Last weekend when Erik was away on his bachelor party (we´re getting closer and closer to our date!!!) I went to the flower shop to get a little something, and ended up filling the whole balcony. I just love September, and I love the colors of fall. I just couldn’t stop myself. Happy weekend!
Tomorrow is new years eve, and before I’m all set for 2020 I wanna say goodbye properly to 2019 with a top twenty from the year. I’m actually not ranking the moments, but my number one is my number one!
20. Cali
Sunny Cali never lets me let down. I always love to go back to the city of angels, to go to concerts, see my friends and get musically inspired.
19. So many fun moments with this one, I could pick any!
18. Singing for George Clooney
I know this is not George in this picture, cause it’s actually the fantastic Andre De Lange that I got to sing together with a couple of times this year, backed up by Putte Nelssons lovely choir “Team Putte”. Here’s at the City Hall where George Clooney was the keynote speaker.
17. Changing up my kitchen
To the left is the before picture, (I hope you figured that one out without the explanation). Since it was brand new when I moved in I didn’t want to change it completely (I wanted to but I felt too bad about it for several reasons). It really lacked charm and personality. What I did was to just change it up a bit and now I really like my kitchen. I got the fridge out pretty fast and sold it online to somebody who was happy to get a brand new fridge for a cheap price. Instead I put a Smeg in. (It’s the second time I buy a Smeg fridge and I love it.) Then I just changed the door handles to leather ones, the sink and tap to brass colored ones, and the countertop to one in granite color. That’s it!
16. Pretty winter days
15. Celebrating sweet Anna’s big 40
14 … and here just a summer lunch together!
13. One of the fun nights out with the fabulous four!
12. Singing at the “Show the Way” Gala
11. Singing with Petter
10. Girl talk with my lil’ niece Scarlett.
9. Boating with Eriks brother and wife!
8. Fishing with the boys
7. When all of our families got together so celebrate our engagement!
6. Our weekend up in Sälen celebrating Christian’s big 40.
5. Soulful Voices
So proud of my choir Soulful Voices! It’s been an incredible year, and I can’t wait to get started again in a month!
4. Here’s when we performed at the Stockholm City Hall.
3. Christmas!
This year we celebrated with my whole family, and our last year as an engaged couple!
2. Greece with my baby!
1. Getting engaged!
Of course my number one is the night Erik proposed to me. We were celebrating my birthday, and Erik had prepared a trip for me and kept it all a secret until we got there. I had a feeling something was going on because during dinner he was obviously nervous. He’s not the clumsy kind of guy, but he kept on spilling his food, and all of a sudden he started singing “going to the chapel, gonna get married”. Not a song he usually hums on, and that made me really suspicious. After dinner he took me out to the veranda and got down on one knee and proposed. Of course I said yes, and 2020 we’re getting married, and I can’t wait.
Goodbye 2019, and hello 2020 - the year I’ll be getting married. More about that on the blog in a couple of weeks! Happy New Year folks!
How’s the weekend been? Mine has been really great, thanks for asking!
September is really such an amazing month. Years ago I even made a playlist called September with songs to listen to during September because I was so pumped (starting with Earth Wind and Fires “September” of course). September is to great to just slip away. I made a list with things that I think you should do before September is over.
1. Make that first move towards the new project you want to set into motion.
For me September, and the start of fall, means new beginnings. New ideas and inspirations sets in during summer, and I start making plans in August. Then, as soon I get back into work, my mind gets too busy and those ideas tend to fade. It’s easy to find excuses and find the time to get started with new projects. I find it so hard to make that first step sometimes. I’m guessing I’m not alone. But I think this fall could be different. Let’s dig up those ideas and set them in motion. Maybe it’s getting that renovation or home decorating project started, or getting a work-out rutin started. Maybe you want to start up a new business and need to take that first brave step towards getting started. Experts tells us to write down those plans and set dates and have time frames for when things should get accomplished. Instead of finding excuses for not getting started, let’s do just that.
2. Enjoy nature.
Number one was demanding, that’s why I think we should also just enjoy life and nature. Let’s take those long walks, sit outdoors with a coffee in our hand and just be in the moment. On Sundays I go to church and I deceied that I will, either before or after, take walks. It’s a must to enjoy before it get’s to crazy cold to be outside without layers and layers of clothes to prevent from dying from cold.
3. Don’t dress like it’s winter quite yet.
Okay, I love black, but can we wait just a little while before we wear all black, grey and beige? I was people watching a little bit yesterday, and I saw people in black outfits, and even in scarfs and mittens… Depending on where you live, if it’s not at freezing point, don’t go there just yet. I even think you could still use some of your colourful cute summer outfits and mix them with some fallish stuff. Like a dress over a pair of jeans. It still rocks.
