Let Them Eat Cupcakes

Moving

2011-10-31T05:33:00.000-07:00

I'm moving my blog over to Tumblr.

www.christopher-cupcakes.tumblr.com

Hope you will join me over there!

Happy Bastille Day

2011-07-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

Kitchen Before

2011-07-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

I can't believe what a bad blogger I've been. I'm hoping to get back to posting regularly. Here are some shots of the kitchen in our new house. This is the horrible before shots of course. The after pics are to come soon. The renovation on the kitchen is complete, we just have to paint and move everything back in to the room, hang up pictures etc.

These show the original butler's pantry which we decided to leave alone. It is exactly how it was when the house was built in 1933. We are going to make this our food pantry, and kind of utility sink/area.

The next picture is the left side of the main wall, which leads from the pantry, the next is the center wall with two windows, and the last is the right side of the kitchen. The kitchen is pretty big but the other facing wall that is not shown in the pictures is along the main walkthrough, and holds the basement door, so it was not a usable space.

The new kitchen still kept everything open so it looks way bigger than I thought. Hope to get the After pics up soon.

You Can Never Go Wrong with Hermes

2011-02-15T05:11:00.001-08:00

Kitchen Inspiration

2011-01-31T06:19:00.000-08:00

So we put in an offer on our second choice house (we were outbid on our first choice house) and it was accepted. The house has been renovated and everything is perfect to our needs and wants, except for one...the Kitchen!

It looks like they started renovations and then stopped. It has beautifully done tiled floors and backsplash, but the counters are like cheaply made from the 1960s or something! After spending some time online and at different kitchen remodeling centers we have settled on doing WHITE cabinets! Oh my!

I never thought in a million years we would want to do a WHITE kitchen. But after seeing some inspiration kitchens we are totally in love with the idea. Everyone is doing maple or cherry looking cabinets, dark granite countertops and stainless steel appliances anyway. We want the feel of the house to be more French Country with a bit of Parisian chic/luxury thrown in.

Of course we have to have an island, and I want the feel of the kitchen to be kind of farmhouse chic, so I'm totally loving the idea of the island being more like a farmhouse work table like the photo below...

Or even this one! Plus I like the idea of being able to move the table around if needed in order to open the kitchen more. Plus you could store some really cute looking baskets, etc on the bottom for extra storage as well as design.

I do want the cabinets to have some kind of decor or design element that makes it look a little more luxorious, like these below. We plan on doing a light grantie countertop in some shade of gray. Our plan is to also have some cabinets be glass front with a lead design like these below.

We've found a great place in our area that can design the kitchen and add some great textural elements to the cabinets that we had not even considered. The end of the cabinets that cover the fridge for instance, will be a small cabinet that opens up to reveal a cork board and a dry erase board that will be great for Honey Do Lists, Grocery Lists, Messages and more. It will take up the whole length of the fridge, so plenty of space.

I think we are coming close to the look and feel of the pictures above and below.

I defintely want the island to have enough room on one side for stools. I love to sit and watch the hubby cook!

This was not a project we wanted to spend the money on, or to take on, but now that we have been doing some inspirational shopping for a new kitchen I'm excited for the project! Another room to decorate. Yay!!

Before and After pictuers will be coming soon for all rooms. We dont close to mid April, so I have plenty of time to continue my window shopping!

Living Room

2011-01-12T06:45:00.000-08:00

So we are putting in an offer on a home, and starting to think about how we want to set up rooms and decorated. The living room is actually VERY similar to the one above with the green walls. I love the way the seating is arranged around the fireplace, and we want to do something similar. I even love the color green of the walls. I think we might do something VERY similar to this set up.

I can't wait to get in and start decorating and designing our living spaces.

New Year's Resolutions?

2011-01-03T13:43:00.000-08:00

So it's that time of the year, when we start to look forward and make/start our New Year's Resolutions!

I've decided to set goals for myself instead of Resolutions. Most of them I have already put into action before 2010 even ended. I felt getting started on my goals for 2011 a little early, would help me ease into the New Year!

So here we go!! My goals for 2011 ( I have even set some long term goals that pass 2011, but let's just focus on this year shall we?):

* I will improve and continue my running by completing two Half Marathons (and a few 5Ks and 10Ks)

*I will run my first FULL Marathon, the Washington DC Marine Corps Marathon in October.

*I will drink more healthy things for my body such as water! (It's been nine months since we quit drinking alcohol completely!!)

*I will go back to being a Vegetarian, and focus on a mostly Vegan and Raw diet

*I will pick back up my Yoga practice, and practice different types of Yoga regularly (at least 3 times a week)

* I will research and move into a position to start training for my Yoga Instructor certification

*Quit my job as a Makeup Artist and move into a more health focused career (DONE!!)

* I will become a certified Reiki Practitioner.

*We will buy our first home this year and prepare to start a family.

*We will pay off ALL credit card debt this year.

*We will adopt a dog, possibly another Yorkie

*I will continue to write on my book, blogs, and online websites

Seems like a lot YES?! Whew!! But most of these goals go hand in hand. Yoga will support my running, eating healthy will support a more healthy lifestyle. So on and so on!

So...what are your New Year GOALS?? I'd love to hear what others are focusing on for this New Year and hopefully I can be there to support you along the way!

Joyeux Noel

2010-12-26T14:23:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had a blessed holiday yesterday and received everything you wished for.

Gonna Make You Sweat: Bikram Yoga

2010-12-16T06:40:00.001-08:00

I did my first Bikram Hot Yoga class yesterday and it was AWESOME! I was really nervous about being in a room that was heated to over a 100 degrees, not to mention then doing movement that also generated heat. I managed to do every pose and stay moving during the 90 minute class. Okay, okay, so I didn't hold some of the poses very long, but I still managed to get into every single one!

Bikram Yoga was founded in the early 70s by Bikram Choudhury. It consists of two sets of 26 poses and some breathing exercises that are performed in a room heated to 105 degrees and with 40% humidity. The heated room allows the muscles to relax more letting you stretch deeper into the poses. Not only that, but the heat allows you to sweat out impurities and toxins.

It was the most amazing feeling, and if you get the chance take a Bikram Hot Yoga class soon!

Boston's Run To Remember

2010-12-11T12:13:00.001-08:00

So we've selected our first race for 2011, Boston's Run to Remember. I plan on creating or running as part of a DertermiNation team to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. The Half Marathon, 13.1 miles starts at the Boston Seaport, runs out to Harvard, around the Boston Common and Public Garden and back to the Seaport area.

I haven't decided yet if I'm setting up my own team, and having people join to run with us, or if I will be part of a team through work. I'm not sure if our region will have a team up or not. I'm excited though, should be a fun run through beautifl and historic Boston!

We've also selected one more Half Marathon and our FIRST FULL Marathon to run in 2011. Details to come on those!

2010-11-10T05:55:00.000-08:00

I haven't done this in awhile (or posted in some time) so I thought today is a perfect day to do some window shopping. We are about four months away from buying our first home, and as I look at house listings I immediately think about what I would do with the space. How would I decorate it, furnish it, etc.

Our current sofa would be used in the more casual family room. I'd love something small and simple like this sofa for the more formal living room. Maybe anchored by some cute Louis XVI style chairs. I would use more colorful pillows to accent it though.

Okay, okay, technically these are dining room chairs, but you get the idea right? Wouldn't something simple and elegant like these look great flanking the sofa above?

I would love to do a little vignette of cloche jars on the coffee table, console table, or the fireplace mantle. I could change them out each season. A very simple, yet beautiful way to decorate a room.

Of course I would have to add some more comforting elements to welcome guests. I think the Living Room should be a show piece but also inviting as it is the primary room for entertaining guests.

The Family Room is for lying about watching TV in your PJs and sipping coffee, so it's a much more relaxed room. I'll be posting more decor ideas as we continue our hunt for our dream home.

***All pictures are from Arhaus.com***

Womanity

2010-09-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

5 years after launching the intoxicating Alien fragrance, Thierry Mugler has done it again! The first sweet and savory fragrance, Womanity.

The fragrance is a celebration of the diversity of women, housed in a beautiful pink bottle, and topped with a gorgeous Art Deco inspired piece.

The top notes are a juicy fig, mixed with fruity notes. Then it dries to a subtle caviar note, and finally finishes off with a woodsy and grassy note of fig wood and leaves

Fly Away

2010-08-23T05:18:00.001-07:00

We are starting to plan our big trip which will happen in the Spring. It's been over two years since we've taken a trip anywhere (other than a few over nights) so we are due for something big and fun!

We are exploring and researching flights to France. Anyone know of any great deals, or sites to explore? I am also hoping we can get into a apartment holiday rental as opposed to a hotel, so any advice there would be very helpful as well.

Guerlain's Abeille Royale

2010-08-20T05:48:00.000-07:00

I am absolutely, head over heels in love with Guerlain's new facial serum, Abeille Royale. This powerful serum actually focusing on the skin's ability to repair and heal itself! The serum uses the powers of the bee and it's honey to help in the improvment of skin's hydration and elasticity, as well as delivering a ton of vitamins and minerals to nourish and protect the skin.

Research has shown that improvment in the look and feel of the skin is guaranteed within in 16 hours!! Skin is firmer, smoother, more hydrated and just plain fabulous feeling. I love not only the effects of the serum, but the scent is very light and lovely.

Exclusively at Nordstrom's for the intial launch!

Versatile Blogger Award

2010-08-12T02:43:00.001-07:00

Thank you so much to Jessica from the blog "Live, Laugh, Love" for this great award. My second one!!! Thank you so much Jessica, I love your blog, and am honored you chose me for this award.

Here's how it works, and what I must do:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you this award.

2.Share seven things about yourself

3. Pass the award onto 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic

4. Contact the bloggers you've picked and let them know about the award.

Now, for seven things about myself:

1. I started running this year (was NEVER a runner) and am currently in training to run my first half marathon

2. I live outside of Boston, but hope to buy a house in Salem, MA in the Spring

3. I aspire to be an artist of some sorts, but always get bored with whatever medium I choose, and dont' think I'm very good. But I find the process very theraputic and relaxing anyways

4. Obviously, as most of you know, I am obsessed with all things French, but the funny part is that I've never been to France (at least in this live)

5. I started collecting Pullips this year, and am now obsessed!

6. I am married to a wonderful man who adores me (sometimes) and have two cats and a dog with more personality than he knows what to do with.

7. I work as a skincare guru and makeup artist.

8. Just for fun I added another...I'm Disney obsessed. We used to go three and four times a year, but have not been in two years. I can't wait until we can go back in the Spring/Summer

Now onto the blogs I adore and have picked to receive this award.

1. A Fanciful Twist - just reading her blog takes me away to another world.

2. Enchanted Reveleries - Tristan's blog is fabulous and I adore his Pink Saturday posts

3. Fabulously French - a French related blog that is very charming

4. Fashion is My Muse - and it's mine too!! All you will ever want to know about Fashion and History

5. French Essence - if you've ever drooled over Vicki's books like I have, you will LOVE her blog

6. French Blue - so many things to adore about this blog, it's hard to know where to begin

7. Lisa Golightly - a very talented artist!!

8. Lulu Kellog - oh where to begin, she is very talented and always makes me laugh. I adore her faux cakes and cupcakes

9. Marie's Maison - I would love to live inside her Tiffany jewelbox of a home.

10. No One Put's Cupcake In The Corner - the end all, be all of cupcake related blogs

11. Paris Breakfasts - I love reading about her trips to France, and she is a very talented artist. I would love to have one of her macaron paintings

12. Rose Tea Cottage - a charming place to pop in and relax with a spot o tea

13. Sandy's Creations - I love her artwork, and she understands my Pullip craze

14. Savoir Faire - David just has IT, that certain Savoir Faire. Always a charming and witty post

15. The Paris Apartment - a blog full of the best kind of eye candy, adorable and totally Parisian

Matisse at MoMa

2010-08-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

A special exhibit of some of Matisse's pivotal works are now on display for a limited time at the MoMa Gallery in NYC.

