perfect places - imperfect people

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We will probably never be perfect. But we’ll keep on looking for perfect places, for every day wonders, for cosiness, and delicious recipes of perfect life.

Enjoy!“Llamas’ valley”

Editor: Algė RamanauskienėDesigner: Eligijus Ramanauskas

Photographers: Augis Narmontas, Robertas RiabovasAdvertising: advertising@llamasvalley.com

Jeweller Jurga Lago says that beauty hides in simplicity. And she likes contrasts: easy - hard, solid - open work, luxurious - naive... The founder of jewelry home “Yurga” has finished her first collection for New York. And she is certainly not going to stop! We talked to Jurga at her cozy apartment in Vilnius. With cups of Spanish tea in our hands, and bright smiles on our faces.

Cover: Pendant “Hunting” (collection “Dark love”)Jeweller: Jurga Lago

Photo: Jewelry house “Yurga”

Cover story

Ask yourself. Lino Lago

Made in Lithuania

A bird in a masculine world of jewellers

8 1428

A bird in a masculine world of jewellers

Knock knock knockin’ on designer’sdoor...

Freedom without a business plan

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Smells like Christmas120Unique gift guide

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The idea

DesaturationDesigner: Eglė BalčiūnaitėPhotography: Augis Narmontas

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Ask yourself

�llamas’ valleyPhotography: Augis Narmontas

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- What is important?

- I would say this question is impossi-ble to answer as long as we understand that human beings are all the same, both in Vilnius and in Beijing. We share the same basic interests and necessities. We also have the same goals, but we use dif-ferent methods to achieve them. I think it is unfair to make one’s living exploiting the so-called “small details” as differences between a Catholic and a Muslim, a gay or a “normal-as-god-and-nature-com-mands”. This creates a huge problem for everybody to get what we really care about, what I and all of us need: a worthy-calm life. I think that we all need to face the real interest behind our acts and phi-losophy of life. You could say that every-body has it clear, that it’s too obvious, but I do not see it so clear. Instead of honest relation between people (even with our-selves) and countries, we find masks everywhere.

- Who am I?

- I consider myself an animal on the planet, without a clear conscience of what we so easily call reality. We live in a con-tinuous abuse of the so-called objectivity, when each person has it’s (stupid) point of view on everything. All of us would have a better life, if we would only accept this disappointing fact. It’s frustrating to see people fixing themselves, and their habitat according to otherworldly rules. It’s simply madness.

- What I do?

- A person I admire says, “Work it’s just the worst thing in this world and the proof is that they “pay for it”. I must say that I have never worked in my whole life. I ask myself why I spend most of my time painting (in a hard way - I must tell), and the rest of the time just thinking about my next work. Painting is something I have been doing for ages. My parents say that when I was very little, I would spend all the time drawing, if I only had a pencil in my hand. Later in school, I was the worst student I knew. I spent all the time in class drawing. Afterwards, this mania be-came a way to make a living. That, on one hand is sad.

I’m supposed to ask myself about important things, or what I am supposed to care about.

Ask yourself

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Lino LagoSpanish painter

Lives in LithuaniaHonorable mention in “XXIV

Premio BMW de Pintura” competition (November, 2009)

http://www.linolago.net/

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- What I want? - All we want in life is to live as healthy,

and as happy as possible. Whoever con-tradicts, is simply a liar. I would like all of us to understand, that this is the only condition to make it work. I know that you get only when you give. There are doctors, teachers, politics, neighbors, etc., in our surroundings, and they are not wolves (they should not be). It’s sad to live in a place where the notion of people around us is exactly this. I am not talking about Lithuania.

- What do you like and dislike? - I like (in this, or any other order) my-

self (sometimes). I like my wife, my sons (almost all of the time), friends (but I don’t have many). Money. Peace (not that peace from the idyllic nature). Big cities. To share. Changes. +38 degrees Celsius. Beach. Risk. Critic. Immigrants (I like to see Muslims, Chinese and others on the streets, without forgetting “the ones from Mars”: gays). Urs Fischer (there are many artists I like). From Lars Von Trier to “Transformers”. Books, but not poetry. I like essays, narrative stories (now Peter Sloterdijk, Pynchon, unexpect-edly Murakami). Punctuality. Nice food, and other body pleasures, such as sex, or being a spectator of the smile of my chil-dren (you will ask: how can I compare these things?). I like marihuana too.

I don’t like Fanatics. Politics (these, I could say, I hate. I never vote). Violence (it seems that there are people who like it). Religion (scary). Snow. Thinking twice to choose a path.

- Lino, are you not too utopian?…mocking us?

- No.

- I believe I said all I could say, so… Let’s talk about the crisis?

- It seems an important issue, because everybody talks about it. I think (in my poor opinion) that we are governed by stupid people. It is not even worth think-ing about them. One day we will see clearly, that we do not need those kings, presidents, ministers, mayors, etc. Just the way nobody needs priests, bishops or popes now (who could understand life without them 100 years ago?). I can speak about Spain, because I read Span-ish news. The money was wasted in stu-pid ways and those, who still have it, keep it in “tax havens”. They have the wealth to end hunger in the world 4 times over (if we believe what is needed is to end hun-ger in the world). But politics need funds for their electoral campaigns... that’s the point.

Ask yourself

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Ma-de in Lith-ua-nia

Jovita Pipiraitė Jelena Šaučikovienė

Interior designersCo-founders of studio

“Mano lietuviški namai” (My Lithuanian Home)

www.mlnshop.com

Photography: Augis Narmontas

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- How is “Mano lietuviški namai” preparing for Christmas?

Jelena: We are making Christmas wreaths, baking cookies.

Jovita: We have ordered wooden carved hearts, braided lambs, and thin candles from real wax - things that have a symbolic reference to the mean-ing of Christmas Eve.