4. Get yourself flowers and plants!
One of my favourite things about this season is the colours of all flowers, plants and trees. I struggle to find space for all the beautiful plants I buy, but I can’t stop myself. I have to have them. I’ll find them a place eventually.
5. Turn the TV off and get yourself a great book.
Why? Because I told you so! Seriously, there’s nothing like a great book, a nice cup of tea with some candles burning. That’s why we love the fall, right! It makes you sleep better too, to read before you got to bed. It’s an awesome way to relax when the demands of work and fall makes you stressed out.
Before I go, here’s some highlights from the weekend. Dressing up because I suddenly felt the need to, all in black although I just said I think we shouldn’t. Oh well..
…and dinner with this beautiful friend!
Love,
Johanna
What a glorious time... (also very stressful time)... this is! As I'm writing this I'm lying down on the floor with my legs resting on the sofa. Not because this is a position that I would choose, but because I hurt my back! It started a little bit at the end of the week, and on Friday night it got worse. Yesterday morning I could not get out of bed. I called the E.R., and they were pretty sure I've got Lumbago. Very bad timing. I missed a rehearsal yesterday, and I'm trying to figure out how I'm gonna manage next week. I think I got it from carrying some very heavy amps the other day, but enough about that. I'm so happy Christmas is around the corner, and about doing Christmas decoration at my new place. I had a realisation about Swedish Christmas traditions after I lived in the US, and it occurred to me that Swedes decorated pretty different. I now mix it up with the best of both. Here's a couple of pictures from Svenskt Tenn that I think shows a very Swedish style.
I started decorating a little bit last week, and then I added a little bit more yesterday... and next week I'm gona go all in!
My favourite Christmas decoration is the star. There's something so magical about it hanging there in the window, and I imagine all cars seeing up in my window from a far distance. (Gotta check it out next time I'm able to drive without being in such a pain that I have to scream).
It's always so special to light the first candle for the first of Advent. The term Advent is a version of the Latin word meaning "coming". If you didn't know, now you know.
I did some invetsment in new Christmas decor last year. I'm especially happy about this Advent candelabra showing on the picture below.
I got this cute hyacinth last week from a kid in my kids choir! Love it, and love the Ernst design on the vase.
I was home last night, with my bad back... It's not such a bad thing to stay home on a Saturday night as a matter of fact. It's nice to rest a bit between all different engagements at this time of year. Also the moon shine was stunning, and Stockholm looked pretty beautiful too!
I'm now gonna lay down on the floor and rest and try to heal my back and hopefully get better. Wishing you all a very happy first of Advent!
Love,
Johanna
Hope you had a wonderful weekend. It's the perfect temperature in Stockholm today to be outside. It's not too cold, not too hot, and with the clear nice air that autumn brings.
Today on the blog I'm sharing some of my autumn decoration at home. Who else likes to do seasonal decor? September is almost over, and here comes October with all it's beautiful colours. I LOVE when the leaves turn red and yellow. It looks pretty awesome outside my window right now, and it's about to look even prettier in a week or so.
You don't need to change your entire decor at home. I just did a little thing here and there, and it instantly felt more cozy and autumnish :)
I started by switching out some of the pink decoration´. (Yes, there's plenty). Instead of pink roses, I chose just greeneries this week, and I switched the of pink candles to burgundy coloured ones. Also, I can't stop eating plums. They taste amazing right now. I should make a pie and invite my new neighbours over!!! (Or no, I'll save that for another time :)
There's so many pretty plants and flowers everywhere. I can not go outside without shopping flowers and plants I later try to find a place for at my place. Ornamental Cabbage is one of them.
Got these decorative (fake) leaves. You can mix with real plants, or put them in a vase by themselves, which I did.
I know I'm early, but I couldn't resist decorating the plants on the balcony with little pumpkins.
I'm planning to hang out at my balcony even though summer is over, so I'm trying to make it as cozy as possible with pretty lighting.
Okay, that's it for today when it comes to decoration.
Autumn really has some perks! Cheers to spending time indoors again! Imagine all the nice restaurants, coffeeshops or cool lounges where you can hang out for hours while it's windy and cold outside. I might look a little sad at the picture, but I'm just trying to look as cool as the place :)
Last but not least, I'm painting my nails red again in this color. OPIs "Big Apple Red".
Have a wonderful week!
Love,
Johanna
