Hand Made in St Emilion...

Today I would like to introduce a label to you that it is exclusive to Fabulously French.

The label is called autrefois and all the products are made especially for us and are hand made in St Emilion, France.

The woman behind them is the very French and fabulous Nicole who is a little camera shy but I will try and capture her when she is unaware that there is a camera in sight.

All the products are made using material sourced in France and some include antique material.

Not only are they pretty but they are made here in France and I think that this is especially important to support the country that you live in.

Can you guess what these are?

Not only are they pretty but they are practical. They are foldable shopping bags and are great to go in the bottom of your handbag.

This is what they look like when they are unfolded and are a decent size.

Cost 25 euros + postage

They have been selling as quickly as the lovely Nicole can make them.

Other products include these fabulous tissue holders which I had the occasion to use the other day when I had to use the public toilet and to my horror realised that there was no toilet paper, but Nicole had included in a bag that she made for me one of these lovelies...

Cost 10 euros+ postage

Also just arrived is this lovely hanger which I think would look fabulous hanging on the outide of an amoire as it is too pretty to hide inside.

Cost 20 euros+ postage

And last but by no means least, these fabulous wee pouches....

Cost 20 euros each + postage

We will be adding to the range in the forthcoming months and Nicole also makes to order should you be looking for something special...

A tres bientot, Leeann x

Dreaming....

{fabulous image from here}

It is incredibly hot here - 38 degrees and tomorrow is forecast to be even hotter.

Not good treasure hunting weather as I found out this morning, when we went to a local vide grenier as many of the brocanteurs packed up their tresasures and returned to the coolness that a stone house provides. Hence the reason that most houses are made of stone in our area, that said they do take a lot of heating in the winter but you cannot have it both ways.

This afternoon I find myself dreaming of a tropical island, anyone want to come with me? I am sure that I can find room in my avion privé...

Leeann x

vendredi fleurs...

It is that time of the week again.

This week's photo was taken yesterday afternoon on the outskirts of our village. As you can see the tournesol are in full bloom at present and as far as the eye can see, there are many fields of these lovely golden flowers basking in the summer sunshine.

I cannot imagine France without sunflowers. It is like they go hand in hand.

Wishing you all a fabulous Friday/Je vous souhaite un fabuleux vendredi.... Leeann x

This just passed....

my kitchen window! Wow it was barely 9am in the morning and when I looked out of my kitchen window I saw this fabulous hot air balloon or Montgolfière as it is called in French.

Fabulous, it makes me want to take a ride. Maybe next week........

Leeann x

wash day in France....

{photo from here}

There is something about the old laverie (washing area) that always takes me back in time. I can almost hear the ladies talking amongst themselves as they go about their washing.

At the same time it makes me appreciate the lave-linge (washing machine) as I for one would struggle with having to wash larger items such as sheets by hand.

There are many in our area and there is one not far from our house which still has the stones where the ladies knelt when washing, the stones have been worn with time in the spot where they would have placed their knees....

And on that note it is back to work, I go......

Bon courage a tous, Leeann x

love this song...

I love this song by the fabulous not too mention sexy French singer Calogero and the video is very fabulously French...

Leeann x

just arrived...

I could not resist posting a photo of this 1930's vintage French quilt, that has just arrived at Fabulously French.

It is gorgeous and in great condition and is large so would look great on a double, queen or king sized bed as I have shown in the top photo.

Love the red and pink colour combination....

It measures 85 "/216 cms L x 85"/216 cms W.

Cost 100 euros+ postage.

I had better get back to work, as I have just started photographing the new stock so am hoping for an interuption free day.

Bon week-end a tous.......Leeann x

vendredi fleurs...

It is that time of the week again, I hope that you all had a good week. This weeks flowers are wild flowers that were bought yesterday at our weekly market.

Unfortunately I have not had time this week to photograph a lot of our new stock but I am hoping to start on this today.

Wishing you a fabulous Friday/je vous souhaite un vendredi fabuleux,

Leeann x

today...

....I feel like doing this.

Grabbing an extra large bunch of balloons and floating over Paris. Anyone feel like joining me?

Leeann x

coup de foudre...

It was a case of love at first sight or as the French say "coup de foudre".

I was first saw "her" sitting pretty on the back of a truck at the vide grenier that took place in our village in the morning.

The conversation went something like this. Hello Monsieur, the chair is beautiful. How much is the chair? Monsieur replied it is 10 euros. I replied that it was a good price for such a lovely chair. Monsieur replied that "she" had a wee problem as she lacked a jambe/leg.

