Oh time for us to treat those loved men! I am pretty sure I will get Stina to create a card some art or anything crafty for Richard! But of course I got a small treat for him as well!
Here at Spektakulär you can actually find a few “man” gifts. I know I know it might be tricky but it is not impossible! And to give you a few ideas we have gathered images for you! Happy browsing. Feel free to call us to put designs aside. 0131 629 0941 or email me at hello@spektakular.co.uk. I am sure there will be a lot of happy dads on the 15th June!
Super Stylish Wine Breather
Award winning carafe
Stylish Book Binder
Clever Pizza Scissors
Stylish Wine Carafes and Oil/Vinegar Bottles
Popular and Fun Whisky Glasses and Stones
Colourful Bottle Stand
Hold My Hand Thermo Mug
Lovely and colourful “Hold my Hand” range
Love MOZ by Swedish Färg and Form
Elk Blanket by Swedish Klippan
Fun and happy jars by Danish QDO
Have a great week and we do hope to see you at the shop
Woo hoo! A new Pappelina delivery arrived this week with more doormats 50×70 cm (which are just flying out), new 70×90 cm designs, as well as 70×100 cm and 70×150 cm plastic rugs! Oh we love our Pappelina plastic rugs here at Spektakulär and we could not be happier to see how amazing the response is! They have been with us since we open the shop 3.5 years ago and the interest and general delight they have created is part of us. I don’t think we have ever had such a broad range as we do at the moment. Almost all the designs of the doormats are in stock. A few of the lovely new Spring/Summer 2014 designs as well!
Plastic rugs, yes the idea have scared a few… taken them out of their comfort zone. My husband included! But he does not mind the one in our kitchen, he actually quite like it, and yes I think there will be a few more, he has been converted! I am eyeing up one of the large ones for under our dining table (perhaps after Lovisa stopped throwing EVERYTHING and I mean a lot of food…after every meal I wished we had dog) and a long runner for our very long hallway and perhaps one for the bathroom and if we had a garden the one for there too. Maybe one at the time!
I cannot stress how good they are: durable, easy to clean, non-slip (well unless you might have some really super wild children who will prove me wrong), good quality and just happy. Plus they seem to hide all the crumbs in the kitchen, I’m surprised every time I hoover.
Vera One 70×90 cm in Yellow, Orange, Lime, Purple and Blueberry
So the best way to get an idea about them is to have a good feel so do pop in and explore, we also just had lots of catalogues delivered so if you are just like me and prefer to browse a catalogue in the sofa with a cup of coffee rather then looking at a screen then just let us know. But if you are just like Richard and just want to look at things online please do so. Check out their webshop for inspiration and more information. Please feel free to call us if you like to know the prices of a special rug or to see what we have in store please do on 0131 6290941. And yes we take orders regularly and since Pappelina have teamed up with a new UK distributor we will be able to get them in quicker from now on.
So here it is, as requested! This is the recipe I use when I bake our Swedish Birthday Cream Cakes. Of course there are lots and lots of other options but I normally stick to this recipe for the base since it is so easy and taste just like I remember my birthday cakes did when I grew up.
Delicious!
This base you can use for any kind of cake. Does not have to be for a round cake, can be any kind of shape or size. Basically more classic I guess with the round ones. I am not sure if Stina will have one of these for her birthday in the Autumn…maybe if I make it pink and shape it into a princess…hmmm I don’t think I shall put too much energy into that thought just yet!
To make a base you need:
3 eggs
3 dl caster sugar
1 dl water (I use hot boiled water something my grandmother told me once that I should do)
3 dl flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla sugar (something I buy at home but can easily just use a little vanilla extract or normal sugar mixed with a vanilla pod)
Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the water little by little while whisking to make sure you don’t get scrambled eggs. Then add the dry ingredients swiftly and pour into a cake base approx 24 cm.
Pop in the oven at 175°C for about 30 min.
Then let it cool down and prepare to cut in three layers.
First layer I normally make a vanilla custard, I have been lazy and bought special powder back home. But before I did that I used a light custard with a vanilla taste which was a little bit heavy but had the right flavor. It needs to be a vanilla cream but a bit heavier but honestly feel free to use whatever you like in the your cake.
First layer…vanilla custard
Middle layer can be whatever you like, I normally use a nice jam. I am a raspberry jam kind of person but apricot or strawberry is lovely too. Mashed banana or just fresh berries is nice too. Oh lots of options!
Second layer…raspberry jam
Top layer is whipped cream which nicely hides all my mistakes. And then topping, whatever you like. I like the ones with berries since the cake is so sweet and heavy it is nice with fresh berries but the rest of my family likes sweeties. So smarties, chocolate buttons or what you have at home. I guess for midsummer it is all about strawberries so anything else than strawberries is illegal!
One made by the 3.5 year old and one by me.
Before I moved to the UK I used to bake a lot and I thought I was pretty good at it too, I guess I was more experimental and really enjoyed it. However now these days, time and oh my goodness just looking at the cakes makes me put on weight so sadly I am not baking as much. But when I do Stina helps me and I think it is more about a little us time than how perfect my bakes are.
