Mademoiselle Poirot

Nearly weekend...

2012-02-09T21:45:00.005Z

... good!

Salut lovely people, just a quick post to let you know that I'm still around even if I haven't been - err, well, around much.

This week seems to have flown by and with two school events to attend, work and all the usual things to be taken care of, I don't seem to have had much time to visit your lovely blogs. I am really looking forward to the weekend and - I've learned from last weekend - I haven't made any major plans this time. Hoping for some sleep and to meet up with a lovely friend I haven't seen in a while...

Thank you all so much for reading, following and commenting. A big WELCOME and THANKS to all new followers, I really appreciate you being here. As may already know, you can also join me on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter under @MllePoirot.

I hope you have some nice plans for the weekend and that the snow won't stop them. Happy Friday to you all, see you back here on Monday!

A bientôt and lots of love

More pretty...

2012-02-08T06:30:00.002Z

... from Miss Etoile

Hello lovelies, I'm in the mood for pretty things and wanted to of course share them with you. These are pictures I took at the Miss Etoile stand at Top Drawer and the people there were so friendly and welcoming! I love all these girlie things, the pretty designs, colour schemes and glass items. I'd love to get so many of their things and mix them with some of my more "down to earth" items in my home... What do you think? Isn't it all really sweet and feminine? If you want to know more, click on the name and the link will take you straight to their website.

Anyway, I'm afraid it's back to reality here and back to work. I'm having a bit of a mad week here with lots of different things on my to-do list, but that's surely better than being bored ;-)

Thank you all so much for reading, following and commenting. Again also a big WELCOME and THANKS to all new followers, I really appreciate you being here. As may already know, you can also join me on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter under @MllePoirot.

I hope you're all keeping warm and your week is going well. Wishing you all a lovely day!

A bientôt and lots of love

One of those...

2012-02-07T06:00:00.002Z

... a thoroughly normal weekend

Hello! I'm back! Thanks to all of you who visited Swoon Worthy yesterday to find out about my favourite place.

So, what do I have to report? Well, not really that much. Even though I thought today's post might look different, sometimes things just don't go the way we want them to, do they? I made plans for the weekend and then it all went pear-shaped. I had planned to go to a vintage fair on Saturday, but when I got to my local station it turned out that half the services were cancelled and the ones still running had about 30 minutes delay... After waiting for one train that simply didn't show up, I decided to give up...

On Sunday I was supposed to go to the Spring Fair in Birmingham (that's one of those huge trade shows) but then it started snowing on Saturday evening and I figured it really wasn't a good idea to try and drive all the way there and back in a day. Somehow - maybe on some subconscious level - I must have known as I never actually activated my registration - it's still sitting in my email inbox...

So, what to do when all plans made for the weekend have gone out of the window? Well, chill. What else is there? Warmly wrapped up, Dylan and I went for a lovely walk in snowy Greenwich Park where we saw the funniest up-side-down pigeon feeding on some berries - I know the photo looks surreal, but I promise you I snapped it exactly as it was hanging there. We had some home-made orange/carrot/pistachio cake and hot tea and in the end just enjoyed a quiet Sunday snuggled up under a woolly blanket to watch a film. All in all, not that bad after all :-)

Thank you all so much for reading, following and commenting. A big WELCOME and THANKS to all new followers, great to see you here. As may or may not know, you can also join me on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter under @MllePoirot.

Wishing you all a lovely day!

A bientôt and lots of love

I'm away for the day...

2012-02-06T06:30:00.001Z

... guest blogging.

Bonjour and good morning lovelies. I hope you're all well and you're keeping warm in the snow.

I'm not actually here today (apart from this quick note), but you can find me over at Swoon Worthy where the I have a guest post about my favourite place. Can you guess yet where that is? No? Well, why not pop over there and find out more?

Until tomorrow, I hope you all have a good Monday and a great start to the week.

A bientôt and lots of love

Cold weather essentials...

2012-02-02T18:23:00.005Z

... for soul, face and stomach ;-)

Hello lovely people, how are you? And how many layers are you wearing this week? Quite a few I'd guess if you live in the UK - it's so chilli at the moment...brrr... I'm currently wondering how many pairs of socks I can get away with wearing whilst still fitting into my boots...

Since I'm always really affected by the cold weather (I tend to freeze easily and feel gloomy when it's grey outside), there are certain things that I like to use, eat and surround myself with. These are things that lift my mood, warm me up and give my skin a much-needed boost.

Flowers are an essential, so are hot drinks (a double espresso for an early afternoon lift) and a hot comforting breakfast is a nice way to start the day. Monsieur has just introduced me to Ground Rice which tastes great with some Maple Syrup for breakfast.

I've just discovered Clarins' Face Treatment Oil and am absolutely hooked! The cold weather and dry central heating air are not doing my face any favours, but this oil is amazing and seems to make a real difference.

As for the yummy-looking cake: it's a Malteser-Cheesecake which Dylan made at school. He bought a piece back home and it was delicious! Perfect with a hot cup of tea on a cold afternoon :-)

So, now you know some of mine, what are your coping-strategies for these cold winter days? Whatever they might be, I hope you all manage to stay warm. If I don't catch you before, I wish you all a wonderful weekend and will see you back here on Monday.

Thank you all so much for reading, following and commenting. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter under @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Impatiently waiting for Spring...

2012-02-01T06:30:00.003Z

... and sunshine

How are you all? I can't believe that winter has suddenly arrived here! After it has been a very mild season so far, it has now turned really cold (well, you know, "really" as in "really cold for London") and it even started snowing a little yesterday!

So here I am, wearing two pairs of socks, sipping hot tea and wishing for Spring. Impatiently waiting for the time when I don't have to wear multiple layers to step outside my front door, when I can wear more colour again (for some reason the bright green trousers I've bought look very wrong in this weather ;-) ) and when I can look at possibly getting a pretty deck chair for our outside area...

Now, as far as deck chairs and other home accessories with unusual prints go, I think these are just fabulous. I discovered Thornback & Peel at Top Drawer and was immediately taken by the chair with the pigeons and jellies - how cool does that look? Looking around I then discovered their cushions and other items and really liked the prints. They're unusual with some great detail, colours and themes and I will absolutely have to get my hands on the Jelly and Cake fabric! Intrigued? Check out the website (click on the name) and have a look at all the brilliant items.

Wishing you all a lovely and creative day. Thank you all so much for reading, following and commenting. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter under @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Little things...

2012-01-31T06:30:00.000Z

that make me happy

I'm generally a coffee person. However, since living in the UK, I have grown to like quite a bit of tea too and when it comes to having a relatively simple and straight-forward cup of black tea with a dash of milk, this is my favourite: Bettys tea blend.

Now imagine my horror when I run out last week! With no short break to Yorkshire planned for the foreseeable future, the only option left was to order some online and have it sent by mail. Well, and since they already have to pack and dispatch my order, I thought it would be rude not to get some lovely chocolates at the same time... The perfect little treat to arrive on a grey Monday morning.

Have a lovely day and don't forget to treat yourself with a little something ;-) Thank you all so much for reading, following and commenting. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter under@MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Weekend life...

2012-01-29T20:20:00.003Z

... mixed and busy

Good evening lovely people. How are you all? I hope you're well and you've all had a good weekend? I trust you managed to get more sleep than I did? Having to take Dylan to his dance classes on Saturday mornings always eliminates one lie-in anyway, but I had also agreed to drive a friend to Heathrow airport this morning and had to therefore get up at 4.30am which meant that I haven't had a single day to really sleep in...booo!

Sleep aside though, it was another one of those weekends which I knew would be filled with lots of things to do and to organise. I had planned and managed to buy a new leather bike jacket in the sales before it goes back to regular price, so now I really need Spring to arrive.

I took a bit of time out for a stroll yesterday to see what's happening around our little bit of London (and swoon over all those great vintage finds on the market - none of which I bought as I need to de-clutter rather than add to my things) and had a very looong lunch with friends today.

I found some amazing chocolate (dark with lime and sea salt - sounds weird, but somehow works) and a pretty pale purple heather, organised bits of the months ahead and had breakfast at Heathrow airport before waving good bye to a friend who's gone off on an amazing trip to the Amazon - somewhat more exciting than my week ahead...

Anyway, now I'm shattered and think I need a break after this weekend...

Wishing you all a lovely evening and a great week ahead. Thank you all so much for reading, following and commenting. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter under @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Eye candy...

2012-01-26T06:45:00.000Z

... stationery

Thursday! Yay, only two more days to go until the weekend. This week somehow doesn't feel too great, I think it's mainly the grey and miserable weather which is getting me down a bit - don't you sometimes wish you could simply say "that's it, I'm off somewhere sunny for the week", pack a bag, board a plane and jet off...

Unfortunately that's not an option so in the meantime I will keep myself happy with photos of things that cheer me up and some chocolate ;-)

Now, pretty stationery is right at the top of my list of things I like - ok, together with flowers, vintage tea cups, old paintings, inspiring interiors....... Anyway, as far as cool, pretty, retro and glittery stationery goes, Cavallini&Co are one of those companies that got it so very right. Gift wrap, stamping kits, gift tags, cards, notebooks...the list goes on. The look of every item (you should check out their paper tape!), the colours, motifs and the added glitter are fabulous and I wish I could just kit myself out with a whole drawer full of their stuff. I did ask at Top Drawer if they would sell off any of their stock at the end of the show... but non, unfortunately they didn't.

I'd be interested to know what you think about these as I occasionally suffer from a "split personality" when it comes to design. One day I like it all retro/kitsch/glittery and the next I might go for simple, classic and elegant. Having said that, I guess it's all about how I feel on the day and there's enough space in my little creative head for all design directions - at least I hope so ;-)

Wishing you all a lovely day ahead. Thank you all so much for reading, following and commenting. A big welcome to my new followers and thanks for hitting that little "follow" button. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter under @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

The sweetest cushions...

2012-01-24T06:30:00.001Z

... pun fully intended!

Trade shows, craft shows and markets are great fun. They can also be a bit (at least for me) nerve wracking at times, because you never know how the people will react when you ask if it's ok to take a photo of their designs. They can be understandably nervous about some stranger turning up with a camera and happily snapping away. I was lucky at Top Drawer, as I only had one company not allowing me to take any pictures at all.

I always make a point of ASKING FIRST. Now, most vintage/second hand stalls or shops are pretty much fair game since the items on display are not the owner's original designs and there's relatively little chance of it being a complete novelty that could potentially be copied. I do, however, still generally ask in order to be polite just as I would ask if I wanted to take pictures in your house and publish them. Anyway, when you look at somebody's original designs, I think it's a whole different level and crucial to ask permission and explain why you're so interested in the items.

