Where do you hide yours? Top 4 places used to keep Christmas gifts from prying eyes

 It's less than a month until Christmas. There are those who leave Christmas presents to the very last minute, but also those who buy the surprises early. I tend to buy Christmas presents rather early, but if I haven't found the right one, I leave some things to the last week. I don't like making presents just for making presents, for ticking a box and not really caring about what the recipient would do with the thing after.

Our family's Christmas presents period starts already on 1 December when my daughter sets her slipper on the window. Since elves didn't come visit me in my childhood, I feel a very special kind of excitement. To be honest, I can't wait for December to arrive - to be an elf - as a parent, it's a lovely profession to have. A few years ago I bought my kid a big bag of doll furniture and hid it in a traditional place - on the top shelf of the kitchen cupboard. I hadn't taken into account that my daughter had grown meanwhile and just before 1 December, she found the bag of doll furniture, came to me and happily asked "Mum, is this for me?". There wasn't much more left for me to do than give her the things in the elf stock earlier, and I had to go back to square one with finding presents - can't say I was too thrilled about that.

This year I managed to find some presents exceptionally early. I wasn't even looking for presents, the right things just somehow crossed my path and hence I bought the first things already in October. And immediately I had to figure out where to hide them this time. Here are my new hiding spots.

1. Since I have quite a lot of handbags, I decided to hide smaller things in handbags. Nobody is going to go through an empty handbag. If you have even one bag that's lying empty in the closet, it's worth hiding some of the family's presents there. Nobody is going to come to the idea to go through an empty bag. Because an empty bag is usually empty. Hiding presents in handbags has worked for me for a few years - I recommend trying it out!

2. Many shoes of mine are stored in boxes. So I put some small toys into my shoe boxes which are quite high up in the cupboard. I used to hide things in wellies. I happen to love lemonade, but I don't drink it that often. I have to have a few bottles of lemonade in store at home. But it also happens that when the family knows where we have lemonade at home, it will be immediately gone. So I once hid an unopened bottle of Coca-Cola in wellies. It so happened that my daughter found them in the summer and called me in the wardrobe: "Mum, look how much soda! Elves have visited you in the summer!" After that I decided that a shoe box high up on top of a cupboard is a safer bet than wellies standing on the floor.

3. The bigger the present, the bigger the headache. No worries though - every present will be expertly hidden! One small room in our flat works as a storage room and everything we don't currently need, finds its way there. I am treading the day that place needs to be tidied. But the room comes in handy before Christmas. One present I got my daughter is pretty big - something you won't be able to fit into a shoe box or handbag. My husband got a good idea - he put it in a black bin bag, tied a knot on it, wrote 'old bath robes' on it and took it into the storage room. Now we have to be careful not to take the 'old bath robes' into the bin or recycling, of course.

4. Last year I did an experiment that was super fun for me. My daughter has a drawer where she throws stuff she doesn't currently need (a miniature storage room), but that she doesn't want to give up either. So I put a pack of new felt tip pens and some pretty notebooks in her own drawer, underneath all the stuff she doesn't currently need. It was very amusing that some of her presents were hiding in her own room. And she didn't find them! So it's quite fun to hide the presents in the person's room that they're meant for - it's unlikely they'll decide to look for the presents there.

The most important thing is to remember where you've hidden the presents, because otherwise you can end up like me last summer. I found a book in my bedside drawer that I had meant to give my daughter for Christmas. In the Christmas business I'd completely forgotten about the books. So she got it for her birthday instead, so all good in the end. Where do you hide the presents for your close ones?

Vähem kui kuu aja pärast on jõulud. Leidub neid, kes jätavad jõulukingid viimasele minutule, kui ka neid, kes ostavad üllatused varakult valmis. Ma ise ostan kingitused üsna aegsasti, kuid kui ma seda ainsat ja õiget kinki pole leidnud, jätan mõne asja pigem viimasele nädalale. Mulle ei meeldi teha kingitusi kingituse pärast. Umbes nii, et linnuke kirjas - pole minu mure, mida kingisaaja sellega hiljem peale hakkab.

Meie pere päkapikuralli algab juba 1.detsembril, kui mu tütar tähtsa näoga oma sussi aknale sätib. Kuna mul endal lapsepõlves päkapikud ei käinud, tunnen juba pikalt mingit erakordset elevust. Kui aus olla, ei jõua ma ära oodata, millal 1.detsember kätte jõuab - olla päkapikk - see on lapsevanemana ikka üks ütlemata vahva amet. Paar aastat tagasi ostsin juba oktoobris oma lapsele suure kilekoti nukumööblit ning peitsin selle traditsioonilisse kohta - köögikapi kõrgele riiulile. Ma polnud arvestanud, et tütar oli vahepeal pikkust visanud ja vahetult enne detsembri algust leidis ta koti nukumööbliga, laekus õnnelikult minu juurde ja küsis: "Emme, kas need on mulle?" Mul ei jäänud muud üle, kui päkapikuvarud talle varem üle anda ja endal tuju nullist kinkide kogumisega nullist alustada.

