flourishing friendships
it’s already getting late but i wanted to post what i’ve been thinking about all day. it’s getting to visit new and old blog friends who have left recent comments. thanks guys for helping me when i was having a formatting crisis, asking about my dad (he’s totally fine)! and just shouting back when i said hi.
i got a chance to visit some of your blogs today and feel so much better for it!
accordingtobraswell.blogspot.com
i’ll add everyone to the blogroll.
if anyone ever wants to exchange blog links let me know.
in the meantime, meet some new friends with me!
thepolkadotpetticoat.blogspot.com
curiouslookingglass.blogspot.com
ok back to work! have a great night!
time is of the essence
hi gang! i am in and i’m out as heidi would say. i’m on reserve power and it’s midnight on the dot so it’s time to wrap it up toute de suite! just wanted to stop by and share one of the pieces i came across today. my sister in law found them in paris and gave me them to me to matte and frame for the upcoming event.
it’s one of a few original hand painted designs, this one for a wall. i love the details and the free hand of the artist, the way he make swirls and fleurs, i swoon! anyway hope you enjoy, i’m down to less than 2 mins power so bon nuit!
this is only a test
hi guys! how’s your day going? all is/was well here till i noticed an app i downloaded seems to have moved things around on my blog formatting. i’m just stopping to do a test post and say allo! hoping you have a great night. my grand plan includes getting some time to surf and see what everyone else has bee up to!
the least of it
hey guys happy monday! i have about 60 secs before i’m heading out the door and up to west palm. lord knows i haven’t been able to get here much and the weekend totally got away from me. before another wonderful day passes i just wanted to share what was not actually the least of the weekend, but the only documented event. i guess it was my personal highlight ;p finding this box with 1930s and 40s millinery lace and flowers at the lincoln road flea. they’re still vibrant colors in silk with velvet petals and detailled centers. even some pipecleaner bees. silly but i love them and know you love stuff like this too!
anyway i have a feeling the palms are going to hold a bunch of old lady treasures like this and i want to remember this one. they were even in an old orchid box! have a great day whatever you’re doing must dash!
no rhyme or reason
my mom says she feels gypped when there’s only one picture on blogs. hint hint? i usually post more than one to keep her happy but today just wanted to share these pretty fleurs that have been on my desktop all week. i think they’re luscious enough to stand alone and the perfect reason to just stop by for a hello. i hope you’re gearing up for a tres bon weekend, starting right now!
it’s not always pretty
hi guys, happy tuesday. i hope you had a good day and are about to have a great night!
strange but good timing around here. i’ve been working on the flea market stuff and when i googled jules valles, and discovered that the article i wrote for the girls guide to paris has gone live. not sure how i missed that but it’s a publication i really admire so thank you to the editor, doni for the opportunity to write a flea market article for them.
it’s funny how looking back things can be so surreal. it was only a couple months ago but don’t think i would write the same article today. at the time i was determined to write the about the gritty, dark side of the market when she asked for the article. i wanted to expose the not so pretty part where you have to get dirty, dig and sleuth around. but in the end you always will uncover buried treasure. i wanted readers and passionate flea market excavators to know that over priced and polished fleas are the norm but that if you don’t mind using a little elbow grease, you can go a few streets over and shop on the DL. but it’s not a pristine scene and i don’t know what possessed me to send her these crazy pics. girls guide is such a glamorous mag that of course after i sent in the shots and text and just of the brutal cacophony of this area, i wanted to re-do it. make it pretty. but doni went ahead with it, god bless her! anyway here’s the article. if you like it say hi on the her and let her know you came by!
girls guide to paris.com/archives/paris-flea-markets-marche-aux-puces
this is something between a scrap yard and well, it’s pretty much a scrap yard of french things
this is a closeup of the above
there’a a lot of everything
she must have thought i was nuts! anyway i hope you enjoyed the back alley stroll~ have a great nuit!
girls guide to paris.com-paris-flea-markets-marche-aux-puces
you have to start somewhere
hi guys what’s happening? it’s way late but i wanted to get here before turning in and share a little of what i’m working on. starting to anyway. i’ve been meaning to go through my pics from paris and organize them for a book about the city’s flea markets. so tonight i had the time and busted in to the jules valles folder. jules is one of the sub-markets at clignancourt in and a little off he beaten path but definitely a market to be reckoned with.
it’s an affordable, two aisle covered market brimming with good loot. i was hoping to get back this month to grab a few things for the big event coming up but i just can’t see getting on another plane right now.
the as of yet undisclosed event is on march 22nd. it takes 4-6 weeks by container so chances are i could miss the boat if the stars don’t align.
