Ready for Christmas!!

Some of my favourite Christmas tree decoration: the snowman, happy and bright, and the decoration I crocheted las year. I'm looking forward to see my little boy finding his gifts under the tree for the first time!

The city I live in

One of my favourite sight of the city I live in: Palazzo della Ragione, a medieval building that is one of the thousand wonders in Italy.

Just amazing!

Plants + bamboo shades

I love the effect of this combination!

Fall beauty

The gorgeous yellow background of the leaves in fall makes a stunning effect in those pics I took a couple of years ago. Here my schulumbergera was 'ready to pop'.... see here below the beauty of its flowers few weeks later:

Stunning pink flowers, a powerfull spot of color in the cold season...unluckily the golden leaves were already gone!

Kitchen still lifes

There's a wonderful light in this period of the year coming throgh my kitchen window, and I tried to chatch it yesterday, taking a some pics. Here's what it came out:

Fruit basket 'Scirocco' by Alessi: a wedding gift I enjoy so much!

Hand embroidered burlap bag from Ortigia market I bought during our visit in Siracusa, Sicily.
I hung it in the kitchen as a bag holder 

Another wedding gift I enjoied a lot: ceramic cake stand (it has also the glass cover).
On the stand I like to display this awesome cake-candle that also smells good!

Still-living room

I found this old pic shot more than 5 years ago and I share it as I love the soft light caming into the room. My living room changed drastically since then, toghether with my life. And I cannot be happier for the improvements my life and my living room got in the latest years...

Artefiera 2013 - Padova

I'd like to share some pics I took at Artefiera, an art fair I attended with my family during last weekend.
It is a small exhibition in which you can find really interesting artworks, both made by famous artists and by new ones.
Here you are what chatched my eyes:

My son Matteo enjoyed this sculpture too!

Gianluca Chiodi

Maurizio Galimberti

Maurizio Bottoni

Paolo Staccioli

Kin Young Won

Alberto De Braud

Cesare Berlingeri

Raffaele Rossi

Flower, dew and ant

Today it's rainy and windy outside....I need pics with bright colors and sunshine!

This is a macro I shot in calabria, few years ago, hope you enjoy!

Tuscany

Last weekend we went to meet my housband's parents in Tuscany. We had lunch with firends in a small town called Scorgiano. It is the kind of place I use to name ''the middle of nowere''. Amazing food and charming Italian ''old style'' buildings and signs, like this one. 

For the first time a tresaury of mine reached Etsy front page!!!

Thanks to all the beautiful items featured in this treasury: you made it to the front page!! Amazing!

Perfect packaging

I've been to Tokyo in 2007, and since then I'm waiting to travel there again.
I love the perfection that Japanese people try to reach in any detail. They also have an aesthetic sense that drives me creazy: simple, elegant, balanced and, at the end, eye catching.
Packaging in this picture is an exaple of what I mean.

Friday I'm in love!

I don't care if Monday's blue 

Tuesday's grey and Wednesday too 

Thursday I don't care about you 

It's Friday I'm in love 

Monday you can fall apart 

Tuesday Wednesday break my heart 

Thursday doesn't even start 

It's Friday I'm in love 

Saturday wait 

And Sunday always comes too late 

But Friday never hesitate... 

I don't care if Mondays black 

Tuesday Wednesday heart attack 

Thursday never looking back 

It's Friday I'm in love 

Monday you can hold your head 

Tuesday Wednesday stay in bed 

Or Thursday watch the walls instead 

It's Friday I'm in love 

Saturday wait 

And Sunday always comes too late 

But Friday never hesitate... 

Dressed up to the eyes 

It's a wonderful surprise 

To see your shoes and your spirits rise 

Throwing out your frown 

And just smiling at the sound 

And as sleek as a shriek 

Spinning round and round 

Always take a big bite 

It's such a gorgeous sight 

To see you eat in the middle of the night 

You can never get enough 

Enough of this stuff 

It's Friday 

I'm in love

Amazing Villa

This is Villa Foscarini-Rossi on Riviera del Brenta, close to Venice...such a charming pace!

Chicago, my kind of town

I've been there twice, and I wish to be back soon and often... what a charming place!

Windy city I miss you so much!

Stockholm

Hope to visit this beautiful city again, soon!

Bath in a cage

Just a fake bat, looking pefect in my shabby chic cage!

Layers

Purple layers and a yellow cat: perfect combination!

Art & boots

This artwork has been made by federicoalescio.it, I just matched the colors of my boots, I love htis combination!

Tiny handblown glass vase!

new listing in ragnopinolo workshop!

Pacifier holder

My messy braid

Gorgeous entrance

Ortigia, Sicily

Trapped mouse - I've done it myself!

Love the tails:

Here below instruction to create those two lovely mice:

Body:

When working in rounds, do not join rounds. Place stitch marker to mark the beginning of each round.

Rnd 1: Ch 2. Work 4 sc in second ch from hook. (4 sc)

Rnd 2: Work 2 sc in each sc around. (8 sc)

Rnd 3: (Sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc) 4 times around. (12 sc)

Rnd 4:  Sc even around. (12 sc)

Rnd 5: (Sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 3 times around. (15 sc)

Rnd 6 and 7: Sc even around. (15 sc)

Rnd 8: (Sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc) 3 times around. (18 sc)

Rnd 9: Work 2 sc in each of the next 6 sc (12 sc) and then sc in each of the next 12 sc (12 sc), totalling 24 sc in this rnd.  This is the start of the 'hump' of the body.

Rnd 10 to 20: Sc even around. (24 sc)

Stuff polyfill and catnip.

Rnd 21: Decrease -  (Sc in next sc, sc2tog)8 times around. (16 sc)

Stuff more polyfill if necessary.

Rnd 22: (Sc2tog) 8 times around. (8 sc)

Rnd 23: Sc2tog around and pull to close hole.  Do not cut off yarn yet.  Continue to ch 26 for the tail.  Slip stitch back into the entire chain. Now cut the yarn leaving about 6 inches for sewing.  Thread this tail yarn onto a tapestry needle and weave in end, securing the tail in place.

EARS (make 2)

Row 1: Ch 2. Work 3 sc in second ch from hook. (3 sc) Chain 1 and turn.

Row 2: Sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in last sc. (4 sc)  Chain 1 and turn.

Row 3: Sc in first sc, 2 sc in each of the next 2 sc, sc in last sc. (6 sc) 

Fasten off yarn and cut, leaving about 8 inches of yarn for sewing. 

ASSEMBLY:

Please note: The 'hump' of the mousie body should be facing up.

Thread tail yarn of one ear onto a tapestry needle and sew it onto the top of the head, somewhere on rnd 7 or 8 of the body.  Do the same for the other ear. Fasten off yarn and weave in all ends.

Thread a 8 inch length of black/brown yarn onto a tapestry need.   Make a knot at one end of the yarn.  Pinch the face of the mousie to estimate the positions for the eyes.  Form the eyes using french knots.  Fasten off yarn and weave in ends.

The sweetest thing

He's discovering the world, with a wondering smile on his face, grabbing things with his little and strong hands....and I got lost in the love I feel!

Stunning italian coffee tin box, 50s

New amazing ring!

Amber, leather, wood on silver ring

Already missing summer...

Handmade gift for a lovely little girl!