SALAD STORIES #2

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Happy Tuesday birdies, 

Today, Hervé comes to teach us a wrapped salad lesson... yes, yes. hervé is one of the creator of La Chambre des Oiseaux, 48 rue Bichart 75010... For the ones who are following me a little, it is in this place that I shot the second chapter of Make my party " the lovers brunch "... And since then I tested the brunch and a great number of soy tchai tea lattes with a delicious carrot cake... It is very close from my place and every time I get confused in my hut, I go there watch people, send emails and take a break. And I'm not the only one but I love going there early, just after the opening when everything is setting up... It's a moment of grace, sort of, a moment of happiness where I feel like I have this place just for me. 

And, squatting the velvet chairs I met Hervé, he is such a kind and a sweet person, and he warmly welcomed me into his nano kitchen. I couldn't believe it, every thing is made into like two square meters. Okay, you have my respects, I will never complain again about having a  Smoby©-like kitchen.

When I asked Hervé to imagine his winter salad, he made me a completely yummy wrap with a small green salad and a home-made Jerusalem artichoke soup of course... I want more! I leave you with Hervé, I'm gonna make some tea...

 

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  • Hi Hervé, can you introduce yourself quickly ?

Quickly, it's going to be hard... Cooking, I'm into it from a really old age, or it might even be in my blood, my grand-father was a pastry chef and maybe it explains it... When I was a kid, my goal was to become the best cook of France... And while looking into it to I realized that "cooking contest" was really not for me. I like enjoying myself when I cook to treat other people, and it's without all the stress you can have within hospitality, I want to be able to cook as if I were home. And also I had another passion, still in the artistic field, for decoration. I had a general training in an art school and in the course of time I specialized in graphic design but I quickly felt bored doing it. So a little while later, after some experiences in catering but also travels and encounters, I had an opportunity to do what I like the most, decorating and cooking with La Chambre des Oiseaux.

  • What is your first culinary "Madeleine de Proust"?

I'm hesitating between the smell of a chocolate charlotte and corned beef hash, both cooked by myself. Because yeah, I always loved treating other people and especially my mother...

 

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  • You take care of yourself by eating well, when did it clicked for you ?

First of all, it was during my teenage years as a matter of look, and I quickly realized that is had direct consequences on my health and my well-being in general... A real realization through food. 

  • What is your favorite ingredient, the one you put everywhere not even thinking about it? 

Sugar! As well with lemon...

 

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  • What meal do you cook when you don't feel so good (that also works for the day after a party...)?

A ratatouille, or the famous corned beef hash it depends on the season.

  • What is your detox tips before and/or after the holidays?

Warm lemon juice, ideal for the hangover, and also a few essential oils here and there, it really perk you up, we tend to forget them but a few drops to inhale or to cook can change your day.

 

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  • Today, you work half of your time at La Chambre des Oiseaux, what do you do the rest of the time ?

I work on several new restaurant projects, I have an ongoing work about renovating a country house with a friend in 2014. But otherwise, lately I worked a lot on the setting of a new cocktails bar & restaurant " le Floyd ", from the creators of the Pink Flamingo. And if you're passing by the 17th district, go have a look at my latest construction work: the concept store Les cocottes en papier, 7 rue Fourcoy.

  

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December 03, 2013 — lisa gachet

SALAD STORIES #1

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Happy monday my littles kitties, 

Today, I wanted to have a little pre-holiday special week with a salad theme week... You know I'm capable of making a flowery theme week in the middle of autumn so a special "detox" and salad week in the middle of December is no big deal! "Detox" with quotation marks because the following recipes will not always be light but at least I hope they will make you want to eat well, to take care of yourselves and to quit frozen pizzas... 

So why this theme... Well because I love eating salads but when it comes to imagining them, there is nobody... I often mix together everything that is in my fridge, like some sort of salad free style artist. But there is always something missing or too much of it, I have to admit I'm not good at imagining a salad... But I don't admit complete defeat though, it'll come around, and I already learned a lot during these past weeks...

The fact remains that I wanted to set this special week a long time ago but it took a long time to make it because, yes you'll have guests every day this week, some friends I love, people I had a crush on, other who are passionate , they will all give you their own vision of the winter salad...

I'm thrilled to introduce you to Justine B., the first of "the good people" on the blog,  remember? Well I will leave you together

 

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  • Hi Justine, can you introduce yourself quickly ?

 Waiting to be retired and to spend my life wearing raining boots in the middle of my vegetable patch, I grow chives and mini peppers on my flat window side. I am more a dry sausage/red wine than a macaroon/champagne kind of girl, I hate the guy who decided there was to be only 3 meals a day and I have horror of mini macaronis.

  •  What is your first culinary "Madeleine de Proust"?

Honey toast on a Viennese bread baguette with a layer of butter, to eat with a freshly squeezed orange juice with extra brown sugar.