Sel aastal õnnestus mul osad jõulukingid iseäranis varakult leida. Ma ei otsinudki kinke, õiged asjad lihtsalt sattusid kuidagi ise minu teele ja nii ostsin esimesed asjad juba oktoobris ära. Ja otsemaid pidin välja nuputama, kuhu sel korral kingid peita? Siin on minu uued peidukohad, mida jagan ka sinuga.

1. Kuna mul on päris palju käekotte, otsustasin väiksemad kingitused susata garderoobis seisvatesse käekottidesse. Mitte keegi ei hakka tühjas kotis sorima. Kui sul on kasvõi üks kott, mis seisab kapis tühjalt, tasub sinna osad perekonna kingivarud ära peita. Keegi ei tule selle peale, et tühjas kotis sorada, seda tühi kott on ju reeglina tühi. Loogiline! Minul on kingituste käekottidesse peitmine juba paar aastat töötanud. Soovitan soojalt!

2. Paljud kingad seisavad mul samuti karpides. Seega panin osad pisikesed mänguasjad peitu oma kingakarpidesse, mis asuvad omakorda üsna kõrgel kapis. Varem peitsin asju ka kummikutesse. Nimelt armastan pööraselt limonaadi, kuid joon seda siiski üsna harva. Kui paar limonaadi lihtsalt peab mul kodus varuks olema. Samas on kord juba nii, et kui terve perekond teab, et meil kodus limonaad asub, juuakse see hoobilt ära. Nii peitsin kord avamata Coca-Cola pudelid oma kummikutesse. Paraku sattus tütar suvel nendele peale ja kutsus mind garerdoobi: "Emme, vaata, kui palju limonaadi! Sul on suvel päkapikud käinud!" Pärast seda otsustain, et kõrgel kapi otsas olev kingakarp on kindlam, kui põrandal reas seisvad kummikud.

3. Mida suurem kink, seda suurem peavalu. Kuid pole hullu - iga üllatus saab hoolikalt peidetud! Üks väike tuba meie korteris on nö. kolikamber, kuhu lendab kõik see, mida parasjagu vaja pole. Oeh... Mõtlen õudusega, et kunagi tuleb see kenasti korda teha. Kuid jõulude eel on sellisest ruumist täitsa kasu. Üks kink, mille tütrele ostsin, on üsna suur - selline mida kingakarpi või käekotti juba naljalt ei peida. Mu abikaasal tuli aga hea idee - ta pistis selle musta prügikotti, sidus pealt kinni, kirjutas peale: "Vanad hommikumantlid" ja viis kolikambrisse. Nüüd tuleb muidugi silma peal hoida, et keegi "vanu hommikumantleid" hajameelselt prügikasti või taaskasutusse ei vii. 

4. Eelmisel aastal tegin enda jaoks pööraselt lõbusa eksperimendi. Nimelt on mu tütrel üks sahtel, kuhu ta viskab asjad (selline miniatuurne kolikamber), mida ta parasjagu ei vaja, kuid millest ei raatsi ka loobuda. Nii asetasin paki uusi vildikaid ja mõned ilusad märkmikud tema enda sahtlisse kogu selle pahna alla, mida ta parasjagu ei vaja. Mulle tegi lausa nalja, et tema enda kingitused olid peidetud tema tuppa. Ja ta ei leidnudki neid! Seega on minu meelest üsna lustlik peita kingisaaja kingid tema enda tuppa, sest vaevalt otsustab keegi omaenda kinke oma toast otsida.

Kõige olulisem on aga pidada meeles, kuhu jõulukingid on peidetud, sest muidu võib juhtuda nii nagu minuga sel suvel. Nimelt leidsin oma öökapi sahtlist toreda raamatu, mille plaanisin tütrele jõuludeks kinkida. Olin jõulude saginas raamatud aga täiesti unustanud. Nii sai ta selle hoopis sünnipäevaks. Lõpp hea, kõik hea. Kuhu sina oma lähedaste kingid peidad?  

Girl Friday: Three Act Cammaya

Estonian tailor-designer Riina Laanetu presented the collection Cammaya by her brand La Famiglia. The emphasis was on velvet dresses spiced up by flounces and fringes. For the first time in Estonia, Riina also presented her collection of beaver coats and waistcoats that she has been working on for two years.

A week before the La Famiglia show, we did three shoots with them. When it comes to coats, I was surprised by how beaver fur can be used - it looks great as it is, but also trimmed. Those coats haven't been created for wearing once a year to a relative's jubilee party, or go to the opera. Quite the opposite - they can be combined with wellies, jeans, office style, ballerinas, or a party dress and high heels. Those coats don't care about the wearer's age and they fit everyone.

Designer Riina Laanetu said that she has been looking for a coat that would have good energy and would ideally suit the Estonian climate for years. By the way - did you know that there are so many beavers in Estonia that it harms the forest and business. Riina has spoken to beaver experts and knows that regulated hunting of beavers is very important in Estonia, and she finds it important that our natural furs would be appreciated like they deserve.

