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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Packages pour moi et bebe

Lest you think I've run off to film Sultana Bran commercials, I'm here to show you some lovely gifties that have been posted to me since I made my baby announcement. A talented blogger who preferred to stay anonymous sent me a package with this pretty blue wool jumper inside (yup, all you UK folk, in Canada a jumper is something like this or a one-piece pantsuit. What you call a jumper, we call a sweater).

There's lots of room to grow here thanks to a handy adjustable strap at the back. I thought it would look funky if I stuck to the blue theme, so I wore it with blue tights and turtleneck (polo neck in the UK? I love these differences), and my thrifted Kenneth Cole Reaction booties. A handmade statement piece necklace finished off the look. Love!

The same blogger sent me a pretty sleeveless black dress that will do wonderfully for the summer and post-baby, which isn't pictured here as it was difficult to photograph, and this beautiful hardcover book, Flea Market Baby, which features inspiring photos of all the creative baby things you can do with second-hand flea market finds. I used to have coffee table books galore featuring thrifty decor ideas, and boy, do I regret getting rid of them. I was so touched by this package, from a blogger I hardly know - I am so hanging on to my maternity stuff so I can pass the goodies and the good Karma forward!

Speaking of terrific ladies, the indomitable Curtise also sent me a package, containing, among other things, this beaut of a floral knit tunic/dress that I've been all but living in lately. That style dame nailed it with this baby - it's just so very ME. I'm wearing it with leggings and a necklace found at a Vide Grenier for a couple bucks, but I also wore it as a dress with sassy crochet tights.

She also sent this summery top that, again, will be perfect for spring and post-baby. Isn't it swish? It'll rock with everything from leggings to a black skirt. And on that subject, Curtise also sent me a black knit skirt, which is perfectly fitting into my pregnancy wardrobe philosophy, but, like the black dress, it didn't photograph well, so you'll have to trust in its marvelousness.

I just love the card Curtise sent - and she was so right, there were plenty of butterfly-like movements going on in my belly at that time, which have now turned to perceptible kicks!

Last but not least, my wonderful twin sis, Kendra, sent me this Kimono-style maternity top that I'll be sporting once the warmer weather comes. Like Curtise's top, I think it could also do as a nursing top. I can't find a lot of nursing clothing here, so I'm making the (perhaps mistaken) assumption that French women just pull their boob out of their top to nurse. I would have no problem doing that if I had to.

Kendra is an art and graphics design prof in Toronto, and has been a practising and showing artist since she was in her early 20s, if not before - you can check out her amazing drawings, paintings and other renderings on the blog portion of her website, gadzala.com. Needless to say, I was thrilled to receive this book. I thought it was such a creative idea to turn a sketchbook into a book, and, since the tome chronicles her family's life in addition to showcasing her talents, I wanted one.

Guess whose wedding flowers she featured in the book?

Sis also sent me, upon request, a Dollar Store liquid eyeliner, the same kind I used to buy at the end of my street in Toronto. Makeup here is VERY expensive - try 18 Euros for a lipstick or a mascara ... that's 24 Canuck bucks, epps!

Thanks to all you lovelies for sending me such gorgeous, thoughtful gifties that will be so used and enjoyed. I'm linking up to Lakota's Ta-dah! Tuesday because I think these items are definitely Ta-dah! worthy! And special thanks to Jill, who has kindly featured the dress that you all loved so much, from a few posts ago, in her How I Wear My Date Night Look post today!

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Ancient thermal springs and 90s velvet

Another eventful and busy week! On the pregnancy front, we went to a few appointments, sussed out different places to give birth (hospital vs. clinic), chose the place where I'll give birth, and met with a midwife or **sage-femme** to start the ball rolling on our baby education! 

Also saw the new Tarantino flic in ENGLISH in Annecy (a rare thing to find Original Version English-speaking films here), and received eight boxes of Sultana (or Raison) Bran from a Brit expat mail-order company in the post. The French don't seem to be as obsessed with fibre as are other nations, and hey, a pregnant chick needs her fibre, doncha know! Also went to a **braderie** with a gal pal on the weekend and scored some super cute stuff for a Euro each - will show you soon!

