Hermès Lined Drawers

A few years ago I picked up some Hermès drawer liner when I was in Miami at Bal Harbour. There is not an Hermès boutique near where I live. If you don’t have one near your home either, you can also purchase it on the Hermès website.

Upon returning home, I immediately lined my half of the dresser drawers, but there were a couple of sheets left over, which just remained in the box for the past few years. I decided to take it out a few weeks ago and put it to use. I was surprised that they were still very fragrant after all that time.

{my apologies on the poor photos…I took them with my phone}

IMG_6119I have a little lingerie chest that belonged to my grandfather and was given to me after his passing (he was a bargain hunter, and I’m guessing he probably picked it up at a garage sale). My intent is to give it a makeover by painting it and changing the drawer pulls….maybe this Summer.

IMG_6124In any event, I’ve been using it to store my panties, socks, clutches and a few other random items. The problem is that the wood on the bottom of the drawer is kind of rough and easily snags delicate fabrics. This is where the remaining Hermès drawer liner comes in. I had just enough to line the two top drawers which I use for panties and socks.

The liner is a durable thick white paper with Hermès Paris embossed in circles. It is kind of hard to see in the photo, but here is a picture of it.

Hermes Logo on Drawer Liner_MyLittleBoudoir.com

Hermes Lined Drawers_MyLittleBoudoir.com

I kept the box too, now I just need to find a way to put it to good use. Any ideas?

Hermes Drawer Liner at MyLittleBoudoir.com

Ritz Paris Renovations

I like to keep myself in-the-know about the Ritz Paris renovations, so I regularly visit their website to view the progress. While on their website, I also enjoy many of the historic stories and such that they rotate on a frequent basis. I would encourage you to take a look at their website periodically, if this is not already something you make a habit of.

Ritz Paris Logo on  MyLittleBoudoir.com

I am in the travel industry, so I guess there is this sort of fascination with luxury hotels to begin with, but better than just any luxury hotel, the Ritz Paris is the most iconic location for the rich and famous in Paris (where many even lived, including Coco Chanel), including the likes of Coco Chanel, Ernest Hemingway, Princess Diana, etc. It is a treasure trove full of history. So, even if you’re not a hotel connoisseur like me, the fascinating history and pure opulence cannot be denied.

I plan to take my daughter on a trip to Europe in 2016 for her sweet sixteen birthday and my hope is to budget wisely so that we can splurge and stay at the Ritz Paris.

The hotel has been closed since 2012 for renovations and will reopen in 2015. Can you imagine this beautiful 159-room hotel being empty of all guests? Sounds a little spooky. Hopefully none of the construction workers saw twin girls walking down the hall.  😉

Here are some photos of the renovation from the Ritz Paris website. All credits for the below photos belong to Ritz Paris.

 

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I absolutely cannot wait to see what the finished product will look like. I’m certain that it will be as grand as it ever was, with the history well preserved. There are many great hotels in Paris, but none with the history and aristocracy as the Ritz.

Speaking of history, while I was on their website, I came across this fascinating video about Ernest Hemingway. It’s a must see. Click here to view.

Au revoir mes amis Je vous adore…

 

 

Happy Birthday from Sephora

Right before Christmas I finally reached VIP Rouge status with Sephora’s Beauty Insider! Beauty Insider is Sephora’s loyalty program that allows you to accumulate points based on your purchases. You can redeem the points for cosmetic, skincare and fragrance samples from top brands. There are three levels: Beauty Insider (for anyone), VIB (status reached after spending $350 a calendar year) and VIB Rouge (status reached after spending $1,000 in a calendar year). Yes, I know, that means I spend too much on make up.

VIB Rouge at MyLittleBoudoir.com

Today I went to Sephora to pick up another eyeliner (one of my favorites, Kat Von D Ink Liner in the color Trooper), and while I was there, I picked up my birthday gift since my birthday is in January.

Did you know that as a Beauty Insider you can get a free birthday gift from Sephora during the month of your birth date, even if you don’t purchase anything that day? The birthday gift of 2015 is two mini (.06 oz) Nars lip pencils. The colors are Cruella (red) and Rikugien (golden pink). As a VIB Rouge member, you also receive an eye liner pencil in Via Veneto (black). What a great treat!

IMG_6789 VIB Rouge Birthday Gift _ (c) MyLittleBoudoir.com

O Christmas Tree…How Lovely Are Your Ornaments…

It is that time of the year where I reluctantly must take down my Christmas tree.  🙁

I love Christmas so much that I begin listening to Christmas music around Halloween and I like to leave my tree up for a long time post-Christmas. The problem is, I usually get busy with work travel and then it stays up for far too long.

