Love it or hate it…

It can be a shoppers dream! Well obviously depends on what kind of shopper you are.
Gekås in Ullared is Scandinavia’s largest shopping centre (department store). You can find everything here and it is often at a good price. It is so popular they built a massive camping site and a hotel should be done soon.  People come from all the way up north , south and quite a few from Germany. I did hear a lot of Danish as well as Norwegian.

It is so well-known that Swedish channel 5 made one season “Ullared“, about some staff, managers and the customers. I think I watched one program a couple of years ago and laughed quite a lot, the evenings at the camping site brings out some strange personalities. The TV show became such a hit they made another couple of seasons. And some staff and customers have become famous and loved but there are some crazy people as well. :-)

I have not been to Ullared for a good seven years and I remember last time I was not spending too much since I had in the back of my mind I was going to London for three months, thinking “Ullared will still be here when I get back”, but I think I might have bought some new kitchenware for my home. It is still in boxes in my dad’s basement. Oh well!

Anyway this time I was after things for Stina, rainclothing, snowsuit, books, dvds and some perhaps some new clothes, they sure grow fast at this age.

So early start, Stina, mum and my brother Caj was supposed to head off towards Gothenburg, pick up my aunty Tina, meet up with my other aunty Bittan so lots of help with Stina.

Well Caj realised three ladies, a shopping crazy sister and a loud child would not be an hour shopping, but perhaps a whole day. Aunty Tina did not make it and aunty Bittan went there when they opened and was done by the time we got there and was on her way home so my help-with-Stina plan did not quite work out, but she was great and fell asleep within 30 min and slept for 90 min which gave me some time.

Well this was the theory! So much to see and way too many people made me slightly panic and there were moments I was ready to find a corner and sit down and cry. It was horrible! You could not move, no use looking for something on your list, if you happen to walk by it you were in luck. No use to walk around back and forth between the departments, just grab what you saw. If you liked something, just grab it. It was mad! Every aisle looked like this, worse other places but I think I would not have been popular if I stopped to take a photo.

The regulars knew the game, you picked up a shopping trolley and filled it with small baskets, parked the trolleys and took a basket and came back and forth, not easy with a pram so that was out of the question for me. Your trolley had a colour and a number, remember it! Plenty of lost trolleys called for in the speakers. But as all Swedes are very likely to tell anyone if they don’t have the right trolley, which they also did it seemed to be sorted fairly quickly.

After a while I had had enough and just wanted to leave and Stina was doing so well but she got a little restless as well.

Paid and headed out. Perfect found a playground outside which was empty, could be the rain! It kept Stina busy so that was good.

Found quite a lot: a snowsuit for Stina, lots of jumpers, jeans, cardigans, pajamas and lots of DVDs and Books for Stina, stories I grew up with. Found some nice things for home but not a lot of space left in luggage, liked these, thought they looked homely.

We did found this LEGO built “model village” of Ullared. Thought it was great most of them had fallen over, fainted of pure exhaustion.

Charlotte x

Holiday time – slowmotion time!

I went straight in to slowmotion time when I walked off the aeroplane. Mums husband Uffe came to pick us up and we went home, had some brunch and Stina had her nap, so I went straight to bed myself and it feel like I have not moved for the last few days, even though we have been very busy. It took me 5 days before I got too restless and am now back in the game again. Weather has been great, and to be outdoors almost all the time has been great.

Mum’s Birthday was on Thursday so a lot of coffee and cake and the most amazing Smörgåstårta (Sandwichcake) sound strange, yes it might do but not for me, it makes me speechless… I kind of wished I had fought a bit a harder to get a photo instead of being first in the queue to get the first piece (after mum of course).  I will see if we can make another one within in the next couple of weeks, and then I think I might even try to get the recipe as well and actually share it with you.

On Saturday the family invaded, brothers and sisters, niece and nephew so full house then mum had friends over in the evening so I found a good book and went out to sit on the veranda with a blanket and a glass of wine…but forgot about the mosquitos so gave up after a few minutes after a some swearwords and silly dances, strange how a small creature can make you do some silly moves and strange noises.

Sunday, I could feel the restlessness starting, so was off to see a couple of friends but it got cancelled due to a bad night for one of the small ones and a bad cold so nope, took a walk with Stina, mum and Cindy the dog.

But now today I feel like I am back again, met up with a friend for “fika”, arranged with Annika to spend a little time in her shop Lappat & Klart this week. Did a little shopping and oh man I kind wiscould buy so much for my home, gifts or just for the shop. Spoken to a few shopowners today and got lots of new contacts and people to speak to and best of all plenty of good inspiration.  There are a few sales going on and found a few bargains and great ideas to show Richard when he will arrive in eight days.

So a busy week ahead. Ullared visit tomorrow and meeting up with my aunties. Friends visit and hopefully off to see one of my grandmothers and next week my other grandmother and also my dad and his family. Got plenty of things to do:)

Have a lovely week! The shop will get deliveries from KG Design, amongst lots of cheerful designs the pink Owl moneybank will be back. Sagaform, more Club champagne flutes, the stylish tube tealight holders in green, blue and purple and a few other fun things. And we are super pleased to introduce Blafre’s latest range “Circus”. Fun, colourful and retro inspirated new tins. I promise you wont be disapointed.

Charlotte x