I like this

Photo: Jotun

lunch

12 o'clock is lunch time at the office. Today I had instant broccoli and cauliflower soup. What did you have?

Bergen is nice and sunny today. Such a nice start to the weekend.

Roma types

I showed you some Tuscany types earlier this week, and here are the Roma types I promised. Some of you might already seen these photos in my Flickr photostream, but there's no harm in seeing them again, right?

For a quick escape to Italia, click here. Ciao!

Btw, I saw a good movie yesterday; Brick. Have you seen it?

my work

In a comment on this post, my friend Deborah of [ddot] wrote: i'd love to read more about how you established yourself as a freelancer and how you continue to develop your work/portfolio.

So, that's what this post will be about.

When I finished high school I didn't really have a plan for my future, so I started studying English at the college in Stavanger. After a year I moved to Bergen to study at the University, and to cut a long story short, I have a master degree in media studies.

By the time I started writing the master thesis, I was really tired of my part time job at the newsstand selling newspapers, chocolate, cigarettes and hot dogs. It was time to come up with an idea of what I wanted to do when the thesis was done, and I found out that it would be nice to get some sort of hands on experience with working in media. Sølve was - and still is - a very important supporter, motivator and coach in this process. He's the one who has taught me everything I know about sales.

Most of Norwegian media - TV, national newspapers and magazines - are based in Oslo. Very few media, except local, are in Bergen. Also, few jobs are announced, so it's hard to get a job in an editorial staff. That's why I started freelancing. I thought "why not just give it a try?" Sølve supported me 110 %.

I have always enjoyed writing and I have always read magazines - especially women's magazines, home decorating and travel magazines. This combination lead to me trying to freelance for magazines. I had no idea what I was doing in the beginning. No one told me how freelancing works, or how to write a magazine article, for that matter. Neither did I know of blogs nor websites writing about freelancing (mentioned here). It was a fumbling start back there in 2003, but I learnt by doing.

I learnt that sale is a very important part of being a freelancer. I learnt that calling the editor is smarter than just sending an e-mail, and I quickly had to overcome my fear of phone calls. I learnt that it is important to keep regular contact with editors so they get to know me and remember me. I learnt to be patient and to accept refusals.

For a couple of years the freelancing was my part time job while I wrote the master thesis. When I finished the thesis in June 2006, I felt that my freelancing job was worth persuading as a full time job. At least for a year. If after that year my income was decent enough, I would continue freelancing, if not, I would have to apply for a regular job. Now I have been my own boss in my own full time job for a little more than two years. Its hard work, but I love it.

I still learn a lot every day. Sale is still important, even though it is easier now because I have contacts who know me. It happens more often now that they contact me and ask me if I want to do this or that job. It is also easier because I have a solid portfolio to refer to. I have become more focused on the fact that I run my own business, and that my business needs to develop. I have also learnt the importance of making plans so that I know where my next pay will come from. I have learnt that I don't need a master degree in media studies to work as a journalist and copywriter. I don't think I have ever been asked about my education, but it gives me a professional ballast that I'm very happy I have.

In a perfect world I will keep freelancing until I retire. It's really, really fulfilling to create my own job.

How about you? Any thoughts on freelancing vs. having a regular full time job? Anyone else working freelance who wants to share their story?

Tuscany types

This post over at my funny eye reminded me of some photos I took in Italy in October last year. I took some similar shots in Rome that I'll show you later.

See the rest of my Italy photos here.

Hedda X

This post over at Jeanette's beautiful Fryd + Design blog reminded me of my good friend Norhild and her fabulous collection of earrings (seen in the photo above, click on the photo to see it bigger). Several of her pairs are from Norwegian designer Hedda X.

