PRISCILLA MAE et al

THE PLACES YOU DISCOVER WHEN ......

2012-02-01T15:02:00.000-05:00

The weather has been incredible in Toronto and I decided to leave all my
little projects at home and take a walk in the great outdoors. Instead of heading off
to all the swanky shops of my city, I went the other direction and meandered
around Toronto's Korean Village. I haven't spent a lot of time exploring
this part of Toronto and at times, I felt I was on holiday in South Korea.

Signs of restaurants, stores and services were all written in Korean
and me without my camera!!!!

I came across Hanji, a beautiful papery shop with the most intriguing
and lovely cards and journals in it's window. Then I peered through the window
to get a closer look and in the back of the shop was a wall with racks of
gorgeous wrapping papers. I had to go in.

Not only did I leave my camera at home but also my wallet. I had ten dollars
in my pocket to treat myself to a piece of pie and a cup of tea
to reward my soul for exercising.

I found these cute "vintage-like" French postcards in a basket on a shelf.
So sweet.

These are the kind of cards I love attaching to a present for a good friend ....
someone who might collect little things like this. I have an art wall over my desk
in my studio and these are the kinds of things I love to look at.

Do you remember playing with paper dolls when you were little?
I loved designing clothes for my paper dolls and would spend hours
drawing, coloring and cutting out my creations. When I was seven,
I dreamed of being a designer and my business name was going
to be "Sally Southern." I made a book of my creations called
"Clothing by Sally Southern." When I was moving to Toronto last year,
I found the book my Mother had saved for me.

So, I didn't have my pie and tea but I do have these little gems.
And I learned a valuable lesson .... never leave the house without your camera.

I will definitely be returning to Hanji and taking pictures
of some of their beautiful merchandise.

Hanji

619 Bloor Street West

Toronto, ON

LOVING MY NEW FLATIRON DINING TABLE

2012-01-27T14:31:00.000-05:00

I have been dreaming about dining tables for the past 9 months.
Since I've moved into my new home with it's large eat-in kitchen,
I have felt the calling for a long rectangle shape dining table.
Two weeks ago I found one that I liked at a price that made it more attractive.

This flat iron table had gone on sale at Restoration Hardware and I beelined
to our store in Toronto for the third time just to make sure
that I was really in love with it.

The color of the table top is wonderfully warm brown and gray and I love
how these colors enhance my old silver and bronze accessories. The flatiron legs
of the table give it substance without the heaviness or bulk.
This table makes my heart skip a little beat.

I love the way the table top is so distressed ... so much texture.
One of my friends warned me that a rough texture might catch someone's
silk blouse but my dinners are pretty casual and I don't suspect anyone
of my friends will be wearing silk to one of my dinners. Besides, I say,
table cloths and placemats usually are part of the table decor.

The best thing about this table are that the colors are exactly the colors of
the church next door which is the reason I bought this house in the first place.
It's my way of bringing a little bit of Parisian living to my home in Toronto.

HOW DO YOU SPEND "ME TIME"?

2012-01-23T14:10:00.000-05:00

I need "me time".

For as long as I can remember, I have always needed time to myself to rejuvenate

before I went back into the world. Actually, I have never had difficulty spending time alone.

If I have had a busy schedule spending time with lots of people then it becomes

more imperative that I find a little time just for me.

My favorite day of the week to be with myself are Sundays.

I love Sundays. It's one of those days that just screams

"You don't have to do anything kind of a day," and usually, I don't.

So on those "me" days, I grab my favorite books, usually decor with lots of pictures,

a glass of wine or tea depending on the time of the day and light lots of candles.

Candles to me are imperative. They set the tone for the moment ...

they warm up the space and make the time feel a little bit sacred for me.

Some people head to their bathtub filled with warm scented water while others might

go to their super comfy bedroom to nestle under a quilt or two and read a great novel.

I love my soft white sofa where I can stretch out or just curl up like a cat

to read all my books and magazines.

As you may know, I am a magazine junkie and I save them for a couple of years.

Every time I thumb through a magazine, I see something new that I've missed.

I also keep a dream book where I paste favorite pictures of things I want to do,

clothing I love, favorite home decor ideas and DIY projects. I also love reading

cook books and being inspired to try something new for my next meal.

Some Sundays, I just curl up and watch some great "chick flicks" on the tube.

And, sometimes I just nap.

What do you do on your special "me times"?

Do you love being outside taking a walk with yourself and a camera?

Or, going to a great movie on your own?

How about a lovely lunch on your own writing in your journal?

Or a fun jog through a park?

Tell us. It may be just the inspiration we all need

to honor ourselves with a little "Me Time."

LIVING THE DREAM IN FLORENCE, ITALY

2012-01-19T00:29:00.002-05:00

One of our favorite cities on our trip to Italy in October was to Firenze or Florence.
What a beautiful city with it's gorgeous Tuscan light reflecting off the waters of the
Arno and with the architecture that simply takes your breathe away.
No wonder Florence is the city of art.

The highlight of our trip to Florence was meeting two fellow Canadians who are
now making this city their home. Laura and Frank have lived in Florence for
a number of years and I don't think we will ever see them return to North America.
But who could blame them?

Both won coveted positions in a worldwide search for artistic talent to be a part
of an atelier where they could continue studying their disciplines.
Laura is a painter and her husband Frank is a sculptor. They live in a most
lovely apartment on one of my favorite streets in Florence.
What a thrill it was for me to see inside a home of someone who actually lives
in a city you visit. It changes your whole perspective of that place.

Very close to Frank and Laura's apartment is the Pont Vecchio and this woman
is a daily fixture on this famous bridge. This is the photo I took of her when I was there.
Both Laura and Frank love to paint or sculpt the people of Florence.

This is Laura's painting of the lady on the bridge in her red Crocs . It's hard to see in
this photograph but the colors of this painting are so rich and lovely.

This is one of my favorite paintings of Laura's. The old priest walking along

with his lovely black leather bag ... probably a Gucci.

Here is Frank working on his sculpture of the same figure.

One of Laura's paintings of a wonderful Tuscan man.....

And Frank's interpretation of that same man.

My best recommendation is to visit Laura and Frank's blog of their life in Florence.
Now only will you see their gorgeous art but also the art being created.
Their blog is also a wonderful glimpse into this beautiful city and the life
they live there. Hasn't that always been a dream of yours?
To live in another country even for a short time would be heaven on earth.
Frank and Laura are living their dream.

Where would you live in the world for even 6 months
if you were given the opportunity?

A SHABBY CHIC GROUPIE

2012-01-15T10:33:00.001-05:00

A Shabby Chic Groupie? That's me.

I have always been a big fan of Rachel Ashwell and her Shabby Chic empire.

If I was in New York City or Santa Monica, I always found the time

to visit her shop and just drool (figuratively) over the lovely merchandise.

And of course, I have all her books .... everyone of them.

This is the newest of the her best selling books ...

"Shabby Chic Inspirations and Beautiful Spaces."

It was one of my favorite Christmas presents and I have already spent hours

sitting on my Shabby Chic inspired sofa

happily thumbing through this newest obsession.

One of my favorite chapters in Rachel's newest book is called "Timeworn Elegance."

In this particular book, she features wonderful spaces

of people she has met along the way. This chapter features the lovely home

of Sera Hersham Loftus who is a stylist and interior designer living in London.

Ms. Loftus could come do my home anytime.

I love the French dressing screens with the lilac drapes softly hanging behind them.

And the lacy wood panels on the sunken tub and shutters in the

window add such beautiful texture to the space.

Look at the light fixture over the tub.

This is the luscious living room. Of course, I love the sofa.

I've always had a white sofa. It was one of Rachel Ashwell's most brilliant

design aspect of her Shabby Chic decor. And Sera's use of ecru lace

over the curtains was my favorite detail in this room.

The beautiful petticoats and filmy dresses

as artwork on the wall is another gorgeous touch.

