✭ MK Wings ✭

Circle and Evergreen

2012-02-26T17:05:00.005Z

Andrea and I had a marvellous afternoon yesterday. We had a good catch up at a lovely cafe called Circle where I enjoyed one gorgeous white chocolate and blueberry cheesecake. Andrea had a brownie but I was so focused on my cheesecake that I must say, I don't know if she liked hers or not!! We then visited the Royal Botanic Gardens to enjoy our city's flora and fauna at its best.

After a short 5mins walk down Inverleith Row, the Botanic Gardens had a little surprise for us. We spotted this evergreen tree which was simply fabulous. Such a treasure at this time of year. And of course, Andrea being Andrea, I had to take pics of how gorgeously dressed she was. She always is!

Altogether lovely!!

PS: Before you even ask, her coat is from Urban Outfitters.

Wild Camping in Scotland *

2012-02-17T16:51:00.006Z

With having very mild weather and a few days off work, Mike and I packed our car for some sweet time out. We drove up north to re-discover the hills and pines of Scotland. Passed Aviemore, we hiked around a loch and found a place to stay the night. Given the fact that it was February, a camp fire was a priority and very few campsites allowing this, we found an estate where a gardener was already burning branches. We asked the owners if we could pitch our tent, they said yes. In exchange, we tidied their land and fed the fire. It's been a lot of fun.

We came back in one piece, refreshed and inspired by the beauty of Scotland.

* What I mean by wild camping is the fact that we didn't camp in an official campsite. For more info on wild camping in Scotland, read Cool Camping or print out this leaflet here.

Sorry for not posting Fun Friday Findings, as you can see, I was camping this week and didn't look online a single time!! But do find updates on Facebook and Pinterest. Til next week, have a great weekend!

Valentine's Craft - Last Rolo Project

2012-02-11T14:46:00.005Z

This is a very cool Valentine's craft project a friend told me about. It's called My Last Rolo Box and it's based on TV ads like these. The principal being - you like someone so much that you'd give them your last Rolo. To raise money for a school trip to France, this past week we made and sold these little boxes. Inside each box we put a Rolo sweet wrapped with a 'Joyeuse St Valentin' paper ribbon on the inside and a black or white ribbon on the outside. We totally sold out in the end and made a few pupils happy in the process!

What are you doing this Valentine's? Any sweet projects?

Fun Friday Findings

2012-02-11T13:15:00.001Z

This past week has been very busy with fundraising activities at school and more marking than usual. But today the holidays are well and truly here and I can finally write a little. Here's a few Fun (Saturday) Findings...

- This Project Wedding chiffon flower project is feminine, elegant and adorable.
- This DIY photo bunting project on Poppy Talk is perfect for this little break.
- More Valentine crafts for kids to make and give their friends, family, special loved ones.
- Heather on Blackberry Rambles talks about Valentine's in her home.
- This elegant Napa wedding is stunning.
- Fashion photographer T. Walker talks about his inspirations on this very interesting vimeo.
- Lobster and Swan is decorating a Match Box A Day, very cool.

Have a lovely weekend!!

Saturday Trip To The Gallery

2012-02-04T16:39:00.006Z

This morning we woke up feeling very cold. Looks like the whole of Europe is cold these days. We nevertheless decided to brave the elements and take a little trip into town to the Scottish National Gallery. I got the petticoat out, gloves, umbrella, leather jacket and wellies and we were off. We had lunch at the Scottish Restaurant and walked round the art gallery spotting some new Scottish painting which we would have happily brought home.

Best circular lift EVER!

On days like these, coming home is special. Even though we were prepared for the wind and rain and icy cold temperatures, there are very few things on earth as comforting as walking into a warm cozy flat, taking those wellies off and leaving the umbrella to slowly dry.

Our purchases of the day: two special treats for the afternoon.

- Whittard Luxury White Hot Chocolate is special to us, we took it up North for our winter honeymoon just over a year ago and have resisted the temptation of buying it since. It's going to bring back memories.

- A slice of fudge from the Royal Mile: the Fudge Kitchen's maple and pecan. We took a few slices over to Ireland at Christmas and this one was Mike's favourite.

Time to get all cozy, drink the hot chocolate and watch the rugby. Go Scotland! Hope you're having a great weekend.

Fun Friday Findings

2012-02-03T11:20:00.001Z

Great video on how to fake French... (not).

It's been a while since I've posted under Fun Friday Findings. I can't wait to share all the fun things I've been noticing online recently.

Valentine's is coming up and I've already made silly cards for close friends and my sweet Mike. If you're looking for card ideas, check this out. Design Sponge have a lovely DIY card idea which could also be a gorgeous wedding gift. If you manage to make this adorable frozen heart (which would probably work better in Canada than in Edinburgh), take a pic and send it to me, I'd love to post on it, that's on Poppy Talk.

Apart from Valentine's ideas... Making Magique is so adorable, this sweet American student is living the dream in Paris, taking photos of her flat, friends, travels, wardrobe and Paris in all its beauty. You might get addicted.

If I lived in NYC these 10 Romantic New York Ideas for Winter Dates would be helpful as sometimes I run out of ideas. Okay, it's just lovely to stay at home and watch Indiana Jones (btw we've watched all 3 in past weeks - which one do you prefer? I think mine is the one with Sean Connery) but I'd like to make more of an effort in coming weeks.

Get your free desktop February calendar on Oh Hello Friend! And check out her post on this adorable baby shower. If I ever organise a baby shower for someone, I'd like to put this on the front door.

Oh and finally, rejoice with me... since my last post both mornings and evenings have become so much lighter and I've managed to go for 4 walks at lunch. Plus, I went jogging last Friday at Portobello beach.

Have a great weekend!! xxx

S.A.D. in Edinburgh

2012-01-26T20:26:00.004Z

In my classroom - the wall behind my desk

Thought I'd share a little about where I'm at. I had hopes and plans for MKWings this winter but for the past few weeks, you'll have noticed, I've been neglecting them.

Edinburgh in the winter can be hard. It's quite far North. Much more Northern than where I grew up. As a teacher, being at work before 8am is a priority and since November the sun has only risen after that. It's been a similar story at the end of the day. For the past few days though, by the time I'm driving home, the sun is setting and that's so much better than driving home in the dark. The point is I don't get natural light on my face (or in my eyes, which more to the point) for days on end. As a result, I'm more anxious than usual, more tired than the rest of the year and feel overwhelmed on a daily basis. You'll have guessed it - I have SAD. According to this BBC report, people living in Scotland are more prone to having it than anywhere else in the UK. So what am I doing about it?

- Praying that God would help me through this dark time. That He would help me to have the right attitude and not complain. That when I talk to Him about it, I'd leave it with Him and not carry my pessimistic feelings with me for the rest of the day. That I'd listen to His truths. That when I wake up I'd think of Him first as my creator, powerful and gracious, not of how down I am and how I couldn't be bothered.

- I bought a Light Therapy lamp a few years back. It works if you start using it in October/November. I didn't. That was a mistake and it was a proud one.

- I'm now taking every opportunity to go out for a walk during the day. I'm trying to get out of school to walk during the week so that the pressure's not on the week-end to get out. Often it has rained on Saturdays and Sundays, leaving me with a sense of utter panic at the idea of having to keep on going yet another week with no sunshine. Today, it finally happened - another member of staff walked with me for 15mins and we got some natural sun on our faces. Amazing. It's made such a difference... maybe that's how I got the energy to even write this post just now.

