Snowed In

Today I was snowed in and unfortunately the boiler broke completely this morning so we have no heating or hot water. Lots of hot cups of tea and candles have kept me a bit warm. It looks quite nice and cosy but my fingers and feet are starting to feel differently. There is no doubt that the snow is looking beautiful, but hopefully it will soon clear so life can get back to normal and we can travel to and from work again. I need another hot cup of tea now!!

Christmas Sparkle

I love sparkly things, I know I use the word sparkle and love a lot... I am just happy that the tree still have some needles left, we got it for the 1st Advent so it's already done 3 weeks of hard work in our house, spreading joy and smelling absolutely divine. Last night it started snowing in Surrey - wow it was amazing, so beautiful and white! I almost imagined Santa coming on his sleigh with the reindeers and all... it was a rare treat to say the least for all us living south! Camera was out and snow fight was on!

A House Full Of Christmas

There is room for Christmas in every corner of my house, well not exactly room but I just add it anyway! It helps me get in the festive spirit and hopefully everyone that visits too. I love having people around all year around but especially at Christmas, and I like to inpose some Swedish traditions onto people! Glögg is one of my favourites, it's the Swedish version of mulled wine but oh, so much nicer. (It's been confirmed by many non-Swedes, I promise!) It has such a special place with me at Christmas that it has it's own sparkly red "dress".. If anyone fancy giving it a go they sell it in IKEA....

Glögg

I dry oranges for the 1st of Advent and let the smells of Christmas fill the house

More Christmas Baking

I made my first ever Christmas cake this year. We tried it yeasterday and it was nice, although I think it looked better than it tasted if I am honest! I might stick to chocolate in the future...

Christmas Baking

December is such a lovely time, the run-up to Christmas is the best, although it can be very stressful too. That's why I like baking, it relaxes me and takes my mind off the daily stress. Making home made treats and filling your home with decorations is lovely, especially home made one's like baked oranges with cloves and cinamon sticks tied together with red ribbons, it looks pretty and your home will be filled with lovely Christmassy scents. This year I made my first English Christmas cake (very exciting), in October I made the cake and the other day I iced it. Can't wait to try it! It just needs some final decorative touches now..

Swedish saffron bread and Christmassy bisquits with nuts and raisins


Tomato and apple chutney - nice on home made Christmas loaf.

I wish I had more time to potter around, and to blog! My computer is broken.. so have just a few stolen moments to catch up here.. will start soon to paint at home, will definately include some photo-evidence on here when finished. Until then enjoy the autumn! (I realise my bedroom window makes one more think of summer...)

The last memory of summer

Winter is approaching, it's getting colder and darker and we are having to pack the last of summer away. I tidied up my garden a couple of weekends ago and made room for the autumn and winter plants. This lovely sunflower was still soldiering on and is now brightening things up in the house. Of the six seeds I planted this was the only survivor. But it gave lots of joy and still after 2 weeks after being moved to a jam jar (!) it's looking sunny and sweet. It reminds me of our summer holiday in France, driving past all those golden fields packed with sunflowers, stopping for picnics and enjoying wine, cheese and french bread.. Sunshine in a jar!!

Homemade Mintsauce

Earlier this summer I wanted to plant and grow herbs but I ran out of pots so I used an old wine box, it looks lovely I think. We've had sage, chives and lemon thyme all summer.. the basil didn't make it unfortunately. First I also planted mint (I am new at this) in the same pot - until I realised that mint grows and spreads until it takes over completely.. so I had to move it to it's own pot. We also have several pots of rosemary, a must when cooking lamb. Serve with homemade mint sauce on the side obviously, just add some white vinegar and caster sugar to freshly chopped mint and let it infuse.. enjoy with your Sunday roast!

Mintsauce!

Homemade

The blackberries arrived early this year, have had some lovely days out picking. They look like black diamonds! But it comes at a price, scratches all over arms and legs, and itchy nettle stings.. but then it's all worth it in the end.. Have already had endless of yummy desserts and made batches of jam. It's amazing what nature has to offer, and it's free!

Basic old fashioned blackberry jam:

1 kg blackberries

500 gram sugar (or half the weight of the berries)

Some lemon juice

Place your berries in a pan and leave to cook down a bit, then add the sugar and let it cook for about 1 hour

Skim off the surface and add some freshly squeezed lemon juice

Clean your jam jars in the dishwasher and then spoon your jam in - let cool a bit before putting away

Now all you have to do is enjoy!

(ps this is my own receipe, but there are loads out there to choose from obviously)

Merengues with blackberry jam - all homemade of course

Beautiful France

I love France, everywhere you look you see lovely things.. We had a lovely holiday and I got lots of inspiration for the autumn. I will start a few projects for the house. I went out Charity shop shopping this weekend and found a few things that made me feel a little bit like I was still in France.. pictures coming soon...

The Country Home Party

These are just some of the beautiful things we will show at a Country Home Party! It is very tempting isn't it.... I love this stylish wine and water carafe that are so useful, leave them on your dining table at all times as a nice display.

