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Hello from Morocco!


SewMini

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Hey everyone!!! Im so sorry Ive ghosted the group the past couple months. It was crazy busy at work and with all my family and health issues The Casa had to take a back seat. 

My grandmother's passing was stressful for me and my family because it created so much drama. The funeral weekend was basically a nightmare but it's past me now. In better news, my heart issues have been identified as a benign heart arrhythmia that can be dealt with through lifestyle changes (like little to no caffeine *sobs*).  I still get daily palpitations but now that I know they aren't life threatening I feel much more at ease.

I'm posting now from Marrakech, Morocco where we are on a VERY much needed vacation.  My husband, bless his soul, booked us a private house through air bnb for practically nothing. It's amazing and Im getting SO many ideas for the Casa. Here are a few snaps

I am LIVING for this tiny soaking pool we have here. Not just because it's boiling hot during the day but also because it's just awesome looking. I'm thinking about making something like this as a raised bathtub in the casa.

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I am in love with these metal couches

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I really want to work this ceiling intothe house

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This bathroom is definitely getting the creative juices flowing

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Im definitely considering how I can make a balcony happen. Maybe the second floor can be a loft?

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Doorway from my bathroom to my bedroom. So cool!

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Good to hear from you!  So glad your health issues turned out to be benign and that you're enjoying your vacation and getting lots of inspiration.  That soaking pool looks divine!  I want one here.  Can't wait to see how how these inspirational photos translate to the Casa.

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Hello Miranda, I'm Cyndy. Very Glad to meet you.... I have to admit, I had to look closely at the photos, At first I though they were *Mini*.... But then I think I saw your Bag and pocketbook and realized those were REAL! If those pictures are inspiration..... WOW.... I can't wait to see your Casa Either.

Very Glad to hear your feeling better.

Enjoy your Vacation.  

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Sorry to hear all that you had to go through (I can relate to the family drama part only too well) but maybe you are at the light at the end of the tunnel now. That house looks amazing and so inspiring. I hope you rest, relax and soak it all in - in the pool and intellectually!

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This house is so awesome! It's only $100 a night for the whole thing! Thats cheaper than the hotel I stayed at for my grandmother's funeral in the middle of nowhere. Here, though, we get a whole house!

Admittedly, Marrakech has been...overwhelming. My daughter and I both have ADHD and the market square gets us to our "people limit" pretty quickly. Im a seasoned traveler but I can only handle being asked if I want a henna tattoo so many times. The house (riad) is quiet and serene. Its definitely an oasis for the soul. I loved just sitting here today taking naps. these are the few weeks between stressful times at work so Im trying to relax as much as possible.

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4 hours ago, Summersethomes said:

what a pretty house, I love the bathroom, I know this is strange but do you have photos of the toilet? just in case someone wants to do a mini scene..now I sound like a crazy person.

There is no way that sounds crazy here!! 

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Hi Miranda! :wave: I've missed you around these parts! So glad to hear your heart issues are not too serious. I've been wondering where you were and here you pop up in Morrocco! :D

What a fantastic house! Definitely a future mini project... It would be absolutely wonderful!. I understand about work.. mine is really ramping up at the moment so I don't have any mini time until probably August, but it's fun dropping in here to live vicariously through everyone else. :)

I understand your 'people limit' in the markets.. the ones in Asia make me want to run and hide... lol

Sorry your Grandmother's funeral created so much angst.. I know the feeling and it's not great.. such a stressful time always brings out the worst in a lot of people. I'm glad for you that it's over.

NO COFFEE.. :eek:*faints* Oh my lord! Not sure I could survive!

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Ugh Im slowly getting used to the no caffeine thing. It's definitely helped but I do miss my morning cup(s). That's no fun about the no mini time :( maybe you can squeeze a little in here and there?

As for Morocco, we're saying goodbye to the riad in the morning as we're off on a four day tour of the Sahara complete with a Berber campout! After that we'll be a few days in Fez and a few days in Casablanca. Then we fly back to Paris for our friend's wedding and finally home. Whew!

I FINALLY got photos up of the riad for you to see. It took me a few days because the internet here is slow and spotty but I created a Flickr album with all my reference photos. These arent meant to look pretty. They were just to capture the elements of the riad. There are so many little things I just love! Lots of ideas swirling now.

If you would like to see some more photogenic images, feel free to check out my husband's Flickr account. He's a wonderful photographer so i always leave the good stuff to him.

 

 

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We've now made it to Fés after spending 4 days trekking through the Atlas Mountains and an overnight stay in the Sahara! Fés already seems to be quite a bit more modern than Marrakech which my daughter enjoys. I think Marrakech and the mountains were a bit rustic for her tastes. *sigh* such a princess lol.

The last day we were in Marrakech we went to Jardin Marjorelle which was a vacation home for Yves St. Laurent. Given my profile name, I think we can all figure out why i wanted to go there :D

This was a beautiful walkway in the garden

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The garden is a jewel of desert botanicals. Here is a stunning walk up to the brightly colored villa that was shared by Yves and Pierre.

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We said goodbye to Marrakech and went on a four day driving tour through the Atlas Mountains. We spent our first night in the stunning Dedés Gorge area. The smal garden area in out hotel was sooo tranquil. I really love the idea of adding something like this to the side or front of the casa (whose footprint seems to be growing daily in my mind :D)

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On the way to Dedés Gorge, we made a pit stop at the famous Kasbah Aït Benhaddou. It's been featured in many movies and was a key stop on the trade routes of old. 

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we stopped and had lunch at a restaurant across the way and sat on the rooftop terrace. It had this really cool patio covering that i thought looked very unique but potentially easy to make

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From there we headed into the desert for an overnight stay in the Sahara. Here's me looking like Lawrence of Arabia. I have to say, when wrapped properly, these head coverings are invaluable against the sun and wind. And it is WINDY out there!

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After our night in the desert, we spent one night in the tour company riad which had a lot of lovely decorative iron work. My grandfather's business was decorative cast iron so perhaps that's why im so partial. I do like how the iron pieces are simply attached by wrapping another piece of iron around it. I think it would make assembling a miniature version easier than having to have all the supplies for soldering. Plus I kind of like this look better than a welded look.

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Here is a decorative set of tBle and chairs I really liked. They are constructed basically the same way as the grates so i think I could replicate it and it would be great for the casa patio

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That's all for now! I will keep an eye out for things I think you guys might like. Perhaps a few shop photos for those of you who like to do scene work!

 

 

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These pictures are amazing! You can see the architectural influences that were brought to southern Spain (& then to Latin America). So fascinating. Thank you for sharing these and enjoy the rest of your trip.

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Tile work extravaganza!! I was lame and didnt take too many photos during our time in Fés but I more than made up for that today when we went to the exquisite Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. This is the third largest religious site after Mecca and the mosque in Riyad. It took 10,000 artisans 6 years working 24 hours a day to make. It is filled with incredible carved plaster work and amazing painted cedar work. My favorite, though, is the handmade zillje tilework. I took loads of photos and put them in a Flickr album in case anyone wants inspiration!

 

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I really, REALLY love tile work and the designs are just to die for. Im hoping Josh got some better photos than I did. I think I could print them out on glossy photo paper and then emboss the edges to make a tile effect. I think it would look great in the bathroom or as a fountain back outside. The surface is quite smooth in real life so you could probably get away with just printing it on the photo paper to be honest.

Im also strongly considering making an applique quilt top to dress the bed with. Though, to be fair, intricate quilts are more of an Egyptian thing. The tentmakers of Cairo are quite famous for their applique work.

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