 

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  • You take care of yourself by eating well, when did it clicked for you?

I think it never really clicked, good food really runs in my family. I have a grand-father that thought me to enjoy eating well and the importance of choosing the good products ever since I was little. (He also thought me that you NEVER cut the roquefort horizontally and I take this opportunity to spread the word to the largest number of people). 

  • What is your favorite ingredient, the one you put everywhere not even thinking about it?

Olive oil, but not any kind! The one from a small Greek producer that comes around twice a year. I buy it 10L at a time and if I could, I'd drink directly from the bottle.

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  • What meal do you cook when you don't feel so good (that also works for the day after a party...)?

Though question, typically it is the one out of two situations where I cannot resist the song of the siren of junk food... Oups! (sorry grandpa)

  • What is your detox tips before and/or after the holidays?

A raclette ? ha ha ha 

 

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  • Today you work in advertisement with a devouring passion for treating people, when will you consider a career change?

Somewhere in a parallel word, another version of myself is cooking, a chef's hat glued onto her head. She doesn't know it yet but some day, I'll built a machine capable of opening the door to her word and I'll still her place. (Demoniac laugh).

 

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December 02, 2013 — lisa gachet

MY BALENCIAGA SCARF

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My kittens, here is my inspiration, a few years ago now I went into the Balenciaga store looking for a "kaffiyeh/jewelry"not to buy one really because something tells me it'd have been out of my student budget... But I wanted to see it closely to make my own (DIY addiction...). Well guess what? There was a 6-months waiting list to have one of these precious kaffiyeh... Okay, I don't panic, I know I'll make myself one someday... And life went on, I forget and the other day, I see again this picture from the autumn/winter 2007/2008 Balienciaga fashion show (Nicolas Ghesquière, come back!) and my heart jumps up, the feeling is still there, I tell myself it'd be easy to make a similar one, I only need a nice scarf. And it might even be a nice idea for a christmas present... Who knows ? The fact is that I offered this DIY for the second workshop with La Redouteand I think the girls liked it...

To make this DIY:

  • cost about 30 euros (scarf not included)
  • time about 2 or even 3 hours if you're not very focused...
  • difficulty "finger in the nose"...

 

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To make this DIY, you will need:

  • a 70 x 70 cm scarf, here it comes from La Redoute,
  • a kaffiyeh (brought from a trip in India... I know the color is incredible),
  • a strip of fringes of 50 cm,
  • a strip of eyelets of 140 cm, 
  • a roll of chain,
  • multicolors thread pompoms, small coins, rings, 
  • scissors, flat-nose pliers, bobbin and threads

 

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Start with placing the silk scarf on the back of the kaffiyeh and pin it gently. Then with your machine, sew the edges of both scarfs.

 

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Take the eyelets strip and put the chain into each eyelet, when they are all filled, distribute the length of the chain in other to make a regular rhythm. To block the chain at the right length, I advise you to sew a hand stitch between two eyelets with the thread and needle.

 

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Pin the eyelets strip on the scarves, fix the top of the strip and sew the lot with your machine. The eyelets strip doesn't go around the kaffiyeh but only goes on two width, which makes a right angle. Then when you fold the scarf, you will only see the "jewelry part".

 

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Now pin the fringes strip on the tip of your scarf, and as in the previous step, sew it with your machine but on the bottom part of the eyelets strip this time.

 

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Now, let's get to my favorite part, the hanging of the drop beads... Here they are thread pompoms and small coins found in China town (Jacky Perles, 33 rue de Pastourelle 75003). Prepare little bunches of pompoms, coins, little figurines or other medals and souvenirs.

 

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With your flat nose pliers, open the rings, hang your jujus on the chain and TA-DA!

And for the curious, I'm wearing a Zara trench coat, an old H&M beret hat and the ZUKI nailmatic nail polish...

 

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November 30, 2013 — lisa gachet

MY OFFICE[:]

My kitties, 

It's about time I write this article, really, because if things go well I will have an office far from my home in 2014 and that is a great new because I have to say that there are some days where I don't go out and I find it a little scary. In the meantime, to make the "I have to work at home" task a little bit more fun, I rearranged a room just for me where it's nice to be and work. I meet myself there every morning at 9.30 and that's where I can "torpedo" the space. Before that I didn't really have a room for myself, I'd spread into the living room, the lobby and even the bedroom, it was my way of marking territory. I'm kind of a tornado, I "vandalize" the space I'm in. When said like that it can be scary but I'm sure you see what kind of person I can be... So since I started my own business, I was lucky enough to be able to " lemonadize " a room of my little home. Let me show you...

