CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY

Here is your chance to win a big Christmas set form Cut & Tear! Simply comment on ANY of my BLOG posts and you will be included!!! The winner will be announced on Cut and Tear FB page and here on the blog (under this post) on 6th December 2014. Please stay connected if you are taking part.

What is included:

• Christmas doll garland
• Set of 3 gift tags
• Gift wrapping set (with stickers)
• 2 Christmas Cards

Good Luck! I look forward to reading your comments. :-)

Postcard from my Workshop - Printing on Bags and Cushions

Yesterday was another Printing Workshop at the Hands Gallery. We had fun designing and making original stamps and then printing them with fabric paint on tote-bags or mini-cushions. Thank you to all the fab participants, it was a very creative and relaxing afternoon.

If you are interested in this activity and would like to have a workshop organized for a group of friends, teenagers or team of colleagues, please let me know...
This activity doesn't require any previous experience with printing, everyone can enjoy it. The workshop require 2-3 hours and  all material and a bottle of Prosecco is included in the price (25 Euro p. P.)

Postcard from my Workshop - Trick & Treat Bags for Halloween

On Friday I led our first Birthday Party Workshop at the Hands Gallery. It was inspired by approaching Halloween and the girls did a fantastic job. We all had so much fun!

We used iron-on papers to create our own designs. This activity doesn't require any special skills and is perfect for 10-15 years old girls but adult would surely enjoy it as well. The participants can choose from variety of designs or design their own things. We have used Halloween for inspiration but it would equally work with any other theme. It is also possible to iron on T-shirts or bigger tote-bags (shoppers).

Please contact me here (under the post) or on Facebook (Cut and Tear) if you would like a birthday party or just a fun crafting event with friends.

Postcard from my Workshop - T-shirt Design for MIWC

The Summer is over and the Workshop season starts again!!!

Today I had the pleasure the work with the lovely ladies from the Munich International Women's Club. If you are a female,  live in Munich and are not yet a member of this fabulous organization,  join in!!! Click here to visit the clubs Website. They offer so many activities and it is a great and safe way to meet new people.

As few of the club members take part in the Women's Run Muenchen on Saturday 13th September, we decided to make unique club T-shirts.

Although the design contained fixed elements - letters of the slogan "run for fun" and a logo of the club, each member had the opportunity to position the letters differently. As a result, everyone had a team design and a unique T-shirt at the same time.

If you would like a similar workshop for group of friends or team of colleagues in Munich, I am happy to design and lead it, just leave me a comment below this post or get in touch through my Cut and Tear Facebook page.

OKTOBERFEST GIVEAWAY

Cut & Tear is offering this fan made of laminated dirndl dolls as a GIVEAWAY to celebrate the upcoming Oktoberfest in Munich!!!
To enter the giveaway, you need to comment under the ORIGINAL Facebook post. To view the post, please click here.

If you prefer the dolls in colour, please visit my Etsy shop...

The dolls are also available as greetings cards and you can buy them in Hands Gallery in Munich, or contact me directly please...

London as you DON'T know it...

I have lived in London for more than a decade and I think that I know the city fairly well. Not every corner, of course, it is a little too big for that, but in general I still consider it my second home. This Summer I had an opportunity to see it from a different point of view. Taking art loving teenagers with us, I had to reconsider our usual points of interest and I loved the new experiences.

First we embarked on a fantastic "Street Art Tour" of East London (Shoreditch). Although considered the "hip" area of London, I did not have much to do there whilst still living in the capital and I was amazed how much fun it can be. The guide - Dave - was very good and the tour informative and truly eye opening for me. You can check other reviews of this tour on Tripadvisor. The teenagers enjoyed it too!

Our next stop - the temporary installation ,"The Cornershop" by Lucy Sparow. This fluffy shopping experience was definitely worth a small detour. Even our teenagers had to marvel about the huge assortment of goods - all made of FELT!

The Design Museum was next on our list. Being omitted by many tourists, this place puts on very good shows and we really enjoyed the inspirational "Design of the year"exhibition.

