Sonya Nimri

I've always admired this Royal Adderley English China floral bouquet my mom had in her bathroom. The dainty delicacy of the flowers would be hard to recreated with anything but china. I always wondered how I could wear those pretty flowers. With this truly amazing putty called Amazing Mold Putty and a little resin I figured it out a simple way to make a ring. Plus, once you have the mold cast, you can make as many as you want for friends! What You Need: Amazing Mold Putty (available at Michael's) English Rose (I've found these at Goodwill lately but ebay has quite a selection as well) Casting Resin Resin Dye Glitter (optional) Ring back with flat disc attached Super Glue Directions: Mix two part putty then cast rose getting as much of the head of the rose as you can. Mix resin according to directions. Make sure to stir for long enough and pop bubbles that may arise. Add dye as well. I added a drop of red and a smidge of blue for a purple-y pink. Fill the amazi

Macaron Magnet vs. the real thing  Everywhere I went in Paris there were lineups for the melt-in your mouth desserts invented by Pierre Desfontaines (grandson of Louis Ernest Laduree) at the beginning of the 20th century.  There was even a song on the radio called " Ca M'enerve " that complained about said lineups at Laduree .  Of course, I had to see what all the fuss was about.  Macarons are French desserts made of a delicate almond paste and sugar shell filled with ganache, usually butter or cream based, but sometimes jelly or caramel as well.  They look like little hamburgers.  They are pricey, ranging from 1.5 euros to 2.5 euros each (about $3).  Laduree, the most famous of the macaron toting patisseries, is located conveniently (and dangerously, I might add), on the very street where I was staying.  There, I found exotic flavors such as licorice, violet black currant, orange blossom, and their two most popular flavors- caramel and rose.  Up the street was Gerard Mul

If you've ever been to an Antoine et Lili boutique , you would be struck by it's lively, colorful, ethnic, fun, yet somehow very Parisian style.  It makes you want to paint every wall in your house a different color and ban black from your wardrobe.  They sell only  women's clothing at most locations but at the location on the Canal St. Marten in Paris' 18th district there is a whimsical children's store where they sell children's clothes, great toys, geese lamps, and this yummy vintage car-print cheese cloth by the meter.  I had to get some.  It cost 4.5 euros for half a meter and is so wide that I would say it's a pretty good deal.  Check out this fun bib I made for the little angel baby complete with toy car! What You Need: Cheese Cloth (1/4 meter) Clear Vinyl, (I used a package that a bed sheet had come in) Sewing Machine Toy Car Velcro Directions: Trace or freehand draw a bib.  Make it a little bigger than you imagine the final bib being- say 1/4- 1/2 i

I learned French partly through a program called French in Action. There is an episode where they go to the Catacombs of Paris .  I'd always wanted to go and finally got my chance this trip.  It is a series of tunnels where they mined for the stone that many of the buildings are made of in Paris.  The tunnels are endless and cover a huge area below Paris.  A part of the the tunnels are dedicated to storing bones of overflowing cemeteries in the 1800s.  The bones were arranged in artful patterns and stacked into tapered pillars and curving walls.  Quite haunting and beautiful.

Paris is not the city to be a window display artist in.  The approach is no frills- just merch and prices- truly uninspired for a city that is all about inspiration.  Except for one place- Moschino at 33, rue de Grenelle in the 7th district.  Feast your eyes on these amazing windows. They fi rst photo where it is a room made out of fabric is so expertly sewn even the buttons on the phone were sewn on.  In the next windows, the life-sized marionettes are all made of wood.  Bravo Moschino !