Champagne Good Times

Who doesn’t love a bit of champagne? I have a Bridal Shower tomorrow and can’t wait for some girly fun time with this sun that has just come out! Hurrah for Summer.

Afternoon Rooibos and Cacti

I love having a cup of fresh hot tea in the afternoon to get me going again. If you’re looking for something caffeine free choose a rooibos or honeybush. Mine are from T2 tea.

Christmas and Cleopatra’s Bling

It’s been so busy here. Why at the end of every year does everything get so hectic? I don’t know why people think that the world ends every Christmas, it should be about having fun!

I absolutely adore wrapping presents. It’s something that I look forward to. I get very elaborate… rose petals, cinnamon sticks, dried Autumn leaves, handmade cards. I have been wrapping orders today from my boutique Cleopatra’s Bling. Then I send them off to loved ones and everybody is happy. I don’t know anybody that doesn’t enjoy receiving a present in the mail, do you?

Cleopatra’s Bling Cluster Rings

Cleopatra’s Bling Cluster Rings

Cleopatra’s Bling Cluster Rings

Cleopatra’s Bling Christmas Wrapping

To see the whole collection, like my facebook page and check out the album Live by the Sun, Love by the Moon. It’s so dreamy.

For orders processed before Sunday evening Paris time you get 50% off shipping worldwide! Don’t miss out.

In other news, we go to India next Tuesday- cannot wait to start updating you from there. I cannot begin to express my excitement.

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French Onion Soup

There is nothing better to warm yourself up in Winter than a bowl of steaming French onion soup.
Onion soups have been popular at least as far back as Roman times. They were, throughout history, seen as food for poor people, as onions were plentiful and easy to grow. The modern version of this soup originates in France in the 18th century, made from beef broth, and caramelized onions. It is often finished by being placed under a grill in a ramekin traditionally with croutons and gruyère melted on top. The crouton on top is reminiscent of ancient soups.

Today, it is still a soup that don’t cost a lot to make but is not at all seen as a soup for the poor (not that we care because it’s delicious! It’s just interesting to see how things change with time).

french onion soup oh la la livia

For two people I used:

8 brown onions
Teaspoon of coconut oil
Herbes de Provence
Bay leaves
6 cloves of garlic
Gruyère

Fry up the onion in the coconut oil until they are soft. Now add them to a saucepan with the coconut oil (this doesn’t flavour the soup at all, it’s just the healthy option, see here for details.) Now add about 5 cups of water and keep adding water when the levels get low. Keep it simmering on low for a couple of hours.

French Onion Soup with croutons by Oh la la Livia

For the croutons, I put them in the oven with cheese on them and placed them on the top of the soup.
Delish! Enjoy and keep warm this Winter

Want to see the new collection in my boutique? Click here.

This Winter I’ll have ears

My latest purchase. I’m waiting impatiently for it to arrive. It’s the latest big thing in Asia, so it will probably hit Europe in the next few months. For the time being I’ll be a lone cat in Paris.

These girls look like perfect dolls with cat ears.

The hat is 100% felt wool, perfect for the chilly days in Paris town.

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A unicorn and deer afternoon in Paris

To make life sweeter, I love my afternoon latté and a little treat. On Thursday I decided to get myself a handful of choukettes (a delightful little puff of French pastry with sugar on top- not to be overdone in quantity). Coffee time is so cosy at the moment here in my apartment because the sun goes down early and I turn on the big lamp on our living room which gives a honey glow to the room and I sink into the couch with my latté.

I am so smitten with my new cups from Claudia from Superfumi.

Being Australian, I absolutely love European animals because my childhood was koalas, kangaroos and possums. I find deers so precious. Their big eyes! Obviously my unicorn obsession is just because I’m a girly girl.

 

I highly reccomend you visit her Etsy shop here because she has a new range that just came out. All of the products are handmade in the UK.

What treats do you have planned for the weekend?

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Adorbale Cupcake Toppers to Brighten up Any Day

These cupcake toppers are made by a lovely lady who is supporting her family because she is an American Army Wife. I cannot imagine what this must be like but what better way to make her role as a mother and army wife meet by being crafty to support her family. Her Etsy shop is filled with cute cupcake toppers. She is offering a 10% discount for all of my readers on her Etsy shop for the month of November with the code: PARIS10. Why don’t you stock up for Christmas?

She sent me koala toppers because I am Australian 🙂

And frogs for my Frenchman, J.

They are really well made, strong, perfectly cut and do not bend easily.

I cannot wait to make cupcakes with them and to post photos for you all.

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Roses, Petals and Elephants on a Holiday

Flowers make me so happy. And I always put petals in cards and presents when I am giving somebody a gift. Seem ridiculous? Yes, but I live for that kind of small detail.

I am drying petals to make cards for Christmas.

The pink rose matched my coca cola bottle vase so perfectly- I just had to!

And I cannot forget Ganesh who needed a bit of cheering up on this cold, dark Winters day in Paris.

How did you spend your day?

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Dreaming of India

Back to India in a month and a half.

Patchwork heaven, tea time (all the time), rose petals sealed with love, generous amounts of masala,  bindis, vibrant colours, smiles, curiosity. hazy and sticky sunrises, wandering through the busy streets, getting lost and spending for presents to bring back home.

If you want to see more about my last Indian trip click here and here.

These books look so wonderful.

“India was the mother of our race and Sanskrit the mother of Europe’s languages. She was the mother of our philosophy, mother through the Arabs, of much of our mathematics, mother through Buddha, of the ideals embodied in Christianity, mother through village communities of self-government and democracy. Mother India is in many ways the mother of us all.” – Will Durant

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A Kids Cupcake Class with Jolis Kids Paris

For my special little 11-year-old friend’s birthday, we got her a cupcake that she could invite 7 of her best friends to. In this day and age where kids are spoilt rotten with material goods, we thought it would be good to do an old-fashioned “hands-on” event. Jolis Kids Paris does all kinds of parties for children. Nathalie was great and kept the 7 children entertained for two hours.

All of the enfants went home happy with their little box of goodies excited to show their parents. It was so so precious.

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