It is time to come back...

HELLO DEAR FOLLOWERS,

Where have you been I hear you cry? Not a word since October...

The break was not planned but it was needed.

Over the past few months, I've had to take a step back from work, blogging and other interests to devote extra time to other more pressing and important matters. My daughter being one of them, she has been going through a number of emotional and personal difficulties, including high levels of anxiety and sleeping problems. 

Hard for an 11 year to deal with. 

There is also a close member of my family who is very ill and that has had a strong impact on me. This person is a fighter, never complains and has endured a lot. It is so hard to see a loved one having to go through that. I have so much love, respect and admiration for this person. The past couple of years have been an emotional rollercoaster, especially over the past 9 months.

Two months ago, I closed the unit which I was renting and for now have put fairs on hold.  I admit that I was very disappointed as I had put so much work into the new shop which was about to be launched online but I just couldn't do it all and give Miss P the time and support she needed and still needs. No question about it, Miss P comes first!

When things have settled then I will start again little by little...

One of the reasons I didn't continue with my blog is that during these past few months life has felt very serious and I didn't want my blog posts to reflect that. Talking about vintage pretties seemed so trivial, my heart wasn't in it. Besides, no one wants to read about moaning and feeling low. 

I have always wanted my blog to be a happy one, filled with inspiration, escapism, travel and optimism. I know, real life is not like that though...

Having said I felt I owed all my devoted followers an explanation for simply disappearing without a word...

I think that it will do me good to go back to blogging, I am in need of a bit of fun /distraction and to reconnect with all you lovely people out there!

I strongly believe in the power of prayer and would ask you to pray for my relative please. Thank you

Thank you to those of you wishing me well and asking after me. It was lovely for me to know that despite me not blogging your thoughts were with me. 

Just a little note to say that The Vintage Bazaar Fair will be on at the Cheese and Grain in Frome, Somerset on Saturday 21st April 2012. Be sure to be there, it is one of the best vintage fairs. The standard is always very high! I won't have a stall there this time but I will be going to visit.

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

French break and wedding in Belgium part 2

Following on from my last post, after the civil ceremony we drove to The Château de Florzé about 30 to 40 minutes away. The Château has a lot of history behind it including General Eisenhower who stayed there for a few hours during WWII.



As we got closer, the sky became very dark. As we arrived, a few drops of rain appeared and the sound of thunder made us all run for shelter in the Château.

The staff were frantically bringing in all the chairs from the garden back in to the Château. There should have been a second ceremony held outside under the beautiful blossom tree but as the heavens opened, there was no question of it taking place there. We all felt sorry the bride and groom as one of the reasons they had chosen this venue was so that they could have an outdoor ceremony there!
Strangely, just as the indoor ceremony ended, the skies cleared up and the sun shone again!




Rain over, it was time for some wedding photos of the bride and groom... Poor groom, my cousin Arnaud broke his ankle just days before the wedding so honeymoon is postponed! He managed to make it through the day though.


The setting was so beautiful!


My two nieces, Miss P and I enjoying the day

My Mother had told me of a bedroom with a legend/tale behind it. "La chambre des apparitions" (The room of the apparitions) The story goes that an elderly lady was in her bedroom when a statue of the Virgin Mary appeared at her window. Children, possibly her Grandchildren would dangle a statue from window on the floor above, in the hope that she might think that it was an apparition of the Virgin Mary. As it happens, that is the very room that we were given!

We stayed at the Chateau overnight and on Easter Sunday we woke up to a beautiful sunny day. Soon after breakfast, the children went on an Easter egg hunt on the grounds. A great way to end our stay there.
















Spending time with my Goddaughter's baby boy. You might remember that at Christmas time we tried to attend his Christening but due to very poor weather conditions, we only made it as far as France. It was so lovely to meet him at last.


Well, I couldn't go there without coming back with some food and drink. A little snippet of some of the things I brought back. A lot of these bring back lovely childhood memories.




I had a brilliant time, so wonderful to spend time with family especially when you don't get to see them as often as you'd like.

I hope you all had a lovely Easter!

***Just a reminder that I shall have a stall at the Vintage Bazaar at the Cheese and Grain in Frome, Somerset on Saturday 30th April 11 (09.00 - 15.00 hours). Hope to see some of you there! Miss P and Alan will be there too to give a helping hand***

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

French break and wedding in Belgium Part 1

Last Tuesday evening we drove to Kent and went across the channel on the Eurotunnel.
First stop France then Belgium. I was very much looking forward to seeing my parents and have some of my Mother's home made cooking! We couldn't have wished for nicer weather, really warm, sunny and azure blue skies.


I took the opportunity of catching up with some reading. I read more in those couple of days than I had done in the past four months! So wonderful to just be able to relax and not have any work to do :-)
Miss P spent a fair bit of time playing in the garden and looking out for bugs.
On one afternoon we took a stroll along the beach and visited a nearby war cemetery where soldiers and airmen from all over the world are buried. It was the first time that Miss P had visited one, she found it sad and interesting.


Making new discoveries in the garden


On Friday we left France and drove to Southern Belgium (Wallonie - French speaking part) to attend a family wedding over the Easter weekend.

On the way we drove past this sign. Each country seems to have funny place names.


We arrived on Friday afternoon at my cousin's house (my Aunt Suzy's daughter). She has a lovely big house, I couldn't resist taking a few pictures to give you a little taster of it.

These beautiful tiles are in the hallway


Very large mirror in the hallway. It used to belong to my Aunt Suzy who restored it and painted it by hand.


The door leading to the cellar


The garden shed

On Saturday morning, we all woke up early. The house was a hive of activity as around 10 of us were getting ready for the wedding, it was a great atmosphere.


Alan and I outside "Le Chateau d'Oupeye" (The town Hall) where the civil ceremony was held.






Miss P and I about to join the rest of the guests for the start of the wedding.

The rest of the wedding photos will be in Part 2 where we will be heading for the Château de Florzé...

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Life is a game of "Snakes & Ladders"

Do you sometimes feel like your life is like a game of "snakes and ladders"?



Last weekend I did a post saying that I would be painting a dresser in my new workroom (unit). Well, that didn't happen as Miss P has been poorly and only returned to school today. Not Miss P's fault but now I am behind schedule on quite a few things.



The dresser is going to have to wait a bit longer whilst I devote some time to my new website. I have several more photos to take and am working on the wording of various categories, menus, products. As the website progresses, it raises new issues, ideas or obstacles I had not thought of. As I am a perfectionist, I want it to look just right so don't want to rush through it and at a later date regret not having been more thorough .

I have to prioritise but sometimes am divided between doing some sewing, preparing for "The Vintage Bazaar Fair" in Frome on 30Th April where I shall have a stall, working on my new website, continue unpacking at the unit, getting stock in, finding quiet time to just come up with new ideas and design them, keep up with blogging and so on....

I find it interesting to hear how other women manage to keep a happy balance between running their own business, keeping up with housework, making home cooked meals and spending enough quality time with their children (without relying on someone else to look after their child/children)

I admit to having sometimes recently felt like this:


However, I feel that once my new shop is finally up and running I will have a new regular & organised routine in place. This should help strike a right balance between my work and looking after my family.

I am going to work on the website tomorrow but on Sunday Alan and I have decided NO WORK!
We are going to enjoy some of that beautiful weather out there. I fancy going for a walk around the country lanes and hills nearby.

I will leave you with one of Miss P's omelette's. She absolutely loves making them and is very good at making them! Freshly made a couple of minutes ago.



I wish you all a really good weekend!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X
P.S: Don't forget to enter my Spring Book Giveaway if you have not already done so!