TREASURES TO MY HEART

I hope you were not too bored with all of my posts. It was definitely a labor of love. First getting all the pictures into the mosaics and then of course putting each post together. Blogger still doesn't work right for me when I post so I have to go into Html dozens of times to fix the spacing while I am reading and correcting things. I read and re-read each post several times. I am sure I still made some mistakes and I apologize for that. I definitely have a new appreciation for the writers who travel and put together those guide books!

These items were not expensive but they are priceless to me since I was able to buy them when I was in Europe. Of course my credit card would beg to differ with that statement. ($1,800) Let's remember that this included my expenses as I toured alone most of the time, our tickets to Versailles and gifts for others.

These are the four stamps I got in my passport.

Lots of goodies here. My flying saucers, a wrist band in yellow from Fat Face, Mind the Gap & French Bread magnets, little Harrods Mini Cooper, Harrods tea towel (dish towel to me) and a Eiffel Tower charm with red mushroom on it. I have always loved the little red dotted mushrooms, they remind me of my Bohemian heritage. I got my great nieces each one with a red ladybug on them to remind them of me! I bought a great Fat Face bag and had bought each couple one too. A little metal sign from the Chocolate shop I went to in Paris. Two magnets the I picked up at Harrods of the phone booths and mailbox. Got a couple of trinkets in Italy and my two ornaments, one of a taxi the other a double decker bus. Remember to click on the pictures to enlarge them.



I picked up a few ornaments that I liked and a few other little hanging items. Loved the Westminster Abbey ornament especially because it had a date on it . I gave Tristen one of the little birds and the little button heart was just too cute to pass up. I bought an ornament at Kensington Palace, one to honor William & Kate's wedding and one at Versailles. They are just so pretty.



I bought us a tiny Eiffel Tower, bought a few lavender scents at Kensignton Palace, my new pink Rotary Watch that I bought on that flight and a cute little wallet I bought in Italy. That is also the pink scarf I bought in Italy. I came across the little ballet shoe key holder at the Museum De Orsay in Paris (I collect little shoes) and a little flower hair clip that I bought. I wanted to buy a hat but I knew I would never where it. I most likely won't wear this clip either! I bought one of the little ballet shoes for Tristen and it is actually made by a ballet shoe company.



My Princess Diana engagement ring that I found at the gift shop at Westminster Abbey. I actually wore it to the Casino last week. A bag from Buckingham Palace and a large towel to commemorate the wedding. I was never able to find the engagement tea towel. I was told once they sell out they are gone. I bought two little crown pins and then they had these limited commemorative pins of the wedding at Westminster Abbey. I bought several to give to my nieces, great nieces and a few other people in my life. I bought a souvenir book of the wedding, a Kensignton Palace bag, a Buckingham Palace face cloth and a tea towel from the wedding that matches the ornament I bought.



Since I have been home I received the Hello magazine from Phil's mother. It was so sweet of her to send it to me. She just sent me a flyer from her paper the other day too. Anyway I had seen that magazine at the airport and wanted to remember to buy it before we went home. Well I never got it and was thrilled when she sent it to me. I bought a fan at Versailles along with a bookmark & pen. (I collect pens too) I have my collection of ticket stubs which I think are fun to save. I guess it's obvious I like to save things but I'm not a hoarder! The three little cards are from the Worcester Porcelain Factory. They are drawings of teacups from the past that they use to make. I had Tristen pick one out and she framed hers. I was going to have my MIL & SIL each pick one out the next time I see them. I dried the rose that Mark bought from a street vendor on our Anniversary. We got several little things from Virgin with our flights. We didn't use them so I passed some on to the kids.



I have a little story about the two little giraffe bandz. One is a ring and the other is a wrist bandz. My great niece Ashlynn gave them to me. I took them to Europe with me and wore them all the time. When I got home from our trip the ring was not on my finger. I know it was on when I boarded the plane so I assumed I lost it on the plane because I searched everywhere for it. I felt really bad about this because I couldn't wait to tell her that I took them with me. So last week when I got around to taking these pictures (which I really didn't do a good job of) I placed the Fat Face bag on the bed and suddenly there it was!!! I was so excited. What I have done is taken that passport picture above, added the little giraffe picture to it and will print it out. Then I will mail it to Ashlynn with a note telling her all about their journey.

I forgot to show you this little cutie that I bought at the airport right before we boarded our plane to come home. It was an impulse buy for sure! It was my last chance to get something in Europe which was so silly because the exchange rate just made it cost more than buying it here. But now I can say I bought it in Europe.

Something else to add. Remember Phil from Mark's office and his friend Ali who helped me so much in Europe. Well Ali came in last Friday from London and we went to dinner with them on Tuesday evening. It was so nice to see her again. It was an evening of wonderful conversation and some great wine. I just love listening to their accents.

My dinner was so delicious. There is a restaurant named Mario's Place across from the Mission Inn in Riverside. We go there for office Christmas Parties all the time. I had freshly made mozzarella on top of sliced small tomatoes. We had some delicious risotto and a steak that was perfection. You would not believe the presentation of these dishes. I didn't bring my camera because I didn't want to embarrass them at the table or look like a fool at this really fancy place.