Back to the Rooths!

This is my new tatoo!
Ha ha, no its not, its just a picture I found on the internet. But it is pretty dam cool!
I found it here, also a inspiering site

Isnt the title of todays post extremly cathy and funny?! Not really but I just had to.

I have been back here at my childhood suroundings of Stockholm/Södertälje for a few days now, being very lazy and comfortable. Really a bit too lazy, I have not felt like studying at all, and when I am trying to write on the thesis it just goes soooo slowly, I work for maybe one hour all together and then I feel good, pad my self a bit on the shoulder and go and do other stuff. Not very productive. But it feels like everything is a crazy mess of words and meanings and I dont know how to sort if out, and certainly not how to write it in academic language and make any sort of statement or discovery with it.
But well, never mind that now. I will work a bit on it tomorrow, and then I will have a propper christmas holiday, not looking at it for atleast 4 days.

What I have been doing these days, all since I stepped on the night buss from Malmö acctually, is knitted, knitted and knitted some more. It seems like I cant stop. But I am almost a bit feed up with it now. I have decied to give quite a lot of people knitted stuff for christmas. Partly because I dont have much money, but mostly because it is fun to do and fun to see when they get it. The funny face of people trying to hide their disapointment and the "just what I always wanted" is worht it all! No, I hope it wont be like that. It is not the most tidy things that I have made (doh!) but I think it will be a bit cute at least. I try to put up pictures of some of it after the holidays are over. I have started to learn this new tecnique that is about adding differnt squares together. It is really fun, and I am planing on doing a blanket or a big scarf like this someday. Maybe something like this window 15. Gorgerous.

Window 16-19 of my neglected but now forgotten advent calender will have to be in one big chunk, but this is really something that is so good and helpful. If anyone reads this who ever thought it would be fun to learn how to knit but find it too complicated or tricky with the instructions, you need to see this. It will be like a revolution knittwise!


Window 20 is connected to this wonderful woman, Frida Kahlo who is one of my favorite artists and ansisters. She had amazing paintings and led an amazing life as well I think, no matter all the pain. My friend Ebba gaved me the cutest little match box with her picture on yesterday, so that is how I got to think of her.

And least but not last, window 21 for today. I should probably have posted it in the begining if anyone would have liked to buy gifts from there. But better late than never. And it can also be a place to spend recived money, or why not sell any of your newly knits! Or just a place to find inspiration and be amazed by the creativity and talent of people.

Allright now, sleep tight dont let the craxy christmas stress bite!

busy weekend!

Sorry, sorry, sorry that I has not posted anything in some days! But I would not be sloppy if I did not miss a few days now and then, and ultimately then not be me I guess. Think about that for a while!

It has been a pretty bussy weekend, but a good one as well filled with nice and cosy things. Nice times with friends, and ice skating and movie watching and some short notice couchsurfers from Nederlands who camed and joined our saturday night out!
Then today I got called in to work. It wasnt the best timing, since I had really been looking forward to the christmas baking that we were having with the CS group. But after having a bit if a battle with my better and worse self there in the morning when I got the question to work, the more reasonable me, who told me that I really really need the money won. I still had some time to do some qick chocolate praline stuff with the earliest bakers.
It was pretty fun to work acctually, we were a good crew there, and it was a lot of people almost all the day so the time passed quick. But I still do feel like it is time to move on from that job and try something else, challenge myself to something new again.

I should go to sleep soon, so I can get up early and get some work done with the thesis, which has been very lacking this weekend.
But of course I want to update the advent calendar first! Here is window 14. I hope you enjoy it, there is lot more of her stuff to choose from on the site. She is really one of my heroines, and I just choose one that I felt in the mood for today.
To compansate you for the day you didnt give you a window, I will put a lot of goodies in to window 11, window 12 and window 13.
This is something that I started years ago, and i havnt done anything with it since. But the words of all these, most of them forgotten, ignored and discriminated women still makes me full of hope and strenght and inspiration. I hope some of you take time to look through it, there is words that goes straight to the soul, for me at least.

Take care!

I am sorry that I did not write yesterday, I did not have any inspiration at all.
But today I am back!

And the suprise for todays advent calendar will be a beuatiful beautiful thing, from one of the countries of my dreams...Window 10.
Here is window 9 as well, from yesterday. Even for those who doesnt knitt it could be beautiful to look at, I feel in a good mood just from looking at it, and I dream of one day easily put that thing together just like she has. Dont know if that ever will happen, I keep you updated on the tries.

