Week 12

Hi Shanon!
I hope all is well in Minnesota! Here in the north of Sweden we're enjoying sunshine and melting snow, whereas there seems to be snowstorms going on in other parts of the country. Sweden is almost a 1000 miles long from the north to the south, so we have different climates across the country. Usually us northerners are always jealous of the southerners who have warmer weather, a richer abundance of species when it comes to flowers and trees plus they're so much closer to the continent which makes travelling easier. But for today they can be jealous of us and our sunny weather :)
Now that the sun is getting brighter and the weather is getting warmer I'm feeling more creative. I have lots of stuff I want to do, but there is never enough time because of work. One of our projects is to paint a pretty vintage wood/glass cabinet that we bought. We're going to paint it white and use it for books and other stuff. I'm so looking forward to seeing the finished result! Some other white and pretty things are the gillyflowers on our kitchen table. They've been blossoming for about 10 days and are such a joy to look at, and naturally I wanted to share the happiness with you :)
Have a great week Shanon!
xoxo
Moa
Hiya Moa!
It's Sunday afternoon as I write this postcard to you. It's been 4 straight days of college basketball here. It's known as March Madness, when all the top schools begin their playoffs for the National Championship. It's also Ben's birthday weekend. His birthday is on Monday, tomorrow, but we tend to indulge and celebrate over the weekend as well, whichever weekend is closest to the actual date of our birthday. We also tend to open our presents/cards/etc. early. We are impatient in that way! Haha So, my postcard this week is of my present to him. It's a fancy golf shirt.
I have to say, I'm ready for the weekend to end. It's been a four day weekend in our household because the games started on Thursday. I do really like watching college basketball, but the house is a mess, I'm a mess, there are pizza boxes and guacamole bowls everywhere. Send help! lol
See you here next week. If I manage to pull myself together well enough! =D
xoxo,
Shanon

Week 11

Hi Shanon!
Are you getting any more spring signs over in Minnesota? This past week we had some really warm days (like +8C) so lots of snow melted. I took a little walk on Friday with my camera, dressed in my new spring jacket. The sun was shining and even though it was a bit colder again, I pretended that it was May :) My postcard this week is from that walk, I snapped a shot of a carpet-beating rack that was peeking out from under the snow. I always love when things that have been hidden during the winter start coming forth again, even if it's nothing more romantic than a muddy mitten :)
It's been a lovely week for me since I've had my sports holiday. I haven't done any sports (besides the photo walk, that counts right?), I've mainly watched movies, read blogs and hung out with friends. It's so lovely to be able to relax and do whatever you feel like. I was also inspired to sew a bit, which was so much fun. The best part is that it's only 2,5 weeks until the Easter holiday, so I'll soon have more time to be creative. My next project is to find a glass cabinet and paint it white, we'll see how that goes...
Hope you'll have a great week ahead with lots of sunshine and fun!
xoxo
Moa

Hi Moa!
I'm sending you a postcard this week of my Saturday morning. It's a ritual here for Ben to make us fried egg on toast on Saturday mornings. There is cheese under the egg that gets all gooey and delicious. My favorite part is that I never have to make them. Don't things taste better when they are made for you by someone else?
Before he makes them he often gets himself a coffee, and me a chai latte at our neighborhood coffee shop, but this weekend I had some black tea-- and got all jittery! I'm imagining that soon it will be warm and sunny enough that this ritual will again involve orange juice and sitting out in the backyard. (After we had breakfast we did our first batch of yard work for the year! Yay Spring!)
I should also tell you that I made oatmeal cookies this week too. I don't bake very often, and when I do it's usually cornmeal muffins, but I had a craving for cookies this week and talked myself into making some instead of buying them. I was proud of myself because they turned out good, but like I said "things taste better when they are made for you..." Haha Such a bad theory, I know! =)
Wishing you sunshine~
Shanon

Week 10

Hello Shanon!
Happy week 10! I'm so excited that we've finally hit March, it's kind of the month where spring starts showing it's first signs around here. Let's see... Dripping from the roofs? Check! Sunny mornings? Check! That special spring air? Check! We've had some really lovely days of sunshine and glistening snow, so I'm starting to have spring feelings :)
I can actually feel myself getting more social too. In the winter I prefer to stay at home as much as possible, under a blanket in the sofa if possible. Naturally I socialize during the winter too, but I just don't have the same energy for it. But now I'm feeling like calling friends and setting things up. On Saturday I spent the whole afternoon with a very dear friend of mine, who recently had a baby. We had a great time chatting, drinking tea, hugging her sweet baby and, last but not least, eating our favourite mozzarella pizza. I actually had a flower shot planned for this postcard, but then I thought - why not take a break with the flowers and show you something a bit more unexpected :)
I hope you have a great week ahead!
xoxo
Moa

Hiya Moa!
I just had to share this happy view with you this week-- you can see grass here! Don't get me wrong, there is tons of snow everywhere still, but on the edges of yards grass is starting to peak out and announce that it's only a matter of time before it will be back. Yay!
I spent several days this week taking walks, enjoying the sun and blue skies, even though snow is everywhere and water and ice need to be carefully walked upon or jumped over. I enjoyed being able to say that I didn't need to wear a coat outside, although I wore several layers and a big wool sweater instead. But NO coat. That made me super happy and hopeful.
I even spent time almost everyday shoveling snow from parts of our yard where it's still really high, to other parts that have melted already. I'm a big nerd in that way, but I don't care. It was nice to be outside and to be doing something! I think it embarrasses my husband. He tells me to let mother nature take care of it. But why not help? Right? =)
Have a great week Moa! I hope sunshine is on it's way to you as well!
xoxo,
Shanon

Week 9

Hello Shanon!
Happy week 9! I'm super happy that it's finally March, I can just feel spring coming closer. We've had snow storms here this weekend so I can't really see any signs of spring, but I'm keeping my faith :)
This Saturday we took a little trip into town, since I wanted to buy some new shoes and pillows. I had promised Martin that I only wanted to visit two stores and that was that, but in the end our trip sort of expanded. It happens so easily, doesn't it :) I ended up buying a pretty, blue scarf and some lovely spring flowers - among them this grape hyacinth. In the last few minutes before we were heading to the car we also ran upon a romantic quilted throw for the sofa, and I've been looking all over town and all over the internet for a nice one so I was very happy. They didn't have the right size in the store, so we had to order it, but I'm so looking forward to crawl underneath it with a book and a cup of tea. Perhaps you'll see it next week :)
Have a great week!
xoxo
Moa

Hiya Moa!
Is it Spring yet? =) This week I spent more time being crafty. Some things went good; I made a few pairs of earrings. Some things went bad; my cross-stitch project took a turn south, but that's what I get for free-handing a design after not cross-stitching for about 15 years! And I went fabric shopping. How fun is fabric? It's like a stationery addiction, only with more options. My mom gave me a sewing machine right before Christmas and I've been slowing trying to remember any knowledge I once had, hoping I vicariously picked up some skills when my mom made me curtains, and dresses, and other fun things. But now that I think about it, the only thing I remember making for myself was a stuffed Care Bear. I, of course, made it "free-hand" and it wound up with teeny tiny arms and one abnormally large foot! So, I've stuck with making bunting so far, and plan to (as you say) "bunt up" my whole house for Easter. =) I'm also working on some fabric envelopes.
*sigh* There really is something to be said for making things with your hands. I love photography, but it can get so technical, and I sometimes feel a bit removed from the images when they are on the computer. Making things by hand seems to fulfill something even deeper inside. It's lovely. Even if you wind up with a bear with one abnormally large foot. ; )
Best wishes until next week!
xoxo,
Shanon