Crochet dress

 Spring-summer fashion season brings us a river of bright colors, the sea of neon splashes, delicate shades of the ocean and many colorful prints. But most important is that  you can dig into grandmother's trunk, because crochet dress is back in moda!


Beautiful soft hand crocheted dress makes any woman so feminine. It is soft, gentle, elegant and comfortable dress, that anyone did not want to get off.


I present you my latest creation:

This dress can be dressed to the beach party, and no one will get off eyes from you, or you can wear it with the lining and it will turn into a memorable cocktail dress. It is ideal for summer cocktail meetings, parties, romantic beach wedding. Waist is highlighted with a thin leather belt.
I choose this natural linen color, because it is the best set off tanned skin. So tomorrow I start going to the beach for not look in this dress like pale toadstool)

This beautiful dress you can order here.


I found here many advice that will help you to make this dress.
This is crochet scheme of shells motif I found on the same site:

For net follow scheme: double crochet, chain, again double crochet, chain.


I started to crochet from the waist down. Then, when the skirt is finished, from the waist up. To make dress wider in the chest you can take the bigger hook. The neck you can make any size.
When the front and back of the dress are finished, you need to sew them together through the sides and shoulders. Try dress and if you want you can remake gorge and armholes. Then crochet sleeves. Sew them to the armhole of the dress.
I bought 10 m/10.94 yd of silk ribbon and passed through all four shell lined on the skirt and on the sleeves. You can do not do it.

It's not for beginners and you will need experience to make this dress. I know that for beginners is difficult to make a decision on the crocheting a major thing, but the result is simply amazing and will surpass your expectations!

This beautiful dress you can order here.

Rana Pescatrice al forno - Monkfish in the oven

Rana Pescatrice or Coda di Rospo (in English Monkfish, or Goosefish) is one of the ugliest fish you'll find in Italian markets. But it has delicious white meat and it’s great to make a soup.

In this recipe Monkfish is used whole with head to make a flavor more intensive. 
It’s a simple but very delicious recipe and It’s great for some fest of if you have guests at home.

You will need:
Monkfish 
About 1 kg of Potatoes
0.5 kg of Tomatoes cherry
7-15 Olives
4-5 cloves of Garlic
2-3 tablespoons bread crumbs
5-6 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
A few basil leaves
Extra virgin Olive oil
Sale

I always buy Monkfish already scaled, so I don’t know how to scale it. If you don’t find whole Monkfish, but the tail ends it’s also OK.
Clean garlic and cut it in 2-3 pieces, cut tomatoes.
For the first clean and cut potatoes as shown. Mix well potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, olives, Olive oil and basil. Put a little of salt and pepper. I mix by hand so tomatoes make a little of sauce. Leave blend for half an hour. You can mix the blend from time to time.

At the time mix bread crumbs and grated parmesan. 

Put Monkfish in the form for the oven. I always use clayware form:

Put blend with potatoes around the fish. If the sauce is not enough – pour a little of water.

Dredge with mix of bread crumbs and grated parmesan

and put in the oven at 200º. Fish don’t need many time to cook so I try potatoes and when they are cooked and have a crust I determine that a time get out.

Clean fish before serve and put a piece with potatoes and sause in every plate. Or you can put portions in small caseroles and after other 5 minutes in oven bring them on the table.  You must admit that it most scenic))
Buono appetito!

New necklace for me

A few days ago I saw interesting tutorial on craftgawker and yesterday I tryed it. My new necklace - simple and beautiful:

 Last time I like earth colors: brown, ochre, beige. 

Tutorial is here

I'm and my new necklace:

Light blue for spring

All pastel colors are on the wave for 2012 spring/summer.  I created this wonderful pair of light blue fabric earrings and necklace from fabric and crochet beads for my spring collection. When I saw the color of this fabric I bought it immediately) It's a fresh pastel color that livens up any outfit and especially will be great for jeans.

