Veerle At Home

On to "La Vie"

2011-02-16T16:30:00.000-08:00

Please visit my new blog...

La Vie Home & Living

See what's new in the shop and perhaps even find some inspiration for soft, romantic living...

Thank you for visiting!
Sincerely,
Veerle

The Freshness Of A New Year

2011-01-06T14:13:00.000-08:00

The glitter has been packed up and put away...

And the freshness of white and cream abounds...

With cool blues to remind us not to worry...spring and summer remains a certainty...

And new beginnings come in many different forms!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Sweet Dreams

2010-11-24T12:18:00.000-08:00

There are lots of ways to have sweet dreams...

Under the cozy and oh-so-pretty Brunelli quilt 'Carmen'...

Or in a sweet sleigh bed, circa 1940 'Waterfall', freshly painted, and 'Christina' bedding by Brunelli.

The photo below shows all of the bedding available in Christina...

And finally, my favourite...and what I have on my bed at home...

'Opera' by Brunelli

Sweet Dreams!

Veerle

Christmas is Coming...

2010-11-23T13:47:00.000-08:00

Everything just got a whole lot "glittery-er" at La Vie Home & Living....

Christmas is just around the corner now...

A good reason for getting glam...

Fabulous!

Cheers,
Veerle

Darling!

2010-11-16T14:59:00.000-08:00

Don't you agree? This little chicken wire cabinet is Oh-So-Darling...

And this...

Shall we say "Darling" again?

I refinished this pre-war waterfall dresser and sleigh bed in Benjamin Moore's paint colour,
Vanilla Ice Cream OC-90. LOVE this colour - it's my go-to fav.

The bed is dressed with Brunelli's 'Christina'. I have been selling Brunelli for years now and I love it -
it is so practical. Wash it a gazillion times and it still looks FAB, my house is full of it!

And my darling daughter tucked in the background...

Cheers,
Veerle

My New Shop

2010-11-15T14:35:00.000-08:00

I have been quite negligent of late in writing my blog but I have a good excuse...

I have opened a new shop called...

La Vie Home & Living!

It's a mix of classic and vintage inspired home decor and fashion...

Come back and visit me tomorrow to see more of the shop...

Located at 2225 Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria, BC

Au revoir!
Veerle

My Dear Blog

2010-10-24T00:18:00.000-07:00

As I write this, the wind is howling. It truly is a dark and stormy night...my hundred year old house is literally groaning and shrieking at once!

My dear blog, is it true? Have I really neglected you all summer long and well into the fall? How could I stayed away so long? You may even accuse me of being a fairweather friend; when all is well, I am here for you and I can be depended on, but a series of darker days and I abandon you? For shame.

Blogging is our alter ego though, is it not? Our best foot forward, our vision, dreams and wishes interwoven into our postings of daily life, accompanied by photoshop'd pics artfully rendered. But that's a good thing, don't you think? We need to see our lives through rose colored glasses sometimes, and challenge ourselves to find the beauty in each day. We also need to see our lives artfully presented to the rest of the world, to remind ourselves that we really do have visions, dreams and wishes worthy of sharing...beauty worth sharing too. I suppose blogs are different things to different people; we all have our reasons for having them, and now...

You know my reason.

And then there are those times in life when searching for that little bit of illumination in our day just seems to take too much effort. I know I let that happen to me for a while, and I am so sorry I did. Sorry for me. It was my loss.

Dear blog, I won't neglect you again. I promise.

Antique Etched Champagne Glasses

2010-06-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, and entertaining seems to get so much easier when BBQ season arrives. I like serving a cold soup in a petite glass as an appetizer...everyone is always impressed with the presentation, and the soup is so delicious and refreshing.

I use vintage sherry or champagne glasses as I love collecting them, but am not likely to have very many opportunities to serve sherry! So I have re-invented their purpose for serving...either a cold soup or a truffle dessert...

