Renovating Italy

Villa de Vecchi – the dream

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 21:55:04 +0000

INSPIRATION

Villa de Vecchi

“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”

Leonardo Da Vinci

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Felix De Vecchi, a Count who had traveled many parts of the world and been a soldier came home to Italy. He bought with him a passion for the East which is reflected in the home he was about to create Villa de Vecchi.

Only in his thirties, it was a time of travel and romance. I imagine him wandering the area near Lake Como and deciding on the perfect place to build his summer house.

He chose the architect Alessandro Sidoli, and work progressed. The many innovations included are well documented, such as the use of heating tubes within the walls similar to those used today. Serving hatches were used to bring food from the kitchens to the upper floors, and the fountain was able to shoot into the air using pressure from the slope of the mountain.

It was a home created with passion and imagination. Extensive gardens and parkland were planted, a keepers house built, parties held, and many summers were spent living a charmed life.

Exquisite decorative fresco’s covered the walls and ceilings, in the hall there are the remains of a grand piano and a huge fireplace in the next room. We can only begin to imagine how glorious it must have been.

Villa de Vecchi was a stunning work created from the imagination of both men.

That it still brings forth such a response so many years later is a fitting testament to the creative genius of these men.

Sadly Alessandro was not to see the final result, he died a year before completion.

The count and his family were said not to live a full and happy life together at the Villa. It’s been reported that one day he returned home to find his wife murdered, her face disfigured and his daughter missing. He searched the woods for weeks without finding a trace. Distraught he killed himself. I do not in any way say this story is the truth but it is the popular story of what happened.

It was 1862, he was only forty six years old.

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After his death the house was passed to his brother Biagio, who at the end of the sixties completely removed the Eastern influence from the keepers house replacing the dome and decorations with stone. The Count’s family owned Villa de Vecchi and spent many summers in it’s beauty till the early forties.

Abandoned for the next twenty years it was sold and has had a number of owners.

This glorious dream a young man began so many years ago fell into decay, the pipes that had been so innovative helping in it’s downfall as they slowly broke within the walls. Vandals and time began the process which continues today.

The urban legend grows with talk of ghosts and tragedy.

Even as I look at these images I can picture Felix De Vecchi strolling through the grounds notebook in hand, dreams in his heart. Those who fell in love with the house and it’s beauty are attempting to save it. The process is complex yet I can only hope it succeeds.

Perhaps the legacy of Felix De Vecchi and Alessandro Sidoli will live on, with help not only from those close by but from all over the world. His story and that of Villa De Vecchi will one day be fully told and shared.

Please note every effort has been made to verify the above information for Villa de Vecchi, if you are able to update, correct or give any further information I would be very happy to hear from you. ciao lisa

images ~ 1 ~ 2 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 7 ~ 8 ~ 9 ~ 10 ~ 11

further resources ~ Valsassina News ~ Salviami the Villa (fb) ~ Flickr Jeff Kerwin

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and the gang x

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The World comes to stay at Borgata Malpertus

Lisa Chiodo — Sat, 22 Jun 2019 12:31:07 +0000

INSPIRATION

The world comes to stay at Borgata Malpertus

COME & STAY AT BORGATA MALPERTUS

….we said, never expecting so many wonderful guests to arrive over the years! Summer is always popular. It feels like one big party with people arriving as guests and departing as dear friends. Of course with all the changes the world has seen these past year and a bit we’ve not had international guests but rather local Italians mainly from the big city of Turin escaping for some pristine Alpine air and relaxation.

With visitors from Australia, England, Germany, and America over the years, it feels like the world has come to stay at Borgata Malpertus.

Our dream to create a new life here in Val Pellice has slowly come together. Restoring our own home, purchasing Casa Bianca and creating the Loft Apartment happened with sweat, tears and yep tantrums along the way. The world really did come to stay at Borgata Malpertus.

We continue to grow as a family, dysfunctional much of the time yet we still managed to make our dream come true. We now have a lifestyle that gives our children a strong sense of community, a new language, freedom to run about and come home at dusk, and importantly meet and get to know people from all over the world. What a gift it’s been for all of us.

Feeling the wrench when our visitors leave for home just continues to prove we are doing the right thing. Such wonderful, kind, thoughtful, loving people have visited us this year, a million memories shared, laughter and good meals, and many discussions about DINOSAURS.

Seeing our life through the eyes of others has been a huge gift. You remind us why we fell in love with Borgata Malpertus and the people of the Valley.

One family that visited loved it so much they bought a house and plan to move here early in the new year. Sam was able to help another family with a tricky house purchase with just a few phone calls, they were mega happy and we hope to one day be able to visit with them at Lake Como.

Thank you to everyone who has visited us, whether you stayed for a night, a week or just for a meal, we love you all.

A special thank you for all the patient chats with Luca, the girlie times with Carina.

For bringing us all a richness that we never imagined possible way back when we welcomed our first visitors to the Loft Apartment.

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VISIT US

So now the party is just getting started for the season, we are enjoying the sunshine and the valley is filled with flowers!

Next year will be bigger and better, we have many things planned…..stay tuned or better yet come for a visit and Stay at Borgata Malpertus.

We’d love to see you, why would you love to stay at Borgata Malpertus with us…..?

and the gang x

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Renovating in Abruzzo – ‘I think I need a drink’

Lisa Chiodo — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 02:00:51 +0000

GUEST RENOVATOR

Meet Mike & Arnna – renovating in Abruzzo

‘I think I need a drink!’

As we walked away from our first sighting of the town house we bought in Casalbordino, Abruzzo, my wife, Arnna said ‘I think I need a drink!’

It didn’t help that we had done what every sane home buyer is told not to do!

We’d bought property online.

We hadn’t seen the house ourselves, and had sent deposit money internationally to an agent that we hadn’t even met.

Were we nuts?!

What greeted us was not a pretty sight.

Black mould on the walls, a fuchsia pink and mint green colour scheme, and testimony from one of the workmen clearing out the mess from the previous tenants in broken English, “This could be character, or this could be s#$t!

The 125 m² house that was advertised, was actually 250!

When we returned later that summer, the heating units and hot water cylinder had also gone in the clear out, leaving holes in the outside walls!

That said, Richard, our local builder had advised us well. Our 400-year-old house, first built for the Bishop of Casalbordino, had good bones.

Every project he has undertaken for us (usually scribbled on the back of a train ticket printout!) has turned out amazingly.

Two new bathrooms, a kitchen/ living area switchover, and currently a basement apartment, have all realised our vision of keeping the traditional Abruzzese style and marrying it with modern amenities.

After Richard’s major reno work, we have done all the renovating ourselves –abbiamo imparato molto!

Ask a local!

If there’s one piece of advice you should listen to, that would be it.

Our decorating and hardware store owner, Marco, has advised us correctly on everything from paint on stone walls and ceilings, metal balcony rails, plaster, even clotheslines, with the additional bonus that we now use Google Translate less!

A family love affair with renovating has ensued. Arnna has found a particular passion for terracotta tile wax, which banishes that gritty underfoot feel for at least a year!

Mollie, Abbie and Elliot have all learnt the benefits of marine polyurethane over outside door stain and how it means no more touch ups each summer!

Me? Well, Arnna’s sense of style is amazing, so I just adopt the labourer role to whatever she wants- and proudly say, I love it!

15 cans of paint stripper and 40 litres of vernice bianca tells only part of the story.

Well Earned!

But if you want to really enjoy that Moretti or Montepulciano, or whatever your bevanda preferita is at the end of the day, try directing a detail sander over doors and frames for 6-8 hours, or wielding a paint roller over domed ceilings as an alternative.

Additionally, try scrubbing 50 years of dirt and grime off terracotta tiles…

Then take note of your aching shoulders and knees. Nothing says ‘earned’ quite like they do.

Bio:

Mike is a New Zealander currently living in the Middle East with his wife Arnna, (both work in education) and 3 children, Mollie, Abbie and Elliot. They fell in love with Italy on a trip to Pozzallo, Sicilia in 2013. So much so, that after several return trips to other regions, they bought their house in Casalbordino, Abruzzo in June, 2016 and visit up to 3 times a year. Like most Kiwis, he loves following rugby and the All Blacks, Netflix, reading and off-roading in the family FJ Cruiser when the chance arises. Renovating in Italy, as Mike says, ‘ha invaso le nostre anime!’

Make Hay While the Sun Shines

Lisa Chiodo — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 09:12:38 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

Bringing in the Hay

We’ve been making hay while the sun shines!

There’s so many things to like about bringing in the hay. Especially when you have to watch from the sidelines like I have. It means summer’s almost here, and I feel part of an ancient tradition, and we now have feed for our two sheep to last through winter.

Wildflowers Blanket the Valley

The spring pasture is so beautiful full of flowers and when I first came to the valley I didn’t want to even pick them, until I saw the locals cutting them down for hay. Now I always have a bouquet in the house, and we see the visitors to the Valley wandering along the side of the road with big bunches they’ve picked.

image enrico monticone

Our First Time

This is our first time cutting hay for winter, so it’s been interesting to watch the process.

Sam and our friend have been out cutting, raking and stacking the hay in neat rows over the past few days. Then we needed at least three days without any rain for it to dry.

I see how much the crops rely on the weather conditions, and why the saying ‘make hay while the sun shines’ is so relevant here.

So we all headed to our neighbors house to ‘bring in the hay’ and it was great fun.

Chugging along on our old blue tractor we headed for the neighbors (being super careful not to break their beautiful Cecile Brunner rose which is in full bloom).

Our neighbors (and the owners of the land with all the hay) came out to watch.

The sun was shining, chickens clucking about and our neighbors children playing in the stacks of hay…. just idyllic.

Three Generations

Luca was keen to join in with the men and he’s changed so much this year. Getting taller, voice deepening and a little bit of teenage attitude to boot.

We had three generations out in the field with Luca, Sam and his dad Carlo. I bet when Carlo left Italy for an unknown life in Australia all those years ago he never dreamed that he’d be back raking hay in Italy with his grandson!

Once the hay was pitchforked onto the tractor we all headed to the other end of the Borgata where Claudio and his son Paulo were waiting with the baling machine.

It reminded me of those ‘play doh’ toys Luca loved as a child where you put the play doh in one end and it comes out all neat and packaged the other end.

The best part about living here in our Borgata is the sense of community and how willing we all are to help each other out. With only ten adults and six children living here year round we’re a tight little group that depends on each other.

So we got 12 bales of hay, and did I mention our girl sheep is pregnant and expecting to deliver in the next week or so (according to our very wise Italian neighbor Claudio).

I can’t wait to see lambs born here in Malpertus!

and the gang x

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Creating Casa Leona

Lisa Chiodo — Sun, 05 May 2019 18:40:58 +0000

GUEST RENOVATOR

Creating Casa Leona

The Dream

Over eight years ago when our son was 15 and I was working full time as a health consultant in education my dear husband Dan was fixing a roof on a local college and managed to slip and fall to the concrete pavement below.

Very luckily he survived, albeit with a broken hip, shoulder, both feet and wrist.

Whilst I was full time nursing him at home, and helping him with his recovery for 6 months, we began to talk about the fragility of life and how one never knew what was around the corner.

This led us to our dream of escaping from work and the UK and having a home somewhere really different and having adventures and seeing the world.

Despite me spending probably way too many hours on Italian property websites it took a few years to get to the point where we could realise that dream.

Although we had to stay put in the UK for a while, that didn’t stop us visiting Italy every year and looking for houses!

Casa Leona

Thick snow, freezing cold and halfway up a massive mountain, we found our house… it was old, shabby with cold dark rooms & I instantly fell in love with it!!

My husband Dan is a builder and architect so whilst he wandered around measuring rooms I sat by the wood burner listening to stories from the lovely couple who had owned Casa Leona.

It was one of the happiest houses I’ve ever walked into.

I was sold, heart totally ruling head!

After we left it only took us about an hour to message them and offer them the full asking price and they accepted.

Wow, we had just bought a 6 bed farmhouse with land for the price of a reasonably smart BMW!!

We were so excited.

Sitting here at night the stars seem to go on forever, the noises of the various wildlife is constant and the solitude is so relaxing, we lost the stress & strain of our life in the UK.

The dream for our life in Italy is to enjoy the art and architecture, the beautiful scenery, the food, the wine, the culture and the people.

Casa Leona will be a base so we can go traveling around the rest of Italy & Europe.

The Plans

When we found Casa Leona we agreed to change it into an eco- friendly house with a vegetable patch, woodworking rooms for Dan, & a couple of holiday apartments for friends, relatives or paying guests.

Dan drew up the design plans for the whole house and we’ve split it into a 3- phase job.

Phase One: the house needs rewiring, new double -glazed windows and doors, an open kitchen with a wood burner that will heat the water and radiators.

Phase Two: Is to extend the dining room to outside with a large veranda and steps down to the garden. Then add verandas to the rear, improve veranda’s to the front, repaint exterior walls white, add exterior lighting & entrance steps.

Phase Three: Create two self -contained apartments with one incorporating what is currently a hay loft, (subject to planning permission).

Casa Leona – Updates

We returned to our house for a week of working in February. It was very snowy yet so warm and sunny it was a great week. We started the renovation by removing the wall between the compact kitchen and diner to make it into a larger room.

We are going back 1^st June for a month hopefully with some other workers to try to rewire, do the plumbing, & first fix done for the new kitchen and upstairs bathroom.

A lovely local Italian builder quoted to do the whole renovation and we could not actually believe how expensive it was, broke the budget about four times over.

So this renovation is going to be done by just us, and hopefully a little help from our friends!!

Links

Would you like to be featured as a Guest Renovator? We’d love to hear from you! Get in Touch Here.

Find Casa Leona on Facebook

Viola – Viola is a comune in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 km south of Turin and about 35 km southeast of Cuneo

words & images Julie & Dan Forshaw

and the gang x

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Let’s have a Coffee and a Chat!

Lisa Chiodo — Sun, 04 Nov 2018 09:30:12 +0000

INSPIRATION

Let’s have a Coffee and Chat ‘getting to know you’

In the evenings after the kids have gone to sleep, when the house is quiet Sam and I both get on the computers. Sam sits at the table in the kitchen and I sit at my little desk in the lounge, we talk through the doorway and he constantly calls me to come and look at things he’s found. It’s hard to concentrate tonight, the fire is making the room warm.

I’m thinking of making a coffee and thought wouldn’t it be nice if I could have one with you, a little getting to know you session.

I love hearing about your hopes, goals and dreams!

Friendships have formed within these pages, I’ve met incredible people with big dreams living in Italy, incredible people living amazing lives all over the world, people who are planning an Italian life, people with big hearts, friends I’ve come to care about and who care about us.

So I’d like you to close your eyes (after reading this of course) and imagine you are in Italy, actually close by and heading our way. We’re meeting for a coffee, we’ll be in a tiny cafe with lots to share, much hugging and kisses on both cheeks, delight at finally meeting in person, and sharing…..lots of sharing…..

Over to You…..

Where are you staying, what have you been doing here in Italy? What have you been writing, drawing, creating, thinking? Who are you with, who do you love, what did you want to be when you were growing up, what makes you laugh?

If this is your first coffee in Italy how does it taste…..where are we sitting?

Which city, village, town, are we by the sea, in the mountains, feeling the warmth of sunshine or the chill of snow…..

What would you like to know about me?

Let’s get to know each other Better my dear friends…..a meeting of like minds and kindred spirits xx

I’m all ears… take it away my friend…..

and the gang x

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Blankets of Snow in Val Pellice – the beast of the east

Lisa Chiodo — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 17:41:55 +0000

WINTER

The beast of the East

As Europe battles with the beast of the east, life here goes on much as usual. Living at the foot of the Italian Alps for the past 5 winters has prepared us for this latest heavy snowfall.

We have warmth from our wood fire, warm clothes, solid shoes, and a car equipped with winter tyres, our children are still able to go to school, our road is cleared of snow (big thanks to those driving the snowploughs), life here goes on.

I’ve become accustomed to ‘rugging up’ to walking with great caution outside, to wishing the ruddy snow would stop! I’m longing for spring, fed up with winter and totally over this snow, basta!!!

Of course our new neighbor is busy getting his house ready for the arrival of his family and we’ve been over helping out, never start a project in the midst of the beast from the east ….freeeezing!

We’ve had a guest these past weeks and he’s bought a gentle peace to our wildly rowdy family. Many wonderful conversations around our dinner table these nights, and we are seeing everything freshly through his eyes with a new sense of renewed purpose.

A time I cherish is early mornings at the bar in our village, the local men gather before heading out to work and each one has his special place to sit, friends that have grown up together and always laughing…. I just sit back and watch, and join in with the occasional ‘Bastardo’ re my husband which makes them all hoot with laughter!!!

Our Borgata has now grown by 4, bringing the population living full time here to ten adults and six children (including our family of four).

Perhaps one day the hamlet will be a full community as it was in days gone by. Although with new faces, cultures and beliefs.

I look forward to the year ahead and getting to know our newest family here at Malpertus. Luca will have some new kids to play with (now his sister is all grown up and has a boyfriend he’s been a bit lonely).

I’m looking forward to sunshine, to wildflowers on the meadow and the sound of the cowbells, to saying goodbye to the beast of the east for the year and to our unusual freezing weather.

I know Sam won’t mind leaving behind the minus temperatures in the early morning taking the kids to the school bus. And I’ll happily give up the hot water bottles and heavy layers every time I put my nose out the door.

Oh and I almost forgot to tell you, last week while driving home, Sam Daniele and Carina saw two big wolves on the road to our house, funnily enough it was the night of the full moon and I was safely at home with Luca (I was reading Game of Thrones at the time) and cursing that I didn’t get to seem them.

So now we are on the look out for our wolves, and thinking to call the place Winterfell.

and the gang x

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Moving to a Cold Climate – Piedmont Italy

Lisa Chiodo — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 16:35:56 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

Brrrrrrrr…. baby it’s cold outside!

Can i tell you a little secret…. I hate the cold!

I love the winter, the snow and living here in Piedmont but I have never liked the cold…. or rather feeling cold.

I think perhaps I was a cat in a previous life, one that slept all winter by the fire.

Right now I have a hot water bottle under my socked feet, it’s 5pm and the wood fire has been going all day and I’m still freezing!

I have a circulation issue which means my feet always feel like blocks of ice. (anyone know a good remedy for this let me know)

Meanwhile Sam is wandering the house in a short sleeved shirt, like it’s the middle of summer.

So about now, mid winter I start missing my former home in tropical Queensland just a street from the beach.

Although I must say winter here isn’t as bad as you may think.

Cold weather in Italy is totally manageable.

Even with high snows we still have beautiful clear blue sky days and sunshine.

