The pleasure of Pastels ~ Colour my World

Hi friends. I have had a fab weekend with my daughter surprising me with a visit. She flew home for the weekend from Johannesburg and my son joined us from varsity and brought a friend. My empty nest was full, the weather in Cape Town was great and we spent time outdoors having lunch in Blouberg, walking in Moullie point and it was pure bliss. The dogs were totally happy to have a house full to indulge in.

Well it is Monday night and the nest is empty again and the dogs very worried about being deserted have become clingy and I can not move without an entourage following my every move...sigh! Well, the three of us are now settled in front of the computer. Two are snoring contentedly and I am exploring the blissful calming  shades of pastel...

Thank you all for the lovely comments and new blogs you shared with me in my previous post, My French Bucket List. I thoroughly enjoyed the new blogs.


It amazes me that no matter what colour I choose to explore, mother nature always seems to provide the perfect canvas of inspiration...

a sunset...and fungi.. it looks artificial!

a flutter of delicate wings...art in motion...

or, a flower...have a look at those boots...imagine the army in pastel boots..lol. Being a magazine addict I enjoy vintage magazine covers immensely.

 

pretty pastel buttons ...looks good enough to eat!

Dreamy and delightful...

while we contemplate Pooh's dilemma, we will....

munch some marshmallows...

It all looks so delectable. Pastels are just pretty and girly...delicate and delightful!

This is sooo elegant... I want hats to be part of every day life again...although on second thoughts, living in a windy city....um ... I'll be chasing after my hat most times. I might have to resort to bonnets firmly tied on which would not be as elegant as this...

Even I, who never knit, want to grab the needles and knit a scarf at the very least from that wool!

These looks like art and not for eating...

Can you choose a favourite out of the colours below? Aren't they gorgeous together like that? I imagine decorating a little girl's room using all of those colours and imagine making a quilt for her bed from those...

What a cute outfit!

 

So, lets grab our paint brushes and decorate...

Let's paint the door pink...

What a gorgeous street... I can see myself standing out there singing " On the street where you live"..um yes...

 

Pastel rooms are so calming and serene...

A wonderful way to use some favourite fabrics. Looks very dreamy... look at the pastel trunk below the table.

 

You are all welcome to join me here at this lovely spot for a cool drink and a chat...we will never leave.

What a wonderful kitchen! Its just so feminine and inviting. I just love it and feel like baking cupcakes in there. I do not have any pastels in my own home at all and only a few items in my closet. Actually the garden is the perfect spot to explore pastels and maybe I should consider a bed of pale pink roses teamed with pale coloured irises....hmmm.. that is beginning to sound plausible....

Beautiful, isn't it?  Love the frame idea and here is the start of a girly room and nursery... Now, I only need some grand children...sigh...

Milk glass plates, bowls and cake stands and so gorgeous. This is another option for adding pastels to my home .

Perfectly inviting..

Love the colours below...

Mother nature at play again and speaking in tones of pastel this time...

Pastels goes classical.

Absolute pastel pleasure....

 These pillows are adorable. I will have all of them please..and the sofa..

Pure art... So stunning and perfectly decorated.

 

Billowy meringues  in shades of pastels for a party together with the above little works of art would be amazing....

Actually, I have just realised that I have some scrap book paper in pastel shades! Now, there is a plan for creating with pastels. Odd where our inspiration comes from, sometimes and I it would have taken me a long time to remember that stash of paper had I not done this pastel parade!

I hope you have enjoyed the pleasure of pastels. Have a happy week. Please leave me your thoughts below, I enjoy reading them and appreciate the time you take to visit here with me.

I am linking to a new linky party about Pinterest and music joining Natasha at Five minutes for me! Magic post on Paris over there as well as gorgeous music...

Veronica

xxx

all of the above inspirational images came from pinterest.

My French Bucket List....

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a fine day. Do you have a bucket list? I'm sure you do. Doesn't everyone have one? Did you see the movie? Morgan Freeman was charming and I loved him in the movie. Although, his charming portrayal of the chauffeur in Driving Miss Daisy will forever capture my heart.

I have a bucket list as well.  It has the annoying habit of getting longer...Some of the things includes the following... Flying in a micro light over Victoria Falls. Taking a hot air balloon trip over The Serengeti during the migration. Completing my memoirs. etc, etc. It's a long list, trust me...

