Dear readers,

Chers lecteurs,

Thanks a lot for your comments who usually make my breakfast! I read them sipping my morning tea before going to work and it keeps me happy for the rest of the day!

I believed something was missing to my first mantel.

If you're thinking more "bling", you might be right... But that's not what I was looking for this year.

Dans mon esprit, un manteau de cheminée de Noël ne serait pas complet sans ses "stockings", les grandes chaussettes à remplir de petits cadeaux.

No, I thought no Christmas mantel would be complete without stockings.

I couldn't find anything in French stores that was remotely close to what I had in mind. I only found very "Christmasy" ones. What's wrong with that? Nothing, really, except I didn't want a reindeer or a big chubby Santa on my stockings.

J'en ai cherché dans les boutiques, mais je n'ai trouvé que des choses très colorées avec des rennes en peluches dessus ou des gros pères-Noël joufflus... Bof!

So the idea of making one popped in my brain.

Except, you might remember that I can't sew... Still, I decided I should challenge myself.

Je me suis dit qu'il était temps de se lancer un défi perso pour moi qui ne sais pas coudre!

I'm sorry, I took the picture when it was already night, when I finished the stocking actually. I have evening school meetings for the next two days... and I couldn't wait to brag!!!

I found different tutorial on the Internet and added my very down-to-earth touch.

The white-dot-blue fabric is removable, just in case I want a different colour or atmosphere next year!

Le revers bleu à pois est amovible, comme ça si l'an prochain j'ai une envie de rouge ou de noir, ce sera facile de changer!

I can't resist to show you my paperwhites that are blooming and where next to me on the dining-room table while I was sewing.

Les narcisses paper-white ont déjà fleuri et m'ont accompagnée sur la table de la salle à manger pendant que j'essayais de coudre droit!

Also, I could use your advice. The old sewing-machine is my Mom's. She's so kind that she lent it to me. But it's very heavy and with my hernia it kills me to lift it to the table and then to put it back under the stairs where it's hidden. So I was thinking of buying a new one. Any mistake I shouldn't make while choosing it?

La machine que m'a prêtée ma Maman (merci!) est super, mais elle est définitivement bloquée sur un seul point et est vraiment lourde. C'est vraiment douloureux avec ma hernie de la déplacer. J'envisage d'en acheter une autre un de ces jours. Auriez-vous des conseils à me donner?

Magali, from the Little White House xxx

Dear readers,

Chers lecteurs,

Without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to this year's Hallowe'en wreath!

Voici la couronne d'Hallowe'en de cette année, entièrement maison, depuis les 200 noeuds en tulle, jusqu'à ma toute première rose en feutre... Ben, oui, je suis un peu fière.

Due to a recent event that took place in the neighbourhood (and I tried to blog about it, but, it's just too hard), I didn't want this year's Hallowe'en  decor to have anything to do with death. On the other hand, I know that children are expecting my house to be decorated.

So I surfed on blogs, I surfed my mind and here's what I came up with. Something that is very me, but with a Hallowe'en colour scheme. Very me, for three reason: a tulle wreath is perfect for a dancer, the cat (obvious!) and a rose because I love flowers!

I made the felt rose myself thanks to a great tutorial I found here. You know the tutorial is great when you can see that my rose looks like a rose, even if I'm really bad at sewing!

Je pense que je ne vais pas pouvoir faire le décor habituel dans la véranda, car il y a là un nouveau locataire, qui ne donnerait sa place pour rien au monde...

The usual decor in the veranda is not up and probably won't be as we have a new tenant here...

I bought him a black pillow, so that he would fit in the decor... But he finds it a bit too small (this is a HUGE cat, like twice as big as mine!)

See how his head doesn't rest on the pillow? I guess I'll buy a new one...

Je lui ai acheté un coussin noir pour qu'il se fonde dans le décor du moment, mais j'ai visé un peu petit; du coup, soit sa tête, soit ses fesses ne reposent pas sur le coussin... Je suis bonne pour racheter un coussin... Mais il est vraiment énorme, ce chat!!!

Magali, from The Little White House xxx

Dear readers,

Chers lecteurs,

Did you ever have to bring a present to someone you barely knew? I find it very difficult.

Avez-vous déjà dû apporter un cadeau à quelqu'un que vous connaissiez peu? Ce n'est pas ce qu'il y a de plus facile.

As a substitute, I get to meet lots of colleagues every year, but usually I only come and go, it never gets beyond "how are you?" and "don't you think this class is really awful?"

Then last year a colleague invited me to a dinner with some other colleagues. I  was very surprised, but I thought it was really nice of her.

L'an dernier, une collègue m'a invité à dîner. Je ne savais encore pas grand chose d'elle. Certes, un bouquet de fleurs aurait fait l'affaire, mais je trouve que cela ne transmettait pas le "merci" que je voulais qu'elle reçoive.

And then, panic attack. What was I going to bring her? I didn't know her that well. Of course, I coud have brought flowers, as is customary in France. But it didn't really felt like me, nor did it convey the "thank you" I wanted to say.

So I gathered what I knew about her so far: she was a biology teacher and she loved turquoise.

Du coup, j'ai réfléchi: je savais qu'elle était prof de SVT et qu'elle aimait le turquoise. Un peu mince? Et non! ça m'a donné une idée.

So here's the idea I had:

Then I added a little color:

After hesitating for a very long time on the paint colour, I picked that one because it was called "Bébé Baleine" (Baby Whale) and I remembered she loved the sea.

So if ever you have a gift to do to a biology teacher, this is a fun way to give flowers!

Si jamais vous avez un cadeau à faire à un prof de science, ce petit "triflor" a été très facile à faire.

Since then, that colleague has become a close friend and is even my "attic-sale" buddy every Sunday morning...

Magali, from the Little White House xxx