Graffiti Gossip» TRAVEL ABROAD http://graffitigossip.com The jewelry blog and photographic travel journal of Sandra Miller Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:20:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 TEMPLE BELLS FROM THAILAND….and more garden decor http://graffitigossip.com/2011/07/temple-bells-from-thailand-and-more-garden-decor/ http://graffitigossip.com/2011/07/temple-bells-from-thailand-and-more-garden-decor/#comments Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:59:32 +0000 Sandra Miller http://graffitigossip.com/?p=4961 TEMPLE BELLS-GARDEN 7-31-11 2794ABOVE PHOTO TAKEN IN MY GARDEN TODAY OF ONE OF 7 NEW ARTISAN MADE TEMPLE BELLS FROM EK From the first time we traveled to Thailand years ago, there is something that has always mesmerized me about those hundreds of bronze or brass bells that line the elegant rooflines of the temples, from Grande to [...]]]>

ABOVE PHOTO TAKEN IN MY GARDEN TODAY OF ONE OF 7 NEW ARTISAN MADE TEMPLE BELLS FROM EK

From the first time we traveled to Thailand years ago, there is something that has always mesmerized me about those hundreds of bronze or brass bells that line the elegant rooflines of the temples, from Grande to small.  The photo below I took in Chiang Mai Thailand a couple of years ago when I traveled with my friend Diana.

Then there were the larger bells that visitors ring, one at a time as they walk by them.  These larger bells have a tone that resonates for what seems FOREVER!! Being handmade,each has an individual tone and personality of it’s own Simply stunning.  The photo below was also in Chiang Mai at one of the smaller WATS (temples)

Below see a new video I put together highlighting these special bells as well as a few new additions to the garden decor!!  Enjoy my friends and have a wonderful week!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH EK FOR THIS WONDERFUL GIFT.  I KNOW THEY WERE VERY HEAVY TO CARRY ON THE PLANE!!  WE THINK OF OUR WONDERFUL FRIENDSHIP WITH YOU AND A HEARTFELT CONNECTION TO THAILAND, EVERY TIME THE BELLS CHIME IN THE BREEZE

PHOTO BELOW TAKEN IN CHIANG MAI THAILAND, 2008..SEE THE BELLS IN THE DISTANCE!

]]> http://graffitigossip.com/2011/07/temple-bells-from-thailand-and-more-garden-decor/feed/ 3 A SIDE TRIP TO VENICE….SHOPPING TEMPTATIONS EVERYWHERE! http://graffitigossip.com/2011/04/a-side-trip-to-venice-shopping-temptations-everywhere/ http://graffitigossip.com/2011/04/a-side-trip-to-venice-shopping-temptations-everywhere/#comments Tue, 26 Apr 2011 23:35:07 +0000 Sandra Miller http://graffitigossip.com/?p=4541 VENICE ITALY, APRIL 2011A SHOP FULL OF VENETIAN MASKS At the last minute, Ek and I decided to stay 2 nights in Venice instead of Milan and we sure are glad we did.  Tourism was slow this time of year which makes it the ONLY time I would want to visit this insanely beautiful and delicious city on [...]]]>
A SHOP FULL OF VENETIAN MASKS
At the last minute, Ek and I decided to stay 2 nights in Venice instead of Milan and we sure are glad we did.  Tourism was slow this time of year which makes it the ONLY time I would want to visit this insanely beautiful and delicious city on the water.  The prices are unbelievably high and you are trapped into spending everywhere you turn….so we set out to selectively find a few special keepsakes to take home with us.
Below is a slideshow of my own purchases from the Italy trip which included a Venetian handmade, signed and dated dog mask covered in gold and silver leaf, some scrumptious scarves, art jewelry and artisan animal sculptures from Verona , and a poppy painting from the artist in the countryside surrounding Verona.  In Venice  I also bought a knockout Murano glass hand blown necklace I’ll show you soon!

 

 

 

This photo above Ek took with my camera the first evening in Venice. The light was wonderful but the temps rapidly dropping from 75 degrees …I was freezing and couldn’t wait to get a jacket on, but didn’t want to miss a few cheezy shots in some of the prettiest scenery in the world
We stayed at the Concordia Hotel which was overlooking San Marco Square where an orchestra plays all evening and the children feed the pigeons.  There are vendors galore in the square with a couple of restaurants on the piazza waiting to overcharge for a reasonably good meal.  We always ate on the little side streets and grabbed and sandwich on the run or a yummy pasta
We sure loved the masks and wish we could have brought more home.  They are very hard to carry and impossible to pack.  I was so glad my dog mask got here in great shape. I hand carried  the stuffed chow and the mask onto the plane.
BELOW SEE ANOTHER SLIDESHOW WITH MANY PHOTOS FROM BEAUTIFUL VENICE.

 

]]> http://graffitigossip.com/2011/04/a-side-trip-to-venice-shopping-temptations-everywhere/feed/ 0 2011 ITALY CHOW NATIONAL…A SLIDESHOW http://graffitigossip.com/2011/04/2011-italy-chow-national-a-slideshow/ http://graffitigossip.com/2011/04/2011-italy-chow-national-a-slideshow/#comments Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:19:42 +0000 Sandra Miller http://graffitigossip.com/?p=4535 5675068379_9dce3b91b7_zWow what a week we had in Italy and I am just now getting my photos organized well enough to start blogging.  I returned home on Friday and have so much to fill you in on.  As happens more often than not, the wifi does not work as well in other countries as it does [...]]]>
Wow what a week we had in Italy and I am just now getting my photos organized well enough to start blogging.  I returned home on Friday and have so much to fill you in on.  As happens more often than not, the wifi does not work as well in other countries as it does here in the USA, so I was unable to blog but was posting some of the images on my personal Facebook page when I could.
There are almost 200 images from the one day ALL CHOW dog show in the slideshow below.  I will add captions later but in the meantime ENJOY all the beautiful chows and people of Italy.  I think my fave shot of the day was the beautiful woman at the top of this post hugging her chow puppy.  Those eyes are perfection and she had such lovely dogs as well!!
I purchased this same Chow handmade by the Russian artisan who was attending the show.   Ek ended up getting the smaller version.  I hope to get one of the small ones to add to my collection someday too.  They are so accurate and perfect.  I’ll be posting lots of photos of my Italy loot in the next update.

The handsome winner ABOVE!!

LOOK FOR “SHIRIN’S” RESCUE STORY SOON
SEE THE SLIDESHOW BELOW WITH TONS OF PIX!

 

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