Valentina

Spotlight: James J. Cudney IV

04 Nov 2019 10 Comments

by Valentina in Spotlight: Authors and Artists Tags: #ColorCombinations, #ColorMood, #ColorVibrations, #PiscesColorPalette, #PiscesZodiacColors, #REDAVoyageIntoColors

James J. Cudney IV

I met James J. Cudney IV, during my latest book launch. His name caught my eyes, due to the “IV” at the end of his name, as the fourth in the line of something… I thought he must be royal. Names to me have a meaning, and history, James’s name has a high resonance.

He says about him: “James is my given name, but most folks call me Jay. I live in New York City, grew up on Long Island, and graduated from Moravian College. I spent fifteen years building a technology career in the retail, sports, media, and entertainment industries. I’m a voracious reader in my favorite genres (thriller, suspense, contemporary, mystery, and historical fiction), as books transport me to a different world where I can immerse myself in so many fantastic cultures and places. Writing has been a part of my life as much as my heart, my mind, and my body. I decided to pursue my passion by dusting off the creativity inside my head and drafting outlines for several novels. I quickly realized I was back in my element growing happier and more excited with life each day. My goal in writing is to connect with readers who want to be part of great stories and who enjoy interacting with authors. To get a strong picture of who I am, check out my author website or my blog.”

He is social on Amazon, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, Linkedin.

Cudney – Latest Release

Websites & Blog: Webiste, Blog, Next Chapter Pub.

List of Published Books
Watching Glass Shatter (October 2017)
Father Figure (April 2018)

Braxton Campus Mysteries
Academic Curveball – #1 (October 2018)
Broken Heart Attack – #2 (November 2018)
Flower Power Trip – #3 (March 2019)
Mistaken Identity Crisis – #4 (June 2019)
Haunted House Ghost – #5 (October 2019)

James accepted to participate in my book launch and tour, he has been so helpful in showing me new ways to do a launch, thus as a sign of my gratitude he is receiving a color reading from which he can deduce his advantage. In our choice of colors, we must consider first the favorable colors we are born into under our zodiac sign, those are the colors others respond to positively and when they do, guess what happens? Doors open and opportunities come our way.

Pisces-154193_640-Pixabay

James was born under the zodiac sign of Pisces – Febr.19-Mar. 20, a lovely water sign that makes people very friendly, compassionate, artistic, intuitive, musical, and gentle. I bet he either listens to music a lot or plays a musical instrument. His creative side is writing books and he wrote a lot of them.
The colors of his zodiac sign are hues and values of Purple, on the cool side of the color spectrum. They include lilac, violet, mauve, purple and sea green, which is the accent color of the water sign.

In one of his living spaces, James might want to consider one purple color block wall and the rest of the walls painted in light blue. The planet Neptune with its luminous light blue color rule James if he was born in February, and the planet Uranus with its streaks of yellow, brown and red color rules over his Pisces sign if he was born in March. James can consider all this mix of colors in his life expressions.

Looking at some of his online photos, I had the impression he is a playful person, ready to please others and a very likable person. I want to seduce him (not in a literal way) with an outfit in the colors he was born into, which are beneficial to him. With these colors, he will charm and attract the right people or situations to him.
He might never wear this color combination, I hardly see American men in the purple hues, but at least he will consider it, I am sure. His personality created this color palette for me. As a designer, my goal is to dress men and women or design their homes for their character not just for the current trends. The concept board is self-explanatory, it includes all the colors for a Pisces person, with the choice of shoes as the color accent. I hope he likes it.

(Click on each photo to view it larger).

Pisces Color Palette

Now, please allow me a bit of shameless promotion for my new book release of ©RED – A Voyage Into Colors – Second Edition . It happened only a week days ago and a lot of fine authors or artists are helping to take the book on tour.

