Life with Mila | The germs

One of my favourite thing when I work from my parents' home, is listening to Mila (7) and Lily (8) her cousin talking...
A few days ago, when we were in France, Mila got stroppy with me because I licked the spoon of her Sunday ice cream, my mum got her from McDo.
The day after, the girls got pancakes + Nutella* for desert and Mila happily licking the spoon full of Nutella and putting it back in the pot, got told off by my mum....
Mum: "Oh non Mila...ne fais pas ca!"
Mila: "I don't like germs"
Me: "That's rich!! You gave me a hard time yesterday and you just leeked the spoon and put it back in the pot! Don't do that! Anyway I carried you in my womb for 9 months so you wont get germs from me, I'm your mum, you're immunised "
Lily:"Yes you have the same slime"

So this is it...these last few days I went from sadness to lightness. The sadness to say goodbye to someone I love dearly and the lightness from two wonderful, smart and funny little girls. As she finally passed away yesterday, today I will spend the day with two of my favourite girls: my daughter and my sister. I wish you a nice, gentle Friday 

beautiful pic from Snippets from Suburbia

Une des choses que je préfère quand je travaille de chez mes parents, c'est écouter Mila et sa cousine papoter..
Quand nous étions en France ces derniers jours, Mila m'avait fait un pata-caisse parce que j'avais osé lécher la cuillère de son Sunday ice cream que ma mère lui avait offert chez McDo.
Le jour d'après, les filles ont eu des crèpes + Nutella pour le dessert. Mila qui lèche la cuillère pleine de Nutella et la remet dans le pot, se fait remonter les bretelles par ma mere
Ma mère: "Oh non Mila...ne fais pas ca!"
Mila: "Jaime pas les microbes"
Me: "T'es gonflée!! Tu viens juste de lécher la cuillère et de la remettre dans le pot. Ne fais pas ca! En plus je t'ai porté dans mon ventre pendant 9 mois alors tu ne choperas pas mes microbes, tu es immunisée "
Lily:"Oui vous avez la meme bave"

Et voila....ces derniers temps, je suis passée de la tristesse a la tendresse. La tristesse pour dire aurevoir a quelqu'un que j'aimais énormément et la tendresse d'etre avec deux petites filles adorables, futées et droles. Et comme elle s'est finalement endormie hier après-midi, ajourd'hui, je vais passer la journée tranquille avec deux des filles que j'aime le plus: ma fille et ma soeur. Je vous souhaite un bon Vendredi plein de douceurs.

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Life with Mila | The Tooth Fairy

Sadly Mila and I had to rush to France yesterday to see my 95 years old mamie (she is the hot chick on the left hand side and my mum is the one in the middle sporting the bathing suit with spots - I love this photo). It's a sad time but I wanted to be there* to tell her what a wonderful grandmother she had been to me before it was too late. How many good memories I have for all the summers spent with her, all the walks we took by the seaside and to the library, her maverick sense of humour, how she always had a pot of Nutella for us when she knew we were coming, how happy she was when we all had our own children (my sister, my cousins and I) and then she became an amazing great grand-mother putting photos of all her grand children everywhere. How funny, polite and witty she was - she would greet and smile to everyone in the street, even people she didn't know but once in a while she would squeeze my arm with a maverick smile and say "this one is an idiot" and I would burst out laughing. How she never spoke a word of English but always spoke to Steve with a warm, caring smile as if he would understand. How unbelievably soft her bed linens and towels were and how neither of us ever managed to crack her secret despite using the same laundry products (I had this conversation with my aunts yesterday). 
How wonderful she always smelled (she used Roger & Gallet soaps), how soft her skin was and still is and how much I love her.
I'm glad Mila came with me. She is such a caring little girl. Yesterday while she was stroking gently my mamie's hand, she asked:
Mila:"where are her teeth ?"
Me: "She hasn't got any :-("
Mila:"Did she get some money from the tooth fairy ?"
I can't tell you how good it felt for my mum and I to burst out laughing...Have a great weekend
*thanks to Steve to make that happen

