Elodie

Elodie was born in Paris in a small apartment in Mont Martre. Her mother was a "dancer" and her father was a "painter", let's just say there in not much young Elodie's eyes had not seen. On her sixteenth birthday she packed her few belongings into a small matchbox and stowed away on a train heading Southwest. She arrived in a small town surrounded by a loop in the river and found a job in the bank. Every afternoon at five, Leön from the Auberge du Pamplemousse would come in to bank his takings. Slowly they fell in love. They were married on a fine May afternoon and Elodies's dress is still the talk of the town. Elodie now runs the Auberge du Pamplemousse with Leön and they have six children and a very, very happy life. Her parents did attend the wedding but the Mairie has banned them from the provence until further notice.

MOUSE WEEKEND!

This will be the last weekend before Christmas that I can make any mice, so if you would like one please email me :) Or leave your details via the comments. Mice in day dresses with hats - £24.99 plus £3.95 P&P Mice in tutus - £29.99 plus £3.95 P&P Postage to Europe £5 Postage to USA £6 Erica xxx

Au revoir, Sophie!

Another little sweetie has found a loving home :)

Amelie

Amelie works in the Patisserie Vert, just opposite L'hotel de Ville. She starts work very early every morning and is an expert at pastry making, delicate and intricate icing techniques and sugar craft. She once made a croquembouche for her sister's wedding that stood four mice tall. It is still talked about in the town to this day.

Amelie is available in the shop Amelie has found a home x

Claudine

No sooner had Claudine popped into the shop, she was sold! She has found a loving home in the West Midlands, far away from her native Brive where she was a primary school teacher.

But look...! Who are these two pretties? It's Bertrice and her daughter Belle. Bertrice works in a little bookshop just off the Place du Marché in Brantôme. She loves her job, which is just as well as she doesn't make a very good wage. She can't afford new blouses, so must mend the ones she has. (The one she is wearing was snagged on Monsieur La Gaillard's umbrella). Her little daughter, Belle, spends her long lunch times at the shop with her mother where she indulges in fairy tales and romances. Available in theshop

And also...

This little fellow is snuggling down for the night, wishing and hoping for a stocking full of cheese come morning... xxx

Christmas Mice

There are a few more Christmas Mouse stocking decorations available in the shop today. You can purchase them here

October Afternoon

It really has been a season of mists and mellow fruitfulness this Autumn. I'm quietly just enjoying it and relishing how lovely October is.

Ssssshhhhhhh!

I'm going to say this really quietly in case I start some sort of riot, but the All Things Ottoline Christmas decorations are filtering in to the shop If anyone asks, it wasn't me who told you....

It's oh so quiet...

...now a certain little lady has started school. I'm quietly readjusting to my new routine. There are lots of things that have been simmering in my mind for the past five years. Stories. Pictures. Paintings. Books. Dolls. I'm looking forward to it. I'm also looking forward to 3 O'Clock when I get my little buddy back :)

Postcards!

I can't remember if I mentioned it here before but the Ottoline "Black Rabbit Tea Party" postcards are available in the shop - (see link on the right) There are two of each design! All packaged with a pink bow!

Pretty in Pink

As usual, September is not disappointing me. Mr Nick and I will have been married for ten years in a couple of weeks and I've got a meeting lined up with my publishers to talk about my next two books! I am b-e-y-o-n-d excited about September.

It was perfect blackberry picking weather yesterday afternoon, so after the sun became less strong and more golden, Sienna and I set off across the fields and around the village streets in search of our treasure! I had my heart set on making something extra pretty, like something you would see in a French Patisserie window so looked up a cheesecake recipe, then altered it slightly to include blackberries! There was a little disappointment when we realised we had to leave it to set overnight in the fridge, but there was more than enough to construct a cheesecake sundae.

Considering I rarely make any form of cake, my efforts turned out quite satisfactorily! Mr Nick and I couldn't wait any longer and tried it at about 11 O'clock last night. The verdict was that there was too much topping to base ratio. I gave Sienna a slice this morning and she didn't like it! I don't understand, she liked the Sundae which was exactly the same...

Anyway, it looks pretty...here it is...

Mr Nick was working late last night so I treated myself to a pink gin after Sienna was snuggled up in bed and sat on the sofa reading one of my favourite books - Alice in Wonderland. It's a French version, so it's a bit of a challenge but the real reason I bought it was for Rebecca Dautremer's exquisite illustrations. She is by far and wide my favourite illustrator and I want to be her!

00" />

Berry Time!

There's a blackberry bush a few yards down the road from our house, laden with ripe globules of purple heaven. That, to me, always signals the beginning of the end of summer and the arrival of a crisp new season.
This time of year always makes me feel like starting afresh, much more than January. Perhaps it's memories of new pencil cases, brand new itchy school uniforms and promising myself that I would be somebody cool this new school year, (that never happened).
It's been pretty hard to decipher between the changes in the seasons this year thanks to the grey blanket of cloud that seems to have been lying over England for what seems like all eternity! I'm really hoping that the Autumn, with its fresh cutting air will blow away the dark, white sky.
I adore the longer shadows cast by the sun this time of year, and that special golden light you only get in late summer and early autumn. I'm looking forward to that.

Work wise, I've been extra, extra busy this summer. Sienna finished nursery in July so I've been trying to catch up with work in the evenings and at weekends. I've really enjoyed being able to spend these last few weeks with her before she starts school. She's so grown up now and I'm finding myself reminiscing about the past four and a half years and how much has changed, how so much has happened and trying not to worry about the future! I'm a terrible worrier.
I've just finished the final draft of my new book. I'm not sure I'm allowed to talk about it just yet, but it's available for per order on Amazon so I'm guessing it's not too much of a secret! I'll wait just a little longer before I tell all, but it's all very, very, very exciting!

So, I'm just waiting for Mr Nick and Sienna to get back from the supermarket, (see my illustrated shopping list I gave them), and then my day will be filled with dip pens and ink and copious amounts of black coffee. I should probably change out of my pyjamas at some point too...