The Memory Bee

A Day to Remember

Today will be a day for family and a great picnic, but it's also a day to remember and honor those who gave their lives for our country. Since I have a son who is safely out of Iraq and serving in Kuwait (although I'm always conscious that is still technically a combat zone), I'm especially mindful of the families that are grieving today for the loved ones that didn't come home. I'm proud of Brandon's service and can't wait to have him home in a few short weeks! This photo is from a couple weeks ago when he was presented with an award for his service.

I'm also proud of Alicia's service. She's a strong woman to have endured all she did in her training and in Iraq and Kuwait. I can't even imagine! She is home now and no longer in the Army. She was able to chapter out with an honorable discharge, the GI Bill, and now be an Army wife! We're happy to have her home for a week!

I've spent my weekend so far cleaning and painting our deck, doing lots of weeding and planting, getting lots of sore muscles and sunburn! I also randomly chose a winner for the 7 book from the last post... JanSC is the winner! Thank you to everyone who posted! I'm going to have another giveaway soon for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee coming up on June 5. I bought a little remembrance when I was in England for my readers. I'll let you know when I start collecting comments for that.

I hope you have a perfect day today and take time to remember and give thanks!

Amazing creativity at the Stationery Show!

The amazing amount of creativity at the Stationery Show in NYC was mind-blowing! I felt like I was walking through an art show or something. Especially in the section with the small companies... so many cute designs, so much fresh thinking, and great booths! I wish some of these people would come into the scrapbook design world and freshen things up there!

I'll share pictures of some of the booths that stood out to me... it's very difficult to get great pictures with the spotlights and overhead lighting in the convention center.

Several booths used chalkboard paint on their walls and drew their displays on the wall... sooo cute!

B.T. Elements

Everything Little Miss

Paper Lovely and Fat Bunny Press

TokyoMilk and Wednesday

Love the grafitti walls! Linda & Harriett

How about walls made of paper flowers?

Or walls with the frames drawn on paper? Wildhorse Press

Sky of Blue Cards

 

Or walls made from paper circles? Dingbat Press

Webster's Pages has a new collection of imprintable invitations! It was so nice to see Brandin at the booth!

You could also buy a vintage typewriter starting at $375!

Or the queen statue like I bought in London! (The display is in the center of the booth.)

I left feeling very overwhelmed by all the talent I saw but inspired and with lots of ideas of products that I can incorporate into my classes.

At the Compendium booth they were featuring their new book "7" and I have one to give away to one of my readers! If you'd like to win the book, leave a comment on this post and I'll chose a number randomly on Saturday, May 26, at 9pm EST.

Soaking in NYC!

Pun intended! I arrived here in New York City to the most glorious sun-shiny days! I soaked in the sun! There is almost nothing better than New York on a perfect day, but then it's payback time and on Monday the rain came and got soaked with water! (At least my feet did.)

On Friday I walked and stopped into some favorite shops like Laduree on Madison Avenue,

stopped by Central Park and sat on a bench to do some people-watching,

walked and window-shopped on 5th Avenue,

and just had a great time! On Saturday, I taught two classes for The Ink Pad at the classroom they rent in the Village. It was a lovely day and I met so many nice ladies... I look forward to returning someday!

That night I had dinner at one of my favorite spots, Joe Allen, and then fought my way through the crowds in Time Square. Crazy with how many people are here!!

On Sunday I met up with Michelle and her daughter Kailie who had flown from San Diego and had a fabulous breakfast at The Standard Grill in the Meatpacking District and then walked a little ways on the High LIne. Just perfect!!

We could have spent the day here but there was more things to see , so we hoped in a cab and went to SoHo and went to some of our favorite spots there and a couple new places like Opening Ceremony... love their stairs that greet you and the wall as you leave...

It was a great day... I'll have more pictures soon... just random favorites from the city and then lots of pictures from the Staionery Show yesterday!

Wedding weekend in San Francisco Day 4 and 5

Jeremy had to go back to work on Monday morning, so we took him back to San Jose while Rebecca saw most of her family off at the airport. I loved meeting him for lunch (Indian food) then going to dinner at Santana Row (Italian food) and then the next day for lunch again (Thai food) and one last dinner (Mexican food.) Jeremy is in food heaven! I don't mind trying different things... just not sure how soon I'd want some of it again!

