Les Mis Necklace

I love it when my customers come to me with a specific idea in mind for a custom order. This was the case a few days ago, when a woman asked me to make her a necklace with three lines from the song 'A Little Fall of Rain', from the musical Les Miserables. You can imagine my enthusiasm!

Les Miserables is one of the most popular musicals ever, and it is based on Victor Hugo's novel. Here is part of the song which inspired this necklace, trust me, if it brings tears to your eyes, it's normal:

Eponine
Don't you fret, M'sieur Marius
I don't feel any pain
A little fall of rain
Can hardly hurt me now
You're here, that's all I need to know
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
And rain will make the flowers grow.

Marius
But you will live, 'Ponine - dear God above...
If I could heal your wounds with words of love...

Eponine
Just hold me now, and let it be.
Shelter me, comfort me...

Marius
You would live
A hundred years
If I could show you how
I won't desert you now...

Eponine
The rain can't hurt me now
This rain will wash away what's past
And you will keep me safe
And you will keep me close
I'll sleep in your embrace at last
The rain that brings you here
Is Heaven-blessed!
The skies begin to clear
And I'm at rest
A breath away from where you are
I've come home from so far...


You can watch the video here.

Art Ethics

'You can kill people with sound. And, if you can kill, then maybe there is also the sound which is opposite of killing. And the distance between these two points is very big. And, you are free. You can choose. In art, everything is possible. But everything made is not necessary.' Arvo Pärt

That Time of Year

The Red Violin

Music.
Universal language.

Even though the film was inspired by Elizabeth Pitcairn's Red Mendelssohn, I love Margarita Krein's Caprices, by John Corigliano.

The Athena Andreadis - Peeling Apples Inspired Collection: Tears Are Only Water

Adding to the Athena Andreadis - Peeling Apples collection, which you can read all about here, is a pair of earrings inspired by a song called Tears Are Only Water. I used brass components that are in a gunmetal tone, and lovely, clear, hollow glass beads in teardrop shape. These are long earrings, that have a very sensual, smooth, fluid and organic feel to them. When I designed them, I wanted them to be a reference to the moment when, after we have experienced deep sorrow in our lives, we suddenly start seeing, touching, listening, noticing things around us, waking us from the sorrow and telling us that life goes on. And judging by the way these earrings feel to the touch, I think I did it! I just hope the photos are good enough, so you can get an idea of what they are about.

To find out more about Athena, click here. To see the Finding England earrings, read this post.

 Tears Are Only Water

heavy heart in the morning
silver clouds roll by
hold on, hold tight
your eyes will find the sun

empty chair by the window
coffee made for one
hold on, hold tight
your eyes will find the sun

tears are only water
like the rain and sea
they come and then they go
they ebb and flow
but what was meant to be
will be

a half read book by the pillow
a bed that’s twice as wide
hold on, hold tight
let the sun inside

tears are only water …

(Athena Andreadis, lyrics toTears Are Only Water, from the album Peeling Apples)

The Athena Andreadis - Peeling Apples Inspired Collection: Finding England

As you remember from one of my previous posts, I had promised to present to you a series of jewelry pieces inspired by the lovely Athena Andreadis, and more specifically, her new album, Peeling Apples.

This is the first item I made. It is a pair of earrings that feature the Union Jack, inspired by the UK flag pillow, which is in Athena's video.

Finding England - the earrings

When I made these, I realised how amazing they look with all the latest fashion trends, plus they are classics! I mean, who doesn't want the Union Jack in their wardrobe?

And here's the video. You may want to check it out more carefully, if you are going to be in London on the 27th of March... Here's why.

Good luck! Let me know if you happen to go :)

Amoronia Loves Athena: Peeling Apples Inspiration

It's early morning. As I am writing this, the birds are singing so beautifully outside. I can hear them, because it's spring. Because it has been a long and heavy winter. Because they cannot be stopped from singing. Some creatures are born with a great gift. Which is so encouraging.

