Hand embroidered accessories by Galaborn

I'm sure many of us own one or two hand embroidered pillows or wall decorations inherited from our grand mothers. Often times hand embroidery brings memories of the past and something old fashioned. However, nowadays hand embroidery got a new twist. A few very talented and creative artists made hand embroidery fashionable again. One of them is Gala of Galaborn who lives in São Paulo, Brazil.



Could you tell us a bit about yourself?

I'm originally from Russia. Some time ago I moved to Brazil with my husband and that changed my life completely. I feel like I belong to the whole world now and can pretty much live in any place. I started my on-line shop a few years ago. Having an on-line shop gives me a lot of flexibility. I can plan my own day and yet I'm able to do something I really love.



How did you start?

I started with making gifts for my friends and family. People I know really loved my items and started ordering not only small hand embroidered accessories but home decoration pieces as well. The word spread around and before I knew it I was hand embroidering items for my clients. The time has come to open my own shop. I believe that each piece should not only be beautiful but unique. It has to have its own character and style. I've graduated from an art and design school in Russia and my training helps me a lot.



What inspires you?

Folk ornaments and crafts inspire me a lot. Sometimes my friends come up with a new idea and share it with me. I very much love what I do and this positive attitude somehow makes me very creative and productive. I know that eventually every piece will find its owner and will be mailed to a place far away.



I really like to work with natural fabrics and yarns like cotton and linen. They are so great to work with. They basically radiate positive energy and are a real thing. Most of my embroidery is done on thick cotton by cotton threads. I try to use only natural and eco friendly supplies. My buttons are made of wood or coconut shell. They have unique designs and shapes as I pay a lot of attention to details. I very much believe in handmade and in every item being totally unique and special.

Giveaway Red Ornament Balls Christmas decoration

I'm hosting my new giveaway. One lucky giveaway participant selected by a random number generator will win a set of eight hand felted red ornament balls of different sizes. Each red felted ball has a thread and could be an ideal Christmas tree decoration. To read more about hand felted Christmas balls please go to my CityCrochet shop.



The giveaway's last day is Tuesday, December 11th.

To enter: Please visit my CityCrochet shop and leave a comment below about any item(s) you really like. Don't forget to leave your contact information (e-mail address, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) so I can contact you in case you win. Your info will NEVER be used for any other purposes!!!

Extra entries: Please leave one separate comment for each extra entry following the instructions below.

Open to US and Canada only. Winner will be chosen by online random generator. The winner has 3 days to reply or another winner will be chosen.

Good luck!:)

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Greeting cards embroidered and cross stitched by AleksandraRoo

As the holiday season is approaching we will be looking for greeting cards for our friends and family members. There are great artists out there who hand embroider and cross stitch greeting cards turning them into art objects. One of the amazing greeting cards' artist is Aleksandra of AleksandraRoo.



Could you please tell us a bit about yourself?
Originally I am from Russia, but today I live in a beautiful American city Pittsburgh (go Steelers!) with my husband Buzz and our precious Maltese Chewy. Me and my husband met 4 years ago and since then I couldn’t imagine my life without him – I had to travel half way around the world to find my best friend and my love. I am an Early Education teacher by day (I convert terrible twos into little individuals), and a craftoholic by night.



How did you start?
There was a time when I had 24 hours a day to myself. I wasn’t able to work nor go to school at that time, so I decided I will teach myself graphic software, something that I was – and still am – so passionate about (my dream was to make 2D animation films). I learned Photoshop and Illustrator, and was fascinated by what you can do with colors. I think my love for crafts started just then. I found myself crocheting, making wire jewelry, quilling, scrapbooking, cross stitching, sewing (you name it, I’ve done it). I think I’ve found a creative volcano inside me that was waiting to erupt. I couldn’t decide on what to focus my attention, so I kept on going. 4 years later I find that the best creations I make are the ones that combine two different crafts in one finished product.



What are your main sources of inspiration?
Minimalism has been my very early inspiration (thanks to my older brother Vladimir). I love being able to send a strong message by using only few (yet enough) elements in my cards. I often like to use a single element and let one’s imagination do the rest. Being an Early Education teacher I know how important it is not to give away all the secrets at once and let children figure out the rest – something that a grown up definitely can benefit from, as well.
My two year old friends are my great source of inspiration also: genuine, honest, and joyful. I can not create anything but greeting cards filled with happiness.

Along with my minimalistic nature, I am an extreme perfectionist. I constantly try to have my finished products looking polished, clean, and simply perfect. If something doesn’t look right, I start from the beginning. I am very harsh on myself when it comes down to my crafting (and everything else, really). But I know one thing - it all worth the time.

