A Night to Celebrate

It's New Year's Eve, and I guess it's only natural on this day, to take some time to reflect on the past year, but I've never been a big fan of New Year's resolutions. It seems to me that this practice only serves to remind me of my failures over the past twelve months.

So this year, on this last night of 2009, I'm going to change it up a bit. Rather than focusing on my shortcomings, I'm going to celebrate & relive a few my happiest moments & triumphs... it'll be a little gift of affirmation to myself.

I'm going to take a little time to compile a list of things I did well, and I invite you to do the same. You can share them here if you care to make them public, or you caninclude your link in the comments section and we'll all come celebrate with you. Now isn't that WAY more fun than concentrating on the things you need to do better? So here's MY List...

During 2009, I ....

• published three of my most successful patterns to date, the Boho Baguette, the Encore Purse Insert, and the Lollapalooza.
• got exciting news.
• took time for myself and for my family.
• visited several new & fabulous places, both in our country AND overseas.
  
• worked to make a dream, a reality.
• dealt with a few unpleasant situations and survived.
• nurtured old friendships and made new ones.
• spoke up
• was brave.
  
• and was happy with my life on MANY more days than I wasn't.

When I stack it up this way, it seems to me that overall, this really was a successful year. So thanks to every one of you for being a part of it, and here's to more to come for all of us!

Studio Update

You know the finish line is in sight when the carpet starts going down, so today was a REALLY exciting day!

We chose to use carpet squares so we could add a little pizzazz to an otherwise neutral room. Until today, NO ONE has seen this carpet but me and the hubster and I must say, I just LOVE it! What do YOU think?

The little fella thats putting it down says he'll be finished tomorrow, and that means that the cabinet folks can come install the counter tops and the shelves on Monday and then we can MOVE IN!! Woo-Hoo!!!

In the meantime though, the part I have been dreading the worst needed to get started. What would that be? Moving the computers and setting up the office systems from an upstairs functionality to a downstairs functionality. It was enough to give me cold chills.

Lucky for me there's a computer G-E-N-I-U-S in the family, (a la Wiley Coyote). Here's my brilliant son-in-law taking on the imposing task of re-configuring and moving all the old and a few new components to their temporary location right outside the new studio. This way all I have to do, is unplug (one at a time, and VERY carefully of course) the items and move them 20 feet or so into their new permanent home. Surely I can do this... (I hope). Thanks a bunch Steve, you are the greatest!

Meanwhile, here's my daughter, the sweet mother-to-be, brushing up on a little knitting! She's doing just fine, as is my little grandson, who I now know the name of! (I've been sworn to secrecy, but I have been cleared to let at least let you know that his name will begin with the letter "C".) In this case, "C" is NOT for cookie, but it's still good enough for me! I'll just refer to him as 'Little C' in the meantime.

Enjoy your New Year, but be safe.
2010 is going to be epic!

Trying it on for size!

Did I mention this was to be a quiet Christmas at home for us this year? Oh, I'm sure i did, but since our Cabinet guy told us we were free to start loading up the cabinets with our stuff even though the countertops aren't in place, we just couldn't resist.









Here's the finished patterns in their respective storage drawers ready for mailing! I can't believe how much extra room we have now!




So with all the dragging of boxes in and out of the room, it became very apparent that the "boys" were scared to death to come into the new studio with us. Why???? What possible reason could they have to be so afraid of that room? And then it dawned on me... it's the concrete!


Those knuckleheads have never walked on concrete before, (only carpet, tile and wood).
As you know, neither is known for their bravery, but of the two, Jeter always leads the way.


Eventually, curiosity got the best of Joba and since nothing had swallowed Jeter up yet, I guess he decided it was safe to check out the room as well.

Of course, we were holding our breath because as you can see by the body language, all it would take at this point was one noise, (God forbid a sneeze), & it would be two black/white blurs zooming out of that door. And even though this would be hysterical, (and a good way to check out the anti-blur function on my new camera), we want them to LIKE the new room, so we resisted.

So the end is in sight. This week brings the carpet and the countertops, then it's MINE!! What a GREAT way to start a new year!

Merry Christmas!

So it's Christmas eve, and there's still snow on the ground at my house. I don't know if this qualifies in your neck of the woods, but in this part of North Carolina, we count this as an extremely rare "White Christmas"! We just got home from a family gathering and will be spending a quiet day at home tomorrow. We may venture out in the afternoon to take in a movie. Any suggestions?

But the main reason for this post, is to thank you all for your support this year. Here's hoping that your Christmas will be filled with special moments with the folks you love best!

