2011-12-09

Be the 100th customer and win a lovely gift!

I am so happy! My etsy shop has reached 99 sales!! Be my 100th customer and win this gorgeous set of Acorn Studs!

Xmas Craft Fair@Bliss

The annual Christmas craft fair of EGST was held at Bliss last weekend! I was eagerly expecting it but due to family troubles at first I thought of cancelling my participation. I thought over and decided to go literally on the last minute!
And a good thing I did! :)
It is as always a pleasure to see familiar faces and meet new ones.We had a great time even though the hours were loooong and I by Sunday I was beat. Every time we have such an event I am reminded of the importance of getting together with others who share your passion for creating and how remarkable it is how connected you can feel with people you spend scarce but precious time! In other words:
Girls you made my weekend!

This year I decided to change my display to something more bright to show better the colors of my pieces. I used the frames from IKEA that we had at the house, bought me some white mat board, 3 vintage volumes of National Geographic and our tiny Christmas Tree. I think it looked very nice and its cost was next to nothing!!


Can't wait for the next one!!!

2011-11-28

D.I.Y. Repurposed Book Page Wreath



A wonderful idea!  DIY Repurposed Book Page Wreath from the  Living with Lindsay blog would make a perfect solution if you are looking for a different Christmas wreath!  Love it!!!! Add a bit of glitter for more Christmas sparkle! 

2011-11-24

EGST BAZAAR @ Bliss!

Creation is our hope and the power in our hands!

Crafters from Etsy Greek Street Team are ready to fill Christmas with colors, shapes, textures, forms, crazy ideas, talent and lots of positive energy!

Despite the dificulties of our days, we insist on expressing ourselves and resist on fear, disappointment, the lack of vision and resignation.
We want to share our love for handmade, while supporting tradition, recycling and expression!
 So we created two christmas craft parties – bazaars, full of goodies from our hands, that can’t wait to become yours! We are inviting you to visit so as to meet , exchange ideas, learn new techniques and create together in our workshops!

In our exhibitions you can find:
Christmas gifts – jewelry – accessories – clothing - utilitarian and decorative items – toys and dolls– knits and felts – weaving – paper crafts - recycling
   
and lots of surprises and gifts!!!!
 
Εtsy Greek Street Team
1rst EGST Craft Show - December 2-3-4 at Pure Bliss - Alternative Multispace
2nd EGST Craft Show - December 12-18 at the 1rst floor of Parapera - Alternative Multispace
Sponsored by Kangaroo

Waterfall


I am a bit behind the happenings in the music bussiness but I really do love this song by Coldplay! I find it ideal to listen to it while driving :)

I turn the music up,
Got my records on
I shut the world outside until the lights come on
Maybe the streets alight,
Maybe the trees are gone
I feel my heart start beating to my favorite song


2011-10-13

Midnight in Paris - Rhinoceros scene


Last night i saw the new film by Woody Alen "Midnight in Paris".
I was intrigued by the movie poster, featuring"Starry Night", the work of my favorite painter, Van Gaugh. Oddly enough Van Gaugh doesn't appear at all in the movie :( 
Despite this fact the movie is an absolute delight for people who a)love Paris and b) love artists and writers who lived in Paris! My favourite part of the movie is when our hero meets with Dali played by Adrien Brody! Hillarious!

2011-10-11

Blackberry Muffins :)

So...i promised blackberry recipes....here is the one i used to make the muffins


 Blackberry Muffins Recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick unsalted butter (4 tablespoons or 60 grams), melted and cooled
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoon milk
1 1/2 cups blackberries

Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Line a muffin pan with 10 paper muffin cups or spray with non-stick cooking spray. If you have a twelve-hole muffin pan, fill the two empty cups halfway with water (this makes the muffins moist).
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar. In another bowl, together the melted butter, egg, and milk. You can also use an electronic hand mixer. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk until just blended (mixture should be slightly lumpy).
Add the blackberries to a bowl and stir them in just enough to combine.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffins cups. Bake the blackberry muffins until golden, for about 20-25 minutes. Remove the blackberry muffins from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Blackberry muffins are best served warm.

2011-10-10

Small Luxuries!

