Monday, March 17, 2008

My Princess had a first birthday!


Ophelia Magdalene, the Princess of Poo, is turning one on March 25th. But with Easter on the 23rd, we decided to throw her a party this past weekend. And what better to celebrate our little 'Phelia than to throw her a very regal, very royal themed party. As an aside, I adore theme parties....like adore them. Any opportunity to don a costume and I am so there. So Mr. Saucy and I got ourselves gussied up (as the King and Queen, of course) to attend this gala event. Here are a few pictures:

Princess Ophelia and her charming brother Prince Romeo: (both outfits were made by Queen Saucy, using my own patterns)


The "set" - "Ophelia's Castle," Welcome ye royal subjects:


Ophelia's castle is interactive: you can climb inside.....


And stick your head out the other side!


And, of course, we had a castle cake:



I used a nordicware bundt pan that purchased at Williams-Sonoma two years ago. I'm not thrilled with the results. Despite overly zealous buttering and flouring, the darn thing still stuck. It's also very, very difficult to clean. I will try a spray next time.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

I want to grow cherry tomatoes all winter long...



I can do many things around my house but gardening is not one of them. I can't even grow weeds, which may be a good thing depending on how you look at it. When Mr. Saucy and I purchased our house, the previous owners had respectable landscaping....well groomed azaleas, blooming hydrangeas, tulips sprouting in neat rows...but as soon as we took over, something unpleasant happened. Even the relatively mainenance-free ivy-like ground cover around the trees began to look like crappola (possibly because I sprayed it with poison ivy kill and raked it) our lawn, while "greenish," is not technically grass since it's so weedy but from a distance it looks okay. The squirrels dig up my bulbs, my azaleas are overgrown, and my hydrangea bushes barely bloom. But I don't let these little set backs get me down. Ever summer we build a little garden on the back deck (our yard doesn't get much sun, so we keep boxes on the deck). We have grown tomatoes, peppers, and herbs in the past. Despite our best efforts, our plants never yield much fruit, but that single edible tomato is always a treat. But I just decided that I NEED an Aerogarden. An aerogarden is an indoor growing system that enables you to grow herbs, veggies, and flowers right in your kitchen. Apparently, it creates a "near-perfect rainforest growing environment." But the best part is that success is 100% guaranteed. No green thumb required...sign me up! I want to grow fresh herbs and vegetables in my kitchen and feed my family healthy loveliness all year long! I have been making an effort to buy more fresh produce and fully intend to support my local growers come farmer's market season. But, really, what is more local than my kitchen?

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Welcome



So these aspirations of domesticity didn't exactly start with the wedding...I've always appreciated domestic craftiness. But buying a house, being wife, and keeping a home gives my aspirations of domesticity a purpose. Plus, it's a lovely way to make an introduction. Meet me, Saucy Francaise...in the picture to the left, you'll see me and my husband, Mr. Saucy, looking down at guests on our wedding day.

For introductory purposes...here are my relevant stats:

I am Saucy Francaise, affectionately named by my loving husband, a movie buff, and derived from a line in History of the World: Part I ("Don't get saucy with me Bernaise").

I am married, gainfully employed in a reputable profession, the mother to two handsome canine children, and desperately seeking an outlet for my crafty endeavors.

Hobbies:
Sewing, baking (i JUST discovered no knead bread), all things domestic and girly, vintage thrifting.

Presently, I am into collecting milk glass, pink depression glass, and vintage hankies and linens. In the past, I have been known to hoard antique tea cups.

I decided to create this blog to keep track of my various projects.