Remember when you see those vintage treasures at the flea market, you need to reinvent their purpose to give them new life!

Gazpacho Soup (cold)

Ingredients
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 purple onion, finely chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 sweet red bell pepper (or green) seeded and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
6 or more drops of Tabasco sauce to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (omit for vegetarian option)
4 cups tomato juice

Method
Combine all ingredients. Blend slightly, to desired consistency. Place in non-metal, non-reactive storage container, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, allowing flavors to blend. Serves 8-10.

...you can see some vintage etched glassware on my Etsy Shop.

Cheers!
Veerle

Weekend Finds

2010-05-31T14:17:00.000-07:00

I think we all love this time of year for the same reason.

You know what I'm talking about...we're all blogging about it, or we're all posting pictures...

we're all in our element, aren't we?

I believe we are all kindred spirits when it comes to this passion...

yup, you and me...

and if it isn't a passion yet, just wait, you will be...

Someday.

It's just a matter of time!

Of course I am talking about flea marketing...

Again. Fav topic.

On Sunday, I found some lovely Hummel prints for my Etsy Shop...

And this charming vintage scale...which I'm keeping!

And a beautifully weathered old wood and iron bench...

Another keeper!

My next purchase comes from my favourite store, Sweet Peas At Home...

My heart still races when I look at it!

Graceful lines, plenty of aging, and so practical.

No, I am not describing myself but in fact this lovely shelf...

And I have been remembering to bring my own bag to the grocer

now that I have this darling shopping tote from another favourite store, French Vanilla...

There's more but I will show it off as soon as I get them unpacked out of the van.

I know it's wrong that shopping can make you feel this happy...

But could you have resisted any of these?

I didn't think so.

Cheers,

Veerle

A Dream

2010-05-25T12:36:00.000-07:00

Dare I say it aloud?

I have a dream.

I believe you can't have something until you name it, or call it into being...

The universe is always listening...wondering where to direct its creative forces to next...

So here goes...

I want to move to Belgium.

No, France.

Well, a lovely town somewhere near either border will work...

Even if it's just for a few years...

I want my etsy shop to do well enough so that I can do it here or there..or anywhere!

A brick and mortar shop is more than I can undertake again right now, even though that would be a dream come true too. It is my comfort zone and area of expertise, after all. But I will take the freedom of the Etsy Shop for now.

My nine-year old is game for it, and the other two are nearly grown up now. Actually, Vanessa lived there awhile and loved it...I can see her moving there too one day.

Life has been throwing me a lot of lemons these last few years; my juicer has gotten lots of mileage in making a kick-ass lemonade.

I have had to learn a lot of lessons...

Actually, I'm still learning them.

I believe every challenge is presented to you because you needed to learn something from it. And if you didn't learn from it, it will be presented to you again...

And again...and again.

Apparently I am a slow learner.

But I am still here, putting one foot in front of the other...

Believing in my dreams...

I will let you know how it all plays out...

Meanwhile, I will continue to dream...

Cheers,
Veerle

Thank you google images for lending the above pictures, didn't quite know how to capture these with my own camera today...

Getaway Weekend

2010-05-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

The kids and I made the two hour trek to our favourite resort town on the east coast of Vancouver Island...

Parksville!

It is our favourite place to head to when we can sneak away for some fun and relaxation...

We have been coming to Parksville since I was a young girl,

and now it has worked its magical allure into my children's hearts as well...

And now we have even more reason and opportunity to visit Parksville now...

My sister and her family have recently moved to Parksville and are building a new home!

I am so blessed, this is what a weekend getaway to my favourite place yields for me now...

I get to visit with my best friend and sister Anne-Marie...

And see my nieces and brother-in-law!

I get to enjoy her generous hospitality...

*Bonus*...her marble spa bathroom is near completion!

...and did I mention the pool is going in soon too...

Well, I already loved you before there was any mention of a pool, Anne-Marie...

But now I love you even more...

