Yesterday I was The Mother of the Year. I woke up with joy and serenity in my heart, took dog out, fed my son, floated around the house like Stepford Wife, drove to school in car filled with mine and neighbours kids singing Abba (bear in mind this was 7.30 am) on top of their lungs, floated effortlessly around absolutely erratic Greek traffic without loosing my temper at all (which is a achievement itself, and I should earn a medal just doing the traffic without loosing my temper, as in a good day the National Road, and Iraklion town is like driving in a war zone), came home, did 3 loads of washing, baked and cleaned the house (even the cracks on floor tiles which can only be done in all fours!!!), had a power walk, picked son from school, took mine and 3 other dogs to beach for a run and after all that did some knitting to my Etsy shop. I know, I know, I did surprise myself with this all, but I knew I had talent somewhere! After all that family effort, I decided to accept my friend’s invitation for a girl’s night out –to go and watch New Moon in cinemas. Film did not do justice to the book, but hey, at least it was filled with pleasant scenes…

This morning I’ve returned to reality, I and son are still in pyjamas, house is a mess and I’m spending all of my Loving and Caring Mother time in Etsy instead. I did come across with few lovely items though, have a look to my fellow Finnish artist Karuski’s shop and especially to this handbag: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30087693
How funky is that! I just love it, the colours and the style and tone of it; it’s a prober ladylike bag, there to make your evening that much more pleasurable! It wouldn’t matter if you were in boring party, I’d be happy every time I’d just glance that bag!


I did give these as a hint to my hubby for my Christmas present, have a look at the other one at one9designs' shop, a fellow CAC member.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_2&listing_id=35268426
This stack of rings would also make my day! So basic, understated but so pretty.

I think hubby took my hints well. And at least I did show my true colours yesterday (today he is out and about, so my pyjamas can stay on, and all the rubbish can be cleared later), and by all books he has to show his appreciation somehow! Having said that, my Stepfordniness pops up only once a year, and it leaves even me in awe. I should spread the effort evenly for better results, but hey that would be too predictable, I like to keep him on his toes….

Gingerbread men

I had a panic attack; Christmas is only 5 weeks away! In my mind I'm still living in October...hmm... This also means I'm only 5 weeks away from gingerbread men, cinnamon buns and chocolates...You can not eat them before, as it only spoils the Big Days! So on 24th (yes we celebrate Christmas for 3 days by Finnish tradition), on Christmas Eve, one starts to enjoy, and by 26th one can not face another gingerbread man for another year!

Hereby I offer our family tradition for your service, make them and enjoy, just follow the lead of Lukas (shown on picture making them)
The Recipe for the Best Thin Gingerbread Men

You need:
200 g butter
2.35dl of sugar
1.5 dl of syrup
1 dl cream
7.5 dl of flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of cloves
1 tsp of allspice
0.5 tsp of ground ginger

Melt the butter in the same bowl you'll mix the dough in. Mix the baking soda with small portion of flour. Add the seasoning (ginger etc), sugar, syrup and cream to the cooled down butter. Mix the ingredients well together, to make sure none of the seasonings are clamped together. Add the baking soda mixture, as well as rest of the flour by gently mixing or even rather spooning the flour in to the dough. Cover the dough and the bowl with clean towel and plastic bag and leave it in a fridge to set until following day.

Day 2: take the dough to room temperature, put oven on to 190 degrees. Start moulding the dough, portion at the time with rolling pin, to a thin flat disc, press gingerbread men out with the mould of your choice, add men on oven tray and bake for 5-10 minutes until dark golden brown. Decorate if you wish, with icing sugar mix when men have cooled down.

Hint: moulding is easier when the dough is still cool

Hint 2: once baked, lay the hot gingerbread men on flat surface, on uneven surfaces like plates etc they’ll just turn wonky...

Hint 3: Eat plenty and enjoy!

Also, some knitting pictures as attached- latest customer orders, skull mittens and pink slippers.

Living with polar bear

This week has flown by! This is because it's been the first week since our move to new house, and we are all trying to find our bearings, and the tricks there is in the older houses. Also partially because I’ve really tried to study, and concentrate to this course about accountancy, with no luck I’m afraid…It has become clear that me and mathematics do not agree with each others.
I have managed to grasp the basics, but every time I try a new exercise I get confused. Why mathematics can not be as simple as on knitting or visiting the bakery- one chocolate cake, two chocolate cakes…. If you have any ideas how to help me with basics of accountancy, please feel free to contact me!


I have also finished off a few new orders, white ones made with traditional style, with Novita pattern, and brown ones with Garnstudio pattern and Novita yarns. I have concentrated all my efforts on these knits, as my dear husband, who has been a valuable asset (read a hand model for men’s gloves) has stopped smoking. This has meant that our 1st week in new house has been as pleasant as living in a zoo with wounded polar bear. Bless him, he is trying really hard, week 2 is nearly done, but I’m ready to attack him with 10 nicotine patches while he is a sleep, just to make our life easier...So if there is anyone out there who knows tricks to accountancy and grumpy husbands, please contact me urgently!

Greek lightning!