Do you love blackberries? I know i do! So D. and I decided to make an excursion to Tatoi and pick some! In the beginning is seemed as an easy project but the blackberry bushes had a different idea. It took us 2,5 hours (and a lot of scratches) in order to collect 500gr of blackberries! But it was worth it!
I made a lovely jam with them and i kept a cup for muffins! Here are photos from the picking ...recipes will follow!

Tatoi

Blackberry shrub (these berry will be ready to pick in about a week)

Mission Impossible!

Trying to get out of the shrubs!
our precious blackberries!

 Some tips for picking them!

When you go out to pick blackberries there are some useful tips to remember. Blackberry juice will stain hands and clothing, and the brambles are covered in many sharp thorns. Therefore wear something old and sturdy (trousers not shorts, and a long sleeved shirt), and give small children gloves.

The most flavoursome blackberries are those which have grown on plants in direct sunlight. Often the best blackberries will be found in difficult to reach positions where they have had the chance to fully ripen without being eaten by birds.

If picking berries on verges, only pick berries above knee height which will not have been splashed by rain hitting the ground, or urinated on by dogs and other animals. Pick only the fully black blackberries (not red or purple) as under-ripe berries will not ripen further once picked. Good blackberries will come of the plant with just a light tug.

When you get your blackberries home, soak them for a good half hour in water just before you intend to use them, and then rinse them well before eating or using them in recipes. If you do not intend to use the berries for a few days, refrigerate them unwashed so they do not spoil, or wash them and pack them into an air tight bag or container for immediate freezing.

 source: http://www.self-sufficient.co.uk/Picking-Wild-Blackberries.htm

2011-07-21

Infograph...ARE U HAPPY?

Happiness is a state of being that is envied by those not happy and enjoyed by those who are happy. Is happiness really as easy as it looks though? This infographic helps you to find happiness in just a few simple steps.
Found here.

2011-07-20

Shabby-chic Gingerbread House

Or Appearances can be deceiving!
See this house or better, see this shack?  One might think that it looks small and a bit too shabby.... but appearances can be deceiving.. When you walk through the front door you discover an interior fit for a fairy tale!
This dream home does not include a bathroom or a kitchen. Sandra, the master mind behind this dream retreat   lives, with her husband, across the river in their mobile home that does include a bath and kitchen. She did the renovation of this old hunting cabin and furnished it herself for $3,000. She used vintage columns that cost $60 each and floorboards for the exterior facade and wavy glass windows. The home was painted green and white, the front door was left in its original vintage style.
Sandra has her own blog that has more about her life and her home here.


For more photos and details see here.

2011-07-12

PANTONE 2011 COLOR OF THE YEAR

A Color for All Seasons From Pantone
Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing “everyday” about it.

“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”
Honeysuckle always works with the standard basics of black, navy, charcoal or light to mid gray. But using complementary bronze greens like Willow PANTONE 16-0632 and/or Tapenade PANTONE 18-0840 adds a new sophistication to the combination that showcases the energy of Honeysuckle. The green tones can be really interesting in accessories for Honeysuckle tights and top. Another great and unique combination is Honeysuckle with a pinkish brown like Apricot Brandy PANTONE 17-1540. Think of a warm cashmere turtleneck in Apricot Brandy with a matching skirt and shoes to blend and flatter the legs. A Honeysuckle cashmere scarf and belt create a luscious combination. And to blend all the colors, try a big and bold patterned bag with every color mentioned above.



 

Vintage 1980s Honeysuckle Pink Pumps


2011-06-09

A great Weekend-Egst bazaar and craft party!

The last two weeks were hectic! Loads of stuff to prepare for the upcoming bazaar at stavlos and a lot of pressure! Thankfully it all went great and (as always) we had a lot of fun! Itls always a pleasure seeing my old crafty friends and a delight meeting new ones!!!

My stand!
Zdrop and friend

Katrien from Inqueue

 The stand for Laboom and Akamatra
A cute kitty by Blackreddots

 Our Captain! Antigoni :)
 tutorial by Ergani!

2011-06-03

Summer Bazaar!!

