I love autumn

Today I have been happy, I felt energetic. I am still without a job, and just this week got a negative answer from one of the companies I had applied to, but today I am not stuck in desperate mood. I actually planned ahead some projects (thanks to Domestika) and felt overwhelmed that I can actually do something, be creative. My issue though is I am doing too many things, projects at the same time and then it feels nothing is ready or ever will be. This is something I need to work on...

Last week I visited north of Finland, Rovaniemi where my dad lives and where I am from. As no need to go to work I appreciated this free time I have now. Up north the autumn colors are splendid and it was so great to go to forest and pick some red berries. I would love to do this also here at southern Finland, but I am not yet familiar with the great forests we have here. With time I will learn to know my surroundings.

New startings

Yesterday, the 1st of September was my first unemployment day. I felt fine, energetic, delighted to have a free day. The day before my temporary contract in women´s clothing brand NOSH had ended. In a way it was my dream job as it was a Finnish clothing brand, responsible manufacturing made in Europe and its homy style corresponded to my taste as well. It had a great team and I felt fine in it. The situation was sad as I had hoped to continue there and the company also had wished to be able to provide me a new contract, but as the economy is how it is it was not possible this time.

But yesterday I still felt happy and overwhelmed. It was my harvesting day. Weather was splendid, sun was shining, but already with autumn chilly temperature. 

Today I am already a bit blue. Two days ago in my final day at work in the evening I applied to two new positions and I have heard nothing from them. I start to worry whether someone still wants to hire me and how my economical situation will be. This is of course worrying.

I have a huge "to do"-list for this month or months to come. I will be busy and occupied there is no worry for that, but I would love to be part of a good work community, to earn a monthly salary and just keep living normal life. I am afraid not feeling necessary to anyone and starting to feel anxious and not worthy.

I try to keep focusing on good things.

And I love autumn; it is my favorite season! To pick berries and harvest veggies, start to dress warmly with pullovers, start new knitting projects, start to bake. There are good things ahead. 

Let's keep heads up!

December is here

I love Christmas time. The time before the 24th of December, the waiting for the holidays, the preparations. I am always late in them and eventually some ideas I need to leave for the next year to come, but it doesn't really matter. Important thing is that I don't stress about Christmas and it doesn't need to be perfect.

This year I have decided to do the so called Christmas cleaning. I already started today by using the dishwasher cleaner, soft starting. I surely hope it cleans limescale and makes the machine clean better as it surely smelt very strong, too strong actually. Better change the mark next time. This Christmas cleaning is a motivation to get things done like wash the carpets, bathroom, sauna etc. things that surely are not too appealing. My plan is also to run the limescale cleaning to our coffee machine as well. Many things to do...

One eternal project that I finished few days ago and that I am so proud of finishing it is a door decoration with pompoms. I had started it in autumn 2018, so for the Christmas of 2018, but only now I managed to finish it. Pompoms for the 2020!  So typical of me to think something is nice and rather quickly done and then it takes ages to finish it. But now it is ready and I like it.

Good idea to use leftover yarns for this project

 

What makes me happy

New year, new promises and already one fulfilled!
Since my secondary school I had been thinking of to be a member of WWF and to donate x amount of money monthly for the organisation. It was in my eight or ninth grade that we had to do a written presentation of some organisation and I made it about World Wildlife Fund. Since kid I have been fond for nature, not sure why as my parents were not any kind of special animal or nature enthusiasts. Well, anyway I made my written school task about WWF and the professor took it as an example of a work well done in front of the class. I was very proud of myself as there were always students better then me and I was not particularly good in writing. But with this one I succeeded and I still remember the good feeling about it.

It took more than 20 years finally to be a member of WWF. It is always the same, I don't have the money right now, in few months I would start... One actually never has extra money because there is always something to buy or whatever excuses.

This year 2020 I finally made my decision and signed up to be a monthly supporter of WWF. My idea was to start paying already in January, but at least I did the registration in the last day of January and after confirming all my information by phone February will be my first donation month. Yippie, I finally made it!

This picture is from my very first, "Welcome to WWF!" -email

Back to business

Hello there...it's been a three years break from blogging. Having children did make a stop to my other activities, I kind of had thought I could manage some kind of small extra personal things going on, but soon I realised that not really. Having two small kids and 8 hour office work did use my time in complete. But dreaming is allowed and now I am back in business.

Big changes has also happened; I have moved to my native Finland and I am very happy about it. My decade in Barcelona has come to an end. Finally everything happened very quickly from the initial decision in November -16 (I had a minor personal nervous breakdown on a street and it could not be overlooked anymore that I wasn't happy living in Barcelona) to the final move on September -17 that I really had no time to reflect the change. To have a "Farewell to Barcelone" -series or something. But it will come one day.

