Places

bon bon atelier

by Katie on July 11, 2012

Sisters Betsy and Emily run a beyond lovely little shop in Kansas City. Though I had driven by or been in the area many times over the last, oh, 24 years, I had never actually gone in! Shame on me!

When I was in town for Quilt Market, I made a point to stop in. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to spend as much time (or money) in there as I would have liked. So, in an order to spend more time there, in spirit, I thought I’d share this little slice of crafty cuteness with all of you! If you’re in Kansas City and have any interest in crafts, sewing, and/or handmade goodness, you simply must stop by!

I pestered Betsy for details about their story. Read what she had to say below!

In 2005 my sister and I got the bug to open our own store. We had grown up being involved with a retail store and tea room that my mom had opened, so it was kind of ingrained in us. In 2006 we opened bon bon atelier. With my degree and interest in fashion and my sister being a jewelry designer we originally opened the store to showcase locally made accessories, clothing and gift items. On the side my sister Emily knitted and I sewed. A lot. And we were having a heck of a time finding the fabric and yarn that we wanted in our area. So bon bon dropped it’s clothing and accessories and brought in fabric and yarn.

I had worked at Liberty of London some years before and fell in Love with their fabric. They were one of the first lines we brought in. We also added Kokka, Westminster, Free Spirit, Cloud 9 and so on. In the yarn department Emily has been piling us up with Cascade, Lorna’s Laces and Sweet Georgia. And of course we stocked up on patterns and books and notions. We also teach sewing and knitting classes for beginner to advanced levels.

We think it’s important to support our local artists and economy so we still carry handmade gift items such as jewelry, bath fizzies and even dishware! We also host a craft fair every summer, the Ric Rac Roundup. It has all Kansas City designers and is a much anticipated event every summer.

We are so happy to find ourselves a fabric and yarn store, nothing makes us more excited than getting new patterns, prints and colors. We also love the community of crafters that has sprung up around the shop. Knowing that there other people in this world with a project list as long as ours, a stash of fabric as large (or larger) than ours and more tubs of yarn that we have makes us feel a little saner!

Thanks so much, Betsy and Emily! Find bon bon atelier at 314 Westport Road, Kansas City, MO (and check out their website, blog, and Facebook page)!

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Santa Barbara

by Katie on July 23, 2011

WEEEE! It has almost been TWO MONTHS since I last posted. What is UP with THAT?!

Well, I’ll tell you what’s up! We’ve had almost every relative under the sun come visit (that’s a lie – just parents, a cousin or two and a few friends), but we’ve had visitors every week for 6+ weeks! I guess that’s just what happens when you live in southern California! We’ve also moved (yes, again) to a new spot – Bird Rock! It has a totally different vibe than our last place, but I love it – it’s a quiet spot, one and a half blocks from the ocean. And, if you squish your face against one of our walls, you can actually see the ocean out the window! I’ll post pictures one of these days!

During mom and dad’s visit, we went up to Santa Barbara. LOVED IT!! It was my first time there – cannot wait to go back. Of course, I didn’t take as many pictures as I should have, but here are a few of my favorites.

This was THE coolest thing – a rainbow AROUND the sun! Have you ever seen a 22 degree halo?! Apparently that’s what this is (and they are fairly common)! All the pictures we were able to take of this one was from a moving car, so our angle options were limited. Anywho, you can get the idea with this photo!

I won’t pretend to know the first thing about barber shops, but expert or not, you must admit this little shop is da’ bomb! It’s the Members Only Barber Shop located on Victoria Street, in the heart of Santa Barbara. It’s a self-proclaimed 1800s style men’s hairstyling and grooming shop with a 21st century twist. The website says “Whether you’re looking for a traditional straight razor shave or basic haircut, your unforgettable members experience includes a discount on all services and products, wet bar privileges, and always a fine cigar!”. I’m not a dude, but that seems preeeetty awesome. Even the fellas need a little pampering now and then!