- What’s so special about this festive period for you personally? And tell us about your Christmas.

Jelena: Well... I definitely cannot say that I hate Christmas... It’s special, because that’s the only time of the year when I cook cepelinai (tradition-al Lithuanian dish from meat and potatoes). It’s also special, because my children still believe that Santa Claus comes to us down the chimney, drinks our milk and eats our cookies... Usually our fam-ily stays at home for Christmas.

Jovita: Every year I become more and more in-tolerant to that shopping fever, when supermarkets become overcrowded, and when they start glisten-ing from the end of October, when the discounts begin. People are forced to buy unnecessary things, coated with golden glossy powder... But it’s very nice to see my sleepy daughter picking a little cho-

colate from her Advent calendar every morning. There are more and more empty boxes in the cal-endar each day. Of course, I won’t tell you that she will be eighteen soon... It’s also very nice to know what your relatives secretly dream of, and not to let out you already thought about it...

When it’s snowing quietly outside on Christmas Eve, you can feel that cozy bustle at home, the smell of a clean tablecloth, mother cooking in the kitchen, preparing something that she prepares only THAT day.

- What are the stories of things, which can be found in your studio? Where do they come from, who creates them?

Jovita: Some things we create ourselves. But it is a long way from the first thought until the item becomes reality. Along the way we meet many people. We find it very important to get to know all of them. Sometimes I think we are lucky. That is one of the main reasons why it is worth starting any activity. Otherwise, you wouldn’t know how many helpful, creative, diligent, and nice people exist. We create things that we can’t find in our surroundings, or if we find them, they are not quite how we want them to be. Every time somebody likes what we create - we are very happy.

Made in

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Some things stay in our studio after special peo-ple find us. For example, Vaida’s baskets, Ieva’s and Skirmante’s ceramics, loungewear by “Muku”, etc. We are dreaming of creating a catalogue of our Lithuanian home - from a rug to a toothbrush. And it doesn’t matter how long it will take.

- Do you remember the day, when the idea to create “Mano lietuviški namai” came up? What was the very beginning?

Jovita: After millions of cups of coffee and end-less conversations, we took a lot of creative am-bitions and national pride, a bit of venturesome and blind faith, also a little bit of constant doubts, professional experience, curiosity, and we mixed it all. We’re still improving it, even now.

- Can you already answer the question to yourself: so what does a Lithuanian home look like? What are the colors, fabrics, shapes, ide-as of it?

Jovita: I’d say I know what a Lithuanian’s home looks like. It’s endlessly different, just like the people are. I have no doubt, that home is a mirror of a person’s inside. You come in and see every-

thing: manifestations of pride, naivety, a hidden moderation, a clear dependence to some social group, and heat, overflowing that all. And I’m not talking about money, or integrity of style.

But if we talk about what I personally could call a Lithuanian home, that would probably be re-served, tasteful, arranged with quality, full of “real” things, that grow old very beautifully, not overcrowded by artistic expression, but decorated with high quality art.

- Does your home look alike to what we see in your studio?

Jelena: In some way - yes: natural wood, wool, ground (earth) colors.

Jovita: Yes.

- The coziest corner at your home? Jelena: Of course, it’s our kitchen. Well, also a

sofa corner with a woolen plaid, and knitting nee-dles in my hands.

Jovita: My bed, where I can bring a warm plaid, a cup of tea, a computer, a few books, a note-book, my telephone, and a lot of other great things with me.

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Tasteful, arranged

with quality, full of “real” things

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A bird in A mAsculine

world of jewellers

Jurga LagoLithuanian designer

Founder of jewelry house “Yurga”

www.yurga.lt

- New York is a new stage of your career. How did that happen?

- It happened almost a year ago. We are work-ing step by step with my partner designer Patty Tobin. She is well known over there. We work together on a big project. It should come true next spring. We want to open a showroom in New York. At the moment my jewellery can be found in her New York boutique. I’m preparing for the showroom very seriously. I have to work physically - to create jewellery and accessories, and at the same time - to observe the market. Part of my works that I send to New York, come back. Because it appears, it’s not suitable for this city. New Yorkers are very choosy, they have seen a lot, you don’t have to surprise them. They need quality, they value originality, and the works also have to be interesting. Among my clients there are a lot of creative people from the art or show business world. There are some very well known names. By the way, one of them should get my jewellery tomorrow! New York amazed me. I could stay there, somewhere near the airport entry...

Photography: Augis Narmontas

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In jewellery it’s a bit different than it is in fash-ion. If you make a dress for a celebrity, it’s enough for her to show up in publicity. Jewellery is about Precious metals, expensive jewels. I have never signed an agreement of confidentiality or given vows of silence. But a lot of jewellers do that. It is very tricky. After all, there are some inherited and expensive things, some secret information, so you’d better stay quiet, and you won’t have any problems.

Sometimes in jewellery the main role goes to the stone. Sometimes you work as a designer, you create from the very beginning to the end. And the piece you’re creating should fit into fash-ion, it should reflect a person’s whole life. Yes, I know my clients very well.

- Where is the boutique in New York located?- It’s in Chelsea, a very beautiful neighbour-

hood in Manhattan. The most precious art galler-ies are located there. It’s a neighbourhood of artists and Bohemia... I love everything over there, so I can’t really be objective.

- Tell us about your collection for New York.- During the last six months it got it’s final

shape. Now I am sure, which direction I will go. My weakness became my strength. I studied graphics, and I am a woman in a masculine world of jewellers. So when I started working with met-als, the plane surfaces attracted me so much. All the jewellers, first of all my father, who was my greatest teacher, were saying, “Jurga, why do you care so much about the plane? Jewellery is about spherical, three-dimensional things, you have to concentrate on the volume.” But during all those creative years I didn’t make any of those spheri-cal works. I just didn’t like it. And today I’m cre-ating absolutely plane jewellery, those pieces are plain like television... They also have drawings. It’s very interesting for me.