Sera's bedroom.
Cutting the legs off her bed is something I would never have

thought of but it's brilliant. You would still have the headboard.

A bed looks cozier on the floor with all the Shabby Chic linens.

Could I cut the legs off my sleigh bed?

How easy would it be to hang curtains from the tensioned wires over the bed?

Such great inspiration!

Love this room. The floor, the great old dining table with the French chairs,

the buckets of beautiful wild flowers ......

And the linen curtains hanging under the sink hiding all the dishes.

And what about the mirrors over the sink?
Great touch.

I love winter. It's the time I can sit with a cup of tea and just leaf

through my favorite decor books and dream and plan and wonder

how I can do something similar in my own home.

And Rachel Ashwell is my go-to author for all my decor dreams.

OH MY ..... DELICIOUS PIES

2012-01-12T09:51:00.000-05:00

It has been two weeks since the beginning of the New Year and I have been working hard at eating healthier meals

and taking walks as part of my resolution agenda.

On one of my walks yesterday, I headed up Bathurst

Street in Toronto and I knew I would be passing this cute

little café on the way. I was only going to have a quick peek but then my resolve broke down when I saw

all the goodies through the window.

"I've been good" I told myself. "How much kale and quinoa can you eat?'' I said aloud. "Wouldn't a petite treat do my soul good?" I enquired.

So, in I went with my camera in hand to look more

carefully at the array of pies at Madeleine's.

You see, I have a small problem with pies.

They are my absolute most favorite dessert in the world

and here in this little shop was my personal Nirvana.

It was a cute little shop too. Warm brick walls,

a painted tin ceiling and antique furniture

to showcase the plates of goodies all around.

Madeleine's was started over 8 years ago by Kyla who was trained in the culinary arts in France. She made her

first pie at 6 years old and never stopped making them.

Now, the business is a family affair with her Mom

creating the most delicious pie crusts in the world

and her brother Dustin greeting their customers

in the most warm and friendly manner.

There are not only delicious fruit pies, cream pies,

meat pies, and quiches on the menu of Madeleine's.

There are also macaroons, brownies, cupcakes and more
plus a lunch menu if you decide you want to have
something a little more substantial before you work
your way through the sweet part of it's offerings.

I treated myself to a piece of Key Lime pie. It's one

of my favs and this pie wins hands down as one

of the best examples of this Southern icon that

I've ever eaten. The lime zest in the custard not only

made the pie lovely but was a subtle zing to the taste.

And the pie crust with a touch of coconut in the

pastry was delicious. No whipped cream on top

like you see throughout the South

to mask the goodness. It was just me and the pie.

I left a few crumbs. My Mom always said that a young

lady should leave a little something on her plate.

I ain't no young lady but I do listen to my Mom.

I decided that another of my New Year's resolutions

is to treat myself to something special once a week.

Next week I am going to have the sour cherry pie, and the week after that, I will have the bourbon chocolate pie

and after that, the coconut cream pie and after that......

If you are in Toronto, drop by Madeleine's,

say hello to Dustin and

treat yourself to heaven in a pie crust.

You deserve it.

Madeline's

1087 Bathurst Street
Toronto, ON

A WEEKEND ON MY OWN

2012-01-06T17:21:00.000-05:00

Every so often, I need a weekend to myself for

a little rejuvenation.

It just seems especially appropriate to do this at times

when I am going through major changes in my life,

or if I have had a particularly stressful time or like now ...

a New Year.

On Saturday morning, I will grab a cup of coffee and sit down in a comfy chair with several blank pieces of paper and just start writing about how I would like this new year to look.

I will examine areas in my life such as:

Personal growth and awareness

Family

My home

Friends

Creative endeavors

Travel - Paris in the winter???

Spiritual

Learning something new ... always.

Volunteering and giving back.

Financial

New wild and crazy dreams to add to my bucket list.

I will also cook some healthy and comforting foods this weekend. I found this recipe for Kale and Couscous Salad

on the Poppytalk blog and tried it earlier this week.

I loved it so much that I made another

large batch of it last night and now, I can't wait for dinner.

It goes especially well with a glass or two of white wine!

Kale and Couscous Salad
1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 bunch of kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons finely minced onions

2 tablespoons tahini
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1 garlic clove, finely minced
juice of 1 small lemon
1/2 teaspoon sirracha (or your favorite hot sauce)
pinch salt

1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

1. In a small pot, cook the couscous according to package directions.

2. While the couscous is cooking, wash kale throughly and pat dry. Remove the thick, bitter stems and slice kale into thin ribbons. Cut again crosswise once or twice so you don't have large lengths of kale. Pour oil and vinegar over top and massage this into the kale using your hands, until all the kale is well-coated and shiny. Add cranberries and onions into the kale and toss.

3. Prepare the dressing by stirring together the remaining ingredients (except the almonds) - you may need to add a bit more water if you feel the tahini is seizing up, this is normal tahini behaviour, so don't worry. Stir until the dressing is creamy and smooth.

4. Fluff couscous when ready and divide the couscous into 4 bowls. Top with the kale mixture and then pour over some of the dressing. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Makes 4 servings.

(I changed the recipe a bit. I used Ocean Spray dried blueberries instead of cranberries and whole almonds
instead of sliced ones because I wanted more of a crunch.) Kale is higher in protein than most meats or so they say.
So, if you are being this healthy, you can also have
a piece of cake for dessert.

HAVE A LOVELY WEEKEND.

2011 ....WHAT A YEAR!

2012-01-03T15:21:00.000-05:00

Every year at this time, I spend time thinking

about the new year but, before I move on,

I always revisit the old year to view all the

events that occurred that year. Reviewing the old year

gave me the confidence to face this new year.

Some years are good, some are not so good but

most years are a combination of the two.

I sold my old country home after living there for 20 years.

What memories I left behind.

It was the home where I raised my son and

built my studio for Priscilla Mae et al.

I renovated this home to fit that particular

time in my life but it was now time to move on.

Packing and downsizing my life after 20 years

was very difficult. The new home I bought was

half the size of this old home, so I had to get rid of

so much of my previous life.

All of you who have made moves in your life know
that packing is a nightmare. I had two months
to clear out most of my previous life and then

pack up for my new adventure.

I moved into a old Victorian home in Toronto

very close to downtown which was a must for me.

If I was going to live in a city,

than I wanted to live downtown.

Renovations were going to be done on this new house

but as all of you know who have lived through renos,

nothing goes according to a schedule. The company

building my new kitchen went bankrupt. All stopped
until I was able to find another kitchen manufacturer.
Raccoons were in the attic and because of these
urban critters, part of my roof had to be rebuilt.
Walls came down to open up the small spaces and
the plaster dust made it imperative that everything
stayed packed in boxes which were everywhere.
I had exactly one room (a bedroom) to live in for

6 weeks and I thought I was going to go mad.

But one day, I got my house back. All the construction

guys were gone and I could finally unpack all the

boxes and make my new house a home.

When I look back on that horrible three months,

I accomplished a lot and completely changed

my life from a country gal to city woman and

all with a torn knee ligament.

When late spring finally arrived in Toronto,

I painted my fence and set up my

terrace where I could sit and enjoy the beautiful music coming from my neighborhood church.

I spent the rest of the year reacquainting myself with

Toronto and all the great things this wonderful city

has to offer. I reconnected with old friends

and met new ones. My knee finally healed

and I was able to walk anywhere

with my camera and enjoy my new life.

And most important, I now only live about 6 blocks
away from my son and I'm able to see him more often.

And at end the year, I reconnected with an

old love and together in

October, we traveled to Paris, Nice, Rome,

Florence and Tuscany.

There were lots of major changes in my life this year and

although the transition was difficult and emotional at times,

the year turned out to be a very happy one indeed.

Now, I am ready to consider how I want 2012 to look.

I don't always have control over what
my life will look like

but

I can dream and I plan to start writing down

some of those dreams this week.

I'm ready for 2012.

