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Jul 15, 2010: We're Back!
Well, we're back! We had a marvelous trip and saw many memorable things both in Paris and Southern France as well as a side-trip we took to Switzerland.
We experienced quite the heat wave while we were there as well.
All kinds of neat churches like Notre Dame in Paris
Incredible views (like this one of Montmartre as seen from on the Eiffel Tower)
Interesting structures like this one in Napoleans tomb in Paris
Fun little walking streets like these in Montpellier
Old aqueducts
Warm and sunny beaches like this one at Palavas near Montpellier
(La Grande Motte)
Roman architecture like the old arena in Nimes
All sorts of pastries and treats
Cute little villages and walled cities in Southern France
Memorable fountains like this one on lake Geneva
amazing and stomach-dropping views from the tippy top of Mont Blanc
(St. Eustache in Paris)
Lots of neat museums...(this picture taken at the Pompidou center in Paris)
I'm re-opening my shop and have some fun new ideas so hopefully I'll find time when I get over jetlag to get back into the swing of creating new and fun things.
Jun 25, 2010: Shop is Closed until Mid-July
 Woohoo!!! Headin' out on a jet-plane!
Well, we are finally off on a long-awaited summer vacation.
Europe, here we come! This will be the first international travel for the kids. We are all very excited.
The jewelry shop will be closed until I return in mid-July - I can't send out pretty shinies from overseas. Obviously, custom orders are all on hold until I return as well.
If folks are still wanting to reserve pieces for themselves when I get back, let me know and I can certainly do that. I can also get Gift Certificate codes for folks too since that can all be done through email - but you'll have to contact me to work out payment because I'm shutting down the shopping cart until my return to make sure no one misses the news that things aren't going to be getting shipped until my return in July.
If you'd like to be notified when the shop re-opens, drop me an email and I'll be sure to send you a one-time email note when I get back.
I hope to be able to update this space with some little "postcards" from our travels while we are out. And, I'll be looking for new inspirations for interesting new designs to play with when I return.
Until then, have a safe and wonderful summer!
Apr 16, 2010: Signs of Spring - some eye candy
Definitely starting to feel like Spring again!
We planted some of these in our yard last week.
We did our first waterfall hike of the season.
And we did our annual trip to the tulip fields too!
My new desktop image makes me smile :)
Mar 28, 2010: Vancouver BC
We are back. Vancouver is absolutely.... AMAZING.
We really fell in love with this city! Lovely weather definitely helped. People were so friendly, and the city is absolutely beautiful.
Fun botanical gardens!
Loved all the indoor markets.
The Museum of Anthropology was really amazing.
Also got a taste of the neat gorges found right in the middle of the city too.
Mar 19, 2010: Out of Town notice: Spring Break
I will be out of town from Sunday, March 21 - Thursday, March 25.
Spring Break! We're going to head north and see Canada!
This means that if you purchase an item after Friday, I will not be able to get it in the mail to you until after I get back next Thursday or Friday. Your item, however, will be reserved for you and will be mailed out for certain by the following Monday (March. 29) when I am back and Post Office is reopened!
I should have email access though, so Gift Certificate orders should be no problem during that time.
Mar 12, 2010: I am back!
I had a wonderful visit in Dallas with family. The kids came along and got to spend some time with their grandmother and great-grandmother, AND my sister too!
We saw Alice In Wonderland in 3D, which was very fun.
We saw Apollo 7 at the Dallas Aviation Museum, along with various other airplane goodies.
We were guests at a silly place called Medieval Times where we feasted on pewter plates while watching knights joust in front of us.
The Dallas World Aquarium was a wonderful place to visit!
So unexpected to see this little tropical paradise in the middle of the city!
And we flew back without any problems.
In all, a good trip, and it was so much fun to see my grandmother, sister, and mom!
Mar 05, 2010: Out of Town notice: Friday March 5 - Tuesday March 9
I will be out of town from Friday, March 5 - Tuesday, March 9.
First time flying alone with the kids! I am taking the kids on a flight to another state for a family reunion. They'll get to see their aunt, grandmother, AND great-grandmother this weekend! :)
This means that if you purchase an item Friday or over this weekend, I will not be able to get it in the mail to you until after I get back next Tuesday. Your item, however, will be reserved for you and will be mailed out immediately the following Wednesday (March. 10) when I get back!
