Kitchen craft: mead and mulled wine

On December 23 me and my husband finally got around to bottling this year's mead and glögg. Or as perhaps I should say, mulled wine. Finally! We carefully cleaned lots and lots of bottles, thinking that NO WAY we would need all of them. Hah!

The mulled wine (which I will continue to call glögg, as it is called in Swedish, since I really don't care for the english term. After all, there is no actual wine in our glögg!) was made after the same recipe as always, which you can find right here. The result: marvellous glögg, strong and flavourful. Not sweet as the store bought glögg people are used to, but something entirely different and much much better. Here served with almonds and raisins, as is traditional.

Moving on to the mead! This time we had three batches of mead to bottle, one large batch with the "regular" honey-and-water mead and two experimental batches. The regular mead, light yellow and gorgeous in every way, you can see in the pic below. The taste is by far superior to our earlier batches, and as always it is devastatingly high on alcohol.

The two experimental batches were the real surprise of the day. The one you can see below, red and gorgeous, is heavily flavoured with wild raspberries that I picked this summer. The second batch, which unfortunately I forgot to photograph, is flavoured with blueberries and a pinch of vanilla. 

The two experimental batches turned out very different. The blueberry mead is just awsome, with a mild blueberry taste and a pinkish colour. The raspberry mead is something else entirely. It's much more acidic, and when mixed with a bit of extra honey (which in this case is preferable) it tastes almost like a candy liqueur. 

I'd like to end this blog post with some other pics from our home this winter. The snow just keeps coming! Though it's not as cold as some other parts of Sweden (they had -40 degrees C up in the north just the other day...) it stays below zero and thus the snow remains. Yippie! Oh how I wish it will stay like this until spring. 

Blogsphere frustration!!!

Waargghhh! What's up with all of these (mostly american) blogs that claim to be about crafts and homesteading but that in reality seem to be all about religion?!

Yeah, so I'm a bit irritated. I've been surfing around the blogosphere looking for interesting craftsy homesteading blogs, and there sure are a lot out there. However, time and time again blogs with potential (as I see it) fall flat because the writers feel the need to include God and Christianity in every other sentence. 

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with religious people in general. In fact I am rather spiritual myself, but since this is a blog about HANDICRAFT I have no desire to rub my personal faith in your face. (For that I could write another blog, where people who are interested in my faith are welcome to read all about it but where they don't need to suffer through recipes and pictures of crafty stuff.) But apparently the (mostly american) blogging community that is devoted to crafts/homesteading issues can't help themselves, they just gotta show in each and every blog post that they are good Christians and just how much they love Jesus. Seriously dudes, everything doesn't have to be about religion. I understand how important your church is to you, but wraaararrrhhh!

So now you might just be thinking "well, nobody is forcing you to read those blogs so stop complaining!" and yea sure, you've got a point. The thing is there is so much great and wonderful stuff out there in those blogs, so many ideas and recipes and designs and plans and and and... I want to read those blogs because yeah, they're packed full of stuff I'd be interested in. I just don't wanna also get hit over the head with a religious stick in 99% of the times, it's horribly distracting. If I wanna read about religion I'll go to a blog about religion. If I go to a blog about arts and crafts I'm in it for the - wait for it... - for the arts and crafts! It's like borrowing a romance novel from the library but being told that you must also read this or that sci-fi novel, otherwise you won't be allowed to read the book you really came for. A tad bit annoying. 

Aaaand breeeaathe...

Do any of you get what I'm talking about or am I just rambling? Any suggestions on good homesteading blogs that are NOT so extremely focused on religion? 

And finally, I'd just like to say to anyone who might feel like this is aimed towards them. I'm sorry if I'm upsetting you, but this whole problem revolves around the fact that I LIKE (most parts of) your blogs and I want to read them! Just preferably without the preachings, please!

Beautiful winter days and brick stitch embroidery

 Good evening dear friends! I hope you are all enjoying December as much as I am. Since a few days ago our part of the world has been completely covered in snow, and I absolutely love it. And since this is our first winter in this house it's particularly exciting to see what winter is like here.

So far I can say it's breathtakingly beautiful. Incredibly bright during the day, pitch black during the night (no streetlights!). The picture above is from two days ago, now there is even more snow. I've been shoveling quite a lot and as strange as it sounds, I love that part of it too. Sore muscles, frost in my hair and crunchy snow beneath my boots... *humming*

Last but not least, I'd like to show you some craftiness. Not my own this time, but that of my friend Katriina. She and her family came over for dinner this Sunday, and afterwards I got to see what she's working on right now. Have a look at this embroidery, isn't it gorgeous? Makes me wanna start a new embroidery project, but I really should finish my ongoing projects first.

As for me I've been playing around with the dress form, learning how to use it not just for fitting clothes but for creating new patterns from scratch. Pattern making has always been my weak side, but now it feels like I'm finally learning. The dress I'm making right now is not historical, it's meant to be used in everyday life, but it is still inspired by certain historical elements. You'll see it when it's done, I promise.

