A year with no straight lines

Hello from the Mornington Peninsula,

Three months ago, I started traveling around the world to meet cotton growers, farmers, and Indigenous weavers, all working with heirloom colored cotton, the ancestor of the white industrial cotton we know today. Along the way, I’ve met people from very different backgrounds, cultures and skills but all of them dedicated to reviving a cotton that most people have never heard of.

My recent visit with the wonderful Sally Fox in California was mind-blowing, and in three days I’m flying to India to document more work on regenerative lands and meet the people keeping ancestral knowledge alive. (If you’re curious, I’ll be sharing more on Instagram.)

There are now over 1,200 of you reading these little newsletters, and I want to say thank you for still being here. Being on the road full-time, working, homeschooling, and living between cities means I don’t always sit down to write, but you’re here, and it means a lot.

To close the year, I want to share three things you might find useful if you’re planning for 2026:

If you’re dreaming of traveling in 2026 but you don’t know where to start (especially with kids), I can help. For many years, I organized small group trips in Mexico and Guatemala to meet Indigenous artists and learn from them first hand. At the moment, I am not leading group travels, but I can help you build your own trip with all the care I would put into my own.

I’m offering a free 20-minute call to map out your next adventure, answer your questions or help you brainstorm on a destination. Book a call here for free.

I can help you build a trip that mixes design, adventure, craftsmanship, and real encounters in places like: Mexico City, Oaxaca, Guatemala, Marseille, Provence, Paris, New York.

If you need more, I also offer:

• sourcing guidance to meet artisans in Mexico and Guatemala

• custom itineraries for families or solo travelers

I’m currently planning my trip to India and I’m realizing how much I love to think creatively about a destination. I become quite obsessed even :)

When we imagined Monte LALALA the vision was simple: a place to host people we love, a place to gather for friends and families under the sun of Oaxaca. One year after opening our doors, our hearts are full in a way we couldn’t have planned for. To celebrate Monte LALALA turning one, enjoy 20% off mentioning “Under the Sun of Oaxaca” when you book on Instagram @Monte_lalala or reply to this post.

You can also see the all set of images on our Airbnb page

At the very beginning of this trip around the world, I bought myself a vintage Canon AE-1 - 35mm film camera from the 1970s.
I take too many photos on my phone, thousands I never look at twice. Film forces you to think twice, slow down, and be very mindful of the light. It’s a totally new creative practice to me, and I’m thrilled.

My first roll in New York was not great. The second roll, shot at Monte LALALA earlier this month, feels better. And the best part? The waiting. In a world obsessed with speed, waiting for the film to be developed is something I value and honor, it really makes a difference in how to appreciate an image.

I’m still exploring, and I hope my next rolls in India will teach me something new.

Thank you for reading

This year is a journey with no straight lines, I am still playing it by ear as I go. Some of you probably signed up for Marseille guides or updates on pillow collections, and somehow ended up learning about heirloom cotton and solar panels in Oaxaca. Honestly? Same. Thanks for rolling with it. If there’s anything you want to hear more about: the cotton project, traveling with kids, Monte LALALA, analog photography, feel free to leave a comment below. I’d love to know what you’re curious about.

Happy New Year everyone!
Maud

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