a girl behind a camera

One autumn day with friends a while back. I felt the seasons...

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 20:50:00 +0300

One autumn day with friends a while back. I felt the seasons change.

Seasons Change by Corinne Bailey Rae on Grooveshark

Rubber boots and woollen socks. Yellow leaves and...

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 09:24:50 +0300

Rubber boots and woollen socks. Yellow leaves and raindrops.

Mushaboom by Feist on Grooveshark

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows..."

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 10:45:41 +0300

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”

- John Muir

Some summer memories sent to you from rainy Finland…

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 10:31:30 +0300

Some summer memories sent to you from rainy Finland…

I’ve had a couple of joyfull adventures during the past...

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 15:33:43 +0300

I’ve had a couple of joyfull adventures during the past months that still fill me with warmth. In those moments I managed to catch some photos too. Thought it might do good to spend some time remembering and relishing them. And sharing here too… The photos are from travels to Gotland (Sweden) and Helsinki. The sweet company was the best part.

This past weekend I finished the work I started during the spring. The feeling of tidying up all the story scripts filled with notes and my sketches was quite overwhelming. Both gratefulness and melancholy rushed through me. The first time this year I really feel like autumn has arrived and has brought new plans with it. Courage too.

More photos coming later :)

Who by David Byrne & St. Vincent on Grooveshark

Tomorrow I’ll be on my way to Visby… What a lovely...

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 19:45:00 +0300

Tomorrow I’ll be on my way to Visby… What a lovely feeling to have a little holiday in a while!

Sending restful thoughts Your way,

It was the beginning of June and misty morning at my...

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 21:27:44 +0300

It was the beginning of June and misty morning at my grandparent’s summer cottage.

Saippuakuplia by Joose Keskitalo on Grooveshark

Bike rides while listening birds sing their songs. Escaping...

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 23:32:21 +0300

Bike rides while listening birds sing their songs. Escaping raindrops and trying to catch glimpses of sun shine.

long forest walk and photographing in a good company wild...

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 21:43:00 +0300

long forest walk and photographing in a good company

wild flowers in my greatgrandma’s vase

mum who made pancakes with vanilla ice cream, jam and strawberries

a beautiful letter quikly sliped into my hand after hugs

thought of my sweet godson having an adventure in Scotland right now

a basket full of yarns

generously loving friends

Lately I’ve experienced so much kindness that I’ve had tears in my eyes. Thank you Friends! These things have brought joy to my days this past week. And the fact that for three months I can call myself an illustrator (a dream had for a looong time) just makes me hold my breath…

Maybe being vulnerable isn’t that scary after all. Makes one see the amazing things even more clearly. Life is beautiful!

Sending gentle winds and love Your way!

a surprise

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 08:59:57 +0300

Dear Friends,

Yes, a surprise :)

For some time now I’ve been lost in my thoughts and now felt a need for change and get back on the path.

About a year ago my kind brother offered to make a new lay out for this little space of mine… Yesterday we finally sat down to finish everything. I’m so happy that now I can share some of my favourite blogs and melodies easily. And what a good time we had! He is amazing, isn’t he.

Thank you Simo!

Sleeper Awake by Sarah Blasko on Grooveshark

A Gift

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 19:10:03 +0300

When I started to photograph two years ago I felt a need to capture the good moments in life, small ones, and share them. I wanted to remind myself and others about the things that makes one laugh and love. Back then I was suddenly forced to slow down to take time to think about what really was important in living in this world.

Tomorrow I’m travelling to the place where the photographing started. Where I saw how the evening light touched the pages of a novel I was reading and how the salty wind tried to blow my stationary to the deep sea. How it felt good to walk in a forest wearing my grandmas rubber boots and hold the camera as still as I possibly could.

Yesterday I spent the day with a friend. We talked about life and how it sometimes makes one feel unsettled and other times increadibly grateful. I told her how I was afraid that I would forget things I had learned that summer. And how I was afraid that some sad things that happened then would appear again. She comforted me and encouraged me to continue to photograph (something been done less lately). There are always new things to learn and good things to capture and sometimes go back to.

Everything good that can be found in this life is a gift. Nothing that we can take credit for and that’s the beauty of it all. Those wonderful things can only be received, enjoyed and shared. One can not own nor produce love. It is meant to be a gift that should be shared.

