Chichiboulie - Fun Little Things

Lovely Share...

2012-01-16T12:47:00.000+01:00

One of my readers was nice enough to share this photo with me. I'm a bit late in posting (isn't the end of year overwhelming for all of us?), but I wanted to share it with you all still.

Vicky used my freebie pattern to make these cute little bird ornaments. I'd made them out of paper, but think they look oh so cute in fabric. Can't you just imagine them in lovely springtime colours to welcome in the warmer weather?

You can still find the pattern to download for free over in the right sidebar. And if you feel so inclined, I'd love to see what you make of it as well!

Thank you, Vicky for sharing!

Martha Stewart Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

2012-01-07T20:07:00.003+01:00

I had a request from somewhere else after mentioning this, one of my favourite soup recipes for this time of year, so I thought I would share it here as well. I got it from one of my Martha Stewart Living mags many years ago so thank you, Martha and crew for such a delicious recipe!

Ingredients:
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
4 red or golden apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 tsp coarse salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 C chicken or vegetable stock
2 1/2 C water, plus more if needed
1 jalapeno chili, thinly sliced for garnish
Sour cream

Directions:
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add squash and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 10 minutes

Add apples, salt, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne, black pepper, stock and water (just enough to cover) and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until vegetables are soft.

Puree and thin with more water if necessary.

Garnish with diced apples, jalapenos and sour cream if desired.

I hope you try this and enjoy it as much as we do! Bon appétit!

Recipe and photo courtesy of Martha Stewart. All can be found here:
http://www.marthastewart.com/284268/apple-butternut-squash-soup

As I'm Waiting...

2012-01-03T19:55:00.000+01:00

... to recover from the end-of-year festivities (which can be pretty heavy duty in France, believe me!), I thought I would share the finished product of the Red Mini mixed media painting I was working on as a special order present. I love this technique and hope to be making more soon!

Also, to celebrate my big 4-0 which just passed, I'm offering 10% off all orders in both my Chichiboulie and Atelier&Cie shops for the next week.

To take advantage, all you have to do is enter the code ENCORE at checkout and 10% will be taken off your order.

Best wishes for the new year!

Normand Apple Pie

2011-11-29T11:57:00.000+01:00

...to celebrate the season!

I've been meaning to share this recipe for some time, but between making it and taking photos, it's not always an easy mix. But I've finally managed to do both.

This pie is a bit of a mixture of a few recipes I've tweaked and added to or taken away from myself. It's very simple (as you'll soon see), but receives accolades every time I make it. I hope you'll try it and enjoy!

Ingredients:
For the topping
3 Tbs unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 C sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbs flour

For the pie1 pie crust (either pre-made or homemade, the choice is yours)
1 C sour cream
2/3 C sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs
3 Tbs flour
5-6 apples (I prefer more acidic varieties)
2-3 Tbs Cognac

Method:
For the topping
- Blend all ingredients together until well combined

- Cover and chill

For the pie
- Peel and slice the apples in approximately 1/2 inch slices

- Whisk together sour cream, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs, flour and cognac in a large bowl

- Add the apples to this mixture and combine

- Spoon filling into the pie crust (in a pie tin of course)

- Crumble topping over the top

- Bake in the middle of the oven for 60-75 minutes. You may need to cover the top of the pie with aluminum foil near the end in order to prevent over-browning.

Enjoy!

Finally!

2011-11-28T10:43:00.000+01:00

... but I've run out of paper to make it up properly. I hope you'll excuse me and enjoy this printable calendar anyway!

24 templates for 24 days of wee tiny boxes, perfect for hiding goodies and sweets! And a perfect crafting opportunity with the kids. You supply the paper and glue.

Finished boxes look like the ones below, but with a little something more.

NYC...

2011-11-23T15:19:00.000+01:00

...from a different point of view. Once again, it's a painting in the works for my art class, but it's almost there. Almost. Just a few minor touches here and there and I think it will be done. That is, of course, until I bring it back to class next week and am informed that there is, in fact, more to be done. Until then, I'll enjoy my ignorant bliss thinking that I've pretty much completed this project.

I absolutely loved working on this and am in love with the technique. Definitely one I'll be using in the future. A mix of photo and paint and so big and bold and completely in your face. Just love it!

And as a bonus, it's gotten the thumbs up all around the house which isn't a guarantee with this crowd. Something must be working!

Newness...

2011-11-21T11:57:00.001+01:00

... a set of new templates for your crafting pleasure. Wee little boxes in reds and greens for all sorts of fun uses - in particular hiding wee little pressies!

In a fog...

2011-11-16T13:02:00.001+01:00

... literally. Since Friday. We've been in some sort of fog or another around here. From light to pea-soup, you name it, we've had it.

And unfortunately we had it for our weekend in Burgundy as well. It put a slight spanner in the works for any sightseeing we had planned as for the most part we were only about to see within a quite short radius around us.

That said, we were still able to take in all the beautiful sights that were closer to us. And more importantly, fog or no fog, we were able to enjoy the gastronomic as well as oenological delights of the region. This week is cabbage soup for detox!

Here are a few of the 'up-close' sights we were able to enjoy, among which Les Hospices de Beaune (look at that gorgeous tiled roof!).

Teamwork...

2011-11-09T12:24:00.001+01:00

I've been meaning to share this for quite some time now, but life, as usual, keeps getting in the way.

Today I find myself with a little bit of downtime so also finally with a bit of time to share this with all of you. For the past... well maybe 4 if not 5 years, I've been asked every year to do an illustration for Cortney's daughter, then son, for their birthday invites. At first I did the entire invite but then slowly Cortney decided she wanted to express her own creativity and add her own touch. And with good reason! As you'll see, she's very creative.

As I've gotten to know Cortney through this venture, I look forward to hearing what ideas she has in mind each year. I know something special awaits!

This past summer, she wanted to do a pink lemonade theme. We discussed it and came up with some sketches which then evolved into illustrations which Cortney then used to create the finished invite. Here is a sample of what she put together.

How adorable is that! Teamwork indeed!

If you are interested in your own personalised party invites, I'd love to work with you!

Winter is setting in...

2011-11-02T14:03:00.000+01:00

I know we're not long into autumn at this point and we've even had some rather mild weather for the season lately. But despite it all, winter is coming and the signs are setting in.

We spent last Saturday stacking the delivery of wood we received for this winter. Fingers crossed we have enough as "they" keep predicting a very cold winter for us in these parts. Although the fireplaces are lovely and toasty, they don't do much for us when it's time for bed. What to do??

For quite a while now, we've been using the good old fashioned technique of hot water bottles. Yup, just like grandma! The kids love them because they are so cosy. We love them because, well, they are so cosy but ecological too.

So in the spirit of the season, I have dug out my fabrics today and am going to make hottie covers for my kids (and myself of course). I can't get that far into the project today because my children have managed to blow up my last transformer. No, that's no a toy. It's an electrical transformer that allows me to use my American bought sewing machine on European current. Don't ask how they do it because we haven't figured that one out yet either, but they do systematically manage to do the transformers in. So while I'm waiting for the new one to arrive, I'm planning.

I have a few ideas in mind. A fur hottie cover? I have at least one child who I know would love that. Embroidered with their names? Possibly. I have time to think, so in the meantime, I'm going to share a few of my favourites that I've found on Etsy with you.

Aren't they just gorgeous?

Plan B...

2011-10-24T17:30:00.000+02:00

I did have other plans for blogging today and this week. I was going to post a delicious autumn recipe, one that I haven't made for ages, but that deserves to be dug out. I was also going to do a post about vanilla. And maybe some gift tags.

But the kids are on holiday from school.

And so all of that has gone out the window. Between fixing Lego speedboats and listening to new compositions on the piano - all day long and of course with the damper and played in ff- I don't think any of that is going to happen. It may happen next week when they head back to school. Or it may have to wait another week after that while I recuperate from the coming 10 days.

In the meantime, I have been trying to get some work done and have been working on new photos for my alter-ego shop, Atelier & Cie. I do love learning my way around a photo and love seeing an ordinary photo take on a new life. So I thought I would share that with you today instead. While waiting for calm to return to the house.

Original photo: Nothing special. Just a pretty white amaryllis I photographed at Keukenhof this past spring. Photo is dark and background completely unappealing. But I'm glad I took the photo anyway...

And a few tweaks and layers later, the new, updated version: Softer, lighter, more appealing colours and best of all, a bit of sparkle!

Far from an expert, but the results are definitely more promising than the starting point. At least that's what I think.

When I get a little more practice under my belt, I'll put up an easy tutorial, but I don't think I'm quite ready for that at this point.

Something French...

2011-10-21T11:49:00.000+02:00

By French sellers or those inspired by France.

Lovely treasury on Etsy highlighting France

You can of course click on the link to see it closer up and check out all the beautiful items. So pretty!

Sometimes things are said just so perfectly...

2011-10-19T20:36:00.000+02:00

... that they need to be shared. This one from Artizen Magazine on Facebook.

So British...

2011-10-18T09:31:00.000+02:00

Another subject that never tires me, just like the canals in Belgium and the Netherlands. But this time, it's across the Channel and onto the UK.

Perhaps it's because of the wonderful time we spent there and the memories it created. Perhaps it's because of its well-known and much loved icons. Perhaps it's something else entirely or all of the above.

Whatever it is, it inspired me once again yesterday morning and I put together this digital collage. Perfect for a teens room but why not in your sitting room as well? My prints are now all offered in A4 and A3 (even bigger) size and I'm looking into canvas options. Stay tuned!

For the moment though, you can find it listed in my Etsy shop.

Work in progress...

2011-10-13T19:18:00.000+02:00

The project I'm working on this week. A mixture of reworked photos, textures and patterns overlaid with acrylique. It's still in the works, but getting there. Slowly. Quite slowly in fact.

J'adore!

2011-10-11T12:58:00.002+02:00

Anyone who knows me really well will know how much I love pottery in all shapes, sizes and colours. Because of this love, I just had to share this with you. I don't know why I didn't know about this shop before, but now that I do, I'm sure not to forget it! The shop is Mud Pie Studio and you can find it by clicking here.

Just take a look at these mugs! Aren't they gorgeous? Unfortunately for us, but fortunately for the artist, bespoke orders aren't being shipped until March at this point (according to her Etsy shop announcement), but they are now officially on my Wish List.

Along with this pitcher...

and these bowls....

All you need is....

2011-09-30T09:22:00.000+02:00

All three available in my Etsy shop and at notonthehighstreet.com

From the mouth of babes....

2011-09-22T13:41:00.004+02:00

.... I've illustrated this in the past but it keeps sticking with me. Perhaps because I find it so well put. And that from an at-the-time 5-year-old. My daughter who is now 9 and continues on with her very well stated, no-mincing-words type of comments.