Obviously I did exactly that in this case and it couldn't have been more positive. These cushions are the creations of Nikki McWilliams and they "spoke" immediately to me because they're fun, original and - I'm nearly ashamed to admit - I was absolutely addicted to Tunnock's Caramel Wafers when I was pregnant. I love the design idea and the fact that I can imagine these in a fun and funky retro home just as well as in a minimalist pad. Nikki was really nice to talk to even though it was quite hectic at the show and she would have had a lot of interest from people far more important than myself. If you click on the name, it will take you straight to her website where you can check out more of her work. I'm sure you'll like it too.

Right then, that's enough for now, back to my day job. Hope you all have a lovely day ahead of you. Thank you all so much for reading, following and commenting. A big welcome to my new followers and thanks for hitting that little "follow" button. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter under @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Weekend Market...

2012-01-23T06:45:00.002Z

... and some thinking

I can't believe we're already back to Monday morning - where did the weekend go?! I don't even feel as if I've achieved an awful lot. Monsieur and I went to Portobello Market on Saturday. I always carry a relatively exact picture in my head of the things I am looking for and when I see the right item I know it immediately. Unfortunately, on this occasion, I came home empty handed which was rather frustrating. Don't get me wrong, there were quite a few nice things there, including some fabulous vintage suitcases and some very tempting food, they were just not what I was looking for on this occasion.

I did a lot of thinking too. About blogging, about the relationships we form with other bloggers/people we meet through blogging and about the pitfalls. If I'm honest, I'm disappointed to have found out that it's not all pretty - even if it's presented as such and all friendly and smiley on the outside. Disappointed that there's a lot of pettiness, competitiveness (and not the good sort, we all know the difference) and snootiness about. It feels like being back on the school playground - and that's not somewhere I'd ever want to re-visit.

But I don't want to get all negative (who needs that on a Monday?) and would rather focus on the honest, supportive and very lovely people I've met (some in real life, some virtually) through blogging. Instead of thinking about the people who make me feel like crap, I will concentrate some of my daily brain power and efforts on being supportive, friendly and honest. I won't promise that it's always all in the same package (sometimes honesty isn't perceived as very friendly) but you will know that I'm always truthful in my efforts to promote lovely blogs and talented people. Deal? :-)

On that note, I would again like to thank you all so much for reading, following and commenting. A big welcome also to new followers, I hope you will like what I share and maybe even feel inspired. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter under @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Friday treats...

2012-01-20T13:52:00.003Z

...and positive thoughts

Sometimes little things like these are all that I need to pick me up from a slightly bad mood caused by grey weather and low hanging clouds over London... And a bit of positive thinking is never a bad idea, is it? So, short and sweet post.

I hope you like the pictures as this is what my desk looks like when I'm working...

And don't forget: You can fly! :-)

Next week I will share more photos from Top Drawer - so many amazing things... Until then, wishing you all a wonderful and happy weekend. Thank you all for reading, following and commenting. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter under @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

After the show...

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000Z

... back home

Hello lovely people, how are you? I hope you're all well and with the weekend nearly in grasping distance, things can only get better ;-)

As you know I've spent a couple of fairly hectic days at the Top Drawer Show here in London. Hectic because I was officially there for my day job but at the same time I was trying to run around and see as much as possible and let me tell you, there was plenty to see.

I met a lot of really nice and talented people and I have more posts planned on the things I found there. I met Rachel Ashwell (yes, THE Rachel Ashwell of Shabby Chic fame) and managed to make a complete idiot (yes, again) of myself by gushing and my mouth working faster than my brain...believe me, I'm still embarrassed just thinking about it.

Now I'm back at home getting on with work and daily life, keeping my toes warm in layers of socks, sorting through the pretty cards I managed to get (I've accidentally put one upside down - can you spot which one?), admiring my tiny little silver coin purse which was a present from the Miss Etoile people and sending out the diaries to the lucky winners from my Facebook giveaway. So, even if life is somewhat more boring again now, it's still full of things to do - as usual.

Anyway lovelies, thank you all for reading, following and commenting. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter under @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Pretty and feminine...

2012-01-17T07:05:00.000Z

... Scandi design

As promised here some more detailed pics from Top Drawer . The ones today are from the Lisbeth Dahl stand. These interior accessories really (I mean REALLY) appeal to my romantic and feminine side. Pastels and muted colours and a touch of bohemian elegance - beautiful. What do you think? You like this kind of thing or are you more of a minimalist?

Short post, not too many words as I'm off again to Top Drawer. You never know, I might just find even more great things ;-)

Wishing you all a lovely day.

Thanks for being here, following and commenting.As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try (and admittedly currently fail) to update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Sunday at Top Drawer...

2012-01-16T10:23:00.002Z

... inspiration overload

Good morning lovelies and a very good Monday to you all. I hope you've all had a relaxing weekend and were able to enjoy some sunshine?

As some of you may already know, I've spent all day yesterday at Top Drawer London. I can't begin to tell you how great it was. So many fantastic, creative, beautiful...you know what I mean... things to see.

The only downside was that I was there for work. This meant that the time I was able to spend actually walking around was rather limited. Consequently this unfortunately meant that I wasn't able to explore and find many small designers and concentrated more on some of my favourite well known brands. However, just because they're established and well known doesn't mean that they're not good, right? Besides, I'll be back there tomorrow and hope to be able to get even more pics.

Anyway, I was lucky enough to be able to snap away on the stands of Miss Etoile (the lovely people of Miss Etoile deserve a special mention as they were so nice, chatty and actually gave me one of their canvas bags), Lisbeth Dahl, Cavallini&Co, AVOCA and teNeues. And I got really excited about meeting the team of Heart Home Magazine which probably led to me looking slightly deranged...so apologies for that ;-)

I am planning more detailed posts over this week with more photos of the various companies, so I hope you don't mind and will like all the details. One post simply isn't enough for all the lovely things...

Right then, I need to get back into the real world now as I have a huge stack of emails, comments and laundry to get through. Thank you all so much for creating this big stack of comments (obviously not the laundry) and for always coming back to read my little blog.

As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try (and admittedly currently fail) to update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

Wishing you all a wonderful day.

A bientôt and lots of love

Texture, light and shape...

2012-01-15T06:45:00.001Z

... of a frosty January day

Since I will be spending all day today at Top Drawer London, I won't be able to enjoy the current sunshine much. However, yesterday I made the most of it with a lovely long afternoon walk.

You know that I believe that inspiration can be found everywhere - you just have to keep your eyes open? Well, the textures, shapes and sunshine of a frosty January day are really amazing and inspirational. Yes, we finally have some seasonally cold weather - about time - and I was happy to find so many beautiful details provided by nature. I hope you like the photos and might find them a little inspirational too.

Thanks for all your lovely comments and for following, I hope you'll all have a wonderful Sunday. I'm off to get ready for a long and hopefully fun day.

As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try (and admittedly currently fail) to update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Storage...

2012-01-13T07:00:00.000Z

...sorted

I'm sure you know what it's like. You've tidied up and de-cluttered and now you just need to store away all the remaining bits. Well, this is how I do it: I use everything even remotely suitable as storage. Jars, tins, boxes, obvious magazine files, wine crates, wooden fruit boxes and little macaron/jewellery/perfume boxes. In all of these store my craft bits, trinkets, pens, utensils... I don't know, but maybe these pictures will inspire you to use things for storage you previously hadn't thought off...

Anyway lovelies, I have to dash off and get ready as I'm off to Top Drawer today to help set up the teNeues stall. I will be there on Sunday and Tuesday (maybe walking round on Monday?) so if you happen to be at the show, please pop round and say hello :-)

Thanks for all your lovely comments and for following, I really appreciate it. Big Welcome to my new followers, I hope you'll enjoy the read and my photos. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try (and admittedly currently fail) to update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

If I don't see you before then, I hope you all have a lovely weekend and I will see you back here on Monday.

A bientôt and lots of love

Sparkling through the day...

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000Z

... lifts my mood

Hello lovely people, how are things? I hope the January blues is starting to vanish now? Maybe something sparkly will help? I know it helps me...

I know that I need to surround myself with things that will lift my spirit and mood. This is admittedly on a daily basis much easier now that I'm at home most of the time and don't have to sit in some corporate office.

However, working from home apparently brings some other issues with it. As you know, my main focus here is generally on interiors and all the decorating bits that go with this subject, but I read something the other day that I found just a little strange and I just had to pick up on the subject because it's now a part of my life.

It was a post from somebody who also works from home and was talking about the fact that she mostly ends up wearing old jogging bottoms and t-shirts. This person (and most of the commenters) claim to spend most of their days (ok, whilst working) in outfits that made them dread the door bell ringing in case the postman or UPS man were to see them.

I find this quite sad. What does that say? That these people only dress up (and I don't mean in a glam-evening out- kind of style) for others? Does that mean that they don't value themselves highly enough to look good even if nobody else is going to see them?

Well, since you're asking, here's how I see it: I dress every day as if I was actually going to work outside my home. Not in a high heel/skirt & jacket way, that would be taking things too far, but in my usual smart-casual way. I choose something according to my mood and I always put a little bit of make-up and perfume on. All this makes me feel good about myself. I'd dread to think how I'd feel if I spent my days in pyjamas or jogging bottoms and old worn-out t-shirts... Bring out the sparkles every day I say!

Thanks for all your lovely comments and for following, I really appreciate it. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try (and admittedly currently fail) to update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Beauty in the everyday...

2012-01-09T07:15:00.001Z

... a perfectly domestic weekend

Good morning and happy Monday to all of you. How was your weekend? Exciting? Full of adventures? Mine was perfectly calm and domestic. Well, when I say calm, what I actually mean is not very exciting - in a good way.

I've done lots of de-cluttering (seriously, a car boot full for the charity shop and bags full for the bin), sorting through fabrics and art supplies and generally re-organising things.

A nice long walk interrupted in a lovely little café by a cup of coffee and a piece of cake I had never tried before: lemon, rosemary, olive oil and polenta - it was so good, I will have to find out how to make it...

I also found the giveaway winner of the lovely little pack of notecards (this time through Random.org since I didn't have the time to make up all the little paper pieces with names on them) : Congratulations to Noelle from Dream a little Dream, please email me your address and I will get the cards out to you.

