Europe on Etsy

From Scandinavia

This is spring - clutch by Karuski
Custom face special Momigami or The Konnyaku Paper Doll by QuirksMode
Spring breeze - little tray by Birribe
Purple Arrow ring by Jealousydesign

From the UK

Red earrings by FionaChapman

Tiny treasure purse by Maimy

Party banner by millalove

Pink butterflies by RubyRecycled

From the Netherlands and Belgium

Cotton wrap or scarf by ThongbaiTatong
Carnivale by JKPhotography
Hungry - mini art feeling by Artmind
Classy Kawaii by Dinafragola

Monday Moodboard

Organic Cotton Dress by mumusyros
Earthy green necklace by Jealousydesign
Pretty pastels recycled fabric bunting by Deepindigo
Notes Blue, ecofriendly handmade notebook by thespottedsparrow

These are all ecofriendly options, available on Etsy.

View more Monday Moodboards at Fleurfatale's blog

Natural finds

Little brown bird. embroidered wall art by lapomme
The natural big pouch in linen/ striped fabric by Aylla
Cloud cards set 1 yellow by Mamutopia

FP Treasury

This treasury by my hand made it the frontpage of Etsy yesterday. It was called Ecofriendly Europe.
Congrats to all featured.

Give away on Dutch Handmade blog

The Dutch Handmade blog is hosting a give away by me! Read more about it here. I'm giving away one of my mobiles, the upcycled bunnies mobile. Do you think it's cute and would you like to receive it? You can read more about how to, here. Quickly, before it ends!

Also available in my shop

Monday Moodboard

Deep blue ocean earrings by Leelabijou
Broken - 1 - Mini art feeling by Artmind
Pom pom stud earrings by Karuski
Iris in stonewashed purple by milloo

You can see more Monday Moodboards at Fleurfatale's blog

Seven facts

Marlous from PlanetFur nominated me for the beautiful blogger award. Thank you, Marlous, for the nomination and your kind words about me. I look forward to meeting you in March!

Part of this nomination is thanking the person who nominated you, which I just did AND come up with seven facts about yourself. Ahum!

1. I've read the Harry Potter series at least eight times. 

2. I bike to work every day, well on the days I work at the office anyway. It's a 9km ride.

3. My boyfriend wants a cat, but I have an allergy.

4. I'm a kind person (don't tell other people). I believe in love. I know!

5. I'm not good at getting up in the morning. Which means I'm always late for work. 

6. I love to travel and have been to Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Cuba, Cabo Verde, China,     Tibet, Lao, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. And I hope to do more travelling with my boyfriend in     the near future.

7. I challenge you to tell me what you think is one of my worst characteristics.

I'm supposed to now nominate seven more blogs, but I won't. If you feel like sharing 7 facts about yourself, please do. Consider yourself nominated :)

Introducing Wooly Bison

I'd like to introduce to you Wooly Bison by Ingrid Rowe. Ingrid makes satchels, purses and other goodies out of vintage and other wool. She graduated from Seattle Central Community College's Apparel Design & Manufacturing program in 2003,  where she fell in love with the smell of steamed wool and learned to sew. She fell into a dream job at a small messenger bag company in Seattle, where she learned about running a small business, met amazing people, polished her skills at sewing and learned to stitch applique. Five years later, she was itching to try a business for herself, and decided to get serious. Some of the nicest wools are used for tailored suits, she says -- it made sense to her to take advantage of the abundance around town.   

 

Ingrid and I had a little conversation through e-mail and here are the answers to the questions I asked Ingrid.

Babongo: When did you start creating and what did you start with?
Ingrid: 'Art' was always something I wanted to do as a kid, even though I don't think I've ever figured out what that meant. I've never gone long without having some sort of project - 'publishing' books out of typing paper, Pee-Chee's, oil pastels and tape; building cars from skateboards and boxes; some hideous lace sachets with porpourri; handmade paper.

Looking back, things that involved creativity and repetition were always extremely satisfying. It hasn't been that big of a leap to go to full-time bag making!

Babongo: When did you first discover Etsy and what went through your mind when you did?
Ingrid: My friend Jean and Chika (of Chikabird Inc http://www.chikabird.350.com/ and Ladies & Gentlemen http://www.ladiesandgentlemenstudio.com/ ) told me about it. I thought -- where has this been my whole life? It's so great to have access to such an abundance of wonderful, lovingly handmade things all in one place. It's hard NOT to find something to love. People are beginning to think more about where things come from, and value what it means to create something. 

Babongo: What are your dreams for the future?
Ingrid: I'd love to make Wooly Bison flourish as a business, build a home and studio, and spend the days sewing projects, cooking and growing food, entertaining friends and family and try to find a couple ways to make this world a little better than when I found it.

Babongo: What would you like the world to know about you?
Ingrid: I'm a shameless indoor kid with an affinity for the outdoors and the aesthatics of the late seventies. Almost nothing makes me happier than wandering around thrift stores collecting hidden treasures and bundles of crazy fabric. I love being able to take something out-of-date or forgotten and re-form it into something different and new.

Frontpage!

This treasury I made hit the frontpage on Etsy yesterday. Congrats to all featured.

Monday Moodboard

Clutch-purse in teal by Karuski
La princesse au petit pois by Matilou
Sunshine. Decorative coasters by Birribe
Cinnamon wool needle felted heart by Woolicious

Want to see more Moodboards? Visit Fleurfatale's blog.