Farmstead Flannel

Baby, it's cold outside! Don't worry, though; we have the perfect accessories to warm you up this winter! Our first introduction goes to Farmstead Vintage Washed Flannels. Based in Historic Old Town Auburn, California, Farmstead's unisex flannels are each hand-treated with a special formula to create the distinctive soft look and feel of well loved, broken-in shirts. These one-of-a-kind finds are perfect for layering and adding a cool, casual look to your wardrobe. 

If Farmstead's flannels aren't enough to fend off the chilly weather, these fabulous handcrafted fingerless gloves by Tamara's should do the trick. Each set is unique and boasts charming appliques, buttons, decorative stitching, or all three!

We love the range of colors and designs; there's one for every personality and style. Tamara's gloves are made of high quality wool, so they make lovely Christmas gifts that would certainly be welcome this time of year!

Inspired Reading

Everyone knows fall is the best time of year to cozy up with a book, and we've been busy perusing some exceptionally inspired work lately. Zoe Ellison and Alex Legendre's A Life Less Ordinary stands out as one of the most beautiful books published this year. The first book from the owners of i gigi, one of England's most eclectic boutiques, A Life Less Ordinary includes Legendre and Ellison's journeys to becoming designers, inspirations, and stunning photography of their chic but practical design aesthetic.

Summers in France has been another captivating read. Designer Kathryn M. Ireland's journal-style writing and family photos create an inviting book that captures more than just her sense of style. It allows you to see how she actually lives with her designs. Ireland's tips and ideas are offered through the lens of her family's renovated farmhouse in the French countryside, providing plenty of gorgeous inspiration for your own home.

While many of us think of French decor simply as "shabby chic," Sebastien Siraudeau shows us a different view with his book, French Flair: Modern Vintage Interiors. He takes the reader through one hundred truly remarkable properties, all demonstrating a diverse mixture of traditional and contemporary elements. Siraudeau's advice for creating a home's history, in addition to the exquisite photography, make this a must read.

For a little lighter reading, pick up the latest copy of Flea Market Style, one of our favorite magazines. We love searching for and collecting one-of-a-kind treasures to give our shop and our homes their own unique stories. Flea Market Style offers fantastic ideas for taking vintage items and integrating them into home design. Needless to say, we read it cover to cover every time it comes through our door!

August Artwork

August has been a busy month so far for C'est Moi, and apparently it has been the same for some of our local artists. We just received this beautiful piece from Kellie Montana. We love the texture and muted colors she used! The picture simply doesn't do it justice.

Amy Rankin has also added to her collection at the shop. This piece, inspired by the Bible verse found in Joshua 24:15, rings true to her style in both beauty and inspiration. Anyone who admires Amy's work will certainly adore her latest artistic endeavor.

Those of you who have followed Emily Little's journey might think her latest piece is a bit of a departure from her previous work. You can see her hand, though, in the way she's captured the charm and simplicity of nature in this painting. Like Kellie and Amy's work, you'll want to come in the shop to see this beautiful piece for yourself!

Dreaming in Color

Everyone knows we love color here at C'est Moi, and this little yellow ceramic pig is just too cute for words. The top is hollow, so it can be used to hold jewelry, knick-knacks, flowers, or just about anything else imaginable!

Another colorful piece to arrive are these bracelets from Amazima. Like their necklaces, these are hand crafted by women in Uganda, who are paid fair wages for their work and are then able to better care for their families. We love Amazima's jewelry, as well as its mission!

Perhaps the brightest piece of news to share with you is that we will be hosting a very special workshop! Deneen Glidwell, the talented and creative mind behind Dreaming in Color, will be teaching how to use CHALK PAINT® by Annie Sloan to create a one-of-a-kind jewelry box, as seen below. Anyone 9 years old and up are welcome to participate! The workshop will be Sunday, June 30th from 10:00 to 12:30 and costs $85. We can't wait to see you there!

English Yellow Has Arrived!

Yellow is, simply put, a happy color. It doesn't matter whether it's a rich gold tone, as seen on this beautiful French headboard...

Source: www.escapadeblog.com

or a more muted hue, as this stunning stair runner showcases...

Source: www.jonathanadler.com

or a bright sunny yellow that works seamlessly within a vibrant palette. Yellow imbues joy and radiance into any space it touches, which means that this week C'est Moi is certainly a happy place to be...

Source: www.jonathanadler.com

since we have received our first shipment of CHALK PAINT® by Annie Sloan in English Yellow!!! This is what Annie calls a "clean" or "non earthy yellow;" it blends beautifully with other colors. One of our favorite combinations is English Yellow and Antibes Green, which creates a perfect lime green shade. We've been painting everything in sight with this pretty pop of color, and we know you'll love it as well. Be sure to come by and see for yourself!