Making a dress form (duct tape)

Some time ago I came across something very inspiring. Some blogger (I'm sorry, I don't remember the blog adress or the name of the blogger!) had created a dress form out of duct tape, instead of buying a "real" and expensive one. Now finally I have been able to make my own (with the help of my darling husband, Marcus!) and I am happy to show it to you all, and hope to inspire others to try it too!

First I got wrapped in some thin plastic (the kind often used in the kitchen when wrapping foodstuff...), from the neck to below my butt. Then Marcus went ahead and wrapped me in duct tape, closely following the curves of my body and trying to keep it as smooth as possible. Then he cut the duct tape open in the back and I stepped out. I taped the back opening together again, stuffed it full with scrunched up old newspapers. Then i taped the rest of the openings (arm holes, neck and bottom hole) and put it on a metal stand (previously part of a large cd stand that we didn't want to use any more). And ta-dah! My very own dress form!

The best thing with it is how close it is to the original (me!). Also, the worst thing with is is how close it is to the original! There is nowhere to hide... the flabby tummy, wide thighs and uneven boobs, it's all there and clearly visible. But seriously, it's great and I recommend the technique to all of you!

The last pic here is just for fun. After having finished the dress form I wanted to see how it looked with clothes on, so I pulled some random items from my wardrobe and put them on. Afterwards I couldn't stop myself, I just had to start a new sewing project now that I had a dress form! But that will be saved for a later post, when it's all done.

That's all for now. See ya!

What we've been up to this summer...

I've mentioned before that we are about to move out of the city and finally get our own house. The house itself isn't actually there yet, though... but it's coming quite quickly!

So instead of playing around at home with sewing, candlemaking or whatever I usually do, this summer we've been crafting on a different scale. We're not actually building the house ourselves, but we have been busy working on other stuff.

And now, time for some pictures! Finally, yay!

My ancestry (old photographs...)

A new show is airing on tv here in Sweden, in which a bunch of americans rediscover their Swedish ancestry. Watching the show ("Allt för Sverige", which by the way is great!) has brought up thoughts about my family history, and I've been looking a lot at old pictures from the early 20th century. I find it interesting in so many levels! Obviously, since I am interested in historical fashion I look at their marvellous clothes. Then I think about their experiences, their lives and how they really are no different from us. I try to get a sence of their personalities, their quirks and interests... And how they in a way are a part of me.

As you can see, this picture was taken in 1913. The young lady to the left is my grandmother's mother Anna Eriksson, and sitting right in front of her is her husband Axel Eriksson, my grandmother's father. He was a fireman (and part time shoemaker!) and lived with his family in Uppsala. 

Have a look at this postcard. Axel's brothers Conrad and Werner emmigrated to America in the early 20th century, and in 1912 this postcard was sent from Palo Alto, California. The photo shows three lovely ladies and two very handsome gentlemen. The text text to the left explains that the man to the right is Conrad, and the lady on the far right is his future wife, Anna. Gorgeous, isn't it?!

I am also a bit fascinated by what is going on in the background of the picture... have look at this closeup. A boy who obvisously wasn't supposed to be in the picture is standing behind them, looking at what's going on. And behind him a man is crouched on the ground, doing something. Might he be polishing shoes? I don't know, but I love this little glimpse of the past.

If I'm not remembering incorrectly, the young lady in the following two pictures is Karin, my grandmother's aunt. I adore her pretty face, the curls in her hair and the slightly naughty look on her face! The first photo is from 1919, the second I'm guessing is a bit earlier.

This lovely gathering I don't know much about. They are sitting in front of "J Erikssons skoaffär" - J Eriksson's shoe store. Since my great grandfather was part time shoe maker, and I think his father was a full time shoe maker, I'm guessing this was their old store. I don't know exactly where this house is located though, and I'd love to visit it some day if it's still there!

Look at this close up... isn't it lovely?

 These three ladies I don't know anything about, I'm afraid. But they are in our old family album so I guess they are relatives. So beautiful!

 Some day I'd love to get in touch with the part of the family that moved to the US. Though I'm afraid that might never happen, as I think grandma has lost the information, all names and adresses. But I guess nothing is impossible, and who know... one day they might come looking for us?

A bit off topic but I just gotta say it...8000 year old brain!

I just read this very interesting little post in the blog "Ting och Tankar", written by archaeologist Åsa Larsson. Since not all of you speak Swedish, let me summarize it for you...

The stone age excavations in Motala (in Sweden) have resulted in some very interesting finds. For example, skeletal remains appear to have been placed on poles, sticking out of the water, some 7500-8000 years ago.

Now what's REALLY interesting, is the lump of organic material inside one of the skulls... Which has turned out to be the remains of a brain!