The exhibit runs from now until October 11, and it's a limited, timed viewed exhibit. If you are going to be in the NYC area, make sure to get tickets ahead of time and let us know what you think about the paintings!!

CALLA

2010-07-22T08:26:00.000-07:00

Born in Toronto, Calla Haynes has worked for the likes of Nina Ricci and Alexandar Wang. She know runs her own fashion house out of Paris.

Her "relaxed luxury" collection features gorgeous prints, etheral shapes, and stylish high waisted designs.

Check out these photos from her Fall Collection.

Joyeuse Fete Nationale

2010-07-14T05:12:00.000-07:00

Today is Bastille Day in France. The grand celebration!! If you are not sure what Bastille Day is or why it's even celebrated than please read ici!!

How will you be celebrating this fun and festive holiday? Will you decorate your home in the colors of the French flag?

Maybe you'll wear a festive scarf or liberty style cap? Tres chic, non?
Why be subtle, when you can wear the colors of the French flag so many ways?

Will you celebrate at home, or maybe have a nice dinner out at a French restaurant? If you are in France, will you be out to see all the amazing festivites such as the fly over shown above?

I usually celebrate by attending "Bastille Day on 60th" in NYC, but was not able to go this year. I think I will celebrate with a nice French meal out, and then maybe some macarons for dessert. YUMM!!!

Lucky me, I happened to pick and fall in love with the best puppy who just happened to be born on Bastille Day. So we will be celebrating his birthday as well today. He's so spoiled that he's already gotten into his birthday cake. Naughty boy!!

Happy Birthday America!!

2010-07-04T04:08:00.001-07:00

Dreaming of Dining Rooms

2010-06-28T04:25:00.000-07:00

We've been house hunting and I think have found one that could be a possibility. I feel it needs some upgrades and remodeling. The one area I'm obsessed with right now is the dining room.

After so many years in apartment living, and not having a seperate dining area, I am so ready to have the most beautiful dining area to entertain guests in.

I'm dreaming of Tiffany blue walls, with white trimmed chair rails and crown molding. Maybe a built in white, china cabinet displaying gorgeous antique china with hand painted roses. A big rustic, slim table in dark wood or painted a shabby chic white, flanked by gorgeous Louis XVI style dining chairs. The crowing jewel, will literally be a sparkling diamond to light the room, a fabulous crystal chandelier.

This Post Is Brought To You By The Letter D

2010-06-27T05:23:00.001-07:00

So I have been visiting the many blogs that hosted a Mad Tea Party, put on by the FABULOUS Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist, and I've only made it through the D's!!! I'm very much exhausted from all of the partying and hope to finish the party over the next few days...

Please stop by and visit some of the lovely blogs that are hosting Mad Tea Party's and may you enjoy yourselves as much as I have so far!!

Don't Be Late...

2010-06-25T18:53:00.001-07:00

Alice in Wonderland ...a Pullip Production

My favorite book, would you like to read it to me? Non? Ca La Vie....

I'm so sleepy...hmmm dreams of beautiful fabrics to be made into gorgeous gowns just for me! Oh la la!!

What strange land this is. Curiouser and Curiouser. I've seem to have drank too much of the little vial. What's this? A Petite Gateau "EAT ME" it says?!!!

From Flickr!!!

Such strange and exotic creatures in this land. Que c'est beau!!! Too bad I must hurry home for dinner, and hopefully dessert.

Don't be late......

Especially for CUPCAKES!!!!

*** I wish I would have had more time for more pictures and a better story, but sadly this is all there is!! I hope you enjoy! My doll Coco was the star, she is actually a Pullip My Melody that I have customized****

Saint James

2010-06-07T05:12:00.000-07:00

Saint James

Every country as one iconic item of clothing that pretty much sums up parts of it's history.
The U.S. of A. has denim. London has the classic Burberry Trench. The French have the always iconic Sailor Sweater.

Saint James

The Saint James company was founded in Normandy in 1889. They were originally known as the creators of the now iconic boat neck, blue and white striped, sailor shirts and sweaters.

Saint James

The company has just released a trifecta of cool collection with JCrew and Graphic Artist Mister Freedom, now on sale on JCrew's website.

I really am in love with the canvas sailor bags, and the plushies! How cute!!

JCrew

Tres Chic!!!

Virtual Mad Tea Party

2010-05-31T17:51:00.000-07:00

Please join myself and many other bloggers for The Mad Tea Party hosted by the amazingly talented Vanessa from A Fanciful Twist.

The date is set....DON'T BE LATE!!!

TV Storage

2010-05-30T06:54:00.000-07:00

One of my decorating issues is what to do with the TV. I am having a hard time, while searching for inspiration, finding any ideas on how to store/hide/display/deal with the TV and other electronic equipment.

Do I go with an armoire such as these?

Or something a little smaller, and perhaps sleeker like a console?

How do you have your TV and electronic equipment stored?

Design Sites?

2010-05-25T14:40:00.000-07:00

I want to start working on redecorating our house/apartment. Can anyone give me some direction on good sites/blogs for Parisian decor. I want Paris decor with a modern twist, defintely NOT French country.

I'm at a lost, other than the French Bedroom Company.

MERCI

A Royal Wedding

2010-05-24T04:48:00.000-07:00

Ralph Lauren in Paris

2010-05-12T04:06:00.000-07:00

Ralph Lauren has brought a little bit of America to Paris! The recently opened boutique at 173 Boulevard Saint Germain also includes a restaurant. The restaurant is decorated with dark woods, leather chairs, hunt themed oil paintings, all very reminsicent of an English hunting lodge.

The restaurant menu consists of American classics such as hamburgers, hot dogs, Maryland Crab Cakes, Southern Fried Chicken, and New York style cheesecake.

Boston's Museum of Fine Arts - A French Tour

2010-05-02T05:16:00.000-07:00

So with my French obsession for my birthday I always do a new French restaurant for dinner and try to some kind of French related activity. Luckily for me , this year the Musuem of Fine Arts was doing a special exhibit on Toulouse-Lautrec's Paris called Cafe & Cabaret.

We had never been to the Musuem of Fine Arts, so this was the perfect oppourtunity to go.

"Aristide Burant in His Cabaret" by Toulouse-Laurtrec

Burant was a popular singer and cabaret owner. He always wore a black velvet cape, wide brimmed hat and red scarf, exactly as Toulouse captured him.

"Guinguette Fleurie" by Jacque Villion 1899

This was an ad for Guinguette, a popular drinking place in Montmarte.

"May Milton" 1895 by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec

May Milton was a British performer who often appeared in the French cabarets. She was known for her clownish face and rumored to be a lesbian.

"In The Street" 1895 by Theopile-Alexandre Steinlein

"Collection of Le Chat Noir" 1898 by Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen

Of course this is one of the most famous prints from this time period. I have a print of this myself and it's one of my favorites! Le Chat Noir was one of the first cabarets to open in Paris, and was one of it's most popular.

"Valley of the Creuse" by Claude Monet 1889

"Mixed Flowers in an Earthenware Pot" 1869 by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

"Water Lillies" 1905 by Claude Monet

Starting in 1903 Monet did a series of paintings, this being one of them, that depicted his garden at his home in Giverny. There were around 48 paintings in this series that he later exhibited.

"La Japonaise" 1876 by Claude Monet

This was one of my favorite pieces we saw on exhibit. I would love to have a print of this in some gorgeous golden frame. The woman shown in the paiting is actually Monet's wife, Camille.

A pair of armchairs from around 1765, that were built by French craftsman, Nicolas Heurtaut

Could you imagine sleeping in this beautiful bed. I was so overwhelmed by how beautiful this set up was that I forgot to get the details on the pieces.

"Portrait of a Young Woman" 1797 by Marie Louise Elisabeth Vigee-Le Brun

Of course we all know Vigee-Le Brun as the portraitist to Marie Antointte and the French Royal Family. Because women were not allowed to attend the art schools, Vigee-Le Brun was mostly self taught. The woman in this painting is believed to be Countess Irina Worontzov, a Russian aristrocrat.

A portrait relief in porcelain of Marie Therese, Archducess of Austira, Queen of Hungary, and Bohemia

Where I'd Like To Be Today

2010-04-23T06:02:00.000-07:00

Swaying in a hammock to the ocean breezes.... Sipping on something cold, fruity and refreshing...

A nice cashmere blanket to wrap up in when the sun starts to set...

This lovely YSL tote to transport everything in...

Hello Again?!!

2010-04-16T09:34:00.001-07:00

Oh, what a bad blogger I have been!! Trust in me dear readers, for I have not completely abandoned you. There has been so much going on in my life in the past two months that I've literally been swamped. I guess the best thing to do is just catch you up!??

Not too long ago in the distance past I found a job that I was finally completely in love with. Some of you may remember that I work as a makeup artist. I was in love with the store, the products and my team. However, the company decided to close our location and there were no openings in the compay for our region so I was basically layed off. I guess for a short time I fell into a depression and didn't know what to do.

I am currently working for a company that is not my ideal. I recently got a swift kick in the pants from a complete stranger, who told me basically "Stop thinking about everything, and just do it"

As I've mentioned in the past, my dream has always been to open my own day spa. I've chosen the above quote as my mantra..."Go confidently in the direction of your dreams". So I have been feverishly working on the steps I need to make this a reality. Including, reinstating my Cosmetology license in the state of Florida, and start the process to transfer it to my current state of residency, Massachusetts.

The process of getting my MA license is going to be somewhat of a hassel, lot's of steps and jumping through hoops, dealing with red tape, and I must say that the MA government employees are not very helpful at this point.

Also, I have decided to go back to work in a salon/spa environment, even if it is not behind a chair right now. I think I will be starting at an amazing spa soon, basically doing a little bit of front desk work, managing the retail portion of the store, and being the in house makeup artist. I'm very excited about this oppourtunity to be back in a spa. I literally will be finding out about this today, finalizing the details to take the job and begin soon.

I'm also working on a side project making my own fragrance oils. These are pure herbal combinations that I have come up with and created the oils. I hopefully will be selling these soon on Etsy. Look for the opening of The Two Queens Apothecary soon on Etsy. I have created my first oil last night, and it turned out very well. I'm working on the packaging, Etsy site, logo, pricing and recipes currently. My next attempt will be to recreate a fragrance based on Marie Antoinettes perfume blend.

Also, I have decided to become a runner, and have been spending a lot of my free time trying to run and train for a half marathon. My plan is to run my first half marathon in October at Disney's Epcot. They are having thier first night time race at Epcot during the Food and Wine Festival. Check out the Wine and Dine website, and hopefully I'll see some of you there?? Also, I use the Nike Plus site/equipment to train and track my runs. If any of you readers are on the Nike Plus site, please add me as a friend. You can find me under the name YSLGuy.

Well that is about all for now, it's a lot. Hopefully I will be back to blogging regularly in what ever free time I can find.

I miss you all, and your wonderful comments and posts.

Beauty Tip Day Seven

2010-03-12T06:45:00.000-08:00

Beauty Tip Day Seven: Facial Massage

Okay, I know I've skipped a few days, but it's been a busy week. One of the things I learned this week, was the benefits of Facial Massage. I'm not talking about a facial, but more the massage. This is not the steaming, mask, extraction facial that you can get in most spas. Facial Massage is something you can do everyday in the comfort of your own bathroom, while you are putting on your moisturizer or other products.

The Benefits of Facial Massage are plentiful: anti-aging, micro-circulation, gentle exfoliation, etc.

Start on the forehead, using your middle and ring fingers with gentel pressure, and move from the center of the forehead and use small circles working out towards the temples. Apply light pressure to the temples to help relieve stress. Do this three times.

Starting between the brows, move down the nose and out along the wings/tip of the nose. Do this step three times as well. This will help to remove any clogging along the nose wings/tip.

The eye area is very delicate, so go gently around the eye area. I start at the thickest part of the brow, and move along the brow and around the eye area, coming back up to the brow again.

