When is a French attic not an attic?

... when it's a book-box!!  

Before Christmas I spent quite a lot of time making this little French artist's attic in a fake book (which is really a storage box) as a Christmas gift for my artistic daughter-in-law Lamina.  It was very difficult to keep it a secret as we're usually chatting regularly about the projects we're working on.

Sketches by Lamina @ doabit.blogspot.com.au
The Tale of Mr Cat from inalux.blogspot.com.au, reproduced with kind permission, visit them to see his true beauty 

The life-drawing and landscape sketches are Lamina's own work, copied from her blog.  The wonderfully colourful cat is a mini-reproduction of one of Lamina's favourite art works 'The Tale of Mr Cat' by the incredibly talented artists at inaluxe - many thanks to Kristina and Jason for generously allowing me to copy this work for Lamina's mini studio - it wouldn't be the same without the contrasting style and colour it provides. It's impossible for me to do it justice here, visit them to see Mr Cat's true beauty and admire their other fabulous creations.

Other credits are due too - the pretty jug and flowers were made by Flora, the well-worn little canister by Mercedes,  the tiny angel was a gift from Synnove.  The graphic on the box of rags is from The Graphics Fairy. 

Much as I enjoyed making this tiny attic I'm still feeling inspired by Jean Jacques Brisson (see post dated December 3, 2012) and continue to dream about creating a larger version...

Summer holidays in New Zealand

During my blogging break I spent several weeks at our cottage in New Zealand

(click on the pics for a larger view)

doing this 

on walls

and furniture

When we visit again this chest of drawers needs a lot more attention, it was a case of 'slip, slop, slap' this time to make a quick improvement so that it's okay enough to be used.  (During our absence a young couple with be house-sitting.)

But it wasn't all work and no play.

A fun highlight was a visit to Akaroa,
a French settlement about 2 hours drive from Christchurch.

The main reason for taking the trip to Akaroa was to visit a 

French shop that my sister had told me I'd love 

La Folie Jolie

Alas to my great disappointment it was closed!!

I couldn't believe it.

The only day it's closed is Tuesday, the day we chose to visit.

Next time I'm going somewhere special I'll be sure to check their opening hours first!

(You can visit La Folie Jolie online here.)

As always the end of our holiday came all to soon.

Flying over Farewell Spit (Tuhuroa), a narrow sand spit at the northern end of the South Island of New Zealand, en route to Auckland to catch our flight back to Sydney.

Giveaway Winner Announced

My thanks to everyone who entered, and for your lovely comments,

and a huge welcome to all new followers.

My grandson made the draw this morning... 

Congratulations  Patrizia 

Paris in the Springtime is yours... 

When we were making the draw we didn't notice that when we shook up all the paper pieces inside the hat that Diane's name had become caught up in the plastic strap.  Unfortunately that meant that Diane had no chance to win so I want to offer her a small consolation prize (as yet unknown!).  Diane, please email me your address!

I have only recently returned to Sydney from a long holiday in New Zealand  where I had a great time visiting friends and family and working on our 'real human size' cottage.  During this time I had only occasional, brief, access to the internet so I haven't been visiting your blogs and feel that I am quite out of touch with what's been going on.  Hopefully I can catch up a bit over the next couple of weeks.