Getting Busy

I love Mondays….I suspect there are not many who share my sentiments (especially if I remember my corporate days) It’s totally selfish really, Monday means my little guy goes for a few hours to his nanny (or ‘Assistante Maternelle’ as they are called in France), from noon till five, I get the chance to busy myself in my atelier.

I’ve been working on two new series of pendants, one very modern using mostly contemporary silver and bronze settings and another, using very old wooden bobbins and beautiful antique ribbon.

Here is a sneak peek of two of the bobbin necklaces which are still a work in process. The underside of each ribbon or seam is embellished with swarovski crystals.

The story behind these wooden bobbins, which were originally used for spooling silk in our family factory (at the turn of the 19th Century), is that they are all a little broken or chipped and therefore had been cast aside as they were longer suitable for use on the looms. I came across a bag of these beautiful hand-carved bobbins and decided I couldn’t possibly let them be thrown out or used as kindling (shocking but true!) and so they came home with me. Each bobbin is sanded down, cleaned and then I wrap a piece of ribbon around the wooden core.

I am just in the process of creating chains and finishing the ribbon ‘beads’ and then once I have the photographs together they will be up on the Etsy site for sale….I’m taking a little longer to publish my new range as in between looking after my son Louis – I am expecting our second baby for June 2012….so my previously feverish level of creativity has been replaced by indulgent afternoon napping the last few months.

Le Figuier

Figs are gorgeous fruit and make any dish look and taste mouth-watering but I had no idea that they turned the most wonderful jewel tones in Winter…couldn’t resist sharing these photos of the fig tree in our garden as it changes colours

January fog

January in our  “petit coin” often means waking to a fog laden wonderland. We live at the bottom of our village, with the Marquis de Sade castle watching over us from far above. On days like this, as you climb the path towards the castle, you rise above the fog which hangs over the valley between Lacoste and Bonnieux and it is almost as if it is alive, its wisps caress the fields of vines and old farmhouses below.

I took these while walking with Louis on Friday and when looking through my archives I realised that at this very time last year I posted foggy photographs from Lacoste cemetery which you can see here…. perhaps it signals the ghosts of times past departing these lands to make way for a fresh, cherry blossom-laden Spring…whispers of new beginnings…

Noel Chez Nous

This Christmas we stayed at home in Lacoste and celebrated with my mum, I got my ‘Delia’ on and cooked for three days solid, Hot smoked salmon pie, homemade relishes and bread sauce for the turkey, Baked Alaska for dessert, four different vegetable dishes to appease the vegetarians ….Loved every minute especially as I had someone else cleaning up as I cooked (such a treat!)

The sun shone all day long and we were able to sit outside (wrapped up in scarves of course) and digest Christmas lunch…

Here are my two favourite boys lazing in the hammock after Christmas lunch….tough life huh?

…and I couldn’t not share a pic of my gorgeous new shoes, a pressie from my Mum

Looking back on Christmas in the Luberon…

Zinc ornaments and handmade felt decorations displayed within weathered glass-houses, a trip to Edith Mezard in Lumieres always is a feast for the creative senses and this year was no exception with an outdoor artisan market in their grounds

Handmade silk angels nestle in the manger

Leaving the luxury of EM, we swung by the annual Christmas fête of Lumieres which was held on the grounds of the Cave de Lumieres.  Games for the kids and vin chaud (mulled wine) and gâteau chocolat goodies for the adults…

…even the resident tractor gets dolled up for the occasion

Snapshots from our life in Lacoste

Just before departing Lacoste for her home in Miami, photography student, Marissa Thomas spent an afternoon with the Ribeaucourt clan and captured some beautiful images of a typical Saturday in our house…..Lunch, followed of course by havoc in the kitchen, playtime and a walk in the park.

Lou masters the concept of gravity

Feeding time at the zoo

Our 1970s delish kitchen

Always time for a little reflection / plotting

Saying goodbye

This weekend past, my husbands grandfather, the wonderful Georgy Faure passed away. Following a long illness, for many of his loved ones it was a huge relief to see him finally in peace.

In his office,  I came across this photograph of Georgy, aged 15, proudly grinning at the camera as he received his “promesse” with his Scout troop. I just love the energy and vibrancy of this image.

 

The walls surrounding his desk are covered with incredible silk tapestry paintings

Georgy Faure was one of three brothers who  took over the Faure family silk factory which had been founded in 1864 by their father Henri Faure, in the middle of Napoleon III ‘s reign. Georgy was given the responsibility of looking after the Jacquard ribbon department and where many would ruthlessly discard their old out-of-fashion ribbon stock and outdated salesmen echantillon books, Georgy saved what he could and he was therefore able to donate a huge wealth of Jacquard ribbons to the Museum of Art & Industry (Musée d’art et d’industrie) in Saint-Étienne. The family company still exists today and is run by Georgys son Julien, and you can visit their site here.

 

The morning after he passed, his family gathered in the family apartment and sat down to a wonderful lunch where we discussed how best to say goodbye and celebrate Georgy. There wasn’t a cup of tea in sight…. which would be unheard of in Ireland!

 

His hat and beret remain untouched, folded over an old silk loom in his office.

In celebration

…of my first sales on Rubanesque, I am running a promotion all week for free shipping,  just enter the voucher code 844802011 at checkout!

Picture via Marianne Fellman 

Happy Shopping!

Live your Dream & Share Your Passion

Just wanted to share this inspiration video from the blog Holstee, I’m all for living by this Manifesto!

The Holstee Manifesto is a call to action to live a life full of intention, creativity, passion, and community. We are amazed to see how rapidly these words have spread across the globe, and are honored by the countless people who have experienced these words to be a source of realization and inspiration in their own lives. We want the Manifesto to hold us accountable to living each day as fully as we can and are so encouraged by the amazing community of people joining us in that journey.

Rubanesque goes live

So today I launched the first of my Golden Age cuffs in my etsy shop…. I absolutely adore the photographs which Aubrey Allison took of the collection and hope you do to!

Thank you to all my friends, family and readers who have sent me lovely messages of encouragement and support!