Mani - Mina

Growing !!!!!

2008-01-03T11:00:00.000-05:00

I hope you will all have a BEAUTIFUL, CRAZY, HAPPY new year...

I have a deep thought for all my friends in France, for my masters in Spain and for all the new friends i met here and i admire : Kate, Rachel, Nancy...

A precious seed

2007-12-21T01:32:00.000-05:00

"Your clothes are feminine yet functional and have a modern edge to it but still are very whimsical. Perfect! "

Thank you Rachel !!

Mommy, me and Kandinski...

2007-12-21T01:11:00.000-05:00

I wrote and re-wrote the list of Christmas orders from Etsy that i had to finish FIRST. I always try to imagine i am the one buying these items and am happy to offer them to a lovely child.
But my IDEAS run, and fly and dance and it is hard to just work at the machine to complete sometimes 2o orders daily...
But before the new year, i will be able to show a new line made to stimulate our children's sensitivity by textures and combination of surprising colors.

:: the materials :
Freshly new created designers fabrics + vintage 70's lively fabrics. A blend of new and older impulsions...

:: Wool and natural cotton : coziness + Spring style fabrics for a fresh, happy contrast !!

:: Inspirations... Kandinski's paintings, felted wool, ethnic kimonos...

Children reflect the constant diversity of nature and the world.
I like to imagine the clothes they can wear are an extension of themselves, of their vitality.

Angel's hair

2007-12-21T00:55:00.000-05:00

It is amazing how every single thing is connected to another,
how a simple emotion that my daughter creates in me can lead to a new design, a new attraction to a texture, a sensual touch.
My daughter's hair growing, becoming curly and so soft, i designed an ELF Hat that i wanted THICK and decorated with different wool's textures...
And a LIVELY flower came up... And POLKA DOTS...
This green hat is made from a cashmere piece i found difficult to cut... It has an incredible fluidity, a softness that can be compared to baby's skin.
I add some cashmere polka dots to contrast with the elegance of the material.

Textures

2007-11-29T23:05:00.001-05:00

You can see Luzmina's elf hat with others elf items nicely picked by Allison on her blog.

A beautiful world of textures, fresh inspirations, a great travel for all the wool lovers...

2007-11-29T23:04:00.001-05:00

You can see Luzmina's elf hat with others elf items nicely picked by Allison on her blog.

A beautiful world of textures, fresh inspirations, a great travel for all the wool lovers...

Wool Fever

2007-11-26T15:22:00.001-05:00

When gradually leaves were turning red, yellow, when the wind brought back the desire of cosiness, i felt a growing attraction toward natural wools.

Delicious moments when i touch its textures... and i discovered i could felt the wool myself.
The washing machine, just a practical thing, isn't it ?? Since the wool fever, she sees my face everyday... I love the felting process for the surprises, the unique way certain wools felt and others no.
I begun to felt by robbing my husband old scarves...:-) !!
Now i am completely in love with it, i am using Holland & Sherry wools. Incredible !!

Behind the Photos

2007-10-25T18:56:00.000-05:00

Finally, Thanks Loulou, you gave this gift ......

Taking photos with Loulou can be a marathon.
I just have to wait she is in the mood, wait to see if she feels good in the new clothes, or feel how she carries it. That is the good part.
She knows i am trying to take CLEAR photos and at this precise moment, she is more FIRE than ever.
I beg you... You all, artists, crafters, Etsy people, how can you make such clean photos of your children ? HOW do you catch them when they run away ?

Automne ! Me voila...

2007-10-07T18:21:00.000-05:00

We had these warm nights where Manhattan skylights looked like a thousand burning fires, these incredibly clear mornings and a happy Sun dancing on our skin. This morning, the wind brought the first smells of autumn. I had this chocolate-mint-almond fabric waiting impatiently to be cut and worn... OK! In half hour, that was made.

Euhh... When i say chocolate, almond, mint it is abstract sensations... but not for Luz, these delicious white balls at the end of the ribbon... aren't they delicious ??

Juste quelqu'un de bien

2007-10-07T18:09:00.000-05:00

Dans la maison, il y a un visage serein, lumineux, qui cache pourtant une vie intense.

J'etais curieuse de savoir le jour ou Luz pourrait atteindre le portrait, ce que serait sa reaction en face de cette photo oubliee.

Elle l'a caressee tres delicatement et l'a reposee en son lieu.

Elle sait peut etre comme moi que cette belle jeune femme de 1892 se sent bien chez nous et s'est assise delicatement sur la lumiere, les tissus, les milles et unes vies de notre interieur.

92 Lincoln Road, Brooklyn

2007-10-05T15:12:00.001-05:00

Thank you Ken for giving me your grandmother treasures.

Les petites semelles de vent

2007-10-05T15:00:00.000-05:00

When i contemplate my little one's feet, their softness, their knowledge (oh she is such a better dancer than me... like all the children)... it is not surprising i always get inspired to cteate new shoes.

