New pictures

After all my moaning about the weather, we've now got lucky and enjoyed glorious sunshine and warm weather for 4 days! 

We've buried all our winter clothes into attic for good, and jumped into shorts and t-shirts. Thankfully I've had 2 days off to enjoy all of this. I've also taken my chance to snap some new pictures of my new listings, two of my friends were brave enough to help me and don't they just look beautiful!

Black cardigan is hand knitted with silk mix yarn; cardi is soft and glorious on skin.

Purple is vintage style cardigan, one of those which will make any girl look like a queen, as it's designed to enhance your figure.

Light grey is more braver style, different lace styled top for summer.

You can find all these at my shop:
www.knitkitbox.etsy.com

Breath of fresh air

Recycling is a trend. Unfortunately trend is starting to turn against itself, as recycling and enviroment friendly are terms easily and light heartedly used in any marketing and advertising. I tried to make Real Finds in Etsy as well as from web, and 80% I managed to come across was something from the grey zone- something which possibly was recycled, but most likely not, word has just been tagged in to create traffic. Other option I found in my travels was recycled odd items- purely recycled but with no usage purpose, something to purchase to be ecofriendly (but how ecofriendly one can be just by purchasing something with no use or need?) My personal red flag also is too expensive upcycled items- why would I want to pay more for a recycled button ring (plastic button attached to a kinder egg ring) than for a truly handmade silver ring?

Thankfully I found some true crafters! There are still some clever ideas around and clever crafters to make them. This week I chose some of my favorites, have a look and be surprised what can be done!

 

 Bird cage by Paperleaves

This is a blank pop-up greeting card made from recycled and repurposed paper. A tiny red bird sits on its perch in an open cage.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/paperleaves

Rug like my grandma used to make- by Emmeli Works


Do your fitted sheets wear out faster than your top sheets? Mine do. The good news is that I am left with high thread count sheets that have past their prime for my bed, but still have a lot of love to give. I add all the used fabric I can find that matches (in addition to sheets, this rug contains some shirts, pants and even a poly/cotton shower curtain) then I render that fabric into strips and knot them together using the toothbrush method. A beautiful, soft and durable rug is created!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/EmmeliWorks 

Recycled rice sack by Panbeh


Recycled basmati rice sack shopping bag . Burlap outer shell and red cotton inside. Great for shopping and going out!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/panbeh 

Piano Key Belt Buckle Recycled Licence Plates -


These little baby piano keys are cut from license plates so you can walk, dance, or drive to your own music!
I've designed these buckles with bits of vintage, retired, and found-alongside-the-road vehicle license plates, mostly from the state of Michigan [although Ohio has worked its way in here and there]. These plates have traveled places, and now they will again! 
http://www.etsy.com/shop/vintageinretrospect

 

Lady Liberty -Hand painted upcycled decoupage decorf art canister

The eco-friendly recycled materials used in this item are: a tin can, magazine clippings, recycled paper, and yogi tea tags. This lovely, symbolic piece displays a silver 1890 coin with Lady Liberty upon it and then an illustration of Lady Liberty in her flowing white dress nurturing an injured dove (symbolizing peace); pink tulips and exotic flowers surround the dove. Lady Liberty's hand is also depicted pulling a white rope which represents the strength of liberty; as well as her delicate smile of hope.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ecofriendlyfreckles

Mad about knitting

Large Color Explosion Drawstring Knitting / Crafting / Gift Bag 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Vegancraftastic

 
Depending the country I've been living in, knitting has been either casted boring, old fashioned or something anyone under 60 wouldn't consider. I do not know if this strerotype is because of our dear grand-mums and great aunts used to knit and sew all the time, passing the skills and also the odd coloured and ill fitted jumpers and other products.

My Granny was typical war time warrior woman, nothing got wasted, everything was recycled way before it became fashionable to be ethical consumer. She use to crochet bath rugs etc from empty coffee bags and other durable materials. How we used to hate them, and hide them when our friends came around, they seemed so cheap and tacky then. Now-a-days they would be fashionable, and ethical items, I just saw a those rugs and shopping bags being on sale in local handycraft shop!       
                                                                                                   

                                                                                       Easter Bunny Egg Cosy,
                                                                                       http://www.etsy.com/shop/colourspace

 


The fact is knitting and crocheting are small miracles- you only need yarn, needles and some knots and loops and hey presto- a jumper is born. In it's own simplicity, knitting is easy way to create something on your own, something that has your touch, your mark from the start to finish.

This week I'm celebrating this form of art, and self-expression, by introducing you to some fellow crafters and their needle work. All of these artist can be found from Etsy.com.

 

 

 

Beautiful, crazy adorable, cocoon and hat- photography prop- http://www.etsy.com/shop/LoveThatCrochet

  

 As you can see, one can produce felt, crochet, knit, bowls, hats, shawls, socks, jumpers,egg warmers with one piece of yarn. It is pure magic!

