A LOVELY 'LIMBO' TIME.

ALL PHOTOS: SOPHIA HOME

Happy Monday everyone!  

I do hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas?

Ours was a very happy time, spent with our three children who were home, plus various family visitors.  With very stormy weather here in the UK, we battened down the hatches and enjoyed good food and wine and the sanctuary of home.

Now with everyone returned to London, my husband and I are enjoying these lovely 'limbo' days at home, as I call them….the days in between the festivities of Christmas and New Year.  A time when we are still 'on holiday' but all is peaceful and calm and at a slower pace.  Enjoying the leftovers of the 'feasting' so no major meals to prepare, getting some fresh air and exercise with the dogs in between the downpours, and enjoying the time together to make plans for 2014….whether it be future travel, new garden and house schemes or work ideas.  It is also a lovely opportunity to sit by the fire and enjoy some relaxed reading time, especially as I have two wonderful new design books which were given to me as Christmas presents by my eldest son Teddy, and my sister Ellen, who both know how to pick the perfect pressie for me!

One is the fabulous new updated publication by 'Taschen',  'New York Interiors'…showcasing a wonderful eclectic mix of the most stylish and exciting interiors to be found in the City.  The second is 'Designers at Home', written by Ronda Rice Carman, author  of the blog 'All the best'.  'Designers at Home' gives a  rare behind the scenes insight into the personal homes of fifty top Interior Designers.  As well as beautiful photography, it is full of each designers' tips on their own idea for creating the perfect sanctuary, the decorative details that in their opinion bring a room to life, plus suggestions for perfect impromptu entertaining, and more…..

 Both are wonderful inspirational reads, to charge the imagination for the upcoming new year, and I would so recommend them!

Enjoy your New Years' celebrations, whatever you have planned.  We tend to avoid the big party atmosphere on this night, preferring to enjoy a quiet bottle of bubbles to see in the New Year, followed by a new tradition in recent years, of visiting 'Whitstable' on the North Kent coast for a fabulous seafood lunch on New Year's day, followed by a bracing walk on the beach….for me this is the perfect way to start a new and exciting year!  So to all of you, I wish you health and every happiness……thank you again so much for reading me, and I look forward to sharing so much more with you in 2014!

Sophia xx

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

ALL PHOTOS: SOPHIA HOME

We start our 'Swenglish' celebrations here this evening, with all the family home……champagne and presents by the fire, followed by a full traditional Swedish 'Smorgasbord' for dinner.  One of my favourite nights of the year!

May I wish you and your families a very Happy Christmas…..or rather 'God Jul' as they say in Sweden!  Thank you so much to all my lovely readers throughout the world for reading 'Sophia Home' this past year…. I have so enjoyed your company.  I look forward to sharing more with you in 2014!

Sophia xx

'ALL IS CALM…..ALL IS WHITE'...

Happy Friday!

I hope your Christmas preparations are going well, and that you are also finding some time to relax and enjoy the run up to the festivities? 

I am busy doing some last minute running around today, but otherwise I'm relieved to say that I'm pretty much there with things!  I am looking forward to the first of our children arriving tomorrow, and then Christmas will be truly starting in our house.   Some enjoyable festive baking and cooking is planned and just to relax and enjoy the weekend….walking our dogs and maybe taking in a Christmas movie or two.  How about you?

I leave you this Friday, with some beautiful restful 'White Christmas' inspiration, and wish you a very calm and happy weekend!

ALL PICTURES VIA PINTEREST

Sophia xx

COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS.....

PHOTO: SOPHIA HOME

We all have those little Christmas traditions don't we.....the ones that come out each year, and remind us of our childhood, and the memory of that 'giddy with excitement' anticipation of Christmas Eve.

One such tradition for me, is in the form of a sweet needlepoint embroidery that my Swedish  Grandmother (Mormor - but affectionately known as 'Mimi' to all her grandchildren) made for me when I was very young.  A very special advent calendar, made with love, and now being handed down through the generations going forwards.  My own children having enjoyed it throughout their childhood and hopefully their children shall one day in the future.  With them living away from home now....my husband is temporarily, happily enjoying the Christmas toffees each day, until the children come home to stay for the festivities.......who says you're too old for an 

advent calendar!

Do you have any special advent traditions, or any special family heirlooms that you treasure each year when they are brought out?  If not....what a lovely idea to start some new ones!

Here are a few other particularly lovely ways to count down the days.....

ALL PICTURES VIA PINTEREST

Do you have a favourite?

Wishing you a happy Tuesday evening.....

Sophia xx

FEELING FESTIVE!

ALL PHOTOS: SOPHIA HOME

 Good morning!  How was your weekend?  Happy I hope?  We have had a very relaxing couple of days....a weekend of 'pottering' peacefully and preparing for the festivities, when our three children will be home from London for a few days,  and the house will be full of family on the big day itself.

Last week was busy, and with plenty of pre-Christmas spirit!  The highlight was on Tuesday night, when we attended a fabulous carol service at Westminster Abbey for the alumni of St. Andrew's University (of which our eldest son and his girlfriend both are) which was very beautiful.....there is nothing like a good rousing sing-song in a beautiful candle lit cathedral, to get everyone in to a festive mood!

How is your Christmas decorating going?

