It's Concertina Friday!

Today's blog throwback is all about concertina folding, as I like to call it. Something I like to do, even though it can be a bit fiddly to turn into a flat, round ornament - but with a bit of patience and practise it is super easy. It's perfect for gorgeous flowers and stars, I think, and it doesn't involve a lot of thinking or complicated folding sequences - all you have to do is make a whole lot of really, really sharp and even folds. 

The Solino Stars (top) and the Dip Dye Flowers (middle) are both from 2013. They both include a perfectly finished design to download, which you only have to print, cut and fold. Both blog posts have a few bits of practical advice on the how-to.

The Gold Stars (bottom) post from 2016 is a kind of tutorial in itself, explaining the easiest way to make something like this - tried and perfected by me, and it involves making a little tool for super quick and accurate folding. These gold ones are made from thin, glossy gift wrap, which I find particularly suited for this kind of folding.

Have a lovely weekend, everybody!

Spring explosion and April recap

Exactly a month ago, we had the last snowfall this spring (I very much assume) after a very, very cold and snowy March. And then everything just exploded! We have had a historically summery April, and have had lots of fun, and been very busy.

But wow, is everything splendid, right now....

These first two images are exactly one month apart: the first snowdrops from our garden - and a glorious cherry tree I passed somewhere, yesterday.

The month went by in such a rush, starting with Easter, of course. 

We did a lot of those things we always enjoy: had several days off, went to lunch-parties and sent out a lot of Easter Fools Letters, or Riddle Letters, and even got a few. The fabulous green egg-shaped vintage vase below, was a prize for a such a letter, given to me, by my dear midcentury-modern aficionado friend. Lucky me!

We even went to Berlin for a couple of very eventful days!

We went to Berlin for two very specific reasons (if you ask me): First we did a little run in the sun (it was seriously hot) - and to celebrate that, we had my very special favorite Shiso Burger with fresh, minty apple-lemonade and lots of fries.

In Berlin it felt like actual summer, and had only done so for a few days when we arrived. But the evenings were already warm, and everywhere people were out and about....

Later on we celebrated the race just a little bit more at the cosy Mikkeller Bar in Torstrasse.  

And I have to show you the view from the hotel roof terrace (and sorry for that extremely poor cropping of the TV tower)!

The legs are feeling rested now, and we spend most of our time trying to get our garden + small summer residence in some kind of working order. On a personal, professional level, I am very busy looking for new jobs and projects at the moment, and blogging is going into summer slow mode. 

My son gets in the last word (as usual) in this what-ever-became-of-the-last-many-weeks post. He is presently very interested in mixing sticky and oddly non-related substances together, in order to make play slime - which is the thing, right now. At least hereabouts....

Good thing they can do it outside, now. It does get kind of messy, I can tell you.

Flowerpower: ERDEM x HM

Normally I'm not into floral wear, although I cannot get enough of flowers in nature, in art and in print design. For some reason I just don't feel comfortable in florals myself. They end up stuck in the back of the closet, every time I try.

Now, I love it when great marketing design is so seductive and persuasive, that it makes me want something I don't usually wan't, so badly! I find this brain process fascinating. The thing is, of course, that you don't need to obey every impulse - you can actually just sit back and enjoy the ride.

The freshly launched web campaign for Erdem x HM is SO beautiful. I've idled an hour away in front of the screen, exploring every detail, and now I just want to swoon in a meadow full of spring flowers, dressed in Edwardian/Pre-Raphaelite/boho/country lady style and sport an androgynous haircut. And, believe me, that is a bit of a steep step for me, stylewise (I would really like the backpack from the men's collection though).

Get flowered yourself by the stunning web design (use your mouse scroll button to explore the site), or, at least see the crazily lavish Baz Luhrman film.

(all images are screenshots from www.hm.com and from the Baz Luhrman film)

Origami Cherry Blossoms

This year Easter and hanami (Japanese for the season of blossoming cherry trees) coincide. So my paper-diy-project Easter egg gift for you, is a very pretty origami cherry blossom. These are quite large, and would look great as table decorations.

There are countless ways of folding a sakura with five petals, but I did a little research, and I think this one is both pretty, easy to make - and it has all the right characteristics of the cherry blossom, like the star shape and that lovely little dent each petal has. Find the tutorial and my special paper, after the images.

