Vacation in New Orleans

First and foremost: the contest.  What have I learned from this contest?? One month is not enough time to design and make a well thought out  piece for a contest, so how am I going to reconcile my discovery?? I'm going to start designing a contest piece for next year, since there will always be a seed bead contest at Fire Mountain Gems.  So color pallets, design concepts, and selecting components for my piece, will be a process this time.  I have one whole year to get it together.  Okay so back on track.... vacation in New Orleans!! Well sort of...

My husband had to attend a Microsoft conference in New Orleans, his company was setting him up in a nice hotel for a week.  When I found out that he was going, I jumped on the band wagon as well, a semi free vacation: YES PLEASE!  My husband's plane ticket was payed for, five days in the hotel was paid for, and his food was paid for; we just had to pay for my air fare and an extra night.

New Orleans was GORGEOUS! The architecture is just breathtaking, and the iron work just left me speechless!

These beauties were hanging in front of a cafe. 

Palm Trees...These could have been taken in Florida!

The Audubon Insectarium, I really wanted to go in but the hubby wasn't into it.

There were so many street artists and each one was as unique as the last!

The Cathedral in front of Jackson Square.

Another view of the Cathedral.

I believe this was a cruise. The harbor/river walk was serene, I was sitting along some steps leading to the river catching
my breath after a two mile walk!

I don't know if you can see the intricacies of the iron work but they are truly inspirational!

Another building with lovely intricate iron work, I could sit and stare at it all day long. 

We were staying at a hotel near the Convention center, so my walk to the French Quarter was about a mile. I would go out in the morning and be back by noon, that's when the temperature was unbearable.  Once the hubby was back from the conference we would go out for dinner, either with our cousin or with his team.  Over all I had fun, it was nice to just get away for  a while and not have to think about what I needed to do to launch my business or the fact that in less than a week now I'm going to be starting my Ph.D. (pounds head on desk). My postings will lessen, but hopefully I'll do a better job at scheduling and maintaining blog posts. Stay tuned for more jewelry!!