La Drougerie

Ah, the weather was so nice today! Thank you sunshine! Light jacket, warm in the sun, cool in the shade. I feel refreshed! I wasn't sure that I'd make it one more winter here without buying a SAD lamp, but I just might. I've had some craft projects on the brain, like making the girls some Easter dresses (I might attempt this Oliver & S pattern). The hint of spring in bloom paired with thoughts of ditsy floral prints had me wishing I could go to La Drougerie in Paris, a real treat of a store for anyone interested in crafts. When we were in Paris this past spring I had the pleasure of revisiting La Droguerie. I was able to sneak in early and take photos, which was so exciting! If you ever visit Paris and are interested in crafts, specifically knitting, sewing, or jewelry making, you should definitely put La Droguerie on your "must see" list. Here's a little tour of the shop. Plenty of eye candy from La Droguerie to inspire your next project...

A Measured Heart

Yesterday I bought some very adorable and slightly impractical measuring spoons hearts. I love them! I saw them a few days ago at a local shop and really wanted them but resisted the urge. I don't really need new measuring spoons, and I try to avoid impulse buys (well, I do right now anyway). But they kept creeping back up in my mind so I decided to go back and get them. I just want to measure and measure and measure! Lois loves them too. I threw out the tag and can't remember the company who makes them right now, but I'll add a link if I think of it.

I made a recipe from La Tartine Gourmande, a yummy chocolate cake topped with seasoned plums. I've made the cake a few times and love it and thought I'd try them as little fairy cakes. I started to cut the plums as heart shapes but it wasn't working out so well, so I did slices.

Tote Sewing

Last week I made a tote bag for a friend. I used a grain sack I bought from the flea market from Trinovante Trading. They are the vendors who have piles and piles of amazing grain sacks and bolts of grain sack fabric at Kempton Park. Scroll down on this post to see part of their space. Heaven in a grain sack! I wanted to use some Liberty fabric for the trim, but I only had a small strip and not enough to make proper bias tape, but I managed to make it work well enough.

Inspiration in Bloom

(photo above, Henri Matisse "Bouquet of Mixed Flowers" and all photos below from the Saipua blog)

Ah January and February, I love these months. Some people hate them, especially January, I think. It's a month that often begins with post Christmas blues and resolutions, many of which are just reminders of last years' resolutions not kept. I've had my share of blues in the winter months but in general I love January and February. I see these months as a good time to declutter and freshen up around the house. Clean out cabinets and closets, move pictures or furniture around, that sort of thing. The post Christmas-decoration-pack-up always helps jump start that phase for me. And lately I'm feeling especially inspired. I went out into our garden last week to check for any signs from the tulip bulbs I planted last autumn and saw peeks of green spiking up out of the ground, eep! I planted more than tulips but can't actually remember what, so I'm excited to see what comes up. I love having fresh flowers around our house. We splurge about every two weeks for flowers, but I'd really love lots of flowers and plants around the house all the time. Unfortunately I'm not too creative when it comes to flower arranging and I don't have much of a green thumb.

I think it's art to make an assortment of flowers look rustic and natural in a vase. I have daydreams of going to the Little Flower School in Brooklyn, NY and learning to arrange flowers like I see on the Saipua blog.