A Great Vintage Story

This is a great story I just had to share......

Along with my handcrafted designs I carry unusual vintage sterling silver jewelry from Peru and Mexico. I'm always on the look out for unique designs with excellent craftsmanship. When I came across a pair of vintage sterling silver hand cut earrings from Mexico I noticed right away that they were special. I had never seen this style of cut out work that resembled Mayan art. Each earring had two women , two bird like creatures and a foliage design with hand etched patterns. I was anxious to photograph them and put in my shop I knew someone else would also appreciate their beauty.

 And soon they did,
a buyer from the United Kingdom. As I carefully packaged the earrings I thought about the journey they had made and would continue to make. From Mexico to California and now off to another far away continent. That's what I love about vintage, each piece has a past a great story to tell.

I then received an e-mail from the buyer in the UK, not only was she very pleased with her earrings but said that they are a perfect match for a pendant she had bought 18 years ago! She even included a photograph of her pendant and I couldn't believe how identical the workmanship was, it had to have been made by the same artisan. She explained, "I was looking at vintage silver and I found the earrings by accident ... and then I just had to have them! I bought the pendant about 18 years ago, so it was a surprise to find other work that was so similar. I haven't worn the pendant for a long time, but I think now I'll have to start wearing it again." 

So I must say I love stories with a happy ending, don't you ?



If you would like to take a peek at my vintage sterling silver jewelry visit : PuraPlata.etsy.com







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Travel & Style ~ Peruvian Connection

 

I decided to combine two of my passions in this post, travel and fashion and thought Peruvian Connection would be the perfect fit. I've been an admirer of this clothing company for some time now. There aren't any of their stores in my area so getting their catalog in the mail is something I look forward to. Not only do I love their the beautiful clothes but the fact that they are always photographed in far away settings which makes me want to pack my bags and travel. Their clothes are made of fine Alpaca wool and soft Pima cotton from Peru.

Peruvian Connection was started in 1976 by the mother and daughter team of Biddy and Annie Hurlbut and was inspired by Annie's anthropology research on women in the Andean marketplaces of Peru. They have a great website with information on Alpaca wool and pima cotton, behind the scene videos and even art & culture of the Andes. Their tag line definitely sets the tone, "Artisan apparel for nomads and romantics" and their 2010 fall and winter collection doesn't disappoint.  A lot of the collection was shot in an art deco train station in Prague. I love the long Quintana Pima Cotton Skirt pictured above. Gorgeous earthy vegetable dyed hues and geometric Pre-Columbian stripes with tassels hanging from the hem make this skirt unique. Peruvian pima cotton is exceptional for it's softness, luster and durability.

How about a soft versatile little scarf ? I think the Mohair Corkscrew Scarf , pictured on the right, would be my choice especially in the merlot color. Light weight and in an array of colors it makes a great accessory. Another scarf I love is the Meadow Scarf in warm brown with a whimsical floral design and a rich red wool fringe at the bottom. The Pima Tweed Infinity Scarf is also a versatile choice made with knit peat and pewter tweed pima.

Peruvian Connection also carries other accessories such as leather and wool gloves, jewelry, hats, purses and belts. They  have a gift & home category with lovely cotton and silk sleep wear and intimates along with beautiful vases, rugs and pillows. I've included several links in this post so have fun looking around their site. I'm also including below a video of the behind the scenes shoot of their latest collection shot in Prague. Enjoy!

♥

LKA Design ~ Modern Mosaics

Lorna of  LKA Designs is truly an international designer, originally from Scotland and now residing in Athens, Greece where she creates beautiful mosaic work. She describes her mosaics as fresh, contemporary and hard wearing, with ‘a little extra something’. This could be a unique vintage button or a beautiful piece of ‘found’ sea pottery. Lorna has a wonderful collection of  sea glass, pottery, rounded stones and driftwood from as far off as the Isle of Skye to the beaches of the Aegean which she loves to incorporate into her designs.

 One of my favorite pieces in Lorna's collection is the Chocolate Biscuit Modern Mosaic Tile. A versatile one of a kind design in chocolate brown with unique accents that give it that special something and a pop of color. Each ceramic tile is painstakingly cut then set with dark grey grout and finished with a light sheen of varnish. A layer of cork is applied to the back to protect any surface it may be placed on. Lorna suggests a variety of uses from wall art to a place to rest a great bottle of wine for serving or to display a large candle.

Another great piece from the mosaic collection is a gorgeous round modern mosaic mirror. I love the asymmetrical placement of the circular mirror and the warm colors in the abstract yet playful design. I have only spotlighted a couple of  Lorna's lovely handmade designs she actually works with a variety of materials such as found driftwood and smooth stones which she turns into beautiful candle holders. Lorna is also open to doing custom work so feel free to contact her with any questions. Go ahead visit Lorna's shop and take a little look around I think you'll be pleased. www.LKAdesign.etsy.com

In a Brazilian Kind of Mood

My last post brought back a lot of memories and put me in a Brazilian kind of mood so I thought I would share with you a few Brazilian things I like. On the top of the list would be Brazilian music! I've all ready recommended a few albums from Brazilian artists on my side bar to the right. So here's another : Vanessa de Mata's album  Essa Boneca Tem Manual. It's nice, easy going and upbeat.

One thing I discovered on my trip were Havaianas ! I had no idea that Brazil had such a famous brand of flip flops that came in such great and original colors and patterns. The first pair of Havaianas was made in 1962. They were inspired by the Zori, typical Japanese sandals made of fabric straps and rice straw soles. That's why the foot-bed of all Havaianas have a textured rice pattern. Havaianas has a great website, on the Havaianas Mania page of the site you can get fun free screen savers and wallpaper full your computer.

In the food and drink category I would have to recommend the Caipirinha the national cocktail of Brazil. Just like the Mojito is made from Cuban rum, the Pisco Sour from Peruvian Pisco and the Margarita from Tequila the Caipirinha is made with Cachaça which is derived from sugar cane. It has the same refreshing citrusy taste as the above drinks and is perfect for summer. Here is a simple recipe -

ingredients: 

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

4 Key limes, halved and seeded, or
2 small, juicy limes quartered

2 ounces cachaça

instructions: Sprinkle the sugar over the limes, and muddle them in the mixing glass part of a shaker until the sugar is dissolved and the lime juice is released. Pour a glassful of cracked ice into the mixing glass, add the cachaça, and shake to incorporate. Return all the contents to the glass. Below is a demonstration on how to prepare a Caipirinha.

For more information on this drink and about cachaça click HERE

Obrigado Brasil

My creative juices always get flowing when I travel and my last trip to South America was no exception. Filled with exotic places and colors I love to go back again and again and explore something new. On my last trip my husband and I traveled to Brazil to stay with a friend in Campinas in the state of São Paulo. We also visited Poços de Caldas.  The above picture of a tree that looked like a giant dandelion was taken in Poços de Caldas in the state of  Minas Gerais about 3 hours from Campinas. A quaint little town with a lovely botanical park and small tram to see the view.

These colorful pictures to the left and right were also taken in Minas Gerais. One week was much to short for our first trip to Brazil, we saw beautiful places and tried new foods. I especially liked drinking Cashew milk or caju in Portuguese, my husband didn't care for it but I did and have been meaning to find some locally.  

We definitely need to plan another trip, there is so much still to see we don't know where to begin. But one thing is for sure, we love Brazil and can't wait to go back.



           Obrigado Brasil ~ Thank you Brazil ♥

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