Handmade fair in Seoul, Korea

Everybody is having a lovely summer? Hope you guys stay cool and happy! It’s been a pretty busy summer for me since ‘J’ left for his own vacation to mountain Kilimanjaro. Missing him, working on new lines for the next season, starting on knitting projects for coming autumn, cleaning up my little atelier before the busy and hectic season launches, and cooking something healthy and refreshing for myself (ssshh~ I am on a fabulous vegi-diet while he is away. I will introduce this next posting.). Anyway, while I was a busy bunny there’s something I’ve been waiting forever: handmade Korea fair 2012. A handmade boom arrived here in Korea a few years ago, but still not so many people are familiar with its concept. This event could help people get to know how fabulous it is! 

Today, this happy bunny was hopping down to the exhibition center with full of excitement. First of all, look at this! Isn’t this cool? A bracelet style entering ticket!

 

Finally, I am in! There are so many things to explore. As a sewer, knitter and crafter of little bit of everything, I couldn’t resist all the vibes those little goodies sent forth.  

 

This is one of things I’ve wanted to learn so long: Korean traditional knots. Terrific vivid color combos and gorgeous texture created by knots are just my style! Wait a minute! Now I remember I grabbed a couple of how-to-knot books a few years ago. Where have they gone? Oh, well, time to check out my junk box somewhere at my atelier before I forget again. 

I knit something either practical or wearable. So there’s one kind I’ve never tried yet: knitted dolls. I’d like to wow them and talk to them (only when I am alone!), but I’ve never thought about making them by myself. This time, I found some booths full of knitted or sewn dolls. Those are amazingly adorable and cuddly. I purely felt cozy and calm when I hold them. Now I understand why babies long for those little creatures and knitters are tempted to make them. So, I took some of class information sheet they handed out. And… what a coincidence!! One of ateliers is just right around my neighborhood where I used to pass by. Obviously I knew the shop! I’ve been wondering about the owner of the shop and I’ve just found out! She is a kind and friendly lady and very informative, too. I might stop by her atelier soon or later to learn how to make little lovelies~

This is one of the biggest artwork I met at the site. A wooden piano. How fabulous! Not sure how it sounds like, but at least it is looking just beautiful and I hardly believe it is handmade. Must’ve taken lots of time, energy and talent!

Those are handmade (decorated?) wedding cakes. Gorgeous western inspired cakes got lots of attention from visitors. The last one is one of my favorites: small yet lovely. The subtle color is a plus!

BTW, here I want to share a few more cakes I found at the other bakery show a few weeks ago. Those demonstrate how Koreans decorate cakes and I guess you guys might be interested. J

Do you know what these are? I will give you some hints. You cannot eat them, yet they smell refreshing and delicious. They will melt on your body and make you feel pampered. Those are soaps made of ginseng and mushroom in a shape of traditional Korean coin money. I am wondering how I feel when I take shower with money ~ J

Here’s another Korean style artwork: Korean traditional quilts. Isn’t this similar to western one? Maybe the fabric we are using is different, but I think they are equally beautiful!

Finally, this is the place I took almost forever to wow and take some photos: Doll houses. Again, I’ve never been into doll-related things before, but who knew that I might find another wonderland today. Look at those tiny stuffs! Elegant details and constructions. I wish I could shrink myself and be a litte bunny in the middle of the photo and then live right there making all those fantastic things mine!! (I know, I know I am greedy. .. you can call me ‘piggie’ now.)

Wow~ someday could I have a closet like this? (hope 'J' is reading this!) Well, these might be more than I need, or not? J

Anyway, exploring little houses is really fun as well as inspiring! However, what I really liked was this!!! My simple and forever joy: knitting!

So, did you enjoy my little story? I had a fun time recalling my visit while I am writing the post. My brain is busy for processing lots of new ideas and inspirations I got from the exhibition. Now time to return to my little atelier and get to create something pretty!

Have a marvelous summer and enjoy your crafting~ 

XO, 

Soyun.

Something fun indoor

Hello, everyone. How’s your summer going? Hope you have a fun and enjoyable summer whatever you’re doing. The weather in Korea is getting summer-y now. Rainy almost every day so… the humidity is way high and the temperature is going up little by little. Pretty much not my kind of weather. But, as we all do I have lots of projects to finish and orders to fulfill. Don’t get me wrong. I really enjoy creating things at my little atelier. I won’t trade it with anything. But, I am such a curious girl that my little antennas are always looking for something fun out of my studio. So, the other day I visited this lovely museum in Seoul. There were many posters promoting the exhibition near by. Literally every shop around the area displayed the poster of this exhibition so it was too hard to miss it. The poster was showing one thing: awfully cool-looking chair. I got instantly hooked~ and made a trip to the museum. So here’re posters from the museum’s website. Cool, isn’t it?

