The first Giveaway with Featured Seller in
my blog is just ended! A winner has been chosen by Rafflecopter and the lucky lady
that is going to be wearing the amazing butterfly earrings made by Korina is:
Congratulations Anda!!! We will contact you soon!!!
Korina I want to thank you for being my first Featured Seller in my blog and for sharing a
lit bit about yourself. It was just great having you here!!!!
Hugs and Kisses !!!!
It is weird how easily and how often all of us forget to live our lives and simple enjoy it. It is true that lately I was so tired because of real life issues, that made me want to whine all the time, to be nervous and not to have the proper mood to do anything at all. Does this sound familiar????
But yesterday a couple of issues in my friends’ life made me to “wake up” and to realize that life is small and that we are not going to have a second opportunity to enjoy things.
So I started my day, trying to figure out how simple things can make my mood better and observe them. Almost every morning I follow the same program, wake up, prepare the kid and then walk for about 15min to get to the bus that will take me to my office. And every day the walking part was a nightmare! But today I enjoyed my walk! Why?
Let me give you an idea…
Almost a kilometer away from my home, there is a small, tiny park with beautiful trees, a park that unfortunately is not something usual here in Athens. Beautiful trees, with great colors that are trying to avoid the winter and waiting for the Spring to come!
I continued on and the next thing I saw was how amazing is the sun in Greece! Even in the winter time! Actually, this is something that I adore in my country. Just look up the sky and watch the sun and the clouds passing by and dream that you can catch them! Isn’t that a great feeling? That will definitely make your day!But yesterday a couple of issues in my friends’ life made me to “wake up” and to realize that life is small and that we are not going to have a second opportunity to enjoy things.
So I started my day, trying to figure out how simple things can make my mood better and observe them. Almost every morning I follow the same program, wake up, prepare the kid and then walk for about 15min to get to the bus that will take me to my office. And every day the walking part was a nightmare! But today I enjoyed my walk! Why?
Let me give you an idea…
Almost a kilometer away from my home, there is a small, tiny park with beautiful trees, a park that unfortunately is not something usual here in Athens. Beautiful trees, with great colors that are trying to avoid the winter and waiting for the Spring to come!
Last stop before I get on the bus… a sightseeing of Athens! Well even this city can be pretty sometimes!
After 40min I am in the office. Preparing a coffee, one of my greatest pleasures, and I am ready to work. Ok… where is my cookie?
************************************************
To be honest this post created yesterday with a beautiful sunny day! Today we have a rainy day, but feelings are the same. I did the same short walk to reach the bus and the same pictures were still beautiful even under the grey sky. A while before my walk end, I saw the same sky full of clouds and the sun was trying to appear via a tiny whole. I smiled and spontaneously I closed my umbrella. I felt the rain in my face and it was great. It was like the rain was trying to take away all of my problems and bad thoughts and I felt relieved.
Because there is Always sun after the rain behind the clouds! So, Smile! Your real friends will be happy for you and the people that are pretending will worry… so just smile, makes things easier. :)
I would love you to share with me your simple, enjoyable pleasures! Can't wait....
PS… Is there any way to dry off my clothes????
Hello my friends!
"Hello people!! My name is Korina.
As long as I remember my childhood I can always recall myself making handcrafts with a wide variety of materials during my free time. I always enjoyed creating crafted accessories since I believe that is my way of expressing and relaxing myself.
As long as I remember my childhood I can always recall myself making handcrafts with a wide variety of materials during my free time. I always enjoyed creating crafted accessories since I believe that is my way of expressing and relaxing myself.
My creations are always made by the use of pure materials that nature has gifted us. The quality of natural materials is dominant compared to anything artificially made.
It is a great feeling for me seeing friends using, admiring and wearing my creations. Likewise, it’s a great pleasure knowing that someone enjoys wearing one of them, in some place of the world.
My love for designing and implementing handmade art has led me to enroll at Etsy website and create an online shop. From there I have become a member of EGST (Etsy Greek Street Team) where I make and meet friends. We share a lot of things in common but the most important of them is our pure love for handcrafted creations. There I have met great artists and I admire them for their talent and passion for creating handcrafts.
10 things about me!
1. My origin is from Corfu, an island in the western region of Greece that preserves the Venetian architecture and culture alive until nowadays
2. I am currently studying Biology, at the University of Patras from where I am graduating soon.
3. I love BUTTERFLIES
4. I ADORE chocolate
5. I have a lovely dog!!
6. I have only a few "best friends" who mean they word to me and I sincerely trust them in everything.
8. I love helping people. Seeing a person's face light up or hearing a "Thank you so much !" totally makes my day.
9. Every day I try to change the word to a better one and I’ll never stop!!
10. I never give up – there is always something good around the next corner "
I admire all of her creations and her passion making them. Cute, beautiful, unique. Not only her creations are cute but also she is, that’s why she is giving away a beautiful pair of earrings, the first butterfly she created!
