Annuk Creations - Color and Light Inspirations in Jewelry

SNOWY!

2012-02-01T14:12:00.001+01:00

No, I haven't moved to Sweden... this is still my little corner of North West Italy, at the feet of the Alps! :)
It snowed again yesterday, and with temperatures already below 0°C and expected record icy temperatures of -16°C, all that snow isn't going to melt very soon! But it's so beautiful!

WINTER WONDERLAND

2012-01-30T12:54:00.000+01:00

We hadn't seen so much snow here in a long long time!

And it's still snowing! I had a walk in the snow-covered woods... it was so beautiful and peaceful, a true winter wonderland. The only sound was the snow cracking under my boots...

SEA-INSPIRED PENDANT!

2012-01-28T11:34:00.002+01:00

I had created this piece some time ago, using a gorgeous natural, untreated wooden disk, featuring an off-center hole into which I have set a wonderful glass bead in magical turquoise and sea-blue tones and white enclosures recalling sea foam. This blue glass center reflects the light in magical ways and sets off the whole pendant – I love the contrast of the light wood and the sea blue of the glass! I have framed the blue glass bead with turquoise polymer clay free-hand formed to suggest a sea-inspired form.

Now it's a pendant! Both sides have been finished off, so you can wear this pendant on either side. Soon in my Etsy Shop!

EARLY SPRING BLOOMERS

2012-01-26T12:50:00.001+01:00

With an unusually mild and snowless winter, early spring flowers are starting to bloom in the woods... delicate and small in size, yet so beautiful and strong in colors and shapes!

MAGICAL SUNSET

2012-01-25T13:43:00.000+01:00

A heart-shaped flaming cloud floating above the mountains in the evening sky yesterday...

STARRY GLASS FLOWER RING

2012-01-23T13:45:00.000+01:00

A new shiny ring I created using a gorgeous artisan handmade fused glass star by Irish glass artist Mollie from Spleodar, and adding a domed golden centre, which I created with a blend of orange and golden polymer clay.

I love the way the translucent glass reflects the light! And that little golden centre makes the green glass star look like a flower...

SUNNY!

2012-01-21T22:05:00.002+01:00

Same rings... different LIGHT!

RINGS FROM THE SEA

2012-01-19T17:29:00.001+01:00

About a year ago, a lovely friend from Greece had sent me these "cat's eye shells" that she personally collected on a Greek beach... I wanted to turn them into something special, reminding of the sea they came from -- now I have turned them into rings! I set them into a mix of blue, turquoise and white polymer clay recalling the colors of the Aegean Sea...

Cat's Eyes

Cat’s eye is the common name for the lid or operculum of the common sea snail Turbo smaragdus. When the snail is threatened by a predator or is exposed above the tide, it withdraws into its shell and the operculum seals the opening. After the snail has died and decomposed, the operculum falls free of the shell. They are flat and circular on one side and convex on the other.
They are widely used in Europe and the Middle East for protection against the evil eye, no doubt because they themselves resemble eyes and they are used as protective charms.
The spiral side of the cat’s eye represents development and positive energy, protecting and guarding.

I love the way the rings turned out, delicate in size and shape yet colorful and bold. One a little more blue and the other in lighter shades of turquoise.

MOUNTAINS AND LOVE: AOSTA VALLEY

2012-01-14T12:52:00.000+01:00

Glorious blue skies, snowy peaks and wonderful memories of wonderful days in the Aosta Valley (Vallée d'Aoste/Valle d'Aosta) with my Loved One!

-Mont Blanc-

The village of Rhêmes-Notre-Dame (1725 m) surrounded by snowy peaks

JANUARY MAGIC

2012-01-12T13:22:00.002+01:00

How has your year started, my friends? Mine started wonderfully, in the arms of my Loved One...
And my wonderful mountains are even more beautiful when shared with my Special One... :)

Breathtaking views on glorious January days...

On the left you can see the Sacra di San Michele (St Michael's Abbey), one of the symbols of Piedmont. It was so warm it felt like spring, there were even the first butterfies... and a sweet playful young kitty trying to chase them. On the photos where she is looking up, she is looking at the butterflies after trying to chase them.

Another sweet kitty basking in the sun...

And the beautiful Avigliana Lakes...

ANNUK CREATIONS ON ETSY'S FRONT PAGE!

2012-01-03T19:58:00.001+01:00

YAY! I'm featured on Etsy's Front Page! :)

Sun In My Heart 1

And this is the lovely Treasury that made it to Front Page! Grazie Stella! :)

NEW YEAR WITH MY LOVE!

2011-12-30T12:35:00.002+01:00

MAGICAL DECEMBER IN THE MOUNTAINS

2011-12-28T17:11:00.003+01:00

Images from yesterday's wonderful walk in my little paradise... It is so incredibly beautiful and peaceful... And the fantastic thing is that I can get there on foot, just walking from my mom's house! I will let images speak! Welcome to my Little Paradise! :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2011-12-25T13:30:00.000+01:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2011-12-24T14:54:00.000+01:00

Wishing all my Friends a

warm, cozy, happy Christmas time

with your loved ones!!!!!

PURE BLISS!

2011-12-21T17:53:00.000+01:00

Would you believe these two sweeties cuddle up like this almost every day?

BLISS

2011-12-19T19:37:00.000+01:00

Tommi and Lilli... my mom's sweet kitties enjoying a nap together -- what a sweet brother-and-sister duo! Aren't they just too cute???

NEW COLORFUL RINGS!

2011-12-16T11:54:00.001+01:00

Colorful rings... sure to beat the winter blues...

... perfect for glorious spring days...

... and for bright hot summer days! They reflect the light in amazing ways!

How about a beach party?

See more beautiful creations of the week on zsazsazsu's Saturday Shopping Day!

ONE SEA ONE LOVE

2011-12-14T13:28:00.005+01:00

Photo October 2011

Can you see that beautiful coast? That's the coast of Anatolia seen from my beloved Rhodes! Both coasts are united by one sea: the wonderful, amazing, mesmerizing, enchanting Aegean Sea. On clear winter days, you can almost touch the Turkish coast -- it's that close.
On that other shore two lovely ladies -mother and daughter- create wonderful jewelry inspired by the sea and often using treasures from the sea as the focal pieces for their creations. These two talented ladies are Esther and Estella, and their wonderful enterprise is called Star of the East.

Photo December 31, 2008

A few weeks back I was the lucky giveaway winner of a wonderful traditional oya scarf Esther and Estella had purchased at the local market, and I turned the enchanting ornament they used to embellish my gift into a stunning ring! Estella told me these limpet shells are actually found treasures they have collected on that shore! So this ring is even more precious to me... I am wearing a piece of my beloved Aegean Sea on my hand.
Thank you again, Esther and Estella. One Sea one Love.

Would you like to admire some stunning jewelry created by these talented ladies with treasures from the sea? You can ooooh and aaaah here!

THE ETSY GREEK TEAM IN LONDON!

2011-12-13T13:37:00.000+01:00

The Etsy Greek Street Team has been featured on a glamorous billboard display in London, close to the famous Tower Bridge! How cool is that???

And Etsy has dedicated a feature to this on its Teams Newsletter!

MY SECRET SANTA FROM GREECE IS HERE!

