Eiffel Tower
How to begin to tell you you about the wonderful time we had on the Rhone River Cruise! It was an amazing time. Dale and I flew to Toronto and met up with Randy and Judy and flew together to Paris, already a fun start. We went a few days early so that we could be a bit more acclimatized - I felt so stunned last cruise when I was the last to arrive in Prague, that I did not want that this time again! <grin> Then starting on Monday we hopefully greeted everyone who was arriving in the next few days and did some great tours around Paris. We got to visit 2 stitching shops, I think they were a little overwhelmed with our numbers!
Monet's Garden, Giverny
We took the TGV train to Lyon as that was where the ship was docked. Everything is so well laid out and not stressful, Dejean the cruise director for the AMA Cello our ship for the week is amazing and so along with Judy - they keep us all organized. It is hard to say what was best, but for me the best is just the company, the whole ship was our stitching group, not all stitchers, some husbands or sisters and such that are not stitchers but still a good portion of stitchers! So one could visit anybody in the lounge many people would sit and stitch but when it was tour time we all went on the many different little tours that had been set up previously. Monet's Garden, an olive farm, a chocolate and wine tasting in an old castle.... just to name a few..... and then just hanging out with the freedom of going off ship easily to go to town as one is docked right in the middle of the town or city.
Rolling on the Rhone Sampler
We had a couple of finishing classes with Mona Bost and we had The Silver Needle shopping times and of course the "Rolling on the Rhone" sampler. I wanted an alliteration - you all know how I love those...the Christmas Markets sampler had been called "Down the Danube" you see, so I needed a match! Some stitchers got quite far on the cruise and I expect there is quite a few who have completed the sampler, which is awesome! I have both mine hanging in my office and it truly is such a nice way to recall the trip.
Lavender field in front of the pond d'Avignon
Sagrada Familia
After ending the cruising part of the trip in Arles, we were on a bus to Nimes and then with the TGV train to Barcelona, what a great few days there. We saw the Sagrada Familia , amazing as it is still being constructed after 100 years. I walked Park Guell in the blazing heat and saw Gaudi's mosaic wall. We walked Les Rambles and all in all my fitbit had quite a workout everyday!
It was very sad as everyday more and more people left and Sunday afternoon, Judy, Dejean and I looked at each other and smiled in thankfulness. Grateful to you for making the journey with us so very fun and memorable. We did announce our next trip - Tulip Time at the end of April beginning of May 2019...... seems far away but it will come quick enough. Check with Judy Bradford at Cambridge Cruise Ship Centers for info and come and join in on a wonderful trip.
Holyrood Farmhouse
Then our family fun was just beginning, Dale, my daughter Sylvia who had met us in Barcelona and I all flew to Edinburgh on the Sunday evening. We arrived to rain no less! But that was mostly it, we had some beautiful sunny days in Edinburgh and for our older daughters wedding Arielle the day was hot and sunny. Arielle had organized an air bnb for the 2 families and we totally enjoyed staying the Holyrood Farmhouse. Yes, just around the corner from Holyrood Palace. I got to check out the Mary Queen of Scots stitching at Holyrood Palace and at Stirling Castle there was a Tapestry shop with pictures and wools showing how some of these old tapestries are fixed or maintained. It was a wonderful week in Edinburgh, and tasted some good Scotch! On the Saturday Arielle and Jesse had a handfasting ceremony where their 2 hands were tied together with the 2 tartans of their respective families. Jesse wore his kilt and Arielle a beautiful Louden tartan shawl once the handfasting was complete. Sylvia and I had Douglas Tartan shawls and Dale wore a Douglas Tartan tie. The bagpiper and drummer made it complete.
Arielle and Jesse Louden
This past weekend we had the Calgary Wedding Garden party in our back yard and now I can get back to my usual.......so yesterday we shipped our Canadian Patriotic Snippets #9 & 10. Check out the front page on the website for a photo. I will admit I am a bit sad that this too is ending..... it's been a wonderful time seeing all your different stitching on this project, keep the pictures coming. We hope to get the next shipment out either the 9th or 16th of August. We will have a little present for you at the end! My daughter Sylvia took 4 of the snippets-#1, 5, 6, & 11-and Screen printed and hand letter pressed some postcards for us. If you are interested please send me a note and we can get them out for you. they come in a package of 4 - mostly on the off white colour but there are a few on a natural coloured paper. The size is 6 x 6 - the photo of the set is here. Haha, still hiding #11!
Patriotic Postcards
One other thing of note and that is many of you have loved both Vintage Flowers and Vintage Birds, we have restitched Vintage Stars with cotton floss and put it on that lovely Picture this Plus Legacy fabric. It turned out great and I will give you the colour change below. It will make a nice match to the other 2 this way..... now to find a 4th! :) Thanks to Don Henrickson for the restitching.
Vintage Stars from Needlepoint Inc. Silk to Cotton floss chart conversion
NPI 124-Used Brick-CC
NPI 154 -Crystal Lake -GA
NPI 204-Root Beer Float -CC
Screen Printing
NPI 292-Endive- GA
NPI 694-Wheatfields -GA
NPI 951-Toasted Barley -GA
Hand Letter Press
NPI 954-Wood Trail-GA
NPI 971-Pebbles -GA
NPI 974-Hickory Sticks -CC
NPI 986-Burlap -GA
Vintage Stars with cotton floss not originally on pattern
It is full on summer, I have big plans...... hahaha! I am working on about 4-5 projects- one is a rather large one to come...... and of course some teaching pieces! Check the events page we will be adding more dates to 2018.....
As ever.... jeannette