Perhaps I'm not the only one who can related to this!

To purchase your own, you can go here.

Apple for the Teacher

2011-09-10T21:09:00.000+02:00

Some beautiful items on Etsy in apple red, pink and green (some of my favourite colours)!

Click here to see the treasury on Etsy.

Boutique Newborn Baby Croc...
SOUTHERNBABY...
$12.95 USD
organic cotton sack hat st...
ohbabydotcom
$25.00 USD
Pea Pod Hat and Diaper Cov...
TizzyDee
$45.00 USD
RED crochet kufi hat and P...
jjkgirlythin...
$18.50 USD
Schoolgirl Modern Peasant ...
ButterflyBab...
$28.00 USD
Brooklyn Alley Toddler Tsh...
kendrasred
$26.00 USD
Baby Boy Handknit Cotton S...
MFcrafts
$28.00 USD
sugar maple... countryside...
sunnybrookfa...
$30.00 USD
Meandering Vines Twirly Sk...
thepolkadott...
$18.00 USD
Fall Flowers - Corduroy Fl...
ChewChewsClo...
$25.00 USD
Recycled Wool Soaker Diape...
chickadeeand...
$20.00 USD
Girl's Skirt Hot Pink ...
thetrendytot
$36.00 USD
felted high top baby shoes...
thecleverkit...
$27.00 USD
Apple Shoes Girls Pink T-S...
boygirlboygi...
$23.00 USD
Red Baby Leather Dots Moks...
scandeez
$30.00 USD
Baby Daisy Gladiator Sanda...
crochele
$25.00 USD

A new venture...

2011-08-17T19:00:00.000+02:00

...recycled from an old one.

I originally started my second shop, Atelier&Cie, as an outlet for my sewing energy and a way to use up the vast stash of fabrics I've collected through the years. However, with work and children and children and children... you get the picture... I only seem to find the time to sew and embroider on very rare occasions. And so I let it go by the wayside.

But I've been thinking of a new venture for some time and thought maybe I could recycle Atelier&Cie into something different. And so here we go again! I have relaunched my second Etsy shop as a place for me to showcase various photos from travels around. I don't tend towards the exotic, rather towards images that I find reminiscent of a quieter time, simple things that make me feel serene and happy.

I've only just started working on this project so again, we'll have to wait and see where it leads. I hope some of you will take a look and maybe even let me know what you think.

Memories...

2011-08-11T16:47:00.000+02:00

Contest!

2011-06-28T08:24:00.001+02:00

The French site, desMerveilles.com, is running a contest where you can win a personalised poster. It's definitely worth checking out! If your entry is chosen, you can choose from posters personalised for your daughter or son, for your family or your couple. Or, if you have another idea, why not suggest it!

The sample here is of one done for a family - perfect decoration for a family room or playroom. Any theme is possible, you choose the text. This particular example is for a couple and details their meeting, courtship and wedding. A sweet idea for new babies, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings... the list goes on!

Another (less talked about) reason....

2011-06-25T18:24:00.000+02:00

...for not leaving your 4 year old alone in the bath: He or she will surely sneak out, dress in bathing gear (complete with goggles) and pretend bath is a warm, bubbly pool!

His only regret, apparently, was that he couldn't fill the entire bathroom with water, though he made a very good stab at it!

Out of Hiding

2011-06-22T12:25:00.006+02:00

Once again, it's been a while since I've posted and my apologies for that. My "catharsis" continues and I'm happily discovering so much about, well, so much! But part of my journey has been a strong desire to reclaim my private life. Although I love blogging and so appreciate those who read what I write, I began to feel too much pressure to share too much and the end result was a feeling that my life was no longer my own, at least not as much as I wanted it to be. And so a step back was necessary in order to reclaim a bit of privacy and get myself started on a somewhat new path.

I believe now that I'm well on my way, and along that path, I have also discovered a new desire to paint again. And to paint BIG! It's something that's been in the back of my mind for a long time now, but the moment just wasn't right until now. But now that it does seem to be right, I'm having a ball! With large canvases strewn about my studio and tubes of paint just about everywhere, I'm not sure my other half is enjoying the mess quite as much, but to me, all the chaos is a good sign of creative juices flowing.

And so I have a few projects in the works while I work on new techniques and ideas. My first is to (hopefully) be a series of paintings on Cornwall. It's difficult to visit Cornwall and not want to paint it and I too have succumbed to its charms. Actually I did so quite some time ago, but again, it took that catharsis to push me over the hump from thinking to painting. This first painting may be finished, I'm not quite sure yet. I'm letting it sit while I contemplate. It's 60x50cm (so about 24x20 inches) so a nice impactful size. I may keep it for myself, though I do have another in the works that's even bigger (80x80cm or 32x32 inches). I suppose time will tell. In the meantime, I have plenty of fuel to keep my paintbrushes busy for quite some time. Perhaps a new shop to celebrate? Something to think about....

Keukenhof - for Spring

2011-04-14T10:33:00.012+02:00

Hailed as the prettiest spring gardens in the world, we decided it was time to have a look at Keukenhof ourselves this past weekend. The weather was sunny and clear, though perhaps not as warm as we would have liked (though 14°C isn't all that bad for the Netherlands in April to be honest), but all in all, a perfect day to spend outdoors.

I'm tempted to return because I think we were slightly early. The flower fields surrounding the gardens weren't quite in bloom, and cycling through them is a lovely ride. But despite our potentially early arrival in the season, the gardens are most decidedly not to be missed!

I could go on and on about it, I think the photos speak for themselves.

Worth the Detour....

2011-03-24T18:49:00.004+01:00

A few photos from my excursion today to Damme, Belgium.

Damme is a small village just outside of Bruges and one, from my knowledge and conversations, very few people get to visit (though I highly recommend the detour). Today I went alone, but my next project is to recruit at least one friend so we can rent a tandem bike in Bruges and cycle to Damme for lunch in one of its many restaurants then continue the stroll along the canal a ways.

I first visited this area of Belgium about 4 years ago in fell quickly in love. The Flemish architecture is among my favourit

es with the stepped roofs and large windows. The polders, to me, are gorgeous in their windswept and rugged beauty as well as the canals that lead on to places unknown. It's all so unassuming and tranquil. I remember loving Richard Scarry's book What People Do All Day when I was wee little, and even then my favourite pages were those that took place in Amsterdam - all those canals and boats and stepped roofs. I guess there's something to be said for trusting your instinct!

I hope you'll enjoy a few of these images. Those who know me personally will understand the last photo. I just can't help myself!

Spring!

2011-03-23T19:16:00.003+01:00

The weather is gorgeous, sunny and warm. What better time to get out the fabrics again and make something cute. Admittedly I was somewhat inspired while browsing through Duni's new shop, PeriDot by Duni, with such gorgeous and girly things. I've had similar fabrics tucked away for oh I don't know how long. I suspect I'm like a lot of fabric-o-holics. I love them so much, I have a difficult time actually cutting them up and using them. Somewhat contrary to logic, I admit.

But today I've taken a big leap and now several meters of fabric have been pre-washed and hung to dry in the beautiful sunshine so that they are ready and waiting for the next rainy day when they will be made into, to start, pajama bags for the girls. Why pajama bags? Mainly because like most mothers, I'm rather tired of seeing piles of pajamas lying around the bathroom every morning, piles that never seem to disappear despite my requests. I've let the girls choose their fabric combinations so now it's just cut and sew.

But first waiting for some clouds as I plan to thoroughly enjoy the weather we are having. It's not often that we get an extended spell of warm sunny weather around these parts, no matter the season. So tomorrow, instead of sitting in front of my sewing machine with the many projects I have planned, I have decided to take myself on a trip. And here is a small snapshot of where I plan to go....

Isn't it lovely?

Catharsis

2011-03-14T14:38:00.003+01:00

Some of you may have noticed, I haven't been blogging for a while. Actually, for quite a long time. I do think about it, just about every day. But then I push it off for one reason or another. But in the end, there really is only one true reason why I haven't been blogging: catharsis.

Hey? Yes I know, it's not a word we use every day (though it is a very good word), but it's one that sums up my situation at the moment.

Here are a few definitions of this word.

Catharsis: a purification or purgation of the emotions (as pity and fear) primarily through art

Catharsis: a purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension

Catharsis: elimination of a complex by bringing it to consciousness and affording it expression

I have recently begun a major catharsis in my life. I can't say I've had a catharsis as I'm still very much in the midst of it. And for a while, it took over my life. In a very violent and invasive way. But now that I've found a new sense of stability and, in a lot of ways, a new sense of me, I'm enjoying every minute of it. Well, ,maybe not EVERY minute of it, but the great majority of them.

It's been a huge awakening or rather "bringing to consciousness" of things that have been inside of me for a long time. And this consciousness has led to a resetting of priorities in my life.

When I began Chichiboulie about 6 years ago, it was to find a way to use my creativity while at home with young children. Little did I know when, not having painted for literally 20+ years and never having done it professionally, off the cuff one day I signed up for a school fair that was taking place 4 days later (and no, I had no paintings in my possession to show at that point) where it would all lead. It's been a fabulous ride and along the way I have learned loads of new things and met some incredibly people.

But along that very same road, I somewhere lost a sense of what Chichiboulie is all about. As it turns out, the increasing pressures to sell, to complete orders, and to be discovered gradually eroded the pleasure I found in creating. To the point where there was no pleasure left. I thought for a while of closing Chichiboulie all together.

But through a lot of talking and thinking and reading and mediating, I have gotten back to the true me. And been able to take a step back from all that isn't me. In a lot of ways, I am beginning a new chapter in my life, but I hope to hang on to Chichiboulie as a way to express newfound pleasures and joys.

And so from now on, Chichiboulie will be about fun, as it was meant to be.

A Fairytale Weekend...

2010-12-13T17:05:00.008+01:00

...at least by the ambiance and architecture. A few images from our weekend in Alsace where yes, the houses do look like they are hiding any number of Snow White's relatives and sidekick dwarves.

Unfortunately I don't have as many photos as I would have liked and this for two reasons. The first, we visited Alsace during the Christmas Market season and I would have a difficult time explaining to you how many other people had the same idea. We should have expected it. We DID expect it! But maybe not to the extent we should have because oh the crowds! Wall to wall people made picture taking slightly difficult. But on the upside, it did keep us a bit warmer in the somewhat frigid temperatures, which is the second reaon for the lack of photos... hands were too cold to function.

But despite the cold and crowds, it was a lovely weekend and I discovered a place that definitely deserves another visit, though perhaps in a warmer, less crowded season!

Sparkly Stars in time for Snow

2010-11-29T13:44:00.004+01:00

...and wintery weather all around. The temperatures have really dipped around here and it's keeping us indoors. Well, the temperatures and my littlest's newest cold that is.

