2008 teaser

Oh, when I come back, please remind me to tell you about my phone conversation with Robert Plant (you know? Led Zeppelin, etc!)

no kiddin!!!

Big-boy-in-red time (no not the perv!) (hmm, wait I must think about this one!)

I'm in a multitasking mood, but I feel ok, multitasking feels very kewl when it means you have to get ready to jump in a plane (tomorrow) for holidays!
Yeeepeeeeeeeeeeeeee

I hope you'll all be spoiled by the big boy, and I wish you a happy new year, with no stress, lots of chocolate and Johnny Depp's moments (sowwy guys ;-)

Thank you for being around! Mwaaaaaaaaaaaa!

It feels hmmm hooo haaaaaa

One of the great things with Christmas and New year's stuff is that I can check if I can still hold a pen!



I love writing cards, just because now it feels precious to write to someone.. it's different, old fashion, alive, emotionnal! yes!

And I realize I don't have the adress of many around here :P
I won't name anyone but if you feel like it, I'll happily add you to my adress book ;-)

I can get lazy now, parce que je le vaux bien quand même!

I've finished the main work on my next book.
It's been hard. But now I can leave on holidays without anything to do!

And I've just finished all the wrapping! Phewwww!
Even the 2 cats of the family, Charlie and Chino, will get their Christmas' treat :-)



What about you? Everything's done? Just waiting for the big man dressed in red? :-)
You're in a Christmas mood or the opposite?

We call it "Dragon's fruit" ..

..and you (English speaking ones) call it "strawberry pear" (cute name but I prefer ours for once :P)



I've had 2 of them so far, Martin finds them tasteless (shrugging)... they're good and juicy! Close to the kiwi me finds.
And they're so beautiful, really
(I'm blabla-ing right now, yeah yeah I know)
Inside they're white and black, a wunnerful contrast with that pink and green. Nature is definitely the most talented artist!

Amen

I don't know how's your week so far, but mine has started in some ugly ways!
Yesterday got the award of the most shitty day of the month.
From the early morning at the post-office with a screaming Loup and 250 people in the queue to hours of useless work... I finished my day in some real dragonish mood. Grmmmpphing, spitting fire.

Well, today was kinda better. If it goes on this way, Wednesday will be close to normal.
Yeeehaaa.

The best gift ever... cheap but priceless!

Have you ever heard of the movie The Polar Express ?
Well, I'm not a real fan of it, but the kids LOVED it!

It's about kids making a trip to visit Santa Claus.

At the end of the movie, Santa Claus asks the little boy what he really wants for Christmas. He will be the first to get his present.

The boy answers "one of the reindeer's bells"
(because the sound of the lil bells reminds him Santa Claus is for real)

***

A friend of mine today told me she's going to offer a lil bell to her daughter, presenting it as a reindeer's bell.



such a good idea!!!!
Not the most expensive one (at all) either!

I'm going to find 2 lil bells for my devils. They will absolutely love it (as much as the story behind!)



edit: I have found them! 4 euros for 2 adorable reindeer's bells! Yeeehaaaaaa!

Christmas, doubts and a most adorable crèche

I'm a creche girl.
There must be a connection with playmobiles here. Somewhere. In the dark.

I wanted a new crèche, not the ugly plastic stuff I had anymore. But crèches are so SO expensive here!
... It's been more than a year I look for a new one, one I can afford.

And, tada, I've just found one, really adorable one.
The men there are a bit too bearded (???) and I can't figure out who's Joseph, but... for 12.90 euros, it's perfect!

The baby jesus and his mom are smiling, the angel too. Perfect.
Joseph? I still don't know, I think I'll chose the shepherd, he's cute.



I can't imagine making my Christmas tree without making a crèche.
A family tradition of course.
But... No. It's not that anymore.

I think I *need* to give a meaning to this Christmas time, and making a baby the centre of such a celebration fits to what I believe in.

(that was the not boring part above, now grab a glass of rum if you want to finish with the post :P)

Of course, just like every year, I'm wondering *why* I celebrate Christmas
And for the first time, putting myself into questions, my beliefs, etc, I can bring answers (for meself, that is).

do I believe in God?
I actually don't know.

