French moment....

Ooh la la...I think I am having a bit of a French moment with my buying.

This very long length of material which I thought initially was a French flag.... (as it lay bundled up in the bottom of an old pine blanket chest)......until I unwound it.... and it just kept coming.

It is actually twice the length of the washing line so I think I am going to get a few cushions out of this old fabric.

Continuing the red white and blue theme....

Two tall bookcases....the top coat red, the next layer pale blue and under that, white.

A lot of sanding later ( as the shelves had been well and truly painted in )

Et voila....on its way to a good old Farrow and Ball toning down.

Three coats of paint later,

Slightly distressed, and polished with a "dirty" polish....

And all ready for my books.

Including this wonderful 1910 business directory of Paris.

Linen covered and extremely heavy with printed adverts on the end paper....

Inside, fascinating adverts for agricultural machinery,

Heating appliances....

And when you get fed up with each other....

You can make an appointment.

Finally, in keeping with my French theme and most importantly....a 15 bottle crate from Monsieur Bourdial for storing my vin and Perrier...

Merci Monsieur!


A Bientôt....

Julie x

Finds and finishes...

A pair of Victorian Staffordshire figures who have seen a bit of trauma during their long lives.

 Mrs Shepherd suffering the most unfortunately, with an amputation, decapitation and a pretty unsuccessful nose job.

But they are still together....staring stoically into the distance.

Her little ankle socks hinting at bit of rural naughtiness....

A bit of a painting flurry yesterday..... an old pine kitchen table.... now with Farrow and Ball Light Gray legs and wax polished top,

And an old glazed, pine wall cabinet also Light Gray...both would be ideal in a kitchen.

 A 2 drawer desk or dressing table with the slimmest of tapering legs and brass castors,

 Now a nice chateau grey/blue with drop handles.

Very pretty....

 I have also been doing some more cushion sewing.....with gorgeous linen fabric from Kate Forman.

And finally, I would love to know what this unusual, piece of printed toile cotton was made for....was it a neckerchief, or a political flag?

Cartouches of Napoleon in various stages of his career, dated 1812...with an unfortunate rip to the side.

In each cartouche, Napoleon is berated as a real bad lad.

Attacking the Pope, defrauding Ferdinand the V11, destroying, betraying and taking on the cast off mistress of Barras....Josephine....what a bloke...

It really should be framed as it is in quite a delicate state.

Does anyone have any ideas?


Can I just say a big thank you for all your lovely comments and an equally big hello to my new followers.
Enjoy your weekend,
Julie x

P.S. After a very long reluctance to embrace the world of Twitter...I have finally succumbed!

Link is on my side bar.... x

Move over John Bull.....

A proper, grown up, printing set just for me.

With numbers and letters...upper case and lower case,

And various stamps in different fonts....

Per lb, per doz, per packet, per bottle etc

In its original box with the title "Silent Salesman"..... I think I am going to have a bit of fun labeling my stock from now on.

( When I get the spacing right that is...)

 A total bargain from one of my fellow exhibitors,

Especially for me,

It had my name on.....

Julie x