But instead of sitting around twiddling my thumbs with nothing to do (except of course laundry and housework and meals and....), I've just uploaded a new pdf for your winter crafting fun. 3 pages of photos and templates to create this cute little paper star. A perfect craft for kids and adults and oh so easy!

To download your template, just click on the image or right here. Or, if you're lost, just go over to the column on the right and look for the Sparkly Star Ornament link.

Have fun!

PS - if you've enjoyed these templates, I'd love to hear from you. If you have other ideas of things you'd like to see, shout it out as well!

Oh the places you will see....

2010-11-25T14:55:00.004+01:00

.... when you don't know where you are going and you've just told your friend "don't worry, the route can't get narrower than it already is."

PS - I'm adding in a photo of our second option that my friend emailed to me this morning. (She was on the good side of the car for this photo). It was a pretty hill, but in the end, we decided to turn around given lack of Wellie boots and 4-wheel drive.

Just Listed....

2010-11-22T17:51:00.003+01:00

... after a few trials and errors and lots of glue gone wrong, I've finally sussed out a workable pattern for your very own 3D paper star! Yes, an accomplishment to be sure. Now that the hard part is out of the way, I'll be making some more templates in various colours.

In the meantime, however, for your fun and pleasure, I've listed my very first template in my Etsy shop to you to print and make yourself. Hopefully you'll avoid the trial and error period if I've done my job correctly.

They do take a bit of patience to make, mainly gluing the points together, but they are worth it in the end I think.

Something for a friend...

2010-11-18T12:13:00.004+01:00

...I hope she enjoys it!

Just having fun...

2010-11-11T13:39:00.007+01:00

...on this day off. 11th November is a holiday for most in France. Unfortunatly it's very wet and rainy and windy out and so we're all home tucked in and keeping warm.

Hubby's playing in the basement with the wetvac (an indispensable piece of equipment in these parts) and I need to keep busy. So, amid creating some new little box template I'll be listing soon, I thought I would have a play around with the Robin template you can download here. I thought a couple more patterns could be even more fun.

So here are two new versions for you to play with. Have fun!

Temps des Gaufres!

2010-11-08T09:05:00.009+01:00

Or, in English, Waffle Time!

Since we've been living in our current location, our kids have had many occasions to test and taste the various types of waffles to be found in the region and just over the border in Belgium. We have very small and thin waffles that are sandwiched together with a spread of brown sugar or vanilla cream or speculoos inside. We also have the traditional "Belgian Waffle" that you would find at any self-respecting brunch buffet in the US. But regarding this last, the name Belgian Waffle is really quite inaccurate as there are many, many types of waffles in Belgium.

What I have encounted in the US as a Belgium Waffle is really probably closest to the Gaufre de Bruxelles or Brussels Waffle. But did you know that there is also the Gaufre de Namur, the Gaufre de Verviers, de Herve, du Perron, de Tilff, d'Outre-Meuse, à l'ancienne... You're probably getting the point.

I've left one important one out of the above list, simply because it's the one we find the best. It's also probably the one you'd be best off only smelling or at best giving a small lick if you're on any sort of calorie watching diet because it's full of butter and sugar, but oh is the combination so so good. I present la Gaufre de Liège.

Yesterday, I decided to try my hand at making this waffles from scratch for the first time. We have usually in the past only made the Brussels kind, but since I have finally found the correct sugar for the Gaufre de Liège, it was time to give it a go.

The recipe is quite simple and the biggest problem you may have is finding the sucre perlé (see photo). If you can't find this where you live (I got mine in Belgium), then I'm told that breaking up sugar cubes will do the job as well.

If you're interested in trying your hand at these delicacies, I'm giving you the recipe below.

For approximately 20 waffles you will need:

750g fine flour (though I used my regular flour and they came out just fine!)
270g warm milk
70g fresh yeast
3 eggs + 2 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1 tsp of vanilla or 1/2 sachet of vanilla sugar if you have some on hand
400g butter, softened
500g sucre perlé (or chopped up sugar cubes)

Mix all ingredients together except the butter and sugar and let rest 30 minutes. Personally, I let my yeast dissolve in the warm milk before adding this to the flour.

Add softened butter, bit by bit; by kneading it into the dough. I started off by hand as if making bread dough and then when there was enough butter incorporated and my hands and countertop were too greasy to work with any longer, I moved everything back into the bowl and finished adding the butter. Then add your sugar. It won't mix into the batter but rather will stay in lumps throughout.

Divide the batter up into 100g mounds (approximately 1 heaping soupspoon full) and let rest for 15 minutes.

Cook for 3 minutes on preheated waffle iron.

Now, here's what I noticed. As I only made half the batter, this may have been my problem from the start, but when I first mixed the ingredients, the batter was very dry so I added a bit more warm milk. Also, you'll notice once you start adding in the butter that it's very, VERY, buttery! I do wonder if you could use less butter to a similar result so I think this is what I'll try next time.

But in the end, if you follow this recipe, despite the butter overload, you won't be disappointed!

Opening Today - desMerveilles!

2010-11-04T09:14:00.004+01:00

And that title rhymes, even better!

But back to the important bits, Anne-Marie has been working on this project for quite some time and today is the big, exciting day. desMerveilles.com is officially open!

What is desMerveilles? Simply put, it's an online boutique featuring 35 artists (mostly French) specialised in the world of our lovely future... children. She's done a fabulous job of putting together a great collection of items and styles and the boutique looks incredible.

So come an have a peek and see what's happening in handmade in France!

Wintery Wonders!

2010-11-01T09:03:00.006+01:00

It's out! The latest issue of Modern Handmade Child, Winter 2010. And this one is jam packed full of tutorials and yummy recipes to keep you and little hands busy during the winter months.

And on top of it, you can download here (over there on the right, under bits & bobs) a free pattern to make your own Winter Robin Paper Ornament.

So pour yourself a cuppa, get out your scissors and glue and come have a peek!

The Little Things...

2010-10-28T12:02:00.018+02:00

... I never thought I would do in my life. Before having a little boy, that is.

To put it in context, you should know that I have three sisters, no brothers, and although we are probably far from what one would call the sit-in-the-corner-playing-with-dolls type of girls, we're still girls nonetheless.

I also have two daughters. When they were each born, this seemed completely normal and expected to me.

But put everything on hold about 5 years ago when I was expecting our third child. Complete and utter shock when I was informed that the child to come was of the masculine gender. Impossible!

How on earth was I ever going to raise a boy? I knew nothing about them. Nothing! I lived in a world of pink and purple and sparkly things. I painted cupcakes and flowers and polka dots galore. Boys don't like pink and purple and sparkly things. And though they may enjoy eating cupcakes, they certainly don't do polka dots. Boys like racecars and dinosaurs and backhoes. They like trains and loud noises and racing about.

And as I found out yesterday on our little day out together, boys like boat elevators. And I'll very quietly admit, that I found it pretty cool too.

Continuing on our theme of the road less travelled tourism, below are more photos of the Ascenseur Funiculaire du Canal du Centre in Belgium. Currently the biggest boat elevator in the world, it raises and lowers canal boats (péniches) just over 73m or approximately 240 feet.

Thank you...

2010-10-27T09:19:00.010+02:00

... to all those who have featured my work lately in Etsy treasuries. I really should do this more often and have made a mental note to do so, because I really do appreciate your including me in your collections. It means so much!

Please click on each of the images to see these treasuries up close and help out the curators!

Though I never thought of Chichiboulie or bunting as scary, someone else did! By Fruits of the Bloom:

One from Arzu Musa:

One from Evihan:

Another from Felicity Crew:

And another by Itty Bitty Birdie:

And maybe a winner....

2010-10-21T07:43:00.007+02:00

...but definitely a finalist!

Modern Handmade Child magazine, mine and Shannon Hanley's (thecleverkitty.com) little baby (along with a LOT of help from an incredible group of people) has made it into the finalists for Specialist Magazine of the Year in the Digital Magazine Awards.

We're SO excited!

We created this magazine just over a year ago with the idea of bringing handmade family living to everyone in a fun and friendly format. We had no idea at that point what would come of it, but thought it would be fun to give it a try. Boy have we come a long way since then! Our latest issue, Autumn 2010, has had over 15,000 views and our readership continues to grow. Our team has increased and solidified as we've welcomed some fabulous new members on board to join the other amazing contributors. And we have more plans to come....

The winners will be announced on the 27th of October so until then, if you could all just hold your breath for us, that would be much appreciated!

And finally a winner...

2010-10-20T15:14:00.003+02:00

I needed to get this done on Monday but things weren't going my way. I'm still not 100% sure they're going my way now, but just in case they aren't, I had a quick free moment and child and now we finally have a winner....

Anyone want to supply a drum roll?

The lucky bauble winner is ..... JANET!! For all your replies, I did only count the correct one, but your enthousiasm paid off in the end. The wee fingers of my 4 year old pulled your name out of the bucket.

So, if you'd like to contact me and let me know which bauble design you would like, I'll get started on it while my fingers are still sticky from all the others.

Congratulations and thank you to everyone for playing. I'll surely have another giveaway soon so do check back!

While you're waiting...

2010-10-19T18:05:00.002+02:00

...just know that all of us here in France are waiting as well. Waiting for things to settle down and see what the outcome is, that is.

You may have heard about it on the news or read about it in the paper, but in case you haven't, France is on strike. It's been going on since September and originally it was about the change in the retirement age in France, though I now personally suspect it's about more than just that.

We've had teachers on strike so no school and the trains and metros on strike so no transport in the bigger cities. We've had the truckers on strike blocking the motorways and the high-school students on strike worried about their retirement (though I'll go out on a limb here and say that, although I do not consider myself right-wing, I do think they should try working a day first before worrying about retiring, but of course, maybe I'm just old!).

Needless to say, it's a bit of a mess. And now we have petrol shortages, though the government, up until today says not. Just for fun and just so you can all see what the petrol shortages mean, here is a little map of many of the stations in France where you CANNOT purchase petrol.

Fortunately my weekly driving is fairly limited and thus so too is my consumption as we don't know when this is going to go back to normal. And fortunately for me too, we live right next to the border with Belgium which seems to be slightly calmer despite their own political issues. They may not have a government, but they do have petrol and they do have a working post office (that I dutifully visit at least once a week).

So while we may enjoy fine wines and flavourful cheeses, there is at times a price to pay for all of that and at the moment, it would seem we're paying it!

PS - my apologies for any delayed shipments... I hope you understand!

It's coming...

2010-10-19T17:15:00.003+02:00

...I promise!

I haven't forgotten about the contest, just having a few connection issues here. But I promise to have a winner up as soon as it's all sorted, which hopefully will be soon.

