Workshop!

 Hosting a workshop has been forever on my mind as it is a much more personal way to share the things I post about, and it is such fun to do projects with a small group of people. With the completion of my workspace, I can finally embark on developing my own workshop, which I am so happy to announce today. 

I chose "olives" for the theme, as they symbolise the South of France where I live. Different themes will follow over time! 

This post is an overview of what to expect. To book or to find out more, please click here.

Looking forward to meeting you in person! 

We start the day by getting together at 10am over coffee and tea, then embark on the projects outlined for the day. We make olive bread and tapenade, create napkin rings with olive twigs and embroider a decorative olive twig detail onto a table napkin.

The embroidery stitch is adapted for beginners, and there's no worry about not having enough time to complete your work ... you will take all the materials required to finish your creation at home with you.

For lunch, we'll enjoy our freshly baked olive bread with soup, a selection of salads and lovely French cheeses, refreshing beverages and local wines. A homemade dessert will follow and be served with coffee or tea. 

Depending on the weather, the luncheon will take place alfresco in our tranquil courtyard or the beautifully furnished MaiTai Collection showroom.

After lunch, we will start on scarf tying. You can bring a couple of your favourite scarves so that we can explore a variety of ways to wear them and how to showcase specific parts of their design. You can also ask for how-tos on specific knots. The workshop finishes at 4 pm.

Trip suggestion

Why not combine the workshop with a trip to the South of France and visit several places at once? Discover my favourite hotels and restaurants in Aix-en-Provence, the Camargue, Marseille and the Mediterranean Sea ... all within a 1h45 drive from us. I have created a travel blog with pictures, descriptions, info and an interactive map that lets you plan your itinerary. Click here or on the image below to check it out!

January recap

2023 could not have had a better start; I took delivery of my long-awaited new car. I've been driving an electric, mostly solar-powered car since 2017 and went without hesitation for the same brand and model as previously, a Tesla Model S. Only this time I chose the performance version called Plaid!

I always love planning outfits for an occasion, and since the Plaid's badge is black red and white, it was immediately clear what the outfit and accessories theme for the delivery event was going to be.

 When I was with Jerrine in Paris last November we had so much fun finding the things for the boys and me to wear. For Wiener and Roley we got Plaid bandanas and leashes in the Bon Marché, and a plaid skirt and red coat for me.  I completed the look with a black turtleneck sweater and my black Jumping boots, and medium Chanel Classic Double Flap bag.

I've never been so excited about a new car, and went as far as identifying via a VIN tracker the cargo ship on which my car crossed the Atlantic. For two long weeks I monitored the ship's progress and was so excited when it finally arrived in Europe through the English Channel ... I never thought I'd be a ship stalker one day!

 Here she is, saying hello for the first time:

Overexcited and overjoyed!

I named her Cheetah Electra. Does anyone else name their cars?

I  love the clean white interior, the absence of buttons and stalks and the yoke steering wheel. 

For those interested in electric cars and their environmental role and impact, find out more here

In other news, I've been checking Dior's beautiful fabric options as I needed a lightweight but sturdy tote. I decided on a beautiful Toile de Jouy reverse embroidered Book Tote bag in the medium size. 

The dedicated, bi-colour French Toile linen with an anthracite cotton satin insert offers complete protection for the Book Tote's interior. The Book Tote insert is available in my online store here

 A couple of weeks ago, I went for another short trip to Paris, this time for the Déco Off event and Maison and Objet trade show.

During Déco Off, fabric houses and makers from many different countries come to Paris and set up pop-up stores in Saint Germain and around the rue du Mail. At the same time, the established showrooms have late-night openings and host evening receptions. It is such a great event to source fabrics and ideas for my bag insert lines and decoration projects. 

The Maison and Objet is a huge, bi-annual event; the endless halls are filled with beautiful objects and furniture. I fell in love with these fabulous candles from Italy and couldn't resist placing an order. They'll be available in my shop in the spring!

During a quick visit to the Bon Marché, this stunning little gem of a bag at Dior caught my eye. It's part of the Dior Lady Art collection by Chinese Artist Wang Yuyang ... the bag is entirely covered in embroidered sequins and pearls depicting the moon and universe. 

I loved trying it on, and it worked so well with the outfit I wore that day that I nearly gave in. However, rationale prevailed in the end; I could not imagine many occasions where I could wear it, especially since travelling with it would probably prove to be on the complicated side. 

First tulips of the year

Cheetah Electra at the spa, receiving ceramic coating paint protection.

Mimosas are out, always the first (and very welcome)  sign that winter will come to an end

The boys in the Cheetah. As with my previous Tesla, I so much appreciate being able to set the climate to "Dog Mode", which allows you to run small errands while leaving the dogs in the car.  Dog Mode keeps the cabin temperature at 20 celsius using AC in the summer and heat in winter. On the screen, a tail-wagging balloon dog assures any concerned passers-by that the climate is regulated and that the owner will be back soon.