Elly Adventures Archives - Page 2 of 3 - La Galeria Elefante Ibiza

Elly Adventures

Designed by Victoria in the Hills of Ibiza

Posted on 21/08/202122/03/2022 by Charlotte Firmi

For as long as I can remember I have been a huge fan of crafts and handmade pieces always put a smile on my face. I love the home-made, handspun feel, especially when you can see the story the piece is telling. The best therapy for me is spending as much time as possible in my studio in the hills of Ibiza. I can literally spend hours in my own world, doodling, designing, planning and producing. Some of the items at La Galeria Elefante are my own creations and I absolutely adore making them! Often influenced by the colours of the different seasons, the sounds of nature, and the beautiful Ibiza light, my whimsical designs include pieces like the Nest Lamps, the Branch of Life, the lovely little Alice Baskets perfect for a candle and the Happy Baskets (an Ibiza-style handbag). All pieces are made with love and lots of laughter.

Crafternoons bring me inner peace. As well as crafting or painting on my own, I thoroughly enjoy taking part in workshops which in turn inspire me to create for the shop. A favourite of mine is participating in the Sparkling Surfaces course taught by the fabulous and inspirational Andrew Logan (andrewlogan.com). The “wonderful workshops” event takes place yearly in Jaipur where we design and make sparkling jewellery as well as the glass and mirror mosaic art for the walls. If you are interested in crafting, definitely check out www.wonderfulworkshops.org and sign yourself up for some fun.

These original pieces I’ve made over the years are on display at La Galeria Elefante and I have since found artisans in India to replicate some of my pieces for us. Our Glitter Signs are available in two sizes and express various sentiments. Choose between “Peace,” “Love,” “Magic” or the slightly risqué “Fuck-it,” each carved from wood and bedazzled with mirror, colourful beads and glitter.

Glitter Love Sign La Galeria Elefante Ibiza

We also have the Angel Wing which is another pretty piece in this collection, now available in the shop. Although my original piece is a single wing, the ones we are producing come as a pair and look lovely hanging together on the wall of a kids’ room. Made using little pearls, mirror-work and glitter, these wings are available in small and large in various colours and will add a lovely sparkle to any wall while reflecting the light. Also available as a replica of my original piece is the sparkly Protective Eye, to watch over you and keep you from harm. Made with mirror-work, colourful beads, tiny pearl beads and glitter, the eyeballs on these eyes are made from a concave piece of mirror, adding an extra dimension.

All our signs and wings are made for us by a small family run business we love working with in Delhi. These sparkly decorative signs have become signature pieces and so are always available.

Elly Adventures

John Lewis x La Galeria Elefante Capsule Collection

Posted on 19/06/202122/03/2022 by Charlotte Firmi

Top Image Banner La Galeria Elefante John Lewis Gypsy Westwood Scaled

The whirlwind world of fashion is as exhilarating as it is absolutely exhausting, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! Humbled by the success of our first collaboration, I was over the moon to be asked to create a new dress collection for John Lewis this summer.
Textiles and prints are one of my biggest passions and so together with the amazingly efficient and all-round wonderful team at John Lewis, the new prints were chosen and the 2021 capsule collection emerged, along with the first of the summer sunshine, in May.
The collection features floaty boho maxi & midi dresses, in soft sustainable cotton and sheer chiffon. The designs, inspired by global textiles, nature and the beauty of Ibiza, include pretty florals, paisleys and abstract prints.
Each piece tells its own story.
The inspiration for the prints in the Summer 2021 collection are definitely related to my world travels and to traditional printing techniques, childhood fairy tales the crystal clear waters, the scent of the pine forests, beautiful sunsets and the incredible clear light and blue skies of Ibiza.
Included in this year’s collection, with bespoke alterations, are the Lyrical Dress,
the Kimono Dress, the Cosmic Dress, the Suzie Dress and the Jody Dress.

The Lyrical Dress

Mosaic Tile Print La Galeria Elefante Ibiza

The Lyrical Dress. The blue star mosaic print was inspired by traditionally handmade floor tiles discovered on a trip to Morocco. This ankle-grazing dress has a tiered skirt and a deep v-neck front, giving it a beautifully bohemian look and it can be dressed up with boots or dressed down with a simple pair of sandals. The open v-neck front leads to an elasticated waist, making it a very flattering fit as it has a matching sash that can be worn as a belt, around the neck like a scarf or even as a head band! The pretty, puffy short sleeves are ruffled at the hems. There are poppers on an elasticated collar at the back of the neck giving an easy fit on the shoulders.
Complete with deep side pockets, John Lewis says this is a dress you can really rely on and I agree!
Available in black and white, bold floral block print, or Blue Star Tile.
Available at John Lewis and Peter Jones, London, in-store and online.
Also available on our own website in other pretty prints (our one has a much more open back.)

