Milleneufcentquatrevingtquatre

When I first discovered this scarf company on Frances May I was all, Milleneuf-what?  I can't say that I've figure out how to say "Milleneufcentquatrevingtquatre" yet, or ever will but regardless of the tongue-twisting name I'm head over heels in love with these gorgeous printed silk scarves. These are from the spring collection but the autumn selection is just as lovely in botanical prints.  They really look like wearable pieces of art!

Triberg Wasserfalle

One of the things that we were most excited about during our stay in Germany was a trip we had planned to Triberg to see the highest waterfall in Bavaria.  The town is situated in the Black Forest and is also the home of the world's largest cuckoo clock.  Win, win right?  But on the morning of the trip, we awoke to a forecast of 90% chance of rain/snow and temperatures close to freezing.  We hadn't packed appropriately for a hike in the freezing snow so we contemplated changing our plans at the last minute.  In the end, we just layered on all the clothes we'd brought and decided to tough it out.  We're so glad we did, because it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip.

The train ride up the mountain and into the Black Forest was definitely my favorite of the trip.  We counted nineteen tunnels through the mountain before we finally reached Triberg.  The higher we got, the snowier it got and the more scenic and beautiful.  Triberg itself was most charming with typical Bavarian architecture and cuckoo clocks everywhere.  We walked up, up, up the streets until we reached the entrance to the waterfall hike.  The weather was strange the entire time; one second the clouds would part and the sun would shine then more clouds would roll in over the mountains and it would start to snow again. 

As we made our way up the trail I was amazed at how lush the forest was.  It was made even more enchanting by the thin layer of snow that was building up on the green ferns and moss.  I kept thinking to myself that it seemed like a place where Westley and Princess Buttercup would be found hiding.  The falls were impressive and had bridges that crossed back and forth for the best views possible.  Luckily the weather had scared most of the other tourists away so we had the falls all to ourselves.

We then took the trail down the side of the mountain and ended up coming out at Maria in der Tanne or "Mary in the Fir".  It's a small baroque style church whose legend dates back to 1644 when a young girl was cured of an eye disease in the water of a nearby spring.  Later, a man was cured of leprosy by washing in the same spring.  The man carved a small statue of Mary and placed it in a fir tree.  People began making pilgrimages to the site of the miracles and eventually a church was built.  The church is charming but unassuming from the outside, but the interior is as ornate and wonderfully gaudy and you could ever wish for. 

Etsy Update: Flats & Sandals

Here's a look at the second Etsy shop update of the day.  Lots of  leather flats and sandals.  There are sizes ranging from 6 to 9.5 (Eur 36 to 41).  Check out all of the shoes in the shop here! 

Etsy Update: Purses

There are several shop updates in the works today.  The first one is all about purses!  There's quite a variety here, something for everyone.  Be sure to hop over to the shop and check 'em out!

House of Maryanne

I discovered the new lookbook for House of Maryanne on Ashley's blog.  I'm working on styling a summer lookbook for SJV and was a bit stuck but these photos are giving me loads of inspiration and ideas.  

Bat for Lashes

Some years are full of great new music and some years pass by without much catching my ear.  So far this year I haven't latched onto much in the way of new albums but this Bat for Lashes song has me hopeful.  

Alsace

On day nine of our journey we were staying in Germany but headed back across the border into France for some ancestral research.  Part of Tom's family is from the Alsace region of France and we met up with a distant cousin that he'd never before seen for a tour.  The Alsace region is made up of land that borders France and Germany and has exchanged hands between the two countries four times in 75 years.  Tom's ancestors would have considered themselves German while the family that remains in the area today consider themselves French.  The history of the area makes for an odd meshing of cultures and architecture.

Looking for information about Tom's ancestors led us to many small churches and their long neglected graveyards.  We walked through tall weeds and wiped years of dirt from headstones looking for family names.  We knocked on church doors in hopes of looking though their archives but did so in vain since no one answered.

After a few stops we headed to the Monastic Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Ottmarsheim, not because there's family history there but because it is one of the oldest remaining structures in the region and is simply not to be missed.  The Abbey was built in 1030 and I had the hardest time wrapping my mind around the fact that I was standing in a building that is nearly 1000 years old.  

Etsy Update: Dresses

An eclectic collection of dresses spanning from the 30s to the 80s is being added to the Etsy shop today.  Be sure to stop by and check them out!  There's lots of other summery goodness to be had as well!

German Flea Market Books

One day while we were staying in Freiburg we walked through the market that is held by the Gothic church that towers over the city.  There were vendors selling fresh flowers, local produce and sausages and small souvenirs.  There was even a vendor selling locally made vegan sausages upon which we stuffed ourselves for lunch. 

We wandered around for a bit and finally came upon a man with tables full of old books.  In a box on one of those tables was a collection of dozens of small books with the most amazing prints on the covers.  I wanted to bring all of them home but we finally narrowed it down to these six.  The man selling the books hadn't even acknowledged our existence after browsing around his tables for half an hour so I thought it would be the perfect time to put all of my German lessons to use.  I was so excited to finally try it out, since most everyone we encountered spoke very good English. 

I was able to say, "Hello.  I would like to buy something, please.  Six books.  How much do I owe you?" It was rudimentary at best, but he finally acknowledged us and we walked away with the books in hand.  I think they are too lovely to put on a bookshelf so I'm looking for some deep frames (shadow boxes maybe?) to put them in and hang as a collection in our living room.  

