InstaFebruary

Goodbye to a great February, goodbye to Winter
Hello to March and a new, exiting Spring with new adventures!

You can find me on Instagram

under the name

NATMADELEINE

♡

What's in my bag?

Hello all!
Well, I'm once again back in my beloved apartment 107, and oh what a difference a week does!
Not only has it been absolutely wonderful with a little vacation time,
but I now find myself full of energy and ready for new adventures.
Another wonderful thing is the weather. It finally looks like Spring is here to stay; small flowers are growing,
the weather is warmer and most important of all: The sun is shining like crazy! Ah, how sweet life is ☼

Oh well, I'm rambling on.
Inspired my my great mood, I thought I'd do a little something else today.
I always like when other bloggers do a "what's in my bag" post,
and since I've given myself the present of a new every-day clutch, I thought: Why not show it off a little?
I won't deny, I like getting fun facts about the bloggers I follow, so now here's your chance to have a a peek at my private things. Of course, these are the things I always carry around - I've chosen to remove all of my old receipts, candy wrappers and other not-so-lovely things I carry around.
Well, let's just have a little looksie, shall we?

I always have both my glasses and my sunglasses on me. 

I use sunnies every day, all year 'round - rain, shine or snow. 

And as for my glasses, well, I need them to read, so they're essential as well.

Then I have a few hairbands with me, 

and of course my trusted organic lip balm and my nude lipstick from the Kate Moss range from Rimmel.

Unfortunately I'm a smoker and have been so for years. Disgusting habit, I know, but hard to get rid of. 

But just because cigarettes aren't the best, doesn't mean you can't keep 'em together in a nice case. 

And of course my Zippo, which I got almost 8 years ago. 

Mints, of course, are important - these are in a funny metal case from the Swedish shop Lagerhaus. 

Hand sanitiser is very important to me, as I am a bit of a germaphobe. 

And then of course, I always always always have my headphones and my small cat-ears wallet on me.

And then, of course, there's the glue that holds it all together: The bag! This little cutie is from Asos, and you can find it here.  

Fantastic Frank

It seems only fitting that I blog a little bit about some Swedish homes when I actually am in Sweden
- but then again, who am I kidding? I practically only blog about Swedish homes, haha!

Today's inspiration comes from the Swedish estate agents "Fantastic Frank." These images are not from one specific apartment or home, but just a selection of very beautiful places and spaces.
Have a great day, I have to get back to my cuppa coffee and my book now ♡

Life lately. in snowy Sweden

Life is great right now!

I'm on vacation in the Swedish country house, and right now it's snowing like crazy out.
I took these pictures this morning, and already there are loads more snow on the ground.
I'm thinking of going skiing a little later, but right now I'm inside, curled up on the couch.
The fire is roaring and I have a big cuppa coffee and a good book.

Life is great right now! ♡

A yummy yummy DIY: Home made coffee syrup

Hello rainy Tuesday!

Over the last couple of weeks, I've gotten into the habit of visiting this charming little coffee house we have here in town.
It's called Kaffekilden, and it's basically Roskilde's equivalent to the TV show "Friends'" Central Perk.
It's filled with old furniture, cozy nooks and delicious cups of coffee.
It's beginning to be an expensive habit of mine, but I'm hooked now
- there's nothing like getting a quick cuppa joe and a ciggy with friends after class.

Well anyway, since this new "tradition" started, I also developed the habit of using syrup in my coffee.
I'm pretty hooked on it by now, and since I also drink several cups of coffee at home, I thought:
Why not make the coffee syrup myself?
It's a fun little project, and you can make it with any flavour you want.
I am a huge cinnamon fan, so of course that's what I used in mine. However, you can choose yourself
- why not try vanilla or caramel?

Here's a little picture tutorial on how to make your own coffee syrup
- it's amazingly tasty and delicious, and as a plus, it is a cheap way of adding a little luxury to your coffee routine ♡

Keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months  

Plant Pot DIY - Easy and oh-so-cute

Hello Sunny Sunday, hello all of you!

It's been a busy couple of days since last we crossed paths, but even a meteor hitting me in the head
couldn't keep me away from this lovely playground that is f&f.
And speaking of playground, I have a fun DIY for you today.
It's super easy and super cute, and you don't need more than an old clay plant pot and some nail polish
(in the colour of your preference) - shall we? I think we shall!

