Sugar, No Spice

A couple of years ago we both read the book La libellule se ses huit ans by Martin Page. Apparently the book was never translated to English, I read the Finnish translation as I don't know any French. Anyway, in the book there's an episode where the main character offers tea to her guest. She doesn't put any sugar on the table but just says "I hope you're not one of those idiots who put sugar in their tea".

And here's the thing: I put a lot of sugar in my tea, I never have my tea without it. So when we drink tea my boyfriend often repeats the line of that character from the book. And every time I answer "No, I'd just like to have some tea in my sugar".

My boyfriend then, well, if somebody offers him sugar with his tea or coffee he always says "No thank you, I'm sweet enough without it".

Well, that was a little story of my life.
Whether it interests anyone, I have no idea.
I just felt like telling it.

Just Like my Notebook

I've been thinking a lot of blogging lately.
What it means to me, what I'd like to blog about.
How I'd like my blog to look like and who I'd like to read it.

My blog is my creative outlet.
Just like my notebook.
It includes words and pictures, both helping me to express myself.

I'd like to tell you little stories of my life.
About my musings, feelings and thoughts.
About my daily life and what happens in it.
Sometimes those little stories might be sad, sometimes happy.
Just like my life.

I'd also like to share my inspirations.
Internet is full of pretty pictures, good ideas and lovely things.
I prefer self-made and self-photographed material here in my blog,
but am still going to share pics and pages from other people too.
To tell you what I love and what makes me inspired.
And because I often find out that somebody
has already explained how I feel and did it better than I ever could myself.

So my blog is still going to be a mixture
of many ingredients.
My blog is a combination
that resembles me, the writer.
Just like my notebook does.

Monday's Motivation Post

{By Gemma Correll}

I don't mind Monday,
but what really bothers me today
are those couple of sentimeters
of fresh new snow we got
during the night.
I was beyond bummed when
looking out the window this morning.
Oh spring, don't you ever come here?

{by Steph Says Hello}

This awesome print makes me feel better though.
Hope it helps you too
in case Monday feels like an old friend
you wouldn't care to meet on the street.

No-one Can Be Unhappy When Having Balloons

{via Unstitched}

If somebody wanted to give me 25 balloons with birthday wishes for my next birthday, I wouldn't mind. Awesome idea and pretty pretty pictures spotted at the Unstitched-blog.

An Afternoon in a Café

On a Tea Break, Again

{All pics by Karin Vivar}

You might (or might not) know that I love tea- and coffee cups. I even collect them. And photograph them. Photographs featuring pretty teacups always make me happy, and this time was no different. When I stumpled upon these lovely cup photos by Swedish Karin Vivar, I had to smile. Especially love the one with the apple splash!

Spring in my Kitchen

Today it was grey and miserable outside, and cause I miss spring so much it almost hurts, I decided to cheer myself up with some flowers. What would be a better way to celebrate spring inside when it's still winter outside?

When I arrived home with my tulips I realized the one and only ugly vase I own is still in a box, and I have no idea which box is the right one. Solved the problem with a teapot my mom gave us recently. And I have to say I love how it looks. And yes, I feel more cheery now.

Today was a free day

Today we decided to take a day off from the crazy moving process and just rest. This was my first free day in a month (have been working all the weekdays and moving all the weekends) and I was so exhausted, felt like I couldn't take it anymore. So today we ate a good breakfast, had tea from our new owl teapot, took a nap, walked around and stopped to read magazines and newspapers in a cafe. And oh, how much better I feel already. Next weekend we'll do one more moving trip and finish the cleaning, and then it's finally over. Yay! Except the unpacking, it will probably take several weeks, but who cares. I'm getting used to living in a garage already.

Now a bubble bath and then to bead. Today's a whole new Monday, again. Good night!

Cute and lovely and pink

{by Luci Everett}

Lately I've enjoyed searching party inspiration online. Not that I were planning any special events, or even a little get-togethers. I just enjoy watching colorful photos of balloons and cakes. I also enjoy of this handmade party book by Luci Everett. So cute and lovely and pink.

All I need is plates

These adorable plates made by doe-c-doe stole my heart.
But that one plate to die for at the moment would be this
bear plate by Jimbobart:

I so want to hang it on our kitchen wall,
it would be perfect there!
Bearrific, indeed.

PS. I might have purchased it already...

Fact of the Day

Everything looks prettier
when you add some fairy lights.
(Adding some curtains could help too.)

I could live there

Yesterday,
when coming out of a grocery store,
I spotted some nice, colorful buildings.
I'd like to see more houses like these
in Finland instead of all those gray, white and
brown ones.

(I live in a beige one and I had to go
to the balcony to check the color
before posting this, as I haven't
paid that much attention.
Just registered the building was ugly
and that was enough information for me.)

Feels Good...

{by Mary Kate McDevitt}

Except I didn't get anything done today.
Therefore posting this for tomorrow and
a new (hopelessly) productive day.

Something New, Something Blue

Lots of things have changed in my personal life since I last time actively wrote this blog. I finished my thesis. I graduated. I got a job. I took that job, even though it was in another city. Which led to a situation where my boyfriend had to get a new job in that new city too. And then we moved. Or actually have been moving for couple of weeks now, the process isn't completely over yet. One more trip with a car full of stuff and cleaning of the old apartment are waiting to be done. And now we live in a place that looks more like a garage with those boxes everywhere, so there's lots of unpacking to do as well.

My boyfriend gave that globe in the pictures for me for Christmas two years ago. It's one of those single items that are very precious to me. From the last picture you can see that the distance between these two cities in Southern Finland ("Hels." and the other one on the left side of it) isn't very long, but it still feels like it. I'm glad I have my globe to bring me comfort in a new city I've never lived in before. This is like having a new start. In a good and a bad way, both at the same time. I'm excited and frightened by turns.

Let's see what happens.

Little Tuesday Escape

{via Irene Suchocki}

I so love these colorful, whimsical, fairytale-like photographs of Irene Suchocki. They make me wanna pack a little red suitcase and travel somewhere where you can live in a bright pink house (according to Irene that's in Burano, Italy) or ride in a ferris wheel like that. Sitting on a beach under such a cute umrella wouldn't be bad either.

Moustache Monday

Awesome moustache nails!

{via Pinterest, original source unknown}

Magical springlike feeling, at least in the pictures

{via Ruche}

It's raining wet, slushy snow outside and I know my shoes will be wet at the very moment I step out of the door. The spring seems to be ages away, and I couldn't miss it more. These pictures from Ruche Lookbook (spotted via Shimmer Like Gold) made me feel a little better. I love that spring scenery free of snow but not looking too green or flowery. Just like the first days of spring.

Dreaming of...

{via}

This morning I had a dream of blogging. It was just a quick one between two beeps of my alarm clock, and frankly, I no longer have any idea what happened in it. But when I woke up, I felt quite inspired about this thing again. And even about blogging in English, which has felt like a burden lately.

It must be annoying when I pop up here and then disappear again and am away for months. Sorry about that. I'm trying to be more present from now on. If there's still someone out there I'd like to hear from you. How are you?