Midsummer finds

When ever I'm in Finland for mid summer festivities, I want to enjoy pancakes and coffee in the early morning at the local market place near our summerhouse. As always, the place was buzzing already at 8 am, so I hurried to get the right kind of potatoes that go well with Baltic herring and salmon and summer's first fresh strawberries.

On my way back to sea shore I popped in to a local flea market and made some interesting finds with just few euros; An old Fortuna board game and a white vase that had similar pattern painted on it as one of my old treasures.

The turquoise smaller one was painted by my great grandmother in 1954. The fortuna game is really in bad shape, but I love the pale greenish paint on the edges and the tiny crooked nails look adorable. I wonder how many exciting games some kids might have played with it in the old days?

I remembered my greenish vase had triangles painted on it, nut this was a surprise to find out they are so similar when I placed them next to each other. I guess they're from the same era.

At the minute I laid my eyes on that Fortuna I knew what it is going to be doubling as: A jewelry display!

I'm not sure if it's "chic", but it's definitely shabby!

The latest flame...

I recently discovered Miss L Fire shoes... and their webstore. The shoes looked so fabulous I couldn't help myself. I ordered two pairs that were on sale.

Even though they are pretty, I truly fell in love after I tried them on. They're like heaven to wear! And very well made with good quality materials. I simply Need more of these. ;)



Some of my favourites.

Want to see more? Look here. ;)

Bringing Zen to my living room

I live in a late 1950's building and tend to choose 50's items and  style also in my home decoration. I like the simplicity of mid-century design but I'm not too strict with decades or styles, as long as everything looks and feels good.

Most of the furniture in my home is either inherited or bought used. Living so close to IKEA I haven't been able to avoid having something new as well. I try to keep the amount of stuff to a minimum, it's easier to clean and I think vintage furniture looks better with some space around them. I've recently developed a growing interest on minimalism and started a never ending project of decluttering the apartment.

My latest interior design project (apart from throwing stuff away) is a little zen garden/beach to the living room coffee table. I love to doodle and the fine sand makes a nice surface to draw with a stick. A zen garden is a fun alternative for coffee table books or flowers. I didn't place any plants in my mini beach since I want to be able to put the dish away to a cupboard from time to time.

I've brought the sea shells as souvenirs from my trips to Australia, Africa and India. I like to have them somewhere so I can look at them during the long cold winters and think about the warm sand on the beach.

The decoration sand I bought from a candle shop, the dish was made by my mother. The chair shown in second picture is Danish design from 1957 and the table is from local flea market, can't really tell the decade, I'm guessing it's from early 60's.

Let's swap those dresses

Dress swaps are a fun way to recycle clothes and a good excuse to throw a party for girls only. Here's how I organized mine a while ago.

I sent the invitations 2-3 weeks beforehand so the guests would have time to go through their wardrobes and find items they no longer use. I knew most of my friends were planning to go to see some bands play later that evening so I figured the girls would be in the mood for a little pre party with cocktails.

Most of us wear the same sizes and have similar style, so we had plenty of stuff to swap. It doesn't matter if all guests aren't the same size though, you can always swap hats, purses, shoes and accessories.

Should there be a theme?
I think it's not necessary to have a theme, but it helps. People have so much stuff nowadays, so you might not want them to bring all their extra clothes at once. I invited friends who are all into vintage style and swing dancing so we mostly had clothing and accessories under those categories.  You could also have a summer clothes swap, or office clothes swap, anything really.

Sell it or give it?
We swapped some items and some were sold & bought. The main idea was not to make money but recycle and save money. When you invite people who know each other there shouldn't be any problems to decide on these things. It's  a great feeling to know your old favorite dresses have a good  new home in your friends wardrobe and they don't all go to strangers via drift stores.

My dress swap theme was five o'clock tea with cocktails, so we had some tea with blueberry cheesecake, home made macaroons, cucumber sandwiches etc. The cocktail was of course a martini,  but since it's summer I made it with watermelon and vodka. The recipe

I found a matching feather fashinator for my dress! I'm like a walking zoo with all the feathers and panther spots.

After swapping & cocktails we headed to the local club to dance and listen to some amazing  old school rock'n'roll bands.

I came home around 3 am, feet hurting like crazy but my heart bubbling with joy, what a perfect evening!

Dance proof pin curls

I like trying out different vintage inspired hairstyles on my medium length bob. Since my hair is now too short for most up do's I make curls if I want to have a vintage look for a night out dancing. The problem with curls and dancing is that usually curls won't last the whole night in humid air at the dance venues but I have come up with a solution that works really well for my hair.