I used to do one alternative to this cake which was soooooo tasty but made you feel a little bit sick! Vanilla custard layer and a chocolate mousse layer and then on top instead of cream I melted chocolate and topped it with raspberries! My younger sister Cecilia is known for making amazing cakes and she is always asked to bake for some other family members special days. Hopefully I can get her to bake me something this summer when we are home or for my special day!
After a weekend in London I am full of inspiration! Enjoy the buzz of London (Richard and I did meet here years ago) but I love Edinburgh. Beautiful, fresh air and not too big. The city of London never seem to end! Home it takes 15 minutes in the car and we can see water, hills or even sheep. Perfect for a girl who grew up on the countryside.
Anyway we took a couple of days off, left the girls with the grandparents (did miss them a lot) and headed south to London and trade fairs. Fresh designs from Sagaform, Pappelina, Linum, Broste Copenhagen and lots more. And we spoke to so many amazing designers and suppliers. Unfortunately some stands still have a no photography policy so not many photos. Stupid if I may say so!!! As a buyer we see so much, so many brands and so much new ideas. And in a couple of days when I will go through all this information that we gathered then photos is a fantastic way to jog your memory. Plus the exhibitors so often create great eye catching collections which I might not remember and like to use in the shop. I guess it is all about protecting your designs but no I hardly ever place orders at the fairs and few people do now these days so please designers let us take photos…
Visited a lot of great brands, such as Allihopa, Lagom Designs, Teddy Kompaniet, Sagaform, QDO, Broste, Pappelina. And of course we visited stunning Ittala and Marimekko. Can not go to the fair and not visit these stunning brands. I do know that many of you like us to stock them, not yet I am afraid.
I did place an order at Pappelina, just loved all the new colours and designs. After Christmas we have seen a huge interest in the rugs and orders have been placed. If you would like to order a rug, please feel free! We can still add on. Click here and have a look at their website, give us a call 0131 629 0941 or email me at hello@spektakular.co.uk for more information.
Right new year resolutions! Well as always got a few I know for sure wont happen so I normally try not to make any plans, just go with the flow! However this year…oh I really really hope that we can get our webshop up and running! Our girls are a bit bigger and starting to sleep better. And it is getting lighter outside so hopefully a little bit more energy as well (it is needed)!
Okay I have a little time for myself (little one is asleep) so shall sit down with a cup of coffee and look through all the information that we gathered at the fair. It will be a colourful Spring at Spektakulär.
What a sad rainy day here in Edinburgh and it is cold as well. I have had some time today to freshen up the window and prepare for more Christmas deliveries and just try to get myself a little bit more organised.
The shop feels really full and vibrate with all the latest deliveries and it sure looks lovely and colourful. So I took a few images from the shop of some seasonal goodies, more to come. Think I need to use my real camera instead so apologies for dark images…well it is a dark day:)
The ever so popular Whisky glasses with its rocky bottom and the new fabulous whisky stones.Perfect for Halloween, lovely orange glossy cone candlesLove these glossy dark red tall cone candles… I just could not keep them in the back office until Christmas.Lovely Danish Flensted Mobiles in cute designs. Perfect gift to send or for stocking fillers.Sagaform’s latest design Pava, a candle holder or a vaseSweet Shine by Sagaform, gives a lovely glow when lit up. Perfect for AutumnLovely Bamboo lanterns by Borste Copenhagen in grey or red.Large lovely Spectra wine glasses, set of 4 by Sagaform. Comes in a gift box..
We are expeting more deliveries all the way up until Christmas and the first pallet with Ornaments arrived last week and next one is planed in for next week, so glad in-laws will come down this weekend to give us an helping hand to create more storage units in the back office.
Meet Annika, owner of a charming little shop in my hometown Alingsås. I always make sure I visit Lappat & Klart when I am home. Since I opened my own shop I got to know a few shop owners and store managers in Alingsås. And Annika is such a cool lady and I really enjoy her ideas and her company and I am glad I got to know her.
Lappat & Klart is a great little shop to find good gifts or pleasant treats. Beautiful teatowels mixed with stunning candlesticks in cast iron, fun jewellery, stylish scarfs, clever baking trays and lots more.
This shop is quite similar to Spektakulär, a few brands we both do and it is great to share tips and ideas. Yesterday I spent a couple of hours in her shop while Stina was away with her mormor (grandma). Even if I don’t feel like I contributed a lot it was great walking around in the shop, have a good chat with Annika and also falling in love with a few new designs which I am excited about to bring and introduce to the shop this Autumn,
I am amazed by how many new contacts and lovely people I have met since we started Spektakulär. Love how helpful people are and I hope that I am as helpful back as I can be.
Here are a few inspirational images from Lappat & Klart, please do let me know if it is something you see that you think we should have at Spektakulär.
