Hello there! Here I am, with a sweet tale of what I have been up to for the better part of a month. Grab a seat, steal a treat and come in, won't you?
You see, this tale begins with my wee gallery, which lives right outside, in my garden.
I used to do art shows in it, I used it for my apothecary shop, and then, it sort of got full of boxes (to the ceiling if you must know the truth).
Then one day, I had a thought.
Why not turn it into a place for me to go and hide out in.
A place to be inspired?
Then I thought about what such a place would be like?
A pâtisserie, of the sort of imaginary variety, is what came to me…
And so, it came to life little by little.
I decided to focus only on the kitchen side of the gallery for now, and filled it with all the little trinkets I love to look at. I will work on the larger side in the future.
I wanted my pretend pâtisserie to have bursts of color, and to house all the kooky sort of things I love to collect…
I put decorative trim on all the shelves. Although you can't see the details of some of the trim, since the lighting is so bright in the space.
I also wanted a place to house some of the pottery pieces I have made over the years. Such as the teal and olive green tea pot to the left (below), and the pink and black polka dotted goblet in the center (below). (The little bear with the red and white striped stockings is by my dear friend Marjorie of Marmee Craft).
I have been enjoying this space so much, I can not even tell you.
Valentine's was scrumptious in here, and I made all sorts of pastries and my linzer cookies too…
The two paintings below, one of chocolates and one that says Kiss Me, are by my beloved friend Laura, of Rhinestone Armadillo.
I am so in love with my little hide-out, I might never want to leave my property ;)
I simply wanted an inspiring place to cozy up in, a place to refuel, in the most delightful way (to me)…
The planter heads seated on the two shelves on the right were purchased a couple years ago from ClayFlower22.
One of funnest parts of putting my faux pâtisserie together was the sweets case…
I personally can't get enough of peering inside. It brings back some sort of childhood pastry shop memories…
But the best part of the whole thing is, I can have a pretend pastry shop, and not actually have to run it, and make pastries every day ;)
I did some funny things, for instance, I had Mister Lovee bring me some hostess cakes, and then I took them out of their wrappers, and put them in pretty toile cupcake wrappers that my Mammie had sent me…
Then I scattered around a few sanded lemon drops, and other swirly candies. And, my one confession is that, I also tossed in a smattering of faux treats 🙂
A few fake cakes here and there…
:)
(I painted all the roses you see scattered about, in 3 different shades of pink)
My friend and I chatted up a storm and ate all sort of sweets on Valentine's afternoon. Although, truth be told, I had already been in there sampling edibles with Mister in the a.m.
A little bright spot to play in…
I am not totally done in here though.
I have to install my chandelier…
Plus, I want to finish tacking up things I love to the wall below.
I have really enjoyed using some of my own art (something I do not normally do) in the form of prints and cards from
I am crazy about mood boards, and mood walls.
My trick is to use pearl end corsage pins, to tack up things to my boards or walls.
It looks pretty and they hold really well…
I am also working on some new prints that I made especially to fit into this space. I will share them soon…
I mainly created this space because I was just having such a hard time finding a certain sort of inspiration I was looking for. I would look in magazines, in books, and on line…
But, I just couldn't find just the sort of thing I needed.
So, creating a little space tailored to my own candy colored emotional needs has been such a joy.
And, I pretty much used all things that I already had.
Except for sweets and edibles, and maybe a thing or two.
It was a challenge to photograph this space, what with its bright light sources. I hope these photos work to convey the space okay?
Oh oh, I almost forgot to show you what I am calling the "carousel cake…"
I had a mad blast decorating this cake, and it was the moistest red velvet cake ever. There is edible gold dust on the flowers too. I know it is super cheesy, but I totally dig it 😉
One day I hope to pop some treats in here by my wonderful friend Rosie of Sweetapolita. I think one of her Neapolitan cakes would be treasured! Or any of her cakes or edibles really. They are all unreal!
