Fifi.................strikes my fancy

~ Holly Golightly Breakfast II ~

~ Reading Fashionable Friday In Paris ~ 

~ Paris Hotel Chair ~ 

~ Holly Golightly Breakfast I ~

You can't have a blog and not know Fifi Flowers. It just isn't possible, her whimsical drawings are as colourful as they are frequent and that is the part that strikes my fancy. What Fifi sees is what Fifi draws, whether it be a Paris balcony, a stylish fashion photo or my blog header (click here to see 2010 post) and I got to thinking that it must be so much fun to have a direct line and immediate line between seeing and creating. She often does a drawing a day, maybe more, and you can't help but think that if you are an artist what a wonderful dose of inspiration to introduce to each and every day. You can see Fifi's drawings at her Etsy shop here and though I am personally drawn to her stylish drawings that use black (my favorites being the Holly Golightly I and II), Fifi is best known for her Parisian subject matter, a love of fashion and her use of exuberant colour. Most of her drawings are 5" x 7", perfect for framing with extended matt sizes and her reasonable prices mean you could consider building a collection of Fifi drawings to group in a fabulously fun arrangement. Fifi recently introduced a series of handpainted bookmarks to go along with some of her favorite reads, a thoughtful and colourful addition to any book gift. She truly sees inspiration everywhere, and I mean everywhere..........really, how much fun is that?

All Copyright Images via Fifi Flowers

Bad weather..............and genetics

Isn't there some sort of deal we have with Mother Nature? It doesn't seem fair after the long, bitter winter we had this year that sunshine and warmth would take so long. I don't know how much longer I can hold this umbrella. But I am waiting impatiently, the ground is so wet, the air so cool, it has delayed our tender plantings, our welcome burst of annual colour. Normally, I am a bit behind schedule anyways but our outdoor veranda is being screened this year and we are eagerly looking forward to bugless dining and evening reading, perhaps even an outdoor sleep so I was hoping to be ahead of the game this year. 

The weather has been so dismal, I am way behind on my cycling schedule as well. No cycling, no bathing suit attire.....I suppose it is too easy to blame Mother Nature for that one though, isn't it? Probably best to point the finger at the matriarch of them all..........genetics.

Hope you are planting in your part of the world. 

Top photo by Fabio Bartelt/Bottom photo via Pinterest 

Fashionable Flowers........everywhere

These images have been tumbling into my arms this week, masses of fabric flowers everywhere fashionable. Fashion is such glorious fun these days, to observe, to inspire, to wear? Wear something striking this week. 

Image 1 via Pinterest/Image 2 via Sarah Klassen/Photo 3 by photographer Fabio Bartelt

Speaking of mothers.............a must read

How well do you really know your own mother? Do you really see her? Really know her? As adults, are we all guilty of seeing our mother in a one-dimensional form, one that begins in need when we are children?  Are we destined to always see our mothers through our own hopes and dreams? When a devoted mother leaves her remote, rural village to visit her adult children and goes missing in a crowded subway station in Seoul, a large Korean family wrestles with loss, guilt, blame, and love as they each question their emotional role in their mother's disappearance. How could this happen? And why can't she make her way back to them? Please Look After Mom by Korean author Shin Kyung-Sook is a most heartbreaking look at family dynamics, cultural expectations, and grief as each family member struggles to understand the mother they thought they knew, and the one they never took time to know.


"You stop arguing with Hyong-chol, because you realize that you're pushing him to take care of everything, as you always do. Leaving Father at Hyong-chol's house, you all head home. If you don't leave then, you will continue to argue. You've been doing that for the past week. You'd meet to discuss how to find Mom, and one of you would unexpectedly dig up the different ways someone else had wronged her in the past. The things that had been suppressed, that had been carefully avoided moment by moment, became bloated, and finally you all yelled and smoked and banged out the door in rage.

When you first heard Mom had gone missing, you angrily asked why nobody from your large family went to pick her and Father up at Seoul Station.

"And where were you?"

Me? You clammed up. You didn't find out about Mom's disappearance until she'd been gone four days. You all blamed each other for Mom's going missing, and you all felt wounded."




It was pure coincidence that I was reading Please Look After Mom
over Mother's Day weekend. When I finished, I found myself thinking how little I knew about my own mother's hopes and dreams and how I never asked her these questions while she was alive. This thought had been something I had been thinking about as I have gotten older and though I could ask the people in her life, how much better to ask your own mother if you can. I think it would be a lovely conversation. For both of you.  






Link to NY Times review

Happy Bows............on Mother's Day

Paper flowers tied with ribbon, a novel rose and radish bouquet, a small gift tied with twine and love, a sweet card................any of it is wonderful, but mostly mothers are blissfully happy when their children are, that is the best Mother's Day gift of all. I am happy today. I hope you are too.

