Adventures in Youké

My weekend in 3 photos

2012-01-30T18:33:00.000Z

A black sporran for a Burns dinner

A delivery,

Bacon and Banana cookies

What to do in the middle of the week?

2012-01-25T22:58:00.001Z

How about changing the ligth bulb that went off months ago in my favourite pub?

Or maybe do the dishes that have been there since Sunday?
(the scrabble tile did pick my initial afterall. Pants!)

My weekend in 3 words

2012-01-22T21:17:00.000Z

Cleaning,

Nail Painting,

Sleeping.

Flashback Friday

2012-01-20T07:20:00.003Z

In September 2010 I was hired by the Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary art to guide a group of art lovers around their exhibitions. I had to translate what one of the guides was saying, and as we walked around I played with my SLR and took a lot of photos.

As it turned out, somebody I know had to write an article about the Biennial, but was living too far from it to experience it, so we worked together, swapped some emails, and she wrote her article.

And then she asked me if she could use my photos for it.

So in September 2010 I got my first photo used for a publication. Well, it is my one and only photo "published" so far, but who knows what 2012 is going to bring?
I do have a wedding booked for May, an engagement session for another couple and a pregnancy shoot to come.
Watch this space!

Before Photoshop..

2012-01-18T07:29:00.002Z

Some photographers did amazing prep' work! Notably the American artist Sandy Skoglund.

Found on My Modern, head over there to see more!

My weekend in 3 words

2012-01-15T18:34:00.000Z

Flowers from a friend

Stripes for a friend

New friends for my husband's shoes!

What I did during my holidays: 3. I saw NYC by night

2012-01-11T07:11:00.000Z

My weekend in 3 words

2012-01-09T07:12:00.000Z

Mail

Sweets

DVD

What I did during my holidays: 2. I saw A LOT of tall buildings!

2012-01-08T07:32:00.001Z

A flat one,

A hidden one,

A spooky one,

Some from a boat,

And some just from a distance.

Flashback Friday: 2011

2012-01-06T07:01:00.014Z

Somehow I have no photo for September.

What I did during my holidays: 1. some window shopping

2012-01-04T07:30:00.000Z

My weekend in 3 words and 3 photos

2012-01-02T07:41:00.004Z

A Birthday,

A New Year,

And a question:

Where did 2011 go?!

Flashback Friday

2011-12-30T13:24:00.000Z

Three years ago tomorrow my sister was taken to hospital at 5am on the icies, coldest and last day of the year 2008. Since then I have travelled a lot more to France, and there is a little boy who has started to speak a mixture of French and English to the delight of everyone in the family.

Flashback Friday

2011-12-30T07:18:00.000Z

This might be hard to pinpoint for some people, but I guess we can date back my being a social snub to February 2005... This is how I know:

6 years ago I went to Dublin with a very good friend. We went to visit a mate of ours who had moved there for work/drinking/unknown reasons. We stayed there for a couple of days, stayed at his and met some of his mates.

I had been with Lovely Boy for about 6 months, and we were already very much "involved", I missed him a bit, but I also quickly realised that my student days were behind me:
I didn't enjoy the clean-ish bathroom,
I wasn't too keen on the lack of "proper food",
I found that drinking at any given opportunity wasn't that great a hobby,
and I certainly didn't enjoy the rough area he lived in!
We did have a nice time, and it was lovely to catch up with everyone, but when I flew back home on the Monday, all I could think about was how comfy my sofa was and how I really needed a shower..
To this day I always check bathrooms first!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T00:23:00.000Z

Merry Christmas,

Or Happy Hanukkah!

(And yes, the Empire State Building changes lights depending on the holiday to celebrate, how cool is that?!)

Flashback Friday

2011-12-23T07:23:00.003Z

Last year for Christmas we stayed home as it was our first one as Mr and Mrs, so instead of going to see my family we used the webcam to catch up with everybody.
This Christmas we will be doing the same, except that we will be getting visitors on the 26th, best present for the day-after-Chirstmas!

My weekend in 3 words and 3 photos

2011-12-12T18:53:00.000Z

Christmas shopping

Alice In Wonderland

Dinner with Friends

Perfect Combination

2011-12-11T07:43:00.002Z

The best start to our Christmas Holidays!

