I headed south this weekend… for many reasons, mind you, but one exciting reason was cherry blossoms. Perhaps you grew up with iconic photos of glorious Washington, D.C. spring scenery? The National Cherry Blossom Festival opened on Wednesday, March 20 and lasts until April 14, 2013. A month of exhibits, concerts, cultural exchange, runs and [...]
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Palazzo Madama in Turin turns to Crowd Funding
Italy curates and is caretaker to infinite treasures in its museums and historic places. Even before the economy tanked and austerity set in, budgets were tight. In the case of Palazzo Madama in Turin, the acquisition budget has been zero for five years. What’s a Museum to do when a magnificent piece comes onto [...]
New York Sheep and Wool October 20
In New England, the colors are changing and leaves are beginning to fall. We’re pulling out the woolies which makes many fiber lovers very happy… time for the fall sheep and wool festivals! The next month offers plenty of opportunities to hang out with other knitters, spinners, felting fiends, hookers (the crochet kind, of course!). [...]
Vermont Quilt Festival Wrap Up 2012
Delirious from the quilt and chocolate fumes, we rolled contentedly home from the Vermont Quilt Festival on Sunday. After years of leading tours to the Festival, I relished jumping in with both feet, focusing when I wanted, distracted when it pleased me. Our car load decided to add an extra day to our usual 3 [...]
Vermont Quilt Festival 2012
It’s almost that time of year again! Vermont Quilt Festival, here I come! This year, it’s completely leisure. No organized tours (although I will be with my Just Sew friends who were on tours in years past). Here’s a little video I put together a few years ago, which unfortunately I don’t seem to be [...]
May in Italy? 6 Great Events
May is magnificent in Italy… often sunny yet not too hot with green hillsides, fields of poppies and cherry blossoms. There could be nothing nicer than just heading out to the Agriturismo Ca del Re, eating lunch under a tree. Ok, a dessert sampler of three ice creams could make it nicer. But I digress… [...]
My web meets at the Gardner Museum
Recently, I invited clients, friends and colleagues to visit the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum with a textile point of view. Since the Museum reopened in January, there have been crowds clamoring to see the Renzo Piano addition and to visit the collection again. It was great to bring together people from past Tactile Travel [...]
Lighting up a Soul
Saturday night, I went to a party at Giardini di Sole‘s Boston showroom. The party celebrated all kinds of Italian craftmanship: ceramics from Puglia, olive oil from Lazio, and Germano Gioielli designer, Micaela Alfonsi. Micaela is visiting from Frascati, where she creates beautiful sculptures that can also be called jewelry. This was an eye opening [...]
Rhinebeck round up!
Still floating on the wool fumes of the New York Sheep and Wool Festival, it’s difficult not to spend the day imagining what I’ll make with the yarn while eating lovely cheese brought home from the Hudson Valley. Sigh. Some discoveries this year included: Sue Henshaw’s ceramic yarn baskets. Soft yarn, hard basket; at first [...]
The Virtual Traveler
- After the 2013 Boston Marathon“As for life’s tragedies, our love will defeat them. Love is the most effective cure. In the crevices of disasters, happiness lies like a diamond in a mind, so let us instill in ourselves the wisdom of love.” Naguib Mahfouz from Midaq Alley […]
- Thinking Textiles in the Big EasyI’m a ‘heading on down… To New Orleans… (Ok, pretend you’re strumming, I’m singing and tapping)… Thinking of textiles… Not jambalaya or blues… Though I want that too. And so began trip planning for a surprise long weekend, hoisted upon me (with great resistance, you can imagine) by a husband’s conference and a sister-in-law’s desire […]
- Palazzo Madama Meets Crowd funding Goal!They did it! The first Palazzo Madama crowd funding attempt met with great success. As I reported earlier, they hoped to gather 80,000 Euros to purchase, transport and display an 18th Century tea set that once belonged to a historic Piedmontese family. Exceeding the goal by nearly 10,000 Euros, the City of Turin must be […]