Bunny in a basket

Around this time of the year I usually have made some pretty Easter-coasters for my shop, like these and these. This year I wanted to create something different, and ended up with some happy easter-y baskets:

But hey, is there someone lurking from one of those pouches? Lets take a closer look...

 ...and closer...

Oh yes, it's a little bunny holding an Easter egg! How about the other baskets?

Hello little birdie! How about this then...

A little bunny with a snowdrop as scarf? Oh yes:

And like all the others, there's a pin on back:

...to make any outfit a happy&easter-y! Just like this little tweet with a big yellow daffodil would do:

...and still one more bunny in a basket:

Hello sweetie! Pretty tulips, a whole bunch!

All these happy baskets with little bunnies&birdies can be seen more closely in my shop here - and with them I send you a lot of sunshine and wish you a

Happy Wednesday!

Yours,
Mia

What a week

This week is an official Winter Holiday (skiing holiday we call it here) in my area, and while the skiing itself is out of the question (not enough snow believe it or not) with rainy, + degrees weather and bare land, other fun and exciting activities have been found.

We had a lovely visitor for the first ever without parents-sleep over! He arrived with a big suitcase full of toys and books and games, and bathrope for going to sauna with his beloved godfather. Such fun, and he already announced that next time it'll be for two nights...

I also gathered yet an another year *sigh* but it was worth getting older as I've been spoiled with flowers, cards, presents and happy visitors. We had chocolate mudcake (some of us had sweet potato-mash and cucumber) and other favorites. Mr. Postman has delivered happy parcels all week (the best way to celebrate: a whole week!), thank you sweet people all over the world!

I've also read (library-borrowed) magazines for new inspiration and bought some springly-colored wool, and wish to show new things to you soon. And the cherry on the cake: tomorrow is the International Women's Day and my dear sister has offered to treat me, our mom and my princess-niece with coffee and buns (cucumber for some) in a lovely coffee-shop. What a wonderful week - I could get used to all this! How's your week been?

Happy Friday, and sunny weekend soon too!

Yours,

Mia

Seasons

When we Finns moan about long and gray winter and short summer the conversation usually turns into seasons, which are supposed to be the richness of our climate. Spring, summer, autumn and winter - all different yet wonderful in their own way is usually said. I am not absolutely sure if I would suffer greatly if in my life the changing seasons were summer-morning, summer-day, summer-evening and summer-night, but I get the point. These days the winter changing to spring gives us pure joy and hope, and I can't wait to see that change to happen.

I found this pretty Moomin fabric with all our seasons a while ago, and couldn't help making one bag for each season, there's light blue snowballs-skiing-igloo (not that Finnish, but darn cute still)-bag and

 Light green all but gardening is waste of time-spring bag and

Red-blue summer-night fishing and strawberries-summer bag and last but not least

Yellow-orange autumn bag with happy berry picking and jam making. Cute as all the seasons on their own way, right? Bags can be seen more closely in my shop here.

Happy Sunday!

Yours,

Mia

Flower power

Last Friday, after I had cleaned entirely house, I thought it would be lovely to have some spring flowers on the table too. So off I went and got myself some beautiful tulips...

...then my mom arrived with a pretty bouquet, and just after her my dear sister with still some more...

... and all these were followed by my best friend:

Oh my! Talk about the flower power!

Wishing you a springly&happy Monday!

Yours,
Mia

♥♥♥

+

=

oops...

Pretty Valentine's Friend's Day-mittens to the world's best sister!

♥♥♥

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Yours,
Mia

Snowing Sale Saturday

It snows, and I thought: "What would be a better way if not celebrate that but almost than a little sale?" Everything (shipping fees excluded) is -20% in my shop with the conveniently chosen code SNOWING - happy Saturday!

Yours,
Mia

Same old, same old

I have been knitting and felting little pouches from my yarn-ends stash again. These are fun to make and they require quite little each color, so all the smallest ends can be used too. I think I've used almost all the color combinations possible, so you could say it's same old, same old once again from HandmadebyMia-factory but on the other hand...

Even the colors are all familiar, and you may have seen them earlier, and even if the design is similar in each of them...