Sorry if I've been a little absent with my comments lately. All the re-organising of my life and going back to a new job after my holiday means that I have been busier than expected. I will do my best to visit you as soon as possible. Thanks for all your lovely comments and for following, I really appreciate it.

As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Sunshine through my window...

2012-01-06T11:32:00.003Z

... a homebody's work dream

I can't deny that I love being at home. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't like going out, travelling, meeting people etc. However, when it comes to where I like to spend most of my day, my home is definitely the place I like to be more than any office.

Being able to see the sunlight coming through the windows and reflecting in the things I like is one of those things that make me smile and put me instantly in a good mood.

I'm very lucky to be able to do just that today and for the most part of this year...

Wishing you all a happy and sunny Friday. A big Thank You and Welcome to my lovely new followers - thanks for being here, I hope you enjoy what I do.

Don't forget, you can still enter my little New Year Giveaway here and as you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

All fresh and new...

2012-01-05T06:30:00.001Z

... food and flowers

Hello Lovelies, how are things? Have you recovered from the mad-festive season by now? Isn't it hard to get back into normal life after just a couple of weeks of escaping reality (to an extent anyway) and indulging in far too many sweets, too much tv, more time than usual spent with friends and family... It's hard! January is like Monday on a loop for 31 days!

Anyway, back to positive thinking and that's where everything fresh comes in. Fresh new year, fresh start and - of course - to stay with the theme, fresh flowers and food. I still feel like having more chocolate than I would normally, but at the same time I have the urge to freshen up our home as well as my diet. That means veggies and also a lot of herbal teas with peppermint being my favourite. Feeling better already!

As for those three enamel (metal-) jars: I found them in the sales and couldn't resist them. I'm not usually a huge Cath Kidston fan, but these just looked too good and were exactly what I needed to bring some fresh cheer into my kitchen and of course to store some baby potatoes, shallots and garlic ;-)

By the way, I really need to thank you all for your fantastic replies to my last post. You are the best!!! Seriously, all your encouraging words, support and great ideas are amazing - thanks xo

Don't forget, you can still enter my little New Year Giveaway here and as you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

Right, ready for my very first day in my new job - excited! Wishing you all a lovely day.

Bisous,

So, what now...

2012-01-03T07:37:00.000Z

... future plans

I'll be starting my new job on Thursday (looking forward to it) and I have been doing a lot of thinking. There are things I want to achieve this year. I know I haven't fulfilled my potential yet. There have been opportunities which I have missed due to personal reasons and people who - on the surface - offered some great looking opportunities but never actually made good on their promises...

So, what's the way forward? Honestly? I'm not quite sure. I've always found it difficult to ask for help. I've never been very forward in approaching people or companies. I've never been what might be considered presumptuous or pushy and it still amazes me when I see people actually acting like that. However, it somehow seems to work for them! I've seen people who don't seem to "sell" or promote anything but themselves and somehow manage to pull it off very successfully.

That made me think. Maybe I could learn from them. Maybe I need to be more...assertive? I guess the question mark here really shows my problem, haha. It will of course be a work in progress because I am not used to openly ask for things, but since we're on the subject, would you lovely people help me out here?

I will soon be introducing a little flea market to my blog which will incude the above items and other things vintage, handmade or simply worth of a good second home. What do you think? Of course I will need to generate traffic to the blog and shop. So, if you like what I do, please share my posts on Facebook, Twitter, Stumbleupon (lots of buttons below each post) etc. as often as possible. I hope I'm not too presumptuous ;-)

Thank you all for your support, comments, reading and following. More ideas following soon. Wishing you all a good start to the working year, I hope it's not too hard after the lovely break you all seem to have had.

A bientôt and lots of love

Looking back...

2012-01-02T10:16:00.003Z

... one last time

January - bleak, blah, grey and a feeling of emptiness after all the lovely celebrations. This photo which I took in Richmond captures my feelings pretty well.

February - Valentine's Day of course! I got spoilt with some fabulous Valentine's Day Concert Tickets.

March - my birthday, nothing else to say ;-)

April - the royal wedding. London was in the grip of the event and there was no escaping it. So, if you can't beat 'em join 'em was my thinking and Dylan and I set off to Hyde Park for the day.

May - flea markets, vintage shops, second hand shops: great when you find some special pieces like a vintage French enamel plaque with your initials on...

June - a month of not quite knowing what to say... chilling when not at work and taking a bit of time off blogging to enjoy the sunshine.

July - Went to visit my best friend in Munich. Fantastic city, beautiful and never fails to wow me.

August - little trip to France. Rain unfortunately, but it was still lovely to spend some quality time with Monsieur.

September - finished THE cushion project. A commission of eight BIG handmade (by moi) cushions in collaboration with a London based artist. They were a big hit and I hope something else might result from this.

October - adding a little bit of colour to the home...

November - things that inspire me and make me want to take photos are everywhere, even in the simplest items at home...

December - the first Christmas decorations are going up. This year's theme? Recession chic and lots of handmade paper decorations.

I know I said that I shouldn't look back but rather look ahead in anticipation, but I've decided that I'd still like to share some of my favourite pictures of 2011. I have chosen 12 (one for each month) photos that show a little bit about the way I live, how I felt, what I've done... It was very hard to decide which photos to go for as so much happened and I had so many pictures that I would have liked to share again, but I hope you like the ones I've chosen...

That's it. 2011 in 12 pics.

Don't forget, you can still enter my little New Year Giveaway here and as you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

PS: If you are the lovely Katie from California who asked about my sunglasses, I've tried to reply by email and by clicking through to your blog but was unfortnately unable to contact you, sorry. Since this isn't the first time and I feel bad when I can't contact you back, please people, when leaving a comment, leave an email address or a blog address with it so I can (at some point, I'm not promising to be quick) get back to you. Merci xo

A bientôt and lots of love

New Year...

2012-01-01T09:28:00.003Z

... new giveaway

Bonjour mes amis, hello lovely people and a very happy New Year to all of you. I hope you're all well and not suffering from any party-related ailments ;-)

I'm starting this year off with a little giveaway as a Thank You for following, commenting, lurking, reading and liking what I do here on my little blog in 2011.

I have been given this little box of 16 notecards with envelopes by teNeues (the publishing company I will be working for this year) to pass onto one you you lovelies. There are two designs in the box (one blue as in the picture, one red which isn't shown) with 8 cards of each and it all comes its own pretty and sturdy cardboard box.

Now for the important part if you're interested: What do you have to do? As this is supposed to be another little Thank You for the year of following me, I think it's only fair that it should be open to followers.

If you are already a follower, just leave me a comment to let me know you're interested. You can of course also enter if you decide to become a new follower and since you're already reading, why not make my day and hit the "follow" button? I sincerely hope that you will be genuinely interested and stay on after the giveaway. Once you've joined, just leave a comment to let me know you're a new follower and you'll be automatically entered.

Liking my Facebook Page will give you another chance (i.e. your name will go into the hat twice) should you be really interested in winning.

The giveaway will close on Sunday the 08th January 2012 when I will randomly choose the winner. As always the giveaway is open to worldwide entries. Good luck!

As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

Wishing all of you an inspired and very happy 2012!

Bisous,

Goodbye to 2011...

2011-12-31T09:06:00.002Z

... bonjour 2012!

I can't believe today is already the last day of the year. Time seems to have passed so quickly...

2011 has been a bit of a mixed year for me - then again, a lot can happen in 12 months, so mixed is probably something to be expected...

I've met some great people and made some lovely friends. I have unfortunately also met some very disappointing people who turned out to be very false and it always hurts...

I was in a job with Habitat who had been going for over 30 years - only for the whole company go into administration and pretty much everybody losing their jobs. Not to worry though, I have a new (and actually much better) job starting in January and hope things will go well too for the friends I've made at Habitat.

Dylan started his dance classes and is loving it - I wonder when I can start to flood the market with West-End tickets and his autograph ;-)

Anyway, I have the tendency to dwell on the past and that certainly isn't healthy. So, instead of looking back any more, I have decided to look forward to the next year.

There are some exciting things waiting and some plans I will have to work on solidly for them to become exciting as I'm not somebody who gets things handed on a silver platter.

Most of all though, I am looking forward to sharing the coming year with the people I love. I look forward to meeting some lovely new people and making memories with the ones I already know.

All that I'd like to say now is THANK YOU all so much for all of your support over 2011. Thanks for reading, commenting, following and generally being interested in my little corner of the web. I never thought that blogging would lead to "meeting" so many lovely people and I'm immensely happy and grateful for that.

I wish all of you the very best for the coming year. Lots of love, laughter, happiness, health and luck. See you all next year ;-)

A bientôt and lots of love

Bon appétit...

2011-12-30T07:30:00.002Z

... food and decoration

Christmas is - amongst other things - obviously very much about the food, right? The preparation of the big lunch/dinner, all the sweets and of course the table. As promised, this is my last post on the subject - though since it's still December, I don't feel like I'm being too weird ;-)

Anyway, I decided to keep the table relatively simple but added little handmade festive touches for decoration and the napkins that used to belong to my grandmother and have hers and my grandfather's initials embroidered on them.

Breakfast on the day was some rustic crispy bread, smoked salmon, Serrano ham and an oeuf en cocotte garnished with some chives. Not too heavy.

One of my favourites for dessert is my homemade Panettone pudding served with some hot Morello cherries and whipped cream - I'm not a Christmas pudding fan and I find this to be a perfectly comforting and festive alternative.

So that's it. No more Christmas things until next year. What's next? New Year, Valentine's Day, Easter...

Thank you all so much for all your lovely comments, for following and reading. I really appreciate it. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. You can also find me on Twitter if you look for @MllePoirot ;-)

A bientôt and lots of love

Sparkly and festive...

2011-12-28T18:33:00.004Z

... chocolates and perfume

Hello Lovelies, how are you all? I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas and are still able to enjoy a little bit of time off work?

Now, I know that Christmas is over, however, for obvious reasons, there are some pictures I couldn't share before the event. So, for that reason, today's pictures (and then one more, that's it, I promise) are still all about that festive time. After that - it's time to chill out a little more before the big step into the new year...

Thank you all so much for all your lovely comments, for following and reading. I really appreciate it. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. You can also find me on Twitter if you look for @MllePoirot ;-)

A bientôt and lots of love

Merry Christmas...

2011-12-24T07:15:00.004Z

... to all of you

I simply wanted to quickly share some favourite Christmas bits with you. Homemade cranberry sauce as a present, homemade biscuits and little decorative bits which unfortunately only come out once a year. Are you old enough to remember those vintage candle clips for the tree?

