CREATIVE CORNER

Working with polymer clay, turquoise beads and copper sheet... I'm planning new island-themed rings :)!

How I met Etsy...

My brand new membership in the EGST (Etsy Greek Street Team) makes me think about how it all started... No, I didn't discover Etsy online, I didn't make an internet research, nor did I hear about it from a friend... I discovered it in a most unusual way: in a Greek magazine!!! When I'm in Greece I like buying the monthly magazine YOUNG: it's just one of many women's monthly magazines, but I love its colorful layout, the fashion sections, the variety in themes treated (not just the "usual" fashion and love!) and (I must admit) the lovely gadgets that come with the magazine! Such as colorful cell phone cases, purses, make-up, scarves... you name it! (For those of you who are not familiar with Greek magazines, you need to know that they have kind of a "challenge" about who's giving the most beautiful gifts with the magazine :)!)

Well, my knowledge of Greek is really basic and I can just read and understand a little here and there :) but nevertheless it's through Young that I got to know about Etsy! The magazine has a beautiful feature called "Nέοι δημιουργοί" (new creators) featuring young Greek artists and designers, which I really enjoy. But it is in the feature "Eco News" that I discovered Etsy! This section features jewelry made with recycled, upcycled and reclaimed materials - and most of the jewelry artists featured have a shop on... Etsy!
So... here you discovered my quite unusual Etsy-story :)! Which found its natural completion (so I believe) in my being welcomed by the Etsy Greek Street Team!!! Thank you again lovely koritsakia! Eiste koukles!

Experimental Jewelry: HAGARAE

I love experimental and unconventional jewelry! I've started a series in which I'm featuring jewelry artists who work with unconventional materials and techniques, and who see a ring or a pendant as a canvas to express their art and creativity.

In my quest for jewelry artists who work with unconventional materials and techniques, I've come across a jewelry designer from Israel, who creates amazing jewelry using reclaimed fibers and textiles. I fell in love with her colorful and really unique creations, and when I discovered the story behind them I was hooked! Hagar's creations remind me of faraway places, of Oriental treasures and of caravans traveling the Silk Road... Hagar's colorful shop is called Gilgulim and you can find it on Etsy as Hagarae.
This is how Hagar describes her work: "My textiles collection is my treasure. It is there that everything begins. Each new jewelry is a journey by itself. Textiles bring with them a long thread of cultures, history, traditions and sometime represent a gender (men's neckties for example). I take this raw material out of its context and mix it with other materials in order to create a new item that has its own life and design language. Every jewelry is unique and different. All the reclaimed materials are thoroughly washed, cut according to the design, folded and ironed, cropped and only then hand rolled/folded and stitched into a bead, no glue is used. The final product is light, soft and has a very nice touch to it".
You can find Hagar's colorful and unique jewelry in her Etsy shop Hagarae.

A String of Beauty

Delight

Bleu Bamboo

Moroccan Fantasy or Destiny

Sunset Flames

A Little Patch

Tokyo

African or European

Kabuki Spring

Tutti Frutti

OFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EGST!!!!!!

YAY!!!!! I'm an official member of the ETSY GREEK STREET TEAM!!!!
I've been officially invited by Antigoni, the Team Captain, and it's such a great honor and an incredible joy for me!!! As a lover of Greece and everything Greek who finds her inspiration mostly in the light and color of the Greek Islands, I can only say I am so happy and excited, honored and really moved by - once again - the warmth of Greece!

Eυχαριστώ πάρα πολύ!!!!!!!!

Annuk's Paradise

OK... I often dream about the Greek Islands... But on a crystal clear winter day like today I really know how fortunate I am to live in such a beautiful environment!

PERFECT LOCATIONS - #6

Following up my post about the most perfect location I've ever had my work exhibited at, a few dream locations are following! Here is one more magical "hotel de charme" (charming hotel) in the Old Town of Rhodes. Hotels de charme are charming little hotels with very few rooms and a lot of attention paid to personal details and atmosphere, that is artful and true to the real nature of a place. In Rhodes most of them are located in the magical alleys and little squares of the Old Town, some with breathtaking views upon the whole Old Town and over to the Turkish coast.

Klimt Guest House, Old Town Rhodes. For more pics, you can visit the Hotel's website.
 

THE MEANING OF COLORS

COLORS do give so much energy and each one conveys a different mood and energy, so that we tend to choose different colors in different phases of our life. There are lots of interesting webpages regarding color theory and the psychology of colors. Here are a couple I liked:

http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-meaning-symbolism-and-psychology/

http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/color/a/symbolism.htm 

Color Palette: RED

Have you ever noticed that your color palette may change according to different phases of your life? My absolute favorite color used to be BLUE... most of the jewelry I wore and created was in shades of blue. I still love blue a LOT, and it's still one of my absolute favorite colors, but recently ORANGE has made a definite entry into my life. I wear lots of accessories in orange, and this color has an important place in my creations! But now I have noticed - to my greatest surprise - that I have started wearing RED quite a lot too! I especially love warm, vibrant shades of red with orange hues. It gives such an energy boost in the winter! It's great with black... and I guess the vibrant hot color phase in my life reflects a new energy!
What are your favorite colors for accessories and jewelry?

Even my latest Treasury reflects this tendency :)...

HOT WINTER

WHITE & BLUE... Aegean Dream

As you know, much of my work is inspired by the light and color of the Aegean. In particular my "White & Blue" collection is inspired by the dream combination of white and blue that characterizes the villages of the Aegean Islands, the blue shutters and doors and blinding white houses and alleys...
Here's some beautiful photographic and painted art by talented photographs and artists on Etsy showing the "white & blue" magic of the Greek Islands of the Aegean...

Baby Blue By The Sea by LJang Photography

Greek Islands by Heather Gerni

Greek Path by Jessica Illustration

Art Print Greece by Inspirations by Stella

Santorini by Crafty Wings

Santorini Doorway by Photo Art By Wendy

Santorini Motive by Selfmade

White Stucco House With Red Hibiscus by Jaybucklesprings99

And here is my "White & Blue" Greece-inspired jewelry...

SANTORINI

SYMI WINDOW

SYMI 1

SYMI 2

SYMI 3

SYMI 4

SYMI 5

MYKONOS TWIST

SYMI WINDOW 1

SYMI WINDOW 2

SYMI SUN DIAL

GREEK ISLAND WINDOW IN BLOOM 1

GREEK ISLAND WINDOW IN BLOOM 2