Flashback Friday

2011-12-09T07:37:00.002Z

Paris, October 2010

I was in Paris, in a friend's house where I usullay saty by on my way home. It was very early in the morning, I was excited to try my new camera and also to jump on the train to see my nephew and the rest of my family.
Well mostly my nephew, he was 22 months and so so SO cute!
Actually I wasn't in a very happy place then, I remember asking myself piles of questions about Life and the Universe and Why-are-we-on-this-Earth-if-it-is-for-this? I remember talking to my sister about it. We laughed it off and realised we were doing okay compared to the rest of the family.
A year has gone by, I am fine. I just wish I could see that friend more often.
Oh and see my nephew more too, he is almost 3 now and he is so so SO cute!

Pretty!

2011-12-07T07:12:00.001Z

From the film Bright Star

It has started!

2011-12-01T10:08:00.000Z

My weekend in 3 words (and 3 photos)

2011-11-27T16:39:00.000Z

Travel

Fire

Sleep

Where we live (enjoying the last rays of sun)

2011-11-23T07:22:00.002Z

My weekend in 3 words (and 3 photos)

2011-11-21T07:30:00.002Z

Decorating

Creating

Welcoming a new arrival!

New Bathroom

2011-11-16T07:40:00.000Z

Well it was an adventure and a half, but here is our new bathroom!

My weekend in 3 words (and 3 photos)

2011-11-14T17:39:00.001Z

Paninis,

Pretty Canelés,

Paint.

It's almost time....

2011-11-12T12:32:00.003Z

Please don't watch this with children around!

My weekend in 3 words (and 3 photos)

2011-11-07T07:38:00.008Z

Anniversary.

Apple

Autumn

The Burning House

2011-11-02T07:27:00.002Z

If my house was on fire, I would save:

-My journals and diaries from the last 10 years
-our wedding memento box (not on the photo, it is big and red and the horseshoe is hung on it)
-my albums from pre-digital photography
-my laptop which contains all the photos from the digital area
-the first biscuits my nephew and I made
-the napkin ring I used to have when my parents were still married
-my jewelry box, which holds expensive and also cheap-but-sentimental items
-my wedding shoes first, then I would go back for my wedding dress.

If you want to have a peek at other people's saved objects, go to the Burning House website.

My weekend in 3 words (and 3 photos)

2011-10-31T07:30:00.004Z

Biscuits.

Holiday Planning

Left Behind.

Something to keep your hands busy today!

2011-10-29T10:51:00.000+01:00

Oh my! Hours of fun to be had! And doesn't Wendy look like the sweetest person on earth?!

My weekend in 3 words (and 3 photos)

2011-10-23T17:23:00.000+01:00

Family,

Food

Farm

Autumn is here!

2011-10-19T17:37:00.002+01:00

So it is time to get inspired and creative! (and not hibernate and sulk until Spring..)

So far I have knitted a cushion cover, and drawn every single day (well done me!) but I also wanted to challenge myself a bit more so in the next 7 weeks I will be taking a photography class from the lovely Madelyn Mulvaney. Her blog is absolutely gorgeous so I am hoping to end up being as talented as her after 7 weeks!! If you fancy one of her e-courses, here is what she offers.

As for a bit of inspiration to get you and me started, well, isn't that all around us?

in the kitchen,

outside,

or in a restaurant.

Can;t wait to see what else there is to find out about "out there"!

My weekend in 3 words (and 3 photos)

2011-10-17T17:10:00.001+01:00

Lens.

Wine.

Photo from here

Concert.

How about you? can you think of 3 words to describe your weekend?

Stuff my husband likes and that I don't get

2011-10-07T19:36:00.001+01:00

I was looking around the house in search of inspiration for a revamp/move/anything to stop me from doing real work, and realised that despite my neverending effort, there is a lot of things I don't like but that my husband loves. Like.....

The guitar hero Guitar which rests against one of the corners of our living room.

It is a bit like a real guitar, except that it requires less skills and looks worse as an ornament.
And we don't even play with it that often, so it really doesn't need to be on display all the time.
A bit like the Wii Fit water bottle which is shaped like a dumbbell which sits right next to it.
I mean seriously people, what is that all about?
I just don't get it.

Next week we will talk about that box upstairs which is full of cables and that we MUST keep at all cost.

So we are getting the bathroom revamped..