- So you needed to get to USA to find once again things that are so close to you?

- No, I wouldn’t say that. In Europe, we have a lot of things. The world is getting even more cos-mopolitan. For the first time, between ten of the best New York designers there is a Vietnamese (and if you are on that list, it means you are the best). And you can hear even more and more exotic names. Before some time it seamed impos-sible, there was only London, Paris, Milan, Tokyo. Today we talk about Iran and Iraq - they also have

i know my

clients very well

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some interesting designers, musicians. Lithuania is also very interesting, just like all the other un-heard-of countries, strange names and cultures, but I don’t say - the better ones. We don’t have that nomadic gene. My parents didn’t travel anywhere. When you don’t see the world, you start thinking that you are better than others. And so we are. Just as much interesting, as Vietnam or Iraq.

So this collection is a comeback to plane, to beautiful glossy surface, to polished metal. I just found the plain once again in all possible forms:

with enamel, polished silver, gold, opaque plane.

- Every collection is also a discovery of some-thing new, right?

- Yes. This collection has a lot of enamel, it’s a complicated technique. For the first time I was drawing a realistic drawing for my jewellery. Ear-lier I used graphics. I was a good drawer, and I liked etching a lot. But I never used it after I fin-ished my studies. So this was the first time, when

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I I was drawing on the jewellery. It’s sort of a comeback to where I come from.

The stones I used for my pret-a-porter col-lection are brilliants and semi-precious stones. There is also a collection “Yurga De Luxe”. That would be 18 Carat gold, brilliants, rubies, em-eralds, sapphires. That collection is in Spain at the moment. In February we will make a pres-entation in Lithuania. After that is will fly to New York. The major part of my works are being pro-duced in Spain. Here, in Lithuania, my studio is located, here I live, here I create the first proto-types. But everything, that is precious, goes to Spain. Because the Lithuanian laws leave no

chance for a jeweller to work here. We can’t change the system.

- Do you remember the moment, when you decided to move to the next level and show your works to the world?

- Oh... The major personal exhibition I had was held in The National Museum of Decorative Arts in Madrid. And what was the first exhibition… It probably was held in Gotland, Sweden. Today I am 37. Half of those years I have spent here, still in that Soviet system. I was quite conscious, when the Independence came. I still felt the closure, the inability to escape, when you’re not allowed, when

I work half of the day, another half I create

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you feel the hunger for everything. People say that women from Eastern Europe are like preda-tors. But they didn’t have anything, that is why they have the will to EAT and LOOK. I also want-ed to escape. I traveled through Europe hitchhik-ing, I took all the possibilities to show my work to the world.

- Are there any principles you follow in your creation? I heard you say that beauty lies in simplicity...

- That simplicity is sometimes so complicated... Simple things usually are the most complicated ones. By creating you have to be honest, you don’t

have to put your nose where you don’t understand something, you have to know very well where you are going. I’m talking about techniques, be-cause there are a lot of innovations. But if you wander, it’s very easy to loose your way. Talking about that beauty in simplicity... I remember that all the time, but... I’m hyperactive! I can’t stay for long in one place. Physically. Luckily, at the mo-ment I have a lot of activities: it’s business, it’s art, it’s design and creation... All in one. I like it, because I have to plan my time very strictly. I work half of the day, another half I create. Then I go to some lectures about business manage-ment, and also to language courses. But if I had only, let’s say, to manufacture spoons, I probably would hang myself on that spoon... My partner in New York is just like me. But she is complete-ly different in her creation. She is a living classic. A lot of Carats, purity, a lot of color, volume. Sometimes I look at her, and start thinking how beautiful that is, but I would never wear it... Her works are really perfect, but not for me. We are just like black and white.

- Jurga, what do you find beautiful in life?- What a simple question! And the most com-

plicated one at the same time... For me children are beautiful. When my two sons were born, my creation changed. Now I also create for children. There is nothing more beautiful than a little hu-man, a little hand, a little foot. Of course, it’s na-ture, but it’s so beautiful watching a little man growing, how he finds a world for himself, then comes the adolescence, it’s also so great. It re-ally inspires a creator. In some way, you live three lives: your own, you also experience your own childhood and... you go to school with your elder one. I hated school, and now I have to experience that again. It’s a great challenge for me. I would say, the contemporary youth is so positive. They are fantastic. They are different. Absolutely resist-ant to the advertisement, to marketing, they are suspicious.

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Beauty is also important to me. We, artists, are all sensitive to beauty, our surrounding has to be aesthetic, we want to be surrounded by beautiful people. Who are beautiful people? It has to be an interesting person.

Good music, films, constant movement, being able to explore the world, not to be stuck in one place – that is important. I do believe one can live in a countryside seeding potatoes, and to see beauty in that. But that’s one in a million. I just mean, if you are talking about beauty, you have to see the ugli-ness. I really love Lithuania. And that is why I keep criticising it. With time running, I become more and more intolerant to intolerance. I’m quite diplomatic, but sometimes you just have to shut some people up. Sometimes we lose a lot by being closed. In all senses: in art, design, culture. We are very gifted, but not more gifted than, let’s say, Scandinavians.

- And what is a beautiful home for you, as I know you just moved into a new apartment?

- Home is home. It’s really different for every-body. My home it is a home of a hyperactive wom-an… There have to be only a few things around, only the most necessary ones. It also has to be very cosy. I don’t like the strict order, but I love the cleanness. It has to be that when you come

home you feel no pressure, and it’s not the end of the world, if you child breaks a jar of jam.