But then, I also have a separate French bucket list! Yes a whole separate list. Can you imagine! I am an African first and foremost but I seem to have strong tendencies towards my French Heritage and I blame that for this extensive list...Lol. Lets see... No 1. I would dearly like to live in Paris for a month at the very least. I want to hire a apartment near Rue Montorgueil and visit all the food markets, take my bounty home and cook up a storm! Then there is the Louvre where I could wonder around for a week and not be done! And, of course all the other antique markets, etc,etc.

Then there is a barge trip down Canal Du Midi....

Aahh, and then there is Provence that I simply have to explore better than the last time I was there. Thus I need to hire an old farm house in the Luberon, steel my nerves and drive on the wrong side of the road and explore every nook and cranny and market!!!

Gordes, above is picture perfect and I loved it!

Another thing on my bucket list is to buy a piece of land and build one huge barn  and furnish it with French finds... and for inspiration I would like to introduce you to some of my favourite French Inspirational blogs. You may know many of them but just in case you don't, allow me to introduce you...

La Brocanteuse a wonderful blog by Colette. She has a passion for old French Linen and travels to markets to find her treasure. Have a look at her blog here! The post that I loved the most apart from her amazing home was the one on the gardens  of Villandry. Absolute enchantment! please visit and enjoy!

Another of my favourite blogs is by Sharon Santoni who lives in the beautiful countryside of Normandy and it is called My French Country House. Sharon shares daily live in her beautiful valley and her charming home and she was also one of my blogs first followers. Another of the places that I just visited briefly and would love to spend more time at. Sharon also has a charming cottage for rent on her property and also a brocante with fabulous finds. please click here to visit her online store!

Now, friends let me introduce you to a wonderful blog called Trouvais written by Trish. It is one of those wonderful places you go to dream!! Have a peek here and I will forgive you if you are gone for a while... Enjoy! Below is one of my favourite images from her blog. Yes, it had to be an urn!!! Gorgeous, isn't it?

Blogland is an intricate network of inspirational finds where you can get lost for hours on end and enjoy every moment. The wonderful blog that led me to Trouvais in the first place was, and I leave the best for last..... Atelier De Campagne. Please click here for a magical trip of inspiration and brocante paradise like none other...

When I grow up I want to do what these amazingly talented three guys do!  Trinidad, Johan  and Martin takes us on their trips to wonderful markets and then shows us how to put it all together with Johan's  beautiful vignettes. I promise you, I will never ever look at a shutter with the same eyes, ever again! Trinidad has a wonderful way of telling the story of their travels and where they find treasure. Studying the gorgeous photos they show us how to put it all together in our homes. Please visit their website as well to view the individual pieces on offer here.

I do hope that you have enjoyed your visit of these wonderful blogs with so much inspiration. I thought to round of my French Bucket list I would share some of my favourite French Inspired rooms with you...

Just a few wonderful images to keep you going until the next round of inspiration...

Have a great day and if you have a special French Insprational blog that you visit, please share it with us in the comments below. I for one, and I won't be the only one, would love to pay them a visit!

I will be joining Mosaic Monday at Dear Little Red House as well as
Debbie Doo"s Newbie Party where you can meet new bloggers! please support these generous ladies who host us every week!
Live well

Veronica

xxx

The above images are from the various blogs mentioned, and the picture of Gordes my own

Goats do Roam...

Good morning friends from an icy Cape Town! Our little Indian summer is over and winter arrived again in the form of an icy wind that cuts to the bone!! Earlier in the week on a glorious sunshiny day I spotted a whale frolicking in the bay but as I was a bit late for an appointment I just snapped a quick shot and could not wait for the whale to resurface!

Today's post is dedicated to a fellow blogger! A few week ago I saw a post on her blog about the wine she bought and recognized it as one of our local wines. She loved the label and bought the wine. I promised her to visit the winery and give her a tour of where her wine was made. She lives in Canada and her Blog is called Pondside!

I posted it on my new blog about Cape Town and would appreciate it if you click here to view the post please. The blog is called Mother City Magic.

Have a great week!

I will be linking to Mosaic Monday over at Dear Little Red House!

Live well

Veronica
xxx