Festival Norpas


Dalsbruk was quite depressed and blue after the steel mill had quit. No more pipe whistles to rhytm your day. Insecurity of the future.

Then, small blinks of sunshine, of the brighter future. Rosala Handelsbod moved from Rosala to Dalsbruk, first by the marketplace. Positive, international, classy, beautiful. I was so happy! Rapt for all of us. This would start our new rise, I thought. Went and wrote a blog post of the Café and its charming merchants. With her permission, of course.

But even before that, there came a small and a bit weird (in a positive sense) festival: Norpas. First year 2012 it was not a lot more, to my recollection, than a big friend gathering at Dalsbruk, ultimating at deep and warm get-together at Dalsbruk’s Old Factory, Ismo Alanko using his amazing musical talents to guide listeners from one mood to another. With some exceptionally brave and imaginative artists to tune audience even more into this magical event.

Year 2013 Norpas was already a bit bigger. More events, artists and visitors. One of the audio-visuals especially hit my artistic nerve.  Year by year the Norpas Festival grew bigger and established itself. Somehow it still managed to maintain its inter-artistic and warm attitude.

Events take over the whole Dalsbruk centre area:

As well as the old interiors:

This year’s program here. Can’t wait to feel, live and breath Norpas again ❤

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Joyful illustrations

Rosala Handelsbod has again a wonderful event. This one stays until the end of July: Nähdään majalla (Let’s see at the hut). Talented Sanna Pelliccioni, illustrator and graphic designer, displays her paintings and illustrations for childrens’ books.

Sanna stayed at Lillan during her display arrangements with her two boys. They loved and enjoyed their stay. Well, the feeling is mutual: it was so wonderful to have them as guests at Lillan!

I just love the ideology behind Sanna’s work: she wants to create good and bring joy to the world. She wants to tickle people’s imagination.

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That ideology suites more than well to Lillan. These colorful, joyful artifacts are both usable and beautiful.

I think the contrast between the simple tableware of Lillan and Sanna’s bubblingly vivid products is just charming.

These linen and kitchenware do really tickle your imagination, don’t you think? And definitely bring you a good mood.

And the colourbooks are just cheery. Had to purchase some to Lillan toy basket (and try them out a bit 🙂 )

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The bedroom upstairs had the narrow wall that felt somehow deserted and desolate. Well, not anymore!

The imaginary tree with canarian type birds bring the needed sun to the murky corner of that room. You can almost hear them chirping there. Sanna’s biologist background does show.

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Better yet, there’s more to come. Can’t wait to see the result of Sanna’s and Lillan’s cooperation ❤

 

An idyllic vacation place, she wrote

I had a lovely family as guests at Lillan some weekend ago.

Kiitos, oli kiva kokemus!
(Thank you, it was a nice experience!)

Wrote the mother of the family to me as they were driving back home.

But what a blog post she wrote after their stay! Wow, they really had enjoyed full. Both Lillan and all the wonderful things to do, see and enjoy here.

They had admired the smell of ancient girders at Lillan and indulged sunny breakfast at the terrace, enjoying flowers and the sun glimmering sea.

The family had eaten at Portside, one of the restaurants I recommended on a post some days ago. The children had enjoyed fullest the Kasnäs beach, Rosala viking centre and the ferry trips there and back.

The family had even tried canoeing at the nearby lake, given the keys and coordinates for the canoes by lovely and lively Maria Pick at the Rosala Handelsbod quite neighbour to Lillan.
At the end of her blog the mother writes:

Ehdottomasti joskus uudestaan. Kiitos Lillan ja aurinkoinen Kemiönsaari!
(Definitely worth visiting again. Thank you Lillan and sunny Kimito Islands!)

Thank you, wonderful Family A.! You are most welcome to stay at Lillan again!

Delicacies in Lillan!

I was given an honor to provide Lillan’s next guests with breakfast and other snack goods for the days they will be visiting. Eager to present all the delicacies we have and make on this island I contacted local producers with my task. And look what a lovely set I could collect! Not much needed to buy from local markets in addition.

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I’ll have this from now on as a fixed service for Lillaneers, more info of providers and their products on its own page. Please contact me at least a week beforehand if you want to have Lillan fridge full of some of these goods when you come!

Welcoming guests❤️

Napkin holder now has an honor to hold greeting cards.

 Got these sweeeeet meringues from Rosala Handelsbod as a welcome gift to guests.

 In a lovely evening sunshine they created quite a beautiful composition with the fresh flowers from Lillan garden❤️

 At least I think the guests who arrived yesterday felt themselves welcome, they smiled a lot when they saw Lillan❤️