Wordle Fun

The Blog World seems to be having fun with Wordle. This is mine:

Gosh, I've been going on about my trip to Sweden a bit haven't I......must be boring everyone. I like the way I have the words 'Started' and 'New' but not 'finished'. Hmmm...it appears that I want to start and do lots of new things, but never get around doing them. This is quite fun. Looking forward to seeing more of these wordles on other bloggers sites.

Innocent Big Knit

Hey the Innocent Big Knit has started again!! Thanks Lupin for the reminder.! I didn't get involved last year as I only found out toward the end of October and by that time it was finished. However, I did buy a mini woolly hat. It is all down to this little hat that I started to knit again and gained the confident to knit more. Here is a photo of the hat I bought and the one I attempted to knit:

These mini figures represent a married couple and was given to me as a present by my business partner who was also my bridesmaid. The wooly hats have been keeping them warm. Hee! Hee!

Crafting and Baking with the Rascal

The long weekend was dedicated to baking and crafting as well as my daughter's first visit to the dentist. She asked the dentist, Mr Lee, was whether he was a good person, after that she allowed him to count her teeth. I have to say that she was very well behaved, unlike her Mum who was terrified of the dentist and had to be dragged screaming and kicking. Hee! Hee!

I made some chocolate walnut brownies and strawberry fresh cream roll. Both so yummy. Due to our new venture I will be doing a lot more baking from now on.

I wanted to do some crafting with my daughter this weekend to keep her away from the Nintendo and Television. She is still too young to start knitting and sewing. So I got some ribbons, craft glue, a piece of fabric, a picture frame and some buttons together and we made this:

I made sure that my Husband got rid of the glass pane first, we then stuck the fabric and ribbons onto the cardboard. It was my daughter's idea to stick the buttons onto the frame and now she has a pretty frame to clip all her hairclips. This frame is inspired by this book, which we originally bought to get some ideas for her bedroom.

Finished Airy Scarf and A New Venture

Last week I met up with the lovely Kyoko from Cotton and Cloud after work at Canary Wharf. We planned to have coffee, but ended up having dinner AND coffee. It is so nice to meet up with someone who loves knitting (and sewing) just as much as I do, but her work is far more advance than mine. She gave me so much advice on where to buy the best knitting supplies (on Etsy) and offered to teach me Fair Isle knitting.....wow...what can I say. She also asked me how my knitting is comming on...and 'slow' is the answer. So that evening and (the next evening) I dedicated the my free time to finish off the Airy Scarf from this book. Here is the finish product: (Photo taken by the lovely Grace Lee, my new business partner and the new owner of this scarf)

I also told her about my new venture with Grace, Simply sCRUMBlicious TM. We have started a small business baking handmade cakes and chocolate. We have been doing this for a while, informally and free of charge to friends and family, but we decided to really go for it now. I have started a blog, but it is still a work in progress. Our first 'formal' project is the Wemake Christmas craft fair on the 6 December 2008. I sent them an e-mail asking whether we could have a table to provide Cake, Tea and Chocolate, and they were very welcoming and enthuastic. Yes, we are very excited about the whole thing. I'm hoping to get the new blog up and running soon, and will send a link once it is done. I will still blog about my knitting and sewing on this blog.

Sweden: Part III (Final) Stockholm

Stockholm was our final journal before we headed by to Gothenburg to take the plane back to London. My rascal and family decided not to go to Stockholm because they were feeling a bit tired so they drove back to Gothenburg, leaving Jackson, one of my cousin and me to travel to Stockholm by ourselves. I think this was a good plan, as my rascal wanted to go to Lisberg Fun Fair again.

We found out that it was the Euro Pride festival at Stockholm and there were so many 'proud couples' there. We thought we go to Kulturhuset (Culture House - art exibitions) for a coffee and apple cake on the top floor, where we dined with lots of proud people, which was a bit strange but interesting.

We spent our whole day walking around Stockholm (good exercise) passing the Royal Palace, Riddarhuset (Swedish Parliament), Nobelmuseet (Nobel Museum - history of the Nobel Prize), Queen Street, the old shopping street. The next day (we stayed at one of my Cousin's flat in Stockholm) we visited the Swedish Millenium Dome, a market where they sell Flowers and Fruits, and serveral department stores including NK as it was raining.

We then took the fast train back to Gothenburg for our flight back to London.

I would definately visit Sweden again and now that we have done all the touristy things, next time I will visiting more Arts and Crafts places.

Here are some photos:

Swedish Craft Shop

Guards outside the Royal Palace

Fabrics and Fabric Gifts

The Swedish Millenium Dome

Sweden Part II: Jonkopping

Jonkopping is where my Aunty and Cousins were originally based, a lovely city near Sweden's second largest lake. Only one of my Cousin, her husband and her dog still live there and we decided to take the whole family to visit them. As we travelled there by car the scenery bought back memories of my first trip there when I was 11 years old. I remember lots of forest and plenty of green space to cycle. When we got there it had changed so much that I almost didn't recognise it. There was a lot more roads, building and new apartments. Children still swin in the lovely lake, but I could not find the small shop where I bought my straw hat. Well it has been 20 years.

As we were driving there we drove past the Husqvarna Fabriksmuseum, however, I was travelling with non-crafty people so I had to give it a miss (if anyone has been there let me know whether it is any good). We spent a day in the lovely village of Granna and Visingso. I remember climbing up the church tower in Vinsingso when I was 11 and I found the stairwell very cramped compared to last time, must be all the baby weight which I haven't been able to lose....Hee! Hee!

Here are some photos:

Tarta - a Swedish Savory cake in layers of prawn, chicken, vegetable and salad cream. Made by my cousin

Arriving by ferry to the Island of Visingso

Finally getting to the top of the church (we travelling around the Island by a horse carriage)

One of the famous sweet shops in Granna where they make the sweets by hand at the shop

Sun set at Sweden's 2nd largest lake, if you look carefully you can see shadows of my family

Sweden Part I: Gothenburg

Hello! I'm back from my week off and we manage to pack so many activities during this time. My rascal went to the cinema for the first time to watch Kung Fu Panda. She also went on her first holiday to Sweden with my husband, my parents, my brother and course moi. I have an Aunty and five Cousins who we haven't seen for two years. It was so lovely meeting them again and visiting Sweden after more than 15 years.

I have decided to split this post into three parts as we visited three cities; Gothenburg (Goteburg), Jonkoping and Stockholm.

First stop was Gothenburg where my cousins are based where we spent three days:

Salhuhallen Goteborg, indoor market in Kurgstorget

Gotheborgs Utkiken (The Lipstick Tower) and views from the top

Inside a lovely Sweden 'Handmade' shop which also sells yarn and fabrics.

Lisberg Park, on a Dala Horse (the Swedish people makes these by hand)

A Swedish Moose (pronounce as 'elk' in Swedish) at Slottsskogen where they have the largest stuff Whale at the Natural History Museum in the Park

We also went on the Paddan boat trip where, at a two points, you have to sit on the floor so the boat can pass through two low bridge (cheese slicer), the Gothenburg Art Museum, Universeum (not advisable to go in when it is more than 30 degree celcius outside as it has an indoor rainforest) and the open tour bus. Part II will follow.