Anyway, I'm taking a little break from my blog, so all that's left right now is for me to wish all of you a wonderful and blessed Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël, Frohe Weihnachten, Feliz Navida, Feliz Natal, Buon Natale, Glædelig jul, Mutlu Noeller,عيد ميلاد مجيد , 聖誕快樂, メリークリスマス, 메리 크리스마스, חג מולד שמח . I hope you all have a peaceful and happy time to enjoy with loved ones.

Thank you all so much for your all your lovely comments, for following, reading and supporting my little bit of the blog world over this year. I really appreciate it and hope to see you all in 2012.

A bientôt and lots of love

Magical London...

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000Z

... sparkling lights and decorations

As Christmas fast approaches, I find that the city takes on a magical feel. Despite all the crowds and the noise, if you take a moment, stand still and just look around, you can feel that there's someting special about this time of the year...

Tomorrow will be my last post for a few days and I hope you will still be able to join me. I will also finally be bringing our tree in and Dylan and I will decorate it. That means that if you do want to see it, you will have to wait until after Christmas - sorry ;-)

Thank you all so much for all your lovely comments, for following, reading and lurking. I really appreciate it. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Feeling festive...

2011-12-22T07:00:00.000Z

... chez moi

After all that glitz and glamour of yesterday's post, today - I'm afraid to say, lovelies - it's back down to earth with a thump! More accurately back to chez moi ;-) What can I say, I do like to share these glimpses of my home with you thinking that through those you will get to know me a little bit better.

After spending most of yesterday at home making paper chains to decorate our tree with, my voice barely there due to a cold (it's getting better though, so I'm not complaining) and a broken oven (can you believe it, the door had come apart completely, but it's been fixed now) I am now looking forward to finally baking all my biscuits and maybe even taking Dylan to the Winter Wonderland Christmas Market in Hyde Park... We'll see... Do you have some pre-Christmas rituals and plans for the next few days? If yes, I hope you're having fun and - as I keep mentioning - make time to relax ;-)

I know I always say this, but I really mean it when I say thank you all so much for all your lovely comments, for following, reading and lurking. I really appreciate it. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

The Glitz and Glamour...

2011-12-21T07:30:00.000Z

... of the Fortnum & Mason Window

Hello Lovelies, how are you? I hope you're all keeping well and I hope you manage to find the odd moment (I know how manic this time of the year can be) to relax and have a quiet ~~cup of tea~~ glass of wine ;-)

Today I've decided to go all out on the glamour front. Yes, I couldn't help but love the Fortnum & Mason window display for this year's Christmas. With "Folies" as their theme - can you imagine anything more fun, festive and glam? No, neither can I. Now, I have to admit that I've also taken these photos with a friend in mind who asked about their display. Since she can't be in London at this moment in time, I thought I'd bring the windows to her - enjoy ;-)

Thank you all so much for all your lovely comments, for following and for reading. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Lots of gift wrapping...

2011-12-20T07:30:00.000Z

... all done!

As I promised/threatened, this week is all about Christmas and everything that goes with it. So, less writing, less worrying and wondering about life, less for you to read. This week, I'll simply let the pictures speak for themselves and hope you enjoy them. Today is (the second and last post on this particular subject, for the first one see here) all about gift wrapping. These are the gifts that will be under our tree on Christmas morning. But shh, don't tell anybody, luckily my two men don't tend to read my blog ;-)

Thank you all so much for all your lovely comments, for following and for reading. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot. Hope you all have a lovely day and are managing to stay calm and serene during this mad time.

A bientôt and lots of love

A bit of fun...

2011-12-19T07:30:00.001Z

... at Christmas time

I know these are not the big shops - no Harrods, Selfridges, Liberty... sorry to disappoint ;-) Instead these are some random shots of little Christmas things I found and liked in London. Unfortunately, since I have a sore throat and therefore didn't feel like exploring more places, the selection is a bit on the economical side. But each picture for me spells Christmas fun and feel.

Since Christmas day isn't until Sunday, you can expect more on the same theme. After all, once it's done I'll have to wait a whole year again to indulge in all the festive loveliness. I hope you don't mind ;-)

Thank you all so much for all your lovely comments, for following and for reading. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot. Wishing you all a happy Monday and hope this week will be good for you.

A bientôt and lots of love

Festive food...

2011-12-16T07:05:00.000Z

... homemade

This year I'm trying my best to be hyper-organised and avoid getting stressed in the days before Christmas. So far so good. Yesterday I've made my cranberry sauce (and my chestnut stuffing and gravy which are now in the freezer) which will last well beyond Christmas. Mmm, now I just have to resist trying little spoons full every day ;-) I've also wrapped all my presents, bought the tree (which goes up on the 24th) and bought all the non-perishable food. Smug? Moi? Just a tiny bit maybe ;-)

Thank you all so much for all your lovely comments, for following and for reading. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot. I hope you all have a lovely weekend planned and manage to stay calm, sane and smiling. See you back here on Monday.

A bientôt and lots of love

Gift wrapping...

2011-12-15T08:30:00.003Z

... with a bit of glitter

There are so many options on how to wrap gifts that I find it nearly impossible to choose just one "look". Browsing blogs only adds to my confusion and all the great ideas always make me think that maybe I "got it wrong". How stupid is that? I mean, how can something like this ever be wrong if you put some effort into wrapping things for the people you love (unless of course you include some garish, multi-coloured, shiny wrapping paper with stars/santas/action figures - now that IS wrong)? Anyway, after deciding to simply stop looking around and just go with my instincts (as misguided as they might seem to some people), I happily settled on a natural/musical/vintage "look" with a bit of glitter thrown in just because it's Christmas. As for the red-patterned paper? Well, with all those birds and stags on it, I simply couldn't resist it...

Thank you all so much for all your lovely comments, for following and for reading. Getting your feedback on what I do really means a lot to me. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot. Stay warm and have a great day.

A bientôt and lots of love

It's cold outside...

2011-12-14T08:05:00.003Z

... so let's shop from home

Who ever said that internet shopping and supporting small independent traders doesn't go together was wrong. So many people automatically associate internet shopping with the giants and the likes of Amazon, however, there's such a variety of small shops and craft people offering mail order that it would be a real shame to miss out on that one. Plus, anything that helps me stay away from shops at this time of the year is a huge bonus ;-)

This is Vintage Inspiration, a beautiful online shop packed vintage finds, fabric items, china and even some small paintings. I met (yes, I know it's some time ago now) the lovely Louise at the CountryLiving Fair and despite the stand being packed with people she kindly allowed me to take some photos and was really nice about it. Unfortunately I was by that point already suffering a little from "too much choice brain freeze" and I am now regretting not having bought something... Anyway, all I can tell you is to go and take a look at their website - you won't be disappointed.

As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot. Wishing you all a lovely day.

A bientôt and lots of love

Weekend baking...

2011-12-13T07:05:00.002Z

... and Christmas Markets

Oh yes, my favourite time of the year... baking, crafting and walking round Christmas Markets and Christmas Fairs - what's not to like? Now, I have to admit that the Market on Southbank isn't the best or nicest I've ever been to and the dreadful grey sky didn't help that. Where's the snow?! Still, not letting this dampen our spirits, Dylan and I had a lovely Hot Spiced Apple juice and some hot roasted Chestnuts - mmm, one of my seasonal must-haves. I will have to find some nicer markets though - shouldn't be too hard in London?

Right then, leaving you lovely people to your day and hope it's a good one. As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Here it is...

2011-12-12T07:21:00.003Z

... the giveaway result

Good morning lovelies and a good Monday to you all. I hope you've all had a great weekend and you're ready to attack the new week with vigour. I won't keep you for too long, but - as you know - my little giveaway closed yesterday evening and I am now happy to announce the winner.

So, drum roll, tahdah and big fanfare: The winner of my little box of mixed goodies is: Bethany form Sweet Bee Buzzing. I hope you like it! I feel like I should to apologize to everybody who hasn't won though...which I realise is just a bit silly ;-)

As you can see I've also been working on some more little paper decorations. I've baked cupcakes and we went to the Christmas Market on Southbank, so I will post some weekend pics tomorrow. For now though, I wish you all a good start to the new week.

As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Home,

2011-12-09T07:36:00.003Z

... festive and cosy

Happy Friday lovelies. Thank you all so much for your numerous comments and a big welcome to my lovely new followers, I hope you'll stay for a while ;-)

Because I'm busy again today (baking the next batch of cupcakes, Christmas Party tonight) I will leave you with some more pics from my home which I hope you like. As I've mentioned before, I tend to add little bits of Christmas deco throughout the month and there's nothing that can't be "enhanced" by a little seasonal touch. So you'll find cinnamon sticks bundled up for display, dried orange slices in a ball jar and candles everywhere. These are the cosy touches I need for this time of the year...

Don't forget that you can still enter my little giveaway here (I will add a little something later today - you will find it on Facebook) and as you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

As cool shops go...

2011-12-08T06:55:00.000Z

... this one is right up there!

Sorry if I don't seem to have been around much lately, but as you probably know by now, things have been getting a bit exciting here for me and I went to meet the UK team of teNeues yesterday. Also, there seem to be so many little things I need to take care of, parcels and Christmas cards to be sent, parties to go to, cupcakes and biscuits to be baked...the list goes on. But - I'm not complaining, it's all happy stuff :-)

Anyway, this shop: How cool are the pictures? I mean, not because they're pictures I've taken, but because of the content. This is Abigail Ahern's Shop in Islington (North London) where you can find some absolutely fantastic and unusual items. I really like her style of mixing dark and quirky elements with things that seemingly are totally out of scale and out of context. The "portraits" are a particular favourite of mine... If you're ever in the area, make sure you check it out - it's seriously cool and so worth a visit.

Don't forget that you can still enter my little giveaway here (I will add a little something tomorrow, so stay tuned) and as you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Austerity Xmas decorations...

2011-12-06T07:05:00.000Z

... aka handmade recycled ;-)

As we all know times are tough and apparently this country is heading straight into the next recession - not that I've actually noticed it coming out of the last one... Anyway, with that in mind and for the simple fact that I have a complete aversion to tinsel, this year I have decided to "go back to basics" as far as Christmas decorations are concerned.

I've always liked my Christmas decorations quite Victorian, but I have now decided to make some decorations from recycled paper - some old music sheets in this case. So, I've made some big paper "baubles" with a tiny bit of sparkle in the shape of some silver glitter. I love the colour of old pages and the cover with the star was perfect to add to the theme. What do you think?

