Such Pretty Things

Target Tuesday: Pretty Flatware

I found this gorgeous flatware set at Target this week. When I saw the pretty aqua handles, I knew I had to get them!

They come in a 12-piece set of four place settings for only $9.99!

These would be great for a picnic (the handles are made of some kind of plastic or acrylic) or a pretty Spring-inspired table setting.

They have a wonderful sparkly, shabby look.

And I love how they go with my Cath Kidston table linens.

O.K., I know I promised a post on the Juicy Couture party and I have not forgotten about it - I've just been crazy busy this week.  I will try to post on it tomorrow...Thursday at the latest.  So, until then, happy Target Tuesday!

:-)

Jessica

Spring is in the Hair

Well, I am finally seeing some real signs of Spring around here.  The trees are budding, the Cherry Blossoms are blooming, and the birds are chirping.  So that can only mean one thing - it's time to break out the Spring hair accessories!

 

With two young, long-haired daughters, hair accessories play a major role at our house.  And it won't surprise you to know that I have taken it upon myself to collect some pretty ones. In addition to all the colorful elastics, headbands, and barrettes, we have accrued quite a collection of floral ponytail holders and hair clips.

 

I pick these up whenever I find them. And I find them everywhere  - from Bloomies to Claires to my personal favorite, H&M.  Most are new, some are vintage. I love these colorful floral and dotted prints.

There are many aquas...

and pinks, too...

I have my favorites.  Like this stunning Betsy Johnson design...

and this pretty aqua confection...

 

Luckily, my daughters love to wear them, so I have a really good and "practical" reason for buying them!  I've been known to wear one myself every now and then.  I mean, a girl is never too old for a pretty flower in her hair!  :-)

I'll be back soon with some photos from the "Juicy Couture" Sleep-over party this weekend...that is, if I survive it! 

:-)

Jessica 

Pretty Shopping: Lush

 

I first discovered Lush while on a trip to London a number of years ago.  If you are not familiar with Lush, it is an incredible shop specializing in cosmetics and bath products made with all natural, organic ingredients.  Their products are made by hand (with little or no preservatives) and smell great.  But, the best thing about Lush is that their stores and products are absolutely gorgeous! Pure eye candy!  

I was thrilled when they recently opened a shop in one of our local malls.  The wall of Bath Bombs is truly amazing!  Look at these beautiful colors...

The Marshmallow Bath Melts are one of my favorites.  I have to control myself from eating them!

I even love the bowl of broken Bath Bombs that they use for demonstrations.

The beautiful soaps and Buttercreams are sold by the slab or chunk.  So cool!

The packaging is equally fantastic.

Lush has stores all over the world and a good number throughout the US, but you can also order on-line. This is my most recent purchase - the Candy Fluff Dusting Powder.  It smells so yummy and has slight iridescent and gold flecks in it...plus you gotta love the name.

So, if you have a chance, go check out Lush...I think you'll be glad you did!

:-)

Target Tuesday: Shabby Easter Bonnet

This week's Target Tuesday takes us back to the Dollar Spot.  I found these adorable children's hats for, well, you know, a dollar!

 

I thought it might be fun to make some pretty Easter bonnets.  The hats were basically unadorned, with the exception of a plain synthetic satin ribbon -  so they were in desperate need of some vintage embellishing. I gathered my supplies together - vintage ribbons in velvet and satin and some beautiful old millinery flowers in a Spring-time palette.

 

The transformation...

I am crazy for the delicate tulle bits on this one.

Here's one in all shades of pink...

I love these vintage velvet forget-me-nots.

This was another very easy project - I made both bonnets in about half an hour!  These would also make great hats for a children's tea party, don't ya think?

Now, for some other news...

