My Mom

This is a photo of our family when I was about four years old--or thereabouts...?  Wanted to post this pic in honour of my mother who passed away recently.  She had contributed some comments, suggestions, and opinions to my business that I've been working on....  Rest in peace, Mom!


Note added on February 11, 2020:  I think I was actually three years old in this photo?

What Mom Never Told Us!--Part 3

This entry is continuing from parts 1 and 2, below. It seems the name of my mom's employer was Atelier Irja Palonen. The owner of the business and the designer's name was Irja Palonen [the "j" is pronounced like a "y"]; and "atelier" is a French word which means something like an artist's or design studio/workshop. My mom first took a dressmaking/design course during World War II. [Her parents sent her to the school, which wasn't inexpensive, and there was also a cooking course.] It seems Mrs. Palonen continued her shop and even expanded--buying out another salon--over several more decades after my mom worked there. [By now, this lady would be in her nineties or more, if she's still alive. Am not always sure what the rules about publicity are but have decided to take a chance that there would be no adverse publicity to her by me mentioning her name and business!?] I believe Mrs. Palonen had also been an instructor at the school my mom attended.

Have added a new Link today which explains some history about fashion in Finland. "Atelier Irja Palonen" is mentioned in the text, also.

What Mom Never Told Us!--Part 2

The reason I found out the information mentioned was because I was helping to pack things in my mom's apartment and I found a page from the original magazine which had my mom's pictures in it!

Had been aware my mom took a course and worked at a dressmaker's salon. My mom had also said they sometimes sewed gowns for high-profile people--like movie stars and wives of government officials. Was looking on the Internet and found some further information after finding the magazine clipping. [The National Museum actually showed some gowns throughout 2005.--The show began towards the end of 2004 and continued to the beginning of 2006.--A correction from the previous date mentioned of 2004.]

The magazine involved was similar to the women's magazines in North America--the ones about homemaking, etc. The sewing article specifically had to do with making professional-looking collars.--It really was a how-to article. [My Finnish vocabulary is limited and the page was quite yellowed, by now, over time! There was only one page which my mom had--am not sure if it was the entire article or not?] My mom was more or less modelling everyday clothing--but everyday clothes are also needed in life!

What Mom Never Told Us!

Have just learned--believe it or not--that my mother was featured as a fashion model in a women's magazine in Europe when she was a teen-ager! Her employer, who ran a dressmaking/design salon, wrote an article about sewing for the magazine; and my mom was chosen for 3 photos [another young girl was chosen for a 4th photo]. My mother had taken a dressmaking/design course and then went to work full-time, for a little while, at the salon. [She normally did sewing, that is.] Will have to get some information about publication rights! [It may take a while.] In my opinion, two of my mom's photos were "okay" or so-so; and the third was very nice--and she was a natural! [The magazine was a ladies' magazine in Finland--it's still operating today.]

The fashion in Finland followed Parisian haute couture from about the middle 1800s to the middle 1900s. [There was a display of gowns at the National Museum in Finland in 2004, if I understand correctly.]

It's almost strange that my mom never told my sisters or me about the above--the modelling. Am guessing she didn't think it was important enough!? [It's not that she was deliberately keeping any secrets, for any reason!?--No, I don't think so!?] But I think it was fairly significant!

[By the way, in Finian's Rainbow, 1968 (see first blog) there was a pot of gold under a bridge or underground--near where someone was sitting? And some motivational speakers have said there's a "pot of gold" underneath all of us--it concerns our family and family history--and what's our purpose in life, etc.!? These speakers have indicated it's good for all of us to understand our families and where we came from.... (Don't recall exactly how they explained it--something like that!)]

Previous Generation

This was a photo of my mother's family long ago. My mom is the girl seated on the chair. Only one sibling is still alive today. [Haven't had a chance to ask permission to post his photo; but I think he could be persuaded to forgive me!?]

My Beginnings

Thanks to the Oshawa Community Museum for providing this historical photo.

Barnhart's Pavilion, 1964


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This was the building on the beach where my parents were renting an apartment, soon after they came to Canada, around the time I was born. My mom remembers that the rent was $25/month. Have written in the original blog that there was a dance hall on the main floor. [And my mom can still remember the words of some Everly Brothers songs which were later recorded by the Beatles!]

My Parents

This was a picture of my parents many, many years ago! It was their engagement photo. [They later separated and divorced; but they maintained a certain amount of friendship.]