One of my best finds while shopping the Paris flea markets were these pretty vintage paper roses.
They are very, very old and it's amazing to me that something so delicate could have survived all these years.
I love the faded, crinkled petals on the roses.
And the pale pink buds. Someone clearly took their time to carefully hand-wrap each wired stem.
How beautiful would it be for a bride to carry a bouquet of these down the aisle?
Happy Tuesday!
:-)
Jessica
OK, so after our lunch, we continued to shop the fabulous flea markets of Les Puces de Saint-Ouen.
As we went up and down all the little alleys, following various twists and turns, we came to what is perhaps my favorite market of all: Vernaison...
It is by no means the fanciest, but it is (in my opinion), one of the most fun. Here, you can dig through boxes of old millinery flowers,
search through stacks of vintage fabric,
and maybe - just maybe - find yourself something spectacular.
I love the "hunt" and this market provides that to the nth degree!
Here's just some of what we stumbled upon...
Now, I am by no means an expert when it comes to the Paris flea markets (and there are plenty of good guides out there that can give you plenty of advice on the specifics - like directions, transportation, etc..), but I do have a few tips...
1. Don't try to see all the markets in one day. Honestly, it's not even really possible. If you have the time, try to spend several days exploring them.
2. Bring cash (Euros) and haggle! I didn't pay full price for anything I bought and neither should you. Just be polite and make it a reasonable offer. I don't speak French (only took one semester of it in junior high before switching to Spanish!), but most dealers are pleased if you just greet them with a nice "Bonjour". Many do speak some English, but if not, you can still communicate by writing your offer on paper - so don't forget a small pad of paper and a pen.
3. Dress nicely, but not "expensively". In other words, leave the Louis Vuitton at home. If you don't, you won't get as good a deal. Plus, it's important to note that the area surrounding the markets can be a bit sketchy.
4. Bring a large tote to carry all your purchases. This seems obvious, but it's a must. The markets are vast and lugging your precious finds for hours on end can become a bit of a pain - literally!
5. Consult your travel guide and plan where to stop for lunch ahead of time. All that shopping and walking will undoubtedly leave you hungry for a snack and you don't want a bad meal or a bad experience (see my last post).
6. It's another no-brainer, but wear comfortable shoes! Seriously! One summer, I wore what I thought were a really comfortable pair of flip-flops to the markets, but by the end of the day I was limping and had to practically use an entire box of band-aids just to make it back to the hotel.
7. Don't get too frustrated. If you're like me, you'll want to take everything home with you and this will not be possible. Unless you plan to ship a container home (how fantastic would that be!), you will probably be limited to what you can fit in your suitcases. So, shop "small" and plan ahead. We always travel with either an extra empty suitcase or a large duffel bag that we can use to transport our treasures back home. And sadly, no, that beautiful French armoire probably won't fit.
:-)
Jessica
Ah, Paris in the Springtime....the beautiful architecture, the magical Seine river, the blossoming, flowering trees...
And, oh yeah, the RIBBON shops!!!!
Yes, I'm not sure if you all remember, but several years ago we took another trip to Paris and I was so looking forward to visiting some haberdashery shops that I had always dreamt of seeing in person. I was so excited and filled with anticipation - camera in hand, Euros in my pocket and ready to be spent. The only problem? The shops were all closed. Yup. Every single one of them. It was August and unbeknownst to me (who had never been to Paris in August before) - everything closes down while the Parisians escape for "holiday"! So, you see, this recent trip was to be a corrective experience for me. I chance to get it right. And so I did. Behold, Ultramod...
Can you believe all those ribbons? Many are new, but some are definitely vintage,
Love the old, green storage boxes. I have no idea what was in them, but I can imagine it was lots of beautiful things.
They had an incredible selection of buttons. One woman in the shop was looking for a replacement for a her Chanel jacket.
The shop was pretty pricey (especially given the exchange rate), but these little beauties were a bargain...
Gorgeous vintage velvets.
I never did find a website for Ultramod, but it is located at 4 Rue de Choiseul 75002 Paris, France.
