I thought I’d share with you a few of the wonderful new creations of some of the artisans that were featured in Paris: Made by Hand. First up is artist + stylist Hélène Manche‘s very own online boutique which just launched this past month. It’s called le shop and it’s full of gorgeous handmade goodies…

Hélène makes intricate adornments and accessories, I especially love her poupettes and eiffel tower brooches which I think are the perfect Paris mementos to send as gifts. You may recall I wrote a post about Hélène and her beautiful private atelier here (with lots of photos of her atelier, check it out if you missed it).  She also makes amazing window displays, and here below is a recent one she created for  the collection, a special boutique I featured in the book (page 57), along with a video (en français) about her making the window display…

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Next up is Alexia Hollinger who, as those of you who have read Paris: Made by Hand already know, makes stunning handbags from vintage silk scarves. I am loving her Spring collection, full of colour and Frenchness…

Alexia updates both her bricks & mortar boutique/atelier and her online boutique regularly, but if you want to be the first to know about her new pieces, join her facebook page. Last year Alexia started making leather bags from out-dated jackets, take a look…

… aren’t they gorgeous? Completely chic.

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And in one of my favourite areas/wanders of Paris known as Canal St. Martin, I’m happy to announce that two artisans who I adore are now offering workshops…

Glass jewerly maker Michèle Sauvalle (page 119), click here to view her website and find out workshop details.

And ceramicist Emmanuelle Wittmann (page 123) who is holding classes for beginners and those with experience, click here for more info (in english).

Both Michèle and Emmanuelle are lovely, generous and inspiring people, they were two of my favourite people to interview for the book, so if you live in Paris or are planning to visit then be sure to include these artisans on your wanderings or better still, sign up for a class.

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So that’s my update! There is plenty of inspiration to be had in all those links so be sure to click away. I’d love to make this a regular ‘column’ in the (blog)house, but you know what my workload is like these days, so let’s just play it by ear and see how I go.

Today I found myself flicking through Paris: Made by Hand in search of a shop address for someone (it’s so handy having my ‘little black book of Paris artisans’ in one neat little place!) and when I saw this image, it made me smile. It is one of my favourites from the book. Everything from the tools, the colours, the floor tiles, the rough surface of the wooden post… it takes me straight back to the moment I took the photograph: I was in Thierry Grave’s studio (page 187) on Rue Durantin in Montmatre and I remember being completely in awe of his creations.

As with so many of the artisans I feature in Paris: Made by Hand and Amsterdam: Made by Hand, I feel so privileged to be invited in to their private worlds, capturing intimate details of their studios and chatting openly about their work. They are each so passionate, enthusiastic, and talented I am always in awe and when I leave, I feel like I’m walking on clouds.

Anyway, I digress completely because this post was just supposed to be a reminder about our haven workroom giveaway! It will close tomorrow (since we are all on different time zones I will make it in the afternoon for us in Europe = late night for Aussies and New Zealanders = evening for everyone in Asia = morning for North Americans). So, make sure you leave a comment on the giveaway post so you can be in the draw.

Last night’s impromptu booksigning and meet up was a hit! I met loads of lovely people, signed my little heart out, and was super pleased to find out the books sold out within the first hour. Yippee! However I was not happy to see a few people missed out. As usual I completely forgot about taking photos, and french boy forgot too until the very end when there were just a few people left. He was in mid conversation with someone and then all of a sudden he jumped up and announced with a look of sheer panic “I forgot to take photos!!”

from left to right: my dear friend Jenni Booth chatting with fellow stylist Phoebe; Stef, owner of the very cool store in newtown called newspaper taxi; me; and fiona, an avid reader and visitor of the (blog)house.

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He managed to find the camera, click the button, and the above scene is what he captured: The big empty spot on the coffee table is where the stack of books were, I am the one to the right with the ripped jeans (I decided to go with a bit of a hip, punk style – I’m hoping this looked better in person than it does on this photograph), and all the space around was filled with people – standing, sitting, chatting, sipping coffee, and me signing books amidst it all. It was a great atmosphere and Berkelouw made it all very welcoming – they had set up this little nook just for us, set among all their glorious shelves of books. Isn’t the setting fabulous?

So, it was all round good fun, and I’m feeling more and more at ease to do other similar events this year in Amsterdam. I need to find a pen though, that dries instantly  – I spend alot of time blowing on the page to make sure it doesn’t smudge.

A big thank you to everyone who came along. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed our chats and I hope I get to meet you again soon.

xx

berkelouw books, newtown, as captured by louise hawson from fab blog 52 suburbs. click here to see louise’s full newtown post.

Tomorrow – that being Thursday, February 4th – I will be at berkelouw books in newtown for an impromptu booksigning of paris: made by hand between 5:30-7:30pm. I’m really looking forward to it, and I hope you can come along. Don’t forget to bring your copy of the book but if you don’t have one yet or would like another, you can purchase one from berkelouw while you’re there. Too easy!

