I am like the lilacs

My take on Spring: thrifted over-dyed '90s grunge dress accessorized with deep lilac and plummy tones
Entirely thrifted outfit (except for tights)
(End of 37 weeks).

A 20-minute power shop in the local thrift shop before our OB appointment Friday yielded this amazing 1990s dress that I practically lunged at when I saw its deep purply hues.

Not only does it remind me of the over-dyed dresses I used to buy in the 1990s, but it is also the perfect complement to the deep-coloured lilacs that have sprouted all over Annecy.

Bought at the market today and now reposing in front of our huge living room windows.

I am sentimentally attached to lilacs. Some may find their smell cloying, but their sweet scent reminds me of growing up in the country, where two huge lilac bushes decorated our front and back yards. My sis and I would cut a bunch of branches and place the biggest bouquet possible in an oversize rose bowl right in front of an open window. The breeze would blow in, and the room would fill with the most heady of perfumes.

A welcome respite from my black leggings, this dress is perfect in so many ways, and not just because of the wonderful colours and simple style. The corset drawstring detail in the back, a popular '90s motif, means I can wear the dress now and then cinch it tighter post-baby (presumably when my 27-inch waist will return). :)

With the exception of the tights, the outfit is entirely thrifted:

Dress, 5 Euros at Annecy thrift shop
Chiffon made-in-Italy scarf, 1.50 Euros and found during the same power shop as the dress
Gap Limited Edition denim jacket, found at a UK charity shop a year ago
Plummy-blue Italian-made suede boots, $14.99 CAD in Toronto 
Deep pink straw purse, thrifted long ago in Toronto for a few bucks
Gold-plated Edwardian style necklace with pink glass, 50% off in a Toronto Value Village
Art deco style ring with pink glass, 5 Euros at Annecy brocante market.

The ring and pendant kinda match the lovely tree we took a pic of yesterday along the canal.

I love it when nature inspires an outfit, don't you?

I don't think this picture does justice to the reality I saw on the cobblestone streets after the market today. All those little bits you see between the mossy crevices are multi-hued sparkles that someone must have sprinkled there while partying the night before.

On that note, I'm linking up to all the sparkly style gems at Patti's Visible Monday.

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Isn't it romantic?

Happy belated Valentine's Day to you! I was busy spending the day with hubby yesterday before he jetted off again, but I just had to show you the cappuccino he made me yesterday morning. Quite by accident, the foam magically shaped itself into a heart. Cuteness or what?

It stayed until the bitter end, and became even more heart-like.

Hubby and I decided to have a low-key Valentine's, with no major gifties (I'm still marveling at my Cartier eternity ring, an anniversary and a pre-baby giftie). But I thought I'd try my hand at a handmade Valentine from the heart, just like the kind my sis and I used to make when we were kids.

I'm not crafty in any way, and I agonized over this imperfect Valentine for hours, but hubby was touched beyond belief and even wanted to pack it in his suitcase this morning - big awww!

We joke that we're the most unromantic couple as we went out together to pick out my roses (hot pink and orange, my fave). But hey, he just came off flying a plane, and I sure as heck didn't mind.

I'm wearing my "new" vintage faux fur coat I picked up for 20 Euros at the local thrift shop. The label is Michel Alexis, and it's made in France. It's a touch big but it will accommodate my growing bump; plus I think you don't have to be so picky with size when it comes to a swing coat, non?

What I thought was a misunderstanding at the cash ended up being ok when I investigated further today at the thrift shop. I thought the woman was telling me that only real furs were not subject to the 50 percent off sale, and I knew this decidedly wasn't fur and was expecting to pay 10 Euros for it. It turns out that all furs, real **and** fake, weren't included in the sale. In the end I was ok with paying 20 Euros for this coat, especially if it means I'll be able to do it up when I'm really big!

Nesting mode must be kicking in, as I sweated and swore and stressed for several hours last night making hubby beef stroganoff, my very first attempt. I almost called the beef stroganoff hotline (ie: Mom) several times, but managed to make it through ok, producing a **pas mal** repas. I made oodles so we've got some in the freezer. Must start stockpiling easy meals! (Note: I never wear aprons, probably because I'm not much of a chef, but this was a gift from my UK thrifting pal extrordinaire, Sheau, whom I dearly miss - sweet, isn't it? I've been cooking more in recent weeks so it will come in handy).

