Roger McGough and Julie Arkell

I cannot believe it had been almost two months since my last blog; tempus fugit! We have had such a mad, mad time at Les Soeurs Anglaises but it has been a joy meeting new (and old) faces and sharing our amazing new studio space and accommodation.

Roger McGough's three day workshop in June was a first for us and a delight. The days were divided between group sessions and one-to-one tutorials and everyone went away with a copy of a compilation of poems written over the workshop and sporting an introduction by McGough himself. He has promised to return next year for a longer stint and we are looking forward to it enormously!

Julie Arkell arrived at the end of June for her five days of Stitching, Knitting and Collecting, followed shortly thereafter by thirteen participants, some from as far away as Australia and the United States. Despite the jet-lag, everyone threw themselves into the extraordinary jumble that is Julie's creativity, ready to be inspired by her sense of colour, design and adventure. This was particularly evident on the evening of the Fourth of July when we put on our glad-rags and headed out for the evening.

Julie appeared in a concoction that was a cross between Paul Revere and a sans coulotte impressing both the Americans and the local French in one fell swoop.

As for our beloved new l'Espace, some of the more sociable participants had plumped for the new dormitory space above the workshop which overlooks the magnificent studio:

This space obviously doesn't suit everyone, but is a cheaper option that allows you nevertheless to benefit from all the other little luxuries at Les Soeurs Anglaises. In future we will be posting photographs of the various accommodation so that everyone understands, well in advance, the limitations and advantages of this unique shared sleeping area.

Meanwhile, tout la monde had an opportunity to relax each afternoon by the pool, enjoy the fresh food, fine wine and good weather whilst making and renewing friendships - more requests for recipes mean that a cookbook will be a probable project this winter for some of us.