{Thank you for leaving a comment. Reading them always makes me very happy}

Malheureusement Mila et moi avons du prendre l'avion en urgence pour rentrer en France hier et voir ma mamie qui a 95 ans (c'est le  petit canon à gauche de la photo et ma maman est celle au milieu avec son petit maillot à pois - j'adore cette photo). C'est un moment un peu triste mais je voulais lui qu'elle mamie géniale elle avait été pour moi avant qu'il ne soit trop tard. Combien de bons souvenirs j'ai de mon enfance et des étés passés à ses cotés, des promenades que nous faisions le long du bord de mer jusqu'à la bibliothèque municipale, de son sense de l'humour, du  pot de Nutella  qu'elle avait toujours pour nous quand elle savait que nous venions et combien elle était heureuse quand nous avons eu tous des bébés (ma soeur, mes cousins, cousines et moi) et qu'elle est devenue une arrière grand-mère géniale accrochant des photos de ses petits-enfants partout dans la maison.

Combien elle était polie, agréable et drole - elle disait bonjour à tout le monde dans la rue et souriait tout le temps mais une fois de temps en temps, elle me serrait le bras et avec un air de complicité, elle me disait: "celui-ci est un imbécile", ce qui me faisait éclater de rire. Combien elle n'a jamais parlé un mot d'anglais mais elle s'est toujours adressé a Steve avec un sourire bienveillant et complice comme si il comprenait. Combien ses draps et ses serviettes étaient les draps les plus doux de la planète et qu'aucune de nous, n'a jamais pu avoir des serviettes de toilette qui sentaient aussi bon et qui restaient aussi douces même en utilisant les mêmes produits (une conversation que j'ai eu avec mes tantes hier). 

Combien elle sentait toujours bon (elle utilisait toujours les savons Roger & Gallet), combien sa peau était - et est toujours - douce and surtout combien je l'aime.

Je suis contente que Mila soit venue avec moi. C'est une petite fille avec un grand coeur. Hier, alors qu'elle caressait gentiment la main de ma mamie, elle me demanda: 

Mila:"Ou sont ses dents?"
Me: "Elle n'en a plus :-("
Mila:"Est ce qu'elle a eu des sous de la petite sourie ?"
Je ne vous dit pas a quel point cela nous a fait du bien a ma mere et moi d'éclater de rire. Je vous souhaite un bon weekend

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Who needs business advisors when you have a 7 years old

Mila: "did you go to work today?"
Me: "Yes"
Mila: "when do they want more money?" ("they" as in...the management company...see post here)
Me: "Next year...I'm thinking of opening a shop..."
Mila: "a real one!? I think you should!"
Me: "Why?
Mila: "Because it is a very good idea..."
Me: "Would you work in the shop?"
Mila: putting her hand on my shoulder "I'm at school!! But you can talk to the school."
Who needs business advisors when you have a 7 years old with business acumen...

1. Ochre via SFGirlbybay 2. Canvas Home Store via {Me}longings 3. Mogeen Hair salon 4. via Style Essentials

I would be lying if this idea didn't vividly cross my mind. As I'm searching for new offices, I'm also checking out retail spaces just in case I find a space that ticks all the boxes. 
I have such a clear vision of what the BODIE and FOU concept store would be and although we are growing and thriving in a tough economic market, I have to be careful that we can walk safely before running. Still for the time being, it doesn't hurt anyone of daydreaming and the best projects come from the craziest vision....If I had listened to all the people who told me that BODIE and FOU wouldn't work 7 years ago, we would not have achieved all the things we've done so for the time being, allow me to daydream until it's time for my dream to become a reality....

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Life with Mila...and La Princesse au Petit Pois

When we were on holiday in France this Summer, I bought a gorgeous, vintage smock dress for Mila. It reminded me the kind of dresses we were wearing when Elodie and I were little.
London, 7am:
Me: "What do you want to wear this morning?" (knowing the answer)
Mila: "A dress!"
Me: "Well, why don't you wear the beautiful dress we got in France?"
She puts it on and look herself in the mirror...
Mila: "Don't you think I look like an orphan?"
Ok not quite the look I was aiming for but she went ahead with it.

This gives me the chance to introduce you La Princesse Au Petit Pois, a beautiful, poetic collection of clothes for children designed by the talended Alexandra Darcissac.
All the clothes are made in France and are simply beautiful. My favourite pieces are this gorgeous Notre Coeur dress and the Ilo blouse and the bloomers are just adorable!
No chance to look like an orphan with this magnificent collection...in fact, it's quite the opposite...