 

 

 

 

Celtic Knot Felted Bowl, 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/iceblueberries

 

Buckthorn Jumper,
http://www.etsy.com/shop/keepandshare

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

                                                                                                  

 

Hand Knit Ecru Lace Shawl, http://www.etsy.com/shop/WrapArtist,

 

We've have arrived back to my home land, back to Finland. They've had a record breaking winter, there is so much snow everywhere. Everyone else seems to be fed up with it, expect my son and my dog (dog hasn't come across with snow before, and now there's enough for him to get drowned in it!).


We're happy and tired of course, and missing my hubby terribly. I'm all excited though, as I now have full access to beautiful yarns and spinners, and more importantly to salmiak, salty liqurice! There is a possibility, that when my hubby joins us, he'll be greeted by gigantic woolly whale!LOL!



Red handspun yarn by Coolclimates http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=37792424

This week I've collected some items from fellow Scandinavian Etsians, Swedish and Norweigian designs. It's good to be home, and be surrounded by all these pretty items!

Red Tree by Carambatak, Oslo, Norway http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39845197

Colourful scarf by Ingermaaike, Norway http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php? listing_id=28795080









My new design, silk and wool blend scarf and cable knit hat, soon to be listed in http://www.knitkitbox.etsy.com/

Capital of Finland, Helsinki by Syko http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41094677

handmade leather travel journal by Leathermaps http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=40964159

Team CAC

All these following beauties have been collected from the Team CAC's production. (You can find more info about our team also from Facebook, from our newly created pages at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Etsy-Team-CAC/101781875105?ref=search&sid=601218211.1950546945..1)

Isn't it fairly amazing what people can create?

I'll quote words of Andre Gide, the French author and Noble Price winner:
"Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better".

http://www.crochetedwithlove.etsy.com/

http://www.sewfaithful.etsy.com/

http://www.mysaviour.etsy.com/

http://www.delightedhands3113.etsy.com/

http://www.fallingstarlane.etsy.com/

Something new, something old, and something blue…

My Finnish saga continues, this week I’ve concentrated on Formydarling and Karuski, as well as introducing some new items on my shop.

Formydarling uses only materials she collects from second hand shops and flea markets, and by felting and sewing and altogether upcycling, she gives the old, ordinary pullovers a miraculous new lease of life. One of my favourites in her shop is the owl wedding cake toppers http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38662583 isn’t this couple just adorable? And they beat the plastic lifeless figurines by any given day!



Another artist using mainly repurposed and vintage materials is Karuski. Her sweet purses and jewellery just ooze fairy dust and feminine touch. Have a look at this Princess in me necklace http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39007772

I’ve added some new styles to my shop on this week, following my new style of hats with safety reflectors. I’ve done this experiment with reflectors creating hand bag charms & key chains, as the idea of keeping our loved ones safe in dark winter months has been toying constantly in my mind. I’ve been in touch with other Finn, hard working family business Laxo Design, and created these items around their existing safety reflector styles.

White feminine butterfly reflector is designed by Paola Suhonen, and is also available in other colours at http://www.laxodesign.ch/shop-en.php

New Year, New Beginnings

We've returned to the normal routines of our ordinary life! It actually feels good to be back at home, and to jump back to normality. Having said that, our lives never occure to be normal. This week we are dog-sitting (last week it was combined house-horses-dogs-sitting) for a 6 months old puppy Max, whose owner has gone on holiday. He keeps running riot around our older dog Charlie. I can forgive all the accidents, including the smelly ones, but Max has now commited the cardinal mistake of attacking my stacks of yarn, and that is a mistake that is not easily forgiven. My hopes to get a new dog addition to our family have vanished nearly completely- I would not have patience to deal with the mess just now. That is unless someone introduces me to a puppy who hates yarns and wool, my son's toys and hubby's shoes- oh and who automatically knows the toilet issues too! Having said that, I do really love them, bless their smelly socks!

I will also confirm the winner for my Christmas Pay it Forward competition- Sue is the winner and I wish her Happy Birthday as well as plenty of blessings for the surgery on 18th of Jan!

Regarding the knitting, I do have some new ideas. As a mum, my child's safety is always in my mind. When in Finland I noticed most of us wearing a good old safety reflector, and I thought to add some reflectors to my accessories as an extra additional bonus and safety measure. First item is out, second is waiting for a model to arrive and help me out (my son profoundly refuses to model for girly hat, and I can not fight with that).

These are some logistic I found from this web site http://www.laxodesign.ch/, they also have some stunning reflector styles & models on sale including the ones I've used myself.

At night, the human eye only works at 5% of its usual capacity, which is a frightening fact and makes road safety measures all the more important. With a reflector our visibility can go from 100 to 300 metres with high beams and from 20 to 150 metres with low beams.
A person dies on our roads every 97 seconds – a simple gesture like wearing a reflector can help us stay safe and reduce the number of fatalities.