Merry Christmas!

This year I was sure I was going to add a little color to the x-mas decorations, but as always, endend up with what I always do, the greys, the browns, the whites and the blacks. Everytime I walk into a colorful home I (everyone else but mine...), I get really cheerful and happy, but when I try to add some color at home, I am not comfortable at all. I guess I have to admit once and for all, that I am not a color person. Maybe it will grow on me, but for now, I´ll stick with the colors of nature...

Here´s my Christmas tree. Goes with the rest, doesn´t it?

Merry x-mas everyone!

Photography: Trine Thorsen

And the winner is...

The big day is here and the winner of the competion is about to be drawn. For those of you who participated (surprisingly few actually!), here are the correct answers:

 Goro

 Krumkaker

 Sandkaker

 Berlinerkranser

Smultringer

 

 Sirupsnipper

 Fattigmann

The competition was also sent out with a newsletter to my clients, so there are a few more people that participated which has not left a comment on this blog.

So there will be no cheating, my mother will now perform the draw :-)

Tamtaratamtaratam... (drumroll)

The lucky winner of a one day workshop is: Lena Hovind Olsson!
Congratulations!!!

This feature (with the recipes) is to be found in the current Christmas issue of BoligDrøm and Danish, BoligLiv.

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Food and styling: Tara Ballantyne

A Christmas gift for you?

In Norway we have an old tradition saying that you should bake at least seven different sorts of cakes for Christmas. This Christmas I would like to challenge my Norwegian or Norwegian speaking readers :-). The winner of the challenge can win a one day workshop in digital photography on Mars 3rd. 2012 for herself or a friend/girlfriend (Sorry, girls only...). Want to participate? This is what you have to do:

Name the seven different brands that are in this image. Hard to see? Visit my website/new work and look for larger images.

Send me and email with your answer and write a comment on this blog when you have sent it. Do not post an answer on this blog. You´ll just help others to win :-). 

Are there many participants with right answers, a winner will be drawn. 

The draw will take place on December 24th. and the winner will be announced on this blog.

Good luck and hurry, you have only ten days...

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Food and styling: Tara Ballantyne

Wood works

I don´t there should be any doubt that my boyfriend and I are into wood these days... Tall and wide shelves, tall and narrow shelves, small shelves, tables, benches and consoles, we make it all! Common are simple furnitures with clean lines, mostly painted in white. Our favourites are the things we make to keep our logs in. Neatly stacked logs are so decorative, and with a piece like this you don´t need much more... Soon we will try and make a blog or a website with bigger images, sizes and prices. Until then, you´ll have to visit this blog for regular updates.

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Edible gifts

Nothing is more thoughtful that giving away a homemade gift, and nothing greater than receving one. Especially when it´s edible! The "hours" you have spent making that special treat for that special person has to warm everyone´s hearts. Getting this edible gift will not only warm your heart, but the whole you.

Imagine a cold winter night, curled up under a blanket, reading a good book,  your favourite magazine (or blog?) AND a home made sweet and spicy Chai tea.

If you want to warm someone´s heart (and body) this Christmas you should give away this home- made Chai tea. Leave behind the recipe for a Chai Latte and you´ll be friends forever...

You need: 

1/2 orange

1/2 dl cardamom seeds

6 cinnamon sticks, crushed

1 tbsp cloves

1tbsp black peppercorns

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 tbsp star anise

1/2 dl Darjeeling tea

You do:

Preheat the oven to 95 degrees Celsius. Cover a cooking tray with greaseproof paper. Slice the orange in 3 mm thin slices and put them on the tray. Dry them in the oven for approximately 2-3 hours, turning them once in a while. When finished, mix all the ingredients, except from the Darjeeling tea and store in an airtight container.

Chai Latte:

6 dl milk

2 tbsp Chai mix

1,8 dl water

1 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tbsp Darjeeling tea.

Warm the Chai mixture with milk, water and sugar on medium heat for 20 minutes.

Add the Darjeeling tea and let it stand for 3 minutes.

F:Y.I.

This recipe and more we did for an edible gift feature for Bo Bedre´s Christmas issue which is out in Norwegian stores now.

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Styling: Tara Ballantyne

Concrete and colors

A few years ago I bought and apartment just like this- in the same building- just a few doors away. I had for years been dreaming about a "New York style" loft, with concrete floors and walls. The project didn´t end up the way we were predicted (the builders changed the look, took away the "rawness" and decided to go for a cheaper, mainstream look), and with a help from a experienced laywer in this field, I was able to withdraw from the contract I had signed. Helene was another one who fell in love with this cool to be project, but took the contractors to court, and ended up getting the apartment the way she was promised in the first place.
 

