lulu
Spello is another of Umbria’s medieval towns, and it has won my heart.
Everywhere are colorful pots of flowers hanging on walls making Spello seem such a happy place.
Even the pets appear enchanted to be surrounded by such beauty.
Handwork is part of what defines Spello whether it be textiles
or pottery with designs unique to the area.
In addition to what we think of as typical to Italy, this artist also does some wonderful contemporary pieces. No way was I leaving Spello without making a purchase. The hard part was deciding what!
It wasn’t just textiles and pottery that were handmade. So was the clothing at this shop where we ladies went crazy. The shop owner designs what she sells and works with seamstresses and weavers to have it made. Talk about my kind of place!
I couldn’t get enough of the friendly faces and the small shops packed full of good things to eat and drink.
Putting a perfect end to the visit was a wine tasting and dinner at Enoteca Properzio where a charming father/son duo kept us Foodies entertained with their presentation about the products made by their family. With all that we bought to ship home we made the evening well worth their effort!
Yes, Spello put a charm on me, and if you are ever in Umbria be sure to take the time to ferret it out. It’s one of those very special places.
i so appreciate your visit and the comments you leave behind
India is not for everyone. Based on what we experienced in Rajasthan it is noisy, dirty, crowded and chaotic. The infrastructure is deplorable, and I marvel at the ability of people to survive on roads where everyone is competing for space. It’s not enough that that applies to every kind of wheeled vehicle but add cows, elephants, camels and goats to the mix and it gets more than a little frightening.
For the most part, women are illiterate and according to one guide, cell phones have provided them a way to communicate with their friends and family. They may not be able to read or write but they have learned to identify numbers. Hopefully, the fact that young girls are now attending school will change that in time. Again quoting a guide, women who are educated and working outside the home are often castigated by family and friends for having broken with tradition. All this leads me to believe it would be difficult being a woman in India.
Cremation is the norm except for children and unmarried young women whose remains may be buried or with girls between 12 and 18 set adrift on the Ganges.
Business is conducted on the street or in nondescript store fronts. There is little evidence of malls or department stores yet there appears to be no lack of available goods and services.
There are many historically interesting sites to visit all of which add to understanding the culture.
If you are a textile loving person, India is heaven. The beauty of the work is breathtaking though I can’t say much about the working conditions or the equipment. When it came to weaving, I was blown away. Compared to my sophisticated setup the looms are primitive yet I can’t imagine creating the intricate designs that were common. Interestingly, much of the textiles are created by men though women working at home do most of what is hand stitched.
Let me conclude this rambling by saying that if you go to India, treat yourself to great hotels. Some are palaces formerly occupied by maharajahs with decor that is over the top. In addition, the staff is attentive, courteous and kind in a gentle way that is not always a characteristic of westerners.
Despite all its differences, I totally enjoyed the experience of India and am glad to have gone now when it still retains much of its old culture. I suspect in years to come that will change and India will be a different place. If you are one who enjoys immersing yourself in place and taking away what it offers, then India is a place to consider.
It didn’t take long for us to find ourselves in textile heaven!
Piece after piece was thrown on the floor in front of us. Each one was handmade exemplifying astonishing skills from weaving to appliqué to embroidery.
Some were of the finest fibers with the very softest being those from a baby camel. I never would have thought camel hair to be suitable for weaving.
Much of the work is done by women working at home, but here we saw these ladies sitting on the floor doing their lovely handwork. While I was in awe of their work, I did not envy their sitting on a hard floor while doing it.
I can’t tell you how long we were in this one shop, but I can tell you that we purchased so much that we were presented with a gift, a sari. Now that is something we weren’t going to buy for ourselves, but we are very happy to have this special memory of India and had fun going native that evening at dinner.
Back at our hotel, we were welcomed by this gentleman who was only too happy to have his photo taken. I was quite surprised when he pulled from behind his ears the rather dramatic extension of his mustache. I must say we’ve seen some pretty spectacular facial hair during this adventure!
Speaking of hotels, the ones we have experienced have been spectacular. Several are palaces that have belonged to maharajahs. In fact, some still claim ownership and lease the property to hotel operators. Quite a nice way to have all those rooms become income producing, wouldn’t you say?
In addition to being very plush the service is amazing. Every employee goes out of his or her way to be helpful and pleasant.
And let me not forget the food, always freshly prepared
and beautifully presented.
My bucket list isn’t long, but at the top for some time has been India. I am fascinated by its colors and textures to say nothing about the textiles and architecture. As if that’s not enough, there’s the food which I expect to be even better than Trader Joe’s Indian entrees!
Are you familiar with ikat textiles made from threads that are dyed section by section? No doubt you have seen the fabric used in decorative items and clothing, but have you ever thought about how the designs are created?
When done by hand, the threads are stretched on a frame and the pattern is marked off. Each section of the design is then bound off and dyed separately until all areas of the thread are covered.
Ikat textiles are popular these days, but they are not new.
Historically, they have been symbols of status and wealth much like tapestries were in earlier times.
They were offered to rulers, loyal friends and people of importance as part of a centuries old tradition of gift giving.
Some of the gifts were used to establish and cement political alliances.
Today, in some countries, ikat garments are part of the culture.
As a weaver, I am fascinated by the artistry of the fabric,
often woven with silk threads as fine as a strand of hair. Knowing that I will never be able to duplicate such beautiful creations only enhances my appreciation.
Beautiful floral arrangements are works of art, particularly when they are created to meet a challenge such as that demanded by Florescence, an annual themed flower show in Houston. For two days the entries are displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts where huge crowds marvel at the astonishing creativity. 
This is a very formal table with layers of textiles complementing the gold accents on the stemware and china.
Unique features are the unexpected use of orchids on the candlestick
and the fish jumping into bowls filled with iridescent baubles.
As with the first table, a tall arrangement is the focal point. I couldn’t help but think of sitting at either and wanting to move the arrangement to the side.
Two things, the teacup as a container
and a natural leaf secureing the napkin, are features worth remembering.
This table is all about fun and thanks to the clever arrangement I could almost forgive its size as a centerpiece. 
The use of pattern and color is consistent in every detail
right down to the elephants suspended at the layered corners. What sets this table apart is its touches of whimsey.
Here pattern is key,
and the layered textiles define the color palette used in both the flower selection and tableware. 
Overall, this is a simple table made warm and inviting by color and texture. Did you notice that the floral arrangement is on the side?
Did you know that that the only surviving being that has been weaving longer than man is a spider? History suggests that man discovered early on that lacing reeds, grasses and twigs together provided items such as clothing, shelter, vessels and sleep mats that made life more comfortable. So it is that weaving is said to have preceded other skills such as pottery making, metalsmithing or glass blowing he/she eventually developed. Knowing something of the history of weaving makes me very proud to continue this ages old tradition.
As time passed, weaving became not just practical but an art form. Skilled weavers were held in high regard among royalty who frequently appointed them to court positions. Here, weavers created beautiful tapestries that were used for decorative purposes as well as taken to battle where they made encampments more like home. Often tapestries were prized spoils of war. Thankfully, many survived various ransacks and have been preserved so that we might enjoy and marvel at the work done by hand in another time.
Early on in this country, hand loomed fabrics were for clothing and bed linens made of wool and cotton spun and dyed by the weaver.
Slaveholders often had an outlying shed where women and children spent their days weaving fabric for necessities. 