Since the closing date has past though, I can let you officially know that yes, the city is Tournai. I thought it would be nice to present one of Belgium's lesser known towns as a bit of travelling discovery, especially since this town really should be better known in my opinion. Not only does it offer tons of history, but it's a gorgeous place to visit with a wonderful "âme" or soul. We're there quite frequently as well for the yummy ice cream and waffles! Definitely worth the detour if you're ever in the neighbourhood!

Running out of time...

2010-10-16T10:40:00.003+02:00

....me, not you! For you all, there's still time to play and get your guesses in. It's me who's short of time at the moment, thus the lack of clues the past couple of days.

But I promise to make it up to you. So are you ready?

You already know that this town is in Wallonia and that it boasts not one, but two UNESCO World Heritage sites. If that's not enough for you to google, I'll give you a few more clues here:

- It is also home to the pictured bridge, known as Le Pont-des-Trous on the river Escaut
- It is the only Belgian city to ever have been ruled by England, from having been conquered by Henry VIII
- Under the Roman Empire, it was originally known as Tornacum

And lastly

- I chose this for my game on a whim last Sunday while we were enjoying ice cream and waffles on the Grand'Place

Have fun (and a great weekend... I'm off to cook!)

Day three and another piece of the mystery...

2010-10-13T18:58:00.006+02:00

...place, that is.

Ready for another hint: There it is in the photo. There are loads of these in the region of this town, so many in fact that they are part of the landscape actually. But some are real knockouts in the architectual beauty category. Like the one pictured here, in my opinion.

So not only does this charming little town have an outstanding cathedral, but it also has a beautiful belfry. AND.... both of these monuments are classified not only in their home country, but as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Does that help you out any bit?

Another Day, Another Hint

2010-10-12T14:22:00.005+02:00

Time for a second hint.

There have been some good guesses, but I'm not going to give away whether or not any of them are on the money, or the bauble as is the case.

Just for the fun of it, here is another image to help you figure out what that famous landmark could be. I'm not going to tell you what it is, but I'm pretty sure from this photo you can at least pick it out, if not name it. Hint: It's somewhat imposing and a one of Wallonia's major historical sites.

Any more thoughts as to where this is?

Giveaway Time

2010-10-11T09:53:00.015+02:00

I thought it was about time as it's been AGES since I've had any sort of giveaway. So raise your hand if you're excited!

It's the start of the busy seasons for me and I can feel the change in orders already. Lately it seems like a lot of baubles are going out in the post so I thought what better than to give away a personalised bauble to the winner. You can choose any bauble you want from the selection in my shop, or maybe we can even come up with a new one just for you!

Have you picked out your favourite yet?

Not so fast! You do have to do something in order to win this bauble so I thought I would make it a bit of fun if not slightly challenging. Of course, this may be a piece of cake and I'll get millions of correct answers. Or... It may be slightly more difficult (in which case I'll give you loads of hints because I do want right answers after all!). All correct answers will be put into a hat for a drawing, most likely by one of my children, but I'll keep you posted on that.

What lovely town is pictured in this post? First hint: It's in Europe (and one of its major landmarks is shown in the photo)

Put on your thinking caps and let me know your answers in a comment to this post. Enter as many times as you like (well, within reason, no listing ALL the cities and towns in Europe!). All correct answers will be entered into the draw. And if you want a second chance to win, just spread the word about the giveaway and you'll automatically get a second entry. Tweet about it or blog about it or post it on Facebook or take out a full-page ad in the New York Times. Your choice! But do let me know about it in a comment here so I can be sure to give you another entry.

Have fun! (I'll choose a winner next Monday, so until then, happy guessing and keep coming back for clues.)

Oh, and I wanted to mention that that blue sky in the photo is untouched. Not filter necessary!

National Cinnamon Bun Day!

2010-10-04T16:44:00.024+02:00

I think I must just be genetically programmed from my Swedish grandfather. The past few days, I've been wanting to make something with cinnamon (despite my husband's severe distaste of the spice). I searched through loads of recipes and even printed out a few I was tempted to make. But in the end, the cinnamon buns won out. Maybe because they are something that you just can't get in this area. Or maybe, just maybe because of my Swedish roots, I just felt it was time to make them. For unbeknownst to most, October 4 is National Cinnamon Bun Day in Sweden.

Who'd have known!

Certainly not me, I'll admit, if I didn't have a good Swedish friend who informed me of this little known fact.

But known or unknown, I did make my first ever batch of homemade cinnamon buns. It was a learning experience and there are definitely changes I'll make for future batches. But all in all, and based on the speed at which they disappeared around here, I'd say they were a small success.

ps - I don't have time at the moment, but if you're interested, I'll post the recipe I used. Just let me know or if you have any secrets yourself for making these lovely rolls...

Patchwork Profusion

2010-10-01T12:07:00.006+02:00

...to follow up on the Plethora of a few posts ago.

I'm still working on a few models, in particular a lovely wintery blue one, but I have managed to get these two sorted. And photographed. And listed. And in my world, that's something already.

So here are two new baubles to add to the collection this year. Patchwork Tree and Patchwork Mitten. Any suggestions for a third to accompany them? A snowman perhaps? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Although we've only just entered into October, I've already sold a few baubles this year so it's definitely time to start thinking about it!

We're Havin' a Party....

2010-09-27T13:05:00.006+02:00

... okay, well we're not really. At least not at the moment.

But if you are, then I have something for you! Just listed - bunches of new invites for you to print yourself. Just purchase, send me your details and I'll send you the finished file for you to print yourself.

And as just about all of my prints can be made into invites, if you don't see what you need or want, just drop me a line and I'll see what I can do. Easy peasy and so much fun!

Check out the entire collection here.

Pssss - also planning some new prints for later this week as well as a bauble or two.... stay tuned!

Sick Day

2010-09-20T19:57:00.012+02:00

Today was a sick day for me. But as I work from home, that doesn't mean I had the day off. Instead, I simply made a slight change of venue. One of the advantages of working: on days when you're run down with cold so much so that your voice has dropped 2 octaves and become so husky that you could surely land another one of those work from home jobs (you know, the kind where you answer the telephone and have rather intimate conversations with strangers not, of course, that I have any experience in that!), you can still get things done and be cosy at the same time.

So today I set up shop in the sitting room, enjoyed the sofa and the sunlight while watching Julie & Julia (yes again, it was on, again) and got a bit of work done. Despite the pile of tissues that grew rapidly beside me.

I'm not the only one who enjoyed the change of atmosphere. I was joined quite quickly by Pippa, our Scottie. Our rather laidback Scottie, I should add. She isn't bothered by children dressing her up in various outfits, or by four-year olds tugging on her ears, and she doesn't ever bark. Ever. She truly has an uncanny ability to exude her relaxed attitude in everything she does.

And so laidback Pippa and I enjoyed the afternoon on the sofa. Me working and Pippa napping. In a somewhat unorthodox position. Or maybe it's just me, though I'm tempted to try this position out tomorrow.

Do Ré Mi ou C D E...

2010-09-15T15:34:00.011+02:00

Let the cultural war begin!

I'll start by giving you a bit of background. I grew up playing the piano. Sometimes I wanted to, other times my parents made me, but ultimately I'm glad I did it as it's become part of who I am. For a longtime after leaving home I didn't have a piano. And I missed it. Now that I do finally have my own, I don't play it all the time, but I am glad that it's there when I do want to sit down and "tinkle the ivories" so to speak. It's fun. It's soothing. And sometimes banging out a bit of Chopin really helps relieve a bit of frustration.

And so, with this in mind while raising my own children, I wanted to give them something similar. I suppose I would have to say that my mindset is that by getting my children involved in music lessons, I'm giving them the gift of music and something they will keep the rest of their lives.

It's a lovely thought isn't it. I thought so too. Until we moved to France.

Yes, France. That lovely country where apparently everyone who doesn't live here wants to move. I recalled this thought as my husband and I watched Julie & Julia last night. Sitting there on the sofa as Julia arrived in her new premises in Paris and gushed about how lovely it all is, I blurted out "yes, I can see how anyone watching this film would think France is utopic."

And then I turned to hubby and with a somewhat evil and definitely mischievous look in my eye, suggested someone make a film about children and parents and music school in France to give the viewers the other side of the coin.... The dark side as I like to call it.

Where to begin? I guess by explaining that in France, you're not actually allowed to learn music for fun. No. You're not. It's very serious business. Even if you are only 6. I found this out when we moved here and was told my daughter couldn't possibly enroll in the local music school in order to continue her piano lessons. For you see, it was January and school had already been in session and it's just not done. So it was either wait 9 months to start again or find a private, in-home teacher.

I went with the latter and hired a private tutor. The following week she turned up at the house in her very large gold Mercedes, standing about 6ft4 in her flowing dress, wearing a rather boatish-sized shoe and sporting a suspicous looking 5 o'clock shadow though it was only 1 in the afternoon. Though it is part of life, my stomach dropped at the thought of how to explain this to a 5 and 8 year old, especially since the 5 year old was on to her and proceeded to say so, directly to her face. Despite the somewhat bumpy start, we did have a few good months of lessons until summer when my oldest decided she wanted to play the cello and cello meant école de musique.

Those who grew up in France may very well be aware. And perhaps it's a club where they are sworn to secrecy, determined to let the uninformed suffer through and naively sign up for what they think is going to be simple and fun music lessons with a bit of theory thrown in. Oh how they must snicker as we sign on that dotted line, ignoring the finer points of the contract. For simple does not enter into the vocabulary of the école de musique. I have, in fact, been told by the current director that music school is not for fun. It is school and it is hard work. School is not fun.

Understatement of the year. The past 2 years of my life have consisted of driving back and forth to the music school at various times of the day and on various days of the week. There is music theory on one day and then there is practical, where you actually get to play the instrument not just talk about it, on another. With the 2 children in classes (my second has taken up the flute) we have also had 2 years of chorus as well as various concerts and demonstrations thrown in, mostly at highly inconvenient times. This year, much to my relief, we have been deemed to have done our time with chorus and I had a fleeting thought that in fact it may be a bit less stressful. Fleeting. Very fleeting. My oldest came home on Monday and announced that she's expected at orchestra class this year. At another time and day of course.

That was it. The proverbial straw that broke the camel's back or as the French would say, goutte qui fait déborder le vase or, to translate, drop that made the vase overflow. And overflow it did. In the form of a complete and total meltdown in the offices of the music school and in front of a group of completely flabbergasted French men and women who obviously couldn't comprehend how having to be at the music school at 8 different times during the week could pose even the slightest problem. Ben alors?

As I search for a way for my children to learn music for the pleasure of it, we remain prisoners of the music school. I guess the problem is that culturally we are just very different. I want my children to learn music for their general education but mostly just to enjoy it and have fun. They, apparently, are hoping to form the next world reknown composer. They must already know that there is no hope in our house for that. Not only is the mother (that would be me) an American basketcase, but my youngest has just turned 4 and as of yet no symphonies has been composed. Not even the smallest concerto.

