Live.Love.Conquer

Linen, lace & a master bedroom makeover

Hope you all had a great Monday,

I want to start the week off with some updates for you and could think of no better place to start, than the master bedroom.

Probably not what you would expect in the potager - should I be worried?

This morning whist mooching around my potager, I came across a snake, albeit a tiny snake - can anyone tell me if this is poisonous, is it a baby and has a huge mama snake lurking closeby OR, will it eat all the pests and I should be happy it has made my vegetable patch its home.  I really need to harvest my petit pois but need some reassurance first!

MamaB

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Save paper - make a chalkboard!

 

The Tweenies love nothing more than drawing and creating, the problem is that they keep raiding the paper tray and I'm fed up of finding it empty everytime I want to print something.  So, I had a 'spare' wall and an idea.

All in the life of an expat

Being an expat can be an exhilarating and wonderful experience,  not only travelling to but actually living in foreign lands experiencing other worlds first hand.  The downside is being far away from family members so it has been wonderful these past two weeks having my mum come for a visit.  

Carpets or tiles, which do you prefer?

Bonjour, hope you are having a great day.

After months of renovating my floors are all in, with the exception of the kitchen which we have decided to put off until next year.

   

 

 

I love them all especially the travertine stone in our en-suite.  PapaB was right though about the dark grey, stone tiles that we have throughout the living, dining and entrance they show all the dog hairs and if you have a german shepherd like ours, you will know how much hair these dogs can produce.  So bar shaving the dog bald, which I tell you has crossed my mind on several occasions, I always have to have my Dyson to hand or at the very least my nifty floor mop which with the flick of the wrist and a dance around the floor can have them sparkling and hair free in a matter of minutes, yet for only a matter of minutes, as she is constantly shedding, which is so frustrating.

There is nothing better than walking barefoot whether it be outdoors,  feeling the earth beneath my feet, on a beach with the sand between my toes or just at home.  It makes me feel grounded  I feel connected to the universe somehow.  So you can guess I'm not the fluffy slipper kind of gal or any slipper for that matter. Although, I have to admit  I've had to 'borrow' PapaB's slippers a couple of times over the past couple of months as we acclimatize back to the wintery months and this kind of flooring can be really chilly in winter.  Walking barefoot in the bedrooms is good though as we have wooden flooring throughout.  The greyish colour of the wood really appealed to me with the rustic, muted tones which I'm hoping to achieve with the remainder of the decor and can't wait for the painting to begin in May.

We opted to put underfloor heating in the bathrooms and I'm so glad we did because during the winter months they were so cold to the touch.  The heating is on a timer which I'm still getting to grips with hence the odd mornings of a chilly bathroom and for me those two words 'chilly + bathroom' should NEVER connect!

Having lived in Arabia for many years, I have become accustomed to non-carpeted homes and actually prefer it.  I feel they are easier to clean and in the summer it's lovely to walk on cool ceramic/stone flooring.  Even when we lived back in the UK in 2004 we decided to remove all the lovely floral carpeting from the previous owner, instead preferring wooden flooring.

What type of flooring do you prefer?

It's Flea market Season!

Happy Monday Live.Love.Conquer people,

I hope you all had a fandabulous weekend, I have been in flea market heaven, yesterday morning we, NanaB + I, whom I have obviously inherited my passion for junking from, managed to do 3 markets and all before lunch! 

I just couldn't resist sharing with you all the goodies I found - take a look ....

You are also getting a sneak peak at the mannequin I rescued from the garbage, spruced up with a little decopatche and which has become a very therapeutic process of covering with buttons.  It looks pretty cool don't you think? 

Thank you so much for your support, after a huge problem you have all had following me, I have added a new widget.

To follow me just click on the icon at the top right ' Follow this blog with blogLovin' many thanks MamaB x

A proud moment .....

Blimey there's nothing like seeing a feature about oneself, in the local paper and boy does it drive the numbers up when it's in the International Herald Tribune, welcome to all you newcomers who have popped in to see what we are all about!  

 

To see the article online and for a tour of the house; www.nytimes.com

MamaB

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Expatriate Bloggers Chronicle Details of Home Renovations - NYTimes.com

Expatriate renovation blogs are a niche at the intersection of two highly trafficked Internet sectors: expat life and domesticity.

via www.nytimes.com

Live.Love.Conquer is featured in the Great Homes section of  'The New York Times/International Herald Tribune'!!

There are a couple of typo's as I don't live in a 400 year old farmhouse and my name is spelled incorrectly but thank you for the exposure.

An alternative idea for doors?

Bonjour all,

In true vintage life spirit and honouring my desire to reuse and recycle, I was thrilled when I found a little shop tucked away in 'Le Plan de Grasse' selling old doors and shutters.