créations et savoir-faire

Today was the last day (luckily I got to think of this fair yesterday!) of the craft-fair "Créations et savoir-faire" at Porte de Versailles. I jumped into my clothes, took my boyfriend under my arm, got us some coffe and a crepe on the way and got on the metro with happy feet.

Haven't even seen this movie but this is happy feet. (:

I was quite excited about this fair to say the least. And man was it big! Larger than I thought actually. This was a great plus of course. The minus might be that there were a lot of the same or similar things. A lot of scrapbooking (which I'm not into) and embroidery (neither). There were however things that I appreciated as well, fabrics! some pastery sections and jewellery which is always nice to look at, lots of pretty pearls and macaron-shaped earrings etc.

Over all it was a nice fair. I did miss some "free samples", I figured there would at least be a free magazine or something. It was a bit crowded, but no queues. I would have liked if they included stuff like soap-making, candle-making and creative cakes as well, to broaden it even more.

There were a lot of fabric suited for patchwork. I bought two pieces, however I'm not going to use them for this but for a pillow case that will be nicely placed on the sofa. After all they are 45 x 55 cm, so it should work. I'll show you when I've got the right inner pillow for it. Or maybe I shall just buy cotton and do it myself from scratch so to say...

There was definatley a great variety of fabrics. Some suiting for a vintage 50's look, romantic countryside flowers or stronger bold colours.

You also had book shops specialized in "do-it-yourself" and creative hobbies represented.

Cute stuff the japanese way for example...

Installations and workshops were also a part of the fair. You would have to pay extra to participate in a workshop though. It was fun to just look at it a bit, however it was one project that seemed quite fun, painting on a glass plate. The thing was: you painted on the back of the plate and then when you turned it around it looked really pretty. I want to do that sometime! Unfortunately, now that I think about it, I never took a picture of it. - Oh well!

Everyone got to contribute to this "painting" with the help of some pretty tape. There were lots of different patterns and colours. And as you can see some people really put their heart into it (see the face down in the left corner).

A lot of people as you can see here.

Some inspiration for christmas as well. Oh how I would love to go to a christmas fair. But soon all the christmas markets in Paris starts, actually the one on Champs-Elysées has allready begun, so I read yesterday. Apparently it started this weekend. I went to it last year and it was wonderful, so surely I'm gonna go again, and I'll show you of course. There are also other christmas markets in other parts of town, I was thinking I'm gonna write about all of the markets that I wisit. Would be a nice project. :)

This was one of my favourite market stall. Can you see why? Here I (after some thinking and figuring and considering) bought something that will (hopefully) improve my macarons. It's a silicone (I think) plate that you use instead of the regular baking paper. Next time I make macarons you will see.

Saw many hi-tech sewing machines on the fair as well. So if you are thinking of buying yourself an advanced machine that can make some impressive embroidery this might just be the place.

After about 2,5 hours at the "Créations et Savoir-faire" I felt satisfied and we went home. On or way back home we bought a nice bouquet of intense blue flowers to put in our blue kettle. After all it was fresh flower's friday two days ago!

I understand that the reason the colour is so intense is because they have been dyed. I got this confirmed when my boyfriend's fingers had some blue stains after cutting the flowers down a bit and trimming of some of the leaves.

We offered ourselves some cheese and crackers after our intense day! ;)

Bisou!

Trouville sur mer

The 11th of November my boyfriend and I went for a weekend at the seaside: Trouville and Deauville. Only 2 h and 15 minutes away from Paris with the train.

We got lucky with wonderful sunny weather, could even drop my jacket for a while during our walk on saturday.

I felt so calm and happy to see the ocean and walk on the beach. The beach of Trouville was beautiful.

The saturday was spent walking on the beach and in the city. We had some crepes for lunch and baught a couple of pasteries to bring back home to the hotel room. The hotel we stayed at was a small ** hotel right near the ocean.

Here is a photo of the view from our hotel room, green and nice!

This is how happy I was to be on a weekend in Trouville!

Up Up and awaaaay!

We also had a look at the amazing fish market. So many delicious-looking sea fruits - Oh my Gosh!

Such variety and everything was presented in a way that made you drool...

The market was busy and I can easily understand why, Oh my, if I lived there I would go every week.

A nice cool smoke surrounded some of the tables.

We had amzing dinners all of our days in Trouville - Deauville. Clams, big shrimps, fish soup and even half a lobster on sunday, Yum!!

A great way to end the mini-vacation.

Before taking the train back home to Paris we sat down in a bar to write some post cards and have a beer and a cappuccino in my case.

I definately want to go to Trouville again. It was cosy, offered great restaurants for seafoodlovers like myself and it was not too expensive or far to get there from Paris.

I really really recommend it!

Bisou!

Sweeth Tooth/La dent sucrée

The other evening when I was in the mood for something sweet after dinner, I went for a real but somehow forgotten (at least to me) classic. Hot Chocolate.

I used milk, cacao powder, sugar and cinnamon powder for my hot chocolate. And I was generous with the cinnamon!

And next it was time to whip, whip, whip!

I have some gingerbread at home, that I really thought I was gonna save, at least until it's december. But when I saw the little package of gingerbread and I had my chocolate ready I could not resist. Would be a way too good combination to miss out on. Am I right?

All shiny -and there's no retouche!

Bisou!

Holy Macarony!

I woke up early today and could not get back to sleep. So I made something good out of it and prepared a good breakfast. You know what they say, the breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I'm the first to agree, I love a good breakfast.

Cappuccinos from Starbucks, but I don't have to write that really do I? ;) newly baked bread and a croissante and a pain au chocolat from the boulangerie -bien sur!

Since the weather was kind of grey and slightly rainy I thought I would do best to stay inside and occupy myself with something cosy... like... macaron baking!

A walk to Franprix and then Monoprix and I was all set!

I'd never baked macarons before so this is the result of my very first try. I'm excited about improving my macaron skills now. As you can see they cracked quite a bite,  and the ideal is a smooth and even surface. Anyways they taste great, and that's what matters the most! ;)

Messy and fun! Colured them pink first and then blue, was shooting for purple really...

Take a bite...

I bought hazelnuts when I was at the supermarket as well, so I think I'm gonna try a chocolate and hazelnut flavour next time.

Bisou!

1er Novembre

Yesterday was a holiday and my boyfriend and I got the whole day off together, we wanted to find pumpkins to carve, but there weren't really any that seemed suiting for carving at the fruit market, so instead some lovely clementines made the way home with us. The season for clementines is really here now, and I think it's great. Reminds me of christmas... And speaking off which: the new number of "Marie Claire Idées" just arrived outside my door, Yey! Filled with christmas crafs of course!

Don't they look luscious? ;)

It's simply wounderful that you get the fruit in a little brown paper bag with a colourful clown juggling fruits on it.

Yesterday evening I also decided it was time for the De Luxe Chocolate from the chocolate fair. Lait Caramel Salé was amazing. So good with salt in the chocolate. Y U M M Y !

Combined with "Kusmi Tea -Violet" in Disney mugs it's extra delicious.

And a movie like this: Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn. So cute and funny. Rome - on y va!

Now I'm gonna enjoy this sunday of mine with this brand new issue:

Bisou!