Monday Moodboard

It's been raining for 2 days now and our lawn is finally getting some color. So, today my mood is green and happy. What about you?

NancyvdBoom

XauXau

MatkirschPhoto

NickyBeeShop

To see more moodboards and play along, visit our new hostesses - Star of the East.

Have a wonderful week! ;)

xo,

My Spring Swap Gift is here!

Today I received my Etsy European Street Team Secret Spring Swap gift. It arrived from Italy from wonderful Priscilla of I bijoux dello Stregatto.

I was very excited while opening the big envelope and inside I found a very cute package with beautiful hand-drawn tag from Gufobardo, who is also an Italian artist.

I kept unwrapping and inside the blue bag found two smaller light blue packages.

And finally I got to my treasures - very cute butterfly and pearl bookmark and sweet pink glass earrings with heart chain.

And look how perfectly they fit with the top that I am wearing today.

Thank you, dear Priscilla, for the wonderful gifts! And special thanks to Anka of Happy hang around for hosting the game for us!

Happy Spring! :)

xo,

The Sales Fairy is Here!!!

This week has started brilliantly! We finished the first common piece with wonderful Nancy, that you can see here, I had a sale and a request for a custom order, it's my first Etsyversary and I also found couple of very special packages in the mail.

The first one was from the UK, from Ingrid (better known as Lilou) - amazing lady, who makes the most beautiful handwoven bags and scarves that I'm absolutely in love with.

Inside the package was an elegant black box. Please, also pay attention to the exquisite ribbon she uses. ;)

And inside the box was a gorgeous sales fairy made of delicate mulberry silk. Isn't she stunning?

The Sales Fairy is a fun chain game played by Etsy European Street Team members. The main idea is to catch the fairy, and if you're fast and lucky and you manage to catch one, you have to make a new fairy and list it in your shop for a reasonable price.

Here is my new beauty, flying over the packing station and looking through the window for fresh ideas and possible sales.

I also made a sales fairy that was caught by Mari from Choochmagooz. I hope she lands in Spain very soon. Here she is.

The second package I received was from Finland, from lovely Minna of Karuski. She was very nice and offered me some seed beads that she no longer had use for. Imagine my surprise, when I opened the envelope and found so many great treasures! Wow! I'm such a bead junkie! :))) Thank you, Minna!!!

I hope you also had a good start of the week! ;)

xo,

Lace Trend Report on Handmade Europe

I have some great news! My Black. Bronze. Elegant brooch has been included in Lace Trend report on Handmade Europe blog. Thank you Gia from Oneperfectday for this wonderful feature!

Here is also a complimenting treasury curated by Oneperfectday.

I am truly enjoying this trend, as lace is one of my all time favorite materials!

xo,

Monday Moodboard

I found some beautiful things for the workroom created by our team members.

Small wooden box by Utormeter

Natural stone magnolia paper weight by HomeOfficeDeco

Upcycled birds mobile by BabongoHome

Wide Flat Engraved Silver Square Format Frame by mackenzieframes

If you want to see other moodboards or play along, visit fleurfatale.

Have a wonderful week!

xo,

Playing Secret Santa

Today I finally mailed the gift for my EST secret winter swap friend. This morning while hanging in the blogger I found out that unintentionally I've picked her birthstone for the piece that I created. How weird is that? I really hope she likes it! Here is a small peek at the box.

Want to know, what's in the box? Stay tuned! ;)

xo,

Visit from Winter Fairy

Twice a year we play secret swap game among members of Etsy European Street Team.

Last week Winter Fairy visited me and brought a wonderful gift from my Secret Swap Friend - Dafni of lacravatteduchien.

Two very cute brooches that will be perfect addition to any summer outfit.

I'm still in process of creating the gift for my secret friend. She is a very special person and I really hope she likes my surprise. :)

Thank you, Dafni for the great gift! And special thank you to Judit, who is doing an amazing job of organizing the team swaps!

You can see most of the secret swap gifts in the team Flickr pool.

Have fun and happy swapping! ;)

xo,

Saturday Shopping

Let's go shopping together! ;) New items in my Etsy store.

Autumn Garden - set of pendant and earrings. If you purchase the whole set, I'll give you 7% discount (refunded via paypal).

Vulnerable - bead embroidered statement ring with rose quartz and sterling silver.

One more version of the shiny hairpins - Golden Teardrops. You can mix and match any of the hairpins in my store, just convo me for custom listing.

All Helmitarha jewelry and accessories arrive in beautiful gift boxes and I also offer free worldwide shipping on orders over 50 USD.

To see more of beautiful Saturday Shopping guides by fellow Etsy members, please, visit zsazsazsu.

Happy shopping!

xo,

European Street Team Challenge

As you all know the winner of last week's challenge is Gia from oneperfectday. She doesn't have a blog of her own yet, so this week's challenge will also be hosted on my blog.

Now I'll give the word to Gia to tell you about the new topic.

Having the great joy of picking this weeks theme and looking for a summery topic that would fit the heatwave we have been having here in Greece, my thoughts turned to swimsuits, the beach and summer colours.
So it was no contest realy: scantily clad women, brilliant summer colours and glamour as well?
It had to be a Gil Elvgren pin-up!

Gil Elvgren was one of the most popular of the pin-up artists of the 20th century with a career spaning over four and a half decades, and my personal favourite. His girls and women were not so much femme fatales as gorgeous girls-next-door, glamourous as can be with a playful glint in their eye.
Please use these images to inspire you to create what you will.
I can't wait to see what comes in.

Also a big thank you to helmitahra blog for hosting the challenge again!!

