Bastille Day it like a French Gal!

History of the croissant!

Bonjour! It's Bastille Day, and I have no idea why I've always liked and celebrated this holiday. I'm a good ol' 'Merican girl in the Dirty South for crying out loud! However, I just love it and usually hit up my favorite French bakery in town for a fruit boat and tea. I thought it'd be fun today to get some inspiration from these French-inspired lovelies! Why not, oui? Oui!!


First, fashion! I always imagine one of the many reasons the French stereotypically look at Americans the way they do while Americans basically worship French women is somewhere in the French psyche, they imagine the Americans as a clingy lover. One who idolizes and changes in the relationship, when all French people seem to grasp that being a true representation of oneself is key. They certainly don't have articles in French that extol the secrets of the American je ne sais quoi!
Philosophizing aside, it's f-f-f-fashion!

Un: How to create a 5-piece French wardrobe and (theoretically) CHANGE YOUR LIFE! Ha! Love it.

Deux: 12 Secrets to dressing like a French woman!

Trois: How to live like a French Girl!

Food!

Quatre: Poulet Saute Chasseur (Hunter's Chicken). Looks so delicious!

Cinq: Galette de Pomme de Terre (Potato Galette). I love a galette!

Six: 44 Classic French recipes with wine pairing suggestions!

Beauty!

Sept: Twelve French ways to style your hair. SO chic!

Huit: French drugstore products that really work...I'm personally addicted to Rose Witch Hazel.

Neuf: What French women NEVER do to their hair. Fascinating!


Design!

Dix: Seven secrets to French decorating. Love it!

Onze: "French Women" secrets for a healthy home. 

Douze: Eight Feminine French rooms. 

Youngins!

Trieze: What French children are taught about food that American children are not.

Quatorze: This little French bebe, telling quite the tall tale about Winnie the Pooh. My heart, it is so cute!

Au revoir, mes amis!

Friday Happies!

Pineapples.

Hey y'all! What do you have planned for the weekend? I have a family reunion here and I'm going to take off a few days for myself to recover from the insanity of the past month as well. Yay! I most likely will be going to see this one afternoon to snort laugh by myself. Anyway, here's this week's list of funs, happies, pretties, interestings and what-nots to get you geared up for your weekend whatever you may have going on!

*Have you had fish grilled in pineapple bark? What the what?! It sounds amazing!

*Some guy took a picture of a woman nursing her infant at a restaurant (a total stranger mind you) and posted it to his Facebook, shaming her for feeding her kid in public. She wrote back.

*I love this summer time gift wrap! So cheeky!

*Now that is how I'd wear a one-piece swimsuit (add high wedge heels and dramatic hat and shades).

*I have to bring something to the family reunion this weekend that can get warm and not kill anyone. I'm thinking this. Any standby recipes you make for gatherings like that? I'd love to know!

*It has been said at times I have the sense of humor of a frat boy. National Lampoon's anything, 21 and Over- those are my movies I watch alone while I laugh like Beavis & Butthead. All of this is to say, THERE IS A NEW VACATION coming out!!!

*And the bluegrass side of Ed Helms (who happens to be in the new Vacation film). He's so talented!

*Molly Ringwald at 47. She's so cool!

*This was so sweet! A dad stops the father-daughter dance at his daughter's wedding to play catch with her. Ack! I ugly cried.

*The British Prince and Princess's debut photographs side by side.

*Fifteen words to eliminate from your vocabulary to sound smarter! Yeeeeah, I pretty much use them all...

*A sweet video of an expectant family and their dogs. Aw!

*For the new front porch (my house is yellow).

*Smart kid. He gets paid to wait in line at one of the most popular barbecue joints in Austin.

*This picnic blanket is awesome!

Have a wonderful weekend, y'all!

Friday Happies!

Oh Kitty. How we miss you!

Y'all. This week. This friggin' week.

It's all good, but y'all. I need a vacation and I know there's no way to get one until June. But here is everything I could give y'all considering I didn't have internet until nearly 10 pm last night. Sigh.

Anyone up for Midnight Margaritas? 

Here we go!

*I want to try this Southwestern (Paleo) Pork with lime and avocado!

*How to get what you want.

*This is so interesting. Apparently around the 1830's or so blue started becoming prominent in every "masterpiece" and has continued to stay as such even today!

*Check out this info-graphic about how houses have changed over the past 40 years! 

*Miss your old decoder ring? Here's how to access the secret hidden menus on your phone!

*How good is your eyesight? Take this (slightly freaky but cool) test!

*Strong is the new pretty. YES!! Those little girls are something else!

*I'm not usually into the celebrity culture minus a mild interest. But I thought this was kind of motivating!

*A hat. And a hat. Oh! And a hat. 