2011-12-12T14:58:00.002+01:00

In the Etsy Greek Street Team (EGST) we have been playing a lovely game: members created a secret gift for another member, and until we get our secret presents we don't know who our Secret Santa is!
I received my Secret Santa gift and it's wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!

My Secret Santa is Georgia from GeorgiaCollection, a talented Greek jewelry artist specializing in hand forged sterling silver jewelry. Oh I looooove silver!!! And Georgia's hand made sterling silver wine leaf is so pretty and elegant... and a lovely souvenir of my beloved Greece!

Look at the details!!!!! Aren't they just amazing???

EYXARISTO POLY dear Georgia!!!!!!!!!!!

DAUGHTER OF THE SUN

2011-12-10T15:36:00.001+01:00

My beautiful Island Girl enjoying a sunny spot!

Love you Zoe! Your proud Mommy :)

CHRISTMAS STAR

2011-12-08T17:48:00.000+01:00

My Poinsettia from last winter is in bloom again! Ok, I know, these bright red "flowers" are actually leaves... The colored bracts—which are most often flaming red but can be orange, pale green, cream, pink, white or marbled—are actually leaves; because the flowers are unassuming and do not attract pollinators, brightly coloured leaves developed (aka bracts). But they are so bright this time of the year, they look like huge flowers! In Italy we call them "Stella di Natale" (Christmas Star) and they are traditionally offered at Christmas for good luck and prosperity.

LAVA BRACELET

2011-12-05T19:15:00.001+01:00

I've always been fascinated by lava beads. Wearing a piece of lava jewelry literally means wearing the core of our Earth.

Lava refers both to molten rock expelled by a volcano during an eruption and the resulting rock after solidification and cooling. This molten rock is formed in the interior of some planets, including Earth, and some of their satellites. When first erupted from a volcanic vent, lava is a liquid at temperatures from 700 °C to 1,200 °C (1,300 °F to 2,200 °F). Up to 100,000 times as viscous as water, lava can flow great distances before cooling and solidifying.
A lava flow is a moving outpouring of lava, which is created during a non-explosive effusive eruption. When it has stopped moving, lava solidifies to form igneous rock. The term lava flow is commonly shortened to lava. The word "lava" comes from Italian, and is probably derived from the Latin word labes which means a fall or slide.
Source: Wikipedia

Now I have my own lava bracelet! Made with the gorgeous lava beads I received from Elsa, interspaced with lovely red beads.

CREATIVE CORNER: Creative Glueing with a Hot Glue Gun

2011-12-03T14:37:00.002+01:00

I finally got myself a hot glue gun after reading about its many creative uses in arting and crafting. Hot glue guns are very useful when it comes to joining parts or materials that are very uneven in shape and/or texture, and in cases where a regular glue -even the strongest, industrial heavy-duty glues- wouldn't work. I found out it's easy to use (you just need to be super careful, because it gets very HOT! No kids or pets around while you're working!) and it can do precision work too.

Do you remember the wonderful shell flower embellishment adorning my gift package containing the beautiful oya scarf I received from Turkey? It would have been impossible to join the parts with regular glues, as the surface of the single parts is very uneven and the shapes don't allow enough surface for regular glues to stick the parts together securely.

Hot glue hardens into a firm plastic-like mass which provides a secure way to keep the parts together, forming the "missing material" between uneven surfaces while bonding them together in a strong, lasting way. I'm very pleased!

EXILLES

2011-12-01T12:57:00.003+01:00

Exilles is a lovely mountain village in the Susa Valley, especially known for its fortress. I was here on Sunday and the atmosphere was so beautiful! Autumn at its best!

AMAZING FOLK ART FROM TURKEY

2011-11-29T13:00:00.000+01:00

Photo by Star of the East

A few days ago I received a package from Turkey... from a small town just across the sound of Aegean Sea which separates Rhodes from Turkey. I had eagerly been awaiting it, because I knew how gorgeous my new treasure would be! About two weeks ago I was the lucky winner in Estella's giveaway on her blog Star of the East. The giveaway prize was a wonderful hand crocheted traditional oya!

Photo by Star of the East

Oyas (needle lace and crochetted lace) are a traditional Turkish handicraft that is still accomplished with loving work and skill. Esther and Estella say: "We've known this 'auntie' as long as we live here and she hasn't changed at all in fifteen years. She wears the traditional şalvar and headdress of the region and her hands are hennaed. She has a small stand at the market where she sells her oyas. While she waits for customers she keeps working at them. Handmade at its best!"

Photo by Star of the East

As a lover of all things handmade, and in particular of traditional handicrafts, I was thrilled!

And when I opened my package what was my surprise when I found a wonderfully and lovingly packaged gift! How beautiful even the shell flower embellishment is!

Thank you so much, dear Esther and Estella, this is a wonderful piece of traditional art that I am going to cherish and wear with lots of joy! :)

Greek Island Lovers Team Challenge: AND THE WINNER IS.....

2011-11-28T12:53:00.001+01:00

A Day In The Island - Handmade 3D Display by Tatiana from ILaBoom

My dear Greek Island Lovers, thank you so much for taking part in our first challenge! The theme was "My Favorite Island", and the entries were all amazing and expressed the theme in wonderful and creative ways... through shapes, suggestions and especially colors. You can see them all here!
It was really a hard task to choose only one "winner", so I would like to tell you that you are all WINNERS because each one of you expressed her love for her favorite island through ART!

But I have a lovely collaborator in this hard task... my lovely cousin Sylvia, who is a true Greek Island Lover! Sylvia says:
" First of all I want to thank Anna for choosing me as the external judge to her first Greek Island Lovers Team Challenge... My Favourite Island!
I am a Greek Island lover myself... so it was a honor but believe me it was a very hard task!!
All the works are beautiful and creative and each expresses so well the image of an idylliac Greek Island.
BUT....the one that touched my heart the most was Tatiana's from ILa Boom.
I am a Cyclades lover and that cubic whitewashed little house with faded blue windows... on the bare ground (the big stone was a great idea) and the bare tree... and the paper waves of a rough winter sea... reminded me of the total beauty and peace of a Greek island in the off season!
Brava Tatiana! You could really translate this concept in a little art piece. That is why I chose your creation!
EUXARISTO SE OLOUS!
Sylvia"

CONGRATULATIONS TATIANA!

Tatiana will have the honor to choose our next Challenge Theme and to post a guest post about her little dreamy island Antiparos on my blog whenever she wants!
And again, from me too... THANK YOU ALL!

CREATIVE CORNER

2011-11-25T14:45:00.000+01:00

Winter blues anybody? Here's the remedy! Colorful rings-to-be... wooden disks with glass cabochons.

CREATIVE DAYS

2011-11-22T20:21:00.001+01:00

Late autumn-early winter days are a perfect time for being creative... The days are short and it's nice to be inside! What's nicer than digging into creativity after a lovely walk in autumn nature?
This time of year is always very creative for me! These days I've been painting wooden butterflies that will become colorful brooches...

... and I've been making some colorful earrings using lampwork beads...

... and wonderful glass beads from a vintage Venetian necklace... Vibrant, juicy orange-coral tones...

... and sky blue-Aegean blue tones...

See more beautiful creations of the week on Zsazsazsu's Saturday Shopping Day.

