Maria Cristina Bellucci

Check out this amazing jewellery by Italian designer Maria Cristina Bellucci.... love it!!!

Thumbs Up!!

I took my niece to the Ulster Museum Saturday before last ... they have a little ArtSpace on the top floor with all kinds of activities with the resident artists...the theme that is currently running is 'self portraits'  You can choose to draw a small self portrait which is then made into a badge or a thumb print portrait which is then pasted to the walls, here's how we got on....

Logan loves art, she wants to be a designer when she grows up, which makes my heart shine!! ...and today the gorgeous Logan turned 7  

Happy Birthday Loggie Bear  :)

Folksy Friday #22

Chocolate...

This Sunday, Killyleagh Castle will play host to a Chocolate Festival & Family Fun Day.  The event is being organised to celebrate the 350th Birthday of Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753) who was born in Killyleagh and, in addition to many other greater achievements, was the inventor of milk chocolate!!
So, this Sunday, I plan to be sitting in the beautiful grounds of the Castle wearing wellys and a rather fetching chocolate grin :)

my Folksy Chocolate Box selection consists of... (pinks the link)

Death By Chocolate 10 x 8 Print - Dan Jackson Photography

Chocolate Mocha Crocheted Bracelet - Handmade by Vanda

Kitchen Quips Apron Chocolate is.. - HWR Designs

6 White Chocolate Fizzing Bath Melts - Mmmm Bath Melts

Cinnamon Spice Natural Handmade Soap 110g - Soaparoma

Brown Leather Messenger Bag - The Leather Store

Knitted Chocolate Dipped Strawberries - The Shabby Tiger



Colour my world

Jennifer Maestro's fascinating pencil sculptures.  Cut into 1-inch sections, the points were sharpened, holes were drilled and they were all joined together.....and Voila! Well thats over simplifying it but you get the general idea!

Folksy Friday #21

Sunny Side Up!

The working week is almost at an end, I can see relaxation on the horizon.  It may be miserable and raining outside, but come Sunday morning, ill have my feet up with the paper, a big cooked breakfast on the go and a chunky mug full of coffee...  (pinks the link)

(I have actually based this entire Folksy Friday around this one item, I love it,

I love robots and someday it will be mine...infact, Id be happy with any of these items!)

Robot Butterdish - Julia Davey Ceramics

Seedlings Toast Rack - Laura Lees Designs

This has actually sold, but its too gorgeous not to feature

...check out Lou Peajeux for similar items

Retro Rooster Tea Towels - Mengsel

Fry-Up Breakfast Pin-Badge - Nikki Made

Gift Box Chocobot Milkshake Carton, Print and Make - PaperCake Print & Make

Bake More Cake Letterpress Print - PRINT for LOVE of WOOD

Retro Fabric Tea Cosy - Purlesque

Arkadi Monastery

The Arkadi Monastery is located in the Rethymno Prefecture, 25 kilometers southeast of Rethymno, Crete.... high in the mountains, we travelled along windy roads lined with old olive groves. 

History

The historical importance of Arkadi lies in the role it played in the Cretan War of Independence. When the revolution was declared, in 1866, all the leaders met at Arkadi, which was chosen because of its strategic position. Ishmael Pasha sent a message to the monks with the bishop of Rethymnon that the revolutionary committee should leave or else the monastery would be destroyed.

The head monk refused to obey. Later the Turks besieged the monastery where many children and women had also gathered. Soon the besieged realized there was little hope but they fought bravely. Rather than surrender to the Turks, they blew themselves up with gunpowder to avoid captivity. Just a few survived, 114 men and women were taken captives and 864 were killed.

The powder magazine, formerly a wine cellar.

The holocaust of Arkadi was a moral victory for the Cretans. It drew attention to Crete in the West and the way for the freedom of the island was paved.

A decrepit witness of the great battle, wounded and scorched by fire, this old, cross shaped cypress stands pointing to the church.  Bullets can still be seen in its dead bark.

The former windmill of the monastery (pictured below) is used today as an ossuary that preserves the bones of the fighters of the 1866 battle