Happy New Year’s people!

I want to say thank you for reading this blog religiously, not so religiously, randomly or just because you can’t avoid my shameless self-promoting. This year has been a reallyreally good one (albeit with a couple of ups and downs), and I hope 2011 will be even better ! Drink some champagne (if you are old enough), watch the fireworks and enjoy the evening tonight, and then we’ll see each other next year. You guys are the sweetest (for real!).

<3

Every year one of the family traditions is to make and decorate some sort of a gingerbread house. The last couple of years I’ve taken the role of “left-over candy”-eater and critic, while this year I decided to join in on the fun. Which meant that I came up with the idea and then forced my sisters to make my plan come to life. My first draft was Gingerbread Hogwarts none the less, but after some evaluation we decided that it would be slightly to ambitious, but by the time we got to that conclusion I was so into the whole Harry Potter theme that we had to do something Harry Potter. So we ended up doing Gingerbread Miniature Hogsmeade instead. We originally planned to build 8 houses (Shrieking Shack, Zonko’s, Madam Puddifoot’s, Three Broomsticks, Honeydukes, Hog’s Head, the post office and Hogsmeade Station), but once we started making the walls and ceilings, ambitions lost the fight to laziness and his gang. So we ended up making Zonko’s, Madam Puddifoot’s, Three Broomsticks and Hog’s Head. And I did help some, making the gingerbread foundations for 1 1/2 house and all of my characters, in addition to being creative director and head of the decorating department.

Zonko’s roof before I accidentally dropped it into the melted sugar. The destruction of the sign hurt more than the blister I got on my hand.

The girls at work.

Hedwig, Zonko’s Joke Shop, The Three Broomsticks, Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop and The Hog’s Head. I decorated all of them except Madam Puddifoot’s, which was put together by my sister Anneke.

McGonagall, Dumbledore, Draco, Snape, Hagrid, young Tom Riddle, Ron, Ginny and Mr Harry Potter. Hermione lost her leg in a freak accident (we suspect a splinching of some sort during the trip from Kristiansand to Hovden), but fortunately she has got some nice company from Fluffy. Apropos Fluffy, isn’t this kid the most adorable thing ever. And just to set things straight; Draco, Snape, Riddle, Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione are my decoration projects and creations (well, JK’s really, but these gingerbread versions are mine). I am quite proud of the result actually, especially since I am not a part of that group of people who seems to have been born in the kitchen.

What do you think?

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Even though I am a student on a limited budget I allow myself to dream my way through net-a-porter, shopbop, asos, and every other online shop I can find on regular basis. Lately I have been head over heels in love with the dresses from the futuristic fashion label Aqua. The use of mesh and contrasting materials are all kept within the boundaries of minimalism and makes these dresses just plain beautiful. I would love to add one if not all of these to my wardrobe. You can find them here.

What do you think?

There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you…. In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself. _Ruth Stout

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Another picture of me (together with sweet Chioma) from the Vixen launch. I am really digging this red shirt, found it at UFF (like about 50% of my everyday wardrobe these days) and it is really a “show stopper” as Hilde put it. And even though my mum says I don’t look good in things that are too tight around the neck I can’t help loving this whole buttoned-shirt thing. Preferably with a bow tie or a silk tie of some sort like the one on the picture. And after all, we are always defying what our mothers say clothing-wise, it is just the way of the world. Thinking of wearing this shirt with a skirt or high-waist pants for New Year’s, what do you think? And more importantly, what are you going to wear?

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I have been lost in the world of Final Fantasy the last few days, and had forgotten all about this blog before my mum and sister started to complain about the fact that my blog was “boring” now that I haven’t updated in a while. The weather has stayed put, meaning that the average temperature is still somewhere around -27. I have been wanting to test the slopes, and hopefully today is the day (it is supposed to be a few degrees closer to 0 today). Yesterday I took Embla for a walk around Hovden so she could stretch her legs, sporting my Canada Goose sleeping bag and uggs. Was ambushed by my personal paparazzi who shot pictures of me while driving by. And that is really the update on my life. Paine is a level 38 warrior now, and Yuna is a level 37 black mage and dark night. Booyah, bazinga and so forth.

How are you spending your holiday?

