Wallpaper Panache

Whether gracing the grandiose murs de Versailles or the quaint walls of Grandma's diningroom, wallpaper has been a decorating medium for centuries. Floral, damasked, stiped,and toiled wallpapers have quitely clung to our walls secretly listening to our conversations, witnessing our daily lives, and laughing at our blunders.

I personally love paperie, floral patterns vintage and new, and thus love wallpaper, but I have always had an uneasy feeling about wallpapering an entire room. To wallpaper a room is like a commitment at the altar-for better or worse, and that just hasn't been a commitment I have been ready to make.

And, yet, wallpaper is so beautiful, so alluring, so alive.

When I saw this picture in Romantic Style, by Selina Lake, my heart sang and I was a little more convinced that wallpaper on a single wall as a focal point could be a worth the investment.

It wasn't until I was ready to publish this post that I realized the previous two images of patchworked walls are the same...if you examine closely they are identical. I must really like this design.

And for those of you who are decisive and have gumption, a wall with an over-sized flower could provide dramatic visual impact.
Don't you just love that dramatic, striped drapes?
For those who are wallpaper worrisome, perhaps lining the back of a china cabinet, or closet, or door could safely satisfy a wallpaper craving. One could even create wallpaper panels by wallpapering entire surfaces of salvaged doors. These door panels could be neatly leaned against a wall behind a bed or in a foyer posing as canvases.

What is your wallpaper personality?

*Do you have uber wallpaper panache with the gumption to wallpaper an entire room?

*Do you believe that wallpaper is best used as a focal point in a room soley on one or two walls?

*Are you wallpaper shy-You love it but would rather wallpaper something less permanent like a piece of furiture?

OR

*Do you view wallpaper as a worthless-not worth the trouble, commitment or investment?

After a little research, I found these wallpaper sources:
5qm.de {new and vintage wallpaper}

Heytens {pour mes visiteurs francophones}

Raymond Waites {for those who love an old world, vintage style wallpaper-Make sure you look at the Belgian Luxe collection-GORGEOUS!}
Patina Paperie & Hannah'sTreasures- {pretty vintage wallpapers perfect for small projects}

_{image sources: numéro un; deux; trois;quatre; cinq; six & sept}

Cobalt Blue & Orange Crush-a Complementary Vacation

We have finally settled in after a short vacation spent in Washington D.C. Mr. à la parisienne and I spent four days in D.C. visiting our lovely niece, Holly, who has been working on Captitol Hill for almost a year now. The monuments were momentous, the food delectable, Holly was a perfect little hostess, and my parents spoiled Amelia for five days straight. Needless to say, everyone enjoyed this much needed change in routine._{a classy representation of cobalt blue paired with crisp summer white worn by Pipa}

Traveling is the perfect time to become creative with your wardrobe and to emerge from a fashion rut. Honestly, the only time I ever have my photograph taken is while away on vacation. You know, the corny photographs that we all think we have to have in front of a famous monument? How many times do you come home, look at the pictures and think,

"Here's my proof that I personally stood in front of the Eiffel Tower and I look like crap."

I'll never forgive myself for all of those photos of me in front of Parisian monuments, during my collegiate study abroad, with my sweater crookedly buttoned down the front. How do you say dorky tourist in French?

Usually, I am very tempted to buy new clothes for vacations, but this trip was quite different. We had about two months notice, and we tried to keep spending to a minimum.

So, I shopped my own closet.

Sometimes in order to revive a wardrobe, you have to become very clever and resourceful. The best way I've learned to capitalize on my wardrobe is through accessories, and for this trip, the name of the game was playing with color.

a couture-esque color wheel

In my one and only art class in highschool, I learned about the color wheel-complementary and secondary colors. Colors directly across from one another on the color wheel are known as complementary colors, which happen to make striking combinations.
I remember my art teacher, Mrs. Goodall, teaching us that the true hue of blue and the true hue of orange will create an optical allusion of a solid white line when held next to one another-quite an interesting concept.

And that thought lead to this ensemble: a striking cobalt blue tank paired with a simple white skirt, accented with vintage complementary orange accessories.
Remember my post about From Me to You and Jamie's vintage millinery bundle? I had to try it for myself.

a brief photoshoot at the U.S. Supreme Court

As this quote describes, the logic of color can help reinvent a stagnant wardrobe without the necessity of spending a fortune. This is an optimistic notion for a frugal woman living through an economic recession.

A big welcome to my new readers. I hope you enjoy sharing my journey.
I will return soon with more colorful fashion inspiration.

_{images #1,3,6, & 8 by à la parisienne {Photographs of à la parisienne taken by my niece, Holly}
#2 here ; #4; here; #5 here; ; #7 here ; #9 here}

Dior-inspired Flower Girl {Basket}

Remember this Dior ensemble?
Whose color palette inspired the upcoming wedding of a young bride-to-be?

Remember the post about this Dior-inspired ring pillow?

Well, a few months after that post, she contacted me again requesting a flower girl basket.
So, I sent her an image of the handmade fabric flower cone my flower girl carried in my wedding (made by my mom) and proposed a Dior-inspired version:
~Black double-faced satin ribbon handles
~blushy nude brocade for the body
~ruffled vintage noir swiss dot fabric topped with a thin black velvet ribbon
~adorned with a handmade Parisienne petal flower pin
~lined in soft brushed satin in a creamy latte hue

Quite a decadent flower girl "basket" I would say!

