Last days

I went shopping for groceries today, trying to avoid the big crowds tomorrow, when shops close early again in the preparation of New Year's celebrations. Three days of closed shops makes people stock up like it's 1999 again, filling their carts with amounts of food that would feed an army...

Bavarian still life

picture: ada.photo

Our last New Year in Bavaria is rainy and cold, hopefully some fireworks will cheer up the atmosphere tomorrow night. I'm not a big fan of loud explosions, it is real torture for animals and small children, but over here people seem to prefer more silent rocket fireworks that only make hissing sounds and leave colourful trails in the night sky.

*** Have a happy New Year 2010,

I'm looking forward to seeing all of you there! ***

In the pink

The last week of the year began with a nice surprise from Melissa, curator of The Speckled Pear, who has again included me in one of her delicious Etsy shop features.

This time the theme was pale pink and all the pretty items together look like a window display of a favourite shop.

What can I say - girls love pink! You might not wear it every day or decorate your home with it but I'm sure there is a box somewhere in your bedroom in which you might keep a pretty pink ribbon from your childhood doll, a pencil with a pink strawberry scented rubber or a tiny little notebook with pink striped pages that you saved in case there was something realy special worth writing in...

Quiet days

It's was bank holiday today in Germany and the streets have been empty for almost four days now, ever since the shops closed early in the afternoon on Thursday.

Christmas day was cold and cloudy so we decided to take the children to the Augsburg Zoo, one of the few establishments that never close their doors. The park was emptier than usual but still lively enough so the animals weren't completely bored - some of them didn't even notice the damp weather.

I like Augsburg Zoo - although not very large, it is well designed so the animals have spacious and very dynamic living areas with nice, easy-on-the-stroller paths running through the park (not to mention their lovely restaurant-biergarten where we always have lunch after the long walk).

And here is all that was left of our Christmas gift wrapping. I did it in a bit of a hurry, trying to hide it from the children. I wanted them to distribute the presents and since they can't read yet I drew our "portraits" on small paper cards and glued them to the parcels...

In the meantime, in the land of Etsy, Loddelina got featured in three lovely treasuries, one of them making it to the Front Page! Thank you so much, Jackie, Aldona and Rhiannon!

Tulips forever

I've made this Treasury yesterday, on a cold and rainy Christmas day, wishing spring would come soon...

Well, we are still a long way from there but one thing is certain - the days are getting longer again!

Merry Christmas!

Clockwise from top left: nouveaudesigns,

lisagrace, recycledparts, AmyGaines.

Sew nice!

Another pleasant surprise came yesterday from a fellow Etsy-ESTsian DeerLola, who included my It's a girl heart in her tender and romantic treasury in pale pink and green. Thank you, Ina!

And it was my turn to surprise others: yesterday was my mother's birthday and inspired by a recent European street team's challenge I made her a Friendship tote with a special embroidered inscription at the back.

And just before I put my sewing machine away and focus on packing for the big move to France, I've made this zippered pouch in burnt orange and rusty red striped canvas for a family friend we are leaving behind. She is a buddhist and that is why I've chosen to embroider a Dalai Lama's quote.

Be happy!

A golden feature

My Remember that rainy day decorative heart was featured in this romantic treasury list, made by filofashion.

I realy love the soft colours and delicate textures she has put together. Some of the featured artists I know and some I am glad to discover and make my favourites.

Thank you!

My EST challenge entry

I've just listed my first ever entry for European Street Team's weekly challenge.

This week's theme was Friendship. I've made a black denim tote with embroidered tulip on the front, growing out of a striped canvas pocket. On the back is a small embroidered watering can; for friendship is like a flower - if you want it to bloom, you have to water it regularly!

You can see all the entries for the theme Friendship at the blog post of last week's challenge winner, Kim from viltalakim, HERE.

Snowy Saturday

Last night brought us a thin layer of snow (hardly two cm, half an inch) which made everything look so clean and calm. Except for the poor black coat that somebody hung out to air in our backyard and then forgot about. It looked so sad and abandoned it the shiny snow...