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Styling with blue

In the plane flying from London to Bordeaux 
Mila: "What age can I have a boyfriend?"
Me: "um...24" (Steve would be proud)
Mila: "Nooo, no way, 13! I'm go-nna tell everyone I'll have a boyfriend when I'm 13!! I'm go-nna tell everyone I'll have a boyfriend when I'm 13!!"

:-)

I love Sweet Paul's styling. It is always warm, welcoming and inviting.

I love this vintage blue chair and I so can see myself achieving a similar look with these beautiful blue plates.

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Mila's 7th Birthday party

This year, Mila didn't want a themed Birthday party like last year's Moustache party last so we went for a white & soft pink colour scheme. It was a gorgeous day!

Food: pink lemonade, pink cupcakes, strawberry/raspberry fruit salad, white & pink marshmallows with little pink flags Mila and I made with Japanese masking tapes and the 'famous' chocolate cake which, I admit was the only homemade thing this time
Party bags: Hello Kitty toothpaste, Bear Yo Yo, glittering glu stick and a pink pom pom
Deco: Striped straws bought in New-Zealand last year but Milk & Paper has some nice ones,   a pink entrance door (just kidding, we painted our door Bubble pink before Christmas!), pink & white balloons

Next time, if I have more time, I will...

- use these gorgeous pom poms (this set was out of stock but is back in stock tomorrow) and this lovely fluro garland

- try to make these gorgeous heart-shaped marshmallows like these,

- make pink popcorn like this

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Mila's Birthday

Mila is 7 today...
I could never have dreamt in a million years to have such a gorgeous, beautiful, smart and funny little girl and I wish from the bottom of my heart that she grows into a beautiful, smart and funny young woman...
Happy Birthday ma chérie, je t' énORmement!

Photo 1 & 2 by Chris Tubbs for the Grand Design photoshoot  | Photo 3 & 4 by Michael Paul for Home Beautiful Australia who is shooting our London home this weekend.

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Life with Mila...at breakfast

Yesterday morning, Steve got up at 6am to take Lucas for a walk. When Mila and I joined him an hour later for breakfast, he told us that Linda, our au-pair, came home at 6am. This is unusual as Linda often comes home around midnight after working in a pub nearby but last night, she was out partying. Mila's reaction made me laugh....

Mila: "Oh WOW, she worked ALL Night!!"
Aren't kids just great to look at the world with a positive attitude and think the best of everything and everyone... :-)


This is what François and I worked on last weekend.The second picture which shows the beautiful Rob Ryan plates better is likely to be on the back cover of our catalogue...


{We have entered the fabulous MyDeco Independent Home Shop Award}

Nominate BODIE and FOU as your favourite ever independent Home Shop and you could win £1000* to spend in our concept store on anything you like! 

CLICK HERE to enter the competition.

Photo: François Kong | Styling: Karine Kong

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Life with Mila...at the pool

Now that I know how to crawl, this gives me a great deal of satisfaction, let alone a huge amount of freedom & fun in the water.
My next thing is taking Pilates classes. Last week I was told by my chiropractor that around the age of 50, the upper body of women start to fall down which causes back problems. Did you know that??
It also seems that despite by regular 10K run and fitness level, my body has starting this process earlier than scheduled so I have now about 10 years to improve my core strength and get a fitter body by the time I'm 50 which frankly sucks!

Walking back from the pool...
Me: (making conversation) "I can finally crawl. Do you think I'm good?"
Mila: "um...yes you are but I dont want to say it so let's pretend I said it"...
La voila...

I'm in love with our new Ghost sofa by Paola Navone. Grey tutu from here

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Finetuning resolutions 2012

I love the beginning of a new year! It's such a wonderful opportunity to start fresh, forget about things that went wrong and move on. A few years ago, I diligently made lists of things I wanted to achieve. These days, I'm more relax about achievements, I don't do lists anymore because I'm happy in my own skin and my life in general but I still make small changes to be happier as a person, be there for my family and enjoy my work.

So in our little family, we don't make new year resolutions, we make finetuning ones....Little changes to improve our family life and overall well-being and we ask each other 2 things we would like the others to change/improve/stop....