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Eile esitles rätsep-disainer Riina Laanetu oma brändi La Famiglia kollektsiooni "Cammaya”. Sel korral oli rõhk sametist kleitidel, millele lisasid särtsu volangid ja narmad. Esmakordselt Eestis esitles Riina ka kopranahkadest kasukate ja vestide kollektsiooni, millega ta on kaks aastat tööd teinud. 

Nädalapäevad enne La Famiglia etendust tegime nendega mitmeid pildiseeriaid. Kasukate puhul hämmastas mind, kui erinevalt on võimalik kopranahka kasutada - see näeb efekte välja nii originaalis kui ka pügatult. Kasukad pole loodud vaid selleks, et aastas korra sugulase juubelipeol särada või ooperisse minna. Vastupidi - neid võib kombineerida nii kummikute kui ka teksadega, kontoristiiliga ja baleriinadega või hoopis piduliku kleidi ja kõrgete kontsadega. Need kasukad ei küsi vanust ega sündmust ja sobivad igaühele.   

Disainer Riina Laanetu ütles, et on aastaid otsinud kasukat, mis oleks nii hea energiaga kui ka sobiks ideaalselt Eesti kliimasse. Muide, kas teadsid - Eestis on kopraarvukus sedavõrd suur, et tekitab kahju metsale ja inimese majandustegevusele. Riina on suhelnud kopra spetsialistidega ja teab rääkida, et kobraste reguleeritud küttimine on Eestis ülimalt vajalik ning sama tähtsaks peab ta seda, et meie looduslikke karusnahku hinnataks selle vääriliselt. Miks mitte teha kütitud loomadest soojad kasukad, millega talvele vastu minna? Seda enam, et Eesti kliima on viimasel ajal selline, et mina isiklikult käisin tänavu juunikuus ühel öisel peol kasukas seljas ...

Today's Girl Friday is a bow to Riina's work and the Cammaya coats. The first series should perfectly convey the feeling that it's finally Friday! You close the office door behind you, and run down the stairs, straight into the arms of the weekend. Two days off waiting at the bottom of the stairs! Not many of them, and at the same time plenty! All the more - the weekend is already planned out! A party within yourself starts the moment you undo your bun and let your hair flow free.  

The star of this photo shoot is undoubtedly the Bordeaux red coat with the deep shade bringing out the brightness of light pink velvet. Wide trousers are always more fun with platform shoes. An unexpected addition is the OPI Hello Kitty blue nail polish. Even my dad liked it!

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Tänane Girl Friday on kummardus Riina loomingule ja "Cammaya” kasukatele. Esimene pildiseeria "It`s Finally Friday" peaks ideaalselt andma edasi seda tunnet, kui reede on lõpuks ometi käes! Sa sulged enda selja taga kontoriukse ja ruttad treppidest alla, nädalavahetusele otse sülle. Kaks vaba päeva trepimadel ootamas! Seda on nii vähe ja samas nii palju! Pidu sinus eneses algab hetkel, kui oma asise soengu krunnist lahti tõmbad ja juuksed alla lased!

Selle pildiseeria staar on kahtlemata bordoo punane kasukas, mille sügav värv toob välja selle all oleva heleroosa sametpluusi helguse. Laiad püksid mõjuvad alati lõbusamalt, eriti kui neid platvormidel kanda. Mõnusalt ootamatult mõjub OPI "Hello Kitty" sinine küünelakk, mida kiitis isegi minu isa. Ja kui isa juba midagi kiidab, on asi seda väärt.

The second series reminds me of those careless moments when I like dressing up so fancily that people congratulate me for getting married. This is what also happened at Neitsitorn (Maiden Tower) where we shot the long white dress crowned by white beaver. Riina Laanetu's talent as a designer is mixing materials with cuts that make each piece of clothing become friends with the woman's body. The result is both chic and comfortable - that's exactly what La Famiglia woman is like. This white dress is an example of comfort - it looks extremely fancy, but at the same time it's extremely comfortable. To add a bit of sass, I added the golden bag by Kadri Kruus to the outfit to give the sunny top note.

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Teine pildiseeria "Something's Got to Give" meenutab mulle neid muretuid hetki, kui mulle meeldib end sedavõrd pidulikult riidesse panna, et inimesed mind abiellumise puhul õnnitlema kipuvad. Nii juhtus sel korral ka Neitsitornis, kus pildistasime valget maani kleiti, mida kroonis omakorda valge pügatud kobras. Väärib märkimist, et Riina Laanetu on aastaid rõivadisainerina just läbi võistlusspordi võtme tegutsenud. Tema talent on miksida materjalid selliste lõigetega, et iga riideese saab naise kehaga sõbraks. Tulemus on samaaegselt šikk ja mugav – täpselt selline on La Famiglia naine. Just see valge kleit on näide mugavusest – seljas mõjub ta äärmiselt pidulikuna ja samas on erakordselt mugav. Selleks, et vunki juurde anda, võtsin ühes Kadri Kruusi kuldse koti, mis kingib komplektile päikeselise punkti. 

