Closing the year ..

Good news from the boutique assistant came through my email yesterday, it's the sales report for November and 4 items sold.

 

So people actually bought my stuffs, that's cool. I feel relieved, because I could continue to make more creations, that's my goal .. to continue .. I'm still new in this domain, sewing wasn't my thing before -- but as I love colors, fabrics and put them into a nice piece of clothing or accessories or whatever my mind came up with -- I began to sew (and never stop ever since) ..

 

Okay, now it's almost near the end of 2014. I already had some plans for 2015 actually, but as they say .. "DON'T TELL YOUR DREAMS, SHOW IT!" .. well, I just gonna keep on showing it .. ehehe ..

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

 

 

3rd contract

I just signed the 3rd contract with the same boutique, which means it's my 3rd collection. I didn't put so many creations this time, as I'm a bit struggling right now with other projects and orders, but still want to continue this collaboration as a place to showcase my new creations.

 

Another thing is that autumn-winter collection is a bit tricky, I didn't shop specially for winter fabrics, but I do have some materials to mixed with fabrics that I have at home, like a padded satin fabrics, fleeces and blankets. Yes, I made some blanket capes using literally just that and then put a hoodie and button :)

 

I also made those capes for kids, and added a fun ears on the hoodie, kids love them :)

 

I also tried to mix batik with padded lining, but well .. I really don't have many materials to make winter clothing, but I tried and I'll come up with more ideas later ... winter starts to set in, it begins to feel colder at this end of November ...

 

RGCP - Red Green Chilli Peppers

If you're young when The RHCP band was a big hits, then you know what I mean ;)

 

I'm not talking about the band, of course, I'm talking about my newest creations! The Reversible Batik Jacket/Cape in RED and GREEN chili peppers colors. Well, I was thinking of still be able to use batik but mixed with warmer materials such as these red and green satin polyester padded lining. I made a reversible cape that have a snap buttons on both arms which could turn it to a batik jacket. The idea was that simple actually and it wasn't too complicated to make it either.    

 

 

Next time maybe I'll try a padded jacket, I mean a jacket with real sleeves. I think I could make them, but not now .. maybe later. I wanted to finish autumn-winter new creations for the boutique before mid-November (that's my plan) so when the winter is officially come on November 21, my new creations will be ready at the shop.

 

After that I'll be "hibernating" to be able to continue to write those story books that my editor in Jakarta has been requesting ... until then, keep safe and warm, everyone ...

November updates

I got so many news to share actually, but don't know exactly where to start. I just happy that I gained back my confidence and just focus on result and on all works that I have to finish until end of year. So next year, I could start to plan some steps again, list some targets, knocking on opportunity doors and oh yes, we're going to move to our OWN newly build apartment!!! I'm so exciting ...

This November is the time when we're wearing warmer clothes, October we still had the sun and autumn seemed like spring time. I dreaded winter, so I create this warm wrap (a cape) using sky blue fleece and Balinese woven fabric that as colorful as a rainbow for an accent. And I think it's a brave combinations of bright colors for autumn :) but people love it, and it's already booked for someone in the UK.

rainbow cape by Petits Pas - handmade creations.

Sunday happy Sunday ...

Sunday afternoon usually we drove around Vaud area, today we wanted to find that address for our next rendez-vous with a Kitchen (interior) company. After we knew where it situated, we usually visit our future apartment, but today we decided to get some ice creams in our fave ice cream parlor in Nyon, which is close to a boutique that I really wanted to visit.

The boutique owned (and/or taken care by) a woman, a bag designer-maker that I talked on the phone couple of months ago. I saw her creations at Globus department store here in Geneva, and I fell in love with her works. Her bags were carefully neatly made by hand, and she really have a wonderful handmade pieces. I promised to visit her one day, and that day is today!.

The shop was open on 1st Sunday of the month (not every Sunday shops are open here in Swiss), so I was very lucky that the shop was open and she was there in person! what a lovely coincidence as we wanted only to buy ice cream at first .. and turned out we bought ice creams and two of her handmade bags!! .. I don't go to Nyon everyday, I don't buy bags everyday either .. (that's my excuse) .. hehe .. and I'm not regretting following my instant temptation to buy them, as we talked about our activities, exhibitions and .. why not a collaborations! as she said "on peut faire quelque choses ensemble" .. oh, oui, madame, pourquoi pas .. in fact I'll be very happy to collaborate with such a talented, skillful, creative and kind woman like her ...

Once again, I feel God's hand guided me to meet her .. God's help that moved her heart to be so kind to me today. I'm looking forward for our next meeting .. and our future collaboration.

