Le Bar du Vent

Merry-go-round - What is my Purple Cow?

2009-11-27T20:47:00.010+01:00

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.

Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left).

If they haven't posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...

This month's theme:

What is your Purple Cow?

So, what makes what I create remarkable? What is it about my pieces that

make them stand out from the crowd? What makes me unique as a designer ?

This refers to Seth Godin, who said that the key to success was to find a way

to stand out and be remarkable - to be the purple cow in a field of monochrome

Holsteins...

My first reaction, was— Do they, stand out? Am I, unique?

Then, I thought— Well, truth is: I'm still looking.

Finally, I realized that I already know, without completely knowing, because

the fact is: I am the Purple Cow.

It's not always a good thing, it's not always a clear thing, but I am that cow.

It's a question of what I draw on.

Just tonight, thinking about this question, I saw Charles Aznavour on TV, and

when a journalist asked him "what he drew all his energy from", the great

artist answered that he drew it from his parents' history as immigrants in

France, from the way he was brought up.

Same here.

I just wish I get my act together soon...

Final SALE update / BRADERIE : dernière promo

2009-11-16T06:54:00.008+01:00

Bonjour tout le monde ! Hello Everyone.

C'est bientôt la fin de notre Grande Braderie et pour finir en beauté, je propose une double promotion, valable jusqu'au 24 novembre à minuit.
Our Great Sale is going to be over soon, and for a grand finish, I'd like to offer two different discounts (combinable!), both valid until November 24th, midnight.

Les ~☀~ frais d'envoi ~☀~ sont offert sur toute commande, vers le monde entier ET je vous offre ~☀~ 20 % de réduction sur toute commande de 60 euros et plus ~☀~. ATTENTION de bien me contacter AVANT de passer votre commande pour que je puisse créer une fiche article spéciale pour vous indiquant le prix réduit.

C'est ici.

~☀~ Free shipping, worldwide, on all orders ~☀~ AND you get ~☀~ a 20 % dicount on all orders of 60 euros and more ~☀~. ONLY do not fail to contact me BEFORE checkout, so I can put up a special listing for you with the new discounted prices...

Here is my shop.

Plein d'autre réduction dans d'autres boutiques de créateurs ici.

Loads of other great offers and discounts in fabulous shops, here.

Nouvelle Offre / New Discount Offer

2009-11-12T23:09:00.007+01:00

Du 13 au 15 novembre inclus, de minuit à minuit : 20 % sur les articles de la catégorie Colliers dans ma boutique DaWanda .

Me contacter avant de passer la commande pour que je modifie le prix...

Dans le cadre de la Grande Braderie des Créateurs Uniques, sur le forum de DaWanda.

From November 13th to 15th inclusive, three days

from midnight to midnight: 20 % discount on all items in the Necklace category of my DaWanda shop.

You'll have to contact me before going through checkout so I can change the price for you.

As part of the OOAK Sellers' Great Sale on the French DaWanda Forum.

GRANDE BRADERIE sur / GREAT SALE on DAWANDA...

2009-11-04T14:19:00.003+01:00

Faites Vite ce serait dommage de rater ça : c'est ici que ça se passe.

Do rush in— it would be foolish to miss that: this is where it's at.

Merry-go-round - Failure sucks but instructs.

2009-11-02T20:50:00.006+01:00

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.

Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left).

If they haven't posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...

This month's theme:

Failure sucks but instructs.

Looks like I didn't want to answer this one.

Fancy that...

I finally got down to writing up (and thinking up, at the same time) my answer— one day late.

And then the Big Bad Blog ate it all up.

OOOps.

This time round, I'm hitting the save button every other sentence.

'Nough said, right?

Now. Kidding apart, let me try to remember what it was I came up with the first time round.

As I remember, I started splitting things. Not hair, but the two sides of this my venture: the crafty side (that's me!) and the business side (not so much, no Sir!).

So I guess that my first, and most interesting—to me, at least— remark was that I completely agree with that sentence when it comes to crafting.

Failure is actually part and parcel of the crafting process. I don't believe you can really learn without trying and failing and undoing and doing all over again etc.

More important still. Well to me anyway. Well obviously... So I'll stop giving you that mock-humble gimmick.