Freiburg im Breisgau

The next stop on our trip was Freiburg.  It's a charming little town in southwestern Germany.  Tom had been there once before on a business trip and had told me all about the streams running along the cobblestone streets and the wisteria vines draping across the narrow alleys.  His descriptions were so lovely it was hard to believe the city would live up to it.  But it really did.  It's a university town so there were a lot of young people riding around on bicycles and sitting out in the town square after dark.  It gave the city a really vibrant, lively atmosphere.

We stayed in a small hotel with a restaurant on the first floor.  They served us breakfast every morning which meant croissants and Nutella for me.  Yum!  One day we hiked up the hillside for a view of the city and the surrounding landscape.  On other days we took small trips outside the city;  one to Triberg and the other back across the border into France to visit Hirtzfelden.  More on those trips later! 

Etsy Update: Summer Skirts

There are lots of summery cotton skirts being added to the shop this week.  So perfect with a white tank top and a pair of sandals!  Be sure to stop by and check them out! 

Etsy Update: My Dresses

It's that time of year when I'm itching to clean out my closet and start over from scratch!  I don't know about completely starting over but I am willing to make a little room on the rack by finding new homes for some of the dresses I love but just don't get to wear enough.  I'm starting with these six.  They are now all available in the shop (go see for yourself).  More to come!

Les Puces Saint Ouen

Our trip to Paris wouldn't have been complete without a trip to the flea market in Saint Ouen.  I'd heard so many wonderful things about Parisian flea markets, this legendary one was a must when we were planning our itinerary.  I have to say, it did not disappoint! Thankfully, it was a beautiful sunny day and we took the train north of the city to find the market.  After a few wrong turns through the neighborhood, we finally stumbled upon the entrance and wandered in.  I could have spent all day rummaging through every single stall but we only had a couple of hours before we headed off to our next stop. 

Walking through the furniture stalls made we wish could completely start over in decorating our home.  So many amazing things!  It was a bit hard to take photos because you know how picky flea market vendors are about photos but there were so many pretty things to look at.  There were a million things I wanted to buy, but unless we were going to charter a boat to take us home we had to leave it all behind.  There was not going to be any room in my backpack for a new couch or a collection of vintage mirrors.

There were not as many vendors selling vintage clothing as I had hoped, but there were still plenty of things to look at.  In one stall I found two vintage wool striped sailor sweaters in a perfectly small size.  One in cream with navy stripes, the other in navy with cream stripes.  They reminded me of A.P.C. sweaters.  Then there was Chez Sarah, which strictly forbid photos (so I took a couple of sneaky ones from outside the shop) that was full of so many wonderful vintage dresses it took my breath away.  I was tempted by a 30s silk embroidered peasant blouse since I've been looking for one for ages but ended up walking away because of the outrageous price tag.  Luckily that all worked out in the end because I ended up finding nearly the same blouse at a shop in Amsterdam for a fraction of the price, but I'm getting a bit ahead of myself with that story. 

Bren Summer 2012

I've just discovered the Bren Summer 2012 collection and fallen in love with pretty much the whole thing.  As described on the website, the collection is designed by identical twin sisters, is produced entirely in Los Angeles and "combines the sophisticated, progressive look of New York and the laid back Southern California lifestyle."  It's full of exactly what I've been wanting to wear lately... more prints (which is new for me), lots of shorts for the hottest summer days and I couldn't resist a white eyelet sundress. 

Etsy Update: Summer Shorts

**circle circle dot romper**    **seersucker picnic shorts**    ** summers best shorts**    **railroad pleated shorts**

My favorite outfit this summer had been a pair of short and a tank top.  Simple, I know... but it's just too hot for anything else!  These shorts all fit the bill.  I've just added them (and more) to the Etsy shop. 

Etsy Update: Heat Wave Dresses

**geometry print dress**    **bold floral sundress**    **tulip garden sundress**    **pink bouquet sundress**

It's so hot here, just like it is everywhere else!  We're talking about triple digits! I've just updated the Etsy shop with lots of sundresses to help get through the hottest days of summer.  Hop on over and check it out!

Paris! Ooh La La!

After a few cloudy grey days in London we took the Chunnel to Paris.  I thought the Chunnel would be a bit scary, but it was actually quite a boring ride.  At the exact minute we were scheduled to arrive, we pulled into the train station and I stepped into mainland Europe for the first moment in my life.  Here are a few photos and notes about our first couple of days in Paris.

• The city was a bit intimidating to navigate at first, but once we got our Metro passes and figured out the train routes it was quite easy. 
• One day we bought Batobus tickets so we could hop on and off the water bus as it circled round and round the Seine.  
• There are literally cafes on every corner.  That is not an exaggeration.  I did not eat any macaroons, but I did have more than my fair share of crepes and croissants.  
• The Simpsons is still funny, even when overdubbed in French. 
• We enjoyed the times we spent exploring the neighborhood where our hotel was located (the Latin Quarter) more than the time we spent doing the touristy stuff we tried out. 
• Vintage shops were either full of junky 70s polyester for relatively cheap, or  beautifully curated and way out of my price range.  I think everything I like was close to 120 euros!
• We went to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, but not the Eiffel Tower.  The line was too long! 

 

Fleur Wood Spring 2012

I discovered Fleur Wood, and Australian based designer, through an order placed in my Etsy shop. I'd not heard of the designer and was pleased to discover a line that is full of vintage inspired silhouettes and details mixed with modern prints in the spring collection, titled "Dream Catcher".  The spring pieces are not available yet, but I'd settle for the Cybill dress from the winter collection too!