Hello friends, hope you had a fun weekend! I have been puttering around my house, enjoying my family & friends and shopping and packing for my trip to Sweden (sans family!). When you read this I will already/almost be on my way to beautiful Stockholm!

Some wonderful & talented blog friends will be covering for me on the two different trips I am making this summer. They will send you personal blog postcards from some of their favorite places and share some great tips that you do not want to miss! 

Meanwhile, I will be busy stomping and hopping (or spinning as my husband would say!) around in three areas in Stockholm (and everything in between).

No. 1 – Ostermalm, a neighborhood in the very heart of Stockholm and where my dear mother lives. This area is beautiful, quaint and filled with wonderful parks, great shopping and fabulous restaurants and cafes. This is also the district for some of the best antique stores in Stockholm.

No. 2 – Lidingo. A beautiful island right outside of Stockholm (connected by a bridge) and where I grew up. This was a wonderful place to spend childhood. Country living at its best and yet only minutes away from the city. Several of my closest friends still live (or have moved back) to Lidingo (and I would do the same if we ever decided to move back to Sweden!). I know every rock on this green island.

There is a beautiful world renowned sculpture museum on Lidingo, well worth a visit, called Millesgarden. I pay a visit almost every time I/we go on vacation to Sweden.

No. 3 – Sodermalm. Yet another great neighborhood in the city. And this is where I will be staying, in an attic apartment belonging to my x-boyfriend of many years, one of my closest friends, and now also a close friend of Peter’s! (Yes, try to figure that one out if you can. Haha!).

Sodermalm is one of the more vibrant and happening neighborhoods in Stockholm and with the relatively new “SoFo”, this area now has a NY-feel atmosphere, packed with great shops by Swedish designers and tons of fun bars and restaurants.

This is also the area where my dear and very close girlfriend Gunilla, who is expecting her first baby any day now, lives! She is one of the key reasons why I decided to book my trip at this time. Gunilla, I am so looking forward to seeing you as the proud and most loving Mom, I know you will be!

I can’t begin to tell you about my hectic schedule and all the things (and family & friends!) that I have managed to cram into 9 days. But rest assured, I will be coming back loaded with photos, many new memories, a big smile on my face, and some fun things to share with you!

I will miss you all. I will be back again August 6th.

But do know that you will be well entertained by some of my talented blog friends while I am gone. Stop by and say hello.

Images: 1. via Weheartit, 2. Unknown, 3. Flickr, 4. Via Älvsjö Mässan, 5. Via Flickr, 6. Via Flickr, 7. Via Millegarden, 8, Via Flickr, 9. Via here, 10. Via here, 11. Via Flickr, 12. Via Weheartit

Hello friends! Summer is in full swing here but I have to admit that I find it very hard to sit in front of the computer with my back turned to my 3 young, sweet kids. (That is not how I want them to remember their summer!). I am going to try my hardest to make both my family and my readers happy but you will see me taking longer blog breaks than usual. I hope you don’t mind.

On Sunday we are celebrating 4th of July here in the US. Our independence day. Complete with social activities, BBQ and patriotic themes.

We will be celebrating with our dear friends Bianca and Clemens who are so good at throwing really fun & lively parties for friends and family. They just moved into a gigantic house up on lush green hill were it is absolutely peaceful and quiet and yet, this is the view from their living room! You can almost touch the city of Bellevue through their living room panorama windows! A prime spot for fire works!

I don’t know how creative I will be with dishes and decorations for the party but here are some things that even I can pull off in my lazy summer state of mind!

The only decoration I am fiercely loyal to and do every year at my own house is to hang these handmade patriotic paper lanterns by Bethany Lowe in our old chandelier. It does not get much easier than that!

Happy weekend to all my readers! And Happy Fourth to my US friends!

Hope the sun is shining bright on all of you!

Images: 1, 3 5, 8 and 9 via Flickr, 2, 10-14 via Martha Stewart Living, 4 and 6 via Allt om Mat, 7, 15 and 16 via Splendid Willow.

June 20th. Just around the corner! That is the day when we celebrate Father’s day here in the US.

