As I am moving to the Charente next Friday ( sooo excited!!), I have spent the past few weeks looking at creative businesses in the area and PamelaJayne Photography  immediately caught my eye. I have recently become interested in photography, although only as a hobby, but Pamela has real talent. I particularly love her shots of the nearby countryside and I think it helps to promote the area to toursits too!
I was lucky enough to get the chance to have a chat with PamelaJayne and learn more about this talented photographer.


1.Firstly,what made you decide to move to France and how long have you
lived here?
 
That is such a good question I am not actually sure we ever decided to move to France - it sort of happened! We brought my parents over in a hire car with all their essentials and found them a long term Gite rental and drove home discussing the merits of living in France! 9 years later we are here and I would say very settled!


2.Which part of France do you live in, and what's it like to live
there?

We Live in the Deux-Sevrès in the Poitou Charentes and it was a good choice in the end! We seem to be well placed with just about everywhere we need to go an hour and half a way! It's very rural here but we
have Poitiers and Niort just 45 minutes away for our "city fix
3.When did you first discover your interest in photography?
My Dad is a very keen photographer - he also developed his own in his own dark room so - I remember having a camera from when I was about 8 years old a little 110mm and loved it. I then moved up to a 35mm camera as I got older as I also went away with a choir I was in to Eastern Europe and my parents thought it would be good to have a "nice" camera to use to make the memories! So really it's always been something I have loved to do and picked many hints and tips from my dad - too much sky, too much grass, etc... all goes in although I probably didn't like hearing it at at the time! Over time I spent my youth capturing photos of my friends, and then my girls and so it carried on....

4.Have you had any formal training?
I did photography back at school - we were lucky enough to have a dark room and did enjoy the time spent learning the basics but no - everything I do is completely self taught.

5.Among your works, do you have a favourite piece? Why?
That's hard as I am always quite critical of what I take, but as you have asked it's "So French" my French bike.....it just sums up our move to France taken in 2005 on my new digital camera a Canon Ixus which is a compact and is just "that" photo. 
6.Do you have a favourite photographer?
Without a shadow of doubt Amstel Adams...

7.What advice would you give to a budding photographer?
Shoot from the heart! See it - take it....there is always those that say about equipment but for me it's the what you see from your heart - probably sounds a bit icky but for me it's true, I am passionate about
my photography and even a simple food product shoot becomes something to put my heart into.  So enjoy what you do and take pleasure in it.

8. Did you find it challening to set up a business in France?
It hasn't been to bad setting up a business per se it's the time after building the business and trying to keep positive when sometimes it can anything but  -it is a challenge when it's freezing cold (and you have flu) and you are working at the Christmas markets or when it's boiling hot and you are in that heat all day selling "me" all day, although I really enjoy the markets and Foires etc...it's a chance to meet people and touch base with my regulars.  I love spending time with those that choose me for their portrait sessions it's another bond that lasts especially with the children and watching them grow up! So yes it's hard but oh so worth it in the long run....especially when you have the support of Family and Friends!
9.Your best tip or advice to other people considering moving to France?
I am not sure I have one really as everyone is so different - yes learn the language of course and research your area but don't leave it too late to do so - life is short, grab at it and take the chance you have nothing really to lose!


10. Finally, what do you like to do in your spare time?
haha I like this one - well I do have 2 lovely girls and a wonderful husband so spending time with them is paramount! Normally a day out somewhere when we can all get together, camera in hand making our own
Memories! Then there is cycling our wonderful countryside, swimming and walking, gardening and if I am really lucky reading although that's normally last thing at night! 

Go to http://www.pamelajaynephotography.com/ to check out more of Pamela's great photographs
 
Picture
I always love that feeling of excitement I get when I discover some artwork which I immediately fall in love with. I found a print of Fifi Flower's a few weeks ago and after going to her website, I found that this was no ordinary artist, this girl has  amazing talent! Her pictures are so fun and uplifiting, I smile every time I look at them.

I especially loved the fact that she clearly has a passion for Paris, one of my favourite cities in the world. Her paintings of French cafes, Parisian appartments and stunning views of the Eiffel tower will have you planning your next trip to France before you know it!


Fifi resides in the Los Angeles area of California… but part of her heart resides in Paris, France.  


“Art is an experience that transcends all cultural boundaries... it makes us feel!” Fifi Flowers


I was lucky enough to be able to interview Fifi so that I could find out more about this talented artist.