Who can prove some kind of God exists?
nobody as far as I know

Who can prove some kind of God does not exist?
nobody as far as I know

Believing is comfortable, not believing is comfortable too (in the way that it helps to not put everything into question all the time)

Not knowing is not so comfortable.
But I feel pretty ok with that :)

I'll celebrate Life with Christmas, and I'll covered my babies with presents (in my dreams!), simply because I'm so happy to be their mom!

A very first time

I know many people won't eat foie gras, and I can understand that (I don't even put the links about the geese feeding, it's too ugly).
But I'm so weak when it comes to good food. My mind and heart tell me I should resist, my pleasure has way less limits.

Anyway, the other day, I tried a speciality from South West of France (a blessed region when it comes to food!)... figs stuffed with foie gras.

It was like Heaven on earth.





What about you, any brilliant food discovery lately?

PS: how do you recognise a blog writer? it's the noisy/crazy one taking pics of everything, even of what you're eating!

"Your lil brother is very cute

...juste like his sister, huh"

That's what I heard yesterday when I was running in the street with Loup.

First thought: huhu, first time I hear that!


Second thought: Am I getting that old?!!!
(because, come on, if you really think of it, you don't tell such things to young-ettes!)



edit: Martin is laughing at me about that! (rolling eyes) :P

Hey it's almost Christmas

...so why spoiling (much more than) the spirit of it?!





okok, back to happier stuff, with a lil something dedicated to Lola who's a real fan (and such a great imitator of him!) :-)

mr bean joyeu noël
envoyé par kingfantasy

THE Christmas tree part 2

You know what, I think I've just finished my Christmas shopping!!!
tadaaaa!


90% of my xmas shopping was done on the internet... so I hope I'll receive everything just in time!

The other shopping I made was for our lil tree. Our Christmas tree finally stands proudly in our bedroom (which is the living-room somehow).

here's what it looked like first... so small and almost naked. It caught a cold, got really down too.



I had to do something!
Cheered it up, promising it a magical transformation. Lola and I decided to make it GIRLIE. PUCCA power, you see.

We got pinkish ribbons and a few other lights.
Our lil tree LOVED it,
and when it started to giggle, we knew it was a success! ... the depressed lil tree had just turned into a happylovelygirlie xmas tree :)

THE Christmas tree

Of course I was to post a pic of our Christmas tree.
There are things in bloggies that come again and again year after year, the photo of one's christmas tree included.

But, sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet, I have failed here!
My Christmas tree is a mistake.
It lacks about everything.
Tomorrow morning I plan to make a shopping trip dedicated to our Christmas tree. We MUST do something before it's too late.
More lights, more whatever? maybe.

So far, I don't get why our Christmas tree looks so miserable.
Maybe our tree is sad.

or maybe not.
It must be my fault anyway, I wanted to make it kinda look plain...pfff

I believe in miracles!

After 25 months of terrible nights, with a lil devil always finishing his nights with us, we've enjoyed a "normal nights" (normal night = sleeping).

Since we've installed the bunk beds (lits superposés), Loup even ASKS to go to bed!


For you, who spend standard nights, snoring, making love and all, you just do not realize how wonderful your nightlife is.

Waking up with a lil one happily snoring between you and your other half is cute once a year, but really annoying when it's just everyday like that.

So yes, it's a miracle that Loup finally starts to make his nights.
It feels hmm, unique. Precious.

:)

Facebook-ing rhymes with ...

(mind boiling!)

exposing
sharing
time consuming
giggling
playing
laughing
thinking
big brother-ing!

and really REALLY entertaining

(would you add anything to the list,hm ?)

In a couple of weeks ...

...we're in Hamburg to celebrate a wunnerful Christmas with Achim and Christa.

And you know, these holidays are my xmas gift, I can't wait for them.
I count the days
I dream of all this relaxing time with a family I miss, with friends we've not seen since ages, and in a city that I really love!