Hedda X's products are made from vintage materials from the 1900- 1990's. All designs are very limited and some are unique. Take a look in her online store and see if you find something you like. I'm sure you will!

warm elegance

This lovely home was recently featured in one of my favorite interior design magazines, the Danish Boligmagasinet. See more photos here.

test shots

I have borrowed my dad's old manual slr camera, the Minolta SRT 303 (bought in 1974). It's the first time I shot with a fully manual camera. Fun! But also so different from what I'm used to. I'm glad dad (and mum) visited this weekend so he could show me how it works. I finished my first film on our walk to the city centre, but it tore when I tried to rewind it. Bummer! Curious to see what the camera could do, I quickly finished another film and had it developed in an hour. The photos above are some of the results from my little photo walk around Torgalmenningen and the theatre. It was a grey, overcast day, so the light was - in my opinion - crappy. I also just used a very simple film, the Kodak Ultra Gold (400 iso). I'm not very impressed by these first results, but I think we'll be good friends, the Minolta and me. After all I have seen the photos dad has taken with this camera, and they are more than decent.

my kind of interior

I have mentioned before that I really enjoy Danielle's Style Files. She's got such a great eye for style and beauty. It was love at first sight when I saw this photo on her blog yesterday. Find her blog post - an eclectic home - with more photos here.

Monday kid

My Monday soundtrack is the song "Måndagsbarn" (meaning Moday kid) from the Swedish singer Veronica Maggio.

I hope your Monday is a good one. Mine is.
veronicamaggio.com

the concrete chair

A concrete chair in the city centre of Bergen, made by the art students Magnhild Øen Nordahl and Rasmus Andreas Hungnes.

"We want to give people in Bergen a new experience by placing everyday objects that everyone recognises in new contexts".

Article in BT (in Norwegian)

love

Yes! I love this blog too (via A Cup of Jo).

Anne Marie Ploug

The Danish artist Anne Marie Ploug has a new, good looking website. Check it out!

Btw, I love work space photos like this.





All images above are from Anne Marie Ploug's website. The five art works are oil on canvas.

I like this

I just found this beautiful photo over at vakrehjem.com and I wanted to share it with you. Vakre Hjem & Interiør is a Norwegian interior design magazine.

gone fishing!

Fishing bores me, but with a view and light like this, I guess I can bear it for a little while...

This photo was taken in Vesterålen January last year, on one of my Hurtigruten journeys. See more photos from the same trip here.

See the photo bigger here.

they don't grow in trees you know

While browsing through famapa's lovely My Funny Eye blog yesterday I came across this post; they don't grow in trees you know, and I remembered that I had this old film shot lying around. I found him one day last year while walking to the office.

Garance Doré

I was introduced to Garance Doré the other day via Siggelicious. Such beautiful photos and illustrations. I'll be coming back for sure!

I have also fallen in love with Famapa's blog, my funny eye. Such a happy place to visit!

we had an orange wall

October 2005

March 2006

November 2007

August 2008

We had an orange wall in our livingroom because I wanted it to match our big Peter Lik photograph, only just seen to the right in the top photo. We also had pillows and blankets in matching orange.

I liked how the orange color gave a lovely warmth to our livingroom. And I liked how the color changed according to light.

But then I got tired of everything matching, and one Sunday in August 2008 - while hungover - I painted the orange wall white.


September 2008

In memory of the orange wall I made a new set of photos on Flickr.

PS: I have been asked before where the lamps above the dining table are from. They are called Moser, made by Danish manufacturer Louis Poulsen.

Amy Hunting

Photo: Marius W. Hansen, D2

This caught my eye over at Emma's designblogg the other day, and today, while doing research for an article I'm working on, I stumbled across an interview with her - the Norwegian designer Amy Hunting.

I like her room, and I love the idea of making something useful - and beautiful - from waste.

Read the interview (in Norwegian) here. And see more of Amy's work over at her website, found here.

NORA

NORA Lounge chair, design: Ivar Grødal

NORA Lounge table, design: Tore Borgersen & Michael Olofsson

Ivar Grødal from NORA, tells me that the firm was established last year, and that they so far mostly have focused on developing and making products ready for production.

NORA was represented at the 100 % Norway stand in connection to 100 % Design in London in September last year, and they will be at Stockholm Furniture Fair in February.

Our furniture and interior objects give you an experience beyond comfort and quality in materials.

We simply focus on exclusively selected design made by contemporary Norwegian designers and proudly manufactured by enthusiastic crafts people in Norway.

We develop long lasting objects for your home and environment - objects we hope you will love just as much as we do.

I'm excited to see what more goodies will come from these guys.

NORA

an afternoon beach hike

The beaches near my hometown Sandnes are among the most beautiful beaches in Norway. People like to go for hikes on the beach any time of year, and it was pretty crowded here on Christmas Day. No doubt why! The weather was simply amazing, and so was afternoon light and the sunset.

See the rest of the photos from this hike here.