The Cosmic Dress

The Cosmic Dress. The “Cosmic” dress in floaty blue chiffon, is a classic paisley with a floral twist and enlarged print, inspired by trips to India, incorporating bold colours and intricate patterns. The shape has a bohemian feel with a touch of the Feminine Pirate (!) which is the ultimate female experience here in Ibiza… inspired by the ’60s mood and “the summer of love” – feeling free and comfortable, easy to wear. This wonderful ’70s chic chiffon dress is loose fitting and long midi length. Beautifully tiered from the breast area and floaty, it features bishop sleeves with pretty detailed shirring gathering over the shoulder and top arm and a tie collar that can be worn open or closed. According to John Lewis, this dress “ticks all the style boxes thanks to the elastic shirring on the upper sleeve and cuff…”
Available from John Lewis and Peter Jones, London, in-store and online, in navy
paisley or pink floral ‘romantic bloom’, inspired by dreamy moments in my garden and vintage textiles.
Also available from us in other pretty prints and colours.

The Suzie Dress

The Suzie Dress. A knee length casual shirt-style dress with a touch of retro-inspired charm created by the pleating all the way around front and back of the chest area and also front and back of the drop waist area. The print is a classic paisley with a floral twist and enlarged print, inspired by trips to India, incorporating bold colours and vintage charm.
Available from John Lewis and Peter Jones, London, in-store and online and from us in-store in other pretty prints. The John Lewis suggestion is to “just add sandals in the summer, but why not layer it over a roll neck and boots in the
winter to get all year round wear”.

The Jody Dress

The Jodie Dress is our own signature boho maxi dress, but with a few bespoke alterations. The print inspired by the sun, sand and sea of Ibiza, makes this the perfect holiday dress. This long, cotton maxi dress has a tiered skirt, perfect for twirling in. Its bohemian style is matched by the blouson sleeves and frilled, square neckline, with elastic shirring under the bust to define your shape and make way for the flared A-line cut. John Lewis suggests that this dress “speaks volumes as it is” and to “just add sandals.”
Available in a yellow geometric fern leaf print from John Lewis and Peter Jones, London, in-store and online and on our own website in a number of different pretty hand block prints and colours.

The Kimono Dress

The Kimono Dress. The long cotton v-neck dress is an all time favourite. It has 2 small buttons with loops at the breast area and a tie at the back of the fitted waistband that enhances the flare to a full skirt accented by the above-the-wrist-length kimono wide sleeves. The beautiful print is inspired by the island’s sea and John Lewis says “invest in the dress you’re going to want to turn to all summer long.”
Available in a blue geometric fern leaf print from John Lewis and Peter Jones, London, in-store and online.
Also in a number of pretty hand block prints on our own website.

These versatile dresses can be dressed up or dressed down – for beach, or dinner, or shopping in the market, great for festivals and weddings and easy summer garden parties too. Also those with long sleeve styles are perfect for winter with a chunky oversize sweater and boots.

I hope you enjoy this collection as much as I enjoyed creating it with the John Lewis team and sincerely thank everyone involved.

SHOP THE COLLECTION

Elly Adventures

Ikat Weaving

Posted on 06/03/202122/03/2022 by Charlotte Firmi

My fascination with textiles began at quite a young age and has escalated into full blown LOVE.
Beautiful prints, patterns and weavings always catch my eye but investigating the intricacies of how these patterns on woven textiles are made has really become a passion. These different types of age old crafts have incredible stories behind them and one of my missions is to keep these crafts from disappearing.
These techniques are so utterly incredible that I truly believe they must never disappear so that future generations can admire them as much as I do!
Kantha stitching and hand block printing are two favourite techniques of mine but the more I learn about Ikat, the more I fall in love with it.

Ikat is possibly one of the oldest forms of textile decoration. This intricate weaving technique uses a method called resist-dye in which the yarns are tightly wrapped and dyed before the fabric is weaved. Used to pattern textiles, the ikat technique is very tricky to perfect but end results are a true work of art.

