10 Scandinavian Christmas Crafting Ideas (Many are Edible!)

Hemköp

If there's one thing I really admire about the Scandinavians, it's their passion for crafting and DIY. And at Christmas there's no stopping our dexterous Nordic friends. Referred to as 'Julpyssel' adults and children across the country are busy rolling out gingerbread dough, perfecting their Christmas caramel, carving out paper snowflakes to hang in the window and finalising candle holders with moss. If you'd like to channel your inner Scandinavian and get crafting this week, here are 10 Christmas DIY ideas to get you started: 

1. A-Frame Gingerbread house: a favourite in Sweden, edible gingerbread houses look so pretty at Christmas. If you're a novice, it might be best to start with a kit (they sell them at IKEA!), but I also love this fab A-frame cabin made from heart shaped gingerbread!  

Anna Nilsson

2. Mini gingerbread houses: These pretty houses can be hung in the window or on the tree (they might also get eaten on the way - and who'd blame you!). Instructions / recipe here. 

Hannah Larsson

3. The gingerbread village: Why create individual houses, when you can make an entire village? There's so much fun to be had creating a skyline, and you can eat it afterwards too. 

Owans Studio

4. Mini gingerbread drink decorations: Imagine serving hot chocolate with this little touch - hygge personified! Instructions  here. 

@sambohjelm

5. Julkola (Christmas caramel): Who doesn't love homemade sweets at Christmas? Caramel makes a perfect addition to the table too - or wrapped as a present. Original recipe here (in Swedish), English recipe here. 

Dörte Janusxzewski / @lewesmap

6. DIY snowflakes made from cardboard: These pretty decorations made from loo roll cartridges (or straw, toothpicks, newspaper - just about anything!) look just as pretty on the tree as they do hung in the window! Instructions here. 

@genommittfonster

7. Window drawings: Looking a little grey outside? Why not grab a white pen and create a pretty Christmas display to brighten up your view? 

@hemlikheter

8. Paper flowers: Colourful crepe is a perfect material for making pretty paper flowers. Place them on mini trees, in a bowl or create a garland. Know-how here. 

@jenniferthors

9. DIY Forest friends wrapping: put a smile on your children's faces with these cute forest friend Christmas wrapping ideas! 

@haga.vastergarden

10. Candle displays: Small plant pots make a perfect candleholder at Christmas time. Simply fill them with soil, a little moss and some small branches from a fir tree. 

So many great ideas here. Can you imagine making any of these? 

What do you make at Christmas? Inspire us in the comment section below! 

More Christmas DIY ideas here: 

Let it glow: 5 simple candleholders you can make in an instant

6 beautifully simple Scandinavian DIY ideas

How to make Swedish Christmas angels from paper

Have a great start to the week!

Niki

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Our Small Bathroom Plans / Design For the Cabin

GSI Ceramica and Cristina Rubinetterie are kindly partnering in our project. 

I was up at the cabin yesterday (see our plans) and the build is progressing nicely! I can't tell you how excited I am! Buoyed by the progress, I thought it was time to share an update on the next phase of our build: the bathroom! 

Floorplan 

With only 3.66 metres square (XX f2) to play with, it's a case of dream big, think small! Even so, we had several criteria for the bathroom: it should be low maintenance, long-lasting, practical and of course beautiful! Let's start with my favourite - the latter! 

Inspiration:

Natural & Raw

Since being up at the cottage is all about enjoying nature, I am keen to keep the look natural. I love the idea of rough finishes and a fairly minimalist approach - with a warm, earthy palette. 

The Design

With the little space we have, I knew a bath would be out of the question (I guess we have the sea nearby!) - so we focused on a WC, sink and shower. 

I've worked with the incredible Italian brand GSI Ceramica for several years now and appreciate how the company prides itself on combining the latest technology with craftsmanship, rooted in a thousand-year-old tradition of Civita Castellana ceramic district.  I always appreciate the high quality which is vital since we're keen for our little cabin to be as low maintenance and long-lasting as possible  - something I've learnt from my Scandinavian friends!

The GSI Ceramica design team came back with these drawings which were spot on: 

The matt white loo and sink are from the Kube X Collection which you mind recognise from this feature. I love the rectangle forms, slender edges and pared down lines. It's a collection that offers something for every size bathroom too, so I knew it would be perfect for our small space! 