Living with cold weather in Italy

Here’s my cold weather short list:

Buy your cold weather gear when you get to Europe, it’s way cheaper and the variety is amazing.
Keep an emergency kit in the car! My husband keeps bringing this in and I keep putting it back in the car. It has a torch, extra clothes for the kids and a big coat for me just in case we break down on the side of the road.
Keep the snow shovel by the door, you never know when you’ll have to dig your way out.
Remember your teenage daughter will swipe your good black leather boots and warm black leggings you bought in Australia… just kiss them goodbye and use Sams track suit pants to keep warm about the house. (yep glamour is my middle name)
If you’re crazy enough to want to go spend the day out in the snow with your kids take lots of socks and never tuck their pants into their boots, learned this one the hard way.
You know the saying “Location Location Location” well for me during winter it’s “Layers Layers Layers” starting with a thermal (which you can get at most markets and stores). Best place to get larger sizes has been Decathalon.
Invest in multiple woolly hats, gloves and scarfs (we get them ranging in price from 1 euro up to 5 euro for the fancy ones) as they always seem to go missing.
Keep spare gloves because they always go missing, and when you fall over in the snow without gloves getting up is chilly for your hands.
Drink lots of Hot Chocolate Piemontese style (okay you don’t HAVE to do this but why not! Oh and be sure to ask for panna on top! Trust me it makes a difference!)
Keep telling yourself that summer will be here soon! Oh and for all my Aussie friends who keep sending me beach photos… I hate you lol x

Keeping the house warm: cold weather in Italy

Make sure your house is well insulated, with double glazed doors and windows.
Every opportunity you get, gather wood…. all wood is good wood for the fire! Whenever I go for a walk though the year I take a big bag and gather bits of wood…. great for getting the fire lit in winter.
Learn how to light a fire, it took me ages to get this right and now both of our children can easily light a fire (without firelighters).
Autumn leaves are great for kindling, gather them through Autumn.
Make sure you’re never the first one up and about…. especially if your fire lighting skills are slightly lacking due to shivering.

And my best advice is to just give in to the cold, put on lots of layers and get out and enjoy it!

and the gang x

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Interview – with International Living Magazine

Lisa Chiodo — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 17:34:15 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

Italian life in a small hamlet in Piemonte

Anna Lebedeva for International Living Magazine

Looking from our balcony I can see the valley with it’s green mountains that touch the clouds in spring and summer. Our village below has stood through time and the fields above our house are filled with Alpine wildflowers of every colour,” says Lisa Chiodo, who, together with her husband Sam and their two children, Carina and Luca, now live in Piedmont, Italy.

In 2013, Lisa and Sam came to the tiny medieval hamlet of Malpertus, nestled at the foot of the Italian Alps, in search of a simple and affordable life.

They fell in love with the landscape and relaxed pace of life and decided to settle down there. “We were on a very tight budget and bought what I think was probably the cheapest house in Piedmont for $20,000,” says Sam. “The house is 300 to 400 years old, on three floors and about 200 square meters. It was run down, so our friends let us use their holiday house for free in exchange for us giving it a coat of paint.”

In Brisbane, Lisa and Sam had a maintenance business doing up houses and selling them, so they did a lot of the work on their new home themselves which helped them to save money. “Main costs were putting in double glazed doors and windows and repainting. We have spent about $22,000 so far, the house is comfortable but not finished.”

Their life in Italy couldn’t be more different from the one they had in Brisbane. “We lived one street from the beach in tropical Queensland, here we are in the mountains, it snows in winter a lot and Sam loves the snow,” says Lisa.

It is not only the climate that sets them worlds apart from their previous life.

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There are only nine people living in Borgata Malpertus and 500 people in the village of Bobbio Pellice, two kilometres away, so everyone knows each other. “It is much better for our children. It is safe here and they have more freedom. Everyone looks out for each other in the village,” says Lisa.

Borgata Malpertus, just over an hour’s drive from the region’s capital of Turin, is very rural and seems untouched by passing time. “There are elderly people in our village who cut up wood the way they did all their lives. It is living history,” says Lisa. “People have cows and goats and are farmers. It is not a touristy place at all.”

Lisa runs a blog, Renovating Italy, where she writes about the Chiodo family life in rural Piedmont and their progress with the house restoration.

She set up a Renovating Italy Facebook Page, and a Group too, also called Renovating Italy, where the members share tips and stories about buying homes in Italy and restoring them.

Sam says that they have acquired many new Italian habits. “Lisa talks with her hands now, like a real Italian! I was very goal orientated back in Australia. Here it is just “ah, well, we’ll do it tomorrow. You have to go with the flow.”

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The cost of living in rural Piedmont is a fraction of what they used to spend back in Australia. “You couldn’t be more budget than we are! We pay about $220 every two months for electricity. In winter, we use a wood burning stove and there is plenty of wood around. In addition, we spend $370 a year on gas bottles for cooking,” says Sam. They spend less than $150 every two weeks on some basic groceries that supplement the fresh produce from their garden.

“We grow our own vegetables, fruit, and rear rabbits and chickens. In Australia, there is a culture of buying pre-made food. Here we cook everything, make salami, pickles and jams. It is a different way of living,” says Sam.

Two butchers, grocery stores and a lively local market are all within only a few minutes’ drive, in Bobbio Pellice.

The Chiodo family like to treat themselves now and then to delicious homemade meals at one of the local restaurants, paying under $I5 per person for a three-course meal. For special occasions, they go to L’Alpina to feast on hearty Alpine dishes where the prices are $30 to $45 per person.

For the first two years, Sam and Lisa had no income and lived off their savings but recently they finished renovating a Loft Apartment in their house and now rent it out to a steady stream of guests who want to experience rural living in Piedmont.

You can find the Loft Apartment listed on Booking.com or Airbnb

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In their spare time, the Chiodo family hop in their camper van and head to explore the nearby towns of Torre Pellice, Alba, Pinerolo, Fenestrelle as well as Briancon, which is over the border in France, a short drive away. “We like going to the river near our house in summer for a swim, picnic and barbecue. On weekends, we often have people coming over to the house.”

Making friends has been easy as the locals welcomed “the crazy Australians who bought the cheapest house in Piedmont” with open hearts. “We love the people here. The first day we arrived at the house, a little old local lady Anita, in her 80s, came in with a big iron rack so we could put it in the fire and make ourselves lunch.

Through the week we had everyone in the village and from the village nearby coming in to say hello and see what we were doing,” recalls Lisa. There is also a small friendly expat community, which is slowly growing as more and more expats fall in love with this tranquil, beautiful corner of Italy.

Sam and Lisa say they never feel isolated. The roads are good and Turin international airport is only an hour from Borgata Malpertus. “Once you move to Italy a lot of your friends find their way over.

We have had more visitors here than we did in Australia,” says Sam. “I don’t see us ever going back to Australia. We love it here. Keeping watch on us all are the Alps above, timeless, majestic. They gently remind us to slow down and enjoy the simple life each day,” says Lisa. ■

6 | INTERNATIONAL LIVING MAGAZINE DECEMBER

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Hope you enjoyed the article and learning a little more about our life in Italy. We’d love to hear your thoughts below and any questions you may have.

and the gang x

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We’re Idiots! – marriage and the Simple Life

Lisa Chiodo — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 00:35:42 +0000

INSPIRATION

We’re Idiots – Marriage & the Simple Life

When I out of the blue mentioned to Sam that I wanted to go to Australia and see my Mum he blurted out ‘Oh are you going back to work out how to divorce me?’

…. you could say that we’ve been having some marriage problems!

Rather than loving the simple life we’re creating together it’s become a daily ‘just get through it today’ battle, little or no communication between us in our marriage.

It’s been affecting me everyday, I was even medicating (for depression caused by menopause) but I know part of what we are dealing with is contributing.

I went off the medication about a month ago without telling Sam and lashed back with ‘well I don’t want to have to medicate to be able to stay in my marriage’. It just got worse from there with hurtful things flung about, lots of swearing, crying and door slamming.

All this in front of our children.

F@# WE’RE IDIOTS!

So here I am in Australia spending time with my mum, and NO not looking to divorce my husband (who I LOVE very much).

We’ll work this out, we always do, absence is certainly making my heart grow fonder, ahhh communication is the key in a marriage and I am one who keeps my feelings close to my chest. I find it excruciating to have to say ‘I’m Sorry, or even I love You’….Sam on the other hand says them both and often to me, he’s always the first to make the peace.

F%$k I’M AN IDIOT!

He thinks I want to leave him, take the kids and go back to Australia…..

WELL F#@K… HE’S AN IDIOT!

I love our life in Italy, I love our life together good and bad, I love YOU Sam, I’m not going anywhere!

Just thought I’d let you know…..

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and the gang x

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A Taste of the Good Life

Lisa Chiodo — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 16:43:55 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

A Taste of the Good Life

OH THE GOOD LIFE

Having lived now in our beautiful Valley for three years I have started to take the Good Life for granted.

Most of our fruit and vegetables are either home grown in our ‘orto’ or locally grown. They have blemishes, are eaten ripe straight from the tree, bought from our local market at the village then placed in brown paper bags.

Food tastes real here.

Making the change from the rat race to the good life hasn’t always been easy but it has totally been the best thing we could have done for our health, our children and our wellbeing.

Our neighbors keep ducks, chickens, goats, cows and sheep, and we raise rabbits which we swap with them. Our little community is thriving, a ring of the bell and Anna is giving us a tray of strawberries from her orto, our friends offer to help us with planting the potatoes, herbs are picked fresh from the garden, it’s a chef’s delight.

This year our little ‘orto’ is packed with veggies, tomatoes, celery, lettuce, a large potato patch, we also have an orchard bringing apples and cherries, and neighbors willing to swap surplus with us.

Our potatoes and apples will be stored to last through winter, our friends are busy making jams and life is busy as always.

As well as picking from our veggie patch we also go foraging along paths that lead into the mountains. It has become a daily competition for us to see how many wild strawberries and raspberries we can gather, we eat them as we walk.

Of course that first taste of a wild raspberry is something I’ll never forget, such an intense burst of flavour.

In autumn blackberries, walnuts and chestnuts will be gathered, along with wild mushrooms.

Our valley is rich in natural goodness and I can’t imagine ever returning to a suburban life in Australia.

IN LOVE WITH THE GOOD LIFE

Apples picked straight from the tree with a crisp, juicy freshness that I’ve never know before, antique varieties with a soft pink hue under the skin that are so sweet I gasp as I bite into the flesh.

THE GOOD LIFE

Are we living in paradise?

That’s what it feels like, are we living the Good Life here in our Valley at the foot of the Alps, YES I know we are.

Do you yearn to live the Good Life? Are you living it already?
We’d love to hear about it ……

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and the gang x

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Our Italian Life – potatoes & celebrations

Lisa Chiodo — Sat, 28 May 2016 16:03:26 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

Planting Potatoes & Celebrations

So much has been happening here in Val Pellice these last few weeks, our Italian Life has been interesting to say the least.

Of course we’ve had the big Fair in the village held to celebrate the animals going up to the high pasture for summer. We ate fairy floss, watched as the road transformed into a bustling hub with friends and neighbors showing off their herds of cows, sheep, goats and horses.

One young man stole the show high above the crowd, as if this was quite normal even going into the bar for a drink. He is our resident ‘artiste’ who brings a little bit of the outside world to our valley.

A few other things happening about the place….

We’ve been planting our potatoes, which involved weeding the plot, digging it over, then tilling the earth to create rows for the sprouting bits of potato. Looking forward to a bumper crop of home grown goodness. Sams dad had a great time, think it took him back to his youth here in Italy.
I’ve found homes for two of our five new kittens, they are so gorgeous I could watch them all day. They tumble and fight, doze with full tummy, and even are so brave they have befriended Fiume our dog.
Carina and Luca are growing right before our eyes with Luca going on an excursion to the Egyptian Museum in Turin and Carina and her girlfriend spending time together without Mummy supervising at the shopping centre arghhhh!
It was at the fair that Sam realized his Dad Carlo was much sicker than we thought. It turned out that he has pneumonia, he is now very cranky in hospital for the last week, and nobody does hospital stays quite like Carlo.He was released a few days ago and came straight home from hospital and had a big bowl of pasta.Both Connie and Carlo have been sick on and off since arriving two months ago. We are on a mission to get them well before the cruise they are due to take in June. Connie has been dreaming of going on a cruise since I first met her over 20 years ago.Tonight we are going out to help them celebrate 50 Years of Marriage.

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and the gang x

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Off on a tangent – finding my way back to you

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 05 May 2016 18:28:08 +0000

INSPIRATION | SIMPLE LIFE

finding my way back to you

I’ve been off on a tangent, and finding my way back to being here with you has been difficult.

Everytime I sit down to write a post it feels like I’ve been away too long, how will I catch up, what will I share, yet like an old friend here you are. Thank you for that, the responses to the little survey I sent out were both a kick up the rear end and a reaffirmation that this is where I need to be.

Sometimes life becomes a struggle even when creating a ‘Simple Life’….. it’s been a bit like that for us lately. We seem a bit fractured, drifting away in opposite directions, every word becomes a misunderstanding. Off on a tangent.

I write about creating a Simple Life and yet I’m basically feeling burnt out and a little bit lost.

I feel a need to eat well, drink lots of water, breathe deeply, sleep well and walk in the sunshine.

I am slowly embracing a new rhythm and beginning to recreate the outline of our Simple Life and it feels good.

I have so many projects and ideas in my head, I’ve been off on a tangent learing (which I love) about ‘branding’ and ‘e – courses’ and driving myself mad trying to redesign the website, create two new websites, and oh yes enjoy life, play with the kids and get myself to Tai Chi once a week.

Although I have no idea how this will all work out or which project I’ll work on first (think it’s a Gemini thing lol) my priority right now is to reconnect with my husband, enjoy the sunshine and play with my kids.

Pulling my hair out online has helped me realise that the most important thing is our family. Making sure we’re ok is my first priority. Everything else is a bonus.

So it’s time to take stock, look at all we’ve accomplished and set some new goals for the year.

I’ll catch you up on all that has been happening here at Borgata Malpertus over the next few weeks, I hope everything is well with you and I’m looking forward to getting back in the groove, catch ya later, with love as always…..

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and the gang x

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Fresh New Look for Casa Bianca Kitchen

Lisa Chiodo — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 15:32:37 +0000

RENOVATION

Casa Bianca Kitchen

The renovation of the Casa Bianca kitchen is slowly coming along, we were aiming to have it finished before Sam’s parents arrived from Australia but then we each fell sick in turn. Sam did manage to get the finish on the wall and ceiling, and he has started the floor tiles (which look great) but we still have a bit to finish.

Sams parents are coming here for three months and we thought it easier for us and them if they stayed in our Loft Apartment rather than the Casa Bianca kitchen makeover at least for the time being. I’m looking forward to summer and getting some warmth back in my bones…. and some sunshine, that would be nice.

Once we are all back on our feet I’ll update you with our adventures. Until then this is just a short post to let you know we are all still alive and kicking, just taking it easy for a little while then back to normal….whatever that looks like!

I can’t wait for the summer to arrive and for new visitors to befriend, the mountain is alive with flowers and the valley is coming to life.

Hope all is well with you and life is treating you kindly, more to follow asap once we are all feeling 100%…..much love

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and the gang x

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Behind the Scenes: How to do an inexpensive makeover!

Lisa Chiodo — Sat, 05 Mar 2016 12:31:56 +0000

RENOVATION

Make Over at Casa Bianca

An Inexpensive Makeover at Casa Bianca (Part One)

Why an Inexpensive Makeover?

Sam’s parents are coming over from Australia, that’s WHY!

It’s been three years since we’ve seen them and they are arriving here in the last week of March. They will be staying with us for three months. So they need a space of their own.

With our Loft Apartment taking bookings and our own house with only two bedrooms we need a place for them to stay in comfort and close by.

So Sam came up with the idea of a temporary inexpensive makeover at Casa Bianca (our 4 thousand euro bargain house next door). The old kitchen will transform into a three month bedsit and they will of course eat in the main house with us.

Create a time frame

A time frame with a deadline always helps to get things moving and boy are things moving around here. I love nothing more than getting my hands dirty helping Sam with renovating. We completed a dozen renovations in Australia (living in all of them arghh). It’s a way of life that most people hate and would normally break up many couples, we seem to thrive.

The arrival of an early spring has me in cleaning mode, I’m astonished at how much ‘stuff ‘ has crept back into our life. I have to say I do love my ‘stuff ‘ and could never be a minimalist, but some of this just has to go.

Once Sam says he will do something it gets done, he has great organization skills and the know how to put it all into practice. They say men don’t multitask well but he has it to an art form, working on restoring the borgata, making lunch, picking up and dropping off the kids to school, making salami, preserves, and generally keeping everything running smoothly.

I am the calm on in the partnership, smoothing the way…..lol.

Totally clear the space

The first thing to be done is to totally clear the space.

Don’t work around things, and be sure to clean as you go.

We spent a day moving everything from the house up to our garage.

We’d been using Casa Bianca as storage for all the ‘treasures’ we found when we first arrived. So it was full of old bottles, baskets, furniture, an original bed frame, old suitcases, and a multitude of bits and bobs.

Visualize the space

Planning the space will save you time and frustration later, it’s fairly easy to do this on a computer or even just sketched out in a notebook.

Gather inspiration and look for ideas, I have hundreds of images, I take after my Mum as she always has a notebook in her handbag to jot down any ideas she sees. I keep my camera with me and take photos of things I like and ‘pin’ things I see online to my Casa Bianca inspiration board on Pinterest.

If you are working on any project Pinterest is a great way to keep everything together, just be careful not to fall down the rabbit hole and become one of those people who sit online pinning all day.

Keep the purpose in mind, although at a latter date the house will be restored as a whole for now we need to create a space for Sams parents.

The Casa Bianca of my dreams will still happen, just not now.

Keeping costs low

Reuse as many items as possible, we seem to throw nothing away here at the Borgata. In our own home we took the old board up from the floor in the lounge and ended up sanding them back and reusing them as a benchtop and shelving.

Call in some helpers, we have a great community of friends here who give us a hand in return for us helping them out. It’s a collaborative community and it helps us keep costs low.

Shop online for prices and don’t be afraid to haggle (Sam has this to an artform). Be aware that locals will get a better price so get a local friend to go with you to the local stores for the first few times.

Keeping it Simple

Using a simple color pallette will help keep costs down, the room will be recoated white and the texture gives it some depth.

This also means that we can use left over products on other renovations.

We can then add warmth with elements like soft furnishings or decorative elements on the walls.

Our Inexpensive Makeover – What we’ve has Done so far!

» Taken out the old window and security bars and replaced it with a ready made double glazed window from Bricoman which helped us to save on costs.

» Totally cleared the room of stored items like an old bed, the original windows, and items from other renovations.

» Removed the old staircase to the upper floor which was twisted and rotting. Cut up the wood to be used as firewood.

» Cleared the sink area, removing the sink and pipes.

» Taken out the old pantry cupboard, removing the doors and shelves to make a wardrobe space.

» Sanded the wooden window ledge back to original timber ready for a clear coating.

» Scraped the walls and ceiling free of ridges and filled holes.

» Refinished the walls with stabilatura, a mixture that you trowel on.

» Currently replacing old flooring with ceramic tiles. These will be harder wearing than a floating floor. Bricoman had a good range and we found something we liked for 13 euro a square meter.

So that’s it for our Inexpensive Makeover #1,

I’ll be posting the follow up next week. Sam has already started laying the floor tiles and they look great. Carina thinks the room would be a great teenager ‘flat’….I told her not a hope till she’s at least 16 lol.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog and follow along with the adventures, many things are in the works here at Borgata Malpertus.

