If you follow our Instagram, you know that I recently returned from a trip to Italy. I travelled to Tuscany for a very quick scouting trip, to visit the most serene and idyllic villa situated in the medieval town of Chiusi, Italy (Pronounced Key-usi). This 400 year old structure will be home for our most exciting workshop to date, A Tuscan Gathering ~ Flowering in Italy with Kelly Marie Thompson.
During my time there I worked on a photoshoot. It was two days of picking flowers at an organic flower farm, designing arrangements atop a hill, overlooking rolling landscapes and a little town. I stored the flowers in a beautiful wine cellar, foraged olive foliage and garden roses from the grounds. We laughed, shared wine, ate charcuterie. We strolled through little towns, and I saw a castle for the first time. I found myself lost at one point in a cobblestone street, and was surrounded with window boxes covering the walls of very old and very beautiful stone buildings. I took deep breaths and really can’t remember the last time I was THAT happy.
At one point I thought to myself, “Whoever designed this theme park thought of EVERY detail, it’s perfect.” However this is no theme park. This is simply a small town filled with smiling faces. A landscaped dappled with olive groves, scotch broom and fields of poppies. The scent of homemade pasta floating down the street, the sound of Italians laughing. Church bells serenading in the distance their sound floating through the thin and curved streets. This is a real place with wonderful people and experiences.
And I’m inviting YOU to join me next May to see it for yourself!
Many have reached out, asking how experienced in floral design do they need to be for this workshop? This Gathering it is open to all design levels. Those with a simple interest and those who have years of practice. Because this is a floral design course, and SO MUCH MORE.
We’ll begin our mornings with yoga, before or after you can sit by the pool with your espresso or cappuccino. We’ll travel to Puscina Organic Flower Farm where you’ll stroll the fields and clip your own blooms. We’ll design at the villa and I’ll share all my tricks on how to chose the right bloom, how to determine how many flowers in a vase. We’ll forage from the villa grounds and we’ll create together.
But we’ll also learn how to make pasta. And bruschetta. We’ll enjoy a walk through olive groves with oil and wine tastings. We’ll visit Montepulciano, a medieval and Renaissance hill town and stroll through the streets. You’ll see flower boxes in windows, laundry draped near windows with painted shutters. You will lose yourself in this little part of the world for a few days. Evenings will begin with an aperitivo, you’ll be reminded of the joy of laughter, you will experience authentic Italia! And to top it all off, our dear friend and talented Clary Pfeiffer will be there to capture it all and share photography tips! Oh, did we mention that this Gathering is all inclusive?! (Airfare not included.)
There will be so many memories to share, and I can’t wait to see you there. I want you to experience the soft and peaceful light of four hour long sunsets. Feel the soft and fragrant breeze in the morning. The taste and tooth of homemade pasta, the creaminess of gelato. Reservations are filling up, as there is limited space for this intimate and beautiful Gathering. Please join me for all of my favorite things, flowering, sharing meals, learning and travel.
For all the details and to sign up, click HERE and for now, CIAO!
