CHEZ FIFI

GORGEOUS GREEN......................

GREEN IS "IN" IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. AND I AM ALL FOR IT, ESPECIALLY THE ECOLOGY AND RECYCLING ASPECTS. BUT AS FAR AS THE COLOR ITSELF GOES I FIND IT REFRESHING AND UPLIFTING. 

I NEVER PAID MUCH ATTENTION TO HOW OFTEN IT SHOWS UP IN MY OWN LITTLE REALM BUT, WHILE LOOKING FOR SOME OF MY PHOTOS FOR AN ARTICLE, I SUDDENLY DISCOVERED I HAD UNCONSCIOUSLY INCORPORATED IT IN MANY WAYS. MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE IT'S THE COLOR OF NATURE OR MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE IT'S THE COLOR OF HOPE...

 

WITH ADAN AND EVE IT BEGAN WITH AN APPLE (NOT SURE IT WAS A GREEN ONE THOUGH...) BUT AT CHEZ FIFI IT STARTED WITH A GREEN PEAR.....

...........AND GREEN EGGS (AND A FEW BLUE ONES TOO BECAUSE I LOVE THE 2 COLORS TOGETHER......)

....THEN A LITTLE GREEN CANDLE, A GLASS STARFISH AND A SILVER RIMMED GLASS...)

MORE STARS BUT THE EDIBLE KIND FROM THE STAR FRUIT.................................

AND BEAUTIFUL (THOUGH POISONOUS) SEED PODS FROM WHICH TRUMPET SHAPE BLOSSOMS WILL SPRING..........)

THERE IS MOSS AND A FROSTED GREEN BOTTLE.............................

...................GREEN CANDLES .......................................

................GREEN FLOWERS IN ZINC POTS.........................

........AND MORE CANDLES AND A "VASE" (IN FACT IT'S A .99 CENT PLASTIC GLASS FROM THE GROCERY STORE...)

....EVEN A GREEN BASKET IN WHICH LILY LIKES TO SLEEP (AND DOESN'T LIKE TO BE DISTURBED AS YOU CAN TELL....)

.......A SCRUMPTIOUS GREEN VESSEL AND CURTAIN.................

...........A BIRDBATH FILLED WITH RIBBONS ............................

..........EVEN A CAKE STAND WITH BLUE ACCENTS..............

................HERE IS A CLOSE UP OF THAT PLASTIC GLASS....SEE HOW PRETTY PINK AND GREEN LOOK TOGETHER TOO...............

......GREEN ALSO LOOKS GOOD WITH GRAY AND COPPER.................

.......AND WITH BLACK & WHITE..............................

...........THIS IS THE BUD THAT WILL GIVE BIRTH TO A PUMPKIN, YES, AND ORANGE PUMPKIN!

........A LITTLE STONE GARDEN SHELF WITH A MOON FLOWER BUD.........

..............ANOTHER LOVELY AND FUZZY BUD........................

...........MY LITTLE CABANA WITH GREEN ACCENTS......................

............THE MOON FLOWER OPENING UP............................

GREEN RIBBON AND CANDLES ON A CHANDELIER IN MY GARDEN...............

.....VERT DE GRIS FLOWER POT WITH SOME OF MY ROSES (THESE ARE "ABRAHAM DARBY")

...........SOFT AND AIRY PLANT ON MY GARDEN GATE..............

........AND CONTAINERS ON THE STEPS TO THE KITCHEN..........

......AQUA AND GREEN PILLOWS FROM TERESA SHEELY.........................

........MY FAVORITE GARDEN BOOTS.......(GOT THEM AT AMERICAN EAGLE FOR $14)

....ONE OF THE FROZEN CITRUS SOUFFLES I MADE FOR THE CURRENT ISSUE OF ROMANTIC COUNTRY.....

..........A CUTE BUCKET..........................

...BLOSSOMS FROM THE ORCHID TREE............

.....A WHITE LILLY OF THE NILE WITH A HINT OF GREEN..........

......THE CHAIR, NOW WHITE, WITH FERN STENCILS............

..........LUSCIOUS GREEN ROSES.............

..........AN OLD ENAMEL PITCHER IN MY KITCHEN..........

