Say Anything...

Alphabet bunting is here in the store!! Yes, it's been a while since I've posted, but I have a good excuse...the store is opening October 20th. We have been working nonstop painting, building, and unwrapping AMAZING products. One of my faves is this fabric bunting from Meri Meri. If you frequent Pinterest and Etsy, then you know that bunting is very much "a thing." For those of us who aren't super crafty, or if you can't find the time to make your own, Meri Meri has created this beautiful fabric bunting. You can customize your own banner! Whether it's "Happy Birthday," "Merry Christmas," or your child's name, these gorgeous fabric banners elevate any space or celebration. Personally, I love to tie them on gifts for an extra special touch! Check out the video below for some quick inspiration. Music - 'Humans' by Rozi Plain - www.roziplain.co.uk

1500th Pin!!!

Well, I’ve officially hit my 1500^th pin. I first saw these photos on an event planning blog last year. I had just decided to name my shop “French Toast” and was absolutely delighted when I happened upon these shots styled by Frilly Milly Events. We are planning a pre-grand opening event for friends and family, and I think these bite-sized portions are pretty perfect!!

(Lauren Blair Photography)

Coming Soon...

It’s official. After a year and half of planning, we are opening the first brick-and-mortar location of French Toast! For those of you in the Spokane area, we will be located at Steam Plant Square, right across from the restaurant. Be sure to visit this October when we open our doors, and for those of you who aren’t near us, check here often. We are getting great new items every day!

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WFT?! Why French Toast?

No, that’s not a typo. And no, it doesn’t stand for some salacious acronym. From time to time, I get asked why I named may shop French Toast. I suppose it’s an odd name for a children’s store. Perhaps some generic name like “Baby Boutique” or “A Child’s enter generic item here,” or even “Once Upon a Time” would sit better with everyone. Why don’t I like names like this? Because they are a dime a dozen! Completely forgettable.

Right around the time I started thinking I could open my own shop, I was introduced to an amazing toy company called Moulin Roty. Based in France, this company makes charming toys and décor for young children. There’s a quality in their products that I can only describe as magical. So magical in fact, that it helped spark the idea of the “French” theme for my own store. I started running through all sorts of French words/phrases on Google translator. Finally, someone asked me what is my favorite thing that is French? The first thing that popped into my head was French Toast!  

While I was madly researching all of my favorite children’s products, and obsessing over the name French Toast (which I kept secret for MONTHS!), I attended a production of Cinderella with one of my closest friends, Emily and her lovely parents. As we were watching the production (which I like to call the Brandy and Whitney Houston version), I couldn’t help but think about the opening lines. The opening dialogue explains that the story of Cinderella has been told throughout time in every kingdom and country in the world. While that may be true, the most popular version we know was written by Charles Perrault. Perrault (who is a French literary icon) practically invented fairy tales. This got me thinking, all of my favorite fairy tales are rooted in French culture. Perrault not only penned Cinderella, but also Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, and Puss in Boots. Thanks to Disney, we all know that Beauty and the Beast originated in France. Some of my favorite contemporary children’s stories are set in France: Madeline, Anatole, Le Petit Prince, Babar. Even Eloise took a break from the Plaza to go to Paris!

So, now that you’ve made it to the end of this verbose blog post, you now know a little more about the French Toast story. For more French inspiration, check out my upcoming series French Toast, where I’ll post some of my favorite things inspired by my favorite stories!