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Monday, February 3, 2014

Kikoi banana tree products - ihanuudet banaanipuun lehdistä

Kikoi banana tree oval bread basket


Well, it's been some time I've been here the last time :)! When the flu catches me every 15 years or so, it REALLY does. Not more about that subject.

Most of you know (perhaps) by now my love for natural fibers and materials. They just intrigue me for some reason.  The THING for me this season? The fallen banana tree leaves. You see them there on the ground, big and chunky and then you bump into these bread baskets and laundry baskets on the side of the road, and you get a big smile on your face - HE saw them too and had an idea! Wow!!

Don't you just love these new products made by Robert? One of our best sellers this past season, and we keep on going, now with a few new alternatives, as well.

Kikoi square banana tree bread basket


I simple adore the square and the oval bread baskets for your morning rolls. And for the kitchen spoons and this and that (made of wild olive tree, of course!) the perfect one is the small high basket.

Banana tree products - plenty to choose from :)

Kikoi banana tree oval basket, S - coming soon!


We are also looking forward to receiving a wonderful, wonderful Rose selection for the spring/summer 2014. Made on combined sisal and banana tree, it is stunning, and it lasts and…what can I say. I'll be sure to make THAT post when we get the items from our stock in Nairobi to here.

And - meet Robert :)

The smily, wonderful artisan we can always trust with the quality and the deliveries. We <3!


***

Hui, onpas aikaa taas kulunut! Kun flunssa iskee 15 vuoden välein tai jotain semmoista, se näköjään todella ISKEE. Yöks. Ei enempää tästä masentavasta puheenaiheesta.

KOHTA ON KEVÄT!!!! Vaikka just tuli talvi, mikä sekin on ihqua, pääsee möksälle tekemään ei-mitään.

Mutta mutta - näitte tuossa yllä vähän kuvia uusista banaanipuutuotteistamme. Mitäs tykkäätte? Olen tällainen materiaalifriikki, ja nyt tämä banaani todella puhuttelee. Näin mm. USAssa Crate&Barrelilla banaanipuusta tehtyjä tuotteita tuossa jokin aika sitten, ja oli nekin kyllä tosi tosi kauniita.

Niihin pudonneihin, isoihin lehtiin kun törmää tuolla (ei täällä ;)), ja sitten kun näkee tienvarrella upeita leipäkoreja ja pyykkikoreja ym.ym., tulee kyllä iso hymy kasvoille - HÄN näki kanssa nuo banaaninlehdet vähän eri tavalla! Vautsi! Eikö olekin aika ihania nämä Robertin tuotteet? Nämä on niin jykeviä ja ihania, ettei ole toisia samanlaisia oikeasti. Me rakennetaan näistä niin upea koti kesäjulkaisuun, että olen nyt jo ihan pomppeissani koko projektista!

Kikoilta on myös tulossa kokonaan uusi Rose-sarja, jossa yhdistellään lunnonväreillä värjättyä sisalia ja banaaninlehtiä - todellista luksusta, sekä laadultaan että ulkonäöltään.  Siitä sitten enemmän, kun saamme tuotteet tänne pohjolaan tuolta Nairobin varastolta :).

Friday, January 10, 2014

Merlin Beach Resort in Phuket, Thailand



Merlin Beach Resort in Phuket, Thailand

Got energized by the warm sun, and the flower power always available in Thailand.  

No, our family will never ever go on an organized trip again. And if we do, no way we would go on one of these everything-organized-let's-do-some-sports-in-the-morning-with-the-other-Finns kinda joints.  Except now we did ;)! And enjoyed quite a bit. SO EASY. Took a last minute 2-week trip to Phuket, Thailand after Christmas from Finnmatkat, member of TUI, and stayed in Merlin Beach Resort the whole 2 weeks. 

Merlin Beach Resort in Phuket, Thailand


Depending on site, the hotel gets 4-4,5 stars. About 40% of the hotel is TUI guests coming mostly from Scandinavia, Finland, and Germany. The rest from UK and Australia, some from Russia, elsewhere Europe and Japan. At TUI, this is sold as a family resort. Elsewhere, it seemed, more like as a wedding and heavenly hideaway resort. Partly this can be accomplished with 3 large pool areas, out of which 1 is not allowed for children under 12 years of age, but not quite.  The TUI staff was wonderful, they were many, and really wanted to see that our vacation is what we hoped for. The service in the hotel doesn't get 4-4,5 stars, though. It was a bit sad to see actually - Merlin needs to be sort of finding the spirit of Thailand again, going back to the wonderful service and smiles we all travel there for. Some of us again and again. 
Merlin Beach Resort in Phuket, Thailand


About Phuket then? Patong is getting very busy. But we enjoyed a great deal eating delicious food, long walks on the hilly roads, some shopping at Jung Ceylon and massage/pedicure/manicure on the beach and all that.

Made some good, new friends and missing them already. A much needed, very much appreciated, wonderful holiday overall.

Merlin Beach Resort in Phuket, Thailand

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Snowflake gingerbread cookies - Lumihiutalepipareita

Snowflake gingerbread cookies - lumihiutalepiparit

Snowflake gingerbread cookies - lumihiutalepiparit

Snowflake gingerbread cookies - lumihiutalepiparit

Snowflake gingerbread cookies - lumihiutalepiparit



Snowflake gingerbread cookies have been such a big trend this Christmas, just had to try some myself…

And I admit - my mind is so focused on spring and summer already (and next Christmas actually…) that it is VERY hard to keep the Christmas spirits going, so one needs to have these projects with the kids at home after working hours - like making some gingerbread cookies.

