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mardi 30 octobre 2012

Crafty projects

I just ordered about 450 buttons for my (clothing) projects. 450 because they come in minimums of 150 per piece, so in fact I have only 3 designs. Yeap.
But look at the beautiful things you can do with buttons!
 
 
 
 
 
These are part of my 'studio' board on Pinterest. Found all  kinds of cool things to craft over there,
like this piece which I am planning to reproduce for my daughter's room:
 
 
And this

And this one as a starter for the next birthday!
Birthday Questions - every year on their birthday you ask the same questions and see how their answers change over the years! Add a pic and make a book out of it.
 Originaly pinned by Nicole Reaves onto kids birthday party ideas
 
 


jeudi 25 octobre 2012

Best Pumpkin Soup recipe

I used to make pumpkin soup based on recipes found on the internet or in cooking books. Not...perfect.
Well this time, after reading about 20 new recipes I decided to make my own! And it was awesome, awesome and so simple.
So today I am making it again.


-about a half medium sized pumpkin
-2 potatoes
-1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic
-fresh basil leaves
-salt and pepper
-vegetable broth

         After 'browning' a bit the onion with the gralic in a little olive oil, add the pumpkin and potato chunks, coarse salt and pepper and simmer for a few minutes stirring regularly.
        Add vegetable broth to almost cover the chuncks and let boil until tender.
        Once off the fire, blend the whole thing with some fresh basil leaves.
        Serve with creme fraiche/sour cream and croutons or very well toasted bits of dark/grain bread.

Yum.

Bloggers and artists - part II

Today I continue my list of blogs and artists alike, referrence to wall art.
 
 Here is Bijou and Boheme http://bijouandboheme.blogspot.fr/ 

who creates paintings like such:
Ramona

Little Brown Pen, going under Obvious State and The Paris Print Shop
where you can find really cool prints like these ones:
 
Paris Photography Collection - Black, French Large Art Prints, Paris Decor, Wall Decor
 
Original Illustration, Hunter S. Thompson quotation - Fine Art Prints - Art Posters - Literature inspired art - dorm decor
 
who can literally sketch anything from houses to animals in watercolor
Custom Art - Home Portraits
Beutiful Hello by Emily Jeffords http://beautifulhelloblog.com/
 
paintings, jewelry and printables 
Image of Drive to Charleston: 4x4 Oil on Stripes
 
More to come...

mercredi 17 octobre 2012

Sculptures on the streets of Paris - guest post

Since I became a reader of the blog Eye Prefer Paris and since my blog is about life in France, among other,  I have to share with you a great post they just put up about an amazing art display on the streets of Paris. Here it is, all description and pics via http://www.ipreferparis.net/
(See their other posts, (useful)advice and good info about spots and stuff going on in Paris.)


FIAC is the premiere art fair of Paris and draws some of the world’s top artists and dealers. For the last seven years FIAC has presented large-scale sculptures by well-known artists in the Tuileries. I went to photograph them early yesterday afternoon and was lucky to have had bright sunshine and blue skies, since it’s been rainy and gray most of October. Usually there are signs noting the artists but they were still placing them as I finished photographing, so sorry for not providing the names of the artists.

FIAC expanded the outdoor sculptures this year to Place Vendome, Invalides, and Jardin des Plantes.

The white metal sculptures at Place Vendome by the Spanish artist Jaume Plensa are quite special and dramatic against the backdrop of the elegant square. The three sculptures are titled Istanbul Blues, just completed in August 2012 and standing six meters high, Yorkshire Soul, and Irma’s White Head. Plensa uses a playful mix of music symbols, numbers and letters.

The sculptures will only be up till October 21.

FIAC
Grand Palais
Ave. Winston Churchill, 75008
Metro: Champs Elysees-Clemenceau
October 18 to 21
12PM to 8PM, Friday October 19 till 10PM
http://www.fiac.com



 




 
 


mardi 16 octobre 2012

Projects (II) - home

Following my Projects post, here is my inspiration for the second part of the... 'big project' let's call it. I am a bit overwhelmed thinking about all the steps I need to take into consideration. Need a project name, logo, website, process...and of course, pieces! Most of which I will be making myself.

Categories are to be finalized soon, but will most likely be : ready to wear (clothing) - see post Projects I,- home (items mostly fabric related), vintage ('treasure hunts', since in France flea and antique markets, or brocantes, are a must and such a pleasure) and perhaps a paper category later on since I love nice paper so much (cards and notes).

Today, for the home. Again, images via Pinterest and other blogs. I saved the images on the Ipod and that did not save the source, so please forgive me if I do not mention you, but I gladly will if you tell me. I simply cannot remember where all the pics come from.
 
