Thank you for your fab comments about the window display! It means alot when I get such great feedback from you about my work.

As promised, here is a look at the behind the scenes of making the window display. It took me about 4 weeks from beginning to end, and for the last week and a half French Boy and I have been dodging this giant cardboard eiffel tower which was taking up alot of room here in le petit bateau. The boat is still in disarray – with cardboard piles here and there, paint jars, and brushes lying around, tape, glue and craft paper on the piano, table, daybed and floor…

So, here is how it started:

A couple of months or so ago, my publisher contacted me to let me know that WHSmith bookstore in Paris was interested in hosting an event of sorts for my book. I decided upon a window display as I love making things as you know, and I love to express myself through something creative. So, off to work I went, sketching, making notes, brainstorming ideas. I thought about Paris icons and decided the Eiffel Tower would be great inspiration for my window. Here is the sketch I made which became my chosen display…

I had been to the WHSmith store a number of times over the years (it was an institution when I was living there -the place to get my English fix as they have a fab collection of magazines, DVD’s, classics, and interior and photographic books) so I knew the windows rather well. I put together a moodboard of inspiration with the window in mind…

(Click here to read more…)

… ta-dah!!!

A special window dressing at the Parisian English bookshop, WHSmith! The window will be up for the whole month of August, in celebration of my book Paris: Made By Hand…

The bookstore is on the corner of the very famous rue de rivoli and rue cambon – right across the road from the gorgeous jardin des tuileries and a short stroll to le louvre.

Do you like it? Oh, oh, I do hope so. I wanted it to be something really special. It was alot of work, alot of fun, and I was able to document parts of the ‘making of’ for you as I know how much you love to see the behind-the-scenes. I am going to show and tell all in the next post. For now, here is my window creation! If you are in Paris, please do stop by to check it out in person…

…and I am on my way back to mon petit bateau: weary, inspired, content. Right now the train is passing through the beautiful Belgian countryside. I captured its moonlit beauty for you just a moment ago.

And did I mention I’m weary? Oh, I am.

I took lots of photos – not just of my little creation but of course, Paris too. I can’t wait to share my work with you. But I hope you can wait one more day. Sleep beckons. Dreams await.

… and a clue: it has something to do with the book.

I will show + tell all next week. Happy weekend mes cher amis. Be as free as you can be… eat blueberries, smile, and laugh. These are all good things for the soul.

Thanks for all the fun this week, I hope you’ve had fun too.

I was wrapped when deputy editor Natalie Walton (who also writes the fab daily imprint blog) of Real Living magazine told me recently that my little book was featured in their ‘fave finds’ section of the august issue which is out now! wowsers. I never expected the book to get so much attention. It’s just a little book, after all.

Thank you Real Living!