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Glitz n Pieces

I recently discovered, Glitz n Pieces, a new to me Irish-owned business while scrolling through my IG feed.

Photo from the Glitz n Pieces website

In 2013, Ellen and Grace from Dublin, Ireland created their ultimate dream of an affordable women’s online boutique with access to all types of women’s accessories under one roof.

Photo from IADT website

They are cool and hip 30-something entrepreneurs on social media selling handbags and accessories.

I followed them both on IG and TikTok, then only started to engage with them when a comment was made about their bags were made in China, right away they disclosed their bags were made from Italian leather in an atelier in Italy. This is transparency, one of the key elements on where I spend my money.

I was quite taken by their enthusiastic sales pitch, yet they were so down to earth.

I bought my first ever Glitz n Pieces handbag last month, a Kate Bag Mini in suede and leather, based on the many positive reviews.  I went with Burgundy, the colour of the season!

Kate Bag – Mini Leather & Suede

The quality is exquisite and the workmanship is so beautiful. It’s Italian luxury without breaking the bank. 

Use it as a handbag
Also comes with a strap and use as a cross body bag

Disclaimer: This is a non-sponsored post and I paid for this Kate Bag Mini myself.

Journal · Notes on · Shop

Signature Socktober Accessory – The Japanese Knot Bag

We’re halfway through Soctober and I’ve been toting my current sock wip in the first Japanese knot bag that I made at the start of the Pandemic.

Making these little project bags were a perfect stashbuster, using up cotton fabrics from sewing cloth facemasks.

Last year, I went to a party and needed an evening bag .

So, I whipped up one, out of a vintage art deco style damask fabric and lined it with gold silk satin.

I had no pockets and this Japanese knot bag was the perfect little carry all for my essentials – phone, money, lipstick, hotel keycard and my salbutamol inhaler.

Since the summer, I’ve been popping the Japanese knot bags via The Murphy Leaf MarketPlace.

The Damask Collection

I really enjoyed curating the The Damask Collection from our silk and cotton textiles.

Dress up your sock wip with these Japanese knot bags made with vintage damask drapery and interior fabrics.

Sugar Skulls in a Knot

Last week, I paid a “re-homing fee” for Sugar Skull fabric and made three funky reversible bags with jacquard textiles.

The Art Collection

My latest collection of Japanese Knot Bags will only be available by made to order soon.

Kandinsky Knot Bag

This Kandinsky inspired knot bag is a work of art . The abstract artist and colour theorist was well known with his bold and brilliantly coloured paintings.

Kandinsky saw the dot, or point, as a small circle. He argued that this was the most basic, fundamental element of painting, observing “everything starts from a dot.” From this basic dot, one could go on to create any variation of line or shape.

Circles were a recurring feature in his abstract art, and he painted them in a huge range of variations, from planet-like orbs to repetitive concentric designs. 

Made from a Kandinsky inspired tapestry textile and lined with re-homed drapery fabric.

And knot forgetting one of the famous Impressionists, Van Gogh

Impression by Colour

This knot bag is inspired by Van Gogh’s colour palette. The post-impressionist artist became well known for his techniques in passionate brush strokes in symbolic and intense color, in surface tension, and in the movement and vibration of form and line.

Journal · Shop

Where Does the Time Go?

Hello Everyone,

It’s official, VillaMaker now has a proper online home. I’ve dot commed it. You can now find me on villa-maker.com

Now that I’ve got a proper domain home on the web, I just wanted to say a proper hello as the VillaMaker, a sounds and looks alike of my family name, Villamater. Both my parents were creative in there own way. My Mum crocheted beautiful blankets.

and my Dad created timeless pieces out of wood.


My online presence is still a work in progress as I’m very busy with Christmas surgical hats. How can Christmas be only a few weeks away already. My Christmas fabric stock arrived at the end of summer and I only started a couple of weeks ago.

The scrub hats currently available for purchase.

Decking the Heads with Christmas Scrub Hats,

Diane