On the YukiCon 5.0. Bunny Girl Cosplay, Helsinki.

A little while ago I attended YukiCon for the first time. YukiCon is about cosplay, magic, virtual fandom, anime, meetings of like minded mostly young people, that read manga, play video games, make cosplay music videos, draw fan art, eat pocky-sticks, crochet amigurumis and sleep in Pokémon pyjamas. Wow what a happening!

What I most liked, was the absolutely the marvelous variety of cosplay-costumes. Because I'm not a manga reader or video game player type of person, in most cases I didn't have a clue what they were dressed to look like. But that didn't matter.

In the beginning I thought I might sit somewhere with the sketchbook and concentrate in drawing the people. But at the end it felt meddlesome. Instead I drew this bunny girl from memory in her huge brown ears and matching color brick shaped big paws. The Bunny stood alone looking around, apparently trying to find someone familiar. The uncertainty fitted perfectly to the costume. Does anyone know what popular culture character she is actually playing? Enlighten me in comments if you know the role model of this costume.

By the way. When I was, say, 20 years younger, the animal I most related to was a bunny. Or to be precise, a rabbit. A little shy and timorous and fast running. Later it has changed. Now I feel more like crow. And I’m happy about it. Have you ever thought what you would be if you would be an animal?

On the Street. Be Aware, Little Granny, Lauttasaari Helsinki

We are living dangerous times in Helsinki. The streets are covered with thin layer of snow and the danger lurks under the snow. If you are not in guard the rough layer of ice makes the trick. Suddenly you may wonder laying on the ground, what was the last idea before the carpet was pulled away under the feet.

The headlines on metro news screen tell that there are queues on health center because of numerous falling injuries. The old people are in line of fire. The bones are in danger to crack. In these feelings I saw this little granny far away going slowly towards grocery store. Heartbreaking sight. I’m glad she had the rolling walker to secure the road.

On the Street. A Hard Day's Night, Metro Helsinki.

One day I traveled home by Helsinki Metro about seven in the evening. There was a lot of crowd, so I stayed standing. This man stood opposite me.

As I know if it is not totally forbidden to drink in public in Helsinki. But anyway it isn’t commonly used or recommended to drink on a bus, tram or on a subway. This gentleman was aware of this and modestly started opening the can of bear in the shield of his jacket.

While doing this I had my time to stare his style. Apparently the day had been long and it deserved some counterweight to reset the situation. Or maybe the construction site had been completed and it is time to celebrate a bit.

Celebration means grease to hair, fancy red shirt, matching red sneakers and baseball jacket. Never mind that there is still the painter’s trousers full of paint stains. The big pockets full of stuff make an interesting impact to the style. Metamorphosis from a wall painter to party animal is still in progress.

When he had his can opened I needed to turn my eyes to other direction. The gaze he gave me was that much challenging.

One Day. Sanna Pyykkö Illustrations Featured in Doodlers Anonymous

In Finland we have the saying: Who will raise the tail of the cat unless the cat itself.

Yesterday offered one of a kind surprise, when my Helsinki Street Style illustrations were featured in Doodlers Anonymous Member Spotlight series. I have been participating in their new feature where you can upload illustrations to given sections, like Portrait, Post-It Notes, Sketchbooks, Doodles on Objects, Urban Sketching…

In Doodlers Anonymous words:
Join the Doodlers Anonymous community of over 18,000+ doodlers and submit to the gallery. You'll get your artwork in the spotlight, interact with your peers and more. It's easy and free.

It seems they liked my stuff, and I had my 15 minutes of fame. I especially like the definition:

Her brutally honest blog ”Flash for Zonzon” shows an even greater extent of her artwork with a short, quirky narrative about exactly what she saw that day. What a great way to document the current, ever-changing fashion trends of your city!

Thank you my friends in Doodlers Anonymous!!!

Here is the link to the story: Doodlers Anonymous Member Spotlight: Sanna Pyykkö

And what about you? If you find your post-it notes filled with doodles, welcome to club!

On the Street. Skinny Jeans Rules, Helsinki.

In Internet I have seen several headlines about how to style skinny jeans. I saw this young lady in the ferry between Helsinki and Tallinn. I suggest that a good pair to skinny jeans is to give some volume to upper body. Like here the jeans jacket with ripped sleeves combined with stonewashed skinny jeans.

