love and thankfulness for sharing this experience of living, blogging, sharing and giving with me.

I'm giving you Muminmamman as an illustration to the wonder of loving and giving.

Royal Danish + Delft + TV nostalgia

2009-07-18T21:21:00.004+02:00

The quilt is ready. I will never show a close-up of it because I'm not a meticulous person, I'm afraid. Fast-and-finished is more me. And really, who'd examine those seams anyway? Just thought I'd spare you the sight of them...
Feeling a little like two odd pieces of china in this outfit. But good china.
Mitt lapptäcke är färdigrenoverat. Jag kommer aldrig att visa någon närbild för jag är ingen noggrann person, tyvärr. Sömmarna är sneda och ojämna men helhetsintrycket är skönt, tycker jag. Kjolen och toppen får mig att känna mig som två delar udda porslin. Fast fint porslin, så klart!
In the early 70s there was a TV series called Familjen Ashton or Family at War in English. In those days there only were two channels to watch in Sweden so we all watched the same things (kommer ni ihåg??). Anyway, me, mom and grandma watched it together with immense interest.

Earlier this week Mr Helylle came home from the library with the first season on DVD. I frowned and declared that time had left it's mark on it and that there was no way it could be worth seeing after all this time. Boy, was I wrong! We watched the first 6 episodes last night and as I'm blogging I'm really just waiting for Mr Helylle to put sunshine boy to bed so we can continue....
Maken lånade DVD:n med första säsongen på bibblan. Jag trodde aldrig att det skulle hålla at titta på men det har faktiskt åldrats helt okej. Och 40-tals estetik är sällan fel, vilka kappor de har, damerna.

Meanwhile, enjoy this.

Jösses, det är stark töntvarning över detta inlägg. Men visst är det härligt med nostalgi?

2009-07-16T07:16:00.003+02:00

This is over at Jeanette's place the other evening. Read over at her blog how we met - it's truly wondrous. We had a great night, together with the lovely Monne (back to camera). Good food, cool wine, clever crafting and lots of laughs. Jeanette is making brooches out of tin jars. No material is strange to her, she masters it all from wool to wire. She also masters two houses, two daughters, two cats, one full time job and still makes you feel like you're the most interesting thing that happened to her today.

I'm wearing my new jeans jacket. Summer sale. I haven't had one in 20 years but suddenly felt the urge to purchase one. Does it have to be a middle age crisis? Let's just say I love it.

We've been invaded by a bunch of origami birds. Oldest Miss Helylle has been manic about them. Colouring papres by hand, folding and folding and folding and...

2009-07-12T21:03:00.002+02:00

I've had a couple of weeks off. Wonderful days with the kids in a country house has given me so much joy and love, I feel absolutely recharged.
No, dear people, I'm not loosing it. Just relaxing. Or truthfully, competing over the extra giving of whipped cream to go with the strawberries... Ugliest face won. Wasn't me!
Can you feel the weather? Very warm, no wind, thunder clouds over the horizon and a kind of sticky feeling in the air? Soap bubbles saved that afternoon when we didn't go to the beach and didn't have the energy to play badminton or croquet or card.

Very Scandinavian evenings. Magical stillness and dancing fairies in the meadows...

Never in my life have I seen - and picked - so many wild strawberries as I did one fine day in June. I can't imagine feeling richer than this. Eating something that money just can't buy.

20th of June

2009-06-20T17:37:00.003+02:00

Strawberries and sweet cherry wine is the ultimate taste of summer.

I had a great time last night. In Sweden Midsummer's Eve is a big thing (although since 1954 celebrated on the last Friday before 24th of June and not on the actual day) and your success can be measured in how fancy, genuine and elaborate parties you're invited to.
We stayed at home. Barbecue, wine and a game of card. Oldest and youngest children took part, the rest on their own events.

My very modest project, the remaking of an old quilt. A lot of seams have ripped open and it's too heavy to use. So washing, sewing, mending and lining is required and then, hopefully a cosy, snuggly quilt will make it's way back to the (ugly) sofa in the "library".

For many years, a mature, adult and responsible person, to me was someone who didn't have some old fabric wrapped over their sofa in the living room. This being a result, of course, of the fact that I never wanted to spend (or didn't have) money to purchase a decent sofa.

Creative process

2009-06-18T21:26:00.003+02:00

Isn't this beautiful?? Thanks to peasoup, found it at her blog.

Take a look at this too. Beautiful, too. Nature's nursery, in this case a blåmes at home. (Sorry , look it up in a preferred language!) Tack till Anna Stilla, du skrev om detta för en tid sen.

Wishing you a happy midsummer's weekend!

2009-06-18T07:28:00.003+02:00

Knitting? No. Sewing? No. Blogging? No. Reading your blogs? Yes. Commenting? Not much. In need of a vacation? Yeah.
I have been in a better mood - but also I think in worse. I just don't seem to see any colours, or something like that.
My companion is the trilogy (quadruple?) about Edward and Bella, you know the Twilight series. Don't you wish you had super natural powers too?
If I'm scarce at this sight, it doesn't mean I don't looove your comments and enjoy your company!

