I made a necklace today in what I could perhaps even call my signature style. The pendant came from a single vintage earring that I grabbed at an antiques fair last summer…

Ouverture necklace

And my new moo cards arrived today. I can’t praise their products, prices and speedy delivery enough! One of the best services I’ve ever encountered out there!

Have a great weekend!

As I’ve said, I’ve been really preoccupied with my own personal little things lately and haven’t been able to come up with as much new jewellery as I’d have hoped by now, considering the coming season… A couple of sneak peeks into what I’ve been playing with, however, are here. Nothing to jump over the roof for but I really like the pale simplicity of them and especially the vintageish, powdery colour combo of the earrings.

Lady of the Lake bracelet

Powder and blush earrings

Since I’ve been lacking inspiration, or mainly just concentration skills lately, I’ve escaped into creating new versions of old favourites. Once the colours are chosen not much light is needed, so these are styles easily crafted even in candlelight.

Night time studio

My favourite swarovski shapes of all time are these royally gorgeous “baroque” drops. I’ve now made a few new pairs in two different lengths and these are the first I’ve managed to photograph.

Nouveau Baroque earrings in ruby/green

Nouveau Baroque long earrings in ruby/green

October. The time of year when my every thought seems to turn to faraway lands. This time last year I was in Crete, the year before that In NYC. It’s time to reminisce…

There’s a little shop in New York’s East Village that’s like a jewel. It’s Barbara Feinman Millinery on East 7th Street. As you can tell by the name, it’s a hat shop but there are also other handmade accessories such as knitted gloves and scarves, and what’s more, some rather fantastic jewellery. Some of the necklaces and earrings are made out of tiny little beads, rescued from vintage, beaded purses and handbads that have been broken beyond repair. I can’t help but adore this idea!

On my first visit to New York in 2005 I bought these earrings from Barbara Feinman’s. They still remain my forever favourite earrings of all time! I had a moment of terror once on the street when a group of French tourists, or rather this one kid holding a balloon, came out of nowhere and bumped into me. As unlikely as it is, the balloon got caught in my earring! I immediately started swearing in French (quite spontaneously!), trying to get the thing off my earring, it was so embarrassing! Thankfully the earring didn’t break, I would have cried my eyes out otherwise!

But there’s also a little shop in Helsinki that’s equally like a jewel. It’s Kolme toivomusta on Kalevankatu. In Kolme toivomusta there’s an absolutely charming collection of mainly small vintage goods from jewellery, trinket boxes, tablewear, beaded purses, hat boxes, everything I love, all selected and displayed with excellent taste. When I first stepped into this shop I felt as if I had entered inside my own head! Last week I made a purchase that I should have made months ago but luckily it was still waiting for me.

Looking at these two pieces of jewellery together I’ve come to realise once again, that sometimes it takes years to find the perfect match. This heavenly blue rhinestone bracelet is by Weiss and according to the stamp under the clasp it was made in the 1940’s. The adorable shopkeeper of Kolme toivomusta has brought it back from New York which is only fitting as that’s where the bracelet was made as well. Oh, my precious! Am I hopeless or what?

If you’re interested in finding out more about vintage costume jewellery, here are a couple of wild links:

Vintage Costume Jewels

Annie Sherman

A crazy tour of vintage costume jewellery designers on Youtube

I went for a really good run this afternoon on my usual route. The weather was perfect and there weren’t too many people jumping about. Before returning home I stopped at the little island of Tervasaari to have a stretch on the large jetty where there are tables and benches for people to use when washing their carpets.  The sun was shining in a particularly delightful manner. Before I knew it I was lying on my back on one of the tables, eyes closed, just listening to the wind in the linden trees. Love that sound. Birches and aspens together have the softest sound, my favourite. But the lindens were just fine in combination with the more urban environment. Thank you, Helsinki.

Baroque necklace in light amethyst

And thank you all who commented on my previous post. ♥

I’m in a state of immense melancholy. I don’t know how to get over myself just now. Blah.

Summer studio

Waterlily earrings in green

Multi-me

I’ll just keep making different versions of the Hummingbird necklace as long as I have these little brass bird charms left. In fact this might be the last one…

Hummingbird necklace in labradorite

Here’s an earlier version that has already flown away to Britain…

Hummingbird necklace in goldstone

…and another one that I called “Chanson”, now residing in Ireland.

