Item of the week: a Venetian evening...

I often say that textiles are to the home what flowers are to the garden... I can't remember if I'm the proud "inventor" of that sentence or if I read that somewhere, but anyway, I really believe this to be true.


Well, I love colorful flowers, and then, I also love colorful textiles. And if like me, you prefer them antique, I think that you could be pleased by that lovely tapestry panel!












This week, I'll be speaking about an item that you can find for sale in my eBay listing (http://myworld.befr.ebay.be/ben.de.papignies). It is a piece of antique tapestry with colors that are just faded "à point"! Gosh, I love it!

It depicts an evening scene at Venise and is full of glamourous details! Look at these clothes, at all these peoples! Some are dancing while others are taking place in gondolas. The sky is dark and the moon high above them. Chinese lanterns are lit and look at these opulent loads of flowers. You could almost hear the music that that minstrels sitting on the balustrade is playing...


I guess that you understand why that item is now my "item of the week"! If not, here are some more pictures. 
 




  Will you be its new proud owner?

Quelques fleurs.

Sous la pluie, pour l'instant, à Papignies...
Now under the rain, at Papignies...

Montmartre, Septembre 1984...

Isn't it a precious "souvenir"? I bought this velvet crucifix yesterday. It is completely timeworn and used but I loved it at first sight. I paid for it and quickly wrapped it in a bag.

Back home, a few hour later, I had a closer look... and look what I discovered then! Still glued at the back, an antique paper label, hand written with these french words and a date : 10 Septembre 1894... was it then a "Great day out" for the people who write this? Was it a spectacular travel, knowing that the basilique wasn't completed then and was certainly looking like a big construction site? Where they used to get to Paris? Who knows... I wonder who they were...

Treasure.

Thank you...

Winter is long, isn't it Dear? I'm so impatient to get back for good to the Garden. Of course  my sweet-peas are already sown and I already began to remove the growing nettles from my flower beds... But there is still so much to do. I'm not complaining, as i have a lot of things to do inside too, but I guess that, like most of us, I can't dream about something else than the warm sunshine...

I have been silent for month now. Simply speechless, I had nothing of great importance to tell and if I didn't share more pictures on my blog, it was only because I was focusing on my eBay sales. Slowly but surely, it has been a year now that I'm in that business. The first birthday often comes with the first balance sheet and... I'm more than happy! Of course there have been some disappointments but I'm only keeping in mind the good things! I had the chance to sell some very nice item to very happy and pleased buyers, I already have some loyal customers and above all, I love doing this, selling antiques on the web. It's a very simple way of sharing passion with peoples, of meeting new peoples, and of course to ensure the future of lovely items. The pleasure is all mine, and I really would like to thank all of you, all my customers, all my readers and all my friends. A big thank you to all of you!

Last week, I met Isabelle. She is, I think, already a new friend. As soon as we started to speak (about antiques, of course!) I had the impression of knowing her for years. Funny things happens! We are sharing the same passion for antiques and we cannot not imagine to live our lives without lovely items at our sides. I mean, it has nothing to do with money or with value or even with taste. As long as you are surrounded by things that you like it's easier to take a break. Close that depressing newspaper, turn that telly off, and please do nothing else than enjoy, at least for a while.

Yes, I have been silent for months. But this doesn't mean that I simply hibernate. I made some renovations here at Papignies, and I had a new bedroom finished. Do you want to see? Here are some pics "en primeur"! Cheers.

Fruits

Je ne sais pas vous...

...mais moi...

...J'ADORE...

...les "chromos" ou décalcomanies du style!

Pommes, Poires, Pêches,...

...qui veut du dessert?!?

Set de six assiettes à dessert en céramique (Société Céramique de Maestricht) en vente sur mon site Ebay.

Lying in a barn

Found yesterday in a barn: an antique quilt covered of printed baskets of flowers, ribbons and garlands. Of course it's an antique, and it is very dusty but this could easily be cleaned. It is intact, not a hole, not a tear...I guess this is one of my new treasure and it will certainly be soon the subject of an"Item of the week" article!

Here are some pics, taken before cleaning...

Is this what they call "shabby chic"?

A fabulous thing to my eyes that was lying between others among a huge pile of burlap clothes. 

Favorite item of the moment...

Some days ago I truffle out that lovely biscuits box.

 It is quite an unusual item for me to buy as I'm normally not attracted by tin or metallic boxes. I mean I love old boxes, but the ones that I buy for myself are usually covered with fabric.

 I have a small collection here and that one is the only metallic box that I might keep for myself.

 I think the design just to be lovely, romantic and full of naive charm .

 What do you think about it?