Friday, December 31, 2010

Happy New Year!!!







Have a fantastic, magical night wherever you are and may 2011 be a year of joy, laughter, good health and creative success. 

Much love, Isabelle



(images FGR)

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Reflections on an amazing year









As 2010 comes to an end, I am now reflecting on this past year. It was an amazing one in many respects. I was fortunate to see my first novel, J'Adore New York,  published in three languages by three major publishers.  I am truly grateful for everyone's amazing support and would like to thank all of you who read my work, encouraged and supported me throughout this project. I have made many new friends this year, including some incredible bloggers, loyal readers, book reviewers, fellow writers and book sales associates. Some of you even brought tears to my eyes ( many times!) and if you are reading this, you know who you are!

However, for those of you who may not be aware, this book took me four years to complete and I literally poured every bit of my soul, energy and blood into it. Looking back now,it feels it was totally worth every effort. For aspiring writers that
have a manuscript hidden somewhere along with a dream of seeing your work published, I say never give up.

I persisted for years despite receiving countless rejection letters from literary agents and publishers.  All I can say is that you should listen your intuition; it will pay off, believe me. If you want more details about my arduous path, you can read an essay I wrote about it here.

I am also grateful for the loved ones and good friends in my life who bring me enormous joy.

In reflecting on this past year, I have also given some thought on what changes I'd like to make to this blog and, one of my resolutions is to post a bit more about myself, including my writing and maybe even add personal picture ( or two!)
 

I wish you a very happy 2011, filled with joy, creativity, health and love.

And remember to never stop pursuing your precious dreams.





(Images Marie-Claire Turkey)

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Stephanie's DIY: New Year's confetti!










Nothing says "celebration" quite like the sprinkle of confetti!!  Although making it is a simple task, it could be the one thing your night is missing!   Always looking for a way to make the little things stand out, I have a few suggestions for you that will make your confetti special and very festive.  Yes, I do think that the typical, hole-punched multi-color papers are a necessity, but to spruce it up you need to add some flavor!  Paper punches now come in so many different shapes; snowflakes, stars and swirls -so your choices are truly infinite.  Another sweet touch is to add flower petals to the mix, making your confetti even more glamorous and modern.  Lastly, if you want everyone to have their own confetti, you can always buy or make confetti cones and fill them up!!  

Happy New Year everyone!! 

May you be blessed with happiness, health and love in 2011! 




(images via Victoria's Secret, The Daily Green, Fifties Wedding, One shoe a day)

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Gorgeous Editorial + Giveaway Winners









This editorial from the January edition of Lucky Magazine is simply sublime. Loving the props, styling and details, including the dainty scarf around the goat's neck.

I'm happy to announce the names of the winners of Talli Roland's The Hating Game:

N. Hughey

Dawn from The Alternative Wife

Please send me your contact information!

On a different note, I am sharing this great quote. In this time of new year's resolutions, I hope it inspires you for 2011. Have a great day.

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. ~Franklin Delano Roosevelt





(images via Moodboard)

Monday, December 27, 2010

A Winter Paradise











Hope you are enjoying this magical season with friends and loved ones. I am in a snowy paradise, skiing, snow shoeing and enjoying cups of hot cocoa by a roaring fire. Also catching up on my reading with an old stack of books. Hope your holidays are just as lovely.

To put you in a winter mood, you can enjoy a great selection of winter poetry here.


(images via here)

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas!




May your day be filled with joy, happiness and love.




(images via French Vogue, Martha Stewart, and Stockholm Street Style)

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Book Signing




I will be signing books on December 26th at Livre D’or, a lovely book store in the village of Sutton. There will be treats, wine and champagne! Please drop by and say hello!


Je serai au Livre D’or Ă  Sutton le 26 dĂ©cembre prochain pour une signature de livres. Il y aura des surprises, du vin et du Champagne. Venez me dire bonjour!


Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Stephanie's DIY tip: gingerbread cookies






The holidays are here!  Regardless of what occasion you're celebrating, chances are that you're surrounded by comfort food this week.  I wanted to give you a traditional recipe because in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we sometimes forget about the things that keep this time of the year simple.  It was hard for me to settle on this one DIY specifically  but then I realized tradition wins over modern any day, for everyone.  Have a great week everyone, enjoy your family and friend time, and most of all BE SAFE! 

Happy Holidays!

A recipe with nothing but great reviews!



Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Book of the week + Giveaway: The Hating Game by Talli Roland



There's nothing like making a new writer friend.


I met Talli online after she posted a review of my novel on Goodreads. I've since found out that she is a fellow Canadian ( who resides in London) and a talented writer. Her first novel, The Hating Game, recently hit the Kindle bestseller list at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
The paperback edition will be out next March.

Here's the synopsis: When man-eater Mattie Johns agrees to star on a dating game show to save her 
recruitment business, she's confident she'll sail through to the end without letting
down the perma-guard she's perfected from years of her love 'em and leave 'em dating
strategy. After all, what can go wrong with dating a few losers and hanging out
long enough to pick up a juicy £2000,000 prize? Plenty, Mattie discovers, when it's
revealed that the contestants are four of her very unhappy exes. Can Mattie confront
her past to get the prize money she so desperately needs, or will her exes finally
wreak their long-awaited revenge? And what about the ambitious TV producer whose
 career depends on stopping her from making it to the end? It sounds such fun, right?

Talli is generously offering two copies of her e-book as a giveaway. To win, become a follower of my blog, simply drop by her lovely blog, and leave me a comment here about why you'd love to win her book. 


No Kindle? Download a free app at Amazon for Mac, iPhone, PC, Android and more!


Thanks Talli! Winners will be announced next Tuesday.

Bonne chance!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Chanel Store Window: Toronto



I took this picture in Toronto last week.  How cute are these mini Coco dolls?

Happy Monday!!!



Happy Monday! Hope you all had a lovely weekend! I attended a lovely classical music concert in an old church, unpacked boxes of books into my new library and had dinner with a friend. And now the countdown to Christmas begins....I have lots of great things to share again this week including another giveaway, so please check back in.

Hope you have a lovely, lovely week!


(images via Poppies and Sunshine, The Fashion Spot)