Cheap art

Square canvas:
3,90 euros.

Artwork by 15-month-old daughter:
0 euros (or priceless, depending on how you put it)

Cosy commuting

There’s a peculiar vehicle on the loose! The Lace Bus is cruising through Vantaa on the line 55, until the end of September. It’s the creation of artist Virpi Vesanen-Laukkanen, famous of her candy wrapper dresses, and a part of OTTO- exhibition, recently opened in Vantaa Art Museum.

I’ve been lucky to visit the bus last week. The upholstery is covered with second-hand-crochets and laces, and  there’s even some special decorations for the driver’s pleasure.

On the other news: some bastard stole my bicycle. The car-free day turned to a wheel-free day for me.

Have a break

TAUKO (“BREAK”) makes clothes from recycled fabrics. They take commissions, and – if I’m not mistaken – some of the stuff they make is available in Myymälä2 and Secco store… and in Berlin, of course.

The pattern of the dress below resembles the much-loved and even-more-sold  “Million-hearts”, designed by Arja Mattila for Finlayson in the early seventies. I have a set of vintage baby linen from my childhood made of the very same fabric, only in green colour. Oh my, how I love this frock!

This is a second post in row made entirely in yellow. I wonder if this might indicate the weather outside somehow?

The official sword & sandal post, minus the sword

No, you can’t get these shoes from anywhere. Maybe thrift them if you’re super-lucky, or steal them from some museum. I think they’re plain gorgeous.

There were dozens of shoe factories in Tampere, back in the day. These  sandals were manufactured by Kenkätehdas A. Roihu in 1965. Who know, maybe they were designed by Marja Suna, since she started her career at the service of this very company.

(Source of photograph)

A Chinese affair

My 1-year-old is doing fine on the dollhouse department. She’s already got this:

A local ceramic artist Soile Paasonen makes these wee cups and saucers in Pot Viapori ceramic studio. They cost a tiny fortune, but I could not care less. If I can afford one pair a year, my daughter will have the full set in just… 6 years.

Bowling, not skiing

Shame on me, but I absolutely hate cross-country skiing. My husband claims it’s just my lack of good technique and quality equipment. Ah well.

Now, THIS fruit-bowl is some proper use of skis:

(Via)

I Want Candy

My late grandmother used to love these foxy marmalades, with the “genuine” flavor of rowanberries. Now somebody in MAKEEdesign is making tiny pouches and bags out of the wrappers. And not only candy wrappers, but crazy other packages like shrimp, peas and portable soup! My, I happen to have one made of a bag of instant-brown-sauce-mix.

Powered by flowers

This lamp, “Dahlia” by Aino Favén is simply adorable. It is entirely made of old shampoo bottles.

The designer is a talented visual artist, but she should definetely be doing more of these!

The world of things

I love stuff, but consuming has lately made me rather sick in the stomach. I’m surrounded by people who make and design all things beautiful, to the market or just for their own pleasure.

Occasionally I make stuff myself. But that’s not very often.

Here I’ll display the fine Finn things that I’ve found, and maybe have a rant or two.