On a very sad note, I just found out yesterday that Shabby Chic is going to be closing ALL of it's stores. I was really hoping that at least one would remain open, but alas it is not to be.  While I am sure that Rachel will be back someday soon, I am very sad and disappointed. I have loved Shabby Chic ever since I opened the first page of her first book.  It was as if someone had read my mind and put all the things that I loved together in one place. Rachel has has a profound influence on me as a designer and artist. There is truly not a day that goes by where Shabby Chic does not play some role in my life.  My home is filled with her designs and my own take on her aesthetic.  My husband, my children, my family, and my friends all know how much I adore Shabby Chic. My girls love to tease me and say "You love Shabby Chic more than us" whenever I am busy with a project. We are heading out to LA next month and I know it will just not be the same. Going to the Shabby Chic shops was always the highlight of my trip there - sometimes going to three or four stores in a week!  A very good friend and I are actually contemplating heading up to NY next week to say "good-bye" before they close the doors for good. If you want to read more, check out Rachel's beautifully written blog. You can even leave a comment for her - I know she has expressed finding much solace in her supporter's kind words.  Personally, if I could say anything to Rachel, it would be say thank you for all your incredible inspiration over the years and please come back soon.

:(

Jessica

Paper Flower Easter Eggs

 

I decided to make some paper flower covered Easter eggs yesterday.  They were a bit time-consuming, but really very easy to do.  

If you would like to make some, too, here are the supplies that you will need:  

-paper mache or wooden eggs

-acrylic paints in your choice of colors

-paper flowers or

-flower punches and your choice of papers (scrapbook, vintage wallpaper, etc...)

-paper glue or glue gun

Begin by painting your eggs in the color(s) that you want and allow them to dry completely.  They don't need to be perfect because the paint will hardly be seen beneath the paper flowers.

 

If you are not using pre-made paper flowers (such as Prima) , you will need to punch out a bunch of paper flowers yourself.  The amount you will need will vary depending on the size of your eggs and the size of the flower you are using, but you will need quite a few per egg.

Next, simply glue the paper flowers all around the egg.  I found it helpful to start at one end and work my way down - this ensured that I didn't end up with any awkward "bald" spots.  Allow the eggs to dry.

 

That's it.  Pretty paper flower covered eggs!

 

This one is covered with flowers punched out from a variety of vintage wallpaper - a great way to use up your precious scraps!

 

I love how this one turned out - it's covered in paper Hydrangea petals.

 

These were so much fun to make!  You should try them if you get a chance!

Have a great weekend!

:-)

Jessica

 

Pretty Spring Cleaning

Yes, it's that time of year.  Spring is right around the corner and my house is in some desperate need of some Spring cleaning!  I don't love cleaning (major understatement!), but I can enjoy it a tiny bit more when I use pretty, colorful products that smell great.  Now, some of you may think that I am completely crazy on this one (possibly true), but I think there is no reason why one's cleaning supplies can't be pretty and color-coordinated to one's home. :-)  It's just that I really love to open my cabinets and see pretty packaging...and as long as the products work well and are reasonably priced - why not? 

Case in point, these beautifully hued sponges...

They make you want to scrub something right now, don't they?  I store mine in a pretty pink enamel pail...

I am completely enamored with Martha Stewart's home collection for Macy's . It's all very nicely priced and the products are wonderful.  Her microfiber sponges are a pretty pale aqua shade and work really well.

Her Honeysuckle Melon cleaner looks so lovely in the bottle and smells great, too.

I initially bought this J.R. Watkins  lavender cleaner (at Target) because of the packaging (loved the old-fashioned label), but it works wonderfully.

So, am I completely alone on this one?  Does anyone else out there ascribe to my "has to be functional but must be pretty, too" policy?  Let me know...I would hate to be the only crazy one!  

:-)

Jessica

Target Tuesday: Shabby Weathered Frame

I fell in love with this picture frame the minute that I saw it.

 

It was the perfect weathered wood and I just new that I could do something fun with it. I found it in one of the home decor aisles at Target.  This size sells for $12.99, but it also comes in a slightly smaller size for $9.99.  It looks as if it were made from reclaimed wood from an old country barn.  It has been ever so slightly white-washed or limed, which gives it it's shabby, time-worn look.

