At my impromptu booksigning in Sydney at the beginning of the year, the lovely Stef from newspaper taxi brought me a sweet little parcel. One sniff and I knew it was delicious soap so I kept it wrapped up, brought it in my suitcase and have not opened it until this morning. Why, you might ask? Because I like to savour things. I’ve been like this since I was a little girl – while friends and family around me wondered in june how it was possible I still had christmas candy to devour, or hadn’t yet spent my pocket money, or why I hadn’t already tossed away an old, tattered dress, the answer was always the same – I like everything to last as long as possible.

And even more so when I am faraway. Here in my little boat I have a collection of treats that I brought with me from Australia that are yet to be opened – Stef’s soap being one of them. This morning, we were out of soap and so it became the perfect time to open this special parcel. While I watched the swans clean themselves in the canal outside my window, I unwrapped the package and was delighted when I saw that the soap was handmade & handcut… it is the colour of the sea and in the shape of a beautiful rolling ocean wave, about to break onto shore –  it was a little piece of sydney. Thank you Stef! I will enjoy it immensely and think about the beautiful sydney seaside each time it lathers up.

xx

For those of you who have been visiting the (blog)house from the early days, you may remember my little story about the first time I walked into ‘Tracey’s world’ as I like to call it, when I was propping in Sydney some years ago (here is the post). I’ve been wanting to visit Tracey in her new studio in Redfern ever since then, and last week I finally managed to do so. It really is a world of natural wonder, with exotic flora and found objects made into incredible pieces of art. Tracey continues to be a huge source of inspiration for me, her work stretches the imagination in the most sophisticated, yet simplest of ways. I took some photos while I was there, just for you, would you like to see them? Here you go…

Tracey’s studio is just around the corner from Baffi & Mo, that great cafe I featured a few weeks back. My suggestion would be to have some breakfast there and then wander over to Tracey’s (Studio GO1/59 Great Buckingham St, Redfern)…

Thank you Tracey! I can’t wait to see what you create next.

Last night’s impromptu booksigning and meet up was a hit! I met loads of lovely people, signed my little heart out, and was super pleased to find out the books sold out within the first hour. Yippee! However I was not happy to see a few people missed out. As usual I completely forgot about taking photos, and french boy forgot too until the very end when there were just a few people left. He was in mid conversation with someone and then all of a sudden he jumped up and announced with a look of sheer panic “I forgot to take photos!!”

from left to right: my dear friend Jenni Booth chatting with fellow stylist Phoebe; Stef, owner of the very cool store in newtown called newspaper taxi; me; and fiona, an avid reader and visitor of the (blog)house.

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He managed to find the camera, click the button, and the above scene is what he captured: The big empty spot on the coffee table is where the stack of books were, I am the one to the right with the ripped jeans (I decided to go with a bit of a hip, punk style – I’m hoping this looked better in person than it does on this photograph), and all the space around was filled with people – standing, sitting, chatting, sipping coffee, and me signing books amidst it all. It was a great atmosphere and Berkelouw made it all very welcoming – they had set up this little nook just for us, set among all their glorious shelves of books. Isn’t the setting fabulous?

So, it was all round good fun, and I’m feeling more and more at ease to do other similar events this year in Amsterdam. I need to find a pen though, that dries instantly  – I spend alot of time blowing on the page to make sure it doesn’t smudge.

A big thank you to everyone who came along. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed our chats and I hope I get to meet you again soon.

xx

berkelouw books, newtown, as captured by louise hawson from fab blog 52 suburbs. click here to see louise’s full newtown post.

Tomorrow – that being Thursday, February 4th – I will be at berkelouw books in newtown for an impromptu booksigning of paris: made by hand between 5:30-7:30pm. I’m really looking forward to it, and I hope you can come along. Don’t forget to bring your copy of the book but if you don’t have one yet or would like another, you can purchase one from berkelouw while you’re there. Too easy!

See you soon mes amis!

xx

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Where: Berkelouw Books, 6-8 O’Connell Street, Newtown (ph: 9557 1777)

When: Thursday, February 4, 2010 between 5:30-7:30pm

What: Pia Jane Bijkerk, author of  this here blog and Paris: Made by Hand –  impromptu booksigning and bloggers/friends meet up!

photograph of berkelouw books newtown cafe by the fat belly club

I have less than two weeks left here in Sydney and I really wanted to meet as many of you as possible. So, I’ve organised an impromptu meet up & booksigning next thursday february 4, between 5:30pm-7:30pm at the new and gorgeous newtown berkelouw books ! Anyone can come along, you can buy your own refreshments at the cafe and we can just chat, or if you have a paris: made by hand you would like signed bring it along, or if you’d like a brand spanking new one for a friend or yourself, berkelouw books will have a nice fat stack, just for the occasion…

I’m thinking it will be a small affair, nothing fancy, just a nice location to mingle and get to meet. What do you think?  Please pass the word along on your blogs if you are based in Australia or Sydney, and I really hope you will come along. Don’t be shy (I’m shy too, so that will make at least two of us!). Email me if you have any questions. And a big thank you to Newtown Berkelouw Books for having us.

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Save the date: Thursday,  February 4, between 5:30pm-7:30pm Newtown Berkelouw Books. See you there!