Red-A Voyage Into Colors-Second Edition – Valentina Cirasola

The book is all about colors, color emotions, color vibrations, color atmospheres, color compositions, color analysis and any which way one wants to use them: in design the interior rooms of any space, in fashion, in food, and/or in more mystical ways. Just remember, colors speak a message, your message…
Visit me on Amazon Author’s Page.
Valentina

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion designer, author of 5 published books so far, a storyteller, and a blogger of many years. She has conceived a few new books of various subjects to which she is working simultaneously. Her books are non-fictional, practical ideas to apply in the home, fashion, cooking, and travel. She never gives up trying new things and doesn’t fear failure. A couple of years ago, Valentina became a TV producer/host. Valentina Design Universe is the label under which she produces her shows in the studio and online. The goal of her shows is to entertain, inspire and inform, while she is living her passion. Get a copy of her books on
Amazon and Barnes&Noble

Spotlight: Debby Gies

02 Nov 2019 31 Comments

by Valentina in Spotlight: Authors and Artists Tags: #AuthorDebbyGies, #GeminiColors, #LivingRoomColorsForGemini, #REDAVoyageIntoColors, #ValentinaCirasolaAuthor, #ZdodiaColors

Debby Gies

The authors’ community is a great one, I found a lot of support and vivid communications. These are people who write, their words flow like the waters of a river. I discovered so many new books and have met so many fine writers, one of which is author Debby Gies Canadian born.

Debby is a non-fiction author/memoir writer who adopted the pen name of D.G.Kaye. She writes about her life experiences, matters of the heart, and women issues.
At the question of why I write, she says: “I love to write to tell stories that have lessons in them and hope to empowers others by sharing my own experiences. I write raw and honest, hoping that others can relate and find that we always have a choice to move from a negative space to a positive one. We need only the courage to take the leap.”

(Click on each photo to view it larger).

Debby Gies – Six books

She describes herself as optimistic, funny, worry-wart. Of course, she was born under a Gemini sign, forever young at heart.
Visit her website: www.dgkayewriter.com
her social platforms Twitter , Facebook, Linkedin, and her award page.

She is participating in my new book launch and as a token of my gratitude, she is receiving color information regarding her zodiac sign: Gemini.

zodiac-sign-DarkWorkX-Pixabay

Debby is a true Gemini – May 22 to June 21. For her, I want to make up a living room in her colors. Gemini’s main color is Yellow. She lives in Toronto, I am sure she can use some yellow to brighten the grey, snowy days of Canada. There’s nothing better to cure the cold winter blues than the cheerful yellow.

Her lucky number is five and it is a protective number. it’s advisable to spread the color yellow in five ways, or in five rooms throughout her house by using yellow accessories, yellow curtains, yellow tone lights, yellow linens, yellow bath towel, and yellow flowers.

Yellow is the color of the naval chakra located in the stomach area, but our stomach is directly connected with the brain, with our intelligence and the power of setting goals. In fact, the stomach is called the “second brain”. Yellow is the color to use for manifesting something new, one wishes to happen. The yellow I want to use in her living room will be paired with bright blue, green and geometric patterns, perhaps I will accent the room with Pink, White, or Red.

My concept for her living room made of modern pieces, mixed with neo-classic and Victorian-style came out intentionally imperfect because I see Debby as a person who likes mutability and changes. I have seen her home style in a couple of photos, she appears to be a traditionalist, thus she might like a little stirring up in a different style.

Yellow Over Chestnut

I started with a reclaimed chestnut hardwood floor because bright brown is suiting to a Gemini character, it grounds the person born under this sign and it is a warm element for Canada weather. I see a modern velvet or ultra suede blue sofa with pink and yellow pillows. I envision a seating arrangement with yellow chairs of different styles. In my photo, I have included one neo-classic chair and one Victorian-style chair, however many different styles can be possible, as long as the pairing is done tastefully. The white color will balance the room, such as ceramic vases, in fact, the example vases I found can easily go from the aquarium to the hallway. White fresh flowers will balance the room as well, not just any white flowers, lily of the valley is the Gemini’s lucky flower. The variety of whimsical lamps will add a touch of originality to the room and a lot of character. Finish the room with many green plants with long foliage. I hope Debby will like it.

Now, allow me a bit of shameless promotion for my new book release of ©RED – A Voyage Into Colors – Second Edition . It happened only a few days ago and a lot of fine authors or artists are helping to take the book on tour.

Red-A Voyage Into Colors-Second Edition – Valentina Cirasola

Spotlight: Melissa Muldoon

31 Oct 2019 2 Comments

by Valentina in Spotlight: Authors and Artists Tags: #ColorCoordination, #ColorEnergy, #ColorfulInteriors, #ColorMood, #ColorVibrations, #REDAVoyageIntoColors, #ValentinaCirasolaAuthor

Melissa Muldoon

I have known author Melissa Muldoon for a few years, she is part of the Italian community in my area. She is an extraordinary lover of Italy, its language, arts, food, people and everything Italy produces. She transfers to her followers her love of Italy through her novels and language programs set in Italy. She travels with groups to the country where they learn while having fun.
I think in another life Melissa was born in Italy.

