This takes the cake

LIL' BAKESHOP from AMBER GRAY on Vimeo.

 Sweet confections are made for the February edition of Marie Claire China, shot by Amber Gray. The pastel designs of Louis Vuitton, Prada and Jean Paul Gaultier serve as inspiration for stylist Guillaume Boulez as the duo enjoys a day of messy cake making at the Little Bakeshop in New York. Pastel hair by Yoichi Tomizawa and blue eye shadow by makeup artist David Tibolla complete the indulgent affair. Do you like? Moi, j'adore!

(Via FGR) 

A Stunning Editorial

This is one of the most gorgeous editorials I've come across in a while. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do. I'm hiding way to write for a few days then off to Ottawa next Monday and Tuesday to sign some books. Wishing you a lovely day!

A Relationship is like a Rose

A relationship is like a rose,
How long it lasts, no one knows;
Love can erase an awful past,
Love can be yours, you'll see at last;
To feel that love, it makes you sigh,
To have it leave, you'd rather die;
You hope you've found that special rose,
Cause you love and care for the one you chose.

-Rob Cella

(Images Marie-Claire via Trinidad Fashionista)

Fashion by the sea+ When to write in coffee shops

How gorgeous is this fashion editorial? It reminds me of my recent trip to Deauville. 

Here's some more great writing advice: When to write in coffee shops. I personally find it very difficult to write in public places, I'm too easily distracted by noise, conversations and checking out what people are wearing! But for those of you that can do it, this is helpful...

When to Go:

• When a parade of interesting characters might be inspiring -- i.e. at the start of a book.

• At the moment when you think you might throw in the towel. The sight of other people hammering away at their keyboards might spur you on.

• If you've just thrown out a bunch of pages. The chatter of other people can be soothing compared to the chatter in your head.

• When you've been stuck on something in the story and a change of scenery might break the logjam.

When to Stay Home:

• When you're trying to capture the tone or voice of a story. I think it's hard to hear the nuances in a coffee shop.

• When you're trying to really get some pages under your belt -- you're on deadline, for example, or you're working towards a big page milestone. Stay home, turn off the phone, tell all your friends that you're "head down" and will let them know when you come up for air.

• When you're solving problems whose answers might be on the Internet. If I have a lot of windows open and I'm whipping back and forth between websites and my text, I don't want to imagine that someone could be looking over my shoulder at the strange sites I'm visiting.

• When you're editing for continuity and can't afford to make a mistake.

• When you're doing a final polish and need to hear every detail in your mind.

(Images via here)

Great Writing Tips+ In Full Bloom

If you're like me and you struggle with your writing sometimes ( ahem, I mean, very often, as in every time you turn on your computer and face the blank page...) I just discovered this great website: Write it Sideways. There are some wonderful tips and I particularly enjoyed the article : The number one reason you'll never finish writing your novel......so true!!! 

(images via Marie-Claire UK)

Dream job at Chanel

There is a great article here about a day in the life of Laetitia Crahay, a jewelry designer for Chanel.

It sounds like she has a great life! Her designs are gorgeous!

April showers.....bring May flowers

(J.Crew, Ms. Seductive , Marie-Claire, we heart it)

Bits of pretty

I love the little turquoise desk. It's giving me a few decorating ideas!

(first image, Marie-Claire, second and third images, Just be splendid, last two flickr)

Great looks on a budget

This budget conscious shoot at Marie-Claire is great. Loving the sparkly grey dress and the flowered print cardigan by Madewell.

Hi-Low Fall Fashion

Marie-Claire

Loving all of these looks for fall!