Katrinshine and Anna True Fairy Giveway

Do you choose handmade, fair trade gifts for your loved ones – friend, child, mom? We are crafters and we all love handmade items and that’s why we are so excited to announce a special giveaway right before the Holidays!

HOW CAN YOU ENTER?
See rules here on a Katrinshine Facebook page 

At the end we will choose a winner who will receive these wonderful gifts from me and Anna. Total amount of prizes is 64$ !!!

https://www.facebook.com/katrinshineshop/photos/a.1771802052958280.1073741828.1770560173082468/2071191526352663/?type=3

Giveaway Dates: Nov 10 – Nov 20

Giveaway is opened worldwide!!

All entries will be verified (Fb account you use for participate must be real with information about a person, photos etc) and a winner will be chosen.

Chance to win a prize!

Take a look in our shops:
Anna shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/CreationsOfTrueFairy
Katrin shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/katrinshine

CousCous with vegetables and shrimps recipe

I love couscous and I almost always order it in restaurant. Do you know why? Because I like the consistence, when I make it at home it never came in the same as in restaurant. Of course, there are restaurants where they don't know how to cook couecous, but it is rather an exception) 
The idea to cook couscous in moroccan way home I had in mind for a long time, so long ago I took up the study of materials on this subject on the Internet. And you know what? Today I made perfect couscous, like in moroccan restaurant)) That's why I decided to share with you the secret I found. Of course, this complicates a little a process, but believe me,the result worth it.

So our ingredients for a couple of servings:

• couscous, a glass
• onion
• carrot
• celery
• garlic
• Bell pepper
• fresh or frozen green peas
• frozen peeled shrimps
• pepper
• salt
• olive oil
• butter (optional)

You can take different vegetables, as well as the proportion of vegetables, the only thing - don-t use tomatoes. You can put a leek instead of onion. I think it all depends on your personal taste and what is available at home. By the way, if you don?t put shrimps this will be a vegetarian couscous.

A traditional Moroccan pot features a large base (called either a barma, gdra or tanjra) for stewing meats and vegetables, and a steamer basket (kesskess) which fits snugly atop the pot for steaming couscous, rice or even vermicelli (seffa).
Couscous is traditionally steamed three times over a rapidly simmering stew. Steaming the couscous makes each grain plump and tender without being wet, and therefore better suited for absorbing the tasty broth from the stew.

I divided a process in two parts. The first part and the second should be getting ready at the same time, you can start preparing the vegetables a little later then couscous.

The first part - the couscous.

So, for my adapted version without Bormio you need colander or stainer and the pan where the colander you can place well over. You can place damp tea towel or a piece of fabric in colander  (so couscous don't go down) You can also use a double boiler, but I have not tried it. Put the water in a pan, but better to use vegetable broth and boil it. While the broth is boiling, place the couscous in a bowl and pour a little water and just few drops of oil. Toss, rub and stir the couscous with your hands to distribute the oil and water. The oil helps prevent clumping, allowing each grain of couscous to remain separate as it steams.

When couscous absorbs water, transfer it in a double boiler or in a colander over a broth.  The first steaming is finished when vapor rises through the couscous. At that point, dump out the couscous into a very large shallow bowl or a roasting pan, breaking up clumps with a spoon to release heat. 

When the couscous has cool enough to handle, rub the granules to aerate and separate them. Put couscous in colander and repeat like first time leaving it over boiling broth for some minutes (totally repeat 3-4 times).
I will take the couscous with fire for the last time, immediately add to it a some salt (if you didn't added it into the broth), 2 tablespoons of olive oil and butter. Or without butter. 

The second part - vegetables

We will cut all the vegetables into small pieces. Garlic is optional, you can fry a whole clove and remove it, mince it and put with vegetables. I fried and then removed the garlic. Then put the onions, then carrots, then you can add the remaining vegetables, and after 5 minutes add the shrimps. Let stew for 5-7 minutes on low heat, covered.

 

When the couscous is ready and vegetables, too, put the couscous in vegetables, stir and cover the pan for 5 minutes to give him a time to tasty.

That is what we have - a tasty and healthy dish, also suitable for diets.

New t-shirt collection - for men

For a long time I had this idea in my mind but always was something that disrupt me. Finally!!! I made it! Today I present you my new line of mens t-shrts decorated with vintage crochet doilies. All t-shirts has unique design, made from cotton and comfortable to wear

Dark blue Men's Shirt with vintage crochet applique - Size M

Mint green Men's Shirt with vintage crochet applique - Size S-M

Coral pink Men's Shirt with vintage crochet applique - Size M

Green Men's Shirt with vintage crochet applique - Size S

Take the occasion - Birthday SALE 50% OFF for all vintage doilies

13of July is my Birthday and I can’t believe I’ll be 36. Where does the time go?
I decided to make a big SALE in my Crochet Vintage Treasuries Etsy  Shop 

That means any vintage crochet doily or crochet centerpiece is on sale just for you! So if you’ve been eyeing something up, now is the time to grab it.

50% OFF 

JUST 13 July only!!!

USE COUPON CODE - 

BIRTHDAYSALE50 !!! 

Hooray!

Check out what is available in my Etsy shop

How To Dress Like An Italian - 8 tips

The Italians are famous for their sense of style, their inimitable fashion taste and the quality of their designer clothing. They have the ability always, under any circumstances, be dressed in such a way that they want to be. Why are Italians still considered the best dressed men in the world? Italian men fuse the best of the two; blending contemporary colours, prints and textures with timeless silhouettes and details. 