I’ll be posting the completion of our ‘mini apartment’ at Casa Bianca as we go, Sam is next door right now laying the floor tiles. Oh and it’s snowing which is why he has the little wood stove connected (yep borrowed from our friends).

Hope you enjoyed the post, I’m trying a new informative style for some of my writing here at Renovating Italy along with the diary style…..let me know what you think and if you have any questions or thoughts I’d love you to leave them below, and a share would be great.

love as always….

and the gang x

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Making Salami at Borgata Malpertus #1

Lisa Chiodo — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 18:51:29 +0000

BORGATA MALPERTUS

Making Salami at Malpertus

This year we (I mean Sam) are making salami with our friends here in the Borgata. We have done this once before but this time Sam made a hotter Calabrese salami rather than the milder Piemontese one.

This is our neighbor Claudio and his son, although Sam was hard at work he was also taking the photos so he isn’t in any of them.

Making salami is such a traditional part of Italian life, the first time I was invited to join in was in Australia when I was dating Sam. We spent the day at his Uncles house along with all the cousins and extended family, it felt like a scene from the movie ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’.

Afterwards we had a huge feast, at a table that seemed to go on forever. As a suburburn girl from the other side of the city I was in shock. I had entered another country, where everyone spoke in Italian, drank vino, and ate and ate and ate.

Our life together has always felt a bit this way, my Australian life and my Italian life. They very rarely overlap. Two worlds that have their own traditions, set of ‘rules’ and lifestyles. Living here in the Borgata brings this home so sharply, and being invited to make the salami is a great honor and one I treasure.

I hope you enjoy some of the photos that Sam took during the weeks making salami. If you have any questions let me know below, I did ask him to write this post but I think with some encouragement from you he’ll add his voice. He just loves to cook, and has been bottling up peppers the last few days.

Please know I’ll be updating this post with further photos and recipies. I’m just coming good after being really unwell for weeks. The video is on YouTube and if you are not squirmish you can view it here (warning could upset some viewers).

Sadly I totally missed making salami, but know that we now have 104kg of salami hanging in the kids room in the main house. They are being tended lovingly each day and the cotechino are in the freezer.

So go ahead ask away…….any questions??

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and the gang x

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The saddest little Church – Madonna della Neve Bagnolo.

Lisa Chiodo — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 13:41:54 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

The saddest little Church – Madonna della Neve Bagnolo.

It is unlike any church I’ve been in.

The Santuario Madonna della Neve was visible from the valley floor not far from our house.

Shining like a beacon on the hillside we decided to see if we could find it. A few wrong turns and some dirt roads later we arrived.

Inside the chapel it slowly dawned on me that all the pictures covering the walls were of people who had died.

So many children, so much sadness, I felt overcome by many of the paintings especially the little photos in the corners.

Each one told a story, bought to life knowing they were images of actual people.

Many were obviously painted by the same artist over a number of years.

There were hundreds, all the walls were covered from floor to ceiling. It was overwhelmingly sad, a living history of the people and the losses they had suffered. I couldn’t imagine sitting here at a service, so many spirits, so many sad stories.

Subdued we left the Madonna della Neve Bagnolo.

Walking back out into the sunshine we met a couple who knew the history of the sanctuary.

They told us that the pictures were in fact of ‘miracles’ not deaths.

They explained to Sam who later translated (as only Sam can, see below) the story of the Church and the paintings.

If you’d like to hear the official story of the chapel you can find it at Madonna della Neve Bagnolo.

and the gang x

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Fiume – a dog lost, our hearts broken

Lisa Chiodo — Sun, 01 Feb 2015 12:57:22 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

Fiume – a dog lost, our hearts broken

FIUME LOVED TO PRANCE

In the afternoons I’d play with him on the ancient road outside our house. He’d pick up a stick and I’d chase him about, letting him race past me, growling at each other when I finally managed to grab the stick.

The last time I saw Fiume he was prancing. We’d been playing, and as I went inside he turned back to look at me with tail wagging before heading off for adventures unknown.

Such a boofy happy guy, and our first family dog, we saved him from certain death.

His previous owners kept him chained in the side alley, they had gone through five dogs in the eighteen months we’ve been here.

When they finally moved out we were offered Fiume for ten euro otherwise they were going to kill him.

Of course we took him

The photo of Carina in the lane way is the day he was given his freedom. Even after months with us he was still cowed down and would bark and growl at anyone walking through the Borgata carrying a stick. His previous owners were not kind.

He changed all our lives, especially Carina and Sam, of course he and Carina were instant best friends, and it made me smile to hear Sam talking with him when he thought nobody was around, just last night he said “I didn’t think I’d miss him but I really do” which is a big admission for my ‘No way are we getting a Dog’ husband.

When I was growing up my best friend and confident was our golden Cocker Spaniel Jamie. I wanted Carina and Luca to have the joy that only a dog can bring.

FIUME WAS THAT JOY

I HOPE FIUME FINDS HIS WAY HOME

As the days pass it seems less and less likely.

Our neighbors Anna and Sergio have been out looking for him in the snow as have we. They love him and he often spends the day next door with their dog Lucky. When we go away in our campervan it’s Anna and Sergio that take care of Fiume.

They talk to us about cliffs, snow and wild boar when Carina isn’t here and don’t think he is still alive.

I hope that if he is dead that he didn’t suffer.

Our Valley is wild and rugged, it’s not like a suburban backyard where you close the gate and your dog stays put all day.

Here dogs are often chained and I’d rather he have those six months of freedom than a lifetime on a chain cowed down and lacking all affection.

We gave him a glimpse of what life should be like.

He got to be a part of a family that love him. A much loved part of our ‘pack’…….come home Fiume, we all miss you x

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Fiume – An Update

You may know that over the past two weeks we have been missing our dog Fiume, he went out for a walk and never returned. My last post I had given him up for dead, I tried to stay positive for Carina but with the high snow and below zero temperatures nobody expected him to survive.

After twelve days away from home he walked back in the door, tired, hungry and far bonier than he was when he left. He immediately climbed into Carina’s lap and has been close by ever since.

We have no idea what happened to him, he is very high strung and fearful so I think it will take some time for him to return to his prancing playful self.

Through out the weeks he was missing you have been a great support, and when I was finally able to share the news that he had returned home our facebook pages went wild with love and happiness for this funny little white dog with the big fluffy ears that stole so many hearts.

On Fiume’s behalf I thank you all for your continued belief that he would find his way back to us.

and the gang x

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Creating a Simple Life – tantrums dinosaurs and the rude finger

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 20:36:14 +0000

INSPIRATION

‘Time does not pass, it continues…’

today walking to school Luca and I dodged Dinosaurs, sadly one of them ate the rather large dog that was barking at us.

today my girl burst into tears, school is really hard, she has Italian grammar homework, she doesn’t know why she gets so angry.

she climbed into my lap just like she did when she was three, for a hug then immediately resumed her ongoing battle with all things Mum.

yesterday Luca was in trouble, his normally smiling teacher called me over and in rapid Italian let me know she wasn’t happy about something. that something was the rude finger, and some fairly choice language from my normally sweet, gentle ten year old son.

today it was tempting to walk out the door and just keep going.

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my little family is totally out of sorts.

as I write my girl is calling out in her sleep, when she was little she had night terrors, the first one scared us both half to death.

I do sometimes feel like a terrible mother, one who doesn’t check on homework, or comb hair in the morning,

I wrote the following a few days ago over at my Facebook page, and since then have determined to spend more time with my family, less time plugged into the computer, more time creating a simple life, building a secure base, focusing on what is important, more time noticing my daughters struggles and my sons rude finger, more time playing together

more time dodging Dinosaurs.

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Our Italian Life: I have walked up and down the mountain four times today. Taking Luca to and from school and then picking him up again.

It’s reminded me of why we came here, to reconnect, to spend time with our kids, to enjoy life and all its simple pleasures.

Creating a Simple Life

Walking with my son to school is one of those pleasures, we chat, stop to pick up rocks that look like fossils, pick up walnuts, and arrive just in time to gallop into school without looking back.

It reminds me of all the things that take me away from the life I want to live here, the emails, the posts to read, the to-do lists still to make, the webinars I want to watch, Facebook updates, and photos to sort.

It reminds me of how much I totally love our kids, how much I want to spend time with them, and how often I am hooked into the computer.

The total joy he finds each day as we walk to school in the simplest things is inspiring. Today Carina came down to school with me to pick up Luca. She’s been home with a bit of a cold, and it was a chance to get some fresh air.

We took the dog with us, we actually got to chat about school, we all had an ice-cream before starting the walk back up the hill. We pulled to the side of the road to let the cows pass, picked a few late season blackberries, Luca threw his ‘divining rod’ into the river to see it wash away.

It was really special.

It is something I intend to spend more time doing, like putting on the music and dancing in the kitchen with Carina. Visiting the place under the apple trees where Mishu is buried to lay wildflowers, to finally peel, dice and stew those apples, and to really spend time creating a simple life in the mountains of Italy xxx

I promise this to myself, please remind me if you see me here too often.

It’s time to turn things around, I’ll be posting occasionally about how things are going, I’d love you to join me with your own thoughts on creating your life.

I’m hoping that you’ll hold me to account, have me share what’s important

the good and the bad,

rude finger and all.

and the gang x

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Portrait in Paris – with Carla Coulson

Lisa Chiodo — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 09:36:25 +0000

INSPIRATION

Time to Shine in Paris

WITH CARLA COULSON

For many years I have been missing, behind the camera instead of in front. Convinced I didn’t deserve center stage, Carla Coulson your Shine portrait session helped me change all that.

Not only did I find my inner sexy, adventurous, spirited, passionate sense of self again.

I also gave the gift of myself back to my daughter.

A Mum who wears red lipstick, high heels and knows how to navigate the Metro.

One full of laughter, confidence, glowing with happiness that we get to share these moments together.

From the absolute surprise on her face when she caught the first glimpse of my transformation I knew I’d cheated her a little.

Our portrait in Paris with Carla Coulson was a chance to change all that.

We laughed out loud feeding the pigeons at Notre Dame, splashed in the fountains, shopped, danced and sang together.

Total ‘Girl Time’ which was long overdue.

My own Mum and I have an incredible closeness, she raised us after my Dad died suddenly at only thirty nine. I’ve long had a thing for preserving memories, I only have a few photos of my Dad and I together, I was only five when he died.

By taking myself out of family photos I really see how I just disappeared.

How my kids don’t feel they smile the right way for photos.

If I could give you a gift from my heart it would be to let yourself always SHINE.

To not hit delete if you don’t look ‘just right’ and if you get a chance to have a portrait taken go and do it wholeheartedly.

The day we spent with Carla Coulson for our portrait in Paris really did change my life, in ways I didn’t see coming.

She has such a natural, humble. easy way, a clear vision that she brings to life, and she carries you along with her passion and enthusiasm.

I have never felt this way in front of a camera in my entire life.

Swirling, laughing, yep even a bit of strutting……people pausing to watch us, it all seemed on the edge of my joy, hugging my daughter, a bouquets of flowers with their own special meaning for us, feeling like a million dollars.

I even did a few quick outfit changes in a little courtyard, and Boobs…..who knew I had those!

Just Priceless.

A complete and total contrast to how I felt only a few short months ago when I found out I had won.
I turned the camera on to video my thanks and everything went sideways.
I know the video and the post I wrote touched many people who also hide from the camera.

Carina,

My beautiful butterfly girl.

You are my heart,

I know sometimes it doesn’t feel that way when we argue but it will forever be true.

I love you more than a million red M & M’s, more than anything in the world, to the moon and back.

My little girl you are becoming a young woman and I am so proud of you!

You have such a special grace, an inner beauty, a rare gift of resilience, creativity, laughter, cheekiness, and such a Spirit.

I love you Sweet Heart, you are my JOY xxx

Dearest Carla,

You gave us so much more than you could ever know.

Way beyond a Portrait in Paris.

Such a beautiful moment in time together, the grace of a girl becoming a young woman.

I’m incredibly happy that you were the one to capture these moments. I can’t imagine anyone else behind the lens, you have such a gift.

At the end of the day shooting it felt like we had just wandered Paris, soaking it all in, all of us laughing together as girlfriends.

I don’t actually remember you pointing a camera at us, how weird is that?

I just remember Carina in my arms, laughing, relaxing, a feeling of twirling, sharing, her hand in mine as we walked, lots of laughter.

Yes Life Changing in so many ways!

“Freedom, Sensuality, Joy, Movement, Adventure”

thank you Carla from the bottom of my heart xxx

PS Carla I will forever love your little cat, how clever he was to draw my name from that dish.
Give him a big kiss on the whiskers from us says Carina x

PPS Now the boys want to get in on the act….next time you’ll have the entire family LOL xx

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and the gang x

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Rustic Italy – Stay with Us – an update

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 00:01:52 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

No More Hiding Out…. let’s meet up in 2018

It feels like a new phase of our life here in the valley is underway at the moment.

A positive feeling of accomplishment, moving forward and creating new dreams.

Most of our concern to date has been creating an income of some kind. We are living on the funds from the sale of our last renovation in Australia, this won’t last much longer.

Our aim is to create a way that we can travel and enjoy our life here in the valley using the internet to build an income.

I’d love to build a community of fellow dreamers, those who want to take the dream to reality.

I never thought we’d be able to come so far so fast, and with such little funds.

We finally got to view our episode of House Hunters International.

The DVD arrived last week on Sam’s birthday which was perfect timing.

It’s such a strange experience seeing yourself on TV, we had no idea how they would edit the five days worth of filming into a half hour show. I’m happy to say they did a brilliant job, not missing anything and showing us in a good light.

We all cracked up at the end with Luca’s catch cry, just brilliant.

Yippeeeeee Dooodle………PRICELESS

If you didn’t get to see the episode leave a comment below and we’ll try to work something out.

Although it’s been messy it looks fantastic.

Work has progressed on ‘Casa Bianca’ and so much has been happening here in the Borgata. Sam has removed the front of the building on one side. It was an awful job and parts were falling off, just tapping the surface showed how easily it would come down. Now the face of the building looks more authentic. Claudio is going to sandblast the remaining concrete away to expose the original rock.

Our lovely ‘Turin Guy’ who has bought part of the Borgata (including the small house directly opposite our big double gates) plans to take the exterior wall down and have it rebuilt in September. The original road will be closed for a short time while the work is done. At the moment it bows out a bit and needs some TLC.

It seems like the Borgata is coming to life, getting a little facelift and gathering new people.

In the meantime we continue cleaning out the sheds, the house and getting ready for future visitors.

We hope one day you’ll be able to stay with us.

Why did we wait so Long?

Recently we bit the bullet and created a Host Page on Workaway. If you haven’t heard of Workaway it basically links up those wanting to work in exchange for three meals a day and a place to sleep. Our very first work away person arrived last Friday, we picked him up from the train station after having a brief conversation on Skype the night before. He will stay with us until September.

He’s been fantastic, he and Sam have been out each day working in the borgata. Together they have built a wall, and pulled the front render from ‘Casa Bianca’. They have also done some cleaning inside ready for later painting, and done a bit of renovation work in the entrance. I wish we’d done this when we first arrived.

Workaway is a brilliant idea

One I would have used back in my 20’s when I was backpacking if only it were available then. I wonder how many people would like to stay with us here through Winter and experience the snow, celebrate with a white Christmas and really get the full idea of life in the mountains.

Our Workaway chap (I’ll pop his name in once he’s okay with that) helped Sam ‘dispatch’ the rabbits ready to go into the freezer. Funnily enough he adores animals and our cats and the dog just radiate towards him.

It’s been great having someone to chat with in English, and the locals in the Borgata are a bit perplexed by the whole idea. I can envision a whole team of Workaway people coming to stay once the locals cotton on.

We’ve got more done in the past few days than in the last six months.

It just helps to motivate us having someone here, Sam loves the company and I love the conversations at meal times.

I’ve also continued with my love of ‘personal development’ and I’ve been rethinking how much time I give to the most important aspects of my life. Where I need to spend more time and where my passions are.

Now it’s more time for the kids

We take a walk together most days and I’ve been cutting back my time online. I now try to check in on our Renovating Italy Facebook page (my big passion) only a few times through the day. I’d rather be out living life here with my family, creating new projects, and then connecting online again in the evening.

How about you?

are you heading towards or away from your dreams?

What are they…… Carpe Diem xx

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and the gang x

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A New Way of Seeing – workshop

Lisa Chiodo — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 13:44:31 +0000

INSPIRATION

A New Way of Seeing

Just over a week ago I received an Invitation from Di Mackey to attend a photography workshop in Genoa – A New Way of Seeing.

It felt like a ‘sign’

After much discussion regarding finances, and ‘who exactly are these women?’ with my dear husband, we agreed that I should go. Yep I’m officially menopausal so don’t mess with me. Luckily I have a great husband and he has a fantastic wife.

We packed up the campervan and headed to Turin with our friend Laura and the kids. Then spent a few wonderful days exploring the markets, listening to a fabulous jazz band in the park, and checking out the Egyptian Museum (which was the highlight for Luca).

Saturday morning at 4am Sam and I left Laura and the kids sleeping in the van and headed for the train station. My first solo trip since arriving back in Italy 18 months ago.

It’s been a long time since my backpacking days, I traveled all around Europe and America in my 20’s. A whole weekend to myself sounded like heaven, and it was. Sometimes a little solitude and ‘away time’ is just what the Doctor ordered. I navigated the metro, bought myself a cappuccino and brioche at Piazza di Ferrari and then set off to meet Di.

My weekend adventure had begun.

This is no ordinary workshop, A New Way of Seeing is such a unique combination of incredible women each complementing the other perfectly.

I am sure Di Mackey and I were sisters in another life, we just clicked, it felt like I’d know her forever. She gave me the gift of deep belly laughs, understanding, and freedom to be myself, each one I will treasure forever.

Helen Kerrison how can I thank you, every word was food for my soul.

Working with you over the weekend I reignited my passion for photography and regained a sense of my own place in the world. These were things I hadn’t realized I’d lost, your gentle guidance had me see for myself just how far I’d drifted away.

Together with Laura from Ciao Amalfi and Leah from Help! I Live with My Italian Mother in Law we laughed, shared, took a bus ride to Boccadasse for dinner on a terrace overlooking the ocean and even got a little tipsy on Limoncello.

Up until the weekend I’ve relied on my Fuji digital point and shoot camera, I take it with me everywhere and hadn’t used a SLR camera since studying photography (where I met Sam).

This was way before digital back when we processed our images in the darkroom, four years part time study and one year full time at RMIT and I felt like a total novice again.

I have to admit I was totally clueless and the number of times I had the instruction book out could have been embarrassing but it wasn’t. It was FUN, huge fun, I got to fiddle about with f-stops, and shutter speeds, depth of field, and ISO it was like remembering a lost language.

The main thing I discovered with A New Way of Seeing is that I have so much more to learn. That photography is an integral part of my language and it’s one I love sharing with you .

If you have passions follow them, keep dreaming, keep learning and keep laughing.

Being invited to stay with Di and Helen in a gorgeous apartment right across from this charming Pizzeria and it’s very proud owners was a highlight. Thank you both for taking me under your wings and showing me how to fly solo. x

Please note that the images in this post were taken on my point and shoot Fuji digital camera. the photos I took for the exercises are pretty bad as I hadn’t worked out how to preview them. If you’d like to see some gorgeous shots of the kind of work we did take a look at these ones from Laura Thayer.

