Strictly speaking Hygge is more than just 'stuff', it's a mind set of taking a moment to enjoy the simple things, sharing time with others and creating well being. Indulge your senses, warmth, smells and sound.
I'm from the generation that grew up with vinyl and like a lot of my friends, I have hung on to the core favourites of my LP collection.
Somehow asking someone what their first download was, doesn't have quite the same ring as asking what their first record was.
My first LP's were soundtracks to my favourite films at the time, The Aristocats, The Sound Of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but these were bought for me by my parents who had their own selections which included The Beatles, Frank Sinatra and some classical.
The first records I bought for myself, out of my pocket money, were all the David Cassidy singles and some other chart topping songs from the seventies.
My interest in albums came when school friends would bring their records into school or borrow those from their older brothers and sisters, it was Bowie, Floyd, Dylan and Clapton. I fell in love with music and besotted with knowing every lyric and note of my favourite lp's. I would sit wearing my Dad's headphones, playing record after record on the music centre in the lounge while Mum watched the telly. Just listening to one of these rock classics now transports me right back into that sitting room with it's teak furniture and venetian blinds.
Music has a magical ability to whisk you through time, I'm sure we can all remember exact moments brought back by the soundtrack of our lives. Getting a record player and digging out the albums is the most fun we have had in ages. This lightweight and sleek looking one from Lenco just needs hooking up to an amp and speakers, (or active speakers, whichever you have). To add the latest technological twist, you can also record your vinyl onto a usb stick as there is a slot at the front for just this purpose.
Playing records on a turntable is the perfect way to create Hygge. Vinyl has such a warm tone, the crackles and scratches adding even more to the atmosphere, and the sleeves themselves, like postcards from history.
The turntable is from Lenco and comes in white, black, green, red, yellow and grey. The model is L-85 and has integrated recording to USB. The quality of sound is very good, I also own an old record player but the sound quality isn't great and the belt slips. With this modern take you can hear the recordings as they should be and with the amp and speakers we attached, a good volume was reached without any problems or distortion.
Birchwood eco logs are from Lekto Wood Fuels who also make great fire lighters and other styles of briquettes suitable for wood burners.
For other looks from my home please do have a look at the shop Ive added which is a selection of all my favourite stuff.
Happy hygge to all, and next week you can see how I took this concept away with me to Romania on a retreat for yarn lovers, organised by Taking A Moment In Time's Natasha who will soon be organising UK ones from her farm in Buckinghamshire.
Big huggs from Janice Issitt
