Hey everyone, today I want to introduce and welcome my latest sponsor, Alex of
Olenka Vintage!
A short time ago, I have invited her to advertise on my blog, because I love
her shop on DaWanda in which she sells carefully chosen vintage and second hand pieces of clothing. Last year, I found her shop while I was searching for vintage dresses on DaWanda and since then, I have bought three of her awesome dresses which now belong to my favorite ones in my wardrobe (one can be seen
here, another one can be seen
here, worn by
Stef of Magnoliaelectric during out vintage clothing shoot). Even my mama has bought something pretty in Alex' shop. :)
When
Stef,
Stefanie and I started our
"How to Shop and Style Vintage Clothes" series last summer, I sent Alex a mail so that she could see what her customers do with her clothes and then I thought it would be a good idea to invite her as a sponsor, because I REALLY like her shop, her clothes and the overall look of Olenka Vintage and now I can happily welcome her here! :)
Alex answered me a few questions in order to let you know more about her shop and the idea behind it and I hope that some of you will fall as much in love with her range of clothes as I did. :)
Alex, the young woman behing the shop Olenka Vintage (Olenka comes from the Polish belittlement for Alexandra), is 29 years old, has a five year old son and lives in Heidelberg. When I asked her how she developed the idea to open her own DaWanda shop, she told me that she has been in India to find out about what she wanted to do in the future, she has gone there after she had just finished her studies (Sociology and Management Studies). Afterwards, she decided to make something she likes and with which she could earn money, because she had plenty of time (applying for and getting a job took her longer than she had expected) and because she doesn't like doing nothing at all.
She has always been a big fan of vintage things and at this time, she got to know a wholesaler who then started providing her with awesome vintage clothes and from who she still gets all the awesome, unique pieces you can find in her shop. At about the same time, Alex discovered DaWanda and she was excited about the idea to pass on the clothes which she liked so much to other women, because she could hardly keep and wear them all by herself. :) This way, Alex is able to find fulfilment in her passion for special pieces of clothing without having to fear that her wardrobe could explode.
Concerning the time when she started her little business with vintage clothes, Alex told me that in September 2010, about two years ago, she has started to take photos in her living-room and has listed the first items on DaWanda. Then, she soon realized that her customers like and appreciate the clothes she chooses and that's what made her really happy. Now she shares a small studio with a band where she takes her photos and where she stores her clothes. Only a short time ago she sold her 1000th piece of clothing which makes her really happy (congratulations!! :)).
Olenka Vintage now takes a lot of time. Alex has stayed self-employed and does the marketing for an art agency. What is more, she also does the accountancy for a bike store and even holds workshops for kids in a library. As you can see, she carries out various, slightly different jobs (what she totally likes) and she also has her son with whom the day is filled out until the evenings.
Her love for vintage - the really old, original things - has always been a part of Alex' life. As she told me, she has always had a certain nostalgia for the 60s and 70s, although she's only 29. She has grown up with the music of this time and at the age of 16, she bought her first leather coat from the 70s on a flea market. What Alex currently is excited about are the 80s and 90s.
Because she is someone who cares a lot about sustainability and who has an aweness for ecological concerns, it was bad for her to know that a huge part of all second hand clothes are simply turned into cleaning rags by the industry and she wanted to save those precious pieces in order to use things in a sustainable way. She can't stand the thought that things are thrown away and destroyed, although they still completely fulfil their function. Not only because of this she's happy about the current vintage trend! What is more, Alex also likes that by means of shopping used clothes, one can still afford a certain quality standard which one maybe couldn't afford when buying completely new clothes.
After getting to know all those things about Alex, her shop and the concept behind it, I even love it more! :)
I hope you're gonna have a look at all the amazing things she offers, too! I check out her shop on a regular basis and each time I'm fascinated by all the new, unique pieces. I love when clothes have been worn before and can tell a story and I always imagine how the previous owner might have been like and to which occasions those clothes have already been worn! :)
Those two pieces are some of Alex's favorite items in her shop (too bad that they have already been sold :)). The mini dress is a designer piece from Yvette Paris, made of golden velvet fabric with a paisley pattern.)Thanks again for letting us know more about you and your shop, dear Alex! :)
Lu
(If you are interested in advertising on my blog, too, you can read
my sponsor information. :))
Hellooo! :) Here are finally my new brooches on which I've been working for so long! :)
Hello and happy Monday! :) Wanna know who has won my latest giveaway? :) Here are the three lucky winners:
Congratulations! :) I'm gonna send the three of you an e-mail and then you can send me your address. In case I don't get an answer within one week, I'll chose another winner. :)
Happy Saturday morning everyone! :) Here's a super tiny shop update, because I listed this pretty new pouch on DaWanda, you can now buy it in my shop. :)
Beautiful house. // I rearranged some photos. // My nightstand. // I won a 300€ voucher in an IKEA competition, because I won three out of hundred categories!!! :) Thanks again so much for voting for me! // Deciding for what to wear. // Handprinted bow shirt. 
