Today, I am starting with my vintage inspired Bridal Shower from October.  It was a fun day and yes, I did most of the planning and decor myself.  It’s in my blood, so no ‘surprise’ Bridal Shower for me!

My theme was Vintage French Cafe Chic, complete with Edith Piaf as my soundtrack.  I had a great amount of help from my best friend Lisa (who even baked the cake) and my Mother who helped select William Hallet Bar & Bistro as the location. The venue itself was an inspiration with damask fabric wallpaper in the perfect shade of golden yellow.

You’ll find links to many products that helped bring the event to life and the other half of the items were Estate Sale finds!  Side note:  I was partially off “photographer” duty that day, so most of the photos below are by my lovely friend at Nicole Renee Photography!

Photo 2: The perfect shade of grey striped straws are from beve! paper straws.  The “guess how many jelly beans” game had some leftovers for guests to snack on -  Jelly Belly’s three flavors:  Birthday Cake Remix, Coconut and A&W Creme soda.  My favors from Beaucoup were housed in the perfect mini muslin bags by Jennifer’s Cookies.

Photo 4:  The tulle puffs by Shanz Party Decorations looked so cute paired with a trio of vintage signs I found at The Screen Porch.  The flower arrangements I created myself with assorted vintage mason jars filled with off-white and blush spray roses, baby’s breath and craspedia.  Every table had a different vintage doily under the centerpiece.

Photo 5:  My Aunt treated me to gourmet sugar cubes by Chambre De Sucre.  The kids were eating them like candy because they were so pretty!

Photo 6:  One of my favorite elements were the handmade paper heart garlands from vintage french books by La Mia Casa.  They are now re-purposed and hanging over my bed.

Photo 7:  Another fun shower game was ‘guess my age’!  The photos were stored in mason jars and labeled with tags I created with my Cavallini & Co. Rubber Stamp set.

Photo 8:   More info. on the advice cards (not fully pictured) by Yellow Brick Graphics to follow.

It was a great day.  I can’t thank my friends and family enough for their love and support!

This week was long!  I was all over California and back gathering venue information for the wedding.  I will report in soon on the progress but in the meantime I wanted to share this beautiful photo above at B.R. Cohn Winery & Olive Oil Company.

Also, Little Maison has been undergoing some blog maintenance, please forgive the lack of writing!  All should be settled soon.   Enjoy the weekend!

I’ve been frequenting local estate sales with my fiance George and using Instagram along the way.  Be sure to follow me HERE or follow me @mylittlemaison on Instagram.  It’s a fun way to share your world through pictures!

As I mentioned, last weekend I attended Shecky’s Girls Night Out in New York to guest blog and the post went live on Monday!  I was thrilled to be chosen. Check out the full post HERE.  The photos were all snapped by me as well.

I also had the privilege of writing a guest post for the fabulous site, V & Oak, which stands for Vintage and One of a Kind.  If you’re a vintage lover, you need to check out their site.  I HIGHLY recommend it.  See my full post and photos HERE.

That’s all folks, I am beat from all the extra writing!  Enjoy your weekend and don’t forget to enter the E Hernandez Giveaway HERE!

My boyfriend has a house in Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania and it’s a great weekend escape from busy New York City!  We had a lovely holiday weekend there and I wanted to share some peaceful images.  Happy 4 day work week!

Last weekend George and I took the East River Ferry from our neighborhood in Queens to Manhattan. It was a fun way to travel into the city even though the boat ride itself was fast and bumpy. When we got off I stopped in my tracks to admire the very cool design which someone had painted on the highway dividers. I was even more captivated with the reflection created by a puddle left over from the rain. It reminded me of something I would have painted years ago at FIT in my Textile Design program.

It’s fun to stop and appreciate the beauty in ordinary things sometimes. Life moves so fast and we just don’t do it enough.

Need some more photos? Look HERE and HERE

Enjoy the long weekend!

]]> http://littlemaison.com/beauty-in-ordinary-things/feed/ 1 http://littlemaison.com/1802/ http://littlemaison.com/1802/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 11:30:32 +0000 Mandy http://littlemaison.com/?p=1802 Continue reading →]]>

While the amount of beautifully crafted paper goods at the National Stationery Show can be mind boggling, I had a thoroughly enjoyable day and connected with vendors from Brooklyn, New York to Port Townsend, Washington. I will be featuring some of the lovely folks I met soon, however, I wanted to start off with my Top Ten picks from the show.

As I reviewed my photographs I realized I was mostly taken with goods other than crafty cards. Don’t get me wrong, there were spectacular paper goods showcased at the show, yet, I was drawn to the vendors who offered diversity in their line of products. To become a ‘one stop shop’ for retailers, I’d imagine this is the natural progression.

In no particular order, below are my Top Ten Picks from the 2012 National Stationery Show. More to follow!

Above: Old School Stationers made me smile with their brightly colored card packs, kitschy motifs and super sweet tote bags. This family-owned letterpress studio from Portland, Oregon is one to watch!