All you have to do to enter this giveaway is like her fan page on Facebook. Use the rafflecopter below and you also have a few extra entries too!
Winner will be announced on 31st of January!!!!
Good Luck!!!
My friend, Dori nominated me for the Liebster Award. The general idea is that bloggers nominate their favourite blogs for this award. Nominees need to be "small" blogs, with no more than 200 followers. The rules are simple: you need to list 11 facts about yourself, answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you, write your own 11 questions and then nominate 11 bloggers to spread the love.
My first impression for this was, "what a great idea"! But then I read the rules and my second thought was.. Dori I will kill you! 11?
So let's get started.
*******************************
11 Facts About Me
1. Hmm.. facts about me? Ok! I am really an orderly person. So orderly that my friends call me “Monica” from the TV serial “Friends”! I do not want my home to be messy and most of all I hate when my hubby changes the place of items in the house. Imagine that when I visit my mother in Crete I am furious when I realize that she changed the place of my books or my dolls. Wow, I am a maniac!
2. I love to eat and I do not mean to eat all the time! But I do enjoy having a glass of wine and food with my friends, laughing and having fun.
3. For my 3rd fact I copy Dori’s thoughts: I also think a lot, and my thoughts tend to never come alone but bring their friends with them to party in my head. It usually quickly escalates into drunken revelry... I do think even when I am sleepy, that’s why almost every morning I wake up and I am still tired!!!
4. I like travelling around! I did it very often a couple of years ago, but now that I am a mother is not that easy as it was! So far I have visited a couple of countries in Europe but mostly I like discovering Greece first. I love my country, because you can easily have vacations in an island or climbing the mountains. Vacations for every mood.
5. I do not have many friends. I have a few that are lifetime friends! I love them all and it is amazing that are still near me and love me even thought I had fights with them in the past. But isn't it great to have friends that really know you?
6. Totally agree with Dori on that: I also like to listen, and sometimes I can be unusually quiet. I am also a good listener. But when I give advice… well I tell the truth and that hurts sometimes :/
7. I am a mother of a wonderful 2year old girl and this is the most beautiful achievement in my life! It is really amazing how your life can change with motherhood. But it is also incredible how my mood can change when she hugs me and kisses me. Just amazing!
8. I have a bear near my bed, a great gift from my best friend when I was about 15years old! Ok.. weird, but since then I like having this bear near my bed! I am a lady with the heart of a young girl!
9. I used to keep a diary. I was writing down every though, feeling, dream, wish, anything common and unusual at the same time. I am romantic person, what can I say? But now, after all this years it is really great that I can still remember how I used to feel!
10. I speak too loud and too fast! Hahaha, I am a lady from Crete, what can I say? We all speak quite fast and sometimes even my hubby cannot understand me!
11. I easily get overexcited by a thought or a wish. The “bad” thing is that I want to share it with everyone immediately, even if they are not interested at all or even if they are sleeping!
*********************************
11 Questions from Dori!
1. How do you get on with your neighbours (if you have any)?
I have a few and our relationship is great! They put up with my loud talking or my daughter’s playing (she also get overexcited and makes such a fuss sometimes). Well actually I am baking cookies on Christmas for them so they adore me again :)
2. Favourite color and why (if you have a reason)?
Well I have plenty of favorites colors, depending on the season. Currently I wear a lot of grey and smoky pink! But in the summer I love blue (the sea colour ) and white! Bright colors to cheer me up!
3. Do you need glasses?
Just for the sun !!!! :)
4. How organized are you?
Very when I want to be! I am Monica… remember?
5. Big group of people or a few very close friends?
Few and very closed friends! Dori why I get the feeling that you have read my mind with your questions? This is mentioned in one of my facts!!!
6. Your favorite language (doesn't matter whether you speak it or not)
Italian!!!! I love them!!! It is like listening to music!!!
7. Do you think sewing is a feminine craft/occupation?
Hmm I am not sure if I understand this question correctly, but I will answer with a question.. Do you think basketball is only for men?
8. Half full, half empty? Or?
Half full! Or at least I am trying to.
9. Do you easily start things or easily finish things? Especially art or craft related things and projects.
I can easily start things as I can easily finish things if and only I am in the correct mood!
10. Coffee or tea?
Huge fun of coffee!!!! I even have a cup cozy!!!