 

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Living with an unconditional of uncluttered lines and white walls, I wanted my "office" to look a little bit more like me, and I think that year after year, yellow and pink are the colors that made a prominent place into the list of my desire. I find them daring and fresh as a decoration choice, completely unexpected and yet awesome. I remember a while ago I found the Broken Arm store and in the basement, they have a yellow mustard carpet, that is just perfect (not easy to keep clean but so beautiful). So it's quite naturally that I chose this pink (Calamine) and yellow (Babouche) from Farrow & Ball for the most curious of you. On this image you can also see the first two boxes of the designer boxI highly recommend it, I found the concept ingenious and original for the design lovers on a budget. No need to take a subscription, you can buy your box one by one and even see them in real currently at the Bon Marché... And besides the signed object you have inside, I am fan of the packaging in which I store all my inks and other paints...

 

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Little detail on the wall, swallows found at the Pop Market 50 rue Bichat in le 10th district, Jielde vintage light and paper lantern available on Alix's awesome website Sous le lampion. Other close-up of my shelves with the most beautiful yellow butterfly given to me for my 25th birthday by my sweet Lili.

 

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Here is the "inspiration" corner, it is quite the place where I curl up in the morning to do my pinterest round and my daily reading of blogs and other websites, where I drink my tea while scratching the belly of Frida the cat... I fell in love for this chair, I found it sublime, I loved it at first sight, at first click even. "Click" because it comes from the website Made.com, concept founded in London by 3 design passionates that wanted to generalize beautiful and Creative furniture, with a capital C to the most people. So they cut off expenses and intermediaries between designers and consumer. The delivery takes a little bit more time than usual because the website gather the orders together before sending the production. But it's worth the wait! It's so beautiful!

The covering up a piece of furniture with cork scale DIY will be around here very soon...

 

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My inspiration wall... I guess you've seen this view on Pinterest a great number of time and I dreamed about it when I went to NY I brought clipboard from Staples at 0,90$ each, it would have been stupid to go without them and I screw them to the wall... Another detail, my pile of sweet magazines Milk and Muteen from another time, that help supporting my shelf (ah resourcefulness!)... And stuck up there, a little picture of myself at 1, in order not to forget who I am and where I come from...

 

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On my shelf, there are my favorite Japanese pattern and image books, a collection of objects I love, my Néroli fragrance from Annick Goutal, my little inuit doll that watches me, beautiful lemon Leone sweets...

 

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My tireless Janome sewing machine once again on top of a little Formica furniture found at Emmaüs. My homemade pencil cup made out of indian metallic glasses and a long rubber band that is normally used to close the designer box. Miu miu heels drawings from Kris Atomicceramic cactus from Fleux and an old in-store advertising from the old shirt brand Verte Vallée given to me by My Sophie from Couleur Salée.

 

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Detail of my inspiration wall, " Us " the cats made by me, flowers given to me by the delicious Karuna Balloo.

 

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And here is a last picture, will you be able to find the cat that squat my sweet chair Made.com? Little zoom on my post calendar (yes, I know what I am going to talk to you about 1 month in advance... and if you see the brow picture I have work!), my Ipad with my electronic diary and my Moleskine because we never know... Just so you know, I did a huge cleaning before taking these pictures because on my everyday life, the lemonade studio is more like a war scene...

  

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November 27, 2013 — lisa gachet

3 ways of wearing... THE TUXEDO

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Happy Tuesday birdies, 

There are some times where I feel frustrated, where I'd like to do "more" on this blog in order to make it a kind of guide of original looks. Well, guide is a strong word because I'm not the master of the good taste nor free for making a "fashion faux pas". It happens, but let's relax it remains clothes, we take them off and keep looking. And it's also my job to be a stylist, and also quite the goal of a fashion blog, don't you think ? Okay, this website is not just that but sometimes I wish I had a collection of great looks to re-use when I buy a beautiful piece of clothes, a good basic, and I feel like it might also be your case.

I talked about that to my friend Charlotte Ethe photographer of Make my party (but not only!). We thought it'd be cool to image a collection of animated gifs to keep into our computer, a scan of an outfit to re-use... A new look section, different from the famous happy friday one. This will be a monthly rendez-vous here. So don't hesitate to tell me about your look desires. Today, we're going to talk about the tuxedo, next month the perfecto and then, what would you want to see?

 

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Look #1: The classic... I'm wearing a pants and jacket Comptoir des cotonniers tuxedo, a blouse with a shirt collar COS with a grosgrain knot tie, it simply is a silk ribbon found at the Shindo notions store. A little cat bag that you can DIY from hereGeorgia Rose shoes, a Pauline Dröm head band. 

 

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Look #2: The boyish... I'm wearing a pants and jacket Comptoir des cotonniers tuxedo, a classical denim shirt Asosa vintage hat but you can find a similar one herean Erotokritos "home" bag in which I keep my whole life and a Topshop necklace, and also Georgia Rose shoes that I customized via this DIY...

