Gloaming Designs

Elderflower Spritzer [and your excuse for this month's Ikea trip]

 (do me a quick favor and click on that image to see it larger. then you won't be able to resist making it. evil laugh.)

This drink is summer.

Summer has been shy here in Paris, although I know that where you are it most likely hasn't been. It seems that everyone was suffering heatwaves while we had gray-rain-gray-rain-gray. I'm not complaining too much. I'll take the rain to a heatwave any day!

But these last two days have started to be sweet and I can finally think about finding every excuse to drink this spritzer. I love making them at the end of the day before diving into dinner prep.

Now, the first thing you need to know is that you should make this. The second thing is that (I can hear you crying foul already) it's not technically a spritzer because there is no wine. You won't care because it's so good. Or, if you're really determined, try a really crisp, dry white wine. Maybe 1 part wine to 2 parts sparkling water? Or track down some elderflower liquor. Let me know if you try it.

If you can, try to find organic limes. You're putting the whole fruit in your glass, peel and all, so if you can, organic is a good choice. You should be able to find elderflower syrup in specialty food shops but if not, Ikea sells it in their food selection (as Saft Fläder). There: refreshing drink and an excuse for Ikea. I bet you love me right now.

Elderflower Spritzer

makes 1

1 lime, thinly sliced

a small handful of mint leaves, washed

1 shot glass of Elderflower Syrup

sparkling water (like Perrier or San Pellegrino)

ice cubes

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Pour the shot glass of syrup into your glass. You may find that you like more or less of the syrup after you try this a first time, so you can adjust it to your taste. Take 4 or 5 or your mint leaves and lightly crush them by folding and twisting them. Drop those in your glass along with 2 slices of gently squeezed lime. Fill the glass with ice cubes and top with enough sparkling water for you glass and a straw or swizzle stick and give it a stir. Try not to drink it all in one gulp.

~~

If you like things extra chilled, try keeping a couple glasses in the freezer that you can pull out to make this drink.

xo,

A.

 

 

Bug in a Box

Have I told you about Albert's nickname? Actually, that should be nicknames. With an 's'. As in many. I'll spare you the list but most are a variation of the original: 'Bug'. From there it becomes 'Buggy' and 'Albug' and then spins out of control into craziness.

But this story is about The Bug and his boxes.

 

 

For boxes, this animal holds a deep and abiding love. And being the softie that I am, I have a hard time being the cruel human who will dispose of a box he has claimed. I usually just wait until it has fallen out of favor and then it's snuck down to recycling when nobody (the cat) is looking. But all that waiting it out makes for a Parisian studio apartment with that much less precious square meterage because of the valuable box real estate being occupied. See what I sacrifice?

 

 

Currently, three boxes have won favor. But who are we kidding? Even a shoebox would win favor. Box #1 of the moment has the distinct advantage of being the *perfect* size to curl up in (for Albert) and tape up to send to far off lands (for us). Just kidding. We don't mail our cat.

 

 

In the past, he has had collections in which each box has a distinct purpose: box A for sleeping, box B for hunting (human legs) from, and box C for ripping to shreds. Better boxes than the tables, I say.

And Albug is even willing to share his space with favorite toys, crumpled tissues, and even, sometimes, his doppelganger. See it up there? A stuffed version my mother found. From the corners of our eyes, we always swear is the real cat. "Off the table!....oh."

 

 

And while all that hunting and shredding is great stuff, the number one best thing to do in a box is sleep all. day. long. But toss a couple bathes in there, just to keep that fur shinin'.

 

 

xo,

A.

Marché after the Honeymoon

{ a bouquet of beets }

We've been back for two weeks.

We were away for a {glorious} lifetime.

At least, that's how it has felt to me. I had already been in Maine for almost three weeks when I flew to Denver to meet R. There we picked up an RV and traveled where the wind blew for four weeks. The Rockies, Santa Fe, Mesa Verde, Telluride, Bryce Canyon, Monterey, Muir Woods...

There are folders and folders of photos to wade through and I want to share our favorite moments but first I have to wrap my head around those files. So that will come.

 

{ the beginning of salmon and asparagus in parchment }

But what I can tell you is that the marché was full of little surprises for me when we got back. I had left in March and the fruits of the season have soildered on since I've been away. The tired apples of winter are being replaced by berries and cherries and the old faithfuls of carrots, potatoes, and leeks are making space for asparagus, basil, and spring peas on the tables.

