Lab Notes:
Issue 2
Every day is an invention.
Every day is an invention.
Inventing Warmth Through Winter
Winter is a season of survival—just like adulthood. This issue explores how people in Turku, Finland, Pittsburgh, and Northwest Georgia navigate winter and keep the creative spark alive.
This issue is about how we invent warmth in our lives—physically, mentally, and creatively—when the world feels cold and lonely.
Courtesy of
My Dear Kitchen in Helsinki
This cooking blog is the best!
It also features this quote from M.F.K. Fisher:
“I decided at the age of nine that one of the best ways to grow up is to eat and talk quietly with good people.”
Lohikeitto, aka salmon soup in Finnish, a classic
Finnish dish that warms from the inside out.
Finnish Films
Don’s Picks for Long, Dark Nights
Don, who plays in the Adult Life Lab cast, owns Videodome DVD and Blu-ray store in Turku, Finland.
Videodome arrived to carry the torch that began in the 90s and ended just last year at a beloved store called Turun Elokuvadivari. Videodome exists to keep physical media alive, nostalgia intact, and ensure that what you buy is truly YOURS! We carry DVDs and Blu-rays across all genres and gaps.
Carrying classic Finnish films from Aki and Mika Kaurismäki, internationally known director Renny Harlin, to more commonly known directors/films to the world.
If you love movies, visit, relax, and browse. The owner is a cinephile from the States and is MORE than happy to suggest films, hunt them down for you, and even talk cinema!
Here are his recommendations for
good Finnish Films…
1. Sauna (2008)
A haunting historical horror film set in 1595, where two brothers, burdened by guilt, encounter a mysterious sauna that may cleanse their sins.
Watch on: Shudder or Google Play Shudder+1MUBI+1
2. The Man Without a Past (2002)
A man arrives in Helsinki with amnesia and starts rebuilding his life, forming unexpected connections along the way.
Watch on: Google Play Android Apps on Google Play
3. Sisu (2022)
An ex-soldier discovers gold in Lapland during WWII and must battle Nazi forces to protect his find.
Watch on: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, or stream on Starz
4. Ambush (1999)
Set during WWII, a Finnish lieutenant leads his platoon into Soviet territory, facing both external battles and internal conflicts.
Watch on: Google Play Android Apps on Google Play
5. Fallen Leaves (2023)
A tender, deadpan romantic comedy about two lonely souls finding connection in modern-day Helsinki.
Watch on: MUBI, Amazon Prime Video, or Apple TV
When the world feels overwhelming, the best thing you can do is move your hands. Creativity is a form of self-warming—a way to generate energy and connection when the world feels cold or when you’re alone. Adulthood can feel isolating, even when surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors, especially in the midst of daily routines and responsibilities. But taking creative action, no matter how small, can be life-changing—and warming.
Creativity as an Adulting Survival Tool
“Art is about energy positive and negative. All art has the power to heal because it helps us who we are, and what we resist.”
Winter Crafting by Jennifer Panza
Jennifer has over 20 years of design, display, art exhibition and installation experience. She earned her BA in Art Management from Chatham University with a minor in Museum Studies.
She is a mom and a passionate crafter, and we have been honored to have her curate all of the Adult Life Lab Art Shows!
Check out these awesome crafts Jennifer made to get help through this last Winter!
Curator, designer, and avid crafter Jen Panza Hahn shares how making things for the people she loves fills her heart.
Whether she’s crocheting a tiny bear with a Happy Birthday music box inside for her mom or stitching up a whimsical blue Yip Yip Martian pouch for her son, Jen puts a lot of thought into each project. She loves adding personal touches and thinking about the person she’s making it for. One of her favorites was taking a simple salt dough ornament idea and turning it into a one-of-a-kind Teddy ornament from Bob’s Burgers for her brother-in-law. She also builds miniature Christmas houses out of foam core and handmade paper — and yes, they even light up inside! Halloween is another favorite, when she gets creative making personalized headdresses and costumes for family, friends, and sometimes herself. (One year, she dressed up as a lion, using her own hair for the ears and mane.)
For Jen, crafting is all about showing love — and bringing a little extra joy into everyday life.
A study published in Frontiers in Public Health in August 2024 analyzed data from over 7,000 UK adults and found that participation in creative activities—such as painting, drawing, and textile crafts—was associated with higher levels of life satisfaction and happiness. The researchers noted that these activities could be as beneficial to mental well-being as employment. While the study didn't find a significant effect on reducing anxiety and loneliness, the solitary nature of some crafts was suggested as a possible factor. Incorporating social elements into crafting activities might enhance their benefits in combating loneliness.
Another study, published in Frontiers in Public Health in August 2024, reviewed various crafts-based interventions and reported short-term improvements in outcomes such as anxiety, stress, depression, and overall well-being. However, due to variations in interventions and research designs, the study called for more standardized research to draw firm conclusions about the long-term effectiveness of crafts-based interventions.
“Crafting isn’t just a way to pass time; it can improve your mood, diminish anxiety and increase happiness.”
- Cotton Clara Crafts
“A Beginner's Guide to the Wooly World of Needle Felting” by Linda Facci
Congrats to the Winners of our Skillshare Membership Raffle!
