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Some of my summer memories - a shooting at the lavender field. Great place for all the senses and your soul!

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Hat exhibition at the Theater Gallery

As you probably know I am a big fan of different accessories, and hats are not an exception. That is why when an occasion of visiting a hat exhibition emerged, I could not wait to catch it.

All exhibits came from the spectacles of the national opera house. After a short course in hat-making I was curious how these headpieces were made. As you probably read in my previous posts, I got to know some details about sewing feathers to the base or blocking felt hats, so it was easier for me to appreciate the craftsmanship of some exhibits.

Look at the hat above. Could you imagine that each of these long feathers must have been cut off before it was fixed to the base? Unbelievable!

An exciting part of the exhibition was a mirror room with hanging red masks on the walls. I felt like Alice in Wonderland!

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Bye-bye summer and warm weather! Telling goodbye in crochet beaded necklace and vintage Italian headscarf.

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Do you also walk barefoot?

#poppies #summertime #summer #barefoot #grass #bouquet #flowers #field #walking #walktoremember #barefuss #skirt #summertime #enjoying #corn #wheat #smallthingscount #carpediem #catchthemoment

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#necklace #beadednecklace #beaded #beading #loom #loomednecklace #accessories #tree #blue #beige #collana #fattoamano#faitaumains

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Wabi-sabi

#perfection #peonies #blossoming #spring #hat #hut #eveningtoremember #strohhut #pink #duft #light #envogue #fashion #ribbon #wabisabi #enjoying

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Brooches from the “Birth“ collection

#contemporaryjewellery #jewellery #gioiellocontemporaneo #gioiello #artisticjewellery #art #arte #kunst #brooch #broszka #spilla #brosche #vitreousenamel #enamel #vitreous

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#perfection #acacia #akazia #akacja #aroma #duft #blossoming #spring #acaciablossom #shoes #walk #walktoremember #joy #lookaround #miracle #simplemiracle #envogue #beauty #nature #wabisabi #enjoying #catchthemoment #carpediem

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The second brooch from the “Birth“ collection

#contemporaryjewellery #jewellery #gioiellocontemporaneo #gioiello #artisticjewellery #art #arte #kunst #brooch #broszka #spilla #brosche #vitreousenamel #enamel #vitreous

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Wabi-sabi

#imperfection #fade #blossoming #spring #chestnutblossom #shoes #walk #walktoremember #bag #clutch #slipony #jeans #envogue #fashion #nails #wabisabi #enjoying #fading

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The first brooch from the “Birth“ collection

#contemporaryjewellery #jewellery #gioiellocontemporaneo #gioiello #artisticjewellery #art #arte #kunst

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Never stop experimenting with colours, styles and textures!

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Hatmaking experience

It turned out that some Facebook recommendations could be really useful. In such a trivial way I discovered not a trivial opportunity - a two-day workshop of Monika, who works together with a star millinery maitre Philip Treacy.

Actually, I´ve been thinking of taking a millinery course since a while, and it seemed to be a perfect opportunity. I was very excited at the very beginning and I got even more excited when the workshop started. Monika is a charming person and is absolutely in love what she does. Her way to her dream was not easy, but she had never given up. She unveiled many professional secrets and shared her passion for hats with us. It was one of the most inspiring days ever!

But let’s come back to the essence. To make a hat one would need a semi-finished felt product (a hatbody) called capeline or hood. The first one has broader hat brim, the latter shorter. Then hatbody of a choice is soaked and blocked on the wooden hat form. There are many types depending on the form - some are solid, the others consist of two or three components (see the first image). The hatbody is fixed to the form by means of sewing pins. Quite a painful stage, I would say (better use a thimble). Then wait till the form is dry, take is off and finish with a cotton stripe.

The other way to make a hat is so called “dry blocking“. One needs an iron and a wooden head. Just put a hatbody on the head and block it by means of vapor.

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Gloves since 1884

Do you think that the fashion market has completely become mass-market and there is no way craftsmen can survive in it? Surprisingly, there are still some places in Europe, where craftsmanship is at home. I suppose, such enterprises face fierce competition, but fortunately there are still customers, who appreciate uniqueness, a wide choice of goods and high quality.

Ganterie Boon was founded by two Italians in 1884 in Antwerpen (Belgium); in 1920 the company was bought by Arthur Boon and also the current building dates back to the twenties. Since then as well interior and the service haven’t suffer any changes. Just look at this gorgeous furniture, vitrines, countertops and gloves boxes! I am totally in love with all these details.

Photo courtesy:  dailycappuccino.nl

In addition to the visual experience a visitor of the Boon would surely appreciate tactile ones - if you would have a chance to step in, try the most luxurious peccary gloves. The latter are made of peccary leather - a small pig originating from the Central and South America. Although an animal does not belong to the cutest species, its leather is extremely soft, strong and flexible at the same time.

P.S. Take a minute and watch the movie above (courtesy Stad Antwerpen). If you speak Dutch, it is even more advantageous to you, but if not, still do it! The movie features incredible interior with its gorgeous stairs, windows, furniture and so on. Enjoy!

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The day before yesterday the world got tragic news from Syria. To be fair one has to admit that these bad news keep coming almost everyday, but the one from the day before yesterday overcame all of them in its cruelty. Poor Syrian children died painfully in gas attack.

I was thinking of creating a work, which would reflect the current affairs. And the destiny of a child came as first into my mind. So, the project “Nature morte“ was born. The pattern inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches shows contradictions: life and death at the same time, its struggle and finally its defeat.

On the other hand, it embodies the moment  we lose our best traits while entering the world of pain, dishonour, lies etc. Or maybe our souls aare dead from the very beginning?

A sad post, indeed. But it seems to me it delivers some material for thought.

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A hat with a tail

Today I would like to present you a carapuça, which is unique in many ways. So, let´s proceed and discover it!

Photo credits: goo.gl/4qCGTl

At Madeira carapuça has been at home since 1857. The hat is worn both by women and men. As compared to other hats it does not actually protect the head from snow, wind etc., but plays a role of a fashionable accessory.  

The origins of carapuça  are not well-known. Some scientists claim it has has Greek roots, the others are convinced that it has suffered oriental influences or that the hat comes from Portugal, but evolved through the years of its stay at Madeira. Unfortunately, it gradually started going out of use from XIX century and later was worn only regionally.

Carapuça: XIX century photos. Photo credits: goo.gl/2jGlFi

However, the Portuguese Wikipedia talks about different origins of carapuça. It says the name comes from the Italian carapuzza, which later transformed into the Spanish carepuza and then later in carapuça itself.  But what comes next, you are not going to believe! This conic hat was used together with poncho as a clothing for convicted by inquisition...

Carapuça was so significant for the Portuguese people, that they even have an expression “enfiar a carapuça”, which literally means “put the carapuça“, or to be adequate to the moment.

An interesting detail - a photo of carapuça adorned with gold rings, earrings and chains. It is a very curious case. I suppose it was worn by young girls, who were about to wed and would have got a better groom thanks to showing the wealth of the family on their heads.

Sources

1. Museu de Chapeleria goo.gl/4qCGTl

2. Folclore da Madeira goo.gl/2jGlFi

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The world of dream

Happy to take part in the online project dedicated to the concept of dream, dreaming and the messages it conveys.