NEW OLD TREASURE CHEST

2011-11-19T15:46:00.000+01:00

I love finding pretty boxes for storing jewelry or for displaying it at shows or fairs! This lovely find comes from a thrift store...

It is lined with beautiful handmade paper with embedded leaves and flowers... really unique indeed.

And it even has a mirror inside... Such a pretty box!

Experimental Jewelry: FISHES MAKE WISHES

2011-11-17T14:51:00.001+01:00

As you all know by now, I passionately love COLOR! So it was quite impossible not to fall in love with the happy, colorful, cheerful and playful work of two talented sisters from Greece, Aleka and Georgia, my Team mates in the EGST (Etsy Greek Street Team)!

Aleka and Georgia's brand, Fishes Make Wishes, stands for a colorful and whimsical world of unique handmade goodies that will make any color and one-of-a-kind jewelry loving girl's heart beat faster!

They work with many different materials, which allow them lots of possible variations on their favorite theme: color! As Aleka and Georgia tell us, "papier mache, felt brooches, bead jewelry, wood jewelry, silk necklaces are the unique & one of a kind jewelry we make! Fun brooches, colorful necklaces, playful earrings, clay necklaces and clay home decorations are just a few of the things you'll find in our shop!".

Aleka says: "I love playing around with paper, stitching funny animals with felt, needle felting badges and painting balsa wood! I am bored easily and don't like to repeat myself so everything is mostly one of a kind!".

Georgia says: "I love beads, small and big, colorful waxed cords, wet felting (soap bubbles are the best!), painting on silk and buttons".

You can find Aleka and Georgia's unique jewelry in their Etsy shop Fishes Make Wishes, and you can get to know more about their colorful world in Aleka's blog.

Heart Brooch - Hand Painted OOAK Papier Mache Brooch

Yellow House Papier Mache Brooch

Turquoise Bird Hand Painted Papier Mache Brooch

Yellow and Pink Clay Necklace

An Orange Fish Clay Necklace

Turquoise and Orange Clay Necklace

Mermaid Original Wooden Earrings

Turquoise Branch Wooden Brooch

Felt Heart Brooch

Heart Brooch

TREASURE TROVE FROM GREECE!

2011-11-15T12:46:00.001+01:00

A few days ago I received a wonderful package from Greece, a large box full to the brim with amazing goodies that made my heart beat faster and my eyes gleam like a little girl's eyes when opening a surprise package! Yes... because it was a surprise package, and the most amazing surprise package!!! I had ordered some beautiful wooden disk beads (you know I love wood, don't you??) from Elsa, who is a talented textile designer but also sells a few quality supplies...

... but Elsa told me that, since she is moving, she would send me some other supplies as well... She said she knows I am creative and she is sure I'm going to make good use of them! I couldn't wait to see my surprise package, but... boy, what was my surprise when I saw the incredible contents of the box!!! I was blown away and absolutely speechless...

Wonderful beads in all possible shapes, sizes and materials...

I love these large wooden beads...

... and there are even gorgeous lava beads!

And lots and lots of other goodies!

My creative juices are already flowing, so many new projects will come from these treasures!!!
It's so heartwarming to know there are such wonderful and generous persons who love to give and to make other people happy with a spontaneous gesture of their heart! Thank you Elsa for being one of them!

First GREEK ISLAND LOVERS Team Challenge: MY FAVORITE ISLAND!

2011-11-14T12:22:00.013+01:00

The first Greek Island Lovers Team Challenge is up and running!
As this is our first Challenge, the theme is easy: MY FAVORITE ISLAND. This makes for a lot of possible variations!
In the future we’ll have more specific challenge themes – for example the Aegean Sea, a specific color or feature of the Greek Islands, a specific island etc.

These are the rules for Team members for entering the challenge:
- It would be nice if you created a new item for this challenge, but if you don’t have time and/or you already have an item in your Etsy shop that fits the theme, it’s ok too!
- Convo me with the link to your listing;
- When you convo me with the link to your listing, please answer this question:
In which way does this item express the theme “My favourite island”? (for example: colors, shape, materials, memories, etc)
- Last day for entering the challenge is Sunday, 27 November 2011.
I will post the Challenge entries under this post, and the entries will be juried by an external, non-member Greek Island Lover, who will pick the winner. The winner will be announced on both my blog and our Team thread.

Thank you and I hope to get lots of beautiful entries!!!

Happy creating!

****************************************************************************************

We have our first entry!

Necklace Olives by soulmadeshop2

Ilse from soulmadeshop2 says: "My favorite island is Crete, the island I live on, I love that you can walk between the olive groves, go up in the mountains and have the sea just there but if you need a shot of city life and some action there's all you need in Heraklion. So what more can you wish for?
I chose to make a necklace with olives because for me Crete and olivetrees go together, I love to cycle or walk between the olivegroves, it always relaxes me."

Two entries inspired by the beauty of Santorini!

Santorini Beauty - Fine Art Original Painting by Myartspace

Myartspace says: "I am in love with the Sea, Sunset and I could daydream forever in a location as this!"

Greek Windmill by SuSebghatiArts

Su from SuSebghatiArts says: "My favorite island is Santorini/Thira. I love the dramatic landscape and the architecture. I've been going to Santorini for nearly 20 years."

Inspired by the Sea:

The Harris Tweed Two Tone Purse Inspired by the Sea by Pesky Cat Designs

Elisa from Pesky Cat Designs says: "One of my favorite Greek islands is Anafi. I have a dear friend who is Greek and lives in Athens. She often vacations in Anafi and one year she invited me to come along. It's a very peaceful and quiet island with only a few restaurants and places to stay. I had such a relaxing and wonderful time there. My Harris Tweed bag is inspired by the various tones of blue of the sea, a wave and a sand dollar found on the beach."

Again inspired by Santorini:

Santorini Map Sterling Silver Pendant by SunSan

Evy from SunSan says: "this is a pendant featuring the map of Santorini , the island I have decide to live, dream and create..."

Handmade Unique Knitted Shoulder Bag by Lintschi

Gerlinde from Lintschi says: "My bag expresses the theme 'My Favorite Island' through its colors!"

A Day in the Island by ILaBoom

Tatiana from ILaBoom says: "This creation is devoted to my favorite island, the island I live, Antiparos. An alternative small rock in the aegean sea with white houses and a lot of sun."

AFTER THE RAIN

2011-11-11T13:14:00.001+01:00

The light and colors of nature are spectacular these days in the foothills of the Alps... And after the heavy rains the colors and light were amazing, the views breathtaking! I took these photos on Wednesday, during my walk...

The spectacular view from my mom's balcony...

These days I particularly enjoy wearing Audrone's lovely felted flower hair clips! Their colors remind me of the wonderful red and orange leaves...

LOVE IS...

2011-11-09T13:49:00.000+01:00

Last week I posted a photo of a medallion I have had for a long long time (I guess since my childhood, must have been a gift from Germany)... and that is amazing now to me, as it depicts me and my beloved... who happens to be a musician! :)

Those of you who are very young may not be familiar with this comic strip series that was very popular in the Seventies and was published worldwide in many languages. I even remember having had a stickers collection with these two sweet characters! Even if they are... well, naked... these two lovers are so cute and innocent that kids used to collect stuff featuring them, the way they now collect accessories and stickers with Hello Kitty or the Winx.

