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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June baby bloggers; jumpsuit then & now

My name is Kelly, and I've hit my wall ("K" painted on a brick wall in St Annes, spied in an alley way on one of my last days in the town). Wall of exhaustion, endless packing and administrative minutia of moving country, and now wall of hacking coughs and sore throats, oozing green stuff and endless sneezes and sinus headache pains. But we're en route to our lovely new home in France, and the excitement is building.

A year ago in my B-day suit: a bit too thin, je pense.

Since we'll be traveling tomorrow, my B-day, I wanted to show you a jumpsuit I wore for my B-day last year, a B-day pressie, in fact. 

A year later: curvier.

One year later, you can see I've put on some curves. Sometimes I struggle with having put on a few pounds, but when I see these pics together, I think I look better in the latter one, and too thin in the first. BTW I'm wearing thrifted Clarks sandals (what else?) and a thrifted crochet-style bag with the outfit.

I love the back too.

I'm dedicating this post to the darling Reva, whose boho free-spirit, wonderfully creative and eternally spunky style continues to inspire and delight - who just happens to be celebrating her B-day on the 19 as well - Happy Birthday, girl! I'd also like to wish a Happy B-day Terri, who I believe is also celebrating this week and whose great sense of colour and ability to make classics look funky is another source of daily inspiration. Have a great day, you wonderful blogging ladies, and a wonderful few days to all! It may be a a few days before I post again. Hope every one is doing well. xo

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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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The Dress, Veronica Slater, et moi: bloggers bond

Remember this dress? Fellow blogger Veronica of Veronica Slater Presents found the same style of Pucci-esque print silk dress in a thrift shop that I also thrifted. Doesn't she look fabulous in it? I love the chunky necklace accessory.

Veronica and I met yesterday, in the flesh, for the first time, after commenting on and following eachother's respective blogs for months and months. Not surprisingly, we got along like old friends. Look, we even look like kindred spirits here, with out short dos, oversize sunglasses and bracelets!

I love this photo of us. I hope I didn't freak Veronica out too much as I found myself opening up to her about all kinds of things going on in my life. Just goes to show that if you bond in the blogosphere, chances are you'll bond in 'real' life. I find thrift bloggers are of a certain ilk, to be sure - but Veronica, just so you know, doesn't just blog about her FAB vintage purse collection.

As you'll see from her blog and website Veronica Slater Presents, Veronica blogs about living better (in three languages to boot), and all the wonderful stuff that comes along with that. She shares her ideas for gifting, giving and living better weekly on the Boreal Express, a CBC Radio-Canada chaine premiere show. Here she is sporting a spunky jumpsuit and a wonderful belt from the 1990s. Quelle style!

Veronica was kind enough to snap a pic of me wearing a Franco Mirabelli dress I thrifted for about ten bucks, made of this gorg fabric which is the Toronto designer's signature.

Here's Veronica again in her lovely thrifted dress. Veronica, I had such a great time with you. I sure hope we hang out again (and maybe do some thifting too?)!

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Thrifted frock that changed my life inspired another thrift stylista!!

I've shown you this thrifted silk dress with an Italian label before, but I'm featuring it again as it was exactly one year ago that I wore it, and met my dream man in it. The dress, apparently, influenced the way he thought about me - let's just put it that way!! This is me at a recent party, in THE DRESS.

This was me a year ago, with faux tan, just before jetting off to the place where I happened to meet my gorg Brit mannie.

A spin-off of an already great story about a thrifted dress is this: there's a reader of this blog, a lovely lady whose equally lovely blog, Veronica Slater Presents, I also follow. The story goes that Veronica saw this dress on Grunge Queen and loved it so well, and the story behind it, that she searched high and low in the thrift shops before finding her own dress, exactly like this one!

Love it! Veronica, you will have to think about sharing a photo of you in your frock!

I dedicate this post to Veronica, and to my lovely man - both of whom know quality when they see it, tee hee!!

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Coro pendant and an inspired blogging solution

This pendant isn't really my style but I loved it on sight and thrifted it for literally a couple bucks. I was really attracted to the blue. Got it home and flipped it over and saw it is signed Coro piece. Initially I was going to find a gold chain and rig it up, but then I Googled "Coro blue stone pendant" or some such thing and came across this lovely blog, Oriental-Rose.

Can't believe my haphazard Google skills found the very same piece! Now if you scroll down from the original link, you'll see that the designer fashioned a lovely pearl and gem-like necklace for the pendant.

Mmmm. That got me thinking. I took a rummage through my Tickle Trunk and dug up one of my first costume jewellery finds from my university days, a sturdy 'pearl' necklace I don't really wear anymore as it's too staid for my style. I actually almost got rid of it recently but some sixth sense - or perhaps my semi-hoarding instincts when it comes to bling - made me hang onto it.

Well, hell. What's the use of reading blogs if you can't take some inspiration from them? I'll have to find a jump ring or something, but that's all the pendant needs to transform it into a true statement piece!

I'm just so thrilled about the idea - now hopefully it won't take me five months to find the ring. The cool thing is the pearls can be worn long or wound around the neck twice for a choker effect. The strand does the Coro piece true poetic justice - so much better than a boring old gold chain, don't you think?

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$2 Escada jean jacket takes me a long way

Well, dear readers, I haven't posted in the last few days as I got my wish and jetted out to West Palm Beach for the long weeked, yay!! And my $2 Escada jean jacket, as you can see here, came along with me for the ride!

I'm wearing it here with a thrifted vintage necklace, and that Italian-made cotton dress with embroidered skirt I found for a twoonie at the same sale (the monthly $2 Clothing Sale in Toronto). I knew the dress and jacket would look fab together. In fact, when we were shopping in Anthropologie in West Palm (just browsing, of course!), one of the sales people was all over me about how great the dress was!!

But back to the jacket. It was perfect for the warm yet breezy Florida evenings and went with everything from dresses to skinny jeans, as you see here. Quite the preppy couple I'd say!

Even a mini vacay wouldn't be true to the 'ole blogging spirit without a camera shot in the mirror pose!

This was such a fun outfit: a cheapie stretch tank; a 1970s belt; a $1 vintage necklace; and a skirt/dress I picked up in West Palm last year. With the jacket it's a fun-funky outfit (I call it my Cyndi Lauper look).

I'm just so pleased that a $2 designer jacket took me from pretty to prep to pop. The distressed detailing and buttons makes it a feminine yet funky staple. And it's given me great wardrobing practise for when the warm weather arrives here!

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