This week is a special blog post for many reasons. Samuji is a brand I have adored in Finland for some time now. This week the store hosted two workshops to paint a personalized porcelain mug with the designer himself, Pasi Kärkkäinen-Tunkelo in honor of their launch of the new Koti Mug.

Koti means home in Finnish.

The first reason this post is special is due to the experience itself. Finnish design is underrated and utterly flawless. I felt obligated to take advantage of an opportunity like this, to participate in a creative night. Being surrounded by such thoughtful and unique pieces is inspiring.

The second reason this post has been exceedingly special is simply based on the timeline. Valentine’s day is coming up and the event would be the perfect activity. Naturally, I invited my husband along to this creative outlet, and the experience proved to be more appealing than traditional date methods.

Bonus, we get souvenirs after the date is over!

The third reason, and one that surprised me the most, the workshop brought back all of the art camp vibes from my childhood. I chose to use pointillism as my mug design, a technique that has been an old favorite for decades.

I would like to thank Samuji for hosting the workshop,

The designer, Pasi Kärkkäinen-Tunkelo, for sharing insight into the product and his creative method,

and my husband, happy valentines my dear.

xx – nasty trash