I bought "her" along with some other tresors and told Monsieur that I would return later to collect my tresors.

Needless to say when I told French boyfriend, who was a little tired as it was warm yesterday and he also had a stand but was not feeling himself as he has had flu for most of the week, that I had bought a chair with 3 legs, he was a little shocked that I would buy a chair with 3 legs but agreed to collect it along with the other items, at the end of the day.

It was also "coup de foudre" for him and he adores it and is going to assist with finding or having a leg made to match the other 3. My plan is to paint the chair in one of my favourite Farrow and Ball colours which is almost the same colour as the background colour on the material covering the chair.

Then I will decide where to put "her", I adore thge fact that she is not like a normal chair and has her own story to tell.

Yesterday was a great day but unfortunately I did not have time to take any photos. There were over 300 stands and the vide grenier attacted a lot of people, including many from outside the area.

I was lucky enough to buy some fabulous pieces of antique toile de jouy material including a piece of toile de jouy depicting fruit and birds in a fabulous green colour. There is also a fabulous cushion which is made from late 18th century toile de jouy amd also an antique quilt with roses on it - very shabby chic but in excellent condition.

I am hoping to photograph the items I bought this afternoon and place on either ebay or the fabulously french online shop later today.

Wishing you all a fabulous week/ Je vous souhaite à tous une semaine fabuleuse......Leeann x

vendredi fleurs...

Bonjour from a rainy SW France,

We are happy this morning as we have been waiting for the rain as it has been very dry here for the last few months.

This weeks flowers were purchased yesterday at our weekly market. Sunflowers or tournesol as they are called in French are my favourite flowers and I love the way that when they are growing in the fields they "follow the sun".

Wishing you all a fabulous Friday, Leeann x

p.s. For those of you in the area, do not forget that we have the vide grenier on Sunday with over 300 stands.

love this sign..

When I saw this sign recently in Saint Emilion, I knew I just had to take a photo. I adore it as it is a little different to most wine signs that you see in the area.

Amicalement from a cloudy SW France, Leeann x

this week....

{photo from here}

I am hoping to spend some time in the kitchen trying some new recipes/recettes.

We are hoping that it will rain here as it has not rained for over 3 months now and rain is badly needed for all that rely on it including the many farmers and wine growers in the area.

I can think of nothing nicer than spending a rainy day, baking cakes....

Bonne semaine à tous ! Leeann x

Le Panorama - Les cinq Journées Russes 5-9 Octobre 1896

Les photos ci-dessous sont issues de la revue "Le Panorama - Les cinq Journées Russes 5-9 Octobre 1896", éditée par Ludovic Baschet (Librairie d'Art), 12 rue de l'Abbaye à Paris, célèbre éditeur parisien de la fin XIXè-début du XXè siècle. FORMAT (RELIURE) 28,00 X 34,40 CM.

S.M. l'Empereur Nicolas II dans l'uniforme qu'il portait à la revue de Chalons (uniforme du détachement des Cosaques de l'escorte particulière de sa Majesté).




L'Empereur Nicolas II, l'Impératrice Alexandra Féodorovna et la Grande Duchesse Olga



Départ pour la revue navale.




Gare du Ranelagh.




Départ de la gare du Ranelagh.




Le cortège impérial.



Pont de la Concorde.




A l'église russe.



A l'Arc de Triomphe.



Pont Alexandre III.




Les membres de la Presse.



Place de la Concorde.



Boulevard Saint-Germain.



Cascades de Saint-Cloud

vendredi fleurs...

Can you believe that is is June/juin already -where has the time gone? And here we have another Friday....

This weeks flowers are very special to me as they have a wee story that goes with them.

On Wedenesday we had guests arriving which is a day ahead of market day in our village and we normally buy fresh flowers at the market. Hence I had a wee dilemma on my hands. French boy friend suggests that we go to the man that we normally buy our flowers from and see if he has any available.

In typical French style our "flower man" suggests a couple of choices, all of which have yet to be picked - you cannot get fresher than this. I had picked the flowers for the apartment and was admiring all of the roses which ,to my surprise were a mixture of both English and French varieties. I am a rose lover and many years ago in what seems like another life, I had a fabulous old house with a rose garden which I adored.

Our "flower man" disappeared from view for a few minutes. He returned waving the roses that you see above, stating that they were a cadeau for me.

I was not sure what to put them in - sometimes it is like every boquet of flowers demands a different vase and as a result I appear to have an ever growing collection of vases....

I remembered that a few weeks a go I bought the laduree tin at a local vide grenier......perfect for the roses.

Wishing you all a fabulous Friday, Leeann x