And now to France...

It is nice being in France because at least I can communicate a little....I am always happy being in la belle France and it feels very comfortable being there....let's have coffee and then go out and see what's out there, d'accord?

A few blocks out and I spy a flea market...let's have a look...

I always MUST look thru the old postcards...

Old coins, old currency, postcards, stamps, letters.....
what's not to like?

If you see this guy, follow him....trust me....he knows ALL the best places to go...

Inspiration is everywhere....even the soap looks beautiful...

La Poste has bikes all over...I was tempted to take one for a spin but I thought better of it..

It wasn't easy to keep up the travel journal with all the excitement but I did it.
Needed a pastry for energy after all that walking...

Feeding the La Poste mailbox...

This was just a brief look at Strasbourg -- a really lovely city in France -- lots to see and do and much fun to be had.  Museums, great restaurants and bakeries, beautiful old buildings, outdoor food markets, flea markets, cafes, amazing churches....You might want to put it on your list!

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A Berlin Flea

This  is no time for slacking - there are treasures waiting out there - so get that cup of coffee and get going! The subway stop is right out there.

It was a long subway ride and outside of any touristy neighborhoods and it was COLD (trust me) and rainy but oh! it was totally worth it. And so much fun.

Alwas a good sign when things are casually tossed out on the table and not all fancied up...

Seeing all these cool old negatives made me wish I still had my darkroom.

Bring it on -- paper ephemera -- my favorite.

Vintage tins

I only bought ONE!

But I did get quite a few vintage postcards. I look for beautiful cursive writing and great cancellations on the backs.

Oh boy. Yes, boxes and albums of postage stamps. Kind of daunting to go through....

This flea market had quite a lot of food trucks -- and beer trucks -- but I have to say I've never seen a  Country Potatoes truck before.

You could get potato pancakes and wurst very cheap and it was delicious.

Do I speak German, you ask? Sadly, no. But I speak flea market -- I always bring a little notebook and pencil for the seller to write down the price and for me to bargain. Everybody bargained -- and, with a good attitude and friendly smile you will go far.

After freezing for a couple of hours we voted for cake. Wouldn't you?

And I could write about my experiences at the flea market -- and what I got -- in my travel journal that evening.
Are you wondering what treasures I found?
I'll show you next time.
Now I've got to think of projects to use them in. No hoarding. If I buy it, I've got to use it.
One thing I love about traveling is all the art material I have when I get home. I am always inspired to make things! ACT's, books, collages, zines.....and that is just what I've been doing.

Thanks for coming along with me to the flea market.
It was fun, wasn't it?

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Bella Roma

Roman letters dated from the 1800's for less than a euro......was it a dream?

Yes, I am back from my latest travels and heck no, I don't want to be....but I am busy looking at my hundreds of photos, putting the finishing touches on my travel journal, printing out the zines I made while traveling and looking at my beautiful flea market ephemera.
Want to come over and hang out with me?

My wonderful husband found flea markets in all three countries and I scored! I owe him big time, especially for all the time he spend going through boxes of paper looking for things I would like...

I enjoyed seeing all the mail boxes around town too. The ones in Rome are usually covered in graffiti.

When I wasn't looking in boxes of ephemera I was looking UP a lot. Those ceilings! I really want some angels and saints painted on my ceilings here at home.

Just looking at all the beauty in the small details was so inspiring. In Rome, beauty is everywhere you look.

It is so inspiring. I came home filled with ideas of things to make...

We had cake just about every afternoon. We needed it to keep our energy up, don't you think? When in Rome.....

There is also a daily stamp market in Rome (with prints and books as well). So civilized ...I wonder why we don't have things like this in the USA?

I've got lots of collage materials to keep me busy till my next trip...

And, aren't these little tin boxes perfect for storing stamps? Italian stamps I'd say.

I have LOTS more to show you of you are interested so let me know in the comments. There is still Berlin and Strasbourg and the travel journal and zines -- but I don't know if you want to see it if you don't tell me.
Now, I think I will go and play with paper.

Mixed various

Hi everyone!
I wish I could show you everything I've been working on but some things haven't reached their destinations so I can't ruin the surprises.....soon...
I finished up my MARS passport and it is quite appropriate since I am an Aries and Aries is ruled by Mars.

I really had a lot of fun working on this and I'm actually thinking of collaging in another one since I still have lots more space stamps and ephemera leftover...

For some reason, I love these guys floating around inside the space shuttle....

Since I was on a space roll I had to make some spacey envelopes too. This went to Russia and is already there.

Couple more envelopes with a space theme...

I started prepping my travel journal.....and getting things ready for my travels...

There is sooooo much planning for these trips but it really is all part of the fun....gotta find the flea markets....and cool post offices and good restaurants....

Yep, I added tabs to my travel journal and divided it up into three sections...a week in each country...

And...Rome....last stop.....
pasta and holy cards!

I made two tiny books.....very tiny...

Of course there were lunches....this is one. Delicious potato-bacon soup so I  figured it out and made it at home....we have been having cold and rainy weather so soup is perfect.

The sun actually did shine a few days last week and I found a spot right in my neighborhood with a terrific view.
But I don't see any mail boxes from up there, do you?
It's raining again today but I kind of like it. Good for staying in and working on art projects. 
So many ideas.....so many projects...
And now I am taking up embroidery and slow stitching. I really need another project, right?
I do.
And what are YOU all doing? making?planning?
Let's hear from you.

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