1. Fifi, when did you first become aware of your artistic talent?

Apparently, it runs in my blood.  My great grandfather and grandfather were interior designers and custom designed and built furniture.  My mother is an amazing artist and she can draw anything.  Her brother designs and builds race cars.  So I suppose it is an inherited talent. 

2. Did you receive any formal art training?

I did in fact go to college and major in Graphic Design and minor in Art History.  I did not plan on majoring in hands on art, I wanted to major in Art History and be a museum curator at one time.  When I found out I needed to transfer to another college I switched to commercial art studies
.

3. Do you work from life, from photographs or from imagination?

I would have to say a little of all those elements.  I love to create artwork from what I see daily. 
Since I don’t have time to sit somewhere and paint or sketch, I usually snap photos of things I would like to paint.  When I do create artwork I like to add elements that are in my imagination; adding unusual colours or perhaps items that would not normally be in the subject I am painting.


4. Where do you do your painting?

I mostly paint in my small loft space in my home.  If I am working on large canvases, I paint in my bedroom.  My home is filled with several windows, making anywhere in my home perfect for putting my paintbrush to work.
 
5. Who is your favourite artist?

This is the easiest question of all.  Hands down Henri Matisse is my favourite artist. I love all of his paintings and I have been extremely fortunate to attend a few of his exhibits from California to New York to Paris.  I have re-created a few of his paintings and they hang throughout my home.
 

6. What advice would you give to a budding artist?

Paint what YOU love!  That is the best advice I can give.

 
7. In your own home, what is your personal design style?

My home is very eclectic.  I have a mixture of antiques, contemporary décor and French inspired paintings that I created.  Most people tell me my home belongs in Europe or that they feel like they walked into a European home.  If I could, I would bundle up my décor and move it to Paris, France.  It would all be parfait in a Parisian apartment.
8. What do you love to do in your spare time?

Hmmmm…I have to ask “what is spare time?”  I truly do not have much spare time these days. 
Between illustrating for a few magazines,  occasionally painting commissions and writing a series of racy romance novels I try to rest and read books… oh and I do like to go out for a bit of champagne every now and then!

 
9. I noticed from your blog that you have a passion for France. What are your Top 3 things to do when you visit?

Three things to do anywhere really; eat, drink and be merry!  That may be a little to general so I will tell you what the perfect day would be for me in Paris.  Waking up to a lovely croissant and café crème while looking out to the Seine. Strolling along the rues and boulevards. Visiting the Musée d’Orsay, gazing at the wonderful artwork and the stunning clock that makes my heart skip a beat. Finding a small intimate place to sip wine or champagne and delight in tasty morsels.  I hope to do all of these things by the end of 2014.
10. It's so exciting to hear that your novel "A Window to Love" is going to be published next month. What inspired you to write a book?

I have been writing stories since I was a little girl and have volumes and volumes of stories, essays, journals and poetry at my mom’s home.  On my computer I have old screenplays that I wrote when I attended film
school.  And at one time I wrote children’s books.  So I guess I can say I always wanted to publish a book, but up until now never had the courage to do it.

I’m extremely excited about having my first novel “A Window to Love” published on August 11, 2013 in paperback and e-book format. This is book one and seven more stories will follow this one to complete my Window Book Series.  I adore all of my characters especially my first two, Melissa and Evan, and I will continue their love story throughout all the books.  I just could not walk away from these two characters and I look forward to everyone falling in love with them as well.


11. How would you describe " A Window to Love" to future readers?  Maybegive us a little sneak peek?!


I will provide you with the official synopsis of the book “A Window to Love…”

Melissa Bennette, a young beautiful woman who has tragically lost her parents in a devastating plane crash, is set to spend another Christmas holiday alone until one night, as she gazes into the dressed up holiday windows of New York City and her path crosses with the gorgeous man of her dreams.

Evan Duke is the world's top male model, dreamed about and wanted by women everywhere, but he only has eyes for her.

This erotic tale of twists, turns and surprises stretches from twinkling lights of New York to the sun drenched beaches of Santa Monica to the art world of Paris. With each destination, the layers of their lives and closely held secrets fall away as a beautiful love grows out of the weeds of self doubt and heartbreak.

For more book teasers and excerpts from the book visit my official author page: www.ChampagneGirlStudio.com
There is a warning on the site because the book and site contain adult content.  The site is safe.

For more info about Fifi Flowers and to see her more of her fabulous prints, go to www.fififlowers.com
 
Sorry for not posting in the past week or two but my life has been taken over by packing up boxes. Not an exciting task and especially not in this heat! The removal men are coming next week to take the first lot of stuff so I will be a lot happier when my lounge and bedroom aren't completely filled with boxes!! lol.

