Want to win 5000$?

Sounds good huh? No, i'm not having a giant giveaway, but you can enter the sweepstakes at Quamut.com (until July 15th) and win 5,000 dollar towards your own creative dream. Imagine what you can do with all that loot. You could buy supplies, build a website, print new business cards, endless possibilities. You don't know how to? You're already in the right place at Quamut.com.

Barnes & Noble recently launched the website. It's filled with how-to guides. Lot's of crafty creative information! There are how-to cards, so called "Quamuts" available free online, or you can download pdf's for a small fee or go all out and get the laminated versions for 5.95 at the Barnes & Noble.

Don't forget to enter the sweep, you don't have to get any Quamuts, just enter your info and who knows, you might get lucky!

New layout. Long overdue.

How many times haven't i thought i should really need to put up a new site layout, but just didn't seems to get it on top of the priority list? Too many times.

Now it's just long overdue and finally ready. (i even updated my gallery pages too) Hope you'll like it and enjoy your stay here even more.

I won, i won!

If you are on the mailinglist of the Indie Yellow Pages, you saw my name as the winner of the last giveaway of 2007!
I won this set of gorgeous handcrafted sterling silver and aquamarine briolette earrings made by Megan of Bel Bacio Jewelry. She creates stunning one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces.
I feel so lucky and spoiled!

Have a Dollyday!

Still have some holiday shopping to do? Check out the recently opened store of UK based artist Rebecca Nia aka DollyDay. She makes the most fabulously cute jewellery and other accessories!

I especially love the line of holiday items (christmas pudding necklaces, gingerbread pins, candy cane necklaces!), but the 'all year round' products are too pretty too! If you're anything like me and obsessed with all things cute, you will drool over her candy necklaces - i think i need a smiley faced gumball machine on a chain! - the wonderland brooches and oh, did i mention the strawberry chocolates on a necklace that look so real you want to take a bite?

Got to love it. DollyDay. Go now. Drool. Enjoy.

Freddy & Ma

Who doesn't like to have their own pretty custom-made handbag? You can get them online at Freddy&Ma. Choose your favorite style (clutch, tote, shopper etc), the type of leather and the pattern you want and you have your own perfect bag!

And now it gets even better, they expanded to housewares too! Gorgeous and affordable custom melamine plates and pillows!

And did the little birdy already told you ismoyo will be designing for them as of next spring? Ssst... more on that later... Ismoyo designs on plates and bags... ooooh...

Asiajam

Been swooning over all the goodies at AsiaJam for a while now. A very kawaii online store carrying cute stuff from Japan, Hong Kong and Korea. They sell lovely clothes but i've been eyeing their accessories lately. Especially the Heart Cherries Adjustable Ring, Cherry & Bow Charms Pin, Deer Jewel Korean Earrings and the Thin Polka Dot Retro Belt. Luv it!

Renegade loot

Promised to show the wonderful items i got at the Renegade Craft Fair the other day (i know, it has been awhile already).

I have always loved the cuteness of Aranzi Aronzo so when i saw their booth and the fair offer on the books i couldn't pass it by. I also got two free pattern cards which i will prob frame and put on the wall. The books are soooo adorable!

Got a lot of sweet buttons and stickers, look at the sweet faces from The Small Object!

Meomi pocket mirror from My Favorite Mirror and one from Smitten Kitten, also where i got the necklace from.
Etsy was representing and i got some free stickers of the kind Etsy people.
Oh, great was my joy when i suddenly stumbled upon the lovely fabrics of Retrodepot!! Many times before, when i was still in Amsterdam i have looked at the vintage fabrics on their website thinking, one day when i'm in the usa i'll order something. Now it was all there right in front of me. Piles of fabric remnants to choose from. I think i picked out some cute ones!
I really needed a mouse mat, so that was a good excuse to get a wonderful Ashley G illustration. Now i don't know if i should put it next to my comp or hang it up on the wall...
Lots of wonderful goodies that made me very happy! Ooh, luck was definitely on my side when i won the adorn raffle!
Knitting needles. Perfect. Now there are no excuses no more. The Vogue Sewing Quick Reference book is also perfect. Not that i don't know how to sew (all though you can always learn more) but because i was pondering that i have all this sewing and fabric knowledge but all in the Dutch language. I know how to ask for certain fabric types in the Dutch stores, but don't know all the names in English. Same goes for certain sewing activities. Now i have a book that describes everything in English. Quick Reference, love it!

