Product development

Goodmorning in Winter time! How nice it was to sleep an hour more. Because I'm always up early, it feels like I have one hour more on the day, not in the night. But that's great too!
Thanks for all your great and sweet respones on my request for photo help! Emails with great pictures are comming in every day and a lot is on it's way. Some of you like it to make it a 'photo assignment'. Some of you first wants some more information, so don't hesitate and just mail your questions! I'll answer them all.

Setting up a business is having 15 jobs at the same time. You are a designer, a financial manager, a buyer, an administrator, a marketing manager and much much more. I like that aspect a lot although sometimes one (less fun) job needs more attention then another job. This week was all about the registration of the company, about bank stuff, meetings with tax managers, a bit marketing and this weekend is about product development. It's a product I'm working on for a while now. I'm almost finished with some basics. I need to work on some refining and then I'll definitly need some testers/product reviewers! So I'll get back on you with this one soon.

Have a great day.

Need photo help from you!

1. Old lady knitting, 2. Sewing Lesson, 3. Man sewing, 4. Learning to knit, 5. Old Lady and Knitting, 6. Knitting Man, 7. learning, 8. Sewing man, 9. Stitching

Would you like to help me? I'm taking, and searching for a lot of pictures of creative people and then I thought, you all make such beautiful pictures, you are beautiful and you have beautiful kids, why not ask you to help me. Probably you would like it!!

Let me explain.. I'm working on promotion material for the business and therefore I need a lot of pictures of people who are creative. Like above.. All ages, all skin colours/cultures, all kind of crafts (although I prefer knitting, crochet, sewing, embroidery, felting and painting), close ups, happy or concentrated.. Children who are learning to knit, crochet of sew, who have dirty hands because of all the paint on there fingers, who have there tongue out because of the hugh concentration, the smile of a guy who is knitting, a man behind the sewingmachine, your mother or grandma who is concentrating on some crochet.. I guess you get it, don't you?

Do you have such great pictures, would you like to think about a scene and create some great, happy creative pictures, would you be able to get your husband to held knitting needles or some crochet work for a picture, do you have a beautiful mother or grandma who is creative?

I guess you get what I mean and I know you are creative enough to figure it out and make a beautiful picture. If you would like to help me and send me pictures, then you would permitt me to use the pictures for promotion material (a card). I don't know how many of you would like to help, or how much pictures I would recive so maybe your picture wouldn't get on the card, maybe it does get on the card but either way, you would be the first one to receive the cards.

If you would like to help, already have some great shots or see this as a great photography 'assignment' then you can email your pictures to me (with the highest resolution). I don't need them today or tomorrow, take your time. The material has to be ready at the end of December. Please don't forget to include your adress so I can send you the cards when all is ready. If you want more information don't be shy, just ask me. Already a big big thank you from me!!

Things, more things and djeezz even more things

Pfff... I'm having a five minute break to blog! It's a very very busy week here. Yesterday I registered my company but I have a problem with the name (not handmaid liset). I can't use the name, I want so badly for my business but too bad, it's not going to happen because some other company already has that name. So I have to figure out something else but it's hard to let go. So a good lesson for all of you who want to start a company... Don't get to excited about a name, first check the register for business names!
Meanwhile I have this meetings with the bank, I have to prepare a meeting with the taxes company, set up an administration and much much more. Stuff that's so not interesting but so important that it all goes well. And there are really good things to do too! Meetings with suppliers, getting samples organic cottons and yarn, brainstorming with the grafic designer and so more.. That's great! But I would love to have a minute behind the sewing machine but I can't allow myself to do that.

What I do allow myself is to listen to good music! I bought this smashing earphone and now I can relax and take a minute for myself when I'm biking, walking, do grosseries (still have to eat)...

And I did a one minute job to pimp an old shirt. It's too old to wear but great to wear off at night.. It would be nice if someone next to me would read it, but now I'm prepared! Haha!

Weekend crochet inspirations

Crochet inspirations for the weekend.

This piano, by Joana Vasconselos, found on Craftzine. So, so beautiful!

Colourful crochetwork by Louise Weaver.

Personally I love all the work of Marcel Wanders.

But if I had the money (and they would still make the seat) this one would be mine!

Okay, it's no crochet but needlework.. Still very 'weekend inspirational'!!

I think this is amazing! Really amazing. Found on Cargo Collective, made by a true artist, Maria Gill Ulldemolins.

Hope you have enough inspirations for the weekend.

Enjoy it!!