Stunning tall candle holders made in cast ironFell in love with this stunning lampshade by Färg & Form. I am excited to introduce these at the shop during the Autumn,Have looked for jewellery for the shop for some time and I think this brand might be perfect for Spektakulär
Teatowels and Dishcloths from quality company Ekelund.Stunning teatowels from EkelundWettex (Dish cloths), so popular in Sweden, maybe one day we might get them in.I am pretty sure these might be recognised, the popular Leaf napkin holders from Pluto, here with colouful napkins by Marimekko.Every Swede knows about Ernst, a well known and loved designer. He has teamed up with Färg & Form and designed these gorgeous candle sticks, Simple yet stunning. They will arrive this Autumn at SpektakulärPerfect for our MOZ lovers, colourful umbrella with moose on.
It was lovely to spend a little time at the shop yesterday, must admit I miss being at Spektakulär, but will be back in the shop Sunday the 26th August. Today I am not sure what we will do, rain and grey, mum did some hints that we might go to Borås to Ittala Outlet :)
A few weeks ago we took a little weekend off and went to spend time in Aberdeen with the in-laws. It was as always a very enjoyable visit with lots of good food and time for us to relax while Stina entertained her grandparents.
On our way home we went to visit lovely Paula of Farnell, this is a fantastic place to visit if you like a day trip out. The shop is owned by a very friendly lady named Paula who is Danish and when you are in the shop you get that truly Scandinavian feel! It has a lot of character since it is an old school house, half is a shop the other half is a café full of Danish Pastries and Smörrebröd.
I enjoy a visit here all year around but my favourite time is Christmas time, with log fires and light up candles all over. This is the place I find unique gifts or things for my home! Things that are a bit different and homely. Since I love finding different designs and enjoy mixing the styles at home, I somehow always manage to leave this place with that perfect treat or gift, and yet I have still not been disappointed.
Welcome
Lovely entrance
Bright sunny day
I really recommend a trip here all year around, don’t forget to write down your name for a table as soon as you get there because it can get really busy!
Alingsås is my hometown in Sweden, a small town about 40 min drive north east of Gothenburg. It is a lovely village, it is often called the café village, it is a cosy town where the centre of town is all built in wooden houses with cobble streets. For eleven years now the town lights up during October. Lightning designers and students from across the world gather in Alingsås and create wonderful illuminations. This is the largest arrangement of experimental lighting design of public places in Europe.
I remember the first year and how amazed I was and how happy it made me feel whilst walking around in the evenings admiring the buildings and objects that were transformed. Autumn is very dark in Sweden, well here in Scotland as well, but when you are starting to feel a bit gloomy this event is something that is really cheers you up. I am pleased that this event has kept growing and I really recommend to visit Lights in Alingsås during October each year, and every year it changes with new designers lighting up different parts of the town.
These lovely images are just a few, please check out the Lights in Alingsås website for lots of fantastic images and inspiration during a dark Autumn day.
My mind is full of inspiration after a long holiday in Sweden. While being at home I took the opportunity to catch up with friends and family and also check out lots and lots of lovely small shop just like Spektakulär to find inspiration. A shop just like this is Balders Hage. A lovely little shop in my home town of Alingsås, it is full of quirky things and at Christmas this is the place I find all my gifts, a lovely glass bowl or tray for grandma, a soap for granddad, a moneybank for my brother, table runner for my mum, and so on… This shop was one of many inspirations when I decided to open up my own, or actually the owners, the Björkman family is one amazing inspiration. The shop in Alingsås started as a family business and now been sold on, but they kept a shop in Gothenburg which is run by the daughter and a webshop run by one of their sons. Every time I am in Gothenburg I pop in to find ideas for my home or the shop or just a small gift for a friend. Balders Hage in Gothenburg is full of ideas and designs I would love in my own home.
The shop has a lovely welcoming feel with beautiful displays, both in the shop and outside. If you go to Gothenburg it is a shop well worth a visit.
Stina and I are now back in Edinburgh and this time I really looked forward to come back here since this is our home now, even if I miss Sweden extremely much now and then, Edinburgh is a fantastic place with beautiful architectural buildings, close to water and countryside, we do have everything we need and want here. I believe I have the best of both worlds. But of course I dream of a small country home back in Sweden where we can spend our summers. Maybe in the future!!!
August will be a busy month since lots of new orders will arrive with new designs as well as your favourites. We are looking forward to see you in the shop.
Charlotte x
Well Stina and I are home in Sweden for a little holiday. But of course I have my mind on Spektakulär all the time and yesterday we took a trip to Iittala outlet in Borås. Wow, amazing, a massive warehouse full of Iittala, Rörstrand, Högnäs, Moomin, Marimekko and lots more.
It sure is hard not to go too crazy in there, lots of lovely lovely designs and yes some of the products are seconds but not all of it, so you can defiantly find a bargain in there!!!
The kind lady at the shop let me take a few photos, so please enjoy and hopefully you can find some inspiration just like I have done (new tea towels to go with my new Pappelina rug in the kitchen). If you ever go to Sweden or why not Finland do try to find an outlet shop, I am sure you will be delighted.
Welcome to Spektakulär 