Adieu Big Blue Van

Big Blue Van doing what it did best at a brocante in Cognac

It is the end of an era... we have sold our big blue ex-EDF van after nearly 10 years of service.  It has had its moments (like the time it broke down immediately after rolling off the ferry in Newhaven (England) at some ungodly hour of the night) but it has also been a steady workhorse throughout three house renovations and numerous trips back to England.

You may wonder why, after such long and loyal service we have decided to let it go?  Well, I'm afraid that's down to me.  You see I never quite mastered it's quirks (if I did actually manage to turn the ignition key to get the damned thing started I then spent the next ten minutes failing dismally to find a gear!)

  

It was for this reason, and after much discussion, that we made the momentous decision to trade it in for a younger and smaller model so that I don't always have to rely on Spike to drive me to brocantes or buying missions in the future.

So (rather cunningly I thought) I sneakily popped an 'à vendre' sign in the driver's side window of the van at the last brocante without any real expectation of anything coming of it.  However, it wasn't long before a fellow brocanteur began to show a keen interest. 

A week of so later we found ourselves sitting gloomily at the kitchen table having just watched Big Blue Van (our only vehicle that I never properly named... guilt, guilt!!) pootle down the drive for the very last time.  I was surprised how emotional I felt saying goodbye to the old lump so we reminisced for a while over a nice cup of tea (that always makes everything better doesn't it?... if only that were true!) about the many exploits we had shared with it over the years.

Not only did I have a desolate husband to contend with but the dogs were also staring at me accusingly - they loved nothing more than a ride in BBV to the rubbish dump or a leisurely nap in the cab (well that's not strictly true... Oscar, the beagle, loves nothing more than FOOD but poor Jakie was genuinely bereft).    

Oscar - not at all impressed but very bribable

Jake - (unbribable)  I had better come up with the goods

Spike and Oscar and BBV in happier days!

I am now a woman with a mission - I have been charged with flying back to England in the Spring and not to come back until I find a replacement (a bit mad I know crossing La Manche to buy a van for France but the prices of second had vehicles over here are truly astronomical!)

It will be a huge responsibility but I will do my best not to let the boys down and take the opportunity to fill New Van (I may even get around to naming this one) with fresh trucs for the Summer brocante season and lots of treats for Spike and the dogs in the hope of worming my way back into their good books!

Eclectic 'Trucs'

Well there's not much going on in the brocante calender in France right now and to be honest even if there was it's been so cold lately that I honestly don't think I could manage to keep a smile on my face all day (a scary grimace would probably be all I could muster) .

I decided therefore to visit a local flea market last weekend as a punter (well to be honest I had originally intended to have a stall at but with one thing and another I left it too late to book and didn't get a pitch). Fortunately this regrettable oversight on my part did make snuggling up in bed under a lovely warm duvet all the more pleasurable, especially coupled with the delicious thought that at that very moment we could be outside bickering with each other in the dark in the struggle to scrape ice off the windscreen of the van.

Having finally persuaded ourselves to tumble out of bed and enjoy a leisurely (and somewhat smug) breakfast we moseyed down to the brocante to do a bit of buying, determined to make the best out of what proved to be a bit of a lost opportunity (the market turned out to be a really good one... note to myself for next year... lazy lazy lazy... but so warm and snugly!).  

I have to say that I genuinely felt for the dealers (the ones who had managed to get their crap together and reserve a place!) as I watched them stamp their feet to keep out the cold and cup their frozen hands over mugs of steaming hot coffee.  It was then that I realised that I obviously don't have that degree of dedication and would have to wait to emerge, like a butterfly from a chrysalis (or a sleepy old tortoise from hibernation... take your pick!) sometime in the spring.

With all this in mind I have taken the uncharacteristic decision to be proactive, in a warm and comfortable kind of way of course, and to fill the long winter months grappling with my new 'Etsy' shop on the Internet (soon to be opened when I manage to get around to it... probably sometime after the Christmas rush!)   

