New Toiletries Bag Design, Marimekko tour and Etsy Craft Party!

Blink and June is around the corner! It was interesting and crazy last few weeks but nevertheless productive and progressive.

Firstly I am so glad to have finished my toiletries bags that was work in progress for a few weeks. Printing each piece of fabric took time but the effort paid off as the designs look wonderful. If you are following my Instagram you would have seen the progress. But here is that they look like finished and photographed! 

They are now on sale individually on www.kotona.etsy.com

A few days ago I had a pleasant surprise on my instagram when a customer of mine, Michelle posted a picture of a clutch I custom made for her. It was really good to see a picture taken by a customer, it gives life and meaning to the item I made. Thank you Michelle! Link to her instagram post - http://instagram.com/p/ohBLraHxaE/

Coming this June 6th is Etsy Craft Party! With my friends at Finland Handcrafters Team we will be organizing this event at Madeby Helsinki, a shop selling locally handmade items in downtown Helsinki. We will be crafting together to the theme Re-Capture - Bringing new meaning to old photographs.

Also recently I toured Marimekko facility in Herttoniemi! It was a great experience, but unfortunately no photos were allowed inside as there were designs not yet launched. And one of them I could tell you was amazing - detailed, large print, design influenced by eastern European and Finnish folklore. It was an inspiring tour as I learnt so much about what goes on behind the scenes of one of the worlds most recognizable textile design companies. The facility was laid out with a simple and efficient route, making it seems like nothing much happens there, but they produce over 50,000 meters of fabric a month!

This year Marimekko celebrates 50 years of Unikko (the poppy flower design) which has a real inspirational story behind it. The design was it's creator, Maija Isola's way of defying the ban on floral design by the company's founder. Read more about it on Marimekko's website - http://unikko.marimekko.com/50-years-of-unikko/spirit

Other things happening - 

If you are looking for a quick vegetarian/vegan pasta, try this one I submitted to FHT's blog - http://finlandhandcrafters.blogspot.fi/2014/05/super-quick-pasta-with-arugula-rocket.html

I also took part in Restaurant Day here in Helsinki serving up Malaysian dishes. It was great and I started an FB page for our pop-up restaurant - 

- https://www.facebook.com/makanmakanhelsinki 

Ok that's it for now and until next time!!

FHT Spring Spirit Craft Pop-Up - What a weekend!

The Finland Handcrafters Team had a blast of a time at the Spring Spirit Craft Pop-Up at Yobot! If you were following my instagram you would have gotten some live updates during the event.

It all begin at 1pm after the cafe's busy brunch time. We had to set up the tables and all our items. Everyone moved really quickly and got the table set up in no time!

There were 8 of us, Branko Lapintiira Art Shop, Dimitra Looney Dimitra Crafts, Elina Namia Design, Jennifer -The Sun and the Turtle Amigurumi page, Julia -Sinus Finnicus Jewelry, Sasha -Paper Plane Stationery, Simona -Colorfully yours Simone and me -Kotona.

There were amigurumi, hand-bounded journals and note books, fused glass, gemstone, clay and knitted jewelry, knitted hats, hand painted scarves and prints, toys, purses and lots more!

The atmosphere was great and Yobot's customers were treated to such a wide variety of wonderful hand made items.

Preparing for Craft Pop-Up Shop - DIY Paper Bags

I am preparing for the Spring Spirit Craft Pop-up shop and decided to make my own paper bags to put a little Kotona touch on it. So it started out with trying to sew a cut up part of my business cards on to brown paper I use for packing. This is only because I didn't have glue at home and wanted to see how it looked sewn.

Not bad! I decided to keep the idea. Next I wanted to make a handle with what I had at home. Jute cord was the only thing I can use, as I use it to tie my packages which I sent out. Now this has to be an easy no- brainer packaging as someone else might have to do it for me. Since most of my items are light, I decided to have the opening at the bottom instead of the top, so I can fix the handle to the top.

Looking good, only need to rotate my brand name and it will work. Next, I decided to come up with 2 sizes - a smaller one for single smaller items and a larger one for larger or multiple items. Measure, measure, cut and cut, then stitch!

Lastly I needed a way to seal the bottom. I found this really cute Thank You sticker and thought it did go well with the rest of my packaging and items. Yes! Packaging done!

This was shared live on my instagram

Spring Spirit Craft Pop-Up, Helsinki

I will be participating in my first ever Pop-Up shop, in Helsinki!

Kotona will be creating new designs for this Pop-up shop and will be updating the progress of  my preparation on Instagram.

So stay tuned!

Wordless Wednesday

Time For Etsy - Linnwarme

My name is Linn Warme and I'm a illustrator and artist from Sweden, with a degree in Textile Art. I often work with the nature and the fauna here in the north, I like to start my work with drawing and/or painting and from there I make patterns, jewelery and all kinds of things from my illustrations, which some I sell in my Etsy store. I like to mix handmade illustrations with digital work.

I always love to try new things and materials and I think my shop reflects my love for making things, you'll find a huge piece of my creativity in my store.

Wordless Wednesdays

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