Show must go on

After almost 6 moths of designing, sewing, setting up my new shop Cabassole I am back to the up cycling part of me. Back to Moi Aussi activities and my main product - apron from upcycled jeans.
I have received positive feedback from my Etsy friends who are also constantly busy with the improvement of their shops and products. One of the comments was about sides of my apron, which are not covered with fabric.
In the beginning I was using only front of the old jeans.
Then I have decided to use the back in order to propose the bigger size.
The back of the same jeans is always larger.
It is funny, but women choose only aprons made from front.

The main purpose of the apron is to protect our clothes during cooking.
One evening I did not want to work and just browsed blogs of couture, recyclers and eco-fashion designers.
Without any purpose, just to pass time. Suddenly new idea highlighted my mind - how to improve my design.
Here it is my apron from upcycled jeans with the side parts from new fabric.
Cook in style and upcycle toooooo!

Slow living

I am trying to continue to pick up new ideas about upcycling from enormous sources of internet.
While reading many blogs I come across another ideas which are connected to my favorite subject.
One of it - slow movement and slow living.

Our life became so hectic!
Metro, boulot, dodo (french expression) - stands for ''metro, job, sleep''.

Running, running, running hole day and week trough. 

Slow movement it is everything about good life, healthy food, enjoying every simple moment of your life that can make you happier!

It is friday! Stop running! Enjoy your weekend!

One of my Etsy treasuries connected to this post

Photo-shoot of upcycled aprons

It is almost 1 year that I have started Moi Aussi and this blog. There were many times I was going to stop my upcycling experiments because of the many reasons. We have moved to another house, completely renovated it and we got a 3rd son. I was busy with many things but did not have enough time to keep up to date my blog and my Etsy-shop. During this year I have realized that my main product will be the apron from upcycled jeans. It is original and fun and I am very proud to put useless thing to another life-cycle.
The experience on the markets in the Netherlands, reactions within Etsy-community and my friends, support of my family and my husband prove that I need to continue.
One of my friends, photographer Frank van Naamen proposed me many times to make a photo-shoot of my aprons. As I was not a good model during the pregnancy, he has made a photos with different models. I was very happy with the photos - they are funny and clearly shows my creations.

I have used these photos to change the banner of my Etsy-shop.

From september my aprons are to sale in the shop Style Depot in Rhoon (Netherlands)

Upcycling idea - Standing lamp of Ikea

We are very busy with our new house. After years of leaving in the rented apartments or houses, where you not always have a possibility to change the environment as per your personal taste,  we explore now all our creative ideas. Some old stuff still placed here and there and I was ready to continue my upcycling experiments. One of them is transformation of standing lamp of Ikea. Many of young couples (as we were 10 years ago) start to furnish their leaving space with Ikea - affordable, nice and easy. So did we. From one house to another we took our Ikea lamps and they came almost to the end of their life cycle.
Instead of throwing it away I have tried to re-look one.
This is the initial image:

The entire lamp made from numerous conical frustums. In the beginning I had the idea to prepare the drawings of each section using mathematic formulas:) What an interesting idea! Finally I have found it too much preparation and cut the paper for every section in order to have ready pattern. I had many peacies of the colorful silk which I have used for my rainbow bag. 

Here is a result:

Catch the idea and upcycle too!

Curtain descends, everything ends...

The title of this post have inspired the words from one of the song which I was listening somewhere in december on the radio. At this period I have completed the idea of my dress for the end of the fashion design course which I follow. When I have chosen the fabrics, brought them home and assembled it on the dress form, I have immediately understood that it is the theatrical costume. That's why the words of the song stayed in my mind. Tomorrow will be the last lesson and I can show you my creation.

Last friday we were invited to participate in the photo session with the students of the photography course in SKVR. The teacher of the photo class Carina Hesper has announced us that our creations were supposed to be photographed on the models! Later it will come in the booklet.

It was very exciting and inspiring day! When I came into the room where girls (our models) were preparing for the photo session, the memory of my student's theater came up. Clothing, shoes, make-up, stylist, professional photo studio equipment - everything were here giving the artistic atmosphere.
3 photographers made a photos of my dress! Such honor for me! We were working on the small space between 2 staircases with Rivka de Jonge, suddenly 2 other photographs came to participate.

