Monday 5 May 2014

'Tis the Season

For Brocantes!

May to October, here in France, is the time when Brocantes are advertised everywhere.  Every little village seems to have at least one a year - and May especially is the time when everyone is keen to get out and buy (and sell, too) if the weather is kind.

Yesterday there were lots of brocantes on, and I went to two.  Firstly, at Bellac, which is only 18 kilometres from me, and then at a small town a bit further away, called Ambazac.

At Bellac I got a bargain on a Sanderson curtain - lined and with tape AND hooks - for 2€, as well as what had been the other curtain of the pair, but with the bottom part ripped off - for another euro.  The fabric is called Flower Garden and was stamped Sanderson and dated 1992.


I took the smaller curtain apart and washed the fabric, but the larger curtain will be perfect for covering the doorway from the kitchen to the living room and stopping the draught in Winter.

Also at Bellac I got a little Les Cheries doll for only 3€ - a real bargain...


... and she still smells of vanilla.

At Ambazac I got some lovely green Solidex jars.  Seems they were made at the end of the 1930s, and they are a really beautiful colour.




I am envisaging filling them with a variety of sewing paraphenalia - like cotton reels and mother-of-pearl buttons.  I would love to use them for preserving but the wires are old and not very springy now and it seems they can't be replaced...

I think they would be great for storing food items too, and I already use some for cooking ingredients...


...this little one contains dried cranberries.

Also at Ambazac I got this pretty little sewing set in a zip-up case...


...complete except for the scissors, I think, and a sort of folding metal loom for making (I think) a needle-made lace square for inserting into something like a traycloth or tablecloth, or maybe just adding crochet for a little mat...


If it hadn't already got a piece started, I wouldn't have had a clue what it was!

All in all - a good day out for very little expenditure!

Next Sunday is another brocante, very local to me, at Mézières-sur-Issoire, so I shall certainly be going to that unless it's raining!

3 comments:

Elizabethd said...

I really miss the French vide greniers and brocantes. Car boot sales just aren't the same!

Twiglet said...

Oh what fab goodies you have found - I had a bit of fun at our car boot sale on Sunday. x Jo

Sharon said...

I love it when you go to these and I really enjoy seeing what you get Penny...you always get such great things. I am very envious of these brocantes as we have nothing like this here. I hope you'll start knitting for that little doll because I have a new doll here who is just her size!!!! And she really will need cardigans and other woollies next winter!
Big hugs, Sharon in Spain xx