Tuesday, August 30, 2011

hunting for fleas

Last weekend's fleamakrked hunt went rather well I must say. Saturday wasnt the best maybe (but it did land me my favorite find) but sunday was incredible! Which made up alittle for me not being able to go to my friend's 30thbirthday party...

I am not gonna show you everything I found in one go, but decided to spread it troughout the week :) Untill next weekend which will be another fun hunt I am sure.

I found this little white horse. I love him... the details are really nice, allthough it's hard to capture with the camera I use. Maybe my sister can do a better job one day :D 



I originally ment for him to be in my hallway, but he now lives in the diningroom. He looks so lovely there, I think he has to stay.

He is very soft to the touch, not shiny but rather silky. There is a slight miscolouring on his hind leg, and a tiiiny chip off his ear. But other than that he is perfect!

I also brought home a clydesdale horse, a shiny larger figurine, a santa (yes...), some old fashioned kitchen utensils in green. A couple things for my figgjo collection. A large painting for the stable (yupp...) and a couple of super cute tins. I bought a chandelier for the porch, but mum fell in love with it and I gave it to her instead :)

no new furniture this time, but my sister found three glass cabinets to display her vintage cameras in. They will look awesome once painted.

hope you all had a great weekend as well!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Edible Gold

  Good Friday Folks :)

Yesterday I ventured into the forest and found gold! Edible gold!! Chanterells... they prince of shrooms, the best autumn food there is! We found heaps of it too... so much that not only did it feed 7 hungry adults with mushroom stew, but we had leftover for the freezer and some to dry for winter use...
 aren't they gorgeous? This is just my part of the loot. The rest was left to my parents and their german guest. It was actually Kathi's mother (Kathi is one of my "adopted" sisters from germany. She was a foreign exchange student at our years ago) who found most of it. That woman can sniff out a shroom like a truffel pig!
I also raided dad's plum tree. They were so ripe they just fell off... so sweet. Yom yomm.

I made myself mushroom stew for afternoon tea. With cream, onions and tomatoes. it was amazing!

My first flea treasure of the season. This wooden crate, painted the perfect shade of green. Isnt it lovely?! I have made a home for it next to my chair in the livingroom, housing all my magazines...

but I took it out for a little photo shoot, I couldnt show it off good enough next to the chair.

Tomorrow is fleamarked extravaganza! I counted no less than FIVE happening around this area. I have a problem getting to them all in time. One should really be there by opening, before the best treasures dissapear. But I will at least make 2... Wish me luck.

Oh and someone was asking if I have a list of things to look for, or just get inspired while looking... BOTH. I always have a list of things my house "needs" or things I collect. Like the green figgjo china (seen above), but I also get inspired while there. Sometimes I end up buying stuff I dont really need, but who doesnt?
This season I focus on stuff for the guestroom. As well as chairs for the porch (found the perfect bench/sofa for the porch last season- in spring -). Doilies are always popular with me, and old suitcases (can you get enough?!) As well as old specimens, but they are hard to get by.
.....

Thursday, August 25, 2011

How to be a show pony!

August 14th I headed over to a Pony Show and brought along Pixie, my sister and mum. I was going to be the speaker, so Eva was in charge of showing Pixie.... 

But we started out the night before. Becuase a Pony that has been on grass the entire summer, is a dirty dirty pony! And so she needed a good wash...

It was her first time being washed but she behaved like a star. Wasnt much fuzzy about anything... 
Allthough she protested a few times, and refused to move when told ... sigh... I cant really complain can I...
when the wash was over it was hard to tell which was wetter, me... or the pony :)
I laughed so hard when I saw this picture of me.... good lord...
Wrapped up in jammies that were too big for her. But we tied it up here and there and made it fit :) A happy pony in her box. After being prodded, showered, ears trimmed, mane trimmed, tail un-tangled and well you name it really....

the day of the show she needed touch ups with wet wipes, and her socks were chalked up to appear perfectly white. He hoofs were hair-sprayed to appear shiny. She got baby oil on her face to shine, and in her mane & tail to glitter. As a last touch we added golden glitter spray to her flanks... phu!!! Ready for the ring..
my sister and Pixie entering the ring.
Unfortunatly Pixie has grown this summer, and its been cold. So she has lost weight. Which is typical for yearlings. But she was not in show condition, which I knew. Nor did she show off her stunning high trot. I know she has it though, I've seen it in the field. Also, my sister has never really been a pony handler, so they need to practise on communication.
But no matter. She is my pretty baby! And my sister is super cool to be her handler!

Like I said, we didnt do too well. With the points 7 - 7- 8 - 7- 7 (compared to earlier this summer when she got 9 - 9 - 8 - 8 - 9). She was the only one in her class though. So she still got a ribbon, and I was super proud of my sister and my pony. She behaved so well, I serioulsy couldnt ask for a more brilliant yearling. Nothing scares her! She's so easy to work with :)

I cant wait to get her home for the winter... only 3 more weeks to go!


Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Pinterest Wednesday

Jeez if I knew Pinterest was gonna be so addictive, I'd never have joined...

But it is a great source of inspiration, and seeing as I have nothing new to share with you today. I figured I could share some darker, autumny favorites from my boards :)

Enjoy them...

gotta love string lights...


blackberries, teracotta and soft pink... beautiful


picnic anyone?


a swedish stylist, I love her work.


foggy glass, flowers and worn wood...

this weekend I'll go flea hunting. I did yesterday as well. And found a great wooden box. Which I intended to keep wood in. But now, I'm not sure. Maybe magazines? Or something else entirely?
I'll try and get a picture of it tomorrow though :)

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Gran's old kitchen scale

My first day of holiday! Two whole weeks of freedom, and a hundred projects in waiting... We'll see what to tackle first... it'll probably be the fencing for Pixie. Which, obvioulsy isnt so exciting... but today I am doing nothing... I'm flat out on the couch and savouring that first day of holiday with a cup of coffee.