- Although I don't feel like socialising after sunset, I recognise the fact that it's good for me. My husband is good at reminding me of this reality but I still need to listen and ... that can be very hard.

- Exercise is supposed to help. MMmmmm... I'd like to be better at this. I'm hoping to get back into jogging outdoors. Running in the dark isn't the best for obvious reasons so I've decided to take my gear with me to school and get changed there - so that on my way home I can drive somewhere safe, park, run and all of this before it's pitch black.

So that's how I'm doing and that's why I haven't been posting lately. I'm hoping that by March my energy will be back and that MKWings will be a reflection of that. I am missing it. It won't be long now.

Read more on SAD here.

Happy New Year

2012-01-19T21:21:00.002Z

Happy New Year to you! I wish you good health and much joy. Really hope this year brings you many many good things but most of all that you will glorify God and love Him with all your heart. It's such a challenge yet Jesus is the only person who truly knows us and He is the only key to true happiness. May this year be a good one!

This Time Last Year (Part4)

2011-12-27T11:05:00.011Z

This time last year was my 'bridal shower'. Some of the most important women of my life came together from near and far to be with us on our special day so we made the most of this occasion to gather, talk girly stuff and eat cake...2 days before our wedding day. Perfect occasion for Mum to get her special china out and for me to show the ladies my La Sposa wedding dress. After this they showered me with fun presents. Very special times.

This Time Last Year (Part3)

2011-12-23T21:38:00.009Z

Romance in Edinburgh on the run-up to Christmas was very special as this was the time of year when it all started. This time, we would be celebrating each with our own families, Mike in Edinburgh, me in Ireland. For myself I was counting the hours 'til our wedding, trapped inside, due to the icy cold weather. Felt like a princess in a tower, waiting to be rescued - although I was in a safe place. Ireland was peacefully very white.

This Time Last Year (Part1)

2011-12-07T18:24:00.008Z

The Hen Week-end

*Nov 2010*

Friday Night:

Meal at Gusto with colleague friends

Cocktails at Tigerlily - open invite

Sleep over (at my old flat - Mardale Crescent - Brunstfield)

Saturday All Day:

Lie-in and brunch in pjs

Walk through Bruntsfield (that was quick- it was raining)

Afternoon hot chocolate at The Chocolate Tree

Evening in, Chinese/Indian deliveries, popcorn, sweeties and viewing of Pride&Prejudice and Little Women

Sunday Morning:

Church at St Columba's

Split up

The People:

Girls travelled up from London and Ireland for this special weekend. It was a real blessing and I still remember moments of laughter and secrets shared. I'll never forget how much love I received. Of course, many girlfriends from across the world weren't there, including bridesmaids from Canada and France but that only made me hope and long for that special day when we will cry no more. We will dance of joy worshipping our God together.

A Gorgeous Autumn Wedding

2011-11-17T21:04:00.003Z

I took these pics a few weeks ago. Beautiful wedding.

Street Style

2011-11-12T13:30:00.000Z

Saturday Street Style

2011-11-05T11:25:00.003Z

Saturday Street Style

2011-10-29T09:19:00.000+01:00

Denim and tweed. Love the blues...

Street Style

2011-10-22T07:41:00.000+01:00

Remember this sweet girl? She was the second street style person to shoot in Edinburgh, back in the Spring.

Saturday Street Style

2011-10-15T06:10:00.000+01:00

Niddrie C.C. Cafe Refurbishment...

2011-10-14T21:44:00.006+01:00

The team from Houston and some of our own guys have done an amazing job refurbishing the Niddrie Community Church cafe. Mike and I have been involved in the project (mainly Mike). Today I'm very excited about where we're at in the process and simply cannot wait to show you the BEFORE and AFTER pics. We're nearly there. EEeee!!

Niddrie Streets 3

2011-10-13T21:56:00.005+01:00

Saturday Street Style

2011-10-08T08:01:00.009+01:00

Miriam is a true artist. I met her a few years back and every single time we met up, she deserves to be photographed. She is a stunning woman, inside and out and her style reflects a specific attention to detail. This pic was taken a few weeks ago when she and her hubby were over visiting from Australia. Now... go boil the kettle, make yourself a good cup of coffee and visit her inspirational blog Free Like Bird.

Rosie's Kitchen

2011-10-03T18:00:00.017+01:00

Today, I'm introducing you to a good friend and amazing baker, Rosie. This women is a real inspiration to me. Not only are her gifts and talents displayed in being a lovely wife and mum of two but a while back, she started her own business and is now pretty successful in so doing.

Helen: When did you first think of starting a bakery business?
Rosie: When my youngest child started school – I thought I'd have the time to earn some money but wanted to do something I could work at from home, around the kids schooling.

H: Who has inspired you?
R: My mum and my aunts – we always had home baking in the house when I was growing up – it was part of 'a cup of tea'!

H: What top 5 qualities does one need to start a business like yours?
R: A vision for what you want to sell, hard work, a very supportive husband and friends, flexibility and patience!

H: Tell us about yourself and your background.
R: I grew up in Northern Ireland in a very close knit, large extended family. As a 'daughter of the manse' entertaining was a big part of our lives. The lovely recipes I was given by my mum, I now enjoy sharing with my friends and clients. I love the way food brings people together, whether it's sharing a coffee and a scone with a friend, a meal with family and friends, or given as a gift – it is to be shared and enjoyed.

H: Do you have any funny stories of epic failures, or recipes that have been a real challenge?
R: I once made cookie pops for a friend's son's birthday – lifted them out of the oven as I answered the phone and dropped the whole batch on the floor – couldn't even pick them up in one piece, never mind wipe them clean! Recently, I made a fruit cake for an anniversary cake order. Put it in the oven at 8 o'clock for 2 hours... at the wrong temperature. Gave up waiting for it to finish at 00.30, took it out of the oven and made another one the next day! The original tasted delicious! I've often been known to stay up until well after midnight, 'just trying something that will only take a few minutes'.

H: What are your top 3 favourite things to bake?
R: Cupcakes – any flavour, Apple and Cinnamon scones, and Malteser Slice.

For those of you who live in the Edinburgh region, keep note of this name, you'll probably need it. Party Boxes, Adult Platters, Cakes... amazing! Read more about Rosie's business in this Scotsman Living article 'If Jobs Are Scarce, Mums Gets Creative'.

Find Rosie's Kitchen on her official website and on
Facebook

All photos by Rosie's Kitchen.

Saturday Street Style

2011-10-01T09:49:00.003+01:00

This girl was very sweet.

She understood my motivations and was happy to take part!

Love the converse shoes and the waistcoat-flowery top combo.

Saturday Street Style

2011-09-24T22:34:00.003+01:00

Yesterday was Mike's birthday so today (our day off), we were celebrating by having a lie-in, watching the rugby world cup and discovering new places with the Doors Open Day. This meant that I didn't post my normal Saturday Street Style at the usual morning time. Hope you enjoy this one, I thought the whole outfit and hair were stunning. Also, check out what the very stylish girl from my last Street Style post has to say in her blog. It is really cool.

Have un fabuleux weekend!

