Bucilla Stocking Construction #7

Tackling the Outline Stitch. 

Re-Grouping Day

One of those days when some shopping and laundry needs to take place. We are hoping to go to Normandy for the weekend. I've been working away on my "Oz in Christmas, " stocking and ornaments. I had a few technical issues making my latest set of videos so I might have to attempt showing the lion being made too. The tinman is done...so adorable.

Bucilla Stocking Construction #6

The applique stitch is this video's focus. This the stitch used to attach the majority of the felt pieces in Bucilla stocking kits.

Paris Aerospace Museum

With two pilots in the apartment it was bound to happen...we made a trip to the Paris Aerospace Museum...or Musee de l'Air. It is located at the LeBourget Airport, north of Paris.  This airport is also famous for hosting the Paris Airshow.

The museum was missing these three blue planes in their display so it was not too impressive when we drove up but it turned out to be a good little museum. There was a extensive display dedicated to the start of flight.

Lots of very early flying machines. Then we made our way to the space side.

My husband picked out what he wants for Christmas next year, a vintage P-51 Mustang...WWI era fighter plane.

My son tells me Alaska is full of these airplanes that still fly all over the bush today, a DC-3.

Outside there were lots of fighter jets.

There was a large selection of commercial planes too...sorry I missed getting a photo of those planes. The prototype for the Concorde commercial jet was on display...I guess that is one of the big draws for the museum. A nice outing for the day.

Bucilla Stocking Construction #5

How to make the Lazy Daisy Stitch and some tips for putting the "Christmas in Oz," stocking and ornaments together. 

Art Museum vs. Christmas Shopping

Today my son and I went to the Louvre Museum. Apparently most of Paris thought it was a good place to be instead of Christmas shopping...but I do have to mention there is a great mall underneath the Louvre...complete with a Starbucks and Apple store...everything this American girl needs.

We were going to watch the dvd, "Da Vinci Code," last night but turns out the blue-ray player I bought doesn't play regular dvds...whoops! I read the book years ago but never saw the movie. Maybe I'll see it before my next visit to the Louvre...because I don't think it is possible to ever see everything in that museum.

I was all excited to see a visiting exhibit of Raphael's work from Italy. My 18-year-old-son just breezed through that exhibit...I figured paintings didn't really interest him. Thank goodness we came to the statues! He found those very interesting and we even saw a wing of the Louvre that was decorated as Napoleon the III had it when he lived there. Quite spectacular. Most of the areas we visited today were not too terribly crowded but then we decided to see the Mona Lisa before we left...gotta do that! That's where everyone was...horribly crowded in the Italian paintings section. We couldn't wait to get outside afterwards.

We trekked to the Latin Quarter and met my husband there for some Greek food. It was delicious and sorely needed to restore my good mood. It's very funny to be around a hungry young man...as we were eating a heavy meal at 4p.m. he was already thinking about dinner! My husband and I told him we could point in the direction for a meal later in the evening...but we would not be joining him. I forgot all to quickly how much my sons could eat!

Cheery Travels

Today my son and I walked our legs off! We started out walking to the Eiffel Tower and then walked along the Seine River.

We crossed the river to the Concorde...

which sits right in the middle of one of Paris's major  thoroughfares.

The obelisk marks where the guillotine was set up during the French Revolution that was used to behead Louis the XVI and Marie Antoinette. 

Right off the Concorde is the Champs Elysees. For Christmas the street was lined on both sides with Christmas booths and a Christmas village...

complete with a ice skating trail around an animal village.

Not a great photo but there were polar bears with penguins and arctic wolves. Just a little irritating to me...penguins live on the other pole...not with polar bears and arctic wolves. I love penguins too but this always bugs me!

At the end of the Champs Elysees we ended our tour at the Arc de Triomphe.

Despite grey skies it was a pleasant temperature and the city was very festive with Christmas decorations.