a few of my favourite {moroccan} things . . .

a few ideas to put a taste of morocco under your tree, because 'tis the season after all!

a bit last minute I know, but then that is always how I seem to manage this festive season

  so here are a few things on my wishlist

 that I have discovered on my journey as tea-in-tangiers, along with links and facebook pages

this Tarbouche Lamp is high up on my wish-list - from 33 Rue Majorelle

https://www.facebook.com/33RueMajorelle

http://33ruemajorelle.com

perfectly put - sweatshirt from Fashion Bakchic

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fashion-Bakchic

www.bakchic.com

a christmas essential - scented soaps from nyusha

https://www.facebook.com/pages/LArt-du-bain-Savonnerie-Artisanale-de-Marrakech

http://www.nyushashop.com/

making food a little more interesting - some graphic ceramics from 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dar-Amina

http://dar-amina.blogspot.com/

no celebration is complete without a candle or two (or three)

https://www.facebook.com/pages/ULILI

http://www.ulili.ma

and finally - if you really want to push the proverbial boat out, how about a little luxury underfoot 

nothing epitomises moroccan design more than a classic vintage beni ourain carpet

so send me a little message and I'll see what I can do for you!

happy wrapping

x

happy holidays

I'm languishing in the tropics this festive season

so will be taking a little break from the blog

happy holidays to you all!

x

please keep in touch via

FACEBOOK

&

TWITTER

churros, chocolate . . .

and continuing with the Christmas train of thought.

Yes, I know, churros are not traditionally a Christmas thing, but for me and my family they are most definitely a holiday thing - whenever my children are visiting their grandmother in Spain, one of the things on our to-do list, is a visit to the Churros Lady's caravan at the Saturday market (strangely several other items on that list involve food as well!)

I have, once, a long time ago, attempted to make a batch of churros myself - but they where pretty much inedible and any nigella-aspirations I had, crumbled (along with my churros) to the ground!

 So when I stumbled across this recipe and images from the pages of Sugar Thumb,

 making  it all look enticingly do-able,

 I decided that this Christmas holiday I will become
the . . .  Queen of Churros!

I will be laying down my pen,

switching off my laptop,

 and wishing you the gift of time this festive season,

 time to make churros - or whatever else takes your fancy!

click HERE to go to the recipe on the Sugar Thumb blog

ps: please let me know if you do try this recipe - along with the end results!

{despite saying that I will be switching off my laptop, 

you will no doubt still find me plonking about on facebook from time to time}

a little love this festive season

Well, December is officially and unavoidably upon us 

and it is time to start getting into the spirit of things I think.

With this in mind I remembered  having seen on the blog  Why Morocco about the Love cards that Yves St Laurent created every year - sending out handmade wishes to friends and colleagues. The original poster forms of these cards are exhibited in the gallery of the Majorelle Gardens in Marrakech

Such a lovely idea

& what a good wish to usher in the new year , 

simply wishing your friends love!

images via Why Morocco

I'm afraid i am usually guilty of rather hurried emails as the year draws to an end, 

or at best dashing into the nearest stationary shop and buying a pack of cards off the shelf ( in my defence I do try and buy a card that donates a little to a good cause )

but - in case the cards go missing in the post this year . . .

here is wishing you love

You might be running out of time to lovingly hand craft your own cards this season, but you certainly still {just} have time to to hand write your wishes this year. 

So I did a little window shopping on Etsy for you and found these cards by artist Zana Lokmer, available via her shop on ETSY  - I love how the bright colours of her paintings translate into a christmas card just waiting for you to dash down your message and pop it into the post!

x

 cards by  Zana Lokmer, 

available via her shop on ETSY 

a clutch of . . . collages.

The last few months have seen me immersing myself in social media, a voyage of discovery as I attempted to work out what to post, blog, pin, and tweet (not to mention  re-tweet),

and one of the weekly habits that emerged out of this process is my friday collage made up of images from the tea-in-tangiers pinterest boards 

 as much a habit as it is an indulgence because I really enjoy making these colourblocks for no particular purpose or function,

 but just because . . .

and because it would appear that other people enjoyed them as well I thought I would put them all together, in one place, 

for you to enjoy at your leisure.

as always - images with credits can all be found on pinterest

(to pin directly just hover over the image &the pinterest logo will appear)

it would be great - should you feel so inclined 

 if you kept in touch 

with my meanderings as tea-in-tangiers

 on

facebook

&

twitter

&

pinterest

tea in . . .marrakech

a purely visual journey through marrakech,

 glass by glass  

all images by Marion Giorgi,

 via Dar Kawa

tea in . . . tighmert

"It is a long way both in distance and culture, from a tranquil village in southern Spain all the way down to an exotic oasis in the northern tip of Sahara in Morocco. We are really lucky to have the opportunity to experience all of this."

When they discovered this piece of land in Tighmert, Peter and Anette fell in love with it, and have designed and built themselves a traditional home (along with a few less traditional comforts), full of thought and detail.

The oasis of Tighmert is an eight km long and almost three km wide oasis, situated ten km east of Guelmim,  “the gate of the Sahara”. 

The oasithe gate of Sahara”

"The first time we ever saw the oasis  was 2006 - we were on our way further inland and just stopped by to have a quick look. We had no idea that we later would build a house in this wonderful place." 

"We have tried as much as possible to design the house in a traditional southern Moroccan style"

  

 The courtyard has several seating areas for both sun and shade.

There is also a smaller,  garden house, totally independent, with kitchen and bathroom and a private garden.

Anette works on bespoke design projects that take her all over Morocco, so knows some of the best places and people to get lanterns, textiles and all the other design elements that are part of the Moroccan aesthetic. 

Peter and Anette discovered their oasis after (appropriately) having been stuck in a sandstorm on one of their trips down to this unspoilt part of Morocco.

Having built and lived in Spain, then Tangiers, the move from city to oasis was made.

 Mud brick by brick,  Anette and Peter designed and built this house that is their home in Tighmert.

 But now it is time to move on and see what new projects will come their way.

So if the oasis lifestyle looks appealing,  perhaps the odd camel market beckons, not to mention the perfect palm trees for your hammock, have a look HERE because it's FOR SALE