So one part of my dream has been accomplished when moving to the south of Finland. (I am actually from the north part of the country, but happy to live here in the south as well.) Second part would be to go back to the path of my studies that is textile and clothing, to be creative and manage to have living out of it. I am working on it... One step for that was to order this wonderful inspiring book of Daniella Kryssa; "Your inner Critic Is a Big Jerk". It indeed is. I already have managed to avoid some excuses that are listed in the book; I won't go for the path of cleaning the house, doing errands etc. as I have already done that in my past. In 2011-12 I had a break from work and I messed my free time with those kind of excuses so I won't fail into that trap anymore.  I must admit though that from those years I started to navigate more on the internet and reading blogs and trying to figure out what could be my share of it so my time didn't go completely to excuses
Other big time inspiration for me is the Fly Girl Blog that I have been checking once in a while during many years. It must have been from this Andrea Pippins blog that I actually got to know about this book.

I hope this is a start for something new. Now at least I am living a really nice moment in my life. see you soon!

Your Inner Critic Is a Big jerk by Daniela Kryssa

Pretty Ballerinas, made in Menorca

I bought new shoes, new ballerinas. Last autumn I threw away my old ones as that way I was obliged to buy news. I had in mind typical black, leather ballerinas, but those were not available in the outlet of Pretty Ballerinas, so I ended up buying these blue/jeans colored.

Pretty Ballerinas is a company dated back to 1918. Shoes are hand made, flat shoes made in Menorca. The collections are always very colorful and funny, but you always find classic models as well. It is a very versatile brand. Made in Spain!

I'm afraid I bought too small ones. Maybe the age or the maternity has made my feet bigger. This is so annoying that finally after many years of thinking I manage to buy Pretty Ballerinas and then what I do is that I don't know to choose the size. I miss practise.

My possibly too small ballerinas.

Beautiful garden, model Marilyn, Pretty Ballerinas

Always so attractive leopard print, model Rosario, Pretty Ballerinas.

New starting

After almost one year of being quiet I am thinking of returning to write and post here in StylePigeon. I kind of need it. A platform to speak about textiles, good adds, great things in Finland and Spain or differences between those two lovely countries.

An inspiration also comes from a blog I read once in a while: Fly Fabulously Creative by Andrea Pippin. She is a creative artist and very inspiring and intelligent person. I admire her and her ideas. Not sure how did I ended up to her blog years ago, but her analyze of Pantone’s 2012 color of the year was astonishing (post on 9th jan 2012). I agreed that the Tangerine Tango was out of fashion already when Pantone chose it as the color of the year, but I would never have been able to explain why. Andrea Pippin could do that.

Her call for #letsmakestuff2014 and "we doodle" was also great. Its a pity I didn’t notice those doodle challenges back in 2014.

I try to have this year 2015 as my “letsmakestuffyear” and also to oblige me to find time to do my things. And remember Andrea's tip of the week: You don't have to say it, its also ok to be quiet (post on 17th March). Quietness has never been a problem for me.

Spring is here

Better late than never

Fashion Revolution day was already over a week ago, on 24th April. This is my contribution to it. The clothes were worn indside-out and pictures taken on that day, only the post is late.

The Fashion Revolution day tries to evoke curiosity and awareness of who made your clothes. It uses the power of fashion to change the attitude in fashion business towards more responsible manufacturing and buying of clothes and accessories. Pretty hard task, but I'm hopeful that every year things get better if we all participate to impulse the change. Little by little.

Me wearing a linen shirt by HAKEI, made in Spain, and my son 

is wearing Marimekko's stripes, made in Finland.

More granny's squares

I made this scarf actually before the blanket. The story was that in 2012 I was planning to sent the yarns to my mum so she could crochet this scarf for me. Give her something to do basically. Unfortunately my mum passed away before I got to do this so finally I made the scarf by myself and it took quite a while. Last year I had it ready but didn't use it not even once. My plan was to buy a jeans jacket and wear it with that but until now I haven't bought the jacket. The one that I would like to have from Pepe Jeans has never been in sales and I find 145 eur a bit expensive for a jeans jacket. Anyway this year I bought a wool coat from Mango and it pairs well with it. I also have a military green parka and these granny's squares fits that too.

The yarn is Drops Alpaca, 100% pure alpaca from the best yarn shop "All you knit is love" in Barcelona.

A good old Grandma's square

As a like handicrafts I was delighted to do a blanket to my baby. Nice to do crochet and have a purpose for it. Crochet is nice, but many times I find it hard to imagine something useful to do. Well, this time a blanket was more than welcome and as it is for a baby its not too big so pretty fast to finalize. As I like old things, vintage etc. a good old granny's square was a perfect pattern to do. Color inspiration I got from an old Gloria magazine where there was a picture of one big blanket. The yarn is "7 veljestä" from Novita bought already in summer from Finland. Unfortunately the yarn has 20% of polyester in it, I would have preferred 100% wool, but as they had a great selection of colors I decided to accept the polyester as otherwise I probably wouldn't have made the blanket. This was an easy option this time.