HERE'S MY SKIRTS AND HER BAGS TOGETHER

If God's willing to lend you a hand ..

I'm a believer. I believe in God. I believe that everything that happened to me whether it's bad or good it's His arrangements. If He's willing to help you, you won't know where it's from and how He would help you. That's when we (if we believe in His existence) could feel and figure it out. Our heart knows, our head think, and our body moves. That's what happened to me these couple of months. I let you know ....

A couple of post below, I already talked about it a little bit. Now I want to share why I shouldn't stop believing in miracles. I shouldn't stop asking Him for a guidance and help. "You win some, you lose some", I guess that's what He'd taught me. 

I lose some of my savings to prepare for my last two exhibitions. I used my savings to prepare for my own stands, pay rental space, buying fabrics and all of stand equipment, decoration, etc ... well, I think I need to start somewhere and it's just a step for a start up (I mean, a beginner .. hehe). But from there I gained experience, I gained confidence, I gained contacts and I gained contracts! .. that's important.

I didn't make fortune by selling my own handmade creation, but I try to built trust from the boutique, the clients and my customers. Slowly, people trust me to make them things. Slowly, I'm more confident to try new techniques, to make (and modify) patterns. The last couple of weeks I made a challenging orders, one is for an ice skating costume, and other is an extra large dress for XXL size woman. 

And when I was sitting in my usual lunch cafeteria I got a good news from the boutique. They secure a place (an arcade in MParc Carouge -- where I was having my lunch, actually) to have a common exhibition from the boutique together with the art shop for THREE MONTHS!!! .. they will showcasing their artists and designers, and change the stocks periodically. Petits Pas is one of them, as I put some of my creations in their boutique too. Let's hope for the better. One thing I should consider seriously is hiring someone to help me with assembling (sewing) if their request is getting more than I could handle by my self.

I see all these like a miracle, I believe so. While I was sitting in a cafeteria in MParc, suddenly I got this news that they will have their exhibition in the same place! .. I think God's helping me out .. in shaa Allah ..

Ice skating costume

One of the mom from daughter's school asked if I could propose a design and make a costume for her daughter's ice skating championship on mid-October. I said I'd try, I never make any costume before, although I designed (drew) her one costume last year (free of charge). 

She said the theme will be about "jungle", so we discussed through texting in whatsapp messenger, exchanged pictures to show what kind of costume dress she'd like (and her daughter's would like to wear). Also, we need the coach approval too. Finally we settled with "Jane" dress in leopard print. 

Last weekend I went to fabric shop in Annemase (FR) and found a leopard print fleece. It's quite stretchy although it's not a stretch fabric, and it also quite warm for the girl's costume in skating rink. The fleece fabric is large enough (about 150 cm large) so I guess a meter would be enough for an 8-9 yo girl costume.

Then I asked the mom to bring her daughter's tank top to be able to draw a pattern and I did the top today and told the mom to let her daughter try it on first to see if it fits her and could go through (because if it couldn't, I could put an invisible zip on the side of the dress). I guess it's quite fun to do a costume, actually :)  

Special request from a client in the boutique

I started sewing not so long time ago, it was in 2010 if I remember well. You may also see the beginning of this blog, that was also the beginning of my sewing adventures. A good friend posted a comment in one of my FB picture about sewing (I remember I made a blouse for my daughter without pattern, I used a round plate to draw a neckline) and it turned out quite nice and wearable for my daughter, that's when my friend said "why don't you blog about your sewing experiments?" .. and I'm glad I did.

Fast forward to 2014, I've done many things with sewing. I can say I sew almost everyday. Specially during preps for an exhibitions, craft fairs or a bazaar (which I've done quite many in the last couple of years), and an opportunity to do a fashion show last year, and a contract with a boutique here in Geneva, Switzerland. I have the right to feel happy and proud of my own achievements, yes? .. but couple of weeks ago someone shook my happiness and I almost let my self down and doubted my capabilities. 

It was one fine Saturday morning and we're planned to go to Lyon to visit weekend textiles market, then hubby decided he need a haircut first. He went to a local hair salon which just 5 minutes away from our place and owned by Indonesian woman that we happened to know briefly. 

To make this story short (I really don't feel like telling the whole story because my heart still aches and I'm still angry when I remember what she did to ruin my reputation by talking about how awful my work is), this woman asked to lend money from my husband without having a word with me first. If her life is so bitter, why should she have to bother anyone too. I felt that I personally didn't agree husband lend her any money, I didn't trust her, but he already came home with a land certificate as a guarantee of the money he lend to her. That day, I didn't know if I could forgive what she did to me. I felt like she trapped us and took advantage of my husband's generosity.

