It's Friday and I just had to try and recreate a more 20's styled wedding photo! 

Recently I helped my best friend with her hair and make up on her wedding day and the outcome was a 20s inspired look. I took some photos of the lovely couple before they went to get hitched which I edited in a more modern fashion but I just could not resist to try a 20s version too.

Today I will stay home and watch tv series all day with Bengta resting quietly on my lap because this weekend is all devoted to work. I hope that you have much more fun plans and that you will enjoy the pleasures of some time off! 

And, to sooth my workload I would love to hear what you will do/have been up to?

Photos from a blue and frosty paradise

The frozen sea and the trees at the beach.

I'm back from my short trip up to Haparanda, the north of Sweden. It was both good and a bit hard for me to go. My family on my mothers side stems from this region and it was a couple of years since I'd been there. The places and fragrances brought back so many happy memories that due to the nature of my trip became a bit frayed in the edges by sorrow. But the cold air, muted sounds, the scent of my grandmothers house and the soft snow did it's best to surround me with love and beauty. 

It is always interesting to return to your roots as something inside you awakens. And even if it's just a small sensation deep down in the pit of your stomach, it is important for every one of us. 

To feel our history, our belongingness in a continuance of space and time.

On Saturday we went out to the archipelago and to the gem of a cabin at Santasaari that another side of the family owns. I have never been there in winter and all my memories surrounding this place are connected to summer. Bathing in the sauna, swimming in the sea, staying up late and watch the midnight sun, read comic books, get itching mosquito bites and the scent of Finnish sausages roasting on a stick over the fire. 

It was still the same lovely place but now embraced by a soft layer of snow and it suited my mood so very well. To see it in summer for the first time after being away for so many years, and after everything that has happened in my family, would have been to hard to bare. 

The cold and magical airiness of snow and the feeling of everything sleeping under the covers of winter, just waiting to burst out for another summer, was refreshing instead of sad. It held within itself a promise, a promise of summers to come and of new happy memories to be made. And, that time and space continues even though it feels like the world has stopped turning for a while. It was like conditioner for the soul and a breath of air after keeping my mouth closed tight for a long time.

A place to heat the water.

The fireplace indoors.

The heart, the cabin.

I hope these photos show even a glimpse of what I felt when I was there and also I am happy to show you a little taste of my cabin clothes! Fully dressed against the cold with three cardigans, a shawl and comfortable shoes but still (of course) with a bit of flair in form of a liner and a red lip!  

Finally, thank you to to all and everyone who was there, I am so very grateful to have you all in my life!

(And, on another note. My last post was my 100th! Yay!)









     

   

The bride and the wedding

Yesterday my best friend and amazing lady Jonna got married to her big love since many years back, Mattias! They had decided to hold a small wedding where only the parents where invited to the ceremony and knowing Jonna who doesn't like to make a big fuss over these kinds of things, it suited them just perfectly!

But what kind of friend would I be if I didn't find a way to be a part of their special day? So I had to find myself a job! Knowing that Jonna's adorable and talented sister where going to make her a lovely 20s inspired dress I "graciously" volunteered to make the hair and make up for the day.

So I spent the night at the soon to be newly weds apartment making pin curls and nails the day before the big day. While drinking non-alcoholic sparkling wine and eating chocolate we laughed, watched the olympic figure skating and talked late into the evening. When the morning came I was so tired that I overslept a little bit and the cute couple didn't wake me because they thought I needed my sleep. I have been working very early mornings all week and have been sleeping very bad so a little extra rest was very welcome event though I had planned to get up earlier and prepare breakfast.

Then it was time to take out the pin curls we had done the day before and Jonna looked like a little fairytale princess with the cork screw curls we ended up with. While it was cute this was not the look we where going for so of course I had to whip out my trusted boar bristle brush and start to brush, brush, brush and brush a little more.