I have only great memories of my own father, who passed away way too early (when I was 14 years old). In my heart I remember him as a very hard working,  intelligent,  generous and family oriented person with a good sense of humor and an always positive attitude. My parents were immigrants and were clearly very different than the parents in the ritzy part of Stockholm where I grew up. Growing up I always felt like an outsider. But maybe that is exactly what I needed to become strong and independent and to learn to not be afraid of things or people who are different.

Much later in life I found my soul mate – the love of my life. And as no surprise to myself  – he is very much like my own father! So, the goodness continues.

A couple of years ago - on Father’s day – I started placing a framed photo of my father on the kitchen table next to some beautiful flowers. And I told my children about their Grandfather. This year I will do the same with Peter’s father who passed away 12 years ago and who I never had the opportunity to meet and love. It is about time that they meet! I know that our fathers would have gotten a long wonderfully. They are probably talking about us now!

We only do little things on Father’s day at our house. But we do make sure that family quality time with Dad (the best on the planet – I insist!) gets highest priority. A good brunch is a given, small handmade gifts and cards from the kids and a small little gift from me. I have not made up my mind yet but here are some good gift candidates:

1) A membership to a local wine tasting class. (Hey, I would only benefit from that!)

2. A good quality key holder or wallet. Something that only looks better overtime. (Yes, go ahead. You may call me a snob when it comes to small leather goods!)

Key holder: Tod’s via Neiman Marcus

Wallet: Ferragamo

3. A backyard hammock. (It would quickly turn into everybody else’s favorite spot!). This one from LL Bean.

4. Electric salt & pepper mills. (My husband is so good with the pots & pans!). Via Williams-Sonoma.

5. Monogrammed BBQ tools (hey, why not!). Via Williams-Sonoma.

6. A Thermometer fork. Via Williams-Sonoma.

7. Stieg Larsson’s best selling books.  My Swedish contribution!

Stieg Larsson (1954-2004) was a Swedish writer and journalist. Prior to his sudden death of a heart attack in November 2004 he finished three detective novels in his trilogy “The Millenium-series” which were published posthumously; “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo”, “The Girl Who Played With Fire” and “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest”.

Altogether, his trilogy has sold more than 20 million copies in 41 countries (spring of 2010), and he was the second bestselling author in the world 2008. Also, if you have a chance see the movie – the Swedish, original one. It is fantastic!

Anything good you have up the sleeve and would like to share? Don’t be shy now! We are all looking for great gift ideas!

Photo credit: Image 1. Flickr, Image 2. Weheartit, Image 3. Flickr, Image 4. Unknown (sorry!),  Image. 10+ 11 stieglarsson.com

We have a long and much appreciated Memorial Day Weekend ahead of us here in the US. I look forward to spending quality time with my loved one – and to smell the flowers!

I am signing off now (lunch time US west coast time!). I will be back on Tuesday.

Happy weekend to you all!

Image via Dandelion & Grey.

Happy Mother’s day to all wonderful, loving, hard working and nurturing Moms out there. And to all daughters of mothers – and mothers to be!

One of my very best friends on the planet – lovely Gunilla in Sweden, is expecting her first little bundle of joy in July. I am so thrilled, I can hardly contain myself. And I am planning to fly over to Sweden to be part of the joyous event!

Gunilla sent me this image just a few days ago. She was out walking with a friend on a glorious Spring day in Stockholm when all of a sudden a beautiful butterfly started to flap its fragile wings in front of Gunilla. She slowly opened her jacket and the butterfly landed on her big belly (only 10 more weeks to go!). Her friend quietly pulled out the camera, but the butterfly was very content and still did not move. In silence they both stood for quite a while until the butterfly decided it was time to lift its wings.

If that is not a sign of nature’s miracles in harmony - then I do not know what is.

Happy, loving weekend to you all!

Don’t forget about my giveaway – here. It ends on Wednesday May 12th.

Image no. 1 via Just be splendid. Second + third private. Image no. 4 via Flickr. Last image via Bernie Kasper.

Good Monday morning friends! Easter is just around the corner but don’t expect me to go overboard with the decorations. I prefer Easter celebrations & decorations in smaller doses. The children will get their large old-fashioned eggs (well of course!), we will color eggs, host a fun & lively Easter dinner with great friends and the Easter bunny will make a guest appearance. That is pretty much it.

