Smile

Now you are smiling too, I hope ;o)

What??!! Already....

It amazes me how fast times flies by, and today my monthly MS treatment was scheduled. Nothing is on my agenda tonight except for relaxing and indulging in a cupcake (Italian almond) and a chai-latte. Most times a little Ben&Jerry icecream would also have been part of my post-treatment self-treatment, but with the cold cold weather outside, I opted for something a little warmer :o)

Multitasking

Multitasking today. No because I have to, but because I can :o) Feeling the creative mojo flushing back again. Finally I managed to get my heart blog up-to-date with the weaved hearts and now just a little more than halfway to reach my goal.

While updating the blog, I watched the Danish handball team win the European tournement, thus also qualifying for the olympics in London later this year........   :o) 

Snow Time

Heard that little inner voice early this moning "Hey Ho! Get up and go!".... yes, I know that it is Sunday morning, but there was a machine outside that just hummed "snow...snow...snow" - not much, but just enough to cover the ground.

Ahhh, the fresh smell of snow and the crispy sound of new snow under your feet when walking = one of my favourite times.

Was given some good news during the week, received some wonderful creations from crafty friends and was also out a couple of times with good friends - all needed after a couple of weeks, that drained me from positive energy. Not quite back to my usual self, but think I am on the right track.

A Warm Thought From A Fellow Blogger

Sometimes it is a bit scary how something arrives just at a moment, when it is needed - as if somebody had a vision of me needing just that :o)

Have encountered a lot of crafty women via the blogworld, and today I got this card from Rosemary, who had made me laugh and smile countless times reading her blog. When I walked to the postoffice to pick up my mail, I was actually thinking about the need of getting a thicker/warmer knitted hat, as temperatures are freezing at the moment during daytime and even worse during nights. Imagine my huge surprise when I found this next to the wonderful card (is that a doily or a doily die cut?):

A super-soft knitted hat, that is absolutely perfect for this cold weather - and it even breaks the spell of me usually having black knitted hats (guess it is a kind of comfort zone)... together with a lip balm, that is also very much needed in this type of weather.

Rosemary, guess you are smiling seeing this last photo........and the blue one is almost empty, and that is the only kind we can get here, so did not know there are types/flavours as well. Thank you soo much for this wonderful surprise, truly speachless here!! :o)

Something Blue - January Tea Swap 2012 - Part Two

Maybe you saw the tea swap, that I sent to Gill, on my blog this Monday but you should see what she sent me - and I received it Monday in my mail.

If you are thinking: "Did I miss her birthday?!", the answer is "No" - but this month's theme is celebrations. There are a lot of colors that I like, but blue is by far my favourite, so huge smile on my face when realising that the envelope contained more than a card and tea:

Creations made by Gill :o) The creativity in the group that Fran summons every month is incredible, and I am gratefull that a fellow crafter tipped me about these monthly swaps. Those earings are so delicate - and love how the pattern on the little picture matches the sachet - Thank you again Gill!! :o)

Happy Chinese New Year - Year of the Dragon

When Fran called out for the January Tea Swap, she gave us two options of for the card, that is to follow the two tea samples sent to the assigned swap partner: The optional theme is: "Celebrations"; Optional Colors are: Blue and silver (or white).

I just knew, that  I had to do a card in connection with Chinese New Year and at the same time, the tri-fold technique has been lurking in the back of my head ever since I got a wonderful Christmas card from Karen using that technique.

Not the optional colours, but staying true to the colores used when the Chinese celebrates their New Year (also known as Spring Festival)

Was wondering for days, how to include a dragon on the card, as the New Year also marks the entering into year of the Dragon. The Order of the Opus Gluei Challenge #122: Take a picture, it will last longer gave me just the idea, so this is one of the rare occations where I use one of my photos in a card.

Never tied stamping on vellum before, and remembered that the description on a StazOn inkpad said "Appropriate for all surfaces" - so tried it on the "Ni Hau!" stamp, which is the chinese for "Hello" and it worked

This is a Chinese never ending knot.