 

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Look #3: The casual... I'm wearing a pants and jacket Comptoir des cotonniers tuxedo, a blouse with a "Pierrot" collar & Other Storiesa grey sweatshirt Asosa Make My Lemonade bag that will be available soon (haaaaa), and Sonia Rykiel shoes, a Next hat and Reine Rosalie earrings.

November 26, 2013 — lisa gachet

HOMEMADE GRANOLA

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Happy icy Monday kittens, 

I hope you had a great weekend... Mine was quite good, I took care of my sweet man, I planned my week and I did some secondhand shopping: a nice little weekend. Since a little while I realized that taking a few hours to plan my week is really good. I'm not planning my days to the hour but you know, it's more like what do we eat? how do we cook it? where do we find it? Oh okay, at the same place than my professional meeting on next wednesday... that kind of things.

Taking the time to eat well, to think of new savors and stopping wasting food because I'm to lazy to peel sweet potatoes to make a homemade mash at 10 p.m... Well, I'm trying to find a way to eat better. I realize that some evenings, I am motivated and disposed to COOK, and not just putting some rice into the rice cooker. So these evenings I make the most of it, I plan, I "tupperware", I freeze things. During these evenings, I anticipate for the ones with high laziness. Well, you should know that at the end of the day, it is very good for your wallet and your calorific check... To make it short, I'm just like you, some evenings I have no motivation but my solution is to rationalize it...

 

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And I apply this technique very well regarding the breakfast mission. As much as I can eat a soup for dinner, the idea of eating 4 corn flakes from breakfast isn't so appealing... So since a little while I'm making pancake batter that I store for a few days in a bottle. Once in my pan, I add bananas and a few almonds: so with 2 pancakes, a tea and a fruit, my day can start. And, a mission that so far seemed unachievable: I made my own homemade granola. Yeah, very Gwyneth Paltrow like but it gives me an alternative to pancake for the rest of the week, and you know what? Making granola is finger in the nose, even with my student oven...

 

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So without further ado here is the recipe of an organic vegan breakfast please, so you can start your day off on both feet:

To make the homemade granola you will need:

  • 150 g of raw millet, 
  • 150g of oat, 
  • 40g of blanched almonds, 
  • 40g of hazelnuts, 
  • 50g of squash seeds, 
  • 50g of sunflower seeds,
  • 40g of flaxseeds, a few pine nuts and other seeds that you might think of...
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 
  • do not forget your binder, the agave syrup, here 50 g, and 8 cl of water.

 

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Before doing anything, pre heat your oven at 180°C, and cover your baking tray with baking paper. In a mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix well. Then add the water and the agave syrup, mix, the ingredients must stick to each other, that's okay. Spread the mix on the baking tray in a uniform layer. Bake for 40 minutes, don't hesitate to stir every 10 minutes. Then let it cool completely before placing it into an air proof box. 

Then, let's get to the other part of the recipe: cinnamon and almond ice-cream... To make it you will need:

  • 3 egg yolks, 
  • 80g of brown sugar, 
  • 25cl of almond milk,
  • 20 cl of almond cooking cream (available in organic stores)
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and one teaspoon of vanilla extract.

In a mixing bowl, put the sugar, the cinnamon and the egg yolks, whip until it gets blanched. In another mixing bowl, mix the almond milk, the cream and the vanilla, and add it to the other mixture. Pour the lot into a sauce pan on a low heat in order for it to thicken, never stop stirring. The cream must coat the spoon. Let the mixing cool down completely by putting it on the side of your window, it shouldn't take too much time... Then put it into your ice-cream maker for 15 minutes.

To make the setting into a small bowl: put 3 tablespoons of soy yogurt, a handful of homemade granola, a scope of almond and cinnamon ice-cream and add some agave syrup on top! Enjoy!

 

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November 25, 2013 — lisa gachet

MY friends the sequins[:]

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Happy Sunday my butter-biscuits, 

A very easy DIY today but that is always a success, and rare thing, I literally want to make it on every of my dull sweatshirts in order to give them some new energy...

When I say it is "always a success" that is because I wore it several times and every time somebody says something nice about it. I even got the "Wouah (optional), who made this awesome sweatshirt?" Yeah, nothing less, and it came from my hard-to-impress boyfriend.

This DIY is from the first workshop with ASOSit was very successful, I loved seeing the girls stupefied with the fact that embroidery was so easy... Like when you take the training wheels off of your bike... This is it, you are embroidering!

So yes this week you had two DIYs... Well, I have a good new, so is next week... One of them will be a little harder, the new creation of the lemonade studio (in all simplicity). My chestnuts, it's time for you to make something out of your 10 fingers for your Christmas presents... 

