Welcome 2012!

image; galerie montmartre

Happy New Year! I wish you and your loved ones all the best for 2012!

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog, thank you for enjoying Galerie Montmartre and all we have to offer. Femme De M is a wonderful addition to my life, and our business, I have lovely plans for it next year....and actually time to devote to it now that the Petits are growing up.

So, I'm going to sign off for 2011 and come back in February feeling refreshed and ready for a new year, full of promise; knowing all the new developments will fall into place and that 2012 will be a year of positive change.

xxx

Galerie Montmartre's Annual Sale

image; shopvaganza.com

Yes, it's that time of year in Australia when retail stores drastically reduce their prices. Galmont certainly don't want to miss out on all the fun. We have reduced the price of every single small and medium vintage advertising poster. And, if you've had your eye on a large vintage poster, we ask you to 'make an offer' between now and Dec 31st, see if we can all come to a happy compromise.

If you are in the Fitzroy vacinity, please drop by and say hello. Of course, we will also honour all email enquiries for our Interstate and International friends. Oooh, yeah, let's spread the original vintage poster love, people!!

Galerie Montmartre - Original Vintage Posters

197B Brunswick St. (enter via Moor St)

Fitzroy, 3065

Tues - Sun 10 - 5pm.

Merry Christmas!

image; galerie montmartre

Thank you for taking the time out to read this sporadically posted blog!

I am looking forward to a relaxing few days.

I wish you & your people a wonderful holiday season xxx

Christmas Decoration Envy...

image; jane hall - salvation jane

Yes, I have it. Yes, I'm that shallow.

If I knew exactly where Jane lived (we live in same postcode, I believe....or nearby neighbourhood anyway) then this may be the first time I'd ever steal anything!

I can so see this knitted nativity scene in Chez La Femme.

Salvation Jane has been a very welcome addition to the blogosphere in 2011 - in my humble opinion - go check it out here. Stylish, colourful, funny, irreverant; worth browsing.

Aggghhh!!

image; ari seth cohen

Ok, so I feel just slightly overwhelmed this festive season....and here was I bragging in November about getting ahead this Christmas. My mind is a little skewhiff at the moment, with the demands of life, but that's fine. I just think of this glorious 100 year old (yes, I said 100 year old) beauty found on the Advanced Style blog.

I love what Ari Seth Cohen does - honestly, my heart swells with every image; beautiful, lively creatures in their so-called 'twilight years' - glorious! Inspires me to embrace change, live a full life and rock it until you can't rock it anymore. x

The Design Files Open House

image; shelley t...who was delighted to see three of our posters in such esteemed company on art wall of kid's bedroom

If you are a Melbournite, you have two days to get down to Lucy's Open House. I know you know about it, a Pop-Up Shop like no other in Fitzroy. Superbly curated. Stunning choice of Australian crafted and retailed goodies for sale, including vintage and contemporary (oooh, part of an exciting launch at Galmont in early 2012) posters from Galerie Montmartre...of course! Even if you are not in the running to buy, there's never a reason not to be inspired. And believe me, you will be inspired!

40 Little Napier St.

Fitzroy, Vic 3065

10 - 5pm Sat/Sun

Oh Serge, you've done it again!

image; www.sergebloch.net/blog

I've blogged about my love for the supremely talented French illustrator Serge Bloch here and here and now take a peek at what he's created for Time Magazine. I love Monsieur Bloch's outlook on life; his 'simplicity' says so much. Always.

Ramblings of a Lapsed Cmas Card Writer featuring Raven & Lamb

I've actually allowed my head to start thinking of the holiday season...Christmas to be more precise. I know, I'm in shock as well, I actually have room in my brain to consider the occasion and how I'm going to spend it and with whom....and that very important detail to the interior-decorating wannabe like my good-self...how I'll style up Chez La Femme!