The former type of Chinese coins. If you have 3 Chinese coins tied with a red string in your purse, it is believed, that you will never be without money. True, but I don't think that I can purchase anything with those locally.... and yet I actually have 3 Chinese coins with red ribbon in my purse :o)

This is a copy of the original photo, that I used on the card's front. At the grounds of Gyeongbokgung (Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven) in Seoul, South Korea, you will find the all animals of the Chinese zodiac depicted as statues in a circle with this representing the Dragon.

I hope that Gill will like my card and the two teasamples with liquirice tea I sent to her (and yes Claire, there are others than me that like a cuppa liquirice tea).

Relections on Closed Doors

Browsing through the few pictures I took yesterday, I realise just how much one's mood influences the things that are captured with a camera - closed doors/gates were a dominant eyecatcher for me.

Still marked by the opinions thrown at me last week, that also includes: You are single, hence you have nothing by free time, when the workday ends. Or: you live alone - hence hiding for people in general. What!?! They didn't even want to hear if could prove them wrong.

Maybe I am single but that does not keep me for travelling or going to restaurants alone. Nor from going to cinemas or exhibitions alone neither grap my camera and go for my photowalks and occationally bumping into people, that shares my interest for photography and hence exchanging good opportunities for a nice photo. So many of those throwing those annoying opinions at me are scared of going to the cinema or restaurant alone not to speak of travelling alone. Why is it, that they want to spoil my mood??!!

Reading yesterday's blogpost and the above, made me remember when Starbucks printed people's words on their paper cups - I really miss them, as there were some wise words on them. One in particular I wrote down in the moleskin notebook that is always in by (hand)bag: The Way I See It #17:

The world bursts at the seams with people ready to tell you you're not good enough. On occasion, some may be correct. But do not do their work for them. Seek any job; ask anyone out; pursue any goal. Don't take it personally when they say "no" they may not be smart enough to say "yes".

Keith Olbermann

Broadcast journalist and

Best of MSNBS's Countdown with Keith Olbermann

When One Door Closes....

Another one opens up......

Well I just hope that that door appears soon......

Had the most crappy week so far, where my escape from reality has been turning off my phones completely, photographing a little bit (despite constant remarks about the things I photographed from someone only appreciating tourist photos, telling me that my photos are odd), making some cards for good friends and just sitting in candlelight alone watching a good movie on the tv....

Thus forgetting all about people, who take me for granted..... who doesn't think that I have a life since I am single and living alone.... people that declares that I am not open to change, while they want things done, as they did in their previous employment..... close family members who are only here for a limited time due to irreversible illness.

The door in the photo appeared to me to day, but despite it not opening up for me, it spoke to me with it's shattered paint etc. - I long for a change, but guess I have to be patient a little bit longer.

Eyes Everywhere

Ever get the feeling, that somebody is looking at you while walking?  :o)

Birdy NamNam

In a nearby park, one tree is filled with both store bought and homemade bird feeders. This allows people passing close-by to get a very up-and-close look at the sparrows who are joyfully eating and tweeting.

Books Coming to Life

So that's what they do, when a bookstore is closed at night :o) I LOVE THIS!!

Larry Crowne

When I comes to movies with Tom Hanks, then I am usually "sold" without even reading reviews. He is so diverse - but do not think that we will ever see him casted as a cruel person. In my book he is the James Stewart or Cary Grant of our time.

In the first minutes of the movie, he ia laid off from his job then entering an unknown future as unemployed. He is naturally shocked and is basically told, that since he did not have any other education than high school, then he was not in the line for promotion hence not somebody the store chain (an equivalent to WalMart etc) wished to employ. Looked for a job, but failing like so many others when there is a financial depression going on.

