Introducing........la faience brocante.

As you know my word for 2011 is "de-clutter" and so begins my exciting new venture.
I am so thrilled to finally be able to tell you my surprise.
After mulling it over for several months I've finally opened an Etsy shop "la faience brocante".

The clue was in my mosaic on Monday.
I'll be stocking the shelves with "les jolies choses".
French faience will be the star attraction with Quimper pieces to the fore.
However, you'll also find majolica, enamelware, lithographs and other vintage French items that I have gathered together over the years.
The French actually have a word to describe a person who loves to hunt out antique and vintage treasures at flea markets, vide greniers, brocantes and auction houses.
Je suis un "Chiner".
I love nothing more than to "chine" and Mr B and I, with dogs in tow, have travelled far and wide uncovering wonderful things.
Oh! those early morning starts at Le Mans or Le Bourget markets!
The exchange of banter with Maître Bailleul at our local Hôtel de Ventes in Bayeux, who would often berate his clientele with "les Anglais sont la" if he thought there was a chance we might steal a bargain from under their noses.
I hope you'll enjoy browsing through my Etsy brocante, where perhaps you'll discover a French souvenir for your home.
You'll find a link on the sidebar.
Bon chine!

New beginning?

la faience brocante

Linking this post to Mary's fabulous Mosaic Monday @the little red house why not call in at Mary's to see who else is sharing their collages this week? It's a great place to see amazing mosaic creations from around the world.

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end" ~ Seneca.

Last week I told you about my word for 2011 - declutter, and I've thrown myself into the project with wild abandon.
I began by clearing out my wardrobe.
Really Margaret, how many "gardening" sweats and T's does a girl need?
Will also need to take a trip to the local Emmaus collection point very soon with the items that didn't pass the 6 month rule.
During the winter months, when it just gets too chilly for me to sit up in the grenier (my attic office/craft room) and freeze, I just plop myself (avec laptop) down in front of the wood burner in the sitting room to blog.
However, the sun was out today and I decided to tidy away all the "stuff" that had accumulated whilst planning/organising the Quimper Club's annual meeting in Savannah last October.
Out it all went, whee!
I'll have plenty of space and time now to start scrappin' again. Chouette!
After twelfth night, when all the Christmas deco had been put away, it was time to begin filling all the empty spaces on the library and dining room shelves and tabletops and mantlepieces, throughout the house.
And that made me stop and pause.
Just what was I going to place out on display, what goes and what stays?
Now, I can hear you all thinking "she's rambling on today" and also probably "what has any of this got to do with that great mosaic, and what is la faience brocante?"
Well, come a little closer and I'll whisper.............................................soon!