A Bit Of Colour

2010-05-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

I am all about white..

And black...just a little black though...

Colour enters my home as a visitor only; staying for a little while
and then moving on...just as the seasons are here for a spell, and then they leave us...

We all change our accessories as Christmas time...bringing in bits of red
...or gold...or silver. I left out my red cushions and red vignettes until very recently...

They're gone now.

Just white left now...

And a little bit of black.

I often paint furniture to sell...white, cream or black...
I was definitely feeling new inspirations when I did this...

I was stepping outside of my comfort zone, obviously, but I am happy with the result.

The antique double bed is circa 1930.

Then I painted this sideboard and hutch for my good friend's lovely shop...

Sweet Peas

Both sold quickly!

I chose the Benjamin Moore colour Wedgewood Gray HC-146 and strangely enough

I came across the same colour pre-mixed at Rona's (called River) - an almost exact match.

For all of you Canadians out there; the paint was $40 less per gallon

and it was a dream to paint with!

So now that I have colour out of my system...I found a wonderful old ironing board that

still had it's paper label - I repainted it (White!) and now it will be perfect in my laundry room

with some old enamel cannisters. This ironing board dates back to about 1940.

And now I am on to my next projects...

Cheers,

Veerle

Vanessa's Graduation Dinner and Dance

2010-05-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

We have reached yet another milestone...my little girl is no more...

Now she is a lovely lady...

Last night she attended her graduation dinner and dance...

Prom!

We had to get the hair just right....

And the earrings...that we made together of crystal beads...

And the shoes....

That matched the little evening bag...

Oh...and did I mention the dress?

A few final touches...

And my girl was happy...

And here she is...

The Graduate

She had a wonderful evening!

Happy Graduation Vanessa!

In Love With Toile...And We Have a Winner!

2010-05-11T23:05:00.000-07:00

It's so enjoyable to find new blog friends and I have thoroughly enjoyed this week of comments and learning about my newest followers...

As promised, here is the winner of the beautiful vanity mirror and brush set...random.org picked number ...17...Marci of Mady Sunshine. Congratulations Marci! Please send me an email with your address. P.S. I love your blog!

And many thanks to Kirsten of Faded Prairie and Tracey of French Larkspur for their very gracious mentions of my blog and giveaway. These are my two very favourite places to go for inspiration and reflection, and I am so appreciative that they sent so many of you my way...

And now please indulge me with your attention while I tell you about one of my favourite things...

Toile. I love toile. Always have. I am quite confident that I always will.

I sold a great deal of toile bedding when I had my home decor shop, and I think that my love and enthusiasm for toile spread to my customers, many of whom 'blame' me for their current love of it as well.

I have always regarded it as the ultimate enduring classic; after all...if the French have been okay decorating with it for nearly three hundred years, we should feel confident it won't become outdated in our own homes for a few decades yet...perhaps even the next century!

Nearly every room in my home features toile...with only a couple of exceptions. My two sons have banned it from their bedrooms but I did notice that nine-year old Alex does pull the red and white toile quilt out of the cupboard frequently to wrap himself up in. Perhaps it is because our one-hundred-year-old house is a little drafty, perhaps because it is irrestibly and comfortably soft (as it has been washed a hundred times). And perhaps, just maybe, it reminds him of me...
Mom and Toile intertwined forever-more in his mind...

I think it is a combination of all, as there are four or five quilts and throws in that cupboard to choose from...but it is always the toile he pulls out.

I really got to indulge my love for toile at a museum in Jouy-en-Josas, near Versailles, France The museum is located in an 18th century chateau near the original site of the factory. The term toile de jouy comes from the place it was made - Jouy-en-Josas. It is now commonly used to loosely describe a style of toile but originally meant that the toile came from that French factory.

Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf, an engraver and colourist from Germany, established the factory for printed cottons in Jouy-en-Josas in 1760 and eventually employed up to fourteen hundred people in the area. Due to the very high quality of the cotton and its printing, the factory and area become famous for its toile. It began with block printing and soon after adapted copper plates and then copper rollers. I loved seeing all of the exhibits of old blocks, fabric swatches and rollers; I was quite captivated...I spent the whole day in that place...longer than I spent in the Versailles palace!

The painting below is from the museum's website and depicts the factory in 1807.

It was fascinating to me to see how the process worked. The rollers were gigantic! Some of them were 6 or 8 feet long and up to 3 feet in diameter! The larger the roller, the more distance there was between pattern repeats. Each roller was intricately carved with landscapes, people, and animals. Much of it, I learned, was influenced by the Indian cottons prints that had been imported previously, but the beautiful toiles soon replaced the Indian ones and France began exporting the fabrics around the world. The monochromatic toiles began at this factory and reigned as a luxury fabric for over a hundred and fifty years.

The factory closed down in the mid 1800s. It is pretty amazing to think that they are still influencing major design houses with their toiles over a hundred years after they closed down!

If you are travelling to Paris in the future, I have no doubt you will include the Palace du Versailles in your itinerary...be sure to make time to see this museum that is only ten minutes away from the palace...it is a definite Must See if you love toile...

Au revoir!
Veerle

Giveaway! An Antique Vanity Mirror & Brush Set

2010-05-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Time for a Giveaway!

What lady can resist the elegance and refinement of these...

Sterling Silver...
...and bakelite...

...the beauty of a bygone era with only
the patina of the years as testament to its advancing age...

...much like the laugh lines on our own faces...

...this antique vanity mirror and brush set

is in excellent condition...

...the mirror glass is in very good condition as well...

Circa 1930

Value? At least $65...

All you need to do to enter the giveaway is become a follower and leave a little comment to say you dropped by...

Also, if you came via another blog, please mention that!

The Giveaway ends Tuesday May 11 at midnight!

Thank you for visiting and Bonne Chance!

Veerle

La chambre à coucher de Vanessa

2010-04-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

I had a little fun playing around with the photo editor...all of these pics are antiqued!

Here are some peeks around my daughter Vanessa's room.

The palette is cream and white with hits of black...

...like this very large black chandelier...

Her antique iron bed was missing its posts and we were not able to find any old ones,

so we made do with these antique glass doorknobs...

We put together this collection of Italian landmark buildings over top of her window...

they are just decals, but we were impressed with how well it turned out....

...so we did another collection of decals over her bed...this time of chandeliers...

...and more black and white accents...Vanessa loves her Iron Eiffel Tower...

she drapes her jewelry on it...

...and she collects vintage evening purses (numbering 10 or 11 now)

and pretty trays to hold her perfumes and whatnots...

Vanessa brought back this vintage mirror from Belgium for me when she was studying in Europe last year...but somehow it ended up in her bedroom. Hmmmm....

...the Eiffel Tower probably gave it away, but she loves Paris too...

Au revoir!

These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things

2010-04-25T10:17:00.000-07:00

Many of my favourite things around the house did not cost a great deal of money...

but I treasure them nontheless...

As I went around taking the pictures I realized that they all had one thing in common...

I brought back each piece from a brocante or braderie in France or Belgium

on one of my trips over the last few years.

Each one stuffed with socks, rolled in sweaters...wrapped with a little prayer and hug before I closed up the suitcase in the hopes I would see it in its entirety again on the other side of the ocean...

...like this Flemish Toile Coffee Set. I can't even remember where in Belgium I was, except that we had crossed the Scheldt River to Beveren and continued on for about half an hour. The lady of this stall would not budge off of her price of 25 Euros and I walked away from it twice when she would not go down even a little on the price...

Finally, I realized the price was excellent for a full set of a coffee pot, creamer, sugar pot, and six cups and saucers. It is now my favourite, as I love decorating black and white...and all things toile...this is a perfect combination of those two...and to think I almost walked away from it...

