Such Pretty Things

Pretty Shopping: Lolli and Pops

What's not to love about a pastel-colored candy shop?  Lolli and Pops is the prettiest sweet shop!

They have locations all over the U.S. and we are super lucky to have several shops near us.

I can't seem to hit the mall without stopping in!  It's pretty dangerous territory - packed with yummy candies and chocolates from all over the world.  And their packaging is so beautiful!  Their pale pink, aqua and green boxes are as pretty as the candy!

Lots of cute decor touches, too...love the tiled entrance!

And so many pastel candies to choose from!  Definitely worth a visit!

Have a sweet day!  

;-)

Jessica

My PARCEL Treasures and a Wonderful Giveaway!

Since I showed you all a peek inside the fabulous shop, PARCEL, in my last blog post, I wanted to be sure to show you some of the treasures I found while shopping there.

While I would have liked to take everything home with me, I focused on some of Nancy's beautiful vintage florals and millinery.  These garlands of flowers are so bright and pretty!

I just love these delicate, pink tissue Peonies! They look like the real thing, but they will last forever!

I am a sucker for millinery fruits and these were just too sweet to pass up...

Nancy hand-makes these adorable pastel pinwheels...perfect for my next picnic or party!

Now, for the exciting news!  Remember these beautiful gift wraps that are part of Nancy's new paper line?

Well, Nancy is generously offering Such Pretty Things readers a few sheets of her beautiful new gift wrap FREE with any purchase over $25 from the PARCEL website -  from now until July 4th!  Just type "such pretty things" in the special instructions window. Thank you so much, Nancy!

XOXO

Jessica

Pretty Shopping: Parcel

Ooooh, do I have a treat for you today! I am going to give you a peek inside the shop, Parcel. For those of you who are not yet familiar with Parcel, it is a gorgeous (and I mean, GORGEOUS) stationary and vintage party/ephemera shop owned and curated by the lovely and talented Nancy Laboz.

I had literally been wanting to visit Parcel for years - and despite it's convenient location in Montclair, NJ, (just a short drive from NYC) - I had not yet managed to make it there.  Well, this past weekend, opportunity presented itself and I was lucky enough to spend my Saturday afternoon chatting away with Nancy and shopping for treasures!

Let me begin with a bit of a warning: If you visit Parcel, you will never want to leave! I'm serious. You will find yourself completely mesmerized by the whimsy and beauty of the space. You will find yourself spending many hours looking in every glorious nook and cranny! And, you will undoubtedly be running out to feed your parking meter numerous times! Yes, it's that good!!!

Nancy has a background in fashion and styling and it is evident in all her beautiful displays. Her taste is exquisite and she has put together a wonderland of millinery flowers, vintage crepe paper decorations, vintage leaves, rolls of ribbon, floral garlands, handmade paper lanterns, and quirky collectibles...

Parcel specializes in putting together pretty packages ("parcels"!), so you'll find all sorts of colorful boxes, vintage gift wraps, trimmings, and tissue papers...

The shop is truly a paper-lovers dream come true! They carry some of the best lines of greeting cards and wrapping paper. They also offer true custom-designed, foil-stamped stationary and recently came out with their very own line of beautiful gift wrap (shown below).

And, even though the shop has many delicate and precious items, Nancy still encourages you to hunt through each and every cubby and to open every tiny drawer. That's part of what is so fun about Parcel - you never know what treasure you will find next.

Thank you so much, Nancy, for allowing me to give my readers a peek inside your beautiful shop!  I am already planning my next visit! :-)

XOXO

Jessica

***If you can't make it to Parcel, you'll be happy to know that they are also online!

Pretty Sweets: Papbubble, New York

Happy Friday, everyone! I just thought I'd share some eye candy with you today. Real eye candy, that is - from one of my favorite candy shops, Papabubble.

If you find yourself in New York (or one of their nearly 20 other locations worldwide), you really must visit Papabubble. Not only will you be able to fill up on their gorgeous sugar candies, but you can also see it being made right before your eyes! These are not your everyday candies either - they are truly little works of art! I just adore these with the flower designs inside...

And the lollipops!  These are the stuff childhood dreams are made of...

I mean, look at those colors!

You can also order online. And they do beautiful custom work (personalized messages, candy rings, etc...) for weddings and parties!

XOXO

Jessica

Pretty Shopping: Sugarfina, Beverly Hills

The girls had a few extra days off from school surrounding President's Day weekend, so we decided to head to sunny California.  It was just in time, too, as I am usually so over winter by the time February rolls around. After a few days relaxing on the beach in Coronado, we headed up to L.A. - one of my favorite (and most inspiring) destinations.  My first stop was Sugarfina, a beautiful new upscale candy shop in Beverly Hills.