11. Do you know any dances? Can you dance them?
Ofc I do. I can dance all the traditional dances of Crete and many from the rest of Greece. I am a fast learner, so just show me the steps for any dance! I love dancing :)
*********************************
My Questions:
1. Romantic or realist?
2. Your favorite color is? And why?
3. Mountain or island?
4. Your favorite film movie
5. What was the most spontaneous think you have ever done?
6. Do you like travelling?
7. Chocolate or cream?
8. Tell us one of your dreams!
9. Is your best friend a man or a woman?
10. Do you consider yourself as optimist?
11. Just tell me a lie!!!!
******************************
My nominees are:
http://beyoutifuljewelry.blogspot.gr/
http://akamatras.blogspot.gr/
http://haveakookie.blogspot.gr/
http://purpleballoonjewelry.blogspot.gr/
http://nafsikak.blogspot.gr/
http://blackreddots.blogspot.gr/
http://lacravateduchien.blogspot.gr/
http://amoronia.blogspot.gr/
http://erganiweaving.blogspot.gr/
http://bakeyourpardon.blogspot.gr/
http://foldi-knit.blogspot.gr/
Have a great time! Thanks a lot Dori :)
I do consider myself lucky since I had the chance to meet my new "etsy" friend Akamatra or as her real name is, Maro. Not only she is one of my favorite crafters but she is also an amazing girl with a golden heart!
The past month I had the chance to participate to a small group of Greek crafters that created some gifts for kids in a school in Athens that would not be getting any gifts this Christmas. Unfortunately poverty is growing here in Greece and as firstly Maro thought (she organized it) with small gifts we could make these kids smile again, at least for a while! What a great gesture of her and from all the ladies in the group!
Maro is a young lady about my age (I am young too... no comments plz...), but with a heart and emotions of a young girl, that's why most of her creations are bows,flowers hair accessories, hand emproidered necklaces and bracelets and many more! Her last creations are Crochet Cup Cozies (she made me one as a gift in green khaki color... amazing one!) !!!
It is better to let her speak... or write...
From her About Etsy Page:
"You can blame my parents for everything you see here.
Everything you see in my little shop is hand crafted by my in my cozy little corner. This is the way I express the urge for creating, altering, recycling or transforming something into something else.
I had fun making every single item, I sure hope you'll have the time of your life wearing them!"
From her "mini interview" as featured seller in EtsyGreekStreetTeam:
The past month I had the chance to participate to a small group of Greek crafters that created some gifts for kids in a school in Athens that would not be getting any gifts this Christmas. Unfortunately poverty is growing here in Greece and as firstly Maro thought (she organized it) with small gifts we could make these kids smile again, at least for a while! What a great gesture of her and from all the ladies in the group!
Maro is a young lady about my age (I am young too... no comments plz...), but with a heart and emotions of a young girl, that's why most of her creations are bows,flowers hair accessories, hand emproidered necklaces and bracelets and many more! Her last creations are Crochet Cup Cozies (she made me one as a gift in green khaki color... amazing one!) !!!
It is better to let her speak... or write...
From her About Etsy Page:
"You can blame my parents for everything you see here.
Everything you see in my little shop is hand crafted by my in my cozy little corner. This is the way I express the urge for creating, altering, recycling or transforming something into something else.
I had fun making every single item, I sure hope you'll have the time of your life wearing them!"
From her "mini interview" as featured seller in EtsyGreekStreetTeam:
"What are your favourite materials?
Definitely small glass seed beads. I guess for many jewelry makers they are considered to be a bit of a minor material but I cannot stop the urge to use them and no matter what I make, I always revisit those beads.
I love leather’s versatility but I haven’t tried to list a leather item in my shop, yet. I don’t discard any material, I am fond of pearls, hand rolled paper beads, crystals and corals, semiprecious stones, as well as peddles.
Why should somebody buy handmade?
For the same reason you return to your mothers’ house to eat a home cooked meal! Because it’s so much better than anything machine made! Because even if you make the same thing twice it will never be exactly the same and will remain unique! Because it contains the positive energy and the love of the person who made it! Because when you buy handmade you buy a little piece of uniqueness.
In 10 years time...
My first’s interview ten years anniversary will be up and I hope we are all going to be healthy in order to read it again this time from my new house in Paris (!)."
Meet her at her etsy shop or at her blog or even at her facebook page!!!
Hope you will enjoy her job as I do!!!
