Year End Holiday and Agendas For 2013

I'm planning to participate in another creative exhibition in UniCREA 2013. They sent me email couple of days ago to let me know about their agenda:

Chers Créateurs,

Toute l'équipe du Salon UNIcréa et du Comptoir Suisse se joint à moi pour vous souhaiter de très belles fêtes de fin d'année. Voici les dates des 3 Salons de la Création de cette nouvelle année:

- 15e Edition du Salon UNIcréa - 26 au 29 avril 2013 - Château de Morges / Suisse - http://www.unicrea.ch/

- 3e Edition de L'Espace Créateurs du Comptoir Suisse - 13 au 22 septembre 2013 - Beaulieu Lausanne / Suisse - http://www.comptoir.ch/
10 jours de Salon - 150 000 visiteurs - 1 halle de 650 m2 dédiée à la création - 40 créateurs sélectionnés

- 16e Edition du Salon UNIcréa - 1er au 4 novembre 2013 - Château d'Yverdon-les-Bains / Suisse - http://www.unicrea.ch/

Les inscriptions débuteront mi-janvier 2013.

Que 2013 soit une année Créative !
Céline D.
Fondatrice du Salon UNIcréa
Responsable de l'Espace Créateurs du Comptoir Suisse.

Ok, so like they said they will start the registration on mid-January 2013. That's why this year-end holiday I'm going on a "purchasing trip" as well as family holiday to Paris. I planned to buy some fabrics and necessary stuffs for my next exhibitions.

 

Happy Creative New Year 2013!

 

Sewing delicate lace

Do you know how to bring sunshine in the rainy days? ... go to a textile shop! hehe :D

Last Monday morning that's exactly what I did, and look what I found in their "coupons" or leftover fabrics box! a lovely lace fabric in a caramel color! ... I snapped it right away!

The fabric was only 140x80 cm length, but I determined to make it into something nice .. and it was just a perfect match with caramel stretch fabric I got previously (in the same leftover box and shop!) haha .. so it's a fate, that they're meant to be together ...

I wanted to make it into something "simple" but beautiful .. as this was my first attempt to sew this kind of fabric. So, I've done it. I conquered my fears of working using delicate fabrics such as lace. I've been avoiding it but now I fear no more! and I'm planning to look for similar lace in black or other dark color, as I have this splendid imagination in my mind ... I'll get back with more lace project, later .. like maybe, next year! haha .. well, next year is only one week away .. we've planned to go to Paris for year-end holiday (and I planned to purchase some fabrics again in St. Pierre) .. so, wait for me 'kay? .. I'll post about my purchasing trip later, promise! :D

Sooo here's my newly festive season's caramel lace tunic :

the making

the result ..

the happy me :D

Starting new projects ..

After the exhibition there are things that I need to do. Firstly, I have to finish what I've promised my daughters: making their requests, that's including a costume for "The Escalade" celebration next week (on the 11th Dec). Secondly I have to finish bags orders (yep, that simple but appealing "musical bag" I've made for the exhibition -- that's SOLD OUT on spot), have been high on demand! .. one order came from hubby's colleague who came to the exhibition but didn't buy the bag, and now she wants the bag for a present, the others came from my contacts in facebook (mostly my friends in Asia & Australia). 

Last thing and the most important thing is: now I start doing prototype (choosing, picking which patterns I would do, ordering fabrics, etc) for the next exhibition. I'm planning to participate in UniCREA on April 2013. I already contacted the organizer and they've replied my email promised to get in touch soon. I also started to put my works in an online boutique (http://planetecreative.ch/).

I ordered some batik fabrics again from an online boutique in facebook through a friend, and I'm planning to go to Paris again (to St. Pierre) this year-end holiday. New year I'm pretty sure would be handful and very busy, as I also waiting to published my children books too. I'm conducting two dream projects of my life, I just hope I could handle them all from here, from my tiny workspace at home :)

mon petit atelier ..

I've done it !!!! :D

The First Edition of Place Aux Artistes et Createurs (15-18 Nov 2012) is now over. We're packed up and go. Leaving Palexpo for (hopefully) returning again next year :)

what I've learned from this experience is priceless! .. what I've learned from other participants is worth more than the money that I've spend for my first exhibition .. no pain, no gain .. all we have to do is to make the next event even better.

I've learned to handle the month-long stress, afraid that I couldn't make it. I've learned to be focus on priority task in daily basis, to set a target in each steps. I've learned to handle my feelings too, after all we're just a human, we have all the ups and down, high and low .. and what I've learned from other participants is their helpful and supportive attitude, their professionalism and kindness ... I feel blessed, thank you God.

Petits Pas - Fait Maison booth no A29 @ Geneva Palexpo.

Place Aux Artistes et Créateurs, Palexpo, Geneva.

This month BIG event and BIG step for me and "Petits Pas" :

http://www.placeauxartistes.ch/

This is my first time participating in such event. I'm doing it all by my self, with a very restricted time .. it's just so normal if I'm a bit nervous, but I'm also very excited! :) 

One more week to go ... *huff, inhale, exhale*

"Stop using plastic bags, use - Petits Pas - bags!" :D

I'm still making stocks for the fair. Oh, .. the last picture of these bags (in fuchsia batik) is already SOLD to a friend who bought it for a gift for her "god daughter" in Switzerland. Since I live in Geneva, she thought she better order it from me .. yeah, lucky me .. :)

The story is like this, my friend (I've known her since junior high school) is currently on a business trip to the US, she's in San Jose at the moment, but when she saw the bag I posted in my Facebook timeline and she remembered that my husband's birthday is exactly the same day as her god daughter, she contacted me through fb inbox and ordered my bag as a gift, together with a matching shawl I've made using stretch velvet and the same fuchsia batik print as the bag.

Well, well, well .. it's a simple bag actually. The pattern I got from last year's edition of Coudre magazine, and people loved it. It's practical and could carry your shopping bits without using plastic bags. It's washable, re-usable and environmentally friendly .. PLUS it's unique and looks good on you :) .. you can have any color and pattern you like and match it with other accessories, or your outfit! :)

Making more bonnets ..

I had a call from craft exhibition organizer last Tuesday, she proposed a stand in Palexpo as a part of "Les Automnales" : Une des nouveautés des Automnales 2012: place aux artistes! Le Salon des artistes indépendants et des créateurs. http://www.automnales.ch/fr/salons-paralleles/place-aux-artistes-0-2971

She also proposed, if I agreed to give 2 times sewing lesson for a duration of 45 minutes each lesson (basic sewing, easy project, like making a small bags or a "pochette" or pouch) she could give 50% off for the stand price. Interesting? ... yes! I'd like to participate .. although I asked my self, sometimes, am I ready? .. but this is exactly what I wanted for so long .. an exhibition of my own work!. 

I keep thinking, discussing with my husband how we could do it. I mean, we have nobody (you do know that, don't you?) .. but I may look for help, a friend, babysitter or don't know who or how we manage this, but we must keep optimistic that we can do it.

So, first I have to "organize" my time. That's the most important part.
I need to pick which items I could do more and do it fast, which project that needs less hassle and that people would like to have, the item that they need, especially in line with "Automnales" theme. So I came up with bonnets and mittens first. Next I may finish bags, cushions and skirts, then let see what else I could come up with .. maybe shawls and kids dresses (if I have enough time) ...

Simple math: if I could make at least 3 items per-day, how many items I could get within a month? (yes, weekends count, too!!) .. I work overtime, I know .. but I have no choice ..