I love Sophie

I recently finished the last Sophie Kinsella novel, Twenties Girl, and enjoyed yet another of her adorably flakey, good at heart heroines. Checking her home page today to see what titles she is preparing for her readers next, I found out she has only recently had a baby, a baby boy number 4! While her publicist is announcing another novel in a Shopaholic series for September, Sophie is enjoying her new baby Rex and this elegant old - fashioned pram she bought for the Becky Brandon in her.

image: www.sophiekinsella.co.uk

The picture made me laugh and I remembered the first time I came across a Sophie Kinsella book - it was two years ago and I was browsing through English books section in a shop in Augsburg, trying to find a perfect book I would take to the hospital with me - my daughter was due any day and I wanted to have some nice reading just in case I get fed up with German tabloids. The title of her then latest novel, Shopaholic and Baby, immediately drew my attention and from the moment I opened the paperback, I was hooked!

Later that week, in maternity ward at the Augsburg's Josefinum Klinik, instead of resting from the labour, I spent every free minute devouring the book, not even noticing how the laughing made my stitches hurt...

After that I searched the Amazon for other Kinsella titles and spent many sleepless nights cuddling my new baby in one hand and holding the book in the other.

I can't wait to read the new Kinsella book, Mini Shopaholic - judging from the title, Becky's little girl is turning our to be just like her mother. I guess Kinsella, with her four plus one boys, will never get tired of writing plots for her girly heroines...

New in my shop

Here she is, another Pupa shoulder bag, made from the delicious Basque cloth I got a couple of weeks ago. I chose this plum purple and rusty red striped combination and paired it with some chocolate brown upholstery canvas and cotton webbing shoulder straps in oatmeal colour.

I have another similar bag a few stitches away from being made but today I ran out of time & daylight to finish it...

These days I'm lucky to be able to make one bag a week - and last week I made a special version of Pupa for a friend who celebrated her 40th birthday with a huge party over the weekend.

Check back soon for more Loddelina bags!

One year of blogging

I can't believe it has already been a whole year since I started this blog! I have enjoyed writing ever single post, be it about a new bag in my shop or some interesting pictures I took of the things that inspire me, not to mention the fun I have with Flashback Friday.

And most of all I enjoy reading your responses and seeing how my work echoes in the blogosphere - it is a very welcome feedback and I want to thank all of the Loddelina friends for your support and kind comments!

Over the weekend I have experimented a little with the cool new Blogger template designs. After trying out a few I have decided on this neutral looking poppies background and a new banner. I tried some other, much more colourful background photos, but they took too much attention away from the posts - and after checking the new site on my iPod touch I could see that the background doesn't matter much on the small screen anyway...

I used this picture of a row of houses in Augsburg to make my first blog banner. What do houses and handbags have in common? I'm not sure but somehow I couldn't resist the warm colour combination and the lovely pattern of the windows... I guess one can find creative inspiration anywhere, even looking at pretty houses, right?

I am looking forward to my second year of blogging and I invite you all to join me - and if you can spare a few clicks, I would love to hear what you think of my blog's new look!

Flashback Friday

The football worldcup in South Africa brings back soooo many flashbacks - it was almost exactly four years ago that my husband and I moved to Cape Town for six months, following his job.

Flying to the Southern Hemisphere at the begining of July 2006 ment changing from hot and long summer days to South African winter of 12°C and nights that fall before 5 PM. But the beautiful beaches of False Bay south of Cape Town, where we lived, were even more spectacular in winter time and the following september, at the peak of whale watching season, we were able to see majestic right whales from our living room window, swimming only 30 metres off shore.

Boulders Bay near Simon's Town - a penguin sanctuary

I was 6 months pregnant when I came to Africa and our son was born in Cape Town. Attending prenatal classes, held by a group of midwives, going to a state of the art, women-only gym for special prenatal gymnastics and finally giving birth at a modern private clinic, was in sharp contrast with the reality of South Africa, where every third pregnant woman is HIV positive and far from being able to afford a decent medical care.

South Africa is also one of the most crime infested countries in the world where those, who have, lock themselves from those, who have not, by living behind bars and hiring armed response security.

Nevertheless it is the most amazing country I have ever visited, with breath taking landscapes, delicious local food and friendly people whose arts and crafts are a neverending source of inspiration - from fancy pottery, patchwork blankets and carefully carved wood one finds in galleries to sculptures from scrap metal and miniatures, made of beaded wire, sold by the roadside.