I wouldn’t like to and I couldn’t work at home. I can’t stay in one place for long. My husband Lino likes watching people, so he goes to a supermar-ket to relax… But when he’s working, he needs to be alone, nobody dares to bother him. Me, I need some movement. That is why my home is also full of movement. It would be a lie, if I said I don’t care about the small details, beauty, design. In every chaos there has to be a lot of order. We even brought these nice door handles from Spain and power switches from New York, we selected the dishes very carefully, but it’s not so easy to note that at first sight. The same in fashion: if there is too much of elegance, it’s not elegance. I actually like what I call a careless elegance.

- What people are your clients?- Out of Lithuania I work mostly with Spaniards,

also with Danish, because I had a boutique there. I’ve created jewellery for some people with blue blood. They were my husband’s clients, who ordered his paintings, and later I created for them. Those people have a lot of titles, they are rich of course, some of them have two or three castles. That’s a different level. It’s actually better to listen to them,

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rather than talking. Firstly, I am quite young. When you talk to a noble woman, who is 70, and she looks pretty amazing, has a wonderful memory, has traveled the world, she actually has quite a different experience than I do. So during the first meeting I only listen, and try not to slip. To be honest, some-times those people seem to me like aliens…

- Do they understand us? - They are extremely intellectual, very well ed-

ucated. They know Madonna personally, they dine with Barack Obama, or Nicolas Sarkozy. And at the same time they are so simple… One of my no-ble clients was driving me 100 km, just willing to show me some local jeweller, because he thought it would be interesting for me. And he actually was driving the car himself! Blue blood – it’s a different culture. I am from Eastern Europe, my strength is my artists parents, but we are from a different world. Not worse, but different. To understand it, you have to be tolerant. Do they understand us? I don’t think so. But they are tolerant.

- To meet such people you really have to turn up on the right place at the right time…

- I call it life’s gifts. These are irreplaceable ex-periences. During those few hours when you are

having Dinner with them, you feel hypnotized by the knowing who they are.

- Let’s go back down to earth. Do you like cooking?

- Yes, I love it! When Patty visited me, I baked cookies for her. I also bake cookies for my children. I love it, but I don’t have much time for that.

- Is there anything your children ask you to prepare on special occasions?

- No, but there are some dishes that they ask me not to prepare… I like exotic cuisines, trying new spices. And my children would be very hap-py, if they only had to eat dumplings, hamburgers and fried potatoes.

- What about your Christmas? - I remember Christmas from my childhood.

We were living in an apartment with very high ceilings, and there used to be a very big Christmas tree. Today we spend Christmas differently – here, or in Spain, we were also thinking to go to France, where my sister lives now. But probably we’ll stay at home this time. I’ll prepare one dish. The chil-dren will find some gifts under the Christmas tree. Yes, I really would like to stay this year.

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KnocK KnocK KnocKIn’

on desIgner’s

door...

Photography: robertas riabovas

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KnocK KnocK KnocKIn’

on desIgner’s

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“In London you have so many loft districts, and quarters! There are many former factories that are transformed into beautiful apartments by people, who wish to live non-traditional. I needed space for my work. Now besides my personal needs, I also have a whole studio at home. So the huge space helps us. Here you can find the fashion house „mimi.c“, a circus school, we also have a space for modern dancing! After I decided to have my own corner for my creation work, I had one month to find a suitable place. I was not frightened by a com-pletely empty, not equipped space. After a few weeks I moved into a still dark and dusty loft space with no furniture.

I share my home with much older people, so we compliment each other well, talking about order, and routine. Everyone respects each others job. Their activity doesn‘t bother me, as well as mine doesn‘t bother them. So we have no competition. Their training is a daily routine for me. But they see me sewing daily as well. Sometimes I even join them! We sometimes have circus lessons in our loft, as well as shootings and castings.

There are many things in my home. I love nice things. I love different feminine details. I can’t resist to some industrial style stuff, which I find in antique stores. I have a dream to understand how to live ascetic, but all of my attempts fail… I don’t have a

wardrobe. Instead of that I have a clothes rail from a fabric. My clothes are sorted by color, which sat-isfies my need for aesthetics.

A dream home is a place where muses make love... And you approach the bugaboos of daily routine with harmony. I cannot imagine my home without a sewing machine, electricity and WC. The rest comes by itself.

I like very much spending time at home.Only here can I find peace. Today I just don’t have any time for my hobbies, for they usually make me calm. So when I want to rest, I simply have a good sleep, or, if I have time, I read a book, watch a movie. Household routines and home ordering make me forget the working worries at least for some time. I bake and cook, but I’d rather shorten curtains, than bake a cake... In the bathroom we coddle our pink orchid, and there are herbs in the kitchen. Though I am not a big lover of plants. I prefer jogging in a park, or down the riverside.

White color relaxes me. I simply couldn’t live without white walls. Metal is one of my weak-nesses. I can’t resist to steel furniture, or the tech-nique covering with steel. At some point, I found beauty in cold. But I think that a passionate wom-an can warm up even the coolest space. What’s the smell of my home? Incense, or tasty dinner”.

Milda Čergelytė

Lithuanian fashion designerLives in London

www.mimicfashion.co.uk

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A dream home is a place where

muses make love...

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on desIgner’s door...

