VILLA BETULA

the dark hues of maren ingeborg gråblomst

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THE HOUSE IS ON THE MARKET! (AND I CELEBRATE WITH COD ‘N’ CABBAGE, HA HA)

16/05/2018

So, my enormous portion of food an hour ago is not that important actually 😉 But I do find the photo appropriate since I get very hungry of making the house ready from early morning to late night! And now it’s so close to ready, and here it is: VILLA BETULA FOR SALE.

You see something unfamiliar, you say? You will notice if you usually hang around on my blog – the table! It’s a sneak peek from a collaboration that is coming up, which I am so proud of. I love to work with heart. It’s the only way for me I’ve figured out.

And a massive thanks to you who have already “booked” a place on my upcoming brunch clubs! Looks like we’ll have some nice hours together when I move to the apartment <3 When I ate my cod and cabbage by the new table, I found out there will be room for five people each time. Or six. But then one have to sit by the end and be the queen for the day 😉

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3 X HEART

14/05/2018

Another day, another tiny step forward. Do you know what I’m most satisfied with at the moment? That I’m on this journey. I’m attending every day because I dare to take it all in. I want to let every nerve shake when it needs to, I want to feel what is happening now. I need to feel the divorce and the selling of the house and what it does to me. I’m very present, and it’s such a good sign when it comes to mental health, right?

I need to make the spontaneous decision to buy an old lovely furniture (super cheap too) that weighs a ton, even when I know I have to move it out again and up three floors in my new apartment. It’s alright, I won’t let anything stop me. Nothing or no one can stop me from doing things that feels right to me to enjoy my life, yay!

There are some girl crushes going on at the moment, and one of them is this Swedish super cool woman, Lise. Lise’s lettering, how cool, exactly how I visualize a superwoman! I don’t know if I will ever try lettering, I was mostly thinking about my daughters interests when I bought it. But this woman seems amazing, and I got stuck reading in while I drenched some sun after another long day fixing and tidying in the house. The house will might by out there tomorrow by the way… I’ll let you know when it happens!

 

 

And My Feldt… Seriously… No words needed, you have to buy both of these books, just like I did. No regrets. And have a close look at the amazing photographers for both of them too! And they are even more enjoyable if you bring some raspberries, homemade chocolate cream (sounds like I have much leftover time, I can hear, but I digged deep in the freezer;) ) and coffee. Take your time to do these things. I do. It’s more important than to blog and Instagram, even though I love to do that!

Need to try! I’m getting more and more books that I never get tired of, and if you’ll ever attend my upcoming brunch club, I think you should take your time to just hang around and have a look in them. We’ll take the time we need.

 

Craftmanship. Details. Esthetics. My favourite furniture right now! Earlier today I gave away the table in this green room, because I knew I wouldn’t bring it to the apartment. It’s a little unpractical with no table, but give me some time and you will understand why i didn’t wait until it was time to move away from here… 😉

And, oh, have you asked yourself today what would do you some good? If not, it’s really about time!

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THIS CHARMING MAN

11/05/2018

So much going on, and I forgot to show you that I had to take this charming man, Sideshow, off his frame. He was a part of a sound proofing system that had to go to my ex-husbands new studio, but this painted mister will stay with me 😉 So now he’s rolled carefully and waiting for a new home. If that will be my new apartment or in one of your pads, who knows? Don’t hesitate to contact me if you want to make a deal for an original. Yay!

Right now I will have some homemade pizza, and after that I’ll drive into town to pick up a gorgeous old cabinet which is so cute and cool at the same time. Eight tiny drawers and special details. I will take some photos of it for you!

Except that I feel worn out, but I keep it up by taking one step at a time, and I meet a physical therapist once a week to help me being able to use my neck and shoulders, ha ha. I do too much pretty much all the time, and my body can’t cope. My mind cope better than ever, though it’s spinning around quite much in there… But I will calm down more when the house is sold, and it’s out on the market in five days!

Last thing before I wish you a lovely Friday night is that I have very nice local collaboration to happen later in May, I’m looking forward to share it all with you. Enjoy your Friday… And your weekend, but suddenly I’m back here before it’s a new week. Do yourself some good – it will do others good too <3

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UPDATE #2 APARTMENT

08/05/2018

The first three hours of today I found myself rather apathetic in a deckchair outside in the sun, not capable to do anything. Last night I couldn’t sleep before I had written in the calendar on next Monday “my day, do what you want, you deserve it” and with a heart behind it. Selfcare, so damn hard the last couple of weeks. It pulls me down to have a tight schedule like this, it’s not good for my health. But the treat has been that the carpenters have made a hole in the living room wall in the apartment where I am to move, which means I’ve seen my to-become-kitchen and bedroom for the first time, and I managed to take four photos… Better than nothing! Here’s my update number one.

