Watercolour Gardenias

May 6, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

Let’s start the week with another watercolour: gardenias this time, always from my balcony. I’m am literally fighting against the sad fate of this plant: here in Madrid the temperature is always dry, and apparently this beauty needs moisture. So I’m arranging things to set her right. Is someone in the same situation?! On the other hand, I think it’s time to stop painting plants, at least for now, I feel like painting fashion accessories, well, most because I have […]

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: crafts, flowers, gardenias, handmade, illustration, interiors, painting, patterns, watercolor, watercolour

My first handmade apron

May 1, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

So, I’ve got a sewing machine and I cannot stop experimenting with textiles and colours right now! This is a little project I started weeks ago, to make myself an apron. I used a very simple fabric and sewed the pieces with a yellow thread. Secret: I shamelessly copied the shape of the old one I have in my kitchen…you know, to have something to start with and also because..I had no idea how to do it! Then I went […]

Categories: Extravaganzas • Tags: aron, art, fabric, fashion, handmade, illustration, painting, patterns, polka dots, sewing

Plants on my balcony

April 16, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

I admit I love my mother’s balcony & garden plants, so I’m kind of recreating my little green space here, in the middle of the city! Hierba buena, laurel and rosemery and I intend to buy basil and thyme also…Well, I don’t have vases like these, I made those decorations up completely, but actually they could make a good project, right?! Next time I’ll paint my vases. Ok. Btw, this illustration is part of a series about plants and I […]

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: art, balcony, colours, crafts, design, garden, green, illustration, painting, plants, watercolour

Vintage Travel Outfit

April 11, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

I started this watercolour before going to Malaysia and didn’t look at any picture for inspiration, I just imagined how I wished to be dressed, the period, the scene… A friend just told me it could be the outfit of some female character from The Great Gatsby movie. She’s right! It could. So I guess I imagined to dive in the 20s! Well, I wish I could travel dressed like this, certainly not the best outfit for any asian adventure […]

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: Asia, baggages, blue, fashion, illustration, outfit, Travel, vintage

Malaysia: a nostalgic return to Asia

April 8, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

Well, I’ve been kind of out of business lately, right? (I realize by this that I’m the worst blogger!) Back to the post, I wasn’t blogging or doing anything because…I was doing what I most love, I was traveling! This time around Malaysia. The reason why we chose Malaysia as a destination goes back a little. I didn’t write anything about my travels in this blog so, I will introduce my story a little. Three years ago, me and my boyfriend, we […]

Categories: Me & My life • Tags: Adventures, Asia, Backpacking, Cambodia, China, colors, Food, Inspiration, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Russia, South Korea, Temples, Transiberian Train, Travel

New project: Handmade Cushion!

March 5, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

I spent last week-end preparing and thinking about so many things for my sewing classes that I think I lost control, it’s like I have a new toy and I have to experiment with it till the last! I have to say that one thing was in my mind all along…to make a cushion! So, for its basic shape I copied one cushion I already had in my apartment, I used a simple light-creme fabric to sew it. I learned […]

Categories: Extravaganzas • Tags: cushion, handmade, painting, pattern, pillow, sewing

Before / After Project: Director’s chair restoration

February 20, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

A year ago, while walking on the street, I entered into a beautiful patio: there was a magic shop selling among plants different  kinds of vintage furniture from all over the world. My heart stopped when I saw a beach/director chair, blue and white stripes, It reminded me of the pictures of Biarritz in the 20´s..so I took a pic with my phone, and later that night, in my house I made a watercolour of it. It is hanging right […]

Categories: Extravaganzas • Tags: after, before, chair, design, furniture, handmade, interior, restoration, sewing machine, stripes, wood

Handmade Red Spots Tote – another handmade extravaganza

February 12, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

This is my first totally handmade tote! I just bought a sewing machine, so I wanted to put it to use. I had this really simple fabric, so the first thing to do for me was a tote bag. I like this simple red spots pattern, it reminds me of strawberries actually. So one face of the tote is full of them while the other is empty. I’ll be doing more of them, I hope you like it! Here you […]

