The Memory Bee

May 16

I'm getting ready to head back to By Design Boutique here in Houston for classes this afternoon and evening but just wanted to post some pictures of two other fabulous stores in Fredericksburg: Smitten and Carol Hicks Bolton Antiquities.

I love their bags. Of course, mine is holding the goodies that I purchased - they have a huge assortment of vintage word flash cards!

The warehouse-like space is a feast of funky design ideas and inspiration - sorry that many of my photos are blurry - my iPhone didn't do so great inside there. You really have to see all the details to appreciate it.

Lori and I met next door at the feed store for a yummy sandwich and some planning time...

I can't wait to return to Fredericksburg soon and see my "friends" -

We had a FULL house last night at By Design... it's always so good to return and see everyone again! I've been teaching here for 6 or 7 years! How fun is that!

May 13

Timeless Menagerie - remember that name! It is one of the best stores I've ever been in - the pefect mixture of the latest scrapbooking and creative supplies, antiques and vintage goodies, gifts and stationery - a gorgeous feast for the eyes!

Lori Smithers is the sweet owner of this amazing new store (open since last November.) She is a master of display - all over store, in every nook and cranny, is a delightful mix of the new and the old.

She has a wall of Annie Sloan paints...

There is a room full of goodies to make fairy gardens with a huge amount of minatures to add to them...

It just goes on and on!

You've done an amazing job, Lori! And thank you Jake for all your help (Jake is the cutie that works at the store!) I can't wait to return!

I stayed outside of town at Lori's country home - it was heaven! Peaceful, beautiful - good medicine for the soul. I fell in love with it!

Just me and the goats...

Lori and I are cooking up some fun for the fall here - how about a get-away - a retreat, with time to create together, share and explore, shop, relax... doesn't that sound heavenly?

May 12

Happy Mother's Day from Texas Hill Country! I'm not with my mom or my sons today - I'm sending my love long distance! I got a very sweet card from one son (made me teary) and hope to talk to them both later (although one is celebrating his one year anniversary today sooo... we'll see! :) I became a mom 27 years ago and have loved my boys beyond words and now too the girls that they married. Just cause they're gone from my home, they're never out of my heart and prayers!

I'm sending my love too to my mom - I'm so thankful for her love and encouragement and her Godly example to me through my life. Her friendship means the world to me and I can't wait to see her when I get home in a week! I love you, Mom!! We sure do have fun, don't we?!!

May 10

I'm humming "On the Road Again" as I write this... I'm on my way to Texas for 10 days .... teaching at three stores in three parts of the state... the great news is that all the class products eventually came  - even up to Tuesday this week, all the kits have been shipped, I'm all done with my work, and now the fun begins!

I thought I'd share some photos of the little things I got on my trip to London and Paris - some good stuff! In no particular order...

I got this tiny Japanese globe and a little New Testament (about 3x4") at the Bermondsley Market in London.

I got the pretty pink journal at a shop in Camden Passage in London and the pins at a shop in Paris.

I love these tags from Liberty in London.

I have a notebook problem - how cute are these Japanese notebooks from Selfridges in London.

These darling kid's books are from the Portobello Road market in London. Perfert, aren't they?!

This trip I made sure I got this change purse at John Lewis in London - perfect for my pennies from heaven!

Some cute stickers from Paperchase and the Westminster Abbey gift shop...

I love this Garter Day tea towel from Windsor Castle...

This darling little book is a copy of a little book made for Queen Mary's dollhouse that is on display at Windsor Castle.

I bought this fabric pin just to get a box from the Biscuiteers biscuit shop (I liked it too!)

I went a little "washi tape" crazy! We found a shop in Paris that carries Greengate products from Denmark...

from a gift shop at the Louvre and Merci in Paris...

from Selfridges in London...

some more little things for a shadow box...

A batch of ribbons bought here and there in Paris.. and my pretty Laduree box...

and my treasures from Highclere Castle...

Some pretty things that make me smile whenever I see them because they each are a reminder of a great time!

May 9

My last day in Paris for this visit - it was an amazingly beautiful day! I spent the day by myself (Michelle and Anita left that morning for home) and just wandered and enjoyed the sunshine and the beauty of the parks and the flowers - ahhh, I want to go back!

I had only been in Luxembourg Gardens briefly once before and always wanted to go back but my feet are usually so tired from running around the city that I don't have anything left for one more park! This time I decided to start there, and it's now going to be on my "must-do" list, especially on a gorgeous Sunday morning! It is my kind of "museum" - the statues surrounded by the natural light and shadows and greenery and flowers. Take a walk with me...

