At the moment I am re-reading the Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It is probably my second favourite tale of hers, after A Little Princess and starts off in a very similar way. Young Mary Lennox is forced to leave India after a cholera epidemic and she goes to stay in Misselthwaite Manor. Mary finds that the Manor has many secrets, the garden being only one of them.

I find the idea of a Secret Garden so enchanting. A private place away from the world where one can be alone, or share it only with their loved ones. A walled paradise, each season refreshing the decor. There would be a swing with climbing roses running down the ropes and a little lake with golden fish. Great oaks and ashes would grow around its edges with delicate silver birch in between and every flower imaginable, narcissus, lillies, violets would grow wild between the paths. I would love a garden such as this.

The French have a concept, Le Jardin Secret, which I admire. It is a metaphor for one’s private inner sanctuary, where the most secret emotions and dearest memories are kept. It is peaceful place where you can go to be most truly yourself and enjoy your own dreams and fantasies I think we all have a place like this, even if there is not a term for it in english, and it is very closely linked to my own idea of what it means to be a Princess and a Lolita. For me, beautiful clothes and songs and stories are the keys to this place where I feel truly at peace with who I am.

Merci Julie, Victoria and Amélie for your help with defining le jardin secret

I love doll houses and miniatures. Apart from the undisputed fact that a tiny version of something is always infinitely cuter, I think Doll Houses offer a way to indulge in a fondness for period decor and luxurious old homes even if one can’t have a life size manor.

I had a little Victorian doll’s house when I was younger, but some day I would like to build a Chateau, inspired by Versailles but a little simpler, with blue panelled walls and painted ceilings and gilt furniture. It would take me a very long time to finish though and I have some other projects to complete first, such as my vanity.

I hope you will enjoy these links as much a I did. There are some really amazing dollhouse artists out there!

Greenleaf Dollshouse Kits
Greenleaf make a wide range of dollshouse kits. These come uncompleted for you to put together and paint yourself. From charming gingerbread cottages to grand manors they have so many different styles. I love imagining who would live in each of these houses.

Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle
This is my favourite dollhouse ever! It was put together by talented craftspersons using exquisite materials such as chinese jade and real jewels. Each room tells the story of a famous fairy tale and is amazingly detailed. There is even a library with miniature books. I wouldn’t mind living here myself.

The Dolls House Emporium
Another dollhouse store. They make some beautiful houses and furniture but I think they are a bit expensive. I just like looking at the high quality photos and getting ideas. I especially love their conservatories. Don’t miss their 3d dollshouse tour either!

Hogwarts Dollhouse
For the Harry Potter fans. This is a really stunning piece, every room is so full of miniatures all heavily influenced by the movies. It is such a big dollhouse I imagine it would be even more impressive in real life. I like the Gryffindor common room, it looks so cosy!

Fairy Woodland
For something a little different, houses for fairies instead of dolls! They’re made from natural materials and would blend in well in their woodland habitat. I adore the tiny fairy furniture and think it would be simply magical to have one of these in your room, all lit up from the inside!

Dollshouse Castle
Ok, I admit, I have a weakness for Castles. Here is another beautiful example, luxuriously appointed with marble bathrooms and chandeliers. The photos taken of the interior make them look like real rooms. It is 9 feet high, can you believe it? I like the piano room and the tiny gold and silver chess set. So much work goes in to these houses, they are masterpieces in themselves!

When a Princess goes out she must be prepared for all eventualities, tucked away in a handbag or purse she carries all those little essentials and treasures that she can never be without.

Today’s lesson is a bit of fun. I have put together a list of items that a princess might like to carry with her, of course this varies with each of us and I would love to hear about the contents of your reticule as well!

A Handkerchief, lace or otherwise, embroidered with her initials. For little sneezes and coughs and to offer to a tearful friend or aquaintance.

A cardholder, silver or embossed leather perhaps. To hold one’s calling cards and other important pieces of plastic and paper.

A small diary or notebook and a pen. For recording her wonderful adventures and whimsical thoughts. Also useful for shopping lists, to do lists and spontaneous poetry.

A folding hand fan, lace, bamboo or paper. For cooling oneself on a hot day or in a stuffy room. Also keeps one’s hands busy and can be used for signalling friends and gentlemen.

Cosmetics case, containing a little powder, lip gloss, a comb, mirror and a small bottle of perfume at the least. For refreshing oneself and maintaining appearances.

A little coin purse, possibly beaded or made of tapestry, with enough change for emergencies and charity.

A handful of boiled sweets, mints, candied nuts or small chocolates. To take away a bad taste or keep her from feeling faint. Also nice to be able to offer to a tired or woeful friend.

A good book, to relieve moments of bored and transport one far away when life gets a little too tedious. Very useful when one is forced to wait for anything.

Gloves. Warm fur trimmed in winter, lace in summer, silk for evenings. Gloves are one of the most elegant accessories and also protect the hands and prevent one from picking up unwanted germs.

Sewing kit. Cute little emergency sewing kits are easily found and invaluable in cases of a lost button or loose thread.