Bonusway = Black Friday

I was waiting for the courier one night. I'd decided a week earlier that I'm going to treat myself to a new handbag, bath robe, candles, and ... another handbag. When the doorbell finally rang, I peeked out and there the courier was - with a big box on his shoulder. My heart started beating faster when I opened the door... But a moment later my heart sank because my husband had arrived at the same time with the courier...

You know the famous prayer of internet shoppers: "Dear God, please do it so that my husband wouldn't be at home when all my parcels arrive!" I don't know if the timing could have been worse that night, but it all turned out surprisingly well. My husband asked with a smirk on his face when he saw the huge box whether it was another 10 pairs of Hunter wellies. I said it was just early Christmas presents and we didn't speak of the parcel after that.

A month ago I was sitting in front of the fireplace and waiting for the courier again. When the doorbell rang, and a relatively big parcel was brought into the hallway, my husband appeared from the other room immediately. I couldn't excuse myself with early Christmas presents any more, but there was no need for that. I had bought a vinyl player for the country home from Hansapost, and opening the parcel was exciting for both of us. Secondly, I could proudly tell my husband that I'm testing a new web platform called Bonusway that gives big and small shoppers a beautiful opportunity to earn money back from each purchase. Indeed: the clever Bonusway is now in Estonia. You can open an account there and after that, 3-6% of the purchase sum will appear on your account in real money. Not bad, right? When you've collected at least 10 euros of bonus on your Bonusway account, you can transfer the money on your bank or PayPal account.

So that your next purchase would collect bonus, you need to go on the Bonusway website and create an account. After that it's easy - you enter the online store through Bonusway and shop away. It's worth mentioning that you need to remove AdBlock while you shop, because you might not see the bonuses - that's how the system works.

I'm pleased that the lineup of online stores has Luisa Via Roma, ASOS, Coggles, boohoo, GAP, Banana Republic, and those who like to travel will surely rejoice over Booking and airBaltic bonuses. When I think about shopping, it reminds me of a hunt a little. I'm the best hunter on eBay, which is well represented on Bonusway - you can find British, German, and USA eBay there. Can it get better for a shopper? The answer is yes... My daughter just gave me her letter to Santa with a few modest presents she waits for under the Christmas tree. So I ordered her a Zoella Beauty pencil case and Tanya Burr's lip balms - all this was shipped to me from a much loved beauty store Feelunique, and of course I used Bonusway.

It's Black Friday tomorrow - the most anticipated day for all shoppers! For me it means I'll open my little (or more like... big) wish list and allow myself a thing or two. This time I'll do my shopping through Bonusway - what a nice way to earn money back from each purchase. Oh yes... In this photo I'm sitting with my wall that's been freshly painted pink and I'm inspecting the record I got as a present recently. The record holds the speeches of America's most legendary President John F. Kennedy. Listening them from a vinyl - that's awsome!

But it's no less awesome that when you join via the special bonusway.ee/stella page, you'll get 3 euros joining bonus, which will be added to your account with the first purchase. So, I wish you happy shopping, because Black Friday is already here. With Bonusway, all purchases are a little blackfridayish.

Ühel õhtul ootasin pikisilmi kullerit. Olin nädalapäevad varem otsustanud, et premeerin end uue käekoti, hommikumantli, küünalde ja ee... veel ühe uue käekotiga. Lõpuks ometi kõlas kauaoodatud uksekell, piilusin uksesilmast ja seal ta oli – kuller – suur kast õlal! Mul hakkas süda rõõmust kiiremini põksuma ja avasin ukse...Hetk hiljem kukkus aga seesama süda sügavale saapasäärde, sest kulleriga samal ajal oli töölt koju saabunud minu abikaasa... 

Tead seda netišoppajate palvet: "Armas Jumal, tee nii, et minu abikaasa poleks kodus, kui kõik mu netipoest ostetud pakid kulleriga koju tuuakse!" Ma ei tea, kas ajastus oleks saanud tol õhtul veel halvem olla, kuid asi laabus minu jaoks siiski ootamatult hästi. Mu mees silmites üüratut kasti ja küsis muiates: "Kas jälle kümme paari uusi Huntereid?" Vastasin, et kõigest varajased jõulukingid ja rohkem me pakist juttu ei teinud... 