Love is... is the name of a comic strip created by New Zealand cartoonist Kim Casali (née Grove) in the late 1960s. The cartoons originated from a series of love notes that Casali drew for her future husband, Roberto Casali. The strip was first published in 1970, under the pen name "Kim". Roberto Casali was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1975 and Kim stopped working on the cartoon to spend more time with him. Casali commissioned London-based British cartoonist Bill Asprey to take over the writing and drawing of the daily cartoons for her, under her pen name. Asprey has produced the cartoon continuously since 1975. Upon her death in 1997, Casali's son Stefano took over Minikim, the company which handles the intellectual rights.

Love Is... is a single-frame strip. The upper left-hand corner starts with a simple phrase which always begins with "Love Is...", the drawing appears in the middle and the remainder of the phrase at the bottom. Each strip is independent of the others; there are no "series" of strips running for a period of time covering the same topic.
The main characters are a male and a female. The male has dark black, short hair while the female has light, waist-length hair. The characters have been featured in various stages of romance: just meeting, boyfriend/girlfriend and husband/wife. They appear to be quite young, looking like toddlers, however, they are apparently supposed to represent adults.
The characters may appear single or together; when one is thinking about the other, the partner's face will appear (in various forms, such as a dream balloon, a photo, even a screen saver have been used). Items appearing in the strip are often shown in the shape of or featuring, hearts - symbolic of the strip's theme.
source: Wikipedia

POURING

2011-11-07T13:01:00.002+01:00

The heavy rains that have hit North West Italy have not caused serious damage in this corner close to the Alps and France... but rivers have overflowed their banks and even mild streams have turned into wild, roaring rivers... like this usually mild stream in my mom's village.

Here are two photos where you can see how it usually looks...

... and the way it looked last evening...

Experimental Jewelry: IT'S NOT GOLD

2011-11-04T12:54:00.000+01:00

Susana of ItsNotGold is a talented illustrator and jewelry artist from Portugal, and one of the very first artists I admired on Etsy. My readers know that I love COLOR -- and I still remember that I immediately fell in love with Susana's colorful, happy and playful jewelry, which to my eyes is a celebration of the Mediterranean lifestyle and color and reflects the Portuguese love for life and happy colors.
Susana uses many different mediums for her work -- in her handmade jewelry and accessories she mainly uses colorful vintage acrylic finds which she turns into striking modern pieces, as well as ceramic wearable art featuring her own designs.
You can find Susana's unique jewelry in her Etsy shop ItsNotGold, and you can find out more about her work and her inspiration on her colorful blog.
Find her also on Flickr and Facebook.

Vintage Plastic Flower Adjustable Ring

Blue and Orange Birds Ceramic Felt Collar Necklace

Handpainted and Illustrated Necklace

Red and White Ceramic Earrings

Jungle Orange and Olive Green Ceramic Earrings

LOVE IS...

2011-11-02T17:13:00.000+01:00

BONBONS FROM RHODES

2011-10-31T11:36:00.004+01:00

Some sweet colorful random bonbons from Rhodes...

- Ialysos -

- The islet of Halki -

RHODES' ORIENTAL CHARM

2011-10-28T12:54:00.008+02:00

The old Turkish Cemetery is one of my favorite places in Rhodes... it is a magical place of such peace and beauty -- not to mention a home to many sweet kitties and my beloved Zoe's first home!

And it is in the narrow arched alleys of the magical Old Town that Rhodes' "oriental charm" truly comes to life... You feel transported into a magical world where time seems to stand still...

You haven't seen Rhodes if you haven't got "lost" in its magical winding alleys and fallen in their thrall... discovering a charming little hotel hidden away in a peaceful corner...

... a breathtaking view opening up suddenly, and you feel taken away to the Orient...

... and it is at night that the Old Town unveils all its mystery and charm...

SEA AND FLOWERS: SWEET OCTOBER IN RHODES!

2011-10-26T14:41:00.001+02:00

There are no words to express the sweetness of October days in Rhodes...
The light... the colors... the softness in the air...
Once again, I will let images speak...

WALLED OLD TOWN

2011-10-24T11:39:00.002+02:00

The walled citadel of Rhodes is one of the best preserved Medieval towns in Europe, as well the oldest continuously inhabited one. In 1988 it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
To enter these walls through one of the gates is entering another world... where spirits of the Knights, of its Ottoman past and the Jewish heritage coexist alongside the modern, vibrant present which has made this fascinating labyrinth of alleys and little squares a mesmerizing world one has to experience so as to believe it. And the only way is... getting "lost" in these narrow alleys where times seems to stand still.

IMPRESSIONS FROM RHODES

2011-10-22T15:04:00.001+02:00

TURIN HANDMADE FEATURED ON ETSY!

2011-10-19T12:30:00.000+02:00

The TURIN HANDMADE event, which took place in Turin on September 30, has been featured in the weekly Etsy Teams Newsletter!!!!!!
The news reached me here in Rhodes!
Click on image to view the Newsletter.

WELCOME TO RHODES!!!

2011-10-18T11:45:00.001+02:00

Here I am... as "happy as an Easter" as we say in Italian... on my beloved Island and with my Special One, and enjoying this soft, magical, sweet atmosphere that one can enjoy only off-season.

Today it's been cloudy and we had some rain, but the temperature is still mild and the light is wonderful! I wish I was a painter, because the colors and light when the sun shines from the clouds or in-between the clouds are just amazing, and photographs cannot do them any justice.

HEADED FOR THE ISLANDS!

2011-10-15T13:10:00.000+02:00

The Greek Islands are calling me! Blue Aegean I'm coming!!!!! :)

A BLOG AWARD AND 7 LITTLE THINGS ABOUT ME

2011-10-13T16:00:00.002+02:00

Lovely Maro of Akamatra has given me a lovely award that I'm now going to share with some of my favorite bloggers! (Some have already been awarded by Maro, so it's been a hard choice)

So this is how this award works. You have to:
- Thank and link back to the person who awarded you;
- share 7 things about yourself;
- pay it forward to 15 bloggers you like (but 3, 5 or any number is ok!);
- contact those bloggers about the award!

You already know I love kitties, islands and bright colors... So here are 7 little "secrets" about myself!
1. I am a night-owl, I love staying up late and getting up late!
2. I was drawing "treasure maps" when I was as young as 8, the treasure was always hidden on some Island!
3. My first flight ever was to an Island, I was 20 and I did it with my sweet cousin and best friend Sylvia!
4. If you ever invite me to your home, please don't cook meat for me, I'm a veggie!
5. I need three coffees a day to keep me going!
6. I love chocolate!
7. I met my soulmate when I was 40! (and I still love him like the first day)

Here are 15 lovely bloggers I'm passing this award to:
• Fishes Make Wishes
• Shebbo Design
• By Sweet Mom
• ValeriAtelier
• Ergani Weaving
• Le follie di Marzia
• Demy Black Design
• Black Red Dots
• Dream Aspirations
• Juanita Tortilla
• Storm's Handicrafts
• Crafty Missus D
• Pesky Cat Designs
• Helmitarha
• Dina Fragola

Lovely Colorful Felted Hairclips from Lithuania!