When I was a people-pleaser of the worst kind (forgotten yourself in the process kind, that is), Christmas for me was all about Christmas cards. I'd spend hours writing cards with enormous, personalised messages on each ensuring they were posted by the self imposed December deadline. I still love them, I love receiving them, but no longer have the time or the real desire to send them. That phase is officially over. These days I reach out during the year to my people and catch them up on my life...and what a debarcle it is! However, if I was the Christmas card writing person I once was, I'd be using these beauties from Raven and Lamb. I love what this team do.

Balmain 'Evasion'

image; michelle belle for galerie montmartre

The Balmain Art Fair is finished for another year, lots of happy people taking home lots of beautiful art for their walls.

This little guy got alot of attention this weekend. A beautiful 1960's poster, typically cheeky and kitsch. The play on words between French and English had me smiling - majority of people read the words 'Tele-Evasion', used their knowledge of English to think that the French were speaking of the 'invasion' of TV or the way technology 'evades' our life. When the French adjective 'Evasion' is to 'escape'...so close, yet so far! And there endeth today's French lesson!!

Nevertheless, I've loved my little 'Evasion' to Balmain this weekend - no better way to work and play than in a lovely urban port-side hub. Hit the road back to Melbourne very soon. x

La Femme Hits the Road...

image; www.willowfrank.com

...all the way to beautiful Balmain (for my American beauties, that's a 10 hour drive to the next State) for their annual Arts and Craft Show.

Sure, not exactly road tripping in the style shown here by Hilary Walker. In fact, I hired a car that is quite literally bigger than the inner city cottage I live in - yes, exaggeration, you should know I'm prone to them by now. Trust me, it's a big car though and I made it! I always feel a sense of achievement as I pull up to a destination after an all day drive, everything in tact, vintage posters ready to be shown to a new audience who will all say similar things - "Oh my God, these are beautiful!" - "but they look too new to be vintage" - "so where do you source them?" - "how many were printed?"- "how do I choose from all these?" - "do you have a website?" - "how did you get started?" I'll smile and happily answer every question and introduce a new group of devotees to this fascinating medium. Lots of fun!

Hope to see you here, if you are Sydneysider;

The Balmain Arts & Craft Show

2 Eaton St.

Balmain, NSW.

Sat Nov 5th; 9 - 5pm

Sun Nov 6th; 10 - 4pm.

Et Le Champion Est...

Loterie Nationale Tranche Speciale, 1937, Derouet

image; galerie montmartre

I think I may be the only Melbournian...or one of the very few...who doesn't really care for the major Australian horse racing event, The Melbourne Cup. Don't get me wrong, the chance to dress up and drink champagne all day is definitely appealing, but unless I can do it in true style (that is a corporate marquee) then I'd rather do something else....and yes, I am that shallow! Nope, this girl was at the movies (watching Woody Allen's 'Paris at Midnight', of course!) as the 'race that stops a nation' was run. How ironic then to hear that the winning horse, Dunaden, was French trained and the jockey's name was Christophe Lemaire. Felicitations!

Springtime Happiness - Ode to Melbourne

thanks for the image nine.msn

Honestly Melbourne, you have turned on some goodness today.

Everything seems so much do-able when the sun is out...

...today you really do feel like the World's Most Liveable City!

Apple Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree...

image; cidre doux c.1950 by Jean Colin Rondet available Galerie Montmartre

...in fact, since swapping from my trusty old PC to this beautiful Apple computer, I haven't posted a thing! I don't know what I'm doing - I thought it was meant to be user friendly. I get pinpricks for photographs and can't seem to work out how to drag an image from one place to another. And all the bits and bobs I had saved on the (trusty old) PC obviously are unable to be retrieved, cause that is just the way the month of August has rolled. It's been a little on the hideous side.

But no more complaints - bring on Spring! Let's get this blog back on her feet again!!

xxx

July? Really??!

image; via shannon fricke

So that would make it over a month since I last posted...good grief.

This last month has raced by, it seems that appointments have been the 'rigour de jour'; neurology unit, scans, physio, social worker, occupational & speech therapist reports, even a sneaky race to the emergency department (alot fun that night!), school meetings (Petit is a genius, what can i say?!), school holidays and add to that the fact that we are all currently being counselled within an inch of our lives - Things have never been crazier, yet somehow becoming clearer. Changes are afoot, my friends!