Stylish wine and water carafe

Lace lamp shade


For all pirates and princesses


Lovely rose soaps


Candle holders in gorgeous colours

Amazing wine diary for all wine lovers

Olive branch and lovely Durance for the shower

My favourite milk jug

A useful and lovely way to store your toiletries

Everything for a busy day in the kitchen

Change the look of your furniture quickly

Lovely quilt and pillow case

My favourite room

Our bedroom is my favourite room, it's light and has a romantic feel. This jewellery cabinet is brilliant and so beautiful - I only wish I could paint myself then I would do the same with more furniture. If we could we would change lots of things in our little home, but when times are hard you have to think of small things to do, I have bought cheap frames in sales and framed post card - it looks pretty and makes it very personal. And every time I look at them it makes me think of the people who sent me the post cards - who says that the old fashioned way of writing letters and post card is a thing of the past!

jewellery cabinet japanese style


has saved the bedroom from being cluttered

pretty framed post cards

Sharing with friends

When I came from work last night I thought that it would be nice to have some strawberries after dinner, I looked out the window and there was this little chap, happily munching away. He was so cute that I just had to let him get on with it.. I've heard they are selling strawberries in the supermarket for £1.99 at the moment...

cheeky little squirrel

Strawberries

Finally the first strawberries from our little plants are ready to eat, midsummer weekend wouldn't be midsummer without strawberries. You don't need a big garden to grow your own! Our next project is to start growing herbs, we don't have much room left on our little patio but I have a plan!

Plants

Flowers and plants can make all the difference in your home, at the moment I am in love with my pink Orchid, I am giving it lots of TLC and hoping that it will flower all summer. It has brightened up our otherwise very white bedroom so much this little beauty of a plant. This is why I love my white walls and furniture - you can easily change the feel of a room with a few simple details, like flowers or accessories. Light pastell colours feel right this summer, I am going for light greens and pink.

A tip where to find your wines this summer

I just want to tell you about a great wine shop in Reigate, called The Vineking,
the staff is great and what a selection! You will find more wines in this very small but perfectly constructed shop than in most supermarkets put together! I can strongly recommend it! If you are far from Reigate, they also take orders over the phone. But for an old fashion shopping experience, with the added pleasure of a natter with 'The Vinekings' - visit the shop! http://www.thevineking.com/

Swedish Midsummer

On Friday the 19th June the Swedes will be celebrating the biggest holidays of the year - midsummer! It's a wonderful tradition and it marks the start of summer, and the summer in Sweden is short so this is very important. We celebrate with a feast of Swedish food including pickled herring and boiled new potatoes with dill (and much more), and usually the grand finale of the meal will be the first strawberries of the year! We have traditional costumes for almost every part of Sweden, and they are worn at midsummer together with flowers made into a wreath for the girls to wear in their hair. A maypole is raised and everyone will dance traditional ring-dances around it. Traditionally on your way home in the late hours of the night, you would pick 7 different kinds of flowers and place them under the pillow, and your future husband will appear in your dreams!


This year my friends have organised what might turn out to be the best midsummer party in London yet, it will be held in their lovely big beer garden at the back of their pub - The Kings Arms in Wandsworth. It is a beautiful garden, and it's big enough to fill it with lots of people eager to join the festivities. I am really looking forward to it! Should you feel tempted, follow the link to their Facebook page and sign up. You can buy tickets for £20, I promise that it will be a great evening!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/ical/event.php?eid=81312623772

My Garden

This is an exciting time, watching everything coming out in blossom.. I watch my pots every day. Even if you don't have a big garden there is still a lot you can grow. My Clematis with light purple flowers is looking gorgeous, even though it's still got quite a bit to grow and climb the flowers are quite breathtaking! I am looking forward to a few Strawberries, although I love the plants now too, it's little white flowers are so delicate..

The Start...

I am excited, really really excited.

I have to admit that I have missed the Swedes and the way they (we) love their home.

We put in a lot of effort and care to make our homes 'ombonade', one short word meaning nice, cosy, stylish and somewhere where you can really relax and feel comfortable and proud. Your home.

I have been living and working in London for 6 years and when a friend of mine sent me a link to Nordljus website I fell in love. I was looking through it every day dreaming of surrounding myself with all these beautiful things. It's corny no doubt. What can I say, I am totally and completely a romantic fool. I love everything pretty, romantic and beautiful. If I could live on a fluffy pink cloud I probably would. My fiancee says he has never met anyone like me, which of course I am taking as a compliment! If you are now feeling a bit nauseous I can understand, but I will still not feel bad about it.

But I do believe that if you have a home that looks nice, feels cosy and you feel happy living in, proud to show off - then you will be a happier person!

I am very proud to now call myself part of the Nordljus team, and I want to spread the word! I wish that my blog can help you feel inspired, the way that I have been inspired. Tack Lina och Jakob!

Now, I could go on and on, but I won't. I will be back of course with more news of the development of Nordljus Home UK, but in the meantime should you want to see what I am talking about, go to our website and browse our products. As I am just starting this up in the UK, everything on our website is at the moment in Swedish, but I am working hard transferring everything about Nordljus to the UK right now.

If you have any questions I will try my best to answer. And if you want to work with me, selling Nordljus products with our Country Home Party I am here to tell you all about it.

This blog will hopefully help you feel inspired and be a useful support for all Nordljus sales representatives. And of course all customers wishing to ask any questions.

Jennie