Showing posts with label Biltmore Estate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Biltmore Estate. Show all posts

Friday, April 26, 2013

force majeure: noun



superior or irresistible force
or
 an event or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled



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Steve Martin has a house somewhere in the hills of North Carolina and performs "When you get to Asheville"...♥ on the David Letterman show.

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No crafting yesterday; I spent it with Carey at the Biltmore Estate oohing and ahhhing over all the scrumptious flowers and stuffing our faces with delicious food. It was a great day!

Walking up to lunch at the Biltmore Inn..

 a rose at every table...

the view from our table...

after lunch, a walk through the beautiful gardens...

and a surprise on the drive out of the estate....

a yellow river of flowers that seemed to stretch forever...

goodbye Biltmore...thank you for an awesome day!

Saturday, March 16, 2013

voracious: adjective

having a huge appetite : ravenous
or
 excessively eager : insatiable
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#25 of 30 Mother's Day cards in 30 days
 
I used a digital stamp from Squigglefly, ( I won it awhile back, but it's the first time I have used it )and because I don't have the right kind of printer I have to trace over it with my waterproof PITT pen...no big deal, but the next printer I get will the right kind!
 
Faber Castell - PITT pens, gelatos
Ranger - Dylusions, stickles
Candy Buzz - font
Squigglefly - Moon clipart
 
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A few more pictures to share with you from my trip to Biltmore, the rooftop Architect's Tour.
 
From this vantage point you can get extreme close up of the beautiful architect.
This is Mr. Vanderbilt himself, carved in stone up among the many gargoyles and grotesques...he really did have a great sense of humor evidently!
If you look close enough you can still see some of the gold leafing that remains on the tiles since 1895.
When you are inside the Biltmore, you are NOT allowed to take any pictures and there are sentries/guards stationed all over the place to make sure that no one touches anything or takes pictures, but our guide let us take one of the huge chandelier that hands in the grand stairwell.
There are definite perks to being in a secluded employee tour!
"The massive stone spiral staircase rises four floors and has 102 steps. Through its center hangs an iron chandelier suspended from a single point, containing 72 electric light bulbs."

Friday, March 15, 2013

Grotesque: noun

 a style of decorative art characterized by fanciful or fantastic human and animal forms often interwoven with foliage or similar figures that may distort the natural into absurdity, ugliness, or caricature
 
 
And here I thought they were gargoyles!! So, did you know that gargoyles have a purpose? Do you know what it is? Answer at the bottom of the post ;)
 
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Carey took me to the Biltmore Estate Inn for a 5 star breakfast!
And it was deeeellliishhh!
 We needed a fortifying breakfast cause we were going to the tip top of Biltmore today. See the flag flying up there? That's where we are heading...by stairs...lots of stairs....

 I was standing in the Italian Garden when I took the above picture and here is the view of where I was, from the top of Biltmore.
Here is the view in reverse, once we were up top.
Breath taking, windy and cold....but oh so worth it...every single step!
And who says that George Vanderbilt didn't have a sense of humor? Grotesques with butt cracks...lol
and boobs!
These are things you don't get to see on the ground!
 
 Did you know that a gargoyle is a spout in the form of a grotesque human or animal figure projecting from a roof gutter to throw rainwater clear of a building?
So now you know the difference between a gargoyle and a grotesque!
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and #25 of 30 Mother's Day cards in 30 days

LOL, I was soooooooooooo tired last night, I could barely make my card, but so far I have upheld the making of a Mother's Day card every day.This card makes me laugh seeing it the next day, I know I'll have to do something to make it better...any suggestions?

ok...update....I think it's better now :)

Cricut - Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge ( created in Cricut Craft Room )
Hambly - butterfly sticker
K&Co. - flourishes
Prima - rub ons
Heidi Grace - glittered flower
Heidi Swapp - black bling
Faber Castell - PITT pens, silver metallic gelato
Traveling Typewriter - font
pattern paper - from my stash
Helmar - Liquid Scrap dots