Me: "So Mila...what would you like me to change this year?"
Mila: "I want you to stop drinking coca-cola and stop smoking" (I had actually given up smoking two years ago but had a few last Summer)
Me: "Ok, that's fine. I can do that. My turn...I would like to make sure that you brush your teeth twice a day and eat your Five a day. You can chose what they are and you can have chocolate from time to time as long as you had your 5 a day. ok?"
Mila: "OK"
Me: "And what about papa? What would you like him to change?
Mila: "umm....nothing"
Me: "WHAT??!! Com'on!! There must be something"
Mila: looking at Steve talking to his Dad in the garden..."No...he is just delicious!"

PS: This is a picture of Lucas making the most of our sofa while we were away, knowing fully that he is not allowed to do this! I wish you a wonderful, inspiring 2012!

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Thank you!

Last day at school for Mila, last day at work for me...
Me grabbing her royal blue trousers from COS: "What about these??....you havent worn them for ages"
Mila: "No I don't want to"
Me: "Oh come on! I can turn them up and make you look really cool in it"
Mila: "I don't want to look cool, I want to look pretty and for that I need a skirt and some tights"

Mila and I are flying to New-Zealand tonight to meet Steve in Hong-Kong and carry on our journey together to Auckland. 
I can't wait to switch off. I look terrible and I seriously need to go back running, drinking water and eat healthily but this has been by far the most full on, enjoyable and most rewarding year: a new/first mail order catalogue (on issuu here), some amazing feedback, great press, our own App on iTunes (you can download it for free here), My Interior Life in Living Etc and days at work with a great, new team that have been hugely fun. 
I wish you all a fantastic, relaxing, enjoyable Christmas break with your friends and family. xoxo 

Shanna Murray wall sticker...you should really get these for your home and this new print that makes me laugh

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Pack what you want...ermm but not quite

Packing Mila's suitcase... 
Me: "Can you put in a pile all your favourite Summer dresses please....Non, not this one, I don't like it"
Mila: "But it's my favourite one and your maman bought it for me"
Me: ""Yeah I know but I don't like it"
Mila: "What!!??? You're saying you don't like what your maman bought! I'm gonna tell her"
New-Zealand D-2

 

via the Pursuit Aesthetic

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We broke up...{Life with Mila}

Last weekend, Mila announced us she was in love with Gabriel...
Last night, she showed us a nice drawing of a boy and a girl holding hands
Me: "Is this you and Gabriel?"
Mila: "No we broke up"
Me: "What?! You broke up?! But you told us you were in love with him over the weekend"
Mila: "Yeah but I prefer Christian, he is funnier and he is in the girls' team"
Guys...if you want to hold onto a girl more than 3 days, be funny!

Here are some better photos, François took of Mila's bedroom

 

Handmade garland by Pigmée | Shanna Murray wall sticker | Handmade doll by Pigmée (size 2 & 3 are now sold out & will be back in 2012)  

Le weekend dernier, Mila nous a annoncé qu'elle était amoureuse de Gabriel...

Hier soir, elle nous a montré un joli dessin d'une petite fille et d'un garcon se tenant la main

Moi: "Est ce que c'est toi et Gabriel?"

Mila: "Non on s'est séparé"

Me: "Quoi?! Vous vous etes séparés?! Mais tu nous as dit que tu étais amoureuse de lui le weekend dernier"

Mila: "Yeah mais je préfere Christian, il est plus drole et il est dans l'équipe des filles"

Les garçons...si vous voulez garder une fille plus de trois jours, il va falloir etre drole! 

Voici de plus belles photos de la chambre de Mila prises par François.

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Mila's bedroom: little update

These past two weekends, I have been working on Mila's bedroom, finishing off what I never got around to finish first time around before the photoshoot with Editions PAUMES. 

The photos aren't great but by the time I was done painting, it was too dark to take any nice photos so I've just taken these very quickly this morning...

I'm done with the room yet but it's getting there...Changes included:

- Moving the Nelly print from the wall to the shelves to clear the space so I can add this beautiful "You are loved" sticker by Shanna Murray

- Displaying her new Miss Doudou red, a gift from Julie the designer behind Kayatine

- Replacing the old brass handle doors by newwhite ceramic handles

- Re-painting the white walls with washable paint

- Painting the inside of her cupboard in bubblegum pink (more pics later)

- Replacing Friends of Violet poster by Mima Le Chat art print

- Playing with Pigmée garland until I find the right spot

and finally putting her 4 years old clothes away....It's actually a bit tricky to let go of things that reminds me of her first years as a toddler so we took some to the charity shop and kept my favourite ones in a box...

