COUNTING TREES, A GIFT LIST OF DECEMBER

These streets and views in different weather became very familiar to me during November, a month in a residency in Reykjavík. My Travelogue grew in wind, in snowy days and in sunshine and frost pinching nose. With dear new friends and so many shared teacups and cakes, songs of ravens. The lighthouse was twinkling, the Aurora Borealis danced on the sky. Swimming water was warm, the mountains snowy. The paintings were done with the support from Arts Promotion Centre Finland.

If you are looking something to give to your dearest, these are some items available with my illustrations:
Breathe and Be, A Book About Mindfulness Poems illustrated book, also available here
Blue Skies umbrella
Red Cap Cards stationary
In Flight temporary tattoos
Mon Herbier herbarium book
Casa di fiaba illustrated book
L'ours et le soleil illustrated book
Spring Allotment poster
Garden of A Moon Gazer poster
Dandelion Fields Box of Labels
Dandelion Fields Notecards

Kisses, warmth, long walks and snowy peaks!

NORTHBOUND

Summer, even cold so far, Northern magic at home in the East and in Lapland. Trees that get smaller and twisted on the way, people who get more relaxed. The sun that does not set. The visitors with antlers on greener blueberry patches. Secrets of the North.

Happy summer!

MEADOW DREAMS

Hello,

What is inspiring you this spring?

For me it is the light that is reaching to every corner and tickling cheeks and wrapping its arms around the furthest of spots. The first afternoon nap in the balcony. The evenings when blackbirds sing in a nearby tree. The wind, even though it blows all the street dust and sand to eyes. Bicycling and the sunset reflection on frozen lakes. Reading about far-away places, checking maps of those places and plans about visiting those same far-away places. The phone calls and little messages. Knocks on the door. Taste of freshly baked bread. The truth that the wind will still turn. Most probably already this weekend. Maybe better not to store away all the winter clothes just yet. 

Waking up with the sun.

Tamah duvet sheet and pillow case designs of my In Meadow painting available at La Redoute. Meadow dreams of sunshine tickling your nose. In Meadow available also as a print.

Soft dreams of early spring!

GREENERY

The light tickles green little spots to wake up while the first spring storm hums outside. Plans about summer plants, voyages, a pot of green tea and a pile of newspapers.

1. A little interview on The Epoch Times.
2. Scandinavian Dreams by Carrie.

Happy Sunday!

SKIING PATHS

Around fields and through forests. On a frozen lake. The place where the first Coltsfoot would appear. Someone who had send pine seeds by wind to the skiing path. Someone who had done other kind of paths by jumping. Over little hills and down again.

A little weekend trip by train to the East with blue sky.

Today on my way back home, a blackbird was singing in a forest.

Happy April, happy spring!

PEARLS AND PARCELS

Muscari, helmililja, pearl lily, grape hyacinth. Filling the air with its mysterious and sweet scent.

Warming parcels from South-East and South-West. Thank you so much dear ones!

New snow landing, sketch book open, tea water boiling, the grape hyacinth bowing towards windows.

Wishing you a good Monday.

FIRST SPRING TICKLES

A small train trip, many walks. More powdery snow. A few sun rays tickling all the corners. Reading a sentence here and there. More frozen windows. Spicy broccoli soup with coconut cream, ginger and lime juice. What about a few pancakes with grandmother´s raspberry jam?

Happy afternoon break greetings while the sun is already setting!

PINE NEEDLES, HAPPY 2013

Blue skies, star lights, dreamy clouds, peeking golden sun. 

Smiles, warmth, hugs, and happiness to your New Year!

Happy January!

BOWS, HERE AND THERE

Radio playing silent songs. Snow, more on every glance outdoors. Someone brushing it away behind windows. Small secrets here and there, wrapped and hidden, sent away. Afternoon break, light disappearing. The moment when the coffee starts to sing with steam.

Tea for Five in Sekret Firmy magazine.

Have a sweet, warm new week!

AFTERNOON BREAK GREETINGS

Milky sky and yellow leaves. The air is standing, is it the calmness before rain´s hum. Paper piles and someone walking on the roof. Whistling a happy melody in the staircase while hammering. Thank you for the new roof you happy workers!

