A Mousewarming gift....................

My friend Delphine moved into her new ( very old) cottage here in the village today......she loves quirky vintage treasures so I am making her a batch of special housewarming gifts. I simply have to include this little treasure I found this morning!

A children`s game where you have to wiggle the two little tin mice into their cage................

I`m going to tell her it`s a "mousewarming" gift!!

I am feeling much better today and there are so many brocantes tomorrow I don`t know where to start.......let me at them mes Belles!

Form an orderly queue please!!!!

I have always said that when I eventually 'pop my clogs' and head for that big brocante in the sky I want my ashes to be scattered on the mill wheel at Isle sur la Sorgue in Provence! (My textile archive, of course, would then be up for grabs too!)

When my brocante addiction started some 28 years ago, I would drive my trusted old van  ( named Horace) all the way south to Provence from the UK every two weeks or so to search out and buy the most amazing treasures. Back then it was old chateau treasure heaven - and I would always be able to pack Horace to the gunnels, bursting with pair upon pair of 18th and 19th century chateau curtains, sacks full of huge tassels and beautiful passementerie trims.  Other dealers would say "We knew you were in Isle Sorgue as we saw Horace"!! I would drive back to the UK, sell the lot almost immediately and set off again a few weeks later.

 I enjoyed spending some wonderful times there, made  fabulous friends and can still remember  most of the really special items that I found  there.
There is still nothing to match having a breakfast of fresh coffee, freshly baked baguette and fresh apricots sitting next to the water wheel in the warm morning sunshine.

As the years progressed Isle sur la Sorgue became more trendy as an antique hotspot - and the prices rose quite dramatically as a result. So..... my truffling went further afield but, if I was in the area, I simply had  to drive through and stop for off for a cafe just because I love it so much. So that`s where you`ll eventually find me going round and round for ever in the Provence sunshine!

So, why am I taking about "popping off" and why have I been so quiet this week?
Last weekend I started to ache and my ribs and back became quite painful. Monday it became a little worse and I made a doctors appointment for Thursday.  I awoke at 3am on Wednesday morning with so much pain in my chest and back that I could not take a deep breath, so off we went to the emergency department at Valogne hospital.

 Two years ago I suffered a slight "wobble off" at a brocante which resulted in two weeks in hospital and the insertion of a heart stent - so any pain I experience around the chest is always a panic! ( and yes...simply-chateau is bionic!!).

So, I had a full check! The ECG was clear ( phew!), lungs x-ray clear ( another phew), blood tests clear and no reason was evident save that the cause must have been muscular. We got back home at 7am.

 I don`t remember lifting anything heavy but then it suddenly came to me. Last Saturday morning I put on and danced to the " Salsa & Charleston dance work out for dummies"  tape here in the cuisine. Frou frou was here from Paris and laughed so much she couldn`t speak - and said I looked like someones Grandma dancing at a wedding!!!

I am obviously built for truffling out textiles and not for tripping the light fantastic! Three days later I still cannot sleep lying down flat because of the pain and have to sit up to sleep like on old owl! That`ll teach me!!!

So if you forget the rush for the queue for the textile archive I`ll forget all about that dance tape!  If you go to the bottom of this page there is a little video to accompany the music that shows you how to do the Charleston................................actually............no.....perhaps not mes belles!!

Bon weekend and I shall be truffling out treasures at eye level this weekend and anything hidden below a stand will have to stay there!!

Vide Jardin.............

Whist I sat listing my Ebay auctions yesterday afternoon I saw the same mouse (which I mentioned in my previous blog) casually womble across the cuisine floor. No rush, no panic, just a casual amble! He disappeared behind the armoire whilst I must have broken his ear drums screaming!


We moved the armoire....well no.... that`s a lie! There was no "we" involved as I stood by an escape door just in case he was a ninja mouse with a flick knife! And behind the armoire? Nothing, no sign of him at all so I relaxed and assumed he had found his way through the garden door. I went back to my computer.


Twenty minutes later he caught my eye again slowly sauntering back to the armoire! So as much as I didn`t want this cheeky souris in the house I didn`t want him to have a terrible ending at the hands of the Baron! So.... I fastened the Baron`s cat flap shut just in case he should hear the commotion ( and screams) and decide to come back into the kitchen to finish him off! We did catch him, ( well, Mark did);  he didn`t put up a fight and he was placed  gently in the hedge outside - and well away from the Baron!

 So the current results of the vermin games:-    Mouse... 1 The Baron... Nil.


May Day here always means many wonderful brocantes, so it was up early so as to fit in as many as possible. Most brocantes are also called "Vide greniers",  "Vide" meaning to "empty or to clear out"  "grenier" meaning "attic". But, today, we also had a "Vide Jardin" to visit at a local chateau that is being restored. We left this one until last knowing there would probably not be any vintage treasures but I was still desperate to get into the grounds of Le Chateau de Sebeville which I have been watching as the restoration work progressed.

It had been left derelict since the 1930s so when the new owner purchased it some ten years ago he must have been very brave indeed. It was built in 1720s for one of Napoleon`s generals and has had many subsequent owners including a Prince but, as the years progressed and following the French revolution, it fell into a very sad state. How wonderful it's been to watch it slowly coming back to life. The restoration is amazing and must be at massive expense as everything is being handworked and replaced exactly as it should be with real craftsmen working to old methods.

There were a handful of charming stands of plants for sale and I did succumb to a divine  climbing rose that the vendor told me had the most amazing scent so, hopefully, I can make it grow around the doorway eventually.