In Sweden at this time of the year you will see all outdoor markets flooded with spring branches decorated with feathers in every color under the sun – literally. Together with the Easter eggs (non plastic) that is pretty much the only decorations you will see in a Swedish home for Easter. (And yes the children will dress up like old witches too and collect candy from home to home, similar to Halloween.)

The feather clad spring branches tradition has still not made it into my home. Don’t ask me why. I love the idea and I have fond childhood memories but it just doesn’t work for me.

This year I decided to create my own unique Easter branch decor. Don’t laugh. And please don’t feel sorry for the book (it was falling apart anyway).

So, I found a lovely large branch on one of the beaches of Bainbridge Island. I put it in the trunk of the car and brought it home.  Once there though I felt it was too dark… For some odd reason one of my old Swedish books caught my attention and I knew I had the solution.  I marched down to Michael’s (Leading US craft store chain) and asked for decoupage glue. (No, not really. I gave them my whole idea and story with vivid gestures until they understood what I was looking for). They handed me acid free Paper Mud Podge. (It is now my new best friend!).

At home, I ripped out the pages from my old book and started to decorate each branch. Every single inch. And Voila! – my dark branch now has a fresh (brighter) look.  I hung my simple  Easter decorations in it and feel quite content with my own little Easter branch tree. (My husband thought I was crazy but I think it is growing on him).

Every Easter I also bring out these lovely handmade sheep that so much remind me of my long summers as a child on Gotland (a fantastic Swedish island in the Baltic Sea). They are made by a local artist in WA state and I absolutely adore them. I found them at a lovely store in Seattle/Bellevue, a visit often, called Common Folk Co.

The only Easter decorations meeting my guests in my hallway is Wheat Grass in a simple pot and a small bird and nest.

Ok, dear friends, any fun decorations you want to share with us? We are all ears & want to learn!

Hugs to you all.

Image via WeHeartIt

Don’t expect many great Valentine’s ideas from my corner of the world! Birthdays and anniversaries – bring it on! But Valentine’s day is just not for me. I am sorry. (Maybe I am not romantic, horror! I haven’t thought about that.) I don’t know what it is, I just don’t like the idea of celebrating love on a special day (assigned by others) on the calendar. My poor hubby knows not to get flowers on that day or even dinner reservations. Having said that – I will absolutely make the day special for our little ones and the near & dear around us.

After I have finished this post (around midnight), I will get back to my match box project. I made them for little Elsa’s class last year and they were hugely popular (see last year’s post). I cover small match boxes with pretty paper and decorate them. This  year I will pack them with small chocolate hearts. 

Ok, friends here is a a follow-up picture. This is what I have accomplished last night. 8 more boxes to go!

Image via Martha Stewart

A yummy dessert of some sort will also be made. Chocolate – well of course!

And cards will be most definitely be going out. Now what I am about to write  makes me more giddy than a Valentine’s dinner. I won, people! I won a whole set of lovely Valentine’s cards as a giveaway on the FABUTASTIC blog The City Sage. (A must read blog for everyone). Anne e-mailed me and I almost made a summersault. I never, ever win anything! So thank you Dear Anne! The company behind the cards is the Minted. They offer a whole range of wonderful cards for holidays and celebrations. A treasure trove in my opinion!

Any fun & personal Valentine’s ideas you want to share wit me & us?

I am so over the moon happy that I started on my little blog adventure. I had absolutely no idea that it was going to take me to so many fabulous places and let me meet so many amazing, inspirational, kind and fun people (yes, that would be you!) . Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being there and for pushing me along!

You are constantly on my mind dear readers and I can only hope that I give you a little bit of inspiration and joy the the same way you generously give it to me.

I also want to send a special thank you to the talented ladies Joni Webb, Linda Merrill and Megan Arquette (I call them the Blog Musketeers) behind the must-follow industry blog forum “The Skirted Roundtable“. In their Podcast  with the title “Favorite Holiday Decorating Blogs“, they seleceted a few blogs and discussed their holiday blog posts. And Splendid Willow was one of them! What an honor for little me to be recognized and included in such good company! Thank you! Make sure to follow their always very interesting design discussions in the new year.