Saturday Street Style

2011-09-17T07:00:00.000+01:00

Meldons - Scottish Borders

2011-09-10T20:15:00.001+01:00

Nothing like a cozy flask of coffee on a windy September's day out!

The Meldons are so beautiful. And it's such a stunning drive there from Edinburgh.

Hope you had a great Saturday too! xo

Saturday Street Style

2011-09-10T10:47:00.000+01:00

Art Deco - The White House - Craigmillar

2011-09-08T19:30:00.000+01:00

First, watch this...

So exciting to have this gorgeous building at our doorsteps. And what a privilege to have seen it being renovated over the past few months. It's made me really interested in Art Deco as a whole. There are several Art Deco buildings in Edinburgh... might get a series rolling.

Saturday Street Style

2011-09-03T07:53:00.000+01:00

I took this pic during the Meadows Festival a few weeks back. This was my first and I've been snapping ever since. In coming weeks, I'll be posting my favourites every Saturday. And soon I'll be posting the best street style picture of the week under Saturday Street Style.

Newly Sharpened Pencils

2011-09-01T20:53:00.001+01:00

Andrea's Walk In The Park

Happy 1st of September! What a great time of year! You've Got Mail's quote celebrates this season so well, when Kathleen Kelly writes to Joe Fox: 'I would send you a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address'. Saying it's the season for renewal and re-commitments, this Autumn I'm bringing a few fun additional features to MKWings and these I will explore until Christmas, at which point I will re-assess if I'm actually enjoying the process.

First, I'm hoping to interview crafty and multi-cultural guests on a monthly basis, bringing forward some of their best work, some of their thoughts and links for you to get in touch with them. This will hopefully appear on the first Monday of every month, starting next month.

Second, on Saturday mornings, I hope to post a single Street Style picture that I will have taken of someone somewhere in Edinburgh during that week. To get started though, I will share pics I've been taking all summer. I'm very excited about this.

As well as these, I'll be continuing my usual postings of Edinburgh outings, world travels, yummy food and cozy pics of our small nest. I already have a host of DIY and recipes posts coming up.

Talk very soon! xo

Niddrie Streets 2

2011-08-25T18:02:00.001+01:00

Edinburgh -The Manna House - Bakery

2011-08-22T17:15:00.000+01:00

Part of the beauty of a holiday is discovering new coffee shops. This one is on Easter Road, called The Manna House. Flic and I were tracking down French style macarons and she took me here. There weren't any French macarons BUT oh my word, their patisseries were very good. So we had a lovely coffee and she treated me to probably what has been my favourite chocolate snack of the summer. YUM!

One little weird thing was that you have to walk through their kitchen to get to the toilet. I'd never heard of that before. But don't judge them by their toilets... ;)

Sitting outside was lovely, it had a real continental feel to it. But couldn't you just see yourself on a cold winter's day sitting by this window, enjoying a freshly brewed coffee whilst reading a book (and doing some people watching of course).

And don't leave empty handed, the best thing about this place (as you can see - it's all gone!!) is their bread. Mike was quite pleased when I came back with one of their traditional loafs. It was gorgeous. And that's from a girl who grew up in France!

Enjoy!!

The Manna House

22-24 Easter Road, EH7 5RG

0131 652 2349

Niddrie Streets 1

2011-08-21T08:30:00.002+01:00

Homemade French Macarons - (Not Perfect But Much Better!!)

2011-08-20T12:51:00.005+01:00

Here are a few things I've learned since my last baking macaron post... The single most helpful 4-step recipe I found was from Les Inratables video (in French) on YouTube. It gives you quantities, clear instructions and shows you what to look out for too. It's been brilliant.

First: (see below) our sifter wasn't doing the job correctly. So we bought a new one, much finer. This time, a LOT of almond bits actually stayed in the sift which meant I had to add more to make up for the lost weight. It also tells me I should look out for better ground almond, maybe Tesco's isn't the finest you can get out there.

Second: Liquid colouring is a no-no. It was difficult to get the icing sugar & ground almond mix to really soak up the liquid. In the end, I gave up mixing it any more and just used it as it was (knowing my macarons would have spots!!). The macarons ended up having marble-type lines which isn't the look we're after!! So I need to buy some powder colouring.

Third: For the egg whites and caster sugar mix, it's best to use a stand alone mixer. We don't have one (yet) so I was holding my hand mixer for over 30 mins. My right arm hurts today.

Fourth: I only have glass and plastic bowls to bake with and realised a silver metal bowl would be much better (this would come with the stand alone mixer) and I didn't get time to buy one so borrowed one from my school's home-ec dept (thanks Leslie!!).

Fifth: Do one colour for one batch. I tried three colours last night, dividing the egg white mix into three... from the same batch. When you only have one metal bowl and one icing pipe to work with.. it made things complicated. Next time, I'll just do three or four different batches, one a day for several days. Macarons are best to be left in a fridge for several days anyways so that'll work out well.

Still much to learn... but we're getting there!!

A Midsummer's Day at Troon, Scotland

2011-08-18T21:49:00.001+01:00

Lochgreen Hotel

Monktonhill Rd

Southwood, Troon

Ayrshire

KA10 7EN

01292 313 343

Getting back into painting at last

2011-08-12T21:02:00.002+01:00

Since our honeymoon, I've been baking, reading and ... painting. It's been great having a bit more time to really get into it. Painting is a bit like coming home. Hope you all have been enjoying the summer. What creative things have you got up to?

Have a great weekend! xo

A Scottish Beach Party

2011-08-11T14:55:00.003+01:00

Eteaket YUM!!

2011-08-09T18:20:00.008+01:00

Remember my Autumn shoot with Andrea, after that we went to Frederick Street to Eteaket. it's one of my favourite places to go with girlfriends. Their teas are amazing and their cakes are so good, I recommend the banana one. Here, have a look. YUM!

Eteaket is bang on city centre so it's perfect for shopping days when all you want is to sit and enjoy a little treat. I particularly like going there in the autumn and winter, when coziness is so important. In the summer, there have been times when I've had to sit inside and it's been too warm. They clearly should invest in AC. But even then, if you arrive at the right time and there are tables available outside, sitting out on their Frederick Str. terrace is a gorgeous experience.

Eteaket

41 Frederick Street

Edinburgh EH2 1EP

A Little Wedding Planning Tea Party

2011-08-06T21:38:00.004+01:00

A few weeks back a friend got engaged so some of us married girls got together to celebrate with her and to pass on a few tips. I put the bunting up from our own wedding, arranged flowers and got the tier cake stand out. The girls brought some treats and that was us. Loved every minute of it and I trust it was helpful to the sweet bride-to-be.

Ahh... to be a wedding planner...

Baking French Macarons At Home

2011-08-05T14:53:00.000+01:00

Our 3rd and best batch of home made macarons

It was quite a challenge!! My friend Flic came over for the afternoon and we were determined to make good progress. After an entire afternoon perfecting our macaron baking skills, I've decided to appreciate others' expertise and embrace paying the price for a good macaron in a professional bakery for a little while yet.

First batch (total disaster):

Problem 1: We tried a recipe which didn't tell us to sift the ground almonds and sugar.

Problem 2: I hadn't used my new icing pipe before and we took over 10mins putting it together so we wasted time and got things muddled.

Problem 3: The weather was warm and humid. They say a cold, dry day is the best. This was a problem for all 3 batches.

