Op shop sunday

 

 I know its really spring, and nearly summer when it's French-fest.

Akaroa was where the French landed, just a few short week of the Brits who claimed NZ way back.

Overfamiliarity (we go there all the time) doesn't make it any less lovely in my eyes.

(As are the French sailors, in uniform, who sail over every year from French Polynesia for the celebrations, and drive the local teenage population wild. Mmmmm).

I wore these, one of a HUGE box of gifts I will slowly unveil, from Leonie courtesy of Cat's Tilda Christmas swap THANK YOU LEONIE!

We beachcombed and picnic-ed

And I saw somemore cool letter boxes whilst we were out there

Dolly house!

Tea and taps at The Giants House, a big mosaic garden thing, like a tacky Gaudi take-off. 

                                            This, I believe is where the Akaroa plumber resides!

                           And there was the lure of the annual bowling club fundraising book sale

This kids book is so beautiful, every page made me sigh and think it was written about Claudine.

Umm and the dirt wiped off ;)

There is both a play and a book about what might have happened to New Zealand had the French arrived first.

Nuclear power aside (and don't mention the Rainbow Warrior) it's quite an alluring what-if...

A Bastille Day yay!

As a mad francophile I'm waving the tricoloure today to celebrate Bastille day! Inspired by Mousehouse, here's some of my fave Frenchie things...

           My valentines card this year.We honeymooned in France, what a lovely reminder of a great time x

Decoration in Claudines bedroom, made from a repro vintage Paris tourists map.

Not made by me I hasten to add, but I might have a go at making one, doesn't look that hard does it...

Hubbys friend has an antique store in a little country town just north of here called Cheviot (White Cat Emporium). He and his French girlfriend have an endless summer living between New Zealand and France, and when in France they collect to restock the store. Go there its wonderful. Contrary to the usual form, it's run by gruff old country blokes in cow pood gumboots who sit outside smoking fags talking about livestock! 

This 1920's paper and fabric creation came to me, via them, from Burgandy. It houses my stationary.

I collect these, here's their story

And, best till last...

Claudine

Not French of course, but with a French name, after the naughty-but-nice little French girl in Claudine at St Claires by Enid Blyton (not the naughty-naughty Claudine by Collette!)

with...

 her book at bedtime this week, a vintage copy of Madeline, full of the most beautiful colour washed pictures of Parisian scenes.