Gracefully Magical

     I have always loved colours.

When I was a little girl, I wanted to live in a cartoon. I had a vivid imagination, a colourful fantasy world inside of me. I am still what we call a "dreamer" and I try to colour my reality by putting bright colours at home and in my wardrobe. Needless to say that winter is not my favourite season...

     So, with Aude, we coloured a cold and gloomy winter tree with these bright paper balls. Although it was ephemeral, it filled us with joy.

     I wish you all to reconnect with your inner-child, and may the magic of Christmas fill you with joy and happiness!! S.D

jumper : Zara | tutu skirt : Du Pareil Au Meme  | red shoes : Zara | necklace : Zara | wand : gracefully lent by Mazarine | paper hanging decoration: Ikea (see here )

Festive mood

oil paintings by Aude D

Antinomic Coalition

I've always had a secret fascination for colourful inflatable animals. Every excuse is good to spend a penny on it... to my children's joy. Therefore, I was overly excited when I came across this lovely plastic green monster on a hot and sticky summer afternoon. I could immediately picture it strolling with Sophie in the yellow and red fallen leaves of our beautiful London parks this fall. But how on earth would I be able to hide it from my three greedy little monsters who could not wait to ride it in the pool? I do not know how it kept systematically and periodically reappearing by the side of the pool over the summer however well I hid it. Although, I must admit that my eldest is a very persistent nosey parker...

My magical line to confiscate it was irremediably the same : "No, no, you can not play with this one...it has to be kept safe and sound for mummy's work...". The children looked disappointed but dared not to complain too much. But the subtle excuse did not seem to work its magic over adults who glanced at me both with amusement and puzzlement, thinking aloud I must have gone mad. You see, at this point our blog had not been launched yet and it was still a secret. 

So, I dedicate this post to all my summer guests and especially to you Marianne, since you have been waiting so long to see Mr Crocodile enter on stage! A.D

mohair jumper : Cos  | neoprene skirt : H&M | shoes : Primark | wool coat : Zara | necklace : Zara | bracelet : H&M | clutch : Zara

Target on Pattern

drawings by Aude D on recycled envelops

Virtual Walkabout

”I wish I had been an artist

To be able to do my show

When the airplane touches the ground

In Rotterdam or Rio

I wish I had been a singer

To be able to shout who I am

I wish I had been an actor

To be able to invent my life"

….for a moment I was in Rio, acclaimed by a colourful crowd

….was I there or was it just a dream? S.D

("Le Blues du Businessman” - Composer Michel Berger / Singer Daniel Balavoine)

Astrakan vintage coat | black jacket : 6267 | roll neck jumper : Ronit Zilkha | skinny jeans : Avedon Citizens of Humanity | belt : Jaeger | clutch : Primark | boots : Monoprix | vintage brooch

Truthful glance

drawings by Aude D on recycled envelops

Auspicious Debut

We have always believed in the virtue of homeopathic "vintage" touch in our closet as well as for our home decor. There is no better way to lift up a look, giving it a twist of "je ne sais quoi" called unique or happy mix and match, especially if you are on a husband imposed tight clothes budget.

It is true that although it comes cheaper to buy a second hand garment, it takes its toll in terms of time consumption. But hey, you can not have your cake and eat it also. And what a reward when hidden in a mountain of unwanted rags you find the piece that will perfectly match your latest Zara acquisition! 

I'd say that the other great benefit of venturing weekly in charity shops or vintage markets is the feel to give a second life to an item that has a history and to revive a lost quest for noble materials. The high street mass consumption leading brands have somehow lost along the way the quest for quality and noble materials  in favour of high volumes and cheaper price tags. I always feel the weight of interrogative stares as people witness me bustling about frenetically in search of hidden composition  labels. Am I a cotton-wool-cashmere-silk freak endangered species?

Lets come back to our sheep, the beautiful drum that Sophie is beating was found by her at Sunbury Antique Market and was cleverly converted into a child bedside table. This colourful and vintage piece was the starting point for this shooting. May I also say that the shinny rabbit fur jacket and the pearl necklace/bracelet have the same origin and to complete the jaw drop that the much coveted pompom jumper comes from a local Charity Shop. Have I succeeded in convincing you to visit your local second hand den? A.D

rabbit fur jacket : vintage | pink scuba skirt : H&M (shop here ) | burgundy pompom jumper : Luella | pink leopard shoes : Kurt Geiger (shop here ) | pearl bracelet : vintage necklace | ring : Chanel | drum : found at Sunbury Antique Market

Unavoidable Addiction

drawings by Aude D on recycled envelops