2012

So the year is about to change again, and I'm sure everybody have some big plans for 2013.

2012 has gone fast and lots of things have been happening. Even the end of the world delayed which I'm glad about. (hehe)

Next year is going to give me quite big challenges and I'm ready to crab them. As new years promise I would say that I'm going to prove myself. Yep thar's it.

What's going to be your new years promise?

Anyway I spent some time trying to make my 2012 shortly in pictures so here it is, best parts of my year. Enjoy. (I explained a little bit on every picture why they're important)

Here we go, start of the year I spent looking for flat and in the end I moved to where I live now

And bought ipad to make my life much easier.

My parents came for their visit and we played some tourists with them.

I became a bag maniac (instead of shoes)

I went to Malta to visit Roosa. (who moved back to Finland now, sadly)

I went to Finland to visit home and see friends.

Also celebrated my 20th birthday with my family.

I met my parents new dog Tara.

Fell in love with maxi's

Supporting team GB for olympics by eating chocolate (visited Brighton the first time.)

My friends came for their first visit to London.

London Olympics.

Admitted my love for Kurt Geiger shoes.

Had some great time with friends.

My sisters came over for their first visit.

Visited Finland again, met some new people who I'm never going to forget.

Came to London and then went back home again. I took my boyfriend to Velkua, middle of nothing.

Getting ready for Christmas, shopping baking etc. You know it.

Hope you all will have nice new years parties (no too much alcohol then hehe) and we'll see 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

xx Leena

Boxing day

26th of December, Oxford street, 8.00 am

As everybody knows Boxin day is the day of the biggest sales of the year (Probably?). I took this photo yesterday morning on my way to work. Yes its a queue, to Next. From the front door nearly till Oxford circus. That moment I just tought how crazy people are? I mean hey, The sale is going to be there tomorrow aswell you don't have to stand there for hours?

What makes people line to Next from 7am? What do they sell there? I never been any fan of Next so don't understand this one. sorry..

Anyway, did you spent all your money today aswell?
I didn't. Didn't even bother to try. Too lazy? Yes.

xx Leena

Gucci

You remember when I wrote about the present I wanted to get for my boyfriend?

Big succes, I love it and he loves it. What I got is this t-shirt from Gucci. Nice and simple desing. Also I got him some simple accesories with it. As i promised here it is now,

I enjoy all my presents as well, some plates, candles and skin care products. And ofcourse coholate. (thanks xx) I'm still waiting for two presents comin from my sisters, can't wait to see what they have got for me! Hehee.

Like I said earlier, I love Christmas time. Not because of presents, because of the whole feeling, warm and nice evenings. Now it's time to just be and enjoy, and warm up with cup of hot glögg. (glogg, mulled wine kind of drink.. Not sure how it is in english.)

Ps. Best part of every Christmas is when Snowman comes. (from tv) Yesterday he had a snow dog too!

xx Leena

Happy christmas time for everybody!

It's time to cook and clean and cook and...

Last night I started my cooking and baking project for christmas. Cutting lots of potatoes, whipping cream, trying to create a delicious meal for christmas. Today I've left to do all baking and finishing of The traditional mashed potatoe casserole (sound so fancy in english, free translation from finnish would be a potatoe box...) by now I'm nearly finnished and can start to relax a bit.

I love Christmas.

Can't wait to get to open the presents and eat. (ofcourse) I'm cooking a lot when compared to that there's only two persons eating, and that's why I've invited some of my friends to come for left over dinner on the christmas day. Hehe. Just as a notice, in Finland we celebrate (and in Skandinavia overall) Christmas on 24th not on christmas day like here in England. Our Santa actually comes for visit to give the presents, he does not just sneak in and eat your cookies. (much more challenge for the dads eh?)

Here's some feelings from earlier today and yesterday. Now I'm done with the whole meal (there's lots more than just on the pics) and about to sit down to eat it!

Happy christmas to all of you!

xx Leena

Friends and muffins

Baking day.

I decided to practise my muffin making skills and straight after work I ran to the shop to get some eggs and sugar (other stuff I had allready)

I ended up with sweet chocolate muffins with chocolate hearts from four different chocolates. Yummm. To be fair I'll share the easiest way to make muffins with you guys:

Two eggs, same amount of sugar and flours. (you can use glasses to measure)Whip the eggs and sugar, then add the flours,2 tea spoons of baking powder and any flavors u want use. Mix well.
Here you go, delicious, if u put chocolate hearts in them make sure you dont press it till the bottom and that you cover them well. (otherwise the chocolate will burn)

Anyway as this is not a cooking diary I'll move to the other thing.