I will be checking online though, so Gift Certificate orders should be no problem.
Mar 01, 2010: Birthday boy!
This weekend, we rang in another birthday. My tiny little starfish has grown up to be quite the little young man at the age of 8! We had a nice little party at home where we celebrated with a few friends and had a fun Lego cake.
(More about his cake can be found here.)
We're busy planning a family reunion trip - traveling by airplane to a meetup which will bring together 4 generations! I hope to get back to creating new stuff again when we return.
Jan 13, 2010: Haiti disaster - donate to Mercy Corps
My husband has been working with this organization for several years now, but we were supporters even before then, and my opinion of how this group operates has only increased the more I learn about them. They're sending a highly trained team over right now, and cash donations are going to be much needed in the recovery programs they'll be organizing.
Dec 13, 2009: Birthday girl
Happy birthday little one!
This weekend we threw her a little party - she invited a bunch of little girls and we had a fancy tea party.
The girls dressed up in their favorite dresses, decorated crowns, and sat in decorated chairs while they drank chocolate-hazelnut tea from pretty cups (collected from various thrift stores so they were all mismatched and different - part of the fun was picking out which cup to drink from).
Her cake had sculpted kittens made out of marzipan (a sweet almond paste) on top, playing on a giant ball of string.
Dec 08, 2009: Sure is feeling like Winter around here!
The weather here has changed the local colors from summer to fall, and the temperatures have dropped pretty dramatically this past week.
Snow has fallen on Mt. Hood, the mountain that shadows our town.
We even hit the slopes last week to get some sledding in.
Ironically, (because I was the only one not on a sled at the time), I managed to slip on ice and smash my arm and shoulder so I'm moving a bit slower this week as a result. However, we were all very happy that I didn't break it, which was a concern for the first hour or so.
This weekend we went to a tree farm to find a Christmas tree.
brrr!
We also made a trip to the zoo where they do their annual "Zoo Lights" display.
The season is definitely a busy one - with the holidays fast-approaching. And tomorrow, my youngest turns FIVE!
Nov 25, 2009: Out of Town notice Thanksgiving
I am out of town during Thanksgiving week from Wednesday November 25 - Friday November 27.
This means that if you purchase an item before I return, I will not be able to get it in the mail to you until the Monday after I get back. Your item, however, will be reserved for you and will be mailed out immediately the following Monday (Nov. 30) when I get back!
Hoping you all have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, filled with good food and little stress.
Nov 08, 2009: RIP Grandma Ruth
1923-2009
Oct 04, 2009: I'm back home
I went to Germany last week to visit my grandmother in the hospital. I suspect it may be a few days yet before my system figures out what time zone I'm in now. My kids are especially happy to have me back home.
The visit was good though - a good reminder to go hug the ones you love while you can.
Here are a few photos.
Beautiful and modern train station at the Frankfurt Airport.
Cologne has a fantastic cathedral which extends up so high it makes your head swim looking up. I got to walk past it when my train arrived downtown.
It was Sunday morning, so I stepped inside to smell the incense and hear the beautiful chorals and organ music.
I'd forgotten that everything is closed on Sundays there!
Just like the Colonel used to make, right? ;)
My grandma!
I spent a day in Dallas Texas on the state-side visiting with my parents. I was impressed with all the free art museums they have in the city. This fountain is in front of an Asian Art Museum that was built by a rich real estate guy who wanted to have someplace to hang out during his lunch breaks, so he had this museum built at the base of his office building, and it's free to the public! Really lovely stuff there, and I was told the exhibits change there frequently.
I managed to get back just in time to make it to my son's Jogathon school fundraiser, so I was standing on the football field cheering him as he ran laps just an hour after getting off the plane. It's good to be back!
Sep 23, 2009: Out of Town notice: Friday Sept 25 - Friday Oct 2
I have an unexpected trip to visit a family member suddenly on my agenda. I will be out of town all next week and unable to send anything while I'm away - any orders that come in after Thursday are going to have to wait to be shipped until I return. I can still reserve your pieces for you, but nothing will be shipping until the Monday following my return. (Orders will ship on October 5.)
I should be available on email sporadically while I am out.
Apologies for any inconvenience.
And hug your loved ones today!
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