The centerpiece of the garden is the Luxembourg Palace and the pool in front of it. You can sail your own sailboat there or rent one from the stand.

I had the MOST delicious fries at the cafe in the park...

It was perfect! From there I made my way to the Eiffel Tower - we had only driven by on our tour earlier in the week. One of the challenges of being alone at these magnificient sites is getting someone to take a photo for you so you can be in the picture. Here's my first Eiffel Tower attempt -

I'm glad I'm in the photo a little bit!

The first time I stood at the Eiffel Tower in 2003 I cried - I just couldn't believe that I was really there. And it still never disappoints - I just can't believe that I'm there every time!

I watched people, enjoyed the sun, and then hopped in cab to go to the Tulleries Gardens one more time. The cab sped along - through the Alma tunnel - I snapped this photo just about where Diana died.

I was one of thousands enjoying the gardens that day! I usually wouldn't have the patience for this but on this day I was willing to wait almost an hour for gelato - only the best though! A treat to celebrate a fabulous trip...

A little rest stop in the Louvre and then it was time for my final trip back to my hotel on the Metro - a man was playing a piccolo as I waited for the train - the lilting music made me teary once again. I will be back!

Au revoir til next time!

May 7

One of my favorite things in Paris is the Vanves flea market - it's just my kind of flea market - not fancy, lots of digging through things, and some bargains to be found. It was a sparkly but COLD day for the market...

I think the same guys are playing their weekly card game - I have a picture of them from last year too!

I heard a lady speaking English so I asked her to take a picture of me. We did the usual "Where are you from?" etc. and I found out that she was there with a group of students from the Savanah College of Art and Design that were studying abroad at their campus in Lacoste in Provence (we had visited the town last spring.) I told her what I do and she asked if I happened to know the person that owns French General, Kaari... and that she had gone on her retreat to France the year before. She knew Charlotte Lyons too. What a small world! After we parted ways, I wished that I had taken a picture with her. I was so happy to run into her again later and be able to get a photo together! Her name is Patricia Wiley, if anyone else happens to know her too.

And what did I buy? Just a few little treasures!

The creamer and the book were 1 euro each; the large car and the plate were originally 15 euros each - which was way too much so I started to walk away and the guy came after me and said "how about 17 euros for both?" Now he had a deal; and the 2CV was 15 euro - usually I wouldn't spend that much but I loved the color and had taken so many pictures of the car during our time in Dordogne and had the 2CV tour of Paris - I'd pay more than that in a souvenir shop!

That night we did the second of the things that I'd always wanted to do in Paris and took a dinner cruise on the Seine river. It was just delightful. Of course, a gorgeous evening helped! We boarded the boat right behind the Musee D'Orsay.

The food was excellent - rather than having to choose an appetizer, you got to have a little of each...

I enjoyed the unique perspective of the city from the river.

We celebrated Anita's birthday as we slipped past the beautiful buildings...

It was magical!

When we got back to our hotel that night there was all kinds of excitement - lots of men acting like giggly school girls and girls who looked like they were there for "business" - I guess some famous wrestlers from the WWF had checked in... I don't remember who they said this is but there were a lot of people who were very excited to see him!

Only one day left in Paris - stay tuned! :)

May 6

I'm determined to finish the tale of my adventures in Paris, so here we go...

After our 2CV tour Travis let us out at the Palais Royal... we got some sandwiches and had a little picnic in the park. Then we were off for a walk past the Louvre, through the Tuilleries, hoping to stop at the Ritz (to use the restroom) - I didn't know that it is totally closed for renovation, and then finally to Laduree for macarons.

The croissants look so decadent! A glazed croissant? Heaven! Someday I'll try one!

I LOVE the aqua macaron! Isn't

this box just pure eye-candy?

We ended the day at one of my favorite cafes for people-watching, Esmerelda... and had the sweetest waiter! What a cutie!

As we sat there, suddenly a large group of people on roller blades (and a couple on bikes and skateboards) swooshed by us in a flash. You never know what you'll see - that's the fun of outdoor cafe-dining in Paris!

May 5 Happy birthday, Jeremy!

Today is a very special day - my oldest son, Jeremy's birthday! I'm so proud of him and the man that he is - he loves God, adores his wife, works hard, and lots more!

He was the star of the show the day we brought him home from the hospital...

