On the road again, summer 2021 to Eastern Europe

A few times a year I typically head to Eastern Europe to collect heritage textiles, collaborate with local artisans and design our Lineage Botanica collections.

It is work yes, but also a lot of fun. I let the life I live in the states fade as I fly over the Atlantic, full of excited anticipation. I know what I am in for, well, sort of.

My partner Scott and I have coined a term called "arrival anxiety" after many trips and unknowns that always turn into wonderful adventures and experiences.

This trip I am side tracking to see friends that have just moved to a remote village on the Pelion Peninsula a few hours north east of Athens, Greece. I love Greece. There is nothing I do not cherish every time I visit. 

 

The Pelion is no exception. The warm grace of the villages that dot the peninsula, the people, the food, the sea, the smells, the architecture, history and more. The slow, simple, relaxed culture jives with my idea of the perfect lifestyle.

I was not disappointed and quite the opposite, thoughts kept meandering on how I could make a life here. But this is another story. The photos are little windows into what catches my eye.

 We are heading into Bulgaria driving from Pelion up to and through the Rodope Mountains, staying in the sweetest remote villages and finding beautiful textiles along the way.

Three of us road tripping for three days. We have agreed this should be an annual event. We stuff the van full of our loot and head to Smoylan, where our weaver Ivan and his team are. Here we settle back into the world of real work and meet to discuss future projects. The gals go their way and I head back up to the Rodopes for two more days of exploration. 

 Our car textile make over. Ethnographic museum. Lighting a candle in a typical village church at the top of a mountain. Nature. It is all memorable, imprinted.

Every trip I take brings me closer to understanding the value of what we do at Lineage Botanica. Supporting heritage crafts is bigger than it sounds. Craft is related to vernacular, culture, music, dance, food, language and lifestyle. Memorable and endearing experiences are found the world over. We hope to not only inspire you to support our work but the work of artisans the world over.