I would like to say special words to Rivka de Jonge who shared with me here beautiful photos and left kind words on here blog about our cooperation during photo shoot session.

Here are photos of my dress
photography: Rivka de Jonge
model: Gwen

I would like to show you more photos of the young talented photographer Rivka de Jonge.

Rainbow bag - 1st upcycling idea of 2011

Hi everybody
Finally after big break of the Christmas and New Year holidays I can type the story of the brand-new upcycling idea - Rainbow bag.
I feel that denim becomes my favorite material for the reuse projects. Being busy for 4 months with the collection, cut and reuse of it I cumulated a small bag of the jeans cuts.
It looked like this

Initially I had the idea of the christmas decoration. But I was so buy before Christmas that finally I have abandoned this idea.
In this beginning of the year I wanted to create something bright, collage of colors in combination with the dark but fashionable denim pieces. Another small bag of silk cuts waited his turn as well. I am shamed to show the photo of my studio. It represents a big big mess! I wish I can organize it the near future. But it is another story, the story of my new studio....shhh... it is only a project yet
Ok, in my small atelier 2 bags decided to place themselves nearby and highlight me a new bright idea.
I do not have a photo of the second bag content. There are a cuts of the silk fabric. I bought it in the month of december a long narrow piece of silk on the handwork fair in Rotterdam. The colors are my passion! I came across a belgian store. They sold beautifull threads for knitting. In their factory they produce luxury silk fabrics as well. When they start a new pattern the colors have to be tested. Thus come out long pieces containing the stripes of every color used for particular pattern. It is really beautiful! I could not leave this shop with empty hands. On the top part of every stripe there is a hand writing which delimite a narrow piece. It could not be used in any big project. But being a collector of amazing useless pieces I have left them for the ''better days''.
This is my new delightful creation - Rainbow bag.
Inside I have used a pocket from one of my jeans.
Now available in my Etsy shop

Today morning we were doing photos of my products with Damien. We were trying different position for this bag and children were observing us. Suddenly Gabriel came with his favorite bag and asked to make a photo of his bag. If mama shows her bag, I would like to show mine. The photo is so funny and connected with the upcycling story, that I have decided to show it. If you prefer the bag with Thomas train I will send you the address of the shop

Jumble parade

Two weeks ago we had a funny exercise to do on my design course.
We have being training our creativity during one lesson.
Everybody had to bring a piece or two of an old cloth and transform it in something totally new.
The main idea was - not to think, just explode imagination. We had only 2,5 hours to prepare our new garments and with the color scotch tape you can assemble easy and fast.
This is the picture of our jumble parade. Can you guess which one is mine?

Later I will show my original piece...

Tjota Tonja - upcycling idea

Tjota Tonja sounds and looks very strange for somebody who does not speak russian.
"Tjota'' (rus. тётя) means ''aunt'' and Tonja (rus. Тоня) is a translation of shorten russian name Antonina.
We always shorten our official names.
For example my name is Svetlana but my family and my friends call me Svet.

And the story of today is about dolls. It is not really my passion, I am not a collector either.
I have discovered recently an interesting blog of Marina Bychkova who makes the extraordinary dolls.
The story of her passion which became a world known with the brand Enchanted Doll called my memories  about the dolls from soviet shops. When I was small they sold a very popular doll "Zolyshka'' (Assepoester). I have tried to find the photo on internet of Assepoester which looks like one I had. On this site there are many examples of soviet dolls and probably mine was more or less like doll on the picture.

I remember I had to choose a toy for my birthday and we went to the shop with my mother. The dolls looked beautiful for me. I have asked my mother to buy the famous Assepoester promising not to damage it and keep it properly. Few weeks after we decided to play a "Hairdresser" with my sister and a poor Assepoester left our hairdresser shop almost bald.

All these souvenirs inspired my new upcycling idea - doll Tjota Tonja.

I had a T-shirt. As some of my clothes, it finished in the box with a spot on the sleeve.

It has a funny applique work of a lady on the front side. 

The label is ''Antognini Jeans'' from which name Tjota Tonja comes.

Here there are - my old t-shirt and a doll. Behind I have used my old pull-over.

I have 2 sons and they play with cars and constructors. 

If you like this doll, just write me email with your address and I will send it to you. 

It can also be used as a small voyage pillow in the car or train. The filling is soft polyester. 

