reykjavik fragments

Monday

2012-02-13T20:52:00.002-01:00

Pictures by: Dos Family

Thursday

2012-02-02T09:53:00.003-01:00

Pictures: Svensk Fastighetsförmedling
through La Maison d'Anna G

Saturday

2012-01-29T11:46:00.005-01:00

Photo: Augnablikk

I don't read much at all these days staying at home full time with the 1 year old and working more that half time at the same time. My blogroll contains all my reading at the moment. So in stead of taking a picture of something I don't read I thought I'd share this wonderful blog in stead with you.

Thursday

2012-01-26T07:10:00.000-01:00

Sunday

2012-01-22T07:33:00.000-01:00

Not for the bed jumping type of person.

Saturday

2012-01-21T15:50:00.001-01:00

Picture: Bolig Magasinet via From Scandinavia with love

Saturday

2012-01-21T10:22:00.004-01:00

I was brought up in the western Swedish archipelago. Next to us lived my grandparents and most of my aunt and uncles. My cousins and I spent our childhood running around in the woods and mountains and we did the swimming most people would need a lifetime for during the summer holidays. Here I am in the outer archipelago that we used to travel around in a sailing boat my father built.

Friday

2012-01-20T19:44:00.003-01:00

My youngest kid falls asleep in the pram and sleeps some 2-3 hours outside the house every day. Might sound like a dream. Except this winter we've had all the snow you had in Europe last year concentrated to Iceland and more. And the winds have been literally turning the pram 180°on the street corners. A home picked sea bird duvet does the trick. I use it inside the sleeping bag. But my fingers go numb sitting by the open window with hail and snow flying around the room.

Thursday

2012-01-19T09:49:00.000-01:00

My Swedish summer fluffy cloud sky.

Wednesday

2012-01-18T19:22:00.000-01:00

Photo: mbl.is

Seems the kitchen in this post had an Icelandic relative.

Wednesday

2012-01-18T19:05:00.000-01:00

Random picture from my favourite country. Old ruin below the mountain.

Tuesday

2012-01-17T09:36:00.004-01:00

That you can make snowmen also in the summer. This picture is taken on the Myrdalsjökull glacier by the way located on top of the of the overdue Katla volcano media was telling you all about. (Big sister of the smaller Eyjafjallajökull volcano that disrupted the flights in Europe.) We used to drive over it every summer with the kids.

Monday

2012-01-16T12:58:00.004-01:00

www.hemnet.se through Husligheter

You probably know by know I have a weakens for old vintage pastel colored kitchens. Then it doesn't get much better than this. Designer Bea Szenfeld's apartment that is now for sale if you're looking for an apartment in the Swedish capital area.

Monday

2012-01-16T09:32:00.006-01:00

Sorry I missed the challenge yesterday. I was working a 12 hour shift. This outfit was actually mine a couple of years back.

Sunday

2012-01-15T08:42:00.005-01:00

Pictures: Lönngren/Widell Photography
through Tant Johanna

Saturday

2012-01-14T08:12:00.004-01:00

Family & Mountains

Saturday

2012-01-14T08:06:00.000-01:00

Pictures: 1-2. Convoy through Papernstitch
3. Bolig Magasinet through From Scandinavia with love

Friday

2012-01-13T09:03:00.005-01:00

Porridge with banana or muesli. In Iceland most babies from the age of 6 months and on drink cow milk designed for babies with added iron and vitamins. From the same age they usually get skyr that is is an Icelandic cultured dairy product similar to strained yoghurt. That is very different from how babies get to try out foods in Sweden I feel, where milk products are almost being avoided.

Thursday

2012-01-12T09:33:00.007-01:00

I found this photo challenge at April April and decided to have it a go. You can also join in here just add you to the link list. Here I am with my 8 month old at at lake Langisjór last summer. For years, plans existed to dam this amazing lake for energy production but then politicians made the good decision making this lake part of a National Park. We were on a camping tip with the family with big Icelandic monster jeeps behind the Vatnajökull glacier. People usually think were nuts when we tell them we go camping in the mountains with small children but it's actually the best way of traveling in my opinion. You can stop anywhere you like when you're on these off the map mountain roads where there is no traffic to take into consideration. And the kids sleep better on bumpy roads than on highways. When my older son was about 8 months we took it to the extreme and got dropped off by a boat in the inhabited remote north part of the west fjords only to be picked up again after the weekend (and a 5 hour hike) on his very fist camping trip.