Being a big plant and flowers kinda gal, I always have at least 10 plants around the house.
Actually, doing a quick scan of my apartment right now, I can spot 30 plants in a variety of shapes and sizes. Ah how I love it!
But anyway, there's no denying that the plastic pots the plants come in are not the prettiest of things.
I am personally a big fan of clay pots for my plants, and as a plus, those are the only ones that the plants actually thrive in.
But after a while, they do get a little boring to look at. About a year ago I showed you this plant pots with lace DIY, and today
I thought I'd show you how to paint cute faces on them.
Of course, you don't have to paint faces - you can paint whatever you want, and in any colour you want.
I thought white paint would go best with my pots, so I used an old nail polish and carefully painted a cute little face on it.

There - wasn't that just the simplest of DIY's? Yes, that's what I thought you'd say.
Now go and be creative, and have the loveliest of Sundays ♡

THINK PINK

... and dine in a romantic fashion!

Hello lovelies, how are you doing this fine Tuesday?
I thought I'd bring you some inspiring table-setting pictures from IKEA's Livet Hemma blog.
Personally I've never really been that into pink, but I simply cannot deny that this is absolutely adorable.
Might not be the best setting for your boyfriend's football friends, but why not try it for tea with your girlfriends?

Have a wonderful day - remember: Just because the sun ain't shining outside, doesn't mean it shouldn't in your mind ♡

DIY: How to paint IKEA's Frosta stool in any colour

Hello to you all on such a fine and sunny Sunday - how are you all doing? Had a great weekend?

Today I thought that I would show you how to paint the Frosta stool, which you can buy at IKEA for almost no money!
I don't know how it is around the world, but take a look in any teenagers room or the apartment of a young adult in Denmark,
and you're sure to find this exact stool. As said before, it's really cheap, really sturdy and can be used as an extra seat or a side table. There are tons of IKEA Hacks on the net on how to turn the Frosta into - well, pretty much anything! I've seen it as a sleigh, a TV table, a hat rack, a play bike and so on. If you're looking be a little creative, then just Google "IKEA Hack Frosta"...

... However, that craving for being creative can also be fulfilled right here!
There's no denying that the Frosta stool is practical, but not the prettiest of furniture - colour wise.
But as always: A little creativity, patience and imagination can go a long way.
So if you want the Frosta to match your other furniture, then all you have to do is paint it.
For inspiration, try to Google "IKEA Frosta paint" or come up with your own funny and creative idea.

NOW I KNOW that practically everyone says that you have to sandpaper it first, and that is true with bigger (and possibly more valuable) furniture. But I find that since this stool is so cheap, you don't have to go all out with the pre-painting part. Besides, if you just plan on using the Frosta as a small side table, this is the DIY for you. However, if you plan on using it as an everyday stool, then consider sandpapering, painting and varnishing it. It's a bigger project, but the paint will hold longer and it won't be as prone to dents and scratches.

Here we go

- I did not sandpaper my Frosta. 

- In stead I cleaned it with a damp cloth and then let it dry off completely before painting.

- I spread a bunch of old newspapers on the floor, 

making sure that I wouldn't accidentally splatter paint on my other furniture or the wooden floor. 

- I turned it upside down and started with the legs of the stool.

- With a big brush I painted the stool using simple acrylic paint. You can find it in every craft store.

Making sure I got into every nook and cranny, 

I painted one thick layer of paint, turning it back right side up and then painting the upper part of the stool.

- I let it dry for 12 hours before adding another thick coat of paint. 

Depending on how many coats you do, let it dry for 12 (one coat) to 24 (two coats) hours. 

After just one day you'll have an all new Frosta!

You can do this in any colour - though with lighter colours, you'll need to do 2-3 coats of paint, 

letting it dry for 6-12 hours between every coat.

This is just such a lovely - and easy + cheap - way to add new life to your Frosta. 

As a bonus, acrylic paint is really cheap and you'll only use about a tube of paint, so there's no reason for not trying this out!

It can even be done in your living room, if only you remember to spread a lot of newspapers on the floor before painting.

Have so much fun doing this - I had, and I love the result. 

Lots of positive thoughts and have the happiest of sunny Sundays ♡