A hot and rainy summer day. It is just perfect to enjoy something interesting indoor. This is an exhibition of north-European style chairs by Finn Juhl a famous artist from Denmark. I am sure lots of you are from the Scandinavian area and familiar with those chairs I am going to introduce. Seems like he is a pretty popular designer who also designed the interior of the Trusteeship Council Chamber at the UN headquarters in New York.  

So here are some of photos I am excited to share with you. I did a bit long and tiring trip to the museum and those chairs were looking so inviting. Aww.. it could’ve been amazing if I could rest my little booty on one of those sweet chairs.

Loved all of the chairs displayed. Those are pretty different from Korean styles I am familiar with. As some of you know Koreans used to sit on floors and we didn’t really develop styles of chairs and tables much. Those fun and cool-looking furniture inspired me so much that now I really want to decorate my atelier with some nice things. I will get some cute chairs and then cover them with blankets that I am going to knit some day (hopefully by this fall).  

Finally we arrived at the top floor where we can sit on and take photos with one of famous chairs. The chairs you can sit on switch every month and this month it was the one called ‘easy chair’. Me and my boy friend J did some ‘not-so-easy’ pose (Oh, well. Anyway I tried, but I was a bit nervous if I could break the precious chair.). We were just happy to have a little date in the cool museum as you see through the photo.

It was such a fun day. Museums are exciting and wonderful places to take a vacation from time to time. You will get inspired and recharged by something you rarely pay attention in your daily life. If you’re interested I hope you check out their website, daelim museum. Also, if you’re in Seoul, I recommend you take a trip to the area. There are lots of things to enjoy including the Korean old royal palace and garden called 'GyeongBokGung'. I am sure you will be thrilled by it. I will try to blog about it sometime soon.

Hope you enjoyed my little story. If you have any questions or requests please let me know or leave a message. I will be more than happy to help you. Have a creative and fun summer and see you soon. 

XO, 

Soyun.

Having fun with colors~



How’ve you been everyone? You all having a lovely summer? Here in Korea, the weather has been unusually hot and dry. We are supposed to have a rainy season by now, but it’s been extremely dry. As a matter of fact I heard we have less than 30% of rain in this June than last year’s. I hope rain comes soon and gives us some relief. I am so~ ready to dance in a raincoat and rain boots under water drops. J

While the weather got funky outside my sewing machine ran extra busy. What ‘s the best way of enjoying unfriendly weather? To me (without question) playing with my little two hands: sewing, knitting, cooking, and getting dirty with any materials found in my little atelier. I never get bored whenever I have something in my hands. My desire for creating never ends and is still growing (and hopefully keep flourishing.)

So, what’s new in my atelier? I’ve been busy with hand-dyeing some new luscious colors. Aww… how much I love rich and juicy colors!!! Some of you who dye yarns and fabrics must know the joy of hand-dyeing. Unexplainable and subtle tones and shades of charming colors are truly eye-catching. The tastes of hand-created colors are way more flavorful than the colors you can simply buy from any stores. If you didn’t try it yet I strongly recommend you going for it. You will be amazed by what you’ll achieve. It is a fun and addictive process (So be careful if your will power isn’t strong enough. You will end up with dyeing all your clothing, yarns, and fabrics over night many nights and still looking for something to dye just like somebody.) and the result is simply rewarding! You just need some inspiration and spare time. I inspire you tiny bit here and hopefully you find right time and boldness to try something new. Don’t worry about getting messy or making mistakes. You’re creating your own colors and you name them as you wish. You will be boss of your color-creating project!

If you’re wondering, here are some of my projects created with my own hand-dyed fabrics. Can you sense the richness and depth of colors the extra work created? Beautiful colors definitely compliment finished products. This time I decided to create something different rather than knitting needle cases. Those are little zipper pouches that can be used everyday: They will house cosmetics, toiletry, knitting notions, small accessories, and even money. You just name it!  

 And… this is my favorite: vivid dark orange! (I named this fearless orange.) I’ve never been a red-y person, but after I created this color I realized how much I appreciate red family. I just feel like I could eat the color literally and taste the opulent and bursting freshness!! This piece is created as an extra large project bag (I mean really spacious!) as well as yarn keeper. It can house many balls of yarns and small projects you’re knitting on. Over-sized 8 to 10 pockets in the bag can nicely hold your craft materials such as scissors, measure tapes, stitch markers, row counters and more. Such a fun and practical organizational solution! To me (who own lots of notions and forget where they are often) it is just perfect~.

This summer I am planning to try various colors and shades. I am also looking for natural dyes for my new product lines: such as wine, coffee, black tea and etc. Any of you have played with colors? I am curious how your projects turned out. Any dye-addicts out there? Any tips or thoughts? I hope you help us with some cool ideas to start with. 

Now time to get back to my atelier to play with something artsy. I wish you have a wonderful and refreshing summer wherever you are! Please say hi if you happen to visit my blog or atelier! I will be so~ excited to hear from you! 

XOxo,

Soyun.