Shades of blue

I work in fashion, in most cases we are working well ahead. These shades of blue are from fabric collections for fall 2010. I am not usually fan of blue myself, but love these soft shades.

Työskentelen muodin parissa, nyt työskentelemme jo kankaiden parissa, jotka tulevat vaatteina myyntiin ensi syksynä, miltei vuotta myöhemmin. Nämä sinisen sävyt ovat syksyn 2010 kangaskokoelmista. En itse käytä paljoakaan sinistä, mutta nyt pidän kovasti näiden kankaiden pehmeistä sävyistä.

Warm luxury mohair for fall

These delicious looking plush and warm handmade mohair shawls are sold at Villisilkki for 190 EUR/pc. They are made by Finnish textile artists Lena Rewell, who has made the same mohair shawls and throws also for international well known luxury brands.

Easy cocktail

Even though real mixology is often fun and results fantastic coktails, for bigger crowds easily fixed cocktails are better solution, they can also be stunning and taste good.

Here I have used strawberry flavor red sparkling wine and pomegranate seeds for fresh taste and luxorius look.

Herbs

I love fresh herbs; I use mint, coriander, rosemary, basil, thyme etc. on cooking, baking, salads and of course on drinks... Mmmm... love that fresh mint flavour in my Mojito!

Mojito

 

1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Juice from 1 lime (2 ounces)
  10 mint leaves

Havana Club white Rum (2 ounces)

2 ounces club soda

1 sprig of mint for garnish 

Place the mint leaves into a long "collins" glass and squeeze the juice from a cut lime over it.  Add the powdered sugar, then gently smash the mint into the lime juice and sugar with a muddler.  Add crushed ice,  then add the rum and stir, and top off with the club soda.  Garnish with a mint sprig.

Buckthorn berry martini

Shortcut from detox tea to cocktails... Tried buckthorn berries instead of lemon in a coctail. Worked quite well, this one is for you if you prefer sour cocktails!

Buckthorn berry martini

1/4 dl buckthorn berries smashed and sieved
4 cl vodka
2 cl martini dry

Shake ingredients and serve in martini glass.

Pumpkin seed salmon and artichoke puree with feta cantaloupe salad

Pumpkin seed salmon (for two)

400 g salmon

½ dl pumpkin seeds

½ dry breadcrumbs (I used dry rye flat bread)

juice of one lime

olive oil

salt

pepper

Halve the salmon piece and pat dry.

Puree all other ingredients, spread over salmon. Bake in oven for 25-30 min in 175 c.

Artichoke puree

One can of artichokes in water

2 tbs mayonnaise

50 g freshly grtated parmesan

(herbs)

Puree all ingredients, bake in oven 175 C for 15-20 min.

Cantaloupe salad

½ cantaloupe

200 g feta cheese

pepper

fresh mint

Dressing

2 tbs olive oil

½ dl apple or pear juice

salt

pepper

Slice cantaloupe thinly, crumble feta over cantaloupe, sprinkle pepper and fresh mint over salad.

Mix dressing ingredients together, pour evenly over salad.

Blueberry crumble

 

Blueberry season is practically over, but I managed still to find some plump, sweet blueberries last weekend. I was picking lingonberries, so the blueberries I found, I just ate them there in the woods. Previosly I have made bluberry crumble several times this summer. I prefer to use smaller sweet, tasty wild  blueberries that grow in low shrubs, rather than mild tasting highbush blueberries.

Blueberry crumble (for one)

1½ dl blueberries

½ dl + 1 tbs sugar

½ dl flour

½ dl oatmeal

½ dl crushed nuts or almonds

½ dl shortening

Place blueberries in ovenproof dish. Sprinkle 1 tbs sugar over blueberries (I use brown sugar).

Mix other ingredients in foodprocessor or with mixer until they form crumble. Sprinkle over blueberries and mix slightly.

Bake in oven, 200 c, for 25-30 min. Serve warm wiht vanilla ice cream.

 

Chanel style and favorite shop windows 1

 Villisilkki has new window decorations and -20% discount untill mid December. I love discounts... and fell in love with the "Chanel type" silk blend boucle (see the boot). I will purchase the fabric and order a raw edge skirt from the seamstress I use. There are two films Coco before Chanel and Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky cooming out of Coco Chanel's life, so for sure Chanel look; boucles, trimmings, chain buttns, raw edges will be trendy once again.

Pink flowers

End August means end of summer in Finland, it's been quite warm and many flowers still bloom. Delicious colours, don't you agree.

Butterflies, bees and other bugs

Last days have been exceptionally warm for end August, so I was still able to see many butterflies, ants, bees and other little creatures during my weekend on countryside.

Kaisaniemi botanical garden

I visited Kaisaniemi botanical garden for the first time in years. It is right in the city center, but still I rarely go there. There is no fee for the outdoor gardens, it's pretty and compact, so it is a good place to visit for any flower loving tourist visiting Helsinki.

New York street art

Lower East Side and East Village

Obama poster on Lower East Side.

Store front in East village.

Wall in East Village

East Village bird

For the memory of a beloved friend, East Village

A new, bright look

I usually go for black and neutral colours, but have now a bright, flattering look for more formal parties for years to come. Too often we choose “safe” muted and dark colours and forget how flattering many “real colours” can be.

My colleague was getting married; I had an embroided dupion red wrap dress and matching plain skirt made for me of a fabric I found in Villisilkki on Yrjönkatu. It turned out very good, but needed matching bag, shoes and jewellery.

Matching red leather purse I found on a Pietarinkatu second hand store in Helsinki. I visited several bead stores in New York to find matching red beads, but only bright red beads I found were of coral. To my knowledge coral is unethical, harvested from live coral reefs. So instead of monochrome look I decided to go to opposite colors.

Found huge bright green faceted beads on Bead Empire on 6th Avenue in New York. Mariia at Design Sundman & Laakso in Pieni Rooberinkatu in Helsinki beaded me the necklace.

Still needed shoes and was still looking for a red pair, but finally found great beaded green shoes on Auringosta itään, kuusta länteen on Fredrikinkatu.