My husband once accused me of keeping it up until May, but that’s a pure lie (I think). Saying that it was up until late Feb/early March might be the truth though (I know, I know…and yes, it’s a fake tree). Some may ask why he doesn’t take it down. Well, he’s not allowed to touch my precious ornaments (nor does he want to).

So, before I begin the demolition of all things magical, I wanted to capture it and share some of my gems with each of you.

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Celebrity Boudoir: Jayne Mansfield

The boudoir and en suite bathroom of the voluptuous bombshell actress, Jayne Mansfield, has become iconic. It is best known for the heart-shaped gold lined bathtub with pink carpeted…um…well…EVERYTHING!

The feminine theme of her home simply screams boudoir. Of her estate, one could say that the heart served as the crest (CHALLENGE: How many hearts can you find?). It was a respite oasis and a palace of sorts that provided a dreamy backdrop for her her life.

There are many things about this home that I love (and some that I would pass on…i.e. carpeted walls). Nobody can deny that this was a special unique home that had Jayne’s signature all over it.

Here are some of the things I love about it:

I love the framed photos/magazine covers along the stairwell.

I love the living room with the balcony overlooking it.

I love that she had a scrapbook in her office.

I love that she has a pink bar of soap next to her bath.

I love her powder puff on a stick.

I love the arched doorway with gates.

I love the nursery.

I love her gold mirror and brush set.

I love her tray of lipsticks next to the sink.

I love the glass bottle next to her bath, that likely held bubble bath.

I love the pink rotary telephone.

I love the brass chair with pink cushion.

I love a pink boudoir with gold accents (though hers was a bit over-the-top).

And, finally, I love the fact that she made this home her own with her signature style.

 

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J_mansfield Jayne-Pool Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay at home (circa late 1950s)

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Happy New Year…

…from My Little Boudoir to yours…

 

Happy New Year from MyLittleBoudoir.com

Milkhouse Boudoir

A woman’s boudoir just wouldn’t be right if it didn’t also have a feminine fragrance to it. Burning candles in your boudoir creates a relaxing atmosphere while also giving it a pleasant aroma.

I’ve tried all different types of candles, but I must say I think I just found a new favorite. This summer we took some family from out of town to a local attraction, Snoqualmie Falls, here in Washington. While we were there we paid a visit to gift shop at the Salish Lodge, where I purchased, among other things, a votive candle made by Milkhouse Creamery.

The scent that I selected was Oatmeal, Milk & Honey. It had a nice sweet smell, which I generally prefer over a floral scent. I purchased it in June, but only just recently began burning the candle. I placed it in my little boudoir washroom and burned it for a few hours one Sunday afternoon. The smell was so powerful that it made my entire boudoir and washroom smell lovely.

In fact, while I was sleeping that evening, I woke a few times wondering what the delightful sweet smell was that was reminiscent of cotton candy. I realized in the morning that it was the leftover scent of the candle. All of this from one little votive that I hardly made a dent in (so I have plenty of burn time remaining). The pleasant smell actually remained for a few days after that (without burning the candle again). I couldn’t believe it!

milkhouseusa.com

milkhouseusa.com

 

With that, I decided that I need more, so I went online to look up the company. I was so excited to find many different sizes of candles ranging from a 2.2 ounce votive (burn time 20 hours) all the way to giant 48 ounce Earthenware Crocks (burn time 200 hours). They also had a HUGE variety of scents (or flavors, as I like to say). I think I’m probably going to stick with the same fragrance, but I may try a few others when I place my order. Some that caught my eye were: Butter Toffee, Cranberry Amaretto, Cappuccino Brûlée and Peach. Don’t worry though, if you’re like my BFF, and don’t like your candles to smell like dessert (like I do), they also have a nice selection of other fragrances, too, like: Crisp Cotton, White Tea & Ginger, Autumn Pear, Lilac & Wildflowers and many more.

What I was also thrilled to learn is that this Iowa based company claims to have the “cleanest burning candle on the market.” They don’t use any artificial color and their cotton wicks are free of lead. They use a sustainable blend of pure beeswax and natural soy wax, and the jars are made from 40% recycled glass (with cute designs that can be reused, and then recycled when you’re finished).

And best of all…unlike my other favorite candle by Jo Malone (it was a special gift from my BFF), you don’t have to save the burning for special occasions, because you won’t go broke replacing it once it’s gone. They range in price from $5.95 to $57.95.

If you come across these candles in your nearby gift shop, you must snatch some up right away. Or, you could always order online.