Renegade Craft Fair

I got to tell somebody!
I was one of the winners in the Adorn Magazine Raffle at the Renegade Craft Fair! Yeeeaaaahh! Lucky me!
hihi thank you adorn! already loved you.

I had a wonderful day at the fair, looked at pretty handmade items all over, spoke with sweet creative people, enjoyed the sun, got spoiled with being picked for a bag of free goodies, plus bought some things i believe i really couldn't do without, got lot of business cards and new ideas. Thank you Renegade Craft Fair!
I had to pick up a pocket mirror from my favorite mirror. And you know that now i want to have my own ismoyo mirrors too! ;)

Very adorable little animals at Fern animals. Had to make a stop at their booth obviously when you have a maiden name starting with Fern.

Cherry box had loads of wonderful stuffed animals. So pretty and cute!

Of course Etsy was representing. They were kind and very generous too, giving away free folders, stickers and buttons.

I started and ended my day at the craft fair at the booth of the sweet smitten kitten. Ooooh everything was soooo adorable. Picked up a loveley necklace with a pretty flower hanger. Love it!

So much more. ohoh just can't show & tell everything now. I will of course make pictures of the things i've bought and the large pink (!) adorn bag stuffed with goodies! Stay tuned...

Online sewing patterns

Got to share this.

I was flipping through some sewing magazines at the newsstand the other day when i noticed a download logo with some of the patterns in a magazine called 'easy fashion' from the Burda company. It stuck in my head, checked it out and there really are free patterns for download! It looks like the patterns are updated, maybe with every new issue of the magazine? A very good thing is that the (detailed) work descriptions / how to's are available in 10 (!) different languages. Choose yours!

Neat!

A new issue of the wonderful online magazine N.E.E.T. has launched! Again filled with great indie fashion, goodies, crafts and illustrations to keep clicking through the pages! Love the colorful creative inspiration and it's plenty to keep you busy for a while.
So much to see!

Go sees

When i did my new site layout i also updated my link page.
Go check it out for links to crafty blogs, general crafty sites, designers and illustrators, crafty shops, street art and some miscellaneous interesting links.

Let's put some newly added and other links in the spotlight:
- Vonvonz, cute craftiness from Singapore - Adorable Japanese handmade crafts at Puchi Maiko - Great Designer toys from Tado - Decorative storage solution: keep your shoes in the hotelbox form designmyworld - Not too long ago i met this real nice lady of Bella & Buddhi, go check out her wonderful shop - Don't we all decorate and customize our laptops? Great laptop stickers from Boostid. They also print your own designs! - The WiFi rabbit Nabaztag I love electronic pets! Besides just being cute and playfull, this bunny communicates with you and the internet through a wireless network and will let you know when you've got new email and reads it out to you, it will keep track of (blog) feeds and does so much more. I want one! - Another cute personal email assistant is E-puppy. The puppy can't do as much as the bunny, but it's also way cheaper!

I'm signing up

Last year i had so much fun participating in the monthly color projects of Project Spectrum. It seems i wasn't the only one who enjoyed it, since Lolly is organising a round 2! It's almost starting again, this February! Project Spectrum 2.0

Signing up for more things. My man is a musician but never got a myspace account. Not too long ago he asked me if i could set one up for him. (since I'm more of a computer whizz). So i made him a music account. And even though i have been a fanatical non user of sites like hyves and myspace (I'm not into the whole "how many 'friends' do you have thing, and when i use my comp it's to work not playing around like that, i don't like those over graphical pages that take too much time to load) but i must surrender. Of course i realize it is another good way to get in contact with like minded people and network. So finally i jumped on and opened an Ismoyo myspace page.

And if I'm busy signing up for things, why not finally set up that flickr account too? I just never did that because you first have to also open a yahoo account and i wasn't feeling that. But hey i don't have to use that to use flickr right. So there it is too, ismoyo on flickr.

Ok, one more. Ismoyo signed up for swap-bot too. I love to participate in swaps, even though i don't do it often, I'm planning to. Espescially when I'm back in NY again. (think: less international postal fees)

I haven't put much content on my flickr and myspace pages yet, but i will in the next couple of days. Pfff... added some content to the pages!

aarrgghhh...

Aarrghhh... Not all is going as i would want them too. Launch of my new layout brings some unexpected behaviours of my website. Looked at the coding for too long now, got to leave it alone for a bit.
The free counter service I'm using for this site, Tracksy has had server problems and lost a lot of data, including mine, even my subscription seems to be gone.
The service I'm using for my newsletter subscribers isn't working properly either today. Because of my site changes or because their site is down?
Ohoh i really don't feel like examining all this.
If you notice anything else out of the ordinary, pls let me know. I'm working on it.
>what's up with the weird comment links? me=not a happy puppy...

Fresh new layout

Working on the final details of my website restyle.
My top images on my blog are resizing/moving, so i have to find out where the cause is. fixed, now only to get my sidebar up to the top again.. Edit: i think i know what it is. Will work on it later.
I know my former posts now have a messy layout. Not sure if i can be bothered fixing all old posts to fit the current layout. I wish i had the time, i just don't...

And want to find a place where i can showcase images/screenshots of old layouts. Even though i don't use them anymore, i would like to keep like an archive or something. Maybe i'll put them somewhere in the galleries. But that can wait until later. For now, here is the new and refreshed ismoyo's playground. Let's see how long it feels right.

Hope you like!

Category Spotlight

illustrations Work In Progress cute postcards Vintage

JEWELRY mail i love... www shopping

paper Photographs SEWING crochet streetart other

Dreamland photography

Red Shoyru Neopet Interactive Robot in apple field.

info voice activated neopets more robopet descriptions Flying Shoyru Shoyru Description
Red Apple martini recipe

Meet me at Mia's!

Who does know how to write my name is Mia over at Onehourcraft. She was so sweet to ask me to be the first impossibly creative lady for an interview series on her site. Hihi, i like that, 'impossibly' creative.
But the superhero series?
hm. too modest to ever call myself that.
plus i'm not.
i can't fly.

I know to take the compliment graceful. Thank you.

So go check out the wonderful onehourcraft blog if you haven't already, and if your there, you might stumble across my answers about my website, my inspirations, my dreams.

Will keep you busy

What's really going on behind your computer screen? Brio Network 1.0 shows the little creatures who run your comp. Turner, the clean up guy cracked me up. His task is to recycle old stuff. A bit obsessive with the screen cleaning.
And then there are Bernie and Lazie. The hard worker and his slacking co worker. Wake Lazie up using the horn!
Ooh, and viruses are scary!

An other thing I wanted to share is the terrific explosion of inspiration I'm getting from the Revolution Art Magazine and I have only yet downloaded one issue! The magazine is distributed freely in digital format so rush over to get your copy filled with graphical samples of design, photo, ads, and arts in general.

I heart mail

I like receiving e-mails, but i can't get enough of those days that you come home and find a large envelop or parcel waiting for you on the doormat! Snail Mail. Doesn't matter if it's something i expected already, like something found in an online auction or part of a swap, or totally unexpected surprise gifts by mail from my friends in other countries. I like the thrill of opening it up. Deciding to be careful and thus not tear up the packaging, or just be inpatient and dive right in. Just like with my sewing projects, I'm also very behind with posting my current mail adventures.

I ordered pretty and vintage apple heavy cotton fabric. There's a plan forming in my mind that involvs multi different types of green fabrics. Looking around my fabric stash, there is a lot of pink. And some more shades of pink. And some pink prints. And some. Well you get the picture. Pink. I have a bit of green, but not nearly enough to finish my plan. So I'm currently on the lookout for green fabrics and prints. Huge smile when i received these lovely apples.

I participated in the Vintage button swap awhile ago. Never got to post a picture of what I'd sent to my swappartner Camilla from Made by Milla. I used some lightweight see-through vinyl and sewed up a small bag to put everything in. An origami papersheet with two staples closed the top off.

Camilla posted this picture on her blog on which you can better see what was actually inside. Hope she'll enjoy!! Great swappartner!

On my last visit to NY i got myself a terrific marker at the artstore. And it made me so incredibly happy that i wished i had great markers in every color...
Enter Kate at udream2. She was so generous and sweet to send me a whole bunch of her markers! I feel humbled using them, knowing so many great illustrations have already been made with them. Darling, thank you, it's much appreciated!