It was so hard to say goodbye to them but I'm so happy that they have each other! I miss them so much that it hurts!  At least I know I'll see them in October when I return to teach at Scrapbook Island (October 26 & 27.) Rebecca had never been in a scrapbook store, so I took her to the Island... she got to meet sweet Lucy and Laurie. Do you think I can get her hooked like I have Alicia??? :)

 

Wedding weekend in San Francisco Day 3

After their wedding night at Le Meridian in San Francisco, we picked them up for a trip to the Golden Gate Bridge and Muir Woods. It was fun to spend their "honeymoon" with them! :) (That will have to come later when Jeremy has some time off!)

We headed back to the waterfront to watch the sea lions at Pier 39 and have dinner at Fog City Diner. Some of the family would be leaving in the morning, so we were glad to have this time together and sad to soon be saying goodbye.

How cool is this photo that Jeremy took of their reflection in his wedding band!!

And here they are as they end their first day of married life... :)

Wedding weekend in San Francisco Day 2

The wedding day is here! What a happy day! We came to the rental house from our hotel for Jeremy's first look at the bride... awww, so sweet!

There is nothing more that a mom wants for son but to find a good woman to love him. I started praying for the girl Jeremy would marry someday before he was even born and Rebecca is the answer to those prayers for him. She loves him and loves God... they are so cute together. You can see how much he adores her! She looked beautiful!

Maria Grace Abuzman (Momentary Bliss Photos) was the photographer. I've known Grace for years from the scrapbook world and was thrilled that she could take the photos. From the little peek that we've gotten, they look like they will be fabulous!! (I took all the photos here on the blog so far. When I post her photos, they will have her little red heart in the bottom right corner.) Before the wedding she took them alone up the street to Golden Gate Park for a photo session. I can't wait to see what she got! Here's one...

Then we were off to the beach! We didn't really know what to expect but the beach was great... not too many people, overcast (which was great for photos), and not tooo cold. The reverend we found (on Yelp.com) to perform the ceremony met us there. It was really lovely and very sweet. I put my camera away during the ceremony so I'll be trusting Grace to have captured it all!

There was laughter and tears and lots of happiness...

After the ceremony we went up to the Cliff House for a wedding lunch. Again... just perfect! We had cake back at the house... lots of mischief with that cake!

After changing, we headed back downtown and stopped in the mall (doesn't everyone do that on their wedding day?) and then took the cable car to Chinatown.

When we looked back on the weekend, we thought that one of our favorite moments was when we found a man playing the saxophone on the street, so Jeremy and Rebecca had their first dance to "All I Ask of You" from Phantom of the Opera. It was very special! (and they are very silly too!!)

They united their hearts and lives in San Francisco!

(More to come and lots more photos on Facebook!)

Wedding weekend in San Francisco Day 1

We had a whirlwind weekend in San Francisco and San Jose, full of fun and memories that I'll treasure forever for Jeremy and Rebecca's wedding! It couldn't have been more perfect - we are feeling very, very blessed and thankful.

We picked them up in San Jose and then headed to San Francisco for the festivities!

Our weekend started in Ghirardelli Square with a surprise bridal shower at Crown and Crumpet. Rebecca was surprised! It was lovely to meet her family who had flown in from Alabama, Hawaii, North Carolina, and Buffalo. We had a sweet tea party and she opened a nice wardrobe of negligees and other meaningful gifts.

I gave her a scrapbook, a wedding "Smash book," her first one!

After the shower, we did some sightseeing... most of Rebecca's family had not been to San Francisco, so we showed them the sights. We started with Alamo Square to see the Painted Ladies houses. The weather was a little cool but we loved all the sunshine!

Then we headed up to Twin Peaks to get a view of the city and the bay... so beautiful!

Then we took the cable car from Powell Street to the waterfront and ate dinner at Pier 39.

