Sunday, February 25, 2024

Workshop #2 - Lavender theme

 It's been a year since I announced my first workshop. I'm so glad I did the project, as I had the most wonderful and fun times with the ladies who participated. Everyone has been a star, and it was so much fun spending a day creating things together and getting to know each other in person.  I'm particularly proud that everyone got the hang of the embroidery, even those who have never done any before!

I am excited to announce my second workshop today. The theme is lavender, and it includes patisserie, embroidery and scarf-tying.

I hope you like the new theme, and I'm looking forward to hopefully meeting many of you in person!

You can find the details below. To book, please click here.

Dates: April 27 and May 11, 18 and 25, 2024

 (The previous "Autour de l'olives" workshop can still be booked as a private class; details here)

AUTOUR DE LA LAVANDE WORKSHOP

We'll make lavender-flavoured macarons and madeleines, and you'll learn how to embroider a lavender sprig onto a table napkin. The class ends with a scarf-tying session.

The workshop begins at 10 am in the Languedoc (between Nîmes and Montpellier) and finishes at 4h30 pm. 


We start the workshop at 10am by getting together over tea or coffee. We'll then make macarons that we'll have for dessert at lunch. 




Once we've made the macarons you'll learn to embroider a decorative lavender sprig onto a linen or cotton dinner-size napkin. The embroidery stitch is adapted for beginners, and there is no worry about not having enough time to complete your creation because you will take the embroidery hoop and needle with you, as well as the thread required to finish your napkin at home. 



We'll have quiche with salad, fresh baguette, lovely French cheeses, refreshing beverages and local wine for lunch. For dessert, we'll have the macarons we made in the morning. Depending on the weather, the lunch will be alfresco in our tranquil courtyard or the lovely MaiTai Collection showroom.



After lunch, we'll be making lavender-flavoured Madeleines.





The workshop finishes with a scarf-tying tuition. Please bring a couple of your favourite scarves so we can explore various ways to wear them and how to showcase specific parts of their design. You can also ask for how-tos on specific knots. We finish the workshop by tasting our freshly baked Madeleines over coffee or tea.


Workshop kitchen

 

You'll take home:

• a dinner-size napkin with your embroidery and a kit that contains all necessary items to finish your creation at home (embroidery hoop, needle and floss).

• a sachet with the Macarons and Madeleines you made

• a surprise gift


What is included

• Tuition and all work materials used for the embroidery and cooking class. 

• Lunch and beverages

• Your creations and gifts, as mentioned above

• Aprons will be provided

• You'll receive a PDF with all the recipes


What is not included

• Transport


What to bring

• Please bring  a couple of your own scarves for the scarf-tying class


Group classes

The regular/group classes are limited to 4-5 persons.


Private classes

The workshop can be booked as a group lesson or private class (1-4 people).  The dates for these are flexible, and we'll arrange them via email after the booking is completed. The private classes can be held in English, German or French.


Languages

• Group classes: English  

• Private classes: English, German or French (please let me know which language you prefer) 


Travel Infos: 

Location: a small village in the Languedoc (you will receive the details after completing the booking)

By train (45min drive to the nearest train stations): 

• Nîmes, if you are coming from the North or East 

• Montpellier, if you are coming from the West or South 

A high-speed train connects Paris with Nîmes in the South of France; the travel time is 2h50. 

By air: The nearest airport is Montpellier (45min by car from the workshop's location)

Nearby favourite hotel (45 min by car): Plage Palace here

Other hotels (within 10min by car): Château de Pondres click here and L'hôtel Estelou, Sommières here

Nearby Chambre d'Hôte/Gîte (within 10min by car): Orange, Sommières here


Trip suggestions

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 45min -1h30 drive from us. Click here or on the image below to find out more! End your trip with a visit to Paris ... whizz there in 2h50 with the TGV from the train station in Nîmes. 

 

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Happy Valentine's Day!

Some might have seen on my Instagram that I fractured my elbow right before Christmas. My arm needed to be immobilised for six weeks, and hence, there's been a long absence on social media and this blog. While I still need physiotherapy and exercises to regain complete movement, life has returned to mostly normal. It is a reminder of how wonderful normal is!

It has also been a while since I added a new knot to the app, and I thought the Pretiola would be perfect for Valentine's Day as it resembles a silky heart:


In Latin, Pretiola means "little reward". According to legend, in 601 AD an Italian monk invented the treat to reward children who learned their prayers. He twisted strips of sweet dough to resemble children's arms crossed in prayer. He then baked the dough and hence invented the pretzel. 

When you tie this knot, there is a moment when the scarf resembles this "little reward", so I thought Pretiola would be a perfect name for it!


If you use IOS, the Pretiola is already available on the Scarf Art app. It will take a couple of days for Android devices to get through. 

If you want to find out more about the app, please click here

Or go to the Apple App Store here or Google Play here to download.

The tutorial should play right below; if not, please let me know in the comments below:





As always, you will also find a blog post on the app that compliments the tutorial:

What the knot highlights:


The diagonal axis is the visible part of your scarf tied in this knot. The main focus is on the ends and tips, as the centre is folded behind your neck. The Pretiola's "pretzel" is formed with the upper ends of your scarf.

Variation:

You can vary the knot by wearing it closer or further away from the neck. The further you wear it from the neck, the shorter the ends become:


Worn closer to the neck, resulting in longer ends:


Tip:

For a V-neckline, wear the Pretiola lower down to frame the neckline. With a button-up shirt, wear it close to the neck, like a cravat.


Size guide:

The Pretiola works with the following scarves:

90 Silk Twill 
90 Mousseline 
70 Vintage Silk 
Plissé 
140 Silk Twill/Summer Silk GM 
140 Mousseline GM 
140 Cashmere/Silk GM (you can bring the ends behind your neck and tie them together in a double knot)


In the meantime, spring has sprung here in the South of France. 

Almond trees are blossoming, vine fields are full of white and yellow flowering weeds, Mimosas are in full bloom, and pollen-covered bees are darting around the rosemary bushes in the garden. The early signs of spring never fail to fill the heart with optimism and joy!


Homegrown romanesco from my first winter vegetable garden:




Winter salad, also from the garden. It took months to grow and is surprisingly tender (summer salads only need a couple of weeks).




I hope you enjoy the new knot and wish you a happy Valentine's Day and a bright and beautiful spring ahead!

xxx