Les Soeurs Anglaises

After our two and a half hour train ride we are met at the station by two wild Englishmen who will take us to our home for the next week. We have time for a quick "Hello" to our new companions and off we go. We pass by centuries old castles, fields of sunflowers, wheat, and corn...small forests and quaint villages with stone cottages, wild flowers along the way.

We arrive! This is the main house where we will have our meals, meet our new friends, listen to music and dance!

Sometimes we dine outside by the pool and garden. Two cats keep us company and might let us pet them.

This is the walk up to the "Barn" where we will stay and have our workshop.

It feels like heaven already!

This is the Barn,  reconstructed with old timbers and beautiful limestone. A huge space for creating, a communal kitchen, bedrooms for visitors and several bathrooms-some private and some to share.

We loved staying here with views of the countryside, it was quiet and peaceful-except when we were busy making stuff!

Here is 'our' pool, just below the barn. Mary Alice and I managed to go for a dip the last day. 

It was cool and refreshing.

The wheat field we passed by on the walk back up to the barn.

Our sweet room. Linens, duvets, and fluffy pillows with a little pouch awaited us.

Wonderful art to discover in every room.

These exquisite pieces were in our room.

More fiber art to study and admire.

Here is the large workspace in the Barn before we all got to work. Wonderful wooden tables, big enough for four people to stitch and sew.

Fresh flowers in our room and every day in the dining room. We were spoiled!

Before our workshop started we had time to look at all the wonderful things Julie brought for us to purchase and enjoy. These are bracelets made of "suffolk puffs" or what we call yoyo's. They have a little bit of stuffing and are sewn onto a strip of fabric. Syd came home with one!

Brooches made of the puffs.

Julie's watches! I just love these!

More of Julie's fun brooches.

Each little figure had stitching. This is "tender" standing next to a very cute mushroom. I need to make some of these!

Julie's papier mache puppets. We all had the chance to make one or more of these and come up with a short story for them.

Our first meet and greet with Julie by the pool. Artists came from Australia, England, and the U.S.-some had been here before for various workshops and couldn't wait to return. I can see why!

The smiling Julie! What a treat to spend time with such a delightful, creative and enchanting spirit.

More to come!