Finally I found her.......

As many of you know I have been searching for an old antique mannequin for some time now. The search was proving somewhat difficult as antique french mannequins are becoming more and more sought after by the day and the price is increasing with demand.

Yesterday we started to clear out the ground floor as Mr FF is getting ready to start work on my wee shop which will contain gift type items that guests can take home with them and I will also use it as a showroom for my online shop, which has been neglected of late, as all efforts have been concentrated on getting Maison No. 20 up and running in time for the start of the summer season.

We were busy loading items into our car,bound for the dechetterie (rubbish dump) when our neighbour Bernard appeared. He asked what we were doing and I told him that we were having a clear out and also mentioned that yesterday morning, I had bought a lovely picture to go in the hall of Maison No. 20 from a newly opened antique shop in the village, for what I thought was a good price.

I guess that now is a good time to mention the fact that Bernard is an antiques dealer and that we rent space in a building that he owns across the road.

He uses part of the building to store all his fabulous and of course french items, then sells at the brocantes during the summer months. There are 2 parts to the building; the part where we park our car and the other part which is always locked off.

He took me by the hand and said come with me, inside was his lovely partner Nicole, who is also a collector of all things french.

I think that this must be somewhat of a disease in our street! Whilst kissing Nicole, I noticed out of the corner of my eye, a group of mannequins huddled in the back corner. The majority are fairly recently but tucked behind them and almost hidden from view was the object of my dreams! So a deal was struck and home I trotted with "my girl".

And to think that all the time that I had been searching around France, she has been right in front of my nose..........

Bernard's parting comment was, the next time that I am searching for something I should go to him first! Note I did ask about an antique bird cage but he does not have one but maybe could find me one.

A bientot,

A very happy L x