MAKE MY PARTY

mon-bebe

 

My chestnuts, it's on the verge of tears, with tremolo in my voice that I'm talking to you today... Please read this post while listening to this song... 

I wrote a book. I received my book. It's been in my bag for 9 days, I take it to Monoprix (the grocery store), into the subway, to party, in my bed. What a shock. I don't actually realize all the work I've done since I started but flipping through its 200 pages filled with the colors of photos and pictures I think "Damn! I did all this!" What a shock it is indeed, going from digital to paper everything becomes real, worse even tangible...

I'm sure that if you're active on the networks, or a little blog-connected, you already know about it... My internet friends would already have whispered the news to you... If I didn't tell you before it was because I wanted to keep it for myself a little bit longer. Make My Party gets out on thursday the 13th, I stop while writing it, it's silly, because the 13th of June, in two days, it will no longer be mine, it will be yours and it makes me feel something, it's warm and pleasant to share it with you and yet there is a gigantic fear that's coming around... What if you don't like it? I try not to think about it. 

 

happy

 

I don't think there has been one project in my life I put as much energy, sweat and heart as this one... I wanted to quit a few times, "it's too ambitious", "it's too soon", "I'll never get to finish it" and then as I went along, one step at a time, thanks to you as well because I was telling you "I don't want to hear any: I can't do it, I'll never be able to do it", I thought "Damn, you are so lucky to be able to do something like that, stop complaining and keep going". I didn't want to botch it and think in 6 months from now "I can't even look at it I've seen it too much". I want to be able to grab it in 6 months, and flip through it, smell it and feel proud. So it's been almost a year since I know the news, I've been working on it for 9 months and in two days it will be everywhere*...

 Well, I simply want to tell you Thank You. I want to scream THANK YOU! Thank you to Eyrolles, to Anne who took my hand and told me "let's write a book" (hum yeah sure!), thanks to Charlotte my photographer who chose me and became my friend, she worked relentlessly while studying, thanks to Claire, lovely florist who's been my flower dealer during this adventure... Thanks to Bonsoir Paris who backed me against the wall and kicked my ass so that I make my own dummy and not just wait for them to show me some ideas so I can just put my name next to it... Thank you to them for their demand and rigor and their precious time when I was dealing with Indesign... Thanks to everyone in this book, who make it a little more alive... And for their smile when they first had it into their hands. 

 

THANK YOU

 

I'm so full of gratitude, I did it and I did not do it alone so thank you to everybody, to my friends, to my family and of course to you, reader of the shadow, thank you for believing in me because it is the most wonderful power and today I hope that I will be up to your expectations.

And since I'm the worse Care Bears you'll ever know I'm shedding a tear writing this post... Anyway I will complete this post as I run into every people that worked on this book, here we are now and if you want to give me a present... If you buy the book, send me a picture of you with it, as they do! Or we can do better (the joy of generation 2.0) you could send me your picture on instagram using the hashtag #makemyparty and I'll extend this family portrait! THANK YOU! 

And of course if you want to win one, leave me a comment and tell me anything you want to ... No rules for today I am only Love... I will pick 5 winners in 24 hours! Tomorrow at 7 actually!

 *in every FNAC, Amazon and please ask to the bookseller in your neighborhood FIRST! I looooooooooove you!

 

 

And the bonus, thanks you Mai for this video, this memory I'll have for ever, the opening of the envelope (she caught the delivery man who brought the book... This girl has magic powers...) 

June 11, 2013 — lisa gachet

Cannes x Dior x little lemon part 2

19052013-_MG_4982

 

My little wolves!

I wish you a wonderful beginning of week! I'm already in a rush and yet the week is just starting... I have lots of surprise in store for you! Some craziness, some love, some happiness all week long and while you're waiting here is my little "beauty" video from Cannes. It was 36 amazing hours and it was hard to make it last only 2 minutes but after 2 hours of watching the rushes I made it! I hope you'll like it... 

 

 

I have to say that this red carpet experience was, as you can imagine, completely crazy! I remember last year when I was doing a wish list of my "dream" outfit for Cannes and one reader commented that next year it'd be my turn... When I think about it I must have answered "Yeaah suure!" and it really is mad this hurly-burly of happiness, I feel so lucky... I knock on the wood again and again...