The final blanket

Color options for the blanket

Organic, raw and ecological

Last year just before my baby was born I received a package from Finland. It contained a magazine about babies, kitchen towel, ecological cleaning rags and raw chocolate. What a wonderful gift! I was excited about all things and apart from the Vauva-magazine other stuff were new acquintances for me.

I had never heart about Kierti, a Finnish company started in 2008. All their products focus on sustainability. The items are mostly cleaning items. They sell washable bamboo and hemp cleaning rags and also hemp yarn if you prefer to produce your cleaning rag by yourself.

Other new thing is raw chocolate. In Helsinki there is the company Goodio with a big heart and sweet tooth that is producing small scale raw chocolate. Raw chocolate is chocolate that is produced using only original raw materials and without using heating in the production. This way the chocolate doesn't loose all its precious materials; vitamins, enzymes etc. The taste is quite different than milk chocolate, but a bit similar as dark chocolate. I recommend to try this out.

More of Klaus Haapaniemi

In my last post I didn't really present the Finnish illustrator Klaus Haapaniemi so now here I will do it. For the first time I got to know him in 2007 when he illustrated ceramic collection Taika for Arabia, the Finnish dinner ware company. (Arabia is an old, famous ceramic factory in Finland that started to create dinner ware for Finnish households already back in 1873.)

In 2007 Taika was something new as the illustration was so fabulous and not anything like the typical minimalism that describes the Finnish design in general. It was very well welcomed and today if you pass by Helsinki airport inside the tax free area you can find  cafeteria that serves the coffees in these Klaus Haapaniemi Taika-mugs. When we were enjoying the last coffee before our return flight to Barcelona my boyfriend wanted to rob a mug, but as I was with him I strongly forbidded it. Gosh!

In 2010 Klaus Haapaniemi has founded a design studio with Mia Wallenius and as they describes it "Their design approach is influenced by nature, Finnish folklore, fantasy and traditional decorative arts with modern twist." In their web shop there is plenty, plenty of textile items shawls, pillows, rugs etc. to purchase.

Taika, Arabia; illustration Klaus Haapaniemi; form Heikki Orvola

Korento, Arabia; illustration Klaus Haapaniemi; form Heikki Orvola. In summer I found this on sale at the airport of Helsinki and as I tried to be reasonable I didn't buy it, a fact I regret now.

In 2011 Valio made a campaign inviting various artist to illustrate their milk carton. This is Klaus Haapaniemi's version of it.

Here some examples of what the Design Studio has in their web shop.

Bees blanket, lamb wool

Forest square, silk brocade woven on loom

Special Christmas paper decorations

Running fox-cushion, printed on linen

Closing the year with Klaus Haapaniemi

My son was born on the 9th of November and so it has been, naturally, that I haven’t had time to write any updates here in the Style Pigeon.

Just to close the year I want to leave this Christmas cat of Klaus Haapaniemi and wish You a great new year 2014! I know, I know, Christmas has already gone, but as this card from Habitat is not too full of Christmas and I really like the style of the illustrator Klaus Haapaniemi I think it is worth to post it here.

I wish you all happy New Year 2014, may many of your dreams come true during the upcoming year!

Illustrator Conrad Roset

Felicidad Duce, the Fashion School here in Barcelona organized this week a masterclass of creative illustration of fashion. This was in order to promote their "Creative Fashion Illustration" course that will be held by Conrad Roset. I did sign up to the one and a half hour class of this illustrator, but unfortunately I was dead tired after walking in the centrum buying all the last minute stuff for my unborn baby. It would have been interesting to practice again drawing and painting with watercolors.

Nevertheless I am glad I got to know this Spanish illustrator Conrad Roset as I really like his way of using watercolors. His paintings are so relaxed and colorful, joyful. His speciality seems to be muses; young ladies.  

Above some examples of his works.

Another upcoming event of FDMODA will be held next week about fashion journalism in the digital era; communication in social networks. That would be also great class, but I'm afraid or I hope by next week I would already be mother and therefor not able to participate in this one either. 

Closing of October

October has been quiet. My apologies for not to be more active here in Style Pigeon, but I'm in my last weeks of pregnancy and have been mostly sleeping or without energy the whole October.

Alexander McQueen started the October and now Hempel Award 2014 will close it. Folks; Hempel Award the 22nd China International Young Fashion Designers Contest is open for the year 2014! Here the link for the information.
Theme of the contest for this year is The Golden Age of each country.
Good luck for everyone who decides to participate! I would love to repeat the experience as since this years' contest I was left with the feeling that I could do it better...but I think this year I will pass it thanks to my approaching maternity. Fair enough.

Few practical tips:
Tip 1. In most of the recent editions the winning collection has been white, white, white. So no need to complicate the color palette for the contest as curious enough the winner seems to be in most cases the white one.
Tip 2. When being in Beijing don't pay the fee for sending a CD/DVD of the contest as it will never arrive and the organizers are no longer interested in replying emails regarding that.

Few picks from this years experience:

Creative solution for shoes from Norway.

I was Nr.20 and here fixing clothes & camera.