But at the end of the day, I know. I truly know, that everything is going to be ok...
...it's time to relax and breathe. x

Jane Foster's Paris

image via Jane Foster

I never tire of Jane Foster's art and I never tire of Paris - so this beautiful print is a win-win as far as I'm concerned.
Have a great week, folks. x

Happy Friday - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

image; michelle belle for galerie montmartre

Is she not gorgeous?!! Our latest delicious little creature here at Galmont, part of our extensive (soon-to-be ultra extensive - soooo excited!) range of 50's and 60's vintage posters.

And thanks to Michelle Belle, I finally have my beautiful new header (so if you have Femme De M in google reader, please jump out and have a quick look) with some more of my favourite poster girls...of course, I've given them all names. I'll introduce them next week.

But for now, enjoy your weekend, I'm getting out to enjoy some music and get lost in the rhythm, oh yes, I am!

xxx

The Lucky Country

image; clever marisa over at creative thursday

I've been thinking about this alot, so I'm going to say it aloud.

If you were going to get sick, struck down by something horrendous like say.....oh, I don't know, a grade 5 brain haemmorage (spelling??!!) also known as arteriovenous malformation....then Australia is the place to do it!

It's been 11 months now, since l'Homme collapsed and lost the use of his left-handside, he also has a speech condition called aphasia and works harder than anyone I know to get back to the life he once lived. He was in hospital for almost five months, has daily speech, physio, occupational and hydro therapies.

And what has all this cost? Try a mere $240.00 for a foot brace and $10.00 a week since February of this year....seriously.

As I walked with Petit-Petit around our museum yesterday and watched him marvel at the Australian animals, I noticed what a funny looking lot they are; it made me think about the unique and beautiful place Australia is to live. Of course, I then related it back to my own little part of Oz and what's going on and how although everything has changed, it's not great and really quite cruel, there is always small mercies to be gleaned.

The fact that L'Homme can take his time getting better, with all the experts at his finger tips, at next to no cost is one such mercy and one I think bears mentioning.

Loving the Land Downunder today!

Anderson Children - la femme la likes!

images; jeremy veitch photography

Our web guy, Andy, is legendary to us. He does things behind the scenes, makes stuff really user friendly and talks to us about the techie stuff in lay person's terms. And he happens to be a friend first, so we love him before we even talk the work bits.

Anyway, Andy's beautiful Mama is one creative girl. When I saw the website to her newest venture 'Anderson Children', I just knew I had to share it. Having two boys means that it is Testosterone City around this place, not much in the way of feminine - altho Petit did say he thought I was 'so beautiful....I like the way your bottom moves"; and I did feel like Sophia Loren for the briefest of seconds - does that count?! So, it was no surprise that I delighted in every image on the website, cause these dresses are just so damn pretty. And beautifully styled and photographed too. Don't you think? I love the names of each garment and although I haven't seen them up close, I can just tell that the attention to detail would be exquisite.

This is one classy little enterprise. Well done, Paula!

It's Mother's Day!

image; galerie montmartre

Have a happy one, whatever you do, whoever you spend it with...

The Petits and I are having a family lunch, then going to watch a friend's band play at a local pub. It'll be lovely.

xxx

Hat's Beautiful!

'lemon drop'

'fawning around'


'ripping raspberry'

'tall & turquoise'

'lilac twist'

'redalicious; sometimes referred to as roxanne'

'chartreusey chantoosey'

So yes, there was a wedding last week of a very rich well-to-do boy who married a reasonably wealthy girl and maybe they'll live happily ever after; as Princes and Princesses (or in this case Dukes and Duchesses) are supposed to. It was beautiful, Kate looked amazing and Will looked like the cat that got the cream.

But the thing I always ask on any royal occasion is 'What has the Queen got on her head today?' In my opinion, her hats are the bee's knees, they are incredible works of art perched on her little cranium for, mostly, one occasion only.

At the nuptials of her Grandson on Friday, QE2 did not let me down. And she's 85 years old, for crying out loud???! Amazing.

