Postcards from Paris: {La Vie en Rose or Think Pink}

 This weather has been rather unusual from the past summers I have ever had. I think this has possibly been the most moderate, temperature-wise. Umbrellas have replaced sunglasses. Yet grey skies can't prevent me from noticing the settle highlights of pink. In fact, perhaps it's because of these grey skies that pink seems more pleasant, like a warming blush.
Yesterday, as I was strolling through the city I noticed that I had matched my own observations through my apparel. I find that it takes a morning with high levels of confidence to try and pull off color in this town. These days I normally result in draping myself in black and calling it good.
I think the "blending in with ones' surroundings" rings true to me. I find that I take on color more confidently while I am stateside. Perhaps this observation is preparation for my U.S. return next week. Even while compiling this, I've opted out of listening to Edith Piaf's La Vie en Rose to listen to Louis Armstrong's version. I suppose that's what a little bit of homesickness can do to a girl; pink over black; English versions over originals. Sheesh.
I never thought I'd admit to this, but I am missing Savannah's heat and humidity.

 Just a little bit.

Bisous,
Reba

Introducing Lettie Briggs Letterpress!

 make it beautiful with Letterpress

Monica Lynch, Graphic designer and Paris Marketeer has set up shop downstairs and is working her letterpress to many creative ends just for you and me. I'll be buying some things later today actually, before they get snatched up. She's letterpressing letters, words, images (some seriously vintage) on colored paper, old book pages, (and you can bring in your own papers too) to make cards, notes, tiny tags, placecards, and pins. 

     Monica's press and some of her letterpress offerings below:

And don't forget you can rummage through our letterpress drawers to find something you like too. 

Monica can do letterpress on smooth or toothy papers, and print whatever you like. So come on downstairs, get loose, get inspired and go home with something unique and special to you! (or someone you like) ---by the way that is a very cute gift! You will get alot of points!

So come on over already and get some cool little things from Lettie Briggs Letterpress (we're talking around $2!!!) and where else can you have fun like this?

You can also check out these luxe books on luscious letterpress and logo design available in store and on our website: www.parismarket.com

or click the book to go directly to it.

           

Conjuring Harry Potter

After decades of work and 7 films, the last (#8!) Harry Potter movie is out this weekend:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 2

AND WE ARE EXCITED!

I checked out a recent review at EW, by Lisa Schwarzbaum saying the film "leaves us with the dawning, awesome recognition that the world is huge, fraught, enigmatic, magical, dangerous, delightful, and, ultimately, the responsibility of young people who must first find their own footing. That's quite an accomplishment for a story about a boy with a wand." Indeed.

I saw this nice little photo spread in the NY Times magazine over the weekend too (photographer, Levon Biss, Set Designer, Claudia Parker, Stylist, David St. John-James) and it inspired me about all the magic going on in our lives all the time.

 

(Stephanie McMillan, set decorator; Stuart Craig, production designer; Barry Wilkinson, property master pictured among props)

--- p.s. we have lots of awesome birdcages just like those! ---

 clockwise from upper left: David Heyman, producer of the Potter series;  a sampling of the nearly 600 wands, used during filming; the snitch, which must be captured as part of a game Quidditch; Nick Dudman, special-makeup-effects artist, left facing down Griphook, a Gringotts Bank goblin.

In the write-up, Julie Tottman, the head animal trainer, imparted that Hedwig the owl used to get fanmail. “We always sent them a feather back,” she said. How awesome is that? I love when adults take a little extra time (on top of an already creatively over the top job like this) to ignite and encourage the magic in the young folk. It’s beautiful.

We can’t lie, we’re hopelessly under Mr. Potter’s spell, and to celebrate these films of magical forces and all the creative machinations required to manifest such wonderment, we conjured up a little Harry Potter à la Paris Market style.

 

Church lantern (we have 2!) right above you when you walk in our front door.

 

clockwise from upper left: Broom, for riding or sweeping, Amber glass bottles of an apothecary nature, Old oil painting that might talk, Glass frog tray sure to charm a princess. 