What about you, any plan or vacation for Christmas time?

Here's my plan (niark niark niark)

You know how much Wednesdays can be hmm busy (as in "exhausting", "threatening", "energy sucking") for us mamas.

It's the Devils' Day,
the day where there's a break from school here in France.

So far, I've been a Wednesdays' slave, and now I say STOP. Enough is enough is enough.

Is enough, huh.

I'm taking back my freedom : I send Loup to his creche another morning, on Wednesdays!

Yeeehaaaaaaaa!

And having a free Wednesday morning to take care of Lola is just great!
I'll have some time for her, some time to work -and paint my nails-, time to take Lola to her dance classes, etc. And no doubt Loup will enjoy his morning (he has no choice anyway! )



(above is the picture of the devils who prefer to remain anonymous. Very wise of them huh)

Paris, Sofia and I

I had forgotten how Paris could be beautiful. When you *live* there, you don't realize anymore, except when you allow yourself to do so.

I could talk about its bakeries (before anything else, of course!), its buildings and so different districts, its bars, pubs, brasseries, and restaurants, its shops, its inhabitants who come from just everywhere. But nothing can beat a walk on a sunny day across Paris. Then you can *feel* the *shhpirit* of it.

Paris is also the city where you just take your car (bloody cars!) and suddenly drive in front of a Sofia Coppola, with her baby in the arms and her man following.

Yeah, Sofia Coppola, la bella vita, chachacha quoi!

Martin agrees with you (cause I can read in your mind huh), and does not see why I got so excited!
I don't know either (lol) but I did get excited. I had my cam in the hands, but it was just too late when I realized it.

Xmas time + rue de la Paix, you can be sure to meet celebs'! Yeehaaaaa!

So what now?

Nothing. It was just like one of these days: "Woww, I LIVE in Paris!!!!"

Girls just want to have fun ?

...and what about boys, do you think?

Let's see with Loup.
He loves trying everything, playing night and day, cooking, cleaning (I train him well you see!), building his own bed (with the help of his papa, huhu), dancing, playing with dolls, making necklaces (he is so good at it!), putting make-up and dressing like a princess.

Yup, Loup definitely just want to have fun!

And isn't it wunnerful to have an older sister when you're a boy?
So fantastic to experience the funniest giiirlz'games!!!

Loup loves it. He has the shape of a mini rugby player, but does not mind wearing his sis' tutu. And I love how serious and "involved" he is at these games too! hehe

Holy Night

I thought I'd never find a minute to put my new painting online.
My day has been busy (and that is far from being the truth)...

Anyway, before starting with the illustration of another book, I really needed to make a break with a painting, based on inspiration and feelings only. It felt good working on it (happy sigh)**~~*^* *



Now just tell me you're as exhausted as I am (or maybe more??!!), That will be a precious support, thank you :)

Chat-bisous

(how can I translate chat-bisous... *playing kiss tag*?)

Anyway, "chat-bisous" is the MAIN game at the moment at school for Lola.



The game's rule (in case you wanna play it where you are) :
When you're the "cat", you run after the mice, and as soon as you catch one, you try to kiss him/her. Then the kissed one becomes the cat.

So Lola explained me that yesterday she was the kissing cat / chat-bisous.
She caught lil Octave and kissed him on the lips.
lil Octave
(thinking)
(mind boiling)

Wasn't he the lil boy who badly vomited (poor boy) when I arrived to take Lola at school?
Wasn't it the name the teacher mentioned, a name she connected to nasty devilish "gastroenteritis"?

Arggg...

I find chat-bisous very funny, except when winter's special *gifts* are involved!

Wednesdays...

ok, in front of me I can count:

60 wood boards of different size
250 screws and wood pieces of different size.
2 over-excited devils

NO indication, no drawing of how to build the kids' bed.



in the mirror: 1 desperate mama

(Bonus track: Beatles' Helllllllp)

edit: there was a drawing! We discovered it this morning, carefully hidden behind a curtain by the youngest of our lil devils!
grmpppph

re-edit: as promised, here's the result :P


(third night Loup sleeps there and it goes pretty well!)