Starting underneath the lower lip move upwards along the mouth, gently moving the mouth upwards. This is a great lifting technique for the lip area.

For the cheeks you want to work in three zones. Zone one is along the jawline to the bottom of the ear. Zone two is from the lip to the temple area, and zone three is from tip of the nose upwarsds into the hairline. Moving in small circles upwards from the starting point. Do this three times for each area.

As you perform you facial massage, you want to work with a gentle pressure, and in uplifting movements.

Now breathe deeply and relax!

Beauty Tip Day Six:

2010-03-08T06:29:00.000-08:00

Beauty Tip Day Six: Steal Someone's Style!

The Oscars were last night, and we all know that we pay more attention to what everyone is wearing on the Red Carpet than we do to the winning speeches.

I love the simple and classic look that Meryl Streep wears above, as well as the bold pattern that Maggie Gyllenhal wears here. Each is so different, but totally representative of thier personalities.

I find a great way to rev up your style is to take a look at what Hollywood is wearing, and find ways to copy it and make it your own. I often spend hours online pouring through fashion and entertainment websites looking at all the wonderful fashion out there. I save this to a special folder on my computer and use them for inspiration in future looks that I myself will recreate and wear.

Always keep some element of yourself when recreating a look. I love how Robert Downey JR. wears the casual sneakers with the tux, and the pop of color on his bow tie. It's unexpected, creative, original and true to his personality.

It's not about completely copying someone from head to toe though. It's about finding an element that works for that individual and making it work for you. Make it your own!!

I love how the detailing on Sarah Jessica Parker's dress is the focal point. You could choose an item of clothing that has fabulous detailing like this, and make that your statement piece. Just keep the rest of the outfit simple, as SJP's dress is simple from the neckline detail and down.

Beauty Tip Day Five:

2010-03-07T10:43:00.000-08:00

Beauty Tip Day Five:

BE BRAVE!!

Okay, maybe not jump out of an airplane BRAVE, but BE BRAVE! Remember when we were young, in our late teens or early twenties and we were willing to try anything? We were up for whatever was happening, at moment's notice. No hestiation, no planning, no thought to consquences.

Okay, okay, maybe that wasn't a great thing, but I mean taking that moment. That moment where you a brave enough to move forward. I'm very luck that I have a very dear friend who gives me a gentle nudge when I hesitate. When ever I am thinking of doing something, especially that may be life changing, but I'm just a little scared...she is there to listen, give advice and gently nudge me in the right direction.

If you don't have anyone in your life that you can get that kind of support from, you can certainly borrow my friend Jennie. She's a life coach with her own business Live Audaciously where she helps people find the fabulous life they have always wanted to live.

I think that the energy to move forward with something that may be life changing keeps us young! What is the one thing that you have always wanted to do? Are you brave enough to work towards achieving it? I would love to hear your dreams and desires for a fabulous life in the comments!!!

Mine? To own my own day spa, and with the help of Jennie, I am working towards hopefully making that dream a reality some day!!

Beauty Tip Day Four:

2010-03-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

Beauty Tip Day Four: SMILE LIKE YOU MEAN IT!!!!

Smiling makes you appear younger and happier and that helps to attract people to you. They actually want to get to know you, as opposed to someone who looks anger, upset or down in the dumps.

Studies have also shown that smiling can help to relieve stress, there for also reducing your blood pressure. See...smiling can actually save your life.

I really enjoyed this article on smiling and longetivity!

Stained, discolored teeth can actually make you appear older. There are many ways to whiten and brighten that smile of yours. One of my favorite is the Go Smile program. It is a safe and gentle way to whiten teeth easily at home (or on the go) leading to a beautiful, picture perfect smile.

So all day today...SMILE LIKE YOU MEAN IT and see if you it makes your day (and hopefully someone else's day) a bit brighter!!

Beauty Tip Day Three:

2010-03-05T05:47:00.000-08:00

Beauty Tip Day Three: SUNSCREEN, SUNSCREEN, SUNSCREEN

I don't want to get all technical on sunscreens, and sun protection. Let's just say, that no matter how little you are going to be outside, you should wear a SPF of least 15 everyday!! If you plan to be outside for longer periods (beach, golf, tennis, gardening, etc) than you may want to have a higher sun protection.

Not only does overexposure to the sun lead to certain types of cancers, but the UVA and UVB rays can also lead to the premature aging of skin. UVA and UVB rays lead to the breakdown of collagen and inhibit the body's natural repair mechanism.

This can lead to dry skin that will more visibly show fine lines and wrinkles, as well as sun/age spots that leave skin looking dull, and well...rather old! Make sure you are using a sunscreen that covers both UVA and UVB rays.

If you already have sun damage, or hyperpigmentation (sun spots) from the sun, visit your facialist and dermatologist and see about getting microdermabrasion or chemical peels that might help to get rid of the dark spots on the skin, that age you considerably.

There are also many products on the market now that you can use at home to help brighten and clarify your skin. I love the White Lucent line from Shiseido, it has a mutli targeted Vitamin C compund that really helps to brighten dull, skin that suffers from hyperpigmentation!

Beauty Tip Day Two:

2010-03-04T04:55:00.001-08:00

Beauty Tip Day Two: Change up your hairstyle. Change your hair is one of the easiest ways to give youth and vitality to your look. You can play around with so many colors that can help brighten your look. Hairstyles are easy to change, and if you don't like the end result, it's only hair, you can grow it back!!

Cutting bangs are one of the easiest ways to instantly brighten up your look, but be careful of too short bangs. You want a bang that is a bit longer, and side-swept, angled that will help to lightly frame and accentuate the face. Angles and layers around the face give a softer over all appearance, that helps to open everything up.

Keep the style flowing, natural and free of excess product. You want a style that moves with you, not one that looks like a helmet. Hair should be shiny, but not too full of product that can weigh it down and look old lady-ish.

You want color that has some dimension, not one solid block/wash of a dull color. You can also adapt your color to the seasons; maybe a rich brown with some caremel or reddish highlights in the winter, and warm golden blonde with highlights in the summer.

Experiment with how you style your hair as well, do you always wear it in the middle part? Try switching it up and part in on the side to accenuate and show off your best side. Do you always wear your hair down? Maybe try a high ponytail with some chic accessory! Do you always have your hair straight? How boring, try a bit of wave with a big barrel curling iron.

Experimenting with your hair can be fun and make you feel lighter and younger instantly!!

Beauty Tips Day One:

2010-03-03T14:47:00.000-08:00

I've decided to repost some of my personal and favorite Beauty Tips. Some are more tongue in cheek though. : )

Today's Beauty Tip is to LIE ABOUT YOUR AGE!

I like this one for different reasons. Firstly, if someone asks my age, I always have them guess (even though some people find this slightly annoying). Most people, whether just being nice or not, usually guess WAY younger than I actually am.

I tend to agree, and move on!! Even though I know better, it always leaves me smiling and feeling GREAT about myself!

I also think that age is discussed way too much. I firmly believe in the old saying "You are only as young/old as you feel". I think if you act the age you want to be (within reason however) that you will exude a personality that seems young, full of life, and someone others will perceive as young, and would like to be around.

I find that most Europeans seem to follow this way of thinking, and often seem ageless to us Americans. So I think that age is just a number, it's the mindset that you follow, the way you carry and present yourself that gives a true identity of your "AGE".

Believe I have seen some OLD twenty somethings, because they act like they have the weight of the world on thier shoulders, or they take life too seriously.

However, if people guess your age older than you really are, you might want to stick around for the rest of the month and catch the rest of my Beauty Tips.

Smile!! Feel Beautiful, and present yourself as you would look others to see you!

ACT YOUR AGE!!!! or at least the one you would like to be.

Paris Icon Images

2010-02-02T07:21:00.000-08:00

I need this book in my life, but with a price tag of $295!!! I'll have to settle for this post! Ha!

Paris Icon is a coffee table book full of images of the City of Lights, and includes images of such famous Paris icons as; The Eiffel Tower, various Paris bridges, the Palais

Royal, Sacre Couer and other churches, the Louvre and other museums, the Tulieires Gardens and MUCH more.

The book, and the images are presented with quotes from various celebrities who lived or celebrated life in this great city, such as, poets, singers, writers and more. The quotes are from celebrities such as Coco Chanel, Victor Hugo, Anais Nin, Oscar Wilde, Napolen and MORE!!

The standard issue book is 328 pages, was conceived and authored by Leslie J. Little, and all photos were taken by James P. Scholz. The book weighs in at a hefty 12 pounds!! The book has already received several awards, including IPPY Gold Medal for Most Outstanding Book
Design of 2008

I would love to settle in with a glass of champagne and some macarons and skim through this beauty. Imagining myself in each picture. This could be me, sitting ready the daily paper while the pigeons flock around me. Awww....the life!

***All images are from the book, and came from the Icon Images website.***

Paris Menswear Fall/Winter 2010

2010-01-25T06:34:00.000-08:00

Here are a few highlights of my favorite looks from the runways during Paris Menswear Fashionweek.

Hermes

Louis Vuitton

Yves Saint Laurent

2010-01-13T11:56:00.000-08:00

Since watching Chef Academy and the dessert episode, I've become obsessed with Croquembouche. Chef Novellie taught the students how to make choux pastries that are used to create a Croquembouche.

Croquembouche is a French pastry that is often served at weddings, and other special events. It a tower that is composed of Choux Pastry (which are cream filled pastries, similar to profiteroles) and held together with caramel. The whole tower is then drizzled with caramel, powdered sugar, and decorated with flowers, marzipan flowers or macarons.

The name comes from the French phrase croque en brouche, which means "crunch in the mouth"

Part of my obsession extends to my recent purchase of Black Phoneix Alchemy Lab's lastest fragrance "Bite Me" that is inspired by the Croquembouche.

"Bite Me" Fragrance description:

Well, we *are* doing a vampire update finally.

Croquembouche with almond silk and a drizzle of caramel.

House of Givenchy

2010-01-07T12:30:00.000-08:00

Audrey Hepburn in a Givenchy dress for the movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's"

The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by Hupert de Givenchy. His classic tailoring earned him many fans including most famously Audrey Hepburn. Givenchy would continue to make most of Hepburn's clothes well into the later part of both of their lives.

A 1950's Givenchy pattern designed for McCall's

Audrey Hepburn in a Givenchy gown designed for her role in "Sabrina"

Givenchy designed most of the outfits and dresses that Hepburn wore in her films, including "Sabrina" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's". Although the dress above was designed and created by Ginvenchy (as were all of the outfits in "Sabrina") it was studio designer Edith Head that would win the Academy Award for the movie.

Givenchy 1960's cocktail two piece

Givenchy Spring 2010 Menswear

Currently, Ricardo Tisci designs for both the women and men's lines for The House of Givenchy. This is a role who took in 2005, following the reign of several other designers after Givenchy's retirement.

Givenchy Spring 2010 Menswear

Givenchy Fall 2009 Couture

Tisci has changed the face of Givenchy with his modern, minimalist, and often gothic inspired touches.

Givenchy Fall 2009 Couture

Givenchy Spring/Summer 2010 Ready To Wear

New YSL Spring/ Summer Campaign

2010-01-06T05:44:00.001-08:00

Model Natalia Vodianova is the new face of YSL. The campaign for Spring and Summer 2010 was styled under Stefano Pilati's direction and shot by photographer Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.

New Year's

2010-01-02T06:31:00.000-08:00

Firstly, forgive me for my recent absence. When you work in the industry that I do, the whole month of December does not belong to you. Absolutely no personal life what so ever.

I hope everyone had a very safe, and fun New Year's, and now it's time to start thinking about the forth coming year.

What are your resolutions?

I ran my first 5K on Thanksgiving Day, and have become addicted to running. I was never a runner before, and could barely run more than a minute. I have been training, and working on running longer distances, and perfecting my times. So one of my resolutions this year is to become a runner!!

I plan on running a few 5Ks in the Spring, a 10K in the summer and a mini- marathon at Disney in the fall!!