2011-10-12T13:43:00.003+02:00

Yesterday a lovely package from Lithuania came in the mail... It's the beautiful hairclips I won from Audrone's giveaway! This is the first time ever I'm the lucky winner of a giveaway! :)

I must admit that I'm very picky when it comes to entering giveaways... I don't just say "ok, it's free, let's try it"... I only enter a giveaway when I really love the prize and I'm sure I would love to wear it myself! :)

And these hairclips were just SO beautiful, colorful and happy!!! And so ME!!! I could really imagine them in my hair and completing my colorful outfits...

And now I'm their lucky owner! :) THANK YOU AUDRONE!!!!!

I love felt and the lovely happy colors of felted objects, and I love the way Audrone turns felt into colorful, happy forms! Please take a look at her shop Storm's Handicrafts, it's really worth it!

Felted Keychain Car Ladybug

Felted Bracelet Cuff - Ice In The Waves

Felted Scarf Pink Violet

Felted Ornament Gingerbread Man

Felted Keychain Car

Felted Vehicle Keychain

EARTH AND SEA AND AN ISLAND...

2011-10-11T12:41:00.001+02:00

I have made these new earrings using beautiful seeds or nuts (I'm not sure) that were a gift from Jana, and glass beads in a lovely sky blue hue, and little white rondelles made of shell...

I really love the earthy tone of the seeds/nuts and the white and blue that's so reminiscent of the Greek Islands!

I find that the earthy browns of wood and nuts go so well with blue and turquoise! I have already used this color combination for my Calypso collection...

... for my Sea Goddess ring...

... and for my Floating rings...

... and for these earrings made with wooden disks and blue glass beads...

CHESTNUT TIME!

2011-10-10T12:54:00.000+02:00

Chestnuts have started their season!

Here in the Alps, chestnuts used to be a substitute for cereals in times where they were hard to find.
They have been a staple food in southern Europe, Turkey and southwestern and eastern Asia for millennia, largely replacing cereals where these would not grow well, if at all, in mountainous Mediterranean areas.Alexander the Great and the Romans planted chestnut trees across Europe while on their various campaigns. The Greek army is said to have survived their retreat from Asia Minor in 401-399 BC thanks to their stores of chestnuts. Ancient Greeks like Dioscorides and Romans such as Galen, wrote of chestnuts to comment on their medicinal properties. Until the introduction of the potato, whole forest-dwelling communities which had scarce access to wheat flour relied on chestnuts as their main source of carbohydrates. In some parts of Italy, a cake made of chestnuts is used as a substitute for potatoes. In 1583, Charles Estienne and Jean Liébault wrote that "an infinity of people live on nothing else but (the chestnut)". In 1802, an Italian agronomist said of Tuscany that "the fruit of the chestnut tree is practically the sole subsistence of our highlanders", while in 1879 it was said that it almost exclusively fed whole populations for half the year, as "a temporary but complete substitution for cereals".
source: Wikipedia

I love them roasted or boiled, but their culinary uses are many and varied!

Roasted Chestnuts

One the most common ways of eating the fruit involves roasting, which does not require peeling. Roasting requires scoring the fruit beforehand to prevent undue expansion and "explosion" of the fruit. Once cooked, its texture is similar to that of a baked potato, with a delicate, sweet, and nutty flavour. This method of preparation is popular in northern China as well as in Spain, Turkey, Greece, France, Italy, Korea and Southeast Asia.
Chestnuts can be dried and milled into flour, which can then be used to prepare breads, cakes, pancakes, pastas (it is the original ingredient for polenta), or used as thickener for stews, soups, and sauces.
The flour can be light beige like that from Castagnaccio, or darker in other regions. It is a good solution for long storage of a nutritious food. Chestnut bread can stay fresh for as long as two weeks.
The nuts can also be eaten candied, boiled, steamed, grilled, or roasted in sweet or savoury recipes. They can be used to stuff vegetables, poultry, fowl and other edibles. They are available fresh, dried, ground or canned (whole or in puree).
A fine granular sugar can be obtained from the fermentation of the juice, as well as a beer; the roasted fruit provides a coffee substitute.
Candied chestnuts (whole chestnuts candied in sugar syrup, then iced) are sold under the French name marrons glacés or Turkish name kestane şekeri ("sugared chestnuts"). They appeared in France and Northern Italy in the 16th century. Chestnuts are picked in autumn, and candied from the start of the following summer for the ensuing Christmas.
Chestnut-based recipes and preparations are making a comeback in Italian cuisine, as part of the trend toward rediscovery of traditional dishes and better nutrition.
source: Wikipedia

Marrons Glacés

Marrons glacés are one of the gastronomic glories of Piedmont. Candied chestnuts appeared in chestnut-growing areas in the North of Italy and South of France, shortly after the crusaders brought sugar back with them as one result of their endeavours. A candied chestnut confection was probably served around the beginning of the 15th century, among other places in Piedmont, a northwestern area of Italy close to the border of Switzerland and France. But marrons glacés as such (with the last touch of 'glazing'), may have been created only in the 16th century. Lyon and Cuneo dispute the title for the addition of the glazing, or icing, that makes the real Marron glacé.

Marrons glacés may be eaten on their own. They are also the basis for many desserts, among which is the famous “crème de marrons”, flavoured with a hint of vanilla, and itself a staple ingredient for other desserts, such as the Mont Blanc (puréed with cream), ice creams, cakes, sweet sauce or garnish for other desserts...

GETTING CHILLY... WARMING UP!

2011-10-08T17:59:00.002+02:00

Autumn is suddenly here after an unusually long summer... and with temperatures dropping and getting chilly, Zoe is looking for warm, cozy places to sleep... like my closet or her "igloo"...

Experimental Jewelry: SHRUNKEN CAT HEADS

2011-10-07T12:01:00.001+02:00

I love experimental and unconventional jewelry! In this series I'm featuring jewelry artists who work with unconventional materials and techniques, and who see a ring or a pendant as a canvas to express their art and creativity.

As a lover of bright, Mediterranean colors and decor, and of traditional ceramic tile designs from around the world - be it Greece, Spain, Portugal, Mexico or the stunning mosques in Uzbekistan - I couldn't be but fascinated by Cori's wonderful designs! Cori, a talented California based jewelry artist and writer, as well as a lovely person, works under her own brand Shrunken Cat Heads, and she creates the most stunning miniature tiles using her own "secret recipe". Her miniature tiles look stunningly like ceramic tiles, but they are very lightweight as she uses plastic tiles that she lovingly decorates with her own designs and then layers in resin. I love her jewelry featuring miniature tile designs from around the world: it's like wearing a piece of culture on your neck, ears or finger!

As a San Francisco Bay Area native, Cori grew up around many different cultures. She says this good fortune has inspired her work as an artist. Her creations are born from thoughts about history, social class, and pop culture; blending the old and the new, exploring traditional crafts and techniques while giving them sassy modern twists.
Cori tells me that the her whimsical shop name "evolved from the name 'Cat Head Jewelry'... which was the name of my business about 15 years ago. Back then my work was primarily beads and wire. When I began working in shrink plastics I added the 'Shrunken' to the name because it's so whimsical... just like miniature tile recreations".
You can find Cori's amazing miniature tile art jewelry in her Etsy shop Shrunken Cat Heads, and you can find more information about her work as both an artist and writer on her website.

