MUFFA MINIATURES - CREATIVITY IN MINI

"Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will" - George Bernard Shaw.

This quote is the epitome of the creativeness of Mariella Vitale a.k.a Muffa,a talented miniaturist from Sunny Italy. Her creative imagination and crochet talent has opened the door to Mariella's Unusual Fantasy Funny Animals

Mariella Vitale is a happily married mother of 2, who lives in a big house by the woods, in sunny Italy where her magic fingers give life to Muffa's Miniatures. Growing up in a crafty family, at the small age of five, Muffa's Granny taught her how to knit, crochet, and embroider. She also credits her talent to being a student of the nuns in school who would only except perfection while crafting .

Though she has grown, Muffa's love for miniature and tiny things has fueled a wonderful fire to keep the miniature magic alive. One day in 2003, while searching under the word 'miniature', Muffa stumbles upon a miniaturist that crocheted micro miniature bears. From that point Muffa started to create her tiny wonders and made it a point to strive for the tiniest she could create.When Muffa is asked the size of her crochet hook she simply replies .05mm. This may sound like not a big deal but in reality the hook is no bigger than a sewing needle. The picture below shows what the big deal is.

Muffa creates all sorts of unusual fantasy funny animals. From bears and ducks, to gnomes and fairys, to guinea pigs and dolls. The possibilites of a creative imagination are endless.

Muffa sells her creations at a couple of different venues. I personally have a collection of minis from Mariella and her Muffa Collection. The prices of each wonder ranges from $10 to $60. Whether you are 13 or 113 the Muffa's miniatures will bring a smile to your face and a warmth to your heart. Please feel free to visit any of the sites below to open your heart and home to a wonderful miniature from a sunny house in Italy that may just begin the story of a life time.

http://muffa-minis.blogspot.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pasubio9/
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasubio9

http://www.cdhm.org/user/pasubio9

NEW YEAR NEW ME

So its a new year, 2010, and I have made the conscious decision to change for the better. I know, I know so cliche, however, I am being smart about it this time. I am going to watch what I eat, when I eat, how much I eat and I am not going to deprive myself like I usually do. Ben is going into the Navy he's getting fit and healthy and I want to do the same. He wants to have a family and to do that I need to be healthy and fit too. This isn't a resolution it is going to be a transformation. Resolutions always fail transformations usually end in butterfly's :)

Enough about that. My new year has gotten off to a good start. I spent the day with family. Dressed like my mom's twinkie and watched a 'Criminal Minds' marathon <---love that show! I also sat and waited for news from my sister about my niece. She had to go to the hospital again today but she is fine and will soon be better God willing. Tomorrow I am going to go antique mall browsing and then I will pay my rent. I hate paying rent.

Happy New Year to everyone! May your year be prosperous and filled with happiness. Be brave this year try something new and remember "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear. " ~Ambrose Redmoon

IN THE BEGINNING :) MY FIRST BLOG!

Where to begin. My given name is Elizabeth Nicole. Born a Palafox married a Wickstrom. I love my name it is unique who I am as a human. Inside I am Iza and this blog, my creations, my creativity, my passion for everything in my life is my fire, hence the blog name "Iza's Fire".

A little about me. I am a 24 year old Hispanic - American artist born to Joe and Christine Palafox on a cold day in February. I have a sister, a beautiful niece, and a husband that I love more than life itself.

This blog will be my way of expressing myself. Sit an read a block or two I can't apologize for being offensive if I am. I will kindly ask that you take what I write as a testament to my life. My father is a wise man and he let me borrow a book to read that I believe every human being should read at least one time in their lives. It is "The Four Agreements: A Toltec Wisdom Book" by Don Miguel Ruiz. I have been searching myself for the last year wondering what I was missing. What could I possibly do to change the world and make it a better place for me? Then I realized, you can't change anything until you change yourself. So I picked up the book and started reading.

I can not merely sum the book up in one paragraph. It is something that has to be read for yourself and taken in. Below are the four agreements:

1. Be Impeccable with your word.
2. Don't take anything personally.
3. Don't make assumptions.
4. Always do your best.

Hopefully as I write my blog entries in the future I will remember these four agreements, not only to be a better person but to reflect who I know I am, A highly intelligent, strongwilled, a little OCD woman.

I do hope that you will come back to read my updates and I want to dedicate this blog to my friend Erin Sandrick and her safe return from China to the US.

Lots of love,
Iza