Due to the complexity of the technique, Ikat has been known to symbolise wealth and prestige. Most prevalent in Central Asia, Indonesia, India and Japan, ikat is also found in many cultures and is known as daraee in Persian which translates as wealth, and this fabric is often included in a bride’s dowry during wedding ceremonies.

The word ikat in Indonesian literally means to tie or to bind.

Ikat is popular all around the world and many different cultures have their own adaptation of it, each just as intricate as the next. The main types of ikat weaving are weft, warp and the magnificent double ikat. I won’t go into too much detail here but if you would like to find out more about these amazing techniques, visit our Artisanal Crafts page.

Weft – the crosswise threads on a loom that are passed over and under the warp threads to make cloth and the weft yarns are dyed a solid colour.

Warp – the lengthwise or longitudinal threads on a loom over and under which the weft threads are passed to make cloth.

Double ikat – both the warp and weft yarns are tied and dyed before being woven into a single textile. Double ikats are understandably quite rare.

The long wall hanging pictured above is one of my favourites and is a Sumba vintage ceremonial piece, made using vegetable dyes, double ikat weave and the mirror-image technique.

If all you can think about now is the beauty of ikat, pop in and browse my lovely collection of pretty ikat prints.

Also available in a number of different ikats is the gorgeously funky Ikat Kirsty Coat like the one I am wearing. These fantastic coats are fun and easy to wear long coats made from a cotton/silk traditional ikat. They feature a collar, side pockets and a pretty hand block cotton print lining. No two are the same and each one was designed by me, with love.

Elly Adventures

Kantha Stitch Embroidery

Posted on 06/03/202122/03/2022 by Charlotte Firmi

Intricate embroidery, colourful stitching, detailed needlework and craftsmanship passed down through generations have always been fascinating to me. Although not a seamstress myself, my enthusiasm for design comes greatly from my grandmother who had a wonderful eye for the exquisite. Ardently supporting the makers of disappearing crafts is an obsession of mine and the beauty of a handmade piece never ceases to amaze me. KANTHA is a favourite of mine. This pretty running stitch can be seen on so many of our fabulous pieces in the shop.

The word Kantha literally means ‘rags’ in Sanskrit, which is the perfect definition as a finished kantha piece is composed of all sorts of pieces of scrap fabrics, including unused pieces of beautiful saris.

Perfect for both men and women, our Kantha Jackets are a great example of this wonderful running stitch – choose between our funky box jacket, the stylishly oversized jacket, a hip length version or even the Kantha Riding Jacket for a more fitted look. As well as these wonderful jackets, we have a wide selection of kantha blankets & bedspreads in all colours and kantha cushions in all shapes and sizes. A number of the dresses, tops and tunics in my Victoria Made With Love & Laughter label are hemmed with pretty lines of colourful running kantha stitch – it really adds to the piece, especially our velvets with contrasting threads.

Handmade for us by skilled women workers in Jaipur, India and also outside Kathmandu, Nepal, we hope you love our pieces as much as we do!

Elly Adventures

Hand Block Printing

Posted on 06/03/202122/03/2022 by Charlotte Firmi

Hand block printing is a favourite craft of mine. Many of you may have seen some of the final results of this method on beautiful clothing, but have you ever stopped to think how these prints are brought to life?
Hand block printing is a skill that requires the patience of a saint! I have always collected old hand blocks, which are a work of art in themselves, even before they are used as printing blocks. Depending on the print, sometimes multiple blocks per motif are used!

Hand carved patterns are sculpted from blocks of wood to essentially create a stamp. The stamp is then dipped in inks or dyes (wherever possible we prefer to use vegetable dyes) and then the process of manually stamping the print onto large rolls of fabric begins. How could you not love this wonderful method of printing?

Not only does this skill produce incredible prints, it is also one of the more sustainable methods around as the fabric must first be soaked in water to remove starchiness in the fibre and many Indian artisans will do this in the local rivers, reducing the need for water consumption.

Sourcing trips to India always include a visit to Jaipur where I thoroughly enjoy watching the chippas (a caste of printers) bring the whole process to life. Always working with small family businesses and doing my part to make sure they are working in fair conditions, one of my main passions is to keep this amazing craft alive. This is mostly done by associations teaching those less fortunate the skill and how to implement it.

Help us to keep this incredible craft from disappearing by supporting fair trade whenever you can.

