Memi The Rainbow

Welcome 2012! The year of the Dragon!!

2012-01-25T00:30:00.002+01:00

Since 23rd January, Paris is in turmoil for the beginning of festivities linked to the new Chinese year! Yes because here in Paris there is a big Chinese community, who lives in three "Chinatowns": one around the 13 arrondissement in the south part of the town, one in the norther part of the Marais district, and another one in the core of Belleville. Each of these communities organize each years a series of parties, of expositions, and of cultural activities in order to celebrate the arrival of the new year. And most important, they perform also the traditional "Dragon parade", a real Chinese show that "floods" the Parisian streets. You can find the full program of these festivities here.

2012 is for the chinese culture the year of the Dragon: this mythological animal is for Chinese people the symbol of power, harmony, health, and, most important, of luck. Indeed, Dragon years are considered the luckiest in the Chinese lunar zodiac... and as fas as Dragon is such as a good omen, I have produced a hand carved rubber stamp with the shapes of a little cute Dragon to celebrate this year, which I hope it would really lucky!

Since the beginning of year is usually a time during which to believe in good omens, I have also carved a stamp set representing a Daruma (or Dharma) Doll. This is a Japanese doll that is traditionally believed a talisman of good luck. This doll is made without eyes; when you express a wish, you have to color only one eye: the doll will help you to realize it for having its missing eyes. Indeed, if the wish will realize, you have to thank the doll making the other one. Otherwise, these dolls can represent also a symbol of perseverance: drawing a eye when you settle a goal will help you to stay concentrate on this goal until when it will be fulfilled - and you will draw the other eye to show your achievement. I hope that you like both the Dragon and the Daruma Doll, you can find them on my etsy.

Treasures of Paris #7. Le Bonbon au Palais

2012-01-21T12:11:00.006+01:00

"La vie est bien plus belle avec des bonbons..." (life is even more beautiful with some candies); this is the message that welcomes people when crossing the threshold of Le Bonbon au Palais, a unique candy shop that I'm glad to feature here for my series of posts about places to be definitively visited in Paris. This shop is really a sweet pearl for its cuteness! Not only for the unbelievable varieties of delicious candies that you can find only there: this shop is really amazing for its ambience, with furnishings able to recall a vintage classroom with black dashboard, wooden desk and faded maps on walls... to spend some time in this shop is like a colorful journey back to a dreamy period of our childhood!

The person who made possible this project is George, a brilliant guy who succeeded in realizing his own biggest dream since his childhood: to open the most beautiful candy shop of the world, proposing the best selection of sweets that you can find! And, looking at what he was able to put together, I can affirm with ease that he achieved his goal: in this shop you can find bonbons from all corners of France, a selection of more than 200 varieties of regional candies hand made by the best French "confiseurs"...

... each of them has its own story and its own particular taste: it is a pleasure to listen George accounting while describing their flavors with the typical enthusiasm of who has a real passion for his own job. Indeed he has chosen each of the candies present in the shop, serving as a real hunter of sugary treasuries. Amongst the huge varieties of sweeties, here you can also find the real "guimauve". For profanes this could be described as a kind of marshmallow; yet its soft taste evokes a dreamy sensation of flowers and meringues.

You can find Le Bonbon au Palais in Paris, 19 rue Monge, 75005, Mon, 14h-19h, and from Tue to Sat, 10h30-13h and 14h-19h. Tel: 0033 (0) 1.78.56.15.72, Website: www.bonbonsaupalais.fr, email bonbonsaupalais@aol.com

The month of sweetness

2012-01-15T21:49:00.000+01:00

January is for me the month of sweetness. Xmas holidays are just gone, and my house is still stuffed with candies and sweeties of all kinds... I'm aware that it will be needed a certain time for buffering all them; for that, during this month my blog will host and show creations inspired directly to the wonderful world of cakes and candies. After having presented you the galette des rois, this is the time of this candy necklace above, I hope you like it, it would be found on my etsy...

Yet, as you maybe have the sorrow to try it, sweeties are sworn enemies of little teeth (and maybe best friend of dentists...). For never forgetting this cons of candies, I've also produced a safety pin with a tooth along with paste and brush (pic here above) and a tooth hand carved rubber stamp (pic here below). You can find both on my etsy shop as well... I hope you will enjoy them!!