Melissa Muldoon is the author of three novels set in Italy: “Dreaming Sophia,” “Waking Isabella,” and “Eternally Artemisia.”

(Click on each photo to view it larger)

DreamingSophiaBook-Website-Front-Page-3Books

Melissa Muldoon’s 3 Books

Eternally Artemisia – Melissa Muldoon

I adore this video of her latest release Eternally Artemisia, click here to watch it – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKurWrS4TVM&t=10s
The music has a feeling of almightiness, one can feel the power of a few people designated to rule in epic times when women had no voice…Well…, I leave to you the rest of this intriguing story.

All three books tell the stories of American women and their journeys of self-discovery to find love, uncover hidden truths, and follow their destinies to shape a better future for themselves in Italy. Her second book, “Waking Isabella,” has been translated into Italian — “Il risveglio di Isabella.” All three books are available on Amazon in print and e-pub.

Recently, Dianne Hales, author of La Bella Lingua, reviewed “Eternally Artemisia” and gave it 5 Stars. “A true Renaissance woman, Melissa Muldoon weaves her passions for art and Italy into a stirring saga that sweeps across centuries. As her time-traveling heroine Maddie reconnects with kindred souls, we meet Artemisia Gentileschi, the 17th–century artist who overcame rape and ignominy to gain respect and acclaim. Historic figures such as Galileo and Mussolini also come to life in this intricately plotted novel, but the women who defy all constraints to take control of their destinies are the ones who prove to be eternally fascinating.”

Melissa writes an interesting dual-language blog La Studentessa Matta (the crazy students). Find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Melissa Muldoon is participating in my blog tour for the launch of my new book and as a token of my appreciation, she is receiving a reading based on the color of her zodiac sign: Aries, March 21 – April 19.

Image by DarkWorkX from Pixabay

“Aries being the first sign of the zodiac shows all the strong signs of Spring, when nature “explode” in a rainbow of colors and beauty. Similarly, the pulse of the sign is also expressed through the color of this sign’s governor, planet Mars, named after the Roman God of war. Mars is a sign that belongs to the element of fire and its flame symbolizes the nuances of Aries’s temperament. People born under this sign are energetic, curious, determined individuals. The colors in the flame of fire, from red to pink to fuchsia well characterize the people with this fiery sign when they select colors for their living space or for the clothes they wear.”
Excerpt from my book ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors – Second Edition.

Contrary to what happens to other people when wearing red, Aries people feel calm when red surrounds them or when they wear red, especially if the red color is mixed with light yellows and off-white or cream colors.

What can I design for a writer better than a writing/library room? This is how I envision the colors for that particular room suitable to an Aries.

Aries Colors – Fire Element

I see Melissa’s writing room enveloped in red and cream with touches of wood, perfect for the warmth of a fire element of Aries. I gave her a nice desk made of Sheesham wood, with a comfortable teak/leather lounge chair where she can fantasize on the next book plot, a striped upholstered cream chair paired with a French spool side table, all set on a cream rug. I see one brick wall and three walls painted in an interesting and elegant Modelo design over a faux finished red paint. I want to add many pillows with a pale yellow/cream designs to soften the red walls, colorful floor lamps and table lamps in Maroccan style.

Melissa, black does not harmonize well with other people around you and represents Saturn, your sworn enemy. I have seen you wearing black, think about it of the negative effect it has on you. You can flaunt any value of red with a little something to calm it down, as I said above. The other colors that agree with your Aries sign are saffron, golden yellow, mustard, and rust. Of course, you can wear any color you want, but you were born in these warm colors, like magic, anything is more favorable to you if you wear them. I hope you like it.

Now, please allow me a bit of shameless promotion for my new book release of ©RED – A Voyage Into Colors – Second Edition . It just happened and a lot of fine authors or artists are helping me to take the book on tour.