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and the gang x

INSPIRATION

‘Time does not pass, it continues…’

Years of darkness peel away and the beams in our rustic Italian kitchen are restored to their original warmth.

The house has taken on an entirely different feel as if it took a big sigh now that all those layers have been removed.

The ceilings seem higher and the rooms just that bit bigger, an optical illusion certainly but maybe it’s due to that big breath the house took, the shaking off of the past.Save

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A fine dust has now settled on every surface in our rustic Italian kitchen, both up and down stairs, and will be returned to become part of the floor in the living room. We are using it to level the surface before we lay the slabs of rock flooring.

Our friend Claudio spent the day sandblasting the two rooms. He looked like the guys from Ghost Busters.

I never expected the end result to look this good and I am now mid way through coating the raw timber with a clear finish. We kept all the huge original nails used by generations past to hang various items.

It looks like a beach in our kitchen and all we need now are the deckchairs and sun umbrellas.

The sand is at least an inch thick in most places downstairs and we are waiting on a vacuum to arrive so we can clear out the fine dust.

Sam and I have been busy taking out the door and widening the opening between the rooms, and also taking out all the nails in the lounge room walls that held up the hideous plastic paneling. Luckily the render will cover any gouges and we don’t need to take care of the floor as it is now sand.

Everyone has been in to see the results of Claudio’s work in our rustic Italian kitchen, including two Aussies we met by accident yesterday as they were trying to decide if it was okay to walk through the borgata.

How wonderful it was to hear someone say ‘Mate’ and we ended up taking them both for the grand tour of the house and the village. They just happened to come at the perfect time to see the house in total disarray, anything now will be a big improvement.

This is the wonderful part about our house in Italy, it is a living breathing part of the mountains. It has it’s own history which we know will continue long after we are gone. I like that feeling of being a care taker, of leaving the house stronger than before, of giving something back to this valley and it’s people.

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and the gang x

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House Hunters International – meets Renovating Italy

Lisa Chiodo — Sat, 26 Jul 2014 00:10:35 +0000

INSPIRATION

We’re featured on House Hunters International

Our episode of House Hunters International is set to air at last. It feels like we’re almost famous, no seriously, the blog is already expanding with new readers (ciao to you if you are new here). Friends that have been reading along from the very start are sharing all over the place and my Mum is trying to figure out how to view our House Hunters International episode in Australia.

Renovating Italy is about to go International……House Hunters International (click on this link for air times and date)

You might have read about our adventures with the crew from House Hunters International back in December. I think we are one of the few families to be featured at Christmas…and yep complete with snow. Well we have an air date for American viewers (July 27th) and once the episode has aired we will be sent a copy. Hopefully we wont be cringing, and will find a way to let you all see the episode asap.

I can’t wait to see the finished product, and find out which house we bought ……. I seriously fell in love with the wrong house.

Our House Hunters International Audition Video

We were asked to send in a 4 minute audition video (see below), did a skype call with the producer and had five days of filming in total.

Luckily we’re not shy, I was doing wardrobe changes in the car and in the end just thought ‘Oh well this is us, no make up and totally exhausted towards the end’…..

I figure that if we tried to act in some way that wasn’t us then why bother, we want people to see that dreams are possible and changing country can be the best thing you ever do.

So much has happened in the nine months since our House Hunters International episode was filmed. We have purchased further property in the borgata to renovate. Buying the ‘White House’ right next to ours was a lucky break, and came with outbuildings and land. We aim to have it ready for friends and guests to visit come 2015.

In the meantime I hope you are able to enjoy our House Hunters International episode.

Thanks again to all involved you made the entire experience priceless.

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and the gang x

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Favorite Italian Villages – selling the house

Lisa Chiodo — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 10:04:17 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

Favorite Italian Villages – selling the house

Selling our house in Liguria seems like selling part of a beautiful dream, another renovation of course but in a glorious spot. For favorite Italian villages, Veravo has a hold on my heart. This house is one I don’t want to give up but know is totally impractical for us now. The kids are settled in school and we love our community here in Malpertus. We are settled here now so the Liguria dream house is hopefully passing into other loving hands.

Last week we drove to Liguria in the campervan with the kids and Laura to meet with a lady interested in buying the house. Our architect met us and answered the many questions she had. We also met an Italian lady in Colletta who was interested and she and her husband came to view the house as well. Many house sales in Italy are through word of mouth with Vendesi signs on doors, and not the huge billboards we know in Australia.

Each time I am in Liguria I fall in love all over again, the dream of a beach lifestyle, zipping along the coast on my vespa, meeting girlfriends for a coffee, and having an even suntan. It’s amazing the difference a bit of sunshine made to my well being, coastal cafe’s and sitting back people watching was lovely. Taking Laura to favorite Italian villages was great, being able to see them anew through her eyes.

The lifestyle in Liguria is such a contrast to our lifestyle here in the mountains of Piedmont. I am no longer in shorts and t shirt, rubbing lotion into softly tanned legs, feeling the warmth of the sun on skin that has been covered up for some time now, swimming in the warm waters of the Italian riviera. Now I am in winter clothes, it’s been raining all day and who knows what happened to Summer even the locals are puzzled.

It seems like a dream life, and one I know I am idealizing, we lived a street from the beach in Australia yet I hardly ever went swimming. It must be the relaxation of being on holiday that I am in love with, and with our friend Laura along we had more alone time to relax. She and Carina bonded like long lost sisters, doing nails and braiding hair, talking music and boys, I hardly saw my girl the whole trip.

It’s crazy but I started to feel a little jealous of the easy friendship and laughter they shared. She now has an adopted big sister…..beautiful.

We were able to take Laura to some favorite Italian villages, visiting Balma Boves, Breil sur Roya, Ventimiglia, Colletta, Veravo, and Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena, each one a beautiful jewel which inspired me to take hundreds of photos. My favorite was Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena, it just sang to me and I could imagine a little artists apartment here one day.

Carina made friends with all the local cats and we got chatting to Mario the man in the image above and heard all about the Castle and how it was sold to a private family. Even so the village called me to wander and with the kids following Laura and Sam I was able to have a rare solo walk imagining a different life here.

I feel rejuvenated, ready to take my health in hand, ready to embrace a slower life, start writing again, create a home, welcome visitors, and spend more time with the kids, learn Italian finally, time to live the dream life and just relax. Life is good, and life in Italy almost perfect. I’ll continue to add to our favorite Italian Villages as we discover them, would you like to see more images?

I can’t imagine living anywhere else now. I’m happy to always take you along or one day welcome you to our house for a vino, cup of tea, or coffee which ever takes your fancy. Here’s to friendships both new and old. xxx

and the gang x

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Rustic Farmhouse – Clearing out Casa Bianca

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 09:54:36 +0000

RENOVATING

Our Gelati House …. becomes Casa Bianca

No matter the set backs with our rustic farmhouse we always keep moving forward.

Over the past month I’ve been out of action with a mystery illness. Sam has continued to work on ‘Casa Bianca’ next door to our house, we hope to have it habitable so friends and family can come to stay with us and experience life here in the valley we love so much. Lots of work to be done, nothing new for us but we will be taking it slowly till I’m recovered.

Maybe I can come in at the end for the ‘house dressing’….I don’t mind missing out on all the cleaning.

Bianco on the outside and gelati flavored on the inside, the latest addition to our rustic farmhouse is just a delight. Sam has been clearing the rubbish from inside the house and the main rooms are now cleared. Four tractor loads so far.

Under these stairs are two cellars which are crammed with more rubbish, the doorways are tiny and I haven’t even taken a look. The doors and windows need replacing, every surface needs a good clean and the whole place needs flea bombing.

This room will be gutted, cleaned, painted and something needs to be done with the flooring. All of the rubbish has been cleared out and only the old fridge and cabinet are still in here now.

I’m already imagining the transformation photos, I’m picturing the rustic farmhouse of my imagination, somewhere friends and family can come to visit and experience life in the valley. We’ve left all the windows open to start to air it out. It will take shape quickly once cleaned, then we start looking at new sink, and furnishings.

I like the old fireplace, everything else will get pulled out and we’ll start from scratch. The doorway leads into the stairwell and across from this room is another largish airy room that was used as a bedroom. The window looks out over the old original road.

After so many renovations this doesn’t phase me at all, although now being unwell I haven’t been able to help out, just supervise from a distance for short periods of time before heading back inside to rest.

So we’ve been through many renovations in Australia and now this is our third rustic farmhouse in Italy, hopefully our last for a few years.

The staircase up to the main bedroom has a small lean, and seems to also have a bit of a twist. It’s an art form making it to the top level without whacking your head on the ceiling, Sam has a few new scars. Ahhh the master bedroom…..what can I say?

Everything is going, the furniture will be broken up so we can get it out, and then used for firewood. The room is actually quite big and although it has the most mold we think it’s coming from a leak somewhere in the rock roof. I’m not sure what will happen with the old stairs, perhaps a spiral staircase instead.

Thank you again for all your well wishes and love, I’m still struggling with exhaustion, and now a bad cough, aches and pains, and menopause thrown into the mix…..Bonus. Having just about given up hope I sent out some messages to our English speaking friends and guess what found a Doctor (I thought he was a musician lol) and I hope to get some thoughts about what might be going on with my health.

It’s been almost four weeks now since I went to the hospital and I don’t feel much better. Something has to give……hopefully it won’t be me.

and the gang x

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My 50th Birthday – putting Paris on hold

Lisa Chiodo — Sat, 21 Jun 2014 18:23:47 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

My 50th Birthday – putting Paris on hold

The Birthday Bash and PARIS on hold

On the eighteenth I turned fifty, it almost seems like it didn’t happen. With all the build up and excitement about going to Paris driving me the last few months celebrating at home and then sleeping through the afternoon was a bit of a bummer. Sam and the kids made a cake, Carina set the table with pink party plates and she had the Eiffel tower made from marshmallows on the top of the cake…..the perfect breakfast.

Some gorgeous home made presents and cards, and some wonderful surprises from friends and family arrived in the mail. Having kids means you can’t be flat for your birthday, Sam made my favorite Carbonara for lunch and then I went to bed. Enough said…..so I am re celebrating in July hopefully in Paris and will work out a new time for the portraits with Carla Coulson.

Running on Empty

I’ve been off the radar for a bit, well two weeks anyway. After a hospital visit with a high temperature, exhaustion and unable to walk I had a chest ex-ray and two different women trying to do blood gas tests in the artery in my wrists. They tried three times and it was excruciating each time, eventually they told me I didn’t have pneumonia and I could go home. This was on the fourth of June.

On the nineteenth of June after continuing to feel exhausted, having problems with both my hands that resulted in a trip to the neurologist at the hospital (they tell me everything is fine with the nerves in my hands and the problem should just go away) the local Dr tells me that nothing is wrong with me, that I’ve been telling her I’m feeling tired for some time now, that my blood pressure is always low, and that I probably had a virus and the rest is just menopause as nothing shows in the blood tests. Hmmmmm Thanks!

So I’m none the wiser and she told me to give it three weeks and rest and see what happens.

Actually the entire conversation was between Sam and the Dr and I just tuned right out….in fact I almost walked out in despair. I feel I need to regroup, and take charge of my own health. They don’t keep records here when you visit the doctor, so I’m writing it all down from now on.

A lovely friend I spoke with on skype yesterday told me I looked like an empty vessel….to take time out and absorb some love and sunshine and just rest a bit. I don’t have any choice right now, even the shortest walk exhausts me, and I am certainly no energizer bunny right now.

Oh and to top it all off Sam and I both had conjunctivitis which is going around, (which is why my eyes are puffed up in the pics) and I have a head cold.

The good thing is that I am ever optimistic and know this will pass, and I’m learning some unexpected lessons along the way.

The White House (casa bianca)

Yesterday we had to sign the paperwork for the white house, it’s such a funny lengthy process which took place in Pinerolo about 40 minutes drive away. We dropped the kids off at friends, and spent over an hour at the Notaio going through the entire contract with nine people in total in the room.

One was an elderly lady that looked like she was about to faint from the heat. It turned out I didn’t actually need to be there, but having heard so much about the other times we’ve bought property in Italy I was totally bemused to see the process in action. So we now have access to the ‘White House’ and took a look inside after we got home.

Although it looks like a nightmare right now, Sam cleared out much of the rubbish and we are starting to see the rooms under the mess left behind. He loaded much of it onto the blue tractor with a pitchfork and a full load was only the tip of the iceberg. The building has three rooms in total, no bathroom at all and two cellars underneath that are full of rubbish.

As you enter the building and go up a flight of stairs a room on the right is now cleared, it is actually very light and airy. To the left you enter a kitchen area and from that room go up a very crooked staircase to the main bedroom.

This is the worst room and is black with mold, the balcony is dangerous and Sam blocked it off. Once emptied, cleaned and painted we will be able to get a feel for the potential. I’m staying clear of the process at the moment.

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Online Overwhelm

I’m hoping this post won’t seem disjointed, I’ve opened the computer many times in the last few days to write a post and just shut it again. The first week I was sick just opening my inbox had me in tears, it seemed like everyone was shouting, that all the conversations and groups and posts I love to read would suck me completely into a vortex. The more everyone reached out the further inwards I shrank. I felt like I was going mad, up down, crying, tired, over wrought, and emotionally wrung out.

All the excitement I felt within B-School fell in a heap, the momentum I had going dropped out from under me and I thought I’d never get back here to writing again. My constant refrain right now is Piano Piano….(slowly slowly) so if you sent me a message or email know that I read what I could but just couldn’t bring myself to answer, I just didn’t want to speak with anyone, it all seemed so exhausting. Know that I thank you all so much for all the well wishes and suggestions, the concern and love, it makes a difference even if I couldn’t tell you at the time.

The Simple Life

Funnily enough since feeling so tired I have really looked at our life here, the simplicity we wanted to create has slipped into each of us being on the computer more than out enjoying our simple lifestyle. Taking small walks each day to the top of the road and back reminds me of why we are here in the first place, it’s to engage with life, to breathe in the mountain air, to grow our food, to be with our kids, to be healthy and happy together, and to share this with others wanting a similar dream.

Maybe we are all too hard on ourselves, even here in the valley those bad habits followed us, as I get better and stronger I’ll be sharing more of our simple life as we find it for ourselves. After a year and a half here in Italy I am totally in love with my life, the valley and know this is the place we are meant to be, creating a simple life in Italy. When I think of us here over years to come I see this first year as a learning curve.

Each of us has our own stresses, health issues, family drama’s, dreams we are chasing, dysfunctional families, or what ever other things you’re dealing with daily…..I’m sharing with you so that you know you are not alone, and once shared love and compassion flow from a community so beautiful and connected, without everyone here life would be less full, less inspiring, and who would I talk with LOL……..

So rambling post over, now I am back on the bike so to speak I’m sure the next one will be easier and feel more natural.

I continue to take it slowly, hope if you are weary you can take the time to slow down and rest, regroup, and come back stronger than ever.

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and the gang x

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Italian Renovation – we buy the white house

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 29 May 2014 19:57:44 +0000

RENOVATING

Italian Renovation – we buy the white house

The White House [Casa Bianca]

Recently the house next to ours came up for sale, the neighbors have moved to the town and the agent let us know it was for sale. Another Italian Renovation and of course we were interested but hadn’t thought it would come up for at least a few years. So we had to do a very fast scramble to try to get enough money to put a deposit and buy it.

We have a contract and once it goes through we can start the next part of “the project” here. It has two bedrooms, a kitchen lounge area, and two cellars underneath (one is the small lower window). Plenty of work to be done cleaning it up and giving it a cosmetic inexpensive make over.

The Property

The property includes the house and out buildings on the other side of our house, and a small building directly opposite our large double gates. It also includes various bits of land some with apple trees, and Sam is in his element with plans for our future ‘orto’ (veggie gardens) and fruit trees. Another thing that is a premium here is parking spaces and a garage type shed, so we now have enough work to do for a while.

The Outbuildings

This shed is missing the floor between the two levels and needs a good clear out, as with our other Italian renovation this one was a bargain. It is accessed via the lane way which we can now clean up.

Previously the neighbors had dogs tied here in the lane way and as they couldn’t take them to the new place they offered us ‘Fiume’ the shaggy white guy who is now part of our family. He is very happy and has settled in with us, Sam and Carina are training him as he is only young, he is a lovely excuse to go for long walks and he adores Sam.

We have also gained another cat, the little tortoiseshell has joined Mishu and she is such a princess in comparison.

This shed now has the makeshift boards taken down and to the left just inside is a door that leads into a large vaulted room. Above is a hay loft and above the vaulted room another large area that is open to the elements (now the roof has fallen in). As you can see we have plenty to keep ourselves occupied and plenty of scope for these areas in the future. The best thing about this Italian renovation project is that it gets us dreaming.

Plans for the Outbuildings

Sam would like to have this room for making the salami, I can imagine it with a big worktable and somewhere for workshops or friends to come and help us process all the food we will grow. We have so many ideas, and I’ll be sharing them with you once we get underway.

We will be clearing this area and keeping it open, I can see a courtyard with plants and a place to sit and relax. I quite like the original wall and window if we fix it up, Sam likes the idea of lowering the wall and putting a railing so you can see out, hmmmmm.

Fiume the Wonder Dog

This little white dog has already made such a difference to our lives and he is endlessly happy now he has some freedom. He is no longer chained in the lane way, and his tail hasn’t stopped wagging. His old owners still visit the borgata to tend to other animals that friends are minding for them. It’s all a bit delicate as you can imagine and we are getting used to the big changes in the borgata.

Health and Wellbeing

Apologies for not sharing sooner about all the news, I didn’t want to say anything until we were sure firstly we could get the money, and secondly it was all actually going ahead. I’ve also been going through early menopause and been up, down and all over the place…..mood swings, depression, low blood pressure, and thinking I was losing the plot. I’ve been to the doctor and looking online for help.

Thanks to everyone who gave me virtual hugs over at our Renovating Italy Facebook page, without you all I know I’d be lost.

Things here are shifting to a whole new level, luckily I’m always up for an adventure.

So where would you start, do you have a dream Italian renovation…..?

Take a small step towards your dreams each day…..sending love

and the gang x

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An Italian Weekend – our mountain home

Lisa Chiodo — Sun, 18 May 2014 15:17:20 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

Living on Mountain Time

‘ The greatest gift of life on the mountain is time.
Time to think or not think, read or not read, — to sleep and cook and walk in the woods, to sit and stare at the shapes of the hills.’

Philip Connors

We went with Claudio to let the cows out and because one is a fairly new baby we stayed to supervise. Paulo’s miniature goats have had a baby and the three of them were on the roof of the shed playing. The mountains are covered in wildflowers, the cows are out so the bells are ringing….and new life is everywhere. Soon our little mountain paradise will be busy with people coming up to visit the mountains for the weekend.

We have this glorious valley to ourselves the rest of the year……

Apologies for posting on a Sunday, the week just got away from me, still it’s nice to be able to share our weekend with you.

Hoping your weekend was filled with plenty of time to relax and enjoy nature, oh and if you have goats even better.

