Close To My Heart Pumpkin Spice Workshop Kit Content

 

Pumpkin Spice Scrapbooking Workshop Kit Content

https://claudiahenderson.closetomyheart.com/Retail/Product.aspx?ItemID=15621&ci=21803

Here is just a quick intro to see all the content of the Pumpkin Spice Workshop Kit. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s first video of three showing the layouts in detail and how to create them.

This set will retire after October 31st, 2021. So make sure to order your.

Castle Page Layout using a Template

I told you last Friday that these templates are awesome, so I had to give you one more sneak peek before I will post the finished layouts in the upcoming weeks.

Here are multiple shots of the Castle "Hohenschwangau". This Lea France template was actually the first one I saw when we had our monthly get together for making out page layouts. I saw this one and immediately thought of all these wonderful castles we had visited on our trip to Germany last year.

Even so this page is not finished yet, it still is an awesome layout don't you think? I am so loving this technique and really have to stop myself from creating all my pages this way ;-)

Well, I will for sure to all the castles in this style and you will be able to see them here in the weeks to come. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think of these templates!

Stay tuned for more and contact me if you like to learn how to use these template, if you like to join our monthly get together's or with any other question you might have. I love to hear from you...

Shield Page Layout using a Template

Today I give you a little preview of some really interesting page layouts to come.

Remember, last year I showed a few layouts from our trip to Germany. Lot's of flowers and a beautiful trip to the island of Mainau on Lake Constanze. Well, I am a bit behind, but here is the first of many castle layouts to come :-)

It is not finished yet, but I thought I give you a sneak peek anyway.

This is also the first time for me to use a template from Lea France. My friend Vicki introduced me to these templates during our monthly get together were we work on our page layouts. She had this fabulous template creating a shield with your photos and a castle one too....Yeahhh how cool is this! I had to try it!

Well what do you think so far? I can't wait to show the other layouts here once I have the fine tuning done, so keep checking back!

If you like to know more about these templates or how they work, please let me know. Leave a comment below ... 

One last Travel Picture to share

Speaking of traveling around the world... we spend the last two nights of our castle tour in a small town close to Lake Constanz.

Upon arrival at the hotel my husband saw these flags flying outside the hotel. Beside the German, Austrian and Swiss flag he notice this blue one... but neee this couldn't be. Or was it?

When the owner of the hotel came out to greet us we had to ask: "Is this the Michigan flag?" ... Yes indeed it is, how do you know she asked us back.

Well, we are from Michigan.....and guess what! He son is living in Royal Oak and was supposed to come home the week after we went there. The lady told us, she just put the flag up two days earlier and her brother in law made fun of her..."Yeah, as ever someone from Michigan will stay at your hotel!"

Well....never say never! So far we met some Michigander on every trip we took in Germany :-) Small world isn't it?   

More Travel Pictures - Part 2

The last part of our trip lead us around Lake Constanz. A beautiful lake belonging to three different countries. Yes, you can visit Germany, Austria and Switzerland in one day. 

The tower seen here and the little streets with many interesting shops is in Lindau, a town right on the lake. 

 From the German and Swiss side you can catch a look onto the "Rheinfall". This fall is most impressive in the summer time when thousands of lights illuminate the falls at night. It is called "Rhein in Flammen" ( Rhein in flames)and worth see it.

 Here a picture of a cute little town in Switzerland called "Stein am Rhein". A most impressive market place with pained houses and many cafes and restaurants along the way.

 This is an example of a typical house painting in the city..

And believe it or not, this was the eight castle we saw on this trip. Up on the hill and impressive to look at... "Schloss Hohenzollern"....

Wonderful trip and may more picture on my laptop. Guess what I will do during class summer break? 

Check out the next page designs with castles and other unique trip adventures ....

The Flower Island on Lake Constanz

The Island Mainau is to this day in private hands of the family Bernadotte. For generations they grow and develop this island to the botanical attraction it is today.

Beside palm trees, sequoias and many other species from around the world you find local and seasonal flowers blooming all year long.

 We visited the island mid April and we were blown away how may flowers we could enjoy, beside the ones in the palm house.

Daffodils, tulips as wide as you can see.... 

 Beautiful arranged flower ornaments and displays all over the island...

 Beside your family, bring your picnic basket, yes...you can bring your own food and picnic in the parks or use one of the many picnic areas throughout the island. Dogs are welcome too....

 Many water displays and monuments can be found every step of the way.

A huge and I mean huge playground for kids can be found at the entrance and smaller versions of it within the park. Wood structures, climbing trees, slights and so much more...

 The tulips are in full bloom and any color of tulip you can think of....

The island won many awards over the years for their environmental friendly approach to built, maintain and run this island. 

The best part I notice was, entrance fee are very low, parking only 4 Euro's for the whole day, food prices in the islands restaurants very cheap and you can bring your own food ...

... and you will receive a lot in return. A fun day for the whole family and believe me, this was not the last time we visited "Insel Mainau".

Make sure to use one of the ferries that brings you to or from Constanz to the mainland. 
An awesome boat ride with the big alps and snow in the background...

How to you like this trip?

Travel pictures you will enjoy - Part 1

Have you any idea what this monument is? Well, while we were visiting my family in Germany we took a little trip south and visited some of the beautiful castles.

What the Americans call "Cinderella Castle" is really the castle of "Neuschwanstein" near the town Fuessen. "Neuschwanstein" was built by "crazy" Ludwig, the Bavarian King, but never finished.

 Yes, you heard right, it is not finished. Although the outside is finished, the inside only offers 6 rooms completed. It was never lived in and to this day remains unfinished. On the right you see a shot form our bedroom in the hotel. Well... the satellite dish is not a great embellishment, but you can't have it all :-)

Not many people know that "crazy" Ludwig built two more castles and like this one, "Herrenchiemgau" was never finished either. We didn't visited this one, but right across from the famous "Schloss Neuschwanstein" you can see Ludwig's birth home, "Hohenschwangau" castle. A beautiful Moroccan- Maurisch inspired style. A wonderful "small" castle with a beautiful garden and even more impressive inside. A must see while you are there...

Last but not least we visited King Ludwigs only finished castle, "Schloss Linderhof". Tuck away behind hills and trees you can't even see the castle form the parking lot or entrance. A little walkway guides you around a hillside and there it is. Sadly we didn't had much sun that day and since it was April, not many of the flowers and trees were in bloom, but it was still impressive to visit. The King lived here about 6 months of the year and although it is the smallest of his creations, it is the best. 

Whenever you might visit the region, don't just stop at the "Cinderella" one, make sure to see the many other castles in the region...