Kuu aega tagasi istusin mõnusasti kodus kamina ees ja ootasin taas kullerit. Kui uksekell kõlas ja minu esikus maandus üsna suur pakk, oli ka abikaasa teisest toast kohal. Ma ei saanud ennast enam varaste jõulukinkidega välja vabandada, kuid selleks polnud ka vajadust. Nimelt olin ostnud Hansapostist oma maakoju Ricatech vinüülplaadimängija ja paki avamine tekitas meis mõlemis elevust. Teiseks sain abikaasale uhkelt teatada, et testin Eestisse saabunud veebiplatvormi nimega Bonusway, mis kingib nii suurtele kui väikestele šoppajatele kauni võimaluse veebioste tehes igalt ostult raha tagasi teenida. Täpselt nii: Eestis on nüüdsest nutikas Bonusway, kuhu saad endale edukalt konto teha ja pärast seda koguneb sinu Bonusway kontole ostusummast 3−6% reaalset raha. Klassikuid tsiteerides: pole paha? Kui boonuseid on sinu Bonusway kontole kogunenud vähemalt 10 euro ulatuses, on sul kena võimalus see summa kanda oma pangaarvele või PayPali kontole. 

Selleks, et sinu järjekordne ost omakorda boonust teeniks, tuleb sul esimese sammuna siseneda Bonusway lehele ja teha endale konto. Pärast seda läheb kõik juba lepasereega: sisened Bonusway lehelt muretult veebipoodi ja asud ostlema. Väärib märkimist, et šoppamise ajaks pead võtma oma kontolt maha AdBlocki, sest vastastel juhul ei pruugi sa boonuseid näha − nii kord juba see süsteem töötab. 

Minu suureks elevuseks on veebipoodide nimistus Luisa Via Roma, ASOS, Coggles, boohoo, GAP, Banana Republic ja reisihuvilised rõõmustavad kindlasti Booking ja airBaltic boonuste üle. Kui mõtlen šoppamisest, siis meenutab see mulle natuke jahti ja kõige parem kütt olen just eBays, mis on eriti hästi Bonusways esindatud - siit leiab nii Briti, Saksa kui ka USA eBay. Kas ühe šoppaja jaoks saab midagi veel paremaks minna? Vastus on jah... Tütar andis mulle muheledes kirja Jõuluvanale, kus olid mõned tagasihoidlikud soovid, mida ta kuuse alla ootab. Seega tellisin talle Zoella Beauty pinali ja Tanya Burri huulepalsamid − kõik see läks paar päeva tagasi teele minu poolt palavalt armastatud ilukaubamajast Feelunique ja loomulikult kasutasin Bonuswayd.

Homme on must reede − kõigi šoppajate oodatuim päev aastas! Minu jaoks tähendab see seda, et võtan lahti oma väikese (või noh... pigem suure) soovide nimekirja ja luban endale üht-teist. Ma olen ju ometi preemiat väärt! Sel korral teen oma ostud läbi Bonusway (vaata nende poolt pakutavaid magusaid allahindlusi SIIT) − milline kena viis iga ostu pealt tagasi teenida. Ah jaa... Sellel pildil istun oma maakodus, värskelt heleroosaks värvitud seina taustal ja uurin plaati, mille hiljuti kingiks sain. Sellel vinüülplaadil on Ameerika legendaarseima presidendi John F. Kennedy kõned. Kuulata neid vinüülilt − see on võimas!

Vähem võimas pole ka see, et kui liitud spetsiaalselt bonusway.ee/stella lehel, saad 3 eurot liitumisboonust, mis kaasneb juba esimese ostu boonustega. Seega soovin sulle head šoppamist, sest Must Reede − see on juba kohal. Kuid Bonuswaga on justkui iga ost osake Mustast Reedest. Milline nendest poodidest sind kõige enam köidab?

FOTOD: Meisi Volt

Peek Inside: OPI collection Iceland

It's as if it happened yesterday. I was standing in front of the OPI counter in Madrid airport, busy deciding which nail polishes to buy. There were wonderfully many nail polishes and it felt like the kaleidoscopic display was going to absorb me. I was in full swing picking them until I told myself to stop because I'd just come from the new OPI collection launch event, I had 15 new nail polishes in my suitcase and I wasn't going to buy any more. I pinched myself and left the OPI counter.

That's something that happened four years ago. I got a golden invitation to Madrid where the OPI San Francisco collection and I had the chance to interview OPI's creator Suzi. I've always stayed with OPI, treated myself with new nail polishes and I was exceptionally pleased when I was sent a selection of polishes from their autumn/winter collection called Iceland. Having hoarded plenty of OPI polishes at home, I got a question when I was looking at Island collection - what is it that pulls me towards them? Why OPI? When I'm writing the blog, I think the headline is as important as the photos. As a journalist, I sometimes take a whole day to get the headline straight. Of course I don't sit at the desk with a pen in my mouth, pondering about the headline. Quite the opposite. I let my mind run free, take the article with me metaphorically and play with words until I find the right headline. The one and only. There has to be something that speaks to me in the headline, and there's no doubt that it will also speak to the reader if you work on it. Thinking about all that, I also figured out why I like OPI so much. Yes, there's no doubt they're good quality products. With base and top coats, they stay on for a whole week. But there's something about them that others don't have - each nail polish has a fun name. If you happen to be someone with a lively imagination, you will surely get inspired by those names. At the end of the day, it's not just a nude polish with a number underneath the bottle, but a nail polish that has a cool name. For years, OPI's Sand In My Suit was my signature nail polish. It wasn't just the perfect shade, but also had a lovely name.

