Another year, another successful Academy France! Returning to this little slice of heaven in the French countryside always feels like coming home - and it’s so special to be able to share that unique experience with others. Here’s a little look at how the Styling & Photography Workshop unfolded this summer. If you’d like to be the first to know about the next Academy France, sign up here.

I’ve been having a love affair with handmade ceramics for years now, and the work of one particular artist has captured my heart - that of French potter, Thierry Doublet. He has been crafting beautiful objects since the 1970s in an unassuming workshop situated in the middle of nowhere, France. How I was first introduced to his work was by way of a casual alfresco dinner on the stone terrace of a centuries old chateau. The owner of the chateau, a marvelous chef, and his lovely wife, served glasses of chilled rosé and the most delicious piment d'espelette shrimp presented in one of Thierry’s large handmade shallow bowls. Sounds dreamy, I know. And it was. Almost immediately, I became obsessed with learning about the ceramicist that created the gorgeous bowl - and how I could add his pieces to my own collection. The very next morning I found myself driving the backroads of the French countryside, making my way to his studio. In the years since I first discovered his work, I have returned again and again each time I visit France.

Year after year, organizing and orchestrating The Academy France is my most fulfilling and beloved project. Not only is the environment so beautifully quaint and authentically French, the people I meet and the experiences we have together are unforgettable. I've been settled back home in California for a few months and have finally gathered my thoughts and images from this years event in order to share with you now. I hope it conveys all the magic that transpired this summer at The Academy.

I've visited my fair share of local farmstands and independent grocers. Why, there are at least four produce stands within a few miles of my home that I frequent on a weekly basis. But this small, organic French grocery, Les Jardins de Vaissieres, has to be the absolute most charming one I've ever seen. When you step through the door, it feels as if you're taking a journey back in time or walking through a scene from a movie. Their gorgeous displays are overflowing with baskets of vibrant produce, cupboards filled with jars of homemade terrines and pâté, and crates of organic eggs - all under the "watchful" eye of a sleeping shop kitty....

Bonjour, mes amies! Currently I'm home and settled back into daily life, after a nearly month long visit to France to prepare for, teach, and host - The Academy. At the moment, I'm finding it somewhat difficult to express how I feel about my experience without using words that make me sound like a simpleton - amazing, memorable, and truly inspiring come to mind. But then, they do accurately describe the time I spent with those who attended, as well as my friends and team that help me pull off such an enormous event. Something remarkable happens when you bring a diverse group of creative women together. Friendships are born, creativity sparked, dreams and goals revealed, and authentic encouragement envelopes the group as a whole.

One of our favorite days in Paris was our trip to Chateau Versailles. We hopped the early morning train and spent the entire day touring the Chateau, Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, the Grand Canal and Marie Antoinettes Hamlet.