GRANDE BOHEMIEN CARNAVAL!

Featured dealer: ‘The Vintage Rabbit"

A tres successful dealer here for over ten years now, designer Joy of “The Vintage Rabbit” started off with a fabulous mixture of painted vintage furniture & shabby chic home décor that beautifully captured a seaside theme inspired by the colors of the sea & sand.
Then, a few years back, she tapped into her inner artiste, launched an entirely new venture & Voila – ‘Joyville’ was born!
Dramatically juxtaposed against the shop’s muted, timeworn palette, Joy boldly introduced wild bohemian colours – that of a true gypsy soul, & transformed her space into a glorious French carnival of paper, graphics, textiles & petit objets d’art!
Think Marie Antoinette meets Boho chic…at Glitterfest!
C’est une veritable bonbonniere!
What started in a small nook has now expanded into a large space that is truly a feast for the eyes, a sensory delight & a crème glacee wonderland of artistic creations! Her fearless mixture of colours; chartreuse with fushia, burnt orange with turquoise, canary yellow with coral; her mixed-use of paper & elements & her daring op-art patterns break all the rules & even from afar, the Joyville ‘WoW’ factor jumps out at you.
There’s a reason why she’s featured in magazines, is invited to participate in all the trend-setting events, & is sought after to teach classes all over the country….women love & connect with her soulful offerings….Metallic trees hung with her signature dyed birds, ribbon sayings in their beaks & flower garlands adorning their necks, colorful bird banners, glitterized nests with tiny eggs, French paper flags, canvas messenger bags with her bold logo, elaborate paper crowns, hand-dyed, glittered tags & bookmarks, iridescent shell wreaths, beautiful be-shelled crosses, branches blooming with flowers made from paper coffee filters (oui!), all beautifully staged in & amongst vintage props. Not to be missed are her one-of-a-kind be-shelled, bejeweled & sheet music covered mannequins that each have been named! Her elaborate, ribbon-hung multi-dimensional collages with crowned birds, glorious graphics & German glass glitter are signed, numbered & are true mini masterpieces!
Enter Joyville for a galaxie of vibrant colours & over-the-top visual combinations & don’t forget to fasten your seatbelts mes amies…this vibrant galerie d’esthetique is a whimsical wonderland of creative eye candy & one tres extraordinaire “E’ ticket ride!

Jusqu'a la fois prochaine.

THIS JUST IN! “Ceci juste dedans!”

A tantalizing glimpse into our faded French world & to show you what just came in this week. A fabulous grouping of objets trouve to set your maison apart & your soul on fire! We hope you’ll stop in soon as our settings turn over tres rapidement! (Or, call the shop direct to inquire on prices & status of these items: 619-222-9244)

TREASURE HUNTRESS EXTRAORDINAIRE: “Huntress de Tresor Extraordinaire”

Featured dealer: ‘Coronado Collection’

There’s a reason why we call her – Le Lapin Energifiant! (The Energizer Bunny)…No one rises earlier, spots pieces quicker, refurbishes faster or brings items into the shop sooner, than petite powerhouse, Beth, of ‘Coronado Collection’.
A true superstar of the trade, longtime dealer/designer Beth tirelessly treasure hunts with an haut superieur trained eye & a savvy instinct for what sells & her bounty has customers lined up to see her latest finds! Several times a month, her room completely turns over its merchandise, & many dealers & designers now call ahead to find out when she’s bringing in her next grande load (at least once or twice a week) so they can be there waiting. So, to say that she has a loyal following - would be quite the amoindrissement!
And le reason for all this devotion?
No one demonstrates “Le Mix” better than Beth. Her signature settings of decorative French & Italian furnishings, accessories & tres magnifique architectural & garden items are all juxtaposed in a brilliant brocante setting. A balance of splendor with crusty pediments leaned against gilt caned chairs; upholstered chaises next to weathered iron garden gates; distressed armoires & vanities cleverly displayed inside ornate iron beds; Italian Florentine pieces on top of vintage, painted buffets; beaucoup garden décor & garden benches stacked with chippy birdbaths & fountains & then, of course, her fabulous collection of mirrors - every size, shape, & provenance; these grand statement mirrors are one of her many trademark items. All of this combined with her exceptionnel bon marche pricing makes for some tres rapide turn over!
Her enchanting whitewashed room has 2 huge skylights that transform everything into a dreamy muted palette & the result is an alluring mixture of time worn finishes, woods, metals & textures staged within a beautiful sun-drenched setting. Magic abounds, grand and distressed are always intertwined & the beauty of imperfection has definitely been perfected.
Fait accompli lapin energifiant!

Jusqu’a la fois prochaine.

DEAR TO MY HEART: Mother’s Day

Pour Honorer Mon Mere

Those of you who have read the ‘Mon Tribute’ page on Vignettes’ website know of the extraordinary impact that my Mother had in my life.
To this day, her influence guides me and among all the amazing and beautiful qualities she possessed, and there were so many, one of the most endearing ones that will always stand out to me, was her thoughtfulness.
She cared, she made effort, she went the extra mile, she always
reached out to people in the most kindly of ways and gestures, both grand and small; she made a difference in people’s lives with her heartfelt generosity and loving kindnesses.
What an endearing legacy to leave behind.
At least once a month she would send me inspiring poems and meaningful sayings that she loved and they would always be hand-lettered in her beautiful calligraphy with a hand-drawn bird in the corner (birds were her favorite and now mine too) and a kind little note to the side. I kept them all. She also left behind 3 journals; one for each of us - my two sisters and me, filled with page after page of beautiful writings, poems, verses, birds - of course, and carefully selected words to lift our souls. I will share these priceless writings over time.
Years ago when I set off for my very first voyage to Paris, she put a folded note in my suitcase that I found upon arriving that read:

Though we travel the world over
To find the beautiful,
We must carry it with us
Or we find it not.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

So thoughtful, so inspiring, so her.
I still have that folded note, framed, on my wall - and the message lives on…

I will carry her beauty with me – forever.