We usually do not go away for the winter holidays for a variety of reasons. However, one family holiday that we took stands out in my mind as a wonderful experience that brought us all together in a most special way.
We took an incredible 7-day cruise in Europe in May 2012 starting in Greece and going around the boot of Italy, that was completely unforgettable. My husband Elliot and I had our two grown sons with us, and my mother and sister. The trip involved some fantastic hikes and day trips where we explored the incredibly lush and beautiful Italian coast. It was a wonderful opportunity for our family to connect with one another on a level that went beyond the mundane day to day. By exploring new places together and experiencing things for the first time, we felt exhilarated and incredibly close by the experiences. My boys finally unplugged their headsets, and were of the age (20 and 25)where we could have adult meaningful conversations. There was music and flowers everywhere we went. All with a touch of incredible sophistication and style. We visited towns like Corfu in Greece, Esse and St Paul de Vence in Southern France and Taormina and Ravello in Italy.
I couldn’t believe how talented the artisans we came across in all these towns were–the most incredible array of shops with exquisite handwork on display (particularly fabrics, ceramics and paintings) , and you really could see what inspired them from the scenes around them. Fruits and vegetables that looked like works of art were displayed appealingly.
And the gardens were everywhere. I am such a flower lover, and was completely blown away by the colors, smells, and views.
I decided to capture all the elements of the various displays that stayed in my mind, and incorporate them into the incredibly beautiful and luxurious Tranquility Glitter and Beaded Mohair & Sequins, including the greens, purples, pinks, limes, and a touch of black, that evoked those beautiful towns.
Here are some photographs I took that inspired me to design the Jimmy Beans Holiday Collection yarn that we are presenting here:
And here’s what I came up with: Presenting Artyarns Beaded Mohair & Sequins and Tranquility Glitter in a lovely and sophisticated blend of the rich colors of that incredible region of southern Italy/France.
Available exclusively through Jimmy Beans Wool: Tranquility Glitter is available here and Beaded Mohair & Sequins is available here.