Categories: Extravaganzas • Tags: bag, handmade, illustration, machine, paitning, patterns, sewing, tote

Yellow Happy Pattern

February 9, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

  Hello there! This is an old pattern I once used in this post. I always look at it, since it’s on my wall, and everytime I see it, I can see a lot of objects covered with it. So, here’s the deal: I want to print it on fabric and make an entire series of objects. It is a very clean design, and simple and happy. I can easily imagine a pillow with this pattern, and curtains and kitchen […]

Categories: Patterns • Tags: art, cuchion, design, fabric, handmade, interior, kitchen, patterns, pillow, print, textile, watercolours

A bit of my story on Yorokobu Mag

February 4, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

Well, these are big news!! In this month edition of Yorokobu Magazine you can find a little bit of my creative story. Yorokobu is a spanish magazine, so I put some pics of the article here for those of you who want to peruse them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Categories: Me & My life • Tags: handmade, magazine, patterns, serena olivieri, watercolour, yorokobu

Pink & Yellow Patterns

January 31, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

This is a pattern I really love – I made it one day, on a little paper, it was just a sketch, a note I took fo a beautiful drawing I saw somewhere. I really would like to use it one day. Actually, I see it as an ideal pattern for bathroom tiles…we’ll see.

Categories: Patterns • Tags: art, crafts, illustration, patterns, watercolour

Thoughts on Business Cards

January 27, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

So, I needed some new business cards for myself. Honestly, I think I lost the others while I was moving from one apartment to the other… I thought about putting on some of my watercolour illustrations, but in the end I chose to stay minimalist and played only with the colours and typos I liked, in fact, each card has a different combo of colours. I decided to use a smaller size this time, and not to put emails or […]

Categories: Graphic • Tags: brand, business card, graphic design, identity, paper, vintage, watercolour

Watercolour Patterns on Cutlery

January 24, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

Categories: Extravaganzas • Tags: colour, cutlery, handmade, illustration, patterns, watercolours

Basket Bicycle Watercolour #3

January 22, 2013 by Serena Olivieri

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: art, bicycle, design, handmade, illustration, print

Aqua Pattern Mix

December 14, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

I really like this one, so I reused it to try some other pattern. Hope you like it! Serena

Categories: Patterns • Tags: fashion, handmade, illustration, patterns, watercolour

The making of a self-portrait

December 9, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Categories: Video • Tags: art, design, illustrations, patterns, self-portrait, watercolours, work in progress

Watercolour Tshirt – Alpargatas on Twiggy

December 7, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Categories: Extravaganzas, Uncategorized • Tags: art, crafts, design, fashion, handamde, illustration, shoes, twiggy, watercolour

Watercolour Alpargatas Pattern

December 6, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Categories: Patterns • Tags: designillustration, fashion, handmade, pattern, watercolour

Watercolour Bicycle #2

December 5, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: bicycle, handmade, illustration, patterns, watercolour

Watercolour Tshirt – Testing on Kate Moss

December 5, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

I was looking for some good picture to try the watercolour on and I found this one with Kate Moss. I wanted to put the plant design somewhere in the shirt and I thought that this upside down position was great. Now I want it for real *Kate Moss Original Photography by Craig Martin

Categories: Extravaganzas, Uncategorized • Tags: design, fashion, handmade, kate moss, shirt, watercolour, white

Self-portrait

December 3, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: Drawing, illustration, selfportrait, watercolour

New Pattern Studies on a Notebook

November 2, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

I just wanted to try more ink patterns on cut out geometry Hope you like it! Serena

Categories: Prototypes • Tags: design, handmade, illustration, paper, watercolour

Director Vintage Chair

October 31, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

And voila! A director chair;) I saw this chair in a shop, a while ago. It was a vintage forniture shop..and I was looking for inspiration, so I took a picture and now here it is. And it is finally mine!!:)

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: design, handmade, illustration, paper, watercolour