KnocK KnocK KnocKIn’

Photography: Modestas Ežerskis

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“I called my project “Velvet wings of longing”. Why velvet? Can you long for something that you have never experienced? I read signs. Modestas (photog-rapher Modestas Ežerskis) says, “I want to show people photos that capture the creation of both of us.” Ok, I agree. We need a book - more people will see it. I decide: the starting point of this project is that everything that comes will be an adventure. And if it doesn’t come, it’s also an adventure. If you fol-low my thoughts, I needed consciousness of bhagat of Krishna. I made my effort. I went to Kirtanas (call-and-response chanting). I got acquainted. The “mo-del” got some doubts, and then he changed his mind... No, I said, I don’t need it anymore... Too many words are spent, it’s somehow inaccurate... I left everything, because I started becoming unfaithful to the idea. After five minutes I meet a person with a Hare Krishna braid and knowledge on the street… I say: I’ll photograph you. He says: Ok!

A tattooist, who approaches all the monsters of hell on a body, listens to teenagers’ metal-techno music, and says, “Horror! Chaos!” I say, I also thought so, but then I listened attentively to every line separately - it’s perfectly beautiful. Someone separates that chaos to separate sounds, and cre-ates a perfect harmony. I remember anthropologist Laimė Kiškūnė’s story about a test with the odor of a smelly vagabond. When they separated all the smells from one another, the badness was gone. Another friend tells me joyfully what one smelly man shouted on a bus, “So now you hold your noses? Never mind - it will smell good in spring!” So what attitude do we choose? I went to my son’s concert and couldn’t take my eyes from one guy.

My former husband started getting angry with me, but I made the excuse, “I can’t separate the angel from the demon in him. Everything is so beautiful.” You have doubts? After some time we photograph him. We meet each other feeling quite strange. Simonas (my son) asks him, “Do you have any hair on your chest? No, don’t misunderstand; my mother wants to photograph you. She’ll put on a necklace, so we need...” I try to separate myself from beauty, but first I have to take some pictures of angels. Those hairy angels...

I decided not to color my hair. I’ll be grey. My girl-friends got scared. They ask me to color my hair. Why is it bad to be grey? They say it looks sad. Ok, I agree. If you’ll get sad looking at my grey hair, I’ll color it. But if it will be funny, I’ll leave it. I negotiate.

I created a perfume. Laimė Kiškūnė mediated between scents, their compositions, and me. Then I was looking for a personal relationship with each of them, without taking notice how they match. And finally - the result! The scents covered each other, and there was only the smell of cleanliness left... Laimė asked me how I will name my perfu-me. I spontaneously responded, “Kalinichta”, or “Good night” in Greek. After a year or so, I read a book, and suddenly I understood why the Greek culture is so important to me. I was there when the Turks enslaved Greeks. Only, according to M.Waltari, I don’t know on which side of the gate I was standing, because the scent is the Arab desert dust with a flavor of a harem, and the name of the perfume is Greek.

Neringa Jociūtė

Fashion and interior designerhttp://www.yotshiutee.com

on desIgner’s door...

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So what is left of me? Even my scent doesn’t exist - it’s changing. When I read, some books seem to be written by myself… I have just created biblical clothes. Everybody says, “You look like a goddess with those many-layered nightgowns.” Yet my son could not resist, “Enough of those slip-pers and Hare Krishna clothes.” So what then? After all, he plays metal, he’s a bassist. So I decide it’s time for militarism, and metal buttons. Signs came to me! When I worried about my children, whether they are doing everything right, they said to me, “Mum, chill!” So recently on a lecture about values, as the lecturer was talking about the gre-atest of them, I prompt to my neighbor, “Chillin’”. He says, “But love is the greatest value!” I respon-ded it’s the same. He asked me, whether I hadn’t fallen in love with anyone yet? I was surprised, “I’m already in love with all of them.”

My ex-husband organizes a parents’ party. I’m not on the guest list. My friend explains, “You are the soul, which means - not so much a mother...” So I remembered that I gave him the title of white fairy myself... I told him I don’t need it anymore. Why fairy? Maybe rather a fortune-teller. My son keeps bringing his friends to my home. He is seventeen. So he calls me, and tells me about the time - tomorrow! Ok, I say, no problem. If they appear, it means you oppressed something. At night I dream Merlin the Magician. Then I see a booksto-re and my inner voice tells me to go in. I go in, two minutes before it closes, and I don’t know what I am looking for. I buy a book; at home I open it and read about... Merlin the Magician (the title of that book is not related with that). Synchronization is the magic. When you put all the information one onto another, you know everything at once.

Photography: Neringa Jociūtė, Simonas Kušlys

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So what is important for me now? I would say scents, colors, and light, as well as music, and chocolate. What are those senses, while you’re in a body...? Belgian chocolate - a real “Theob-roma.” After all, cocoa beans are used to serve as money... Everything is changing, decreasing, and ending. Sandalwoods, cotton, and rise...and then again, everything from the beginning. Mo-destas Ežerskis gives me an apple. I say - you’re like Eve to Adam. After all, we don’t know whe-re we have met before. We all change our roles, our sex, our looks, riches, and wisdom. The book will be about that. We write it everyday. All the bills have to be paid, but the principle finds us and it works 100 percent.

That is why Themis is tied on the eyes (or may-be blind?). I explain what I understood: at first we do what we want, later - necessarily (!) what we don’t want. And finally, when we understand how we should act, we start from the beginning. Sym-bols stay for generations and their value depends only on the one who’s reading them. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be valuable. As a teacher without a student, as day without night, as joy without sad-ness, as beauty without ugliness, as youth without old age, as me without you.

I feel grief out of joy, when I buy a big pile of paper for 13 Litas. That is such a value and I don’t know, whether it will be major, if I fill them all. All this is both, adventure and happiness at once.

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And again everything from the beginning <...>

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One day they decided to quit their office jobs, and start a new life. Without a business plan, but full of freedom, creative joy, and discoveries. The two graphic artists Agnė Kananaitienė and Milena Liutkutė, who previously worked in the advertisement business, now share a bright, cozy, spacious studio in the Fran-ciscan palace in Vilnius. “Llamas’ valley” visits them just before Christmas. So we fall into a luminous space with shimmering bulbs, a small Christmas tree on the windowsill, an original feeder with some tasty cook-ies for the always hungry ones, and walls covered by graphic works, and funny pillows with clowns... A real joy for your eyes!

