Aasheim's ordeal

In February 2023 I encouraged you to read a book that tells about Antarctica. For the challenge I picked up a book written by Norwegian Stein P. Aasheim (in Finnish). I am not sure if it is translated into English but it tells about  Vegard Ulvang, Jan-Gunnar Winther, Stein P. Aasheim and Harald Dag Jølle 's expedition to follow in Roald Amundsen's ski tracks to the South Pole to celebrate its 100 anniversary.

This books smells like sweat, stew woolen socks and testosterone. I have never ever read a book like this. Definitely not my genre. I picked it up for the challenge by googling books according to the theme. This seemed interesting so I borrowed it at the local library. Right on the begin I started to think how on earth I can ever finish it. The language and style are so different compared to what I am used to and I do have read all kind of books -except these. I had difficulties to stay on the track. But then I don't know what happened. Feeling that I was trying to ski in Sahara and pulling a pulka behind me started to ease. I don't know if the style got easier or did I got used to it but it turn out easier to stay on the track right behind them.

I am happy I found this book and I can only say not many 60 years old can do the same as Aasheim while it was hard enough for the younger ones too. It was an ordeal indeed but I am sure they all remember it with love and the dust of the difficulties fade away during the years passing by.  I also must admit these men are the most brave South Pole explorers as they only didn't do it  but did perhaps even more brave and challenging thing: They spoke aloud about the difficulties they faced and for sure -because of that- save several lives after their expedition despite before them the others had been just silent about it all what called the death into the camps.

Christmas Village

I just finished Czes Pachela`s Christmas Village. It is included in King's Christmas Collection 2 x 1000 puzzle pack. 

These puzzle storage boxes were again really practical and extremely helpful. This is only the 2nd time I used them and am so satisfied.

Sometimes making jigsaw puzzles can be very challenging and you feel need to have a hammer to get it all to fit in. With the patience and playful mind it always will be solved out without a hammer. Then you can enjoy about the result for a moment!

AutumnStylePenCase

I designed and made autumn style pen case. I have used the same fabric for face mask cases and BookBag No13. I have all kind of materials in my stash which I can use when the need or/and inspiration hits on me. It is just practical because then I can start right away. 

For this project I used the fabric I bought years ago. I added recycled ribbon and zipper. They match well with the fabric and create the pen case to be more practical.

Watercolors

I bought Simply Cards & papercraft #237 magazine and did something I have not done in a decade -I think. In January I paint the 4 cards included with the magazine by the watercolors attached to the kit. I made several beginner level mistakes but hey it's been time since I paint with these! Here you can see my expression of the cards.

Preserving

In August 2022 I was trusted to investigate this Sámi costume. It is always a huge honor to be trusted in the way that Forest Sámi people, who are discriminated minority among Finland's Sámi population, dare to show their costume heritage and even leave it in my house for proper investigations. There are not much left because of WWII actions in Lapland. At the end, in practical, almost everything was burnt down and territorial cessions accomplished as the result of peace negotiations. That's how we lost half of my own Kuolajärvi siida geographical area.

See the link below to find out how the brand new costume looks. First I made the patterns, then graded it smaller as he is shorter than his grandfather, but not too short so that his taller relatives can wear it too. Forest Sámi culture appears also in borrowing your items -even costume- to your close ones if they don't have their own. Forest Sámi always lived in a hard and poor way. One costume took 2-3 years of time to make when you started all they way from the material production. That's why it is understandable and acceptable to share instead of strict individual posses.

The only change we made for the costume is that we left out the front shield. The shields were add on the winter costumes to prevent the snow and wind get into. Today the Sámi costumes are used in special occasions, not at physical work and daily life, so the shield is more unpractical than practical. You can keep it or leave it out in Forest Sámi costumes. In this case we wanted to leave it out to create some space for the silver brooch to show up more clear. So, actually no changes were made and the new costume is exactly like the old one, just without the shield.