He remembers, that he was told that he lacks education and decides to look up a local college. Being a bit vulnerable by the situation, he is also open to some mind manipulation and is pushed into Julia Roberts' class by the college dean. He gets young college friends, since he is driving a vintage scooter and they see that there is something within Larry just awaiting to come out. He on the other hand, also in his way teaches some of the bewildered young college students about some aspects of life. Julia Robert's character, professor Tainot's immediate reaction to Larry being friends with some of the young students is, that he is probably after some "young ass", perhaps not realising that he is trying to fit in.

It is a comedy, but it also makes you think about a lot of aspects in your own life. How would you react, if you lost your job? Are you concerned, if you fit in or not? Are lifechanges overwhelmingly scary or do you face the changes with an open mind? Are your perception of people's actions openminded or judgemental?

Eventhough I felt good when leaving the cinema, those questions were on my mind, but not in a disturbing way. If you see the movie, you might recognise something about the humour, wit etc. - you will recognise Tom Hanks' fingertouch in it, but also Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Weeding), who is his co-writer on this movi - hopefully they will make another "joint venture" in the future :o)

Sherlock Holmes 2

When it comes to Sherlock Holmes, then I am totally sold, if there is a new tv-series, film etc. about the detective, that I believe most of us know either from a book or a movie.

So, I just had to wander to the nearest cinema and succomb into another world.... or in this case: time. One of my friends is quite upset with Sherlock Holmes being made into another movie, as there is only one Sherlock Holmes in her world, played by Jeremy Brett.

Well times are changing, and despite the fact ,that I like Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes, I find Robert Downey Jr to be a good interpretation given that they have added some extra effects to the movie - and yet aren't those effects true to the time, when the movie is supposed to take place? They have "simply" adjusted to demand of extra special effects, to get a new generation to see the stories about Sherlock Holmes. Is it not good, that you can actually chose between various interpretations of the stories after your liking of genre?

When I saw the movie, a lot of the movie audience were actually some where from the mid 50s to the 70s - some of them accompagnied by younger generations of their families, all of them laughing just as much as the rest of us and also leaving the cinema with smiles on their faces. Is it not the point to go into the cinema to be entertained? And seriously, if you dislike the interpretation before even seing it, why be upset? Find some other movie that is more your liking and be happy, that there are movie genres for everybody to watch.

And me? Oh yes, I was one of those leaving the cinema with a smile on my face and happy that someone took his/her time once again to interprete those great stories writting by Sir Conan Doyle :o)

Rubber Duckie Day

Big smile on my face, when I discovered that January 13th is the Rubber Duckie Day :o)

Big duckie is actually a radio, that I stumpled across at Urban Outfitters, and it was "just" one of those must-haves - it works, so I can listen to morning music while showering. The rewindable duckie is a travel buddy - one never knows if there is a bathtub in the hotel room. Buttom to the left duckie is a keychain/light - if you activate the light he QUACKS!! The littlelest (does that word even exist?) one is just miniature. 

I have a 5th duckie (not on display here) - a soap duckie, which I have never taken out of the wrapping, I know I will just start using it, if I did....

Have an idea, what you are thinking now - and my answer is "No, I never think that I will ever grow up - But please don't tell my parents ;o) **LOL*

From Book to Movie: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Whenever there is a book, which I really loved reading, that is being made into a movie, I am always hesitant about going into the cinema and see it: Will it encapture what held my attention in the book? Did they cast the right actors for the book's characters? Is it true to the book.

Was a bit late on getting started at reading Stieg Larsson's Millenium books - frinds had been talking about the books for more than two years when I finally picked up the first one. Still a bit hesitant and wondering what the hype was all about and convinced that reading the book would take far longer than the long-haul flight I had to do. Ahmmm I was soo wrong about that - I forgot time and place and read the book from cover to cover in less time than the durating of that flight... bummed that I had brought #2 with me as well, and the 3rd had just been translated to my language. Two days after I returned home, the two next book was aquired and awaiting to be read :o)

Originally it was planned to make the first book into a movie, and the next two into a mini tv-series, but the movie's succes in Scandinavia convinced the moviemakers, that it should be 3 films. Saw all 3 at the cinema and just loved Noomi Rapace as Lisbet Salander... the actor playing Mikael Blomkvist seemed a little bit off... Locally the film had subtitles though a majority of us have no problems understanding the spoken English.