Wednesday

2012-01-11T20:08:00.002-01:00

Picture: Little Vintage

Monday

2012-01-09T20:32:00.000-01:00

Pictures: Bloesem kids

Don't miss this tour from Zimbabwe on Bloesem Kids.

Saturday

2012-01-07T10:12:00.000-01:00

Pictures: Stadshem via La maison d'AnnaG

Thursday

2012-01-05T07:06:00.001-01:00

Pictures:
1. My future house through Mackapär
2-5. Hús & Híbýli

Wednesday

2012-01-04T18:26:00.000-01:00

Monday

2012-01-02T15:10:00.003-01:00

Thursday

2011-12-29T18:48:00.003-01:00

We had a nice Christmas. With a slight lack of sleep for the parents and lack of food for the young ones who were only allowed to drink Gatorade doctors orders. Yesterday was the night of the birthday party for the one year old. During the night we had the most snow I've ever seen. I think we had about 30cm of new snow in our garden this morning. I finally managed to paint the playroom too during the holidays. It was a birthday party success.

Saturday

2011-12-24T02:39:00.003-01:00

Picture Hús & Híbýli

Friday

2011-12-23T00:05:00.000-01:00

Thursday

2011-12-22T19:09:00.000-01:00

Wednesday

2011-12-22T00:10:00.002-01:00

Picture: 1. Martha Stewart
2-3. Isa Form

Anyone still awake wrapping presents? Try out these print out gift tags from Martha Stewart and Isa Form.

Tuesday

2011-12-21T20:01:00.003-01:00

Pictures:Marloe de Vries

This is a cute nativity set available for print out. You can choose if you want to use the colored figures above or color your own.

Saturday

2011-12-17T14:28:00.002-01:00

Picture: www.mbl.is

Thursday

2011-12-15T09:03:00.005-01:00

Pictures: Desire to Inspire

Don't miss this Australian house tour on Desire to Inspire.

Wedneday

2011-12-14T23:57:00.000-01:00

Tuesday

2011-12-13T18:58:00.002-01:00

Here is the directions if you want to fold a Christmas tree.

Monday

2011-12-12T16:15:00.001-01:00

My weekend find was this old flower table. I have a big weakness for childrens' books (trying to get the children to speak Swedish) and I needed a way to make them more accessible. I can't use it as a book stand just yet though since my almost one year old tear up all books that are not board books. But I managed to take a couple of pics while she was busy making a mess in some other part of the house.
Regarding my weekend plans they had to be put on ice since I got invited to a summer house. I have at least bought the paint.

Friday

2011-12-09T10:27:00.004-01:00

Friday

2011-12-09T06:32:00.000-01:00

Picture: Hús & Híbýli

Thursday

2011-12-08T01:02:00.001-01:00

Pictures: Her bor Mari

Wednesday

2011-12-07T07:02:00.003-01:00

I lost the link for this pic
Fill me in if you know it's source

Some projects take forever don't they. Back in 2009 I got the idea transforming an old nooky storage room into a kids playroom or a sleeping nook. One and half year ago or so I moved all the stuff from the old storage room into the attic where we got a brand new more accessible storage. The old nooky storage room even got a new wall and floor. Then pregnancy came in the way and I hurt my back and my family didn't allow me to do the slightest little painting project at home. Next weekend it will have to happen. It's now or never. My plan is to let my 4 year old have the new playroom for Christmas. I promise to show the result here on the blog.

Tuesday

2011-12-06T16:55:00.001-01:00

I'm back from my blog break. I've been at home with sick kids for almost 2 weeks now. Good thing I did most of the preparations for Christmas in November. It was kind of nice to have everything done last year when I was 9 months pregnant so I decided to buy the presents early this year again. I have hardly been outside the house the last two weeks. We've had the best weather with lots of snow for a change. It's not so common to have snow in Reykjavík as you might think. It looks very pretty from inside.