 By the way I have to tell you that when you're about to go on the red carpet, the stairs look much smaller then what we imagine, I'm trying to put things into perspective here... And also when I was about to take those stairs, I literally forgot how to do to take the stairs, a furious need to run back to my hotel room and grab my derbies seized me as I was so sure that I'd fall on the red carpet... I was red, stressed and focused and everything went well, and once I was at the top of the glamour, I turn back, I instagram from the verb to instagram and suddenly a young girl comes close, I feel like she's going to tell me to put my phone away, and she says "I have to tell you: I love your blog!" - Slap of happiness - I'm about to hug her, Remy my love, gestures that we have to go in, we wouldn't want to miss the film. When we are sited he tells me "Do you realize?" and me to answer "Let's knock on the wood... Knock on the wood..." THANK YOU Dior for hosting us like we were prince and princess and THANK YOU again to everyone for your love... Speaking of which I talk about LOVE tomorrow!

 PS: we watched Blood Ties, a film by Guillaume Canet, awesome... Challenge met! And I hope you recognize CLIVE OWEN at the end of my video Cliiiiiiive!

 

19052013-_MG_5266

 

June 10, 2013 — lisa gachet

TATTOOS IN THE NAVY

IN-THE-NAVY

 

This was my surprise! To close the two In-the-Navy-Weeks I wanted to offer you some temporary tattoos for would-be sailors... I found a website who sells special sheet to make tattoos from your home printer, I planed on making this post a lot sooner but I crash-tested different kind of papers before finding the right one, I received two more thinking they were all the same more or less but don't be mistaken this brand Silhouette America knows the business when it comes to transfer printing. Voilà I hope you'll like these little tattoos, I show them to you in this post but you can download them HEREalready modified (with a small axial symmetry from photoshop (mirror effect)...)

 

IN-THE-NAVY-TATOO

 

I'm not going to teach you how to make a tattoo with a wet cloth (it doesn't have to be polka-doted...) or a sponge (less photogenic). This paper is really good because after you print it you only have to put an adhesive sheet (included in the kit) on the printed one, it coats it with plastic and makes your tattoos more resistant... And of course you have to take it off before you wet the recto of the printed sheet otherwise it doesn't work... It really is like the Malabar tattoos from our childhood... (sorry about my tired look I'm shaken by so many nice things lately, it happens!!)

 

IN-THE-NAVY2

 

Here is a DIY and some illustration at the same time, so you can do something while waiting for the big news! I hope you'll like it and see you soon for the end of my Cannes adventures... 

 

TATOO board1

 

The two small plates fit on a A4 sheet and yes I drew flowers because I had in mind Jean Paul Gaultier's sailor... With flowers tattooed on his chest, aaaah le Mâle! 

 

TATOO board2

[:]
June 08, 2013 — lisa gachet

CANNES x DIOR x PETIT CITRON

DIOR 4

My little cats ! 

 I took my time to make this post but this beginning of june was cra-azy! There is so much I need to tell you, not now because it's not the time but I have lots of things to say! I had about 2000 pictures (almost) to sort, I had to make a nice color correction on the pictures, a real job in short and on the top of that was my work and some crazy stuffs... Life! (although I realize I am a damned privileged but not at all used to live so many mad things every week).

 I have a felling that you're in the dark here so I'm going to explain... Two weeks ago I was invited by Dior beauty to spend two days and a night in Cannes in this incredible hotel that is the Majestic... And to discover the Dior Suite... (I didn't actually sleep into the suite... But I admit that my room's bathroom might have been as big as my living room and my bedroom altogether and I didn't want to leave of course!) The Dior Suite, it's a gigantic space that is entirely redecorated every year matching the trendy colors and it's dedicated to the preparation of all the stars and the member of this big Cinema family... You can find the Dior beauty team, the dream team with make-up artists and hairdressers coming from every place in the world, and I certainly cannot forget to tell you about the genius manicures... Clearly an idyllic zone for any self-respecting beauty addicts...

 

DIOR 6

 

At first I was quite intimidated because it seems to me that sending a girl with a blog with her camera to "test" a royal preparation in Cannes without seeing a movie was dubious... But I wasn't about to stay away from my pleasure to get dressed up by experts... And when we arrive Oh joy, love, glitters and stiletto the team had made the impossible: two tickets were waiting for us to go see Guillaume Canet's movie Blood Ties... (How is it that my life looks like a Disney?)