These are modular origami, you need to fold each petal individually, and then assemble them. Once you get the hang of it, you may experiment with the dent (the extra fold in the petal, that gives it shape), you can fold that in many ways - and you could also make flowers with much more than five petals, using the same principle.

You'll need glue for these, otherwise they are all over the place!

See tutorial page 1  /  page 2

I made two slightly different designs, and two sizes : about 12 cm. and 8 cm. - or you could scale the design and make miniature versions of them, they are not complicated to fold. Download and print the special paper, that has two flowers of each size and design, right here: Get the PDF

2021: I have a new location for my downloads, please go here:
Large A  /  Large B  /  Small A + B

Happy folding, happy Easter, happy Hanami or perhaps just spring!

Yellow

When Easter is near, the color yellow is everywhere. Such a feast for the eyes! I love yellow. Back in the Easter 2015, I made yellow himmeli from plastic straws and a bit of yarn. And my son got a yellow helium balloon at some event. It even had eyes...

Last year, I was very busy around Easter, and only found the time to post something about these paper flower balls I made, when Easter was long over. 

So I'll re-post them here - they are a yellow and slightly re-designed version of these. I made them a bit smaller, and more buttercup like, and they are super easy to make. They consist of 12 identical petals with slits, and you just slide them together, to form a ball. Add a string if you like, and hang them from a pretty branch.

Print the petals on regular A4 paper - and print on both sides of the paper.  

Get the PDF here, with printing instructions and all.

 

2021 update: find links for the downloads in the post from 2016.

Spring favorite # 4: Buttercup Flowerballs

These I actually made for Easter, but I just didn't have the time to share them here.

They are, of course, very Easterly, but if you like buttercups, I guess they may cheer you up any time of the year. Plus they are very easy to make, really, and quite fun. All you have to do print the sheet (one sheet makes a flowerball, and I made these on slightly heavy, ordinary printer paper), cut out the twelve petals, and sort of hinge them into a ball. See explanation on the PDF about printing on both sides of the paper (which makes a really nice effect on these).

I found a very instructive video on YouTube, on how to assemble them. Super easy!

They are a remake of the pink Hanami ones I made a few years ago, and I have scaled them down a bit, so they are slightly smaller, and changed the outline a bit. They pay tribute to one of my favorite garden weeds; the pretty, yellow buttercup. And in just the same way, you may stick a bit of string to the inside, before closing the last petal, if you want to make them into hanging decorations. 

Download the Buttercup Flowerballs PDF and get started!

 

2021: I have a new location for my downloads: please go here for the front print -
and here for the back side print (it's a print-on-both-sides design).

Spring favorite # 2: The Flower Queen

Marianne Eriksen Scott-Hansen is a Danish fashion artist / designer / stylist / general creative explosion - known by anyone who has followed experimental fashion here in DK for the past two decades. She works in all kinds of media, but her almost superhuman ways with the scissors are somehow central to much of what she does. When you read interviews with her, she often explains how she works intuitively, with very few templates, work drawings or such. She simply lets the scissors do the talking, and incredible things happen. 

At the moment she works almost entirely in paper, and her wild, textural visual style has really taken off in her current project: doing enormous flower installations in cheap tissue or crêpe paper. She emphasizes how she insists on working in the standard materials her local paper shop stocks (although the amounts of paper that she uses are not quite standard - she must be a wonderful customer for that paper shop!!), and how she does everything herself and by hand. 

I am simply breathlessly impressed and full of awe and wonder! It is stunning and abundant. The workload almost incomprehensible - and, it's all from plain paper and a pair (or several pairs) of ordinary scissors. Paper truly is a magic material (as I keep insisting on).

Please enjoy these few pictures of Marianne Eriksen Scott-Hansens Easter decor in the Royal Copenhagen flagship store - and, I think, from a backdrop for the ELLE style awards (just two of her many, many supersize flower extravaganzas).

All photos are from her instagram, where you should follow her and fall in love with her work as well.

Lokalkompagniet - a cool place and a work project

Just a few weeks ago, I was hired to do a design job for a really fun and unusual place; Lokalkompagniet. Situated in Nykøbing Sjælland, Odsherred, a northern region of Sjælland, famous for it's beautiful landscape and coastline, it's bountiful gardens and farms - and it's appeal to all kinds of small farmers, foodies, artists and craftspeople.