Right, off to get myself ready for a day out. A good friend of mine and I have decided to leave London behind for the day and visit the small town of Hastings for some Christmas shopping from some small independent retailers. I've never been there, but having been told by another friend that it's a lovely place, we thought we better have a look for ourselves ;-) Wishing you all a great day.

Don't forget that you can still enter my little giveaway here and as you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

A big THANK YOU...

2011-12-05T06:55:00.000Z

... with a little giveaway

Good morning lovely people. Now, I don't want to brag too much, but I'm obviously absolutely delighted that it's Monday morning and I don't have to board the overcrowded commuter train into the city and I don't have to spend the day in the office. Instead I will take some time to visit your blogs and I have also planned to make a few little decorations...

Anyway, what I'd like to do today is to say a big THANK YOU to all of you for this year. Thank you for following, commenting, lurking, reading and liking what I do here on my little blog. So I thought I'd do a little giveaway. I hope you all like it, but I have a feeling that it might especially interest the crafting people amongst you.

The winner will receive a little parcel with the following:

- a small length of a pretty vintage rose fabric
- a small length of white lace
- a pretty packaged soap
- a mini jar filled with a mix of pearls - perfect for lovely craft projects
- one of my handmade fabric Christmas gift tags
- one set of my decorated pegs
- a vintage style Christmas postcard
- three tiny heart-shaped buttons

I hope this is something you might like and I might throw in a few more things ;-)

What do you have to do? My last giveaway was open to everybody whether you follow my blog or not because I didn't want to attach any conditions to the gift. This time I have decided to do it differently and I will let you know why. As this is supposed to be a Thank You for the year of following me, I think it's only fair that it should be open to my followers first and foremost.

So, if you are already one of them, then just leave me a comment to let me know you're interested. You can, however, also enter if you decide to become a new follower and I hope that you will be genuinely interested and stay on after the giveaway. Again, just leave a comment to let me know you're a new follower and you'll be automatically entered. Liking my Facebook Page will give you another chance (i.e. your name will go into the hat twice) should you be really interested in winning.

The giveaway will close on Sunday the 11th December when I will randomly choose the winner. Again - just like last time - the giveaway is open to worldwide entries. Good luck!

As you already know, you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot. Happy Monday!

A bientôt and lots of love

Friday...

2011-12-02T06:30:00.000Z

... with another designer

Happy Friday lovelies! And what a Friday it is: today is my very last day working for Habitat. Mixed feelings, I have to admit. I am looking forward to some new challenges, but I know that I will miss the friends I have made at Habitat. As some of you might already know, I have a new job starting in January which means that after today I have time to simply relax and prepare for Christmas - yes, I'm well aware that this is a complete contradiction ;-)

Before I head off to my last day at the office then, I'd like to introduce you to another fantastic designer I had the pleasure to meet at the CountryLiving Fair. Her name is Amanda Mercer and she makes beautifully romantic ceramic and fabric accessories and jewellery. She was very friendly about me taking the photos and I promised I wouldn't run off with her designs and have them copied to be mass produced for some dodgy retailer ;-) Seriously, if you are looking for a lovely present for a (most likely female) friend, then I really think you should visit her website here. I couldn't see a web shop, but there's a big list of stockists which might be able to help. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Thank you all for your lovely comments, for reading and following, I really appreciate it. A big WELCOME to my new followers, I'm happy to see you and hope you will always find something interesting and even inspiring here. If you fancy, why not join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot. Wishing you all a lovely weekend and I look forward to seeing you back here on Monday.

A bientôt and lots of love

Get to know me...

2011-11-30T08:51:00.004Z

... things I like

Hello Lovelies, happy Wednesday! Why? Well, because the sun is shining and I'm at home today with Dylan planning to bake Christmas ~~muffins~~ cupcakes. Anyway, I hope you're all well is what I'm trying to say I guess ;-)

I was going to reply to mails yesterday and visit your blogs, but unfortunately life had somewhat different plans for me. Very annoyingly I spend over 3 (!!!) hours on phone calls to Amazon and my bank to sort out an order that I had placed last Friday and that never went through. Did anybody bother telling me about it? No! I had to phone around to find out that my bank's fraud department had stopped my payment because they thought somebody might have stolen my card and had been shopping at Amazon - ok, it was a big electrical order, but still... After all that I then had to go to Dylan's school for their annual music and art show case. Erm, yes.

So, I thought - after yesterday's excess of Victorian art - that today I simply wanted to share some of the little things I like. Small things that make me smile, that I use often and that might tell you a little more about me.

There's jewellery. I generally wear silver (it suits my skin colour I believe), I like big semi-precious stones - though I wouldn't mind precious ones either ;-) - and I like the combination of silver and leather.

Beautifully smelling soaps in pretty packaging. I cannot resist them.

The Body Shop's Hemp hand cream. I had a hugely expensive LaPrairie hand cream once. It was great, but I wasn't quite sure the price was justified. This one is my all-time favourite. It leaves my hands really smooth and I like the smell...

L'Occitane Candied Fruit incense sticks. I burn one nearly every evening in Autumn/Winter and the smell of them always makes me feel happy, calm and festive.

Classic little treats for Dylan's Advent calendar. I'm old-fashioned at heart, so these kind of little treats that I put into the calendar's drawers are perfect. Plus, Dylan is so used to getting them he'd probably be disappointed if I stopped... That's my excuse anyway and I'm sticking with it ;-)

Thank you all for your lovely comments, for reading and following, I really appreciate it. If you fancy, why not join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

More from the weekend...

2011-11-29T06:10:00.001Z

...this time it's Art and Culture

On Sunday afternoon we were very privileged to have been invited to the private viewing of the "Return of the Paintings" at the Royal Holloway. I won't bore you too much with lots of background info (I know it's not everybody's cup of tea as they say), but if you want to find out more click here. I really just wanted to share the pictures with you and hope you like them as much as I enjoyed the event, the collection of Victorian paintings and the fabulous Victorian architecture.

As you might know, this week is my last one at Habitat. Since Dylan will be off school on Wednesday due to the big strikes here, I have the day off work and we will spend it baking Christmas muffins to take to the office on Friday - who said there wasn't an upside to all those strikes ;-)

Anyway, I hope you're all well. Thank you all for your lovely comments, for reading and following, I really appreciate it. If you fancy, why not join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Advent time...

2011-11-28T06:05:00.002Z

Sunday pics...

Good morning lovely people. I'm not sure if you can actually say it like that, but I'll do it anyway: Happy Advent time! Yesterday was the 1st Advent and that means the beginning of the Christmas season. Candle light, hot tea, biscuits, clementines, magazines full of inspiration...and a woolly blanket - bliss.

How was your weekend? Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? What about decorations? You see, our tree doesn't ever go up until the 24th December (for the 12 days of Christmas) since I like to keep it traditional. However, we do have an Advent wreath with four candles (one to be lit each Sunday before Christmas) on our table and I add more decorations throughout the month.

Anyway, need to get ready for work now, so I leave you to have a good Monday. If you fancy, why not join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

For some more shopping...

2011-11-24T06:05:00.000Z

... handmade of course

Hello lovelies, how are you? Well, I can tell you that it's pretty chilly here now, that next week will be my last week working for Habitat as they are closing down and I seem to have pulled a muscle in my back which is rather painful. Sorry, you didn't really want to know all that, did you?

So for something far more exciting, how about some Christmas shopping? The lovely items you can see in the photos are all from Catherine Hammerton who I had the pleasure to meet at the CountryLiving Fair. Catherine was so lovely and welcoming and we had a great chat. She creates beautiful fabric (also wallpaper and mugs) accessories which look like collages but have actually been printed. I absolutely love the cushions and the tablecloths and the dishcloths...you get the picture. Anyway, please click on her name to get to her website where you will see far more lovely things than I managed to photograph.

If you fancy, why not join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Inspiration...

2011-11-22T06:05:00.002Z

... where it comes from

Inspiration for me can come in all forms. It can be a bit of a wall, a room, nature, shapes, textures, people, absolutely everything is a potential inspiration. For photos, paintings, interiors. These are some things that inspire me, I just have to keep my eyes open to see it... What about you? What inspires you?

After a mad day yesterday, I'm now looking forward to chilling out after work today, have a nice cup of tea and visit your blogs to see what you've been up to - see you later ;-)

If you fancy, why not join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

Wishing you all an inspired day, thanks so much for following and commenting, I really appreciate it.

A bientôt and lots of love

Escaping the city...

2011-11-21T05:55:00.001Z

... a day in the countryside

We left London behind for the day on Saturday - bliss. Sunshine (even if it wasn't exactly warm), long walk and cream tea. What's not to like? Sunday was spent mostly relaxing as it was really foggy and grey. I don't mind though, that's what this time of the year is made for, non? I hope your weekend was good and wish you all a good Monday.

As you know, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot.

A bientôt and lots of love

Vintage Heaven...

2011-11-18T08:44:00.005Z

... the shop

Good morning and happy Friday to you all. Thanks for joining me here and reading, I've had so many lovely comments and they really cheer me up.

Now, if you remember my post about an old painting I had found a while back (if not, you can check it out here), you will remember that I promised some more details on the shop where I bought it. Well, I've finally managed to put the pictures together.

This little shop is called Vintage Heaven and can be found on Columbia Road (you know, the one with the flower market) here in London. I had a lengthy chat with the owner Margaret and can't begin to tell you how lovely and friendly she was. The shop is packed with china, paintings, fabric items, books and much more plus there's a café at the back - you know, should you need to sit down after taking all these things in ;-)

Anyway, as you know, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot. Wishing you all a lovely day and a great weekend.

A bientôt and lots of love

Chez moi...

2011-11-17T06:05:00.000Z

... things I like

Yes Lovelies, this post pretty much does exactly what it says. These are just a few little things that make me smile. A vintage teacup and saucer picked up at a flea market, a jar for my paintbrushes which I found at a vintage stand at the CountryLiving Fair and - yes, I know it might seem silly - the packaging of a rose cream. Seriously, I am a grown woman who gets excited about pretty packages. Maybe I'll show you the front of the box another time ;-)

I don't know about you, but this week seems to be manic again, not to mention cold! It looks like winter is finally on its way and all I want to do is to wrap myself into my woolly blanket and drink hot tea. Unfortunately I have to leave the house and go to work - wouldn't it be great if I could just work from home...?

Anyway, as you know, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot. Wishing you all a lovely day and I hope you all keep warm.

A bientôt and lots of love

So many pretty things...