In my kitchen stands a green scale, everybody had one of these during the 50's and they came in all sorts of colours. White and green being the most popular ones. Mine was left in gran's garage, where my uncle would use it to weigh scrap metal... poor thing...

 I had to save it of course. It still works fine, but I admit to using the electronic one when baking. It has the most lovely patina, and the perfect green shade. 

I change the decor on top from time to time. For now stands an old tea kettle, and a fleamarket hen for toothpicks :) Simple, yet effectful.

I hope August is treating you all great. Fleamarket season is at the start here in Norway, and next weekend will surely be a busy one :) Hopefully some treasures will find their way to me...

Have a happy late summer evening everyone.

Monday, August 15, 2011

This is me....

My sister and I had a fun photo session out in the field... They are so lovely these days. Long stretches of flowing gold... August sure is pretty... and my favorite season is approching... I just love autumn. I cant help it! I loved nesteling into a blanket on the porch, tea in my cup and enjoy the fresh air, the rain, the storms... the colours!
No, I do not smoke a pipe... But if I did smoke, it would be a pipe. They are so wicked cool. My gran used to smoke a pipe... there's just something about them. This one I bought at the car boot sale in England this summer.
See the small red cottage far behind me? That's Vinnord that is... my wee home.
 it started raining as we were wrapping up, but that kind of looked cool as well....
it's comming into fleamarket season here in Norway. Hopefully the next few weeks will bring me some trasures to show off ;)

Also, if any of you feel like a new banner. Throw me a comment or an email... I love making them...so if you want one, tell me.
Have a great day everyone!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Before & After - Bedroom

The last room on my tour of the Vinnord Cottage is the master bedroom. There is still 3 more rooms upstairs, but these are a far cry from finnished. Sigh... the next project is the guestroom though, which hopefully wont be that far away :)

This is how it looked when I took over. Not horrible, but bland.. and gray... I wanted something else. I wanted to feel like waking up on a cloud, every day.

and here is what I made out of it. The bed and bedside tables were bought at a charity shop and painted white by my mum and me. The set was a gift from mum... It is my dream bed, I would never change it.

I read... ALOT... so next to my bed there's always a basket full of books, that I havent read yet. The dragonfly in the frame was a gift from my best friend Ole. It just shows how well he knows me, giving me a dead bug for a gift! Ha ha.. I framed it and I love it!

 A sweet little shelf, with some cute decor.... the sign has since moved to the atlier though.

and old woodburning stove, for those cold, long Norway winter nights.

the morning light shines beautifully through my window. Bathing me in soft light.

 I couldnt afford new wardrobes, so I painted the once that were left by the former owner. Added new handles and left old suitcases on top, for that much neaded extra storage.

the sheepskin helps cold floors in the morning. And the vintage books? Well they support the matress... my bed is too big for it you see :)

 soft light... the perfect way to wake up...

that was the tour of my home. For now :) So I hope you enjoyed yourself. My sister Eva Feldmann has taken these photos. I love her (and her camera). 
I hope you keep comming back though, as I have loads of projects... always :) And news to share.
Also, I wanted to thank you all... you new followers, and commentaors. I LOVE meeting new bloggers. Thanks you!!!

Pictures taken by my sister Eva, her website is http://evafeldmann.com/

I have updated all my rooms at HGTV (see link sidebar). As many were screwed up by HGTV breakdown...
Please follow me via bloglovin', see link at the sidebar.

Untill next time; take care!


Thursday, August 11, 2011

Before & After - Atlièr

Unfortunatly.... I dont actually have any pictures of the before upstairs. But it was simply an empty stairs landing. Not used for much else but messy heaps of stuff... ha ha... I needed a place to draw, and paint... so I took use of this otherwise "useless" space...

remember you can always view larger photos by clicking them.
Since you saw the pictures at CotM I have redone the chair :) Now it looks alot fresher, and doesnt have stuff hanging from underneath. Please dont mind the wires... they need to go somewhere.
The desk was an old pine fleafind that I stained. It is rather badly done I see now. But I still kind of like it!
my atlièr is a messy, but organized, affair. The walls are plastered in anything that inspire me. Mostly fantastical faerie beasts and horses! :) I love my horses...
This too was an older piece of pine crap. It's the bottom part of a bigger piece. I painted it, sanded it, stained it and waxed it. PHU! Very satisfied with the outcome. Handles has arrived, but I need some help putting them on, they're antique and weird... ha ha...


As you can see, my interest are several. I was a paleontology majour at Uni, so dinosaurs are still very close to my heart. I also took zoology, which leads to me collecting specimens of all kinds. And then there are witch craft and mythology...and horses...of course!
That naked bust, I made that 12 years ago, when I lived in Nebraska. And that fossil I have found with my own hands!
"Growing old is unavoidable - Growing up is optional" :)


Old flowerfrogs can be used in different ways. Like holding my paintbrushes when I work.


Since these photos from the CotM were taken, the decor has slightly changed :)

View into my bedroom...which is where I'll be taking you next! So keep on showing up...
Once again, thank you for all your sweet replies. I am also shocked by how many of my pictures, from here and the Old Painted Cottage, are showing up on Pinterest :) By request I started a board just from Vinnord as well.

I hope you are all well :)