Venice Still Sinking, Dang It!

Scripps Institute of Oceanography is reporting that Venice is still sinking at about 2 mm per year.  It's also tilting a bit too.  This is due to plate tectonics. You can read more about it here.

Christmas Decorations in Murano and Venice

Dear Fellow Glass Peeps,
I'm subscribed to the newsletter from venetianbeadshop.com, and always enjoy their local photos of Venice and Murano.  After visiting and taking a class in Murano with Lucio Bubacco, the memories and wish to return are always present.

*flower shop in Venice, below   (I could get lost faster in Venice than any other city, I think!- but what a city!)

So I'm sharing just a few photos from the newsletter, but if you want to see more, please visit their website and learn a little bit about the local life through their eyes.

*restaurant in Murano, below  (Waking up and looking out to the boats and sunrise each morning on Murano was so touching to me.  It really grabbed my heart.  And being around so many other people who love glass too.)

All photos from VenetianBeadShop.com....

Interesting Blog From Venice

I recently discovered a Venetian blog http://www.venetiancat.blogspot.com which takes me on a mini trip without leaving my home.

From wonderful posts on eyeglasses made from wood, beeswax and cotton, to the wedding of the century on May 14th, pictured above, to commenting on Maestro Lino Tagliapietra's Retrospective Work exhibit, blogger Cat Bauer has a lot to say.  (And if you are one of my very old friends who might wonder, no, she is not a relative.) 

Hope you enjoy the witty posts as much as I do.  Ciao!

Animoto and Piazzo San Marco - Fun Combination

I just tried out a video making site, called Animoto. It was a blast. You can make 30 second videos for free and for a small price, you can go more complex. Being a non technical type, it was great to be able to upload the photos easily, add some of their music (legally) and add a little text. I was using the "free" option, but I think there are a lot more things you can do, if you join.

So for my example are just a few of the photos I took when I visited Piazza San Marco in Venice Italy last spring. The architecture, the history and the size were jaw dropping. I might just head back there soon and try some of my collection of other photos from my trip or even my glass art.

And now it's your turn to create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Back from Italy and....

I feel like I have a bit of a split personality...both happy and sad to have returned from my wonderful trip to Italy.

Knowing it was a chance in a lifetime, I enjoyed every minute there. Made new friends, saw lots of sights and took an amazing class with Lucio Bubacco.

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll post photos and share with you a little more of what I saw and experienced in my adventure.

For now, I'll leave you with this shot of one of the small Venetian canals. I could never get enough of these types of views...perhaps it's the old watercolor artist in me. But to my eye, the combination of the slightly crumbling textures along with the glassy water, makes a composition worth looking at twice.

Counting Down the Hours

I'm so excited. I leave tomorrow for my trip to Italy. Venice and Murano are on the list, as well as a fabulous class in Murano.

I'll try to post a few times while visiting, but just in case, I've prepared some blog posts to tide you over until I return. Cross your fingers though. I'm hoping to send some photos while there.

Any travel tips, thoughts, or other words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated too. Ciao!