Interview with a Star, Tamara from MagazinIL

Today we'd like to introduce a wonderful shop to you where a new mom can find great crochet jewelry for herself and her baby. If you need a thoughtful gift for a baby shower, this is the place to visit. Please welcome Tamara, owner of MagazinIL on etsy. 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself

My name is Tamara Martynovich. I was born and raised in Ukraine but when I was 17 years old my family moved to Israel where I live now. I'm married and have a wonderful husband and a great little son. Our french bulldog is part of our family, too :)

How long have you been creating? How did your journey in art and creativity begin?

My grandmother taught me to knit and crochet when I was 7 years old. My first works were far from perfect but these little lessons gave me a start. They were imprinted in my memory and in 20 years I took my knitting needles and crochet hooks in my hands again. I just had a baby at that time and I wanted to make him a sweater. A sweater was followed by a cap and then I crochet my first nursing necklace. From that time on I can not stop making these, I just fell in love with them! When I crochet, I am relaxing.

What items do you carry in your shop?

I do all kinds of teething necklaces, toys for children's development, baby hats and booties. A teething necklace is a wonderful piece of jewelry for every mom and a great toy for a baby. The baby's hands are busy during breast feeding so he does not pull his mother's hair and at the same time the child develops fine motor skills.

 
Do you have a favorite item you have made?

It's hard to choose just one thing from all my products. Probably, my favorite necklace is the one with a large wooden button. I made it as a gift for my friend and her newborn daughter. I have made similar necklaces so many times since then and every time I am having so much fun making them.

Do you take custom orders?

Yes, I do accept custom orders and I love working with them. Almost all the products in my store are made​​ individually according to the customers needs.

Please visit  Tamara's shop to see more of her products. Every item here is made with love!

How to be eco friendly

This coming Sunday April 22nd is Earth Day. It’s the day when we celebrate the environment and all the things we can do to be kind to the earth.

Do you need some ideas? Listen up (or to put it more literally - read on).

First of all, consider using vintage items rather than buying new things. There are so many great vintage finds out there that you can use in your house.

Choosing vintage clothing is another great idea. You’ll look unique and you’ll be sure that no one else shows up to the party wearing the same dress you are wearing.

You can also consider buying upcycled products. There are many things that talented artists make out of used products. Check out this wall clock. Isn’t it cool?

I personally love jewelry and accessories made out of upcycled computer parts. So modern and stylish!

Even your iPhone or iPod case can be made out of recycled materials.

So look around and make conscientious choices. Go for handmade items rather than factory produced. They are more unique and don’t leave a footprint on the environment.

Choose natural materials that are renewable.

Go for an organic option of whatever you want to buy.

Make it a habit to choose reusable products rather than their disposable alternative.

And remember even little changes can make a big difference. Happy Earth Day!

Story by Yana (WineCountryLife)

Paper dove DIY - make it with your kids!

Here is how to make a beautiful paper dove together with your children. These paper doves could be hanged on a branch and will make a lovely Easter or a Spring nature table decoration.

You will need :

1sheet of white cardboard or watercolor paper for the body

silk paper or calque for the wings

a pair of scissors or a cutter

beeswax crayon blocks or watercolors

1 needle

a piece of string/ thread (golden or silver color looks very nice)

You can leave the body of the dove white or paint the paper with color crayon blocks on both sides. Children will be happy to give you a hand with this. You could also use watercolors to paint the paper.

Cut out the shape of the dove as shown. With the help of the cutter or sharp scissors make a straight cut across about 1.6 inch long.

Fold over the edge of your A4 silk paper , then turn around and fold it again. Go on until all the paper is used as shown on the photo. This will be the bird's wings.

Pass them through the cut on the bird's body.

Bend and lift the wings unfolding them gently and joining the two together with a string.

Make a knot leaving the string long enough to hang the bird.

That's it! Your dove is ready.

Happy Spring!

By Masha (BertyandMasha)

Waldorf toys for children's development

Waldorf toys are traditionally made of only natural materials. They are handmade and that's why they are the most precious. They keep the warmth of the person who made them.

 

Today Masha (BertyandMasha) and Oksana (LaFiabaRussa) are talking about the traditional Waldorf approach to making children's toys and spring seasonal activities.

A child is learning and exploring the world around him through play. The first Waldorf toy for a baby would be a simple cloth doll with a round head and a soft body. There are no facial features to keep the imagination free but there are some details. Like a wooden ring and fists to chew on to comfort and soothe baby's growing teeth. 

This doll is designed for age up to 1 year old.

As the child grows, the dolls become more sophisticated. The head is sculptured and has facial features. The body has well formed limbs and the doll can now be dressed and undressed by small hands.

These bigger dolls are designed for children many years to come.

Wooden toys and toys made of wool or silk are also important for a child's development. They are simple open ended toys that give space to child's creativity and imagination. They are also indispensable in role playing games.

Natural Seasonal toys and activities will allow a child to joyfully live through the change of seasons and the natural rhythm of the year, which is considered essential in Waldorf pedagogy. 

 

Every season has it's own feasts, colors and attributes, usually something a child can bring back from a walk, a forest or a garden. It can be cones or acorns, stones or flowers, small branches and dry leaves.

 

A Spring nature table reflects all the changes that happen in Spring, the awakening of nature. 

So flower children, light and beautiful fairies, birds, tree branches and, of course, flowers will create a beautiful Spring nature table. 

Here you can also add some animals or spring gnomes. Don't forget about Easter, the most important feast associated with Spring!

 The creation of a nature table can be a lot of joy and fun, especially if done together with children.