His cousins Jennifer, Julie, and Jason thought he was pretty sweet - just like we did!

He brought (and brings :) a lot of joy to us!

He wasn't too sure what to think 27 years ago on his first birthday!

But literally in the blink of an eye, he's a man and lives across the country - sniff, sniff - and I don't get to see him much or give him a hug today. I know he's having a great time though - I think exploring Big Sur today and spending time with his sweet wife Becca and our friends Esther and Ralph in Monterey.

I finally have permission to share an update on Jeremy's job situation! Most of you know that Jeremy moved to San Jose last year to work for Cisco but that was a contract job and it ended when the funding ran out. He quickly found out that the contract route is a hard way to go - you never know how long you'll have work and you don't get health insurance - so he really wanted to find a permanent job instead. In late October he took a very low-paying job as an intern at a company with the hopes that it would eventually become a permanent position. We were happy for him to have this opportunity because it was learning cutting edge things for an engineer and would be great experience for him. Thank you to everyone who prayed and prayed for him and Becca! We are thanking God because a while ago they called him in and offered him a job with health benefits and all! We know the timing was in God's hands - they had just given up their apartment because they just couldn't afford it anymore and made plans to live with one of his friends. Now they'll have the chance to save up a little and know that the right thing will come along for them. I love their faith and they definitely have stories to tell of God's provision! Now we can keep praying as Becca seeks God's plan for her!

But - surprise! I get to hug another son! Brandon and Alicia came home unexpectedly yesterday for a week because her father died. He had been sick but had been doing better - it's a difficult time for her - we appreciate your prayers for her and wisdom for the days ahead.

Brandon recently went before the promotion board and did very well and should be promoted to sargeant in June. We're so proud of him and happy for him. His job at Ft. Myer in Virginia is going pretty well - he's looking forward to doing something a little more challenging in the future though. He's not really able to use any of the skills that he has at this job and that's hard. Alicia just finished her first semester at George Mason University (although she's missing her final exams this week with her dad's death.) She also works full time and cooks :) - I admire her so much for how she juggles everything!

Well - that's the quick family update! Thank you all for caring and praying and asking about them!

May 3 A 2CV Tour of Paris

My "official" group tour of London was over but the fun continued as three of us - Michelle, Anita, and I - traveled on to Paris for a few more days. There are two things that I've always wanted to do in Paris - take a tour of the city in a Citroen 2CV and take a dinner cruise on the Seine. We did both and loved it - I highly recommend both of these things for an extra-special treat!

I had scheduled a tour with Paris Authentic and we were very happy with them - we loved our driver, Travis! He picked us up at our hotel and instead of a 3 hour tour, we ended up with a 4 1/2 hour tour! God blessed us with a PERFECT day! Sunshine + blue skies = Paris at its best!

He spoke very good English and was so knowledgeable about the city. It was really fun to hear a French perspective on events in France and about the US. One of the things that I enjoyed so much was to see so many places that I had not seen in Paris before - even with all the times I've been there, I have a tendency to see the same things - and this tour took us to some areas where I had never been and through narrow streets that you would never see on a tour bus.

He started out by taking us to an area up and behind our hotel where all the streets are named after flowers and the houses are so charming. I can't imagine how beautiful it would be when the flowers are in bloom! A little oasis in the middle of the city!

We continued through the Latin quarter and St. Germain des Pres and then over the bridge behind Notre Dame through the Marais on our way up to Montmatre.

(I never knew that this side of Saint-Sulpice was never finished - I hadn't noticed that in all the times I've been here.)

I had no idea that Place Dauphine existed on the island with Notre Dame...

I didn't know that Marie Antoinette was held here at the Conciergerie, a former palace and prison, before she was killed.

The "love locks" on the bridge are beautiful in their own way!

I love these next two photos - do you see the man down the street on the ladder?

We held our breath as we went by and I'm sure he was relieved to still be on his ladder!

These are little streets next to Notre Dame...

And then just some beautiful sights as we drove through the city...

Our 3 hours was almost up, but Travis said that we could continue if he could pick up his 6 year old daughter from school. Of course, we said yes! She was so darling!

We continued up the Champs de Elysees... and around the Arc de Triomphe. I thought I was taking a video as we drove through the madness around the Arc but turns out I wasn't really recording - darn! It would have been like something out of a movie with all the traffic and everyone going every which way!

We were sad to see our day with Travis end. If you ever have the chance to tour Paris like this, you will love it too, I think!