Να 'μαι πάλι!!! Κάτι η Πρωτοχρονια, κάτι τα γλυκα κ οι όμορφες στιγμές με τους αγαπημένους, έμεινα μακρυα για λίγο από το μπλοκ! όμως καιρός ήταν να επιστρέψω και αυτή τη φορά με προτάσεις για ξεχωριστά δωράκια για το σπίτι. Δωράκια που μπορούν να γίνουν και μετα τη Πρωτοχρονια για καλύ τύχη και φυσικά όλη τη διάρκεια του χρόνου. Και πάλι αγαπημένοι μου χομπίστες δημιουργοί με όμορφα χειροποίητα δημιουργήματα κεραμικά, χάρτινα ή συρμάτινα! Γεμάτα με φαντασία!
Here I am again!!! Due to New Years eve and to sweats and of course due to wonderful experienses with beloved people, I deserted a little bit my blog! But it was about time to be back with another gift guide for Home Decor. Gifts that can be made also after New Years eve and of course despite the season. Creatiuons from my favorites crafters, some of them ceramic or with paper or with wire! But all of them full with imagination!
Ας ξεκινήσουμε:
So let's start:
******************************************
- Gift No 1: Shadow box diorama frame -Le Grand Carnival, by ILaBoom
Le Grand Carnival is a big, thick cardboard box turned into a circus wagon! This is a special edition and has it all!
Two beautiful dancers, the man with the horse, the magician, the woman in the glass and the Mr. front-back! All made of thick paper, printed and laser cut.
In the back there is an old image of a circus tents, while all the other sides are decoupaged with vintage book pages.
Beautiful velvet ribbon is used to frame it and baby pink pom posm are on the top of it. The sign of this "wagon" is printed and laser cut while the wheels are 4 vintage wooden beads.
Measurements:
Height: 5 1/2" (14cm)
Length: 7" (18cm)
Depth: 1 7/10" (4,5cm)
http://www.etsy.com/listing/93526029/shadow-box-diorama-frame-le-grand
-Gift No 2: wire tree, light blue copper wire and fuchsia beads by WireMyTree
A small wire tree, perfect for home decoration.
It is the spring version of the "plain windy tree", http://www.etsy.com/listing/45245511/wire-tree-silver-plated-copper-wire
Made out of non-tarnish light blue colored copper wire and fuchsia glass beads.
Number of brunches: 40
Approximate dimensions in cm: 6,5 cm x 7 cm (2,5 in x 2,75 in)
http://www.etsy.com/listing/97220927/wire-tree-light-blue-copper-wire-and?ref=usr_faveitems
- Gift No 3: ceramic parrot couple miniatures by haveakookie
a cute couple of parrots.
one for you and one to give to your love!
or be selfish and keep them just for you ;)
-
parrots width is 2,5 cm & height 2 cm.
-
i made them with white clay, colored them & glazed them.
they are baked in a kiln.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/111844775/ceramic-parrot-couple-miniatures
- Gift No 4: Blue clay key by FishesMakeWishesHome
Handmade clay key painted blue. Shaped like a vintage skeleton key I sanded it creating a textured surface with scratches and painted it blue. The color is not uniform but looks more like watercolor paint.
size: 8 cm (3.14 in) length, 0.5 cm (0.19) thick
http://www.etsy.com/listing/109359489/blue-clay-key-handmade-skeleton-key
- Gift No 5: Lucky Charm 2013 by EfZin
A beautiful charm for luck in red , gold and green tones. It is made with gold wood beads , a red star and a charm 2013! Perfect for your Home decor. It will bring you luck!!!
***********************************************************************************
Τελειώσαμε με τις προτάσεις μας για δωράκια για όλους, πρωτότυπα, ξεχωριστά, ιδιαίτερα, οικονομικα που σίγουρα θα αγαπηθούν. Ελπίζω να σας άρεσαν και να το διασκεδάσατε όσο και εγω την ώρα που "εψαχνα να αγοράσω"!
So this is the end for my proposals, for gifts for everyone, gifts that are uncommon, unique, handmade, amazing, economically that will be loved. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I enjoyed my "shopping therapy"!
Καλή συνέχεια και Ευτυχισμένο το 2013!!!!
My best wishes for 2013!!!
Here I am again!!! Due to New Years eve and to sweats and of course due to wonderful experienses with beloved people, I deserted a little bit my blog! But it was about time to be back with another gift guide for Home Decor. Gifts that can be made also after New Years eve and of course despite the season. Creatiuons from my favorites crafters, some of them ceramic or with paper or with wire! But all of them full with imagination!
Ας ξεκινήσουμε:
So let's start:
******************************************
- Gift No 1: Shadow box diorama frame -Le Grand Carnival, by ILaBoom
Two beautiful dancers, the man with the horse, the magician, the woman in the glass and the Mr. front-back! All made of thick paper, printed and laser cut.