Mediterranean Ceramic Tile Pattern Pendant

Miniature Mediterranean Ceramic Tile Design Ring

Mediterranean Decorative Tile Lovers Earrings

Mexican Tile Earrings

Catalan Gypsy, Spanish Mediterranean Ceramic Tile Pattern Pendant

Bobby Pin Hair Accessories - Mexican Talavera Ceramic Tile Design

Islamic Decorative Tile Necklace

Ancient Ceramic Tile Design Print Earrings

Southwestern Style Ceramic Tile Lovers Earrings

The Traveling Girl

TURIN HANDMADE: THE GIRLS!

2011-10-05T17:23:00.005+02:00

Photo L'Officina

So here we are... the wonderful girls who took part in Turin Handmade! Aren't we gorgeous???

- back row: Marzia (Le follie di Marzia), me (Annuk Creations), Alessandra (ixela), Mirella (MireLoom), Sara (Sarabergando), Crimilde (The Witch Emporium);
- front row: Vincenza (Ferrarel), Sonia (L'Officina), Antonella (Alt Design), Roberta (Satyrikon & Satyrikon Lab), Loredana (Satyrikon Lab).

Please see my previous post for more photos and a linked list of the shops exhibiting at Turin Handmade.

GLORIOUS OCTOBER IN THE MOUNTAINS

2011-10-04T12:39:00.000+02:00

Magical light, impressions and moods on a glorious Indian Summer day at the Mont Cenis, at 2000 m...

It's amazing how soft and warm the light is this time of the year...

These breathtaking sceneries are wonderful in each season of the year, and I find it amazing how the light changes, and the colors get warmer and softer through the seasons... I would never stop taking pictures of this masterpiece of mother Nature, one of the most breathtaking sceneries I know on earth... Every time I'm in awe!

TURIN HANDMADE!

2011-10-03T15:37:00.002+02:00

I had a great time at TURIN HANDMADE! I met lovely artists and artisans from my area, and we had a great time!
Our exhibition took place in a beautiful dressmaker's workshop located in an ancient courtyard in the heart of Turin.

It was a glorious Indian Summer day, so we even had some booths outside (MireLoom, ixela and L'Officina were exposing their work there), while the rest of us artistically "took over" the workshop, generously offered by Loredana and Roberta of Satyrikon Lab.

We even had a lovely buffet outside, with homemade goodies and drinks! :)

What I always love so much is when people ask about the inspiration behind my creations, the materials I use and the creative process, and I get an opportunity to talk about what I deeply love! Because my art is so interwined with my life and the things I love, and my art is such an important part of my life!

Photo by Marzia Schiavolin

Exposing at Turin Handmade:
Alt Design (jewelry, accessories)
Annuk Creations (jewelry)
Ferrarel (paper art)
Gufobardo (paper art, digital art)
ixela (knitting, crochet & jewelry)
Le follie di Marzia (jewelry)
L'Officina (ceramic jewelry & home decor)
MireLoom (handwoven shawls, scarves, bags)
Sarabergando (eco-friendly and repurposed accessories)
Satyrikon (photography & paper art)
Satyrikon Lab (paper and fabric art)
The Witch Emporium (candles & magic)

Thank you MadeInItaly Team on Etsy and Roberta & Loredana for organizing this great event! :)

TOMORROW!

2011-09-29T19:38:00.004+02:00

I've found this sweet, lovely wooden handpainted hanger from my childhood and I' going to use it to display my own handpainted wooden bead necklaces... A cherished childhood memory holding my adult dreams... :)

See more creative spaces here.

NEW AEGEAN-INSPIRED EARRINGS

2011-09-28T18:32:00.001+02:00

Some time ago I had made small pendants using shrink plastic. Now I turned a few into earrings!
They are very light-weight and... inspired by the ever amazing and stunning contrast of white and blue that IS Greece and the Aegean islands.

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See more lovely creations of the week on Zsazsazsu's Saturday Shopping Day!

Win a Lovely Handmade Headband by THOSE PARASOL DAYS!

2011-09-28T00:32:00.004+02:00

Nancy of Those Parasol Days is now having a great GIVEAWAY on her blog!

You can win this wonderful headband! Click here to read more and enter!

GETTING READY FOR THE SHOW!

2011-09-23T13:17:00.001+02:00

Just a week away... I'm so excited! I'm starting to organize my jewelry, checking price tags, making some small bags/envelopes for sold pieces, and I'm going to add a few new earrings.

CREATIVE CORNER: Wooden Jewelry Display Box

2011-09-19T18:33:00.002+02:00

I had bought this beautiful wooden box some time ago, knowing it would make a perfect box for storing and/or displaying my jewelry.

I love making my own jewelry boxes and displays! I mostly make rings and I already have some nice selfmade ring boxes (which even followed me to Rhodes!), but with the Turin Handmade event getting closer, I thought about a solution for my earrings and some of my pendants. First of all I lined the inner base with foam.

Then I covered the foam with black fabric.

For the earrings I found a simple solution: I cut cardboard so as to fit the inside of the lid, making sure to leave some extra surface to bend so as to keep the earring holder lifted from the lid. This takes some "engineering" but it was not so hard, I just measured the inner dimensions of the box carefully.

I pierced the cardboard for the earrings...

And here is my completed jewelry display box! Since all the elements can be taken out, it's still possible to change the "inner life" of the box to fit different occasions!

You can see other Creative Spaces here

TURIN HANDMADE

2011-09-17T12:10:00.006+02:00

********The great event is coming closer... and I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!********

TURIN HANDMADE will take place on the 30th of September from 4 until 9 p.m. at the atelier Ge.Lo, a beautiful dressmaker’s lab located in a 19th century courtyard in the heart of Turin (via Della Rocca, 39).

Organized by Etsy MadeinItaly Team, it is a showroom for arts & crafts made in Italy, featuring 13 Etsy sellers ‘live’ besides further 22 through a catalogue.

During the event, guests will have the opportunity to learn more about Etsy through a pc station, and each visitor will get a little, handmade instant book containing a coupon code for a special offer on the first item purchased from any of the shops featured in the catalogue.

press release / comunicato stampa

FAVORITE BOOKS: Doors, Cats and Windows

2011-09-15T13:00:00.002+02:00

I love this tiny little photographic book! It was a present from my sweet cousin Sylvia. She told me she had found it in a lovely bookshop close to the ruins of ancient Olympia, in Greece... and that she had immediately thought about me and that it was made for me! It is truly "made for me"... this booklet shows dreamy images of - as the title says - Doors, Cats and Wondows. And not "just some" doors, cats and windows! All the photos were taken in Greece by photographer Pierre Putelat. It's amazing and incredible how these themes so dear to my heart are enclosed in just one small booklet! I love cats, I love the dreamy blue doors and windows of the Greek islands, and I love Greece!

It is a tiny, moving booklet full of poetry and magic, and it touches my heart every time I get lost in these blues, in these wonderful little corners that are so dear to my heart! Is it magic? Yes, it is. Sylvia can always do that.

