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My littles kittens,

It is quite late to post - besides it's funny to say that there is a time to post, like there would be a perfect timing or something, given that I am the one who fixes the rules... I'd love to surprise you by posting at any time day or night BUT there is something you need to know about me: I cannot stay awake after midnight, unless I have a deadline the next morning and liters of coffee to help me... But I usually sleep like a log, like one who crashes at the second I lay down, it's physical, like a doll who would close her eyes when you put her horizontally... 

Anyway! I had a big laugh thanks to your challenges... I can say that many of you wanted me to do many things under the Eiffel Tour, or to be naked in the streets of Paris with food over my face... Well...What can I say... I was ready to put my swimsuit by the Canal St Martin but it never came out, and in terms of timing and logistics, I have no dress of Cendrillella and no bird costume in my closet... Therefore I leave you to the three winners, I admit I didn't go too far... But I did make the passers-by laugh, and I can still feel the consequences of some of them.

Winner #1: Marianne F @Mariou @makemylemonade "Can you make a tuto beauty/hairstyle to a pedestrian in the street?" Yes, this one was the easiest... By I love the idea of a style squad! Challenge #1

Winner #2: Mandine @Amandouni @makemylemonade "Dare to do a Happy Friday with ALL the clothes from your closet?" Well yes, and my photographer roared with laughter! Okay, I don't actually wear all my clothes but I couldn't put on more. Challenge #2

Winner #3: Oph @LilOph @makemylomande "Will you dare to go out wearing a tutu with your cat in your arms?" This one was on paper the simplest and the coolest BUT Frida freaked out and mangled my back so I didn't want to traumatize her any further so we stayed one meter away from my front door, but it still counts! Challenge #3

This Week of the diamond shape was quite chaotic but I have to admit I feel a little bit tired, not to say exhausted... I know it is a rough period to go through but it's harsh, and the only moments where I feel good are when under my blanket into my bed. I can feel I'm near my limits and if I don't want to explode anytime soon, I might as well try to listen to my body a little bit more. When I read this sentence it feels like I've hit rock bottom but I've not! It's just that sometimes, you have ups and downs, that's it. And it means that the next up will be awesome... I have heaps of ideas coming up ! But the thing that takes all my time today are all the crapy administrative stuffs like how to create a company... I can't wait for all this legal stuff to be behind me so I can dedicate myself to more creative things for you and for me!

 I have good news though ! Spring is coming and I know it because I've been waking up with a start for the past 7 days because it was too bright for 8 in the morning and I thought my alarm clock went off... It is a good news because the spring light will do us good, that and I will also be able to work and take pictures later in the evening... And who says Spring says long breakfast in the morning, because the fact I don't have a balcony doesn't mean I can't take my time to have a breakfast... So here is your deco DIY, easy and graphic (it is a good idea for a gift): a tray/cushion to avoid accidents like like like-hot-tea-spilt-on-the-bed or how a good intention can lead to the E.R. And apart from its chill side, this DIY can also be useful to work with your computer on your lap...

To do this DIY, you will need:

•  - A frame with a photo mount (it's optional but more chic you know)
• - Polystyrene beads for the padding
• - Thick canvas
• - Papers of colors cut diamond-shape like (10 x 5 cm)
• - Strong gaffer tape with different width
• - Black spray paint
• - Pins, green glue and a pair of scissors

To start with, unfold your canvas - here I used a pattern canvas but any thick fabric will do and enjoy yourself picking one with a pattern matching what you want to put under the glass. Draw a rectangle the same size of your frame and then draw 4 other rectangles from each edges of the first rectangle. The depth of each of the 4 rectangles must be around 15 cm fig. 2. Then pin the 15-cm-sides together fig. 3 and sew it with your sewing machine with a tight stitch, don't hesitate to double the stitch fig. 4. Now take the back of the frame and the gaffer tape and tape the canvas to the back of the frame. Careful, the canvas must not outflank the gaffer tape by more than 1 cm. One centimeter is good because the tape will durably fix the canvas and allow you to identify the edges so you don't have any imbalance under the cushion fig. 5. Tape three sides like shown in fig. 6. Now with a small bowl, fill the cushion with polystyrene beads, up to the 3/4. The small bowl will help because the beads are very volatile and full of static electricity which make the use of hands difficult fig. 7. One your cushion is filled up to the 3/4, tape the last side as the three others and don't hesitate to double the strip of gaffer tape fig. 8.