...........GREEN AND PINK TOGETHER AGAIN.................

................A BED OF MOSS FOR A SWEET HEART..........................

VOILA! THE END.

SUMMER ROMANCE

TOMORROW IS OFFICIALLY THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER BUT HERE, IN SUNNY FLORIDA, IT HAS BEEN VERY HOT FOR A LONG TIME. GETTING OVER THE 100 DEGREE MARK TODAY, AGAIN!

IT'S TOO HOT TO EAT EXCEPT FOR SWEET HONEYDEW, LUSCIOUS STRAWBERRIES, RIPE AND JUICY PEACHES, AND A GLASS OF LIMEADE................DON'T THIS PHOTOS MAKE YOU WISH YOU WERE HERE? OK THEN! FOLLOW ME IN THIS DREAMY LITTLE SUMMER VOYAGE.........

BY THE WAY: ALL THE VIGNETTES BELOW ARE A SMALL SAMPLE OF THE MOST RECENT SHOOTS WE DID FOR UPCOMING ISSUES OF ROMANTIC COUNTRY SO LOOK FOR THEM (AND A LOT MORE) IN THE FALL AND WINTER/SPRING ISSUES.

(THE RESPECTIVE PHOTOGRAPHERS HAVE BEEN CREDITED.)

                     

(ABOVE PHOTOS: DAN MAYERS)

(PHOTO ABOVE: MICHAEL GARLAND)

IT'S THE TIME OF WINE.......................

AND ROSES.................................

AND SWEET DOVES CUDDLING TOGETHER...................................

(ABOVE PHOTOS: MARK LOHMAN)

.........IN THEIR OWN HEAVENLY REFUGE.................................................................

                    

............OF BUTTERFLIES FLEETING FROM FLOWER TO FLOWER...........................

 

     

         

.....OF MAGICAL GARDEN PATHS TO FAIRYTALE COTTAGES.....................................

              

(ABOVE PHOTOS MICHAEL GARLAND)

....OF RESTFUL INTIMATE SPOTS...MAY IT BE A SWING, A CHAIR OR A BENCH......

                    

                    

                   (ABOVE PHOTOS: MARK LOHMAN)

                    

..............................A CHAIR.............................................

          

(ABOVE PHOTOS: MICHAEL GARLAND)

.............OR A DREAMY GAZEBO.................

          

               

               (ABOVE PHOTO: PHILIP CLAYTON-THOMPSON)

IT IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR ENTERTAINING AL-FRESCO............................

IN PRETTY RELAXED WAYS....................               

(ABOVE PHOTO: MICHAEL GARLAND)

          

.....OR MORE FORMAL STYLE.....................................

           

           (ABOVE PHOTOS: MARK LHOMAN)

BUT IT'S ALSO THE TIME TO OPEN THE WINDOWS WIDE TO LET IN THE SUNSHINE AND FRESH AIR AND GIVE THE HOUSE A FRESH SUMMER MAKEOVER.....................

            

(PHOTO: MARK LOHMAN)

            

            (PHOTO: PHILIP CLAYTON THOMPSON)

            

(PHOTO: MICHAEL GARLAND)

IN SPITE OF ALL MY WHINING ABOUT"POSSUMS, FLIGHT DELAYS, 4:AM WAKEUP CALLS AND OTHER TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS",  AS THESE IMAGES CLEARLY SHOW I AM VERY FORTUNATE TO BE WORKING WITH AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHERS, TO MEET TALENTED HOMEOWNERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SO MUCH BEAUTY WITH EACH OF YOU.

                                   

(PHOTO: FIFI)

WISHING YOU A MOST ROMANTIC SUMMER.

OF POSSUMS, FLIGHT DELAYS, FEDEX SCHEDULES, PHOTO SHOOTS and FROZEN COOKIES...............................

I don't want to burst your "glamourous" buble vision of my job but I can't help wanting to share my latest adventures..........................

This episode begins at 4:00 AM this past Tuesday. You see, I had to live home by 5:00 AM to catch an early flight for Atlanta. The drive from my house to the airport is short enough and there is no traffic that early in the day. So, I pack my car and take off in darkness.