You know what, I have to admit it has stressed me not to share a post for many days. I love to share, you know, but life’s so overwhelming these days. You must be so tired of hearing of the sale of the house, but it doesn’t seem to take an end. Today there’s another photographer here to capture the outside of the property. And that’s the last photos before it’s out there for sale the 16th of May. I’ve spent more than thirty hours in the garden the last week, and I’m fed up. Like totally.

Well, above is one part of the room which are to be my bedroom. Looks very small, but keep in mind it’s about 3,2 meters to the ceiling! Here’s one of the best parts in the apartment: there will be very old, big and gorgeous rosettes in four of the rooms, goooosh!

The other end of my bedroom…. The brick wall is so thick that they suggested to make a shelve in this opening that are to be closed. Room both for the wall and a shelve. Might make a working station in this part of the room, but I don’t like to bring the iMac to the bedroom, so I’ll hang some kind of curtains in this part of the room so I can separate it when I feel like.

Love this thick doorframe so much!It leads into the kitchen, and the panels on one of the wall will hopefully be gone, and if not I’ll place a huge painting in front of it. There’s always solutions. Always. The window you can see is one of the three windows in the tower in the living room.

The kitchen will be up on this wall and the wall to the left. Behind me here there’s a window and room for a table with at least four chairs… Plants… A shelve… And some cool walls. It won’t be difficult to make this the dream place, and I feel seriously grateful for this apartment. I’m so glad I called the landlord when I did, months ago. At the right place at the right time.

One of the things I visualize quite often is people coming here for gatherings, brunch clubs, workshops and retreats. The apartment is obviously not ready, but I am – are you?? 😉

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WORKSHOP THOUGHTS A LITTLE FURTHER – I’M JUMPING UP AND DOWN!

01/05/2018

First: I re-did the photos from the living room for the sale of this house. This is the third time I do it, can’t believe I keep doing it again, but I never get satisfied! This way of photographing is so out of my comfort zone, and I’ve learned a lot. This is not going to be my new job, haha, but I’m glad I did it this time. In two weeks it will be out there on the market for sale, and let me tell you it feels all weird. I naturally keep distancing myself from it every day, and it feels alright, even though this place is gold. The new owners will be lucky! What saves me a little is that I know I’m going to move in to a place which I most likely will adore…

 

So, except from taking these photos today I’ve taken two steps forward in my new workshop/ retreat thoughts! So exciting that I need to jump up and down! My goal is to have two workshops in the last part of this year. Both together with some seriously skilled and interesting people. One of them will be in English because someone is most likely going to travel a looooong way to make sure you can learn some serious cool stuff. Yes YOU – this is for everybody! All you need is to be curious, like photography and have a decent phone. You won’t have to have a proper fab camera, isn’t it exciting?! You can use a camera too, off course you can 😉

 

I never use my phone for photo since my phone is really bad and I love my Canon, but this will be smashing, I tell you. If I want it to happen, it will happen. Do you want it to happen, does it sounds exciting? Since it will be in english it will be very available for nearly everyone.

Pssst – that painting on the wall is for sale!

 

So next up is some scampi and chickpeas wraps before I dive into my second workshop idea later tonight. Hopefully I will make some plans with someone I adore, and be able to share it all with you later! That one will not be in English, but two different Scandinavian languages 😉 See ya! And oh – the brunch club thing will also happen, starting late summer or early autumn in my new pad!

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LOVE MAKING HEAT

30/04/2018

This post is sponsored by Eskimo

Yes I know, I know, it’s suppose to be spring and warm and everything. Instead Aslan, the cat, and I are staying inside in some kind of a cold and stormy weather this last evening in April. What could possibly be a better timing to share my work for the British brand Eskimo?! I got a pallet delivered with three huge wooden boxes on it, each with one radiator inside. But I wouldn’t call them radiators, I would call them some kind of high end hot heating! This is interior design at a high level, and I know you’re interested in that! I wish I needed to keep them, and didn’t have to ship them back…

I seriously love to collaborate with people and brands that has such a strong believe in my way of interpreting their products into my home and my way of creating. I had a blast, and I even made Aslan seem like he enjoyed it too! I feel so free when I work, and it’s a kind of dreamy even though I do put a lot of effort into it, off course.

So this blue one called Ron, gosh it looked so amazing, and combined with the colour of our studio it turned out rather smashing, or what do you think? Form and function creates this great harmony, did I hear anyone say engineering excellence? Remember my post behind these scenes by the way?

 

 

You need to be super cool to choose the pop art radiator. I would never guess this piece of art was a radiator, and I love the fact that Eskimo is so bold! I wondered how to style it, and then I told myself “Hey, you don’t use to think when you work, you just have to do it“. So I just did it, and they love it, and I get happy and humble and want to do more!