Christmas Market Cruise- It's a Wrap!

So there you have it- Our cruise is over and we're back at home dealing with the holidays, American Style. But I just thought you might like to check out a few pictures of the various Christmas Markets we saw.




First off, every market in every city has it's own personality, but there are some things they all have in common, like Gluhwein, folk music played by local musicians, bratwurst, gingerbread and Christmas ornaments galore! I really enjoyed spending time in all of them.


The Market In Passau, Germany is held against the backdrop of St Stephens cathedral. Along with the usual items, there were some very interesting glass blowers there.

Another thing I thought of the whole time I was there, was how hard it must be to vend at these Markets. They're held during the entire season of Advent OUTSIDE, regardless of weather. Heck, the 3 days of Quilt Market just about kills me. Can you just imagine how difficult this must be? Because let me tell you it was COLD there, and often raining!

There are actually several Christmas Markets in Salzburg, but the largest is in Dom Square. The Austrian Christmas markets are aimed more at children and we saw a cool puppet show complete with marionettes. I dont know what the puppets were saying, but the children were cracking up!

The largest Christmas Market in Vienna is held at the Rathaus. There were LOTS of children there and they looked adorable all bundled up against the cold.


The Christmas Market I enjoyed the most was in Bratislava, Slovakia. Here's a little YouTube clip I found that was taken at the Market in 2006. It really felt more like an open-air festival than a merchandising event. There were performance stages and LOTS and LOTS of food and drink. I've got to admit, some of the food seemed quite strange, especially the various meats, but I loved mixing with the locals and the lights at night were quite beautiful!

I thought that the Budapest Christmas Market featured the most beautiful locally-produced handcrafts of any of the markets. They were also VERY crowded, but this may have been partly because were there on a Sunday.

Nonetheless, it was festive & fun and the Hungarian Folk music in the background was just wonderful!



But alas, all good things must come to an end, and it seemed before we knew it, we were sitting on a plane on a VERY snowy runway, winging our way back to the states. But we won't soon forget the sights and sounds of the Christmas Markets! It's an experience I highly recommend!

Danube Cruise- Day 7

When I looked out my window on this cold snowy Sunday morning, I saw this beautiful building, so I knew we were in Budapest, Hungary. I've seen this building many times in pictures, but I know now, that pictures just do not do it justice! It's simply spectacular, but it's just one of the many things that make Budapest the most beautiful city I have ever visited. AND... to make it all even better, as we were leaving the boat for our tour of the city today, it started snowing!



Even the bridges are works of art. Look at the ornate carvings on this one.










And this bridge was the one that was used during the coronation of Maria Teresa. I just loved it.





Budapest is actually situated on BOTH sides of the Danube River. On the opposite side from the beautiful Parliament building is the Palace and the cathedral. The Hungarians have worked very diligently to restore their city to the splendor it was known for, prior to the Nazi and Soviet occupations. They've done a super job.








We found the people to be warm & friendly, even though the weather was anything but. Budapest has a fascinating history and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit!






But our boat captain had one last treat in store for us. After our farewell dinner, the captain invited us all up on deck while he cruised up and down the Danube, so that we could enjoy Budapest in all of it's nighttime splendor.







What a perfect way to end a wonderful vacation!

Danube Cruise- Day 6

During breakfast on Saturday, Day 6 of our cruise, we crossed over into Slovakia, formerly part of the Czech Republic, a country whose people lived under the oppression of Soviet rule for 40 years or so.

Even though the standard of living in countries that were part of the Soviet bloc lags behind that of the rest of Europe, the Slovakians are no less proud of their heritage and have worked diligently to restore their historic areas to their original beauty since the breakup the USSR.



For example- Here's the beautiful fortress that provided protection for the village of Bratislava for centuries. Our guide told us that she could remember going up to the fortress during the Communist years, and being able to look out over the border to Austria & freedom.





Bratislava is an absolutely charming city and the humor of the Slovakian people is evident even in their architecture. Check out this cast statue of a Soviet soldier spying from a manhole. (It's supposed to be good luck to rub his helmet, so that's what I'm doing.)


Do you see the cannonball incorporated into the molding of this building on the right? It's one of many actual cannonballs that were fired on Bratislava during WWI, & rather than throw them all away, they just worked them into the exteriors of their historic sector. I think its pretty cool!


The Christmas Market of Bratislava seemed to be an event for the entire family, rather than just the children, with LOTS of traditional foods & drinks. Everyone was friendly & very kind to us visitors.








I especially love the way the babies are all bundled up in their strollers. I never once so even one of them crying. They all looked so happy and content, even though they had so many clothes on that they could hardly MOVE! It was almost as thought they knew it was just too cold to be out of that cozy little nest!