I am driving along minding my own business when all of the sudden I hear a weird noise in the car. "Hummm,"I say to myself, "it doesn't sound like something mechanical...wonder what it could be?" A few minutes later, the noise switches to scratching and hissing. Well, at that point I stop the car and walk to the back to open the door (I have an SUV). I see 2 eyes starring at me. "Oh mon Dieu (OMG)", I squeaked, "I am not going in there!" Instead, I go back to the front seat, turn on the overhead lights and carefully look over the seat.... with great palpitations. Here it was: the FATEST possum I ever saw. And he was in a VERY BAD MOOD! So, I came out of the car and started to look on the sidewalk for something---a stick, a branch-- to chase the pesky possum out. The only thing I found was a palm front. I got back on the front seat and proceeded to oust the beast but it took over half an hour.....the thing really wasn't "warm and fuzzy".....Finally he jumped out and I waited until he was far enough from me before going around and getting back in the car. By now, I am running late for my flight and almost missed it! All because i had left one of the back seat windows open..............

So, I do get to Atlanta where I have to rendez vous with the photographer flying in from NYC. He calls to tell me his flight is delay. When he finally lands we are already 2 hours behind in our planned schedule. And, we still have a 2 hour drive to Macon, GA, where we are shooting the lovely nursery of Jennifer Hayslip's little girl, Vivian. Jennifer took this photo.......for more photos go to sweeteyecandycreations.typepad.com/

 

and Dan Mayers took this one of the 3 of us with Jennifer's camera..................

The sweet nursery will be in Cottage Style...........................................................

Meanwhile, Dan shipped 2 of his 4 equipment cases via FedEx ground as checking them on the plane has become prohibitive due to the excess baggage rates. The cases were supposed to be delivered on Tuesday to coincide with our arrival. Well, they didn't make it! Though he shipped from NYC the previous Thursday, Fedex decided that the 3-day delivery schedule didn't start the next day (Friday)--as it was implied-- but instead they shipped them on Monday for Wednesday delivery. Well, CACA to them! It screwed up our schedule even more because we ended up having to drive to their facilities first thing the next morning before going to shoot Sherry Williams house  (sherrysrosecottage.blogspot.com) for Country Victorian. Jenn, Sherry and Sherry's husband Steve couldn't have been nicer. Thanks for making our work fun!   

As soon as I get the films from Dan I will post a few vignettes.

The next day we went back to Jenn's to shoot her garden room then off to the Society Gardener to photograph their beautiful garden accents for an upcoming story.

Ok, so now Dan and I are driving back to Atlanta under a tornado warning. The end result being that no flight could land or take off so we were both stuck in the airport. I am not sure what time Dan finally made it back to NYC but I didn't get back to Sarasota until 3:00 AM yesterday morning.........

Yes, it still is a great job and I am grateful to have it but these 3 and 4 AM wake up calls, flight delay nightmares and Fedex screw ups are killers.....and don't get me started on possums...........

************************************************************

RECYCLED ART

Before going to Atlanta I went to shoot Beth Bizier's lovely garden in Winter Haven, Florida (yes, another shoot that meant living home at 5:00 AM for a 2 hour drive)

Beth came up with a great idea for recycling a variety of tableware into whimsical garden art:

To see more of Beth's collection or to purchase one of her lovelies just email her at

bbizier@verizon.net

This pretty one is in my garden. I LOVE how it catches the light. Thanks Beth!

***************************************************************************Speaking of beautiful creations, Sherry Litchfield's shell art is simply exquisite.................how could one resist? Go ahead, email Sherry and get one of her magnificent crowns. They are true works of art befitting any decor: sherrysshellabrations@yahoo.com

                                 

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MORE BEAUTIES FOR YOUR HOME

My sister Sylvie keeps her fingers nimble by making more of her charming handmade cross stitch pillows........

                     

                 

                

Sylvie also offers these sweet lampshades...............

 

             

 

Want to order something? Email Sylvie at SHAPPY@WANADOO.FR

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OH BABY!!!

You might remember when a few weeks ago I posted photos of the kitties born in my garden? They belong to my neighbor Penny. I went to "visit" them before leaving on that last trip. Look at these babies now............................

     

This is the one I would love to keep.............but I can't have a tiny kittie when I am gone so much and i am not sure how my 3 "girls" would react.....

