My full name is…
Franziska Tschurtschenathaler de Helmheim
But my friends call me…
Cisco
I grew up…
in Munich
My cultural background is…
My father is from south Tyrol (North of Italy) and my mother from the north of Germany. I come from a big family with 3 sisters, all being close in age.
I feel there was a lot of Italian culture in our house growing up in the way we always shared big meals together as a family. My father is an amazing cook, and this was the way he introduced us to his Italian roots. There were lots of special dishes for special occasions.
We all loved (still do!) a dish called Schlutzkrapfen, which are little dumplings made from rye and wheat flower, stuffed with a spinach mixture. Usually, they come with sprinkle of poppy seeds, lots of butter and parmesan cheese – they are absolutely delicious!
My home is…
Where my family is and that has been Bali for the past 8 years
My children’s names are…
Cisco & Wolfgang
Our family tradition is…
More so before I had my own children, was to travel to interesting destinations with my dad and one of my sisters (the ones who inherited the travel bug). The last excursion was a self-drive safari through Africa which was absolutely mind-blowing. Before this we hiked for 3 weeks with Sherpas through the Himalayas to the long lost kingdom Lo Mantang. My parents loved and love traveling together, especially in and around Asia. I can’t wait till it becomes easier to travel soon so I might be able to share this with my own little ones.
Our daily ritual is…
Once the kids are up, we enjoy cuddles in bed which usually ends up in a tickle/pillow fight & hiding under covers scenario followed by enjoying our morning cuppas while the kids play. Cisco & the sun ceramics was created to support daily ritual and my husband and I both love our morning coffee and roasted dandelion.
My favourite mug is the Ibu mug, Ibu meaning mother. It’s a very big mug for those people who love an oversized hot beverage in the morning. I would lie if I said I have time to actually finish my cup, but maybe one day soon I will!
We are very close to the beach and most mornings we start our days with the kids and dogs on the beach. We go for a walk, jump in the waves, swim or surf if the swell allows. I love getting some of those early rays on our skin, I feel it’s so essential for wellbeing and immunity.
You will usually find me…
At home. We finished the build of our house right before covid which was very lucky. We are grateful to have a beautiful space to share with our kids in lockdown as home becomes so important. I have a home office and I love working from home. I love going for a swim with the kids when they come home from school and of course tucking them in for their naps!
Before I became a mother I was…
Modelling for 16 years and traveling around the world with my husband being rather ‘wild and free’ so to speak. We then sank our roots in Bali and that is when The Slow was born. During the curation of The Slow’s restaurant space - eat&drink, I found myself unable to source the precise pieces i had envisioned for the setting, which is when I began Cisco & the Sun home to suit our aesthetic and unrelenting dedication to sustainability.
Right now I am…
I feel I live a pretty balanced lifestyle and am currently so content and happy. I do really miss my family and Germany and all my nieces and nephews so am really looking forward to visiting them soon. My oldest sister just had twin baby girls.
My business is…
Made to elevate daily ritual and create a sense of occasion. Instead of setting the table we are celebrating a meal, kind of like wearing your fancy knickers every day, for no reason at all other than it feels good – which JUEM might be able to connect with!
I love to create…
Beautiful imagery for my brand and family photo albums. I just bought a film camera and am totally in love. I love to experiment with different films and my favourite site for family photo albums is artifact uprising.
I find inspiration in…
Our travels, which is a bit of a thing of the past right now unfortunately. Our friends are an endless source, and we are lucky there is quite an eccentric bunch of creative people and entrepreneurs here in Bali, so it never gets boring which is fun.
I feel proud of…
How much time i spend listening to audiobooks about conscious parenting (lol) I really try to raise decent, loving, happy & calm kids. I feel there has been a bit of an update in disciplining techniques and what stuck with me the most, is to praise the positive behaviours your kids do and give them positive attention (I like how you just tied your shoes all on your own) instead of negative one (don’t do that stop that etc) its work in progress but I really like it, obviously doesn’t work all the time but this approach has been really lifechanging for me.
The person who influenced me most in my life is…
A combination of my mother and father in my early years. I feel I inherited the travel bug and German organisation from my mother and the love of nature, exploration and positivity from my father. Obviously for the past 10 years I adore my husband George, he is my greatest fan and I feel with him by my side that I was able to grow into the best version of myself. It is a beautiful gift having someone’s support and love no matter what. We’ve been married 13 years this year.
One lesson i hope to pass down…
Practising gratefulness and staying positive even in hard situations. I think it’s essential to focus on what you want and less on what you don’t want. Easier said than done but this trust is a muscle you train, and life is much brighter and lighter that way.
I find comfort in…
Black sesame ice-cream and dancing to vinyl with our boys in our living room. our current favourite is…Gimme Little Sign by Brenton Wood.
I dress up in a short black dress and go on a date night with my man.
I am my happiest when…
I see the little sparkles of happiness in the eyes of my children.
The soundtrack to my life is…
Le temp de l’amour by Francoise Hardy
My favourite body part is…
Legs
My favourite childhood memory…
The times spend in our summerhouse in south Tyrol when we were growing up. We used to go hiking in summer and ice skating in winter. I remember we were all carving hiking sticks with our very own first swiss army knifes that we got as a reward for doing a really big hike.
I think I cut myself immediately because I got a bit enthusiastic. In winter we would go skiing and ice skating and drinking hot chocolate at the only cafe on the lake and eating Schlutzkrapfen of course!
I am grateful for…
My beautiful family and friends. I am very close with my parents and sisters and enjoy spending time with them all especially now that we all have kids.
I am looking forward to…
Launching our new range ‘Modern Essentials’
I’ve tried to fill the holes of all that was missing in my own kitchen and hope it does the same for the homes it is destined for.
Self-portraits by Cisco at home in Bali.