Such Pretty Things

Meltdown at The Rose Bowl Flea

The Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, CA, is one of my favorite flea markets. It is only held on the second Sunday of each month, so I try to plan my CA vacations around it whenever possible. What makes it so fabulous?  Well, for one, it's HUGE! Typically over 2500 vendors! And regardless of what I am searching for, I can usually find it.  So, this trip, we (yes, I always drag the family along with me) set out super early in order to get the best stuff - armed with our floppy hats, sunscreen, and bottles of cold water.  We had good traffic from L.A. and managed to get there right when the gates opened.

I was so excited to hit those stalls. I was on the hunt for vintage millinery hats and flowers.  I can just never get enough of them - plus, they are small enough to fit in my suitcase. :-)

Well, the party was over pretty much before it even started - within five minutes we we absolutely melting!  MELTING!!! It was soooo hot! We are talking well over 100 degrees with the sun beating directly down on us.

We had barely made it down one row, when I realized that the girls had to get out of that sun ASAP. Luckily, the husband volunteered to take them back to the air-conditioned car while I forged on. I am such a trooper.  :-)

I was completely miserable - I have never experienced heat like that before. I think my face must have been the color of a ripe tomato and my tank top was sopping wet. A normal person would have probably left immediately, but I had come so far and I was determined to find those flowers! So I tried to walk quickly (if you can even walk quickly in that kind of heat) down row after row, my eyes scanning for anything remotely millinery-esque.

Nothing.

Lots of really cool stuff, but not a single hat. Not one petal to be found.

I was just about to give up (i.e., faint) when I finally spotted them. There they were - piled up all prettily on a table - my millinery flowers! I nearly cried.

I scooped them up and made a bee-line for that air-conditioned car. I love you, Rose Bowl, but next time I'll be checking the weather report first!

XOXO

Jessica

Pretty Sweets: Mazet Chocolate

I am a major chocoholic.

Yes, for me, happiness can sometimes be as simple as a Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate bar.  But every once in awhile, I come across something a little more exotic and equally as yummy. While shopping at one of my favorite gourmet markets in L.A.(Monsieur Marcel), I discovered these incredible French chocolate bars from Mazet.

I was originally drawn to them because of their beautiful labels, but I quickly found that the chocolate was every bit as delicious as the packaging...

The Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate bar is my favorite, but there are a ton of varieties to try.

Happy (chocolately) Tuesday!

:-)

Jessica

Pretty Back-to-School: Locker Magnets

The girls will be going back to school tomorrow and it will probably not come as a major surprise to you that I love helping them decorate their lockers each Fall. Making our own customized magnets is super easy, quick, and fun.  This year, we are putting on the bling.

I found these pretty rhinestone earrings at Forever 21 (yes, I am totally addicted to that place).

We just removed the earring backings...

...and used jewelry glue to adhere some heavy strength magnets to the backs.

That's all there is to it!

Not into rhinestones?  Not a problem - you can turn almost any small object (think Lego's, fabric flowers, Japanese erasers, etc...) into a magnet - just make sure it's not too heavy and that the object is large enough to completely cover the magnet.

Happy Back-to-School!!!

:-)

Jessica

Pretty Organized: Thumbtacks

Who says that thumbtacks have to be of the boring, office-supply store variety?

Try using inexpensive pierced earrings instead!  Just pop off the backs and you're ready to go...

Shops like Forever 21, H & M, and Claires have a good selection of multi-pack earrings in a wide variety of styles.  The ones I used for yesterday's mini memo boards were from Forever 21.

So skip the plain jane thumbtacks and put those pretty earrings to practical use!

XOXO

Jessica

Target Tuesday: Mini Memo Boards

I found these cute mini cork boards in the Dollar Spot at Target...

They came three to a package for only $1.  With the start of school rapidly approaching, I thought it would be fun to make some little magnetic memo boards for the girls' lockers. Using some spray adhesive, I simply covered each board with some pretty paper.  The easiest way to do this is to use a memo board as your template and just trace around it on the wrong side of your paper. Then cut out your papers and use a glue-stick or adhesive spray to adhere them to the cork surface of the boards.

These boards came with an adhesive backing, but if you want to be able to remove them or use in a metal locker, just hot glue some flat magnet tape to the back of each one.