After a while a shape started to form and we went from fairytale cork screws to smooth forties locks. This was actually the first time that I pinned curled Jonna's hair so I was not absolutely sure on how it would turn out. So for being the first time I thought it came out completely fine, Jonna's hair is very thick with fine hair strands and I had to do a lot of brushing to make the whole head come out smooth.

This was the final result! A loose 20s inspired up do with a wave in the front and some curls on the sides! We kept the makeup quite simple with a light foundation, some warm brown and gold eyeshadows, a winged eyeliner and peachy/coral cheeks and lips. I also worked with some different shades of concealer to bring out the shapes of her face. This is a good tip and something to keep in mind if you are going to be photographed a lot, sometimes the angles of the face gets faded out due to changing and different light conditions. 

I think it all turned out great and she was absolutely beautiful!   

Mattias were handsome in a navy blue suit, white shirt and a dotted bow tie. They looked so adorable together and when they shared a glance they were completely radiant!

A high heeled pair of light brown Swedish hasbeens adored the bride's feet and suited the breezy simplicity of the dress well.

Jonna's talented sister Janelle who had made the beautiful dress also photographed the couple. They started outside but due to bad weather they returned back home to take a few indoors. I did not complain because that made it possible for me to also snap some shots!

Though the wedding was a small affair many people came together to give the couple a wonderful day. Another family member had personally arranged a beautiful bouquet of flowers as a gift and without even seeing the dress (except a little colour swatch) she had made an amazing job! We were all surprised at how perfect it matched everything and suited Jonna's taste to a T. It also contained my absolute favorite flower ranunculus, aren't they simply divine?

Then the couple left the building and went of to get married! I stayed at the apartment, cleaned up a little bit and fixed some snacks for when they got back. And I will not lie, I did it all with a little tear in my eye. I'm a complete sucker for weddings and I always cry a little because it is all so wonderful. To have a day where you celebrate the special love between two people in the manner that they want is nothing less than romantic! (And I never use that word!)

Baltimore snapshots

Power plant view.

Train ride to Baltimore.

Of course.

Signals.

Mayors office and detective Love.

Life savers at the harbor.

 Train gear.

Cubistic lamp at the harbor.

Places to park your boat I guess?

House view.

Close to the mayors office and on the same street as the police department.

Awesome.

Haunting nature on the way to Baltimore.

Tic tac toe buildings.

My first cheese steak at Crazy Joe's.

Dreams of the sea.

Harbor heights.

Dome at the Mayors office. 

My beautiful friend Liv.

These are some of the snapshots that I took to, in and from Baltimore. The visit there was interesting, I met some of the kindest people and got my wallet stolen at the train station at the end of the day. I must say that the experience reflected how the city portrayed itself. Sharp differences. Old and newly built, clean and dirty, safe and unsafe, hard and soft.

I have more photographs from this mini-trip and will hopefully post those soon. Until then, lots of love!  

Land girls

One day in June I followed my friend Liv to her and her boyfriend Mattias new little vegetable patch in the middle of the city. I'm myself most interested in eating the veggies and enjoying the flowers and not really growing them, but I thought I would tag along to get some dirt under my fingernails anyhow. And of course snap some photos of Livs new green pastures. 

It turned out to be amazing! I watered the plants, cut the grass and covered the plants with soil so that they would keep warm and grow comfortably!

Anything doing with nature stuff, Bengta naturally has to come with. She was sniffing around and exploring everywhere, so much so that I finally had to tie her to a little table so that she wouldn't disturb the other "patch owners".

   My lovely friend Liv, her name means life in swedish. Very suitable for when she plants bulbs and grows veggies!

  

We also drank some coffee and ate strawberries while admiring the view.

I grew up with these flowers and I love them. They remind me of summer!

Bengta was quite content with her little spot. I call this look "relaxed eyes".

Since then I have eaten both spring onion and zucchini from here, and of course it tastes a little bit more special when you know where the vegetables come from. 

Now it is time to close everything down until next spring/summer. Feels a little bit sad but I can't wait to see what my friends will grow then! And maybe I will come out and help a little bit again, as long as there is coffee and strawberries, haha!