The craftsman who has replaced the parquet flooring in the chateau had a stand to exhibit his work

I could have brought home a chicken

I could have brought home a rabbit

And I SO wanted to bring this huge guy home but he was only visiting with his owners!

So instead we settled for a cafe and a crepe being prepared in the newly restored old stables

And sat out on the chateau lawns under a parasol to enjoy the atmosphere.

I was told that chateau is not going to be a public building but a private home for the new owner , his wife and their four children. I am so glad we took time to take the chance to visit as it may not be open publically again but I can still look from the lane as I pass by.
Wonder if they would like a mouse as a housewarming gift?

Frou frou in Paris................

Frou frou is in Paris for the whole summer ..............................................am I jealous?......Well just a little as she gets to truffle all the flea markets & brocantes all summer long! She has taken to wearing vintage and already is just a little too chic for my liking!

She is only 2 hours away by train but already seems too at home to nip up and see moi!  I may have to go visit to see exactly what she is up to!
You will find her latest finds here
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/cafe-de-paris/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1

As we speak Charles le Baron du Breuil has come through the cat flap into the cuisine with a wriggling mouse in his mouth, he has let it go and turned back and returned to the garden. EEEEEK!!! Mouse on the loose......

Typing a blog whilst standing on a chair is not easy!

Madame Rousseau finds a winner!

Oh heavens! What a responsibility! So many wonderful entries to the shabby chic competition that I couldn`t bear the responsibilty! So, laptop in hand, I called on Madame Rousseau in the village who speaks perfect English and delegated the task to her!
And her choice for the winner is:-

(fanfare of trumpets & drum roll)

................. the two girls from  Robins in the Trundle bed!

http://trundlebedtimes.blogspot.com/

Please let me have your address ladies and the package will be winging its way to you.

Bonne weekend mes belles!

From the boudoir of the Countess...........

Brocanting this morning was simply divine!!! Wonderful warm sunshine and fabulous finds. From the boudoir of a Count and Countess two fabulous monogrammed sheets with their crown of aristocracy......

A couronne crown of aristocracy for Le Comte or La Comtesse always has nine points..................

Who could fail to slumber in such regal sheets of the finest linen?
How I love the brocantes!!!

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the patisserie.................

Jaws the croissant!

Happy Easter mes belles!

Cuckoo!!

There have been some wonderful entries for the blog competition and I am going to let it run until the weekend to allow more entries. There have been lots of suggestions sent direct to my website and all I can say to Dianne with her hysterically funny Shirley Valentine entry is " Why stop at Tuesday?!!!".

Work is continuing on the chateau restoration and today as an old chimney was checked out a huge wasps nest came tumbling down onto Mark`s head! Fortunately it was an old one with nothing inside it.....the nest not Mark`s head that is!! What an amazing construction! It feels like tissue paper and is as light as a feather...............

I wonder how many wasps it took to build this?

The weekend brocantes were kind to me and I came home with some divine treasures including this delicious toile...

 and a stunning early church reliquary.....

that still has it`s amazing old seal intact..............

The weather here is scorching hot and the cuckoos have started to sing. Summer on the way...............fantastique!!!

Les Secrets du Style Shabby Chic.............

When I lived in the UK I couldn`t wait to get my hands on Country Living magazine each month. Since living in France I never really found a replacement for my addicition until this recent publication appeared in the tabac......

LES SECRETS DU STYLE SHABBY CHIC

Filled with stunning vintage treasures and ideas...................

............It definitely flicks my switches.................................

Floats my boat.........................

Hits the spot , fuels my addiction and fades my florals......

Twiddles my tassels and plumps up my passementerie...................

Launders my linens..................chuckles my cherubs...

Froths up my fripperies.....................

I have one extra copy this month ( greedy!)  tell me your silly quote for the same idea and I`ll post it to sender of the best answer!! ( Don`t worry if you are not a google  blog member just send it to me via my simply-chateau email address simplychateau@wanadoo.fr  )

A la prochaine mes belles................

Pink cots and sleeping brocanters...............

Yesterday when travelling to La Poste I spotted a little hand-written card in the patisserie window advertising a yard sale due to a house move. As it was just a few villages away I made a detour to see if there was anything for me. I almost didn`t stop when I saw what was for sale, but the owner, an old man. was in his doorway who looked so happy to see someone that I felt I had to stop and have a look as I couldn`t bear to hurt his feelings!

He was so sweet and walked with me, explaining he was moving to a smaller house as I carefully lifted the covers. He said that many people had driven straight past and I soon realised that there really wasn`t anything at all for me and wondered how I was going to get out of this one!!! I was almost considering buying the huge 1950s pink cot so he would at least have made a sale when he invited me to look inside.
There, just inside the door, was this fabulous old painted table with a bergere shelf..............

The marble top had gone and been replaced with a wooden top........

But I know that Monsieur Levavasseur at the marbrerie will cut me a new piece to fit. It is almost identical to the smaller version I already have in the salle de bain.

This will be much more at home here than the pink cot!!!

Today we had a long lunch with friends and as I was the designated driver Mark took care of tasting the vin rouge! On the way home he fell asleep with his face squashed against the window as I drove back through the narrow country lanes. I had to move onto the narrow verge to allow a tractor and trailer filled with cows to pass and as it slowly rattled past Mark did not stir.  I soon saw that tucked in behind the tractor was a long line of cars filled with very prim looking old ladies who must have been to church. If only you could have seen their faces as they inched past us, each one staring at the slumped-over Mark in amazement! I just kept my eyes forward and pretended nothing was happening!

Should I have woken him? No.....I say let sleeping brocanteurs lie.................

A la prochaine mes belles!