...they still seem to turn out pretty unique. All the birds are handmade (and the factory is a corporate of one brave knitter, me) so no two turn out just alike (even I sometimes really try). And the colors make all the difference, just take a look:

Stripes, a little birdie and a flower. All different - happily so! The colors played their magic once again.

Have a lovely day!

Yours,

Mia

Love and other portraits

When I found a little bag of these plastic embroidery hoops in a local thrift shop just before Christmas, I really tried to see them filled with some elves, a happy Santa and maybe red-nosed reindeer or two. No such luck, maybe it was the pretty pinkness of three of the hoops, but they just didn't make me see Christmas. 

I put them back to my cupboard then, and found them again last week. Just conveniently about a month before Valentine's Day - and oh my, did I start seeing things in them now! I've mentioned it many times earlier, but here in Finland the Valentine's Day is actually called "The Friend's Day", and that inspired me to create...

... Portraits of love and friendship! I think these two go firmly hand in hand, and we really do not need a special day to shout I LOVE YOU like this little birdie with his balloons...

...or the mummy-bird with two little ones under the pretty flower, or...

...a little bunny dressed with her prettiest bow...

... I think she has a date? I know for sure this little Kitty has dressed her best, she's wearing her mommy's precious pearls (and a pink birdie on top of her head, the best kind of accessory: a friend!)...

...and then there's this little doggie (wearing his prettiest red-bow just like the bunny earlier), who waits his friend to come to share the biggest-ever bone he just found...and the little birdie keeps him company while waiting!

I think these little wall hangings tell the story of love and friendship at its best: it makes you smile to even think about your friend, and you really do not mind waiting, when you know you'll meet soon. Dressing your best... but naturally! These little friends can be seen more close in my shop here.

I wish you a lovely day, and hope you'll call or mail or write to a friend! 

Yours,

Mia

It's a beautiful world

Amazing what a little snow, frost and sunshine can do - the world has turned into a beautiful place again. Difference between today and this... Amazing indeed. I wish you all a wonderful, sunny and happy new week soon!

Yours,

Mia

KEEP CALM

... and carry on? Oh yes, but I had in mind more of a "Keep Calm, Have Some Tea and Write to a Friend" -sort of slogan. Why?

We went to a local supermarket last weekend, and besides getting some groceries I wanted to check the latest on Moomins. In 2014 it's been 100 years since their creator, Tove Jansson (1914 - 2001) was born, and to celebrate this special year there will be special mugs available. Oh my, there were and aren't they pretty! I have no picture of them yet as my mom has them until the March-birthdays, but the mugs be seen here and matching jars here and here. And all sold items will also donate euros to UNICEF, and with purchases your can also have a free Moomin-card(s) which I generously took as I know I have friends who would love to receive one. 

When I got home I made a cup of tea, and started seeking a pretty pen. I found one eventually, but that made me think of a new set I absolutely need think would be both cute&handy - a set of...

... matching coaster&pencil case! 

With happy little birdies carrying love letters and enjoying a hot cuppa too!

If this set doesn't do the trick and get you writing a card or a long letter to a friend, I do not know what does. And as I've told earlier I love both sending and receiving real, handwritten letters, and courage every each of you to give it a try. And don't you worry, I had 25-something years gap between my previous penpals and these lovely ladies I keep writing today, and it's all going great. It's a bit like biking, once you... You know. 

So Keep Calm, Have Some Tea and Write to a Friend, or send him/her a set to kindly remind that they could write to you! These sets can be found in my shop here.

Happy Wednesday!

Yours,

Mia

Winter wonderland

Do you still remember my post in January 2012 about the coldness and snow, it's here, and last year when I took the pictures of my new pillowcases there was snow up to my hips, here. Okay, how about this January 2014 then:

Oh-ho, no snow!

Well a little here and there (melting as I type, almost), but no-snow in Finnish standards. Maybe it's just our yard? Let's take a winder look...

Nope.

And there's no light either. I think I saw sun in Dec. 23rd (my mom claims she almost saw a glimpse the day before yesterday) but not a ray since. But this all said days are definitely longer, and pre-spring (invented by Vivienne from the Green Rabbit Designs) is in the air. Never mind that winter hasn't ever started yet, maybe it skips us entirely this year? Fingers crossed, and happy and bright colors on my needles - spring here we come!

Happy first weekend of 2014, everyone!

Yours,

Mia