SUVI-VINTAGE / FABRIC & VECTOR

This year's poster I did for Fintage's summer-vintage-happening Suvi Vintage.
The event takes place the last weekend of June in Tampere.

I like to use mixed media and blend in patterns that look pasted on. I did that a lot just for fun too back when I (for some strange reason I can not figure out) had the time to do outfit drawings. Perhaps because I did not have a child then. Or was dependent on a businesses of my own).

I scan or take photos of materials and textures; here I took photos of a few of my dresses, a jacket and and Eddi's shirts.

Here is a photo of my Marimekko dress for example.


Which I then coloured blue.


And turned into a skirt in a row of many!

SPECTAC-O-RAMA!

People in and around or coming to Helsinki! Book your calendars for November 8  & 29 as our spectacular spectacle of glitter and dance and burlesque and live rock n'roll will take place then at Allotria Saturday night club:

We're doing another collaboration show with cabaret loving rockabilly band Sweet Jeena & Her Sweethearts this fall, a two-hour revue of crazy and fabulous; Spectac-O-Rama. On stage also queerly fab Mia Li Moon and our highly popular performing student troupe The Shangri-La Showgiris!
You can check the Facebook event for more info, we'll update it all fall: Spectacorama on Facebook.

The poster is made by me, inspired by and old Vegas travel ad.

And as we are on it with the BurlyQ, it's time to end and announce the Paljettipommi-zine giveaway:
Total randomness landed on commenter no9, Talvikettu, who'll receive an email from me soon!

SUVI VINTAGE WEEKEND POSTER

This year's poster I made for the Suvi-Vintage event.
The theme is the 1930's and holidays so I put in some giant 30's pants.

COTTON CANDY AND SALTY LIQUORICE

It's been forever sine I've done or posted any spotted & drawn outfits like I used to at the beginning of this blog, but some time ago I saw a girl in the tram in pink and black who had clearly thought her thing trough, so I thought I'd draw it. She had a pale and kind of dirty pink in her brown hair that somehow looked natural although it of course wasn't, (I've always had a thing for pastels in hair and even though I'll most likely stay au naturel or will at most try some organic herbal colour, I still haven't totally let go of the thought that one day I might go for it myself...) wearing a pink wool jacket and was pairing it all with one of those deliciously shiny Ted Baker shopper bags. Neat!

RED BLUE BLACK BEIGE AND SNOW

Winter outfit, outdoors mode.
This plaid jacket
This wool skirt
And a pair of red boots you are yet to see.

THE SEVENTH YEAR

2014. Normally I'd go "we're so living in the future" , but this time it's more like "mah, 2014, whatever, been there already". Partly because I've had so many things scheduled for this new year since way back already and  partly since I feel half of what I read in the papers are prognoses and plans for a few years ahead anyway. But mostly since I've been so busy this fall I didn't really notice how fast it went nor have the time to do the usual closure thoughts for the year that was.

As you know I don't make any resolutions, although I've tried it with improvements. Three-four year in a row, the same things to improve, and still no change. I find myself unbelievable! (Although this year I am on in it with the bookkeeping right now, instead of panicking the night before it's due to hand over...)

So. Now it's 2014 and that makes this my seventh year of blogging - that's such a long time already!
My blog itself gets one year older around the same time that I do, in October, and the previous years I've reflected on that during this days.  But this year it's suddenly January already! My first blog post ever was about my 26th birthday. (I remember where we went and what I wore trough that but can't recall what I actually did :) That was back when I only posted with drawings; I had this idea of remaining incognito. Well, that was indeed then and now is now.  My 32nd birthday was, apart from the moments travelling and on stage, spent in a very crowded backstage among feathers glitter and suitcases at the Stockholm Burlesque Festival.  So in the spirit of my very first post, I made a similar drawing of that occasion.

Blogging has changed and developed trough the years, not just for me, as of course one develops as a blogger all the time - hopefully - but also in general. I've see that people also read blogs in a different manners than before. I know some readers have been here almost since day one which is pretty fascinating! I have a few blogs I've followed for almost a decade too. Some blogs come and others go, and I've noticed I seldom keep up with one for more than a few years - they either repeat themselves too much or then never seem to find their own flow, while there are a few that balance there on the golden path in between. Nowadays I hardly ever have the time to keep up with any blogs at all though.

As you've noticed I've had a lot of background ads on the blog the past year, which is part of my collaboration with Indiedays Inspiration. I know their color schemes sometimes lowers the over-all aesthetics of my blog, but it has become rather inevitable to have them there. As each blog post takes up at least a couple of hours time the income they can give me is welcome, especially now since I'm self employed.

