Worth it / Sweet Deal Picks – Spring/Summer 2012

When it was time to produce our latest lookbook at Housewerks, the thought of narrowing down our new warmer weather styles seemed impossible.  In response to our lengthy list, we decided to create two different lookbook versions.  The two are now side by side :  Worth the Splurge VS. Sweet Deal!

The original lookbooks :

Ma Petite Shoe : Spring 2012 Sweet Deal

Ma Petite Shoe : Spring 2012 Worth The Splurge

Enjoy!

Above : (left – Mjus Annabel in Lavender $134.99)  (Right – BC Footwear It’s a Cinch in Pink Leather $59.99 – Also available in Black Leather)

Above : (left – Re-mix Dara in Red Cherry $169.99)   (Right – BC Footwear Lifeboat in Red Leather $79.99 – Also available in Black Leather and Whiskey Leather )

Above : (left – Coupleof Upshoe in Cobalt Blue $189.99 )  (Right – That’ll Be The Day in Emerald Leather $69.99 – Also available in Purple Leather, and Red Leather )

Above : (left – Dolce Vita Prema in Blue Suede $159.99 )  (Right – Madeline Twiggy Dark Blue $69.99 – also available in yellow/teal combination)

Our Picks for Easter Goodies!

Easter is around the corner and we couldn’t be more prepared! We’ve got a little something to fit all sorts of tastes–be it something for the little ones or the chocolate aficionados in your lives. Here is a break down of some of our selection from David’s, Lillie Belle, Izzy’s and more.

For the (extreme) spice lover:

Lillie Belle’s “Do Not Eat This Bunny” is a must have!

For the Wee Ones:

Bissinger’s takes their fine chocolate and makes sweet little foil-wrapped eggs. Hide it around the house for the little ones to find or hide it in your personal chocolate stash .

Another favorite from Bissinger’s: Milk and dark chocolate bunny ears (shown here in dark). The best part of the chocolate bunny! A great addition to the Easter basket or sweet office treat on its own!

For the Slightly Older Wee Ones:

Maybe you have some adolescents or teens that feel they’re “too cool” for chocolate bunnies. How about giving them some David’s Truffle Eggs in a sweet gift box to let them know you understand.

For the Chocolate Aficionado

These dainty little eggs from Belgian chocolatier, Nirvana, feature all-natural ingredients, delicious praline filling and  ”naturally” speckled shells.

For the Fruit Lover:

Candy Basket’s Marionberry Creams are a delicious, berry-i-fic Easter basket stuffer!  What is a “Marionberry”? The marionberry is a relatively new type of blackberry, named after the county in Oregon where it was first cultivated. Combined with chocolate ganache, marionberries produce a perfect seasonal flavor for these West Coast truffles.

Lillie Belle’s Blood Orange and Vanilla Bean Truffle Eggs are not just wonderfully infused with all-natural blood orange goodness but they are hand-painted by the awesome chocolatiers at Lillie Belle Farms! Easily a treat that is just as pretty as it is delicious.

Want to see our entire Easter selection? Go here for more!

New Year’s Resolutions

After some research, Ma Petite Shoe has figured out how to help keep your New Year’s resolutions.  We were curious to know what most people will vow to change this year, so here are some of the most popular resolutions and how to see them through.

1–Drink less alcohol

Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cake

If you want to cut back on the post-alcohol nausea and overall guilt that comes with drinking, why not just eat your alcohol instead?  Hailing from Barbados, Tortuga brings us a variety of rum infused treats that are rich in flavor.  Come in and pick up some chocolate rum cake or chocolate rum turtles with sea salt.

2–Eat healthy food

New Tree Chili Pepper with Grilled Flax Seeds

Chocolate may not be the first thing that comes to mind when sticking to a healthy diet, but it is hard to rule out this bar.  Fine dark chocolate, spicy chili pepper, lightly toasted flaxseeds, and crunchy crisp rice combine to bring you this  bar of superior taste.  High in Omega 3, this chocolate will improve your mood and mindset to help you stick to whatever goals you may have. This bar is available in store.

3–Manage stress

Theo Bread & Chocolate Bar

If you would like to ease some of your stress about the world, how about promoting fair trade? Helping the world will help you rest easier, and you can start out by purchasing Theo chocolate bars.  With over 10 varying bars, we know it can be hard to choose.  If you are looking for something unique, why not try the Bread & Chocolate bar?  A buttered, toasted baguette is then crumbled and mixed into wonderful fair trade dark chocolate to make the best crunch bar we’ve ever had.  Available in store and online.

4–Volunteer to help others

Rescue Chocolate Pick Me! Pepper

Eat some chocolate —and save animals.  Rescue Chocolate is a proactive brand out of Brooklyn, NY producing chocolate bars with 100% of net proceeds going to animal rescue groups.  With flavors like Pick Me Pepper and Fakin’ Bacon, it’s hard to go wrong.  Available in store or online.

Amanda’s Chocolate Picks!

In this on-going series, we asked our lovely staff for their favorite treats from Ma Petite Shoe this season! Who better to guide you than the people who get to eat the chocolate selection almost on a daily basis?

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Our illustrious chocolate buyer, Amanda, gives us the lowdown on her favorite treats! 

Amanda writes:

I like a little savory with my sweet, and not just salt. We just received Smoky Blue Cheese truffles from Lilli Belle. The chocolatier uses his local small producer for the cheese that’s mixed into the ganache filling, and then the truffles are rolled in toasted almonds. Soooo yummy–especially with a little fruit and baguette.

Speaking of baguettes, one of my all-time favorite bars is the Theo Bread and Chocolate bar which has crunchy toasted french bread sprinkled into the chocolate.

Other bars that I love in that genre are Jade Genmai with roasted brown rice, Chuao Panko with toasted panko bread crumbs, and Frederic Loraschi’s Mahogany bar with coffee beans and cacao nibs.

And if I’ve been really good, I treat myself to a box of Bissingers Olive Oil truffles. These truffles are milk chocolate, so it’s sweeter than I typically like, but the truffles are subtle on the palette.  It’s nice to have the milder chocolate flavor because it allows the fruit of the olive oil to come through.