Introducing ... the Je Suis Mignonne "Sidebar"

First time blog visitors may not be aware of all of the information Je Suis Mignonne presents in our "sidebar". A blog sidebar (the space adjacent to the main posting area, located either to the left or right) gives the blog author the opportunity to present information which is relevant to the overall theme of the blog ... and which doesn't update or change as frequently as the main posting area.

On the Je Suis Mignonne blog, we present a variety of pertinent information:

1. The definition (and pronunciation) of our blog title, which is in French.

2. A slideshow presenting updates on press our boutique has received, or media we have been featured in.

3. A listing of the store's featured artists (these rotate every month or so).

4. Mignonne boutique opening hours (these may change with the seasons).

5. A search tool for our blog ... if you remember reading about a certain topic, or are searching for a product or theme, input the keyword here and chances are you will locate information on our blog.

6. Contact information for purchasing 'online' for Mignonne ... until our online features are activated.

7. A summary of Mignonne's design services.

8. A description of our store and blog.

9. A tool you can use to subscribe to our blog, which will update you when 'new' news is posted.

10. Interested in a left coast beach getaway? learn more about Kim's Seaside cabin and how to rent it.

11. Highlights of Mignonne's soap, candle and men's product lines.

12. Site links for décor blogs we love and artists we have have featured.

13. Updates on who has recently visited our blog.

14. Our blog archive, check out the many topics you can read about on Je Suis Mignonne.

So you can see, our sidebar is worth a second look! Feel free to check it out further ...

New Voluspa Candles Have Arrived!

Voluspa continues to be one of our most popular candle lines at Mignonne.  Not only is Voluspa committed to using the highest quality waxes and fragrance oils in their candles for a clean, long-lasting burn ... but their beautiful and inventive receptacles make lovely accessories for the home.

We recently received a new shipment of the following fragrances:

Goji & Torocco Orange - Goji berries grow on evergreen shrubs in temperate, sub-tropical climates and the scent is combined with Torocco Orange, similar to blood orange.

Makassar Ebony & Peach - Woodsy ebony combined with peach create a sensuous result.

Frost Pinecone - A perfect hostess gift for the holidays, with scents of forest cypress, pine needles and pinecone seeds. Beautifully boxed and ready to go!

Claus Porto Luxury Soap and Candle Collection

At Mignonne, we revere treats that can stand the test of time. We were attracted to the Claus Porto line because of the traditions they have sustained through the years.

Like their revival of their original Art Deco designs utilized not just on their packaging but in the etched glass housing their unique candles. Or their oversized cakes of soaps in tantalizing fragrances. Or the rich textures of their body products.

The oldest and most prestigious soap making factory in Porto, Portugal, Claus Porto was founded in 1887 by two world renowned chemists: Ferdinand Claus and Georges Schwedder. Together they created the base for what was to become one of the most important soap making factories ever. Famous fragrance and fashion houses in France, England and Spain came to Porto to have all of their soaps made by Claus Porto. The factory today is still family owned and run by the great grandson of Achilles de Brito. At this 117 year old company, the family continues with the great soap making traditions that were a matter of honor for the original founders.

Many companies use modern automated methods, and lower quality ingredients for one simple reason: to make more product in a less expensive fashion. At Claus Porto, it is just the opposite. The time - honored tradition of milling seven times (milling refers to the process of ""mixing"" the soap; the more times that the soap elements are passed through the mill, the more air bubbles are forced out of the mix and the more the fragrance is evenly distributed) has remained to this day the secret of the success of their soap line. Milling seven times createss a dense, hard soap that is fragrant down to the very last bit, without splits or cracks and with a rich creamy lather.

All of the soaps are naturally air - dried (as opposed to hot air machines which dry other soaps on the outside, leaving them soft and gooey on the inside and eventually causing them to crack and melt down after being used) on racks for two to three weeks, ensuring an even, consistent bar. These luxurious and creamy bars are made with coconut oil and enriched with 2% shea butter to moisturize, protect, and replenish the skin's natural protein complexes. The highest quality fragrances from the south of France are used to create the exotic, lingering scents that have made these soaps so famous.

Claus Porto Liquid Soap is a 100% vegetable based formula which contains wheat proteins and aloe vera. Claus Porto candles contain clean-burning soy wax in a 10.5-ounce glass holder with an etched motif that matches the art deco styling of the packaging. Candles have an approximate burn time of 70 hours.

We vary the Claus Porto offering seasonally, so stop by soon to see which items we have in store for you. Of course, if there's something special we can order ... let us know. And as always, we carefully wrap and ship items around the world.

Mignonne Introduces New Candle Line.

We are pleased to begin offering Archipelago Botanicals candles. Archipelago Botanicals candles are hand poured, using only the finest ingredients and fragrance oils available. Made from a premium wax blend containing more than 50% natural soy wax, Archipelago Botanicals candles burn longer and cleaner than regular candles.

We currently are presenting your choice of pillars and a beautiful boxed candle.

One nice thing about a pillar is you have different decorative options including displaying using your own candle holder. You'll find a variety of scents and colors. Savannah, cream colored and scented with a blend of Jasmine and Gardenia. Pacifica, a light aqua color, is scented with Ylang Ylang, Cedar and Sea Greens to create a fresh clean aroma. Petale, in blush pink, is an intoxicatingly feminine scent, with white lilies, jasmine, Moroccan rose and pear. Our pillars are 2.5" wide and 5" tall. They are wrapped handsomely in tissue and ribbon, ready to go as a nice gift or prepared to store in a linen drawer, extending the scent until unwrapped for display.


Our boxed candle of choice is the Excursion line. In a clean white box, this candle makes a sophisticated gift. We've selected Provence (French lavender and thyme, an unusual and calming fragrance mix) and Positano (combining white nectarine with sweet persimmon and pomegranate).



In the future, we'll be expanding our Archipelago line to include additional seasonal fragrances and scented oil diffusers, a great alternative to candles for home fragrance.