Other things this Princess sometimes carries: bubble blower, disney princess bandaids, birdseed, tami-chan, organizer, purikura album, cute stickers, keys, tea bags, purse, compact mirror, camera, pink DS lite and sometimes Milky or Fleur for company!

This afternoon I had the pleasure of watching a rare gem of a film, Studio 4C’s Arete Hime (or Arîte Hime.) It is a story set in a beautifully realised medieval world in which young Princess Arete is living in the highest tower of her Father’s castle, locked away (or so they think) until the day a husband is chosen for her. Meanwhile she watches the townsfolk and reads her books, full of wonder and awe at what human skill and creativity can achieve. The king and his advisors use the young men, eager to win her hand (moreso her kingdom) to find treasures belonging to the lost race or Sorcerors.

When a real Sorceror comes to the castle to claim her as his wife, he casts a spell on her turning her in to what those at court think is a ‘real Princess’ and carries her off to his ruined castle. I can not really describe this film in such a way that will communicate how beautiful it is. The characters are not as you expect them to be, the Princess is really very intelligent and resourceful, the Wizard is not evil so much as ignorant. There are so many themes contained in what seems such a simple little story that it is quite touching.

The artwork and animation is beautiful, it has a slight Ghibli feel to it, as does the story. This is a slow film though, there is virtually no action but it is relaxing to watch and so peaceful. Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon. I found the music score enchanting too. This little film is unassuming but very very heartfelt, I am so glad I found it.

This morning I was looking at poor Tami-chan who has lost several of her crystals and decided to make an order from Strapya to replace them. I also got some cute new charms and I can’t wait until they arrive! I have been thinking of getting this Wabi-sabi Hello Kitty charm for quite some time and finally gave in. I want to do some cell phone charms for Petit Miel as well with little strawberries and cream cookies and pearls

I had a fairly quiet day, staying cool in my air-conditioned chambers and reading. In the evening I went in to the City to see An Li and Laura before they head back to their new home with their kittens! It was nice to see them again and catch up with Clara and Cyndy too. We took lots of purikura and played in the arcade before heading out for late night Gelato.

The Little Mermaid is a literary fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson, that is, it does not have an oral tradition but was written as a part of a collection of original Fairy Tales by the famous Danish author. I find it one of the most moving of his stories and also very beautiful in description.

The Little Mermaid is the daughter of the King of the Sea literally a sea-princess. Her castle is of pearl and shells and rests deep beneath the waves. She is an interesting character, instead of being rescued by her Prince she rescues him. She also has a great curiousity about the land above the waves and goes to amazing lengths to try to earn the love of her Prince, giving up her beautiful voice and spending each day in pain caused by her new legs and feet.

I can understand how she could be seen as a rather bad role-model for women, in that she gives up everything for and is solely devoted to her Prince, even when he does not return her affection. However I don’t think the story is meant to teach us to be that way, but rather expresses the anguish that is unrequited love or yearning for something we can not attain. It is such a sad, beautiful tale and I think any one who has loved or desired something out of their reach could easily relate to the Mermaid’s choices. For losing that dream, can almost feel like dissolving in to sea foam, in to nothing, when a part of us dies.

You can find the original version of the tale here. I read it again today, for I haven’t in quite a long time, and was moved near to tears. I always wondered if she wasn’t given a name, because she didn’t have a soul and what her name would have been when she aquired one.

Miss Charlotte and I attended a Doll picnic this afternoon to see Laura, An Li and Laura’s dolls Shinku and Li Mei who were visiting from interstate. Cyndy organized a lovely little picnic in a park near where they were staying, it had such beautiful streams and fountains and was perfect for taking photos! It was really nice to see everyone again

We had yummy scones and fizzy drink and talked about all manner of things before taking some cute shots in the gardens. Miss Charlotte wore her BABY red riding hood set, a miniature version of the one sold for people, and although it was a bit warm I think she looked adorable. She also brought some little bracelets as gifts for Laura’s girls who we have not seen for some time.

It was a delightful afternoon and I took so many photos, but I’m still working on editing and uploading them all so here is a cute picture of Miss Charlotte enjoying the summer sunshine. Thank you to Cyndy for organising the meet up and inviting us!

17/01 - Photos now up in the gallery!

Of all the virtues commonly attributed to Princesses, I believe one of the most misunderstood is Grace. When many of us think of being Graceful, we see this as a merely physical thing. To walk lightly, have elegant mannerisms and never tread on anyones toes. Gracefulness of this kind is of course admirable but I would like to think there is a little more to the concept than that.

The world presents us many challenges from day to day, sometimes we are plagued by mishaps and accidents, sometimes it is other people that cause problems for us with their behaviour. Unfortunately we can not control everything in our lives and as good and kind as we try to be, bad things will still happen to us.

There are two ways we can respond to these misfortunes. The first is by expressing our anger, frustration or angst. The second is with Grace. Now, I must clarify that I am talking about small, daily misfortunes here, obviously larger life issues may not be so simple to deal with.

