Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Funky "enamel" keys

I love enamel on jewelry, so I couldn't wait to try this trick I spotted in Pinterest couple of days ago. I had only one vintage key available so I tried how modern keys would look with nail polish coat on them. While looking for old keys I also found one fake silver medallion so I had to paint that too...
  




Suomeksi: Vanhat avaimet voi muuttaa jännittävän näköisiksi koristeiksi maalaamalla ne kynsilakalla. Homma on aikaavievää ja vaatii vakaata kättä & kärsivällisyyttä, mutta lopputulos on aika hurmaava, vai mitä? Jos pieni bling-bling sopii makuusi, kannattaa kokeilla myös kynsistrasseja avaimia sulostuttamaan.

I believe the original idea is from this blog / Alkuperäinen idea avainten "emalointiin" tässä blogissa

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Canvas sneaker revamp



The sun is shining and I feel like dancing! 
I love to wear heels but a girl's gotta have some flats too, especially in summertime when dancing outside on rough wooden floors. Simple sneakers are great for dancing, but they can look too sporty to wear with a skirt or a dress, so I turned my plain sneakers into a canvas for artistic experiments.


I used craft paints suitable for wood, paper etc. and a white fabric marker for sharpening the outlines of my drawings. I googled "old skool tattoos" and "tattoo shoes" for artwork ideas. I pretty much just copied what I liked and thought I can draw on such small space with equipment I already had.




Here are the ready ones, they look the same but not so much that it'll look factory made. I'd love to try this on pumps too, but I need more practice and finer brushes.

Put on your dancing shoes!


Monday, May 14, 2012

Weekends timeless vintage finds

I was visiting my old home town Pori for mothers day and popped in to an Antique fair. I really wouldn't called it "a fair", more like few sellers with old magazines, haberdashery and glass wases, but of course I couldn't leave without buying something!

I've been looking for a vintage watch for ages, and I finally found it!



It's an old Swiss made Certina, bought it for 2 euros. I don't know if it'll ever work, but it's a pretty accessory even if it doesn't show correct time. Now it has stopped on 5 o'clock so it's always tea time for me now! I also bought the hat needle with 2 euros, not bad?

I had to check what new Certinas look like nowadays, and I found one looking just like mine. It's a Certina Caimano, 395 euros in Atomic Clock.

Certina Caimano



Thursday, May 10, 2012

Safety First

It's bicycle time! Last summer I cycled to work for about two months and this summer I hope to make it at least three. We'll see how that goes because I have some obstacles in the way. The biggest one in my case is birch pollen. I'm so allergic I get a fever if I stay out too long during the season. Not so good for doing outdoor sports.

My route to work is not super long, only about 7 to 8 kilometres, but I live on a huge hill. That's not so bad when I'm riding towards the city and it's mostly downhill, but I really get to pay for the easy part every afternoon I climb back uphill. I actually like that part very much, it gives me distance from all work related thoughts. ;)

I've never owned a bicycle helmet. I have a big head and those things tend to be very bulky and also very ugly. Last summer was the first time I started thinking if I should get one. While I cycle more, there's more chance that something happens - and I really love my brain.

Yesterday I finally saw a cool and pretty helmet - with a vintage flair! My friend had ordered a Nutcase helmet (Star Bright) online and I think I finally found what I've been looking for. Yay! Look at all these different designs they have!


For more designs and other info visit either their US or European site. On the sites you can also search for stores near you. I found out that there are two stores in my area selling these helmets. Super YAY!

And my favorites? Well, I liked these three best:


Watermelon is simply funny, the classic joke. Blue Star looks like something I'd want to wear if i was doing roller derby. Very cute without being overly girly. But I guess I'll go with Silver Fly. It has this certain vintage circus Human Cannonball or Globe of Death Driver spirit. I think it looks somehow vintage style heroic. (I know I'll feel like a superhero everytime I get home from work on my bike.)

Now... Before I've even actually posted this I've got some comments. People (You know who you are!) are telling me I should check more manufacturers. So here it goes…

Giro also has four fun retro designs: Reverb, Surface, Section and Flak.


I'm loving their Surface with it's tiny visor. Aww! And striped Reverb reminds me of vintage cycling caps.

Now that the Pandora's Box has been opened, I decided to check if there was still more stuff worth to mention. That's when I stumbled into the ultimate winner of this race, Danish company named Yakkay. Their basic helmet is just super, see?


Plus that they've got helmet covers to mix and match. Hats! How stylish! Even (fake) fur hats!


You can build your own combination on theri website… Here's what I would choose:


White helmet with Milano Blue Denim cover. The price is a whoopin' €122.5, so I won't be ordering anytime soon ... If you're not ready to pay that much there's also a helmet option that is designed to only work with a cover and those are a bit easier on your credid card.

But my mind is still made up. I want my Silver Fly!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Where have all the flowers gone...

Over a week ago I got this lovely bouquet... but like always the pretty flowers start to droop after a while - and always too soon! I wasn't ready to part from them yet, so I adjusted the assembly a bit. Now I've got floating flowers to cheer me up every morning (and dinner time). I think they'll last at least another week.


It's also a great way to use my Taalari bowl (design Tamara Aladin for Riihimäen Lasi in 1968). I'm guessing this one is from late sixties or very early seventies... They did make these until 1980's, but since this one was transferred to my granmother's summer cottage already in the seventies (there's pictures to proof) I think it wasn't new anymore at that time. Nothing New ever made it's way there. I also know there's little dessert bowls to match somewhere but I haven't got those yet.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Femme Fatale lace earrings DIY

I saw some cool lace earrings on Etsy that cost 20 $. They'd be the perfect  accessory to wear in a Milonga (Argentine tango event) with a nice dress. But before adding those earrings to cart I decided to give it a go and try making a pair myself. They turned out fine!


I think they'd look better if the lace had more volatile pattern in it, but it's fine like this for me.

How-to: Cut two identical pieces following the pattern in the lace. The lace needs to be starched with something that doesn't have color when dried (sugar water or glue water). First I tried sugar and water and then tried glue water for another pair. Glue (water based craft glue) worked better I think. I didn't measure the glue, just put some on a plate and added little bit of water to form a liquid. I soaked the lace pieces there for a while (10 minutes or so) and then placed them over a plastic film to dry. The lace is now firm, but not scratchy hard.
The part where you place the hook needs to be reinforced so that the lace doesn't start to fray. Hand stitching works fine here.




Saturday, May 5, 2012

Rainy day = Cranes

It's raining today. Not massively, but in that drizzly, yet persistent way that makes my hair go all fuzzy and not actually get wet. Like fog, but with too much water. And it's cold too.

So, what better is there to do than to go on a consigment shop tour? This time I found this beautiful bronze cranes statue, funky vintage scarf and two chunky plastic bangles (one lime, one cranberry).


Love those cranes...

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Laid back labor day

May 1st is considered the beginning of summer in Finland. It's also the annual holiday to celebrate workers' achievements. Usually the weather is freaking cold this time of year, but people like to pretend it's already summer. May 1st picnic is very popular thing to do and for vintage car enthusiast it is traditionally the day for summers' first cruise around the town. We skipped the picnic since the weather was too chilly but we still managed to get a whole bunch of "summer's firsts" into our day:


First time wearing my spring coat, brrrr!

First strawberries

Summer's first Prosecco

First gelato outside


First time without socks

First ride with out summer car (Buick Le Sabre ´61)