Watercolour Bicycle

October 30, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Hey! Long time no see! Yes, but here I am, painting again. Actually I think I should start some watercolours series on something I love, like bicycles…or chairs…mmh..I’ll to think about that Hope you like this one though! Serena

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: bicycle, design, handmade, watercolours

Me & the City – Fall uniform

October 16, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Suddenly, I’m in love -again- with square shirts and blue jeans. Well, not always with boot though.. Well, yes, this is a kind of fall uniform – Ahh..fall, what a great season right? RIGHT?!  There’s my birthday coming up and Madrid is beautiful with all the autumnal colors. Yes, great!…But I have to say it, I cant stop thinking about going on vacation in some hot place like…Tenerife or springy Argentina. Mmh.. Canarias could be my next stop We’ll see!

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: design, fashion, illustrations, patterns, tshirt, watercolours

Delighted Magazine

September 27, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Take a look at the my little contribution for the fall issue of Delighted Magazine ! Thanks Amanda! Lots of interesting stuff in there Have a great WE!   Serena

Categories: Me & My life • Tags: decor, digital, dsign, home, magazine, products

Me & the City – New Shoes

September 23, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Yesterday I bought these shoes Have a great Sunday! Serena

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: fall, fashion, handmade, madrid, shoes, watercolour

New Fall-Inspired Pattern Studies

September 18, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

I’ve been trying to make different kind of patterns, as request by a friend who’s into furniture design. I cannot talk about the project right now, but I will, in the future So here I started with some pattern studies, the first on the top- left has the classic stripes and evolved into..I don’t know, some kind of spider thing! At first I thought I could use these pattern studies for some tote bag design or for some tile design, […]

Categories: Patterns • Tags: art, bag, crafts, design, handmade, paper, patterns, tile, tote, watercolours

My watercolour universe – balcony plants

September 11, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Well, the pot is not exactly like this, and the tablecloth neither..but, you know, I call it my watercolour universe for some reason, right?! So, now, I need your help, should I put a yellow pattern like this behind the plant? I really want to put it but I’m not sure. So I’m letting it be for a bit. What do you think? Have a great Tuesday! Serena

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: handmade, illustrations, plants, watercolours

Handmade Watercolour Agenda

September 3, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

I made this A5 notebook long ago and left it blank..to one day come back and paint on the cover maybe?! Yes. I used watercolour directly on the cardboard, only white and green. The structure of the pattern is similar to this one. And, yes, this is another present.   Do you like it?   Have a great week! Sere  

Categories: Prototypes • Tags: design, handmade, notebook, paint, paper, patterns, watercolours

Never Ending Summer Stories

August 30, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

The other day, I was talking to a friend, and I started to make these drawings with watercolours. I got so angry, I didn’t like them at all! I wanted to do something new, and it’s kind of therapeutic for me to talk through skype while doing this so…I put my mind in a kind of nirvana state – I listen to my friend but also elaborate images. Well, it’s kind of basic, I know, but it works, every time […]

Categories: Extravaganzas • Tags: handmade, illustrations, paper, summer, watercolour

Handmade Watercolour Tags

August 15, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

I’m thinking about re-doing the design of my mother’s shop tags.  – Well, she doesn’t know it yet, don’t tell her! Of course this is an experiment and I’ll be doing more of these tags I guess, till I find the perfect ones – But for the moment I think it could be fun to try different shapes: rectangular, round and triangular. I also wanted to mix the stripes with floral patterns, and I’m quite happy with the results, they […]

Categories: Extravaganzas • Tags: handmade, patterns, series, shop, spring, stripes, summer, tags, watercolours

My watercolour universe

August 9, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

I’m not working today! So I thought I could go for a walk, read a book, have breakfast alone in a bar, go look for that green tea I wanted to buy, those shoes I saw the other day… There are so many things I should be doing, I’m already stressed! Well, in the end that’s not true and you know it! As you can see, I’m building my little watercolour universe: at first there was the bicycle, then the […]

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: art, bicycle, cut out, handmade, serena olivieri, watercolours