Connecting

Sometimes you have these moments, these things you want to have, you want to touch it, feel it or hold it. I had that with this retro coffee/tea pot. Saw it and I was sold. Way to expensive but I had to have it.

I can have these moments with people too. You know, sometimes I just wanted to give a kid in my class a big hugh and I did that (they liked it too). Crawl through the phone and hold the person I'm speaking to. See my mom and dad after a long time, makes me wanna sit next to them on the couch, having our legs to touch eachother. Just feel someone, make that connection.
I have that a lot.. Even with strangers. I can walk on the streets, see someone and get touched in the heart by a glimpse of someones eyes, the way they dress or do/say something. And I know, I probably get a knive in my chest if I go 'touching' around so mostly with strangers I say something, or give a big smile to get that connection. Like, you have the most beautiful eyes or wauw, you dress amazingly. Last week I was getting cash out of the machine and this young guy before me smelled so good. So I told him. You should see his face.. Big smile! He tried to say thank you but he was really flabbergausted, so words came out stuttering.
Getting in touch with others is so good. Just do that today, maybe tomorrow too... Make compliments to you loved ones, touch them, hold them. Don't search for a reason, we don't need a reason. Smile and make compliments to strangers. They like it and I know, you too.



And with little niece Olivia, I have it all the time. You just wanna hugh and kiss her all the time.

Colorful vintage placemats

Hope you had a good weekend!? Mine was just fine although it started with a broken car battery (grrrhh, I just have it two months..) and when that one was fixed, I ended in a way, way too long traffic jam because of the holiday traffic and all these roads that are open.. But the start wasn't a bummer for the weekend! That was just fine.
Meanwhile, thanks for your sweet responses on my last post. I think you know what I mean and I'm glad you do. We need inspiration, work with simular materials and we do the same things but there is just that fine line.. I guess we all sometimes feel that line is crossed by someone or a situation.

Had a little bit time left to finish up some vintage fabric placemats. Love the fabrics, the blue flowered one is my favorite! The combination is fine too but I'm gonna make a different finishing. That's something I'm not quit satisfied about.

Winnars and loosers

First, the winnar of the give away necklace is Maureen from Jikke's. So, send me your adress and I'll post the necklace right away.

Then about loosers.. Let me explain. And I thought really long and hard if I would share this with you. It's hard to explain and I don't want you to get a wrong idea about me or my work.
As you know I'm setting up a company. I'm working really hard to do that and all has to be perfect. My company will not only be a label of handmade goods, it's a whole complete concept with a good vision behind it. This concept, the new designs and products I'm making and gonna sell, the vision, the new name is something I'm working on for months now. And I'm not telling you anything about it, or showing you anything. And sometimes I feel quit bumped about that because off course I wanna shout out, and share a new design, I'm proud off. I would love to ask your opinion about the new name or a new design but I made the decision not to do that before I start officially.

My blog is well read by a lot of people. (thank you, thank you!!) I have a hidden counter and sometimes I check were people come from. A year ago I found out I have some readers who never make a comment but copied some of my things. And people, let me be really clear about this.. I know we all get inspired by eachother!! And that's a good thing. I get so much inspirations from other artist, labels and from old craftbooks. We all need eachother. Sometimes we make things that look simular to something that someone else made. I don't see a problem there. You know, I make designs with 100% wool blankets and there are more people who do that. Or I design a hat that looks simular to other hats. But copy a complete design, including colour combinations is not right. Even more, I found two people, who are at the other end of the world, who used my photos, saying that they made that! Weird isn't it..

Then in April this year, I was approached by two people who were setting up a company with handmade goods. One of them is a renowned interior designer and I made a big mistake on trusting that name and reputation.. They wanted to work with me and we had a meeting, here at my house. So they saw a lot of designs, they saw which cotton I use. They wanted me to make a stock on designs to buy when they sold it. That means that I will have to make investments in making a stock, I loose space, don't make money and take the risk. They also didn't want my name labels on the products.. Their label will be on it. So no, I don't do business like that.

We made an agreement that they wouldn't copy my designs or use the cotton I always use. That cotton feels like my trademark. But they did it all. They opened a webshop and sell some items which are 100% copied. Really 100% copied!! (And no, I'm not telling you who they are, or where you can find their webshop. I won't throw shit on their names by being open about that. And I'm definitly not going to generate them visitors.)

I can't do anything about it except being very distrustful now. I don't want this to happen again before I open my own business so I'm very carefull now. (and I'm going to work with another cotton line which will be organic, so that's a good thing that came out of a bad thing)
For a while, and sometimes I still am, very very pissed of about this. But I believe in, what goes around, comes around. And I keep thinking... if you're not able to make your own designs, choose your own line of cottons, and you need to sell other people's designs with your name on it then you are the/a looser.

