Weranna's Fall Winter 2014-2015 - photoshoot with Paulina Arcklin

The back of Paulina Arcklin's head - as always.

Fall Winter 2014-2015 trends…well, we did our own again. Weranna's style.

Old vintage furniture. Recycled furniture. Talk about innovative use for Hello Kitty hola hoop, for example ;). And Paulina got to use her paintbrush. And also another favorite - DYLON fabric dyes.

Natural materials - mostly wool, alpaca and felt in textiles. Wild olive tree, sesame tree and ceramics for the kitchen and accessories.

Hand-made soaps, all natural ingredients.

Colors - earthy and natural. Mixed with some orchid and pink flavors.

We carried all the stuff you see on the photos into a day-light studio  - 3rd floor in Amsterdam. Oh, and of course before that we had carried them out from 2nd floor apartment in Amsterdam.  Those of you, again, who have done this and know what I'm talking about know that it was one day of sweat and serious exercise. After all the preparations beforehand, that is.

It was also a day of many drinks (it was HOT that day in Amsterdam), delicious salads and tons of candy and nuts. The usual stuff.

We are currently working on the catalogue, and it will be BEAUTIFUL. Almost as beautiful as the new range of products we will be introducing to the store ;).

Stay tuned!

Weranna's Fall/Winter 2014-2015 eCatalgoue will be out soon!

Weranna's Summer 2014 inspiration eCatalogue

Werannas 2014 Summer Inspiration

Have you taken a look at our summer 2014 inspiration catalogue yet? Weranna's is Wheeling the World :)! We wanted to share with you the different countries Weranna's is working closely in.

Summer 2014 is coral. Summer 2014 is sunny and funny. Summer 2014 is definitely all ethical.

Follow our journey also in Facebook ;)!

Beautiful Kikoi beaded lanyard key holder - kaunis avain- tai henkilökorttikoru

Kikoi beaded lanyard key ID card holder

Kikoi beaded lanyard key ID card holder

Kikoi beaded lanyard key ID card holder

http://www.werannas.com/en/ethnic/jewelry/kikoi-keylanyard.html

Here I will let the photos speak for themselves again - no more of those synthetic lanyards around your neck, when you need to have your key and/or ID card available at all times!

These beauties are hand-made in Kenya of natural seeds, paper pearls and all possible hand-made and recycled material - recycled glass, hand-made ceramic and glass beads, recycled metal beads and bone.

The fishing line used holds 4 kg, so you can be sure it holds :).

I recommend!

***

Nyt annan kuvien puhua puolestaan - ei enää niitä ikäviä synteettisiä avain- ja kulkukorttinauhoja kaulan ympärillä, jes! Mun avaimet on aina hukassa, ellei ne ole kaulan ympärillä (okei, on ne silti hukassa), ja nyt ne voi tehdä sitä nätisti ja ihan niinku julkisilla paikoillakin!

Nämä kauneudet on käsintehty Keniassa siemenistä ja paperihelmistä, ja kaikenlaisesta käsintehdystä ja kierrätetystä materiaalista - kierrätyslasista, käsintehdyistä keramiikka- ja lasihelmistä, kierrätysmetallista ja luusta.

Käytetty kalastussiima kantaa 4 kg, niin ei ihan heti katkea :).

Suosittelen!

Shop display for earrings

Shop display for earrings - Kikoi Outlet

Again working yesterday in Kikoi Outlet, and had one of those days when I felt the need to MAKE something. 

A round in the hardware store  - some mole net, a new staple gun and proper steel cutters and I was all ready for my adventure with the beautiful Luna Design frames perfect for the project!

Remove the glass, cut a suitable piece of the mole net, and staple it to the back of the frame - my kinda 10-minute DIY project ;). And - let me tell you - working with proper tools REALLY makes a difference!

Shop display for earrings - Kikoi Outlet

Shop display for earrings - Kikoi Outlet

Shop display for earrings - Kikoi Outlet

Didn't our new shop display turn out nice? Adding some hooks, this would make a perfect key frame for the hall way, as well. Pretty <3. Actually - initially this idea was planted in my head in the hall way of my cousin, who has a large board for all kinds of notes etc. made like this!

OR - if you are an earring enthusiast, why not get a smaller frame, and make one for yourself? I've got some extra meters of mole net, come by if you would like to get some ;).

Shop display for earrings - Kikoi Outlet

Shop display for earrings - Kikoi Outlet

 ***

Tänään oli pyslauspäivä Outletissä, eikö tullutkin nätti?

Aluperin sain idean serkultani, jolla on eteisessä ISO tällainen kaikennäköistä muistettavaa varten. 