Now, where? Oh yes: what I realized, thinking all this over for the merry-go-round, was that the trying-and-failing-etc. is not just useful in that it instructs— it actually gives me pleasure and a sense of freedom. Child-like freedom, if you see what I mean. Like messing around with anything from play-dough to Mum's make up (now there's an idea— I'm sure there's something in that...). You know...

Not so with the business side.

Of course, I like it when something sells, and I don't like it when all the rest doesn't. And it is a little bit about the money, of course.

But it is not really about success as such. It is about love.

What really makes my day is someone loving what I made— and telling me. Because what I hear when they do is— and of course, you crafters know what's coming: "I love you."

And I love hearing that.

If I work too hard at "what sells", it will be more like me saying "I love money", or "I love it that so many people like to have exactly the same kind of stuff as their neighbours and I'm going to cater to that wish of theirs." And that is not me.

As every fairly well adjusted grown-up knows, we all have to rub off a lot of who and what we are; to adjust to society. I do a lot of that in my day job. Do it well too, and for good reasons.

But not in my craft-life. Because that has to be about me, first and foremost. However much I love the sharing. I guess that would have to change if my craft took over from my day-job.

But not now. What I want and need to focus on and be instructed in is the craft part. Forget the rest. At least when actually crafting.

Have fun, explore, enjoy. Live and Learn.

So there!

I guess you see I'm still thinking very much along the same lines as last month. Just with a little bit more conviction.

At the end of the day, writing up this blog post (twice!) has made me realize that I don't give a damn about being instructed in business— and so I've learnt something about myself. What matters to me is being instructed in my craft, or even crafts, if I like.

Let's see where that takes me...

Actually I think my vision of things is even clearer now than the first time I tried to write about this. But let's not make a habit of this.

To be continued.

New Business cards just in - J'ai reçu mes nouvelles cartes !

2009-10-21T00:03:00.003+02:00

Except the colours are nothing like this... Sauf que les couleurs n'ont rien à voir...

A saisir— an opportunity not to be missed.

2009-10-19T22:39:00.003+02:00

Jusqu'au 25, 15 % dans les boutiques DaWanda où vous n'avez pas encore fait d'achats !

Until the 25th, you'll get a 15 % discount in shops you have never bought in.

PRO-ACTIVE

2009-10-12T17:16:00.010+02:00

Une révolution pacifique se prépare sur DaWanda...

Guettez ces logos, ils devraient apparaître début novembre.

Ne manquez pas de visiter la section "BIENVENUE" du forum.

Vous avez tout à y gagner...

Bonnes courses de fin d'année à tous !

We few, we happy few; a band of sister designers is planning a peaceful coup on DaWanda...

Watch out for these logos in early November.

Do visit the "BIENVENUE" section of the French forum.

You won't regret it.

Happy holiday shopping, Everyone!

A tiny step for me...

2009-10-01T19:40:00.005+02:00

Well, at least, there is this one customer that values my work— myself!

I made these yesterday.

Yes, they look very simple, but yes, I was rummaging among my baskets of goods for quite some time before I could find just the right gems (2 different kinds of facetted garnets) and the right wire (thin, 18 k gold— courtesy that potential customer than never even wrote to say "Thanks but no thanks...").

And then they had to be shaped just right.

I wore them all day today— sorry no photo so far— and they felt perfect.

They're cute as studs, simple as can be— I just want to make more of them!

Merry-go-round - What's my next Chapter?

2009-09-25T17:09:00.011+02:00

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.

Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left).

If they haven't posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...

This month's theme:

What's your next chapter?

Well, precisely... I don't know.

I guess that I'm in a sort of rut.

It's easy for me to find excuses for not creating anything at the moment, what with all the work I have to do at the moment for my day-job.

And I'm happy to have all the excuses, because I'm still struggling with the "business" aspect of my creative activities.

Part of it is fun—getting a new look and the business cards that go with it. But as I have already "paid my dues" in another (interesting, by the way) job, I don't take too well to the "compromising" part of it.
Yet, it is sometimes tempting to "make what sells".
So, at the moment, my favourite technique, in order to resist this temptation, is not to make myself make anything unless I'm excited about it.