Yesterday was not a very good day, today was better. The sun finally came out atleast for a bit today, and I really think that shared up my spirits. We do need some snow down here in the south of Sweden now, weather gods! My christmas mood is about to disapear and I am tierd constantly when it is barely light for a few hours a day even. And it feels like the day is just flying by without me getting very far in my thesis writing. Even though I dont spend THAT much time surfing around on the internet!

One thing that was really great yesterday though, that I almost forgot, was this:


Jonas Hassen Khemiri, the man of my dreams! ; )

He is a autor and a play-writer, who has written really good books about identity, language and the immigration and integration in Sweden today, in not so flatering words. He is also one of the most charming, seemingly smartest, and cutest guys I have seen.
I have seen him at a lecture at Växjö University a few years ago, then I fell in love for the first time, and then yesterday me and Sofie went to see him at a talk here in Malmö and he was still just as cute.
He was talking about rasism and the colonial heritage, how preceptions and jokes about diffrent people of other etnicities, who are considerd mainstream, are acctually racist and does make a difference on how the world goes around, when it comes to power and all that.
I dont know if this explination makes any sense, it is hard to give it back to you in english. But anyway, it was funny and at the same time scary to hear him tell about some of the things he experienced. The laugh got stuck in your throath as we say in Swedish.
Then when he was done everyone was lining up to buy some of his books that he had brought, and even though I shouldnt had cause I dont have any money I bought his last book, Montecore. I couldnt help it, when he signed it and all! Of course I couldnt come up with anything smart or funny to say when I stood infront of him so I just smiled foolishly. He could probably see all through me to my melting heart!
Ok, this sounds maybe a bit obsesed now, I am not really in love with him, and I am not going to stalk him down. But I do wish there was more men like him around, in the "real world", or my world.


It is really a roller-coaster this thesis. '
One moment I can feel pretty in to it, and feel like I know what I am doing and I am starting the analysis of the interviews with a lot of energy and a feeling that I acctually is on to something here. And then the next I dont have any inspiration at all, I dont understand what I want to say, what I have written before feels just like shit and wont make any difference what so ever, that I am just rambeling about trivialities when there is so much real injustices and discrimination in the world.
I will just try to make the good moments a bit more than the bad ones I guess, and get as much as possible done when they come.
Today I managed to go to the library at least, in time for those last hesitating rays of sun for the day. It was good, I always concentrate better when I get out of the house and in to a surrounding where other people are studying as well.

books, tofu and some generall life questions...

I just feelt a bit sarcastic today, and then nothing is better than some Nina Hemingsson humor. It reads:
"This weekend we are just going to take long lovely walks in the forrest, make apple jam and bake, yes, we are just going to have it cosy together the whole family!"
"Thankyou, that is none of mine buissnes, but you should know that it is completly fine with me, I am not judging anyone!"


I started reading a new book today, it is called The passion of new Eve, by Angela Carter. I have only read a few pages, and so far it is pretty horrible. I mean the narrative. It takes place in New York, in a undecided future where the whole city is about to collapse under violence and dirt. The blacks are getting armed and are building a wall around Harlem, and there is a guerilla group called The Women, who shot at men hanging around the pornshops. Sounds pretty exciting! I´ll keep you updated.

It feelt like it was appropiate to make this day a day for books then: Window 8
This is such a great page! It is a inspiration if you are about to go traveling in Europe, and and if you´re not, atleast for me, it is a place for dreaming away for some time about all the beutiful cities you could go, and the atmosphere where the books are.
And while we are talking about books, here is a bonus window

My flatmate Lisa came home from her work in a health food ware house today with a bit of a bonus. 67 packs of tofu that had a short date! So now we will be eating tofu for some months. The thing is that I dont know of so many things to make with the, so if you know of any nice tofu recepies, please share!

Once you are at it, you could maybe tell me what I am going to do with my life as well. I feel a bit lost and confused tonight. Maybe it has something to do with just finding out that my sister, who´s 19, got in to medecine school. I am really happy for her, it is what she wants and she has been working her ase off for this. Its just that now she knows what she will do for the rest 7 years, and then she will have one of the most respected proffesions there is.
It is of course a bit scary to have almost a decade laid out for you as well, and its not that I want to become a doctor. It just feels like I am hanging and dangling in the air without even knowing really what I want.
Most of the time I enjoy my dangling though, and I feel pretty happy with the little things, with getting time to be creative and see my friends and take care of myself. But there is always the issue of knowing there is a way to pay the rent, and also a bit of the expectations that comes from the whole big society mainly, and also, unspoken from parents and family. And I do also want to find something that I feel are fun and inspiering and that I can do well, and that will pay they bills. I am just not sure what that is yet.
Bleh, I dont know. It will probably feel better tomorrow. Or after I watch some True Blood and do some knitting. Maybe I should become a vampire. No one ever seem to have expectations on them, except for not getting their blood sucken out.

lazy sunday

I am so damn tierd today, so this will just be a short one as well. I cant stop doing the advent calendar now when I have promised. So here is the window for today. Window 7

I am sorry that it is in Swedish, I didnt know what "korvmuddar" could be in english so that I could search for it. But I think it is pretty easy to figure out how to do them, and if you dont you can always ask. It is a really easy pattern, but it looks so cool. Something to start now and get finished for christmas without having to work your as of.