Anyway with this new venture in mind here are some of the 'trucs' of a more eclectic/quirky nature that I picked up last week:-

 'Amuse Gueules' aperitif tray from the Belle Epoque period

Charming shabby chic biscuit tin from Montpellier 

French vintage bellows camera from the 1940s

Delightful antique biscuit/butter mould depicting Saint Basil

If my super little 'trucs' fail to charm others as much as they have charmed me and remain unsold over the winter do not fear!  They will still be loved and have already found their respective places in the ever decreasing nooks and crannies of my home while they wait (a bit like myself) to be unleashed back into the real (and considerably warmer) world of antique dealing next year.

     

A Daytrip to Cognac and 'La Belle Époque'

I have always loved Cognac (the town that is... well I'm also quite partial to the spirit!) so on awaking Saturday morning to what promised to be a crisp autumnal day and being lucky enough to live only a 20 minutes drive away we decided to treat ourselves and go there for lunch.  

Cognac is a place we never seem to tire of and although we visit the town often there always seems to be something to do or something going on.  There are numerous Cognac houses to visit with guided tours, the centre of town is full of independant boutiques and restaurants and over the summer months there is a busy calender of  festivals and events including, of course, the famous Cognac Blues Passions festival.   

Being foodies we like to try different restaurants so after a little discussion we settled on a place that we hadn't been to for a few years - the iconic Brasserie du Coq d'Or in the Place François 1er.  

I particularly wanted to go there because of the stunning Art Nouveau interior that is so reminiscent of restaurants in another of my all time favourite destinations, Paris.

  

Spike took a little persuading at first due to the fact that our last visit there was not particularly enjoyable - the food was average at best, the staff were not very friendly and the murky looking seafood tank near the entrance was enough to make you want to turn on your heels and walk straight out. 

People often comment on how lucky I am to be married to a chef and it does of course come with its obvious advantages but finding a restaurant to meet his exacting standards or for that matter friends brave enough to invite him for dinner without getting themselves into a pickle can be quite a challenge.

However, regarding the fortunes of the Coq d'Or I was aware that it had recently changed hands and been given a much needed face-lift so being a sucker for an authentic French brasserie I was keen to give it a second chance. 

As we arrived at the entrance we paused for a moment before gingerly stepping through the door and found that our fears were unfounded as a member of staff greeted us warmly and showed us to a romantic little table for two in an intimate corner.  

The interior, as promised, had been tidied up without losing any of its wonderful belle époque authenticity and the seafood bar had been relocated and was now clean and modern (the dirty old tank with the embarrassed looking lobster hiding under a bit of weed was thankfully no more!)  

As I contentedly sipped my aperatif I also quietly drank in the atmosphere of the place and imagined that I had somehow been magically transported to Paris for the day (oh, heaven... sigh!).

The traditional lighting was soft and intimate and reflected beautifully in the smoked glass Art Nouveau mirrors that encircled the room (the flattering kind that don't give you a shock when you catch your own reflection in them!)  

The restaurant was furnished with traditional style bistro tables and chairs and the banquettes had been re-upholstered with deep prune velvet (trés trés chic). 

Even a little trip to poudre le nez reminded me of Paris with brick effect metro tiles covering the walls and a traditional lit sign above the stairs conveniently pointing the way. 

In my enthusiasm for Art Nouveau interiors I did actually take some photos of les toilettes but decided to spare you!  

All that was left to do now was to wait in trepidation for the all important food to arrive. 

We had both chosen fish dishes (Spike the sea bream and myself the sturgeon) which were brought to our table with a smile. 

The fish dishes were not only beautifully presented but were also cooked to perfection (phew... so far so good!).  

After a brief pause the desserts that followed were also little works of art and I must confess that my pain perdu was indeed lost... in a matter of seconds!    

I feel very lucky to live so close to such a famous and elegant town and for anyone who visits Cognac and is a lover of vintage interiors and classic French food I can now heartily recommend the dear old Coq d'Or as it has truly, like a phoenix, risen from the ashes.

  

Les Petits Trucs

It's only been over the last year that I can honestly say that my love affair with vintage costume jewellery truly began (sorry mes petites saucissons from across the pond but that's the way I spell 'jewelry' and I'm sticking to it!)

