Life right now

I decided to just post some pictures today and tell some random stuff about what has been going on. I guess the pictures sum it up: cats, food, making clothes. Well, there is a lot of My Little Ponies -watching, and working on my computer, and taking photos.. There are friends over, Indi and her friend making cat clothes (they have a shop and the proceeds will go to buying a kitten for Indi's friend, they say. Their only customers so far are Valo and Savi, who only have to pay 5 cents for the clothes, out of their donations jar.. :D )

I'm still as lazy cook as ever, but I find I bake more in the bigger kitchen. And since I often take care of the food for Sunday church meeting, it's a good initiative to bake. I've made, lemon pie, blueberry pie, mint chocolate meringue cake, and for salty baked stuff a smoked reindeer, leek and goat cheese quiche with lingonberries.. Hmm, it seems I make more sweet stuff :D

Yesterday I made a super easy pizza and we had iced smoothie sticks (smoothie-cicles?) that I made from left over smoothie. My husband was on a conference trip and I made too much even though I tried to make it for just Indi and me..
She eats too much sweets and I still try to get in healthy stuff in there too. Today I made banana pancakes for lunch. Okay, now I'm sounding like I spend a lot of time in the kitchen whipping up awesome food, which I really don't. And after Indi goes to bed we watch a movie and eat chips and candy, so I'm not really all that healthy eater! :D

There is a local organic food group that I just ordered from for the first time. Several small producers offer their food stuff straight to the groups and we cut the middle hand and get fresh organic eggs, fish and all kinds of stuff from there.

I eat gluten free and Indi has milk protein allergy so that affects our grocery shopping and cooking and baking. When I bake I usually always make it gluten free and dairy free, but sometimes only lactose free if I know for sure Indi isn't going to eat it anyway. Like that quiche with leek..

The news cat-wise is hidden in the pictures! Somehow one thing led to another, and we are having a third cat - well a foster girl who is going to have kittens, and after that she will become ours. Her name is Cupcake but she is called Namu (which means candy, or sweet). She is the owner of the aquamarine eyes and golden stripy fur.

Indi is being a good model for me, and she wants to be paid in chocolate or candy. She doesn't want money, so that is what I pay her with.

I would love to design my own fabrics, I may do a small test run.. (The prints in the clothes here are not my own but by other Finnish designers: Outi Santaniemi and Leena Renko and Nosh Organics -ETA: I have designed and made the clothes, just not the fabrics :D )
I also want to continue making solid colored things that are easy to combine. I changed my official website to a Finnish domain https://hellinsinua.fi and put a web shop there too. But there are more things in Etsy, and Etsy is having a remodel so I've been working on my own website and looking into the new Etsy as well.

I've started to wear mostly my own brand and plan to make Indi's clothes from now on as well. She still only wants to wear leggings and jersey tops and tunics anyway so that's perfect since that's what I'm making!

I don't know if this thing will take flight or not. I'm not stressing about it. I'm giving it my best shot without letting it consume my whole life, and if it ends up being just an expensive hobby, then so be it!
There's a reason to celebrate too, the divorce that was filed for a year ago was now aborted since it was not confirmed in six months' time after the first six month consideration period.


After last year, I'm quite happy with the way things are right now. Things looked compeletely impossible for a while there, then better, then even worse, then terrible... until better again.  It has truly been a testing time for me.

But how amazing is my Lord and God, who truly lives since eternity and into eternity, whom saves my soul and comforts me in spirit and works all things for His glory in the end!

Happy Passover, dear readers <3 p="">
(Painting: Green Beginnings)

New year, new tricks

I will post some photos from our recent holiday trip to Israel soon.

But now just a quick update. My Etsy shop HELLINsinua is active again and I've been making clothes - but it will take 3-4 weeks for me to get the labels and hang tags I've ordered, and get things photographed for the shop. I'm really looking forward to getting it properly running. I'm enjoying drawing patterns and sewing.

*HELLIN = Superlative form of hellä ( gentle -the gentlest) .
Instructive plural form of hellä.
First-person singular indicative present form of helliä (I'm being gentle).
First-person singular indicative past form of helliä. (I was being gentle)*

Hellin is also a Finnish Sami woman's name running in my family.

Also, one of my paintings had ended up in Wall Street Journal which was pretty cool. I found out about it because someone saw my painting and name on WSJ and contacted me about available works.

It has been really cold and snowy here, but now kind of wet and sloshy.

In 10 days we will also get a new kitten!!!

So stay tuned :D

Enjoying every day, little, normal, simple things

I'm apologizing again - sorry for leaving you with so little explanation.
The time to wrap up the year is at hand - and man, am I relieved it is so. Bye bye 2015, it was terrible with you! Welcome sweet 2016!

So, my husband came back. He does not want to divorce and he feels terrible about everything.
So I forgive him, like one who knows how much she has been forgiven. Like one who knows none of this was for nothing, none of it, not one single tear or pang of pain was for nothing, nor did it go unnoticed. I have no anger or bitterness even for those who wished that he would leave me.

What was meant to crush, has only made us stronger, because we have come closer to the Lord.

One who has been made free by faith in Christ, is indeed free. I'm not concerned at all about what people are thinking or talking about.
So I have got a glimpse of what it feels like to die to yourself daily.. It makes you free. It's not about losing your personality, it's about losing your ego, your pride. I know I still have a lot to learn.
I'm praying for freedom from the bondages of sin and self, and the cages of pride and idolatry for all those who seek, and all those who think they see but are blind.

So during the past several weeks there have been birthday parties and Christmas preparations, going on dates with my husband, sewing a lot, just living life for a moment, instead of just surviving day to day.

Indi has been sick though, there is a problem in the school  building. She needs to have drains put in her ears, she has some hearing loss and she has been sick with a cough and constantly snotty nose almost from the beginning of school. I'm not sure what will happen with the school as we still don't know what exactly is wrong with the building and what can or will be done about it. It's something I'm praying about.

I'm glad she will have almost 4 weeks off from school, as we are taking one extra week and traveling to Israel again.

Why have I not posted sooner? I have been overwhelmed I guess. My husband coming back. It happened so quickly. Just like everything else.

I am so touched when you comment here and let me know you are waiting to hear from my little corner of the world.
Tomorrow we will have the school Christmas church and Indi will get her first report card (which they get only twice a year) and on Sunday we have a Christmas celebration at the congregation we go to (a small Baptist congregation I've been going to for a while) and I can't wait to sing all my favorite Christmas songs!

I sing from the bottom of my heart, Hallelujah!

After the storm

So, this terrible year is going to have a happy ending after all.

It is possible to heal from anything.

It is possible to forgive.

After being beaten down by the worst storm and having felt like bucketfuls of icy water were poured on your heart, gripped by the cold

after giving it all to Christ

because there is nothing you can say or do

One day you walk by the seaside and the sun is shining on the sprinkles of star dust
that just fell on your hair

And you know for sure there is someone watching over you.