PARIS AT CHRISTMAS - One Last Look

2011-12-24T11:35:00.001-05:00

Les Deux Magots

my favorite anytime of the year.

Shopping near Galleries Lafayette

The Gorgeous Windows

Chanel

Window Gazing at Laduree

Merry Christmas Everyone.

Photos taken by Meg Mitchell.

LAST MINUTE XMAS DECOR IDEAS

2011-12-21T11:08:00.000-05:00

If any of you are like me, you may still be in the throes of decorating your abode for the big day. The blogs have

been absolutely filled with great Christmas decor ideas.

Here are my last inspirations for Christmas 2011.

Lovely easy ideas ... right up my alley.

tumblr.com

A shabby chic Christmas tree with beautiful vintage

bulbs. Love the colors of vintage bulbs and all

their lovely shapes. So simple, so pretty.

velvetstrawberries.typepad.com

And to carry the theme just a bit further, use the rest

of your vintage bulbs on a wreath. I found boxes of

old bulbs years ago at a Goodwill shop but I would

doubt if you would find them now. I guess flea markets

are the next best place to seek out these treasures.

curioussofa.blogspot.com

How about gorgeous paper wrapped Christmas trees?

The paper has been glued on a paper cone and then

put on top of a silver candlestick. Notice all the trims

and jewelry glued on to give the tree a

little bling and shine.

poppytalk.blogspot.com

Family and friends coming for Christmas? What a

great way towel come everyone with a wreath made

from old photos.

Love the sepia color of old pictures, don't you?

thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com

And lastly, glasses, jars, votives are covered with scrap book papers or one could even use lace remnants. Whatever idea you choose to cover the glass, the candlelight through the designs is absolutely beautiful and so Christmas Eve.

It's never too late for that one little touch in your home or even a possible Christmas present for someone you love.

DON'T FORGET THE HOMELESS

2011-12-18T21:41:00.000-05:00

Lee Jeffries started out as a sports photographer and one day he met a homeless woman who changed his life

and view of the world. Now he takes black and white photographs of a part of our society that is so often

forgotten and overlooked ... the homeless.

His photos are of both men and women but I have

included just some of the faces of homeless women.

It is a very difficult plight for any person but a homeless woman has an even more treacherous life on the street.

The photographs are incredibly moving and shows us the reality that even during this most merry of holidays,

times are not so happy for many people in our society.

How often this month have we passed a Salvation Army person ringing their bell to encourage passersby to share something with people who need our help ... especially,

these difficult economic times. Being grateful for all

that we have in our lives is one way to celebrate

this holiday but also to remember and share with

those in need is an even more

important way to show our gratitude.

Have a merry and a most grateful Christmas.

THE OLDEST BOOKSTORE IN PARIS

2011-12-15T16:22:00.005-05:00

For all the years that I have visited Paris, I've never

been to Shakespeare and Company bookstore. It's not because I hadn't tried. I had difficulty finding it.

In October, I decided I would not leave this beautiful city without a visit to this very famous bookstore.

So armed with a map this time, which I never travel with,

I found it easily. Made me rethink my

practice of wandering aimlessly in search of a place

and not asking directions.

Could I have been a man in a previous life?
There is was .... right across the Notre Dame,
south of the Seine in the 5th arrondissement
just like the map showed.
I thought it was still on rue de l'Odeon.

The store is quite small but so delightful.

I felt like I had taken a step back in time.

The original Shakespeare Bookstore was established on November 17, 1919 by Sylvia Beach. It was located at 12, rue de l'Odeon and was the gathering place of a number of prominent authors such as Ezra Pound, Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce. That store was closed during World War II but was reopened in the 1950's at it's present location ...

37, rue de la Bucherie.

The inside of the little shop is like being in vintage book heaven. There are new and used English books, rare books and a great French travel section.

What a fun and unique shop. Notice the old ceiling beams.

I will be showing you more pictures of this famous Parisian landmark in my next post.

Woody Allen used Shakespeare and Company bookstore

in his most recent film, "Midnight in Paris." Do you

remember the scene?

The American born owner of Shakespeare and Company died on Wednesday in his apartment above the store. George Whitman was 98 years old.

CHRISTMAS IN PARIS

2011-12-12T15:37:00.002-05:00

I was in Paris last year right before the Christmas holidays. Paris at Christmas is probably my absolute most favorite

time. The city is beautiful at any time of the year

but at Christmas, it is absolutely beautiful.

I wish I was there now.

Next year ... definitely.

The lights on the Champs Elysees are magical.

At one end of this famous street is the Arc de Triomphe

and at the other end, La Place de la Concorde,

with it's large ferris wheel.

And as always, Laduree is as pretty on the outside

as all their beautiful pastries on the inside.

All along the Champs Elysees is the outside Christmas

market with lots of fun gifts but most importantly,

gorgeous food and drink to sample up and

down the boulevard. Warm wine, beautiful French

cheeses and lots of Christmas goodies are there

to entice all the Parisian Christmas shoppers.

There was just a little bit of snow to add that cozy

Christmas feeling. Trees were being sold along

St Germain des Pres, and although they were small

in stature .... they were just the right size for a

typical Parisian apartment.

Of course, all the bistros were regaled in Christmas finery. This is one of Christian Constant's restaurants along rue

St. Dominique in the 7th arrondissement.

Fabulous food.

And of course, the Queen of Paris ... the Eiffel Tower.

This special attraction makes every day in Paris

seem like Christmas.

All photos taken by Meg Mitchell.

HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL XMAS PARTY

2011-12-09T14:18:00.000-05:00

Planning a holiday party??

Here are a few hints on making

your gathering a wild success.

Get Martha to come in and give your abode

a quick spit and shine.

Decorate the house within an inch of your life.

Serve some delicious food in a creative way.

Be selective in your guest list.

Put on your new sexy black dress, a little jungle red lipstick

and have the time of your life.

And, hang this sign on your door the next day.

Have a fun holiday weekend.

Photos taken from Pinterest.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS ....

2011-12-06T17:52:00.000-05:00

... a new dining table to put into my new

urban country kitchen.

There's something about a dining table that just

pulls me into a photo when I see it in a magazine

or on a blog. I want to sit there. I don't care if there's

one other person, 10 people or just me.

Does a table represent the food, or the place

where we spend time with friends or family? Or where we did our homework in the kitchen?

What other happy memories happen around a table?

My dream is for a long table. Lots of elbow room.

More space to put big bowls of food.

Or, if I am working on a project, there would be plenty of table space to spread out my work

now that I don't have my old studio anymore.

I've never had a new table. My tables have all been passed down from either my Mother or my Grandmother and I still have those tables and will find a new place

in my home for them.

One table is an old glass and wrought iron garden table

which will find a place on my back patio in the Spring

and the other is an oval table that folds

down into a lovely sofa table.

Four of my chairs are similar to the ones above but I want

to mix in some other different chairs to provide a little

more interest. I have my eye on a couple of French

chairs that would be fun additions to my new table.

I found this table at Restoration Hardware. The style feels very airy and there seems to be lots of room for long legs.

The trestles are based on old sewing machine legs which is a nice detail but, the best part is the zinc table top which is "oh so French." The table is just a little reminder of the beautiful old zinc bars in Paris. It would be a wonderful place to have my café au lait and croissant in the morning or at night, I could imagine myself sitting in a little bistro

in the 7eme arrondissement.

All I want for Christmas is this zinc table!

Photos in order: Tim Young Interiors; el Mueble (3);

Dreamhouse; Restoration Hardware

A COLORFUL WALK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

2011-12-02T23:02:00.000-05:00

I live in a colorful neighborhood. I didn't realize how

bright and cheerful it was until I took my photography

course which taught me how to slow down and

look for subjects I might have madly passed by.

This lovely little lilac home immediately caught my eye

as the front yard was decorated for Christmas. Small white lights followed the branches in the tree and I just love the large colorful bulbs hanging and blowing in the breeze.