 

 

May 2 Afternoon Tea in London

I have been getting a flood of spam (and pornographic) comments on my blog lately especially on yesterday's post - I don't know if they embed something attracts other low-lifes because I delete and block as fast as I can but for now I feel that I need to turn on the comment moderation. Comments will appear after I approve them. If that is too much of a pain then I'll have to do a random verification thing with the comments - why are there such horrible people! Anyway...

Monday (April 15) was our last day in London - time for a quick trip back to Liberty and then a special traditional afternoon tea together.

The flowers at the Liberty entrance are always fabulous but this day that were spectacular! The bright colors were so bright that my camera couldn't even capture them.

The pastel flowers are just dreamy!

Inside the store an amazing display had been suspended in the center atrium between the floors - two cars crashed with an explosion of flowers - crazy!

I had scheduled a special traditional afternoon tea for our group at the historic English Tea Room in the legendary Brown's Hotel.

One of the unique features of this afternoon tea is that they replenish the food as much as you want - I think they know that you fill up pretty fast and can't eat as much as you think you would!

We had traditional sandwiches...

amazing desserts...

scones and jam and clotted cream and even a cake cart!

Our server was great - he could even pour the tea two-handed!

I love how the expressions change as we finish! It was great but we were so full!

I couldn't resist a photo with the distinguished doorman. He was the perfect touch for our very British tea!

In London the Underground signs point to the "way out" - the exit - the next day it would be time to head to the "sortie" in Paris! I'm so grateful to the ladies who traveled with me and trusted their plans to me. I humbled and honored that you would travel with me. I can't wait to do it again! You're the best!

May 1

Happy May! I like May - spring is finally here and the month ahead is full of possibilities... what MAY be! :) Jeremy's birthday is this month as well as my Dad's and Alicia's... Mother's Day too... and lots of teaching in Texas... I'm excited about what this new month will bring!

I've been working like crazy this week to get my classes finished up for next week - all the special little details in place that are the most fun part of class-planning! When I returned from France I expected all the product for the class kits to be here, ready to be packed, but when we started to do that last week, I found that there were several things missing or incorrect in the orders. It was a bit of a panic (to say the least!) but the good news is that everything is in stock and on its way. I wish I had it all here today but we'll be doing some last minute packing tomorrow so that the kits can ship out Friday. I will breathe a sigh of relief when it's all done!

I thought I'd share a couple more pictures of two of the classes as I've finished them up. I think this Memory Collector class is one of my favorite projects that I've ever done - for me personally - I just love it - it makes me happy everytime I see it! I took the Tim Holtz Configurations Book and turned it into a "suitcase" with two mini albums inside and lots of places for fun little memorabilia and treasures. We're using Grungepaper to make the straps and mostly the Maggie Holmes collection from Crate Paper to decorate it.

Throw in some Basic Grey Mint Julip paper and buttons, some Tim Holtz rub ons, a whole roll of washi tape for each person, lots of metal embellishments from Tim's Ideology collection, some 7gypsies and American Tag and beautiful May Arts ribbon, and you have one really great kit and a project that is really fun to put together and to personalize with your own little goodies.

Here's a picture of it as we'll make it in class and then with some of my personal things added in.

(I even punched a hole in a penny with my Crop a Dile to hang in one section!)

The second new class is Little Me, inspired by the photo I found of myself to use on the cover of the book. In the class descriptions HERE, I shared some of my thoughts behind the project but I think it's just a really pretty book - distressed and shabby with pinks and grays and muted blues that could be used for so many different things. There are lots of pockets and, of course, lots of folds to make the kind of interactive book that I love. We'll be using some stain and Perfect Pearl mist and stamps to make our own papers as well as one of my favorite "vintage" collections from 7gypsies - Trousseau. I loved this collection when it first came out last year but never had the oppportunity to use it in a class. The design of the paper is timeless and beautiful, and I'm so pleased to finally use it now! (This collection was designed by the very talented Kerry Lynn Yeary and art directed by my "craft idol" Paula Cheney - many of the vintage photos in the designs are relatives of Paula's! How fun is that!)

We will be using Tim's Worn Book Cover and some beautiful silk ribbon to assemble the book with the ring binding and then making the pretty pages for inside. I have some stories to tell that I am going to put in this book!

