Friday is my day: Heartshaped Creations

Hip hei! Today we will fly back to Greece and meet Maria again, but not same Maria as we met couple of weeks ago. I think there is quite few Marias in Greece ;)

So off to Athens and follow how Maria from HeartshapedCreations.etsy.com
spends her day. She, by the way creates the most cute polymer clay characters and she is open for custom orders too. Lovely (Christmas) gift ideas to your lovelies *wink wink*

Aries Sign memo holder

by: HeartshapedCreations

A Sunny day in Athens

09:10 I’m still snoring under my bed’s covers as my sister is having way too much fun t

aking shots of me while I try to get up :-D

09:45 Hmmm… someone seems to enjoy his sleep a little longer! Meet Leo my Siamese

10:00 Ok! Now that everyone’s up, we’re getting ready to have breakfast.

I can’t say that we are “breakfast people” in my family,

which means that we usually have a very simple breakfast

(I know, not a very good way to start a day).

I usually have some cookies and a cup of coffee (what I usually call: “my fuel”!)

11:00 This is our balcony. I know the view is not the best (except from the flowers!),

but this is one –amongst many- of the drawbacks that living in a big city has.

I wish I could see some trees instead of the grey buildings across the street. Sigh…

11:30 After changing several sleeping spots in the house,

someone finally decided to wake up for good! Yaaaaaawn!

11:45 I head to the library to I check my emails and of course visit Etsy!

Yes, you can tell that I’m very happy when I’m in front of my pc :-D

12:45 Oh my, it’s already noon!

I gotta rush for my daily errands and then head downtown to get supplies.

Fortunately the centre of the city is not very far from my house

(if I don’t get stuck in the traffic that is!).

15:00 Pheww! Finally home! Here are some shots of Athens that I’d like to share with you

Also I found a surprise waiting for me in my room…

I’m super excited it finally arrived!!! Leo is happy as well and claimed the box already! :-D

I just love anything that has to do with fantasy art, fairies and magic. Is it obvious?!

15:30 I’m hungry as a wolf, so I’d better go and eat!

My lunch for today is spinach pie, salad and some olives. Yummy!!!

16:30 One of my favourites parts before I start creating is choosing what music I will be listening to.

This is the kind of music I’m generally fond of

But the music I listen to when crafting is far more different.

I tend to listen to the mesmerising and calming voice of Lorrenna McKennit

or the soothing music of bands like Secret Garden and Artesia.

He, he, he and this is me creating!

20:00 I usually get so caught up with making my little creations, that I don’t know when time passes.

A little pain on my back is the warning that I have to call it a day!

However, it’s the pain of creation so I could say

that it’s the sweetest discomfort I would ever think of! :-D

20:00 I drop by the internet again and snoop around in Etsy

and see what everybody has been up too.

22:00 Now it’s time to have my dinner and watch a dvd if the tv doesn’t have a decent movie

…hmmm which one should I choose?

24:00 Yaaaawn! I think it’s time for me to go to sleep.

Lights are out! Sweet dreams everyone!

Friday is my day: Yasmin Bochi

Today we are lucky ducks again (when we aren't?), we are going to visit Yasmin from Belgium and UK. She creates the most amazing little matryoshka jewellery, barbie shoe jewellery and she gives vintage handbags a totally new life and look by using tapestry doily, lace, handpainting, printing...really creative and the most certainly original! Please do visit her shop yasminbochi.etsy.com

Green and Red Floral Matryoshka Necklace

by: yasminbochi

I wake up around 9.00 in Ascot. Good morning!

I don’t have an alarm so, if I’m lucky enough, it will be thanks to the sun shining on my pillow. A perfect start of the day!

Next, is the coffee. I’ve converted my partner from an English tea drinker into a coffee drinker and both of us grab a steaming cup of Italian caffe latte.

On special occasions and if the weather permits we have a proper breakfast on the sheltered balcony.
The first hours of the day take place around the kitchen counter, where we have our laptop. The flat we are living in is quite small, so no space for a desk. I sit on a bar stool, overlooking a green and relaxing panorama, filled with cute little birds zooming around and the occasional squirrel hopping around.


I check my mail and etsy shop. If I have to send off a parcel or if I’m creating new designs, I move on to the craft room. Also know as the green room (because of the huge green cupboard), the inspiration room, middle room, dining room. This is my favourite spot. It is stuffed with handbags, jewellery and knik-knaks, collected over the years. Here I create my designs, but with a few touches I turn it into a dining room and have my friends and family over for a dinner.



Afternoon. Having quite an irregular lifestyle, as both my partner and I are self employed, we can plan our day as it goes. We both do our missions, but try to combine it with something fun. A bike ride to the post office turns into a ride through Windsor Great Park or a delivery in London ends with a quick visit to Camden Market or the British Museum.

Evening. Another round of e-mail and etsy checking. Then on to Skype to phone my parents and sister in Belgium...these are never short phone calls, being far apart we need to time to get updated with the latest news and even then I quite often forget to mention a lot of things!If there is any time left and I am on my own, I curl up in the sofa and read a book. Everything is quiet and very relaxing.
Dinner time. Moving the laptop out of sight and preparing the kitchen counter for two. I do the cooking, but my partner too has a lot of good ideas for recipes. If only I could make him cook them for me!