We all stayed at a house we rented near Golden Gate Park that slept ten people... it was perfect for us. Dave and Jeremy and I stayed at a hotel together that night though so Rebecca and her family could get ready for the wedding without us underfoot and so Jeremy could see her when she was ready on Saturday morning.

I love that Jeremy wrote his vows out on his MUNI pass. Very sweet! (I know he would hate this but I can see him at about ten years old in this picture. Sniff, sniff!)

I also love that he gave God credit for bringing Rebecca into his life. What a good way to start out together!

Saturday morning we headed to the house for the big day! More on that soon!! (There are lots more pictures on Facebook.)

What time zone am I in?

It was a great weekend at the Whim So Doodle for their first annual National Scrapbook Day crop! One of the biggest blessings of returning to a store like Whim So Doodle often is seeing the students who are now frineds too. Such sweet ladies! I love that store too... I shopped and shopped! Those who live nearby are very fortunate to have such a great store to shop in and it is definitely worth a trip if you want to get away to Florida!

I had a couple more days to soak in the sun before I came home... it was lovely! We stayed for sunset my last day there... these are times I treasure with my mom and dad! I am so, so thankful for them!

 

I flew home to New York on Wednesday and then flew to San Francisco on Thursday and now am in San Jose... it feels very strange to be here and not be teaching! I miss all my San Jose friends this trip!

In a little while we'll be meeting up with the bride and groom... we have a full day in San Francisco ahead of us and then the wedding tomorrow. Lots of pictures and more thoughts on that soon!

We interupt this travelogue to bring you... the beach!

This past Tuesday I flew to Florida for a week to teach at Whim So Doodle today and tomorrow. The view out the window of the plane was gorgeous... the Sunshine Bridge in Tampa Bay and the rain falling off the coast at Holmes Beach on Anna Maria Island (with the sun shining at the same time!)

Whether spending time at the beach near the Sandbar or the beach at Whitney Beach on Longboat Key like we did today, the blue sky and aqua water and white sand make a stunning backdrop for lots of relaxing and reading time.

It's paradise!

Today I'm off to St. Pete to spend the weekend with the gals at a weekend National Scrapbook Day crop... I'm excited about the special project I've created for them!

Twenty-six years ago today I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy... and now he's a young man that I'm so proud of. I can't wait to see him next week... for his wedding! Happy birthday, Jeremy! Your mom loves you!!

Favorites from the Portabello Rd. Flea Market

I'm enjoying going back through our trip and reliving the memories as I recount it here! I'm working my way backward and now am back to Saturday, our last day in London at the Portobello Road flea market (along with thousands of other people!)

I bought two blue pieces at this booth...

I got the globe at another booth and the Queen with her "wobble wave" at a sovenir shop. Love her! She sits on my piano at home now and waves to me as I walk by. Makes me smile every time!

I had a yummy crepe here and fabulous cupcakes at Hummingbird Bakery. You never know what or who you'll see here...

We made a new friend, Simon , at a wonderful store named Pedlars. Nice people like him just make the trip so special!

That night we had our last London dinner at a pub near our hotel... we were sad to have Tiesha leave us (she was with us for the London part of the trip and then we added Susan and Janice in Paris.) We couldn't have had a better time in London... the shoppng, the cupcakes, the friendships and laughter, and the weather made it the BEST!

Memories of Montmartre

I'm working my way backwards through our trip from Paris back to London, but I realized that I missed a day from the Paris portion and can't leave that out! On Friday during our week in Paris we ventured to the Montmartre neighborhood. I love this area with the hilly winding streets and little shops and interesting people! This dog was rolling the ball down the hill to his owner in such a sweet way... she would toss it up the road, he'd go and fetch it and then let it go in just the right spot to roll back down the hill to her feet.

We saw Lapin Agile, a caberet from the late 1800's that Picasso made famous and nearby, the only vineyard within the Paris city limits...

saw interesting grafitti and random "art" installations...

had croissants hot from the oven at the boulangerie...

were serenaded during lunch by the musician on his accordion...

happened upon one of the last two windmills in the city...

and found the most amazing little shop, L'Objet qui Parle, that was at the top of my list of places that I wanted to visit after reading about it on Heather Bullard's blog. The owner was charming and so kind. He is an amazing stylist; his tiny shop overflows with visual stimulation... over the top and amazing!

