pay it forward

Argh, reading Camilla's post just now reminded me that I had totally forgot to post my PIF entry since July.

Mine is a follow-up from Kristy's blog, and the rules are simple: I will send a handmade gift to the first three people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don't know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it anytime soon, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

(and now, just a few things I hadn't posted before)
pocket bag #121, for a friend



pencil sleeve, for another friend



and a few not so recent orders

fabric addiction

(images from Nunoya)

As you might know, Nunoya has been one of my favorite fabric shops ever since our visit to Barcelona last February. Well, I'm pleased to announce that they now have an online store where we can buy their wonderful fabrics and other lovely items. I'm really excited about this, because I usually buy most of my fabrics online from the US or from Japan directly, and there are very few good online fabric shops based in Europe. I've beta tested the site, and it looks great, and I'm sure with more fabrics being added as I speak. And if you have any questions, just contact the owners Sean or Nanako, as they're extremely helpful. I've made my first order this morning, and now I can barely wait for it to arrive.

(and for those who asked, yes I will have some new messenger pocket bags available at the shop very soon)

new bag

A new version of my pocket bag model, I think I'll call this the messenger pocket bag, what do you think ?

The idea for this bag has been brewing on my mind for a while, but I only had time to actually make it now. My normal pocket bags are medium sized and usually good for my everyday use, but sometimes I just need to carry a few extra things and there's not enough space.



So this is a large bag (about 35 x 26 cm), has the same pockets in front (for moleskine or notebooks) and one large in the back (for carrying books or magazines) like the old version.





It's made of corduroy and japanese cotton fabrics, and it even matches my tunic.

catching up

And resuming normal blog posting now ... but first, for those of you coming through TripAdvisor and looking for the trip reports, they're now listed on the sidebar. I've also taken out the list of links I had down there, and will put it on a separate page soon (it was quite outdated)

It's been hard getting back to crafting since we returned but last night I finally shook the dust out of the fabric pile and started cutting some new bags. A few of these will be available at Patricia's shop soon, along with other items. I'm also planning a shop update in a couple of weeks, so stay tuned for that. My goal is to have a regular shop update every month from now on, not sure if that's realistic but I'm going to try my best. A few people have written to ask about x-mas orders already, but I'm afraid I won't have time to take any. However, if you're from around Braga, I'm pleased to announce that I'll be sending a big batch of bookcovers to be sold at the Centésima Página bookshop for x-mas (available from December 1st).



One reason I'm a bit strapped for time is because I'm going to Macau and Hong Kong for a few days in November. My friend S. is finally getting married on Nov. 10th and I'm to be the maid of honor (actually since I'm married I guess the correct term is matron of honor ? geesh, that makes me feel so old).
Anyway, since it was pretty much last minute, and I don't have many vacation days left, it's going to be a very rushed trip. I'll be leaving on a Thursday and coming back the next Tuesday, which will be just enough time for the wedding, meeting some old friends, meeting some new ones too, and hopefully some shopping. The last time I was in that part of the world was about ten years ago, so I'm sure a lot of things have changed since then.



(This little bunny was a custom order made sometime ago, and is now in the company of Celine on the other side of the Atlantic, making a little girl very happy)

part VII - and back in Istanbul again

The last couple of days back in Istanbul were spent walking around Sultanahmet and shopping ... and walking some more and shopping again. We visited the Rustem Pasa mosque - my favorite one of all - where we sat through prayer and chatted with the Imam for a while, saw the train station where the Orient Express stops, went back to the Spice and Grand Bazaars where I got my second mixed scent and twelve meters of fabrics from a dear old man, ate more baklavas and tried the gullaç (special dessert only available during Ramazan), and visited the night stalls around the Hippodrome which was so festive I never wanted to leave. And for our last meal, lunch at Hamdi again. It was the perfect ending for one of the best trips we ever had.

I think it shows on all these posts I made how much we loved it there. Before we went I had read somewhere that Turkey is a country you can't visit just once. I now understand why :)


blue mosque


blue mosque


sultans' tombs


rustem pasa mosque


rustem pasa mosque


rustem pasa mosque


at eminonu


the orient express station


the blue mosque at night


the hippodrome stalls at night


carpet store in the baths of roxelana


carpet store in the baths of roxelana


outside the spice bazaar


lunch at hamdi