2011-11-16T06:10:00.002Z

... more from the CountryLiving Christmas Fair

Hello lovely people. I hope you're well and your week is good. Now, as you can see, I have so many photos to show you because (again) I couldn't choose from all those lovely things. This is another stand from the CountryLiving Christmas Fair (well, I did tell you that I have sooo much to share from that day - you can't say I didn't warn you) and one that was absolutely beautiful.

This is Rosie's Armoire, the shop/website of Helen who creates the prettiest home accessories with a delicate vintage feel to them. Now, I do have to apologise since it was quite busy and I didn't really introduce myself or pick up the name of the second lovely lady there (one was Helen herself), but they were really nice to allow me to take these pictures for me to share with you. I hope you like them and if you want to see even more then please click on the name - the link will take you straight to the website.

As you know, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot :-)

A bientôt and lots of love

It's vintage china...

2011-11-15T06:05:00.001Z

... but not as you know it.

Hello Lovelies, as promised, I am bringing you more pictures from the CountryLiving Christmas Fair. I have so many things to show you that I hardly know where to start. There might be a whole series of posts coming your way on this subject because there were so many lovely stalls there and I wouldn't want to leave any of the ones out that I've taken pictures of.

Anyway, these great items are by illustrator Esther Coombs who collects vintage china which she then up-cycles with her fab illustrations. Her work really caught my eye as it's so different from all the usual stuff. If I had the choice, I'd have the plate with the London bus immediately... Click on her name to get to her website and to find out more about her work, I'm sure you'll love it.

As you know, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot :-)

A bientôt and lots of love

November weekend...

2011-11-14T05:55:00.001Z

... warm and calm

Good morning and good Monday (is that even a correct sentence?) to you all. I hope you're well and rested? If you are anything like me, then chances are that your weekends are slowing down now. I obviously don't know about you, but I find that I'm far less inclined to fill my weekend with lots of activities at this time of the year. I'm mostly quite happy with a walk in the forest or in a park, a nice hot and spicy vegetable soup (or hot chocolate and biscuits) and lots of cosying up at home. It is still un-seasonally warm at the moment, so a walk in the country was perfect. Other than that, I'm entering the more sedate part of the year now.

So, I hope your start to the week isn't too hard and that you all manage to find some time to enjoy some home-time. Stay tuned for lots more pictures from the CountryLiving Christmas Fair, I think I have found some fantastic designers, makers and gift ideas. Thank you all for stopping by, lurking, commenting and following.

As you know, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot :-)

A bientôt and lots of love

Are you old enough...

2011-11-13T10:06:00.003Z

... to remember White Musk?

Seriously, do you remember the early 90's when White Musk was very fashionable as a scent? When I found Lilou et Loic at the CountryLiving Christmas Fair, the first item I picked up was a scented candle in a beautiful, simple and elegant glass. I smelt it and the scent made me smile immediately - ah, the memories. I have to say that I absolutely loved the classic and simple design too and I will have see if I might splash out on one of their candles or a bath oil in a pretty bottle...or....or...hmmm... If you click on the name, it will take you straight to their website.

Wishing you all a lovely Sunday, thank you all for reading and commenting, I really appreciate you taking the time. A big welcome to my lovely new followers, I hope you will enjoy what I have to show.

As you know, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot :-)

A bientôt and lots of love

Hola...

2011-11-11T07:05:00.000Z

... mmmmm...

Yes, I know it's cold and grey outside and all you (or is that just me?) want to do is curl up with some hot tea or have stew and other hot and filling food things. It's that time of the year, right? Well, maybe I can tempt you with some Spanish food and friendly service? This little Deli/Café in Greenwich is called Hola Paella and is a lovely place to stop off for a cup of coffee, some food or some shopping. It's packed with all the good food you need to cook and serve up a Spanish feast for an evening with friends and if that isn't what you're after then surely the decoration of the shop will win you over.

Right then lovelies, I will have to leave you as I have to get myself ready to go to the Country Living Christmas Fair which should be fun. Lots of crafts people and handmade goods to get excited about and I hope to find some lovely presents... More of that hopefully next week.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend. I hope you have some nice things planned and I will hopefully see you back here on Monday.

As you know, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot :-)

A bientôt and lots of love

Autumn fruit...

2011-11-09T06:05:00.000Z

... handmade

Hello lovelies, I'm afraid today's post is a short one as my dear son has been taking over my laptop for most of the evening yesterday... He does have a computer, but since I like to keep an eye on his internet use, when going online he has to use mine. Talking about "shooting yourself in the foot"...

Anyway, what I really wanted to share are these beautiful autumnal "fruit". I saw them a while back and had to get quite close (looking pretty silly doing this) to take in all the details. They're "still life studies in clay" from Penkridge Ceramics and seriously amazing. I wish I'd taken more photos, but sometimes it's just not that easy when there are a lot of people about... If you click on the name, the link will take you to their website and I hope you will like it.

Right then, I'm going to reclaim my laptop today and pop round to see what you have been up to. So, until then, I'm wishing you all a lovely day.

As you know, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot :-)

A bientôt and lots of love

Supporting handmade...

2011-11-07T06:05:00.000Z

... provided they let me!

Good morning lovely people. How are you all? Seeing that it's Monday morning in November, I hope you're still managing to keep happy.

Now, you all know - I hope - that I like to support independent traders and the crafting community. So, when I needed a cover for my iPhone, I knew exactly where to go: For the Love of Law is the fabulous little company of Janet. She hand makes clothing, jewellery, bags and the best leather iPhone covers I've seen round. I went to Greenwich Market where she can be found on Saturdays and we had a lovely chat and I chose (and it sounds easy, but believe me, they're all so nice, it was a tough decision) my new cover. I couldn't believe it when she then told me it was a present! How nice is that? I was really so touched by that and really had to share not only this story but also the cover itself.

What do you think? Aren't they just great? If you click on the company name, you'll get straight to her website or - if you happen to be in London - why not pop to one of the markets and check out all the wonderful things she has on offer. Wishing you all a good week ahead.

Don't forget, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot :-)

A bientôt and lots of love

Wanted to share...

2011-11-05T08:10:00.000Z

... a random find

Just something I stumbled upon by sheer coincidence. I needed tights because, well, it's that time of the year, isn't it? I also thought about getting some warm socks to wear at home when I cosy up on the sofa with the new Elle Decoration. When I got it all home, it struck me that the colours just really matched and I liked the look of it. I just like it when I find completely random little things like this - that's all... Now I'm letting you all get back to your weekend.

Don't forget, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot :-)

A bientôt and lots of love

Seasonal pinks...

2011-11-04T07:15:00.003Z

... and similar colours

It's Friday again! Yay! Can you think of a more happy and positive colour than pink? Apart from yellow maybe...or coral... Ah, you know what I mean. I just felt like sharing some Friday cheer in the shape of lots of pink (or close to pink) photos. The house is one in Shoreditch and it gets used quite often for photoshoots - I just love it because of its fading beauty... Can you believe that the flowers (I don't even know what they are, they seem to have suddenly grown in one of my pots) were still in bloom in our garden at the end of October? And every day I look at the cherry tree with its surreal looking brightly coloured leaves... Anyway, I hope you like them.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend. I hope you have some nice plans? See you back here on Monday.

Don't forget, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot :-)

A bientôt and lots of love

Flea markets...

2011-11-03T06:10:00.000Z

... just one of my favourite things

Salut lovely people. What do you think of flea markets? Do you like them? Silly question, who doesn't like a flea market? I have some pictures here I wanted to share with you because they just (at least in my little mind) show everything I like about sunny days spent hunting for treasures or simply browsing. These are - can you believe it - from last weekend where we still had warm and sunny weather...

Thank you all so much for the huge amount of encouraging comments on my last post. I seriously appreciate them. Don't forget, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me or simply make me smile. I am now also on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot :-)

A bientôt and lots of love

It's done...

2011-11-01T05:55:00.001Z

... "Lace and Leaves"

Hello lovely people, today I'm pretty excited and really happy to show off my first watercolour painting. After painting with oils for a long time... then not painting at all for a very long time, I have now started (and it feels sooo good) to paint with watercolours. I simply chose the first thing I saw which was a small dark blue glass bowl filled with some of my sewing bits. I really hope you like it?

Wishing you all a great day. I will be off to work soon and then do my best to find the time to get back to all of you lovely poeple who left me comments. Don't forget, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try my best to update my page between blog posts and share things that inspire me. I am now also (yes, I can hardly believe it myself) on Twitter where you can find me @MllePoirot :-)

A bientôt and lots of love

A weekend...

2011-10-31T06:05:00.003Z

... in Autumn

Isn't this what this time of the year is about? Sorry, good morning to you all, lovelies, I hope you've all had a great weekend? Seeing that I've read about the snow on the US east coast (I hope all of you out here are alright?) it feels nearly weird to write here about a balmy and sunny weekend. Maybe I should just let the pictures do the talking...

Some home decorations, a walk in Greenwich park, a little work at my desk and friends over for Sunday lunch for which I made Quiche Lorraine with a mixed salad and for dessert baked apples filled with marzipan and rum raisins, served with a cinnamon custard. I mean, what do you do when the calendar says "food for cold days" yet the weather says "warm and sunny"?

Thanks so much to all of you who have got back to me about my last post. Yes, I still feel very strange about it, but maybe - as I have been told - there is truth in the old "if you don't ask, you don't get". I just have to make a serious go at asking in the first place, that doesn't come easy to me. A special thanks also to "Gawgus" over at Gawgus Things for the shout out on her blog, and to Demie for the lovely mail. I really appreciate all this help. If you don't know what I'm talking about then you can check it out here.

To all of you, thank you so much for your lovely comments and for following. A very warm welcome to my new followers, I hope you will enjoy your visits here. As you know, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try my best to update my page between blog posts to share things that inspire me.

A bientôt and lots of love

Going green...

2011-10-28T10:39:00.002+01:00

... with accessories

Happy Friday to you all! I hope you're well and looking forward to the weekend. I don't know if you occasionally feel the same, but with the grey season approaching (though it looks beautiful and sunny here today) and getting over my cold I suddenly felt the urge to look at some lush greens. And since I miss putting together my little collections - the last time is so long ago - I was itching this morning to get to work with this one. I hope you like it and it makes you feel upbeat and happy too ;-)

Now for something else: The fact that I even feel awkward to ask like this is quite telling... You see, this blog is a little bit like my online "portfolio" and I am hoping that one day somebody might see it who likes what I do and might want to work with me. Unfortunately I'm really rubbish and quite shy when it comes to promoting myself, "shouting" about my blog or my work - not that people who actually meet me would think that I'm shy...