I bought this sweet plate and cafe bowls, and he slipped a pin case that I had admired into my hand as I was leaving as a little gift... so, so kind and talented! I will be returning again!

We finally made our way up to the jewel of Montmartre, Sacre Couer.

The views are just spectacular!

Late in the afternoon we came down to the area around the Palais Royal and had our dinner at the Galerie Vivianne.

Cheers to another perfect day!

 

An Easter Sunday I'll never forget!

We were up VERY early for our trip to Paris on the Eurostar train from London. It's such a relaxing way to travel!

After checking into our hotel, we toured the city on an on/off bus.

It's a great way to get an overview of a city and see the places you want to come back to sometime.

As we traveled up the Champs Elysees, we decided that it would be nice to get off the bus and walk along the boulevard a little and stop in Laduree. I got off the bus first and turned to see if everyone was behind me and saw Valerie lying in a heap on the sidewalk. My stomach dropped... I didn't know if she'd had a heart attack or a stroke... it turned out that she missed the step up on the curb and fell flat on her face. When she sat up the blood was pouring from her nose; we didn't know if her nose was broken. God sent us angels: a French couple who called the police and stayed with us and even called the hotel that night to see if she was ok. What a blessing! The police called an ambulance and even though they were pretty sure her nose wasn't broken, still had to take her to the hospital. The ironic thing was that we had just passed that hospital on our tour... the oldest one in Paris, right in front of Notre Dame.

Well, now we can say that we've been in an ambulance in Paris! Quite an adventure! I'm so thankful that Valerie was ok... she really skinned her nose and had two black eyes and a lot of soreness in her neck and all, but she was a trooper! The next morning she was up and ready to go! I admire her so much for that. By Tuesday and with a good coat of cover-up, she looked sparkling again!

Easter Monday in Saint Germain des Pres

For our first full day in Paris, our destination was Saint Germain-des-Pres. It was cold and we weren't sure what stores would be open on Easter Monday, but we were ready to explore! I love the projections on the Metro platform ceiling.

We had our first Parisien breakfast at the iconic Les Deux Magots. Too cold to sit outside this time!

With our list of destinations in hand, we headed out to explore! Our first stop was the Henri Le Roux shop, famous for the salted caramel butter caramels that I'd read about in David Lebowitz's book, My Sweet Life in Paris.

Heavenly! One of the things that worked out really well on this trip is that although I had specific destinations mapped out for each day, there were also plenty of opportunities to explore and discover new favorites like Amorino gelato! These shops have sprung up all over Paris and we visited several of them. Their gelato is as good and fresh as any I've had in Italy... just fabulous... TOO good!! (I've heard that you can judge gelato by the color of the pistacio... if it is bright green, then it was made from a mix, but if the color is a yucky shade of greenish-brown then it is homemade. In the picture below, the pistachio is in the top right row. The unappetizing color is the opposite of the heavenly flavor that it has!)

Since many stores were closed for Easter Monday, we did a lot of window shopping. I did buy a vintage style receiver for my iPhone. It's great for propping up to your ear to talk! Another one of our stops was a David Lebovitz recommendation, the boulangerie Poilane. Their baked goods weren't just delicious, they were beautiful works of art!

We visited Saint-Sulpice Church and stopped in and out of the shops that were open.

We were disappointed the the department stores, Le Bon Marche and Le Grand Epicerie, were closed that day, but we made it back another day and discovered all kinds of treasures: great travel notebooks, fabrics, and notions on the 3rd floor.

We found a cozy spot to stop for a cafe and to rest... we actually went there twice, despite the waiters that acted offended that they had to take our orders!

From there we headed over to the shops at the Louvre (the underground shopping area there is a perfect place to escape the rain) and enjoyed the Tuilerie gardens on our way there.

Now I can't even remember what we did for dinner that night! (Good thing Nancy was journaling everyday!) I do know we fell into bed that night, exhausted but happy!

Shopping and eating our way through Paris!