*ACK! This was so sweet it made me tear up! Okay, I'll be real- big fat tears.

*This couple "retired" in their 30's and travel the world...with their baby. Read their awesome (and wise money management) here!

*Want! Me want! Okay...sorry...use your words, Lulu. Ahem...I would really like this pleaseandthankyou!

*I enjoy Rebel Wilson. A lot.

*I like this tenacious little Irish girl. When her parents laughed at her performance of Frozen, she put them in their place. You can't understand a bloody word, but the tone is unmistakeable!

*This littler girl's papa is an astronaut. She wanted to leave him a message he could see from space, and Hyundai was happy to help. Together they also broke a Guinness Work Record. 

Have a wonderful weekend y'all!!

Friday Happies!!

More on vintage Airstream trailers here.

Hey y'all! It's Friday! I'm working all weekend long but I hope you are free as a bird! Here's this week's list of pretties, funnies, happies and what-nots to bring a smile to your face and kick your weekend off right!

*A homeless man offered a stranded college student every last penny so she could get home safely in a taxi late at night. What she did for him in return is lovely!

*What a pretty and simple necklace. I'd love to give it as a gift to a girlfriend (and get one for myself while I'm at it!).

*Twin babies hold hands and talk to each other for the first time. So cute! I'm super fascinated by twins.

*Woah. IMPACT!

*I started this Plank Challenge last night in an attempt to whittle down the damage I've done to my tummy over the past two years. I thought it was going to be daunting, but it really isn't and I can feel it immediately (which in my head means I'll just wake up with six pack abs in a week). Whatever works, y'all!

*Okay, so I know this sounds all hippie-dippy & earth-muffiny but these cauliflower tortillas sound really delicious!

*12 things you didn't know about Airstream trailers! I have a soft spot for these silver bullets.

*Ruh-Roh!! A new British murder mystery to get hooked on! Grantchester!

*Trying to eat a bit healthier for the new year? Here are 8 inspiring ways to remove starch from your diet by replacing it with one vegetable!

*I'm originally from Nashville and I'm basically obsessed with Lonny; so a home tour by Lonny of a Nashville home? Right up my alley!! And it's completely cute!

*Dang y'all! Grilled Peach Slaw! Go on, now! That sounds sooooo good!!!

*These would be perfect for work (and life) this spring and summer!

*This both inspired me and cracked me up. The Illustrated Guide to Becoming One with the Universe.

*Oooooooh!!!!! The Hidden Caribbean! Meet you there! I'll be the one with the sunscreen and shot glasses!

*Hahahaha! Meet the Flockers and the Quackers! I just love this site, Fresh Eggs Daily!

Have a truly wonderful weekend, friends!! I hope you enjoyed this 150th post of P&PPS!

Colour Therapy- Saffron!

I am all in the mood for the bright, happy cosiness of saffron today! Maybe because it's been so cold and grey, my Vitamin D deficiency kicked in or something.  Just for funsies, I thought I'd spend a little time today sharing some beautiful things to (maybe, hopefully!) get you to feel the metaphorical sunshine on your face too!

In feng shui, a warm happy yellow is a color for health. In meditation, the yellow and orange chakras represent positive use of personal power, meditation and digestion as well as the utilization of creative forces in all aspects of your being (gotta love that!) respectively.  

After this harried holiday season and during this long stretch of cold, and grey we all naturally grow a little internal. I think that's great and really important; but while you're at it, you can at least have a little manmade sunshine in your life. Just because you're cozied in, doesn't mean you have to get all Season Affective Disorder-y on us.

Just think of the daffodils popping out of the frosty ground y'all, they're little shoots of sunshine during the harshest time of year!

Like this punchy saffron sofa!

Velvet pillows! I don't usually like velvet because it makes my teeth hurt to touch it, but the color is fantastic; and if you're not afflicted with the weird velvet/teeth situation then I highly recommend adding them for a comforting texture in your living room or bedroom.

A stunning shade, "Nasturtium" ,to add a pop of color to your walls. I think it'd be pretty painted 3/4 of the way down a wall with a rough border (not with painters tape but kind of eyeballed instead). 

Like this!

This lovely and soft-looking rug from Anthropologie!

Pretty glass beads to wear with a winter white or grey outfit maybe?!

A little bucket/basket to brighten up the inevitable laundry malaise or use as a planter for a leafy friend!

The ultimate soft tee for lounging about in leggings or jammie bottoms (and big wooly socks) watching Netflix marathons.

And last but not least! A delicious recipe to make that will warm your heart and your senses! I truly want to try this! Cardamom & Saffron Pears. Yum yum yum!!!

I hope you have a truly wonderful day, y'all! Don't forget to let the sunshine in!!