About this DIY: 

  • Cost about 10 euros (sweatshirt not included)
  • time about 1hour, make it 2h if you're not very focused...
  • Difficulty "no need to be an expert

 

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 To make this DIY you will need:

  • a sweatshirt, here it comes from Asosthe material, neoprene, is awesome and the collar is sexy (which is an important plus when it comes to sweatshirt)...
  • large sequins with an off-center hole on the edge, 
  • classical small sequins with a centered hole, 
  • seed beads,
  • thread matching the color of the sweatshirt and a fine needle, and a pair of scissors.

  

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Take every large sequins and fold them in half, the fold must be on the hole. So far so good... Don't hesitate to choose at least 3 different colors. Here I chose black, white and silver but have fun mixing unlikely colors on a grey or black sweatshirt...

 

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Then place your sequins on the sweatshirt around the collar, like a kind of necklace. To remember their location in case you want to give them a particular shape, take a picture with your phone.


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Thread the fine needle, make a knot at the end of the thread, sew the inside of the sweatshirt toward the outside, I'd advise you to start embroidering from one side to the other shoulder. Start threading the first sequin onto your needle and sew again at the same place where your thread came out.

 

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Keep going this way and don't hesitate to put the sequins close from each other, it will give your sweatshirt a full and multiple touche which is very "couture". Then embroider the small sequins, very easy: choose the location, sew the thread and needle to the outside, thread the sequin and a seed bead, then re-thread into the sequin's hole, and sew again at the same place where your thread came out.

 

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Don't hesitate to add little sequin everywhere and quite away from your collar, as if the necklace was broken and had lost its beads everywhere around. I'm all metaphor today...

 

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To finish your embroideries you'll make little double knots of course. And don't wait to be short in thread to make the knots! And TA-DA! Have fun!


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I'm wearing an Americain Apparel hat, customized with a piece of veil from Molineyou can find many DIYs on the web to help you make it. The famous Asos neoprene sweatshirt, a Scott perfecto available on UncleJean. And a Nailmatic nail polish "KURT". Here you go, you know everything!

[:]
November 24, 2013 — lisa gachet

HAPPY FRIDAY #49

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Happy friday my cats!

I'm full of energy, in a great shape, with a bunch of ideas and in a very good mood, isn't it great? I'm receiving dozen of emails asking me if there will be a workshop in november, unfortunately there won't because: I don't have time to organize it, I have loads of work and, I'm not complaining but it's quite a work to organize those workshops, and since I don't want to rush anything, I'd rather postpone it and make two of them in December!

A " free " workshop with Uniqlo, free because I will allow you to win 5 tickets and 5 other tickets will be to win on Uniqlo's Facebook page, but don't worry I'll talk about that when time comes. December is going to be crazy on Make my lemonade, you'll see!

And there will be another workshop by the end of December, a "normal" one. If you don't want to miss anything, I'll tell the time and date of the putting online of the workshops in the blog newsletter, a newsletter that will smell good lemon and will not invade your mailbox, just once a month I promise!

 

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Today I'd like to talk to you about jeans. I don't bring them here very often, I don't like them, I never find a pair that fits, I feel uncomfortable and I make up complex when it comes to them, actually I don't like trying them on. I feel squeezed into, pressed and completely annoyed after trying on two of them, I want to rip them off and to run away. I'm kind of jeanophobic. I have to admit I'm no Gisele Bündchen nor Kate Moss, as most of living people you'd say... A few months ago, I gave up on skinny jeans, because once I was fitted into them I felt like I was only wearing tights, hence, completely naked... But I'm okay. I gave up on low waist jeans, it was making me look like I had 20-cm-legs. I gave up on high waist jeans, avoiding looking like I had two muffins above my waist. I gave up on boyfriend jeans, I quickly looked like I was 14 and listening to SUM 41.

Yeah, my life is hard, I know. And then, the other day, I gave up and asked for help. The lovely saleswoman from Topshop, Sophie gave me the Graal, the MUM. Alleluia.

 

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Yeah, the MUM, literally the mum's pair of jeans, this is the right picture. High waisted but not too high, a long crotch (it lengthen your legs of at least 20 cm), and a perfect regular cut that doesn't "hug" anything but that is not boyfriend either, and little important bonus: the ankles are slightly narrowed, if you fold it down a little you'll look like a kid. This is a declaration of love to my pair of MUM jeans. And here I am, making you the perfect look (to me anyway): Baby's look in Dirty Dancing.

 

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I'm wearing a pair of MUM jeans from Topshopa silk shirt and socks from Joe Fresh, you can find similar ones herea Primark jacket (I'm being told that Primark is arriving In Marseille, let's pack people), in meantime you can find a similar there. A beautiful pin made by Karuna Balloo. And a Sézane pair of heels, incredibly eighties. 

Rendez-vous during the weekend for an easy DIY, yes two DIYs this week, I told you it was going to be Christmas around here...

