One great advantage that comes with running a blog like this is that you get to know wonderful people both in terms of creativity and personality. Today I would like to share with you the thoughts and work of Elisa Siza Schiavon or just Siza - as her close friends call her- from Padua, Italy. Siza works primarily with polymer clay but she constantly experiments with new techniques. You can keep up to date with her latest work through her Facebook page StarSiza Dust.

I adore the genuine sweetness that permeates every piece of cute jewelry she designs. Also as a special treat she offered one of her adorable Hippo creations as the October giveaway.

Siza on inspiration and her trademark Hippos

“I just love hippopotamuses and I wanted to recreate their Siza version: fat and cute, obviously!“

- Siza -

CIC: Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Siza: At the beginning, I draw my inspiration from the other people that work with polymeric clay. I start with simple things like a little cake, elementary shapes...but soon I want to create my personal style so I try to invent some new decoration, shape and technique of working the clay.

CIC: When did you start creating crafty things?

Siza: I think I was interested in crafts from early childhood...yes, it's actually true :D. I guess I was influenced by my mom who loved to create crafty things too. She taught me to knit, to cross stitch and many other skills. But I started to work with polymer clay maybe 5 years ago.

CIC: What is your all-time favorite piece?

Siza: My favorite creations are my hippos, called HippoSiza by a close friend of mine. I just love hippopotamuses and I wanted to recreate their Siza version: fat and cute, obviously! I started with a pair of little hippos as earrings, after I kept adorning them with details, giving them character. I would add a little bow for the hippo-girl for example, or put them on a giant cupcake or ice-cream. But I'm most proud of my Hippos' Stars, when they're sleeping on glass little stars.  

CIC: What are your future plans?

Siza: Now I want open my mind towards other craft things, above all I’m excited about using recycled materials or re-styling old things with creativity. For example I made the stud-earrings and necklace with studs picked from an old belt and polymer clay.

Available here: StarSiza Dust