Now, let's take care of what will be into the frame. You're free to put anything you want, polka dots, triangles, your kids drawings... Here due to the diamond shape week, there are... diamond shapes but I decided to work on two different levels: a classical way for the first level with colored diamond shapes glued fig. 1 to 4, I randomly glued them on purpose, the next steps will be more relevant. 

For the second level, I wanted to deal with the glass of the frame. With the help of a paper diamond shape draw the key line of the diamond shape with thin gaffer tape or masking tape fig. 1. Once you all your edges are drawn you can remove the paper diamond shape fig. 2. And you can start again as many time as necessary fig. 3. Then cover the rest of the window with gaffer tape or paper fig. 4. This way of working on a second level brings some depth to your depiction and a bit more relief to your tray, kind of what I showed you in my silent strass DIY.

Of course, protect your table or floor on which you're working to spray your diamond shapes, and open your windows widely. Spray at 20 cm from the window frame and if you're not satisfied, wait for the first layer to be completely dry and spray again fig. 1. Let it dry for a good half hour, even an hour you can never be too careful, and remove carefully the protecting tape fig. 2. Put the window on the mount and the diamond shapes fig. 3 and sandwich it all with the frame and the cushion fig. 4. Turn it over and fold the metal straps, as to close the frame, to fix the cushion. Turn you tray over and TA-DA! Now it's your turn, go make some breakfast...

Little choux buns by Odette, a little too delicious available at 77 rue Galande, 75005 Paris.

Good evening my beauties!

 Here is a little wish list, it's been a long time since I hadn't travelled the internet looking for some shopping inspirations. What a pleasure ! A bit like a treasure hunt... Even thought I clearly didn't need to add anything else to the list of the things I want... I am - clearly - a girl. And you're a my good excuse to go from e-shop to e-shop looking for THE impossible diamond shape item. And of course, while looking I always find things that have nothing to do with my first idea...things that end up in my cart... FAIL. By the way, let me introduce you to my new wish list design, very inspired from a certain book which will be available in bookshops within 2 months (just saying)... I hope you like it! I thought this was the perfect timing to unveil the reign of diamond shape in my life.

 Sweet kisses and see you tomorrow for a deco DIY.

 Love U

1. A sweater that you have to steal from your boyfriend, kind of a gift for you both, Paul Smith 135€. 2. A thousand colors vase Ferm Living 42€. 3. Earrings firstly seen on Mai (I'm so jealous it's killing me) by the talented creator from Argument 175€. 4. Vintage dress found on Etsy 52€. A wrought iron basket to put away your balls of wool Ferm Living. 6. A wastepaper basket available on the beautiful Varpunen website 30€.

How lucky you are...

After a quick perfume break, I'm back to my diamond shape... But don't get used to it, you will not have two articles on the same day everyday...

I'm craving on chocolate lately but my thighs not so much. It's no news to you that my new year's resolution to go to the gym every other day completely failed, I went there once right after I told you so and thatisall. It's lame I know, and I'm not proud of myself but it's like minus 8000 degrees (Celsius though) out there and the very idea to put on my running shoes and shorts makes me shiver... And want to wrap myself into my blanket like a giant human sushi to stay on my couch cuddling my cat - which is a much less physical activity I agree. That reminds me that I still owe you a last Manger Bouger (eat&move) recipe, I note it for next week...

Anyway! Today recipe is about diamond shape...