I have never been a big wearer of jewellery myself as I'm not at all convinced that I carry it off that well but I have always admired it and the women who can.  One thing I wouldn't be without though is my little Art Deco cocktail watch.

It's only made of silver, not white gold or platinum nor studded with real diamonds, but it is an original Swiss watch from the period and a genuine piece of iconic 1930's design.  I love the simplicity of the plain black watch strap that sets off the wonderful dial.  I had the watch cleaned and serviced after I bought it from an auction and it keeps time fabulously.

The face is rectangular and very small so setting the correct time is sometimes challenging but I love the glamour of peeling back my glove to see it peep out decadently at me as I stand freezing my butt off in the middle of a muddy field trying to sell my wares.

I often wonder to myself what the original owner was like... apart from obviously having impeccable taste!  I imagine her to have been a woman of style and substance like Coco Chanel (with less of a budget to play with of course!).  How many glamorous cocktail parties did my little watch attend?  Who held the hand of it's owner as they danced cheek to cheek or snuggled up in the cinema to watch Fred Astaire?  Did they fall in love or was it just a fleeting love affair... Oh, I'm lost in the romance of it all (too many old black and white films at an impressionable age I suspect but who cares!)

Dreamy thoughts like these flit across my mind as I sift through the job lot of jewellery I have just bought. Most of the items are charming of course but now and then I have come across something special that is so evocative of its time that it catches my breath.  In the case of other pieces that I don't know anything about I have the pleasure of unravelling their secrets by doing a little research.  I find it incredibly interesting to learn about these petits trucs and enjoy passing whatever knowledge I have managed to glean on to their new owners.

My husband quite recently (and I think rather unkindly) likened me to Gollam from 'Lord of the Rings' (to be fair he did catch me me sitting wide-eyed pouring over a big pile of vintage costume jewellery in wonder) so on that note here is a small selection of some of  "my precious" trucs in stock at the moment:-

A silver Art Nouveau brooch

An elegant vintage double strand synthetic pearl necklace

A pair of vintage diamante earrings

A 50s Norwegian silver/enamel brooch by Bernard Meldahl

An Art Deco belt buckle

A vintage Scottish amber glass brooch

A particularly wonderful thing about selling des petits bijoux is that there is always something for everyone. The prices span over a wide range to suit every budget and appeal to young and old alike. One of my favourite and most memorable sales was for the princely sum of 4€, a little vintage neck scarf ring with an embroidered kingfisher under glass from the 1950's.

Two lovely mature ladies came to my stall and were scanning my stock when the younger of the two found it and showed it to her friend.  Having haggled the price down from 6€ to the aforementioned 4€ the older lady swiftly tore off a rubber band that had been holding her scarf in place and having slightly shaky hands stood obediently like a little girl as her friend fixed the much improved replacement into place.

I have to be completely honest and admit that when I first saw the neck ring hiding among a pile of other bits and bobs I didn't really think it had much potential.  At the time I couldn't imagine who would buy such a thing but from the obvious pleasure it gave her to fix her little wardrobe malfunction and continue proudly through the fair I knew it had found its rightful home.

On the other side of the coin I do sometimes get rather enthusiastic people who snatch strings of pearls off my stall and start rubbing them on their teeth or whip out a jeweller's loupe to study anything slightly shiny in the hope that I have inadvertently priced up a Carl Fabergé piece at 5€.

To those people I have only one thing to say  "DO I REALLY LOOK THAT STUPID?"

I am not unreasonable and am more than happy to inform potential customers whether the pearls in question are real or synthetic or if something is made from precious metal or not but the price tag is generally a good guide (unless I've seriously messed up... quel cauchemar!)

Something I have noticed since dealing in vintage costume jewellery is that each piece has a unique personality of its own, very much like people. Like jewellery we're all very different.   Some of us are maybe slightly oddball (I speak for myself by the way!) or perhaps not as obviously beautiful or exotic as others (me again!) but ultimately we all hope that we will appeal to someone's taste and that they will pick us out from the crowd and treasure us forever.