Red-A Voyage Into Colors-Second Edition – Valentina Cirasola

Spotlight: Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

28 Oct 2019 61 Comments

by Valentina in Spotlight: Authors and Artists Tags: #ColorCoordination, #ColorEnergy, #ColorsandFood, #ColorScheme, #ColorsForInteriors, #FashionColors, #REDAVoyageIntoColors, #TeaganRíordáinGenevieneAuthor

Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

I met author Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene by chance while visiting writers and creative people in my blogosphere. Her unusual name attracted me, I thought she might have been French (I never did ask), and that wasn’t the only thing that jumped to my eyes. She posted on Google+ a beautiful cover of her coming book “The Delta Pearl”. I was in love with this picture, the sepia tone evokes travel by steamboat, elegant women, mystery, love intrigues, nostalgia, perhaps these are my dreams. I knew nothing about Teagan, I started to read her and share her work. We became friends.

“Teagan’s work is colored by her experiences from living in the southern states and the southwest (of the USA). Teagan most often writes in the fantasy genre, but she also writes cozy mysteries and steampunk. Whether it’s a 1920s mystery, a steampunk adventure, or an urban fantasy, her stories have a strong element of whimsy. There are no extremes in violence, sex, or profanity.” Take a look at her Author Page and her books on Amazon
The Three Things Serial Story, Murder at the Bijou, and A Ghost in the Kitchen

Her latest release is the third in a series of whimsical Roaring Twenties novels. She took us on “a wild ride on a magical trolley through haunted Savannah, Georgia.”

She writes blogs as well. Her blog “Teagan’s Books” contains serial stories written according to “things” from viewers. www.teagansbooks.com
She asks her audience to leave “words” in the blog comments, words that represent things and she will use them in her serial stories. This is a fun way to get the inspiration going.

(Click on each photo to view it larger).

The Delta Pearl – Teagan Geneviene

3 Pip Ingredients covers – Teagan Geneviene

Someone in Kitchen Promo Ghost Kitchen – Teagan Geneviene

Teagan is participating in my new book launch and as a token of my gratitude, she is receiving information regarding her zodiac sign: Cancer or the Crab, June 21-July 21. She prefers to identify herself as the “Moon Girl” in fact, the ruler of Cancer is the Moon. Lunar power is feminine, I bet you, Teagan wears a lot of silver jewelry.

Image by 13smok from Pixabay – Moon Over The Crab

A person born under the Cancer sign likes to relax around the water, which is the element of the crab. If Teagan believes in the theory of Feng Shui as a way to harmonize her home and her personal image, then her water element calls for Lavender, Blue, Azure, and Black colors. It doesn’t mean a room and everything in it must be decorated rigorously in one of these colors only. It simply means that a room will have the dominant color of her personality and all the other colors in the room will create harmony and comfort the “Crab” person seeks. White is the dominant color of the person born under the Crab (Cancer) sign. This person is highly imaginative, loves the arts, lives in a mysterious aura, and the powerful lunar energy he/she lives under, impacts the creativity.

I would suggest for Teagan a mysterious and fantasy room. Let’s take a bedroom and let’s turn it into a “silvery” moon atmosphere her soul needs to restore her creativity with the perfect sleep.

Silvery Moon Atmosphere – Valentina Interiors & Designs

Open the photo and the mysterious silvery mood is quite perceptible. White dominates the character of the Cancer sign. White walls to me are very boring, thus I came up with a gradient paint that starts with a relaxing ocean color at the bottom ending in a shaded white color up above towards the ceiling. The floor is a very original blue distressed wood. Bedding is light grey with light yellow designs and a white headboard. I added one lavender velvet accent chair and a few blue chairs. Furniture, sheer window treatment, door frames, and moldings need to be white to echo her dominant zodiac color. I like to see a lot of crystal side lamps and crystal wall sconces to fill the room with beautiful sparkle reflections all over the walls. Crystal quartz scattered throughout the house, a water source, such as a table fountain and a fountain at the front door would be a nice addition. I hope she likes it.

I knew another woman born in the sign of Cancer. She liked only purple, she lived and dressed in purple. I never saw her in the color of her zodiac. She was a busy body woman, always agitated and always looking to grab the next thing. Perhaps she would have been calmer if she had worn colors suitable to her soul.

Now, a bit of shameless promotion for my new book release of ©RED – A Voyage Into Colors – Second Edition . It just happened and a lot of fine authors or artists are helping to take the book on tour.