I found some gorgeous prints today by Ramon Ward Thompson and I can't believe how stunning they are.
Ramon is a Fellow of the Royal Art Society of New South Wales and has been painting on a full-time basis for 40 years.  His work is represented in galleries and collections in Australia and overseas. He has had many successful one-man exhibitions and his works have been reproduced in limited edition books
and prints. 
Ramon lives on Sydney's lower north shore and his love of this beautiful city is evident in his portrayal of Sydney Harbour and the surrounding city area.  He brings to his studies of city life - the outdoor cafes, flower markets and old terrace houses the same soft study in light that has always been uniquely his own.  He also enjoys painting in the great cities of Europe and returns whenever possible to capture the softer
European light against a background of old historic buildings and monuments. 

To see more of his work go to : http://www.ramonwardthompson.com/ramonWardThompson/gallery_earlier%20work.html
 
London Reflections - St Paul's
Rue St Dominique Paris
SPRING MORNING - ST GERMAIN, PARIS
 
Picture
We were in Carcassonne this morning to check that the Holiday Appartment we manage was ready for the guests who are arriving this afternoon.

Whilst we were there we walked past a Vide Grenier in one of the main squares in the centre of town. There looked to be some great pieces so of course, we couldn't resist stopping to have a look.

My Mum and I really like vintage trunks which the French often put at the ends of their beds and store Winter clothes in. There were some really nice trunks at one stall but we had to see sense, as we would just be adding to the mass of things that we already have that need to be moved up to the Charente. We will definitely be hunting for them at the many Antique fairs that they have in the bigger cities up there.My Mum used to run an Antique shop back in the UK when I was a baby so she is always on the look out for more pieces to add to her collection.

As we have a huge fireplace in our Den at the new house and will be installing a wood-burning stove, we bought some lovely wicker baskets to hold the wood. Only 5 euros each so a good investment.

Mum with the Vintage towel rack which she bought for her en-suite bathroom at the new place.

Even though I have lived in Carcassonne for 5 years, I still love to do a bit of sight-seeing every so often. I always find new sculptures or features of buildings which I hadn't noticed before. Here are some pictures which I took this morning in town :
A lovely fountain on the periphery road which surrounds the "new town".
One of the streest on the outskirts of town. Lovely blue skies, perfectly cut green grass. Perfect...
Beatuiful shades of purple
Stunning carved details on this building. I love the double doors too. So grand!
One of the Art Museums in Carcassonne. There are so many striking buildings in town. We are spoilt for choice.
The old school in Carcassonne. One of my favourite buildings in town. Such amazing attention to detail...
 
Picture
We started our day early this morning as we love to get to the Vide Greniers as early as possible before all the best items have gone. We arrived just after 9am but a lot of other people had the same idea!

They hold the Vide Grenier on the outskirts of Pennautier, down a lovely tree lined street. As you can see, it really is such a nice place to hold a market. There was a buzz in the air as people found great bargains and people bartered with stall owners trying to find the best price.

We weren't searching for anything in particular but we saw a lovely set of 6 wine glasses for 3 euros. We could certainly get tipsy after a drink or 2 out of them as they hold a lot more wine than other wine glasses we own!


I will miss the Vide Greniers in the Languedoc when we move to the Charente region in 3 weeks but they certainly have as many, if not more, in the villages and towns there. That's what I love about France, lazy Sundays which start with a fresh Pain au Chocolat from the Boulangerie across the road, then a stroll around a Vide Grenier and home for a delicious lunch on our shady terrace, watching the world go by.

Here are some photos of the Vide Grenier and the lovely surrounding countryside:

 
Well life is certainly busy at the moment!! Despite our original completion date for our house sale being the 1st week of September, we have recently been told that it's been moved forward to the 2nd August. Things never normally move quickly in France but it's typical that when we need time to organise things, all the paperwork has gone through really fast.
So we now need to get our bums into action and start packing up. With 2 two bedroom houses to pack, there is a lot to sort through. Plus we have 2 of everything, including fridge/freezers, washing machines etc. so it should be interesting to fit all of that into 1 kitchen at the new house. I do like a challenge though! :)

