The Most Amazing Quilt

Matthew got a lot of Hanukkah presents this year-- one or two for each night--but I'll admit that not all of them were winners (On the first night, I got him an alarm clock to put on my side of the bed, and told him the gift was that he would no longer have to turn off his alarm for me! Clever wifey, indeed!)  But one gift has been a long time in the making and was the star of the festivities.

And every star needs a dramatic unveiling. We invited a couple of wonderful friends over for latkes with all the fixin's (I had to make the applesauce, as it is not a commercial product here dispite the fact that lots of apples are grown in the UK... what's up with that? But I digress). Anyway, we drank bubbly, lit the candles, gorged ourselves on all things oily and sweet (the hallmarks of Hanukkah) and then Matthew got his prize...

...the most amazing quilt!

Over the summer, when we were going through all of our worldly possessions and deciding what to bring across the pond, we came across a lot of stuff that we couldn't bear to part with, but didn't really want to store in a box for years... Matt had a collection of tee shirts that dated all the way back to his high school days. Momentos of concerts, sports, travel and school. Shirts he either couldn't or wouldn't wear ever again but that still meant something to him.

I asked him if he'd like a quilt made of these special shirts and he was all about it. I looked online and found a few sites that made some cheesy looking t-shirt quilts. Ones without any real quilting or fabric borders (basically just the shirts sewn together- not quite what I had in mind). But on Etsy I found exactly what I was looking for... Jane Haworth from Happy Quilt Designs. Her quilts seemed so well crafted. I messaged her with a ton of questions and she was really great answering them all (i.e.- could you ship the finished quilt to Scotland?) So, I took the scissors to the shirts Matt had chosen... Cutting out the best bits,

because they were not all usable!

I mailed off all the bits to Jane (in California) and told her only two things- the first was that I really liked the look of patchwork quilts, where nothing really lines up perfectly and it looks like a big cozy hodgepodge. The second was that I thought Matt would prefer more traditional-looking prints when it came to the border fabric. She took these two points to heart and then added lots of her own creative vision. Before stitching it all together though, she sent me a photo with it all laid out. I loved it! 

Soon after, I got another email from Jane telling me that the quilt was finished! She was placing a patch on the back and I could include a message if I'd like. This was the hardest part for me. A message?! I took days (maybe even weeks?) trying to come up with something that would live eternally on this wonderful quilt. A little love note? A lyric from one of Matt's favorite songs? A quote? Just... For Matthew? Oh man. I totally over thought about it. Until I picked something silly and cute and emailed it off to Jane before I could change my mind again. With the "message" complete, she could send us the quilt.

I took a peak as soon as it arrived, it was so soft and pretty! I wanted to put it on the couch right away (you can always use another blanket in Scotland!) but I saved giving it to Matt until the Hanukkah party. He loved it-- seeing some of his favorite memories all stitched together! And he took a long while looking closely at all the detailed quilting. Because Jane didn't just sew the shirts together with extra fabric, she quilted around each shirt's design.

And the message I chose? I went for a little tidbit from Shel Silverstein... 

So Happy Hanukkah my dear! May you be cozy and warm in your shirt quilt for many Hanukkahs to come!

(our famous Nessie the Loch Ness Monster menorah)

And Thank you Jane Haworth! You made a beautiful quilt that we will get lots of use from. It is so much nicer than just stashing away a box of shirts that we'll never see again. Thanks for emailing me along the way, being patient when I take forever to get back to you, and for sending it to us overseas! It is already a household favorite, as you can see--

And just so you know, this is not a sponsored post or anything. I just really love the quilt Jane made for us and if it sounds like I am trying to tell you that they make the best gifts and that you all should order one... then you're right. Because they do, and you should. You'll love it. I promise!

Autumn!

Autumn is in full swing here in Edinburgh. The air is crisp, and the days are getting shorter. The change in seasons, both dramatic and subtle, is fascinating to me.  In Los Angeles, autumn comes and goes without much notice. 

So here are a few pictures of the seasonal cheer. This first one is from the shop at the Royal Botanical Gardens. They have a whole corner dedicated to wreaths, garland and ornaments made from dried fruits and spices. It smelled heavenly.

Here's a close up- If I had loads of disposable income, I'd buy enough to deck the whole house out with citrusy-cinnamon goodness, but I've had to significantly cut my 2012 garland budget to accommodate the financial strain of moving overseas. I thought I'd try to make it, but I am afraid I would just end up with several dozen half rotten oranges on a string... Maybe I'll go back to the Royal Botanical Garden's shop and buy a mini ornament or something, so I can enjoy the smell without the hefty price tag! 

Outside, the leaves on the trees have all started to change into shades of yellow and fiery orange...

and then fall, leaving the branches sparse. I imagine, in a few weeks, they'll be naked.