Wouldn't it be fun to make a whole bunch of these in different patterns and colors! And see these fabulous mini-thumbtacks?

I'll be back tomorrow with the scoop on those...

Happy Tuesday!

Jessica

Bottega Louie

Bottega Louie Restaurant and Patisserie has been on my L.A. list of places to go for a number of years now.  I had read numerous rave reviews about their delicious cuisine and beautiful macarons and had been dying to get there. This trip, I finally made it and Bottega Louie did not disappoint.  First of all, the restaurant itself is absolutely stunning - with high ceilings, marble counters, and an super-chic bar.

The bakery counter is loaded with every sweet imaginable.

Eclair, anyone?

But it is the macarons that are truly the star of the show...

I mean, just look at them...

I have seen many a macaron over the years, but never any as vibrantly and beautifuly hued as these.

The colors - in every shade of the rainbow - are just incredible! And they are soooo delish!

Bottega Louie also has the prettiest pastel candies and marshmallows...

It took me some time to get there, but now that I've experienced Bottega Louie - I am counting the minutes until I can go back!

XOXO

Jessica

The Simple Things

It's no secret that I am positively smitten with Mollie Makes magazine.  So, imagine my excitement when I found out that the publishers of Mollie Makes are launching a brand new sister magazine called The Simple Things. From what I can see, it looks like it's going to be incredible. The focus is on the simple (and pretty!) things of life - from recipes to decorating to crafts. I can't wait to get my hands on the premiere issue (on sale beginning September 6th). You can find a sneak peek here.

:-)

Jessica

Sweet Lady Jane

For me, a trip to Los Angeles is just not complete without cake.  Yup, cake!  And not just any cake either - it must be cake from Sweet Lady Jane.

Sweet Lady Jane is not your average bakery. Their cakes and baked goods are nothing short of incredible.  In fact, National Geographic selected SLJ as the number one patisserie in the WORLD!

The cake selection is extensive.

Triple Berry Shortcake is my fav, but I also love the Old-fashioned Chocolate, the Coconut, and the Raspberry Lemon.  And how can you not love a cake called "Princess"?

You can buy the cakes by the slice, so grab some friends and try a few different flavors.

They have beautiful cupcakes, too!

Sweet Lady Jane has two delicious locations - in West Hollywood and Santa Monica (right down the street from Shabby Chic!).

:-)

Jessica

Pretty Resources: California Millinery Supply

If you live in the Los Angeles area or find yourself there for a visit, you must make the time to explore California Millinery Supply.

Located in downtown L.A., California Millinery is a jewel of a shop. It is one of those rare places that seems to be fixed in another time - a time when millinery flowers were hand-made petal by petal, where hats were decorated with exotic, colorful plumes of feathers, and vintage silk ribbons from France were a must for any garment.

This past visit, I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to meet with the owner, Irene Arroyo. Irene is such a lovely, lovely person and she's an expert when it comes to her stock. Whether you are in need of some delicate veiling, a very specific color of vintage grosgrain ribbon, or a buckram hat frame, Irene is there with friendly help and advice.

The shop itself is incredible.  Just the sheer amount of inventory (much of it vintage) is not to be believed...

Digging through the treasure trove of boxes and bins will be rewarded with a bounty of beautiful velvet bows, tiny millinery fruits, and silk flowers.

There are fabrics and feathers and trims everywhere you look.

And you don't need to be a professional milliner to appreciate this shop. Anyone who loves vintage trims, fashion, costume design, or crafts will find something wonderful here. If you do get a chance to stop by California Millinery Supply, give yourself plenty of time to explore...after all, that's the best part. :-)

XO

Jessica

Shabby Chic Couture Flower Market

Did you know that Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic Couture shop in Santa Monica hosts "Flower Market Fridays"? It's true! On Fridays and Saturdays, you can find beautiful, fresh floral arrangements with Rachel's signature touch.

The blooms are so lovely  - often placed in pretty glass mason jars and tied with delicate ribbon.  I was fortunate to be in L.A. over the weekend and made sure to stop by...

Is this not the sweetest arrangement?

Perfect as always, Rachel.  Perfect.

XOXO

Jessica