Sweet braid,

In Sunday I finally took time and baked after a while again. I really felt good to do it, since I love to bake. Unfortunately there is not many, who would eat it, else I would love to bake much more often.

Ingredients:

600-800 gr. wheat flour
4 dl.  water or milk
60 gr. butter
4 tbl spoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
50 gr yeast
1 egg

200 gr. hazelnut cream
150 gr. dark chocolate
200 gr. dried apricots

crush yeast to the bowl and add sugar. Mix it until yeast has melted. Add salt. Under the time warm up milk or water up to ca 35 degrees and add it to melted yeast and sugar mix. Melt all the butter and add it to the mix. Mix it through and make sure that all sugar is melted. As a last add flour little in a time and mix it. Knead until dough is fast. If you can, take it out of bowl and let it stay in the counter about 1 hour. After that divide it 3 equal shares.

Roll all shares in equally out in squares. Chop the apricots and chocolate . Cover each square equally with hazelnut cream and chopped apricots and chocolate in full length. Roll it up. Braid the rolls and lift to the baking pan. Whip up the egg and cover the braid. Let it stay out another 35-40 minutes. Heat oven up to 200 degrees and after it has stand out, bake it 35 minutes.  After that it is ready to eat.

This braid was filled with hazelnut cream, chocolate and apricots, but it can be filled actually with anything you want. This dough was quite sweet, since I had used sweet yeast and little bit more sugar, but this same dough can be made even to salt pastry. Just use ordinary yeast and little bit less sugar and little bit more salt and salty filling. 

Enjoy it with good cup of coffee.

Have a nice evening,
                                     Ingrit

Bag for spring,

Today I was an inspiration evening in Jönköping in my dealer for my sewing machine. We was quite many today and it was actually fun. Always nice to meet other persons, who has the same interest for sewing.
Last time, I could not be there, because my shoulder, but since I planned to go this time, I did not do anything with that hand for a week, so that I could go there. Last time, so many had wished to make a bags and so, today we did it.
I am so happy for it. I had for a while wished to make a new bags for myself for spring and summer and for different occasions. Today it was just a start. More pictures from my bag can be seen in my handworks Facebook page. This bag will have couple of details more, but for now, I have to wait a bit, since the embroidery card I ordered shortly after new year, has still not arrived. Hopefully soon it will arrive and I can make final touches for it.
Next bag I will make, I will use bit different material from my home. Can´t wait it already :) When it is done, I can promise, that you will see the result.

Have a nice day and enjoy the spring,
                                                             Ingrit

Updated list with embroidery patterns,

My list has been now updated. One new patterns has been added. It comes from Husqvarna and name is: Elegant Cases. Soon I will try to make some examples from it. Just need to let my shoulder to have better day.

Husqvarna Viking patterns:

Card 263 Line Art Flowers 
Card 257 3D Flowers
Card 253 Elegant Cases
Card 252 Yarn Art
Card 247 Most Popular Lace
Card 237 Quilting for the Holiday 
Card 231 Textured Quilting II 
Card 229 Majestic Seasons
Card 227 Christmas Creations
Card 222 Cross Stitch Harmony
Card 215 Hoop! Sew! Go! 
Card 214 Towel Magic
Card 203 Special Techniques Butterflies  
Card 202 Cutwork Finesse
Card 200 In Full Bloom
Card 197 Embellish with Yarn
Card 193 Wing Needle Embroidery
Card 186 Mega Madeira Borders
Card 182 Felting Art Embroidery
Card 180 Mega Blossom
Card 178 Mega Decór  
Card 163 Dimensional Decorations
Card 162 Blooming Flower 
Card 153 Colors of Autumn
Card 137 Swedish Santas 
Card 128 Flowers and Fashions
Card 117 Mega Borders
Card 78 Kitchen & Garden II
Card 74 Fuzzy Wuzzy Bears
Card 68 Beautiful Baltimore
Card 47 Butterflies

Pfaff patterns:

Card 452 Handbags and More
Card 436 Grand Dream Yarn Quilting Special Techniques
Card 429 Elegant Pop-Up Flowers
Card 424 Endless vintage cotton lace

Inspira patterns:

Towel Time!
Kitchen Art
Endless Elements
Flower Fun
Elegant Bottles
Easter Friends
Fantasy Flowers
Playtime
Mega Florals
Christmas Eve
Cross stitch borders
Baltimore in Bloom

Spring is on the way,

Today it has been another nice spring day. Ok, most of the time it has been nice. It also rained a little, but it was much different compared with the previous rainings in the winter time. That rain had fresh air with it. It smelled as spring.
It also nice to see how the warm weather has made nature much nicer. First flowers have been start to have flowers and all the nature starts really to wake up. Buds on trees are growing by every day.
Today, when I and my husband took a walk out in our neighborhoods together with our dog, when we found first wild flowers in flowering. Weather has been promised to be nice and warm during a daytime until Saturday. When it should be some snow again together with rain. Even thought, that I love winter and snow, when as it is outside right now, when I honestly do not want anymore snow. Tulips and daffodils in my garden has been grown quite much during last days and I would like to see them flowering instead that it should be frozen.
Since it is spring outside, when I discovered a nice spring even inside our house today. I had some tulips onions in ground at kitchen window. Today I saw that almost all have got flowers. It was actually quite nice view. Every year, I like tulips more and more. They are so simple flowers, but when they are blooming, they are such a beautiful to look.
Soon spring has arrived in full speed. It is a nice season as well. It is so nice to see how all is starting to grow and how nature starts to be greener and changes this gray color with green.
Have a nice evening and enjoy the time outside. All this changes and sunny days are just what we need after dark days, when days was shorter and colder. All this warm and sun gives so much positive energy. At least it is for me.
Love,
          Ingrit  

