Happy New Year!

May your New Year sparkle with wondrous dreams . . . wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

Photo © Fete et Fleur

A Christmas Memory

When I was a child, I waited with anticipation every Christmas Eve for my father to come home from work. He was a chef, and on Christmas Eve he would bring home all sorts of incredible things to eat. While this was always a delight to the palate, what I remember most wasn’t the food, but the beautiful Christmas corsages he would bring for my mother, sister and me. I loved the bright colored ribbons, the little mercury bells, beaded butterflies and the little Christmas tree that sometimes came with the corsage.

I didn’t realize how much I missed this tradition until recently, when I put this together.

This has been a fun year of blogging for me and I hope that you have enjoyed your visits here. I'm going to be taking a small blog break for the next two weeks.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

French Yummies!

I’ve just won the most wonderful giveaway! The amazing watercolor artist, Carol Gillott, of Paris Breakfasts had a naming contest for a Holiday Bergdorf Goodman window. The title of the original window didn’t seem to fit, so Carol offered one of her beautiful paintings as a prize for writing another title.

This image and artwork belong to Carol Gillott, Paris Breakfasts


If you click here, you will see the Bergdorf window post.
For the name that won the contest, click here.
To visit Carol’s Etsy shoppe, click here.

Thank you Carol! I will treasure it.

Carol’s work is beautiful. It’s happiness on paper. She has been featured on Apartment Therapy, Designers Block, Domino Magazine, and in lots of other venues.

Carol’s blog, Paris Breakfasts, is a Painting-A-Day blog that chronicles her watercolor adventures in Paris' pastry and chocolate shops. New York is her home between jaunts.

This is not my first experience with Carol’s work. As a very late birthday present to myself, I purchased this beautiful painting. I can’t believe I will be so fortunate as to own two of Carol’s works!

This image and artwork belong to Carol Gillott, Paris Breakfasts

I also have to introduce you to an Etsy artist I just discovered, Jackie of Sweet Ice. She made the beautiful felted macarons pictured in my photo next to Carol’s painting. Here are more photos of her macarons and a wonderful felted sweetcake roll. Jackie’s work is full of fun and I love her creativity.

Photo © Fete et Fleur

Photo © Fete et Fleur

This image and artwork belong to Sweet Ice

Photo © Fete et Fleur

This image and artwork belong to Sweet Ice

To see more of Jackie’s goodies, click here.

I can’t believe there are only 7 more days before Christmas! Wishing you all joy in this most beautiful season.

Miss Heather’s Pretty Little Christmas . . .

Merry Christmas and welcome to Miss Heather’s Pretty Little Christmas Blog Party! Thank you, Miss Heather for hosting this fun event.

Christmas is one of the most romantic times of the year. I love to see how others decorate their beautiful homes. Our Christmas is always a simple one. I hope you enjoy browsing through these vignettes.

All Photos © Fete et Fleur Designs



A feather wreath dressed up with a rhinestone brooch.

I love how the bowl in the background compliments the Christmas colors in our kitchen.

All Photos © Fete et Fleur Designs


A golden star of Bethlehem hangs from a feather tree.

We don’t have a formal nativity, but I found this pop-up card at an amazing little online shoppe. I love its simplicity.

A beautiful sentiment . . .

I’ve had this sign forever. It’s a lovely little piece by Wendy Addison.

A simple wreath dresses up the armoire.

More Wendy Addison creations. I showed these last year in my Christmas post, but I like them so much I wanted to share them again.

A mixed garland using vintage tinsel, red glass beads and mistletoe hangs in our entry archway. This is a very popular spot in our home with my hubby!

Vintage reflector lights . . . I’ve found that I like using them just like this, displayed in a simple white bowl.

I love French ormolu decorations. I remembered I had these wreaths and wired them onto the frame of this ceiling drum. They add some nice Christmas cheer.

Snowflake candle holders set on a silver tray.

My favorite decorations of the season are live pine boughs, silver and white Christmas ornaments, and my very favorite, clear glass icicles.

We have a Christmas tradition, which you might enjoy. Every year we read O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi. Last year I created an abridged version. If you would like to read it, click here. For More of Miss Heather's Pretty Little Christmas Blog Party click here.

For You ~ The Romance of Hot Peppermint Cocoa

One of my very favorite drinks on a cold winter’s night is a cup of hot cocoa. The only things that can make hot cocoa any better are a little peppermint and romance.

Whether it is for you alone or to share, the romance of cocoa is Magical.

Peppermint Cocoa Recipe (for two servings):

1. Ghirardelli’s Sweet Ground Chocolate

2. One 5-inch candy cane: crush 3 inches of it into a powdery consistency and set aside. Now crush the remaining 2 inches and reserve this for sprinkling on top of the whipped cream.

3. 18 oz. of 2% low fat milk

4. Whipped Cream

5. Large wine glasses


Slowly heat the milk until it’s hot, but not simmering. Add 3 tablespoons of cocoa and the 3 inches of the pulverized candy cane. Stir constantly on low heat until dissolved and the milk is slightly steamy.

Pour immediately into the wine glasses and top with whipped cream and the remaining candy cane powder. Now sip away and relax.

The Advent Calendar

For many years I’ve used the tradition of the advent calendar to help focus myself during the Christmas holiday. Instead of the traditional treats used in most advent calendars, I insert small papers with scripture versus that tell the birth story of Christ.

Unfortunately, the advent calendar I’ve used for years was ruined in our storage. I decided to make a new one using the supplies I had on hand: inexpensive cotton batting, metallic ribbon, clipart and an old antique frame. My new advent calendar below:

We started our advent calendar yesterday. This is what we read:

“He will be called the Son of the Most High God, and His Kingdom will have no end. And you shall name Him Jesus.” Luke 1:31-33 (paraphrased)

I was struck by the powerful words, “and His Kingdom will have no end . . .”