Swan Lake

Did I mention I love swans? I'm not sure what it is, but they do have a very special elegance, something truly majestic about their movements and looks. I like them when they're grey and fluffy, and I love them when they're grown up and glide on the water like some fairytale creatures. 

I like their long take-offs and spectacular landings. It sure isn't easy to get airborne with such a massive body and balance this weight!

Especially, I like to watch them when they take time to clean their feathers, i.e. give me opportunity for an extended photo-shooting.

Did I mention my most listened-to song as a child was "The Swan" by Camille Saint-Saëns? My sister used to play it on her violin countless times over a long period of time, and it still gives me goosebumps. Probably one of the sweetest melodies I know.

And did I mention I love Swan Lake by Pyotr Ilych Tschaikovsky? What a great piece on love, promises, magic and betrayal! I lately found myself watching it over and over. No wonder I got all excited when I saw the ballet is on the schedule of the Ljubljana Opera/Ballet in April. Yay! Above all, it's also a great background-music for crafting ;)
Personally, I prefer the happy-end version (of course) and while browsing through youtube I found two interpretations that are especially wonderful to me:

Swan Lake starring Yulia Makhalina & Igor Zelensky

Swan Lake starring Svetlana Zakharova & Roberto Bolle

With swans on my mind, I decided to make a white-in-white Valentine card. I stitched a heart with silver yarn and combined it with pearls. 

Chosing the background paper took me almost as long as the stitching, but in the end I picked the one with swirls. In the lower part of the card I placed a lace and flowers, combined with my newest punch and some more pearls. 

All these embellishments however made the upper part of the card look a little boring, so I decided to punch the edges and add some gemstones. I still didn't like the outcome though. In the end, it was the tiny silver sticker that satisfied me. 
Overall, the silver-white combination with glitter and pearls actually does remind me of the enchanted Swan Queen.

As the card turned out well and I have no more thoughts on it, my dilemma is now focused on Swan Lake itself: I simply can't decide which version of the above I like better. One has to say Svetlana's technique is superb, but Yulia is doing her job very well, too. And since I like certain scenes and music of both performances, I guess I'll just have to watch them both alternately.

challenges:

- deep ocean challengeblog: lace & pearls
- inspiration destination: ATG
- pennys papercraft: ATG
- allsortschallengeblog: flower power
- glitternsparkle: ATG
- tuesday throwdown: facets of crafting
- crafting from the heart: ATG
- 4 crafty chicks: ATG
- creative fingers: ATG
- fairytale challengeblog: something with a heart
- crafty catz: stitching
- the ribbon girls: romance
- 613 avenue create: ATG
- that craft place: ATG
- allways something creative: glitter
- robynsfetishchallengeblog: ATG
- come and get it challenge: texture
- jellypark challenges: love is in the air
- C.R.A.F.T challenge: Valentine's Day
- ooh- la-la creations: once upon a time (Swan Lake)
- just inspirational challenges: love
- wedodoobadoo: romance
- bunny zoe crafts: hearts
- scrapping4fun: all about love