Yesterday hubby and I discovered a town near us that we've never been to, Aix les Bain, an old Roman town known for its thermal sulfur springs (**bain** = bath). In the centre of town stands an old Roman arch dedicated to some old emperor's family or something.

It's a wonderful spot that we'd consider moving to if we stay in this part of the world - smaller than Annecy, but cosier, somehow (and cheaper, by the looks of it). It's warmer as the altitude is lower, but it's still surrounded by the foothills of the Alpes. Like Annecy, it sports a lake right alongside the town.

The Romans enjoyed the thermal springs here, and in the 18th century a spa was erected over one of the main thermal springs in the form of this building, which I think is a government building now. The city became  known as a major wellness spot for the likes of Queen Victoria, Napoleon Bonaparte's Josephine, and many others in the well-heeled set. There are still water spas there today.

After meeting our pals at a Thai resto on the lake (YES! The first Thai resto we've found in this region! We are so becoming regulars as it was amazing!), we took a walk along the lake. It was 10 degrees and lovely.

I'm wearing another 1990s velvet grunge frock purchased from Etsy for a song. It has a high waist and lots of room and is rather tent-like (will be good for later), so I've accessorized it with a blingy velvet vintage belt to accentuate what remains of my waist. The cashmere cardi was a gift; comfy crochet tights and boots were bought new (tip: the crochet or fishnet tights never run, I swear - they truly can last years as this pair has!).

Here's a close-up of the pretty pattern. Jeez, I had my hair cut a few weeks ago and already it looks like a mop. They say your hair grows more quickly when pregnant, mmm.

Bump view. We will def be going back to this town soon, so I hope to take more and better pics of what's on offering there. It's a really pretty place.

Off to buy a French verb book. Have made it to only one class this week, but I did speak French mostly with the sage-femme. I have loads of maternity gifties sent my way from fellow thrifty style blogger pals that I will be showing you very soon! Hope every one has been having a great week - I see a lot of posts I want to catch up with!

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Something I've been wanting to tell you ...

A YEAR AGO: When life, and by extension this blog, really changed!

What a year! I can't believe hubby and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary yesterday! I wish I could show you a fashion flashback series of all the great outfits I've worn over 2012, as some of my fave thrifty fashion bloggers have done, but honestly, it's been such a crazy 13 months that I don't have enough of a repertoire to choose from.

When I was a single hipster blogger, I used to feature a lot of pics
 and tableaux from my boho apartment in Toronto, Canada.

Selling or giving away a big chunk of my stuff before getting married, then immigrating to the UK in the New Year and living there for four months before hip-hopping over to France, has meant the content of this blog has changed a lot in the past year-and-a-bit ... from a Toronto-centric "where to thrift shop" romp full of weekly finds/outfits, thrifty home decor ideas and frequent apartment re-orgs ... to part fashion blog, part how-gorgeous-is-Annecy tribute.

Happy girl, in September.

In the past year, I've come to believe (perhaps out of necessity!) that my blog should be fluid, and change in content as life changes. I hope I've maintained my love-of-thrift-and-vintage core, though, and that the often unfocused posts combining French scenery and personal fashion haven't been confusing or frustrating for you as readers.

The focus may change a wee bit yet, methinks. I've been a naughty girl. Haven't told you something big. But it hasn't been for lack of caring, just caution. In fact, I'm rolling the news out to you, my dear blogging buds, before I tell even my Facebook friends (and I'm not even sure I'll do that - it's a different, and more widespread, community as opposed to this intimate little domain, does that sound nuts?). See, just around the time this photo was taken, in early September, I had some news:

My saviour these past few weeks: a cheapie cashmere-blend dress
picked up at the Sunday market.

If I had shown you this semi-profile photo taken on December 11 when I featured my new Ugg boots (instead of sneakily posting a frontal shot with my belly artfully hidden), the jig would definitely have been up. This cashmere-blend sweater dress found for 10 Euros at the market has proved indispensable to my sanity and my evolving shape.

A few days ago: POP!

