"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." ~Oprah Winfrey
I have been right down in bed sick with a very bad cold for the past week. Not fun! It is my Mum's birthday today though and sick or not we are celebrating! I took a few quick pictures of the presents I wrapped for her in spring pastels as well as my hasty decorations. My sister had the most beautiful little book made for her with all of the photos from last year and I know she will love it! I made her one of my ribbon flower necklaces in pink. I hope you are all well and happy!
"Simplicity is the key note of all true elegance." ~Coco Chanel
I had the great pleasure of visiting the beautiful home of my friend Pamela this week and she was kind enough to let me take a few photos of my favourite room in her house. She called it her "French Room" and I simply loved it! A soft colour palette with a muted paint scheme and gorgeous fabric textures made this room so peaceful and elegant. The stunning headboard was repurposed from an ornate gilt mirror! If you look very carefully you will see my signature "J" for Jennelise tucked into her pinboard. We are working together on an exciting project which I'm sure I will be sharing with you soon! In the meantime enjoy this little taste of la vie Parisienne...
"Come, ye cold winds, at January's call, On whistling wings, and with white flakes bestrew The earth." ~John Ruskin
January is a quiet month as our thoughts linger over the completed year and dream about the next. It always takes me a little while to get back into the rhythm of the everyday. My mood tends towards quiet evenings, soft colours and good books and I want to wrap myself in a cozy blanket and hide away from Winter. White is the colour of the winter months and one which I have never really gravitated towards. I like a little more warmth and so my choice is always a beautiful cream or ivory. My house is a plethora of comely creams mixed together peacefully. You will find it in the finish of a French table, the drape of antique lace, the petal of a velvet flower, or the waiting seat of a parlour chair. It mirrors the cream in my teacup more than the frost on the windowpanes and feels so much more like home.
"I don't do fashion. I am fashion." ~Coco Chanel Happy New Year! I can't wait to see what 2017 will bring! It is exciting to begin a new adventure each year. I haven't made any new years resolutions except to be happier in the moment and expect good things! I am always in the mood to stay close to home in January and the extremely cold weather and falling snow has made that even more appealing. I was given some beautiful books for Christmas this year and have decided to share a few with you today. I love books about Paris and fashion! My two favourites right now are the gorgeous newest publications by Laduree - Laduree Savoir Vivre: The Art of Fine Living and Paris by Laduree: A Chic City Guide. I just love that The Art of Fine Living comes inside a pretty pink box too! I was also given a sweet Fashion Style Book with cute illustrations and style tips. If it has beautiful pictures I am always sold. I hope that the year has started well for everyone! I am excited to see what will inspire me this year!
To go along with the theme of Fashion and French style here are a couple youtube videos that I love:
Jeanne Damas' Guide to French Pharmacies & Beauty Products by Vogue
(I should say that I have started using some of the products she mentions and they are WONDERFUL!)
Camille Rowe's Take on French Vs. American Girl Style by Vogue
(This one just makes me giggle)
If you have ideas for what you would like to see in the blog this year please feel free to share them with me in the comments section or you can message me on my Facebook Page or Instagram.
