Back to Paris

Hello Lovelies,

 Paris view at dusk - source unknown.

And so... I've moved back. To Paris, I mean.

I've left Paris, France exactly 20 years ago. Yes, I've decided for some time ago that I wanted to leave the small town in the South of France I was living in, simply because I've outgrown it and it no longer fitted the size of my (big) dreams.

 a jar full of dreams - image source unknownFirst, I thought of Avignon, a bigger city in the same Southern French area. But then I stumbled upon an unexpected job opportunity that was too good to decline. The only condition was to move back to Paris - and so I did.

The lesson learned in this is the one stated on this poster:

a better dream poster - source unknown

And here I am, strolling down the Parisian streets again, between now and then - which is the FMS photo-a-day challenge theme for October the 21st, btw -  sometimes feeling down memory lane but very often enjoying the beauty of the moment.

We're having a really warm Fall 'round here, and the weather was glorious yesterday on the Opera house (image coming soon).

I'm still settling down, but this is what home looks like now (image coming soon). Life's good when this is what you see from your window:

Image, my own. 

The picture above was taken a few years back, I'll upload a more recent version of it real soon. So, this is what my new room in Paris looks like, for the time being:

Image, my own.

...not bad, hey?!

Now, just my heroine Josephine Baker, I can sing out loud: "Me revoilà, Paris !" (Here I Am Back, Paris!).

Enjoy & wish me luck with making my dreams come true!

Alix of TeaButterfly

Reflections on "What Makes a House a Home?"

Hello Lovelies!

 image source via

There are many ways to make a house feel more lived-in and cozy. I love this advice: "Surround yourself with happy memories", found here at the Whole Living website, and illustrated by the above picture. I also like this advice: "Get cuddly accents", found here, as illustrated below:

Today, I'll publish another (!) excellent excerpt from the May 18th 2013 GON newsletter, because YES, it is that good and I highly recommend you subscribe to it! This short article deals exactly with the important question of "What Makes a House a Home?"

Excerpt:

***

"My friend's 7 year-old son, Jack, is a very outspoken and fun child. His new thing is to point at beautiful and big houses and declare that's the kind of house he wants to live in.

The other day, his mom reminded him that the size of a house doesn't necessarily make it a loving home. That it's the people living inside a house that make it special.

While he may be too young yet to understand the message of her statement, I wasn't...it was a GREAT mind jogger for me.

I love organizing and decorating homes. I enjoy watching HGTV, reading home improvement magazines, and scanning the latest ideas on Pinterest.

BUT a home doesn't mean spending lots of money on redesigning a space or buying the most expensive furniture. A home is a place we and our children can go to for comfort and security.

Fortunately, we can create that space by investing our time and energy with the people that matter to us the most.

I hope you have a wonderful week and make sure to enjoy the individuals that comprise your life!"

***

 

image source: Fi & Livvy's Cozy Home


Newsletter excerpt: (c) Copyright 2013 by Maria Gracia, Get Organized Now!

* Copyright, contact and reprint information:
http://www.getorganizednow.com/contact.html

* To subscribe, visit:
http://www.getorganizednow.com/free-ezine.html  


In closing:

photo source: World of Interios, via

You can find a lot of visual inspiration through commented slideshows about lovely, cozy and lived-in homes here:
at AT (cozification article)
at RS (5 ways to create a cozy home)
at Whole Living (13 ways to a cozy up at home)  
I also love the home inspiration posts by Jane, at her lovely "Ill seen, Ill Said" blog.


Enjoy your home!

-Naomi of TeaButterfly.