Wednesday 14 April 2010

Mosaics, Meringue, Marais, Monet & Maggie's giveaway.

Mrs Matlock's class is discussing the letter M for this week's Alphabe-Thursday and to be honest I was spoilt for choice when thinking about today's post.
One of my very favourite weekly meme's, which I always try to join, is Mosaic Monday @ Mary's little red house. It was through Mary that I came to learn about Mosaics and how to create them. Click on the MM link to see Mary's Crab Apple Blossom Mosaic today.
When I wrote to ask her advice on how to make my mosaics larger she very kindly shared this information:
"to make your square mosaics (or pix) large, click on "Edit HTML" and change the width and height to 800 pixels. Also, change the bit of code that says s400 to s800. Then click "Save." That should do it.
For rectangular images, the numbers are 800 and 532, and s800."
I followed these instructions and the results were very good however this only worked when I was using the Minima Stretch template.
With a three column template the mosaic was too large and was cut off on the right hand side. To make it larger for a three column layout change the first two numbers to 600 and the last to 800.
I use Photoscape mostly for creating my mosaics I like the large choice of layouts that it offers, you can also adjust the size at the same time which makes life easier!
When I blogged recently about our long weekend in Paris I received so many wistful comments, from blogger friends who had visited Paris and would love to return, and from others who still had a trip to the City of Lights on their wishlist.
If you didn't see those posts first time around then click here & here to read all about the wonderful time we had.
Here is a little peek into one of the Marais' best kept secrets, "Le Loir dans la theiere", a cosy and charming tea room in the rue des Rosiers.
If you ever find yourself in the Marais I highly recommend this quirky place with it's eclectic furnishings and decor.


I have never in my life seen a lemon tart with a Meringue as high as this! Historic! It was delicious and too much, even for two of us to finish.
Time to segue into My giveaway.
To celebrate two years of blogging, all the wonderful friends that I have made and all the interesting things I have learned along the way, I have gathered together some gifts that may bring Paris a little closer for one of you.

To start your day off beautifully, a large porcelain cup and saucer, transfer printed with black and white scenes of Paris perfect for any petit dejeuner.
A slim volume entitled "Verrines" - 30 recettes faciles", crammed with wonderful appetizer recipes and illustrated with great photographs, it is sure to awaken the "Julia" in you.
From my visit to the Orangerie in the Tuileries Gardens a Book of Postcards of Monet's Garden at Giverny by Elizabeth Murray and finally a small notebook, featuring Renoir's painting of "Gabrielle et Jean" on the cover.
If there's space in the Colissimo box I may well be able to squeeze in a few more little souvenirs, who knows?
To enter the drawing for this cadeau français just leave a comment on this post only before the drawing takes place on my blog's 2nd anniversary: 24th April.
Bonne chance tout le monde

44 comments:

  1. Maggie, I gained 10 lbs. just looking at that delicious 'piled high with meringue dessert'! Yum!
    Monet has always been a favorite.
    Such fond memories of my one visit there.

    Have a great day!

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  2. The mosaics are beautiful but seem too complicated for me LOL.

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  3. Maggie that was a great M post! Do you know I never paid no mind to even learning how to do Mosaics, that was until I discovered Mary's site as well!~ Your mosaics and M post was lovely! Have a great day, and thanks for coming over:)!

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  4. Hi Maggie, your M post is lovely and I love the mosaic and all your pictures. Can I enter your give/away?

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  5. Magnificent Mosaic! Really wonderful! Love your art!
    Happy M-Day!
    Coralie

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  6. Another wonderful post, Maggie. The mosaics are lovely, but what really caught my eye was the lemon meringue pie. That is a tower if ever I saw one. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary

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  7. You've packed a lot of "m" into this post! I had to look twice to figure out the meringue on the pie - amazing!
    Love anything with a French theme - Monet is one of my favourite painters.

    Hope your day is Marvelous!

