Here are some new little pamphlet journals:

I just found this wonderful heavy double sided paper at the paper store downtown -

in mango/raspberry color.

5-hole pamphlet stitch in a variety of different linen thread colors.

Here is the work station.

These look so simple - but, are really very time consuming.

I hand cut out each template after deciding the size, ect.

The side tabs fold in for the interior pockets!

The interior paper is a heavy white drawing paper.

These are a great little size to throw in a bag and travel with - great for quick notes.

Finished photos:

Here are a few garden/balcony pics...

The weather was summer-like a week ago - so hot, flowers blooming...

since then, we've gotten this crazy cold spell - and it's been chilly!

This is the baby tree we bought from the weekend market - I love it!

We went to Bricorama and picked up a few more flowers -

it's very similar to a Lowes.

And our bunch of bright yellow flowers.

Oh, here is the brand new rose bush that L just planted.

Hopefully we will get new roses soon....

this is what they are suppose to look like!

Here is a bigger picture of the roses -

in the brand new square vase!

But, on the other side of the balcony...

The very first rose of the season on the other rose bushes!

This was about a week ago -

now there must be a couple dozen roses blooming out there!

yellow, white, red, they are just beautiful...

Oh, and the new herb garden!

Everybody is getting along fine...

well... we're hoping that the mint can pull through!

Porte de Vanves:

Subway stop to the market!

I wanted to include my market finds:

great antique buttons

Check out these leather purses/bags....soon to be journals!

I just cleaned them up with some leather cleaner and they look great.

Here are some wonderful little antique travel postcards in their paper cases.

We really hit the market on a good day - there was an entire box of these cards - and we picked out our favorites. I've already used a few as the cover of some journals.

I love this little accordion postcard book.

It's already an artists' book!

I'll have to keep this one.

I found some antique photos - I'll also use these as covers.

Antique books -

and the "Encyclopedia of Speed" which has great illustrated images of different forms of travel in Paris.

Okay, L and I went to lunch at this place called:

"The American Dream Cafe"

(There business card reads "you love it or leave it"!)

This place was crazy! Check out the size of our milkshakes -

can you see that it almost reaches L's shoulder!?! no kidding!

The milkshake was very good...very large...but, very good.

It was a mix of TGIFridays meets Denny's meets Big Boy meets AppleBee's in a back alley and this is the aftermath!

Check out the checkered tablecloth!

And the size of the sauces!

Gigantic!

Willi's Wine Bar

1st arrondissement

We found this recommendation in the book:

"Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris" - Clotilde Dusoulier

(She is also the author of "Chocolate & Zucchini")

These are wonderful books filled with Parisian life, recipes, and places to eat in Paris.

Really wonderful photos as well.

We stopped in here for an after dinner wine - as it was right around the corner from where we had eaten dinner. The restaurant was just finishing up serving dinner for the night to the last customers eating at the tables. The bar was first as we entered the restaurant with the tables being in the back...so, I didn't really get a chance to see the meals being served. It was a cozy little place and we sat at the oak bar for our wine. The servers were all very pleasant - and it was a charming little place. We enjoyed our wine - the crowd seemed to be of an older generation.

We might return for dinner...

This is where we had dinner:

Juveniles

Bistrot a Vins

We stumbled upon this place as we were wondering around the city on our way to find another restaurant. This place is a totally charming little hole in the wall. With only about 12 tables in the entire place - crammed together- you are sitting very close to your neighbor...and you really don't mind because the place is so inviting! The walls are stocked from ceiling to the floor with hundreds of bottles of wine. We ordered a few appetizers - eggplant spread with toast and a plate of chirizo - all delicious. The wine was fantastic....and dinner was lovely. I ordered the shrimp stir-fry. We really enjoyed this little place.

Buddha-Bar

This place was an experience. It's a super trendy bar/restaurant in the 8th arrondissement.

As soon as you enter - it's like stepping in to a different world. The entire restaurant is downstairs - the bar level first - and the restaurant even farther downstairs. The bar is a gigantic square balcony overlooking the restaurant below...with this gigantic Buddha the centerpiece of the entire place. This picture was taking from our table in the bar looking down into the restaurant - the Buddha is almost two floors tall.

Here is my super fancy drink!

Ice cream!

L and I stopped for ice cream at a little bistro around the corner from his place - after we saw the waiter serving someone else this exact thing. It looked so delicious we stopped on the spot and ordered it!