And the winner is....

2012-01-14T19:16:00.005+01:00

The lucky winner of my galette des rois plush, which I've announced here, is les Saint Palais en Grèce!! Indeed randomizer has chosen the author of the comment n.15. I please the winner to take contact with me writing me a message via email...

Special giveaway: win la galette des rois!

2012-01-06T21:36:00.008+01:00

Each country has its own tradition in matter of food, especially during holidays. Here in France, for instance, the 6th january - the day of Epiphany, even if it is not a public holiday day, there is the tradition to eat the "galette des rois"! This cake is not only delicious: also a special and funny ritual belongs to it. The cake indeed hides inside a little figurine in porcelain: who find this "fève" in her or his slice will be the Queen or the King for the day! And, in order to celebrate this cute cake, I'm glad here of launching a special giveaway for my "galette des rois" in felt, with an authentic "fève" inside (here in the pics). Would you like to win it? Follow the instruction of this special giveaway below...

In order to participate to the selection for winning my special "galette des rois" in felt, you have to write a comment to this post before the 14th Januay 2012 with the name of a traditional food of your country or of your region along with the occasion or recurrence in which it is eaten. If you'd like to add other details, they are very welcome. To each comment I will assign a ascending number (1,2,3, and so forth) and randomizer will find out the lucky winner! Let's try your chance!!

Your daily drop of sweetness

2012-01-03T19:38:00.007+01:00

As usual, when a new year begins, people wonder how did the last year turn out and very often write more or less exhaustive lists of resolutions for the new one. And I am ready to bet that many of you, still stricken by guilt-feelings about having eaten too much during xmas meals, placed at the beginnings of these lists sentences such as "eat less", "go on a diet", "enroll at the gym" and so forth. I can also foresee that in many cases our beloved candies have been found guilty of ever-normal augmentations of weight and that special resolutions could claim "definitively stop candies", "never eat candies again", and even more drastically "start your personal war to candies".

Personally, I never trust in new year's resolutions list (even though I write it every years!). I feel that life is more than a firm balance sheet, in which one year losses have to compensated in the hope of future earnings. Even to consider the life divided in years is too much conventional after me. Life should be lived day after day, following our tastes and our wills, and each morning we should feel the whole opportunity to start a new day, to achieve our projects, and to follow our dreams. But I can understand a diet could be really welcome after binges of last days. For that, instead of writing "kill all candies without eating!" in my list, this year I can use this stamp "candy machine" for my daily drop of sweetness. I am sure that this will be at zero cals! You can find it on my etsy

Studios mag!!

2011-12-20T22:27:00.010+01:00

My little and warm studio is going to become a real celebrity: after having been featured on etsy last year in a special issue dedicated to workspaces, this winter it was included in a real paper publication, which you can find both in North American kiosks and on-line... I'm so excited about it! I'm glad and proud indeed to announce that "Studios", a great magazine that features artists' spaces, has chosen to include my little attic under the roof of Paris in this last issue!! Here's some pics of the magazines which shows my beloved studio and a little interview related to it, I hope you like it!

All-Mighty: Boston Terrier lovers

2011-12-12T21:17:00.009+01:00

Christmas is approaching very fast, and for whom that have still to find the last gifts for their beloved ones, I'd like to suggest to take a look to one of my favorite shops, which has recently launched a new amazing collection of wears and accessories... it is All-Mighty, a concept store build around a funny Boston Terrier (whose name is Mighty), the best friend of Erica and Jennifer Daking, two adorable sisters from Los Angeles. In 2007 they started a really nice activity of t-shirt and apparels producers focused directly on Mighty and on their love for Boston Terriers...

...When most people come in contact with a Boston Terrier they see a small, chortling, and often excitable little dog; for many of us the experience could best be described as cute, but when Erica Daking stares into the big brown eyes of her beloved dog, the connection is nothing short of inspirational. Mighty, Daking’s 5 year old Boston terrier, is not only her precious pet and best friend but also the muse from which she draws a majority of her inspiration for her t-shirt line- All Mighty. Daking’s designs are as adorable as the pup that inspires them!!

And, that's true, Boston Terriers are insomuch cute that I've experienced of this inspiration and hand carved the logo of All-Mighty... with which I hope Erica and Jennifer could decorate packets and cards they send over the world for diffusing their love for Boston Terriers!