Anyway, I would like for more people to be aware of what I do, see what I do and maybe even like it. Do you think you could help? Would you be happy to send some of your friends round to take a peek? Let me know what you think, I'd really appreciate your help and feedback as well as some new people commenting and following as more followers does seem to mean more success, more chance of having some advertisers and potentially some work - the latter being the most important bit... Oh, do I feel awkward now...

To all of you who visit so regularly, thank you so much for your lovely comments and for following. As you know, you can always join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try my best to update my page between blog posts to share things that inspire me. Wishing you all a sunny weekend.

A bientôt and lots of love

At home...

2011-10-26T05:55:00.002+01:00

... with a sore nose and teary eyes

No big post for me today, Monsieur has passed his cold on to me and I just feel sorry for myself, my nose and my poor head. Ah well, I guess it's one of those Autumn things that everybody currently has and I'd rather get it out of the way now ;-)

On the plus side, since I was pottering around the house yesterday afternoon, I suddenly thought of playing around with the Hipstamatic App on my iPhone and just took some snapshots. Hope you like them. The last one - before you start wondering - is a pic of a garlic. Yes, it sounds odd, but it looked so great (or that's what I thought anyway) and just smells amazing since it's a "cold-smoked" garlic. Besides, doesn't everything look this little bit better with an App like this?

Anyway, I hope you're all well and healthy, thank you all for your lovely comments and for following. As you know, you can always joined me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try my best to update my page between blog posts to share things that inspire me.

A bientôt and lots of love

Atumn colours...

2011-10-24T05:55:00.000+01:00

... at home

Good morning lovelies, how are you all? I hope you're somewhat less blah then me. By "blah" I don't mean unhappy or bad, just that I seemed to have a somewhat "direction-less" weekend. Remember last weekend? I managed to do a ton of things and even fit in time to simply chill. This weekend? Completely different. I have no idea where the time has gone and what I've actually done with it. I got slightly annoyed with myself because I didn't even seem to be able to concentrate on my painting. Ah well, new week, new start...

On a more organised note: After finding a beautiful oil painting of an autumnal looking bouquet of flowers in a fantastic vintage shop (more of that one another day), I decided that it was indeed time to welcome Autumn into our home. So, out went the oil portrait that usually hangs in that space, up went some new prints in frames and then add the flower painting. I fell in love with it the moment I had seen it and I love it on our wall now... What do you think?

Anyway, thank you all so much for your continuous visits, lovely comments and for following, I really appreciate it. Don't forget, you can always joined me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try my best to update my page between blog posts to share things that inspire me.

A bientôt and lots of love

I need to create...

2011-10-21T06:55:00.001+01:00

... and display

Happy Friday, lovely people! Quick post today with a few pictures taken at home. Let me explain: I haven't painted in a very long time. I bet a lot of you didn't even know that I like to paint... Well, I do. Unfortunately, since moving to London, space has been something of an issue which means that I haven't really managed to get my oil paints out. So, I have therefore decided to give watercolours a try since I figured that I need less space for those, they dry much quicker and any mess can be cleaned up easily.

I have bought a table easel (my big easel is stashed away because it takes up too much space) and am ready and itching to get painting. Since I'm not used to painting with watercolours, I'm currently doodling (can you doodle with paints?) and practicing.

And when I'm not painting, I can use the easel for display. Like here, where I've put a Victorian photo frame on it which was a present from my friend many moons ago... You like it?

Anyway, much to do, so I'm leaving you to get on with your day. Thank you all so much for your continuous visits, lovely comments and for following. I really appreciate you taking the time to stop here. Don't forget, you can always joined me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try my best to update my page between blog posts to share things that inspire me.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

A bientôt and lots of love

It might not be vintage...

2011-10-20T06:05:00.001+01:00

... but I still love it

Hello lovely people, fancy a trip to Ikea? Thought so! Now look, as you know I love all things vintage, retro and - let's be honest - second hand. My home is full of mismatched furniture and accessories from antique shops, vintage shops and ebay mixed with pieces I have inherited and my own handmade items and bits of art.

However, like a lot of people, I simply cannot resist a spot of browsing and shopping at IKEA. Let's face it, a retailer doesn't enjoy this sort of success without doing something right and as you know I really like scandinavian design. I tend to go there to stock up on candles for the darker seasons, some fabrics and swedish meatballs ;-) So, here some pics from my last trip...

It would be lovely if you joined me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try my best to update my page between blog posts to share things that inspire me. I hope you're all well and Autumn is the same for you as for us here: pretty cold but mainly sunny.

A bientôt and lots of love

Love for sewing...

2011-10-18T15:04:00.002+01:00

... Love for Textiles

Hello Lovelies, just a quick little post about...well, not all that much really. I have bought a new book from Ikea which has lots of lovely inspiration for all things - yes, you guessed it - fabrics. All the fabrics on these pictures happen to be from - how predictable - Ikea as well and are cushions I have made for our living room. I simply need to mix things up, change them round every now and then and keep it interesting. All matching is just not for me...

Anyway, I hope you like my little home-snippets. Apologies for being a bit quiet on all of your blogs at the moment, but with work being a big worry (Habitat is closing and pretty much everybody will be made redundant) I simply can't seem to find much energy to take care of all the things I have to and visit all your blogs, sorry. On the other hand, I seem to have turned into something of a mad home decorator/cushion sewer which must have something to do with "nesting-instincts" (or similar) and wanting to disappear under the duvet during uncertain times...

It would be lovely if you joined me on Pinterest and Facebook though where I try my best to update my page between blog posts to share things that inspire me. I hope you're all well and wish you all a good week.

A bientôt and lots of love

A lovely weekend...

2011-10-17T05:55:00.002+01:00

... and happy busy

Good morning lovely people, I'm in a bit of a rush but still wanted to wish you all a good week ahead. I've had a great weekend filled with lots of happy little things and mostly away from my laptop.

Apart from food shopping, dropping Dylan off at his dance class and the usual laundry and cleaning tasks, I managed to sew a mattress cover, three cushion covers (linen on the back, grey/white rose fabric on the front), "pretty up" my brogues (do you like them?), take a walk in the park, visit my friend Rose in her lovely shop, find some pretty vintage fabric and a soap that's far too nice to actually use, have a light lunch, watch a film and a documentary on the Royal National Ballet with Dylan, de-clutter and tidy up his bedroom which is something of a monumental task considering he's a 13-year old boy...phew... I can't believe how fantastic the weather still is. Seriously, the sky over London was just bright blue and it was sunny and warm. It seemed nearly normal in a way when I smelt a BBQ from some neighbour's garden - which is quite surreal in itself considering it's mid October...

Anyway, I hope your weekend was good and Monday isn't too hard on you all. Off to get ready for work now...

PS: As you know and if you fancy, you can join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try my best to update my page between blog posts to share things that inspire me.

A bientôt and lots of love

A week of craft and design...

2011-10-14T06:15:00.001+01:00

... part five

Happy Friday everyone! Yes, it's nearly time for the weekend and I am looking forward to spending some time away from the computer. I have bought some linen fabric to sew a mattress cover for our living room day bed/sofa and am planning to sort Dylan's room out with him...

Anyway, Friday also means the last (but by no means least) installment of my "week of craft and design". Today's designer is Rebecca J Coles. Rebecca is a paper artist who creates three dimensional decorative items. This is what it says on her website: "Each shape is hand drawn and then intricately hand cut from carefully selected paper, focusing on recycling a medium that would otherwise be discarded and lost. I dissect small details of colour, imagery and text into silhouettes that are then re-sculptured, pinned and encased. My aim is to transform an every day object into a piece of work that invites the viewer to see beyond its original source."

What I saw were the most beautiful three dimensional pictures with butterflies made from hundreds of tiny bits of paper. The composition of each picture and the colours were stunning and if I had the money I would have bought one straight away... Click on her name and the link will take you to her website where you will find so many more of her beautiful pieces.

Right then, time for me to wish you all a wonderful weekend. Whatever your plans are, enjoy! See you back here on Monday. In the meantime, if you fancy, you can join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try my best to update my page between blog posts to share things that inspire me.

A bientôt and lots of love

A week of craft and design...

2011-10-13T06:00:00.001+01:00

... part four

Hello Lovelies, how are you all and how is this week treating you? Has Fall finally fallen where you are? Are you all well and healthy? Anyway, enough of the chit-chat, after all we have a "week of craft and design" to get on with which I really hope you are enjoying so far ;-)

Now then, I have to admit that I am really excited about today's artist. I have never seen anything like the stunning pieces she creates and I have absolutely no idea how it's done... Never mind, that's not important anyway. The important part is that her name is Jasmin Rowlandson and she creates these sculptures from porcelain paperclay and terracotta paperclay. Her inspiration comes from "places that captivate and hold an emotional and visual pull, from certain areas of coast, reef, field, and wood. To the uninhibited growth of corals, lichens, mosses and fungi. The eroticism of unfurling flowers. The awakening of seeds confident of their purpose. The wild places under log piles housing micro worlds".

I didn't have a choice but to copy the words from her website since there is no way I could have expressed it any better or more beautifully. If you click on her name, the link will take you to her website where you can find more of her work. I really hope you like it as much as I do.

Tomorrow will be the turn of paper as a medium. Curious? Well, why not pop back to see what I'm talking about? ;-) Until then you can also join me on Pinterest and Facebook where I try my best to update my page between blog posts to share things that inspire me.

A bientôt and lots of love

A week of craft and design...

2011-10-12T05:55:00.000+01:00

... part three

Fabrics, so many fantastic fabric items. The ones of you who've known me for some time will know that I like anything to do with fabrics, especially vintage ones and sewing. Lost and Found is today's entry for my "week of craft and design". Two problems though: one, I think the lovely and extremely welcoming and chatty crafter I met was Becky, but since I'm absolutely rubbish at remembering names, I'm not 100% sure... two, I was chatting so much that I forgot to take more close-up pictures! Seriously, a blogger who's armed with a camera but forgets to take all the relevant photos - would you believe it?

Anyway, Lost and Found use vintage fabrics, ribbons and buttons but also new fabrics which they print from original vintage patterns. They produce fantastic interior products which are not only beautiful and practical but also fun. Please click on the name to find out more from their website, you won't be disappointed.

