My thanks go out to Shop It To Me for featuring Idee Fixe!
Cheers!
Mon Idée Fixe=My obsessions. Professional author, writer, blogger, ghost writer, mother, wife, and lunatic. I write about what I want not what I must. If something catches my fancy I'll write about it here & hope it catches yours too! I have a wide range of interests & write about about it all! I hope you enjoy my blog and stop by often!
30 June 2009
Idee Fixe is a Shop It To Me Trendsetter!
Idee Fixe was chosen by Shop It To Me as one of their Trendsetters! Just click to go to their Trendsetter page, and find us under "New" Trendsetter's. While you're there, don't forget to sign up for their service -- as mentioned in a previous post, its free and will help you find the specific brands you want when they go on sale. Click on the button below to sign up!
My thanks go out to Shop It To Me for featuring Idee Fixe!
Cheers!
My thanks go out to Shop It To Me for featuring Idee Fixe!
Cheers!
28 June 2009
Idee Fixe Banner and New Look
Did you notice our new look? The marvelous custom-made banner was created specially for me by Alyson Fava.
She also created the Idee Fixe button. (If you'd like to use the button to link to us please email, as there are two versions. Also make sure you let us know so we can return the favour!)She is so talented that all I did was give her a few very sketchy specifications, and she came up with exactly what I wanted but was unable to describe! Definitely check out her website and consider her if you'd like a customized banner or buttons. I'm sure you'll be as happy with her work for you as I am!
Cheers!
Reminder: Shop Idee Fixe Sale Ends Soon!
Just a quick reminder that our 20% off with FREE worldwide shipping on Shop Idee Fixe ends on Tuesday, 30 June at Midnight EST. So don't hesitate to take advantage of this great offer by mentioning the code "Rhubarb" today!
Kate Spade Knightsbridge Scarlet bag in Caramel, Brand New $135, Discounted price: $108
1970's Nina Ricci Sunglasses $50, Discounted price: $40
Gucci Mules Size 6.5 US (also fits size 6 US) $80, Discounted price: $64
So pop over and see all the goodies we have at great prices, and get buying today to take advantage of our sale!
Cheers!
Cheers!
Crappy-opsis and Garden Joy
The title of this post refers to the fact that although coreopsis is very pretty when in bloom, it flops, drops petals, and spreads seeds everywhere -- especially where you don't want it. They're a happy, pretty yellow flower when in bloom and upright, and my neighbors think I'm mad for yanking it up every year. But no fail, its back again the next. We're known as the "Addams Family" house because of my penchant for yanking up perfectly lovely blossoms, not to mention I leave the "bones" of the garden all winter as I love the texture the dead plants give the yard. (Also makes for a great spooky Halloween yard display! Okay, so they're not so off on the assessment.) I have learned to live with this cycle of pulling them up only to be disappointed when they show where I don't want them the next year. I guess letting it sink into my stubborn head that nature will do what it will do is my lesson, but I still want them elsewhere!
These pictures are all of the front garden.
Nicotania amongst the monsters. It smells heavenly! Another plant I purchased to benefit a local nature sanctuary. Wish I had gotten there earlier, I'm sure they had loads more pretties.
Just one week later. We've had so much rain and stormy weather, but this is what they do regardless of whether its rainy or dry and sunny. Next the petals will fall everywhere, then the seeds start plopping themselves wherever they please! You can see some of them have already gone to seed all the way on the right side of the picture.
To the left of the crappy-opsis are these pretty lilies. I forgot the name, but it was something weird like "Satan's Tears" or something equally as sinister sounding. The pic got taken early morning before the rain hit (again) so the colour looks a little washed out. They are actually a deep, beautiful red, and not orange like the pic shows them.
Next to the climbers pictured in my previous post is a "Tahitian Sunset" rose bush. Lovely peach and orange colours, with a heady scent. This one is almost fully opened, they really open quite big.