They waited for this studio with bright windows for six months. When they first entered, it was complete-ly empty. You could even feel the echo. Today it’s full of lovely details.

Freedom wIthout A busIness PlAn

Agnė Kananaitienė Milena Liutkutė

Graphic artistsShare a studio in Vilnius,

Lithuania

Photography: Augis Narmontas

Coffee with muses

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Freedom wIthout A busIness PlAn

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Visit Agnė’s corner: www.nananai.ltVisit Milena’s corner: www.milenaliutkute.com

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“We didn’t decide to leave our former jobs over-night. It was already in our heads for a while, but it wasn’t so easy to change everything” says Mile-na. She remembers days when graphic design filled 80 percent of their life, only 20 percent was left for the real creation, for art. Today the propor-tions change step by step.

“I discovered illustration,” says Agnė, “and it was love from the first sight, but I’m still on my journey of discovery. And I guess those discoveries won’t ever end.”

At first, it seems the two artists have a lot in common: those blue shades, that splashing with paint, water, and color. Something you can not de-scribe... They wouldn’t agree with that though. Milena says that Agnė is more careful, more ac-curate. Plus she likes small surfaces, and minor objects, whereas Milena, on the contrary, is found around broad spaces. And when you look at those clowns, watching you from the soft pillows, hang-ing on the wall, you certainly recognize Agnė’s style (she’s crazy about theatre, and about the practical side of art). As if you would see graphic works full of small mosquitoes... That’s Milena for sure!

Though it’s almost Christmas, Agnė and Milena feel quite tired. After all, the first exhibition is com-ing in February. Both will show their sketches and prints, the values they both share. It will be sort of a warm-up.

But what about the freedom? Is it still so sweet and pleasing? “We have the freedom to choose. This studio gave us that possibility. Today, nobody stands behind our backs. You can even go splash-ing with color in the middle of the day! You can also work at night, if you have to” says Agnė. And they didn’t need any business plan for that...

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Gourmet spaces

the RooM

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Giedrė Datenytė, Monika Zemlickaitė

ArchitectsThe Room’s interior designers

Photography: Augis Narmontas

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- What would you tell a stranger about the new bar in Vilnius - “The Room”?

- Well, it’s very green and a bit upside down.

- What was the owner’s desire?- We were given complete freedom. No creative

barriers, only financial limits. His main wish was to create a bright space.

- What interesting solutions have you offered? - “The Room” is located near the Teachers’ house

yard, which is all overgrown by bindweed, so the idea of a green wall was born straightaway. But it changed its shape. We added the undeservedly forgotten be-gonias and ferns to the bindweed. We also used a lot of mirrors, trying to change, and at the same time expand the small space. Actually, we found out that the use of mirrors has broad possibilities in trans-forming the space, or creating a literary background. It’s a pity that this space was too small for major experiments.

We were looking for furniture, which were later restored, in different places, from a market, or the internet to friends’ warehouses. The most interest-

ing piece of furniture is a table, which was construct-ed from wooden rulers by a friend’s father more than 20 years ago.

We also experimented with lighting quite a lot. Finally, table-lamps were screwed to the ceiling...

- “The Room’s” menu is displayed on iPads! Whose idea was that?

- One of the owners suggested that idea.

- The bar is almost sinking in greenery. Could it be that the plants will change each season?

- No, the plants shouldn’t change, but the view will. The plant we have chosen is a very vital bind-weed. If everything goes as planned, it should grow over an entire wall, or maybe it will even enlace the whole bar?.. To be honest, we would love that!

- By the way, what can you order in “The Room”?

- This question should refer to someone else, but as far as we know, they have really good day offers. The menu isn’t long, but precisely because of that a great attention is given to every dish.

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- It seems like “Fotopastelė” really loves Christmas!

- Yes, we really like it. Maybe because we ha-ve another place - a studio that we can decora-te and realise the ideas that we don’t have enough space for at home. We begin quite early, we pull out the gorgeous Christmas pillows and tablecloth, we bake gingerbread cookies, and decorate our Christmas tree with them. We are very happy being able to share that Christmas spirit with our clients. We meet them at “Pastel Christmas” event, we communicate and also help those who feel a lack of attention and warmth.

- Is there anything you can’t imagine Christmas without?

- Of course - without a real Christmas tree. The waiting and preparing for that day for me is as important as Christmas itself. Actually, that period flies by so instantly… I start waiting

for Christmas at the beginning of September. I stitch, I pick cones, I tailor little hearts, I think about presents for my relatives. I try not to le-ave that for the last days. But I don’t succeed always on that… Together with Elzė, my eldest daughter, we have a tradition of a Christmas Eve photoshoot for Unė, my youngest daughter. We hope, we will have some snow this year, so we’ll be able to maintain that tradition.

- What is special about Christmas at your home?

- Maybe it’s special because I prepare myself very accurately. I don’t do anything in a hurry. I decorate my whole home for Christmas, even the bathroom! We have a Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas lunch traditionally at my parent’s home, usually the whole family gathers there. Even my sister, who lives in Finland, joins us every two years.

Loreta JasiukėnienėPhotographer

Photostudio ¨Fotopastelė”

Photography: Loreta Jasiukėnienė,

Elzė Jasiukėnaitė

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- The best Christmas movie you’ve seen?- I like very much Gillian Armstrong’s “Little

Women” (1994) because of it’s spirit and the awesome, beautiful winter.