 
 Look at the lovely pillows below,
pic from A Little Luxe, alittleluxe040708.blogspot.com
 an amazing interior design blog by the way, I just discovered via Pinterest

 
More colorful, statement pillows
 

 
 Monogrammed pillows. Classic and nice. 
  
Following 3 coming from pinterest via The Old Painted Cottage,  www.theoldpaintedcottage.com/
 
Ever considered dressing barstools? Not bad.
 
Embroidered/monogrammed sheets, pillowcases, tablecloths etc.
 
 Bedskirts!
 Table covers, table runners, table placemats


End table fabric covers, could add a great accent to a room or bedroom
 
Curtains. Awesome fabric curtains.
 
 
 Fabric shower curtains - for kids' baths also!
 
 Wall hangings - plants and plant sketches

 Painted fabric wall panels
 
 
 
And probably more for your unique amazing beautiful home!
 
 

 
 




mardi 9 octobre 2012

Header card design

You've probably noticed I've been playing with my header, I am looking for something....that'll come up soon, but in the meanwhile I have to give credit for this amazing laser cut card that's on the front page right now.
 Came across it via Pinterest and it's by Two Paper Dolls, check them out here, you will be impressed to say the least.
 
Just some of their amazing works. I am in love.


 
 
Love nice paper. The good old fashioned paper.
 

lundi 8 octobre 2012

Projects

Don't you feel special when you're wearing a garment you just love and doesn't your spirit get brighter when entering your home your eyes fall on a favorite deco piece?

I love Anthropologie, the store.
While in Chicago I would visit it to relax, only find myself smiling and getting completely lost in another world. Their fabric shower curtains were so cute.  The clothing happy, simple, different. Even if I wasn't always buying something, I would go there to feast my eyes and soul. You have to experience the store to appreciate the items, it's the whole ambiance around them that gives value and makes them the unique pieces they sell for. I would flip through the books, touch the fabrics, imagine the home where a colorful rug would perfectly fit in. (And I bought a batch of blue and white doorknobs for my imaginary kitchen cabinets because I just couldn't resist. Weirdo.)

This is an Anthropologie knob.

And this is an Anthropologie carpet.

I have been envisioning a similar concept. Except with an online location (hopefully to start with, and who knows, dream big, right :) I want every item in my cart to be able to tell a story, to create a connection with the senses, whether it is a wearable piece or a decorating piece.  I want every time such an item is aquired to give the satisfaction it was well worth the money.

On the other side, in spite of all the wonderful things we can afford today, there are some who don't have the luxury of even bare necessities. So starting a project it's also about doing something. I've been contemplating this 'doing something' concept years back, and I never knew how that could translate into practice. Now the plan is to set aside a portion of each sale of each item for a cause. And the cause is: children. Ever since I became a mom I developed a high sensibility for kids, and when my little one was very little I would realize how exposed these tiny beings are to the grown up world and include here all you might. There are a lot of poor kids out there, and not only materially poor. Did you know a baby develops the greater part of the emotional system in his first year, even starting in the womb?

Back to the first steps.
I have been pinning on Pinterest lately looking for ideas and moods, and I wanna share with you some of the pics which serve as inspiration, to show you my tastes and to give you an idea of what my pieces need to feel like.

You'll see I'm quite hopeful and optimistic in this direction, in fact I am slowly getting my confidence back after a very long time. Seemed I almost gave up. There was a time when I was looking for accountability partners, for my friends to support me mentally, my now husband, my before boyfriends and I had quite a few falls. I can't say my best friends don't believe in me, ok, maybe they are tired of waiting, but I can't explain it to myself why on earth I let the men take me down with their macho ideas- 'what are you gonna do with that, it's not worth it, it's not gonna work, just don't get overly hopeful, there are a lot of designers already out there, you won't be able to survive on this ' and yes, I can go on.
I am soon to be 37. I feel I wasted a lot of time. I feel I need to do this and if it'll just not work then so be it. But right now I have big plans for 2013.

I will do a series of posts, each on a category I intend to target. Sorry I am not mentioning the sources other then to say it's Pinterest, just because I did not save all the names, but if it's your pic please tell me and I gladly will (here most of the pieces are from grand designers- Lanvin, Valentino, Michael Kors etc)

Here goes my sleeping beauty waking up,

Fashion

Classic, simple, yet stunning
 


 Lacey, some laces are just pieces of art in themselves
Everyday comfort and distinction
 Appliques, embroideries, deco. I love doing this kind of hand work.

 Details, details, details. Very important :)
 Playing with fabric design
 Cut out the black part and wear with jeans.


Thanks for stopping by :)