 

DIOR 3

 

 I'm giving you instants of these Cannes moments... And also mini interviews of this crazy hairdresser Cyril Auchère and of my heart-winner Love of the Week make-up artist: Fred Marin... Another Fred... And in a few days a video so you can feel the craziness of Cannes vs the zen of this magical suite...

I will tell you about the rest of my adventures and other stories such as how a reader recognized me at the top of the red carpet (it's all right...) and how we can suddenly forget how to take the stairs and everything...

 

 

DIOR 9

 

Express Interview of Cyril Auchère, the hairdresser that twists until you die... He is not a beginner it's his 10th Festival and his (mummy) advice for a beginner in Cannes like me, is to always have a pair of ballerina flat shoes in your bag... After all beauty must also be about comfort!

- What are your 3 beauty musts (that'd saved you in every circumstance)?

 So according to Cyril it is essential to have a good hair straightener (or how to ban the big waffle-maker-like ones...), a dry shampoo to save your hair on a hot day... And the dry shampoo gives to the hair a mate texture that Cyril loves... And to finish, he thinks that any kind of crazy accessories to put in your hair twists any banal hairstyle...

 - What does all the women do that they should immediately stop doing!?

 With no hesitation, as if he was expecting this question he answers me, cut their fringe themselves, let's leave the scissors alone... And he adds that leaving a mask for a all nights is really not a good idea... Unless you want to have greasy hair or doing laundry...

 

DIOR 7

 

- Your favorite product that never leaves you ?

Leonor Greyl's styling cream for dry hair whose name is "éclat naturel" and which textures the hair and gives it a mat finishing touch that tames any rebellious hair...

- Who is the Dior woman ?

He tells me that for him the Dior woman is timeless, she knows how to cross the times, she has the chic and the casual of a Parisian woman but also the grace and the perfection of the great American actresses... And I ask him if he had to choose only one, and he tells me: Marion Cotillard of course...

 

DIOR 2

 

Once my hair were done, it's the turn of Fred Marin's expert hands to treat me. He told me his life and I could have listened to him for hours, former dancer at Music Hall, from the Moulin Rouge to the Folies Bergères, he danced for 20 years, and during that time he discovers the joy of make-up and the preparation in the mirror. Truly inspired by color, he makes up his coworkers with all one's might before their shows. He thus decides to stop his career as a dancer, before his body gets tired and throw himself, determined, in a wonderful career change.

 

DIOR 10

 

- What are your 3 beauty musts ?  

First of all the basis of a beautiful make-up is a good removal of make-up (amen), "You remove your make-up every night, with serum, or with a daily cream, EVERY NIGHT". His second commandment is: you use and over use lipstick. And to finish with you brush your eyebrows, and if you don't have any eyebrow brush you take a toothbrush... (Ahh the eyebrows my new beauty obsession...) 

- What does all the women do that they should immediately stop to do!?

The cry from the heart of Fred: "STOP HAVING YOUR EYEBROWS TATTOOED!"

- Your favorite product that never leaves you ?

His favorite product is a face illuminator, the Skin Flash Primer from Christian Dior of course, to use as an anti-fatigue remedy or to mix up with your usual base, it a magical way of illuminating you face. You'll be glowing you see...

- Who is the Dior woman?

When I asked him this question his eyes lit up, and we talked about the body, the attitude, the bearing of the great actress in the '40s... And he talked to me about the French elegance of Fanny Ardant and about the incredible body of Jane Fonda... And I asked him to choose one: it was obviously too hard! He told me Grace Jelly and Mélanie Laurent!

 

DIOR 5

 

And here is the red carpet clearly CRAZY! I know this article was long but I had too many things to show you you know! THANK YOU a 1000th times to Isabel and Celia for their welcome! And to my lover for all these beautiful pictures...

 

DIOR 8

June 04, 2013 — lisa gachet

DIY THE NEW GENERATION SAILOR BAG

bag-in-the-navy-diy-pauline-darley

 

My chestnuts, 

I'm playing overtime these pictures are ready for a while but I didn't have a nano second for myself since I've been back in Paris. I'm coming I'm coming slowly but surely, I don't like to botch things either so I take my time if you're okay with it... As I was telling you a few days ago: I wanted to surprise you a little more so you'll have a little bonus tomorrow to close this theme week (two weeks...)!

