...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!

...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

...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

...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

...<>tuesday smiles<>...

...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....