'Trucs' for the Kitchen

Our kitchen is still a joy to me every time I enter it having made-do with a makeshift kitchen in the living room for well over a year while we were renovating the house.  The day that we that we lugged in all the furniture that had been languishing in the barn was a real red-letter day.

The challenge then was to decide where all my lovely trucs were going to go.  Being a professional chef's kitchen it needed to be practical but I saw no reason not to mix in a smattering of vintage finds.

I love entertaining and when we have friends over to eat I relish the opportunity to use some of the vintage tableware that we have managed to chiner over the years. Of course it goes without saying that head chef in this scenario is my husband Spike (although our friends would probably deny it I'm sure they would be gutted if I cooked!)












I find that nothing gives more of a sense of occasion than bringing a meal to the table in an ancient terrine or by serving a tranche of cake using a vintage silver plated cake slice.

One of our favourite Autumn starters is the classic French dish Soupe à l'oignon and I will invariably dig out some of our rustic earthenware soup dishes to serve it in.

For a warm colourful southern French dish like Soupe au pistou our rather flamboyant Italian soup terrine comes into its own and, although it's sounds a bit mad, a simple dessert such as strawberries and cream tastes so much better in my wonderful blue pressed-glass sundae dishes.

If we fancy a snifter of the local Charentaise aperitif, Pineau, or a glass of red wine we use these finely etched antique glasses that were bought from an auction in Poitiers a few years back. Friends often comment on their superb quality but do remember that antique crystal mustn't be washed in a dishwasher (no matter how sozzled you are!)

Another of my favourite trucs are these elegant demi-porcelaine green rimmed plates made by Badonviller around the 1930's/40's. The service was given to us by a dealer as a sweetener for spending an obscene amount of money on the vitrine you can see above (no I won't tell you, just think BIG!) Even though the dinner plates are considerably smaller than modern plates they are great for starters (or for anyone on a diet!).

But what I love most of all is that intangible feeling I get when using these trucs that somehow enables me to connect with the past and if you are lucky enough to inherit something from a loved one, even if it's as humble as this worn out old table spoon from my Nana's kitchen, it's lovely to think of them whenever you use it.  

To Paint or Not to Paint?

It's a horrible dreary day so I thought it would be perfect to dig-in and share with you some of the furniture I have painted over the last year or so. 

Now before anyone throws their hands in the air with despair I must stress that I would not dream of painting an 18th century commode or a wonderful Art Deco burr walnut cocktail cabinet (I do wish I had one though!) so don't worry.  I'm talking about the factory produced reproduction furniture of the mid 20th century or early 20th century furniture that has been damaged in some way (or tampered with by a previous, very naughty owner!).

When you come across an uninspiring corner cabinet with ply-board on the back in a dark mahogany veneer it can be hard to see it's potential but these things are practically being given away at every auction in the Western world so it's worth giving them a second chance and to breath new life into them.  I must warn you though that it's an enormous pain in the butt masking all the little panes of glass so you'll need to have some patience!

This particular cabinet I have in my kitchen and even on a dull day like today it cheers up a dark corner and displays my Royal Albert Old Lavender Rose tea service beautifully.   On a practical note it also keeps it free from dust.

One of my all time favourite pieces of furniture in the house is a French chest of drawers (repro. again!) that I have painted a colour described as 'Duck Blue'.  I was a little worried about painting it such a bold colour at first but I am really pleased with the result (although my Mum thinks it looks a bit 'Disney!'.. well, you can't please everyone!)  

It can be so easy to play it safe and to stick to neutral colours all the time but there is a risk of having a rather dull house that looks like it's come from a showroom of an interior design store like Maisons du Monde.  

Of course there is nothing fundamentally wrong with modern interior showrooms but the prices can be quite astronomical for what are essentially cheaply made copies of the real thing.  

The irony is that you can often buy the genuine pieces cheaper and they will have been made with a degree of craftsmanship.  Another plus point to buying old furniture is that it won't devalue the minute you get it home.  If you were to mad enough to enter a modern reproduction chandelier into an auction you'd be in for a terrible shock!  