Elly Adventures

Elly Admiration

Posted on 10/12/202023/03/2022 by Charlotte Firmi

Elephants by name and very much elly-like by nature, our Elly Herd is a tight female family group. We of course adore the male members of our herd, but we take extra care of women workers around the world and take pride in being able to do so. Like ellies, we are surrounded by a doting collective of “aunties”, also known as clients, who encourage us with their constant praise of new products and designs made for us by skilled artisans. Lovingly referred to as the matriarch of our herd, I have a deep admiration of these magnificent animals.

Always astounded by their intelligence, it still humbles me that elephants can be so compassionate, altruistic and playful considering their immense size! Just like us, ellies love to hug and do so by wrapping their trunks together – adorable! What’s even more heart-warming is that some elephants suck their trunks for comfort, like humans suck their thumbs! Self-awareness is a trait possessed by very few animals but elephants are so cute with their 5 inch eyelashes that they actually love to look at themselves in the mirror! Vain, moi?!

As you may know, I love to travel and I make sure to visit elephant sanctuaries and orphanages as often as possible. Elephants have amazing memories and are even able to recognise and distinguish human voices so when in India, I make sure I pop in on one of my favourite ellies, Lakshmi, to deliver big bunches of bananas by the kilo! We love going bananas together! Ellies can tell the difference between human languages, male and female voices, friendly voices and those associated with danger so please be especially kind to them at all times and remember, “an elephant never forgets”.

Here’s a fun fact – did you know that unlike me, elephants can’t jump? They keep one foot on the floor at all times and despite their weight, the African elephants stand on their tippy toes! I love to jump around, singing, dancing and skipping whenever I can. We do however both love to swim but much to my chagrin, I don’t have a built in trunk for a snorkel – if only!

Here’s a fascinating fact – African elephants can be recognized by their large ears shaped like the continent of Africa whereas Asian elephants have smaller ears shaped like India! Wonders of nature never cease to amaze me.
I must admit though, there are 2 aspects of elephant life I am glad I don’t share with the ellies. The first is the need to feed for 12 to 18 hours a day! If this were the case, I would most certainly be the size of an elly! The second is being pregnant for 2 years – imagine that!!! No thank you. Not to mention giving birth to a 120kg baby!

Here’s a cute fact – elephants are born blind and so rely on their mummies heavily for guidance during the first few years. They have quite poor eyesight and are colourblind but can see in the dark. They communicate with one another using sound, touch and scent and have excellent hearing of up to 8km away!

Along with having the largest brain in the animal kingdom, elephants also have an astonishing number of muscles in their very useful trunks – 40,000! Their eating habits create a huge amount of waste per week which in turn keeps the soil fertile and also disperses tree seeds. Without actively knowing it, elephants play a hugely important role in balancing natural ecosystems; they trample forests and dense grasslands, making room for smaller species to co-exist and create water holes & footpaths used by other wildlife, literally changing the landscape around them.

Impossible not to admire and respect them,right?
Ellies, we love you!

Sadly, these gentle, playful giants are in danger. There are a number of wonderful charities that research and monitor elephant behavior and work to protect elephant communities from ivory poachers and traffickers, while promoting human-elephant coexistence and spreading awareness around the globe. At La Galeria Elefante, we have a number of products available for which we donate 100% of the profits to Elly Charities. Also, if your purchase has an elephant on it, we donate 10% of the sale. Please do find out more and see what you can do to help.

Elly Adventures

Victoria’s August Favourites

Posted on 15/08/202009/11/2020 by Charlotte Firmi

Inspired by nature, crystal clear waters and bright blue skies, the constant chirping of cicadas and birdsong always makes me smile. Enjoying dancing on my own and singing out loud at home, I wanted to share some of my August favourites with you. The background story behind many of the pieces we make is often lost, but my passion will never falter and I take great joy in sharing these stories with you…

Our SEWA Eye Cushion, designed by Victoria, is one of our signature cushions. Ethically made, supporting fair trade, this handmade eye-shaped cushion has beautiful embroidery, sequinned eyelashes and has a running kantha stitch around the outside. Available in various colours, all on a white base, it is made by SEWA, the Self Employed Women’s Association in Delhi. SEWA helps workers to achieve their goals of full employment and self reliance, while overcoming daily challenges. Find this cushion in-store or online SEWA Eye Cushion.