My first trip back to the marché was a quick but thrilling affair where I found produce on offer that I had never seen there before. But it was all devoured too quickly to photograph. You see, our Albert was back after his month-long stay with his grandmother, bless her. Lunch was the least we could do after devotion like that. So red, purple, and white radishes were sliced and woodland asparagus* was divided up to make this salmon, a standard of ours that you should try! (That's not the woodland asparagus above, it's white asparagus from an earlier meal.)

But last weekend's marché, that I have on film! So here's what will be in my kitchen this week:

sweet red peppers

zucchini

eggs

sweet peas

red onion

dill

raviolis à l'arrabbiata

rhubarb

basil

green beans

beets (wrapped into a bouquet by the seller)

.

So I'll be back with a virtual Midwestern tour for you soon. In the mean time, what are you excited to see reappearing in the market?

xo,

A.

* Called Prussian, Wild, or Bath Asparagus in English. See here.

 

February Photo a Day

These photo a day lists have been everywhere on the internet but I had never done a month of photos until I saw the topic list at House of Smiths and that, sure. So, here is my February in photo.

(you can click on each photo strip to see them larger)

the view on my wednesday walk to a lesson.

a recipe for dinner.

hands have been knitting this yarn.

{never got to this photo}.

the snowy skylight in our room for a friend's weekend birthday bash.

Leftover tortilla pie.

This button serves me so well in this city!

Sun streaming in steamy windows.

The front gate of our residence.

Keepin' it real.

DIY with the Frenchman and our new wall of shelves make my super happy.

Some current favs.

These two blues have been in constant rotation lately.

A valentine's breakfast.

The nightly call with Dad.

New yarn that brings me back to a memory.

Any time after noon goes at a faster speed. I don't care what scientists say.

Dinner with friends (and proof that you can eat junk food in France).

Hate cleaning up after dinner. But, I've gotten better at cleaning as I go lately.

Trying to reclaim my studio corner.

A favorite photo of us: Grenoble 2006. La Poste photo booth. I remember it clearly...

Not the pnly space but I do spend a lot of time working here.

Shoes to make any outfit look put together.

We don't have a bathroom cabinet; here are our shelves.

The greens of the exhausted narcissus bulbs are too pretty to get rid of yet.

From our window.

Breakfast: oatmeal with raspberries, clementine zest, brown sugar, and a touch of maple syrup.

Coins.

Listen to this track everyday: "please let me into the hallway. please let me into the hallway. please let me into the hallway. pleaseletmeintothehallway!" but in cat voice.

.

I've already started on March's list! Looking forward to seeing another month in pictures like this.

xo everyone,

a.

Lève Les Voiles

{ Lift the Sails }

I know it's been quiet over here. But I've been doing a lot of pondering.

Why am I writing? What do I want to write? Do I want to worry about readership numbers and comment numbers and blog mentions?

And E Tells Tales gave me some wonderful food for thought that helped me come to an answer on that last one.

No, not really.

So I have {the very beginning of} my answer for the other questions, too.

This blog is just about me and my adventures with the great people I share my life with.

This blog is for me to be me and for my family on the other side of the ocean to know me (and us) through it.

This blog is mine.

~

I don't have all the answers here. But I'm not going to beat myself up anymore. When I post, I'll be thinking of Ko and Lindsey and Julia and Aunt Sandy or any one of the many people I hold so incredibly dear. I'll be me for them but also for me. Not someone I think I should be to get a stranger to comment.

So, if your are - friend, family, or, indeed, stranger - and that sounds like a fun adventure to you, I'm glad you're here.

I haven't got it all figured out, but here's to seeing things from a different sink angle and to forging a new {wet paw print} path for 2012. I'm loving you already, 2012. Yes I am.

love,

Abigail

It's here!

This week got away from me (like for everyone, I think!) but I'm happy that I got a lot of the little projects done that I was hoping to for my family. That's a victory!

But, I just wanted to pop in and wish you

~ Joyeux Noël ~

and I'll see you after the festivties!

lots of love to you and yours,

a.

5 days until Noël - Newlywed Gift

 

1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9 : 10 : 11 : 12 : 13 : 14 : 15 : 16 : 17 : 18 : 19

 

Today I just want to share a quick little idea for a sweet gift for newlyweds (like us!).

It's hard to make yourself slow down and just connect with each other sometimes and a gift like this one would be the perfect kick in the butt to do so: no excuses, everything you need for an evening of relaxing is in this little basket.

Here's what I included:

 

- a bottle of bubbly

- two unique champagne flutes

- a bar of ginger chocolate

- two candles

- a CD of sweet and romantic favorite songs

- a fun upgrade: include one of your favorite boards games (make sure it can be played with just two players)

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What would you love to get in a newlywed gift?

xo,

a.

