Full-On Summer

It's full-on summer here at The Blissful. Here's a peek at some of our inspiring favorites.

While there are still a few shopping days left until July Fourth, we're offering our favorite Franco-American-inspired linens and chair pads for your holiday picnic at 20-25% off.

We almost cried tears of joy when we unwrapped our new collection of handbags from a New York-based designer. These have more of a fall persuasion, but it's never too early to start getting ideas. We can't decide which one is our favorite: the Starry Tartan Tote, the Velvet Jamavaar, or the French Gypsy Bag. Best of all: there's more to come!

Our Chandelier Messenger Bag is the perfect laptop bag, school bag, or (why not?) a diaper bag. No one ever said you had to carry one that was all baby bunnies or firetrucks. With plentiful interior pockets and a detachable mini bag, you can be a chic mama (with or without bébé) with this elegantly embroidered Italian fabric. Available in two colorways.

Our Chandelier Sack Bag is the perfect accompaniment to your going-out-to-dinner ensemble. Jeans, heels, great earrings, and this bag. You go.

The Blissful Home en été.

The Sorbonne Loveseat.

Wine-inspired goodies.

I'm afraid these would make us want to nibble every time we walked into our kitchen.



Our exciting new candle line: Claus Porto. In summery scents with vivid packaging. These clean-burning soy candles give up to 70 hours of the finest French fragrance while slowly revealing their own unique Art Deco-inspired etched-glass designs. Our favorite: Lelite (Orange Amber).


When ticking met toile.

Our Open-Air Market Bags are made from vintage grain sacks. Soft leather handles finish the "I'm not just a tourist" look.

The Blissful will be closed on the Fourth of July. Vive la liberté, la France, et l’Amerique!

The Dog Days of Summer

"Cafe au lait, please...in a dish."

At The Blissful, we are known for our French-inspired finds and furnishings. But did you know we have an interest in matching up French-inspired dogs with great homes? Take a look at some of our favorite pups with personality.

This little toughie wears his France & Hammer Necklace collar proudly. (Our necklace looks great on two-legged people, too.)

Chien a la Sophia Loren on the Cote de Mer, circa 1955.

This little puppy had an unfortunate accident, but he has a great attitude. Wouldn't you like to make his little day?

One Item, Three Ways

Yesterday when my customer Ingrid and her friend pulled up at the store, I was outside pinning a $20 bill to a rosebush. Stranger things have happened around here, but rarely do anyone other than my mom and I witness them!
*
I was staging a photo shoot for my new blog, which I've been devoting so much time to that I fear I've been neglecting this one!
*
Never lacking for inspiration (well, okay, sometimes lacking for inspiration...but never for long), here is a fresh new post with some inspiration for YOU.
*
Upon a suggestion from a friend, I thought it might be neat to do an occasional post showing you a couple different ways to use some of our favorite finds. I love using objects in unconventional, not-intended-for-this-purpose ways.
*
The ideas I'm showing you today aren't all that out of the box, but these little green cast iron pots are too cute not to be included.
*

Une: The basic use: pop an overblown flower into the vase for a chic meets rustique effect.

Deux: Use as a pencil or pen holder. Or how about for your makeup brushes?

Trois: Tuck moss around a taper candle for some seat-me-at-a-table-in-a-European-chateau charm. Do one at every place setting and let each guest take hers home at the end of the night. Or try one on a small shelf, tucked into a summer windowsill, or on your bedside table for some candlelit reading.

What do you think?

For the Dads

'King of Hearts' by Sid Dickens

Happy Father's Day!

Nouveau Merch

We still believe in fairytales. So does 'Dido' by Sid Dickens. Draped across her plaster decolletage is a necklace from our new collection. Pendants of translucent glass with hand-drawn messages hang from whisper-thin sterling silver chains. Come in and be among the first to see and try on these delicate beauties in person. Doubleclick the photo above to view the necklace up close.

Be transported by our Pink Paris Paperweight.

Also new at The Blissful: a vintage-inspired collection of cosmetic and travel bags by the much-lauded Stephanie Johnson. Based on a 1920s European Metro motif, this fabric is matte treated and specially coated to withstand moisture and lipgloss smears. In five perfect shapes and sizes, complete with essential inner pockets.

Our French Franc Plates make adorable little catch-alls for your pocket change, jewelry, or even an assortment of bon-bons for your next girl talk.

New art has arrived! Come meet 'The Guitarist.' Haven't seen just the right piece for that wall you're looking to adorn? Ask us about our online art catalog.

New creations from Elements/Jill Schwartz. Designs from her Spring '07 collection are on the way!

To New Friends

We couldn't have guessed who would've sent us these gorgeous, French-fields-in-the-summer flowers in a perfect stone pot. They were delivered today and upon opening the card, my mom and I were so excited and touched to learn that they were sent by the staff of Ms. E's Place, a totally cute jewelry and ladies' accessories shop up the street from us. Being pretty busy these days (and who isn't?), I haven't yet taken the time to go in and introduce myself to the ladies at Ms. E's. Tonight will be the night. Thanks, girls, for making us feel so welcome. From one set of shop girls to another, your kind gesture means so much.

