Garden Fix: Little Known Secret Italian Garden

I didn't actually visit this location...it was after that I learned about Villa D'Ayala in Valva, Italy (near Salerno & Napoli). I fell in love with the amphitheater after seeing an image in House & Garden (I think)...I've still got the clipping, but name isn't on the page.

I have this weird fascination with all things lost...deserted buildings, shipwrecks, Atlantis, "discarded" busts...this is how I started out in the cultural anthropology field at first in college. Okay, back to Villa D'Ayala & the "discarded" busts. Call me strange (I do), but I think that this is enchantingly beautiful...ethereal, really. 

These busts have a home again. Uh huh, you say.  Well, my specific thing with busts started after visiting the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence (you know, the one that the David statue is at...okay). So, after you see the David, hang a left & at the end there is a room filled with various statues & shelves filled with busts.

Ta-dah...When staring at all of the busts, it dawned on me that they were sculpted to represent an actual person. A person that had their own family and story to tell. That bust was most likely in a residence & through the years somehow ended up on a shelf in a museum for gawking tourists to take bad photos of & telling friends that, oh yeah, David did have a big pecker. It's sad & beautiful at the same time. Okay, so that's how I started up with the eccentric fascination for what I consider "discarded" busts & why I love how the busts at the Villa D'Ayala have a home...

Tourist-y info about Valva, Italy & Villa D'Ayala here.

This is not a major US tourist destination, but they actually hold concerts there & International Film Festivals. Some of the Italy tour packages for Campania region make it a day-trip...but I am not a big fan of the blink-and-you-miss-a-city tour packages. The culture & feel of a place just get lost in all that itinerary nonsense!

Hope you're inspired!

♥-Kat.

Because you'd rather be... shopping: favorite things

So I found these while browsing the Gift Guides & Storque on Etsy.

Let me know if any of you have signed on for advertising in any of the Etsy paid gift guides &/or craftopolis.com / craftcult.com sites. I've heard mix reviews about Etsy's gift guides...and not sure about the craftopolis or craftcult sites. They sound ideal for suppliers to adv. on, but especially with jewelry...then again, I know that us sellers like to buy from fellow Etsians too..

Thanks in advance for any feedback!

Aren't these gorgeous?! These are from glowfly

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I love cardinals (fitting, huh)..these photos are beeaauuuutiful + even the pic's of the females are lovely. Find these & more shots from CrawfordCardinal

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My son picks "no one plays with t-rex" as his fav. art piece tonight! by TummyMountain

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I love these tags SO MUCH! It would be perfecto if these were the only 2 designs in the set for me!

These designs + more from farouche

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Two of my absolute fav. things: flavored lip balm & solid perfume. Solid perfume is fantastic to keep in your purse without leaking, but remember to not leave in a hot car!! Another great thing about the solid perfumes is that it isn't instantly overwhelming like that first whiff of sprayed perfume!

Find these at at mybirch

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Okay Moms...the cutest diaper bag from Paris (France, not Kentucky!) by ikabags

Pretty feminine fairy wings just in time for Halloween (& in premature honor of Laurell K. Hamilton's next Meredith Gentry novel coming out within another month!). Err, wings are from UpfromtheAshes and Rebecca has great pieces that pull off the adult seductive fairy / dark angels without looking trashy! Can ship in time for Halloween until 10/19/09!

Bonus points to emandsprout for naming these Frankenstein Monster Mary Janes..that's a random pet peeve calling the monster Frankenstein...sorry for the rant!

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I like it in that eccentric & funky way!  headboard by vintagerenewal

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Let me know if you have any recommendations or want me to check out your stuff too!

Enjoy!

♥-Kat.

Monday's shipments...so long...

So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, adieu...

& off I go to sew more flowers for necklaces...

♥-Kat.

Wow! Is it time to go to bed yet?

Fellow Etsy sellers, I definately recommend submitting your work for the weekend Etsy features. I had 33 sales during the promo. Today (err, & tonight) was spent mainly working up orders, and I've still got some more to work up!  Unfortunately, I know I'm headed into a busy day tomorrow at the office so this former night owl just can't keep her eyes open any longer....

(Artist: William Wegman / website here )

Good Night!

♥-Kat

Yea! Cardinal House Featured in Etsy Finds: Indie Exclusive Weekend Deals!!!

I've only just figured out how to submit products to Etsy staff for the Weekend Deal features! Better late than never!  Check it out here!
Orange white and black Rosa necklace featured for Halloween theme!

Etsy sellers: In case you were wondering how to submit too, make sure you're logged in &  then click on the "Community" tab on the main Etsy banner at the top of your screen. Then click on the "Forums" buttom. Now, on the main Etsy banner, type in "weekend deals" into the search bar (make certain that "Forum Titles" is showing on the drop-down menu immediately at the left). This will pull up any threads with coming up Etsy Weekend Deals. From here you can go into each individual thread, see what the Etsy staff is looking for, & write a post about what you'd like to offer. I'd include a link to whatever item in your store best suits the topic for the weekend deal or you best looking listing if no theme is mentioned.

It's worth offering the discount. I wasn't sure what to expect this time, but wow! I definately recommend trying to get your items listed & make sure that you have plenty of whatever it is that is listed!

Hope this helps!

♥ -Kat.

Garden Fix: Sources of inspiration found (Isola Bella on Lago Maggiore in Italy)

Once upon a time there was a girl that traveled to to lake that divided Italy from Switzerland.

On that lake was an island that was once ruled by a noble family for many years.

On that island was a house (hmph) that the noble family lived in for many centuries.

Surrounding that house were extensive beautiful gardens.

Beautiful gardens that housed such exotic creatures as albino peacocks...

and enchanting statues...

and don't forget captivating views.

And then that girl came back home & used everything that she saw to use as inspiration in her art and jewelry.

So my gradmother's garden & greenhouse were nowhere near this grand, but all that time I spent with her either working on her flowers or crafts definately rubbed off on me. Oh, and if you're wondering where the pictures were taken - here you go: Isola Bella (fitting, "Beautiful Island") on Lago Maggiore in northern Italy bordering Switzerland. Links to more history & travel specific info here.

Hope you're inspired!

♥ -Kat.

Because you'd rather be... shopping: hats

Here are some great hats from katarinacouture on Etsy.

Very fun.....my hair's too long again to pull off hats. Winter waves be damned because I'm ready to be done with long hair for the time!

-Kat

www.cardinalhouse.etsy.com