To all my muslim friends...

Expanding the brand

Calyx Baby Bloomer sets initially started as a "trial". I love batik and I love babies (obviously because I only have a son and he's a tweenie now, not that cute anymore, lol). Never thought that it will made a success in the Inacraft 2012 and orders are keep coming in ever since, alhamdulillah :)

So I think it's just appropriate that I should expand the brand with the line which just caters baby and kids needs. Discussed with my brother, a graphic designer who formerly worked with branding, I decided to keep the name "Calyx" for this baby and kids line but with a few adjustments.

Calyx Handmade tags are like this...

The new line, will be in white or blue color block, the fonts are also in either blue or white color.

Thanks to my brother Reza Mappanganro for the inputs and beautiful photographs ;)

A collection will be ready to be launched soon, insha Allah... can't wait to show it :)

3R strikes again!

On May 27, 2012, Ramu Rame Ramo, a community of Bandung crafters consists of my self, Kawakib Craft, Raisy Tasthy, Pepoloco, Linda Sari and Anggraini Craft attending a high school Bazaar as a tenant. It was SMA 3's Inori Bazaar.

The Bazaar was a Japan themed bazaar. There were also band competition, dance cover competition, etc. But the most interesting competition for me was the Cosplay Contest.

According to Wikipedia, the meaning of Cosplay is: "Cosplay (コスプレ kosupure), a contraction (or portmanteau) of the English words "costume" and "play", is a Japanese subculture centered on dressing as characters from manga, anime, and video games, and, less commonly, Japanese live action television shows, Japanese movies, or Japanese pop music bands. However, in some circles, "cosplay" has been expanded to mean simply wearing a costume."

I found it interesting because these kids were serious about the costumes and they posed and acted accordingly to the characters. So serious that some costumes were made painstakingly and very detail, it so related with crafting. 

Camera, action!

It's been a loooong time I haven't been involved in a TV shooting (last time was when I was still in high school, shooting for a TV musical,lol). But, on Thursday May 31, 2012, I had a chance to do it again.


The shooting was for Trans7's programme, "Warna", a programme which usually features small businesses. There supposed to be three of us, me and my partners in craft, mbak Vivi and ibu Pia of Idys. Unfortunately ibu Pia unable to come due to her business in Bandar Lampung. So there we were, me and mbak Vivi, talking about Calyx's batik products. Taken place in the Idys Store and ibu Pia's house in Jakarta.

It involved two 9 months old smiley babies, a curios 3 years old girl (mbak Vivi's niece), an active 1,5 years old boy (Arka, mbak Vivi's son), a pretty 3 years old girl named Alby and a gorgeous 10 years old girl whose name I regretfully forgot (hey, I'm not 17 anymore! Lol!)


Anyway, it was aired on Monday, May 04. It feels kinda weird though, to see yourself on TV after a loong loong time...heehee...
My father recorded it, so here it is...

1st Day of Inacraft 2012: A Lovely Surprise :)

Yesterday was Inacraft 2012 first day, the most anticipated event by Indonesian crafters.
Too bad, I can't come and accompany my best friend, bu Pia of Idys wait our booth, because there are commissioned orders that I have to do and supervised myself.

Femina Magazine as one of the leading women's magazine in Indonesia, also participated in the event.
They will choose 23 products to receive their award, Femina Award, as the most unique, recommended products.

The Inacraft 2012 Femina award

I, of course, got interested. The booths which will received the award will be mentioned in their Inacraft shopping map, therefore hopefully will boost the sales. Then I submitted my newest product,Calyx Batik baby Bloomer Set to be nominated. They said, they will review it first.

The Calyx Batik Baby Bloomer Set

In the afternoon, bu Pia text me that the Femina Magazine people took one of the bloomer set to be nominated. I jumped for joy, to be nominated was already good enough for me .

In the evening, bu Pia send me this picture:

At first, I just saw at the two persons in the picture and wondering why bu Pia send me this picture, for I don't know who the lady standing next to her was. I looked again at the picture and it suddenly came to me, when I saw the thing held by by bu Pia. It was the award !!

Alhamdulillah, we won the award! Whoaa, a lovely surprise! I didn't really expect it because there are many candidates who have great products at the Inacraft. I feel so excited...after all this time, through many obstacles, finally I feel paid off !

Thank you to Femina Magazine, bu Pia of Idys, my cute baby model Bitha and all of my friends, for your support & du'a, huugs!

My friend, a talented crafter & craft books writer, Ira Dhyani Indira, stopped by our booth

The 23 products chosen by Femina Magazine. My bloomer is in the bottom row, third one from the left (or right...it's in the middle )

Inacraft will be held until April 29, you are welcome to visit our booth at the Inacraft, no. 43, Plenary Hall .

Ribbon Flowers on a Ready Made Clutch

Since I showed my clutch collection here, some friends gave me questions. Like, "Did you make the ribbon embroidery (re) on a ready made clutch?" My answer was, no, I made it on a piece of fabric and sent it to a clutch maker.
Another question was, "But is it possible to make it on a ready made clutch?" The answer was, yes, it's possible, but I haven't try it yet.
So to satisfy me & my friend's curiosity, below was my first attempt to make a ribbon embroidery on a ready made clutch.

1. I bought a ready made clutch.

2. I prepared a ribbon flower with the gathering technique. I used a gold colored ribbon 1 inch wide, rolled it 3-4 times and work a running stitches along the selvedge.
3. Pull the thread carefully to gather the ribbon so it will shaped like a flower. Secured the shape with a couple of stitches.
4. Prepare the leaf by folding an 1 inch wide green organdy ribbon so it shaped like pyramid and make a running stitches along the selvedge. Again pull the thread, gather it to shape it like a leaf, secured with a few stitches.
5. Carefully stick the flowers and leaves onto the clutch with some stitches.
6. Voila! My clutch is ready...

Perfect Giveaway this week :)

When sis Lia of Lia's Crafty Journey announced that the winner of her giveaway was me, I had never been happier. Not only because the giveaway were soo gorgeous (Alexander Henry's is among them!) but also included was a sweet note from her .

Can't say enough thanks to you sis Lia, these are perfect gift for a fabric freak like me, lol...

My, how many ideas I can get to work on these beauties... projects

!