Hold on to your hats, I'm now a business ownner!

 

I've opened my own shop! This is why the blogposts has been even more sparse and random than usual (wich is pretty bad considering my usual infrequency). I've been dying to tell you why, but didn't want to jinx it by shouting it out to the world before the deal was done.

So, what's the deal with this store? We sell weddingdresses and full length dresses (prom, fancy weddings, special occasions at the university), we rent out fancy men's wear (tailcoats, smokings, jaquettes etc). We also have some childrens clothes.

That's what brings home dinner, but what makes this shop so different is the in-house sewing shop. To be able to make the dresses fit each customer, to alter the rental wear so that it looks like it was made for each man who wears it, we do a lot of sewing. We also take on alterations and mendings, both for retail stores and private individuals. Overall, there's a lot of sewing! =)

I never saw myself as an entrepeneur, and definitly not as working in a shop, but this feels so right. We don't just sell clothes, we sell/rent wellmade clothes that we alter so that they won't be as everyday bad-fitting as RTW tends to be. It feels good to go to work and know that we make clothes more wearable, and that the mending we do prolongs garments lifes.

Oh, I said "we"? That's right! This shop isn't new, not by a longshot. It was founded in 1946, sold in 1997 (yes, the original owners ran the shop for 51 years!) to Margaretha, who is now closing in on retirement and wanted to hand the business over to younger hands. I bought the shop April 1st, but Margaretha agreed to continue working (part time) for a few years. There's also a very talented seamstress who was and of course still is working half time. Don't know what I'd do without them! As a new business owner, it's wonderful to have someone to guide me. Basically, Margaretha is my Yoda =)
It's also superfun to have collegues! I've mostly worked in solitary professions, for example as a receptionist you meet a lot of people, but you most often work alone. Now, we're a small group working together, and it's so much fun, the days just fly by! I'm also learning tons of neat sewing tricks =)

I have done a little bit of sewing at home this spring, and I'm sure I'll get around to snapping some photos of it, any year from now ; ) Seriously, May is the most intense month for us, so I'll coninue to be scarse online, but I'm reading blogs on the phone on my way to work, trying to stay a bit on track with the online sewing community, and I'll try to post something once in a while.

If anyone is in Umeå, drop by the shop and say Hi! =) It's Högtidskläder, on Västra Norrlandsgatan 22A. The website isn't up and running yet (there is one, but it's not quite up-to-date), I'll post a link once I get the new site online.
I'm on Instagram though, as "hogtidskladerumea", where I'm posting pictures of pretty dresses =)

Sorry for the long silence folks, it was a bit tough to start a business during the late winter months, and the last two months I've been working mostly seven days a week. But I'm looking forward to this summer, there will be a lot of sewing, and hopefully also time to relax and sew for myself. And blog!

Hope you're having a wonderful spring!
Love, Erika

Titanic, the artifact exhibition

While in Tallinn over New Year's eve, I and the mr took the oppurtunity to visit the Seaplane Harbour and its guesting Titanic exhibition. It was really cool, to begin with our entrance tickets looked like passenger tickets:

Then there was the built up rooms:

The hallway

The grand staircase

A first class cabin

A third class cabin

Also, of course, a huge amount of artifacts, rescued from the bottom of the ocean.

These plates lay in crates that dissolved over time, so they were found laying in perfect rows on the bottom of the sea.

Loved these clothes!!! So interesting to see the details...

The exhibition is also very sad, as it brings to life the full extent of this tragedy, and also gives us some insight into some of the lives which ended on Titanic's last night.

If you're into history and have a chance of seeing this exhibition as it tours the world, I'd recommend giving it a couple of hours of your day. Or maybe you've already seen it? If so, what did you think?

The Seaplane harbour also sported a ton of other interesting things; for instance we climbed onboard an old U-boat! I've never been inside one of these, so it was quite an experience.

The dining area was quite neat...

...but the walkways not always adopted for skirts and a heavy cloak =)

This was the last of the holiday-posts, I promise =) In fact, I almost didn't post this, as it was so delayed, but felt that these photos were just too yummy to keep to myself. Next post will be about sewing! Or at least sewing related...

Love, Erika

Long overdue

As stated previous years (it's an old song by now) at this time of the year I have very little energy and tries my hardest to avoid falling into "winter depression" due to the lack of sunlight. This year I'm doing a fairly good job, I've managed to both exercise and sew and do at least one other thing each week - but the blog has paid the price... So here's a much belated post from a trip me and the mr took to Tallinn for a few days around New Years Eve!

Having grown up just across the baltic sea from this cute old town, I'm a bit ashamed to admit this was my first visit there. Old Tallinn is lovely with a beautiful medieval city wall and lot's of old buildings. And churches! Everywhere!