Unexpectedly, the V&A - the shrine of Arts & Craft - had an exhibition about Activism and Art called Disobedient Object. Our teenagers were rather smitten by it and who wouldn't be! Seeing an authentic activist's "handbook" from the recent conflicts was rather sobering experience.

And then of course, few classics: The Shakespeare's Globe is a must even if the 13 & 16 years old do not make much of the old fashioned English. Just being in this remarkable space was a memorable experience! And then the Tate! My place of work for more than 8 years!!! I still feel that I do somehow belong there and I do love meeting old friends and colleagues on my visits. We also did the obligatory Camden Market and our all time favourite Borough Market.

By a pure coincidence, we were staying in the area of the Tower Bridge. Area, which I always explored only as a tourist and never had an opportunity to enjoy it in late evenings or early mornings. I must say that it was enchanting and is to be recommended (if you do not mind longer track to the the tube).

Fancy a treasure hunt in Europe? Look for Luck!

When was the last time you felt lucky? Do you have personal talisman? Do you believe in it or do you have it "just in case"? Do you touch sculptures for good luck or to make a wish?
All these question and more are discussed on this fun blog. In addition, it offers a comprehensive guide of "Lucky Places" in Europe, so you can actually find out if your next travel destination has any public luck-bringing sculptures.

But the best thing about this blog is, that it also offers the opportunity to take part in the Look for Luck "treasure hunt". The artist distributes "luck bringers" in the form of little soaps in galleries, museums and other public places in Europe and offers hints in the form of location and time, so the luck hunters have a chance to find them. The aim is to create a "lucky community" - how appropriate in our hectic and stressful times.

You can search for the lucky soaps, wash your hands and "transfer" a little bit of luck on you. So much the theory... ;-)

The next location is London! Visit the The Luck Blog to find out more!

Postcard from my Workshop - Summer Fans

Yesterday we hosted another Craft Party at the Hands Gallery in Munich. It was a great opportunity to meet new people, chat and craft together. We made fans of my dolls. It was an easy and fun activity and everyone had a good time. Here is the postcard:

Barcelona is more than the Sagrada Familia...

Taking my camera for a walk in Barcelona...

Spending a glorious sunny week in Barcelona was a real treat. This city combines cultural experience with beach vacations (when desired). Although the beaches are rather crowded, it is still possible to enjoy them in the morning before that lazy crowd arrives. I was there more for the culture though and discovered some real treasures. Here are my favourites...

The visually stunning cathedral...

The relatively new Museum of Europen Art (MEAM)...

The Open Air Museum that represents architecture from the entire Spain...

The biggest Aquarium in Europe...

The rich skateboard culture...

And the unexpected Museum of Chocolate...

Postcard from my Workshop - Origami Geishas & Brezen

Here is my postcard from my Workshop at the Japan-Dult - the market where Japan meets Bavaria. It was really fun and the weather was just glorious!
We made few not-so-traditional origami geishas and brezen... ;-)

The Perfect Weekend in Prague

As I originally come from the Czech Republic, lots of people ask me about Prague (although I am not exactly from there). Where to stay, where to eat, what to see???

It is funny, because if you come from the place, you usually don't know the answers. You stay at home, eat out with friends to avoid the tourists and you are long tired of all the attractions or you find them overpriced.

To figure the answers out, I decided to play a tourist in Prague and put together the ultimate guide.
Here are my secret tips!

How to get there:
If you are coming from Munich, come with a car or even better - with a bus! It takes only 4,5 hours, the buses from Deutsche Bahn are comfortable and go directly without stops. They terminate at the Main Train Station (yes, train!!!)  - Hlavni Nadrazi (described sometimes as Wilsonova). That means that you are in central Prague and do not have to worry about the Airport transfer.

Where to stay:
I am a fan of romantic yet practical locations and this hotel fulfills my expectations 100%. The Archibald Hotel by Charles Bridge is comfortable, not too expensive and is located at the true heart of Prague. Book 30 days in advance to get 20% off the price!!! The price includes brakefast and free WIFI (I could not believe that) and you see the famous Charles Bridge from your window! The rooms are generous size and quiet since you are just off the endless stream of tourists. Well, look at the pictures and judge for yourself.

