if i had a shekel for every time i heard that before leaving for israel.
not only do they scrapbook they are amazingly talented and inspiring!
this was the view from just outside my hotel. i don't know what i expected to see but i certainly didn't expect palm trees and the beautiful beach hugging the Mediterranean. i guess it is fair to say i am geographically challenged anyway, but man was it beautiful...and HOT!
i taught workshops with
Birgit Koopsen from Holland
keren scubach, einat kesler, anat divir from israel
the ladies just took all the ideas i presented and ran with them...
and the best part, the israeli's all made their albums backwards...well i guess i was teaching it backwards to them really because they read right to left so all of their fabric albums opened the opposite way...too flipping cool!
here are some of the snapshots from the workshops.
check our birgit's altered inspiration journal!! wow!
on the last day of my stay i traveled on a tour to jerusalem. not being particularly religious myself, i went really just wanting to see the birthplace of religion.
it is filled with an amazing history that one day simply does not do justice to, but i wanted to share the highlights of amazing pieces of history i saw.
the city of old jerusalem is surrounded by a wall and broken up into 4 quarters.
this is the excavation within the walls of old jerusalem...what your looking at is a piece of history buried beneath the current floor that is 2000 years old, the original city.
this is a distance shot of the wailing wall. do you see the barrier running vertically from the wall? that divides the male section from the female. both may not share the same wall space and the woman's side is significantly smaller.
i also added my own message into the cracks of the wall.
because it is a sacred place you must cover your shoulders...thus the reason for the turquoise shall. this is the outside of the church of the holy sepulchre, where in the new testament it says where jesus was crucified and buried.
this is supposed to be the stone that jesus was prepared for burial on
and below the tomb of christ
and these are just some detail shots that made me happy.
thank you so much alice for a wonderful opportunity to meet so many talented israeli woman and to see and experience such a diverse and magical country.
i left with "inspiration" all over me!
WOW! What an awesome post...thank you for sharing!
Posted by: Joanne | July 20, 2009 at 04:39 PM
Amazing photos!!! thanks for sharing it with us. I hope to go there one day... even more so, now that I know they scrapbook over there ;)
Posted by: Sally Jane | July 20, 2009 at 04:50 PM
wow! i too am extremely provincial. :( it is facinating that to us (in the u.s.) something that is 200+ years old is 'old' and yet there are places with things that are 2000+ years old!!!
Posted by: Shelly | July 20, 2009 at 05:17 PM
did you ever imagine that scrap booking would take you to the wailing wall?
Posted by: tami | July 20, 2009 at 05:30 PM
hey, donna, you were in jerusalem :) happy you took my advice. Amazing foto's and the beach view made me homesick. I got already regards back and heard it was just awesome. next time together, ha? ;) hope to catch with you on fb and hear more details. x, Nili:)
Posted by: Nili | July 20, 2009 at 05:31 PM
Thanks for all the photos Donna. Never really thought of going to Jerusalem. Maybe I will now.
Posted by: LoriHudson | July 20, 2009 at 07:27 PM
Thank you for sharing - loved all your candid photos....
Posted by: Chrys S | July 20, 2009 at 09:00 PM
Wow! These were beautiful pictures. I would love to go there one day... to stand where He stood, that must be so awesome... no words to describe...
The creations were beautiful! So much inspiration everywhere!
Happy Scrappin'
Lisa H. in Arkansas
Posted by: Lisa Hodge | July 20, 2009 at 09:01 PM
I always wanted to go there with my family someday. I am in awe just looking at your pictures.
Those ladies are so lucky to have you. I wish I could attend one of your classes one day. Thank you so much for sharing!
Posted by: GayeN | July 20, 2009 at 09:12 PM
What a wonderful post and amazing photos...THANK you so much for sharing this with us.
See you this Friday, Yayyyyyy!
Posted by: Maryangella Haberman | July 20, 2009 at 09:12 PM
I so love the amazing pictures from there. Now there is another place I will have to add onto my list of places to travel too. I love the backpack you carried, I bet I know where you got it.
Love,
Jen Keith
Posted by: Jen Keith | July 20, 2009 at 09:40 PM
Thank you so much for sharing your journey to Israel. I'm an Israeli live in Canada and I'm home sick now :-).
Happy to hear you had fun and enjoyed your time. Did you like the Israeli food?
Posted by: Mira Davis | July 20, 2009 at 09:52 PM
Thank you so much for sharing all of these beautiful pictures with us! I'm sure I will never be fortunate enough to go to Israel, so seeing your pictures and hearing a little about your visit is greatly appreciated.
Posted by: Linda B | July 20, 2009 at 10:21 PM
Donna,
I was in Israel last summer with my family and my husband and I actually joked about moving there for a few years (I speak Hebrew) and opening up a scrapbook store. I had no idea that people really do scrapbook in Israel. Is there a store somewhere in Tel Aviv? It looks like you were in Tel Aviv from the pictures. Thanks for sharing your photos.
Posted by: Lynn Herrick | July 20, 2009 at 11:32 PM
Wow. I have always imagined what it would be like to stand in a place that is part of so much history. Thank you for sharing all your beautiful pictures.
Posted by: Melony Wells | July 20, 2009 at 11:45 PM
Is that a ChillyJilly shawl you just whipped out of your bag?
Posted by: Mary Kate | July 21, 2009 at 12:10 AM
We scrapbook and we LOVE it!