Just when I thought my lige was settled after previous uprooting and relocation, we're hit by Greek lightning!Ou landlord gave us 5 days to move out; his brother needed a home, our home. After four sleepless nights and attempts to find a new home we finally, on last minute found one (finding a new place which would accept a family with pets, and also one that we could actually afford was not an easy task)! Praise the Lord!

Our new home is actually better what we've had before, and after all the hassle with broken heater, knackered hot water boiler and no cooking facilities, we've managed to conquered the move and settle in! I missed last weeks blogg update, as I did not have access to internet either, obviously due to the move, so please accept my apologies re this.

Anyhow, I've attached a picture of our new drive/path into our new home. Poor Charlie the Dog gets tormented by local cats- they keep appearing behind our windows just to drive him potty!!

Amongst all these manic circumstances I've unravelled my stress levels with knitting, and here are my new items for our shop, Merry Berry Christmas socks, Clever Blue mobile phone case and also latest customer order for brown gloves, made with Garn Studio pattern Z-434, and Novita Nalle yarn.

p.s:When checked into Etsy, came across this seller InspiredbyMarie and item wood burned sign: Welcome to Nuthouse! Brilliant, that's what we need!!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=32164599

What a week! I think this has been the busiest week in this autumn; we had to find a new house, start packing, finish lot of orders and do my test for my Business studies. I managed to rummage through, and I do think I deserve a chocolate cake now! And a good old chunky slice too!

Here are my latest additions for the shop and the other orders, I’ve finished up this week as pictured, few socks men and kid’s as well as shawl for my dear mother. Thankfully she was here to help me out with day to day life. Bless her, she must have had a great holiday; I was either knitting, surfing in net or studying whilst she took care of the rest. Having said that, I have realised, that after the birth the her grand child I've lost my importance in her pecking order...

I have also come across this shop in Etsy http://www.shabbysneakers.etsy.com/ (I know I know, I should have spent the time packing up and studying for the test, but girls gotta do what girls gotta do!). I liked this shop and had a giggle- the perfect Twilight t-shirt prints one can get! Not too girly, teenage and pink for us middle aged (I grimace as I write it down, I hate that word and definition of it….) fans! So of course I had to celebrate and treat my friend with one of these, she is the one who I can blame for my Twilight –obsession, and as she’ll be the one wearing it I’m the one who can have a giggle!

New orders

This is my latest handy work, a pair of felted slippers which were made for my good friend Sirpa, as a birthday present. My plan was to decorate these orange beauties with gold, silver, and diamonds (all mentioned being authentic materials of course….hmmm in my dreams…and hers…) to match her beauty queen like appearance, but after a thought I decided to stick with more common material, wool instead, to match with the real world. She did like them, so mission accomplished!

I also received my first Alchemy requests-custom made requests, via Etsy. Hooray! I’ll keep you posted, but so far requests include gloves, mittens and few slippers. Brilliant! I’m also waiting for new stock to arrive. There will be new yarns like Puro, Huopanen, and Luxus Cloud to arrive to my shop listing!

I love making presents and orders, as whilst knitting stitch after stitch I also weave part of myself to them too. Orders are also fun in a sense, that the requested item my not match my taste and style at all, which sometimes is like opening my eyes to the world I did not know existed. One becomes so accustomed to daily routines and colour schemes one is used to, that getting an order with different view, with new colours and shapes becomes a learning curve. I also believe that in a process of doing anything artistic, hand made items, writing etc one becomes blind to the results and therefore to make the item, it’s better to stand away from it, so one can clean the act and open the eyes again for finishing touches. These are my words of wisdom for this week, take care and God Bless!

Knitting with Vampires

Hello again, and my apologies for late update!

We have all been ill; we have suffered in the fangs of one of the nasty flue bugs which has been popping around amongst our holidaymaker visitors and work colleagues. So beginning of last week was spent nursing husband (read: suffered from Extremely Lethal Man Flue) as well as son (read: The One Who Learnt from the Best Man Flue Sufferers), as well as friend who was here on holiday and of course last but no means the least, Me. I spent my illness-hours feeling guilty of not being able to knit until good friend passed me a book that just swiped me off my feet! And this happened totally against my agreement and better knowledge! Anna Karenina and Dorian Gray just flew out of the window as there were replaced by teenage vampires! So here by I confess: I’ve read all four of Stephenie Meyers Twilight series, and I’m completely hooked with them! This is embarrassing really as I’m not a teenager anymore, even though I wish I would be one if it would be an advantage in the eyes of Robert Pattinson, the one who plays Edward in the badly made film. Yes, I’ve seen already gobbled up the film too. And yes I've also visited the fan page.

After fever, snot and vampire filled week, I’ve returned to my true form as established mother, wife and knitter and I have finished another order for slippers, this is the one with new Novita Huopanen mix-yarn, as well as fingerless gloves made with Novita Nalle Marjaretki. Both orders just flew by- both yarns are such a pleasure to knit with! I can also proudly confirm I’ve made my first Etsy sale, my shop is http://www.knitkitbox.etsy.com/, as well as I’ve received some new inquiries about custom made items, cardigans, slippers and gloves!! I like knitting the orders; these will keep me so busy my affection to Twilight has to stay at bay. At least until the new film is released…