Erika came by and chatted the afternoon away, while flipping through magazines at my workshop table. I’m at the moment not only flipping, but actually reading Kinfolk magazine. I like this appreciation of the everyday, focus on smaller or larger gatherings where we take time to talk and listen and enjoy each others company.

The year’s first semla, small and just what I needed from Bagargänget at Folkkungagatan.

Finally winter has arrived, it’s really cold and the ground is covered with snow that has been falling generously all afternoon. Leonard loves it, he stretches out on his tummy and puts his face into the snow licking it up. All I can do is to prepare for this by rubbing his little cheeks and nose with a covering ointment.

Now, I’ll better get back to the throwing wheel. I’m making all the things that will be included in my ceramics collection this year. Today’s assignment is vases. Have a really nice weekend!

I went around Formex yesterday evening, it’s the largest fair for nordic design. I wanted to visit a couple of stands: Konsthantverkscentrum, Axlings and Växbo Lin (whose products I sell at manos). But most of all I went to see Stylistgruppen in whose stand my work was represented with lots of pieces - tealight holders, flower pots and little soap dishes alongside wallpaper by Marianne Pettersson-Soold and wooden paper pot makers that I sell at manos.

Photo by Anette Åberg.

It’s pretty exhausting to visit a fair like Formex - walking up and down the aisles on hard floors, hundreds of people and millions of products flickering by. I’m very selective in what I choose to look at but somehow everything registers in the brain… It was like a breath of fresh air to find Anna Agger from Örnahusens snickeri, showing simple, well thought through and beutifully produced wooden interior and exterior pieces. For instance a clothes dryer (above) and a planting table. Ithink I’m buying them for manos. I also liked the beautiful boxes by Rie Elise Larsen.

It’s really slow in the shop this week and a perfect time for mending tools and kiln shelves in the workshop.
Last year was a bit rough on my kiln shelves with trying out new glazes and having a ceramic course in the summer with thickly glazed pieces that stuck on the shelves when the glaze ran too much…
I like taking time to mend things - it slows me down plus it’s a financial gain and not least an environmental one (rather than keep buying new all the time). While on the subject of slow - I couldn’t agree more with Kathreen, let 2012 be slow!

I’ve got my collection for Restaurang Jonas in the window at manos now, to my mother’s delight (she thinks that I neglect presenting my own work in favour of all the other beautiful things I’ve got in the shop…) Here’s how the pastry chef at Jonas have used my plates.

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Caroline and Bruno came by with fudge from newly opened Pärlans Konfektyr on a neighbouring street. Delicious in every way AND the wrapping looks wonderful AND they come delivered in handprinted paper bags…

Madame bigger.

Hello everybody!
Long time no see, but here I am again hopefully on a little more regular basis. It seems to me this autumn has been filled to the brim and has gone by so quickly, I hope next year moves at a little slower pace. I have so much to tell you, but all in due time.

Here’s a recipie-film for hot blood orange toddy with spices and rum that my new-found friend Sanna makes. I find her films and images very inspiring, I hope you do too!

I wish you all a joyful and relaxing Christmas time.

Summer ceramics courses at manos - so much creativity! It’s been a varied bunch of participants which is a challenge and really fun for me. I want everyone to feel they’ve gotten the most out of the course - be it that they’ve been inspired, that they’ve come further in their ceramics knowledge or that they’ve made a cup they’re really pleased with. Hopefully all three…

A couple of bowls, two boats and a plate.

More images from the course and other events at manos here.

Iacoli & McAllister.

It’s been aerily quiet in the shop today, it’s a hot day and I hope people are sitting in the breeze on a boat or in the shade of an old beautiful oak tree… Like I did yesterday, in Hagaparken. It’s such a splendid place, best lawn for a picknick.

Luckily, the shop doesn’t actually get too hot and neither does the workshop so I’ve been spending the afternoon by the throwing wheel. I’m working on a a vase/sculpture prototype for a restaurant opening here in Stockholm in the autumn. It’s all about dimensions - thickness, height, diameter and the interplay between various parts of the piece. Difficult, and very enjoyable!

Leonard listening to jazz at Slussen last week.
It was really good and he knows how to clap his hands now.

I love the blue of cornflowers - and the green of them too. So summery. Here’s another image that feels like summer.

Nature photography by Carl Fredrik Ekström. More nature by Tend Collective, via 3191.

whip up’s guide to e-mags

Happy midsummer!

Once in a while I get a newsletter from KIKI, the must-visit Japanese design store here on Renstiernas gata, and they always make me happy. The newsletter contain information about what’s going on at KIKI - workshops and exhibitions and such - and thoughts on Japan related things that happen here in Sweden and always a “word of the week". I’m getting quite a Japanese dictionary of interesting words.

