Last picnic in Lidingö in a nature reserve

We have to leave our lovely house in Lidingö so we are trying to enjoy all the good things from the island as much as possible. We discovered this natural protected area and decided to stop there for a picnic (and of course take a few pics along the way):Fields with dandelions, cow parsley and buttercups. Say no more. We got the perfect place to enjoy the beautiful nature of the island...I always make more or less the same things when I go on picnics. It's often sandwiches, salads, cooked eggs, fruits, sometimes I make a pie... and I always bring tea! I would love to hear about your ideas for a picnic too to broaden my choices!We love these family times in the nature, it's so so good!And a really cute forest to wander in around the field, what else?They have a little cafe not too far. One of these typical Swedish red house, selling gorgeous cakes and a lot of coffee: If you are ever setting your foot on Lidingö, and it's not winter (because then I recommend skating on a lake): go there! Give me some more picnic meal ideas, I would love to hear them!

Birthday week-end when Lily turned 9

Lily turned 9 not that long ago.  As she didn't have many friends in her class, we decided to avoid trying to have a birthday party. But instead we would have a family week-end full of adventures: I was a bit heartbroken at first that she wouldn't have the usual friends big party. But then, this family/adventure week-end grew on us. And it was actually the greatest idea. She will probably remember it better than all of her previous parties!It started with a little trip to the sea before hitting the road. The water was much chillier than expected (especially because it was so hot in the air that day!)Then we went to our family in Örebro.  It's a place I mentionned before because they have a great open art exhibition every two years. But it's also where Pelle's family lives and it was really good this year to be able to have more reunions with them!I ended up doing the Nigella's olive oil gluten free chocolate cake I was advised to do on instagram and it was quite nice with mascarpone and raspberries on top!Lily got a Ukulélé for her birthday as requested, played right away with it. Such happiness!It was such a beautiful week-end too!We drove to near Gothenburg from there to an amazingly beautiful hotel. Just a bit weird that it's in the middle of a golf course. But if you ignore that fact, you are in paradise! The rooms have a scandinavian style. With woodland and white design. And big window bays giving you a view to the forest:I'm pretty sure the woods have fairies there!The real birthday day was Sunday. We got a little cake and a candle for her and gave her some more presents:This includes that Bellerose dress she really liked!The aim of the trip was to go to Universum, a huge science center in Gothenburg that Lily really wanted to visit. On our way, there was a dandelion field and I had to stop to take some pics of course:Kids had a great time at Universum. If you are in the area, I definitely recommend it!And when we were on our way back to Stockholm, I got totally obsessed with Colza (Rapeseed) fields and thankfully we could stop at one of them so I could take pictures!Great end to a great birthday week-end! Overall, she was very happy about everything. And I'm sure she'll have much more memories of it. I think planning trips is one of the best present you can have. What do you think? 

Woodland reveries (Portrait of my children in 2017- three)

I have to find where to take my photography. I have always loved looking for the light and I am always eager to learn more. When the ordinary becomes magic in a picture, it makes my heart skip a little. Robert Schumann said : “The artist vocation is to send light into the human heart” and I'm hoping to reach that stage at some point.In the meantime, taking baby steps, I was suggested by an amazing coach to take my children into a fairy tale story. Because, yes, I love fairy tales (Im making my coming out here). They take you to places, they make you see the world in a different way, they bring the light and the magic. Also, they tell you about how the world and our lives actually are. You learn a lot with them. But in a beautiful way. Just like photography.So why not doing the 3rd monthly portrait project as a fairy tale? Creatures of the woods, half real, half magic. Seeking each other, transforming into fairies, ice queens or animals. Something about Narnia. And my kids just said yes.He was a prince, but then also a wolf. She was an ice queen but then also a woodland fairy. Let your imagination wander. There is always a moment in the story when things get scary. But there is so much magic in the woods...And the reverie starts again, the fairies fill the place:The prince disappeared into the forest to reappear again as a wolf in our garden, but the little fairy snow princess wasn't afraid. On the contrary, she wanted to play.I dont think she realised that there was an angry wolf behind her. Probably because he isn't that angry. And also, she can manage. She believes in magic!They are always cute when they sleep.But also when they smile. Friends in dreamland."Some day you will be old enough to read fairy tales again" C.S. Lewis. It's time!Maybe one day I'll photograph your kids and make some magic too. What do you say?                   

Winter visit to Artipelag

Artipelag is a great place I mentioned before when I was doing the 52 project. We went there last September. It's  a museum in the middle of an amazing setting. You can spend time wandering outside and then go inside for the exhibition. And their brunch is also very nice! We liked it so much that we decided to go and see it every seasons! If you click below you can see how it looks like in the winter. And if you manage to reach the end, there is a little movie that I made for my instagram account. The scenery when you arrive at the trail to get to the museum is beautiful. I really love discovering a place that has that feel even when it's not spring or summer. Which are definitely my instinctively favourite seasons! You have such beautiful views in that area. And when there isn't many people, it's so relaxing too! Smell of pine trees and sea, sound of birds and wind. What else?And again, the frozen sea is an amazing experience:I did tell him not to go though (despite the millions pictures I took):Despite the wet foot, we had a great time:The exhibition that was on that time was from Lars Wallin, a Swedish haute couture designer. Lily loved it. It was quite an impressive collection of dresses, pictures and drawings. It wasn't exactly my style but it was a great show:And some more takes:The end of the trail to go back is also glorious I thought:Here is a little movie from that time there (plus some more ice skating from the day before):If you are in the area, check out the links to Artipelag and go see it. In the summer, you can take boats from central Stockholm there. It's totally worth it! We will definitely be back in the spring. 

A frozen lake bliss in Lidingö

A giant with a small head or my daughter on her father's shoulders?I haven't shown you much of where we live (or did I? maybe through my kids portraits, yes!). But the other day we went near our friend's home by a lake. That same lake we swam in during the summer. And it was surprisingly, to me, all frozen. We were not prepared for this. We had no skates or anything. But I found it pure magic (and scary at the same time) to be able to watch it and walk on it. Want to see some pictures and even a little movie? Click below!Enchanting, isn't it? Lidingö has been pleasing me in so many ways with nature. Living by the sea and having a lake in the middle of the Island, what else?And there is a nice walk to do around the lake too!It's impressive and beautiful all at once.Even the way back home was quite of eery. I mean, the weather was really quite bad. Snowy and grey and rather cold. But still. I loved it!I even made a little movie (as I do every week-end for Instagram):We came back with skates, so... to be continued, maybe!