Friday Randomly Sharing (on Saturday)

* Do not forget to enter my current giveaway here for a chance to win a skein of Fyberspates *

This time there seems to a lot of reading to do... 

- and my future reading list will come from this post

- Marie Kondo for your life - a short post here on meaningful living though minimalism

- A list of tiny but nice things to do to brighten's someone's day

- Read more about Sustainable Fashion's Leading Ladies - and get inspired 

- How I knew I had to quit my day job - inspiring article

- I am wondering whether my boss had not written 'the benefits of waking up early and getting shit done' as his first email to the team usually is at 5am (yes really, and he is in the office)

- Conventional fabric versus eco-friendly fabric post

There might be some sewing as well ..

- Deer and Doe's new season patterns are out. I really really like the Chemise Melilot...

- Breathing easy - the science behind the relaxing properties of sewing.. and breathe...

- I love this modified Ruby Dress featured on Sew Tessuti - on my summer sewing list right now. 

- I love this Polka Dots top - I could learn a lot from these modifications!

- This sewing method for full bicep adjustement will probably be really handy (especially for Japanese patterns)

Just to look at... 

- Amazing pictures - photographers and their eureka moments in pictures in this article 

- Chris Eagleton's A Year on Airbnb

More following to do.. 

- A fashion blogger decided to make the switch to shopping responsibly - of course I am a new follower!

And some knitting of course.. 

- Ysolda has got her own yarn - of yes!

- The Ganseys collection by BT is really beautiful (beanie hats knitting alert).

And some comfort eating.. 

- I love having soup - it is usually one of my meals every day.. I will have to try this vegan watercress soup (recipe in French - yes French and vegan! - but if I like it, I will translate it for you)

- This salad looks so good!

#Meaningful reading :: The Year of Living Danishly ::

or the full title.. the Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country. 

'Buddha teaches us that desires are inexhaustible. The satisfaction of one just creates new desires, like a cell multiplying ... Living danishily has given me a glimpse of a more meaningful way of being. An understanding how life should be, or at least, how it could be'. 

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope you are having a great week! Going back to work does have its perks - I am reading again. Quite a bit actually. And it is wonderful. I had already made a point of going to bed early and read a few pages every night, but obviously an hour and a half commute every time I work in London means that a lot of reading gets done. 

I am not saying I always read interesting books, although I try to select them carefully. In fact I just finished Grief is the thing of feather - thinking it might help understand what Baby MiH is going through (and maybe us), it definitely did not. I saw some comments about how funny the book was, I never laughed once, in fact I would like to know where I should have laughed. I did not cry either - it left me emotionally cold, and we are talking about grief here. I was more upset when reading the latest Bridget Jones Diary, Helen Fielding dealt with bereavement better I thought...

Anyway I am getting sidetracked because one book I was very excited about reading was The Year of Living Danishly and whether I could find ways to make my life more meaningful. Helen Russell did - as you can see with the quote above - and managed to get pregnant, have a baby and sign up for another year in Denmark in the process. But is there anything for us mere mortal who are not Danish born? This book is not just about Danish culture, it also deals with the general experience of relocating to a foreign country, and the author's personal life and development. I found it really easy to read, and, in some places, it was absolutely hilarious. You should have seen Mr MiH's looks (he is reading the Big Short - not so many funny moments in that). 

I took notes, which is a sure sign that there was indeed something for me. Many of my notes are about Danish design and hygge - ie taken from the first chapter of the book. This is not surprising, I love Danish design and the feel it creates. And apparently rightly so as Helen explains 'when you surround yourselves with quality design it influences our mood. If one surroundings are nice, we feel cosy and safe. It makes us happier'... So let's start shopping! Of course, this is not so far from what Marie Kondo was saying of course.  

She talks a lot of about the work/life balance in Denmark, something that we have tried to incorporate in our lives here when I decided to go back after Baby MiH was born (my work life balance before that was shockingly bad). Mr MiH is doing the drop off and pick up from nursery. We split everything equally, housework, finance etc - except cooking. Also when I travel for work (which I have to do more than Mr MiH), there is no issue - he can do everything that I do around the house. 

