A new capricho

Capricho means whim in spanish and it's really close to the italian word, which is "capriccio".
As you may know it is also a beautiful cuff made by Alex Unicornio, who shared the pattern on her blog.
It was on every beader's blog some time ago and I joined this madness making a rainbow version.
This week I decided to make another one in gold

I'm going to attend a wedding in a couple of weeks, I have a dark orange long dress and I suddenly pictured myself wearing a big, bold golden cuff to match my purse.
So I made this.

I didn't remember how easy and fast it was to make one.
I used cheap crystals (there are way too many!), but made a netted base with amazing silky metallic amber color Preciosa Ornela seed beads, and used size 15/0 Toho rainbow smoky topaz seed beads between the crystals to give some contrast.
I can't wait to wear it!
I need ideas for the earrings now!

Cute and cuddly, boys. Cute and cuddly!

Thinking about ice and cold really helps when it comes to such hot days.
So here is my new buddy, directly from the South Pole:

I've had him and a lot of other charachters in my mind for such a long time, and I hope little by little to write tutorials for all of them.
Here is the link to the tutorial.
He might give Santa some company...

P.S. a speciale thanks to my dear Ile for testing the tut!!!

My muse

Just a very quick post to show you my muse. Mommy.

Mom & I this morning

I think she really has been my muse lately, since the last really nice pieces I have beaded were for her.
Designing something for an older person with another vision of what is beautiful really stimulated me.
She has a style I don't always approve, and not that I am supposed to; we have completely opposite tastes, but somehow, sometimes, we just click.
We are both capricorn - so you can understand how hard it is to get along, especially since I can detect any kind of lie or excuse from her. And I am not an easy-sweet tempered daughter...

Thanks for bearing me mommy !!!
I love you!

Chain maille

Let's start with the fact that I don't even know which is the right way to spell this diabolic technique, which I had sworn never to deal with.
Then I thought I might make myself a bracelet to use all the charms I was collecting...
So the madness started.

The tiny Trullo charm is the first

I am pleased with the result, even though it would be much better to use thicker and smaller jump rings for this design to make it "tighter".
I was pleased that it started to become easier after a while to detect the right connections...hope this rings will hold.
My camera batteries abandoned me right now, so better pics will come.

Alberobello

Today is a bank holiday in Italy, called Ferragosto.
It's usually spent on the beach, but since the weather is not fit for that and also, it's quite stressing to face the crowd of people trying to get a spot...my family and I visited a town near Bari, Alberobello.
It's a very famous place because it has the highest concentration of trulli, special buildings very common all over Apulia.

Nowadays they are mainly used as shops for turists or they are renovated to become "summer villas", since they are insulated due to their particular construction - so no need of AC! They are so cool inside!

See??! Even the church is a trullo!

Each one has a special symbol on the roof with a specific meaning, mostly of good fortune and prosperity.

I got a trullo silver charm to add to my collection and got some ideas for future works.
Hope everyone had a nice Ferragosto!

P.S. If you are curious to see more of the region I live, take a look at my Pinterest board!

EBW challenge Sea Adventures

This month couldn't have a more proper theme for the Etsy Beadweavers challenge:

"...thinking of hot summer days, vacations, and traveling by the sea or under the sea, whatever inspires you..."

Amazing creations ready to be admired one by one and voted until the 15th, as usual, on our team blog.
Don't waste time!

Another piece with Gaea giveaway

I used another amazing piece - a pendant - from the giveaway I won from Gaea.

You can see the first necklace I made with the beads here.

This  time I used this beautiful blue pendant and, as usual, I started with the oh-let's-keep-it-simple attitude and finished in the opposite way

I used some beautiful Czech glass beads from Maya Honey shop and added some beaded beads made with Picasso turquoise Superduo

completing with size 6 gold seed beads and some bronze delicas.

Now I have 1 more pendant from Gaea ... going to use it soon.

Color affection: done!

I have been talking about this shawl for such a long time, but knitting it has taken more time than I thought it would. It's the Color Affection, an amazing project by the super-talented Veera Välimäki.
It's been my longest project so far - and one of the few finished ones actually - and it's been some kind of zen experience for me.
It has taught me patience. And also how to block a finished piece.
So...here it is while blocking

I improvised the blocking with what I had at home

It's a bit smaller than I thought by looking at other people's pics. And I followed the pattern and got this weird shape, which I absolutely adore and makes it even better to wear

I am so proud ^_^ and will definitely make another one...sooner or later.

Christmas in August

I wasn't a fan of soutache, until I saw a necklace at a fair in March.
I was astonished by how tiny and full of microscopic details this work was.
Colored thin ropes, precious stones and some silver charms all together in a beautiful ensemble.
I don't feel I am precise enough for this kind of work (maybe I'll change my mind one day as for bead embroidery) so I asked my dear BSBP friend and partner Dorota if she could make some for my mom.

She ambushed me.
I just received a huge pack from Poland...again!

A big baby in my arms!

When I opened it, it was like Christmas again - just in August!

This is the chocolate. Insane, ah?!!!  Those in the big cup are plums in chocolate. They are the most delicious thing in this world! They are a typical product of the region Dorota is from.
Maybe this will kick my back on the running field again.
Then I found a beautiful box, with some real treasures inside:

Southache earrings for my mom, then...

...southache earrings for me too and an amazing crocheted rope to match them, plus an amber bracelet from the Baltic sea.
And these insanely beautiful buttons!

My mind is exploding with projects for these!
Can you believe this girl took all this trouble for me? I am going to meet you someday my dear, and I'll make you regret all of this! LOL.

Here is my mom already wearing her earrings

Turquoise has always been her favorite color and suits her so well.
I burnt my face and back despite the high sunscreen yesterday so running will be hard today, but all that chocolate isn't going to eat itself...

Tassel day

When I say tassel, I think about my grandma curtains and her crochet center-piece which is still on her beautiful table. They both have huge tassels which were forbidden for us kids (how can you not touch them?! They are irresistible).

This year is so full of tassel-ed jewelry, so I just followed the wave

Picasso Czech victorian bicones in yellow, my favorites, magenta glass pearls and matching leather tassel.

Maybe some day I'll make a 20's version of it, impossibly long.

In the meanwhile I used some leftovers from the Bead Soup and made another one in green/yellow

New necklace with Gaea beads

I finally used some of the beads I won on the Gaea giveaway.
Remember that?
I was so unsure on how to use them but I finally came up with something pretty different:

There are beaded beads made with both seed beads and Superduo beads, glass beads, Pandora beads and resin chain.

It's so comfortable and light! And I so love this color combo.
Still have to decide whether to sell it or keep it!