Sisters vintage

People selling and buying clothes from each other, I’ve read and heard a lot about it lately. This phenomenon (aka closet sale) runs in my family too: a few sisters of mine recently emptied their closet to get rid of garments they don’t like and wear anymore. Afterwards they asked me to come have a look at their well, let’s say garbage clothes and I could take the things I like(d) ... without paying. So there is one difference with the other sales: the act of selling was left out. Anyway, you’re wondering why I’m telling you all this? The outfit in the pictures here consists of such garbage clothes (skirt & pull).

 

(bag - Delvaux, shoes - Timberland - skirt & sweater - sisters vintage)

P.S. Are you a keeper (you have difficulties getting rid of things) or a pitcher (you don’t mind throwing things away)? 

- 30

In one month it will be Christmas. Sorry, let me correct myself: by then Christmas will be over already. No need to say that I will be blogging about Christmas A LOT the weeks to come and also, that it’s time to get myself, my place and the atmosphere ready for the festivities. To Christmas lovers like me that is of course no problem AT ALL.

 

What all the prepping is about? A present budget has been made as well as an inventory of what presents to buy for whom (some of the items there have even been ticked off already). I’ve been working on the party outfit, that’s right: I’m literally MAKING it this year (like last year actually). Anyway, you'll read more about that project later on the blog.

What else? Um ... wishes to spread amongst friends and family have been prepared and the cards that will carry them (i.e. the wishes) around have been taken care of too. Then there’s the Christmas tree. What decorations I need, already have and still will have to buy to complete the tree ... I’ve listed them all up. And last but not least: the countdown tool, aka Advent calendar. My board (blogged about it here) is ready to be decorated again with jingles and jangles of all kinds. (It’s the 4th year in a row that I’ll be using this calendar so I’m thinking about something new for next year. I'd say Pinterest to the rescue!).

flying angels in the living room 

& a sweet winter home to the golden bird

Well ... that's it for the prepping & plans. Now it’s time to put them in motion. 

P.S. If you want to see how that goes: stay tuned!

Toys for boys

... and for girls who like airplanes in their interior (and who don't know what to blog about).

(both planes @ Flamant)

P.S. What boyish decorations do you like?

Mmm

For those who have a sweet tooth: the one and only La Durée macarons.

In Paris I didn’t make pictures at the legendary biscuit store. This weekend, however, I tried to make up for that by acting like a tourist in my hometown (basically meaning that I stood in front of the La Durée store in Antwerp while looking at it through my camera lens).

It just dawned on me: a macaron pyramid would be the perfect Christmas tree. Some green pistachio-flavoured and dark rose coloured meringue cookies could do the tree trick, don't you think? 
But then again: how long will the tree live? Leaving the delicious sweets alone would be, well ... very hard which would make having an "uneaten" tree still standing  at Christmas a true Christmas miracle.

P.S. Which flavour is your favourite? I prefer the brownies (chocolate flavour, of course) but the rose and purple ones in the pictures above definitely look better. 

Material girl

About six weeks before Christmas the time is right to make this year’s wish list public, don’t you think? 
I hope Santa reads this post, just so he's in the loop about where to shop you know.

Pin (by Delvaux)

I have to admit: 
finding this beauty in my stocking by the chimney 
would be a true Christmas miracle.

La Durée key ring, pen and notebook

The stuff that could cheer me up 
if I don’t get Pin.

A rather short list in my opinion... The truth is that being all egocentric and materialistic (= me blogging) while natural disasters are affecting millions of people in the Philippines makes me feel guilty. So let me be clear: apart from the trivial things described above I do wish for worldwide love, peace and happiness too (sooo cliché, but soooo true).

P.S. What do you wish for this holiday season?
sources: 
www.delvaux.com

La Durée Paris

Mon Amour

Paris je t’aime, Paris mon amour: I L.O.V.E. Paris. I’ve been in love with the city since, well ... actually since before I’d ever been there. One way or another the city of love & light has always had some fatal attraction on me. At the age of twelve (I repeat: I’d never been there) I decided Paris would be the place for me to live, love, work, etc. Ten years ago (16 years old) I visited the French capital for the first time; the three day school trip made me love the city even more. I planned to revisit the town quite often, until the time was right to move there you know.

Golden globe

Then this happened: time flied by, I finished high school, went to college, met Le Boyfriend and before I knew it had been 10 years since I’d “last” (and first) paid the city a visit. Shame on me! 

An Englishman in Paris

Anyway, since moving there is not going to happen any time soon (unless I trick Mon Amour into doing so) a Paris trip was definitely required. And so it happened (a lot of happenings in this post, don't you think?): about a week ago Le Boyfriend and I went there to say hello to my “lover city”. An active sunny Sunday it was: we climbed the Eiffel Tower (that’s right, we took the stairway to a magnificent Parisian panorama) and afterwards we made a 100% Paris city walk (with the help of the 100% Paris city guide). One could say we made “le Tour Eiffel” because the famous monument seemed to follow us throughout the day. You see: the top of the tower appeared in the skyline everywhere and at (almost) every street corner tourist shops offered versions in different sizes and colours.

P.S. Do you recognize the monuments in the pictures?

Cities of light

Last week Brussels was the city of lights when Brussels Light Festival took place along the canal at Sainctelette. No need to explain that it was all about light effects. They were to be found everywhere: in the air, on the ground, on walls ... Yet no miraculous things were there to see. At some point I felt like addressing the elephant in the room and asking when the true magic was about to happen. Then an elephant actually entered the room: I changed my mind and decided to just look at the giant animated animal and leave it at that.

ideas for garden/terrace party decoration 

P.S. On Sunday Paris "regained" the city-of-light-title: le Boyfriend and I paid the France capital a blitz visit (more about that later).

English kisses

Natural colours for the lips, they fit my look perfectly.

Apart from the “nail dye manicure” that I talked about earlier the English brand Burberry also spoilt us, bloggers, with lip cover and foundation samples at the A Luxury Approach event. When it comes to quality and looks the Burberry branded lip cosmetics definitely match up to the B-nail polish: a nice texture, last quite some time and (as I just said) they come in a range of perfect colours (all kind of nudie yet chic and classy).

Even though I’m not a foundation kind of girl (I prefer “just powder” because  make-up cream always makes me feel like I’m wearing a mask) I gave the B-samples a try. It’s not that I’m going to switch to cream foundation now (compact powder on a daily moisturizer is still the foundation I build my looks upon) but the B-ones do their work properly. Applying the colouring sheer fluids results in a solid, lightened tint and disguised imperfections (a lot of those on my face).

P.S. Not only do I cherish Burberry trench coats; I’m now into their make-up too. One more thing left to test: their perfumes. Curious about whether or not I will fall for the English fragrances too.