Photobook of Our Holiday in London {Saal Digital-Review}

We had a lovely trip to London in January 2017. To keep the memories vivid, I made a photobook of our holiday, using Saal Digital-services. I found Saal Digital-photobook services from Instagram, where I clicked their add, and landed on their website.

Saal Digitals software is easy to use, they have also software to Mac OS X, which I downloaded and started making the photobook.

I like the different layouts, you can choose, as well as a broad variation of background colors, with or without textures. 

The cool features I appreciate, are the many fonts for your text, and also the possibilities for shadow and other effects. 

Not only can you use a shadow effect to the text, but also to photos.

Varying the background of the photos gives a nice play to the book ...

- I choose more dramatic "space dark sky"-like background to the photos from our visit to Warner Bros studios, the awesome Harry Potter sets (The original props and costumes were fantastic!)

I am very happy with the quality of my photo book: I chose a hard cover book with glossy paper. The paper is thick, and you can adjust the number of the pages.

This is my first, but definitely not my last photobook, that is made with Saal Digital-services.
I appreciate that with Saal Digital, I can make a photobook that "looks like me" - I like the old typewriter font, the possibility to adjust the opacity of the background color, texture and also the different effects of the font / letters.

This photobook was delivered within 10 days, from Uk home to me in Denmark. 

Making Photobooks are a great way of reliving and savoring the holidays, aren't they?!

                                                                      Nina


I have received a voucher (value 25 pounds) for this product test, and for writing an honest product review.

Nature [Forest] Café

A friend of mine arranged a surprise getaway to this pretty little cafe by the forest - called Nina's Natur Café. This cafe is located - well, in the middle of the fields beside a forest ... a really peaceful and remote place. We followed a traditional map, and took some wrong turns in the small roads - If you do not get lost, it should take about 30 minutes to drive to the café from Copenhagen). 

However - maybe because of the beautiful and faraway location, and due to the most delicious cake buffet the owner Nina serves - the cafe has become well-known and popular.

When Dalai Lama was visiting Denmark, Nina's Natur Café was one of the few places he wanted to experience (a fine photo of the owner Nina and Dalai Lama was framed on the wall of the cafe).

The cafe was before a old farm, with a traditional thatch roof. You can sit down and enjoy your coffee and cake either inside the house, or in the charming orangerie, or out in the garden in the back of the house. From the garden you can follow the paths leading to the forest, and take a walk in the forest.

After a lovely afternoon and a walk in the forest, it so happened that we took a wrong turn on our way back home ... and found this little spot, where a local farmer sold fresh berries and vegetables. There was a tiny box, where you could leave the payment - or you could pay using mobile pay. I bought some strawberries and rhubarb - and left the money to the box.

It is wonderful to notice, that this type of paying - like in the old days - still exists today. Leaving the coins and bills to an unlocked box demands trust to fellowmen - and it warms one's heart to experience things like this!

I'm thankful for friendships and the small surprises, taking a wrong turn (getting lost) often times brings into our lives,

Nina xoxo

I'm joining Michelle's Thankful Thursday

Along A River Bank

 Open heaven (River Wild) by Hillsong Worship

:   :  :

Here's a printable 

of Jeremiah 17:7 (NLT)

for you

... Blessings and peaceful moments to your upcoming week,

Nina 

Sharing with

Scripture & Snapshot 
Sunday Scripture Blessings


Photo: iPhone 5S - Snapseed, Faded, Word Swag apps

Holidays and Cake Championships

... Summer holidays has finally started! My spring has been the most busy one in years ... When I arrived home from work, I had to plug completely off - No computers nor writing, but small walks, quiet moments crocheting and just relaxing.

On the first Saturday of holidays,  a friend of ours hosted a Cake Bake Championship! You could just come and be part of the fun, tasting the cakes and voting for a winner - or you could  participate with baking a cake to the occasion.

I participated with baking a Pavlova - this cake is one of my favorite summer cakes. A Pavlova is easy to make, and it has a light and cloudy consistence. The mild taste of Pavlova highlights the flavor of fresh berries. I filled the Pavlova this time with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and cherries. 

We had such a cozy afternoon - tasting each others cakes and chatting with old and new acquaintances. 

I voted for Mette's Allotment cake - The almondy crusting and the taste of black currants, rhubarb and strawberries was scrumptious! 

As the votes were being count, the winner was announced: It was the Key Lime Pie - which taste was characterized with delicate symphony of sweet caramel, sour lime and soft cream ... Delicious and a nice consistence with crums,  to types of cream and kiwi fruits. Mette's Allotment cake got the 2nd place, and - my Pavlova the third place!

Our sweet and creative creative friend, who hosted the bake Cake Championships (such a great idea, isn't it!), had prepared prizes for the winners! She handed an apron to the winner - which she had sown her self, with a fine plicated "Cake Bake Championship" logo! A price for the second best cake was cake molds, that were made of paper - like for muffins. And I received baking powder - Yes, so I can start experimenting with new recipes to championships next summer :-)

It has been good to slow down - No busy schedules, just being with the family, getting books from the library, have time to take photowalks, see friends, and bike rides (my husband has gotten a bike ... so we're exploring some green biking routes this summer!)