As a compensation for those who dont knit at all (start!) or just dont read swedish, here is some music as well. Bonus window
It is also a suede, but he sings in english. It is sweet and cosy, and reminds me of some nice moments in a tiny flat about 2 years ago. Greetings to Towe if she ever reads this.

I had a really nice Copenhagen day yesterday. First me and Sofie went to the Christiania christmas market. It was so lovely, and so well done and artfull things! And so much people! I dont think it would be so...established and so touristy. It made me wonder again about how Copenhagen will survive tourist wise if they tear down Christiana. Even if they "normalise" it wont be the attraction that it is today I think. We already have enough normal places in the world, why cant anything be alowed to be a bit unnormal and just unique and beautiful. That is what makes me feel so good about coming to Christiania, it feels like people have the freedoom to be like they are, and not have to fit in to some expectations and shapes and patterns with how to look, how to make their living or how to love and live. I am sure that people there and the community has its problem as well, but for me it is indeed a free town.

Then in the evening we went to Tivoli, and I met up with people from work. We were walking around there for some hours before going to the restaurant. It was all pretty and fun, with the colorful lights and all the different rides (the only thing I would set my foot in was the roller coaster, it looked fun) but the only thing it had in common with the Christiania market was that it was crowded. It all just felt so commercial and so somehow artificial all of it.

Then I catched up with the rest of the crew, who already had been dragged away to have some beers with the boss. We had a wonderful dinner at a really nice restaurant that I can recomend a lot in Copenhagen, called bof og ost.
It was located on a cosy little square on the side of Stroget. It was a bit pricy of course, but not so bad, and the food was just really tastfull and felt real fresh, and it was big portions as well.
The desert buffe was really something, you got an big silver tray with ten different small desserts, like chocolate cake, sorbets, pudding, chocolate mousse etc that all was very fresh, felt pure and delicious. Deffinetly enough for atleast 2 to share.
Then we ate and drank the whole night and had a good time, but I wont reveal any of the details here.
I am sorry for my crappy lanuage tonight, I am just to tierd to think really.
Over and out, good night!

danish adventures

Here´s a nice picture of a advent calendar that I found. It is a bit hard to see, but it is a book shelf with the books as little windows with numbers on it to open for every day. Since I love books I would like a calandar like that, imagine if you would acctually get one book for every day as well!

This will just be a short note, I am off to Copenhagen to go to the Christiania Christmas market that opens today. You can read more about Christiania here, it is one of my favorite Copenhagen hang out places.
And then tonight I am going to Christmas dinner with my job, it will be interesting. I have heard that the boss are trying to drink everyone under the table on these occations, I have to try to go home early!

Just wanted to post the advent calendar suprise for today: window 6

It is something very jummy and traditional swedish christmasy. I try not be that stiffly tradiotional, but there is some preparations I really love, and yesterday I couldt help but making these. They are fun to cause you can shape them in all kind of arty and naugty ways!

Advent calender!

Ok, I am getting a bit obsesive now. But blogging is so much fun, specially when I really should be studying. It is strange to not know if there is anyone at all out there in the big wide world who read what I write, or if I am just writing for a empty universe. Or just for my self, that is good enough as well.

I just got this idea that I should make like a advent calender with things I like, all the time untill christmas! So everyday there will be something new to discover, like a video of a song I like, or a nice webbpage, or a trailer for a movie or something else that will be a suprise. Since it is already december 5th I will have to put 2 things a day for some days to catch up, so that there will finally be 24 treats at christmas eve.
I used to like opening advent calenders when I was a kid. I didnt have those cholocate ones so much, but usually the simple that you got free from a shop, or just the ones that comes with the TV advent calender here in Sweden. Speaking about that, I miss those good cosy advent caleder series we used to have when I was a kid. I havnt seen the one this year, but I have heard that is is stressfull and anoying. Could maybe be that I am an adult now and not amused by the same things as 5-12 year olds. But why does everything have to move so fast and be so full of action?!
My favorite advent calender of all time must be Sunes Jul. I think I was 12 or 13 or something when they showed it, perfect age. It was just so funny and showed all the preparations up for christmas with a nice X-mas spirit mixed with the crazyness of that a bit unusuall family. I can still watch it and laugh my eyes out. Other ones that created that cosy feeling was Ture Sventon and Eddie. If there is any swedes who reads this and have their own favorites, let me know!