The Etsy France advent calendar!

2011-12-02T21:40:00.005+01:00

There's no self-respecting Xmas without an advent calendar! Without indeed these little windows to be opened each evening during the month of december while waiting the coming of children's best favorite holiday.... So Etsy has prepared a special one, in which the countdown will be beaten by crafty activities, offered by etsians from France, Germany and Netherlands. I'm sure that those funny activities will fill up this wait, helping everybody to make amazing project with which to have very original Christmas holidays! Here's below a little essay of the first two activities (click on the photo to jump to the activity), already available on the blog of Etsy France... enjoy them!

New felted friends!

2011-12-01T22:34:00.005+01:00

New entries: some new felted smiling friends that will be able to bring some happiness during this long winter that is approaching! A funny chestnut, a smart acorn and a dreamy colorful rainbow: you can find them in my etsy! I hope you like them...

The perfect gift

2011-11-23T21:48:00.009+01:00

Since I've seen this melting video below, I think there's no better way to expose what is, for me, the concept of "perfect gift". While people are often carried away by the stress of the scramble for last minute Xmas gifts, I think on the contrary that what gives sense to the act of donating is the time we spent for our beloved and scrupulousness we dedicate to take care of their presents. What make unique a gift is the time we spent for seeking the right item, which represents the tastes and wills of our beloved; for writing a good greeting card, able to keep up with the sentiments we'd like to expose; for wrapping and presenting it in the more original way, showing how much we care about. Thus, the perfect gift is the one you can't wait to give... because to give a gift should be somewhat able to gratify also ourself, not a mechanic task, or an mandatory action to be accomplished. For that, I feel as the child of this video: while I'm wrapping what I thing is my perfect gift for someone, I experience the his impatience growing in me, I feel the sensation of this great expectation to see a smile appears on the mouth of my beloved.

For this Christmas, I am already looking for the right items and I'm still enhancing my writing capabilities to be used in greeting cards; yet the main decision I've taken is to wrap my gifts with home-made wrappings and to use handmade decorations for them. And here's indeed a special kit I've produced for your special Xmas pacs: four buttons made with modeling clay representing sweet gingerbread men, with which to embellish strings and bows of the pack, and a special stamp made with 6 different motives for printing out a unique pattern on your wrapping paper. I hope you like it, check it out on my etsy...

Make me queen!! new hand carved rubber stamp set

2011-11-17T21:47:00.011+01:00

I'm glad to announce that a new stamp set of the series "make me droll", which I presented some time ago, is now available on my etsy: it is a complete set to give the power to people to crown whoever you want as your personal sovereign!! With this stamp set, indeed, you could doodle magazines and photos with crown and other royal gadgets, in order to give a princely touch to other people: girls will became odd princess, boys self-important princes... everybody could be appointed queen of king just for fun. Check it out here, I hope you will like it!!

More geekery stuff!!

2011-11-14T21:04:00.009+01:00

After pacman and invaders rubber stamp sets, I'm glad to show you new hand made geekery stuff!! I've indeed produced during last periods some felt brooches inspired to one of my favorite 1980s video games: pacman! They're a must for all of you that want to show to the world their love for vintage games; check them out on my etsy...

Moreover, keeping this geek attitude on, I've also conceived other stuffs inspired to vintage video games. Using some plaster, I made both pac man and space invaders magnets to be attached, for instance, on the fridge door. Also these vintage technological creations are available on my etsy, I hope you like them!!

Xmas felt mascots!! Ornaments and tutorial

2011-11-09T21:54:00.008+01:00

By popular request, my Xmas felt ornaments are back!! A smiling gingerbread man, a cute xmas tree, a lovely red stocking, a shooting star, a special butter cookie, and a pink teddy bear... these soft friends will be able to decorate your house or christmas tree in a unique and cute way during the coming holidays! I'm sure that thanks to these ornaments your Christmas tree is going to say you "thank you very much, my dear"... You can find these ornaments on my etsy, I hope you like them!!

Along with these felt ornaments, I am also glad to announce a new tutorial in my etsy. All these Xmas ornaments, indeed, became the object of new ebook that illustrates how to hand-made them. I don't know if for you is the same, but after me Xmas period always inspires creativity: while staying in family with our beloved, it is very usual to make things to embellish home and to carry out little crafty projects all together... I am sure that with this tutorial, you will have a lot of fun to do yourself cute ornaments easy-to-make!! You find it on my etsy as well...

