Monday, October 26, 2009

The Big News...






The picture from Thursday was a close up of the Taj Mahal. With it's intricately inlaid, jaspers and malachite, imported from lands afar...So, I am excited to announce, our tour to India, from late February to early March, 2010. This is going to be a wonderful trip. Please read on for all the excitement. Email me if you have any questions, samia@karazidesign.com please pass this on to anyone you think might be interested in going or knowing about it.

Gem & Jewelry Lovers Tour to India
February 20 - March 6, 2010


India! The culture is exotic and intriguing, the arts and crafts are wonderful, and the visual richness is inspiring. India is a
land of camel carts and brightly painted elephants, women in sparkly saris, turbaned men, ornate temples, grand palaces,
and, amazing gems and jewelry. We are excited to announce a Gem & Jewelry Lovers Tour to India. This is an opportunity
to explore the fascinating world of gems and jewelry in India as well as experience the diverse culture of this land. Kathy
Schultz and Samia Shalabi are offering an authentic, insider’s tour of this amazing country and its treasures.


Destinations: Delhi •Taj Mahal • Bharatpur • Jaipur

Our two-week magical adventure will include:
• A tour of Delhi’s oldest market
• Visits with jewelry craftsmen
• Shopping for gems & jewelry from trusted sources
• An elephant ride to an ancient fort
• Relaxing with a traditional Ayurvedic spa treatment
• A visit to the extraordinary Taj Mahal
• A visit to a world renowned avian sanctuary
• Shopping for handmade textiles


Contact us for a complete Itinerary. This tour is limited to 8 women. Cost of the trip is $4200 which includes; hotel, ground transportation, most meals, entrance fees to sightseeing, a guide and a driver. A deposit of $500 is due December 13,2009 with the remaining fees due January 11, 2010


about us:
Samia Shalabi is a Seattle based jewelry artist, accomplished goldsmith, yogi and traveler. Her jewelry can be found on Oscar winners in Hollywood,
investors in Tokyo, and artists in London. During her yearly studies in India, she learns the dying art of traditional Indian hand engraving. She travels to
India on a regular basis to study her craft. Samia has a degree in geology, and has traveled and backpacked all over the world following her dreams.
For more on Samia go to www.karazidesign.com

Kathy Schultz has traveled extensively through Rajasthan, India. As a freelance writer she has written on topics ranging from culture and wildlife preserves
in India to jewelry and gems, heritage hotels and spas. She has also written hundreds of articles on fashion, shopping, beauty, lifestyle and travel
for local and national magazines, guidebooks, and is the co-author of Underneath It All. She now divides her time between Rajasthan, India, and Seattle,
Washington, writing and touring. For more on Kathy, visit www.kathy-schultz.com

contact us:
Samia Shalabi
samia@karazidesign.com
206•963•4043

Kathy Schultz
kathy-schultz@comcast.net
206•372•3881

www.travelsandtreasuresindia.com

Thursday, October 22, 2009

so much excitement!!


The last two weeks have been quite busy around here. I have been filling store orders, shipping them, planning, planning, planning for the BIG announcement on Monday... stay tuned.. I am so excited, I can barely keep it inside. Also, the inspiration has been flowing so, I've designed about 10 new pieces in the Egyptian Collection...

Stay tuned for Monday and I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday.

The photo is a hint... anyone know what the photo is of??

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

seasons



Autumn is my favorite time of the year. I love the colors outside, the blue sky mixed with crisp air. tall grass and leaves blowing in the wind. We rode our motorcycle out to the countryside this weekend, as we rode along the back roads, romantic visions of picking apples and pressing cider filled my head. It's harvest time!! It's time to make soup and read a book in front of the fireplace.

My color palate is full of fall colors, so here are a few NEW jewelry pieces available in my etsy store, which I think go along with this time of year.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

old places..new pieces..new thoughts..






Our trip to Greece really did inspire me to create, I've been spending time pondering designs and FINALLY adding one of a kind pieces to my Egypt collection. It has taken me months, but now I feel it is time to break out and get those pieces made, thus a lot of time in the studio this week and next. While in Cairo back in May, I scoured the souks and found many old and unique beads, including handmade prayer beads and bedouin headress coins. The new work will incorporate these into my modern interpretation of the ancient.

I'm planning on having several pieces for the holiday season and will have a few pieces up on Etsy as soon as I can.

These photos are from around Athens...