Merci Pere Noel...

I don`t think I can have been all "that" good this year because Pere Noel didn`t bring much from my Christmas wish list but ohhhh ......what I did get is wonderful!! I did see the sleigh but Santa looked a little different this year.

The brocante was a trade only affair which means it was fast and furious. As well as every dealer you can think of in France there were buyers from Spain, Denmark, Belgium, England, Japan, Usa, Canada and Uncle Tom Cobley and all. That means if you see something you like you cannot ponder and go back after a think. If you see it you buy it quick because give it 10 minutes and it will be gone! It`s a little like a shark feeding frenzy but with sharper teeth!

Miss Frou Frou had sharpened her teeth especially for the occasion and was ready for the off in the freezing early light.

I was still full of the giggles as just before leaving the hotel Mark had almost brushed his teeth with painkiller muscle rub Gel instead of toothpaste!

As usual there was the most amazing array of pieces from the sublime.....

...to the ridiculous!!

No dealer is allowed to open their vehicle and unpack before 8am and as the organiser of this fair is a fierce pipe smoking lady ( believe me she is!!) no one disobeys.

At 8am sharp all hell lets loose and every vehicle bursts open . At this point I always feel I am in the wrong place. Should I be indoors, outdoors, at the top field or at the bottom? Should I be with dealers I have bought from for years or should I be looking at the dealers I have never seen before as who knows what they may stock?

.

As it was still quite dark I decided to start indoors but didn`t find anything I liked. Trying to quell the rising panic I suggested we went outdoors and walked right into a pile of textiles. The  dealer told me he had cleared a house and I could see that was the truth. All lovingly packed into the original boxes with handwritten notes such as " The wedding couronne of maman".

I started to gather a huge pile leaving Mark to guard whilst I truffled as already a Japanese textile dealer had started to rummage through the huge pile now on the floor. I could have floored her with a swift karate move but she was so demure and polite and had a huge smile. As tempting as it was to stuff a pair of Victorian bloomers over her head so that she couldn't see I restrained myself.

I saw another textile dealer hot footing it our way so I just grabbed as much as I could and bought the lot. I have the wonderful pleasure of truffling through all those boxes today as I still have no clear idea of what I have.

After 5 hours of truffalissimenting.....truffleament....trufflerating....truffalusion......trufflingtons we we "The Truffelarati" ** were totally shattered, but the car was loaded and we made our way home.

** Triffelearati...a bit like The Glitterati but more dishevelled covered in fluff with red eyes from lack of sleep.

But the truffelarisation didn`t stop there. Two brocante shops later....

 

 

 

then this wonderful frame packed the car to bursting point!!

 

I have nowhere to put it at all but I couldn`t leave it behind.

I shall start listing my new treasures on my Ebay site on Monday 23rd and over the next few days I
will give you a peek of what is in the boxes as I have no idea myself yet!!

A demain mes belles
xxxx