A Little Blue Bag

Here's a little bag that I made out of vintage French fabric. The sewing instructions are from Tone Finnanger's Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle, which I mentioned here (though this is not a very Christmas-y bag).

Remembering Princess Grace

The city of Paris is paying tribute to Princess Grace of Monaco this summer with an exhibit at l'Hôtel de Ville. We spent our Saturday afternoon there, absorbing beauty and history in many shapes and forms, following her footsteps and admiring her accomplishments.

We were not allowed to take photos inside the exhibit, so I'll try to describe some of the things we saw. There were scrapbooks she kept as a young girl, photos of her taken throughout her life, her Oscar statuette, many many letters and telegrams she sent or received (from Jackie Kennedy, Alfred Hitchcock, Queen Elizabeth, Oleg Cassini...), including those congratulating her on her Oscar win. We marveled at props from her Hollywood films, some of her dresses (the dress she wore when she won the Oscar and a replica of her lovely wedding dress, too), jewelry, and an official painted portrait.

Now what am I forgetting? Oh, yes -- films projected throughout the exhibit included family films, her Oscar acceptance speech, interviews, and snippets of films in which she acted.

And the list goes on. And her memory lives on.

Empty

People are pouring out of Paris, en route for their summer vacation destinations -- beaches, mountains, faraway places. Each year from mid July to mid August, Paris seems empty. Many shops close for a month, markets get smaller, phones go unanswered. But the pace slows, traffic disappears, parking becomes a breeze (for my husband -- I don't drive -- more on this later), and I like to imagine that I have Paris all to myself for a short while.

Christmas in July

Though it may be a bit early to think about Christmas on this warm summer day in Paris (hmm, then again maybe not, considering my tendancy to procrastinate lately), the English version of Tone Finnanger's Sew Pretty Christmas Homestyle book was just published and I received it in the mail yesterday. Like her other books, this one is full of fun sewing projects.

L'Atelier de Framboise Chocolat (The Chocolate Raspberry Atelier) has inspiring photos of completed Tone Finnanger projects, including les sacs à goûter for children, little bags meant to hold snacks and with cute bears attached to them like in the photo below.

Stories Old and New

I went to the flea market this weekend and, as always, lost track of time there. Old handwritten letters, sheet music, and a story came home with me.

The sheet music might make nice cards or holiday decorations. And I find the handwriting on the letters as beautiful to look at as a pretty painting. The words hold so much history. One letter was written in 1940 by a woman whose home had been occupied by soldiers and her silver stolen.


As for the story that accompanied me home, well here it is: years ago at this same flea market I bought a painting that depicted Paris rooftops in shades of gray and white. After bringing it home my husband and I could never find the right spot to hang it, and since our apartment is small and has little storage space, we finally sold it with some regret to a second-hand store a month ago.

Unbelievably, as I arrived at the flea market this weekend the painting, the very same one, reappeared right in front of me, for sale by one of the vendors (a different one from the vendor who sold it to me)! I didn't ask for the price and who knows where it's off to next -- when I passed by a second time it had been sold, hopefully to someone with just the right wall space waiting for it.

What is it...

...about old French dish towels, or torchons, that make them so appealing?

For me it's their simplicity, touchability, durability, and versatility that contribute to their irresistibility.

A Simple Sewing Project

Here's a little pochette, or pouch, that I made using vintage fabric, button, and trim (I'm a big fan of old fabric and sewing notions). It's lined, so there are no visible seams inside. Thank you, Ptitsy Moloko, for the tutorial (in French with helpful photos).

It's a simple and fun project and can be used to hold buttons, jewelry, ribbons, etc. It makes a nice gift, too!

The Market and a Walk

Yesterday I walked to the market near where I live. The summer fruits and vegetables were a feast for the eyes -- couldn't resist the blueberries, cherries, grapes, and melons.



Near the market there is an almost deserted and beautiful garden where lavender grows, pretty chairs and benches await you, and fountains splash peacefully, all surrounded by elegant sculpted stone. Can't wait to go back with a good book and a few hours to while away.

Summer Sunshine

After a few rainy days, we woke up to sun streaming through the kitchen window this morning and summer is inviting me outside. Maybe to the market? Well, we'll see. A bientôt...

To Mauricette

I stumbled upon your embroidery booklets at a flea market the other day. They were well-preserved and were resting in a shoe box.


Thank you for writing your name on them years ago. It's a small detail but one that I appreciate. It's like a wink from you to the here and now.


I'll try to put them to good use from time to time and will handle them carefully, as you so obviously did. Merci à vous.

About Me

I grew up in the United States and now live near Paris with my husband (who is French) and our son. After moving to France nearly ten years ago, I discovered flea markets and antiques stores -- discarded objects on Paris sidewalks, too -- and have come to love all things vintage, including old fabrics and linens. These, in turn, have inspired me to make things by hand.

My family and I speak mostly French outside our home and mainly English at home, which sounds pretty straightforward. But my mind doesn't always make the switch as quickly as the situation requires, so I often end up starting a sentence in English when I speak to the man at the post office or to the woman at la boulangerie, then have to switch to French mid-sentence.

I hope I can put some coherent sentences together for this blog, where you will find posts on handmade projects and vintage finds, along with glimpses of Paris and little details of everyday life.

Merci de votre visite ! A bientôt...