June ( and below July) !

June started of with a trip to London with members of TRYCK (Push, an organisation for black cultural workers)




We had a great time and learned so much. We saw a number of plays performed by black actors and met with several of our English colleague sto share experiences, challenges and hopes for the future. I must say the trip was a success !



Of course, I managed to squeeze in a visit at V&A and have a look at their gorgeous costume department ;)



New look - what a buzz it created!



There were those who loved it after the austerity of the war years. And those who were upset by amount of fabric used in just one dress when most of Europe were still living on ration coupons. Most upset were the American women who simply refused to cover up their legs with skirts that, according to Monsieur Dior, were supposed to go way below the knee...



I also came home with a hairpiece for fun new hairstyles!



Not long after London I was off to Paris! To visit...



... my beloved auntie Ingvor!



She is, after over 40 years in France, a true Parisian. Elegant style, great cooking skills and a home that is both comfortable and exquisitely beautiful at the same time!


My aunt at the time she arrived to Paris. Isn't she just adorably cute!




And I got to meet my mother who flew in from LA. We only get to see one another IRL once a year and fill up the rest of the time with video chats - Thank God for Skype ! :)



The sisters! There are five siblings ( four of them girls !) And oh, my how they can laugh!



Much of the time spent in Paris was at... a dinner table. Which is only the civilised thing to do when in France as there is soo much good food ! :)



It was so lovely to revisit the French side of the family. Sitting next to Ingvor is my super talented cousin Julia who designs jewellery.



Look what she gave me - these beautiful little roses she made ! Please be sure to pay a visit to Julias blog Snow in April and her Etsy shop for more of her superb work!



Back in Sweden it was time for one of our biggest holidays - Midsummer.



As tradition have it this is a time when you eat and eat (and eat) a lot of great food in order to celebrate Midsummer Eve and Midsummers Day.



Which is not a problem for me or for my vintage pal Madelin.



Can you blame us - this was the dessert table ( after loads of delicious salads and barbeque goodies)!



Madelin and I, two very satisfied women :)



June was a fun month!

Happy 2011 !

Dear Vintage Lovers - here´s wishing you all the best for 2011! may it bring us joy and all our dreams fulfilled!



Winter here in Sweden has been quite overwhelming. As I was in Africa last Christmas when the weather was similar, this my first White Christmas since childhood I think ! This is the woods just were I live and me and my friend Rebecka are walking our dogs, Neo and Sally.



We spent a portion of Christmas Eve (Julafton) at my place where I treated her to a sumptuous lunch made by yours truly (insert proud smile), before she went home to her family and more food! Here in Sweden we celebrate the Eve of Christmas, although Christmas Day and Boxing Day are holidays too.



Christmas was really nice in my new apartment her in Stockholm and I was sooo happy that I managed to get everything in order before the holidays...



This was my Christmas present from me to... me :) You should always give yourself a gift for Xmas...



On Christmas Day it was off to a brunch and I decided to wear this little outfit...



When New Years Eve came my brother and his family came to visit. Her are my nieces with their Mom, my talented ( she is a superb percussionist) sister-in-law!



And since my brother is a chef... We ate... and ate... and...



My New Years gift from me... to me! I simply had to have them . Broke (...) or not, since they were dead-cheap!



My brother and me.



The girls!



Here's to all the Vintage Lovers of the world!

Home is were the heart is

Illustration from here.

Tomorrow I´m off to see my Grandpa and my aunties & uncles, as its Grandpas 90th B-day. It made me think about the word "family" and all that it entails.

The roots of our origins are usually much more complicated and complex than the image above... Our childhood memories are rife with emotions, some happy, others more painful... My own "wonder years" were mostly confusing, conflicting and scary, as well a whole number of other more joyful emotions.

When I, years ago, set sail in search of my childhood to understand the fabric that was me I had to weather many "storms". My compass set on the exploration of self I kept smashing into the reefs that was "family". But for each journey I became a little stronger, until one day I no longer went into that reef, but sailed passed it... Suddenly the rocks I had dreaded turned out to be just that...rocks, stones to be played with or tossed back into the sea.

I´m proud of the quest I set sail for and now, halfway "there" (seeing as I´m 45), I have come to enjoying my family more and more. Sure, I still can´t spend more than a few days with my dad ( before he or I erupt ) I avoid certain topics with my mom (religion), I set boundaries to keep my integrity intact with my aunties ( no, I´m not the only one with "problems" in our family... ) and I have slowly learned to accept with much sadness that I may never get truly close to my kid brother...

Yet, I find myself looking at each one of them with love and affection and think "Yep, this is my family !" :)