My third class in Texas is the Texas Keepsake album but that's pretty much sold out - looking forward to that class! :)

I also have a few leftover Florida Keepsake album kits and Paris Keepsake album kits that I am bringing with me. Let me know if you'd like one! They are $75 and come loaded with product - so much that it has to be put in two kit bags! I will be putting more of these kits for sale in my online store when I return from Texas.

The schedule of the stores where I'll be teaching in Texas is on the right along with a link to each store! There are additional photos, descriptions and the supply lists of what to bring to class on my Upcoming Classes blog HERE. Hope to see you there! (These two classes - Memory Collector and Little Me will be taught at each of the upcoming stores on my schedule.)

April 30 Bath, UK

We purchased train tickets to Newbury to go to Highclere Castle and then on to Bath, not knowing if we would get into the castle or not. By the time we did get into the castle and had a lovely day touring the house and eating on the lawn and wandering the grounds, we had a late start to Bath. We didn't get there until just before 5pm and of course, just about everything closed at 5 (being a Sunday), so we didn't get to see too much of this charming, historic city. We saw just enough to know that we want to go back someday!

I thought it was pretty funny that one of the first places we saw was a Hollister - REALLY?? - with a live shot of the surfers in Huntington Beach, California.

Kind of peculiar when you are looking for buildings dating back to Roman times!

We made kind of sweeping walk through the town to see the highlights and as it started to rain, we found a very cool place to eat - kind of a cross between an Anthropologie and a Starbucks - named Hall and Woodhouse. How cozy is this room! Our waitress was from Niagara Falls, Canada - just across the river from me in Buffalo, so that was pretty funny.

I loved the roasting pans that held the condiments and things as each table.

We rolled back to London that evening with happy hearts from our spectacular time at Highclere and a tummy full of treacle pudding... yum!

April 29 Highclere Castle - Downton Abbey

Sunday, April 14: One of the best days EVER! I had scheduled a free day into our itinerary for the London trip so that the ladies could have a day to go out into the countryside and explore or just do whatever they wanted. I had been thinking for months about trying to go to Highclere Castle which is where Downton Abbey is filmed. I checked into getting tickets but they have been sold out for quite a while. I had been told that it wasn't worth going out there because it's in the middle of nowhere, so if you can't get in, there's nothing else to do, so it would be a wasted day. I also thought that it was a long way from the road, so that if I didn't get in, I wouldn't even get a glimpse of it. BUT when we all got together, the other ladies were game for at least trying to get a ticket at the gate, so we headed out there.

It's about an hour and a half on the train to Newbury (the nearest town) and then a taxi ride on from there. The taxi driver pulled over on a hill so we could get a glimpse of the castle in the distance. I took pictures, thinking this was all I might see. Just a tease of the spires of the castle!

I know it's crazy but my heart was pounding just to get a glimpse of the castle. Anita and I were sharing a taxi with two other girls that we didn't know (that just shared the cab fare with us from the station.) I remembered that I have the Downton Abbey soundtrack on my phone, so we had the full experience of approaching the castle with the opening soundtrack from the series. The cabbie said I was the first person to ever play the music on the way there - everyone loved it! I thought it was pretty funny and very appropriate!

He let us out at the entrance, we walked up to the window at the gate, purchased tickets, and in we went with no problem at all! Wow! We were SO glad that we tried!

What a thrill! If you are a fan of Downton Abbey like I am, you can imagine how I felt!

I played the opening song again as we walked up this path just like Lord Grantham with his dog in the opening shots on the show. It was a beautiful day - the light set off the castle perfectly!

Can you believe I only had my cell phone camera with me? If I'd known we would get in, I would have brought a really good camera, but I think the pictures came out pretty good with my iPhone!

We began by going through the house. We found out that that day was the last day the castle would be open until August because they were starting filming of the fourth season the next day. How fortunate we were to be there that day! We had no idea! The series is actually filmed here - the only scenes that are filmed in a studio are anything shot in a bedroom or downstairs in the servant's area - the kitchen and all because that area doesn't actually exist here at the castle. Also the bedrooms are not bright enough or big enough for the equipment that would be needed to film here. The living rooms, the entry, the stairways, and the dining room are actually used for the series. They said that they shine lights from the outside to the inside to give the light that they need.

I could imagine the scenes that I've loved from the series... (some of these pictures inside aren't great but the best I could do... )

The library...

The sitting room...

The hallway... (this is used in the series)

Looking down toward the front door...

The front door lightened up so you can see it...

I could picture them rolling up this carpet for Lady Edith's wedding that never took place.