You can send your entries to oneperfectday through Etsy convo.

Good luck and great inspiration to everybody!

UPDATE!

As many of our wonderful team members are on holiday, the new deadline for the challenge is Monday, August 9.

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Here's the very first entry of the Pin-up challenge by zsazsazsu.
It's a beautiful modern, minimalistic necklace to adorn the voluptuous cleavage of our pin-up and bring her straight into the 21st century!

Our second entry is from LeelaBijou .It's the Full Of Roses necklace inspired by the red colour that Gil Elvgren favoured.
Wouldn't it look great on any pin-up?

Next entry in is helmitahra's Nobody Can Pinch Me Brooch.
She's used part of Gil Elvgren's 1946 Nobody Can Pinch Me poster, black velvet ribbon and all the appropriate pin-up trimmings to make a clever pin-up brooch!

Our next entry is by sexyhandmade.The flirty, flouncy mixed red Gil Elvegren pin-up hand cuff is appropriately embellished with a lovely red flower as well as a cocktail charm- both musts for a pin-up.

Now here comes Staroftheeast's entry Pin it up Girl Necklace brooch. Pin-up style with a twist using Barbie the original pin-up girl and genuine pin-up accesories in a startlingly original way!

The BroochBoutique has entered The Large Sparkling Black Tulle Corsage brooch. This black tulle extravaganza, complete with the necessary glittering touch of pearl and beads would be proudly added to any pin-ups wardrobe.

And here is my very own take on the pin-up: florals, stripes, polka dots, curves,reds and whites and of course ruffles! I give you the Pin-Up Purse In Reds by oneperfectday!

The following entry is Cowgirl Glamour.Bib Necklace. Fluxplay has taken a Gil Elvgren pin-up cowgirl and re-cycled her to a modern-day Western-style acessory_all the time keeping the original pin-up as well as it's freshness.

Next comes Nancyvdboom with a locket designed to rest on a pin-up's luscious cleavage.
It's double-sided and it has two tiny oil paintings of -what else- a pin-up! Two long pin-up legs on one side and a signature red pin-up pout on the other.

The following entry is Toosis' Gold Coated Silver Ring With Black Onyx And Pearl. Our first ring entry to grace the beautiful pin-up's hands and add to the glamour girl's sparkle.

And next is alatvian with her entry- Your Majesty- a pair of gold and crystal earings that dangle and shimmer. Another touch of allure for our pin-up.

Up next is Yellow crochet Roses Hairpins by creationsbyeve.
Bright yellow crocheted roses modelled by our very own pin-up herself. What a great pin-up accessory!

One more entry for our challenge comes from nauli. It's a handmade cd case titled Kiss From A Pin-Up Girl in a typical pin-up combination of red and white and sealed with a pin-up's signature red lipstick!

Just before the closing of this challenge comes an entry by arctida. It's the Darlene necklace with citrine, garnet and rubies inspired by Gil Elvgren's Darleen pin-up and made with those plunging pin-up cleavages in mind.

Monday Moodboard

I'm home! I'm always happy to be home. Probably you can guess my mood. :)

Home - embroidery hoop wall art by SarahLaBu

Pillowcase with a cozy home by secdus

Home sweet home canvas pouch by Happybee

Home slippers by SmilingKnitting

For more Monday Moodboards by Etsy European Street Team members go to fleurfatale's blog.

Have a fantastic week!

xo,

European Street Team Challenge

Wow! This was unexpected! For the first time I won the EST challenge. Last week it was hosted by wonderful Staroftheeast. Big thanks to you and your friend for picking my diving turtle! ;)

Now I know how hard it is to pick a fun and challenging theme. I believe picking a winner will be even harder! :))

As I'm still in a mood for a great vacation this week's topic is gonna be...

In the Magic Castle

Photo credit to Robert D Bruce

Let's travel all around the world (or maybe just to the corner of own dreams) and visit old and majestic castles of different periods, countries and styles. I would like to see anything related to the castle - maybe a beautiful princess who lives in it, or a unique piece of furniture in one of the rooms, or a beautiful garden around it, or maybe something that is happening inside the castle, or just the building itself. Wherever your imagination takes you.

To enter the challenge you have to be a member of European Street Team and the item has to be newly listed. You can send your entries through convo on Etsy or via e-mail. No other restrictions apply! Just let your imagination fly! ;)

I'll be waiting for your beautiful entries!

The winner will be announced on Monday, July 26, after 22:00 (UTC +02:00)

xo,

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Let's welcome the first entry! It's a Delicate white necklace by zsazsazsu1963. This fragile necklace was inspired by castle of Chenonceau that Sandra visited last month.


The second entry is a pair of original pinback buttons by SoleDeVita. Solvita used two entrance tickets to Bauska Castle in Latvia to make these lovely Key of the Castle buttons.



The third entry comes from Kreativlink, and it's Magic Castle - Journal, Notebook, Diary. I already see a beautiful princess writing her secret diary in this romantic journal. :)


The next entry, which is already number four, arrived from Riga, from sexyhandmade. Please, welcome Emerald Queen - adjustable hand cuff. It looks rich and royal. ;)

Entry number five is from oneperfectday. And we all know that there is no castle without a queen. So, the next piece for this challenge is The White Queen Cuff.

The sixth entry is a very intriguing Magic Castle - crocheted bracelet cuff with brain coral and pearls by staroftheeast. Sand castles are also magic! ;)

The seventh entry comes from kraplap and it is Dark Battlements Necklace. The sewn-together buttons resemble a row of battlements on the castle. But my man said it looks like a shiny armor. :)