And, if you go, please call first to find out if they're open. :-)
XOXO
Jessica
So, I innocently walked into Staples yesterday. I was in search of some packing tape and had planned to be in and out of the store in under five minutes. But...there was a bit of a delay. You see, I had clearly forgotten that the new line of Martha Stewart office products had just arrived in stores! I will do a post on all the pretty files, notebooks, sticky notes, and labels sometime soon, but today I just had to share the "boxes". Pretty, textured, stack-able, Tiffany-blue boxes!
They were intended to hold office supplies, but instead of paper-clips, I immediately knew these babies were destined to corral my ever-growing collection of costume jewelry.
They are perfect for organizing my pretty bracelets, necklaces, and earrings...
A place for everything...
...and everything in it's place.
The boxes are reasonably-priced, come in a bunch of sizes and shapes (some with lids), and you can even order them online!
Jessica
Hello All! Just wanted to let you know that I added a bunch of items to my Valentine's Day Pop-up Shop. You'll find lots of pretty things for Valentine's Day crafts, such as vintage millinery flowers,
I have some beautiful, high-quality heart-shaped boxes in both metallic gold and velvet that are just waiting for you to embellish with pretty trims...
There are also lots of paper doilies, vintage sequins, rhinestones, beads and ribbons!
You'll find those fun heart-shaped sprinkles and pretty paper scrap, too.
For you collectors out there, you'll find some beautiful vintage candy boxes (so hard to part with!)...
...and vintage millinery covered hats!
And if your looking for a gift, I have some lovely new cameo necklaces...
and pretty pink glass vases for all your romantic arrangements!
So head on over and take a looky...
Jessica
I am so delighted and thrilled to be a part of Mollie Makes Magazine this month! It's issue No.Ten and it's the Valentine's Day issue. There is a piece on my collection of vintage valentine candy boxes! If you are not familiar with Mollie Makes, it is an absolutely gorgeous design, collecting, and craft magazine based in the UK. I was an instant fan when I read their first issue last year, so you can imagine how honored I felt when I found out I would be included on one of their pretty pages.
Here I am...
Thank you so much, Mollie Makes!
* This issue goes on sale in shops in the UK tomorrow (12/19), but you can also find copies at bookstores here in the U.S. (I usually find mine at Barnes & Noble). You can also subscribe or download an ipad version!
**And you can read more about my collection of vintage valentine candy boxes here, here, and here! And buy some here! I'll be adding more to the shop over the next few weeks...
:-)
Jessica
I am in the midst of my "Winter Cleaning". We're having a big holiday party in a few weeks and I want to get the house in order. I find that entertaining is always a good catalyst for me to get all those projects done that I have been putting off (and off and off). Case in point, my vintage china plate collection.
It's gotten totally out of hand - with stacks and stacks piled on virtually every surface!
So, I felt it was time to do a little "editing".
I've decided that I am just going to keep my absolute favorites and the rest are headed for my shop and the donation center. The plates in these photos are actually "the keepers". But I have many, many more that I just don't have room for, so look for a shop update in the new year. (And for all of you who have emailed about purchasing them, I promise I will give everyone a head's up here on the blog before I list them).
Now my house is going to look a little spiffier and I will be a little less likely to end up on an episode of "Hoarders"!
Jessica
These vintage millinery flowers look good enough to eat, don't you think?
I just love the candy-colored blossoms and minty-green velvet leaves.
I have a rather large collection of millinery and I've never come across flowers like these before. They are very unusual with their gauzy-linen petals and sugared stamen centers...
Such pretty, yummy colors - I just had to share...
:-)
Jessica
I just adore these little vintage chenille chicks (and bunnies, too).
These little guys are quite old and delicate. I believe they date back to the 1950's or 60's.
They are the prettiest pastel colors and so soft and fluffy.
Just look at their sweet faces - aren't they just the cutest things ever!
You can often find them for sale around Easter time on eBay and Etsy, but you can probably get a better deal at your local flea market. :-) Some even come embellished with tiny hats, feathers, and millinery flowers...
I enjoy collecting them, but they also make a lovely addition to an Easter basket...that is, if you can bear to part with them.
XOXO
Jessica