Second batch (still a disaster but a much more hopeful one):

We had a look at several recipes online and ended up using this recipe. So we sifted the almonds and sugar which made a HUGE difference, the mixture was more glossy.

We put the macarons straight into the oven without letting them air dry which we think still meant that they got cracked like this (pic below). We got so excited when we saw them rise perfectly in the oven and half way through they cracked. Was so sad!!

Our 2nd batch after they came out of the oven

Third Batch (much better but plenty room for progress):
This time, we left our 3rd batch out to settle for 40mins before putting them into the oven. This was to air dry them, to make sure a skin would form before rising, keeping the tops intact.

Where we need to make progress:
- Still haven't tried to make simple ganache. I used Bonne Maman jam (and Nutella - I know...) for these ones.
- Once I'll get that right, the next step would be to try different types of ganache (pistachio, etc).
- The tops still weren't as glossy as I'd like them to be.
- A cold, dry day will hopefully help.

Our 3rd batch before putting them into the oven

Our little treat at the end of the day:

One of our best macarons,

a black bottom Hummingbird cupcake

and a cup of coffee

Quite early on in the afternoon, Flic and I agreed to finish the day by baking some cupcakes (in this case 'black bottom' Hummingbird cupcakes) which would be less challenging. That was a wise move! Some immediate pleasure was nice after such hard work.

Have any of you ever tried baking macarons? Any extra tips?

Zara's Royal Wedding in Edinburgh

2011-07-31T00:37:00.000+01:00

Couldn't resist going back today. However, we got there way too late to walk down the Royal Mile so we stayed posted down between the parliament and the palace of Holyrood. It was a private wedding without much space for the general public to gather in strategic places. Still got a pretty good pic of the bride and groom on their way to the palace. It was so much fun soaking up the amazing atmosphere and it was such a lovely sunny day. Edinburgh at its very best.

Watching BBC News live on Mike's i-phone was very helpful. Probably the most helpful that object has ever been. He didn't play Flight Control even once which I've got to credit him for.

If you weren't wearing heals like these, you had to get on your tip toes... like I did. Or bring a ladder.

And the happy couple driving into the palace (she was definitely looking at me there, wasn't she...).

We ended up in the palace's cafe and had some treats in the shade. We had our own garden party.

Once the guests had all arrived at the palace, the pipe band marched out of the gardens which was great to watch.

When it had cleared up a little we walked back up the Royal Mile and got to see the church and these amazing flowers. Yesterday I saw the oasis being prepared so capturing this end product was very exciting. A mix of ivory roses and hydrandeas, along with symbolic thistles and a little greenery. Very elegant.

After the wedding, they opened the church to the general public but the queue was huge and we had other things to do...

See the bride's dress and official pics here. And watch the arrival of the royal guests and bridal party here.

Edinburgh - A Royal Wedding Rehearsal

2011-07-29T19:31:00.000+01:00

Today I went into town. Knowing Zara Phillips and rugby player Mike Tindall are to get married tomorrow in Edinburgh, I popped down the Royal Mile to see if there was anything happening. Here's what I saw. The run-up to their rehearsal!

The setting up of the oasis where the flowers / greenery will go above the kirk's front door.

I met Mari who came over from the States. She saw Princess Anne's wedding too. She was fun.

I was interested mainly in the work of the paparazzis and journalists. Although they were in a way rivals, they still were very polite with each other and some of them even displayed a sense of humour to pass the time waiting for those few seconds.

But it was also fun to see Princess Anne, then Zara and Mike, followed by their families and close friends who will be in the party tomorrow.

I didn't wait for them to come back out. I just left with a smile on my face. Looks like it'll be good weather for the wedding tomorrow! It's very exciting. Wish them all the best.

Mauritius - The Food

2011-07-28T15:15:00.001+01:00

Thanks to their ethnic diversity and multicultural history, over the years Mauritians have developed a large variety in their cuisine. Creole, French, Asian, Indian, African all have a part to play.

Here are a few snapshots of the many lovely meals we enjoyed.

Mauritius - National Trilingualism

2011-07-27T23:21:00.000+01:00

Mike picked Mauritius for its romantic beaches but also for its multicultural history, which he knew would be of great interest to me.

A bit of history... British and French colonial influences are still extremely visible in many ways. However, it was the Dutch who gave the island its current name. In 1598, they named it 'Maurice' in honour of Prince Maurice of Nassau. Five of their ships randomly discovered the desert island after having been blown off their original journey due to a cyclone. But about a hundred years later, the persistently difficult weather lead them to abandon the island and the French soon took over. Many towns and villages have kept the original French names which were established during this time (the village we stayed in was called 'Trou D'Eau Douce', for example). The British took control in 1810 during the Napoleonic wars adding the English language to their political world. Mauritius finally became independent in 1968. All of this made their linguistic history very rich.

As a result, at home, people mainly speak Creole, their media and newspapers are in French and politically, their official language is English. Most natives were clearly more at ease in French than in English but all of the people we met were trilingual. Pretty cool. For me, what made me feel almost at home was that Mauritians interchange languages depending on circumstances. It was a lot of fun understanding them... until they spoke Creole, then I was lost!!

Tomorrow, I'll write about their yummy food.

A Very Sweet Honeymoon in Mauritius - Ile Maurice

2011-07-26T18:08:00.002+01:00

Got back last night from our honeymoon. First, the photos...

Mauritius is simply amazing. There's a lot to say. Will write tomorrow.

That Summer Feeling...

2011-07-01T08:45:00.004+01:00

Oh yeah!!... Happy holidays!

That End of Term Feeling??

2011-06-29T17:08:00.003+01:00

Our end of term starts in 2 days. That's very hard to believe. The last few weeks have been a little painful and although I'm now sitting with a cup of tea on front of what seems like an interesting tennis match between Murray and Lopez, I'm just too tired to get excited. The end of term being close yet having to keep on going, that's what's been a little painful. Teachers aren't the only ones to feel like this in June. Nevertheless, teaching in Scotland in the public sector means a change in timetable for the month of June. No-where else have I heard of this but this is my 5th year teaching and my 5th year to experience this. Basically, all year groups move up to the next (which normally happens at beginning of term after the summer break). So during the month of June, despite the tiredness, the longer days and sometimes heat, instead of unwinding, you need to set the tone in your curriculum and classroom management. The good thing is that when school starts again, you have everything in place and August isn't so daunting. The sad aspect is that you end the term on your knees and need at least a full week of pjs and movies to recover. If you don't get that, you end up with a cold or something worse. In Scotland, we get 6 weeks off in the summer, do the maths, that leaves us 5. Take another away for prep., that leaves us 4 (the rest of the year, holidays work the same way as the first week of the summer break, they are there to catch up on sleep, not REAL holidays). So when you meet a teacher, especially a Scottish one, don't ever presume that the month of June is an easy one. And don't even dare to say 'oh well, you have long holidays', you might get a slap in the face.