And the winner is...

2011-11-06T12:51:00.010+01:00

According with randomizer, the winner of my special giveaway, announced here, is the author of the comment n. 7, Sewon!! You won my "buttons on buttons" set!!! Please write me a private email with your address for sending you the buttons set.

For all of you that you liked my buttons and are interested in them, I want to let you know that other sets are available on my etsy: the Mademoiselle stamped buttons set, please check them out!

timeless vintage brands #6 Snuggle

2011-11-05T22:04:00.008+01:00

Today for me was the "washing day". Indeed, I've not any washer at home, and, usually, I need to spend whole afternoons in the coin-operated laundry on the doorstep for doing the washing. But today, my time was not totally wasted. As soon as I crossed the laundry's threshold this afternoon, I've promptly recognized something a new but familiar at the same time: the soap dispenser was re-settled to sale a new kind of softener and its panel has been covered with a huge sticker of "cajoline". Cajoline is the French name for "snuggle", in Italy we call it "coccolino"... and it remembered me too much my childhood! Shortly, a new argument for my special issue dedicated to vintage timeless brands was dropped in my mind! Indeed, as soon as I finished to dry my scented clothes, I hand-carved the logo of snuggle, making a special stamp that you can see in the pics of this post; I hope you like it!

Watching again today the old commercials of snuggle from 1980s (a lot of them are available here - in French), I remembered all the efforts made by my grandma to please my desire to have this cute character of the TV. During my childhood, indeed, in Italy (but I guess also in other countries) it was possible to win the teddy-bear accumulating points. A lot of points. I think that at the end my grandma obtained the bear only thanks to a friend of her, who has a little stock of promotional teddy-bear because she was the owner of a grocery... But, this was not exactly a happy end: indeed the toy revealed to not be at all the cute and softy teddy-bear of the adversing. It seemed more to an evil woo-do doll, very rigid and mangy. I think that, fearing it could become alive, I enclosed it into a drawer, without even considering the possibility to play or sleep with it. I read that still today an accumulation of point exists for having the little bear... and in the pic it seems really cute; what should I do, to try again my chance to obtain this white teddy-bear?

My favorite illustrators # 6 Roger Hargreaves

2011-11-02T21:32:00.009+01:00

Amongst my favorite illustrators, Roger Hargreaves merits a special place; it was impossible for me to not include him in this corner of my blog. Roger does not need any presentation: Mr. Men and Miss Little are maybe one of most popular characters of children books; since 1971, when these characters were created, dozens of millions of copies of Mr. Men booklets were sold. All kind of gadgets of these characters were also created: from t-shirts, to plasters, from mugs, to jewelries... Recently, even google dedicated its first page to this author with a special doodle inspired to his characters. And to tribute them and their creator, I took decision to carve some stamps inspired to Mr. Men and Miss Little, I hope you like them very much!!

What is less know, at least to me before taking decision to write this post, is how Roger started to create these funny creatures: according with wikipedia, one day in 1971 his young son asked to him "what does a tickle look like?" The answer to this question was an odd orange ball, with a hat upon its head, and long and trembling arms: Mr. Tickle was born. During following years, a little funny army of colorful characters was created from this first inspiration. What I like the most of Roger Hargreaves is, aside the cuteness of his creations and the hilarity that they excite in me, the fact that he was able to represent through his series of Mr. Men and Miss Little, the widespread features of human being. Likewise to a contemporary Balzac, Hargreaves was able to draw all characters of a modern "Comédie Humaine". So said, which character looks more like you? I'm sure that, if you check the image below, you will find the most similar to you!

Treasures of Paris #6. Les Marionnettes du Marais

2011-10-30T21:47:00.007+01:00

For this new issue of my special places to visit in Paris, it is a great pleasure to introduce Les Marionnettes du Marais! A couple of days ago, I received this amazing finger puppet (pic above) as a gift, and since then I've fallen in love with this funny monkey; it is as little as it could be held in my pocket! This cute puppet comes from Roxana Pecquet's shop, a little pearl of hand-knitted creations in the heart of the Marais district in Paris, just beyond the Musée Carnavalet... Les Marionnettes du Marais!