This huge trunk of the tree is to be chopped up for firewood, it looks like rock and seems timeless. Another tree is already growing from the stump, everything here is so green and bright. The air is crisp and clean, cow bells ring, and with so many flowers it’s almost impossible to keep from walking on them.

I felt like a bit of an idiot being so nervous of Rosie the cow, I’ve been a city girl most of my life and certainly not often up this close and personal. Who knew cows were so soft to touch, I expected them to be bristly like a dog. Rosie is very gentle and her baby just gorgeous.

Hope you had a great week, our Italian weekend was very relaxing. This week coming up I’ll get back to my usual posting time and share more photos. Anyone else take hundreds of photos like I do….how on earth do you manage them all? I’ve been told my site is too image heavy and I’ve been reducing the size of my images with batch converting. Now I have to go through and start replacing the larger ones with the smaller ones. Still the same size here on the blog but it makes a difference to loading times so I’m told.

It’s all a work in progress….

and the gang x

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A Simple Life in Italy – stopping the overwhelm

Lisa Chiodo — Fri, 09 May 2014 21:22:59 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

Stopping the Overwhelm

This time last week I was in total overwhelm……writing, blogging, tweeting, facebook, B-School, linked in, pinterest, family, kids, house work, renovations, health issues, tired….run down…..and constantly close to tears. Ridiculous right…here I am creating a ‘Simple Life in Italy’ and falling into the overwhelm trap.

Throw in B-School with Marie Forleo and it’s incredible online community and all the fantastic things these wonderful people are sharing and I then added podcasts, you tube, opt in’s, pop ups, newsletters, e-books, and all kinds of other things that require a committed focus to learn. Overwhelm Arghhhh!

Rather than enjoying our Simple Life I was just sinking into overwhelm.

Well I’m happy to say that it’s over…..I’m not playing that overwhelm game anymore.
Enough……Basta……STOP!

I jumped on a coaching call with a fellow B-Schooler and an hour later felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I set a few priorities, created a time frame to complete them, put aside time just for writing and all this week I’ve stuck to it. No more going round and round the social media loop, I gave myself permission to just Stop.

You’ll still find me over at Facebook and Pinterest just a less overwhelmed version of me.

It’s time to step back and take a look at where I want to be, who I want to be, and where my dreams are at.

B-School has been the best gift and most intense learning environment, one that has given me clarity and focus. It’s an ongoing learning process and a bit like renovating a house, laying the right foundation, spending time on the preparation to get the best results. Painting a house is 90% preparation and 10% application.

Now that I’ve given myself permission to just stop I’ve actually been out enjoying life here in the valley. I’m still getting things done and using the morning for writing and then the afternoon is for getting outside, helping with the wood, soaking up the sun with the gang here at Malpertus, splashing the kids at the fountain, and today helping Sam with the rabbits.

We are down in the stable trying to gather up seven very fast little bunnies to see if they are girls or boys. Mum has gone back in with Dad who is very happy….VERY happy! And we now realize we have no clue about figuring out the sex of a young rabbit. Either we have seven girls or we have no clue! My guess is we have NO clue!

Our Simple Life here is good….better than good and this is what I want to share with you.

It is possible to chase your dream, to create your own version of a simpler life, to find your passion and follow it, to live with a little less yet gain so much more. It is possible to just stop the overwhelm, take a deep breath and refocus, really focus on what it is you want for your life. Find that, focus on that, live towards that each day…..

I’m buy writing, and it’s just flowing from me…..all that we did to actually get here not just once but twice. Starting with that initial dream of a simple life in Italy, how we kept it alive, and all the steps in between. A mixture of storytelling, practical steps and inspiring images, sharing with my best friend, answering all the questions and I hope inspiring you to Dare to Dream.

and the gang x

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Time to Shine – Carla Coulson, Paris and turning 50

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 20:43:04 +0000

INSPIRATION

Time to SHINE with Carla Coulson

‘Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye’

I turn 50 this year in June, and I will be celebrating in Paris.

I will also be in front of the lens of Carla Coulson

and the beauty of this is that she will show me what everyone else has always known

……that I am beautiful and that it is my time to Shine.

Congratulations started coming in, my face book page was beeping all day, and when I saw my name selected I couldn’t believe it.

Dance Like.. And The Winner(s) are…

Paris, March 28, 2014

I turned the camera on to say thank you to Carla Coulson and that was the end of me. It was all just too much, a life changing dream come true, my time to Shine. I almost deleted that little video clip, kept trying to compose myself to make another one without the raw emotion. But in the end I posted it to Carla on my facebook page, the response was overwhelming.

The reason I didn’t delete it is because I never want my daughter to feel like this.

I don’t want her growing up without photos to capture the moments of joy in her life. I want her free and certain and glowing in front of the camera, I want her to always know how beautiful she is both inside and out, good hair days or bad…..make up or no make up, laughing crying and just the way she is. Isn’t that what we all want, to be seen, to be heard, to make a difference.

I still don’t look in mirrors, I haven’t since I was a teenager, especially if anyone else is in the room. I have been known to wait in toilet cubicles until those applying fresh makeup leave the room. I don’t like getting my photo taken, and growing up my Mum would always light the house in the evening with candles and she was careful to sit in the ‘best light’ how funny I had totally forgotten about that until just this moment.

At school and into my early 30’s I had severe cystic acne, I tried everything to make it disappear but in the end I see now that I disappeared a little at a time. In my teens and 20’s I wouldn’t go out if I was having a bad skin day.

Friends and family would greet me with ‘Oh your skin looks better today’ and old ladies would stop me on the street to give me the ‘cure’……my closest friend in high school turned on me (as can happen in school) and her favorite taunt was about my skin, she enrolled the entire school into her chorus (or so it seemed to me).

Actually now I think about it my brother hated getting his photo taken as well and it was a family sport to try to get a photo of him. We have many of him with his hand up to his face or with the finger up, I wonder what his story was. I never thought to ask him and it’s too late now.

I notice that Carina doesn’t give her childish beaming smile when getting her photo taken, she thinks her teeth are too big….when I got my wedding photos I ‘fixed’ them….and on one favorite I even slightly straightened my nose (thanks to the wonder that is photoshop). My Mum rang to thank me for the photos I sent her saying she’d never had such a nice photo of us, she never knew that I tweaked it a little first.

I remember when I was working for a photographer in Melbourne, she took packages at school formals and a Mother came in to her office enraged that she’d ‘taken out’ her son’s acne without asking first. I’ve been guilty of doing this same thing with photos of our children. Carina will think she never had a spot as a baby. We are so lucky to have this chance to put it right with Carla Coulson behind the lens.

How we see ourselves can become complicated!

It’s time to give that story up…..it’s my time to SHINE with the wonderful Carla Coulson

and as always I will be sharing the journey with you x

Let’s SHINE together x

Post Update

click here to see the portraits from Paris

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and the gang x

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Our Italian Life – a work in progress

Lisa Chiodo — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 22:02:41 +0000

INSPIRATION

A Simple Life

I wrote these words before we left for Italy.

‘Have you ever longed for something, I mean really longed for it? Every part of me aches to be wandering cobbled lanes with antique doors and ornate lions head door knockers. To be soaking up the sunshine in a tiny piazza, while Carina and Luca splash each other in the nearby fountain. Wandering hand in hand with my very Italian husband who can relax at last, he has nowhere to get!’

And whilst we still have a way to go creating our Italian life I know we are on the right track.

I see it in our children, our home, our relationship (even when it’s awful and we are arguing) I know it in my heart, this feels right, we are where we should be, we are creating that simple life, growing our own food, raising animals to eat, picking wildflowers, drinking water fresh from the mountain, cutting wood, gathering fresh eggs from our chickens, sipping hot chocolate or cappuccino and eating freshly baked brioche in our favorite cafe, and always looking for ways to take things to the next level.

With that in mind I’ve taken on a new challenge, and only three weeks in B-School is changing my life in ways I never expected. I’m sure you’ll see changes here and I’m sure you know I have you in mind as I make them.

I hope we can show our children that it is possible to live your dream, that they are a gift to the world, and we strive to be the best example of that no matter what the circumstances.

To all my friends and family here and in my life…

I believe in you, all those dreams and plans and hopes you’ve given up on, the ones you’ve told yourself are too hard, or too expensive, or that you’re not worth it. It’s those that I am passionate about. You and your dreams, I believe they should come true.

I want you to know you can do it, it is possible, and you deserve it xx

Our Italian Life:

An update on Luca, he has returned to school and is back to his bouncy chirpy self, Carina has the sniffles but is well and loves the baby rabbits (we have seven), I have very low blood pressure and am on a magnesium drink from the doctor, I went today for blood tests, (hope to be back to my version of normal soon lol ), Sam is good and has been chopping wood, cooking and looking at how we can make this all come together.

I am realizing how much I share on my Facebook page with photos and updates about our daily life, I’m planning to move this over to the blog and love your feedback and thoughts on the changes I’ll be making.

boots | words

and the gang x

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Our Italian Life – Pneumonia, B-School and Burning down the house

Lisa Chiodo — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 10:07:00 +0000

INSPIRATION

Creating a Simple Life One Day at a Time

I didn’t write a post last week, I almost didn’t write one this week, the only thing I really want to do right now is curl up in a ball and sleep.

But I can’t…..

I can’t take time out for me right now, can’t regenerate, recuperate, re create myself, not now, not with so much to do.

I can’t…..

I feel most days that if I just keep moving no matter how slowly things will get done.

But they don’t…..

I know when I feel this way it’s my iron levels, low blood pressure and just a touch of overwhelm,

Luca is still coughing, he’s been coughing for a month now, pneumonia they tell us but don’t tell us when he’ll be back to school, when he’ll be able to get outside, run and play without spasms of coughing that scare even him, when he’ll be back in his own bed, when life will start to head back to normal.

I almost killed us all a few nights back, such a stupid thing to do. Some small spark of heat was left in the ashes I put into the plastic bag, I put it into the metal bucket by the fireplace meaning to empty it in the morning and went to bed.

In the morning the smell was so strong of bitter smoke, even with all the windows open and doors wide it still lingered. I though it was the old stuffa we use in the kitchen, my mind was already thinking of the expense to replace it. Turned out it was my bag of ash, the plastic melted and the ash caught the wicker broom inside the bucket. The whole lot smouldered all night with Carina asleep on the couch only a few meters away.

Almost a tragic lesson…..never again.

And still I smile, and struggle and some days feel a fraud, luckily it’s only some days that I feel like this.

Today is one of those days…..

I’m not an expert, I have no road map for living the simple life, moving to Italy, creating something special for our children, learning a language, creating a business, sharing my hopes and dreams, it’s been a big year for us. We are now into the second week of the second year in Italy, it feels like we just arrived, so much to learn, so many ways to stretch ourselves, expand, grow, and experience this life we are building.

I’m creating something new, I’m investing in myself, bringing together all the pieces and finding clarity. I’m working with mentors and yes it’s super challenging, exciting, and creative. I’ll keep you posted as I progress. I thought it poetic that the first day of with my new mentor is the one year anniversary of our landing in Italy. Year Two is now eight days in and so much has changed, I feel it within myself, right to the core.

I Dare to Dream….and I’m dreaming bloody BIG!

Funnily enough I don’t feel tired anymore, I think a little walk would do me good.

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lets walk together and chat xx

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and the gang x

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Rustic Italian Living Room – before and after

Lisa Chiodo — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 21:09:40 +0000

RENOVATION

it’s all those little moments that make life a very big adventure…

It’s been a while since we had a heart to heart and the timing just feels right for a reset to start blogging again.

There have been some changes and a lot of reflection for me, as I’m sure there has been for you as well, and I’d like nothing more than to have a chat with you about it all.

RENEWAL

We arrived in Milan airport almost a year ago now, and it seems like yesterday until I look at these photos. Our Rustic Italian living room has slowly progressed and although not finished is now a space I love. Creating our living room has been my favorite part of the renovations. My desk is here, it’s where I write, it’s where we sit in the evening, where the kids like to play, the spot for my few treasures.

We have slowly peeled, painted, renewed and replaced hundreds of years of wear and tear. The house now breathes again, still much to complete but she knows she’s in good hands. It’s as if she trusts us to care for her, and future generations will still see that original spirit, and hear her voice.

The first step was removing all the plastic paneling, nailed to the rock underneath it was a nightmare to remove. The section around the door to the upper level had been burnt at some stage and was black and buckled. The walls underneath were black with soot and grime, originally a bright blue they showed promise.

LOTS OF WORK

The ceiling was pitch black and the beams had been covered with Masonite and blackened over time. With no light we needed a torch to navigate the room even in the day time. We pulled up the timber floor which had rotted in places and widened the doorway to the kitchen.

Once we got back to the bare bones of the room we pulled all the nails from the wall one at a time, gave it a wash, sandblasted the ceiling, and finally the windows arrived, it all started coming together.

ALL WORTH IT

In the middle of everything we had the House Hunters International crew out with us for five days of filming. Through the year I had to return to Australia for a family issue with my dear Mum. Sam ended up in hospital a few times, we had visitors from Australia and New York, met up with fellow bloggers, laughed, argued and cried.

So here we are almost a year into our Italian Dream and it was all worth it, even with the struggles. Nothing ever works out the way you think it will…..who knows what this year will hold.

Christmas time saw us flooded with cards from all over the world. I asked if you’d send us a Christmas card and never expected the results. Our postman was totally confused and I was almost to tears with the wonder of it all and the outpouring of love. Stories were told and dreams shared, I’m planning a little surprise for you all throughout the year.

I also declared that I am going to spend my 50th birthday in Paris and invited you all to Dare to Dream, and to come along if you could.

So when I sit at my desk writing and thinking of our journey it seems we’ve come a long way, yet are only just beginning.

It will be a year since we landed in Milano on the 11th of March 2013…..yes we are still Chasing our Dream xx

Wishing you all love and joy in your own dreams ….

and the gang x

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Italian Rustic Decor – the collector

Lisa Chiodo — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 22:59:24 +0000

INSPIRATION

Italian Rustic Decor – the collector

‘The measure of a life, after all, is not it’s duration, but it‘s donation…’

We almost didn’t enter, even though I’ve been wanting to visit this shop since we arrived in the valley back in April. The double doors open onto a small workroom and as we peered in a man appeared. Now we had to enter, hands were shaken, ciaos exchanged and Sam (love him) did the talking, I feel as if I’ve stepped inside Aladdin’s cave, La Bottega del Restauro.

On every surface, from floor to ceiling my eyes are dazed, a million memories in this tiny room, the history of the valley. Italian Rustic gone into overdrive. After a few minutes he beckons us to follow…..’what’s he saying’ I hiss, and then I am left speechless.

The interior of Dario’s workroom is filled with tools, varnish, relics and ancient treasures….a giant key with an ornate headpiece is part of the fresco of old keys along the ceiling. I tell him one day he will find the door that fits that key (in my very broken Italian) and he laughs and nods. I feel as if I’ve met a kindred spirit, he just lights up when talking about his collection. Yes everything is for sale he assures us.

We enter a classic stairwell leading up through three floors of room after room filled with more than my eye can take in. Small vignettes are carefully set up telling little stories, and the beauty is that these aren’t displayed in some fashionable high street store but in an old home in the mountains where they came from. A living museum and the passion of one man who has been collecting for over 25 years.

I see items here that I have seen still in use in daily life at the borgata, things we have found in our own home, things that have been given to us knowing how passionate I am to preserve the history I find around me. All I can think about is how much my Mum would love this, she and I would be in here for days, I find the most delicate carved two story stationary holder, so fragile and a little broken on one leg….I gently place it back, when we are more financial I’ll be back with my twenty euro.

Sam starts calling me…..come here quick….following his voice down another flight of old stairs into the cellars, it’s much darker than these images show, a little cold and when my eyes adjust I could be in Madame Tussaud’s. More rooms, ancient doors and ducking heads to stop from hitting the beams, it’s just overwhelm, on every possible space another story, another memory.

The story of the valley people, the women and men I’ve come to love, a lifestyle that is slowly fading into history. Yet here in this unassuming building it has come to life again.

You can find La Bottega del Restauro on facebook

and the gang x

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Let’s have a Coffee and Chat – getting to know you

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 22:51:54 +0000

INSPIRATION

Ciao lets have a coffee and chat!

Let’s have a Coffee and Chat
‘getting to know you’

I’ve been sitting here pondering what to write about, all the time aware that I have to get to bed early tonight (which means early as opposed to my normal after midnight bedtimes) and my mind is zoned out. Then Sam calls out to me from the kitchen telling me to check my facebook page someone wants to buy me a coffee.

What??

A dear friend Kelly sent me a message saying she wanted to shout me a coffee as she has been living her Italian dream vicariously through us.

So Kelly this post is in your honor…..and thank you for the offer, one day we’ll get to do that coffee together.

I look forward to getting to know you all in person one day.

In the evenings after the kids have gone to bed and the house is quiet Sam and I both get on the computers. Sam sits at the table in the kitchen and I sit at my little desk in the lounge, we talk through the doorway and he constantly calls me to come and look at things he’s found. It’s hard to concentrate tonight, the fire is making the room warm and I’m sleepy, I’m thinking of making a cuppa and thought wouldn’t it be nice if I could have one with you, a little getting to know you session.

You each enrich my life in so many ways, cheer me when I’m blue, lift me when I’m moping, laugh with me, and cry with me, and we have slowly gotten to know each other.

Friendships have formed within these pages, people have met, chatted through facebook, I’ve shared the images, books, poetry, and stories of friends here. I’ve met incredible people with big dreams living in Italy, incredible people living amazing lives all over the world, people who have dreams, people with big hearts, friends I’ve come to care about and who care about us.

So I’d like you to close your eyes (after reading this of course) and imagine you are in Italy, actually close by and heading my way. We’re meeting for a coffee, we’ll be a big rowdy group with lots to share, much hugging and kisses on both cheeks, delight at finally meeting in person, and sharing…..lots of sharing…..

Over to You…..

Where are you now, what are you doing, what are you reading, watching, writing, drawing, creating, thinking…..who are you with, who do you love, what did you want to be when you were growing up, what makes you laugh, if this is your first coffee in Italy how does it taste…..where are we drinking it….which city, village, town, are we by the sea, in the mountains, feeling the warmth of sunshine or the chill of snow…..

Let’s get to know each other Better my dear friends…..a meeting of like minds and kindred spirits xx

Take it away…..

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and the gang x

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Rustic Italian Living Room – Inspirations

Lisa Chiodo — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 22:21:07 +0000

RENOVATION

Rustic Italian Living Room Inspiration

“After such a long journey we seem to have found a home we never imagined yet already love.”

Do you ever notice that children don’t talk about inspiration? It’s such a part of them, like joy and laughter, innocence and wonder….they don’t need to look for it in others it just shines from them…

I wrote these lines almost a year ago, they were part of a post about ‘inspiration‘ written just as we were about to embark on our adventure. A lot has changed since then, and we are now in Italy living the dream we began so many years ago.

Back then my biggest concern was for our son Luca, would he be able to cope with the move, were we doing the right thing, would he be able to thrive in Italy. Moving wasn’t something I took lightly, it kept me awake at night, advice from well meaning friends and family ringing in my head. Everything back then revolved around Luca’s autism, and how this would affect him, I had no idea what would happen in Italy but knew the system wasn’t working for him in Australia.

