New Tags!

Last week I ordered tags for in my fabric items, it seemed like tags where the only thing still missing.

We ordered from a webshop and they arrived super fast! 

I was working on a couple of pillows that only needed their button sewn on, but I was so enthusiastic about the tags that I decided to sew them in anyway.

It really feels like a finishing touch, even though the tags are mostly on the inside of the items, so they are not even visible. But it makes me extremely happy that they are there nonetheless!

Special feature Friday: TeaHeritage

Edition 1

From now on every Friday I will feature an Etsy shop that I like in my blog, one of witch I think it would be worth to have a look at. After all, there are so many shops that deserve more attention!

This week I ran into a shop called TeaHeritage, if you love tea like I do you will certainly appreciate it!

The seller makes personalized tea bags, they are wonderful for if you are organizing a high tea, or if you like to surprise your guests with something different.

The tea bags come in different shapes, and the tag will be in sinc with the theme of the bag.

This seller has a great eye for detail, and she ships worldwide!

The tea comes in different flavors, so there will be something for everyones taste!

New Fabrics

Last week I found a website with wonderful fabrics! It was very hard to choose but I ended up with 10 new fabrics. I tried to buy matching colors, but this is so difficult to do via the internet. I really like the combination of red and pink and I wanted some materials in those colors, when you order via the internet it is always a surprise until you actually get in in your mailbox, but I think I nailed it!

Also the blue and green colored fabrics will add some nice variety to my collection! I am especially in love with the bird prints, they are wonderfully detailed and so pretty in colour!

Today we went shopping to get some needed items for the house, but tomorrow I will have enough time to work with these fabrics!!

A small project I quickly want to share with you! I found these 2 fabrics on Etsy and fell in love with them right away. when they arrived I realized I had lace that went exactly with them color and style wise.

all together it had to become this pillowcase, and now I regret not having supplies to make more!

In August we will be travelling to the UK and the Netherlands, I will certainly keep my eyes open for this kind of fabric!

It is never too early for Christmas

Or that is my opinion at least! I usually start with Christmas items in August, and then I will make gifts and decorations for the house, when they are done I put them away until it is time to get out the lights and the tree.

This year I have decided I wanted to start a bit early, I would love to have a Christmas collection for the shop, but of course our house needs some extra decorations as well.

Because we moved last year I had to leave most of my decorations in storage in the Netherlands, and even though we had some really nice Christmas bits, there was a lot I missed.

For now I have started with a pillow case, with a star of different prints.

Christmas quilting fabrics are some of my favorite types of fabric's to shop for, whether it is for a gift or for myself, or as it is now, for the shop. It seems I have to go shopping soon, and get some new fabric's to freshen up the collection!

Etsy here I am!!!

Last Christmas I got the idea in my head about starting a little Etsy shop, it started out really small but soon it started to grow.

it grew fast! and the more I thought about it the more fun it seemed. making my crafts for other people to wear? I can think of a bigger honor.

So the work began, collecting supplies and building idea's, it was absolutely wonderful!

To start work on something, build its shape, add detail, it is great every single time.

Today is the day I opened the shop, it is extremely exiting and even a bit scary, but I am very happy it is open.

I do not have one style, there are many things I love, hairsticks for example, such a simple way of wearing your hair, but a hairstick with a pretty bead will alway's look great! and there are so many updo's!

I love to sew of course, so I had to have some sewn items, therefore I made pillowcases and aprons, there are so many things one can do with either of these items! 

And then I found a lace collar, I had to buy it without really knowing what to do with it.

But it did not take long and I decided to sew beads onto it, I wrote a blog about it a little while back.

Some of my inspirations are: Victorian era, Quilting, Long hair, Fantasy, Pin up, Lolita, Mori girl.

So, I declare the shop opened!

Here are the links to the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VallonDesTresors

And the actual shop on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/VallondesTresors?ref=si_shop

Come to have a look and let me know what you think!

If you want to help I will be very happy, sharing is the easiest way to go and the more people learning about the shop the better!

Hairsticks

A while back I wrote that I would love to be able to make my own hairsticks.
it took quite some research and testing but I have now made a pair I absolutely love!
I think the tops of the hairsticks are often the eye catches, so I went on Etsy and bought a pair of gorgeous blue beads.
they are so pretty to look at!

I made the stick in the right shape and painted them with pearl effect paint, and finished them with varnish.

starting with new projects like these take a lot of effort, to find out what materials to use, witch shapes and colors and what details are nice.

but it is a journey I always enjoy, for every new project.

Beads and Pearls

This week I started on a lace collar, I got some beads from my sister and thought they went so well with the color of the lace. I also have some little pearl beads who I will be sewing unto it as well.

the beads are tiny, only a little bit bigger than 1 mm. it takes a lot of work to sew them all on.

However, it is a nice thing to do in the evening, whilst watching some shows.

when the beads are attached I will sew it onto a piece of fabric so it can be used as a collar.

at this moment I have put about 4 hours work in them, I think I will need 4 more hours for attaching the beads. but, when it is done I will have something to be proud off! 

The first Hairsticks

Yesterday I finally started with my first hairsticks! I decided to test with paint first on a couple of sticks, so I bought a basecoat and paint from 2 different brands.The painting itself was not very hard, but it was good to try out. I found that I need to improve my techniques a bit since I have hardly any experience with paint.
I am happy about the results though.

I added the basecoat to all 3 sticks, the stick on the left I painted with purple acryl.
On the stick at the back I added a effect paint, it was supposed to be blue but turned out more like violet.
The stick on the right is the purple acryl with the effect paint over it.
That also became my favorite stick! the colors come out so pretty!

The effect paint takes long to dry, so I have to stay patient for a while longer, I will be able to add the finishing coat tomorrow evening, after that I will be able to test how the paint holds. I am certainly very curious to that!

Last week I was back in NL for a while and I bought a small amount of beads, mostly semi precious like Onyx, Amethyst and Jade. I can't wait to work with them but it makes me a bit nervous as well.

but, in the worst case scenario I can take them of a stick when it does not work and use them again.

English rose pillow front.

A couple of weeks ago I bought a ruler for on my sewing machine. 

I always found it quite difficult to make straight lines next to each other, but with this extra accessoire it is much more easy! At first I practiced on some leftover fabric, but soon after that I decided to try it out on a soon to be pillowcase. I love the effect, it is so simple but it adds a lot to it. 

About the fabric, I found it in a quilting shop last month, I fell in love right away.the colors are so soft, and the print is simply gorgeous! I think I would describe it as romantic.I would love to make a big quilt with this type of fabric.Prints with English roses always have my weakness I suppose.

Meanwhile I am working on some other projects as well, I found a picture of a gorgeous white summer dress. Of course it was impossible to find a pattern for it, so now I am trying to draw the pattern myself. Up till now that seems to be fine. but I know little problems will still be on the way!

I hope to get this dress ready for summer. the color is yet undecided though. The idea of white really speaks to me, but it is a long dress and I do not want it to become like a wedding dress.

someone said mint green would be nice, and I am certainly keeping that open as an option!

I also received some cute lace collars by mail this week, I have some idea's for them and I hope that will work out. More about that later!