Running will go hand in hand with my decision to be a better, healthier eater, so hopefully the combination will help me drop the last 15lbs I have been trying to get rid of.

I have a few little other resolutions, including one that I'll be announcing in the next month or so. Keep your eyes out for it, and I may be contacting some of you talented artists for help on this one!!

Russian Christmas Traditions

2009-12-12T04:34:00.000-08:00

Russians celebrate Christmas on January 7th, in accordance with the old Julian Calendar. The home is decorated with a Christmas tree (known as a Yelks) and the door is adorned with pine leaves.

A popular gift are wooden Santa Nesting dolls, that are hand-carved and hand-painted. They are usually made of Linden wood, and small gifts such as jewelry are hidden inside for the reciepent.

Usually the people will fast for a few days or more until January 6th (Christmas Eve). The fast is broken and the celebration begins when the first evening star appears in the sky.

Melvita Skincare

2009-12-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

*I'm cross posting this from my Beauty Blog*

I just discovered a new skincare line that I am obsessed with. I spent about a week with very painful, itchy and red dry winter skin. I decided to find a gentler line of products to help with my skin. I wanted a line that was all natural, organic, and of course French.

Melvita is a French skincare company founded in the 80's by a biologist named Bernard Chevilliat. Chevilliat was an avid bee keeper, who took his knowledge of the hive and decided to create a line of all natural products that are organic, respectful to nature and the environment, and actually work well. Melvita actually means "life and honey". Check out their philosphies of doing business. Very impressive!

In 2002 Melvita was one of the first to be awarded the Ecocert Certificate for Organic Products. It is now the largest organic cosmetic company in France, and loved by many. Marian Cottilard is a HUGE fan of the line apparently. We all know she has gorgeous skin, so if Melvita is her secret, I'm getting on board.

After spending some researching their products on the company website, I narrowed it down to the following products. Here are my reviews so far:

APICOSMA CLEANSING CREAM:

I decided that I need a non-foaming, non-detergent cleaser that would be gentle enough on the skin to cleanse well without stripping away the natural moisture levels. This cream glides on smooth, smells wonderful and actualy cleanses the skin leaving it softly hydrated.

I like to follow this with a cotton pad soaked in the toner. This product protects the skin with shea butters, and soothes it with honey and rose oils. It is meant for very dry skin, and delivers on it's promises.

CAMOMILE FLORAL WATER:

This is a floral water recommended for drier skin types. I spray a bit of this on a cotton round to help remove any residue from the Cleansing Cream. After that, I spray a bit directly on my skin and let it soak in. Soothing Camomile helps to nourish skin and hydrates it very well. The scent is also very lovely, and soothing to the soul.

I love the bottles that the floral waters come, a beautiful blue glass bottle that you can get with or without the sprayer top.

BORAGE OIL:

I heard good things about using jojoba oil on really dry skins, but was also interested in Borage Oil. Borage oil is great for repairing skin, as it is chock full of essential fatty acids. It's also supposed to wonderful for it's anti-aging properties. Couldn't we ALL use a little of that?

I was nervous about putting oils on my face, but my skin loves this and drinks it up with passion. It leaves the skin very well softened and smoothed. I do feel that it has help my skin feel firmer and smoother.

APICOSMA MOISTURIZING CREAM:

This cream is rich in vitamins, Omega 3s and more. Aloe Vera and Honey soothe and moisturize skin, while French Lavendar Wax is strong with anti-aging properties.

This is the perfect finish to this skincare regimen. Skin is left very hydrated and smooth, without being too greasey or heavy feeling.

SHEA BUTTERS:

Shea butters moisturize and protect even the driest and most sensitive of skins. I decided to get this for dry areas like elbows etc. I have actually just been using it as a lip balm. The scent and taste remind me of a creamsicle. YUM!! I have to get the Lavendar one soon. These are a MUST!!!!

I have to also add that the prices are very responsible. I placed my order online, and received both FREE SHIPPING, and a gift of some travel sized shower gels (which I have yet to try) and spent just a $100!!!

So far I am in love with these products and will be buying more from them in the future. Sadly, they only have one store in the US currently, which is in San Francisco. I would for them to open a store in Boston or New York, and hire me to manage it! *gleeful smile*

But for now, you can order online, and the shipping was very fast. You won't be disappointed!!

***ALL PICTURES ARE FROM MELVITA'S WEBSITE***

Chinese Christmas Traditions

2009-12-04T16:17:00.001-08:00

Only Christians in China celebrate Christmas. Children decorate the house and tree with paper lanterns, paper chains and paper ornaments made into the shape of flowers. The children hang musling stockings in anticipation of Dun Che Lao Ren (Chinese for Christmas Old Man), who fills the stockings with gifts and little treats.

The houses are also decorated with fruits such as oranges and tangerines, which are symbols or prosperity and wealth.

Non- Christians Chinese look forward to celebrating the Chinese New Year during this time, also know as the Spring Festival. During this time the children get gifts of new clothes, and deceased ancestors are honored and remembered. It's also tradition during the New Year to give gifts of money in decorated, red envelopes. The red envelopes are symbols of good luck, prosperity and meant to ward off evil spirits.

Norwegian Christmas Traditions

2009-12-03T05:10:00.000-08:00

In Norway, Christmas is celebrated by making little heart shaped baskets that are filled with candy or nuts and hung on the tree. The tree is decorated in preparation for "Nisse's" visit. Nisse is the Norwegian version of our Santa Claus. Sort of.

Nisse is actually a michevious little elf. You must leave him a bowl of warm porridge to eat when he arrives, or he will play devishish tricks on you. The Nisse actually predates Christianity in Norway, and Christmas was atually a time to celebrate the now pagan holiday of Yule.

Pfeffernusse - German Holiday Traditions

2009-12-01T19:01:00.001-08:00

As my other half comes from a German family, I thought I'd include some German Holiday Season traditions.

Pfeffernusse are little round, hard biscuits (cookies) that are made from grounds nuts, and flavored with black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Once baked Pfeffernusse are covered in powdered sugar.

Pfeffernusse is German for "peppernuts". These are traditionally baked around Christmas time and served to guests with wine. The first week they are baked they are quite hard, so most people dip them in their wine to soften them before eating.

We haven't made them, but have purchased them from Trader Joe's and I must say that their version is quite good.

Holiday Traditions

2009-11-30T10:59:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a Great Thanksgiving!!

As we get closer to Christmas, I thought it would be great to explore some traditions from other countries on how they celebrate the holiday.

In France, the children look forward to the arrival of Pere Noel, similar to our Santa Claus. Children leave their shoes in front of the fireplace filled with treats such as carrots for Pere Noel's donkey, Gui (French for misteltoe). Pere Noel leaves gifts and little goodies in place of the carrots.

Similar the milk and cookies we leave for Santa, and he leaves us beautifully wrapped presents in return. Instead of shoes, we hang stockings that are filled with fun little things.

A Conversation With Alber Elbaz

2009-11-08T05:05:00.000-08:00

Alber Elbaz is the head of Lanvin for both Mens and Womenswear. This "conversation" is excerpted from Paris Vogue Hommes International's Fall Winter issue on newstands now.

What is elegance?

You can't define it. I refuse to be drawn into cliches about attitude and whatnot. It sticks out a mile, you can't explain it. You can't buy it, either. Some of the people have it, others don't. It's unfair, but that's how it is

Have you ever managed to pinpoint what is unique about the French male?

It's odd, because this is one of the first things I wanted to put my finger on and it's virtually "mission impossible". It's very easy to describe the Italian, American or British male, but the French one? After a few false starts, I ended up convincing myself that to understand the French male, or pinpoint his unique characteristics, you had to start by understanding his mother. At that point I started watching mothers with their boys in parks, at the Bon Marche department store and in the street, and finally realised that they often include a touch of bright colour, a certain refinement in the way they dress them. It might be pink glasses frames, or red socks. That's what put me on the right track. I think the French male is ripe to accept a dose of refinement, of feminity, of emotion, because his mother passed it on to him.

It must have been an incredible experience, following in Yves Saint Laurent's footsteps?

He was the incredible one. I remember seeing him just before a haute couture runway show. He looked anxious. I said to him "Monsieur Saint Laurent, after all these years, you shouldn't have to worry any more". And he said, "That's exactly what I'm nervous about - all these years." When you really think about it, my time at Saint Laurent taught me to know myself. At the outset, as I was creative director I was drunk with the idea of heading a team where everyone sang from their own song-sheet: knits, colours, warp and weft, and so on. Very soon, I felt really miserable. One evening, I got round to talking to my shrink, Regine, about it, who said "Start designing again!" And she was right. As soon as I went back to my crayons, I felt as if I'd come back to life. It is the only thing that keeps me going.

A book on your bedside table?

Everything by Meir Shalev

A CD?

In music, the voice of Chava Alberstein. Hers is the only voice I can listen to while I'm designing.

A film?

My Life As A Dog. It's a Swedish film, the story of a boy and his mother.

A photo?

A photo of me when I was little, putting makeup on a dog. I'm terrified of dogs, so how could I have done that?

*Photos are of Lanvin Spring 2010 Womens and Menswear Ready To Wear Collections from Style.com*

Karl Lagerfeld in the Queen's Theater

2009-11-05T05:15:00.001-08:00

Karl Lagerfeld just shot an amazing fashion pictorial for the October issue of Wallpaper magazine. The photo shoot took place at the Queen's Theater in Versailles. The issue also includes a very interesting (and slightly naughty) peel and stick cover designed by Lagerfeld.

Pick up the issue on stands now!

Happy Halloween!!!

2009-10-31T06:48:00.000-07:00

Halloween has it's roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain. Samhain means "Summer's end" and on the Celtic calendar celebrated the end of the harvesting season. Samhain was also the Celtic New Year, which marked the begining of the darker half of the calendar year. Most pagans (Wiccas, witches) now use Samhain to mark the beginning of the year. It is the time when the God has grown old, and is dying. This related to nature by the fact that most plants, trees, etc start to "die" and the days get shorter and nights longer and darker.

It was also beleived that during this time, the doorway between this world and the spiritual world was thin or "opened" allowing spirits to move among us in this world. The practice of dressing as ghosts and goblins came from this period. It was believed that if you could pass as one of the "visiting spirits" you were safe from any harm.

Today, Halloween, also known as All Hallow's Eve, is mostly celebrated by dressing up, trick or treating, carving pumpkins and basic partying. The tradition of carving pumpkins actually began with the Irish, who would carve pumpkins or turnips to place on window sills to honor the dead.

No matter how you celebrate Halloween it is a fun day to put on a costume, be someone (or something) different for a day, annoy neighbors with loud parties or door bell ringing, begging for candy, and making yourself sick with too much candy.

I will be at work all day, painting faces for the people who have costumes, and plans to celebrate the party. I will be celebrating in my own way with Caramel Apple Pops and wearing BPAL's Sticky Pillowcase fragrance. Sticky Pillowcase is supposed to smell like the pillowcase you would use to hold all your candy from trick or treating. It's perfect for today!!!

Happy Halloween!!!!

YSL Cruise 2010

2009-10-30T04:31:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but for some reason, I always really wind up liking YSL's Cruise collections better than the Fall and Spring collections. I think Stefano Pilati is his most creative for the Cruise collections. There is kind of a sexy 70's glam in a few of these pieces that I love!!

I wish he would have used some of the gorgeous colors in the men's collections that he presented in the womens. I can say one GREAT thing about the men's collection....looks like the reign of the skinny pant is over! Hooray!!! Now, time to book that Spring Cruise!

Boo to You!!

2009-10-17T03:27:00.000-07:00

This is the first year in awhile that we are not attending "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party" at Disney's Magic Kingdom. If you ever get the chance to go, please do. Limited tickets are sold for each night, so you practically have the park to yourself!! No lines for rides, you can see everything, there is trick or treating, and the most amazing parade (see the video). Don't forget to turn off my music player at the end of the Blog. Enjoy and Happy Halloween!!

Winnie the Pooh and Friends in costume.

