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!!!):

Prima di iniziare a cucire devi prelavare le stoffe. Questa, comprata ieri, è stesa ad asciugare in attesa di diventare una borsa. Before sewing, fabric need to be prewashed. Bought this fabric yesterday and washed today. Now it's drying, waiting to become a bag. #creativeprocess #behindthescenes #sewingprojects #sewingprocess #fabricaddiction #bagmaking #ikeafabric #crafty #cucito #cucire #stoffe #stoffeikea #processocreativo #fabric

Una foto pubblicata da silvia triv (@silvia_triv) in data: 14 Mag 2016 alle ore 10:06 PDT

They can browse into my thread spools, so colorful:

#tools on my desk: thread, rulers, scissors, notebook. Sulla mia scrivania oggi, vicino alla macchina da cucire. #creativedesk #behindthescenes #craftysunday #craftingabag #craftytable #craftydesk #sewingtools #strumenticucito #cucirechepassione

Una foto pubblicata da silvia triv (@silvia_triv) in data: 26 Giu 2016 alle ore 09:58 PDT

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!)...

Ready to cut some #recycled upholstery fabric to make bags with! Happiness!!! Felicità è... un'oretta libera per tagliare del damasco di recupero per farci presto delle nuove borse! #bagmaking #creativeprocess #behindthescenes #inthestudio #cucireborse #stoffariciclo #stoffariciclata #upcycledsewing #upcycledsupplies #borsariciclata

Una foto pubblicata da silvia triv (@silvia_triv) in data: 21 Giu 2016 alle ore 06:46 PDT

Bag making. Installing an inner zipper my way. Sto cucendo una borsa e sono tutta presa dal mio personalissimo modo di inserire una cerniera nascosta alla sommità della borsa. E, si, non sembra, ma mi diverto :) #bagmaking #bagdesign #creativeprocess #behindthescenes #inthestudio #sewingprocess #sewingprojects #sewingtips #etsy #etsyitaliateam #cucireborse #borsefatteamano #procedimento #craftysunday

Una foto pubblicata da silvia triv (@silvia_triv) in data: 22 Mag 2016 alle ore 07:43 PDT

Just finished! Same mix of recycled and organic fabrics for: - moleskine cover - wallet for girls Appena finiti! Ho usato lo stesso mix di stoffe di riciclo e bio per: - copertina per Moleskine - borsellino #etsy #etsyitaliateam #etsyseller #etsyshop #ecofriendlysewing #ecofriendlyshop #ecofriendlyaccessories #moleskinemania #moleskineaddicted #moleskinecover #moleskinecase #portafoglioragazza #borsellino #borsellinodonna #regaloecologico #negozioecologico

Una foto pubblicata da silvia triv (@silvia_triv) in data: 24 Giu 2016 alle ore 06:24 PDT

100% #recycled #packaging. I'm going to shop this to Singapore and all is recycled ... paper, ribbon, plastic wrap and yellow envelope! #savetheplanet !!! Packaging 100% riciclato per un ordine che se ne va a Singapore. Tutto è stato recuperato, la carta velina, il nastro, la busta di plastica e quella gialla. Qui si fa del nostro meglio per salvare il pianeta!!! #etsy #etsyseller #etsyshop #etsyitaliateam #packagingidea #packagingideas #packagingtips #ecofriendlyshop #pacchetti #dietrolequinte #behindthescenes #ecologico #riciclocreativo #packagingriciclato

Una foto pubblicata da silvia triv (@silvia_triv) in data: 16 Giu 2016 alle ore 03:32 PDT

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!

A place for my pens! [Recycling + crocheting]

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).

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

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!

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?

Black and charcoal: new accessories for the shop!

Recently I worked a lot with black and charcoal fabrics (+ light grey) and made new accessories for the shop! 

Not very summery colours, but probably perfect for autumn (it is very close, although here in Sicily we are having super hot summer days).

I was in the mood for sewing with some leftovers from this bag I made last March for my friends Vera [**] and also with some scraps of a beautiful Ikea fabric (colorful nature elements on black background... lovely!) [*].

I started from a tote bag, altering a bit a pattern I drew by myself two years ago. I decided to add a recessed zipper instead of placing it on top (I'm totally in this kind of zippered closure this summer!); I've also opted for a wider pocket (thanks to darts on the corners).

