Thursday, March 22, 2018

Even today, after a century of feminism, we can't fully be ourselves

Smart and effective short text by Elena Ferrante for Guardian.


On principle, I refuse to speak badly of another woman, even if she has offended me intolerably. It’s a position that I feel obliged to take precisely because I’m well aware of the situation of women: it’s mine, I observe it in others, and I know that there is no woman who does not make an enormous, exasperating effort to get to the end of the day. Poor or affluent, ignorant or educated, beautiful or ugly, famous or unknown, married or single, working or unemployed, with children or without, rebellious or obedient, we are all deeply marked by a way of being in the world that, even when we claim it as ours, is poisoned at the root by millennia of male domination.
Women live amid permanent contradictions and unsustainable labours. Everything, really everything, has been codified in terms of male needs – even our underwear, sexual practices, maternity. We have to be women according to roles and modalities that make men happy, but we also have to confront men, compete in public places, making them more and better than they are, and being careful not to offend them.
A young woman I’m very fond of said to me: it’s always a problem with men, I’ve had to learn not to overdo. She meant that she had trained herself not to be too beautiful, too intelligent, too considerate, too independent, too generous, too aggressive, too nice. The “too” of a woman produces violent male reactions and, in addition, the enmity of other women, who every day are obliged to fight among themselves for the crumbs left by men. The “too” of men produces general admiration and positions of power.
The consequence is that not only is female power suffocated but also, for the sake of peace and quiet, we suffocate ourselves. Even today, after a century of feminism, we can’t fully be ourselves, don’t belong to ourselves. Our defects, our cruelties, our crimes, our virtues, our pleasure, our very language are obediently inscribed in the hierarchies of the male, are punished or praised according to codes that don’t really belong to us and therefore wear us out. It’s a condition that makes it easy to become odious to others and to ourselves. To demonstrate what we are with an effort at autonomy requires that we maintain a ruthless vigilance over ourselves.
So I feel close to all women, and, sometimes for one reason, sometimes for another, I recognize myself in the best as well as in the worst. Is it possible, people say to me at times, that you don’t know even one bitch? I know some, of course: literature is full of them and so is everyday life. But, all things considered, I’m on their side.

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Mans relationship with the nature

This brutal and very true video by amazingly talented Steve Cutts  is definitely a must see, especially in the light of a very disturbing news that the last male white rhino died. Another extinct species.


Monday, March 19, 2018

Celebrating color of the year - Ultra Violet


Every year Pantone picks color of the year, which ends up being the one to dictate fashion trends for the whole year. Color of the 2018 is Ultra Violet, and for the first time it is actually mix of colors which reminds me amethyst, natural mineral which has mix of amazing shades of violet, purple and white. This bracelet, which is available in my Etsy shop, is made from natural amethyst beads and is a perfect accessory for all of you fashion lovers out there.


Friday, March 16, 2018

Why do we sleep? No, seriously.


Today is officially World Sleep Day, and in order to celebrate it, here is an interesting short video where Claudia Aguirre shows what happens to your body and brain when you skip sleep.


Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Your own original Hermes Jige clutch bag - for free!

In need of a free designer bag? Always! Hermes has you covered. Few years ago Hermes published 6 free designs for their classic Jige clutch that you can download and with some scissors and glue get yourself an original paper Hermes small handbag, which is perfect for stashing and organizing with a lot of style. My personal favorite was Donatien and it took me half an hour to print, fold and glue, and get myself adorable Hermes clutch.

Apart from Donatien and classic white, there are 4 beautiful designs.

Follow these links to get pdf for each of these bags.
3. Claire
4. Remi
5. Jerome
6. Blanc


Half an hour later...


I even added a little personal touch with label inside...

Enjoy!






Sunday, March 11, 2018

Sunday morning.

Fresh cup of coffee and my favorite bunny slippers. Good morning.


Friday, March 9, 2018

Meet my Friday buddy - Drinkify app!


It is Friday afternoon and I still have some work left over to do at home. But since I am home, and it is Friday, I will turn some music on and have something to relax while I finish my work. I wanted to share with you my go to drink buddy - Drinkify app. You just type in what are you listening to, and it gives you the perfect drink to go with your music choice! Cheers!