I hope she giggles at my cheesy carousel cake 😉
Other things I did, which is a fun tip, is that I bought candies and treats that had awful commercial packaging, and I repackaged them in cello myself, and tied them up with pretty ribbons…
I made the clay lady face, above and below (terracota clay with low fire glazes), and the wee plate on the wall as well. Oh, and I thought Stella and the Bee had to be in here, so I framed up a small print of her that I had as a sample…
It's a bright and happy little space…
And, Mister and Mrs. Bunny keep a good watch over the place ;)
The light from the door and the window over the sink are so bright until around 3 p.m., I can't even tell you. And, I have to say, I quite like being in there when all of that bright light is streaming in. It fills me with a lite and fresh joy…
I will take more close-ups when my good camera returns from the doctor. But for now, here are some candy yumms…
And of course, snow balls, for good measure 😉
Although, I must procure some macarons from beautiful Ladurée at some point.
I made my yearly heart shaped linzer cookies, with their impossible to use dough, but worth every single morsel. The recipe I use is super difficult, but I have to say, the cookies are so good, friends ask me if I will be making them year to year…
Oh, something interesting I experimented on, and it worked - was the sink back-splash. You see, about 9 years ago I put that back-splash in, and used black grout. It didn't work for me anymore, so I mixed up some teal blue acrylic paint and painted right over it, and then quickly wiped all of the large marbles off. Guess what? It worked!! Hooray!
Oh oh, below is an example of repackaging success…
On the top tier are some Christmas candles that "had" ugly bottoms, but I loved the swirls. So, I used some extra tall cupcake wrappers, popped them in, and repackaged them, tying them with a pink ribbon. Now I like them tons…
I used the heart centers from my linzer cookies, to make some cookies I could decorate for Valentine's day…
I can get lost in cake and cookie decorating, I enjoy it so much…
I am not a pro decorator, but I do love it…
The one below is rather large, and extra pretty in person…
So there you have it, my dream space…
Where I can hide and imagine, and conjure up new art pieces…
A secret hideaway, of sorts…
Tucked right into my little building, in a bizarre desert land…
Thank you for peeking in.
I hope you like it 😉
So charming and delicious, I would never leave it if I were there… well, maybe to pick flowers in the garden or enjoy the warm sunshine kissing the earth there… but would be returning to this enchanted little piece of heaven…thank you for sharing it with us!
I gasped when I saw it and I swear there were sparkles in my eyes.
I just love all the color.
It truly brings that “kid in a candy store” feel.
The spool of candy buttons hanging by the ribbon was total genius.
And I am in love with all the garlands! I don’t have curtains on my bedroom windows (living in the country has many advantages – like no neighbors except horses who can peek in) and I have been playing with the thought of hanging some pretty garlands in them.
I’ve always loved decorating sweets too and thought how fun it would be to have a bakery just for that reason. Of course one you can enjoy and not work so hard would be pretty good…
Hmmm maybe there are some cute clay pretend sweets you could make for us untalented mortals. 🙂
My kind of hiding spot!
Hmmmm you hope we like it!! are you for real?? I adore it, what an amazing space you have created and its so special that its just with your every day treasures. I love that. I love the cakes with the bites out of them, maybe its more fascianting for me because I have never seen these sweets before in real life. The candy dots on the paper? never even seen it before! So its xtra magical for me because that truly makes it a mysterious wonderland. I adore the bright white and light..So your trade mark, I never liked white much until I met you, but you do something with white that I have never seen before.
I need some sugar, Im off to the shop!
love your work Vanessa and I love the secret stuff you keep getting up to.
xxx
sheree
perhaps one day we will all be able to meet in your little haven and eat cake…. until then the exquisite photos will have to do. Hugs xxx
It is most definitely a gorgeous happy space, Miss V!
I am speechless it is so beautiful. What a maagical and healing place. You are right though, it is hard to find beauty such as this that you have created. Thank you for spreading such joy.
You are a delicious sort of magic, Miss V! That is divine. You could hire yourself out as a Magic Mistress to come and make spaces fun and funky! You know I could use that help!
Enjoy the day!
Erin
What magical eye-candy & EDIBLE eye-candy, as well! How delightful!
Thank you so much for sharing with us. I’m going to have to go back and read & look at everything again…there’s so much to see and appreciate!
XOX
Oh my goodness, V!! This is unbelievable. You’re the sugar magician, as I suspected! I don’t even know what to say about anything I just saw & read in this post. You are amazing! xoxoxox Love, R
PS. That big heart cookie is the most delightful thing I’ve ever seen.
Oh, I love it all, such a feast for the eyes, and a good bit thrown in for the tummy for good measure, I dare say! Your attention to detail is wondrous, and I think I could stay and stare for minutes on end and still not take in every exquisite detail. Love your redone back splash and that much of what you used here was already in your possession! Isn’t it fun when you can take what you already have and be “re-creative”?
