TDM
-
[Reflection] #14: My entrepreneur friends
In recent years, I’m not quite sure how, I’ve managed to build very strong bonds with people I admire, who share the same values and mindset; most of them are entrepreneurs or about to be. I really enjoy talking with them because there are so many concepts they already know (FIRE, ETF, leverage, flashcards…), I don’t waste time explaining them, we just brainstorm brainstorming on how to make our dreams come true, we support and encourage each other. And when I feel a bit lazy, chatting with them really motivates me because they’re always full of projects, ideas, and interesting reflections. This article is a brief summary of what we’ve…
-
[review] World Biennial of Art Bookbinding 2024
I wasn’t supposed to go to the World Biennial of Art Bookbinding in 2024 because I was staying in the northern suburbs of Paris and had to go all the way to the end of the RER B line to attend. But a Vietnamese bookbinder won a prize and a mutual friend put us in touch. I went mainly as a favor. I did enjoy it a bit, but I’m glad I combined the trip with another event in Paris because 3 hours round-trip for that alone would have put me off. It’s a bookbinding competition open to everyone: professionals and amateurs. Everyone has to bind exactly the same book…
-
A Summer in France (2024): DIY, Gifts, and Luxury
It’s becoming almost a habit: every summer, we look after my sister’s cat(s) while she’s on vacation. We make the most of our time in France to: When I came back from Vietnam, I brought back a ton of leatherworking tools. Honestly, as I was storing these tools in my sister’s basement, I wondered what had come over me to buy so much. But then, when I started making my second and third leather bags, these tools made my work so much easier that I no longer regretted buying them. Since we had to go to Paris three days a week for the Olympics, I worked on my leatherworking projects…
-
Meet Amina Chevaillier from Ak Yol Atelier – Luxury Leather Goods
I’ve known Amina virtually for several years. I was lucky enough to stumble upon her Instagram as soon as I got into luxury leather craftsmanship. It was under the Parisian rain that we met in person for the first time. Our beautiful hand-stitched bags in luxury leathers (alligator, novonappa, shell cordovan) were thankfully not mistreated 😀 A big fan of leather, Amina first trained in leather crafting on her own. To perfect her skills, she joined the Hermès house, which is constantly looking for skilled artisans for their workshops across France. Out of 3000 candidates, after a 4-month selection process, only about twenty were accepted, and among them was Amina.…
-
DIY Leather Yule Log Bag – Hand-stitched with a Saddle Stitch – Advanced Leathercraft
A few months ago, I stumbled upon these two videos while looking for a design for an aunt. Since then, I’ve been dreaming of a round bag. See this post on Instagram A post shared by HIND • 하인드 (@hind_workshop) The drawings are numerous because I have no idea how I’m going to assemble the bag, how I plan to make the straps, whether I’ll use snap buttons or magnets, or if I’ll add metal feet. Up until the last minute, I wasn’t sure about the dimensions either. Once in a blue moon, I make a paper prototype to validate the dimensions, since I have access to a cutting machine,…
-
Where to Buy Leather in Paris? For Leather Goods & Bookbinding
La Trouvaille Located in the heart of the Paris flea markets, they offer fancy and basic leathers, braids, metallic fabrics, by the piece or in bulk.If you need specific leathers, they also take orders. They have lots of leathers from Haas and Degermann.This is my favorite address. The welcome is friendly, the choice is huge, especially for calfskin. The quality varies and suits all budgets, so take your time choosing.25 Rue Lécuyer, 93400 Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine Relma Leathers for leather goods, as well as for bookbinding.I go there to buy goatskin, the quality is incredible, I love it!You can buy leather for leather goods or bookbinding, and parchment. You need to specify…
-
How to get from Narita airport to downtown Tokyo?
We went to Japan recently, and my parents, who arrived a day after us, took the wrong train at Narita airport. Here I explain the most common mistakes, and if you follow our tips, you’ll be able to catch the right train without getting lost. You absolutely must take the train/subway because taxis are very expensive (several hundred euros) and the shuttle is not an option (too slow). First of all, you’ll need an internet connection, because Google Maps will be your best ally. Buying a SIM card on the spot in Japan is not recommended because it’s one of the few countries where data costs more when you buy…
-
My week in Hanoi (Vietnam): July 2024
Between Thailand and France, we spend a week in Hue, then a week in Hanoi to pick up my luggage (I have a huge stock of leather and books to bring back to France). At first, I plan to see no one (to rest a bit before the Olympics), but so many unexpected things come up that I end up seeing everyone in a week. We still treat ourselves to 2 nights of rest at Daewoo, the hotel where I learned to swim and where we got married in Hanoi. But it’s the first time we’ve spent the night there. The rooms are a bit outdated, but it’s one of…
-
Full leather binding of a paperback: “Un sac de billes”
A year ago, when I started rebinding mass-market books, JB asked me to rebind the paperback “Un sac de billes” that he and his brothers had read a thousand times. The book is also signed by the author. At first, I wanted to do a simple case binding without even touching the text block, but when I saw the pages falling out, I shelved that idea because in August 2023 I had no experience making this type of book. The good news is that no tape was used inside the book, only on the outside. I made the mistake of throwing away the cover (I didn’t know at the time…
-
TUTORIAL: How to Cut Leather with Your Silhouette
Last year, I shared my leather wallet project on Instagram and you could see me cutting leather with my Silhouette Portrait 3. I got questions about the settings that I answered privately, but I still haven’t mustered the courage to write an article about it. This year, I even managed to pre-cut the stitching marks, so I want to share that with you. I have a Silhouette Portrait 3, but it will be the same with other Silhouette machines. For this, you’ll need: I don’t use a special blade. It’s the same one that comes with the machine. However, I buy an extra one that I use only for leather.…