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SHIRT acne SKIRT diane von furstenberg WATCH triwa

Two Christmas dinners have been consumed, and I am already full enough to last for the remainder of the holiday. Christmas Eve was celebrated with the family plus my two grandmothers and one of my aunts at our cabin at Hovden. The average temperature the last three days has been around -20-25 and it is going to last a least until Monday. Right now it is -27 degrees celsius outside. COLD in other words. Which means that I have not spent that much time outside, close to none in fact, but luckily for me Final Fantasy x-2 is time-consuming and slightly addictive, so I am doing fine. I am also playing around with my new MACBOOK PRO (!). Life is good in other words. Except for the fact that I did not get the moon boots I so wished for. The family forgot to buy them in London, and they don’t sell moon boots in Kristiansand. But I got money instead so I can buy myself a pair in Oslo or New York, leading up to my next question: is it possible to buy moon boots in Oslo? And if so, where?

How has your Christmas been so far? And did you get what you wished for for Christmas? I wished for snow most of all, and we’ve got plenty of that here at Hovden. That and fantastic Christmas food (christmas cod <3).

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Rediscovered Final Fantasy x-2 yesterday, which meant playstation till 3 am. Regretted staying up that late when I woke up this morning, but then I remembered something which has quite a vital importance today: IT*S CHRISTMAS EVE. Gifts, food, candy, Christmas shows on TV, Nemi (I always get the Christmas edition of Nemi in my Christmas stocking) and more gifts. Today I am a 6 year old again. Which also means an hour or two of Final Fantasy x-2 now, while the rest of the family are going to church. I am such a nerd.

Merry Christmas <3

A year ago I had just arrived in New York after finishing my last exams.  I had spent my last day in Oslo at a JC event together with Marie, Stephan, Marthe and Erlend, looking forward to a well-deserved vacation, drinking beer and eating candy . So much has changed since then and still so much is the same. Life has been filled with ups and downs, events, friends coming and going, and Erlend leaving us for good. Seeing pictures like this reminds me of all the fun we had, but also all the sad things that have happened the last year. So many people have died, so many young people leaving way before their time. And contrary to what one would think, Christmas is high season for depressions. Watch over those you care for, and be sure to tell them how much they mean to you, because you really can not afford to lose any of them. Take care of the ones you love and take care of yourself this Christmas, because every single one of you are important to someone, and don’t you ever dare believe that you’re not.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

I have never understood why everyone was fawning over Lara Stone, she is beautiful and everything, but I never saw her appeal, to me she was just another model with bleached eyebrows, pouting lips and a fierce/sexed up look in her eyes, like Daphne Groeneveld, Abbey Lee, Ginta Lapina, etc. But the latest editorials I have seen from here is gradually making me change my mind. Like this one shot in Tuscany by Mario Testino for Vogue US. I think her range of facial expressions has grown and that she looks a lot better with her natural colored eyebrows than the bleached ones. The editorial makes me want to travel to Tuscany as well.

What do you think about Lara?

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My moodboard for Christmas, New Year’s Eve and those days in between looks somewhat like this. No one can keep me away from the idea that glitter, glam and a whole lot of sequins is what this season is really all about. And red. Loads of red. It is after all the season to be jolly. Somehow the thought of New Year makes me think of the universe and space and everything associated with it (might be the fire works), so space-related items might sneak it’s way into my New Year’s Eve outfit, like Eva’s beautiful dress from Helmut Lang (which I think look sort of space-y if you squint your eyes and turn your head to the side) or the pair of moon boots I am hoping I will get for Christmas.

What are the overall themes you’re going for the next few weeks?

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SO I applied for a class at the University on art in New York, not really thinking I would ever get in, and then two days ago I got the news that I did get in, which means I will go to New York in January for eleven days to study “Art in the New World”. Visited the Big Apple last Christmas with my family and a new trip doesn’t sound that bad, does it? Oh, I can’t wait. The only thing that could make this day any better is if I could stop coughing. But that will pass. I’m going to New York! I love that city.

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Spent all of last day and night with Messrs. Cough, Sneeze, Fever and HeadAche. They are slightly less annoying today, but they keep on insisting to stay, they just don’t understand the deal concerning boundaries. I need boundaries, guys! For real. Other than their presence I am enjoying life at home, it’s warm, I don’t have to cook anything, there’s Christmas cookies of different kinds in the cupboard and unlimited amounts of Christmas soda and Pepsi Max in the fridge. I can live with this. And Christmas music of the kind that includes songs from the Harry Potter soundtrack and Sarah Brightman tunes makes me feel like I am filled to the brim with gingerbread and mulled wine. YUM!

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One of the perks of coming home to Kristiansand is the Christmas calendar that awaits half way up the stairs to the second-floor. It was embroidered by my grand-mother many years ago and Santa’s Little Helpers come every night to fill the gift bags with small presents, like candy or school supplies. Today we got mentos. Yum.

Do you have a Christmas calendar?