Showing posts with label Venice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Venice. Show all posts

Focusing on Life - Week 7 - Beauty of Flowers

It's week 7 of Focusing on Life: 52 Photos

 
 
This week Sally's prompt for us was
"Beauty of Flowers"

 
"This week take a moment to bring a little happiness
to your soul and enhance your well being.
Take a moment to enjoy the beauty of flowers."



I Enjoy Snapping Pics of Flowers!!

 
 
No prompt needed on this one!



 
However, with the freeze a couple of weeks back and the one this week as well, our rose garden is 'rose-less', and there's no other flowers blooming at the moment either, so I'm sharing with you some of the flowers I've captured in the past.

 
Click to Enlarge Photos
 

These are from my backyard, from the White Mountains of AZ, from San Onofre Beach on Camp Pendleton in California and from my trip to Italy last fall.

Sommocolonia, Italy (Tuscany)
 
 
Yes, I have a slight flower obsession.



 It's as bad as my obsession with snapping pics of doors, locks/keys and door knockers. 

 
 
Can you tell?! ;-)
 
 
 
 
"Just living is not enough.
One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. "
~ Hans Christian  Andersen ~




Until Next Time,

Peace, Love and Flower Power, Baby!!



Cheers,
~Shel~

Click HERE to go to the Studio Sublime
and check out all the other lovely flowers today!!

Window Shopping Anyone?

The fashion and shopping in Italy seemed to be just as big of an attraction as the ancient ruins and historic sights.
 
 
 
 
 

I tried to get some good shots of the window displays but it didn't really work out too well because the sun was shining so bright on the days these were shot (not to mention all the people in the plazas), so you'll have to trust me when I tell you that they were all amazing!
 
 
 

I'd love to tell you the names of some of the shops but we were running through the squares and I was snapping away with my camera as fast as I could and wasn't always able to step back enough to get the shop/brand name in most of the photos with out bumping into people or before I had to run off to catch up to Marsha and Roberta.

(They were often seen turning around asking, "Where's Shelly?!")






I noticed that although there were pops of vivid colors and wonderful textures every where,
 
 
 
And this dear friends, is how to wear a necklace with a scarf!
Their wrists are bare,...they need bracelets and bangles!!
 
 
 the displays showing clean lines and simple silhouettes highlighting black, white, cream/beige and gray for Autumn were very prominent.
 


Yes, you know gray is one of my favs! 
 



Bold Black and White
(and here I thought Cobalt Blue was the new black this season!)

 
 
The Versace window was so cool - wish I could have gotten a good shot!


And then, there were these boots!  Yep, I'm in love. Simply and utterly in LOVE!  Wild, aren't they?! I was so distracted at getting a photo of them with out some one's hand touching them, I have no idea what brand they are. (I know, I should get a fashion-ticket for that!!)




Another shopping detail was how the window displays had this electric vibe to them.
 
They seemed to come alive and evoke feelings and emotions of actually wearing the clothes and 'being' in the scenario pictured. 


Can't you just see these girls waiting for the metro, off to have a fabulous weekend?
 

Oh, and the creativity of the displays
(most of which I couldn't capture because of extreme window-glare!)
were a visual delight!
 


Shoe Trees!  Quite the forest if you ask me!

 
 
 
Works of art in themselves, I tell you!
 
 

How fun is this?!  And the music playing was great, too!


My excitement was obvious by the little squeals of joy at each window! I'm sure people were probably thinking I was some sort of nut job! At least I wasn't the only one snapping pics of the window displays and merchandise. I guess they're quite used to this by now.











Of course I did have to get some of the 'names' on camera - I mean, there's some things I just don't see every day on my way to work.
 
And, the architecture that houses these wonderful names is equally impressive, if not more, and the blend of the old and ancient with new and modern was a big time rush for me!
 
Textures mixed with smooth, clean lines and soft curves nestled among bold, sharp angles - oh my!




I know I'm kind of a freak (dork!) when it comes to drooling over the fashion scene, but really, it's one of those things that make me tick; that tickles my fancy and makes me smile inside and feel all wonderful and excited with life.

Here's a couple of pieces of jewelry that I designed to go with those gorgeous boots above and those wonderful, soft, cream and beige cashmere pieces in the windows of Rome!

Silver and white with some gray tones mixed in.
 
 

Bold Black and White
 

These pieces will go nicely with the 4 Italian leather handbags I purchased too. Now I just need to find an awesome pair of black riding boots,...like these that my sister smartly talked me out of.
 
 
 
 
See the ones right there in the middle?  Uh-uh,...I know.
Sigh,.......
 
I haven't quite figured out how to wear two pair of shoes at the same time yet and so that little detail, (coupled with the fact that I had absolutely no more room in my suite case for them) meant they were left behind in Rome. I heard them sigh a bit as I walked away! 

