Week 4 2021

Hello!

Looking for a ray of sunshine yellow to brighten up your day.

Daffodils in our garden.

A sign that spring is around the corner.

Whatever you do in the Gironde and Dordogne regions, keep well and safe.

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

Week 4

Coming up...

Tuesday 2 February

Did you know that the Catholic holiday of Candlemas, on 2 February, is a feast to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of baby Jesus. In France, this holiday is called la Chandeleur, Fête de la Lumière, or jour des crêpes.

Not only do the French eat a lot of crêpes on Chandeleur, but they also do a bit of fortune telling while making them. It is traditional to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other, and flip the crêpe into the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year.  There is also a train of thought that suggests you should keep this well flipped pancake on the top of the wardrobe for the year to doubly ensure good fortune…

And finally...

 

Pottery workshops, Family pottery, Birthday pottery, Discover the wheel pottery, Saturday Theme pottery, Do Your Own Thing pottery.  All sorts of activities available at my pottery studio in Sauveterre.

 

 

Contact me for more details - 06 30 89 85 36

Sanitary protocols strictly in place.
 

 

Week 3 2021

Hello!

We made a trip to Bordeaux Prefecture for our fingerprints for our Carte de Sejour.  We should have them in 4-6 weeks!  Recognised some faces whilst we were there - seems Wednesday in Brexit day.

The 6pm curfew is a bit of a challenge and at 5:45pm it feels a bit like wacky races! But the silver lining is coming home in the light!

Keep well and safe in the Gironde and Dordogne regions. There's not much out there to entertain, so please don't hesitate to send me anything of interest.

Best wishes for a good week,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

 

Week 3

 

  Coming up...

And finally...

There are still a few places left for the St Valentine pottery sessions on Saturday. Covid protocols are in place.

Contact me to reserve a place 06 30 89 85 36

Week 2 2021

Hello!

Normally we would be gearing up for the January sales in France. This year they have been delayed until 20th January.  Of course that may change...

 

Hang in there, the vaccine is now being administered in France.  Keep safe, take care and sit tight.  

Whatever you do in the Gironde and Dordogne regions, have a good week.

 

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

 

Week 2

Loget de Malet, St Emilion

 

And finally...

There is a bright spot in my week on Channel 4 at 7.45pm UK time

Week 1 2021

Hello!

Wednesday 6 January is the last day of the Christmas season and traditionally the day Christmas decorations get taken down and packed away for next year.  The 12^th night is the day that the 3 wise men arrived in Bethlehem, taking gifts to the baby Jesus.

The French celebrate this day with a special cake called the ‘Galette des Rois’ (the King’s cake).   

From the bakeries in Castillon and Sauveterre

This frangipane filled cake is served up according to tradition on 6^th January.  A lucky charm – known as a fève (originally a bean, but now more often a little porcelain figure) is baked into the cake.  As story goes, the cake is divided into enough slices as people present, and one extra, for the first poor person that passes by.  The youngest person in the group decides who has which slice, and the person who finds the fève is crowned king or queen for the day.  When you buy a Galette des Rois it usually comes complete with a paper crown.

 

Find a recipe here - but it doesn't mention adding the fève, so just push it into the frangipane before you cover with the pastry top.

Sending you all very best wishes and hope that 2021 will bring a year of health and happiness.

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

Week 1

it's calm out there...

Our local Repair Cafe

And finally...

Do you want to learn to make a pottery snowman (you can also put a candle in him!)? We're making them on Saturday in Sauveterre.

January and February workshops dates are available. Groups are small, generally groups of family or friends and classmates.  Sanitary protocols are in place.

Family and group workshops are also going ahead, contact me for further information.

Week 52 2020

 Hello!

 

Many thanks for all your support, kind words and contributions over the past year, it's been a challenging time for us all.

Sending best wishes to you over the Christmas season and I'll be back with more newsletters in the new year.

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

Week 51 2020

 Hello!

Are you Christmas ready?  I love this wooden tree.  They are made by our neighbour down the road in Micouleau.   He's making them himself, so if you drive past his house you'll see them available for sale, or contact me for details. #shoplocal

I'll be holding the fort in the boutique in Sauveterre on Saturday, for any last minute gifts, and there's a few other Christmas markets springing up this weekend.

Whatever you do in the Gironde or Dordogne regions, keep safe and well in the run up to Christmas.

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

Week 52

In St Emilion

And finally...

A pottery tree from the Maison des Artisans in Sauveterre

Week 50 2020

 Hello!

Christmas lights are brightening up the world around us.  The square is Sauveterre has a blanket of lights, with a sparkling centrepiece suspended over the middle of the place. Every time I see it it makes me smile!

 

There are Christmas markets popping up all around, so think local, think artisan and we can keep our small local businesses active!

Take care and be safe in the Gironde and Dordogne regions,

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

Week 50

Find my ceramics here!

Château Féret-Lambert, Grézillac

At the Loget de Malet, St Emilion

Coming up...

And finally...

If you are looking for a gift or an activity to do with all the family, I'm running family / group pottery workshops in the gap between Christmas and New Year - 'Betwixmas'. Contact me for more information or to book a session. 06 30 89 85 36