Lokalkompagniet, is both a shop, an information centre, a local activity hub and - last but not least - a super cozy coffee bar and eatery, for anyone interested in great quality food from small local producers. Which is exactly the point of the place; giving all the small farm - and arts/crafts shops in the area a shared venue in the main town, Nykøbing Sjælland, in the middle of main street! You will find it in the former farmacy, in Algade 24, and it is open every day. There is a cozy garden out back, where you can enjoy today's special lunch, at a very reasonable price - and based on local products entirely! Much more info (in Danish) here...

And what did I have to do with this? Well - I designed the logo, and (because that's all we've had time for up till now) consulted on colors, typography etc. It had to be a super quick minimalist project - there was no time for a lot of printing and producing things, so all energy went into creating an interesting logo, and using the logo for some small touches here and there, like simple rubber stamps for a bit of quick and easy branding, and on large blackboards for various info. But it is an ongoing process, so more will follow!

Lokalkompagniet opened Saturday, and I was there for the opening, of course - the name (and therefore the big handpainted logos on the facade) was a secret until the opening hour, and it was revealed with speeches, live soul music and lots of festive to do! 

The place is so promising, and an absolute must, if you are in the area!

The shop has everything you could wish for when it comes to jam, honey, syrups, cordials and oils, all made from the lush gardens in the area - and high quality organic meat, handmade sausages, and even locally produced (and grown) wine and beer. 

The lunch wagon in the back yard is highly recommended; I had a yummy, really spicy frankfurter with relish, potato salad, homemade mustard and ketchup and fresh apple cordial to go with it.

Lokalkompagniet is also the host of some of the local arts- and crafts people - you will find quality ceramics, glass and jewellery among other things, and the group of participating companies is sure to grow eventually. Check the website and facebook for info (links further up in the post).

I was asked by the super talented jewellery maker Ane Meinert Folke, one of the artists represented in the shop, if I would like to wear some of her jewellery for the opening, and I chose to wear these beautiful earrings in gold and grey enamel, and had many compliments! (- a bit like when Bvlgari or Tiffany calls Beyoncé before the Oscars, and asks her if there is, perhaps, some little diamond tiara or such, she would care to wear....?)

Fun project, great day!

Thanks to all of you up there, and see you soon again.

Spring turned into summer....

And we relocated to our little summer home. We still wear wooly blankets at night, though.

I am working from my incredible super compact mini work space now, very busy with an interesting project. Outside my window, less than a meter from me, a couple of exhausted blackbirds are feeding their young, in their nest in the hedge. Let me tell you; being a new blackbird parent is no picnic!

Someone dear to me gave me a crazy Venetian glass bowl, and outside the garden is going wild. 

Our peonies exploded, as if on steroids, this year.

And this year I am managing to harvest a bit of rhubarb - last year they were out-grown by weeds, because we were traveling all of May. I will be making the world's best rhubarb jam, with vanilla and ginger, when I have a bit of spare time (not much of that right now). 

Jam recipe after the photos!

World's Best Rhubarb Jam - at least according to me!

From Swedish foodie, writer and tv personality Leila Lindholm - and since this particular recipe is not on her website, I will take the liberty to put it here. It is very easy to make, and you will love it.

About 500 grams of fresh rhubarb, rinsed and cut into small bits

About 30 grams of peeled fresh ginger, cut into thin, small slices

One vanilla pod (scrape the seed paste out and add that, but put the peel into the mix as well)

Juice of one lemon

Half a cup of water

1 kilo of sugar, perferably 'syltesukker' *

OR add a bit of starch for jam making. In DK I would use Melatin.

(*a product very common here in DK - it is ordinary sugar which contains just the bit of added starch needed for jam- and marmelade making) 

Mix everything, except the sugar, in a sturdy, large pot, and let boil with no lid, for about 15 min.

Add sugar, while stirring the pulp - gently and slowly. Let boil for a couple of additional minutes. If you use starch, it is usually added as the very last thing, and then the jam has to settle a bit. Read the instructions!

If you like, fish the vanilla pod peel out (or leave it - it has lots of taste and looks decorative).

Pour the jam into sterilized hot jars (this amount should make about four jars = about one litre).

Let cool and enjoy!

PS: if you can't make the jam right now, when rhubarb is in season, just rinse it, cut it, and throw it in the freezer. That's what I just did!