The book paints a very good picture of Denmark - although referring to some not so good parts - ie the long winters. I was living in Scotland at some point in my life, and I had to move back to France during the winter. I could not deal with the short days. Maybe I should have bought more candles? I am not sure it would have been enough at the time. However the way Danes deal with it (according to the book) made me reflect on how we could deal with our winters here and try to enjoy being indoors and with family a bit more. 

Finally, the Danes and I do share more than an interest in design, we love Midsomer Murders - apparently the best rated TV import. I would feel right at home!

Totally worth a read - there is quite a bit to be learnt from the Danes, but also from the actual research in what make people happy (in Denmark or elsewhere) - of course I could question whether the book is not making too many generic statements out of examples, and not reviewing the all 'literature' but I am not going all academic on you, because at the end of the day I did not really question it. 

Reading about women equality was really interesting, and gave me a bit more confidence to look for more recognition at my workplace (whether I will get anywhere is another story). It is as serious as it is funny - a great balance. 

Friday Randomly Sharing

This week I was inspired by ..

My Grandma who is 83 (and the biggest collector of my knits, making her my biggest fan in the world). She is now on her own. My Mum asked her what she really wanted to do now. My Grandma told her that she wanted to go to Venice (where does that come from??!). My Mum said ok, that she would take her, if my Grandma walked. She is not much of a walker - actually, she is a rubbish walker. She now walks 45 minutes every day so she can make the trip of a lifetime in Venice. Whoa! People. it is never too late.

I wanted to sew...

- The Birkin Flares... I am sold. I have seen this pattern before, but Oona made me realise that I need them in my life - desperately!

- I love this version of the Inari Tee Dress by Named - The addition of central seams is brilliant - looks so professional. I have added to my sewing list, as if it was not long enough..

- I love this review of the best sewing patterns in 2015. I have a few in stock - not touched of course (arrghh) - but it reminded me that I really want a new Renfrew and that I have the Minoru Jacket pattern and all the fabric for it.

I will be travelling (not for work) ...

- 52 places to travel to in 2016 (there is no way some of these places are this year, but there are actually a few in Europe.. So Easyjet, where do you fly to?)

I will be watching ... 

- If you are in the UK, you might be interested in a new reality show - that does not seem as dumb as some others - called the sugar free farm to be aired on ITV from 26 January - it is in my diary, is it in yours?

- OMG!! One of my favourite after school 80s series is back, Fuller House (aka la Fete a la maison as I know it) will start on Netflix in February 2016. Is it wrong to be excited?

- A lot of TV ...  knitting and TV is a great combo. I loved Atelier on Netflix, beware it is in Japanese (so you could also say that I was learning a new language) and therefore easy knitting is required. A great series about the fashion industry, focusing on luxury underwear. 

Whilst knitting...

- If you follow me on Pinterest, you know I am a bit of Humanoid fan - and I found (totally by chance) a knitting jumper called 'humanoid knock off' - yes it is in my favs list (and also it is made from a free pattern, hourray for free pattern!)

- A free simple hat pattern, yes please, thanks Felicia!

- BT published its latest lookbook, check out Julie's review. I do love Halus, and League. What's your favourite? Snoqualmie wins on Ravelry. 

I will be reading ... 

- My coffee table is officially looking very uncool as none of this uber-cool magazines features on it. Time to review my readings. 

- The reality behind the blog, my friend Cee has written a day in the life of a fashion blogger, reading about all that workout has knackered me. 

- I am not sure how I can feel pain anymore - I am a bit numb in that department - but I have been thinking a lot about happiness, and what it does actually mean. I loved reading this article, about negative experiences, and how much you want it.

And finally... Travelling (with work) and maybe meeting with you... 

I am travelling with work again - oh the glamour of a hotel (and full night sleep) - So people, I will be in Brussels and Leiden in February, Paris in April, Copenhagen in April, Dublin in May. I am usually staying the one night - message me if you fancy meeting up with me and get some knitting done! 