Edinburgh - Les Macarons de Stockbridge

2011-06-16T20:37:00.005+01:00

Since Mike and I were in Paris, 'macarons' have been on my mind. A LOT. Even thought I could quit my current job to start a business. Mike kindly suggested this may be a bit pretentious without having tried baking them. Not even once. So... point taken (after having read how hard they are to get right), I decided the next best step was to become a reliable expert in Edinburgh macaroons. Thanks to friends on facebook, we discovered this gorgeous FRENCH patisserie in Stockbridge. I'm delighted to confirm that their 'macarons' are indeed the Parisian style. Voila! At last someone who does it well (no names mentioned here... mais... I've tasted several others that came no-where close to LaDuree's texture, these ones do). We bought a pack of 12 and were not one bit disappointed! My favourite: Pistachio. Had to take a few more pics while I was there... YUM!!! I'm coming back!!

Patisserie Madeleine

27B Raeburn Place

Stockbridge

Edinburgh

http://www.patisseriemadeleine.com/

0131 332 8455

Paris - Napoleon's Apartments (part 2)

2011-06-11T20:46:00.002+01:00

I was in awe of such style and couldn't stop snapping away, thinking of how many of these patterns and designs are still in use and are still an inspiration nowadays, whether in our kitchens, living rooms, trendy restaurants or on our handbags. All things considered, even though he may not have been the fundamental creator of these patterns, he put them together in this wonderful place and if you ask me... Napoleon III's decorator did pretty well!!!

This door must have been an inspiration to LaDuree when they were working on their brand's style and colours that would symbolise French elegance (read more about their cakes and macarons here).

Mmm... Cath Kidson??

And the good old Damask... Love it. Very trendy these days.

Sweet chandeliers... the dream continues... one of these objects that makes a room look stunning. In Edinburgh so many restaurants have a minimalist look with black/white palettes and ONE chandelier which just stands out.

This one is a bit obscure but work with me... See the wall painting below, the symmetrical cross pattern behind the green twirly leaves in the background... add an L and a V... Louis Vuitton??? Can you see it? I certainly have never seen it elsewhere before, have you?

A room with a stunning view... which no-one could copy nor replace!

What a delight to the eye! The quality of this part of the Louvre actually took me by surprise, I was not expecting it to be so good. Definitely my favourite part of the museum.

Next post: What Paris looks like at night. xo

Paris - A warm evening by the Seine

2011-06-09T21:30:00.000+01:00

Paris - Shakespeare And Company Bookshop

2011-06-09T16:41:00.003+01:00

Shakespeare and Company bookshop is a few steps from Notre Dame. It's so cozy. Could see myself spending hours there, especially on a wet afternoon. All books are in English. Fantastic place.

Edinburgh's Anthropologie Opening - Wed 15th June

2011-06-08T20:00:00.002+01:00

Grand opening of Anthropologie Wednesday 15th June at 10am www.anthropologie.eu
Sometimes I wish I weren't a full-time teacher!

Paris - Napoleon III's Apartments (part 1)

2011-06-06T18:47:00.001+01:00

Napoleon's furniture. Enough said.

More to come on Napoleon's cool place in a few days. xo

Scotland's Got Style

2011-06-05T08:18:00.001+01:00

Scotland In Style

I made the jump... started a style blog yesterday.

Being in Paris 2 weeks ago woke me up to the fact that it's possible. You just walk up to people and tell them why you would like to take a picture of them. If I could do it in Paris, I could do it in Edinburgh. And yes, I was astonished at the abundance of beautifully stylish people there were in Paris. At first I was thinking that if I'd live there, blogging on style wouldn't be hard. But then realised that first, it is hard work, wherever you are. It's like hunting, you need focus, determination and discipline. Second, Scotland has style, a lot of it and it was about time I started recording what I so often see here.

I've been wondering about doing this for years now. Ever since I first set my eyes on The Sartorialist, I've been itching to celebrate Edinburgh street style, Glasgow street style, Niddrie street style... because it's there! I was half hoping Scott Schuman would travel here in person and do it himself. That to me would still be ideal. The other half of me, though, got frustrated every time I'd see someone in the street and not doing anything about it, simply because I was too shy.

Yesterday, I was at the Meadows Festival and had my camera (when do I not have it? ... even at our wedding I was taking pics). I saw so much style, people had made an effort and yet I chickened out. It wasn't until I had seen a good 4 or 5 opportunities missed and felt a bit sick that I finally went for it! I just walked up to the lady in black and said: "Hi, I really love what you're wearing, would you mind me taking a photo of you? It's for a blog." And that was it. I took a few more... all very interesting and then worked on the lay-out of the blog.

Paris - Cycle To Notre Dame

2011-06-04T14:36:00.003+01:00

Our Sunday cycle to Notre Dame on Jeanne's bikes was amazing. It was the first time for both Mike and me to cycle on a tandem and what a great place to be initiated! It was a lot of fun and the weather was perfect (sorry, I live in Scotland, the weather is something one must mention!!!). Thanks again Jeanne!!

Louis Armstrong ♫ ♪ C'est Si Bon ♫ ♪

As you can see, I was super excited!! Mike was too, he just had to focus a little more than me!!

Next Post: Napoleon Apartments at the Louvre. xo

Paris - Le Violon D'Ingres

2011-06-03T18:05:00.004+01:00

The Script ♫ ♪ Talk You Down ♫ ♪

Christian Constant's contemporary brasserie is stunning and his food is out of this world. Alex had done some research and knew this would be good. Okay, compared to the food which was a real gift from God, what I'm about to say may sound ridiculous but these little details made the whole experience even more delightful. First: it's close to the Eiffel Tower. That's quite sweet in itself, I'm a romantic at heart and following such a splendid lunch, one can peacefully enjoy an afternoon nap in the park...which will most likely be needed. Second, as you walk in, the scent of these flowers fill the air and their whiteness foreshadows the clean white leather decor and all this sets the tone. Absolute Beauty.

The food. Well, it's what Rosa Jackson calls 'La Cuisine Bistronomique': a cross between 'bistro' and 'gastronomic'. In her book Gourmet Paris, she states that when Constant was head chef at Le Crillon in the 90's, he encouraged young chefs to 'open their own bistros rather than working their way through grand hotels', thus setting a trend which has proven to be very promising. We got to witness this. Attention aux yeux!!

D'abord, le vin, le pain et les radis!!

Starters:

Frogs Legs

Foie Gras

Main Courses:

Pigeon

Lobster

Desserts:

Souffle with Guerande Caramel Sauce

Red Fruit Vacherin

YUM!!! The point being: DO YOUR RESEARCH!! And do it before going to Paris. I'm saying this because you can be disappointed and like in every capital city, there are people out there who will try to rip you off. From our experience, it's better to pay a bit more for excellent food rather than pay a lot for stuff you could put together in your own kitchen.

Le Violon d'Ingres

135 rue St Dominique, 7th

Metro Stop: Ecole Militaire

leviolondingres.com

Paris - Les Macarons!

2011-05-28T23:30:00.003+01:00

Macaroons are made out of icing sugar, ground almonds, egg whites and caster sugar. And the fillings depend on which type of macaroon you're looking for. Pierre Desfontaines is supposed to have invented the Paris style for la maison Laduree during the 20th Century.

Mike and I bought 6 in a patisserie, where they cost 1, 20 Euros each. And I had a 'macalon' at the Louvre which cost something like 5 Euros. All this is pretty expensive. So here's my thought... I'm determined to learn how to bake them. I've been reading Pure Gourmandise which has a huge variety of macaroon recipes. I've also watched this very clear French tutorial on YouTube. Like how cool would it be to bring macaroons to tea parties?!