Athena Andreadis is one of those creatures. Immensely talented and a very hard worker, it seems, she is definitely one of my favorite singers and songwriters. What she does is not easy to label as this or that genre. It's a wonderfully personal mixture of jazz, folk and her own poetry. I 'discovered' her a few years ago, when I first listened to 'Pretty things'. I love her voice, the lyrics, how she expresses emotion with intelligence and sophistication, how she distills the essence of Greek tradition and makes it her own, at the same time making it available to the international audience. I also love the way I feel I can connect with the emotion she communicates. Plus, Athena is very beautiful, but if you haven't seen her picture, you first notice her for her voice and songs. How many beautiful singers can say that?

'Peeling Apples' is the name of her last album, which I have already overplayed and destroyed (!). Every song in that album is so special. You can't help thinking about the lyrics when you first listen to them, they are so liberating. Soon, you sing along.

Athena is releasing 'Peeling Apples' in the UK on March 19, and on March 27 she is doing a gig at Bush Hall, London. I would so much love to be there, it makes me sad that I can't.

So I decided to make my own 'Peeling Apples' pieces instead. I have started designing jewelry that is inspired by Athena's album, and I will soon start posting those pieces here and on my Facebook page. Stay tuned and be sure to like my page on Facebook, if you haven't already, as I would love your feedback!

And here's Athena in I Know...

Spring!

This year the winter has been heavier than usual in Greece. Lots of incessant rain, crazy, strong winds, grey, gloomy days, one after another, cold and snow in many areas, even those not accustomed to this kind of winter. But today is the first day of March, and it has been a sunny day. As it should be. Children even put on their red and white entwined string bracelets, 'so that the sun won't burn them', as tradition has it.

Adele

After all the awards she received this month, Adele is officially the hottest singer out there at the moment. And I just wanted to say I am so happy about that. I love Adele's looks, personality, her songs and her voice, and this post is dedicated to her, with my top 3 Etsy Adele art pieces.

Print 'Adele' by kirashaimanova

 Adele portrait, by rachelfujii

Original watercolor painting, by dosecreative

And finally, one of my favorites...

Bravo, Adele!

Arvo Pärt, Für Alina

Rest In Peace Etta James

Lay Me Down

Rest In Peace Niko

Music Me

Vintage French sheet music, by lapomme

An old gypsy violin, by novaknata

OUD vintage handmade instrument, by starlife

My melody earrings, by lePetitFoyer

August Moon

The moon in August is truly glorious... I cannot but associate it with femininity in its most attractive form. From Reflections, the 1970 album composed by Manos Hadjidakis for the band New York Rock and Roll Ensemble, with English lyrics, comes this piece - adapted by the Greek band Raining Pleasure (2005).

She was a lady once of noble name,
noble dame.
She has a silver ring from her king
Give her a nickel, take her out to dine,
give her wine.
Comfort her if she sighs and then cries

Look for her by the fountain on the road, say hello.
Don’t be afraid to smile and then go.
And if you see her talking to herself all alone.
Leave her alone, her heart is at home.

She was a lady once without a care,
golden hair.
She was the only friend of the king
Maybe she’Il come and ask you for your name,
noble Dame.
We’ll give our love to her on her way.

Look for her by the fountain on the road, say hello.
Don’t be afraid to smile and then go.
And if you see her talking to herself all alone.
Leave her alone, her heart is at home.

Maraveyas - Amoronia: Coincidence? I think not!

I had made this wonderful summer necklace in late summer 2009, so I'm now having it on sale in my Etsy shop.




The necklace belongs to a series of necklaces in that style, made with hand painted papier mache and ceramic beads, using my own tested and tried papier mache recipe (!) and a combination of those with satin cord and vintage button closures. They truly are very fun necklaces, and a customer who recently bought one was really happy with it.

What I recently found out, when I happened to watch the video of a Greek song I quite like, was an interesting detail... Maybe you want to see for yourselves? After all, it is a nice, happy summer song... Enjoy!!!




Τυχαίο; Δε νομίζω! Coincidence? I think not!

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Maraveyas is currently on tour!!!