Because our weather has been warmer than usual,

Christmas decorations reside next to plants still

enjoying the Fall colors. The pinks and greens

are so lovely together.

Every time I walk downtown, I pass this beautiful

woman sculpture, only on this walk, I stopped to

appreciate her with my camera.

And what's not to like about this glitzy Michael Kors'

purse in his new store along Bloor Street.

And as I wound my way back home, I was captured

by the setting sun having it's way reflecting off the

buildings along the street.

It pays to slow down. You might realize what a

colorful neighborhood you live in.

DIY CHRISTMAS IDEAS

2011-11-30T15:52:00.002-05:00

The time is fast approaching and the holiday season is just starting to creep into my psyche. I've been madly

looking at other's blogs and Pinterest for ideas

that even I may be capable of pulling together.

I always love the rustic simple branch with hand made ornaments and little white lights.

Or the wreath made out of small pine cones hanging over a mantle or on a distressed old door like it was featured

in House and Home Magazine.

This is brilliant. I could never grow tomatoes on my

tomato plant cages but I could wrap white lights

around the frame and add some pine greenery.

It would be beautiful for the rest of the winter

so the spirit of the holidays will remain

for several months.

I used pomegranates as a table decoration this past

weekend for American Thanksgiving and they

would be absolutely lovely on a fireplace mantle

as in the picture above. A lovely big hit of red.

This idea is brilliant for a Christmas dinner. The wreath

uses rosemary sprigs with olives and what looks like to be small cherry tomatoes. Or, it could surround a dish

on a buffet table.

All photos taken from Pinterest.

HAND PAINTED PILLOWS FOR CHRISTMAS

2011-11-24T20:56:00.000-05:00

Now that everyone is starting to think about Christmas, I have put a Special Holiday Price on a number of my hand painted pillows in my Etsy shop. Here are two of the lovely ladies that might make a unique gift for an
important woman in your life ... or it could be you!!

MIDLIFE MADONNA PILLOW:

Meet Lola. Like many of us women of a certain age, Lola considers herself a Midlife Madonna. She is thoroughly enjoying this special time in her life and loves the freedom that she has so rightfully has earned.

Lola has a new mindset now that she's a Midlife Madonna. She appreciates her life and celebrates each new day. The quote on the back of this pillow says ....

"Youth is a gift ...

Age is an art."

This 8" X 8" hand painted pillow comes with an acrylic stand so Lola can sit in your boudoir or "your room of your own" and remind you growing old is not for sissies.

Visit Lola at my Etsy website.

LES FEMMES DE PARIS PILLOW

Bonjour Manon. This hand painted pillow would be a wonderful gift for that special woman in your life who is just mad about Paris.

This 8" X 8" pillow comes with it's own acrylic stand so Manon can sit on your desk or bedroom side table. Manon has always been one of my favorite ladies that I paint and this is the last one left in the original French Country colors.

See Manon in my Etsy shop.

On the back of the Manon pillow is part of a very famous song about Paris.

"I love Paris every moment,

Every moment of the year

I love Paris, why oh why

Do I love Paris ...

Because my love is near."

(C. Porter)

For these pillows and others,

please visit my Etsy shop.

www.priscillamae@etsy.com

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a lovely weekend.

SHOPPING IN PARIS ... LE BON MARCHE

2011-11-22T08:45:00.000-05:00

Le Bon Marché ...

is one of Paris' most lovely shopping venues

and one that I always visit each time I go to Paris.

It's on the Left Bank and is the only large department
store on that side of the Seine.

Yes, there are the Lafayette Galleries and Le Printemps

stores on the Right Bank but if you want a more personal shopping experience, you must try Le Bon Marché.

Now I do look at all the beautiful merchandise

when I visit a store but when I visit Le Bon Marché,

it's the architecture that takes my breathe away.

I'm a tall woman who has difficulty finding clothes

that fit me in Paris. My French sisters are so

trim and petite and they have euros and I have dollars

which also makes shopping a little too expensive,

although that may be changing now.....
But architecture can ... it "fits" everyone.

The design of the building was conceived by Gustave Eiffel, the same man who brought us the Eiffel Tower.

The store dates back to the 1850's.

The style of the building is Art Nouveau and is evident

in the beautiful details around the interior of the store.

These beautiful stairs with the lovely railings

just took my breathe away.

The furniture floor is where I spent most of my time

when I visited the store on this trip. How beautiful

were the new furniture designs when they were

shown in this lovely space. The modern light fixture

stands out in this spacious area.

When you visit Le Bon Marché, you feel like you dropped
into a very unique museum. The store was featuring the
top furniture designers of the past with displays of
their famous signature pieces.

Eames, Aalto, Saarinen, Jacobsen and Starck

were just a few of the "stars" I saw that day.

Every little corner of the furniture department

had a surprise. At the manager's desk, I spotted

these 3 lovely judies in the corner covered with modern patterned fabric. Or notice the large abstract

painting behind the desk.
Touches of incredible art were everywhere.

Like this wonderful sculpture just outside the

book department.

The stationery department with it's colorful displays

just pop against the backdrop of the

gorgeous ceiling of the store.

You know the best part of visiting Le Bon Marché?

The other two large department stores on the Right Bank

are constantly filled to the rafters with shoppers

and many, many tourists. This beautiful smaller

store feels like a department store just for the Parisians

and when you visit, you have a special window
into the life of this remarkable city and it's people.

So next time in Paris, take the time to visit
Le Bon Marché and then cross the street
to visit it's unbelievable food emporium.
"La Grande Epicerie De Paris" is another must-see
in Paris, especially if you are a gourmet.

Your mouth will drop at the expanse of this

establishment and your wallet will empty

but what a way to go.

Le Bon Marché

24, rue de Sevres

7th arrondissement

Metro: Line 10, Sevres-Babylon

SIGHTINGS AROUND THE VATICAN

2011-11-19T20:08:00.002-05:00

Love this picture. These are Sisters from outside Rome busily gathering bags of souvenirs to take home. Not forgetting that Rome, and the Vatican in particular, is the head office of the Catholic Church, I could not believe the number of priests and nuns we saw in Rome. Close to the Vatican, large facilities have been set up to accommodate all the visiting
church officials from all over the world.

Our apartment was very close to the Vatican and all the restaurants in that vicinity were "blessed" with many priests enjoying the good Italian evening meals. However, we
never saw nuns having dinner out in restaurants at night. Hmmmmmmmm......

This is the controversial statue of Pope John Paul II that is

near the Terminal. Many Italians think the statue is an eyesore and doesn't reflect the spirit of John Paul.

This is by far the most popular woman in Rome

and probably, the world.

If you arrive early in the morning, it's a perfect time to

see the Vatican without the hordes of tourists waiting in

long lines to get into the Sistine Chapel.

Photos by M. Mitchell

A STUDY IN BLUE & WHITE

2011-11-16T22:54:00.001-05:00

Meg Mitchell

While walking around Toronto with my camera, I found this wonderful display of blue and white china in an antiques shop. I love the different patterns and various colors of blue on these pieces. Luckily, the sun was not a factor as I shot this photograph through the glass window.

This display reminded me so much of the paintings and other beautiful handiwork of Kaffe Fassett.

Kaffe Fassett
This is a painting by Kaffe Fassett featuring a study of blue and white china, ginger jars and urns. From his paintings, he creates needlepoint canvases, mosaic studies, gorgeous knitwear and the most beautiful quilts in the world.

Many years ago, Kaffe Fassett came to Toronto and gave a slide presentation of his work. I was a Kaffe groupie. To listen to this incredible artist talk about his art and inspirations and then to see large scale pictures of his work was a thrill. I have all his books and I still look through them on occasion when I need a little escape. This weekend sounds like a perfect time to sit down with a glass of wine and dream Kaffe style. I haven't done that in a while.....

Are any of you familiar with Kaffe Fassett?

