Cath Kidston Bags

Limited Edition Carrier Bag by Cath Kidston

If you love flowers and vintage style you are sure to be a Cath Kidston fan! Cath Kidston is a British fabric designer who has popularized vintage style designing clothing, bags and home accessories in her "kitschy" 1950's style prints.

I discovered Cath Kidston style thanks to BBC Homes and Antiques and the UK's Country Living, British design magazines. It was in those pages that I became a Cath Kidston fan.

Recently when I was shopping on the British Cath Kidston site, I discovered that earlier this year she designed a series of 8 eco-friendly carrier (shopping) bags for the British grocery chain Tesco. Each reusable carrier bag is made from 9 recycled plastic bottles. Each bag sold also benefits the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity. Thanks to international shopping on Ebay UK, I now have a few of my very own Cath Kidston carrier bags!

Happy Birthday Cath Kidston!

Cath Kidston celebrated 15 years with a cake contest.

Don't you just love this adorable cake?

Cath Kidston celebrated 15 years in business this year. Whenever we visit London we always take a walk from Notting Hill and visit her original store at 8 Clarendon Cross in Holland Park, London.

Cath Kidston

The Queen of Floral Prints!

The Cath Kidston US web-site is currently being re-designed. For now, if you can't get to London, you can shop at home with a cup of tea at:

Cath Kidston UK

Grand Marnier Cocktail Macaroons

Grand Marnier Cocktail Macaroons

Ooh, la, la...macaroons for the over 21 crowd!

I was perusing the December issue of Food Wine and I spotted these macaroons in the Holiday Gift Guide. Leave it to the French to come up with this unique concoction for macaroons just in time for the holiday party scene.

Grand Marnier has teamed up with Payard Patisserie to release it's luxury Grand Marnier Cocktail Macaroons, inspired by four signature Grand Marnier cocktails: The Grand Cosmo, the Grand Margarita, the Grand Mojito and the Orange Crush.

Grand Marnier Orange Crush Macaroons

(Macaroons inspired by the drink Orange Crush)

The macaroons are available exclusively at Payard Patisserie in New York and are available for holiday gift shipment nationwide. The macaroon fillings do have minimal Grand Marnier alcohol so you must be 21 years of age to purchase.

I looked at both Payard and Grand Marnier's websites for more information. I could not find any information on either site. Perhaps they won't be advertised until December? Or have they already sold out?

Louis Vuitton Window Shopping

Louis Vuitton

Westfield Galleria at Roseville

The French call it "faire du leche vitrines". We Americans call it window-shopping.

Today I spent the afternoon window-shopping at the new 400,000 square foot ($260 million) expansion at the Galleria mall.

LV window display

I naturally headed over first to the world's most famous French label boutique, Louis Vuitton. The new LV boutique at the Galleria is 4, 000 square feet and is fully stocked. There are plenty of handbags for all the "good-girls" on Santa's list!

Tivoli PM Handbag

This is my new favorite LV handbag!

(I snuck this photo to give to Santa!)

Louis Vuitton

I even window shopped inside the new LV boutique today. I had to wait in a short line to be let in. The door man only allows so many shoppers in at one time. There were also about three guards within the store, too.

Lisa a very nice LV sales associate waited on me today. I have always wanted a real LV handbag but have waned since there are so many young girls carrying knock offs these days. The funny thing is whenever I am in Paris, I actually see more ladies carrying Burberry handbags than Louis Vuitton's!

The handbag I liked best today was the Tivoli PM bag. It is a classic brown LV monogram bag with a bit of a modern edge to it. I asked Lisa if it was made in France. I was stunned when she said "No. It is made here in the USA". Wow... that really surprised me. I did some research tonight and oui, there is a LV production facility in San Dimas (Los Angeles County), CA.
I am sure the LV US production team are all expertly trained in the LV French way. I just happen to like my French handbags to be made in France. (You may call this French snobbery if you like!) I bet if I were to buy the Tivoli PM bag in Paris it would come from a French factory then. Hmm...more to ponder. Well, I have plenty of time to figure out this handbag dilemma. I am saving up birthday money and brownie-points to get a French handbag for my big 50th birthday. It is just over a year away and my fingers are crossed that I will get to shop for the handbag in Paris!

For now I am happy just window-shopping!

Next time you are at the Galleria...have fun window shopping at Louis Vuitton!

Louis Vuitton

Galleria at Roseville

Upper level # 1150

Louis Vuitton Roseville Grand Opening!