Weeks before Christmas are usually very busy and filled with all sorts of celebrations. On Thursday I had a meeting at my son's Kindergarten, a weekly workshop for mothers for whom German is a second language. Apart from myself and a Russian mother, all the others ladies are Turkish.

Each week one of us brings some home baked goodies to enjoy with our coffee but this week, being our last date before the New year, the Turkish ladies organized a real feast (they called it breakfast but it was more like lunch and dinner all rolled into one). In a few minutes the small table in the meeting room was covered with tupperware pots in all shapes and sizes, full of yummy dishes: peppers and aubergines filled with rice, vegetables on toast, little croissants with vegetable filling, potato salad, goat cheese and olives, not to mention the cheese cake and sweet almond slices we had for dessert!

Friday was the day I met with my other group of mothers, my friends since we came to Augsburg 3 years ago. A good opportunity to show off my new Peskycatdesigns messenger bag! I love my new bag, so practical and elegant at the same time!

And I haven't even showed you what a cute package I've received from Fallon, the creative force behind Etsy's shop Olive. I've won her 50's Birdcage Pillow in a recent giveaway and I just love the little sticker with mini clothespin she's put on top of the parcel!

Woman at work

Yesterday I started working on a new tote, trying out some new fabric I have bought recently (nice and heavy black denim) and matching it with colourful pieces of the handwoven basque cloth.

My initial inspiration was spring (Christmas isn't even here and I'm already fed up with winter and the icy cold), but it later evolved as I decided to join this week's challenge, organized by Etsy's European Street Team.

The amazing ladies from EST meet every day in the forum thread, where they discuss everything, from their creative progress to cooking recipes&cold remedies and share all the latest listings, Treasury lists and blog posts. Every Monday the new theme is announced by the winner of the last week's challenge and then members have one week to make and list an item, inspired by the theme.

The challenge (and the relatively short deadline) seems to bring out the best in everyone, giving amazing results, each creating an item in their own signature look. This week the theme is "friendship" and you can follow the listed items as the last week's winner, Kim from viltalakim, posts them on her blog.

We meet back here in a day or so if you want to know what the final result of my challenge attempt looks like...

Update 19-12-09

See the final result HERE.

And thanks to Laura from BlueTerracotta, another fellow ESTsian, my Bee mine decorative heart was featured in recent Treasury West along with some delicious honey/caramel items. Thank you!

I'm back!

Herz Jesu church, Augsburg

We came home last night, it was just after midnight when we stopped in front of the house - the ground was covered with first frozen snow and the air was icy cold. We had to carry two sleeping children inside, wrapping them up in blankets so the cold wouldn't wake them up (not a simple task in the age of safety belts and special car seats. When I was a child, the car safety ment you made sure you didn't run out of gas in the middle of nowhere and everybody had to learn how to change a flat tyre...).

The house was in the same state of chaos we left it ten days ago. We always pack in such a rush, me stuffing all the essentials in suitcases and the children pulling them out again behind my back. They call it "helping", I call them my "non-assistants".

Today, after sending Gaston to kindergarten in the back seat of his father's bicycle, Lily and I set off to clean the mess. For the next three hours we were vacuuming, dusting, arranging the toys back in their boxes, the books back on their shelves, unpacking the suitcases and even managing to cook a simple lunch. It took Lily five minutes to fall asleep in the stroller afterwards and as soon as we were back in the house I sat down with a glass of latte macchiato and rewarded myself with some yummy home made cookies my mother gave me before we left. Phew!

While I was away I made some sketches for new handbags and bought some new fabric I'm itching to try - I will soon post pictures of my work in progress!

And another thing: my Sales Fairy has been busy again, bringing me another Treasury West feature - this time it was Maria from HeartshapedCreations that sellected my decorative heart for her Christmas inspired sellection. This makes it a third feature for my Open your heart ornament in one week...

Thank you, Maria!

Wow

I should go on vacation more often...