And here are the surroundings of the hotel.

What to see:
My friends often say, that they are not the "museum" people like me and my partner, so I searched for options relevant for all. :-)
If you never been in Prague, you should certainly walk the "Royal Way" between Old Town Square and the Prague Castle (across the Charles Bridge) and of course, visit at least one part of the castle. The St.Vitus Cathedral is the must for all! But that is written in every guidebook and I am trying to find things that you cannot find there... So here are my recommendations:

1.Whilst you are visiting the Prague Castle, walk to the gardens behind it! Most tourist skip this option or do not even know about it! The gardens are fantastic, offer unusual views of the cathedral and hide the most wonderful sommer pavilion of Queen Anne - one of the most beutiful little buildings I know. If you can still take it, you can walk down through the paid part of the terace gardens and you will be rewarded at the bottom by the most wonderful hidden restaurant in the Palfy Palace (more about it later).

2. Walk to Petrin. Petrin lookout tower is the Eiffel tower of Prague. Well, not so high but visually very similar. Although you can take a little "funicular" to drive you there, I encourage everyone to walk. It is a reasonable hill but the paths are good and the views down on Prague are priceless (especially if the weather is great). The tower has a lift (you pay a bit extra but it's worth it) and you can see Prague and even the castle from above!!! You can also buy a combine ticket with a "mirror pavilion" which is just next door and allows you to take quite a few silly pictures of the distorted self. We had a great fun. Please note that it is not a Disneyland, so adjust your expectations.

3. Go to the National Theater. I know, crazy suggestion when you do not speak Czech but the theater, which is a walking distance from the hotel, shows frequently Opera or Dance (Ballet or Contemporary). The prices are around 30 Euro per person and the quality is good. It is certainly better than paying for the concerts in the baroque churches offered on every step to tourists. The receptionist in your hotel will help you to book tickets and decide on a performance. We went spontaineously in the afternoon and still got tickets for the evening performance. There is a bar in the Nova Scena (new scene) part of the theater that offers you a great people watching opportunity, we really loved it!

4. One museum is a must! Museum Kampa is a small museum, pretty much next to the Archibald hotel. It is just by the river, surrounded by the Kampa park. Inside is a collection of modern art and some temporary exhibitions of famous Czech artists. It offers a really great and genuin glimps into the Czech culture. The space is very interestingly done and the artworks hang even among the metal staircases. I love the unexpected views offered by this combination. Well, I guess you can call me buyest, since my grandgrand oncle Frantisek Kupka is one of the key artist exhibited in this museum. So, go to see his work!!!! If you really do not like contemporary art, my other tip is the collection of gothic art in the Convent of St. Agnes (part of the National Gallery). It is a world class collection as Gothic (12.-15. century) represents one of the golden eras in the Czech history.

5. And one more tip - visit Strelecky Ostrov - it is an island on the river and is designed for recreation. You can even jogg there from the hotel, it is a short distance in a greenery and there is a great exercise "playground" for adults. Otherwise it is a perfect place for a picnic!If you are lucky to be there is summer, the city provides free concerts, live music and dance performances for all visitors. It is a fantastic experience!

What and where to eat:
As there are many, many, many possibilities, I concentrated on the "hiding places" and the small funny things on the current Czech menue. You should definitely try Czech beer. You know that the Budweiser is actually Czech brand, right? But you should try Staropramen and if you like dark beer, I personally love Krusovice. For those who do not like beer, there is always a limonade from Staropramen (on the picture), I really enjoyed it's taste. For those who do not like anything beer related, try homemade lemonades. They seem to be the latest Czech hit and come in wide variety of flavours and presentations - my favourite - elderflower limo served in a jam jar (Bella Vida Cafe)! I also strongly recommend the Czech version of sandwich - chlebicek. It is a slice of white bread decorated with spreads, salami, cheese, egg and many other things (see the picture). The best ones are from this Deli: Jan Paukert (again, not too far from the Archibald hotel).