Now I'm 19 weeks gone, my 27-inch waist has disappeared (will I see it again?), and I'm popping out so much I can't even wear my "fat skirts" that I used to wear loosely around my hips.

Constant nausea for a good seven weeks, coupled with the illness and death of, and the subsequent mourning for, wee Dinky, made my first trimester pretty hellish - and had a direct impact on the content and frequently of my posts. When I wasn't crying or stuffing a croissant in my face to ward off yet another wave of nausea, I was pretty much parked on the couch watching Downton Abbey, too fatigued to even put on makeup. My fashion sense went completely out the window.

This week: thankfully this green Windsmoor coat found in a
 UK charity shop still fits me. 

Now that I'm into my second trimester, I'm experiencing what is called the glory days of pregnancy, characterized by no morning sickness, increased energy levels and a slightly renewed fashion sense - not to mention a growing awareness of the wonderful (and terrifying) reality of having a wee human developing inside me. The problem now is, What the hell am I going to wear? Nothing in my closet (except for sweaters) fits me. I can't find a maternity shop in Annecy and I'm sure that when I do, a dress will be prohibitively expensive. And the maternity selection at the local H&M makes me want to hurl (why have all the cool sparkly stuff for the 20-year-olds and make the ugly forest green pants for the preggos?). And so, the fashion journey will continue, to Etsy, where I've found a few style solutions for my slowly expanding girth.

A few weeks ago, with sunlight showing my new curves and wearing
 a maternity skirt found in a thrift store. 

I have no great desire to turn this into a Mommie blog, though that could be the inevitable direction. I have nothing against moms or ones who blog, please understand. Just not sure if I want to go there. But I have a feeling French attitudes towards pregnancy, childbirth and raising kids will figure somewhat, and intermix with my reactions to said attitudes. Natch, I'll document my evolving fashion sense and various pregnancy-related wardrobe dilemmas, frustrations and triumphs.  EDIT: Of course, I will **always** thrift shop and continue to show off my finds!!

TEASER: The lady at the boulangerie told me yesterday that French doctors expect pregnant women, in total, to gain one kg per month of pregnancy - that's just under 20 pounds! (So far I've gained three, and my doc isn't harassing me). Attitudes are definitely different in North America, where it's not uncommon to gain 30, 40, and upwards of 50 pounds when pregnant. 

So dear readers, I hope you'll jump on for the ride. Happy New Year! xo

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1990s 'ditsy' dress

This 1990s dress, my latest Etsy purchase, arrived in the post today - I was so excited to get it that I actually changed dresses to I could wear it today!

I am really digging these 1990s frocks. I used to wear them back in the day, but got rid of them all years ago. Then a few weeks ago: BANG! I had to have one! Thanks to fellow blogger Joyatri for telling me that folks call this a "ditsy" or "ditzy" dress. Think it refers to the wee floral patterns - am I right?

Whooee, I haven't worn a frock this short in a looong time! But if you can't strut your stuff at 42, when the heck are you going to do it??? Check out Vix's most recent post for some killer gams!

Dress: vintage 1990s, Etsy

Blue suede boots: vintage 1970s?, Made in Italy, thrifted in Toronto, Canada 

Black velvet elastic belt: vintage, found in Toronto, Canada

Wool blazer: J Crew, thrifted in Toronto, Canada

Leather bag: French, thrifted, story coming soon!!

Wool pashmina: new, bought my first year in Toronto 7 years ago

Bracelet: vintage, found in Toronto, Canada

Tights: new.

Here's  close up of the bracelet, which was around $35 in a Toronto vintage shop. Pricey for GQ standards but I loved it so much, and it's so distinctive. The blues complemented the blues in the dress today, so it was a must with my outfit even though it catches on every thing!

A big welcome to several new followers - please drop in and stay a while!

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God Save the Queen - or Wonder Woman?

Let me start with a disclaimer: First, I'm bagged so I look like a bag. Second, this hack-around outfit is in no way as fabulous as Shelley's Superhero Inspiration, but it was an attempt to both recreate the feel of Wonder Woman (my fave superhero of all time and one I dressed up like for a grade two costume pageant - why didn't I win?) AND also pay tribute to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee being celebrated this weekend, of course (Canada is a Commonwealth nation so we love the Queen too!).

