Around here

Hey, where the last two weeks have gone? 

This time I'm simply gonna talk a bit about this and that. I'm drinking tee, and typing this blog post. And you see, there's been a major move in our house? 

I'm sitting in my studio. And right in front of what is my little girl's studio deck there's the crib. Yes, our little baby boy has officially grown old from being in our bedroom. Five month old. Still not sleeping through. And yes, of course, he's getting already some complementary food, but nope, no sleeping though the night in sight. But now the co-sleeping has turned history. 

I've not been that sure how I'd handle this move, how I'd handle if he would still wake up in the night and I'd have to nurse. Before the move I've thought that maybe he's not sleeping through because he's with us. Error. He's simply not ready, and he surely has his reasons. So I get up. Three to four times a night and nurse him. Then I get back and fall asleep.  I feel tired, but not exhausted any more, as before. Yes, I know, five months like this is tough, but that's it.

So now there's a nursing chair nearby, and a whole white wall to decorate (yep, another project). And all the usual allocation of my oh-so-important supplies in studio is gone bang. Next days my studio is gonna be re-made to the nth time. But you know what? It's great! The old allocation was about last fall, grey days, me being alone at home to work, because my little girl started attending kindergarden back then, the first months of pregnancy (yep, not so easy). So now I feel all giddy about this new chapter. My little girl's gonna be at the kindergarden, the baby boy's gonna nap, I can make my work and not feel alone, and this new allocation feels good.

And actually, I'm happy to have the baby boy's corner here, at studio. I sleep better now (yes, it took me quite awhile to admit, that I finally need more calm and go for it). As much as I miss the co-sleeping, yes, I do, but I'm better off. I feel sort of compunction for caring for myself at first, but God, it feels good. Period. 

Enjoy your day!

Psst, my soft toy's sleeping

You know what was actually the first thing that I'd like to make for my little girl four years ago as she was born and I wanted to make something special just for her? It was a doudou - a nice french word for a soft toy. I didn't want to buy it, and wanted it to be somehow different, and couldn't find in stores a doudou I wanted her to have. And yes, I've tried a couple of times and those sad examples are now banished somewhere in a big bagful of all kind of stuffed toys she got over years. Well, no regrets, it was a good experience - sewing simple or less simple doudou's, trying out different fabrics, different patterns, looking out for cute doudou's other people were doing. And there're BILLIONS of TONS of doudou's being made out there, for any taste, don't you agree? The niche seemed pretty saturated. And the time was passing by.

Somehow I turned to making other things. But I still wanted to give it another try. One day.

And now I'm back exploring doudou's again. This one was made as a gift for my friend's little daughter. I've stenciled the "Psst, my soft toy's sleeping" in french onto the little decorative bag to accompany it.

Slightly related to my FOREST FRIENDS edition (as long as you're Okay with a bunny having a pocket to carry his baby bunny). There're still a couple of things I'd change, but it seems not bad right at the moment. And that's why I'm sharing it here. 

Thursday randomness

I've been sitting on my bed this morning. Sketching for new lino plates to carve for upcoming prints - stationery, textiles - same old, same old... Nothing special as it seems. My little baby boy was napping nearby in his crib. Then he twisted and turned and stretched. And I had to grab my paper and crayons. Now as I'm writing these words, the drawing is finished (but not the lino sketches) and the baby boy is waking up... Purely random incident but totally something that makes my day. That makes me smile. And be thankful to see and hold it.

Going on with systematizing

Still some random photos from around here - colour swatches. I'm trying out some new colours, I'd like to introduce some light peachy pinky orange hue this time, get some new pink shades and.. well.. I'm working on it. On graphics. On typography. On minimizing. On concentrating to only what matters. On feasibility. On time management. Oh my! It's lot for time that I have.

And since I'm making over the entire thing, I'm also working on a blog itself - to get it focused and visually more interesting. Though making over is not correct, I still love the word systematizing. So that's how it goes on. Stay tuned.

Systematizing....

Last weekend was the celebration of the end of summer here. And it's gone. We're officially in fall -with its crispy air, greys and browns, and gold shades as the sun shines. A bit sad. But that's what life looks like.

Last week we've been in Berlin - my all time favorite city. So now I'm back, head full of ideas, notebook full of sketches, luggage full of everything and anything nice'n'cute and hand made in Berlin.... and that's why I'm pausing. Reading. Drinking coffee (back again). SYSTEMIZING. This is the word of the month. This month's biggest challenge is gonna be to get it all together, so that it WORKS all TOGETHER. The bold intention for september. 

After I've started my FOREST FRIENDS run (nursery deco pieces for those who are new here - check out my SHOP-page) and did it like for half-a-year, I realized that it's possible. It's possible to find A LOT within a seemingly SMALL field. The scope doesn't need to be large. And I'm gonna stay loyal to forest friends and concentrate on it. There will be some new products, some of them - new editions of products that I've introduced before. 

Stay tuned. I'm gonna share a lot in next days.