I'm a big fan of LisaFreemontStreet's hair tutorials on YouTube. I'm not going to make my own video of pin curling since Ashley's video is very well made, see it here , I just add here some pointers I have found useful through trial and error of trying to make my curls last the whole night.

Pins in random pattern, top hair is more loosely curled than other parts

frizzy hair before brushing 

I try to be extra careful getting the ends to curl neatly inside the curl. To make sure all the curls are going to turn out beautifully I make a little test; I blow dry the hair when I've done all the pinning to accelerate the curling process and also to spot any ends poking out. If such appears I pin that part again.

I also randomly open one or two curls after one or two hour to see how damp the hair is and how's the curl turning out. If somethings wrong (hair's too wet, the curl's already too curly) I can still make adjustments.

If I have time I don't sleep with the pin curls but make them couple of hours before going out. My hair is so short in the neck that the pins fall out during the night even if I wear a scarf. If the short hair in the neck doesn't curl well, then I use curling iron to that part.

The most important part after pinning is brushing. The curls will last the whole night if you brush them well and add hairspray when you're finished. This way the curls will be one big section and not individual curls. Somehow it makes the curls last longer and you won't have individual straight parts if the curls start to fade. I sometimes back comb the neck hair for extra volume.

I like to use non-alcoholic hair products when ever possible. Usually they are not as effective as the regular ones but they're more gentle to the hair. I found one hold spray that works really well for hairdos like this, it's L'anza Healing Style spray gel. This time I also used Wella Stay Styled hairspray for finishing touch because of the rainy weather.
I was dancing whole night and even took part in a Jack & Jill competition and hair stayed put!

If I want to have my hair curly also the next morning, I pin it back onto curls before going to bed. A good look for the second day hair is to wear a bandanna for "Rosie the Riveter"-look

Suomeksi: Lyhyehköön polkkatukkaan saa helposti vintage-tyylisen kampauksen pinnikiharoilla. Suosittelen katsomaan tämän videon, jossa on yksityiskohtaiset ohjeet, miten hiukset kannattaa valmistella ja miten kiharat tehdään. Huolellinen pohjatyö on kaikkein tärkein vaihe pinnikiharoissa; jos joku hiustupsu jää suoraan alkuvaiheessa, sen todellakin huomaa lopputuloksessa.

Itse olen yrityksen ja erehdyksen kautta havainnut, että näin lyhyissä hiuksissa pinnit eivät välttämättä pysy paikallaan nukkuessa, joten pyrin tekemään kiharat vasta muutama tunti ennen iltaa. Noin 3 tuntia riittää jos hiukset ovat vain vähän kosteat. Prosessia voi nopeuttaa hiustenkuivaimella, samalla huomaa jos joku kihara on huonosti kierretty ja hiuksia alkaa törröttää kiharasta ulos. Mikäli niskahiukset ovat todella lyhyet, voi ne käsitellä erikseen kihartimella silllä välin kun muut hiukset on pinneillä kiinni.

Ylimmässä kuvassa näkyy, että olen kiertänyt päälimmäiset hiukset aika löysästi kiharoille.Halusin päällihiuksien kihartuvan vasta latvaa kohden, jotta saan kiharoiden painopisteen alemmaksi, ja hiukset on helpompi saada sileäksi päältä.

Pinnikiharoista saa villin näköiset jos hiuksia ei kampaa kunnolla auki, mutta jos haluaa vintage glamour-tyylisen kampauksen, kiharoiden aukiharjaaminen on tärkeää. Kun pinnit irrottaa, kiharat näyttävät usein aikamoiselta harakanpesältä. Tästä ei kannata pelästyä, vaan ottaa hiusharja kauniiseen käteen ja alkaa kärsivällisesti muotoilemaan kiharoita haluttuun muotoon. Irtohiukset voi silottaa paikalleen esimerkiksi hiusvahalla. Jotta kampaus kestää kosteutta ja tanssilattialla pyörimistä, kannattaa kiinnittää kiharat paikoilleen hyvällä hiuslakalla.

Hiukset saa pysymään kiharalla seuraavaan päivään, kun kiertää ne suurinpiirtein takaisin kiharoille ja kiinnittää pinneillä yöksi. Jos kiharat eivät ole aamulla enää parhaassa terässä, voi laittaa huivin päähän Rosie the Riveter-tyyliin.

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!

Itsy bitsy teenie weenie - Pikku pikku bikineissä

Kesä on vielä matkan päässä, mutta aina voi shoppailla varastoon...
Hyväkuntoisia vintage-uimapukuja on hankala löytää juuri oikean kokoisena, mutta onneksi retro-henkisiä simmareita saa tilattua kotiin monestakin nettikaupasta. Hintahaitari on suuri, kannattaa etsiä myös niistä ei-niin-ilmeisistä kaupoista.