I started with this crochet style sweater (the Brits call it a jumper, which always makes me laugh when my hubby says it as it sounds like he's talking about a dress to my Canadian ears) I picked up at a charity shop the other day. The jeans: 7 For All Mankind, scored at a charity shop. The pendant: a vintage Sarah Coventry beaut I rarely wear because of the colour scheme - but it's perfect for both Wonder Woman and the Queen!

Shelley def inspired me with the cuff bangles - I didn't have one as thick of hers, so I bundled two together. The thicker one I picked up at a thrift shop in Canada years ago; I think it's Mexican silver but I can't quite read the stamp. You may not believe this, but I've had the second one since I was in grade 10 (1985!) - it may have very well been my first piece of costume jewellery! It has always been like this, but I'm pretty sure there were stones glued into the circles. I haven't worn this bracelet in YEARS. Thanks, Shelley, for making me appreciate it again and for sending me down memory lane (pretty sure I dug it up at a church sale with my Dad)!

Now, if you REALLY want to see me as a Superhero, here's a pic of me from a few years ago dressed as thrifty Supergirl for Halloween at the office (wearing thrifted skorts, thrifted Italian suede boots, a vintage belt, and a thrifted cashmere cape - why didn't I win??). Look how teeny I am, sigh, I was this size until I got married in December - is it true that happy couples gain a bit of weight together? Yeeks. Supergirl to the rescue! But I digress - have a FAB weekend, whether you're celebrating the Jubilee or not! 

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Grey day; grey skinny jeans for two pounds (P.S.: are the edited pics TOO big?)

Hi-low thrift! Skinny jeans: two pounds at a charity shop; 

Floral top: six pounds at a charity shop.

A big hello to a host of amazing new followers and to all the lovely thrifty bloggers I've been connecting with of late. I'd like to dedicate this post to Mongs at My Thrifty Closet, who did a post the other day in which she mentioned not trying on clothing in thrift stores as some don't have fitting rooms. I left a comment saying I could NEVER do that. Then I walked into the Furry Tails animal shelter charity shop in St Annes, and saw these jeans for two pounds.

The scarf was gifted by a pal in Toronto,

who owns one of my fave thrift shops.

There wasn't a change-room to be had, so I eyeballed them, along with another black pair in about the same size, and went up to the cash. I've been looking for thrifted skinny jeans in this town for a long, long time so I figured for a total of four pounds, I'd take the chance.

J Crew wool blazer: thrifted in Canada;

 Guess? suede booties: new but over 50% off at Winners in Canada.

And as you can see - they fit! I've always thought grey jeans were really weird, too 1990s-in-a-bad-way or something, so I'm kinda surprised that these worked. I think the contrast between the grey and the black is essential. The black ones fit too but they're just a wee bit tighter.

 Avon pendant: found at a vintage shop in Canada; 

Leather bag: new but 10+ years old.

Funnily enough, a floral top I thrifted recently had grey tones in it (a bit odd for a floral top, I must admit, but I liked it) that, along with the purple, complement the jeans nicely. So, I guess I'm a grey jean convert. Any styles out there that you used to naysay, then adopted or fell in love with?

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New charity shop, a cardi & a carpet bag, and a friend

Welcome to my new carpet and tapestry handbag obsession. I normally stalk these babies on Etsy, but since hubby's instructions to mind what I spend, I have had to back off from Etsy (but if he wants to buy me the 30-pound, plus almost that in shipping, leather and tapestry bag I am currently lusting after there as an early B-day pressie, I suppose I shall have to deal with it). But I digress: yesterday when I checked out a thrift shop in a nearby town that I've never been to, a church charity shop, I found this 1990s-esque tapestry bag with the tags still on ... for three pounds! Isn't it a beaut?