Hats hats hats

Two months ago I told you, I worked on a big assignment. Well, I designed some hats and scarfs for Zeeman textiles, with off course the use off their yarns. They have a big campaign at the moment to promote their yarns, as well as that they wanna motivate younger people to learn knitting. So the designs I made, must be 'simple' for a beginner, and one hat must be a slouchy hat. The two above are mine but at their site you can find the other designs too, and much more hats to knit. All free to download! And if you wanna participate on the knitting event, and try to break the world record knitting, subscribe to be in!!

And for those who have a Zeeman shop in the neighbourhood, and you have a baby or small children, please be aware that Zeeman has a small range of Max Havelaar products. 100% bio-cotton, 100% fair. So good!

(oh and I will be back to draw a winner for the give away!!)

Lucky weekend

I was working hard yesterday and suddenly I heard 'boem' at the mailbox. I shocked out of my concentration, sprinted to the doormat and there was my give away, I won at Dutch Sisters. On their picture the notebook already seems stunning but in 'real' it's even more perfect. I love it! And so much that I probably won't use it for a long time. It's a way too pretty notebook to use. Thanks so much, Heleen and Corry!



And today was again a lucky day. Me and my broter-in-law took a powerkite course at the beach. I already did some powerkiting before and I liked it very much. I love it to play with the elements of nature, be outside and have sand comming out of my underpants. Really, at these times.. I don't do make-up, don't do fashion and don't care about getting dirty. Even more, I like it to dress up and look 'fabulous' but I also like it when I get sand everywhere or get dirty...
We were in a small group with nice people and the weather was so, so good. If you're in the Netherlands and wanna go some time, check http://www.bicfun.nl/ and take the course. Or some other course. I'll promiss it will be fun!

It was truely a lucky day, even more a lucky weekend.
How was/is yours??

Catches

Because the thriftstore was next to another place I had to be, I went there. It's a thriftstore, here in town but it isn't a good one. It it way, way to expensive. They don't sell cups and saucers under 4 euro!! Common, people it's a thriftstore! And besides that, their range of products is very limited, so most time they don't have anything nice.

Yesterday was different! I found this wonderful, wonderful book serie about sewing. It's a serie from 1975 and very inspirational. I love it when craft books are older then I am. These are the best. Every book has a different focus like 'Making a personal accent' or 'Decorative techniques' or 'New materials'. It's really a great, great serie, so much inspiration and I'm very happy with this good catch.


Some content. Like the first photo, which is the newest fashion! haha.. The cow is from the book 'New materials'. It's all about the use of leather. And the last one is also from 'New Materials'. The hat is a Paco Rabanne design made with aluminium chips. The material isn't my thing but good inspiration though, I love the shape.

Found this Invito shoes for only 4 euro...

And this small piece of vintage curtain fabric. Great quality, great colors and motif.

Good but fun reuse

Found this Swiss Atelier V. I can't find out what they exactly do... but they have these great (fun) reuse ideas! These are some of my (fun) favorites. And if you check the site.. See also, the 'entdenken' projects.

Give away

Thanks for your sweet responses on me feeling sick. Well, it got more worse and my weekend wasn't nice. Saw more bathroom and bedroom then I wished for. Today I feel a bit better, still weak but better.

Here's the result of the sneak preview. I made this necklace, indeed with a knitting mill. I made a really, really large string and a small one, to make a bit of a knot. This one was going to be in the shop but I got this sweet response from Siem, who told me she proudly is my 200 follower. And of course I'm really proud at that!! So I'll give this necklace away! To celibrate.

And talking about the 'following' thing... I don't follow people. I'm happy with you and that you follow me is a great honour. I'm really, really happy, you have no idea. But I don't follow you, not because I don't read your blogs. I do. But to be a follower myself, means, to me, or feels to me as, an 'obligation' to follow. I know, I make that kind of things heavier then they are but that's me, I'm afraid. Anyhow, I'm really, really happy with you.

Wanna get a shot on the necklace? Leave a respons before next Monday 11 October! And don't get sick! Seems this virus is going around the world!

Colour crafts

Sneak preview. Tonight I'll show you the result. First I have this really busy day!! And the thing is, that I started to feel a little 'sick' the day before yesterday. Yesterday, I was at a friend who had this mean virus for a week and although she's feeling much better, I got home feeling a little bit more worse and tonight was a bit of a short night. So I don't feel very well. I hope the evening will be here soon and I will be oke.