In the back there is an old image of a circus tents, while all the other sides are decoupaged with vintage book pages.
Beautiful velvet ribbon is used to frame it and baby pink pom posm are on the top of it. The sign of this "wagon" is printed and laser cut while the wheels are 4 vintage wooden beads.
Measurements:
Height: 5 1/2" (14cm)
Length: 7" (18cm)
Depth: 1 7/10" (4,5cm)
http://www.etsy.com/listing/93526029/shadow-box-diorama-frame-le-grand
-Gift No 2: wire tree, light blue copper wire and fuchsia beads by WireMyTree
A small wire tree, perfect for home decoration.
It is the spring version of the "plain windy tree", http://www.etsy.com/listing/45245511/wire-tree-silver-plated-copper-wire
Made out of non-tarnish light blue colored copper wire and fuchsia glass beads.
Number of brunches: 40
Approximate dimensions in cm: 6,5 cm x 7 cm (2,5 in x 2,75 in)
http://www.etsy.com/listing/97220927/wire-tree-light-blue-copper-wire-and?ref=usr_faveitems
- Gift No 3: ceramic parrot couple miniatures by haveakookie
a cute couple of parrots.
one for you and one to give to your love!
or be selfish and keep them just for you ;)
-
parrots width is 2,5 cm & height 2 cm.
-
i made them with white clay, colored them & glazed them.
they are baked in a kiln.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/111844775/ceramic-parrot-couple-miniatures
- Gift No 4: Blue clay key by FishesMakeWishesHome
Handmade clay key painted blue. Shaped like a vintage skeleton key I sanded it creating a textured surface with scratches and painted it blue. The color is not uniform but looks more like watercolor paint.
size: 8 cm (3.14 in) length, 0.5 cm (0.19) thick
http://www.etsy.com/listing/109359489/blue-clay-key-handmade-skeleton-key
- Gift No 5: Lucky Charm 2013 by EfZin
A beautiful charm for luck in red , gold and green tones. It is made with gold wood beads , a red star and a charm 2013! Perfect for your Home decor. It will bring you luck!!!
***********************************************************************************
Τελειώσαμε με τις προτάσεις μας για δωράκια για όλους, πρωτότυπα, ξεχωριστά, ιδιαίτερα, οικονομικα που σίγουρα θα αγαπηθούν. Ελπίζω να σας άρεσαν και να το διασκεδάσατε όσο και εγω την ώρα που "εψαχνα να αγοράσω"!
So this is the end for my proposals, for gifts for everyone, gifts that are uncommon, unique, handmade, amazing, economically that will be loved. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I enjoyed my "shopping therapy"!
Καλή συνέχεια και Ευτυχισμένο το 2013!!!!
My best wishes for 2013!!!
It was a great surprise and at the same time honor to be this week's featured shop in the On Fire For Handmade treasury Challenge!
Too many collections have been created with EfZin creations and to be honest, I loved them all. So many colors, different styles and themes, full of fantasy and love!
I wanna thank all the curators that featured EfZin creations in their adorable collection! Thank you, I am honored!
Today the contest finished and the winner has been chosen... theYarnKitchen with her amazing collection "Sweet chocolate"
There are many beautiful collections and all of them unique, in the team's blog
"Treasury Challenge #82"
Thank you all!
Too many collections have been created with EfZin creations and to be honest, I loved them all. So many colors, different styles and themes, full of fantasy and love!
I wanna thank all the curators that featured EfZin creations in their adorable collection! Thank you, I am honored!
Today the contest finished and the winner has been chosen... theYarnKitchen with her amazing collection "Sweet chocolate"
There are many beautiful collections and all of them unique, in the team's blog
"Treasury Challenge #82"
Thank you all!
It was a great surprise when I received the ETSY Success Newsletter yesterday.
https://www.etsy.com/mailinglist/email/d1NCWHRISWZuSm5pb3JtYXc4UXlGL1doQ1hPQWVTNmRvNzZmK3g0TEVzYz0uLjEzNTcyNTAxNzU=
An EfZin necklace was featured!!!! this was a great honor!!!
The reason for that was the amazing treasury that Triada created "Lucky 2013" .
Thank you Triada!!!! 2013 is really a lucky year!
https://www.etsy.com/mailinglist/email/d1NCWHRISWZuSm5pb3JtYXc4UXlGL1doQ1hPQWVTNmRvNzZmK3g0TEVzYz0uLjEzNTcyNTAxNzU=
An EfZin necklace was featured!!!! this was a great honor!!!
The reason for that was the amazing treasury that Triada created "Lucky 2013" .
Thank you Triada!!!! 2013 is really a lucky year!