Please meet my friend Ambia.

Aww isn't she cute?

Basically why I'm telling you about her is because she got amazing style. She actually loves putting all these different outfits together, and she owns more shoes than anybody I know.

I've actually been planning to bring more of her outfit ideas for you guys in future, and she seems pretty excited about this idea too.

This is just what she wore today, I think she looks amazing and rocks this denim shirt trend the best. (from what I've seen on the streets) also you never goin to see those shoes twice!




From where you can buy her outfit from the top to the bottom:

Hat, new look
Collar tips, ebay
Shirt, vero moda
T-shirt, only
Leggings, pieces
Shoes, new look

xx Leena

Sick and tierd

Being sick is time to be creative. (at once I have any spare time)

Last four days I've been trying to relax as I got really bad cold. (or what ever it is, I'm feeling pretty much dead) Today I even had to call my work that I'm way too sick to come in. This is like the first time for two years that I'm sick for real.

I've spent all day with pen and paper, trying to draw something. I feel really bad not giving enough time for drawing, as you should always try to improve your skills. After couple hours of sketching  I copied this picture taken from the newest Vogue. (Found this beautiful add from Chanel.) not perfect but enough for now.

This is just small update for now, during next couple days I'll start to get ready for christmas by cooking and cleaning, and ofcourse shopping.

xx Leena


Seuraa blogiani Bloglovinin avulla

Post from Finland

This day I've been waiting for!

At last I received parcel from my mum, inside it was lots of things I've been missing and ofcourse some christmas presents. (hihii! Sadly those presents I can't open before christmas, naturally)

Maybe the best things (after presents from my family) are books my mum have picked for me (including Patricia Corwell, Jo Nesbo, Stepheng King and Cathy Kelly) and my perfect hair treatments. Also I'm really exited to have more chocolates and some propa gingerbreads for christmas. (now missing only the glög!)

Love you mum, you just made my day. Again.

On the last picture you can see my hair miracle treatments. When I told couple of my friends that I tried (month ago) frizz miracle and that I was very pleased with the result they all just said: "really? They work?" yes, they do work, and really well, till now my hair is softer than ever after every shower. I haven't tried the moisturing one yet so I'll come back to you about the results later on.

Ps. Yes I love reading, and I'm warmly recommending to read Jo Nesbo's books as this is now the third one I own. This norwegian writer have really surprised me with his great stories about some cop action.

xx Leena

Vapiano

Today I went to enjoy this dinner with my colleagues. It was a bit like christmas party between the managers, as we still wait for the propa one. (planning to have it later on, maybe on start of January) anyway we decided to go to Vapiano and enjoy some italian food.

I really enjoyed the evening, I've been in Vapiano couple times before but never actually ate anything. It's quite interesting to see when they make the whole meal front of your eyes in about five minutes. (if you good you can steal some good recipe ideas!)

So the food was delicious, company good and everybody had  lots of funny stories. Tomorrow got to go back to work. (time to sleep)

Here's our evening shortly in pictures.

Cu!

Ps. What I was wearing; skirt (Esprit) with loose black top (vm). Cape jacket (?) with silver detailed scarf (LV), long leather gloves (Pieces) and bag (Jimmy Choo) also loving my hat! (Pieces)

xx Leena

Do nothing

One thing I wanted to tell you, I'm in love with that hot water bottle I bought last Tuesday. Honestly. Everybody should get one. (unless you have really good heating at your place..) Every flat I've been living in London haven't had good heaters till now, or nobody don't want to use them because of high gass bills. (?) How they heat their houses then? Candels?

Anyway since I moved here I've been missing the heaters we have in Finland, so now I have my solution. Maybe the best invention ever, actually my bottle stays hot up to five hours so it's a good company while watching tv or sleepig. If you don't have one, get it. Hehe.

Anyway I'll keep enjoying my lazy Sunday. Do nothing. Literally.
(It's dark and cold so you don't have to.)

Ps. I love my candels aswell, go M&S!

xx Leena

Snow

Or something like that... Anyway. Last year it didn't snow here before February so wednesday morning it was big surprise when I got out from my flat to go to work.

This is how Hackney looked like 7am.

Hopefully soon the ground would actually stay white.

Ps. It's Finland's Indepeendence Day! Hope you all enjoy the snow over there, I'm jelaous!

xx Leena

Xmas shopping!

