Summer day in Paris

Have you ever been in Paris? It's beautiful any time of the year but summer is very special. Choose a sunny day and take a nice walk on the streets in Paris.


Start your morning with a cup of coffee and a fresh baked croissant at the little cafe in downtown.


Try to plan to visit to the Louvre, one of the largest museums in the world and home for the many historical works of art.


One day is not enough to see them all but you just have to see it with your own eyes!



Have lunch at a restaurant or a glass of champagne at the champagne bar at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Go to the top floor of the tower to see the spectacular view of Paris!


There are 80 museums in Paris. If you still have time, try to visit one of them. One day is way too short to see them all!


Then take a walk on the bank of the river Seine, find a little cozy cafe, have a seat outside and enjoy the rest of the sunny day alone with the fine French cuisine and the perfect surroundings.


Story by Alena (Frenchfelt) and Lana (BelleCoccinelle)
Translated by Tanya (Socksandmittens)

Interview with a Star - Alena at Daimblond

Today our featured guest is Alena, she is a member of our Etsy team (Rusteam). Alena has two great stores: Daimblond.etsy.com and Frenchfelt.etsy.com


How did you begin creating?

All my life since I was a little kid I worked with my hands. At first I attended drawing and sculpture classes, then went to an art college and majored in graphical design. Besides that I dabbled in sewing and batik.
About 5 years ago I moved to France. I had a lot of free time and started to try my hand in various mediums. At first I fell in love with polymer clay, then discovered working with resin, and finally moved on to felting.


I have two stores on Etsy. In my Daimblond.etsy.com store I sell нandmade jewelry. I use silver, pearls, shells, and cute beads made of semiprecious stones in my creations. In my store you will find elegant jewelry for a bride, a business woman, and for anyone who likes soft feminine things. I also make accessories from silk and wool - scarves, hats, and bags.


How did you find out about Etsy?

I heard about Etsy a long time ago, I even made a purchase here, but then did not use the site for a long time. And then my Russian-speaking friend El Dalmar told me about the Russian team on Etsy. I joined the team in January of this year.

What is your biggest accomplishment?

There are a lot of talented craftsmen on Etsy. However, it is not enough just to create wonderful items, one also needs to draw customers in to his/her store and that is not possible if the items are not properly displayed. It is very important to photograph the items just right - to find the right angle, to choose the background that works best with the item, to pay special attention to color balance… all this I learned experimenting with my listings. I try to photograph my works so that you can see how charming they are right away.



What is your goal?

Of course, I would love for my stores to grow more and more popular. Not too long ago I opened my second store, Frenchfelt.etsy.com I love felting very much and I have a lot of project ideas that I would love to work on and create lots of wonderful textile items and items made from wool and silk..



What did Rusteam give you?

I am very glad that this team exists on Etsy. It is very important to be connected to a group of like-minded people who are always ready to help you with advice, lift up your spirits or to celebrate your success. Besides all this, Rusteam is a great place to socialize.


What would you wish for our team members?

Even though we have fun just chatting, our main goal is to sell our creations on Etsy. I wish everyone more and more sales!