Louis, Gifts & Showers

My blog posts tend to be grouped by daily activity, because Saturday and Sunday are my busy market days. I am self-analyzing a little after listening to The Skirted Roundtable Blog this week; go HERE to hear what they said last week about blogging. Until I explain more, here are the highlights of the day:

I met my dear client Sylvia and her hubby Gary, sans chiens; what was I thinking, not taking a photo of them?? I have emailed with Sylvia for months and discussed baskets & dogs and our lives at length, but never met in person; she was even dressed in an au courant navy and white French stripe top, which was perfectly compatible with her Eze basket. I would have taken her for a Frenchwoman today...I regret I did not get a shot of her with her Eze basket she had today, except I know she will be back....

I am currently taking applications for the next Spokes-Dog for French Basketeer. Maybe I should run a contest? I don't have the following that my blog-idols do, of course, but I think I am on to a great idea; I need a dog to pose with their owner, the owner holding a basket. The photo is about the dog and the basket, the person is usually anonymous in the photo. See my current HomePage for the Chic Shopper photo. My goodness, I haven't seen her in months and months, since I took that photo of her. The photo was made into a sketch by FifiFlowers HERE. I had notecards made up for her and her dog Laika. I will offer a Fifi Sketch and set of 12 notecards of the photo to the winner.

Today Louis the Black Standard Poodle visited my booth, and I took the opportunity to take two shots of Louis since he is such a gorgeous inky black dog, and he is the perfect French Poodle. In English we would pronounce Louis "LEW-iss", unless we specified that it was Louie, LOU-ee; but the French say "Lew-WEE" as in Louis XV. I also have to track down Patti and her perfect white Standard Abigail in CdM.

This is the first shot we took;
Here is the second, my favorite; I do want the baskets in the pic, but I think Louis blends in too much with the black rug; I would redo this with Louis in front of my signature black and white awning stripe and a single basket. Isn't he the ideal French Poodle for French Basketeer??? Louis's Mommy, please contact me re a re-do!!

I also brought the gift that I had prepared for Jacqueline's baby shower today; here it is with several items from her registry:
I used a large Marseille tote since she had asked for "neutrals only" and she is very design conscious; I hoped she would use it as a diaper bag that does not look like a diaper bag. This tote is one of my best-sellers; when in doubt, I suggest this basket. It is great for a daily carry.

I used a length of tulle and a high quality burlap ribbon, finished with fresh jasmine; EVERY shopper this morning commented on it, as they walked by. It was very fresh and pretty....and I sold several similar large totes for gifts as a result, as well as this tulle and burlap bow, for someone going to a bridal shower later in the day; I had more at home:
I also brought a basket of sweet peas and freesia to the party for the hostess; this is a little Eze basket; I put the flowers in a plastic bag (sorry!) with water to keep them fresh:
I brought my dogs Honey & Biscuit to the baby shower; they were tended to by the little girls and the everyone loved it; they had already met some of the guests, including Olivia:


I wish all best to Jacqueline and hope she enjoys her tote! I have full day tomorrow, and meeting with several French. More on that tomorrow.