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.

Lazy Days of Summer

August tends to be one of the hottest months of the year.  We have been having record temperatures here for the past 30 days, temperatures ranging from 103 to 110 with heat indexes making it even more miserable.  If I could dream of the perfect day to kick back and enjoy the heat it might go something like this...

Image via Squidoo.com

Crate & Barrel

Starting to feel a bit better already.


Perhaps something a bit stronger might help?

Family Spice 

That's much better!

Now for some time at the beach.

Image via Google

Image via Google

I'm starting to enjoy this.

Image via Google

Sigh, this pretty much does it for me.  Now for some zzzzzzzz's.  What would a perfect summer day be for you?

All In The Family: "Edith's Problem"

It's Friday! Let's kick back and have a little fun. I decided to leave this week on a silly note and for your pleasure included a You Tube Video I think most of you will find humorous.

I'm sure you are all familiar with the "All In The Family" TV show that aired in the 60's. For those of you that aren't, I hope you will take the time to watch some or part of this You Tube video which is one of the funniest episodes I ever remember seeing. It's called "Edith's Problem" and it's definitely worth a great laugh. Even if you only watch the first few minutes of it, I'm sure you'll get a kick out of it. Some of you may even be saying to yourself "Humm, this sounds familiar. The very warm flushes, forgetfulness, foggy headed feeling, "the bad twin" who comes out in a rage, tears over nothing, and the water retention. Remind you of anything? Ok, I'll tell you. M-E-N-O-P-A-U-S-E.

The first time I saw this I was around 20 something years old I thought it was hilarious never thinking in a million years that I would ever act like that! Sigh... I was sorely wrong and had to eat my own words. LOL



So, pull a chair up with your favorite beverage and have a good laugh or a good cry and watch what "Women of a Certain Age have to look forward to".

It's Make-up Time

Good morning Ladies,

I thought it might be fun to check out some of the new make-up products this year. It seems all of the major make-up companies i.e. Chanel, Clinque, Bobbi Brown are always finding some new shades of color or applications that makes applying make-up fun.

We all have a little make-up bag filled with all sorts of products... old (yuck) and new... (Yay) BUT how many of us really throw away the old stuff? I know, it is hard to part with old stuff because after all it is expensive. How often have YOU thought, "I think I'll hang on to this for a bit longer"? Well anyway, I thought I would show you some lovely products to put on our lovely faces.

Wouldn't a face like this be lovely?  Look at those cheek bones.

This woman looks like she knows how to apply her make-up in a way that does not look like a clown preforming in a circus.

Image via Google

It is always best when applying make-up to use a good set of make-up brushes.  These make-up brushes by Chanel are not only gorgeous but practical as well.  Coco would have never had cheap, tawdry brushes on display on her make-up table.

Image via Google

Just look at these gorgeous shades of lipstick.  Coco Rouge by Chanel is by far the best lipstick that I have come across because it stays on longer than most I've used.  I have a terrible time NOT licking off my lipstick and I'm telling you gals right now that this stuff has "staying power".  I'll let you in on a little secret...whenever I am feeling low and want a pick-me up, I purchase a tube of lipstick.  Somehow, I always feel better, walk a bit more erect, head held higher, and feel more self-confident when I am carrying a tube of new lipstick.

Images via Google

I consider "pots of rouge" or blush in cream or powder to make or break the cheek bones.  Knowing exactly where to apply it is very important or you can come out looking like those sweet lil' ladies who, since losing their eyesight, have enough rouge on their cheeks to look like the clown I mentioned above.  Not that there is anything wrong with that...just sayin' we don't want to look like that until we have to.

Image via Google

Next we go on to nail polish for those of you who have nails with any length to polish.  While I do like these three colors independently of each other, I have to say that I'm just not that crazy for the black polish.  It reminds me of "vampires" or that horrid "gothic" look that some of the young girls are keen on nowadays.  However, that being said, I believe Morticia of the Adams family would look lovely in this shade.  Oui?  I personally would love the pinky, peachy color.

Image via google

Don't let this little tube surprise you. This mascara is wonderful and is used for the lower lashes...just the right size for getting those pesky lower lashes.  It also is removable with soap and water and comes in several shades. I don't know about you, but I was forever smearing the larger mascara wand onto my lower lashes...it seemed I just couldn't maneuver that large wand to hit those lashes without creating smears that looked like I had been crying for hours. Trust me on this one.

Images via Google

I love the unique size of this blush and matching lipstick or gloss.  I find the smaller the compact and tubes the more I can cram into that little make-up bag of mine...Well, actually it is more like a train case.

There you have it.  Not everything of course but some of the newer colors and items that I found.  I'm sure there is more to be found because as long as there are women who want to go out looking chic and youthful they will continue to come out with more and more items that will become a necessity if we are to stay our lovely selves.

Image via Google

Let us hope that we will know when less is more.  I'd love to hear what products you can't live without.

My Little Book of Poetry

I don't profess to read a lot of poetry but I do have some favorites and The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran is one of them.  I cannot count the number of times that I have read the chapters in this little book of treasures or the number of people I have purchased this book for because I can think of no other book that explains the many issues of life or the human condition as well as this book does.

It was written by Kahlil Gibran, a Lebanese artist, philosopher and writer and this book is considered his best work.

The prophet, Al Mustafa, who has lived in the foreign city of Orphalese for 12 years is about to board a ship which will carry him home. He is stopped by a group of people, with whom he discusses the many issues of life and the human condition.

There are chapters on love, marriage, children, self-knowledge, giving, friendship, death, and many more.  Each chapter is filled with a wealth of knowledge in life lessons. A book, that you can read and contemplate, put down and pick back up again anytime.  If there was ever a book that I can wholeheartedly recommend it would be this one.  It has remained on my bookshelf since I met my husband, who recommended it after we met 41 years ago.

A GREAT READ!

Have you ever read this book? If so, what did you think of it?  Would it be a book that you would recommend?  Kindly leave your comments as I would welcome your opinions.