The handmade activity of Roxana is really amazing. Her boutique is unbelievably fulfilled with hundreds of colorful puppets: princes and princess, wolves and red ridding hoods, witches and fairies, Roxana proposes a wide range of characters since 17 years ago, when she started her activity here in Paris. From the characters of classic tales to almost all the animal existing in nature, these cuties stimulate your imagination and let you perform great theatrical shows, able to satisfy even the most exigent child simply thanks to the waving your fingers!!

Therefore, I find that these fingers puppets are not only very cute; they has also a big advantage. Their reduced size makes them suitable for typical small parisian apartments: in few square meters, by their help it will be possible to organise real theatrical "colossal", with dozens of characters and walker-ons; the only limit, this time, will be the number of hands you will dispose!

Roxana and her assistant Olivia welcome customers from all corners of the world, which are looking for a unique and dreamy gift, at Les Marionnettes du Marais, in Paris, 15 rue Elzevir, 75003, contact marionnettes.du.marais@gmail.com • tel 01.48.87.52.73

Special buttons giveaway!

2011-10-26T21:10:00.010+02:00

Here in Paris one of my favourite hobbies is to spend my spare time "mining" little treasures in haberdasheries disseminated in this town. Indeed, there's such as magnificent shops of this kind where to spent whole afternoons discovering amazing little stuffs! These magical places are simply extraordinary... sometimes, I feel like an archaeologist in a scavenger hunt: while I'm pushing my way through colourful ribbons and vintage fabrics, it is always a surprise and a great pleasure to discover coffers completely fulfilled with precious buttons...

And this love that I feel for buttons and haberdasheries inspired me to carve special hand carved rubber stamps the shape of buttons: they are for sale on my etsy, in 4 different sets... check them out, I hope you like'em all!
Last but not least, in this post I propose also a special giveaway of a set of 8 authentic "buttons in buttons" in fabric, made with my buttons stamps (pic below there): for winning this set, you have to write a comment, explaining where do you like to spent your spare time before Sunday the 6th November. To each comment I will assign a progressive number... then, randomiser will chose the fortunate number!!

NOTE: this is the set to win! write a comment on this post to participate to the giveaway!!

A stamp for every occasion!

2011-10-21T22:01:00.006+02:00

For every occasion it exists a stamp able to make you happy or to accompany your daily life! Indeed, during last period, it was glad for me to hand carved a certain amount of custom rubber stamps: an ex-libris for a cute friend of mine, business logos for two great website (Meias Marias and Curious & Cute), an emplacement for mail address for an adorable Belgian family, a phrase hand written by her son for lovely Virginia, a little logo for a nice Australian girl... these are few samples of committed rubber stamps; I hope you like them, if you'd like to have you too your personalised rubber stamp, write me an email and either send me a draw or explain me in detail what you'd like, I will be happy to satisfy your request!

Therefore, as Christmas is starting to approach, and the first stuff are starting to appear on almost all websites, I've remake my special Xmas stamps collection... you can find a wide range of cute little stamps on my etsy with which to can start to organise your Xmas and mind how to decorate your greetings cards, your wrappings, everything you want!

Shaggy, autumnal little friends

2011-10-17T21:00:00.006+02:00

I do not why, but during these first days of cold weather I associate often this period to a couple of my favorite characters of ever: Monchichi and Cheburashka! This would be due maybe to the fact that they are both bounded in a fluffy, brown fur, which makes them so snuggly and similar to chestnuts, but the point is that by now they are both for me almost a symbol of fall!!

I took decision to propose again some stuffs inspired to these cute shaggy, brown, autumnal friends: a set of felt brooches shaped with Cheburashka and his friends, and some hand carved rubber stamps figuring both Cheburashka and Monchichi. You can find them on my etsy shop, I hope you like them!! Before leaving, I post here below a cute video, able to melt my heart each time I see it, of Cheburashka and his best friend, Gena the Croccodile, while they are singing a cute russian song... good listening!! For knowing a little more about Cheburashka, read this former post of mine here...

Le festival d'automne of hand carved rubber stamps!