Ghosts dancing from the Haunted Mansion in the Halloween Parade.

So as the sun sets on All Hallow's Eve, I have recreated a bit of Halloween Magic here for you.

"Haunted House"- by Jack Prelutsky

There's a house upon the hilltop

We will not go inside

For that is where the witches live,

Where ghosts and goblins hide.

Tonight they have their party,

All the lights are burning bright,

But oh we will not go insideThe haunted house tonight.

The demons there are whirling

And the spirits swirl about.

They sing their songs to Halloween.

"Come join the fun," they shout.

But we do not want to go there

So we run with all our might

And oh we will not go insideThe haunted house tonight.

Won't you please come in. You are welcome here.

But be careful which door you choice to enter through, as some do bite!!

We do have some ghoulish friends gathered about.

Why don't you pick a spot to lie for awhile, uhm...I mean sit awhile!

Have a chat with a fine feathered friend. They really are the most talkative types.

Please pick your, ahem...POISON!!

Grab a Ginger Pumpkin Cupcake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting. Of course, you knew there would be cupcakes at this party. We aren't called "Let Them Eat Cupcakes" for nothing!

Now sit back and enjoy Disney's "Boo to You!" Halloween Parade. Don't forget to turn off my music at the end of the blog posts!!

Halloween Party Prepartion

2009-10-16T14:29:00.000-07:00

This is not me by the way, but I do have that Johnny Cupcakes shirt. I am in the final prepartions for the Halloween Party over at A Fanciful Twist tomorrow!! Making Spiderweb, Pumpkin-Ginger Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and decorating (notice I didn't say "carving") my pumpkin.

See you all at the party tomorrow!!!

Sweetpea and Willow

2009-10-13T06:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks to France magazine, I've discovered the website Sweetpea & Willow, and I'm in trouble. Sweetpea and Willow offer amazing reproductions of French furniture including chests, pillows, chairs and more. The company is UK based but you can order from the website.

My favorite find is this Marie Antoinette La Muse de Versailles chest!!! Gorgeous!!!

This Strawberries and Cream Louis chair looks so comfy. Great for curling up and reading a book in.

This bedside table is perfect! With an adorable lamp on it such as this one:

And speaking of lighting, wouldn't this chandelier look great in a boudoir or dressing area?

This French sofa is totally swoon worthy, yes? Maybe with this Versailles table in front of layered with goreous art books?

We must have something for the bath. How about this adorable hook for your bathrobe?

Or some tiebacks for the shower curtains?

Pink Marie and Nasoba Valley

2009-10-10T06:28:00.000-07:00

I'm always late for the online festivities. I should have added this to Pink Saturday, but I always think about these things Saturday morning (if I even have the time). I think Pink Saturday is especially important this month, as it's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Anyhoo, here is my newest creation, a Marie Antoinette card. I really wish I had thought more and added the ribbon to the top instead and turned this into a tag of some sorts. Oh well.

Last weekend we visited Nashoba Valley, and had brunch. We were intending to also pick apples but it had rained so much the day before the ground was basically mud soup, and I was not risking ruining my Pradas. Oh no sir!

Nashoba Valley has a restaurant, vineyard, winery and orchard. After a delicious brunch, we thought about doing a wine tour but opted for just grabbing a few bottles from the wine gift shop. The gift shop is amazing. They make and carry so many varities of wines and spirits, as well as items one would have with wine...cheese boards, stemware, etc.

We made off with a Blueberry wine that was out of this world!

This is part of the valley, overlooking the vineyard. In the distance, among the fall foliage you can see a very old church steeple. It was so quiet and breathtaking here. We are not in peak season yet for fall foliage, but there was still enough to make a pretty picture.

This old farmhouse is actually the restaurant. I thought the building was very old by the looks of it, but turns out it's only from the 60s!

I wish I could have gotten more pictures, but it was a dreary morning due to the previous day's weather. I'm sure I'll be going back...I've gotten do the wine tour and tasting next time!!

I can't wait for tomorrow, because Johnny Cupcakes is releasing his Halloween collection tonight (darn working late tonight) "There's Something In The Cupcake Mix". I love his Halloween stuff, they are brilliant, funny, and each design is limited in numbers and comes packaged in a actual cupcake mix box! What a creative guy!!!! Hopefully, I can stop in tomorrow and pick up a shirt or two!

Have a GREAT weekend everyone!!

French Speakers

2009-10-08T05:34:00.000-07:00

Did you know:

*That French is spoken by over 100 million people as their first language?

*That another 200 million speak French as a acquired Foreign Language?

*That French is spoken in over 57 countries including France (obviously), Cananda, Belgium, Switzerland, parts of Africa, Haiti

Macarons a la Noisette et au Nutella - Le Chat Noir Restaurant

2009-10-02T04:23:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe for Hazelnut Macarons stuffed with Nutella from the website of one of my favorite French restaurants in DC, Le Chat Noir. Enjoy!!

-----> Macarons à la Noisette et au Nutella

The modern name for filberts has evolved from European folklore. The original name was connected with Saint Philbert's Day (Saint Filbert), the day that harvesting the nuts began, August 22nd, the day of observing the Saint's day of celebration. The famous Roman historian, Pliny, recorded that 'hazels' (filberts) were frequently gathered by the Romans as food. Pliny believed that filberts (hazelnuts) had originated in Damascus, Syria, where they grew naturally in forests; however, archeological records have shown some fossilized remains of filberts (hazelnuts) that were 5000 years old in prehistoric excavations from China.

Almonds are found growing wild today in many European countries and Asia Minor. There, the climates are mild during winter with cool summers near moist soils and large bodies of water like the Black Sea boundaries around Turkey and near the Mediterranean Sea surrounding Sicily and Italy.

Hazelnuts are valued for their ultra indulgent flavor and upscale appeal, but don't let their rich flavor fool you. They are also one of the most nutritious nuts. Hazelnuts are an excellent source of vitamin E, dietary fiber, magnesium, and heart healthy B vitamins. Recent research also shows that hazelnuts are one of the highest natural sources of antioxidants.

Here is another easy and tasty recipe for you to try. Bon Appétit...

You will need:For 4 persons

• 20 minutes to prepare

• 45 minutes to rest

• 12 minutes to bake

• 5 oz of confection sugar

• 5 oz of hazelnut flour

• 5 oz + 2 oz of powder sugar

• 2 oz of water

• 2 x 2 oz of eggs white at room temperature

• 3 lemon drops

• Nutella paste

You will do:

1. Combine the hazelnut flour with the confection sugar, pass it through the sieve and set aside.

2. Combine 5 oz of sugar and the water and bring this syrup to boil until reaching 230°F.

3. Whip 2 oz of white eggs, stop half way and add 2oz of sugar.

4. Keep whipping until reaching a thick texture. Then add to the boiling syrup at low speed to avoid splashing.

5. Gently incorporate 2oz of white egg non-whipped to the previous mix, then incorporate the flour (hazelnut + confection sugar).

6. Have a tray with a coated pastry sheet, and using a pastry bag display the macarons. Lightly knock the tray so the macarons spread evenly.

7. Let rest for 45 minutes before baking in a 350°F oven for 12 minutes.

8. Let the macarons cool down before removing frfom the tray : they are ready to be stuffed with Nutella paste.

***The recipe is written a bit weird (I think it's a language thing) as I noticed it calls for both confectioners sugar and powdered sugar. Help, maybe I'm wrong, but are those not the same thing?***

I may try to make these this weekend, we shall see! Hope you have a FAB weekend!!

Sophia's in Salem

2009-09-27T06:41:00.000-07:00

I went to a friend's wedding in Salem yesterday, and noticed this amazing little shop called Sophia's right across from the hotel.

Have you walked into a shop and felt that it was put together, and the shelves stocked just for you? Well, that is exactly how I felt when I walked into Sophia's.

They carry my favorite line of candles and room sprays, Diptyque.

There were wonderful little gifts with Paris and Marie Antoinette themes, such as cards, handmade artisty jewelry, fragrances and more.

I even found, and purchase a fragrance I have been looking for forever. "Let Them Eat Cake" by Tokyo Milk Fragrances. I purchased that and this lovely paper crown. This fun paper crown that features Marie Antoinette and is great for celebrations.

They had other wonderfully handmade paper crowns, and being Salem...witch hats. They were so beautiful and whimiscal.

The back wall of the shop was filled with this plaques, that were all just so beautiful. I could see using several of them and creating one big mosaic art piece to fill up a wall. The artist who does the plaques is Sid Dickens.

The store had the most amazing items, I was in awe. Sadly, I didn't have much time to look because we were in a hurry for the wedding. I will defintely be going back to Salem (one of my favorite cities) and spending quite a bit in Sophias. If you are ever in Salem, check them out.

Since I was in a hurry, I didn't have time to snap any pictures either. All of these pictures are from Sophia's website, and it looks like you can order any of these wondeful items directly from the site.

Just Somethings I've Been Working On

2009-09-23T10:31:00.001-07:00

I found a project using Altoid tins for Altered Art. They are called shrines and you can decorate them in so many ways. I am working on a Marie Antoinette one. I need to add some more embellishments, and come up with something for the other side of the inside.

I took an old brown, boring jewelry box, and painted it with a smeared mess of blues, and embellished it with a Marie Antoinette image, feathers, flowers, ribbon, a fleur de lys and jewels.

Wine Harvest Celebration - DC

2009-09-21T04:59:00.000-07:00

The Wine Harvest by Francisco Goya 1786

Le Chat Noir Restaurant is having a celebration on Thursday, September 24th to celebrate the beginning of wine harvesting season.

Check out the special menu for the night. If you are in Washington, DC for the week, I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant.

Parisian Window Shopping in Boston - Part Deux

2009-09-15T06:10:00.000-07:00

Pierre Deux is another fabulous Parisian shop in Boston. This place is stocked full of the most beautiful Provincial furnishings.

They carry great French country home furnishings such as rugs, furniture, lighting and more.

Johnny Cupcakes & Looney Tunes

2009-09-12T16:14:00.001-07:00

I have been a fan and collector of Johnny Cupcake's shirts and accesories for a few years now. His shirts always use pop culture icons, and are blended with cupcakes in some way or another. Check out his site, and read his story.

Today he launched a collobaration with Warner Brothers and Looney Tunes for a line of four shirts. The launch was at noon today. I managed to get in line (in the rain) at the Boston store for the shirt I wanted. Looney Tunes was one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. I remember waking up at 6 or 7 on Saturday morning, before the whole house woke up, to take control of the TV so I could watch Looney Tunes.

The Roadrunner and Bugs Bunny were always my fave, and of course Pepe Le Pew.

I heard a few days ago, that there was going to be ACTUAL cupcakes at his store, for those who purchased a shirt.

I was about the 30th person in line, as the doors opened. We were asked constantly by passersby what we were standing in line for. The reactions on people's faces when we said TShirts was pretty funny.

They let only ten people in at first. As they first ten filed out they were carrying big white cardboard things. Someone in line stopped one of the people coming out to see what was in the cardboards. The first twenty people to purchase a shirt received a limited edition, hand painted, original animation cel from the studios that create the Looney Tunes animation shows!!!

As the next 20 people filed in, they asked for someone who was alone to go in as well, and that was me! Luckily, I didn't have to wait with the rest of my group, and was excited to get in early. I got to meet the man himself (see the picture above) and got the shirt I wanted with Yosemite Sam and Bugs Bunny.

You can see Johnny Cupcakes logo on Yosemite's belt buckle, and I love the cupcakes flying out of the guns.

AND.....

I also got one of the animation cels! How cool is this???

As someone who wants to open their own business, I find Johnny Cupcake's story and dedication to his business and fans to be very inspiring.

Blogger - Circle of Friends Awards

2009-09-11T18:10:00.000-07:00

Tristan over at Enchanted Revelry just awarded me with a this "Circle of Friends" award. I'm going to do as he did and forward it along to my favorite three male bloggers.

