The launch!

friends!

I am ecstatic, yet somewhat terrified.. the time has come, I'm almost ready.. and I set a date. January 8th.

A year ago, I was so frustrated with the world and myself.

I went to Ecuador in May of 2009, where I was reminded of the poverty and the injustice that exists and that I saw firsthand growing up in Iraq (Yet I  somehow managed to blur this reality as I slipped into this North American bubble we live in where the grass is green all year round (err metaphorically speaking)). Nine months later, in February of 2010 I still saw the faces of the children of Ecuador as I slept, ate and lived my life. I saw (and still see) no reason why I get to have an education I love while equally talented and smart human beings, with dreams and aspirations, are denied this basic right.

I constantly volunteered and tried to educate myself and others about issues of poverty around the world. Nevertheless, I needed to do something more. Its great to have dreams of "being the change" when I grow up.. but what happens now, today, while I styudy to prepare myself to "be the change"?

Why wait? we keep postponing things until we are older. Yet, that will be the time when we are busiest in our lives. We will have families and children and careers (and art studios.. maybe) and, and, and.. when will we have time to think of Ahmed in Iraq? or Miguel in Ecuador? or Patrick in Rwanda?

I vowed to use whatever I have in my power to help NOW and make my life revolve around Ahmed, Miguel and Patrick today, tomorrow and in 10 years. "whatever I have in my power" is  my craftiness, the little resources I had, and my family and friends. So I set out with this idea..I wanted to make crafts and sell them, the money would go towards building a school somewhere.. and if this continues, then another school and another school.

So that February, I came to you guys asking your help in choosing the name of this project. Red Cheeks was chosen, but of course that turns out to be an x-rated website (not funny). But that is ok, because we ended up with Le Petit Sourire. Since then, I have kept you in the loop through this blog, telling you about the joy and the hurdles..

and now.. the website is built (thanks Iain!),the first batch of my products are ready (thank you grandma for all the knitting) and...well, we're ready to launch.

Photoshoot and updates!

Things are shaping up guys! it's absolutely exciting!
things to tell you about:
-website
-photoshoot
-launch date?

Iain Campbell, an extraordinary friend of mine (he's a man who knits and cooks his own school lunches- never tasted his food, but it looks like it could legitimately compete with my mom's cooking, maybe even my grandma's) is volunteering to build the website! :) :) reasons?
-He is light years ahead of me when it comes to websites and such..
-I was going insane with stress and that stupid fact that days only have 24 hours (why God?), and all of us procrastinators - and students in general, or maybe even the human race combined- know that stress + lack of time = utter chaos and lots of chocolate munching to cope.
So! I've given him rough ideas and basic site maps, and he shall do his magic! :)
he's also an amazing photographer!!
http://www.iainmcampbell.com/

so.. website- check!

Photoshoot(s), we started with one. I took zozo (little, or not so little anymore, sister) to nature and we froze our butts off trying to take photos, we ended up not feeling our fingers, but we had some pretty good shots! :) check out the photos for a sample! I should have a couple more (maybe indoors this time aya!).

mhmm.. building photo library for site/documenting products- check!

With all of that said, I'm hoping to launch, actually launch, by mid December max, I want to launch before Christmas in case some of you are still doing christmas shopping! :)

what an exciting year! 

in peace,
Aya

Calling out designer and artists!

friends!
how goes it? I hope all is beautiful in everyone's life. it tends to get crazy, this life, eh? but I hope we never cease to remember the beauty of it in the midst of the chaos and minute by minute day planning.

I come here with a suggestion.

the project has taken much longer to prepare for than anticipated, and that is not because it dragged, but because i wasn't very realistic about the time frame for a project like this, especially that i'm the kind of human that keeps getting herself involved in other projects on top of her school work and then ends up not sleeping, literally, not sleeping to get everything done. stupid, yes, but i can't sit on my butt and not be helping or be involved in things that interest me and are of help to the others.

