Pleated Tunic with Matching Scarf

I found this pretty white "coton de soie" or silk cotton with black embroidery in "Coupons de Saint-Pierre", Montmarte, Paris on our year-end holiday in Paris last time. It's a last-minute purchase. "Something" brought me inside the textile shop after 3 rounds I went inside (yes, 3 rounds mean 3 times I went back and forth) .. The shop only sells "Coupons" like the shop name, meaning they mostly sell ready cut-fabrics in 3 meters length. So this fabric I've bought was a lovely find inside mountains of ready-cut fabrics.

Let me tell you a story .. I got this habit of imagining things, how some fabrics would turn out, the final result. What I wanted to do with them, how I'd like to handle them, etc .. The fabrics spoke for it self! .. you must think I'm a bit crazy, right? .. well, think what you like .. but I'm crazy in love with this fabric! and I'm very pleased with the result I've made today! :D

Now are you agree with me? you still think I'm crazy talking to fabrics? :D
This tunic I made with white satin lining, size S/M with a matching scarf.

 

Cropped Bolero Jackets

These two bolero jackets I made with different textiles for two different seasons.

The first (purple color) was made from wool and fleece, it's reversible, so you can also wear it inside-out to match your outfit. 

The second (blue/beige batik 'kawung' print) was made from cotton Indonesian batik. I put elastic on the wrists so it looks a bit "fluffy" on both arms.

The project is quite simple actually. Just rectangular form, folded two, divided by three parts (two for both arms, and the middle part for the body) .. level of difficulty?: "easy" .. try it! ;-)

Textile purchasing trip to Paris

We went to Paris last week from 27-31 Dec 2012, it's our year-end holiday as the kids and husband got 2 weeks vacation, and looks like it's become our "yearly" trip every end of December? .. well, there's a reason for that! ... first, we all love the City of light, we don't care what people said about this city: I heard people dislike it because: it's dirty, the subway smelly, people are rude (to those who don't speak their language), the traffic is horrible, etc, etc ... but to us, Paris is just like our second home, where we feel belong. It helps that we speak french quite well and we've spent one year living and working in Paris during 1999, so ... maybe that's explain why we keep coming back there :)

Second reason? .. I want to buy some fabrics again in the city center of textile: Saint-Pierre! just steps away from the famous Sacre Coeur in Montmarte. Found so many beautiful textiles there. Grabbed some of them that suit what I've had in mind (and what I planned to purchase) for my next exhibitions and fairs (bazaar) as I got two agendas in the end of April and May 2013.

Third reason: having a relax and fun family vacation. Went to Euro Disney for the kids (although it was raining the whole trip, that day) but they had fun (and I had to enjoy it too despite the wet and freezing weather). Went shopping to La Vallee branded outlet too (it's been on our wish list since we knew they opened new Burberry and Longchamp outlet there) .. hee hee .. Husband also delighted to find his fave brands there such as: Ralp Lauren, Diesel, Pepe Jeans and Superdry. He got some new stuffs for himself there too.

Soooooo ... yes, the holiday is over, the kids will be going back to school next Monday the 6th January, husband already started to work since the 3rd January .. and I ... already made some stuffs too: 2 bolero jackets and one pair of curtains for our room (and my tiny workshop).

This weekend we plan to go to Lyon and I'd like to visit the Textile Museum in Lyon  http://www.musee-des-tissus.com/ I'll get back with (hopefully) many inspirations and pictures from there ... bon weekend a tous! :)

Saint-Pierre, Paris Montmarte.

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.