2011-10-03T07:40:00.007+01:00

And we quite like grey so I have been looking around for ideas.
My favourite so far:

And I would definitely put this up somewhere:

So, what do you reckon?

Photos: 1, 2, 3 and poster that I can't seem to relocate the source of!

Edit: wooooooooooooo check this one out! It is DEFINITELY my favourite!

Indian Summer

2011-10-01T11:38:00.001+01:00

A pillow made with a recycled rice bag from India for our living room

A teepee tent for my nephew from the Conran Shop

And late summer sun for me, yay!

(photo from Egypt, but it is sunny here too today. I am loving it)

Photo of the week #9

2011-09-23T07:53:00.000+01:00

Four more weeks until our lovely nephew and his mum come to visit: Yay!

I feel like .... a new camera bag!

2011-09-20T07:33:00.001+01:00

I have always loved satchel bags, but my oh my, I could give my right arm for one of these!

This is the Brooklyn camera bag made by Ona, a gorgeous 1940's inspired leather satchel that would totally go with ALL my outfits. There has been a couple to be won on the blogosphere this month, but when you see that the most recent one had over 3000 participants, I think my only chance to have one of them is to actually buy one.

But then again I could do a lot more with $300...

I feel like .... decorating!

2011-09-18T17:32:00.000+01:00

I fancy a colourful kitchen ...

.. or a wall full of books!

P.s: I can't, for the life of me, find the links I got these from, so if you know who took the photos, please tell me so I can add the credits!

Photo of the week #8

2011-09-15T07:30:00.000+01:00

So after last week's big clean up, we rearranged the spare bedroom/office and bought a new chair.
Et voila!

Apres le grand ménage de "printemps" la semaine derniere nous avons réorganisé notre chambre d'amis/bureau. Et j'en ai profité pour acheter une nouvelle chaise. Et voila!

Work has taken over my life and I don't like it

2011-09-12T19:02:00.000+01:00

Every year I tell myelf the same lies, that I will be organised, that I will be on top of things, that I will prepare everything at work and not from home, and that I will not get up at 6am to finish things last minute.

I have been back in work for a week, and so far I have forgotten to mark exams I promised I would, I have not photocopied important stuff I needed for a class, I left another class to go and photocopy previously mentioned stuff, and I got up at 6.15 this morning to finish a worksheet.

When will I ever learn??!

P.S This is a cry for help, please please PLEASE send a rescue team my way.
I have too much to do and I love internet/blogs/facebook/twitter too much!!

Happy Monday #19

2011-09-05T07:30:00.005+01:00

So today starts the first full week of work. Boo.
But this means I can finally start using my new diaries: Yay!

Diaries 1 and 2: social events v. work. Boo.

But at least I have very cool diary stamps and stickers.
(I am a stationery geek. And yes I am over 30)

diary 3: a very cool filofax won on a very cool blog,
but not sure yet what I will use it for!

How about you? what cheers you up at work?

Aujourd'hui c'est donc le 1er jour de ma 1ere semaine de boulot. Boo.
Mais ca veut dire que je peux ENFIN me servir de tous mes beaux agendas tout neufs. Yay!
Donc par ordre d'apparition:
nous avons agenda 1 et 2 dont je me sers au boulot, avec en prime de tres jolis autocollants et tampons-oui j'ai plus de 30 ans, et alors??!
Nous avons aussi agenda 3, qui lui a éte gagné chez Chocoralie, mais dont je n'ai pas encore décidé l'usage.
Dans tous les cas, ca va me remonter le moral de la papeterie qui sent bont le neuf!
Et vous, qu'est-ce qui vous remonte le moral au boulot?

P.s: Due a la recrudescence de commentaires en francais sur ce blog (7 en aout, mais S-E-P-T quoi!) je me remets donc a la version bilingue pour ne pas faire ma snob du lectorat international.
De rien. c'est gratuit et ca fait plaisir.

Photo of the week #7

2011-09-02T07:30:00.004+01:00

We tidied up the house this week, and I found video games walkthrough that my husband had kept in a folder.
These are for the Nintendo 64 console.

Which was discontinued in 2001.

So 10 years ago then.

And then he calls ME a hoarder??!

P.s to stay in the vintage theme of this post, I have processed you the photo as a polaroid, just like they used to do on the "cool" blogs of 2003! Haha, LOL and smiley faces and all that!

Not long now...