But the best was yet to come!

Before dinner, we were told to assemble in the Lounge for some local entertainment that we "would not soon forget". The Pressburger Duo was to sing and play local songs with traditional instruments of the area.

To say this was an understatement would be too mild, because these two guys were easily two of the most talented individuals I have EVER seen perform. They were excellent musicians, but also savvy entertainers who were funny, whimsical & touching all at the same time. I was enjoying them so much, that it never occurred to me to videotape their performance on my camera, so you could see them playing the violin while simultaneously doing Russian kicks. (and I am NOT making this up!) They were amazing! I did find a little clip of one of their older performances on YouTube and you can click here to view it. Their act has come a long way since then, but it'll give you just a little bitty taste of their talent. I love, love, loved it.

I know this sounds like a broken record, but this was the best day so far! And if you EVER get the chance to see the Pressburger duo, don't walk... RUN to get your tickets! You won't be disappointed!

Next stop.... Budapest, Hungary!

Custom Cabinetry

Today we took a quick ride (in the snow) into Winston-Salem to see my new cabinets. The guys are going to begin installing them on Monday, but I just couldn't resist taking a peek, (since they asked us in for a customer appreciation lunch)!



Here's a good shot of a few of them. The 4-drawered low cabinets are for storing finished, packed patterns. You can also see the window seat storage units (for Jeter and Joba of course).







Here's how the interior of the pattern drawers look. I'll be able to store 3 rows of patterns in each drawer. This system will be a big improvement over my current storage method.




And this little unit is my favorite of all. It's designed to fit under my work table, near my sewing machine. I'm going to place organizing units in each of these pull out drawers so that I can see and easily find my threads, fasteners and other small items. This cabinet will be on wheels so that I can move it close to wherever I'm working that day. Isn't it FABULOUS!


I just can't wait to get in that room and start using my new stuff, especially since the fresh layer of snow makes the view out my windows is spectacular!

Danube Cruise- Day 5

So on Day 5 of our river cruise, we woke up in Vienna, and of course... it was raining. No matter, we bundled up & headed out for our walking tour of the city.

Now I certainly don't mean to imply that Vienna wasn't a beautiful city, because it was... or that the people weren't accomodating, because they were... but I was just a tad dissapointed in it. It certainly was wonderfully decorated for the Christmas season, but the overall impression I was left with, was that it was just another busy, big city with a little prettier than average architecture, & VERY serious traffic problems. Maybe I was just expecting too much?

I was glad to stop & shop at a very large Christmas Market located as most are, in front of the Rathaus, (pronounced Rat House in German) and literally translated as City Hall. (Am I the only who finds this both appropriate & hysterical?) It's a little difficult to see, but the windows of this particular Rathaus are covered & numbered as if it was an over-sized advent calendar. Every day a new window covering is opened with GREAT fanfare, which was quite cool to watch!


This particular Christmas Market had a LOT of children's gifts & evidently was a favorite field trip destination for students. I thought they looked so cute bundled up in their heavy clothes, but all I kept thinking about, was what a production it must be when this poor teacher has to take this group for a potty stop!

The afternoon was devoted to a tour of the Schönnbrunn Palace , seen behind me in this picture. The palace has over 1400 rooms & is easily the most opulent place I have EVER seen. No cameras were allowed, but no picture could ever do justice to this place. I loved the ornate inlaid floors & EVERY thing seems to be covered in gold. I was totally inspired & here's an insider's tip... (I am thinking you may see some of this inspiration in a few of the fabrics I choose for my next design)!

We had to hurry back to the boat for dinner though, because tonight we had concert tickets at the Kursalon, featuring the music of Strauss & Mozart (both of whom were local boys). To say that the Austrians take their music seriously would be a gross understatement & each member of this little 10-piece orchestra was extremely talented. I was especially impressed by the prowess of the clarinet player. He was fabulous. And as if this were not enough, the dancers & singers who occasionally joined them were quite breath-taking. And even though I pretty much figured the Concert would close with "The Blue Danube Waltz", it was still surprisingly emotional, to find myself sitting in this beautifully restored hall, one in which Johan Strauss himself may have actually played this piece. All in all, it was a lovely & memorable way to end our day in Vienna.

Next stop, Bratislava, Slovakia! Till then...........

Meanwhile..on the homefront

We may have been taking a vacation, but our builder and his crews were hard at work on our new studio.

When we got home, this is what we found.