Nowadays the high waist seems to have a comeback. I don’t blame on that. But the skinny jeans despite…feels like torture, I prefer loose ones. But for spaghetti legs it is a radiant option.

By the way, I was on my way to Tallinn Art Museum Kumu to see a wonderful exhibition about the fashions of Victorian Female Image and Fashion, costumes from approximately 1845–1900. Open until 30.10.2016. The dress code for ladies in that time didn’t give much liberty to move. The tight corset and wide crinolines made sure that women stayed in their position. The dominant emotion of the 19th century was melancholy. No wonder, having to wear these forms of torture in clothing.

The dresses are from Aleksandre Vassiliev Foundation. To my surprise Aleksandre in his person is in Instagram as well. He feels like a lovely person.

On the Street. Button Eyes, Kallio, Helsinki.

A while ago I watched a creepy children’s film Coraline. In this film there is a witch whose eyes are buttons and she wants to sew buttons also in place of Coraline-girl eyes. I don’t know how come the age limit is 7 in this film. I almost lost the good night sleep looking at it as an adult. But that’s another story…

Another day I visited an event of entrepreneurs. The name of the game is that it’s okay to start conversation with anyone you like. So, I had a nice little chat with this lady that is illustrated above. Tall slim appearance, dark lipstick, black clothing and those dark eyes that felt like buttons.

I can’t help it, when I meet someone this much interesting person, I must tell how I like their style. Like this time: Your style is fantastic. It reminds me the horrible witch from cartoon movie Coraline.

Well… err… I hope she understood it was a compliment.

Sphinx Pinastri And Yohji Yamamoto FW 2015

Here we go with another nature summer story. On first few days at summer cottage I picked up a doormat before the external stairs to shake all the needles and other debris away. When I lifted the doormat I noticed a butterfly pupa below it. The insect larva had found a safe place to spend undisturbed winter time.

Pupa is extremely interesting to watch. The form is pure beauty. So we placed this Sphinx pinastri pupa (Pine hawk-moth) to veranda in an open box in hopes to see the transform to a butterfly. It took only few days when I realised that a pine hawk-moth was crawling it’s way out from the wintertime shelter. In this point the wings of a butterfly are only tiny piles of crinkle. We helped our guest pine hawk-moth to hang on to nearby geranium. There it started pumping the wings open ready to fly on.

When it was ready we took it outside hanging to pine trunk and start the living in a new beautiful form.

On last post I told you how one outfit from Yohji Yamamoto’s FW 2015 collection paired well together with one nature impression. Again I find Sphinx pinastri pupa feeling in this outfit. The model feels like pine hawk-moth when it cracks the way out from the pupa. Ready to take a new form.

Bat in Daylight And Yohji Yamamoto, FW 2015

Let me tell you a little story. This year I’m spending my summer holiday just like the Finnish cottage-life was described in last but one blogpost. That is close to the nature cottage life. Close to the nature means – besides woods, sea, plants and flowers – also seeing animals that don’t hang around Helsinki City streets.

The whole June in Finland was cold and rainy. When we started our holiday the situation was still like that until July started and the sun came along. On the first sunny day I encountered a surprising view above my head.

A small bat flew around, round and round on sunny blue sky above open courtyard. Bats usually start their flying and insect hunt when night falls. Apparently the cold beginning of the summer had been very meager food and sudden heat had increased the number of insects dramatically. The little bat had thought like ”Oh what the heck, day or night, I’m HUNGRY!” And started the hunting in pure daylight.

So I went to lie down on the courtyard staring the little bat flying skillful curves in the air in front of my eyes. Rare and beautiful sight.

Lately I browsed through Vogue Collections FW 2015 -magazine in grocery store. By the way, the layout had been changed more magazine-like instead of old catalog-style. I wasn’t too happy about the change so as a silent protest I didn’t buy the Vogue. Anyway in my retina was left a photo of Yohji Yamamoto’s FW 2015 collection.

Afterward I headed my way to Style.com and Yohji Yamamoto’s FW 2015 collection and – tadaa – there it was, a perfect match for the little bat in the air. The hemline feels like opened bat wings. Hands gathered as hanging bat does while sleeping. Rare and beautiful this one too.

