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

Queen of cooking

I get so much inspiration and influence from my fashion design lessons!

We talk about styles, designers, colors, details, tendencies for coming spring.

But winter is knocking on the door. In the morning we feel sometimes the breath of a cold air.

I like all seasons. But it is human - we wish always weather to be less warm in the summer and during winter more colors, more flowers. So do I. I have changed a bit my apron today using black and white fabric and adding a flower. Nice result. Almost ''haute couture'' for such everyday women exercise - cooking. The receipt of my favorite winter dish is simple - few flowers, snowflakes, a drop of humor and your dinner will be appreciated by all family.

Packaging - Upcycle2

Today I would like to make a presentation of the packaging upcycling.
The idea came from an article in a dutch magazine Textile plus.
I have asked authorization to use partly a content of this magazine for the presentation of upcycling ideas on my blog. If you do not read in netherlands, it is a nice opportunity to learn something new about a designers from the country where I leave - Netherlands.
The initial text was published in Textiel plus magazine number 211 in an article ''Van niets tot iets'' by Yvanka Linders. I do not pretend to be a professional translator.
My main purpose is to give you a new source of inspiration.

From nothing to something
Some designers start from an idea and work out it till the concept.
Others start from one material and then look for an idea and a final product.
How can you make something from nothing?
Let's take as example a packaging. We will see, that it can take totally different function then initial one. Why not to blow a new life in it?
Take one material and try to look at it differently.
Remove it from its usual context, give it a different form,  turn it in your hands, cut it.
The result is above your expectations!
If you have a limited choice of the materials, you have more chances to explore multiple possibilities. Limitation stimulates your fantasy and creativity.
Moreover you can practice with simple and low cost things.
In the beginning the expensive materials can block your experiments.
The packaging materials are our everyday basic things which we open and through away normally. Look, play, search and discover one-of-a-kind new form and idea.
Maybe you will see what nobody else have seen yet.
Nice and funny examples

 Chequita chandelier of Anneke Jakobs.

Upcycling designer Niels Craens made his famous lamp Enjoy Twice using cardboard drinking packages.

Dutch designer Wolfram Behrend made a table from typical paperbox from the supermarket

Laptop bag from Portland cement paper bag

Realistic sculptures made from cardboard by Chris Gilmour

A Pavilion of Pallets made by students of Aarhus School of Architecture in Denmark

Watch the fun video how it was built

Pallet office by Most Architecture published by Recyclart

Chips umbrella posted by Sunrise Packaging

Chandelier from milk crates posted by Curbly

Mini drum kit posted by Recyclart

And as usual cheer up and try to Upcycle2

My first pattern

I have made the introduction of the association SKVR where I am following the course of Fashion design.
Today I would like to show what we are doing there.
We have prepared the drawing of our future clothing.
The following step was to make ourselves the pattern and the seams from the simple white cotton.
It is already 3 lessons we are busy with this exercise.
And finally I have something to show you.
Our working creative environment:

Transformations of my dress:

Initial drawing:

The final presentation of my dress:

I have to choose the fabric in which I would like to sew this dress.
Next week I will go to the fabric store! There is no idea yet of the color and the texture of textile which I will use. There is something to think about this weekend! J'adore!

Your everyday jeans - Upcycle2

I do not know a person who does not have at least a pair of jean ? 

It became so popular for any age and any style persons. 

Even in the offices it is now-days acceptable by the dress code to wear a jean for the managers. 

It is comfortable, it is trendy, it is sexy and you can wear it for years. I remember DamDam had a pair of jeans which was 10 years old when I put it in the waste bin. It happened before the upcycling revolution came at our home.
I have posted already my own upcycling idea. 

Upcycling is one of the important subjects which interests me and while doing my own search I came across the announcement for The Ecouterre Recycled Denim Challenge supported by Gap 1969 Stream. 

I was planning to post my apron but we left home for vacation. 

Many crafters and designers posted their inventions. I will show some of them.

The famous brands as Levi’s commits to produce the water less jeans. Company focuses on the sustainability, promoting reuse, recycling and upcycling.

I come from Civil engineering world and was surprisingly satisfied to learn that it is possible to make wall insulation from old jeans. Maybe we can earn money soon by selling our old jeans to manufacturers producing this type of construction material.

So you have more ideas now what to do with your old jeans.

Waist bin ? Too easy ! Start to upcycle2

Upcycling denim collection from Ecouterre Recycled Denim Challenge.

Cute for babies:

Bags

Lace denim clutch

Denim accessoires:

Table setting mat

Denim Jacket

Denim corset

Geometric dress

Form fitting dress

Denim table by Ciske van Berkel posted by Recycleart

Upcycling idea - T-shirt of Zvet

Inspired by the interesting examples of T-shirt upcycling given in the previous post I have practiced this week.

The story is very short. I did not respect the temperature precautions for the washing cycle of this Tshirt.

It became too small. Pity, I liked it. It was possible to make 3 things from 1.

Here is a result. Hand warmers, broach and hair band. Charming and years 30's- 40's style.

Now available in my Etsy shop.

Before

After:

T-shirt avenue - Upcycle2

What you can do with your old T-shirt ? How to transform it ?

I will show you few examples today. 

But first I would like to write few worlds about serious subject - ecological impact of cotton industry. 

Are our clothes contributing to environmental disasters ? 

As the video from the article of Jeniffer Lance states, one t-shirt takes 2000 liters of water to produce, and that does not include the pesticides and herbicides used in production. Impressive in comparison with common t-shirt price!

Now you can open your warderode with the t-shirts which are laying few years, outdated. 

Get inspiration with the photos here, do your own search on internet for other ideas, explore your creativity and Upcycle 2.


Sachet pillows by zJayne

My boyfriend t-shirt by Chinese Arithmetic

Scarf by MTheoryClothing

Spagetti Scarf by Alterdelenda

Petal t-shirt by Ruffles and Stuff

Wedding Dress by Thread Banger

Project White t-shirt by Harald Lunde

Re(-)creation by Stacy J.Lee

Upcycling idea - kitesurf bag

Last week I have received the kite surf from one of Damdam's friend.
Kite was laying for one week as a big mass in our entry waiting his turn to be upcycled.
I speed up to open it and cut.
It is nice material to work with. Light and at the same time solid, the fabric has a thin grid to strengthen it.
It should resist against the wind pressure and a fall on the water. I do not know much about kitesurfing.
Even if my husband is fun of the water sports and of kitesurfing particularly, I can not talk hours about it. He can!
And as usual there is a story behind upcycling idea.

It was about 7 years ago. I did the kitesurf training. Surprising!
For summer vacation Damdam organized the training in french sport center UCPA.
If you take time and open website of this organization, you can notice that there are so many activities which you can choose.
I was young, naif and in love with my crazy husband. He did not even asked me which sport I would prefer to practice! He new that when you are beginner you need somebody to help you to operate the kite. As a happy young wife and also happy victim of my Damdam's hobby I learned few things about kitesurfing, wind direction etc, etc.
We were 10 in our group, only one lady. Guess who was it?
After 4 days everybody could swim with the kite in his hands, few man even took the board and could make 4-5 meter before falling into the water. Our trainer worried to leave me along with my kite, I was too much dangerous.
At the end I new that it would never become my sport.
I like to observe kitesurfers far from the beach. We are lucky to leave in Holland where the sandy beaches are huge and I can play with my boys safely while our Damdam amusing with the waves.
But his passion becomes also mine. I can do so much with the broken kites! It is 5-7 m2 of fabric!
First test is a simple bag. The colors of kites are usually bright with interesting picture.
Here it is, my kitesurf bag: