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Mara Paris is Crafting Amazing Jewelry Inspired by Modern Art

By
Nikoleta P
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Line art has been having quite a moment in the last couple of months, and it’s overtaken every aspect of our lives—including our jewelry collection. If you’re looking for a designer who specializes in crafting beautiful line art jewels, Mara Paris is your best bet.

Paris describes herself as an artist who “aims to bring together elegance and uniqueness through sculptural pieces” and “offers jewelry to people who love to wear and collect exceptional objects.” Each of her pieces draws inspiration from architectural and modern art and they’re usually made with sterling silver and vermeil.

If we had to pick Paris’s signature product, we’d have to go with Dina ear cuff, which takes the form of a person’s face inspired by single-line drawings. This brand specializes in ear cuffs, in general, and offers a wide range of interesting models that will make you fall in love with this underrated piece of jewelry.

In addition to ear cuffs, Mara Paris offers a wide range of classic earrings, rings, and necklaces. They’ll available for purchase on the brand’s official website and wearing them will make you feel like you’re walking around with a tiny piece of art everywhere you go.

Looking for Knitting Inspiration? Follow These Knitting Artists on Instagram

By
Elizabeth N
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Over the past year, crafting has become super trendy, and knitting is one of the most popular crafts. Knitting is a great way to relax while making one-of-a-kind clothing and decor items. If you’re new to knitting, there are tons of talented artists on social media that can give you inspiration. Here are five artists you should start following on Instagram.

Gaye Glasspie

This artist’s love of bright colors, especially orange-colored yarn, is shown through her hand-knit accessories and sweaters. Glasspie started knitting to help get through a breakup and she told Martha Stewart maganzine that, “knitting literally saved my life.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CI6EbSJp3T8/

Anna Maltz

Maltz’s hand-knit sweaters and attention to detail make a huge statement and you can shop her online store for scarf, sweater, and mitten knitting patterns.

Stephen West

If you’re a fan of bold, bohemian-inspired knits, Amsterdam-based knitter Stephen West’s, the cofounder of the online yarn shop Stephen & Penelope, Instagram is packed with bright color-blocking and chevron stripes in fun colors.

Summer Lee

Summer Lee’s unique, rainbow-print socks and sweaters are sure to add some positive-energy to your Instagram feed. She even offers downloadable patters of some of her favorite designs for only $5.

Ocean Rose

If earthy muted shades are more your speed, Ocean Rose’s ombre-hued yarns, sweaters, and shawl can give you all the inspiration you need to get started knitting.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFSYSR7pA5j/

You’ve Seen Lirika Matoshi’s Strawberry Dress—Get to Know Her Talented Sister, Teuta Matoshi

By
Kate B
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Talent definitely runs in the Matoshi family—Lirika Matoshi’s strawberry dress went viral this summer. The pink tulle dress with puffy sleeves and covered in red sequin strawberries, has inspired memes, tweets, and DIY versions. But while Lirika’s dress has gotten a lot of hype on social media, her sister, Teuta, is equally as talented.

The sisters come from Kosovo, a small nation in the central Balkans. Teuta launched her line in September 2007, which specialized in high-quality coats. And in the same night the collection debuted, it sold out. Now, she creates whimsical, girly gowns and dresses that feature embroidery and embellishments. Along with her sister, she has an atelier in New York City where she sells her gowns.

Her work is instantly recognizable as it has custom boning, colorful combinations of lace, tulle, and embellishment, and elegant corsets. She works with unconventional color combinations like pink, green, and blue.

Teuta now has over one million Instagram followers, but her journey to being a designer wasn’t easy. She’s one of nine children and she grew up in poverty. At an early age, she taught herself to create clothing from old garments she had. Throughout middle school and high school, she continued making clothes for her friends and family before attending a fashion design university in Kosovo and earning a Fashion Design degree. After graduating, she worked her way up before building her luxury brand.

Thirteen years later, she works with international clients and celebrities including Elle King and Alia Bhatt. Throughout it all, she still works with her sister Lirika, and her work looks like stunning pieces of art.

Areeayl Goodwin’s Earrings Tell a Story

By
Mark O
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Designer Areeayl Goodwin’s earrings are so much more than jewelry, each pair tells a story and they’re a celebrity favorite that’s been worn by Beyoncé, Tracee Ellis Ross, Indya Moore, and more. Each piece comes with a backstory or purpose, which shows that fashion can be a powerful way to tell a story.

Although she started selling jewelry from a shoebox at the age of 16 before attending Howard University, which she calls a “fashion-conscious campus” and selling her pieces there, her love for jewelry began during her childhood. She recalled to Vogue that she would admire earring hooks while visiting craft stores with her mom and that’s when she learned that people made jewelry. Her mom also taught her how to weld and solder metal, but she taught herself the rest.

Her earliest designs were outlines of a woman’s silhouette, which she still uses in her line. And her work now conveys deeper messages, “My art has grown with me on a spiritual level,” Goodwin says. “Now, I see more of a purpose with it.”

The inspiration comes from nature, using materials like cowrie shells, and she hopes that the wearer will get a sense of calmness.