I've said it before, that blogs are such a media that mostly only exists on their front page, and have the rest, apart from the well-linked and well-pinned posts, easily vanish into the abysses of the internet (to sometimes pop up in the most weird of google searches). So I've usually had my 'browse the year back-giveaway', to let some air into the archives. But this year I'll skip it. I'll try to come up with something else fun in the near future instead!

A HEART-SHAPED HAT

I've been making some illustrations for Frollein von Sofa to appear on her new site soon.
Here's a snippet of one.
Toodeli-do.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR AN EASY 'DO

As promised, I will let you know how I made the apple blossom hair do!

It's very simple and probably something many of you have done before in similar versions.
It's good for that last day before you need to wash it, as it stays easily put that way.

First, let's take a look at it again, because as I said here just before, you can learn a lot just by looking at what it is you want to remake:

(You can click for a bigger view)
However, not everything is revealed here just by looking - which is the point of some hair do's, as is it with this one. My hair is now at the shortest it has ever been, which makes it hard for it to "stay put" when I try to fasten it. Pincurls have to be rolled in mini size in the back, too small to look good in an updo. My hair won't fit neatly around a rat, or stay in a ponytail without pinning it on the side. Depending on the day I might need extra pins for the shortest hairs in the neck, which ruins the sleek look of a roll or bun. Also, the roll turns out rather pjunig, tiny, since m hair is so short. Here's where the accessories come in handy - they can not only be used to enchant the 'do, but to cover up some of the extra work that needs to be done!

In general, a good tip for a easily achieved fancier-than-it-actually-is look that works for as well long and short hair, is to concentrate on your hair in the front and just gather the hair in the back and cover it with something nice.

This trick is good for you if you
a) have very short hair
b) are not skilled enough to do your hair in the back (as in, turns out uneven or messy - not good!)
c) have a lack of time

I do a lot of burlesque themed bachelorette workshops where I style the bride to be or the whole group, and this comes in handy then.
(Ehrm,  btw: I'm available for such at the end of summer again. Just sayin'...)

In short, it works the following way:

1) style your hair fabulously in the front - rolled bangs, rolls, pincurls, the choice is yours.

If you suck at styling, try to learn at lest one thing that will work for you. You can do it!

2) make a quick and simple bun or chignon in the back and pin well for it to stay

3) cover the hair with lots and lots of decorations. Something simpler like a scarf or bow or one big flowers will be good for everyday wear, while more glittery and colourful flowers puts your head into party mode!

(Note: not that there's anything wrong with a sleek bun or so either, it can be very beautiful and elegant, but this was for when you are in a hurry and might not have the time to make it all that nice. Or if you were not capable to do it in the first place. Hehe.)


If your hair is super short, roll up or wave it in front and just pin all the rest together in the back and cover it with as many flower pins and -clips as you can fit! You can curl very short hair in the front nicely too, I have done it to ladies, so it's possible. If you can't manage anything, pin smoothly to the side and put in a flower there too. Ta-da, up do feeling achieved!

But now, back to the actual apple-blossom do, which pretty much follows the steps above and also gives a feeling of slightly longer hair.

The beginning is done like my very first hair tutorial (<- link); you start by parting your hair either in the middle or to the side. If you have bangs, let them hang in front or roll them in the way you prefer.


Take the hair in front from just above your ear and twist it half, or one way, around itself.  If you have bangs that are long enough and want them away from your face you can grab them along. If your hair is very thin and/or slippery hair you can tease the hair a bit for volume and stay. Otherwise you can get it very big and high just with the help of the combs.


Secure the section with a comb, pushing it slightly forward for height. You should always twist the comb a bit and never stick it straight in, it won't stay put that way (unless it is just for decorative use and you stick it straight down in a chignon in the neck or so).. Put the comb in from above and then turn it the same way as your head, or, depending on your hair, you put it in sideways and give it a 180 degree turn. I use a shorter comb for the side of the smaller parting.


Take the hair behind your ear along the neckline and twist it in and upwards a couple of times, towards the middle of your neck.
Don't roll it all the way to the middle though, as then your shortest hairs will start falling out -  I stop a little bit after the ear.


Secure with a firm bobbypin pushed inwards.
If you feel you need it, put another pin across the first one.


Next, we get to the rolling: grab the hair that's now gathered in the back and roll it upwards in a small roll. I use both hands in the beginning, and roll the hair around the index finger of one hand. You can let go with the other hand once the roll starts to be in place (well, obviously you also have to, unless you have a third hand available for pinning...)