 I had decided that I didn´t want to set my foot in that place again, until one day someone tipped me about a cool apartment in the east side of Oslo. It was with mixed feelings I entered the building the day of the shoot, but it ended up being a fun day with inspirational things to shoot and a lovely, energetic  hostess it was fun being around.
Helene is a cool, sporty gal who loves skating, bicycling, surfing and travelling, and as you can see, her apartment reflects her very active lifestyle. Right now, she is having the time of her life surfing in beautiful Bali (lucky her!), while someone else is a lucky tenant of this ccol apartment.

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Styling: Tara Ballantyne

New addition!

New addition to our "furniture collection. Small kitchen table, desk or a side table. The choice is yours (or mine...) :-)

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Damn you, Nigella!

My boyfriend unfortunately discovered Nigella´s Guinness Gingerbread a few weeks ago, and has for the two past Sundays kept himself busy in the kitchen making this amazing cake.The result each Sunday has been two delicious cakes, which both has gone down faster than I never thought was possible. After the first one, I begged him not to bake it again (since I knew the outcome), but he wouldn´t listen. The Sunday after he was by the stove again, stirring together Guinness and lots of wonderful spices. If he continues in the same path, I will gain at least 5 kg before Christmas...For sure. So next weekend it is my turn! Sorry, Nigella, I have to try and make it my way- with palm sugar instead of muscovado (brown) sugar and soy flour and agave syrup instead of the real stuff. I need the spices but not the carbs...

For the real stuff you need:

150 g butter (plus some for greasing)

300 g golden syrup (light, not dark)

200 g dark muscovado sugar/dark brown sugar

250 ml Guinness

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

300 g plain flour

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

300 ml sourcream

2 eggs

1x23 cm square baking tin or 1x foil tray approx. 30x20x5 cm

 (we used old fashion cake tins, which made two beautiful cakes)

PS! The first time he made it, my boyfriend took 2 tsp of ground cloves instead of 1/4 tsp by mistake. It actually tasted really good. More spicy and "Christmasy". With 1/4 tsp the you can taste the syrup more and it is a bit sweeter.

You do:

Preheat your oven to 170 degrees. Grease your cake tin or foil tray.

Put the butter, syrup, muscovado sugar, Guinness, ginger, cinnamon and ground cloves into a pan and melt gently over low heat.

Take of the heat and whisk in the flour and the bicarb. You will need to be patient and whisk thoroughly to get rid of any lumps.

Whisk the sour cream and eggs together in a measuring jug and then beat into the gingerbread mixture, whisking again to get a smooth batter.

Pour the mixture into your tin of choice and bake for about 40-45 minutes (you should check it after 30-35 minutes). When it is ready it should be gleamingly risen at the center and coming away from the tin at the sides.

Let the cake cool before cutting into slices or squares.

Recipe by Nigella Lawson found on http://www.lifestylefood.com.au

For American measures, see the recipe on www.foodnetwork.com

New doors?

I have scraped and removed paint from three doors in the house, and I´ve already had enough of it. There´s about seven left, and even though I am not going to continue the project until next summer 

( it´s easier to do it outside in nice weather), I have already started to dread all the work.

I like old doors better than new ones so I either have to stick with the job and the hours it is going to take, or come up with a better solution. In the 70´s and 80´s people used to put a piece of plywood on the doors to cover the flaking paint, and to get a new look, and that is what the owners did in this house too. Underneath the plywood are some beautiful, old doors that just needs a little bit (or actually quite a lot!) of renovating.

Maybe I can do the same, and instead of having a boring plywood door, glue one of these wallstickers from Bolia outside? At least they have a little bit more paint on them than my doors. Don´t think they come in the exact door size though, so I might have to photograph one of the doors I have already renovated, print them out and glue them on top of the plywood.

Images found on Bolia.com

New workshops!

I ´ve had a few people contacting me regarding workshops and have now set two new dates for you to join. The first one out is on Mars 3rd.and 4th, the second one, April 28th and 29th. The workshops will be held were I had them the last time, in charming Bikuben in my hometown (village) of Tofte. I have already sent the information to you who has contacted me earlier, but for you who hasn´t, you can contact me here for more information and prices.

Maybe something to put on your wishlist for Christmas?

Images taken by Helene Bye from Elle Decoration (chocolate) and Linda Elmin (egg on spoon) from Hviit who attended my last workshop.

All I want for x-mas...

Ok, it is time to start on my Christmas wishes and here´s one out of many.