Here are two friends I made on Stearns Wharf. Aren’t their knobby little legs so cute?! This red fire hose was probably the least interesting thing in the area…but I liked it. The birds added charm I guess (though I can’t say the same about their droppings).

Some buoys hanging outside the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company. They were literally pulling living crabs out of a huge tank and chopping them in half in front of a viewing window….so I had to zoom in to get this shot. No way I was getting any closer than I had to! Couldn’t stand to watch that.

One of the best places in town is State Street (as it is where all the action [read: shopping] is)! So many great places to shop and dine in – I was so wrapped up in its awesomeness that I forgot to take pictures! Among my favorites were The Area (apparel), Celadon House (home goods), and Andersen’s Danish Restaurant and Bakery – delicious. It’s said to be “the most beautiful downtown in America” and considering the downtowns I’ve seen, I simply must agree!

Here is a shot of us in a gorgeous park at the top of a large hill…or mountain – such amazing views! It was just a short drive from State Street. I don’t remember the name of the park, but it’s definitely worth hunting down if you’re in town!

There was so much more around to see and do, but this post is already long enough! Have you ever been to Santa Barbara? What did you think?! What was your favorite thing to do (or place to shop or eat)?

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Crown and Crumpet Tea Salon

by Katie on January 11, 2011

Where: 207 Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point, San Francisco, California 94109
Phone: (415) 771-4252
Hours: Monday to Thursday: 10am to 6pm, Friday: 10am to 9pm, Saturday: 9am to 9pm, Sunday: 9am to 6pm

If you love tea and/or just being girly, this is THE place for you. The Crown and Crumpet Tea Salon in Ghirardelli Square is the epitome of a fun yet sophisticated girl world.

I had the pleasure of stepping into the quaint tearoom (and shop) on a weekend trip to SF and I’m sad to say I wasn’t able to spend enough time there. Not only do they have a fabulous menu of teas, but they have a rather impressive menu for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and even evening goodies.

The decor was quite possibly the best part of all, a modern spin on shabby chic, with Victorian prints in bright colors, mixed to create an atmosphere like no other! Had I not been with the hubby, I would have parked myself on a comfy, stylish chair and sipped a cup (well, multiple cups) of Piccolo tea for hours, while reading or blogging. *sigh* Perfection (even if it is just a dream).

And of course, before we left, I browsed the items in the Crown and Crumpet store, full of fanciful and whimsical items that any lover of teas and pretty things would enjoy.

Here are a few images of the charming little place! The first two I took, the rest (and the one above) I pulled from their cute website.

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Miette Confiserie

by Katie on January 3, 2011

Where: Hayes Valley, 449 Octavia Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Call: (415) 626-6221
Hours: Mon-Fri,Sun 12pm-7pm; Sat 11am-7pm

Miette is THE most adorable confectionary establishment I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. The site says it’s a pastry shop, but the first thing I noticed when I walked in was the CANDY! I eventually made my way to the cupcakes, and later learned that the shop offers cakes, tarts, cookies, and even cake stands (which I have a particular soft spot for).

Miette actually means “little crumb” (how cute is that?!), and was founded by the equally awesome Megan Ray way back in 2001. The “shop is filled with old-fashioned candy, confections from around the world, treats made by local artisans, and made-to-order organic cotton candy.”

Here are some shots from my trip a few weeks ago. They aren’t the best because I was in a hurry…and there were lots of people standing around (though I can’t blame them – I wanted to look at each and every single thing and could have easily spent hours milling around if I didn’t have my hubby with me .

I cannot wait to go back. I have no idea when that might be, but if I’m ever in San Francisco again, Miette will be on my list of places to visit!

Miette has two other locations, both in California – Ferry Building, Ferry Building Marketplace, Shop 10,San Francisco, CA 94111 and Jack London Square, 85 Webster Street Oakland, CA 94607.

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