Friday

2011-11-25T22:29:00.006-01:00

Today the wait for the first snow was finally over. It was one of those unusual days in Iceland with postcard like snowfall and absolutely no wind. Some days kids are faster than usual getting dressed for playschool in the morning.
The cookie cutters comes from Martinex and IKEA and the pig is an old Swedish heritage.

Saturday

2011-11-19T11:01:00.002-01:00

Picture: Down to the woods

This was a cute idea to make a tree out of felted balls. I just found out you could make felted balls in the washing machine at the 60° program. I haven't tried it though. Maybe you can find instructions on Youtube? You tie the wool into an old nylon stocking and shape it when it is still wet. That would definately save time if you are making a lot of balls like for one of those multicolored felted ball rugs that cost a fortune if you buy it.
I still need to figure out what to do about the Christmas tree this year. Having a one year old to be that climbs onto everything and thinks she can fly. She also has the most developed sixth sense about things that are off limits like the toilet, the trash can, the toilet brush, plastic bags. Maybe we could have a small tree on a table that is out of reach?

Friday

2011-11-18T23:51:00.001-01:00

Picture: Hús & Híbýli

To avoid buying 24 advent calender presents times your number of children, why not make another type of calender where the present is a happening; a visit to the swimming pool, a dinner at own choice, a visit to the playground or a café, a playdate with the cousins, making a cake or just anything. You could use 24 envelopes like this one.
Luckily in Iceland we have the custom where the 13 Icelandic Santas visit the children that are nice the last 13 nights before Christmas. They are leaving a small present in your shoe if you put it in the windowsill when you go to sleep. So parents save a lot of presents until the day they come to town.

Monday

2011-11-14T19:12:00.006-01:00

Pictures:
1.& 3. Skeppsholmen Fastighetsmäkleri
through From Scandinavia with love
2. collégien through Nina
3. houseofalexandra through Today I love
are linked to their sources

Don't miss the give away of the adorable non-slip slippers at Ninavorm.

Sunday

2011-11-13T11:14:00.006-01:00

Pictures: mbl.is

My blog break the last few weeks was due to that the kids great grandmother died. This is her old kitchen. Although she was a great grandmother she never got old. When I first met her some 10 years ago she was actually seventy something years old. I didn´t know the language and my mother in law took me to a charity run with who I mistakenly thought was her sister. I waited and waited for my boyfriends grandmother to appear at the dinner afterwards at her house. I thought she must had gone to the store or something. In her apartment there was always people everywhere, not easy to know who everyone was.
In her old kitchen at the end of the world she sat in the heat from the stove playing cards and games waiting for the typical misty weather to clear. There was always fresh coffee and she always devoted her time and attention to everyone else. She collected dolls and old toys. The toy pictures are from her bedroom. Although if you were a child you were allowed to borrow them.

Saturday

2011-11-12T12:37:00.005-01:00

Pictures from mbl.is

I admire people that dare to use colors. It's also cool that they let the kitchen top continue into the living room.

Tuesday

2011-11-08T11:06:00.002-01:00

Saturday

2011-10-29T10:58:00.002Z

Another place not to be missed if travelling in Iceland (or Copenhagen for that matter) with children is the Laudromat Café. I like the nice interior and the large playroom downstairs where you can also wash your clothes. It's always very busy so it's a good way to meet locals, especially if you bring your kids. I haven't been 100% lucky with the food and the service. But they have great coffee. And the playroom is to die for although coffee is only allowed in the doorway. Hope you have a nice weekend!

Friday

2011-10-28T07:33:00.004Z

Pictures: www.mbl.is

Thursday

2011-10-27T10:52:00.000Z

Pictures: 1-3. & 5. : Brinja København 4. Sköna Hem

This is also the most inspiring home and blog. Brinja also runs a shop in Copenhagen. She has the cutest miniature version of her apartment where furniture move in and out as the full size apartment interior changes. More pictures available through Sköna Hem.

