Chez Larsson

In my Bag

So that little Ask Anything session on Friday was fun!

I was among other things asked to reveal the contents of my bag or purse which was kind of difficult to do then and there so what better way to start Monday with what's in my bag. Yes it is a bag and not a purse. I don't own a purse in the same way I don't own a dress or a skirt. I'm just not a girly girl but you know that by now.

Here goes:

#1 Business cards in holders, big for work and moo for blog.

#2 Gum and lip balm. For some reason I have two in there and neither is my fave.

#3 Make up bag without make up. It contains head ache pills, tampons, hand cream etc. Oh, and some tissues on top.

#4 Leaflets on the upcoming royal wedding products, picked up at the Formex fair.

#5 Calendar.

#6 Sunglasses and umbrella. What can I say, I'm prepared. Should have been a scout.

#7 Scribbles on sticky back notes, invitation and badge for Formex fair. Got tossed after the photo was taken.

#8 Crossword puzzles and pencil.

#9 Schedule for today's events away from office, map on how to get there, note book and memory stick.

#10 Wallet, home keys, office key pass and never used ear phones for cell phone.

It wasn't that exciting was it?! So anything more exciting in your bag than in mine?

Ask Anything

I thought it would be fun to have you ask me anything you like.

How about it? Curious about my shoe size? (Hint; I have fairly big feet) Wanna know what I have for breakfast? Favorite candy? Or perhaps you have a question on organizing or DIY?

Leave your question in the comment section and I'll (try to) answer it. Being in a different time zone from some of you may mean that the answer won't be up until tomorrow so please check back if you don't get your answer right away.

Have a great weekend!
~B.

Ps. I made our family portrait over here.

EDIT: I'm keeping the comments open so feel free to still add your questions.

Sunday Survivor

I mentioned our Sunday mornings before. You know, freshly squeezed orange juice and freshly baked scones.

Well, Wille and I improved on the tradition. Over here they show past seasons of US Survivor on TV on weekend mornings. Wille and I are completely hooked and for the past months we've been glued to the TV way before 7 am on both Saturdays and Sundays.

 
Sundays are of course extra special with the OJ & Co but even a regular breakfast on a Saturday is awesome together with those survivors. I love weekend mornings.


Oh, what does Martin do? He skippes the scones, sleeps in but gulps up his share of the OJ when he wakes up three or four hours later.
 

Help me Out Here Please

Can I ask your honest opinion on something?

I get approached by companies all the time who want to send me stuff to review or to give away. I usually turn them down for one or several reasons like a) They won't do international shipping of give-aways b) The product's not something I'm interested in c) It's a lot of work on my part to be honest.

So far I've turned down lamps, home office accessories, sunbeds (would have loved to give those away but they couldn't ship them outside of Sweden), paint ( would have loved to do that give away too but paint doesn't travel well overseas...) etc etc.

I'm aware that hosting give-aways can get you more readers but I'm fine with the one's I have (that's you :). Hosting give-aways can also provide you with blog content but I have plenty of that, not stumped for ideas yet.

It has gotten to the point where I'm thinking "What's in it for me? When I get these e-mails where Company X want to send me say a paintbrush, write x amount on the benefits of said brush AND administer a give away of three of the presumably Super brushes and I'm like "you want me to do all that and I get a by then used brush in return"?!

To the point finally. Lately I've been getting some pretty nice offers of give-ways by companies who WILL ship prizes abroad (to the moon, if necessary as one said) and there's a little freebie in there for me too. 

I'm on one side thinking "Now we're talking!" and at the same time don't want to labeled as "bought". How do you guys feel about this? Would you mind if I occassionaly accepted free stuff and if I like it blog about it or host occasional give-aways? I have to say I'm not someone who get showered with free stuff all the time and I have to admit I like the idea of the occasional goodie being dropped of in my mail box...