**sigh** So so pretty. Please send insulin. Ohmegoodness all those sweets! Excuse the drool. I love love love this room. I completely understand it. Oh the candy dots! Such a brilliant idea that only The Magical One would dream. Sorry I’ve been missing…I have a new man who is consuming all of my attention…pretty sweet! **blows kisses** Deb
That is wonderful! Thank younfornsharing and giving maybes and mind a happy break!
Hugs,
Suz
Oh what a gorgeous space and the photos are gorgeous, you don’t need to worry. Do you not ever sleep? Perhaps you wizz around like a superhero cartoon character…how do you get so many beautiful things done in what seems like no time. It must be a bit magical in your little part of the world i do believe.
I love it all, thanks for sharing!
Kiss Noises Linda
So much for typing on my iPad. Thank you for giving my mind an eyes a happy break…
Suz
Wow Vanessa! It is indeed a bright, happy little world you have created in your garden…a visual explosion of colour and inspiration. I think that I should never want to leave that little slice of paradise – darling when oh when will you publish a book…you just know we would all buy it x
I want I want I want to come play in your wee little patisserie. In case you can’t tell, I’m whining and pining for some of those sweet little linzer cookies…YUM! Oh dear! I think I’m drooling along with Darling Deb.
xoxo cori
This hiding place is every girl’s dream. Thank you for sharing – you bring such inspiration to my spirit !
Well I think everyone should have their own super, dreamy spot like that. A place to go and be a child again and indulge in the fantasies of pressing ones nose against the glass. The colors and goodies and light and treasures and mouth-watering fare are a thing of beauty. Soon you will have your own village…
Maybe I can persuade BohoHandyman to let me have the workshop for my millinery shoppe.hmmm. I’ll tell him it’s all your fault and you know what, I think he’ll believe that! hahahahaha!
XOXXOXO
L.
Yummm! What glorious fun! I love all of the pastel colors you used to decorate your Patisserie with…and the goodies to eat and all of the wondrous art work and whimsical animals and the dolly head planters, there is so much in the room it is mind boggling and hard to take in all at once! All I know is… I love it! What a sweet, and special hideaway to get cozy in. Your linzer cookies look so scrumptious! Can’t wait to see more ‘up close’ photos.
XXOO
Miss Teresa
Oh wow! Miss Vanessa, you have created such an unbelievably beautiful and happy space. I would SO love to come and visit – but I’ll settle with this amazing feast for the eyes. I can feel all the love and heart that went into creating this – what a glorious and special hideaway. Thank you so much for allowing us all a peek inside! xoxo Theresa
Makes me wanna sing…..
Who can take a sunrise, sprinkle it with dew
Create her own patisserie & a miracle or two?
The Candy Girl, oh the Candy Girl can
The Candy Girl can ’cause she mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
Who can take a rainbow, wrap it in a sigh
Soak it in the sun and make a groovy lemon pie?
Our Veevala, the Candy Girl can
The Sugar gypsy can ’cause she mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
The Candy Girl makes everything she bakes satisfying and delicious
Talk about your childhood wishes, you will even love the dishes!
Oh, who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream
Separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream?
The Veevala, the Candy Girl can
The Candy Girl can ’cause she mixes it with love and makes the world taste good
<3 xoxoxoxviiixoxox
{every patisserie maven needs her own jingle} 😉
Dearest Miss V.
You are like my female version of Willy Wonka. I just love everything about your Patissere. I opened up your post and when I started to read and look at everything, I couldn’t help but start crying. Out of PURE HAPPINESS. I know that sounds korny, but that is just the way I am. Your little area makes me so Happy. Everytime I order something from you, I have to take it to my dad and show him, and we talk for hours about your art and then I show him all your posts and your world, and we just smile and laugh, and I just dream. I surround myself with everything that I get of yours to inspire me when I create. You are my biggest inspiration, and I think your world is lovely. It is what I picture where I want to go when I die. My little ones often get scared of death sometimes and I always show them pictures of your little creations and tell them I think that is where all of us will be one day. Full of wonder, enchantment, magic, whimsy, and lots of sweet goodies. 🙂
YOu make us all smile.