It was only this morning that a fellow friend and blogger Margaret at Destination Here and Now reminded me in a beautiful way that we made the right decision. Within the blogging world I find many voices I resonate with, another of these is Rohan from Whole Larder Love. I left a comment on his blog and it in turn inspired Margaret to write something extending this thought. A little like a ripple on a pond we each connect and respond to the inspiration of those around us. It really is part of the beauty of blogging, if you’ve ever thought about taking it up I’d give you a resounding “Yes just do it”, the comment follows.

It’s voices like yours Rohan that shine a light on the good life, your little girl in the veggie patch, the walks with arms swinging, noticing your world and sharing it here. I have no doubt at all that the life we are creating for our children (and ourselves) is the right move, out of the suburbs of Queensland to the wild mountains of Italy.

We now live on so much less and get so much more, and I especially see this for our son Luca who has high functioning autism. All of a sudden he is blossoming, he is in a tiny village school which is high on hugs and praise, previously he was always going to be ‘not good enough’ and unable to ‘keep up with his peers’…at last he is learning to read (aged nine). We only need a small amount to live well here, our kids are learning in the school of life.

I have never seen life and death the way I do here, it’s right in your face, we were invited to make the salami, butcher the pig, see the feathers of the chickens killed for that nights dinner, get eggs fresh from our chickens, growing rabbits for the pot, eating veggies from our own garden, it’s wonderful, not a hardship at all in fact the reverse. If I’d have known this I would have done it years ago, and as you say even in the city it’s possible to grow something, join a community garden, buy food from local markets, buy less and live more.

This post started out as an inspiration board for our Italian living room and turned into something else all together. If I had posted this last night as planned I’d have missed sharing with you. Last night I just knew I needed color, urgently, needed something vibrant and striking. I see now it is a little bit of longing for the security of our life in Australia. We lived a street from the beach in tropical Queensland, the sky was an intense blue, we grew mango’s in our yard, and lived a beach lifestyle.

Funny how my spirit knows exactly what I need, all I have to do is listen.

Inspiration, for me has always been visual.

I collect images much like a magpie, I always have. With our enforced hibernation I’ve begun longing for color, in our Italian living room. Although I love the muted earthy tones around us I crave warmth, vibrancy, all the hot rich hues we left behind us in Australia. Our home needs some touches of warmth, each of these images appealed to me, looking through my favorite pinterest board they were the ones to leap out at me. I wanted to share them with you.

It’s you who are inspiring to me, you show me such love and encouragement, are involved in the life we are creating here in Italy and when I asked you to send me a Christmas Card for our first Christmas away from Australia we were inundated, the postman didn’t know what was going on. It is the passion of the all the people who read my blog, who share your lives with me, who let me into your homes and give me time and space to express myself, you are the people with passion.

I just reflect it back like a mirror, I love what I do, I love that it gives others a way to dream a bigger dream. I love that it gives me a chance to connect with other passionate people around the globe. What a gift you have given me.

Rustic Italian Living Room ~ Inspiration

Italian Country Living
A Year in the World: Journeys of A Passionate Traveller
Villa Fortuna: An Italian Interlude

and the gang x

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Chasing a Dream – putting on my Big Boots

Lisa Chiodo — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 14:31:19 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

Chasing a dream

‘When you see someone putting on his Big Boots, you can be pretty sure that an Adventure is going to happen’

A.A Milne, winnie the pooh

I’ve been doing a lot of this lately, looking for answers and procrastinating big time. Taking a step forward and then two back, ‘Chasing a Dream’ which is lifting me to new realms I hadn’t thought about. It’s time to remind myself of who I am and where I want to be, how I want my life to look and all those dreams still to come to life around me.

We are shaking off our hibernation, recovering from our various coughs and colds and moving forward. Sam is on the mend from his gall bladder operation and has lost five kilo he’s walking each day, (I’m still thinking and talking about walking each day lol). He’s changed his diet and we are eating wholemeal pasta (and the occasional kebab) more fruit and more veggies from our garden.

Having seen the brilliant results achieved by some close friends of ours I can see that it’s not just about changing diet or location or partner or job, it’s about changing mindset. This is something we all know is true yet here we are still in the same place, not for me, not anymore.

We are drawing up a mind-map at the moment and it’s amazing how this simple way of visualizing your thoughts and dreams has us coming up with ideas we’d never even mentioned to each other. Next step is to get the kids on board and find out what their mind maps look like, what is important to them and how can we help them achieve it.

It’s funny that this post is mostly colored with grey and white, I feel like lighting my life up with color right now. Hot pinks and tropical blues, lime green and orange…. florals and flowers, warmth and sunshine, thank goodness for our wonderful electric orange house up on the hillside. It shines like a beacon.

It’s time to put back the spark of creativity into my life, here on the blog and in my home life…Time for Chasing a Dream

What I’m planning this year is a journey of discovery, taking steps each day to move my life in the direction I am inspired by. I am surrounding myself with those who inspire me to dream big, embrace life, enjoy the everyday, and really savor the small moments.

I’ve been enjoying the videos on facebook at the moment, created as a gift by facebook they show a persons life on facebook in the space of a minute or so, mine even inspired me. I can see how far we’ve come, all those things we set out to do we are doing right now, living the life we created and even though it’s not always easy it’s amazing.

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I’m wondering how our life will look a year from now, five years from now….I am creating that life in my mind and taking steps towards it everyday even if only small ones.

I hope you’ll come along, be inspired, embrace your own dreams and have them light you up. I’ll be sharing our renovations of course, our ups and downs, and life here in the borgata, we will be on the road around June of course heading to Paris for my 50th birthday, my in laws are coming for a visit and just next weekend we have some facebook friends coming for lunch that we’ve never met.

“The world is opening up in ways we never planned, we literally left Australia for Italy without a future income, without knowing how we would live, not knowing how it would all look, we just knew that if we didn’t take the chance our dreams would grow smaller and die a slow death, and we’d be miserable.”

I remember actually telling Sam when we were back in Queensland (thinking our house would never sell, that we’d never get back to Italy, that we’d have to put our dream on hold another year), that we should just get on that plane and work it out when we arrived. Making the move without all the answers to some fairly big questions took courage and belief that we will find a way, we’re here now so we have no other option than to work it out or go back to Australia. It’s one way to put your fears and dreams on fast forward, doubts and joys pull me in every direction.

It’s time to find that inner compass and set a steady course, time for some structure and planning, time to expand myself and to gather my family together, a time to set sail, a time for chasing a dream and I hope you’ll be inspired to come along.

This year we are celebrating the things that matter most.

We will be slowing down, enjoying what we have, creating new dreams, loving where we live, connecting with friends and family and creating a simple life. As the seasons change we’ll be growing our own food, raising animals, finding treasures, traveling to unknown destinations, and creating a home base that jumps for joy.

I’d like to think that the small things we are doing here will make a difference to you, that you can create a dream and share it with us, that this year will be ‘The next best season of my Life’…….

I am also honored to be on the short list for Italy Magazine’s Best Living in Italy Blog award.

Now take a look at your own life, what’s the one dream that lights you up?

Leave a comment and let me know, and if you have any great advice or ‘chasing a dream’ stories we’d all love to hear them.

Are you chasing a dream?

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and the gang x

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L’Antica Vetreria – the glass factory renovation

Lisa Chiodo — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 21:39:06 +0000

L’Antica Vetreria

‘Unknowingly, we plow the dust of stars blown about us by the wind and we drink the universe in a glass of rain.’

Ihab Hassen

I am honored to share the latest in our series of guest posts on one of my favorite topics – Renovating in Italy. I knew that we couldn’t be the only ones out there dreaming about houses in Italy. Today we are joined by Tom and Colleen who share the renovation of their incredible home in Umbria a medieval Glass Factory – L’Antica Vetreria

What inspired you to renovate this property?

We fell in love with Umbria on our honeymoon in 1994. The next years found us returning again and again, exploring many regions, but our hearts were firmly in Umbria. We looked at places to renovate to create a place for vacationing travelers; daydreaming of what life would be like in this town or that village.

One day from my desk in Seattle, a miracle happened when I found a website of a geometra listing property, one had the title “industrial archeology” being curious, I opened the link. What I found was a vast abandoned 13th century glass factory perched right on the medieval wall of the little Umbrian village, Piegaro, near Perugia. We set off by plane two days later from Seattle to Italy to view L’Antica Vetreria

“Our hearts were firmly in Umbria…”

Can you remember the first time you saw L’Antica Vetreria and what were your initial thoughts?

On a rainy day in April, with the light disappearing we met the owner and walked into a tiny lane way, deserted for over sixty years, broken tiles strewn around, an old iron bathtub abandoned in the narrow street.

Fumbling with a heavy set of keys, Mario opened a padlock to a huge wooden factory door. With a flashlight we picked our way along beams, trying not to fall two floors below, within minutes my mind was racing with plans.

We spent the night in the hotel and when we saw L’Antica Vetreria in daylight, our fate was sealed. This huge space was three times what we were looking for, but we had to have it. We switched gears fast and drew plans for a villa in the main factory, showing these rough plans to the Geometra, Gianni Romizi, he immediately introduced us to the newly elected mayor of the Comune.

It was all happening so fast but we leaped in, knowing it was the right place at the right time with the right people.

“When we saw it in daylight, our fate was sealed”

The History of L’Antica Vetreria

We continue to learn about our ancient glass-works’ rich history, from the people who have lived in its shadow their whole lives. They transport us back to the Middle Ages when Piegaro was at its height of fame with renowned glass masters. L’Antica Vetreria was the first glass factory founded by masters who came from Venice in 1292 and started this amazing tradition that has lasted for over 720 years.

In every nook and cranny of Piegaro there were large and small vetreria, glass factories. Most of the Piegarese worked in them; men and boys fueling the hot ovens and blowing glass, women and young girls weaving the straw fiaschii that gave a base for the hand blown bottles.

“The people who have lived in its shadow their whole lives”

Renovating is a huge challenge. How have you survived the process?

It must be said that we were in the home building business back in Seattle and had renovated homes there. But we are talking wood houses with sheet rock walls. Being in the business, however, prepared us to work with sub-contractors and to make intuitive decisions. But, I must say that the overwhelming motivation was to live our dream…no matter how much bigger this one became!

“Within just a few minutes my mind was racing with plans.”

Your favorite rooms and why?

So many favorite rooms and areas in our massive property: The main factory floor that is now the Villa with the giant arch, the top of the tower with its arrow slit windows; the cozy Cantina, named for the wine barrels left from the 18th century. Being perched on the western wall with stunning sunsets over the panoramic countryside, and right inside a village is living our perfect dream…privacy when we want and life in the piazza just steps away.

“This is where friendships are made and nourished.”

What does ‘Living your Dream’ look like?

My daughter turned 21 the same year that I turned 50. She asked me a question that, when I really ruminated over it, changed my life. “Mom”, she asked, “What is the difference in the dreams you had when you were 21 and the ones that you have now?” The short answer was that I gave up my dream of 21, when life got in the way…the dream to live in Europe. I realized that I still wanted to do that. She encouraged me to follow my dream, and without missing a beat, my dear husband said, let’s go for it!

I think choosing to nurture a dream and making an intentional choice to be open to a new culture has kept us vibrant past our middle years. As we approach seventy, it is a guarantee that we will not slow down.

How important were your team?

We were lucky to meet the perfect Geometra (surveyor) who was adept at managing projects from start to finish, and to find a perfect property. In Italy, what makes or breaks a project is really who you know and what network those people will introduce you into.

That the Mayor took us to meet the head of the cultural committee really sealed the deal. We met several people who unreservedly recommended Gianni Romizi, our geometra and Mario Pagliaccia our main contractor.

It was very important for us to personally source all of our materials: choosing the lighting, fixtures, cabinets, tiles, the 12th Century stone lintel, travertine tile for the pool and negotiating prices. We asked for competing bids on everything and trusted ours and Gianni’s judgment. My husband and I also created the electrical plans for our contractor, specifying outlets,and light switches .

When we were within five months of finishing, I rented an apartment and lived there full time.

“We are still in awe of the devout attention of our geometra, Gianni Romizi, who nursed this project daily for over three years.”

Tell us a little about the fabric of village life. How has the village embraced you?

I knew little Italian when we started, but quickly immersed myself in village life and got very good at asking, “Come se dice” (how do you say) and pointing. We make it a habit to go on the daily evening walk around the village and hang out in the piazza so that we can be in contact with others. In a small village without yards, life is lived in the piazza and in the cafes and shops. This is where friendships are made and nourished.

Each year as we lose an elderly friend, we grieve intensely and each year when new babies are expected, we rejoice. Simple daily pleasures such as sharing a dinner menu at the butcher’s and being given a few extra fresh carrots and parsley at the market is the essence of a good life.

“Living within a village you enjoy the true flavor of Italy”

Many thanks to Tom and Colleen for sharing this wonderful life they have created.

and the gang x

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Little Moments – creating more

Lisa Chiodo — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 22:35:13 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

little moments – creating more

‘Your life is made up of little moments, little efforts, little changes, big smiles, and all your hopes and dreams.’

Ritu Ghatourey

A fraction of a second caught on camera, smiles….always smiles, but of course it’s not always like this. In fact right now, a few moments ago, an argument over nothing….hurt feelings and nonsense. I could tell you all we’ve achieved up till now, all I hope we’ll achieve this year, but really all I want these days is more of these moments…..more smiles and less tears, more embrace and less attack, more co-operation and less head butting, longer moments like these that turn into years to come.

I can live with less….but I want more.

Am I the only one that struggles, the only one that smiles for the camera no matter what….hoping to expand all these fractions of a second, expand them into a life here we all love.

This year is already a week in, lots of love, laughter, friends, tears and yes arguments…..we’re just a normal family doing an extraordinary thing. How about you, what little moments would you like this year, what dreams to fulfill, …..what will you create??

I’d really love to know, I hope your little moments of joy increase daily, here are some of mine, little Italian moments from the past nine months since leaving Australia xxx

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and the gang x

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Christmas in Italy – just to thank you

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 26 Dec 2013 19:10:25 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

Christmas in Italy

Natale, or Christmas in Italy taught us many lessons this year. A peaceful Christmas, one without stress, with simple moments and even greater joy. The spirit of Christmas felt alive for me for the first time in many years.

Not about grand gifts or massive meals that take days to recover from. Just about enough….filling our hearts not our stomachs and seeing our children happy with a gift each rather than mountains under the tree.

The true gift of Christmas in Italy I am finding is the gift of time. Sharing this with you all has been a joy with your beautiful Christmas cards and wishes surrounding us, these were my gift and one I’ll treasure for years to come.

Luca found his ‘minions’ in a store window and we had to return to take photos of them all the next day. This is his current love and last Christmas it was ‘Star Wars’. He made little minions to hang on the Christmas tree and I love them.

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Sam had the excellent idea to get the kids a sled for Christmas, we tried it out early and now we are waiting for more snow. Not to be outdone on speed or lunacy Sam then decided he should make a sled from the old ski’s we found. A trip to the local ‘op shop’ and we found a seat for the rocket sled. A few bolts, some blocks of wood and voila….the boys (Claudio and Sam) have gone up the mountain as I type to try it out. I’ll let you know if they come back in one piece. It was met with much head shaking and amusement by the Italians but I bet it will fly!

A few trips to the shops and lots of fun checking everything out, yes these are fireworks and New Years Eve is going to be a blast literally!

The best part of Christmas day was Sam and Carina doing some cooking together, Sam was on the phone to Australia to get the recipe from my Mother in Law for these little Sicilian biscuits. They taste delicious according to the rest of the family…..blahhhh.

Claudio and his family came over in the afternoon and we shared panettone (not for me either) and a few drinks to finish the day. Once the kids were in bed Sam and I sat up and watched a movie called ‘Saving Mr Banks‘ which I highly recommend. Total relaxation…..bliss x

Thank you all for reading along this year and always sending me encouragement, love and your belief in the dream that is Italy…..enjoy Christmas in Italy with us

Without you all our Christmas in Italy would have been less joyful……Buon Natale and here’s to the New Year ahead may it bring you closer to your own dreams xx

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and the gang x

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Christmas in Italy – your christmas cards arrive

Lisa Chiodo — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 20:07:21 +0000

INSPIRATION

Your Christmas cards arrive!

“Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more.”

Dr Seuss

What started as a little idea one night whilst feeling homesick has traveled around the globe, then all the way back to a tiny home in the mountains of Northern Italy. Christmas in Italy has started with Christmas cards arriving from all over the world.

Our poor ‘Postino’ has been confused, entertained and laughing all at once. We met him on the road last week and he stopped us personally to hand over the latest bundle of Christmas cards.

We had to tell him the story and you can see by his beaming face that he didn’t mind all the extra trips up to our house.

Some of you sent little ornaments for the tree, one a letter sent for the first time, another sent us photos of her own family, a child’s drawing, a beautiful print of Venice which I’m going to frame, hand made ornaments, all contained a wealth of love and Christmas wishes.

Thank you all really from my heart, I have you all here with us for a White Christmas. Now I have the beginning of my Italian Christmas card collection to bring out each year, so you’ll be a part of our family for years to come.

This year has been the most low key Christmas I’ve ever had and I am feeling so peaceful and happy. It’s the 20th of December and as yet we have bought no presents, but we have felt the spirit of Christmas here in our valley.

A gentle Christmas, with carols sung in French by children in santa hats, powdered white snow on the mountains, a little bag of home made biscuits sent from our neighbor, ornaments made by our children on the tree, no hype, no bustle, no worry that I’ve forgotten someone…..just the warmth of our little family, loved ones far away, old friends and new, and the valley embracing us all.

So if I can send you a gift for Christmas I’ll send the Gift of Time, and hope you can take a moment to relax and really feel the spirit of Christmas.

Then be sure to pass it on……

Merry Christmas and Buon Natale
may all your dreams come true whatever they may be

xoxo

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and the gang x

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Our House Hunters International Episode – The valley shines

Lisa Chiodo — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 20:45:09 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

Our House Hunters International Episode

During our first skype conversation with producer Ethan, we asked him if we would be right for House Hunters International.

Our house isn’t grand in fact quite the opposite. We are closer to fifty than thirty and have two young children…….’yes yes don’t worry it’ll be great’.

Now, I think his vision was spot on.

Our valley shone and the people of Bobbio Pellice and Malpertus became part of the story just as they are in our daily lives. We got to show off our beautiful valley in Piedmont and why we fell in love with it.

I don’t want to let too many ‘cat’s out of the bag but I can say that we had the best time with the crew from House Hunters International, we filmed through snow, rain, and dropping temperatures for a total of five days (Now you know where we disappeared to).

We had to re do many shots as Sam kept saying ‘Bloody Hell’ and I got over enthusiastic with the ‘Oh my God’. We didn’t realize how often we said it until we had to stop ourselves.

Other than that what you see is what you get. The crew are now like our adopted family. They were beyond wonderful, encouraging all the way and fantastic with the kids.

Luca can’t make up his mind which job he wants to take. We couldn’t get him away from behind the camera. Carina glowed and was a natural. I got to see so many ways our kids could take on a life outside the box.

Sitting together for a final interview gave us a chance to reflect on our new life in Italy…..(you’ll have to wait and see!)