To act with Grace is to show composure under trialing circumstances. It is to maintain a balanced mental and emotional state and to treat others with consideration, even when they have not done so in return. To have Grace is to know how to let go of things that are unimportant, to step away from the scene emotionally and step above it mentally. A Graceful person has an inner strength and calmness that is obvious in their manner and speech. Grace is one of the most beautiful things in a person’s character and makes life easier and more pleasant for themselves as well as those around them.

Accidents happen. We all break glasses, trip on loose stones, drop things and scrape our knees. Even Princesses. It is easy to get annoyed when these things happen, if others are around we may even feel embarrassed for it. While our first reaction may be to kick whatever caused the mishap and swear loudly, this is not a graceful way of dealing with it and will probably only draw more attention. Try to accept that these little things happen, its noones fault not even your own and there is no need to make a fuss about it. Clean up and move on with your day without letting it get to you.

Rude people are always a challenge to one’s patience, such as when they cut in front of you in line or take something without asking. Others can make our days a little less pleasant with their lack of consideration. Treat them with Grace and politeness regardless. Usually they will be out of your life as quickly as they came in to it, so there really is no need to let them get to you, then it becomes your problem not their’s and is a real waste of energy. If someone is actually preventing you from going about your activities it is not hard to say a simple “Excuse me, but I need to ….” and thank them when they’ve complied.

Life isn’t fair. Sometimes we have this idea that there should be some divine scale of justice. That we really deserved to win that competition or get that promotion and someone else, less deserving beat us to it. Try not to be a sore loser in life. Learn how to deal with losing gracefully and be happy for others in their success. Congratulate your competition and look for new opportunities for yourself.

We’re not the only ones who make mistakes, other people do as well. Sometimes those mistakes might cause an inconvenience for us and we can feel really annoyed at the person who made them. Try and forgive others for their failures, they may have been under some emotional stress or simply careless but treating them with patience and respect is more Graceful than lecturing them or expressing your anger. Politely make them aware of the error and move on.

There are always times where we feel like giving in to our frustration and having a good shout at someone or something. Afterwards we may realise that the situation could have been better handled, that it wasn’t that important and we feel rather silly for over reacting. When something goes wrong, stop yourself, take a deep breath and assess the situation. Is it really worth getting worked up over? How would a Princess respond to this problem? Smile, laugh it off and move on to more enjoyable uses of your time.

The weather has taken a turn for the warmer again and I was quite tired after my morning walk to the library. I did get out some interesting books though, including one on Tea which I’m looking forward to perusing. I had a pleasant surprise when I arrived home, for this lovely little package was waiting for me! It contained a letter, drawing and book from Jenavi. The book is Primavera by Francesca Lia Block (of whom I’ve heard many good things) and I can’t wait to read it. Thank you Jenavi! I thought the packaging was so cute as well

In the afternoon I had a little baking experiment. I tried to make coconut macaroons, an easier recipe than the French Macarons I would some day like to attempt. However I think not having an electric mixer worked against me, for although I beat the eggwhites thoroughly I could not get them quite stiff enough as is necessary for the recipe. I think I shall borrow a mixer from the Queen and try again soon. Wish me luck!

This weeks link carousel is all about delicious treats! I try to eat well most of the time but my weakness is a sweet tooth. My favourite local pâtisserie is Le Papillon and I also love the amazing cupcakes that are sold at the village markets near where the King and Queen live.

I would really like to learn more baking recipes, but even making simple cupcakes and decorating them can be a lot of fun! These links have given me inspiration and ideas, I warn you though, you might develop cavities after just looking at all these yummy desserts!

Cupcake D’lights by Zalita
Zalita is one of the most talented ‘cupcake artists’ online. She seems to be able to do just about anything with sugar and her little cakes often have miniature edible scenes or tiny worlds built upon them. Zalita has a great eye for colour and I’m equally fond of her simpler sweets, with tiny sparkling roses and delicate butterflies. Her Flickr gallery is also worth checking out! They all look too beautiful to eat.

Miette Pâtisserie and Confiserie
Miette is located in San Francisco and supplies a large range of cakes and confectionary. Their cakes are quite simple, but beautifully presented and they have some really original ideas for displaying candy. I especially like their potted gumball trees! It looks like a really fun place to visit, they even host birthday parties!

Ladurée
The pinacle of luxury cakes and pastries, Ladurée is famous for its amazing Macarons which sell in the thousands every day. They were also the exclusive pastry suppliers for the recent movie Marie Antoinette. I adore their packaging as well, everything is just so perfectly presented and elegant. It is one of my dreams to visit Ladurée in Paris!

The Pink Cake Box
Themed birthday, wedding and celebration cakes. The Pink Cake box has done some wonderfully creative designs and has a very unique flair. I like their crazy lopsided cakes because they look like something you would serve at the Madhatter’s Tea Party! Also worth browsing are the castle cakes and other designs by Manassas Cakery

Joy of Baking
If all of these links have stimulated your sweet tooth, you can find some recipes to indulge in over at Joy of Baking. They have categories for almost every type of sweet imaginable, this is the cake section and it all looks delicious. I want to try the Chocolate Pavlova and the Strawberry Charlotte! They have great photos to accompany the recipes which I find always helps.