White tote + green and yellow watercolours // Personal Project

August 5, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

I’m always using  this tote I made some month ago, and I’m definetely going to make-  and wear myself -  another one, probably with this pattern. This are just some pictures of how it would look like…I’m just playing with the patterns that’s all This is perfect for the summer! don’t you think?! Which one do you like? I’ll have it done and I’ll show you the results Serena

Categories: Extravaganzas, Uncategorized • Tags: fashion, handmade, patterns, tote, watercolours

Handmade Notebook – Orange Nicky

August 1, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

    Yes, another present! – Two birthdays last week. I didn’t know how to customize this one, then I thought about my friend and his clothes: stripe tshirts. Have you noticed it? The cut out has the shape of a tshirt ,and underneath, on the creamy paper, there are some drawings I made using my famous while-speaking-on-the-phone style . I’m sure everyone has his/her own personal while-speaking-on-the-phone style !   Serena

Categories: Notebooks, Prototypes • Tags: art, crafts, cut out, handmade, journal, notebook, paper

Handmade Notebook – Black Diego

July 30, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

This is the notebook I customized for my friend Diego, it was his birthday! – Everything is handmade, from the bookbinding to the illustration. Well, who wouldn’t like a present like this for his birthday…uh?! Hope you like it! – he liked it, well, at least he said so Serena

Categories: Notebooks, Prototypes • Tags: crafts, handmade, illustration, notebook, paper

Watercolours: green & yellow pattern

July 28, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Hi there, I finally decided to go back to watercolours, it’s been a while since I last painted one! I woke up today inspired by green and yellow, but I didn’t want them to be too geometrical.. Hope you like them Have a great WE!   Serena

Categories: Patterns • Tags: geometrical, handmade, illustrations, patterns, triangle, watercolours

Instagram Recap #2 – My italian holidays through Instagram

July 25, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Here there is a little recap of my the last Instagrams pics I took while I was in Italy. Some pics are details of our afternoons at the beach, others are from the Italian AD July Issue, then my cat, the garden etc.. Some fabrics my father was working with Succulents on the balcony Ready to go to the beach I had just found this batik I bought in Thailand last year..I was so happy! Well, you can never tell […]

Categories: Me & My life • Tags: holidays, instagram, italy, photography, vacations

My mother’s balcony – Herbs

July 20, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

My mother uses a lot of herbs to cook her fantastic meals. Most of them are on her balcony, some of them in the garden. Here I made a little summary of the most commonly used. Thyme Usually used on tomato sauces for pastas – it gives a rich and authentic taste to every basic “pasta al pomodoro”. Also it’s used with rosemary and sage to spice roasts. Japanese basil My mother uses this on fresh tomatos, with mozzarella to […]

Categories: Me & My life

My mother’s garden

July 18, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

I’m in Italy!! Yes, I know, I already said that…I must be really happy to be here then;) I wanted to show you some pictures I took of my mother’s garden & balcony. Last year I stayed here for 5 months and I could help her with the plants and the garden and I really miss that, especially during the summer. There are also roses but as you know, they don’t bloom during this season so…no pics! The garden goes […]

Categories: Me & My life • Tags: garden, holidays, home, italy, photography, plants, vacation

In Italy!

July 16, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Yes, finally! I’m enjoying a week at my parent’s house in central Italy. The scenary around this town is exactly like in the picture above, plus there’s the beach . Hopefully I’ll upload more pics in the forthcoming days: I took several pictures of my mother’s garden & plants and I’ve to organize them. What am I doing here?! Well, relaxing, playing cards, going to the beach, eating -a lot- every day, attending concerts and… trying to finish the next […]

Categories: Me & My life • Tags: holiday, italy, vacation

Me & the City – Going out on my bicycle

July 14, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

4 days ago I went to the Retiro park in Madrid, with my bicycle, which is exactly like this one you see above. Well, mine is blue, but I wanted to use some vibrant colours, so.. maybe, I exaggerated a bit. It’s a folding bike and I try to use it a lot even if around Madrid it could be difficult with all the cars and buses, but I got used and found my way to move smoothly around the […]