Μετά το χριστουγεννιάτικο bazaar, το ‘Γειά στα χέρια μας’, επιστρέφει για να καλοσορίσει το καλοκαίρι με ένα νέο bazaar παρέα με καλλιτέχνες, χειροτέχνες, diyers, crafters, designers και γενικά με ανθρώπους που εκφράζονται δημιουργώντας.
Για τρείς μέρες, Παρασκευή, Σάββατο και Κυριακή, διοργανώνουμε το πιο πολύχρωμο, ζωντανό και παιχνιδιάρικο Bazaar με ελεύθερη είσοδο για όλους!
Σας προσκαλούμε να έρθετε, να χαζέψετε τις νεανικές ιδέες που θα παρουσιάσουν τα... παιδιά και γιατί όχι να αγοράσετε δώρα για εσάς και τους αγαπημένους σας. Στόχος των συμμετεχόντων είναι να προωθήσουν την ιδέα του ‘buy handmade’ και να κάνουν αισθητή την παρουσία τους σε ένα υπερκαταναλωτικό κόσμο στηρίζοντας έμπρακτα την διαδικασία αγοράς ‘από τα χέρια του κατασκευαστή, στα χέρια του αγοραστή’ , χωρίς μεσάζοντες που ανεβάζουν το κόστος και χαμηλώνουν την ποιότητα!

Οι κατηγορίες προϊόντων που θα βρείτε στην έκθεση είναι:
Κόσμημα – αξεσουάρ – ένδυμα – κάρτες – γλυκά – παιχνίδια – αντικείμενα για παιδιά – διακοσμητικά καθώς και πληθώρα χρηστικών αντικειμένων.


Ας υποδεχτούμε το καλοκαίρι δημιουργικά…

Διάρκεια bazaar: 3 – 4 - 5 Ιουνίου 2011
Επισκέψιμες ώρες:
Παρασκευή: 18:00 – 24:00
Σάββατο: 11:00 – 24:00
Κυριακή: 11:00 – 22:00
είσοδος ελεύθερη

Στις 4 & 5/6 θα πραγματοποιηθούν workshops (εργαστήρια) με παρουσίαση τεχνικών κατασκευής κοσμήματος, κατασκευών DIY και διακοσμητικών, με ελεύθερη συμμετοχή.

Η έκθεση φιλοξενείται στο STAVLOS, Ηρακλειδών 10 , Θησείο, Αθήνα.

2011-05-24

Tutorial by Alex Monroe....an amazing artist!

Check out this very interesting tutorial from a master of Jewelry making Alex Monroe! Its shows how you can create a feather from a sheet of metal. His designs are trully mouthwatering!

2011-05-10

Recent purchase-Sari ribbon!

I am thrilled about my recent purchase so i am going to share it with you.
I bought a colorful silk ribbon skein from HamptonArtisticYarn made from hand cut strips of sari silk fabric which has been sewn end-to-end.



I just loved the colors!!




My first attempt in using them was this bracelet. I took a blue ribbon, braided it and used it as a bracelet for one of my butterflies :)

2011-03-23

The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination

Today i saw this video of the speech of J.K. Rowling at Harvard. Take a look...it quite inspiring.
"It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all."

2011-03-08

Hachico

In 1924 a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo took in Hachikō as a pet. During his owner's life Hachikō greeted him at the end of the day at the nearby Station. The pair continued their daily routine until May 1925, when Professor Ueno did not return. The professor had suffered from a cerebral hemorrhage and died, never returning to the train station where Hachikō was waiting. Every day for the next nine years the golden brown Akita waited at Shibuya station.


Hachikō was given away after his master's death, but he routinely escaped, returning again and again to his old home. Eventually, Hachikō apparently realized that Professor Ueno no longer lived at the house. So he went to look for his master at the train station where he had accompanied him so many times before. Each day, Hachikō waited for the return of his owner.

The permanent fixture at the train station that was Hachikō attracted the attention of other commuters. Many of the people who frequented the Shibuya train station had seen Hachikō and Professor Ueno together each day. They brought Hachikō treats and food to nourish him during his wait.

This continued for nine years with Hachikō appearing precisely when the train was due at the station