Giveaway white felted acorns Christmas ornament

I'm hosting my new giveaway. One lucky giveaway participant selected by a random number generator will win a set of five hand felted white acorns with real acorn tops. Each acorn has a thread and could be an ideal Christmas tree ornament. To read more about acorns please go to my CityCrochet shop.



The giveaway ends on Friday, November 2nd. The winner will be announced on Monday, November 5th.

To enter: Please visit my CityCrochet shop and leave a comment below about any item(s) you really like. Don't forget to leave your contact information (e-mail address, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest) so I can contact you in case you win. Your info will NEVER be used for any other purposes!!!

Extra entries: Please leave one separate comment for each extra entry following the instructions below.

Open to US and Canada only. Winner will be chosen by online random generator. Winner will be notified by Monday, November 5th and will have 3 days to reply or another winner will be chosen.

Good luck!:)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

DIY How to make a Christmas tree decoration

It's about time to start thinking about Christmas gifts and home decoration ideas. If you plan on having a Christmas tree it's a great time to make an ornament for your tree with your own hands. It will be a small gift for your Christmas tree. I hand felt home decoration items and am happy to share how to create a simple Christmas tree ornament.



You will need a plastic ball and felting wool of different colors. For felting you will need plastic wrap paper, water and soap. To complete your ornament you will need a needle and a thread.



To make the ornament cover the plastic ball with layers of white felting wool. Make a pattern you wish to have on the ball by adding small pieces of dyed wool here and there. Colors that work well for Christmas include red, green, brown. Once your wool is layered wet the ball with soapy water and cover with plastic wrap.



Start felting by pressing and caressing the wrapped ball. Be careful not to mess up the original pattern. You will always be able to fix it at the early stages of felting before the wool felts completely. Add water and soap if needed. Continue felting until the wool attaches well to the ball and all the design details are firmly felted in.



Rinse the ball in fresh water and gently squeeze the ball to get rid of extra water. Let it dry overnight. Once your ball is nice and dry attach a thread to the ball. You can glue the thread or if you want it to be more eco friendly make a whole in the ball to let the thread through. Thus, you won't need to use any glue.

Happy crafting!

Hand embroidered jewelry by Skrynka

Many countries have deeply routed traditions of folk music, art and dance. It's amazing to look into how people used to live centuries ago and how they tried to make their lives bright and beautiful by decorating their homes with traditional ornaments. I find Eastern European folk art quite unique and inspiring. I've recently come across a fantastic artist Natalka of Skrynka who creates distinctive and beautiful hand embroidered and cross stitched jewelry and home decor pieces.



Could you please tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Natalka. I live in Ukraine. I've been sewing, knitting and hand making items since I was a child. However, embroidery is my main passion. I may occasionally fall in love with a different technique or fiber but I always come back to my main obsession which is embroidery and cross stitching.

I'm a mom of a 2 years old and try to share time between my family and my business of making folk inspired jewelry. I dream about developing my business into something feasible one day. I would love to travel, see the world together with my family or even move to a place next to the sea. It's all in the plans for now. I hope one day I'll be able to combine my dreams and aspirations with my business and family life.



How did you start?

I started embroidering and cross stitching when I was a small child. I used to embroider large images but my true passion was always unique Ukrainian folk ornaments and patterns. I dreamed about combining folk embroidery with contemporary art and craft.
Soon after I had my son I decided it's time to turn my hobby into a business. I started making cross stitched jewelry and home decor items. Most importantly people like what I create. It's such a great pleasure to make items that actually inspire other people and make them happy.



What are your main sources of inspiration?

My main source of inspiration is traditional Ukrainian ornaments and patterns. I collect pictures of old traditional folk dresses such as blouses, skirts, festive towels, etc. I often visit our local museum of ornamental and folk art. I also collect books about old and traditional home decorations, designs and Ukrainian medieval clothes.

Each region has its own distinctive patterns and colors. I've noticed that nations living on different continents sometimes have somewhat similar ornaments and patterns. I keep finding similarities between Ukrainian folk embroidery and embroidery of native Americans and Mexicans.



What fibers do you work with?

I mostly work with natural and eco friendly fibers. I prefer to work with linen fabrics, wool felt and rarely with eco-friendly manufactured felt. To create my jewelry pieces I use lead-free and nickel-free jewelry making supplies. I take it seriously and have an equipment set up at home to check levels of different metals in my supplies. It's always better to double-check suppliers and make sure items I use for jewelry making are lead and nickel free. I myself have very sensitive ears and, thus, always use only non-sensitizing ear hooks for my earrings.