One Day. Oystercatcher On the Lawn, Lauttasaari, Helsinki.

One day when I was on my way home I walked past a green grass lawn where bright yellow dandelions blossomed. There was one single oystercatcher searching for worms. Such a beautiful graphic sight. I love these birds, handsome and humorous, always busy in finding daily meal. Oystercatcher usually like to hang around seaside but maybe this bird preferred a more colorful environment for a change.

May this be a beginning of a summer season. Kids are out of school for ten weeks holiday. Nature blossoms and the warmth will come for sure (some day). Let’s all enjoy this season with all good that will come. It’s time to move on to the sunny side.

Just one reminder. Next weekend it’s already time to celebrate Helsinki Samba Carnival. I am pretty sure that I will do a report about the happening also this year.

Today the Question is Who Made My Clothes?

Making clothes is not always so sustainable. On 24 April 2013, 1133 people were killed and over 2500 were injured when the Rana Plaza factory complex collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Social and environmental catastrophes in our fashion supply chains continue. There is a movement against this. You can be apart of it too.

On 24th April, join the Fashion Revolution. Take a selfie showing your label. You could turn your clothes inside out to make more of a statement.
Tag the brand and ask #whomademyclothes?

Finnish blogger Emma Wilde just yesterday wrapped this event nicely. Click your way to the article and find out what, why, how to make a change.
The Wilde Things: Fashion Revolution Day | How to Make a Change?

One Day. The Castle Ball 2014, Linnan Juhlat 2014.

6.12. was Finland’s Independence Day and the day to watch television. Why? Because of the Castle Ball that is held at the Presidential Palace. On television they send a direct broadcast from the Palace. The best part of the show is to watch the evening gowns. I did some sketching while watching.

For Fun. mbar in Helsinki is the Best.

I have a friend I meet occasionally, maybe once every two moths. We often go out to eat and then we may lose ourselves wandering between clothes racks in department store. Then again it's nice to stop somewhere to chill out. The place to go is always self-evident. We head to mbar. The atmosphere never fails. Smooth sounds are guaranteed.

DJ last Thursday was Jimi, thank you for the music! I started liking their Facebook-page "Better Things to Do" in hopes to get noticed if this group is playing their vinyls some place you could dance too. Besides drawing, dancing is definitely on the good side in to-do lists.

Follow Flash For Zonzon, Good Idea!

Hooray, at long last I have had the spirit to build a bunch of ways to follow Flash For Zonzon. If you like the content of this blog, why not pick up the way that best suits for you.

Now there is a brand new Facebook-page. You can find there links to the new posts and sometimes there is some pick-ups from previous content too. And the hostess is already waiting you there. Off you go to Flash For Zonzon Facebook-page.

If you hang around Twitter a lot, maybe you start following @FFZonzon. You'll be alerted of the new posts there.

Google+ -page is another option. Flash For Zonzon has a page of it's own there. Flash For Zonzon Google+ -page.

Maybe the most convenient way to follow Flash For Zonzon would be the good old email. You can order this blog delivered right to your inbox. Like a post from a friend.

On Pinterest I have gathered boards that interest me in the point of view graphic designer, illustrator, street style lover, circus fan, Helsinki citizen, etc. There is also a nice board of Fashion Illustration. Check my Pinerest-account if you need some inspiration. At least these pins work in such way to me.

And the list doesn't stop here. Oh no. Yeah, we have Flash For Zonzon in Bloglovin and Blogilista for my Finnish friends.

If you have found a new favorite RSS-reader after they buried the Google Reader, go for it!

Then there is this community in web, IFB, International Fashion Bloggers. I'm posting my links there too, if I remember…

Boy, now this blog is everywhere!
It will be fun to see what kind of interaction with readers there is going to be using these tools. I'm curious to see it. And finally, thank you my readers for being there with me.

Catwalk. Chanel Pre-Fall 2013 Goes Saint Lucia.

The 13th of December is Saint Lucia's Day. To the ceremony belongs that a girl is elected to potray Lucia. She is wearing a white gown with red sash and a crown of candles on her head. Lucia brings the light to the darkness of the wintertime. You can read more about the tradition of the Wikipedia article Saint Lucy's Day.