Oh, just one more thing. My dear old Mom back in Stockholm has a really great sense of humor. (And I’ll miss her this Christmas). She once found these (slightly intoxicated?) hand made Santa’s helpers at a Christmas Fair in the Old Town of Stockholm. I think they are supposed to sit in planters. I put them in antique books in my dining room. They crack me up every time I see them! (This would be the Holiday decor I would pick if I for some odd reason only got to use one).

Enjoy the season, stay safe, laugh and have lots of fun!

I will see you again next year – on Monday January 4th, 2010.

Peace & Love,

Love everything in the image above. So my style. (Image via Elle Interior)

Images via: Homes & Gardens Uk

Images via Martha Stewart Living

Image via PointClickHome

I love, love, love this image with the branches in the vase and the carefully selected ornaments.

Images via House & Home

Happy Monday blog friends! Say hi to my blog friend Susann who is the face behind one of my favorite blogs in Sweden -  Purple Area. This is a must read blog for anyone who is interested in a contemporary, more minimalistic design style with a Swedish slant. Talented Susann who has had her well read blog for several years also runs her interior design company and is busy writing regular blog columns about design for a couple of leading Swedish morning papers.

When I need to check the design temperature in Sweden, Purple Area is one of the first blogs I go to. And when I need some new but simple design inspiration for the winter holidays I also trust Susann will provide some great ideas. Let me share her take on holiday decorations with all of you!

Susann, what is your design approach for the winter holidays?

I love decorating for Christmas, without going overboard. Less is definitely more for me. 

I like it simple and enjoy using natural materials and objects like wood, fleece, fir branches, moss and nuts which give a room a genuine and earthy feel. Holiday knick knacks are not my thing, instead I prefer real candles, beautiful flowers and something that lights up my windows. I tend to go with fewer things, of larger scale to make an impact.

 Anything in particular that inspires you this year?

This year I feel that the trend has been somewhat divided. I have seen a lot of pure white but also black and strong colors. I also see a lot of nostalgia going back to a more 50′s and 60′s retro look with a lot of vintage and great patina. The retro patterns with dots, checks and flowers are so in vogue. But so is also wood.

Personally, I am drawn to a white palette which I combine with things from nature. White is so elegant and green adds a lovely freshness. A large, classic star will hang in my window as usual. A plate with simple candles and walnuts and clear vases with pine cones and Christmas bulbs are all very appealing to me.

(I am so going to copy this wonderful December idea. Just attach vintage metal numbers and strings to simple white candles and place them on a tray with walnuts. I love this idea! -Monika’s comment. Image via the Swedish blog Hemmariket).

How do you decorate for the holidays at your own home?

Lots of hyacinths, amaryllises and poinsettas that I plant in clear vases. Both for the look and the wonderful smells. I use lots of candles, stars in the windows and of course a real tree. I will decorate the tree with white bulbs, silver stars in metal and a few things with sentimental value that my children have made.

What can you not live without during the season?

My family, the tree, the open fireplace and something good to eat is pretty much all I need! A few years ago we decided that we would not bring a lot of musts to this wonderful season and run around all stressed. We only do what we really enjoy, prepare food we have a hankering for at the moment and only decorate with things we like. It is pretty much only the kids’ gifts that are still a must. Since we always celebrate at our house – the rest of the extended family gets to share in the same way of celebrating. And they don’t seem to mind!

 Any special design gifts on your wish list?

I have just ordered a gray, lovely sofa that will arrive in the new year. I guess that will be my Christmas gift! But I wouldn’t mind some things from Swedish designers such as Filippa K. and Ingegerd Råman. Or why not some wonderful pillows from Day Home to go with my new sofa!

Thank you so much Susann for sharing some great holiday ideas. Happy holidays to you and your family! Please make sure to visit her blog here. Finally, below is an image of Susann’s stair case and book shelf at home. She lives as she teaches! Simple and lovely!

Interior Images:  Image No. 1 Bordsdekorationer (table decor), Image no. 2 + 8-11 Susann’s private, No. 3-4 Trine Thorsen, No. 5 Living Etc, No. 6, Tine K, No. 7 Hemmariket,No. 12 Ahlens via Purple Area, No. 13 (sofa) Eilersen DaCapo, No. 14 (Filippa k) Dukat Bord, No. 15 Orrefors, No. 16 Day Home, No. 17 Photo by Peo Olsson for Residence.