HANGING GARDENS OF BABYLON

        Probably, everyone has heard about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. They are also erroneously called Gardens of Semiramis, with attribution to the legendary queen of Babylon. According to the legend, Semiramis was a daughter of a goddess half-woman half-fish. In history she was in many ways a notable person, indeed. However, it was queen Ametis, wife of Assyrian king Nebuchadnezzar II, born two centuries before Semiramis, for whom the fabulous gardens were created.

To see how you can adorn your garden with a miniature handmade "Hanging Gardens"CLICK HERE ...

Eco Friendly Kitchen Tools for a Happy Cook

    There may be dozens of interior design styles for kitchens, but some of them are more associated with Home in the stereotypical and the traditional understanding of this notion. Kitchens in Provence, ethnic and country styles remind us of the good old Home as it is usually pictured in old family photographs, fairytales, romantic novels and Hollywood dramas.

    So let’s see what makes these styles so dear to us? How is this atmosphere of a warm hearth and cosiness created?

    We are sure that the woman is the main creator of her kitchen. A happy woman will make a great kitchen. In her work she needs hundreds of small things to help her reign in her kingdom (or it is a queendom, in our case?) All these innumerable kitchen utensils from toothpicks to ovens make the army of the cook in the battle for a tasty dinner.

    Small things make the difference. This is proven by the life experience. Choose them with all the responsibility! We know that eco friendly kitchen tools are the best choice for every cook. Not only are they made of natural materials but also they are naturally beautiful and will suit any kitchen in Provence, ethnic and country design. Let’s see…

   When you see this kitchen you feel how relaxed and light-hearted you could be in it, don’t’ you? Wooden kitchen utensils are must-haves in a kitchen in provence style: cutting boards, wooden spatulas and spoons, heat protection kitchen pads. Happiness lives in this kitchen and hides amongst the decorated bottles for olive oil or vinegar, brightly painted ceramic teapots and jars, vases with herbs like lavender, chamomile and mint.

    A kitchen in ethnic Japanese design can be decorated with kitchenware made of black smoked ceramics. Minimalism in style and maximalism in practicality, such might be a slogan for these kitchen utensils. Simplicity is a friend of comfort, and comfort is a friend of happiness! Your friend is my friend…

Some DIY ideas of how to attract butterflies to your garden

    This story is about irresistible grace, lightness and beauty in its purest form. About the most ephemeral and incredible creatures in the world, actually they have rightfully won this title.

Gorgeous butterflies!

    That’s it! This is the best inspiration of the Mother Nature and the biggest admiration from all around. Their life is full of wonderful moments and seems to be miraculous. They can tell you all about the flowers, sun and sky, about the wind and transience of life. They know everything about nothing. And even more. Butterflies are so delicate, but at the same time they have martial spirit inside. The lure light has always been their main desire. They will never be afraid to burn. That’s their nature.

    They are so small and brave. The butterfly symbolizes freedom, lightness and a new beginning. There are good grounds for saying, when a butterfly flaps its wings in one part of the world, it can cause a hurricane in another part.

Actually, you can attract butterflies to your garden with a help of 2-3 homemade butterfly feeders.

And what  is cool about it  you can see all this in real, just make sure that you have all to do such a thing.

I’m not kidding, the truth as naked as it comes.

 

Creative ceramic figurines vs Boredom 4:0

   Boring things are mauvais ton nowadays. Really, we simply cannot afford buying ordinary things. Literally everything – from the toilet paper holder to the cutting board, from the laces on your sneakers to the bed linen – can be found in ingenious designer styles.

   I am sincerely amazed by the unique ceramic ideas that some ceramic designers realize and offer to us. So if you are looking for funny and creative bargains or gifts for any occasion, consider one of ceramic figurines from www.etsy.com/ru/shop/GrotesqueStatuettes.

   Look at these ceramic collectibles - the family of blue elephants. We cannot deny that they are weird. Very weird, actually. But so undeniably amicable with their wide Hollywood grins! They deserve the sunniest spot in your garden. Imagine how great the elephants wll look on the green grass. Or, you can put them right in the center of the mantelpiece. No one can suspect you in excessive sentimentality!

   Another option to surprise your guests is this painted ceramic moster with bright eyes and ear-locators. 

His spikes reveal his rebellious character. His nose will sniff every mischief planned by your kids. 

Every time you will be passing by this monster and looking at him you will smile to the thought of your own perfection (in comparison with the monster).

Have you ever wondered at the power of visualization in pursue of your goals? If one of your goals is to overcome a bad habits of yours, like smoking, foul language or too-many-donats-eating-every-day, imagine this habit as one of these ceramic monsters confined to a cage. 

Ugly, miserable and helpless it is! Look at your imprisoned monster and laugh in its face. Now you are free from it! Let it know its place! It has no more power over you.

This is only the beginning in your exploration of the amazing world of bizarre and funny ceramic stuff. 

Be sure you will find many other cool items to help you fight with boredom and commonness.

Decorating a Kitchen with a DIY Wine Bottle Crafts

   DIY projects from recycled materials are winning more and more followers all around the globe. I decided to pay contribution to this trend, practice a little and make decorative kitchen accessories.

   For my project I chose items as trivial as empty bottles, rough threads and PVA glue.