Slowly, I get up and doing what I always did, sewing and writing a new book project as requested from my editor in Jakarta, but I couldn't 100% concentrate in what I was doing. I fell sick eventually. Flu bugs. I guess when I'm psychologically unhealthy, I get sick easily. 

client's request

Until one day I received an email from the boutique assistant that they have a client who's interested in one dress I've made using denim and lace collar but asked if I could make 2 sizes bigger. Then I thought, this must be God's way to lift me up from my recent fall and frustration. So I won't let God disappointed. He gave me this abilities as a gift and it somehow made me realize that I should continue to appreciate His given skills, I should meet His call, I should NOT give up and feeling low too long.

So I replied the email and said that I could make bigger size but with a different fabric, I also proposed to bring fabrics sample for the client approval. And today I finished the dress and brought it to the boutique. The client will try and hopefully happy with the dress. She'll go there next Friday as the boutique manager said to me. I also told the manager that if there's anything that the client unhappy with the dress, she could return it to me to have it fixed or if she decided that she won't take it, she could as well return it with no charge, no problem. 

I'm trying my best but I also know I have limits. I seriously plan to find a workshop, a dressmaker, a sewing professionals if I want to go further. I can't force my self to do everything by my self anymore. I have many other things I need to take care of, my sanity and my family are my first priority. 

where have you been up to? ...

Hi, it's been a while since my last posting here, yeah? ...

Well, blame it on the summer holiday, to the kids back to school's changing routines (one kid goes to junior high now) so, all activities have also changed schedules ... and mostly blame it on the flu bugs! I caught a cold couple of days ago, sneezing, runny nose, coughing, eye itching ... you name it! ... I had it all ... still having it right now (the bad cough, won't go away so soon, I hate it) ...

So, that's about all for the updates. But I made some lovely things too in between those crazy times. I managed to host one day bazar and book signing with my good friends in Jakarta during our summer holiday (yes, I write children books and they get published, so I kind of make an effort to help the publisher in promoting and selling the books series).

I managed to make some new creations (which some of them already booked online) and still in a creation phase to complete my new supplies for Ateapic boutique. 

Okay, I better get going now, gotta fetch my little one ...

See you next post :)

A moment of pure joy ..

"To me, true success is happiness. From that has come two key things: passion and persistence. When I have done things only because it was what others highly valued, I did a few good things. When I have pursued the things that make my heart sing, I have done something great. And not because it was easy or I got it right from the start, but simply because I loved it enough and believed in it enough to keep at it."

—Jessica Herrin, CEO/founder of Stella & Dot jewelry and accessories company.

I am blessed, I should not forget to feel blessed and grateful whenever possible. God has given me so many good things : my health, my bright daughters, my hard-working and caring, loving husband, my talents, my skills, my published books, my clothing creations that people bought with delights, my good friends that truly care for me ... those things are really priceless ...

 

During 1 month after the exhibition I managed to sell enough through online orders just to keep me going. I have enough time to create what people had ordered from me and that I haven't got the time to do it while busy preparing exhibitions.

 

Next month, in July we'll take a summer vacation to our home country, Indonesia. In July (9th) we'll also going to vote for Indonesian next president. It's been a very HOT campaign going on right now, we just hope for the best outcome, none of the 2 candidates are perfect, but we still have to hope for a better leader and a better future for Indonesian people. Our country is a rich country (rich in natural resource and in human resource) but unlucky to have a rotten corruption government. I think our people must change their mental attitude. The system, the justice, must work and clean from bribes, so people could really believe and have faith in their government again. 

 

During our vacation, I had planned to visit some places (also to look for a small garment factory-workshop) to help me assemble my designs. Planned to make a small sewing & craft selling event (and also books signing) with a bunch of friends in one small coffee shop near my best friend's place, just to invite friends and relatives who also like to buy my creations but can't get them due to the long distance shipping. So yes, I'm going to take some of my stock and of course my new creations as well. It's so exciting just to imagine it all right now ...

Meanwhile, I love - I live .. and in between, I create.

The Clients

Some of my customers send me pictures of them wearing clothes made by me. It made me feel very happy and appreciated. I guess that's how we all feel when we see our work on display. And the most important thing for me is when the customers are happy, it makes me feel happier (and accomplished) ... I guess it's true what YSL said: 

-- Yves Saint Laurent

17th edition UNIcréa - Ended.