1. WC: Kube X 941509: This wall-hung loo is seriously awesome: it features Swirlflush (the quietest flushing system in the world!), helps to save water and has a soft close seat - all important when you live in close quarters, don't you think?

2. Kube X washbasin - 60 x 47: A sleek, narrow washbasin which is perfect for small spaces (loving the white plug!).

3. Prisma Unit 60 x 47: A cabinet was essential - especially with a tween and teenage girl knocking about! This unit launches in 2022 and has been specially designed to fit the Kube X Collection. I opted for a 'Bianco' matt Finnish. Here's a sneak peek of what to expect from the collection: 

4. Four Season Mirror with LED - 60 cm: yes, we'll spend most of our days up there with salty hair and make-up free, but you know, we don't want to scare guests, and this mirror comes with a built in LED light  (always wanted that!). 

Taps & shower

For the taps and shower, we chose items from Cristina Rubinetterie. You'll likely recognise the name since the Italian brand is available in over 60 countries and they've been producing beautiful pieces for the bathroom, kitchen and wellness interiors since 1949! I was looking for something simple and elegant, yet practical with a beautiful finish, and the Tricolore Verde collection fits the bill perfectly!  

1. Wall mounted basin mixer CRIT257*

2. External thermostatic shower mixer with overhead and hand shower CRIT486*

*Both in a beautiful matt, brushed old brass finish. 

A note on wall hung loos and taps:

We learned you have to allow for up to 20cm wall space to create room for the cistern and tap fittings. We were slightly concerned that this would eat into the already small space, but came to the conclusion that it would create a perfect opportunity for a built-in shelf above the loo and sink.

Tiles:

And finally, the tiles! I was considering wood panelling (as you can see from the original design) but after some deliberation, I decided to go for more practical, square hand cut tiles in white from a local Swedish tile manufacturer. And for the floor - beautiful Tumbled Turtle tiles from Stiltje. Both very raw with a matt finish -of course!

Thank you for bearing with me through a very long post - I hope this info is helpful for anyone planning a new bathroom in 2022!  

Now, it's just to build it (gaaah!). In the meantime, here's a snapshot of how the bathroom looks right now: 

There's work to be done! 

Niki

Photo credits: 1. Villa Hagerman - M Arkitektur 2. Hotel Santa Clara 3. Coco & Jack 4. Mathew Williams for Remodelista 5. Bert & May 6. Sequence by GSI ceramica 7. Cristina Rubinetterie

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7 Christmas Gift-Wrapping Ideas Using Cloth (Furoshiki)

Back in October I thought to myself "this year, I'm going to be super organised people and buy / make / bake all my Christmas presents well in time". Fast forward two months and I'm in the same position as I am every year - a few things left to buy, none wrapped. But this weekend, things are about to change. Once I've ticked everything off my list, I'm going to attempt a new gift-wrapping method: Furoshiki. 

For those of you not familiar with it, Furoshiki is a Japanese square-shaped cloth traditionally used to wrap and transport goods, with a focus on aesthetics (I like the sound of this already)! Although less formal than 'fukusa' which is used to present more formal gifts, Furoshiki is becoming increasingly popular in the design world. And the good news? You can wrap your presents in just about any fabric you have at home: silk, cotton, linen, nylon. As long as you can fold it, you can use it! Feel inspired? Here are 7 examples of beautifully cloth-wrapped presents to get you started! 

1. Top picture: Beth Kirby has used linen and silk to wrap her Christmas gifts.

2. Forever the romantic Swede, Anna Kubel has added a pretty flower, to her wrapping although any Christmas bloom will do!

3. More of a simple fold held together with safety pins, this delightful wrapping would look equally pretty with a sprig of eucalyptus, boxwood or holly as it does dried flowers.

4. Pretty berries add a touch of colour to this linen wrapping. 

5. Dried oranges, spruce and cinnamon add a divine smelling, decorative touch to wrapping. 

6. Dried wild flowers make a pretty touch - anytime of the year! 

8. Or for something completely different, why not wrap your presents in knit - they'll be as snug as a bug in a rug - and look pretty too! 