Our two trees are both up and decorated.....filling the house with their fresh pine scent, and making the space feel so cosy at night, with their sparkling white lights.  The one in the kitchen is decorated simply, with my Swedish decorations and gingham ribbons....allowing the beautiful foliage to be the star of the show.

The other in the drawing-room....an all white and silver tree, which my daughter Georgie and I enjoyed decorating last night together.....

*****

Wishing you a happy, calm and stress free pre-Christmas week......and happy decorating!

Sophia xx

'LUCIA'

Today, 13th December is St. Lucia's Day!

Celebrated in Scandinavia and Italy, this feast day is dedicated to Lucia of Syracuse (d.304).

Legend has it that on 13th December 1764, a gentleman in Sweden was woken in the middle of the night by a beautiful voice.  He saw a young woman in white, singing and dancing through the room.  She had wings and was carrying a candle.  It was Saint Lucia.

She brought light, food and wine for comfort on what was, in the Gregorian calendar, the longest night of the year.  

This fabled event is still celebrated today in Scandinavia.  Girls dress up in long white dresses, and boys as 'star boys' and walk carrying lit candles, singing the beautiful Lucia carol, with the eldest daughter or a particular girl picked out to be 'Lucia' with her wreath of candles on her head.  I myself have fond childhood memories of celebrating Lucia each year, when my sister and I would go round to my grandparent's house very early in the morning for Lucia, and sing for them at the foot of their bed, dressed in our long white dresses and red sashes with candles and home made gingerbread.

As well as gingerbread, another traditional Scandinavian treat at this time of year is 'Lucia Bread'.....delicious little saffron buns, often taking the form of old Nordic mythological symbols, such as buckthorn and cats.

Here is a simple recipe for Lucia Bread, taken from Trine Hahnemann's beautiful book 'Scandinavian Christmas'.  The recipe should make about 22 of these lovely little buns....perfect with morning coffee and not too sweet to have for breakfast.  

ALL PHOTOS VIA PINTEREST

'Lucia Bread'

40g fresh yeast (or 15g dried yeast)

500ml lukewarm whole milk

1/2tsp saffron

200g salted butter, melted

1kg plain flour, plus more to dust

1tsp salt

100g caster sugar

75g raisins, plus more to decorate

1 egg, beaten

Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a mixing bowl, then add the saffron and stir until the mixture turns yellow.  Add the melted butter.  In a separate mixing bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then stir in the sugar and raisins.

Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until the dough comes cleanly from the edge of the bowl.  Knead the dough on a floured work surface for 10 minutes, until it is shiny but not sticky.  Return it to the bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 1.5 hours at room temperature.

Lightly knead the dough again on a floured work surface.  Divide it into about 22 equal pieces.  Roll them into sausages, then form them into different shapes, as in the picture above, curling up the ends.  Stud each with a few raisins.

Place the breads on baking trays lined with baking parchment, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise again for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 F/gas mark 4.  Brush the risen breads with the beaten egg and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown all over, then leave to cool on a wire rack.

Eat them as they are, or spread with chilled butter.

*****

Delicious!

To all my lovely family in Sweden, and to all my Scandinavian readers, I wish you a very happy Lucia celebration today!

Sophia xx

A 'GRANDE DAME' OF LONDON RETAIL....

'LIBERTY'.....the 'Grande Dame' of London retail, especially at this time of the year......

Founded in 1875 by Arthur Lasenby Liberty, who accepted the lease of half a shop 218a Regent Street, with a loan of £2,000 from his future 

father-in- law.  Starting with just three members of staff, and selling ornaments, fabric and objets d'art from Japan and the East.  Within eighteen months Arthur Liberty had repaid the loan and acquired the second half of the building.  As the business grew, neighbouring properties were bought and added.  By 1885, Liberty housed the ever increasing demand for carpets and furniture, with the basement named the 'Eastern Bazaar' and soon became the most fashionable and prestigious places to shop in London.

Liberty soon built strong relationships with many English designers, many who practised the artistic styles of 'Art Nouveau' and 'Arts and Crafts'.    The company became associated with the 'Art Nouveau' style so much, to the extent that in Italy, Art Nouveau became known as the 'Stile Liberty', after the London shop.

This style has stayed synonymous to Liberty, whose iconic prints can be found on their fabulous array of fabrics, stationary and gifts. The beautiful London store has a wonderful old fashioned style of its own, selling a fascinating array of one off beautiful furniture pieces and objets from around the world, along with luxury brands, fashion and cosmetics.

 With its calm and unhurried atmosphere, even at this busy time of year, it is always a pleasure to pop in to, for respite from the mayhem of 

Regent Street.

I paid one such visit only the other week when up in town.  I am always drawn to their beautiful side entrance, where stunning displays of flowers are on sale.....

This year's amazing installation of a giant satchel and contents, suspended over the atrium between all floors....

The 'Astier de Villatte' concession....my favourite Paris atelier ..... so beautiful and covetable! 

Just some of the fabulous decorations for sale in Liberty's legendary Christmas department!

Candles, candles.....spoilt for choice.

Beautiful chocolates and treats on the ground floor entrance to Carnaby Street.....

Just a very few pictures of this beautiful historic store, and so much more to see and take in!  If you are in London or will be visiting in the run up to the festive season....do pop in....you won't be disappointed!

www.Liberty.co.uk

Sophia xx