WILD [my word of the year 2017]

Hi everyone!

Yes, I'm still alive!

Very very busy at the moment, but full of strenght and ready to start the new year with good energy!

In these first days of 2017 I dedicated part of my free time to find my word of the year 2017.

A lot of people in the world are doing it and I find it very inspirational for my daily life, my job and my creative journey.

I followed the (free!) course by Susannah Conway. 

It's a 5 days path, full of ideas and good advices to find the right word.

To be honest, I was so busy (for my jobs) that I needed 10 days to complete the course. At day 3 I started to feel a bit confused, because a big amount of words was rolling here and there in my brain.

But at day 4... an epiphany! 
I was 100% sure about my word for 2017.

My word of the year 2017 is WILD!

I started to brainstorm in the last pages of my Moleskine journal the meaning of "wild" (to me, of course). 

I wrote in italian, but I'd like to translate something for you.

WILD means:

- to be close to nature, animals and plants

- to be in contact with instinct and inner energies

- to live a simple and basic life

- to live respecting nature's rules and the cicle of seasons

- courage

- defense of territory

- to explore

- to take care of the nest

- to avoid all is artefact and empty social convention

- to take care of the herd

- cold, hot, hunger, dirt

- green, brown, blue

- freedom

- to roar, to howl, to purr

- to go hunting

- to leave footprints

Oh, it's so inspiring and full of meaning to me!!!

There's in this list something in common to being a little fox, but something more, too!

And now?

How to bring the word of the year into real life?

The first thing I've done is this little painted pebble:

I've decorated it with a black marker and nail polish in different colours (+ transparent to finish the surface).

Now it's into my wallet, among coins.

I use coins everyday, expecially to buy fresh bread (you know, I'm italian).

So I'm sure to have a lot of opportunities to see this little pebble and my word! I think it's a good idea to remember it during busy day, when you start to be a bit "disconnected".

I'd like to find other creative ways to have my word with me. Are you interested? I could write a post about them (next week).

In the meantime you can look for the hashtag #woty2017 to discover something about other people' word of the year and their ways to make them live into their daily life.

I'd like to know if you have a word of the year for 2017 or not. 

Share it with me in the comments!

Any suggestions for my next post?

Christmas ornaments for introverts

I know, the title sounds a bit crazy, but it reflects some of my thoughts of this period. 

In my (rare) spare time I'm dedicating myself to get my shop ready for Christmas and so I've worked on new photos of my handmade ornaments (and also prepared a coupon code to have them with a 15% discount).

My ornaments
They are little and simple ornaments. Totally my style!

Some are made of cornastarch clay (stars and snowflakes) painted by me in white. Some others are made of recycled materials. My favourite are the felt embroidered stars.

They are different but all of them are rustic, nature inspired, traditional and small.

But, the most important thing, they are not too much eye-catching.

And so I said in my mind: "Hey, they are for people like me! These ornaments are for introverts!".

What about Christmas if you are introvert?

I'm not a very "Christmas person". Oh, no, I'm not the Grinch, I'm only and introvert girl! Proud of my introversion.

You can hear introverts saying that:

• They don't like the wastefulness and the confusion of Christmas time
• They don't feel great at crowded parties (even when only close family is involved)
• They don't like to go out and spend entire afternoons looking for the right gift
• They don't like bulky home decoration which steal part of their living space

I know that, probably, introvert people during Christmas time like better to:

• spend a full afternoon at home, on the sofa, watching a good Xmas movie
• cooking alone Xmas dishes for very "private" christmas lunches / dinners
• avoid too much noisy things (like those Santa's puppets mechanically saying "OhOhOh")
• enjoy some time of rest at home, dedicating themselves to hobbies and quiet activities
• buy gifts on-line and not in real shops after hours and hours of wandering in crowded shopping centers
• decorate their nest with gentle and not too much eye-catching ornaments

And it's probably because I'm introvert that I like to make all the little and "kind" Christmas ornaments you can find in my shop.

They don't occupy too much living space. 

They don't make noise or bling-blings of any kinds. 

You can buy them on-line if you want to offer a little gift to someone special (a very selected one, I presume).

They are perfect for a quiet, resting, loner and silent Christmas time in our precious cave, ehm, nest! :)

What do you think?
Does my post sound odd, annoyng, Grinch-style? 
Is there something familiar for you in the introvert Christmas I depicted in this post?
(wait, are you introvert or extrovert? a free test for you) 

Study the topic a bit more with this posts I found recently: 

Gift guide for introverts by Untidygrace
What introverts can give during the holidays by Holley Gerth
Ideas to survive the holidays if you are introvert by IntrovertSpring

To blog or not to blog?

To blog or not to blog?

This is the (oh so hard) question!

Weeks and weeks passed from my last post. 

No words written here since September 2015. 

Oh, yes, I worked a lot (as a teacher and tourist guide). It meant less free time. But I want to be honest with you, as usual: some time ago my blog started to bother me. 

No authentic comments by readers, but a lot of spam instead.

No more people who like my posts or decide to follow me.

Well, you know, nobody starts a blog to act a monologue. 

