fashion blog

Iiro Nurminen 1960, Helsingin Kaupunginmuseo Vappu.   Valborg . Vappen. The most likely biggest of the Finnish festivities!  Party-wise, I guess. If the city empties at Midsummer Vappu is the opposite - the city is full of thousands and thousands of celebrating people. We've had mead and funnel cakes and donuts for a the past days and I'm getting rather stuffed by now. Vappen is a festivity for quirky hats and faux noses and costumes and serpentines and confetti (and just making a mess our of everything in general). Kindergartens and schools most often have a masquerade they day before Vappu. Last year Dag was a ninja , this year he went as his latest obsession: a knight! Costumes that I wore when I was little included princess (quelle surprise), medieval lady and cowgirl. I've spent most of my Vappu-day, as in the day after; 1st of May, out on town celebrating since early morning, and even those years I was on shift in the harbour I tried to sneak in a visit to to the park...

Four nice things right now. Small kumquats on a branch. Who wouldn't get happy over cute small orange thingies like these? Green branches and leaves in a vase; a mini jungle,  left over from when I had  a mini-spa for my plants at home some time ago.   (I wonder if these are of the kind that they'll grow a root of their own and I can plant them? Hmmm...) Green grapes in a pretty bowl. And green grapes in their most superior form, helping me tidy up the kitchen.

Waiting for spring like - WHERE IS IT! Apparently spring is like a month late here or so by now they say on the news and in the papers. Well yes, thanks, we kind of noticed. The true definition of "april weather". Sun and rain and random snow and temperatuare yo-yoing. But the spring gear has however premiered. Even to the extent that I treated myself to a new vintage Pendleton and a pair of vintage boots, to stomp around in the mud over here in, via Etsy. My pyjamas-like high waist wide-legged cropped pants are from Light in The Box. (They promised -PROMISED - it'd be +20c this weekend so keeping my thumbs and hopes up for that. And if not, then - oh well, damn, it's the weather, then you still just can't do anything about it...)

It's time for the next Dr.Sketchy's Helsinki! This time we create you a little mini cosmos over at our studio, where the drawing takes place. Dr.Sketchy's is an "anti-art school", a so called 'cabaret drawing'- event, where attendants can draw and paint croquis with a little different setting than the one you might be used to from art school. Usually with a specific theme, styled and set up according to that, and with great music. Photos by Asko Rantanen, whose alter ego Johnny Moth also will serve as our model. The space shuttle will be navigated by Tinker Bell and yours truly. So,  Sunday 23rd from 4pm onwards . Bring pencils papers and cash and see you at Shangri-La!

For the moment. Apart from the daily to-do list(s). And apart from the weekly and monthly ones as well. I am a total list-person. I write lists on my phone, on the back of receipts and opened envelopes and random A4's around the house and in multiple text files. And in email drafts. Lists are the foundations of how all practical (and less practical) parts my life is organised. Sometimes I write the same list a couple of times, to get to go over things again (or because it's enjoyable if it's a list of fun things) or because it feels like it's one step closer to be done that way. Ha! So, here's my "top five" lists for the moment 1. List of lists to be made. Yes, for reals. 2. Movies I want to be able to catch while they still run at theatres. I really want to see Moonlight. This is a constant one, that comes and goes, and that seldom gets anything checked off because work and kids and life and all that. But this winter we managed to see one movie with Eddi,...

Easter. This year I managed to plan a little in advance (as in I beat my side note challenge from last year, did them the night before; tada !) and did not have to rely on what randomness I could find in the drawers. We went feather-free and decorated the willow branches with small pom poms. The kids use these to hand out for when they go around wishing neighbours well for the year to come and expect to get treats in return. They actually turned out rather nice so maybe next year I'll make a vase for us as well. Well, we'll see about that next year then... And then! Once a year: Mämmi. Memma. Yum. During my thirty-something years of eating mämmi I have, being the kind of person who apparently just can't do things without having to alter them a little, come to the conclusion that I prefer mine with lemon quark, with or sans fresh fruit on the side. And this is for breakfast in my book (and most likely my book only); not dessert. Well here's another one who also tweaks tr...

Gingerbread brown blouse that I came across for less than 5€ the other day at the Fida thrift shop. Breakfast. Or, part of it. Also: unintentionally inspired by my post a few days back , matching my snacks. 1970's vintage cowboy boots that I bought via Etsy some time ago. When you live in the countryside you need boots. And then the best thing about Easter. Mignon eggs. Full, solid nougat.

Fennel is a vegetable which anis-like taste I sometimes crave for, and sometimes makes me go 'Uh, not now!'. It is however mostly the first option for me, and this easy-to-put-together side dish salad suits Easter well I think. It goes well with mild foods like eggs and rice to add some sour and piquant vibes, or middle along wiht some eastern dishes but also on top of a cheese sandwhich for example. Fennel & Lemon salad sliced or diced fennel sliced cucumber juice of a lemon a bit of oil and white vinegar black pepper Just blend together in a bowl and you're good to go! I use a white vinegar with black currant which gives some extra taste to the salad. If you want a spicier version you can add a little Sriracha sauce as well. And add some more oils and fine chopped cabbage if yo do,  but now we are going into totally different territories and salads already.

Pretty much two of my favourite things! (Well you know, depending on what level of life and living you are referring to.) I find these images of snacks matching the outfits; a series named Wardrobe Snacks  by Kelsey Mc Kellan with stylist Michelle Maguire, strangely soothing for the eye and mind, partly in the sense that they somehow are very reminiscent of my childhood. Must be the hues and the polyester, early 80's. That. And the snacks. I mean is there anything more 80's than that cardboard like waffle cone?  Those (and they are still around) were the only ice cream waffles back in the days. And that shade of ice cream - pear ice cream. An instant childhood boost for me. You might have heard this story before, but we were in Heikintori in Tapiola with my mother and now late grandmother and it was warm and sunny and I got a pear ice cream and then my 9-month pregnant mother's water broke and we had to rush away and I did not get to finish that ice cream. Or so my almost...

Hello Turku Åbo!(For some reason I feel like adding a CHOO CHOO or HONK HONK here after that, so, there you go, either one.) I am teaching my hair workshop at Studio Winkheart next Sunday. Find the even HERE   and sign up by emailing me at turrrbocherry@gmail.com !

Today I've been wearing blue. From top to toe, rather literally; I have a new sky blue faux-scarf turban that I've been hiding my somewhat un-styled hair under lately. And so today as well, serving also a practical reason to help my hair stay put and away while I finally got around changing the soil for all the plants in the house (all those plants that survived winter, that is). Re-potting and cutting and all however resulted in more plants than before. The smartest thing is of course to dig in to the potting soil without any gloves when you've just had new fancy Fabergé egg-looking nails done. My fourth thing now  today's sountdrack. I don't tend to listen that much to domestic music, even less to music of Swedish speaking Finnish origin (you know, like me) for some reason but today this has been playing.