la Brocanteuse

Dec 26, 2011

Let's meet on the beach


High summer in South Africa 
and off to the beach house for the next two months
I shall post from there and share some 
sun, beach and summer holiday activities

the "home of a fisherman" is a tease.. -since hubby really does not fish
except diving for crayfish in season (does that count?)

It has been a while since we have had the opportunity to take time off and just be..
on arrival we take the boardwalk down
to Breakfast bay
before unloading and settling in
there is no rush at all....




so long for now..
unplugging here and loading the car
   sun block  check
    costumes   check
    books        check
camera  check 
Ipad       check
dogs  check
people  check
note to myself:
..remember to stop at farmstall on the way for 
fresh fruit and veggies

XOXO 
Colette

Dec 23, 2011

My gift to you....

14 years ago,23 December 1997,
I started a tradition with one votive 
on my kitchen window sill.


It was the same day my father passed away very suddenly and unexpected.
without planning, it grew from there.
Every year I  put out votive candles collected over time and  invite any one visiting around this time and the following Christmas days, to light their own in memory
of loved ones,family, friends, even pets,
near or far,alive or passed away..
to  remember.

 .
At the beach house we use the mantel for this..





over the years we have added more  little votive holders and they differ in color and size, but the tradition all ways part of our Noel


 





at home in Stellenbosch we have a long narrow altar table where these little bougies are en masse.




the flickering of the candle flame is a moment of 
remembrance, alive in thoughts
it is very special to do and a gift I love to share..




This has become a tradition our family and friends have taken away with them and now do where ever they are, and once again passing it on...




All is welcome to share in our tradition,
please do......



My blogger friends and readers out there will be remembered on this altar table this Christmas.
Thank you for your friendship and following

Blessings to you

Colette X












Dec 11, 2011

Inspired by Lolita Lempicka

The most beautifull Christmas tree (for me)I have seen in a long time.It is the tree decorated in the 
Lolita Lempicka 
article "L'Appel de La Foret"  in the latest Novembre Decembre 2011 issue of Campagne Decoration...
It reminded me of a little moss tree I had a few years ago at our beach house, and sent me to my archives to find it...

   
I found the images and interesting how the picture in your mind is often so different from the real...

Christmas at the beach house 2006
 
















You will recognise some of my collected glass baubles from my previous post,"my glitzy bauble tree"
for 2011.

This is THE TREE fresh on my mind and in print:




look closely and you will recognise Lolita Lempicka perfume bottles on the moss covered branches..


vintage pink for gift wrapping


little votives flicker


beautiful  styling by Elise Valdorcia


imagine resting those little feet for a while..




This is what inspires still life art





so I am off to find a moss tree again...there is still time....
 
Bisous
Colette

all original images about Lolita Lempicka Christmas article
by Jo Pesendorfer for Campagne Decoration
now out

all styling in this article by 
ELISE VALDORCIA

Dec 4, 2011

My glitzy bauble tree







Come Christmas season, out comes this artificial tree..for it will hold my glass baubles and bits collected over time the best.I can bend the tips of the branches back to secure the ornaments will not slip of.

A collection of blown glass balls and birds,  hand painted, decorated with Sharovski glitz, and glass glitter..all unite on this little tree on a landing between floors.It is quite magical when sun sets and the little lights inserted in crystals are switched on..visible from down stairs looking up, from upstairs looking down, and inviting from outside as well. 
Early morning  sun makes the glass ornaments glisten. 
When we renovated this house, I planned the landing  area around accomodating this tree. The ornaments looks best on a smaller tree, and needs to be elevated to really see each one. For this reason as well I had a floor plug installed next to the table, to allow for the lights to be plugged in close by.



I started collecting these special birds and balls a few years ago on a trip to Basel, Switzerland.
It is quite overwhelming to see all the different colors and shapes together, and then to  decide if one should go for the fashion color at the time, or to stay with the classic designs and colors. Since I love traditional and old..I chose the silver, gold and duck egg colors...each one decorated right there in front of me and ready for collection later. On collection , they are securely packed in their little individual boxes complete with little metal tag and design no.


   
Around the same time I fell in love with the glass balls covered with cut out lace, which  started the addition of chrystals as well as  blown and sandblasted glass ornaments.


















 The pearl swag was found
in a ribbon and haberdasheries  store.


Pretty ornaments on top of special boxes,
reused and filled with favorite bon bons each year.





Our " Real "Christmas tree, as Dd refers to it,
is a large fresh pine from Elgin forest,  
put up on the 15th, collected from the Christmas tree  lot next to the  main road between 
Stellenbosch and Somerset West.
The "real" tree, goes up in the orangery, real candles in clips to be lit on Christmas eve, 
handmade decorations made by Dd and myself,
and fresh pine cones.
These are collected from our secret little corner not far from home, which also traditionally is part of a outing that includes a picnic next to the Eerste Rivier..
We dip the  pine cones in fragranced white wax ,
and after Christmas  save them untill winter to start the fire with.




Noel has arrived in our kitchen 
by way of this Prague statue on the window sill, flanked by little Norwegian trees.


Every year Dd chooses one little gingerbread house from the local Christmas market,
and saves it all year long under a  glass dome!


I wish you peace full and blessed days with loved ones, wherever you may be ..
Colette