Made In Iceland, new prints & postcards

Made In Iceland - our latest range of prints

Shop from hand drawings and illustrations to Icelandic letters, houses, and phrases. The collection is inspired by life in Iceland and was designed and created right here in Reykjavik. Juggling life, a newborn, and designing this collection has both kept me sane and been a challenge but we are so excited to share it with you. Please check out the range over in the shop, and we will be adding our range of postcards shortly.

Icelandic Prints

This range shows 4 designs:

Map of Iceland - Icelandic Alphabet - “þetta reddast“ a common phrase meaning it’ll all work out - the very useful “ja ja“ (yes)

Þetta Reddast

$15.00

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Icelandic Letters Prints

The Icelandic language is interesting if challenging. Here are some of the more unique letters from the alphabet (Ð, Þ, Æ, Ö) set within the famous and magical northern lit sky painted in watercolour.

Icelandic Ð

$3.00

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Reykjavik Streets

Select one or gather a little collection, these fun prints feature little hand illustrations of the Reykjavik streets we walk along - take in the cute houses and playful Icelandic street life. 12 designs available as A6 prints, select one or feel free to mix and match as you choose. Use them to send a note, postcard or just to display as a print.

Reykjavík Streets (set 3)

$18.00

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Icelandic Mini Prints

A series of mini prints playing on the first few phrases my Viking taught me in Icelandic: “I don't speak Icelandic” & “I love you”…what more do you need to know?!

Ég Elska Þig // I Love You in Icelandic

$14.00

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Ingimar and I are so excited to share this launch with you and hope you enjoy Made in Iceland as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it. Thank you / Takk fyrir.

shop the collection here

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Global Narratives Connect Our World - Podcast Interview on life in Iceland

Last month I was interviewed by Karthika - from the website Culturally Ours for their Podcast series.

Founded in 2018, CulturallyOurs is a platform dedicated to promoting cultural understanding, exploring lifestyle, food, art, travel and culture from around the world through retreats, narratives, stories and conversations, and celebrating global diversity. Our audience comprises of enthusiastic, culturally curious individuals who value diversity and inclusion in all walks of life and seek to understand each other’s worlds from the inside out. We believe inclusion promotes belonging, purpose and wellbeing in individuals and within a community.

In this episode, we explore Travel and talk about my life’s journey from Scotland to Iceland by way of Malaysia, Japan, Australia, and India.

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listen to the interview here

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The Panorama Glass Lodge, Iceland

Last weekend we had the pleasure of staying at the Panorama Glass Lodge just outside Reykjavik and it was truly magical. The lodge is a luxury Scandinavian glass cabin, think modern igloo, with panoramic views across the bay and up into the night sky ready for some pretty spectacular Northern Lights viewing. The lodge is designed with a glazed sleeping area so you can lie back and enjoy the magnificent Icelandic sunsets, gaze up at the stars, and hopefully enjoy the Northern Lights dancing above your head. The lodge also has a private outdoor hot pool heated to 40'c so you can enjoy a long, hot soak with the Aurora. 

The Panorama Glass Lodge is located about 30 minutes from the center of Reykjavik, a short and easy drive. The Lodge is located in Hvalfjörður (the fjord of the whales), overlooking the sea with a stunning Icelandic mountain backdrop. The setting is remote and so very private and peaceful - the perfect spot for a romantic getaway.

watch the vlog

Sabrina and her husband run the Panorama Glass Lodge and do an amazing job of looking after you from a distance. Even though we never met, the entire check-in and check-out process was so smooth. It's simple, once you book you're sent a code to use on the Nuki app. Download this app to gain access to the lodge. This makes check-in and check-out easy and hassle-free so you can come and go as you please. 

We packed light as we didn't need much, Sabrina really has thought of everything from towels, slippers, and shampoo to binoculars, tea, and a torch.

When we were there, early May 2018, the weather was a little un-Spring-like and snowy but it all added to the cozy retreat. 

There's a fully stocked kitchen with a kettle, toaster, and fridge so you can easily fix up some food. I brought us some treats for breakfast and we decided to go all out with breakfast in bed. We had Icelandic skyr with granola, croissants, and a berry smoothie. 

I just love this colour palette, especially how flows from inside to out. 

Though the interior is compact, it's very well designed and feels spacious enough for two (plus bump). There's a sleeping area with a king-sized bed, kitchen, dining area with table and chairs and showroom with toilet, huge waterfall shower, and a really cool spa-like design. There's also an outdoor seating area but it wasn't quite summery enough for that!!

Though it was snowy when we went, it was still May so the nights were getting a little lighter. The lodges glazed sleeping area has blinds that you can pull down. Tough the Viking happily sleeps in any condition, I used my eye mask as there aren't blinds on the roof.

Naturally, I was so inspired by our time at the Panorama Glass Lodge that I had to pick up my pen and sketchbook...in between snow showers and get a few sketches done. 

We highly recommend the Panorama Glass Lodge, I miss the view already. It feels so homely and comfortable. Its design is fabulous and interior too, Sabrina has truly thought of everything so it makes for a very special experience. If you want to see more, check out my highlights on Instagram Stories and watch the vlog here.

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the famous Northern Lights from the Panorama Glass Lodge

Panorama Glass Lodge, Iceland

from €465 per night until 1st July 2018, €485 thereafter

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Iceland: Geothermal Road Trip

One of the first things I suggest when people ask me what to do when they arrive in Iceland is to head to the geothermal areas of Gunnuhver and Krýsuvík, and having not been ourselves for a few months, we headed back and did a little vlog too. A big thanks to Toyota Island for lending us the Land Cruiser for the weekend, it was super comfy, and thank goodness for those heated seats!! 

watch the vlog

Our Geothermal Road Trip

The Icelandic geothermal landscape

Heading from Reykjavik toward Keflavik you really get a feel for the dramatic Icelandic landscape. On the drive, it goes from a dark and lifeless moonscape to a soft and green moss-covered lava scape. Once you arrive at the geothermal area, you'll smell it first but, the steam meets you and the ground truly comes alive. 

