2011-02-28

Recommended

Almost exactly year ago we had some strange but quite cute visitors in our back yard, and this morning their blue relatives arrived! They told me that the previous ones sent their love (from all over the world from their new homes) and they had recommended this particular garden. I was speechless as the garden sounded sort of exaggeration this morning with the snow mountains and leafless bushes.



The birdies seemed happy, though, and they even have two little tweets with them. Suddenly sun started shine too and happy tweeting filled the air. Who am I to argue: Spring is definitely here!



Happy last day of February - and warm welcome to March!

Yours,
Mia

2011-02-22

It's the little things in life

Oh yes, they make all the difference. The little things. A sunny moment, the neat piles of fabric, all the pretty buttons in their own jars, a clean working space when you start a day. Enough bobbins with thread ready, a favorite yogurt in a fridge for a snack and a clean t-shirt (ironed if the day is a really great one!).



Of course the little pretty things are very important too. Like those bits and pieces of pretty tweeds and ribbons sewn together for cute key rings. These make me happy and smile.



I have been cleaning my cupboards and drawers all weekend, and have found many pretty things I didn't remember having. Such as ribbons, buttons and some pearls, too. It's like Christmas, actually, opening the boxes and pouches and finding the treasury after an another.




I used to think that I will never be able to use my vintage buttons and trims, but I have started to think that if they can make someone else happy and smile, it's worth it. The little things, you know?

Happy Tuesday from sunny Finland!

Yours,
Mia

2011-02-18

Days of our lives

Yet another week has passed, and we're a teeny bit closer to spring. It doesn't feel that much, though, as this week has been coldest in a century or so, all days -20C or more, and nights and mornings as cold as -35C. For you, who live in more warmer climate, these are just numbers, I know, but for even us Finns these temperatures mean very, very cold. Throw in a dentist, using the car in these minus degrees and a some quite urgent orders and this could have been a horrid week.



But no, it wasn't that bad. I was busy, yes, but I am quite exited of these new, more summery linen&birdie-bags, and finishing a order(s) and getting packages shipped always makes me smile. And hey, my dentist is a wonderful chap, bad jokes and perfect at his job - makes me smile too, actually. And the weather...That's just Finland, really.



But all that said I am still very, very happy it's Friday. I am taking the weekend somewhat slow, and dream of a spring clean in my working space. I would love to get all the brightest and lightest fabrics, buttons, trims and other pretty stuff in front row. I have a few (read: many) empty glass jars waiting...

Happy weekend!

Yours,
Mia

2011-02-14

My Valentine with P.Diddy

I ordered a magazine for a year to my Sis for Christmas. The price was great, and I also received and extra thank-you gift. The set arrived a few weeks ago, and I have been wondering since if it actually could be used or not.



Do not take me wrong, I like bling-bling and silver is also definitely my color, but this set is just somehow massive. I love the hearts and the heavy chain but but but... The bracelet I have used a few times, and it is almost manageable, although on my last Spanish lesson the guy next to me was tangled with it. He's cute and nice and his sweater didn't suffer that much so hopefully he shares the table with me next Tuesday too. But the necklace... It's just too P.Diddy even for me.



I read Jane's post about her wonderful pay-it-forward gifts a while ago and had an idea! How about that heart as a bag-jewelry? I love everything shining, and use handbags everyday (I have a magpie-syndrome combined with baglady-ism), and the changes were large heart could be just the right size there. I decided to try, I couldn't see myself using the necklace as it was anyway.



All I did was to shorten the chain and attach it to one of metal rings I had lying around. I didn't need heavy equipment, just the nice set of pliers to open and close a chain links (and please do not look the pliers-picture too closely, it's obviously staged for editorial reasons, a lot of puffing and pulling was needed to open the link and camera holding wasn't possible at the same time).



But oh, how I love it now! And it can still be used together with the bracelet too (and what a match they're with my shiamond "M"- bag jewelry)! As soon as we can loose some of the winter-clothing (mittens for a start) I can bling-bling my way to sunset.



Happy Valentine's day!

Yours,
Mia

2011-02-12

Never too late

I think this has happened before, and I was sure I had blogged about it too, but couldn't find the entry. Maybe it's the sunshine after long and dark winter?