I may have to order them online,....

Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Window Shopping!!
Cheers,
~Shel~

When In Rome,...or Venice!

So, the vacation has come to an end.
 
The little village of Sommocolonia, near Barga, Italy in Tuscany where we stayed.
 
 
The sights, sounds, smells (except for all the cigarette smoking) and photo opportunities were amazing!!
 
Colosseum - Rome, Italy. Photo by Michelle Buettner
 
 
I will be posting some great window displays every now and then over the next few months as inspiration with everything from jewelry, shoes, purses, fashion trends - the awesome ways they display products - you name it!
 
Yes, I found the Swarovski Store in Venice, Italy!!
 
 
I'm not really jet-lagged. I thought I would be but luckily I think I figured out how to program my body and brain.
 
Italy really is this beautiful.
Sommacolonia, Italy  (near Barga in Tuscany)
 
 
I'll have my Etsy shops back up the 1st week of October is all goes well. I don't have all of the new designs I wanted to have finished done yet, but hopefully I'll have a few for you.
 
Pretty Blue Turquoise in One of the Shops in Venice.
I felt right at home!! ;-)
 
 
What have you been up to in September?  Have you transitioned into Autumn yet?  Do you enjoy this season and all it's fascinating colors and jewelry styles?
 
 
Until Next Time,
Peace, Love and Returning Home!
Cheers,
~Shel~


Tempo di vacanza!

Well, I'm officially outta here!

I'm on a jet plane headed for Italy with my sister and one of my girlfriends. 
 
 
 
 

We're meeting up with my brother-in-law (who's been hiking the Swiss and Italian Alps this past week!) in Venice tomorrow morning.

 
 

 
I'm actually freaking out! Twirling my hair with both hands (which makes it hard to hold that pre-flight Bloody Mary!!), I've got butterflies in my stomach, tears in my eyes and my heart's beating way too fast! 

I've got Dean Martin singing Sott'er Celo de Roma on my iPod, Paulo Coehlo in my back pack (The Alchemist), way too many clothes in my suitcase and my camera on my hip!
 
 
 
 

We're staying at a quaint little hotel in Venice that my sis's stayed at before. We're taking the water taxi over to Murano (Glass + Beads = Sweet!), going on a gondola ride (of course!) and walking some great little paths along the canals.
 
 
 
 

After Venice we're headed down to Tuscany. Barga to be specific. The most Scottish Village in Italy. Seriously - look it up!  (I'm so psyched about this part!! You have NO idea!!) We're staying in an old farm house that's pre-WWII and survived what so much of the village did not. 
 
 
 
 
We'll be taking some day trips - one of which will include driving over to the Cinque Terre and hiking the hill top towns over there (Yes!  I get to see the water,...and a beach!!) and possibly visiting Siena and San Gimignana and going to a winery (oh yeah baby!!).
 
 
 
After that, we'll all be heading down to Rome and staying in a friend's apartment which is situated in an area that's close to the Colosseum and all the other goodies Rome has to offer.  I'm excited to get some really cool pics of all the amazing architecture and ancient ruins!  Oh, and we're going to an opera while in Rome. I know - pinch me now!!
 
 
 
 

Then there's that little nagging thing in the back on my brain that keeps the tears right there on the verge of spilling over and running down my cheeks,.....my boys will not be with me. (insert sad face here!!)

I can't tell you how much I am going to miss them. And it's not only the fact that we'll be apart longer than we've ever been apart before,...but it's the distance. Oh, geeze,...the distance. My stomach is in knots, and the butterflies are fighting and knockin' each other around in there!!  Holy Cow - this is the most difficult thing for me right now, you really have no idea!
 
 
 
 
 
 
But, I know I'm going to have fun. And, I'm with family so it's not like I'm with people I haven't traveled with before or anything like that for goodness sakes. And they're fun people to hang with, too - that's for sure. So, I know I'll be fine. More than fine,...I'll be in Italy with my sister!  OMG!
 
 

 
 
 
A long time ago, probably between 15 to 20 years ago, Marsha and I said that we'd someday to go Italy together. Well, today's the day!
 
I'll be silent here on the blog until the last week of September. I'm not sure I'll even be able to post to Facebook or anything like that (all kinds of iphone/Verizon drama!!). I know I won't have email, so there will be a lot to read when I return home! LOL!! 

I hope you all have a fabulous next couple of weeks and I'll be sure to post pics upon returning.

Until Next Time,
 
Peace, Love and Sitting Under the Tuscan Sun!
 
(oh, and fulfilling dreams!!)
 
 
 
 
 
Ciao!
 
~Shel~