Ja miksei, jos on korvakorujen ystävä, tekisi itselleen tällaista vähän pienemmistäkin kehyksistä? Tai laita tuohon vähän koukkuja, ja tehdä tästä avainten säilytystaulu (onkohan olemassa sanaa 'säilytystaulu'?)

Kikoi bread baskets made of sisal - sisal leipäkori

Kikoi sisal bread basket with hand-made rye crackers

I admit - no point in this post. Just had this sisal bread basket from Kikoi on the kitchen counter, together with our Erika Vaitkute linen napkin and some hand-made rye crackers from Kenkävero. And it just happened to look really pretty in the morning sun, many different shades. Had to take my camera out.

Have a beautiful week :)!

Kikoi sisal bread basket with hand-made rye crackers

***

Eipä kauheasti pointtia tässä postauksessa. Paitsi että tämä sisalleipäkori Kikoilta sattui olemaan tuossa keittiön tasolla, täytettynä Kenkäveron käsintehdyillä näkkäreillä. Ja se vaan näytti nätiltä tuossa aamuauringossa. Piti vaan napsasta pari kuvaa.

Kaunista viikkoa kaikille :)!

Kikoi sisal bread basket with hand-made rye crackers

Agnes basket made of river reed - nothing like it!

Agnes basket

Agnes basket

Sometimes you find the best basket ever - and just can't live without it anymore. This basket is hand-woven of river reed coming from river Sondu Miriu of Victoria lake in Kenya. Winter or summer, the reed basket with strong leather handles is now-a-days my portable office. So I can really say, this product has been tested - for a year, carrying around 10 kg in it constantly. As good as new, I can say.

You know what is the best thing about it (in addition to it's beauty and strength, of course)? The sides have been made a little bit lower on the other end, so it is easy to carry it on your shoulder. It fits nicely under your arm.

No, you don't see these kinds of details very often :).

***

Tämä Agnes kori on ehkä maailman paras kori. Ensinnäkin se on megaiso, joten siihen mahtuu tämän naisen kannettava toimisto. Kesät talvet, kyllä.

Ja paras asia tässä tilaihmeessä? Sen laidat on kudottu himppasen matalammaksi toisessa päässä, joten sitä on helppo kantaa olkapäällä. Mahtuu nääs käsivarren alle mukavasti.

Eipä tällaisia detskuja näe tuotteissa ihan hirveen usein :).

Agnes basket

Gourd vase from Kenya - Kalebassi maljakko Keniasta

Kikoi gourd vase from Kenya - kalebassi maljakko

Isn't this Kikoi gourd vase just the most beautiful thing you can imagine?

Kikoi gourd vase from Kenya - kalebassi maljakko

Kikoi gourd vase from Kenya - kalebassi maljakko

Traditionally used to store home-made alcohol drinks in Kenya, it is simply made of dried gourd. At first I couldn't believe it, but then thought again - have you ever forgotten your pumpkins bought for the fall season to your balcony (I've done everything which involves forgetting, so my answer is yes), and thrown them away during the spring? Well - they are hard, and light. Just like these vases!

These gourd vases are carved more or less empty, and then hung to dry in outdoors.

Today just a popular decoration item, they are all individually decorated and painted.

Just beautiful.

***

Kikoi gourd vase from Kenya - kalebassi maljakko

Kikoi gourd vase from Kenya - kalebassi maljakko

Kalebassi maljakko Keniasta. Niin nätti, niin nätti.

Images from Kikoi Outlet - Kikoi Outlet ABC Renkomäellä Lahdessa

Kikoi Outlet ABC Renkomäki

Kikoi Outlet ABC Renkomäki

Thought to post some photos here from Kikoi Outlet, which was opened beginning of February in Lahti, Finland.

Kikoi Outlet ABC Renkomäki

Kikoi Outlet ABC Renkomäki

Kikoi Outlet ABC Renkomäki

Kikoi Outlet ABC Renkomäki

Kikoi Outlet ABC Renkomäki

I am in love with Kikoi wild olive tree products, and Kikoi sisal products, and and and….

***

Heiluin tuossa vähän kameran kanssa täällä Kikoi Outletissa ABC Renkomäellä Lahdessa (poiketkaa moikkaamaan, jos ajatte ohi :)). Melkein voisin luvata, että rakastutte näihin tuotteisiin, mikäli eettisesti käsityönä valmistettuja tuotteita arvostatte.

Täällä on poistolaareissa paljon mallikappaleita, poistoeriä, hajakokoja jne.jne.jne.

Myös Weranna'sin valikoimaa myynnissä -20%, ja kuvauksissa käytettyjä tuotteita mm. mattoja, jopa -50%. Tervetuloa hiplaamaan :)!

Kikoi banana tree products - ihanuudet banaanipuun lehdistä

Kikoi banana tree oval bread basket

Well, it's been some time I've been here the last time :)! When the flu catches me every 15 years or so, it REALLY does. Not more about that subject.

