Christmas, Poetry & Words

WRITING & WORDS :: Let My Eyes Always be Open to Your Beauty

There is something in this night that makes it quiet, even though the freeway is just outside my window. Between the time the sun bows down and the sun stands up again, the cars still shuffle past, slowing to pass between the concrete pillars marked with blinking toll lights. The drivers must slow down before they speed up again, driving away from one place and toward another, probably in a hurry, probably unaware that the hum of their car engine is a steady backdrop to my dreams.

Aveline holding yarn looking at tree

I could never have made these dreams come true, not on my own. But you know, don’t you, that the Giver of All Good Things takes these threads, one by one, and gently untangles them. He weaves each shining thread into my life-filled hours, weaving in and out, always with purpose, always with design, always toward a beautiful end, until I’m walking on a tapestry I didn’t even realize was there.

Oh, Father God, Creator, let my eyes always be open to Your beauty.

Christmas, Poetry & Words

CHRISTMAS :: “…the power of Christmas is when spiritual and material meet.”

Over exposed photo of christmas ornaments on white background

“Some people want to filter the material out of Christmas and morph it into some pure ethereal spirit religious day. And some people want to filter all the spiritual out of it and make it simply a holiday celebrating the purchasing power of plastic. But the power of Christmas is when spiritual and material meet. And it always has been. That is the joy of the season, that is the good news, that is the laughter and the paradox and the earth-shaking magic of Christmas. The infinite Word became a physical baby.”

-via (Rachel) Lizzie Jankovic’s excellent article Of Kids and Christmas

Christmas, Monday's Pretty Things

MONDAY’S PRETTY THINGS :: Red, White and Christmas

A day late, yes, but here are the images I’ve found inspiring this week. Just 12 days until Christmas now!

Red, WHite and Silver Painted Deer Antler - Candy Cane - via Maya Jade Creations on Etsy

Candy cane striped deer antler in red, white and silver via Maya Jade Creations on Etsy

Mormor - Faroese Grey and White Baby Toddler Sweater - Handmade Alpaca - via Orfeo

Traditional faroese sweater, in 100% organic fairtrade alpaca. Handknitted in Denmark by Mormor, viaΒ Orfeo

Zephaniah 3-17 sign via Aimee Weaver - Distressed Wooden Sign with White Typography

Distressed wooden sign with Zephaniah 3:17 typography via Aimee Weaver

Norwegian Advent Calendar Jul Kalendar via Beates Verden

Jul Kalendar (Advent Calendar) via Beates Verden

Sparkle Gold Ballet Flats on White Wooden FLoor - via Moa Og KaffeKoppen

Sparkle gold ballet flats on white wooden floor via Moa Og Kaffekoppen

White on White - Wire Stars, White Lace Doilies, White Ceramics in White WIndow - via Le Dans La Blog, France

Wire Stars in WindowΒ via the French blogΒ Le Dans La

Dala Horse Bunting via All Sorts

Red Dala Horse bunting strung up on mantle via All Sorts

swedish weaving via kstyleshonan on ravelry

Swedish weaving via Kstyleshonan on Ravelry

Christmas

CHRISTMAS :: A Fun New Blog Discovered in the Blogosphere – Scandinavian Christmas

I just stumbled across a delightful gem of a blog called (no big surprises here) Scandinavian Christmas. According to the bio, it’s written by “A Swedish-Norwegian family who lives in the very north above the polar circle, and blogs about our favourite season.” It’s brand-new this year, so be sure to go back to the first post (October in the archives). I’m honestly surprised this blog isn’t more popular!

Scandinavian Christmas - new Christmas blog

(Click on each of the photos below to see the original post).

First Snow - Sweden - Scandinavian Christmas

Indiska Christmas items on Scandinavian Christmas blog

Swedish coffee and bread - Scandinavian Christmas

It’s still 14 days until Christmas, so there are sure to be more great posts from this blog over the next couple weeks. You can visit the site directly,Β grab theΒ Scandinavian Christmas RSS feed to add to your readers, follow Scandinavian Christmas on Bloglovin, or follow AnnaLinda’s Pinterest boards!