Source: www.examiner.com; photography by Christopher Drake for Annie Sloan

The Art of Giving

Amy Rankin, one of the newest artists to be featured at C'est Moi, is the owner and creative mind behind 2540 Designs. Inspired by the Bible verse Matthew 25:40, Amy and her husband adopted their daughter from China and have become supporters of several charitable organizations that promote and provide adoption services. Part of the proceeds from her sales go to these organizations. We admire Amy's desire to give back and serve others in need and are proud to promote her work.

We also happen to love the color, texture, and inspiration her art work exhibits. It's simply beautiful and would be gorgeous in any home!

Sheryl Putnam is another local artist whose work has blessed the lives of others. Several years ago, through the midst of several trials, she began creating what she calls "prayer pockets." She hand stitches pouches from vintage fabrics and attaches antique chains to them to create necklaces. A small scroll of paper, tied with a ribbon, rests inside each one. You can write a prayer on the paper and keep it close to your heart, reminding you of it throughout the day. Sheryl's prayer pockets are a sweet gift for anyone struggling through a difficult time.

Sheryl also makes these canvas vintage embellished backpacks. Its design and size make it a versatile bag that can serve as a regular book-toting back pack, a purse, and everything in between. They're even more adorable in person, so make sure you come to C'est Moi and take a look!

Brocante in Brentwood

"Brocante" is the French word for flea market, and Paris is home to the most famous brocante of all: Les Puces ("The Fleas.")  It covers 17 acres and receives between 120,000 and 180,000 visitors each weekend, making it the largest antique market in the world. Dealers and customers alike love to haggle over prices; negotiating is a hallmark of Les Puces, as well as other flea markets.

But you don't have to travel to Paris to enjoy a brocante. This Friday, June 15th, C'est Moi is bringing the brocante to Brentwood! A wide variety of items will be on sale, including rugs, bedding, furniture, and Waxing Poetic jewelry. Don't let the sale tag deter you from negotiating, though; the haggle is part of the fun! 

Introducing Artisan Enhancements

We've been asked about numerous decorative finishes and if they can be used with CHALK PAINT by Annie Sloan®. We're excited to finally be able to recommend a fabulous product: Artisan Enhancements by Aloha Coatings. Below you'll see we've stenciled with their Pearl Plaster paint, which produces a velvety, pearlescent shimmer.

Pearl Plaster offers the flexibility that fans of CHALK PAINT by Annie Sloan® have become accustomed to. It can be painted, rolled, toweled, dry brushed, and even tinted with various paint colors to create an endless number of finishes. 

When using Pearl Plaster, you can either wax over it or use Aloha Coatings' clear topcoat. The topcoat can also be used directly over CHALK PAINT by Annie Sloan®, so you can use painted pieces outside. No more worrying about the weather destroying all of your hard work!

In addition to Aloha Coatings' products, you'll want to pick up a topcoat brush. They are specifically designed to prevent brush strokes from showing, so you can finally achieve a perfectly smooth finish!

You can't use a brush without properly cleaning it, and this is hands-down our favorite cleaning product. This lye soap by Coda Artisans removes all traces of paint, wax, and other residual products from brushes. It is so amazing, you won't want to start painting without a Big Fat Lye waiting in your arsenal.

A Taste of France

As much as we love CHALK PAINT® by Annie Sloan, there's a new girl in town that has grabbed our attention. The Annie Sloan Fabric Collection® can be summed up in one word: stunning. Anyone who has been in the store has seen the Toile de Jouy line in Charcoal Pastorale. The beautiful pictures of country scenes are drawn in a charcoal graphite color on off-white pure cotton.

As it is double width toile, it can be used on walls, curtains, or light upholstery. We have displayed it in the shop over our cast iron bed. If you've been in the shop lately, you will surely have noticed this lovely addition to our decor!

If you need even more inspiration, you'll love our newest addition to our book collection, Romantic French Homes. Lanie Goodman profiles 14 homes that all exemplify romantic French style, from classic country chateaus to chic, modern Parisian flats.

We think Rann Woodward's latest artwork would add a touch of romance to any room it calls home! These serene hydrangeas make us want to take a moment, relax, and step outside to see the gorgeous flowers blooming all around us this spring.

Finally, we have a little project of our own to share with you. This cute accent chair came to us in pretty rough shape. The upholstery was in great shape, though, and we loved the color and character it brought to the rest of the piece. Instead of replacing or painting it, we kept the upholstery and played off the gold color by layering CHALK PAINT® by Annie Sloan in Arles and Cream. We love how it turned out and are happy we're finally able to show her off!