November 22, 2013 — lisa gachet

ADVENT CALENDAR DIY[:]

make-my-lemonade-christmas-calendar

 

My sweethearts, 

I am so happy to introduce you to this DIY... Let me tell you the whole story, I love telling you stories. Last August I was all happy and everything to talk about a great place to eat Jules and Shim and a little DIY, remember? Following this post, Faith the creator of Aphinitea, supplier of the famous take away flower/boxes of the restaurant, contacts me to tell me she is delighted that I like her work but it'd be great if I could share her name and website. That I did immediately, along with taking the template of the box off of my blog because I'm saying it one more time I do not want the business of this Philippine enterprise to suffer, this is an ethic I talk about regularly around here. Email after email, I offer Faith to make a partnership: what if we make a kit to build an advent calendar together? I'd supply colors, sizes, user instructions, stickers' templates and Faith would be in charge of the making process. Banco. We talk about it over dozen of email and we agree on pantone colors, the whole thing in english, I was so proud of myself for making it safely in another language!

So today I'm offering you to go on Faith's website: Aphiniteato buy this 24 boxes kit:

  • 9 little pink boxes, 
  • 10 medium yellow boxes, 
  • 5 big white boxes, for a cost of 29,50€ (shipping fees not included from the Philippines)

IMPORTANT EDIT: DHL shipping fees: 11 euros to France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Monaco, England, Finland and Luxembourg. And 14,8 euros to the rest of the world. 

Then, download the stickers (two sizes) to print on sticker sheets HERE

And rendez-vous at the next paragraph to follow the steps. And to tell you everyhting, things went perfectly well, except that on the 8th of November, the Haiyan Typhoon devastated the Philippines. That's why I've decided today to give up the commission I was supposed to get on these kits and to give it to the Red Cross in order to help the victims. So on top of getting a wonderful advent calendar, you'd be doing a goo deed... Hugs and kisses!

 

make-my-lemonade-step-by-step-1

To make this DIY:

  • Cost about 35 euros (glue gun not included)
  • Time about 1h30, you can call your kids to help with the stickers cutting...
  • Difficulty: finger in the nose...

You will need:

 

  • the boxes kit from Aphiniteas website,
  • to download the stickers and the " BE PATIENT " to trace HERE,
  • sticker sheet, one bristol paper sheet and one tracing paper sheet, 
  • a 50 x 65 cm foam board and a colored craft paper sheet of the same dimensions, 
  • a glue gun and a few cartridges, 
  • black and white Posca, 
  • a pair of scissors and small chocolates and other gifts to put into your 24 boxes.

 

 

make-my-lemonade-step-by-step-2

 

To start with, customize your boxes with the Posca, polka dots, hearts, triangles, confetti, have fun and be careful to let it dry before filling your boxes with treasures. 

 

make-my-lemonade-step-by-step-3

 

To close the boxes, it is very easy. They all are pre-formed so all the edges are marked, you only have to gather the petals toward the center and everything will be just fine.

 

make-my-lemonade-step-by-step-4

 

While your boxes are drying, let's get to the stickers cutting. I'd advise to print them on bristol paper and to stick it to an A4 sticker sheet, so your stickers will be thicker and less transparent.

 

make-my-lemonade-step-by-step-5

 

To close your boxes, remove the protection and gently put the number on top of the center of the box. But don't forget to fill your boxes before doing that!

 

make-my-lemonade-step-by-step-6

 

When I was making this DIY I realized it would be awesome to hang these littles boxes on your christmas tree rather than sticking them to a foam board. So if you decide to go with it, exit the #4 point of the supply list and replace it with nylon thread and a needle. Pin the needle in the box height-wise, thread the nylon into the hole once, and twice. Then make a knot or two.

 

make-my-lemonade-step-by-step-7

 

Then close the box, after putting lovely things into it. Stick your number and hang it into your christmas tree.

 

make-my-lemonade-step-by-step-8

 

If you choose to go with the wall version, trace the " BE PATIENT " in the right bottom corner of your colored craft paper sheet that you previously sticked onto your foam board.

 

make-my-lemonade-step-by-step-9

 

Fill the "BE PATIENT" with a thin black felt pen and leave it to dry. You can erase the possible pencil marks later. Then put your boxes on your board, try to put the different colors and sizes harmoniously and be careful not to close them up to one another otherwise you will have a hard time opening them...

 

make-my-lemonade-step-by-step-10

 

Plug the glue gun and when it's hot, put a drop of glue on each of the make my lemonade and the Aphinitea logos (we thought about everything).

 

make-my-lemonade-step-by-step-11

 

Without wasting time glue your box to you board, wherever you choose it to be. When all your boxes are glued, you can think of erasing the possible pencil marks around the "BE PATIENT".

 

make-my-lemonade-christmas-calendar1

 

And TA-DA! Then, to open your boxes, you simply have to gently peel off the number and to get your present! Today, I'm presenting you an advent calendar or a christmas tree decoration but since I'm not a big fan of the red and green colors, I chose fresh colors that could be useful for other occasions such as decorating an office for instance... But also if can be a kit of boxes to wrap your presents, you are the one choosing what you want to do with them...

