Not giving up!

Hi everyone!

I'm back! - which means I'm not giving up! - but you sort of knew I wouldn't, didn't you!?

I need to thank all of you for the support, the nice comments (is this really about me and my blog?), the e-mails, ... I read them all several times - got all emotional. This more than compensated last week's anger and bad feelings. So, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to ALL of you!! What a strange thing it is, this (blogging) crafting community - even though most us have never met in person there are strong ties. That's a wonderful feeling. And isn't that's what it's all about?

So, what did I do? I sent a friendly and polite letter to the editor, asking to add credits to the article, like many of you suggested. I haven't had a response yet and I'm not sure I ever will. We'll see and I'll keep you posted.

But now, I just want to move on, because there are so many things I still want to share here with you.


Like this cutest moleskine notebook ever, the girls made for daddy's birthday last week. Isn't it lovely? The three of us were actually in a pretty bad mood that day - the girls had been fighting over things all day and I had been grumpy all day. And you know what? - that little notebook saved the day. By the time the girls were finished drawing we were all happy and cheerful again and couldn't wait for daddy to get home. And guess what?! Among all the presents he got he liked the little notebook best!!

I used the same method as for the other fabric covered notebooks, but before ironing the fabric onto the cover I let the girls draw on the fabric with a fine black liner (we used a regular one as I didn't have any fabric markers). Once they were done, I peeled off the Vliesofix's backing, positioned it onto the notebook and ironed it on. With small scissors I trimmed the edges and we had one very, very cute notebook.

I particularly like the frog on the lily pad by big girl M. and little H's cat. If you look carefully you can also see a drum (daddy's a former drummer), a bottle of wine and a glass, a hairy dog (that's a hint from big girl M. who's desperate about having a family dog one day), hiking boots and mountains, because that's what daddy likes to do, and many more things. And then the girls sweet little messages, of courses... Who wouldn't want a little notebook like that? Maybe an nice idea for Valentine's Day...

Am I an idiot?

the original, as published here in March, 2010

Since I saw this picture this afternoon in my reader (via Sewing Craftgossip) I have been feeling slightly upset and miserable. Really: I couldn't believe my eyes. I was yelling at my screen. Did my Quick Fix Grocery Bag become an Eco-chic Shopping Bag without me knowing? I'm not sure what to think of this. Should I give this the benefit of doubt and just consider it a coincidence or are there too many similarities for this to be even possible and has someone at Good Housekeeping who was short of ideas and looking against a deadline simply copied my idea?

This particular tutorial is one I am really proud of. The idea is genuinely mine - it happened while I was putting away grapes we had earlier that day and I saw the bag they came in lying on the counter - a plastic bag with cuts.  This particular tutorial has been a big hit in the craft community ever since it was published and it still is, with referrals and links showing up everywhere.  This particular tutorial made it even to Design*Sponge. And now, apparently, to Good Housekeeping too, only did they forget to credit or put up a proper link!

It makes me wonder if I'm an idiot and incredible naive by posting tutorials and pictures of things I made just like that, for free, accessible to everyone, everywhere, assuming - or, as of now, hoping - everyone will stick to the rules when it comes to copyright and intellectual property rights. It also makes me wonder whether I should continue doing so the way I do. You see, there goes a lot of time and effort in everything I make, in every tutorial I write. I know, that's a personal choice - no one ever forced or even asked me to do so.
So far, I kept my blog deliberately commercial-free, add-free, sponsor-free - there's no financial gain or whatsoever for me in this entire blogging business - that's a choice too. My reward is in your comments, your encouragements, seeing a traffic increase or a steady increase in the number of followers and subscribers, a referral here and there...
All of this was a choice.
But maybe the wrong one...

So I'm asking you, am I an idiot or should I be happy it happened just this once - that I know of...
__________________________________________

Comments are closed now - Good Housekeeping has acknowledged its mistake and credits and a link to the original post have been added.

Thank you for your comments, e-mails and support!

xo, P.

Red and white

I got in the mood for a Valentine's Day craft the other night and this is the result. Another notebook, this time with a needle felted heart, some doodle embroidery and a button bookmark...
I'm not sure yet what I'll do with it - we'll see... It's actually pretty easy to needle felt onto fabric, in case you want to give it a try.

Apparently, I'm thinking in white and red, lately. Today, I went to the Marché Saint-Pierre here in Paris as I needed a particular type of fabric for my stash.  I made a list before I left and except for the zipper on my list, I came home with totally different things. Not because I didn't find what I was looking for but because I found something much better: I found the yummiest ever red and white (well it's more cream) striped fabric. Two different sorts, but they marry so well together. Oh, I can't wait to get started - I got plenty of ideas already...
It's going to be another difficult night to fall asleep...
Does that happen to you too - sleepless nights because of all the ideas swarming around in your head? Any remedies for that except starting on a project in the wee hours...

