Last week my friends asked me news about my stay in Vicenza, during the Abilmente show. Many people asked me, probably because they knew it was an appointment that I waited for a while. I left Turin knowing that it would be a memorable weekend, and I was right.

The first day (Friday) I woke up at dawn, for once full of expectation, as when I was a child and I soon snapped out from under the covers at the first ring, knowing that I was leaving on an holiday. A relaxing and surprising train trip follows: I discovered that there are not only stinky trains in Italy, so different from those that belong to my past as a commuter. The train was too quiet… and then one of my typical comedy started: I spent a good hour trying to split a 5 strands yarn into 3 parts (2-2-1), succeeding only partially, interrupted by yarn balls dropped to the ground, tangles over tangles… I think I entertained the small audience of neighbours as I was a clumsy juggler. I imagine them getting to their destination and, with a smile on their face, tell about that funny girl who just could not make it. Remember this: Gaia Segattini proposed the hashtag #dementeadabilmente and I wanted to live up to.

I arrived at the show early in order to attend the conference La creatività come fonte di realizzazione personale, opportunità e business [Creativity as a source of personal fulfillment, opportunities and business], organized by MOICA (Movimento Italiano Casalinghe – Italian Housewives Movement) and Hobbydonna, first Italian web portal devoted to female creativity. At the table and in the room there were women of all ages, as to confirm what we usually say, when we reason about that enormous legacy that, thanks to the efforts of every crafter who learns some new technique, we are transmitting, interpreting, modernizing and sharing.

But turning your passion into a job is not easy. Gabriella Trionfi, Hobbydonna founder, is clear and direct, doesn’t mince words: it’s not only hard, but it’s not for everyone. It takes determination, in-depth knowledge in the use of the tools of the web, you must learn to take good pictures and learn English, as well as write in an excellent way in your mother tongue, of course.

Gabriella is the first person that I’ve been lucky to meet in these two days. Her past as a computer programmer makes me feel in tune with her and her story makes me admire: a woman with a keen sense of creative but practical, with significant technical knowledge, a woman who has been able to establish, carry on and develop a portal as Hobbydonna, active since 2001. What I admire the most is her capability to network, together with other women as crafty as the fiscal expert & creative Carmen Fantasia, who provides free fiscal advice on the website. Yes, you read right: free advice, but only on italian rules. If you are thinking about moving your business to Italy, maybe you can e-mail her.

Gaia Segattini a.k.a. Vendetta Uncinetta, Donatella Ciotti, Mariarita Macchiavelli a.k.a. Donna Rita and Wilma Strabello (originally not planned) spoke after, telling tell to the audience a lot about their own experiences.

To learn a little more about what was said during the conference (and beyond) refers to the post Paola wrote on Oltreverso >> here [italian only]

and the photos she posted on Instagram.

While surfing her website, be sure not to forget to download the PDF of the first 100 #lavorettinsieme [a huge collection of projects to be done with your child, with a lot of pictures]

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