2011-09-01T07:23:00.003+01:00

Tomorrow we go back to work, but we have LOADS to look forward to this year:
Coming first, a visit from sister and nepehew in October, yay!

La Machine was here

2011-08-29T21:30:00.000+01:00

La Machine is a French company based in Nantes (West of France). They specializes in street performances and have travelled all over the world: Antwerp, Liverpool, to name a few.
Their performances always start with a story which builds up over a couple of days, the gigantic spider comes along with a scientist who was looking after her, for the plants expedition the machine is said to have stopped along the way to gather all the fauna and flora available.

I have experienced two of the shows, and my favourite is the one I saw last week in France: a collection of plants presented by fake scientists who make up the craziest facts.
I heard one of them explain that he had tricked a very narcissist flower with a mirror so he could pick it from the tree!

Either way, if you ever get the chance, they are not to be missed!

Holidays at last!

2011-08-13T17:30:00.011+01:00

We had people coming over,
We had as stressful end of year,
We had water damage in the house,
We had to arrange the insurance,
We couldn't find anywhere to go to,
We argued and argued and argued,
But finally, we found it: the perfect holiday!

In Bruges

2011-07-10T12:06:00.001+01:00

There won't be any swearing,
There won't be any murder,
Hopefully there won't be anyone falling off a tower,
But there will certainly be me and a group of 35 kids!

Photo source

Photo of the week #6

2011-07-01T07:24:00.001+01:00

Waiting for the holidays..

2011-06-29T22:16:00.002+01:00

Sharing a Pimms in the first rays on sun for ages!

Other Pimms Recipes on the Pimms'website

I miss the sun..

2011-06-12T21:23:00.000+01:00

Source

oooooooooooooooh! Book love!

2011-05-15T13:38:00.001+01:00

On this blog you can win a set of Eric Carle's postcards!
You know? the hungry Caterpillar and all that! My nephew would LOVE them!

Credit

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

2011-05-05T20:08:00.001+01:00

Featuring: our new Paper Palico, The Mexican-style dish I painted on holidays, and things we saw during our trip to Mexico last week.

Pffffffffff, how I miss the sun and the beach.
And the strawberry daiquiris.
And Mexican music.
Well I guess I miss Mexico.

I gave in..

2011-04-29T13:20:00.000+01:00

But Lovely Boy had to wake me up at 11am, was about to miss the whole show!

A Rainbow for Grey Days!

2011-03-31T20:59:00.000+01:00

What colours of the rainbow can you see in your house right now?

The Universe has spoken

2011-03-29T18:00:00.014+01:00

Been feeling rather tired and run down, I haven't been able to sleep properly,
and last week I won a sleep and wake up meditation course. Strike one.

(only tried yesterday, so can't say if it works just yet)

It was our wedding anniversary at the weekend, we played it low key and relaxed,
went shopping (of course!), had nice food in a rural pub, and went back to the place where we had dinner straight after the ceremony last year.

The waiter came to give us our drinks, I looked at them and thought "are these free? they look like champagne?" at which point the waiter spilled the drinks on Lovely Boy and said "of course these are on me now". Strike two.

An hour later when we were ready to get back to the car and head home, planning the TV schedule for later and what video games we were going to play (humhum, geeks alert!).
Lovely Boy pointed at something on the floor: I picked it up, it turned out to be

.....

Two Katy Perry tickets! the show had started but we made it just on time to see her part. Strike three.

I feel like I owe the Universe now.

Photo of the Week

2011-03-23T21:00:00.000Z

Coralie strikes again!
Getting back from work today I had mail.
A little parcel with a note on.
And in the cutest, best packaged box ever, there were two perfect red slipper shoes biscuits.
I can't possibly eat them now, can I?!

P.S if you want to make somebody's day go to biscuiteers, I they ship internationally.
Go on then, what are you still doing here?! :)

Coralie a encore frappé!
En rentrant du boulot j'avais du courrier.
Enfin non, pour etre exacte j'avais un petit paquet.

Et dans le paquet il y avait la boite la plus mimi du monde, avec un emballage parfait.
Tout ca pour protéger une paire de chaussures exquise, toute de biscuit faite.
Par contre je ne vais jamais pouvoir me décider a les manger!

Is it Spring yet?

2011-03-17T19:09:00.000Z

'cuz I am starting to get a tiny bit bored of winter!