but it is tempting, this little marche! i thought you may enjoy a stroll down memory lane with me~
a couple of really dramatic booths amid lots of good chaos
an abundance of textiles
‘
tassels and linens
drama
excess
art
that aforementioned chaos
and french moderne
so maybe i won’t get back for awhile but at least there are the shots to remember it by! well, have a great night mes sweetpeas, a demain!
good morning starshine
hi guys, how’s your brand spankin’ new year? i hope it’s off to a marvelous start!
i had to unplug after much of a muchness and am solar charged now that i’m home. even off the grid life was still whizzing by and i want it to be a memorable year that’s happening so fast. i have simple goals, along with the apple a day and a 30 seconds of yoga, i’d like to get here if only just to remember the day or a snapshot from it. i took this pic at sunrise and so much has happened since then that it seemed irrelevant since it’s almost midnight. but it’s the beginning and end of this day. tomorrow will be here soon and there’s just enough time to kick back and enjoy this night. hope you do too!
a fine line
hey darlings, how’s everything? i hope you’re happily balancing between working and chilling. i’m trying to blur the line between work and play this new year. today i’m sorting through years of photos and the learning curve for iphoto is darn steep. in fact it’s is the bane of my existence but i love mac so there must be a reason for such a complicated system. the good news is that i’m discovering all sorts of pics like the one above. only thing is i have no clue where it’s from and actually never even saw it before. it was in my iphoto. see? do you happen to know who it is? he just seemed to capture my mood tonight.
anyway, i just wanted to stop by and send love from chilly nyc and wish you the happiest new year ever and all the best for 2012!
all that glitters
hi guys! it’s been awhile and i hope you had a great holiday. ours was happy and everyone was grateful for the simple gift of the status quo. dad is back, cooking, enjoying his family and hopefully now, resting!
i’m in the city today and love this in between time when everything is a little quieter, slower and well, just sort of peaceful.
tomorrow it will come back to life with strangers singing and greeting each other in the streets, honking their horns and twirling noisemakers.
i don’t have big plans but love the idea of the glamorous new years party and all the sparkle and hope that come with the day.
maybe it’s a little early to wish you a happy new year (i hate rushing holidays)! so hopefully i’ll get back here to do just that. till then, happy nye eve!
ps: i’ve been laying low but this photo got me back blogging today. it’s a way to repurpose those champagne corks. i always hated throwing them out!
happy friday!
pretty simple
hi guys, how’s everything? it’s been a couple busy days at mom and dad’s and the good news is that he’s coming home on thursday!
i can hardly keep up with mom who’s been doing everything from making pasta to taking doors down. she puts me to shame in the energy department. it’s all i can do to blog but did want to stop by and share some pretty pics from pinterest. the talent of these everyday photogs never ceases to amaze me.
i’m into super simple stuff right now, probably cause i’m on overload. these shots just reminded me that it doesn’t take much to make a big impact.
it’s almost midnight and we have to get up early to do a little training for when dad gets back. truth is he’ll do whatever the heck he wants but at least we’ll have some tricks up our sleeves for keeping him steady and stuff. believe it or not this sailor, archer and motorcyclist will be using a walker for awhile.
i hope your days are stress free and you’re enjoying some simple pleasures
i still haven’t done a thing and actually have been a bit stressed but am gonna take it down a notch.
worst case scenario i cut up a paper bag and trim gifts with greens from the holly bush
cause we all know what really matters…
well, i’m off to search for the greatest, sweetest simple pleasure…deep sleep! bonne nuit! xc
making the holiday rounds
gypsyhousedesigns.blogspot.com
one of the best things about the holidays is visiting friends, even if it’s virtual! this is a collection of the most recent friends who came by and i just wanted to pass along some of their gorgeous blogs and inspiration. hope you get a chance to sit back and enjoy them as much as i do. there’s a lot to love in their blogs so i’ll wait till tomorrow to post some more. till then, have a great nuit!
braytonhomesteadinteriors.blogspot.com
faithful friends who are dear to us
hi everyone, happy saturday. i hope you’re already off to a great weekend. feels like i’m just passing thru these days, but do want to keep up to date with everything since as you know this is one of the few places that keeps me focused and sane. by the time i get home at night i can’t even lift the lid of my laptop, so i figure at least if i make a drive by, then i can come and visit you for awhile tonight.
i was supposed to go to the city but it was just was impractical with so much to do around the house. we’re still at it, cleaning, decorating and fixing things so dad will be comfy once he gets back. we even converted his swivel recliner into a sturdy four legged new fangled model. my furniture career finally paid off!