I have had many of you interested in donating some art work to help me out, and in this note, i am opening the doors for any artist, designer and artisan i know who wants to help out. one of the sections of this online store could be titled : collaborations, or something.. i don't know. ha! and it could include arts and crafts of friends and strangers who donated their work to be sold for LPS.

if you are interested in giving me your handmade art work, or even art prints, or printed photography.. let me know!

there are some rules!
-the art work must be donated.

-100% of the price will go towards our school building fund. neither you or I will take any percentage.

-you can price it however you like, except when the price is unrealistic. keep in mind that we're starting artists and that we're trying to sell the work (and not make it impossible to sell) for the benefit of kids. so the fastest its sold, the better.

-there are some style guidelines. I'm a big fan of the work of many of the art students i have been to school with, so I don't see a problem here, but there is some creative and art direction involved in this. in my head , Le Petit Sourire has an eclectic feel, though one that is of a SPECIFIC eclectic feel. i don't know how to explain this, so:
1- you can look here at what ive done so far for a feel of what its like.
2- i've created a facebook album with found images and crafts from the web of things we'd like for LPS, check it out!


I'm open to accessories, jewelry, knitted items, screen printed t-shirts and totes, photography prints, handmade journals, greeting cards, decorated moleskines, art prints, paintings, uhhh.. and other items!

Deadline for submissions (after review and discussions) is December 31st 2010!

I suppose that is all, friends.

hasta luego! :)

Aya

change of website plans

so, I realized I have a new found aversion to the old website layout i had in mind.

i spent  around 10 hours today working on this new layout. and i like it. im already well into dreamweaving it, so now i'll have to stick with this one for a while :)

here's a preview!

yeah.. ive also been changing up the blog theme way too much. its fun guys.

back on track!

Hola!

Im currently sitting on my bed, pricing stuff for LPS!. I thought I'd give you guys a quick update!

I've been away for the past 2.5 weeks ( I went to Lebanon and Dubai).. so, needless to say, not much has happened in terms of jewelry making or crafting. So, yet again, the schedule is slightly pushed back. but hey, as long as when everything is done and ready for launch, its as perfect as it could be. Rushed things = half decent things. And thats not what anyone wants.

Pictures up soon of whats happening and website updates!

mucho love.

Mind over body

muchachos y muchachas!

It's been a while, and my schedule got pushed back because of work and life.. and as much as i tried to schedule work, family, and LPS in one day.. plus the 4 hour commute.. it didnt work out, my body would be so tired.


but hey, you know what? I was reminded of this quote i saw once "Now if you are going to win any battle you have to do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. Its always tired. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired".
This has been my motto, my mind is always always thinking of LPS and things i should do, mental lists, lists on my mac, lists on paper, new lists, lost lists, ideas, shopping lists, images of things to do, make or draw.. etc. my body.. was always tired.
But, as much as i love my sleep (its a hobby of mine), I have smiles of children imprinted into my tiny brain.

so, i just wanted to let you guys know, we're still on, we'll always be on. and we're still aiming to launch at the end of august/beginning of September.



knitted line is ready for launch, jewelry is almost ready, im working on greeting cards, and ethical blank t-shirts are currently making their journey to my doorstep, so that I can screen print them :)


And our First photoshoot is scheduled for this weekend!


so lots is happening! for the time being, check out these items i made.. the beads are awesome, and come from different parts of the world through fair trade! so we're already helping communities across the globe. small steps. small steps my friends!

Knits and ink

Friends, its been a while, forgive me. its been super crazy around here.. mainly because..

Beebee is here! that's Iraqi for Grandma :)

beebee is the yarn queen. Although nowadays, her hands and fingers gave in to time and age. she still crochets and knits, but much less than before.

