THE CREATORS
"All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother." - Abraham Lincoln
Jenny and Lauren Kokkinelis are a mother-daughter team who share a passion for all things French and fabulous. Shopkeepers of the $5 French Market and the originators of the 'French Market' style on Etsy, they are business partners... and the best of friends. They spend their days running their busy shop together, creating and living a life steeped in beauty.
BELIEFS INSPIRE BEAUTY
~ "Delight yourself in the beauty that surrounds you." ~
“Our home was always beautiful”, Lauren says, reflecting upon her childhood. “I credit my Mother with always making sure we were surrounded by things that inspired us.” Jenny realized, early on, the true importance of creating an atmosphere of beauty, of acceptance, and one that encouraged artistic expression. An environment devoid of criticism and judgement, she ensured the home she created in which to raise her daughter was a haven promoting self-expression and the importance of following inner promptings. "Growing up, everything about my childhood was beautiful. I have the happiest memories of just sitting at our kitchen table, making things with my mom. She truly created a world for me like no other," Lauren recounts. "Creativity was at the center of our universe, and prettiness painted our world. My mother was, and still is, ALWAYS creating," Lauren says, with a smile. She remembers waking up as a child and going down to the kitchen, only to find her Mom hours into a project, covered in glitter, her hands full of paint. Years later... not much has changed.
THE INSPIRATION
"I'm going to make everything around me beautiful. That will be my life." - Elsie de Wolfe
The $5 French Market was born from a passion for all things Parisian... and a desire to present affordable, yet superbly gorgeous supplies and fancies to artists and creators. Their shop is filled with buttons, lace, baker's twine, hand-dyed ribbon and trimming- always keeping with the Parisian theme and staying true to the charm of old world France. "It is a joy to provide such beautiful materials for crafters and creative minds alike," Jenny shares. "I just love lace, and all kinds of trimming, really. The idea of anything printed with French text is absolutely wonderful to me."
Much of the inspiration for the $5 French Market comes from the ladies’ adventures traveling overseas. With family in Europe, Jenny and Lauren have had the opportunity to travel abroad many times over the years. Their favorite city? “It always comes back to Paris. 'Paris is always a good idea’," says Lauren, quoting Audrey Hepburn. "My mother always found a way to incorporate a bit of the Parisian flair into our home and lives. Whether it was a hand-sewn tablecloth made of vintage French linens... an antique brass chandelier dripping with vintage crystals (hanging in our bathroom!) ... or a plate of croissants for breakfast and Macaroons for dessert ... Parisian influences abound."
"It's the simplicity of the French style that acts as a reminder of the importance of taking time to slow down and to count our blessings," says Jenny. Lauren agrees. "Sometimes something ever so small... like a pretty ribbon... can make us stop and take note of just how sweet life can be. A tiny trinket of beauty like that- it can be a much-needed reminder to appreciate the magnificence all around us.”