Red-A Voyage Into Colors-Second Edition – Valentina Cirasola

Let’s Travel In The Cosmos Of Colors, Book Launch | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

25 Oct 2019 31 Comments

by Valentina in Books Blog Tags: #BooksByValentinaCirasola, #ColorfulDining, #ColorfulInteriors, #ColorVibrations, #FashionColors, #REDAVoyageIntoColors, #ValentinaCirasolaAuthor

I am happy to announce the release of the Second Edition of the book ©RED – A Voyage Into Colors, a book on colors I published for the first time in 2012. The book was performing well until one day I received the classic lemons from the publisher. I was asked to let go of 50% of my profits from the sale of this book. I refused to comply and my book was made “temporarily not available” on Amazon for three years. I am not a person who gets defeated easily. This year, I reworked the book and republished independently the Second Edition of ©RED – A Voyage Into Colors. Now, the ball is back in my court.

(Click on each picture to view it larger).

RED-A Voyage Into Colors – Second Edition – Author Valentina Cirasola

©RED – A Voyage Into Colors – Second edition is a paperback, 124 pages, full of my colorful photography of things that attract me and some of my clients’ homes. After all, what is a book explaining colors, if it doesn’t include colorful pictures? The eyes want to see the beauty and the brain feeds on colors.

Often people refer to shades when they really mean the value, brightness or the darkness of a color.
What is a color without referring to its profile and character? Just like humans, colors have their own character. If we understand how to describe the emotions and sensations they provoke, we will always have a good reaction around the colors we choose, we will subconsciously feel the harmony inside of ourselves and in turn, others will see it and respond positively to us. How people perceive us through colors is very important, colors transmit a message and that is what others see.

What is your message when you get dressed? It doesn’t matter where you go. If you go to grocery shopping with rollers on your head and you are dressed in red, it means you don’t care what others think of you, you dare to be you, the red color will project you as having courage, and the rollers in your hair will pass in a second order. In the same scenario, rollers on your head and you are dressed in black, it means you are trying to hide from the viewers and protect yourself from their criticisms. The colors of your home have messages as well. If your front door is painted red, it means you are an upbeat person; if the front door is yellow, you are an inviting person, cheerful and sunny. My front door is burgundy… exactly…I like red wines and beyond that burgundy door, I added a bit of sophistication to my décor.

Can you sleep and wake up in your zodiac colors? Of course, you can, you were born under those colors, they are natural to your soul.
The moment you came “into the light” many planets revolved over your head making those colors your aura and affected your entire life since that moment. Often, people prefer totally different colors away from their zodiac sign and perhaps totally contrary to their character, simply because they are not aware of the beneficial effects of the colors they were born under or don’t believe it. Colors will determinate their actions, the troubled or unsettled souls living in the wrong colors will continue to feel troubled or unsettled.

With this book, I wanted to depict a colorful bouquet of information regarding home interiors, fashion, and food, all the subjects dear to my heart, each of these subjects thrive on colors. I also delve into explaining colors from a spiritual point of view and how to use them in a technical way. Nature is our best teacher, where all colors are mixed together and co-exist well without rules and prejudices. We can simply copy nature and feel perfect in our choice of colors.

If we live in a home reflecting our personality, if we wear colors becoming to our face and body and if we eat in the rainbow, we can only expect to exude positive energy, which in turn will captivate our surroundings.
Gauguin said: “Color is the language of the listening eye”. It helps our imagination soar with inner power and mystery”. Allow yourself to experiment with various color combinations and challenge your fantasy!

Let’s travel into the cosmos of colors with Valentina and RED

This graphic represents all the authors and artists who have agreed to travel with me in the cosmos of colors for the launch and promotion of ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors – Second Edition.
They are Melissa Muldoon, Teagan Geneviene, Debby Gies, James J.Cudney IV, Sally Croning, Joy-Ruffen-Oake, Bonnie Smith, Robbie Cheadle, Shelly Wilson.

Starting on Oct. 25, 2019, for twenty days, I will travel with them to their planet of birth, I will write about them, their books and arts and they will receive something special about their zodiac sign. This will be a fun and unusual book launch! Some giveaway will happen as well. Anyone can participate in the giveaway by following me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest , Instagram, MeWe, and commenting on the launch. The contest will start on Oct. 26th and will end on Oct.31. https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e5ee1a9212/?