 For a long time I'm living in Italy, but since my arrive I wonder the style of Italian men. Even the boys of 10-12 years old, going on the friend birth, chooses carefully every piece of clothes and always create something special with hair :) :) 

My husband is a lawyer, in court, in theory, there should be a strict dress code, but Italians make out to look stylish. Sometimes a jacket and trousers have different color - this is called spezzare. Or he will put an interesting tie,  knitted for excample.
The choice of shoes is very important too.

Anyway, I decided to write a few tips to understand what it means to feel, and dress, like an Italian, what is their secret? Many of these points, in fact, belong to women's fashion too.

Italian men are very self-confident. They do not even admit that may look bad, or at least "not very good" (and they certainly do not). This confidence is literally seen through in everything they do. Gait, gestures, facial expressions, speech, posture - looking at them, you can never say that these people shy or afraid of something. They are not afraid to be bright, to experiment, to mix. Often, they allow themselves to wear what a German or a Frenchman would never have dared. They just know how to do it very skillfully and naturally. Largely thanks to this courage and love to experiment Italian men are almost always look elegant and unusual. However, they always feel the thin line beyond which begin the absurdity and lack of taste.

It is unlikely that someone from other countries of the World can match with the Italians in their boundless love for accessories. Glasses, scarves, belts, hats, caps, watches, cufflinks, bags, gloves. If the streets of Rome, Naples, Milan, or any city in Italy, you will meet a man without at least a pair of these accessories, be sure it will be a tourist.

1. Scarf

Italians usually have a lot of scarves. It's popular accessory and people wear them day and night, winter and summer, with a suit or sports jacket. Italians from childhood study the ability to wear scarves with nonchalance, tie a scarf  in 2 minutes in way that it will look like a modern replacement for the princely mantle.

Selecting a scarf, you need to know how and with what clothes you can wear one or another type of scarf. For example, a long narrow scarf can casually throw around the neck. It will perfectly complement the classic business coat. Thin cashmere scarves are perfect for the suit. Not bad in this case, knitted scarf too. Monochrome and colorful knitted scarves are the perfect accessory when used with a sweater or jacket.

2. Shoes - a visiting card of a man.

 If a man has only one shoe, they quickly will be ruined.  If the shoe do not fit the style, they will automatically look cheaper than they are. The Italians are paying great attention to the shoes. It must be made from natural material (leather, suede) necessarily have to be of good quality.

3. Sunglasses

Details make the image, so the Italians, both men and women, usually have at home many sunglasses and choose one with great care to fit clothes on the basis of color and overall style. Wearing sunglasses at night or indoors - not mauvais ton, but only if the sunglasses are the part of your image.

Picking up of a sunglasses should be based on the traits of the face. Better take ones from well known label, a "left" sunglasses is not only spoil the looks, but also damage the sight.

You have myopia and need to wear corrective glasses? Here, too, there is a huge choice and Italians choose them with even greater care. Forget "wonk" and "barnacled" just because you worn glasses in the school time - is the classy accessory in Italy and element of the style.

4. The art of sprezzatura

In Italian there is a term sprezzatura, I can translate like STUDIED CARELESSNESS, an appearance of effortlessness. It's a way a man dresses and looks good without looking like he tried too hard. Wore the tie askew, with the skinny end hanging longer than the wide end. Wore  a rumpled scarf, It would seem accidental. Managed bed heads, jackets thrown on “with a lot of care”, loafers without socks, monotones with one single item of clothing in an offset color, mismatched pocket square and neck tie. All of this, you got that right, Sprezzatura. 

 5. Hairstyle

Italian men usually have fleecy hair, and rarely have short hairstyles. They are not afraid to dye hair or make highlights, use styling gel. In general they follow the trends of hairstyles. However, even if you happen to be bald - it's not a problem, because you still have a beard and mustache)) 

6. Slim Shirt

Italian wears slim shirt to work, on a picnic, for a shopping or lunch in a nearby coffee bar. Shirts are weared flowing or not, and pattern or color can be whichever, even with flowers. The most popular color for the shirt under the suit - light blue in evrery variation. But most importantly - the fit! It's usually slim fit with darts. Men often order shirts in specialty stores where you can select the model and fabric, and the tailor sew a shirt according to your measurements.

Very often, the Italians roll up shirt sleeves. Very elegant gesture to come to work or to negotiate, take off your jacket, unbutton the sleeves, a few minutes waving hands (do not forget about the active gestures!), and sleeves, and then roll up them with elegant movement. Voila :)

7. Layering, or like I call it - to dress like a "cabbage"

IT is creating a sense of depth with clever layering. Italian men won't think twice about wearing a classic shirt beneath a knitted overshirt, beneath a vest, beneath a blazer, beneath an overcoat
Layering means that when you look at yourself, you can simultaneously see all the clothes that you are wearing, except, perhaps, underwear. The more elements in your outfit, the more it is used in colors, textures and patterns.

8. Quality sweater of fine wool or cotton for a fresh weather.

The classic version - sweater, slim shirt with unbuttoned the first button and the scarf. It can also be buttoned cardigan. My husband almost always wear shirt and thin sweater in office, if he have not go to court. Over it it's often weared a casual jacket or something like it. When it gets warm, you can simply remove the sweater and tie it on the shoulders.

I hope my tips will help you :)