not to be repetitive but sharing a few more of the vintage friends. who says objects are inanimate? these little familiar friends are definitely sending good vibes and memories surging through the house. my gram and mom were always over the top with the decorating and when i was a kid i’d love helping. in florida it never really seems like christmas so i really don’t do much. now that i’m here, everything old is new again. mom and dad made this paper mâché tree topper angel their first christmas together, i guess before any of the kids were around although one was on the way. she’s still the same after all these years.
well, we’re off and running out the door once again. thanks for all your good wishes, we’ll rendezvous chez vous tonight!
angels with dirty faces
hi guys! i have about a minute. mom is keeping me uber busy and we’re about to head out. before she comes down i just wanted to say hi, post a little update and send some holiday cheer. dad’s a bit better, still not 100% but expected home by the 22nd. we’re busy baking and decorating when we’re not there and i’m still getting to enjoy all the old ornaments and traditions mom is determined to preserve.
these little angels are from the 40s. i used to have them on a tree in my room when i was a kid and always loved them. they’re little nylon wings, pipe cleaner arms and pretty little faces.
mom hangs them on the staircase now and it wasn’t till i shot these that i realized how each has her own true personality. maybe i did as a kid and forgot. anyway i love them more than ever and am happy to see their familiar, sleepy faces.
well i hope you’re having a great friday and are gearing up for a wonderful weekend. i’m heading to nyc for brunch tomorrow. oops mom’s calling, au revoir!
hanging with mom and dad
hi guys! how’s everything? i’m happy to report good things from here. sorry to be MIA for the past few days but i’ve been pretty focused on getting home and spending time with my parents. my dad is much better and is in rehab. he’s still on lockdown sleeping there so mom and i have been home in the mornings getting stuff together and doing a little decorating for the holidays to keep her sane and feeling normal.
it’s been a long time since i really looked at the decorations i’ve known by heart for so many years. i’m sure like yours each has a story and history. these velvety balls were each made by my grandmother many years ago. i remember watching her make them at the kitchen table between cooking enormous meals. she was so creative (ok they were from a kit but still), and she must have had lazer vision cause they’re made with such precision!
you know how they say we don’t know the reason things happen til much later? well i’m starting to see a some good coming out of this already. not the least of which is having come home way early for the holidays and not booking a ticket back. it’s giving me a chance to spend time with my family instead of rushing thru the season and popping in and out. this year i’m home, feeling a bit like a kid in my old room and glad to be of some help to my parents who have always been there for me.
well, we’re about to jet off one more thing: i’ve got a great little book for you to check out for the holidays, called A Literary Paris. it’s filled with all kinds of information about novels set in Paris and places to go when you’re there. it makes a fabulous gift for anyone who loves Paris, or books, or traveling. the author, Jamie has given us a copy for a giveaway so if you’d like it, just let me know! here’s her facebook page to check out what’s inside.
last but certainly not least, the pink book winner from a couple posts ago has been corrected. it’s bron from vintageandart.blogspot.com. check out her blog where she had this pretty bergdorf goodman holiday window posted. more soon!
friends are like stars; you don’t always see them, but know they’re there
hi my darling friends. thanks for all your good wishes, it looks like you worked your magic. my dad is making a miraculous and speedy recovery and starting to feel good again. i’m leaving in the morning and couldn’t go without sharing a little of paris during noël. i guess we shouldn’t be surprised that the decorations include beautiful chandeliers hanging in streets, even if they are made of LED string lights! anyway i wanted to send all the love right back at you for your support in the comments you left yesterday. blog friends are family and i treasure you. see you on the other side!
In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.
~ Albert Schweitzer ~
paris blues
hi friends. i wasn’t going to post tonight because i have a heavy heart. but blogging is somehow comforting right now. i thought you’d want to know and also may wonder why i’m not blogging much this weekend. my dad had a slight stroke last night and is supposedly doing ok but i feel so far away and helpless. i love paris so much because of his passion for it, but now it’s cold and dreary and i’m getting weepy and tired. i have to get some sleep under this full moon and will power thru till i get back monday morning, but seems like eternity. thanks for always being there, it really means the world to me.
on the road again
hi guys. how’s life? i have about three minutes before i have to shut down. i’m at the airport on my way back to paris.
i got a call to take a client shopping that i just couldn’t refuse. i wish i could tell you who it is but this guy is such a major player that i better just keep it tight (for now anyway)!
liz and i tied up most of the loose ends and between drudgery of actual work i took pics of some of the stuff i’ve been bringing back here and there.
