A Special Sunday

Some days are just more special than others.

Today, I woke up to 2 e-mails letting me know items of mine were featured in two different treasuries. Surprisingly, their theme was the same, but my items were different.

Thank you, Luiza and Susan, for featuring me among such talented artists.

Tying everything together

I live in a tiny coastal town in the middle of nowhere, right at the beach. The fanciest clothes we wear around here are the occasional Bermuda shorts with some embroidery in it. Usually, it is just a bathing suit, thank you very much!

When I had my stepdaughter’s wedding to attend to in New Jersey, I immediately thought about getting a new dress, which would be a major deal. The shops in my town only sell beachwear; the closest city where I could buy something nice is a 1 hour drive plus 40 min airplane trip. Buying on-line? Not in Brazil! too complicated to return it if you don’t like it.

It was a morning wedding, informal affair. After dealing with the dress question for some time, I decided to shop at my closet. I found out I already had the perfect dress. Made in a textured silk, in a fuchsia tone it was simple, yet very elegant, AND it still fitted. So, I decided this would be it. I also had the shoes and the jewelry to go with it. The only thing missing was the purse.

That was when I decided to make a clutch to tie it all together. I make hand painted silk clutches for my etsy shop, so I knew what I wanted. I painted the silk using the same fuchsia as the dress as the background, with some caramel and soft pink accents.

I really liked the result, and you can judge it for yourself. Bottom line, I felt good about the way I was dressed, I spent very little, and I didn’t end up with a fancy, expensive dress that wouldn’t match any of my bathing suits!

Chita: Brazil's Beloved Fabric

Chita (shee-tah) is a cotton fabric beloved in Brazil and now you’ll know why.

It has been manufactured Brazil since the 19th century using second line cotton and a very basic weave technique. Because of its price, it used to be associated with the lower classes. They were used as curtains, table cloth, for clothing, you name it. Not anymore! We’ve all embraced chita both in accessories and home décor. Even  Phillipe Stark Mademoiselle chair has been upholstered with chita.   

The patterns evolved over time and nowadays they are typically primary color backgrounds with large floral designs.

I have made all kinds of things with chita, from lamps to trays, passing through boxes, bookbiding. The bold patterns and the strong colors just make anything look beautiful.

Silk Clock Update

Thanks God for good (and handy) husbands. I got mine to make a little frame for the silk clock and I really like the result. So, the clock project is moving right along! 

What??? A Silk Clock?

My friend Monica is on the board of directors of a NGO. As a fund raising effort, every year they develop a product to be sold  in few and well positioned sales venues. As an example, last year they sold a tote bag with a Romero Brito's (high profile Brazilian painter) painting silk screened on it.

We've briefly spoken about having something developed for this year's tournament. So, my partner in crime Beatriz and I brain stormed about what it could be, considering it had to be something that more or less would atract both male and female buyers. We also talked to Beatriz's son-in-law, who is a graphical designer snd suggested a clock. Hummmm.... a clock???? That's actually a pretty good idea.

These are my first 2 prototypes, still without a frame (working on that!) It is still a work in progress, so if you have any suggestions, please, pleeease, drop me a line!!!

How To Make a Silk Bookmark

You know me... I am always looking for ways to use those pieces of hand painted silk that are too small to do something with, yet too pretty to be thrown away. So I came up with these pretty, stylish bookmarks that would be perfect as a..... valentine!!! Darn! I wish I had posted this how-to last week...

I do love my Kindle, but I still enjoy a (borrowed) paper book every now and then, and I will read more in paper just to use these babies.They are really easy to make. I made them with silk because that's what I do, but you can use any fabric or paper. I have to admit, cotton is much easier to work with, but doesn't have the sheen and touch only silk has.


Material:

1 6"x2" piece of thin cardboard (even shoebox cardboard will do)

1 7"x3" piece of silk
1 7" piece of ribbon
double sided tape
1 5 3/4" x 1 3/4" piece of paper for the back (a sturdy one, scrapbooking style is better)

1 bead




1) Start by taping the doubled sided tape all around the cardboard

2) Put the fabric (wrong face up) under the cardboard and clip the four fabric corners, but not too close to the cardboard corners

 
3) Fold the 2 longer sides of the silk over the taped cardboard. You should stretch the fabric when sticking the second side, so the bookmark's front will be nice and without any wrinkles 

4) Now for the corners. Place a piece of tape over the two shorter sides of the cardboard. Then, with your scissors, tuck in the fabric on the very corner, as I am doing in the picture. Fold the fabric over.

5) Put double sided tape in one of the ribbon's end and tape to the cardboard.

6) Tape the wrong side of the paper all around and stick to the bookmark's back.

 

7) Tie a bead to the other end of the tape and voila'! your bookmark is done.

So I decided to show...

what I am working on because I haven't blogged very often... In the beginning I wasn't sure, but then it is growing on me.

Now,  I have to steam it. Then, I will decide whether I need to add something, which would probably be some texture with Shiva Paintstiks, or if this is it. In this case, I will list it and you can run to etsy and buy a brand new hand painted silk scarf.

PS: and pardon the mess in the photo's background!

Some days are just more special...

 
So, yesterday I woke up with two nice e-mails in my inbox: one telling me about a treasury a bracelet of mine was in, and the other one saying one of my scarves had been featured on a really nice blog as part of a posting regarding stores who are donating to Haiti.

Besides my personal donation, I am donating 10% of everything I sell until the end of February to Doctors Without Borders. I also donated a hand painted silk scarf  (which sold, yeeehhhh!) to Hearts for Haiti. It is an etsy store entirely of donations from other etsyans; thousands of beautiful items and 100% of the sales go to DWB as well. I bought something there as well; you shop and 100% go to DWB aid relief. What can be better?

Don't miss Hearts for Haiti... It is a real win/win situation!

  


 

Spring 2010 top 10 colors

With the Holidays sales and rush over, we start making the items for this Spring.

As I have done in the past, I went around etsy and chose some beautiful items already there to exemplify the Spring 2010 Pantone's top 10 colors.

Enjoy the view!!

1) Turquoise, a soothing hue from the blue-green family

2) Tomato Puree, this season's classic red

3) Fusion Coral, an inviting, pinkish orange

4) Violet, an intriguing purplish hue

5) Tuscany, one of the three neutrals, a warm beige hue

6) Aurora, a shimery, slightly greenish yellow

7) Amparo Blue, warmer than the typical spring navy

8) Pink Champagne, a delicate, wispy tint, is this season's newest neutral

9) Dried Herb, the ultimate green neutral

10) Eucalyptus, the eternal, practical gray