One week away from my computer, just barely getting a chance to check my emails every day - and Loddelina gets featured in four Etsy treasuries, two of them making it to the Front Page!

The second FP was a treasury list I wasn't even aware of, made by DeerLola, and I only noticed the Front Page factor - an unexpected rise in item and shop hearts...
Thank you, Ina, for featuring my wooly Malina handbag!

The last Treasury West feature includes my decorative heart again, this time in a very elegant and sparkly collection of items made by Michele from steinschmuckdesign - her Sales Fairy has arrived safely a few days ago and I will post some pictures of her in her new "working" station, when I get back home.
Thank you, Michele!

Two new Treasury features

Quite a busy weekend in Etsy world!
I got featured in two Etsy treasuries; the first one was curated by Inkesque and has a warm and delicious feel of fresh cup of coffee (I take mine with milk and one sugar, please). My chocolate and oatmeal wooly backpack fits in perfectly with all the cozy shades of brown.


The second one, chosen by CityOf Dionne, has a holiday theme and features one of my hearts. I like the colours Dionne selected for this treasury, proving there is more to Christmas than red, white and green...

Thank you!

Update 8-12-09

Dionne's Treasury made it to the Front Page this morning! This brought a lot of views and hearts to both the featured heart and my shop.

The Sales Fairy

Soon after opening my shop on Etsy I have joined it's European Street Team - EST. I discovered that their regular forum threads are very lively community updates, where members chat about their latest work, blog updates and other projects.

One of these projects was born quite unexpectedly when Inger from Ingermaaike listed a handmade "sales fairy" with a purpose of brightening up a rainy day and sending some good vibes to the shopowner who buys it...

Now, a month and a half later more than 40 sales fairies have flown from their creators to new homes, each buyer making their own fairy and listing it in their shop for the next team member to buy. The purchase often happens a few seconds after the fairy has been listed, because their activity is followed on EST forums with great interest, everybody wants to be a part of this chain.
Last Wednesday, while packing for my trip to Slovenia, I quickly logged on the EST forum, not intending to stay long, and was thrilled to find out that a new fairy is about to fly out. I quickly camped outside steinschmuckdesign's shop and caught the fairy the moment it was listed! I feel so lucky, not only because the sales fairy will help me with my shop but also because Michele has made such a beautiful job - I love it!

sales fairy by steinschmuckdesign

OK, what now? I've caught my fairy, now I have to make another one and send her out. The sooner the better, the girls said. And forgetting about all the packing and the work I still had to finish before I go on holiday, I quickly started making my fairy. An hour later Beeba was born, but it was already dark outside so I decided to wait until morning to take some pictures and list her in my shop. All I had to do the next day was drop a note on the EST forum about my fairy and seconds after she was listed another member snatched her up. Didn't I tell you she will bring me sales?

Sales fairy by Loddelina

The Beeba sales fairy went to DeerLola and as far as I know one or two more have flown to their new homes since. You can see all the fairies made so far HERE - they are all a work of instant inspiration, made on a moment's notice because you never know when a chance to catch a fairy will come (and you can't list a fairy before you catch one yourself).

I wonder where this chain will end. While I wait for the package from Michele to arrive, I'm keeping a close eye on the EST forum to follow every step of this fairy tale...

The Holiday Gift Giveaway at City of Dionne

"Bee happy" decorative heart by Loddelina

Hello from Slovenia,

We arrived late last night and I just found a few moments to escape to the computer (I love visiting my hometown but always have such a busy schedule with all the errands and visits...)

If you are interested in some free handmade goodies (who isn't?), here is a link to the wonderful City of Dionne, that is hosting a big Holiday Gift Giveaway full of beautiful Etsy treasures (I am participating with a decorative heart Bee happy).

Dionne will chose three lucky winners from all the entries and send them three yummy packages full of little presents at the end of the giveaway early next year.

What a way to start a New Year!

