Craft Center of Fine Stitchery

Monday, June 9, 2014

I'm back!

I'm home and believe it or not I'm all caught up!
I thought I would post a FEW of the hundreds of pictures that I took while away.
I took a once in a lifetime trip to Europe with my youngest son.
I have a very special Aunt who lives in Switzerland part time and she lead us on an incredible adventure!

Life went on while I was away and nothing fell apart.
My husband had the honey do list complete and a spotless house when I came home!
He really missed me...

I brought home Swiss chocolates and those of you who have visited the last couple of weeks have helped me eat them. However, I have still eaten more than my share.
There is nothing like Swiss chocolate!

I went to a huge flee market in Paris
My pictures just don't do it justice.

Beads and laces

Silver and China

A beautiful sewing box for 950 Euros.
Wish this could have come home with me..

Notice the butterflies displayed in glass domes.

Ornate scissors

Enough lace to cover the length of Europe.

All silver and silver plate.

Beads, beads and more beads.

oddities...notice the skeleton dressed in feathers
This is just a sampling of the booths at the market.
The architecture in Paris was incredible...

The arches at Notre Dame

Cathedrale Notre Dame

Locks are put on the bridges as a symbol of love and then the key is thrown into the Seine river.
There were thousands of them.

We noticed these two taking selfies with this camera on a stick.
We needed one of those!

This sewing set was 780 Euros

I found it in a tiny family owned business.

I saw this cute man sitting in the window so passerby's could watch him work.

Sadly though, this gentleman is 87 and is the last of the family to continue the art of carving.

We went to an amazing shopping mall in the middle of Paris.
Galeries Lafayettes

This is the stained glass roof!

We took a night time tour in this fun little car

We experienced the "City of Lights"

I was fascinated by this sculpture in the Louvre.

It is carved in marble. Look at the fine details!

My niece Lauren, who you might remember from the shop, also visited Paris. Our trip overlapped by one day and we got to take a picture of the cousins in from of the Arc de Triumphe.

In Switzerland we enjoyed ...

the street markets and the wonderful food.

We explored castles

and saw some of the most breath taking beauty that I have ever seen.

Switzerland has had some very famous residence.
This is a tribute to Audrey Hepburn in her hometown of Tolochenaz.

This was her home

And this is where she is laid to rest.

Charley Chaplin is also a once famous resident.

We did a lot of hiking through the tiny villages they call - communes.

Every view was incredible.

And of course we saw incredible coo coo clocks.

We saw the Matterhorn

So you know why these house are built on bases topped with rounds of slate?
In the early days that keeps the rats out!

The doors in these villages where incredible! I have nearly 30 pictures just of beautiful doors.

Aren't you glad I chose to only include 3 in this post?

All of the grocery shopping carts have a magnifier attached.
Genius!

I am so glad that I got to share this trip with Tanner.
We have made memories to cherish forever.

Sunday, June 8, 2014

The ort jar..

It was time to empty the ort jar

I filled a suet basket with the colorful threads.

I was certain that there would be something for each and every bird to add to her nest.

The basket was overflowing with color

I hung it high in the tree out in the parking.

We have two morning doves who built nests in our carport this spring. I am waited anxiously to see their nests of brilliant colors, perfectly fitting for the Craft Center.

When they fly the coupe I am climbing up to take a look!