Split gateway......

going downstairs.

I believe you dear readers know by now, that I'm a slow doer.

Still my determination is just as strong as this iron gate! 

 

My truly beloved french antique find, bought many years ago,

 has finally been tranformed and split into two shutters

for the stairs leading up/down to my workshop.

I'm so fortunate to have the most wonderful and skilful blacksmith in

my team of craftsmen, we've been working together for a couple of days,

trying to figure out the best way to do this.

 Made-to-measure doesn't come prefabricated!

 

He's put his heart into this wicked idea of mine and

 I'm so grateful for his brilliant solutions!!!

 

My perservering plans are in progress, the next will be 

some work in reinforced concrete.

It's September and normally the beginning of fall should be 

crispy and chilly but the weather is absolutely gorgeous here 

in Stockholm,  the breeze is warm and the sky is bluer than blue!

Thanks!

❤

4,2 m head high

oops...I had not realized I've been out of the blog for that long!

I've been so focused on keeping my head high and above

the water (funny saying!!) with classes in art noveau

and taking care of old and new customers....

It made me realize the other day how much at ease I am

with high ceiling areas. This may be one of the reasons I

 agreed upon having the inner ceiling of our kitchen/dinner area

removed and opened up many years ago, but not until many years 

before that of my husband's harping or his determined plan to get

it his way...like all those corks of champagne that popped for 

the old ceiling every New Year's eve leaving big holes. 

Everything has a reason I later understood.

 Now, I may be the dictator when it comes to the interior decorating

at home, but I shall not take credit for this successful plan of his.

 We have lived in this old house for nearly 30 years and

if I remember correctly the original beams were revealed 

some 12 years ago. A massive job I mostly try not recall.

 This little chap was only a teenager by then

and a most active hunter for magpies, bringing them into the

house as he still does each spring, perhaps a little smaller nowadays!

The final hight sets to 4,20 mtrs, acoustics is great with a built-in

surround linked system, that sometimes drives me crazy 

trying to run it when I'm home alone. Saying this was not my

installation either....it somewhat came with beams...sort of!

Over the years this space has become the natural heart to be in.

The teve is running and of course hubby's making supper,

I saw some raw lobster on the countertop earlier today!

Sweet weekend everyone

❤

Red and white

I'm not really that into Christmas reds,

still this Amaryllis is a fav and a tradition among others.

It's hard to find this deep red one and this year I was lucky 

to have one early in the season. It's about to come into flower and will

probably be over before Christmas. I do hope to find a new one this week.

 Yesterday the house was dressed for festivities with friends and family. 

The little silver ornaments were hung in thin metal wires.

 Today we're slowly cleaning up the house......starting all over in a couple of days!

❤

Happy 3rd advent

Bakom lås o bom!!!

Så pass klara att dörrarna nu kan stängas och utvändig

 målning kan ta vid, hela huset luktar av god linolja.

Lite osäkra är vi om de gamla fönsterbladen skall målas,

därför skall den nybyggda stommen få sig en strykning till att

börja med i en mjölkad ljusgrå nyans av egen riven linoljefärg.

 Ett litet nytillverkat vred i patinerad mässing från Sollefteå antik,

för att hålla dörrarna på plats.

 One happy wife and I'm rather sure a very pleased husband,

starting the holiday off with building a cupboard for the kitchen.

 Using a pair of some 150 years old windows, 

constructing all the rest by himself.

I have to keep in mind that he's not a carpenter by profession,

but I'm getting more and more convinced he has a new career 

after retiring from flying the world as a long distance pilot.

I love this new cupboard

and I ❤ my man!

Every millimeter of the storage shelves

are filled up with things I couldn't part from after freshening up the kitchen.

The old china by Rörstrand is mainly from 1850-1910.

 The change for new white tiles at least did the trick

and along with the removal of two cupboards,

the light coming in from the bay window is now optimal.

Below you find a picture of the very same wall......before!

Have a great day ❤

En weekend i pyjamas med Ottosson färg

alldeles för ivrig med att shellacka, grunda, slipa o måla,

när kakelsättningen väl är klar.

Greppa inte den där målarpenseln innan morgonpiffet är klart,

hela helgen försvann med i ett moln av annat spackel och damm

Otålig som man är måste det ju prövas lite på hyllorna

innan den bleka pärlgrå linoljan skall strykas och en del 

justeringar åtgärdas.

Nästa projekt som väntar, men nu är pyjamasen utbytt 

mot en ren och en skön kudde väntar på en kind!

❤

Never grab that paintbrush before the Saturday breakfast,

I've been in my pjs this whole weekend, once I got started I worked 

until I was out of shellac, putty and linseed oil. 

I will never let anyone else but myself to apply the linseed

oil indoors, it demands a lot of patience and meticulously

thin coats than need to dry up a couple of days in between.

Painting with linseed oil is an old tradition in Sweden.

Ottosson färgmakeri is today one of our best manufacturers.

The company has many good tutorials on Youtube.

This is one to start with!

Closed doors

would be nice for a new cupboard in the kitchen.

 Made to measure is my intention for this project

(and a cleaner outlook)

There is a couple of old doors remaining from another one 

So I'm into drawing.....and persuading!!

All for a good cause...less polishing seems to

be a great argument to this one.

❤ Wish me luck ❤

Make me pretty

the toolbox is closed for now

but

the box with paintbrushes just opened up

 time for some serious hours (and days) with putty and linseed oil

Then the marble counter top 

 The returning daylight is merciless, 

but so am I working my spatels and brushes.

My intention is to match the old cupboard in the kitchen,

painted many years ago in a soft greyish tone

 Handles and knobs will also be the same

I will be awarded a home cooked Japenese dinner tonight,

feels like my work today it's worth it

❤

and

there's a funny combination of aromas

in my kitchen right now!

Meanwhile.....

awaiting for that marble counter top to arrive,

the new bay window in the kitchen area is finally opened up.

The scaffolds came down the other day and cleared the view,

a first coat of paint will do for now!

Today's view is pretty covered in fresh white snow

and the 90 year old laburnum tree in front is standing strong.

Tomorrow's buffet for the annual Christmas party

 with family and friends is being prepared.

Hubby,

 the pilot chef is in charge of pots and pans,

 enjoying his time off!

I better lay that table......❤

Hiding out.....

doors,

but still on the inside from the cold nips.

Yesterday at 4:00 pm. 

Today at 10:00 am, the second of Advent.

We just made in time for the snow to show up!!

❤❤❤