Click here to see Jukka Säntti's Sámi costume

BerryBeautiful

I stitched Susan Penny's design Berry Beautiful which was kit included with Cross Stitcher Magazine #383.

The design includes cross stitches and few beads. the white strawberry flowers were meant to be left black, but I stitched them with white & light pink loose end shades. 

I didn't make the hanger of the kit as it was supposed to. Instead I made a practical scissor keeper which you can use also as a pincushion. This design reminds me about my own scissor keeper. I wanted to stitch this for a friend far away as a birthday gift in March. 

TotallyTropical

This is  Durene Jones' design. It is included in Cross Stitcher Magazine #384. A friend of mine gave me pack of kits included with magazines as Christmas 2023 gift. 

This kit came with card and envelope. Instead of making a card of it I decided to make something else of it. For the card I found a perfect picture from my stash. 

I made a biscornu of it. Only once before I've made a biscornu. This one is not actually a pincushion but can be used as one. 

This is scissor keeper. I made one before. After 11 years I still have it despite the tassel needs a bit updating. The design includes cross stitches, half cross stitches, back stitches and long stitches. I added a button to keep up the biscornu shape and a re-used cord to attach it to the scissors.

For the back I used a tiny piece of matching fabric. I had also that in my stash. I really enjoy doing all king of things that need concentration and working with hands! I always say my nerves rest on it despite I am often told it gets on ones nerves when you need to do so exact and precise work for hours! No, my nerves and soul rest on it! I am sure I can find many soul mates!

Felt Mittens No2

 

Earlier in January 2023 I designed and knit Felt Mittens No1. Since that I have designed and knit 4 more pair of mittens. The difference is in the wrist decoration. The yarn is the same old Schachenmayr's special edition Wash+Filz-it! Fine Multicolor yarn (100% virgin wool) (100g = 200m). I felt them in washing machine (40  Celsius degrees, 1200 rpm). See the pics below how they all turn out. 

Valentine'sDay

Happy Valentine's Day to all my readers!

Did you know that in Finland Valentine's Day never landed in the way it is celebrated aboard. On my blogpost 2016 I shared a gluten free recipe for Valentine's Day and told a bit about it how different all the fuss about TheDay is here in Finland. No big deal. Not at all. We still celebrate it more as a day to celebrate friendships. Even with our pets, or mostly with our pets -which ever way you like to put it.

Still on 2023 we don't celebrate it at home in any special way -except by the coffee table. This year actually is the 1st ever in these almost 28 years together when I received a gift from Him, or bought any for Him on Valentine's Day. Simply because we just needed and decided to have a bit rewarding in the middle of the hard life. He simply knows how to pamper me! And no, they are not diamonds. I don't like diamonds. The diamonds are not the girl's best friend. I like the crystals to keep the devils and bad spirits away. He would never buy me diamonds. He knows I hate diamonds for the ethic reasons. I have always done so and never owned even one single tiny diamond. That's for sure and became very clear to all the readers too. 😁

Many of us don't have any close friend, no possibilities or desire to have a pet, not to mention about the family. Loneliness is very common nowadays and there's nothing to be ashamed of it. It is difficult to be happy when feeling lonely but it is important to try out. That´s why we all also should ask how people are doing. Being a friend neither is easy. I count among my friends only those rare persons to whom I can turn my back at any time. You all are free to understand this in what ever way you wish. 

At the moment I am on a sick leave because of back issues. Also, when being sick, it is important to take care of your mental health no matter how physical the issue is. Mental health influences on you physical body and opposite. You can't separate them. So, this week, after spending a day (yesterday) to see a specialist in a big city, I concentrate the rest of the week to ease the problem and stay on happy mood for the coming examinations at the end of this week. This means you may see me around to exercise (gently and easy), crafting and blogposting instead of closing up and being ashamed of being vulnerable, weak and wounded. 

