from sandoya with love

Empty toilet rolls- Ressurected rubbish

2010-09-30T00:14:00.000-07:00

Isn't this just absolutely beautiful? Unfortunately I don't know the artist is, as the photo had no description of such.
Anyhow, it had to be shared for its inventiveness, for the transformation from rubbish into this etheric work of art.

Life Quality

2010-05-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

A mini holiday with the extra day off last weekend.
-Sunshine, laughing, running kids, warm homemade muffins, birds singing... Kitsch, yes? Happiness, yes!

Easter egg hunt

2010-04-08T03:30:00.000-07:00

Wonderful Easter! The German Easter Bunny visited and hid eggs in all different colours and variations in the garden. We invited our daughter's little friends, and searched high and low! Homemade brioche, still oven warm.., and hot chocolate tasted so good after the egg hunt.

My ethical lifestyle shop

2010-03-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

Well, spring is coming... When our daughter saw the first tuffs of grass popping up in between the snow, she screamed with excitement. The light, the birds and the plants coming to life, give bursts of energy.
These little handmade felt shoes have a definite spring feeling to them. Beautiful! Spring with its new beginnings, a very fitting time for me to open my shop, NORDVESTPASSASJEN. Soon you can buy the shoes and many, many more handpicked fair and eco products; -From handmade shoes, and re-designed dresses, to fairtrade handbags to eco wallpaper..!
Take a look at Nordvestpassasjen on Facebook for updated info and pictures.
Website is under construction. Till we meet again.., enjoy the energising warmth of spring.

The ice bar

2010-02-15T11:15:00.000-08:00

The Sandøya Food Festival was a success! The guests were met by this unusual sight; The ice bar, and got a warm apple and rum welcoming drink to start the evening off.

A chainsaw, a frozen lake and some strong men; you don't need anything else to make a one of a kind bar!

A time of colours!

2010-02-12T14:36:00.000-08:00

The Carnival time is here, and this beautiful sight fills my heart with light! My daughter and her kindergarten friends created this wonderful artwork.

The food festival is tomorrow, and our kitchen is pretty trashed from cooking all sorts of food... But flavourings such as cardamom, rose, brown rum, cumin, peppermint, rosemary, espresso, garlic and lemon now wonderfully scent our house.

Decoration for tomorrow: These lanterns were made from jam jars, and from tissue paper.

Sandøya's international food festival

2010-02-09T15:08:00.000-08:00

-A food festival with an international flair on our wee, frosty island.

The coming weekend we're transforming our communal house into wonderful place of colours of the rainbow, smells of the world and music of Latin Americas! Also, our beloved men in the party commité are doing a great stunt, can't wait to tell you about it!!

A bit random with the car photo when talking about the food fest. (It's not mine, nice colour though. That's why I photographed it!) Anyhow, there is ice between the island and the mainland, and some people haven't touched their car in weeks. If we were to get stuck for a while, it wouldn't actually be that bad..! Call of the wild. And ready for the party!

Christmas Market

2009-12-14T05:26:00.000-08:00

I just had to share this with you- The Julemarked on Lyngør, our sister island. Craftsmen and designers, farmers and cookie-makers had gathered to sell their products. Take a look at the entrance to the market; so, so beautiful as it got darker. By then we were resting our feet, drinking beer and hot chocolate in the pub, Pers Brygge.

Our bags were stuffed with goodies, and we were also happy to bring back fresh, free range and local eggs! (As local as they get: Made on Sandøya!) With such a luxury we cannot quite decide on how to use them...

homemade christmas presents

2009-12-14T04:34:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe X-mas is only the wink of an eye away... In preparation for the festive day to come, although for me, and many others I believe, this whole wonderful month of December is what truly is special - The anticipation, the baking, the decorating, the finding presents and the making of presents!
For some of my friends I've made some earrings. Made from vintage buttons and others from hand painted mother of pearl buttons, I must say I find them so beautiful and they also justify my obsession with buttons!

Good news!

2009-11-18T11:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday the council agreed to postpone the decision on closing down the schools! -Until next elections.., so for now we can relax. What a relief!!
For those of you who live in Norway; We're in this weeks edition of the woman's magazine KK, featured in a double page spread titled 'Freedom on a small island'. Two wonderful women, the journalist Anne-Line Henriksen and the photographer Lisbeth Michelsen, came to visit. I feel happy about it, because it portrays me and the Guest House in a very genuine way.
The photographer of the above photo is Lisbeth Michelsen, and this photo was part of another article we were part of earlier in the year. Not sure what happened, but after 4 years of running Maries Gjestehus we've had a lot of national publicity. One magazine after another came to visit us on the island in 2009.

Guardian angels mobile

2009-11-10T01:35:00.000-08:00

In the past two months we've had no less than three newcomers to our island, well new world citizens! Two beautiful baby boys and one girl were born within the space of two weeks.
As a gift, I made made a mobile with guardian angels, to wish the little ones much, much love and happiness.

Save our school!

2009-11-10T01:30:00.000-08:00

What does a rabbit and children have to do with keeping our school? Well, this is in the middle of the road. Sandøya is a car free island, and this is their way to school, full of adventures every day.
Growing up on Sandøya where we have a kindergarten and a primary school (1st to 4th grade) definitively provides the children with a safe, not to mention fantastic learning environment. I didn't grow up here myself, but all islanders I have met, truly are a testimony to that growing up here is a special experience. Both the kindergarten and the school are essential to that, because they also function as the 'glue' in this small community.
As it goes the council is now in the midst of a decision making process of closing down all the local schools, and this word which I hate; CENTRALISE is their mantra. Shut down schools, and build one big one instead. Save money, short term that is. It makes me furious- For a start, when most of the population is dotted around in small communities on the outskirts of the town of Tvedestrand, it hardly makes any sense. For the moment I won't go into any more detail, as this could take very long...
Anyhow, today is the day of letting our voices be heard in the form of a demonstration. This evening we'll gather in Tvedestrand and march to remind the politicians of what we think it entails to live in a democracy.

Blog up and running and italian bread recipe

2009-10-20T12:13:00.000-07:00

Well, for those of you who have been waiting, here is my brand new blog. How exciting!

This space will be dedicated to recipes, thoughts and experiences from living on the island as well as various projects of mine.
So, why not start with my, and everybody else who has tasted it, truly all time favourite italian bread recipe. I promise you it is one of best breads of its kind you will ever taste, and the easiest to make.., and it requires no kneading! That's why I love giving it away, simply because I know it'll be a success.

Above is a photograph from our summer Sunshine Café at my guest house where we served the bread with a yummy lentil soup. The photograph on my blog title shows the fabulous, easy bread, and here's the recipe:

Italian bread

1 kg white spelt flour

1 sachet dried yeast

1,5 ts of Maldon salt

2 large handfulls of sesame seeds

1 litre water, 37C

olive oil

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Day 1: Mix the dry ingredients and pour in the tepid water. With a wooden spoon mix until you have a dough with a nice and soupy consistency. Put in the fridge overnight.

Day 2: Put the oven to 225C. Pour a generous amount of olive oil on a baking tray. Put the dough on it. It will be very runny. With a couple of wooden spoons, quickly fold the dough into a ball. Drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle with lovely Maldon salt. Bake at the lowest level in the oven for about 35 mins. Enjoy!

The guests at the guest house love when I serve the bread with Baba Ganoush, sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and with homous. Grilled aubergine spread and chickpea dip for those who wonder what's in the names. Recipes shall certainly be shared another time.

from sandoya with love

2009-10-09T05:20:00.000-07:00

i will be with you shortly...