Monday 9 September 2013

Sunday Brocantes

As you will no doubt know, the French Brocante / Vide-Greniers is very similar to the British Car Boot Sale.  In one respect it is usually better - frequently it takes place in a town centre, on the normal roads (which are closed for the event).  This was true for both the brocantes / vide-greniers I went to yesterday which was a good thing, because there was a risk of rain and when you are in a field that can be a real pain as the grass underfoot gets wet and slippy and there is nowhere to shelter.

My friend Janet and I set off for Confolens in the morning and went to three sites before we actually found the brocante, which turned out to be in the centre of the town!  I didn't take any pictures as it was a bit of a grey day, but I can show you what I bought.

There were a lot of shops open - one of which being an antiques / upmarket junk shop and here I bought a tray of buttons for just 3€.  About £2.50.  There were lots of Mother-of-Pearl ones in there...

Confolens brocante buttons

..which are always my favourites.

I also got a great bargain - some self-adhesive vinyl tiles which should be enough to cover the floor of my en-suite which has been simply plywood for 6 years!

Self-Adhesive tiles

They are a kind of sandstone colour which will look good, I think.

Tiles close

So we didn't buy much, but had a good look round and a bit of exercise (better than sitting on the settee knitting).  Janet went home as she had a friend coming the next day, but I went home for my lunch and then out again to another brocante at Lathus.

The weather had cleared up by then and the sun was warm, so it was pleasant walking round but there wasn't as much stuff weren't as many beautiful things as there had been last year.

In fact the only thing I bought was a little dolls' cot that folds just like a real baby travel cot, which was in great condition and will showcase the bedding that I am making to sell on ETSY in the near future...

Folding Dolls' Cot 2

So today is 'Most of France is Shut Monday' and I am back to finishing off a few new crocheted hats for the Dolls' Hat Shop...

Flower Girl

5 comments:

Serenata said...

A friend often posts about what lovely things she finds at the Brocantes - looks like you had good luck as well. Got to love the buttons! The little travel cot is cute as well.

I like the hat your Sasha is wearing it is really sweet.

Elizabethd said...

How funny that you found B and Q tiles in France!
Lovely selection of buttons.

Sharon said...

Love the little cot Penny and those tiles were a handy find. I would love to go to one of these! There is a very big secondhand market in Fuengirola on Saturday mornings and we have gone a few times but I have to say that the majority of the stuff is real junk....I've put better stuff in the dustbin! I swear most if it is either found in bins or the proceeds of a string of burglaries. :(

Kate said...

We visited a few while on holiday last year looking for brooches to make my bouquet - didn't find any however it was a great way to spend a few hours - would do it again.

Mise said...

The crochet hat is perfectly charming with its dainty little flower.