There's more to this tale. In said church charity shop, I met Shoo, a lady who lives in the same town in which I do and shares my passion for charity shops. Shoo kindly invited me to dinner at her place after discovering I'm new to town, haven't made a lot of friends and am often on my own. What a sweetheart. So I went to dinner and donned my "new" bag in honour of the occasion, along with an oversize purple wool cardi in perfect condition that I also bought at the shop for three pounds (note: church charity shops have waaay better prices than the corporate charity shops here, where these items would sell for double or more).

Under the cardi I wore a thrifted Teenflo little black dress, a vintage velvet elastic belt, new Guess? booties and crochet tights, and a thrifted statement piece necklace. Dinner was a blast and I know I'll soon be charity shopping and experiencing other adventures with Shoo!

I was pretty pleased that I was able to somewhat glam up a slouchy cardi for my dinner outfit, but I wanted to show you a more casual look showing the same pieces I bought yesterday: under the cardi I'm wearing a new turtleneck bought on sale at Danier Leather in Canada; a gorg scarf gifted to me by the owner of my fave thrift shop in Toronto, Canadian Thrift (now called Ontario Thrift); and riding pants gifted to me by my pal Nadia (of the green dress, see two posts below). I made the look more casual by wearing my new purse cross-body.

P.S. I have a few more vintage carpet bags to show you. Coming soon!

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Green day: dress gifted by Nadia & other goodies from Toronto

In Honour of Earth Day, and thrifting lovelies everywhere, I'm showing you a vintage 1970s dress that used to hang on my gal pal Nadia's wall (it's nylon - don't come near me with a match as I may melt). 

A fellow thrifter and style icon in her own right, Nadia gave this to me when I left Toronto. Je love. Je also miss Nadia.

The bodice is super small - perfect for me! Not a lot of room in this baby now that I've put on some curves, but that's a good thing, I think. I'm wearing the dress with a bone multi-strand necklace and bracelet, gifted to me by a lovely lady in Toronto, Lucy of Boj Decor on Mount Pleasant Blvd. The sandles, which you'll be seeing a lot of as I trashed most of mine when I moved, were a screaming deal, new (25 pounds instead of 100), at a closing sale in St Annes - Lacuzzo high-heeled platform strappies that make you look like a movie star.

I bought these vintage but never-worn sunnies a few years ago - a definite splurge item. The seller, Ratas Optical in Toronto, has a huge stash of never-worn retro and vintage shades - if you're ever around the Danforth and Broadview area in Greektown, check them out. They ended up replacing the faceted lenses for me, for free, as they had a slight magnification to them that made me dizzy. Nice eh? I have thought about selling them if I ever open an Etsy shop as I'm not sure they suit me. They're a definite statement piece item that you don't wear with just any old outfit!

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A new chapter begins, my thrifting friends

Dah-lings, it's been ages. Here I am at a party pour moi, with my dear pal Nadia, wearing my M. Kors booties (look how big my feet are compared to hers!), a 1970s vintage skirt, my vintage fur coat (it's the warmest thing I have), thrifted 1970s shades and vintage beret made in England that I nabbed off Nadia when we had our pop-up shop. Nadia in turn is wearing thrifted booties and I coat I have her, which I had thrifted.

We're celebrating. As you may have guessed from my lack of posts these past few months (and my sincerest apologies for those of you who visit regularly to find nothing new), things have been rather crazy for me. It will be a sad moment, yet for the happiest of occasions, that will see me leaving Toronto tomorrow after starting a wonderful new life here 6.5 years ago: I have left the new dream job I started a few months ago, I have left my apartment, I have gotten rid of all my stuff, and as of tomorrow, I will leave Toronto behind, to marry my dear British man and move to be with him in the UK! (The vintage Danish pewter pendant I am wearing here is a wedding gift from a dear person at the Toronto Vintage Costume Jewellery Club).

Here's my gorg Brit mannnie - dear reader, he is truly the most wonderful of men, and I look forward to starting a new life with him, in Jolly Old England!! I am not sure what this blog will turn into, or even if I will keep it up; I'm afraid I won't know until my journey in England begins. I have a feeling there are good vintage deals to be had at the car boot sales! Please check in from time to time. I appreciate your readership over the years. All the best to you in the meantime!!

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