Famille Summerbelle

Little angel

I'm loving my precious time with Lucien all bundled up and keeping warm and cosy in the house. He's now 3 weeks old. Time goes so fast and I feel like i've done very little since he was born (I know I shouldn't do that but I still answer emails often typing with one finger while feeding him!). I find it a bit difficult to go out for nice walks with this grey and cold weather, we tried this weekend in the Versailles park but we were soon back home enjoying a hot chocolate as it was so miserable and windy outside.
A big thank you to Karine at Bodie and Fou for the lovely Angel babygro, it fits him perfectly!

Paris made by hand

The new book Paris made by hand by stylist Pia Jane Bijkerk is now available. For lovers of all things handmade, French, Parisian...

Easy Living

Thanks to Hannah at Easy Living for featuring our maps of Paris and London on the special Xmas shopping pages:

Cable Tidy

We, I'm sure like you, have an ever growing network of cables taking over our house....lamp cables, computer cables, phone chargers, i-pod chargers.

Artist Maisie Maud Broadhead has come up with a rather beautiful solution to the problem:

Papier Maché Déco supplément

My favorite online magazine Papier Maché has just released a Déco supplement of Children's rooms and it has been illustrated by the talented Laura Callaghan.
The contributors are designers like Apolline à Paris, Morghan from Little Circus, Allison at Larkmark, Famille Summerbelle (well Ophelia's bedroom) and many more.
You can download it from their website Papier Maché for just $3.
At the end of the PDF mag you have a long list of the best online kids shops selected by the team of Papier Maché and sorted by categories:Walls, Deco, Furniture, Unique...It's worth every penny!

B comme Bon

Every single photograph on B comme Bon blog will make your mouth water with delight. The images are fantastic and the recipes simple and easy to make. I really feel like cooking at the moment, especially baking cakes. I made a chocolate/pear cakes yesterday for the gouter/afternoon tea. This one was quite popular. U'd like to make the figue crumble soon, but not sure if I can still buy lovely figues like this one?

Autumn in Versailles

We live about 5 minutes away from the beautiful Chateau of Versailles. This evening we took a short stroll around the grounds just before dusk. Autumn really is the most beautiful time to see this place.

Baby Mag

A very big thank you to Anne at BabyMag for mentioning our Turquoise Family Tree in the November Issue.
BabyMag is a great Swiss magazine and online treasure for children up to 3 years old and their parents. On the latest issue you'll find a great article on baby's cots. Also another great article about '20 reasons to go to Paris' full of addresses to go shopping and eating in the capital.To have a look go on the website and click on the right on the PDF version of the magazine.

Fugu Fugu Press

I wanted to post about this press card from Fugu Fugu press for a while now and also to announce my pregnancy but somehow never got round to it...I have been busy over the past few weeks doing as much as I could on Famille Summerbelle knowing I was going to take it easy once the baby arrived. I am so far on a little cloud. I'm loving it,is such a lovely baby!


and some more of Fugu Fugu press lovely designs:

Latest Famille Summerbelle Product

This one makes us exceptionally proud...

This is our son Lucien who arrived in such a serene manner last Friday at a little before 6pm.

He is every bit like the other boys in the family; he sleeps a lot, eats a lot and then sleeps some more. No fuss whatsoever. Big sister Ophelia is deliriously happy with her new present (and already more than a little protective).

Julie is doing really well, enjoying her baby boy and will be back to the blog in no time.

Finally we owe a huge debt of gratitude to our wonderful mid-wife, the phenomenal Paloma Chaumette who delivered Lucien. The world would benefit a few more like her.

Simon

Edward Burtynsky

Stunning photographs by Edward Burtynsky as seen on Bookhou at home.

La Maison du Pastel, Paris

20 Rue Rambuteau in the 3rd Arrondissement of Paris is a magical tiny shop that has been frozen in time, the decor of the Roché sisters hasn't moved since 1930. The famous pastel Roché has been made in this place for the past 3 generations.


The story of La Maison du Pastel starts at the beginning of the 17th century, a time when working with pastel is very much in fashion. Henry Roché a chemical engineer, chemist and biologist is very interested in art. He decides to buy the old Maison Macle which sells at the time all sorts of materials for artists. In 1887 he proposes a range of around 500 colours. After the second World War, the shop has to be rebuilt (it has been occupied by the Germans and then bombarded).
Generations of skills and manufacturing secrets are carefully maintained by Dr Henry Roché's wife and daughters who work together at perpetuating the family tradition.
In 2000 the two sisters aged 80 years old decide to transfer their skills to their great cousin Isabelle Roché who is now in charge of the Maison du Pastel. She dedicates all her energy to the conservation of this wonderful national and family heritage.