Beautiful Mess of Happiness

corey amaro Brocante France

 

 

In a room that use to be Sacha's I have invaded. Bags full of brocante come and go. Sacha's room isn't large, things are stacked. When people come over to shop I have to have a heads up… otherwise there is nowhere to walk. I call it: "The Disaster Zone" because rarely is it orderly. Messy never was a word used to describe me… until I started the online brocante. The Disaster Zone is a new chapter in my otherwise tidy selfhood.

 

Sacha has lived away from home for nearly five years… though whenever he comes home he reminds me that his room is a mess, he has invaded Chelsea's old room.

 

 

corey amaro Brocante France

 

Friends come over proclaiming, "You never have to go brocanting again. You have enough for ten years." Yet they do not see it come and go. Sure there are certain things that stick around 'cause I am not ready to let part with them. 

 

Remember the statue I bought that fell over one night and broke. Well there she is with a chipped nose. Everyone wants her, but well how much do they want to pay?

 

"She is broken."

 

Funny how that doesn't bother me, she survived a great fall. 

Then there is the book I took apart and made wallpaper out of… only to find out it is worth more than the wall.

Not really but kind of true.

First lesson about Brocanting…

When you find something you do not know about, look it up.

Duh Corey.

 

 

 

 

Endless fabric covered boxes, that store endless amount of beads, medals, keys, little things… 

Jesus is going to America this weekend.

 

 

 

 

Two brocante buddies.

Dogs.

Baby steps towards not being afraid of dogs.

The other day at the brocante I felt something lick my hand, I froze not because it was freezing cold… but because, you guessed it, a dog was licking my hand.

 

Stuffed dogs are cute.

Dogs licking my hand, freaky.

 

 

 

Porcelain flowers found in Aubagne

now live in Seattle at Sheree's beautiful home.

Sweetest perfume, forever in bloom.

Over a hundred years strong.

 

 

 

Tattered, hand painted candy box… it said goodbye too.

Silk box with a barely-hanging-on-latch.

Someone had to save them, they still hold things and are far prettier than plastic.

Brocante is recycling. I am green.

 

 

 

 

Someone's hard work is now art.

Spun wool on a wooden spool board.

"Art Popular", as it is called in France.

 

 

 

 

Paper.

1700s

Consumed by it.

 

 

 

What is your beautiful mess? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Menus better than cook books.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

corey amaro Brocante France 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Putting things online…

I could put a hundred things online, and well… I would buy a hundred more, just to do it again and again.

 

Messy is a new world of perfection!

 

 

 

 

And then there are things that never make it to my online shop for one reason or another.

 

 

 

Glasses are not fun to pack.

 

 

 

Paper mache Statues in my friend Francine's shop.

 

 

 

 

Little horse trotted off to Georgia.

 

 

 

 

My friend Odile's shop… I am a faithful client, my first purchase in Isle sur la Sorgue was twenty three years ago.

 

 

 

Fabric

See Girl Run,

Run Girl Run.

Oh love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This came home with me.

 

 

This went with Carmen.

 

 

So did these.

 

 

Someone got these.

 

 

 

 

Herbiers in a massive frame.

One would need a massive wall.

 

 

 

 

I see so many lovely things.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Brocante humor.

 

 

Brocante Buddies

 

 

 

Beautiful towns… for that reason alone I would go to a brocante and make a mess out of my son's room.