I hope you like these very British (in my opinion) and original pieces. Tomorrow will be part four of my "week of craft and design" and if you like porcelain then I have an absolute treat in store for you. Until then you can also join me on Facebook and Pinterest where I try to update my postings between blog posts to share things that inspire me. I hope you enjoy "meeting" all these designers and artist and thank you all for reading and commenting.

A bientôt and lots of love

A week of craft and design...

2011-10-11T06:05:00.003+01:00

... part two

Good morning lovely people, I hope you feel like looking at some very special and beautiful jewellery today? What do you think of these pretty pieces? Today's artist is Ali Nash, a lovely jewellery designer from Dublin. She was friendly enough to let me take pictures of all the gorgeous pieces on display even though (and I did regret opening my big mouth afterwards) I told her that I don't think yellow gold suits my skin tone and I only wear silver or white gold... She smiled and told me that she had converted many people who thought the same as me to wearing yellow gold... You know what, I actually believe her ;-)

Please click on her name to check out her website and see some more of her stunning work. If you like British style, then why not join me tomorrow for part three of my "week of craft and design", it'll be fun, promise ;-)

Wishing you all a lovely day and feel free to join me on Facebook and Pinterest where I try to update my postings between blog posts to share things that inspire me. Thank you all for your lovely comments yesterday - seeing that our little pet finally had to be buried your words really helped xo

A bientôt and lots of love

A week of craft and design...

2011-10-10T05:55:00.001+01:00

... part one

Good morning lovelies. I hope you're all well and have had a restful weekend? I have to admit that I've had a bit of a tough one. Our little pet - he's a very sweet and intelligent domestic rat - is very poorly and dying, so we're all sad and don't really want to think about much...

Nevertheless, I wanted to kick off my "week of craft and design" today. A couple of weeks ago I went to "Origin - The Contemporary Craft Fair" in Shoreditch. As you probably all know, I am a big supporter of crafts and handmade things. Unfortunately I didn't have very much time to stay long, but the crafts I did see (and I did glance at pretty much everything) were amazing and of a really high standard. What I have decided to do for this week is to have posts that are as diverse as possible. Make sense? So, you will see ceramics, jewellery, fabrics, paper...make sense now? ;-)

Anyway, without much more writing - like I said, I don't really feel like it - I'm happy to present the first artist. Her name is Sue Ure, she lives in France and she works with porcelain and stoneware to create some stunning architecturally inspired vases, plates and bowls. Please click on her name to go to her website where you can learn more about her work and admire more photos of it. We had a long chat and she was certainly one of the most welcoming and nicest people I met there.

Wishing you all a good Monday and a nice week ahead. Part two of my "week of design" tomorrow. Until then you can also join me on Facebook and Pinterest where I try to update my postings between blog posts to share things that inspire me. Thank you all for reading and commenting, I really appreciate you taking the time.

A bientôt and lots of love

Eccentric...

2011-10-07T05:55:00.001+01:00

... quirky, fun, elegant...

I just love shops like this one! I can spend hours going through all the things on offer and admire all the different styles that have been thrown together. This is "Maison Trois Garcons" on Redchurch Street in Shoreditch. Full of fascinating things...which is the reason why I have so many pictures. I simply couldn't decide which ones to leave out ;-)

Wishing you all a lovely autumnal weekend - I think it's time to get the woollies back out now - and hope you manage to get some rest. Thank you all for your comments and for following.

By the way: You can also join me on Facebook and Pinterest where I try to update my postings between blog posts to share things that inspire me with anybody who might be interested ;-)

A bientôt and lots of love

The last days...

2011-10-05T05:55:00.005+01:00

... of a very late Summer

Just some pictures I wanted to share taken randomly during what were probably the last hot and sunny days of Summer for this year. Before you ask: Yes, the carrots are from my own "flower-pot-garden"... Anyway, I am feeling a bit sad to see all the sunshine and heat go (we had up to 29C here in London last weekend) especially since I have just enjoyed some fabulous days with my friend who came to visit. Would you like to know what we've been up to? Well, here it goes:

Thursday: My friend arrives in London, we visit Spitalfields Market, have a quick lunch in Shoreditch, off home... Walk in the park in the evening, followed by a lovely dinner outside at Café Rouge in Dulwich Village.
Friday: Shopping (Oxford Street, Regent Street etc. since my friend doesn't live here) then off home, freshen up and get changed, off to see Wicked (the musical) at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. It was fantastic and we came out on a real high. Then off for a late al fresco dinner in Covent Garden, home at about 1.30am :-)
Saturday: The Countryside day ;-) Visit Chartwell House in Kent and a walk around the beautiful grounds, al fresco lunch in a pretty pub courtyard, then a stroll around the village green and the lovely little shops there. Off home for a "girlie dvd evening" with wine, houmous dips and carrot sticks - ok, some tortilla chips were also on the menu ;-)
Sunday: Columbia Road Flower Market, then to St Paul's Cathedral, walk across the Millenium Bridge and a long stroll along Southbank followed by Pimm's and Lemonade and some people-watching. BBQ in the evening followed by some silly dancing.
Monday: Fortnum and Mason, stroll through Hyde Park, Harrods & Ladurée. Greenwich in the evening, watching the sun go down from and enjoying a white wine on the patio of a pub right next to the river... Home for cheese, salad and baguette with lots of chatting and laughing.

Now I'm happy but exhausted. Is it possible to have too much fun? It was so great to spend all that time with my friend but I do wonder if it wouldn't be cheaper for all parties involved if we lived closer to each other again ;-)

Thank you all for reading, following and commenting, I really appreciate you all taking the time to visit. You can also join me on Facebook and Pinterest where I should really update my postings to share things that inspire me with anybody who might be interested ;-)

A bientôt and lots of love

Bursts of colour...

2011-10-03T06:05:00.000+01:00

... and flowers

Good morning lovely people, have you all had a good weekend? Are you all ready for the new week ahead? I still don't have much time to write as I like to make the most of the time I have with my friend before she leaves again tomorrow but I still wanted to show you some more pics from last week.

I'm sure I mentioned the colour cravings I have at the moment, so this really works for me right now. I wouldn't paint a whole room in a bright colour (I still rather stick to white) but I love some bright accents. I do realise that what I've put together here isn't exactly the height of design or sophistication and it looks very "scrap-book-y", but I couldn't resist it after I had found those lovely postcards. I guess it's a bit of fun and something to cheer up my surroundings... until I get bored of it and go all serious and classical again ;-)

Right then lovelies, I have to leave you to your day again which I hope will be a good one. Remember, you can also join me on Facebook and Pinterest where I try to share little inspirational snippets with you.

A bientôt and lots of love

Back to 1951...

2011-09-30T06:15:00.000+01:00

... the Festival of Britain

Last Sunday (I think?) I watched a program on the BBC about the Festival of Britain in 1951. It was not only very interesting, but also reminded me that I had actually visited the exhibition a few weeks earlier. I had taken pictures to share... and then forgotten everything about them - until now. So, I hope you like these beautiful retro images, I know that I found it hugely interesting and inspiring.

As I predicted on Monday, I had an intensely busy week with hardly a moment to come up for air - or so it feels. Now I have the happy task of looking after my best friend who is visiting for a few days and showing her some of the sights here in London. Tonight we're going to see Wicked the musical and of course we'll pop to the flower market on Sunday. The weather is supposed to be hot and summery all weekend so I guess another picnic might be just the thing...

Thanks for all your lovely comments this week, as mentioned before, I really appreciate you taking the time. You can also join me on Facebook and Pinterest where I try to share little inspirational snippets with anybody who might be interested ;-) Wishing you all a happy and sunny weekend.

A bientôt and lots of love

Pins and Needles...

2011-09-28T06:05:00.002+01:00

... in pretty frames

Just a quick update on one of the many things that keep me busy at the moment. I thought you might like this? Now, to be fair and because I always try to be honest, I don't claim to have invented this (then again, I haven't invented the cushion either and nobody has complained about me making some), it was inspired by a picture I had found on Pinterest.

These are framed pincushions. I've used some vintage fabrics - and some newer ones which I've decorated with lace and buttons - and painted the little wood frames in eye-popping colours. I have no idea why, but I really need colour around me at the moment. These can be laid flat on the table while you're working or hung up on a wall as decoration.

Anyway, they will be part of the items for Stag and Bow (the shop that sells some of my creations) and I hope people like them and they will sell...

Right, back to work for me. I hope you're all well and your week is good. Thanks for your wonderful and sweet comments, they are very much appreciated. If you feel like it, why not join me on Facebook and Pinterest where I try to share little inspriational snippets with anybody who might be interested ;-)

A bientôt and lots of love

Autumn fruit...

2011-09-26T05:55:00.000+01:00

... apples

Good morning lovelies, how has your weekend been? Have you been lucky enough to enjoy the same mild and sunny weather we have? I can hardly believe it's actually Autumn already... And Autumn is of course apple time. How fitting then that I've found this framed (it still has some old-fashioned paper-back) botanical apple print at a market. I immediately loved it when I saw it and seeing that it was an absolute bargain I had to take it home with me. The frame and glass have lots of dried on paint-splatters on it, but I managed to get most of them off - besides, I think it gives it some character. All I did then was to add a ribbon to hang it up as I wanted to give it just a bit extra and it still has the old wire hanging on the back, should I change my mind.

Enough of that though. I have a very busy week ahead of me. Today is Monsieur's birthday and I hope that we will get to spend a bit of quality time together - after work and driving Dylan to and from a dance lesson. One of my bestest friends is coming to stay on Thursday and I have to put together a mood board for a shop re-furbishing project. I should also make a start on all the handmade items needed by the little shop I'm supplying... Super-busy then.

Which brings me to something I have thought about: You see, I had actually thought of turning off the commenting section for a while. The thing is that I love every comment and I really like the feedback I get from all of you. It is great to get everybody's opinion on the work I produce and the pictures I take.

However, I like to be polite and that for me means that I will always try my best to visit your blog in return. Don't get me wrong, I don't just visit to be polite, but because I also like to see what you're up to - I am nosy like that. Problem is that lately I have found this increasingly difficult because of the amount of things I am doing every day. I am quite simply really struggling to fit all the different areas into the day and very often there's just not enough time left. So, I hope you don't feel let down by my lack of visits at the moment as I would hate you to think I don't care... Or maybe I should turn off the comment section if I can't be polite? Certainly something to think about for me...

So, despite my lack of manners, I'd like to thank you all for taking the time to stop and read my ramblings ;-) If you feel like it, why not join me on Facebook and Pinterest where we can share even more ideas. Wishing you all a good Monday and a great week ahead.

A bientôt and lots of love