A good time

2009-06-07T20:42:00.004+02:00

Här har jag varit. Hos min bror och hans familj på västkusten. Skönt att komma från stan ett tag.

This is where I've been. At my brother's up further north by the coast. Great to get out of town for a while.

Listening is an act of love

2009-05-26T17:55:00.004+02:00

Some time ago (in March, actually..ahem) I won a give away at A common place life. The gift was the book Listening is an act of love from the Storycorps project. It's a wonderful book. I have deliberately read it as slow as possible, wanting it to last but also to let the stories sink in. The concept is to bring someone you love, is curious about, admire, is related to or work with - whatever - into a recording booth and listen as they tell their story. It can be about anything, really, answering a question or just remembering childhood or the the day you met your spouse (as in one story; 60 years ago in another world entirely). The honesty and openness of these stories is amazing.

Storycorps makes a recording, copy it, you get one and they keep the other one as part of a great American collection for the future. Imagine people two hundred years from now listening to stories about ordinary life! Or imagine how it would feel like to be able to listen to somebody from 1809 describing the meaning of life...

I loved the book and it made me feel deeply for the human race, how we struggle in our lives, trying to make sense of the world we live in. And humble, too. Thank you so much, Amy!

A study in rain protection - and the colouring of females

2009-05-24T12:38:00.007+02:00

Saturday started out on a planter's market. For me - the least plant interested person in this marriage- it became an interesting hour or so of observing women's outfits an ordinary rainy day in May. Most of the men seemed to wear jackets without concerns of the weather. Is that typical? As you can see raincoats come in all colours and patterns - which I imagine women kinda lova. Men more often seem to think colours are for sissies, at least for the last couple of hundred years.

But if you're insecure you can always team up with your wife.

Hang your herbs ouside the window! Or close to the kitchen door.

Me and the doggie. Below some of the brave and water resistent ladies at the plant market.

One of the plants that came home with us, getrams in Swedish.

Överraskning!

2009-05-21T08:01:00.004+02:00

I got a package from Australia - a much longed for surprise that I knew was on it's way because the lovely Eleanor wrote and asked for my address. She had found something, she wrote, that was made for me!A pretty card, elegant wrapping and......an übersweet felted brooch!

Meet Bernice, my latest friend from Australia! Bernice can do things with her hair that make people jealous, the law of gravity doesn't apply to her. She is best friends with Valerie, a brooch that lives at Eleanor's. I know all this because it says so on the "adoptions papers" that came along. (Valerie and Bernice met on the school bus, by the way.)
Here she is! Thank you so much, Eleanor. I shall treasure and honour the Beautiful Bernice - and try my very best never to let her slip along into the washing machine.
It took a gift to bring me in front of the mirror again. I have been avoiding it a bit, feeling a little shallow and self absorbed.

Go Norway!

2009-05-17T12:31:00.002+02:00

Congratulations Norway! Not only your National Day but also the day after your victory in the Eurovison Songcontest!

Yes, this is mostly for you, Eleanor. But also for my darling daughters who actually are half Norwegians - but not so very impressed by the artist.

Queen of laconism

2009-05-15T18:06:00.002+02:00

Wishing you a very very happy weekend. I'm fine, how are you?

Alces alces

2009-05-09T09:35:00.002+02:00

Have you ever touched an elk? Feels like nothing el(k)se.

Childhood. We carry all ages with us.

2009-05-02T19:41:00.003+02:00

If I didn't know it I'd never recognize myself. In most pictures yes, but not in this one. My blogfriend Mary did a post about childhood memories and Green girl from Wisconsin did one about childhood lessons. That kind of opened the doors for me.
When I was a little girl:
¤ I had a terry cloth bunny as my favorite pet and couldn't sleep without it.
¤ I didn't eat tomatoes because once I choked on the shell.
¤ I loved PEZ candy but they were hard to get by. Once I got three Donald Ducks from my uncle - heaven!
¤ I wanted a pair of golden sandals more than anything. Never did get any. Am severly compensating as an adult. For me, not for my daughters.
¤ I was told that Ameriva was on the other side of the island across of my grandparent's summerhouse. Never understood why we didn't go there. I do now. The Atlantic was too big for granddad's little rowing boat.
¤ I was shy around other children. Children's table at parties were a secret fear. Adults loved me and my dimple (skrattgrop).
¤ I believed I'd rather have babies than actually make them. Never worked out a solution but time did.
¤ and my father had died I looked for fathers everywhere. My favourite daydream was that Fred Astaire or Pete Seeger came and adopted me. (Or that my mom remarried to Prince Charles...) Honestly.
Looking at the images of Fred and Pete now I can see some similarity between them but no resemblance to dad. Swedish television showed a lot of classic movies on Sunday afternoons when I grew up so that explains the Fred part. About Pete Seeger I have no clue. Must have seen a TV show or something.

Anyway, if Pete had come to adopt me I'd be celebrating his 90th birthday today. Happy birthday!