Kantele is a traditional Finnish music instrument that exists also in our traditional Finnish story Kalevala. Here is an old picture from Kantele playing man

source of the picture is here

 Kantele does not have the coolest image in the times of the rock guitars and drums, that ARE quite cool. Thus, playing kantele have not been so attractive to Finnish kids so far. Luckily the times have changed. Jamkids is a music teaching club for kids that focuses on teaching to play kantele in the terms of children. Jamkids have made kantele playing a cool hobby- almost like playing in a rock band. Here are some of the examples of the new kantele, that the kids can for example pimp by themselves.

A sticker in the back window of Audi, spotted from southern Finland

With this booth you better have your mobile phone with. Actually in Finland you can hardly find a phone booth with a phone. This chair was spotted in a libary.

A retro fan, spotted in Supermarket south Finland

I wonder where can you buy those signs. I would need one to my home...

Next to libary in Espoo there is a place where you can borrow art to your home for certain period of time. The prices vary depending on the piece of art. You can also buy the item, if you want. The place is provided by Artists of Espoo. Read here more.

I do not know how common this kind of "artotheque" is in different parts of the world, but I think the idea is quite unique. 

Urban house for a single bird

A terraced house for urban flyers.

Spotted from a furniture shop Asko

spotted from Sweden

To all my readers: have a nice midsummer to you!

wishes,

Elina

Two and half  years ago I wrote about an idea to have a jelly fish wall (meduusaseinä) to offices etc (not real jellyfishes, but video installation). to make a more relaxing feeling. A visit in Sea Life and their jelly fish aquarium inspired me to this idea.

I was positively surprised when I happened to spot this small jelly fish aquarium in London (sorry the blurryness of the picture). Thsee jelly fishes are not real, but fake. Imagine the effect of the whole wall of projected jelly fishes swiming. That would be so cool!!

...dough!..

...Let's just called it Innovation.

spotted from restaurant Torni, Helsinki.

The previous blog post of mine- about pyjamas for dogs, was just a little warming up of the audience for this post about really serious stuff for our loved ones-dogs. These items were spotted from Harrod's London. If you happen to visit London, go to Harrod's and see it yourself :)

I had some problems of thinking what to buy to my precious dogs. Would it be something of latest fasion...

Or a party collar...

or a tennis outfit for ball games...

Or would I dress my poodle as Elvis...

Or just buy her a fury Cadillac which text "Spoiled" in the regisration plate

Or would she prefer some canine doughnuts from the bakery for pets

Thay are safe, because tested on humans...

Well, because mum was lacking money, the poor dogs did not get anything from London. Just some patting.

Even though I have a poodle, I did not buy pyjama for my dog, even though it was in sale, for special price. Raincoats I understand but a pyjama!! 

Spotted in Kodin 1 Anttila.

Not only fair trade coffees or chockolade, but also fair trade bathroom carpets. But when we will have the first fair trade mobile phones??

Translation: "Prevent Nature's burn out- switch off the lights."

Effective sticker- worked at least for me!

Sptted at Finnish Broadcasting Company's (YLE) toilet

Today, visiting at McDonalnd's I made a "shocking" notice. All the restaurant employees had a t-shirt on with a text: HAUSKAA RUOKAHALUA- meaning something like fun appetite. The text at such was not the shocking part, but after the text there was a small R sign insideof a circe, meaning that the two words are trademarked for the use of McDonalnd's. A short examination of the Finnish patent and trademark officials releaved that the two words are really trademarked to McDonalnd, already in 2007. Check it here.  But luckily, the words are again in the use of the finnish speaking citizens in 2017.  

I think that there are still some good phrases to trademark for the quickest ones: Hauskaa huomenta (fun morning),  kiitos (thank you), etc. 

Picture: Not a Happy Meal, but a happy meal

Sometimes it is funny to find out your name in different places in the world. I found a story, and interview of  Bill Simmons, president of MasterLube, that quoted a couple of lines on my presentation in Malta. Here is a link to this story here in this Bilings Business. com story by Tom Howard.

Well, today I have been taking photos of- not weak signals- but flowers. There is one to share with you.

In my family's small trip to shopping mall Flamingo I happened to spot a couple of weak signals. One of them was the fog screen, another were these small creatures in a shop focused on selling Robots. They are robot insects and crabs that walk around. Besides of walking they can also react to obstacles by changing the walking direction. These robots also changed the direction if you happened to tap the surface that they were walking (as this boy is doing in this picture). The price for this technology creature was around 17 euros.

...And these shoes were spotted too in the same trip...

Some years ago in my blog I wrote about a new invention: a fog screen.

Now I spotted one in Vantaa, Flamingo shopping mall (in the picture). To be honest, I was not very impressed by the screen. it was difficult to get a clear picture of the stuff that it was showing. Well, the kids seemed to enjoy it. And that is the most important in life :)

Hummer is probably like a red cloth for environmentalist, but I wonder what would they say about this supersized Hummer. When this car was passing my family's not that big car we were guessing with my husband that how much this car is using gasoline in 100 kms. Maybe 50 liters??

Spotted at somewhere at Ring 3, Southern Finland.