WINTER BITES, A GIVEAWAY

Dear dark November,

It is dark and wet. Mostly a very dark month here. The snow is melting. But I am very well, got soaked on my bicycle trip, but now again I am warm inside and brightened with watercolors and your words.

A parcel arrived with a smile and doorbell ringing, full of postcards that I made with a winter theme. Not the one above, I cannot show the picture as it would not be anymore a surprise for my friends then anymore. But the first batch of the postcards had some beauty mistakes. Still they are very fine, I am the only one to see the mistake I think. Still I don´t want to throw those winter postcards away. Maybe you might want some of them. A giveaway. Fifteen small piles of six postcards will be sent to some of you. Please, if you like to play, just leave a comment here with your email address. Sunday the 21st of this dark November is the last day to participate.

When the rain falls, I imagine the drops being small clover leaves. Fresh and soft touching on their way. In a big crossroad, where all the traffic lights are always red, there are street lamps higher than anywhere else. There in the light I can see the rain and how huge it is. Still very soft those invisible clover leaves. A hint of summer in dark November. I am not good in using an umbrella. But it usually rains only on my way back home. Where woolen socks are waiting. Lucky.

And now, cups of tea!

P.s. The Apple Blossom Meadow -print is back in the shop!

Edit: P.p.s. Yes, anyone anywhere can participate :)

COUNTERS OF RAINWATER AND HEIGHTS OF FIREWOOD STACKS

Happy Father´s Day isi and pappa!

Forests, lakes, fields. Of those are these men made of. Of coffee in a thermos bottle, newspapers and radio. Firewood, summerhouses and sauna. Rocking chairs, birds and squirrels. Blue skies. Pine wood. Of early mornings.

That alder tree orchard is a field of green grass now. Those two little eskimos are a bit older now, me and my brother. They tell that it will be the winter of the winters this year. Maybe I should keep the knitting needles more busy and make hats like those. A Sunday is good for that, for every layer of paint drying.

Thank you for all your orders (and emails and comments) once again, they make me so happy! The Apple Blossom Meadow -print is sold out at the moment, but I will make some more during the next week.

Sunday of blue music, date-blueberry-cake and frost blue paint.

All my love,

Anna Emilia

IT JUST HAPPENED ONE EVENING

On Sunday evening. The winter. Radio was on and I was painting, the next moment I watched outdoors in the darkness, everything was white. It just happened. With its colors and light. Tastes and pinches on cheeks. Waiting for a new snow storm to arrive. The wind is already here, scratching the corners. Better to hurry to the post office.

Scents of green tea with apple, cardamom and coriander, happy Tuesday, so glad to have you here!

TINY TICKLES

Layer of snow landed this morning. Ate breakfast in candlelight watching snowflakes dancing, roofs of the small allotment houses were soon white. Smiling to yesterday. What a humble and kind man.

They are small but itchy, still harmless. The louse and pinworms. Itchy illustrations for Kaksplus 11/2010, magazine for parents of small children.

Going to bicycle around the small lake. A small house to be seen on the way with a lake sight and towers of the town. Could it become a new roof for my paintings and myself?

Fluffy cold colored clouds travel over the sun, lights on, lights off.

Warmest smiling weekend greetings,

Anna Emilia

WINTER WINGS

Dear November, dear you,

Morning of fog and frost, morning of a favorite kind. Changing table to paint with the whiskers of the sun through that milky mist. And then, drops two envelopes from the mail box.

The other one was from Poland. Pure Magazine is a bilingual magazine (Polish-English). This issue emphasizes Finland (with amazing Marja Pirilä, Jimi Tenor, Klaus Haapaniemi, Laura Laine, Sanna Kannisto, Janine Rewell, Helsinki Dance Company, Kari Piippo). Very honored I am to be part of it with a few paintings of mine.

There are some small winter butterflies flying in my tummy. Tickling nicely, touching gently with their curvy peaks of wings my tummy. I wish it is a good winter house for them and they do feel themselves home there. They live inside me because of some lovely news from Milan, Italy. It will be busy and happy hands painting houses the whole winter through.

From my mail box has been dropping lately heart-warming envelopes, postcards and emails. I thank you deeply for every one of them, they mean a lot.

Hearts and candle light from my painting table,

Anna Emilia

(The cover illustration in the 4th photo by Janine Rewell.)

HE WHISPERS THROUGH PINE TREES

It was very quick, the book fair. Smiling. People coming and going, talking or just watching me drawing. An older man showing his pictures (of sheep, goats and countryside homes). He had started to draw and paint in age of 75, I was happy. Listening his story I almost forgot that I was there to work. I drew a small forest, kids around me drew on the wall their names.

Then there was a happy lunch in the city, two cats and a girl behind one window, friends around till the last train home. The last train home broke down, but I was happily asleep as long as it was working again and making its lullabying melody of going home.

Today a long bicycle trip in town. Passed a beautiful graveyard, there was a small flower shop open. They luckily had also candles there. One I lit in the graveyard for my grandfather, who surely is sitting in top of a pinewood tree now and whispering his words when the wind flies through the branches. Of fishing luck, stacks of firewood and berry picking. "I am just listening to the radio," I remember him saying the very last time we met some years ago.

Squirrels were there too to lit the candle.

Originals of these photos were taken by Darren. He is going to travel almost around the world (in my mind). Bon Voyage dear, come back home safe!

TRICK OF TWO PAIRS

A small autumn sail over the other side of a forest pond. Maybe after gentle waves there are still some cranberries hiding in the moss. Those I would need to make my running nose better for tomorrow, as I will be sailing to the Helsinki book fair. In a small booth (6e84) I will participate Illustrators in Finland and draw something small at 12 o´clock. If you are around, please come and say hi!

Boiling hot water for green tea, strawberry juice and a huge woolen shirt, two pairs of woolen socks. A trick to try to send the cold away.

You, please stay warm this evening!