Happy Holiday

Wrap it in!

As long as I can remember I have had huge pleasure of wrapping in gifts.

 Each year I change the theme, everything from glitzy paper to pure white, this year I go for rustic, natural nostalgia. For me, reuse of materials are important, so when I came cross some old notebooks in bad condition I decided to use them as gift wrapping and ornaments. I went back to my childhood days  and brought the memories of the «snowflakes» into this years theme. I think these little ornaments give the extra touch on a neutral wrapped present, don’t you think? If you have forgotten how to make them I'll show you step by step:

 

fold

tie

draw

cut

fold out and paste

Nice, relaxing activity to do on a evening with a cup of tea, music and relaxation …….. or with children!

Gone hunting, treasure hunting.....

My passion for interior is quite diverse. But one thing is for sure, it has to be personal and with a soul. White, sleek and minimalistic style doesn't suite me at all. A mix with new and old, bold and rustic, natural tones and industrial influences would describe my style just perfectly. That's why I travel in and around this tiny country to find treasures that is perfect for my personal style. But sometimes I buy to much stuff, or it wasn't exactly what I had in mind or, or .... well, you know. Sometimes the heart is bigger than my cupboards and I have to resell some of my treasures simply as that. I have therefor opened a little web shop at Etsy.com where I resell some of my stuff. I ship all over the globe (except for heavy items) and the best of all, I ship for free in Luxembourg!

So, if you fall in love with one of my items, don't hesitate to contact me:-)

Where did the summer go?

We only had the chance to stay 10 days at our Norwegian summerhouse this year. A short stay with a lot of nice memories that seems to fade ....

Miss you Norway, but looking forward to next years visit!

Bring in the forest..... 2

No secret that I'm fond of forest and long walks.

On a walk in Waldhaff forest I came across a beautiful tree full of pink flowers.

Something tells me that this tree should rather be found in a garden, and I didn't feel at all cruel by brining back a branch and place it in my living room.

Bring in the forest...... 1

After a sunny morning walk in the Bambech forest I came 

home with a bunch of anemones ......... and this idea came to me.

By using scotch to make a grid on a shallow and wide bowl 

the flowers will stay in their place!!!

A hint of yellow

Wish you all a lovely Easter weekend!!!

There is a new B'nB in town!

The lovely Françoise has made reality of her dreams of a Bed and Breakfast in town and can now welcome guests to a new and cool boutique hotel

La Pipistrelle

I'll give you the chance to a sneak peek.......

A few hours in Gothenburg, Sweden

Gothenburg, Sweden.

The city where my mother comes from, where I was born 

and where I spent the first months of my life. 

The city I have visit so many times I've stopped counting.

And yet I don't really know it!!

So when I went up north last weekend to celebrate my 90 year old grandpa I decided to spend a few hours walking the city before catching the flight back to Luxembourg. Since my parents also spent the weekend in Sweden they joined me for a walk around the city they met over 40 years ago.

Here are some snapshots I took and some tips what to see if you are thinking of travel to this nice place on the west coast of Sweden.

Haga - the old quarter with nice cafes for a "fika" and boutiques 

The canal - walk around or take the boat "paddan"

Avenyen - the boulevard with shops and restaurants that ends by the fountain with "Poseidon" and Museum of Art.

Liseberg - the tivoli and amusement park

Saluhallen and Feskekörkan - indoor meat/veg market and fish market

Trädgårdsföreningen - huge garden and the Palmhouse

Slottskogen - a walk in the park

Öarna - the archipelago

For more info click here and here

My work went over the pond...

We all like our work to be appreciated, right?

When I discovered my latest post for clew magazine had found its way to rebelmouse.com and their DIY best post, I was more than happy!!!

If you wanna check out my home spa post click here

"Néo-bistrot"..... what?

While in Paris last weekend I picked up a new word 
(well at least for me, apparently the word has been used for some years now)

néo-bistrot.

I read an article in The Wall Street Journal and their definition of the word is:

"néo-bistrot appear to be an innovative, cosmopolitan approach, 

with a refreshingly casual atmosphere and often prix-fixe menus that are 

priced at less than €50 per person"

So, if you are in Paris and want to dine at a néo-bistrot I can recommend

VIVANT

It used to be a bird shop in the early 1900 and the tiles are just gorgeous!

The interior made my knees shaky 

and the food made my mouth watery...

Parisian "bobo"

I had the pleasure to jump on the TGV to Paris this weekend!

I know, how lucky are we to live in Luxembourg with such an easy access to so many great places!? Need to pinch my arm sometimes....

We had a plan to explore a different Paris this time, set apart from the glowing monuments and historical landmarks that we all know, and headed to Belleville and Ménilmontant. This area in the northeast of Paris is the 20ᵉ. It used to be small villages that provided Paris with wine, fruit and weekend escapes and you can still find traces from that period. Nowadays it's a bustling and cosmopolitan area with different ethnicities as Africans, Arabs, Asians

 - as well as "bobo's" which refers to "bourgeois bohemian" or yuppie hipsters. 

My favorite spot is the mosaic Belleville park with great views of the city. You'll find small cafes and art galleries, as well as the Edith Piat museum and the "celebrity" cemetery Père-Lachaise. 

Perhaps you will "Ménilmuche" next time you're in Paris?

(Ménilmuch is a Parisian slang for sloping area)

great view from Parc de Belleville

corner bakery

the 70 m long passage Cité de l'Ermitage

Since we now are in Paris I'll show you another area that I adore;

Canal St-Martin, 10ᵉ.

the canal

the colorful facade of Antoine & Lili

Clothes for women, children and an interiorshop

the colorful interior of Antoine & Lili

the trendy place Faubourg St.Denis 52

street breakfast

cute little shops and cafes

note to self for next Paris trip

visitparisregion

parisbobo

girlsguidetoparis

We ♥︎ waffles

Sometimes the smallest things can give the biggest joy.

As for example the smile of my boy when he smells the scents of

newly made "Norwegian" waffles spread around the house on a Sunday.

After 10 years in Luxembourg the Norwegian waffle iron we brought with us is still regularly in use.

If you wonder about the difference of these 

waffles compared to others, I'll give you the recipe:

2 eggs

2 ts of sugar

4 dl of kefir (or milk)

4 dl of flour

1/4 ts natron

easy as that!

Want your own shop?

We dedicated last weekend for a massive cleanup in the basement and attic.

I was surprised how much we store and that we seldom use (shame on us).

Many items are in perfect condition and too good to end up in a container.

And since I am a bit on the "green side" and love up cycling and recycling,
 I decided to sell some items online.

After a quick search I discovered this fabulous site

yourshop.lu

Anyone can open and manage their own little shop,

how great is that!

P.S If you fancy handcraft, secondhand clothes etc,

you'll find many gems here!

A new hit?

 I've had the chance to visit Café des Capucins a couple of times during the last month. The reasons for me to choose this cool place are several, and I can't point out exactly what makes it one of my favorite places to eat in Luxembourg.

Is it the modern interior with a Scandi touch?

Is it the great selection of French fusion dishes?

Is it the friendly and good looking staff?

... or is it simply the combination that makes this place a hit?

One thing is for sure,

I'll be back!