Color therapy

January is progressing nicely, it is the 16th already. We've had snow I wasn't hoping but was expecting, and it's little colder also but still: February is closer than December, that's all I count.

The color-palette is changing too: the brighter and more springly colors are appearing. It's not that I choose them every morning that consciously, they just jump from my shelves into my needles.

It's less than a month until the Valentine's Day. Here in Finland it's the day of friendship more than day of love (although friendship represents love on its best but you know what I mean), and I am thinking of making some hearty items. There's really no need to wait until the Valentine's Day to say I love you but it for sure gives a great excuse. I have marinated these jewelry bases (below) for months and maybe now it's time to take them out and play.



We're heading for a mini-break this coming weekend, and when we return (on Sunday 22nd) this month is almost over, and I welcome February with open arms.

Happy Monday!

Yours,
Mia

These days

I enjoy crisp, sunny and bright January days. I admire frosty trees and beautiful blue skies. Days get longer and lighter, and I can almost hear the birds singing. It feels like March. Life is good.

Yours,
Mia

Absolutely the very last post of the mittens

These are in the shop now.

Happy Tuesday!

Yours,
Mia

Welcome (pre)spring

The giveaway-prizes were delivered by Mr.Postie so they can be shown too

Today is the official end of the Christmas-time here in Finland, it's called "loppiainen" and it's a national holiday here too. I am using this post to declare the dark winter days over also (it snows heavily but still) and I hereby welcome spring, or a pre-spring at least. Optimism is my middle name, you know.

Happy Friday!

Yours,
Mia

EDIT. I just had to add links to Vivienne's pre-spring posts, you can find the first one here and the second here, as they were the true true inspiration for this post of mine! Here's to you, Vivienne, and your "only-one-month-winter" calendar, it's a true life saver! Thank you ever so much!

Crossroads

My dear, dear, dear friend is starting a new phase in her life. She'll be a student again after... Let's be diplomatic for both of us as we've same age and say, that it's been a while. And what can a loving and caring friend do except courage for applying, stress over the interview (for nothing, she did perfect) and celebrate when she's in?

But of course make sure, that she has a pretty pencil-case and all odds and ends needed. That being pencils (in many different colors, very important!), a notebook, a ruler, some MOOMIN tissues, some pretty stickers to mark her books and a heart-peck to mark the homework page. All there. In a happy owl-friends-case. But naturally.

This is a wonderful opportunity to my dear friend, and I am so happy she decided to go for it now. It's just not that straightforward to us, the kids of seventies, who have been told not to made these decisions (in this age or at any age after 18, really). We were told (both home and school) to pick up an occupation at eighteen, study hard and stick with the first job we managed to get. It was called a career tube, and it was meant to be a straight line from the high school to golden retirements days. I am not exactly sure if the tube is the correct word in English, but a tube it was - no doors, crossroads or even bridges to jump off.



I think nowadays the teens talk about the career paths, because they've encouraged to get a degree there, work a while here, study some more and change it all over again. And no one judges, they've just called innovative, brave and opportunistic in a good way. Not that many kids actually stay in the first occupation they pick, and it's alright. Because who really knows at 16 what one wants to do in 30 years time? I rest my case.

But, but, but all this said I want to raise my glass to us all, who are (reaching a certain number) not getting any younger and have found the courage to get out of the tube and change the patch. It'll all end up wonderful, I just know it.

Here's to us!

Yours,
Mia

Weekday, working day, business day

I checked my dictionary for an average day, and those it came up with: a weekday, a working day and a business day. It didn't say anything about a dull day or a monotone Monday though, I was actually a bit surprised. Oh, you got I right, it's the first MONDAY after the Holidays.

It's not that bad, really, I am just feeling sort of slow. So I have had some tea, sorted my paperwork, drank more tea, calculated some figures for 2011 (with a hot cuppa) and done my goals (business-wise) for this year. I also am waiting Mr. Postie to visit a three places soon (see the picture above) as I finally got the giveaway-prizes to post before the New Year. When they get to those lovely ladies, I'll show you a few more pictures.

Talking about the giveaway, you really should take a look this! It's lovely Nova having a pretty, funny and generous giveaway until 15th, go and sign up, the prizes are just fantastic! And I really can't think of anything more cheering up than a parcel full of those pretties arriving in an another gray January day!

I also have done just a little new things for my shop (like that little birdie in love-pouch above), and they'll get there one by one during next a few days. So I am starting this year in my own pace, and enjoying what I do. That's my unofficial new year's resolution, did you make any?

Happy Monday!

Yours,
Mia

HandmadebyMia 2011

January




February



March



April




May




June



July




August




September




October




November



December

What a year. Colorful, bright, gray, dark, light. Stripey, plain, rich, solid, pale. Wishing you a fantastic New Year 2012!

See you next year!

Yours,
Mia