Per Breiehagen

Minnesota photographer Per Breiehagen's Norwegian roots are revealed in his beautiful Winter Magic series of photographs that he created several years ago when his daughter was small. Through digital photography, he captures the magic of Scandinavian winters with his adorable daughter as the little tonttu. Fun to revisit his charming photographs each Christmas, you can find his website here.

All photographs by Per Breiehagan.

Here is the story of how the Christmas card that Per and his wife sent out in 2007 became a worldwide sensation and resulted in the Winter Magic series being created.

etsy stocking idea 3...Ohio made Nordic ornaments

I love the precious Scandinavian styled ornaments made by Ohio needlework artist Cherie Wheeler. Crafted of red embroidery thread cross stitched onto linen, they would be a perfect addition to an old fashioned ornament collection. Aren't they charming?

Kaj Franck bowls

It started with the classic enamel mushroom bowl. We were given one for our wedding almost 30 years ago. There was a beautiful Scandinavian shop in the suburb of Cincinnati that I grew up in called The Village Viking. It was a jewel box of a shop that as teenagers we all adored, along with our mothers. They carried the full line of Marimekko fabrics and accessories, unique jewelry and beautiful Arabia tableware.  Anyway, we received many gifts from The Village Viking for our wedding. The bowl chipped a bit over the years as it was frequently used for salads and popcorn(they all chip but that does not reduce the charm of Kaj Franck bowls). When our son moved west to Portland, Oregon for his first job after college, I felt generous and gave him our mushroom bowl. 

I really missed having the bowl and started to search for one, thus began my little obsession with Kaj Franck bowls. I purchased the heart bowl for our daughter's first apartment in NYC. I purchased one of the mushroom bowls for my cousin as a reminder of her mom who was a great cook that liked to cook with mushrooms. I found this one for my neighbor that likes blue.

So here is my current collection. I still need to add the mushroom bowl, became distracted with the other patterns!

I am always curious to discover any other patterns that were made. They were made in the 60's, 70's and early 80's. Do you have a Kaj Franck bowl?

marimekko...part 2

to read Marimekko ...part 1, go here

a few marimekko prints

pikku bo boo designed by Katsugi Watasaka

kivet designed by Maija Isola in the 1950's

kaivo designed by Maija Isola in 1964

biloba designed by Kristina Isola, Maija Isola's daughter

purchase picnic blanket here from Sewn Natural

siirtolapuutarha designed by Maija Louekari

kumiseva designed in 1971 by  Katsugi Watasaka

joonas designed by Maija Isola

Puutarhurin Parhaat designed by  Maija Louekari

kulkue designed by Maija Louekari

view the history of Marimekko and new partnership with Converse

to read about the history of Marimekko in a beautiful coffee table book, go here

online sources for marimekko products: alwaysmod.com, finnstyle.com, finnishgifts.com, etsy.com, kiitosmarimekko.com

images via amazon, my interior life, bijou and boheme, hanna's boutique, home workshop, finnish design shop, caboodle, wallartsuk, imagine fabric