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Aruba is a Dutch island in the Caribbean. This is so beautifully obvious in it's architecture as you take a stroll around town. Shall we?
This is the beautifully restored house of a national hero Boy Ecury. It is now part of the of the complex that houses the Archeological Museum.
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| Sometimes you just need to look up... |
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The more touristy part of downtown. Most people looking for bargains: perfume of jewelry being the most sought after. For me, I walk around being flooded by memories of a happy carefree childhood. We often used to walk these streets after school to get to my dad's Dentistry Practice. |
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| I am so happy that some of these old private houses have been 'saved' by turning them into Government offices. |
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| This is a lovely example of a restored traditional 'Arubian House'. This one turned into a dutch restaurant. |
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| Fort Zoutman, for a bit of history, go here. |
Hope you enjoyed that. Now let's sit on the veranda. Can I offer some of my mom's lemonade?
I have been so wanting to share my niece's pinwheel quilt with you.
Remember how I told in early december how easily it was coming together?
Some quilts are like that, aren't they? After simmering for a while they almost make themselves. Others simmer for years!!!
:)
This quilt was a wonderful way to end 2010. And my niece's joy receiving it and her proudly placing it on her bed, was quite overwhelming to me.
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| Enjoy it, my sweet! |
Something struck me so deeply as I was taking these pictures. I realized for the first time (duh!!!), how much my quilts are influenced by the colours sprinkled throughout the island. I am serious, I never stopped to think that I carried these colours of my childhood with me.
I look forward to see how this new realization and acceptance translates into the quilts to come!
:)
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If you are, like me, wanting to help our Australian sisters, but so overwhelmed not knowing what to do, please Visit Robyn. She has put together a very comprehensive list as to how we can lend a hand.
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beautiful pictures! so much color and inspiration!
ReplyDeletewelcome home!
Oh Velentina, thanks for sharing your home country with us. I just love how colorful those building are. I don't know anything about Aruba, but I will read more about it now that I know you came from there. The cute is gorgeous and your niece will treasure it all her life. Thanks for supporting Qld. floods - Hugs Nat
ReplyDeleteYay... Post a comment...lol... Love the post Valentina, and beautiful images, but as I look at your pictures, I can't help thinking they would make great jigsaws! I don't mean this rudely, it's just that I enjoy doing jigsaws when time permits :) Happy crafting, Jenny
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour, I loved it! And the quilt is amazing!
ReplyDeleteColorful, awesome, inspiring. Right now I could use a dose of warmth. Oh how I love that green. I know it was really special to deliver a quilt in person. It's lovely.
ReplyDeleteOverwhelmingly beautiful post...both in color, thoughts and words. Thank you for taking us on a tour of your childhood home.
ReplyDeleteI love the quilt that you made for your niece...well done!
How wonderful to wake this wintery, gray, cold morning and spend a bit of time enjoying your photos. It didn't take long to feel warmed and comforted by the colors and beauty of the places you shared with us.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that you can relate quilt-making choices to your childhood. I assume many of us have an influence of some sort, and how special it is that you can identify yours.
Your niece's quilt is wonderful! What fun it is to make a surprise for a young relative. Those have been some of my favorite projects.
I wish my neighborhood was that colorful! what a wonderful walk - thanks for posting, V.
ReplyDeleteWhat beauitful colors and archictecture!
ReplyDeleteAnd your quilt turned out spectacular!
WELCOME HOME!!! Boy, did I miss you, and I feel lucky that you ever returned when I see the utterly charming island you came from. Just WOW. Someday I wish you'd share a bit about your family history...how, and when, the first of them arrived in Aruba, and other wonderful info. Your niece is darling, and clearly is enchanted with her beautiful quilt. I suspect you have some resting up to do. Love, Michele
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour Valentina it is beautifull,how wonderfull and exciting for you to be back and to be enjoying all this beauty with your family,xoxo theodora
ReplyDeleteThanks for a wonderful tour. I have never been to that part of the world but hopefully one day I will! And the quilt! It's gorgeous; what a lucky girl your niece is. Hugs Vreni x
ReplyDeleteWat een mooie foto's Het ziet er als een geweldige tijd uit die jullie daar hebben gehad en wat een mooie quilt. Kan me voorstellen dat ze erg blij mee is.
ReplyDeleteValentina ,thank you for showing the photos of this beautiful island ,i love the colors and architecture of the houses ,your nice is one lucky young girl the pinwheel guilt is so beautiful
ReplyDeleteLovely pictures of a beautiful place and great memories for you. Your niece's quilt is just gorgeous - lucky her!
ReplyDeleteI csan see where your colour sense comes from now. What a lovely colourful place to be and it looks so pretty with its delicate looking buildings. Your niece is a very lucky girl to recieve such a wonderful quilt but I am sure she knows that you are a treasure too.
ReplyDeleteGood to have you back. Have missed you.
Love Shirley.x
What a gorgeous place that appears to be!! All those wonderful colours on the houses -- so, so beautiful and cheerful and happy! No wonder you've carried the colours with you.
ReplyDeleteYour post made me think and I realized that the blue and white I am always drawn to were the colours with which my mother invariably decorated.
WOW... THANKS A BUNCH for these gorgeous pictures, sweetie ! Such architecture and colors, and YESS, absolutely : your quilts are proudly showing those colors, treasured in your heart ;>)
ReplyDeleteNow THAT quilt you made is soooo gorgeous, too!
I'm speechless, you had sent me a picture before leaving, but seeing it like this, floating in the tropical breeze is sooo special.
YOU'RE THE BEST ! ;>)
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
NADINE
Welcome home.
ReplyDeleteYes strong saturated color and crisp white. Aruba for sure.
i like the pinwheel quilt. Great smiles and photos.
And now more stitching Enjoy
Wonderful pictures, as always. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteDank je wel dat we even mogen mee genieten van dit prachtige eiland. Het is een parel en wat moet het geweldig zijn om daar op te groeien. En natuurlijk weer terug te komen na enige tijd.
ReplyDeleteDe quilt voor je nichtje is geweldig geworden. Zo mooi fris is dat rood-wit-blauw.
Jossie
Welcome home Valentina. I love your childhood home and thank you for sharing it with us. Your niece's quilt is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThank you for supporting us with the Queensland floods. Queensland needs all the help it can get I'm afraid.
Fijn dat je er weer bent! Heel erg bedankt voor de prachtige foto's van Aruba; ik kan me goed voorstellen hoe heerlijk het is door het land van je jeugd te wandelen met je jongetjes.
ReplyDeleteJammer dat de Hollandquilt nu weg is uit Nicosia, ik had hem natuurlijk graag nog even bewonderd (laatste stand was volgens mij het middenpaneel), maar wat heerlijk dat je nichtje er zo van geniet!
Tolle tolle Fotos!Danke für das Zeigen von Aruba! Sehr schön!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your Aruba photos .... it was a memory trip for me! DH and I used to walk into town from our hotel and the houses we passed were lovely and the colourful flowers were gorgeous and were everywhere. We spent 2 weeks on your island and loved every moment of our time there.
ReplyDeleteLovely quilt you made for your neice.
Wonderful photos--how amazing to have grown up surrounded by all that bounty of color and contrast. Seems like we gather influences unknowingly!
ReplyDelete