All the while, I'm never very far from that notebook in which I doodle ideas that need experimenting with. Probably why one of the things I've been working on is learning about handbinding techniques. Very much like crosstitching— while completely engrossing, it allows the mind to ramble on.

I also look around a lot, and keep collecting materials, as original and beautiful as possible.

I also fantasize that something I have made attracts fiery enthusiasm... In someone who is not my mother or my best friend, I mean.

I already know about drudgery, and I am no wannabe artist. I want to be, and stay, passionate about what I make.
So, even though everything seems a bit blurred right now, it feels more like a sort of holiday than an actual rut, after all. I need the time— I take it.

Help Sammy get well with Etsy sellers

2009-09-19T00:45:00.006+02:00

Sammy the beloved Kitty of fellow Etsian twostraycats has sustained serious injuries inflicted by an unknown human abuser and must undergo expensive surgery. In an effort to help her out with these medical bills I am pledging to donate 50% of all sales (excluding shipping costs) of this shop until the end of September to help contribute to the Sammy fund. I hope you can find something you like for this good cause, in my shop or in any of the shops listed below.

Look up this thread on the Etsy forum for more info and updates on Sammy and on the shops with "Help Sammy" donations going on:

TwoStrayCats.etsy.com Sammy's family

MoLStationery.etsy.com 65% of all MoL book sales and 75% of all graphics sales. plus matching donations by 50%

chicadolly.etsy.com & faeriegood.etsy.com 25% of all sales profits this week

GenuineArticle.etsy.com & GenuineArt.etsy.com 50% of the proceeds from both of my Etsy shops

glasscircus.etsy.com 25% of my sales

aztek721.etsy.com 50% of any photo sales

Adornyourself.etsy.com 15% of all sales this coming weekend (Sept 18-22) excluding shipping charges

Dearange.etsy.com 100% of the purchase price of Fancy Wearables (as seen on Sammy and Koru)

LittleJumpingBeans.etsy.com 40% of all the sales from shoes this weekend

deersprite.etsy.com 10% of all sales (pre-shipping) until the end of September, off the REGULAR price. If you mention "Sammy" in the message to seller, I will also give you a 10% discount - but Sammy will still get the 10% of the original price.

TaraFlyPhotos.etsy.com profits from print sales of "The Letter" and "Mr. Darcy"

WindandHoney.etsy.com 15% of sales this month

laurart.etsy.com 15% for each sale. I'll donate an extra 5% if the customer mentions in the note how they've helped shed light on this animal in need, via Twitter or blogging.

meherio68.etsy.com 50 % of all sales from now on and until the end of September

Sybillinart.etsy.com 50% of the sales of any of my cat related items

ASecondTime.etsy.com 100% of the profits from the sale of these two items in September
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29349803
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29350384

LuminousDreamDesigns.etsy.com 100% of the profits from the sales of her print until next Friday: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30684781

thebeadedhound.etsy.com 10% of sales for the rest of the month

greytdogz.etsy.com the proceeds from the sale of Custom Pet Themed Digital Photo page. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25607442

rayneedeigh.etsy.com 40% of all sales before shipping will be donated to Sammy

Nouveau visage - New face

2009-09-12T18:31:00.008+02:00

Alors, qu'est-ce que vous pensez de ma nouvelle bannière et de mon nouvel avatar ? Ils sont basés sur une gravure ancienne chinée au printemps dernier : des sirènes et une émeraude...

So— what do you think of my new banner and avatar? They were created out of an old print I unearthed at my favourite antiques fair last spring— a print showing mermaids and an emerald...

Merry-go-round -Summer

2009-08-28T10:24:00.000+02:00

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.

Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left).

If they haven't posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...

This month's theme:

SUMMER

Summer is my season.

Summer is when I can live during the day instead of of working in the day and living my own, real life at night.

Summer is when I enjoy life— things, moments and people.

Summer is a time for new skills and spectacular skies and plants. And fruits.

Summer is for seizing the day.

Summer is when I am alive. Really. Not just for show.

Follow up on Inspiration

2009-08-06T19:07:00.008+02:00

Here's what one of my scribblings defacing the lovely Muscha notelets turned into.