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  8. Maggie, MY mosaic mentor! Happy Day, dear friend!
    I wouldn't have had a bit of difficulty finishing off the lemon tart, all by myself. Can you put that in the Colissimo box? LOL
    Lovely group of souvenirs for your give away. I'm ready to go to the Le Loir dans la Theire. I don't think I've been to this one, but have added it to my Paris notebook. :-)

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  9. Maggie, that lemon tart looks wonderful! I would love to be entered into your wonderful french giveaway drawing. My France loving, French speaking daughter would be thrilled if I won and shared some of it with her. And of course I would. :-)

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  10. Good afternoon Maggie,

    I fall in love everytime I look at your new blog header. I love, love, love hydrangeas!

    You always had great mosiacs. I can't imagine you ever having trouble with them. I agree, I have NEVER seen meringue that high!!

    I am wondering if your area of France is involved in that volcano ash. The earth is making us aware that she is boss. Hope she settles down soon!

    You know me, I'd LOVE to win that giveaway. Count me in!

    Have a great week.

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  11. I dropped by for Alpahbe Thursday and found your lovely blog and wonderful give away!

    I love Monet and my dream is to visit his house in Giverny along with Paris, one day

    Your photo mosaics are wonderful!

    ♥ Pat

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  12. Lovely M post. ....meringue looks yuMMy, Mosaics are wonderful and I love Monet....stop by mine if you get a chance....blessings

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  13. oh i would love to see Paris ... I have only been there in my imagination ... perhaps one day i will get a chance to visit ... Love your mosaics ... i am completely stunned when it comes to things like that ... i am a patient person but not when it comes to computer programs so i doubt i will ever learn. Thanks so much for visiting my blog! Happy M Day!

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  14. I would love to go to Paris and just wander and watch people. I make lemon meringue pies with meringue that high! it is really pretty easy, just use 4 egg whites a little sugar.

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  15. I had to keep looking at the picture...I have never seen meringue that high...Oh my, that looks delicious!

    What a wonderful M post.

    I've toyed with doing the Mosaics but I wouldn't even know where to start. Sounds like you are a gold-mine of information.

    Your giveaway looks fabulous...Oh, I wished I lived in entry range!

    I suspect Arizona is a bit too far!

    Thank you Maggie for being such a magnificent part of our Alphabe-Thursday fun!

    You are a wonderful "M"!

    A+

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  16. I'll have to try that mosaic stretching tip in the morning - I've wondered how some people manage to make their mosaics so lovely and large.
    I'd love to be entered in your draw!

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  17. Nice mosaics and post you have here. Thanks for the comment on my blog.

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  18. Maggie, You should get extra credit for the most comprehensive M!

    Love the pie in the center of the mosaic!!!

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  19. I've had to catch up on these wonderful posts about your trip to Paris (I've been so busy) - many memories flooding back, such an awesome city to visit with beauty around each corner. Thanks for sharing Maggie.

    Your garden is far advanced compared to mine - we planted our Summer vegs. this week - I've been in the dirt every day it seems but the weather has been perfect for it.

    Lovely mosaics, especially in memory of your father.

    Your generous gifts for your upcoming blog anniv. are so amazing - please enter me as I would love a chance to win "a box full of France", the land so close to my heart.

    Happy weekend dear.

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  20. Love all of your Ms but Money is my favourite! Went to Giverny a few years ago and managed to get some excellent photos - very early in my digital days!

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  21. Beautiful mosaics Maggie! Thanks for the tips on sizing too. I haven't used photoscape yet but so many bloggers love it so I will have to give it a try.

    Thanks for posting these lovely French pictures. How amazing is that meringue!

    Best wishes and happy weekend,
    Natasha.

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  22. Congatulations on your 2nd year of blogging, Maggie. What great giveaways! I love your mosaics....Christine

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  23. Maggie, I am so overwhelmed by the beauty of your blogs! I think you always have such interesting features, but the photos and the colors and the outright glory of the page is what blows me away! Keep on giving us "feasts for the eye". Hugs

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  24. I had no idea blog world would be so fattening! Thanks for the tips on mosaics -- I've wondered how you all were doing them.