I've Been Tagged!

Folk artist SweetAnnee has tagged me! "Tagging," for those of you new to the phenomenon (including moi until recently), is when you create a blog post sharing 7 interesting, quirky, or little known facts about yourself, then "tagging"/inviting 3 other bloggers to do the same. I think the idea is for all of us in the blogosphere to get to know each other a little better. I've been tagged before but didn't respond because I was so new to blogging that I felt too timid to ask a blogger I didn't know well to participate with me. I guess a part of us never fully gets over our schoolgirl shyness. In any case, here I go.

Seven Little Known Facts About Me

1. I almost always wear pajamas around the house.

2. My guilty indulgence is reality TV. I am obsessed with watching everyday people in their natural habitats.

3. I have naturally curly hair, but it didn't get that way until I hit puberty. As a little girl, my hair was pin straight. Strange. Wonder what will happen when I have a baby. Back to straight, maybe?

4. Just five years ago, I was in fitness model shape with 13% body fat. I worked very diligently to get into that condition. I would love to attain that level of fitness again. I know I can do it; it's all a matter of committing.

5. My love of homestyling and creating interiors began when I discovered the now-defunct (but rumored to be resurrected soon) Victoria magazine as a pre-teen. At the age of twelve, I would pore over those mags like it was my job. No Teen or Tiger Beat for me, baby.

6. I have two cats. Their names are Skoochie and Schmenckman. Don't ask.

7. In high school, I was an award-winning Speech competitor. My best event was Original Oratory. I wrote my own ten-minute speech about how TV talk shows exploit vulnerable people (see fact #2), then delivered it in three rounds every weekend for a three-month long season.

Have I made myself sound sufficiently kooky?

Okay: Kelly from these flowers, this moon, Jamie from Dahlias, and Kara and Darcy from McMaster and Storm. Tag--you're it!

NEW! A Boutique Industry

I am very excited to be sharing something new with you today.

Throughout all of my experiences as a shop owner over the past year and a half, I've come to realize that I have an abiding passion for talking to other women about their dreams and interest in starting creative businesses of their own. So often a customer will say to my mom and me, "I would love to do something like what you're doing," or "This has always been my dream, too." Other customers have set a great handbag down on my counter, worn a beautiful necklace into the shop, or sent me a cute birthday card, and when I compliment them on it, they tell me they made it themselves! I love that. I also love freely sharing my experiences with other people. For these reasons and more, I have decided to begin a second blog, one devoted to recounting my journey as a new entrepreneur to anyone who has a similar interest or even just curiosity about how all of this works.

I am not alone in this venture. My new blog is co-written by my friend Kelly, who many of you know as the designer behind these flowers, this moon, a modern vintage jewelry line we carry at The Blissful Home. In our new blog, called A Boutique Industry, Kelly and I will share the details of how we each found our way to entrepreneurship (after being educated for something totally different, after first careers, after starting a family, after being broke, etc.). It is our intention to tell the truth about what it's like to grow a business from the ground up--the day-to-day habits, the unglossy realities, and the amazing confirmations that yes, this is truly IT for me. We hope to offer practical ideas plus support and encouragement to all of you out there who have a creative passion burning inside you. We also want to network with other women entrepreneurs. We look at it as a great dialogue between us and each of you, and all of us together. It'll all be here: boutiqueindustry.blogspot.com. I hope you'll come along for our journey!

Need a Pick-Me-Up?

The temps are high, so I thought you might need a little lift. You know my real chatty posts? This won't be one of them. Just wanted to share a few images of some great items that are still on sale, such as our French Doormats (above and below), which are 50% OFF.

Fresh Lavender Bouquets are 20% OFF.

Select garden and patio furniture is 20 to 40% OFF, including our Estella Chairs (throw pillows not included).

Our in-demand Fleur de Lis tubs are 20% OFF. If you want these, get thee to The Blissful, because there aren't too many left! In large, medium, and small, these are perfect for planting or for ice and beverages at your next party.

For a limited time, we're offering our wonderful Bella Notte bedding collection at 20% OFF, including custom orders. Our other bedding collections are 40% OFF what we currently have in the shop. Time to transition to lighter weight stuff!

Our Madame Bovary and The Raven candles by Sprig are 50% OFF. Subtle scents and adorable, literary-inspired packaging. A portion of all sales goes to purchasing storybooks for underprivileged children.

Our retro-inspired aprons are 10% OFF. 'Tis the season to whip up a light meal in a flirty, colorful apron, don't you think?

Because so many of you are traveling or gearing up for a nice vacation, we're offering our new line of cosmetic bags (in three convenient sizes) by Simply Sarah at 20% OFF. In Cherry Blossom, Pink Dot, and Fleur-de-Bee. (Fleur-de-BEE!)

Scarves are tres au courant. These look so cute knotted in your hair, worn as a belt, or tied onto your handbag or beachbag. Our collection is 50% OFF.

And that's not all. Come visit us and see what's waiting for you...