Under Construction

It’s time I give this blog a face-lift. For the next few days things will be moving around, some items will be removed, others will be added. I believe a thorough cleanup is in order to make the blog more on-topic and user-friendly. If you have any suggestions, I’ll be more than happy if you share them with me – I appreciate all feedback!

I am also in the process of launching a brand, so to speak. I have been working on several ideas so far and I believe more will be explored.

In the meantime, I hope you are all having a great weekend!

Finding Inspiration

Well, it seems it’s been a long time since I last made a blog entry, so I decided to remedy the situation. Unfortunately, not only have I not had time, but I also lack inspiration. I have so many ideas floating in my head for bead jewelry, different small projects here and there, polymer clay projects… but, for some reason, I just haven’t felt like tackling any of them. I have bought materials, gathered ideas, drawn sketches, and still nothing. I guess I just need a jump-start!

Our holidays were great, we spent a lot of time with the family in the countryside, then went on a trip to the mountains. School has been doing great, I’ve had a large amount of projects to finish, but now I am only one final away from the finish line (for the semester, anyways). My job is still there, and I actually took an offer to teach a TOEFL class for 10 weeks. I have enjoyed several shows on TV, bought several books to read, and some with craft projects, and I think that finally, finally I see light in the tunnel.

As of right now, I am thinking of revamping the blog to give it a different feel. Not sure what exactly yet, but maybe a small change will do the trick. In addition, I am fully planning on crushing that fear of ruining the perfectly beautiful polymer clay block and trying my luck – if it doesn’t look good, then maybe something else will!

I have missed all of you, blog-friends. I have to admit I haven’t even been to my own blog in over two months, and I am eager to find out what you all have been up to – maybe even find the inspiration there, with you!

In the meantime, here’s some beautiful pictures that may hint what project I want to try next (in addition to all the projects I have already started and not finished). Hopefully!

And so, here’s to a new beginning!

[Click on images to go to source. Beautiful image of garland over headboard – courtesy of silverkeys.writes]

The Summer Months…

… seem to be so busy for everyone in blogland! I myself have been swamped with work and have not really been able to make any blog posts for almost a month and a half, as is evident by the date of the last post.

My head has been swarmed with ideas of all kinds, from crafting projects to design concepts that I have put down in a sketch-book. I am hoping that in another two weeks I can start putting those concepts and ideas to work.

To recap what’s been happening to me in the last month and a half, I can say that I had a tooth pulled out, went on a nice little vacation to the seaside, determined my Etsy policies and completed a few items. One of which sold before it was up on Etsy, even!

Among some of the projects are the two birdhouses I’ve been working on. Each one is embellished with shells from the Black Sea and nautical hand-crafted clay ornaments. Both will be sold separately.

And the pair of wooden picture frames, painted white and embellished using the serviette technique. They sold for 50 Euro.

And, of course, some vacation photos:

Hope you’ve all enjoyed your summer months! I know I did.

Wallpaper Projects

Do you get the Martha Stewart’s Organizing Tip of the Day? If so, you are probably familiar with today’s newsletter, but for those of you who don’t receive her daily e-mails, here’s what’s on the menu today: decorating with scraps of wallpaper you have left! I have to say I’d never thought of that, but good ol’ Martha is always full of fresh ideas:

Aren’t they just gorgeous? Head on over to MS's website to take a look at all of the lovely ideas posted there.

In the meantime, I’m working on the first few items that I will list for sale on Etsy very soon. I actually have the first four completed.

Hope you’re having a fabulous week!

[All images courtesy of marthastewart.com]

A Trip to the Mountains

We had a great time this Saturday!

Last week I got to remembering the many endless summers I spent with my grandma and grandpa at their gorgeous little house high up in the mountains. But when Gran passed away in 1997, the house was left to my aunt, who doesn’t have time to take care of it, and so in 12 years no soul has gone there. Consequently, the yard is now so overgrown with grass and shrubbery that you can’t even see the house from the street.

I thought that maybe it would be a great little adventure if I and Mr. G&C took the train and hiked all the way up there to go visit – not that I would be able to enter, but I just wanted to ‘scratch’ my emotional itch.

So, we took off and got on the train at 7 a.m. for an hour-long ride. Needless to say, I had forgotten how gorgeous the place is:

View of the mountains as you get off the train

The river

It isn’t very clear from the picture above, but there’s a large monument at the top of the cliffs, dedicated to all who died in the September Uprising. Here’s a close-up as viewed from the bottom:

We decided to walk along the road up the mountain to the village, about 6 miles from the train station. Thankfully, it was still early in the morning and the sun wasn’t too hot, but by the time we hiked up there it had gotten very very ‘warm’. Took us about 2 hours, and a lot of panting, but the scenery was gorgeous:

And the very sweaty own selves!

Once we finally made it to the village, I was overwhelmed by an emotional wave. Familiar sights and places brought memories of my dear Gran and all the months we spent there, tending the vegetable garden all summer long. Then we walked to the house, and this is all you can see:

It’s so overgrown that even peeking through the gate I couldn’t see anything but greens. The house that I so miss was barred from my sight.

A very old house in the center of the village

We had lunch and headed back down. This time however, we took the hiking trail.

After about an hour and a half hike down, we came out on the top of the cliffs. Remember where the monument was? That’s the view as you’re looking down this time:

The town and the train station, looked from the top of the cliffs.

After another 2 hour hike down. we made it to the bottom again. We sat and had a late lunch at the restaurant near the waterfall and then headed to the train station. We were so tired by that time that I actually took a 45-minute nap while waiting for the train.

When we got home at 6 p.m. we spent a couple of hours relaxing and went to bed at 8. Yes, that’s right, at 8! I know I slept like a rock, but it felt so good. I am very happy we went, and we might do it again next Saturday.