 

This frame would look perfect in any decor - I can see it going from more modern all the way to country cottage.  And I really do like it as is, but I decided to embellish it with some pale, creamy millinery flowers and ribbon.

Here it is all dressed up...

I will eventually put a family photo in the frame, but for now I thought some vintage wallpaper would look pretty.

Have a great day!

Jessica

Old Faded Roses

 

I love millinery flowers and nothing makes me happier than when I find a beautiful old hat covered with pristine blooms. But I also love the beauty of old faded millinery flowers - the ones that are droopy and crushed - with a patina of age and time.  I am especially drawn to old millinery roses and I never pass one up just because it is a bit faded or frayed.

I almost didn't buy this incredible hat because it literally fell apart in my hands when I picked it up. But I am so glad I did.

The old linen and velvet roses are absolutely incredible.

 

The intricate petals are so pretty.  And the velvet bow is a piece of art in itself.

 

This antique frame is one of my most favorite possessions.

 

It has seen better days... 

 

but I adore the delicate old ribbon roses that embellish it. 

 

I found this old velvet pin cushion at an estate sale a number of years ago.

 

I love the dainty cotton tea-stained roses.

The tattered edges are so pretty.

 

Yes, I love these old faded millinery roses every bit as much as the perfect ones...maybe even a little bit more.  :-)

Lilly Love

 

I think I may have previously mentioned my love for Lilly Pulitzer.  I know, her colors are definitely a tad "brighter" than my usual color palette, but I still love her wonderful patterns and the general sense of whimsy in her designs.  There is something so happy and cheerful about them - you just can't help but smile when you see them.

Lilly and I have a long history together.  When I was a little girl, my Nana used to take me to buy a Lilly swim suit each Winter when I went to visit her in Florida. I always loved looking through the racks and racks of colorful prints with her.  It was always so hard to decide which one to get.  After I made my difficult selection, the sales lady would package it up in brightly colored tissue and a clear bag and tie it with a plethora of pink and green ribbons. I think I loved that bag even more than the swim suit! And while I have still been known to wear the occasional Lilly dress or blouse, I generally save her designs for my young daughters - especially since they look way cuter in mini shift dresses!  :-) 

Anyway, I was in our local Lilly boutique this week and I was delighted to find that she is now making a huge range of stationary and party goods!  So, if her patterns and colors are just a little too "colorful" for you to wear, you can still enjoy her fun designs.

    

How about a Lilly-themed party (I actually had one for my younger daughter's second birthday!)?  You could wear this fun princess crown...

Maybe hang some festive tissue paper flowers?

You could wrap your gifts with some Lilly gift bags and wrapping paper.

And then light your birthday candles with some Lilly matches...

Finally, you could write some thank you notes with these gorgeous Lilly pencils

 

and stationary.

If you don't have a Lilly boutique in your area, you can find her wonderful products here.  Because everyone should have a little Lilly in their life!

Target Tuesday: Easter Egg Dishes

 

I found these adorable little egg shaped dishes at Target last week.  They were in the same Easter decor section where I found my fabulous wire cake stand. They sell for $3.99 each and come in a variety of pastel colors.  I was immediately drawn to the pale aqua ones with the pretty pink flower in the middle (I know, I am so predictable).

 

You could certainly use these on your tabletop, but I thought they would be really cute filled with some treats and given out as sweet little Easter gifts.  I just filled each dish with some paper grass ($1.49; Target) and piled on the goodies.  I couldn't pass up this sweet chocolate bunny.  Just add some pretty pink millinery flowers, wrap in some fluffy tulle, and tie with a ribbon!

  

Or simply fill them with some pastel colored chocolate eggs.

I absolutely love the colors of these!

And, if you are avoiding sweets, you could use little bars of soap instead of the candy. These would be perfect!

So, run on out to Target and pick up some of these pretty little dishes of your own. I bet you can come up with some very lovely and creative Easter gifts! 

:-)