Amelia as Madeline

I am not a huge fan of Halloween, but I do think that it is fun to play dress up every now and then. What better costume for a francophile like me to choose for her little girl?

Madeline!

Last year for Christmas Amelia received the entire series of Madeline books from two of her aunts. Aunt Nay Nay, as Amelia calls one of them, actually gave her the Madeline doll for Christmas, too.
So, I had the prototype, and the seamstress-my loving mother. We just needed the fabric for the dress.

I actually found this fabric at a local estate sale for $2.00 the weekend my mom and I had made plans for her costume. When I brought the fabric home and compared it to the doll, I was shocked at how perfect it was!
The doll actually comes with a blue felt peacoat...You should have seen my mom's face when I mentioned that a sweet little peacoat would be cute, too.
Needless to say, I decided that a blue peacoat wasn't that necessary!
As for the golden yellow beret...I honestly didn't make much of an effort looking for one.
My mother and I decided that a golden yellow bow could replace the yellow collar of the doll so that Amelia could wear this dress throughout the fall/winter.
However, for some reason I like the big yellow bow, even if it looks somewhat "clown-ish."

As you can see in this picture, Amelia hasn't really attached to the Madeline doll yet, but I am certain that in the months to come, she will begin to appreciate dolls more.

When Amelia is a little older, will she love Madeline like many young girls have for the last couple of generations? As Anna Quindlen writes in the introduction to Mad about Madeline:The Complete Tales, "Madeline books endure because they understand children and epitomize what they fear, what they desire, ans what they hope to be in the person of one little girl." I can't help but wonder...
What will Amelia fear? What will be her dreams as a young girl?

Only time will tell.

Bon week-end, mes amis!

I have an exciting post to share with you on Monday. You won't want to miss it!

Glorious Shades of Autumn

Honey, Spice, Pumpkin, Caramel, Nutmeg, Butterscotch, Cinnamon, Sienna, Burnt Orange...these are the glorious shades of autumn as summer goes backstage and allows automn's chilly winds, rain showers (here in Texas), and cloudy skies to debut.

I couldn't help but gravitate toward the assundry shades of orange while in Quebec provided that these beautiful colors are not common in Texas during the fall.

This rock building and sweetly painted butterscotch window pane reminds me of a walled city in the south of France.

I kept telling my husband, "If I could preserve one of these golden maple leaves exactly as it is with it's gorgeous color, I would safely wrap it up and tuck it into my pocket..."

Throughout our last day in Quebec, we witnessed the quebecois bringing out pumpkins for their outdoor fall decorations.

I captured this close up in front of the Aux anciennes canadiennes restaurant. I just loved the saturated color of these dried (pods?)
If anyone knows the name of these orange pods, please share. I do feel quite ignorant for not knowing....

Oh, and I had the best creamy pumkin soup here....Absolument délicieuse!

As my husband and I were strolling along the Terrasse Dufferin in front of the grand Chateau Frontenac, I noticed this sweet couple enjoying the view of the St. Lawrence river.

It appears that they also enjoy hues of autumn!

I felt that if I included pictures of absolute stangers, I might as well include a picture of myself.

Hope your weekend is lovely~

A la prochaine!

_{All photos in this post are by a la parisienne}

Faire une promenade: Vieux Québec's Faded Charm

I had a couple of moments to steal away and share a couple of glimpses of Vieux Québec-Old Quebec-the portion of the city that is envelopped by a walled fortress.

My husband and I were fortunate enough to stay three of our four nights in Vieux Quebec on rue St. Pierre. We felt like we were in the center of everything, yet our hotel was tucked away bearing few pedistrians/tourists.

This is probably my favorite picture that I took. I love its paleness and innocence. To me, it possesses a fairytale quality.


These images are just a taste of Québec's charm. I have many more that I would love to share...Perhaps in a couple of days.

Bonne journée, my friends.

Une promenade romantique in Québec

Throughout our busy days of caring for our families, working, paying the bills, etc. I would like to invite you to faire une promenade with me through Quebec City. Each day, I will share with you a glimpse of Quebec's beauty during our blissful stroll.