This is just a bud starting to open and you can see how dark the orange colour is. They fade a bit as they open up.
See the difference in the colour once they are opened? Still beautiful, just not as vibrant.
I showed you a pic of this last week, its gone mad! I love its exuberant habit of trailing, and ever blooming tiny perfect little roses.
The roses look more like a wild rose to me than the fairy roses.
This is the entry stair to our house. The gnome was from a treasured family friend who passed away and also had a love of gardening. Her daughter graciously offered it to me, knowing how much I loved her mother and considered her my aunt, and she, my cousin. He's a little battle-worn, but I love him! No clue what those flowers are called in the gargoyle pots (perhaps bellflowers?) but they spread and look pretty, and survive the hideous heat we get here. There's also a heliotrope in a pot. I'd never grown one before, picked it up at that same benefit sale where they assured me it would release the most heavenly scent. Its now flowered and yes, it does have a lovely scent. Not a very showy flower, but I like it just the same!
The heliotrope is really blooming, and the scent is lovely!
The climbers I showed you previously have decided to spill over onto the porch! It's so satisfying to finally be able to get things to grow in the front garden. It took years, as the soil was destroyed by the previous owners.
This is the pot I put directly to the left of our front door. I was going for welcoming, then said screw that, and went with my raven. Hope it scares away the door to door annoying people. (I have another pot below surrounded by gargoyles, so if the raven doesn't do it that will. And if neither does it, I'll just have to answer the door naked. That'll learn them!
Some black Hollyhocks on the side of the house. I never know where they are going to pop up. Originally they were planted in the front where the Tahitian Rose bush was. But I guess the seeds scattered, and they pop up all over, usually against the house. Interesting they should do that as they grow quite tall, sometimes up to 7 feet! This one just started and is already close to three feet tall.
My new Rue plant. The one I had for 7 years didn't survive last year's weird winter, and come spring I couldn't find another plant. But this year my fav local garden nursery Millwood Garden Center was able to get them. Everything I buy from them flourishes, and they are always pleasant and helpful unlike the Home Depot whose plants promptly die, and they never know anything when you ask a question. I'll stick to the family owned businesses! Many people hate rue and find the scent horrifying, but I quite love it! Cats seem to love it as well, acting like catnip to them.
This was a teensy little lemon verbena, its grown pretty big! And look at my happy little borage plants popping out around it! (Borage is allowed to grow wherever it likes as I love it and its actually useful in things like salads -- leaves and flowers -- and a Pimm's Cup, unlike crappy-opsis.)
Mandevilla vine growing in the back garden. If it ever manages to get warm here, this will grow to enormous proportions.
One week later, its already starting to go wild with growth!
A closeup of the bright pink trumpet shaped blossoms. Last year the one I had actually had three shades of pink flowers on the same plant!
This is my "Shooting Star" Hydrangea, next to the Mandevilla. Its gotten pretty big in the past week, and has a few buds. I love when it blossoms, they sort of shoot out and are quite delicate, unlike the typical hydrangea.
Behind the mandevilla, I have a pretty good sized patch of... Deadly Nightshade. Every year I yank it up, every year it comes back stronger. I suppose the "Addams Family" moniker does apply.
Close up of the flowers and berries. The flowers are usually described as "ugly" or "fetid" (don't get that as they don't have a scent) but I think they are actually kind of sweet looking. The berries will turn red in the autumn. Since I got my first run-in with poison ivy and had an allergic reaction to the OTC remedies which left me with chemical burns on my arm and legs, I prefer not to go near anything poisonous right now. It will have to wait until I feel brave, and find a beekeeper's uniform to protect me! In the interim the patch has gotten monstrously large. Yipes!
This is called Tricyrtis "Golden Leopard" or Toad Lily. Small little speckled blossoms give some interest to the back garden!