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  25. I love the look of that pie. Always enjoy your blog!

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  26. Lots of good M's in this post, Maggie. Monet's garden is a delight. Have you seen the real thing? It's gorgeous.
    And that meringue? Oh my! What can I say?
    And I have that book on verrines...imagine my surprise when I found it all in French! But that's what Google translate it for! And I've since posted several from the book. The French were so far ahead of us on this one.
    Love your mosaic info. Thanks.

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  27. Ah lovely mosaic....made me nostalgic for Paris. I was there summer of 2000!That is one gigantic meringue pie!

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  28. A Myriad mosaics! I got similar info about the pictures from 1st Floor Flat (its on my blog roll) but they just said delete the width and height and change the s400 to s800. Clever of you to do Mrs Matlock's class at the same time! Here's mine

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  29. Maggie how excited I was to see images of Monet's garden in your mosaic today!I was there year before last and shall always remember the serenity I felt as I stood by this pond..I felt as though I was dreaming and not actually standing on the bridge.He certainly captured the beauty of his garden of bliss in his paintings!
    Congratulations on your second year blogging!I'm sure you'd agree never did you imagine the friends that you meet!
    Have a wonderful day!

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  30. Maggie,

    What beautiful mosaics and M post. Your giveaway sounds wonderful especially that cup and saucer!!!

    Have a great week!

    Carol

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  31. Hi Maggie! Oh,your mosaics are so pretty! I love Photoscape too!
    I have been to Paris a few times and am always ready to go back. Love your pretty mosaic!
    Thank you so much for popping in to see me.
    be a sweetie,
    Shelia;)

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  32. Maggie thankyou so much for visiting my blog. I too love working with mosaics and it was great when I discovered the Little Red House and MM as I now could see what others have created. I just use picasa. I've never tried the one you suggest in this post so I must try and find it on google.

    That lemon meringue looks delicious - its a favourite dessert of mine.

    I don't think Paris is on our destination list just yet. I think Flanders and visiting the Somme battlefields is next on my hubbys list.

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  33. Maggie,
    It is always such fun to read your blogs. I love staying in the Marais with it's collection of funky shops, bars and the incomparable Place des Voges.

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  34. Wonderful mosaic and photos. The lemon meringue looks delicious!

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  35. Oh my goodness, it looks so good...yummmy! I love your mosaics!

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  36. You're doing very well with those mosaics now! Happy Blog Anniversary!

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  37. Hello Maggie - I too am grateful to Mary for her inspiration and instructions on creating a mosaic. Now I will look forward to "stretching" with your help. I was thinking of Paris when I posted my one photo mosaic yesterday. I remember being in Paris in April 6 years ago - it was glorious! I'll check back to see your blog often - I'm just new to blogging. Happy Spring!

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  38. Maggie, Just reading the 38 comments that precede mine leads me to suggest that you sponsor a trip to Paris so that everyone can test all the wonderful M pastries, including the Meringue pies, the Macarons in all their manifestations, a Millefeuille or two (whipped cream or custard), Madeleines (for Proust, of course), and to be modern, maybe a Muffin or two! a+ ... judy

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  39. Lovely. We spent the best two weeks of our life in France. You have made me homesick... Happy for you and your lovely life and your lovely blog. Thank you for it. I'll be back to visit often. I live on an island with no bridges, stores, mail, no nothing! so if you ever get a chance to come over and visit me at my blog, come on over... :)

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  40. Hi Maggie,

    Love your mosaic and I would love to be entered into your giveaway.

    big hugs,
    Barb

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  41. Happy Happy Anniversary to your blog! I didn't know about that tearoom, but I'm looking forward to exploring it with you--this summer?

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  42. I somehow missed this post last week and glad you directed us over from this weeks post! That pie looks to die for. I have not tried the mosaics, one day. Of course I would love to win your giveaway who would not. Happy blogaversary!

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  43. Omigosh, now I'm craving Lemon Meringue pie! What a wonderful post, Maggie -- thanks so much for sharing at MM. :)

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Thanks for stopping by, your visit just made my day!