Tiny But Overwhelming

I wanted to make something festive but not too christmassy. Something scandinavian, yet oriental. So I made a tiny folk bag combining the things I cherish in my stash. Some might think it is too busy, at least when the photo is showing one of my fabrics in the background. But I need to have this kind of pictures now, when it is so dark outside.

Speaking of design, Helsinki, the nearest city, has been name as the world capital of design in 2012. Can't wait for all the events of the year! My main profession is about designing digital services so I hope they will not be forgotten either.

Bizarre

A page for the deco booklet "Bizarre.

I have been scrapbooking lately and actually even finished something that I have not been able to take pictures yet. And I have started to make Christmas cards too. But then, in the middle of all that conventional stuff I decorated the last page of the Bizarre deco with something pretty weird. I find this so enchanting I had to scan it!

Tulips for the Next Summer

A page for the deco booklet "Tulips"

Luckily this deco came along in October and I remembered to plant tulips for the next summer. With peonies, they are my favorite flowers.

Winter is always hard time for me. It's so dark and cold here in Finland. The only consolation is that I can wear the woolly knits that I have made myself!

Color!

Sometimes I feel that the form is overrated in design. I see white objects everywhere. I think we Finnish are obsessed in white. I am not a big fan of whites, and really, if you examine colors, it's like the whole world could be expressed with color only.

My starting points were the iris flowers from my garden, a dark blue belt from my sister's winter coat and pale blue baby merino yarn I had bought from the sale. My intention is to knit a hood for my sister.
Another project on the go is to hand spin yarn for a lace scarf. My color scheme is inspired by Nepal. I have dyed four lots using the same theme but different colorways. Here's the third lot.

I hope the yarn will be lovely. The singles look very pleasing!

Stamping Day

A page for the deco "Layered Stamped"

After reading The Stamper's Sampler, I just had to take my stamps and make something layered and romantic. Luckily I just had a deco booklet to sign of the similar subject. And I had a day off, so I had the time too!

Long Ago And Far Away

Mixed media collage "I am here at last"

Here's my entry for the week's Three Muses Challenge, themed "Long Ago And Far Away".

I started with my husband's photograph, taken at Barcelona in Sagrada Familia last summer. Then I picked one of the prints I have got with Somerset Studio magazine. I worked several layers using stamps, acrylics, patterned papers etc. I also attached two self made polymer clay buttons. I love using my horrible polymer clay buttons as they are not symmetric, nor pretty but blend so well in everything I make.

For me, my life has been "I am here at last" for the last years. I have been able to do so much what I really love: be creative, achieve the things I value the most. I am very grateful for that.

18 Years Guinea Pigs

A page for the deco booklet "Unthemed".

I wanted to make a page to honor the guinea pigs that I have had as pets for 18 years. The page came out quite busy and bright but perhaps it suits with the theme.

I bought an issue of Scrapbooks etc. magazine this week. I have listened to many podcasts that have mentioned the magazine lately. It is a great magazine, even if you are not 100 % scrapbooker. If I had to choose between Scrapbooks etc and Somerset Studio, I would choose Somerset but I can understand if someone else chose otherwise. They are both great value for money anyway.