We made this our little "faery tree" after our beloved cat, Jezebel passed at age 21.5 in 2001, just two weeks after 9/11. Death and despair amongst the stories of strength, kindness, and hope abounded. At her advanced age, I knew in my heart that she would choose that time to leave us. I rescued her from the Mott Haven train yards as a kitten all of 4 weeks old that fit in the palm of my hand. She was feisty, funny, haughty, called me "Mamma" (honest) and very, very clever. She did dog tricks learned from our family dog, and drank water by scooping it in her paws. Whenever there was water running, she would play with it; she even loved to take a bath with me, first playing with the water, then diving in! I miss her tremendously, and haven't been able to get another cat as much as I would love to. So our white birch "faery tree" was to try and help our daughter (who was not yet two at the time but loved her as much as we all did) deal with the loss of the only pet she had ever known, and Jezebel is there with the faeries watching over her. My daughter leaves little presents she finds like pretty rocks, tumbled stones, jewelry, or coins. She also likes to make things she thinks they'll like -- we've constructed little faery houses out of sticks and large leaves, and she's put together strings of crystal chips that she thinks they'll like to use for decor. Sometimes we ask for faery wishes by tying a pretty ribbon to one of the branches. Sometimes they leave little presents for us as well, and my daughter is always thrilled when we find something new. I suppose its a bittersweet part of our backyard, as we have fun leaving and finding gifts, and can also remember our dear little Jezebel. The plant is another of those "Blackie" potato vines, and the stepping stone was something my daughter made for father's day when she was around 5.
The veggies are doing terribly this year due to all the rain and cool weather. I have a few tomatoes on the vine, and loads of flowers, as well as a few cucumber flowers. But everything else is either getting eaten or just dying due to lack of sun. If anything, we will have a very late harvest this year I'm sure.
I hope I didn't go too crazy with the pictures, and you enjoyed my garden progress. Its actually good for me to do this as it helps me to remember what I've put where come next year!
Cheers!
These pictures are all of the front garden.
Coreopsis with some snapdragons peeking out in my front garden.
Nicotania amongst the monsters. It smells heavenly! Another plant I purchased to benefit a local nature sanctuary. Wish I had gotten there earlier, I'm sure they had loads more pretties.
Just one week later. We've had so much rain and stormy weather, but this is what they do regardless of whether its rainy or dry and sunny. Next the petals will fall everywhere, then the seeds start plopping themselves wherever they please! You can see some of them have already gone to seed all the way on the right side of the picture.
To the left of the crappy-opsis are these pretty lilies. I forgot the name, but it was something weird like "Satan's Tears" or something equally as sinister sounding. The pic got taken early morning before the rain hit (again) so the colour looks a little washed out. They are actually a deep, beautiful red, and not orange like the pic shows them.
Next to the climbers pictured in my previous post is a "Tahitian Sunset" rose bush. Lovely peach and orange colours, with a heady scent. This one is almost fully opened, they really open quite big.
This is just a bud starting to open and you can see how dark the orange colour is. They fade a bit as they open up.
See the difference in the colour once they are opened? Still beautiful, just not as vibrant.
I showed you a pic of this last week, its gone mad! I love its exuberant habit of trailing, and ever blooming tiny perfect little roses.
The roses look more like a wild rose to me than the fairy roses.
This is the entry stair to our house. The gnome was from a treasured family friend who passed away and also had a love of gardening. Her daughter graciously offered it to me, knowing how much I loved her mother and considered her my aunt, and she, my cousin. He's a little battle-worn, but I love him! No clue what those flowers are called in the gargoyle pots (perhaps bellflowers?) but they spread and look pretty, and survive the hideous heat we get here. There's also a heliotrope in a pot. I'd never grown one before, picked it up at that same benefit sale where they assured me it would release the most heavenly scent. Its now flowered and yes, it does have a lovely scent. Not a very showy flower, but I like it just the same!
The heliotrope is really blooming, and the scent is lovely!
The climbers I showed you previously have decided to spill over onto the porch! It's so satisfying to finally be able to get things to grow in the front garden. It took years, as the soil was destroyed by the previous owners.
