December 4th

Hello again!

Do you still remember my yesterday's yarn shopping, and the tip I got from Adele about the new glass pieces Brita has in her shop? I did not waste any more time but went straight to see her. I had planned to buy some new ornaments for Christmas, and that tree I saw at Adele's was lovely. Snowmen and trees are my favorite decoration, so I had my paws crossed there would still be some left... When I got to her shop, she was just putting up some new pieces for sale.

- Lovely to see you, Brita, and the new look you have created to your shop! I came to see you about those Christmas-pieces but I can see there are not that many left?

- They have been a big hit, and that is why I also put these last season's "Fruit of the Month"-collection pieces for sale, many buy Christmas items and something for the spring to come also! 

-That is quite clever, I must say, but wow, your jewelry!

- These are from my new collection too, and you know my motto: "A day without beauty is a day wasted!" so I wear them all the time. They go quite nicely with my new dress&beret, don't you think? 

- Perfectly!

- Would you like to see some my new pieces, these bracelets have been especially popular? 

- Oh, I would love to!

- Here they are, I have four left!

- Oh they are so pretty! Could I see that green one more closely, please, I think that would make a perfect extra for my birthday present for Anabel! And I think Adele would love that pearl-one, I could give that her on Christmas...

-Oh yes, I definitely take this and the pearl-one too! Could you wrap them for me, please, and mark them so I will remember which parcel is which, thank you!

- Sure, just a second, I just got some lovely new wrapping papers too, let me show you!

- I think Anabel would love that green, and Adele could have that elegant white, what you think?
- Perfect as usual, Brita!

- They've done! But hey, did you also wish to see some my Christmas-pieces? Trees and snowmen were your favorites if I remember correct?

- Yes, but I think all green trees and white snowmen are sold already? 

- The small ones are, but I just might be one special piece left which I think you might like... Just wait a minute, please!

- Oh... That one is mine!

***

Did you already guess what I was planning to use that lovely, unique piece for?
Ta-dah:

I love it! And fourth window was also opened today, and a little squirrel it was! What a lovely day, but now I am exhausted, I am off to bed. Good night, see you tomorrow again!

❤❤❤

Anna&Mia

December 3rd

Hello everybody!

Lovely to see you all again, and today I am showing you one of my favorite places in whole Riverland. My story started a few nights ago. I was happily knitting on my favorite spot, in my living room near by the fireplace when...

...every knitter's nightmare happened: I run out of yarn in the middle of my scarf! 

It is a birthday gift to Anabel, and I need to get it finished as soon as possible, her birthday is on 6th! It was too late to run shopping that night, but the very next morning I was on my way early. It was snowing heavily so I put on my thickest and biggest shawl, put the yarn sample to my handbag, and off I went...

... to Adele's yarn shop! Despite the heavy show she was putting up the most beautiful Christmas lights! Her shop looks amazing now!

Adele is Anabel's sister, and they both are really artistic. Not only yarn selling but also knit designing is Adele's expertise, and I have purchased many of her patterns, for example for this shawl I am wearing. But today I had a special request in mind... But first I have to show you bit more of her shop, it is so beautiful, Christmas lights, and some beautiful silvery decorations... But what is that big bag there?

- Bernard the Postman just delivered my latest wool batch from the Meadow-upon-River spinning mill! All beautiful blues for happy winter knitting. I haven't had time to unpack it yet as I wanted to put up those lights first. But what did you have in mind this time, dear Anna?

- Oh those look beautiful, but I have a special gray shade in mind! Do you remember the dress you made Anabel for her last birthday? I am knitting her a scarf to match and just run out of that yarn a few rows before it's finished! And it is her birthday coming up soon, so...

- Oh I remember that yarn! It has been pretty popular, so let me see if I have any left...I have some grays over here, wait... Oh yes, three balls still, that is the very same batch even!

- Oh, you just made my day! I take them all, thank you so much! And then I would need some needles too, I think number three, they are the blue ones, right?

- Alright, would you need anything else?
- I think that is great this time, thank you so much!
- Lovely, here is your bag, happy knitting!

- Oh but one more thing before I go... Where did you get that beautiful glass-tree you have on your desk?

- I bought it from Brita's Glass Shop, she has a new, Christmas-line there, she just got them all finished yesterday. All were really pretty, and if I were you, I would rush there before they've all gone!

- Thank you, I will visit her soon, that looks just like what I had in mind! I am off to see her next! See you soon again, at Anabel's Birthday party the latest?

And off I went... But that is an another story, my visit at Brita's, so see you soon again!

❤❤❤

Anna&Mia

P.S. When I got home, I opened my calendar, and got a little tree! How happy coincidence as I just bought a... Hush, hush!