The Iceland collection is no exception. There are lighter and darker shades in the collection, but they're all wonderfully charming. When looking at each of those shades, it seems that someone has thrown a drop of milk in each bottle, and that's how their dark grey polish Suzi & the Arctic Fox isn't oppressive, but instead a lovely dark shade. Those who prefer lighter shades, find a collection of beautiful shades - Check Out The Old Geysirs is a charming light blue, and I'll Have a Gin & Tectonic is a bit darker, but still a nude and much lighter than orange. Those who prefer berry shades, can go for a mix of purple and pink called Aurora Berry-Alis.

But the way a nail polish shade can inspire, is astonishing. I noticed the shade This Isn't Greenland in the Iceland collection - it was love at first sight. If until now nude shades and OPI I'm Soooo Swamped (here) had been my signature nail polish, then this one made history and became the new signature. I greeted autumn with this nail polish. I often walked in the garden and observed the nature turn yellow, and also took this photo for Instagram (have a look here). With this nail polish, I was on the catwalk of Tallinn Fashion Week - a little detail, but for me it was important to have impeccable nails. Inspired by this nail polish, I bought a jumper in the same shade, as well as camouflage trousers. One nail polish can do a lot when it wins your heart. There are plenty of other desirable shades in the Iceland collection, but I have brought out my favourites. So if you're planning on buying a new nail polish, make sure you have a look at OPI's Iceland collection - perhaps you'll find an equally strong connection as I did, with some shade.

See oleks juhtunud justkui eile. Ma seisan Madridi lennujaamas OPI küünelakkide leti ees ja valin hoogsalt lakke, mida plaanin osta. Küünelakke on võrratult palju ja mul on tunne, et nende kaleidoskoopiline väljapanek lausa tõmbab mind endasse. Valin hoogsalt lakke, kuniks ütlen endale: "STOP! Sa tulid just OPI uue kollektsiooni ürituselt, sul on kohvris 15 uut küünelakki ja sa ei osta endale hetkel mitte ühtegi!" Ma näpistan ennast ja lahkun OPI leti eest.

See on tõesti sündinud lugu, mis juhtus minuga neli aastat tagasi. Just toona sain kuldse kutse Madridi, kus esitleti OPI San Fransisco kollektsiooni ja mul oli võimalus intervjueerida OPI loojat Suzi Weiss-Fischmanni. Ma olen alati OPI juurde jäänud, premeerinud end aina uute küünelakkidega ja nii olin iseärnis õnnelik, kui mulle saadeti nende uuest sügis/talvisest kollektsioonist "Iceland" valik küünelakke. Olles ostnud endale OPI küünelakke koju lausa lademetes, tekkis mul "Iceland" kollektsiooni vaadates küsimus: "Mis on see, mis mind nii väga nende poole tõmbab?" Miks just OPI? Kirjutades blogi, pean ma piltide ja tekstiga võrdselt oluliseks postituse pealkirja. Ajakirjanikuna näen ma pealkirjaga vahel terveid päevi vaeva. Mõistagi ei istu ma päevade viisi laua taga, pastakas suus ega mõtle pealkirjale. Vastupidi. Ma lasen mõtte vabaks, võtan artikli endaga justui kaasa ja mängin sõnadega seni, kuni leian pealkirja. Selle ainsa ja õige. Pealkirjas peab olema miski, mis kõnetab mind ennast ja pole kahtlust, et kui sellega tööd teha, kõnetab see päris kindlasti ka lugejat. Mõeldes oma tööle, mõtlesin ka välja, miks armastan nii palavalt OPI lakke. Jah, pole kahtlust, et nad on kvaliteetsed. Koos alus- ja pealislakiga püsivad nad küünel terve nädala. Või veelgi kauem. 

Kuid midagi on nendes sellist, mida teistes pole. Nimelt on igal küünelakil tohutult lustakas nimi. Ja kui sa oled juhuslikult lendava fantaasiaga inimene, siis saab sinu fantaasia küünelakkide nimesid vaadates kõvasti hoogu juurde. Lõpuks ei laki ma küüsi lihtsalt tavalise nude lakiga, mille all on kõigest number, vaid lakiga, mis kannab ägedat nime. Aastaid oli minu signatuurküünelakiks OPI "Sand In My Suit". See polnud mitte ainult perfektne toon, vaid ka väga ilusa nimega lakk. 

Iceland kollektsioon pole erand. Kuigi selles on nii heledamaid kui ka päris tumedaid lakke, on nad kõik kuidagi malbelt võluvad. Toone vaadates jääb mulje justkui oleks keegi igasse pudelisse visanud ühe piimja piisa ja nii tundub nende tumehall lakk "Suzi & the Arctic Fox" mitte sünge, vaid sulnilt tume. Need, kes otsivad heledamaid toone, leiavad endale valiku  kauneid toone: "Check Out The Old Geysirs" on võluv helesinine ja "I’ll have a Gin & Tectonic" on pisut tumedam, kui nude ja tunduvalt heledam kui oranž toon. Need, kes soovivad leida marjast toone, võiks heita pilgu lillaka-roosaka lakile, mis kannab nime "Aurora Berry-Alis". 