I even got to wear a Valentine's napkin scrawled by hubby at the last minute, lest I dribble sauce over my thrifted Theory cashmere sweater (bought years ago for $6.99 in Canada but with a Holt Renfrew pricetag of about $600, if memory serves!). I don't look so hot in red but at that price, I snapped it up and haul it out every year for occasions such as this, where red is befitting.

This is the last time you'll see my shaggy mop. I was semi-beaned today at the hairdresser's, despite telling him that I didn't want to go short. Maybe my French isn't as good as I thought?

Hope you had a lovely Feb. 14 and a great weekend!

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One of my latest vintage obsessions: handpainted boho brooches

I recently found these boho-like brooches in two different charity shops, one for a pound and another for a pound-and-a-half.  I'm not sure how to describe them as they're not in line with the typical vintage brooches you find out there - they have a boho, artsy and almost rustic feel to them that, along with the flowers, I find appealing.

The first, a mere pound, I dug out of the bottom of a bauble dish at a charity shop in St. Annes. The flowers are recessed and look handpainted as there's some wear. Sizewise, it's between a pound and two-pound coin.

This one is larger and looks like it was painted and then shellaced. It was a pound-forty-nine. So pretty!

The problem with some brooches is they're too fancy to incorporate into every day life. Not so with these babies as I saw them instantly on one of my many denim jackets, which I tend to live in in the spring and summer, with jeans and even over sexy sun dresses to keep me warm. With a fine wool floral scarf, the look is pretty pretty, n'est pas? (and I made a consious effort to smile here so I don't look like Victoria Beckham, lol).

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Humour in decorating

My creative decor juices haven't been flowing for a while, so in memory of my former digs in Toronto(which some, not to brag, have compared to Carrie Bradshaw's pad in Sex in the City), I will, in the next few days, be showing you some of my fave decor looks from over the years. I'm a fan of what I call emotional decorating - ie: not being scared to proudly display and utilize items and momentos you love in your living space - and over the years, like anything in life, I guess, I've also cultivated a bit of humour when it comes to trussing up my apartments. Why not? Both philosophies make me smile and love my where I live all the more.

Meaning the man in the painting in the first pic (painted by my twin sis and artist Kendra Gadzala) is sharing a view with the ethnic statue I picked up at Value Village for a few bucks! Spring can be inspiring, after all, so why not let the clear plastic purple teddy bear piggy bank frolic with the tulips of the same hue? So if you're getting too stressed about everything being matchy-matchy and hyper-organized, remember: decorating needn't be dismal - it can be fun!

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Let me indulge in some shameless husband-bragging, because after all, I am feeling slightly like a fish out of water in the UK as I re-learn basic tasks like shopping, crossing the street and performing mundane domestic duties with electronic devices that flabbergast me ... and my new hubby, bless him, has done every thing to make me so welcome in my new home: after sending me a dozen roses for Valentine's Day before I came over, I arrived to our home to find a lovely bouquet of flowers and "New Home" card. Aww, could I love him more? People here put flower bouquets in their windows, btw.

The flowers are apropos as they're every where: Spring has hit this tiny coastal town, and we're not talking mere crocuses: I saw full-grown daffoldils in someone's front yard the other day! I'm amazed at the green here - I suppose that, without the snow we get in Canada, that the grass just doesn't turn brown - period. Then there's the rain here, but then again I'm also surprised on this front as I expected continual torrents of the stuff - not so. The weather, I've quickly learned, changes on a dime, and clouds and rain can blow in one minute and give way the next to blue skies and sunshine.

The sea is lovely - that's an old covered pier behind me. The tide comes in every 12 hours, and when it's low tide people walk with their dogs along the beach. Maybe they even sun tan in the summer, though they don't get the scorchers we get in Canada, alas. In fact I'm already beginning to think I won't be able to wear any of my cute sundresses here - that is, if the woman I spoke to recently is in fact right. According to her, a high of 17 degrees C is all I can hope for, yeeks!

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Peonies & punch at Nathalie-Roze & Co. 5th anniversary do

Yesterday I popped into Nathalie-Roze & Co for its 5th B-day bash. Owned by Nathalie-Roze Fischer, the Leslieville, Toronto indie boutique features accessories and clothing by local artists. There's also this darling canopied and gated-in terrace where they have events and sell what I hear is the best ice-cream in town.

Nathalie-Roze and crew had the place all decked out yesterday for the festivities. These fragrant pink peonies, reposing beside N-R's famous mango and rose-water punch, remind me of growing up.