Our planet is suffering from over development and over use. I believe that we should all be concerned about the future of our planet. Even small improvements we could do to make our life more eco-friendly will benefit our planet and us as a result. I strongly believe that by buying hand made items people not only get high quality and unique things made with love but help individual artists and their families to keep their creative process alife. It makes a big difference for everyone!

Unique and beautiful paper art by Anatoly Vorobyev

Paper is a unique material. It’s fragile, delicate on one hand and flexible, versatile on the other hand. Art pieces made of paper look timeless and amazingly beautiful. I’ve recently came across a unique artist Anatoly Vorobyev who works with paper and creates one of a kind paper cut silhouettes, shadow boxes and art paper cutouts. His art work is so beautiful and exclusive that I couldn’t resist posting an interview with Anatoly on my blog.



Q: How have you started your paper cutout adventure?

I first developed an interest in making origami and modular paper sculptures in 2009. Later I’ve switched to paper cutouts. It’s an ancient technique that has been known for centuries. Over time many nations have developed their own unique styles and approaches to working with paper. I’ve got so fascinated by the possibilities provided by a simple sheet of paper. We often associate paper with books and publishing and rarely think about it as an art object.



Q: What amazes you in the process of cutting paper?

I love to combine traditional styles and techniques creating something completely new and unique. It’s such a joy to see how step by step a plain and pure piece of paper is turning into an art object. I like to experiment, mix and try something new. Every step of the process is aesthetically very rewarding be it drawing a silhouette or cutting a piece of paper.



Q: What are sources of inspiration?

I spend a lot of time outside and nature is my major source of inspiration. Plants, birds, animals make me thing about my future designs. Folk ornaments, vintage lace, mythological creatures and characters of favorite books, music, movies are great sources of inspiration as well.

When I see an interesting ornament or a unique pattern I start thinking about paper and how this object could be turned into a paper cutout or a shadow box.

Anatoly, thank you for sharing!

Ginkgo hand felted yellow leaf brooch

Ginkgo tree is an amazing plant. It is a true living fossil which means that its fossils date back 270 million years. The plant survived all major planet Earth's cataclysms and extinction events. At some point of its history Ginkgo trees were widespread all over our planet. In our times they have long been cultivated in Asia where its seeds are widely used in local cuisine.

Ginkgo leaves are of a very peculiar shape. They look like fans with veins pointing towards an edge of a leaf. During the summer leaves are of a regular green color but in the fall leaves turn canary yellow making Ginkgo trees excellent ornamental yard and street plants.

Ginkgo leaves have long been used in medicine. Some studies suggest that extracts of Ginkgo leaves improve blood flow and enhance memory. Seeds of Ginkgo trees are considered by some Asian nations to have aphrodisiac properties and are sometimes offered at special occasions such as Chinese New Year or weddings.

A unique shape and bright yellow color of Ginkgo leaves in the fall are very inspirational. I always wanted to create a brooch that would remind me of these canary yellow fans. There is something really ancient and pre-historic in the way these beautiful leaves look.

According to The Sibley Guide to Trees "four Ginkgo trees about a mile from the 1945 atomic blast at Hiroshima, Japan, were among the very few living things that survived, and soon regained their full health".

Bright canary brooch hand crocheted from jude

I'm currently experimenting with different materials and techniques. The new material I recently discovered is jute which is a yarn made of natural and vegetable fibers. It's pretty sturdy and rough but looks great when combined with elegant and light lace or soft and cozy wool.

The neutral color of jute works well with bright and vivid yellow, orange and blue colors. The brooch I created is an ideal accessory for spring and summer so I'll definitely keep experimenting with combining jute with other materials.

How to hand dye a flower felted brooch

I continue experimenting with hand dyeing and food coloring. The results are always beautiful and rewarding. To hand dye a felted wool brooch we will need one pack of KoolAid or a similar powder and white hand felted brooch layers. You can read about creating hand felted brooches in my post on How to make felted wool flower brooch
To prepare coloring I mix one tea spoon of powder with a little bit of water in a plastic container. It sometimes makes sense to prepare a few containers with slightly different coloring. You may go with strawberry and cherry for example.

When the coloring solution is ready gently apply color to each layer of the brooch puring it from a tea spoon. I usually start in the middle leaving the edges of the layer intact. It makes sense to use a plastic tray to protect your surfaces and the coloring is quite intense. When all three layers are dyed it's time to put them into a microwave. I normally microwave the whole set for a few minutes. The goal is not to burn the wool. Microwaving helps the wool to absorb the dye. The color will now stay on the fiber.