Also, I want to share my new hobby with you. I have finally, after considering it for years, started Postcrossing. I have sent out just two postcards only to find out how fascinating this is! You get a lot of fun just by the postcard and stamp fee. It is very exciting to send out one as you know they don't know it is coming from you. And to wait to receive one as you don't know from where and whom it is coming from. 

Thank you for being my reader!

Adult Luuhka

Happy National Sami Day

Luuhka is a part of Sámi clothing. Old fashion Forest Sámi luuhka doesn't include the hood. In modern times people wish it to have one. When it is in the pattern, it is easy just to include or exclude it. That's why I drawn it into the pattern. 

On 2022 I made Baby Luuhka. Now I made Forest Sámi luuhka for adults. I made the pattern for Forest Sámi luuhka for adults based on old pictures and unusable & dysfunctional pattern. So far I have not have a change to drawn the pattern straight from an old and used luuhka.

I actually made two adult luuhkas in two different sizes. From the decoration you can point out the region Kuolajärvi siida and the gender of the owner. I didn't include the hood for my luuhka so that one is for a female. My luuhka is still missing the cord of the collar. It is not necessary but I want one. Not sure yet will it be made of leather or wool. His luuhka has the hood and it is big enough to wear over even a fur hat. You can point that out in the first pic.

For both luuhka I used pretty but mass produced bauble buckles because these might be worn also not in so official occasions in daily use. Won't be crying my eyes out of my head if missing one silver brooch in wilderness.

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There will be a course (me teaching) where we learn to make also these Forest Sámi luuhkas. It is in August 2023 and is called Kuolajärven saamenpuku. By clicking the course name it leads you to the info site where you can book yourself in.

Blixen's fairytale

 

In January 2023 I encouraged you to read a book that tells about Africa. For the challenge I picked up a book written by Tom Buk-Swienty. It is The Lioness. I read it in Finnish and it is a book in my own library. It has almost 700 pages full of facts but each page is enjoyable and interesting. You get the best out of it reading first Blixen's Out Of Africa. 

The Lioness is a documentary book that tells the true story about Karen Blixen's life. Tom Buk-Swienty has managed to reach the hidden information that was never before published.

When someone writes a biography of the self, you should wonder what are the motives and question the truth. Tom Buk-Swienty has done a great job for years seeking the truth. The truth about Karen Blixen in her biography Out Of Africa is not what we learnt to be the truth. She was spoiled white Danish woman who reached out what she wanted -literally- at any price. She could never have done what she did unless she had not other peoples funds to be spent. I claim, anyone could have done the same if having uncle like she had, if having the funds from other people's bank accounts like she had. I can only wonder which were the motives of the person to pour so much money over her white shoulders.

It is true Karen Blixen was liberal, progressive and modern with her attitudes towards native people in Kenya. The other side of the truth is she never had a farm in Africa as it never was her farm and could not have been in her hands without other people's funds. 

I have admired Karen Blixen work and visited her museum in Denmark. I planned to go there again. But I won't, after reading this book. 

This book is very educative and tells the faces of colonialism. The actions happen in Kenya but can be reflected to any place. The facts about the colonialism which I learnt at the school were never represented from the eyewitness view. This book is a great choice also for that, to see what kind of it was. It was not only the kings who said "let's go there". It was a lot about the persons who went there, agreed to habitat the lands which never belonged to them... and behaved like they did. 

For the next it would be wonderful to read a native story and point of the view about the actions on the area at the same time Blixen was there, on the begin of 1900's.

The Reading Challenge 2023 No 2

The Reading Challenge 2023 is here!

On 2023 I encourage you to read books from different places. No other rules but geographical location. You can choose the genre! 

February 2023 theme is Antarctica!

I truly never before read a book about Antarctica! That's why you can't find any inspiration for those books in this blog. Tomorrow I am going to local library to find a book that tells about Antarctica. It is going to be an adventure!