If you love pretty packaging, appreciate good retail design, and adore candy - Sugarfina will thrill you.  What a beautiful shop - all white and aqua!

And the candy!

Everything is packaged in super chic boxes - either clear or patterned.

They have a ton of different candies - many you will recognize, but there are also many exotic ones imported from other countries. Their champagne gummy bears are very popular, but my absolute favorites are these beauties from Italy...and I love the name: Confetti Dolci!

If you are not familiar with a particular candy, you can request a sample! And if you don't have a trip to L.A. planned in the near future, you can order on-line!

Happy Shopping!

XOXO

Jessica

Dahlia Dedication

I had been desperately wanting to get my hands on some Dahlias all summer long. I just adore them and their beautiful, intricate petals and gorgeous colors.

But somehow the summer just flew by and now Autumn is about to arrive. Soooooo, I decided to wake up early this morning and head out to Leesburg, VA.  It's about a 45 minute drive, but totally worth it. You see, on Saturday mornings from May to October, you can find Don's Dahlias at the Leesburg Farmer's Market! Don Dramstad and his lovely wife are the largest growers of Dahlias on the East Coast and their flowers are absolutely stunning! Here are some photos of my bounty from this morning...

Aren't they incredible! I can't stop staring at them.

You can follow Don's Dahlias on Facebook and Twitter, too!

Happy Saturday!

XOXO

Jessica

It's Rachel Ashwell Week at Such Pretty Things!

Did you all know that Rachel Ashwell's beautiful new book, Prairie Couture and Flea Market Treasures, was just recently released? Those of you who have been following me for years, know how much I have always adored Shabby Chic and Rachel's pretty, pastel aesthetic. So, in honor of her new book, I thought I would dedicate this entire week to Rachel...AND I have an exciting surprise for you coming up this Thursday, the 12th, so be sure to check back!

Today, I thought I would share my visit this past August to Rachel's New York Shabby Chic Couture store, which just recently moved locations to 83 Wooster Street in SoHo.

The new space is gorgeous...and it seems much larger than the previous location.

There is even a shop within the shop displaying "sale" merchandise!

As always, the products are styled so beautifully and romantically...

Of course, there are the requisite vintage prom dresses.

And pretty vintage hats festooned with millinery flowers...

Have a lovely day and I'll be back tomorrow with more Shabby Chic!

XOXO

Jessica

 

Pretty Painters: Paul Ferney

Are you all familiar with the work of Paul Ferney? He's a super talented painter based in San Francisco. I am currently somewhat obsessed with his gorgeous paintings. Paul's subject matter varies from Parisian street scenes to beautiful beaches...

But I am especially enamoured with his stunning cake series (which he did in collaboration with his wife, Jordan, of Oh, Happy Day)...

Such pastel prettiness...

I recently began putting together a gallery wall in my home and I just had to include one of Paul's prints...

You can find Paul here and purchase his lovely work right here.

:-)

Jessica

Pretty Parties: "Martha Celebrations"

Have you all heard about Martha Stewart's newest line of party supplies for J.C. Penny???  When I found out about it, I was so excited that I immediately made a bee-line to the nearest store.  So glad I did! The pretty and colorful new collection is called "Martha Celebrations"...

And it's really much more than just a collection - it's actually an entire mini-shop within the department store!

The items are all thoughtfully organized by party type - weddings, birthdays, 4th of July, etc... There is everything one might need to put on a truly fabulous fete - and every current party trend is represented - from fringe-y streamers to striped paper straws and giant balloons!

There is also an extensive line of gift wrapping and greeting cards. And the candy!  Did I mention the candy?

Pretty, pretty candy in an array of beautiful colors!

Now, if you don't have a J.C. Penny near you, fear not - you can buy everything on-line right here!

Happy Shopping!

:-)

Jessica

Pretty London: Cocomaya

Well, I was planning to show you those party aprons today, but the weather just didn't cooperate - very dark and rainy and not the least bit conducive to taking photos.  So, instead I wanted to share with you one of my most favorite places in London.  It's a lovely little cafe and bakery called Cocomaya.

There are actually four locations around London, but I just adore the one on Brompton Road (not far from the Museum of Natural History). The storefront is colorful and whimsical!

Cocomaya is the perfect place to enjoy a yummy scone and a relaxing cup of tea.

Although the girls prefer the hot chocolate...

...and chocolate brownies!

The food is delish, but my favorite thing about Cocomaya is that everything is served on pretty mismatched vintage china. Just look at those stacks and stacks of floral and transferware plates!

Cocomaya is so charming and cozy...

With wonderful little touches everywhere - like rustic wood tables and mason jars filled with utensils...

They also sell their own specialty chocolate bars, exotically flavored marshmallows, and many other baked goods. Truly a not-to-miss place if you find yourself in London.

:-)

Jessica