For myself! Luckily I've done all shopping for my family allrdy as I handed my presents while I was in Finland. Only one is left if my boyfriend and that's a easy one! (you migh see later on)

So as it was my day off I decided to spent it for spoiling myself a little with shopping around Oxford street. You know, have some hot drinks at Starbucks( Christmas feeling with gingerbread latte), buy some lotions, shampoos and so on. Those normal must have products to warm up the cold winter days.

Also, at last, now after spending all yesterday learning how to add pictures here with Ipad I wanted to let you know that my lovely mum bought me the perfume from Roberto Cavalli (at last, I ment to buy it now for six moths??) this is the must have scent on your collections!

Other must have thing I on this Monday was a nail polish for the party season. I found this soo cute gold glitter polish from Orly and to go with it I matched colour stark naked from models own. There's never too much glitter right?

Then we can leave the talking and move to my amazing picture adding skills! This is how was my Tuesday! (yes adding pictures with Ipad is hard!!)

Ps. Have you got your spoiling presents allready?

What Did I get:

Body shop: mango body scrup (shower gel for free!) And my favourite strawberry body butter
Boots: Elvive extraordinary oil to make my hair suuper soft and shiny, also I got strawberry shower gel from Treacle moon
Must have buy for cold evenings, hot water bottle from cassandra.

xx Leena

Vodafone...

...robbed me... Again.

Yes once again, I topped up £15 (worth of one month) and in three days they said I've used it all. Hmm I went to the shop and told them that there must be something wrong, and their answer was that maybe I use it for something  I shouldn't? I would love to know since when using facebook and writing a blog is something "you shouldnt do" with your laptop?

Well vodafone, thanks for your help and good customer service.

Here's reason why I haven't been posting anything for over a week. I Can't add pictures with my ipad,  because I don't know how to do it. (embarrasing?) Anyway now is time to learn and forget my laptop. (i'm not going to touch that thing till there's somebody offering a propa internet without stealin all my money!)

I'll be back to you straight when I learn how to add pictures (etc.) with this thing.

Ps. Thank you t-mobile once again for working exactly 30 days with £15!

xx Leena

How's London

Long time again. As you might guess I'm back home London middle off no internet

I've been so busy from work that I haven't been even able to give a thought for my sofa. Well anyways now I'm having my lovely days off and decided to come to update you before I get something else to do. (I want to go buy candels!)

Still about Finland, I came back on last wednesday and the last night I spent in Helsinki Was pretty amazing  as my girl managed to get us to stay in hotel! Ahhh I love hotels, especially when it's high quality place in the central. Even better, room she got for us was junior suite in Crowne plaza!  We had nice night out and even better morning when we enjoyed big breakfast and after that we took some good baths. I love luxury life and the feeling when you can just relax on the hotel bed wrapped into hotel's rope and enjoying the time you don't have to do nothing. Oh take me back there! Now I keep talking about hotel weekends to my boyfriend, christmas present?

Sadly that day we still had to get up sign off the room, get some propa big filling meal and get ready for the long travelling day. (I still hate flying! Can I just walk?)

Ok guys that's actually all what happened after my last post. Every day after coming home I've been working working working and one day I worked with the boy band Blue! (Which actually was pretty cool "hihi") Ofcourse I had to gather all my girls for a group picture with the boys!

Have good time guys cu soon!

xx leena

Sauna

Yesterday, while I was enjoying my Sunday late evening sauna I remembered how just before I left I had this "argument" with my colleagues about saunas and steam rooms.

So now I decided mostly for them (at my work) to show that I was being serious when I told that most of the homes in Finland do have sauna. So here you go! Our traditional sauna. xx

That's it! Real sauna, not a steam room. Our sauna is very basic sauna which you can find even build in flats, it's not any new electric sauna but the old good "wood sauna" which you heat up with fire. This is the one which you heat up about 80-100 degrees to make yourself enjoy the fresh feeling after 15 minutes. (at least!) And just as a small tip, after sauna your "old" skin peels of like an orange in shower, so you're going to be soft like a baby's butt all over.

Steam room is that one they have in spa you to remove dirt from your body in like 40 degrees. (that's nothing) It's a bit the same with turkish sauna, which is a fake finnish sauna.

Thank you! (Sauna music!)

xx Leena

Friday, Saturday, Sunday

So my last weekend in Finland is now basically behind, and yes I had such a good time.