The Waterfront - Cape Town

Me by the sea - a tidal pool at St James beach

(I am wearing a prototype Loddelina Sakadó backpack - a faithfull companion throughout my African experience!)

These days French TV is full of stories and documentaries about South Africa, the land and it's people. We enjoy these nostalgic moments and it makes us plan a Cape Town holiday in the near future - South Africa is definitely a country worth visiting!

Check out more flashbacks at Christopher and Tia's blog.

This week's inspirations

Flowers on the windows of a nearby house,

at the local farmers' market

and a bouquet of flowers in my bedroom.

My day Monday

June 21st - Fête de la Musique

clockwise from top left: TheHouseOfMouse, edmdesigns, artreasury and thespottedsparrow.

Latest treasury features

Who doesn't like to browse through pretty shop windows...

In the past week Loddelina was lucky to be featured in three lovely Etsy treasuries.

First is a romantic, tulip inspired treasury, made by Liat from BoydemTreasures, who has a sweet shop of wooden treasures "from the attic". The treasury features my Jaja basket purse with embroidered tulips.

The second, equally stunning selection and featuring my Bella bunny pouch, was put together by Joy of joieux, where you can find some realy elegant jewellery.

And the third, a lovely collection of items around bird theme, was selected by Liga from FiligreeCreations, a place to find unique lamp shades.

Thank you!

Some yummy new fabric

I got these delicious cuts of basque cloth from my mother in law who purchased them at her recent visit to Pays Basque. Multicoloured striped cotton canvas is made by the artisans of La Maison d'Artiga and every year they launch a few new collections, using rich, contrasted colours as their trademark.

Basque cloth is traditionally used to make espadrilles that come from that very region but the vibrant stripes have inspired many other uses. As it is quite expensive, I like to use my precious swatches of basque cloth very carefully, mostly as embellishment by pairing them with solid colour fabrics, like in this case.

Since the picture was taken this morning, I have already cut out a few patterns and will be adding some new Pupa shoulder bags to my shop very soon...

New in my shop

Phew, after some friendly persuasion my sewing machine is willing to cooperate again and this is what we made: four new zipper pouches.

I redesigned a Ma-ma zipper pouch I once made for myself - for carrying around an emergency nappy change for my daughter. I found it so much easier to take only the small pouch with a couple of fresh nappies, a small packet of wet wipes and some barrier cream when I have to quickly change my toddler in a public change room or toilet.

The pouch can be also used to store some of your essentials that you keep in the car or office desk: some tissues, a packet of gum, a small notebook, a flashlight, some band aid, tampons... and of course, an emergency chocolate bar!

I have made four colourful pouches so far - in case you want one with yours or your child's name on it I can make you a custom pouch of your choice with some personalized freehand machine embroidery.

The new Loddelina pouch is called Nini, which is how my daughter Lily calls herself. These days she is quite down, mostly sleeping or cuddling in my arms with high fever and angina.

Get well soon, Nini!

Lucky 13

art by mailelani

Are you superstitious?

I'm not so I consider 13 to be a lucky number.

Wanna be my lucky 13th customer?

Buy any bag or purse from Loddelina shop and get a free decorative heart of your choice!

My day Monday

cars

clockwise from top left: ixela, secdus, kajadesign, starrybluesky.

My creative space

This post was supposed to be about the new zipper pouches I have been working on lately - but instead of sewing I was happy to receive guests this weekend, a German family we became friends with during our stay in Augsburg. They arrived on Thursday and shared Sunday breakfast with us before they had to go back home. The flat looks quite empty now after three days spent in the company of four children under 4!

So instead of a photo of my sewing table I will share with you a picture of our front door from yesterday afternoon...

Now back to work!

Bird music

On daily walks through Pontarlier I try to explore my new hometown as much as I can.

I have already found my (so far) favourite chocolate shop where they sell delicious macarons, a crèmerie, where they sell fresh milk (you bring your own bottles) and some lovely home decoraton shops that make me want to live in their shop window.

Sometimes it is not what the shop sells that interests me, but how they decorate their wondow. It is easier when all you have to do is arrange many attractive items together, but so much more difficult when you want to presend an abstract, intangible thing.

So I was pleasantly surprised to find these happy birds in a window of a shop that sells concert tickets. The musical birds, not two completely alike, are made from what looks like polymer clay and their colourful wooden houses make a perfect background.

I like the red&white polka dot house with a blue roof best. Which one is your favourite?