One of our days in Paris was set aside for shopping in what I call the "Madeline" area. I'm not sure if we did more shopping or more eating... from looking at the photos, I'd say that eating won the day! We started with breakfast at Eric Kayser... (Kathy wasn't feeling too good this day, so she stayed back in the hotel to rest and is missing from these photos. We missed her!)

We followed the maps I'd prepared and decided to stop in the Ritz and take a peek around and imagine Princess Diana here on her last night.

The flowers behind me are real! Just fabulous!

Our next stop was Annick Goutal where a kind lady helped us pick out fragrances. I love my Grand Amour... it makes me feel like I'm back in Paris when I wear it!

Next up was Pierre Herme who makes the BEST macarons!

We love the Hello Kitty collaboration with Laduree!

We stopped at Maille to buy some mustard (if Napoleon can, so can we!) and then had a lovely lunch in Fauchon, escaping the rain!

Printemps was our next destination (I wasn't to happy to find out that here is no longer a free restroom in Printemps! What's up with that!!! 1,50 euro to use the bathroom?) and then we were on to Galeries Lafayette. The crowds were ridiculous (I prefer the quieter neighborhoods of Paris so much more!) but the rain didn't deter the musicians looking for a donation... even a piano player!

By evening we were exhausted and ready to have a cozy dinner at a cafe. We finally found the perfect spot outside under the awning by the heater. With the rain falling and a waiter that we loved, it was just right! Here we are with Patrice...

By the time we made it back to our hotel, we were EXHAUSTED (I think Janice's pedometer clocked about 7 miles that day!) but filled with the happy memories of the day!

A few favorites from Versailles

We were up early and on the train, heading out of Paris to Versailles for the day. I love Versailles but the crowds can be overwhelming, so I highly recommend booking the guided tour of the private apartments of Louis XV and XVI. In a small group, you'll get to see and hear the stories that make the visit come alive. We had hoped and prayed for a nice day and God was good!

You can't get better than that!!

This year we got to go in the chapel which was just magnificient! You can only view the chapel from the door unless you are on a private tour.

I'm terrible at remembering the stories that the guide tells but there was something about the three fleur de lis inlaid in marble in the floor symbolizing the Trinity and the king's divine right to rule (or so he thought!)

The paintings on the ceiling rival the ones at the Vatican, I think!

We walked through the palace after our tour, but it is not enjoyable when you have a gazillion people pushing you through. We were very happy to get outside to the gardens!

(I accidently had my camera on a fish-eye setting and I think it looks kind of cool!)

You can see that the clouds were rolling in! (It only rained a tiny bit late in the afternoon.)

In the afternoon we headed out of the palace grounds and into the town of Versailles for some shopping and dinner.

I love the little ribbon store...

and the patisserie...

and the hat shop... as we explored the back lanes and courtyards, we came upon a darling tea room that looked perfect for a late afternoon pick me up! Since we couldn't choose between the homemade desserts, we got a sliver of each... so good!

The perfect end to a perfect day! 

A few favorite shops in Le Marais, Paris

One of the many things that I love in Paris is the collection of little shops that each fill their own niche for daily life in the city. I found a pefect example of that along a stretch of Rue de Rivoli in Le Marais. Most shops are not one stop shops... they each specialize in one or two things and do it well.

You can stop at the butcher, pick up your chocolat, choose your favorite fromage from the cheese shop, get a lovely bouquet of roses, get your baguette and stop for your cafe at Paul. It's like going to Wegmans only so much more charming!

A little treasure in this area is the Village Saint Paul, a street of shops and alleys and courtyards filled with little antique shops, bookstores, and boutiques.

(This shop above wasn't open but I was dying to go in and check out that painted piece!)

We finished our day in the neighborhood with dinner at this charming restaurant near the Place des Vosges. It was perfect!

The Pink Blossoms of Notre Dame

Although I love the beauty of Notre Dame and the interesting stories about the sculptures on the fascade, it is the surrounding park and flower beds and trees that I enjoy the most. When we were there, it was snowing pink blossoms from the tree next to the cathedral... it is just gorgeous!

