please welcome my first guest blogger!

Laura Dowling

hey everyone! i’m in nyc for the day and taking my place is guest blogger, Naomi Cooper of Pierre Deux and FCL. we found that we had quite a bit in common, not the least of which was our passion for gorgeous fabrics and accessories. so for the first time i’m turning my blog over to her to introduce some of her friends, events and general goings on. so please welcome naomi and i’ll be back soon!

A Special Delivery here from La Belle FCL, aka Naomi Cooper, to Claudia and her loyal Paris Apartment Blogettes, to say “Merci” for spreading the word about fclstyle.com. Claudia’s influence is apparent in the hundreds of site visits we received since her posting on June 3, 2009.

This post, along with a few others at a future date (my intention was to send this last weekend but the launch of the site, a store opening, and my sister’s visit from Toronto has pushed me back a bit), is a virtual thank you for your support.

You are cordially invited to attend Pierre Deux’s Intérieur et Fleur event in our Bethesda store. All the details are featured on the invitation seen here. Don’t worry about the RSVP By date. You’re my personal guest and introduce yourself as just that.

This event will be a vision in French Florals as Laura Dowling (www.lauradowling.com) demonstrates the Art of French Floral design. Laura Dowling is the principal of Intérieurs et Fleurs in Old Town Alexandria and an Instructeur Associé of L’Ecole des Fleurs in Paris. She writes and lectures frequently on flowers and her exquisite designs have been featured in several magazines. Her portfolio is breathtaking and her talent has been recognized on Capital Hill where Laura’s designs have transformed the White House into a Flower Garden.

On Monday, July 15, 2009 from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, Laura Dowling will be demonstrating the art of French Floral Design.

The Bethesda store will be transformed into a green room. Laura has created several arrangements that will be integrated into Pierre Deux’s signature room vignettes. She has generously donated the bouquets from the event as raffle prizes for the guests.

I do realize that many of you do not live in Bethesda or the surrounding DC area and I have not forgotten about you. Laura’s friend, photographer Kevin Allen, (kevinallenphoto.com) will be snapping photos at tomorrow’s event. I will post the images on my next Guest Blog post when I continue my thank you note to you.

In the meantime, sit back, relax, pour yourself an Elderberry cocktail, and enjoy some of Laura’s other designs.

I will bid you adieu with one of my new favorite sources for inspiration.

photos by Heather Waraksa

Laura turned me on to stylemepretty.com, a chic blog for the style obsessed bride. Its author, Abby, who like all of us is forever in search of inspiration, turned me on to elsje.com.

I absolutely love how elsje styled this wedding. The décor is eclectic combining many different design styles and elements, yet it feels very light, exuding chic summer wedding bliss. Unfortunately, for both my parents and me :(

Yes, I am the daughter of a neurotic mother and a father with a relaxed demeanor (except when it comes to his oldest daughter’s string of unfit boyfriends). A wedding is not in the near future but that doesn’t mean some of these pieces can’t integrate into life.

I didn’t have to look far. I found the urns, bell jars, urns, cache pots both metal and white ceramic, and the glass candlesticks in fclstyle.com’s Crème Fraiche and Bohemian collections.

Tuscan Bell jar, fclstyle.com/tuscan-bell

Glass Candlestick, fclstyle.com/glass-candlestick

fclstyle.com/turquoise-tulip-vase-planter

hey guys, it’s me claudia back again! thank you to and from Naomi for taking the time to put this together. i won’t be able to make it to the flower bonanza but am looking forward to the pics, your next post and doing some fun things together. (she wants me to host an event in, you’re invited of course) more on that exciting prospect to come!
funny cause as you may know, i’ve been cleaning up shop and the only swatches i’ve been toting around are pierre deux. one’s a leopard to die for! anyway hope you all enjoyed your sub!

ps i have more stuff for the giveaway here in the city, (ribbons and textured swatches, and stuff). if you’re interested in just leave a comment and i’ll split it up and send it out tomorrow before i leave. bon nuit!