Don't you love chocolates......

Most of, if not all, of us ladies have to admit to loving chocolate.  Now wouldn't you just love to receive a box of chocolates like this.....

 A gorgeous Parisien 1920's chocolate box.......

The chocolates had long gone, so it's back to the Cadbury's Roses and a cup of tea for me.  The box isn't quite so beautiful though.
Nickyx

Been very busy working on the barn......

Hi everyone.  We have been spending every minute working on the barn, hence I haven't been blogging much lately.  things are progressing, but it does take a long time when you are doing it yourselves as well as earning a living.  We are starting to paint the woodwork.  Things here have evolved in an organic way, we have used a lot of reclaimed timber which was in the barn before as we really wanted to keep a rustic country feel.

 The stairs you can see are temporary and we are looking for an old staircase we can alter to fit in.  You can see the back of the sofa, the floor level of the lounge area is raised and there will be railings like the ones you can see painted white at the top of the stairs running along the edge of this level, which break where the two steps are to walk up onto it.  We have just built a cupboard in under the stair area.....

 The main posts were old beams which were here and we have kept the old cowstalls as well, you can just see the edge of these to the right of the above picture.  You can just see the edge of the (temporary) stairs in this picture, these are to be changed so you have a small landing and then the stairs will come down to enable you to walk under them.

I hope you are getting the idea....  I will show you some more later.  I have to go now as I am waiting for the man to come to empty our (english) neighbour's fosse - I am going to translate.

Take care and enjoy your weekend.
Nickyx

Hi, sorry for the break in activity.... mum's been staying... cat disappeared....

Hi ladies, hope this finds you all well.  I've had my mum to stay for a week's holiday.  The weather was lovely, thankfully, so we spent a fair bit of time just sitting in the garden, drinking tea, eating cake, those little pleasures we girls like to pass our time with.  We'd pop into town have a wander around the shops, pick Holly up from school, but generally it was fairly low key and relaxed.  It was her 78th birthday (sshhh don't tell I told you all) while she was with us, so we went to Hautefort.  Unfortunately it had to choose that day to be grey and drizzly, but nonetheless we had a very pleasant walk around a very pretty little town with this huge chateau at it's centre.

We then drove back nearer to home and went to lunch in our favourite restaurant where the food is as brilliant at lunchtime as it is in the evening.  Always lovely white damask tablecloths, silver plated cutlery and a lady who sweeps the crumbs off the table between each course.  Mum isn't such a big eater, but she ate all her starter, terrine with crusty bread and salad, main course, filet of fish in beautiful citrus sauce with fresh tagliatelle and beautifully prepared little vegetables, then pudding too, tarte aux pommes on a lovely thin layer of flakey pastry and carefully sliced apples.

The little silk brocade screen above I bought very recently, a little shabby chic but still gorgeous.

This beautiful shell button with a very elegant lady in the centre, just the one unfortunately, but I couldn't leave it behind could I??

Then there was this toleware crumb tray and matching brush, all from the same little shop - lucky me.

Mum has gone to stay with my sister now and returns home to the UK tomorrow.  Even when you're 45 you still miss your mum when she goes home don't you?

Enjoy your weekend.
Nickyx

A lot has happened in the last week.....

Hello Ladies, I haven't been in blogland for the last week really. Been very pre-occupied with the new addition to the family.  I'd like to introduce you to Lily.  (Please excuse the litter tray in the background - it is clean - she had to be kept in for a few days because she was poorly).

As you can see she is rather cute.  So affectionate when she is in her bed, when she is outside though she seems to be a serious hunter, very aloof, you're obviously not a cool cat if you go up for a scratch behind the ear when you're meant to be on mouse duty....

You can spend a lot of time though, just popping to make sure she is ok.

Last Thursday Holly went to College (1st day) (our equivalent to secondary school).  I was more nervous than she was when we were standing in the playground waiting for the classes to be called out, we had to be there at 7.50am for an 8am start.  My two friends and I had to go for a coffee afterwards to calm our nerves.  It all went well and Holly came home happy and I'm sure a little more grown up (not possible probably, but you know what we mums are like).  

Monday was the next landmark day, 1st day on the school bus.  Up early, pick up 7.25am.  Home on the school bus too, so she got in at 6pm, lessons finish at 5.20pm.  A long day for my little girl (not so little really).   But she is handling it well and enjoying it too.

In between all these exciting events, I've been trying to buy the odd bit.  Found this sweet little box the other day, so pretty, all covered in shells and a little velvet pad, looked as though some very chic french lady had been keeping her hat pins in it.

Then I found this gorgeous quilt (boutis), not really old, but so very pretty I couldn't leave it behind....

 

With shabby chic roses, cornflowers and sweet peas.  Then there was the shabby chic roses picture to go with it.....

This is very pretty and painted on board too in it's painted frame - very country chic!

I've been house cleaning too, that's in between the sanding down that has been going on in the bathroom.  Mr. W. has been sanding down the the plasterboard joints so we can get some undercoat on it.  I can't wait until I can start decorating, a bit more to do in there yet though.


Mum arrives tomorrow from the UK, so that'll be nice as I haven't seen her for a few months.  So next week I'm going to be really busy what with cat supervision as well.


I hope you all have a great weekend, hopefully it looks as though the sun is going to shine on us.
Take care.
Nickyx

More of St Nectaire.....

I thought I'd show you this lovely little tray which I bought during my stay.  I just loved the crackly paint and those pretty handpainted roses.

Unfortunately at some point while taking the photos, the slidey thing was moved so the last half of the photos were taken on the largest size possible, which means they take ages and ages to load, well they probably never would load, onto my blog.

All I can say is the mountain scenery was breath taking, we even went up to the top in a cable car and it was like being on top of the world.

Then there were these gorgeous machine tapestry curtains with passementerie trimmed edges and peachy silk tie backs.  I was pleased to see these piled up on the floor in front of someone's stand.

A good length of unused metis fabric in a lovely soft cream, ideal for someone with an upholstery project in mind.

Also we have a new member of the family, a little grey tabby cat which Holly and I found on the road not far from the house last Wednesday, she has been at the vets for the last week and after much discussion and deliberation we have given her a new home.  She is very cute and I will take a photo of her when she is a little less nervous.  She looks a thousand times better than when we found her, so thin and covered in ticks and I don't know what else.

Must go now, been asked to make cups of tea for himself, and as he spent ages today making a special bed for the pussycat I'd better whiz off.  I'm being extra nice as he wasn't as keen as Holly and I.

Enjoy your evening.
Take care.
Nickyx

Last weekend in St Nectaire....

Last weekend we went to St Nectaire, there was a Folk Art and Antique Fair going on and some friends were stalling out.  A beautiful part of France with stunning scenery.  This was when we arrived on the Friday afternoon and some of the stallholders were just starting to set up.

Sat morning we got up early to be down in the village for 7am when the fair opened.  It was a very hot weekend.  We had a look around the fair, very interesting, bought a couple of things and then went on to the next town where there was a brocante.

This was part of the old town, very pretty....

An antique shop in one little street all closed up......

I liked this door in the palest of dove greys with it's decorative metalwork....

I am going to have to share the rest of our visit with you later, as I am having trouble loading the other photos.
Watch this space, enjoy your Saturday.
Nickyx

The two chairs no-one is allowed to sit on.....

Inspired after reading a post on 'Pink Roses' I thought I'd share with you pictures of the two chairs which sit either side of the buffet.  Beautiful old handpainted chairs, which we are not allowed to sit on, purely to look at and love.

Enjoy your evening.
Nickyx