this pink book was in the plastic but i opened it to check it out and enjoy it myself. then i thought it would be fun to do another giveaway before the holidays since i love you so much and you appreciate booka. so if you’d like to win it, let me know! as for the winners of the chanel and the magnolia, the random number generator chose numbers 11 and 23. if that’s you send me your address.
this is today’s book! i have to board so au revoir and more from the other side!
what’s going on
hi gang, hope you’re having a great week! we’ve been busy over here working on the website and trying to get things photographed and listed. today’s pics are two little peacock colored vases i got last month in paris. they are about as big as large eggs and incredibly delicate.
liz is having me shoot more mood shots instead of just dry images for the site so here are a couple. she was having a blue moment and i went with it. it’s a lot more fun to play when you have a friend to shoot with.
in other news, we have our winners from the drawing the other day! would the following two darlings send your email to me at claudia@theparisapartment.com asap?
judy from petitcreeklavender.com
and mari of way good day
if you didn’t win that once, guess what? glitteratti is giving us these two more books to play with! they’re sending them over for review and i’m giving them away! if you’d like a chance to win just say so!
Coco Chanel by Douglas Kirkland
Stealing Magnolia’s Tales From a New Orleans Courtyard
playing catching up
good morning guys and happy sunday. it’s nice and early and i’m finally sitting in complete silence with a coffee and blank slate in front of me. actually it’s not completely blank, i’m posting today about some of the things that have been at the back of my mind that i can finally get to. the amazing difference between now and weekdays is that when i’m not rushed it’s actually fun. to start, above is a pic from my girl sophie atlan’s shop at the market in paris. i loved the black and pink and together. and it reminded me to that the first of my ‘paris profiles‘ series has started. the premiere article is about sophie who you may remember meeting in september. well, it’s now live on belle maison. you can check it out here, password joiedevivre. the editor is mimi bleu who also writes the blog bonjour romance from paris. she’s working hard with writers and photographers, (so many are blog friends) to create a really colorful, image filled subscription based online (and now paper magazine) from paris each month. check her out if you get a chance. we’ve become good friends and it happened of course thru the magic of blogging! 
in other news, i was contacted by glitteratti to check out some of their holiday books and they sent me the two below for review and a giveaway! both are really beautiful and would make pretty presents. i’ll send them out to the winner next week so if you’re interested let me know and i’ll take names from the comment section on this post next week. 
i’ll try to get a few more books for giveaways next week from them since looking over their collection it’s got a lot of great design stuff i’m sure we’d love (like this one below) so i’ll keep you posted on that and see which book it’s from. 
finally, i am very sorry it’s taken me so long to get out the little objets d’art from the markets to those who sent me their addresses last month, but i promise to do that, i did not forget about you! and also apologies for not announcing the winners of the ring and the necklace, it was teresa of splendid sass and linda who didn’t have a blog but i was happy to meet. ok well more soon, have a great morning, i’m off to art basel!
it’s not that complicated
whew! tgif guys, hope you are gearing up for a fantastic weekend. liz and i have been working hard over at chez moi, catching up, shooting and organizing. in fact she’s due in about a minute so i have to jet but wanted to say hi and although there are a million pics on my phone and camera, links to exchange, books to review and giveaways to attend to and orders to ship, i just wanted to leave you with an image that was so simple but so striking it reminded me that it doesn’t have to be so complicated this time of year. one strand of green can feel really festive. anyway that’s my two cents. happy decorating!
be it ever so humble
good morning guys! how’s your week shaping up? hope you had a great holiday. it’s back home for me after lots of traveling and good to feel refreshed. i’ve finished unpacking the stuff from paris and just hung another painting from the market. it’s the other little corner that needs TLC but as i always say, it’s a work in progress, not a one shot overhaul.
my sister in law jean took fabulous pics at the fleas and put them on picassa. the one below is from her set. she really captured the essence of the day, i love so many of the vendors and candids she got. if you get a chance, take a look here:
as you can see this one made it from the street to my wall. thought it would be fun to show where some of this stuff ends up. it’s mine for for awhile! well, there’s lots to do so i better jet. have a great wednesday!
hi guys, happy monday~
hope you had a fantastic holiday weekend. i spent most of mine avoiding technology but must say it’s nice to be back now that the sun is shining and my batteries have been recharged.
have a great day and lots of fun, more soon!
this side of paradise
hi guys, how’s your week shaping up? it’s good to be back on the continent as they (used to) say. as much fun as paris is, it’s still takes every ounce of energy to tackle it, if only for a few days. i’m back in miami for a day and fly to nyc tomorrow for thanksgiving, savoring every moment at home before taking off again.