Most of you know (perhaps) by now my love for natural fibers and materials. They just intrigue me for some reason.  The THING for me this season? The fallen banana tree leaves. You see them there on the ground, big and chunky and then you bump into these bread baskets and laundry baskets on the side of the road, and you get a big smile on your face - HE saw them too and had an idea! Wow!!

Don't you just love these new products made by Robert? One of our best sellers this past season, and we keep on going, now with a few new alternatives, as well.

Kikoi square banana tree bread basket

I simple adore the square and the oval bread baskets for your morning rolls. And for the kitchen spoons and this and that (made of wild olive tree, of course!) the perfect one is the small high basket.

Banana tree products - plenty to choose from :)

Kikoi banana tree oval basket, S - coming soon!

We are also looking forward to receiving a wonderful, wonderful Rose selection for the spring/summer 2014. Made on combined sisal and banana tree, it is stunning, and it lasts and…what can I say. I'll be sure to make THAT post when we get the items from our stock in Nairobi to here.

And - meet Robert :)

The smily, wonderful artisan we can always trust with the quality and the deliveries. We <3!

***

Hui, onpas aikaa taas kulunut! Kun flunssa iskee 15 vuoden välein tai jotain semmoista, se näköjään todella ISKEE. Yöks. Ei enempää tästä masentavasta puheenaiheesta.

KOHTA ON KEVÄT!!!! Vaikka just tuli talvi, mikä sekin on ihqua, pääsee möksälle tekemään ei-mitään.

Mutta mutta - näitte tuossa yllä vähän kuvia uusista banaanipuutuotteistamme. Mitäs tykkäätte? Olen tällainen materiaalifriikki, ja nyt tämä banaani todella puhuttelee. Näin mm. USAssa Crate&Barrelilla banaanipuusta tehtyjä tuotteita tuossa jokin aika sitten, ja oli nekin kyllä tosi tosi kauniita.

Niihin pudonneihin, isoihin lehtiin kun törmää tuolla (ei täällä ;)), ja sitten kun näkee tienvarrella upeita leipäkoreja ja pyykkikoreja ym.ym., tulee kyllä iso hymy kasvoille - HÄN näki kanssa nuo banaaninlehdet vähän eri tavalla! Vautsi! Eikö olekin aika ihania nämä Robertin tuotteet? Nämä on niin jykeviä ja ihania, ettei ole toisia samanlaisia oikeasti. Me rakennetaan näistä niin upea koti kesäjulkaisuun, että olen nyt jo ihan pomppeissani koko projektista!

Kikoilta on myös tulossa kokonaan uusi Rose-sarja, jossa yhdistellään lunnonväreillä värjättyä sisalia ja banaaninlehtiä - todellista luksusta, sekä laadultaan että ulkonäöltään.  Siitä sitten enemmän, kun saamme tuotteet tänne pohjolaan tuolta Nairobin varastolta :).

Merlin Beach Resort in Phuket, Thailand

Merlin Beach Resort in Phuket, Thailand

Got energized by the warm sun, and the flower power always available in Thailand.  

No, our family will never ever go on an organized trip again. And if we do, no way we would go on one of these everything-organized-let's-do-some-sports-in-the-morning-with-the-other-Finns kinda joints.  Except now we did ;)! And enjoyed quite a bit. SO EASY. Took a last minute 2-week trip to Phuket, Thailand after Christmas from Finnmatkat, member of TUI, and stayed in Merlin Beach Resort the whole 2 weeks. 

Merlin Beach Resort in Phuket, Thailand

Depending on site, the hotel gets 4-4,5 stars. About 40% of the hotel is TUI guests coming mostly from Scandinavia, Finland, and Germany. The rest from UK and Australia, some from Russia, elsewhere Europe and Japan. At TUI, this is sold as a family resort. Elsewhere, it seemed, more like as a wedding and heavenly hideaway resort. Partly this can be accomplished with 3 large pool areas, out of which 1 is not allowed for children under 12 years of age, but not quite.  The TUI staff was wonderful, they were many, and really wanted to see that our vacation is what we hoped for. The service in the hotel doesn't get 4-4,5 stars, though. It was a bit sad to see actually - Merlin needs to be sort of finding the spirit of Thailand again, going back to the wonderful service and smiles we all travel there for. Some of us again and again. 

Merlin Beach Resort in Phuket, Thailand

About Phuket then? Patong is getting very busy. But we enjoyed a great deal eating delicious food, long walks on the hilly roads, some shopping at Jung Ceylon and massage/pedicure/manicure on the beach and all that.

Made some good, new friends and missing them already. A much needed, very much appreciated, wonderful holiday overall.

Merlin Beach Resort in Phuket, Thailand