County Fair Blog Hop

Wow - good thing I checked my blog! I thought I had this scheduled for 8am this morning....oops, it's like the alarm that didn't go off!

It's my turn on the Moda blog hop! After 23 hops, you've finally landed here! Hopefully I will be able to tell you everything you ever wanted to know about me...but didn't want to ask! I've had fun reading all the designer's blogs this month...now here are my answers to the Moda questions, whether you want to know them or not.....

What's your favorite fair food?

Any day at the fair is a good day - because of the food! After walking around the livestock, craft and artisan areas, I wander over to the food area. Since I only find myself at a County Fair once in a blue moon - I go for a bit of everything. My new favorite fair food is the chocolate bacon - a bit of salty and sweet all at the same time - sometimes it's even frozen...why not?! I also love the deep fried cheese curd - a specialty at the Wisconsin fairs. Oh, and the cotton candy - who can resist the cotton candy! There is no such thing as moderation at the fair - is there?

State Fairs have become known for what they can FRY? What do you fry?

I fry french fries and serve them with mussels cooked in a white wine and garlic sauce - known in France as Moules-Frites.  One of my favorite Moules-Frites recipes is here.
My favorite place in the world for french fries is at L'Entrecote in Toulouse (they also have spots in Paris and Bordeaux).  The best part of L'Entrecote, besides the fact that you don't have to order off of the menu - everyone gets the same meal....entrecote, french fries and salad -  is the fact that they keep returning to fill your plate when it is empty.  And the sauce, the secret sauce they pour over their meat - no one can figure out what it is - even though many of us have tried...and you know who you are.

What's your guilty pleasure?

Big surprise here.....more food!  My guilty pleasure is(are) Jelly Bellys - I can sit for hours thinking up new flavor combinations - and then being the official taster, this usually results in me feeling sick and swearing off of them for a year!  I also love a good bottle of French wine - but I do not love these two culinary treats together - definitely not!

Enough about food.....

What's on your bucket list?

I would like to take a textile tour of of India - the tour would include nothing but sitting around and watching fabric be blockprinted, woven or dyed all day, everyday.  In the evenings, I would stay at an Indian palace and learn how to cook Indian food.  I would watch a lot of Indian movies and wear a sari.  I like the idea of living in a different culture for a while - learning to live in another world.  JZ doesn't think I will ever be able to do this since I can hardly wait 30 minutes for a bus.  But I have faith.

What inspires your work?

My work is inspired by an old house in the middle of the South of France surrounded by lavender fields. And stripes - I love stripes.  Every time I see someone dressed in stripes I feel good - there is something fresh, simple and clean about stripes...they are timeless.

Coco in Stripes

What movie do you watch again & again?

Coco Before Chanel
and

The Great Gatsby
and

Jules et Jim
and

Bright Star

What's on your night stand?
(I really wish I had a picture of this - but my computer is on edge and I can't download anymore pics!)
Lavender sachet, stack of Cote Sud magazines, pictures of Sofia, and an old wooden jewelry box - filled with all sorts of old beads, rosaries and other charms I have collected.  I also have a book or three - one that I am reading, one that my mom gave me and one for inspiration.....The Root of Wild Madder by Brian Murphy, Tattoos on The Heart by Father Gregory Boyle, and Summers in France by Kathryn Ireland (thanks Mogull!)

Tell us about your pets...

This is Sofia and her pet chinchilla - Aladdin.  Actually he doesn't live with us, we just sponsor him so he can live in a natural habitat at the Moorpark Training Zoo.  We are allowed to visit him once a month - which we have done once - he's cute and very soft.

This is me at an angora goat farm we found in the South of France this past summer.  This isn't really my pet - but I loved this little baby kid and would have loved to have taken him home with me!  He fell asleep in my arms - and I fell in love.

In real life, we have two cats, Johnny and Boots - both found us - while looking for food and love. Johnny is the tough boy and Boots is the show cat - well, at least that's what we tell them.  This is a picture of Johnny sleeping - something he does very well.

What creative plans are in your future?

Besides Rouenneries Deux being released in the Spring 2012, which is very exciting, I am working on a paper arts line for EK Success which will also be available in the Spring and a home decorating fabric, trim and wallpaper line which will be available in the Spring of 2013.

Best of Show!

Ok - enough about me! How about a fun County Fair project designed with our new collection, Rouenneries Deux! This simple project can be made out of all the scraps you never want to throw away. Use these pins to commemorate special events or tie onto packages for the holiday season.

Download Ribbon Pattern Here

Now...for the really fun part! (And we're almost done here!)  I have a handful of precuts to giveaway to a few lucky winners - all you have to do is leave me a comment and tell me what your guilty pleasure is! As long as you know all of mine...I may as well know some of yours! Thanks for playing along and be sure to visit Lisa from Primitive Gatherings tomorrow!

Au Revoir!