Donna Downey you are an absolute STAR!
I'm glad you enjoyed Israel because Israel certainly enjoyed your company.
I want to thank you for being such an inspiration, for coming here, for sharing, for the energy and radiance around you and for the love to art that you manage to scatter all over!
I will cherish this experience in my heart until the next time!
Anat
Posted by: Anat Dvir | July 21, 2009 at 12:45 AM
Love the hashra'ah on your arm in the final picture! Wish I could have gone as your bag carrier.
Posted by: Lisa | July 21, 2009 at 02:13 AM
I`m very glad that you had a great time in Israel.
thaks for sharing whis us your inspiration.
it was so nice time and i hope you come again.
Einat.
Posted by: Einat | July 21, 2009 at 05:13 AM
WOW!!!! Donna....what an awesome experience!!!
Thanks for sharing with us...I would some day like to go to Jerusalem...great photo's!!
Posted by: Karen | July 21, 2009 at 05:59 AM
WOW DONNA!!!
IT IS GREAT THAT YOU HAD SUCH GREAT TIME WITH US , WE HAD WONDERFULL TIME WITH YOU!!!
YOU ARE A GREAT HAPPY PERSON AND JUST BEEING IN THE SAME ROOM WITH YOU IS AN INSPIRATION!
I MISS YOU ALLREADY AND HOPE TO GET TO IRELAND ON APRIL.
LOVE
ALONA http://www.tapuz.co.il/blog/ViewEntry.asp?EntryId=1417812
Posted by: Alona | July 21, 2009 at 06:47 AM
Donna, it was a great honor and my pleasure to have you here.
I had so much fun and i learned a lot from you and the all experience, thank you again and I hope to see you again soon.
Posted by: Alice Dabush | July 21, 2009 at 07:44 AM
Wow, what an amazing trip you took! How fun to teach in another country! Thank you for sharing the wonderful photos!
Posted by: Donna | July 21, 2009 at 10:36 AM
I am so happy you enjoyed Israel and my dear friend.
Thanks for the signing and dedicating your book to me (Limor bought it for me).
It seems you all had a great time & I missed out.
And YES we do scrapbook in Israel !! LOL
Hugs
Sharon
Posted by: Sharon f | July 21, 2009 at 12:06 PM
wow Donna, loved the photos. What an amazing trip. tena
Posted by: Tena Sprenger | July 21, 2009 at 12:58 PM
glad you got a little touch of my Jesus!! travel safe!!
Posted by: karla | July 21, 2009 at 02:26 PM
Donna, it was a privilege to take part in your workshop! The amount of techniques, tips and hint you succeeded to pass on in such a short time is invaluable. Thanks so much! I will send you some pics later on. Dafi (who sat right beside you during Anat's workshop).
Posted by: Dafi | July 21, 2009 at 04:15 PM
Thank you Donna for coming to Israel and sharing your knowledge and inspiration with us. You are very energetic, fun and inspirational lady. I learned a lot from you. You changed my way of looking on materials and techniques completly.
I'm very glad you enjoyed your stay in Israel, and hope I will see you again.
I will send you tomorrow some photos I took.
Haya (who sat at the other side of you ... (-: )
Posted by: haya mor | July 21, 2009 at 05:00 PM
Heyyyy it is so nice to read this post and the pictures are lovely. I followed these 3 days you have had in Israel and saw everyone had very good time and that you and Brijit were the star!
Happy you had good time, and wish to see you again and this time to participate in one of your classed.
And yes we are scrapping in Israel and we love it!
Posted by: mikush | July 21, 2009 at 06:59 PM
Thanks so much for posting those great pictures of Israel. I got goose bumps when I saw pictures of the stone and the tomb! I'd like to go there one day. Can't wait to see what you create from Israel's inspiration!!
Posted by: Frances C. | July 22, 2009 at 04:30 PM
holy hell...
all because of scrapbooking...
love that...
kiss kiss
m
Posted by: Just a girl | July 23, 2009 at 12:05 PM
What fabulous pictures! Thanks for sharing! It looks like everyone enjoyed their time in your class! I love seeing all the projects! I can't wait to take your classes next month!
Posted by: Angela W | July 23, 2009 at 03:36 PM
Wow Donna! I don't know what you're religious beliefs are but I have to ask...could you possibly feel any closer to God than you did here?? What an awesome place to visit! And the Israeli women are so beautiful!
You're very lucky and blessed!
Posted by: Barbara A. Stewart | July 28, 2009 at 07:04 PM
wow Donna- that must have been an amazing trip. Some of those pictures were just breath taking.
Posted by: jessicac | August 04, 2009 at 09:56 PM
How beautiful! It's great to see candid photos instead of professional ones of the beautiful city. And the scrapbooking was so unique- I truly enjoyed it. Thanks!
-Sylvia
Cigar Reviews
Posted by: Sylvia | November 02, 2009 at 01:10 PM
nice donna this trip is amazing
you look good in the photo.
Posted by: picabook | July 08, 2010 at 03:28 AM
Working with tour operators in Israel and the Middle East is an easy task. These tour operators are good at taking care of the needs and demands of visitors. This article helps you choose your tour operator and travel agent for your trip to Israel and to organize the best trip to Israel to suit your taste.
Posted by: bat mitzvah israel | March 18, 2011 at 06:03 AM