Secure the roll from the side. I usually use one alligator clip per side, that I grab all hair from the the scalp and the roll with. You can also use two bobby pins per side.  Carefully pull out the roll a little to cover the clips or the pins. Spray and sleek the roll with your hand from the neck upwards.

If you are having a slippery hair day, you might have to do this a couple of times to get it right. Teasing the hair a bit, or adding some spray can help. If your hair is a bit longer you can of course use a rat or a piece of tulle in this phase too.

If you have small loose hairs pin them carefully underneath the roll. Spray some more. You might also have to add a few pins to the top, if your hair is so short it keeps falling out. Just stick them in and spray, they'll be covered by your acessorie in the end...

...which actually comes now already, as we're pretty much done!


Take your chosen accessory and fasten it just above the roll. For this I would recommend flowers that are on pins or clips, not combs. Put in as many as you want. Done!



The roll can, although a bit small, still look nice un-covered too, those days it will stay easily together withouth too much extra pinning. For more a casual look I then do this one with a flat or sideways standing big pincurl in front, and a scarf around my head. The scarf stays well in place under the roll (and covers any extra pins in the neck). I pin the scarf with one pin on each side of the head for comfortable stay.

There you have it (quite a lot actually)!

STUFF I REALLY LIKE BUT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY GO FOR MYSELF

Pt.2

Knee-high lace up boots. Preferably in colored suede.
I actually wished for red ones like this in a post many many years ago.
But if I had a pair I would most likely never wear them. I just like the thought of such. But boots like this requires a hem that stops at the knee or above and I want my hems to go over my knees.

Which takes us to the following;




Short striped dresses.
I never feel comfortable in short dresses though. Or, it depends a bit on the cut, but anything a little more slim does not work for me.  It's because I picture my legs like a pair of chicken legs. I mean, not the ones that stick out form beneath the feathers of the birdie, but the ones you eat; the way they look when you grill them. Broiler.
Many maternity dresses are pretty short, and I get it; it's to avoid the 'tent-look'.  But ehrm, about 75% of my pregnancy kilos have missed the belly and settled on my hip and thighs (thanks!), and although I still think pregnancy is more forgiving -as focus is on the belly and the rest is just OK -I'll still just stick to liking short dresses instead of actually wearing them.


Huge hats.
Or, I do have a huge sun hat like this, as you may remember. But I only wear it for, eh, sunny situtations. Not on town. But I still like the look of it.


And of course, all of the above togheter!

CUPCAKE GIRL

I made a custom drawing for a porn actress and her production company. There is a coloured version also, but I'll let her present that herself.

HORROR & TEASE AND MORE

A couple of weeks from now I will start this burlesque-weekend-gig-marathon; each and every weekend some place different. From Helsinki to Lahti to Tampere to Pori and then back to Helsinki again. (Those are all Finnish cities in case some of you started wondering...)So that means a whole lot of putting on make up doing hair and, of course, shaking. For more info (yet to come) and details you can check out the Itty-Bitty Tease Cabaret blog.

But before that I will do a whole lot of drawing; I drew the poster above for Olivia Rouge's Horror&Tease event on Halloween in Tampere (that you saw a bit of in progress some time ago).

Next up is something for a porn lady and then for a politician. It's the contrasts that make it worth while now isn't it!

HORROR CHIC

Right now I'm drawing on a thing. (And made it work safe for you on the screen shot, how thoughtful of me.)

Today I've done all three jobs; first harbour, then this and soon I'm off to do some semi nude dancing on stage with feathers and bling-bling on my head.
Ta ta!

STUFF I REALLY LIKE BUT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY GO FOR MYSELF

Part 1: Pastel lips



I'm pretty sure I couldn't pull it off - or well, I even might, just don't want to - but I still find pastel coloured lipsticks rather delicious! The thing however is that whenever I wear another colour than any shade of red I at some point start regretting I did not wear plain red instead of pink, coral or whatever. Talk about a habit. And no, I really couldn't picture myself in mint green lipstick but I really love the idea of it. Lime Crime has lots of crazy and yummy pastels. And yes, in mint green too! Love the idea.



(Here I have to add hat when I was little mint green was the one colour I could not stand. Maybe because it was everywhere in the eighties. Things change :)

ATOMIC CHOCOLATE

I have a new dress by Trashy Diva. The print is called Chocolate Atomic although I always tend to read it atomic chocolate because it sounds more space ship b-movie cool that way. "Sir would you care for a piece of our atomic chocolate before we blow up your planet?"-sort of way. (Or then not, but the dress is pretty nice anyway.)



You should click the image for a bigger view.

