Foreign crafts

We found numerous facilities around Cambodia aimed at helping disadvantaged people gain skills which they can take back home and make a living from. This included a sewing school, and more craft based places. One of the latter was extremely well known in Siem Reap, and we very much enjoyed walking around the various workshops, where students learn wood carving, metal work, painting and other such skills. What I love about going abroad on holiday is bringing back a little something that you can enjoy on a daily basis which will remind you of fun exciting times.

A visit to Artisans d'Angkor was a perfect excuse to purchase one of those little holiday tokens which help to make a house a home.

Another skill which they're trying to revive is traditional silk weaving. I'm afraid I didn't buy one of the many beautiful scarves they had for sale, they were a little over budget. And I tried really hard, like really really hard to find skeins of silk to buy, but not no avail... I thought I might be able to find some cotton maybe, but that search was fruitless too. All that was left for me was to admire the fantastic silk on display at a silk farm we visited. Look at all the colours they can get from natural dyes, I find it simply beautiful. All those natural colours, I wish I could have taken all of them home!

On the plus side, I did manage to buy a large bed spread in dark blue and gold silk, which will look beautiful spread out once it's warm enough and we can swap it for a quilt which has somehow made a permanent place for itself in our bedroom...

It's so beautiful, and reversible too, so should I get tired with the Gold and blue, I can turn it around and enjoy the Blue and gold (with a different emphasis on each obviously)...

It's so soft and delicate, I think it might make an outting next time parents come and visit, it might just impress them!