Chanson necklace

I’m sincerely happy that at least my jewellery gets to cross waters, even continents, as recently a few pieces have travelled all the way to the U.S and even Africa! I’m just stuck here, too much other stuff going on at the moment. I’m hoping for even a tiny-mini-trip at least to Stockholm later this autumn so thumbs up! Lea needs to fly, too!

In the meantime I’m concentrating on this, among other projects…

We belong together.

When our summer holiday started in mid-July, the first thing we did was pack our bags and head west to our friends’ summer cottage in Kemiönsaari. In many ways it was a bit like going abroad. Neither of us had ever visited the archipelago before so we didn’t quite know what to expect. Also, in those parts you’re much more likely to hear people speaking Swedish than Finnish .

Windmill at Söderlångvik estate in Dragsfjärd

Those three days spent in Kemiönsaari were a fabulous start to our long holiday. The change of scenery brought us in instant vacation-mode (much needed and well deserved) and what’s best, we got to spend time with some dear friends we hadn’t seen for a while. We drove around the island, did some delightful sightseeing, were inspired by the beautiful countryside and had excellent food.

Path to the cottage. Full set of photos here.

Our friends are currently spending almost all their spare time in Kemiönsaari since they’re renovating a house and a small cottage there in the tiny village of Kulla. When our friends bought the place three years ago, both buildings were in a state of utter despair with leaking roofs, collapsed floors, you name it. The estate agent had actually said that the cottage was hopelessly beyond repair.

Kitchen

Well, people who are passionate and dedicated to their cause can work wonders. The little cottage is now almost finished from the inside and it has been cared for and decorated with the utmost respect to its long history. The bigger house is also in the stage where paints and wallpapers are being chosen and next Christmas will most likely be spent there.

Gorgeous wallpaper

I adore my friends’ taste. Their choice of colours, wallpapers, furniture, little lamps, pots and cups. So relaxed and inviting. I immediately felt like home there, it was as if I had stepped inside my own mind.

Loving the lamp and wallpaper to bits!

After visiting such an adorable place I was in a very flowery state of mind. This inspired the sweet and simple Delish series, one that’s most likely to be continued at some point as well…

Delish bracelet

Delish earrings in lilac

Delish earrings in red agate

A splash of colour not for the faint at heart.

Bohemian Royalty earrings

Bohemian Royalty bracelet

It’ s been a while, I know. Sorry for the long silence! But I have a good excuse. I’ve been on holiday for the last five weeks during which I seriously haven’t cared less about the internet. I haven’t been reading blogs or browsing websites and I’ve hardly even kept up with the news. I’ve just lazily checked my e-mail and Facebook every other day and I must say that this break was more than welcome.

At lake Höytiäinen a couple of weeks ago.

I am well and truly relaxed. I actually feel a bit younger ! I’ve been outdoors as much as possible, swimming, sunbathing, having saunas every evening, running, eating fresh food, watching late night movies, admiring the full moon… It’s been the perfect summer-mix! And I’ve slept so, so well! We got back to Helsinki last Thursday, spent the weekend partying at Flow09 and today is my last day off until I return to work. And as always, I couldn’t be happier and more relieved that it’s just a part-time thing!

Since most of our holiday was spent in my childhood home in North Carelia, it’s only fitting that this post should be called Edition Carelius, a title that I spotted in one of my latest vintage sheet music finds. I’ve been making quite a bit of jewellery during the last few weeks as the working conditions in my country hideaway were absolutely fantastic. I’m already missing the freedom so much! Being able to work until the small hours, listening to music as loud as I wanted while at it, with no neighbours hearing or getting disturbed… It was sooo great!

Bahia necklace

The next few posts will be about digging into what I’ve come up with jewellery-wise, plus bits and pieces of some favourite holiday memories. In jewellery I’ve been mixing colours quite shamelessly. These are just the type of combinations that will bring out that sunny glow on your skin a couple of months before we dwellers of the north become all white-washed ghosts again. I’m working on wearables for that season too, but for now we’ll continue to enjoy what’s left of summer…

Bahia earrings

The Bahia series consists of a bracelet, a pair of earrings and two different necklaces.

Bahia bracelet

They can all be worn together for a truly maximum bohemian effect, or individually for more toned down elegance.

Bahia light necklace

So, here’s a start and I promise to be back very soon!

“Lär mig, du skog” is Swedish for “teach me, you forest”. I was surrounded with birches and pine trees for weeks so this fits like a glove…