Let the Magic Live!

Playing Favorites

We’re starting a new weekly segment on the blog called “A Few of our Favorite Things”

Each week a different Paris Marketeer will share their favorite things in the store. Everyone is clamoring to go next because they don’t want anyone else taking “their” favorites first! It will be interesting to see what people are loving and coveting on a weekly basis and it’s a fun way to give everyone a nice fat cross section of the store. Enjoy mes amis!

_____________________________

 A Few of our Favorite Things

Kelsey Garrity-Riley

_____________________________

  

Kelsey Garrity-Riley is up first. Paris Marketeer, Painter, Illustrator, Sewer of giant bunnies and small dolls, you name it, this girl is a creative wunderkind. And here are a few of her favorite things:

1. Tartine,( amazing sweets. cakes and pastry cookbook) 2. Marzipan fruit Glass Coasters 3. Colored tape, 4. Mary of the Sacred Heart Statue 5. Long handle tasting spoon, 6. Ceramic measuring cups in 4oz and 16oz, 7. Cast iron vases, 8. Vintage 1 liter bottle, 9 & 10. Glass oval oxen trays, 11. Get Well Soon Card, 12. Beef diagram postcard, 13. Vintage linen flour sack (folded for picture), 14. super-adorable knitted elephant doll, 15. Tocca "Stella" Travel Candle, 16. Tocca "Bianca" eau de parfum 17. Low Country Luxe Belle candle, 18. Organic cotton baby romper, 19. Swiss army dog vest, 20. 14" Scissors

What are a few of your favorite things?

Postcards from Paris: {Ne t'inquiète pas, je suis en vacances.}

I realize it's been quite sometime since I've corresponded, and perhaps you've thought I've gone for good. The thing with vacances, and for sometime after, the feeling of lazy days seem to linger. Though I've returned to Paris for more time than I can admit to, the relaxing days days spent down south wouldn't leave my system.
Activites are so often governed by internet access, I had forgotten that vacation is so much more enjoyed when one forgets their online-obligations.
I spent only a couple of days in the south of France, with a dear friend, who was also a co-worker from The Paris Market. She would show an exuberant amount of patience with my French-language questions, and slow speaking American-accent back in Savannah.
What a joy it was seeing her in her homesetting.
She showed me the scenes of the south, and shared her Provence with me.
I find myself in a constant state of comparing and contrasting, though I'd hardly say it's a positive trait, it is in fact, an entertaining one. I had spent some time in Provence before, and I had yet to know Paris as I do now, so the similarities and differences seemed more apparent during this visit. Immediately upon arriving off the train, it felt like vacation. The sky blue and the sun shining, the atmosphere was still "French" but with a different sense of ease and relaxation. With monochromatic villages that blend in with the landscape overlooking the Mediterranean sea,which was tinted turquoise and completely transparent, the gray-toned palette of Paris seemed distant.
But after one travels, sees new sights, tastes new food, returning home seems to hold it's own sense of ease and relaxtion.
Oh France, what lovely diversity you have.
Bisous,
Reba

New Arrivals: Stacking, Storing, Stashing & Swatting

Liven things up with some of our great new arrivals!

1. Leather Fly Swatter, 2. Stacking Candy Tower, 3. Tiered Wire Basket, 4. Chalkboard Coat Hook, 5. Marble Bowls, 6. Paddle Mirror, 7. Wood Kitchen Bin

Tied up in Twine

One of our favorite new additions at the store is this lovely twine! Its Italian, 100% cotton and comes in red, green and blue.

Just in time for all of those summer occasions (if you are like me, the next few months are packed full of weddings, baby showers and birthdays... ) These add a simple, but sweet flair to gifts of all shapes and sizes. Just incase the event calls for a little something extra, here are a few more parings that these little ribbons go oh so well with.

 1. Handmade flower  2.Chic-o-sticks  3. Round enamel letter 

I'm using these as a little reminder for all those important dates that seem to slip by, I WILL remember those birthdays! and I will send a little something in the mail...