Bloggers ornament exchange 2009 - update

My ornament exchange partner Donna of Brynwood Needleworks has already received her ornament (wow, that was fast, five working days from Germany to Florida!) so this post won't spoil the surprise. I can't wait to get her handmade creation...

I was glad to take part in this exchange (you can see more participants HERE), it was great fun designing a simple, but elegant christmas ornament. I wanted to make more of them and offer them in my shop in sets of two, that is why I asked my blog readers to help me decide which messages to put on (thanks for your help, the winners were joy and peace).

But I have been so distracted lately, the news that has been official for some time has only now reached the top of my mental to-do list: early next year we are moving to France!

I will tell you more details when I start the serious preparations for our move; at the moment I am dealing with the boring stuff, like cancelling all sorts of contracts and notifying everybody about our departure. The day after tomorrow we leave for a 10-day visit to Slovenia and in the second half of December we will try to enjoy our last Christmas season in Augsburg.

Moving with the whole family is a stressful business but I am looking forward to making a home on a more permanent location and settling down with my husband - five years, four appartments, three countries and two children later it is the right time...

A tiny bag for a tiny girl

The bag is 18 cm wide and 21 cm high (7 x 8 inch) with 8 cm (3 inch) wide bottom and 28 cm (11 inch) handles.

I've finished a custom order today, a tiny little tote for a baby girl. Baby's aunt, a nice Turkish mama I've met at the kindergarten, wanted a really small and cute tote for Eylem Naz, who was born two months prematurely, weighing only half of what a healthy newborn is supposed to weigh.

So I've embroidered the baby's name in deep pink on a pale dusty pink linen-viscose blend and added a butterfly in multicoloured thread. For the lining I used a vibrant rose print to add some colour.

Eylem Naz is now past her official birth date and is growing bigger every day. For now she might use her bag to keep an extra pacifier - and later, who knows. Girls never need a reason for a new handbag.

The Christmas market

Augsburg, Rathausplatz, via Augsburger Christkindlesmarkt

Today I spent the evening at Augsburg's Christkindlesmarkt - the Christmas market with Gaston and Lily. Days are getting so short now that there is no point in going to the playground after four since it gets dark before we manage to get the children dressed and actually leave the house...

Augsburg's Christkindlesmarkt has a 500-year history and each year they try to think of new ways to decorate the city. The city centre, which is closed for traffic all year round, turns into a river of lights and little wooden stands where they sell pretty handmade christmas ornaments, toys and little gifts, with every fifth stand or so offering refreshments. The air smells of sausages and sweet&spicy Glühwein, warm wine that also comes in alcohol-free version for children.

B-day

Haha, I've just noticed this message - thank you, Etsy, it reads like a birthday card inscription...

And thanks to all of you who have sent me e-cards, sms notes and called me today with your best wishes! Thank you for the presents - et merci pour les roses, Chéri!

Damjana

Gloomy November

Augsburg, November

Tomorrow is my birthday and eventhough I'm not one of those women who deny these personal celebrations and hate being reminded of getting yet another year older, I never realy liked the season I was born into (sorry, mom, but you know how it is, being born on December 22nd yourself...).

I've always wanted to have my birthday in the summer, when the weather is sunny and warm and one can have a picnic outside and the day just seems to go on forever. Instead, my birthdays have been mostly gloomy, rainy days, sometimes covered in first snow, turning into slush under your feet. Once in my twenties I came up with the idea of celebrating half-birthdays, having a party in May instead of November, or to move to the Southern Hemisphere and enjoy the reversed seasons...

I came sooooo close to this last idea when my husband's job sent him to South Africa for half a year and we moved to Cape Town in June 2006. As much as I regretted leaving the European summer behind, I was looking forward to finaly having my birthday party outdoors the following November (South Africans love the barbecue, or braai, as they call it). But, because of some problems with our visa extentions, we were obliged to leave a few weeks sooner than we had planned and so we flew out on my very birthday - with all the packing and the new baby (Gaston was 10 weeks old when we left South Africa) there was no time for any kind of celebration.

Well, there is always the next birthday...