How many scenes have we seen on these stairs?!

The dining room... I could just hear Carson's voice!

The fireplace area near the entry...

The servant's stairway...

The call buttons for the servants...

The grounds and countryside are just gorgeous! Lots of sheep everywhere!

We had a great lunch on the grounds...

It was a huge meal for only 6 pounds! We also had tea and scones with jam and clotted cream - see what I mean? A perfect day! The only thing that would have made it better was to see some of the cast there!

We did see the real Countess of Carnarvon who lives here but we didn't realize it was her until later.

Of course, I had to support the upkeep of the castle by visiting the gift shop and doing my part! A signed copy of Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey came home with me as well as a pretty tote bag, a little photo book, and a pencil.

We felt very blessed to have this fun day - for big fans like us, it sure was a dream come true! I'll treasure the memories always!

April 28

Saturday in London is flea market day... starting at the famous Portobello Road market in Notting Hill. I think it was my first time there when the sun was shining! The crowds were huge as usual but I still managed to find a couple things (photos to come... :)

Love a freshly made crepe for breakfast!

You never know what you'll see... some really good music...

and some really BAD!

We stopped into Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic store...

And then stumbled upon a darling new store called Biscuiteers. They make the most darling cookies - "biscuits" and the branding is the cutest ever!

How about a cookie version of Buckingham Palace?! So cute!

This sad little biscuit man is suffering in his innards! :)

I bought that cute little fabric pin - mainly 'cause I wanted the box! Yesterday I got a surprise delivered by Royal Mail - a tin of the royal biscuits! How cute are these! Sometimes decorated cookies taste like cardboard but these are just delicious - perfect with a cup of my Fortnum and Mason tea! Thank you to Laura, who had them sent to me... what a treat!

From Notting Hill we made our way across town to Camden Passage. I had never been here before and it's now one of my new favorite places! So many cute shops and fabulous places to eat - I love it!

One of the store owners recommended a restaurant named Ottolenghi down the road. They warned us that there could be a wait but that it would be worth it. Yes, there was a wait and it WAS worth it! Look at these displays of food! It might not look as spectacular in the pictures as it was in person but the food was delicious!

It was really a treat! By the time we finished, it was pouring so the antique dealers had pretty much closed up shop. We did find this shop with just a few cups and saucers! Too much to even look at!

I will definitely be back to Camden Passage again! Home and Pantry was my favorite store there.

April 27

Windsor Castle was our destination on Thursday (April 11). Windsor is one of my favorite places - I think I like it so much because it is where the Queen really lives. It is her home most weekends. Plus there is so much history here! I try to imagine Henry the VIII walking through the castle with his variety of queens.

It's about a 30 minute train ride to Windsor from Paddington Station...

We got to see the changing of the guard with the guard mascot -

We toured the castle and the church and spent the rest of the day shopping in the town of Windsor. Lots of interesting shops - we returned to London tired but happy!

The next day (another rainy day) was flea market time at Bermondsey Market. The market was small because of the rain but I managed to find a couple little treasures (photos soon.) We got off the Underground at the Tower Bridge and walked across to the market - it's an impressive sight to see it up close on foot.

After a great breakfast and warming up, we headed to the Tower of London to explore this historic landmark. Between the crowds and the rain, it wasn't the best day for it but those who hadn't been here before got a feel for the history that took place here.

There's a great view of the bridge from one of the tower rooms.

The yeoman warders are always a treat! I asked this one how long he'd been there (meaning worked at this job) but his response was about half an hour. :) They have to serve at least 22 years in the military before they can get a position like this. They live here in the Tower with their families and are locked in every night at 10pm. They are the cheeriest people so they must like their jobs!

I'm just throwing this picture in of one of the escalators in the Underground - some of them are so long!

We headed back to Covent Garden to do a little more shopping and met an interesting guy selling candy at his cart on the street. He was one of the few people we talked to who had something good to say about Margaret Thatcher (the old girl, as he called her.)

Our feet wouldn't walk another step so it was time to hop in one of the traditional black cabs - definitely a treat!

That evening, when we got back to the hotel, I opened my curtains to check out the skyline and was glad to catch sight of this amazing rainbow over city.

Just stunning and full of promise!

April 26

My grand adventure continued with a trip to London for a week - and the great fun of being joined by six other ladies to experience London with me. We had so many fun experiences - I love recounting the memories as I go through the pictures for my blog.