A Plethora of Pretty Patchworks

2010-09-14T11:41:00.006+02:00

I've been wanting to do something like this for a while now, but it seems that up until now time and inspiration were not willing to work together. When I had the time, no inspiration and when I had the inspiration, well, no time.

But persistence is the key, especially when creating a plethora or pretty patchworks - don't you just love that alliteration? - and so finally I've been able to cut and stick and glue and paint something along the lines of what I've had in mind. The end result? A few yummy mixed media collages using my very own prints and patterns.

I'm still working on more, but here is a sampling of the first batch, soon to be listed in my shop.

It's the Braderie!

2010-09-04T09:30:00.005+02:00

While we're waiting on the installation of the new bathroom, I thought I would offer you some other entertainment in the form of cultural history from northern France.

This weekend, it's the Braderie de Lille as is every first weekend of September. A braderie is something you'll find all over northern France as well as Belgium and in simple terms means that either the shops are having big sales or the town is having a kind of flea market or all-town tag sale.

In the case of Lille, however, it goes far beyond this simplistic definition. You see, the Braderie de Lille is the braderie of all braderies. Although the origins are not completely clear, there are stories that date this event back to the Middle Ages and it seems to have been going strong ever since. In modern times, starting about mid-week, signs go up blocking or diverting traffic and the city shuts down (or most of its streets do) to allow for sellers to set up their wares. In a couple of days and for a long weekend, the city transforms into a mix of professional and private sellers coming from all over and offering things such as antique armoires and chests to half-worn out shoes and coats. Anything and everything can be bought and sold from the estimated 10.000 sellers who set up shop at Europe's biggest flea market.

And given the estimated 2 million visitors that the braderie attracts every year, you can imagine that many things are indeed bought and to the some. Though many people come to find a bargain or that perfect piece for their collections, a lot come just for the fun and ambiance of the Braderie because, you see, it doesn't end with just the selling and buying. Oh no. This is northern France where mussels and chips/fries reign supreme and no festival would be complete without your traditional moules frites.

And so if all that walking and browsing and negotiating has gotten you a big peckish, never fear. Pull up a seat at any one of a number of restaurants and enjoy this traditional dish (with mayonnaise for the chips, please) as most of your fellow shoppers will surely be doing. Then you can proudly say that your meal has contributed to another one of the Braderie's traditions that you'll find scattered about the streets.... le tas de moules

Just when you think...

2010-09-02T13:33:00.007+02:00

...you can start focussing on non-necessary, fun projects in your house, reality always seems to come back to remind you that it's just not going to happen.

I should know this by now as I've been through it enough. And yet, the optimist in my still holds out hope that one day we'll be able to replace the absolutely wretchedly ugly doors leading to our front hall and garage. Words cannot describe the state of these doors, but let me try. Hollow Core. Beige. Scuffed. Dirty. Broken glass replaced with plywood. Getting the picture? It is one of the intentions I hold closest to my heart to replace these doors, except it's not all that easy as we need to replace them with antique doors to go with the rest of the house, and this not only means hunting around for the right doors, it also means having the budget to purchase once they are located.

And that budget keeps getting diverted elsewhere. In the current case, to the upstairs shower room.

It looks all nice and innocent in the photo doesn't it? Well let me show you a different angle then.... You see where there looks like there should be a shower? Yes, there's the problem.

We left on holidays having a shower. We came back to a big leak coming through the downstairs ceiling. Wait, let me dig up that photo as well....Ah, here it is. Lovely isn't it.

The thing is, the leak isn't new apparently. It's years old. More years than we've owned the house. So another big old thank you to the old owner who thought it ingenious to trim the inside of the shower stall not with waterproof tiling, but with wood. A small note to anyone contemplating this small act of folly: DON'T DO IT!

Because this is what you end up with.... A big rotten hole in your floorboards and in your ceiling. And walls that are rotten and covered in mold (you can't see that here, we got a small peek this morning when the contractor removed the tiles). Oh, and sick children.

So we're at it again. Remodeling. But this time out of necessity rather than desire. On the bright side, I'll have a nice new shower and bathroom in the end. On the downside, I have to live with those horrid doors a while longer.....

Chez Hamish

2010-08-24T11:00:00.005+02:00

A wee update on our friendly hedgie...

We have been taking care of Hamish for just under 2 weeks now and he's doing rather well. So well in fact that it's time to let him take care of himself.

None of us is too pleased about this as it means hoping for the best for him. I think we've done well by him and he's gone from a mere 220g to over 700g in this time. He's been deflead, deticked and dewormed. Oh, and he has a lovely new house in the garden where he's been under house arrest for the past 2 days in order for him to have time to hopefully adopt it as his own.

Tonight, however, I think it's time to open the door and let him go with the hope of course, that he'll come back safe and sound and make our garden his home.

Our oldest was in tears about it as our second looked on quite forelorn. I had to fight back some tears as well, I'll admit. Even though I know he's better off "in the wild", I worry that something will happen to him or that we won't see him again. It's been such an experience taking care of a hedgehog. Knowing they are a protected species makes it even more special.

So here's to you, Hamish! Wishing you all the best!

So long ago

2010-08-19T11:19:00.007+02:00

...it seems. As we pull out our wolly jumpers and tug on our socks and wellies, it seems unimageable that just a month ago we were sweltering in the heat and wishing for a summer shower to cool things down. Just goes to prove once again, be careful what you wish for!

Can Hardly Believe It...

2010-08-17T17:13:00.006+02:00

...but our wee man is 4 today. And as ever our little knight in shining armour!

and Hamish's too!

We've Adopted!

2010-08-11T13:28:00.003+02:00

Since we've returned from our holidays, we've noticed a bit of new wildlife has moved into our neighbourhood (garden to more precise and woodpile to be even more precise). Some of it is not really appreciated (like the rat the kids have been watching run back and forth outside and whose days are numbered) but some of it is much more fun, like the hedgehog!

Unfortunately something's up with little hedgie. We spotted him/her foraging around the garden around noontime today which isn't a good sign for a nocturnal animal. Well they're just so cute and I learned my lesson after watching mama duck loose all 8 of her ducklings a couple of years ago so I decided I couldn't just stand by and watch.

A couple of googles later and I was on the phone with a very nice woman from the Hedgehog Sanctuary who has since convinced me to bring hedgie inside. So he/she is now living in a box in my garage, well out of danger from our Scottie who would like nothing better than to taste fresh hedgehog meat. Our little hedgehog's box is complete with hot water bottle, old fleece sweatshirt, doggie nuggets, apple slice and water. We've been told to inspect him/her for any signs of injury or maggots (yes, maggots are a big danger to hedgehogs I've since learned), loose stools and/or coughing.

So the garage has been transformed into Hedgehog Hospice for the next couple of days until either there are no signs of any of the above or we bring him/her to the Sanctuary for better keeping. In the meantime, the kids are thoroughly enjoying their newly adopted pet. I just hope their father is as impressed!

Hot Off the Presses

2010-08-02T10:29:00.008+02:00

Getting back into work after a long holiday is never easy. Especially when the kids are still on holidays and you're just not ready for all the relaxation to be over.

Well over they are, at least around here, but there is some good news. We've just finished up the latest issue of Modern Handmade Child magazine (online and free!) packed with great information, cool styles and fabulous decorating ideas. Tons of stuff for back-to-school and autumn fun!

Just to entice you a bit more, I thought I'd post a few of the inside pages here for you to peek at. If you like what you see, come and check out the rest of the magazine!

Augustine!

2010-06-23T08:27:00.005+02:00

When I first read about this little Augustine, I had to rush to see with my own eyes. You see, as you can probably imagine, I don't come across the name Augustine very often outside of our own house, but I'm always happy to see it. It's a name that just cries elegance and sophistication to me and I love love love it!

I'm so happy to see that this wee doll wears her name well. Isn't she adorable? You can see more about Augustine by clicking here.

Oh, and if you'd like to see my own sophisticated and elegant Augustine, here is a photo for you when she was 4. She has always had a certain sense of style as you can see. The elegance and sophistication? Well, a mother can hope....

Look What the Postman Brought....

2010-06-10T11:54:00.005+02:00

Don't know what it is? Well then I'll tell you. Now that I dare, that is. You see, I haven't mentioned this to many people, really only to a very select few, for fear of having the opposite response circled when it came in the post and having to tell everyone that I was "insuffisant".

Luckily, and after 2 nailbiting days, I don't have to do that and so now I can shout it from the rooftops.

I'm legal!

Yes friends, I have finally passed my French driving test. First go too! And such a huge relief as this has actually been keeping me up at night and causing anxiety attacks at 5 am. With this in hand, I can now stop ducking behind cars when getting into my own for fear that the driving school will see me. And I can stop tensing up everytime the gendarmes are out doing random road checks. Oh the freedom!

Before you think very poorly of me, you must understand. I do, of course have a driving license, and have for quite a long time. However, I had yet to acquire a valid European one. Life kept getting in the way and finding time to take driving lessons while raising 3 kids and running a business is not an easy task. I believe I was probably the only person driving myself to the auto école and surely the only one popping into her car after a driving lesson to go pick up children at school. The whole French license thing was causing a slight technical glitch in my life that I was having a rather difficult time dealing with.

But now it's all behind me, thank goodness! I did show my results page to a friend who commented with a chuckle that where I lost the most points during my exam was settling myself into the car and adjusting the seat, review mirrors and seatbelt. Of course, I did do all of this, but apparently while the inspector was not watching. Logically, however, he should have known this. After all, the candidate prior to me stood about 6ft2. It's a matter of practicality really. At only 5ft2 myself, we'd hardly have been able to leave the parking lot let alone complete an entire exam if I wasn't able to reach the pedals!

But no matter, I can live with that. And with a huge weight taken off my shoulders too!

My Blog is Carbon Neutral

2010-06-01T15:19:00.005+02:00

I'm so excited about this! It's just what I've been looking for and need!

We all assume that if we're blogging and reading the news on the internet, we're using less paper and thus we're doing a good thing for the environment. At least, that's what I thought, until one fateful day.

You see, I'm a news junkie. I start every morning with a cup of tea and a browse on the internet through cnn.com, boston.com (got to stay in touch with back home), lemonde.fr, lesoir.be and bbc.co.uk. I told you, news junkie! I had been under the impression that this was a good thing environmentally speaking as fewer newspapers. That is until a few months ago when I read an article about the carbon footprint of the internet and was hit smack in the face with the reality of it. Since then, I'll be honest, I've rethought my internet use which isn't an easy thing when one's business and addictions rely on it. But it's a concern for me and thus it's been there in the back of my mind, worrying me.

