le train fantôme

cheers

thank you so much to those of you who visited the shop yesterday, the dolls are getting ready to travel to their new home. it was a busy day and you made it all worthwhile, thank you!

The whole week was actually very busy, I'm glad it's over. On Wednesday we had a mini party for Léon's 4th birthday. The real party will take place next weekend, I feel stressed just thinking about it..

Now I was tagged by the lovely and talented Else from Olivelse

10 years ago 

I had just moved from Paris to London, supposedly to stay 2 or 3 months and finish writing my essay for my MA in English and American literature... I got a job at A.P.C. who were opening their first shop in London, there I met one of my very good friend, through her I met Julian. I decided to stay in England a bit longer and I'm still here!

5 things I am planning to do today

5 things I have done today because now is a bit late in the day: this morning I got a few dolls ready to go, I woke Lucien up and gave him his lunch before picking Léon up from school, we waited for Lucien to wake up from his nap and headed to the post-office, I stared at the pile of ironing to do and turned my back to it, I sent a text to Julian asking him to get some Guinness.

3 of my favourite meals

a Moroccan dish with lamb and aubergine that Julian occasionally cooks, my mum's smoked salmon terrine, cakes and tarts of all sorts (too difficult to choose one)

5 places I have lived in

my hometown in Picardie (North of France), Nancy (East of France), Paris (9th arrondissement near Pigalle), London and currently Hertfordshire, English countryside.

5 things I would do if I was rich

can you buy time?

I am forwarding the tag to whoever feels like doing it..

have a lovely weekend x

light

Lots of light and sunshine last weekend, lots of pottering around the house doing nothing in particular

a friend of mine sent me this link a while ago, petits habits, a lovely site featuring vintage clothes for children.. 
a bit pricey but nice to look at. i particularly like the boys' hats' section

and don't miss  lines and shapes volume two 

have a nice week x

dreaming of sleeping

Around the house today. I'm glad it's Friday, sleep deprivation sums up the week (is Lucien the only 5 months old baby who still wakes up every 2 hours at night?)

I would love to finish a few dolls this weekend so I can update the shop sometime next week. Let's see what I can achieve by Monday.

Have a lovely weekend x

on a rainy day

I feel like doing a bit of spring cleaning around the house as dust is settling in everywhere. I have started tidying up my little sewing corner and my inspiration board and I feel much better already. you can see more pics here .

Last week I got tagged by lovely Marion to reveal some of my 'petits plaisirs' (..little pleasures). I was tagged a few times in the past and failed to play the game (sorry, i'm a bit useless at times..) so here I am:

- I love having a little chat with little Lucien when he wakes up in the morning

- I love spending an hour on the phone with my dear friend talking about nothing in particular

- I love listening to the French radio programs at lunchtime

- I love when Léon and I sing along to our favourite cd while driving around town

Have a lovely Easter!
 

celebrations

the beginning of the new year was a bit hectic. both boys were ill, especially little Lucien who got his first bronchiolitis at only 4 weeks of age. Poor him is still a bit poorly but the worst is gone and so are our fears. I am glad the two hours of sleep a night period is also over..

this blog is now 1 year and four days. I treasure this place a lot and am very happy about all the nice things it brought me in the past year. thank you all for being part of it and taking the time to pop in and leave a comment.

In two days, i have another anniversary to try and remember. 10 years since I moved from France to England. this leaves me a bit speechless as i would never have imagined at the time that I would still be here..

to celebrate I have a little something to give away to one of you. please simply leave a comment and i will draw a winner at the end of the week.

 

last day of the year

Wishing you all a happy and peaceful 2008!

round the corner

We are looking forward to be spending Christmas at home this year.
I made my first Christmas stockings for the occasion.

Sweet Emily from the Black Apple adopted one of my Babette and made my day with her post.

nesting

we're back from France, we had a nice time with my family and ate too much as usual. 
I noticed these napkins in a corner at mum's which became mine when i showed a  vivid interest in them.
My mum bought them when she was a student in the sixties, i love the simplicity of the design, colour and material..

I think i am starting to get into a nesting mood.
I couldn't stop tidying up  when we came back home yesterday and in the flow of things managed to finally tackle the inspiration board I had on my list for ever.
I used a canvas board, covered it with simple brown linen, and stapled it at the back. no fuss and great satisfaction. now it just needs to be covered with inspirational images!

hmm and yes we lost the semi final against England, I think it was the first time I watched a rugby game in its entirety. I learned the rules while watching thanks to my sister's boyfriend who surprised me when he mentioned about reading my blog.. ( salut Pierre A.!)

la cuisine

Where has the week gone? and the week before? I have no recollection of last week's events, if any, but I know I have spent some time painting the kitchen this week.
A few months after resolving structural issues it is finally looking new and shiny. A new floor is to be installed sometime next month and i just need to find the right colour to paint the walls surrounding the windows at the back.

before

after

So I am enjoying spending time in the kitchen now and tried a new recipe for a chocolate cake that I am going to use for Léon's birthday cake. The latter is turning 3 on Monday - again, where have the years gone?

We're off for to Julian's family in Wales this weekend to celebrate the much awaited birthday. And when i'm back next Wednesday i'll be putting these new Eddy rabbits for sale

have a lovely weekend!

back to normal

dear.. the last seven days have been pretty chaotic, my friends and daughters left yesterday, we all had a great time but what an exhausting task to entertain excited children who never seem tired at the end of a busy day..

I've got so much to catch up in the blog world, what have I missed?

I thought I'll just show the bag I made for Kelly for our swap since I haven't made anything else since!
and here is what our new shelving looks like in our living room

i am so relieved those records are finally stored away

it doesn't look like we've got that many, but we do! and I didn't do the colour coordinated arrangement by the way, Julian did, they're all his after all..