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.