The ‘Jody Dress’, designed by Victoria Made With Love & Laughter, is one of our signature pieces, repeated annually in gorgeous new hand block prints and produced by a small family business we’ve worked with for many years. The Jody Dress is the ideal all-seasons, bohemian super-dress! The soft light cotton is elegant, breathable and comfortable in summer, the shape, featuring a frilled, rounded neckline and long, blouson sleeves, is versatile and flattering on all body shapes. It looks great loose, accessorised with a belt, or with a sweater thrown over in colder months. An incredible 14 meters of fabric is used on the six-tiered, floor length skirt, making it the ultimate dress for swirling and dancing!

Available in-store & online Jody Dress.

The ‘WIF Silk Lace Waist Dress’ is designed by Victoria Made With Love & Laughter and made for us by the Women’s Interlink Foundation. WIF is a movement in Calcutta that rescues vulnerable young women, taking them out of human trafficking, giving them a home and teaching them a skill. The Women’s Interlink pieces are ethically produced and made with pride, providing shelter and comfortable working conditions for all.The midi-length dress features a lace waistline and comes in 2 beautiful silk-screened prints. They are only created in small quantities and each dress is personally signed by the woman who made it.

Available in-store & online WIF Lace Waist Dress.

Producing in small quantities not only provides uniqueness, but also ensures quality. Our glitter signs, designed by Victoria, are made for us by a small family run business we adore, in the North of India. The father, son & daughter team bring our designs to life with incredible skill, using crafts passed down from one generation to the next.Available in large, small, silver and gold, we offer the sentiments of ‘Love’, and ‘Peace’, but also ‘Fuck-It’ if you’re feeling particularly mischievous! ‘Magic’ will be back in store soon and we also have glitter wings, glitter ampersands (&) and a glitter tree of life.

Available in-store & online Glitter Signs.

Supporting and promoting disappearing crafts has always been close to our hearts. The more intricate and sustainable the craft, the more important it is to keep it alive! Promoting traditional craftsmanship is essential to highlight the heritage of a country, through the use of local materials, preserving traditional knowledge and talents. The ‘Ibiza Espadrille Sandals’ are the perfect bohemian footwear for island-hopping in the sunshine. Handmade in Ibiza, true to a traditional Balearic craft, they are meticulously worked from indigenous natural cactus fibres and finished with a rubber sole. The string technique allows your feet to breath and because they are so light, it feels like you are walking barefoot!

These Ibiza Espadrille Sandals can also be made to order, so if you have a particularly enchanting foot shape or shoe size, please do get in touch before you order.

Available in-store & online Ibiza Espadrille Sandals.

Come with us on a journey to enjoy vibrant colours, tactile textures, delicious scents and inspiring artistry, all lovingly designed to lift up your senses and spin you around with joy. We’re all about living life, loving laughter and creating the energy of beauty wherever we go.

Elly Adventures

My Ibiza-Life in Lockdown

Posted on 01/05/202023/03/2022 by Charlotte Firmi

Home. Such a different place for us all now, as we learn to adapt and manage our lives in this temporary lockdown, wherever we are. Without any social life or other places to go, our homes have literally become our everything. The space where we are 24/7. The space that holds all. The space in which we relax, connect with our families, work, create, dream. My Ibiza life in lockdown is with my husband François, a doctor and epidemiologist, our son Emile, a musician and photographer, and our spirited dog Pluto. We all usually travel a lot for our work. It’s a very different reality now to the trip I had planned to India end of March, to finalise our summer collections, oversee the second collaboration for John Lewis, and start a new project with an NGO empowering young women. So I’m finding new ways to keep occupied.

I wake up around 7am to the sounds of birds and with a cup of hot water and squeezed lemon picked from our tree, I wander barefoot in my pyjamas into the garden. We’re very blessed and eternally grateful to live in Ibiza and love our home which is a 17th century old finca (farmhouse) in the middle of the countryside, surrounded by sheep and pine trees, with a fabulous panoramic view of the valley and hills beyond. We have renovated and restored the property using local materials: stone for our one metre thick walls, and olive and juniper wood beams for the ceilings. It has a cosy feel, styled by me with unique crafted textiles, art and furniture from the shop and sourced on my travels, perfect for lounging comfortably and dreaming (my speciality!).

