Holiday project idea!

I know there are thousands of you out there at the fabric shops getting ready for holiday projects; some of you have been there since last April collecting fabrics, materials, and patterns for the upcoming holiday season.

(image from Spool Sewing)

I saw this bird mobile pattern a few months ago on Spool Sewing and automatically thought of making Christmas ornaments out of vintage fabric. Check out Spool Sewing's blog for all kinds of great how-to's and patterns for bags, aprons, skirts, novelty items and other fun stuff.

(image from Spool Sewing)

Bort er godt men hjem er best (Away is good but Home is best)

For New Years 2008 we went to Norway to visit my family and to introduce my husband Cam to my Norwegian side of the fam. While there we stayed with one of my cousin Mette Line and her family. Mette Line works for an Interior Decorating outfitter called Festival. She is so darn creative when it comes to decorating and redecorating. The pictures below don't do her living room justice. The chandelier by the sofa actually has some of her necklaces hanging off of it for some added flair. She was showing it to us and then said "Ah, I've been looking for that necklace" and automatically put it on. Ten years ago when I was there the walls were painted a dark forest green and there was plaid and dark red everywhere, and today there are crisp cream walls and white everywhere. The Scandinavians have a knack for making things cozy, especially around Christmas. Every evening Mette Line would make us a lovely latte with their Nespresso machine and set out a tier tray full of homemade cookies and yummy Norwegian chocolates. Needless to say we didn't want to leave!

A nice cozy corner decked out with sheep skin pillows and throws. Do you see the hearts in the corner - they are homemade cookies attached to the ceiling with ribbons (just for Christmas decor).

Here's my honey Cam making some Skype calls to family back home in Australia. That chandelier over the table is amazing!

The nice fireplace. It looks 100% better with all the candles lit.

Another look at the living room.

Ha det! (see ya!)

Let me introduce myself...

... I'm Sonja. I'm pretty much obsessed with crafty shmafty things and I thoroughly enjoy reading all the home decor blogs that there are out there. I'm not even going to attempt to do what they do, but I'd like to make a tribute to people that are repurposing items and recycling different items to make their nest look a little nicer.

I currently live in St. Petersburg Russia, but I'm a native of Seattle WA. I'm moving to Australia in 6 months and I'd like to take some upholstery classes when I get there. I'm planning on setting up a small business and reupholster old pieces of furniture and use environmentally friendly materials as much as possible.

Oh yeah, I'm also interested in different cultures and like to pull different styles and characteristics together from different nationalities. This comes natural to me because I'm half Norwegian (my mom was born and raised in Norway), I'm married to an Australian, and I live in Russia, but I grew up in America.

(about half a mile from the shore on the frozen Finnish Gulf, St. Petersburg Russia)

(getting dressed to take out the trash)

(In Bergen Norway with my mom in 2005)

Cheers!