I do love cooking and I spend a lot of time looking for recipes or making up my own dishes. I love Mediterranean food and pasta...both of us could have it every day!

Late night. We watch a movie before going to sleep. Historic drama’s or The Tudor series are a favourite. Occasionally we play a video game, trying to beat each other at golf or a scary zombie game. Then I go to bed, reading a few more pages of my book before falling asleep...good night!

Friday is my day: X by Leina neima

Tere! Today we are invited to visit Leina from Estonia. Well we, in European street team, call her Miss X because her etsy shop is called XbyLeinaNeima.etsy.com
She creates beautiful jewelries of felt and polymer clay but my all time favorites are the impossible mission soaps! Brilliant idea! Go and take a peek to her shop and maybe, if you are lucky, you can grab a halloween soap for yourself :)
Have a good friday!

Sunset in the Secret Forest - Necklace -

by: XbyLeinaNeima

TITLE: “Incredibly gray and rainy day with 2 cats, 3 kisses and constant sleepiness…“

CAST: Leina aka Miss X, 2 black cats, Leina’s boyfriend (BF), old country house, bicycle, random ghosts and hearts.

PLACE: small village in Northern Estonia.

******

7.30 OH NO, my phone alarm rings! As I read a book until 03:40 a.m. yesterday - I just ignore it and sleep on. Grzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

8.55 Finally get out from my bed. Once again later than I planned. As always I feel like zombie in the morning.

8.59 – time for goodbye-kiss to my dear BF who leaves to his workplace.

Before leaving home he opens hallway’s door and my cats run into bedroom. Now I am in trouble, they are in my way and I literally can move as slow as snail.

As we live in old house – which needs lot of renovation and I have had few time for cleaning, there can be seen mess and maybe even some dust bunnies randomly in the pictures. Just ignore them and erase from your retina like I do :=)

09.22 A sight from my bedroom window is incredibly gray today. Feeling sleepy and I decide to quit my morning exercises. Low atmospheric pressure is good cause to be even lazier…

09.30 Opening front door and trying to let my cats out – they look at me with surprise, walk in and out, shaking disgustedly their paws. Finally both of them are outside and I can shut the door. It is cold outside, approx 7 C.

10.24 Finally I am ready to eat my breakfast. I made some buckwheat cereal and try to enjoy it on balcony as always. Brr, it is cold in here, too…

10.30 Finishing my coffee in front of my laptop. It is time to say Hello my to Etsy friends, read and answer some e-mails. “Supergirl” rushes to help me just in time because I feel still sleepy and unable to get into right mood.

12.29 Time for a phone call and small virtual meeting with my dear friend Marianne from byMarianneS (byMarianneS.etsy.com ). My mood gets always better after meeting with her (virtually or not) – today we discussed about new projects and ideas in our mutual craft web-site craftwerk.ee. We always have a good laugh when working.

12.36 Leaves are falling outside and it also starts to feel cold inside. I fire up our wood stove and look into the fire for some time. I like to look into the fire, it makes me feel cozy and dreamy.

12.45. Finally get myself together (almost 4 hours from wake up!!! WOW!) Starting to make something I can’t show here yet – to sew **** for making tutorial to Home magazine.

14.31 Taking more coffee, cats are sleeping - everyone in our house seems to be sleeping, except me – I try desperately to stay awake.

13.35 – Miracle! There is sunshine outside - I rush outside and take random pictures of our yard and house. Everything needs renovation here but I try to avoid thinking about that.

Look, golden leaves are everywhere and I can recognize at least 3 different types of mushrooms. Is it time for mushroom sauce??? NO, it starts to rain cats and dogs again.

15.38 Just got an e-mail from one of my on-line supply shop, saying that they sell their shop until it is empty and prices are so low. I feel tempted! As I have had long diet on supply shopping, I make myself tiny gift and make an order. Just a few beads…

15.50 Continuing sewing “the thing that I can’t show here”, so I put here picture of me and Superhero, spying if tiny cucumbers in the bottle of dill pickle I put up yesterday are ready to consume. Nope, they are not. I am really impatient with things like that…

17.00 – Another dry moment! I rush out to make some grocery shopping. As my dear BF called me and said that he feels a bit ill, I bought some honey with propolis and raspberry jam. He will be fine!

18:00 Time to eat a bit. Who said I shouldn't play with food??? I just love it – so I decorated my potatoes and lamb-cutlets in my way – lot of spicy sausages and fresh quail egg on the top. And yes, 2 almost ready dill pickles, too. Voila! Bon Appétit!

18.30 – As usually my creative engine starts working properly really late. Sanding pile of heart shaped pendants for my “IMPOSSIBLE MISSION Soaps “www.flickr.com/photos/leinaneima).

20.38 – Pendants are sanded and buffed but my hands feel tired. I wish I can hire someone to do it for me… My BF is back, he worked in the far region today, so really late. Time for quick hello-again-kiss ;)

21.00. Finally starting to pour soaps! I enjoy this part a lot…

23.37. Soaps are finally ready and laying in the molds, they will be hand cut tomorrow. And now time for most tiring part of creating – cleaning. I should have a maid, too…

00.24. Time for good-night-kiss to my dear BF and back to my book. Sweet dreams and thank you for joining my day!

02.34…finally falling asleep.

****

Want to see how my soaps turned up?