The painting is done except for some touchups. The lights are all in place, the power is ON, & the Mitsubishi heat pump system is functional, so the room is nice & comfy. (I'm sure the guys appreciate this, since it's really pretty cold right now.)


Here's a good shot of the driveway entrance, along with my framed storage closet. I'll store my display bags in here.
My husband was especially pleased to see that the landscaping was finished and the bushes are in place. I don't know how much grass will actually grow before spring, but at least the mud is covered with hay, so maybe we wont be tracking as much of it inside.

We couldn't be happier with how it's looking and I'm really starting to get excited about moving my stuff in there and resuming work on my new design, which I haven't touched since my mother-in-law took sick in early November. (Gosh, has it been that long?)

So...stay tuned for more pics and narrative about our wonderful cruise. Now that I'm just about caught up on orders and correspondence I should be able to resume work on those posts real soon!

Danube Cruise- Day 4

Day 4 of our trip began with a nice cruising session thru the Wachau Valley of Austria. We were told it offered some of the most spectacular scenery available and it was TRUE! The weather on our trip has been quite somber up to now, very cloudy and often drizzly (if not raining), but as if on cue today, the sun broke thru the clouds. It couldn't have picked a better moment!

We bundled up and went up on deck to watch our ship make its way thru two diffferent locks. I had no idea this would be taking place and I found it utterly fascinating!

The Wachau Valley is known for it's wine production and the terraces that have been made into the sides of these mountain sides to accomodate the vines is really quite impressive.

Here's one of the many small villages we passed.







I thought this tunnel that was cut into the side of this out-cropping was especially pretty!








This church was completely in stone and wonderful to look at! Most all of the churches in this region are Catholic.









And this particular church was lovely. Take special note of the fortress that was built to protect this ancient community on the top of the hill behind this church.


When we docked in the small town of Krems, Austria, we boarded a coach to ride up the mountain to visit on of the few functioning monasteries in the region, Sticht Gottsweib. It was interesting and I enjoyed the tour and especially the view from that high vantage point, but the best was yet to come....




As a special treat, our tourguide had arranged for a local organist to play a few selections on the magnificent pipe organ within the wonderful church within the grounds... and such a pipe organ!!! Check it out!












The sound of this organ was as beautiful as it looked! Strong, clear notes that were soft when needed and hair-raisingly thundering when appropriate! I LOVED it. When the organist finished his set with "A Mighty Fortress" I could have died and gone to heaven on that spot. This moment alone was worth the trip, believe me, but.... the best was yet to come!


As I was making my way out of the lobby, I noticed a little hunched over old man in a worn-out coat walking by me. When I overheard an employee mention that this little humble man was indeed the masterful musician who had thrilled us all with his incredible concert, you could have knocked me over with a feather! Of course I had to speak with him and was pleased to find he spoke enough english to answer a few of my questions!

All in all, it was an absolutely delightful yet deliciously surprising day... our best thus far!

Danube Cruise- Day 3

So today was Salzburg- I've dreamed of going to Salzburg since the first time I saw the "Sound of Music"! We got off the boat and boarded a bus for the 2 hour drive up the mountain. It was a beautiful drive. Many people were sleeping but not me! I was too excited!

The old part of the city is just gorgeous! Here's an aerial view from the Abbey on top of the mountain.

Do you remember the Von Trap children and Maria riding bikes and hanging off trees down this tree-lined route?













This is the set of stairs that was used for the Do-Re-Mi song. I was dying to get closer to try to re-enact the song, but it was forbidden.

















This bit of ivy-covered alley-way was also included in the "Do-Re-Mi" song!










Next, we took a funicular train up the mountain to the Abbey... you know the one Maria was always in trouble at. !!!

What a fun and FAST ride! And the view from u p there was just spectacular!












But here was the best part of the day and one of my favorite parts of the trip so far...



We were eating lunch in the Abbey at the top of the mountain, and in comes this wonderful little children's choir from Saltzburg to serenade us with Christmas carols! And THEN then finished up by singing all three verses of Edelweiss!! They were so sweet and they really choked me up. Not sure why exactly but I just LOVED hearing them. It really made me feel like I was really here in this wonderful place at this magical tiime of year!

:)





But heres the interesting part. Evidently the people of Saltyburg really do not like being best know for the Sound of Music. They MUCH prefer being know for their being the birthplace of their favorite son, Mozart! And Look! I happened to run into him on the street in front of the Christmas market! He was one of those living statue guys and I gave him 1 Euro to pose for a picture for my blog.



(Im starting to get behind on my trip blogging. Internet connections havent always been good. Ill catch up though, next entry will be the Gottsweig Abbey and Krems! )



Till then.......