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: art, bicycle, handmade, madrid, photography, retiro, watercolours

Vintage Movies Selection / BLOW-UP

July 11, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Blow Up Director: Michelangelo Antonioni Produced by: Carlo Ponti Starring: David Hemmings, Vanessa Redgrave, Sarah Miles, Peter Bowles and Veruschka von Lehndorff. This is one of my favorite movies and, of course, the first time I saw it, I fell in love with David Hemmings character, his Nikon F and his obsession for antiques. But in the end, it’s the “swinging London” I deeply loved: the colours, the music the haircut, the clothes. – The movie is in colour, I […]

Categories: Extravaganzas • Tags: antonioni, blow-up, London, Movie, swinging, vintage

Photo – Patterns Combo #2

July 9, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

This picture was taken last year by my geeky bf in Ascoli Piceno, Italy, with a Canonet 28.  I really love it because it’s simple..and of course there is a vintage bicycle that just happened to be there, like that woman on the right dressed in black…I mean, this image was meant to be taken. There’s nothing else to say. The good part comes with the analog photography, where…you don’t really know for sure if the picture you just took […]

Categories: Extravaganzas • Tags: analog., art, canonet28, design, handmade, patterns, photography, watercolour

At the museum

July 7, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Today, we went to the MNCARS – Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, I wanted to see James Coleman exhibition ( my friend Cynthia Gonzalez told me it was “awesome” so, I had to go and see..). But now I just wanted to show you some pictures I took while visiting An ear to the sound of our history, part of the big Sharon Hayes exhibition “Habla”. A collection of music, political and important social event records cover showing […]

Categories: Me & My life • Tags: Exhibition, madrid, museum, photography, Reina Sofia, Sharon Hayes

A tribute to espadrilles

July 5, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

I’m in love with espadrilles, they’re everywhere here and I cannot stop looking at them. For men, for women, I would like to buy tons of them, of every colour. Blue, red, orange, stripes, plain colours…I’ve only have one pair and I wanted to buy another one..but wich one?! – well, if you read the previous post, you know which one I would choose eheh – Do you like espadrilles? Lots of people don’t like them, I know…and I almost […]

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: espadrilles, fashion, handmade, watercolour

Me & the city

July 4, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Aah! Madrid! This great modern city in July is almost unbearable, the temperature is so high you’ll want to hide yourself under the bed and never go outside anymore till September. I’m joking of course. But I remember some nights from past years with 31º at 1 am…I mean, that’s not fair, you know you won’t sleep at all, and no, the open window doesn’t help! So this is my usual outfit…it’s like my uniform, and it’s my way to […]

Categories: Illustrations • Tags: fashion, handmade, illustrations, watercolours

Photo – Patterns Combo #1

July 2, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

My boyfriend took this picture last year with a Yashika Mat 124G camera. We were in a tiny village in the center of Italy, Castelbasso, attending to an Art Festival filled with concerts and exhibitions. It was beautiful all around but then he stopped and took a picture of this statue, so sad and magnificent. I used it today as inspiration to make the pattern you see below. I like to use watercolours to create new patterns, it’s kind of […]

Categories: Extravaganzas • Tags: analog., handmade, photography, watercolours

Patterns by night

June 30, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Yesterday night I went out with some friends and finished lingering around the Caixa Forum Museum in the center of Madrid. I’ve always loved this building, especially the entrance. As you can see it has a geometric ceiling and the first thing that came into my mind was a watercolour pattern! I think this could me a good creative method to study patterns: take pictures of even simplier places and buildings and then to study them. So yes, I’m a […]

Categories: Work In Progress • Tags: colors, patterns, photography

Making of / Dispatches from Spain

June 29, 2012 by Serena Olivieri

Last sunday I went visiting an art book fair here in Madrid, Masquelibros. Now I’m editing the pictures and writing the next post for the column “Dispatches from Spain” over at Poppytalk. Expect lots of paper works, art books and an impressive scenario! See you soon, Serena

Categories: Me & My life • Tags: art, art book, dispatches from spain, handmade, masquelibros, paper, poppytalk