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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…
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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…
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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 The rooms are a bit outdated, but it’s one of…
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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…
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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.…
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My Current Favorites – [August 2024]: Shopping
I’m taking advantage of our stop in Vietnam and France to stock up on my favorite products and try new ones. I didn’t buy all this in two weeks but over nearly 10 months, allowing me to snag good deals. My parents and sister were kind enough to receive and store the packages at their place until I came. Thanks! Cosmetics Let’s start with cosmetics. At a certain age, I no longer chase after new products and just repurchase my favorite perfumes. I use three perfumes: Un jardin après la mousson by Hermès is perfect for heatwave weather; wearing it feels like the coolness of rain, exactly as its name…
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DIY I Made a Leather Bag – Hand-Sewn with a Saddle Stitch – Advanced Leatherworking
I’m proud to present my latest leather project, the one I’m most proud of. It all starts with a pattern bought from a Vietnamese merchant. This bag took me months of thought and research. There are 22 cardboard pieces corresponding to 22 pieces to cut, for the outer leather, the leather lining, and the reinforcements. Add to that the skiving to be done. There aren’t many explanations, so it took me a long time to understand, and my leatherworking teacher had to help me decipher the diagrams. Just the prep takes a whole day, and luckily I had help from two friends. My leather is full of flaws (stretch marks,…
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Attending the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
As a sports fan, attending an Olympic Games was high on my wishlistbucket list. I had looked into going to Tokyo in 2020 before giving up when I realized the budget required. No regrets, they were postponed due to Covid and then held behind closed doors… I couldn’t miss Olympic Games held in France, and now it’s done! A story, to remember it by. I bought a first batch of tickets in May 2023, when I was selected in the “lottery” at the 3rd or 4th round. My two criteria then were: iconic venues + sessions with medals. As the Olympics approached, I made additional purchases to complete my schedule…
