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!

Swan Market in Rotterdam 17th of July

I have tried already to show and sell my products on 2 markets and every time it was a such bad weather! No luck!
During the Christmas market in my village it was so cold and on 25th of June in Utrecht for Zelfgemaakte markt it was raining and raining hole day. I tell myself that I should try another one, it will be good weather. So I will make a publicity:
Come to discover ''Moi Aussi'' products on 17th of July on Swan Market in Rotterdam

• Swan Market
• sunday 17 juli
• 12.00- 17.00 uur
• ROTABS Stylecenter
• zaagmolenkade 46 te Rotterdam

Bath-train or Lazy Sunday in Rotterdam

Long long time absent in my blog and I missed it so much!
This summer we spend our holidays in the city. So be it for one reason...
Luckily the weather this year is pretty good, sun is shining and there are many festivals organized in Rotterdam.
''Summer sundays'' is the festival of the vacation in the city. In the park near Euromast people come with picnics, barbecues, bottles of vine or champaign to relax, listen to the music, play with children chat or simply laying on the grass and watching the sunny sky.
So did we last weekend. The funny activity for the children was a bath-train. The group of 3 creative persons Dan, Gasper en Milena made it possible for our kids with their Vespaqua trein. It is really funny - the vintage baths on the weals full with warm water and you can make your a sunny tour round a park. But as usual there is a story behind  (from summer sundays site:

''In bath while enjoying nature? Vespaqua, the world's first mobile Italian bath,opens its doors to anyone who wants Bellisimo bath. Vespa Ape 500 in 1966, thelocomotive, the cars are pretty elegant baths, a boiler house is the station, waiting for the next train ... along scenic routes through the park surrounded by green leaves andsunshine. Away from the crowds, with relaxing music and a good espresso. No swim suit with you? Not bad, Vespaqua provides everything: bathrobe, slippers, beachwear, towels. Change and can wait to the friendly station. Book for yourself orfor two and experience the feeling of Vespaqua, mobile Baderie''


Rotterdamers on the grass

Bath-train is going to leave

Vintage decoration by Vespaqua:

Boiler providing heat water and the vintage changing cabin:

Our beautiful Rotterdam

Textile museum Tilburg

We live almost 4 years in Holland and try to visit museums, national parks, different cities as much as possible.
Holland is usually associated with Amsterdam, tulips and cheese. It is worth to be visited and tested but there is much more.
One of the treasury which we have discovered recently is Textile museum in Tilburg.
One of the interesting facts that it is not only the museum, but running factory with the small production of wool blankets, weaved, knitted, embroidered, printed textiles. Here professionals and students can try new techniques and their own designs.
The building was perfectly restored from old neglected brick construction to the modern and stylish complex.
I love dutch architecture. They are so many buildings which received a new soul thanks to the contemporary dutch architects.
What impress us as well when we visit museums in Holland, that there is always something to do with kids. And not only list of questions provided to them. Usually it is allowed to touch, try, play with the exposed objects.
My older son was very happy to make about 2 cm of weaved textile with the bike-like device.
There is a working weave machine which  is driven by the movement of the pedals! Incredible! It was very funny to see him biking and saying: ''Mama look, I am working hard!"
My both sons made a piece of knitted textile together. In the textile lab hall there is another machine with a hand mechanism to show children how their socks are produced. They turned a handle for making 2-3 cm of knitted sock. Suddenly we heard explosion of laugh when museum employer put on the button and their sock became in two seconds much longer.
It was very nice visit.
When you will have a chance to come to Holland, put this address on your list.

Machine from Woolen Blanket Factory (everything is working)

Just piece of textile I like inside Woolen Blanket Factory

Modern weave machine

Damask Weaving Centre with huge wooden machines

Furnitures covered with Damask linen on the top level

Museum cafe

Building and summer terrace from outside

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