Better than any of my drawings, I think. Especially as it is modelled by the lovely, fresh hand of my lovely, fresh niece, Hortense...

Once more, inspired by the Thursday Sweet Treat blog: my Moon River ring.

Suite du message précédent qui traitait de l'inspiration. Un de mes gribouillis portait sur un projet de bague utilisant certains des matériaux accumulés récemment.

Le résultat est beaucoup plus sobre, et je l'adore. En toute simplicité et juste entre nous, bien sûr; ;-)

D'autant plus ravissant que le mannequin qui présente la bague est ma délicieuse nièce, Hortense.

Inspiré par le thème de cette semaine du blog Thursday Sweet Treat, ma bague Moon River.

Merry-go-round - Inspiration...

2009-07-31T22:34:00.013+02:00

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.

Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left).

If they haven't posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...

This month's theme:

What inspires us: a peak into journals, pinboards, folders or wherever we keep our little snippets of inspiring stuff...

I wonder.

O.K. This is as much as I could find time to write yesterday.

Now for photos. They will tell you a bit more...

I look around a lot: streets, flea markets, magazines, antique shop, the world WIDE web... But I don't keep many traces of all this really. I don't keep a style notebook, as many designers and artists do. Maybe I should, but, on the other hand, I think it's part of 'my way' to just let it ripen in my mind. Some of it will stick and evolve into some idea, at some point. A lot will vanish.

However lovely some of the stuff I see, it is crucial to me that I do not plagiarize it, consciously or otherwise. So my "designs" (if you can call them that— still shy about the grandd-sounding names here), must be triggered by my ideas and desires. Or made to order. I love custom work.

What I have learnt to keep a trace of is those ideas— if only because I usually get them at the most inconvenient time, like in the middle of a meeting or at two in the morning.

So, at home, I have a beautiful litte notebook on my bedside table— full of ugly, clumsy drawings and notes. Some of these are turned into something right away, others have to way for six months or so and others still are still waiting...

Here, it's the stack of Muscha notelets that you can see on the photos.

When I'm in a meeting, it's my beloved Mulberry organizer. Makes me look very serious, I'm sure, when I start scribbling furiously. Provided no one is looking over my shoulder, I'm fine.

Now, what I'm afraid I really do hoard is materials. They make me tick. I just did a workshop learning mosaics, a skill which I definitely mean to adapt and use 'my way'. When I came across those lovely pieces of wood, glass and clay, my head began to be filled with spectacular pieces of jewellery! Nearly drooling I was.

And that is just the latest...
In my tiny second bedroom, "the room formerly known as a study", I have, well just about everything: fibers, fabrics, paper. AND it's creeping into corridor and living-room.

My cat doesn't mind. Provided she still gets all the seats. And the carpets.

Ceux-là sont pour moi ! These are for me!

2009-07-25T16:17:00.007+02:00

Aujourd'hui, je n'écris que pour me vanter ! Non seulement j'ai des amis, des amis fidèles et qui me soutiennent dans mon absurde entreprise créative, mais en plus ils ont du goût... C'est dire si leur amitié et leur soutien me sont flatteurs et précieux.

Pour preuve, ces somptueuses perles vénitiennes que je viens de recevoir. J'ai eu le coup de foudre pour ces triangles. Il n'y a vraiment que les Italiens pour créer des objets aussi simples et somptueux à la fois...

Voici donc un collier-bracelet que m'ont inspiré ces perles, des perles que j'ai trouvées aussi appétissantes, voire plus, que des berlingots quand je les ai reçues... Et il est pour MOI, parce que c'est bientôt mon anniversaire ! (^.^)

Et puis ces deux adorables pendentifs millefiori m'ont inspiré de longues variations en mauve pour les oreilles. Pour MES oreilles. Re-(^.^)

MERCI Muriel !!!

Today, I am only writing to brag and show off! Not only do I have loyal friends who have supported me in my crazy, adventurous, creative venture, but they have great taste... So you can guess how flattering and precious indeed their friendship and support are to me.

As evidence, I wanted to show you these gorgeous, Venitian beads that I have just gotten. I love these triangles. I'm always amazed at how the Italian can create objects so simple and superb.

