Showing posts with label Portuguese crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Portuguese crafts. Show all posts

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation


Hey everybody!

Still feeling like I'm on vacation mode... having a hard time getting back to reality! Today I want to share with all of you some crafts I found from our travels... there are so many more that I saw but sometimes I had no camera with me :(

 So to begin today's post I want to share with you the cutest little craft houses I found in Portugal. These I bought in a souvenir shop on top of Serra da Estrela, translated (Mountain of the Star), the highest point in Portugal... and the only place you can ski there. Not far from where my husband's family lives!   

Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation

Aren't they soooo cute! They are made from the slate stone found on the mountain and are very good replicas of old houses built in the area. 

Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation

Love all the little detail that the crafters used! There is even glass in the window! (hard to see from the picture)

Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation

Signed by the Artists! Pictured below is there new home... LOVE them!

Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation

Below is another craft I found from the same region. I actually met the gentleman who crafted this piece. It is meant to be used to hang up your keys... but since I already had a place for my keys... I figured it would make a great place for my daughter's bracelets and other jewelry to hang! 

Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation

 Also signed by the Artist!


Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation

 And here is a gift from a creative friend of the family, Magda Soares! She and her husband create these beautiful wood crafts. She made a family tree for each of my kids, so thoughtful! Thank-you Magda! Now I have to find some pretty pics of us! 


Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation

Here is my son's tree in his room! Super cute!

Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation


 And finally the last craft I will share today... old terracotta roof tiles turned into art! Aren't they amazing! Whoever thought of that first was super creative!


Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer VacationCrafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation

When I first saw these in 2005 I was inspired to create my own!  So with limited supplies there, I painted these two terracotta tiles below. They now hang outside my Mother In Laws house in Portugal! The one on the left was inspired by a house across the street from my In-laws house and the one on the right was inspired by a picture of their house prior to renovations.

Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer VacationCrafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation
Here is a picture of the old house across the street! See any similarities? So much history... these houses are hundreds of years old!


Signed by moi in 2005! Wow, so long ago it seems already!

Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation

Here are some old lanterns that I drew for my husband's cousin Fernanda, on some smaller tiles. I didn't have time to paint them for her but she did a great job! 


Crafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer VacationCrafty Souvenirs | Crafty Finds from our Summer Vacation


Hope you've enjoyed today's post!
Happy crafting to everyone all over the world!