Free shipping for Loddelina woolies!

After redoing the pictures of my Sakado backpack purse (the old ones were too dark and with too much distracting background) I've decided to offer free shipping for all Loddelina wooly handbags. I've followed Etsy's instructions and added EtsyFreeShipping tag on those items, I hope they get some exposure that way.

So if you make your holiday purchase until December 11th, these four fuzzy beauties will be sent to you without shipping costs and I will gift wrap them at no extra charge if you so desire.

A windy day

Yesterday's windy day reminded me of my dog Žuža, a lovely Bernese Mountain Dog lady, who is no longer with us. Being a dog with thick winter coat she used to love going out on a cold, windy and slightly damp day, when she would sit up straight on the top of a small hill behind the house, lift her nose to the wind and happily sniff the far away smells it brought with it.

For Žuža, sniffing the lamp posts and house corners was like reading the printed edition of a local newspaper - one gets fed up with the same stories being written over and over again. But raising her nose against the wind was like connecting to internet - she could get a quick sniff of what was going on miles and miles away, but only for a brief time, which made the news so much more interesting.

I miss my dog, she passed away just a few days after my son was born so my children never had a chance to meet her. Since the babies came there wasn't much time or opportunity for a hairy addition to our family - but I've been a dog and cat person all my life so as soon as the children are big enough to understand the basic dos and don'ts of the animal kingdom, we will try to introduce a pet into their lives...

A gift for Sabine

The bag measures 23 x 29 cm (9" x 11.5") with 45 cm (18") handles

This is a small boy tote I made for Sabine, my lovely friend who has bought two Loddelina bags last week. We had a mamas-only dinner on Wednesday and to thank her for the purchase I've included this little bag for her son, Timo (although she liked it so much she might keep it for herself! Girls and purses, what can you do...)

Homemade Christmas tree

I love this homemade Christmas tree I found in one of the magazines.

It is so easy to make and doesn't take up as much room as the real (or plastic) tree.

This decorative ladder can be made out of a few branches you find on your walk through the woods or local park. Just screw the branches together securely before tying them with a nicer looking string, hang some handmade ornaments (you can find plenty of those on Etsy...) and attach some metalic candle holders you get in a hardware store (or simply wrap some simple all-white Christmas lights around the branches).

And don't forget the presents...

Lovely Clusters

Rachel, whose blog Lovely Clusters I enjoy very much, has recently given her readers a chance to create a cluster of their favourite things - you can pick out 9 items you think look great together and arrange them in a collage. It's like making a mini Etsy treasury without waiting for the free spot!

A few days ago I proposed my own 3x3 sellection, inspired by snowflakes - and it got published! You can see more of the reader-curated clusters HERE...

Cath Kidston, the creative force behind U-handblog, a place where you can find loads of fabulous& free sewing tutorials, has just published her new sewing book. You can sneak a peek and with a little bit of luck even win a copy of the book if you enter her giveaway HERE - but hurry, the deadline is November 20th!

Yey, another sale!

Last night I made a doubble sale on Loddelina - I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw two items dissapear from the shop and reapear in the Sold section...

It tourned out that a friend of mine from Augsburg has purchased the Ola wooly Christmas bag and the Ada harvest print tote! Next Wednesday we have our monthly mamas-only dinner party so I can bring her the bags in person...

Who says Friday the 13th is unlucky day?

Thank you so much, Sabine, Vielen Dank!

La vache!

Fancy a cow-tastic holiday?

I saw this set of luggage in one of the town shops yesterday and just had to take a picture...

Baroque Extravaganza

I made another Treasury last night - this time I collected the items around the slightly mischievous Marie Antoinette doll made by Heather Louise at thedollfarm.

The queen's name itself brought up tons of different items in the search and I used some additional tags like baroque, rococo and versailles to make the final selection. If only I had a picture of Kirsten Dunst in one of her court gowns from the Sophia Coppola movie...

2009 ornament exchange

Check out this lovely Christmas ornament exchange...

I'm in!