So I've abandoned it with a strong sense of failure in me, although I miss this precious little space of self-expression.

I started to ask me what is wrong with this blog and why people ignore it.

I couldn't find an answer. 

I was blind.

Then I started a new blog. 

A professional one. It is a support for my new job (tourist guide in Sicily, Italy). It's here.

Since being a tourist guide is my dream job (I'm not happy to be a teacher) and I wanted to have a beautiful and successfull blog, I've spent a lot of time reading websites and blogs with posts about blogging, personal branding, social media strategy, SEO and all the things a blogger should know before opening his/her personal space.

So I've understood: MadameRenard blog is really an awful place.

Its flaws?

Here is a list:

- not perfect english (this probably annoy readers)

- no idea about SEO's rules

- random contents about me, me and me... without interactions with other people

- no plans about what I want to communicate with people

- no idea about who my ideal readers are and what they would like to find here

- a very bad look, improvised in colours and graphic

And much more!

I've been so candid to think that I could simply write here and there, be honest and put some photos among the sentences to have audience.

Blogs don't work in this way. Now I know it!

And now? What to do? 

I miss this place where I can share with the world my creative journey and I feel like I need to go on writing.

But I have to refresh everything here!

A lot of work is waiting for me in case I'll decide to use this blog again!

A lot of questions are knocking on my mind... who are my readers? what they like to read? what colours and fonts are the best for my contents? italian, english, bilingual? where can I have a new banner? new pages under the banner? go on here on blogger or start a new blog on wordpress?

What do you think?

Have you answers or advices for me?

Please, leave me a comment, don't let me alone.

5 Pinterest boards to follow: adventures!

Summer... for me this season is for outdoor living, exploring nature and having some adventures and a pretty dose of wild life.

Is this true for you, too?

My life is keeping me far from nature and adventures, lately. I really miss some things I was used to in the past, like trekking on italian mountains (Alpes!), exploring the country by bike, camping, spending time in the garden or on the beach.

So I've recently opened a new Pinterest board to help me in staying connected with the wild side of me the same. 

I'd like it will remind me to add some adventure in my daily life, when I can, because it's very important for my soul.

The board is called "Wild life & adventures"; take a look!

I've collected images like this, a strong but funny invitation to add adventure in life:

Of course I've started to follow other Pinterest boards about this theme, like:

The explorer archetype, full of inspirational quotes about adventure.

Somewhere on Earth - travel, with stunning images of places to visit in the world, where Mother Nature is at her best.

Appreciating the Earth, a beautiful expression of the need to go in the woods.

The wild outdoors, very interesting for mountains lovers!

Follow these boards, or mine, if you need like me some visual reminders of your need to add adventure in your life!

[previous posts of "5 Pinterest boards to follow" serie: making toys, modern rustic style]

A parade of handmade spring/summer tops!

This summer I'm not working only on bags and other accessories to improve my shop's offer!

Since it's summer I'm into tops making! :)

I really like to make fresh and comfortable t-shirts and tops using knit fabrics and cotton jersey (I usually buy them at our outdoor market and are very cheap - they are leftovers - but high in quality).

I have three of these handamade spring/summer tops to show you today.

The stripes + flowers top

A very simple design. It's a self-drafted top, t-shaped, without sewn sleeves, but with a curved hem on the bottom.

The things I like about this top is that it's very fresh and soft and it has some of my favourite peculiarities for clothes: the colours (blue and white!), the stripes, the floral pattern (climbing my left side)! :)

I sent these snapshots to my mum and she said she liked it very much!

The inspiration for this top came from this pin: I realized I could place the floral part of the fabric on one side, to create a lovely asymmetrical look.

The grey petal sleeves t-shirt

Some weeks ago I finished a more complex top: one in grey with petal sleeves and mother-of-pearls bottons.

I learned how to modify a basic t-shirt pattern to make a petal sleeve thanks to some tutorials I've pinned in my Pinterest board about "sewing clothes" (this one for example).

I've altered the pattern I've previously used for this cardigan and the work has been simple. 

But I'm not 100% satisfied about the final result, I see too much folds here and there and the t-shirt is not so good on my body shape :(

However, I'm going to try again, because I'm in love with petal sleeves!

The knotted blouse

There another thing I like when I make/buy tops, t-shirts or blouses: knotted necklines! I'm a bit obsessed.

So this spring (in april) I decided to make a blouse of this kind.

I have only one photo of me wearing it, because now it's too hot (july!!!) to take other images of me with a long sleeved blouse!

To make the blouse I've altered this pattern (yes, again!) and self-drafted the neck band.

I think I made a good work!

Since I'm obsessed by knots, I'm going to make other blouses with this caractheristic: I'd like to test the "Mimosa blouse" pattern by SBCC: it's a .pdf pattern for a t-shirt with raglan sleeves (love it!) and a flat knot. I like it because it's sporty and feminine at the same time!

If you like knotted blouses, but you are looking for something more elegant the Lottie blouse (free pattern!) is for you!

Some notes

If you have suggestions about handmade spring/summer tops (or want to share with me the tops you've made), please, leave a comment!

If you're looking for some inspirations, you can take a glance into my Pinterest board about sewing clothes.

