Tassels Twigs and Tastebuds: Blog it Forward ~ The French Tangerine

Good morning all!

How was your weekend? Great, I hope...

Welcome to all the lovely new faces on my followers list and also those from Face book! It's great to have your company late in the blogging night and you all keeping an eye on me from the sidebar!!

It is time to introduce my next guest in my " Blog it Forward Series" where I feature some of my favourite blogs and the talented people behind the blog.

This week it is the turn of Jan from The French Tangerine

Jan's blog was one of the first blog's that I landed on when I asked Granny Google about French Decor Blogs! I was instantly captivated and intimated!! Phew , I thought, I could never do all that... I studied all her posts and the layout and started experimenting with the idea of blogging. I emailed her and she delighted me with an encouraging reply, so I experimented some more and here we are... A whole new world opened up to me and I will be for ever grateful for your assistance Jan!

Jan also introduced me to the art of Mosaics, which I enjoy tremendously, although I do not come close to the Queen herself.... I think you will all agree, that Jan is the Mosaic Queen! So , I will include quite a few of those.

A veritable feast for the eye.

Oh, and Jan was also one of the first followers to my fledgeling blog...rather nerve wracking in the beginning..lol.

First, dear friends let me explain the format of this post to you. I sent Jan twenty random questions to answer and then kept the fun bit for myself. I get to play on her blog and select some of my favourite images to include in this post. So, enjoy and I will enclose the link to her gorgeous blog at the end of this post.

So, get ready for some eye candy, polish your spectacles and get a drink and lets chat to Jan.

Jaw dropping permitted ~ please beware of injury!

So fitting to start with a mosaic....

A favourite of mine....and many others... a spectacular colour combination.

Jaw....up!

Twenty Random Questions: Jan

1. How do you pamper your soul?

I’m not sure that I do. That question might be a little too deep for me...

Jan has a gorgeous home and we share a love of some warm colours. This is one of my favourite images from her stylish home. The colours make my heart skip a beat and that tapestry....well, lets just say...smelling salts might be needed! I am totally beguiled by the old world feel of tapestries and I have yet to find one for me, myself and I! Each one of us likes a different one, and space will only allow for one, and I guess the minister of finance will not be pleased with more than one, either...sigh...

I love the way the rug picks up the colours. Oh, and the floor under the rug gets a thumbs up from me as well. Jan loves loves green and here you can see how stunningly it all blends together.

2. Name three things on your bucket list that you would like to do or that you have done.

1. Family trip to South Africa

2. Publish a design book: Decorating with Collections for example

3. Go on a leisurely and charming trip through Europe and send a boat-load of fabulous finds home to sell in a one-time pop-up shop..

Whoop whoop! A trip to my beautiful country, South Africa! You will not be disappointed and I do hope that Cape Town is on your itinerary!

Hmm.. I also like no 3 ~ imagine the fun in finding fab!

Something like this?

3. What is on your bed side table?

Phone, paper and pencil for when I think of important things during the night, chapstick, my iPad.

The textures speaks a language of its own...

If you were a drink what would you be?

Coke! Regular Coke! It’s my favourite – crisp and so refreshing and delicious. (and a little bad for you)

5. Secret indulgence?

I think most of my indulgences are not secretive. I have been known to indulge in cookie dough for lunch and wash it down with a coke.. but it’s not really a secret.

6. Favourite décor shop?

Hmmm. That’s a hard one. I have been doing a lot more shopping in antique malls lately.. the hunt has become part of the fun. I think I want to pass on this one – I have way too many shops I adore, and could never pick only one.

7. Your favourite magazines

Veranda

8. Please tell us which city you live in and then which is your dream destination

I live in Omaha. My dream destination right now would be Mexico.

9. What makes you laugh?

My husband on travel day, my son knowing every line from every funny movie, my daughter signing an email, “joyous tidings” LOL! My other son laughing at funny movies with his headphones on.

10. Sweet intoxication…what does this phrase evoke in your mind?

Sounds like something Ben Stiller would say in Zoolander!

Jan's chandelier is de lovely as are the rooms.

11. Any hidden talents?

Absolutely not.

Gasping in pleasure...want one for my books, as well... Perhaps a cement column to play on with some paint techniques....

12. Your signature dish in the kitchen?

Probably Savoury Spaghetti… a recipe where the spaghetti cooks in the sauce. Definitely one of my kids favourites.

Yes please to the whole picture...

13. What does luxury mean to you?

Luxury is being happily married – and not having to worry about my children.. You are only as happy as your saddest child.

What a wonderfully true statement... I love this Jan and I think all moms will second that!

14. If I was to make a movie about you, who should I cast to play you?

DEFINITELY Jennifer Aniston. OMG my daughter is cracking up if she’s reading this because only she knows about my secret stash of JA photos in my bathroom drawer… I think she is the cutest!

She certainly is cute!

15. I am giving you one day off from all of your daily responsibilities…what will you do?

Totally watch TV in my flannels. Or blog surf in my flannels.

Yip, I had to find the urn ~ urn addict of epic proportion on the loose, on the www...

16. Summer evenings are for…

Sitting on the patio with friends and appetisers.

17. Your favourite gadget or appliance?

iPhone.

18. What influences your style?

I don’t know. I know what I love the second I see it. I’m not sure I am influenced by anything in particular.

19. Shoes or handbag?

Yes.

20. The best part of your day is…

After dinner. I usually organise my lists, feel good about what I’ve accomplished, and prepare for the next day/week. Feeling organised is what makes me feel calm. Then I can read or work on a post, total relaxation!

Find The French Tangerine here !

And you can view the post on Jan's Family room here.

Folks, I think we need a special drum roll and round of applause to Jan for all the hours she must put in to bring us all of those Oscar winning mosaics!!!

Jan has some wonderful posts and a huge amount of her own photography. She always has a inspired home or garden, or a shopping trip up her lens to share with us....