MY FIRST PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE

2011-11-15T09:32:00.006-05:00

Last night, at my photography 101 course, we talked

about composition. I wish I had taken this course

before I headed off to France and Italy. I learned

so much last night and it has changed

how I will think about each photo I take.

No more just point and shoot. I'm going to try to take

my time and compose the shot.

I came home and went through all my photographs

from my trip critiquing what I had just learned.

I then tried using these composition elements

and cropped some of my pictures to try to satisfy

some of the important attributes of a good photo.

I took this photo outside the Uffizi Museum in

Florence, Italy. I was sitting on a wall watching

the mimes interact with the tourists and I captured

this particular woman performer dressed like

an Italian statue looking at a passing tourist.

Wonder what she is thinking?

If any of you are in the Toronto area,

check out GTA Photography Classes.

HOMES IN A TUSCAN HILL TOWN

2011-11-11T21:00:00.001-05:00

The Tuscan hills are gorgeous and the small medieval

towns that sit atop these high elevations are as

breathtaking as the views they overlook.

One of our favorite Tuscan hill towns was a very unique village named Pienza. As we met people along our trip,

this special little town was always mentioned

as a must-see. All the hill towns are surrounded

by a wall but beyond the wall are exceptional

views of the countryside below.

The doors of most of these homes were natural stained wood as opposed to Provence with their faded painted doors. Shutters were a different matter ... some were stained matching their doors and some shutters were painted.

The textures of the old stone walls and cobblestone roads

set off the beautiful flowers and olive trees

planted in front of many of the homes.

Many of the homes had a statue or a painting of

the Madonna over the door.

Can you see the small window over the door

with the painted Virgin Mary on this house?

This pretty home was a small inn. The entire time

I spent in the Tuscan hills, I kept thinking of the movie

"Under The Tuscan Sun" starring Diane Lane.

Which one of these homes would I have bought and

started a new life as Diane did in the movie?

Probably any one of them. If you haven't seen this

movie, it might be just the perfect diversion

this weekend.

There were always a number of lovely cats walking

through the streets of these beautiful towns. I wonder

if they appreciated the views

from their home town?

Photos taken by Meg Mitchell

RALPH LAUREN PARIS - FALL 2011

2011-11-08T20:28:00.000-05:00

Every time I go to Paris, I always stop by the Ralph Lauren mansion on St Germain des Pres just to see what is new for the season. It's a beautifully renovated "grand home into store" and I love how the rooms are set up so that you feel like you have dropped in to Ralph's own maison with some pretty spectacular

models just hanging around.

Don't you have models standing around on all your

French Country furniture?

Or leaning against your priceless Chinese urn?

Careful Manon.

I'm sure that this display case has been there during my

last 4 visits but this was the first time I noticed it.

Just too much to see I guess. This display is

vintage Ralph Lauren.

Would love to have the mannequin head ...

wouldn't you?

She's always here in this same place overlooking

the courtyard of the mansion. In the summer,

you would find a great Lauren restaurant

that specializes in yummy hamburgers.

You can take the lovely vintage wrought iron elevator

or the creamy marble steps and have a peek

at the fun art along the staircase.

Which one is the customer? That's easy!

The Ralph Lauren window is a wonderful reflection

on the St Germain des Pres.

If you get to Paris, you must stop by

and see Paris Ralph Lauren style.

All photos taken by Meg Mitchell

PONTE VECCHIO - CROSSING THE ARNO

2011-11-06T10:27:00.000-05:00

One of the most famous and lovely bridges in Europe

is the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy.

There is nothing more beautiful than standing

along the banks of the Arno and seeing how this

beautiful bridge shines in the glorious

light of the Tuscan sun.

My favorite time was dusk seeing the reflection of the buildings and the bridge in the Arno river.

Ponte Vecchio means "old bridge." It is an excellent example of a Medieval Stone arch bridge from the 13th century that spans the two banks of the Arno in the center of Florence.

The bridge was rebuilt after a massive flood in 1345.

There have always been shops on the Ponte Vecchio.

The shops were first set up for butchers and

later tanners and then later for jewellers.

Today there are still the jewellers and gold shops

along with art and souvenir sellers.

It is a favorite tourist stop.

And like all cities, there are a few characters that can

be seen everyday. This is one of my favorite.

According to an artist friend of mine who lives

in Florence, this lady is on the Ponte Vecchio

everyday looking for a "donation or two"

from the tourists and she always wears

her bright red crocs.

My friend has captured a most wonderful image

of her in one of her paintings

of street people of Florence.

There are always a couple of polizia on the bridge

making sure all is well and I'm sure,

keeping an eye on all the gold shops along the bridge.

This is a view from the Ponte Vecchio looking up the Arno river. Twenty years ago, I visited Florence

after biking across northern Italy, I stayed in a

pensione that had a terrace that overlooked the Arno,

just two blocks away from the bridge.

To sit on the terrace drinking a glass of wine

and enjoying some cured meats and cheese

from the region will be a memory for me for a life time.

When I went back to find the pensione this trip,

it had been renovated into a high end hotel.

That's life

but it was still nice to revisit this beautiful sight.

All photos by Meg Mitchell

BEAUTIFUL BRIDGES OF PARIS

2011-11-01T21:53:00.001-04:00

I love Paris .... you all know that.

And one of my favorite sights in the City of Lights

are all the beautiful bridges that take you

from the left bank to the right.

Or on a lovely day like the one below,

to stand in the middle of one of the bridges

and just enjoy the River Seine.

There's something about the Seine

that just brings a smile to my face.

And not matter on which bridge you stand,

there is always a beautiful sight to behold.

Layers of bridges, all different. Everyone has a

favorite bridge or maybe a favorite bridge

for a certain time of the day.

The beautiful handrail of the bridge that crosses

the Seine to Notre Dame is where I spent a

lovely hour enjoying the warm sun

and this most famous cathedral.

The Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge and one of my favorites. It's lovely to sit on the stone benches in the curves of the bridge with a special person in your life.

Or the bridge where lovers attach a padlock

to the railings with their names in permanent ink

written on the lock. I did that on this trip. It is a way

of leaving a little piece of yourself in Paris

for posterity. Tony and I had to go back

the next day to see if we could remember

where we put our lock.

One of the best ways to see the bridges is to ride the

Bateau Mouche down the Seine. It's a wonderful

way to get to know the bridges up close and personal.

The boats run all day and late into the night and

it's a great perspective on Paris

during the day or at night.

Photos by Meg Mitchell.

LUNCH TIME IN ITALY & FRANCE

2011-10-31T08:39:00.000-04:00

The one thing in common about lunch time in France

and Italy is that you can be sure that at least

several options will include beautiful cheeses

and luscious hams in as many different ways

as possible. Sandwiches, salads, quiches,

pastas and pizzas are a few of your lunch choices.

Also the great thing about both countries is their love

of food and the abundance of small shops that feature

their particular specialties. Lunch times at these

small shops always consist of long lines of

anxious customers waiting to buy something

to eat so that they can head to a park

and enjoy their lunch in the warm sun.

This little cheese shop is one of my favorites and

it is located on rue Cler which is the famous market

street in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.

These beautiful soft goat cheeses are as good to eat

as they are to look at and the prices are very reasonable.

In the warmer months, the store adds a huge

cheese counter outside the store to serve their

customers even better. It's a small shop and

on the weekends, it can become quite crowded

as the Parisians shop for their Sunday dinners.

And the butcher shops in Italy are as plentiful as

the cheese shops in Paris. The pig reigns supreme

in this foodie country and in most restaurants,

that would include wild boar on the menus.

I didn't have the nerve to try that but I did love

all the prosciuttos and cured meats.

In both Italy and France, cheeses and cured meats

are served for breakfast as well.

This little shop was in Florence and we arrived early before the lunch crowd arrived at 1:00. In both countries but especially Italy, most businesses close from about 1-3 p.m.

so that all can enjoy their lunch. Gas stations, grocery stores and other essential services have signs on their doors that they will be returning after lunch.

But ... they do stay open later in the evening.

