Scandi meets Japanese: a little op-shop home decor

I have a bit of a weakness for second hand shops. Today I tried to walk past one, honestly I tried. I had so many errands to do before lunch, and I was already hungry! But, as usual, it pulled me on in. Just for a quick look.

And there, close to the door, lay my little tea set.

I'm not sure I'll drink tea out of the cups, because they are very small. However, they'll be just right for serving the homemade icecream I'll be making once I get an icecream maker. The flavour is so intense that you need just a little bit.

Aside from being in one of my most favourite colours for decorating (and clothing, and probably anything else you can think of), it reminds me of a Marimekko fabric I've been admiring for a while now - do you agree?

This is 'Lumimarja in duck egg blue and brown'. I hope I haven't done the wrong thing by replicating this pic from Christchurch-based Bolt of Cloth: it is my go-to website for these beautiful fabrics. There might be somewhere else in New Zealand that stocks Marimekko, but I don't know of it. They also have lots of New Zealand designs.

And to leap from Finland to Japan, the teaset's pattern also reminds me of Japanese cherry blossom.

Oh, and I almost forgot. The set cost $9.50. There are no chips or other imperfections.

(You may note in the photos that the teapot's handle looks a little bit broken at one side. I was so blinded by love that I didn't notice. My husband did though, so I tucked the little stick into the loop and now it is all perfect.)