a writer's retreat

I'm something of an interior decorating show enthusiast (it sounds so much better than "HGTV junkie", doesn't it?) and last week I caught an episode of Divine Design with Candice Olson, one of my favorites, in which Candice created a divine retreat for a romance writer (Teresa Roblin, whose books sound delightfully perfect for this time of year). Here's what the room looked like before Candice and her crew stopped by:


Teresa's writing space - which happened to be her living and dining rooms - was used both as a place to crank out her paranormal romance novels and an office in which she brokered deals with publishers. In the new design she also wanted to incorporate a meeting place for her writers' club, who were forced to meet in a local coffee shop for lack of a better place. (Not that coffee shops and writers don't go hand-in-hand, but there's definitely something to be said for the comfort of one's own home.) Here's Candice's finished result...


I thought the transformation was just spectacular! This is precisely the sort of room I'd love to write in. I can only imagine the inspiration that could come from such a well-designed space. (Or, you know, at least a desk. I write on my laptop from the comfort of a not-so-aesthetically-pleasing armchair.) I couldn't find any other pictures so unfortunately you can't see the beautiful wall of windows that Candice draped with, as I recall, floor-to-ceiling curtain sheers. Also just beyond view is the grandiose chandelier above the cozy writers' club space. The color palette is serene and the damask wallpaper adds a bit of understated romance. Just lovely! Beyond the curtain sheers leading to the dining room is the perfect table and chair set to act as both dining room setting and business office. I do believe Candice thought of everything!

Here's another before-and-after shot, with one of Candice's sketches as well...



How divine!

Image credits: HGTV, Divine Design.

dream boudoir and 100 followers!

I think this is my dream...gee, what is it? A dressing room, bathroom, vanity, closet. An all-around boudoir. Could you imagine getting all glammed up every day in a place like this? I love the brightness and sheer femininity of it. I'm really not a particularly frivolous person, but I love to daydream about stuff like this. I may have to do a "dream closets" post on here someday because I just love indulging in silliness like that.

I also want to thank everyone who has followed and commented on my little blog - The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower has officially reached 100 followers! I'm flabbergasted, and truly touched. I started this blog as a place to collect and share the things I like; really just a happy place for myself. That anyone else has found it interesting at all is so thrilling. So thank you! I'm hoping to do something special to commemorate. I didn't even entertain that I would ever have 100 followers until just last week, but then I got to thinking: should I make a Facebook page? Would anyone be interested in "liking" The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower on Facebook? I'd also love to do a giveaway, something to celebrate my readers because - I can't believe it - I have readers! That sounds so fancy. Thank you all for making me fancy!

P.S. If anyone is going to be watching Fashion's Night Out: The Show at 7/6c tonight on CBS.com (excited!) be sure to follow SHE on Twitter. I'll be Tweeting my thoughts as I watch and I'd love to be able to chat with you all. Jen and I will be posting all our NYFW favorites on SHE - Style through Her Eyes so watch out for that. (:

foxes: teacup candles and a lovely giveaway

one, two, three.


I'm rather in love with these darling little soy candles from Foxes. I'm also rather in love with Foxes itself. It's a charming online shop run by a gal named Jessica who is "passionate and dedicated to all things design and handmade" - and who, it would appear, has decidedly cool taste when it comes to choosing things to add to the shop. Check out the miracle and wonder print, the knitted bow necklace, the Ghost Huia postcard set, the porcelain fawn brooch...I think I've made my point.

And if Foxes hasn't completely charmed the pants off you already, they're giving away the most spectacular gift set on their blog! Take a look:



For details on the pieces and to enter, check out the giveaway entry on the Foxes blog. This set will be given away once their Facebook page reaches 400 fans. They're at 326 right now. So close! Be sure to become a fan and spread the word. You could win all that gorgeousness pictured above!


P.S. A few little things I've been doing around here: I've added a wee link back button in the sidebar, in case anyone has the hankering to put it on their blog. (If you do, please let me know - I'd be more than happy to reciprocate!) I've also added a little Freebies page with some Audrey Hepburn and other related (and non-related) graphics that you can feel free to use to decorate your own blogs. Hope you like them!