- And the most delicious Christmas dish?- For Christmas Eve – my mother’s

“kalėdaičiai“ – small cookies with poppy seeds, they just melt in your mouth… And yeasty ca-kes with mushroom, cooked in oil. For Christ-mas – a Finish ham.

- Your style, or how you style your pictu-res, could not be mistaken to anyone else’s. Where does the inspiration come from?

- I start my morning by browsing some of my favourite blogs. They inspire me, they shape my style, and teach me to notice and value things, that I didn’t mention before. I value old stuff, co-vered by the dust of time, and I’m extremely happy, when I find them, and bring them a new life. Those things are the core of my photos-hoots, sometimes I combine all the other stuff to that one thing, and I look for an appropriate surrounding for it. It happens, I find an interes-ting coffee pot, and right away I have some in-teresting stories and visions in my head.

- If you had to describe “Fotopastelė” in a few words, what would that be?

- Cosy, romantic, and it has a drive…

- What do you like the most to shoot : mot-hers, children, families, couples, or maybe something else?

- I like everything you just mentioned, wed-dings also! But of course, I like the most those photoshoots that are designed and styled by myself, when I can use a lot of stuff in it.

- Is your home full of beautiful photog-raphs?

- It’s like shoemaker without shoes… There are only three big pictures of my children that I got as a present. I would like to see more of them, but I don’t really have space for that. I also have a lot of paintings by Lithuanian ar-tists, not mentioning the stitched pictures… I always wanted to make some photography books, at least those of Unė, but I never find time for that. It will be added to next year’s plans.

- What present do you expect to find under the Christmas tree this year?

- For me, the best presents are related with Christmas, like some Christmas tree deco-rations, candles, candlesticks, dishes, cookies, textile… I don’t like and I actually don’t unders-tand the meaning of those practical presents. I’d love to find something antique under the Ch-ristmas tree. Maybe some vintage decorations, old postcards, old ice skates, or sledges.

- And what about your dreams for 2012?- They are quite simple. I want my relatives

to be healthy and happy. I would like photog-raphy to keep bringing me such joy, and I would like to make others happy with my pictures.

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Find more beautiful pictures:www.loreta.blogspot.comwww.allthebeautifulchristmas.blogspot.com

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- Have you already decorated your home for Christmas? How does it look?

- I decorate for the holidays a little bit before-hand, building up the mood gradually for the big day. So far, I have a tiny tree in a glass jar, some fairy lights, a concrete advent candle holder, filled with pine cones and cinnamon sticks, a star made of a white foldable carpenters’ rule, and some paper decorations that my kids made. I like my Christmas white, simple, and natural.

- Do you have any special Emma’s Christmas traditions?

- In Sweden, Christmas Eve is the big day, this is when we all get together to have dinner, and open presents. We always start the day by eating rice porridge, and ginger bread cookies. Then the kids each get to open one present, to keep them occupied when the adults prepare all the food. After lunch, we all go for a walk to look at all the decorated houses in the neighborhood; it’s so nice

to see all the glowing windows filled with stars, and candle lights!

- What present are you dreaming of this Christmas?

- In my family we only give presents to children, so I won’t be getting any Christmas gifts. But if I would make a wish list, it would include the Hope 1.0 book from the Swedish fashion brand “Hope”, and a new “Byredo” scented candle, as my old one has burnt out.

- Maybe you even like spending time in the kitchen, and have some special Christmas dishes?!

- Actually my boyfriend is the cook in our house, so he prepares all the food. He makes a wonderful gravlax with ginger! But I love to make desserts, and my favorite one for Christmas is a chocolate pie with lingonberries. I also make lots of sweets, like chocolate fudge, or cinnamon truffles.

it’s aLL about youR Last Post

Diarist

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Emma FexeusWriter, stylist

Author of “Emmas Designblogg”http://emmas.blogg.se/

- I bet, everyone expects, that one of the most popular bloggers in the world has a very stylish home. How would you describe your home?

- Ha ha, my home really isn’t stylish at all right now! We are renovating, and it’s all a big mess! But the living room is finished, and I’m very hap-py with how it turned out. We have white walls, and a black feature wall. The furniture is all white, grey, and wooden; some of the items are simple, some - modern, and some of them – vintage, from the 50’s or 60’s. For the winter season I like to accessorize my home with lots of sheep skins, and candles for a warm, cozy feeling.

- What other great things do you do in your life besides blogging?

- I work as a freelance writer for magazines, making product pages mostly. And sometimes I assist interior stylist Lotta Agaton on her shoots, which is great fun!

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- Do you remember the day you decided to write a blog? What was your first idea?

- I started my blog when I was working as a styling assistant on a deco mag, and needed a place to store all the info about new products and de-signers that was sent to me. I figured a blog would work well as it’s a quick, and easy to search way. After a while it started to grow, more and more people came to read it. Since then, I have changed the focus of it to be more about styling, and not about products at all, as I feel that this is the way to encourage a more sustainable lifestyle.

- Can you tell us, how six years of blogging changed your life?

- I have no idea where I would be without my blog. Blogging has given me new friends, lot’s of great experiences, and even the jobs I have now, all come from the blog. Being a professional blog-

ger is the perfect job for me, enabling me to work whenever I want, instead of strict business hours.

- The craziest place you’ve been blogging in?- A couple of years ago, I used to blog from a

bar in town, as I had no internet connection at home at that time. It was a tiny, and a very busy place, so I had to squeeze in between the beer drinking crowd, and the DJ. I also had to be careful not to let anyone pour their drink on my laptop.

- What’s the recipe of a perfect, and at the same time very popular blog?