Well today, while looking through a blog, I found this programme, Mach's Grün!, that plants a tree for every blog participating. The tree, in turn, neutralises the carbon footprint of my blog for 50 years according to them. Incredible!

I love it when people take intiatives like this and hope you will too. Please join!

So I've been told...

2010-05-21T14:09:00.007+02:00

...that I need to update my blog. By my father who says he's taken to reading back issues due to my lack of writing lately.

I guess what daddy says, goes although I am of course going to start off by defending my lack of posts. You see, we're getting towards the end of the school year around here (just over 1 month to go), the end of what has been a very hectic year. And it's only getting worse.

Any of you who read this blog somewhat regularly will already be aware that my youngest is very rarely in school due to various illnesses we've been fighting. Although he's meant to be in school several days a week, our current schedule is closer to several days a month and as a result, I now strongly believe he's actually allergic to school. No, not in the psychological sense as most of you are probably thinking. At 3-years-old I think he's too young yet to be making himself ill about having to paint and play with cars, although I will give you that the following orders thing seems to be causing him a few issues. And the occasional meal at the school cafeteria seems to go over like a lead balloon with him as well. And preparing for the end-of-school dance with his classmates has caused more than one clash between him and the teacher.

I suppose I should probably think more deeply about the fact that his teacher wishes me "bon courage" (good luck) when I pick him up in the afternoon, but I think for the moment that denial is working better for me. I truly don't want to overthink the fact that we seem to have a dictator-in-training à la Napoléon (he's not very big in stature, quite large in spirit) though I did mention to hubby last night that perhaps we should have thought twice about naming him after a famous European despot as it may indeed be somewhat of an omen.....

Needless to say, all of this has been exhausting enough this year. And yesterday it was all exacerbated by a 3-hour long flute exam for my 8-year-old. Yes, three hours. No, she didn't have to play Au Clair de la Lune for all three of them. Thank goodness for small favours! But France is a special country when it comes to children's activities. It's very difficult to do an activity for the pure pleasure of it and everything ends up been graded and quite publically so. And so yesterday, after her first few months of flute lessons, we packed ourselves up for the exam. Dress and flute and music in hand for my daughter. Backpack full of toys and diversions for the 3-year-old. The oldest had been packed off to a friends' house.

The exam: Each child presents herself on stage (there seem to only be girl flutists) and plays her prepared song then nods and leaves the stage. This is done accompanied by the pianist and in front of all the other students, parents and a jury. Yes, a jury even for Au Clair de la Lune or La Fête Foraine as was her actual music. Once all the students have performed, the jury convenes in a secluded room and we are all left to wait and wonder, but mostly wait. Approximately 1 hour later and preceeded by a lot of scuffling and excited whispers, the jury returns. The students must stand on the stage in the order of their performances and their results are read aloud for everyone to hear. Of course, this is lovely for those who do well. Not so lovely for those who didn't shine. And according to the official results, there was a slight lack of luster to last night's performances. Poor dears.

This year we were lucky and my daughter received a mention bien which is quite good. Bravo! But once I had enjoyed that moment with her, I quickly grasped another idea - I had to get home and get oldest daughter practicing for her cello exam today! You see, whereas daughter 2 is quite the little worker and takes her lessons pretty seriously, daughter 1 hasn't ever been formally introduced to Stress. I keep trying to at least set up an informal get-together for them, but to no avail. She's too busy playing and having fun to meet Stress. Fabulous for her state of mind and overall health. Potentially disasterous in front of this jury. Wish us well this afternoon!

And so all of this - unwell children, running around like headless chickens and preparing for exams and so forth - has resulted in a lack of attention to my blog.

I promise I've not forgotten. I just don't know what to write about!

Addendum: Cello exam has been an success (after another 3 hours of listening and waiting) and daughter 1 has come out of it with a mention très bien! Insert proud mummy moment here.

Someday I just may get it...

2010-05-10T20:09:00.006+02:00

I do work at it. When I think about it. The problem is that I just don't seem to think about it often enough. Not by choice really, but mainly because I forget to think about it in time so that when I finally do think about it, it's too late. And then it's like a big slap on the forehead moment, but it's already over.

And what, you ask, is it? Well it is quite simply the art of being put together. I think that I used to be put together, but to be honest, I'm no longer really sure. Was that actually my reality or maybe just some reality I created in the mind of my past life? Regardless, if it was actually a moment in my life, it's gone now. Perhaps never to be found again.

Case in point: I picked up my son's school photos today. Now I think they're quite lovely. He has a gorgeous smile and then hint of a cute little dimple. Truly him. What mother wouldn't be charmed?

Of course, upon closer inspection, it's true that I could have perhaps done better (this has been pointed out to me several times already through fits of laughter by my ever supportive husband). His hair, for example, is ever so slightly scruffy. To me, proof that he had a bath the previous evening (giving myself a big pat on the back for that one). To the mothers of the primped children, proof that his foreign mother hasn't quite mastered the art of the spit and hairbrush. I'll also admit that if I had to do it over, I would perhaps have choosen a nice shirt to put on him that day and not one that is a tad bit rumpled and missing all its buttons. In my defense, it was originally hidden under his sweatshirt, albeit one that has been passed down to him after being worn by both his sisters. So....actually, probably best to have removed the sweatshirt for the photo (mental note to thank his teacher in the morning).

Now being put together seems relatively easy to accomplish, I'll admit. But the problem is that I just didn't have it together that morning. And if I'm honest, I'd have to say that morning is not truly an exception to any other morning. Honestly, I suppose I'm generally so proud of myself for simply getting the whole crew out the door dressed (for better or for worse) and fed, that the events of the day to come completely slip from my consciousness.

And so, once again, I forgot it was picture day at school and only had in mind the fact that he was actually going to school, something not all too often seen around here. The joy of thinking that all three could be out of the house at once overtook me. The thought of a few moments of silence once they were dropped off became all important and overshadowed anything out of the ordinary that could be happening that day at school.

No, this isn't the first time this has happened. Nor is he my first child to have been subjected to this exercise in scruffy school photos. Sadly, this probably won't be the last. As you who read this blog have learned long ago, try as I may, I don't live in a blog perfect world. Rather in a slightly scruffy and disorganised one. But one that seems to be producing children with big smiles and wee dimples. And that seems pretty good to me.

Transformation

2010-05-07T10:23:00.008+02:00

...of my Oh Happy Day! design into another sort of oh happy day.

At the request of a friend looking for a communion invite for her daughter, I was given the opportunity to rework one of my favourite designs. I originally created this one last year for my second daughter's birthday, complete with a large strawberry on the front, her favourite fruit. But with a magic eraser and paintbrush, what was a fun springtime illustration has been transformed into, well, a fun communion illustration.

Sending happy wishes to Hannah!

Summer Issue

2010-05-02T22:31:00.005+02:00

If I've been somewhat quiet this week, there is a reason behind it and no, it has nothing to do with hiding out in a closet in hopes that the children won't find me. Honest!

Proof is that the new issue of Modern Handmade Child magazine is finally out for some summer inspiration! A day late but hardly a dollar short, come check out this fun issue for loads of ideas of outdoor projects with kids, ways to prepare your children for summer camp, a few simple recipes (who wants to be indoors cooking when there's so much to do outside) and so much more.

We hope you'll enjoy flipping through the new issue and we'd love to hear from you. Any thoughts or suggestions can be sent to editor@modernhandmadechild.com.

Happy Reading!

Lest we forget....

2010-04-25T19:41:00.004+02:00

Our wee man's friend showed up yesterday sporting a Jeter Tshirt, much to our surprise and dismay. Not to be outdone, especially not on hometurf, we had a quick change of outfit.... lest we forget from where we come!

Here's to the beginning of a long friendship and the continuation of an even longer (friendly) rivalry.

There is an alternate universe...

2010-04-24T09:20:00.014+02:00

...and it's in Belgium. I know because I found it last night.

As you may have read, I had a rather rough landing back from our holidays. One day off from children to catch up on work and get the household back in order from our travels and then the rest of the week was comprised of various children taking turns being unwell and thus off from school, condeming me to house arrest. To add salt to the wound, the weather has been stunning, something that isn't all that frequent around here: blue skies, warm air. Yes, spring fever has struck me, struck hard and I wanted to enjoy it.

By the time last night rolled around, I'd just about had it of looking at the same four walls and told hubby that all I wanted was to hop in the car and go somewhere, anywhere, as long as it wasn't in the immediate vicinity of our house. We were lucky enough to get a last minute babysitter and so we were off. Little did I suspect as I got into the car that our night out in an unassuming restaurant just north of the border would turn into a trip far beyond my expectations, a trip into an alternate universe.

We had done a quick internet search for good restaurants in the area (when we go out, it seems it's always to eat... we love to eat!) and came up with one called Au Petit Chateau in a small town just north of the border in Belgium. The website looked enticing (okay I admit, it was bright pink and spring green, a favourite colour combination of mine so I was decided ahead of time) as well as the proposed menus. We were sold.

It turns out that Au Petit Chateau is more of a villa or small house rather than a castle and is located on a somewhat busy main road between two towns. But the car park was packed so we found a spot and headed in, completely unaware of the experience awaiting us.

Walking through the front door, we found ourselves in a very pink room full of silver-haired diners whose average age was approximately 30 years (or more) above than our own. First giggle. To the right, a rather large musical installation of keyboard, microphone, spotlight.... all under the the supervision of, well, I can only imagine one of the diner's school mates - same age range. Another giggle. This was going to be fun!

It only took a few seconds before we were greeted by a geniunely happy maitre d'hotel who showed us to our table. As we passed all those pink tablecloths and grey-haired heads, we also discovered a pink reflective ceiling as well as heavy curtains in various shades of rose and mauve. Welcome to grandma's boudoir!

We ordered and drank in the ambiance as we waited for our meals. The service was excellent and very attentive and the dishes of asparagus and coppa, lamb shank and spring vegetables, millefeuille aux chocolat were equally delicious. We had thoroughly enjoyed our meal and were sipping our after-dinner infusions out of camoflaged tea cups when suddenly, and most unexpectedly....

"To all zee gihrls I've loved beefohre...." wafted from the musical installation as the master of ceremonies began to sing Willy Nelson in a belgian accent. Fab-u-lous! This was followed by a rocking rendition of Barry White's My First, My Last, My Everything as well as Volare complete with back up band and vocals (recorded, alas). But it was when he started in with Everlasting Love that the dance floor opened up. One couple, then a second quickly joined by a third. The room was hopping! Or shuffling maybe.

It was getting late and the dessert and digestive service was winding down. There was singing, there was dancing, but the party was just beginning. Apparently as all the diners and dancers were momentarily quite happy and thus undemanding, a free moment had opened up. The maitre d' took the mike and belted out a version of Copacabana as I've never heard it. Barry Manilow watch out, this man could sing!

