Sam & Elvis

"There's no need for me to learn how to use scissors 

because my aunt can cut and sew so great"

Wonderful little guy

That line up there is what my wonderful nephew delivered when his kindergarten teacher tried to get him to show how he manages scissors (that's part of the 4-5yrs skills-testing here). I was deeply touched by those words, he seems to appreciate my handmadebyMia-skills. And he can use scissors perfectly when he feels like it.

 

We have been spending many of our Fridays together lately, and he just amazes me every time we meet with his creativity, innovations and his energy. The endless energy he has. He has been a great fan of policemen for ages, but lately firemen have been the flavor of the month. We play fire station for hours. He is the star of the station, naturally, and I got to play the enthusiastic yet not the brightest assistant. Oh yes, we've watched a lot of Fireman Sam, and many of our plays are based on those episodes too. Usually Sam spots the (imaginary)fire, makes the alarm(noise) and also puts down the flames (like up there using my water spray bottle). You would be surprised how many fires there can be within one day.

He also loves his godfather dearly, and likes nothing better than do manly things with him: washing the car, making sauna ready, painting, repairs around the house... He also loves the godfather's stuff (like guitar, cigar humidor), and wants to try them every time he visits (see the humidor's hydrometer adjusted above). But what he does best is to bring smiles and happiness all around him:

"Look! We got mail! Santa sent us card here in fire station! 

Please let's read it together!"

♥

Happy Wednesday!

Yours,

Mia

Almost there

Sun shines, and I just can't get enough of outside-life. I have been biking, taking long walks and just sitting outside enjoying the lovely, lovely weather. There's a slight cold feel underneath all the sunshine still, and it's definitely not yet a summer dress warm. So what could be better to keep your hands warm than clickety-clicking needles and pretty, bright wools?

Wonderful Thursday!

Yours,
Mia

Every gray cloud has pink lining

 

Today the skies are bluer than blue, and just a few clouds here and there. Those pretty clouds inspired me to use a piece of pink&gray tweed I found while thrifting a few days ago. It all started with that pretty fabric, a piece of gray cloud-trim from my stash and a keyring was born:

With little pink birdie and the sun peaking behind the cloud. It was followed by a little pouch...

That little pink tweet is singing in the rain! And to complete it all (you know me and my matchy-matchy condition) I still made a totebag:

It's was made with a pink birdie and big leaf under a rainy cloud.

Every gray cloud has pink lining!

Happy Monday!

Yours,
Mia

This little pouch went to a market...

And these little purses stayed home...

I went through my boxes of "almost ready" and "finish when time" and found some pretty coin purses that needed just a little work to be ready. Somehow they have been left unfinished for one reason or another. So I just sew a few seams, added a little trim and a few flowers here and there and six coin purses were ready! And as they are a little surprise to me, I listed them as spring clearance to my etsy-shop!

So if you need want a little coin purse, or a cute home for your lipstick, keys or anything you need to carry around in your handbag or pocket or just leave it into a car - here's a change to get one! There are birdies (no surprises there!) and flowers and strawberries, and the tweets go solo and with a friend. All come with a zipper on top and little trim on the other seam. Enjoy!

Happy Saturday!

Yours,

Mia

Art inspired

Sometimes (or most of the time, really) I get my creation-inspiration (what a monster-word!) from my wools and fabric, the colors and patterns. I see a pretty flowered fabric and knit and felt a pouch to go with it. But art also inspires me.

 

Above there's a masterpiece called "strawberry field", it's a mixed-technique art work (glue, glitter-glue, fingers) and it was made by my nephew. I must say I love it. My picture-taking doesn't do the justice here, it shines and sparkles and makes me smile every time I see it. And it also inspired me to open the strawberry-season 2012. And where there are strawberries, there are the ladybugs too, right?

 

It started with a happy tablet-cover with the ladybugs above, they're as crazy about the summer as me, and continued with some phone covers...

 

... and last but not least a little pencil case too. I think I'm winning the battle with the notoriously ill-mannered Turdus-gang this year - confidence is everything they say, don't they? 

Wonderful Friday and happy weekend soon too!

Yours,

Mia

P.S. I know it's not everybody's cup of tea, but this is for the lovely fellow Finn abroad: We made it to best four! Two games to go and next one is tomorrow starting around 14:30 Finnish time. You should see it here too, darling! In the mean while: let's just keep our fingers crossed!

A perfect day

One happy camper knitter. There was no time to stage the outfit when the sun came out today. That's why we're showing off the worn sweatpants, pink shoes with black socks and three different (bamboo, squared metal & regular plastic) knitting needles; one just grabbed what one found and run. Oh bliss.

Wonderful Tuesday!

Yours,

Mia

It's the month of the Lily again

Do you still remember last year, when I posted about the Lily of the Valley's around here? Those pictures were taken some weeks later than these, and spring is also somewhat late this year, so there's not that much to take pictures of yet, but the idea of the month of the Lily is definitely here.

Oh those tiny green buds are just enough to get me inspired to create bags and pouches with colors of beautiful greens and white (and some birds, you know me)

And some more...

And still some just off my needles to be washed, felted and decorated. Not a beauty yet, but like those little buds I just know it'll be pretty soon.

Happy and hopeful Saturday!

Yours,
Mia

Pins revisited

I have been doing little spring clean in my craft-stash(s), and have once again found treasuries I didn't remember having. Like these little pins one of my friends gave me with "I know you'll make something fun of these". That was years (seriously) ago.

You know these things: an ad-pin of some sort, nice and sturdy metal but hardly anything you would use after certain conference/election/exhibition. So you end up tossing them. These are push-pins, totally unused (still in the plastic wrap), and I started to think how I could give them a new life completely? Enter some felt, sharp scissors, needles for felting and:

This year's happy little pins were born! Do you still remember 2011 style? If you do, you remember also that I couldn't make just pins last year - how about 2012?

I think you already knew that I had to make matching pouches? Oh yes, phone cozies this time with some pretty birds and bees. I am sure there will be single pins (going solo into my shop) but these three sets I just have to list as sets. You can see them more closely here soon.

Now I'm off to see some high-class ice hockey (we've won last two games, fingers crossed for tonight) and I wish you happy Tuesday!

Yours,

Mia

**Edit. I re-organized the pictures as they were literally all over the place. Me and the new blogger are not the best of friends, yet. And oh yes, we did win the game, it was a third in a row, fantastic!**