If I had a hat collection as vast as her's I'd have a name for every single one of them.

Let's hear it for the Queen's Hats!

images; 1. violetpeacock.com 2.strangepersons.com 3.photographytips.com.au 4.huffingtonpost.com 5. theroyalforums.com 6. moneyville.com 7. phasesof the noon.wordpress.com

Happy Friday - I Do!

image; stephan t for galerie montmartre

So apparently there's a couple of Brits getting married today...

image; via tea for joy

....I hope it all goes swimmingly!

See you next week, folks, have a wonderful weekend. x

Wedding? Did Someone Say Wedding?

image; daily imprint

There is only one thing about tomorrow's Royal Wedding that interests me - what is the lovely Kate Middleton going to wear?

'A garment can transcend, giving it a soul. I translate fabrics into soft and romantic silhouettes using natural fabrics...'

Akira Isogawa - Australian Fashion Royalty

Easter Break Update

image; famille summerbelle

Hello lovelies, I've managed to carve out some time for myself over the past five days. Spent some time alone - blissful with a capital 'b' & the first time I've had any extended time alone, ever in my whole entire life.....so nuts, will be chasing that a little more, I can tell you - then the T-Tribe travelled to the home of a friend with a gazillion dollar view. (If you don't have a friend that has such a thing, I'd strongly suggest you find one!)

The Petits ran around like crazy on the craggy shore as L'Homme looked on from the house above. I was told I was a 'relaxed' Mum, given the fact that one kid was climbing rocks dangerously close to the ocean (complete with his own narrative about catching abelone) and the other kid was dive bombing from a 2 metre rock into the water below.

I just loved their care-free attitudes despite the chaos that is around them - I celebrated for a second that they are going to be ok.

Happy Easter!

image via betty jo at lino forest....i love her little collections & bits & bobs!

We are moving into our Easter weekend here in Australia....the country literally comes to a standstill for a few days. I will definitely be indulging in some relaxation and rejuvenation.

A break is never a bad thing to this Femme, I can tell you! x

A L'Homme Update - Turn the Frown Upside Down

Have been hanging to use this image since finding it on the Inside Out blog a gazillion months ago. You see, I have a thing about Botox - a thing against it, that is. Give me one drink too many and listen to me jump on my soapbox, have a little bit of a rant, wonder aloud if the Petits will bring alien looking friends home in the future, why anyone would want to wipe out their life experiences and ability to respond to life with a proper frown or smile with a needle and a bit of horse tranquiliser, for crying out loud (?!!!)....oh yes, i'm not into it.

However, this morning I am taking L'Homme back to the hospital - good old rehab centre where he spent almost five months of his life in 2010 - to receive of all things Botox! Granted, it's in his calve muscles, but it appears Sharon Stone was right when she referred to it as 'medicine'. That's the next treatment to get L'Homme's body moving again.

So, time to swallow my pride and do the right thing by the T-Tribe.

I may even get off my high horse for a while...

Have a wonderful week!

Light it up!

image; via the magnificent diversion project

Ooooohhhhh the Leo in me jumps to attention with images like this - beautiful candle light, roaring fire...given the blustery weather Melbourne has been dealing with this is a sight for my sore (Fire-sign) eyes. Gorgeous!

Sweet Relief!

image; stephan t for galmont

Wow, we built it and you came! Thank you to everyone who jumped on the website, checked out our vintage poster collection, advertised or blogged about our weekend flea market (hello Lucy & Kimberlee xx), came into the gallery and....of course, bought a little something. The response was enormous and I'm chuffed to say the least.

Galerie Montmartre Flea Market Sale!

Basically, what this teensy tiny little advertisement is telling you to do is get down to Galerie Montmartre (197B Brunswick St, enter Moor St Fitzroy 3065) this Saturday and Sunday - or get on the website and enjoy the 10% off store wide.

Michelle Belle and I have been setting up tables and zhooshing the retail space to include vintage posters and contemporary exhibition posters at the crazy price points of $20, $40 and $60! Some beautiful, interesting, unique images - all original, not a repro in sight!