Now, can you imagine a business closing for lunch in

North America? It's rather nice I think.

In both Italy and France, pre-made sandwiches await the lunch crowd. All kinds of sandwiches and if you prefer a hot sandwich, they are plopped into a panini machine.

I always am fascinated by the number of Parisians

who walk during lunchtime and eating their

long sandwiches. I'm intrigued how one can walk

and eat at the same time but I guess I'm from the

George Bush Sr.'s era where chewing gum and

walking at the same time was a challenge.

Also contrary to popular belief, French women eat ....

I couldn't believe how many Paris girls were merrily chomping away at these foot long sandwiches.

Maybe the trick is to keep walking when eating???

This shop was in a small hill town in Tuscany and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a fully cooked pig

sitting in their case. The lady would just hack off

a piece of the pork and make the sandwiches

right in front of you.

Driving through Tuscany, I saw a number of pigs in

the farms and you wouldn't believe the size of them.

They looked like small hippos but they certainly

looked happier wallowing in the pig pen area

than our pigs that are more manufactured.

Natural food is a given in both countries.

There are cheese shops like this throughout Tuscany.

I love the little rounds of hard cheeses and

who doesn't love parmesan cheese?

This was our attempt at lunch in the park in Paris.

What a beautiful day it was with Les Invalides in the background. We had such fun shopping

for all the cheeses, salads, fruits, a baguette

and of course, a bottle of wine.

The celery root remoulade

which is in the foreground was so delicious.

We enjoyed quite an offering of delicious food and

I was so excited to taste everything that I forgot

to take the picture. This is what was left,

sorry to say.

But, it was a great lunch!

MORE 'MERCI'

2011-10-28T20:51:00.000-04:00

As promised, more photos from Paris' hippest

concept shop in the 3rd arrondissement.

Color everywhere as accents

This was one of my favorite rooms .... French linen.

A whole roomful of beautiful French linen.

Be still my heart.

A huge soft sculpture in the middle of the store.

So much to see. So many things to dream about.

Actually, 'merci' reminded me a lot of an updated 'Anthropology.' They too used really interesting items in their decor. Wonderful place for inspiration.

The sculpture you see over the table are Christmas

vintage silver balls in various sizes. The table is an

old zinc table top which I just love.

They even had a great room filled with books and

great places to sit to further enjoy this store.

And just because 'merci' thought of everything, they have

a lovely little coffee shop with yummy pastries to

satisfy that other part of you.

What an incredibly fun experience!

All photos taken by Meg Mitchell.

MERCI BEAUCOUP 'MERCI'

2011-10-27T08:44:00.002-04:00

I arrived home from my travels yesterday afternoon ... dead tired, totally wiped and couldn't say hello to my very own bed soon enough. That worked great until about 3 a.m. when I was wide awake, ready to hit the streets of

Paris, Rome and Florence again.

Paris is still my all time favorite place. There's just something about that city.

On my list of things to see this time in Paris was the newest Parisian concept store "merci."

Actually, it was on the top of my list so I decided to give you a little tour of this very neat magasin in the ultra hip 3rd arrondissement. Just walk through the store with me as I "click" my way through this awesome 3 story loft store.

Welcome to "merci." The little red car awaits you

as you enter the main store.

Wonderful open spaces lure you into the different

parts of the store. Is it home decor you are looking for?

Or fashion?

Or garden ornaments? Or a book?

Or possibly un cafe creme?

Very cool displays of extraordinary items for your home

and entertainment needs await your eyes.

Great funky furniture that might inspire you if you have the talent to try some DIY with some of your own or found furniture. If not, lots to choose from for your own

happening home. I loved the collage chair made of

wonderfully bright and warm material.

Could I do that?

I might give it try when I get bored

during the winter months.

Loved the mixture of furniture styles and especially
the chandelier .... The decor looks so doable and yet so modern. The home decor magazines in Paris
were picking up this

style throughout their pages.

It felt like I was walking through someone's loft space. See the gray chairs??? I have a very similar group of chairs at home that I have striped and ready for a similar finish. Just love the look.

The beauty of getting out of your home is the exposure to new ideas and inspirations that you can use

to refreshen your own space.

I have more pictures of 'merci' that I will share with you in my next post.

All pictures taken by Meg Mitchell except for the first picture of 'merci."

PROBLEM WITH PHOTOS

2011-10-09T02:53:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone.

I've had problems with posting photos of my trip. They haven't been loading correctly into my partner's laptop, so I haven't been able to show you where I've been. I am taking lots of pictures and will post them when I get home.

Paris was it's usual wonderfulness. Gads, I love that city. It always feels so much like I'm home when I'm there.

Because I have visited so many times,

it's so easy to fall in step with life there.

After Paris, we took the TGV to Nice and that is a very "nice" city. The colors of the old part of the city are breath taking and the main plaza is such a delight. We enjoyed lots of

fresh fish and seafood and great wine from the area.

Then off to St. Paul de Vence for a three day holiday in a beautiful Provence mas. Our room had a balcony that overlooked an old vineyard. The highlight was having the most spectacular lunch at the Columbe D'Or. It's a famous restaurant that sits on the mountain with spectacular views and an art collection that would rival most museums.

All the famous French painters would eat at the

restaurant and pay their bills with their art.

We are now in Rome. I have mixed feelings about this city.

It is beautiful, there is no debate about that.

BUT, there are sooooooooooooooo many tourists.

And this is not high season. The cruise ships

have unloaded the masses. It's hard to enjoy the city

when it's so crowded.

The really great part of the holiday has been the weather. It has been warm and sunny everyday of the trip. It's cooling

off at night right now which is lovely as well.

Today we are off to find the flea markets of Rome.

Maybe all the tourists will be at mass with the Pope.

MY IDEAL PARISIAN HOME

2011-09-23T07:31:00.000-04:00

elisebrown.tumblr.com

This would be it ... my ideal Parisian home.

Each morning waking up to this beautiful iron lace structure would start my heart a flutter. And then, at night, watching the tower's twinkling lights at the top of each hour

would be like Christmas every day.

See you soon my beautiful icon.

MY NEW ROLE MODEL

2011-09-20T20:57:00.000-04:00

Yesterday as I was waiting for the construction guys to finish repainting the front of my home, I turned on the television and came across the new "Anderson Cooper Talk Show." I normally would have continued to channel surf but Anderson's special guest was his Mom, Gloria Vanderbilt.

Gloria is over 90 years of age and I thought I was looking at a 50-60 year old woman. I was captured by the youth, vitality and strength of Ms. Vanderbilt. Anderson describes his Mom as a person incredibly in the moment and of this time.

She continually evolves.

What an incredible woman and thus, my new role model.

Gloria lives in New York City in a two bedroom apartment that she constantly redecorates depending on her most recent inspiration. A woman after my own heart. Anderson Cooper in this picture is a life size Kodak print that she keeps around her apartment because she says, "He's so busy that I don't see him very often but this way I have him here all the time."

The portrait behind Anderson and Gloria

is her beautiful mother.

Gloria Vanderbilt says "Decorating is autobiography."

As her life continues to change, so does her decor.

Furniture is constantly being moved to new locations

in the apartment and paint colors

are changed with new inspirations.

The treasures in her apartment include her paintings, photographs and family heirlooms. I loved that her space reflects her life as opposed to so many homes that resemble model suites with no personality. When you walk into

Gloria's apartment, you get to know

the person who lives there.

Isn't that what a home should reflect?

These are the tiles in her bathroom that she painted to honor all the special people in her life. When she tires of a certain decor, she merrily changes it. Her home reflects her

dynamic style and ideas and to her ...

it's only paint.

Her studio is on the top floor of her apartment and is

filled with many treasures and her paintings.

Check out the wallpaper. It's a collage of old prints. Isn't it wonderful? I did the same thing many years ago when I papered a bathroom with roses from wallpaper, magazines, wrapping paper and hand painted samples. It took me many weeks to complete the collage on all four walls of the bathroom but it was so much fun to see all the patterns, colors and uniqueness of the space.