SHE Hearts Blogs!

Jen and I made a list of some of our favorite blogs as part of the big event SKIR is hosting today - check out our top ten and share your list with us if you're taking part. (:

diy: clothes pins and birthday cards

Today I tried out a little DIY that I’ve seen done a bunch of times before;
Tie a piece of twine around two push-pins and attach some of your favorite cards with clothes pins!
You could also do this with photographs or postcards.
Or maybe even little notecards with your favorite quotations?

There are lots of possibilities, so it really is such a fun project. Since I’m not allowed to paint the walls in my apartment, this goes a long way toward warming up my room and it’s a lovely reminder of my family and friends!

introductions

I’m not very good at introductions; in fact, this blog has been a sparkle in my eye for quite a while but my inability to create a proper introduction post has kept it just sparkling, never shining. Let’s see if we can change that!


This is me. (You probably already figured that out.) I have a big imagination and I dream accordingly; I love castles and candles and coffee flavored ice cream. I live in the country but I guess I’ve got a city girl’s style. If I could live anywhere, I imagine it would be in the French or Italian countryside. I think fast and live slow. Currently I’m experiencing a small obsession with black-and-white clothing. Especially stripes; I love stripes. I change my look a lot – sometimes I like to dress like Joan Holloway from Mad Men and sometimes I like my style to be more modern. I think I see a little bit of my personality in a lot of different things.


Some things I love. Audrey Hepburn is my hero, so you’ll be seeing her around here very often. I admire her as she really was, as a humanitarian and a lovely actress. I talk a lot about how people mistake her for a real-life Holly Golightly when she was, in her real life, very unlike the character. But I won’t go on about that. Basically, she was a beautiful person who believed the world was a beautiful place and she inspires me to be the same way. (And also, she was so chic!)


I love films, especially classics. Anything with Cary Grant; he’s one of my great style icons, as well as Katharine Hepburn, Ann Miller and Lucille Ball. I like so many classic actors that I couldn’t possibly list them all, but I’m sure I’ll talk about them around here as time goes on. There’s something very comforting and lovely about classic films. And they’re always so pretty! I can easily get distracted from the stories by all the beautiful clothes and make-up.


I think Louis Garrel is extremely cool. I love Parisian style and culture, movies and music. Mélanie Laurent, Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Marion Cotillard, Guillaume Canet and Clotilde Hesme are some of my favorite French actors. I love films like Dans Paris, Les chansons d’amour, Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain and Le fils de l'épicier especially. I’m fairly new to French films, so if you have any recommendations do let me know!






Some of my favorite music artists: The Swell Season, Ellie Goulding, Sia, Bon Iver and Lykke Li. I also love Inara George and The Bird and the Bee. I think Inara’s vocals are lovely and catchy. I recently love Little Boots, too. I make a lot of mixes on 8tracks, and you can see more of my music choices on my Last.FM.


Here are some (but definitely not all) of my favorite books. I love reading, and I especially love fiction. I love escapism, and I love books that are beautifully written. I like when I read sentences and stop to think about how pretty they sound or how smartly they were constructed. (Does that make sense?) Early in the year I read Franny and Zooey, which was my introduction to J.D. Salinger and he has easily become one of my favorite writers. Did you ever discover a writer and think, “Yes! That’s what I’ve been trying to say for my entire life!”? That’s absolutely how I was with Salinger. I’m also a big Jane Austen fan, although those books didn’t make it into this photo for some reason. Persuasion was my first and will always be my favorite of her novels. I also love Gone with the Wind, the Outlander series and the Southern Vampire series. Quite the random selection of books, but there you have me!


(photo by ulterior epicure)
If you’re still reading this, thanks! We probably already know each other, but if we’ve never met I would love for you to leave me a comment and tell me about yourself! And if you’re a fellow blogger, leave me your link. Cheers!