Right at the end of the park is one of the bridges famous for the "locks of love" that line the railing overlooking the Seine. Valerie added her own lock to celebrate her 10th anniversary this year... hopefully one day she'll be able to come back and share the memory with her hubby!

On Easter Sunday we had driven by Notre Dame and saw the line waiting to get in stretching out forever...

but on this gorgeous evening, the cathredral glowed in the light of the setting sun...

We stopped over at the Shakepeare and Company bookstore across the river...

and then made our way to the Eiffel Tower to catch magic of the twinkling lights.

Vanves Flea Market Day

I love a good flea market... I don't want anything too fancy, too permanent... I want to dig and find some deals. This year we went to the Vanves flea market on Saturday in Paris, and it was just the kind that I love!

We started out nice and early from our usually Metro stop near our hotel and within minutes we were at the stop for the market.

I loved that these guys were playing cards in the back of their booth (and had a good laugh when I saw that Paula Cheney posted a picture on her blog of the same guys on a different day... I guess it's a regular game!)

I bought this sweet plate but even though it was wrapped in bubble wrap and I carried it on the plane, it's the only thing that didn't make it home on one piece... it's in 3 pieces now! Bummer! Now I'll have to go back to get another one!

We each found some treasures and did our bargaining for the best deals!

I love the chandelier hanging from the Puces sign! Such style!

I like this picture... this guy was quite a character... I'm not sure he's looking at the pretty girls or was just giving a look to every passerby!

I got some books, a Fisher Price royal wagon with a king and his court for 1 euro, a bowl, and some other little things. I got the little Snow White ( Blanche-Neige) book at an antique shop.

We all met up for our last dinner in Paris at one of my favorite creperies near Notre Dame. It was cold but a magical evening to celebrate our special time together.

The waiters were so sweet and provided our entertainment!

You never know what you'll see on the way home on the Metro... wonder where these guys were going? (Nancy snapped this great photo!)

 

Revisiting Le Marais

The ladies on my shopping trip in Paris left on Sunday morning but my flight wasn't until Monday (actually Tuesday after my bump), so I decided to go back to the Le Marais district of the city... we had seen signs there advertising a brocante (flea market) on Sunday and I wanted to check it out.

One of the things I love most when I'm traveling is stumbling upon a fabulous little shop like the one I found here. Petit Pan is little boutique with Japanese papers, notions, fabrics, and more... I LOVE the bright and cheerful colors!

Across the street was a really unique building that stood out from all the other French architecture. I can't read what the sign says, but I can read the date and see how OLD it is (1508?)! So cool!

The flea market was very small and I didn't get anything (believe it or not, I was a little shopped out after being at a wonderful flea market the day before) but it was fun to see the vendors tucked into the alleys and courtyards in the antique district of the Village Saint Paul. I love how the vendors just sit down as a family and have their dinner. Ohh, it looked so good!

I found a delightful cafe where I got my lunch and visited with a nice couple from Las Vegas who were at the next table. I couldn't decide on a dessert, so I was happy to order the sampler and taste a few. Soo delicious! (My mouth is watering just thinking of them now!)

I did a little more wandering and browsing and then stopped and bought a baguette and some cheese in this shop for my supper. I was quite proud of myself for going in and ordering on my own. There was no English spoken here!

It's kind of fun to be alone in a city like this for a little bit of time. Anonymous for a day!

Stepping back in time

Yesterday I thought I'd finally be home after 27 days, but when the ticket agent at the airport mentioned that the flight was oversold, I took the opportunity to be bumped from the flight and have one more day in Paris! By the time I got back into the city, it was 4pm but early enough for a stroll on Rue Saint Sulpice and a stop in Le Bon Marche and Le Grand Epicerie. As I turned a corner, I felt like I stepped back in time with a film crew in action. I couldn't find out what they were filming but it was cool to see the period cars and costumes!

We had our last dinner together (crepes, of course!) on Saturday night and on Sunday all the ladies made their way home. I could not have asked for a better group to travel with! I'm so thankful for each of them... for their trust in my planning and for their patience when things didn't go just as planned! I'm so thankful for our daily "angels"... the strangers that so kindly pointed the way just when we needed it. I will always treasure the memories of the laughs and the fun we had!