This is the pot I put directly to the left of our front door. I was going for welcoming, then said screw that, and went with my raven. Hope it scares away the door to door annoying people. (I have another pot below surrounded by gargoyles, so if the raven doesn't do it that will. And if neither does it, I'll just have to answer the door naked. That'll learn them!
Moving on to the side garden...
Zinnia's starting to pop up. I've grown them since I was a little girl. My mother always bought us a packet of zinnia's to grow every year, so I keep up the tradition and grow them with my daughter every year.
Zinnia's starting to pop up. I've grown them since I was a little girl. My mother always bought us a packet of zinnia's to grow every year, so I keep up the tradition and grow them with my daughter every year.
Some black Hollyhocks on the side of the house. I never know where they are going to pop up. Originally they were planted in the front where the Tahitian Rose bush was. But I guess the seeds scattered, and they pop up all over, usually against the house. Interesting they should do that as they grow quite tall, sometimes up to 7 feet! This one just started and is already close to three feet tall.
My new Rue plant. The one I had for 7 years didn't survive last year's weird winter, and come spring I couldn't find another plant. But this year my fav local garden nursery Millwood Garden Center was able to get them. Everything I buy from them flourishes, and they are always pleasant and helpful unlike the Home Depot whose plants promptly die, and they never know anything when you ask a question. I'll stick to the family owned businesses! Many people hate rue and find the scent horrifying, but I quite love it! Cats seem to love it as well, acting like catnip to them.
Finally the back garden.
This was a teensy little lemon verbena, its grown pretty big! And look at my happy little borage plants popping out around it! (Borage is allowed to grow wherever it likes as I love it and its actually useful in things like salads -- leaves and flowers -- and a Pimm's Cup, unlike crappy-opsis.)
Mandevilla vine growing in the back garden. If it ever manages to get warm here, this will grow to enormous proportions.
One week later, its already starting to go wild with growth!
A closeup of the bright pink trumpet shaped blossoms. Last year the one I had actually had three shades of pink flowers on the same plant!
This is my "Shooting Star" Hydrangea, next to the Mandevilla. Its gotten pretty big in the past week, and has a few buds. I love when it blossoms, they sort of shoot out and are quite delicate, unlike the typical hydrangea.
Behind the mandevilla, I have a pretty good sized patch of... Deadly Nightshade. Every year I yank it up, every year it comes back stronger. I suppose the "Addams Family" moniker does apply.
Close up of the flowers and berries. The flowers are usually described as "ugly" or "fetid" (don't get that as they don't have a scent) but I think they are actually kind of sweet looking. The berries will turn red in the autumn. Since I got my first run-in with poison ivy and had an allergic reaction to the OTC remedies which left me with chemical burns on my arm and legs, I prefer not to go near anything poisonous right now. It will have to wait until I feel brave, and find a beekeeper's uniform to protect me! In the interim the patch has gotten monstrously large. Yipes!
This is called Tricyrtis "Golden Leopard" or Toad Lily. Small little speckled blossoms give some interest to the back garden!