When the layers are ready I let them dry over night. With hand dyeing one has so much freedom! It's up to you how to apply the color and where to apply it. One can make the brooch bright and vivid by applying concentrated coloring or pale and light by applying just a few drops of color.
The final stage of our process is to actually assmeble the brooch. You can use a hand felted bead, a button or a glass bead to attach in the missle of the brooch. I personally like large felted beads as they make my brooches look more like flowers!

I will definitely continue experimenting with food coloring. My next project is to start mixing different colors! Stay tuned!

Felted flower brooch in peach orange

I continue experimenting with coloring. My favorite coloring solution these days is KoolAid that comes in a few bright colors. I've created my flower brooch hand felting white wool and coloring it with orange KoolAid. The color is very intense and beautiful! Because I color every layer of the brooch separately I can control the process and apply as much color as I think is necessary for each layer. The idea is to apply maximum color to the center of each layer leaving the edges uncolored. It adds volume to the flower and makes every brooch look different and unique. On top of that the brooch smells of oranges and makes me think of spring and summer!

Hand felted scarlet heart for Valentines

There are so many decoration and ornamental items one could create of wool. Hand felting is a very creative and rewarding process. I came up with an idea of hand felting a set of bright red and scarlet wool hearts that could be used as a home decoration or a Valentines Day gift to a friend, class mate, colleague or someone truly special. Each heart has a thread and you can hang it next to your computer at your office or next to a fireplace at home. Let's celebrate February and Valentine's Day!

Felted brooch in robin egg blue

I hand felted this flower brooch in a shade of robin egg blue, sky, green and white. Those are perfect winter colors that will cheer us up during monochrome days of winter.
For me blue is a color of magic and fairy tales. It is airy and light and has some mystery to it. Blue will go well with pretty much any dress and outfit. It's such an appreciative color!

Red Berry hand felted brooch

Brooches are excellent for adding color and style for one's outfits. A bright brooch can completely change the way a dress or a suit looks. Red, raspberry and cranberry colors and hues work especially well with pretty much any attire. Even the outdoor clothing can be decorated with a pin. Just think about a brown or charcoal grey coat with a bright red pin attached to it. It will look so much better!

I always wear all my brooches and that's much fun as people always pay attention and take a notice. With a unique and beautiful brooch one will always stand out from the crowd.

Hand felted wool flower brooches

I discovered a few really cute buttons in a store and bought them without any particular purpose. They were so lovely that I just desperately wanted to attach them somewhere. Finally I found a place that fits them perfectly. Hand felted flower brooches with multiple layers of felt in different colors look nice with a large vivid spot in the middle. That's where my buttons belong from now on.
The key is to match the color of a button with a color of the felt flower. It's hard to find nice looking buttons but relativery easy to buy wool of diffferent colors and types. So here is the rule: Start with the button!

Chocolate raspberry felted brooches as Christmas gifts

For me Christmas season colors are white color of snow, red color of holly berries, green color of pine trees and brown color of trees' branches. The combination of brown and white is especially typical for winter. It's always nice to add red and green to make it more colorful! Bright cranberries and holly berries are what we need. Perfectly shaped and small they look fantastic on white snow.
Christmas holidays are approaching and we all start thinking about gifts for our loved ones. I hand felted a few bright red beads and attached them to pieces of wire covered with chocolate brown wool. My creation turned into a brightly colored brooch. Pins and brooches are great gifts as they could be used not only to add color to an outfit but as home decoration and ornament as well. Such a brooch could be hanged either in a kitchen or living room or even an office cubicle. So much for a Christmas gift idea!

Holiday house decoration ideas

Holidays are approaching and we all are about to start decorating our houses. There are millions of ways to do it and tones of ideas how to make our homes cozy and beautiful. Here is one of the house decoration ideas for you to consider.

I've been felting for a while now. Let me tell you that it's quite easy to create felted wool balls. It's a matter of rolling felting wool between your palms occasionally wetting it and adding some soap. When squeezed these felted balls take shapes of ovals and fit perfectly into acorn heads. The result looks super cute. These felted wool acorns will last forever unlike real acorns! They could be of different colors and sizes. One can hang it on a Christmas tree, next to a computer, on a book shelf or just put them next to his or her bed.
A good idea is to decorate a holiday table with bowls of felted wool acorns as a tribute to all natural and eco-friendly. For a romantic dinner one can always hang acorns on a beautiful tree branch in a vase, lit a few candles and voila you've got a perfect date!

There are so many ways how wool felted acorns could decorate your house! Just use your imagination and you will add uniqueness and style to your sweet home!