Thursday, January 29, 2009

Friday is my day: Ixela

Jaa
Hurray! I have been wanting to travel to Italy for a long time and now I've got a chance, let's fly to Torino and meet Alessandra aka Ixela, the sweetest architect in Italy! Besides her architect work she creates beautiful accessories from yarn, beads and vintage jewelry.
Enjoy the Italy! :)

It’s 6.30 in the morning... I have just opened my eyes... the alarm has already rung in our little flat under the roofs... it’s already time to wake up... today my very normal day is going to be a special one... just because I’m going to share it with you all!... Thank you so much dear Heli!!!

Right away we have our breakfast... everything is already prepared (croissants and a big cup of milk and coffe)... my dear hubby always wake up earlier then me since he his not a great sleepyhead!In the meanwhile we take a look at the television news and the weather forecast... then a little peek at my Etsy shop to check the news... I adore to receive conversations... they make me begin the day in a good mood!


Then quickly I get dressed (my hubby says I’m a real land snail!), I put on all my rings (I never go out without them... I feel naked!), one last glance at the mirror and then...



... speedily to the tram stop... I hope this morning I won’t have to wait to much there in the cold!!!


When I arrive in the midtown the city is still awakening... I really love to walk throught these peaceful streets while reaching my office... a little apartment in the old town center.



Here I meet Elena... she is the owner of the architecture and interior design office where I’m working since September of the last year... we design especially alpine architectures and stylish mountain chalets.


After about 4 hours sitted at my workstation, I leave the office to come back home... just a look at some lovely shops before reaching the tram stop again and two steps along the river... near my house there is a nice footbridge over the Po, the most important italian river and one of the four rivers which cross Torino.




It’s already 14.00/14.30 when I finally arrive again at home... I switch on my PC and the TV (well I have to admit I’m a television addicted!), just two little diet snacks for lunch (I’m always on a diet... and I have always to lose weight!!!), and I’m ready for my afternoon “Etsy session”...
I answer to the Etsy convos, I listed/renew some items, maybe I grab a t-west or a big T, sometimes a little jump in the EST thread, maybe even a little chat with my dear friend Silvia (http://silvia66.etsy.com/) who lives in Modena or with Triz (http://triz.etsy.com/) from Israel, then I work a little bit on some new projects... today I have to make a blocking (don’t you know what is blocking?... you can take a look here http://www.knitsimplemag.com/node/17) for some items I finished last evening and to arrange my Thank You cards.




The afternoon is alreay finishing... my hubby has just back home... I profit on him to take some photos to my last creation... in the bathroom there is the only plain wall in the house that I can use as a backgroud for my pictures during the cold season.

We live under the roofs so, only few walls are high enough... and those too are all full of furnitures, objects, vintage toys and little funny things... we have no children, but we ourselves are a little bit children yet!



And now I’m going to prepare something good for dinner, then a little bit of TV while crocheting a new scarflette on my lovely couch and finally once again in my bed already thinking of the upcoming weekend... me and my hubby will go for some shopping with our little Mini which needs to stretch its wheels!




Thank you so much for being with me today!
I wish you all a great and joyful weekend!!!



Thursday, January 22, 2009

Friday is my day: Fleurfatale

Jaa
Today we will meet Greet aka Fleurfatale from Belgium. She is a graphic designer who started to make jewelries with a huge succes. She is another supermom who creates besides the family and home works. Just have to wonder when? From where she takes that time?

fleurfatale.etsy.com

7h

We don't need an alarm-clock to wake us, we have 4 early birds in the house!And yes, I would give a fortune if I could sleep one morning till 9 o'clock! Mmmm: starting the day with homemade bread (by daddy and the breadmachine), still a bit warm, can you imagine a better start? I get dressed and help dressing the two little kids, combing hair, preparing sandwiches for their lunch, putting their shoes on and finally putting on the winter coats and hats and scarves... to go off to school...

8h
The 4 kids are off to school, and the puppets who are still home can take a little nap, it's mommies time now :-)I enjoy this silence, I don't even put on the radio :-)


8h15
Which pair should I put on? will I go for a run or just put my feet under my workbench and check my nightsales? I drop a quick good morning on the EST thread and woosh!!!!!!! I am off for a 5 km run.