Another nice spring day,

Finally spring has arrived to us. Last couple of days it has been a wonderful weather. Yesterday I took a long walk in park today I spent some time outside as well. In the late afternoon, when I went to our balcony and thermometer showed little bit 20 degrees. It made a feeling like spring has arrived really fast.
Today in our trip outside even Sally discovered that spring is here and weather is quite warm. She enjoyed first bath at least I think so. I just enjoyed that clear water, but must admit, my thoughts went to summer and I would have loved to be warm summer day and warm water to swim in. As it is right now, when I have to take my swimsuit and visit the swimming hall instead.
It is so good to enjoy sunny and warm days. It gives much more energy to deal with things in life. Both positive and negative things. Something what I really need right now. All this what goes around me, this extra energy is really needed. Hopefully that kind of weather will hold for a long time. I want to enjoy my meals in nice and cozy place. Now I can start or finish my renovation in balcony. At least as much as I can do at the moment.
Now, I will enjoy my evening with a hot cup of good tea.
Have a nice evening,
                                    Ingrit

Happy Women's Day,

Today in so many countries celebrating the International Women's Day.  It has been even affected the weather, since it has been very beautiful sunny and warm spring day. It has been a while since sun and warm has been out, even thought this winter we have not seen much snow. Mostly rain and more rain. As I have said before, when I love snow and winter, but right now, when I look out to my garden and can see how everything is starting to grow, when I do not want to see anymore snow.  Now the spring is welcome.
Today me and my little black sunshine Sally enjoyed Women's day. First I made some shopping for handcraft and after that we took a long walk in park in the city. It would have been a crime to not enjoy such a beautiful day. After an hour, we was ready to take ride back at home. On the road we went through flower shop and bought some spring flowers, so that I could make it bit nicer by the entrance.
Back at home after all things was done, I had a small very tired dog. Seemed that she enjoyed all this walk in the park and planting and running in the garden as well as I did. It was very good day for me. A real Women's Day, where I could do exactly what I wanted. I could not wish a better day!
Enjoy your Women's Day and hopefully you will be spoiled a little and pampered by your families.

Have a nice day,
                              Ingrit

Knitted scarf,

Today evening I took a couple of hours to my self and made something what helps me to takes minds away from all and just clear my mind. That was exactly that, what I needed. Result of that is another new knitted scarf. My shoulder is painful, but it was very good to do something. Small steps in a time.
More pictures can be seen in my handwork facebook page. 
As same as the other ones, it is free and waits it's new owner to contact me, so that it can come new warm place. So, if you feel, that you would like to have one of it, when just contact me.

Night of Oscars,

When many people around the world is sleeping, are many still awake and following the annual Oscar gala, including me.
Already some time ago, I decided, that I would like to look even this years gala. Have tried looked it past 10 years or so. Some years I have managed to look all, some years I have missed some parts, since I have fell asleep.  Somehow this year, I have managed to be wake so far, but still little over an hour to go.
If I take it from the beginning, when I like that Ellen DeGeneres has returned as host again for the gala. As she took bit back, when she was host 7- years ago and as when as it today, she is wonderful. In somehow, she manages to keep all this alive. To order the pizza and share with all this stars and that actors feels so fairless to thought their beautiful gowns. It is all so genuine.
As the nominees in different categories are announced can man see, that there becomes some films, I would like to see -  12 Years a Slave and Gravity but also August: Osage County.  So many good actors, good films and a lot of hard work. I liked to see, when Lupita Nyong'o held her tale. It cam really from the heart and it was easy to see, that she was not expecting to win in that category.
During the show, can man see so many good part of music, acts, shortcuts of films and happy people but also so many tributes for the past, now and for the future.
Once in a wile, I think, there is a woman, who lives inside the thumb boy. Especially, when I look those fabulous gowns, what women are wearing. In those moments I wonder, how it would be to wear one of those beautiful evening gowns instead jeans or other trousers. It took me back in memories when I had my evening gown on and as well my wedding day and my beautiful gown. After those times, I have promised to my self to wear more dresses and as soon all is over, I am back my usual casual clothes.
This evening has given us to see so many wonderful people and many good speeches.  A lot of honoring for the peoples hard work and as several has told, if you dream, your dreams might come true in one day.  Bit sad that the Actress in Leading Role went to Cate Blanchett, I had wished that it would went to Sandra Bullock or Amy Adams, but Academy made it's own choice. The same was with Actor in the leading role. I had preferred to see as winner Chiwetel Ejiofor from 12 Years a Slave. One thing I am glad, the right film won the Oscar - 12 Years a slave.  
As Ellen said in the beginning, the most important things  in the world is - Love, Family and Friends. All this can taken apart in so many ways and it gives meaning for life in so many ways. Every word by it's own can have so many different definitions.
Now when this fantastic show has ended and all the Oscars have been given out, feels like joy in people are still lives further. For me, I am happy, that I managed to see all the gala and it has been made that there has became some more films, what I would love to see in cinema, when they are coming to our cinema. Among those is 12 Years a Slave, Book Thief, Osage County but also Gravity.

Have a nice week and Good Morning,
                                                               Ingrit