Monday, February 24, 2014

I admit - I love Instagram


At Vierastalo Raska instagram photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com
#vierastaloraska




I had thought it quite a lot that noo...I won't go there. Forbidden place. I thought it is too much - photo flow or flood. I'm already arounded by photos. So many pics going different directions...

At Vierastalo Raska instagram photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com
#leftovers

But it had a plan. It waited me behind the corner and in the beginning of Jan and in the moment of weakness - I was caught. Suddenly bringing my life to you even more. More often. More closer. Even to more people...and it didn't feel so bad...and now I guess nobody can stop the train. There's nothing more to do now than enjoy it! I also found vsco so my photos just flow through it. At the moment I use only my phone to take instagram pics but will see what happens in the future. Never say never.

So I decided to have a theme every week. I always look for a purpose. So I chose a color. Blue, pink, yellow, moss green, chocolate brown. Oh, no. Routine. I don't like it so much. So last week I made differently - I chose vintage pattern. 

I believe that creativity comes from relaxed way of being and the most creative you are when you can feel yourself relaxed when doing. I feel IG at the moment quite relaxing. Even though I tend to feel new things quite strongly. I might be pushing publish button in IG quite often. I'm sure you have had your honeymoon with IG but I have just started mine, haha. 


#traditionalpattern - mittens by my mom


But important to remember is that IG - it's not all about me. It's about you too! I'm already following people and I think more is just behind the corner. I've found more interesting people. More pics. More communication with my blogger friends. More of everything. 

I'm also amazed of the size of photos that our phones can bring to us. I do want to print some IG pics and I've already done that once. It's just amazing!...I know...I'm so late with this but I'm going to enjoy of it! How is your IG life going?

I wish you a creative week. I had a little bit poor beginning today. Oh so basic Monday but I'm certain tomorrow I'll shine again. I hope you too!

xo
Kreetta




Thursday, February 20, 2014

Strawberry Raw Cake For Friends

Strawberry raw cake for friends photos by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com





Winter feelings with friends.

 
Strawberry raw cake for friends photos by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

Strawberry raw cake for friends photos by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

Strawberry raw cake for friends photos by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

Strawberry raw cake for friends photos by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

Cauliflower soup, freestyle recipe by my husband

Cook cauliflower, cellery, onion, garlic, vegetable stock and spices and herbs like caraway, herb mix. After vegetables are soft add a bit of salt and butter/dairy free substitute for butter and oat cream. Puree with hand mixer. Use parley and roasted sunflower seeds to garnish. 


Strawberry raw cake for friends photos by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

A beautiful handmade present with charming drawings from other side of the world and organic bisquits a little bit closer. Thank you!


Strawberry raw cake for friends photos by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

And here it is. My very first raw cake. Literally in ice. 

Before making I read few recipes and made a trip to Pinterest and after this I made my own version. You can find my inspiration recipe in English here and other one in Finnish here. From these lovely blog post's you can check also how to make a raw cake. I can't eat lemon so I chose to use passion fruit and buckthorn juice instead. Exotic, maybe...and I used organic strawberries that we picked last summer.


Kreetta's Strawberry Raw Cake recipe

Ingredients:

Crust:
a good 1 dl pecan peanuts  
7-9 soft dates
rose salt to taste
Dates are quite sweet so the salt is balancing the taste. 
 
Filling:
about 3dl cashews (soak over night in water)
Inside of 1 passion fruit
2-4 spoons of sea buckthorn juice or these two you can replace with juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp. vanilla powder
slightely less than 1 dl melted coconut oil
1/2-1 dl honey

2 dl strawberries
I used freezed organic strawberries.  


Strawberry raw cake for friends photos by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

These bisquits were my back up plan. Luckily didn't need it.


Strawberry raw cake for friends photos by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

We ate well, talked a lot and went a bit sledding. Lovely day.


xo
Kreetta

Monday, February 17, 2014

DIY Art Wall - How to hide imperfection on the wall

DIY art wall by www.gretchengretchen.com photo by Kreetta Järvenpää
Do you remember my art wall project at my home? Well, there were quite many nails on the wall after that. I was thinking that somehow I like to hide them. If I take them away...there are holes left still. So what would be a good solution? 

