International Women's Day - the Soviet Style

Hello my dear friends! Today the whole world is celebrating International Women's Day - a day to pay tribute to all the women on Earth for their dedication, love, care, support... A tribute to those women, living and those who are not with us anymore, for the warmth of their hearts, and softness of their voices, for being strong and brave, for being mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, and being constant inspiration for their families, partners, and friends!

Here is a small collection of  8th of March Soviet era cards which I think are really sweet, promoting family, love, kindness. My parents have some of Soviet cards at home too, I need to ask to take photos of them :)

A beautiful Soviet woman - ideal one I suppose... a dream.

Russian girls dressed in traditional costumes, dancing and celebrating.

Children writing: Congratulations to mummy for 8th of March.

Happy women's day to all ethnicity!

Isn't this one very sweet? Such a good example :)

Russian dolls!!! Oh no.. I have just remembered I bought one in Moscow last year... and it is still lying somewhere in the box - out, out on the shelf!!! Silly me :(

I am late but it was my dear mom's birthday yesterday (7th of March), she was a gift to her mom for Women's day many years a go... Love you mom! And miss you a lot!!! Be healthy and happy always!

Happy Women's Day once again! Be happy and smile more!

Ivan Kupala (Иван Купала) - Kupala Night

Sometimes when you live far from your country and hence far from all its traditions you tend to forget some of them, you skip special dates and don't celebrate. Today however I am lucky to have friends all over the world and those who share same Slavic roots as me. I opened my blogger today to find a post by Ljubinka from Serbia reminding me that today is one of the biggest summer holidays which has Eastern Slavic Pagan roots and is called Kupala Night or Ivan Kupala (in Russian). Ljubinka created wonderful crochet flowers for this occasion, do check out her blog. Kupala day is celebrated from 6th to 7th of July.

The meaning of this holiday is connected to the role of water in fertility and ritual purification. I recollected some of the rites to be done this day. One of them is a weaving of the wreath from the flowers. Such flowers as dandelions, poppies, bluett, and others. But I don't have them around so what do I do? A thought flashed through my mind - use plants you have in your garden! That was what I exactly did - Indian curry patta, and some other green plant with beautiful leaves became my Kupala wreath. 

While I was taking this picture, a girl neighbour was watching me, as I saw when I lifted my head up. I waved her and smiled... It was too long to explain what it all meant :)

So today is good to bathe in the river, lake, or any open water source. If such is not available, take a simple shower. Also traditionally ancient Slavic people used to make a big bonfire somewhere in an open field and jump over it, what was the rite of purification as well. Bonfires might be not in my to do list today, but bathing is definitely is!

Have a joyful Sunday, my dears! Sending you Kupala blessings!

Victory Day - 9th of May (9 мая - День Победы)

Last year I also marked this day in my blog, because this was the day which will always stay in my memory and in the memory of all people who were less or more linked to the fight against fascism in World War II. But to tell the truth there was no family who didn't feel the consequences of that war... You ask anyone about that period between 1941-1945 and they would recollect that their grandfathers and grandmothers fought for freedom. My late grandparents were also there, and they were there when Nazi Germany surrendered to Soviet Union army on the 9th of May. However all the countries suffered irreplaceable losses during the World War II. So why do we still fight and kill again and again? Don't we love our own people? Don't we want our children to live in a better world? Didn't we learn from those mistakes? 

Today I wish everyone of you, your families and my family to live in peace and harmony with the world and themselves. Let the sun shine bright and give us life and happiness!

Happy Victory Day - 9th of May!

Red Christmas Star Decoration

Life seems to be turning to its quiet side again. After all those festivals, which indeed create a lot of buzz around and at home, I shall admit I feel relaxed finally... and excited at the same time. The first half of November has passed by what means that all the winter holidays are not far away and I am trying to charge myself by creating some Christmas and New Year goodies for home decoration. I have come up with the Red Christmas Star decor piece. The pattern was improvised by me. But what I like the most is this yarn with sequences I purchased from the yarn market last weekend. Isn't it gorgeous? You just don't actually need anymore sparkles to add. 

 I was thinking of making a tutorial or write a pattern for the same, but can't find time for this, unfortunately. May be tomorrow :) I made some more stars using simple acrylic yarn. Looks good, but no shimmer is there of course. 

The stars are hanging on my room's wall, I like them. However they look a little lonely, I might think of some bunting to hang on the same wall.

We are having out personal "friendship day" today as happened so we are meeting many of our fellows tonight, while another friend of ours came from Delhi and wants to meet us too!

Have a great weekend, don't forget to enjoy it :)

Happy Valentine's Day in India

Happy Valentine's Day!
I couldn't miss it because it is really very special to me and I am really grateful that my husband supports me in celebrating it!

   St. Valentine's day is going to be a second one for me in India. Last year my husband surprised me and made me shy a lot on 14th of February by sending bunch of flowers to the school where I was doing my internship! All the teachers were envying I guess (hehe), someone asked whether it was my birthday or what, and I was so proud to say, no, I got this bouquet from my husband for St. Valentine's Day!
 My husband got a lovely handmade card from me last year. This year I gifted him a crochet heart.
 I have no idea yet how we are going to mark this day this year, but my D. already said he invented something. Now I am feeling excited and curious about it.Can't wait till my office will be over for today!
Love you, my D.!