Last Thursday there was a Music festival at Vig - an hour drive to south from here. A day outdoors at sunshine with a friend of mine - sitting on the grass and listening music, grasping a coffee every now and then - and joining to another concert. We saw three concerts from the start- Beth Hart from the US, Kim Larsen - a grand old man in Danish pop music, and Carpark North - a Danish group playing electronic music. Besides, we listened to a whole bunch of other groups, while sitting and chatting :)

... I hope you're enjoying the summer. 
The unsteady weather here in Scandinavia keeps the excitement up in not knowing, weather to wear sandals  or wellies?! 

Nina

By the lake

I grew up in the Finnish lake districk, where the lakes occupy about 25 percent of the Lakeland. When visiting my parents over the summer holidays, we spent a lot of time outside by the lakes.

Finland is known as a country of thousand lakes - there is about 188.000 lakes in Finland, and about 179.000 islands. 
So there is plenty of possibilities for rowing, fishing, swimming and other activities by the lakes.

Both my uncle's and dad's summerhouses are located on an island. Spending time on the island, even if the island is just 500 m  away from the main land, gives you a feeling of being cut of from the rest of the world - in a good way. 
When you're stepping into the boat, your mind is already relaxing ...

We cherished the moments by the lakes - Peaceful, simple life in the Great Outdoors.

... Wishing you a great weekend,

Nina

Sharing with 

Friendship Friday Friday Photo Journal

Photo Friday by Pierced Wonderings

Saturday's share Fest by The Sits Girls

Photos: iPhone 5S; Camera+, Snapseed & Hipstamatic Apps

Summer Holidays

A Saturday afternoon, two weeks ago, I was going to grocery shopping ... And on my way to the store, there was live music on the tiny square! Benjamin Aggerbæk was playing jazz with his band - so I grabbed an Iced Coffee from the nearby cafe, enjoyed the light jazz in the sun. 
It was a joy to watch the sweet toddler playing with the red balloon, and I took a snapshot of her ... This photo called for an color spot edit with a touch of vintage, didn't it?!

Summer Holidays are over us, and we'll be visiting family the next two weeks, where I will be away from the blog. However, thanks to Blogger's Post Planner - function, I have written a few post, that will pop up here every now and then.

Louis Amstrong & Ella Fritzgerald:
Dream a little dream of me

... Wishing you slow days & sunshine,

Nina

Winter break

Our winter break week started with bright sunshine and chilly weather ... Such a delight to be blended by sunlight after gray days with rain!

I visited a friend of mine this morning, and held her beautiful and precious 3,5 month old baby girl. I was taken by her daughters blue eyes and the sweetest smile, she gave to her mom!

Our boys have been out and about ... I wonder if there will fall some snow one of these days? The weather forecast promises cold weather and frost ... Let's see...

I baked macaron cakes yesterday, and took a snapshot as the cakes were resting before baking. This is the only photo of the macarons ... They turned out well and with four of us in the family, the cakes made a tasty treat: The macarons were made to be eaten and enjoyed, not to be photographed, after all.

Keep your heart open to dreams. 

For as long as there’s a dream, 

there is hope, and as long as there is hope, 

there is joy in living.

Anonymous 

 ... Until next time,

Nina 

[Blogging every day in February - Day 15]

Frisbee Golf [Holiday Memories]

The Kanavan Frisbee Golf -lanes are located in the Southern Savolax region in Finland, about 300 km from the capital, Helsinki. Frisbee Golf is about casting the frisbee to the direction of the next "hole", or more precisely, an elevated metal basket. The route consists of 18 lanes, in the ridges of Joroinen, in the forest among the pine trees and blueberries. This was my first time trying Frisbee Golf - our youngest son has tried it once with his class.

The sunny weather and a nice breeze made a weather for a 1,5 hour walk up and down the ridges. Casting the frisbee was also fun - I didn't manage to throw that long, though - and mine frisbee ended often times a few meters beside the lane in the forest ... so after the 9th hole I packed my frisbee in the back bag and just enjoy the walk and blueberries - and take a few snapshots on our way :-)

Such a beautiful route - Frisbee Golf is a great way of being outside together!

Sunny weekend greetings,

Nina

Sharing with
 

Saturday's share Fest by The Sits Girls

 Friendship Friday Friday Photo Journal

Fishing

I love fishing. 

You put the line in the water and

 you don't know what's in the other end. 

Your imagination is under there.

Robert Altman

:   :   :

Just a quick note to say Hello and try the Blog Touch Pro-app. 

We've been fishing a few times now - a few bites but no actual catch until today ... My brother caught a pike. It was a young one though, so we did put it back to the lake.

Wonderful to see my family in Finland, and revisit the sceneries from my childhood. Our boys love the quiet life in the countryside, and sauna ... Yes, the old fashioned sauna with oven that is warmed with wood, and that has a mild and soft warmth.

With sunny holiday greetings,

Nina