Felted bead earrings in red

I've recently started experimenting with felted earrings. There are so many things one can do with felted beads of red, brown or any other color. One can create felted balls add a few bright Czech glass or wooden beads and get a vivid pair of earrings.

Those earrings are very light and elegant. They are durable and will never break unlike glass earrings. They are easy to make as well. If it happens so that you lose one of the earrings it's not a big deal. Just make a new felted ball and here you are beautiful and romantic with both earrings swinging in your ears. Everyone will notice! I promise!

Sakura felted berry brooch in cherry and gray

My newest creation is a felted berry brooch in red and gray. The color of the felted beads reminds me of cherry. I was inspired by Sakura Japanese cherry trees in blossom. The brooch in simple and minimalist yet very vivid and eye catching. It has a safe pin attached to its back and can be worn on pretty much any outfit.
The brooch will look perfect on any business suit or a matching dress.

A book about Michael Haneke by Oliver Speck

I first learned about Michael Haneke, an Austrian filmmaker and writer after watching his movie The Piano Teacher a few years ago. It's a very powerful and emotional movie with an excellent performance by a leading European cast.
It turns out one of my German friends who is an assistant professor of German and film studies at VCU has recently wrote a book about Michael Haneke that is now available at Amazon.
It's amazing how everything is interconnected in our modern world and in our lives.

Fresh rose and purple flowers in Richmond, Virginia

As you probably know "Virginia is for lovers". The state is amazingly beautiful in the spring and early summer with all these wonderful fresh rose, purple, pink and white flowers and bushes in bloom all over Richmond, Williamsburg, Charlottesville and all other small and big cities and towns of Virginia. On a rainy day I took my camera for a quick walk around our Fan neighborhood in Richmond.

I found a few amazing rose flowers covered with tiny rain drops, a few purple and white irises in full bloom and many other nice and fresh flowers I had difficulty identifying.

Red roses and irises of all shades of yellow, purple and white are the main flowers in the Fan gardens. I believe people like them for their intensive bloom, exquisite scent and exquisite beauty.

With all these inspiring and fresh flowers blooming around us it's easy to understand why "Virginia is for lovers".