Be honest, I can take it! I'll obviously still make up my own mind about it in the end but I do value your view on this and you can decide whether you still like me after.

~B.

Oooh! Vote for me!

 

I entered a competition and submitted a photo of our livingroom a while ago and I'm a finalist! Wohoo!

Pretty please help me win 10 000 Swedish kronor (USD 1400) worth of paint and a painter to come do the job for me! I could so sit back and relax and have someone else do the work for me for a change...

All you need to do to vote is to click on this link which will take you straight to the voting page where you click "Rösta" which means "Vote". There's no need to register, you just click on the painted room that takes your fancy and Bob's your uncle!

Thank you so much!
~B.

Happy Halloween!

 

Happy Halloween to You All!
~

Benita, Martin, Wille
Meany & Boohonus
 
 
 
  

Thrifted

Yesterday afternoon I went around the city to get some inspiration for work and to run some errands, also for work. I suddenly found myself outside a favorite charity shop (omg, how did that happen?) so I had to go inside of course.

Above's my loot. I love it but am unsure exactly what to do with it. I'm torn between painting the candlesticks white or all in one bright color, like apple green or yellow. The tin wall candle holders at the back will most definitely be white but any suggestions for the rest?

I'm in love with the apple! I'm not usually attracted to wooden objects (to many sauna style interiors growing up in Sweden in the 70's) but this is beautiful inside and out and so well made. It would be sacrilege to paint it but will I be able to stand the woodsiness of it? Will keep you posted!

Odd Jobs Around the House

I had an odd-jobs-around-the-house-weekend. I love them, no huge projects that take up a lot of time but little ones that make you proud that you've accomplished a lot ticking them off your list one by one.

Here's what I've been doing

• Punching orders
• Painting cube shelves for Anne
• Sewing cushion for coffee table
• Switching trays in coffee table

• Baking scones
• Mowing lawn

• Cleaning garden furniture
• Organizing winter storage for said furniture
• Trimming tiny oak tree in preparation for holiday fairy lights

• Organizing laptop and lamp cables in the boat room
• Fixing broken plug on meccano lamp

Check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check, check! Yihaaa!

Pooped

Sorry guys, I'm so tired today so I'm taking the day off normal posting. Besides from working in the office, I've also been working on some new stuff for the blog (such as yesterdays post) and some other things too which I hope to reveal soon. Also Mini hasn't been 100% well these past few days (nothing related to her injury back in spring and nothing too serious but a few partially sleepless nights nevertheless). Basically I just need a three day weekend to recuperate. Have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you again on Monday! Love ya!

~B.

The Do

 

Tadaaaa!

Here it is, the new do!

Like I've said before, nothing revolutionary, just shorter than in a loooooooooong time. It used to be below the shoulders but since I haven't cared for it the way you're supposed to my new hair dresser "had" to cut a large chunk off. I can barely put it in a pony tail which bothers me quite a bit. I have to use a clip instead of an elastic and I get flash backs from living at home with my parents and my mom spraying away with hair spray which is what I now use to get the layers at the sides to stay put at work. At home I just let it loose most of the time.

Ok, and let me tell you that this is not what I looked like when I stepped out of the salon. I looked like a cross between Martha and Linda Evans with the layers really visible after the salon big round brush and dryer treatment. I couldn't wait to tousle it and put it in a pony tail (a very small pony's tiny tail).

Don't get me wrong, I like it and in particular the subtle highlights but feel maybe it should be a teensy bit longer or shorter still. It's kind of... in the middle.

Oh, I got a question about my beauty routine too. Ehem... quickly answered. It's virtually non existent. It takes me 15 minutes to shower, wash my hair, dry off and slather myself with lotion. An additional five minutes (four minutes longer than pre-cut) is spent on my hair and then out comes the bronzer, a dab on my checks (giant grin on face), a dab on nose, chin, and forehead and I'm done. Oooh, forgot I use lip balm too! It's all very glam!