And so, here is the bracelet/necklace that these triangular beads inspired me. They look very much like sweets and they did make me drool when I received them... And this piece is for ME, because it is my birthday soon! (^.^)

I also made these long mauve earrings inspired by the lovely millefiori pendants. For MY ears. (^.^) again.

THANK YOU Muriel!!!

Nouvelle Lune / New moon

2009-07-24T19:27:00.008+02:00

Juste pour dire que, oui, je travaille. Un peu. Et les résulat est en vente sur DaWanda et Etsy...

Votre avis m'intéresse !

J'ai des tas de projets de variations sur ce thème : anneaux simples à accumuler en constellation, lune rousse (en cuivre), etc.

Just to say that, yes, I am working on my skills and experimenting. A little. And the result is listed on DaWanda and Etsy.

I would love to have your thoughts.

I am considering a lot of variations on these : stacking rings, copper, etc.

Pourquoi acheter des Créations Uniques

2009-07-17T16:59:00.004+02:00

Quelques réponses de DaWandiennes, dont moi ! (^.^), sur le blog de Mademoiselle Anastasia qui fabrique aussi d'irrésistibles fanfreluches...

C'est ici.

Merry-go-round - Favourite Reference

2009-06-25T19:15:00.012+02:00

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.

Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left).

If they haven't posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...

This month's theme:

What is your favorite publication(s)? Is there a book, books, magazine, or website that has become the bible of your art/craft?

There is actually a book that I keep going back to all the time : Sara Withers's Perles : Toutes les techniques, actually translated from The Encyclopedia of Beading Techniques. You can find it in French on amazon.fr, or in English on amazon.co.uk.

It really acts as my bible as it deals with all the basics in beading and even gets you started in wire-wrapping and bead-weaving.

Since acquiring it and exploring several techniques very easily and confidently thanks to it, I have also discovered beautiful books on off-loom weaving by Carol Wilcox Wells.

I have also been lucky enough to read the great French tutorials on wire-wrapping that our fellow merry-go-rounder Fabs, of Easterya, has been offering on DaWanda.

Books are really my first, most spontaneous ressource, but as French translations and shops are always slow to catch up, the internet is a close second, so I keep hoarding books and web bookmarks, whenever I want to explore a new technique.

I also find that an introductory kit is very often good value for money, as they are a way to take a first step fairly safely. Such a starters' kit allowed me to make my first silver clay piece (mentioned here a couple months ago) and therefore helped me build up confidence. The visuel help is very important to me, so a step-by-step, on paper or on DVD, is always welcome.

Mon Article préféré sur daWanda - My DaWanda Favourite

2009-06-17T13:19:00.027+02:00

Blogueurs (qui sait...), blogueuses (plus sûrement) : une occasion à ne pas rater !

DaWanda organise un concours et c'est pour vous l'occasion de gagner votre article préféré sur DaWanda. La grosse difficulté, c'est de choisir...

J'ai eu du mal, mais j'ai décidé de procéder méthodiquement.

J'ai commencé par éliminer toute la concurence : hors de question de choisir un bijou, même si ce n'est pas ça qui manque sur DaWanda. Mais bon. Il faut être un peu sérieux. Quand même. Non ?

Du coup, un petit coup d'oeil sur ma garde-robe et là, la honte m'a saisie et j'ai courageusement décidé de renoncer à désigner une de ces nombreuses tenues originales que je stocke soigneusement dnas mes favoris depuis des mois.

Pour être vraiment sérieuse, j'ai cherché ce qui pouvait manquer dans ma maison. Je passe sur tout ce qui est jouet et vêtement pour enfants : sans enfant, ce ne serait vraiment pas sérieux...

Alors, je suis allée dans la catégorie Vivre et Habiter et j'ai trouvé : je n'ai pas de couverts à salade ! Heureusement j'ai trouvé celui qu'il me faut : le service à salade parfait.

On est obligé de choisir, sinon, j'aurais bien demandé aussi le service à asperges assorti...

Bloggers of Europe, Bloggers of the world, this DaWanda contest is for you! The only difficulty is you have to choose your favourite item on DaWanda— and then you might win it!

I was some time picking mine. It also took method.