Tjota Tonja will pack her bags and move to another country.

She should be happy, after months in the dark box she will start a new life in the house of a Winner!

Merci! 

As last the photos of the fragile dolls of Marina Bychkova

Pop Top - Upcycle2

Pop Top. What is it? Do you know?
I will make the presentation of this small and very useful thing.
I think everybody drinks time to time beverages from drinking cans.
The stay-tab opening mechanism calls Pop Top.

I did not know before that somebody collects this tabs and makes beautifull thing.

The initiative groupe of Escama Studio from Brazil assembled the hand crafters and local designers to make the recycled fashion accessories using traditional crochet techniques. 

Bag Leda 

Bag Luci

Broach Brooch

Belt Sandra

Behind this beautiful products are people with their stories, hard work and the intention to make this world cleaner. Watch the video showing how the pull tabs bags are made.

And the few words about Ermal Fraze who in 1959 decided to invent an improved beverage can.

First can did not have any openings and people had to purchase a separate opener.

After few adaptations of his initial design Fraze developed a can, known as a pull-top can.

Unfortunately pull-tops cans caused several injuries and drinkers even swallowed it.

Issue was solved in 1977 by the design of push-in and fold-back tab. 

The tab remains attached to the can and the principle is still used for the mass production of beverages today.

As last I would like to refer to the showcased on Brasilia Fashion week in 2006 the work of Ronaldo Fraga.

If you still have in your garage cans from the last summer party and you do not know what to do with them look at the tutorial given by Escama Studio and a treasury collection of designers from Etsy.

and

 try to upcycle too

Winter market in Poortugaal with Kwast & Lijm

Today I would like to make a presentation of the village where my boys go to school Poortugaal.
I do not speak yet good enough Netherlands. When I pronounce Poortugaal it sounds as Portugal.
There is a very big difference! We live in Holland.
But the country Portugal is on my list of places which I would like to visit.
Long description for short story - Winter market
I will make a publicity:

Huge choice of unique items 

for your Christmas and St Klaas presents

when and where

1 December from 14-00 till 21-00

Dorpsstraat

Poortugaal

I will be there together with my friends Jessica, Saskia and Angelique from Kwast & Lijm

We have a stand. Come to meet us and discover our products

These 3 nice ladies have a workshop atelier in the center of Rhoon.

If you would like to organize creative kids party it is the best address!

Here we are in the Atelier Kwast & Lijm

Not really nice skirt

There is a very interesting shop in the centre of Rotterdam which sells very unusual things Studio Hergebruik.
It's stands for ''Studio Reuse".
We always come in when we walk in Rotterdam. It looks like museum of recycling and upcycling.
After being started with my upcycling experiments and also with my work as an independent designer I was looking for a contact with this studio for further promotion of Moi Aussi products.
Last week I was invited to participate in the 3rd exposition of Studio hergebruik.
What a beautiful challenge! Every designer is supposed to send the photos of 3 items with a description for the selection of a jury.
I had already in my mind 2 things - kitesurfbag with Flower and apron Queen of cooking.
And here is a story of 3rd item - "Not really nice skirt"

I have received 2 bags fool of old clothes from one of my friends.
I like very much to work with jeans. When I was removing a stitches I have made a big hall.
It's a painstaking task - to undo all stitches! But I am not discouraged. 
After doing it many times I have worked out few tips and the preparation work seems to be easier now. 
So the initial idea was to make another apron, but with a big hole on the front side it was not possible any more. 
And the example of Formed fitting dress from Ecouterre denim recycling contest stayed in my mind. 
I have tried to go further with the look of a jeans put upside down.
The idea of the skirt was almost compeleted and the sketch as well.  
I have tried it on the dress form, made a selection of the textiles which are to be combined with a jeans.
I was excited to see how new model will look like. 
During a production process I have tried it on myself and when it was not ready yet thought: "oh, it is not really nice skirt; do you think it will be suitable for exposition''. With patience I have finished this garment and added last details - flower appliqué and small stripes. 
Finally very glad with the result I can say - ''It is really nice skirt!''
Hope my photos will attract the attention of the commission of ''Upcycling-recycling Nestors'' and my products will be exposed. Cross the fingers for me!


Front side:

Right side:

Behind:

Left side