Thursday

2011-10-27T10:27:00.003Z

Pictures: bare WUNDERBAR (are linked to their sources)

This week I've been staying at home with two sick kids. I found a load of new favourite blogs in the process. It's like when you find a good book, you just have to read it until the end, or the beginning so to speak. This blog has it all, it's super creative, inspiring and beautiful.

Wednesday

2011-10-26T13:47:00.013Z

Pictures: The Design Files

A colorful Australian home on a rainy day. Today it was almost dark when I went with my oldest son to daycare at 9AM.

Thursday

2011-10-20T06:56:00.000Z

Picture: Apartment Therapy through poppytalk

A modern version of a plate rack display bookcase?

Wednesday

2011-10-19T08:48:00.000Z

Pictures: Marie Claire Maison through the style files

Tuesday

2011-10-18T19:50:00.005Z

Pictures: mbl.is

Yet another home for sale. It's yours for 38 million Icelandic kr .

Thursday

2011-10-13T17:12:00.004Z

Photos: Eva Kylland through Desire to Inspire

Wednesday

2011-10-12T11:02:00.000Z

Pictures: mbl.is

I have a big weakness for nooks. I don't like apartments that are the shape of a shoebox with all windows in one end. This apartment is for rent if you're planning on moving to Reykjavík anytime soon. Also check out this lovely advertising campaign where Icelandic people invite tourists for dinner, to lessons on how to knit an Icelandic sweater and much more. If you had been fast you could have had sushi with the mayor of Reykjavík or panncakes with the president.

Sunday

2011-10-09T22:14:00.003Z

Friday

2011-10-07T18:09:00.002Z

Pictures: 1-3. www.mbl.is 4. Hús & Híbýli

Well these pics do not belong to the same flat but they go well together. The living room and kitchen is yet another flat for sale.

Thursday

2011-10-06T21:57:00.000Z

I had an old IKEA table with ugly marks all over. Now its wipeable and water proof.

Tuesday

2011-10-04T12:46:00.006Z

Pictures: Urban Retro

Urban Retro is one of my Norwegian blog favourites. I have blogged pictures from their old home before. See more of this lovely children's room here.

Monday

2011-10-03T21:03:00.001Z

Pictures: Alvhem

Sunday

2011-10-02T20:44:00.002Z

Thursday

2011-09-29T05:52:00.001Z

Pictures: Scandiamäklarna through Anna

Wednesday

2011-09-28T00:28:00.001Z

Pictures: bolagret through room and serve

I don't know if I would like to buy the apartment or the bedspread (from Hay?) more?

2011-09-27T14:50:00.001Z

Pictures:
1. Design Attractor 2. Sköna Hem
3. Little Baby Company through Bloesem
4. Hús & Híbýli 5. Bolig Magasinet
6.Papernstitch 7. Weekday Carnival

Monday

2011-09-26T18:50:00.002Z

Pictures: Fantastic Frank through Anna

I'm back at my blog friendly job so hopefully I'll be able to blog more frequently during the winter. We're taking turns in staying at home with the baby and I have I job where I can sit strange hours and blog.
These pictures have been on all blogs but I'm saving them here for later. Too beautiful not to be posted. I also added a new tag to the blog for pics from house tours.

Sunday

2011-09-25T15:26:00.002Z

Thursday

2011-09-22T17:14:00.007Z

Pictures: Road trip in Finland

In case anyone missed this house tour.

Wednesday

2011-09-21T19:31:00.007Z

Pictures from mbl.is

I think that I have blogged a picture from this home before (the first one with the wall decal)? So now that it's fore sale why not show some more of it.

Saturday

2011-09-17T19:20:00.006Z

Picture: Highway Design

The cutest children's room and most adorable bed at Highway Design blog.

Wednesday

2011-09-07T14:27:00.003Z

Looking for apartments I found this cool one with a swimming pool like kitchen floor. The only catch being it only has one bedroom and we are now four people...

Friday

2011-07-21T23:05:00.003Z

You get an endless sandy beach all to yourself with a view of a glacier to top it off.