 

 

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But we are FAMILY!!!

Last night, while I was preparing diner, Mila arrived from her Kung-Fu lesson...
Mila: "Maamaann!!....What are you cooking??"
Me: "I'm preparing a cauliflower gratin'
Mila: "Beurk!! I don't like cauliflower..."
Me: "I don't care'
Mila: "But maman!! You DO care! We are FAMILY!"
:-) here is a little feelgood link for you


So, the news on the family front....
We have a gorgeous, super big, super stylish 3-door fridge in our home in France, courtoisy of Samsung and I'm super excited by it because it looks fantastic in our open-plan kitchen but most of all, it is going to be a lot more suitable for this big house where we often have several families staying at once.
The fridge we have from the Samsung's G series has plumbed ice and water dispenser so we can have more mojito parties or maybe a Mojito bloggers meeting (who is in??), lots of space which will save me going food shopping too often and a large slide-out drawer for the freezer.
Now the large slide-out drawer does it for me big time because since we got a fridge with 3-doors in our home in London, for the first time in my life, I know exactly what's in my freezer but also it has awaken the Nigella in me...
Lately, I have been going through a cooking phase which kind of puzzles Steve. As he said to our friends on Sunday evening: "She never cooked for me for 16 years and suddenly I'm getting 2 banana cakes in 2 weeks".
But it is true, any bananas going black at home and presto, I make a banana cake with 3 of them and freeze the rest for smoothies and although I spent one Saturday morning, seriously swearing after a butternut squash that was super hard to cut, I have now 4 frozen bags ready to be turned into a winter, healthy soup.
More photos of our kitchen in France here

Photos taken by my brother François. The lovely pendant lights above are from here

Hier soir, alors que je préparais le diner,  Mila arrive de son cours de Kung-Fu...

Mila: "Maamaann!!....Qu'est ce que tu cuisines??"

Me: "Je suis en train de préparer un gratin de choux-fleur'

Mila: "Beurk!! Je n'aime pas le choux-fleur..."

Me: "Je m'en fiche'

Mila: "Mais maman!! NON tu n'en fiches pas! On est une famille!"

:-) Voici un petit lien bonne humeur pour vous 

Alors les nouvelles du front familial....

Nous avons maintenant un nouveau, super beau, super grand réfrégirateur à trois portes dans notre maison en France, courtoisie de Samsung et je suis super excitée parce qu'il est parfait dans notre cuisine/lounge open-plan kitchen mais surtout il va etre beaucoup plus pratique pour cette grande maison ou nous avons souvent plusieurs familles en meme temps.

Le frigo que nous avons, fait partie de la séries G de Samsung et a un dispenseur de glace et eau fraiche pour nos soirées mojito ou peut-etre une réunion Mojito/bloggeuses (ca branche qui??), beaucoup d'espace ce qui m'évitera d'aller faire les courses 36 fois dans la semaine et un large tiroir pour le freezer.

Le tiroir pour le freezer est ce qui me branche le plus parce que depuis que nous avons un frigo 3 portes a Londres, pour la première fois de ma vie, je sais exactement ce qu'il y a dans mon freezer mais ce tiroir magique a aussi reveillé la Nigella en moi...

Depuis quelques temps, je traverse une phase cuisine qui surprend un peu Steve. Comme il disait a nos amis Dimanche soir: "She never cooked for me for 16 years and suddenly I'm getting 2 banana cakes in 2 weeks".

Mais c'est vrai, toutes bananes qui deviennent trop noires pour que Mila les mange, hop j'en fais un cake a la banane avec 3 d'entre elles et je mets le reste au congé pour en faire des smoothies et bien que j'ai passé un Samedi matin à jurer après une courge qui était super dure a couper, j'ai maintenant 4 petits sacs de courges en morceaux pour faire rapidement des bonnes petites soupes le soir, pleines de vitamines.
D'autres photos de notre cuisine en France ici 

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