Stefan from Architect Design

David from Savoir Faire

The Sartorialist

Enjoy your award gentlemen, and keep up the "Circle of Friends"

Parisian Window Shopping in Boston

2009-09-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

I was running just a tad early for work yesterday. At 7am, on a holiday, downtown Boston is very quiet. I rather enjoyed it.

I stopped to take a peek into this shop that I pass every day but never have the time to stop. Madura is a home decor store that focuses mostly on curtains, trims, pillows, lamps, shades, etc.

They only have two US locations: Boston and New York.

I just adore their window set ups.

Vanity and Two Artistic Ladies

2009-08-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

Work has been consuming so much time, so please forgive for the sporadic posting. I finally (well almost) finished setting up the vanity in the new dressing room. The dressing room itself is a totally different story. I still need to acquire a dressing screen, chandelier and chaise.

Here is the vanity before, purchased off of Craigslist for $50

And after with my Audrey Hepburn print, in place in the dressing room.

The bench with a light blue toile like fabric. I fell in love with the colors of this fabribc right away. It goes well with the silver I painted the vanity. I was going to paint it all white, but decided to be totally different and go with something unexpected (like silver). When I was a teen, I was obsessed with Andy Warhol and painted everything in my bedroom silver in honor of his Factory. The walls, furniture, etc was all painted silver. My mother hated it!

I got new vintage looking drawer pulls from Anthropologie. They have the cutest little objects for redoing furniture. It took me three days to decide on these. I liked the color and thought it went well with the bench fabric.

A closer shot of the drawer pulls.

My two favorite candles ( I have dozens). The Baies candle is from Diptyque and the other is Cire Trudon's Trianon. I use the small metal replica of the Eiffel Tower to hold my rings. It's so cute and convienant. I have one queen crown and one king crown hooks from Shabby Chic. I only have this one put up right now. It holds a French gift tag, and my Fleur De Lys necklace from Juicy Couture.

The white fabric is actually a vintage linen table napkin that belonged to my grandmother. These are only a few of my fragrances (my favorites). I use the blue porcelain soap dish to hold my watch, and a few other items.

The only thing I'm missing right now is an actual mirror for the vanity.

*******************************************************************************

I also wanted to share one of my favorite bloggers, (and an incredible artist) Lulu Kellog of Coastal Sisters. Lulu works with her sister Lisa to create beautiful pieces of art: paintings, photographs, jewelry and whimiscal gifts.

I just ordered this adorable cupcake paperweight from Lulu.

A cute little sticker that was on the outside of the box that the cupcake arrived in.

Lulu also had a giveaway on her blog recently that I was the lucky winner!! She sent me these amazing earrings. I'm going to give them to my mother for Christmas. She would love these!!

Check out Lulu and Lisa's site/blog and support these two amazing artists!!!

Julien David Scarves

2009-08-23T04:09:00.000-07:00

Born in Paris, based in Tokyo, Julien David creates beautiful and whimiscal scarves. At first glance you see traditional scarf details, but on second glance you see images that are a throwback to his graffiti days such as spray can nozzles, graffiti tags and more.

Julien David scarves are created using the finest Japanese silk and made in Northern Japan. They can be purchased at Colette Paris.

Follow Me My Pretty Pretties

2009-08-19T04:30:00.000-07:00

Follow me as I join Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist for a Halloween Blog Party!!

Yes, it is a bit early to announce this, but this gives us all plenty of time to plan a fabulous post for what is my favorite Holiday!!

I have to start some ideas brewing.....

Magnolia Memories

2009-08-12T05:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I've been away for a while. For the past two weeks, I have been in transistion from one job to the next. In this two weeks I have only had one day off, and that day was used to move into a new apartment. Needless to say, I've been a rather busy boy. But I am settled in to the new job and apartment (more on those later).

I saw something the other day that was about Magnolias, and it instantly reminded me of my grandmother. She had this huge Magnolia tree in her front yard. As soon as you pulled up to her house, and stepped out of your car, you could smell the wonderful scent of Magnolias.

I used to cut some of the big, white flowers and float them in a large bowl of water on the dining table. They would fill the whole house with the wonderful scent.

My grandmother was so loving and caring. When I didn't get along with my stepfather and moved out on my own, it was my grandmother who helped me along, and took care of me.

She had the perfect, unconditional love that family members should always have with each other. No matter what any one did in the family, or how she was hurt by someone's actions, she always welcomed them back with smile, a hug and complete forgiveness.

I have so many memories of this wonderful woman, but the Magnolia tree is one of my favorites. Every time I smell a Magnolia, see a Magnolia I will remember her.

I need to scan and upload some of her old pictures. Maybe I will do a post on her sometime soon.

Faience - Glazed Pottery

2009-08-01T03:31:00.000-07:00

Faience is fine glazed, vividly colored pottery originally known from Faenza, Italy and created sometime in the 9th century (possibly in the middle east).

19th Century French Faience Plate

In France, Faience manufacturing centers opened in the early 18th century. Faience is often decorated with images (such as flowers, birds and mythological scenes) for the prospective owner, and even mottoes. There were specially decorated pieces called Faience patriotique during the French Revolution.

18th Century Faience Milk Pot from Marsielle (Polk Museum of Art)

Faience was very popular at the Versailles court in the 18th century, and Marie Antoinette was a huge fan. Marie Antoinette collected Faience that was decorated mostly with flowers and Oriental images.

18th Century French Faience, similar in style to the type Marie Antoinette collected (Ruby Lane Antiques)

8 Week Total Transformation

2009-07-29T06:45:00.000-07:00

Join me at my Beauty Blog Le Pouf for a total head to toe transformation challenge!

The Transformation Challenge will include diet and exercise plans, tips and tools, beauty advice and much more!!

Also, look for more updates, tips, etc in my Twitter feed in the right side bar!!

How To Steal A Million

2009-07-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

I watched "How To Steal A Million" last night with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole. What a great movie, with suspense, danger (okay not really any danger, but it sounds good), and plenty of laughs.

My favorite parts of the movie were Audrey's character's house that she lived in with her father. The furnishings were so French and lovely. The second part was Audrey's Givenchy wardrobe for the movie. It was the epitome of French chic in the 60's.

Audrey's character, Nicole lives with her father who is a notable art collector. In all actuality he is an art forger. He forges paintings by artists such as Van Gogh and sells them for considerable amounts of money.

Picture from Picked Pics

Picture from Picked Pics

Nicole's father donates a famous statue, the Venus by Cellini, which was actually created by her grandfather. The one in her family's possesion is actually a fake, although everyone thinks it's the real Venus. The statue goes on display at a museum in Paris. When the statue is to be tested for it's authenticity, Nicole realizes that her father will be exposed as a forger and a fake.

She hatches a plan with a burglar she catches in her house, to steal the statue from the musuem in order to save her father from going to prison.

Picture from Picked Pics

Without giving too much away from this point, the movie is full of twists and comedy. Rent it if you have never seen it. As I mentioned, the wardrobe and set designs are worth seeing it!

And a Merry Christmas to You!!

2009-07-25T05:59:00.000-07:00

The girls, Boots and Sydney, waiting patiently for Santa's arrival. They always get little treats for the day. Including new cat nip!

Maggi at Just Add Glitter and Stir is hosting a Christmas in July party starting today! Visit her site, and the others and have a Merry Christmas!! or Happy Holidays if you prefer! *wink*

The Holidays are all about tradition in our home. We always open one present the night before, just because we are so impatient. Not to get our gifts, but to give them to each other.

Matt's family is mostly German, and apparently they have a Holiday tradition of hiding a pickle ornament in the tree. Whoever finds the pickle on Christmas morning gets a special present.

Image from Flickr.

Interestingly enough, we picked up our pickle ornament at the Germany pavilion at Epcot! We are total Disney fans as you can see.

Christmas morning is spent with breakfast and a mimosa under the tree. We start with our stockings and then move to the presents. We usually just enjoy some time sitting under the tree and talking.

The stockings are usually reserved for some fun and silly little gifts, that just remind us of each other when we see them. Nothing fancy, just pure fun and silliness!

We then have friends over for a big meal, and the table is set all pretty. I do it different every year, this was from two holidays ago. Notice the reindeer on the table? He has been in Matt's family for years, and was passed down to Matt and he graces our coffee table or dining table every year for the Holidays.

This year was pretty simple, because we didn't have a whole lot of room in this apartment. Oh and by the way, the china is from the Japan pavilion at Epcot. Again...we are total Disney nerds.

If we can make it home to Florida for the Holidays we usually spend them with Matt's family, and we go to the "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party" at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Fl.

The park is closed only to people with tickets to the party, so you don't have as many crowds as normal. You can walk on all the rides without waiting. There is a special parade with Toy Soldiers and even Santa makes an appearance.

Throughout the park they hand out hot cocoa and freshly baked cookies. I know hot cocoa in Florida? But it's fun!!

Toy SoldiersWhy, who could this be?And with the help of Disney's Magical Powers, it even snows on Main Street at the Magic Kingdom. Snow in Florida?? Crazy talk!!

Hope everyone has fun at the Christmas in July party throughout the blog world today!!

I Let The Funky Music Do The Talking

2009-07-20T17:02:00.000-07:00

Girls Aloud will literally formed on TV in front of millions of viewers on the popular British show "Popstars: The Rivals". The idea behind the show is to take several guys and several gals from thousands of hopefuls and form one guy group and one girl group. The two then compete for the title!

Girls Aloud hold the record as having the shortest time between the group being formed and reaching a number one hit.

I really love the sexiness of the videos, and how the create a story and feeling in the video by using ideas from eras past. I love the Marie Antoinette feel of the video "I Can't Speak French"

Check these two videos out.

Attempts at Art

2009-07-17T05:56:00.000-07:00

So I have been so inspired by some of the blogs I read, and the beautiful things they create everyday, that I have been attempting to creat my own arts and crafts items.

I am new at this, and working into it very slowly.

This is a makeup brush/pencil holder that I made as part of the prize give away for naming the new blog, Le Pouf. I sent this off to Saucy at Bloggedy Blog Blog, who came up with the name of the new blog.

This was a tin can that the Gaultier Le Male fragrance came in. I wrapped and glued it with gift wrapping paper, trimmed with embellishments and ribbons. I really had fun doing this project and would love to make more. They are very simple.

I am also working on an Altered Art Book, and will be showing some pictures from that very soon.

Have a fun and crafty weekend!!

Vive la France

2009-07-14T04:24:00.000-07:00

Sunday was the big Bastille Day Celebration in New York City. It was a great time indeed!!

Bastille Day is a national holiday in France, that is celebrated every July 14th! It is often called "Fete Nationale" (National Celebration). Bastille Day honors the 1790 storming of the Bastille. This symbolized the beginning of a new modern nation, and the decline of the French monarchy.

Chanel Couture Fall 09

2009-07-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

I really love this one, and seems the most "Chanel" to me.

What is with the lampshade hats?

Overall, I'm not a fan! Are you?

I'm off to bed, because tomorrow is Bastille Day in NYC and I'm leaving super early in the morning. I am most excited to see the Can Can dancers. Is anyone else going to be there?

I will post photos, and hopefully videos tomorrow (or sometime soon) of the celebration!!

Vive La France!!

Christian Lacroix's Last Show?

2009-07-10T04:14:00.001-07:00

Christian Lacroix is bankrupt, and searching for someone to buy him out and save the fashion house.

These are some images from what may be his final couture showing.

The banner reads "Christian Lacroix Forever" and was brought out at the end of the show. So sad.

You can check out the rest of the pictures at NYMag.

Tomorrow I'll be posting some of the Chanel Couture show....stay tuned!

Something for the ladies....

2009-07-07T05:29:00.000-07:00

Christian Dior Couture for Fall 2009. The pictures of this show, where just posted on NYMag.com.

Galliano either loves sheer, or the models forgot to finish getting ready.

However, I do love the glamour the outfits envoke.

Christmas in July???

2009-07-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

Maggi at Just Add Glitter and Stir has gone insane. She is hosting a Christmas Party in July. Check out the button on the right sidebar and join in the fun.