I felt like I was inside a big rosy quilt.

Gloria Vanderbilt is exactly the kind of woman I want to be like not only now but definitely when I'm 94 years old.

What an inspiration!

MY DIY KITCHEN CENTER ISLAND

2011-09-18T18:28:00.000-04:00

My kitchen is starting to come together. It's one of my potential favorite rooms in my new home. I have lived in this house for just over 6 months and it's taken me that long to figure out how I want to live in this home and what it should look like. I am still doing little projects that will bring me closer to that goal

and this is one of them.

This is my old table that I turned into a kitchen island.

This old primitive pine table is one I used in my studio in my old home. It was my display table and where I wrapped up my pillow ladies to send them

around the world to my customers.

My new home is half the square footage of my old home and although I sold lots of furniture, I still had some favorite pieces that I kept but had to find new ways to use them, and hopefully, save me some money in the process.

So, to make the table higher, I added castors to the legs and an old pine shelf under the table to hold my stash of wine or vegetables and fruit. One key element to remember which I didn't .... be sure to lock the wheels. Men love leaning

against tables for some reason and one friend and the

"island" rolled across the kitchen floor.

I added a towel bar to the side of the table to hold a tea towel or two. My kitchen is neater because of this addition.

I love this table being my center island. It gives some warmth to my mostly modern kitchen and was an element from a very happy past in my old home. I am happy that I was able to combine a little bit of country in my new city home.

ONE WEEK UNTIL PARIS

2011-09-16T17:47:00.000-04:00

My trip is just around the corner. The time has just flown by. Is it because I'm older and my life is passing me by so much faster these days? I'm just so glad that I will be heading back to my most favorite city in the world and having my roast chicken, frites, café au lait, freshly baked baquettes, and chocolate éclairs. Oh my goodness ... be still my heart. But,

of course, if I continue to eat like this in Paris,

my heart will be still!!???

We will spend 4 days in Paris, then off to Nice and Grasse and from there to Rome for a week. After pretending I'm Julia Roberts in "Eat, Pray, Love", we will take the train to Tuscany, Venice, Verona and then back to Paris for a final 3 days

before flying back to Toronto.

This has been a dream of a lifetime. I can't believe it will be happening so soon. I will be taking lots of photos and

posting them on my blog.

All of you will be with me.

photo by Meg Mitchell

DIY ANTHROPOLOGIE STYLE

2011-09-13T13:50:00.000-04:00

There is nothing I enjoy doing more than stopping by

my local Anthropologie store to see what's new retail wise
but also to enjoy their unique ways of designing
lovely vignettes to sell their products.
What a treat for the eye and fuel for the imagination!

Love the way they overlap the pictures on their art wall

and the grass green paint is certainly a bold splash of color.

Or how they color block with books in

their glass door hutch.

How about the idea of using grates for a creative
chandelier? I love how the light pours out of the holes but
I might have painted my grates a creamy white to go

with my own home decor.

Ethnic prints and colors are everywhere but they look

lovely on this vintage metal chair.

See the pillar of flowers in front of their window?

The pillar is simply circles of white papers with a tiny hole in the middle and a small knot to hold them in place on a long string. The effect is lovely and it might be a fun project for that long Canadian winter that is sitting on my doorstep.

Or they could be done in colors like the store did in
another window. Looks like a scene from the
bottom of the sea.

What really makes them beautiful is when

a little breeze makes them dance.

Julia Cameron in "The Artists Way" always suggests that you take yourself out for an artist's date every week where you can be inspired by design, color and outstanding ideas. It can be in an art gallery, a store, a walk in the woods or do as I do ...

a trip to Anthropologie.

BEDLAM AT THE TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL

2011-09-11T12:12:00.000-04:00

The Toronto International Film Festival has come again to Toronto for it's annual celebration of films and all those people involved in making the movies we love to see. Everywhere in town, there are

images of everything related to films.

In the Holt Renfrew window is a mannequin celebrating Madonna in her most famous role.

With my friend Bonita, we waited for Bono outside of the Hazelton Hotel. He is well known for stopping and interacting with his fans and this time was no exception. Luckily we were able to find a bench to stand on to catch this shot of Bono as he was leaving for a film event.

But at the same time as Bono was leaving, Helen Mirren walked into the lobby of the hotel. Do you see the woman in the white dress with the red sweater? That's her.

The streets are filled with lots of activity. Yoga classes

are in the park along the busy streets.

Major companies giving free samples of their products. We had Coca Cola, Vodka drinks,

chocolate coffee beans from McDonalds and candies from Lindt. One could gather a few extra pounds just walking down the street. I bet you don't see the celebs

tasting these wares.

The weather is absolutely beautiful and so are all the people noshing in the famous restaurants with outdoor terraces. It's great fun just sitting and watching all the jet set people who have come to Toronto for the festival.

Unbelievable fashions.

And everywhere you go ..... crowds. Crowds waiting for George, Angelina and Brad. They are all here. The Hollywood Who's Who have come to Toronto for the

next 10 days to celebrate the movies.

What a fun time to be living in Toronto.

UNIQUE WAYS OF "HANGING" AROUND

2011-09-06T14:48:00.000-04:00

Nate Berkus talks about personalizing our living space and having our homes reflect who we are and what we love. The concept of taking our lovely treasures and memories out of drawers or in boxes and displaying them really appeals to me.

This group of DIY ideas are simple ways of

"hanging" the things you love.

Finding old silver plate trays that you can hang on a kitchen wall make wonderful magnetic boards to highlight your

kid's artwork or even those wonderful postcards

from your trip this summer to Paris and Rome.

Or ...

bullnose clips hung on a wall for mail, important documents or tear sheets from your favorite home decor magazines.

It's a great way to organize a home office as well.

Laurathoughts@blogspot.com

I love this idea. How about putting a frame around a magnetic board to hang up all your make up containers? They certainly would be colorful and such a easy way to find exactly what eye shadow you want to use.

This is an all time favorite ... hanging your jewelry on a painted cork board that is encased in a beautiful shabby chic ornate frame. I pin my brooches on a judie like the one to the left of the picture.

Very girly.

bhg.com

Another really great idea. Hanging your purses on a rod in your closet by using shower curtain hooks ........ Some of the best ideas are the most simple.

Do you have any great ideas you use around

your home that you might share with us?

We would love to hear them?

CREATIVE LISA ... A DIY DIVA

2011-08-31T20:08:00.000-04:00

About one year ago, a lovely Southern lady visited my Etsy shop and bought a whole group of my French women pillows. As we got to know each other, a fast friendship developed with our compatible interests centering on home decor and Paris. Lisa and I exchanged emails talking about how we were decorating our respective homes and I thought it would be great fun to show you some of the wonderful and creative ideas that Lisa has incorporated into her own home.

This is Lisa's dining area with the walls of warm yellow and lots of natural light from her French doors. The slip covered dining chairs were made by Lisa and are so so French.

The sideboard was found in a vintage store. Lisa bought the appliques from an Etsy shop and added them to the doors and drawers for eye appeal. The sideboard was then painted, antiqued and distressed. What an incredible job she did. Love the wrought iron plate racks sitting on the top of the sideboard.

The black and white tile floor are peel and stick tiles from Lowes and still looks good after many years. Lisa is thinking of changing the tiles so we will have to wait
to see how this new floor idea develops.

This is another slip cover made from linen and then Lisa added a lovely linen rosette on the back of the chair

for some visual eye candy. Lovely.

This is Lisa's guest room and the area in her home where she can add some of her favorite girly touches. Her walls were ivory and she added a wash of taupe over the ivory to warm up the space. On the walls in little frames, Lisa has added pretty brooches to give a little sparkle to the space. The brooches were bought at an Etsy store, Yali Paz. Lots of crystals were added to the chandelier hanging over the bed.

Wouldn't you love to go visit Lisa and

wake up in this very feminine room?

