Scandinavian Rapture Part 1

First stop on our travel agenda was Helsinki, Finland.


(loved this building and its cool windows)





(amazing pedestrian bridge)

We survived the long plane ride as well as the layover in Paris (where we unfortunately could not leave the airport (torture)) and arrived in Helsinki ready to explore.


(totally in Paris)


(isn't this plane cool?)

Throughout our "incredible journey" (bachelorette shout out) we opted to stay in locals' apartments via a website called air bed and breakfast, which Dustin booked beforehand. And let me tell you- it seemed like every apartment we looked at to book for our travels was the most sleek, white, clean, beautiful apartment you could imagine. Needless to say, we loved it and loved meeting with the people whose houses we were staying at (they gave us the key and then lodged elsewhere for a few days-it was wonderful, and I highly recommend it).

Helsinki happens to be the World Design Capitol of 2012, I was really looking forward to exploring what it had to offer.



I'm going to try to keep the recaps somewhat brief just so I can get through our entire trip, (whatever happened to finishing my Iceland trip?) so here are the Helsinki highlights:

- Uspenski Cathedral



-The Kamppi Chapel of Silence: was one of the buildings I most anxiously anticipated visiting. The Chapel was built because Helsinki is the World Design Capital of 2012. It's a chapel with no religious affiliation.

The building is located literally in the middle of downtown Helsinki, where it can get somewhat loud as all cities can. When you walk inside the chapel of silence it truly is quiet. I love the juxtaposition of being inside the chapel, then walking outside and being in the center of the city with the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

I just love the architecture, and the inside is so lovely. Everyone is welcome within the chapel, but upon entering you have to keep the silence. Upon exiting there are many different denomination's religious books that you can take into the chapel and read. I loved that idea. So welcoming to all.


(the outside, not quite finished hence the fence but isn't it unbelievable?)


(the inside is all wood and rounded. Somehow my real pictures from my camera of this area are lost-so my iPhone will have to do.)




(one of the exterior walls)


(right outside by the chapel-in the middle of the city)


-Rock Church: it is what it sounds like. A church built out of rocks. Totally awesome. Best part is that you can basically climb over the top because it's essentially a mountain of sorts.






-Design Museum: LOVED this museum. So many pretty textiles, beautiful finnish design, incredible patterning as well. I was so inspired at this museum. There was a lot of Marimekko stuff within the museum, mostly retro design. So exciting.


(Marimekko fabric, Marimekko retro dresses)


(loved these posters)

-The Marimekko Store in Helsinki: I was not originally planning on going into one of Marimekko stores, but luckily our friend Brittany Watson Jepsen of A House that Lars Built (she's wonderful and extremely talented, just look at her blog) was kind enough to give us so many fantastic travel trips for our time in Scandinavia, and recommended this to us. It was such a good idea, I left feeling even more determined to become a better designer.

The patterning that this company does amazes me, I wanted to walk out the door with everything. The store itself was beautiful, and it was really inspiring to browse around. I would love to do patterning and work with textiles for a company like this one day. It's all so bright, fun, and happy in a non-tacky way. I just die over their illustrations.





Next on the list: Estonia!