I'm always up for a party!!

Paris Street Style

2009-07-02T10:29:00.001-07:00

Sometimes what you see on the streets is even more fun than what you see on the runways.

These are all taken by the Sartorialist for Men.Style.com

Paris Menswear Continues

2009-06-29T07:57:00.001-07:00

Here are just a few more of my faves!!

Yohji Yamamoto.

I love the "Oliver Twist" appeal of these two. Above is another example of the over sized sweater trend.

Yohji Yamamto

Alexis Mabille.

I am not familar with Alexis, and this is his first all men's collection, but I'm quite impressed. Next to Hermes, this is my favorite!

Alexis Mabille

Look at that cardigain!! To Die For!!

Alexis Mabille.

I need to get more scarves for Spring!! That is a MUST!!

Dior Homme

Okay, here is the weird thing. When Heidi Slimane designed for Dior Homme, I hated everything he did. I used to adore Kris Van Assche. NOW...I love what Kris Van Assche is doing for Dior Homme, but I'm not very impressed with his own line now. Weird!

Dior Homme

Transparent tops, and transparent panels on tops were also a big trend I saw. I'm not that brave, but I can appreciate the aesthetics of it. Maybe after a couple more months in the gym.

Van Assche really focused on light as air fabrics, and layered them in such a way that the clothes look perfect for warmer temps.

Paul Smith

Again, a very muted, gray color palette. I saw so much of this monochramtic whites, grays, blacks. Where is all the color for Spring???

Paul Smith

Here is a whole bunch of trends wrapped into one: light layers, sheer transparent top, oversized sweaters. I love this look (even the long necklace) and this is something that I would see myself actually wearing to work.

A little bit of color in the oversized sweater trend from Paul Smith

****All pictures on these two posts are from men.style.com*****

Paris Menswear Spring Summer 2010

2009-06-28T06:48:00.001-07:00

I am still very tired from yesterday's party (not to mention working all weekend), and looking forward to tomorrow (my first day off in a very long time).

The one time of the year that I get really excited, and spend hours pouring over pictures online is the Menswear shows in Paris. Here are a few highlights and some of my favorites so far this week.

Dries Van Noten

Dunhill.

I'm not very familar with Dunhill, but I really love the use of materials, and especially the cut of this jacket. It's like a men's version of a bolero almost. Very fun.

Dunhill

John Galliano

I don't usually find Galliano very wearable or even likeable, but I like these two. I can even see them being a little wearable, or at least elements of them being wearable. It's like a modern twist on the Wild Wild West.

John Galliano

Hermes

By far my favorite show so far has been Hermes. The muted color palette is very soothing, and I find it very modern. I saw alot of these oversized sweaters from various lines, so I expect this to be a huge trend for Spring.

HermesScarf/Tie detail at HermesScarf detail at Hermes. This is giving me some great ideas. I love the bulky knit of the sweater, with the sleeves pushed, up and the way the tie is almost monochromatic to the sweater. I love the way this is tied, it's so European, so chic. I just love everything about this!!!Hugo Boss.

As you can see from some of the other pictures, white is HUGE for Spring. It always is, and this is an all white look that looks so effortless, but very stylish. I love it!

Jean Paul Gaultier.

This is so simple for him, I'm a bit shocked (and disappointed really).

Junya Watanabe.

Cape Cod chic, it's old school prep. Very nice.

Junya Watanabe

Louis Vuitton.

LV always does great colors in the Spring. Even when they are on the darker side, it just works and still looks fresh.

Louis Vuitton

I love the colored shoes. So unexpected!

Yves Saint Laurent.

Everyone has a brand that they are pretty loyal to. Mine of course is YSL. The one thing that YSL has always been known for is the fit of the clothes, the tailoring (even with Stefano Pilati at the helm).

I must admit though, that I was really disappointed in this collection from YSL for Spring Summer. The fit is awful, so ill-fitting and sloppy. I can't wait to see the Resort/Cruise collection though, because usually I find those more flattering than the actual Spring Summer collection. We shall see.

But really, what was he thinking with these???? So sad!!

Yves Saint Laurent

Yves Saint LaurentYves Saint Laurent

I'm late, I'm late...

2009-06-27T04:30:00.001-07:00

While I was out for a walk, I ran into Alice. She told me to look out for the White Rabbit and to follow him to the Mad Tea Party that was going on today all over the Blogging World.

Let's go...

It's not the White Rabbit, but just plain old "Rabbit" out tending to his garden. I stopped to ask him the way to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, and pointed me in the right direction.

I stopped to say hello, and sit a spell with Tinkerbell. Trying to find the party is getting to be hard work.

Is that the Mad Hatter??? No!! Just an imposter.

It's Snow White!! She is on her way to the party as well! Hello!!!

It's Peter and Wendy. Wonder if they are going to the party as well?

Oh, Pooh was thoughtful enough to bring a present. What a wonderful ballon. I better stop and get a present as well. After all, it's bound to be someone's Un-Birthday!

Oh, yes! I'll pop in here and pick something lovely up for the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.

Oh LOOK!!! The Mad Hatter himself. He will kindly lead the way to the party. Love the hat!

Looks like everyone is there and the party is underway! Glad we made it in time.

Even the Queen is there. I hope she doesn't try to chop off anyone's heads. "Off with his head..."

Grab a slice of Strawberry cake....there's even Vanilla Cake if you want....

I grabbed a slice of strawberry cake, with a glass of rose Champagne. Would you care for some as well?

The party was so much fun, but very exhausting. Even poor Hammie can't stay awake for long after all the fun.

Please join me and a bunch of other party animals at A Fanciful Twist for the Mad Tea Party.

**********************************************************

When I started thinking about the Tea Party, I remember I had take pictures of Alice, the Mad Hatter and the Queen at Disney. I scoured my Disney pics and pulled all of these. The topiaries are from the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot that happens every Spring.

Hope you enjoyed!!!

Oh yes, and in honor of the Mad Tea Party, I'm wearing BPAL's "Eat Me" from the Mad Tea Party Collection! So yummy!!!

Mad Tea Party

2009-06-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

I just discovered the most amazing blog, A Fanciful Twist, and the owner of the blog is hosting a Mad Tea Party on June 27th.

I am always up for a party, and will be posting/joining this fab idea. Of course, I might be drinking Champagne instead of tea, but I'll drink it from a tea cup if that helps!

Yes, I love parties...EVEN, when I'm being hounded by the Paparazzi. Yikes!!

I have always loved Alice and Wonderland, and what a great way to celebrate such a fascinating story. I might have to watch the movie to get myself inspired before the party begins.

I can't wait to see Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter in the upcoming remake of Alice in Wonderland. Just look at that cast list!!!

Hope to see you all at the party on June 27th!!!!!

Dressing Room

2009-06-21T13:47:00.001-07:00

We are moving, in a month or so, to a smaller unit in our building. The current unit is just too big for us. We have a lot of unused space that is just going to waste.

I am thinking about how we are going to utilize the spaces in the new floorplan (a one bedroom with den), and we have decided to turn the den into a dressing room/studio.

I have a few ideas of what I want in the dressing room:

*Vanity

*Chaise Lounge

*Dressing Screen

*Maybe an armoire

*Perhaps a vintage birdcage for decor

*Chandelier

*Maybe a vintage sewing form

Here are some inspirational photos that I am loving. I will have to do a Before and After.

Jackie O's Dressing Room in the Whitehouse, circa 1962. She had incredible taste. I absolutely love this room.

Get ready...Cheri

2009-06-20T17:25:00.000-07:00

CHERI is the tale of Parisian courtesan, Lea (Michelle Pfeffier), who is hired by Charlotte (Kathy Bates) to...uh..."groom"...*ahem*...her son Cheri (Rupert Friend) in the ways of women.

Lea who is struggling with growing older, relishes in Cheri's youthfullness and naivete. The two wind up spending a scandalous six years living together, while also falling in love.

Charlotte, swoops in with a girl matched and set to marry her Cheri, and the power stuggles begin.

CHERI is a period film set in Belle Epoque Paris, and directed by Stephen Frears (Dangerous Liasons) and based on the books "Cheri" and "The Last of Cheri" by Colette.

Opens in select theaters June 26. I can't wait to see this!!

Family Fun Day - Strawberry Picking and Rockport, MA

2009-06-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

On the rare occasion that we all have the day off, we (and our friends, Jennie and Meredyth) like to do what is known as "Family Fun Day". We all pick something fun to do for the day. Tuesday, the four of us had off and we had Family Fun Day. We decided to go to Tougas Family Farm and do some Strawberry picking. We went in the fall for apple picking to Tougas.

I don't know why, but I thought this sign was cute! I made Strawberry Jam last night with the fresh strawberries, and it's wonderful!

My favorite part of the farm is the goats. I had two goats growing up, and they are very fun and affectionate animals. My dream is to have a house with property so I can have chickens and a goat.

Seriously, you can't tear me away from the little guys/gals.

We have decided to explore more of New England. Since moving here two years ago, we have really fallen in love with this area, and want to see more of it. On our days off, we try to pick one new city to visit. So, after strawberry picking, we headed to Rockport, Mass.

Rockport is exactly how you would envision a sleepy New England town on the water. My dream has always been to have a house on the water, up on a rocky ledge, overlooking boats in the harbor. I saw so many homes like this in Rockport.

I really fell in love with this little town, and would love to have a summer vacation home there.

I loved the wreaths, flowers, and archway on the door of the restaurant. I would love to do something like this to my house (when we buy one.)

I'm holding a pink book in my arm in this picture, not a clutch. Ha ha. I found it at a antique shop, and plan on using it to do an Altered Art Book.

I'll take that house right there on the point please!

Or any of these will do nicely.

The view from the restaurant we ate lunch at, The Fish Shack. There were actually teenagers jumping off of the dock and swimming around in the water. Too cold for this Florida boy.

There are so many cute little shops in Rockport. We found the most amazing Austrian bakery, and purchased some really delicious strudels. I also found a cute store called La Provence, that had gorgeous French Country linens, dishes, soaps and lotions.

Beauty Blog is Up!!

2009-06-15T05:06:00.001-07:00

Firstly, thank you to everyone for your support and name suggestions. This was a really hard choice for me, and I had to get some help. I narrowed it down to a few of my faves, and had help in choosing the winning name from there.

I decided on Le Pouf. It really did combine the two ideas I had in my mind perfectly. I love the "fluffiness" of it, and it is both easy and fun to say and remember. Thank you to Saucy for the name (I will be contacting you shortly for your information)!!

The new beauty blog, Le Pouf, is now up an running if you would like to check it out. I hope to continue to see everyone on this blog, as well as on the new one. Of course, the new site is just a baby, and will grow in due time. I have a few ideas and will be changing it constantly, I'm sure.

"Let Them Eat Cupcakes" will continue to be my source of all things French, a place to showcase my love and inspiration of all things French. Le Pouf will be more related to my work, and my love of the Beauty Industry.

Again, thank you to everyone for following me on "Let Them Eat Cupcakes" and taking part in the name contest for the new blog. I have met some wonderful people through blogging and hope to meet many more, as you visit my blogs, and I continue to follow, read and love your blogs.

I would also like to give a special thank you to Janet at French Blue for helping me with this new blog. Thank you for all of your ideas and suggestions!

New Beauty Blog and a Giveaway!!

2009-06-10T04:49:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, I work in the Beauty Industry. Currently, I am working as a makeup artist. I have over ten years experience in the Beauty Industry as a makeup artist, hair stylist and esthetician.

As I mentioned in a previous post, my dream is to own a day spa, and this is something that I want to start working on now. Part of that, is lending my experience and expertise to others. I have decided to start a Beauty Blog, where I can write advice, tips, tutorials, product reviews and more.

I was having trouble coming up with a name, and Janet at French Blue gave me a great idea!

Let you guys do the work in naming the blog! Which leads me to the giveaway. I have a few things that I will put together to send to the lucky winner, which will of course include some beauty products.

