Embedding design in life

Here's some news:

Last week Helsinki was selected as the Design Capital for 2012. The winners from the past are Torino (2008) and Seoul (2010). I haven't been bothered to find out how these design capitals get chosen, but apparently we're in for more design events than usual. And by "we", I mean anyone who happens to live in the southernmost quarter of the country in 2012, i.e. quite possibly not me. I should also point out that there are five towns involved in the project, but of course it's being marketed with the name of the only one anyone else might have heard of. Can't blame them. There are several points of focus, but I think the most interesting ones are interior design and sustainable design.

More info here.

PS. I am trying to get back on track with posting, although my hand will take anything from another two weeks to two months to heal. I am in my last week of lectures, though, and I'm going to England in two weeks so I should have more time to type soon!

PPS. Look, I got more Poinshop chocolate in the post the other day! I've got enough points for a 20€ Dinsko gift card now, but I think I'll save up for some more. I got this chocolate because I used to love them as a child but it's hard to find them these days.

A sick note

The blog is on forced holiday, because I have tenosynovitis on my right wrist. It can be quite serious if not treated properly so I'm basically crippled. I'm extra frustrated because I have lots to write about - but I'm not going to type up proper posts with one hand. Please don't lose your patience, I hope to get back on track soon!

Dry feet for charity

When I was looking for items to shop for in England, I came across pink ribbon wellies in a couple of places. Wellies are lovely and practical, and if you get something lovely and practical plus a clear/better conscience, well, that's just excellent! In addition, I only just found out that Tesco have finally put their fashion collection online. Well done!

Pink Ribbon wellies from Asda (£5 at 50% off, and

I bet they'll be sold out by the time

I get a chance to try them on; the photo is from here)

Pink Ribbon wellies by Tesco (£10; the photo from here.)

These ones are £29.99, from Girlie Gardening, and they also come in a rather unattractive green.

Christmas wishes

Here is a list of what I am planning to try on or at least look at during the Christmas holidays in England. I think my biggest challenge will be to wait for two weeks for the after Christmas sales to start. I am expecting to get there by Ryanair and return by Easyjet, which means I can have 5kgs more luggage on my way back :)

• Anything at all from Primark, of course. Especially underwear. They do not have an online shop for me to browse beforehand, but the Cambridge Primark is finally open. Until now I used to go to Bedford to go to Primark and Peacocks (which is still missing from Cambridge) but now I can save the bus fare!
• These shoes from Marks and Spencer (£19.50; Incidentally, I noticed M&S still stock the navy shoes from a post a few days ago, they too are £19.50). I have wanted t-bar shoes for ages, but I have run into two problems: too high and too low. I do not want to tower over my other half (and I've never learnt to walk in heels anyway) and flat t-bars look silly to me. These M&S ones have a two inch heel, which is bearable. The photo is from here.
  

• Wellies. I'll post about them a bit later.
• A day dress from Krisp (£19.99). They always have nice dresses, and I always try them on, but for some reason I rarely take them home with me. (Photo from here)

•  Finally, I'm going to stock up on cosmetics and medicine. And perhaps even food. In fact, I'll just buy everything I see because everything is so cheap over there. Small sums to add up, though, so I'd better make sure I have a job and/or a return flight before going absolutely mad in the shops. 

This list would have many more pairs of shoes on it, if only the current fashion wasn't so stilettoish. Maybe next year!

The free side of life

I am Very Skint. Even so, I've managed to gather quite a few new pieces to my wardrobe recently. Well done, me! The clothes in this posting came from a free charity shop run by student union volunteers, so none of them cost anything. While it's nice to have two new(ish) tops, I'm especially happy I got some sporty trousers for the outside. Of course, it's far too slippery now for me to go jogging in my trainers.. well, maybe next year. I was quite surprised to find my old winter coat still hanging in the shop, not because I thought it would be awesome enough to be gone by now (after some months), but because I'd forgotten I'd even given it to them.

A really quite deeply cut stripy top (Liquid)
A basic purple top (H&M)

And wine red jogging trousers (Blend)

Charity saved my budget

I went to my local Red Cross charity shop yesterday for the first time ever. I had dropped in once to donate clothes, but despite the shop being all but on campus, I had never bought anything from there during my four and a half years at uni. Turns out I should have done! I could have bought lots and lots of stuff - but unfortunately I am too poor to buy everything I want even from a charity shop. Here are my lovely bargains:

A brown Lindex cardigan in very good condition, 3,80€

Beige/brown Caprice winter boots (5€), which are good quality and very warm, and seem to be brand new. Some of the leather was strangely coloured so I decided to polish them with black to make the boots brown all over.

before / after

I also went to another charity "shop" this evening, but more on that in another post!

Good for me, bad for the blog

I spent the whole day shopping on Friday, and bought nothing at all! I don't understand what has come over me. I had a particular pair of boots in mind, but once I found out they've sold out my size I gave up. KappAhl had a futher 50% off all sale items promotion but even that didn't cheer me up. They did have a dress I fancied so if I find myself in town this week I think I'll try it on again. The dress was 15€, and I'd need another 5€ for shoes from Fiorella (not bad, I know) and some more for a bag. If you want to help, order your Christmas party outfit through my website and/or join Pointshop ;)

I had expected to spend 30€ on the boots, which is about as much as I can afford at the moment, but instead I've now spent the money (and some more) on a one way ticket to Stansted Airport! I already have a couple of christmas parties booked for when I'm in England so I'm sure you can imagine I'm quite excited but also fretting about what to wear. And what money to buy it with. In fact, there is a charity shop next to my campus and I am planning to go there soon to see if I can find any boots that do not have holes in the soles. That way I'd have more to spend on the ever so important dress! And perhaps also a ticket back to Finland.

EDIT: The dress in the picture is actually 59,95€. Sorry.