Spring ...

I love 'seasonality' in a garden.  Do you love it?  I love to see and smell the changing seasons.  Spring is 'springing' outside my window and I love the changes I see in the garden almost daily.

The vibrant autumn colour in the Liquidamber, seems to be only a month vanished, and quickly changed to a bare grey statue against the blue winter sky.

And yet only last weekend the new buds were forming and sprouting heralding the new season's green cloak about to arrive.

And here it is. Today. Arrived. Fresh and verdant, like it has always been this way and doesn't change!

I hope you are also enjoying the changing seasons!

Jennifer.
x

Pretty Louis XV Bergère c1920

I have been searching for some pretty French Louis XV style bergeres for a client for awhile and - at last! - found some lovely ones to fit the bill!  Aren't they so sweet?

The fabric is the original silk brocade and still in fantastic condition.  Yet, the price was great - and so if my client changes her mind on the colour, it still works to re-upholster them in another fabric down the line.  I love finding something that makes my clients so happy!

Is there something that you are looking for at the moment?

Jennifer.

x

il est arrivé! de la France!

So excited that I had to make a post this morning - even if the photos are not that great - I just had to share! My shipment from France arrived yesterday and I have grabbed a few shots as I was unpacking. As I am diving between crates, and opening them, and remembering all the fun I had sourcing all these goodies, the terms "pig" and "mud" springs to mind constantly!!

And some of the many wonderful stories come to mind also.  These flags are from a deceased estate of a man that was well known in the valley.  In 1945, when the Allied troops came through France at the close of WWII, there was typical confusion as to who was on who's side.  

This man had scavenged old fabric scraps, and made for himself these flags: the first is the American flag, the second is 'the British allies' and the third the French - 'le Tricolore'.  He proudly displayed them on a carved wooden shield on his house, showing his allegiance, as the Allies came through to reclaim the French territory.

My neglected little boys were busy 'helping' me all afternoon [translation: playing rugby around me until I chased them outside].

And we were all having so much fun that we forgot what the time was!

The sun had gone down, moon come up, and it was dinner time.  Enough fun for one day.

Must go, have a big day ahead with sorting and relocating all of this.  Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!  And if you're in Brisbane - welcome to the wonderful warmer weather and the start of the school holidays!

Jennifer.

x

Les Tatin aux Echalotes and a busy weekend!

With the warmer weather arriving in Brisbane, and the school holidays coming up, we have launched back into dining outside on the verandah.  It's still a bit coolish as soon as the sun dips, so I was looking around for inspiration for an early Sunday evening dinner, that would work for children and adults, and that would be a little hearty.

{image Vintage Finds}

Et voilà! my lovely friend Sharon Santoni, who writes a gorgeous blog My French Country Home, about her life with horses, children and dogs in the heart of Normandy in France, posted a fabulous recipe for tarte aux échalotes - slowly caramelised shallots made into an upside down tarte (similar to tarte tatin but savoury).

I made these in individual tartlets to accompany a lemon and garlic roast chicken, homemade chicken gravy, roast potatoes - and to lighten the meal a little - a 'fresh from the garden' lettuce salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.

I had every intention of taking 'cooking in progress' photos, but after a few Pimms and lemonades in the lovely weather, and chatting to good friends, as always - that went out the window!   So instead I only have Sharon's lovely photos, and her post and recipe can be found here!

Ooh, and my shipment from my buying trip in France in May has now arrived at port and will be arriving here shortly - so expect lots of lovely photos to come both here and on FB!


Have a lovely start to your week!
Jennifer.
x

Vintage Verandah - Seagrass or Split Cane Furniture

I have had a love of seagrass furniture for a very long time.  I am not really so sure why it in particular tugs at my heart strings, but think it somehow stands as a testament to the fact of how well-made furniture was at the turn of the last century and before.

Originally intended for inside use - but as the furniture was so light - and our Queensland climate so balmy - this furniture migrated outside to the deep verandahs. Given our at times harsh weather, beating sun and driving tropical rain, and it only ever being inside furniture, it is truly amazing to have survived the last 80 to 120 years!

In the days before credit cards and with little store credit of any kind, there were few choices to furnish your house other than wedding gifts, savings plans or finding something very affordable!  And that is precisely what the seagrass suites were - the furniture for now, until you could save up and buy your more formal lounge furniture. Hence, once the finances improved for a newly-wed couple, this lightweight furniture migrated to the verandah and became a fixture there!

I love how the advert from The Brisbane Courier in 1919 above, speaks of furniture as 'hygenic' - what is the alternative?  Would prefer not to know!  And another 1930 advert has coloured cane furniture as a new innovation, "for sun porches is fast becoming popular, although it has only just been in for a little while."

And even decorating tips found (here) in a household advice column in 1930, which tells us how by adding coloured seagrass furniture will add "a dash of colour in drawing (rooms) and lounge suites, tables, chairs, rockers, lounges, perambulators, and ... will give just that added distinctiveness."!  

Distinctiveness aside, I love how it gives me that vintage vibe with a very relaxed feel.  This is my own verandah and my own little collection of these, teemed with Moroccan lanterns, Armadillo&Co 'Dandelion' rug and feather-filled cushions this is a very comfy little corner during the day - as Lily would attest to.  She wouldn't move for me to take the pics!

Cane and split cane furniture (the canes are split into half rounds) still survives and usually in much better condition than unpainted seagrass!

Here are a few shots of some of the seagrass and cane chairs that I have in stock at the moment:

And of course, take that 1930s advice - cane and seagrass can be painted white, black or any number of current 'on trend' colours!

Have a lovely weekend!
Jennifer.
x

Coloured cane pics via Liberty Cherry