I love the stamp on the bottom....

The Boch Brothers created their company in 1841 in La Louviere, Belgium. They were responsible for much of the fine Delftware and toile pattern porcelain for the next century.

I have since seen a similar set in a Brussels Antique Shop priced at 325 Euros

My coffee set is dated around 1930.

And this footed vase was made in Italy, but I picked it up in Ghent...

The cast iron flying pig is not an antique or even vintage...

I came across it at the Paris Flea Market about seven years ago, in the Biron section, and was enchanted. I lugged it all the way back to Victoria and found the same ones being sold in Chinatown for less than I paid for it in France! Lesson learned; be aware not all things sold at le marché aux puces are old!

...and these black flare top dessert glasses...

I love these so much; my home is very graphic, being black and white, and I cannot resist an interesting piece texturally or design-wise if it is black...these ones are French circa 1960.

I found this lidded porcelain urn at a roadside brocante on our way to

Flavigny-sur-Ozerain in the French region of Burgundy.

It is made in Portugal and as you can see it did not fare so well on the journey home...

there are a few chips on the flower-clad lid, but it is still my favourite piece as it reminds me

of the beautiful scenery of that part of France.

This tapestry is not old...I bought it in Antwerp in a shop that sold

Belgian linens and tapestries...

I hope you enjoyed viewing my favourite finds...Happy Sunday Everyone!

Cheers,

Veerle

My Indulgence

2010-04-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

I have confession to make...I am a Sid Dickens' fanatic.

When I owned my home decor shop, I was lucky enough to meet the criteria for carrying Sid Dickens Memory Blocks. The company requires that your shop has a 'certain look', both inside and out, certain square footage, as well as signage that meets their approval. I was hopeful but not encouraged as a few lovely stores I knew of in the area had been turned down to carry Sid Dickens Memory Blocks.

Imagine my delight when I was approved. I had been in love with the artful old world style blocks of plaster since first seeing them featured in Victoria magazine about a dozen years earlier. I promised myself (and my then-husband) I would hold off on purchasing them for myself...maybe two or three per year, I assured him.

Ummm, yeah. Flash forward one year and I had fifteen blocks over the mantel in the living room, twelve over the mantel in the family room, six in each of my three children's bedrooms and a box of eighteen 'put away' in storage. At last count I had over seventy. So much for my promise...but it is hard not to fall in love with them, they are addictive! The artist, Sid Dickens, from Vancouver BC, was heavily influenced by his time in Europe, and it shows. I especially love the French themed tiles.

You may be familiar with them through other magazines as well...it seems each time they feature a famous person's house on its pages, there would be the lovely blocks. I loved them, but could yet afford them, when I first discovered them.

Sid Dickens creates each mould; they are hand-poured plaster, and each one is handpainted and finished by at least five artisans. The 'old world' look is enhanced by cracks and pits in the artwork...lovers of old things find they blend in beautifully with their decor.

Oh, here is another aside...as naughty as seventy blocks sounds, I have a friend who owns approximately 200 of them...she has a breathtaking collection, having been collecting them from the very beginning; nearly twenty years ago.

Many have been 'retired' and have gone up fantastically in value. But Sid fans usually agree on one thing...they are not letting go of any one of their precious memory blocks...

This picture is old - when I first opened my shop...2005...

So you can see how easily these tiles would have blended in with my decor...the furniture was brought over from France and Belgium, beautiful bedding and home embellishments in vintage, French Country and cottage styles...

And here is a picture of my first living room that featured the blocks over the mantel...this was my 'new' house before I moved into a hundred year old grand lady in Victoria, and the collection expanded...

Careful! It wouldn't take much for it to become your indulgence too...let me know if you also have a Sid Dickens collection...

Homesick for Belgium

2010-04-17T21:44:00.000-07:00

Belgium is really on my mind these days.