What you will need, for the shortbread cookies:

• - 220 g flour
• - 100 g salted butter
• - 1 egg
• - 100 g brown sugar

 For the white chocolate mousse:

• - 200 g white chocolate
• - 3 egg whites
• - 100 g powdered sugar
• - 20 cl very cold whipping cream

 To start with, beat the egg and the sugar together and add the flour little by little. With your hands knead the dough and add the previously softened butter. On your floured work surface, roll out the dough until you have approximatively 1 cm and cut out diamond shape with a knife. If the butter was too hot and so the dough too sticky, wrap it with cellophane tape and put it in the fridge for 15 minutes until it firms up.

Once you have your Diamond Shape cut out, put them in the oven for 13 minutes at 180°C.

 Once they're cooked and cooled, you can put a royal icing on them (yes, ROYAL i.e. 160g powdered sugar for 35g white egg) or you can leave them plain... It's up to you.

For the chocolate mousse:

In a mixing bowl, whip up egg whites very firmly with a pinch of salt then reserve. Slowly dissolve the white chocolate in a bain-marie. Meanwhile, in another mixing bowl, whisk the whipping cream into Chantilly by adding the powdered sugar little by little (your batter needs to be clean and dry). Once the chocolate has melted, mix it with the egg whites and gently blend in the Chantilly trying not to break the mix. Put the mousse in the fridge for at least 4h before the presentation.

 And the presentation is quite easy: take a cookie, garnish it with the white chocolate mousse and take some tiny fruits like blueberries (but it's also delicious with red currant) and put them around the cookie, then fill in the holes with some mousse and close up with another cookie! Then enjoy!

 My Wolves of the wood,

I know I'm committing a sin by twisting from our theme Week but I have a BREAKING NEWS for you: the launch of a perfume, of MY perfume SEE BY CHLOÉ... A few months ago my friend Nardijisse B. and I were invited to the word premiere launch (almost..) of the new perfume See by... And not only was it an amazing event with a gorgeous scenography and a very well done flip book workshop, I also got to come home with a perfume, my perfume. And you have to know that when it comes to perfume, I really am a difficult person, like capital D difficult... I think I might have worn the same perfume for at least 10 years (Innocent, Thierry Mugler) and it ended up feeling normal to me, a smell of my everyday life, like the smell of hot tea or of a toasted slice of bread... There was the smell of Innocent...

It is really complicated to write about a perfume but I'm gonna try. To me this fragrance smells like freshness, at first it fizzes, a bit like green apple and then it dissipates and it smells like vanilla! And at the end stays a feeling of fresh and clean, like after a good shower... It is a perfume that feels good and makes me want Spring to come even more... It makes me want to go out wearing a leather jacket and my underwear like the girl in the ad... Spring you know! 

So if today I'm mentioning See by, it's because the brand launches an app on their website that allows to create mini movies... And I know you like this kind of tips because I just answered some questions about me (the more regular and the less intrusive ones) and one of the most asked question is how do I do my little GIFs... So until I do a photoshop DIY, I offer you to try this app for yourself and to make you win some perfumes at the same time...

 How?! Well, you'll have to 

do a little work... Dare me on twitter to do anything like "@makemylemonade would you dare to go out wearing a leather jacket and your underwear? #seebychloéfragrance". The contest is open in the comments!

I will choose 3 dares, the most relevant ones (understand the funniest and craziest ones) and I will make 3 mini films with the much talked about app on next sunday (the 10th) to announce the results... Have fun !

With love, Lisa.

Happy Monday the company!

 I had forgotten how much I loved doing inspirations board! Even more with a huge deco feeling... I don't know if it's because I'm craving for Spring to come or if it is just the smell of fresh paint that I miss, but if it were for me I would paint all the walls of my living room in light pink, yellow, white and black... Everything is fine, I am in need of colors, fine lines, wooden shelfs and some graphic diamond shape touches... I am aware that we see a lot of diamond shape lately, and it's been a while, and some brands like Ferm living or Hay (to quote only them...) are riding the wave a lot... But I think it works really well and I want that today... So the challenge was the recipe of the week because I played all my cards with the Calisson recipe... But I am resourceful you know that and all theses colors really inspired me... To be continued tomorrow... A deco DIY, a graphic wish list and a new design for my articles... And of course a diamond shape look ! What a challenge ?! - or, how a deco trend can invade my life in less than a week...