Pretty pretty, and simple to make even with the regular flower molds :).

Antique gingerbread cookie molds


Saturday, December 14, 2013

Pastel Christmas - Avotakan joulukuun numero

Pastel Christmas
I gathered in the above collage some of the items Avotakka had included from Weranna's for their Christmas photoshoot at our showroom: we could've had it all pastel, but I was afraid of the red….it always comes to me just before Christmas, and well…would be hard to be completely without it.


Avotakka joulukuu numero



Well, they REALLY made it pretty. I wasn't here, when the photoshoot for Avotakka's Christmas number was done, just showed up a little later and could see that these ladies had accomplished something very very pretty :).

Joulukuun Avotakka

Joulukuun Avotakka




Friday, December 13, 2013

The perfect Christmas stocking - Täydellinen joulusukka

Cottonhut Christmas stocking - Cottonhut joulusukka

Well, can a Christmas stocking get any prettier than this…Cottonhut Christmas stocking is hand-knitted in Nepal with a felt pom-pom detail in front.

If I got this under a Christmas tree filled with something tiny…I guess I would fall in love all over again.

Cottonhut Christmas stocking - Cottonhut joulusukka

Cottonhut Christmas stocking - Cottonhut joulusukka


Here you see another use for my DIY cone garland I wrote about before…feeling very very Christmassy today. Listening to Three Tenors and having my morning coffee, actually surrounded by Petra Lunds Lera products (no kidding, her coffee mug, her candle holder and Ingrid plate under the mandarins on the table) while the kids are watching Disney Christmas cartoons. Peace on earth before we start making the Christmas cards with the kids ;).

***

Joulusukka ei ehkä voi olla tämän kauniimpi…Cottonhutin joulusukka on käsinneulottu Nepalissa. Ihanat huopapompulat koristavat sen vartta. Aivan mieletön.

Jospa tällaisen saisi joulukuusen alla, ja sisällä olisi jotain ihan pientä…voisipa olla, että sitä rakastuisi ihan uudelleen.

Tässä näette tuon meidän käpygarlandin (mikä ihme tuo on muuten suomeksi?) takan koristeena nyt jouluksi…tänä aamuna on jostain syystä tosi joulunen olo. Kuuntelen kolmea tenoria, aikamme mestareita ja juon aamukahvia…ja tajusin juuri, että olen ympäröinyt itseni Petra Lunds Lera -tuotteilla. Juon kahvia hänen mukistaan, kynttilät pöydällä nököttävät hänen upeassa kynttilänjalassaan (sain siitä juuri eilen positiivista palautetta mieheltäni. Onpas nuo Petran tuotteet kyllä hienoja, tajuaakohan ihmiset, miten hienoja ne oikeastaan onkaan :)! Sanoin, että yritän ottaa kovasti kuvia, mutta ehkä juuri niitä tuotteita, joita pitää käyttää ennenkuin ymmärtää, miten upeita ne ovat.) ja mandariinit ovat pöydällä Ingrid vadilla.

Rauha maanpäällä. Lapset lukevat ja Disneyn joulu-DVD pyörii. Ihana status quo kunnes alamme tämän vuoden joulukorttiprojektin ;). Eilen saatiin jo esimakua….'äiti, miksi sä olet ostanut harmaita kortteja?? Miltä susta olisi tuntunut pikkutyttönä, jos sun äiti olisi ostanut harmaita joulukortteja???' Niin.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

2nd Sunday of Advent

Puinen vakka adventtina

Yesterday I visited Rilekki in Puumala (could be my favorite store on earth, in addition to Weranna's, of course ;)) looking for some old ginger bread molds. And found a couple!

I was recommended to get this, as well, for today. Isn't it pretty? Tens of years of old, hand-made in Puumala and still in perfect shape, with a lid. Now it's filled with 1,5 kg seasalt to keep the candles steady.

Happy Advent!

Puinen vakka adventtina

Puinen vakka adventtina

Puinen vakka adventtina

Friday, December 6, 2013

Best places to visit in Finland - Kenkävero

Best places to visit in Finland - Kenkävero


We participated the Kenkävero night event yesterday (in Mikkeli, Finland). It was just beautiful. So beautiful that it made me cry. All put together by wonderful, talented, friendly staff, perfect surroundings and a winter day.

 Best places to visit in Finland - Kenkävero


I'll let the photos speak to themselves. If you visit Finland and heading north on road 5, this is a must for lunch, coffee and some feel-good shopping.

Best places to visit in Finland - Kenkävero

Best places to visit in Finland - Kenkävero

Best places to visit in Finland - Kenkävero



And - Happy Independence Day, beautiful Finland.

***

Olimme eilen mukana Kenkäveron yötapahtumassa.  Siellä oli kaunista. Niin kaunista, että itketti. Osaava, ihana henkilökunta, täydellinen miljöö ja kaunis talvinen päivä. Annetaan kuvien puhua puolestaan.

Ja tärkein tänä kauniina talvisena päivänä Mikkelissä - Hyvää Itsenäisyyspäivää, Kaunis Suomi.