For this edition, it's my second participation. Last year I got a chance to be inside a warmer room than this year. I don't have any idea why the weather was so bad this year, it rained for the 2 days of the exhibition and a strong wind almost blew away all stands under the tents outside the castle.

 

I don't know, but I think I better stop doing exhibition for some times and concentrate to collaborate with more boutique créateurs, and people's order. And maybe small exhibitions by invitation like bazaar or open houses will be more advantageous ...

 

During the exhibition I sold some of my creations, but still far from break even with the amount of money that I've invested on a place for my stand. But I had many new contacts and hopefully will become future customers. That's why we're doing this in a first place. To showcase my work and to get feedback from public. I received many admirations from visitors during this exhibition and they're giving me the courage to continue. Positive feedback always good for your soul and well-being ... :)
 

D - 3

Today I received email from the founder (she usually sent this to everyone who'll be participating in the exhibition): "Trust yourself, you'll be ready in time. In any case, knowing that we have trust in you .." together with reminder of what time we have to start our stand installations.

 

So far I think I've done enough.
With all of my restrictions, the resource, the time, the fabrics, the budget, the energy that I guess every moms could understand how challenging it is to work from home. I have absolutely no help during each preparations whether I work to complete a collection for the boutique or for the exhibitions .. I usually asked for a help at the last preparation, usually a day before D day, and during the event.

 

This is my 2nd time joining UNICréa and I have a wonderful memory of the last edition I participated. The famous creative exhibition of 100% creations without sponsor. The hustle and bustle and hope that all of us bring to this event after months of hard work. How to be focus to finish all items in relatively short period? will our hard work pay off? will we gain fortune? ... we don't know, we don’t focus on all of the stuff we had to go through to get to the end, we focus on the outcome. If things don’t end well though, I guess we feel free to whine a little and then we usually get back up again. That's how we go on, how we survive, how we are. We just have to keep our hope up high and have faith in what we do.

ONE MORE WEEK to go!

UNICréa exhibition will start next week (May 1st, 2014) and I still making some clothing here. I couldn't fully concentrate in creating and finishing all items that I'd like to make, especially when it's an Easter break, school holiday, hubby and kids at home, and all of them need my attentions too, from preparing their meals, going out, etc ... it's not that I didn't enjoy their company, it's just that I couldn't fully focus working on my projects. But I got to do it anyway, I wanted to add more items and I hope the 4 days exhibition could be at least as successful as the one I had last year, better if I could.

 

I might be put a stress on myself by setting a target, but well .. I know I'm hard on myself sometimes. I guess just because I already worked hard - with all restrictions that I have right now, limited time, limited energy, limited money. I hope I could have the best from what I did. But I also reminded my self to not forget to have fun. It's true that, if we have nothing to loose then we get more relaxed, less stressful whether it will be successful or not. So I might just let it be ...

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be ... whisper words of wisdom, let it be :D

Porte Ouverte @ Ateapic Boutique.

The boutique where I put some of my creations for sale was having an open house (journée porte ouverte) last Saturday April 05th 2014.

They were also organizing an aperitif from 11.30am to 14.00pm for all visitors came to our boutique. It was a lovely and delicious moments, I may say .. they prepared high quality teas (that's where the A"TEA"pic name came from), as they're also selling teas from Tea forte there too. They made a yummy snacks (like freshly made guacamole, for which I adored) ..

 

I got customer who bought 2 of my creations in Batik fabric (one blouse and another a tunic/blouse) .. I was quite surprised with how Swiss people appreciate batik .. I actually got an encouragement from the manager to choose slightly better quality of batik, as people liked them but sometimes they saw some dirt or spots on the fabric. I took note of this. I should pick my own fabric first hand, not ask people to pick them for me from now on ... and I won't buy from traditional markets anymore. I knew some good suppliers online and I will stick with them for now.

 

The day ended at 17.00 pm. I was a bit tired but happy. Tired because I worked hard to complete the new collections that is, and not because of the event. After closing time, we still have time to enjoy the sun with hubby and the kids we went to France for grocery shop and had dinner in McDo! .. haha .. :)

Simpel Blouses.

I've made blouses (with collar) as per request from the boutique manager. She said she'd love to have batik blouses for women in her shop (also for herself) .. hehe .. so I made some blouses to show her and to let her pick one for herself.

 

Next week I hope I could finish all the clothing for the boutique, so I can start to concentrate on my preparation and creation for May's exhibition in Morges.

