Darkest secrets

Hip hooray, it's Friday again, and only a week to go until Christmas! I thought it would be fun to share some "not widely known" facts of my Christmas-love today (and you may feel most welcome to do the same in comment box), enjoy:

• I know there are many brilliant Christmas songs in the world, and I have tried many, but my absolutely favorite is this still. I love it, and video too, and it's my all time favorite ring tone for my phone also

• I am really ashamed to admit this but I am a real present hoarder. Until the recent years I actually counted my parcels and got a bit upset if I didn't get the most. I am going much better now, and my nephew will be the present-master this year

• I really love to play games during the Holidays, Monopoly, Granium, Pictionary... But I am a crappy team-mate as I want to win. Really want. Even my dear husband (who has promised to love me in sickness and in health mind you) sometimes would love to get into an another team, and that should tell you something

• It's no secret I love 80s TV series, and the Christmas-episodes especially (Dynasty is my ultimate favorite), but I also have a Jessica Fletcher (from Murder she wrote) book on my nightstand as type this. Which one? A little Yuletide murder of course
  
  I think this is enough for one day, and I wish you happy weekend! And no pressure, dears, but I can't wait to hear your darkest C-secrets...
  
  Happy December 16th!
  
  Yours,
  Mia

The winner!

I can't believe it's the 15th already! When I started the mittens giveaway, I thought "there's so much time still..." and oops, it went in a second. But now it's the time to say thank you all so much for participating! There were 18 comments, and I skipped one (Hi dear Vivienne!) so there were 17 of you, wonderful! I included all of you (if you were picked as the winner, and mittens are not for you, I'll be making you something else pretty) from 1-17 and here we go...

...and no pictures from name-from-hat-picking this time as it got too dark too soon so I'll opted for a random number generator instead:

The image is not the best, but it's number 1, Kerry! Congratulations!I'll be contacting you for your wishes soon! And as it's the Holiday-time, giving and sharing and such, I took an another shot:

It's number 2! Congratulations, Gill! It'll be red&birdies-mittens for you! And while smiling at Gill for winning I (always suspicious Finn) was also "Is this machine-random-picking working, it gave me 1 and 2, what are the odds?" so for the science&Holiday Spirits I took the third shot:

And it's number 5 - Donna! Congratulations! Your wish was a pair of teal mittens with birdies&flowers!

***

Congratulations to all of you, ladies! And I know, this random-machine picking might be less Sheldon Cooper sort of science than other ways, but I am definitely happy, and I wish you all are too! Happy Thursday to all of you and thank you still so much for participating! I'll be in touch with the lucky ladies soon!

Happy December 15th!

Yours,
Mia

Getting things done

Today is a busy day: we are picking up a tree for my mom, baking a traditional fruit cake, I am going to do the absolutely last shopping with my sis, and then there are those damn I mean made with love-seasonal greetings to be made. So I leave you with these cute yet a bit manic (just like me?) snowmen today:

Happy December 14th!

Yours,
Mia

P.S. Giveaway here until tomorrow, December 15th! Welcome!

Just checking

MIA'S CHRISTMAS LIST:

1. Find a perfect new cookie-jar



check

2. Get some happy napkins to go with the gingerbread-men theme


check

3. Buy some pretty baubles (even absolutely unnecessary)



chekiti-checkiti-check

4. Hang up the light-wreath


check

5. Post those beautifully crafted, ever so unique handmade Christmas cards, the last day for lower shipping rate is 15th

Whaaaaat??? I think I must run now. NOW.

***

Happy December 13th!

Yours,
Mia

P.S. Giveaway here until December 15th! Welcome!

Aunting

There are a few Christmassy things still from my travels to show to you but before I got all the luggage unpacked, I leave you with this little story...

-Auntie, what is that machine?
-It's a mini...You know...carpet...knitting-machine? No...Sis, help?
-It's a loom-machine to make a rug. Mini-size.
-I knew that. It's by brio, dear.

-Auntie, is this the one I need to move to make a carpet?
-Um...It's been 30years since I used a similar thing...Let me see *trying, silent swearing, threads all over the place*, I think it might broken. I am pretty sure actually.

-Auntie, if I just take this from here, and put that there...Look auntie, I know how! Should I make a green stripe next... Auntie, I really want this for Christmas!

-Sweetie, let's have a coffee, you can have a big bun. Auntie really needs it now.

Happy December 12th!

Yours,
Mia

P.S. Giveaway here until December 15th! Welcome!

Home sweet home

Hello dear friends,

Happily smiling after a great weekend I still would love to show you some little details from our weekend. Little more brighter this time too. So here we go:

Happy store windows (and us there too on the mirror!)...

Busy Christmas markets - it was packed - hundreds of people all around. Too many people for my liking, really. I love to see things great, touch the items, and also talk to the sellers... So in "Vanha Ylioppilastalo" we escaped upstairs and it was little easier to breath there. I found some pretty gifts there though, more of those later, some might be on their way to my readers too...

And there was an outdoor market too on "Senaatintori", it's a marketplace just next to very majestic buildings such Helsinki Cathedral, The Government Palace and beautiful buildings of the Helsinki University. Such a wonderful place for a Christmas market!

We climbed all stairs to the Cathedral and the views were spectacular - and even sun came out!



Lovely sunshine followed us whole Sunday ...

...and now I am back to snowy home. We had the most wonderful time, and I got so much new energy from this little trip. Thank you so much for the best ever company, Sis, and we have to make this December trip as a new tradition!

I wish you all happy December 11th!

Yours,
Mia

P.S. Giveaway here until December 15th! Welcome!

Tourism at its best

rain-darkness-wind-lights-happiness-shaky pictures-laughter-christmas-shopping-seeing-enjoying-coffee-chocolate-baubles-presents-hotel-weekend-giggles-helsinki-sisters-on-a-road

Happy December 10th!

Yours,
Mia&Sis

P.S. Giveaway here until December 15th! Welcome!

An another snowman-story

I have visited quite a few blogs recently, where the homes are looking so wonderfully festive already! There are beautiful lights and textiles, and the most treasured figurines have been taken out to display. I am running a bit *sigh* late this year, and have just managed to get out my favorite snowmen. The first ones greet you at the door...

And of course my bag has some too...

And the latest addition just arrived today! I have been wanting this Arabia Snowman-figure for a year already, and I spotted it today while shopping, and it was a bargain too. This beauty being on sale just before Christmas doesn't make sense (alright, it's the season 2010 product aka so last year) - I love it!

We're (me&sis) jumping into a train to travel to Helsinki in a few hours! It's the sisters tour vol.2 and we will be enjoying the festive atmosphere there until Sunday, yippee! I will take my trusty Canon with me and will share the views with you later. Now I must be off to pack, I'll leave you to enjoy this (gives me the goosebumps every time) and wish you a wonderful weekend!

Happy December 9th!

Yours,
Mia

P.S. Giveaway here until December 15th! Welcome!

Inspiration

I think I already told you, that we went to a crafting event last weekend, and it was such fun. The children cut angels and elves and other cute things, and clued them absolutely everywhere. Lovely Christmassy atmosphere, smiling faces and happy people.

And look what I spotted! A wonderful owl-mobile, some branches, cutest ever handmade owls and some painted pine cones - I am in love! Let's take a closer look of the little owls:

Absolutely charming! I am going to craft something like this with my little nephew soon; this is just a thing for us to make together, and he'll love the pine cone-panting too for sure. I think our owls and cones will be hanged from a chandelier... And some toadstools and something green...What has inspired you lately?

Happy December 8th!

Yours,
Mia

P.S. Giveaway here until December 15th! Welcome!