You can wear this black hat in three possible ways.

In my Spanish blog I dedicated this hat to the paintress Maruja Mallo

This black hat is supplied as a kit with three possibilities to wear it.

It is made of crochet with elastic acrylic yarn.

Its colour isn't uniform, some strings nicely shimmer a bit, though it's barely noticeable.

As in the picture to the right of this text you can wear it in its more simple form.

Or you can add the delivered pompom brooch.

Or you can opt for a more sophisticated way :

Onto one side you fix the brooch with the very beautiful natural feathers. (cruelty-free)

This brooch contains black rooster feathers, sequins and some beads.

All of it sewn onto a piece of felt.

The three parts are independent but are sold together for the attractive price of the kit.

Combine them as you wish to, depending on the moment.

Click here for more information or to buy it

Click here to see other options.

You can now discover the secret of the Banke hotel in Paris

L'hôtel Banke (9è arrondissement), rue La Fayette 20, 75009 Paris, Métro Chaussée d'Antin La Fayette, 75009 Paris.

This hotel hides a secret : it used to be an old diamond bank.

At the beginning of the 20th century, La Banque Suisse Française used to have their headquarters here.

Jordi Clos, the actual owner of the hotel, owns a private collection of etnic jewelry and the hotel still has the sumptuous vault.

During the famous "Journées du Patrimoine" (this month on 19th & 20th septembre 2015) you have the chance to discover it all.

Put your mind at rest and make up your own stories

Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, The Frog Prince, Rapunzel, The Goose-Girl and many other wonderful stories that the Brothers Grimm gathered and redefined.

They were translated in more than 100 languages.
Walt Disney got inspired by them. So did Hitler who abused the folk tales as propaganda.

Some original version of the stories were very cruel and violent. I remember how at times during my childhood I got quite frightened and occasionally they caused a nightmare.

Later on the Brothers Grimm adapted the most cruel versions and replaced them with softer versions.

During the 20th century psychologists reaffirmed the value of the tales.

The Brothers Grimm were helped and stimulated by the rise of romanticism during the 19th century.

Because of the death of their father and their grandfather they got very close to each other. Jacob was an introspective person while Wilhelm was more outgoing.

All landscape photos presented in this blog post are from German photographer Kilian Schönberger.

"I think there is is a deep longing for tranquil naturalness among people in our technology-driven environment" says Schönberger. I can't agree more with him.

"Put your mind at rest and make up your own stories", he continues. Looking at his shots I'm sure he does.

It's hard to believe that the man is colourblind.


"I recognized that I could turn this so-called disadvantage into a strength" he writes

Fragment from "The Girl without hands" :

"The father became alarmed, and promised to obey him.
So he went to the girl and said, my child, if I do not cut off both your hands, the devil will carry me away, and in my terror I have promised to do it..." Click here to read the whole story

Wilhelm Grimm (left) and Jacob Grimm (right) in an 1855 painting by Elisabeth Jerichau.Baumann

Hallstatt : stuck to the mountains and lying at a beautiful lake in the south of Salzkammergut, Austria.

The name of the village is linked to Celtic and Pre-Illyrian peoples in Early Iron Age Europe, circa 800 - 400 BC.

Hallstatt means "estate of the salt chamber" and you can visit the historical salt mines and the Cultural Heritage Museum that hold the history of Hallstattersee.

Hallstätter See.

At the end of the 19th century you still had to take a boat or hike difficult mountain trails in order to arrive at Hallstatt.

Even in summer the lake remains a bit chilly for swimming. But you always can enjoy (especially on a rainy day) the arctic char, grayling, eel, carp and different sorts of white fish and trouts in one of the local restaurants.

It's not always as romantic as these pictures promise. From about mid-november until february the inhabitants of Hallstatt don't see the sun.

Around Hallstatt you will find some of the best hiking trails in Salzkammergut and you will be able to shoot some of the most spectacular pics in the mountain and lake scenery.

This mosaic necklace is just a one-off.

I admit it was a complicated job to achieve this one. It took me four days to make it.

Looking at the original and wonderful beauty of it, I believe it was worth the hard work.

Composition : small pockets of cotton-filled fabric, round beads lined with satin, black flowers of synthetic leather and some beads of different colours and sizes.

Nothwithstanding the variety, the harmony of the collar is outmatching. Looking at some photos of roman mosaics, the concept occurred to me.

First I made a bottom piece of crochet giving it more bandwidth at the centre.
Next I was patiently cutting the fabrics and once sewn, I filled them with cotton.
Finally I started the assembly.

Good heavens ! It took me quite a number of stitches and hours.

This adornment around your neck will make you feel truly unique.

Click here for more information or to buy this mosaic collar.

Click here to discover other creations in my Etsy shop.

Ghost town Craco, Province of Matera, Southern Italian region of Basilicata

Known as Graculum in Ancient Rome.

The town was built on a very steep summit for defensive reasons, but it was abandoned due to natural disasters.

Because of its unique and particular landscape Craco has been the setting of many movies.

Among many others "The Passion of the Christ" (2004) by Mel Gibson. The town appears in the scene of the hanging of Judas.

Before, in 1996, it was chosen for the film "The Nymph", directed by Lina Wertmüller and with music by the unforgettable Ennio Morricone.

Danza dos Cobres (Santo Adrán), Vilaboa, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain.

The origins of this local tradition date back to the eighteenth century.

"Madamas, galáns and aldeáns" represent different social roles and economic positions.
The Galáns & the madamas occupy the highest ones.

The majority group, the aldeáns, represent the last link in the chain.

Each year sequins, ribbons, feathers and other decorations have to be renewed as they get lost during the dancing and the festivities.







See it live on this video :