What is your deco obsession of the moment ? I wish you a beautiful week my chesnuts... 

And if you want to find the source of all these images, I invite you on my pinterest and his Diamond Shape board... Many kisses, Lisa.

I think I overestimated myself regarding the time I'd need to finish this post! I am really happy to give you the second and last-but-one part of my trip with Gemey-Maybelline. The last post will be a video because I thought it would be good to show you the moving city and the craziness in the backstage...

 I think that what I love the most it the effervescence of the last moment. Some times ago I experienced the sleepless nights before a fashion show. It was at Yves Saint Laurent, on the men Studio, and despite it being so difficult and so exhausting, it was one of these moments where you feel like you're part of something, of a team, of a small piece of their history. I have magical memories of the OFF side of the fashion show with the designers and the ADs that made the looks again and again as if they were saving the world, passionate and hard liner, over the phone until the last minute... And what a satisfaction when models are coming back and it's over...

 It was my first fashion shows and backstage as a "guest" and I wanted to ask whether I could help anyone... Ha ha ha I'm not even kidding. But I was there only to be regaled in the show of theses women and men behind the scene that dance, run and handle last minutes micro disasters... This really was something!

 I promised to you the secret of the street style... So I have to tell you... For me street style photographers were like hunters, with their camera always ready to draw, on the lookout for the amazing silhouette that would stand out from the crowd... A colorful look, an incredible hat, an accumulation of necklaces... But when I was waiting for the Diane Von Furstenberg show, I saw it: the horde of overdressed girls with too much make-up and hairstyle, getting out of the cabs and posing in front of the entrance waiting for a camera to catch them. Unbelievable. There are the ones doing as if nothing had happened, putting up a front like being on the phone and there are the ones fully accepting it and stringing together postures worthy of Vogue... A miraculous catch? Hell no! It's a fishing trip where everyone gets something...

 This trip was also about meeting and I met a great girl, Hana Mey! She blogs and she just established a stunning online magazine HEARTY that I'd highly recommend... Hana made us discover her New York City and precisely her favorite Soho/Nolita/East village, and I am giving you some of her fav addresses...

 It was crazy ! I hope your weekend went well...

Ha ha... Okay, I admit... This post is ready since last night but, who knows why? Between work appointments, friends crisis meeting, laundry to do and a tiny party for 15 people to organize, I was a little overwhelmed by the situation... I have a real life despite my cyber identity you know... But this appointment on the Internet means a lot to me and I don't like to give my work late so to make myself up to you, I will spoil you during this weekend and the next week. My theme week is ready and we just have to keep our finger crossed that I have the time to post between brushing my teeth and finishing my book mock-up (I'm almost there...). Next theme Week will be devoted to decoration that I miss a little... I dream of finding a new flat so I can have fun with the walls and other furnitures... Meanwhile I fantasize on Pinterest... Anyway.

A reader mentioned that she would like an "In the Navy" theme Week and I really like this idea... And if you ever want to enlighten my head with brilliant idea like this one, I am a taker! I kiss you muchomucho. And you should stick around today cause it's possible the my NYC adventures continue a little bit further... 

Today with this freezing weather I wearing steel blue, not to say freezing blue (but don't worry, my coat was waiting for my in the arms of my photographer)? I am wearing my leather heels La Redoute that I never take off lately... Polka dots tights from Oyshoa micro-skirt embroidered with tiny icebergs by Margarin Fingersa Paper Case top that I don't take off often either that is from an amazing recently discovered website Our Wandering Mindsand a metallic blue leather jacket from the space by BershkaI think it gives a Michael Jackson touch... 

