New from Skandinavisk

It is the little things in life that sometimes make the biggest difference. Like a nice cup of coffee, a stack of magazines (or beautiful catalogues like in my case) and the best hand cream. I have loved the candles from Skandinavisk for quite a while now and was so excited to try their new hand care range*. They not only work wonders and smell amazing, the packaging is as impeccable as it is for their candles. I love the minimal design and their neutral colour scheme.  

Here's my previous post about the candles. 

* These products were sent to me as a gift with no strings attached. All opinions are my own.

Christmas Preparations

My Christmas preparations are slowly getting under way with a few decorations here and there, a couple of gifts already wrapped and ready to go. I was surprised to find spruce branches in florist stores for the first time, and despite the needles probably not holding for very long, seized the opportunity to bring a bit of Nordic familiarity into our home. 

Since we are having Christmas in the middle of summer (something I will most likely never get used to), it's all about those little details that I need to get into the Christmas mood. Some familiar foods (certainly not all, as it is too hot to eat the traditional Finnish Christmas meals), traditional songs and decorations from my childhood, as well as sentimental scents are the most important part. 

These candles from my favourite candle company Skandinavisk are essential for Christmas, but the new collection with the most stunning porcelain vessels make a beautiful gift all year around. I will be burning the Heia* candle this Christmas, and its familiar scents are bringing back so many lovely memories from home.

Wishing you a positive week ahead, I will try and drop by again before Christmas to share some more photos, so stay tuned!

*This candle was sent to me as a gift from Skandinavisk with no strings attached. All opinions are my own.

Summer Is In the Air

I can hear the cicadas outside as I'm typing this post.  There's a certain kind of whiff in the air, and it's telling me summer is around the corner. We live right near the beach here in Sydney and although you won't find me basking in the sun, I'm a regular at the ocean pool near by.

As you may remember, I've been on a mission this year to turn my health around, and I've been especially concentrating on my skin. Focusing on eating well, getting enough sleep as well as finding  skincare that works has helped tremendously. I've also tried to remind myself to be more gentle, not just emotionally, but physically as well. 

These super soft Turkish towels feel like a gentle summer breeze on the skin and I am absolutely obsessed with them. They are so soft on my daughter's delicate skin as well and even perfect to use as a light weight blanket for her when she is napping. The best thing is, they get softer and softer the more I use and wash them.

We are enjoying a relaxed and sunny weekend, after returning from a much cooler Melbourne earlier this week. There's a lot of catching up to do, including here on the blog, so stay tuned!

The towels were sent to me as a gift with no strings attached. All opinions are my own. 

My Top 3 Books in 2014

1. Elements of Style Designing A Home & A Life by Erin Gates

One word: obsessed. For someone who barely has time to get past the first page of a magazine, let alone a whole book, managing to devour this book in just a couple of days was nothing short of a miracle. I absolutely love Erin's blog and she stays true to her style in this masterpiece as well. Not only is her book full of great advice for anyone interested in interior design and decorating, she adds a very personal touch, something you don't often find in books of this genre. 

2. The Tailored Interior by Greg Natale

Every page of this book is swoon-worthy. Greg's style is luxurious and polished, but he offers invaluable expertise advice and inside to the sometimes seemingly glamorous world of interior design. This is a great coffee table book! 

3. Entertaining Inspired Gatherings & Effortless Style by Camille Styles

This is such a beautiful book and full of inspiring tips for successful entertaining at home. I love how achievable and welcoming Camille's style is. There are plenty of recipes, styling tips and other useful advice. Great gift even to bring along to a host or get inspiration for your own party. I love it!

Aesop Love

A rainy Sunday called for a bit of pampering. I adore Aesop for their great product range and beautiful packaging. Thank you dear friend who gifted me these products! 

The face brush peeking from the tray is by Iris Hantverk, available at my online store Pikku-Kota.

Bionade

It's been a very warm start to autumn here in Sydney and on most days it still feels like summer. Humidity has been similar to what we usually get in February and that has made days feel even muggier. Hence I gladly accepted an offer to review and taste test Bionade, a refreshing organic soft drink that's been a best seller in Europe for quite some time and is now making its way down under. 

I must admit I was a bit hesitant first and I thought this drink would be way too sweet for my liking. I haven't been able to drink sugary soft drinks for ages and those sweetened artificially don't suit my gut at all. However, I was really pleasantly surprised by Bionade; it is not overly sweet and it also isn't overly carbonated. There are four flavours currently available: Herbs, Orange & Ginger, Lychee and Elderberry, all of them which I really enjoyed, but if I had to pick a favourite it'd probably be Lychee. So glad I have Bionade to get me through these warm and humid autumn days! 

What is Bionade?

• 100% certified organic in both raw materials and production
• contains 40-60% less calories and sugar than conventional soft drinks
• gluten-free and vegan friendly
• non-alcoholic
• free of colourants, preservatives and artificial flavours 
• made in Germany and fermented like German beer, just without alcohol
• contains water, sugar, malt from barley (2%), carbon acid, calcium and magnesium carbonate