All in a Tray!

Have you seen those nice trays you can use to display photos, cover with art, or simply embellish for a hand made house decor?

I was crazy about them and so wanted to do something with it... So I decided to capture my trip to Napa in one of these trays... and here it is...

I included a photo within a photo from my balloon trip, which is very representative of Napa...

The large balloon is from another photo and I cut it and placed on top of this one with 3D squares for dimension.

I used this Tim Holtz' grungeboard shapes to add related icons of the trip... I painted them and placed in cardstock and chipboard circles for different layers...

I divided photos to show in two as the tray has divisions... I love the concept of the photo to be continued...

I also added elements from the trip that were significant... like this cork from one of the wineries we visited...

Instead of using the name of NAPA as the title, I used a photo of the valley sign to establish the place of the events...

I also used stickers which I placed on top of cardstock circles to add personality, and stamps in patterned papers.... just to kind of half make my own embellishments.

These letters are also from Tim Holtz. Just snap them and place them... they are self adhesive.

Photos or elements are at different levels from the surface... I thought this was so cool.

So I hope this is just the first one of other trays I can work. They come in many shapes and different sizes. Divisions can also be asymmetric (not as this one that all spaces are the same size and shape).

Leave me your comments and show me yours.

Franciscan Winery

Hello my friends...

Remember I promised to talk a little more about my trip to Napa? Well... in this post I will tell you about Franciscan. It's a winery founded more than 30 years ago.

I first heard about Franciscan from a coworker and friend who shares passion for wine, and told me about a great wine he enjoyed with his wife. I immediately told my husband and we took note about it and when the trip to Napa was a reality, we included this winery on the list.

Personnel was really friendly and we discovered Franciscan has signature as well as limited release wines of different grapes. They also have "winery only" wines which you could tell by the description, that you can only taste and obtain if you visit the winery.

We had the opportunity to taste wines from Mount Veeder Winery.... But... we were at Franciscan!!! What happened? Well... it's a winery also owned by Franciscan. We chose the tasting called "wines with altitude". Mount Veeder elaborates wines from a specific soil from this mountain, meaning high. Higher soils provoke the grapes to develop thicker skin when try to protect from higher temperatures or the sun. This then makes the grapes to have more tannins... also more sugar and therefore more alcohol.

We tried Rosenquist Vineyard 2007 which was 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, or Cab as we call it. Strong, and fruity at the same time... Very robust and perfect to pair with meat or even to enjoy by itself.

We also tasted Elevation 1550 2008, which was a blend, mainly Cab. (Note that a wine blend is usually described by the grape with 85% or more part in the mix. Sometimes we call a wine a Cab - Cabernet Sauvignon- but it really has Cab, Merlot, Cab Franc, and others in the blend... depending on the flavors and combinations the wine maker desires.)

Another blend we tasted was the Reserve 2006.

All wines were spectacular... but our favorite was the Rosenquist 2007... and the one we brought home.

We took a picture beside the landmark fountain at the entrance of the winery (Franciscan even has a wine called Fountain Court and it is to honor this fountain).

Needless to say, my husband was very happy with the visit to Franciscan... you can tell in this picture below... LOL!!!!

Wine Country

Oh Yes! I had the opportunity to visit Napa Valley, CA a few weeks ago!!!! Isn't that a blessing? Thank you God for letting me go to places... and have fun... and learn... and laugh... and taste wine... and see how beautiful our World is...

I am still reviewing in my mind.... A balloon flight full of beautiful sights... seeing the sunrise like never before...

Tasting of wines that are not exported... signature labels from great wineries... while enjoying a view to the vineyards...

Grapes, and grapes, and grapes... in the middle of harvest! Cabernet, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay... All my juicy little friends...

Touch the fruit... feel the emotion of looking at wine capsules (this is what my husband calls the grapes)... future glorious liquid in a bottle we'll be able to enjoy in evolution.... mmmmmmm...

I really enjoyed our trip to Napa... Had the opportunity to visit lots of wineries... I will share more in future posts... I can't do it right now... I am still mesmerized and walking on clouds.