So first, I eliminated competition. Sounds radical, but of course I was not going to choose a jewel.

Next, I looked I considered clothes and those wonderful pieces of fabric and imagination I have been hoarding on my pinboards, but I also looked at my wardrobe and then looked away. Skip all the colourful baby stuff— no justification for those, fortunately.

So I looked around my flat some more, wondering what it was I might actually want. Got it! I have no salad servers! And guess what— I found the salad servers in the Home and Living category— they're just perfect.

Unfortunately, I had to choose one item and one item only. Otherwise I might have asked for the matching asparagus tongs.

Quel Avenir pour l'Université française ? Idée...

2009-06-09T16:05:00.008+02:00

Depuis quelques semaines, je passe devant cette devanture, que j'ai fini par photographier. Elle me paraît refléter ironiquement les projets de "gestion" utilitariste qui menacent les Facs, de Lettres en particulier.

Et je ne parle même pas de l'orthographe ridicule du nom des lieux...

I don't suppose these words need translating— they seemed like an ironical reflection on the sad fate that seems to be cooking for French faculties, especially Arts faculties.

Don't let get me started on the ludicrous punctuation mistake in the Frenglish name of the place—

Hommage

2009-06-07T12:31:00.016+02:00

à l'auteur de mon blog préféré, Le Blogue de la Grosse Feignasse, blog dont la lecture ne me cause que la fatigue de quelques soubresauts, dûs à mes ricanements, même si j'essaie, dans la mesure du possible, de me contenter de sourire mollement :

ces quelques photos de ma maîtresse à penser, qui est aussi mon modèle préféré, grâce à sa grande capacité à ne pas bouger, fût-ce d'un poil...

Ah... Une vie de chat...

Nota bene: this post is only in French because it links to a French blog and if you cannot read my French you cannot read it either...

Newly listed - Nouvelle mise en vente...

2009-06-05T22:43:00.010+02:00

Pour varier un peu les plaisirs, je viens de mettre en vente une de mes trouvailles chinée chez un brocanteur.

Il s'agit de ce petit haut en dentelle que je pense vraiment ancien. La finesse du travail et la discrétion des coutures est incroyable.

Je dirai fin 19ième, début 20ième.

Vous trouverez plus de photos sur Etsy où je l'ai mis en vente, et je serais vraiment très reconnaissante pour toute info sur l'époque précise et l'usage de ce vêtement...

J'ai quelques autres petites trouvailles que je mettrai en vente dès que je trouverai du temps...

For a change, I've just listed this antique find of mine.

It is a small lace top, that I believe is truly more than vintage.

You can find more photos and details on Etsy, where I listed it, and I would be very grateful for any information on this, from someone more knowledgeable than me.

I have a few more vintage or antique finds that I will list— as soon as I can make time.

Toast!

2009-06-05T22:01:00.008+02:00

My favourite treat is bread. French bread, mostly. On its own, with jam, with some savoury spread. I've been known to have bread cravings (without even being pregnant)— and to indulge them! Sometimes it's all I'll have for lunch.

I remember that when I first visited England as a teenager (ages ago) the only thing I would miss was bread, "proper" bread. I really didn't like sandwich loaf. Still don't, actually.

But what I did like was the toasters. The design of them.

It was also in England that I first saw toaster ovens— that vital part of student life...

I bought my first toaster when I was living in England in a bedsitter. My first home appliance. I've had it for nearly 17 years!

So I have recently acquired a roving eye— for toasters... There is such a choice of amazingly classy designs and it seems 17 years of reflexion will make me unfaithful to my first one...

Of course to save (and pass the) time, I've been looking for my future toaster on the net and I just came across this very informative site called toaster oven. "Toaster heaven" would be more like it... Well if it was a bit more colourful, maybe.

Anyway, if what you are looking for is "just" a very detailed, selection of toasters (and toaster ovens) of all brands, listed according to price ranges, with photos, technical info (and explanations), as well as links to sites where you can buy them, with nothing to waste your time, this is the site for you.

I still have to check all the possibilities— and choose— but I have definitely bookmarked it.

Leçons de vie - Life's precious lessons

2009-06-02T13:54:00.008+02:00

Je traduis, sans commenter, en laissant l'original à chaque fois, pour ceux qui préfèrent...