Below: I love vintage (as you know) and I found a new favorite in My Mother’s Buttons. Every product is made from authentic vintage buttons and the initial buttons below were once used for horse bridles. How did I not know something so beautiful existed? Just spectacular.

Above: Maybe it’s the wine lover in me or the fact I’ve always wanted glass doorknobs in my home, either way, these wine bottle stoppers by Knobstoppers are tres chic!

Below: Kata Golda was a “must see” booth based on the press kit alone (more on that later). Her hand dyed felt goods for every occasion give you an instant feeling of home. The stuffed companions below are simply perfection.

Above: Aesthetic Movement represents a multitude of crafty wares and The Frausto & Co. Spy Deck of cards was a favorite. Each card shares tidbits that one would need to survive a James Bond lifestyle. I also admired their Garden Deck which shared growing instructions for fruits and vegetables.

Below: Lea from Leafcutter Designs was one of my favorite vendors. Not only was she super sweet but her curious creations are small bits of perfection. The Recipe Dice below are perfect for the foodie in your life!

Above: What can I say about The White Cabinet that would thoroughly explain my love for everything in this booth. The 1950′s & 1960′s fashion illustrations by Hilda Glasgow make my heart skip a beat. Her daughter Liz transformed the vintage images into greeting cards, stamps and uber-stylish gift wrap which would delight any design enthusiast. In fact, Liz just was just awarded the best Eco-Chic Product at the National Stationery Show for her new soy ink based gift wrap!

Below: I adore lavender and as you know, I love anything French! I fell in love with the romantic product line by Estelle Billot who showcased these hand silk screened lavender sachets in a multitude of dreamy fabrics. I say, Oui, s’il-vous-plaît.

Above: Sticky notes never get old for me. The Leaf-it notes by b.b. begonia are so detailed and delicate, they should be displayed as wall art.

Below: A local vendor favorite, The Great Lakes Goods, had such a fun variety of goods yet, A Tiny Celebration (below) stood out from the crowd. Literally an instant party in a bag, it is the perfect item to slip into a greeting card for friends of all ages. Everyone needs some sparkle in their life!

Don’t forget to check back for more reviews and coverage from the National Stationery Show!

In honor of Mother’s Day, I am sharing some of my favorite photos of my Mother’s Little Maison.  Her aesthetic creates a cozy and quaint home which is as lovely as she is.  Happy Mother’s Day to all of the Mothers out there, especially my own Little Mommy (yes, that is her real nickname)!

]]> http://littlemaison.com/happy-mothers-day/feed/ 2 http://littlemaison.com/build-it-green/ http://littlemaison.com/build-it-green/#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 12:10:13 +0000 Mandy http://littlemaison.com/?p=1650 Continue reading →]]>

This past weekend George and I went on the hunt for something to create a path in his mother’s backyard garden.  We stopped in Build It Green which is treasure trove of salvaged building materials. A very large warehouse holds the bulk of the furniture, fixtures and lumber, some old, some new but all rescued from a landfill.  There is an outdoor area with more odds and ends which is where we found a few dozen terracotta tiles for just a quarter each.  We also snagged two remnants of granite.

Build it Green is a vintage lover’s dream as each little nook and cranny is filled with weathered beauty.   If you’re a local New Yorker about to embark on a renovation, definitely check out Build It Green.   Did I mention they are a not-for-profit organization?  As George said, it’s a win win!

Don’t forget to support Build it Green and LIKE their facebook page HERE!

1.  Take to the Water.  Do this early in the trip to get a better idea of how the city is laid out.  The views of the Eiffel tower are amazing but I was particularly fond of seeing the many bridges around the city. 

2.  Indulge!  There are endless bakeries and pastry shops in Paris, go in all of them and snag a little treat!  Keep your intake moderate and take solace in the fact that you will be burning calories walking the beautiful streets of Paris.  I do highly recommend spending an afternoon at Angelina’s for a hot chocolate.  It’s worth taking time to sit in their formal dining area to thoroughly enjoy.

3.  Act like a local. While there, we discovered on Wednesday evenings Parisians gather at the Pont des Arts with wine, cheese and circles of friends.  It was a lovely way to spend time and I just adore the thousands of locks attached to the gates on the bridge.  Next time I go back, I will be married and would love to leave a lock behind for me and George!

4.  Get lost, literally.  I can’t stress enough how some of the best sights I saw were by accident.  This particular photo below is from a small street behind Sacré Cœur but there are hundreds of little gems hidden behind the tourist attractions.  Schedule time not only to see the big sights but to explore the surrounding area as well.

5. Spend a full day at a Flea market.  There are plenty to choose from but I’d highly recommend Marché aux Puces de Paris Saint-ouen.  I spent a full day and couldn’t get enough of the endless treasures.  Even if you’re not a vintage lover like me, I think it’s the best place to pick up an authentic souvenir from your trip.  Safe Travels!

Learn a little bit more about me and my love for all things French HERE.