Summer days ...

Cicadas in background, humidity high. Cricket on the tv. 

And if it's rained off or 'gone to tea' then the match resumes in our yard. 

Just another summer's day!

Jennifer x

Brocante Tour Planning: Would you like to stay here?

The planning for next year's tours continue and are coming together so well.

I've found a lovely little chateau for our accommodation - what do you think?  Would you like to retire here each night after we have walked for hours through Antique stores, Brocantes, fairs or markets?

Set on six hectares of parkland, it sleeps 5-6 guests and so will be just our little home away from home to re-group and swap stories about our finds throughout the day!

And each of the bedrooms are so pretty and tastefully decorated.  A dream to rest weary legs after all the kilometres we'll cover throughout the day!

Although it's intended for children - what do you think of this cute little tree house?

This is on the grounds of the chateau, and is extra accommodation for children.  It reminds me of something from 'The Hobbit' ... a little house in the Shire ... with Bilbo Baggins about to walk through the door!  Do you think?

If you like to register interest, please send me an email, and as the tour comes together I will send you more information.

All the best,
Jennifer.
x

Not creature is stirring....

As the moon rises .... all through the house not a creature was stirring ... the children are nestled all snug in their beds...  So it's time for me to do some Christmas wrapping!

Hope your Christmas preparations are coming together for you!

Jennifer.
x

Christmas Tree Delivery {L'arbre de Noël}

We have had our Christmas tree delivered and it feels like the real beginnings of Christmas.  The scent of new pine needles wafting throughout the house.  Although I did have a few palpitations as it arrived!!

I had decided to splash out and ordered the "size XL" instead of our usual "large".

Greeting the installer at the door I had a sudden thought, "Perhaps I should have measured this at some stage in the last few months before it arrived?  Just to check it fits!"

Thankfully it does!  And I think is just the right size for the space.  Somewhat fills the void of the high ceilings in the old home.  Whew!

As the trees come tightly wrapped in a mesh to protect them, they need a few days to 'relax' and let the branches fall back to their normal shape before you dress it.  So I'll update you over coming days once it is 'dressed to kill'!

In our house I do let the kids take over the Christmas tree decoration, once I had done the basics: the lights and the beads.  And of course once we are all finished, and everyone is in bed, I do go back for a little edit later on!

There seems to be growing acceptance on Instagram of having a main tree that is dressed to perfection, and another elsewhere for the children to decorate themselves.  What do you think of that?

Even though I readily admit to giving ours a few tweaks, I must say I do love that WE dress OUR family Christmas tree.

So how about you ... do you have one main tree beautifully decorated?  And another for the kids?  Or do you 'share' like us (ha ha)?

Jennifer
x

Adieu Woolloongabba et bonjour Brocante Tours!

Yesterday, and with considerable mixed emotions, I closed my little shop at the Woolloongabba Antique Centre for the summer.

I am planning to re-open in February after the summer school holidays - and all of the chaos that brings to my life!  We are just going to enjoy the next two months - without me regularly sourcing product and visiting the shop.

Some dear friends have rung straight away to ask - so how do I feel now that it is closed?

I think it will only be next Monday when I don't go in to tidy after the weekend's trade, and don't add some new finds and some fresh flowers - that it will really hit home.  Once the routine is broken - then I will know that I have really taken a step in a different direction!

But for now my head is spinning with plans for next year: finalising the online store, also a very fun project doing some pop-up stores around Brisbane in conjunction with other dealers, and yet another project organising a 'Brocante Tour' of Paris and France.

Yes, you have read correctly - after many requests for trips ideas, and asking to come with me - I am going to make it happen in 2014.  I am starting now to organise a little tour of the Paris markets, of some of my favourite stores, of some country brocantes and a few antiques fairs - with lots of delicious french food and wine along the way!

I will also be able to organise shipping for everyone who comes - to make sure all those treasures you would normally not fit in your luggage do arrive back home safe and sound!

In the planning phase now, and so exciting to be sharing a passion of mine, so please email me (click the email button at the top of the blog) if you would like to register interest at this early stage.

Looking forward to hearing from you,
Jennifer.
x

{all images Vintage Finds}