Everyone arrived in London on Monday and had a little recovery time before we met for a yummy dinner that night. The next day our shopping began ... at Cath Kidston, of course!

We hopped on the Tube at our stop -

and caught up on the headlines - the news that Margaret Thatcher had died. We heard many varied opinions from the Brits. Some loved her but it seemed that most hated her - I had no idea! There were protests and rude comments and hateful songs... very interesting to observe.

We did our damage at CK in Covent Garden and went to a few of our favorite shops.

I did get a bobbing head corgie to match my queen this time. Hope and Greenwood is a darling candy shop - great for picking up a treat to bring home (if it makes it that long!)

Liberty is my favorite store in London - I could spend hours (actually I think I did!) wandering the floors and the different departments and stopping for a spot of lunch at Cafe Liberty.

This picture cracks me up! The look on my face says, "Get out of my picture, kid." :)

I love the scarf I bought here... such fun illustrations on it! It's super soft and cozy and PINK!

Wednesday was a sight-seeing and shopping day, starting with a walk from Trafalgar Square up the Mall to Buckingham Palace and around to Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. AND the sun was shining! A rare sight in London!

It isn't everyday that you see girls standing in the daffodils with smiles on their heads. Not sure what that was about! A photo shoot for something...

After all the photo ops, we headed to Sloane Square to go to Peter Jones (another favorite department store) and French Sole...

That night we had a good dinner... good to the very bottom of the dish!

April 25

I was delighted to teach for a 4th year at Version Scrap in Paris. Version Scrap is the largest scrapbooking event in Europe - like a convention here in the US where there are vendors selling products and classes for the students to choose from each day. It's a crazy madhouse with thousands of shoppers - they come from all over Europe and even Africa and South America to attend the event.

The other French teachers and the students have become my friends, and it was wonderful to see them again. It is a killer schedule - 9 two and one half hour classes in three days, but so rewarding. I teach the same classes that I teach here in the US, so the students leave class with an album and lots of leftovers to complete their projects as they add their photos, mementos, and journaling. I already can't wait to see everyone again next year! Yes, I will be back!

I loved teaching with fellow American teachers Paula Cheney and Sharon Laakkonen. It was also so nice to meet and teach with Anna Maria Wolniak from Poland.

I couldn't do it without my wonderful interpreter Emile... we make a good team! I'm so thankful for all the students who take my classes even though I don't speak their language - we share the love of our craft though!

(I created a shortcut to the cafe and restroom by squeezing through the little space at the end of my "wall.")

(Lovely Anna from Kazakhtan, I think, made me this beautiful card with a bee on it and her mother made me the cutest fabric-covered buttons out of their kitchen curtains. She told me that their curtains now have three holes in them - I hope she was kidding! :)

(My husband sits in on the classes when he's not out socializing with the other people at the show and caught this candid shot of me teaching.)

How fun is it that Shaquana from San Diego came to my class during her vacation! What a treat and a surprise!

I love the friends we have made like Marie Dominque (she's the editor of the beautiful French scrapbook magazine Historie de Pages.)

Dave celebrated his birthday while I was teaching by taking a trip to Normandy with Paula's husband Jay. It was really a treat for him!

Here we are at dinner - blessed by our friendships!

April 24

Our second day in Paris started with a Metro ride to a part of the city we had not been to before - Canal Saint-Martin. It is a canal with a series of locks in the city - a beautiful oasis from the hustle and bustle. As we were walking along, I kept slipping and realized that I was walking on the nails in the heels of my shoes (that I had just replaced before I left home!) I was so happy to see this sign along the street and hoped that the cobbler could fix them on the spot.

He didn't speak a word of English but he could tell what I needed by looking at my shoes. He pounded away and handed me back my perfectly repaired shoes!

We walked all the way the wrong direction looking for the boat tour through the locks but by the time we walked the whole thing, we decided that we really didn't need a tour. We loved this Fed Ex delivery guy - I've never seen this before!

We headed for the St. Germain des Pres area and walked around and got food at Le Grand Epicerie at Bon Marche and had a picnic in the park nearby.

Love Saint-Sulpice! The music on the Metro is so charming too - I wonder if the Parisiens enjoy it as much as I do?

That evening we scheduled a special night tour of the Louvre with My Parisian Tour. Believe it or not, as many times as I have been to Paris and have been to the Carrousel du Louvre (the shopping mall near the entrance to the Louvre), I had never actually entered the museum. I guess I felt overwhelmed - they say that if you spent 8 hours a day at the Louvre, it would take you a month to see everything. Taking a tour, especially in the evening when the crowds are smaller, was the perfect way to be introduced to this mamouth place. I'm not much of a museum person, but I really enjoyed it. Our guide was very informative and showed us the highlights of the museum.