Here's some of the blouses that I've made last Friday:

Sewing Marathon :)

Yep, it's already started since the beginning of this year, the sewing marathon I did to meet the boutique requirements in March and an exhibition on May this year. After that, I think I will take my time more to prepare a 'business trip' on Summer. Every holidays are a potential trip to me. like fabric hunt in Brussels and Paris, and this summer I plan to go back home to do some stuff too.

 

These are some of my creations for Petits Pas Spring Summer 2014:

colors of spring collections

It starts to get more interesting and promising :)

Today I've received sales report for the last two months from the boutique where I put some of my creations in. It's not bad at all .. I thank God for all of these ..

I will continue this path, will be making more creations and exploring more opportunities ... maybe to find a small workshop where I could ask people to assembly my creations .. that way I could make and produce more of my creations .. little by little .. petit-à-petit .. à petits pas :D

What a month! ..

2014 seems to start with a very good start. My manager in the boutique said that people appreciated my creations. With a price that is reasonable (for me) and affordable (to the clientele of the boutique) they were really happy.

 

They said with that kind of price range, they couldn't believe they can afford a creations from a createur/trice (designers) .. so they're happy, it's a bliss.

 

In December and January selling report for <<Petits Pas - handmade creations>> - my brand, were very positive. A good start, a positive turnout for the boutique as well - like the manager said: it's unusual for winter (Dec/Jan) people shop in this boutique specially for local designers (start-up designers) and it's a lovely surprise to her (and to me too, actually).

So we scheduled a meeting last Tuesday Jan 28th 2014 in the boutique on the afternoon. She wanted to discuss the next step and I wanted to show them my newest creations as well. The meeting was a successful one, I'm very happy to know that the boutique is ready to take more of my creations and renew the contract on March this year. Oh! and the manager also pre-ordered some stuffs for herself! .. hehe .. I should start making things again, and also for the UNICréa exhibition in May! .. I'm very exciting :D

Start with simplest start ..

On the 2nd day of New Year (which was yesterday), I returned a call from the organizer of an exhibition that will be held in Morges 1-4 May 2014. She called me while I was on vacation. She asked me if I still want to participate and congratulated me on my first collection in a boutique.

 

I'm so grateful to meet lovely personalities so far when doing exhibition or collaboration with a boutique. I thank God for His generosity so I could meet special people like them. They're all kind, helpful, professional, humble and generous ... if doing business with them, I don't feel some kind of "intimidation" like when we work in other business (office, big corporate, etc ..) well, you know ... I used to work for Vuitton (LV) branch in Indonesia and I know how it felt like.

 

Well, I don't want to talk about that anymore, anyway it's over 15 years ago. Now I'm happy with what I do and what I have achieved in a year. 2013 was my special year. I hope 2014 will also bring me special outcome. I know that to get to this point I've done hard works day in, day out. But because I love what I'm doing, it didn't feel so hard, I enjoyed it and I'm still very exciting to create more for this year! that's why I plan to participate again in an exhibition on May this year. It will be the only exhibition for this year, why? because I don't think I will go back to do an exhibition in Palexpo in autumn.

 

My priorities now is this exhibition in May, special orders from clients and creations for the boutique (which I need to hand them in March for Spring-Summer collections). So with those priorities in mind, today I start with a simple start: sewing jersey. It could be a tshirt, a dress, anything .. I'd like to try out more techniques that I've never tried before like: making a rolled hem with a serger, and double stitch hem for the tshirt using a double needle. Those technical skills in sewing that I think I must posses to make my creations look more like "professionals" (industrial) ... like those outfits that we see in the store :)

 

I note this for my self:

"Don't be afraid to make mistake. Because by making a mistake you learned something, you are making new things, trying new things, changing yourself, pushing yourself, you're doing things you've never done before"  

Fabric Hunting

I got a chance to meet an old friend in Brussels, Belgium, who agreed to take me to some interesting fabric shops in Brussels. I need to prepare for May exhibition and to make the spring-summer 2014 collections for the boutique, so fabric hunt had started again :)

 

My friend took me to 2 places: BERGER Textile and GO TEX. Both had a very reasonable price and fairly good collections. The first one look like a warehouse and the place was a bit smaller and older than the second, but with the price slightly cheaper (started from 2 euros/m for knits fabrics) I spend more time and chose more fabrics here than in the other shop. I'm happy with both shops though ..

 

Now holiday's almost over, we arrived home last night at around 21.30 pm after long hours drive, just enough time before the fireworks started marked the end of 2013 and the new year 2014 arrives. We had so many things to thank for in 2013 and we hope 2014 will bring us more things to be thankful :)

 

 

Happy New Year 2014!