#Meaningful Reading :: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up ::

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope you had a good start of the week. This is my first week back at work - so I am still trying to find my feet and my new routine. I will be blogging regularly but I need to find the time to do it properly. Just bear with me for a couple of weeks. 

However I really wanted to tell you about the life-changing magic of tidying - the Konmari method. Other bloggers have referred to this book. It took 4 months for me to get it out of the library - clearly I am not the only one wanting to read it. And was it worth the wait? Oh people, it was! I read it in 5 days, and I kept taking notes. At first I was only going to mention it on a Friday Randomly Sharing post, but this book is so important to me that it deserved a post of its own. 

I have to add a little bit of disclaimer here - because it might explain why this book spoke to me - I love tidying, and I have no issue getting rid of things. Also since Little Baby MiH left us, I have been rethinking the meaning of stuff - hence my word for 2016. So the book came exactly at the right time for me. 

The book explains two main points to enjoy the magic of tidying: deciding whether or not to throw something away and deciding where to put it (only after you fully decluttered your house). As Marie Kondo explains 'tidying is just a tool, not the final destination. The true goal should be to establish the lifestyle you want most once your house has been put in order. .. This lifestyle should bring you joy'. 

As I mentioned I love to declutter my house - whereas Mr MiH is quite happy to accumulate and be untidy. However I actually never thought of a method to declutter, and I would usually work on one location and then run out of steam quite quickly. If you have read reviews of this book, you will know that the key to throw away is to take each item in you hand and ask whether it sparks joy or not - and by taking it in your hands your body is supposed to react. This is a very powerful tool of course. But I was also really interested in her way to approach tidying by categories rather than location. And finally she does address the guilt in getting rid of things that might be still new or were gifts from people. 

The book explains everything step by step. It is not written as a manual per say, but processes are clearly identified. Also she spends quite a bit of time explaining why some of her steps are more likely to work than other methods of tidying. From my point of view, the main driver to follow her method is my aim - being surrounded by meaningful objects that bring joy into our lives. In fact I wanted to tackle one category quite quickly - my craft stash. I have been quite uninspired recently. And one of my main issues is that my stash did not inspire the person I aspire to be - an ethical crafter. I have started with my yarn stash, and already I feel much lighter and happier to knit. There is still a lot of tidying to be done, before I get to where I want to be, but I feel I am on my way. 

A snippet from my new stash

One area I also had to tackle was my handmade accessories - I tackled the category 'accessories' yesterday (scarves, belts, mittens, beanie hats etc). I had kept everything I made for myself, except that not everything I made sparked joy yesterday. In fact only a small proportion did and I parted with the majority of it - and it was fine and in fact enlightening. I had to make decisions about my style, what suits me (colour, shape etc) - and the next day I was sporting my favourite beanie hat on my way to work - because it was easy to access, and I knew it sparked joy. I do not regret making any of the other accessories I got rid of because I learnt construction techniques, improved my knitting and crochet skills, made some mistakes and got engaged in the craft community - and it helped me the crafter I am now. 

I loved the book and its message. I have to say though that sometimes I felt she was totally OTT - she was reading homemaker magazines at the age of 5 and started being interested in tidying techniques then - well WTF?! Equally I am just wondering about her early fascination for filing devices - I am not sure I am getting it. However these quirky aspects of the book makes it a much more palatable read than a mere tidying manual.

Read it, be open minded about it. You will find yourself nodding at some of the characters she refers to. I will now carry on with my own tidying. I have not followed her recommended order - because of how strongly I felt about some categories. So accessories, socks, underwear and yarn stash. Tomorrow is jewellery. According to the book, it should take 6 months... I might be able to do it, whether I can rope Mr MiH in my tidying adventures... and ask him which object spark joy to him... yeah I may need more than 6 months for that to happen. 

Getting started | Christmas 2014

It may seem a bit early but as you may have seen on my IG feed, I have Christmas on my mind - big time! There may be a simple explanation for this. I will be giving birth in November (if all goes well) so December may be fairly busy at ours (in a very good way, of course). And I am also planning Baby MiH's birthday (and maybe mine if I get round to this) in December. So I need to start now (or probably should have started in August). But the silver lining is that Christmas craft books are very much available at my library. 