No walking shoes necessary.

A demain - See you tomorrow.

Happy Return from an Autumn Reverie

Bonjour, mes amis. We have finally settled back in at home from our autumn getaway in Quebec City.

With over 1,000 photos of our trip, I am going to do my best to sift and select the very best pictures and share them with you soon.

I am in the very center of a creative endeavor, so I will do my best to keep an even balance between taking care of my family, running my Etsy store, blogging, visiting your blogs,...

the list keeps getting longer!

It's great to be back home. I look forward to catching up with you.

Leaving for a Week?!

Leaving for a week?! Does that mean I get to stay with Nana and Pa-Pa???

I am going to have so much fun while you and Daddy are away.

Maybe Pa-Pa will share his vanilla ice-cream with me again, and Nana always makes the best food- meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes-MMmmm!

But I am going to miss you, Mommy and Daddy, while you are away.


Amelia, we are going to miss you, too, sweetheart.

We will miss your sweet-smelling hair after your bedtime bath...

...hearing you giggle;

...all of your animated facial expressions;

... your little voice;

Mommy will miss singing "Jesus Loves Me" to you, as you lay your head upon her chest, before she puts you to bed.

Daddy will miss hearing you yell "Daaaa-dddy" from across the house when he arrives home from work.

We will enjoy our "Mommy and Daddy" time together but will miss you sorely until we return.

Be sweet for Nana and Pa-Pa.

We love you.

Destination: Quebec City...In Search of Tips, Advice, Suggestions

I have been interested in the province of Québec since I learned about it in my highschool French classes. In about a week my husband and I will be boarding a plane destined to Quebec City. I have been planning for this trip for a total of maybe five weeks; thus, this trip is really spontaneous for me. I like to plan ahead for any kind of vacation for at least six months in advance so that I can do plenty of research before departing. The best part of planning ahead is having something to look forward to-to dream about...

So with less than a week left for researching and dreaming, I am looking to you for suggestions, tips, and advice. Perhaps you know first-hand or you have second-hand information that would be helpful.

Photo via DjeepMtl on Flickr

Photo via Julio on Flickr

Things I would like to know about Quebec City:

**Are there any great restaurants, cafés, bistros, etc that you would recommend?

**I have heard that there are great biking trails in Quebec. Which ones are the best?

***Besides Vieux Quebec, are there any other great streets that offer beautiful architecture or European atmosphere?

***I love antiques/flea markets. Are there any great shops that I must see?

**What attractions would you recommend? or not recommend?

***Of course, I'd like to do some shopping. What boutiques/stores are your favorites?

**I am hoping to take gorgeous photos of the fall foliage (if I am not arriving too late.) Where are the most picturesque places??

Photo via DavidPaulOhmer on Flickr

More than anything, I look forward to using my French again. It has been over a year since I quit teaching highschool French, and I feel that my proficiency is lagging.

In a short conversation with a québecois on the phone (for bed and breakfast reservations) I noticed a distinct difference in the French dialect from that of Parisian French (which is to be expected). Are there any differences in French vocabulary/connotations from the French language in Quebec and the French language in France?

It seems like I remember seeing a few differences in Canadian French phrases in a college French grammar book years ago...I should remember these...

Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated! It will be a couple of weeks before I am back to blogging and visiting you all again!

_{image #1 via http://www.canadatravelsolution.com/ image #2 via Flickr Michael McDonough}

Fabulous French-Inspired Ribbons~An Etsy Showcase

Sorry I haven't been visiting you lately. These last two weeks have been crazy! I had my highschool reunion this last weekend, which was out of town , and the day after we returned home, my daughter and husband got sick. Ahhh, I am ready for things to slow down...

So my little escape for the moment is to share with you some gorgeous French-inspired ribbons crafted by Rosa, one of my new, very talented blog friends!

Rosa (aka Teacupdesign) is the original designer and creator of these beautiful handmade and hand-stamped muslin ribbons.