Our family has had the pleasure of hosting a young couple from Antwerp, Belgium, recently. We have thoroughly enjoyed listening to them talk about 'home' and it has been stirring up feelings of homesickness for me. You have heard me say before I would like to go to the Lille Braderie in September, and Belgium is but a hop, skip and (not even a jump) to Lille!

Just yesterday I happened across the loveliest blog, Belgian Pearls and received correspondence from its talented writer, Greet, who is an amazing interior designer. I fell in love with her work immediately! This lead to another Belgian blogwriter, Marjolijn of Something White, contacting me after seeing my very Flemish name show up as a follower on Greet's blog. You must visit both of these blogs, they are delightful, and it is so nice to connect with kindred spirits halfway around the world.

I am inspired to offer you my highlights tour of that tiny little country

that has so much to to be proud of...

Belgians are not boastful people and are the last ones to ever toot their own horns.Perhaps that's why the world knows the fries they invented as 'French' fries! Hmmm, don't know how France got the credit for it! France is so well-known for its cuisine when in fact Belgium has more Michelin Star restaurants in its tiny country than all of France does!

There are over 500 varieties of beer! For connoisseurs, the complexity of Belgian beers are similiar to wines, from fruit-fermented lambics like Kriek (cherry) to ales brewed by Monks for centuries. There is no way I can do justice to the topic of Belgium Beer! This very moment I am sipping a Lindeman's Kriek brought over from Belgium for me by Isabelle, our guest. It's perfectly chilled and I am having a aaaahhhh moment.

And then there's the chocolate. Oh, the chocolate. Enough said.

And beautiful linens and tapestries and handmade lace!

And design! Belgian design is a sophisticated mix of centuries-old architecture and a-second-ago-modern. It is the inspiration for all chic design today but the Belgians have always been effortlessly combining the two!

I can tell you these things and not be boasting because I have lived in Canada for nearly all of my life and can't claim any bragging rights...but I have visited enough times to know all of this firsthand,

...and to be so very proud of my heritage.

Tot ziens!

Veerle

P.S. I nearly forgot to tell you about the waffles...yes you guessed it, they are world famous too...

Paying Attention To The Details

2010-04-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

My nine year old son Alexander is very interested in the First and Second World Wars. His Dad majored in History at University and I myself have always been interested in the wars, having family in Belgium that experienced it firsthand. I have taken my children to see Flanders Fields, Tyn Cot Cemetary, Ypres (and the War Museum there) and Juno Beach, (twice!) so I guess it is no great surprise he is so interested. He has become quite knowledgeable about the wars, and we try to feed his interest with movies and books such as the Diary of Anne Frank and Hannah's Suitcase.

The other day I remembered the movie Schindler's List and rented it for him to watch. We saw it together; I had to sit through it with him as it was rated 18+ and I had to cover his eyes and ears a few times times during the movie! You may remember that Oskar Schindler owned a factory that made quality enamelware before and during the second world war. The factory was moved to Czechoslovakia during the war, from Germany.

I won't re-tell the story here, as I am sure you know it. It is a true story and I think it demonstrates how we are all capable of great and good things, perhaps even without intention at first.

I have come across lots of vintage and antique enamelware that I have bought and sold in my shop, some of it even dragged back from France and Belgium. Of all the pieces, never have I seen enamelware of this quality (and featuring a detailed stamp)!

I nearly swooned at the sight!

I immediately thought of Schindler and his list of 'Specialized Workers'. What a fabulous find!

This is no accident, I thought, when I turned it over to read the stamp.

How is it that this comes across my path at this particular time?

When you're paying attention, you notice all kinds of things!

Hmmm.

And love that shade of blue!

Salut!

Friday Guessing Game

2010-04-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

Just to see who's paying attention out there...

What is your guess on what these are? I kept seeing them at flea markets and recently found out at an antique market show. It's amazing what you discover when you just ask...

Please join as a follower! Just click on the link so you can leave your comments!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone...