This quiet location saw us stop filming for sheep, men on horseback, a small child on a very squeaky trike, cows being led to barns (all with huge bells), the town hall bell, and curious locals…..still the show went on and nothing fazed our House Hunters International team.

Our Italian estate agent Bruna bought a touch of elegance and of course properties to view, wait till you hear her gorgeous accent.

This lovely store owner called us in to taste his local salami and cheeses, the House Hunters International crew couldn’t help but buy something and we all got photos taken, what a great business man, he had us literally eating out of the palm of his hand.

Luca fell in love with Joe’s ‘skunk’ and thought it wonderful that he could hear us all talking in the other room. Whoever said never work with kids or animals had it all wrong.

So if you ever get that call from House Hunters International I hope you’ll grasp the opportunity with both hands like we did. It’s an experience none of us will ever forget and one I’ll always treasure.

A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO…

Patrizia Geymonat (Mayor) – Sindaco Comune Bobbio Pellice

Community of Malpertus

Community of Bobbio Pellice

Trattoria del Centro – Bobbio Pellice

Bar 1990 – Bobbio Pellice

Ristorante L’Alpina – Bobbio Pellice

Macelleria Dario Geymonat – Bobbio Pellice

Hotel Villa Glicini – San Secondo Di Pinerolo

HOUSE HUNTERS INTERNATIONAL CREW

Producer – Ethan | Director – David | Camera Men – Gordon and Mike | Sound – Simon and Joe | Behind the scenes – Andrea

And our wonderful Estate Agent Bruna

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and the gang x

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Winter in the Valley – first snowfall

Lisa Chiodo — Wed, 04 Dec 2013 21:56:54 +0000

SIMPLE LIFE

First Snowfall

So many secrets to be found…. amid the falling snow!

ENYA

I have fallen in love with our brightly colored neighbor…she took some time to grow on me in this valley of ‘nebia’ houses. She just glows on the hillside now like a brightly lit fire keeping us all warm.

This burnt orange house can be seen from any vantage point and she has never looked more beautiful than surrounded by a white backdrop from our first snowfall.

Although you can’t see them multitudes of tiny white snowflakes were falling, and are so delicate I couldn’t catch them. The first snowfall is silent, gently drifting and they cling to the clothes, and the eyelashes. It’s magical…..warm inside and winter wonderland outside.

We went for a walk with our visitor from New York (who actually looks a lot like me in this photo above).

It’s been magical here, freezing cold, and just completely fascinating. I awake to gently falling snowflakes, looking from the window the entire Borgata was dusted with a power of white. I sneak out to get a first glimpse of the snow, the trees look like bright white fireworks that have just exploded softly all across the mountains.

This is the old original road which is still in use for locals, animals, tractors, the postman etc. We are also lucky to have a made road above the house so we have access from two entries, this one and the little door that opens right onto the made road.

They only snowplow the main upper road not this one although Paulo thought he’d give it a try with the snow shovel. Our neighbor Claudio tells us the snow got to two meters in the 80’s…..he has photos he’s going to show me of the Borgata almost buried.

Can you imagine life here in Winter hundreds of years ago…

I love seeing the way the snow ‘hangs’ in midair, caught on anything standing in it’s way…

more of my favorite snow images found at Pinterest ~ Winter Wonderland

Does it snow where you live? Do you remember your first snowfall?

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and the gang x

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Christmas in Italy – send us a card per favore

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 23:06:49 +0000

INSPIRATION

Christmas

‘You may have the Universe,
if I may have Christmas in Italy’

The arrival of our first Christmas card had me thinking as I lay in bed last night.

How will I make this Christmas special for the kids, and all I could see was them opening cards like I did when I was a kid. Mum would always save them for me to open and my brothers always got to keep the stamps. I love Christmas cards, sending them and receiving them in the mail. That one card arriving at our house up in the mountains made my day, it took me back to my childhood and all the excitement of Christmas.

Friends and family could tell you that I have a bit of a Christmas card tradition. Since my teen years I’ve been saving my favorite cards each year. I have them from as far back as the 70’s and any that included a letter I always kept.

Each year at Christmas I put out some of my favorites usually the ones from Nana, Brad, Auntie Billie, Auntie Iris, Uncle Stan, ones from my Mum, just ones I love. This year they are safe and sound along with all my Christmas decorations at my Mums house in Melbourne Australia.

So I was thinking that this year it would be wonderful to get a Christmas card from you, perhaps with a little story, or thought about the season, maybe a drawing, a little note about your dreams and hopes for the New Year. I’m already imagining them hanging along the beams in the lounge, the beginning of a new collection, a special way to bring each of you into our home this Christmas and beyond.

Imagine the look on the postman’s face if hundreds of Christmas cards start arriving in Malpertus…..

…..leave me a little note in the comments,

send a Christmas card if you are able – ho ho ho love Lisa xxx

please note I’ve now taken our address down so if you’d like to send a card you can contact me privately though our contact form xx

Christmas in Italy could mean writing my cards in Italian x

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and the gang x

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The Italian Dream – a change is gonna come

Lisa Chiodo — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 19:44:08 +0000

RENOVATION

‘Maybe one day we’ll find the place where our dream and reality meet’

Winter is on it’s way with temperatures dropping down to one degree (that’s celsius ) outside. The italian dream is getting cold. Last week we had our first heavy snow, making us realize that the pathetic efforts we have been making just won’t be enough. We need proper snow shoes, more wood and I could really use some fleecy pants instead of jeans.

We are on a big learning curve, and I had to laugh at Claudio pulling me aside and showing me how to actually stack firewood. I thought I was doing very well packing it as tight as I could only to find out that wet wood needs lots of air space to dry out. We stacked three truck loads with more to come so I will be getting plenty of practice.

We moved the kids into the main part of the house last Saturday afternoon, bigger warmer and plenty of room to play without freezing. Heat is a premium here and the size of your stack of wood is all that counts. I feel a bit like Homer Simpson when he obsesses about donuts. Hmmmmmm Wood!

Moving to Italy was always about ‘family’ and regrouping ours, a chance to bring us closer together. Some days I wonder when that will happen other days I get just a little glimpse of this italian dream. We are certainly not the Brady Bunch, a little bit dysfunctional with a good dollop of feisty thrown in mainly by Carina.

Everyday I doubt myself in some way, as a Mum, Wife, writer, blogger, and Aussie woman living in the mountains of Italy. I doubt that I am alone, in fact I know I am not. It’s not just a female thing either it seems to be a life thing.

The best thing is that each day I get to start all over, create from nothing and try to reign in my ‘Bitch Troll from Hell’ side (well that’s what I tell myself). Perhaps it’s a change of life in more ways than one, lucky Sam will get his wife and his daughter spinning heads at the same time ha!

In the meantime I’m back to passing nails, holding ladders and finding missing power tools. We have to get the house totally sealed before it snows again.

Although it doesn’t look it in these photos it’s almost freezing…..just stepping from the house has the chill factor biting at your nose and sending your fingers and toes to near hypothermia.

Today it was so cold I felt as if my fingers were burning, our neighbor Maximo laughing as he walked past tells us we have no idea what we’re in for……

Winter in Italy means removing the old plastic roof and replacing it with polycarbon sheeting, brown on one half and clear on the other to utilize the light. Just below the small window is a drop of around two meters, I suggest it would be the perfect spot to put the kids.

Removing the chicken wire and actually peering down we found it’s the ideal spot for Carina to throw chocolate wrappers from her window thinking we’ll never find them. Sprung again!

We’ve replaced some of the concrete and cut a step into the entrance to make it easier to come through the doorway. The terracotta bricks are to go just under the roofing to seal the walls and will then be rendered over to match.

Apologies no photo of the finished result the weather just got beyond us so we packed up and came inside to thaw out in front of the fire.

Tell us your Italian dream x

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and the gang x

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Italian Renovations – one step forward, two steps back and a big Dream

Lisa Chiodo — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 19:29:50 +0000

RENOVATION

Italian Renovation…. remember why you started!

Some days our Italian renovation, even the dream home in Italy, has an overwhelming feel to it. Every single place I look something needs to be done. Where to start, what needs doing first, how’s the budget going?

I find the best way to start is to visualize the end result. I have little visual areas in the house, places I can glance at through the day to give me a glimpse of how I imagine it will all be….one day soon.

On the day that Sam took these photos none of those little areas are in view, this is the reality of our house at this moment in time. Nothing changed, nothing moved for the photo or rearranged, just daily life in our rustic Italian renovation.

It may never be glamorous, actually it’s highly unlikely that it will ever be glamorous, eclectic chic I like to call it.

So this is reality for now…..my imagination has plenty of room to play here, and I like to let it run wild.

I’ll continue to update you all on our Italian renovation, and the ups and downs along the way.

Don’t forget to dream, share your dream with us here…..I’d love for 50 dreams to come true!

We will be in Paris for my 50th next year … you’re ALL invited x

inspiration board images via home on pinterest

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and the gang x

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Italian Renovations – the windows arrive

Lisa Chiodo — Sat, 02 Nov 2013 08:15:51 +0000

‘All the windows of my Heart I open to the day’

John Whittier

Warmth and light…. these two simple elements now grace our home.

The old discarded windows lean against the walls waiting for their fate. A reminder of the past and the many lives this house has seen come and go.

My favorite place is always by the kitchen window looking out to the little road below and I wonder who else stood in just this spot, what dreams they had here. I walk through these rooms, along the narrow paths of the Borgata and I sense that they are aware and keeping watch over our shenanigans.

It has been chaotic here and the house is a jumble of tools, rocks, windows, wiring and daily life. Over the weekend we will be cleaning up and getting back to a sense of normality. It’s all systems go and we have a very special guest coming to visit late November, she is a friend I met on facebook and we can’t wait to meet her in person.

I have been a bit under the weather recently and so has Sam with his kidney stones but such is life hey especially when you have so much on your plate.

I’m off to start tidying up the place so I can show you all some after photos, have a wonderful Halloween if you celebrate it and a great weekend.

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and the gang x

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My 50th – an invitation to dream

Lisa Chiodo — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 13:30:44 +0000

INSPIRATION

My 50th – an invitation to dream

‘She decided to start living the life she imagined…’

‘Kobi Yamada’

Last night I lay in bed thinking, about my big birthday next year and what I want to do on the day. In my mind I have been planning a huge bash in Paris somewhere overlooking the Eiffel Tower. I have already started hinting to my friends and family that this would be tres magnifique and they should start saving for a European holiday.

Then my inner version of reality kicks in.

My little voice that tells me ‘don’t’ be ridiculous’ and nobody is going to come all the way to Paris for a birthday….no edit that, I mean for MY Birthday. It is a dream that is totally out of reach and I am not worthy of such a big dream. It will cost too much, we don’t have the money, we’ll have to travel, I’m not important….my dream will be a fizzer and everybody will know.

Don’t tell anyone, if nobody knows then my grand dream can’t fail, I can’t fail.

And I let myself think this way.

I crush my own dreams, like the dream of writing a book, of having a voice, of making a difference. I’ve been taking about this dream for almost ten years. Taking one step forward and then no further, then another step and stopping, no further…gathering information, keeping notes, subscribing to writing blogs and comparing my journal to the polished finished books written by my peers.

I’ve been Peer Gazing and crushing my own voice in the process.

So last night unable to sleep, gazing at the ancient beams overhead my thoughts shifted to my Brother, I was thinking that he only made it a few months past his fiftieth birthday.

That right now if I were him I would only have one year to live.

This exact time next year I would be in the garden finishing the weeding, packing away the lawnmower heading in for dinner, maybe whistling (I like to think of him whistling as he took those last steps).

I don’t know what dreams died unfulfilled with my brother that night, but I bet if he knew that he only had that one last year to live he would have whistled more often.

Dreams don’t need to be grand to live in our hearts, they just need to inspire us to be more than we are. My dream for our Italian life won’t happen by itself, being in Paris for my birthday won’t happen unless I decide it will, my first book will never be read unless I give up that little voice inside my head.

Last night I decided to dedicate this year to my brother, to make it the best year ever, to make my life sing…..or maybe whistle.

As this is going to be the year that sings out loud, dances in the street, and culminates in Paris I’d love you to come along. Sing your own song, create a dream so big you can’t help but dance with the excitement of it, and then share it…..start here, with me, let’s do it together.

Go ahead….dare to dream x

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Italian Journey – circles of connection

Lisa Chiodo — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 08:52:05 +0000

INSPIRATION

Italian Journey

I’m sitting in a stunning spot at Forterocca with a view of the alps , church and village trying to write ‘the book’, when two trucks a minivan and multiple people arrive all chatting loudly in Italian. Maybe I should change position, move to the café, but then there are the folk from the square and the locals staring trying to decide what I’m doing.

Will I always feel like an outsider here in our Italian journey, overdressed or under dressed, in the wrong spot, saying the wrong thing? Feeling obvious, uncertain, like an idiot. A shaggy haired idiot with smelly clothes and no makeup. How do they make jeans and a t-shirt look so good?

The alps tower over us all, visible one day hidden by thick fog the next. Lines of ancient houses hug the mountains. Our house is in the deepest part of the valley, you will get no light for three months Antonio tells me with delight, e molto freddo and senza sole. The valley is too tight to allow the sunlight, it will make its way in a low arc and be gone by the early afternoon.

I no longer wear a watch, I tell the time by the comings and goings of our neighbors, and the ringing of the cowbells as they head in for milking late in the day. I know when its lunch time by the total absence of any sound apart from the newest stray dog howling on her chain. She cries to be released or fed or just loved, maybe all three. Her oddly colored eyes are always sad and she shivers constantly, a good breeze might blow her all the way back to the village and her past owners.

Sunlight creates deep shadows which hide the detail. The valley is still awaiting the tolling of the lunch time bell then everything will stop. A scruffy brown dog sits sunning itself in a doorway one floor up over the street. It’s front paws dangle over the edge of a partly finished concrete ledge. I hear the owner hammering away inside, the dog yawns.

A soft haze of white smoke rises from the chimneys giving away the fortitude of the occupants, comments are made about lighting the fire this early, how much wood will be needed to see us through the winter, and who are we buying it from. How much is a quintale of wood, and how many will we need, then where will we store this mountain of wood that will keep us alive though the oncoming winter.

A white paper lantern swings gently in the breeze like a glowing summer moon, as out of place here as I am. It casts no shadow at all, makes no impression other than its own oddity.

Threads of spider web catch the sunlight, stretching as far as the spider was able to float on the breeze. When the light hits a certain way I can see groups of them dancing in the wind. The sky is a perfect blue, not a cloud just this soft Italian haze that makes me feel as if I am in a movie.

To just sit in the warmth of an Italian sun, to remove the many layers of clothing added in the chill early hours of the morning when it was crisp and fresh the mountain wind biting at my face is a treat. Silence, no kids no husband. I’ll even forgive the owner of the scruffy dog for starting up his chainsaw, the dogs barking and two trucks deciding on just this moment to pull up under the balcony of the scruffy dog which has now disappeared.

The twelve o’clock bell tolls, I can’t stop myself from counting the swinging bell as it rings out through the valley. Incredibly loud sitting here right underneath, perhaps that’s why the dog chose just this moment to disappear inside. For how many years has this bell tower rung the people to lunch and home to dinner? A bright blue tractor chugs up the road and the bell fades, its echo bouncing off rough stone walls. Another Italian Journey….

A bright shooting star in the blue sky to my left leaves two straight vapor trails as it disappears behind the ridge. A modern orange plastic chair against the bright yellow wall, imitation terracotta tubs with sad faded hydrangeas and doors that need a new coat of varnish to protect them through the winter.

Time is tough here, it leaves a mark on all things.

We are yet to be touched by the winter, I wonder how she will leave her mark on us.

Save

and the gang x

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Italian Renovations – the window guy

Lisa Chiodo — Sat, 12 Oct 2013 19:41:25 +0000

INSPIRATION

‘Who would have thought I’d be dreaming of windows…’

We found our ‘window guy

(his name is Sergio) through our neighbor two doors down, a relative who with one quick phone call was out to measure up and give us a quote. A little Italian haggling and a price was agreed upon.

In a community this small things like this are always done through word of mouth.

Yesterday we took a trip out to his workshop to choose the color of the stain and found a treasure trove. A true craftsman’s place filled with our windows which made my heart almost skip a beat! We already have snow on the mountains and the soft powder looks as if I could reach up and touch it. The nights are getting cold and the temperatures dropping.

I’ll be counting down the days till those windows are mine.

For many years I worked in a major decorating store in Australia. We sold paint, wallpaper and wood finishes, it was quite normal for customers to come in and agonize over the wall color or want us to put some stain onto a bit of wood only to end up with so many options they were never able to make a decision. Quarter strength off white, half strength off white…can we get an eighth strength…no you can’t!

So it was refreshing to be shown our color options for the windows via strips of off cuts stacked by the door. This one I say optimistically, close enough will do I guess, I’m hoping they will roughly match the few existing new doors and windows put in by the last owner. Things like this which I would have agonized over in Australia are just minute questions here, no color cards or paint swatches just a rough idea and go with that.

These things are really just not that important, just another Italian life lesson I’m learning.

Our current windows are held together with ancient tiny tacks and no putty. They rattle and the chill night air seems to seep right through the thin panes of glass. One window is missing a pane and we have temporarily covered it over. I can’t wait to be rid of them. We will also have a new door both up and downstairs, the one leading from the kitchen out onto the upper terrace will be glass to let in the light. The old doors will be put to good use somewhere else in the house.

We are also looking at sealing up the cavity in the upper bedroom ceiling, at the moment it is open as the wardrobe we were given won’t fit any other way. It was nice in the summer to be able to see the starlight coming in through the roof but not now.

I wonder how old these windows would be?

While waiting for Sergio to return his father suggested we take a walk around the borgata, the tiny road did a loop which took us about ten minutes. Chestnut and walnut trees with the ground covered in nuts had us wishing we’d bought some plastic bags. I usually carry one in my pocket now for just such a discovery. Two half breed Burmese cats followed us on our circuit weaving through my legs and purring loudly when I stopped to stroke them.

One doorway caught my eye with the brightly colored layers of paint peeling over time….

and the gang x

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Waiting for the Windows – winter is coming

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 03 Oct 2013 19:01:55 +0000

‘A cold wind was blowing from the north, & it made the trees rustle like living things…’

― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

Winter is Coming

The seasons are changing so rapidly and we are still awaiting the arrival of our windows. We have a local man making them by hand and they are of course made to measure. Double glazed and tilting from the top, who would have thought I would be dreaming of windows…or rather the lack of windows.

As winter fast approaches and the leaves are falling, the fog rolling in, and the days getting crisp I realize just what we might be in for if we don’t get these windows put in. That car outside our doorway was such a welcome sight, ‘the window man’ arrived to take final measurements and I think he thought us already gone a bit mad with the wildly enthusiastic greeting we gave him, I almost kissed him!

So now we wait….it’s day three of October.

In the evenings we have been watching ‘Game of Thrones’ and the line that resonates the most for me is ‘Winter is Coming’. Now Sam and I say it to each other like a chant, as if Winter brings a hidden menace.

It’s all very dramatic and medieval just like our lives here in the valley.