Par Regina Brett, 90 ans, du Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.
Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio.

"Pour célébrer la chance que nous avons de vieillir, j'ai publié autrefois ces 45 leçons que la vie m'a apprises. C'est devenu ma chronique la plus reprise. J'ai passé le cap des 90 ans en Août dernier, alors re-voici cette liste."
"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more. "

La vie n'est pas juste, mais elle est bonne quand même.
1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

Dans le doute, faire un petit pas de plus.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

La vie est trop courte pour la gaspiller en haïssant qui que ce soit.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone...

Ce n'est pas votre travail qui s'occupera de vous quand vous serez malade : ce sont votre famille et vos amis. Ne perdez pas le contact.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

Ne vous endettez pas.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

Vous n'avez pas vraiment besoin d'avoir toujours raison. Acceptez que l'on peut avoir des avis différents.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Quand vous pleurez, faites-le avec quelqu'un : c'est plus réparateur.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

Vous pouvez vous mettre en colère contre Dieu : il le supportera.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

Commencez à économiser pour vos vieux jours dès votre premier salaire.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.

Concernant le chocolat : toute résistance est inutile.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

Faites la paix avec votre passé si vous ne voulez pas qu'il fiche votre présent en l'air
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

Vous pouve laisser vos enfants vous voir pleurer

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

Ne comparez pas votre vie à celle des autres : vous ne savez rien de leur chemin.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

Si une liaison doit rester secrète, vous n'avez rien à y faire.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

Tout peut changer en un clin d'oeil. Mais ne vous inquiétez pas : Dieu ne cligne pas des yeux.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

Prenez une profonde respiration. C'est fou ce que ça calme l'esprit.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

Débarrassez-vous de tout ce qui n'est ni utile, ni beau, ni réjouissant.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

Tout ce qui ne vous tue pas vous rend vraiment plus fort.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

Il n'est jamais trop tard pour avoir une enfance heureuse. Mais la deuxième dépend entièrement de vous.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

Quand il s'agit de ce que vous aimez, ne vous laissez pas décourager par un refus.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

Allumez les bougies, utilisez les beaux draps et portez la lingerie fine. Ne les gardez pas pour les grandes occasions. Aujourd'hui est toujours spécial.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, and wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

Préparez-vous à fond... et puis laissez vous emporter par le courant.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

Soyez eccentrique maintenant : n'attendez pas d'être vieille (ou vieux) pour porter du violet.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

L'organe sexuel le plus important est le cerveau.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

Personne n'est responsable de votre bonheur à part vous.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

Quand il vous arrive un "désastre", neutralisez-le avec cette question : "Dans cinq ans, est-ce que ça comptera ?"

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

Choisissez toujours la vie.
27. Always choose life.

Pardonnez tout à tout le monde.
28. Forgive everyone everything.

Ce que les gens pensent de vous n'est pas votre problème.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

Le temps guérit presque tout. Laissez du temps.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time.

Quelque vonne ou mauvaise qu'elle soit, une situation changera toujours.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

Ne vous prenez pas autant au sérieux. Personne d'autre ne vous prend au sérieux...
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

Attendez-vous à des miracles.
33. Believe in miracles.

Dieu vous aime parce que c'est Dieu, pas à cause de ce que vous avez fait ou pas.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

N'examinez pas la vie. Soyez là et tirez-en le maximum.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

Devenir vieux c'est mieux que le contraire : mourir jeune.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

Vos enfants n'auront qu'une seule enfance.
37. Your children get only one childhood.

Ce qui compte vraiment, finalement, c'est d'avoir aimé.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

Sortez chaque jour. Des miracles vous attendent partout.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

Si nous faisions un seul grand tas de nos problèmes à tous, en voyant ceux des autres nous reprendrions vite les nôtres.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

L'envie est une perte de temps : vous avez déjà tout ce dont vous avez besoin.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

Le meilleur est à venir.
42. The best is yet to come.

Qu'importe comment vous vous sentez : levez vous, habillez vous et sortez.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

Sachez pliez.
44. Yield.

La vie ne nous est pas présentée entourée d'un joli ruban noué, mais c'est quand même un cadeau.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.