Yes, cool and playful!

 

 

Next up had to go in to my theatrical black bedroom, no doubt about that. The leopards and tall gorgeous column radiator were competing to get the most attention from the evening sun. I think the column is very clean and sophisticated, and I always love things that makes some reflection of the natural light to bounce it a little extra around the room, just like my mirrored night stand is doing as well.

 

If you live in a home with radiators I wouldn’t doubt to check out their very good and inspiring webpage. Take a look a all their finishes, I think it looks extraordinary! They’re dusky, rusty, woody or polished, brassed or brushed, copper, concrete or like mirrors and blackboards and so much more, and I get so engaged! When I move this summer I know there are some really old radiators in the apartment, but since it’s a rental I can’t do anything…. but to convince the landlord though… Just gimme some time 😉

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MY DAY AND TIME FOR SOME QUESTIONS!

26/04/2018

After a nice breakfast with my daughter, who lives with me every second week, I drove her to school and when I got back I did my morning ritual. You know, the card decks, daily journal and meditation. Sometimes it doesn’t “goes that well” because I think it takes too long, and today was such a day since I  where to wrap part I (of three) for a collaboration. And no, it’s not about brewing coffee or dark chocolate, ha ha, but it’s about something warm… More about it later!

I love this book by Ida Magntorn, it’s such a clever and different interior-kind-of-book with focus on the environment and how we can think to take some more responsibility. And my Lunar Force on the card will be back when I re-open my shop.

I do think I should do a coffee collaboration though! I make it look nice, ey? 😉  Not to mention chocolate!! This blingy gorgeous dish and ceramic mug is two of my latest thrift shop findings… I rarely share what I find, maybe I should get better at it?

 

I always make an opportunity to style with something I can eat and drink, haha, it makes the work even better. And I really enjoyed what I did today, I had a blast! Part I is a wrap and my client is very satisfied about the magic I created today, so the feedback makes it even more fun to continue tomorrow!

This must be my favourite lamp… And safari chair… Two of my can’t live with out. Sure I could, you know, but still… And the colour in our studio is also a favourite.

Aslan was my model today, he had no choice but to pretend he was very happy, warm and comfortable. He did walk away all the time, but I didn’t give up so he had to give up and stayed with me until I was satisfied with his skills 😉

But from one thing to another: is there something in particular you would like to know more about when it comes to my post about mental health? Something about the expert group, my life, my diagnosis, my business combined with my health and so on? Please leave a comment to this post, and I’ll make a new post about the things you wonder or think about. And did you read all the amazing and interesting comments to my first post? So many! Love feedback and engagement, thanks <3

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LOTS OF WORK THIS WEEK!

24/04/2018

First: thank you for all the respons and lovely personal messages regarding my last blogpost. You must be the best readers, that’s for sure! And what I’ve realized is that when I’m open and honest, people get a tendency to be open towards me too, and we treat each other with humbleness and respect. Beautiful!

 

I’ve promised you photos from Sofia‘s house for quite some time, but I have several important tasks and deadlines that’s ripping me a part a little, and I can’t seem to get the editing from her house done! Frustrating, yes, big time! But I’ll get there, I will… That I know for sure.

So this is obviously not Sofia’s home, but our former recording studio in one of the outbuildings. I’ve been out there cleaning and putting in furnitures (have a look at my behind the scenes at my stories at Instagram today! Things are for sure not what they look like…) and photographing for the sale. I’ve also unpacked some huge things that has arrived for a collaboration, and I am to continue that work tomorrow.

As you can see it’s not totally my style in these photos (I need mysterious dark corners!), and photographing for sale has been my most difficult photo task ever! Seriously, and I’m the first one to admit. The biggest problem is that I don’t feel like there’s any creativity or fun styling involved, it’s all about decluttering and minimizing, and it’s not inspiring and does not feel like my home. So I detach a lot from this place as i work with it actually. Which is mostly a good thing since I’m going to move…

 

The 16th of May the house will be out for sale, and I cope with it quite well actually. Except from the part that I spend at least 4-5 hours every day making it ready for sale. It doesn’t seem to take an end… And I need a minimum of ten hours sleep… #life.

Will I meet you when the house is open for potential buyers? 😉 And why not call or email our very nice realtor, Petter, if you’re a little curious?

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ABOUT ME

I do and share things by heart. I create personal texts, am a musician, sell original art and prints, make a special home and capture the magic with my camera – everything rather dark hued. Villa Betula is not just skimming the tops.

And by the way - my name is Maren Ingeborg Gråblomst and I’m Norwegian. Gråblomst means grey flower.

Feel free to comment on my posts and get in touch for collaborations or other inquiries at contact@villabetula.com

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