Strong Like Bull

2010-04-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

My aunt and uncle don't have any children together. They keep very busy with their passions; my Aunt Adele paints beautiful florals and landscapes. Years ago she started with oils, then acrylics, and now watercolours. She is also a wonderful cook. My uncle carves in wood and soapstone and also paints with great talent. They live very simply, never wasteful, having lived through the war. That experience greatly affected them, I believe, and set the foundation for an enriched and appreciative life. My Uncle Frank is a gardener extrordinaire, starting with his family's farm in Belgium and later his own acreage in Port Alberni, turning out vegetable and flower gardens that have been featured on garden tours. Many times I have been alongside him in the garden as a child, picking the raspberries and loganberries that I could reach while feigning interest in the swiss chard or tomatoes. Whenever he picked up something heavy or push something along, he would turn to me with a grin or a wink and say 'Strong like bull!' Sometimes he would accompany the saying with a show of biceps and a laugh. To this day I cannot pick up something heavy without saying that, which was often while owning a furniture store! Neither can my own three kids.

My aunt and uncle are the picture of health and vitality, having eaten their own organic vegetables for all of their lives. My uncle is nearing 90, and is still so strong and vital. Strong like bull, eh, Uncle Frank? A couple of years ago Ron and I thought we would help him in the garden as he had poured some round cement slabs to create a new patio area. We tried to lift one together and could not; it was well over a hundred pounds. We went home to take stock of what tools we might have to assist us, as there were about six large stones to move. The next day we came back with a dolly and a flatcart borrowed from a neighbour. To our shock and amazement, every stone was in place! At the look of our surprise he flexed his muscle and said 'Strong like bull'. I don't need any convincing that vegetables are good for you, I just look at the two of them and know that their lifelong commitment to eating plain old fashioned food (nothing processed!) and lots of veggies are the recipe for good strong quality living!

This last week has been traumatic for our family. During a screening at the hospital, it was discovered Uncle Frank had an aortic aneurysm that put him in critical condition. The hospital staff quickly moved into action, sending him by ambulance to Victoria for an operation, while the Doctor gently let our family know that we should say what we needed to say to our uncle.

But wait, I told the specialist in Victoria, you don't know my uncle. He is very strong!
He is 88 years old, the doctor told me.
He eats his vegetables! I told him back.
I have been doing this a long time, he said, annoyed.
Oh dear, I wasn't explaining myself very well, I realized. He's Strong Like Bull, I added.
The doctor went back to explaining the procedure and I felt stupid. I asked a couple of questions and I could feel he was fully vexed with me.

I had been sitting by my uncle's side, along with my sister and aunt, for many days. We were all strong for each other, and we talked about the garden that Uncle Frank would plant. We joked that Aunt Adele may have to help him out a bit this summer. Uh oh. Upside down tomato plants.

Two days ago, my uncle was operated on, and he is now on his way to recovery.

The specialist took me aside.

He's amazing, he gushed.
I nodded.
He is doing remarkably well, remarkably well!
I nodded again.
I can't believe how well he is doing for his age, he gushed once more.

Uh huh, I nodded again.

Strong Like Bull.

Good Friends, Good Wine.

2010-03-29T21:56:00.000-07:00

I had not seen my gal pal Shelley for way too long. No excuse for it! We had just failed to connect enough over the course of the four years since we had worked together in government. We lived about 60 km apart, I had my store that kept me tres busy and three kids (actually four kids but I am no longer with my husband, ha ha ha) and little time to visit, it seemed.

Happily, now that I am living in Victoria, I am finding the time again to seek out my friends and re-discovering the treasures they are. Is there anything better than a glass of wine (beaucoup de verre!) and good company?

I assure you, there is not.

We laughed and laughed till our sides ached...my former co-workers gave us plenty of fodder!

Shelley prepared delicious hors d'houerves and it was the loveliest of evenings!

