Decoupage Paradise

If there is anywhere decoupage paradise - it is in Brazil! When I was just making plans for my trip I mainly was interested in products Daiara well-known Brazilian craftswoman Iara Carparo. And here I want to thank Olga Ponomarenko who are going to deal with Daiara products and who provided me with the comprehensive informations. Thank you very much, Olga!
But I would be completely lost in Sao Paulo without help of my dear friend (I hope!) Mercedes Duran and her daughter who not only took me to the craft shops, gave me invaluable advice on all products but also showed me her wonderful works in her atelier. I am so thankful to Mercedes! If you do not know yet HERE is her blog where you can see her beautiful works!
Yes, I've bought some Daiara products but I was surprised how many other firms and labels exist and all are products of Brazilian industry. Now I have materials of three firms at least.
I bought a lot of MDF blanks of which there are huge variety and endless choice. And at very reasonable prices! I was not going to buy but just could not help it!

This is a little haberdashery box with three sticks for holding thread rolls.
And the next is a box with laser cut design on the lid. This design is created by Mercedes!


And this is my decoupage treasure! My main goal was to buy a colourless Goma Laca. I use Goma Laca (shellac) for making craquelure but usualy it is a bit yellowish, even the very best and I had no idea that such thing as colourless shellac exists! It does exist and I bought plenty! What else?.. Primer, glue for napking, fabric and decoupage paper, size for gilding, liners, even some paint!
I was told that in June Sao Poulo hold a large fair of craft products, the biggest in South America. I can imagine!
Some of these materials I have already tried (not all yet!) and very happy with.


Being inspired by Mercedes's works I bought some laser cut decorative details (I wish I got more!)


Some day I went to see other shops which sell products for other crafts such as knitting and sewing. They are endless and huge, and everything is very cheap by our standards! I could not resist and bought a few rolls of ribbons and even lace!


And there are some things which I had no idea what they are for, like this. Do you know what it is for? I didn't! It is for making even dots! If you want to make a lot of dots of the same size you use it! And there is a choice of four sizes in each piece! I am lost for words...


Dear girls! If any of you are interested in any particular product or you want to get some additional information, just ask!

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Atlantic Coast

Because I wanted to have a few days of beach holiday we went to a tiny fishing vilage Pauba just off a larger resort Maresias on the Atlantic coast of Brazil. We stayed only 5 days in a small and very comfortable hotel (two buildings across the quiet road, 30 rooms each)

Everyone was very friendly and helpful. A lot of small things such as beach towels, free deck chairs and parasols which could be taken to the beach (or shuttled there by hotel's car), free WiFi internet (which was important for my husband) - all these things made our stay very comfortable and enjoyable.
Beach is wide and often rather deserted. Very green and lush tropical trees, plants and grass - such a contrast to a parched Mediterranean landscape!

I am looking at the water because it has am amazing golden glitter in it! Apparently in surrounding rocks there are a lot of minerals such as a mica tiny particles of which give the water such a glow!


This is a morning, fresh still, no people, just two sandpipers. We saw a lot of birds, lizards, crabs, but managed to catch only this little chap! And we saw a lot of fish. Once I was a bit scared when saw a fin crossing my way while I was swimming!



It is a very small place, actually, but very quiet and beautiful.

People are coming to make pictures of a sunset.


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Bird Park

Bird Park (Parque Das Aves) is located next to Iguacu Waterfalls National Park and we went there on our last day in Iguacu. It is 12 acres of natural tropical forest with a lot of spacious enclosures with many exotic and beautiful birds mainly native to South America. Usually I am not very keen on zoos but here I was really impressed how happy and healthy all animals looked. And very social as well!
Of course a lot of of tropical plants and flowers. And I never thought that monstera plant is actualy a climber!


Chillean flamingo. To bred they need safety of large numbers so there are mirrors on both sides of the enclosure to create an illusion of large flock. And their chicks are true "ugly ducklings"!

Even reptiles were moving around and did not look as stuffed toys.

The most amazing experience was in some huge enclosures where we could walk in and stayed very closed to the birds! Toucans were so friendly that came to us themselves! They are so beautiful and their colours are different!



Another one with the brightly coloured parrots. They liked to fly just above our heads, sometimes we had to dive!


The last one was with the butterflies and hummingbirds. Unfortunately they are so quick we did not make proper pictures!



In the evening we left to Sao Paulo. Then it would be Atlantic coast!

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P.S.
About monkey. There was only one kind of monkeys in the Park - tiny marmosets. By the way the image of this animal is present on the bank note of Brazilian real. Now two pictures from internet: