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!!!!!!!

Black heart

I finally got the chance to finish this necklace





just in time, since tomorrow I'm leaving for 2 weeks for Madrid!

I love black Swarovsky, and the way they mix together with silver beads



I don't know how I'll manage not to bead for 14 days, I can't bring anything along but I'm sure I'll find something to do ^_^
Museo Nacional del Prado, I'm coming!!!

Fuchsia

I love fuchsia. It's bright, cheerful and feminine. Or maybe girly..that's why I love it. When I wear something fuchsia I feel happy.
Unfortunately this colour seems odd matched with my red hair, so I only wear it when i go back to brown.
Some time ago I made this embroidery cuff



It was my first attempt with bead embroidery.
Now I've just finished this necklace



It's a netted base with the same technique of the famous "Capricho" cuff



Using round transparent beads instead of Svarovski doesn't make it less shiny at all



I wasn't able to take a proper picture this morning, the light was a bit strange so it seems purple rather than fuchsia...will try tomorrow.
It was pretty funny to make so I think I will try it in more colours!

Tartan time!

I've always loved tartan. Maybe it's the little punk hidden inside of me?!
Especially on Christmas time, I can't help but thinking about red, checked fabrics, so I had to make this:



These items are really amazing, have a look at their shops on Etsy!

And then maybe you can just jump to Etsy Beadweavers blog and vote for your favorite entry in our November Challenge "Holiday Treasures" - voting November 9-15!

Beaded bows

Lately I'm having a lot of fun beading these bows:



I love tartan, especially red, so i couldn't resist



Easy, fast and the result is sooo nice, I also made smaller ones



which will become brooches.
Now it's time to bead a little Santa Claus hat.
Every year I have a different one: a felted, very (very!) long one 2 years ago, a small crocheted hairpin last year, I'm sure this year everyone is waiting to see what I'll have on my head!

G n' R cameo!

Maybe some of you noticed I love Guns n' Roses. (LOL)
Some time ago I saw these wonderful cameos on Cathysjewels shop, on Etsy. I put them in my favorite list until I finally got them!
So today, after a slightly longer journey (due to the "great" Italian Postal service" I had to got them sent to my cousin in Austria not to have them stuck in the custom) they finally arrived!!!



This pic is ugly, sorry, but my camera had low battery and I really wanted to send a pic to my BF.
I think I will use 2 of them to make cufflinks for him for his birthday-it was a week ago.
What do you think???
The others will become simple pendants and an embroidery bracelet/necklace which I'm trying to draw right now!
Thanks Cathysjewels!

EBW November challenge: Holiday Treasures

What's more precious than our loved ones, even if they've passed away?!
That's what I thought when I read the EBW November challenge theme.
We had to "Choose your favorite late fall or winter holiday and create a beadweaving to celebrate the occasion...Let your own imagination find the perfect Holiday Treasure!"

I'm Italian, and we have All Souls' Day which is the 2nd November: is a day when everyone goes to the cemetery and pay a visit to their deads bringing flowers.
It's not something I feel very comfortable with...most of the times seems like something due that only old ladies do.
But I love the Mexican Dia de los muertos.
Tha whole family gathers together and build an altar with sugar skulls, flowers, pictures of the departed and all his/her favourite foods, drink and stuff.
I think it's lovely: you celebrate their lives, instead of simply remembering that they're dead.
The day has already passed, but if you're interested here are some very interesting websites where you can find out how to build an altar



how to bake the Pan de muerto



how to make sugar skulls



and some amazing pics on Flickr from loupiote and magus523 which really inspired my work...here it is:





Please visit our EBW team blog, www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com (http://www.etsy-beadweavers.blogspot.com) between the 9th and 15th of November and vote for your favorite entry!

Christmas is all around us

Well, it's about time!!! November has just begun, but Christmas is already in the air everywhere.
I've spent the weekend in Wien to visit my newly wedded cousin, the weather was great and the city beautiful as I remembered. They were starting to put Xmas lighting all around the city...must come back next month to see how it looks!
I didn't have enough time to look for some bead shop ^_^ maybe next time!
In the meanwhile you can look at this Poinsettia treasury to start feeling in the right mood for Christmas: