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

Happy Birthday Lucy!

image; i have absolutely no idea as to where this came from, but even without people sitting at the table, it looks like just the kinda party i'd love to attend! dim the lights, put on the music and bring out the champagne!

Oh, what the heck....she is great at letting people know about Melbourne's fabulous design community, but when it comes to details about her good self, she is a little shy. I am not about to give away all that makes up Lucy Feagins, but I want to wish her a happy birthday. She is a generous, caring, loving little soul who deserves a big shout-out for her skills in the friendship sphere.

i love the girl.

Wishing you a fabulous year, Ms Design Files - keep inspiring!

xxx

My Sister Pat and Prue from Christchurch

image; the fabulous My Sister Pat bathing suits found at Lark

The blogworld is a hilarious place, I can't get over how much it brings people together from all over the world...

Case in point; I strolled past a woman on the beach today (yes, still here!) who gave me a big smile and said to me, "I love your bathers"; we were in identical styles with different prints - ie. My Sister Pat 50's inspired one piece.

We got chatting....Prue was down from Christchurch NZ with her family, we spoke about our swimwear, quickly jumping to Lark, the power of blogs, our google readers and how full they are becoming. Prue told me during her visit that she'd also been to Meet Me at Mike's and Cottage Industry, as a result of her blog-love.

Then we chatted about our little people, travelling and professional lives.

"Oh, I have this business that sells vintage posters...."I answered.

Prue looks over with a glint in her eye, "Really?? What is the name of your company?"

"Galerie Montmartre."

"Oh my God", says my new acquaintance, "I was on your website the other night. I noticed you via The Design Files."

It ends up that Prue loves Lucy's blog, it's her daily read, a post about us caught her eye, so she spent a while checking out what we do.

Unbelievable; Do you call that Six Degrees of Separation??

My Christmas - Lucy Feagins

toddler Lucy as a Christmas tree, someone very creative obviously put this ensemble together...and so the interest in design begins...

the crazy hat tradition - love it!

last year's annual friend's christmas/hanukkah celebration planned by lucy and gavin youngs

all images; lucy feagins

Well, you know all your Christmases have come at once when a friend so insanely busy with such a revered blog decides that she'll put together a little something to share!

I think you'd be living under a rock or very new to the blogosphere if The Design Files is not familiar to you. Lucy is a set dresser/props buyer/stylist/writer who has the whole town talking and vying for her attention. I was one of those people who was quite ignorant to the way the blog-world worked (in fact, it was Lucy who taught me how to put an image and/or link on my blog!), lurking around in the background, never leaving comments but completely in the grips of this internet design world when I invited The Design Files (who seemed to be on every blogroll!) to Galmont. It was such a great time, that we have since shared meals and chats and celebrations together and met family members and now Lucy and her man can't get rid of us!

The thing I like about this friendship is that it happened right when I thought my friend quota had been reached (!), but then that someone special sneaks in under the radar!!! Lucy Feagins is a classy, stylish, generous, creative soul who packs more into a day than most would in a week; I knew her Christmas would be an interesting time. Thanks for sharing with us and bringing some of your design know-how to Femme de Montmartre, lovely Lucy.
PS. And the crazy hat game is about to become a tradition in our family too...

My Christmas by Lucy Feagins

I am such a sucker for Christmas time - I love the smell of the Christmas tree when I come home at night... the twinkle of fairy lights in our loungeroom after dark, and the panettone I've been eating for breakfast everyday this month!

For me the season is about winding down, spending long-overdue time with my boy and family and friends, reflecting on a busy year and making exciting plans for the year ahead! It's like a breather - I love the feeling that almost the whole city is relaxed and in holiday-mode!

Leading up to Christmas there is always a big get-together with my closest friends - we usually have a big picnic lunch and a Kris Kringle... it's a lovely way to catch up and give everyone a squeeze before everyone leaves the city to be with their families for Christmas. My friends are a very creative bunch - we've been known to get up to very crazy antics - from customised dress-ups at the lunch table, to inflatable santa suits and even jumping castles! I feel very lucky to have such an amazing and creatives bunch of friends!!

Christmas Day is the only day of the year I can justify doing absolutely NOTHING except cooking, eating, chatting, relaxing and generally catching up with myself! I don't think there's any other day in the year I could do nothing all day and feel ok about it! (And be assured I will not receive some urgent phonecall from work or 400 emails to respond to!).

This year Christmas Day will be at my Mum's place in Fitzroy. I grew up in London... so we really relish the Aussie Summer Christmas - no roast dinner for us! Instead we'll eat smoked salmon and seafood, delicious prosciutto and treats from the Mediterranean Wholesalers (Mmmm Buffalo Mozzarella!), delectable salads and fruit... maybe a special rosewater and pistachio pavlova for dessert. After lunch Mum makes us play the 'hat game' - we create crazy hats from all the leftover wrapping paper and take lots of ridiculous photos. It's a game my Grandma invented and absolutely loved - it always ends in hilarity and a surprisingly competitive spirit! My Grandma passed away this year so we'll play this crazy game in her honour.

The Design Files Giveaway

I mean seriously folks there are giveaways and there are GIVEAWAYS, this would be the latter!

Pop on over to Lucy's blog, fill out the little survey and put yourself in the running for lots of delicious things from some extra lovely creatives....

....I will be, that Dinosaur Designs salad bowl (pictured top left) is calling me so loudly my ears are sore!

all images; via the design files

"I love everything about my room...."

images; lucy feagins for the design files

....words spoken by 3 yr old Petit to L'Homme; like music to this Mama's ears!

If you you are yet to see the pics Lucy took of Petit's room and Chez Trbuhovich, you can find them here.

Happy Friday - Apartment Therapy

One minute you're 'minding your own business', the next minute your stylish friend photographs your home and puts it on her fabulous blog (thanks again Lucy) and by the following day Chez Trbuhovich is posted - along with beautiful editorial comments - on interiors mecca Apartment Therapy.
I've received gorgeous personal emails from some lovely creatives and I am loving the blog comments - one person wondered if we have zap collars on Petit and Petit-Petit Garcon which go off everytime they touch something pre-1992 (!) Hilarious! (And the truth, it's only been the last little while that I've been able to display our collections knowing they'll pretty much stay the way they've been arranged....I mean really, how does a bakelite radio match the excitement of thomas the tank engine - or drawing all over the dining room chairs with navy oil pastel??!!)

Add to this Kimberlee's visit and that pretty much makes for a blogger's dream week.

How fabulous....I think I need a good lie down! Happy Weekend!

image; relax by rene gruau, 1960; stephan t for galerie montmartre

Chez Trbuhovich on The Design Files

images lucy feagins at the design files

Well, what do you know? Someone actually deems your humble abode worthy of photographing and putting on their blog. Not just anyone, but someone with an eye for design! I think Lucy's done an awesome job, after following her around for the first ten mins of the shoot asking her if she needed me to move this or that, I relaxed, left her to it and simply said 'surprise me' and she really has.

It's interesting to see the place that you live in, play in, relax in, argue in (!) through the eyes of someone else. It's amazing how many details just pass you by as you go about daily life and you're focussing on the next project that needs doing.....I'm glad we weren't doing a story on that!!

I love what Lucy has done, I'm looking at Chez Trbuhovich with new eyes, you can see that people actually live there (eg. the toys on the floor of Petit-Petit Garcon's room are just as he left them that morning (!!)) - which is exactly why you can't get to every little project as you'd like - and I'm really grateful for that new insight.

Thanks to The Design Files; that Lucy's so clever, which is why I am her no. 1 'cheerleader'!

Go across to her site and check it out.

Happy Friday - Charlie Chaplin

image; ditte isager via the design files

I've been thinking a little about movie posters since featuring the Peter Pan one in Elle Decor yesterday. I remembered seeing a huge Charlie Chaplin vintage movie poster image - which was used as wallpaper (can't wait to do that in Petit-Petit Garcon's room in the future) - on Lucy's blog when she was talking about Ditte Isager. That image has lived with me everyday since I saw it - really, us collector types can be a bit obsessive like that(!) - so thought I'd finish the week with it.

Have a great weekend.

Femme de Montmartre is in for a big week next week....you'll know why soon enough....so I need some beauty sleep to be sure I am ready for all the action!

Happy Friday - Design:Made:Trade

After having my head in book-work for most of the day (blah...), it was time for some creative inspiration, so I walked down to the Royal Exhibition Buildings (only 5 mins away from Galmont) to look around Design:Made:Trade

I just love being around lovely creatives and I wasn't disappointed. I ran into Pene of the adorable Cottage Industry (thanks for my fingerless gloves, P!), as I looked around the Words and Pictures stand - finding myself some lovely little gift tags - and said congrats to the team at Mattt who are opening their new store in Gertrude st, I remember seeing their bags at the StKilda market many moons ago.

But, of course, it wasn't just the people....although the people part is soooo very important (!)....it was the products. I purposely didn't take much money, but, the little I had bought me a unique necklace made from vintage buttons from hello birthday which was calling my name from the moment I saw it. I laughed as I wondered which necklace suited me from the Layla Starr range - 'damaged goods'? 'dark horse'?! The feedaway also gave me a smile, as I know what it is like to attempt to feed a toddler in a public place, wriggling and squirming and ready for the next adventure - maybe one of these flatpack cardboard, portable highchairs is in order? Victoria Mason was very gracious, showing me her little 'morning tea' stack rings complete with a miniature biscuit and teaspoon. In fact, alot of the pieces included real humour, which was the perfect remedy for a slightly jaded book-keeping shopgirl, like my good self!

If you are after a daily dose of the State of Design festival, then you seriously need to check out The Design Files, cause young Lucy is breaking all records as far as attendance goes in order to keep us up-to-date with what's happening and doing a might fine job, I might add.

Enjoy your weekend!

50 posts!

images of galerie montmartre retail space ; lovely lucy feagins of the design files...can you spot femme et l'homme de montmartre in photo 2?

This is our 50th blog post today!

To those of you who have been in the blogging world for some time, that isn't even the tip of the iceberg, but for this new-bee who has so much to do-bee (ugh, sorry!) 50 posts is a milestone worth celebrating. So I thought it best to show you where it all began...

Natalie Walton is the deputy editor of Real Living magazine, we had contact regarding an article in her magazine, she then mentioned she had a blog and asked if I'd be interviewed for it. I had no idea what a blog was, to be honest, so that night I jumped online to check out Daily Imprint and then after reading every article I noticed Natalie's blog-roll and started jumping onto the links and, as my blog buddy, captain kk says, I descended down 'the rabbit hole' for hours upon hours. I was enthralled, I was thrilled, I was inspired, where had I been all this time?! How did I not know this world existed?!! So, I felt very honoured to be interviewed, you can read it here.

After that I lurked online for a very long time, eventually making contact with Lucy Feagins at The Design Files after reading her blog and thinking Galmont would be a good fit - and we were, and we are, and now we're good mates. You can read Lucy's post on Galmont here.

So, after some deliberation - mainly, will-I-have-the-time-to-devote-to-this-venture kind of deliberating - I thought it was time that I threw my blogging hat into the ring and gave voice to some of what was going on in my head.

I'm so glad I did. This blogging life has been nothing short of fun and I can see myself getting more deeply involved as my confidence builds. I still write as if no-one is reading and always feel a thrill to see a little comment.

To those of you who have read all 50 posts, thank-you so much! To those of you who have popped by for a first-time visit....50 posts isn't too much to catch up on!!

I hope that you continue on the trippy little ride that 'Femme de Montmartre' has been for me so far! x

Happy Friday - A very happy day

image; galerie montmartre

Actually, I have an extra smile on my face today.....things just seem to be happening. And it feels great!

We had a lovely creative (as I hereby call anyone that's out there giving their art/creativity a red-hot go) by the name of Angela White - some of you may know her from her crafty blog - to take some photos of our space for her newest blogging venture 'Open'. Seriously, Angela was with us a total of ten minutes and took these beautiful shots....that's one pretty impressive photographer, I'd say.

And then there is my dearest Lucy, who did a fabulous interview with Phillip Graham of 'Tarlo & Graham'. The pictures show his amazing space off to a tee. I'll let you read for yourself.....but you may want to check out the Melbourne questions.....particularly the art spaces that ring Mr. Graham's bells....

So, as you can see, things are happening and I have a smile as big as our Joker friend!

Awe-Summm Award....who me?!

Oh really, Kate, you shouldn't have - many thanks for my first ever award since I have started blogging. You are very generous, indeed, and gorgeous, as is your fabulous blog - Everyday Calm - which I turn to for both inspiration and peace.

Here are the rules and guidelines to the Awe-summm award:

* List 7 things that make you Awe-Summm and then pass the award on to 7 bloggers you love.

* Make sure to tag your recipients and let them know they have won!

* And finally link back to the blogger that tagged you.

Okay, so 7 things that make me Awe-summm....hmmm...feels like bragging or self indulgence or something, but what the heck!

1. I grew up with neither money or an entrepreneurial background, yet have created a business that pays the bills and keeps me inspired.

2. I am also a singer - having joined my first band at 16 yrs - and have sung professionally in venues throughout Melbourne.

3. I make decisions quickly and often the bigger the decision, the faster I make it! (ie. moved my whole life overseas within two weeks and stayed away for seven yrs.....met and married my partner within a year - you get the picture..)

4. I learnt early (after a disasterous audition) to trust my instincts and I am soooo grateful for that lesson.

5. I can make and maintain friendships and absolutely love nurturing my relationships. (Although since Petit Garcon and Petit-Petit Garcon, I've dropped my standards somewhat!) I am so fortunate to have such good, creative and interesting people in my life. I love people!!

6. I can see the big picture and somehow I seem to get there - eventually.

7. I am a recovering people pleaser; still something that I work hard at.

And now, the part that comes so much easier, choosing 7 Awe-Summm blogs and bloggers to join in the award winning 'look-at-how-Awe-Summ-I-am' fun!

1. The Design Files - lovely Lucy, beautiful and humble creative talent; she has no idea of her impact, which makes her even more special. x

2. Daily Imprint - Natalie is single-handedly responsible for my blogging addiction, the girl can write and unearths all sorts of interesting people on a daily basis.

3. Shannon Fricke - I love her style, her attitude and the fact that she has spent the past month in France to celebrate her birthday

4. In Search of the Real Captain KK - discovered her blog through the Creative Women's Circle bloglist and check in regularly to see how she's doing.

5. The Style Files - Danielle constantly inspires me, the homes she features send my head in a spin most days!

6. Inchmark - I find this blog completely unique, beautifully photographed and I love the library book posts.

7. Abbey Goes Design Scouting - possibly too busy, with the impending birth of her child, to do anything with this award. However, I've always enjoyed her blog....and she loves French vintage posters...(!)

Thanks for reading.

x shelley t

Creative Women's Circle - Lucy Feagins

image; Daily Imprint

image; The Design Files

You can blame the lack of posts this week - it is my intention to post every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday - on the lousy flu that almost got the better of me...But I nipped that sucker in the bud and to celebrate my 'feeling better-ness' (!), I decided to go along to the Creative Women's Circle (started by graphic designer Tess Mc Cabe) this morning and listen to the lovely Lucy Feagins speaking about her creative life in set design/dressing and blogging.

The setting was Guildford Lane Gallery, a fabulous warehouse space in the Melbourne CBD, it was a beautiful morning and then to be surrounded by a group of inspiring, creative business women all thirsting for knowledge and inspiration was enough to tip me over the edge! Lucy was generous with her thoughts and spoke beautifully, answering all the questions and listening to comments raised. The walk back to Fitzroy via Gertrude and Brunswick St, was just as lovely, I dropped into a few of my favourite businesses (which you'll be hearing about soon) to say hello and generally felt a little giddy - maybe I just need to get out more!

PS. Be sure to check out Lucy's blog, it is becoming somewhat of a little Aussie Design hub, to say the least.