Photo 1 from BHLDN/Photo 2 via Pinterest/Photo 3 via tumblr

Black Ribbon Bows..............used simply

A length of black ribbon.........used stylishly.

Images via Pinterest

A Jaunty Bow..........for the Kentucky Derby

The millinery world offers some of the most stylish bows. Wouldn't this be perfectly glamorous for the Kentucky Derby this weekend? Hats off to a style winner in the race for the best bow.

Image via Pinterest

Couture Bow..........fit for royalty

The execution of the design, the materials, the technique have come together exquisitely (to say nothing of the outfit itself). My most spectacular choice this week in a parade of bows, so beautifully fashioned it takes my breath away. I couldn't help daydreaming last week while watching the Royal Wedding ...........how would I wrap a royal gift? I think this Valentino Couture bow would do perfectly, do you agree? 

Image via enjoyfashion.tumblr.com

A triple bow of feminine persuasion

Pink velvet ribbon..................a triple bow on shimmery satin. 

Would be just as lovely on a beautiful gift.

Image via allthingselegant.tumblr

A week of beautiful bows..........

After a weekend of satin and lace...............a most 

stunning bridal bow. Isn't the shade of ivory divine?

Image via allthingselegant.tumblr

The Chanel Bow

Don't you just love a big, fabulous bow?

Image via thedesignermarks.tumblr

Oh Wow..............says Kate

Oh Wow..................in the words of Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cambridge.

To all of it, the Dress, Catherine's poise, Pippa's dress, the trees in Westminister Abbey, the crowds, the 

double kiss. So very lovely. 

My Royal Sleep Schedule........interrupted

She is getting ready for her new life and role............just hours away. Do you think she will sleep tonight? (no)

He is waiting........ for her. 

Wishing Kate & William a day of pure magic, but mostly wishing readers a bit of fun and glamour today as we all watch this historic and romantic event. Off to set the alarm and record button (to watch again), this royal subject wouldn't miss seeing "the dress" even if it interrupts my sleep schedule, which is royally important around here. Enjoy!

Photo 1 and 2 via Ludwig Interior Design/Bottom photo via Jose Villa. 

Barbie and Chocolate Cake.......at 3 am

All of these photos gave me a giggle this morning. Was there anything better than your mom's Devil's Food chocolate cake and then playing dress-up with Barbie? I am assuming I ate my yummy birthday cake, along with a glass of chilled milk, then dressed up my new Barbie and that is why these two things go together in my reminiscent mind today. I am kind of loving this upscale Barbie couture, though I must admit way, way back.......in my young mind my Barbies were certainly dressed this glam. I am sure I mentally enhanced their attire in all sorts of creative ways. Let's admit it, this is my mature version of how to serve chocolate cake and how to dress Barbie. Doesn't it look like fun? Something to serve while watching the Royal Lovefest at 3 am this Friday? The gorgeous cake photography and recipe is from a blog named What Katie Ate, a really yummy place.

Photo 1 from What Katie Ate/Photo 2 and 3 from Pinterest

Happy Hunting

~ by Russian artist Igor Oleynikov ~

Today is the day to paint eggs...............isn't that the sweetest tradition? Wishing you a lovely weekend with your family 

and the Easter Bunny. Happy Hunting. Happy Easter.

Girl Power............in ribbon

Isn't it gorgeous?

18" x 36" Oil on Canvas.

Girl Power by Karen Appleton

You can read her blog post about it here.

hip daisy

Blogger company. 

Daisy ~ taken with Hipstamatic photo app. 

My new favorite things. The puppy and the retro photo app.

Available at itunes.

Photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life

Balloons and Bouguets

~  Make the weekend unique ~

Photo 1 found here/ Photo 2 via Style Me Pretty

the way you move your hips.........ready to dance?

isn't it just plain wonderful when the sun is shining and you start moving more? movin those hips? outside where we are meant to be? seeing the grass turn greener by the day? the trees bud? and the days get longer? it makes me feel all sparkly and new. full of sugar and spice and all things nice. it makes me feel like dancing. ready?

top photo by Emma Freemantle via Sarah Kaye/Bottom photo via Hip In Paris/Video-You Tube/Mayor Hawthorne

warm gray feathers

Loving warm gray tones today, this gorgeous room seen at Trouvais, these feathery earrings especially.
Reminded me of this post by Lynn at Paris Hotel Boutique........ 
wearing feather extensions in her hair on a Steve Tyler whim.
I say have fun with style. 
And fun for me would be a pair of feathery gray earrings to wear with white linen this summer.  
Aren't they spectacular? The room too.




Happy Week and a stylish thank you to the new followers and readers who stopped by to comment. So sweet. 

Top photo from blog Trouvais/Bottom photo via Tumblr