I will run the giveaway/blog naming contest until this Sunday, June 14th. Please leave your name ideas on this post as a comment! I will pick the one that I like the best, and open the new blog with that name. Once the name is picked I will contact the winner, let them know, and send out the giveaway prize!

Here is a little more about me, that may help you in naming the blog. I would like it to have a French feel. I am obssed with all things French, Marie Antoinette, Cupcakes, Audrey Hepburn.

I was thinking about using Maison de Beaute, but that didn't seem very original. That gives you a wee bit of insight into where I was going though.

Good luck!! I can't wait to see some of the entries/ideas! If you have any questions, please feel free to email me!

Boston AIDS Walk 2009

2009-06-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned here, I walked in the Boston AIDS Walk today. I have been very lucky to not have been touched personally by this disease, and do not know anyone who has. However, this is a still a huge problem not only in the United States, but in other countries.

I'm very proud of our team, Team MAC, who raised over $7,000 towards the cause and we were one of the top ten teams of the walk.

I am very tired from the walk, with legs of noodles and very sore feet. The walk was 6.5 miles around and through downtown Boston following the Charles River.

The walk route:

We started at the Hatch Shell and walked down Commonwealth Avenue past the gorgeous homes, through the lovely parks,

past the famous Citgo Sign and into Brookline.

From Brookline we headed North into Cambridge and followed the Charles River some more. We stopped to pose for pictures with the Prudential Building in the background. Another famous Boston landmark.

And...FINALLY...the Finish Line!!!!

It was a fun and amazing day. Walking around Boston and seeing so much of the city really made me realize how beautiful Boston is. The walk really made me appreciate all the beautiful green spaces, how you can spend a beautiful day along the Charles River, maybe stop and have a picnic or just sun yourself. You can even go rowing, or sailing on the Charles if you want. There is great shopping on Newbury Street, gorgeous parks in the Public Garden and the Boston Common.

Oh, I could go on and on, but I won't because I'm too tired from today. Needless to say, today made me realize my love for this city and that I am ready to settle down here and make my future and all of my dreams come true in this amazing city!!!

Patience, Hard Work, and GLEE

2009-06-05T05:25:00.000-07:00

So my life is in a period of shift. I can't think of any better word right now. Shift, shifting. Recent events have made life a little hard in my current job. I've decided to focus on making my dream a reality, which is to open and own my very own day spa.

This is something that probably won't happen for at least another two years. I have many steps to take over the next two years to make this dream a reality of course. I am nervous about what I have to do in order to get on the right path, but it must be done.

This process has me thinking a lot about life, and patience. I am not a patient person, but I must be patient in the process, patient in every aspect of my life until this dream happens. So, I have been thinking about patience. The most patient person I know in my life, is my puppy. Hamlet Beuregard, or Hammie is my two year old Yorkshire Terrier. He is full of personality, and is very patient.

Hammie has a few favorite toys that he loves for us to play with. One is an orange bone and the other is a blue ball. He will bring you the toys and set them right next to you, and patiently wait for you to toss it for him to go fetch. If you don't throw it, he will pick it up, toss it at you, or place it next to you or on you. And wait...and wait...and wait. Finally, you feel bad for the little guy and toss it, no matter how tired you are.

Hammie has the patience to wait and work towards what he wants; for you to throw the toy for him.

Another thing that has come up recently that shows me not only the value of patience, but of hard work in order to achieve your goals is the new tv show, "GLEE". The show is about a group of misfit high schoolers, who just don't really fit in anywhere. The one thing that they all have in common, and the one thing that all want to do is to sing. Despite everything that is against them, they work hard to make the Glee club stay alive so that they can sing. The show has only aired a pilot and will begin on FOX in the fall.

During one scene of the show, a teacher is talking to another teach (the one who was going to lead Glee club but gave it up) and she says to him "The only life worth living is the one you are truly passionate about". That really stuck with me, because what is the point of living a life that makes you unhappy?

And of course, the song that group sings "Don't Stop Believing" shows that if you don't give up hope, work hard, you can make your dreams come true.

100th Post!!!

2009-06-02T05:11:00.000-07:00

When I first started blogging, I didn't feel that I had much to say or that anyone would care to read what I had to write about. In the beginning, I wrote very few posts. Lately, I have added more and more and try to blog regularly. It has taken me awhile to reach my 100th post, but I have!!

I have spent the past week thinking about to honor my 100th post, or what to post about. Honestly, I have been at a complete lost. I'm never very good with these kinds of things. I wanted to do a giveaway, but don't have anything to give away, and I couldn't think of anything. I still want to do a giveaway on my blog, so there might be something in the works. Stay tuned!!

So I decided last night, that we should celebrate the 100th post the way I celebrate all things in my personal life (new jobs, birthdays, anniversaries, etc)....with Champagne!!!

Just in case you don't know anything about Champagne here are a few highlights:

*Champagne is a sparkling wine that uses secondary fermentation to create the bubbles

*It is produced in the Champagne region of France, and only wines produced in this region can be called Champagne. Sparkling wines produced outside of Champagne must be referred to as Sparkling Wines

*Champagne was originally a drink shared by European royalty and nobility.

*Champagne was known to exist before medival times when churches owned vineyards and monks created the wines to be used for the Eucharist

*Although the monk Dom Perignon has been noted as the original creator of Champagne, there are records some 40 years before that an English scientist, Christopher Merret, had created champagne by adding sugar to wine create the second fermentation.

The monk Dom Perignon

*Dom Perignon may not have invented Champagne, but he did help create it as we know it today. He actually created the cork, and the wire cage that holds the cork into the bottle.

*Champagne is created using the Methode Champenoise, where a second fermentation is now created by adding yeast and rock sugar. A minium of one and a half years is required to achieve the flavor. After ageing the bottle goes through a process known as remuage, where the sediments settle into the neck of the bottle. The neck of the bottle is then frozen, and the sediment filled ice is forced out of the bottle. Syrup is often added to maintain the levels in the bottle and they are instantly corked.

Champagne bottles during fermentation

*There are many types of Champagne, including Prestige cuvee, blanc de noirs, blanc de blancs, and some rose.

*Champagne must always be served in flutes that are tall, and the ideal drinking tempature is around 45 degrees.

*The Victorian coupe glass which has a wider bowl, is rumored to be styled after the breast of Marie Antoinette

*Often Champagne is opened by forcing the cork out and letting it shoot out. This is the way that most people do it during celebrations. However, that is incorrect as most often the Champagne spills out and is wasted. The correct way is to hold the cork, while turning the bottle and easing out the cork with a gentle pop.

But, obviously, this is more fun!!

Vintage Champagne Ads:

Lady riding a cork that has been shot out of the bottle

Another of my favorite Champagnes, Pommery. They also sell cute little individual Champagnes called Pommery POP!

Grace Kelly in a vintage ad for Taittinger

My favorite Champagne to celebrate with is Veuve Clicquot.

The Champagne house of Veuve Clicquot was founded in 1772 by Phillipe Clicquot-Muiron. The house was later taken over by Phillipe's son Francois. Francois was married to Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin in 1798. When Francois passed away, Barbe-Nicole took over the Champagne house of Clicquot and it became known as Veuve Clicquot (veuve is widow in French). Most of the Champagne houses you see today with Veuve in the name, where taken over and kept alive by the widows of the original owners.

So go and have a glass of bubbly on me, or you can try my famous Christopher's Champagne Cocktail. We often serve this with special event brunches, or on Christmas day while we open presents around the tree.

Christopher's Champagne Cocktail:

1 cup of Peach Schnapps

1 cup of Cranberry Juice

1 bottle of your favorite Champagne

Mix in a large pitcher and chill. Serve in Champagne flutes and enjoy!

I also want to send a HUGE thank you to Tristan at Enchanted Revelry. Tristan is a very talented artist, and I enjoy reading his blog and admiring all the amazing things he creates. Tristan recently held a contest, where yours truly was the winner. Tristan sent me a lovely piece called "Maude in Paris" that is so adorable. I don't know how he creates these littel masterpieces, but I'm glad he does. He also sent me some gorgeous little cards featuring Marie Antoinette. Check out my gift below!! Thanks again Tristan!!!

Meric Tristan!!!!

What's For Dinner?

2009-05-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

In 1862, Charles Monselet posted the menu for a dinner prepared for Marie Antoinette in L'Almanach des Gourmands pour 1862. The dinner was served at Petit Trianon on Thursday 24 July 1788.

The menu:

Four Soups

Rice soup, Scheiber, Croutons with lettuce, Croutons unis pour Madame

Two Main Entrees

Rump of beef with cabbage, Loin of veal on the spit

Sixteen Entrees

Spanish pates, Grilled mutton cutlets, Rabbits on the skewer, Fowl wings a la marechale, Turkey giblets in consomme, Larded breats of mutton with chicory, Fried turkey a la ravigote, Sweetbreads en papillot, Calves' heads sauce pointue, Chickens a la tartare, Spitted sucking pig, Caux fowl with consomme, Rouen duckling with orange, Fowl fillets en casserole with rice, Cold chicken, Chicken blanquette with cucumber

Four Hors D'Oeuvre

Fillets of rabbit, Breast of veal on the spit, Shin of veal in consomme, Cold turkey

Six dishes of roasts

Chickens, Capon fried with eggs and breadcrumbs, Leveret, Young turkey, Partridges, Rabbit

Sixteen small entremets

(menu stops here)

It's Officially Summer

2009-05-24T05:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend officially marks the beginning of summer. The tempatures around here have finally risen to a suitable degree to even make you feel like summer is here. I have to work all weekend and can not take in any of the typical Memorial Day activities, but if I could here is how I would spend the day.

I'd start out with a nice brunch of crepes and mimosas.

Then I would go to the local state park near my house and go canoeing.

All that rowing does work up an appetite. I'd find a perfect spot for a nice picnic lunch. This will do nicely.

Actually, any spot to sit and open up the picnic basket would do.

A nap under a shady tree might be in order with a full stomach and tired, sore arms.

AIDS Walk Boston

2009-05-20T05:06:00.000-07:00

On June 7th, I will be walking with my company in the Boston AIDS Walk. I have 18 days left to continue collecting donations. If anyone would like to make a donation to my team, please email me and let me know. I will send you the information where you can do a donation online.

The money raised for the AIDS Walk is benefiting the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts. The money is used to help prevent further spread of the epidemic as well as those are living with the disease.

Last year, AAC…

*Provided free, confidential services to more than 2,500 clients with an average income of $9,750 Submitted oral and written testimony before Congress calling for a National AIDS Strategy
*Administered 459 HIV tests at AAC's MALE Center, Boston's only evening and Saturday location for free, confidential HIV rapid-testing
*Reached more than 400,000 people with prevention messages
*Answered 7,500 calls on our Statewide HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C Hotlines programs
*Talked to more than 6,775 youth through the BE SAFE program
*Helped 500 individuals with emergency rental assistance and over 500 with seasonal utility assistance
*Facilitated peer support groups and counseling session attended by nearly 1500 individuals
*Increased individual legal assistance for clients by 60%
*Provided 500 clients with 7,500 rides to medical and mental health appointments
*Counseled over 200 high-risk individuals

Playing Around On Polyvore

2009-05-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

MA by YSLGUY featuring Forever21 Accessories

A Marie Antoinette inspired collage

Marie Antoinette by YSLGUY on Polyvore.com

Another Marie Antoinette Inspired collage

Look1 by YSLGUY featuring Yves Saint Laurent Bags

A new outfit including a YSL belt and Bag, and a multi faceted ring

Look2 by YSLGUY featuring Dior Clothing

Another outfit including clothes from Christian Dior and shoes from Yves Saint Laurent

YSL Tribute by YSLGUY on Polyvore.com

A tribute Yves Saint Laurent, my favorite designer. Hence, the name YSLGuy

Festival de Cannes - Day Five

2009-05-17T05:23:00.000-07:00

Jin Goo (Mother)

Eva Longoria in Versace
Tilda Swinton