I am so grateful to my Supreme Being to be able to see all the glorious colors in its realm, fantasize, wallow in their vibrations, sentimentally self-indulge in their atmospheres, and to be able to talk about them every day. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com
http://valentinaexpressions.com

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion designer, author of 5 published books so far, a storyteller, and a blogger of many years. She has conceived a few new books of various subjects to which she is working simultaneously. Her books are non-fictional practical ideas to apply in the home, fashion, cooking, and travel. She never gives up trying new things and doesn’t fear failure. A couple of years ago, Valentina became a TV producer/host. She produces shows under her label: Valentina Design Universe. The goal of her shows is to entertain, inspire and inform, while she is living her passion. Her goal is to write a screenplay for theatre or TV.
Get a copy of her books here: Amazon and Barnes&Noble

Curious Seating Arrangements | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

21 Oct 2019 2 Comments

by Valentina in Home Designs Master Tags: #DinnerManners, #DowtonAbbeySeries, #FormalDinner, #TableEtiquette, #TableSeatingArrangements

I think Downton Abbey, the famous TV series, worldwide famous British TV series has revived the good manners custom, sitting properly keeping good posture, and elegant dialogues where “vulgarity is no substitute for wit”, said Maggie Smith. The series has brought to light traditional customs of kindness, gentility, and elegance of movements to astonish the whole world that has watched the series with the face stuck to the TV for six years and still watching. I am one of them. I loved this program so much, that I bought the entire series since it stopped and watch it every year from October to January.

Watching the shows, I have been very attentive to details and never missed one.
I could not help noticing the seating arrangements for breakfast and dinner. At breakfast, Lord Grantham sits at the head of the table, but for dinner, he and his wife Ladyship Cora sit in the middle of the table. Those are the honored positions, only reserved for the hosts, the most important people sit on their right and their left in order of importance, the least important people end up far away at each end of the table.

Downstairs, in the servant dining hall, the butler Mr. Carson is the only one who sits at the head table. He is the authority in the management of the grand house and deserves respect from all the servants. It’s so very different being important upstairs and being important downstairs.

Back in time, at royal courts, Kings or Queens sat at the head of the table surrounded by the most important people close to them on both sides, the rest of the guests sat as far as possible in order of importance, the plebeians sat at the very end of the table, where they couldn’t be heard.

Today, the seating arrangements are slightly different from the Edwardian times of Downton Abbey.

In my native Italy and most of Europe, the host is the most important person at the table and he/she sits at the head table on a chair with or without arms. If an elderly person lives with the family, that person has the honored seat at the head table and nobody starts to eat unless the elderly start first, or say “Bon Appetit”.

In America, the head seat is an armchair, thus there are two on each end of the table.
My friend, an author, Teagan Geneviene, says: “I’ve heard those chairs called “captain’s chairs.” Maybe we Americans are always so contentious at dinner that we have to have someone be the “captain” with the role of trying to keep things civil so meals don’t become food fights.” So funny.

Formal Table Seating For Groups Divisible By Four

Anyway, in most houses, a sitting down dinner has pre-assigned seats with place name cards or the host will indicate where the guests will sit. Follow the lead of the host, eat everything in your plate, and when the host stops eating the guests should stop too, it’s just one of many well-mannered dinner customs. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

It’s my hope that through my writing and my stories I am enriching your aesthetic sensibility towards design, style and inspiring you to live in beauty. I love to encourage my clients to show their personality through their home décor, or the clothes they wear. I have loved my profession as an interior-fashion designer since 1990. Consultations online are available. Check out one of my books on the subject of colors, ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors.
Amazon
Barnes&Noble

Collier Art | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

11 Oct 2019 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #CollierNecklaces, #CrochetColliers, #CrochetCreations, #CustomMadeFashion, #KnittedJewelry, #Neckwarmers

What is a Collier? It is an old French word that usually refers to a piece of bulky and imposing jewelry necklace.
Not too long ago, a collier was worn together with earrings, a bracelet, and a ring all in the same style and colors, with the same precious stones. This coordinated ensemble was called a Parure.
Women wearing a parure wanted to show off the family wealth, their knowledge of fashion and appear well put together. I am sure the Queen of England has many parures in her secured vaults.
The social revolution of the ’60s pushed away many strict dressing rules, the matchy-matchy jewelry was one of those rules and in fact, today matching everything to the letter is considered a bit of a kitschy custom.