Sipping my hot lemon, I stroll amongst our newly planted vegetable patch and ponder what I plan to do that day. Once dressed, I take Pluto for a walk around the property and neighbouring ruin. This is my hour for contemplation and meditation. To empty my head. Then it’s yoga via Zoom with my dear friend, yoga teacher and mermaid-swimming partner Vivianne. It’s the best start to the day, to feel balanced, stretched and grounded. Afterwards breakfast and coffee with François and back on Zoom for a work meeting. Zoom has opened up an amazing new virtual world for so many – for self-care, working, connecting with family and friends and even sharing dinner dates.

From my studio in the pine forest, I’ve been loving slowing down and getting creative to keep grounded and focused. Painting with oils, decorating branches for display and taking this unique opportunity to update our website with the support of my wonderful Elly team. With the new focus on our homes, we are expanding our homeware collection available online and in the Ibiza shop, which we hope will be able to re-open soon. We have some incredible pieces to share with you, to suit all budgets and are still delivering worldwide, helping to transform your homes. You may also find our styling services to be useful, so do get in touch if you’d like me to help you re-create the laid-back, colourful, bohemian look typical of La Galeria Elefante in your own home and garden.

It’s at this time of year that the island is in full Spring bloom, with carpets of brightly coloured flowers stretching across the fields and am so grateful for the smell of pine and waking up to bird song. I wake up counting all the different sounds and it’s inspired me to find out more about the different local species. Everything feels slower now and detached from previous routines. As a family, we have spent time chitchatting, cooking together, listening to Emile play his guitar, generally lounging, doing yoga together and dreaming.

Embracing this time for new patterns and ideas to settle and to keep a fresh and open heart and mind. Time for deep reflection and to reconnect to our own personal values. I have personally enjoyed researching other women’s NGO projects that we can support in the future, to empower women and artisans. One close to my heart is an NGO focused on educating young women in India on issues regarding menstruation and helping the supply of sanitary towels so that girls can go to school and not feel ashamed. I’m excited to share more with you when this is all set up.

One of the beautiful gifts we have all witnessed in lockdown has been the genuine care, love, encouragement and nurturing for humanity that everyone has shown – either on social media, the public workers and medical teams or our neighbours. Looking ahead, I do hope this time we’ve had to pause and reflect will see us continue to be compassionate with each other and more respectful of Mother Earth and her seas. I’ve watched numerous videos of dolphins playing close to the shores here and even in the harbour in Ibiza town. How amazing! I long for the moment when we’re allowed to visit the beaches and swim again or go boating in our old wooden fishing boat.

I leave you with a couple of small gifts from my family – a playlist prepared by Emile, and our favourite vegetarian recipe for Springtime, our Spring Vegetable Parsley Pesto Tart.

Sending love, courage and strength from the top of our hill to you all.
Stay safe.

Victoria
xxxx

Playlist by Emile
Quentin Quarentino

Spring Vegetable Parsley Pesto Tart
INGREDIENTS:
375g Ready Rolled Puff Pastry
4 new potatoes – thickly sliced
½ head broccoli – broken into small(ish) florets
1 leek – thickly sliced
8 asparagus spears – woody ends trimmed and sliced into 5cm lengths
100g fresh or frozen peas
4 spring onions – thinly sliced
200ml double cream or soya cream
40g bunch fresh parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp pine nuts
½ tsp salt
½ tsp vegetable stock powder
A little milk or soya milk to glaze

METHOD:

Unroll the pastry and roll it a little more thinly to create a slightly longer, thinner rectangle, then cut it into two equal sized rectangles.
Line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper or baking parchment, and place one of the rectangles on the tray, leaving the other aside for now.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then add the sliced potatoes.
After they’ve been cooking for 4 minutes, add the broccoli and leek.
After a further 4 minutes, add the asparagus and peas, then after 2 minutes, remove from the heat, drain & return to the saucepan, add the spring onions and set aside to cool.
In a hand blender or food processor, blitz the cream, parsley, lemon zest, pine nuts, salt and stock powder together into a sauce. Pour the sauce over the vegetables, and stir to combine until all the vegetables are evenly coated.

When they are cool, carefully pile the vegetables into the centre of the pastry, leaving at least 2cm border around the edges. If there is some creamy sauce in the bottom of the saucepan, pour this into the centre of the pile of vegetables so that it doesn’t spread to the edges of the pastry. Brush a little water around the edges of the pastry, then place the second rectangle of pastry over the top.
Press the edges together firmly with your finger to seal together, then use a fork to crimp the edges to make it look pretty. Use the back of the blade of a sharp knife to gently score lines in the top of the pastry, then brush the whole lot with milk or soya milk.

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and the pastry is cooked

throughout.

