hello.....xx

i hope you've not forgotten me?

liltokyoshoes by danske via flickr

tomorrow i travel home
very tired so very quick update

tokyo was wonderful
very cold
but
the wonderful stationary, books, magazines & clothes
more than made up for that
&
all the starbucks had a *sakura blossom* promotion on
to celebrate the start of the blossom season
(i think?)
and had the prettiest pink drinks & cakes
so so sweet!

last week back in hong kong & china
busy & tiring
but
productive

goodnight
xx

luxe manor....x

in hong kong

this is home for tonight
.....

gorgeous morrocan lanterns & bronze & gold mosaic
make a beautiful reception

rooms with animal print carpet, embroidered armchairs
& trompe l'oeil fireplaces

it's lush

tomorrow we fly to tokyo & i can't wait
for now
goodnight
xx

end of another weekend....x

how was your weekend? mine was quietish, tidyish, a bit of cooking, a bit of reading, snow that came & went.....

have a little case of bloggers block at the moment.....or rather too many lovely things seen, and too much indecision of what to write? will be going away next week, so hope to have lots of sights and sounds to share....

but for now....

a beautiful quote & simply lovely images
flowers from a boy
the cutest, but slightly scary, fairystory
and
the sweetest little birds

enjoy the rest of your weekend

xx

shopping list saturday......bugs & such x

there was an old lady that swallowed a fly

i don't know why she swallowed a fly....perhaps she'll die
nursery rhyme

today's shopping list pays homage to all things bug like

1899 butterfly print by holcroft

4x6 cicada pair by f2images

solstice by leavesandfeathers

dragonfly paperweight by wickedpen

a quiet saturday spent cleaning & looking out recipes to take to hk with me.....we've now got a house to stay in in china so can cook meals which will make such a difference to the trips.....so, searching out lots of lovely pasta & rice recipes....

enjoy the rest of saturday
xx

pssst.....x

want to know a secret?

matinee by abcdimages

xx

pancake day....x

due to lack of a hob this year (surviving with microwave only until the kitchen is refurbished) pancakes are off the menu! such a shame as i loved pancake day as a child....my dad made the best pancakes, and managed to make it such an event....

so, to everyone enjoying pancakes this evening.....

happy pancake day

pancakes from hannah[honey&jam]

that's all for now
xx

alexander mcqueen, take a bow.....x

i did my thesis on the theatrics of catwalk shows, so have always been interested in the spectacular of the shows that happen twice yearly, and i think it was these shows where alexander mcqueen really showed his true creativity.....not simply showing beautiful clothing, but presenting them in the most imaginative ways, far away from the simple runways we'd been used to before. i hate to use the word *genius* as i agree with many that it's too easy to bandy this word around, especially when in the early days of losing great talent, but it's undoutable that his talent transcended merely that of a great fashion designer, and i hope he will be remembered as the truly great artist he was

if you havn't seen the amazing shows he produced, take a few minutes to take a peek at these two...i promise they won't disappoint.....

weird science spring 99

hologram fall 06

xx

r.i.p lee mcqueen....x

such sad sad news about alexander mcqueen

autumn&winter 2006 collection
via style.com

*i'm 40 now, but i want this to be a company that lives way beyond me, and i believe that customers are more important in making that happen than press. when i'm dead, hopefully this house will still be going. on a spaceship. hopping up & down above earth*
alexander mcqueen

xx

fabulous fendi....xx

gorgeously soft shades of white, chalk, moss & apricot

sculptured silhouettes
drapery, pleating & ruching

all images from style.com

it's love
xx

can you believe....xx

...how much young young talent there is out there? at 13 & 14 i was already interested in fashion & being creative, and i suppose i could use the excuse that the internet wasn't there when i was that age, but even still i'm not sure i would have been impressing the world with my photography or views on fashion as some do today. i think it's wonderful that there's outlets such as blogs & flickr, where the creative talent of teenagers can show itself....but also have to admit how envious i am of them! to be, or at least seem to be, that together at that age, blows me away....

of particular mention....

olivia bee
simply beautiful photography

.....

tavi
fashion blogger wunderkind

.....

i'd wish them luck, but somehow don't think they need it

enjoying a quiet sunday night, candles are lit & the roast is cooking
goodnight
xx

paris windows....x

have had a busy but good week at work.....resulting in very very little blogging time....have finally had chance to download some of my paris photos, well the ones from my camera at least....there are more, but still working out how to download from my new phone!

lovely paris shop windows.....

this was such a lovely window
a gorgeous shift wedding dress of lace layered over a pleated chiffon dress
with
a mini me bridesmaid dress to match
x

the prada shop on rue saint honore was divine
stunningly simple beautiful clothing
and am in complete love with the new handbag range for spring10
x

i think this was fendi
well, whoever it was they had great windows...such fun
great icecream colour mopeds & bubble cars with brides falling out of them, over them, into them
x

my saturday is currently quite misty & rainy, but in a way i don't mind that
till tomorrow
xx

je suis malade...xx

not feeling too good....i think i'm missing paris - the only cure to return & live there in a wonderful apartment & spend the weekends browsing the markets and the museums and....

photo

....my friends think it's just a cold

hope to feel better tomorrow & share some stories & photos of paris

happy weekend xx

123 elysees...xx

paris was lovely...weather was so cold, but bright & sunny at the same time...didn't find the time to do half of the things we wanted, but found some gorgeous new shops & saw lots of lovely things...

the hotel we stayed in was one of the nicest i've found in paris....how can you go wrong with pistachio, lavender & candy pink velvet covered sofas & chairs, a huge feather covered lightshade in the lobby, and a path of led lights embedded into black&white tiles and worn wooden flooring...

