Cristmas gift exchange on Etsy Russian Team Page

Today is Dec 31 and I recieved a gift from my secret Santa! What a great morning news! I got a amazing calendar with views of Tallin, town where I never was but always dream to visit. My Santa was Tanya (CozySeason). Thank you very much for this gift and Happy New Year!!!



Other gift that i recieved from my friend Sveta from Italy is nice vintage angel. It's so charming and already found it place in salotto). Thank you very much Sveta and Happy New Year!!!!

New photos of pink leather brooch with my new cowl

Today I write about new chrocheted cowl that i made. In the begginning of december I made white oversized scarf-cowl. After this I found amazing grey yarn and decided to make other cowl but not so big as the first one.
The pink leather brooch was so beautiful with my new cowl that I make many photos. If you have scarf you can pin this brooch in so may ways! It will be fabulous accessory with any outfit!
Isn't it amazing?

Mustache brooches

Sometimes in this crazy world of mustaches, the blonds don't get as much attention. (Not to be confused it "blonde" by the way...the added "e" makes it feminine!) For obvious reasons we can't grow one, so we can have a nice little brooch to pin up!
Now everyone can have a moustache!

I present these lovely leather mustache brooches: Brown mustache brooch and Ivory mustache brooch. You can wear it anywhere you've got a bit of clothing! These mustache brooches are a unique way to decorate your bag, scarf, or sweater.
Isn't it cute?

My treasury "...For you..." on Etsy Front Page

Merry Christmas to all!
Yesterday my treasury was on Etsy front page! It was a great Christmas gift for me!
I made it from my graphic shop KarisaGraphic and I included Brown leather mustache pendant from my Katrinshine shop. That's why I'm happy twice!!! I decided to called it "...For you..." when I found Christmas Clothespins "For you". This is a stylish treasury in neutral tones: light grey and tan.

Merry Christmas! Buon Natale!

Merry Christmas to all and may all your Christmas wishes come true!

Auguri di Buon Natale e felice Anno Nuovo!

My fabric necklace on Etsy Front Page!

Happy holidays for all!
I'm happy to write that today I was featured on Etsy Front Page in Russian Artists team member treasury collection. "Winter morning" was created by NinasBeadFun in winter tones: iceberg blue, white and grey colors with little splashes of teal and red. She included my Fabric necklace Blue Twilight in this is beautiful collection.
Thank you NinasBeadFun and congrats other featured!

Exploring Puglia - Ceglie Messappica

This Sunday we went to a Christmas dinner with some of our friends. The restorant was near the small town Ceglie Messappica far 40 km from Brindisi, half way between Brindisi and Taranto. This town is not so particular and beautiful as Locorotondo or Alberobello, but it is attractive small town in the countryside with long history. It’s one of the most ancient centres in Puglia. Ceglie Messapica’s history goes back to at least 15 centuries before Christ.

According to legend, the foundation of Ceglie was due to the great people of the Pelasgians, who arrived in Puglia from the East. Following the arrival of Greek colonists in the area, around 700 BC, the city took the name of Kaila. Between IX - VII centuries BC proud and honest people, Messapi built numerous residential centers, fortified with giant walls. It was their military capital It had four lines of walls, the inner one having a perimeter of 5 km. During the Messapi dominion the city prospered and extended remarkably, achieving a population of about 40.000 inhabitants.

When we arrived was a celebration of Carabinieri. This is their this festive form. Beautiful, Is not it?

The center of Ceglie.
Narrow streets.

The city and the country-side is full of restaurant, known and appreciated even outside the borders of Regione Puglia. In one of this we are going now…

My leather shoe clips on Etsy Front Page!

Today I was on Etsy Front Page in treasury collection
Start of the show Treasury Challenge created by lapisbeach. She included my Cream leather shoe clips in this is beautiful collection. What can be more pleasantly then wake up in the morning and see your creation on Etsy Front Page! Thank you lapisbeach and congrats other featured!