Thursday

2011-07-21T22:32:00.007Z

Pictures: Color Me Katie

Tuesday

2011-07-05T22:47:00.006Z

As you might have noticed I haven't had time to blog so much lately. It mostly has to do with my bad back that is now luckily better. I now have a big 6 month old girl that is constantly on the move and I'm kind of wondering where these months went.
I thought I might give some tips about what to see and do if you ever come to Iceland. There are many recent family friendly cafes one of which is Iðunnaraplið tucked away in a cozy downtown basement right next to the Parliament. They have moderate prices, make their own baby food, open early and feature a playroom with video surveillance.
In Iceland people leave their babies sleeping outside of cafes and shops even on the main street. I have noticed tourists find that terribly unusual. It's an old custom letting your children sleep outside and to our defense we have a very low crime rate. If you'd steal a baby here there'd be no where to hide or go since we're a small island. You can borrow a baby watch device or sit by the stroller in the window.

Monday

2011-07-04T21:55:00.020Z

One of my favourite locations in the West fjords of Iceland. You drive north until the last 90km of gravel roads literally come to an end. There they have the harshest weather that made most people leave and time stand still. The trip takes a whole day (if you travel with children) and make it difficult to bring in new furniture and appliances. We went there in June and had 2°C and scattered piles of snow. The swimming pool that uses natural hot water from a spring keeps a lovely temperature of 39-40°C though. If you need to cool down you can go for a swim in the ocean or jump into the hot tub which was only 35°C. I have posted pictures before. Check them out here and here.

Monday

2011-01-19T10:54:00.004-01:00

Our baby girl was born between Christmas and New Year's and everything went so well. The new year though started off really bad for me as I was diagnosed with spinal disc herniation. I couldn't sit, lie down, sleep or stand upright for about a week, my leg went numb and I wasn't allowed to take any pain killers that worked because of the baby. Thankfully I'm a lot better now. I thought I had to undergo an operation but it might not be necessary after all. I'm hoping that I'll be back here soon and I'm hoping that they'll allow me to carry my baby around again since I feel so much better now.

Thursday

2010-12-23T00:57:00.008-01:00

Merry Christmas everyone. In Iceland kids put one of their shoes in the windowsill 13 nights before Christmas and if you've been nice you get a small present in the shoe. There are 13 different Santas that does this magic. They arrive one at a time each particular night. If you don't behave you get a potato in the shoe in stead. Sounds complicated? We'll as a parent you don't have to buy 24 advent calender presents now since there's only 13 Santas. The 13th day after Christmas is a holiday here like in Sweden and that marks the day when the last Santa has left the building so to speak. But there's no presents involved when they leave. Christmas Eve we celebrate in a similar way as in Sweden.

Tuesday

2010-12-21T15:48:00.006-01:00

1. Anna Lenas hem Christmas counter through Poppytalk
2. Vtwonen Christmas tree through Living Like Linda

Wishful thinking or not it feels like we might be having the best Christmas present. The midwife also said today she thought the baby wouldn' t be long. I've been saying all along it would be a Christmas baby just to get used to the thought so that it wouldn't be a disappointment if the baby didn't wait til next year. I'd absolutely love to hopefully be able to do something else for Christmas than just lie on the sofa, if just to play with my son. Well today I managed to drive to the midwife appointment and go online to read blogs. Now it's back to the sofa...

Saturday

2010-12-11T08:22:00.001-01:00

Pictures: Rie Elise Larsen

Friday

2010-12-10T07:49:00.003-01:00

Pictures are clickable and linked to their sources.
1: ROOM and serve
2-5. Designsponge
6. ROOM and serve

I have a big weakness for old lofts. I love the nooks and corners and weird spaces.

Thursday

2010-12-09T08:07:00.000-01:00

Pictures: jeongyun through Flickr

This Christmas chandelier is made from the IKEA Glansa lights.

