Stitches and Thrills

Where: LVC, Leiden, The Netherlands When: Friday April 24th 2009 Band: Mala Vita Mala Vita is Balkan Ska Pop meets Rage Against the Machine meets Rumba Gypsy Rock (with a splash of reggea). The lyrics are mostly Italian but also Spanish, French and English. It is music and lyrics for the true global citizen. Borders only create exiles, a means to shut people out from a place that once was their home. If that place even still exist. A lot of the songs the band played tonight are from the new (third) album En Exilio . I do not speak Italian, nor Spanish or French, but the power of Mala Vita is in the international language of music. It makes you feel the emotions, the protest and the wish to live and be heared. It makes you want to shout (and jump..., but more about that later). The roots of the bandmembers are in Bosnia, Serbia, The Netherlands and Italy. On the current tour they got a enthousiastic following. Actually the frontman Mikhael is as cute as a button, if I'd been 25 ...

After her worldwide journey (from Scotland to the US, then back across the ocean to the Netherlands) Arabella "Blue Star, White Star" could be picked up by me, her winner, at the postoffice. The raffle I won her in was for the Buckeye House Rabbit Society: www.ohare.org for more information on this animal charity. She looks stunning, and I am sure she would love to accompany me to the Animal Shelter 50th anniversary party. It's a good thing Annette of Dragon House Of Yuen packed some businesscards in the bag, I'll surely be needing them. Showtime: Arabella Bag: DragonHouseOfYuen Firebird Necklace: Saskia Vorkink

Today my entry for the EFA April challenge is featured on the blog. The theme of this monthly challenge was "Hop into spring". I entered my bunny hat for this theme. The bunny hat is at the moment still for sale in my old shop ("makemesmile"). My new shop is MissMinoes.etsy.com . EFA = Etsy For Animals This is a team of artists supporting animal charity. EFA website is here . Efa blog = http://www.efaartistshelpinganimals.blogspot.com/ My bunny hat entrie is here . But DO check out the other entries as well when you are on the blog. There is such great diversity and creativity. It is always fun to see how various artists approach a theme in such different ways. It is extra fab to be featured because today is my birthday! =^x^=

I won the Arabella bag in the Buckeye House Rabbit Society raffle. Annette from Dragon House of Yuen is the artist who made the bag and here is her blogpost about it. She sells her Arabella bags and other hare and rabbit related art on dragonhouseofyuen.etsy.com . Donations for spaying or neutering rabbits are of course still welcome. Go to http://ohare.org/ for the details.

Etsy shop in the spotlight this time is Vaisto : tribal psytrance clothes & accessories. This Helsinki based Etsy seller combines comfortable with gorgeousness and a dosis of fantasy to top it. They use tribal elements, pixie shapes, both natural shades as bright colours, and other ingredients of a sparkling Midsummernights party. Their favourite material to work with: imagination! Here are some examples of what their shop has to offer: Fantasia Seedlings Firefly pants Check out the whole collection on http://vaisto.etsy.com