Kolme Yötä - Three Nights

Passi on jo esillä ja matkamusiikki valittu. Matkaopastakin on tullut mielenkiinnosta selailtua. Isomman kameran kaveriksi lähtee pienempi malli... ettei mitään tärkeää jää ikuistamatta.

Matkatunnelmissa ollaan. Ja syystäkin. Enää kolme yötä jäljellä...


Ensi viikolla jalkani astelevat New Yorkin katuja, neljän päivän ajan. Pitänee muistaa välillä katsoa jalkoihinkin, koskaan kun ei tiedä millaista taidetta maasta löytyy. Täällä Suomessa kannattaa myös muistaa välillä kääntää katseensa maahan, ainakin kaivonkansien kohdalla. Suunnittelija Piia Keto on nimittäin suunnitellut NC Sourcingille kauniin uniikkikansiston johon kuuluu kaksi mallia, Kukka ja Lintu. Muista katsoa mihin astut!

I have my passport ready and travel music chosen. I also have looked at the travel guide just for interest. I'll be taking my little camera with me as a friend to the bigger one... just to make sure I won't miss anything important.

I'm on a travel mood. And for a reason! Only three nights left...

Next week I'll be walking the streets of New York, for four days. I have to remember to look down every once in a while, because you never know what kind of art you may find on the ground. Here in Finland it's worth looking down as well, at least when there are manholes around. Designer Piia Keto has designed two beautiful manhole covers, a flower and a bird, for NC Sourcing. Remember to look where you step!

Kupoli

Helsinki Design Weekin Design Market järjestettiin kuluneena viikonloppuna. Eihän tuota tapahtumaa voinut jättää väliin tänäkään vuonna. Kaikkea kivaa oli tarjolla enemmän ja vähemmän edullisin hinnoin. Oman ostokseni tein jo heti ensimmäisten minuuttien aikana. Puhdas impulssiostos siis... Mukaani tarttui pari metriä tätä Tanja Orsjoen Vallilalle suunnittelemaa kangasta. Liekkö joulu käynyt mielessäni...



Helsinki Design Week's Design Market was held last weekend. Just like before I went there just to see if they had anything special waiting there for me. Well, I didn't leave with empty hands... I bought few meters of this fabric "Kupoli" designed by Tanja Orsjoki for Vallila Interior. To be honest it was a total impuls buy and I think I was thinking about christmas when I bought it...

Revontulet - Aurora Borealis

Aika muuttaa ihmistä.

Muistan kuinka nuorempana en tykännyt Tauno Wirkkalan Revontulet -lasimaljasta lainkaan. Minusta se oli tuolloin niin "mummomainen".
Vaan kas kummaa... nyt tämä lasimalja löytyy keittiönkaapistani ja minusta siinä on sitä "jotain"...

Time changes people.

I remember the time when I was younger and thought that this glass bowl, Revontulet by Tauno Wirkkala, was hideous. It was so "granny-like" back then.

But that was then... now I'm the owner of this glass bowl and I think there's "something about it"...

Kuuden Kopla - Six Pack

Mukavan kokoisia, kivoja kädessä ja taattua Suomalaista Designia. Vaikka oluen ystävä en olekaan niin nämä kuusi pientä, Oiva Toikan suunnittelemaa 1/3 L tuoppia, päätyivät kesällä keittiön kaapin täytteeksi. Hintaa laseille kertyi yhden pienen setelin verran.

Perfect size, nice to hold and reliable Finnish Design. I found these six glass mugs this summer and I just got to have them, even though I'm not a beer drinker. They were a real bargain! Designed by Professor Oiva Toikka, one of the greates names in Finnish glass.

Lauantai - Saturday

Suomalaiset, amerikkalaiset ja yksi britti...

Finns, Americans and one Brit.

Fever

Bike fever! I'm suffering from bike fever! Have you had it? I got it from my brother, who bought a new cool bike last week. He called me just few minutes ago to let me now, that his black beauty has arrived. Woohoo!!!