More hand sewn slip covers, upholstered headboard and curtains all have Lisa's touch. She is an avid reader of Victoria Magazine and she certainly has captured the

design essence of this favorite magazine.

Notice my little French women pillows in her shelving unit?

I see Fifi, Angelique and the French Hat lady

which is a shaped pillow. It's fun for me to see

some of my own creations in a friend's space.

This handmade tassel was inspired by a project in a Tracey Porter book. The pretty little Victorian lady is a vintage salt shaker with a tassel and braid added to the bottom. What a great idea! Lisa said that she had bought the salt and pepper shakers years ago and was waiting to be inspired

on how she might use them.

What a success!

Congratulations Lisa!

Your home decor and decorating DIY skills are an

inspiration and thank you so much

for sharing them with us.

BEAUTIFUL WOMEN - ADVANCED STYLE

2011-08-25T15:25:00.000-04:00

I have a number of favorite blogs that I read for inspiration. One of the most creative blogs I read is called Advanced Style.

This blog was created by Ari Seth Cohen. Ari roams the streets of New York City looking for stylish and creative older folks. He offers proof that the wise and silver-haired set

have a personal style that advances with age.

The above picture is Alice Carey who is a writer from NYC. You can't go wrong with great white shirt at any age and the bangles are a great accessory.

When Ari asked this lady about her own fashion style,

she said ....

"I'm old enough to be comfortable with my own style

and not subject to the whims of the designers."

This gorgeous woman is 99 years young and looks

smashing in her studded Hermes belt.

These two fun and stylish ladies are Jean and Valerie. Wouldn't you love to have these great women as friends? Lunching with these ladies would really be fun.

Ari calls these two women

"The Idiosyncratic Fashionistas."

Lynn Dell is 78 years young and she is truly

"The Countess of Glamour."

This beautiful woman is absolutely delicious in her gorgeous suit and hat topped off with her luscious red lips.

The color of lipstick sets off her ensemble.

My favorite .... could be Amelia Earhart. Love her jacket and her overall style. I like that she looks so interesting

and someone you might like to know.

This blog and all it's wonderfully stylish "advanced women" are excellent examples of what we can become. Age has no limit on our ability to look smashing. It starts with our own self esteem and not losing the courage to

keep on living and trying new things.

These beautiful ladies are my inspiration and

thank you Ari Seth Cohen

for introducing us to them all.

Spend the weekend reading Ari's blog. He gives you real reasons to celebrate your next birthday.

DE - LIGHT-FUL

2011-08-22T20:10:00.000-04:00

mockabeenews

Lights can make a room and what wonderful choices we have. These would be perfect over my kitchen island.

fre-ya.tumblr.com

Wouldn't these hanging crystals sparkle beautifully

at night over dinner? No matter what kind of chef

you might be, any food would look so much better

under this chandelier.

fabulousfifi.typepad.com

And here's an old favorite chucked full of beautiful crystals.

fullbloomcottage.blogspot.com

The lights in this picture were secondary for me ....

it's the four shabby chic doors in the background

that had me at hello.

dollarstorecrafts.com

And this pearly light can be made from strings of pearls you could find at a dollar or local craft store. How pretty would this be hanging in your backyard in a lovely seating area?

De-light-ful.

A WEEKEND SMILE

2011-08-20T10:36:00.000-04:00

FALL, RALPH LAUREN AND PARIS

2011-08-16T16:52:00.000-04:00

For the past two years when I have gone to Paris, I always plan a trip to the beautiful Ralph Lauren mansion on Boulevard St. Germain.

This Fall, I will not only visit this lovely store, but I also plan to have lunch at his gorgeous restaurant within the mansion and have a big juicy hamburger Lauren style. Visit a past blog post to see pictures of this stylish eatery.

This is my favorite room within the Ralph Lauren Parisian mansion of gorgeous clothes. You feel as if you have walked into a Parisian chi-chi maison filled with

"the beautiful people."

I have always like the style of Ralph Lauren ... maybe it's the American girl in me. His clothing is classy and timeless and easy to combine with pieces from more

adventurous designers.

These five photos are glimpses from the Ralph Lauren's 2011 Fall Runway Show. Lots of accents of red, faux fur and

great 40's style hats.

I will miss Summer but I am certainly getting quite anxious for Fall. And if I win the lottery, I will definitely buy more than just one piece of clothing from this exceptional designer.

PAINT YOUR FLOORS THIS WEEKEND

2011-08-12T11:06:00.000-04:00

Nate Berkus

Over the years, I have painted my floors with large blue and white diamonds or stained the floors and then added a bouquet of roses here and there around the room. I love painted floors and with a little bit of patience and

not a lot of money, you can have a truly

personalized accent in your home.

This is one of my favorite rooms as seen on the Nate Berkus website. This hand painted rug would be fairly easy ... you are just following the boards. The room is so bright and happy and the painted ceiling is just the icing on this beautiful cake.

Nate Berkus

I painted diamond shapes in my family room and kitchen

in my old home. The shapes were smaller than this pattern and without the outline.

Kitchens are a great place to try painted floors.

Nate Berkus

Wouldn't a painted rug in a living room be a lot more

fun than a big old carpet? And ... less expensive?

The Stir Cafemom

I have a feeling this painted floor with a glimmer would

make a room look larger. The color of the aqua floor

in this white bathroom looks clean and summery.

Baby Step Cottage

This is a simple way to paint a floor.

Would be much easier if you could follow the

wood planks of the floor ...

but it does highlight the lovely textures of the floor.

liotta studios

Painting this pattern on a floor would drive me insane. I don't have that much patience but I do like the idea of the

painted rug under the island.

Have a lovely weekend.
It's beautiful here in Toronto and finally some coolness
in the air. I am actually going out for a walk now
and head down to the area in our city with

lots of vintage shops.

MORE LOVELY ART WALLS

2011-08-09T20:18:00.000-04:00

Tumblr

My 23 year old son is home with me this week. Seems that he has the mumps and must be quarantined until Friday. Jeb had his mumps shot when he was young but apparently, the health groups now say that kids should have had

two shots but doctors didn't realize it at the time.

A large group of young kids are getting mumps, although

Jeb's bout has been milder than if he had had no shots at all. Even I had to get a booster since I was the primary care giver.

So, with my renewed role of being a full time Mom and nurse, I haven't had the time to take lots of pictures for my blog this week. Nevertheless, I do have some more great pictures of more art walls that might be of interest to you.

It's such a great way to personalize your home

with a wall of your favorite art,

photos or whatever is your fancy.

Elle Decor

Architectural Digest

I will be showing you my Paris art wall in my bedroom this week. I've finished painting the frames I wanted white and now I'm finding a few more smaller pictures I collected from my trips to my favorite City of Lights.

LOVELY ART WALLS

2011-08-05T20:22:00.000-04:00

Part of the fun of weekends is just taking the time to dream.

This week, I have been working on my art walls in my home. I have a painted woman art wall in my living room and a Parisian art wall in my bedroom. It's so important to surround yourself with the things you love

in your home and that's what I am trying to do.

This is a lovely mirror wall that I found on pinterest.

via pinterest

And another way to show off your photos

with old painted frames.

via pinterest

All white frames. I did this for my Parisian art wall.

The pictures just pop against a white wall.

A wall of black and white photos ... a nice touch.

A wonderful way to keep you from being bored when you are walking up and down your stairs.

Do you have art walls in your home?

Do you dream of having an art wall?

MANNEQUINS ESCAPE AT HOLT RENFREW

2011-08-04T15:22:00.001-04:00

From my last post ....

the story continues at Holt Renfrew in Toronto.

The mannequins have escaped from the windows and are now following footsteps into the store.

A detective never quits until he gets his woman,

especially a fashionable woman.

Have a great weekend and I hope you have some fun

window shopping as well.

And, if you are in Toronto, sleuth your way downtown to Bloor and visit some fashionable mannequins.