Perhaps embellished with our colorful tape rolls....

Or accompanied with a sweet note on one of our letterpressed-in-house tags (more news on Lettie Briggs to come!)

     

 4.Box set of thank you cards  5. Birthday book of names + Tiny figurines  6. Lettie Briggs tag 7. Small porcelain hand 8. Color tape rolls 9. wood block letters

Whatever the reason or project may be... the posibilites are endless, and the little embellishments are always worth the effort. How far will 3 yards take you?

Announcing Our Wedding Registry

Yes, Yes, Yes, we do Wedding Registries! 

---from our photographic stash downstairs...

Sure, you could be boring and register at Macy's or Bed, Bath, and Beyond the Beyonds (guilty!) but why do that when you can register at The Paris Market and get some things you've REALLY been coveting. (besides your intended partner that is) Stop by or give us a call when you're ready to take the plunge.

 Something old,  (just click on the pic to see it on our site)

Something new,

Something borrowed,

  

Something blue.

and just to whet your appetite a bit more:

 

These kitchen papers, recipe books and placemats make great shower gifts too.

Happy Nesting!

Thinking Inside the Box: Places for your Treasures

I'm all for creative thinking, but there are those times when you want to stay inside the box. Here is a smattering of our selection for your little treasures...old subway tokens, ticket stubs, writing spurts, books you WILL get to, scribbles of new inventions, favorite rocks and bones, photos of friends and lovers taken on the fly. Maybe this little red and blue box (2) just for your passport? 

Either way, boxes / trunks can be like little time machines, keeping all our fond memories safe and warm for when we want to relive them once more. Maybe its time to start a new box in your life? Or start one for a friend with all you've shared together? Why not push the scrapbook paradigm a little further and give a scrapbox as a gift instead of a scrapbook?

1. Hand-painted Lunchbox, 2. Recycled Paper Boxes, small and large, 3. Leather numbered Box, 4. Wood and metal chest, 5. Vintage perfume box from India, 6. Perforated furniture cube, 7. Metal Stacking Trunks

Happy Treasuring!

Adventure Dolls

You know we’re all a pretty gung ho about these knitted friends of ours. Just when I thought these little critters couldn’t get any cuter, Mirabelle, the ballerina, comes dancing into my life, charming me silly.

If I’m obsessed with these little amigos as an adult, I can only wonder about the amount of fascination I would have held for them as a child.

I was just a little too old for when all those new exciting dolls came out –

like the American Girl Dolls – first it was Kirsten, then Molly, and then they started adding all this special paraphernalia for them and it was just too much. I was probably old enough to date, but I still wanted one. They had their own quilts and reading glasses! camping sets and little chairs! (!!!) ---hopelessly hooking little girls everywhere with their parents begrudgingly supporting their habit – because they too were utterly be-witched by the cuteness.

When I was a young(er), I was right on time for the Cabbage Patch dolls. They were really expensive, but they did come with their own adoption papers, certifying that they REALLY had been pulled fresh from the cabbage patch and they were now your responsibility. They also came with their butts signed. All the little kids I knew thought this was strange and disturbing, but no one said much about it and you tend to just go with the flow as a child. Today, this is THE doll to have:

I never really babied my dolls as a child. I fed them sparingly and changed their clothes only on occasion, but I did take them with me on all my adventures. I dragged them by their arms over the rocks and through the woods. If we (me and my older sister) had to hop a fence, we threw them over first and they calmy waited for us to come over next. They went on the train with us and to the pool; we fed them cheese doodles. They swung from overgrown grapevines and bravely climbed all the big rocks with us, never once complaining. And of course, they were there to offer emotional support when my mom yelled us to “just sit still and be quiet, before I completely lose my mind thank you &#*$%.”

That’s why I love these guys – they’re adventure dolls!

 

                                                                                                                                                              photos courtesy: blablakids

Happy Adventures!