_{a romantic Dior color palette: nude, champagne, a hint of blush and noir}

I know I have said this before, but this flower girl cone is my favorite thing I've made so far. I felt inspired to make another one for myself. I also couldn't help but imagine the little flower girl's dress? What color is the dress? What style? I can only imagine!

To view more pictures/details of this handmade flower girl cone,

visit Weddings à la parisienne.


<sub>We will be busy with lots of summer activities including a little vacation, the rest of this month, so you may not see much of me or hear from me for a couple of weeks, but I'll be back soon!

images by à la parisienne - Runway image in collage source unknown</sub>

Pink Vows-Wedding Centerpiece & Winners

Here's a little wedding centerpiece inspiration for you, which will conclude my series of pink inspiration-at least for a while.

The lucky winners are listed at the bottom of this post.

The most important part of a wedding are the vows-the promise of life-long commitment between a man and a woman.

This centerpiece is composed of the simplest of elements: an antique glass compote, water, Scrabble letters, and a single floating pink peony. I layered this look with the same vintage floral platter as used in my previous pink tide post.

Okay, now for the winners of my first giveaway by color-PINK:

1st place winner:

#76 Jojo

2nd place winner:

#18 CJ

Please email me at alaparisiennedesigns@gmail.com to claim your prizes.
un grand merci to all who entered. I appreciate all of your sweet comments and support. Also, thank you Divinagioielli for participating in this giveaway with your gorgeous vintage-inspired earrings. {I also love the pair I bought for myself.}
There will be another giveaway by color soon, so stay tuned!

_{images by à la parisienne}

Pink Tide~~~Romantic Fête Inspiration

Who says seaside-inspired celebrations such as weddings and parties have to be blue or white?Words, textures, and objects can all evoke the rhythm of the tides no matter the color.
I felt inspired to photograph of few of my ideas and wanted to share them with you.

Seashell pink, one of nature's most beautiful colors makes a beautiful color palette for a seaside party. Alone they are beautiful, but how about tucking in a few peonies? or even a few ruffled chiffon flowers or vintage millinery buds?

And layering the centerpiece with a vintage rose adorned platter offers added charm and romance.

Have a beautiful week and Happy July 4th to my American readers!

GIVEWAY:

Just a couple of days before the romantique pink giveaway winners will be randomly selected.

Click here to enter.

_{images by à la parisienne}

Pink Martini-Nostalgic Nuances & International Flavors

Tears welled in my eyes during the first few measures of symphonic fullness as it graced my ears. I was 29, and this was my first time to hear a live orchestra, to attend a concert, such a late start at appreciating music in it's fullest, watching the artists pick, tap, strum, drum, and slide. In that moment, I felt an overwhelming longing for music. A longing to become a real musician, not just a woman who picks at the piano with a mediocre singing voice. I wanted an awesome talent-one that could send chills down the spine, one that could evoke an emotion in another's soul. As a bird perched in the mezzanine, I regarded these very artists who had such a talent.

_{This experience was an excellent Mother's Day gift (last year- yes, I have been meaning to share this with you for over a year). My sweet husband approached me a couple of months before Mother's Day and gave me two choices:}

He could hire someone to come clean our home from top to bottom {to give me a break} or we could have a nice dinner out and go to a Pink Martini concert. (Uh...a clean house doesn't last long here-not worth the money.) The thrill-seeker that I am chose the concert and a dirty house.

It was the perfect date. Mommy got to play dress up in a vintage blush tulle dress, topped with a simple black cardigan, a cluster of blush flower pins (by me), and a vintage black purse. Mr. à la parisienne looked pretty sharp in his "Italian" shirt, purchased in Rome during our traveling days. (Too bad it's so hard to find such GQ men's clothing around here.)
_{top left photo: Bass Hall in Forth Worth, TX; China Forbes posing with a fan; Thomas Lauderdale giving his autograph; other Pink Martini band members-the guy with long hair is the awesome trumpet player}

The concert was extraordiary. The pianist, Lauderdale above in the cute bowtie, has such an entertaining personality with fingers that literally dance across the keys. China Forbes' voice is a beautiful powerhouse-a true talent who can stand before a grandiose audience and sing perfectly on pitch.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to them share the stories behind their songs and how they love to infuse classical music into their internationally flavored melodies-salsa, big band, new orleans, jazz, French, and opera. Where the lyrics in some of their songs may be a little simple, their music compensates with energizing rhythms, moving intstrumental solos, and astute blends of various music genres.

The concert was topped off with a surprise conga line during the song "Brazil." Imagine a group of people sitting below innocently watching a concert in an opera hall, and being snagged to join the conga line??? For a moment, I regretted the mezzanine seats! But it was quite a view watching them inch along and around the rows bobbing their heads and kicking their feet.

Too bring an end to this lengthy post, I leave you with a list of my absolute favorite Pink Martini songs:

"Everywhere"- _{Will always be my favorite. Around two years of age, Amelia could sing this song with me. And she literally brought tears to her Paw's eyes when he heard her sing it for the first time.}
"Over the Valley," "Sympathique," "Où est ma tête?," "Hang on Little Tomato," "And Then You're Gone," "Tempo Perdido"

Click here to listen to Pink Martini.

GIVEAWAY:

There's still time to enter my pink giveaway! Click here to enter, where you will have a chance to win a Pink Martini album of your choice, along with some other pink goodies.

_{image #1 by Reflections of a Lifetime {my SIL}; remaining images by à la parisienne}