More than a dream, a fantasy !

...2 men sweating in the kitchen!

A memorable moment

and not only because of the delicious meal we got!



...but also because of the people who were there, with who we had real fun, it was a wunnerful Thanksgiving, thank you my dear *cousins* !!!

The very best moment ...

..when you make a cake... is definitely this one:



:P

I know it's not too late! (yeehaaaaa!)

...so, happy Thanksgiving to all my friends over the big pond!
Laurienna, my inspired artist and friend, Ariel my dear *friend*, Michelle my American-Parisian favourite one, Delphine and Fred the expat', Gigolo, Fitz, NG, Shrinkie (who do not read my bloggie -what a mistake! :P-), and all of you, the ones who brought/bring warmth in my life... **~~* *thank you**~~*^* * and happy Thanksgiving!

(I've just found a quote here that I really love)

Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.
~W.J. Cameron

Books on the shelves (soon?!)

The three topics for the 3 first Lola 's books have been accepted, validated.

Lola already think she's like a Hollywood star (lol). Of course, she is. :)

I am so happy!
I just hope it's not a dream and that one day I'll hold the books in my hands.

But for now I'm working on the other series. More precisely on the story board of the second book.

And tonight I'm much more motivated by wasting time on Facebook, sooooo... it's like a nature's call, I must answer it! :D

(wooooosh)

Vintage

it's one of the songs I really love. The whole album is as good. A bit old now (cough), but it's always a pleasure to listen to it.

The perfect cocktail ...

...to renovate a house (otherwise, it's a planteur -the perfect cocktail, huh-)

1)blind faith
2)inspiration
3)energy
4)money

Actually, it's the same ol' story, what really matters is money again because without it you can't do any works. Equipment, from the screwdriver to pneumatic drill, etc is really expensive too.

With the hobbit house project, I discovered that a roof could cost 9000 euros, a *modern* electric meter, 600 euros, stairs, 4000 euros or a new window, 700 euros.
I had absolutely no idea about such prices before.

The biggest works have been done (happy relieved sigh)
But now we have still a lot to do (electricity, water, heating, etc) and we've 2000 euros left for the works!

hm (thinking)... I need to learn some magical spells very quickly, huh! :P

A not so lazy November weekend

Haaaa, so kewl to use Picasa and its web albums! Instead of bothering you with too much blablas, you get the photos which will tell everything!

Only one flower left (but zillions of leaves dancing around)

I have no idea how to start my week.
I have a list, HUGE (3 post-its), of things to do, and I don't know what do to first. They are all priorities! heeeeelp!

Just a quickie

That's what we'll do next weekend.
Loup is already there in Bretagne (enjoying a quiet night here! ;-)
We have to go there tomorrow evening to work in the hobbit house on Saturday (yawn). We have a new door and window fixed, there is cement stuff to be done and shutters to be fixed. And we can't do it later.

So we'll run, again. I plan to enjoy at least one planteur cocktail near the fireplace, once the work will be done, naturally (cough cough)

Then wooosh on Sunday we're back.

So much to do in so lil time!
I'd better not think of it and spend some lazy minutes on Facebook... :P
---> on my way!

Not such a bad day ...

It went really fine with the publishing house earlier today.
They really liked my illustrations!

What next then?
2 other books to be finished by the end of February!! yeepeeeeee!

but if it was only that...
You remember the manuscript I wrote and illustrated a few months ago "Lola Tralala" ?
They want it too! ... and want to make a series of it!

3 books are expected before August!

That does not mean I will get hundreds of thousands euros, lol, but that simply means my work, my own creation, made with my lil hands, made with all my heart, with all the energy I give to it night and day, is good enough to maybe get popular.

(dancing around!!!)

It's been a good day, my friends :)

I had to celebrate it spending euros I did not have (how magic is that, huh?!)


(I swear it's not my legs that you can see on top!)

Ouch!

Falling in the stairs with a heavy Loup in the arms is not what I just needed.
I could not stop my fall till the next floor downstairs, can you imagine that?