Pure Sanctuary Trunk Show

We are so very excited to announce our Pure Sanctuary Trunk Show! It starts this Thursday, May 9th, and runs through Saturday, May 11th. We will be receiving a SURPRISE box full of cash and carry items! Of course, we can still custom order as well. If you're not familiar with Pure Sanctuary, now is the time to become acquainted.

Their charms and pendants, which are all hand cast in their Los Angelas studio, create an especially fun, unique look when layered together. 

We especially love this one. Not only is it beautiful...

but it also hides a lovely little surprise! This piece would be a perfect gift for a new or soon-to-be bride. It would also make a great anniversary present!

This pendant is stunning as well! We love the script and detailed edge, but our favorite part has to be the little bee on top. The thought that goes into each of Pure Sanctuary's pieces make them truly special.

Don't forget to stop by the shop this Thursday through Saturday to find a Pure Sanctuary piece that will "inspire memories" to last you a lifetime!

Handmade Beauty: Candles

We have a bit of a love affair with candles. There are so many to choose from, it's difficult not to collect a few (dozen) here and there. These particular candles are hand poured right here in Middle Tennessee and wrapped with pages from small, vintage French dictionaries. Local product wrapped in vintage French paper? We're sold!

If you want romance, drama, and an ethereal beauty all in one package, you'll fall head over heels for these candles by Wicked. Los Angelas based owners Mark and Samantha first created them for their own wedding, after they failed to find candles that matched their vision. They continue to hand dip each candle, so no two are alike. We still haven't stopped swooning over these unique handcrafted masterpieces.

If you're style is more literary than romantic, Wicked has you covered still. Their Negative Space collection is "inspired by provocative authors of the past and their tumultuous environments at the time of their existence."  The fragrances are reminiscent of each author's surroundings, while the images on the front represent the authors' psyches. The images illuminate when the candles are lit, creating an other-worldly ambiance that reflects the works of featured authors Edgar Allen Poe and Emily Dickinson, among others. We love the thought and soul of this Wicked product; who knew candles could be such a conversation piece?

Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More

We were pleasantly surprised to have received one of our most anticipated products a few weeks early! Annie Sloan's latest book, Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More, is a masterpiece of design and creativity.

(Photo Credit for Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More: Christopher Drake) 

It includes 40 new projects, almost all of them created originally for Annie's country home in France. Our favorite has to be this French Napoleonic bed, which adds what Annie calls an "outrageous pomposity" to this otherwise subdued and neutral room.

Each of the projects includes step-by-step instructions to recreate the looks presented in the book. We love the mixture of Antibes Green, dark wax, and gilded accents on the bed. It's absolutely gorgeous!

Some of the techniques she uses are new to even the most ardent Annie Sloan aficionados. Did you know, for instance, that you can use CHALK PAINT® to dye fabric?!

Annie has dyed monogrammed linen fabric and used it for upholstery, bed linens, and curtains. The fabric below has been dyed Aubusson Blue and Scandanavian Pink; the book includes instructions on not only how to dye fabric but how to vary the intensity of the final colors.  

One of the best aspects of Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More is the collection of various styles Annie showcases. Not only does she use CHALK PAINT® to create pieces inspired by classical French style, but adds Boho Chic, Modern Contemporary, and Country styles to the mix. 

This painted panel wall is a beautiful example of Swedish style, along with the textured pine staircase that Annie washed with Old White and Paris Grey. 

Those who have taken our advanced workshops will recognize the technique on this stenciled wall. For one of the walls in her home, Annie used four colors and one damask stencil to create a bold, layered design. The step-by-step instructions explain how to apply the paint with varying degrees of pressure and how adding a wash of Old White on top can develop a more subtle, worn look. 

These are just a few of our favorite projects from Annie's new book; it also includes an entire section on understanding and combining colors from her CHALK PAINT® line. We would love for you to come in and see for yourself why Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More is the perfect introduction to transforming your home!

Easter Whimsies

Easter is arriving early this year, but we're more than ready! The shop is full of Easter whimsies, including this adorable basket. The carrots are formed from paper mache, while the over-sized eggs have been covered with varying patterns of frayed fabric.

The same fabric covers this lovely little bunny. The neutral linen, French script, and lace accent makes this a beautiful addition to elegant, vintage Easter decor. Simply beautiful!

We also love this bunny, painted in watercolors by the wonderfully talented Wendy Day. Her vibrant art adds such happiness to the shop, we know it would do the same when nestled among other pieces in a loving home!

We wish you all a lovely Easter and hope to see you soon!