OCTOBER PLAYLIST

Listen to our October playlist on Spotify. You find it in the sidebar to the right, or just click here.

IF YOU HAVE IT - USE IT

Photo of the Women's Association in the Norwegian Conservative Party of Tromsø in 1930. Women had been eligible to vote as equals to men in 1913 after thirty years of suffrage.

"That we have the vote means nothing. That we use it in the right way means everything."
 Lou Henry Hoover

IMAGE: PERSPEKTIVET MUSEUM, TROMSØ

OCTOBER

Yellow throw pillow from Åhlens, moss green pillow Svenskt Tenn, Plate from Rorstrand, Vase Iittala, Wooden bowls IKEA, Stuffed animal IKEA, Crassula plant IKEA.
IMAGES: PRODUCT IMAGES ÅHLENS, SVENSKT TENN, DESIGNONLINE, IKEA

SWEDISH MEATBALLS Á LA IKEA

There are probably as many recipes for Swedish meatballs as there are Swedes. I usually free style mine with ground beef, garlic, paprika, some cut oats and a dash of cream.

This weekend I am trying out the IKEA recipe that is taking over the world. I live 17 minutes away from IKEA, so it makes little sense, but who doesn't prefer homemade?

MEATBALLS:
250 gm minced beef
250 gm minced pork
1 egg
200 ml cream and water
2,5 tbs onion, finely chopped
50 ml unsweetened rusk flour (or breadcrumbs)
2 potatoes, boiled and cold
4-5 tbs butter or margarine
salt
white pepper
allspice

CREAM SAUCE:
100 ml cream (half and half)
200 ml water or beef stock
chinese soy sauce
1 tbs white flour
salt
white pepper

If you want a step-by-step instead of a ingredient list, check out the excellent instructions from I am a food blog at IKEA Swedish meatball recipe.

I LOVE MY HOMETOWN

I miss hurrying along the winding cobbled streets of Old Town in fall.
IMAGE:  OLD TOWN BY SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS

ITCHING TO STITCH

Korsstygnsbolaget gathers and publishes old embroidery patterns. I've been on the look out for a pattern that could be used on holiday pillows, and this is the latest candidate. I might need to change the colours to make it a better fit in our home but it's too bad because I quite like the folkloristic use of yellow, red and pastels in this one.
IMAGE: KORSSTYGNSBOLAGET, USED WITH PERMISSION 

POT LUCK

Few objects can blend well in a range of interior design styles and time periods, When I'm lucky enough to find one that would look great in rustic, classic and modern settings it goes straight to my wish list as well as my secret gift-list. This new favorite might host a small skinny fir tree this winter, then flowering bulbs in spring, and herbs during summer.

Ceramic urn in three sizes by Ernst Kirchsteiger available from Åhlens, Inreda.com, royaldesign.no and many other retailers.
IMAGE: PRODUCT IMAGE INREDA.COM 

SEASONAL DISORDER

It's been an unusually warm fall. Oslo is enjoying a warm sunny day, the boys are outisde wearing t-shirts and shorts. You'd think it was the start of summer rather than beginning of winter. But rest assured, it'll be by our doorsteps before we know it.
IMAGE: Carl Larsson [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

WELCOME BACK FRIENDS

It's been a while.
It's nice to be back.

The world is still reeling from armed conflicts, civil wars, global warming and gloomy post-election prospects.

But informed opinions, commitment to aid initiatives and Christmas blogging are not mutually exclusive, so here we are.

Let me know what you want more of in this, our 6th (!) year.