Winners of the Giveaway

Well, today's the day!  After putting all the names in a hat, husband picked two winners.  The winner of the French gift tags is Maureen of Eclecticrevisited and the winner of the hand stenciled burlap bag filled with scented lavender is Genie of Paris and Beyond.

Okay ladies, if you will e-mail me your address and select which of the patterned paper shown in the post that you want your gift wrapped in I will get these in the mail to you.  E-mail me at kenkrisfranklin@gmail.com.

A big thank you to everyone who entered.  I wish I could give all of you something! Stay tuned because in a few weeks I will opening my new ETSY store and will be having another giveaway.

Simple Pleasures

Sometimes.....

I find that a simple arrangement....

A candle with a few embellishments...

A jar of buttons tied with hemp twine and a label from a french menu...

And a side table dressed up with a bit of  Belgium lace suits me just fine.

Sometimes...Less is more.

For all of you who haven't entered my giveaway on Tuesday you can do that (HERE).

Bella's Birthday

Its Party Time.

Justin Bieber Balloons

Boy, the years fly by! Yesterday Isabella turned 6 years old. This is how she looked at 4 months...

Isabella at 4 months

This is Isabella now minus one of her front teeth.

This is Bella now ( I call her Bella).  Never one to be shy in front of the camera, she wanted everyone at Chili's (her favorite restaurant) to know she turned 6.  She is a girly girl.  Yep, at age six she has already mastered how to apply makeup and does a fairly decent job of it.   She is all about earrings, jewelry of any kind, nail polish, and of course lip gloss.  I might add that she can put the gloss on so thick that she can barely open her mouth...more is better with her.

This year's birthday theme was guess?  Justin Bieber.  She is in love with him...yes I said love.

Bet you can't guess what's inside the bag and in that long tube?  You guessed it, a life size poster of Justin Bieber to hang in her room, a T-shirt, a CD, straws, and a stuffed bear all with Justin Bieber's name on them.  She couldn't have been happier!  Life is good!  Just give me ANYTHING with Justin Bieber's name on it and I'll be happy.

Bella with her Brother, Joshua

Yep, you don't mess with the Birthday girl and get away with it.  Notice the Justin Bieber plates and of course napkins to match.  It didn't take much to make her happy.  She told me, "I'm six today" and was very proud of it. If I could, I would freeze her at age six but I know I can't do that and deny her the pleasures of going through what all pre-teens, teenagers, and young adults go through before they become a grown-up.

My Girl.

So, for the time being I will hold her while I can, sit back and watch a caterpillar turn into a butterfly.  Happy Birthday Bella, Love Mamaw.

E-MagDECO

I am always searching for interesting things to read about French styles in different locations and came across this e-magazine. I subscribe to this magazine and haven't been disappointed. (See banner on side of my blog)  The writer of this magazine is Laetitia Rissetto, who's blog, The Heart of Provence I also frequent.  I thought you might be interested in having the link to check it out for yourself (HERE) There is a wealth of information and gorgeous photos in this online magazine with links to various shops, restaurants, artisans designers, houses, guest houses, shopping, and a creative pages.

Image from E-magDECO

Image from E-magDECO

Image From E-magDECO

Image from E-magDECO

Image From E-MagDECO

These are some of the pictures from Laetitia's recent article on "Justin de Provence," a guest house in the heart of the Rhone Valley on the outskirts of the city of Orange.  You must read the entire article and view all of the pictures...They are just beautiful.

This magazine has many beautiful photos, and creative ideas for making items.  I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.

If you haven't already left a comment and added your name as a follower for entries to my giveaway, you can do it (HERE)

Guess What?????

It was raining when I got up this morning! Yep, it's true after 41 days of not having one drop of rain we finally got some.  I'm not sure just how much we got but it was RAIN...Wonderful, glorious, RAIN.

Image from Google
Raining in Paris
Yoga Fitness, France

And I can't think of any better place to be dancing in the rain than in Paris.  Oui?

Have a great weekend.

I've Been Busy

Lately, I have been in my creative mode making homemade items for my Etsy Shop that I hope to have open early September.  Here is a peek at some of the items that will be available:

Hand Stenciled Bamboo Hand Towel

Fleur de Lis Bamboo Hand Towels

Hand Stenciled Burlap Drawstring Bags
No#7 and Fleur de lis
Filled with Lavender Scented Pinecones.

I am also in the process of TRYING to figure out how to put a (like) Facebook button on my blog but every time I try to do this it gives me some message that only developers can use this?  I have a Facebook Page and would like to connect my blog to my business Facebook page BUT due to my less than savvy computer experience am unable to figure this out?  If any of you out there knows how to do this please leave me a comment or else I may STILL be trying to figure this out long after my shop opens up!

H E L P!!!!

Also, Don't forget to sign up for my giveaway (HERE).

It's All In The Details

Who doesn't like receiving a beautifully wrapped gift?  It really doesn't matter the size of the gift or what it is that makes me want to open it.  It is the attention given to the wrappings...The bells and whistles if you please.  It's all in the details for me, the love and effort to select just the right paper, trimmings and tags that makes it for me.  I have a collection of unique French inspired paper that I purchased over time that makes wrapping an act of pleasure instead of a chore and sometimes I find plain brown wrapping or tissue paper holds as much appeal as the more elaborate.  I thought I might share with you some of the paper I use when wrapping gifts to give.

A gift of seashells wrapped in this would be beautiful.

Lovely for a feminine gift of perfume soap or jewelry.  Oui?

A Book perhaps?

These are two versions of the same paper.  Watercolors?

A Lovely Sealing set/with Wax

A beautiful set of initialed guest towels gift wrapped in this blue and white toile.

This paper is a gorgeous pink color (which doesn't show up very well) and would look nice gift wrapped  on a small item for the home.

Perhaps something musical?

Children's gift paper for toys.

I have also used this paper to create beautifully wrapped covered boxes in various sizes that could be used for hiding items i.e. key's, wallets, etc. that could be displayed openly and to give hardback books a new "jacket" so to speak.

If the paper is important so then is the ribbons and small decorative items like buttons, pins, and charms tied in with the ribbon to make it all the sweeter.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Hemp twine(2 ply)

Crinkled Seam Binding

Gorgeous silk ribbons

French Peel and Stick Ribbon via
Image via Eleanorbrownboutique.com
Etsy.com

Vintage Mother of Pearl Buttons

French Religious Medals

Oui?

St. Joan Of Arc

Fleur De Lis

A Beautiful Brooch

Whatever gift wrap and embellishments you choose for your gift should reflect your love of not only the person for whom the gift is given but to the presentation and the time you spend making it the very best you can.

I just love giving gifts AND wrapping them is especially fun trying to decide what paper, ribbon and embellishments to add.  So, I thought it would be fun to GIVEAWAY a lovely set of gift tags for the first winner and a burlap drawstring bag filled with lavender scented pine cones for the second winner chosen AND you get to select one of the gift wrap papers for the wrapping.  Both gifts are handmade and will be available for purchase when I open my new Etsy shop.  All you have to do is leave a comment under this post AND for a second chance become a follower of my blog.  If you are already a follower I'll count that as a second entry.

Five Handmade French Inspired Gift Tags
 with Creamy White Seam Binding
for tying.

Hand Stenciled Burlap Drawstring Bag Filled With
Lavender Scented Pinecones

This should be fun! Good luck and don't forget to leave your comments under this post.  Contest ends August 22 at 12:00 a.m. central time.