Five Years in Fitzroy!

And we are having a party!

This Thursday night (19.04) from 6-9pm. For once in my life I will actually get my IPhone out & take some pictures of the event to show you. (Maybe someone can take a photo of me 'cause, quite frankly, the dress I'll be wearing is slammin'!! ha ha ha! Do people even use that phrase anymore?!)

It's shaping up to be quite a little shindig with many RSVP's from lots of lovely people.

I've been telling my friends there'll be live music, nibblies, booze...& a 2 minute speech.

If you can make it, my lovely blogettes, you are so welcome.

x

Happy Easter!

image; christina gordon is so damn clever over at jam fancy

I feel a sense of renewal around Easter time.

When I was growing up Easter was all about attending 237 Church services in one weekend (yes ok, you caught me out with a slight exaggeration there; 7 Church visits over a 3 day period though...kinda felt like it). So now that I am a grown up & choose to never do that again, I feel very indulgent to be able to take this time out. And boy, do I take the time out, doing

a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y nothiiiiiiing!

It's like I've taken a bite out of the new year, been given permission to take a breather before taking the next bite...the chocolate certainly helps.

Wishing you a fabulous Easter x

Have a Lovely Weekend...

image; guessing either paris daily photo or little brown pen

...with love from me to you. I do mean it, I love the blogosphere.

Also, a very special shout out to my Dad, who never reads this blog; he announced to me a while back. The man came to every dodgy pub I sang at, back in the day, but can't read a few crazy words & look at a picture?!

He turns 70 on Sunday (my very own little April fool x)

Let Your Love Flag Fly, People!

image; galerie montmartre - casino de cabourg, villemot 1986

Happy St. Valentine's Day to you all; hope you are having a great week. xxx

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

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

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.

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!

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

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

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

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.

Welcome 2011!

image; the washington post

2010 you were as lame as any year could be and quite frankly, I am glad to see the back of you.

2011, you are so welcome, I embrace you, I will bask in the newness of you and I will walk into you with confidence knowing you will not throw Galerie Montmartre the curve ball we endured last year. (archived in June/July 2010 if you are unsure what I am talking about)

If I was to tell you what I have learned these past twelve months, you'd still be reading into 2012 - and who has time for that anyway?! But the number one lesson, for me, has been when push comes to shove, I am surrounded by people who can step up - Team Galmont, for example, have been unstoppable, as have my family and friends - and the number two lesson is the love of people can carry you through anything. Really, it can.

I actually feel invincible as a result of the events of the past six months, not without it's overwhelming moments or those times when I want to run miles and miles like Forrest Gump....I still just might, you never know! But to have walked through a crisis and kept going, growing our little family and business and still have my head on my shoulders and my heart on my sleeve. Well, I'm going to pat myself on the back for that one!!

So my new year's resolution? Continue to seek out people and situations that feed my soul....and quietly continue my mission of weeding out the nutbags can hang around.

Nothing less will do. Life is too short.

Happy New Year my beautiful bloggators, I wish you a fabulous new year full of fun times and wonderful people. I look forward to being back in blogland from February 2011.

X Femme de M

Giving Thanks

image; www.slowdownfast.com

I give thanks that I can still get up every day and live a full life, mostly with a smile, despite 2010 being the year of upheaval on every level.

Although I miss life as I knew it, L'Homme's brain haemmorage (back in June - if you are new to Femme D M, blog entries are archived) and the resulting fallout, has taught me alot. I was never one to take life forgranted, but suddenly colours are brighter, moments are more magical and I have a b.s metre that rivals all others!

Our Petits are a source of joy...when they are not having a go at each other. And our family/friend/Galmont/wider community network are extraordinary. I have new friendships that are adding greatly to my life and solidifying old ones. I feel very fortunate.

And so, when all my North American Beauties, are spending the next four days eating and drinking and celebrating; I will do the same here in Melbourne, in my own quiet (oh hang on, this is me we're talking about, maybe not so quiet...!) way. I will remember all the things that are important and all the wonderful parts of life that I have to be grateful for.

Happy Thanksgiving, lovely ones. x

*thank you to creative women's circle for the little feature on me and my galerie montmartre world over here*

Giddy Up Horsey!

image; loterie nationale grand prix de paris, paul colin, 1966 available at galerie montmartre

It's that time in Melbourne again when that one horse race basically stops a nation. So strange to me, but then, I'm not a betting girl. I love an excuse to show a vintage poster, though, and the wonderful Paul Colin (go to our website if you want to know more about this revered French posterist) produced this dynamic horse racing piece in 1966. I love it's vibrancy and movement; so talented.

Anyway, good luck to all the punters out there - enjoy the Spring Racing Carnival!

A Spooky Weekend...

We don't really do Halloween in Australia, although it is slowly creeping into our calendars. But, I can't let October 31 go by without acknowledging the fact that I had some of the best nights of my life on this very date while living in the U.S...hmmm, which memory will I share? The limo full of friends - dressed as naughty maids (umm, yes, that would be me), nurses, rednecks, dracula etc. -going from one party to the next in NYC or wandering the San Francisco streets dressed as Catwoman? Maybe sitting at a Greenwich village bar alone at 9pm 'just for one drink', befriending strangers and not returning home until 7am?!

So many great times - that's the best part of memories, no one can take them away and they get better over time!

So Happy Halloween to my American beauties and to the rest of us, have a great weekend. x