On monday I saw Fred, my kitten, your national Fred, it's been forever since we've seen each other faces to talk about what was happening into your respective heads... Except the fact that we agree on saying it was boring what was happening above mine and that I needed to freshen up all this, I'm very happy that I saw him and talked about my desires of change on the blog, an editorial line that is slowly moving towards an interaction between amazing and crazy people, all that... (pressure) Try to post every day with still the classical posts but also littles things, inspirations, making of, smiles... In order to feed you you greedy! I can't wait to show you the new design, I can't wait for June to be he you have no idea! Okay, I stop!

And today a little DIY for you lovers, brothers or for Father Day that's coming really soon... A little testosterone with the revised sailor bag... Hugs and kisses !

 gif-sac

 

To make this DIY you'll need: 

  • the pattern of the bag that you can download HERE
  • A heat-sealing disc of the same diameter as the base of your bag, 
  • 1,5 meter of a 2 cm-wide strap, 
  • 2 rings, 1 snap hook (but 2 are better), a buckle to make the strap slide, 
  • Pins, a pair of fabric scissors and a fine marker.
  • And with some perspective, a press stud and a pair of pliers to put it... (you'll see)

 

DIY-bag-step-by-step-1

 

To start with cut into the fabric the different parts of the pattern, so far it's okay... Take 40 cm of strap and fold it in half in the middle fig. 2. Then sew the strap in the middle of the large strip of fabric, on the front fig. 3. Front against front sew the second strip of fabric that will be the bottom of the bag, fig. 4, so you sandwich the said strap. Sew everything together and don't hesitate to insist on the strap, fig. 5. Little innovation with the finishing touches, as usual you will "open" your stitches with you iron, fig. 6. Then on the front, you will sew the joint of the two fabric, 0,5 cm from the edge, and the ones of both sides fig. 7, this step is facultative but I think it gives a nice finish touch to the bag, and by the way if any dressmaker is reading and she can tell me the name of this stitch it'd be awesome, thanks! Then get down to the small front pocket. With your iron, preform simple hems on the edge of the pocket, and for the flap you will have to sew the sides first, before sliding everything on the front fig.8. 

 

DIY-sac-marin-step-by-step-2

 

Pin the pocket on the bag then right in the middle, the strap sandwiched in the bottom of the bag must go through the middle of the pocket fig. 2. Then sew your small pocket with your machine fig. 2. So with some perspective, after crash-testing the bag I'd advise you to put a press stud near the ring at the top of the strap, and you'd also have a safer way to close the pocket. I won't explain how to put a press stud it's very easy when you have the right tool. But put the female part on the strap (both sides) and the male part right underneath, in the middle, above the pocket on the bag. I talk about it now because it seems easier but I did it at the end when I should clearly have done it sooner... Let's keep going, then it's easy you're going to close this bag by folding the lot in two and by sewing the edge of the two fabrics, to make a tube. One more time, sew it twice and finish with a zig zag stitch fig. 3. Then take the heat-sealing disc and the disc of fabric and with your well-warmed iron assemble them together. If you chose a very thick fabric, this step is facultative, but I wanted this bag to stand. Pin the heat-sealing disc on the base of your bag, if you followed my instructions about the width of your fabric strips there should be no matching problem, fig. 4. Take 10 cm of the strap and, fold it in two and put the second ring on the inside fig. 5. Where there is the seam of the tube of the bag, slide the strap and pin it one more time, this double strap will be sandwiched between the body of the bag and the base fig. 6. Sew the lot with your sewing machine and really insist on where the strap is. Notch all around the base fig. 7 before turning the bag over and ironing it fig. 8.