We made this our little "faery tree" after our beloved cat, Jezebel passed at age 21.5 in 2001, just two weeks after 9/11. Death and despair amongst the stories of strength, kindness, and hope abounded. At her advanced age, I knew in my heart that she would choose that time to leave us. I rescued her from the Mott Haven train yards as a kitten all of 4 weeks old that fit in the palm of my hand. She was feisty, funny, haughty, called me "Mamma" (honest) and very, very clever. She did dog tricks learned from our family dog, and drank water by scooping it in her paws. Whenever there was water running, she would play with it; she even loved to take a bath with me, first playing with the water, then diving in! I miss her tremendously, and haven't been able to get another cat as much as I would love to. So our white birch "faery tree" was to try and help our daughter (who was not yet two at the time but loved her as much as we all did) deal with the loss of the only pet she had ever known, and Jezebel is there with the faeries watching over her. My daughter leaves little presents she finds like pretty rocks, tumbled stones, jewelry, or coins. She also likes to make things she thinks they'll like -- we've constructed little faery houses out of sticks and large leaves, and she's put together strings of crystal chips that she thinks they'll like to use for decor. Sometimes we ask for faery wishes by tying a pretty ribbon to one of the branches. Sometimes they leave little presents for us as well, and my daughter is always thrilled when we find something new. I suppose its a bittersweet part of our backyard, as we have fun leaving and finding gifts, and can also remember our dear little Jezebel. The plant is another of those "Blackie" potato vines, and the stepping stone was something my daughter made for father's day when she was around 5.The veggies are doing terribly this year due to all the rain and cool weather. I have a few tomatoes on the vine, and loads of flowers, as well as a few cucumber flowers. But everything else is either getting eaten or just dying due to lack of sun. If anything, we will have a very late harvest this year I'm sure.
I hope I didn't go too crazy with the pictures, and you enjoyed my garden progress. Its actually good for me to do this as it helps me to remember what I've put where come next year!
Cheers!
27 June 2009
Jalda Secret Online Sale -- Further Reductions and Additional Items
Jalda sent an alert that their sale has further reductions as well as more items added to the sale! Follow the link by clicking on the invitation above or any of the pictures below to get to the secret sale. Remember, Jalda handbags are high quality, handmade in the US using Italian leather and exotic skins. As you'll see below you won't be sorry!
Goat Bean Clutch in Blue Regular Price $530 , Sale Price $185
Patent Jenane Clutch in Purple Regular Price $265, Sale Price $93
Ostrich Leg Retro Clutch in Forest Green, Regular Price $530 , Sale Price $196
Backsnake Crescent Tote in Chocolate, Regular Price $660 , Sale Price $232
Patent Original Clutch in Fuchsia, Regular Price $195 , Sale Price $98
Python Bean Clutch in Fuchsia, Regular Price $505 , Sale Price $228
Jalda Sale Handbag Photos all courtesy of Jalda and used with permission.
Jalda Sale Handbag Photos all courtesy of Jalda and used with permission.
Here are pictures of the gorgeous Python Bean Clutch I had mentioned in my previous post about the Jalda sale. I was thrilled with the sale price (very affordable for such a high quality snakeskin handbag) and I'm enjoying using it. Jalda sent a sweet note with it, which gave my order a personal touch. It garners compliments every time, and I find it very versatile. It dresses up casual looks, and makes my more professional attire look very classy. I couldn't ask for more. I think I maybe developing a little addiction to Jalda handbags as I wish I had it in the budget to get a few more of the goodies on sale, as well as some of the regular priced handbags. Any wealthy readers out there want to help a girl out? (Only half joking with that comment!)
This is the bag folded into its clutch shape.
Here it is unfolded into tote size.
Here is the rear with the Jalda logo, which also has a magnetic closure discretely behind so that the bag stays shut.
Here it is unfolded into tote size.
Here is the rear with the Jalda logo, which also has a magnetic closure discretely behind so that the bag stays shut.
The inside of the handbag with its beautiful turquoise lining. Its a close match to my nails today, and makes me want to pair the bag with some turquoise jewelry!
If you do buy anything from the sale, please comment -- I feel a need to live vicariously through others since this time around I can't budget buying another right now!
Cheers!
Cheers!
Shop It To Me Sale Alerts
I found the free service Shop It To Me some time ago, and have loved using it as a way to keep me aware of any sales going on of specific brands I'm interested in purchasing. It's like my very own internet personal shopper! Great for people like me who are bargain hunter's always looking for the best possible price on an item.
The service is easy to use, you simply sign up, choose the designers and stores you are interested in, and the sizes. Aside from women's, you can also get alerts on men's and children's items. Shop It To Me scours the internet and finds the best of what's on sale, sending the alerts on to you. Every morning you'll get your personalized email with any alerts available.