Kuid see, kuidas üks küünelaki toon võib inspireerida, on lausa hämmastav. Nimelt jäi mulle Iceland kollektsioonist kõige esimesena silma "This Isn’t Greenland". Armumine esimesest silmapilgus! Kui siiani on minu signatuurküünelakiks olnud nude toonid ja OPI oivaline roheline toon "I'm Soooo Swamped" (vaata siit), siis värvist "This Isn’t Greenland" sai minu uus lemmikute lemmik. Selle küünelakiga koos kõndisin ma vastu sügisele - jalutasin sageli aias ja vaatasin, kuidas loodus kolletub. Selle lakiga astusin ma Tallinn Fashion Feekil modellina lavale - väga väike detail, kuid mulle oli tähtis, et küüned oleks perfektselt värvitud. Sellest küünelakist inspireerituna ostsin endale pika sarnast värvi kampsuni ja camouflage püksid. Küll üks küünelakk suudab ikka palju, kui ta südame võidab! Iceland kollektsioonis on veel palju ihaldusväärseid toone, kuid tõin välja enda lemmikud. Seega, kui sul on plaan osta endale uus küünelakk, siis vaata kindlasti OPI "Iceland" kollektsiooni - ehk kõnetab mõni toon sind sama tugevalt, nagu mind.   

My tips and tricks: What to buy in a second hand shops? #1

This post is a follow up to my previous post: what to buy from second hand shops? I have to reveal a secret - although a year is added to my age every year, it seems that I will never be an adult who takes life totally seriously. So no wonder that I have been collecting doll houses and different toys with my daughter for years.

I think my daughter was 4 years old when she returned from kindergarten and announced 'Pet Shop!' in the middle of the room. My husband and I were pleasantly surprised and thought she had found her first musical preference. We immediately sought out Pet Shop Boys from YouTube and pressed play. Daughter was shaking her head vigorously. I can't even remember how we figured out eventually that she is interested in toys called Littlest Pet Shop. She has collected more than a hundred of them and keeps them like treasures. I sometimes find her in the bathroom, washing a Pet Shop toy thoroughly. This is where doll houses come into play - when you have a lot of little friends with big eyes, they want to live somewhere nicely. So I've often bought lovely doll houses from second hand shops - some which I wouldn't mind living in either. Sometimes my daughter goes on treasure hunts in second hand shops by herself. She then sends me photos and we discuss whether it's worth buying the house or not. Recently I left an LPS house that looked a bit worn out in the shop and I was certain I would find something better soon. A few months later I walked into Sarapuu Kirbukas in Tallinn and when I made it to the second floor with my tour, there was a lovely LPS house waiting for me on top of one of the rented boxes. I got it for only eight euros and although I wanted to give it to my daughter during Advent, I couldn't resist the temptation and gave it to her the same evening. She was really happy and found out that this well kept house was produced ten years ago. In addition to that she remembered that someone had a house like that in kindergarten and she thought that some day she could also have it. Plastic toys are also convenient for those who might be allergic to dust. Unlike teddies, plastic toys don't collect dust (you still have to clean them regularly) and LPS toys don't take up much space. By the way, it's always worth looking through doll furniture boxes in second hand shops, because houses need to have something in them! This post is special also because most of the doll house photos have been taken by my daughter. Have a look at my previous post: What to buy from second hand shops?

Seekordne postitus on järg minu eelmisele loole: mida tasub käia second-hand poodides jahtimas? Pean siinkohal avaldama saladuse: kuigi igal aastal lisandub minu passi aastake juurde, tundub mulle, et elu tõsiselt võtvat täiskasvanut minust vist iial ei saa. Seega pole ime, et olen koos oma tütrega aastaid kogunud nukumajasid ja erinevaid mänguasju.

Mu tütar oli vist 4aastane, kui tuli lasteaiast ja teatas keset tuba: "Pet Shop!" Olime abikaasaga meeldivalt üllatunud ja mõtlesime, et ta on leidnud oma esimese muusikalise eelistuse. Otsisime kohemaid YouTube`ist Pet Shop Boysi loo ja panime mängima. Tütar raputas raevukalt pead. Ma ei mäletagi, kuidas me lõpuks selgeks saime, et teda huvitavad mänguasjad Littlest Pet Shop. Ta on kogunud neid endale üle saja ja hoiab neid nagu aardeid. Vahel leian tütre vannitoas hoolikalt mõnd Pet Shopi pesemas. Siin tulevadki mängu nukumajad - kui sul on nii palju väikeseid suurte silmadega sõpru, siis tahavad nad ju ka kuskil kenasti elada. Sestap olen sageli taaskasutuspoodidest ostnud armsaid nukumajasid, kuhu koliksin parema meelega ka ise sisse. 

