Luxury Christmas Gifts from POLetsy

There are only 14 days  'till Christmas! Do you feel the spirit?

Here are some wonderful luxury stocking stuffers made by Polish artists.
Maybe you'll find a perfect gift for your Luxury Lady? 

Treasury tool by StylishHome.

Creative Material Soutache

Sol de Ibarra/soutache earrings by Hannah Studio

Anna Jaroszewicz from Hannah Studio: The use of soutache (Russia Braid) for ornamentation in clothing, uniforms or shoes was known already in ancient times and sucesfully employed through centuries until nowadays. We can find it in ancient Babylon, baroque France or Russia and in English representative uniforms. The technique of soutache embroidery in jewellery was propagated by israeli artist Dori Csengeri who over ten years ago bravely started up with her innovative project. In short, we could describe the specifics of soutache embroidery as stitching together braids and placing decorative stones, glass beads and other elements between them. Materials needed are: Russian braid, nylon thread, thin needles for beading, glue for textiles, beads made of glass, plastic and ceramics, Swarovski crystals, natural and syntetic stones. We will also need glue, impregnant, leather or felt for finishing the backing, and a few other tools like scissors etc. My first projects were done by intuition, because there were no information sources or practical instructions. For over half a year by trial-and-error I was getting to the technical perfection. Soutache embroidery is immensely facinating and unlimited in form. You can combine random configurations of flourishes and colours. You can also add elements created in other techniques like metal-work, felt, macrame, wire-wrapping etc. The finished project can give a surprising effect, because at the beginning you cannot predict what will be the final version. Creating in soutache embroidery requires quite a lot of patience and obedience, because it’s not easy to harness braids. It requires also high manual skills to shorten the time of accomplishment, so it wouldn’t bore us and put off. 

Purple Soutache Bracelet with Amethys by ArtStyleBizu.

Ania from ArtStyleBizu: My adventure with Soutache began two years ago and from the first moments I loved braids. Implementation of jewelry in this technique is very time consuming but the results are sometimes really suprising. The choice of colors and innumerable ideas for design are main advantages of this techniqe. Soutache jewelry is beautiful and very impressive, almost magical. The perfect combination of color, stones, crystals, glass beads and silver. Each set of my original jewelry is made with great attention to every detail.

Colorful bold trendy bracelet by MANUfakturamaanuela

Manuela from MANUfakturamaanuela: Soutache gives a lot of possibilities. Large range color of strings, beads in different shapes and sizes allows you to create unique works. My advice on technique - don't be afraid to mix and match colors seemingly matching! :))

Soutache/silver earrings by Antidotum

Alina from Antidotum: There are several reasons why soutache has become one of my favorite jewelry making techniques. One of them can be seen with the naked eye - it's fabulous colors, which can be a kick to create. The other, known for those who are familiar with this technique: the satisfaction you feel after many hours of tedious work when the piece slowly gets ready. In my case, it is also a kind of adventure, as I begin to work with just a sketch vision of what I want to do, then I give the lead to the materials :)

fall in the rokies earrings from KimimilaArt

Kamila from KimimilaArt : My adventure with braid began about 2 years ago - by accident I came across a post about this on the forum wizaz.pl. Lovelies  - I thought and I utterly fell in love. It was very difficult to find Russia braids. I live permanently in the United States and could not find anything that suited me. I placed an order in a Polish shop, the parcel went to my family in Poland and from there to Montana. And after 2 weeks I could take the first soutache trial. The beginnings were quite hard, I did everything by trial and error,  but somehow after a while I achieved  what I wanted. I like braids for the opportunity to create something combining the richness of European royal courts, ethnic jewelery and simple modern forms. And of course the endless color madness.

Agnieszka / bialaKura

Creative Material: color

Pastel stiones Necklace by JagnaB

Jagna from JagnaB says: Working with polymer clay is all about color, unless you are painting your pieces of course, but why paint and give up the satin-smooth texture of sanded and polished clay when you can get any color you want just with the clay itself? Usually it's color that is my first inspiration, once I have the color palette that I like I start adjusting the graphical design that will suit the color scheme the best. I see my pieces more like art than jewelry in the traditional meaning, therefore I keep the form very simple and use it more like canvas on which I create a polymer clay 'drawing' - the whole technique which I have developed myself is quite complicated but color plays in it the very major role; I use gradients of 2 or more colors, shading, contrast and few other color-based tricks to achieve the clean and dramatic effects I like to see on my pieces. My work is very intuitive when it comes to color, I do not strictly follow any theories nor rules, I just have my favorite palettes (I love gray scale, then all shades of blue, also everything natural... if there is a color I do have a problem with, it is pink) and I find inspiration everywhere around me.

Amphora - handpainted yarn by Zagroda

Marta from Zagroda says: Color is the most important component of my work. Color impression is noticed in the first place, a later on the shape, texture and composition. If that first impression is positive, significantly facilitates the decision to purchase:) That’s why the colors of my wool must be beautiful and original - I try to make them different from products manufactured in series, because that's what gives them their character and charm. My favorite works are those where the colors complement each other. But I do like when the colors merge like a dancing pair: each is an individual, but they follow along in the same direction, conjuring up a series of a delicate half-tones.

Futuristika necklace with red corals by ProjektMosko

Monika from ProjektMosko says: I like to work in a relatively narrow color range. This makes most of my works goes fine with each other, they have a consistent character. Lead, silver, gold, black and red are my favourite: these colors are so strong.

Red wine and lagoon soutache earrings by MANUfakturamaanuela

Manuela from MANUfakturamaanuela says: When creating jewelry, I try to choose colors that are vivid and bold, which will add life to any clothes. Choosing colors to work together - in my case soutache cords - I put them side by side and I look if they do work together. Color combinations in fashion styling inspire me often. My favorite color combo by far is: navy blue, azure and red wine color.

Agnieszka

Featured shops of the week ...

1 row :

Decoromana - http://www.etsy.com/listing/74469875/forget-me-nots-tatted-lace-charm
ifONA  - http://www.etsy.com/listing/74550350/spring-sale-20-off-was-25
madebymada - http://www.etsy.com/listing/74336300/burgundy-treasure-soutache-red-dangle

2 row:

LilNut - http://www.etsy.com/listing/70761743/coral-little-ones-in-silver-925
kapelusznik - http://www.etsy.com/listing/62007731/time-base-necklace
Koroneczka - http://www.etsy.com/listing/74332493/my-piece-of-the-sun-clay-pendant-in-a