It would be absobloodilutely hilarious if my bum did not feel like broken in a thousand pieces right now! Grmppph. Loup was a bit shocked but I managed to carry him safely during the fall.

Of course that had to happen just before Lola's dance lesson... grmppphhh

Now the pain is pretty intense, but I can't take care of it, I'm almost out again to take the devils to a birthday. Loving Wednesdays ;-)

On a happier note, Loup will officially attend school on next September. We met the headmistress, etc. We already know each other, since Lola's there. That's kewl.
I hope the beginning will be easier than how it happens at the kindergarten. Loup still cries and screams whenever we take him there. That breaks my heart. (sigh)

Tomorrow I have a rendez-vous with my publishing house. Time to present my work for them. And I worked a lot on the project! Even started to tame the graphic tablet (so so practical for the backgrounds for instance). I hope they will enjoy it as much as I do. Wish me luck!



(now back to another painting ->wooooosh>

What if ...

... suddenly Santa Claus felt like in a *French mood* ???
(eeeeeck!)



huuu, yes, it was high time to start talking about Christmas ;-)

Martin: the bird is NOT a pigeon! It's a turkey, of course it is! pfffff
edit: okok, I added a detail that make the turkey definately not a pigeon! :P

Your kids might not enjoy anything *green* ...

...like avocado, but ... they might get crazy for Blue Lagoon's Fish!
it worked for mines!
(dancing around the vegetable's totem)

As usual, no recipe, Candy la chef has not done any more than what's shown on the pics :P

My crystal ball is a bit too talkative!

I can see, I can see that the end of the year will a copy of the week I've just had. Same characters, same plots, same happy ending (?)

With Loup sick for a week (and really sick: vomiting around, having fever, ect) and with a super-active Lola, I haven't found much time to work.


(but how could I resist such a Lola!)

During the whole week I've started in the evening to finish after midnight when my eyes were just too painful.

I really hope I'll finish tonight to get a relaxing weekend. Spend some time with Martin. We'll see. Energy is almost gone now.
I know now that to make a Herman book (about 24 pages with illustrations + the cover and back cover), I need about 6 weeks... Not an easy job finally! lol

With what I'll earn with that book, I've decided I'll spend it for the kids' bedroom which looks like everything but a kid's bedroom. We've never had the time to make it this way. It's a challenge, because their room is really small and full already with 2 big HUGE and UGLY Ikea wardrobes.


the devils plan to cover them with stickers!
Yeeeehaaaaaa!

Next week will be about the same, full. I have a rendez-vous at school for Loup who will be then registered for next year (already!), I have my rendez-vous on Thursday with the publishing house, a full Wednesday before (with the usual stuff + a birthday at friends for the kids), and on Friday we run to Bretagne again for not even 48 hours to check new stuff with the hobbit house. Yawn

I want my bed
or my Facebook
lol

Oh, having school in mind ...

such a pleasure**~~*^* *

Autumn was there to welcome us

I had forgotten how this season could be enchanting!
Brittany, despite its grey weather, smelt the earth and wood, and was all dressed in yellows and oranges.
(happy sigh)

For the kids of course, it was perfect, they were with their cousins, they could enjoy horse-riding when they wanted, etc.
I was a bit busy with Loup being sick and naturally mama-demanding, but I finished to read the last Harry Potter while purring near the fireplace.

Oh that final book, great, better than expected! I'm just sad it's over now, you know. You know?
When I was there, my sister and my half-brother had just bought their Harry Potter. Can you imagine how much money the book bring if you consider 3 people in the same close family are reading it at the same time? Gawd, that's crazy!

Anyway, we also worked pretty much in the hobbit house and we had a great surprise there (you will see that in the pics).

Now I'm back in Paris with a huge amount of work (I've to give the illustration of the first book next week) and with no time to do it! Argggg! I thought I was good at multitasking but... I should improve a bit! grmppphhhhhh

here are some of the pics from old beautiful Bretagne :)

Autumn holidays in Brittany

Whether you're a born-player, or not ...