Non mais c'est vrai quoi, il arrive bientot le printemps parce que je commence a m'ennuyer la!

Thank you!

2011-03-15T21:16:00.003Z

et c'est tout ce que j'avais a dire a ce sujet!

(and that's all I had to say about that!)

Photo of the week #4

2011-03-07T19:07:00.001Z

Thanks to Lovely Boy I have a Lovey Diana Mini to play with: Yay!

What can we do this weekend #5

2011-03-05T08:18:00.003Z

We could explore the blog Au coin de Ma Rue and find loads of cool ideas to take portraits of your friends!

Non-wishlist

2011-03-02T21:38:00.001Z

Et cet anniversaire alors?
Bon et bien j'ai été SUPER gatée,
une lampe, une bague, une écharpe
un distributeur de serviettes, un carnet, un kindle
des bonbons, des sous, et ..... des poux!
Je ne me rappelle pas avoir commandé des poux?!

Livre disponible ICI

and that birthday of yours then?

Well I was MEGA spoilt,

I got a lamp, a ring, a scarf,

I got a napkin holder, a notebook and a kindle,
I got money, sweets, and ... NITS!

I don't remember asking for nits?!

Happy Monday #19

2011-02-28T08:03:00.002Z

Nothing makes me feel as homely as the name of my hometown on my screen saver!

What can we do this weekend #4

2011-02-26T10:19:00.000Z

Catch up with all the gossip I missed this week on Perez Hilton or French gossip on Public.

What can we do this weekend? #3

2011-02-18T22:03:00.000Z

Take advantage of the slashed prices during the very last days of the sales.
(might have bought more stuff for my already spoilt nephew.. Ooops!)

Ce weekend on peut profiter des dernieres soldes au Youké.
(peut etre bien que c'est meme déja fait, quelques trucs pour mon neveu que je pourris-gate!)

Photo of the week #3

2011-02-17T21:49:00.000Z

Murder on the dancefloor

Happy Monday #18

2011-02-14T08:20:00.003Z

Un air de famille...

What can we do this weekend #2

2011-02-12T08:00:00.002Z

Following on from last week, here is a website that will keep you busy!
As part of the famous movie database IMDB, it is a quiz so you can test your movie knowledge:
a snapshot, you name the movie. Easy you say?

Haven't dared look at it more, or I will be playing it for hours! Have a lovely weekend one and all,
B.

This made me smile today!

2011-02-08T18:28:00.000Z

And I really needed it after my poo day yesterday...

Kirsten Dunst having tea with a stuffed animal for Boy by Band of Outsiders.

Apres ma journée pourrie d'hier, cette photo a réussi a me faire sourire. Enfin!

What can we do this weekend #1

2011-02-05T11:20:00.004Z

We could waste time finding a silly online software that makes your day!

Thanks to Pilot you ca now turn your handwriting into a font. Too bad you can't upload it onto your computer though, would love to create loads and loads and loads and loads and ...

Edit: If you want to keep your font, you can always try to look for more websites, I know I am going to!

Edit from the edit: actually you need to pay for most of the websites.. :(

But wait, check this out!

Birthday Wish List (on peut toujours rever!)

2011-02-01T08:00:00.007Z

#1 Washi Tape

#2 Film rolls pour mon Mini Diana Blanc

(et aussi des bons pour les faire développer, parce que ca coute bonbon tout ca!)

#3 a cool kindle cover (because I think Lovely Boy is getting me a kindle!)

#4 an AWESOME art-journaling e-course. All the ones I have seen so far are naff :-/

#5 a subscription to this Journaling magazine pretty please

#6 des tampons encreurs vintage

Merci! :)

and this concludes January..

2011-01-31T07:30:00.010Z

Photo of the week #2

2011-01-26T07:16:00.000Z

10 ans de collection quand meme...

Happy Monday #17

2011-01-23T20:24:00.001Z

This weekend I took photos at a friend's 30th birthday bash: It was great fun!

Photo of the week #1

2011-01-08T23:54:00.001Z

Happy Monday #16

2011-01-03T18:57:00.000Z

Got my new Diary in the post when we were away: can't wait to get started!

Oh and a happy 2011, of course!!

Boxing Day

2010-12-26T07:38:00.014Z

Today is Boxing day.
It is not the day of boxes.