Refreshed link page

I want the link page to reflect me. It must be more than just a collection of links gathered on a page. That means i want to love every link and visit it often, or at least come back to it from time to time. Also you just need to refresh the page sometimes to get all the outdated links fixed. People's sites do change location or disappear entirely all of a sudden. I don't want my visitors to click on a link that doesn't work. I'm all about service! Ha.
So I've changed, deleted and added links, maybe i should put a little star or something behind the newly added links? Mmm, maybe with the next all over site update. Let's put it on the list of ideas.

I became a very happy bloglines user. Ever since my discovery of it i check for updates on my favorite blogs through bloglines. Saves me so much time, not having to visit every blog to see if there might be something new to see or read. It also helps me find new blogs through the related feeds they gather for you. Lovely.

Beautiful Pyglet Postcard

I felt so special receiving this gorgeous postcard from the talented Dani over at pyglet whispers. I adore it. Front and back! I love the work she showcases on her blog, and now i have my own little piece of pyglet's art! Will treasure it. For now it got a temporary, but prominent place in my bookcase.
(And posting this gives me a reason to finally show "a little corner of my home".)

Let's meet at the link tree

My girl over at Crust Station has started a wonderful link tree. And she honored me with a spot in there! How lovely is the small Ismoyo picture collage she made? Thank you so much!

The great pillow design competition

The husband & wife design team of the Inhabit design store will be having a Pillow Design Competition.
There isn't much information available yet, but it's open to everyone, there are cash prizes to win and the designs of the talented lucky winners will be part of the 2007 spring line!


I found out about this thanks to the wonderful blog of Moenia.

Thank you visitors!

Since i used to work in the Internet industry for a number of years and on different occasions was responsible for reporting and analyzing visitor stats, it's still in my system to do so with my own internet ventures. I love knowing that there are actually people reading and looking at my pages. And not only the ones that leave comments from time to time (VERY much appreciated!) but also loads of anonymous persons who are just dropping by.
This month i hit the highscore! More returning visitors then before, more unique visitors this month than any month since i started Ismoyo.com and more pageviews than any month before.
So thank you. For real. I love getting feedback. I love knowing there are people out there who like my creative adventures enough to take the time out to visit my website.
That is what keeps me going.

About the picture, just before i left for NY i did a postcard swap with Meshell (she sent me four great cards from Australia!) and this was one of the cards i sent to her. I think it's alright to use it to brighten up this post and it's kinda appropriate too, hope you all enjoy my blog for many posts to come!
And Mari requested some cupcakes to go with my blog. Will this do?

Updated archive categories

Finally. It had been in my mind for a little while now. Blog category ' Other things ' became a bit too extensive. Nothing else to do then add some new categories for my blog entries.
I introduce to you: 'Vintage', 'Shopping' and 'Swaps'.
Re-indexing the entries is on its way!

Edit: Link page updated too!

I'm part of the expo!

Not my creative work, but my persona is. I told about the expo in another post before.
Yesterday was the opening and it was a success. Lot of people showed up and while it was raining outside, inside it was nice and cozy. We got some unidentifiable green drinks as a welcome when you arrived. Tasted nice. But i heard somebody name it Dreft (that's a brand of a green dishwashing liquid). hihi. Didn't taste like dishwashing liquid!
There were some speeches, but mostly it was walking around, looking at the pictures, talking to friends and strangers. It was a good afternoon.
The whole exposition derived from the book 'Door Blauwe Ogen' (talked 'bout that before too) written by one of my girls. I was already proud of her, but yesterday she earned a new star of pride. Good job girl!
And you know what? She has just started a weblog, and i would love it if she would hang around for a little while with all her cool ideas, projects and creativity. So, Harimau Kecil, also known as Kasumi, welcome to blog land! Visit her blog if you have a spare second, maybe even leave her a comment one day. Let's get her hooked on this blogging thing too!

Woohoo! Website update online!

Finally, I've finished! Well, almost. There are still some minor things i need to adjust in the coding, but it's online. Out there. For everyone to see. To judge. Hopefully to like.

At least I like it better than the version i had until now. Hm. Still need to figure out a place to put the old layouts. And it might be wise to list publications and stuff. All for the next update. This weekend. Because i still also need to update the gallery pages with new content. Also want to send out a newsletter this weekend.

