It all started in Paris.
Oh dear, I'm lying.
It really started in the Marrakech jewelry studio of Jewels. I was there waiting. The other women were waiting with me. They were beautiful but unadorned.
Until me.
Suddenly, I had become a jeweler of sorts.
{What do you wish you could become? Maybe your becoming is just right around the corner.....}
And the tour of my curious things continues.... Today the guest room in my home at Peacock Pavilions. For friends and family when they come to Marrakesh to visit.
A lamp made by an American artisan from my own Buddha hand, ceramic bird and religious charms. Moroccan roses in a vase that doubles as a Moet champagne container.
A wool pom pom blanket of my own design as well as a vintage Moroccan flat weave cushion (soon in Red Thread Souk!). One of my vintage Moroccan wedding blankets, known as handiras (Scroll down to see those for sale here).
Old curly shoes bought in Pakistan. A book on Diana Vreeland given to me by her son and a book on Mary given to me by my father.
A vintage motorcycle model found in the Marrakesh souks rests on an antique Tibetan chest.
Pillow I made from Egyptian fabric with Arabic calligraphy.
A vintage suzani with a crocheted & sequined border bought on assignment in Kyrgyzstan. A glimpse of the stenciled floor -- a Moroccan bone weave pattern I found -- that was created into a stencil by Royal Design Studio.
A brass bowl with a bird, purchased in Cairo. In the backdrop, old tribal earrings I bought in Yemen.
An 18th century Buddha given to me by my parents.
Vintage Moroccan baskets resting on old tassel hanging from Afghanistan. I made the table with tiles from Popham Design.
A lamp I made from an old beaded Afghan hat. A vintage toy car found in the Marrakech souks.
Antique mirrors and santos halo from Peru. Feather donated by my peacock, Maurice.
What strange and curious things are in your guestroom?
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I assemble small collections, and I create little vignettes. I pin things to the wall, and I hang things on hooks. I have piles of tribal textiles stacked up on chairs and on floors; I leave these piles everywhere.
My husband swears that in his next life, he will marry a minimalist. I pat him on the arm and say, Of course you will.
Today, some items in my bedroom at Peacock Pavilions in Marrakesh.
A little pouch with Berber imagery to store receipts, books by Sibella Court (inspiring layouts), a clay hand holds Moroccan matches to light my candle in the evening.
A jumble of cushions on the daybed.
My jewelry, including a ring from Bouvier, bracelets from Tory Burch and Raven & Lilly, & antique tribal pieces on etched hands. (I sell the hand etched hands for $140 each - useful, every day luxury is so nice.) More favorite books - I am inspired by The Divine Home and love the photography in Interiors.
A collection of antique spice boxes from Yemen.
Kenyan bone beads and a necklace from Raven and Lily hanging from hooks of my own design. (The hooks are hand-made and I sell them for $55 each). A pom pom necklace from Tory Burch. An image of a Berber woman found in the Marrakesh Thursday souk.
Flowering branches in a ginger jar.
A model hand with an old shell bead. Recent reading (odd & somewhat interesting).
A vintage peacock on an Egyptian inlaid box.
An old toy car found in the Marrakech souks, a terracotta head from Mali, a vintage Montague cigar box, an antique Tibetan tray.
What special little things are in your bedroom?
PS If you'd like to purchase hooks (3 models) or hands, pls email me at Moroccanmaryam(AT)yahoo.com
PPS Subscribe to My Marrakesh here. Let's be friends on Facebook here or take a look at my Pinterest boards here
I should have known once I walked through the door at the Lotus Club in Marrakech, that the evening was going to be, well, different.
Because even though I was in a city almost 1000 years old with many men in djellabas and many women in headscarves, there seems to be something for everyone in Marrakech...
Because, you see, Ooh-La-La was on stage...
What did you think? he asked.
All I could reply, weakly, was....ooh-la-la