Yesterday I was in Hässleholm to give a talk at Konsthantverkscentrums day on marketing and selling your work online. It’s the first time I’ve done something like that and I really enjoyed it - I talked about something I’m passionate about and the audience was active and asked lots of questions. Fun!

‘Vive La Tapisserie’, an exhibition of small format tapestries by Scottish Tapestry Artists Regrouped at Galerie la Tour, Montsalès, France

The magnolia in manos back yard is in full bloom and the hackberry next to it smells wonderful. I finally got my tax return sent in after which I’ve been spending my days catching up on emails and admin work. I’ve also updated manos webshop with Lisa Vilhelmsons gorgeous hand- and bath towels.

The 3191 quarterly arrived yesterday and made me so happy, I really really like what mav and Stephanie are creating here!

Also love the new video from Ayumi Horie.

Still sunny and warm - even the wind is warm. Today I walked all along the waterfront in Hammarby Sjöstad and while Leonard was sleeping I read my book and dipped my toes in the water. Bliss.

Filip has got some really good stuff in his webshop.

Leva Kungslador looks like a lovely place to visit.

After a couple of cold cloudy days the sun has been shining in through the workshop windows this afternoon in erratic spurts. While I took care of yesterdays throwing it was shining right in my eyes.

I was packing a box of ceramics to send to Pomme gallery in Mornington, Australia and just then - within half an hour of each other - two Australian tourists came into the shop.

Soap dishes for Pomme.

I usually have a proper lunchs but today it was muesli and yoghurt. A very nice muesli mind you, from Persgården.

Heidi and Eva writes the lovely blog ceramics with a twist.

What a treat it was to spend the day with Camilla yesterday. Leonard was already in love with Camilla’s art - the calendar, the illustrations and paintings we have on the walls at home - and now he’s completely hooked. We went to Konstakademin where Camillla left two paintings for an exhibition (you can see them there until May 17th) and we ate lunch amongst the greek gods in café Mejan.

Camilla brought some work from our ongoing collaboration, see the sneak preview on her blog and she brought lots of lovely prints, books and cards for manos, more about that on manos blog.

Oh, my how time flies. All of a sudden it’s spring in Stockholm - and a warm one as such, today we have 17 °C. Leonard has just turned 10 months and I’m remembering my feeling from this time last year when I was walking around with my round stomach wondering what he would look like. This is what he looks like from behind

Lena’s maps for Elle Deco has become a book and I’m happy to be a little part of the Stockholm pages.

With my recent track record, I’m pretty sure I won’t be popping in here before Easter so Happy Easter everyone!

I’ve been given chocolate and chocolate cookies this week. Mmm. The older I get the more I appreciate dark chocolate in every way. Love it in ice cream as well.

Here’s something else that I like: ceramics by Karen McPhail.

I’m working on my 2011 collection and am adding images to it here, a couple every day. I’m not adding new things, but I’ve had time to think through sizes and patterns and have made some adjustments. Some of the things I make have been with me since I graduated 11 years ago and although they don’t look exactly the same, the shape is still there. They’ve mostly changed in size and now I’m beginning to know which sizes I like the best - and I hope you like best too.

Most of the new collection can be bought in manos webshop where the midwintersale is on until February 6th: 30% off all ceramics (only in the webshop)!

Time is a strange thing isn’t it? It goes so quickly and so slowly. So much happens and so little.
Leonard is spending his last few days with me at manos, in two weeks time his dad will go on paternity leave. I think they’re both looking forward to it As for me, it’ll be empty without the little man but I won’t have to be on high alert (he’s crawling around exploring everything) and I’ll have my hands back.

In my head I’ve been planning the new collection and over the holidays I had some time to produce so there’ll soon be results to show. Oops, the little boss man is waking up. Got to go!

Klimt02 - inspiring and interesting jewellery site.

This photo really doesn’t do justice to Leonards new shoes, you should absolutely take a look at Lilla Gryn where they’re from. It’s a lot of childrens clothes around me right now, Leonards of course but also wonderful clothes from nuno & dudo, a webshop that is doing a guest appearance at manos this month.

I’m loving Lena’s new blog wee textile.

Sometimes I wish I could knit.

I believe we passed the window of an owl lover on our walk today, here’s a close up of it. After that we walked across the street from beautiful shop Ki-ki, which is now open again.

Camilla has been here and gone, all that is left is a few pieces of raspberry flavoured dark chocolate and this wonderful book that Leonard wants to sink his budding teeth into. Camilla and I plotted and planned for our collaboration - exhibition and workshop at manos in May next year! We’ll tell you more about it shortly

manos has got a facebook page.