This is the finished bag:

More technical infos here.

You know that I like to make small things, so I used the same fabrics for a small crossbody bag, too.

Also this design is 100% by me. I've drawn the pattern for this bag three years ago and used different times with satisfaction.

I like the dimensions if the finished bag and the inner space, but also some details like the closure and the contrasting flap:

I couldn't resist and I decide to make a wallet to match with these bags!

Do you like it?

I've already written about my passion for making this kind of accessories!

All my wallets have two pockets for cards and paper money and one pocket (closed by velcro or a zipper) for coins. They often have a little strip of recycled leather for closure, as in the case of this grey wallet and of the following one, the black floral wallet:

Love the stylized flowers and the little bird on top :)

The light blue inner pockets are made of leftovers of a beautiful eco-friendly fabric (organic linen + bamboo), given to me by Manuela, the owner of Retro eco à porter, an italian organic line of clothes (you can see the fabric "in action" on her Malva top).

While making the wallet I cut the fabric for a Moleskine cahier cover, too.

It matches perfectly with other two accessories I've made in the past with this fabric and still available in the shop: a pencil case and a little pouch. They both are zippered and have recycled leather bottoms.

I'm very happy with these new items!

I don't use very often this kind of tones in my creations. I used to think that grey and black are boring, but I was wrong. They are very elegant and modern, expecially if you mix them with other colours.

Let me know which item among these is your favourite :)

[*] I can't find this beautiful fabric in italian Ikea shops anymore. I'm looking for it on-line, but I even don't know its name; if you know it, please, write it in the comments!

[**] I wasn't tired after all this sewing  and made a second bag for Vera: a tulip bag with a side band to increase to inner space. Very summery bag, thanks of its light sand fabric!

And now... rest time! :)

Simple happy things - July 2015

Last year I worked on a little project and documented every single day of July (I've called it "July in 31 photos").

Not the same, this year. 

July is very hot, I feel like I'm very down on batteries and I am not doing special things to capture with my camera (although I think that there's something special for us everyday and that happyness is hidden into simple things). 

But of course I took some snapshots here and there.

They make a sort of visual diary of this month. Simple things in my life.

Critters around the house...

A super secret project I can't wait to share with you...

Some hard and satisfying work at the sewing machine...

(completed this month: 5 bags + 2 wallets + 1 moleskine cover)

(bags 1 e 2 uploaded in my esty shop)

Summer yumminess...

Important birthdays and lovely birthday gifts by the kids...

Testing new tools (rivets!)...

Amazing gifts: knitted Santa Lucia by Pam

I'm sure you know Pam.

Not only because I've mentioned her other times here on my blog as one of my best "on-line friends", but also because she writes a successfull blog (gingerbreadsnowflakes) with lot of readers.

But if you don't know Pam, well, you should! This post is for you, too.

She had very hard times this year, but she was so kind to finish a gift she promised to send me some months ago.
Look what it is:

A knitted doll with the sembiance of Saint Lucy (Santa Lucia in italian), so well made and so beautiful! 

And so precious to me, also because I know she knitted it for me during a very sad storm of her life.

The choice to make and give a Santa Lucia doll can appear a bit strange, but it isn't, because our friendship started to grow when we had the opportunity to share our thoughts about Santa Lucia day's traditions (some of you probably remember that I wrote for Pam' blog a guest article about italian traditions for Santa Lucia's day).

So this is not only a beautiful gift, but is also a symbol of the friendship between me and Pam :)

Lucia is now with Zarina, another "doll" Pam sent me some time ago (yes, I am a very lucky girl!).

I'm sure these two girls are good friend now. They probably spent the first night together chatting and chatting about almost everything, because, well, girls do it!

This doll surprised me for the care of its making and for some details like the hair and the candle crown:

And, ehm, I don't want to be insolent, but... look! Lucia wears panties, too!

:P

Love these details!

I'm very happy she is with me now!

Pam is a talented knitter and, since she is crazy for Christmas (according to her words), she also knits Christmas ornaments. 

Here you can find some of the ones Pam recently made (balls, mushroom, an elf and... oh, that polar bear!!!). 
To make them she follows Alan Dart's patterns; I think you have to take a look if you need ideas to dig into some Christmas knitting.

And also these balls are beautiful (patterns by Arne and Carlos). 