 

DIY-sac-marin-step-by-step-3

 

Pin the pocket on the bag then right in the middle, the strap sandwiched in the bottom of the bag must go through the middle of the pocket fig. 2. Then sew your small pocket with your machine fig. 2. So with some perspective, after crash-testing the bag I'd advise you to put a press stud near the ring at the top of the strap, and you'd also have a safer way to close the pocket. I won't explain how to put a press stud it's very easy when you have the right tool. But put the female part on the strap (both sides) and the male part right underneath, in the middle, above the pocket on the bag. I talk about it now because it seems easier but I did it at the end when I should clearly have done it sooner... Let's keep going, then it's easy you're going to close this bag by folding the lot in two and by sewing the edge of the two fabrics, to make a tube. One more time, sew it twice and finish with a zig zag stitch fig. 3. Then take the heat-sealing disc and the disc of fabric and with your well-warmed iron assemble them together. If you chose a very thick fabric, this step is facultative, but I wanted this bag to stand. Pin the heat-sealing disc on the base of your bag, if you followed my instructions about the width of your fabric strips there should be no matching problem, fig. 4. Take 10 cm of the strap and, fold it in two and put the second ring on the inside fig. 5. Where there is the seam of the tube of the bag, slide the strap and pin it one more time, this double strap will be sandwiched between the body of the bag and the base fig. 6. Sew the lot with your sewing machine and really insist on where the strap is. Notch all around the base fig. 7 before turning the bag over and ironing it fig. 8.

 

IMG_2078

 

Bonus: with a white fine special fabric marker, you can write a little word "OH MON BATEAU" "SAILOR MOON"... A little something you know! And of course you probably noticed it already but the pictures are from Pauline Darley... Thank you again for all your sweet words! 

 

bag-in-the-navy-DIY-Pauline-Darley1

May 29, 2013 — lisa gachet

HAPPY IN THE NAVY FRIDAY

Happy friday my kitties! 

No DIY for today but for tomorrow ! Actually I'm like a kid, I couldn't wait to show you these pictures! I wanted to surprise you by showing you not one look but three little and easy ones, and a nice photo shooting with the sweet and talented Pauline Darley that I met a while ago on a Reine Rosalie shooting. If you don't know her work yet you absolutely have to lose yourself on her very inspiring website!

Sometimes I want to make this blog evolve into a sort of online magazine, with less looks but beautiful collaboration like this one, with several silhouettes like some mini sets you know... And I'd like to collaborate with all kind of people. With Pauline, we wanted to work together for a while and a few months ago we talked about this idea that never left me since "In the navy"... And because of the bad weather the photo shooting was postponed a great number of times... But between two sunny spells, last wednesday we did it! We did it... 

 I can't wait to read your reactions about this crazy ship's boy story... And I'm eager to introduce you to the work of another love of photographer... And of more very talented chicks, to be continued... 

 

Look

 

I'm wearing an American Apparel stripe sailor T-shirt, and a striped shirt (that I made in another life...), a small vintage sailor hat, a pair of jean shorts, tights from my gambette box, and a pair of Louboutins (thank you Justine B.)

 

Look 2

 

I'm wearing a mini sailor dress from Asos, my Bershka blue leather coat, the sailor hat, tights from my gambette box, and Louboutins (dying.)

 

look4

 

I had thigh boots for an eternity and I didn't know what to do with them since I had barely worn them but I couldn't resolve to give them away, so after giving it a good thought I took the plunge and customized them with textile paint by drawing little golden anchors... Ah the joy of DIY...

 

Look 3

 

I'm wearing an APC dress from an old collection, a jean jacket with sheepskin from G-star, André thigh boots and the famous vintage sailor hat (in any american surplus shop...) 

 

Look 1

 

May 24, 2013 — lisa gachet

WISH LIST IN THE NAVY

Hello my little cats, 

 I drop by quickly... I might have spoken too fast yesterday, Spring stayed with us for like 3 hours and after two hours of sun, it went away, I think it is our fault for being too cynical, the minute it comes in we say "yeahh well it's not gonna stay anyway..." the sun is not crazy, you need to be gentle with this little boy.

 Still, I just arrived in my family in Bordeaux, I'm doing the Tour de France this week, and bad news Spring isn't here either. Okay, I restart correctly and stop threatening it... Little Sun if you show up I'll make you pancakes if you stay until our sunday brunch...

