Anyone in Italy?? Even Europe will probably help.

[spitbubbleluv]

I will be moving to Sicily in about 6 months.  I am trying now to figure out what I will not be able to find (craft supplies) that is crucial to me.  Any tips?

[javede]

I'm from germany and I think there might be a difference to italy.
I think it depends on which crafts you do. Nevertheless you can purchase supplies over the internet( at least if you have a mastercard)

[sushimifune]

Wow! Why are you moving to Sicily?
I live in Rome and I have no problem in finding craft supplies -even though I would like to find the beautiful fabric that you find in USA or England...
If you work with fabric, let me say that in Italy we don't have a long tradition for Patchwork and sim. so it's difficult to find good fabric.
We have excellent wool -if you like knitting...
And of course you will find everything for painting, etc. Just look for art supplies shop. (NEGOZIO DI BELLE ARTI). You can find everything from decoupage supplies to candlemaking...
Just consider that:
1) It depends on WHERE in Sicily you're going to live
2) What are your crafts
3) Life in Italy is quite expensive (oh, well, surely Sicily is cheaper...)
4) We have a terrible mailing service (oh, but it's emproving...) and we don't use to sell or buy online so much.

BUT: Sicily is beautiful
AND: I'm sure you will find many things hat you've never seen before and never considered that you can use for your crafts. In Italy we have so many traditions for crafts that you can't even imagine. If you have the luck to be in contact with an elderly woman, You will learn so many things... And maybe use what you learned to create something unique and original! You will see...

I hope you're not considering not to move to Italy anymore... 
I'm sure you'll love it! And Sicily is sooo beautiful!
Tell me, where are you moving exactly? And why?

[spitbubbleluv]

thanks for the replies.  i'm moving because my husband is in the us navy and he is getting stationed at nas sigonella.  we will live near catania.  we will have an apo address so mail shouldn't be too bad.  i always thought that italy would be the place to get fabric.  as far as crafts go there are very few things i dont want to try or haven't tried.  thanks again for your replies. 

sushimifune, you wouldn't by any chance be oicio from live journal?

[meowbaby]

Hey there,
I'm stationed at Camp Darby in Livorno and I just got back from NSA Naples. It's interesting-I'm sure you'll travel up there quite a few times during your stay. Sicily will be extremely exciting for you. I may have to crash with you  next time I come down there for diving, which by the way, is incredible there, if you are into that(?) Northern and southern Italy are two different worlds, so I am not sure how much of what I can tell you will apply to your experiences there!
Most of the large housewares/hardware stores carry a small selection of art supplies, mostly fine arts supplies as well as interior fabrics, not always the best quality, but worth browsing. for the most part, though, you will have to ask around, look around while you are driving or taking tours, read the papers and guidebooks, that sort of thing. The CDC, Youth Center, School, Boy/Girl Scouts/Arts and Crafts Center on base are all great places to ask about local sources for crafting supplies. As of right now, I'm purchasing a lot of items online because of the crappy exchange rate, and I have had no problems getting timely deliveries to my APO box. And don't forget the NEX-good prices on basics, things you can stock up on, especially seasonal stuff like face paint, glitter, Xmas stuff, etc.
well, I hope some of this rambling helps you!  Benvenuti in Italia e Buona Fortuna!
Meow

[sushimifune]

sushimifune, you wouldn't by any chance be oicio from live journal?

Oh, no, I'm not. I'm just sushimifune everywhere -even on LJ. But I only post in the stencilswap journal.
I just discovered craftgrrl. Right now. Wow!
Anyway, for any question about crafting aln living in italy, Here I am. There are few italians in this community, but good ones 

[cimba]

I am oicio from LJ!!    ciao spitbubbleluv!
Didn't know you were also in craftster I opened the LJ account few time ago, when I didn't know this site already, and by that time I was making tees with a friend, and the whole thing was called oicio. When I signed here the oicio thing was in a stop, so here I am Cimba!

Good luck with your country change, and feel free to ask if you want.
ciao!

[shiva]

Hi,
and welcome to Italy! I'm sure you'll really love Sicily, great food, lovely weather, fab sea (absolutely agree with meowbaby, scuba diving is something else there!!!!), and lots of art and incredible craft culture.
I strongly advise you to browse through markets, you can find some great things that you can transform or update and turn into pretty funky stuff, at very cheap prices.
you're sure to love your stay here, and take advantage to travel around as much as you can (my advise is go for small towns, of the beaten path you can bump into breath taking places).
By the way sushimifune, you sound like you're well into the craft world, and know how to shop around rome, could you post some names and addies? would be really grateful!
ciao

[sushimifune]

Oh, sei di Roma? Fantastico!
Chiedimi qualunque cosa, di negozi ne giro parecchi. :-)
Dipende da cosa cerchi e soprattutto in quale zona abiti. Io bazzico verso... diciamo Nord-Est.
Se vuoi indicazioni per quella zona sono prontissima!

[shiva]

Io invece sono di roma sud
ho vissuto per un pò a roma nord però, a montesacro, per cui è una zona di roma che conosco piuttosto bene.
non ho problemi a raggiungere un negozio anche se all'altro capo della città se mi dici che ne vale la pena, soprattutto se ha prezzi convenienti, visto che gli unici negozi che conosco sono al centro di roma, e salassano parecchio!!!!
non ho una passione particolare, finora mi sono dedicata al restyling di mobili, dato che ho da poco preso casa e dovuto arredare con mobili di recupero.
vorrei però cimentarmi nella produzione di saponi, candele e mosaico (sto tentennando, temo possa venirmi a costare una cifra spropositata - e dato che come accennato ho appena preso casa - non posso permettermi hobby danarosi!!!!)
e qual'è il tuo craft preferito?
tanti saluti,
c.