December 2nd

Hello again!

Last night I almost could not sleep, my head was spinning with ideas and places and happy persons I wish to show you! I scribbled my new notebook many, many pages before my eyes were finally shut.

Where yo start? Here in Riverland we have so many interesting things... But hey, it is December 2nd today? Oh dear, I have a visitor coming this morning! I ordered a new rug for my bedroom a few months back, and it will be delivered today! We have our own carpet maker here in Riverland, she is no other than Anabel whose pretty polaroid snap I showed you yesterday. I designed the rug myself, let me show you the design I made...

...and here is a snapshot Anabel sent me a while ago, a polaroid of course (taken by one of her helpers), she is giving finishing touches to my carpet there, I love it already!

And here she comes now, with a big parcel... Really exciting this is!

She has her signature carpet-bag with her and the measuring tape around her neck, she looks like a real pro! But now I just can't wait any longer...

... Just what I wished for! Thank you so much, Anabel!

We are now off to have some tea and cake to celebrate my new rug, but before we go... .

...the second window from my calendar: a little present! Just perfect for today!

See you tomorrow!

 ❤❤❤

Anna&Mia

P.S. Anabel wanted to add one more thing: Even I said the carper bag was her signature, the polaroid camera would be even more so! She almost never goes anywhere with it, but today she had to, as it is in repairs! Our beloved Postman Bernard Pig accidentally sat on her camera yesterday while delivering some unusual large parcels, he was having a little break and a cup of tea with Anabel and missed the camera on sofa. It can be fixed though, said Anabel, and postmen insurance covers it all.

December 1st

Hello dear Friends,

Let me introduce you to Anna Mouse! She is a happy little mouse living in a peaceful village called Riverland not far from I live. Anna loves ballet, and... Oh, she is jumping up and down and tugging at my sleeve: She wants to tell it all herself!

Hello everybody! My name is Anna, and I live in a rosy cottage in little town called Riverland. My house is actually called Rosy Cottage, and my address is Anna Mouse, Rosy Cottage, Old Stone Path, Riverland (just in case you wish to send me mail, I love writing and reading letters and cards). My little house is almost covered with roses, well at summer that is, and I wanted to show you one snapshot we took last July. My dear friend Anabel has an old polaroid camera, and she loves taking pictures. 

I am so happy I have that picture to show you as the cottage looks totally different now. It is all covered with snow, and just this morning when I picked up my mail I had to shovel my way to mail box! But it was so worth it, I have been waiting this mail for a month now...

...And that is a big one! We just missed our mailman, Bernard Pig, but I will introduce you to him later! He has been really busy lately, everyone seems to be getting a lot of mail these days. But back to my big, happy envelope! It must be my special...

... Christmas calendar! And just there, in upper left corner near to my paws I saw window number one and opened it, and found cute little silver bells. I am going to share my calendar with you every day! 

And now Mia is trying to say something, wait a moment... Oh yes, the ballet! Some of you may have noticed my outfit, it is a specially made tutu, and I am also wearing ballet shoes. I love ballet, and I was named after a famous Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova, my great-great-great gran mouse loved her! I dance ballet every day, teach it too, and run a little shop called Anna's Paws! It sells ballet shoes, tutus, paw-warmers and all you need for ballet! This tutu I am wearing is my own design too.

This is me at my Boutique! I use only the finest smohairs for my creations which I purchase from Riverlands best (and only) yarn shop which is owned by --- Oh, now Mia says I need to leave something for tomorrow (and other December days) also! I will show you around Riverland, and introduce you to everyone here. We all love Christmas, and it really shows around our little city. So I will see you here tomorrow, welcome to Riverland! 

❤❤❤

Anna&Mia

P.S. Mia is still wishing you tell you, that these pictures can be clicked a bit larger, if you wanted to see my Boutique or anything else closer! Thank you!

1st Advent

Happy 1st Advent from me and...

 ... Anna the mouse!

See you here soon again!

Yours,
Mia & Anna

Good morning

Good morning from snowy Finland! 

We are getting closer to Holidays, the first Advent will be in this coming Sunday - time really flies! This should be the busiest time of the year for us crafters and web-shop sellers, but I just put the following announcement to my Etsy-shop:

IMPORTANT: We have had (and still have) some Postal strikes in Finland, and the impacts are uncertain, so if YOU ARE IN HURRY or YOU HAVE A CERTAIN DATE you need your item, PLEASE DO NOT ORDER from me at this point as I can not guarantee how long it will take. This goes with CHRISTMAS also. I apologize any inconvenience and am SO SORRY!

