ITALIAN SUCCESS STORIES

I was so happy and pleased two days ago, when I discovered that one of my lovely blog readers, Elena of Mostracci, has been featured on one of the most widely read Italian women's magazines, Donna Moderna! Elena is a sweet, smiling and romantic young woman and mom, and a talented textile artist and photographer, and her sweet textile creations (and creatures!), which she lovingly calls Mo-stracci (which is a pun on the Italian words 'stracci' meaning rags, and 'mostri' meaning monsters), have been featured in an article devoted to young Italian artists and crafters who show and sell their work through various venues: craft fairs, shops, galleries, museum shops and e-shops. These happy stories of genuine handmade-with-love (as I love calling what we, hopelessly romantic souls, are doing) warmed my heart up and made me smile! And they certainly gave me new energy for pursuing my dreams!

BRAVE RAGAZZE!!!! Bravo girls!!!!

These talented designers tell us how to be successful through these points and suggestions:

• start working with shops on consignment and work yourself up to selling your collections;
• take part in art/craft fairs and work yourself up to major international fairs;
• open an online shop;
• get seen on social networks;
• make yourself noticed in museum shops.

HOT & COLD EUROPE

Europe is split in two, climate-wise, at the moment... A warm East and South, and a cold West! Can you see that light blue arch where the Alps are? Well, that's where I am! It's colder here at the moment than in Scandinavia, where nice temperatures of 25-26°C are expected these days... So, while the chill and rain wave lasts here, I wish all of you who are enjoying better climate a sunny, happy weekend! And I hope the sun will bless us again soon here too! :)

Experimental Jewelry : MARIAELA

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 soon as I ran across Ela's colorful and unique work on Etsy, I fell in love! It was love at first sight! Can you tell why? Well, it's easy! I love colorful and unique jewelry which stands out from the crowd, I love unique rings (and Ela makes amazing ones!), and I love photographing my work in natural settings and bright sunshine (and Ela does that so beautifully!). Ela is a jewelry artist from Poland, and all of her work is lovingly created by her from scratch, including the ring settings. She has an astonishing ability in working with ceramic, fused glass and copper -- and I have a deep admiration for that. She also incorporates semi-precious stones and minerals in her work (such as jade, amethyst, lava, agate and more), setting them in her handmade metal settings. 
Ela is a very successful jewelry designer on Etsy, where she sells her wonderful work in her shop Mariaela. Please look for yourself, it's really worth it!

2,000 m

Lac du Mont-Cenis, 2.000 m

The Mont-Cenis is a mountain pass and lake connecting Italy and France, and it is one of the Alpine passes which are closed in the winter. The street has just been opened (usually it gets opened around mid-May, which involves "cutting" the snow which still blocks the shady parts of the road, and cleaning the road from stones and rocks which have rolled down during the long winter months), and spring is just slowly starting to show at this high altitude. The light is amazing, and wild crocus is in bloom, forming lovely white and purple patches. Soon lots of Alpine flowers in the most beautiful colors will cover these Alpine meadows, and Alpine cows will be grazing the high-altitude pastures. It is fascinating to see spring just starting up here, while in the valleys and plains it is almost summer. I love this place, and you're going to see a lot of it in the summer! :)

COLORFUL BUBBLES

There we go with some more bubbles of color!

This last ring features a gorgeous sky blue fused glass cabochon by Irish glass artist Mollie of Spleodar.

A RING AND A KITTY

During my photo shoot, I had a sweet little helper... Lilli checking my work! :) I was trying to capture the amazing color in this playful ring which I so love... but perhaps the best photo is still the one I took in Rhodes, where the color of the glass really matches the color of the sea. This is my own ring, and I love wearing it! But I have made other similar rings, in other colors too, and they will soon be available in my shop.

- Rhodes, April 2013 -

SWEET MAY

I SO love May!!!!!! It's such a wonderful month (probably my absolute favorite!), and my woods and mountains are so beautiful... everything is so beautiful -- the light, the smell of grass and flowers, the lush green, the birds chirping and singing...

An old abandoned hamlet in the woods...

Sitting amidst the flowers...

Old stone steps...