When i told her about Le Petit Sourire, she told me to get my yarn out, because she wants to help out.

ever since then, she has knitted multiple hats and knitted things, all of which I absolutely love. she has her own style, and i have my own. This is great because it adds diversity and fun to LPS's collection. im so grateful to her for her enthusiasm. and I get to hear the best stories of her youth while we sit and knit.

I've also started on some Art prints and greeting cards. Ive been using old fashioned ink with a nib pen. a process which i think is so beautiful because of its antiquity and the precise marks of the nib pen, im generally a messy artist, but i absolutely enjoy this hours on end.

work on the website is coming along, and I anticipate LPS to be ready for launch in august :).. maybe late august, haha :) life+ work..sigh. 

next week, im planning a sewing/screen printing extravaganza. purses, pencil cases, screen printed t shirts and the like.I'll post some pics as soon as i get things done. I already have a couple of ideas for tshirts inspired by 2 of my favorite people..

peace, guanabana juice and eggplants,

aya




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if you just joined us, Le Petit Sourire is a project that includes making and selling crafts of all kinds, and hopefully raising enough money to build a school for children in some spot in the world! it's now in its production phase! :) 

journals,flowers and jewelry!

Its been crazy busy around the house lately, so i've had a break for the past couple of days.

but before that, i was on a Le Petit Sourire craze!

part of my accessories collection includes hair flowers and so i got my fabric scraps out and using scissors, a candle, thread and a needle.. i made a few shapes and types, all in teal now. we'll get to other colors soon. i dig the flower in the hair look, its so feminine and girly and fresh. i think guys should wear it too.

i've also been book binding as usual, its one of my favorite things to do after eating and traveling, and reading, and drawing, and day dreaming. oh and sleeping, and driving, and learning languages and... listening to music and changing the world. that makes it.. 11 on my list.
i'm making three little notebooks at the moment, and already finished a small sketchbook with original artwork on it. book binding is super easy (but time consuming) and although it requires a legit book press and tools, ive managed so far with a few heavy books and my brother's weights.. i'll post the process one day for those who are... interested:)

Also, this project started because i wanted to use my skills for change, but I wouldn't have taken the first steps without a push from people around me. I seriously started considering doing Le Petit Sourire because I've had a few friends, and a couple of strangers like the earrings or jewelry i made. its probably number 12 on my list of things i love doing. a portion of LPS's merchandise will be accessories and jewelry items, so i've worked on a couple of bracelets and earrings during the week.

today, its still crazy around the house, but i'm keeping myself in the atelier to get a few things done for all the children out there whose life might be touched by this project :)

i sort of know how to build websites..

I wish building a website was as easy as designing the template in Photoshop. i'd be building one every day!
alas! what took me 2 days of planning on photoshop will take me weeks to make in Dreamweaver, or Flash (which i am completely illiterate in.. but Flash websites are funnnn!)




anyyyyways! I made a few templates with different themes, then chose this one to proceed with..here's a sneak peak :)

90 year old hunchback

with arthritis too.

i've been in my own little world for the past while..
but i managed to spend a lot of the time alone with a crochet hook and some yarn.
i managed to produce a couple of hats, a cowl scarf (that i started months ago but never got to finish!) and another scarf using a stitch that i just learned.
all of which i am very happy with. each one i finished, i slightly wanted to keep, but the faces of the children who we are trying to build a school for reminded me that these items are for Le Petit Sourire!
all in all my friends, we're on our way! my once empty inventory baskets are filling up slowly!
so, truly.. i dont mind being a 90 year old hunchback with arthritic fingers because of all the crochet and knitting ive been doing ;)


next week, ill move on to making journals and sketchbooks from scratch and bookbinding them!

its super exciting.. seeing concrete things shaping up!

Thank you guys! for all the support and enthusiasm i've been getting :) it keeps me going.

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if you just joined us, Le Petit Sourire is a project that includes making and selling crafts of all kinds, and hopefully raising enough money to build a school for children in some spot in the world! it's now in its production phase! :)