This is the brocante explosion that has happened in our house. A small part of the stacks of things I collected over the last two weekends. A disarray affair with loose ends and loads of possibilities that need my attention.
French Husband knows he has it made because I cannot complain about his occasional pair of shoes out of place while I have a truckload of junk all over the house. I don't even know where I am going to put the stuff… it is overwhelming to say the least.
What am I doing? Why have I bought a ton of paper, linen, and other old things?
Because I am drunk on brocante.
I think I need to start my own club: Brocante Anonymous… for those with a serious addiction without a direction or a bone to chew.
I am my first member.
French Husband doesn't love me this I know… because he is co-dependent and took me to the darn source of my temptation!
This is my latest acquisition. I found it at the brocante in Leyment, under a table, before the sun had a chance to open its eyes: a lion king. A statue that looks like it is made of marble, but it is not, though it is heavy enough to be. I had to pay someone hearty to carry this puppy back to the car, a mere three mile walk.
Grain sacks, linen and hemp towels. I am a sucker for this sort of thing.
None of these have crowns on them, I guess I could stencil a crown on them, but that would not be the same as the real McCoy. Darn that Older Man who had the grain sacks with the crowns on them, for changing my perspective! I use to like plain grain sacks until he came along and introduced me to a new thrill!
Metal stars that have lost their golden sheen. These stars are about an inch wide, I have no idea what their real purpose in life is other than to tickle my heart and have French Husband scratch his head.
Linen of every imaginable shape and size.
Spools of ribbon, French silk ribbon, well some of them are silk, most are satin. It is this color of sea green that I love the best.
When I saw this at the brocante fair I nearly passed out with excitement. French Husband started to open it hoping to sort through the eighteen century documents. I nearly bite his hand off… Then in a flash realized that if I bite his hand I would then have to carry everything back to the car by myself… Hence I retracted my teeth saying instead that I thought the stack of documents looked like an object of art and hope to leave it as it was.
He agreed.
But ever since he said he wanted to open it I have been wondering what is inside…can you imagine a paper might be dated 1702 or signed by Marie Antoinette…
I like to dream big if you had not noticed.
Wrapped beeswax candle with bits of torn paper and twine, on a calling card tray.
Hand made clay marbles in a rough linen sack. Marbles use to be made with clay, dried and then painted. I haven't found this many in a long time. The colors are faded, which indicates they were played with often.
Small crosses that once adorn the rosaries belonging to priests and nuns, the ones they use to tie around their waist.
Antique playing cards.
A whole shoe box of old stamps.
I have a serious paper problem…no no no I am a serious junk collector, no no that isn't true, I am an art collector of the common things in life.
Brocante Anonymous come and get me, here I am!
Aren't these cute enough to eat!
As you can see I bought much to do about nothing, stacks of nothingness.
I asked French Husband what he thought of my buying at the brocante and he answered, "Are you happy? And when are you going to open a shop?"
"I don't want to open a shop. I want to be a buyer, buy and sell to buy again."
"So when are you going to start selling?"
"Soon."
He shook his head and said, "I dare you."
Oh no he knows I cannot resist a dare!
Which brings me back to you. Thank you for listening to my tales, for your thoughtful responses, for encouraging me to take more photos, and for coming back and reading this blog over and over again. Thank you. You have no idea how much happiness your response has brought me.
If you like linen or stamps or papers tell me so.
Since you have followed along these last two weeks,
and because I am getting ready to go to the Marburger fair in Texas,
and because I cannot leave my house in a mess,
and because I like you…
and because I want to share some of this stuff before I join my own club: Brocante Anonymous.
Please leave a comment and I'll pick a few winners, one for linen towel, another for stack of stamps, another for some papers and another for some marbles.
Remember their is a prize for the guessing game above too.
If you double click on this photo you will see there is a tiny hook on the chair's back, that hook was used to hang one's pocket watch. Julie got it right! Though Jeannie your response, "A place for your pet escargot to sit!" made me laugh!
Please send me your addresses and I'll mail you a gift.
Old French stuff, my addiction.
Brocante Anonymous I do not think I can join you just yet….
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