This is my campus, really!! // Lunch break. // Beautiful sunset. // My desk and all the colorful things on it. // My handmade phone pouch with owl fabric I once designed myself. I love this design so much! :-* // Baby dog! 
Colorful fall outfit. // Travel outfit. // Let's go, weekend trip. // New magazine on the train. // Spending my weekend with Laura of Tagträumerin, it was lots of fun! :-* // On the horse farm. 
Putting together fabric during Laura's craft party. // Saying goodbye. :( // Making sketches and taking notes on my train ride home. // Handmade wreath I started making during Laura's party with all her super pretty fabric scraps. // Mini flags. // Working on a new collection of brooches. 
Outfit for shopping at IKEA (I swear it wasn't intended to wear matching IKEA colors!!! :D). // Furniture shopping with Flo. :) // Two shopping cards full of stuff, everything for free, because I won the money, such a lucky girl! :) // I rearranged my room with the new pieces of furniture. :) // Beautiful weather & houses in Potsdam. 
New cake stand, perfectly matching my vintage tea pots. // Tired doggy. // Working on Christmas sewing projects. // Cuddling! :-* // Our kitchen with a new wooden table. I love it! // My beloved room. 
Still working on those brooches. // Above my sewing table. // One of my fabric stacks. // Mogli! :) // Outfit of the day.
Hello! :) It's time for a new giveaway!!
Hello! :) Here's a sewing DIY for you! I have been wanting to make a patchwork pillow or blanket for quite a long time and then, a few months ago, I finally sewed this pillow case (but didn't post about it, yet). I wanted to use fabric leftovers and make something pretty for Mogli and here's the tutorial for you to make such a pillow (or blanket), too.
First of all, you need to decide for the final size of your project and how many squeares you want to use. Depending on this, you can then figure out the actual size of your squares (or any other size you prefer - but for patchwork beginners, squares are the easiest way) and cut them out. I decided for a pillow case which is 80cm x 80cm big, a standard size in Germany.
Next, sew all the rows next to each other. After doing this, turn them upside down and iron the seam allowances. 
Do this with both sides of your pillow case (or with the top side of a blanket) and then sew in the zipper to attach both sides for making it a real pillow case. As you can see, my first attempt wasn't perfect with regard to accuracy, but I don't mind. :)
When I first put the case onto Mogli's huge doggy pillow, he was a bit shy, because he didn't really know if this was for him and was this was about, but then he made himself comfortable and enjoyed his new place. :)
Here you can see some details and the matching zipper. 
Just a few minutes after he got his new pillow he fell asleep. 
Doesn't it look pretty? I love how all the fabric squares match each other and I love the color scheme I chose which pefectly matches Mogli's bigger pillow and the rest of my room. :)
Flo makes the best homemade pizza! // Colorful colors for my fall outfit. // Favorite new cafe in Potsdam, Belmundo. Lovely Andrea of Jolijou has brought Anja and me there. We were having lunch there and then we had the best ice cream in town as dessert! // Looove! :-*
Fall afternoon with Anja, out for a walk and collecting chestnuts. // Handmade crochet accessoires, wrist warmers for the cold season (In case you want a pair, feel free to send me an e-mail. :)). // Hot chai latte in a new mug my mother brought me. :) // Morning walk. // New wool for making headbands.
Handmade crochet headband. // Bows for the headbands. // A new collection, I've been crocheting like crazy. You can buy all those headbands in my DaWanda shop. // Mogli is hiding. // Veggie gyros. // My new coat, I love it so much!!
Making new brooches. // Walking the dog. // Handmade apple cards from fabric scraps. // Fall walk with Mogli, I've collected tons of pretty things for my fall decor. :)