I found two that are full inspirations - The Christmas book by S. Goldsmith will probably be my inspirations for edible presents, and Christmas crafting in no time (C. Youngs) for ornaments. That should get me started. 

Have you started thinking about Christmas? I am hoping that I will have time to make some handmade presents, but may give myself a break this year... 

The Big Tidy Up | WIP {Sewing and Knitting}

This is my second go at making myself a boxy pouch - a few years after my first go.. And there is a very good reason for that wait, the first attempt was really bad, did not look boxy whatsoever, everything that could go wrong probably did go wrong with that project, except that I never found out where exactly. But I still think that boxy pouches are the best way to organise knitting WIPs, especially small ones like a certain shawl.  

Sooooo I decided to have another go - and this time it would be made properly. I would read the instructions, I know essential but I am not that good at that, maybe do some basting to make sure I am happy before sewing with the machine - and basically turning a quick project into a really long one.

I found a tutorial by Kelly who blogs at KelbySews that I really liked - there are so many out there - but this one seemed to make sense (and have enough pictures for my photographic brain). I had the fabric and the zipper in my stash - result! 

I love this sashiko-effect fabric (bought here on Etsy ages ago), and the lining is some leftover fabric from the Highbury and Islington baby quilt. I cannot believe how well the two fabrics go together.

So far so good - I have oversized the pouch a bit, so it may not look like what you expect when it is finished - but hopefully still look like a boxy pouch. 

As you will have seen, I am still knitting Settler (the test knit for Libby), and I have also got a new magazine about natural living - Taproot - which has also knitting patterns (by no other than Carrie Bostick Hoge), recipes and experience of natural living. Each issue has also a theme, if you don't want to subscribe. 

Check out other WIP projets over at WIP Wednesday and Small Things today. 

FINALLY I wanted to let you know that I will host my second sale of yarn and quilting books tomorrow on the blog (you can see a sneak peek on IG). This time I will sell a few balls of the same yarn, so you can get a bigger project out of a purchase. Be sure to check it out!

Books, books, books

A reading post... I am traveling quite a bit at the moment, and these are probably my only 'finishes' - except for Wool, but honestly I tried, really tried to finish it- but I just couldn't.

Before I go really into it ... you need to read this book. It is a very tough topic, but dealt with in the most unexpected way, and it talks about perceptions and the parameters you are brought up with.  

I picked this one at the library because of its title - I expected something fun and light. WRONG! OMG, I could not have been more wrong. One thing you need to know about The First Book of Calamity Leek is that you will not understand the first chapters. I thought it was my English, and then I checked on goodreads in case it was not. And everyone was saying that they had no idea what had been going on either in the first chapters but that it was worth carrying on with. And it was. The book lacks some details sometimes, but it is an amazing book. But beware the topic is tough. Sorry I cannot really tell you more. Oh, also,you will probably get it faster if you are based in the UK.

So I did not finish this one.. I did read 180 pages of it, but there were still 400 pages to go - in small caps, (and another 2 volumes), and I just could not face it. I am one of the few ones who did not like it, they say it is the next Hunger Games - I personally never got into it. 

Life is good in the silo. The people are friendly, food is plentiful, healthcare is readily available when needed. Those in charge are democratically elected and take their office on the top floor. A skilled IT department keeps channels of communication open throughout. And the whole silo is kept ticking over by the engineers in Mechanical, deep in the belly of the Earth. Just one look at the screens projecting video images of the bleak, uninhabitable landscape outside, and the inhabitants of the silo know how good they've got it. There are always some crazy folk who question this from time to time. How did the silo get here? What exactly is out there, out of view of the lens? These ungrateful dissenters are punished by being cast out with a woolen cloth to clean the cameras so that everyone else can continue to enjoy the view - fated to certain death. But one day sheriff Holston, the sensible and much-respected warden of the silo, joins the dissident ranks and chooses to go outside. This sets in motion a chain of events that shake the foundations of the entire community.