It was a little bit Belgian, a little bit Florida retirement community, all in a hole in the wall restaurant tucked away in a small corner of Hainaut. I honestly don't think I've had that much fun out to dinner in a long time, if ever really. We're definitely going back, but next time I'm wearing my dancing shoes!

The Great Poached Egg Race

2010-04-22T15:53:00.008+02:00

my poached egg attempt (saucepan of water at a boil with a bit of vinegar, egg dropped directly in the water)

This, my friends, is what happens when you oblige one rather too-cooped-up mother to stay inside one day too many.

It was a rather long winter and start to spring. Long and sick with various children taking turns at being unwell. Tummy aches, colds, asthma attacks, the lot. Inevitably none at the same time, which of course lessens the burden at the moment, but does drag things out a bit more.

And today, fresh back from our lovely outdoor air holidays, we have fallen back into our old habits and I've once again been stuck at home with a child and a tummy ache. This following Tuesday at home with an overtired toddler and Wednesday running to various activities as there is no school for primary children in France on Wednesdays (yes, you must be born in France to understand and deal with this). It's all a bit too much to bear really!

And so today, out of complete and utter desperation, was born The Great Poached Egg Race. Take one stir-crazy mother in France, add her friend in England who is in silent competition with her mother over who makes the best poached egg, a phone call, two saucepans of boiling water, a bit of vinegar, two eggs and we were off!

Want to join in? We'd love to have you in our quest to find the perfect recipe for poaching eggs. If you're interested, all you have to do is send in a photo of your poached egg. Poach it however you'd like, but you must be honest and only send in a photo of your first attempt. Repoaching is strictly forbidden! You may also include details of your secret poaching methods, any little tricks you may have up your apron.

We can then vote on whose poached egg looks the best and hopefully the winner will share his or her secret and help us all along in our quest for perfect poaching.

And maybe at some point before then I'll have come back to my senses!

my friend's poached egg following Delia's method (in a skillet with 1 inch of water and vinegar, egg slid in from a cup. We agree this looks more like a fried egg than a poached egg. No more Delia.)

Grab a cuppa....

2010-04-19T11:46:00.014+02:00

There's more, but I'll stop there.

Time for a rest...

2010-04-08T17:44:00.003+02:00

Somewhere between....

2010-04-07T15:43:00.017+02:00

...the Princess and the Pea and Oh dear, what have I done!

Our new poufs arrived today in 3 rather large packages.

3 of them because I thought we needed 3. This is bringing back memories of the flour and the toilet paper, isn't it. Seems to be a bit of a trend around here, but honestly, in this case, it seemed logical. 3 kids. 3 poufs.

In hindsight, 1 would probably have been enough.

But never mind, because all 3 are ours for the duration and on the positive side, they seem to have solved the problem of what to do with the kids today. Currently they have been transformed into marvelously large pirate ships for 5 rather loud and giddy children.

At least that postpones the dilemma of where to put the poufs when not in use...

Spring...

2010-04-06T10:55:00.030+02:00

....has finally sprung!

Or so it would seem. After a long, cold, wet winter, we seem to finally be having the first signs of spring. And what better way to take advantage than to spend cleaning and prepping the garden for the coming months.

The hollyhocks are popping (watching them for rust and prepping my polenta just in case).

The lavender is trimmed and ready for sun.

The clementis is climbing,

and the roses are looking rosie!

So after a day of clipping and raking, sweeping and scooping, everything seems ready. The pots too have been cleaned out and are ready for new herbs and flowers.

And what better way to celebrate such a busy day than with a good dinner by the fire.

Something New!

2010-03-31T19:33:00.006+02:00

Now that I've had a bit of time to put things in order and stock a few shelves (though oh so very few), I thought it about time to officially announce the opening of my alter-ego's shop, Atelier & Cie.

As you'll see, it's only in the beginning stages, but at least it's a start.

In fact, I kind of stumbled into my career as an illustrator believe it or not (and don't say you believe it or I'll be sad!) Before that, I always dreamed of doing something with fabric. I've been a fabric-a-holic and seamstress since I took my first home economics class back when I was 12. Of course, at that point I'd signed up because it meant you could cook food and eat it during school hours. This, to a natural born and fairly skinny foodie is bliss. Little did I know what was waiting for me after cooking. All it took was one class and I was hooked on sewing. In fact, at one point in my life, I used to make much of my wardrobe and would secrectly sew black blouses at 3am so my mother wouldn't know. Black because I was in my punk rock phase (yes complete with shaved head though I'll deny it if you try to tell my daughters!). Secret because mum wouldn't allow me to buy any more black clothes. Thus the necessity to stock my wardrobe myself and late at night.

But I digress.....

I really wanted to show you all Atelier & Cie where I hope to find an outlet for my desire to sew fun fabrics. There are only so many cushions and bags one family can handle after all! It's also my place to showcase a lot of one offs, items that won't or can't be repeated, and have a shop that's low stress. It's also a place that allows me to play with my embroidery machine and embellish to my heart's delight with Chichiboulie images. Oh the bliss!

I hope you'll all check it out and let me know what you think!

Signs of Spring

2010-03-24T12:54:00.004+01:00

Ice Cream.

Eaten.

Enjoyed!

Sometimes once you get started...

2010-03-19T12:33:00.004+01:00

...you just can't stop!

The bucket of paint has been put away. Temporarily at least as I do have a few more ideas in mind.

It has been replaced by the sewing machine. And some gorgeous black linen I bought years ago. And some ivory lace I found the other day. A few snips here and a couple of stitches there and suddenly I have a new cushion cover. That I think looks just right on this chair.

Time for a nice cuppa I think!

Yippee! I'm featured!

2010-03-18T08:39:00.008+01:00

And it's always such a pleasure and surprise!

desMerveilles is a new handmade site currently 'in the works' here in France that will focus on the world of handmade goodies for kids. I can't wait to see it when it goes live!

It's the brainchild of Anne-Marie who contacted me a few months ago for my input on her project. As you can imagine, I was all for it!

Although handmade has really taken off in a lot of places, France seems to be lagging behind although different sites and boutiques are constantly popping up now. But still, there is work to be done so I'm really looking forward to this site.

If you're interested and want to have a peek, you can check out the blog here. And oh, did I mention I'm featured?!

If you give a girl a bucket of paint...

2010-03-15T14:21:00.016+01:00

... she'll probably want to paint that old mirror that's been hanging around the house for ages to give it a new life.

Once she's painted the mirror, she'll see how pretty it looks and will want to hang it up. She'll probably ask you for a step stool in order to hang it on the wall. Seeing the step stool will make her think that it too could benefit from a coat of paint so she'll probably paint that too.

Once she's hung the mirror on the wall and painted the step stool, she'll notice how hideous the chest of draws beneath the mirror is and she'll probably want to paint that too. So she'll dip her brush in the bucket of paint again and again and again and soon enough the chest of drawers will have a new coat of paint as well.

Seeing how gorgeous everything looks, she'll start to clean up and do her hair in the new mirror. Doing her hair in the new mirror will make her remember another mirror that's been hanging around the house and might look better with a fresh coat of paint.

She'll dig out that second mirror and will give it a coat of paint as well. Then she'll take a break and check out one of her favourite websites while she waits for the paint to dry. One of her favourite websites will feature a footstool on the front page. The foot stool on the front page will make her think of her own footstool in the sitting room that needs recovering, and why not a new coat of paint on the feet as well.

Thinking of the footstool's feet will make her think of the sofa's feet as well.

And now no piece of furniture in the house is safe from the girl and her bucket of paint!
(round mirror - found object; rectangular mirror - found object; chest of drawers - found object; step stool - ikea 9,99 euros; chair - yard sale find recovered 15 euros)

And yet another....

2010-03-12T09:59:00.007+01:00

....creatively related post - that's 2 in a row!

And just in time for spring, which according to the calendar, is just around the corner. According to the weather, however, we seem to still be in the depths of winter.

So what better than a bit of colour and fun to brighten things up. Two new prints in my shops - one for boys, one for girls of course - and both full of bright prints and shades, so perfect for christenings, birthdays or just adding a splash of colourful fun.

Something Creative ...

2010-03-10T12:48:00.010+01:00

...this way comes.

I promised that I wouldn't post any non-crafty posts after that last one so a promise made is a promise kept.

I feel like I'm only finally coming out of the coldness of winter despite the snow that is currently falling (or just recently fell) in southern France. It would appear that all of France had an unusually snowy winter but us here in the north! But nevertheless, the sun has been shining these past few days and although it is still rather chilly, the tractors are out plowing the fields and the first signs of spring are starting to show. All of this makes me want to use bright and happy colours (okay, I know I kind of always do that, but this time maybe more so) so I was thrilled when I was hired to make a shop banner for a designer here in France.

Corinne of Mademoiselle Romarin contacted me and asked if I could make a baroque-retro-pop type banner for her shop. Hmmm.... not exactly the words one often associates in the same sentence, but I do love a challenge.

She also sent along the photo you see at the top of this post and requested that it be incorporated in the final design.

So with those directives in mind, I got out my secret tools and switched the creative juices line to "on".

After a few dry runs with her, we finally settled on this for a finished design. I have to say, I think she's inspired me with her baroque-retro-pop request. I may have a play around for a few new prints.

Last Non-Crafty-Creative-Decorative-Design Post...

2010-03-05T17:13:00.012+01:00

... at least in this series of non-crafty-creative-decorative-design posts.

Yes, I have gotten a bit distracted from crafting lately, but I think it's just that everyone needs a break from time to time. A break to recharge the batteries while just completely zoning out. In my defense though, I haven't been completely zoning out and the proof is that I can still account for all three of my children. But still, there have been moments. Perhaps it's the time of year, tired of winter and waiting and hoping for spring.

Whatever it is, I promise this shall be my last uncrafty post in this series. And this post is mainly dedicated to my mum who is dying to see Pippa since she's had her hair done.

I have a friend here who months ago swore up and down that we'd been taken for a ride and that in fact Pippa is not, nor will ever be, a true Scottie. Because she just didn't look like one. She looked rather like a black ball of fur. I insisted it was purely because she hadn't been properly groomed, but she still didn't believe me.

Well the proof, as they say, is in the pudding - or in this case, the haircut - and I'm all too eager to proove her Scottiness. Pippa, however, is slightly less willing as you can see by the photos. She tends to follow the camera and thus profile shots are very hard to come by. By the way, she is doubly difficult because truly she's not meant to be sitting on the sofa. And she knows it. But doesn't look bothered at all, does she?

Attempt 1:

Attempt 2:

Attempt 3 (somewhat more successful):

Attempt 4 (finally managed to pry her from her favourite perch, but photographing Scotties in the shawdows is very tricky!):

And just for fun, the ever popular puppy headlock as demonstrated by wee man:

Things are cooking....

