In the heat of the Finland

This post will go straight into the category "read on November when nothing else helps". It's been such a dramatically wonderful summer, and some sources (I can't say I do understand anything about the weather forecasting but I happily read these news) have estimated this hot and sunny weather would continue until September or even October! That would be something incredible - it would make our summer for 5months instead of the usual 2.5! I vote yes if you ask me!

My mind has been wondering to autumn already, not in a bad way, no, but item-wise. I think I have mentioned it earlier before, but I would love to have a stock ahead the season ready; the autumn stuff now and Christmas stock in September, but I always seem to be running late. I made plans for this summer in May, and had a vision of piles of knitted and felted mittens to be ready by now but...

I also have other new things in mind already, and I finally got my latest pending orders out yesterday and I am back to designing board in a minute. The only problem is that my working space is upstairs and the heat there... It requires a bikini, cold drink and a fan! How long do you think I'll stay focused in that atmosphere? You got it.

Have a wonderful week, dear friends, and let's enjoy these beautiful days! I am sending you sunshine, this time we really have some to spare.

Yours,
Mia

Berries and birdies

I want to apologize for not posting more often. We have had great weather still and I have been enjoying it with my nephew. We have had great time picking blueberries and raspberries, cycling (he cycles, I run after him) and also thrifting. He might only be three, but he really knows what his aunt needs. The other day we were going to visit a local flea market, and just before we entered I said (half joking, half serious thinking all my pending strawberry-orders): "I only need some strawberry fabric, really." And look what that dear boy delivered to me within ten minutes:

Thank you so much dear!

And that fabric was really needed! I have made quite a few birdie&strawberry items this summer, and I still have more custom orders to be made. I think this design is one of my most summery filled ones, and many of you have liked that too. There have been smaller and bigger pouches, some pins, and a few bags too. And some more yet to come.

Some are in my etsy shop, but most are custom orders and some is going to be sold here in Finland. This is my second batch of felt goods to Lappeenranta, and I am happy my work has been much liked there too, fills me with joy! Thank you so much girls!

And since this post seems to be strawberry themed again, I definitely need to fill you in with the latest of the battle. I took your advise, and asked help from my superhero friend and see what happened!

+



=


!!!

Sweet (victory) Thursday!

Yours,
Mia

From flowers to Josh

It's been a hot and beautiful summer here, and I feel so blessed: last summer was wonderful too. I was ready (well not ready, you can never be ready but coming to terms with) for a rainy and miserable summer, and was sure to be sitting inside whole summer and feeling blue. Instead I have been working outside and made colors! flowers! beauty! Someone please remind me of this feeling in November when I complain about everything. And guide me back to this post with all these flowers, thank you.

Oh my. Seems a bit much, but this weather just makes these flowers to bloom! And let's face it: there will be just enough months to come when there's no single flower in sight, and making them needs some heavy google-ing and memory-digging. So let's enjoy these while they last.

***

Today seems a bit cooler and windier, which actually is perfect for today. Today is a family-free day for me and my sis, we're hitting some shops, great Spanish-restaurant (me gusta!) and a movie later. We'll opt for DVD probably, as it's an opening night for the last Harry Potter here and we'll leave that for true fans. We just need a bit of an entertainment and maybe a cute guy or two. There would be Trasformers 3 showing here too, and it was a great candidate but lost due to lack of details (we haven't seen either 1 or 2). Following conversation took place while considering:

Me: There would be Transformers 3 too...Likey?
Sis: Is it only robots and stuff?
Me: Maybe, but also Josh Duhamel...
Sis: Yes?!? But will he be wearing a robot-mask? Like all the time?
Me: I dunno - let's have a DVD, shall we?

Wonderful day, dear friends!

Yours,
Mia

Me, myself and my pouch

I've said it before, but in my case an old saying "shoemaker's children are often shoeless" is so true. My sister complains (and for a good reason, really) that I should wear more of my own designs, to get a conversation started and "then you could slip them your beautiful business card". Thanks sis, that reminded me of an another problem, the cards (still missing).

I found this pretty-reused-striped-sturdy-cotton while thrifting some weeks ago. The piece wasn't quite large enough for a bag (it was a small-ish pillow cover) but the colors were just lovely. I pieced it for a few pouches and some keyfobs and needle felted the birds. And liked it even more. Then and there I decided that this set will be mine.

And because it's only for me, should it lack some details?

Definitely not. The following has no connection to a certain brand or their products, but I think the set is perfect because I'm worth it. The cutest birdie-set ever, so me, (and a great conversation starter too, I'm off to hunt the business cards soon, do not worry sis!), mission accomplished.

Happy new week soon!

Yours,
Mia

An endless battle

I am not sure that I have mentioned before, how very dangerous neigborhood we live in? What you absolutely already know, is that I am not a gardening person of any kind. Although I have a secret I haven't told you. My strawberries. And that also gets us back to this gangsta-neighborhood. Straight back to it.

I do not have fields full of strawberries, just an odd bush or two of wild strawberries. BUT the berries in these bushes taste better than anything else in whole wide world. Not that I would have that vivid memory though, as it was summer 2008 or so when I last had one.

Let me explain. Every single summer the pretty white flowers appear, and quite soon after the little green berries start to grow. They grow and grow and start to get some beautiful red on their cheeks. I impatiently check many times each day if the strawberries would be red enough to eat...And then, suddenly, this:



All the strawberries gone. Gone. Every single year. What is going on? A gang. Simple as that. A devious, high-performing and disastrously quick. So quick that taking pictures (aka hard evidence) is almost impossible. Although I have managed to get a few shots, but they show nothing, I mean not a single thing to get them actually evicted. A real mugshot can be seen here.

I am so frustrated. Last year I even tried to offer them ALL my black- and redcurrant bushes to eat if they would leave my strawberries alone. Didn't work, they ate both. The only thing I haven't tried yet is to put my superhero-friend into the action - maybe he could guard the remaining two strawberries I have left. What do you think?

***

In the meanwhile I have been doing some more long-lasting strawberries. And birds. But definitely not Turdus Pilaris, I tell you.

Hah. Crafter 1 - Turdus 0.

Happy week!

Yours,
Mia

Happy hoots

It's been wonderful and sunny week, and today we hit the +30C, which is really hot but no complains here. On Sunday it should get colder again so I am just loving this moment. I am just off to outside again, to enjoy a great book and some well earned sweets in the garden but before that I would like to show you my latest...

...bag! Little owls, hoot-hoot!



...pouch. And look, owls there too! Double hoot for that! And you, who have been following my ramblings for some time already, have guessed the last one, it must be a keyring or...



...the owl-brooch! And as you already know, I like the things to match, so here we go:



A complete owl-set! Triple hoot-hoot!

Happy weekend dear friends, and see you next week again!

Yours,
Mia