have yourself a merry, little...

The whirlwind of busy shoppers, the magical, twinkling lights and the smell of Christmas delicacies in the air... it has to be that time again :) I'm sure all of you have lovely plans for the holidays with your loved ones and since I'll be leaving for my own celebrations tomorrow, I would like to take this opportunity now to wish you all a wonderful Christmas, may it be a joyous time of family, gifts, music, love and laughter that will warm your heart for the rest of the winter!

Here's a sneak peak of the Christmas window display at Galerie Lafayette and Printemps, I'll be back with the rest in about a week. Till then, Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad and Merry Christmas!

And here's a little bonus, my all-time favorite Christmas song by the legendary Willie Nelson:

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editorial: the lovely elle fanning

An established actress at only 12, Elle Fanning is not only carving out her own name and career in acting, she is also growing up to be quite a stunning, beautiful young lady. She has such an angelic face, I can't wait to see her performance in Somewhere by Sofia Coppola. One of my friends gave me a copy of Lula which features Elle in a gorgeous editorial that I just had to share with you here. 

I can definitely see her becoming equally as famous as her older sister Dakota. The only one thing that I could hope for her is that the glitz and glamor of Hollywood doesn't take away the most important years of her childhood and that she doesn't try to grow up too fast. She is only 12, after all.

+ ellefanning.net +

Stylist: Ilaria Urbinati

Photographer: Damon Heath

Lula Issue #11

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music monday: like a star

This song might be a bit of an oldie but there's just something so dear about it that makes it timeless and always so poignant to me. I love Corinne Bailey Rae and this is my favorite song of hers, it comes to me on cold nights when it's raining (which we've been having a lot here in France as of late) and of course in the wake of an argument between me and my loved ones.

The lyrics resonate so deep as she writes of how love can be passionate and heart-breaking at the same time, yet will always find a way to shine on. I admire beautiful Corinne's talent and strength especially after all she's been through and I believe that she'll continue to write lovely, sincere songs from the heart.
 

 + via corinnebaileyrae + 

You've got this look I can't describe,
You make me feel like I'm alive,
When everything else is au fait,
Without a doubt you're on my side,
Heaven has been away too long,
Can't find the words to write this song,
Oh, your love...

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have yourself an etsy little christmas

It's almost a danger to browse Etsy before Christmastime... There would not be enough stockings to stuff all of the goodies that I wish for, for myself and others, but I've tried my very best to narrow it down to the reddest, cutest things I could find. You can find the items from the links at the end! How has Christmas shopping been for everyone? I can't believe that Christmas is just a week away!

{ lovely christmas card from staceywinters }

{ adorable xmas themed wedding toppers by kikuike }

{ perfect ruby red heels from charlotteiona }

{ hand-crafted xmas card by anndesigned }

{ vintage faberge-styled egg from piscesandfishes }

... to all my beautiful readers!!!

{ vintage-styled xmas tags by craftypagan }

 + via etsy +

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fav photographers: guy aroch

Guy Aroch is one of my favorite fashion/portrait photographers. His work has graced the pages of Harper's Bazaar, L'Officiel, Vogue and Glamour amongst many others. I love how he uses natural light in his photos and his emphasis on the delicateness of his subjects. His work is ethereal and enchanting and he has also photographed various celebrities such as Diane Kruger, Alexa Chung, Christina Ricci and Amanda Seyfried to name a few. These sun-bathed photos of his make me forget (for just a moment) that it's wintertime.

 + via julianmeijer +

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a tree like no other

A couple of weeks ago, I had my 3rd year anniversary of my first date with my husband. We decided to do something special this time around so we stayed at a hotel in the center of Paris, right next to the Galeries Lafayette. I'm still editing through all the photos of their Christmas window displays (this year's theme is Broadway muscials!) and I can't wait to share them with you soon. Meanwhile, here's some photos of the giant, floating Christmas tree that awaits shoppers inside. It's 20 meters high, holds more than 500 ornaments and sits right in the middle of the department store. 

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etsy finds: furry little friends

I was going through Etsy looking for Christmas goodies when I stumbled onto these and just could not resist sharing them. I'll be posting some more holiday-themed handmade finds, but for now I think these furry critters from the talented Knitting Dreams deserve some honorable mentions. They are tiny enough to fit in the palm of your hand and their whimsical expressions and colorful accessories will definitely brighten up your day. Each one of them seem to have their own character which truly shows the quality of the maker's workmanship.Which one is your favorite?

 

+ via knittingdreams +

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dream hotels: the perfect scottish castle

One of my childhood dreams has always been to visit and stay in Scotland, preferably close enough to the Loch Ness (so I could try to catch a glimpse of Nessie, of course) and now I think I've found the dream accommodation, the gorgeous Aldourie Castle. Sitting serenely on the Southern shore of the Loch Ness and secluded away from the rest of the world, this castle is just perfection. 

Everything is so lush, the interior is bathed in deep reds and textiles and there are acres of woodlands and gardens waiting for you outside. The lake is located just footsteps away and I can not imagine a more perfect place for a lavish wedding or family gathering since they unfortunately only seem to cater to exclusive and private hires. I won't spoil it by telling you guys the price, instead, check out these photos! Don't they just take your breath away?

+ aldouriecastle +

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in the mood for sweets

Today I'd like to share my favorite sweet shop with you. It's called La Cure Gourmande and there are a few of them scattered around Paris. Entering the shop is pretty much like walking into a sugar-coated dream. The decor is inspired by vintage candy shoppes with wall-to-wall shelves filled with boxes and tins of various delicacies. Not only do they have the best lollies and taffies, they also make fudges, chocolates and cookies. It's a one-stop location sure to fulfill any cravings, plus their range of decorative boxes are just too cute to resist and at only 4 Euros, they're perfect to carry home your spoils! If you're ever in Paris I definitely recommend going there for yourself. Till then, you can out their online shop here.

 + me +

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interior ideas: romantique canopies

I have always loved the idea of having a canopy bed... perhaps it's a girly thing but I find them so cosy and romantic. They would also be perfect in a bedroom with large windows and a lot of natural light seeping in. My husband worries that they might be a bit too feminine but I think that's not necessarily the case with the right linens and colors. Canopy beds could be quite minimalistic yet add a certain flair to an otherwise empty bedroom. What do you guys think of these gorgeous inspirations from marie claire maison?

+ marieclairemaison +

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an american thanksgiving in france

Some of you already know of my disappointment last week when I lamented on how the french don't celebrate Thanksgiving and how I would essentially be missing out on its food-related festivities. Well lo and behold, the Thanksgiving fairy must have heard my cries because she bestowed upon me an invitation from a lovely friend to join her and her friends for their own little turkey celebration here in Paris last weekend!! So please forgive me if these photos are a little late, but I would still love to show you some of the delicious food we enjoyed courtesy of two amazingly talented cooks.

 

+ me +

And now to share with you all what I'm thankful for this year. 1: A husband I love more and more each day 2: Parents who though may live far away, stay near and dear in my heart 3: A healthy adorable kitten who loves sleeping cuddled next to me 4: Lovely friends to share the good times as well as the bad times 5: And finally all my lovely blogger friends who encourage me with their kindness :)

I hope that all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving no matter where you are in the world and I wish you all a great holiday season to come! May it be filled with family, friends, warmth and love. 

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