It is perfect soup weather. I enjoyed this delicious bowl of vegetarian Harira soup from Ecos, a little Moroccan cafe down the street from my flat. The combination of tomato, cinnamon, lemon and chickpeas makes for a very hearty and satisfying autumn meal.

And, of course, it is the season for apples! A couple of gal pals and I went to an apple festival last weekend. I was picturing apple crafts and apple cider, apples in pies and covered in caramel, apples in buckets for kids of bob for... you know, a proper celebration of the crisp sweet fruit we all love! Instead, there were two plastic tables, one with a variety of apples displayed with tags telling names and origins, the other table had a few paper plates of sliced apples to sample. It was fairly underwhelming, but also very sweet. And the older ladies that tended the tables know their apples! I think my friends and I all liked the Golden Pippin best. Not only does it have the cutest name, it was also the smallest and the crispiest of the bunch.

And as a autumnal treat for the boys, I got them a toy turkey. It makes gobbling sounds whenever it is touched, which is quite entertaining for them when they are swatting at it, but can startle the pants off of you when you accidentally lay down on it ;)

Truth be told, this toy is not intended for autumn... it is a Christmas toy. I guess turkeys are a 'symbol' for Christmas here in the same way they are for Thanksgiving in the US. But, since our kitties are still quite American, I thought they ought to get their turkey early.

Autumn also means Halloween, but that will get a post of its own (since I believe Edinburgh is the most Halloweenie place I've ever been! I mean, it can feel spooky here in the middle of June, so I can't wait until Samhaim!) but there are also other holidays and festivals that mark the season. Last night, Matthew and I were snug in our flat and heard a series of loud booms! From outside our window, we saw this happening on top of Calton Hill-

The burning the effigies of demons on top of Calton Hill, Dushurra festival 

It was the burning of effigies for the Indian Dushurra Festival. It was amazing! What is it about burning things in the night on top a hill that is so exciting?! The effigies didn't make the loud booming noises though, that was the accompanying fire works display. I tried to record a bit from our bedroom window...

So, I'd say that autumn is off to a great start! I hope you are all enjoying the season as well!

Ren Faire

A weekend or two ago Matt and I spent a day at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire. We had both gone as youngsters, but never as adults. It was much how we remembered. The costumes, the food, the music, the merriment. It was all good fun! Truly, a positive vibe filled the place.  My favorite was the maypole!

Of course, there were wares to browse and songs to sing... and even elvish ears to be had-

and one of us ended up in the stockade...

We went to the adults-only section of the place and chimed in on bawdy songs... this one retells the sexual adventures of sailors aboard the good ship Venus-

Fun day in the sun! Gramercy, Matt, for taking me!

Matt's first gingerbread house!

I have said before, this is the first time Matt and I have 'done' Christmas at our own home, and we are really going all out. The tree is up, the stockings hung... and last night, Matt and I had a sugary-good time making a gingerbread house.  

Merry merry!

A little gesture with big heart-

I got a package in the mail today, which, as you all probably know, is the best feeling in the world. Who is it from? What could it be? Ah! So exciting!

This particular package was extra special, because of it's random kindness. The contents of this package were amazing... but it was the person who sent it and the reason for sending it that really tugged at my heart.

Inside several layers of protective packaging was a beautiful, delicately hand-painted Christmas ornament painstakingly made by an old friend. I teared up when I saw it because I knew it was a gift from the heart- and those are the best gifts ever!

You know, these days, Facebook and other online forums (ahem, like blogs) get a lot of criticism for being a substitute for actual human contact, as well as for bringing us back together with people of seriously insignificant relationships from our pasts. But I have been fortunate enough to have the opposite happen for me. Through Facebook, I casually reconnected with Sarah, a friend of mine from high school (or earlier, really). We were not the tightest friends back then, but we ran in the same circles, lived close enough to each other (for the country ;) and always had a great time together when we'd hang out. Sarah would have been a person that I would have lost touch with had it not been for Facebook. But, since I'm able to read her posts, see her pictures and share with her my own goings on, I've realized that we have a lot in common. And I've learned that this once awesome girl has... unsurprisingly... grown into an awesome woman who I am lucky to call my friend!

And thanks to Facebook, I got to connect with her in person when I visited her adopted hometown across the country. And thanks to Facebook, Sarah gets the latest and greatest from this very blog, and she has been one of Dreams & Happy Things best supporters! So, in this case, the internet has turned what would have been a lost friendship into something much better.

So, Sarah-

Thank you so very much for the beautiful, thoughtful, heart-felt gift. I am blown away by your sweetness... and talent! It is proudly hanging on a most prominent branch, and will forever adorn my future Christmas trees. Whenever I see it, I will think of you, and how important it is to stay connected to people with whom I just seem to 'click'. And I'll pay your kindness forward by sending something unexpected to someone special in addition to paying it back ... so keep an eye out for your mail man ;)

And on a related note... this ornament is so beautiful, I'd love to share how you made it. If you'd like to create a 'DIY' tutorial to post on this blog, please let me know!

