Sirah

I love to do things hand-made: bookmarks, 3D-cards, decoupage, scrap booking, cross stiching, knitting, sewing... My mother has always been knitting as well as my sister, who now has a small handicraft shop located in northern part of Finland.

I also like reading (been a Bookcrosser over 4 years), cooking, baking, bicycling, gardening.

I´m very fond of any kind of African items. Arts, handicraft, decorations, materials, clothes, cowry shells, braiding, cooking, music... just anything:) I collect West African colourful dresses, which I have now more than 40. If there is any festivities, I like to wear one of them. Also I do have a nice collection of African cooking books.

I would say that travelling ´round the world is my hobby number 1. Africa is my favourite destination. I also love Greece, Great Britain and City of New York.

My favourite colors are lime, brown, fuchsia, turquoise and cream white. I love cats but don´t have one at the moment.

R´n´B, reggae, raggamuffin, soul, funk, disco, mbalax, fado, any ethnic.

I love stamps, magnets, color pencils, photo frames, stickers, crystals, beads, jewels, ribbons, sea shells...

I have coeliac disease , which means that I can´t eat anything with wheat, rye or barley: everything has to be gluten-free. I´m member of the Finnish Coeliac Society. I´m also allergic to nickel.

I like cooking and baking. Basically I eat anything available excluding food containing gluten. My favourite kitchens are African and Japanese ( can´t resist sushi!!!)

I like chocolate with chili, dried berries or salmiac. I prefer dark or milk chocolate. Because of having coeliac disease I can´t eat any chocolate with biscuit crumbs or such. I received through an international candy swap a bar of Almond Joy and really liked it!

I´m also fond of wines. My favourite grapes are Sauvignon Blanc and-this you might have guessed already- Sirah! (aka Syrah aka Shiraz).

Mieleisiä lukukokemuksia/Enjoyable reading experiences:

Leijapoika/The Kite Runner

Häivähdys purppuraa/Colour Purple

Geishan maailma/Memoirs of a Geisha

Pieni suklaapuoti/Chocolat

Middlesex

Aikamatkustajan vaimo/The Timetravellers Wife

Bonalbon musta Ruby/Don´t Take Your Love to Town

Minä Phoolan Devi/Moi Phoolan Devi

Hanna, Anna ja Johanna/Hannah´s Daughters

Gangesin tytär/La fi lla del Ganges and Les due cares de la lluna

Mambo Kings

Paramaribon kuningatar/De koningin van Paramaribo

Valkoinen masai/The White Masai

Juuret/Roots

Luonnonoikku/A Sport of Nature

Mehiläisten salaisuudet/The Secret Life of Bees

Leopardin silmä/Leopardens Öga

Kuubalainen sydän

Ilon ja onnen tarinat/The Joy Luck Club

Aavikon kukka/Desert Flower

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

Luutohtorin tytär/The Bonesetter's Daughter

Farewell to My Concubine

Viisaan viini

Jasmiinin tuoksu/The Rice Mother

Herra Ibrahim ja Koraanin kukkaset/Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran

Purple Hibiscus

Half of a Yellow Sun

The Food of Love

Foreign Devil