 



Comments

15 responses to “Beautiful Mess of Happiness”

  1. Lovely photos Corey. I especially like the Jesus statue. Glad he’s coming to America!

  2. When I look through your photos I am struck by just how lovely living in the past was; and on so many levels! Where I live, on the whole, if something has 20 years behind it, it is “old” and most likely disrespected for being such.
    The artist in me gushes at the details that were put into everyday items, just for beauty’s sake. The flourish, the ornamentation of even the tiniest of utensil was made to be admired as well as functional. The ornamentation of a baby shoe, a hem line, furniture, buildings, parks… all that has gone the way of the west… the west is pretty darn boring now. Even our cemeteries have markers made to hide in the lawn instead of proudly standing and eventually teeter as did their owners. No more.
    The U.S. rarely puts a statue up in the community park, no more rotundas or gazebos or nonsensical colonnades, beauty for beauty’s sake. A few older towns maintain their character by keeping what the past built, but don’t carry on the tradition when newer malls or business centers or housing tracks are built (I’m talking about you Santa Barbara.). A Shame. We seem to be more narcissistic, wanting our decoration smooth, angular, “sexy”, to reflect a sleek view on the world. pffft!
    How lovely to live where the eye is fed not just by history, but hidden reasons to search and look, to peek and enjoy, to wonder at the hand made time consuming reason for beauty. Thank you for sharing!

  3. Oh Corey, this post is DIVINE!!! I love seeing all of your wonderful finds! I think I drooled on my keyboard…xoxo, Dawn

  4. Now that’s a glass!, and the look of love for the sweetest bear……my favourites, you warm my heart Corey. 🙂

  5. Janet Eiffel

    First, I want you to believe…..
    dog licking hand = “hello, want to be friends”
    And B, your photography is awesome!
    And finally, my beautiful mess lines both
    sides of the garage. A mess to the untrained eye
    but I know if the smallest item has been moved.
    A couple of my BFF and I “borrow” from each others
    beautiful messes. Do you practice the 3 R rule?
    Re cycle – Re purpose – Re use………we have added
    a fourth Rotate.

  6. What a glorious mess!
    I especially love the herbiers in the big frame.
    My beautiful mess is my garden – from a distance it looks lovely – up close a mess of weeds and dead bits.

  7. love all your finds.. you have such a great eye for treasures and you have the hands of artist putting together your home and your apartments..
    i embrace your talent for putting together words and the same with your meals.. you are able to make people feel at home whether in america or in france..
    walking into your apartment in paris was so transformative.. each square inch is thought out.. .. you have a gift that cannot be taught.. it is so magical..
    todays post brought back a rush of emotions that i haven’t felt since i had the glass of wine with you in paris. i will never forget that visit..
    another toast to you mon ami..
    lana cano kloch

  8. Carolyn from Pittsburgh

    My beautiful mess can not compare with yours. It is stacked up in my dining room, bedroom and entry. Under tables and chairs…good thing I live alone. I see magic
    in the jars and cups and fabrics that makes me happy. My
    things are not as old and fine as yours but they call to me just the same. (we also agree on the dog thing, I just try not to tell anyone because it’s a crime here not to love dogs)

  9. Denise Bennett

    I did not realize that you were afraid of dogs! I live in a neighborhood full of dear friends and dog lovers. Dogs that lick my hand, jump on me, come running toward me, and frighten me. My friends look at me like a leper at times, because my best friend is not a dog. Ah well, some of us have other loves!
    Would you consider telling us how you came to feel about dogs in this way?

  10. Leslie in Oregon

    Your messes are very beautiful. My messes usually are not beautiful, but they do hold a few treasures (to me).
    Dogs licking your hand, sweet. Keep trying, Corey…dogs are an incredible gift to human beings.

  11. Oh, I love that miniature wire chair with the Aqua seat & doggie. My beautiful mess isn’t nearly as old as your fine things..I’ve got collections of random pretty china, ceramics, books and fabrics that are outta control..it’s time to go through & part with a lot.

  12. Had to stop reading your post and get a towel for my chin to collect the drool! Divine!

  13. Love, love, love your posts and beautiful words and items. I collect postcards and bookmarks, no messes there. And I am so glad that Jesus is coming to America. We need all the help we can get.

  14. In the first photo, what is the carved item at the bottom of the photo?

  15. Oh. Corey.
    What all the beautiful finds.
    Save some for me! 😉

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