Travel: Dordogne, France

In the past, I managed to take a trip to Europe once a year…for study or work purposes or for family gatherings. Unfortunately these last few years, I haven’t had the chance to go. I know, how spoiled am I? I don’t mean to whine but I certainly have been dreaming of France these last few months. I miss the food, the people, the fashion, and the cobble-stone streets.

A friend recently sent me a link to this place – Les Jonquilles in the Dordogne – where she’ll be spending a couple of weeks this spring. Browsing the photos made me instantly want to book a trip. I love the simplicity of this home. It’s both rustic and modern and who can resist a typically French white bistro set? I can almost smell the fresh countryside air!

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Images courtesy of Pure France. Many thanks to Therese for sending this my way.

Event: World Figure Skating Championships

London, Ontario is home to this year’s ISU World Figure Skating Championships. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the transformation of the downtown core as the city has prepped for this big event. There’s excitement and energy downtown and I just love being surrounded by it all!

So – here we go, a figure skating-themed post to mark today’s start of World’s!

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Go Figure by Lori Doody, $25

via Sweet Montana

via Sweet Montana

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Marilyn Monroe

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Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (Go Canada!)

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via

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via All the Beautiful Christmas

Welcome to all the skaters and visitors to London this week!

Stationery: Daniella Marie Stationery & Design

Contrary to what some believe, invites, in my opinion, are one of the most important details of a wedding. They set the tone for the whole affair and they are the first thing to welcome your party guests. Canadian blogger and designer Daniella Marie recently opened up her stationery and design business and her wedding invite collection (it’s letterpress, of course!) is just beautiful.

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Classic

Everything – like wording and colour – is customizable which gives couples the opportunity to have their invitations reflect their personalities and style.

Congratulations Daniella on your new venture!

All images courtesy of Daniella Marie Stationery & Design.

20 Below: Planning a Cloth Napkin DIY

Anyone who has eaten a meal at my place or has eaten lunch with me at work knows that I use cloth napkins for everyday – not just for “fancy” times. I switched to cloth napkins about five years ago and I have two main sets – both white (one set from my mom and one set from Johanne – they both know me so well!). I find cloth napkins really nice to use – why wipe your mouth with rough paper napkins when you can use cotton? I wash them often and I iron them sometimes.

I’m now inspired to make myself a new set of (mostly) mis-matched napkins like Elsie did from A Beautiful Mess. She bought her fabric from Etsy shop Stash Modern Fabric and so I obviously had to browse the shop to see what fabrics might suit me.

s Canvas

Painter’s Canvas

Summersville fabric

Summersville Spring Collection

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Architextures Collection

Metro LIving Circles

Metro Living Circles

Prices for half a yard of each of these fabrics range from $4.50-$5.00 (USD).

I haven’t yet decided if I’m going to order fabric directly from this Etsy shop or from Fabricland but I do know that my new napkins will be black and white (surprise!). And if I’m feeling wild, I might just add some red. Woah.