 And today a little wish list "In the Navy" for you and your lovers... I love you really much and see you tomorrow for some savory DIY!

 wish-list-in-the-navy

 

1. And an adorable anchor ring found on Etsy for only 12€! 2. A UO Mobydick cushion $24 3. A sailor short on J-crew 77€ (I never think to go on this website but it really is a goldmine!) 4. This dress... Asos 72€, my dream! 5. On Asos again, a sweater to offer to you lover (so you can steal it from him afterwards!) 6. And too easy, boat shoes to were with small socks, Sebago 140€.

May 23, 2013 — lisa gachet

ICED VANILLA RAW SCALLOP

st-jacques-in-the-navy

 

My kittens! 

 I found the sun, it was hidden right above la Croisette, I'm coming back from 48 intense hours in Cannes, I have to debrief it with you next week! You have no idea how this sunny unexpected parenthesis surprised and benefited me. I'm reassured that it didn't disappear from the universe, and to my great surprise, it is above Paris today! Weather forecast aside, I hope you're doing great, I am running a little late on my Theme week but you will be able to enjoy it until sunday then! And finding an "In the Navy" recipe was not an easy thing but you know, as I always say, restrictions are sometimes great creativity vectors! I will leave you to my little recipe of vanilla raw scallops, super easy to make and that will take your guests' taste buds away, I'm sure! As for me, my only guest and lover to try this sweet-savory starter didn't even let me try it... Adding his mouth full, is there any leftovers?

 

st-jacques-in-the-navy2

 

To make a dozen bites you will need: 

  • 6 big scallop, very fresh,
  • 2 lemons and a lime (juice and zest),
  • 1 tablespoon of hazelnuts oil,
  • Half a pack of agar agar,
  • 75 g of flour, 
  • 50 of softened butter, 
  • 25 g of superfine sugar, 
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.

 

st-jacques-in-the-navy3

 

 To start with, finely cut the scallops into slices. Let them marinate for 10 minutes with the hazelnuts oil, the juice and zest of a lemon, a pinch of flower of salt and a little white pepper. Meanwhile take a half-sphere silicon mold (mine I use it all the time, for Marie-Antoinette nipples as well, it's a special chocolate mold). Once the 10 minutes are up, carefully drop the slices of scallop into the different alveolus of the mold, and keep the marinade aside. Put it into a small pan and add the juice of the other lemon and of the lime, and the agar-agar. Stir well and boil the mixture, never stopping to stir. Once the mix is boiled, take it off the fire and fill the holes from the scallops into the mold. Save in the fridge for about 1h30 until it becomes a jelly. 

 

gif-st-jacques-encre

 

In the meantime, get to the vanilla cookies. In a mixing bowl, mix the softened butter, the flour, the sugar and the vanilla extract, then knead the dough, if it becomes too sticky you can add some flour, and put some cellophane tape on before leaving it in the fridge for 15 minutes. Once your dough is harder and colder, on a floured surface roll it out until you have 1 cm. Then with a cookie cutter the same diameter as your mold alveolus, cut your cookies. Put them on a baking tray (with baking paper on) and cook for 20 to 25 minutes at 150°C. 

Let them completely cool down before handling them then lay your bites by removing from the mold your scallops onto the cookies. Dust with flower of salt and a hint of lemon zest... Enjoy ! 

 

st-jacques-in-the-navy1

May 22, 2013 — lisa gachet

INSPIRATION IN THE NAVY

Happy bank holiday honeys! 

How previously asked by a reader, "I'd like a striped sailor t-shirt Them week..." Well, I mixed it my way to make it an "IN THE NAVY" Theme week, at a time where the words "Riviera", "Croisette" and other "petit pull marine" (little navy blue sweater) are on every lips, I also wanted to give you my own interpretation of this monumental tendency that is "Sailor", "Capitaine, mon Capitaine" or "Oh mon bateau"... I already made you a sailor collar, it now seems to be ages ago remember! Well now the challenge if you're new here, is to make a recipe, a DIY, a wish list and a look around this theme, and since I'd like to surprise you, you will have a few surprises this week, on the content and on the style... I'm not saying anything more, I am so bad at keeping surprises... I made a new presentation of my inspiration grid, I hope you'll like it! Hugs and kisses, and see you tomorrow! 

 

inspirations in the navy

 

You can find these images on my Pinterest! I love you very much ! 

