Mään tarina

This is the story of Mää! (That's what sheep say in Finland. Ä is pronounced as the A in Baa!)

The story began when Miau (Meow that is) became Mää. I was making a cat hat like this for my daughter, but the first version of it shrunk too much while I was felting it.

So I turned it upside down and added felt straps and a zipper. Then I started carrying my little new purse everywhere I went. Time passed and it received many compliments. So I thought maybe someone else would like to have one too.


Introducing the Mää-bag! They are all knit from new wool and then felted in our washing machine. The straps are also 100% wool and made by a Finnish felt factory. Sizes range from 14 x 22 cm (5,5 x 9 inches) to 21 x 28 cm (8 x 11 inches). That's quite small, so it only holds your most precious little things. Great for evenings! Besides the washing machine part, Mää is completely hand made, even zippers are sewn on by hand. Prices will be around 30 euros.

Then I got bored with the rectangular shape and did some experimenting.



These babies will hold a little more than the original Mää. The diameter of the round part is around 16 cm (6,5 inches) and they are about 17-21 cm (7-8,5 inches) tall.

If anyone is interested in having a Mää of their own, I'll be selling them on a market place for crafts called Taitomaa. It's the Finnish version of Etsy, nice and small, and works in English too! (I'll get back to you on that.)

I'm also working on a Mää series from recycled wool. They will be accompanied by Ihahaa-bags (that's Finnish horse language). Those bags still need a final touch, so that part of the story will continue on another Friday.

Not even getting close to The End!

Pumpkin patch

Here in Oregon, and I'm sure in most parts of the country too, the simple pumpkin patch has turned into a full-on pumpkin-themed fun-land.  Most of the farms have their own hand-made unique things to do and see, but almost all have a corn maze.  Our favorite farm has themed pumpkin-people dioramas, pumpkin bowling, and all kinds of autumn produce, decorations, and jams for sale.  Here are some of the highlights!

 

 Getting lost in the corn maze...

Orange

Orange is my favorite color.  Followed closely by all the other autumn colors: yellow, brown, maroon, and everything in between.  I have decided that I will start planning my future gardening around autumnal decor-I just hope I remember in the spring!

 

 

 

Läpikotaisin käytetty

I don't feel I have much to say this week. I recently ran into the phrase "thoroughly used by life". That's us, the adults in this family, right now. Despite the exhaustion involved, there's a positive tone in this. Willingly used. A simultaneous feeling of not wanting to endure another day of this tiredness and of wishing these days wouldn't pass too quickly. Look at the leaves, that's their story too.

Party season!

Autumn is so close that I can hardly stand it.....technically the season is here, but until the leaves change, I'm just not there yet.  Autumn in the Pacific northwest doesn't compare with the east coast, but at least that means we stay green in the winter with firs and cedars.  Rain often brings the leaves to the ground as soon as they start to change, but we have a clear forecast ahead!  Now we're just waiting for Halloween (parties and candy!), the pumpkin patch, visits from grandparents, and birthdays for all three of us!

 

 

Voikukkia, ilmapalloja vai tikkareita

There's a steady stream of birthdays in the family starting in September. Two down, two to go - one of the latter yet to be defined.

The number of last week was indeed eight. Eight years. Plenty of strong will, character, and voice... and if we can manage to equip her with a healthy self image to go with that, she should do just fine in life.

Do you still remember Juju? When I first got that book, my daughter placed an order for this shirt. Opinionated that she is, I had to make sure about the colors in advance, even if it was a birthday surprise. Happily she approved the final outcome!

But what we can't agree on is whether those are dandelions, balloons, or lollipops.

Distractions

This week I was really channeling my inner rainy-day homemaker.  We made alphabet cookies...

and homemade pasta...

did some artwork...

 

drank coffee...

but I still didn't get around to hemming my pants!

Kahdeksan kisua

Amy, I think you know a word in this week's title. ___ kitty cats. How many? Can you find them?

I have to go make a birthday cake now, see you next week!

Louhisaari

Everyone in Finland knows the name Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, but fewer are familiar with the Louhisaari manor where he was born in 1867. The building itself is from the 17th century - not very old compared to many other ones around here. We went for a tour last Sunday and both girls actually managed to behave in a civilized manner for about an hour. The older one, however, did her complaining before and after. Besides that it was a perfect autumn day.

And Mannerheim, after spending his childhood here with his three sisters and three brothers, became the marshal of Finland and our sixth president.