Les Enfants!

As mentioned last week, we have expanded our selection of gifts for babies and young children.

One special line you will find are handmade bibs, throws and dolls that make extra special gifts.

First to present are handmade throws. These are 100% cotton with natural fiber lining. These quilts are a perfect size for a crib, receiving blanket, or child's favorite blanket. They measure 45 x 36" and are designed with multiple squares. Backside is flannel.









Next, fun and colorful bibs in a variety of prints. Beauty and style with practicality. All bibs are 100% vinyl-coated cotton (higher quality than standard oilcloth). These are machine washable high quality vintage style bibs with catch pouch and snap closure. Print may vary due to cut out of fabric. A must have! Ages 6-36 months.


Finally, who doesn't remember those fun monkey dolls Grandma pieced together from socks? Well we have them just for that special little someone. Sock monkeys are made from original Red Heel socks. They are 100% cotton with poly batting fill. They are machine/dryer friendly. These will bring back times of old and young and old alike will love their special friend for years to come. Your choice, boy or girl, named and the girls are wearing tutus!!

Don't forget, we pack and ship gifts worldwide. Give us a call to order for that special "enfant" in your life!

Check out the Monday Weekly Peek!

We've been Framed!

Mignonne has a new window design by intern Mallory Vogel and it is adorable!

A variety of beautiful, baroque style frames offset with a selection of our painted furniture in coordinating colors presents a very striking display for passers-by! Mallory's inspiration has resulted in a creative and unique design. Stop by the shop and check it out in person soon.

Mignonne has Adorable Gift Items for the Babies in Your Life!

Last Christmas, Mignonne introduced a children's section to the store. We do not seek to be the A to Z provider of children's items. Rather, we have worked to bring a small but special selection of perfect gifts for the little ones. We have focused on handmade, artisanal and high quality items sure to please parents and little ones alike.

To highlight one of our lines, let's take a closer look at ROBEEZ footwear, featured in the shop. ROBEEZ has grown from one mother's home-based business to the world's leading marketer and manufacturer of soft-soled footwear for newborns to four-year-olds.

In a story we love and can relate to (!), founder Sandra Wilson was downsized from the airline industry. Wanting to spend more time with her son, she viewed this as an opportunity instead of a catastrophe. She used her 18-month old son as inspiration to design her line of footwear. After hand-stitching 20 sample pairs and introducing them at the Vancouver Gift Show to a brightly positive response, her ROBEEZ line was born (named after her son, Robert).

Even though no longer made in one mom's home, the baby shoes and booties are still meticulously handcrafted from leather. The soft, skid-resistant soles encourage feet to flex and toes to grip, allowing developing feet to grow naturally. Not only are the shoes created with great care and attention to quality, the whimsical designs for both boys and girls immediately drew us to the line. We take special pride in finding products that reflect the values of community and artisanal quality, and ROBEEZ' shoes fit that definition.

We are focused on carrying sizes for infants 0-12. We have a broad selection of styles for the baby in your life. Or, if you have seen a design we do not have in stock, we can look into ordering it for the future.


Our selection of children's items is, for the most part, targeted to that age group, infants and toddlers. In addition to ROBEEZ, Mignonne features classic children's books that will be cherished and passed on to future generations with love (Dr. Seuss, Tintin), handmade baby throws and dolls, high quality wooden toys from France ... just to name a few. In future blog posts we will enjoy introducing you to another of our specialties awaiting you in the store.

As always, anything you see on our blog can be purchased by phoning or emailing the store (see our blog header for contact info). We pack with special care and can also send as a gift to anywhere in the world!

Stunning Summery Ironstone

We snagged this absolutely pristine set of Ironstone Federalist pieces, perfect for your summer table. Included in this amazing vintage set is a Coffee/Tea pot, a covered sugar bowl, creamer with matching saucer and butter dish with saucer and lid.

There is not a mark or chip throughout, each piece is in perfect condition. The soft, buttery yellow is so cheery and is sure to brighten up a summer setting. From the 60s, the fluting details really set this set apart from the rest.

Available for purchase online, we pack carefully for shipping. Give us a call or use the contact option on the blog for details!

Introducing ... Friday's Fabulous French Find!

Hi folks!  I have now arrived in France and while I am very busily trying to get established, I'm never too busy to have my eye out for Mignonne finds.

So, even though I haven't been actively roaming and buying yet (after all, it hasn't even been a week!) ... I have already found a few treasures.

Johnelle and I thought it would be fun to start the week with a weekly Mignonne peek and end the week with a weekly French find!

The French finds should arrive in the store about 2 weeks after being pictured on our blog. You can always call the store directly if you see an item you'd like to reserve for purchase.

This week's find is a set of our trademark vintage glassware (click picture for a close-up view). Check out this lovely carafe with green and gold design, accompanied by 8 matching digestifs in green, blue, yellow and red, two of each color. There are no chips in the glass. As expected of glassware of this age, you will find some minor wearing in the striping and colors ... which only contributes to the charm of the set.

See you next week ... or perhaps I should say "à la prochaine!"

Kim

Mignonne Celebrates Bastille Day All Week Long!

Here at Mignonne, we are always inspired by the French. With Bastille Day occurring on July 14th, this week is no exception. We're having a 20% off sale throughout the store for an ENTIRE WEEK!

Yes, that means 20% reductions on all new AND vintage items, (excluding local art work), Tuesday, July 15th through Tuesday, July 22nd.

We have a new selection of ROBEEZ children's footwear, fresh new soaps, new vintage pieces and other new items throughout the store.  Take advantage of our 20% off sale to treat yourself or a friend!

