I have proudly integrated the bilingualism of my native Istrian environment into the name of my company and creative studio.

The name Dolcetesoromio (Italian: My Sweet Treasure) reflects the love, warmth and little magic that I weave into each unique doll and each written story. Since I create in a bilingual space, this name connects both worlds and tells the story of my home. Every product created under this name is a precious little treasure, intended for collectors, art lovers and all those who appreciate the beauty of tradition.

Alenka

I am a creator of fairy-tale worlds, a writer, a folk singer and a maker of unique crochet dolls from Koper. Through writing stories and crocheting literary characters, I passionately explore the magical tradition of Istria.

My work is inspired by characters from folk tradition, mythological creatures of Istria and folk tales and songs. I like to place my book characters in Istrian nature, rural environment and wilderness. I believe that each doll I create has its own soul and story, which is why I often introduce hidden symbolism into their image, clothing and stories.

Alenka and Marino Kranjac in their home studio. - "The magic of Istrian folk tradition is at home with us."

My Journey: From Classroom to Art Studio

After completing my studies at the Faculty of Education in Koper, I worked as a Pimary school teacher for more than 20 years. My passion for working with the youngest and exploring their world also led me to specialized knowledge - I am a certified Montessori educator and an internationally certified infant massage teacher (AIMI). At the same time, my life was intertwined with music - I was the lead voice and singer of the music group VRUJA since its founding in 2001. Since then, the group has released five music CDs, and numerous compilations.

In 2018, I ventured into writing. To date, three of my books for adults have been published by Amalietti Publishing House:

• "Fairy Blood or Companions of a Very Special Kind" (2018)
• "Mara" (2019)
• "Returning Home" (2025)

In 2022, my first bilingual picture book for children entitled (Fisherman Livio) "Ribič Livio - Livio il pescatore" (in Slovenian and Italian) was published by the Izola City Library.

Bringing characters to life through threads

In 2020, my love of creation took on a new form when I started crocheting dolls. I officially registered my creative path in 2023 and today I work as a sole proprietor (Dolcetesoromio, s.p.). Dolcetesoromio is an Italian word that means "my sweet treasure" (Dolce Tesoro Mio). My work is entirely handmade and unique, and for which I also received the prestigious DUO Certificate (handicrafts of domestic and artistic crafts), awarded by the Chamber of Crafts of Slovenia.

Each of my dolls represents a character from my books or a fantasy creature from folk tradition. Crocheting dolls that depict my book heroines brings me special joy. For a picture book about the fisherman Livio, I crocheted the entire cast of characters who bring the fairy tale to life in three-dimensional form.

My dolls have been exhibited several times at solo exhibitions in Izola (Alga Gallery, Manzioli Palace, Izola City Library), in Koper (headquarters of the Italian community Santorio Santorio) and in Piran (Tartini Palace).

Stories about my unique handicraft creations have also been recognized by the main local media outlets. The TV station TV Koper-Capodistria filmed a wonderful report about my work for the show Istria e Dintorni, and I have also been presented as a creator on the regional television Megafon TV and in the main Primorske novice daily.

Current creation