See you soon mes amis!

xx

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Where: Berkelouw Books, 6-8 O’Connell Street, Newtown (ph: 9557 1777)

When: Thursday, February 4, 2010 between 5:30-7:30pm

What: Pia Jane Bijkerk, author of  this here blog and Paris: Made by Hand -  impromptu booksigning and bloggers/friends meet up!

photograph of berkelouw books newtown cafe by the fat belly club

I have less than two weeks left here in Sydney and I really wanted to meet as many of you as possible. So, I’ve organised an impromptu meet up & booksigning next thursday february 4, between 5:30pm-7:30pm at the new and gorgeous newtown berkelouw books ! Anyone can come along, you can buy your own refreshments at the cafe and we can just chat, or if you have a paris: made by hand you would like signed bring it along, or if you’d like a brand spanking new one for a friend or yourself, berkelouw books will have a nice fat stack, just for the occasion…

I’m thinking it will be a small affair, nothing fancy, just a nice location to mingle and get to meet. What do you think?  Please pass the word along on your blogs if you are based in Australia or Sydney, and I really hope you will come along. Don’t be shy (I’m shy too, so that will make at least two of us!). Email me if you have any questions. And a big thank you to Newtown Berkelouw Books for having us.

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Save the date: Thursday,  February 4, between 5:30pm-7:30pm Newtown Berkelouw Books. See you there!

At the end of last year, many of you let me know that my blog was featured in the Times Online “50 of the world’s best design blogs”. It was a great surprise, and I want to thank you all for letting me know about it, as well as to Times Online for including me. For the full list, check out sfgirlbybay’s post about it right here.

Also, I was super happy to discover that my blog was included in the list of design blog favorite nominations for apartment therapy’s The Homies 2009 award. Since I don’t know much about these things, I really appreciate you guys thinking about me and including me in your votes. Your support and encouragement is wonderful, and I know this (blog)house is buzzing with activity because of you. Thank you mes amis.

amanda’s heavenly polaroids of paris: made by hand

In other news, I was thinking, since I’m in Sydney only for a little while longer, is there anyone here interested in having a copy  of paris: made by hand signed? (blog)house reader natalie and I had discussed the idea in an email briefly some time ago, and then again recently. So I thought I’d just put the idea out now to you guys, and if there was a healthy handful or so then I could look into it further. It wouldn’t be until the beginning of February, and I was thinking at a nice cozy bookstore, say something like gertrude & alice on oxford st, or the likes. I don’t even know if they sell my book, but if they did, perhaps they’d like to host a signing.

What do you think?

If there is enough interest in a signing, I’d need help from someone to organise it as I’m smack bang in the middle of writing my next book. Another idea is that if anyone owns a store in Sydney selling the book and would like to host a signing, then let me know.

I would love to have the chance to meet some of you while I’m here. An impromptu booksigning seems feasible and a great way to see you, non? Let me know your thoughts.

xx

The other day I received an email that totally made my day. It was from a (blog)house reader named Natalie who is a freelance graphic designer specialising in book design. Originally from Auckland but now residing in Sydney, Natalie had recently spent a little time in Paris with her partner, and used Paris: Made By Hand as one of her travel guide companions.

Natalie wrote such a beautiful email describing the moments when she first received the book (which her partner ordered for her and had sent up from Melbourne, how sweet!) and the trip itself a few months later. She wrote:

“…we had both been to Paris before so we were freed from having to visit all the tourist spots. Instead we wandered … and had a really wonderful day seeking out some of the ateliers that you recommended. My partner even came with me, and he had as much fun as I did, (luckily he took care of the road maps, and metro stops and I could just wander and soak in the atmosphere … it was perfect!) I think in the end we made it to about 5. Which in the scheme of all the fantastic looking places in the book wasn’t many. But each we went to was just perfect. And all the shop owners were lovely.”

How beautiful is that?  I asked Natalie if she’d mind sharing with us all some  pics of her time in Paris, and she obliged! Here they are, above and below with some captions…

“I saw these little pottery heads in a window in St Germain and thought they had the sweetest expressions. Unfortunately I didn’t write down who the artist of them was.” I don’t know the artist either, anyone? They are rather gorgeous.

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…inside Le Petit Atelier de Paris.

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“One of the other ateliers from your book we visited which was a wonderful experience was Alexia Hollinger with her gorgeous vintage fabric bags. Alexia herself was away for the day, and her mother was looking after the shop. It was her first day, and she was very eager and so warm and welcoming. Her English was not so good, and our French even worse, but together we had a lovely conversation”. Pictured above in Alexia’s atelier/boutique.

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“We went to Les Papilles for dinner, I highly recommend a visit. A wine bar with a menu that is only one option! but beautiful, like having a rustic home cooked meal in a warm bustling café. ”

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Sunset over the Seine.

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Thank you dear Natalie, I am thrilled that you enjoyed the book and were able to visit some of the featured boutique ateliers. I hope you will get as much pleasure out of my next Made by Hand book. Yes, you read right, there is another in the making…

xx