Fotografie bellissime

These are "le fotografie" I just purchased from la mia amica Gretchen of  Symphorose Photography. Gretchen is an international flight attendant with a talent for languages and photography.  She was just in Paris on Saturday. Jealous?  Me too.  She started a new travel blog so bookmark it and jump on board for updates "in country" - Travel with Symphorose Photography.

Che bellezza (how wonderful....)

Insegne Italiane (Italian signs)

Rita Reade, la mia bella amica, is a talented and hard working Sicilian woman who creates these lovely signs "fatto la mano" (by her own hand).  She literally cuts the wood and transfers the scripted phrases herself.  

Mamma Bella Arte 

Thank you for supporting creative women whose products are made by us in the United States not in China or India by individuals who have never been to the places that inspire our creativity.

BellaRustica

Dog dishes from wine crates....

As the owner at one time of three Labrador retrievers, I am always looking for lovely but practical items for our home. The dog dishes I have created  are just that.

I make each item individually with the care and concern deserved  by your dog. Each crate is treated with Briwax, a natural product made from beeswax, and then sealed with several applications of polyurethane to protect the wood. I recommend using the dishes for food unless you can maintain 

the wood over time as a result of water exposure.  Consider the pedestal cut crystal bowls which I regularly find at second hand shops for your dog’s water  - a handsome combination. I only have a limited supply of these and will not be making more at this time.  

Grazie,

Kim Kelly

Bear, Paws, & Scout\

Altre cose belle...

Last week a new customer, Heather, asked me if I could make a bolster pillow for her so we decided on the phrase La Vita e Bella.  She wanted a little something else as well so we discussed different design options and settled on the faded fleur di lis underneath the phrase, tall and wide enough to fill up the side of the pillow that would show.  Since the ink is black I decided on the monostripe black and white ribbon to complete the look.  I stayed up late last night pulling it all together and completely enjoyed myself despite the late hour. I then ended up liking the end product so much that I have decided to offer it at BellaRusticaMarket.

And that is how this happens. I often have people write and express their desire to be creative and my strongest suggestion is cominciare (to begin, to commence).   I take Italian lessons to learn, yes, but learning Italian is really a by-product of stretching myself and initiating on something that interests me and then respecting myself enough to keep feeding that need. Bella Rustica has been another source.  Reading great books is yet another way to stay interested and interesting.  Cosi, la lezione e cominciare qualcosa ti piace (So, the lesson is to begin something you like). What is it for you?

Pulling it together....

Finished product. Ti piace?

Vigne di uve

In questa fotografia, ci sono uve (plural for "uva - pronounced with a soft "a" ) per vino bianco (for white wine).   

I started growing grapes two years ago.  Much like Wisteria, it takes a two years to see the fruits of your efforts and in this case I mean that literally.  This lovely cluster is hanging lazily over my fence made from, coincidentally, vigne di uve (grape vines).

Flying chubby cherubs "in love"...

Amore with bellissimi flying chubby cherubs pillow in natural burlap is now available.  I had such a hard time deciding what image to pair with Amore (To Love) that I never made one.  It is, after all, il verbo (the verb) in Italian!  Interestingly, the Italians do not use the word Love as we so casually do.  They use Piaciare (to like) or Desidere (to desire) but Love, no Love is used to describe "being in love" and "falling in love" - as it should be, mi penso (I think), no?

I did get several inquires about this image though as it did appear in the Better Homes & Garden photo so I decided to add it to le collezione.  Let me know what you think.  I have another image with "Love Birds" that might come next.  You can never have enough Love.

(hand-painted at the entryway of my house)

Scout enjoying the warm bricks while I photographed this morning. I "love" the chipped and faded fleur di lis pot in the background along with her leopard print collar.

New item - 

The perfect set.  Two natural (unbleached) flour sack kitchen towels measuring 28 x 28 inches square imprinted with two of the most well known Italian phrases. One towel has the phrase La Vita e Bella (Life is Beautiful) overlaying a fleur di lis.  The second towel has the phrase La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) overlaying a crown. A chocolate brown ink is used to better compliment the natural fabric of the towel itself.

The images are imprinted with the direct to garment transfer, a non-toxic and permanent process, so they will withstand a lifetime of washings.  These towels, although lovely, are made to be perfectly useful.  They arrive ready to be given as a gift - bound together with natural jute twine and embellished with a small ticket that displays a similarly styled crown. 

A couple of my pillows (Pera - pear and Albero - tree) on Sara Duckett's newly remodeled porch alongside Sara's chocolate Lab, Hannah.