Ok, so the treat from todays calendar is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4-3Znrbh6c
I really like this song, her very speciall voice, and the energy in the song and her funny little dance. And of course the band playing all the funny instruments.
I have to give some credists for this video to my dear friend Hanna. It was she who showed it to me. She is always a great music inspiration for me, making me find new stuff all the time I see her. Often, like with this artist, I have heard it before but I dont fall for it completly untill she plays it. Maybe it is something with the atmosphere in her cosy apartment that just brings out the best in, well pretty much everyting!

So enjoy todays "lucka" as we say in swedish!

Welcome to my world

One of the projects I am working on right now. It will be long wrist warmers, if they ever get done. It is fun to do the first one, to choose the combination of colors and see how something wearable and pretty is transformed just from a string of yarn. But to do the exact same thing is not that tempting. Maybe the other one will be completly different...
The good thing with this is that I can do them while I watch True Blood or other series and movies that does not require my whole intelleqt.

I got the yarn from my stepmom collegue. She had heard that I was a knitter, and gaved her whole bags of wonderful pure wool yarn that she didnt want any more! This one is really thin and kind of stiff, I think it is suppose to be for weaving. But it works for thin things like this as well. I think I will try to make filted stuff with them at some point.
All these yarns together also make me all happy and bubbly.

I just love yarns, I dont know what it is with is that is so wonderful. It is all the different colors that you can get I think, and the textures and just the way they mix nice together and shoot out good feelings.
The messy ones at the bottom of the blog is also some of my favorites. Those I got a long time ago, I found them among some of my mums all old heritage stuff from her dad and aunt. They were all in big chunks by then, so it took a lot of time and patience to get them tangled out and rolled in to balls. I can be patient sometimes I think, specially if I do something that I can watch TV or listen to music to.

My mom was trained to be a textile artists, though she never worked as it. But she is really good at anything textily, she has sewn her own clothes all her life and there is amazing stuff that she has wowen and colored her self. And her aunt was a textile teacher and we still have little tidy samples of home colored yarns and a lot of embrodery threads saved from her. So I guess I do have some of the craftyness in my blood, it is just that I am more inpatient and impulvsive than my mom.
Whenever we are sewing something together she wants to do it exactly from the book, and make everything really tidy and neat, and I just want to get it done and dont mind improvising a bit. Her result does look better of course, and I usually get annoyed and often give up and let her finish it her way.
She is not that in to knitting though, maybe that is why I choose to concentrate on that, to have my own thing.


This is the only one of my storing places for yarn that look tidy at all (I will show you the disastrous one soon).
I just like the combination of the colors and the pattens of the textiles, they make me feel happy and inspired. The inspration came from the wonderful movie The science of sleep where there is a textile artist who has a big shelf like this. Get a snap of that shelf in the trailer of this wonderful movie with the ever so hot Gael Garcia Bernal here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRwLjXFBQj4 It is a inspiration for anyone who loves crafts, or has a lively fantasy, or just dreams in general.



Here is something that is acctually finnished! If you cant see it, they are little chocolate and cup cakes with frostings on. And on top of the chocolate one there is a strawberry (obvious isnt it!) and on the yellow one there is little violets. I found the pattern in one of my knitting books, but lika most of the time I changed it a but and improvised.
I have to say I am pretty proud of these. They are a bit chubby and uneven, just like me. But pretty cute as well.
I sened them to a hungarian friend togheter with a english translation of the cakes, that is from a cook book in swedish that she bought when she was here.
Knitting eatable things (not literary) was really fun, I am looking forward to experimenting with more of that.

half a top

One of the unfinnished projects I have started: a linnen top in green and purple. I finnished the front in time for last summer, then lost inspiration and when it became fall and winter it didnt feel like I needed a summer top most of all.
I bought the yarn in Castro in San Francisco when I visited a friend there last may. I have a new tradition that I will try to follow, whenever I am in a bigger city I will try to buy a second hand book and a ball of yarn from there. It is two of the things I love most, and it is nice memories of places I think.
But I like the picture here, with it hanging on my balcony and the neighbouring house in the window reflection.