Mette Vangso Spa Products

Mette Vangso is a Danish design maven based in San Francisco. She's created a decadent line of luxurious, eco friendly, organic, natural spa products - all inspired by modern art, fashion, nature, and comfort. Her collection introduces hot and cold therapy for the body, mind, and soul.

Mette selects a limited edition of fabulously artistic fabrics each year for her line of aromatherapy pillows. She fashions them with high quality ingredients, including organic buckwheat and flaxseed and natural ingredients including lavender, chamomile, and other herbs and flowers that support natural healing.

The pillows bring soothing hot or cold relief to aching muscles and tired eyes, while providing aromatherapeutic calm to the senses. Available in three models, The Classic, The Neck Hugger, and The Eye Catcher, Pleasure Pillows can be heated in the microwave for soothing muscle pain relief, or chilled in the freezer to reduce inflammation. Heated or cooled, these luxurious pillows will restore vital energy, and can reduce stress, cramps and muscle tension, while promoting a balanced state of mind.

Mette is the kind of female entrepreneur we delight in at Mignonne. Mette departed a successful corporate career to follow her dream of eco-entrepreneurship and founded her own design studio in the bay area. Mette's spa pillows have been featured in PEOPLE and GLAMOUR magazines. Mette says her pillows are a labor of love that allow her to satiate her desire to create beautiful things, while producing products that make people feel good on many levels--combining luxury, comfort and healing in one package.

Bon Voyage to Kimberlee!

I'm leaving for my big French adventure! I depart early Saturday morning for Brantôme, a quaint village in the Dordogne know as the "Venice of the Perigord". Brantôme is less than an hour drive from Bordeaux and is located in an area rich with history and beauty.

With its "gastronomique" specialities, (foie gras, truffles, duck), the Dordogne is where foodies can savor the experience of fabulous cuisine and culinary delights. The region also boasts some wonderful outdoor activities such as biking, horse riding, kayaking, camping, fishing and generall appreciation of the natural beauty. The heart of mankind, Lascaux Caves, are a short ride away.

I am SO looking forward to enjoying the pleasures of a simpler life and the chance to escape from the stress and bustle of urban living and corporate pursuits. Hopefully I will find time to stroll through some of the old villages and visit the markets full of smells and sights most of us have thought long ago disappeared. My life will be anything but quiet, however, with my long list of many projects, including fixing up a 17c stone house, exploring my own new village, greatly improving my French, spending time expanding Mignonne's online shopping capabilities and writing the Je Suis Mignonne blog as well as my own personal blog ... and very importantly, searching for treasures to send back to Mignonne.

Not only is the region known for its gastronomique qualities, but it is teeming with brocantes and hidden treasures just awaiting discovery. Johnelle and I are very excited to have this opportunity to bring a splash of France directly to our customers in Old Oakland.

Wish me a big bonne chance!

We have gorgeous new jewelry at Mignonne!

Take a moment and check out our latest jewelry pieces at Mignonne. We recently brought in a new selection from Scotland and it has been going fast! The necklaces and earrings are fashioned from a combination of beautiful vintage elements like antique, delicate golden leaves and new Swarovski seed pearls. Some incorporate vintage bakelite or semi-precious stones. Each is unique and a work of art in itself.

In the next few weeks, more items from other designers will be arriving. Our customers have obviously been missing jewelry at Mignonne, because the feedback has been awesome and the pieces are selling quickly! We've decided to refocus on jewelry and have been working hard to bring in some special lines you won't find at other stores ... those stand-out items you count on us for.

Don't miss out on yours ~ Stop by soon for a treat of your own!

Purchase your Je Suis Mignonne custom tote Online!

Hannah Stouffer has designed another commemorative art piece for Mignonne. Our new and exclusive Je Suis Mignonne bag combines form and function with a beautiful art design declaring what we already knew ...

Je Suis Mignonne:

[zhuh] [swee] [mihn-yahn]

I. Am. Cute, sweet, pretty, dainty. (or all of the above! )

Our 100% organic cotton tote, with lovely aqua and brown artwork, is yours for only $24 plus S/H. It is roomy (12x18) and perfect for a day at the farmer's market or toting office essentials for your daily B.A.R.T. commute.

Go on. Click the button to the left, our completely secure PayPal shopping, and get your very own. You know you want to!

Be My, Be My Little Baby!

Mignonne is proud to carry the Oaklandish brand in a variety of baby tees and onesies.  Oaklandish products are made in California and printed in Oakland.  The proceeds support a wide variety of community events and projects.  Their products celebrate 'local love and original Oakland charm'.

Their logo reflects the Oak tree, long symbolic of our city, along with the deep roots demonstrating their commitment to the community at large.

We've selected a variety of popular themes and colors for our children's section, including the acorn (never falls far from the tree!), the town graphic, and the original Oaklandish tree.

Don't forget, if you are out of the area, all you have to do is give us a call or drop us an email to purchase anything you see here. We'll ship it out promptly to you or as a gift to someone you love.

Felicitations!

Mignonne wishes you and your family a happy Independence Day!

Mignonne's 2 Year Fete!

Thanks to all of our customers for attending our reception for our second year anniversary in Oakland's Old Oakland district.

We had a steady stream of well-wishers enjoying music by djenaturalselection.

Tasty refreshments and wine were also shared.

We all had fun meeting our newest local artisan, Mette Vangso, and learning more about her product line of lavender pillows.  

Throughout the evening, Johnelle and Kim raffled off gifts including commemorative Mignonne posters by Hannah Stouffer, lavender sachets from Mette Vangso, our new Je Suis Mignonne tote bag with artwork by Hannah Stouffer and a beautiful vintage mirror.

It was a lovely evening shared by friends.  Thank you for your support during the past two years.  We look forward to continuing to serve our customers and the local community.