My Christmas amaryllis in second (or is this a third?) bloom! I almost tossed it in January when the flowers started to look bad, but then I spotted an another bud there. I calmly snipped the dead parts off and started to wait the next flowers to arrive. And we waited...and waited...and waited... And then, one morning, almost two months after I brought the flower home:



The most beautiful flowers opened! And look, there are more buds still:



This little late-bloomer brings me such a joy every time I see it. I think the flower is also more or less like me: give it love, time and some sunshine, and it'll bloom eventually! It took me this long to figure out (and start) a life I really wanted but hey, I think I'm just about to bloom!

Happy weekend dear friends!

Yours,
Mia

2011-02-07

The magpie in me

I have confessed here how I collect (read: hoard) fabrics, wool, ribbons and craftbooks. I also have a quite impressive button collection, and I have shown some of it here. I also have many things in my cupboards I am not sure of. I am not sure why I have them, and I am also struggling to see a way to use them. But I suck at tossing things.



I have a big jar full of re-cycled metal buttons. And plastic buttons looking like metal. Flowers-shaped buttons, shiny pearl-looking buttons, diamond-shmiamond-buttons. I like them, they're very pretty, but I haven't managed to find any use for them. One could argue if the collection actually needs to be usable at all, but I would like to think that I keep things for reason. So I took a closer look...



...and fell in love again! I can't throw these away! But how could a natural fiber-lover like me (wool, linen, wooden buttons) find a use for such a plastic bling-bling? But as in many cases, the first answer is not always the last (or the best either)! I really think I need to experiment more and think outside the box more often, too. Here we go:



This little rose-holder was closely followed by these:



Little felt pouches with my old birds and some new flowers! I know these might not be everyone's favorites, but I like the new look! And that said it really doesn't take that much to make something look fresh (and new - I think I've used the word a few times here already) - I am happy with the results. Hello spring and sunshine: here come my bling-birdies!



Happy new week!

Yours,
Mia

2011-02-04

Let it snow...and snow...and...

After my snow-snow-snow-everywhere-spring-nowhere post yesterday I just wanted to share a few shots around my neighborhood today. I hope these will not shock the most spring-orientated of you:



Oh dear, that was Midsummer's eve around 6 months ago. And the very same spot today:



A great consolation is that in just six more months we'll have the roses again... And look at the poor house today:



And it keeps coming... And people are running out of places to shovel it into...



But dear friends, it's not cold (it's actually only -3 or so), it's Friday, and I have the second season of Dynasty almost on my DVD already. Plus some great company and just maybe a bar of chocolate, too. Life is good!

Happy weekend, everyone!

Yours,
Mia

2011-02-03

Latest from the land of the late blooming

It's February, yippee! We made it through January (which, once again, felt so long and gloomy but looking back now was filled with so many things). I regularly read many blogs, and it seems that Feb has a spring feel to many of you. The colors are getting brighter as days get longer and lighter, and flowers, they're everywhere!



Here not so much. We have 60cm/23.6" snow and more coming all the time. Days are brighter but as it snows heavily constantly, the sun doesn't shine that much. So no daffodils or tulips here yet, we're still on candles-mode.



I have a soft spot for clean and simple Finnish design glass, and was lucky to get a few more from Santa. These are so beautiful together yet they work beautifully on their own, too. And actually...



...They make a pretty flower, too! Here's to spring, friends!

Bright Thursday!

Yours,
Mia

2011-02-01

Mmmmm...moomins

There are a few things, that never fail to make me smile. These little white fellows are among them. Even if you weren't familiar with the story behind them, the cuteness just... is there.




I have made quite a few bags, pouches and other little things with re-used Moomin-fabrics over the years. Somehow, little by little, the wool and felting have taken over. Every now and then I dig my Moomins-stash (oh yes, I have one!) and make these feel-good-makes-me-smile -things. So you're not believing I do have a stash? Let's see:



...and it's properly labeled too:



My fabrics are still, after the renovation-boxing-time, washed but wrinkled-ly stuffed in the boxes. I just cannot get myself to do all the ironing at once. I have convinced myself it would take ages, so when I use, I iron. Pretty they're not, I must admit, but they're in the darkest corner of my working space (explains the dark pictures too) so I can live with them.




I really should go through my stash little more often as there are many, many fabrics I really didn't even remember I had. Pretty, springly and cute (and wrinkled). Hmm... There seem to be two options for today: either I go and start spring cleaning the fabric boxes with an iron as my weapon of choice or I could start sewing some more with my yesterday's finds. This really is a hard one...

Happiest Tuesday!

Yours,
Mia

This time of the year...

Usually around this time, when children go back to school, and you can just about to smell the autumn, I start to dig deeper in my fabric...