Can you tell that it's a great source of inspiration for me??? Oh I can get into the images and just dream away... and be in that dreamy whitewashed alley, or look into that window with blue shutters, and open that blue door onto an enchanted garden, and pet that sweet kitty dozing in the shade...

TURIN HANDMADE

2011-09-12T14:10:00.001+02:00

On September 30, artists and artisans from Turin will show their work at TURIN HANDMADE!

I will be there too of course! :)

The event is organized by Made In Italy Team on Etsy

ZOE AND BARBAPAPA

2011-09-09T12:14:00.000+02:00

Do you remember the Barbapapa family... those colorful, lovely, funny creatures created by Annette Tison and Talus Taylor and who were a children's hit in the 70s?

Well, Zoe has her own Barbapapa soft toy...

She loves playing with it, she's just way too fast for me to take photos of her while she's throwing and catching it, and kicking and tossing... :)

LOVELY SEPTEMBER!

2011-09-07T12:22:00.000+02:00

September can be such a lovely month... Blue skies, clear views, a lovely warm sun, cool nights...

A sunny September day is true heaven in nature!
And I love my wonderful little paradise!!!

Lovely erika shrubs in bloom...

EGST Items of The Week: WELCOMING FALL

2011-09-06T14:53:00.000+02:00

1. Crochet Legwarmers

2. BASTET Egyptian Cat Polymer Clay Ring

3. Oak Berries Leaf Tiara

4. Black Off Shoulder Top

My Bastet Ring has been included in this lovely choice of Items of the Week on the EGST (Etsy Greek Street Team) blog. The theme is an unusual, original "Welcoming Fall" with the subtitle "...reluctantly...". Curated by OnePerfectDay.

Artist Interview: VALERIATELIER

2011-09-05T12:47:00.013+02:00

Welcome to my September Artist Interview!

I'm so excited to introduce an artist from my native city, Torino (Turin)!

Valeria is a talented artist based in the Piedmontese city and besides creating colorful paintings and illustrations, she works and experiments with lots of other mediums. I love her gift for color (we both love bold colors) and her love for experimentation... the sky's the limit!

Valeria works under her own brand Valeriatelier, and in her Etsy shop she displays a part of her work, including her original paintings and illustrations, bookmarks and polymer clay jewelry.
Meet Valeria! Here she shares her artistic journey and inspiration with us!
Welcome Valeria!

My Sea Box

- How did you first come to art and creativity? How did your journey in art and creativity begin?

I have always loved drawing and painting. Since I was a very little child I have been spending my time drawing and colouring. This passion of mine was born with me!

Ho sempre amato disegnare e dipingere. Fin da piccolissima passavo il mio tempo a disegnare e colorare. E’ una passione che è nata con me!

Pop Panda

- When and how did you realize this was your greatest passion?

After finishing compulsory school I decided to enroll in Liceo Artistico and then in University. Later on, I attended some courses in order to learn new techniques and develop new interests.

Dopo la scuola dell’obbligo ho deciso di iscrivermi al Liceo Artistico e poi in seguito all’università.
In seguito ho fatto piccoli corsi per imparare tecniche nuove e seguire nuovi interessi.

Let's Dance

- You express your creativity in many ways, can you tell us a little bit about them?

That’s true! I love getting to know new techniques and ranging over the field of handicraft as well as the field of art. Over the last years I’ve been experimenting with papier-mâché, felt and modelling polymer clay. All these techniques and materials are very challenging because they give you the opportunity to create new shapes. You can find out that materials have incredibile features and properties, and the fact that they can be recycled and used again must not be forgotten. This is the exact reason why I love papier-mâché…

E’ vero! Mi piace molto provare tecniche nuove e spaziare anche nel campo dell’artigianato oltre che in quello dell’arte.
In questi ultimi anni ho fatto esperimenti con la carta pesta, il feltro e le paste modellabili. Tutte queste tecniche e materiali sono molto stimolanti. Danno la possibilità di creare forme sempre nuove. Si scoprono caratteriste e qualità dei materiali incredibili, senza dimenticare il fattore riuso e riciclo. Adoro la carta pesta proprio per questo motivo…

Number One

- What different feelings and emotions do painting and clay modeling give you?

As far as my sensations are concerned, I don’t think there are so many differences between painting and modelling. The creative act is what excites me the most… whether it happens through painting or modelling… this is not fundamental to me.

Personalmente non trovo grandi differenze a livello di sensazioni nel dipingere o nel modellare. Il fattore che più mi emoziona è l’atto creativo... poi sei questo sia fatto attraverso la pittura o il modellare... non è così determinante.

Ibiscus

- What are your main sources of inspiration?

My sources of inspiration are infinite!!... Anything can give me an idea or provide a tip which later on will develop into an idea! So I’ll answer… nature, everyday life with its good points and shortcomings… also music or films.

Le fonti di ispirazione sono infinite!!... tutto può dare l’idea o suggerire quel qualcosa che poi diventerà un’idea!! Quindi direi... la natura, la vita quotidiana con tutti i suoi pregi e difetti... o anche la musica o un film.

Felt Cover Moleskine

- How has life affected your art and art affected your life?

Art has definitely affected my life and above all many choices of mine. Probably, without this passion in my life now I would be more tranquil and quiet and I would have fewer problems.
My life has marginally affected what I’ve done so far… Maybe the only influence life has had on my art was that it distracted me and turned me away from art itself for some years.

L’arte ha sicuramente influito sulla mia vita e soprattutto su molte scelte che ho fatto finora. Forse senza questa passione ora sarei una persona molto più tranquilla e serena, con molti problemi in meno.
La mia vita ha influito marginalmente su ciò che io ho fatto finora … Forse l’unica influenza della mia vita sulla mia arte è stata quella di allontanarmi e distrarmi dalla mia passione per alcuni anni.

As a Triangle

- Art is about light and color! What are your favorite colors?

All colours are fantastic!!... They can express anything, any emotions. If you had asked me this question 20 years ago… I’m sure I would have given you a very different answer. 20 years ago I would have told you that I loved soft colours, shades and transparencies. But now (it must depend on my age!) I can tell you that I definitely love intense and lively colours, colours which are full of energy and that can transmit it visually. That is… exactly the opposite!!... In any case, colours are and will always be the fundamental element of all things I create.

I colori son tutti fantastici!!.. possono esprimere qualsiasi cosa, qualsiasi emozione! Se questa domanda mi fosse stata posta circa 20 anni fa... sicuramente avrebbe avuto una risposta completamente diversa da quella che posso dare ora. 20 anni fa avrei detto che amo i colori tenui, le sfumature, le trasparenze. Ma oggi (sarà per l’età!) ti posso dire con sicurezza che amo i colori intensi, vivaci, ogni colore che sia pieno di energia e sappia trasmetterla visivamente. In pratica l’esatto contrario di 20 anni fa!!... Ma cmq il colore resta e resterà sempre la base su cui poggia tutto ciò che creo.

Whimsical Flower

- Is there any influence in your art from the region you live in? Is there something you feel comes from your specific Piedmontese environment in your art?

No, I don’t think so. I have always made reference to anywhere in order to learn and I’ve never been attached to my birthplace as far as my works are concerned. Actually, I’ve probably found my best ideas and lessons very far from here.