Catherine Deneuve for Louis Vuitton

Hot off the fashionista news wire...Louis Vuitton opened today at the Galleria Mall in Roseville, CA. Bienvenue (Welcome) Louis Vuitton!
This is very exciting news for the Sacramento region. I still can't believe we have this top luxury French brand right in our own backyard. It's opening this morning was big news here in Sacramento and it even made the local television news. People stood in line from 4:00 am this morning for a chance at $1,000.00 gift cards at the newly expanded Galleria Mall. Hmm...too bad I didn't know about this sooner or I would have been there, too!
Louis Vuitton, better known by it's famous two initials LV, is the world's most famous luxury brand. Founded in Paris in 1854 it is the oldest fashion house in the world. Now you don't have to jet off to Paris, NY, Rodeo Drive or SF to shop for your favorite LV handbag.
Founded by Monsieur Louis Vuitton, LV originally made travelling cases and trunks. Today it is especially famous for it's monogram brown handbags and fashion accessories. Today there are over 300 stores in 44 countries around the world and now we can add Roseville, CA to that list!

Monogram Canvas

"Speedy 30" $700.00

This classic is always a favorite!

Monogram Canvas

Etoile Bowling Bag $2,950

I love this new handbag design!

(Santa, I have been a very good girl this year!)

Louis Vuitton
Champs Elysees, Paris, France

I love to window-shop Louis Vuitton on the Champs Elysees...

now I can window-shop closer to home!


Louis Vuitton
1151 Galleria Blvd
Roseville, CA 95678

(916) 772-2211

Happy Handbag Shopping!

Knitting Daily TV

Make Time for Yarn Everyday!

I have exciting news for all knitters in the Sacramento region...

our local PBS station finally picked up the show Knitting Daily TV on KVIE (Comcast channel 7). It airs on Tuesday mornings at 9:30am.

The first series began today with episode #101 Lux & Luscious. Next week episode #102 Sweater features designer Michelle Rose Orne author of Inspired to Knit.

Each show features these segments: Getting Started, Designer Spotlight, How-To, You Asked It and Knit Along.

Juliet Scarf and Flower Pin

I can't wait for episode #103 Amazing Lace and the Designer Spotlight segment with my favorite British knitting designer, Louisa Harding. She will share with us her inspiration for her book Knitting Little Luxuries (yes, I own it) and will teach us how to make a knit flower pin for her pretty Juliet lace scarf.

Knitting Daily TV

The Knitting Daily TV slogan says it all...

Make Time for Yarn Everyday!

Let's keep Knitting Daily TV airing in our region. Be sure to spread the word and tell all of your fiber friends to watch or TiVo it. You can also visit the show's website for free pattern downloads!

Kusmi Tea at Anthropolgie

Kusmi Tea display at Anthropologie

Special announcement for all French tea aficionados... Kusmi tea is now available at Anthropologie stores.

For years I have admired the gorgeous Kusmi tea tins in Paris. Earlier this year I started drinking Kusmi tea and love it. Not many stores carry this lux French brand tea in America so I was delighted to see it last night at my local Anthropologie.

I love browsing Anthropolgie just for it's visual beauty and ambiance. I always love their creative displays and merchandise. Naturally their visual team did a neat tea display showcasing the Kusmi tea along side some great looking monogram tea mugs and tea books.

I am not sure how long Anthropolgie will be carrying their assortment of Kusmi Tea. I suggest snagging a caddy or two while you can. ($18.00 each)

Be sure to let me know which tea blend becomes your favorite Kusmi French the' (tea)!

Boutique Knits

Boutique Knits

They say "you can't judge a book by it's cover"...yet I can already tell that I am going to love this book Boutique Knits just by it's cover!

I love this Side Slip Cloche hat in the cover photo. It reminds me of the hats that my Grandma Margaret wore in the 1920's & 1930's. I even have Rowan's Soft Lux yarn in my yarn stash that the designer recommends knitting this hat in!

This book is hot off the press. It just came out in October. MFLY (my favorite local yarn store) Knitique sold out of this new book right away. Recently there was just one copy left and another knitter beat me to it. I am now patiently awaiting Knitique's next book shipment to snag this book and start knitting!

Teak Bittersweet Gauntlets

You can see a sneak peak of the book on Interweave Press. I absolutely love all the vintage inspired patterns by author/designer Laura Irwin. I think these Victorian inspired smocked gauntlet gloves are gorgeous!

Accessories like scarves and hats are my favorite knitting projects. I can't wait to get my own copy and start knitting a few of these 20 + must have knit accessories!

How about you? Are you anxious to knit these vintage inspired accessories, too?