The best hiding places:
Tynska Literarni Kavarna ( 2min from Old Town Square but away from the crowds)
Cafe Kaficko (2min from Charles Bridge, yet quiet and cozy)
Cafe in Salmovsky Palace ( 2 min from the Pargue Castle with an awesome view of Prague)
A special treat is Restaurant in the Palffy Palace (bottom of the Castle Gardens) - this place offers fantastic terace and very good quality of food and cakes but it is a bit pricy.
And one more tip - we had a very refreshing snack in the brand new Delice Restaurant, which we found by chance. The service was great and we loved the beautiful garten, so we promised to spread the word (the food Photo is from there).

I wish you an enjoyable stay in Prague! If you have any questions, please comment under the post and I will be happy to answer.

Postcard from my Workshop - Kids - Printing on Fabric

Printing on Fabric Workshop - Kids
Today I challenged my small group of kids to decorate and sew some mini fabric houses. First we used heat transfer paint (in the form of collage) and then added some stamps (using fabric paint stamping pads). Here are the results...
The kids are fairly young (7 and 8 years old) but they have been working with me for the past 3 years, so they already tried many different techniques and they are incredibly independent. We also sewn on the sewing machine together, since they love doing it.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to comment under the post.

Postcard from my Workshop - Mini Me Dolls

Dear follower, friends and random readers,
I am aware that the content of my blog and the frequency of posts got lately a bit out of hands... It is due to my life outside of the virtual space. As it requiers a lot of attention at the moment, the time for blogging is very limited. On the other hand, events that worth blogging about are more frequent than ever, especially as I currently give variety of workshops. To solve this discrepancy, I have decide to offer "Postcard from my Workshop" -  short (visual) overview of an event.

If you are interested in taking part in one of the future events or have questions about the activity, please comment below the post. I am always happy to hear from you. ;-)

Mini Me Dolls - Workshop
(at Hands Gallery, 21st June 2014)
We had a great fun making the dollies yesterday!The photo collage offers glimpses of different stages of the project. From designing the dress to taking the cute little creation home...

Description of the workshop:
This workshop is suitable for everyone and it is a great fun! You can create a little soft doll with your own face (or the face of your loved-one). It is a great present for a child newly attending kindergarten or going to a summer camp. It can be given as a token of affection to a friend, who is getting married or to someone, who just got a baby. Please note that the dolls are not suitable for small children that tend to explore everything with their mouth but they are great companions for toddlers and older kids. It is also a fun activity for a group of mums, co-workers, creative ladies' day out or a bachelorette party.

Please note, that the workshop takes min.3 hours, as the image transfer needs time to dry.

Max. 5 participants per session
Cost: 30EUR/per person (inkludes all material)

Welcome to the fairytale in central Germany

As much as I do not like saying this, I must admit, that I had no idea that these fantastic places are in Central- and also partially former East-Germany! No, this is NOT the notorically known Rottenburg!!! These are small towns in the region called Harz. The name refers mainly to a mountain range and the surrounding area and the highest hill "Brocken" is the place where all the witches meet...

Welcome to the Fairytale...

I am a fairytale buff. I love history and a good story and medieval castels and small romantic towns just work for me. Check out the pictures and you will understand why...

If you plan to explore Germany this Summer, make sure that you plan your journey through Quedlinburng, Wernigerode and Goslar...

This is the amazing medieval Quedlinburg with its rather unique romanesque church and deliciously wonky houses...

 

This fantastic castle is in Wernigerode. Complete with dragons, fabulous view and rather eclectic collection...

Goslar, was once the city of Emperor Barbarosa and the bronz lion is a copy of the oldest bronz sculpture north of the Alps.

All tows are very well prepared for tourists and you can find the widest variety of cafes, restaurants and shops, including lots of hand-made and artistic goods. It is possible to visit all 3 in one day but the area is wonderful, so an overnight stay in one of these charming places must be also an unforgetable experience...

Spread the word and definitelly visit!!!