2013
For Cameron
I have a very special friend – and he is the son of two very special people I am also blessed to call my friends.
Little Cameron is quickly nearing one year-old, and in his short time on this earth, his presence has changed more than his parents lives’ for the better. Every moment I spend with this beautiful baby boy makes my heart yearn to start a brood of my own.
Well, a one-of-kind kid like this deserved a Christmas gift just as special. I’m a firm believer that handmade gifts are more than just humble productions. They are imbued with love.
I fell in love with the pattern for this noble steed which you can purchase here.
2013
Christmas Twenty-Twelve
This year we transformed our tree, embracing an all things red & white theme. I love working with wool felt and decided to hand-stitch some additions for our evergreen masterpiece. Wool felt has such a humble elegance to it. It’s rich, classic, and quite practical. It’s also so easy to work with.
Zachary was a willing assistant as the designated “snowman-arm-selector” making a few trips to the oak tree in the front yard. He has an eye for these things ;)
The ornaments were stuffed with batting to give them dimension and I stitched in red & white butcher’s twine for hanging.
I hope your Christmas was lovely!
2012
Roman Holiday – Part 2
As I shared before, our B&B was located at the south side of the Piazza Navona. We couldn’t have picked a more perfect located if we had tried. Every evening the square is filled with artists selling their wares, street entertainers trading laughs for coins, tourists, and dozens of tempting cafes and gelato shops.
We visited this square at least twice a day as it became our temporary “home” while visiting the city. In the evenings after a LONG day of walking, we would find some gelato, an open bench or step, and sit and watch the hustle and bustle of the square, soaking up every Roman moment.
On our first full day in the city, we headed over early to the Coliseum and Roman Forum thinking we would beat the crowds and heat. To my shock and Zac’s great dismay, we found a small piece of printer paper taped to the Coliseum gates reading “The Coliseum is closed until further notice. The Guardians are on strike.” Seriously?!? At that same moment it began to rain; the heavens must have commiserated with us…
So we sucked up our disappointment and found a dry spot underneath some olive trees where Zac began to read the history and highlights of the Coliseum from our tour book.
We headed back to home base at the Piazza Navona and decided to make our way towards the Spanish Steps. Along the way we stopped at the Trevi Fountain. It’s miraculous how you cannot hear the roar of the fountains and crowd before turning the alley corner, but once you do, it’s deafening.
Trevi Fountain is not the one of the oldest fountains in Rome, it was only finished in 1762, but it is one of the largest. In fact, it’s the largest Baroque fountain in Rome. The icons depict Oceanus “taming the waters.” The romantic legend tied to the fountain promises that visitors who toss a coin into the waters are ensured they will someday return to Rome.
We arrived at the Spanish Steps late in the afternoon. The “Scalinata” as they steps are called, are the widest in Europe and the 138 intervals lead up to the Trinità dei Monti. The name is the result of the closely located Spanish embassy and their ambassadors who have lived there for centuries. The Piazza di Spagna is also an anchor of the high-end shopping district. I don’t know which was more magical, the steps themselves or strolling down the roads lined with Versace, Gucci, Chanel, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Cavalli, Missoni and more. It was heavenly.