(evenif I like pretty boxes)

No, no, no: Today is the first day of the sales in the UK.

Which also makes it the day right after Christmas:
They really have a strange sense of humour here!

"oh look, that £50 present I got you is now £2, I am not gutted at all darling!"

Lovely Boy has decided that he would like Santa to be late in his delivery, so that Santa can afford to buy him surround sound in the sales. I have spoken to Santa, and he says that surround sound systems are for bachelor pads, and that Mrs Santa is probably going to think it is a bad idea... but hey, a promise is a promise, so later today, in between late Christmas celebrations at the lovely Dawn's (yes, again!) and meeting up with some extended family members. we shall brave the crowds and check out sound systems.

I can hardly wait.

Boxing Day n'est pas le jour des boites-meme si j'aime bien ca moi, les jolies boites! Non, aujourd'hui c'est le premier jour des soldes dans mon Youké adoptif. Ils sont quand meme droles les anglais, le jour apres avoir ouvert tous tes cadeaux tu peux aller voir a combien ils sont vendus en soldes "oh regarde chéri(e) ce truc super cher que je t'ai offert coute maintenant 2 francs! (oui, moi je suis une expatrié pré-euro alors je parle encore en francs, comme ma grand mere)".

Bref. Lovely Boy a décidé que cette année le Pere Noel passerait plus tard, comme ca le Pere Noel aurait peut-etre les moyens de lui acheter le Home Cinéma dont il reve (non mais il reve quoi!). Moi j'en ai parlé au Pere Noel, il m'a dit que les Home Ciné ca faisait quand meme vachement garconniere, et que de toutes facons la Mere Noel ne serait jamais d'accord.. Mais bon, j'ai promis, juré, craché, alors aujourd'hui on va se battre avec les 3/4 de la population British et aller faire les soldes.
J'ai. Trop. Hate.

Joyeux Noel, of course!

2010-12-25T20:27:00.001Z

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T18:00:00.017Z

This year is our first year in the UK, we've been together 5 years but we have always gone back to my hometown for the holidays, but as we got married this year, we thought we'd stay here.

I was very very VERY anxious about it, as all my Christmas traditions and memories lie with being home, with my family, so I decided to make my own tradition. Here are a few of them:

1. put the tree up early (in our case, 29/11, it was extremely early, but we have been enjoying it!)
2. light candle every night, it gives the house such a warm atmosphere
3. make my own wreath: I used bits and bobs I have accumulated through the years (and that's A LOT of bits and bobs!!) and made this last night in a couple of hours.

I kind of like it, do you?

4. Make Christmas biscuits or cakes. Well I did make biscuits 2 weeks ago, but they were absolutely disgusting! At the start of this week, whilst watching Kirstie's Homemade Christmas on TV, I saw a recipe for an easy Christmas Cake. Traditionally you need to prepare them months in advance, but this one only takes a couple of hours so here is my present for you: if you have some time, indulge your family and friends with a nice, easy to make cake (I don't know yet if they taste nice, waiting for the 25th!)

Recipe

5. but most importantly, tonight we are cooking a dinner for our very good friends H&E. In France Christmas Eve is a huge thing, everybody dresses up and spends the evening with family or close friends.

So I decided to start this tradition here, in my new hometown, so if everything goes well I will have spent most of today cooking.

In the afternoon we have also invited some friends for mulled wine and mince pies, so take a seat and join us!

Source

Merry Christmas!

Fancy a peek? here are the other participants of the blog party!

Altered Orchid, A Creative Journey Through Life, My Little Life Of Scrap , Places, Things & Me , Sherry's Simple Blog , The Scrappy Tree, Happenings On This Side Of The River, Journal Journeys

Christmas Eve-Eve

2010-12-23T17:35:00.000Z

Little Preview for tomorrow..

Christmas is all around

2010-12-14T22:06:00.001Z

I made Christmas biscuits yesterday (the ones from Sunday were awful), they were lovely if I may say so myself!
I told the story if St Nicolas to my classes and they believed in him.
I heard Dan, my 4 year old kinda nephew, telling the Christmas story in teh cutest voice.
I wrapped up presents, because Santa needs a helping hand,
I started planning for our Christmas Eve dinner,
I went to a Christmas concert, carols, mince pies and all.
I am going to take part in a Holiday Blog Party thanks to Kel (inscriptions and details here)
Oh and I had a lovely dinner in a cosy pub by an open fire.
What is there not to like in Christmas?