The Heroines of Yugoslavia


Wonderful new project by Zoran Cardula, artist and graphic designer from Skopje - Macedonia. You can see more about this project following this link.

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Happy International Women's Day!


Amazing Emma Watson is guest curating National Geographic instagram account in honor of International Women's Day.

Noisli - soothing noise generator


When you are trying to work without distraction but need a little background noise, or you're struggling to relax and fall asleep, you might like Noisli. It's a website and app that lets you pick different sounds to play, including rain, a fan (my personal favorite), white noise, crickets and more. It allows you to play multiple sounds at the same time and create your custom environment. If you are a freelancer feeling a little lonely at your desk, you will probably like coffee shop the most - background hum of people talking and dishes clattering is an excellent concentration booster. Even interface is nice, simple and very relaxing. You should definitely try it out!

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Etsy Mini Widgets are recently discontinued - but here is a great alternative!

A few months ago Etsy discontinued Etsy Mini widgets, which were a great way to promote your shop on blogs and websites. I was lucky enough to keep the widget, so it is still functioning, but many others did not know that the option would be unavailable soon, not to mention new Etsy shops opening every day which do not even know about this great option. I searched for an alternative, and found a great one at CraftCult. Just click this link and follow the instructions, and you can create a great little slide show of listings from your shop, and you can also view shop info, hearts and feedback. Great thing is that there is a lot of themes to pick from, and also animation style and product display options, so you can really customize it to your needs.
Hope you will find it useful! 

Monday, March 5, 2018

A touch of color

For years and years I have been collecting unique beads. I always loved to look at them, and one of the reasons I first got into polymer clay is because I wanted to be able to make beads I imagined, but could never find. Most of those beads are interesting gemstone beads and colorful glass and crystal ones, but there are also pretty beads made of various synthetic materials. I bought them everywhere I went, and over time I hoarded a lot of beautiful beads, that just sat in my boxes and drawers. I always had a very clear idea what kind of jewelry I wanted to make with them, but I never actually did it, and I am not quite sure why. I started several times, but always got stuck or felt sad to let them go. Last few weeks I finally started creating jewelry with them and I am ecstatic about final results!


All of these beauties are listed in my Etsy shop, and I decided to offer free shipping for them! Each of these bracelets is an unique little work of art, so if you want them, you should hurry before they are sold, because it is not possible to make an exact copy. 

Book quotes pins

Hey everybody! Today I am presenting pins that I wanted to make for a very long time, but somehow never completed them. They are made of light wood cut in a shape of cameo, and each of them have different quote from the books I love. All five of them are unique and available in my Etsy shop, so hop on and grab your favorite!

Sunday, March 4, 2018

DIY Bunny Mug


Hello everyone! This adorable bunny mug is one of my favorite crafts ever! I've had it for almost four years and it is still my favorite morning coffee mug. It is very easy to made and represent a perfect gift for any bunny lover. Since Easter is just around the corner, I'll post my tutorial again. I hope you will like it as much as I do!
Supplies:
-Blank porcelain mug
-Porcelain painter in a pen
-Baking paper
-Graphite pencil, as soft as possible (7 B is the best)
-Scissors
-Plastic tape
-Toothpick

I used Marabu Porcelain painter since I already had good experience with their products, and because their paint is dishwasher safe.


If your mug has any printing on the bottom, use a little bit of acetone to remove it before you start.
To make bunny ears equal size and symmetrical, draw one ear on baking paper, fold it in half, and then draw another.




Position your drawing face down to the mug and use plastic tape to fix it. Make sure that mug is clean and completely dry.


After you remove the baking paper, use your porcelain paint marker to paint on the mug. Make sure you have a wet cloth or a sponge near by in case you need to wipe off excess paint.



Repeat previous steps to paint a bunny face on the bottom of the mug. Make sure that ears and face are well aligned with each other. I used toothpick for the eyes, so they wouldn't smudge.




You should allow paint to dry for at least 24 h in order for it to be completely dry. I waited for about 72 hours, to make sure it is absolutely dry, and now, 4 years later, I still use it almost every day.