Last Sunday I went to the cinama to see the remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tottoo, which have received mixed reviews locally. I am a bit ehhh about the remake, albeit I think that Daniel Craig was a much better cast as Mikael Blomkvist than the Swedish actor, Michael Nyqvist, sames goes with Christopher Plummer and Stellan Skarsgaard (oh well the latter is Swedish ;o) ) - but Noomi is still the best Lisbeth...

Always interesting to see how a non Scandinavian would interprete the book and our way of living, but this one was a fair job. A tad wierd though seing all the actors run around in Sweden speaking English while trying to pronounce the names with as much Swedish way of pronouncing them as possible......

Spicy Lobstertail Soup

..... or Spicy Crayfish Soup. Maybe you remember me blogging about this - and here is the promised recipe:

Ingredients (serves 6)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 teaspoons curry

2 onions - chopped in small pieces

1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 fresh)

1 teaspoon sambal oelek

2 cans chopped tomatoes

2,5 deciliter water

2 boullion cubes (chicken)

200 grams choppedpeaches from a can (in own juice)

½ can coconut milk

400 grams lobster tails or crayfish tails (a mix of both is good too)

• Fry the curry, onion, garlic and sambal oelek in the oil.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, water, boullion cubes, 2 deciliter peach juice and let it simmer for about 15 minutes (at low temperatures)
• Blend the above into a thick soup and let it boil for a few minutes
• If you are making this dish in advance, remove it from the heat - and reheat it a couple of minutes
• Add the peaches and the coconut milk just before serving the dish

Serve dish with kroepock (prawn crackers).

Tip - if you or one of your guests think, that the dish is too spicy, gently add a little of the leftover coconut milk.

BON APPETIT !!

Hey Ho, Time To Go

These are not my words, but words read on the second page in a biography I bought two days ago - a warm and exiting biography about a Danish tv journalist, which I will post more about within the next week or two. Went into the cinema yesterday morning, and during the credits at the end of the movie, those words just ran through my head.

Must admit, that I would honestly never have thought that this movie would have much more impact than "just" be a feel-good movie that would entertain me for two hours - making me forget about some bad news received during the weekend.

The movie made me realise, that I lately might have been a bit at a standstill - It was the first time in almost a year, that I went to the cinema (this weekend alone: 3 times!! :o) ) compared to 1-2 times a month previously - haven't seen a exhibition (art/photography) in more than 2 months = have missed some great ones *SIGH* ... and my work has lately put quite a damper on my mood and energy.... and my weight: have gained some kgs that needs to be eliminated.

So have already written down some premiere dates of movies, that I want to see - dates of some photo exhibitions coming to town soon - signed up for a "lecture" by the mentioned book's author etc - ' cause "Hey Ho, Time to Go" - and blog about it afterwards.

New Beginnings

Entering a new year means one thing: have to buy new calendar pages for my mini Filofax and insert important info.

  

It has almost become a ritual, as I use some of my crafty mini stamps to illustrate events/celebrations/holidays - along with transferring important dates from previous calendar into the new one. Usually this is done end of November, but this time I used the very last day to update the new calendar.

The markings of various events etc. has become quite international because of my work, friends and the participation at PaperCraftPlanet - but then again this is was is making my calendar unique, a reflection of what I do during a year, and which cards to send that needs to be sent. A calendar like this in a bag - that is a very personal thing and for me a lifeline.

I do remember most of my New Years, but one in particular stand out. 30 years ago, I had received a calendar with horses (new postcard picture every month) and I remember saying "Happy New Year!" at the stroke of midnight, then running to my room to change the page to January 1982