2010-03-02T12:15:00.008+01:00

And it's so much more fun!

Okay, it's STILL not quite finished and we're STILL waiting for a few bits and bobs here and there, but for the most part, the kitchen is in, it's done (99%) and it's functioning. Phew!

The result for us is a kitchen that is much more functional (no more climbing up the stepstool to see what's in the oven) and so much brighter. We managed to salvage the antique floor with a few hours of intensive cleaning then sanding, then polishing then protecting. We have upper cupboards now as well as lower and can put so much more away. And we have actual lighting instead of just a hanging naked bulb.

But perhaps my favourite bit is that the oddish brick half-wall that was nothing but a useless nook in it has become a very handy shelving unit for some of our cook books and canisters (alas, I broke one so, such as shame, I'll have to buy new ones.... :D). It took hubby a few hours to get them all together since the nook is very uneven and not square at all, but I'm so so happy with the result. So that along with the perfect antique cupboard we found at a local shop help to tie the modernish kitchen in with the rest of the otherwise antique house.

Ta-dah!

Starting from scratch

2010-02-25T20:46:00.003+01:00

Every day I sit down and look at this and every day I tell myself that today I'll make a new post on my blog.

And yet, every night, I tuck myself in, and somehow another day has gone by without accomplishing that seemingly simple task.

So before I tick off today as another not quite completed day (although a simple blog post isn't really going to complete my day as any of you with children will know... there are far too many things I just never get around to it seems!), I thought I'd at least make an effort.

I do have a lot of things in the works around here at Chichiboulie and at the house. I have a few new prints that I've listed, I'm finally working on my fabric swatches again and hopefully getting the colours right for printing, the kitchen in the house is just about complete (although not quite there) and the snowdrops are coming up in the garden. So actually, I do have quite a lot I could chat about. It's the organisation that's missing. I seemed to have misplaced it somewhere and goodness knows, when you misplace organisation, you're in dire straits indeed!

So while I'm searching for organisation under piles of other things, I thought I'd share with you the next Olympic ski champion - of which country we're still not sure. The US seems to be doing quite well with their team (and hooray to Bode Miller for finally capturing that elusive gold!), but France is well.... best left undiscussed at this point. So perhaps we'll aim for that as our 3 year old refused ski lessons with the children of his age and insisted on skiing on the normal slope with the others. It was quite a day but motherly affection aside, I'm quite impressed!

Another 15 years of training or so and you may be seeing him chasing a medal or two!

Bunny Love

2010-02-04T10:38:00.005+01:00

Here it is finally listed as a printable in my shop and just in time for all your Valentine joy!

(and don't forget the Squiggly Love freebie you can download over there on the right)

It's Out!

2010-02-01T08:52:00.005+01:00

We've been working very diligently away once again to come up with another issue, and today it's finally out.
Come and check out the Spring issue of Modern Handmade Child for all sorts of fun. From yummy recipes to Valentine's tutorials and so much more. And the very best part is of course that it's all FREE!!!

Finally a Freebie for February

2010-01-28T21:52:00.005+01:00

I know, I'm a bit early, but really, this is pretty much a first for me. I'm very rarely early for these kinds of things. More often than not I find the light going on just as the electricity is about to be cut.

I blame it on the kids.

But I digress....

I am a early. A least for the title of my post, it still being January and all. But in reality, I may not actually be so much in advance as I'm pretty sure loads of you out there are already preparing your Valentine's gifts and cards. Myself? Nowhere near it, but do as I say, not as I do... you'll be better off for it. And so I say go over to the freebies section of my blog (yes, that's correct, over there on the right) and download this lovely little Squiggly Love printable stamp. You won't be disappointed. You'll get 6 print outs in all, 2 each in black, red and sepia. Oh, in case you're wondering, they aren't coloured in as in the image, just outlines for you to all enjoy colouring as you wish!

Be sure to grab it now over in the Freebie section (on the right) because once February is over, I'll be moving this little one over to my shop where you'll still be able to get it, but just not for free.

In the meantime...

2010-01-26T14:57:00.005+01:00

Since work has stopped in the kitchen while we wait for various bits and bobs to arrive, I thought I would take time out from the saga to show off a couple of new stamps available in my shop.

Just in time for some love and hugs, first is a new Rosie with her faithful companion Fiona. Of course, Fiona is a wee mouse, but really she could be whatever you want her to be. Our wee man has a faithful donkey he carries everywhere with him (to be honest, he has a family of donkeys that his mother bought in case one ever got lost). He, however insists on referring to it as a "napin" (that's 3-year-old French speak for lapin) or bunny despite it's rather longish tail and other donkey looking features. So if he can do it, so can you. But really, she's a mouse.

For something perhaps a bit more grown-up, though admittedly I don't do grown-up very well at all - I've also added a set of love-ly topiaries. Three of them together for some colouring fun. I do so love topiaries, don't you?

I'm still hoping on finding time to add a few more seasonally inspired images for your stamping pleasure. I have a couple of ideas up my sleeve, but if there is anything you'd like to see, please don't hesitate!

Have fun!

Progress

2010-01-23T15:53:00.012+01:00

... is continually being made and so here are some updates from the last few days. We've gone from bare walls and plaster to new cabinets, a sink that is larger than a teacup (you should have seen our old one), and a dishwasher whose door actually stays closed while running (this is a major improvement over our last one).

As you can see in one of the photos, this new invention in dishwashers was a real attraction around here and even our 3-year-old who had been sick all week took time out from his convalescence to check out the new machine. Of course, this could also quite simply be because anything that is remotely mechanical and has buttons has an incredible magnetic force over him. But thinking back, I do think he has a special affinity for dishwashers.

So here is our kitchen as of today. The worktop has had its first coat of oil protection and we have actually put some dishes away, which of course means we can actually see the top of our dining table, our chest of drawers, our side table, the piano... This of course also means that we can also see the rather thick layer of dust that has settled like a blanket of snow after a blizzard. It's going to take a few weeks of cleaning to get this sorted, based on past experiences.

For now, we are still trudging along with our kitchen renovation. You will of course notice several minor details missing from the above photos. Such as a rather large gaping whole where the cooker should be. And the oven hood. And a few cabinet handles. And some lighting. And....

But I'll stop there. Pippa (that's the dog) has gotten tired of me prattling on and has decided to tuck herself into her crate. I guess I should take that as a sign...

Time for Pause

2010-01-22T08:54:00.007+01:00

Only just a slight pause because the kitchen installing activities must go on.

But you know what they say about all work and no play and so I took a few minutes out to prepare something for Cool Mom Picks Colour Your Own Valentine's Day Card Contest. I didn't think I was actually going to have time to do anything given the chaos currently reigning in the house, but I finally squeezed it in.

The challenge was to create a design that children can color and personalise. Winning designs will be posted for sale on Etsy and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Children's Heart Foundation, which helps children impacted by congenital heart defects, the number one birth defect in the USA - a cause that is definitely worth a moment's pause.

And so without further ado, here is my entry Bunny Love.

The Saga Continues....

2010-01-20T21:55:00.004+01:00

I'm a day behind, sorry to say, but here are Tuesday's photos

Walls are plastered...

But Oh! That floor! We took acid to it. Twice. It did clean a lot of it, but left a lot of marks as well. So then I went tile by tile by tile by tile until the late hours of the night. Rag in one hand, bottle of white vinegar in the other. It's looking better, but still not quite there yet. Looks like more vinegar tomorrow after consultation with my expert.

Work in Progress

2010-01-19T10:53:00.006+01:00

We've been waiting for this and thinking about it for quite some time and the time is finally here! We're getting a new kitchen!

When we told people we were putting in a new kitchen we were met with a lot of "What?!" and "Really? Why? Your kitchen is so charming." And they are right, it was charming. Completely impractical, but 100% charming. You see, the old owner is an antiques dealer and a creative person in his own right. So the old kitchen as you can see is a mix of old furniture put together to create cabinets and drawers.

The idea in itself is fabulous and a good part of me was very sad to see it go. But I have to be honest, as charming as it was, it was definitely not functional. When the owner said he would leave us the old dishwasher with the sale of the house, we didn't exactly jump for joy, but it would get us through we hoped. It was about 20 years old and the door was no longer aligned and needed to be tugged at and pulled before opening and closing each time. It wasn't going to get us through and so when it did finally give out, we purchased a new dishwasher to use before putting in the new kitchen. And that's when we discovered the real reason for his generous offer. In fact, the dishwasher had been installed and the kitchen built around it. No access to disconnect water and drains. None. But I was determined not to be outdown by a shady antiques dealer. And so with a bit of resolve, a dash of determination and something I like to call a Skilsaw, I managed to get through to the hookups and complete the installation.

The dishwasher out, we were still left with the issue of the too-tiny-to-wash-anything antique sink as well as the famous hanging-from-the-ceiling oven. Now I'll admit that I'm not tall, but I don't think my lack of physical stature has anything to do with the issues that this oven presented. No just popping things into the oven or having a quick peek to see if things are done. For every meal or cake or batch of cookies, I was obliged to get out the 2-step stepstool and manoeuver around the hot door. Fabulously practical and safe too!

And so we finally decided it was time to say goodbye and update the kitchen. I know it will be worth it in the end. But for the moment, this is what we look like:

And this is my new kitchen for the next 10 days or so:

I'll be learning to cook with a slow cooker (crockpot to you Americans reading this) and fingers crossed my family will love it.

Any recipes are welcome!

Eloise is back!

2010-01-15T18:44:00.007+01:00

As with most things around here at this point, it's been a while. But at last there are some new Eloise designs at Stamping Bella and just in time for Valentine's Day!

I had such fun drawing these Eloise images as it's been so long since I've been able to play with the fairies. But now there are two new designs for you to play with as well, complete with flags and bunting and ruffled socks, oh my!

Emily has just released them today so you can rush on over and pick them up...

For more Valentine's fun, I'm hoping to have a new downloadable up next week and maybe a couple new digistamps in my shop as well. Stay tuned!

Have fun!

It's been ages...

2010-01-12T14:51:00.003+01:00

...since I've blogged! And I'm completely and totally and utterly ashamed of it. I'll even admit that I think of my poor forgotten blog daily and yet up until today I haven't had the time or energy or both to do anything about it. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that the last couple of months of 2009 were very hectic indeed. A bit too much so for my taste.

And so the first 12 days of 2010 have been spent just trying to get my head back on straight - that is, once I actually found where I'd put it.

But now hopefully things are going to get back on track and this terribly sad Boulie Blog will get back up to speed. Hopefully.

I've got so much to share and so much I want to do that 2010 should be a busy but happy year. And I hope that's true for all of you too (well, maybe minus the frantic busy bit). So here's to wishing for a fruitful 2010 full of loads of colour and fun!