Wednesday

2010-12-08T17:45:00.002-01:00

Picture: Apartment Therapy

I'm moving home later tonight. At the moment I'm sitting at work wondering what the bathroom might look like. I haven't been home since the bathroom started to look like a bathroom again so I have actually no idea. I have been with my son the last few days while the kindest people have been cleaning the apartment high and low. I know It will be smaller than before since we had to put in new walls, a new ceiling and use all of the previous unused space. Hopefully it will look a bit like the bathroom on this picture. Though the floor tiles are black. I will show pictures of the result I promise.

Wednesday

2010-12-08T07:14:00.001-01:00

1.Thompson family-life through her Flickr
2. recovergirl

3. Danielle Thompson through Design Sponge

4. Pickles
Pictures are also linked to their sources

Tuesday

2010-12-07T06:53:00.001-01:00

Picture: BRIGGS LEKEHUS linked to it's source

Living in a hotel apartment in total lack of decorations my blog list has become a life saver. This knitted Christmas ball is super cute. Would be easy to make looking like an Icelandic sweater. From the advent calender of BRIGGS LEKEHUS.

Monday

2010-12-06T07:21:00.000-01:00

Source: The happy home blog
via The style files
directions through here

Sunday

2010-12-05T07:37:00.002-01:00

Pictures: 1. Martha Stewart
2. Etsy
found through Papernstitch
Pictures are also linked to their sources.

Friday

2010-12-03T08:20:00.003-01:00

Pictures: Hemnet through Aprill Aprill

The lovely home of blog Dalstigen now for sale through here.
In case you wonder, I didn't give up on the blog. In the beginning of November I thought I'd been really lucky feeling so good during both my pregnancies. Then I caught 3 colds and the flu in 4 weeks while living away from home because of the bathroom makeover. It's not so easy to entertain a bored 3 year old in a small studio for 4 weeks when you're not feeling well. Now with 20 something days to go and the apartment a total mess I almost feel I want out. Hoping to be able to move back home next week with some cleaning help from friends and family. And I hope the baby stays where it is until we're back.

Wednesday

2010-11-10T16:30:00.005-01:00

Picture: Hus & Hem through Desire to Inspire

This was a rather cute way of creating more space for laundry and things that are hanging everywhere in the bathroom. I plan to fit in my washing machine in the new bathroom in stead of having to deal with the baby and running up and down the stairs to the basement. I think it would be wishful thinking being able to put away at some point if I were to get one of those foldable drying racks. I think you need something more permanent with children in the house.
Our apartment is now covered in concrete dust. I try to think happy thoughts. I will get a new bathroom that works as such. There were no unpleasant surprises like mould. Only less expensive findings so far. Like the ceiling was full of sawdust from 1912 that had to be replaced. And we're very lucky to get a replacement apartment for free.

Monday

2010-11-08T18:51:00.000-01:00

trough Today I Love
click on picture for it's source

The risk of having a baby at Christmas made me buy all my Christmas presents in October. I even wrapped them the other day. Now I will just sit back and don't spend any money or visit a single overcrowded store until Christmas. I even went to IKEA and bought Swedish chocolates and gingerbread cookies. Time will tell though if I'm able to stay away from those for 6 weeks.

Monday

2010-11-01T20:57:00.010-01:00

Source: Bolaget through Jennys hus

I love this apartment. It matches the autumn leaves outside the windows. More pictures available here.

Saturday

2010-09-18T18:07:00.006Z

This old inherited IKEA high chair was very dull before but now has a new color.

Monday

2010-09-13T17:40:00.004Z

The 3-year old didn't find the eyes amusing at all, he picked them off and gave them to an older cousin.

Saturday

2010-09-11T08:06:00.000Z

throuh: the seventy three

Friday

2010-09-10T10:52:00.005Z

Marie Claire through Maya

Wednesday

2010-09-01T18:39:00.002Z

1, 3 ATLITW
2 Maggie&Sparrow
4, 8 Selina Lake Stylist
5-6 mherhav
7 Frensimensi
8 Saídos da Concha
Pictures are also clickable and lead to their sources

Tuesday

2010-08-31T12:30:00.003Z

This old chestnut tree still has a birdhouse I made at school. Check it out on Flickr.

Sunday

2010-08-29T09:18:00.001Z

Friday

2010-08-20T07:13:00.001Z

click on image for it's source