DIY art wall by www.gretchengretchen.com photo by Kreetta Järvenpää

Then I got an idea. Thread art on the wall. I remembered that I've promised to my husband to paint painting of Cassiopeia constellation. But this will be even more cool - thread art Cassiopeia on the wall! 

DIY art wall by www.gretchengretchen.com photo by Kreetta Järvenpää
Simple idea. I chose obvious colors neon yellow and few shades of blue.

DIY art wall by www.gretchengretchen.com photo by Kreetta Järvenpää
And no matter how simple it is you can always - always - make mistakes like too long thread...it was a big mess. I needed scissors.

DIY art wall by www.gretchengretchen.com photo by Kreetta Järvenpää

Coffee break is also have to have in good company. My husband came back from working outdoors. Well? More thread.

DIY art wall by www.gretchengretchen.com photo by Kreetta Järvenpää
DIY art wall by www.gretchengretchen.com photo by Kreetta Järvenpää
Work of art needs a title of course. Cassiopeia.

DIY art wall by www.gretchengretchen.com photo by Kreetta Järvenpää
I'm sure you can do it now. You only need thread, hammer, nails, scissors and an idea. Off you go and make art!

xo
Kreetta

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Troubleshooting with white color in blogger blog

Here's something I learned today. Ask help. You can spend your time resolving different kind of problems without asking help. But you will notice in the minute you do - how you should have done it before. Ok, it wasn't totally useless - I learned also a bit html code.

Why the words be kind? Because today people was kind to me and I got help. What was my problem? It was a problem with loading new link pics to my blog's sidebar. My IG link pic. The white turned to be grayish. Every single time - no matter what I did. Crazy!

But then I asked help. Googling is also a good way but sometimes you don't have right words in your mind :)

So if you have blogger based blog as I have - this is for you my friend. Go to Google+ and find there Settings. Google+ has made enhance on default. You just turn it off. No worry follow this link you find how to do it. And you are welcome! 



Have a happy Sunday!
xo
Kreetta

Sunday, February 9, 2014

#coloroftheweek - Inspiring Yellow Lemon

yellow lemon photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

 I got un idea of yellow. Lemon. This is how it turned out to be.

yellow lemon photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com




yellow lemon photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com
yellow lemon photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com
yellow lemon photo by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

On Friday I had only two things in my mind. I want to rest and I want to photograph lemons. Today I had time to photograph lemons after long breakfast. I like instagram at the moment a lot and this idea is coming from that direction. I'm a newbie in IG. Started there in beginning of this year. But already hooked, haha. Every week I choose a color. Any color in your mind?

Have a lovely Sunday!

xo
Kreetta

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Link Love Creative - Book By Its Cover


pic from Book By Its Cover blog


I totally said Yes! when I noticed that blog Book By Its Cover is back. Talented illustrator Julia Rothman's absolutely fab place of adorable books. You can use hours to hang around there. So many talented makers. I remember when I found this blog for the very first time few year ago - I was amazed. Today I also realized that this blog was one of the blogs why I wanted to start my own one. I also realized I have few books in my bookcase that I've found from here and bought like Scripts: Elegant Lettering from Design's Golden Age.

pic from Book By Its Cover blog


So ordinary things photographed and wonderfully combined.


pic from Book By Its Cover blog

I think Alison Worman was maybe the very first one I found as a maker of sketchbooks...how can you not like her work?


pic from Book By Its Cover blog

Different makers. So inspiring!


pic from Book By Its Cover blog


 Where do you get your inspiration?



xo 
Kreetta

ps. I made my very first sketchbook in the year 2012. You can find it here. Now I like to start another one. But I have so much going on that it might take a moment before I do.

All pics © Book By Its Cover

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Art wall project exhibition at home


art wall by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com


art wall by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

Thank you for people visiting us in so short notice. Ideas comes and goes. These ones goes to Kampaamo Maa on Wednesday.

art wall by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com


art wall by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com
Some of this work you've seen in my blog before.

art wall by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com


art wall by Kreetta Järvenpää www.gretchengretchen.com

I was wondering how my instagram pics will look as photos and they do - look quite nice. So you can make art with your phone. Wonderful news.

Something I have ever done before - an exhibition at home. Now I have. It was fun! Spending time with great people is always a pleasure. Thank you!

xo
Kreetta


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