Perhaps her biggest accomplishment, was Beyoncé wearing her earrings in the “Black Is King” video this year. “I am grateful my work is included in such a love letter,” she said of the project. “There is no other place I’d rather be in this time and in history.”

Moving forward she wants her work to ignite conversations and she sees fashion as “spiritual”.

Discover the World of Amancay Murales’ Colorful Swimming Pools

By
Nikoleta P
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If you’re a huge fan of murals and wish you could incorporate them into your home, we’ve got some good news for you. Amancay Murales is doing just that with their colorful murals—many of which made it to the bottom of swimming pools.

Founded by visual artists Camila Despalanques and Rocío Fernández, this company based in Argentina caught everyone’s eye after one of their swimming pools inspired by Van Gogh went viral on Instagram.

The two artists documented the process of hand-painting the swimming pool, which measures 7 x 3.5 meters, with the moon, stars, hills, and trees and all the other tiny details that make up the spiraling galaxy of  Van Gogh’s most iconic painting The Starry Night.

This swimming pool is their best and most popular work, but it’s not the only one they have in store. Many of Amancay Murales’ murals crept their way into the swimming pools, and the final result has always been amazing. From intricate, hand-painted pool bottoms to large murals hovering above the water surface and creating an amazing reflection, this creative duo is constantly coming up with new ways to blend swimming pools and murals together.

5 Craft Trends to Try in 2021

By
Elizabeth N
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Can you believe that this year is almost over? And to be honest, it couldn’t have come quicker. With the new year fast approaching, there are a ton of new craft trends to try. Since you’ll already be spending more time at home, why not use it to discover a new hobby? These are the crafts that everyone will be doing in 2021.

Candle Making

Instead of buying a candle, why not make one? Just get a candle making kit and customize your candle to create your own, unique scent.

Acrylic Paint Pours

This technique which is super popular among DIY bloggers, involves mixing acrylic paint with a pouring medium and then pouring it onto a flat surface. Use this method to paint canvases, phone cases, or furniture.

Paint By Numbers Kits

We’re sure you have memories of these kits from your childhood and these adult versions are special enough to hang on your walls. There are a ton of different designs and themes to choose between.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEKLYYdDA0S/

Shibori Dyeing Textiles

If you love tie-dye, give shibori dyeing a try. This method involves folding, twisting, and binding fabric before placing it in dye. Go ahead and make shirts, hoodies, blankets, and scarfs with this dyeing method.

Embroidery Kits

Whether you’re new to needlepoint or an embroidery artist, there’s an embroidery kit out there for you. Once your done, turn your work into wall hangings or throw pillows.

Sheena Liam’s Embroidery Connect Her Love For Modeling and Art

By
Kate B
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Sheena Liam may have gotten her start as a fashion model, winning the second season of Asia’s Top Model in 2014, but since then, she’s shown that she’s much more than a pretty face. Throughout her modeling career, she’s moved a lot, living in London and Paris, among other cities, but one thing that’s stayed consistant is her passion for embroidery.

Liam learned to embroider from her mom when she was a kid and she’s used it to capture moments in her life. The artist sees modeling as parallel to her art, in that she uses both to express her mood.

She started her project titled Times New Romance in 2017, and her work use dark-green, almost black, threads, which offer a sculptural twist on hair. Her work literally jumps off the canvas, for a truly unique and recognizable touch. Since then, she’s made her artistic debut showing at her self-titled solo exhibition, embroidered her own wedding dress, and participated in a group show displaying her hand-embroidered original artwork amongst nine other artists.

The artists and model enjoys the dichotomy of being a model and artists. “The best thing about being an artist is that I get to create something of my own, while being a model, I get to be a part of something. It’s a great balance of having creative control for my own art, as well as being a canvas for someone else’s art,” she told Augustman.

With her work being women-focused, Liam hopes to inspire women to be creative, no matter what form that takes, and to “do everything with purpose.”

Benny Andallo’s Playful Hats are Begging to Be Seen

By
Amanda B
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We can’t all be hat people, especially when the hats are begging to be seen. Such is the case with Benny Andallo, who takes hats to a whole new level. His hats are asking for people to do a double-take. Andallo refers to himself on Instagram as a “silly crown designer”, and his hats have caught the eyes of Miley Cyrus, FKA Twigs, and Rihanna among other celebrities.

Based in London, Andallo’s creates tapestry-style baker hats, oversized floral-printed bucket hats, and hats with cat ears on them. But one thing they all have in common is that they’re colorful, with rainbow faux fur appearing in many of the hats.

The inspiration for his funky hats comes from music and he told Vogue that “I always want to make a hat that I could wear on a night out. My intention always goes back to looking and feeling fab.”

The designer is new to hat making, as he began around a year-and-a-half ago, after studying menswear at Central Saint Martins. He started making hats for himself from fabric scraps he had and even now, he rarely buys new fabrics. In fact, his use of faux furs, began after his cousin was throwing out a jacket made with the material.

Each hat takes the designer about a day to make as he hand sews everything in his studio. His favorite part of making unique hats is that they make people smile, and his hats certainly bring some joy into our day.

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