It's time to welcome April with a lovely sale....come and find something wonderful.

Have a fabulous weekend. x

A bit of bedroom fun

image; unknown....sorry, must've collected it during a stressful time (!!)

Well, Petit's bedroom improvements are in their final stages and while it will look nothing like the room above, I think this is a cute space - slightly frou, frou (ie. soft furnishings) but with a bit of edge (eames chair and orange shelving). Also, I love me a built in bed, that's next on the agenda. I'm getting before and after shots ready for your perusal and really loooking forward to sharing them with you.

The Worst Blogger Ever...

image; available via www.galmont.com.au

....that would be me!

I know the rules, I know what works in the bloggation stakes; -consistency, interesting topics, a bit of style, humour, pretty pictures, unique voice, commenting, enjoying the blogging creativity of others...and I have been failing dismally on all fronts...! I realise, I really do.

So, thank you for bearing with me - as I write there are 64 lovely public followers - I am so grateful to you each. You have followed this blog when really, there's not been much to follow!!

Life is a little nuts, to say the least. L'Homme learns to walk and talk and reach a level of independance again, which means I am left to do everything else. No complaints, that's life, that is the hand that this household has been dealt and we're getting on with it. Honestly, what other choice do we have?!

In the coming days, I'll add a story or two of interest. You can see the Expedit shelf that I put together all by myself! And how I have made a few adjustments to Petit's room. I'll start talking about Galerie Montmartre and some of the developments that are going on there. I'll get it together and I'll really enjoy it....and we'll get the wheels of Femme de M turning again.

Love to you all. x

Ikea, you finally got me...

via sfgirlbybay

via thedecorpad

Well, it looks like I am now one of those 25% of people in the world who owns one of the top four Ikea items - Expedit shelving. Petit's room, while gorgeous in colour and style, is a storage nightmare. Being slightly time poor (I know, who isn't, right?!), I haven't been able to get to any of my favourite places to find something unique. So, after many months of cringing everytime I went near that bedroom, I caved, drove the few short miles to Ikea (with a man friend to get the thing in the back of the car - yes, I caved there too...) picked up the Expedit shelving and look forward to setting it up - quickly.


Before and after shots to be taken....I keep promising, but they'll happen, I swear. x

Hello Autumn!

www.sxc.hu

I really love this season, and I know most Melbournites are busy lamenting the lack of summer weather this year, but for me, Autumn is always welcome...besides March usually provides some scorching hot days.

In my beautiful part of the world Autumn heralds in three events that I adore;
- Food and Wine Festival;
- start of the Australian Rules Football season;
- International Comedy Festival.


Love it. x

Happy Birthday L'Homme

We are so glad you are here to celebrate another birthday, ST!

The past eight months have taught me so much (again, archived in June 2010, if you are new to Femme D M). I'm still learning. But the above 'manifesto' - that I think I read on the Shelter blog (apologies, if I'm incorrect) - means more to me than ever nowadays. I have always sought a passionate existence, but now, I have no choice. There is no time to waste, every day has to be felt, even the yukky bits. And believe me, I am feeling them. I'm not about to ask why, instead, I'll use these experiences and all this unexpected change to study what I want in life and take baby steps towards getting there.

Today is a day really worth celebrating.

'The life and love we create...

lanvin stamp via fabulously french many moons ago

...is the life and love we live'. Leo Buscaglia

Happy Valentine's Day, my lovely creatives. xxx

It was a very good day!

petit's first day of school 7th of Feb 2011

And when he turned to me and said, "Mum, can you go now?" I could've kissed his confident, eager, innocent, beautiful little face - it was music to my ears knowing that the little bloke was going to be OK and ready to take on this newest adventure.

Relief doesn't even describe it.

A new chapter has begun.

Yet Another New Start...

image; sensingarchitecture.com

I've been awake since 5:00am, can't sleep, Petit starts school today. A brand new chapter in the lives of the T-Tribe....as if we haven't had our share of new beginnings in the last 7 or so months! But we are more than ready, I'm ready. Petit is soooo ready. Today will be a very good day.