croque-choux

Living vicariously thru Marie Claire Idées...

I want a sewing area like this when I grow up.

I also like these little sewing accessories which look easy to make, and this pretty gypsy bag. Sigh...

 

Camera shy

Yep, that'd be me. Whenever I see a photo of myself these days I get this big urge to run screaming to my old Mac and open up PhotoShop... but I don't of course 'cause that would be cheating :o) So here's just a bit of me sporting my new haircut. I went and pampered myself chez le coiffeur this weekend. I only go to Sylvie's place now (one of the best kept secrets in Paris?) because everyone that works there is an artist and super nice! I love the decor - it's so nice to sit there and have an expresso in a delicate little porcelain demi-tasse before getting my hair done. It's a bit pricey but hey gals, once you hit 40 it takes a lot more to get yourself all gussied up LOL!

World Cup veg-out fest

I'm sorry to report that I did not do anything crafty at all today, and after a marathon day at work I swear that I am starting to understand all those guys who come home from work and zone out in front of the game. Therefore my evening consisted of:

The French team made it to the Finals, woohoo!

As seen in MC Idées

Just wanted to post this cute idea for a pillow that was in the last issue of Marie Claire Idées. Love these happy yummy colors, and all the different felt flowers, don't you? If you can read a little French, you'll see in the photo that Marie Claire Idées is going to have their first ever craft show in October near the Louvre! I have been so out of the loop lately what with my stupid new job, that I missed their yearly challenge. This time it was bags (purses, totes, etc.) and as usual the best ones will be pictured in their Christmas issue. All the bags they receive will be sold during the craft show, and the proceeds will go to the children's charity La Chaine de l'Espoir (translation: "Hope Chain"). I could kick myself because I really wanted to participate, and I let the date slip by :o(

Back on track

I was all ready to post of a picture of my finished redwork project, when... boom! I got hit with a sneaky migraine again. I hate this. I just had one not long ago :o(
Anyway I'm back on track as it were. The worst is that I was supposed to be the strong one this week, and take care of my daughter who went into the hospital for a half day last Monday to get all 4 of her future-ex wisdom teeth removed! Since she spent the first 3 days sleeping like a sick kitten, I thought I'd make her a little Valentine's day heart with a kitty on it. At first I thought about doing a redwork Hello Kitty, then I saw this other little Sanrio cat and went straight to work. You can see a closer view of the embroidery here. I finished the heart on the 14th, and the next day I added a red seed bead picot edging all around. This excellent tutorial from About.com can show you how it's done. Takes awhile, but the results are oh so pretty. Well, I knew the headache was coming by this time but I stitched on anyway, knowing that the next day would be spent knocked out on pain medication without any crafts or fun...
ANYway, Ombeline loved the heart, and is now feeling somewhat better. She is craving pizza and hamburgers, but still can't bear to eat anything solid. Thank heavens the French have such an amazing array of yogurts and yummy dairy products! I stumbled on to this great new yogurt, signed by well known French chef Marc Veyrat no less. Raspberry Violette yogurt- what a great combination! (And I am a total freak for anything violet, as I mentioned once before.) Not cheap as far as yogurts go, but at least Ombeline ate something with real pleasure the days following the operation. The thing we both found nice about this product is the fact that the little glass jar it comes in is super cute and can be used again for candles or something else. Worth every centime!

Les softies sont partout

I saw these for sale around Christmas time at the Publicis Drugstore on the Champs Elysées, and whipped my camera out for a quick photo. My gut reaction when I saw these was: "ohmygod! somebody is knocking off Rosa", but a few days later I thought "well if that is so, I guess it is the sincerest form of flattery as they say". These softies by minilabo are very cute, but I totally prefer Rosa's unique whimsical dolls. At least you can now find artoys and softies for sale on one of the most happening streets in Paris. I should get out more often!

This is going to be a quick post, as it looks like heavy sewing or typing is out for me until further notice. I pinched a nerve in the middle finger of my right hand and it hurts like hell! I can't bend it without cringing in pain, so probably the only thing I'll be able to do really well til it gets better is flip people off... ouch!

Rue de la Butte aux Cailles

Cool street art I saw in Paris the other night. A nice surprise to find out that it was painted by Speedy Graphito! See more here.

This happens to me. A lot.

"esprit d'escalier" (e-SPREE des-kal-i-YE) noun, also esprit de l'escalier

Thinking of a witty remark too late; hindsight wit or afterwit.
Also such a remark.

[From French esprit de l'escalier, from esprit (wit) + escalier (stairs).]

"We're all witty. It's just that many of us think of our clever remarks a bit too late. The French call it the staircase wit, indicating that one thought of that perfect retort on his or her way out."

Thank heavens for a.word.a.day. otherwise I never would have known there was a word for this! Proof that even after living in France for 21 years, I can still stumble upon a French expression that is totally news to me.