looking back on london: part 1

Oh, London... I miss you so. I can't wait to go back and it already feels like it's been too long. Here are some of the hundreds of photos I took during my Winter Holiday across the Chunnel. It feels like January has flown by so fast and has given me enough reason to look at these photos and reminisce. We had a lovely time strolling the empty streets during Christmas Day, shopping the Boxing Day sales and of course experiencing Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. We stayed in the same hotel as last time, which is perfectly located right next to Victoria Station.

I don't know why, but I'm started to prefer the UK to France and the hubby and I have been thinking of relocating there perhaps some time in the future. Maybe it's just the convenience of language, or the accent,  or the nightlife, the shopping and the amazing pub food... all I know is that London holds a dear place in my heart ♥.

oh I hope to... 

 ♥♥♥

flickr finds: stefany alves

I've been quite terrible about keeping up the blog posts lately... In a nutshell it has been a lot of fashion-related work, friends coming and going and a lot of catching up on lost sleep. Good news, I've already made progress on my 123 list, so I'm pretty happy about that. So to get back into blogging mood, I wanted to share some gorgeous photographs from the lovely, Stefany Alves. At only 19, her amazing work is always soft, with a focus on tea, kittens and braids. Visit her flickr or her blog to see more of her work.

  + flickr londonoway +

♥♥♥

artist ave: sandra juto's creative creations

Swedish artist/illustrator/photographer Sandra Juto uses various forms of media to express her creativity and I must say, she does so oh-so well. She blends her hand-drawings into digital form seamlessly creating illustrations that are adorable and quirkily old-fashioned, which reminds me of illustrations in children's books when I was growing up. I would be honored to decorate my walls with prints of her work.

Aside from these cute and colorful characters (say that three times fast), she also takes stunning photographs which she showcases on her blog and knits the most adorable, anatomically correct plushies and wristworms! Check out her shop or her blog to be further inspired.

And a bonus, look how adorable these little fellas are:

+ via sandrajuto +

♥♥♥

mail love: sunny california

I've always been a great fan of mail swaps and care packages ever since I was introduced to it by a fellow blogger friend from Australia. Since then I decided to reach out and try to do more swaps with more people from all over! Here's the first one I've done for this blog from the beginning of the month with a lovely lass named Stephanie! 

It was such a joy swapping with someone from California since I grew up there and she made sure to include some candies that I haven't had in years! Thanks so much dear and I look forward to swapping with you again :) Here's some photos of the goodies she sent me! You can also check out this post of hers to see photos of what I sent her. 

 A beautiful hand-written letter

 I love little notebooks, and these two are just too adorable!

 This one had so many unique designs for every page, perfect for a paper junkie like me :)

A pretty blue box to hold pretty things in

A copy of InStyle that's hard to find in France

Three little fine tip pens, I've been using them so much

 I have had such cravings for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups! I miss American candy so much

 

I love this gorgeous little paper weight heart

Such lovely packaging!

A necklace from her Etsy store. I love the bicycle pendant! I wish I could make necklaces like these too :)

And lastly, I love this porcelain jar with a little bird on top! Now it's holding my heart shaped sugar cubes

Thanks again dearie!

 ♥♥♥

a dreamlike bridal fantasy

I was browsing through my daily inspirational sites and going through the posts I missed over the holidays when I spotted this gem of an editorial that was in Bride Magazine last month. I just can't get over the fairytale gorgeousness of these photos - if my blog could have a visual anthem, it would be this. I'm still reeling from the sheer perfection of the editorial as it transports me to such a magical, fantasy world where girls frolic in wedding dresses all day surround by woodland creatures. I hope I'm not boring you since these have pretty much been everywhere, but I just couldn't resist!

+ fashiongonerogue +

Model: Valerya

Stylist: Rachel Leonard

Photographer: Amber Gray

Bride Magazine December 2010

♥♥♥

broadway in paris

Is it wrong to still feel in the Christmas mode? I can't believe it's over, and with the hecticness of it all, I haven't even been able to share these photos with you until now. Here's the long-overdue photos of Galerie Lafayette's Christmas window display, this year's theme was Broadway musicals! Adorable toys and teddy bears brought to life were singing and dancing for the whole month of December. They haven't taken them down yet but I'm sure I won't be the only one sad when they do. Coming up, photos from my holiday trip to London!

 And lastly, a lovely shot of the French musical, Le Soldat Rose.

 

♥♥♥

fav photographer: mads mogensen

I know I've been neglecting this little blog of mine but I think I've finally settled all the ''beginning of the year'' madness and am ready to get back to posting! To start off, here's some gorgeous imagery by the talented Mads Mogensen, who together with his stylist wife, Martina Hunglinger, have already had their work featured in magazines such as Elle Decor & à la Carte, Vogue Apartments, Residence and many more. Not only does he take stunning photos of interiors, he also captures mouth-watering food-o-graphs as well. I especially love the red/pink tones in these and I hope you all like them too! Do check out his site for more eye candy.

 + madsmogensen +

♥♥♥