Dream on

(Day)Dreaming doesn't have to mean you got your head in the clouds.
Dreams provide the material for your goals and aspirations and make you stay focused on your life and the directions you need to choose.
I really couldn't help myself...I made another bracelet

Rose quartz is a very powerful stone, generally used to attract love but also to raise one's self-esteem and sense of self-worth. It enhances one's inner awareness and opens the heart to new experiences.
That's why I used some in this bracelet: you really need a lot of self esteem to follow your dreams and turn them into reality.

I used transparent seed beads also for the writing to make it a bit inconsistent, translucent - that makes this bracelet so hard to take a pic of! The result is pretty and delicate.

Another Japan sneak peek

Let's keep on talking about Japan.
Another thing I love about Japanese culture, is that they have huge self confidence, in the sense that they always think you are the only one who can make things work.
They don't say "good luck" or "break a leg"; thay say "ganbatte", which means "do your best".
They have a strong will power and, although they do believe in luck and amulets, they're just a little help.

If you scroll Pinterest and look at "words of wisdom" boards, you'll realize most of them have "cheer-up" sentences, like "you deserve it" or "you are enough". Only when it comes to sport they become a bit harsh and base everything on will power. So how do you mix those different attitudes? Are you supposed to only be brave and strong and push it to the limit while exercising?

So here comes Daruma dolls again. Since they're usually round, made of papier-mâché and weighted at their bottom, if you push them gently they'll swing until they'll return to a standing position.
Always.
So they came to represent one's strength to always get up whenever they fall down.

Nanakorobi yaoki: fall seven times and stand up eight.

Happy 2013!

It's that time of the year...the first day of it!

Source: Pinterest

No propositions this year. I found out they are more likely to be pursued if made little by little, month after month.
So I might only have a January proposition: to invent something new and make at least one new tutorial.
I also want to partecipate more in beading challenges and swaps, because they really open your world to new people you would never meet otherwise.
I think my mind needs to be stimulated more, so I also want to go out more and see as many exhibitions as I can - living in the north has its positive consequences (like having tons of museums around) and I might as well use them.

Happy new year everybody and let this year challenges make you smarter and stronger!