 

 

 

 

The Apartment

Why worry about seeing the newest blockbuster, sitting in a crowded theater with cell phones ringing and the chatter of others around you at $15 a seat, when you can lie comfortably in your boudoir and watch an old Hollywood classic on a lazy Sunday afternoon (for a $10 per month Netflix subscription).

To me, there is not much of a better way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon, than to enjoy an old movie in the comforts of your boudoir. Something about these old films makes me feel as though I’ve gone back in time. Takes me for a lovely daydream.

Today I watched The Apartment on Netflix, starring Shirley MacLaine, Jack Lemmon and Fred MacMurray. I really enjoyed it. It had a good lesson and proved to be a good love story.

Have you seen it? What are some of your favorite classic movies? Comment below…

 

The Apartment

 

Vintage Baby Shower

My sister-in-law is preparing to have a baby boy soon. In celebration of her upcoming arrival, my mum and I gave her a baby shower a couple of weeks ago.

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As the process of party planning now begins around the world, I went to Pinterest for ideas. I pinned some ideas to my Baby Shower pin board and asked her to take a look to see which theme she liked best. She seemed to be most fond of a vintage theme (yay!). And so it was…a vintage baby theme…and I knew just the place to go for decorations.

One of my co-workers is an owner of Vibe Vintage Rentals. It is a party rental supply company servicing the greater Seattle area. They specialize in vintage items. This was perfect for our baby shower!

I went through their website and Pinterest page for ideas. She also emailed me some items that she thought would be of interest. They can supply items for any type of event (wedding, bridal shower, baby shower, anniversary party, etc.). They really can make all of those fabulous ideas you see online come to life!

Here is what I rented from her:

  • Baby scale
  • Vintage baby booties
  • Duck penny bank
  • Baby blocks
  • Thank Heaven for Little Boys sign
  • Croquet balls
  • Table runner

Here are some photos from the event. As you will notice, if you’re a Pinterest-addict like me, most of the food inspiration also came from Pinterest.

One of my favorite things that we served was the vintage sodas, many with “boys” on the labels (in keeping with the vintage boy theme).

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Bogie and Bacall…Together Again

Sitting at my desk today I was alerted by a text message (from one of the various news outlets that I subscribe to) of the sad news that the lovely Lauren Bacall passed away.

Of all the starlets of old Hollywood, Lauren Bacall’s (how shall I say) spunk, chutzpah, bravado…call it what you want…is something to be admired. She was not merely a beautiful face (at all ages), but had the grit of a soldier, the poise of an aristocrat and the boldness of a  suffragette.

Even in this day and age, her boldness is admirable, but think about how much it meant back when a woman having a contrary opinion was viewed as unattractive (in an industry that was built on attraction).

Even with a strong exterior, she enjoyed one of the best love stories of all time with her husband Humphrey Bogart. I can imagine what a beautiful reunion it must have been when the two of them met again in heaven.

She perfected that balance that many of us women aim to achieve, of being both soft and tough at the times when it really counts. She was talented. She was daring. And for these traits alone, she should be celebrated.

I leave you with photos and witty quotes from the lovely, Lauren Bacall:

 

“Here is a test to see whether your mission in life is complete. If you’re alive, it isn’t.” – Lauren BacallLB5

“I’m not a has-been, I am a will be.” – Lauren Bacall

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“Find me a man who’s interesting enough to have dinner with and I’ll be happy.” – Lauren Bacall

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On Humphrey Bogart: “Just looking at him could make me tremble. When he took my hand in his, the feeling caught me in the pit of my stomach–his hand was warm, protecting, and full of love. When he saw me at the beginning of the day and when he called me on the telephone, his first words were always, ‘Hello, Baby.’” – Lauren Bacall

“I used to tremble from nerves so badly that the only way I could hold my head steady was to lower my chin practically to my chest and look up at Bogie. That was the beginning of The Look.” – Lauren Bacall
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“You don’t always win your battles, but it’s good to know you fought.” – Lauren Bacall

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“I find that through the sad times, work is what made my continuing, not breaking down, possible. In work, I was always someone else and I subconsciously reveled in that.” – Lauren Bacall

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“I think your whole life shows in your face and you should be proud of that.” – Lauren Bacall

LB6“Generally women are better than men — they have more character. I prefer men for some things, obviously, but women have a greater sense of honor and are more willing to take a chance with their lives.” – Lauren Bacall

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“My life has had meaning, with the friendships full and valuable and essential to me. My children, Steve, Leslie, and Sam, are all different–all first-rate human beings with high standards–whom I completely and unequivocally adore–don’t always agree with–but always admire and respect. They all have wit and a sense of humor and, thank God, I have hung on to mine.” – Lauren Bacall

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