We started out on the lower level looking at the original foundations of the fortress that were just discovered in the 1960's when they were excavating for the new modern entrance to the museum.

How amazing is that - that they've been buried all this time! We saw the Venus de Milo, the ancient Greek statue... as well as many other great works of art.

I thought it was funny that this guy felt free to just lay down and relax in front of this painting.

Of course, the star of the show is the Mona Lisa. They said that the crowd was light that evening...

That's her on the far wall between the red lights.

The painting is covered with a glass wall and a wood barrier and protected by guards - they said that people do all kinds of crazy things when they see her. Someone had thrown a cup of tea at the painting just the week before. I have to say that I don't get what all the fuss is about!

I loved the ceilings that are from the days of Louis XIV and Napoleon and others. The Louvre was a palace long before it became a museum.

Napoleon's apartment here made Versailles look plain! Such opulance!

I highly recommend the tour - it is a great introduction to the museum!

April 23

I'm finally home now after being in Europe for the last 29 days - I have to admit that I was really sad to leave Paris. As I took my last Metro ride on Sunday night there was a man playing the piccolo at the train and it was magical. That city has stolen my heart! I'm already looking forward to returning next year!

I'm going to continue updating my blog where I left off so that I have a journal of my trip. I get so many emails from people asking for travel advice for London and Paris (and New York) ... these blog posts are a good reference for anyone who wants to know what I like to do in these cities! I can't give personal help to everyone who writes to me, asking for help with their travel planning - to have time to do that, I'd have to change careers! Hopefully someday I'll have the time to collate all the information into a book or something! :)

Back to April 2... After our week in the Dordogne, we had a couple days in Paris before I would teach at Version Scrap for the weekend. Everything looks great in the sunshine! I never tire of the view from our hotel.

Our first day started out in Montmartre. We love the winding streets and the graffiti that decorates the buildings.

I think the graffiti is controversial with Parisians - some feel that it is art and some feel that it is defacing the city - I like it for the most part - It's like "where's Waldo?" to find the little "installations" on the buildings.

A cappuccino stop is a must!

We eventually made our way down to the Tuileries gardens near the Louvre. Even though it was chilly out, the sunshine felt so good!

We walked along the street next to the Seine on a block where I'd not walked before and found the shops where you could buy your plants and pets - a funny mixture!

One of my favorite buildings in Paris is the Hotel de Ville - the city hall. I learned that there are over 450 statues on this fabulous building!

Lots and lots of walking meant an early night and then a busy day seeing more sights the next day!

April 11

You know I love my floaty pen collection, so I was happy to add to it on this trip! They are small and easy to bring home and just quirky fun!

I particularly like the first pen - although it is hard to see, there is a running duck that floats along the pen. Perhaps he is running to avoid being made into fois gras, which is the specialty of the area. Ha! I also like that the one shows the gondola going down into the cave.

On Easter Monday, we said goodbye to our hosts, Beatrice and John at the bed and breakfast (they are hugging my pillow) and headed toward Limoges to visit the town of Oradour sur Glane.

It was another gorgeous sunny day so we had to have our coffee at a cafe before we entered the village.

Oradour sur Glane was the scene of a terrible massacre in 1944 when the Nazis came into the town, killed all the residents but one (I would not want to be the one survivior!) and burned the town to the ground. The town has been preserved as a memorial to the slain - that we would never forget.

We walked around for an hour or so, but finally just had to go - it's very sad and hard to comprehend. The few pictures they had of children trying to flee are heart-wrenching and haunting.

We headed off toward Paris to turn in our rental car... lots of traffic and expensive tolls and we were VERY glad to see Orly airport and finally depend on public transportation!

It was late so we just went to Notre Dame and found a cafe and enjoyed the serenading accordion player - just so Paris!

On another note - you may have read on Facebook that my grand-niece's home burned down in Buffalo the day before yesterday. They lost everything - the little they had and are being cared for by the Red Cross and a local church. It is a difficult situation because she has cut off communication with the family - we were extremely concerned for the five children and their welfare even before this happened. Please pray for them - for the right people to come their way - for their needs to be provided - and that this might be an opportunity to get some help and make good choices. God is at work - we know and depend on that!