Seven years ago, I created my own line of custom-made colliers with colorful yarn. Just as always happens, I make something for me and wear it, then people want it. I remember a funny episode that happened to me in the street. A woman spotted me because I was wearing a very extravagant collier, she followed me to a cafe’.
I noticed her in the street following me and noticed her in the cafe’ staring at me, but I really didn’t want to make any fuss, until she asked permission to sit with me. She introduced herself and asked me at once where I had bought that piece of decoration hanging from my neck that really struck her fancy. To make a long story short, she bought it literally from my neck and left my outfit undecorated. In my purse, I carry the square device to take credit card payments, just in case I meet impulsive buyers like her and the purchase was made. She became my best client.

In my creations with yarn, fabrics, beads, glass and various embellishments my neckwarmers look like jeweled colliers and have two functions: keep the neck warm and embellish the clothes.
It is a nice alternative to a scarf, a fun and colorful way to play with accessories.

(Click on each photo to view it larger).

Every year I produce fun pieces, they don’t’ stay in y stock for very long. Now, I present my colliers at trade fairs and various exhibitions. Link to Etsy if you want to see what I do. Ciao,
Valentina
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ValentinaExpressions

Valentina Cirasola is a trained fashion-interior designer and author, born in Italy in a family of artists. Style surrounded her since the beginning of her life. Her many years of experience led her to offer consultations in both specializations and now she can remodel homes as well as personal images. She is passionate about colors and encourages her clients to express their individual style in their homes and with the clothes they wear. She is the forthcoming author of a book on fashion subject: ©So Chic, So Stylish, due to be published March 2020. Get a copy of her books here: Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

A New Book Is On The Horizon | Valentina Cirasola | Interior Designer

08 Oct 2019 5 Comments

by Valentina in Books Blog Tags: #BooksByValentinaCirasola, #ColorTalk, #RedVoyageIntoColors, #ValentinaBookOnColors, #ValentinaCirasolaAuthor

RED-A Voyage Into Colors

The second version of my book on the subject of colors: ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors (2019) will be republished and on the market very soon.

My previous publisher with whom I published the first version of this book in 2012 has asked me to raise his earning percentage on my sales to 50%. This is an absurd request, it would double the price of the book, making it unsellable. I refused to comply and as a result of it, the book was made “temporarily not available” on Amazon for many months.
I got discouraged for a while and tried to find a solution to return my book back on the market quickly, but books are not fritters and life gets in the way.

Today, with all the online opportunities, I thought it would be better to republish it on my own, as I have done already with a couple of books. I decided to divorce my previous publisher and place the ball in my court. I have worked on the second edition of ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors for a few months, added better information, better photographs, and eliminated what was not current anymore.

The first version was a hardcover, 135 pages, filled with my photographs. I thought of reducing the number of photos to lower the price, but then I remembered how hard it was to read a couple of books by other authors on the subject of colors and no photos to stop and ponder. It was hard to take. My new second version of this book will be softcover, smaller in size, with almost the same amount of pages and still filled with my photos. It will be available in paper format, and shortly after its publication will be available also as a Kindle and audio versions.

Right now, I am finishing up a few details, it is a matter of a few days and the new version will be out. Stay tuned.
“Creativity is the greatest form of rebellion.”

Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is an interior-fashion designer, author of 5 published books so far, a blogger of many years and a storyteller. She has conceived a few new books of various subjects to which she is working simultaneously. Her books are non-fictional practical ideas to apply in the home, fashion, cooking, and travel. She never gives up trying new things and doesn’t fear failure. A couple of years ago, Valentina became a TV producer/host and she produces shows under her label: Valentina Design Universe. The goal of her shows is to entertain, inspire and inform, while she is living her passion. Find Valentina Design Universe TV here: https://valentinadesignuniverse.com
Get a copy of her books here:
Barnes&Nobles: http://goo.gl/q7dQ3w

Posing For A Fantasy Collection | Valentina Cirasola | Designer

27 Sep 2019 Leave a comment

by Valentina in Friday Fashion Tags: #CrochetFashion, #NewFashionCrochet, #ValentinaCrochetFashion, CrochetNewEra, ValentinaFashionCollection

I learned to crochet at the age of fourteen with my grandmama who taught me only two stitches, how to start and how to end a piece of work. I never thought so many moons later I would be still creating and presenting my work at professional trade fairs. My grandmama told me to learn any art and put it aside, one never knows in life…
Throughout my life, I have been a sponge for learning new art, new trade, new skills, and studying subject after subject, I guess that makes me a lifetime student.