In the mail box I found also a little precious gift for mum:

Look what was inside the bubble wrap:

One of Pam's scandinavian shaved wood ornaments!!!

I can't wait to give it to my mum. For a happy coincidence I'll probably will be at mum's home with her gifts in my hands around S. Lucy's day! :)

A big THANK YOU to Pam and a suggestion for you: don't forget to visit Pam's blog if you haven't done it before. It's full of crafty and creative ideas for all seasons and I'm sure there is something that will inspire you!

Happy nostalgia

I'm looking back to my holidays today and I'm into a happy+nostalgic mood.

Yes, it's possible. 

Human feelings are so complex that happiness and nostalgia can walk together.

I'm looking to all the photos I took during our holiday at mum's home in the north and I feel so grateful for those happy days together with my friends and family! 

My batteries plenty recharged. I did all the things I love best (not only drawing and embroidery, of course!) and reconnected with the real me.

We explored the country by bycicle several times and enjoyed nature and ancient monuments.

We stayed in the garden, a lot. 

Picked up vegetables and fruit and cooked them. Discovered new (to me) species my brother is growning (did you know purple basil?). Fed the turtles everyday.

I've read a couple of novels and learned something new about nature thanks to my brother's books about trees and plants. I love to have good books near the bed!

We made some works for mum with dad's tools and found them very beautiful in the backlight.

And at the end of our days there two special ones got married :)

You can say we did nothing special this summer.

Yes, we haven't explored the world and hadn't great adventures to tell you.

But we enjoyed all that little things that speak special words to our hearts. This is important to me :)

Other photos on flickr!

July in 31 photos - days 6-10

Second step of my July photographic project.

I'm sharing with you today the photos about days 6-10.

I'm very happy that Pam decided to follow me in this photographic project and she's uploading daily photos into her Instragram album.
She is working very well, surely better than me (today is day 13, and I haven't edited and published my photos about days 11 e 12, I'm so late!!!).
Remember you can join, too.
Follow the (super simple) rules here!

Day 6: Sunday: some embroidery after lunch. I've experimented a bit with monocromatic embroidery - flowers totally improvised by me.

Day 7: Working from home. I'm preparing some of my lessons of the week (they are about tourism).

Day 8: I'd love to swim in the beautiful Ionian Sea (we live very closed), but today I can't, so I'm letting images and words speak about my needs :)

Day 9: Final exhibition for the girls who attend the school where I work ad a teacher. They were fabulous!!!

And S. and I spent a very fresh and funny evening outdoor, watching the show and meeting friends and coworkers.

Day 10: lunch with both my parents-in-law (and S., too) after a visit to the hospital for my father-in-law (nothing serious, don't worry). The right occasion to "inaugurate" one of the tableclothes I made by myself last month!

Happy sunday!!!

Book review: Stitched blooms

Look what is on my bedside table right now!

A lovely embroidery book: "Stitched blooms" by Carina Envoldsen-Harris.

I won it thanks to Pam's giveaway and received some days ago. 

I'm reading it in bed, making dreamy plans about what I want to make using Carina's patterns and following her suggestions.

After some pages about basic embroidery notions (different stitches, tools, colours theory and other interesting things) the book shows and explains in details 20 (twenty!) embroidery projects (some of them are sewing+embroidery projects). 

In the book you can find the patterns to transfer on fabric for each project and other additional 300 (!!!) patterns you can use on other projects of your choice (printable thanks to a CD included at the end of the book).

Isn't it amazing?

The book is about a theme: flowers and plants!

And all in it is 100% Carina's style: colorful and fresh! I love it!

My favourite project is called "Botanical art":

Embroidered flowers to frame and hang on the wall... such a great and unconventional idea! 

I also love the luminaries (made by Hanna's mum, too), the baby quilt, and some leaves similar to paisley (you know that I'm a bit obsessed by paisley and I'm looking for the perfect paisley motif to embroider... these leaves are quite good to me!).

And this motif is so beautiful:

Carina embroidered it on a case, but I'd like to use it to decorate a table cloth or bed sheets. 

I like this kind of embroidery pattens, modern and clean. 

This is my taste. 

But, if you like something different, the book is full of more complex and "lively" designs, as you can see by the cover or in this Pam's review.

The book arrived just in time for Christmas, like a gift :)

A very good book :)