My kittens,

 I've never worked so much that since I quit my job! It is amazing: every day is a new project with its lot of surprises (and stress!) and the day after is a totally different new game with news things at stake, new client etc.... I knock on wood so it lasts! It is delightful right now and I am up-to-date in all my homework so I can peacefully debrief with you on my express trip to NYC... Lucky me! I am lucky though, I went there with the Gemey Maybelline team and I can say that I was very impressed, I made myself little and I took half a million of pictures, like a paparazzi who'd be lucky enough to see Johnny Deep french kissing Monica Bellucci... You see

 I felt so privileged during these 4 days... I went backstage, I discovered the secret of street style, I saw amazing collections and I got to watch the Gemey Maybelling 2014 shooting as if it was completely normal for me to be there, with 12 muses that were each more outstanding than the other... I was a mouse with a camera stuck on my face... And the cherry on the cheesecake was that this trip coincided with the one-year anniversary of Make My Lemonade... So much ground has been covered since then! And what a wonderful gift it was for me who are, as you all know, in love with this City... This time I didn't went through my good addresses for you because I think it was covered with my last trip... 

This time I wanted to bring back colors, a whole range of colors. Many of you were asking me what was inspiring me, well it's ALL of this, the detail of a red light standing out against a taupe wall, a pair of cosmic sneakers, the gradation of lipstick on a magazine's page... I am a real sponge... And what about you ? Where do you find the inspiration ? I come back to you soon with more posts about this trip, I have addresses for men this time found by the amazing Hana May! And I also want to show you my pics from backstage and the street style madness...

My little kittens, I'm over the moon right now, I'm back from NYC with my lover. I know it's crazy, it was 4 days of excitation, 4 days of intense fashion week, of crazy encounters backstage and of amazing pictures! But I will quickly come back to it...

I initially wanted to put this recipe in a Diamond Shape theme week (smart right?) but I think colors are great for the occasion and if you put two Calissons together it kind of forms a heart... I clearly am on a cheesy mood... I know I know, I can already hear you saying that Valentine's day is a commercial occasion but I like to tell to my people that I love them and I wanted to do something special... Especially after the avalanche of love that I had following my last 3 posts! I wish you as much love as it is possible to receive, you have no idea how much your little words reach me! I come back to you really soon with lots of answers to many of your questions of which some made me laugh so hard... Thank you again... And without further delay the Calisson of Love recipe! 

To make 20 or so Calissons, you will need:

• - 150 g almond powder
• - 100 g powdered sugar
• - 100 g dried apricot
• - 50 g crystallized ginger
• - 75 g crystallized melon
• - 2 teaspoons orange blossom
• - 2 teaspoons apricot marmalade
• - A sheet of unleavened paper

For the dough: Start by taking your blender and making sure it is very sharpened otherwise your task will be very complicated, really... So while your asking everyone of your neighbor for a sharpened blender, mix together the almond powder and the powdered sugar on the baking tray and leave it to dry for 30 minutes at 120°C medium height. Meanwhile cut the crystallized fruits in little pieces. Then put them in the blender and start it at full power! When you have a thin and super sticky sort of fruit jelly, add the orange blossom and blend again. Once your almond and sugar mix is dry and cool, add it to the blender and blend for aprox. 1 minute. You will have a homogeneous dough that will peel away from the blender by itself.

Put your unleavened paper sheet on a straight and dry surface, the square-patterned side on the surface, and put your ball of dough on it and uniformly flatten it to have a 0.5 cm layer. Let it cool for at least an hour. After that time cut your Calisson with a punch or small knife.

 For the frosting it's easy. Gently mix 35 g of white egg with 160 g of powdered sugar. You are free to add food coloring or not... And you only have to coat the top of your Calissons with a butter knife and to smooth their sides with your finger. Leave it to take to an hour in a dry place and enjoy! Happy Valentine's day!

Happy Friday todos!

