Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Roses, enamel, lace, and a lesson in French living

I had a wonderful Sunday morning. I went to church alone (which I have to admit it, is sometimes easier than taking teenaged boys along...) and then visited the all-year Vide Grenier at Frouzins on the way home. It was as though the stall-holders had planned it all specially for my first Vide Grenier of the year!
I bought three stencilled bowls/plates for our eclectic collection - the theme of our 'set' is red, white and/or blue 1950s stencil-ware, with a bit of an emphasis on roses. I have to admit it's more to my taste than to the boys'! Ben seems to put up with it very generously... but don't you think these additions are wonderful?
Then there was yet another of the fantastic little lunch tins - this one is tiny, and I'd like to know what the working French man of the 1930s expected to fit into it! Perhaps it was for a child to take a gouter (snack) rather than for a grown man's lunch? The fabric box (to join my alarmingly large collection) has a beautiful paper lining, unfortunately rather torn, and will need a bit of a clean-up on the lid - I found some good dry-cleaning powder for doing this a while back, and will give it a go some time this week. Then I think I may re-arrange my collection - hurray for less work during the second week of the holidays!
The lace is handmade bobin lace, rather like English Honiton - I shall have to look it up in my lace bible, because it's clearly a French lace which influenced the Devon lace industry. And the beautiful picture of the fruit stand is one of many, many cards which I bought for a total of 7€ (a big spend for me).
The beautiful pictures are children's flash cards! And if you don't know what a fruit stand is in French, here's your answer:
For your next vocabulary test, what is a cooker in French?

You guessed it!
I personally always forget the word for bib. I don't have much call for it these days...
But here it is:
And here's a skimmer... I do love vintage kitchenalia.
In French it's an...
And I bet you know what this is:
And, if you've got the vintage French vibe going now, I bet you realised it was going to look like this:
The whole set is a beautiful illustration of French living in the mid, or even slightly earlier, 20th century. I really am enamoured of these cards, and I think I'm going to use them as a kind of bunting on our balcony. Watch this space...

10 comments:

Janice said...

What a treat visiting the vide grenier must have been..what lovely little treasures. I love them all. the flash cards are fabulous.

Angela said...

The flash cards are gorgeous- if you make them into bunting will you punch holes in them, or use little pegs? [PLEASE say little pegs, and cute french red/white buther's twine!]

blessings x

magsmcc said...

Isn't ecume also the scummy stuff you get on top of water soemtimes? I nearly got to church by myself on Sunday morning, but then the boys decided they would come too. I know I shouldn't at all complain about that, and indeed should be rejoicing my head off, but yes, many, many things are easier without than with!! Love the French lesson. really made me think! I have little red pegs that I would gladly send your way if you want them?!

Vintage Jane said...

I love all your special finds but especially the flash cards. They are wonderful.
M x

Elizabethd said...

Or you could incorporate the flash cards into a lesson?

Lorrie said...

What great finds. The rose plates are so pretty. The flashcards are a real treasure - I learned that the new-ish necklaces, the ones that are shaped almost like a bib, are called, you guessed it, bavoirs.

Unknown said...

What a wonderful set of finds, especially the flash cards. If you make them into bunting please use pegs, it would be such a shame to put holes into them.

I do wonder though at the use of the cards, I can't somehow see the importance of teaching young children 'fruit stand' or 'skimmer'. Maybe flashcards were used with older children or for something else as well.

Floss said...

Great points, Carolyn, and yes, I have already used some mini-pegs that I happened to have! I wouldn't put holes into those either... I'll post photos and more info about the cards later!

Sue said...

Sounds like you had a well deserved 'you' time and some lovely finds to keep up you smiling.

Carole said...

My grandma had plates this style, unfortunately I have no idea what became of them... and speaking of my grandma, I would have said "fourneau" instead of "cuisinière" because she had the same than on the card, and it is more a woodstove. I remember with nostalgia the meringed blueberry tarts she made in it, the flavor was unique because it was cooked on a real wood fire.