Limoges Bonboniere ~ Roses, roses roses...

Sorry but this item is sold

This is a gorgeous porcelain bonboniere - or trinket box - from Limoges. decorated with full blown pink roses, it would look just perfect on a vintage boudoir dressing table - and so useful for containing all those hairpins or jewellery...It's quite large at 7 inches across and in excellent vintage conditon - you can read more about it here.

Two French Baskets, oh so different!

Sorry, this item is sold

This is a serious shopping basket - just made to take to market and fill with delicious cheeses, fresh herbs, a bottle of wine, then home to hang up in a rustic country kitchen...You can see more photos here in my Ebay shop, but hurry, or I might just keep it for myself!

Sorry - this item is sold

Gorgeous little wire basket, with the flowers made from metal - a little kitsch perhaps, a little 1950s - so cute!

Fill it with cupcakes, scarves, cotton-wool balls, fruit or just to display in the boudoir or bathroom...

Lots more photos in my Etsy shop 'vintagemaison' here - take a peek...

Incidentally, the background of the shopping basket is some great French fabric - it's a large red Vichy check - a big version of gingham I guess - just perfect for hemming and making into a picnic cloth. Or, how about some fabulously cheerful bunting?

I've got a some metres left from another project, so if you want some at £15 per metre, just leave a comment and I'll get back to you.

Some vintage beauties from the thirties

Sorry, but these two journals are now sold

All these society beauties are from a couple of large Art magazines from 1935/6. The publication called "L'Illustration' was a journal that was terribly expensive at the time, and very Art Deco in style.

It contained many articles about art and culture but the main interest for me is the sheer number of wonderful prints and illustrations inside. some of the prints were mounted and made to be removed for framing, some were to merely illustrate a point or two in an article.

There are also many black and white adverts - cars, perfumes, fashion, travel - all giving a little insight into life in the pre-war era - but only for the wealthy of course!

I have some for sale - two of which are in my Ebay shop here and here, but I do have more, still to be listed.

Stock time - no, not that sort! Our animal stock of course...

No, not a sheep - this is Charlie our poodle - the shepherd keeps threatening to shear him too, and Charlie keeps threatening to bite the shepherd...




Our teenage pigs: just like human boys...all strop and grunt...


Sorry I haven't written a new blog for a day or two - we've been sorting out a new home for our pigs, and tidying up the sheep ie shearing, dosing etc.

Lots of outdoor work has also been done, cutting and stacking wood for the winter (perish the thought...) now that the weather has changed for the better.

I'm going to be back tomorrow with lots of lovely new stock to list - of the vintage variety!

French monogramme stamps for linen

Sorry but both stamps now sold.

Don't you just love French monogrammed linen? The wooden letter stamps are highly prized here in France and are collected vigorously - each letter is sought after...

The monogrammes were sometimes sewn freestyle, but more than often, the French used a stamp as a guide, inked, and then gently applied to their sheets, tablecloths, napkins, towels etc, to be sewn usually in white or red thread.

There was a huge range of stamps to choose from...Gothic , embellished with flowers, Art Deco, and a range of sizes in proportion to the item being embroidered.

I have some stamps for sale - here are two large examples - you can see them here and here in my Ebay shop - both auctions are starting at £4.99 - great value considering the cost of modern stamps!

A whole sheet of Limoges vignettes

Both sheets were sold but found another in a drawer as at April 2011
This is a whole sheet of vignettes from the Limoges porcelain factory. The little country scenes with beautifully dressed courtiers, musicians and galants, were used to decorate the blank pieces of porcelain, then fired and finished by painting by hand.

In the Limousin region, the agricultural workers used to decorate the wares in the winter when they couldn't work on the land - the alternative was slipper or glove making - or starve...

They are such sweet little scenes: singing and dancing, flirting and sneaking kisses, gorgeous 18th century costumes and hairstyles - all so very French...

I've listed it in my Etsy shop here but the best bit is...I've got 2 sheets!

New Stock - Magical, mythical winged lioness...

Sorry but I'm sold...

Isn't this just fabulous? It's a celluloid handle for a purse or bag, 1920's I think, and just crying out for a crafty lady to add some period vintage fabric, maybe a velvet or brocade, and turn it into a stunning heirloom of the future...You can read about it here ...

Why do cats like baskets?

This is Felix - or Fatboyfat as we like to call him for obvious reasons - how the basket didn't topple over, I'll never know...

Here is Tiger enjoying a snooze. He might be Tiger by name, but not by nature - he is simply a coward, but a bit of a gent too.

Neither of them are supposed to be in the business part of the house, but do you know what? Although I run my business from home, the cats are part of our family too, and that's what our house is - a family home.

New French fabrics - my last remnants...

A beautiful rustic fabric with a cute little flower - or snowflake - your choice!



The alternative - a gorgeous rustic red fabric - with the sweetest little heart

Sorry but all striped is sold

This country style red is a plain stripe ticking...

Or, again, a cute heart - just perfect for heart-shaped lavender bags...

sorry all berry fabric is now sold

This is a beautiful berried canvas, with basket weave - a super basket lining...

The is a very tactile version of the country heart check - there is a sage green twisted thread, which makes it beautifully textured

And here is the gorgeous cream, white and beige version and again, very tactile and textured...


I just love French country fabrics - this group of fabrics came from the mountain region of France and a firm favourite of the French for decorating their ski chalets and mountain wooden huts...my clients have found them just perfect for making small items such as lavender bags, shoe bags, blinds and panels on rustic country cushions.

I am selling all my last few remnants of the fabrics I ave been selling for 3 years now - it all started with a little piece of a vintage red stripe - with hearts - and I managed to find a source of a new version which ticked all the boxes.

My best-selling fabric? Well, the red heart stripe of course!

You can buy a remnant here on my Ebay shop - just clic on 'New French Fabrics' for the full selection but be quick - when these have gone, they've gone - the supplier has run out now and says he can't find anymore! I'm still searching...

Beautiful antique French corset with broderie anglais trim

Sorry, but I'm sold!

Oh! I wish I had a 20 inch waist...This beautiful French corset is in the palest pink, in cotton coutil and with broderie anglais lace and satin ribbon round the top. Just gorgeous! You can read more and follow my ebay auction here.