Happy Ending

As we're finally come to the end of 2015 very soon, I'd like to note some of best moments, accomplishments or whatever you call it ...

 

§ My last "Marché" of this year.

 

It was at Marché des créateurs de l'Usine in Geneva.

 

Only one day (Sunday Dec 13th), one afternoon precisely, we're opened from 1-7 pm, but it was a huge success! for the organizers and for the participants, as the visitors were coming in non-stop and take advantage to purchase their last-minute Christmas shopping for gifts or for themselves. Petits Pas - handmade creations made a good selling day too.

 

When people told me to bring as many creations as possible, they're absolutely right! I sold all my capes (animal themed, for kids) within just 30 minutes after opening hours. I sold other creations too for women and children. I made a break even and profits just in one day. The place I reserved (the bigger) was only 2,5 m linear - which was just a tiny space, the price for that space was 30 CHF (waaaaay much cheaper than other exhibition/market space) and I pocketed more than 500 CHF in an afternoon (minus 5 CHF lunch - a sandwich).

 

This creative market was organized every December in the l'Usine de Genève (a place famously known as an alternative culture in Geneva) where the participants (the artists, designers, etc) got picked by two of the girls who's organized the event from their applications - which was opened in October. The chosen participants got a notification by email in the early November. Meaning, roughly a month to get prepared.

 

Some of the participants were designers (leather, jewellery, clothes, tshirts, graphics, accessories - bags, hats, babies bibs, decorations, toys, etc from local artisans). The ambience is alive and packed, there were 2 bars and coffee shops in their 3 storeys building, music was loud in any genre - mostly "alternative".

 

The downside was only when a headache hit me (maybe because I didn't get the time to eat lunch until around 3 pm) :)

 

§ With Ateapic.

 

The boutique moved to Flon, a hype area in Lausanne starting next year. They found a place there and the manager will get in touch again with me around mid-January. It sounds promising to me, new place, new adventures, hopefully a good one, although the manager sounds a little bit worried. Well, who could predict what's going to happen? no one. But, as I learned, life is like that, we could only try and hope for the best. Try the best we could and see what happens.

 

We did a stock taking in the old boutique in Geneva before holiday, and found out one of my dress was missing. Looks like it's stolen. The manager decided to make a payment for that missing dress in the end. I got mixed feelings though, well, I received a payment but to know that there's a thief in the boutique which mostly carry indie creators/designers/artisan who's working mostly for their passions and to help the unemployed to be active during their unemployed times ... it's just sad. Anyway .. life still continues and the creations too.

 

§ With customers.

 

I received a last minute order to deliver before Christmas. It was a dress for a girl size 140 cm (I guess 10-11 yrs) but actually the client said she bought it for her 8 yo niece. The client happens to live not too far from my place, still in Nyon area. I handed her order in person at Nyon train station before Christmas school holiday started.

 

So I guess, I'm done with this year. I guess, 2015 was a good year :)

Capes for Boys

I made capes mostly for girls before, and now for boys too. Actually someone ordered as a birthday gift for twin boys (around 4 yo), and I proposed Batman & The Boy Wonder (Robin).

 

My clients loved them and hope the twin boys will love them too :)

Back to kiddie stuffs!

I've been playing with my creations again, and boy it was so much fun!! .. I think if we're doing something that makes our heart sing, we're actually make great things.

 

I started making kids 'animal theme' capes when I got fabrics leftover from the ice skating costume my little client ordered. I brought the adult size animal (leopard) hoodie cape to the Ateapic boutique and the manager took it to put it in the boutique, then my little girl wanted one similar cape for herself, I added ears to the hoodie just for the fun effect of kids version.

 

Then her best friend wanted one too. I started selling my first 'animal theme' cape for kids to her. Then another girl wanted one, the other girl wanted too, more and more different animal requested by these little girls .. until just yesterday I've completed all orders.

all of the animal theme capes for girls.

Funny how unintended designs like that first cape I made from fabric scraps could become a hits. Now almost anyone at school know I made capes, and they can ask any design as they wish :) 

 

Although I first made these for girls, I could do boys too. The design could be a 'superhero theme' or .. just about anything. It only takes a bit of imaginations to create and personalized it :)

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.