These hand-dyed and hand-stamped ribbons are so beautiful and unique. I can imagine using them for adorning a birthday present, tying back curtains, draping several yards around a white Christmas tree...Speaking of Christmas, I would start decorating for Christmas right now if my husband would let me...I'll concede to waiting until October! And if you have very creative friends, I would imagine they would enjoy receiving yards of these pretty ribbons for their own creative journeys.

There are over 100 selections of Rosa's lovely ribbons on Etsy!

Click here to view them!

Her work will be featured in the Fall/Winter issues of Somerset Life and Romantic Country Magazines. I LOVE Somerset's publications. What an honor, Rosa! Féliciations, mon amie!

Rosa, is an outstanding Etsy seller. She has been selling on Etsy since 2007, and her customers keep her very very busy!

If you love Marie Antoinette, you must visit her Etsy store to see some of her Marie Antoinette-inspired beauties.

Rosa is new to blogging, and I am sure that she would love for you to stop by and pay her a visit. Stop by her blog-frenchcountry1908 to congratulate her!

Bon week-end, mes amis!

La Mode de l'automne-Noir

Dior - Haute Couture

I just wanted to share a few quick images that I've collected from the Fall 2009 Haute Couture Runways! These ensembles are so incredibly classy, feminine with a vintage appeal.

I just love this black swiss dot blouse over this nude colored chiffon dress. And the black feathers and ebony pearls~~divine!!!

Is there anyone else out there who would love for women and men to wear hats more frequently as a part of their attire??? It seems like people buy hats but never have the nerve to wear them!

And I'm not talking about baseball caps or winter caps either!

Oscar de la Renta

The gray fur collar with the gray satin ribbon is the perfect accessory for staying warm!

Oscar de la Renta

I love these straight-legged pants; they really make a woman's legs look longer and leaner, and especially with a pair of pointed heels!

Chanel ~ Haute Couture
Oh la la! Regardez cette robe de Chanel~ C'est magique!

Chanel ~ Haute Couture

Chanel has done it again with this beautiful black lace gown. Superbe!

Well, most of us can only dream of wearing haute couture, but that doesn't mean we can't look and feel lovely in the clothes we are wearing!

I would love to know the three main colors you love to wear in the fall. If you would like to share your answers, please take part in the survey at the top of my sidebar.

A la prochaine!

Gorgeous Grays Kissed by Gold

Gray has been my absolute fettish lately. Actually, thinking back, even in highschool when all of my friends were sauntering down the halls sporting their low-rise jeans and GAP T-shirts, I was dressed in a slate gray knee-length dress skirt and matching dress jacket, which was accented with black velvet collar, piping, and velvet covered buttons. Can you say out of place? Or perhaps a little too dressed up for Pre-Cal and French III class?

Nonetheless, gray has really been my color of choice for years, and I must give my mother complete credit for my obsession with gray since she always gravitated toward gray garments during our shopping escapades. "Oh, Mandy," she would say, "Can't you just see this gray blouse with a magenta...or a plum...or even a red...{you fill in the blank}?"

I love the contrast of a chic dove gray silk paired with guilded, intracately carved wood. It's so sumptuous and rich.

It's no surprise that our decorating styles are reflected in our fashion preferences.
Remember the dress Meg Ryan wears at the end of the movie, Kate and Leopold???

~ a gray satin ball gown~

I just love her dress in this movie. (I also love the black dress she wears when she meets Leopold on the rooftop for a romantic meal and dance....Beside the point!)

And look at Debra Messing's gold earrings with this charcoal gray dress. She's so beautiful.

And the color-"foggy gray" and weightlessness of this dreamy silk tulle Dior dress, named "Venus" and fashioned in 1949, reminds me of the gray lace floor-length curtains my mom just finished heming for my diningroom and livingroom.

Who would've thought to pair this silver and white halter dress with gold?

What a glorious and classic accent!

I hope you all have a safe, relaxing, and happy weekend.