Pilkkubikinit Urban Outfitters UK

Pallouikkari Urban Outfitters UK

Ankkurikuvioinen kokouimapuku J Crew

Pallobiksat Mod Cloth

Pilkullinen bikiniyläosa Halens

Retro-henkisiä simmareita löytyy myös yksivärisenä ja muilla kuoseilla:

Turkoosi kokouikkari Victoria's Secret

Siniset lintubikinit Urban Outfitters US

English: Itsy bitsy teenie weenie... It's never too early to start looking for the perfect swimwear for summer. I know it's still freakin' cold, but it's nice to dream of summer and the beach.
Vintage swimsuits can be hard to find in right size, so it's nice to see there are retro style bikinis and swimwear available in large price range. Retro looking swimwear tends to have more coverage than bikinis nowadays, so look also in shops you'd normally consider to be for older people.

Kirsikkakangasta!

Pöytäliina – H&M:stä

http://www.hm.com/fi/s/02FWDS

Pöytäliina painokuvioitua puuvillamateriaalia. Koko 145x250 cm.

Vintage style party hair in 10 minutes - Vintage-kampaus 10 minuutissa

Joskus on ihanaa istua koko lauantai rullat päässä ja valmistautua illan rientoihin, mutta yhä useammin (varsinkin reissatessa) joutuu turvautumaan nk. "pikanutturaan", jonka saa kyhättyä kokoon tarpeen vaatiessa alle 10 minuutissa.
Tässä pikanutturan salaisuus:

1. Tee ponnari
2. Tupeeraa hiukset kammalla reilusti, jätä päälimmäiset hiukset suoriksi
3. Taita ponnari ylös ja kiinnitä pinneillä . Asettele pinnit limittäin vaakasuuntaan n. 10 cm leveydelle
4. Taita ponnari varovasti takaisin alas ja siloita pinta kammalla
5. Taivuta latvat ponnarin alle ja kiinnitä pinneillä samaan tapaan kuin yläosa (pinnit jää piiloon)
6. Levitä hiukset varovasti niin, ettei pään sivuille jää koloja, siloita kammalla & suihkuta hiuslakkaa
Etuhiukset:
7. Tupeeraa alta, kampaa sivuun, siloita pinta, suihkuta lakkaa
8. taivuta etuhiusten latvat piiloon etuhiusten alle, kiinnitä pinneillä
9. Lisää koristeet (kukkia, rusetti, pitsinauhaa...)

Every girl needs her own emergency hairdo that can be done in 10 minutes or less.

I usually have my hair on ponytail at home, so that’s where my emergency hairdo starts from.

On average I use 10 to 15 bobby pins for this hairdo. I like this hairdo because it doesn’t get ruined in humid weather or if I’m dancing all night.

1. Make a ponytail
2. Tease the hair on ponytail and use hairspray
3. Fold the whole ponytail up and fasten horizontally with bobby pins.
4. Fold the ponytail back downwards, use comb and hairspray to make it smooth
5. Fold the ends under the bun and fasten with bobby pins
6. If there are any gaps left, use comb and hairspray
- the last part for long bangs -
7. Tease the hair in the front, comb to one side, use hairspray
8. Fold the ends under the hair like above, use 1 or 2 bobby pins to fasten
9. Hairspray, place decorations

Tip: You can just wrap a bandanna to this hairdo the next morning and have Rosie the Riveter look for Sunday brunch.

100 years of style

What an awesome clip about clothing and dancing styles in the past 100 years in London. Specially liked the part from 30's to 60's!

Luau flip flops

My mind is already wandering on the sands of Florida, hence my latest craft project; flip flops for beach parties.

I found these plain black flip flops from Stadium for few euros. The plastic grapes I got as a gift from a dear friend who knew I've been looking for plastic fruits to decorate my shoes or fashinators.

I attached the leaves and grapes with normal sewing thread, this way I can take the decorations away some day. With plastic fruits, these babies are ready for wet parties!

Summary in finnish: Rantakausi on Suomessa jo melkein ohi, mutta en voinut vastustaa kiusausta askarrella söpöt varvastossut tulevaa reissua varten. Tossut löytyivät Stadiumista parilla eurolla ja muoviset viinirypäleet sain lahjaksi ystävältä. Koristeet kiinnitin ompelulangalla, jotta voin poistaa tai vaihtaa ne tarpeen tullen.

Half-moon manicure with two tones

Summer holiday is over and I got the blues...
Cherry's blog post inspired me to try the half-moon manicure with baby blue and bright white.

I applied the blue color first and let it dry well before adding the white half-moons with a nail color pencil.