Yes, you heard me. A brain. 7500-8000 years old! Isn't that incredible!? And they are currently analyzing it in the search for a method to detect brain damage in unconscious patients... Wonderful!

Things don't always go as planned...(& some ramblings about sustainability)

I didn't get to the Iron Age event at Gamla Uppsala after all. Sad, but seeing that I'm still not completely well I felt that I couldn't spend two days outdoors - I just can't miss any more days of work so I have to be well until Monday! But I guess there will be more opportunities in the future... :(

And yes, this means that I didn't get my peplos done either, so no new pics either.

Anyhow, I was just sitting here and thinking, so I thought I might as well post my thoughts here! Who knows, I might inspire a thought in one of you? As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this as well.

I've been thinking about sustainability. Keeping the earth along with all her inhabitants safe. Because even though my interests often lie in the past, I often wonder about the future and how we can pull ourselves out of this mess. We're using up raw materials at a frightening pace, while at the same time flooding the environment with trash! It's really quite insane, thinking that we can keep this up; sooner or later we will run out of resources. And we'll all be living on a dump.

Now some people simply call out to all consumers to STOP BUYING THINGS! At least, to stop buying NEW things. But however good it feels to shop second hand in order to spare our environment we simply can't all do that, our economy would completely fail as a result! Which wouldn't be good for us, and certainly would not be good for the environment either (since no one would be able to afford the green alternatives). So I just don't think it's a good solution to simply stop buying things.

What I do feel very strongly for, is a change in attitude. Trash is just another type of raw material, it's not waste. Up here in Sweden we are relatively good at this, we have a lot of recycling of materials going on on a large scale. At least when it comes to glass and metal. Most of the other stuff we just burn. Which of course isn't all bad either considering we draw a whole lot of power from it! But considering how much time and money went into making all of those products that we burn, I can't help thinking that more should be recycled.

And by the way, if you're living in a country where all the trash is just piled up and "forgotten"... landfills are insane and scary!

I feel my mind is slipping into more general ramblings, so I should probably try to end this post somehow. Just think about it next time you throw stuff out. As soon as I move to a house with a bit more garden space I will start my own compost. If a piece of clothing gets a tare I'll try to mend it. If that's not possible I'll try to cut it up and use the fabric for something else. Especially buttons and zippers should be saved! The goal isn't to stop buying new clothes, it's to lengthen the lifespan of the garment/fabric so one doesn't have to buy new stuff as often. Which would also mean that one can afford a bit more expensive clothes as well, so it should be possible to get better quality and more environmentally friendly products!

Generally, I think that's the way to go. Don't try to STOP consuming. Just slow things down. Extend the lifespan of the materials we've already put to use. Support companies and organizations that recycle on a larger scale. Have fun, be creative, and make beautiful objects that will last. And if you've read this entire post - thank you! And if you have any suggestions on what ordinary people can do, please write me a comment! Or if you just want to say hi...  Thank you for reading!

Sewing linen napkins

To some people, sewing linen napkins probably seems like a waste of time. Why not just use paper napkins? Why spend so much time on something that ordinary? Many people probably think of it as a redundant luxury for the rich and wealthy, or for fine dining restaurants.

I must admit, I have at times thought the same. But lately I have come to appreciate the beauty in ordinary objects made to last. I am tired of buying paper napkins just to throw them away, no matter how pretty they are. And after having switched to washable cloth rags for cleaning the kitchen and dusting, and feeling that there was absolutely no loss of hygiene (since I wash the rags as soon as they start getting the least bit icky) while at the same time sparing the environment... I felt that it was time to also start using linen napkins.

So earlier this week I walked by the local fabric store and bought some pale greyish green linen that was both discrete and beautiful, and this evening I began sewing. By now I've finished five and I have eleven more to go, but there is no rush and I'll finish the rest another day. I'm even considering putting monograms on them, how crazy am I!?

I admire the way people of the past put time and love into creating everyday objects, and these napkins to me represent a tiny step towards recreating that. I just hope that they will be good and functional, and that I'll be able to wash away future stains...

By the way, this environmentally friendly thinking... I wonder which really has the least effect on the environment, washing cloth napkins in the washing machine or throwing away paper napkins and thus wasting paper... What do you think?

Home again after a week well spent in Visby Medieval Week

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity... it was Visby Medieval Week 2011, and it was glorious! 


A week ago we returned home after a lovely stay in the Middle Ages. Visby was beautiful, as always. The crowds were unfortunately mainly modern, yet the general mood was good and the quality of the arrangements slightly better than last time I was there!


There is just too much to say about the whole thing yet I am way too tired for lengthy writing, so for now you'll have to settle for some pictures. 

Here we are, waiting for dinner...

Food gone!

Taking a stroll.

I love this headdress! 

Warriors assembling for the Battle of Wisby 1361.

Riders attacking!

Preparing for battle.

Sewing!

Friends of ours in downtown Visby, showing off their amazing outfits.

ÖAH!

Ehm... huh?