May 20, 2013 — lisa gachet

HAPPY RAINY SUNDAY

Happy sunday my kittens, 

What a depressing weather, I want to hibernate, really. I know that you keep being talked about the weather forecast but it is clearly too much now, I realize that you already know it but it's not with the two days and a half of Spring we had that we will charge our D vitamin quotas. Come on, let's go live in a warm country, with real seasons. What! I'm threatening? Well yes, I have to blackmail now, I try everything, after the springy recipe, the sun dances and other voodoo spells to make the sun come, I'm running out of ideas... And I have a new bike that I found on le bon coin (craig's list), it's not brand new but I'm working on it and I need sunny days (in 2014?) to make a "Pimp my ride" session in my building's yard, but until I roam the city under a burning sun, I make bike-looks gifs... (I realize that my images are tiny when horizontal, one more thing to add to my list of blog's renovation! It will be beautiful... At least I hope!) 

I need you, make my smile because with this weather I'm about to stick my head into the oven, and not to bake anything... What, me exaggerating? Je vous embrasse bien fort! And as of tomorrow, a sunny... Theme week ! Just to give it a last chance (I'm talking about Spring)... If it doesn't show up next week, I'm leaving Paris... Desperate situations call for drastic remedies!

 

HAPPY-SUNDAY

 

Today I'm wearing opaque tights... But not only! A little dress with giant polka-dots from Asos petite that I love! A giant chain necklace (I'm a lot into scale lately) also from Asosand Zara golden shoes that you already know! Hugs and kisses and to make up for the tinniness of this pictures, I put some zone because I'm a nice girl! 

 

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And tell me that you too are about to pack and move to a warmer place, where the sun heats, where life is good, and where drinking outside is the national sport... Come on, let's go, for real!

 

16052013-_MG_4774

 

May 19, 2013 — lisa gachet

EMBROIDERED SHIRT DIY

DIY-chemise-brodée1

 

Happy wednesday kids!

Aren't we getting our regular posting rhythm back? I have desires and ides of DIY all over the place: deco (ambitious), mode (that you'll like), convenient and summery (that I SO want to show you right now), and for dudes as well (coming really soon)... Anyway I'm going at full speed. Today is a little DIY post and a good deal at the same time, I am in favor of holding multiple offices... I was telling you I am lucky, and the "blogger" status (I really prefer "girl with a website", I can't wrap my head around it...) gives me a privilieged status for crazy experiences and clothing insanities... The private sale Sandro with Arlettie (that I recently talked to you about) started yesterday and during the weekend I was allowed to sneak into the showroom to choose an item to make a DIY. 

And now you're thinking, the girl is completely crazy, she can choose any item and she picks a shirt... Well yes, I can't stop thinking that if I choose a sublime item, I risk ruining it with a DIY. Ruining is a little bit strong but a DIY on a strong and beautiful item can be really tricky and to succeed it's surgical-like. And also, on top of not being sure of succeeding, you'd have laughed at me for it being too hard to achieve. 

 Let me explain: for me there are different types of DIY. The DIY with no risk-taking: I'm going to H&M, I buy a white t-shirt, I cut it, sew it, tear it, nail it whatever... If it's a fail, I don't care because I'd spent 4,99€, I'd wear it once for the picture and it'd end up at the bottom of my dresser, I might give it for a private sale hoping that someone like it... Do you see what I mean ?

And there is the ambitious DIY, the one in which you invest money (not too much though) and time (not like 10 minutes in the corner of your table, in a rush to see it done). Because from me to you, the difference between a successful DIY and a failed one is the material and the meticulousness you use to make it. So I'm not going to debate: the more expensive things aren't necessarily of the best quality but be sensitive to the material, touch and caress things. Forget polyester and prefer a nice poplin 100% cotton. 

Bottom line, I'd rather put a little more money into raw material so in the end I really want to wear my DIY... And I can tell you that it's the case of this shirt... 