Had a great night out on Friday, even I still feel that Turku have boring night life. Fact is that good company is the thing what makes your evening not the place. Thanks Anni for this. xx

Saturday I had my last shopping change with my mum, I didn't buy anything special but got some presents for everybody in London and for my friends at work. Ohh all my colleagues love finnish chocolate, especially the mint one! (Actually Marabou is swedish tho...)

And now Sunday is the finnish Father's day so hope all dads had nice time. I'm happy to be home on a day like this and yesterday evening instead of clubbing I spent my time doing cake for my dad and enjoyed sweets my mum baked. (yummm this is why I love to stay with my parents!)

Ohh yea one thing I've been laughing a lot is the madness about Angry Birds in here. Yes I know it's a finnish game, but hey guys, some limits? Angry Birs towels? Slippers? Toys? Sweets? Drinks? Chewing cum? Surfing board? I mean anything? I want a Angry bird house and Angry Bird Costume for my Dog! YAY! (Hmm I could go to my bed and play some Angry Birds...)

OK, Three days to go!

Ps. BIG BIG congratulations to my girl Minja and her man Hannu as they got engaged! We had some coffee for this on Saturday! (such a sweet couple xx) Hannu got her heart trough Michael Kors bag! (Just joking loves)

xx Leena

Wednesday

I had some new experiences again, which is pretty kool as I have been living all my life around here.

My company was great aswell, I spent all evening with Roosa, (Yes the girl from Malta!) as we are both here having holiday on the same time. (Again)

So heres one good way to spend your evening in Turku:
We started from Klubi which is more or less place for small bands/artists to show their skills. Last night we enjoyed the performance of three hip hop and reggae styled groups. Actually there was those two new skills that really surprised me, I've always been little bit stand back about finnish "rappers" going on with english, but these guys really proved their skills. They had some real passion and different style next to the other finnish artists I've heard. Big thanks for them, loved it. (If you interested check for Ill Division, sadly they don't have page in youtube, and in myspace they haven't finished their page yet. But I wish good luck for Dizi and her brother, keep it up!) Other groups were more "traditional" finnish reggae groups, they put up a great shows as well! Go Finland!

After this we ended up to our traditional pub El Gringo, which is the only must go place in Turku I would point out for any travellers. (If you love laid back reggae and old hip hop ..aand some random stuff) From here we headed to go around different clubs and really enjoyed our time till the end. Thanks Roosa!

Best thing was that once again I met some of my friends from years behind and so I spent lots of time talking about our past, what a way to spend your wednesday. Thanks for all my old friends who still remember me, I'll never forget you guys either!

Ps. Sad fact is that there's no any (ANY) good clubs to go in Turku these days, so if you feel like going out for propa clubbing  in Finland, I would change the place. (Sorry all my Turku lovers!)

xx Leena

Where is the snow?

Just wondering. I mean hey, November? Finland? Where are the polarbears!

Ps. Today I should have a good night even the weather is what it is! Coming back to you about it tomorrow!

xx Leena

First weekend

Ooooohhh I'm sooo tierd! Can't wait to get to the bed!

It's been really busy first days here, especially because of my surprise I had for my boyfriend who's propa city guy. I was ment to give him some new experience, and after all this was a big succes! Let me tell you guys about my surprise weekend:

First on Friday we went to visit my big sister and her family, this wasn't anything so different but good start for a holiday. My sister cooked this awesome dinner with lasagne and pannakotta as a dessert. (yummmm) On Saturday was the real surprise day as we went with my parents to our summer house, which is middle of nothing on small island in Velkua.

Soo good time, our day went something like this (Very short version):
First small lunch with rye bread (to make you strong!) and then we headed to the forest with our dogs. After hour of walking and climbing around (and eating some berries we found hehe) we got back to the house where we tried some fishing (No succes). When sun started to go down we put up a small fire and made Sami to find some sticks from the forest which we used for cooking the food. Couple of hours just sitting near the water watching the sun going down and listening the silence. (and eating some marshmallows) Just try give me any better way to relax? 

Sadly here was no snow which I was really hoping for but what ever, weather was awesome and we all really enjoyed the day.

We finished the day on these feelings, when the dark came we drove back home where we had good hot sauna and after that my mom made some pancakes with lots of strawberries and cream.

Honestly how good the silence and peace felt when you coming from London? You cant even explain.


As everything is funnier in pictures, here you go, our Saturday:

 Fact is that in the forest you don't think about taking that many pictures so these are the best shots I got. Cu soon!

xx Leena