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/

Vintage Lucite

 Here are a few of the vintage lucite bags on ebay that are on my wishlist for my birthday this year. These icy cases remind me of Cinderella's slipper, you must be delicate how you treat them and fill them with lovely things to look at...pretty makeup, jewelled compacts, and perhaps a pink snakeskin card holder for a credit card or two.  Lucite has been making a comeback for some time now, but nothing beats the original.

Fifi Chachnil

On the top of my list of "must see" places in Paris, Fifi Chachnil's was in the top 3...right before Chantal Thomass and right after Laduree.  Fifi is a retro lingerie designer. Her shop is as pink and girly as it gets.  Here is a sad story about my visit.  I was so excited to buy her perfume, which is very french smelling, but did not listen to the advice about not opening it until I was safely home.  On the airplane ride home, over half of it spilled out and soaked the pink atomizer and tassel.

When I grow up I want to be just like Fifi Chachnil.  She is so adorable.  In her younger years she was a singer and recently released her CDs of her recordings.  They are the cutest, flirtiest music ever.  Go to her website to hear a sample of her music at http://www.fifichachnil.com/ also available to download.

Mirror, Mirror On the Wall

After buying a six foot 18th century gold mirror for my home, my girlfriend Bethany made one of her usual funny and sarcastic comments: "Well, a girl's got to have something to put her makeup on."  It makes me laugh every time I think of it.  I seem to be drawn more and more to rooms with great achitecture, lovely moulding, no wall art and one magnificent mirror reflecting a fabulous chandelier.  That is becoming my philosophy for decorating these days.  Take all the other clutter off the wall and let a few great pieces speak for themselves.