---A seller saying "Please do not order from me" just before Christmas & middle of the busiest season?! That's right. We are having a big big big fight in our Postal system at the moment, and it can't be said how long this will take. I was angry at first then sad, then sorry for myself and all the other web-sellers who will lost a big chunk of their (and mine) income with this, but then I went to just "Alright, we will live with this. There are far more important things in life than my Christmas-sales for sure" and "My friends abroad will understand that they will not get any Christmas cards or presents from me this year, they will be so so happy to get something in January" - and this got me sad again. I do understand the point of these strikes, Postmen&other staff are fighting for their already small salaries which the big bosses would love to cut down but still - the timing! Could it be any worse? Really? We have had a long economic depression here in Finland, and they think this will help? The wise men (read: politicians) are moaning how our sales to abroad are too slow - this will help? Not be able to deliver the things ordered? Getting angry again... You see the circle I am following: angry-sad-sorry-angry...I need some coffee and a good cookie right now, just like me&Sis had last weekend:

We went to a happy shopping trip to Kuopio (some 135 kilometers from here) last Saturday, hit the Matkus shopping center and IKEA. And we had wonderful time. Not that much money spent but time together just us girls and great coffee, giggles and some happy Christmas lights did the trick. Christmas Spirit was found, and I wish to keep it going. And stop worrying the little things, and focus on good, sharing the lightness and brightness to you and yours:

So let's enjoy these happy stockings I made and managed to ship before the strikes, and let's focus on happy things! 

I have planned a re-appearance of the Christmas-calendar (previous years starting here and here), and if I need to close my shop (which is necessary if the negotiations will not develop), I will have all the time in the world to focus on it! So a little taste what will be coming around December 1st:

Happy last whole week of November, dear friends!

Yours,

Mia

Proud to be published

It was all the way back in February, when I got contacted by a lovely lady from Germany asking about my interest in creating something for a German craft magazine. I was stunned at first and would not believe it at all, but it really was Almut, you can see her happy face here (and behind that link you will find all kind of happy craft ideas too. All in German, but google translator helps tremendously if you're just like me, my German skills are...I have none, really). She asked if I would like to create a little project for them, something with my felts, and maybe a write a pattern to go with it too. 

Me, write a patter? Never done that except for my own notebooks, and man, are they messy and scribbled all over, and even I have sometimes difficulties reading my own handwriting. So me, a pattern? I panicked and told her that my schedule was far too busy for the spring (which was true at the time, too), but she then happily told me that material was needed only around July-August, and I agreed. Then some of you know and some might have guessed that rest of spring and summer were not the best of my life: illness, sadness, loss and funerals, and working was the left background for a while. But when Almut got in touch with me in end of July again, I just pulled it all together, and created a birdie-bag, wrote a pattern, took the pictures, and just in time delivered it all to her. The pouch will forever remind me of this summer, but it also shows that you have more power and strength than you think, and when you need to get it done, you will make it - so I love that pouch even it has a sad memories attached to it also.

So me and my birdies made it to cover of Filtz&Fertig magazine! Well I am inside (oh dear how many selfies I took for that picture, I guess close to hundred), and inside there are "step-by-step" instructions how to make the pouch. All in German, naturally, Almut translated it from my English-scribbling and it looks great, with process pictures and everything! She sent me the magazine also, and me and my sister studied it for ages (She actually sent two so we both had our own copy, and we went like: "Look at that!" "On what page?" "Oh yes!" for a long time...). Proud. Really proud. My first ever pattern published, wow. Thank you so much, Almut, tausend Dank! 

This little story proves the point of world getting smaller by all the social media. Almut found me and my blog and shop via www, and I can go and see her happy face and lovely team and their creations in their blog just like that - so what ever not-so-great things there are attached to all this web-world, it for sure also creates wonderful things and opportunities too. My little business would still be a big dream without Internet, I would not have met some of the most lovely people of the world without it, and my life would be much less interesting and much more empty without it. So here's to lovely world of Internet (with a capital I!) -  let's use it for all things good and great, let's spread the happiness with it!

To celebrate my first ever pattern publish I am offering a sale discount to my shop for -25% of all items (even those in sale already, but excluding the shipping costs) for 16.11.2015 - 20.11.2015 and the code is HAPPY2015 - that can be used once you are paying your purchase to get the discount calculated automatically. Here you can find a little more info of the Etsy coupon code. Happy browsing!

Lovely Monday to all of you, and happy new week! We will see here again soon!

Yours,

Mia

♥♥♥

Sometimes plans need to be changed, and yesterday was one of those - I had planned a post to show some happy pre-Christmas makes and showing my first ever big article in a craft magazine and even having a sale-code for my shop, but reading the new from Paris yesterday morning I just could not push the send button. My heart goes out for all those lives that tragedy has touched, and I just really can't--- 

See a loved one today!

Yours,

Mia