The summer when my cushion covers made their debut in two major interior design magazines

Today is September 3 and it feels like it's starting to be time to sum up this summer and look ahead to autumn. Gulp. I usually think it's a lot of work and try to cling to the light and warmth while reading lots of reports on how to embrace autumn. It's usually about candles and countless amounts of tea as well as a good book or series on some channel. And not least how to prepare the home and interior so that it feels cozy to curl up on the sofa with that cup of tea.

This year it actually feels pretty okay. I haven't felt very well from the humid heat and since I'm not the owner of a cottage by the water but live in an apartment in town, some days it's been about pure survival. Luckily, I have friends with a pool and they have had the pleasure of sheltering me from time to time when it was at its worst.

Then it's actually the case that, since I'm now on my own and don't work for someone else 47 weeks a year, with a few weeks of VERY valuable vacation when everything has to happen in parallel with recovering as much as you can, it doesn't feel in much the same way that autumn is approaching. Just as I no longer have Sunday anxiety, I no longer have autumn anxiety. The fact that autumn is coming no longer means that I am going back to an existence that sucks the desire and the air out of me. It simply means that autumn is on its way, with a darkness and a cold that can be heavy and stressful but can also mean that I, who decide for myself, can slow down and turn my focus inward. To let the day have the rhythm that works for me.

This summer has been transformative. On the private level, it has meant a divorce and separation. I won't go into that more deeply, but it is of course a given that it affected me a lot. Energy has been spent on both practical and emotional things and it was perhaps not what I had thought the summer would be devoted to.

It has meant that I moved my studio home and now have all my creations in my home, so to speak. Instead of a living room, I now have a studio with all my fabrics and pillows , sewing machines and painting stuff. Computers, printers and planning boards on the wall. It suits me perfectly and I almost don't have to leave the house at all...😂

An extreme amount of time has been spent moving my webshop to a new platform that can handle multiple languages. Above all, I have felt that I want to be able to communicate in Swedish with those who bought and still buy my products, and so far the majority of them are in Sweden. Building a web shop is not a small side project and doing it twice in just over six months is almost not wise. But you learn as long as you live and shame on the one who gives in and all that. Now the new shop has been live for a couple of weeks now and now I just have to figure out how to import the text in English...

Eventually I will write down my experiences about building a webshop and what to consider with the different platforms, so maybe someone else can save a few hours of sweat and profanity...

In a previous post , I write more about why I chose to change platforms.

What has been really fun is that I twice had so-called pop-up shops, first at the beginning of May in Ytterjärna (where I had my studio) and then at the beginning of August to celebrate that I moved everything into my new studio. I am extremely happy about the great response I have received and that so many people have bought both items by the meter and cushion covers. There IS something about being able to squeeze and feel really fine materials and craftsmanship that softens the soul a little. I am extremely humbled by the fact that the world and the economy are out of balance and that the first thing you think of buying might not be pillowcases. But I notice how my customers - friends - feel strongly that what I create is handcrafted and sustainably made. It is not mass produced, no two pillows are the same. The fabrics are created to last a long time and with all my love in every step. I hope that is felt and is worth investing in. Please read more about sustainable manufacturing and how we work here.

My pillowcases with piping have also been included in both Skona hem and Allt i hemmet Sommarliv and THAT is tamejtusan a real milestone! How many times have I sat flipping through these magazines and drooling over exquisite design, beautiful homes and dreamy decor details?

It is a little extra nice that both magazines chose the Ella pattern in two different colorways. Ella is my daughter's name and of course the pattern was created with her as inspiration. The pattern Ella is available in three different colors - blue , gray and green and as a cushion cover in all three colors.

Being selected in two of Sweden's largest interior design magazines is not only an ego boost, but means that I have come a long way. In an industry with fierce competition, it means a lot to receive such recognition, of course!

So to summarize, you can say that this summer offered sadness and joy, darkness and light. The winds of change blow hard over the world and also in my life. But change means development and that is never a bad thing. I am getting closer to my core, my glow and my desire. That's where I want to be.

How do you take on autumn?

All's Well,

Madeleine