Florence, Anyone?

     It's Sunday afternoon and I am totally bored.  It's past time for a post, but, I'm soooo in between projects.  I have two in particular - one I can't show yet because it is Christmas presents in progress, and the other is not finished enough to show.  So it's back to Italy snippets - ready?

     The one thing that amazed me the most about Italy was the art and architecture.  When I was in Catholic school (1st grade to 3 1/2 yrs. college) the nuns always rewarded our efforts with "holy cards" instead of gold stars.  They usually had a short prayer on the back.  These cards were always copies of religious art masterpieces.

This is a picture on one of the side altars at Santa Croce, Florence.  Note the small "holy card" bottom right.

     This icon is also from Santa Croce.  I had seen so many of these paintings, mosaics, and statues on cards and in books all my young life.  But, what a thrill it was to see the real deals in Italy.  Everywhere we went there was another memory made real.  Some were a lot bigger than I imagined, and some were smaller.  But all were impressive.

       Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence.  The size of the churches was most impressive - Huge.  The basilicas were even more so.


     So, if you're bored today, take a road trip down memory lane.
     Kareen