2011-10-12T21:49:00.007+02:00

Here in Paris the Autumn is not only the season that accompany my life from september until late december, against which I swear each time I came out without my umbrella. Autumn is a mixture of melancholy for the summer that is gone and of a mild resting before cold winter, a time of sly reflection and artistic inspiration. To such extend that, in spite of the platitude that associates autumn to the decline, Paris each year dedicates an art festival to this season, le festival de l'Automne! This festival, born in 1972, was conceived to show artistic avant-gardes of theatre, cinema, plastic arts, music and dance, to oppose to the static art perpetually shown in the main museums.

For what concerns my artistic inspirations, I took decision to create something special for this season and for its special feelings. Autumn was for me also in the past rich of meanings: I had fun in producing stuff inspired to the rain and to the clouds (and by this way to my usual swearing against the end of sunny season...). But this time is different: for endearing myself to the fall, I've produced a wide range of cute characters that evokes in me the idea of this season and its crafty melancholia: acorns, hedgehogs, and chestnuts... which with decorate what you want, and which amuse yourself decorating your life during these rainy days. You can find them on my etsy! I hope you like them...

Treasures of Paris #5. Merci

2011-10-05T21:44:00.011+02:00

For this new issue of my posts dedicated to special places to discover in Paris, I'd like to change a little from my habits. This time, indeed, instead to feature a little and picturesque shops, I'm going to present you a huge store. I've recently discovered "merci", 1500 m2 of design and creative and inspiring things in the core of Paris.

This choice is motivated by two main aspects: the "store" and the "concept" that lie beyond this "concept store". Concerning the first motivation, the store is accommodated in a wonderful and dreaming place, under this aspect is really unique: it is an ancient Parisian building nearby one of my favourite borough - le Marais. You accede to the store passing through a wonderful internal court that cut out the noises of the town. This building, which during XIX century was a textile works, was recently completely restored in the respect of the old architectural structure: a mix of antiquity and modernity in the same delightful place.

The second motivation is the concept beyond "merci". The original idea of the owners, who became rich during last 30 years thank to their chic children cloths "Bon Point", was to open a shop in which all things for sale are given for gift by designers, artist, stylists, writers; Indeed, here you can find both new and used things, from books to pencils, from industrial tables to mini-skirts, from dishcloth to handmade soaps and perfumes. Price are not always really cheap, but earnings are devolved to charity actions. Furthermore, this shop resumes a kind of French taste in matter of design and creativity, and a walk in it is sufficient to have you breathe the typical bohemienne atmosphere. In the shop, there's also a caffé, in which you can read books during your shopping pause.

If you are not in Paris now, nor you are planning to visit soon this town, I want to suggest you to start to breathe the Parisian style visiting a cute e-shop, fulfilled with amazing Frenchy things for children, frenchblossom!

My favorite illustrators # 5 Marc Boutavant

2011-09-30T21:17:00.014+02:00

Amongst my favourite illustrators, to which I'm dedicating a special series of issues in my blog, it was impossible for me to not write a post about Marc Boutavant. I love very much his style: he's able to create a wonderful world, fulfilled of incredible amount of details, in each of his illustrations: a kind of parallel world to the real one in which normal people are turned into odd animals!

Here in France, he is an authentic star of children illustrations: in book stores, there's plenty of goods with his draws: stickers, books, games, cards, and even stamps! Indeed, I've found also two stamp sets with his cute characters... I'm really looking forward to become the owner of a third one, I hope that djeco (the producers of these stamps) will satisfy soon this hope if mine...

Timeless vintage brands #5 Lemonhead candies

2011-09-26T21:03:00.011+02:00

After the summer pause, it comes the time to restart my periodical special issues. And, here I'm glad to announce a new entry of my issues dedicated to timeless vintage brands: Lemonhead candies! Lemonheads come from the beginnings of Sixties, and they are a creation of Ferrara pan, an American brand specialised in the production of colourful candies. I personally consider these candies as a landmark of modern sweet art, just as the Brionvega is for radios! For more information about these little, yellow drops of lemon, take a look to their website here.

I discovered this cute logo quite willy-nilly some time ago, while I was just spending my spare-time browsing the net; and when I see this cute logo representing a droll man whose head has the shape of a big yellow lemon, I cannot avoid myself to turn it into a combined rubber stamp! The pics in this post show the outcome of my fascination for this logo... Indeed, I find it very funny, and it is a pity that they are not easy to be found here in France... indeed I never tried them, at least for the moment.