Vive la vie: a book party

This afternoon I went to my very first book launch ever. The book which was launched was the second book by Ingrid van Willenswaard, whose blog Ing-things I have been following for a couple of years. I was so excited to finally meet her in real life!

The book party took place in Handmade Heaven, a craft store in Amsterdam and the occasion was like the book itself: uplifting, cheerful, creative, colourful and festive. What more does a girl want on a very sunny Autumn day?

The title of the book is vive la vie, which translates itself along the lines as "Enjoy life" or "Long live life!"

Ingrid had been preparing the book launch for weeks including assembling goodie bags, making craft examples and more recently baking apple pies.

interiour of the shop Handmade Heaven, Amsterdam

She had also been collecting a lot of vintage cups; you could choose your own cup and after having the coffee or tea you could take the cup home with you as a token. 

Vive la vie is a feel-good do-book with lots of simple DYI projects with paper, scraps or used items, including step-by-step explanations, drawings and anecdotes. The shop was full of examples from her book like the giant paper wheels in the picture above.

Ingrid van Willenswaard signing my copy of her book

bag made out of a vintage scarf and a folded swan

paper garlands and folded paper cranes & swans

Every buyer of the book also received a little goodie bag, mine is pictured above with the vintage cup I'd chosen.

Ingrid's book is full of little and simple projects involving crochet, sewing, paper folding and embroidery. I might try her DYI on binding booklets, making bags out of vintage scarfs or folding paper wheels. I simply love her vintage style, her pointed drawings, well chosen quotes and her little stories.
The book is published in Dutch and can be bought at bol.com.