___________________________________________________________

Several of you have asked where I got this stick-on blackboard. I ordered it on line from Urban Outfitters. They still have them and, better yet, they are on sale!

                 

Also look for these cool stick on frames........................

                                                

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CORRECTION:

In the current issue of Romantic Country (Favorite Finds section)we feature beautiful cookies from Jennifer Gray .....................

                   

Unfortunately, Jennifer's website address was incorrectly printed. To order these precious and delicious treats go to www.theoldpaintedcottage.com

Tell her Fifi sent you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BACK WHERE I STARTED

These yummy cookies are another illustrations of my "glamourous" lifestyle....

One night, several weeks ago, I found myself in a familiar situation: I had been at the computer all day. It's now midnight and I am hungry. As usual, there is only cat food, milk and Splenda in the fridge......Too late to go to the grocery store. What's a starving Fifi to do?? Bingo! I remember I have some of Jennifer's cookies in the freezer (I had saved them after having photographed them for the magazine.) I quickly open the well wrapped box and took 6 out. Unfortunately they were frozen solid. I couldn't even bite into them so I wrapped them in a towel and crushed them with a hammer (what a shame!). Still, I couldn't bite through. I made a cup of tea and put all the frozen crumbs in the hot liquid and was finally able to devour them. Oh! YUM YUM! 

The only glamourous part was the beautiful, scrumptious cookies that deserved a much better fate than to be crushed by a hammer, plunged into boiling liquid and gulped down without any savoir faire..but what can I say? "If there is a will there is a way!"  Thank you Jennifer and Bon Appetit to moi!

xoxoxo

fifi 

HAVE A HEART............

Bonjour mes petites cheries,

In my spare time (????) I have been trying to fill orders for Fifi's Hearts. 

Remember, these are not tin. They are metal. I cut them, "age" them, paint them, inscribe them and glaze them. 

They are good for indoor and out. They come with rustic twine to hang them. But I also drill 3 holes (one on each side and one at the point) so they can be screwed on a wall, front door or a garden gate.

No two are the same because they are handmade. They can be personalized with your name, street number, a shop name, and/or French words. I will include a list of the available French words below.

Because of time constraints please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. Once I ship them and know the exact shipping cost (which so far runs between $6 and $10 depending where in the country you are located) I will send you an email with the total cost and you can simply send me a check. I operate under the "honor system."     

                       

                              

As much as I would like to make them as quickly as they are ordered I simply don't have that leisure. I apologize to you lovely ladies who are still waiting for me to respond. But you are on my list and I thank you for you being so patient with me. 

Meanwhile here are a few I finished and sent out...................... 

I know you are going to ask me about sizes and prices.

So, next to each photo, I will put both, starting with this one:

MEDIUM $30                      

BELOW: LARGE $39

                            

BELOW: MEDIUM $30

      

BELOW: LARGE $39

                                   

BELOW: LARGE $39

       

BELOW: large $39

                           

BELOW: LARGE $39

     

BELOW: SMALL $25

BELOW: MEDIUM $30

           

BELOW: LARGE $39

BELOW SMALL $25

       

BELOW: LARGE $39

BELOW: MEDIUM $29

Available French words (more to come soon.)

C'est La Vie!

Enchanté !

Toi &Moi

La Vie en Rose

Oooh-La-La!!

Dans le Jardin Jardin

Ma Maison

Bienvenue

Bonjour

Bon Appetit

Bonne Nuit

VOILA! THAT'S IT FOR NOW. HOPE YOU LIKE.

Bisous bisous

xoxo

Fifi

NEW AND IMPROVED.................

As some of you might know, I tend to change things around in the house. It's a kind of therapy. It helps me clear my mind when I spend hours on the computer. Case in point the chair I painted last month.....remember?

It went from this.......

.......to this.....................................

.........and now to this....................................

I loved the colors but was in the mood for white and soft green....so I just repainted, again. See how easy it is to do! I did the ferns with a stencil. The little bouquet hanging from the top is a small bunch of silk stems tied with a ribbon and draped over the back. Using fresh flowers would be lovely but my kitties would eat them (!!!) and/or they would have to be changed all the time.

