ceramics to love.

Exciting and beautiful new work form ceramic and installation artist Annabelle Adie.

Her work is so graphic and makes me so inspired - and I love the use of orange-red with her white shapes.

I would like to use every piece!

(images via annabelle adie)

london calling..

I spent this weekend in lovely London filled with inspiration, good food and drinks, and a lot of time catching up with none other than --- my Mother!

It was entirely too short of a visit … with barely enough time to take everything in. A true whirlwind tour!

I can't wait to go back, and will absolutely spend more time visiting on Redchurch street at Aesop, Labour and Wait, Holstem and dining on lovely organic treats at Albion.

(image via wallpapers)

kitchen tips.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of enjoying a fantastic dinner with friends, and have come to realize that nothing is quite finer in life than good friends, lovely food and a big glass of wine.

Here are a few of my best kitchen tips for a well stocked and well loved kitchen workspace ….♥

Happy dining!

stock: your cupboards with the essentials, fine and whole grain flours, sea salt and black pepper, brown and raw sugars, your favourite spices - and if you are a baker, ingredients for a good cake and muffin base like baking powder and soda, vanilla bean, whole cinnamon and nutmeg. Try substituting things like coconut oil for cooking, and bulgar as a replacement for rice.

supply: your kitchen with heavy pots and pans, best quality utensils, a great thick wooden spoon, a scale to weigh ingredients, and a thick olive wood chopping board. Invest in a neutral colour set of dinner and salad plates; and a good knife set that includes at least one sharp fish, meat and fruit knife. Bakers should be sure to have a silpat baking mat, they are fantastic!

shop: the best quality and freshest food that you can afford. Olive oils, cheese, balsamic vinegars and chocolate are examples of money well spent. Organic and locally grown fruits, vegetables, fish and meats are fantastic if you can find them. Even better, find a small piece of land and grow your own tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, potatoes and herbs - nothing tastes sweeter than food picked fresh from your own garden.

set: your dining table and make dinner something special on a week night. Make it simple and easy - use a fresh tablecloth in rough white linen, or a colourful graphic patterned material as a base. Top with a pitcher of ice water, an easy stack of plates and utensils, a candle, and a bottle filled lazily with a few tall flowers. Great music is a must! Open a window in the warm weather, or move the whole thing outside…

(image via emmas designblogg)

advertising in real time.

Have a close look at this advertisement for Adobe Photoshop, and you will discover an incredible amount of details sure to make you smile. Cardboard, acrylic paints, and a file cabinet in the top left hand corner have been used to re-create a wonderful replica of the computer program.

Credits go to Bates 141 Jakarta, development by Hendra Lesmono, and Software-asli.com for the commission.

I love it!

(image via swissmiss)

to the mountains we go...

Packing my bags for an out of town work trip…..

Sure to be filled with inspiration and beautiful images!

(image via endless inspiration)

office supplies.

Today I bought my favourite new pencils… each one equipped with a famous moustache.

zorro

burt

clark

django

salvador….

Accounting just became much, much, more fun.

(Pencils from Atypyc)

spring is here.

Spring is here, and so is the new issue of Elle Decoration.

Here is a sneak peak of the photos that I have worked on with talented photographer Trine Thorsen for this months publication- a mix of rough textures, warm smoky greys and a hint of light purple. Oh, and lots and lots of flowers.

You can even find our smiling faces in the front of the magazine, with a little bit more about us!

Photography: Trine Thorsen

Styling: Tara Ballantyne

my favourite fairytale.

The fantastic fashion photographer Tim Walker is in Oslo!

…and he will be lecturing at the Nordic School of Photography this week, with a one-night open lecture to the public this evening.

I have my fingers crossed that I can get a seat…

(images via virtueorvanity)

Elle Decoration, H&M, and chocolate cupcakes.

This week I have been working with H&M Home and Elle Decoration to style the "HM loves Elle'" event that runs this week, until May 18 at the new H&M location on Bogstadveien in Oslo.

For the opening event, Editor Line Dammen spoke about trends, the collection, and how to mix and match - while guests mingled and viewed Elle's top 10 from the H&M line. It was a great night with lots of shopping, inspiration, wine and fantastic 'american style cupcakes'!

I will be sure to post some images of the set up as soon as I can.

For now, here is a recipe for my favorite cupcakes that I think I will make this weekend (I couldn't get enough)….and a link to the Elle blog with some images.

Happy baking!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache and Meringue Buttercream Frosting

for cupcakes:

60 g semisweet chocolate, chopped

30 g milk chocolate, chopped

110 g unsalted butter, room temperature

100 g granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

110 g flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

110 g sour cream

for the ganache filling:

50 g heavy cream

75 g bittersweet chocolate

for the frosting:

100 g egg whites (about 3 medium)

200 g sugar

150 g unsalted butter, room temperature

8 tablespoons cocoa powder

ganache:

Bring heavy cream to a boil and pour over chocolate. Mix slowly starting from the center until all is incorporated and thick. Let cool completely about one hour. Once cooled, whip until thick.

cupcakes:

In a bowl over a saucepan of hot water, melt semisweet and milk chocolates, being careful not to burn. Let cool to room temperature.

Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, beating until well combined. Beat in vanilla and chocolate.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

Stirring well, add a third of the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture alternately with the sour cream. Make 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of sour cream, finishing with the dry.

Scoop batter into cupcake cups filling 2/3 of the way to top.

Bake cupcakes at 180℃ degrees for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Transfer to rack and let cool completely.

Cut the tops from the cupcakes and scoop in one heaping teaspoon of ganache filling.

Replace tops and press down gently.

frosting:

With an electric mixer, whisk together egg whites and sugar lightly. Place over a water bath until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch. Whip until the mixture forms stiff peaks.

Continue whipping until the mixture feels cool. Add butter, one tablespoon at a time, whipping until each tablespoon is incorporated and desired consistency is reached.

Add in cocoa powder and stir until combined.

*makes 12 cupcakes.

Styling and Food: Tara Ballantyne

Photography: Trine Thorsen

less is more.

French food stylist Elodie Rambaud is a great inspiration to me when it comes to 'editing to clarity'. She is wonderful with her composition, food, and overall impact within her work.

The part I love the most is the simplicity and the thoughtfulness behind her images... A perfect example of when less is more!

These two photos are from the cook book 'meringues' and are just a few of the series that is so beautiful.

Oh how much it makes me dream to take a pastry class in France...

(images via elodie rambaud)