Maybe this is the most beautiful pillow I have ever owned.

The creator is Cecilia Wendin a.k.a Wendinskan. She makes the most wonderful pillows from old fabrics and scraps that she has passionately accumulated through the years. Many of the patterns she uses are from her great grandmother’s embroidery books. Wendinskan weaves in music, culture and everything else inspiring into the old motifs and thereby continues a fine old crafts tradition by renewing its expression. Her work can be purchased through her blog, where also special requests on colours, text, etc can be made, and at this coming site, where you can see current dealers.

Lay your head on my pillow. Can you imagine a more beautiful and appropraiate pillow to keep in the guest bed? This lovely mix of fabrics, beneath an ocean-blue wall? I can’t..! It’s so right it can ever be. My new pillow makes me happy. :)

I promise. Jen Renninger promise! I keep a bunch of interior design blogs in my Google Reader and late last night, Design & Inredningsbloggen refered my tired mind to the Please Be Still – Etsy Shop. And wooOOOOt, was I awake! :) I needed less than 10 seconds to realize that this alluring illustration is _made_ for the wall above our new sofa! Click click, and soon it’s in my possession – lovely art work and the best slogan ever in our living room…There’s a lot of beauty in this etsy-shop, and keep in mind,

..everything is going to be ok.

Over at Apartment Therapy I just read that the Keep Calm and Carry On-poster could be the most common artwork in people’s homes right now. And that poster surely brings a great message! Though, there seems to be one other piece of artwork that – across ages, locations and eras – is even more common: “Grace” by Enstrom. This picture, showing the elderly peddler with head bowed in a mealtime prayer of thanksgiving, is known and loved throughout the world. Fact is, I hadn’t seen it before! Well I’m a Swede right, guess that explains it :p

It was back in the year of 1918, that a bearded, saintly, old man, with foot-scrapers to sell, called on Eric Enstrom at his photography studio in the tiny mining town of Bovey, Minnesota. From this chance encounter Enstrom’s world famous photographic study was created. There was something about the old gentleman’s face that immediately impressed Enstrom, he I saw a kind face, without any harsh lines in it. The picture seemed to say “This man doesn’t have much of earthly goods, but he has more than most people because he has a thankful heart”.  And so was Enstrom’s message – in scarce wartime, but as important and universal throughout time – that even though we have to do without many things we still have much to be thankful for. Grace is a reminder. And a keeper =)

Isn’t this the best message slogan ever? =)

The story goes that this poster was commissioned by the British Government’s Ministry of Information in the early days of the 2^nd World War as a reassuring message from King George VI to the people.

My own personal copy of this glorious British stiff-upper-lip-inspired poster arrived in the post today! I’ll be mounting it in an ornate metallic frame and hanging it on my bathroom wall.

Other design elements for the bathroom may include this yet-to-be-purchased seriously slick towel ring from Graham & Green.