Back to the shop, a gorg green-walled eco-sanctuary of lovely hand-crafed jewellery displayed on teacup saucers and cool indie fashion labels. At the after-hours do last night, the change rooms and shop environs overflowed with hipster young women in their 30s (ok, some of us weren't 30!).

You know I'm a jewellery nut. This designer found a way to break and sand down teacups and fashion the bits into beautiful pendants.

And this one - a spoon! How brilliant!

Of course, my pics aren't doing justice to the breadth of what's in store - it was just too hard to get decent snaps of the clothing. Trust me when I say everything is recycled, upcycled or refashioned into a new stylish life.

Hair barrettes and head pieces of old ties! Do you know how many old ties I see when thrift shopping that are made of the best fabrics and patterns?

The lady of the evening wouldn't let me snap a pic of her, for shame, so I will wish a Happy Anniversary to the floating and very peony-like paper puff balls - Happy 5th!

You can find the shop at 1015 Queen St. E in Leslieville, Toronto. Look out for N-R's roster of events on her FB page or Twitter - pretty sure there's a clothing swap coming up.

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Pretty spring makeover: start with one tableau

Spring has come to my apartment even though there were flurries for most of the day in Toronto, eeps.

I haven't posted on decor in so long as, truth be told, I have been uninspired in my space and haven't re-jigged it for months. Then, with a gal pal coming over for dinner last night, I looked around at all the (dust) and Persian carpets on the floor and dark colours and thought, "UG. I simply cannot make dinner until this palce has a fresh new look."

A whirlwindish afternoon of vacuuming and cleaning and tweaking set in. The final look is pretty. My inspiration: I tossed this piece of Ralph Lauren fabric that I've had (and meant to do something with) for years over the table and voila, there was my new spring tablecloth!

Then I added pretty bric-a-brac like a white cornucopia vase, a crystal tealight holder (both thrifted), a bamboo vase with bamboo in it (a gift) and a lovely chintz jug by  Lord Nelson Ware of England (given to me when my best friend's mother moved out of her home to an apartment).

Of course, tossing some of my fave flowers, orangy roses (that smell: do you know most roses these days don't?) into a thrifted silver vase was the ultimate way to create a pretty springtime look.

I kept the lamp base (which I thrifted at Sally Ann for under $10) the same but changed up the shade (thrifted for a few dollars and in mint condition) to a deep blue one, for contrast. The dark wood lacquer mirror was relocated from my desk and also provided a bit of grounded-ness to this pretty vignette.

This dark floral cushion, thrifted for $3.99 and actually from an old and now defunct Toronto store, is pretty yet provides important contrast too against the distressed silver wrought iron chair (found as a set of four for $20 years ago in a thrift shop and spray painted silver, by moi, years ago as well - like how the silver is getting that chipped beat-up look now).

This older tableau was fine for the winter, but I'm loving my new spring look.

This table area was actually the inspiration for re-jigging the rest of my apartment into a prettier look more akin to lighter spring weather. This week I'll show you how I did it!

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Grungy chic Christmas table

Hope every one has had a fab holiday so far. Yesterday's Christmas table was fit for a Queen - make that a Grunge Queen! Our lovely hostess for the day dressed her table in a way the Grunge Queen entirely approves of - by using pieces from around the home. Think practical, yet creative and pretty - and inexpensive!!

A host of darling teacups from our hostess' personal collection adorned the table and held wee Christmas-y floral arrangements.The look was chic yet practical - no cumbersome centrepieces to impede viewing pleasure - and added a personal touch to an already pretty table. Remember that you can always use the pieces you love from around your home, perhaps from a collection, to inject your own personality into your decorating!

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English windows

One thing I noticed about England: everyone puts fresh flowers in the windows. Here's a lovely example.

Not that I was snooping around inside people's houses or anything.

But driving along the streets as my generous sweetie pie host chauffeured me around lovely northern England, I couldn't help but peep at the picturesque houses. A huge wack of them had flowers right on the window sill, so you could see them from outside.

A rather civilized idea, if you think about it: peeps both inside and out can enjoy the blooms!

Whereas the north American custom, or certainly the Canadian ideal, is to put flowers on a hutch or in the middle of a dining room table - wonder why that is? Do we entertain more as a nation?

Anyway I love the idea - and I love those big English windows. Wish my ledges could handle flowers on 'em but the kitty cats would knock 'em down for sure. And come to think of it my windows are pretty dirty/ugly.

Guess I'll have to move to England, tee hee.

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