The Brocante and the Park

Yesterday morning we left early to go to a big Brocante being held in Charlotte's home town. This is just a fraction of what I bought. I never cease to be amazed by the stuff the French don't want but we lust after.

My car is filling up fast with new pieces for Ghost Furniture. We went through Picardie to a Gastronomique Brocante in the afternoon. That's a brocante with tons of food for the uninitiated.

It's hard to believe that under this stunningly beautiful Picardie landscape there still lay the bones of young men from the two world wars. Graveyards full of identical crosses are numerous. So so sad.

Today we took Tiana to the park after school. It's not hard to find delicious picnic fayre here.

The French do a good park.

Tiana got so excited with this flower that it fell off its stem just after I took this picture. Well that's her story and she's sticking to it.

Some wonderful colour inspirations from nature.

I told Tiana to stand in front of the fountain so the water would come out of her head,

each time I said it she put her hand on her head to check.

Wall flowers through a stone arch.

Here's something I didn't know until today. You can't make daisy chains from French daisies as their stems are too thin to split. Wimps!
Link to image of Picardie landscape

This Is Why I Love France

Because you always get a great and super cheap lunch if you eat with the locals.

When you order a coffee they bring 4 desserts to go with it included in the price.

Little towns are full of privately owned stores selling amazing thimgs.

and not at exorbitant prices.

This is me in France and I love it.

Making It Mine Part 2 - My Table and Chairs Makeover

It's a long while since I originally painted my table and chairs.They are family heirloom from Harvey's parents so they not going anywhere. They weren't a good advert for Ghost Furniture.

I painted the side chairs and table base in a pale grey

and the 2 carvers in brilliant white. The seats I re-upholstered with a pearlised taupe faux leather. They look amazing when the sun hits them.

 All in all I am very pleased but most of all

they have brightened up my dining area no end. RESULT

My Mojo and I Are Back

Today it is exactly 9 months since Harvey passed away. Yesterday evening I suddenly had the urge, for the very first time, to take a walk along the gated road from our cottage. Every day Harvey took this walk and up until now I just haven't been able to bring myself to do the same thing. This was his favourite tree which he passed on his way to

these gates where he would stand and

take in this fabulous view, one of his favourites. I cried and cried as I stood in his place and as I turned to walk back alone to our cottage I noticed

a beautful little lamb with it's mother in the field next to me. It made me realise that new life does come along and that we are expecting our daughter to give birth to a baby boy in July and he will have Harvey as his middle name.

So Harvey continues just not in the same way he used to. His bench on the village green is surrounded by flowers and they are even growing inside it.

 

You may have noticed I keep saying ours or us, that's because he is still a big part of me and my life and always will be, I have given our initials and their setting a new coat of paint. As now is the time for me to move into a new phase and to accompany me I have my MOJO which has returned to me after a long absence and am I pleased to see it? Of course I am.

In a few weeks I am driving down to France to stay with our daughter Charlotte, visit the brocantes, bring back some Ghost Furniture pieces and on my return I shall do my magic again, add them to the website and do some Antique Fairs through summer. It seems an age since I did this, I am so excited and so is my MOJO. I shall be reporting back.

Reflecting on The Narcissus Desk

Sometimes you just come across something and think- I WISH I HAD THOUGHT OF THAT - this is one of those things. A genius idea from Sebastian Errazuriz via Mocoloco

First Stop On That New Road - Lille, France

So last Friday left that road to my new life and visited a huge antiques market in Lille, France

Accompanied by my lovely friend Jo. How we wished we could have used that carriage to get us around the 62 kilometers of stalls.

Anything from headless babies to

vintage mirrors, this one looked as though Harvey had modelled for it. I wouldn't have put that past him.

I fell in love with this Victorian toy horse.

What this giant Durex was about I failed to comprehend.

I could cook up a storm on this and

there was lots of street artists to stop and stare at.

 

Finally here is the booty I returned with. We travelled by train so no huge items this time.

I thoroughly enjoyed being back searching for vintage pieces in France, it seems like so long since I did this. Yes I missed Harvey but nothing is going to bring him back and he would have expected me to continue enjoying what I do. I shall!

Amazing In Antwerp

Brass Necklace

 Antwerp is on my list of places to go before I die, which I don't intend to do anytime soon by the way. A must to visit would be this shop - Atelier Solarshop. They have the most amazing, unique pieces, there's nothing not to like.

Crocodile Bag

A Gaucho's Lasso

Leather Covered Tray

Waxed Canvas Bag

Silver Wicker Baskets

From Antwerp to Northumberland - A Concept Store

Well I promised a report back on my visit to The Old Dairy, a concept store in Ford, Northumberland so here it is. On approaching The Old Dairy you could be forgiven for thinking it wasn't very big. Well I couldn't have been more wrong - it is HUGE! The stunning views hit you right in the face as soon as you step into the grounds.

They even have a huge high chair if you want an even better view.

First things first, lunch at the champagne bar which is a quirky bar made up of pieces of granite and marble. No I didn't have champagne as I was driving.

Taking in the view you notice a sign pointing you to the Salvage Yard full of quirky architectural pieces.

Inside you are greeted by this huge speciman which is apparantley the largest breed of cattle in the world.

I can't show how huge this place is as it has all been fashioned from old barns and cattle sheds which have the individual stalls, that housed the dairy cows, now turned into individual vintage shops.

The original hay mangers are still insitu and hold a myriad of vintage goodies. This one housed a spider.

Stairs that lead up to the hayloft are filled with more vintage pieces. 

As if this isn't enough on exiting the barns you find a retro caravan filled with quirky gifts.

And just as I was getting back in the car I noticed another building

that had been turned into a handmade kitchen shop.
Now this is what I call a concept store. The couple that own it are friendly and ever so helpful and are rightly proud of the idea they brought back from a trip to Antwerp.