Crazy needles :::::::::::::::::

2007-10-05T14:54:00.000-05:00

We are back.
2 months in Sevilla. The time for Luzmina to become a little girl.
Enough time to digest the best flamenco, the radiant light and all this craziness of dancing feet !!
Always the same song stays inside me : The Flamenco go with you and never die.

And now... we are back to sewing !! From crazy feet to crazy hands and :::: needles !

Mani-Mina Studio Update

2007-10-01T21:27:00.000-05:00

Simplicite

2007-06-13T22:59:00.000-05:00

Today i tried to create an unisex, "universal" set of clothing::::: a light kimono, Kurdish pants, linen simple shoes. I am happy with the result. Here are traces of all my temporary homes : Irak, Taiwan and France.

Aujourd'hui, j'essaye de creer un ensemble unisexe et "universel" :::: un kimono leger, un sarouel, des chaussons en lin ( souvenir d'Arcachon : lin sable et rayures estivales). Ces habits temoignes de mes anciens voyages Irak... Taiwan...

Ils sont en chemin...

2007-06-13T22:38:00.001-05:00

Thanks to my first Etsy customers !!! VioletOcean, Garg28, Potiddley...
Merci mes premiers clients Etsy... merci pour votre soutien.

Petite Nostalgie furtive

2007-06-03T22:57:00.000-05:00

Un parfum frais... en cette nuit

2007-06-03T22:33:00.000-05:00

Un parfum frais, de pain et d'herbes tendres. Tu changes, mais cette odeur tendre demeure, l'odeur de tes cheuveux en ton sommeil. Comme le jour ou tu es nee. Il me semble que je n'aurais jamais assez d'une vie pour dire et redire cet eblouissant parfum...
Mere et fille

A fresh smell, of bread and tender grass. You change, but this smell, the one of your hair, of your sleeping head, stays and doesn't go. Alike the day you was born.
It seems like my life will never be enough to say again and again this radiant aroma...
Mother and daughter

Bloomer, shoes... and the Summer

2007-06-03T22:07:00.000-05:00

OUI, Ma, le Rouge !!

Quoique... j'suis bien confortable dans ces ptites
ballerines. Puis au moins le gas du coin arretera de
m'appeler Oh the beautiful Boy .....
Understood ? Gonna be a bit more feminine.

Ma, let's begin with this....
Maman, vas-y t-on pour ca...

Enfant

2007-06-03T21:58:00.000-05:00

" Rien ne peut rivaliser avec toi, rien n'est si tendre

Aucunes choses Enfant aucun parfum n'y peut pretendre"

A simple dress

2007-05-17T21:01:00.001-05:00

Evening

Of the 3 flowers, i am the Mystery.
What will my future be ?

Afternoon

As many flowers as the smells of the air, the texture of light,
all this world new each second,
of the 3 flowers,
i am the Dance...

Morning

Of the 3 flowers, i will be the morning light, the Wise flower...

Lunares

2007-05-16T10:10:00.000-05:00

Lunares, Lunares... ( Little spots...)

In Andalucia, they are everywhere...
On the skirts of dancing womens, as the bubbles of delicious wines, in the air of songs.
Here, they follow me until Brooklyn !!

Lunares... petits pois !!Ils sont partout en Andalousie.
Sur les jupes des femmes qui dansent, vibrantes bulles des vins sucres, dans le vent petillant des chansons. Et voila qu'ils me suivent jusqu'a Brooklyn !

El Flamenco se va contigo...

2007-04-23T23:11:00.000-05:00

I cannot lie, i cannot say i will not care if she doesn't get to meet Flamenco... It will happen or not, she was dancing in my womb under Sevilla's light.
Juan habichuela says in a song....

Flamenco goes with you and never dies

Je ne peux mentir et dire que cela ne m'importe pas si ma petite ne goute pas au Flamenco... Que cela soit ou non, elle dansait avec moi, dans mon ventre sous la lumiere de Seville. Juan Habichuela l'a chante
Le Flamenco va avec toi et jamais ne meurt

Blossom Kimono

2007-04-23T22:53:00.000-05:00

Now the sunny light is all over Brooklyn, but when the clouds and rains were playing with our moods, i created this kimono...
hoping for Spring blossom

Brooklyn est illumine par la chaleur, mais lorsque la pluie et les nuages jouaient avec nos nerfs, j'ai cree ces kimonos, en ode a la lumiere et aux douceurs du Printemps.

Long Walk To Forever

2007-04-23T22:39:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time there was a tiny little girl that didn't know how to walk yet. But one radiant morning, she felt the desire to stand up and walk to the world.
" May you blossom" whispered a voice behind her.

Go , Live, and Become...

Il etait une fois une toute, toute petite fille qui ne savait pas encore marcher. Mais un matin lumineux, elle sentit l'irresistible de se lever et d'aller rencontrer ce monde.
" Puisses-tu fleurir" murmura une voix derriere elle.

Va , Vis, Deviens...