LOVE.

 make-my-lemonade-step-by-step-12

[:]
November 20, 2013 — lisa gachet

MANGO AND STICKY RICE

make-my-lemonade-mango-riz-gluant2

 

Happy Monday my chestnuts! 

I think it's safe to say that this it is, winter is here and it's really cold outside, my tiny down jacket is in place under my coat and my iphone doesn't work anymore because of my freezing fingers. But the good news is, yes there is one! You have to look for the bright side of things, exotic fruits are out, they invaded the shelves of your favorite local grocery store so, in order to put some sunshine in your mouth and to try to extend my holidays in Thailand (I'm telling you all about it in a few weeks, I promise!) here are the mango with coconut milk and sticky rice 2.0... This recipe is ultra easy, 10 minutes tops, perfect if you're looking for an improvised desert or an improved snack, or even for a greedy breakfast. Plug in your rice cooker, turn the heat on and tropics land on your 3 square meters kitchen.

 

make-my-lemonade-mango-rice-glutinous

  

To make this "mango and sticky rice" for 4 people you will need:

  • 170g of sticky rice,
  • 20 cl of water,
  • 20 cl of coconut milk,
  • 3 teaspoon of superfine sugar, 
  • 2 little mangos, 
  • 1 thin pastry sheet, 
  • mango ice cream, 
  • and for the decoration, mint and mango coulis...

 

make-my-lemonade-mango-rice-sticky2

 

First of all, take your rice cooker and put the coconut milk, the water, the rice and the sugar. Stir a little and start the machine: zero difficulty but a lot of fun, you'll see. While your rice is cooking, peal the mangos and cut them into little pieces in order to make a kind of fruit tartare, then store in the fridge. Now, let's get to the crunchy part of your desert, take a round cookie cutter (that you will also use for setting) and cut circles into the pastry sheet, you need to make two for one person. Once your pastry sheet circles done, put them on your baking tray covered with baking paper. Bake at 180°C under the grill for 2 minutes tops. Take the pastry sheets out and leave them to cool. 

You should normally hear the rice cooker bell, take your plates and plate up your deserts with the round cookie cutter. Start with stuffing the cookie cutter with sticky rice, press it well then gently put a pastry sheet circle on top, then put your mango tartare, then another pastry sheet circle, and make a scoop of ice-cream and put it on top. It can be passion fruit, mango or even lemon ice cream, and if it's home-made it's even better, otherwise I'm sure you find some very fine brands that'd do it... And enjoy!

 

make-my-lemonade-mango-rice-sticky

 

Oh and the I-made-a-desert-in-less-than-3-minutes-but-I-show-off-as-if-I-was-a-Michelin-starred-chef tip: fill a syringe (found at the drugstore, with no needle you know...) with mango coulis and make tiny tiny dots in your plate, add a few mint leaves and you can star in a cooking show. Sweet kisses. 

 

November 18, 2013 — lisa gachet

HAPPY FRIDAY #48

 

PORTRAIT

 

Happy Friday my birds!

The week flew at a rate of knots, I decided I definitively needed an extra day per week, one between Friday and Saturday that we'd call "Friturday", where we could finish all the stud we didn't have time to do during the week. The kind of day specially made to cross every items off of our "TO DO LIST". If I ever ran for President, I'd put that into my programme and France would become "the lemon world"... Okay, I stop now.

So, as you can see, the happy friday formula is changing, little gifs because I love them, and little focus on some items because you are numerous to ask me for zooms on details... And also because I want some changes lately and I want to try new things! So thank you to ma Charlotte for following me into my fridays' experiments... I'm making you little surprises, to you users of this blog, and also lots of crazy stuff for the holidays! I hope you'll like it! Happy Friday, my birds,

 

 

happy-friday-asos-billabong-moncollierprenom-makemylemonade

 

So today for this very 80's look, I'm wearing a dress from Asosa vintage jean jacket, but you can find quite the same here, Etam tights, Georgia Rose flat ballerinas and my little love necklaces: the beautiful Stella and Dot openwork moon and the golden " Lemonade " necklace that I made on " ". my first name necklace ", there is no need to say that I never stop wearing it! And I almost forgot, I have on the top of my head a vintage hat from New York on which I pinned a pair of JATULI earrings found at the design forum in Helsinki.

 


happy-friday-asos-billabong-moncollierprenom

 

I think that when you wear a very tight and sexy dress like this one, you really have to "undramatize" the I-am-making-you-loose-sight-with-my-very-fitted-anatomy and play the accessorizes card, a man's hat, flat shoes, fun tights, in order to make the outfit more casual... Speaking of fun tights Etam is launching a huge contest. Post a picture of your most creative "entighten" legs on Instagram with the hashtag #joliesjambesbyetam and try to win a trip for two people to NY! And cherry on the pink ballerina shoe, I'm a member of the jury who will draw the winners.

