Crack...

... and the egg finally hatched! Look what we found hiding there:


As payback, it seems, for an almost problem-free pregnancy, labor was complicated. Twelve hours after delivery, I was bleeding and bleeding and then bleeding some more. Something to do with a uterus that got lazy and just would not contract. They had to go in there and fix me up. It was scary, and it was freaky. (It was also the first time I was ever under general anesthesia, and oh boy that ketamine is wacky stuff. If I took some regularly, I doubt the shop would be looking the same.) Husband was crying, I was mad at the midwives and doctors because I wanted them to stop pricking me with needles and poking me everywhere already. In the end, everything turned out fine. I just have to, for a while, not do anything too physical and eat lots of meat at mealtimes. So last night husband and I sneaked a quick trip to the restaurant for plates of steak tartare.

And the hatchling? Well, we call her "notre petit nem" (which, it has been pointed out to me, sounds so much better than its English equivalent, "our little spring roll"), and she is doing just fine:

More Swans

I found two embroidered silk panels at my village's weekend vintage market last month. They're so fragile that even delicate hand-washing brought on a few tears, and I had to stitch them very very carefully.

A few cuttings have found their way into swan wedding cake toppers, now available at my shop.

***

And as I wait for the hatching, can I whine and say that I am feeling quite edgy and uncomfortable these days? I want to do 101 things, but really only have the energy for the 1 in that...

I try to count my blessings -- a mother-in-law who almost every day comes over with cooked dinners; a relatively easy pregnancy, all things considered; a husband who holds my hands when I am going through one of my dramatic fits and installed brand-new airconditioning when he realized we were going to have one of those infernal southern France canicular summers, and; a nose that, contrary to all the old wives' tales I've heard, did NOT expand -- but when even walking longish distances has become difficult (when I used to climb mountains, dammit!), my inner hag just really wants to stomp her feet and say, "Enough is enough!"

Please, little Lilou, can you decide to come out now? I promise Mama will be nice.

Hello

I am an egg on legs, waiting to hatch...

(and playing around with my ACDSee Pro while I'm at it).

It Has Been Hectic

Last week was intense. There was a birth (my book, Provenciana). And a death (Mamy Gite, my husband's 97-year-old grandmother). In between there was travel, meeting up with old friends and making the acquaintance of new people. I even climbed the stairs leading up to the Sacré Coeur in Montmartre, because I was too impatient to wait in line to take the funicular. All that at eight months pregnant.

Right now, I have a lot of catching up to do on the work front, so when I'm done with that, I'll tell you more. Meanwhile, this was me at the book launch of Provenciana at the Philippine embassy in Paris, very nervous but trying hard not to show it, reading to guests a passage from the book.


Provenciana will be available in bookstores in the Philippines and in France, and online to the rest of the world, beginning August. So next month, please start checking Visionaria Publishing's website or the Facebook fan page for details.

More Siblings

These White Owls are a custom order for one of my new customers, who was brave enough to indulge me and my current obsession with plush families. So instead of making her two White Owls (on the left), I made her White Owl and White Owl's whiter sister.


Oh, and did you know that a group of owls is called a parliament? At least according to a piece of trivia I stumbled upon while mindlessly surfing (something I do when I need to clear my head). Interesting way to call a flock of birds. Do you think owls meet up in suits and hold debates nobody else but themselves understand?

Puppy Love

And more Lilous are marching into the shop! These puppies are siblings and, although not pedigreed, are a very well-behaved duo. Just don't expect them to go fetch your slippers though.

The Lilous

Lately, I've been into making home decor for grownups. Pillows, lavender sachets, and soft fruits have been filling up the shop. Then, just like that -- and because I am often like that -- images of soft pastel colors and simple but fun forms started taking over my sketchbook. I knew then that it was time to make something for the kids' room.

They're called Lilou Creatures.
Lilou Creatures are a family-oriented lot; they travel in groups of mom, dad, and kids, or any combination of these. So you can have the classic combination of mom, dad, little sister, and big bro, like the bunnies above.

You can have have papa bringing daughter to school .

It can be strictly a single-parent affair.
And sometimes you'll be seeing just siblings.They're now hopping, swimming, flying their way into the shop.