. 
today i’m unpacking the goodies from the weekend and since i have to keep it all in one place till it gets shot, can enjoy it for awhile. my favorite was the very last piece we found. it’s a painting by an artist you may remember from the pochoirs i got a few trips ago by artist lucien victor guirand de scevola. this one stopped me in my tracks, an original oil in a gold frame from the 30s.
my little corner is showing signs of life so for as long as its mine, i’m gonna really enjoy it. hope you do too! back to unpacking and hanging stuff up!
the art of the fleas
hi guys, ça va? i’ve been meaning to get here for what seems like days but they just have flown by. my clients left with armloads of treasures and i had my fun too.
looking back over the pics it seems that i’m in an artsy mood these days and am still smitten with the flea market art.
there’s a lot if it in every shape, price range, color and style.
i actually did get a few pieces (like the one above)
there a
and am going back for a couple more today.
as my guy says, you can’t buy it all so i hope you enjoy these as much as i did even if they’re not hanging over our mantles…yet!
have a great monday and i’ll be back a bit later with well, who knows what! À bientôt!
it will never the same
hi guys, greetings from gay paree! it’s chilly and dreary but that didn’t stop us from trudging a good many hours yesterday. no matter how many times i visit paris it’s always a brand new experience.
these first two shots were taken by my sis in law. thanks, jean!
our apartment has everything a couple of gals could want but the link isn’t working and we’re about to head out.
so i’ll leave you with a couple shots of the view. it’s kind of surreal and the first time i’ve had the tour right outside the window. we’ve been taking pics to try to capture it and i’m not sure we did but this will have to suffice for le moment. we’ve got to get to those croissants! more soon!
PS we’re having another giveaway! this time it’s a beautiful handmade piece from leslie andrews who created tarnished lace. she made this beautiful necklace just for us. it’s full of gems, pearls and an antique key. if you’d like to win it, please go to her facebook page and ‘like’it. then leave a comment below and it could be yours! bon chance!
an ocean away
thepursuitaesthetic.tumblr.com
good morning guys! how’s the week going? i’m wrapping it up over here and getting ready for a long weekend in paris with clients. (i’ve always wanted to say that and it’s finally reality :)
we’ll be shopping the markets and i’ll be hunting for gems for the ‘event’ that cannot be mentioned yet happening in early 2012. my sister in law suggested shopping early so the container would arrive way before so i invited her along and she accepted! we’ll be staying with my peeps at paris perfect and i’m looking forward that!
carlalovesphotography.blogspot.com
i’ve been trying to slim down so i can get back to my diet of cafe and croissants on the go…
liz helped me pack this time, determined to make me a fashionista. uh huh! i promised to try even if it is sans le birkin. well, better get to tying up those loose ends. i really wish they’d bring the Concorde back so the trip could be just 3 hours over the atlantic. how can we get that great technology up and running again and why did we have to scrap it altogether?
let me know if i can bring you something back for you. more from the other side!
Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art.
that quote is attributed to the dear ralph waldo emerson who seemed to be able to sum everything up so succinctly! hi guys, happy monday evening. where did the day go? liz and i have been working around the apartment and on the site all day listing new pieces and editing the pages.
we seem to both be gravitating toward art which is something i love and studied but never really collected.
in our travels we’re finding art we love at consignment stores and antique malls. these are a couple we picked up, one’s a chagall litho that needs to be reframed, the others are unknowns but who’s to say what’s art?
anyway she thinks it’s making my apartment very grown up. guess i’ll have to toss some pop art in here! well i hope you’re about to have a great monday night and wind down your day!
that certain something
good morning and happy weekend! it’s been a busy week and we worked around the apartment rearranging and shooting for a good part of it. i’ll see if there are any worthy photos later but for now will leave you with my favorite nook. it’s one that comes alive with something in the sunlight and makes me stop and enjoy for a minute. hope you have a great saturday!
setting time aside
hello dolls! how are you on this morning of infinite potential? it’s been a revolving door around here but has finally calmed down as of today. i’m trying to set aside one small hour a day to tackle things that have been on the TO DO list for, well, decades! as each year passes it’s finally hitting me that if i focus things really will get done, and if i don’t, nothing will. simple philosophy but for some reason it’s been hard to realize in reality. for now we’re photographing absolutely everything we can get our hands on starting with these wallpapers from paris which will soon be DIY projects chez moi. i’ll check in later with progress but wanted to start the day wishing you a wonderful wednesday!
