Before I left...

...on our trip to visit family and friends in Germany for the month of July, I completed a few small paintings I haven't shown you yet. They were gifts for my family and close friends.

As I go through all the photos we took while over in Europe, I'm sure I'll share a few on my blog.

It was wonderful to travel for a while and to see our family and friends.

It was good to unplug (mostly) and to just enjoy life in a different country, dive back into all the things from my childhood, eat amazing food, and see incredible sights!

Aside from knitting a pair of socks for Daniel (photo to follow when they all done), I didn't do anything creative.

I find that a real break is quite beneficial from time to time.

I was lucky that I grew up in a family that took real vacations in a time before cell phones and computers.

We'd often be gone for a month at a time, totally immersed in a different place and culture without being connected to our "normal" world.

Total renewal! And that's how I feel about this trip.

Now I am back home with energy to spare and already enjoying my studio and paints.

I'll show you my new art soon!

Linking to the ever inspiring Paint Party Friday!

In the meantime, I hope you had a great July and a beautiful week!!

❧ Silke