This Sunday we'll show you how to make a beautiful paper dove - stay tuned!

By Masha (BertyandMasha) and Oksana (LaFiabaRussa)

Nature inspired home decor

What kind of decor makes you feel at home and relaxed? To me it’s the nature inspired decor elements that make me feel at peace.

The magnificence of wild life reminds me of the natural beauty that exists all around us.

Owls are becoming especially popular and I can see why. There is some strange mysticism to them that makes you feel like not everything can be understood.

Woodland forest elements in your home make you feel calm and more connected to nature.

They bring harmony to your house and your soul.

Surround yourself with woodland forest themed home decor and you’ll notice what a difference it makes.

Animals, birds, butterflies, feathers, nests, eggs, acorns, leaves, trees, branches, woodgrain, and natural colors – we have many options for you created by the Russian Artists team.

 Story by Yana (WineCountryLife)

Felted balls giveaway

New giveaway today! This lovely set of 6  white woolen balls might be yours if you will participate in our giveaway! Oksana from LaFiabaRussa is hostess for this giveaway.

This eco friendly lightweight soft balls have many use. Here is some ideas:

Your child can play with them...

 ... or even make a caterpillar or a snowman!

Your can add some embellishments and hang them on your Christmas tree...

or you can through them to a dryer to increase the drying time!

More of these colorful balls can be found in  LaFiabaRussa shop so stop by and take a look!

Only one person will be selected so please follow these rules to be a winner:

1. Visit LaFiabaRussa shop and leave a comment here on what you like the best (1 entry)

2. Follow/ subscribe our blog (1 entry)

3. Grab our button and place it on your blog (1 entry)

4. Share this giveaway on twitter / facebook / your blog (1 entry)

5. Follow LaFiabaRussa's facebook/ twitter/ blog (1 entry each)

Please leave a separate comment on each entry and don't forget to leave us your email address so that we could contact you!

This giveaway will run from November 22 through December 2nd. The winner will be announced on December 3rd, 2011.

Have fun and good luck!

Barley and smoked bacon skillet supper

Almost anyone who recalls having some pearl barley during his/ hers childhood did not have a very positive impression about it. However, there is a way to make it taste great! Katrin (katrinshine) is glad to share her recipe with us today.

You will need:
1 cup of pearl barley

3 cups of water
2 lbs of tomatoes, chopped or 1 can (28 oz) of diced unsalted tomatoes

1/2 lbs of salted smoked bacon, diced
1 large onion, chopped
olive oil

Wash the pearl barley several times. Leave it soaking in the water for at least 4 to 5 hours. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and continue cooking until the barley is tender and liquid is almost absorbed or use a colander to drain barley (reserve some cooking liquid).

Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet and sauté the onions over medium-high heat until golden in color. Add the bacon and cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes and simmer all together on a low setting.

Stir in the cooked barley and reserved liquid. Continue to cook over low heat until heated thoroughly.

Add some salt if needed. Katrin is not using any salt in her recipe because the bacon is salty already. But if you feel you need to add some, feel free.

Enjoy!

Recipe & photography by Katrin (Katrinshine)
Translated by Natalia (Grimme)

Interview with a Star - Oksana (La FiabaRussa)

"LaFiabaRussa" or "RussianFairytaleStory" shop on Etsy is full of cute stuffed toys you'd like to have in your collection. Oksana, the owner of this shop is sharing her story with us today:


I made my first toy when I was 8 years old. It was a teddy bear (My mom bought me a pre-cut set of templates for it). I liked it so much! I can't even tell you how many of these kits my mother bought for me since then... Later were the kittens, penguins and puppies. I just loved to sew! I also love kids that's why I went to school to become a kindergarten teacher. One of my favorite subjects besides psychology and pedagogy while at school was art class where we were making toys and dresses for dolls.


After school I continued making toys for my daughter and my nephews started learning web design. And I put my sewing machine away for a couple of years.

3 years ago I started working as a babysitter for two little girls. One was 1/5 years old and another was 3 years old back then. They were taught according to the Waldorf's technique so I started to read more books in this area and look for more info. I was talking to teachers and crafters a lot looking to find out more about natural materials like cotton, wool, silk and linen that didn't have any industrial dye in it.


My first waldorf's doll was born, then the second. I was making dolls for my students, for my daughter, for my friend's son... Once started I could't stop. I love making my dolls!

It takes about 10 to 20 hours for each doll to create. There is a lot of hand work involved. The head has to be in correct shape, body proportions should be watched, and then stuffing... The materials have to be clean so if I am using industrially made wool I always wash it. The wool becomes soft and smells nice after washing.


The most difficult part in a doll making is hair. It's made with yarn and has to be attached to the head in a certain way. The eyes and nose are embroidered, the face of the doll has a neutral expression.

These dolls are little miracle, you should see how much kids love them! Since waldorf's style dolls are made for kids of different ages and needs I think that the doll making is a very responsible craft.


My world was filled with bright colors of childhood when my son was born. Together with Alessandro I am learning the world again. On August 26, 2011 he will be 1 years old!


And my daughter Katya helps a lot me with my Etsy shop.


I am full of ideas but I don't have that much time as I would like to. I am glad to share my thoughts with you!

Thank you for your interest in my creations!

If you'd like to see more of Oksana's creations please visit her web site at www.lafiabarussa.com



There is also a giveaway of one of her waldors's dolls going on right now on Facebook.

Join the fun if you'd like to receive it for free!


Interview was taken by Lana (BelleCoccinelle)
Translated by Tanya (Socksandmittens) and Marina (ProdigyCrafts)