{Under the Tuscany Sun}

Sunday I spent the entire day with two of my best friends and their families.

Barbara and Loretta are my friends since 1995. We lived toghether in Brussels for 9 months. We studied at the University there and we had a lot of fun. It was one of the best period of our time ever. We had our home, we had a lot of friends and we traveled a lot from France, England, Holland.

Unfortunately we don't live in the same city and it's very difficult to stay toghether but , almost once a year we organize a reunion weekend. Usually we go to visit Barbara in Tuscany but this time we went to Senigallia were Loretta lives. They have beautiful children, I haven't but I adore to stay with them 'cause it's always funny and we talk and talk...



Barbara, her husband and their two children lives in one of the most beautiful place in the world: Bagno Vignoni, near Siena.



A very small cosy village famous for its thermal baths. The ancient square pool at the centre of it is no longer in public use. It is forbidden to swim in there...

*photos by me*

Toghether with her sister Sabrina and her husband Luca, she's the owner of a fantastic farmhouse "Villa Pienza - Podere Prugnenello" .

They found it in 2000 but it took them two years to persuade the owner, an elderly Tuscan wheat farmer to part with it because it had been his first married home and he was sentimentally attached”. Barbara told me that “It took more then 7 years to completely renovate the farmhouse. Four years to obtain all the necessary planning consents. Because of all the red tape bound up in EU regulations and the fact of being a highly prized conservation area - part of what Italians consider to be of universal historical importance, being allowed to build a swimming pool was our third miracle. Then it took another year to complete the building work.

And the results is fantastic. I've personally visited and it's really beautiful with a breathtaking view...








The home has 6 bedroom and 6 bathroom. They rented weekly and even for weddings. A perfect location for an informal wedding with friends! (actually, they are planning their wedding there... Barbara and Luca consider themselves married but hey aren't ..Not yet! She asked me to help for her big day when it will be!!!)

All the materials they used to restore the building were reclaimed. Some they found lying around in the fields, and others came from the bric and brac shops, builders stores.
They found old beams, doors, bricks to lay in a herringbone pattern for the ground floors and upstairs they found old oak floor boards in various widths and lengths. So it feels and looks like a very old building...









Barbara and her sister (with their at the time boyfriends ...not the same anymore) started with a cosy wine bar and a small bed and breakfast in Bagno Vignoni. "La Locanda del Loggiato" a very charming b&b in the center of the village.

What do you think? Won't be amazing to spend a week, or even more, in this beautiful place with all of your friends?

If you need any help or more informations just write to Barbara!

Now is time to announce the winner of my Petit Rococo Giveaway, but before let me thank Maddie for this amazing oppotunity. You are such a sweet girl!

I'm glad to announce that the winner is Nellie from McCarthy Designs

Congratulations Nellie, I really hope you'll enjoy your gift! Please contact me to receive your prize!

If you desire to be featured in my Etsy project or do you have an online store and do you want me to write about you and host a giveaway feel free to send me an email at gaia.borzicchi@gmail.com

Have a great week!

{Monday...}

Hello Ladies...

I'm on a hurry! Just a quick stop to my blog to wish you a great beginning of the week!





Lots of things will happen on the next days...Don't miss them! The celebration of the winner, my first guest post (the first of a long serie ... or I hope so), a nice exchange with a blogfriend, another nice giveaway and more....



Tomorrow will end my giveaway so if you didn't enter it HURRY UP!

{Friday's Kitchen}

I don't like to sit twiddling my thumbs (or with my hands in my lap). I don't know if you understand what that means but the thing is that I like to be always in movement, doing things, making things, baking some goodies or "creating" new stuff. While I'm doing something, my mind think to the things I want to do next... Sounds crazy? Maybe, but that's how it is...


After spending (successfully, for me!) an entire day trying to improve my abilities with the sewing machine (I've made my pillows!!), this morning I've made Strawberry Jam!




There is a difference between marmalde and jam. Usually Marmalade is made from Citrus fruits, Jam from sweet fruits.


My mom use to make jam with seasonal fruits and I learned how to make homemade jams.

It's very easy and it could be a nice present for your friends. You can make your own label, packing the jam with some goodies and voilà you have a very nice present!



Making and canning your own jam is quite easy. You just need 1 kg of fresh strawberries, 1 kg of sugar, a large saucepan and jars (I've used 30cl jars because they are nicer if it's a gift but you can choose whatever size you want).

Wash the strawberries in plain cold water and remove the hulls. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the strawberries, sugar.
Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often, until the mixture is not more liquid but reach the right consinstency.


Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving a bit of space from the top, and seal.

You can store the jams for a year so you will have fresh strawberries whenever you want!

*Photos by me*

Have a nice sweet weekend and don't forget to enter my giveaway...