As you can clearly see Daisy is quite fond of the new color...................

 

***************************************************************************

In the last post I mentioned that we are featuring the wedding of John and Robin (Magnolia Pearl) in the summer issue of Romantic Country. As it happens, I went to see Susie & Mark's Cat's Meow new location  in Ellenton, FL. They not only carry the treasures we are accustomed to see in their shop but also a beautiful assortment of Magnolia Pearl's dreamy clothes.............take a look....................................

The store is full of exquisite furnishings set in lovely rooms .................

like little bedroom corners..............

with intriguing tiny windows over looking the "living room"  on the main floor......

........... A ROMANTIC KITCHEN.............................

ANOTHER INVITING BEDROOM...............................

WITH ONE OF A KIND LAMPSHADE MADE BY SUSIE HERSELF.................

EVEN A DINING ROOM SETTING................

AND A COZY DEN LOCATED IN THE MEZZANINE................

SO, IF YOU ARE IN THE AREA MAKE SURE TO STOP BY THE CAT'S MEOW, 3711 U.S HIGHWAY 301 NORTH, ELLENTON, FLORIDA 34222. PHONE: (941) 445 5602 OR VISIT MARK AND SUSIE ON LINE WWW.CATSMEOWINC.COM

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ANOTHER EQUALLY IMPORTANT HAPPENING IS THE NEW BOOK WRITTEN BY MY FRIEND, AND FORMER EDITOR OF ROMANTIC COUNTRY, BARBARA JACKSIER, AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY THE BRILLIANT DAN MAYERS.

                                 

TO PRE-ORDER AND SEE MORE GO TO BARBARA'S WEBSITE: WWW.WATERSIDESTYLES.COM OR EMAIL BARBARA AT JACKSIER@AOL.COM.

THIS GORGEOUS BOOK WILL BE OUT IN JULY. DON'T MISS IT!

CONGRATULATIONS BARBARA AND DAN!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I JUST RECEIVED THE FINISHED FILMS OF THE HOMES WE SHOT 2 WEEKS AGO. I WISH I COULD SHARE THEM WITH YOU BUT IT'S A BIG "NO NO" TO SHOW THE PHOTOS BEFORE WE PUBLISH THEM. WHAT I CAN DO, THOUGH, IS TO POST A FEW VIGNETTES FROM THE VARIOUS HOMES JUST TO GIVE YOU A TINY TASTE OF WHAT'S COMING IN ISSUES OF ROMANTIC COUNTRY...............

ALL PHOTOS BY DAN MAYERS, STYLING BY "MOI."

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SUNDAY HAS BEEN BUSY  SHOOTING IN CALIFORNIA WITH A NUMBER OF MARVELOUS PHOTOGRAPHERS.......................... 

THE PHOTOS BELOW BY MICHAEL GARLAND AND SUNDAY HENDRICKSON.....

THIS LOVELY ONE IS BY MARK LOHMAN AND SUNDAY........................

SUNDAY TOOK THIS PICTURE. IT'S PART OF A LOVELY LITTLE B&B CLOSE TO SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA

WELL, I COULD GO ON AND ON BUT I HAVE A FEW MORE THINGS TO POST............

YESTERDAY I RECEIVED THE PILLOWS I ORDERED FROM MICHELLE (LAPETITCOTERIE.BLOGSPOT.COM)

BUT, SWEET MICHELLE ALSO INCLUDED THIS ONE...................

ALL 3 ARE NOW ON THE LITTLE BENCH NEAR THE GUEST HOUSE. THANKS SO MUCH MICHELLE, XOXOXOXO FIFI

SPEAKING OF THE GUEST HOUSE, IT'S PROGRESSING NICELY. WE (THE HANDYMAN AND I) FINISHED FRAMING THE BATHROOM THIS WEEKEND........

I GOT THIS COOL STICK ON BLACKBOARD THAT I PLAN TO USE IN THE KITCHEN........

OK. IT LOOKS AS IF I AM ENCOUNTERING A LITTLE PROBLEM WITH TYPEPAD. SO, BEFORE EVERYTHING I DID VANISHES I AM GOING TO CALL IT A DAY. HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS LITTLE TOUR.

BONNE NUIT.

XOXO

FIFI