Lunch at a great coffeshop by the main square. (They had real tea and a barrista machine for coffee. Way above the norm in Tallinn!)

A courtyard with many craft shops connected to it.

The main square by night. I was pleasantly surprised the annual Christmas market was still there, as we arrived just a few days before New Years Eve.

One of the many gorgeous churches we saw had an exhibition of art. Magnificent medieval altar pieces, like this one:

It can be displayed in three different ways, as it has two pairs of doors. It was huge, and done with such amazing details! 

This I just loved. It's a 14th century painting of the dance macabre. This is just the small fragment that's left of this painting, originally they believe it had over 40 figures. Ordered just after the Black plague had swept through Europe, it's a reminder of how we are all equal before death.

The first figure is the Preacher, then Death, who leads the dance. Everyone then follows by place in society (the pope, the emperor, the empress, etc) and the dance ended with a beggar, a fool or a child. (Click on it for clearer details)

The history nerd in me loved how the artist used the painting to discuss mortality, rather than just send a message. Every other figure is Death, and what's really going on is a discussion, a conversation, between Death and the mortals.

Hmm, this just got lively and fun, right? ; )
Let's add some more pictures of the lovely city of Tallinn!

I also visited the Seaplane harbour and "Titanic, the artifact exhibition".
But that's a post of it's own =)

Love, Erika

MeMadeMay goes on holiday - week 2

That's right, I spent last week (wednesday to wednesday) in beautiful, sunny Alicante, Spain!

Wednesday 8th, after a half-day of work, some hours of last-minute packing, pin-curl setting, and a nice, direct flight Umeå-Alicante, it was over midnight before we reached our hotelroom (with seaview from the balcony!). I'll admit; due to the whole "I'm travelling all day anyway and oh, drat, I've already packed all my me-made tops..." this outfit only has a me-made skirt =(

Thursday 9th (my birthday!) we spent the day exploring the Castle of Santa Barbara, a place I strongly recommend any Alicante-tourist to visit! The views of the city were spectacular, and the castle itself awe-inspiring.

In a me-made chevron jersey dress, and my hair still in pincurls =)

We had dinner at a restaurante-ship in the marina next to the hotel, and it was the best fish I have ever eaten! Just wow! It was a lovely birthday, and a great start on the holiday.

Outside the restaurante, in a me-made 30s inspired dress.

Friday 10th we explored the city. It's a beautiful old town, with plenty of pretty buildings. I even did a little bit of shopping!

Maybe due to the lack of rain throughout the year, many trees looked like this. This particular one was extreme, just look at how one heavy branch is supported! I'm wearing me-made blouse and half-circle skirt.

In the evening, at Alicante's beachwalk. I'm wearing a me-made blue jersey dress I haven't blogged yet, and the 30s inspired me-made jacket. Oh, and the handbag I bought earlier that same day! =)

Saturday 11th, there was an art museum, churches, gorgeous buildings, pittoresque alleys... We walked all day, and a me-made jersey top and pleated blue cotton skirt was comfortable and easy to wear. And yes, in almost all day photo's I'm wearing my new walking shoes. They're great! Supersoft to walk in, and with the added support of my ortho-insoles my feet remained happy through the many hours of walking. Not the cutest, though... Sometimes function beats aestaethic ; )

Sunday 12th we visited the archeological museum (MARQ). It was interesting to see the development of the city, but it might have been even more interesting with English texts... Everything was in Spaninsh! (And something similar, maybe portuguese). My high-school French gave me the tools to decipher the most vital information, it was quite fun to put it to use =) Anyway, a really nice museum!

In me-made jersey top and the pleated skirt.

Monday 13th we took the ferry to the island of Tabarca, about 20 kilometres outside the coast. Stunning scenery, lovely little town and the ocean was... beyond words.

In a me-made jersey dress and the pretty sunhat the mr gave me for my birthday!

Tuesday 14th, last day in town! Went around the town some more, visited a couple more museums. I recommend the Volvo Ocean Race museum! I haven't seen the race, nor am I very interested in sailing in general, but it was still a very interesting exhibition. I might even watch parts of the race on TV next year!

In my favorite me-made blouse and the half-circle skirt, on the plaza outside the hotel.

Last evening, after a delicious tapas-meal. Wearing a new me-made jersey dress, yet to be properly blogged.



It was a wonderful holiday, and I hope I'll soon be able to return to this area in Spain.

Love, Erika

Sewing while in hibernation

It's been quiet here for a while, but it's not because I haven't done anything! However, it's been a while since I finished a project (and that project I still haven't had a chance to photograph...). I'm currently working on a late 40s inspired wool dress. This fabric is lovely, lots of drape, light and with a beautiful luster, and I love working with it. So why has it taken so long to finish? Basically, it's been February. Simple as that. Years ago I was always so surprised at how tired I was at the end of winter. Then I started narrowing it down to late January-early March, and have been moaning for a few years about lack of daylight accumulating during winter until February hits and I'm almost a zombie.

