Saint Malo

Seems like ages since we were there! Had a few more problems with blogging apps (my idea of a blogging app is that you can write the whole thing offline and then put it onto your blog when you get internet access again. Apparently blogging app writers don't share my view or get internet access anywhere anytime) so haven't been able to post anything. Anyways, I had a bout of something, measles or chicken pox or something, by the time we got to St Malo, so I was feeling like crap and very itchy!! Also didn't look great.

St Malo is a really sweet seaside town but it had had the bejeesus bombed out of it during the second world war. There was a really interesting war memorial which was the WW2 fort constructed on top of the very old original town fort. It had been hit pretty hard by bombs/shells/whatever and had been abandoned and left forever exactly as it was. All these bits of the fortifications were missing - you could see exactly where bombs or bullets had hit the stone and steel.

Much of it had to be rebuilt but this was done in mostly a very sympathetic style. Many of the houses had names, as can be seen by the scrolls on the buildings in the pictures below.

This picture shows the cutest little tower tucked between buildings. I am guessing the tower was there first...

This appears to be a particularly old little cottage with a lot of character:

This was a gorgeous old hotel located on the waterfront. Great inspiration if you ever wanted to build a fancy miniature French hotel (if you were fortunate enough to have the space!):

The tide rose and fell on average 8.5m! It was really amazing. Our hotel was located on the waterfront, and when the tide was in, it was most of the way up the seawall just outside our window, and at low tide, there were a couple of hundred metres of beach!

The funniest thing was the sound of the seagulls. They sound very different to Australian seagulls. When we were at Paris Disneyland 3 years ago, we stayed at the Newport Bay Hotel and they played seagull noises over the PA system. To us, it sounded really fake, but imagine our surprise when we hear the exact sound coming from real seagulls in St Malo! Very strange!

Next stop, Chateau Challain la Potherie! Yay!

La Rochelle.... Love La Rochelle!

So, the results are in. If we ever buy a place in France, I reckon it will be in this area, or somewhere around Narbonne/Bordeaux. Just beautiful. We had picture postcard weather. It was a very cute little town, full of shabby little seaside houses, a nice marina lined with restaurants and cafes and some areas of gorgeous Victorian townhouses.

Our lovely hotel...

This was the chandelier in the bar:

And this was the guest lounge. Chairs not so lovely, but the rest was amazing.

A sign on a cottage:

A beautiful townhouse:

And lastly, a cafe with the cutest table decorations of boats:

La Rochelle had a great atmosphere and some interesting history. We visited three towers on the waterfront that had graffiti dating as far back as the 1700s! The stone walls inside the towers had been carved by sailors and criminals - ships, people, names and dates.

Then on to St Malo!

Bordeaux

Having trouble uploading to my blog on my iPad, so now trying a third blogging app in an attempt to post something! Although we are nearly home!

Bordeaux was lovely, although it rained most of the time we were there, and many of the monuments either weren't ever open to the public or were only open during the high season. I really don't think I captured the charm of the place, and it is made especially difficult with the narrow streets common throughout France.

Old Theatre in Bordeaux.

They love chocolate in France. This was in a shop window.

We went on a winery tour to Saint Emilion, one of the best wine regions of Bordeaux (or all of France). The landscape was just amazing.

Next stop, La Rochelle!

Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

Hello everyone. I am sitting in the train between Villefranche Sur Mer and Bordeaux, which for the record is running 75 minutes late! Yay. I had to take the time to tell you all about the beautiful Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild at Saint Jean Cap Ferrat, just around the bay from Villefranche. It was built at the turn of the 20th century by Beatrice de Rothschild and her husband. She was an avid art and artefacts collector and used these items in her (then new) home. She has incorporated carved reliefs, fabrics, tapestries, painted panels, etc into her home, collected from many historical places. This includes a rug from the chapel at Versailles for example. As you enter the house, there is a large 'patio' (made to look like an enclosed courtyard) and the doors to rooms leading off this patio are all different, having been collected from a range of old buildings.

The following photos show the boudoir and bedroom. The magnificent bed is Venetian, and I'm not 100% sure, but I think the dress is 18th century.








The picture below shows part of what I think I think is a dress. It was exquisite but difficult to photograph in dim light.


This picture is a view of part of the French garden. Baronness de Rothschild was also into gardens.


This picture shows part of the house exterior, with the entryway visible behind. It wasn't a huge house, given these people obviously had huge amounts of money.


If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend a visit. It was so lovely. It has given me so much inspiration for my own mini French chateau and I fully intend returning one day, hopefully with a really fancy camera for better pictures! And the hot chocolate in the tearoom was to die for!

And PS also on the band-wagon with the new Blogger interface dislike. It's so clumsy. I don't understand why you'd make it so complicated and non-intuitive.

Posted via DraftCraft app

Hello from Villefranche-Sur-Mer!

Bonjour everyone. My husband and I are here in Villefranche for a week in total, which is now half over. After a cold and damp start in Paris, we are enjoying the sunny (although a little blustery) days. Of course the architecture is one of the first things we look at, and we have not been disappointed. Although it's not a great photo, here is a stunning mansion to drool over (due to the hills, it's hard to get close-up photos).


Just around the corner from our street, there is this cute little building - no idea what it's for. I had some idea that it was a garage, but on second glance, I don't think it is.


There is much to see down this way. We've spent a bit of time exploring the old town, the waterfront, the old forts and citadel and also went into Nice (for the record, something we could've happily missed in hindsight).

Across from where we stayed in Paris was this boulangerie - it was just so pretty. I took many photos, trying to get the perfect one (I missed the perfect opportunity the very first morning we were there, with all the lights on inside and a wet footpath, but never mind). Also below is a picture of the interior. Just gorgeous. One to make in miniature without doubt.




Hope you like the photos! Will try to post again when I find something else awe-inspiring!

Posted via DraftCraft app

The Easter Shop

A very long time ago, I started this little shop, made from the Old Time Store kit (I don't endorse this store, never bought anything from them, but it was a convenient link). Anyways, it is one of the first minis I ever started. Then as usual for me, I either couldn't decide on how to finish it, or couldn't find the right materials. So I grabbed it out 2 weeks ago to finish. I haven't finished as you can see, as I got sent away for work for 2 weeks, but I did get the panelling on the window display installed and made a few decisions on how it will be finished. As per the title, it will be filled with Easter goodies.









I just can't decide how to finish the panels along the top of the windows and door. My initial thought was to put wreath embellishments, but now I think I might put writing on them (e.g. what the store stocks). Also, I really want an etched glass door, but I don't think the Houseworks (??) ones would fit. So might just put writing on the door too, and leave it clear.



Anyways, enough on that! We fly out to France in 12 days, and it has come around very quickly. We will also be visiting London for the Kensington Dollshouse Festival for 2 days and then Hong Kong on the way home (staying at Disneyland! Can't wait!). So might try to post some pics on our trip!


So lastly, in case you are ever in need of some great music (with cute videos), I thought I'd spread the Darren Hanlon love. An Australian with an incredible talent. Check out his other videos too.

Falling aeroplanes (no fancy video but fantastic song)

Butterfly bones
See you all soon!

Some of my dresses I've made!

Just thought I'd post some photos of the dresses and tops I've made so far! It takes a while to list things on Etsy, so they're not all listed yet, but I'll get there. Have a great day!