The golden oldie... a 1960's design icon Jopo by Helkama! I would so love to own this white beauty. Or maybe army green... or black...
Basic bicycle with foot brakes and no gears, just like Jopo... This yellow Saint by Tunturi I would also love to own. It's pretty! Black or white would be my first choice, but they make only candy colors.

42

Today I did some I-know-I-do-not-have-any-extra-money-but-these-are-so-cheap-almost-free-and-I-am-sure-I-will-need-these-someday-so-these-will-be-a-good-investment-for-the-future shopping.

Arabia/Hackman/Iittala Factory shops sold cutleries for 1 €/piece.

12 tablespoons

12 forks

12 knives

12 coffee spoons

Total amount 42 €

(coffee spoons were only 0,50 €)

Maku

Butterfly lollipop... No, I haven't eaten it yet, but I promised to tell you something about it. The lollipop belonged to the invitation seen below.

Arabia held a press conference yesterday. They invited us to see their new kitchen collection Maku designed by young designer Sami Ruotsalainen. I like it, it's like old meets new! What do you think? Have a closer look and click on the picture!

Flirt

Flirting... gosh, I'm so bad at flirting! I guess it's just not my thing... But you know what they say about men: A way to mans heart is through his stomach. And if only it were true I would just need to make a fancy dinner and let these Flirt cutleries to do their magic! Wine, Food and Flirt... who could ask for more!?

Hola

Hei

And last but not least Hello.

New cutleries from Hackman by Pentagon Design and Dog Design. Available in stores in the beginning of May. Check out for more product info.

Markka

OK folks it's a new week and time for a new post. Hope you all had a nice weekend and took the time to relax and take it easy?! I sure did! I was "supposed" to work on my school project but that didn't happen though. Actually I spent my time doing nothing. Well, almost nothing...

While I was doing nothing I found an interesting website called Markka. Markka is an online shop selling old and some new Nordic and Europian kitchenware, tableware, interior goods etc. There you can find products designed by very well-known names like Kaj Franck, Saara Hopea, Oiva Toikka and many more... Markka is a Japanese site but they do sell overseas. For foreign customers they have english written instructions on how to place an order.

Click HERE to have a look!

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny...

Yippee, days are getting warmer and warmer. Summer is finally on its way, which reminds me...

Everybody loves the sympathetic characters of Moomin Valley, created by the Finnish writer and artist Tove Jansson. Artist Tove Slotte has designed the delightful Moomin Collection for Arabia, mugs and bowls decorated with the beloved characters. In this summer's seasonal product Beachlife, which will be in stores May 5, the Snorkmaiden (niiskuneiti) is heading down to the beach.

Saimaa

These look pretty.

Saimaa is a brand new tableware set, designed by Paola Suhonen for Finnish Kermansavi. A beautiful embossed butterfly evokes the lacework traditions of Finland. The design is both nostalgic and modern. Products are 100% Finnish, designed and manufactured in Finland.

Sleep Tight!

It's almost midnight and I'm still sitting in front of my laptop, working and net surfing. Why? Because, I'm a night owl. I tend to stay up past midnight almost every night. I cannot even remember when was the last time when I went to bed before the Ten O'Clock News. Now as I'm telling you when I sleep and when I'm awake, it's a good time to introduce to you a brand called ChoCho.

Lucky Star sheets and pillowcase with akana print.

ChoCho is a japanese word for a butterfly and also a textile designer Kirsi Päiväniemi's own independent brand. ChoCho is all about different kind of hand printed bags, purses and other accessories. Kirsi gets inspirations for her designs from the Finnish nature and school of modern Scandinavian design. ChoCho is a 100% Finnish product and all patterns, prints and bags are designed and hand printed by the designer.

The latest designs are the Lucky Star Single, Double and Baby sheets and pillowcases. I would love to slip into these! There is nothing more appealing than fresh, new sheets on the bed.

Lucky Star sheets and pillowcase with b-fly print.

Lucky Star baby sheets with b-fly print. The little smiling model between the sheets is Kirsi's baby boy Kaius.

What's Your Style?

How do you decorate your home? What is your style? Do you like modern, classic, romantic or maybe country style?

What's my style? How do I decorate my home? Well, I like mixin and matching old and new. I like simple things, modern but not too modern. And the colors... I like white as you might have noticed, earthy tones but also bright and bold colors.