 

happy-friday-sarenza-etam

November 08, 2013 — lisa gachet

MY BOW SHOES

chloe-eratz

 

Happy DIY day my kitties,

You know how there are some things that you dream about knowing you'd never be able to afford them, or even if you could you'd never dare wearing them. Because you'd be too afraid to damage them or you wouldn't be comfortable wearing the GDP of a developing country on your feet... Oh yeah! I'm sure you know what I'm talking about , I already told you about it here... Well it is quite the same thing than with the Isabel Marant's fringes boots... I had a crush on these strass knots Chloé shoes. But not only are they unaffordable for ordinary people, they are sold out everywhere because those ladies are starting to be a hold hand. I find them amazing, they were coming as heels or flat ballerinas and it was a tough choice to decide which one to make for this DIY but I thought heels would be more flattering, I was afraid of the "party sausage kind of look" with the flat version. Saying no more, here are the steps to make your own Chloé like pair of heels. Happy DIY day kittens,

To make this DIY:

- it will cost you about 30 euros (shoes not included)

- it will take about 2 hours, count 3h if you're not very focused...

- difficulty wise: no need to be an expert...

 

step1

 

To make this DIY, you will need:

  • heels of course, these are Georgia Rose's!
  • rhinestone ribbon like this one, with small rhinestones on a black background,
  • 2 sheets of thin felt,
  • 4 little press studs,
  • 8 large round strass,
  • 4 meters of 2 cm wide and 80 cm of 1 cm wide black imitation suede ribbon found at Shindo's (you'll have 20% off if you say you come from me)  
  • black string and a leacher needle,
  • 40 cm of wire or sheath.

 

step2

 

First of all, cut 8 rectangles of strass ribbon of 8 cm x 4 cm, and do the same with the black imitation suede. Then, only using the strass ribbon, cut 8 small rectangles of 5 cm x 1 cm. Place the strass ribbon on top of the imitation suede.

 

step3

 

Take the leather needle and the black string and purse the middle of the rectangle in order to make a bow, fix it by making several hand-made stitches. Then put the smaller rectangle on your stitches in order to hide them.

 

step4

 

Fix the small rectangle with the leather needle and the black string in order to make a small ring. And here you are with a lovely little bow.



step5

 

Then take the 1 cm wide imitation suede and cut it into 8 pieces of 10 cm. Make a ring and fix the center to close it. Then with a little extra suede make a ring around the center of this leap.

 

step6

 

Still using the string and the needle, fix this new imitation suede bow and sew a large strass on top of it. Then fie the little black bow on top of the strass bow. It starts to look like something, isn't it?

 

step7

 

Then cut 4 stripes of imitation suede: one of 26 cm for the upright position, one of 27 cm (my calf size, adjust the length according to yours), one of 24 cm (my ankle size) and one of 16 cm (the instep). Lay the upright ribbon on a table, then place the " calf ribbon " at the very top of it, perpendicularly. Place the " ankle ribbon " about 8 cm lower, and then the " instep ribbon " 8 cm lower, still perpendicularly. Pin these spots, being careful to place them very perpendicularly, I insist on that because if it's not straight it can easily look very cheap. Then sew the ribbons with your machine making little squares or crosses.

 

step8

 

Then, on each intersection hand sew the bows. Congratulations, you've made the biggest part!

 

step9

 

Then hand sew the ribbon to the middle of the shoe opening, very firmly. The leather needle and the string will considerably help you but don't hesitate to use a thimble for this step.

 

step10

 

Then sew the "instep part" on to the shoe, provide for 1 extra cm. This part needs to be really tights on the foot because imitation suede loosen itself a little, do not worry if you have to force (a little bit!) when you put on your shoes. Then take 17 cm of the 2 cm ribbon, fold it into two height wise and sew a tight stitch on the edge with your machine.

 

step11

 

Cut 16,5 cm of wire and slide it through your imitation suede tube. Close your tube either with your machine or by hand, in order to avoid the wire to go away. Firmly fix the rod on the middle of your shoe's heel.

 

step12

 

At the top of your rod, fix the end of your "calf ribbon", still very firmly. When I say " firmly " I still mean gracefully, no big thread blotch... I know you.

 

step13

 

Now take the stud buttons and fix the female part onto the back of the rod, sandwiching the wire rod and the " calf ribbon ".

 

step14

 

Do the same thing with the " ankle ribbon " and sew one end onto the rob, about 1,5 cm above the heel. Then add the stud buttons and TA-DA! Start over with the other shoe and let's show off a little...

 

ersatz-chloe-diy

 

I'm wearing a light pink Marionnaud nail polish, very opaque, and tights from Etam!

[:]
November 07, 2013 — lisa gachet