- why not throw in a couple matches too?

 

6 days until Noël - Decked Halls

1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9 : 10 : 11 : 12 : 13 : 14 : 15 : 16 : 17 : 18

Today is catch up day from last week when our computer and I weren't on speaking working terms. So I'll be putting up Wednesday's, Thursday's, Friday's, Saturday's, and Today's post all throughout the day. Whew! Gotta get this Christmas train back on track! So put on some Noël music, check out Sunday's post with a beautiful gift tag download, and keep your eyes peeled!

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To start off the week, I want to show you our little sapin de Noël!

First, we planted a cat evicted the cat from his new found favorite spot.

Then we picked out a sweet little tree and decked it with our finest! Here it is all lit up:

Perhaps my favorite part of decorating the tree is rediscovering each ornament and remembering where it came from and what story it tells. We happen to have a lot of bird ornaments (pretty sure we started doing that before 'put a bird on it' exploded).

This humble little guy is one of our first ornaments together. I made a few of them 5 years ago when we celebrated our second Christmas together (and our first Christmas living together). That year, I crafted a few little ornaments out of scraps and bits that we had and we decorated a bunch of holly. In our tiny apartment, there was no room for a tree!

This is one of many that our family has had for years, made by my paternal grandmother. Since we had the bird collection going, I snatched a selection of these felt heirlooms last time I was home!

I think this is Romain's favorite! For the past four years, he has been our tree topper starting the year we lived in the U.S. and not only had an apartment with more than one room (wow!), but had space for a 6 foot tree.

But this year, we're trying out his faux mercury glass topper which is pretty darn lovely too. I tucked a few of the lights at the end of the strand up into it and now it glows.

What would a French sapin de Noël be without grapes? This very old glass bunch I actually picked up in Belgium.

This beautiful glass Santa was a gift from my parents on there first visit to France.

Some others from the small vintage collection we've started.

Two silly mice. We got these, along with the tree topper bird, from Tuttle's when we lived in Maine. And I love that my parent's decorate their tree across the ocean with the same little characters!

More birds! The top is from a set of glass clip-ons that we bought when we were in the U.S. but the second is the first ornament we ever bought together. He came from Habitat.

And finally, here is a tiny little golden star that I've had for a long time.  It used to decorate a mini tree that I had in my bedroom growing up.

So that's the grand tour of our little tree!

Just for fun, here are some other little scenes from around the apartment:

This is just a tiny little tree and some yarn clippings under a glass but we think it's sweet.

I spy the Gift of the Magi.

I found this set of little fabric covered books in the brocante for 5€! They are: Christmas Poems, Christmas Legends, Christmas Songs, and Christmas Stories.

The covers and pages are just as beautifully printed as the spines. I was so excited to find these!

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Well, there you have it. The bits and pieces that are decking our halls this year. I'm hoping to whip up some stockings for each of us today that we can take with us to the grandparents for the holiday. I'll let you know how it goes!

xo,

a.

8 days until Noël

The Spirit of Christmas

Recipe/food styling: Sarah Cook

Prop styling: Tony Hutchinson

- recipe here -

9 days until Noël - Christmas Dress-up

 

1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9 : 10 : 11 : 12 : 13 : 14 : 15

Today is catch up day from last week when our computer and I weren't on speaking working terms. So I'll be putting up Wednesday's, Thursday's, Friday's, Saturday's, and Today's post all throughout the day. Whew! Gotta get this Christmas train back on track! So put on some Noël music, check out Sunday's post with a beautiful gift tag download, and keep your eyes peeled!

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Now that the cat is lookin' good for the festivities, I'm dreaming up my perfect holiday look for this year. This idea started off with a simple white dress and black stockings. From there I decided it was about a pop of color and details. I had my heart set on red shoes until last night when, of all things, this yarn love got me dreaming of malachite. So malachite shoes it was!

If Santa brought us all everything on our Christmas lists, here is what I'd be donning Christmas day:

 

1. This dress. It is the closest I could find to the feeling I was looking for. Sadly, I can't find it on the Topshop site anymore.

2. This jacket. Love that this is unexpected, a longer length, and sparkles are a must!

3. These earrings. It can't get more elegantly classic than these beauties.

4. This clutch. Perfect for playing supporting cast to the other details without being boring.

5. These stockings. So sweet!

6. These {malachite} heels. Ruche calls them emerald. I call them malachite.

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What are you dreaming up for holiday looks?

xo,

a.