belle epoque

On Friday Nancy and I had a lovely wandery day together eating, drinking and looking at pretty things. Our original mission was to visit the new Miette Confiserie in Hayes Valley. Nancy had read a glowing write-up and was determined to see it in person. It was as divine as promised. Outside? A stripey awning and a flowering cherry tree

Inside?

Sweet, sugary, pastel heaven! Nancy proclaimed the color scheme to be “Totally Nancy”- I know it is confusing, but she meant me, I think, not herself. The moldings on the walls were a perfect muted minty-green and the wallpaper?

Just this side of Art Nouveau and William Morris, perfect. And do you see the sweet illustration of dresses and skirts? Truly I could live at this candy store.

We also made our way over to the Mission where we met up with Camilla and shopped for jewelry bits and pieces at Beadissimo (you’ll see the result of that soon). Eventually we were all shopped out and stopped for refreshment and chatter at Que Tal

A perfect end to a happy spring afternnon!

Yay for needle felting! Inspired by Emily of The Black Apple (who is endlessly inspiring), I ordered a needle felting kit from A Child’s Dream and tried my hand at a racoon. Meet Rusty:

He likes midnight walks, opposable thumbs, chimneys and trash cans. Once when I was growing up we had a family of racoons living behind our chimney.  Animal Control rousted out a mother and her two little babies and took them away in traps.  We’ll let Rusty stay right here with me and Moondoggie, I think.

As far as my first foray into needle felting goes–I cheated a bit and didn’t get a felting mat, which I think resulted in Rusty being a little bit fluffy and not felted together as well as he could be. I plan to get some upholstery foam next time I come across it so that I can make some more little creatures with the remaining roving. I’m thinking a mouse or two, maybe a bunny and definitely one of the skunks they give instructions for in the kit!