Happy Midsummer! - and a mini guide on how to create your own

Friends and family in Sweden will be staying up to celebrate midsummer's eve today (here's a little pic of my crew on the same day last year). Sadly I'm thousands of miles away (on a photo shoot in Upstate New York), but that won't stop me from creating a small midsummer celebration of my own -  and raising a glass or two! I've put together a quick guide to creating your own midsummer's eve below...wild flowers at the ready!

Photo: Local Milk - check out all the other images in this beautiful series here

Why not throw a mini party this evening to celebrate the longest day of the year (in some parts of the world!).

Pick wildflowers and create your own midsummer crown (and a wreath for your door).

Serve a selection of pickled herrings in pretty jars and serve with new potatoes, boiled eggs and fresh dill. Enjoy with cool beer and ice cold schnapps (you'll need to warm up your singing voice!).

Bake a delicious cake decorated with hundreds of sweet strawberries.

Set up thousands of pretty light bulbs over the outdoor table.

Invite as many friends as you like - and if you don't have enough chairs, how about rugs instead?!I also love all these outdoor party ideas.

And dance the night away under the midnight sun!

Wishing you all a very happy midsummer's eve! Skål!

PS Feel free to add your own midsummer tips in the comment section below...

PPS I'll be back in action here on Tuesday since I have a bit of a tight schedule until then. I hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

Wishing you a fabulous new year....

May your night sparkle and all your dreams come true!

Credit unknown (can you help?)

Credit unknown (can you help?)

via Allyson Vinzant

Emily Steffen via Heart Love Always

Thank you so much for following My Scandinavian Home in 2014. 2015 is an exciting year for me as I'll finally be able to follow my dream of blogging full time.

See you on 2nd January where I'll begin a month full of ethereal Scandinavian inspired home tours, DIY projects, tips and tricks for the home and exciting give-aways.

Have a fabulous start to the year!

Party time!

I moved to Sweden exactly ten years today. Crazy! In that time I married my wonderful Swedish husband, had  my two lovely little girls, created this blog and renovated our home among other life adventures. Thank you Sweden, for being a wonderful hostess, here's to many years to come! In my dreams I'm celebrating with a fabulous alfresco party and of course you're all invited. Hope you can make it?!.....

Image 1 via Grey and Scout, 3: Ann Street Studio. Final image via Lay Baby Lay. If you can supply the photographer / stylist name for any of these beautiful images please let me know, it would be wonderful to accurately credit them. 

I love the last picture in particular - who needs a babysitter? This is such a great way of keeping the little ones entertained while we dance the night away don't you think?! And of course, that's you in the second picture arriving?

Waterfall and cluster fairy lights and vintage champagne glasses a must as well as lots more inspiration on my new party and food pin boards. There's always my alfresco board for the morning after brunch too. Party on people!

Back tomorrow with a Scandinavian house tour to enjoy and inspire us all over weekend, see you then. And in the meantime, have a wonderful Friday!

LIVE FOR TODAY, PLAN FOR TOMORROW AND PARTY TONIGHT !!!! ..........

After a day of exploring the delights of Rye, it was time for the reason that we had come to Rye in the first place. My sister's friend's, Tina and Nigel were having a joint 60th birthday party. They live in Horsham, but have a cottage by the sea in Rye. The cottage belonged to Nigel's aunt, and he and his brother had spent many happy times there when they were children. When Nigel's aunt died, she left the cottage to Nigel.

Come on in and have a look round ..........

This is the outside ..........

The cottage is just a long, single story building and Tina has 'shabby-chic'd' her way through it !!

.......... with some lovely little touches ..........

The day of the party was the hottest day of the summer and just perfect for the setting .........

They had had tents erected outside, which were decorated with Indian fabrics, wooden elephant tables and black sofa's with brightly coloured cushions ..........

Near the lake was another, similarly decorated tent , where one could get a nice alcoholic beverage !! I had a few of those, just to be sociable !!!! ..........

There were also tables set up, beautifully decorated and ready for guests to partake in a fantastic Indian meal ..........

There were beautiful parasols placed around the cottage, made from rich Indian silk fabrics and fringes of mirrors that sparkled in the sunshine ..........

and large urns, filled with floating candles and rose petals ..........

There was a beautiful sunset and, as day turned into night, there was dancing, more food and drink and a magical time was had by all, until the wee small hours !!

It was the most wonderful setting for what was a fabulous party.