123 elysees
123 rue de faubourg saint honore
paris

more tomorrow
xx

au revoir...xx

did i mention i'm going to paris?

did i mention how excited i am about going to paris?

windowsillinmonmatre by danske

i am....

....very excited x

cafeaulaitnearperelachaise by danske

i will be back on thursday with tales of shopping, fabulous architecture, & drinking copious amounts of cafe au lait in kerbside cafes

goodnight
xx

i heart......x

....this gorgeous leather chair

(gorgeous) vintage leather armchair from *rose&grey*

a lot

i have a little space created by a chair sold on ebay
sold chair for £210.00
this chair £795.00

oops!

hope your weekend has been a lovely one
xx

vintage lace & chocolate cake x

have spent a wonderful afternoon browsing ebay for lovely vintage crochet doilies, old lace tablecloths and other gorgeous vintage cloths.......buying lovely things for very little money.....perfect! and then after the spending, the baking....very yummy chocolate cake....

top
doily snowflakes & chocolate cupcakes
bottom
memoirs of a geisha

and now.....watching *memoirs of a geisha*

till tomorrow
xx

hurrah.....xx

....i'm going to paris next week.....so, so excited, as i havn't been for such a long time (well, ok, havn't been for a year!) just a short 2 day trip, but determined to cram in as much as possible...

we heart it

i would like to shop at merci, colette & ventilo's, take a trip to laduree for macarons & angelina's for hot chocolate, seek out button & ribbon shops, and there are about a dozen shops from pia's lovely book *paris: made by hand* that i would love to visit.....oh, and cover all the childrenswear shops in paris for work.....

i can't wait

i hope you all have found something to look forward to this week
xx

practice....x

....will i'm sure make my crocheting technique a little better....i think perfection might be aiming a little high, especially as i think i'm still making things up as i go along!

a busy but lovely sunday spent shopping for snowdrop bulbs, picking up paint charts & wallpaper swatches, a little bit of cleaning, tidying and washing, lots of cupcake making & of course a little crocheting....

hope your weekend has been lovely
&
wishing a you a lovely start to the week ahead
xx

shopping list saturday......whiter shade of pale x

the snow has gone, washed away in a deluge of rain.....slightly wistful, the garden looks so much sadder without it's blanket of white, but i know i'll be thankful when i'm on my way to work on monday morning.....

a day spent shopping, & tackling crocheting......one granny square completed, although to call it a square might be stretching the truth a little, but will perservere....

hadn't done a shopping list for a while now, but have found so many lovely things on etsy that i wanted to share them...

top...vintage faux fur coat from persephonevintage
next...antique silver sari rose from hapitat

next...old french advertisement cushion cover from marley&lockyer
bottom...moments in white & lets eat by tartlette

the saturday shopping list was started by charlotte at fancy picnic so pop on over there to take a look at everybody elses lists

hope your weekend will be just lovely

xx

knit 1 purl 1 x

another monday, another blanket of snow....hope you've had a good start to your week....i'm feeling very lucky to have another week on holiday from work (although i am popping in for a quick meeting tomorrow!) and am going to make the most of each day....

vintage knitting needles by emma lamb via flickr

....inspired by all you creative lovelies i have taken up the knitting needles again, lovely new cath kidston knitting needles, currently working their way through a cream cable cushion cover....i had ambitiously wanted to start with a cable throw but thought it might be a little more realistic to start with something a little smaller....

handknit lace accent pillow by frenchpressknits via etsy

....i also want to learn how to crochet, properly, i have a vague recollection of sitting "crocheting" when i was younger, in fact i think i was just repeating the same stitch over & over with no real goal in mind....but i love the granny chic cushion covers & squares from the lovely emma lamb and would love to have a few of my own scattered around the house.....

off now to brave the snowy roads for dinner with friends
xx

a snowy, snuggly sunday x

a lovely sunday spent

listening to lily & nora, baking fruit teabread, and cupcakes, making more lovely cards, buying vintage buttons, ribbons & lace, reading vintage inspirations, and watching the snow still falling in the garden

enjoy the last moments of your weekend
xx

a winter fairytale x

it's snowing still

all is white

&

i stumbled across these beautiful photos

winter fairytale
by loretoidas at *all things beautiful*

whether you have sun or snow i hope your saturday was truly lovely
xx

neat & tidy x

it has been so so cold today....another day tucked up in the house, although supplies (a.k.a chocolate) are running low, so will be venturing out tomorrow....

have had a fun afternoon making cards....have been thinking for a while now of opening my own etsy shop, inspired by all the fun and creativity so many of you show.....oh and the drawfulls of vintage crockery & linens that i'd forgotten were squirrelled away in the house & found whilst cleaning....any tips & advice greatly appreciated?

will leave you today with this delightfully cute suitcase, used to organise stationary & all sorts...

seen at *we heart it*

i can't seem to find the original source for this....if anybody could help?

wishing you a lovely end to the week
xx

snow x

a very belated happy new year to everyone.....i've had a lovely few days away from my laptop, and am now enjoying the deluge of snow that has arrived from the warmth & comfort of home. the supplies are in, the heatings turned up, cup of hot chocolate in hand and plenty to do here....

images from here & here

when there's snow on the ground,
i like to pretend i'm walking on clouds
quote from *animal crossing* by takayuki ikkaku, arisa hosaka & toshihiro kawabata

have a lovely day
xx