- I think the secret is to keep a consistently high standard for your posts. Your blog is never better than your last post, so don’t post stuff just to up-date your blog. Keep searching for the best stuff, and only post what you love!

http://lottaagaton.blogspot.com/ Styling Lotta Agaton Photo: Pia Ulin

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- The award you’re very proud of?- Last year I won an award called “Stora Blog-

gpriset”, founded by Sweden’s largest newspaper. That was totally unexpected, and a great honor!

- The most beautiful compliment you were told about your blog?

- I often hear that people have taken a lot of inspiration from my blog when they decorate their homes. To me that is the best thing, as my goal with the blog is to inspire people to make their homes more beautiful.

- Other cities you’d like to live in?- I would love to live in Amsterdam. It’s my fa-

vorite city in the world, with all the beautiful old houses and canals, the friendly and open-minded people and the creative design scene.

- One thing you’ve bought lately, that you were very excited about?

- Last week I got a “Kubus” candle holder. It has been on my wish list for many years, because it’s such a simple, and at the same time stylish design classic. I also love it, because the design-

er Mogens Lassen designed it as a rebellion against the over-ornate and elaborate home. So I was very happy to finally have one of my own.

- Three other blogs you follow and love?

http://weekdaycarnival.blogspot.com/http://stilinspiration.blogspot.com/http://riazzoli.blogspot.com/

- Any music you have lately discovered, and fell in love with?

- My latest favorite is a Swedish artist called Melissa Horn. Her lyrics are excellent, and the music perfectly fits my current slightly melan-cholic autumn / winter mood.

- What is the most beautiful Christmas movie for you?

- I don’t like Christmvas movies, and I defi-nitely don’t like romantic comedies, but somehow both “Love Actually”, and “The Holiday” just gets to me, and I watch them every year. Perhaps, winter is the season making me all soft and soggy inside…

11�llamas’ valleyPhotograph: http://mokkasin.blogspot.com/

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Smells like ChristmasPick your perfect gift, click on the snowflake, visit us on “Facebook”, and wait for daily giveaways!

P.S. Do you believe in miracles?

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Smells like Christmas

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Decorated Christmas cupcakes with chocolate and mascarpone cream

“Tie kepejai” www.kepejai.lt

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Gingerbread with a scent of spices and honey to warm up your heart

“Tie kepejai” www.kepejai.lt

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Wire earrings “Sea flowers”

www.paulinajure.lt

Smells like Christmas

By Paulina Jure

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Socks. 100% merino wool. Packed in silk paper“Mummymoon”www.mummymoon.com

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Accessory“Ak Bijoux”www.craftfields.co.uk

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Accessory“Ak Bijoux”www.craftfields.co.uk

Bear Boleslovas“Žaislu turgus”www.zaisluturgus.lt

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Bactus scarf“Bug2hug”www.bug2hug.com

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Bowl / Brooch “Fox”By Lolita Pelegrimewww.keramikai.blogspot.com

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Residents of Aželiai village: Martynas, Kostas, Aldute, Antanas, VincukasBy Haušinka Visit on Facebook

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Passport holder made from an old umbrella and waterproof fabricsBy Emilija Laužikaitewww.emilijaportfolio.com

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Cozy handmade postcard, embroidered with silk yarnBy Justina BakutyteVisit on Facebook

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Festive 50’s print retro teacosy Doodle pillowcase“Stitch designworks” (Great Britain)www.ciagyvenagrazusdaiktai.lt

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Knitted felted pillow“Žalios avys”Visit on Facebook”

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Handmade notebookBy Gintare KavaliauskaiteVisit on Facebook

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Brooch “December morning”“Sutverimai”Visit on Facebook

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Scarf “Pink dream”By Rasa Gušcienewww.rgstudio.lt

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Double-sided bow-tieBy Vaida and Agnewww.paukstukai.com

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Soapstone Solitare “Londji” (Spain)www.pauksciupienas.lt

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Wooden tea set “Honeybake”“Le Toy Van” (Great Britain)www.mazimazi.lt

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Apron“Old Boy”www.oldboyboutique.lt

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Accessory “Kitty” / Accessory “Šarange varange” By Linos Ukiswww.nelook.blogspot.com

Accessory “Bearded”By Linos Ukiswww.nelook.blogspot.com

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Lovely postcards“smartART”www.smartart.lt

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Christmas slippersBy Dominyka Sidabraitewww.dominykasidabraite.blogspot.com

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Cuff-link By Egle Cejauskaite-Gintale (Photo: Martynas Gintalas)www.juvelyrika.net

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Neckpiece “Tear clear”By Urte Karalaitewww.urtekaralaite.eu

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Sugar and miracleVisual Communication Studio “Primprim”www.primprim.lt

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Pikos The Hedgehog“Deglingos”www.viaco.lt

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“Eco-line” glass from recycled material By Viktoras Dailidenaswww.daili.lt

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Ceramic figure By Agne Kondrataitehttp://www.etsy.com/shop/ceramage

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Wallet “Whale” Warmer “Homeland will warm you up”By Rita Balta (Bal designs)Visit on Facebook

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Felted slippers By Ringaile Paliušewww.taputapu.blogspot.com

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Marseilles soap“Užupio keturiolika”Visit on Facebook

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“Bensimon” tennis“Užupio keturiolika”Visit on Facebook

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BroochBy Lina Lauke “Laukes fabrikelis”www.fabrikelis.blogspot.com

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Photography “Little House”By Dovile Dagiene (BirD Photography)www.bird.ph

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Felted handbag / ToyBy Diana Lucinaviciute “Adatyte”www.adatyte.blogspot.com

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Elegant collar / Decorative pillow “My little House”“Lovely home idea”www.lhidea.com

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Earrings “Harlequin”By Egle Butkute Žuramskienewww.eglestiklas.lt

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“Sprouted”By Ruta Elzewww.rutaelze.com

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