Barcelona

Just got back home from another great holiday trip to Barcelona. Needless to say but we love this city!

We had cava for breakfast - because we could! :)

 Gaudi sculptures and architecture were spotted all over the city.

One of the highlights were Montserrat. We travelled by train up to this view and it was absolutely breathtaking. This large mountain even has it's own monastery, imagine living up there all year around!

A little nap was most necessary in the heat.

We went for a quick visit to Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Barcelona.

Found an awesome print shop, wish we had this in Stockholm!

And now we're back home to this little dudette!! 

/Carolina

Hola España!

I took a week off and went to sunny Spain.

Went on beach walks with my mom... 

...on afternoon strolls overlooking the ocean from the dunes...

...through the pine forest with it's heavenly scent.

Started on the 3rd book by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, (thrilling!)

Made friends with adorable Felix and Messi, love!

Made fun plans with my sister about our coming exhibition together, on swedish below.

See more in an earlier post here.

Utställningen kommer att äga rum i Skarpnäcks kulturhus den 19 oktober - 12 november. Mer info finns här.

/Carolina

A Day In Photos - Went Sailing!

My summer couldn't have started better. Last Saturday we had an amazing day on a old steamboat with friends out in the archipelago. There's really nothing like this to remind you of the beauty we're surrounded by here in Stockholm.  

The evening passed to a bright nordic night and we strolled the streets of the Old Town. 

I was totally surprised by this wonderful sailing event! This means I can check off the sailing in my list of to do this summer. It seems I'm off on a good start this summer.

Let's Go! - New illustrated summer theme

This is what I'm constantly thinking about. Unfortunately I do not have a boat, nor a fishing rod or a swimsuit. The last one is however possible to get hold of and affordable. 

Some of my goals for this summer is these activities, what are yours? I need inspiration for new drawings. I'm thinking of hiking, mountain climbing....what else? any suggestions are welcomed! 

/Carolina

Holiday

Summer is here (although it's been a very rainy and grey month here in Stockholm) and I've been doing lots and lots! Mostly outdoor and abroad activities. We went to Spain for a week and did the whole city sightseeing thing and shopping in Barcelona and later took the train down to the sunny coast for a couple of days of beach, siesta and good food. 

First day in Barcelona and I am happy as a peach!

Found this beautiful oasis right in the middle. 

Found camera heaven in the shop Lomography. 

As you might know, I have a small collection of cameras myself...

So I knew I had to have one of these beauties!

I settled with this analog camera La Sardina with beautiful purple pattern. 

Spent my afternoons on the beach.

Talking to Emil, the blind cat with a big smile.

Ate a very berry overloaded cake that my sister made. Yum!

I'm still stuffed from all the good food and desserts...

Hopefully I'll soon be able to show you some of the illustrations I've been working on lately as well. I haven't had the time to doodle at all as my latest illustrations has been for various projects but I'm getting there! 

I'm catching up! :)

How's your summer so far?

xo/Carolina

Thrift store finds

I had to show you these cameras I bought in the US. One I found in Ohio and the other one in Memphis. 

My small collection of vintage cameras has grown and sure looks cuter!

Don't forget I'm having a giveaway soon! 

It involves something warm and cozy - perfect for winter!

Drawing

It was only 2 weeks ago that I was doodling away carefree while on the road and at hotel rooms. 

Now I'm back home with my art and craft material and the possibilities are almost endless but I seem to have left some important things on my vacation....my carefree thoughts, the calmness and relief from not doing those everyday things. Oh well, I guess I really need a super good book to plow me through this fall. 

Any suggestions? 

On other things; I've opened up a new Swedish webshop! 

A blog button to the website is already up in the right sidebar.

Jag har öppnat en ny svensk webbutik! Ni kan hitta mig här: epla.se/shop/carolinagronholm

On the road sketches

Detroit skyline. 

In Nashville on a cold rainy day. 

In hot memphis drinking cold beer.

We're enjoying our last days of our vacation but it will be sort of sweet returning home - like Elvis used to say: Taking care of business or TCB, that's what I'll do. And I miss Sau! my little fat cat with the cutest paws!

A quick hello!

And a quick drawing in the car on bumpy roads somewhere in Kentucky. 

ps. I'm not as scared as I look in the drawing, ha!

I hope you're all good!

/Carolina

Doing the music, art and car thing in Detroit

In case you didn't know; we're on vacation in the US starting in Detroit before traveling down to the south. So this town is first of all music for me, mostly old of course! 

 Picture below; The Diego Rivera wall at Detroit Institute Of Art. (We spent 4 hours there!)

There was an exhibition with drawings and prints of animals, perfect for me!

This was a secret gem in greektown. It's called the Jazz Loft and it's a bit hidden. 

The Michigan Central Station. This enormous abandoned building. Quite a beautiful decay.

Then we did the regular Detroit car museum thing.

So it is soon:

(And we did the Motown hitsville museum tour in case you thought something was missing)

Jellyfish horror!

Oh yes, you should see my back. I've got long burn marks after a jelly fish I came upon when bathing while in Spain. The longest mark most be approximately 6 cm and 3 cm wide. It don't hurt anymore just have an awful itching and I'm doing my best not to scratch it all up. Still a week after it's as red as it was when I first got burned! I wonder if they really will become permanent scars? Hope not!

That week was weird. Really. Also. Got stuck in an elevator half way down with no air conditioning working and my mum got all panicked. We were stuck there about 15 min with no mobile connection. The alarm signal that went to some sort of alarm center didn't work well. We were rescued by some passer byers and some of the personal that worked in the store. Phew....

Later that week we got into a parking lot accident, small but still! 

I'm home now and nothing terrible has happened YET (knock on wood). 

Between those terrible moments there were fun and exploration as well. We went up between the mountains to a small village where a group of artists had their workshops and small coffee bars. They worked in these small and cool houses nestled in the mountain terrain. A lot of these artists worked with recycled materials and turned it into sculptures and art. 

I had a lot of time to cuddle with the latest babies in the nest. Meet Bobby and Linda!

Valentino aka. Tjockis is the biggest and cutest cat piglet in the house!

Take care dear ones!

/Carolina