Hillary and Jari won a 6 month SkillShare Membership for filling our survey about Adulting!
Here’s what they had to say…
Hello there! My name is Hillary and I am the face behind Curio Memento! I am a proud resident of Pittsburgh, PA, where I do most of my work from home or within the community. I am passionate about saving the planet, animal rights, diversity/inclusivity, and fostering creativity. I am inspired by my thoughts, feelings, and the environment. I would like my products to evoke a conversation about the way our culture is evolving.
I collect, curate and sell: intriguing and eclectic vintage/antique items which offer a glimpse into our past. How did we get here?
I create: pieces of art which are meant to evoke thought, enchant, amuse, bewilder and confront. I also create designs for accessories and apparel that are guaranteed to spark conversation.
Hillary Bogdan
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US
What Will Hillary Do with Her 6 Month Membership?
“I would love to explore all of the Skillshare class offerings but I have a specific need in further developing my marketing/promotional skills, productivity, sewing, web development,UI/UX design, freelance and entrepreneurship.”
- Hillary
Where do you spend your free time?
“I enjoy art shows, cultural events, volunteering at the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse. I also like to create art (mainly upcycled art), daydreaming and disassociating, people watching, listening to music, singing badly to music, nature walks when the temperature is right, spending time with friends, learning, treasure hunting (at estate sales/thrift stores) and conducting very informal research. I can't relate to the idea of feeling bored because I am lucky enough to have a very rich inner life. I am curious about everything and I like to ask a lot of questions. I've found that this makes people uncomfortable.”
On Inventing…
I keep a notebook of "invention ideas" on my bedside table and it's filled with inventions that I am trying to fully conceptualize. A lot of them address global issues, social issues, cultural issues, and of course the difficulties faced with being an adult. I realize that I don't have the engineering/technical skills to manufacture most of my ideas but it's fun to think about the possibilities. Prototype Pittsburgh has helped me to understand some of the barriers I might face in developing my inventions. The program provides monthly workshops focusing on the skills needed to adequately process an idea and start a business. Examples of workshop areas of focus are marketing, safeguarding your business with an LLC (and insurance), legal skills, managing finances, how to market yourself, setting SMART goals and pitching your idea.
The Incubator Program was developed by Erin Gatz who not only started Prototype, but also runs the Incubator, works full time, mentors/teaches Prototype members, applies for grants (ongoing) to help community members and juggles family life with three young children. I am honestly in awe of all of the things she does! She was recently approved to offer a maker to manufacturer program via Prototype which I also applied for.
Here is the link if you would like more information about this specific program or more about Curio Memento.
Jari Vihervirta
Turku, Finland
Current Focus: ”Lately, I’ve been quite busy with theater, which, of course, is something I absolutely enjoy. The run of Tankki täyteen, a retro comedy in which I played five different characters, ended at Teatteri Akseli in Turku in mid-January. Right now, I’m performing as substitute cantor Petri Porola in Vaellus, a tragicomedy staged at Himola Theater. Petri is a former punk rocker struggling with life management, and as middle age creeps in, he finds himself pondering life’s big questions and choices. There’s already another premiere on the horizon, but I can’t reveal details just yet. What I can say, though, is that summer theater is definitely on the agenda!”
On Adulting:
Before Adult Life Lab: “I thought in a quite traditional way that adulthood should be matter-of-fact and correct.”
After Adult Life Lab: “Everything doesn't have to be very serious and there is always room for new wild innovations. You shouldn't chain yourself and your thoughts too much.” - Jari
News Source: Mostly from ampparit.com which is a Finnish portal website that collects news headlines and links, weather information and television program information from other websites and presents them in various lists.
"It’s also almost a year since I started creating and publishing videos on YouTube. Check out my channel here! I create entertainment content, performing as multiple characters of my own invention. I handle everything from start to finish myself, and I believe Skillshare will help me discover new techniques and fresh ideas to take my content to the next level.”
Check out Jari’s highly entertaining YouTube Channel where he does food challenges just for fun! Note: to watch in English, click the ⚙️ settings icon on the YouTube video, choose "Subtitles," then select "Auto-translate" and pick English.
Currently with Adult Life Lab
Build a World Around Your Filmset Panel
ATL Creative Conference 2025
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 (11:30 am-1:00 pm) at the Tara Theater
Atlanta Film Festival, Atlanta, GA
In-Person Event | Open to Filmmakers, Creatives, and Industry Professionals
Adult Life Lab is featured in a panel that explores how films can expand into art, community programs, classes, and political action–creating new experiences, friendships, and conversations that bring audiences into the world of the story.
Other panelists will be:
Berenice Molina Valle
URA Entertainment | From the Streets to the Set
Berenice is a casting director and filmmaker advocating for inclusive representation in Hollywood. She has worked on hit shows like S.W.A.T., Mayans, and 9-1-1, and her company, URA Entertainment, creates opportunities for underrepresented artists.
Alexander G. Seyum
A Salvadoran/Eritrean filmmaker and photographer, Alex is known for The Son Rises, a film tackling police violence and social justice, now streaming on Apple TV and Prime. He has also worked as a photojournalist for the Grammys, NASCAR, and major sports teams.