My treasury "Silence" on Etsy Front Page

This is a happy month!!! Today my treasury was on Etsy front page again! I made it from my graphic shop KarisaGraphic and I included Brown leather mustache pendant from my Katrinshine shop. That's why I'm happy twice!!!
It was evening when I made this collection. I was tyred and I wanted only silence and rest. That's why I called it "Silence". This is a neutral treasury in light grey and tan tones.

Leather key fobs

I always try to enlarge assortment in my shop. After thinking what can be the next I made two key fobs or keychains: Leather grey key fob and Leather rust key fob.

Looking for an original gift and can not find? Leather key fob - It's a great solution! It will be a great gift!

Leather key fob can be the perfect key organizer keeping your hands free for other things. Or side it on the top edge of your purse, pocket, briefcase or backpack so it's it's perfect little accessory. It's stylish and functional. I made it in neutral colors so it can be perfect gift for anyone carrying keys!
Available in other colors upon request.

Christmas Cactus

After the long time of waiting, finally, my winter flowers are blooming!
Latin’s name: “Zygocactus truncates”. Though, in Russia we are calling those plants “Decabrist”, or “Christmas Cactus”, because at that time of year the plants are blooming naturally. I read that in America they have been called “Thanksgiving Cactus”, or “Christmas Cactus”.
Although, these plants have been called “Cactus”, they are truly different in all aspects from the common desert cactus, which we are all familiar with. They are tropical plants; their habitat requirements are totally different from true cactus’s environment.
I like them, because these plants don’t need much care and they have very beautiful flowers during all winter time.
I have them in two colors: salmon and pink. I don’t know, if you can see the difference on the photos.
I keep them on the balcony.Despite the fact that temperature in November is cold enough, though, Usually I have the “Decabrist” which is always blooming in December.

Maple leaf leather pendant

I made this Maple leaf pendant in October together with Oak leaf leahter pendant, but forgot to write about it. I'm sorry that I hide from you this beauty) For me and many people maple leafs symbolize autumn. In Brindisi, there are a few maples. There are also Mediterranean oaks, but they are evergreen and do not lose their leaves in autumn. And I do not have enough gold autumn...
All my pendands I try to create similar to nature: orange flowers, red poppies, oak leafs... Maybe in future I'll create other leafs or animal pendants? Maybe it will be a fox? Hedgehog?

Exploring Puglia - Valle D'Itria

With this post I'm starting a series of articles about cities and places in Puglia - wonderful region with many traditions and long history.
Yesterday after lunch we decided to make a trip in one fairy place. It called Valle D’Itria. This is a small valley between hills far 50 km from Brindisi. It’s a green stretch of countryside dotted with the famous whitewashed cone-roofed trulli houses. It is officially one of the Borghi piu belli d'Italia, the most beautiful small villages in Italy.


The roof of trulli is made up of stones without a single drop of cement or binder solution. Only last stones and decorative stone on the top attached with cement.
Also in all the south of Puglia you can see such fences of stones:

They also built without a cement but are still in good condition after so long time. The secret is that the stones are carefully selected. And on the top they put the bigger stones which their weight give solidity.
In the center of Valle D’Itria placed Alberobello. Its historic center is under UNESCO protection. But today we had not gone there, I'll tell about this town another time. Today we visited Locorotondo, another beautiful small town in the Valle D’Itria.
Valle D’Itria is famous not only with trulli but also with it’s wine and cheese “Cacciocavallo”. After traveling between vineyards, fields and olives, we arrived there in the evening.
Look, what a beautiful sunset in the midst of the valley:


Christmas is coming and the city started to be decorated with holiday lights:



The valley is located in the hills, so there are always a few degrees colder then in Brindisi and in winter is often snow. Today the temperature is +5 C, but feels colder. You can see the snow:


The historic part of town - the centro storico - is circular and perched on top of a hill. It's a whitewashed maze of little lanes lined with historic buldings, some humble and faded, others retaining rather grand baroque archways and architectural details.


Called, at the origin, "Casal S. Giorgio", its name was changed before in "Casal Rotondo", then in "Luogo Rotondo" and at the end in "Locorotondo". In dialect they call it "U’Curdum"
Locorotondo is in the Guinness because it is the unique town in the world with a name with 5 letters O.

Are you waiting the story about Alberobello?