The first tutorial of 2011!

The mild temperatures of the last couple of days got me all energized and in an early Spring mood. This was  especially true at the beginning of the week when we had a lovely sun on top. I have been cleaning out closets, laundering sheets and blankets, doing lots of ironing, ... and a  couple of  early Spring crafts, one of which even resulted in this tutorial - the first one of  2011!

So, yesterday when my hands were itching to make something I came up with this very simple, whimsical fabric sausage necklace. I got the idea for this necklace while shopping at COS, one of my new favorite stores - and as it turns out this store might become a favorite of K. too. He found himself a couple of really nice things there last week, but this is totally besides today's topic. The necklaces I saw were at the kids' section and simply lovely - but for kids, in size, I mean. In the woman's section they had similar ones made out of leather - very stylish, very simple, simply  l o v e l y!

I decided to give the fabric ones a try. I'll be honest - it takes a bit of patience to get the wool (or poly-fiber fill) down the tube but I think it is totally worth the effort. You won't need a lot of fabric, this is yet another craft you could use fabric scraps for. Since I have something with gingham lately, I combined two different gingham fabrics, a Japanese flower print and  some stripes. You can go totally crazy combining different colors and prints, or keep it really simple and use only one color. Instead of knotting in between "beads", I combined knots and colorful ribbon ties. You might also use embroidery floss in between beads.


You'll need:

- a couple of fabric strips of different length but same width - I used 4cm wide strips - enough to total (at least) 1m50
- matching thread, sewing machine
- chopstick
- wool roving or fiber fill ( I recommend using wool roving here as it's easier to manipulate down the tube and you'll probably need less to form a firm bead - trust me, I've tried both!)
- optional: narrow ribbon, embroidery floss




Instructions:

1. Sew fabric strips together to make one long strip (pic.2).
2. Attach a safety pin near top on the right side of the fabric - you'll need it for turning the fabric (pic.3).
3. Fold strip in half lengthwise and sew side-seam ( the safety pin will be on the inside), leaving an opening at the bottom  (pic.4).
Note: depending on the length and width you chose you may find it easier to leave an additional opening somewhere halfway the sideseam - this will save you time while stuffing the fabric tube.
4. Turn the tube you obtained inside out by pushing the safety pin all the way down the fabric tube (pic.6). Shape the tube.
5. Using small pieces of wool roving at a time, make the beads, by pushing the filling through the tube with a chopstick (No need to form the beads before you stuff them inside - the chopstick will do that for you). Tie a knot  before and after each bead or use ribbon, embroidery floss to the same effect (pic.8).
6. Close the remaining opening(s) with a whip stitch. Shape and pull and finally tie a knot - Done!

Isn't it lovely!? Pair it up with a simple T-shirt, tank top (I'm thinking Summer here) or a simple white shirt...

Please note, this tutorial is intended for personal use only. Therefore, do not reproduce, sell or commercialize in any form.  Thanks for understanding!

If you made something using a tutorial found on this blog or if you got inspired by something you found here, make sure to post your pictures here.

Sales

Today, winter sales start in Paris. Officially, I should immediately add. For the past week or so there were 'ventes privées' everywhere already with discounted prices for people holding fidelity cards - which most people do.

I hardly ever make it to the sales on the very first day. I try to avoid the big crowds, the hysterics, the long lines. Which doesn't mean I don't like sales. But I prefer to be surprised. Like when we were in Belgium over the holidays and we found out about a big sale at one of our favorite shoe stores. They were closing for renovation. M. and I each found a nice pair of high leather boots and little H. chose something, well, very little H. like. Read: shiny, sparkling, a bit glamorous... And since it were sales and these Mary Janes were extremely cheap for a fully leather shoe, I couldn't say no. The weather hasn't been any good for wearing them outside, but this doesn't mean she can't break them in inside, right? With a pair of tights in a totally off color and skirts her legs grew too long for, she looks totally adorable...

As for today's sales - I think we might spend the day inside as it is pouring outside, unless... We'll see...

Shop update

As of tonight some of my fabric covered hand-embroidered moleskine notebooks are available here.

Cheers,

P.

Doodling...

... with needle and thread.



These one of a kind fabric covered Moleskine notebooks will be available in the shop as of next week. The cover is from unbleached cotton and has been hand-embroidered by me. Every notebook is unique.
Some of them have buttons and/ or a button and thread bookmark.
The notebook measures 3 1/2'' x 5 1/2'' - 9 cm x 14 cm.
Pages are plain, squared or lined. 

And now, I'm just waiting for good light to take pictures of these little treasures...