The search for perfect hand-made ceramics

Perfect hand-made ceramics

...has been going on for some time. Until about 2 weeks ago I walk into Stilrummet to make a delivery and ask - where did THESE come from?? Wonderful, perfect, where do I find the maker, please, Marie, please?

Petra of Petras Lera has fulfilled her dream after moving to Sweden from Finland about 1,5 years ago. She is making the most beautiful hand-made ceramics one can possibly imagine. Working in same location with 7 other ceramists she is creating these beauties step by step, piece by piece.

She starts with a piece of clay in her hand. Looking at it, asking, what are you going to be? What's inside of you? She works the clay into plates, bowls and other accessories using vintage baskets and bowls as a mold.

She then picks one of the old, hand-made lace tablecloths of her grandmother Ingrid.  Presses the cloth gently into the wet clay to create a pattern. And carefully removes it to avoid any ripping of the old textile.

Perfect hand-made ceramics

After days of drying and all other necessary finishing steps, magnificent pieces of art are born. Every single one of them is unique. Hand-made with love by Petras Lera.

Perfect hand-made ceramics

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Käsintehty keramiikka, keramiikkatyöt

Cottonhut for Spring/Summer 2013

Cottonhut (cottonhut.se) story began at our summer house in 2003.  A log house, to be precise. Being here again, it felt right to share some thoughts, and post a few images of Cottonhut spring/summer 2013 collection.

In the old times in Finland, the main buildings of the farms were always  built of logs. The logs were cut from your own forest, taken to the mill, and then used for construction. When ready, very often  the house was insulated from outside with additional layer of wood, but inside the logs were visible.

The house was decorated with traditional, often self-made, wooden furniture and textiles. Rag rugs, chip baskets for storage, self-woven linen for the kitchen and bedroom. Hooks and lanterns from the local black-smith.  Bread and butter baskets from the local artisans.

As the agriculture way of life slowly faded away, were those, who still have the log-house to deocrate, forced to order the traditional items one by one from artisans becoming fewer and fewer, or purchase decoration items, which never really match the walls around them.

Cottonhut Collection was created to answer this demand.  We see our products used in a summer house by a lake, a mountain hut built of large logs, or a country home where the center is a large, all-purpose kitchen.

Traditional styles and materials. Simple, yet soft forms. With a modern touch. Carefully made by artisans, small businesses and certified producers around the world.

DIY table

DIY table

Those of you visiting Weranna's Warehouse frequently have become very familiar with Weranna's showroom table - I just simply love it! It was one of those days last summer when I was at my in-laws ranch, and saw a pile of old floor blanks in a shed and just seeing the pile made me go 'ahhh...'. 100-200 hundred-years-old blanks, with many layers of paint and glue (from wall-to-wall carpets used during the past decades) on top. Both wooden pegs and hand-made nails had been used during the many years (all treasures safe and sound, don't worry) to keep the floor together. And I said out loud - 'what a wonderful table' or something such.

It was my brother-in-law who looked at me confused and said 'O'. You know the way they say it like 'okay, I will just now look the other way so they don't realize they've completely lost it'-kinda-way ;).

THIS, unfortunately, was one of those projects where I tell the very much capable family members that it takes 30 minutes to saw the blanks and put them together, not a biggie AT ALL, I'll get the legs from Ikea. I think it took somewhere around 7 hours in total, during 3 days. Plus the work we, Weranna's girls (the other one is still young, so I can call us girls, right?), did scraping the table and doing the finishing. But the end result...LOVE. If you wish to get the same look, use a matt finish lacquer (suitable for dining tables!) and apply 2-3 layers so you can without worry keep the table clean!

It was fantastic to see some other ideas in the latest Deko. magazine from Finland - Using a glass on top doesn't work for our family just yet, but perhaps in 15 years or so, as it looks wonderful!

Home of interior designer Mikko Toppala and Riku Pousi, Finland

Home of AD Marja Tyni, Finland

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Tee-se-itse pöytä, Ikea pöydänjalat