Winter wonderland and a magazine to give away

I'm here again! I felt an urge to tell the world about this view outside my window! We woke up to winter wonderland this morning, the kids have probably never got into their clothes so fast before! Please Santa, or whoever decides about these matters, let us have a white Christmas and winter this year! The last winters have been awfully wet and grey, let this stay! By the way, did you now that Santa Claus lives up in Finnish Lapland? They fly in hoards of tourists every year that want to deliver their wish lists personally. I uploaded more pictures from my wonderland walk on flickr, if you want to see more snow.


So this means I'm officially out of the Christmas closet, what can be better than serious Christmas crafting to the tones of The most relaxing Christmas album in the world...ever! with the view above outside the window! In the evening I enjoy a cup of glögg while stuffing tomte limbs in candle light. Everything to make working at night more joyful.


Last but not least this magazine with my tomte sitting on the cover came in the mail today :) I've got two issues of it so I thought I'd give one away to one of you. Just leave a comment here telling me about one of your Christmas projects and I'll draw a winner early next week.

Yesterday and today

Yesterday I finished a secret quilt project, therefore the quilter's thumb above. I also got my new printer/scanner/all round machine so I will be able to do something about my pattern making plans. But it might take some time. It usually does. But I'm excited anyway :) Even if the machine is huuuge.Today I had to take a break between my custom orders so I designed this bird key fob. My key fob just broke (again), so I decided to invent something more durable. I used natural linen for the front piece with the appliqued bird and a patterned fabric for the back. I put some reflective tape in the side so it can be hanged as a charm on a bag as well. This black bird is in the shop, but there are more on their way. I kept a pink one for myself.

I just found a fantastic blog, BloesemKid's open house. Irene knocks on different artist's doors and lets them tell about themselves and their homes, there are so many lovely creative homes presented! Many of them are small, but still full of life and smart ideas! I got so inspired to do something about our home! And I will definitely buy that polka dot tea set for little E for his birthday next week (very important note to myself)...

Kitschy flowers and houses in line

I was going to talk about my trip to Åland, but I think I'll just refer you to the photos I have uploaded on flickr. It was a great weekend, lots of work, lots of wonderful people and lots of inspiration. There is nothing like the rush of a new idea and that is what I want to talk about today! My studio is a mess, but what can you do... I went to the thrift store yesterday to find some new materials and spotted a plastic bag with those (horrible) flower wreaths that you put around candles, please tell me what they are called in English! They used them in a project in this book and I thought it was a brilliant idea.

I have been asked to make more mobiles so this is what I came up with (more pics on flickr). The pastels of the flowers gave this shabby kitschy look. I think it turned out pretty fun and I liked working in another colour scheme for a change (I will make bright mobiles too, as soon as I can get my hands on some brighter flowers!). The birds have a layer of steady batting inside, the outlines are sewn with a lot of black thread. I added some beads, bells and buttons too!


This is the project I was working on on the ferry that I promised to show off. I needed something small to sell at the fair next weekend so I came up with these house brooches. The fair is at an outdoor museum so I think these will go nicely with the old miljeu. I used felt scraps that I bought from a lady selling felt slippers at the Christmas fair last year. The windows are made from reflective tape so these are meant to be worn on your bag or coat.

I will not put these in the shop until the two next fairs are over, but you are welcome to reserve one if you think you would need one :) The price is 10 Euros/14,50 USD (+ 22% VAT if you're in the EU), just drop me a line and tell me which one you would like! Click on the picture if you want a better view!

I can't believe it, but Summer seems to be over here. It is rainy and far too cold for this time of year :( The kids were wearing gloves at Kindergarten yesterday! To celebrate this unhappy occasion I am having a little sale on Summer items in my shop!

The window quilt came back home from the exhibition and is now listed in the shop. It is hanging right above my head as I'm writing :)
Thanks for listening! I have been talking so much about me and my projects lately that I think it will be time to give something away in next post. But I talk more about that next week!

Happy sewing (or crocheting, or whatever YOU enjoy doing)!

Cleaning robot

I felt so relived over the fact the we only seem to have caught the "flu light" this time, that I had to spend the morning sorting out my new craft room. I moved my stuff into our old bedroom one month ago and have been waiting for the right day to get everything in place. The fact is that there is no such day, all that was needed was some determination. So this is how one of the walls look today after some serious drilling and hammering (click on the picture to see my notes!). T was kind enough to assist me and then model one of the new robot scarves I made today. I tried out a heavier jersey knit for these and I think they turned out great. As a maker of cute girlie stuff I am happy to once have made something that looks great on a guy :) This one is in the shop.


Thank you all for your kind messages yesterday!

Business talk

At the end of June I had an appointment with my business adviser, a man employed by the city/state to help new business owners. I left my application for a few months extension of the "starting money" I got when I started off in February (it is like a social benefit you can get for a few months the first time you start a business). I thought the first five months had gone fairly ok, but he did not agree, my result was well under the numbers in my business plan... I need to change my strategy, he said and went on in the same spirit for quite a while. However I did get the extension for four months, no idea why (I did talk a lot about my visions + I suggested that I could donate the kids to someone with more time), but I am happy and relieved to know I will survive through the Summer.

The "change of strategy"-part made me paralysed for some time. What the heck am I supposed to do? Become a combined multi task, mum, factory, marketing wonder genius in one day? Then I came to my senses and sat down to think and count (what should my products cost, for real a.s.o.) and then I started my production line. When I have filled this room* with stuff I will try to become the marketing wonder. One task at a time. I have started to fill the shop with house scarves, it will be autumn soon anyway and it seems I will be wearing a scarf the whole Summer this year...
*we have been rearranging. I got a room of my own , yes! I'll show it as soon as everything is on its place, it can take awhile, but here's my balcony, I can see the flowers where I sit right now by the window!