   My idea was to create decorative bottles with a textured surface in rustic style. The basic method is to cover the bottle with plenty of glue and wrap it with the threads line by line, close to each other for a dense layer.

   Yes, the work might be somewhat time consuming, but very rewarding in the end. You will get a bottle that you can either leave as it is or decorate further. You can add a graphic design or paint a simple image on it. These decorative bottles can also serve as vases for field flowers. You can serve your homemade wine or keep your favorite olive oil in them.

   I made a couple of such bottles because I like how they look in a set. The secret of a good composition from such bottles is to use bottles of different shapes and heights. Usually, three of them will look great together (remember, that uneven numbers are more favorable for compositions than even).

   You still don’t know how to decorate kitchen? Seriously? To create various decorative glass bottles you can use threads like mine or the leftovers of yarn for knitting. Think of adding lace accents or making patterns with buttons or beads.

   I hope that you like my bottles. I am sure that you can develop this basis DIY project into even more sophisticated and colorful projects of yours.

Original Bronze Jewelry For Your Feminine Look

   When you see bronze jewelry you feel that besides style it has got a character. You understand that this not knick-krackery, but symbolic statements of your tastes and passions.

   Look at this handmade metal ring. Its simplicity speaks for itself: I do not need any adornments, I only wish a pinch of elegance.

   The Kamasutra bronze pendant is far from being a trinket. It is meant for an audacious woman who is self-assured, free of stereotypes and ready to accentuate her sexuality.

   The textured ring with mysterious lines will add an aura of enigma to your image. “What do these lines mean?”, they will be asking you. Bestow them with a mysterious smile and keep your secret!

   The pendant with yin-yang cats can set you in the right mood for reaching the balance and the harmony between the feminine and the masculine parts of your personality.

   The bronze pendant dragon heart serves as a univocal signal that you are not a sweet marshmallow girl, but a person with burning passions in your heart: “Behave well and I will share my fire with you”.

   The bronze pendant "Phoenix bird powers" is an infallible choice if you would like to draw good luck and all the best powers to you (as well as attention to your beautiful low neck, too).

   The art of wearing jewelry consists of two stages. First, you have to choose that very one item from the thousands of them available on sale. Second, you have to choose matching clothes. (When you shop for clothes, it is the other way round, of course.) Remember, that a wrong choice at either stage will reduce to zero the value of each of the parts of the match.

   So what kind of clothes can be adorned with bronze jewelry? In my point of view, dresses are the best choice. Bronze looks great with green, dark red, yellow and white color. Mustard hue and the hues of brown (chocolate, coffee, caramel, cinnamon – are not just words starting with “c” and not my  favorite treats, though they actually are! – to name but a few of them) are also among the favorable combinations with bronze.

Look for dresses of the casual, ethnic and romantic styles with free airy silhouettes, made of natural cloths like linen, silk and cotton.

   Are you still looking for an excuse for being feminine this summer? Find the most beautiful dress in your closet with a matching pair of shoes, do your hair chic and gorgeous, and accentuate your femininity with an original bronze jewelry item from BronzeCentury.

12 Most Common Misconceptions About Handmade

1. Handmade products are for the poor.

Actually, if you are looking for a status thing, you would not be able to opt a Chanel handbag for a handcrafted handbag. Handmade accessories say nothing about the size of your purse, they signify that you have more creativity, courage and individual taste than the average.

2. Handmade products are for the rich.

In fact, you can find handmade products of all price ranges, most of them are more than affordable.

3. Handmade products are of poor quality.

Conscientious artisans will never afford themselves selling a product of a low quality. A couple of such neglects can cost them their reputation and profit.

4. Handmade products are not fashionable.

“Fashion comes and goes, but the style is eternal,” Yves Saint Laurent said once. Even great designers agree that trying to follow fashion trends is a pursuit for the ephemeral. Don’t try to be fashionable, try to find your own style! Handmade accessories can emphasize your individuality.

5. Handmade products are only for women.

Men can shop for exclusive men’s jewelry and accessories like designer bow tie, cufflinks, canes, ties, bow ties, belts, wallets, notebooks, bags and other stuff.

6. Handmade products are primitive.

Primitive is if you still buy postcards in your local supermarket. Handmade products can be laconic, but not primitive. The production of most things is an elaborate process that demands lots of patience, artistic taste, skills, preparation and originality.

7. Handmade products come exclusively from the countries of the Third World.

Did you know that the majority of the most successful sellers at Etsy come from the USA and Canada?

8. “Handmade” products are actually manufactured in China.

You will be amazed to know how many local artisans work in your neighborhood. They are usually united in a strong community. They provide support to each other, offer classes and exchange experience.

9. Handmade products are boring.

Almost never. Get rid of the stereotypical image of handmade as of your granny’s knitted socks. Some handmade creations blow your mind (in a positive meaning)!

10. Handmade means vintage.

Nope. Some handmade is ultra-modern!

11. Handmade is a name of one style.

There exist dozens of handmade techniques!

12. Handmade products are for decoration only.

Handmade is more than sweet angel statuettes! If you think so, you probably haven’t heard of handmade soap, bags, furniture, ware, clothes hangers and so on and so forth. Yes, all these products are beautiful, but their beauty doesn’t diminish their utility.

Now that we have proved all these misconceptions groundless – you can shop for handmade products and enjoy the process and the result!