... you will certainly enjoy the cul d'chouette as presented below

(sorry you non-Frawnch speaking ones, I doubt I can translate the video ;-)

Kaamelott Saison 1 Episode 70 : Perceval relance de quinze - wideo

Auteur : Alexandre Astier


We've watched again bits of Kaamelott lately, and it is still so good. Laurienna, I'm sure you'd love Kaamelott(if you don't know it yet).
I fear I'll add the new dvds to my letter to ol' Santa! Almost all episodes are cult, and I know only 10% of them!

Just back

... from Brittany :)
I, huh, LOVED it. It was so autumn-ish you know. The feelings, the landscape, the colours, the food, the drinks.

Too bad I'm back with a sick Loup :( 3 days he's been like a zombie, feeling apparently awful (fever,bad cough, running nose, etc).
My poor baby!

Anyway, I'll be back again with pics and details as soon as I get a free minute or two.

In case it's cold where you are, here is a SO MUCH artistic film of the very first fire we made in the hobbit house. The film has absoblooddilutely no interest but this first fire felt wunnnnnerful! (happy sigh)

Light my (first) fire
envoyé par candyfroggie

Bretagne and pumpkin pies

I'm on my way to Bretagne for a week. A welcome break: no more work in the evenings! Yeehaaaaa!
My sister and her big family will be there too, that is kewl We're going to play REAL scrabble (lol) in front of the fireplace while eating marshmallows and sipping rum! It sounds boring? It is not:)

Of course we've already planned our days of work in the hobbit house (sigh), but I mainly hope I'll manage to read the 2 books I've taken with me. If I can read them, then the holidays will be a success! :)

Before I forget, here is Mahie's new list game! Great idea, it's always a pleasure to answer!

"Tell me which is your favorite....

* coffee: first one with milk, then the 6 (no kiding) others just black
* color: red
* snak: chocolate
* car: feet ,horse ,bicycle, anything but cars
* perfume: Amour by Kenzo
* continent: Europe
* manga: Captain Harlock
* joke: one line jokes
* position: lying down on the stomach (allongée, position roupillette, quoi)
* milk: with my first coffee and cereals
* magazine: marie-claire
* island: the Isle of Skye
* shoes: boots in winter, lovely sandals on summer
* cat: purring
* dog: hm, I'm not a doggoil!

Your turn!

Even if I'm a devoted Air-girl ...

...I almost never enjoy watching their videos, they do not correspond at all to what their music inspire me..

I enjoy this one though, I even love a few details there, including the disappearing *go* in the window!

javascript:void(0)

PS: oh but this one is brilliant too, I was less inspired by the sog than the video this time! :P

the lil wolf and the sunnybananas cake

Once upon the time there was a beautiful GREEDY baby.
His name was quite scary, for the little red cap and the 3 lil piggies.

Loup, for it was his name, first drank like a lamb. Milk and milk again.
Quickly he thought meat was MUCH MORE more appropriate,
He got CARNIVOROUS.

Then he grew stronger.

He is now a LOT heavier
He is now a LOT more cuddling (I did not think that was possible!)

A hundred times more adorable
And a zillion times more devilish (Gawd, what will it be in 10 years!)

More SCARY? Yeah, definitely!

... Loup has just turned 2 :)



PS: I hope you appreciate the grande cuisine cake above: "chocolate cake on a trip to Maui"
Well I must confess it's one of the cake Michelle gave us the other day, it was so good I thought "no need to cook one which would be worse"! So I took the rest of it, planted Hawaian beach umbrellas and just brought a touch European decadence with grapes. Ermm, Loup loved it ! hehe

I've just signed all the papers!

(and I'm not even drinking champagne! tsssss!)



...I'm very motivated :)
I have to finish all the illustrations for a first book before the 15th of November. Not easy, but... it's such a great opportunity that I'd work night and day (well I work mostly during the night already, no choice... pfff)

well, it is great. The book should be really good and helpful.
I have a lil thought for Penny Sillan who was convinced that my art at some point would be used to help kids. She was just right **~~**^* *~~^* *