Bandit dolls.

Loving these whimsical bandit dolls by The Black Apple. Perfect Xmas pressie for a little girl.

Ps: The Black Apple's illustrator, Emily Winfield Martin, is on the cover of next year's Frankie calendar.

{via with two cats}

wowsers, 200 followers and a giveaway!

Last week my little blog made it to 200 followers! Thank you wonderful peeps for visiting this space, for sharing your stories with me via your comments, and for showing me so much bloggie love! The thought that anyone else other than my family and friends would ever have any interest in what I write is truly flattering.

To celebrate your loveliness, here's a special something just for you. Cassandra Allen, an Australian born artist specialising in children's books and illustrations, is generously offering one Smallesthings reader the chance to win a print from her shop! That's right, you get to pick whatever one print you prefer from her entire shop - lucky you. And if don't have kids, don't forget this would make the perfect gift (for your nieces, nephews, godchildren, best friend's baby shower, etc.!).

✭✭✭For a chance to win this awesome giveaway, please visit Cassandra's shop and leave a comment below before Sunday telling us your favourite print. The winner will be announced next week.✭✭✭

Good luck everyone. And if you'd like to say 'hello' to the talented artist or follow her Swiss adventures (Cassandra is also a cooking/knitting/crochet/DIY queen + a busy mum!), it's this way to her blog.

Four seasons.

Hello friends, just popping by to share with you these graceful illustrations by Japanese artist, Natsko Seti. Four paintings, four seasons. Beautiful.

{via à petit bruit}

Bonjour!

Dear readers,
I am just dropping in to say a quick hello as I have been very quiet here lately. It has been a busy two months in our franglais lives and I have to admit that I have also secretely enjoyed taking a blogging break. But I promise to be back soon with more regular posts and new features which I have had on my mind for a while. Until then, here's wish you a sunny week!
A bientôt, la franglaise xx

{images bunnyandthekids and dazeychic}

Frankie.

Last month, I spotted the Frankie 2011 calendar on the lovely Coelho Culture blog and immediately had the urge to buy it. Lucky me I thought, my younger brother was on an exchange programme for a semester in Adelaide so I was going to order it on line, send it to his Aussie address and have him bring it back to me when he returned to Paris in January (otherwise it was going to cost $45 just for postage - more than the actually calendar!). Anyway, I ended up doing what I almost always do - I watched it be sold out.

Here's how it went: I hesitated buying the calendar for several days because I didn't want to bother my brother with the extra luggage weight, then I finally decided to place the order, until I hesitated again, in between always checking the online shop to see if it was still there, until one day I was about to order it at work when forgot my brother's address at home, so I postponed the order again and checked on line yet again to make sure the calendar was still there...which is it was, until last Sunday when was at last ready to place the order by which time of course, there were none left. I could have kicked myself. I always do that; I see something I really like, take forever or just postpone making my mind up on whether or not to buy it -altogether checking (almost daily) that the item I have my eye on is still available - until one day it is no longer there and I am "surprised". When will I learn my lesson? Now because of this lark I will be missing out on a year's worth of inspiring international artwork. 

So instead, I have just ordered Spaces, Frankie's latest gem which covers beautiful interiors from all over the world, "where creative people live, work and play". Take a glimpse below at the beautiful spaces. 

all images & quote ©Frankie

Devise de la semaine.

Going with the flow is my motto of the week. I am finding it hard to take the time to sit down in the evening and blog when there are so many things to do.

It snowed really heavily in Paris yesterday which created total chaos in the city and in my daily organisation as I couldn't use on my scooter, but seeing L. discover snow for the first time was really fun. I can't wait to take him skiing when he is older (I can't quite believe it has already been 11 years since I last went skiing. Where does time go?)

See photos of a white Paris here.

Illustration by Shelli Dorfe.

Paris vs. New York - for sale.

Remember the clever Paris versus New York series? In less than a month, Muratyan's illustrations have been all over the cyber world; and as popularity would have it, they are now available on line as posters. A wonderful blogland success story. 

Bonne semaine à tous!   

City prints.

Remember the city prints by Blanca Gómez? At last, they are available in her wonderful shop.
Ready, steady, shop!  (I've just bought London and Paris for our home).

Paris cards.

Don't you think these Paris cards are fun? I might just have to get some to mail to my friends & family abroad.

{via Unstitched}

Finding my treasure.

I love this print, by Osoo called "Finding my treasure". It has a little Kandinsky feel to it, don't you think?

Interview with Blanca Gómez.

I am a huge fan of Blanca Gómez and her minimalist style. Read more about the artist in her interview with Grain Edit.

Colourful maps.

Check out these amazing maps of London and Paris by Famille Summerbelle. The detail on each is incredible, especially if you consider these were originally paper-cut! View more of Julie's meticulus work in her online shop. She has also just released a world map which is stunning.

My feelings exactly. Bonne nuit.

Modern Pop.

Back when my bun was still in the oven and nesting was all I could think about, I was looking for a fun number print to hang in Hilarious' room. At the time, we didn't know whether we were having a boy or a girl and it was never very easy to find anything gender neutral. Until I came across Modern Pop, a line of modern art, alphabet and number prints which are easy to mix and match together, and perfect for any nursery, ♂ or ♀. I bought two great number prints which today look amazing in baby L's nursery. If only I had another room to decorate I'd get this new kitty print because I simply think it's gorgeous, don't you?

Be sure to visit blog & shop for more Modern Pop art!