9h
After my shower and a homemade smoothie (apple, banana and frozen raspberries) I log in to Etsy, I prepare some packages for PO, (I like making a beautiful package, but since I have done that so much in december, it has become such a routine :-((, well now I try to varie a bit in colors, ribbons and embellishments. )And guess what: I had to investigate in a big bag (that I bought on Etsy)to bring my orders to PO!


10h
lots of piles in my house:
- piles of laundry to do
- piles of vintage children books (which I collect)
- piles of packages to send
but what I like the most are the piles of supplies......... yeah!!!!!




11h30
time for lunch:smoked salmon, lettuce, tomatoes and a cereal bread... yummie!

12h
I pick up Meron at school and bring to her therapy, (she has a learning disablity due to famine when she was a baby.)in this institute she gets the extra help she needs, a blessing that this exists in Belgium!


13h
I try to take some pics of my creations on myself (I really don't want my head on it, don't feel like a model) but like this you see how it looks like on a real person, I think people really want to see it like that, before they decide to buy...


Working on new designs, just experimenting with materials and techniques, I made this houses and birds from paper clay, maybe I'll paint them or cover with vintage papers... don't know yet...

I don't make anything in felt today because I suffer from the carpal tunnel syndrom , and that happens when I am enjoying playing with felt so much! :-(A little peep in my workroom, behind the curtain is my workbench, really, you don't want to see it, it's a real chaos! :-)



14h30
It's such a cold, rainy day, normally I go to Ghent to the vintage market, but I really don't feel like it. I am having a relaxing Lavender bad en a mask on my face ( to keep wrinkles away :)


15u30
School is out, I take our vintage bike coach to go and collect the kids, we make people laugh a lot when we are passing by with the coach, and for mom it's a real work out!


18h
Once in a month on friday evening daddy gets a big bag of French fries at the local 'Fritkot', we eat them with fresh handpealed shrimps.a real feast for the kids!



19h
Time for the youngest to go to bed, but first a little story and then shhhhh: sleep well!and they happily slept ever after.... :-)


20h
the two oldest girls claim to stay up a bit longer and watch TV wit mum and dad. My laptop is never far away and I keep an eye an the treasury that will open in a moment... Yeah , I got one! Hubby and I close the evening by drinking a (well deserved) glass of cava...have a wonderful weekend, cheers!



Relaxfull weekend to everyone :)

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Friday is my day: Toosis

Jaa
The weather looks good in Istanbul today, I don't want to travel anywhere. So let's meet Pinar from toosis.etsy.com living in Istanbul. She makes silver jewelry using precious stones, sterling silver and gold. I am not a great jewelry person but I have to admit that there is something in her rings that makes my socks turn and rock...



What a difference a day makes 24 hours a day…


Hello, I was honored and exited when Heli asked me to prepare for her Fridays fun at her blog. I am an architect and work in my families’ business. I also design jewelry with silver and gemstones. I feel lucky to live in Istanbul where I can easily find any supply I need directly for the source. Friday’s are like my fun days because I work at my office Monday to Thursday and leave Friday’s for my jewelry designing process….


Today on my way to buy supplies I planned to stop at the exhibit of Miniature Rooms by Henry Kupjack at Rahmi Koç Museum



These rooms are 1/12 scale.


This one is a an old time pub.



when looked closely feels like a real room…


They are exhibiting 21 of these small rooms here… and I enjoyed looking in each and every one.



I couldn’t resist this Pink Cadillac at the museum.


I buy most of my supplies form KapaliBazzar in Sultanahmet / ISTANBUL


I need some turquoise.



And some onyx stones for my new designs. It’s hard to choose lots of different cuts and shapes to look at. Isn’t this fun….



I spent too many time shopping. Just grabbed a sandwich on my way to work.
Here is my office desk. After I check my mails, I usually browse my etsy shop http://toosis.etsy.com/


This is where I design and create… I admit that I tidied before taking the picture :)



These are my last three pieces. I can’t stop making more and more of these huge rings.


Can I wear all of them at the same time? Probably not…


A picture of Galata Kule on my way home…

And another beautiful siluet of Istanbul on my way back…



My boys are back from school and I have made home just on time… Now its play time for us until their bed time…



Lots of Love,
Pinar Sondal
www.toosis.com/english
http://toosis.etsy.com/


Happy weekend to you all :)