Wednesday, 29 June 2016

Using Instagram to tell about my creative process

I've recently discovered Instagram (yes, a bit late, eheh) and immediately felt in love! It's my favourite social media and I find myself posting 1-2 photos everyday (only because I hold me to post 3 or 4 or 5).
I like that it's easy to use, quick (for busy people, too!) and with a strong sense of community inside.

You can find my profile under silvia_triv, if you like to interact or take a glance (or click on the black button on your right).

What kind of things I post?

To be honest, I've started to use Instagram to tell something about my job of tourist guide in Sicily
I write about it in a dedicated blog (mostly in italian with translations in english) and I use other on-line tools to spread the world with my joy and satisfaction about my job (a Pinterest board dedicated to Sicily, for exemple) and also to help tourists in some ways.
I decided to open an Instagram account as a support, but soon I started to post something else, here and there.

Now I use to post photos about:
  • me in action (there's also a tag used by me and other tourist guides: #touristguideinaction) and the beautiful places when I work (a big privilege!)
  • something about my life in Italy and Sicily: food, landscape, traditions, nature, events...
  • my life close to nature and country
  • my crafty life: materials, tools, my busy hands at the sewing machine, finished projects, parts of the creative process.
The last one is the best part of my being on Instagram.

As an artisan I think it's very important to tell people about your creative process. My customers are not buying products that are born in lifeless factories; there are very busy hands and a person behind handmade items.

People want to know who you are, how you work, what kind of materials you use, the values hidden in your small business / work ...

And (so much more important)... it's funny!

I can let my followers look at my prewashed fabrics drying on my balcony's cords (always prewash your fabrics!!!):



They can browse into my thread spools, so colorful:




I can show them how I use my handmade paper patterns to draw the cut line on fabrics...
... or my hands during a very hard step of bag making (inner zippers!!!) ...
... the finished items ...
... or even the 100% recycled packages I usually arrange (I do my best for the planet, you know!)...






Isn't it great?
Love it!

I'm a 100% Instagram enthusiast!

If you like, you can click on the images of this post to give them an earth or to follow me or to leave a comment. All these things will be really appreciated!

If you want to join this "creative process posting", take photos of you at work, or of your materials / supplies, don't forget the most interesting steps of your work and add one of the tags I use: #creativeprocess , #behindthescenes , #inthestudio (all of them, or the one you like best).

Do you post on Instagram to tell about your creative/artistic process?
Do you think it's important in some ways?
What are your favourite things to post on Instagram? 
Let me know! I'm sure I can improve my Instagram experience thanks to your comments!

Saturday, 18 June 2016

A place for my pens! [Recycling + crocheting]

recycled projects reuse glass bottles


Oh, yes, of course, I'm still alive!
:)
I had a lot do far for the blog and also my crafty life is a bit neglected right now, but all is ok. 
I'm fine, I'm happy, I'm still walking in my self-expressione journey!

I'm dedicating myself to some quick and easy projects these days.
A lot of crocheting involved in them!

Mum visited me in the first days of april and crocheted some Moleskine covers and pencil cases for my shop and I've completed them with fabric, zippers and/or buttons (if you are curious... peach Moleskine case with floral flap - red Moleskine cover with gingham flap - red pencil case).

crocheted ideas accessories

But I was also feeling the urge to crochet something by myself (I looooove to crochet!!! So relaxing!) and I decided to make something useful for my bedside table, always covered by my things (do you remember it in 2012?).

This is what I did:
  • saved from the trash can a little glass bottle (it was for black pepper and I like its shape) 
  • removed the plastic dispenser from the top
  • washed
  • covered with three stripes of crocheted yarn in colors I like


a place for pens on bedside table

Ta-daaa, finished!
:)

Now the pens I use to write with while I'm in bed have a nice place where to stay! Nothing so important, but pretty!
You know, I like covered bottles!

I also finished some sewing projects recently.
The only one I've photographed is the bag I've made for Vera's birthday!

tote bag made of Ikea fabrics

Vera bought two of my bags in the past, the sand tulip bag (pattern by me, altered a bit) and the grey tote (designed by me on her needs).
She liked my work so much, that her boyfriend decided to order me another one, totally new, designed by me.
He was in love with two Ikea fabrics, so I mixed them to make something unique for my sweet friend. 
I know she appreciated; this is the most important part of my work :)

*     *     *

Bags are not quick and easy projects like covering a tiny bottle, but I enjoy a lot the process.
I have a long list (in my brain) of new bags to make soon, mostly using recycled fabrics. And of course I want to sew other bags like the one I've made for Vera, because I like the result and having a new pattern designed by yourself, you know, is amazing! :)

But I still need some quick and easy to fill those 15 minutes I have here and then in my busy days.
Probably I'm going to find new projects in my Pinterest boards "things to try" and "inspirations".

But first I'd like to hear from you: what do you make/do if you have no time for big projects, but feel the urge to create?
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