So pretty, and this is all very well, but I noticed that there are no awkward shaped items here like a football or a bottle of wine! No fear though, as there are many different Furoshiki techniques you can use - find out more here. 

What do you think, could you imagine using the art of Furoshiki this Christmas? 

More gift wrapping inspiration: 

5 gift wrapping ideas with a natural touch

8 beautiful rustic gift wrapping ideas

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! Happy wrapping! 

Niki

Credits in order: Anna Kubel, Beth Kirby, no credits found,  Majamas Earth, Shyntatamya, Découvrir Design, Adventures in Cooking - shared with thanks. 

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Lena's Serene Swedish Home At Christmas

When it comes to decorating Lena Lidman has one of those natural gifts - the ability to pick up unique vintage pieces and place them seamlessly into the home. The result is a beautifully balanced look - neutral and serene yet warm and inviting. At Christmas, she adds subtle touches: a star here, a garland of angels there. Keep a look out for the spruce and pine in vases. And for those of you who don't celebrate 'Jul' there's plenty to feel inspired by all the same. So pull up a chair, we're off to Umeå, in the North of Sweden for the full tour! 

I love a window seat - after all, everyone needs a little 'me time', especially at this time of the year, and it's a perfect spot from which to sit and watch the world go by. 

The cabinet was a vintage find, and Lena has given it a lick of paint to match the kitchen cabinets. 

Paper star lanterns* and pendants* look equally pretty at night as they do in the day. 

The painting and sculpture were picked up at Stockholm second hand shop Bergenström Rekvisita. Note how the shelf itself is made up of a simple plank of wood balanced on magazines. 

Lena has painted the wooden bookshelves to match the wall so they blend seamlessly into the room - I have a feeling these ones are from IKEA. 

Such a beautiful home. I love the vintage touches - and all the pretty decorations. 

Is there anything that stood out to you? 

Ready to deck the halls with boughs of.... eucalyptus, boxwood and spruce? See more Scandi christmas inspiration here: 

Candles and stars in a cosy Swedish home

A Mysig Swedish family home at Christmas

5 jolly holly Danish Christmas homes

I'm off to the summer cottage today to see how our tiny cabin build is going. I hear the internal wood panelling is being fitted - so exciting!! I can't wait to see everything and share an update here soon. In the meantime, keep an eye on my instagram stories if you're feeling curious! 

Niki

Photography: Lena Lidman, shared with kind permission 

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A Vintage Christmas Table Setting in a Swedish Greenhouse

In a time when socialising outdoors in winter has become a thing - there's one particular piece of garden equipment that has exploded in Scandinavia: the greenhouse! Not only are they great for plants (I could really use one for my lemon tree, it's taking over our bedroom like something out of Little Shop of Horrors!), they've become a perfect hybrid setting for indoor / outdoor gatherings! And in wintertime they really come into their own! Just look at this wonderful vintage Christmas setting in Marlene Agemo's garden in Märsta - on a farm just outside Stockholm. The greenhouse is festooned with Christmas cheer with pretty paper flowers (DIY instructions here) hung from string lights, vibrant red touches and an au natural tree. Layers of textiles, candles, and a heater help to keep everyone snug and full of festive cheer while the chickens roam free outside. 

What a beautiful setting! 

I love all the vintage linens (I was excited to find a load of vintage Swedish Christmas linens* and also rolls of farmers linen by the metre* - I love this roll of French sacking* too!) and crockery. 

Could you imagine enjoying a Swedish Christmas fika here? 

You might like to check out Marlene's shop Fru Vintage for ceramics, textiles, clothes and coffee (in Swedish). 

If you have elderly relatives (or others who simply feel more relaxed socialising outside) visiting over the holidays here are a few other ideas: 

A pretty outdoor table setting

7 winter warmer essentials for an outdoor gathering

Inspiration: Turn your outdoor space into a cosy haven this winter

I'm actually off to the woods in a minute to go and find a few pretty bits on the forest floor for our home this Christmas (trust me, I'm way behind!). The sun's shining and my thermos is full! 

Wishing you all a lovely day!

Niki

Photography:  Marlene Agemo / Fru Vintage, shared with kind permission 

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