We bought these macaroons near our hotel at Opera on Monday, our last day in Paris, and brought them straight back to Edinburgh. It's been so great indulging in these after work throughout the week. We had promised a friend to bring one back and so we did, felt like a special mission. We wrapped it up for her.

Laduree is Paris' most famous specialist for macaroons but the pics below are from Un Dimanche A Paris which is another good option. We walked past this place Saturday night and I couldn't resist taking pics, the colours were so stunning. But we decided to wait 'til Monday to actually buy some so that they'd be nice and fresh.

The last 4 pics are from the Louvre where I had a caramel 'macalon'. In French 'lon' is for long as opposed to 'ron' which is for rond in 'macaron'. The Louvre's Angelina cafe is so charming, it is in the Richelieu wing of the museum. If you're there on a nice day, you can even sit outside on their roof terrace looking over the pyramids.

Les macarons... altogether beautiful.

Next post: Paris' gourmet restaurant Le Violon d'Ingres close to the Eiffel Tower. xo

Paris- First, the people!

2011-05-25T18:02:00.003+01:00

The French are so elegant, fresh, trendy and cool. It was a pleasure to simply watch people walk by and notice their clothes. No wonder Garance Dore and Scott Schuman enjoy doing this for a living. If I could, I'd do it for Edinburgh people. There, that's one of my goals for this coming school year, take street pics of the people of Edinburgh. But for now, Paris. What a dream.

Were these people all French? Probably not. But it seems like Paris attracts beauty and style. A real fashion magnet. Whether these guys were Parisians or not, each of them put thought into what they'd wear that day. Even if it was for a second. Some choose practicality, some choose style. And some manage both. I think there's talent in that.

Aww, love it. And believe me, this is so NOTHING compared to what you get to see in real life. Like, every five seconds I was turning round saying to Mike 'oh, check that out!' (Mike is very patient). So many times I desperately wanted to stop people and ask them if they wouldn't mind me taking a pic to do it properly. But I was there with Mike and I didn't want to put that on him. Maybe someday. That's also why the photos are so blurred, it was a matter of seconds and sometimes I just wasn't fast enough. But I thought I'd share them anyway.

Next post: Macarons. Yum. xo

Paris - Amazing!!

2011-05-24T17:47:00.001+01:00

Back from Paris where we had a W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L weekend. So much to tell you. I'll be posting the pics by themes in coming weeks. And I'll be doing it for a quite some time... But right now, I need to SLEEP!! xo

Off to Paris - NEARLY!

2011-05-19T19:40:00.002+01:00

Tomorrow, Mike and I are heading off to Paris for the weekend. I have been very excited about this until NOW. So much to think about and I only have so many hours before I'll need my bed. Passports, tick, sandals or trainers or both, camera, tick, is the battery charged, the tickets for the Louvre got lost in the post - we can queue, that's okay, what to wear, will Scott Schuman be around, could I possibly impress him with anything I own, Mike wanted to book a restaurant for Sunday evening and tried calling several but all are closed on Sundays, that was so sweet of him and let's rejoice over the fact that the French take breaks, today was manic at school and I need a rest, watched last night's The Apprentice, think that was my break, as this is, writing. Oh dear.

The positives I'll focus on once we get there:

- Eating macarons, fresh baguettes, yummy cheese.
- Spending good quality time with our good friend Jeanne. I miss her so.
- Sitting by the Seine, watching the world go by (I hope it doesn't rain).
- Mike meeting my school friend Alexandra and the three of us having lunch at the Violon d'Ingres.
- Re-discovering the Louvre.
- Being in Paris with the man of my dreams.

Yep, it'll be good. Oh and I'll be 30 tomorrow! Yikes, that's scary. And yet, I'm still the same. Still the same old me.

Enjoy your weekend.
xox

Germans and Our Engagement Anniversary

2011-05-17T16:48:00.042+01:00

15th May 2010

15th May 2011

Mike and I just celebrated the anniversary of our engagement. We had a romantic lunch then took a walk to the spot where he proposed. Fun fact, a German tourist accepted to take a photo of us last year and was very happy for us. This year, the random person we asked also happened to be German. She was with a group of friends and they all loved our story! We're kind of hoping a German person will be there next year too!!

Fun Friday Findings

2011-05-06T22:36:00.001+01:00

Cherry Tree Blossoms, North Berwick.

So many lovely things to share:

- A gorgeous free desktop May calendar on Free People. Or here's another one on Oh, Hello Friend.

- A wedding that was a real encouragement to me this week. Read {here and here} about Rebecca St.James' commitments.

- Fabulous weddings blogs:
Green Wedding Shoes
Merci New York
Anne Sage

- Anthropology is coming to Edinburgh, George Street. So exciting. If you're interested, they are looking for staff. But as for me, it's their aprons that I'll be checking out! Bring it on.

- One extra sweet design blog:
Design Sponge

- For the very last time, check out this Royal Wedding Tea Party and read all there is to read about Kate's dress here. Go on...

Have a lovely weekend. xo

Bruntsfield Doors in the Spring

2011-05-05T20:14:00.000+01:00

Such a delight walking round Edinburgh at this time of year. The cherry trees are in bloom and everything seems so fresh. You see things in a new way. Even front doors!!

I first saw a series of Parisian front doors in Habitually Chic. Today, I saw more on British ones in Pensford. Love it!! And so I thought I'd share with you these pics I took last Spring. Something so great about doors. Whether simple or ornate, I just LOVE these ones!! Georgian doors are my personal favourite. So here are some Edinburgh doors...

Bill Cunningham New York Trailer

2011-05-02T11:19:00.003+01:00

Would love to see this. Free People talks about this documentary here. Might contact the Filmhouse, they might have it on their list.

Royal Wedding Tea Party

2011-05-01T20:02:00.008+01:00

Friday was so much fun! I got up on time to see the show from the beginning. Watching the wedding guests arriving and seeing what they were wearing was so exciting. Check out some of the outfits on bbc here. Me, still in my pjs. And seeing who was there... My status on facebook became 'Mr Bean is at the wedding!'. The excitement was building up. I was still making sandwiches and tidying up when Prince William and Harry were making their way to Westminster Abbey. Quick shower and a phone call to my Gran and I was ready for our little tea party.

I had invited a few friends to come over for 10.30. That's around the time we saw Kate's dress for the first time. Alexander McQueen. Fabulous. The ceremony was fabulous too. My highlights: the trees down the aisle, James Middleton's reading of Scripture and the TV bird's eye shot of the couple from the ceiling of the abbey. But the best bit of the day for me was enjoying this tea party. The girls all brought a treat to eat. Wow. Check out the red, white and blue berry meringues made by Jude.

Tea parties are good for the soul!!

Royal Wedding Tea Party-ing...

2011-04-29T21:39:00.002+01:00

I'm now recovering from a gorgeous tea party, putting my feet up!!

More photos to come...

xox

Easter Monday, Arthur's Seat

2011-04-25T22:01:00.002+01:00

Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh

What did you get up to today? Mike and I walked up Arthur's Seat. What a perfect afternoon for that. It was amazing being above the city, seeing the sights and hearing the sounds so clearly but being separate from it all. We both said to each other how beautiful Edinburgh is.

Fun Friday Findings

2011-04-22T16:56:00.005+01:00

Our Thank You cards are nearly all written. Nearly all sent.