Speaking about my future projects... I'd like to go on with asymmetry making something like this or this. But also the Harper blouse (free pattern!) by Spit Up & Stilettos is a good choice for my body shape (I'm a curvy hourglass).

Hope I've inspired you to make some summer tops for you! :)

Sicilian spring

Sicilian sunny spring is here!

Mount Etna is still covered by snow and smoking, but the sky is blue blue blue and the fields are green and yellow.

So many yellow flowers everywhere!

They are the home of tiny snails sometimes!

Animals are happy and needs some snuggles.

Others give birth to their children, because spring is the time for love and new families.

April is probably my favourite month.

I'm happy to be and april girl. I'm turning 38 the next week (on wednesdey) and I hope the day will be sunny and warm.

I work at school as a teacher everyday. I teach italian, history and geography (+ legislation of tourism some afternoons).

I'm busy and often tired, so I'm neglecting a bit this blog and my creative journey (my list of things to try is growing, waiting for some free time).

But I'm still taking pictures to document my life.

I reach my school by feet and I'm noticing here and there some wild flowers I like. They are very small but strong. Some of them look like orchids.

My life is full of beautiful things and today I can't resist in show you some of them.

Happy Sunday!!!

The privilege to live in Sicily

One of the privileges to live in Sicily is that amazing places to visit are very close to you. Like Agrigento and its "Valle dei templi" ("temples valley"), with the (oh, so beautiful!) ruins of the old greek city af Akragas.

A beautiful sight even in a dark, rainy and cold day!

(Oh, yes, this is me with my tourist guide pass)

Even the goats have something special here!

And almonds trees are blooming!

I feel so lucky to live in this beautiful region!

Work in progress

I took this snapshots yesterday, while working to a custom order for my shop.

I like "work in progress" photography, I like documenting my creative process.

Looking at these simple images I thought our life is a work in progress. We evolve and change over and over again. And it's good.

This is probably the reason why I've apparently lost my interest in blogging. Something has changed in me. I can't find my blogging voice right now.

But I'm doing and making like a crazy girl and I'm happy.

Yesterday, after two months of no blogging, I felt the urge to share something with my readers.

I'm here again. Maybe.

Say "hello" in the comments if you are happy to see me again. I probably need some greetings to restart writing here.

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!

Summer essentials: a white t-shirt (+ lace)

Hi! I'm on holiday at mum's home with S.

I'm taking a lot of photos of our life here, but before sharing them with you I want to write a post about my last work at the sewing machine (finished around 2 weeks ago).

It's a white t-shirt, something every girl needs for summer:

 



I couldn't take very good photos of it on me, so I decided for this collage of the most interesting details of the t-shirt.

 

It is made of a very fresh cotton jersey, has raglan sleeves (my favourite!), borders around the neckline and at the end of the sleeves and lace underlining the shoulders line.

Oh, you probably don't know how much I love lace!

This one is recycled: I've saved it from an old shirt I had to throw in the trash last summer.

 

The pattern for this shirt is the same I've used last year for other two t-shirts, with some adjustements.

 

Now it's time to go to bed.

With a good book to read, because, hey, I'm on holiday and I can indulge in what I love to do :)

Good night!

July in 31 photos - days 19-31

Hello August!

I can't believe you are here! 

(already?)

The start of the new month is the perfect occasion to look all my July photos and make some considerations about my "July in 31 photos" project and the month I had.

But first of all I want to publish here all the photos I haven't shared with my readers: they are about days 19-31.

Day 19: in Licata with special friends for a feast+concert. The streets were decorated with thiese colorful umbrellas. Great idea!
I took other beautiful photos of the concert, the harbour (my favourite of this bunch) and umbrellas at night.

Day 20: Sunday. Rest day + sewing. I designed a t-shirt pattern with the help of a t-shirt I have in my closet.

Day 21: We bought some elegant clothes for S. because this summer we are invited to 3 weddings.

Day 22: a very ugly photos for probably the most exciting moment of this month: the firts time we've seen Macchia's baby out of his/her "cave".

Day 23: Today mom sent me this photo of a giant flower born from a succulent plant dad bought some weeks before his death. I decided to publish it for this day, because it's too beautiful!!!

Day 24: Today I received a sad new: a lovely friends has lost her husband after years and years of life together. I've been sad all the day and decided to take a photo of a dalia flower in my garden to dedicate to this man recently died and to my friend.

Day 25: Cutting magazines! I saved some images for future collages and some other to paste into my moleskine journal. That girl on the bike... oh, she's me (I haven't blond hair and I'm not so thin, but I feel like this image is speaking about me).

Day 26: First wedding of the season! I like my green dress, all made of lace!
And I like my man into elegant clothes.

Day 27: trying to make a mat for my sewing machine using my braid od t-shirt yarn. After a quiet start, somthing went wrong :(

Day 28: Macchia's baby started to walk in our garden. Oh, I'm in love!!!

Day 29: Beautiful colors in the veggies I cook almost everyday. Love veggies!

Day 30: Sleeping with mum (probably my favourite photo of the month)

Day 31: I made pesto with the basil we are growing in our garden. What a smell!