Such Pretty Things

New York to Paris

 

Well, I am off for a nice, long Autumn weekend to one of my very favorite places...New York City.  I am so looking forward to some fun days of visiting with friends and family and hitting some of my favorite shops and museums. First stop will, of course, be the newly re-opened Shabby Chic on Mercer Street. I've held out as long as I can (two weeks?) and now it's time to see the new digs in person.  Have you seen the shop photos that Rachel posted on her blog?  They look so pretty - I can hardly wait!  

In addition to Shabby, I have a long list (as usual) of places that I want to go. I'm going to try to make it to as many as possible, but I fear I may be side-tracked by my daughters (American Girl, FAO, and Dylan's Candy Bar) and my husband (all THREE Apple Stores!).  So, wish me luck.  :-)

Now, before I go, I need to take you on a little trip to Paris.  Well, Paris to the Moon, that is.  This stunning little shop is located in Costa Mesa, California and is truly worth a visit.

Paris to the Moon gives new meaning to the words "eye candy".

Everywhere you look, there is something beautiful to see... 

Floating pink butterflies...

and sweet little birdies.

Pretty glittered and vintage wallpaper-covered crowns...

 

How about a pink bust?

Or some yummy candy party favors in pretty pastel colors...

Sherbet-striped ribbons...

Vintage goodies...like these adorable barrettes displayed on vintage playing cards.

I love these new "old" stock greeting cards...

and these lovely hankies.

There are also tons of gorgeous wedding cake toppers...

and lots of hand-made gifts - like these fun crepe paper prize ribbons.  

Paris to the Moon is a such a pretty shop.  So, do try to get there sometime and see it for yourself- it's just too beautiful to miss. 

Have a great weekend!

:-)

Jessica

Such A Pretty Anniversary

Well, I can't quite believe it, but today is the official one year anniversary of my blog.  Yes, over the past 365 days, I have written over 180 posts. I don't know where the time has gone - it seems like just yesterday that I was getting up the courage to write my first post and wondering if anyone out there in "Blogland" would ever find me.  :-)

Blogging has added a whole other dimension to my life.  It has reminded me how much I love researching information and discovering new things.  It has forced me to "do" so much more and to "try" so much more. It has made me see the world through the eye of the camera and take notice of all the pretty little details that I might otherwise have missed. And most importantly, it has introduced me to so many wonderful people...the most talented and creative people! People that I might never have been lucky enough to know or cross paths with...

So to all of you, my loyal and fabulous readers, I extend a heartfelt thank you for adding so much to my life - for making it a richer and more colorful place.  For all your sweet comments and emails.  For the wonderful friendships I have formed.  You all are truly the best!

As a small thank you, I am going to be holding a drawing this time next week.  Just leave a comment by next Tuesday and I will pick one at random.  The winner will receive a little package filled with some of my favorite pretty things...vintage millinery flowers, velvet ribbons, French sequins and colorful rhinestones.

I look forward to the year ahead...filled with lots of fun new projects, pretty parties, great shops, exciting trips, and lots of vintage finds.  I hope you'll join me...

XOXO

Jessica

Shabby Shop by the Sea

I found a really wonderful new (to me) shop while vacationing in Southern California this past August. On our way to La Jolla for dinner one night, we stopped by the seaside village of Ocean Beach to check out the antiquing.  I was so happy to discover Vignettes, a fabulous antique store filled with a plethora of shabby finds.  I knew I was in my kind of place the minute I stepped through the door and found this gorgeous vintage aqua, ruffled prom dress...

The rhinestone tiara collection at Vignettes is truly amazing!

There is also an incredible selection of furniture...

 There are walls filled with mirrors and frames.

And the Chandeliers!  Tons of them - in Italian tole with porcelain roses...

And French ones dripping with crystals...

If you are not in the market for a big ticket item, there are lots of smaller, gift items as well...like these pretty ribbon flowers.

Vignettes is only about six miles from downtown San Diego, so if you are in the area, it it totally worth a visit!  :-)

Vignettes - Antiques & Collectibles

4828 Newport Ave
San Diego, CA 92107-3111
(619) 222-9244

Sweets & Treats: Fabulous New Cookbooks from the UK

I absolutely love cupcakes, bakeries, and all things sweet, so naturally, I also LOVE books about cupcakes, bakeries, and all things sweet.  I have quite a cookbook collection going, but recently I discovered that some of my favorite UK bakeries had published their very own cookbooks. So, today, I am going to share them with you.

First up, this wonderful new cupcake cookbook from Primrose Bakery owners, Martha Swift and Lisa Thomas.

Primrose makes the most delicious (and beautiful!) cupcakes and cakes. Their specialty is the sweetest mini-cupcakes - all with a spectacular selection of topping, decorations, and sprinkles.

Their new cookbook is fabulous - filled with lots of yummy recipes.  The pretty photos, by Yuki Sugiura, are total eye candy!

This second book is from The Hummingbird Bakery, also one of my favorite London-based cupcake bakeries.

The Hummingbird cookbook has page after page of delicious recipes - from cupcakes to pies to cookies and muffins. And lots of beautiful photos by Peter Cassidy...

The final book is filled with mouth-watering photos of the prettiest candies and sweets. It's called Sweet Temptation by Nicki Trench.

There are lots of simple recipes for making wonderful treats that would be perfect for gift-giving this holiday season.

There is also a wonderful tutorial on making your own sugar roses! A pretty AND practical book.

You will notice that the book links that I have provided above will take you to a site called The Book Depository.  Do you all know about this site?  It's incredible.  I order a lot of design books that are published in the UK and they aren't always available here in the US or on Amazon.  The Book Depository is UK based and has great prices on books you may not be able to find locally.  And the best part - they ship for FREE wordwide!  Totally worth checking out...

Have a Sweet Day!

:-)

Jessica