Its saved me hours of research online looking for the best prices on items -- as internet shoppers we all know how prices can wildly vary from site to site -- letting me know when items are on sale in my size before they go out of stock. The worst enemy I have with internet shopping is finding what I want on sale, only to find it out of stock in my size. Very frustrating, and at times heartbreaking when its just the thing I've been hoping for.
You can sign up by clicking on the above link or the one provided to the right. Try it out, it will definitely save you time and money!
Cheers!
15 June 2009
New Liberty of London Collaboration... Ron Wood?
Photo from VogueUK
Photo From Amazon.ComCheers!
Shop Idee Fixe SALE Plus 20 % off Code and FREE WORLDWIDE Shipping!
I really need to clear out my overrun house so I've decided to lower prices and have a sale. If you go to my Shop Idee Fixe blog, you be able to use a code for an additional 20% off the sale price. The code is: Rhubarb. (Its an old joke.) And for the time being I am throwing in FREE shipping anywhere in the world. Unfortunately at these prices I can't promise Priority shipping in the US, but I'll try my best. Same rules apply, first comments get the goods, and paypal only. So buy quick before it all goes! The sale is on until 30 June, so shop now before its gone!
Coming this week, loads of great vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories. I may even post some funky housewares that need new homes!
Cheers!
Coming this week, loads of great vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories. I may even post some funky housewares that need new homes!
Cheers!
11 June 2009
Spring... FInally!
Finally it seems the garden is blooming, or at least attempting to.
I'm truly loving this "Blackie" potato vine. Best part is that its a nightshade so blooms at night. A beautiful lavender trumpet shaped flower. Total love. I wish the colour showed better, its really a lovely deep, dark purple as close to black as you can get with plants.
Cheers!
My beloved Lady's Mantle. I adore those chartreuse flowers!
I don't usually go all pansy mad, but for some reason this year I decided to plant an abundance as I found so many interesting colour combos. This one is in a pot you have to pass on the way up the few steps to our back door.
Oops more pansy madness... I'm really loving the orange ones, so vibrant!
I picked this up at a local sale to benefit a garden/ animal sanctuary. They said it was a variety of fuchsia, but its a vibrant red and definitely perks up a sad little patch.
I'm truly loving this "Blackie" potato vine. Best part is that its a nightshade so blooms at night. A beautiful lavender trumpet shaped flower. Total love. I wish the colour showed better, its really a lovely deep, dark purple as close to black as you can get with plants.
This is one of the "shrub" roses we have at the front of the house. It really went mad this year and filled out quite beautifully. This is a fab rose to grow as its ever-blooming, even in our hideous tropic summer heat.
Front of the house with my climbing roses. I got an incredible amount of buds this year, but sadly the late summer is making blossom time a bit late. In the foreground you can see my peonies, most of which were transplanted as I got zero blooms last year. Thankfully that is not the case this year! (But what happened to my red peonies? boo!) I've actually had to stake them up as the recent rainstorms had them all bent over and sad looking.
I'm particularly proud of these pink roses. It was suggested to me about 5 years ago to try to "shock" them by replanting them elsewhere. Last year I think we got two blooms for the first time since replanting. This year the bush is covered with gorgeous pink blossoms!
One of my beloved peonies in a flower arrangement. I never tire of peonies, the smell, the flower shapes, I love everything about them.
Here's the whole flower arrangement I put together yesterday. I got a little over-enthusiastic mixing colours and flowers, but hey, in nature it all goes together right? The red climbers are also ones transplanted at the same time as the pink ones and have been doing better and better each year.
Unfortunately I did contract my very first case of poison ivy whilst trying to weed back where the pink roses and red climbers were transplanted. Apparently I have allergies to all the OTC remedies, and will have to hit the dermatologist today. My legs look scary o: not to mention I am DYING of the itch! Relief is in sight... well at least I hope so!
Cheers!
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