Today I opened a new window of my Advent Calendar. A singing Lucia appeared to the middle of the singing rabbits. At once I started to sing the beautiful Sankta Lucia -song. In Saint Lucia's Day you can encounter Saint Lucia almost anywhere. Once I was in dentists and the staff had dressed up to Lucia and performed the song. That became a memorable event.

Then my brain started ticking. I looked through a Chanel Pre-Fall 2013 show a couple of days ago. I absolutely loved it. I'm pretty sure I'll come back to it later. I felt that the last white outfits would be perfect for Lucia also. So the crown of candles accompany the Chanel-look this time.

One Day. The Castle Ball 2012, Linnan Juhlat 2012.

6.12.  is Finland's Independence Day. In the evening, the Presidential Independence Day reception is held for approximately 2000 invited guests at the Presidential Palace. This event, known as "the Castle Ball", is broadcast on television and has been a perennial favorite of the viewing public.

The best part of the show is when Presidential pair shakes hands with all the invited guests. 1800 this year. It's the moment when you can see all the beautiful evening gowns. This is also the moment to shout judgements in the home couch. Great fun! This year I did some rough sketching while watching.

My Style. These Boots Are Made for Walkin'.

It came one day that I finally met a pair of boots with all the nice details I have dreamed of in my WANTED-post in a while ago. So here in this picture you can see the conclusion to that dreaming. The point when I did the purchase was the moment when I wanted to reward myself of a job well done. In WANTED-posters traditionally is a promise of REWARD also. Well, the boots itself was the reward this time.

I have noticed that I shop shoes in certain situations. Before this time I bought a pair of shoes after having suffered a dental treatment painful enough. I kind of promised myself in a dentists bench mouth full of dental widgets, that if I will be living after the dentist, I'll go to the shoe store nearby. And voila, I had a new pair of shoes. A good girl like that needed some reward for all the misery.

Now we come to interesting question.
Do you have a way to reward yourself in some particular situation? And in what way would that be? Anyone else buying shoes there?
If you like, share your ideas in the comment box.

The original hit These Boots Are Made for Walkin' in 1966 is by Lee Hazlewood and performed by Nancy Sinatra. She obviously had some rat as a companion, so she wanted to walk all over somebody. I have no such trouble, so I might just go walking all over instead. Are you ready boots?

One day. 100 Posts and New About Page.

 

This is the hundredth post in Flash For Zonzon. I'm celebrating it with my first animated gif image. You can calculate the image one hundred small Flash For Zonzon -logos if you like. It made a nice pattern, I think. I'd love to bury myself more in pattern design. Let's see what I will make up in that area within next 100 posts.

I have made a little changes to the blog itself. In the navigation bar you can find a new button that leads to the new About-page. About-page sheds a little more light on the backgrounds of this blog. Take a look, if you are curios about it. There is a saying: Curiosity killed the cat. But this time I assure, looking at the About-page is not dangerous at all. In addition there is a new Popular Posts -gadget in the sidebar.

Now I want to thank you all my precious readers for reading this blog. I have received wonderful feedback from many of you. Thank you! You have no idea (or maybe you do) how much that means to me. Hope you enjoy my future postings as well. 

One day. Flash For Zonzon in Ladyfairy's Closet.

 

A while ago I received a inquiry about an interview. A fellow blogger from IFB (Indebendent Fashion Bloggers) liked my illustrations and emailed me that she would like to write a post about me and my works on her blog Ladyfairy's Closet.

Remembering Andy Warhol's words: All publicity is good publicity, I agreed to a request. Now if you are interested in reading a little bit more about the backgrounds of Flash For Zonzon, click your way to the story.

Inspired by this I started to plan a proper About-page to the blog itself. Just wait a sec I'll get it ready.

One day. Flash For Zonzon Goes Public.

Hello there. I have been blogging now around a year or so. It seems that this blogging has gone to my bones. So I took a step forward to make this a little more public by joining in two blogging communities; Independent Fashion Bloggers and Bloglovin'. Plus I even added a membership or following or whatever gadget to the sidebar. So if you like, go ahed and be the first in there!

You can follow me easily with Bloglovin

One day. Feeling Autumn, Helsinki.

Weekend was sunny and warm and beautiful. I guess it was like farewell to summer, because when monday came, things were just the opposite. Raining and showering. Then I saw this lady with silvery raincoat and accessories. Couldn't help the autumn feeling.