Another Musso - I got it out of the library (yes it also has a few French books!) because I needed to go back into a genre I knew after spending 3 weeks on Wool. It is a romantic thriller - a typical Musso, and it felt good to be in safe hands. I read it within a week, and I was happy.

This is the one I am currently reading - as it was a hit in the 52 books challenge. This is the first volume - out of three. The main character has just entered the Game - but has not yet really 'played'. It is intriguing, I am not gripped yet (maybe I am just a picky reader) but maybe the Game really needs to start in earnest. 

Any good read your end? I reserved Karen Perry ('The boy that never was') at the library, following watching a good review on French TV. 

And can I just say, I am SO glad that our library system in Hertfordshire mean that I can reserve any book from any library in the network! If you have a similar system, it is definitely worth using it - especially if your house is already full of books like ours!

Books, books, books

Here are the latest books I read.. It is an interesting mix, a couple of fictions, a self-help book written like a novel and a biography. All fun in their own way.

I saw this book at the library - one week loan, not renewable - and I had to get it and start it then and there. If you are not a fan, I am sure you would find it the most boring book ever. Even for the fan that I am I found it long at times. But it explains suchet's search to be the ultimate Poirot and make you want to watch all of them all over again. No gossip in this book, nothing controversial, just a really interesting point of view on Poirot. He could have made it a bit more controversial though - because I don't think the decision to make all of the Poirots was that simple... 

(Or the shadow thief) is the 11th novel by Marc Levy. It is a little bit less rom com compared to the others (think Just like heaven) but still romantic - with a touch of fantastic - the main character talks to shadows throughout his childhood and his student life. It is an easy read, but I am thinking that he has not talked that much to shadows (considering the title). I read it quite quickly though, it is enjoyable. 

79-year-old Martha dreams of escaping her care home and ribbing a bank. She has no intention of spending the rest of her days in an armchair and is determined to fund her way to a much more exciting lifestyle. Yes, another 'totally realistic' book. I am not sure wether I hate or like it (definitely not loved). I hated the style, it is way too long, there are several chunks that I read diagonally. But I loved the idea that a group of OAPs decide to take the course of their own lives in their  hands and plan how to get out of their current situation. That made me think and realise that you do no have to accept your situation. It received a lot of praise, I found the style annoying me too much.. But would love to know what other readers think! 

'It is the story of a man who is forced to do all the things he has always dreamt of doing secretly. I wanted to show how far a person can go, once he/she is free of fears..' (Laurent Gounelle). I read self-help books but tend not to finish them because they seem to repeat themselves or the concept is so .. Conceptual.. I am not sure what to do with it! Laurent Gounelle uses the format of a novel, it makes it a bit more real - but still in a very unrealistic scenario. Cannot see an English version but it says that his books are translated. 

So what's next? More bonkers books, some waiting for me at the library actually! What are you reading? 

Books, books, books...

I mentioned it a few times here, I am not a public crafter and in fact it took me a while to tell people about my craft addiction and about this blog. I am not sure why, I suppose the fact that one of my ex-boyfriends said it was really old-fashioned and stupid may have something to do with it... To be honest, on my train to work, there will probably no elbow space for me to do anything, so instead I read, and as it happens quite a lot. I thought that once in a while I would share my latest reads as I know a lot of you are also avid reader.

There is something for everyone here, French and English (I try to alternate between French and English books), some will be translated - some may never be (and in fact should not be...). Like this first one... 