We are heading up to the Charente on Friday for another visit to our new house. We are meeting with a few builders to get quotes. We need to get things done to make the property habitable such as new flooring, having the beams sprayed, connecting the hot water boiler, making sure the electricity is on. Lots to do as it needs some further renovation work to get it up to a reasonable standard but it's such a lovely house that I'm happy to do whatever work is necessary
Compared to my house here in the Languedoc,when we first bought our 2 properties, this renovation project is simple!!! Mine was actually used for keeping animals, so as you can see from the picture of my Lounge and Kitchen,before and after, there was a lot to do and it was a similar story throughout the whole house.
Despite all the work to do, we are really excited about starting up our new lives in the Charente region. If you have any reccomendations for great restaurants or some upcoming Vide Greniers in the area, then let me know. We can't wait to get out and start exploring xxx
 
Well, we enjoyed another lovely lunch in Place Carnot. For me, it's not about the food really, it's more about the atmosphere. I love to watch people walking around the square, taking photos and simply enjoying Carcassonne in the sunshine. My stomach must be shrinking ( it's a miracle! ), as I actually struggled with the 3 course meal this time. I would have liked a bit of a break before we had our dessert but Mum wasn't having that so full steam ahead, ordering 2 Creme Brulee. Fortunately we had done all our tasks before lunch so there was no rush to finish. 
We decided to stroll back to the car park via the main shopping street. What a mistake! Like moths to a flame, we saw "Soldes" on all of the shops. Oh dear lol. What bargains though! Mango and PROMOD were the highlights. I found a lovely pair of navy tailored trousers reduced to just 20euros, 2 stylish vest tops and a dotty cardigan for only 12 euros each. Do not let me go into any more shops!!!
 
Although we have all been complaining about the bad weather, it has really helped our garden to flourish over the past few months. We've never seen it so green and the Rosemary and Lavender have really grown which has brought lovely scents for when we sit out in the garden during the (rare!) sunnier evenings.

Here are some photos of our garden, taken today. Excuse the few weeds which I need to remove! xxx
 
Well, it's another grey and cloudy day. Is this Summer 2013?? Although my Mum always says that Sundays are jinxed and if any day is going to have bad weather, it's a Sunday!

There is a Vide Grenier all day in Pezens today and as it's just 5 minutes down the road from our village, we decided to head over there earlier this morning to see if we could find some bargains for our new house. I'm glad we went early as it was sooo busy! Cars everywhere and you know how people area, they just abandon their cars anywhere. Nobody seemed to want to walk so parked as near as possible to the Vide Grenier. We were happy to walk ( it was only 5 minutes!!) so parked down one of the side streets where there were no cars at all. What a surprise!

We walked over the bridge in Pezens and approached the Vide Grenier. Despite the miserable weather, there were lots of stalls with a huge variety of items. From lovely baby clothes to old furniture to glassware, there was something for everyone! As with all Vide Greniers and carboot sales in the UK, there are always some stalls which are filled with total junk, but that's to be expected. Not everybody has perfect pieces of furniture and homeware to sell on.

It was quite the social occasion and we bumped into several people we knew and it was nice to have a good catch up. They had all found some good bargains so were heading home with their purchases. We were just walking past the last few stalls, having given up on finding anything when I spotted two mirrors resting against a stall on the floor. They are quite rustic looking and would look great in a cottage-style property. This is the kind of style we are going for in the Kitchen and the Den in our new house so they were perfect. We asked the price and at just 8 euros each how could we refuse!!!
Picture
I bought a vintage dressing table a few years back and I have been searching for perfume bottles to put on it, which match the style of the table. At the very last stall I found this lovely perfume bottle. Just 4 euros, so I had to buy it. I am now going to "have to" go to several more Vide Greniers and Brocantes to see if I can find more perfume bottles. After all, I can't just have the one, it would get lonely! xxx

 
Perphaps I'm becoming forgetful in old age ( yes, the grand old age of 26!), but I'm sure I never spent so much time filling in paperwork back when I lived in the UK. The Compromis du Vente arrived today for me to read through and sign and there are so many pages to read through. Most important are the DPE Reports which all seem to be OK but will have a friend check through them for me to make sure I haven't translated anything wrong.

Then I have the fun of signing and initialing and writing "Lu et approuve, bon pour accord" on various pages. I feel it's going to be a long afternoon so I'm taking a break to have lunch. I can't complain as all of this leads to the excitement of having a house which we love, I just wish everything could be completed faster. I'm not a patient soul! lol.

We got a plan of the house in with all the paperwork today which I'm so pleased about as I have spent several days arguing with Mum about the layout of the rooms. Even she admits that she has a tendency to look round a house, step out again and immediately forget where any of the rooms are in relation to others. Hopeless!! So I will be sitting her down when she gets home to show her that I am right (as usual!) about the layout xxx