perfect presents: letters from Paris

For several weeks leading up to my trip to Paris earlier this fall, one guide book was on my nightstand... Paris Made by Hand by Pia Jane Bijkerk. It's a collection of brief profiles describing 50 shops in Paris, including ateliers, where artisans have a boutique and workshop together.

One vignette made me swoon. It is the story of Le Petit Atelier de Paris, where two young French ceramicists make luscious and simple porcelain objects in the city's Marais district. I dogeared that page and put it on my "must find" list for Paris treasure hunting.

And, oh my, what a great find it turned out to be!

During a leisurely afternoon visit there in early October, I met Jae and Stephane, the husband and wife team who created Le Petit Atelier, and learned about their exquisite handmade porcelain objects. You can read more about them here.

Afterwards I chose a collection of petite plates fashioned in the style of a traditional French tart, along with several dozen inch-high alphabet letters and numerals, shown here, to bring back.





Now available in limited supply at Timeless Treasures on Sutter Street are porcelain plates stamped inside with the French word amour (love), amite (friendship), sante (health) or bonheur (happiness). Whether you choose one or a set of all four sentiments, we can almost guarantee you will want to keep at least one for yourself. They can be used for serving bon bons or olive oil for dipping, as a wine coaster or a petite tray for earrings or cufflinks, or simply to enjoy as a charming objet d'art.

We can think of so many ways to use the small, smooth-to-the-touch ceramic letters. They would make marvelous 3-D place cards for your holiday table, as well as stylish words of inspiration on a table or windowsill. If you're handy and crafty, you might use them as original gift tags.