You can have the other words

-chance, luck, coincidence, serendipity.

I’ll take grace.

I don’t know what it is exactly,

but I’ll take it.

Mary Oliver

Hoping your summer will be full of beautiful gifts.

Saara

Dear Euphoria -is a band whose name and music I simply...

Sat, 19 May 2012 20:11:00 +0300

Dear Euphoria -is a band whose name and music I simply love.

Past week my little home has been filled with it, euphoria, because one dream that I dreamed a long time ago is coming true. It is almost funny how a dream can at the very same moment take ones breath away with both fearAND excitement. I will tell You more about it when the time comes, but it will take a while until everything is hopefully ready. In the meanwhile I will post about the music that sometimes breaks the silence and inspires :)

Saara

Mothers Day and Planting Things

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:50:28 +0300

Sunday was a Mothers Day here in Finland.

We greated it with a sunny sky and bike rides. Me and my brother suprised Mum with two presents. When I cyckled through a forest I saw some boys gathering wood anemones for their mothers. What a sweet day it was!

Saturday was a Planting Herbs Day.

Two beautiful friends came for a visit bringging happiness and pots with them. I had planned on planting seeds but end up buying sprouts instead. We layed newspapers on the floor and talked. Two of us had soil covering our fingers and one read my art book laying on the bead. They made my little home feel like summerhouse.

Two afternoons. Two photographs. Two sweet memories.

Hello May My Friend

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:14:26 +0300

This morning I heard good good news and suddenly gloomy day had turned into a blossoming spring.

It’s funny how couple of words can turn the day upside down. Like little bit of sunshine can turn a forrest into a garden. The rhyme of the day can change and ones feet start to dance. Buds of flowers burst open. It takes a little pain but it is so worth it.

Month of May is here and I’m wildly smiling!

Get Rythm by Johnny Cash on Grooveshark

On Sunday morning I made a spring wreath for my wall and today...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:13:00 +0300

On Sunday morning I made a spring wreath for my wall and today ate the very first ice cream of this spring while walking by the river with two charming girls.

Sun is here to stay.

Photo

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:11:43 +0300

Easter weekend is here with snowflakes and chilly weather....

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:45:56 +0300

Easter weekend is here with snowflakes and chilly weather. Yellow flowers on the kitchen table make me feel more springlike than the view outside my window. But luckily Easter is not about the weather.

In 1938… I was suffering from splitting headaches; each sound hurt me like a blow… I discovered the poem… called “Love” (by George Herbert) which I learnt by heart. Often, at the culminating point of a violent headache, I made myself say it over, concentrating all my attention upon it and clinging with all my soul to the tenderness it enshrines. I used to think I was merely reciting it as a beautiful poem, but without my knowing it the recitation had the virtue of a prayer. It was during one of these recitations that Christ himself came down and took possession of me. In my arguments about the insolubility of the problem of God I had never foreseen the possibility of that, of a real contact, person to person, between human being and God.

Simone Weil, Waiting for God

May your weekend be blessed and joyful,

Saara

Today I started on an ink drawing walked under sun ate lunch...

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:35:08 +0200

Today I

started on an ink drawing

walked under sun

ate lunch with a friend

bought flowers.

Going to have an email evening. But now sending sunlight to your afternoon from breezy Finland.

Brand New Start by Little Joy on Grooveshark

The New Artisans

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:30:40 +0200

I seem to have always a book of the week or month that I’m constantly talking about to my friends and family. This time I’m going to share it with You too, it’s just way too captivating to be kept as a secret!

I’ll first read text on the back cover for you…

The New Artisans

Profiling over seventy artisans who use craft techniques to create stylish, whimsical, desirable objects, this book features hundreds of one-of-a-kind, handmade wonders from all over the world.

It’s even more amazingly beautiful than that text promises. I’m in love.

By the window to the woods where the deer and creatures play. There is a girl -a dreamer of dreams...

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:46:00 +0200

By the window to the woods where the deer and creatures play.

There is a girl -a dreamer of dreams with a sore heart.

She lives there among her books and tea and a measure of heartbreak.

Loving illustration, pretty things and falling asleep far, far into the night.