At this point and having had a good old moan I must confess that there are a few bits and bobs from the aforementioned store and others like it knocking around the house, I am not a complete purist providing they are mixed in with individual eclectic items.  These stores can be a great source of inspiration and are, like home magazines, a useful resource to understanding the currents trends. When I'm buying for the stall, for example, I can keep what's in demand in the forefront of my mind as well as searching for unusual individual trucs .

The next piece of furniture I have updated is a Victorian chest of drawers that originally belonged to my lovely Nana and was designed to be painted being made out of cheap wood so 'ne paniquez pas!!'

When it was given to me there must have been about five layers of paint on it so I grabbed my trusty blowtorch and took off the lot in one go.  I have experimented a bit by applying some wallpaper to the drawer fronts and changing the knobs.  The wonderful thing with painting any piece of furniture this way is that it can be changed if you mess it up or decide that the colour or style no longer fits in with your interior.

The final illustration is of an early flat-pack French break-front wardrobe that I bought at an auction in England a few years back for the princely sum of £20 (well £23.53 if you include the commission).  It was in a bit of a state and needed repairing in places along with a complete repaint but I think it was well worth the work. 

I hope that this has been of some inspiration to you on what is a truly a miserable, dull, rainy day.

Would I really do a thing like that?

Last Friday we pitched-up at a brocante in the lovely town of Meschers-sur-Gironde just south of the glamorous resort of Royan.  We had taken a bit of a risk as we had had to pay in advance for this particular market and as lovely as the weather in the Charente Maritime can be (at least compared to the UK) there really are no guarantees in November.  

We left home at the crack of dawn so that we could find a good pitch (yes I know we'd already booked but that doesn't mean they mark out a particular place for you!) and the weather was thankfully dry when an hour or so later and still bleary eyed we arrived.  The lucky sun however was still firmly tucked up in bed and was to make but a few brief appearances over the duration of the day.  

We congratulated ourselves when we got a great pitch with plenty of room for our old Renault Master van and decided to tuck into a celebratory pain au chocolat before unloading.  We noted that we were within spitting distance of the dealer who had recommended this particular collectors fair to us a couple of weeks previously which conveniently meant that he would be an easy target to kick in the shins later if the fair turned out to be rubbish.

For November, considering the cold breeze blasting down the road and the fact that many of the second home owners and holiday makers had left, we didn't have a bad day of takings at all (Monsieur Le Brocanteur's shins therefore remained intact!).

We sold a few bits of furniture, a lovely pair of opera glasses that I had been coveting (boo hoo!) and a good quantity of my lovely vintage jewellery.  I love selling the jewellery in particular as it always leaves me with a warm glow as I watch customers happily wander off on their way with their purchases.  

The warm glow, however, was to be short-lived as a few drops of rain started to fall on the stall.  Being made of steely stuff we wimped out at about 3pm after Spike had managed to scout out an escape route for the van through the crowds.  I think it's that time of year when it's best to admit defeat and start doing the markets again in the Spring!  

As I packed everything up for the umpteenth time this year I stopped to admire a wonderful vintage mirrored photo frame that I acquired recently from a market in Cognac.  I had made a decision that to demonstrate the frame to it's full loveliness I would put in a fabulous picture of my grandmother (sadly I never knew her as she died just days after I was born) that had been taken in a photographer's studio in the 1920's.

I was busy debating with myself whether to pop it on the front seat of the van and keep it for myself (so much of my stock makes detours into our home - some of them permanent... oops!) when it dawned on me that I was actually trying to sell my own Grandmother!

How low I have stooped to scrape a living!

All this aside I am going to brave one more market in mid December in the historical town of Angôuleme. It's just a little flea market and there will hopefully be some sophisticates who are looking for original Christmas presents for their loved ones (I know I would prefer something original of quality rather than mass produced rubbish... someone take that soapbox away from her!!!).  I do hope that Santa (aka Spike reads this!)

Apart from that I am going to dig in for the winter and sell some of my trucs on various sites on the internet. In fact I've spent a good part of the day grappling with French Ebay along with some local websites to sell some furniture that has been lovingly painted by moi.  

I am looking forward to sharing with you some of these painted pieces of furniture another time along with some of the goodies that have been surreptitiously liberated from my stall over the course of the year!