I have to share with you the delicious recipe Shelley made...I could have sworn I was on a Tuscan terrace sipping wine and nibbling on the bounty of the countryside! I could hear the drone of bees, mixed with the thudding sound of oak wine barrels being rolled along to the aging barn, whilst the sun beat down upon my straw-clad head...okay, okay, I am getting carried away, but they were that good! Before you dismiss my comments as exaggerated, I advise that you try the recipe this Friday night while you relax with your loved ones at the end of a long week...

Proscuitto Roasted Figs

30 ripe figs

1 small wedge of Blue Cheese cut into small chunks about the size of a raisin

10 slices of Proscuitto, each cut into 3 pieces, lengthwise

2 tablespoons honey

a couple grindings of fresh cracked pepper

With a small knife, make a vertical slit in the side of each fig. Gently wedge in the piece of cheese and squeeze shut. Next wrap each fig with the slice of prosciutto. The figs can be prepared a day or so in advance and stored in the refrigerator, covered in cling film.

When your guests arrive, preheat the oven to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F) and remove the figs from the refrigerator. Place the figs on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the figs are warm, the cheese is soft and the prosciutto has sort melted onto and enveloped the fig. Drizzle with the honey and grind over the black pepper. Place the figs on a platter and serve immediately. It's fantastic when the figs are still warm from the oven, but it's just as delicious at room temperature.

You can subsitute dried figs, but use about twice as much blue cheese for this variation.

And what , you may ask, does any of this have to do with vintage finds? With decorating? With flea markets or France?

Rien, mon ami, rien! This time the lovely vintage item was the wine.

Bon Nuit,
Veerle

And The Winner Is...And A Guessing Game

2010-03-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Amanda B! You have won our giveaway!

I will let everyone know what Amanda ends up choosing...

Amanda picked up my card at Chabeigh & Chic, so Rhonda C. will also get to pick a gift!

We will be having another giveaway soon, please keep referring my blog!

Here's a guessing game for you...

I found this lovely antique yesterday...what is your guess on what it is?

Post your comment below!

Cheers,
Veerle

Lille Braderie (Flea Market)

2010-03-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

The first weekend in September sees the town of Lille, France transform into Europe's largest flea market. This year's market runs September 4th and 5th. If you love flea marketing as much as I do, this is the market to visit, at least once, in your lifetime! It's history goes back to the Middle Ages, when once a year, servants could sell their master's old possessions, and thus the flea market was born. Today, the market draws two million visitors to the city and offers approximately 100 km of stalls to shop from. Umm, can anyone say heaven?

The first time I travelled to Lille, I was surprised by its charming colourful palette of buildings; pastel yellow, green, blue and pink hues are visible everywhere; but to see colour on those dazzling renaissance structures seemed to me that I was a miniature character in a land of giant architectural candy confections! Beautiful!

Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium. It is the capital of the Nord-Pas de Calais region, and the city is heavily influenced by its Belgian neighbour, having once been part of the Count of Flanders' reign. Today, the city is a vibrant, historic, beautiful city...if the Braderie was not a draw on its own, the city is a highlight of a European vacation irregardless. Combining the two makes it the best holiday you can imagine for this chasseur de trésor (treasure hunter)...as a lover of all things 'French', a homesick one-time Belgian, a bona-fide flea marketer and appreciater of the world's best food...yes, that's what I said, world's best food!

Lille's cuisine is acclaimed throughout Europe, shaped by its Belgian roots. You cannot visit Lille without trying moules frites (mussels and fries) a classic dish that causes great competition in the city, washed down by Belgian beer like Kriek (cherry lambic ale) or Hoegaarden or a Rodenbach. It is well-known for its gastronomic excellence from Michelin star restaurants to Flemish Taverns. I promise to blog about the food soon, for there is much to say and even wax poetic about!

I hope I have inspired you to consider visiting Lille, France!

I am going to check my airmiles account right now and see if I am close...

I have begun planning my next trip...

Au revoir,

Veerle