It's raining all day today

It's gray outside. (No, it's not the new glasses that make me think this hehe) The short heatwave has made way for cloudiness and rainfall. Yucky. Luckily i don't really really need to go out today.
You know what that means? (besides cleaning house and backed up paperwork)
Crafting time!!
Time for a new craft area composition. Work in progress picture. I've made a pattern for a small handbag, i hope it comes out how i thought it out to be.

I discovered something today also. I've finally learned how to call the fabric i have been using for some bags and clutches. It's called oilcloth. My new word of the day. I don't like the sound of it, but i think that's it. It's vinyl that is bonded and supported with a coven cotton mesh. The surface can be wiped clean.

Another thing I've discovered is bloglines! I heard people about it before, but never took the time to sign up. I've just did. Let's see if it will make my blogreading life easier.
Hey i noticed there are actually people who have subscribed to my feed already. Ok, now i feel slow.

Illustration 'Happy Inside'

When i just started to learn how to vector (which makes it sound like forever, but really isn't too long ago) i made this illustration based on an old picture of myself. I never really did anything with it, because it never felt finished, but i thought it came out right enough to not delete right away.
A couple of days ago i came across it while cleaning up my harddisk. Something needed to be done.

So i made a second version. It came out more postcard style. But still doesn't feel totally finished. But i like it. And i am my worst critique in everything.

These last couple of days i have also been spending time updating the entire Ismoyo website. Give it a fresh new look and feel, similar to the one i gave my blog.
So there is where it is coming together. I should use the illustration of the girl somewhere on my site. And hey, i needed to choose a new entry page illustration. Voila.




Something like this?
I'll probably end up adjusting some things still, tomorrow, when I'm doing my final walk-through.

I still have to figure out a spot where i can keep my older layouts. Don't want them to disappear for good. I see other websites sometimes have links to their former layouts, just don't know where to put mine yet. But there's no rush in that.
I am also updating the linkpage. If you were used to find a link to your blog on my blogroll, don't worry if you don't see it anymore after the update, it won't be gone, I'm moving the blog links to the linkpage to keep them all in one place!
Some newly discovered and added blogs: Kika and Nini, Cheeky Beaks, Creature Comforts and Hello Natacha.

New mailinglist system

I've implemented a new mailing system on Ismoyo. So things with sending out regular mailings will run smoother as to thusfar.
The only thing is it would be easiest for me if those who already subscribed to the 'old' mailinglist would re-join by submitting their email address again. It's real easy just enter your email and confirm one email, easy as that.
I'm sorry for the inconvenience.
And if you haven't yet, but want to receive my newsletters, just sign up!
Tada.

My blog Make Over!

Hope you like!
Decided it was about time to update this website. And why not start with my weblog?
If you notice anything out of the ordinary (eg non working links or something) please let me know!
I'm working on getting the topimages to work on the seperate post pages. Hm. Unfortunately i don't have time to get into that today, so it will have to wait till tomorrow..

Inspiration for this little lucky cat vector came along the way.
Will use it for something in the future.

26 degrees C and updating my links

Whoohoo! Feels like summer. I started out working on my balcony this morning, but when the sun turned it reflected heavily on the screen of my laptop and i couldn't see what i was doing anymore.
So i decided to walk one block from my home and sit at the river (or an offspring of the Amstel river to be correct).
A lot of the benches along side the water were obviously already taken, but luckily, one of my fav spots under the pink blossom trees was still free for me to sit!

I brought my ipod, some icetea and my notebook and really enjoyed the sun, while working out some ideas and adding to my todo lists. I had a good afternoon.

I have been updating my blogroll with some links of other great blogs that i try to visit regularly. Let me mention a few crafty ones i stumbled upon: Moopy & Me, Shim and Sons, Oh joy! and Cutesypoo. More next time.

Find the kitten!

Found this adorable picture in between a lot more cute pictures on the Cute Overload blog.

Obsessing over

There are so many things I would want to have, but not necessarily need right now. So I just look at pictures and think of the day I have some extra money to spend and dream on to the next item on my "Would-Want-To-Have" list.

This Frienzoo computerscreen cover is just too cute!

This is one for my "Want-to-make" list:

Mock Sushi made from marshmallows, gummybears and more sweetness! Watch a two minute movie to learn how to make it!

I've been browsing the video clips on