Celebrating The Natural Beauty Of Olive Wood / Pop-Art Placemats / Philanthropic Soaps Made By Syrian Refugees & Our Parole Boards Are Back!

Celebrating The Natural Beauty Of Olive Wood / Pop-Art Placemats / Philanthropic Soaps Made By Syrian Refugees & Our Parole Boards Are Back! What a wonderful week it has been as Britain has basked in record February temperatures. I am hoping that this means that another great summer is in store - wouldn't that be wonderful! I think that we deserve it? Buy Now - Rustic Olive Wood Platter - £49.99 On our recent travels, the lovely Lene and myself noticed a huge trend in pieces made from Olive Wood.  I think this reflects our reconnection with the natural world as we focus more on our beautiful planet and the impact that we have upon it. Handcrafted in the traditional manner in Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Greece, each piece is totally unique and the colour and shape of the grain is absolutely stunning. We have carried a small collection for a while however I have decided to expand the offer with a couple of larger, high impact pieces which really show of the honeyed tones of the wood. Our new curved platter is perfect for serving baguette or other bread/rolls and is equally majestic when piled with fruit. It is so simple and makes use of the natural curve of the tree and is very light too. Just a light dusting with olive oil one a month will maintain its elegant good looks and keep the grain popping. Buy Now - Rustic Olive Wood - Large Bowl - £120 Buy Now - Rustic Olive Wood - Salad Servers - £9.99 We also have a huge salad bowl and salad servers. The bowl is an investment piece but the work that has gone into it and the sheer beauty of the markings will make it a firm favourite for generations.  The matching salad servers are an excellent price and again they are as light as a feather. The oil from the salad dressing should keep that looking lovely. Buy Now - Rustic Olive Wood - Oval Bowl - £24.99 Our best selling Olive Wood product is a medium sized bread basket which I have had for over a year. I use mine for a myriad of things from cashews and crisps to olives and crackers when serving cheese. Obviously it is also good for slices of bread and rolls and is an excellent price too. This collection is timeless and really illustrates the aesthetic superiority of Mother Nature! Buy Now - Vegan Felt Placemats & Coasters - From £8 In Germany we discovered the most wonderful Pop-Art Placements and Coasters made from a new eco- fabric called Violan. If looks and feels like wool-felt however it is made from fast growing, renewable herbal materials that are sustainably procured.  They are a great size and look fantastic in a contemporary setting. I have selected a bright orange and turquoise for those looking to add a splash of excitement to the dinner table and a sophisticated charcoal for the classicists. Great for Vegan's and those of us that respect the planet, plus you can also wash and iron these beauties - just treat them as wool. They are so safe that you needn't worry if children decide to gnaw on them although I would like to discourage this! Buy Now -Alep Soap - £8.50 As you know I am very keen on philanthropic retail, trying to direct funds towards communities that will benefit the most. In Paris I was utterly delighted to find a truly outstanding natural soap that is being made by Syrian refugees on the border with Turkey. This 'Alep Soap' is originally from Aleppo (obviously!) where it has been the made for hundreds of years from olive oil and bay laurel oil - however sadly this is no-long possible because of the dangerous conditions. The soap is fantastic for those of us with dry skin and eczema (myself), and psoriasis as well as for babies as it is so soft and gentle. Skin feels literally like the proverbial baby's derriere and I am utterly addicted. Gentlemen, it is also great to shave with as you don't need to moisturise afterwards. Obviously the Syrian people have had the most terrible experience imaginable and this project, in a small way, will help sustain a refugee community that has been torn apart by man's inhumanity. I am very proud to have this collection and full of admiration for the men and women sharing part of their cultural heritage with us despite their dreadful circumstances. I would also just like to mention the producer of the bay laurel oil as he is an 82 year Turkish farmer who lives in the Taurus Mountains and produces the finest quality oil in the traditional way by heating his berries in a cauldron over a wood fire (that sounded  better in my head!). The soaps are stamped with 'ghar mumtaz'  which means 'excellent laurel' in Arabic! Buy Now - Oak Chopping Boards - From £17 I am also pleased to announce the return of our English Oak chopping boards that are hand-made for us by the inmates of one of HM Prisons. The project teaches a skill (carpentry) and provides a nest egg for the men which they can then use when they return to the community. It is a really wonderful initiative and has been very well supported by our customers - so much so that we have been out of stock since Christmas! However the guys have been hard at it and the truly beautiful 'Parole Boards' are gracing our shelves once again!  We are introducing the 'Short Stretch' for the first time. This is the cutest chopping board imaginable at 26x18cm. I am often perturbed at having to used an enormous  board to chop garlic or herbs or cut and butter a roll so I think that this bijoux beauty is a very welcome addition to any kitchen. Its proportions make it easy to handle and run under the tap too. Would be lovely to serve parmesan at the table or as a small cheese board - a  myriad of options! There is a really warm feeling that comes with these exceptional products and I hope that we are able to find similar enterprises as we progress through the year. Paying a little kindness forward is a wonderful thing. Well I hope that you have plans for this rather rain-soaked w/e. The gardens need the water and it is a good excuse to go to the Cinema! I shall be taking the Good Dr to see 'Aftermath' with Dame Keira of Knightly and then for dinner at our very impressive Veggie-focussed eatery 'Spinach' which never fails to please - am hoping for a romantic table at the back! Have a wonderful time whatever you are doing. Michaelx Copyright © *2017* *Roullier White LTD*, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 125 Lordship Lane East Dulwich London SE22 8HU Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list View this email in your browser