The end, The beginning

Well, suffice to say, after writing this post I never fully got my mojo back.  

Jewellery by Vanya has come to a natural end so last week I closed the shop for good. 

Living in a vibrant city and working in a creative industry was a dream, memories were made that I will cherish for life.  I am so so thankful to all of you who supported my business along the way, thank you for all the purchases, thank you for the sweet emails and cards, thank you for spreading the word, thank you for the extra special commissions.  Just, thank you.

The beginning? This Summer I will become a mum, an even bigger challenge to look forward to, filled with, well that I will find out soon enough.

Colin and I are already in love with this tiny wriggly creature in my belly and I cannot wait to welcome him/her into this world, full of opportunity.

xxx

Artwork above from Freya's etsy shop.

Honeymoon Part Two

Austin, Texas

We arrived in Austin to a toasty 35 degree (celsius) heat and beautiful blue skies.  Our mini apartment was right by South Congress Avenue (SoCo to the locals) so we were only a short walk away from amazing cafes, food trucks, bars, boutiques and the best coffee in town!  All we knew to expect (hope) from Austin was delicious food, a thriving music scene and friendly locals, oh and we learned that their treasured moto is ‘keep Austin weird’.  We experienced everything we hoped for and plenty more.  I would totally recommend a visit, just don’t fall in love too much, I think the protective nature of this poster says it all.

Doc’s-can’t say I’ve ever had southern fried avocado filled with chicken in a cheese sauce before that day!!!

Partsand Labour-an amazing gift shop filled with clothing, jewellery, cards, artwork and more by local Austin artists.  We purchased a beautiful print which now hangs on our kitchen wall.  

Jo’s-I had coffee here every day, the vibe was so friendly and relaxed.

BartonSprings-the chilly water was a refreshing change from the heat

Gourdough’s-huge donuts, masses of toppings

Black Out and a Razzle Dazzle please

New York style pizza at Home Slice Pizza, we ordered way too much

We sampled the huge burritos at Guero’s Taco Bar

SoCo-goes on the list as one of my favourite neighbourhoods.

 

I also need to give the un-photographed a mention:

*The treasure trove that is Uncommon Objects, large enough to spend all day, a scarily easy way to empty your wallet.

*If you’re in the mood for a party, head over to 6^th Street.  The MANY bars seemed to be a bit hit and miss but we made some friends in one and ended up in a beer pong tournament with them.

*Enjoy a mexican martini at Aussie’s Grill and Bar whilst watching the ‘beach’ volleyball.

* Find a rooftop bar and watch the world go by.  Once it got dark, One-2-One projected Dirty Dancing onto the wall.  They also have live music downstairs.

So that’s it from Austin, sorry for the looong post.  Up next, Venice CA ...