THank you
Wishes and Whimsy
Wendy from Wonderland
That is the dream kitchen, fantasy and sweets filled with light and marshmallow centers… Ahhh… Thanks. Blessings.
Swoon!! You’ve done it again…
Just when I think you’ve created the a place which I’m certain is the epitome of inspiration (your studio, your gypsy garden, etc), you come up with something to top it.
My hat is off to you (although I think I just gained 5 lbs looking at those photos, hehe)!
🖤 Carolee
Oh. My. Holy. Cow. You HAVE to be THE singlemost amazing, talented person EVER.
What a wonderful, magical, delightful place. No I don’t like it I love it:)
Um, so practically every time I read a post of yours there are always oohs and ahhs and “so cute!”s and of course many squeals of delight (these are all out loud of course which often elicits funny reactions from Mister B when he is in the room), but this post had extra of all of those and good number of “yums!” as well. You always make your spaces so magical, I just love it! Any chance you would like to come decorate my house for me? Pretty please with pastries on top! 😉
Did I die just yet? No, i mean at the sight of that…makes me feel what heaven is. All those confectioneries are insanely cute and indulging. Great job!!!
that was just incredibly FUN! oh how i loved touring through your sweet-filled space! and i can’t begin to tell you how happy i am that you posted this when you did, because now with Valentines over with (and I hope yours was delightful!) I am ready to take down all the decorations in my kitchen and put it back to full-blown candy-shop mode! so this got me ready to jump to it! i was feeling a bit lazy about taking down all the v-day stuff, but now I’m excited to make it pretty and sweet and candy-colored again!! thanks so much for sharing! xoxo natalea
What a wonderful and lovely place to create to find inspiration! The light is just AMAZING 🙂 and the carousel cake is just adorable! Very pretty 🙂
oh so magical!!! I am truly in heaven! If heaven is like this i will be very happy! 😀 Life should be about this. I thank you so much for sharing your beautiful and magical place. Its truly beautiful! 😀
Shame on you!!! You made me salivate all over my key board. But it was worth it so see all your lovelies and share your sunshine. Joanne
Heaven!
Pure blissful magic!!! My heart is jumping up and down in my chest in pure delight. What a heavenly spot, I could totally live in that little nugget of loveliness! You never cease to amaze and delight me, little Miss V!
You are so creative!! It’s amazing!! I love it! Just what I wish I had! And all those sweet treats…yum…yum!!!
Surely Miss Miranda and I have never seen such sugary-sweet loveliness! Wall to wall eye candy! Splendiferous!! 🙂
What an amazing beautiful space. I love it. I spent some time creating my first studio a few months ago, but it simply can’t compare to the magic that you’ve created. You’ve inspired me to re-visit my space and see if I can bring some more sparkle to my hideaway.
Oh and I agree with you about the pearl-headed corsage pins. When I graduated from high school my mother handmade my prom dress. We were down to the wire for the dress to be finished before the dance began (literally to the minute…my date was standing outside of the hall holding flowers and my mother was still sitting at the sewing machine). The dress came together at gathers off the shoulder, and in the end my mom didn’t get the chance to properly backstitch these points on the dress. As a result about 5 minutes into dinner the shoulders started to come apart and the dress started to fall apart (and off me). My mom and my date used pearl-headed corsage pins to hold the dress together and on my body all night long (and my mom received compliments all night long about the shoulder accents on the dress).
This playhouse of deliciousness reminds me of Raspberries & Cream ! Love how extravagant to the soul it feels……yay to you for learning at an early age not to deny yourself.
Wouldn’t it be fun if everyone who reads your blog came to play? We would be the perfect ooooh and aaaaah guests!!!
ok, Vanessa, officially hungry now. Why does your blog always make me hungry for stuff I can’t have.
That is a very beautiful, magical place. Especially for such a small place. Your imagination never ceases to amaze me.
Now I think a better go take one of my suger pills before I go into a diabetic coma.
hugs 🙂
OMG, it is amazing. It’s like a Romantic Willy Wonka dream place. Can you come to my house decorate. I’m just in love with all you have done, Lady V. Magnificent!!
How lucky are you ??!!! Such a fabulous place to hide and play and find inspiration !!! ….
Love all your little treasures and goodies …. oh those sweets are making me so ready to eat some yummies!!
Have fun … enjoy your space …. who wouldnt ?!!
LOTS OF HUG
JO
And HUGS TOO!!
