Dear Santa...

 Please define "good".  All year long good is what I thought I was being...doing...achieving...hmmm...
I have checked my lists, mailed my cards and worked ahead so Mr. C and I could take one week before Christmas as a well earned vacation.  Go someplace we had never gone.  Some place warm...

 Here we are.  Warm, tropical and a place to relax and let the year's pressures and exhaustion fade away.  A place to renew our spirits and strength...

 Lush tropical destination.  Oh yes!  Here we are in Maui.  We arrived in a rain storm with wind that never let up the entire week.  The rain did give way to sunshine.  Everyone said just take shorts and flip-flops.  Glad I packed for the North Pole as I was cold at all times.  Please turn off the wind machine. 

 Day two of our eight day tropical paradise vacation.  We had been told we would find our very own "special" place together.  Little did I dream it would be the Maui Urgent Care center.  Mr. C getting a breathing treatment.  He doesn't have Asthma but he does get Asthmatic Bronchitis and it is miserable.  We have been through this many times over our years together. 

Now we visit the local pharmacy to retrieve three prescriptions for Mr. C.  Did I mention it is the week before Christmas?  Even the pharmacy is in the spirit.  We certainly helped the local economy with our visits. 

One day later here I am on vacation in Maui.  I would end up at Urgent Care two more times for me.  Also visited the local pharmacy twice more for a total of 9 prescriptions.  Upper respiratory with ear and sinus infections.  Bronchitis that racks the body and leaves you gasping for a breath...any breath so you can continue to cough.  This is how my week in Maui continued.  Flying home was long and painful.  The doctor said, "No swimming"...good as I don't do water.  He also said, "No wind"...bad as it was some freak weather storm all week long with miserable wind everywhere.  Going outside was not good for me.  But to go to Maui and stay in bed was not the vacation I had envisioned!

We arrived in Maui with rain and then from our balcony we saw this rainbow which was beautiful.  I did enjoy watching the world pass along.  I did see at least a partial rainbow every afternoon. 

So Santa...please define, "good".   I need to do a better job beginning NOW! 
Who would have thought chocolate brown would look so elegant on a Christmas tree.  In person this was stunning.  Just green, gold and chocolate brown.  Delicious!  Merry Maui Christmas!!!
Mr. C and I are home.  We are both recuperating.  We are opening our mail and enjoying cards and letters from so many friends and family.  May you each have a wonderful holiday weekend...
Presents to wrap...friends to get together with...daily chores...oh yeah!  I am thankful to be on the road to recovery. 
Please take time to sip some tea, enjoy what you are doing and most of all stay healthy...

Cloth endeavors...

Lately I have not been in a creative kind of mood. My ideas are lacking and my ability to focus and create is completely out of whack. What has happened? Are my skills on vacation? Have I gotten heat stroke and melted my brains so they won't think creatively? Am I piling up too many projects so I am feeling overwhelmed? If I am doing any or all of these things then why don't I stop and re-focus? I know what I like to create and what my focus should be.

Maybe I merely need to let myself take a break and enjoy whatever it is I spend my days doing for the time being.

What do you do when you have "creators block"?

In the meantime I have a project which is forming in the photos above and will be seen in the future as a finished endeavor. It is utilizing lots of fabrics. So for now the work table is full and calls my name.

Happy creating...

Vacation 2010...

Anticipation, excitement, explore...

Plan, prepare, pack...

Travel, experience, eat...

Exhaustion, overload, frustration...

Visiting, relaxing, enjoying...

Mr. Createology's sister on her lakefront property living the dream.

We had a wonderful time with Sisty and Tom and we enjoyed our visit.

However...

It is so good to be home, safe and in our own bed.

Florence sights...

Welcome to Florence Italy. This is where my adventures began last month when my husband and I went on Holiday vacation. As any of you who travel know the flights are extremely long and crowded. Lots of delays and virtually no sleep so that when you arrive at your destination you are so tired you just cannot even think straight. Fortunately for me my husband is a wonderful organizer and planner and therefore he gets us where we need to be with me just blindly following along. I am usually in such a daze and all wonder-eyed at the sights and sounds that I have absolutely no clue what I am doing or where I am going. I have such a child-like wonder at seeing everything. Traveling for me is incredibly mind expanding.

The Duomo in photo at the top is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and is the centerpiece of Florence. Neptune's fountain is in the Piazza della Signoria and while we were there was being repaired from damage done by someone. Florence is easily managed on foot and we did a lot of walking. Of course we visited Michelangelo's "David" who resides in the Accademia museum. Absolutely no photos are permitted of this most amazing statue. We also enjoyed the Uffizi and the Cappelle Medicee museums.

I just love the tiny little Smart cars. Of course we now have them here in the States but in Italy they make such better sense as the cobblestoned streets and alleys are all so very narrow and crowded.

Oh the famous Ponte Vecchio which means "Old Bridge". It crosses the Arno river and is lined with jewelry shops. This view we took from inside the Uffizi so you can see some glass glare. Our weather was perfect and we had an amazing time in Florence.

I shall share some food favorites and a special spot in a future post. For now we shall say Ciao to Florence.

I would love to hear of your travels to Italy and what your favorite thing might have been.


Ciao...

Vacation Holiday...

Well, after two years of planning Dear Hubby and I are off on vacation holiday.
We will return mid October.
This same time last year we cancelled this trip due to the US dollar being weakened against the Euro. Guess what! It has happened to us again however we are not going to cancel this year. We are going and we are going to enjoy our trip to the fullest. We live only once and this is it.
As we explore and enjoy I am on a mission to also design my newest line of jewelry for "Adorn Me!" which I shall be debuting after our return. I am going to absorb the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and general ambience of each of the places we shall visit.
I shall eat Gelato and savor each tasty tiny spoonful. DH will love all of the food as he is much more adventuresome than I. I will eat paninis and pasta and pizza. I shall try squid with ink however I am not so anxious to do so. I will enjoy every piazza, every fountain, every statue , duomo and every musuem. I shall truly enjoy the people as I love to just watch them no matter where I am. I do not speak the language however I have tried to be familiar with some of the words and sayings.
My bags are packed, I'm ready to go...leaving on a jet plane.
I shall miss checking each of your blogs daily as I have come to do. This trip is a no computer, no "in touch" media time for us to relax and rejuvenate ourselves.
Be safe, be well and be creative.
Ciao