[Update: I’m planning a special Scandinavian Christmas series in 2012.]

Christmas

CHRISTMAS :: Gussy Sews Inspiration Workshop :: Christmas Decor, Scandinavian Style

I didn’t get enough white Christmas yesterday with Monday’s Pretty Things :: Scandinavian Christmas, so I thought I’d link up with theΒ Gussy Sews Inspiration WorkshopΒ (which isn’t until Thursday. I scheduled this post a day early. Oops!).

Photo by Sofi Sykfont for Lantliv magazine - Scandinavian Christmas tree
Scandinavian Christmas tree – photo by Sofi Sykfont for the Swedish magazineΒ LantlivΒ 

Scandinavian Christmas - Roy AlsΓ©n Photo and styling Anne-Charlotte Andersson and Anna KvarnstrΓΆm for the Swedish Magazine Livet Pa Landet
Scandinavian interior – photo by Roy AlsΓ©n, styling by Anne-Charlotte Andersson and Anna KvarnstrΓΆm, for the Swedish magazine Livet PΓ₯ Landet

Exterior of Home in Denmark in Winter - Snowy White Christmas - Image from SkΓΆna Hem

Exterior of Danish home at Christmastime – photo via the Swedish magazineΒ SkΓΆna Hem

Mother and Son on Wintery Christmas Porch in Denmark in Winter - Snowy White Christmas - Image from SkΓΆna hem

Mother and son on wintery Christmas porch in Denmark –Β photo via the Swedish magazineΒ SkΓΆna Hem

Someday, I think I’d like to have a tree decorated with all white and silver ornaments, and maybe some cranberries. Ahh, dreamy. Right now, though, we have something a little more beautiful than that. ;-) Despite endlessΒ reprimands, Β the toddler-baby removes a rather high percentage of our Christmas tree ornaments on a daily basis, and strands of lights keep burning out. The decor theme, more and more, is looking like dark, blank patches. But when I look at Aveline’s dancing, happy eyes staring up at the tree, the tree is as perfect to me as any in a magazine shoot. Β Oh, I love her!

SEE MORE SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS POSTS HERE.
Gussy

Christmas, Inspiration, Monday's Pretty Things

MONDAY’S PRETTY THINGS :: Scandinavian Christmas

UPDATE: Open call for guest posts for a brand-new Scandinavian Christmas blog series!

I think what I really like about this is the birch branch and the natural light from the window behind the garland. The colors in this photo made me think of Scandinavian design and Scandinavian Christmases — white, white, white with some natural elements and burst of bright color here and there.

Felt balls on string hung from birch branch - Felt Ball Cascade Kit via the ACME Party Box Company
Felt Ball Cascade Kit via the ACME Party Box Company

Frederikke Heiberg, a Danish photographer, captured Christmastime in a gorgeous seaside home in RΓ₯geleje, Denmark. The following three photos were published in the Swedish magazine Lantliv. Aren’t they lovely?

Lantliv Magazine Frederikke Heiberg photo - Scandinavian Christmas

Lantliv Magazine Frederikke Heiberg photo - tablescape - Scandinavian Christmas

Lantliv Magazine Frederikke Heiberg photo - doorway - Scandinavian Christmas

Kjerstis Lykke, a Norwegian photographer and blogger, has a gorgeously simple and elegant home. When I see photos like this, I want to seriously clean and dejunk with a giant garbage bag in hand.

Fir tree with minimal decorations - Scandinavian Christmas from Norwegian blogger Kjerstis Lykke

As the owner of a tree which is wholly undecorated everywhere within the baby-toddler’s reach, I loved her rationale behind the minimalistic decorating —

Fir was in place yesterday, and it is not overloaded with lots of Christmas decorations. I have boxes of boxes with pretty beads in the poor man’s silver in the freezing attic, but with a 2 year old who cruise around in your living room on his bike, so they better in the cold;)? (Poorly translated by Google Translate; alas, I do not know Norwegian.)

Off to bemoan clutter and with a renewed resolve to dejunk,
Gina