In the Mountains

Oh...the mountains, fresh air, mooing cows and rolling hills. Pollone is about an hours drive from Turin, an hour and a half from Milan. It is really in the middle of nowhere and quite beautiful because of it. It is a painter's paradise and my husband's great grandmother was an incredible one, so the house is filled with inspirational painting after inspirational painting. Pollone is an especialy formidable place as my husband's great uncle, Pier Giorgio Frassati was beatified by Pope John Paul II and this was the home he loved. Every morning we wake up infront of the same mountains he adored to climb until he died at the young age of 24. His bedroom is all in tact, with his relics beautifully but modestly displayed. Mass is often held in the adjoining room. It is a very spiritual and special month. I will put a little bio of Pier Giorgio below if you are interested in reading about him.

"Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati is a saint for the modern world, and especially for the young people of our time. Born in 1901 in Turin, Italy, his time on earth was short-only 24 years-but he filled it passionately with holy living. Pier Giorgio was a model of virtue, a "man of the beatitudes," as Pope John Paul II called him at the saint's beatification ceremony in Rome on May 20, 1990. He was described by friends as "an explosion of joy." As Pier Giorgio's sister, Luciana, says of her brother in her biography of him, "He represented the finest in Christian youth: pure, happy, enthusiastic about everything that is good and beautiful."

Because of the heavy rains in Europe this year everything is very green and lush...fortunately for me all the flowers are bursting with color, and Pollone is known for them. Every season brings a different explosion of flowers and colors. While we are here the Hydrangeas are out in full glory. (You can notice my assistant pointing them out ;-)

The leaves are amazing too, look at these tie-dye ones I found....crazy beautiful!

I am still working on the Spring Matouk line. Sadly I cant post anything yet, as until it is in production...I don't want Target to beat me to my own designs...

Once again Happy Summer to all.

Greetings from Italy

Oh my oh my, it has been a very long time since I have touched base. I apologize. I am in a little port town about an hour and a half from Rome called Porto Ercole. Porto Ercole is a boat place, meaning instead of running to the beach, the italians hop on their boat and head to sea. We have a little apartment on the port with our boat docked below and each morning we pop on the boat and anchor by some large cliff or rock for long swims.

This is returning to the port for siesta time.

And if you happen to make it to the beach, which often happens if you have young children, then this is where we go...a little place called Il Tremonto....Since I am working on the next bedding collection for Matouk which is appropriately titled "travel" ...these are some of the places in which I pull my inspiration.

and then a little sample of my post siesta blondies...

Today is our last day by the sea, tonight we are driving up to the mountains to a place called Pollone next to Turin. I will keep you posted. Happy summer to all!

One Kings Lane

LULU DK fabrics are being sold on One Kings Lane for only 2 more days...Great prints, like the one above. Get them before they all run out!

Happy shopping ;-)