Vahel käib mu tütar üksi second-hand poodides nö. aardeid otsimas ja saadab siis pildi ning arutame, kas maja tasub ära osta või mitte. Hiljuti jätsin ühe pisut kulunud LPS maja taaskasutusse ja olin täiesti veendunud, et leian peagi parema. Paar kuud hiljem jalutasin Tallinnas asuvas Sarapuu Kirbukas ringi ja kui olin jõudnud teisele korrusele, ootas mind ühe rendiboksi peal vahva LPS maja. Sain selle vaid kaheksa euroga! Esialgu oli mul plaan anda see lapsele advendiajal, kuid mu kannatus ei pidanud vastu ja andsin talle selle samal õhtul. Ta rõõmustas tohutult ja uuris välja, et see hästi hoitud maja oli toodetud kümme aastat tagasi. Lisaks meenus talle, et lasteaias oli kunagi ammu kellelgi samasugune maja olnud ja ta oli toona ikka mõelnud, et kunagi võiks ka temal selline olla. 

Plastmassist mängumajad on ka väga mugavad lelud nendele, kellel võib olla tolmuallergia - erinevalt kaisukarudest ei korja plastmassist mängumajad tolmu (neid tuleb siiski korrapäraselt puhastada) ja LPS mänguasjad ise ei võta kuigi palju ruumi. Muide, second-hand poodides tasub alati vaadata üle ka kastid, kus müüakse nukumööblit: majad tahavad ju sisustamist! See postitus on eriline ka sellepoolest, et mu tütar tegi oma nukumajadest enamikud pildid ise. Vaata ka minu esimest postitust: Mida tasub osta second-hand poodidest? 

Girl Friday: Wandering around the market

Be it winter, autumn, or spring, one of the loveliest places in Tallinn is Nõmme market. It's as if there's always a party going on there. As a girl who grew up in Nõmme, I remember this place among the first memories of my life. Nõmme market is also one of the most beautiful ones - I always feel an inexplicable sense of happiness there - plants, strawberries, vegetables and all this stuff always makes me happy.

This is why Stellarium's Instagram followers probably saw the most Instagram stories from the market or when I'd brought a plant back to my home garden. This Girl Friday takes it up a notch at the market - I picked out a long pink dress from the wardrobe which reminds me of the summery flower stalls at the market. And as I like mixing unexpected things together, I added a casual warm jacket to the dress. With a crossbody bag in the colour of the summer sky and a basket in the same shade along with us, we toured the market. And of course we had to make a stop at the Buxhoeveden bakery that's become one of the symbols of Nõmme market and that sells world's best bakery goods. Happiness starts with the little things for me. One of them is wandering around the market. This Girl Friday is devoted to all those who find joy in the little things. What's your relationship with markets and which market do you find the loveliest? BTW... After a long time, I decided to curl my hair. What do you think, should I curl my hair? I was very happy to have the curls back!

Outfit details:

Coat: Superdry

Dress: Karolin Kuusik

Shoes: L'Autre Chose

Jewellery: Pi-Ret Jewelry, J. Crew

Olgu suvi või talv, sügis või kevad, üks kõige armsamaid kohti Tallinnas on Nõmme turg. Seal oleks justkui alati pidu. Nõmmel kasvanud tüdrukuna mäletan seda paika oma esimeste mälestuste seas. Nõmme turg on ka üks ilusamaid, kus tunnen alati mingit seletamatut õnnetunnet. Lilletaimed, maasikad, vaarikad, juurviljad ja kõik need aiasaadused teevad mind alati rõõmsaks.

Sestap nägid Stellariumi Instagrami jälgijad (minu konto leiad SIIT) sel suvel vist kõige rohkem Instastoorisid just turult või siis, kui olid koduaeda mõne järjekordse istiku toonud. Seekordne Girl Friday keerab turul käimisel pisut vinti üle: valisin garderoobist maani roosa kleidi, mis meenutab suviseid lillelette turul. Ja nii nagu mulle meeldib ootamatuid asju omavahel miksida, lisasin pidulikule kleidile sooja argise jope. 

Kaasas suvetaevast meenutav crossbody ja samades toonides korv, tegime turule tiiru peale. Ja mõistagi tuli peatus teha Buxhoeveden pagaris, millest on saanud üks Nõmme turu sümboleid ja kus müüakse maailma parimaid pagaritooteid. Õnn algab minu jaoks väikestest asjadest. Üks nendest on turul uitamine. Seekordse Girl Friday postituse pühendan kõigile, kes otsivad ja leiavad õnne väikestest asjadest. Ah jaa... Otsustasin üle pika aja juuksed lokki keerata. Kuidas sulle tundub, kas peaksin siiski lokke kandma? Ise rõõmustasin enda lokikeste üle väga!

PHOTOS: Ave Tampere