There might be something almost finished on my floor. Is it really two years already. In those two fitted a lot of things, forgotten piles and many other paintings.

New brush strokes and black narrow lines, cinnamon buns and dreams of the small train trip tomorrow. 

Have a calm weekend, stay warm!

Happy birthday Mom ♥ 

POCKETS, BASKETS, BAGS, HANDFULS

Mushrooms all over. All size and colours. Some hiding with their colours, some waving with their brightness. Baskets, pockets, bags and hands full. Buckets of apples. Chilly autumn air that is filled with scent of apples and cinnamon.

Bicycle Caravan to friends. Available as a bit smaller print in my shop, too. 

How lovely to get home after long walks and bicycle trips, to feel the warmth of home while stepping in. To get nose and hands warm again and turn on lights. The mornings are traveling further, they come later. The traveling birds too, migrating. Imagining suitcases to them with swimsuits and beach towels. Au revoir, see you next year the winged ones!

Stay warm, have a calm week!

ON AN ADVENTURE

An easy way to travel is to look up to the sky. To see the clouds chasing each others, to see the stars to blink even they are stone and gas up in the space, far away. To see airplanes flying and the flapping wings of birds. Dragonflies, so many these days, with their glimmering bronze wings in the sun. Lost balloons and a yellow leaf of this autumn whirling in the wind.

Two photos through my windows of these yellow autumn days, one photo (detail) of a painting Adventure on A Windy Day, available at BSDA.

Warm golden moments, happy September!

GREETINGS FROM A PAINTING TABLE

Hello from my painting table. 

Turquoise, clover red, puffy dandelion white and forests of greens are filling this table. A small clinging sound as the brush is cleaned in an empty jam jar and comforting melodies of boiling water, as a teapot is filled. Today, Sakura green tea and adventures of drawing small wooden houses. The colder air of autumn makes this spot at home even more precious.

Blossom Sailing. A small boat ready for an afternoon trip on a lake. Sun glimmering, nearby meadow sending greetings as flying leaves and flowers. Water in the lake is perfect for a small swim. 

Sweet Kate from BSDA asked me to join her art show of original artworks. There are six pieces for sale for six weeks. You can find all the works here with some more pictures. The two paintings in this post are included. There is also a small interview. You can find BSDA also here. Hopefully you enjoy them!

Wild Strawberries. Clovers, Forget-Me-Nots and Cow Vetches are covering small white flowers of wild strawberries on a clearing. Still need to wait a bit for the sun-kissed, red-cheeked berries to come.

All the works are from this year and signed and sent by me from Finland. On soft cotton paper, by watercolors and some small drops of white acrylic paint. With a lot of love, many long walks and thoughts and many pots of tea.

Thank you so much Kate for this opportunity!

Today is one of those mornings when the small lake behind my window is completely silent and reflects the same colors and forms than above the horizon. Pine trees, trees of a city garden, a corner of a field. Towers of this city. A perfect beginning for new stories to happen. A perfect morning for anything.

Warm smiles and happy last days of August! Thank yo so much for your visits and kind words!

EMERALD GREEN

Today the lake behind windows is the same color as the sky, just a horizon of emerald green trees in between. Silent rain does not matter seagulls. Pile of unread newspapers on the balcony with cups of fresh mint tea while watercolors dry.


At home a few weeks ago, small waves.


Happy Midsummer week!

DREAMY SUMMER NIGHT VIEWS

The first spring rain, always forgetting how wonderful it smells and feels. How it is soft and silent, a happy one. How it feels to fall asleep with the melody of it. First spring rain, a mood of a kind. A mood for being comforted. 


The sound made me dreaming of the views that I saw from my homes some years ago, in Iceland. The bright summer night light. The open sky. Humming streets. Birch leaves in wind. Landings and taking offs of the domestic aircraft. An old woman with a scarf around her head, collecting all the bottles. Neighbor kid in a tiger mood.


What do you see from your window?


Weekend of biking in spring rain, balcony naps, reading, baking. Eating with friends. Listening to Faroese language. Summer plans with strawberry tastes and lime. Planting herbs.


Never setting sun, it feels almost like it already.


Have a good beginning for the new week!