Just wonderful! Love it!!
dreamy, delish, magical and thrilling!! how lovely to have a hideaway like this. who could have a bad mood in there??? 🙂
not a soul!!
Holy, wow. that is supercalifragilisticespeciallidoseus. (not spelled correctly I know) I would give my right arm to have a spce like that. I would never come out. Hugs Sara
Helooo Vanessa. . It truly is a “hONeY of a pATisSeRiE ~ where sWEeT dREaMs are made”…. Have a hONeY of a dAy ~ may sweet things come your way! Marlene aka mIzZ bEe .. .. .. ..P.S. I so love mIzZ rHOnDA rOo’s song to you. . .
So Beautiful!
you are an incredably creative and inspiring person. For that I thank you.
Wow, and I thought we were just having tea!
Mademoiselle V, what does one wear to such tres Magnifique Frenchy space tucked away in the dessert? Oops, I meant desert!Exquisite!
Now you got me Amazed ,Hungry and learning French. Bravo! <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3
There is a hidden gypsy inside of me that just wants to BURST out and have a secret room just like yours! I love that you surround yourself with happy colors and things you love! I now see myself as too boring! You have inspired me to change something around my house today!!!
This looks like such a fun space, V.
I always forget to ask, but I think I saw the ribbon candy around Christmas. Is that REAL candy, or a glass version? It’s so pretty. I remember my great grandmother always keeping some in a glass candy dish.
Dear Mademoiselle Vanessa,
You have just out-done yourself! Your patisserie is “superb”! So many sweet little things to look at! I love all of your collections and how everything just looks so perfect together! Every detail is just wonderful! And thank you for the idea of how to use corsage pins!
Wishing you and your lovely little family a wonderful evening!
Betty
Hi, I love your magical patisserie. How fun it must be to spend time there. I have the same theme in my studio and it so fun! I love it.
Happy Creating, Gail
No need…indeed! to ever leave your little piece of heaven!!
x..x
Oh! Your patisserie is so adorable!!! It gives pure joy just to look at the pictures. I can only imagine the joy it is to be there, creating, decorating and eating. Love /Therese
wow! is there any limit to what you can do?!? amazing space and soooooo delightful. love it!
I love it! It is so whimsical. Where dreams do come true.
The space looks fantastic! I am sure it’s wonderful in person! I’ll have to come out to visit you and steal some treats!
It is the perfect secret hideaway, so don’t be surprised to find me in there partaking of a few of those tasty morsels. You will have no one to blame but yourself for making it the most delightful place on the planet.
my biggest smile is reserved for how happy this makes YOU!
i last photo is the biggest surprise and the biggest charmer.
kj
I love the way you bring your imaginings to life! Magical and enchanting your new Patisserie is!!!
Dawn… The Bohemian
I’m stunned! This place looks so cute and like a secret little hiding place!
Oh my Vanessa, what a lovely little space! I’d most definitely not be leaving the compound if I could cozy up in a sweet space like that, tee hee. You’ve totally given me a sweet tooth…off to the pantry (now where are those girl scout cookies 😉 Hugs, I’ve missed you V!
Jamie 🙂
OMG I am in a patisserie heaven! YOu are a creative genius vanessa! You have teh Midas touch!
There is just something terribly important about having a space to call one’s own, to escape into for rest and rejuvenation. It is inspiring to see yours and I am thrilled that you shared so many pictures with us so that we could get a real idea of just how marvelous this space is. You did an amazing job creating a light and lively oasis for yourself. It is delicious in more ways than one. On this chilly February day I came over here knowing that I would find warmth and you did not disappoint. It is wonderful, Vanessa. Truly wonderful.
Vanessa!!
Your magical world just keeps getting more alluring, and your furry family members are truly delicious!! LOVE everything!!
xoxo Debbie
You’ve created a magical abode where even the fairies could find a delightful surprise…Love it !!!! Thank You for sharing.
Darling V, I want to come and live in your adorable patisserie, please. xoxox
How incredibly wonderful!! It all looks so gorgeous and delicious ~ you have created a perfect place to retreat to.
xo
Pat
I’m always so taken how you create such inviting environments.
I’m green with envy! You are so inspiring…I hope I can let go, one day, and find my true self in the grayness of every day life and people. Thanks for sharing! xoxo
Cris / Italy
Thank you for creating and sharing such beautiful ideas and photos!