Je vois Noel partout!
J'ai re-fait des biscuits de Noel apres la tentative de dimanche, et ils étaient super bons,
J'ai raconté l'histoire de St Nicolas a mes eleves, et ils ont adoré,
J'ai écouté Dan, mon presque neveu de 4 ans, raconter l'histoire de Noel,
J'ai emballé quelques cadeaux, parce qu'il faut bien que quelqu'un aide le Pere Noel,
J'ai commencé a réfléchir a notre repas du réveillon,
On est allés a un concer de Noel, il y avait une chorale et des gateaux,
Le 24 je vais participer a un échange de bons procédés pour les fetes (ici)
Ah et puis on mangé dans un pub trop mignon, et notre table était juste a coté de la cheminée.
Pourquoi déja il y a des gens qui n'aiment pas l'hiver??!

My community

2010-12-09T20:02:00.000Z

Cette année je me suis forcée a intégrer un nouveau groupe d'amis, qui accessoirement sont aussi des artistes. J'en avais ras le bol des commérages de boulot, des faux-semblants, de cette personne que je devenais et qui ne me ressemblait pas, j'avais envie d'etre moi-meme au boulot, donc je les ai adoptés et ils m'on adoptée. On papote, on se tape sur les nerfs, on mange ensemble et surtout, on boit beaucoup de thé et de café ensemble. Demain soir on fete Noel en avance, tranquillement, a la bonne franquette, et vraiment, j'ai hate!

This year I became part of a community of friends, who incidently are also artists. I decided I had enough of pretending to be someone else, I had enough of all the gossip, but more than anything else I wanted to be myself at work: so this year, I made myself be part of a community that was more like me.

We talk, we laugh, we wind up each other, we support each other, we know how everybody has their tea/coffee, and sometimes we just eat, and that's okay, because I have chosen them and they have chosen me. Tomorrow we are having an early Christmas Celebrations at Amazing Dawn's house , and in all honesty, I can hardly wait!

Happy Monday #15

2010-12-06T07:36:00.014Z

6th of December: my favourite day of the year.

Ever since I was a little girl, St Nicolas Day was my favourite day of the year: I come from the a part of France which is very much influenced by the Germanic traditions of Christmas, so every year on the 5th of December we would put plates out, and a carrot for St Nicolas'donkey and hope that we wouldn't get any branches nor twigs (which would have meant we had been naughty during the year). It was so nice to wake up to a plate full of tangerines and gingerbread, and even now I can't start December without stocking up on them!

Crédit photo

Actually, long after I stopped believing in Santa and the tooth fairy, I was still believing in St Nicolas, I think that because we used to go and see him at the parade every year, then I did believe he was real. Either way, 10 years of being an expat' hasn't taken it out of me: I am very much a St Nicolas girl!

So on this 6th of December, I want to wish you all "une bonne St Nicolas"!

Le 6 décembre, c'est mon jour préféré. Depuis toujours la St Nicolas a été la fete que je prefere, dans l'est de la France les fetes de fin d'année sont tres influencées par les traditions germaniques, et donc la St Nicolas joue un role important en décembre. Quand j'étais petite tous les 5 décembre on sortait nos assiettes, et une carotte pour l'ane de St Nicolas, et attendant le lendemain matin avec impatience pour voir si on allait recevoir des bonbons de la part du St Nicolas, ou des branches du Pere Fouettard.

Je ne sais pas si c'est parce que tous les ans on allait au défilé de St Nicolas, mais en tous cas le St Nicolas est le dernier mythe d'enfance auquel j'ai cru, bien longtemps apres le Pere Noel et la Petite Souris. Enfin en tous cas, meme apres 10 ans d'expatration, il y a des choses qui ne vous quittent jamais.
Alors en ce 6 décembre, je vous souhaite a tous une Bonne Saint Nicolas!

La magie de la technologie

2010-12-05T11:53:00.001Z

This weekend I spent half an hour with my nephew and his Christmassy toy lion, via webcam:
Long live technology!

Ce weekend j'ai passé une demi-heure avec Neveu Préféré et son lion en peluche déguisé en Pere Noel:

Vive la Technologie!

Happy 1st day of Advent!

