Christmas Open House

painting by Pamela Slater

Our Open Studio at the beginning of November went well with lots of new visitors. We had the usual disgusting weather on the Saturday, leaving the car park opposite a sea of mud, but plenty of people braved the elements and tea, coffee and cream teas were readily consumed.

kilims for sale

the gallery at La Verderie

On the Sunday in a moment of madness I decided to do Sunday Roast in two sittings, so we fed 8 at lunch time and 17 in the evening, in between making tea and coffee and keeping an eye on the gallery!

Sunday roast

Next Open Studio dates - Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th April, see details here
The gallery at La Verderie is now a greenhouse for the winter.
The following weekend we were at Le Logis de la Courade for a Christmas market. Culli and I had the use of a huge barn for our 'art gallery' which was fantastic.

the gallery at le logis de la Courade

There were some lovely stalls selling homemade cakes, chutneys, honey, Christmas decs, soaps, cards, brocante and clothing, plus a pamper session offering Indian head massage - a great day out. I possibly spent more than I took as I ended up buying three gorgeous Christmas baubles ranging in size from large to enormous.

Christmas baubles

Hoping to persuade Vicki to organise another event next year.

Christmas Open House

We are having an Open Studio at La Verderie the weekend of 9th and 10th November, open from 10 am to 4 pm on both days.

Come and stock up on your Christmas gifts - woodturning by Culli and Roger Slater, paintings by Suzanne Thorne, Pamela Slater, Doris Murray, Judith Ryde, Margaret Pearce and Don Thompson, textiles, knitwear, patchwork, embroidery, kilims, furniture, knitting accessories, Christmas cards and decorations.
For further details email sue

Supporting the Poppy Appeal

Open Studio in the Charente-Maritime

Yesterday was the first day of our summer Open Studio, we are open again next Sunday 25th August so come and join us and sample a lovely cream tea! Details here.

paintings by Pamela Slater and Doris Murray

It was a great day with plenty of visitors and some wonderful demonstrations of painting by Pam and Judith, woodturning by Roger and Culli and embroidery by Katrina.

the gorgeous ABC quilt made by Katrina Haigh

Summer in the Charente-Maritime

Bee's making the most of the sunflowers

August has been a lovely month at La Verderie, it has been hot and sunny with a gentle breeze. The sunflowers have been flowering all month but are nearly over now and BeBop has tested the maize and declared it ready to eat. 

We have been sailing every week at Royan and working hard on the house and gallery.

fishing huts near St George de Didonne

Fishermen off Royan

Culli's band, The Billy Whizz Band played a great gig at the campsite at Bignac last Wednesday, an idyllic spot by the lake.

We have had some lovely Chambres D'hotes guests and my old college mate Kim to stay and the first of the two summer open studio's was yesterday.

Open Studio and workshops in France

Chambord

We have just come back from a hectic few days in the UK. The return trip was very long with a detour to see some puppies (which was a wasted journey), then a lovely drive back down the Loire past some of the beautiful Chateaux, through a massive thunderstorm at Poitiers which nearly brought the traffic to a halt. We came back with a car loaded full of Kilims for the gallery (if they make it that far!)

Kilims for sale

I now have a month to tidy, re-arrange and make stuff to fill the gallery in time for the two day Open Studio at La Verderie in August (Sunday 18th and Sunday 25th August). There will also be paintings by local artist's Pamela Slater and Doris Murray, woodturning by Roger Slater and Culli and woodturning demo's. For further details visit the Art in France website here.

Stag in the sunflowers

The sunflowers are finally out and looking very beautiful, BeBop and I have been going for very early morning walks and came across a stag in the sunflowers this morning, sadly too far away for a good image!