Each night when I go to bed I imagine I could easily be in one of those ancient looking rooms from Winterfell, the floors creak and the covers are thick heavy quilts given to us by friends. The ancient beams overhead, the bed that could have been lifted right from the set of ‘Game of Thrones’ and the knowledge that we have no real idea of what is coming, adds to the adventure of it all.

I will warn you that this show is very violent, coarse and filled with lots of bare bums and boobs….but I totally love it.

With the start of Autumn our orto (veggie garden) is looking a bit sad and neglected. Yesterday we collected big bags of peppers, cauliflower and the last of the green beans. Now we just need to wait for a few sunny days before picking all our fagiole beans.

They have climbed high into the trees and remind me of that famous practical joke played on April Fools day with the ‘spaghetti tree’. My Mum took me a few times to the restaurant of the same name in Melbourne and they had a fake tree with spaghetti growing from the branches in the foyer. It looks like some odd kind of Christmas tree with the ornaments waving gently in the breeze.

I’m looking forward to those few warm days when the kids and I can get out and pick the beans, then shell them all. It’s just like I would do for my Mum when I was a child, it was always my job to shell the peas and most would end up being eaten raw. Perhaps this will be a memory our children will take with them into adulthood.

Mushroom Season

It’s mushroom season now and Sam has already tried his first ‘wild’ mushrooms which he found down on our land. We let him be guinea pig and his thoughts on deciding if they were safe to eat went like this …” I’ve asked everyone here and they all say these are edible, so I’m going to try them”. My response is we’ll try them after you’ve survived a few days with no dire consequences.

Of course right after he ate them he started having doubts which kept us up most of the night on my internet Italian chat group trying to determine exactly which mushrooms they were. Some of the comments were hysterical but with so many varied opinions he was even more worried. I’m happy to say he made it through the night and is determined to pick the rest of these mushrooms tomorrow. I think we’ll leave him to it.

and the gang x

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Until Now – Renovating our Lives

Lisa Chiodo — Sun, 22 Sep 2013 07:45:10 +0000

INSPIRATION

Until now – renovating our lives

With so much happening recently I thought it a good idea to catch you all up.

The Sydney Morning Herald

After some conversations with a journalist we were recently featured in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald. Yes we bought a bargain abroad and I still can’t believe the price we got our house for. I wouldn’t think many could say they got a cheaper liveable house in Italy than ours. After the story went live we had many new visitors to the blog and I’d like to welcome you if this is your first time here.

Journalist Christine Long…

Lisa and Sam Chiodo have done more than dream about buying European property. The Australian couple and their two children moved to northern Italy in March after they snapped up a ”liveable” three-bedroom house for €8000 ($11,500). Lisa says they found their mountain home on an Italian website while they were still in Australia, by tapping ”cheapest house in Piedmont” into a search engine. Although the Chiodo’s are old hands at the renovation game – this is their 12th project and their second in Italy – they found buying in Italy isn’t straightforward.

”In Italy the majority of houses are sold privately and often with only a sign saying: ”Vendesi” to let you know the property is for sale,” Lisa says. ”Often it is through word of mouth and most locals know which houses are for sale.” As she shares on her blog, Renovating Italy, it helps to have a local who can negotiate for you.

Visitors…. Mum’s …and the Trattoria

Since my last post we have had two lots of visitors from Australia, all long time friends and it was wonderful to be able to show them our little corner of the world. This has meant a stop to the renovations so we are a little bit behind.

We are still waiting for the window guy to come back and remeasure, if he doesn’t get these windows done soon we are seriously going to freeze through the winter. The heater is still to be installed but at least it’s in the room, it’s starting to get cold here in the evenings with extra blankets on the beds and a hot water bottle for me (I feel the cold).

We’ve also had a play date after school at a new friend of Carina’s. We spoke English all afternoon and I realized how strong my Australian accent is, it was a gift beyond words to be accepted and included by the Mum’s and asked around for the afternoon.

This was something I did many times in Australia and I missed having conversations with the other Mums about the kids and school life. Especially with Luca having the Autism and the drama and mix up with Carina those few days before starting school this was such a gift for me. Moving to another country is wonderful but it takes some time to feel like you fit, especially when children are involved.

I also had lunch this week with a lovely Canadian friend Marj at the Trattoria in town run by a fabulous woman who has been here many years from England. Seeing her always gives me hope that one day I’ll be an old hand at all this, know everyone by name and be at ease conversing in Italian. I’ve been walking up and down the mountain to be with the kids at lunchtime, so am getting fit and love the sense of independence I get just from having broken conversations along the way.

Both our children have settled well into school, the teachers are kind and I see them giving hugs as the kids come in the gate. It’s a very small school and classes are much more personal than we had back in Australia. Everyone knows who we are and I often hear the word ‘Australiani’ as I pass, this is usually followed by someone stopping us to say ‘ciao’ with lots of smiles and nods from both sides.

The trip to France

Last week Sam said ‘Let’s go for a drive’ and we ended up over the border and into France. The drive was incredible, and once we crossed the mountains it was as if we’d landed on another planet the contrast was so stark. We spent the day at a fortified city, Carina and I took to the back streets leaving the boys to follow along behind us.

Incredibly beautiful and just so ‘girlie’ it was some much needed Mum and daughter time, and a chance to share this beautiful country with my little girl who has a French soul. That night we ended up meeting our Aussie friends in Pinerolo for gelati and a night market, I feel as if I haven’t stopped for weeks.

Now it’s time to knuckle down and get the house sorted before Winter sets in, to get some routines in place for the school year ahead, and to focus on my writing. Oh and restore that gorgeous chest of drawers x

I hope you’ll come along with us as we create this new life in Italy,
we’d love to have you.

Save

and the gang x

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Thinking outside the Box – sharing the dream

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 20:48:27 +0000

RENOVATION

‘Isn’t it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different…’

C.S. LEWIS

A new friend recently called me ‘Superwoman’ over at the Renovating Italy facebook page.

Yet I don’t feel like this cartoon super-heroine, I feel tired, cranky and ready to burst into tears at the slightest thing. Emotional overload, hormones…who knows, lets just say I’ve been a ‘biatch’ to live with.

Renovating a house in the mountains of Italy is incredible and I totally love this life and my family but sometimes I just want to scream! This last week has been one of those times and when I am like this I stop writing, I start blaming, and wonder how on earth we are going to make this work.

It’s moments like these that my husbands sense of humor and persistence keeps us together. We love it here, I can’t imagine living anywhere else and have shaken off the doldrums and seen the rainbow.

Although at the moment we have no income (Sam is waiting for me to be a best seller) I’m sure we will work something out. So many ideas and it just takes thinking outside of that box, we’d love to start a project here in the Valley to share what we are learning. A way to give a taste of this dream we are living, to share our dream and create something for others.

Our house will be finished before the end of Winter, and we’d love to be able to buy another here in the borgata to create a place for friends, family and those interested in this lifestyle to stay and experience it first hand.

Another big dream but one I know we could achieve, my husband looks ten years younger, the kids are about to start school and learn a new language, they now have rabbits, chickens and a totally new outlook on life, and I am lit up by this valley every time I open the shutters in the morning to gaze over the mountains.

Anything is possible…

Our lounge room floor is completed, the heater made it’s way into the house suspended on a huge tree trunk over the shoulders of Sam and Claudio….it weighs a tonne. The kitchen and lounge walls have been re coated and we now have hand made shelves and a kitchen bench.

Things are starting to take shape, the house is becoming a home and it looks great.

Next week we have old friends from Australia coming to visit, and more this Saturday….I just can’t wait to see them all and share the dream. Tomorrow we are off to pick up some matresses so that we will all have somewhere to sleep.

The bedroom upstairs now has a wall for privacy with the plaster going up today (pics to follow) now I have a wall to put the antique wardrobe against freeing up some space in the room for bedside tables. We have plenty of things to keep us busy through Winter.

The valley is full of sunflowers, berries and people making hay while the sun shines….I now see where this saying comes from. Our chickens are laying eggs, the rabbits are soon to be making more rabbits and our tiny chicks are now running about in the stable.

In such a short time we have achieved so much, discovered ourselves and created even bigger dreams….hmmm maybe I am ‘Superwoman’ after all.

and the gang x

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Old Friends New Friends – and laying our rustic Italian floor

Lisa Chiodo — Fri, 23 Aug 2013 17:27:28 +0000

It’s been a big week here in our part of the valley, Claudio and Sam have been laying the rock floor in the rustic lounge. Getting it level is an art form in itself, and for a few days we had to only walk on certain rocks which Carina thought was just like a Barbie movie.

Hopefully the floor will be finished next week and then we can start getting the heating in, Sam is meant to pick it up on Saturday. The house is getting a little cool in the evenings which could be due to the fact that we have no window in the lounge so the evening breeze blows straight in.

I’m not sure where the window actually went only it was taken out to put in the rock windowsill.

The art of finding, moving, fitting and laying these massive rustic Italian slabs of rock has me wondering just how long it took to actually build our house. I remain totally fascinated by the entire process and soak in any information I can find. I can’t wait to have a lounge room again and space to put my books, a big rug and a little desk to write at, my idea of heaven.

Through the week we have had many visitors which is a wonderful part of Summer. We got to meet up with Richard and Allegra from Living in the Langhe and spent the day talking non stop. They are also renovating and Richard blogs so I was in my element. They are expecting a baby which took us right back to the early days with Carina, ahhhh renovating with a baby now that’s a big adventure.

Richard wrote a wonderful post about the visit titled ‘Really Renovating Italy‘, it was great to see ourselves through their eyes and know that what we are doing here in our rustic Italian hideaway can be inspiring to others. Carina was totally smitten with ‘Otto’ who is the most gorgeous beloved little dog and she has been dropping hints ever since.

We also had a visit from Canadians Marj (pictured above on the right) and husband Lloyd, these two are volunteering in Bobbio and are almost at the end of a two year stint in Italy. Marj has just taken Italy into her soul and has the most beautiful excitement and enthusiasm which just shines from her.

Lloyd and I wandered along talking about parents and life and eating the blackberries, we met up with Antonio and his friend (above with the stick) who are both in their 80’s and we struggled to keep up with them. So many stories and a life time of knowledge and friendship, just beautiful to see. We did try our first batch of stinging nettles out on Marj and Lloyd and now have a free readily available replacement for spinach.

Sheila and Adrian came to see the house and stayed for lunch, we only recently met at a birthday party. Wonderful conversation and as they also love renovating and have a house we are yet to visit we had plenty to talk about. Sheila has such a vast knowledge of the history, traditions and building styles of the valley. She showed me the difference between the original lime and more modern cement used on the walls of the buildings and explained the differences and now has a convert. She is the queen of all things rustic Italian.

Friends from Gambasca also spent a day with us, we had another great walk and Marina and I talked about the kids, schools, and life as we walked. They have two boys so Carina and Luca were happy playing Lego, sunning on the river rocks and yes eating more blackberries. Funnily enough the men were happy to stand talking at the riverbank right next to two buxom ladies wearing bikini’s one with a g-string.

This year we are expecting visitors from Australia and America, I can’t wait to show them around. It is as we say in Melbourne getting ‘busier than Bourke Street’ x

In my quiet moments I have started rediscovering my creative side, experimenting with different effects for my photos and finally getting started on my book. Notice how I slipped that in right at the end in tiny letters, just so nobody can hold me to account…. it’s now in writing ….My Book!

So sending out thanks and love to old friends, new friends and those we are yet to meet….you make our world go round. I hope you love our Rustic Italian lifestyle as much as we do.

and the gang x

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Ferragosto ~ rustic mountain style

Lisa Chiodo — Thu, 15 Aug 2013 21:45:50 +0000

INSPIRATION

‘You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day!

Dr Seuss

We have just celebrated the most important Summer holiday in Italy with our friends in their mountain home…Ferragosto. This is the house they use through the Summer months to graze the livestock and the cows, goats, chickens and geese are watched over by Anita. She stays here by herself and assures me that she likes the quiet even though the house has no electricity, running water or sewerage. She is one of my favorite people in the valley, with a quick wit and great sense of humor.

We had the best day and Carina and Luca had a ball herding the cows, feeding the miniature pet goats, chopping wood, picking blackberries and raspberries along the road, bike riding and just being kids. A very simple celebration shared with true friends, I hope you’ll enjoy sharing our day.

The men handled the BBQ and we even toasted some marshmallows I bought back with me from Australia. It was no surprise that nobody liked them apart from us Aussies, they are not big on trying new pink singed sweets on a stick here in the valley.

Anita supervised the wood chopping and later in the day caused me major concern when she and I walked up the mountain. Everyone had gone off in the 4WD to see the view from the top of the mountain but I stayed behind as I hurt my back swinging Ester into the air.

I went for a walk and was on my way back down when who should be coming up the road but Anita. We walked on for a bit, stopping every so often for her to have a rest, each time I asked if she wanted to return to the house. Camina she replied ‘walk’ and I followed along trying to understand what she was saying.

We headed towards an old borgata and she seemingly collapsed on the road, she ended up laying down propped up on an elbow and I had no idea what to do. Luckily Paulo arrived on the motorbike and didn’t seem at all concerned so I figured she must be okay.

Claudio arrived shortly after and just bent down and picked his Mum up and set her back on her feet, I pictured broken bones but off she went, hopped in the 4WD and they headed back to the house leaving us all to walk back. I can’t help feeling protective of her as I think of my own Mum but boy is she tough, and laughs with a twinkle in her eye at my concern.

We picked blackberries along the road and ate them later in the afternoon with a sprinkle of sugar, just delicious and the wild raspberries were more intense than anything I’ve ever had before.

The pet goats decided to clean the rock BBQ and jokes flew about lighting the fire, these two characters are Paolo’s pets and I think I must have dozens of photos of them taken by Carina.

The views are spectacular the company generous and the food incredible….a wonderful Ferragosto in the mountains.

Did you celebrate Ferragosoto?

and the gang x

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Italian Living – creating the rustic lounge room

Lisa Chiodo — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 08:38:32 +0000

RENOVATING

A very Rustic Loungeroom

‘The longer you are in a place the more you get under its layers’

Frances Mayes

Our rustic lounge room is starting to take shape, this is the room I long to see finished. The one we will live in, the place to read and write, to sit with friends and to cuddle up with the kids. Stripping the awful plastic paneling from the walls of our rustic lounge room gave us back the bones of the room.

We had purchased plaster sheeting to cover the damage and all the nail holes but I couldn’t bear to loose the original walls. They have the gentlest undulations and could never be described as even which is of course exactly the way I love the house to be….original and filled with character.

We have taken up the boards, we hoped for the original rock underneath like the kitchen but no luck. The boards are all safely stored and cleaned ready to use again somewhere in the house. Our friend Claudio bought us over one huge slab of rock to go between the two rooms and it is the perfect gift for us, it will be here for hundreds of years to come.

After sandblasting the beams the walls in the kitchen have taken on a buffed ochre tone far from the original chalky white. The difference is clearly seen when one is next to the other. We will now need to clean down the walls in the kitchen and re coat them.

I’m thinking of the many layers of color in this room and the people who lived here before us. What is the story behind the traditional deep blues and greens through the house, right now we are happy to see them disappear along with the black soot.

I know many readers wanted us to keep these tones but the house is just so dark inside and I need some light to take us into Winter and it’s three months of darkness.

Walking through the lounge at night is an obstacle course ducking the head at both doorways and avoiding the piles of rock. We have no lights in this room or in the stairwell only moonlight coming through the open window. Sam took the window out to lay the stone on the ledge and now we just have the bars with no glass.

We have windows and doors being made to measure and can only hope they arrive with time to fit them before it starts getting cold. They are due to be started in September and my friend Molly tells me it gets cold leading into Winter here by October.

Keep calling him she tells us, Italian time isn’t like time in Australia.

You could say I’m in love with our beams, each one is unique with a warmth that smiles into the room. I’ve only hit my head once, poor Sam hasn’t been so lucky and has numerous scars.

I walk through the house now ducking at just the right moment and don’t even think about it until a visitor arrives and we have to tell them to watch out for the beams. It’s a little like a dance the house and I take part in .

The doorway has been widened slightly and we won’t be putting a door back on, the rock will continue right through the two rooms. Now we will be able to get the lounge and furniture through. Sam and Claudio have been deep in discussion regarding the opening and how to finish it. Claudio is often over at our house and he has an insight born of the valley. He has lived in Malpertus his entire life and knows the way the buildings breathe, the history and the way they are all intertwined.

Each day I fall further in love with this valley and her secrets.

Our rustic lounge room is taking shape, soon it will be a room to relax, write, play and entertain. Maybe one day you’ll join us here.

and the gang x

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Italian Men – life in the valley

Lisa Chiodo — Sun, 04 Aug 2013 09:00:49 +0000

INSPIRATION

Meet the Men of the Valley

Italian men suprise me daily, they are so much more than the stereotype. The Italian men in our Valley are ‘real’ men, hard working, practical men that know how to fix a tractor, keep animals, provide for the family and weather any storm.

The men in our Valley are craftsmen, whether it be with metal, or creating the perfect cheese they don’t dissapoint.

The men in our Valley will pose for a photo, share a joke, and a smile. Here are some of my favourite images.

and the gang x

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Renovating Italy

Villa de Vecchi – the dream

INSPIRATION

Villa de Vecchi

“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”

JOIN THE RENOVATING ITALY CLUB…

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The World comes to stay at Borgata Malpertus

INSPIRATION

The world comes to stay at Borgata Malpertus

COME & STAY AT BORGATA MALPERTUS

VISIT US

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Renovating in Abruzzo – ‘I think I need a drink’

GUEST RENOVATOR

Meet Mike & Arnna – renovating in Abruzzo

‘I think I need a drink!’

The 125 m2 house that was advertised, was actually 250!

Ask a local!

15 cans of paint stripper and 40 litres of vernice bianca tells only part of the story.

Well Earned!

Bio:

Related Links

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Make Hay While the Sun Shines

SIMPLE LIFE

Bringing in the Hay

We’ve been making hay while the sun shines!

Wildflowers Blanket the Valley

Our First Time

Three Generations

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Creating Casa Leona

GUEST RENOVATOR

Creating Casa Leona

The Dream

Casa Leona

The Plans

Casa Leona – Updates

Links

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Let’s have a Coffee and a Chat!

INSPIRATION

Let’s have a Coffee and Chat ‘getting to know you’

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Blankets of Snow in Val Pellice – the beast of the east

WINTER

The beast of the East

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Moving to a Cold Climate – Piedmont Italy

SIMPLE LIFE

Brrrrrrrr…. baby it’s cold outside!

Living with cold weather in Italy

Here’s my cold weather short list:

Keeping the house warm: cold weather in Italy

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Interview – with International Living Magazine

SIMPLE LIFE

Italian life in a small hamlet in Piemonte

Hope you enjoyed the article and learning a little more about our life in Italy. We’d love to hear your thoughts below and any questions you may have.

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We’re Idiots! – marriage and the Simple Life

INSPIRATION

We’re Idiots – Marriage & the Simple Life

F@# WE’RE IDIOTS!

F%$k I’M AN IDIOT!

WELL F#@K… HE’S AN IDIOT!

Get your free “Life Mapping Italy – starter kit”

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A Taste of the Good Life

The 125 m² house that was advertised, was actually 250!