New year resolutions...

I was trying to make a list of new year propositions...of course losing weight was among the first ten.
But sometimes it's hard to resist!
I thought I was going to end this year without eating one of my favourite food, "Pettole"...when my uncle knocked at my door seconds ago with this:



So happy!
We usually eat them on 7 december, the Immaculate Conception's Eve, with a special bread (puccia) filled with fresh tuna or anchovies.
My mom won't cook pettole anymore since one of them has once exploded (literally) while frying and she almost got burned on her face. Thanks auntie!

I haven't been beading since Christmas cause my fingers are hurting a lot, and I don't understand why.
Not that I had much time; I spent these days visiting all my relatives which I only see 3 times a year, organizing tonight's celebration and also trying to think what to do on my birthday...
It's on 2 january, so people are still tired of eating and drinking from the day before, and the day before that, and Christmas.
This year I had a party, for the 2nd time in my life I think. It was really, really funny and organized at the very last minute.
Next year...we'll see.

Ready for Xmas???

Not really.I'm still beading presents!!!
I made this



and this



for my own Christmas necklace, not sure if I'll make the other pendants on time...

So now I really need to keep my hand busy and finish everything before midnight!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!

First present

This morning I received my first Christmas present:



from my Japanese friend, who sent it almost a month ago.
I'm so happy!
It's full of tricks and how-to's, so I can't wait to try some recipe!
I'm especially in love with these edible Christmas trees which i found here:







Aren't they cute?!!

Santa Claus super-star!

I've been looking for nice Santa Claus beaded dolls but didn't like any of them really much.
I wanted something different.
So I decided to make it from something I know very well how to do: a star.
The result by now is this:



I keep making mistakes...hope next one will be perfect!
I drew my own peyote charts and I am very proud of the result!

New necklace

My mon just got on a train back home and I'm alone sipping a cup of tea and watching Mad men.
We had 10 days of fun and, surprisingly, NO shopping. We've been around Padua and Venice getting as much fresh air as we could.
I didn't have much time to bead and spent it mostly adjusting a pattern I made for a beaded Santa Claus, but I finally ended this necklace



The pendant is a fake coral cab and I kept it really simple 'cause I just love these colours together



The back is only silver, so you can choose how to wear it if you don't like turquoise too much

December challenge...time to vote!

This month's challenge theme is great: "Simon and Garfunkel The Songs of Inspiration".
Just because it's about music and inspiration we get from it, I love it!
Unfortunately my long vacation prevented me to participate this month, but I've already voted!
So please stop by and choose your favorite on Etsy beadweavers blog, the mosaic is ready and amazing:



Vote, vote, vote!

Back from Madrid

I got back from my 2 weeks vacation in Madrid last friday.
What can I say...I'm not sure what to feel after I saw so many things, places and eaten so many wonderful dishes!
I have hundreds of pics but I'm sure you could see most of them on google, so I'll just show you the weirdest.
I've spent the first weekend with my best friend Silvia (yeah, 2 Silvias, and our parents have the same names too!!!) and we couldn't miss the chance to have this vintage photograph



This lady was a real stylist, she's awesome! The picture seems to be from the 20's and now I need a proper frame for it.

I also made some strange encounter...



I ate so much I gained 3 kg in 2 weeks, which is terrible right before Xmas!
This is one of the many tapas we had in a wonderful place which I highly recommend - Lateral, in Plaza Sant Ana



It's a potato filled with mashed potato, cheese and ham, with a fried quail egg on top.
It was delicious! Need not to say everybody was looking at our table...
I also fell in love with the Lomo iberico. The most delicious ham in the world



On my 2nd weekend there they finished building the Xmas tree in Plaza del Sol and lighted it



It was great, you could get inside and have pictures - I made like 10 pics, I think it was beautiful



Can be a nice inspiration for some beaded project!

I used the weekends to visit 2 beautiful cities near Madrid, Toledo and Segovia.
Toledo has beautiful buildings and great surroundings



Segovia is famous for its huge roman aqueduct. Never seen such a big one either in Italy



not to mention the breathtaking cathedral and the Alcazar, the castle, seemed like Cinderella was going to come out of it!

Now I'm waiting for my Mom to come tomorrow morning and I think we'll have a trip to Venice if the weather is good.
And really have no idea when to bead!!!!!!!