My breakfast plates have started to crack, and I desperately need new ones before I am being charged of attempt of murder (don´t want my guests to swallow big chunks of ceramics, do I?).

I´m in love with this wonderful series of ceramics from Danish Uh la la, and would be the happiest girl in the world if they were under the Christmas tree this year.

Images found on Uh la la ceramics website

Busy bee...

 

 

 

Even though my boyfriend and have more than enough with work and the house, we have started on a new project, furniture making! Since I am so fortunate to have a very handy man, why not take advantage of that? Together we design and create simple and timeless furnitures in our workshop-the diningroom. Every week new furnitures are popping up around the house, and now we are even thinking about selling them. If we make it on time, we will attend DEJM (Designernes eget julemarked) on Dec.3rd.and 4th in Oslo, with a few samples and a lookbook of a few of the things we have, and can create. Our ideas is to make everything custom made of your choice, either it´s a bench, a kitchen shelf (or a table), a wood rack or a closet.

If this is anything of your interest, don´t hesitate to contact me by sending me and email.

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Colorful Christmas!

 We never get enough of great decoration- and gift wrapping ideas, and this year EVERY magazine have their own Christmas issue filled with exactly that. We se more and more colors and recycled paper, and gifts decorated with tape, stickers and colorful ribbons. Gone are Santas, red apples and white angels. Don´t know what you think about this new trend, but even though I am not the most colorful person there is, I like it a lot! I am strongly considering adding some color to the decorations this year- if I dear...

This are a few images from a Christmas workshop feature I did for Kamille´s Christmas issue earlier this fall. Hope they´ll inspire!

Styling: Line Dammen, Bente Helstrøm and Tara Ballantyne

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Eye exercise...

Great eye exercise on a Sunday morning :-)

Have a lovely day!

Lovely posters from Keep Calm Gallery

Design by Hayley & Lucas

Finally!

I have finally had some time to renew my website and the result is tons of new images of homes, food and people. If you like something that you see, and would like to share it with someone else, pls.go ahead, but 

don´t forget to link back to me and my website ;-)

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Tasty rolls

Not too long ago I did a food feature together with stylist, Alexandra for Tara Smak, on the ingredients carrots and beets.

They were baked, fried, cooked and shredded, and the result where seven different, delicious and healthy recipes. One of them were these yummie thyme and carrot rolls. The rolls are great with soup, for breakfast or lunch.

This recipe makes app. 20 rolls

You need:

50 gr butter
50 gr yeast
2,5 dl milk
2,5 dl water
3 tbsp syrup or honey
2 tbsp fresh, chopped thyme
1 tbsp salt
3,5 dl shredded carrots
5 dl whole wheat flour
8-9 dl flour

You do:

Melt the butter in a pan, then add the milk and the water until the fluid is lukewarm. Add the yeast and stir until completely dissolved.

Pour the mixture into a baking bowl, and add the shredded carrots, syrup, salt, thyme, whole wheat flour and last the flour. Start by adding 8 dl flour and work the dough. Add the rest of the flour if necessary.

Let the dough raise for app. 45 minutes. Take the dough out of the bowl and knead thoroughly.
Cut the dough in 20 even pieces.  Put the rolls on a baking tray (with baking paper) and cover  with a kitchen towel. Raise for another 20 minutes. Brush the rolls with a beaten egg. Sprinkle the rolls with fresh thyme or sea salt.

Bake in oven on 250 degrees C. for for app.12 minutes.

Photography: Trine Thorsen
Food and styling: Alexandra Villefrance

Sibella´s New York

I have no plans (yet) to visit New York in the nearest future (at least not this year), and money is the only reason for that. But, if luck stricked this way and I was to go, I would bring along this book. Here, Australian born interior stylist, Sibella Court takes you on shopping tours around the city, guiding you to stores off the beaten tracks, giving you simple to follow routes using your feet and the subway.

If you are in to interiors and like to look for stores that offer the unusual, I believe this is the book for you.

Image found on Amazon

Apartment love...

 

My absolute favorite apartment right now is the new home of my ex-roommate, stylist and former editor of Norwegian Elle Decoration, Line Dammen. This home is right up my alley color wise (greys,whites, browns and black), furniture wise (a great mix of old and new) and style wise (ethnic meets industrial meets retro meets modern meets antique and so on). Yes please!!! Line is now working  in Kamille magazine, being in charge of the food- and interior section. These are a few of the images that was featured a few weeks ago as a "get to know" the new and talented addition to the Kamille staff.

Styling: Line Dammen
Photography: Trine Thorsen