On m loves m, Mara's man secretly hired a photographer to take pics of the two of them when he'd propose. Months later, he's now got them printed, put them into a photo book and gave it to her as a total surprise. So sweet.

Catherine writes about the film 'The Help' coming out soon. Watch its trailor. I know this isn't the point of the film but the 1950's dresses you get to admire throughout are definitely a bonus! Catherine's read the book.

And today I have 4 fabulous blogs to share...

1. The first is by my good friend Faye, who lives and works in Ottawa, Canada. She's a super bright lawyer who writes about food and anything to do with gluten-free, high-raw, plant-based lifestyle. The blog is called Raw Lawyer. We've been bridesmaids for each other, I love her to bits and I'm so pleased to follow her posts.

2. The second is by my pastor Mez. He's just started Niddrie Pastor. He writes about church planting. Mike is involved in its layout and design so I'll be keeping a close eye on this one! (And... I care for what he's writing about).

3. Katie was my flatmate in Canada and I'm so proud of where she's at. She's now based in Montreal, Canada, and recently became brand communications manager for Maybelline New York and Garnier. She has just started her own blog, Style Pilgrim. Very chic indeed!

4. The Fabric of My Life. Kate is an interiors stylist based in London. I've been following her for a while now and she pins on Pinterest, like me! But this week I added her to my blogroll.

Such talent out there. So many people wanting to write and speak up. I'm loving it.

Busy bees

2011-04-21T17:49:00.005+01:00

Portstewart beach, Northern Ireland.

So we're back from Ireland, well and truly. We had a lovely 3 days of relaxation and catching up with close relatives. The best parts were getting a fish&chips take away at Portstewart and seeing my grandmother again. I wore my wedding dress so that she'd see it on me, as she was ill on our wedding day. She kept saying how beautiful it was and coming from such an elegant woman, I was definitely flattered. It meant so much for her to appreciate the dress. I'm so thankful for that time. And it brought back a few sweet memories for Mike and me.

At the Corick Country House, with Nana and family, Northern Ireland.

Since our trip, it's been back to porridge, I've been dusting our flat, getting washing and ironing done, started up a joint bank account with Mike, been to the opticians, and other bits and bobs. Even went to our local gym today. Definitely getting through my To-Do list, still need to try recipes and have coffee in town. But I have been planning our Royal Wedding Tea Party and am planning on baking the Hummingbird cake. Will tell you more about all this soon. Hope your week's been good.

Fun Friday Findings

2011-04-15T20:40:00.000+01:00

Donegal, Ireland.

Hey lovelies, I'm taking a break in Ireland so won't be writing on findings today but I'll have lots to say next Friday. Have a great weekend. xo

Engagement Shoot in Ireland

2011-04-14T18:36:00.003+01:00

Being back in Ireland with Mike as my husband is such a pleasure. We gave mum and dad their wedding photo cd sent from Jonathan and Becky. It was a good opportunity to re-visit these photos of the day and its run-up. Here are our favourites.

These photos were taken at the top of an Irish hill, behind the church where we were soon to be married. Having this photo shoot on the day before our wedding was ideal. We were relaxed, had the stress of the rehearsal behind us and were very happy to have that special time to be together.

The wedding day went so fast, wanting to be with the guests and keeping to a tight schedule were priorities so with hindsight, this time to ourselves much was very sweet. I'd highly recommend for any bride and groom to make this a priority, especially if you're having a relatively big wedding with many guests to talk to. Having said that, not every photographer is as dedicated as ours were. It'd be hard to beat Jonathan and Becky's commitment. They worked so hard, snapping away for two full days and were such gracious people.

All photos by the wonderful Jonathan Edward Photography.

Thank You Cards

2011-04-12T16:40:00.003+01:00

Mike and I have been writing our Thank You cards gradually but let's face it, he's better at it than I am. We ended up adopting a system: Mike handwrites in the cards of his side of the family and friends and I sign 'Helen' beside his name at the bottom. And vis versa for my side. I knew that would end up not being so great because here I am with lots to do and he's done his!! He's so efficient. So here's me, coffee out, ready for this last hurdle. I'm so thankful for every single gift and I want to do this well.

The Beach House, Portobello

2011-04-09T20:06:00.004+01:00

This morning, to celebrate our (my) first day of the school break ( I AM SO SO HAPPY - got all my marking done yesterday, despite finding it very hard to concentrate), we cycled to Portobello and watched the world go by on the esplanade. Although Mike and I are great fans of The Espy, today we had lunch at The Beach House and sat outside. I needed one of their blankets to keep me warm while Mike was very content in his T-shirt. Lovely, lovely, lovely.

Fun Friday Findings

2011-04-08T15:38:00.000+01:00

Niddrie, Edinburgh.

Things that have helped me get through this week:

- Poppytalk spring colours series, so colourful.

- Rachel Ashwell's new bed&breakfast on Shabby Chic (via Lobster&Swan).

- A rubber stamp mini-fest on Oh, hello friend!

- The Paris Apartment's creative to-do list (from Pinterest), which I read just after having made my own to-do list (sorry I'm not putting as much effort into as this person is!!).

- The Bible.

- The fact that I am now on holidays! Woohoo!!

Mike and Helen. Tidying.

2011-04-07T19:56:00.021+01:00

Mike and Helen. Tidying. That was the first word on our list of things to do last weekend (the list which we wrote on our glass table). The tidying hasn't happened yet. Bring on these holidays so that this place can get back into good shape! Only one more get-up!!

To Do List

for this Easter break:

- Have at least one non-event day (whatever I fancy... staying in pjs, jogging, watch movies, baking, reading, checking out new blogs)

- Go to the opticians, I have had the same glasses since 2001, can you believe it? I've seen these amazing new ones, like Woody Allen's. I'm way too excited, they're only glasses!

- Coffee with girl friends in town, I'm missing going into town, I've definitely been working too hard!!

- Send a hand-written letter to Jeanne.

- Go cycling with Mike.

- Finish our wedding thank-you cards.

- Send ALL our wedding thank-you cards.

- Get legs waxed (too much info?).

- Finish our work space renovation (start an inspiration board).

- Catch up on paperwork.

- Visit my sister, parents and grand-parents in Ireland.

- Visit the apple store in Glasgow on our way to Prestwick airport.

- Paint our walls (well, Mike's asked a friend to do that, I'll just check all is good!!).

- Book a hotel in Paris for our romantic weekend away in May.

- Plan the Royal Wedding viewing at ours.

- No marking. None.

- Try at least 2 new recipes from 'Jamie's 30 Mins Meals' book.

- If time, make a slideshow with our favourite wedding pics for facebook friends.

Do you have a break coming up? What are your plans?

Fun Friday Findings

2011-04-01T19:39:00.001+01:00

Janee's Cupboard, Edinburgh.

Things I've loved this week:

Today's gorgeous outfit on The Sartorialist.

Junkaholique's day trip to Brixton.

Oh, hello friend!'s crafty book of notes for her mum. Perfect if you're still looking for an idea for Sunday (mother's day this Sunday in Britain).

This deep blue dress on Coco&Kelley's sunning photos from Vogue China.

A La Parisienne writing her 'reveries' on educating her daughter and home-school. Nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Winter to Spring

2011-03-31T18:23:00.009+01:00

Duddingston, Edinburgh.

