My Petite Versailles

Thanks to my dear sister, I have some updated photos of my garden I've been working on.  All the brick is dug up from an old street of a nearby town.  I planted lots of pink roses around the statue that my dove "Romeo" has claimed for his new perch.  I added a small pond with a fountain in it...a little hard to tell in the second photo from the top, but the tinkling water sound is lovely.  It attracks all the local birds and my cat and chickens use it for a drinking fountain. The birdhouse above is made of broken china (thanks to my 4 kids.) It's been a wonderful summer so far and I am so glad I put in a little effort this year to make a relaxing space outside.  I've enjoyed it so much, reading french novels and drinking lavender lemonade, that I wish I would've done this years sooner.  Happy summer twirly-girls.

Hair Powder

Everything old eventually becomes new again...and hair powder seems to be on the rise.  Although it is not used to really whiten the hair as in the style of Marie Antoinette, it is a great alternative to shampooing your hair everyday.  I use powder just on the roots and brush it through to blend.  Starting from top to bottom, the products shown here are: Lulu Organicsat http://www.luluorganicsnyc.com/ , Kevin Murphy Powder Puff at http://www.kevinmurphy.com/ , Principessa at http://www.principessabeauty.com/ and Cake at http://www.cakebeauty.com/.

Happy pink Saturday girlie girls.  http://www.howsweetthesound.typad.com/

Ostrich Plumes

I love the weightless floating effect of ostrich feather.  I seems to catch the slightest breeze and dance along.  There are so many fun options for using it in your wardrobe or decorating. The fabric stores now carry ostrich feathers and trims to embellish your own items.  The always remind me of Marie Antoinette and the plumes she wore in her hair.

French Beds

Here's a few beds that will sweeten your dreams. I love the trundle for little girls from Restoration Hardware. The French Bedroom Company makes some amazing reproductions of antique beds.  How romantic is the carving mixed with wicker cane?

Have a wonderful Pink Saturday my girlie friends.   http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com

Bonjour Happiness

I love this book, Bonjour Happiness.  I took it to San Fransico with me and read it for the second time.  However this time I read it much more slowly, and always in a french bakery near my hotel as I had no money to shop.  For hours I would sit eating delicious pastries and coffee and make little notes how to improve my happiness according to the author's suggestions.  Jamie Cat Callan made a brilliant observation that happiness does not cost money.  I implemented her suggestion to make a "happiness profile" consisting of a small list of things that don't cost a lot of money but can bring you great pleasure.  Since I have four kids in a rather small farmhouse, I am constatly frustrated by the mess.  So I decided to give up the battle and focus on what I can actually control.

1.  Keep my bedroom room clean, especially my vanity, so I can primp and put on makeup without the feeling I need to clean it first.

2.  Keep my little breakfast nook clean so I have one spot in the house I can relax and enjoy a cappucino with madeleines.

3. Collect eggs from my crazy collection of chickens: frizzles, silkies, auracanas, americanas and silver seabrights.  Let them out to entertain me while I drink a morning coffee in the garden if it's not raining.  

4.  Relax and read a good book.  Make the kids clean up their own mess.

Get this book on Amazon, you will love it.

Liz Lisa

Liz Lisa is the ultra girly, ultra floral Japanese brand.  They always have the cutest photos on their website.  Last year they shot in Paris.  Check them out at http://www.lizlisa.com/