Enjoy!

Elly Adventures

Victoria Made With Love & Laughter – The Label

Posted on 08/04/202031/05/2023 by Charlotte Firmi

Take a life-long wanderlust and passion for global textiles and crafts, add a natural curiosity for the exquisite, sprinkle this with childhood fairytales and the bohemian beauty of Ibiza, and you have the deliciously eclectic Victoria Made With Love & Laughter label. Designed by the owner and creative force of La Galeria Elefante, Victoria Durrer Gasse, the label features chic fashion, accessories and homeware collections that give you the freedom to express yourself. Each piece tells its own story. Either unique or produced in small quantities to ensure its authenticity. And expertly crafted by small family businesses and NGOs around the world. Celebrating artisan communities from India to Madagascar, Guatemala to Ibiza, we’ll take you on a journey when you shop with us.

The clothing range features floaty boho dresses in soft cottons and hand block prints as well as tops, tunics, coats, jackets, trousers, skirts and jumpsuits in cosy cashmeres, wool, hand spun silk, silk satins and vibrant velvets. The popular ‘Frilly Rock’ bikini and our ‘Triangle’ Bikini that comes in a pouch which doubles as a beach purse available in our swimwear range in the most gorgeous cotton and silk prints. Although many pieces are unisex, new for 2020 is our menswear collection of cotton hand block printed long sleeved shirts and swim shorts in bright hand block prints with contrasting lining.

Our luxury accessories consist of beautiful scarves in cashmere, wool, soft cotton, velvet and silk, some plain and others in hand block prints, botanical prints or hand embroidered. A wonderful selection of bags, including some twisted vintage velvet designs made from antique ceremonial hats with ribbon and funky button details. Cummerbunds in liberty prints and kantha-stitched cottons, wool slippers, block printed eye masks and pyjamas and an extraordinary collection of jewellery.

The whimsical homeware collection covers an expanding line of soft furnishings – cushions with gorgeous hand embroidered details, vintage fabric cushions with velvet and ribbon details, silk velvet blankets with silk ball trim, hand crocheted bedspreads, ribbon curtains, macrame curtains with crystals, hand embroidered tea towels, pillow cases, lavender filled velvet nap cushions, pouches and eye masks. To adorn your walls, signature artworks include hand made signs in the shape of a wing or eye, or with the messages ‘love and peace’, ‘magic’ and the ever popular ‘fuck-it’. From her studio nearby, Victoria also makes original bird nest lamps and lampshades to decorate your home.

Other labels by Victoria include ‘Sunny Day’, a cotton casual-wear collaboration with Penny McIvor, made by the Women’s Interlink Foundation. Partnerships include Monsoon, Urban Outfitters, John Lewis & Partners and Victoria is always open to further collaborations. Victoria Made With Love & Laughter fashion, accessories and homeware pieces are available exclusively online, in La Galeria Elefante concept store in Santa Gertrudis, Ibiza and in pop-ups around the world. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to journey with us on new adventures.

AND/OR Collaboration John Lewis & Victoria Made With Love & Laughter

Velvet Butterfly Kimono Mauve Back La Galeria Elefante Ibiza Emile Durrer Gasse Photography 37 1

Sunny Day

Key To Freedom

Victoria Made With Love & Laughter

Purple Striped Oversized Mohair Jumper Worn Over Green Long Sleeved Tshirt And Black Trousers.

Elly Adventures

Atzaró – Ibiza fashion show 2019

Posted on 09/09/201901/03/2021 by Charlotte Firmi

It’s always a pleasure to be invited to take part in the yearly Atzaró Ibiza Fashion Show. As one of Ibiza’s adored five-star country hotel and spas, Atzaró is the ideal location for a fashion show of this calibre and this year, for their 15th anniversary celebration, the event was made extra special by wrapping the catwalk around the 43m long pool in the lower orange grove and palm tree lined garden.

The event was as fabulously glamorous as expected, with a VIP guest list, a celebrity photo-call & of course live music throughout the evening. We were thrilled to be showcasing our pieces alongside other talented designers like RIXO, De La Vali, Toral-Shoes, Isabel Moore, Yasmine Eslami, B.ikaat, Johnny Mesq, SPRMRKT, Georgina Goodman & World Family Ibiza.

Huge thanks once again to the whole Atzaró team for all their hard work in putting together this event, attended by over 2000 smiley faces. We had a ball and can’t wait for next years’ event!