27 June 2011

...beach it...

...with the summer solstice last week summer's in full swing...we kicked it off with fete de la music here in France.  Bayonne was swarming with free bands & sangria...such a fun time.  This is my favorite time of year for bbq's & beaching it.  Here are some finds for an eco-friendly beach soiree...off to Amsterdam tomorrow! x mvg

1.  green tea soy candle from Soap & Paper Factory, $28
2.  traditional hand block printed scarf using eco-friendly inks, A Peace Treaty, $140- amazing for a chilly night at the beach...
3.  re-purposed wood palette, FREE! We use to burn these in Nantucket for beach bonfires, but what a great idea for a table for your beach soiree...
4.   Table runners & napkins from Hammocks & High Tea, printed with waterbased inks, starting at $38
5.  Large floor pillows constructed from vintage reclaimed fabrics, Elliot Mann, $89
6.  Recycled glassware made from wine bottles, Heath Ceramics, $19
7.  Compostable dishware, Branch Home, starting at $5.50
8.  Jute floor cushions, Vivaterra, $79
9.  Live it up!

20 June 2011

...francey pants sangria...


... south of france summer sangria to cool down & chill out...2 different versions to try...

<<< sassy sangria >>>

1 lemon cut into wedges
1 orange cut into wedges
1 lime cut into wedtes
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 Granny smith apple, sliced or chopped
3 shots of apricot brandy
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 bottle of your fave rouge or blanc wine
1 can limeade
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup orange juice

...Soak the fruit in the brandy & cinnamon for about an hour.  Pour the wine into a pitcher & squeeze the juice from the lemon, orange, & lime into the wine.  Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out the seeds if possible) & add the sliced peaches, strawberries, brandy, limeade, sugar & orange juice.  Chill mixture overnight.  Add ice just before serving.  If you want some bubbles you can add a can of ginger ale or sprite...


<<< rose sangria >>>

1/4 cup of peach schnapps
1/4 cup cognac or brandy
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 oranges sliced into thin rounds
12 strawberries sliced
2 (750ml) bottles dry rose wine, chilled
1/2 liter ginger ale, chilled

... In a large pitcher combine peach schnapps, cognac, sugar, sliced oranges & sliced strawberries, stirring occasionally.  Chill for at least an hour, preferably longer.  Pour fruit mixture into a large pitcher, stir in rose & ginger ale.  Serve over ice...

*REMEMBER SANGRIA ONLY GETS BETTER WITH TIME- THE LONGER IT'S LEFT TO SIT & SOAK IN ALL THE FLAVORS THE BETTER IT WILL BE* xx mvg





15 June 2011

...future...

...ahhhh yes...I do believe..x

...jonesin' for juju...

...I know this trend has been out there for a while now, but I still think it's relevant & spices up any space with a little color & texture.  At $450 a pop I'm still finding out a way I can make my own, but I fear I may have to leave it up to the people of Cameroon...x mvg

...noir pendants...

...noir pendant light statement pieces!  textures & facets create drama in any space...splurge at pluma-cubic & the conran shop...or get a steal at dwell & castorama....xx mvg

09 June 2011

...france x 3...


...month 3 was nothing short of exciting for us either.  we ventured up to La Rhune a mountain near by with breathtaking views at the top of the French & Spanish coastline.  Its about a 2 hour hike up & 2 hours down with the base in France & the summit in Spain.  We ran into lots of wildlife both times we've hiked it- a friendly pack of rams (yikes), pottoks (mini horses), & cows.  We plan on making it a once a month hike- it's spectacular.  Wills parents also came which was fun.  There just happen to be a quilt show in St Jean de Luz when they arrived (Kathy loves quilts!) so she & I ventured down to the "Quilt en Sud" for a day of quilts, crepes, rose, & mussels.  We also ventured down the coast of Spain with them stopping in Bilbao to see the Guggenheim (I was more impressed with the architecture & landscape outside than the exhibitions inside to be honest) & onto San Sebastian to hike to the giant jesus statue that overlooks the city.  Followed by tapas & rose of course.  The end of the month was marked by a trip to Jackson Hole Wyoming via London for my sissy's wedding.  We stayed with my Brittish cousins in London on our way.  They have a lovely flat & we were sure to sample the finest pubs London had to offer- noshing on fish & chips/bangers & mash accompanied by strawberry lime cider (a little too sweet for me) & Pimms!  Onward to Amy & Chris' fete in Jackson!  Complete with snow & a bout of the plague, but nothing got in the way of these two lovebirds.  The wedding went off with a hitch & it was truly a magical day. Whisky & Johnny Cash were flowing like water...I love that place..xx mvg

...france x 2...


...roundup of images from our second month in France- I know I'm a little late since we're now in the 4th month...holy moly! But better late than never!  Ok, so here's a little review...we got our last day of snowboarding in at Cauterets in the French Pyrenees- full of 80's garb & all- it was quite a site to see- I can't wait to get back to that resort next winter!  We also were able to explore a bunch of places around France like Bordeaux, Dune de la pyla (largest sand dune in europe- 2 miles long).  We also made our way up to Paris where my husband was filming a live photoshoot for Volcom.  We stayed in the Le Marais area- for sure my fave part of Paris- so charming with all it's tightly knit cafe's & boutiques (lots of emerging designers- sooooo good).  Will also got the chance to go to Switzerland to film a snowboard contest -last minute trip so I didn't get to tag along, but he did bring me back heaps of swiss chocolate- he knows the way to my heart :).  Amazing month & so many more adventures to come! x mvg

06 June 2011

...obsession...





...obsessed with chevron right now...color-blocked, black & white- walls, ceiling, textiles, art...I'll take it all!

...hand block printing...


Truly inspiring video of the work that goes into hand block printing textiles in India- this is so amazing...gorg patterns carved out of teak blocks...it puts my homemade linoleum prints to shame....