Today, I see a shape, it doesn’t matter what it is glass, metal or ceramic, and I want to create my new crochet piece to evoke that shape. I see a fabric color mix or a design on cloth and I want to reproduce it with my own twist. Everything is a good source of inspiration. A lot of my pieces have sold as modern art for home décor, and for fashion to wear. One piece is never reproduced twice, just can’t, I work without a pattern and I have no desire to spend the same amount of time twice to make a copy, I rather make something new and original instead.

This is my new collection for Autumn/Winter. Etsy is my store online, where I display many items even different than fashion, such as wood pens made of exotic wood, blank cards made from my photography and much more. In the next three months, I will be exhibiting in various local trade fairs in my area.

Grey Black Lame’ Poncho – SOLD

Purple Cheddar Shoulder Wrap – https://etsy.me/2nTIIKF

Soft Colors Circles Cardigan – https://etsy.me/2nOz1go

Purple-Multicolor Poncho – https://etsy.me/2nR5FxX

Beige Sweater Red-Yellow Flowers – SOLD

Crazy Duster – https://etsy.me/2mctcZY

Blue-Sea Foam Shoulder Wrap – https://etsy.me/2mag4Vb

This is a new crochet era, of course, there are many people making traditional crochet and many more like to explore new horizons. The important thing is to keep creating and expressing ourselves. Many updates of new items will come from now to December. Ciao,
Valentina
https://www.etsy.com/shop/ValentinaExpressions

Valentina Cirasola is a trained Fashion and Interior Designer, born in Italy in a family of artists. Style surrounded her since the beginning of her life. Her many years of experience led her to offer consultations in both specializations and now she can remodel homes as well as personal images. She is passionate about colors and encourages her clients to express their individual style in their homes and with the clothes they wear. She produces her own line of clothing and accessories and designs custom outfit for special occasions when her clients requested it. To better help people all over the world, she offers consultations online. She is the author of five books.
Get your copy of Valentina’s book on colors: ©RED-A Voyage Into Colors
or all others on Barnes&Nobles

A Ghost In The Kitchen Book Launch

26 Sep 2019 4 Comments

by Valentina in Books Blog Tags: #AGhostInTheKitchen, #FantasyNovels, #NovelsByTeagan, #TeaganRíordáinGenevieneAuthor, #TeaganRíordáinGenevieneBooks

Author and friend Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene this week is launching her new novel “A Ghost In The Kitchen”.
https://teagansbooks.com/2019/09/21/a-ghost-in-the-kitchen-launch-party-trolley-through-haunted-savannah/

Her book launch is unusual and fun. She is taking all the participants helping her in the launch on a trolley, touring Savannah, Georgia. With the group, Teagan will be waiting for me on the bluff above the Riverwalk. The foundations of some of these buildings date back to the late 1700s, the author says.

Now that I have learned about Savannah, this historical part of the American East Coast, I want to go there and learn some more. I read that in the 1950s, many of Savannah’s historically and architecturally significant buildings were demolished until seven local women stepped up and formed the Historic Savannah Foundation to keep, preserve and restore the old buildings once lived by real families who made their marks there. Many of the Savannah historic homes have been converted into museums, restaurants or inns and are open to the public.
It seems that Savannah is one of the most haunted places in the area, and very appropriate for Teagan’s subject of her new novel “Ghost In The Kitchen“. The book is about a kitchen mystery, where a 1920’s flapper Pip is learning to cook with her grandmama…..but there is some kind of supernatural going on…

Back to Teagan’s launch party, take a look at her books, she is a creative novelist and she writes fantasy stories. She is on Amazon.

A Ghost In The Kitchen

So many books to read, don’t let time slip away. Happy reading. Ciao,
Valentina
http://www.valentinadesigns.com

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian interior-fashion designer in business since 1990. She is passionate about colors and all expressive arts, including books, literature, music, and theatre. She is a “colorist”. To her, suggesting expressive art means to share the best energy with her clients/friends and nourish their soul. She trots the world and loves writing travel notes, from which she draws inspiration to design her interiors. She is the author of her book on the subject of colors: ©Red-A Voyage Into Colors.
All other books of her collection are on Barnes&Nobles as well.