FINTAGE

Quite recently I did a poster for Fintage; a Finnish vintage forum, community and blog. I tried to be somewhat active at the forum when it started a year ago but couldn't keep up as I just don't have the time to blog, tweet, update a facebook page and maybe even read some blogs every now and then... (and, you know, a have life off line too).

The theme of the poster was to be people on a certain bridge in one Finnish city. Can you tell which one? I'm not from around there so I had to rely on photos and google street view for some help :)You can click on the image for a larger view.

(As usual I always end up with two versions, the client's one and a more plain one I prefer, you can view the other one here.)

YESTERDAY'S DRAWN

Here's what I wore yesterday.

This dress, these shoes, this jacket and that same old beret (and these gloves and bag). Yup, now you know that.

THE ANATOMY OF DRESSING WHEN IT'S REALLY REALLY COLD

It has happened. Real winter. It's really cold here. Minus a lot. Like it should be this time of year.
Only it hasn't been like that for years. But so far so good, we still haven't reached the part when it actually hurts to breathe. (But after a few hours work outside by the sea it hurts by now already I tell you, but I've done worse during past years. Not complaining though. Now that we're getting a white christmas and all).

I'm watching teenage girls and selfaware chicks freeze their behinds off in short jackets and skinny jeans. The sadistic asshole part of me secretly laughs at their vanity (or stupidity, however you want it) and makes me feel so relieved that I don't give a damn anymore in that sense - my first priority is to stay warm. (I saw a girl last weekend, visiting a Christmas outdoor fare, wearing satin peeptoes in the snowstorm. Not even I would go that far even though I may push it with wearing open heels as long as possible). I go for what Underbara Clara calls "The Finnish Winter War Chic". Something that she of course says with a pinch of salt and a whole lot of humor, referring to how Finland pre- WWII resisted the Soviet army with the help of an extremely hard and cold winter. And well with a whole lot o f military strategy too. (Those who know their history might find that slightly ironic since those who have tried to invade Russia or The Soviet failed, conquered by the cold. But this time it was the other way around. Sort of.)

But OK enough on war strategy now, the thing I'm after here is the dressing warm to survive the cold, making it nice with layers of knitted socks and sweaters, scarfs and thick jackets. And keeping warm is of course a strategy of it's own.

So here whe go:
The Anatomy of Dressing Warm When Really Really Cold Outside (& still trying to look good).

Fig.1The thing with layering, not the layering thrifty fashionistas do when they pair dresses tops and cadris, but the one that will keep you from freezing, is to have a lot of them - the layers- keeping tight but not being stuffed or unable to move. That will make you colder actually. You might want to add another pair of socks or leg warmers, and perhaps a long sleeved blouse under that cardi too, depends. (Oh damn it takes so long to get dressed in the morning!)


Fig.2But we're quite not done yet:

Fig.3They say the cold will last for two months still. If that's the case this is what I'll look like everyday for two months then. Versatility, yey!
...Unless I get myself a new winter jacket... (hehe).

QUEEN OF HEARTS

I want lots of clothes with Queens of Hearts on them in prints and patterns! Why aren't there any?




I will most likely get myself something with the The Queen of Hearts in it during spring anyway but not as printed on fabric though..

WELL BOYS AND GIRLS, IT'S MERRY CHRISTMAS THEN!

I hope you all have a great Holiday, either way you may spend it!


Last year I cosed up the old flat with a lot of lights in time for the season, this year just the star will have to do since I'm living in a much smaller place now. But it's real cosy this year too - we even got some snow here in time for Christmas Eve! And I got anchor shaped gingerbreas from K.
Christmas ahoy!

If you read my blog last year already you may recall I'm a friend of rather tacky Christmas Cards, the kitchier the better. Last year I photoshopped my cats into packages filled with candy and glitter. This year I've made one for the blog (oh my), which means, you!

You can also cut out the heart and hang it me and my cats your christmas tree (no seriously, don't!! :)

WANTED: LEOPARD GLOVES

Sometimes loosing the most material and otherwise non important things can still make you very sad or deeply frustrated - I had these really nice wool leopard printed gloves with a perfect lenght and a perfect slim fit that I stumbled upon in H&M a couple of years ago. I quite recently lost one of them and now I've been searching everywhere in stores here to find a similar pair but without result. I can't seem to find any proper ones on the internet either; they are either too fancy (like velvet or so, ment for evening wear) or then too ugly or cheap looking (like made of fleece or so) fleece. *sniff sniff*

Anyone got any hints?

(the picture is old. It was in the blog once earlier in a post that had nothing to do with gloves. Just in case anyone thought it looked familiar :)