V A C A T I O N !!

Pack up your things, ladies, because we are off on vacations of all shapes and sizes! Even though a lot of us are stuck at home for the summer due to sky-high gas prices and vacation costs, that doesn't mean we can't plan an amazingly fun make believe vacation!! Post pictures, write a bit about your choice of vacation, and let us in on all the details! By the end of the day, we all will have traveled all over the world...! :)

My mom, Heidi, and I are so happy to be hosting this fun event!!!! At the end of this blog, I have listed all of our participants and I hope you all can get to everyone's pages and see where everyone has chosen to "travel" today! If you visit a blog, leave them a comment to let them know you popped in... get to know new bloggers and have FUN on vacation!!! Now let's get started......

I am packing up all my prettiest dresses, jewelry and favorite shoes to take with me on my lovely destination today!!

I will have a long plane ride today, so I need a comfy sweater to travel in.... but of course, I'll toss on some fabulous heels! Here I go on the plane ride across the US and further, all the way across the Atlantic to........................

ITALY!!!!

Since I have never been to Europe, I thought I would pick one place on my list of places to visit! I am an art history major and have been entranced with Italy for a while now, wanting to visit Florence, Rome, Tuscany and Venice to check out all sorts of amazing and historical places and pieces of art. I was racking my brain today trying to figure out which city to travel to, or if I should hop from one to another, but finally decided on Venice!

Venice, the "city of water," the "city of bridges," and the "city of lights," and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I thought this was an ideal place to "visit" today... what a perfect place to spend a summer vacation and explore! In Venice, the modes of transportation are either walking or by boats.. how wonderful is that? The canals serve as "roads" and there are NO cars allowed in the city...

I figured I might as well book a reservation at a splendid five star hotel overlooking the water, a suite complete with a garden terrace... I will nibble on a croissant and some fruit before going out to explore the city...

A crisp morning greets me in this amazing city....
Maybe I should take a gondola ride and try to get a personal tour of the buildings and history of Venice..
Possibly a quick stop at an airy, outdoor cafe, sipping on a cup of coffee while people watching...

Lunch at a gorgeous patio restaurant....

Then it is back to check out the hotel a bit more, maybe curl up in my fantastically ornate and upholstered bed to catch up some reading before venturing out in the city once again...
Fresh flowers, velvet plush chairs, fabric, wallpaper, beautiful lighting.... in short, the perfect vacation suite for myself!
And check out the view from my bedroom window.. right out to the heart of Venice and the gorgeous waterways... And now it is out to experience the city a bit more..
Travelling through the canals in order to do a bit of afternoon sight-seeing..
Stopping to admire and bask in the grandeur of Basilica di San Marco a Venezia... or more simply, St. Mark's Basilica. This is one of the Byzantine buildings that I have studied in art history courses, and it awed me in pictures alone, so experiencing it in person must be jaw-dropping. (I am really trying to imagine myself standing there looking up at the architecture of the cathedral....!!)
Looking across St, Mark's Square to the cathedral... what a breath-taking example of art at it's best. Hopping a gondola to travel around a bit more before it gets too dark... I still need to see the Doge's Palace before going back to my hotel..... ;)
Strolling down a narrow lane between these age-old buildings....
I will grab a bite to eat before heading down to the water's edge once again...

And here is the amazing Doge's palace, another of my "things to see" around Italy from my art classes... originally a palace home for the Doge of Venice, this is a classic example of a gothic-style architecture. The beautiful columns line the edges of the building, both inside and out.
Another view of the Doge's Palace, strolling underneath the columns and massive construction of this palace.... a place that anyone would have to visit if they travelled to Venice.
And finally, my day is coming to an end in Venice, Italy. The sun is setting on the city, the water, and my vacation. It was an amazingly inspirational "day" here in Venice and I am so glad I could share my make-believe travels with you all.
Let's pack up those bags and get back to our cozy homes, which we can appreciate so much more after a day away.. :) I hope you all enjoyed my trip, as well as everyone else's over the course of today. Visit the participants and say hello to each other... it is always nice to make a new friend, and what better way to get to know people than step into a dream vacation with them.. Bon Voyage and enjoy your trips!!!! Thank you so much for all of you who have designated today as "Let's Go on Vacation"!! xoxoxox

1. Heidi from Foxgloves, Fabric & Folly
2. Alicia from Butterfly*Gems
3. Cecilia from Nifty
4. Madrin Designs
5. Tonya from PuddinPop
6. Mallory from Mallory D. and her Big Bodacious Blooms
7. Rachel from Cherry Tree Lane
8. BJ from Sweet Nothings
9. Jeanne from Backyard Neighbor
10. Mya from Creative Musings
11. Vintage Girl at Heart
12. Diane at A Picture is Worth 1000 Words
13. BrainMosaic
14. Cole from My Menagerie
15. Kari and Kijsa from Ask Kari and Kijsa
16. Beverly from How Sweet the Sound
17. Molly from Molly B.'s
18. Rhonda from Scooterblu's Whimsy
19. Shaybert from thirtyandholding
20. Joanna at Sweet Finds
21. Brittainy at The Litany of Brittainy
22. Melissa at The Inspired Room
23. Shirl at Shirl's Rose Cottage
24. Jan at Jan and Tom's Place
25. Jill at Bailiwick Designs
26. Schotzy at Wings of Eagles

**It is never too late to sign up... please post a blog with your dream vacation still, and email me! Ill add your blog to the list so you won't miss out. :)