Blue sea color

What do you like in summer? Sea, beach, walking in sunset... 
Last weekend we opened our sea season - we gone on the beach to take a sun and moisten slightly feet in the sea. It's inspired me to create this set of blue stud earrings and blue flower ring. Flowers are decorated with turquoise glass beads and seem almost real.

Reggia di Caserta - Royal Palace of Caserta

Reggia di Caserta is situated near Naples in southern Italy. It is a former royal residence constructed for the Bourbon kings of Naples. It's is Italy's answer to Versailles. 
It was the largest palace and one of the largest buildings erected in Europe during the 18th century and now it’s Unesco World Heritage Site. This massive palace and park was built by the architect  Luigi Vanvitelli.

The real gem of Caserta, though, is the palace's garden. For visit the garden we took this carriage because area of the garden is 120 ha and contain 40 ha of wild forest. 

The Palace is already far away:

The Palace still farther:

Groups of sculptures:

The main axis is over 3 km (2 miles) in length  to end in the Grande Cascata, or Great Waterfall. 

This carriage got us to last cascade and we returned afoot. It was surprise for me seeing so many people making picnic in the glades of the garden. It was because entrance 1 may was 1 euro instead of 9.
Then we gone to visit palace. Palace has 1,200 rooms.

What struck me most - they were soffits.

Crochet beach shorts

Winter is ending end and it's time to prepare for the upcoming summer season. 
Preparations for the beach season it is not only buying a swimsuit. 
So once you have decided on the most important element you need to complete your outfit.
What would be so great to upgrate your summer wardrobe? Something that looks feminine but stylish?
Shorts are an important element for the hottest months of the year. Crochet  shorts look very stunning. They are hit of the season.
The shelves of the most stylish shops  are full of different  crocheted skirts and shorts. But  more interesting and more pleasant to make something yourself!
This model I present you here has an elastic waist with beautiful altas bow. They made from comfortable 100% crochet yarn and have nice lace pattern.

I found here many advice that will help you to make these shorts.
Also here I found good crochet scheme of pineapple motif that comes very close.

It’s not for beggines and you will need experience to make these shorts but the result is simply amazing and will surpass your expectations!

Cozze gratinate - Mussels au gratin

Mussels au gratin  are one of the most classic summer recipes of south Italy. It's really simple and quick to prepare and have the perfect recipe for a tasty dinner with fish.

1 Kg of mussels (I recommend especially the variety called mussels of Taranto, small but very fragrant and tasty)
2 cloves of garlic 
1 bunch of parsley
4-5 tablespoons bread crumbs or better fresh white bread
Milk
2-3 tablespoons  of olive oil
5-6 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
1/2 glass of water mussel
pepper


Usually we ask to clean and open mussels in fish shop. But if you don’t have this possibility you should clean the mussels by removing the beard and scraping the outside. Then open them. For more easy opening place the mussels in a pan, cover with a lid and leave until the shells open not (1-3 minutes). You should not cook them – only open. Strain the cooking liquid and keep aside.
When the mussels are open, remove the empty half shells, put those with shellfish in a baking dish side by side each other.

If you use bread crumbs – mix it with grated parmesan. 
Mince the garlic and parsley and mix them with olive oil. 

Put over mussels then put bread crumbs with grated parmesan.

Pour a little of milk and cooking liquid (that mussels will not be dry but rich). 

You can also mix them before and then cover each mussel with a teaspoon of mixture to completely cover the fruit. Put again crumbs with grated parmesan. Then put pepper.


If you use fresh bread – take pulp of the bread, mix well it with milk, olive oil and cooking liquid. Then push pulp. Mix with minced garlic and parsley. Cover each mussel with a teaspoon of mixture to completely cover the fruit.  Then dredge with bread crumbs and grated parmesan. Put pepper.


We forgot to buy fresh bread so on my photos you see recipe with bread crumbs, but usually we make with fresh bread pulp.


Preheat your oven to 380-395 F (200 C) . I switch on for beginning all oven then only bottom part so mussels are cooked well but not burned from above. Cook for about 10-15 minutes. They must have a nice golden color.
If you can cook mussels in wood stove they will be so tasty that you never taste before!

Buon appetito!