2010-12-01T07:22:00.008Z

We put our tree up this weekend, I just couldn't wait as this year, as for the first time EVER we are going to be in England for Christmas.
Needless to say I demanded a real tree.
And you know what? It is the most beautiful tree in the world!

Le weekend dernier on a acheté notre sapin, j'avais trop hate d'en avoir un vu que cette année c'est la premiere fois qu'on passe Noel en Angleterre.

Evidemment je voulais un vrai sapin.

Et vous savez quoi? c'est le plus beau sapin du monde!

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!

2010-11-25T07:42:00.007Z

I want, no I NEED (!!!) one of them!

Busy Weekend

2010-11-24T07:38:00.000Z

Happy Monday #14

2010-11-22T07:37:00.001Z

AAAAAAAH, les belles histoires! Plus que 6 semaines et je peux lui faire un calin ENORME!
ALlez, on compte les jours!

*less than 6 weeks to go until I can give my nephew the biggest hug EVER. Let's count the days down!

Liverpool Long Night

2010-11-19T18:35:00.000Z

Source: Framer's Intent

source: Richard Cooper

Source: Framer's Intent

Guess who went into town without her camera???? So thank you Flickr! :)

Devinez donc qui avait oublié son appareil photo quand elle est allée en ville??! On dit merci qui? Merci Flickr!

Things I like 3/100

2010-11-14T21:15:00.000Z

Well there must have been a reason for all those pens, surely! Of course I haven't just made it up, I am certainly not the first person to keep an art journal.. but I am definitely very excited about journaling again!

Fallait bien que je fasse quelque chose de tous ces crayons et stylos!!! Evidemment je ne suis pas la premiere a y avoir pensé, d'ailleurs ca s'appelle de L'art Journal, mais en tous cas je suis surexcité de m'y remettre!

When there's a will, there's a way..

2010-11-13T12:10:00.000Z

It's a Hoot! *

2010-11-09T22:16:00.002Z

Mono-Maniaque, moi??! :)

* c'est chouette!

Mathématiques de la déco

2010-11-07T13:15:00.002Z

Happy second Birthday to Me!

2010-11-03T22:14:00.000Z

Non parce qu'aujourd'hui je suis (re)-née British, alors est-ce que comme la Reine j'ai deux anniversaires maintenant?!

Today I got my British Citizenship, so does that mean that like the Queen I have two birthdays now??!

At home

2010-10-30T16:37:00.010+01:00

Voici mon bureau, l'endroit ou la magie opere :)

Avec un extreme gros plan rien* que pour vos yeux!!

Here is my desk, where the magic happens.. Oh and a very close-up look, for your eyes only!

*Wayne's World m'a Tuer mon vocabulaire...

On my way #1

2010-10-28T12:45:00.002+01:00

Paris, 14th Quarter, 22/10/10

Happy Monday #13

2010-10-25T08:00:00.001+01:00

Un p'tit thé?

Anyone for a cuppa?

6x7, 4x10+2, 8x6-8...

2010-10-20T07:30:00.004+01:00

J'ai commencé un truc fou: tricoter une couverture.
Pas une couverture de Bébé hein, une vraie couverture dont je pourrais me servir moi-meme une fois que je l'aurais finie.
J'ai choisis les couleurs, j'ai acheté des pelotes, et je me suis mise a la tache: j''ai déja tricoté 6 carrés.
Sauf que j'ai compté, et il m'en faudrait encore 42..
Est-ce une coincidence ou est-ce que 42 est vraiment la réponse a toutes les questions de l'Univers?

Picture: Graphjam

I had a crazy idea last week: I am going to knit myself a blanket.
Not a small baby blanket, a full on keep-me-warm on the sofa blanket. So it started rather well, I chose the colours, bought the yarn, and I am now the proud owner of 6 squares.

Except that after some calculations, it would seem that I need 42 more squares to have the perfect blanket.
Is that a coincidence or is 42 really the asnwer to ALL the questions??!

Happy Monday #12

2010-10-18T07:30:00.001+01:00

Un petit exercice de calcul mental ce matin??! :)

A bit of mental maths this morning?! :)

Edit: ca y est! j'ai trouvé qui l'a prise!! Le guitariste du groupe Pendulum

Envies de .... Geek!

2010-10-10T10:10:00.002+01:00