Gunnuhver, ICELAND

Is an easy stop and well worth it to experience the steam, smell, and colours here. Legend says that this Geysir is the ghost of a dead woman (Gunner) who was killing peasants. The local priest gives her a ball of yarn to follow, she followed the yarn down a hole where the geyser started - people believed it led straight to hell. 

This is a great introduction to Iceland and makes for a fun, shortstop which is very accessible. You can park right by the path that leads to the Gunner Geysir viewing platforms, and walk around the site. 

Krýsuvík, ICELAND

Slightly further along the coast, passing Grindavik where I recommend you stop off at Bryggjan for a warm bowl of local lobster soup and bread (free refills). You will no doubt smell Krýsuvík before you arrive here. The geothermal steam bellows from the ground and the colours are fabulous. Again, very accessible. Park and walk on the boardwalk-style path, climb the stairs to get a view across the park. 

On a freezing cold day, Krýsuvík is a very surreal place to stand and watch the earth as it steams and bubbles away. It might look sunny and warm in these pictures but it was easily a chilly -10'c brrr. As the steam rises and drifts out over the snowy landscape, you can't help but wonder "where the heck am I"?!!

Check out the crazy colours in these pictures, the ground is a beautiful mixture of greys and coppers, steaming away, it's so raw and alive. 

How to get there

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A Night In The aurora Bubble Hotel, Iceland

Last week I had the chance to stay overnight in the Aurora Bubble Hotel, known as the 5 Million Star Hotel, so I took my Mum and we headed off to sleep in a bubble under the stars. A beautifully crisp winter’s day, we arrived into a winter wonderland, ready for the Aurora and to sleep under a blanket of stars. 

watch the vlog

The Bubbles act like a hotel and provide you with a room that is fully transparent, providing the perfect Northern Lights Hotel. Each Bubble sleeps two adults in a comfortable double bed, the minimum age is six years old for health and safety reasons. The structure is completely inflatable and made out of a fire-retardant PVC tarpaulin, you literally sleep in a bubble. The structure keeps itself inflated by a slight over-pressure from a noiseless ventilation system. The system is designed to renew the air 2-7 times per hour, this also prevents any humidity. The system has a heating element with a thermostat so the Bubble is cozy and warm all winter.

Nestled in a small Icelandic wood the Bubbles are the ideal Northern Lights viewing platform, lie back and watch the starry sky. Sleep under the stars, right in the woods, it's a very special night. Some of the Bubbles have a white panel around the bottom of the walls at bed height which gives a little privacy but this doesn't interfere with any Northern Lights viewing. 

The location of the Bubbles is kept secret until you have booked but I can tell you that they are located in the countryside near Fludir and the Golden Circle. It's about an hour’s drive from Reykjavik and two hours from Keflavik Airport. The Bubbles are nestled in a beautiful spot, set back from the road and surrounded by trees. You can also see the volcanos Katla and Eyjafjallajökull in the distance. 

This is an opportunity to truly chill out - lie back and take it all in. Sleeping under the stars and watching the Aurora Borealis dance above you might be a dream come true. It’s the ultimate glamping experience. So, if the sky is clear of clouds then you will hopefully have a good chance of seeing a starry sky with some magical Northern Lights dancing above your head. 

READ: How To See The Northern Lights

The Bubbles are part of a tour offered by Northern Lights Iceland. This means that you can't stay without booking the full tour. The tour is fabulous and takes you in a luxury suburban jeep to the Golden Circle stopping at Geysir, Gulfoss, and the Secret Lagoon. The tour group is small, maximum of six people, and there are only nine Bubbles on the site so it feels very private. 

Nearby is the town of Fludir where you could take in the waters of the Secret Lagoon. This is a unique natural hot spring, the oldest swimming pool in Iceland (made in 1891). The water holds at 38-40 Celsius (100-104 Fahrenheit) all year round. Swim and float around, try to find the hottest part of the lagoon. You can also take a short walk around the lagoon to see the beautiful landscape, original changing hut, natural geysers heating the lagoon, and the nearby greenhouse. 

There is a service house on site which is a short walk from each Bubble. Here you will have access to two shower rooms with a sink and toilet. There is also a small kitchen and dining space where you can store and prepare food and drinks. There is a fridge, kettle, coffee machine, and two-ring electric hob with plenty of dishes and a dishwasher.

If you are looking for food then there is Minilik, an Ethiopian Restaurant nearby and this gets great reviews. We went to Mika, a family-run restaurant specializing in handmade chocolates and langoustine dishes. I highly recommend the langoustine soup and garlic bread. 

As the Bubbles are small, there isn’t room for a suitcase or many belongings so pack light. A small rucksack or hand luggage-sized case is ideal. Pack your pajamas, wash bag, camera (and tripod for Aurora shots), a good book, and your swimming stuff for the Secret Lagoon. Towels are provided at the Bubble but bring your own for the Secret Lagoon.

Wear good walking boots, wind and waterproof coats, and layer up. You won’t need a towel or bedding, and the Bubbles have extra blankets, electric blankets, and a spare air heater to keep you cozy and warm. 

If you have hired a car and are driving on from the Bubbles then you can self-drive as there is a small parking bay on site but keep in mind that you still pay the full cost of the tour even if you are driving yourself. 

A post shared by Sonia 👩🏻‍💻 Layoutlines.com (@layoutlines) on Jan 14, 2018 at 9:53am PST

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tour includes a nights stay in a Bubble: 59,900ISK per person

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