Pictures taken on my way to work. Love that it's daylight when I leave the house in the morning!



Then this year something occured to me: during winter nature calms down. The ground rests beneth the snow, the top soil frozen. Ice covers the river. Animals hibernate or move away, those few who are still mobile up here try to use as little energy as possible. Ever gone out into the forest on a really cold winterday and experienced the quiet? It's something that's felt in the marrow rather than seen or heard. I like to think nature takes a break, resting after a glorious fall, gathering strength for a lively spring.

Instead of hunting energy and planning for productivity, maybe one can just rest in the calm of winter? Slow life down a bit, let things take time, not chase anything (sewing finish-lines, fun experiences, blogposts etc) but just be in the moment. Let the mind follow winter's cue and semi-hibernate. Doing fun things brings more energy, but when you don't have the energy to do any fun stuff to begin with, then it's all just draining. Then it's ok to take an evening at home and not do anything more spectacular than the dishes. Or take a whole weekend like that. Just resting in the stillness of winter.

However, now we're a week into March, and as on cue my energy is creeping back, waking up from hibernation. During February I've slowly been making a third version of my late 40s dress, inspired by The Swing Dress, but drafted from my block pattern. Third time might be the charm! I'm trying to give it time, do things in a speed I'm comfortable with and be happy with it. Not so easy when I know I'd be done weeks ago had it been any other time of the year, but I try to keep in mind that it's not summer, it's winter and I'm in hibernation. Any creativity that happens is for fun and relaxation. It'll be spring soon, and then the garments will come flying out of the sewing machine =)

Today is another spectacular late-winter day, plenty of snow on the ground and a strong sun from a clear pale-blue sky. I'll take a walk on my lunch (as always) and revel in the light, dream about future projects and not be stressed about that I won't do them right now. I'll get to them eventually.

Love, Erika

In London, on vacation!

I and the mr spent a week on vacation in London! It's been years since I've been abroad, so an out-of-the-country vacation is a huge deal for me. The whole idea really came from "Look, there a blues dance camp in London! Wanna go? Hey, let's take some extra days off work and make a vacation out of it!". Said and done, we left for Blues baby blues on Friday 16th, not really sure what to expect from Britain in mid-November. And yes, there was some rain (thankfully we missed the storms with a hairs width, I hope all my Brittish readers are well!), but there was also fun dancing, good food, impressive buildings, intense shopping and a sometimes gloyriously sunny late fall. Here's some pictures from it all, enjoy! =)

Dinner the first day, tired after getting up at 4.50 to catch the first morning flight from Umeå. See that slight curl at the end of my hair? I set the hair in pincurls the day prior, it was a pudel-80s-mess when I took it out at noon Friday, after lot's of brushing it looked pretty darn nice and I thought to myself "Yay! Now it will be all curly and cute until Sunday!". This did not take the humid London air into consideration... I swear, during 4 hours my hair drooped 10 cm!

The weekend is was all dancing, and we saved both shopping and touristy stuff until later. We did go through Hyde Park on the way to the dance classes, and I couldn't resist some photo's of the park in all it's sunny glory... Please excuse the weird coat+baggy jeans combo! Those jeans are the best for dance practice, but not quite in style with the rest of me here =)

Dinner at the hotel Sunday evening, giving you an idea of the quite nice little hotel restaurant where we had breakfast (included with the room, not a given thing in London, apparently).

Strolling down Portobello road in Notting Hill, on our way to What Katie Did, one of my longed for shopping destinations. I'll get back to my shopping in a later post, let's just say it included 1-2 hours at WKD, and a number of shops on Gold Hawk Road... =)

Lot's of cute stuff along this rather tourist heavy part of town. Loved these suitcases!

Interesting wall. See what all those items along the wall and the dividing shelfs are? That's right!

Vintage sewing machines!

I love walking around new cities at night, all the historical buildings are lit up so beautifully, making their modern surroundings fade away. Here's Big Ben and the House of Parliament.

The Tower Bridge

I also saw the Hollywood costume exhibition in V&A museum, it was amazing to see all those gorgeous and sometimes iconic costumes up close! No cameras was allowed inside, so no pictures I'm afraid =( I did buy the official "exhibition book" though (might be the point for the museum with the no pictures-policy... Ah, well, the book was pretty and I wanted it =) ). The whole museum was amazing, I could have spent days there! Strongly recommend a visit there for anyone going to London and being interested in art/craft of all sorts!

That was the tourist (and blues dance) part of the vacation! Early next week there will be a post on the shopping haul =) Stay tuned!

Love, Erika