 

DIY-chemise-brodée

 

To make this DIY you will need: 

  • a high quality shirt, 
  • Flat sequins, white, black, silver and even flower shaped,
  • Little rocaille beads, white and black,
  • Rocaille tubes, silver and black, 
  • A embroidery frame, 
  • Thread and a very fine embroidery needle, 
  • A ruler and scissors,

 

DIY-embroidered-blouse2

 

You will see, it's not that complicated! To start with, iron you shirt, it's important so you can clearly see. Take a ruler and a pencil and point out the locations of your future embroideries. Here it's in staggered rows every 7 cm, and starting from the second line (7 cm higher) I started to mark the locations at 3,5 cm from the edge... Until the top fig. 2. On the table or in a plate, draw the pattern that you're about to embroider, enjoy it and have fun, bend the sequins, mix them, make flowers etc... Fig. 3. You can of course image that patterns symmetrically answer to each other from one side of the shirt to the other, or if you're inspired they can all be different! Install your embroidery frame fig. 4, make a knot at the end of you thread and start embroider fig. 5 & 6. Once your pattern is finished, turn you shirt and make several knots on top of each other (you're never too safe!) fig. 7. And start these steps as many time as necessary, you'll see that it's very relaxing... And TA-DA!

Kisses ! And don't forget to transpose... This DIY on a flower shirt, with multicolors sequins etc etc etc. HAVE FUN! 

 

DIY

May 15, 2013 — lisa gachet

PASSIONATE CREAM PUFF

08052013-_MG_4035

 

Happy Tuesday honeys! 

The other day, a friend made the remark that I never did "so beautiful" cakes that "looks so good" anymore. It was really nice and I felt super attacked like: 

"What! I don't do recipes anymore ?!! Do you think it's easy to have 12 good recipe ideas a week? I don't have any baking training, it's not that easy, I am a designer you know mister! 

Really, I'm the type to take everything to heart a little bit too much, I'm always "flying off the handle" (as my sister would say)... And then I put things into perspective and I thought that if he was making the remark, other people should think the same way. I took my time because I'm not a machine, I needed to digest the information and I wasn't going to make a recipe just to make a recipe you know...

I needed to get my desire back and also the Modjo crème pâtissière. Everything is all right,

no-one died, it was more something like an hibernation of the electric whisk... You know I am not the kind of person to force things if inspiration doesn't come, I'm not going to push it, I grab a pair of shoes and go see what's going on outside to clear my head... Inspiration always shows up when I'm not looking for it... Try it and you'll see !

To make 6 passionate cream puff you will need (it's called religieuse in French, but it's not the real recipe, it's only the shape that is the same... The rest of it isn't so catholic, but not étouffe-chrétien (stodgy) for a bit don't worry...) :

 

08052013-_MG_4048

 

For the Genoise:

  • - 3 eggs,
  • - 90 g of flour,
  • - 100 g of sugar,
  • - 30 g of melted salted butter,
  • - 1 passionfruit,
  • - 25 cl of passionfruit juice.

 For the filling and the decoration:

  • - 25 cl of very cold whipping cream
  • - 75 g of light philadelphia (thanks God it exists!)
  • - 80 g of powdered sugar (what do you mean it cancels everything?)
  • - 2 baskets of physalis
  • - A handful of kumquats (Oh the need of exoticism!)

 

08052013-_MG_4059

 

I discovered a trick to make a very light Genoise on this crazy blog that you might already know: Je veux être bonne.com... You need to put a big volume of hot water into a dish, a sort of bain-marie that you wouldn't put on the stove... In your regular mixing bowl beat the eggs, when your mix is frothing put the bowl into the hot water dish and add the sugar, beating at full power. The mix is ready when it reaches room temperature and you have some sort of beaks or mini-stalactites on the beater. Put the bowl out of the water, add the sieved flour and the melted butter, and gently mix with a rubber spatula. Finally add the passionfruit flesh, it will bring some crunch to your finale cream puff. Distribute the mix into the muffin molds and the half-sphere silicone molds (previously oiled). Put in your well warmed oven for 20 minutes at 180°C.

In the meantime, get to the Chantilly... In a mixing bowl pour the very cold whipping cream and beat it energetically, as soon as the cream starts to take add the powdered sugar. When your Chantilly is ready, add the philadelphia and keep it aside.

 Once your cakes are cooked and cooled, cut them widthwise into two pieces. And with a silicone brush soak the cakes with the passionfruit juice. Garnish your cream puffs with the physalis cut into fine slices, add a tablespoon of Chantilly on top and close the lot. On the top of you muffin add a teaspoon of Chantilly then your little genoise dome and finish with half a kumquat! And enjoy ! 

 

religious

May 14, 2013 — lisa gachet