Romain Puertolas, L'extraordinare voyage du Fakir
qui etait reste coince dans une armoire

I finished this book in 5 days - however this is not a sign of its high quality. I was drawn by the lengthy, weird and wonderful title - 'The extraordinary journey of a Fakir who has stuck in a IKEA wardrobe'. And to be honest, it was a very easy and pleasant read for a bout a third of the book. What a story! An Indian Fakir comes to France on a one-day return journey to buy a new bed of nails. He orders it and has to wait for the next day to get it - but where to sleep? Of course, in one of the IKEA beds. But he finds himself in need of a hiding place, and finds himself stuck in a IKEA wardrobe. The start of an extraordinary journey... or not. So yes, the storyline is bonkers, but I can deal with that, what I really did not like is the author style. He is trying to make (bad) jokes every page about the names of the protagonists and other silly things - totally distracting from the actual story. As you can imagine this is supposed to be a light-hearted book, except that the author decides to go on about his philosophical views on illegal immigration. I agree this is an important issue to discuss, but not when I bought a book because it sounded like a fun story. So, it is probably never going to be translated; if you speak French, I personally wished I bought myself something from IKEA with the money, but I did see some positive reviews, and this is only my personal view. 

Maria Semple, Where'd you go Bernadette. 

Out with the negative comments, and onto an amazing book! Bernadette Fox is famous. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to designers, she's a revolutionary architect (who knits!!), and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom. Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee brought back a stellar school report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle- and people in general - has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is as you can imagine problematic. It is really funny, I loved the style - using emails, police reports etc - which makes it a very entertaining read. Total worth getting! I got it for the cover, and I am so glad I did!

Guillaume Musso, 7 ans apres

This is the second book I read from this author (that would be the name in big letter on the front page - the title is in a much smaller font... hmmm). You can find his books translated into English - he is in fact quite well known. My Mum is a big fan and leave them for me to take when I go to France. This is much better than the first book I read from him. A divorced couple gets involved in a drug affair as they are trying to find their son. It is quite a clever story, and it writes beautifully about New York and Paris. It is not one of my must-read but it is entertaining and an easy read for the train journey.

Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones - Mad about the Boy

Finally, Bridget Jones is back. I am sure you all know about it. I had pre-ordered the book, but never got round to read it until I started commuting again. I could have been really disappointed. I loved the first two Bridget Jones, and yes I have both films on DVDs. So how was going to relate to a 50-something Bridget Jones? Well interestingly, I think it is because we both moved on from being single in London, to being married and having children - trying to balance being the-best-to-our-abilities Mum, working and having a personal life as well. The comparison stops there though - I do not have a toy boy lurking in the backgroung. It is written in the style of the other Bridget Jones, and for that I am grateful, it felt like a safe territory. It is a great read, I cried, I laughed, I nodded a lot - all in one read. Definitely worth the pre-order! 

So what do you think my next book should be? What did you really enjoy reading recently? I have Donna Tart's Goldfinch - which is massive to carry around but apparently amazing, I have a Tracy Chevalier as well - always a good read... 

I link to the 52 Books Challenge - at this rate I should be on schedule!

In my bag {Homemaker Magazine Review}

I have bought a lot of crafty magazines - and as I buy them in France and in Britain (and sometimes US imports) it has become quite an expensive habit - crafty magazines are quite expensive. However I have never stuck to one. I used to subscribe to Marie Claire Idees in France, but if I am totally honest it has never been my style and in all the time I have been a subscriber I have only done one the featured patterns. And now there are SO many free tutorials on blogs that it is hard to justify spending so much. 

And then I stumbled upon the Homemaker Magazine. Firstly, Homemaker was a name I had in mind for this blog so we were onto a good start. Secondly I really liked the editing and the fonts of the cover - yes there were geometric shapes, and we know how much I like geometrics. 

There was a minus for the use of pastel - but it was combined with neon - so they redeemed themselves. And inside, it was not too packed with projects - I find it usually overwhelming when there are loads, as in I will never have time to make any of them. What there is inside is a good mix of interviews with hip designers and a wide range of crafts represented - very like my style. 

A whole feature on vintage trunks and suitcases... I already have one, maybe I need more.. I think Mr MiH will veto that idea. 

They even have Sarah Fielke answering quilting questions ...

And now on to the project I will be making.. and yes it is grey!! 

And I also found new blogs that I have followed instantly... 

I am not ready to subscribe yet - I think I need another issue to make sure that I will not get bored. 

Has anyone else read it? What did you think?