Love,
Rianne

Tivoli Gardens at Christmas

If there is one place that could be pinpointed as the source of all Christmas cheer in the world, I believe it would be Tivoli Gardens in the winter. It must be the birthplace of all things festive and twinkling, for I have never in my life seen a higher concentration of yuletide merriment. 

Its amazing enough that this attraction lives in the middle of Copenhagen, its not too often that an 'amusement park and pleasure garden' is within a city's center. On top of it being so incredibly easy to get to and from, the fact that it is located at one end of Copenhagen's main walking street (the ever bustling Strøget) makes the park part of the city.  As in, the city and it's history has influenced the development of the park (it was burned by Nazis in WWII) and the park has played an important role in the culture and history of Copenhagen (it has inspired many Danish artists, musicians and authors). And it certainly helps that Tivoli Gardens has been there a long time... it is the world's second oldest amusement park. It opened its doors in 1843 and is still one of the most popular attractions in Denmark.

My mom and I, who are both easily impressed by holiday pretties, thought the decorations around the front of the park were delightful-- the snow-covered trees, wooden toy soldiers and twirling bears. But once we passed underneath the impressive arched entrance... we were blown away! We were actually walking in a winter wonderland!

One of the greatest things I noticed about Tivoli, is how it is a perfect mix of grand buildings covered in lights, and cozy colorful shops and stands that welcome customers with warm glowing interiors and wafts of cinnamon-y goodness. My photos don't do the place justice, but you can get the idea...

And it is difficult to walk through Tivoli Gardens and not make a few comparisons to American's most beloved amusement park, Disneyland. Yes, yes, the differences are numerous,  and I am not claiming that they are equivalent... but there are unmistakable similarities when it comes to the overall happy vibe of both places, a similarity that is not coincidental.


Read the following is taken from the Tivoli Wikipedia page:


Tivoli is always evolving without abandoning its original charm or traditions. As Georg Carstensen said in 1844, "Tivoli will never, so to speak, be finished," a sentiment echoed just over a century later when Walt Disney said of his own Tivoli-inspired theme park, "Disneyland will never be finished as long as there is imagination left in the world." Walt Disney during a trip overseas with his wife Lilly visited Tivoli Gardens. Walt was so impressed with the Danish amusement park, he immediately decided Disneyland should try to emulate its "happy and unbuttoned air of relaxed fun."

After our walk down candy lane, we were ready to stop for a bit of food and drink. There were so many choices, and everything seemed homemade and wholesome (although, admittedly not healthful). We inhaled the sugary smells of candy apples, chocolate covered waffles and fresh spun peppermint ribbon before deciding on a glass of  mulled wine, or gløgg.

The place we chose was both a sit-down restaurant and walk up counter. We ordered from the outside and watched as the young woman mixed together the cloves, raisins, cardamom, currants, brandy and other such goodies into our steaming cup of gløgg. It was sweet and warmed us up, inside and out. We stood at a table, sipped out drink and enjoyed a few minutes of people watching. 

By this time, the sun was setting and the park began to twinkle with even more lights. We wandered past a few rides and found one we couldn't resist. A Journey Through the Stories of Hans Christian Andersen. And since Mr. Andersen, or HCA as he is sometimes referred to, is one of Copenhagen's most famous residents and Denmark's most beloved writer... and because my mom and I had brought abroad with us a book of his tales, this ride was a must. (and, it shall receive its own post soon- as it was truly a very Happy ride!)

When we emerged from the HCA ride, the sun had gone completely. It was wonderful to see the park during the day, but the night... Oh, the night!

My mom and I did a bit of shopping. The stands and stores did not sell the typical amusement park souvenirs. Instead, we found artisans working away next to their completed products for sale. There were hand-knitted hats and slippers, hand-blown glass ornaments, hand-dipped candles and other such crafty goods. I was drawn to the shops filled with Christmas decor. They sold pretty woven red-and-white hearts, angels and Christmas pigs... although I never did get the significance of the Christmas pig! I also saw one shop where one could buy small home electronics and another that sold sporting equipment. I imagine these appeal to the locals more than the tourists- regardless, it made for great Christmas shopping.

In a quiet part of the park, away from the rides and the shops, there is a barn and pen of hay where about a half dozen reindeer lazed about. They were beautiful with their shiny coats and iconic antlers. I am not the biggest fan of this sort of display of animals, but these guys seemed pretty content and didn't pay much attention to the 6 or 7 people who stopped by to say hello.

And that's that!

Our visit to Tivoli was magical, there''s no other word for it. It is totally a place for Dreams and Happy Things!

I feel totally blessed to have been able to visit this special place, and even more fortunate that I was there during the holiday season! For me, the visit was like an injection of Christmas cheer that motivated me to decorate and celebrate this year...

I wish a Merry Christmas and God Jul to all!!!

And just for an extra bit of fun, here is the Park's advert played on Danish television...