I'm a flea-market junkie. I love to search for bargains that I can transform into something wonderful for my home. I like scraping and painting, to give a new life and maybe a new use to something old.

Here is a picture of my latest flea-market finds. Two half litre beer glasses from the 70s, designed by Oiva Toikka. I don't even drink beer, but hey, that doesn't stop me from searching and buying these! I'm not a coffee drinker either, as you might have read from my earlier posts, but still you can see in the picture a coffee machine. Isn't she a beauty!

60 is 75

This year Artek celebrates Alvar Aalto's 110th birthday and the 75th anniversary of Stool 60. To celebrate Stool 60, Artek is launching a new collection of the stool with laminate seats in primary colours: red, yellow and blue.

"I beg you, don't forget playfulness!"

- Alvar Aalto

DON'T FORGET TO PLAY! -exhibition 6-17 February, The Swedish Museum of Architecture, Stockholm.

Bags, Bags, Bags

I have a confession to make. It seems that somehow I have managed to create an obsession to tote bags. I know it sounds silly, but trust me there's nothing to laught about! I always carry at least one canvas tote in my handbag, usually two, because you never know when you gonna need an extra bag. I even made a tote bag to my sisters wedding last year. Hey, don't laugh! A bridesmaid can not carry all those things necessary in a plastic bag. I even made it go with the theme!

Yesterdays visit to Forma Fair didn't help my situation at all. I met there Ann Bäck, a very lovely women with own company called galleriAnn. Ann use to work as a sculpturer before founding GalleriAnn ten years ago. Ever since Ann has been working with patterns, creating pictures, cards, nice little things for home and BAGS! Fun and simple bags.

Mami, small bag, is GalleriAnn's biggest seller.

The story behind Mami print is that Ann's daughter Nea drew it when she was 4. It is a potrait of her mother. The picture has become like a symbol for galleriAnn and it is one of their most popular patterns.

These bags are from the Forma fair. I really like the bag with words "maito, ruisleipä, kahvi, juusto" same in English "milk, bread, coffee, cheese". What an excellent grocery bag!

Have a look what other cool stuff she has made. Click here!

I'll be back soon with more bags. Very soon!

Let's Celebrate!

KARTIO GLASS SERIE

Happy Birthday Kartio! Iittala's Kartio glass serie was designed by Kaj Franck in 1958 for everyday use. An essential part of his original idea was that the colors should be mixed. The form of the glass is simple and pure and is therefore easy to combine with any dinner set. Kartio is celebrating its 50th birthday. Can you believe it?

Kartio glass, new color: turquoiseblue.

BLACK IS BACK WITH FRIENDS

Have you been missing Black Teema tableware? Well, now you can dry your tears, because Iittala brings Black Teema back in production. Four pieces will find their way to stores in black and they are plate 21 cm, big and small bowls and a mug.

Black Teema bowl.

And the black friends are:

Origo

Aalto vase

Mariskooli

Coming Up!

New Year is just around the corner so it's time for a little sneak peek at Marimekko's Spring 2008. It seems that there's a lot of green colors coming out...

From left: Metsänhenki bedlinen, Metsänväki tray, Metsänväki teatowels.

Fabrics from left: Kaakaopuu, Korsi, Kevätjuhla, Pientareella.

Drink With Style...

Some of you probably already know these fun looking ceramics by Sami Rinne Design. Sami Rinne is a finnish designer designing individual utility and interior ceramics. There is mugs for every drink so pick your favorite one from bunny, bat, birch, angel, reindeer or fish and drink those coffees and teas with style.

Hot, Hot, Hotter...

I don`t understand... It seems to be mission impossible to find a decent looking electric water kettle. I`m not a coffee drinker but I like tee. Because I haven`t found the water kettle that I like so every morning I boil some water for my tee in an old kettle. Aargh... is there something wrong with me...

Well, I did find a beautiful looking water kettle but unfortunately it`s not electric...

Suomi Steel Water Kettle by Timo Sarpaneva, from OPA. Size 1,7 L. Stainless Steel. Available at Finnish Design Shop.