I am in a terribly good mood and it is your fault. Yes, your fault because you are throwing all this love to my face and if you are wondering what I do about it, let me tell you that I take it and wrap myself into it. And I enjoy it! Thank you THANK YOU thank you.

And I'm in a good mood also because of my new hair cut... Who says my-new-hair-cut, says Fred... Of course it is signed by our national Fred! I love the idea that Fred is a rare and precious thing... A bit like a head designer as if I had a pair of Louboutin instead of my hair... Thank you Fred, for your fingers and for the snip of your golden scissors.

But?! You're gonna ask me, "you cannot do your bun anymore?!" Well no, and I'm happy about it. With this almost existential question that is "are we cutting or not?" I feel like brand new! My mother (I keep talking about her these days!) sent me this picture of five-years-old me with a bun and a stripped tee-shirt and I thought "it's crazy because we could take the exact same picture".

 Only, the thing is it kind of scares me in a way... Time is passing by and damn! I've had the same hair cut, the same look, the same face for 20 years... And the night after, in a dream that was so introspective that Freud's beard would straigthen, I was cutting my bun from its base... I feel bad. I call Fred at 8:04 am and he says "we cut baby". And I relive. Just like I was born again (yes, rebirth), a chapter is closing, my hair are flying... I'm crazy ! Have a wonderful weekend ! 

Today I'm wearing little cute flat ballerinas from Valensi, red dotted swiss tights from H&M and a pair of red chino pants La Redoute. This look should remind you of another one... A dress bought more than a year ago at Topshopbut so short that I'd rather wear it like a blouse... A DIY kitty bag...mine this time, and Rimmel London lipstick (the Kiss of Love 111 color)...

It gives me the creeps to think about all of what happened this past year... How the informal platform that is Wordpress became for me such an escape, a kind of extraordinary window that pushes me on doing more things, on getting better and trying to do my best every time...

 It's crazy how a one-year anniversary can also feel like the circle is complete and the moment to ask myself a thousand questions. "Do I keep going?" "What could I do to re-new myself?" "If everything ends tomorrow, how would I take it?"... So many quasi-existential questions that have only one answer: "Keep doing what you like and stop asking yourself so many questions".

 So here we go... You should take your hankies, it's gonna be emotional. In one year I can only make an assessment... A pretty awesome one... On a personal level I have the feeling that I am like a little machine, let's say a pressure cooker, the more I do things the more I have ideas and wishes and that's a powerful driving force that makes me get up in the morning with one desire: learn and do... I have a new creative hygiene that makes me want to get out of my comfort zones. On a professional level I met a bunch of people who've trusted me and given me jobs. I won't list all my projects from 2012 but I keep in mind my favorite moments with a special mention to "OMG I am writing a book" and "Okay, I'm working freelance now" to quote only them... And on the human level, Make My Lemonade allowed me to meet a whole bunch of great people and friends (photographer, color designer, hair designer, journalist and so on) and I LOVE them with real love, I call them ten times a day to tell them because they have to understand how great they are...

 But most importantly, it was you. My great encounter was you. I feel like for a year all I've been saying is thank you but it's because I am very aware that all these amazing things that keeps happening to me are also thanks to you. Thanks to the fact that you are always more and more to come here everyday (and I know dude are also hanging around) so THANK YOU. And thank you to those of you who stop me in the street to tell me to keep going even though I'm exhausted, ringed, wearing nonsense, loaded with all my stuff, in love, or even - it happened - all of that at the same time. THANKYOU.

 And now is the Oscar presentation time: thank you Mum for correcting my mistakes when you wake up and thank you for your support worthy of Michael Angelo's mother. Thank you dad for telling me it was a mistake to make a blog because "you're going to give away your idea to everybody" and to look at me like I'm an alien. Thank you my love for pushing me a year ago "to do something" even though you might regret it sometimes when I'm glued to my screen, I'm working on that... Thank you to all my friends for their support, their sharing, their help and their kindness, and a special thank you to my Justine B. because...