Pandora and Chamilia, my Dream Bracelets

Finally, I have received my Pandora and Chamilia bracelets. Here, in Uzbekistan, we do not have these brands, and I had to ask my US cousin to buy the components and send them to me. It took a while, but at last I have them with me!

I am afraid I haven't been much of a purist with them. I wanted a bangle, but Pandora's bangle is perfectly round and I do not like it. I have had round bangles before and they were not comfortable. So, I opted for a Chamilia Brilliance bangle, as it is oval and thus more ergonomic. I bought several charms: Birds of a Feather (a pair), Tree of life, Moss and white Fascinating Murano, and complemented them by spacers.

As I really loved the retired Wine charm with peridot, I bought it, too, and it has a personal bracelet - khaki multi-cord Pandora. It is quite comfortable, and with just one charm, I do not expect it to stretch.

Just as I planned, these two look lovely together and go well with mist items from my closet.

As I have never seen these pieces in reality before, I was a bit surprised: a) how small they were (that is usual when you buy jewelry online) b) how heavy they were; c) how sparkly they were; and d) how beautiful they were! 

I must say that the Bracelet Builder feature at Pandora's website is very useful. This is the design of my bracelet; there is no option of a bangle, so I used the classic bracelet, but otherwise this gave a very good picture of what the bracelet will look like. I called the design 'Dark Garden', although it is not very dark. But I think there is a certain enigma in it.

I do not expect to buy many other charms. Frankly, I have never been interested in these bracelets before, and always thought that Pandora was something full of pink Swarovski, I have nothing against bling, this is just not my style. However, these are perfect for me... but there are not many charms left in the collection which I might want. Most of the remaining ones are Swarovski (just joking!).

Silk Ikat Scarves on Sale at Mulberry Whisper!

All our ikat silk scarves are on sale now! We want to sell the remains of 2014 stock and bring in new colors, sizes and shapes, with new photos. This is an excellent chance to buy an infinity scarf from real Uzbek mulberry silk at a bargain price: cheaper than yardage! You can use them for projects, if you like, as essentially they are huge pieces of lush genuine silk produced in accordance with the old traditions of silk weaving.

We have more colors available at our MulberryWhisper shop on Etsy. Get yours while they last; new arrivals will be more expensive.

Winter Landscape with a Fox by John Burningham

I am in love with this illustration. It has the impressionist spirit which I love, the instant glimpse, the momentary feeling of beauty of the world. I readily recognise the heavy sun of late winter afternoon and dry grasses covered in frost; they give a crackling sound as you walk. The coy looking fox is as familiar and casual as your neighbours' dog. The dear world of childhood where every animal is your friend, and every walk is an adventure.

It is by English illustrator John Burningham and comes from his book "Seasons" published in 1971, I found it here. 

A Summer Twilight: Perfection of a Classic Russian Shawl

This classic Russian shawl is called A Summer Twilight. A very appropriate name, as it does remind of a garden where fragrant flowers are glowing in the dark. The artists' name is Klara Zinovieva; she was one of the most significant and prolific designers at the Pavlovo Posad Manufacture.

Klara Zinovieva was famous for her wildflowers and grasses. Of course, her roses are gorgeous in their regal beauty, but it is the smaller flowers that make this shawl so charming, in my view. I especially love this small golden branches which look so fragile and lend a lot of elegance to the design. 

And then there are paisley, another very favorite element for me. They make the scarf more festive, giving it that very folk look that I treasure so much. This is not just any botanical scarf - this is a traditional Russian shawl, which is something larger. An array of many cultural influences and layers of history. 

This is the case when I cannot ramble much. What can you say about a very perfect piece of art? Any words are less expressive and true than the shawl itself. I can only hope you like it as much as I do. You can buy the shawl in our MulberryWhisper shop on Etsy; we only have one, There are more photos of it, too.

Our Friends Long Gone

These are my friends' Bull Terrier and Great Dane. Sadly, both dogs are gone now and only good memories remain. This was almost 9 years ago; we enjoyed spring weather, and the dogs played like crazy. They were just pups back then. About three years ago, the huge Great Dane died of heart attack, and two years ago the Bull Terrier died of kidney failure. It is so hard to accept that a beloved friend can die so early and all of a sudden. At least the memories remain...  

This is part of the Black and White Sunday bloghop hosted by Dachshund Nola and Sugar The Golden Retriever. I found it on the wonderful blog of Sue Muir 'Greyhounds Can Sit'. It is very interesting and I hope to participate again.