No, non credo. Ho sempre guardato ovunque per imparare e per creare e non son mai stata legata alla mia città d’origine. Anzi, probabilmente, le idee migliori e gli insegnamenti migliori li ho trovati molto lontano da qui.

Into The Blue

- Did you have a formal training in the arts or attend art courses?

Yes, Liceo Artistico and different kind of courses.

Si , liceo e corsi di vario genere.

Sea Original Bookmark

- Do you have a studio or home studio or particular part of your home you have devoted to your artwork? Where do you create your artwork?

I create everything at home. I am aware of the fact that this is not very practical; in any case, I move within my house and change location, that depends on what I’m doing. In a way… the whole house is involved in my activities… even though tidiness suffers quite a lot from that!

Tutto quello che creo lo creo in casa. So che non è molto pratico ma, a seconda di quel che faccio, mi sposto per casa. In pratica un po’ tutta la casa è partecipe di quel che faccio... anche se l’ordine ne risente parecchio!

Two-Tone Pendant

Thank you Valeria for this beautiful and inspiring interview, and for sharing your creative journey and inspiration! It's been a pleasure to meet you, and hopefully very soon in person too! We wish you continued joy, inspiration and success with your life and art.

You can find Valeria's beautiful work in her Etsy shop Valeriatelier. And you can get to know more about her work and inspiration in her blog.

©AnnukCreations

GOLDEN AND RUST LEAVES OF AUTUMN

2011-09-02T11:42:00.002+02:00

This week's European Street Team Challenge is currently hosted by Petronella of Kraplap.
The lovely theme is... LEAVES!

My Challenge entry is a set of polymer clay leaves painted in gold and bronze, inspired by the changing colors of leaves in autumn! These Golden and Rust Leaves are now available in my shop.

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See more lovely creations of the week on Zsazsazsu's Saturday Shopping Day!

STILL SUMMER!

2011-08-31T12:32:00.000+02:00

To tell you the truth, I love wearing bright, colorful, bold jewelry all year long... it's summer for me all year long -- jewelry-wise, at least! :) But in the summer it's even more fun, as colors really pop in the sun!

- Gorgeous Greek ceramic bead, evil eye beads -

- Glass beads from Rhodes -

- Evil eye glass bead -

PS: No, this is not my evil eye collection... be patient and stay tuned! :)

WORDLESS HAPPINESS

2011-08-30T12:20:00.000+02:00

SANTORINI on Etsy Lush!

2011-08-29T13:28:00.002+02:00

A new feature on Etsy Lush "The Best of Etsy"... my SANTORINI ring is in the gallery!

"Crazy Crocus" MYSTERY SOLVED!

2011-08-29T00:55:00.000+02:00

Thank you Yael for helping me solve the "crazy crocus" mystery! The flowers I have seen in my woods here look astonishingly like Crocus and they actually belong to the same family, but they are actually a variety blooming in autumn and from late summer! Hence the German name "Herbstzeitlose".

Wikipedia - Colchicum Autumnale

Colchicum autumnale, commonly known as autumn crocus, meadow saffron or naked lady, is a flower which resembles the true crocuses, but flowering in autumn. (This is not a reliable distinction, however, since there are many true crocuses that flower in autumn.) The name "naked lady" comes from the fact that the flowers emerge from the ground long after the leaves have died back.

It is an element of the submediterranean-subatlantic flora. Its area of diffusion reaches from Southern Ireland and the Southern area of Great Britain to France, the North of the Iberian Peninsula, the Southern areas of Middle Europe and Northern Italy, to the Northern portions of the Balkan Peninsula and Western Ukraine.

Autumn crocus thrives mostly on humid, rich meadows and woods -- in the latter case, preferably in sunny spots, where it is relatively warm and the plant is protected from winds.

FIRST SIGNS OF AUTUMN ON A HOT SUMMER DAY

2011-08-28T11:43:00.000+02:00

A wonderful sunny day... the sun shining in the deep blue sky, and still full summer! But in the woods the first unripe chestnuts are lying on the ground, blown down by the strong winds...

And the crazy crocus is still in bloom in the same shady spot in the woods where I had photographed it a little less than 2 weeks ago... It has been in bloom all the way through the heatwave! Isn't this crazy??? Wild crocus blooming in August -- AND during a heatwave!

NEW PENDANTS!

2011-08-26T12:35:00.004+02:00

So here they are... and they became pendants! The buttons were quite large (approximately 3.5 cm diameter) and they were perfect for pendants!

As you may remember, the first step had been decoupaging the wooden buttons with tiny scraps from a Greek magazine. Then I painted the buttons. And the last step was varnishing them with a thick layer of varnish, then adding some embellishments as you can see... hammered copper wire spirals and glass beads.
Very Greek, very Mediterranean, very island-ish, very summery... very ME. :)

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See more lovely creations of the week on Zsazsazsu's blog!

Experimental Jewelry: VICKYGONART

2011-08-24T12:31:00.009+02:00

I love experimental and unconventional jewelry! In this series I'm featuring jewelry artists who work with unconventional materials and techniques, and who see a ring or a pendant as a canvas to express their art and creativity.

Vicky of Vickygonart is a talented painter and jewelry artist from Andalusia, Spain, and one of the very first artists I admired on Etsy. I immediately fell in love with her colorful and cheerful handpainted jewelry, which is a celebration of the Mediterranean lifestyle and color and reflects the Spanish love for life and happy colors. Vicki's work rightly deserves the title of "Wearable Art", as she adorns a woman with unique, one-of-a-kind art pieces. Each and every one of her earrings, pendants, rings and brooches is lovingly handpainted with her distinctive style and choice of colors and motifs.
You can find Vicky's unique Wearable Art in her Etsy shop Vickygonart. Fiesta time... enjoy!

Pandora Bag

Triangulos

Sol y Luna

Susi

Pilar

Anik

Estrella

Edurne Violetas

Jannis

Venus

WORK IN PROGRESS: Painting Collage on Wood

2011-08-22T13:05:00.001+02:00

So I've been adding color to my decoupaged wooden buttons... Starts looking nice, doesn't it?

HOT

2011-08-20T12:02:00.002+02:00

I love these color weather maps of the Deutscher Wetterdienst! :)

The second half of August is traditionally the time when Autumn starts creeping in and days get cooler and sometimes rainy... In the North of Italy July is usually the hottest month. But this year has been a little strange... and after an extraordinarily cool and rainy July, August has been a full summer month, and now we even have a heat wave with temperatures well over 30°C!

This is the European heat alert for today. I am in that orange area in the North-West corner of Italy...

www.meteoalarm.eu

CREATIVE CORNER: Mini Decoupage on Wood

2011-08-19T12:22:00.001+02:00

One of the exciting and challenging things about making "experimental jewelry" is that I get to experiment with lots of techniques on very small surfaces... I have these large unfinished wood buttons, and I decided I wanted to decoupage them as a basis for further decoration.

Rather then decoupage, I did a mix between decoupage and papier mache! I glued little scraps from a Greek magazine, using a generous layer of decoupage glue so as to drench the scraps and fix them well to the wood.

Stay tuned for the next steps!

CRAZY CROCUS

2011-08-17T13:42:00.000+02:00

Crocus is an early-spring blooming flower... This little fellow seems to be a little bit early (or late?)! :)