Anybody in Great Britain struggling with the time change since last Sunday? My pupils have been tired all week and it's clear that we all need our Spring break. Traces of the winter are still visible though, not many leaves on Edinburgh trees and today brought a very chilly wind but I'm hoping it won't be long. And what a lovely sunny evening this has turned out to be!

Oh, and Mike and I have been married 3 months!

Fun Friday Findings

2011-03-25T08:44:00.012Z

White Rocks, Northern Ireland.

I think the end of the winter has come... I'm getting my springtime skirts out. Bring on those really warm lazy summer days.

Wings, wings and more wings: origami on Unruly Things and Wednesday's post on Geninne's Art.

Lobster and Swan is now on my blogroll. Love it.

Emily's dream house on theberry.com via Oh, hello friend! Breathtaking.

And the Royal Wedding Straw Competition has a winner: Sarah from Thimbles and Crumbles. Go check it out, really cute. And my picture was a runner-up!! Woop woop, I'm delighted!! My prize is Papermash straws, YES! They are so so cool.

Don't forget Earth hour tomorrow, 8.30pm in G.B., turn off your lights for 1 hour. Official video below.

Reds: Dreaming of Summer

2011-03-24T20:27:00.011Z

Today was so warm. I got to do some school marking outside, so sweet. It all made me daydream of beautiful reds of the coming seasons. Here are the red things I'm looking forward to most.

1. Walking through town when the Edinburgh festival is on, always so colourful.

2. The Edinburgh College of Art graduate fashion show.

3. Sipping red cocktails with girl friends in summer dresses, windows wide open.

4. Painting our nails red and wearing flip-flops.

5. Devouring strawberries. Charlottes, smoothies, milkshakes, fruit salads. Always strawberries.

6. Walking through the Edinburgh Meadows. Such a joy.

7. Enjoying BBQs. Ketchup. Geraniums. Sunsets. YES!!

8. (Strawberry again) ice-creams and pink candy-floss. Yum.

9. Getting my favourite summer shoes out (how I wish they could last forever).

Royal Straw(berry) Party

2011-03-20T18:05:00.010Z

Had so much fun Friday taking these pics. Two friends popped over for afternoon tea and this was the perfect opportunity to do several things:

1. bring out for the very first time our beautiful Vera Wang wedgwood set which friends and family got together to buy us as a wedding present. The good news is: THE TEA POT POURS WELL!!! (thank you Nana&Grandpa, the Thrones, David, the Warnocks, you are total legends!)

2. try Pimm's for the very first time. Mike had a bottle in the cupboard all that time. Can you believe it took me so long?

3. bring out the straws that Lynne from Tea For Joy sent me to take part in her royal wedding themed straw styling competition. So I made the little flags, drank some more Pimm's, planned another tea party for the royal wedding itself, took some pics and had a great time eating up these treats when my friends arrived.

PS: These darling biodegradable striped paper straws are great. LOVE LOVE LOVE them.

Fun Friday Findings

2011-03-18T19:48:00.000Z

Pitlochry, Scotland (will be posting on it soon).

This week I've loved...

A glimpse of lovely Paris, through this vimeo for EF International Language Centers. Beautiful colours.

A tree trunk into a coffee table, on Design Sponge. Dad or Mike, could this be your summer project?

A St Patrick's wedding inspiration board on Snippet&Ink.

Tea For Joy's Wednesday Workspace post, Mike and I are still getting our workspace into shape.

Fabric Of My Life's post on chalk walls.

And my thoughts are with the people of Japan. I had a dream this week that all my comforts had disappeared and I didn't know where Mike was. No way of getting into contact. No way of knowing if he was even alive. Ever seen The Book of Eli? Was a bit like that. Donate to Red Cross' efforts in Japan {HERE}.

Tea Time

2011-03-17T19:57:00.003Z

What does your tea time look like?

Happy St Patrick's!

2011-03-15T17:23:00.007Z

Celebrating St Patrick's tomorrow? Here's a series of my favourite pics taken in my beautiful home land. Hope you have a wonderful day.

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

A Gift From Paris

2011-03-12T12:21:00.005Z

Look what Jeanne brought us from Paris! And Bonne Maman biscuits. Yum!!

Fun Friday Findings

2011-03-11T14:36:00.005Z

A French Cup of Coffee, Strasbourg.

Watch Chanel's Autown-Winter 2011 catwalk show.

Why not make these pretty hair rosettes (tutorials here on momtastic)?

Scottish-based Conversation Pieces has a great post on wall displays.

Visit the inside of this old British manor with Junkaholique. Hide and seek in this place would be amazing.

Wellies and Vogue found this 'back to the future' project by Irina Werning.

Loving Love and Lemonade's wedding photography blog.

Hope you have a great weekend! A good friend is visiting from France, we'll be drinking lots of coffee. I'm a happy girl.

MKs (or Third Culture Kids)

2011-03-08T17:53:00.003Z

Watched this video on M.K.Planet today. Several adult M.K.s open up and share their experiences of growing up in several countries. Very interesting.

Fun Friday Findings

2011-03-04T16:39:00.001Z

Bruntsfield, Edinburgh

Ballet and brides? Snippet&Ink posted this lovely wedding inspiration.

Following my flower girl pics, this little girl on A La Parisienne is so cute. Love the ladybirds.

The stay at home mum, Geninne, has written a book on hand-made stamps. I'll be buying that one.

Check out my Australian friend, Miriam McWilliam's website. Her photography is superb. Missing hanging out with her (and her creativity).

Vagabond Van is travelling around Africa, helping communities through trade. Check out their gorgeous dresses (bring on the exotic summer days!!). And follow the tales of their adventures on their wonderful blog.

Happy Friday!!

Our Flower Girls

2011-03-02T16:31:00.008Z

Our flower girls were absolutely G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S little stars. Since our wedding day, we've had so many friends and family comment on how sweet and delightful our little flower girls were on the day. These pics were taken when Mike and I visited them months before our special day. The girls couldn't wait to jump into the dresses and show us how beautiful they looked in them. They danced and twirled and naturally, I took pictures!! This will always be one of our fondest memories. Dresses and accessorise were from Monsoon.

Fun Friday Findings

2011-02-25T16:08:00.005Z

View of Edinburgh, across from Dalgety Bay.

Having grown-up in France, this Bonne Maman jam TV advert nearly brought tears to my eyes. Wide Open Spaces looks at cute ways of recycling the jars.

Kyle Bean's Hermes window display is just great! Could I do something like that with old dictionary pages?

Habitually Chic got to visit Christian Louboutin's Miami shop. Wow!

Beautiful dresses, chic shoes, pretty underwear, why do women say they have 'nothing to wear'? The Paris Apartment wonders...

Mike & I need inspiration for re-decorating our study. A few blogs have helped this week:

- Tea For Joy's Wednesday workspace series is perfect.

- Coco&Kelley's pics are cute. But pastel?

- Oh, Hello Friend!'s studio tour series is ideal, in this one the walls are fab!

How to make a work space organised, fresh, personal, girly but not too much?? (Coz Mike will need it too!)... Time will tell.

Loving Pia Page Bijkerk's blog house painting and what you find in it!

I discovered two new art blogs which I've added to my favourites blogroll. Anna Emilia, from Finland, paints and draws and calls the blog her 'weather diary'. Very fresh.

Aupres de mon arbre, from France, paints and writes to friends who are far away.