Friday 5 September 2014

BUMPER EDITION. In this week's episode: Gay Paree, free bag pattern, vintage step stool revamp, supermarket showdown, The Great British Bake Off connection and much more (*)

Thank you for kind words on the last post (no pun intended).  I will write more on this another time but for now...........





Gay Paree: Hello again and I trust that you all have had some R&R over the summer months. We did not venture too far from the borders and aside from some days hither and thither we went to Paris for a while.  I was last in Paris about 35 or so years ago.  Actually - checking back - it must have been July 1981 - because on my return I got off the train and  couldn't fathom why London was SO packed.  Turned out it was the evening of Princess Diana's wedding and there was a fireworks display in Green Park (I think - may have been Regent's possibly).  I decided to stay the night and hunkered down on the pavement, the right hand side of Buckingham Palace gates, with not too much sleep and told to move on very early in the morning.  I therefore spent the rest of the day standing on the Victoria Memorial (in the middle of The Mall if you are not familiar) with Terry Wogan reporting just in front (I think you can see me in some of the official Royal photographs.........).  Terrible place to be if you wanted the loo but good fun if not. Anyway we returned to Paris this year to show the children 'the sights'.When I was last there I don't remember Paris being very busy bar a handful of people standing in front of The Mona Lisa and a bit of a queue for the Tour Eiffel.....times change...I read that France is now THE most popular tourist destination in the world, millions more visits than anywhere else on the globe.  I can see the attraction but not sure why they all decided to arrive in the same week as us! Goodness it was packed but we managed to slice and dice our way through and by-passed the longer queues.  Of course we had to re-visit this:



 We happened to be in Paris when it was the night of the 'supermoon'




There was a wonderful sunset earlier that same evening.  We were on a boat and later, when I zoomed in on some images, it was as though we had travelled back in time .............









I think that I took this in about 1890...........




Back to reality with........

 Can you see what it is!!!! Just about........



However what I wanted to see most of all was this:




 Le Moulin de la Galette by Renoir.

For a visitor to Paris the Musee D'Orsay has to be a highlight I think.  No photograph, digitally enhanced image, film or description can match seeing this painting in the glorious flesh.  For me it is mesmerising and a wonder beyond wonderment.

It was quite autumnal in Paris



Versailles was packed but we found breathing space walking through  Petit Trianon









I was rather taken with this handle

A busy but pleasant time.  Ending with some picture of the children waiting for Dom to finish his bloomin' map reading...he likes a nice map does Dom






Still reading.......



I'm off says Bronte...............



Still reading........



Oh my...........

Ready Dad?




You may recall that when we went to Venice I made a 'Venetian bag' to co-ordinate with the trip.  Our trip to Paris was no different  in this respect  and I am considering setting up a new line of bags which co-ordinate with the co-ordinates for major cities of the world.


I took Mary out to catch 'some rays'!

Can you see that in these photographs I hadn't decided upon the buckle to use and the strap is held in place with pins!





 Anyway Mary was pleased with her little trip outside




As I made it only a couple of days before departure it was all a little hasty in production and I need to rethink the pattern which, to be honest, was not very sophisticated. However I was VERY pleased with the adjustable handle -  I used this tutorial here to make the adjustable bag strap but of course I did not have the 'slider' bit of kit which you are directed to use.  Hang on I thought that looks like a buckle : one thing I do have are lots of old buckles (AHEM!).  I know that you old slider hands out there will be shaking your slider head and saying: 'No no no - a buckle will not do the job'. However as the bag was just for personal use it did the job just fine and I slid my way round Paris like a good 'un : one minute short then very next all long! Perhaps that was why Paris was so packed............

This is the bag making process:

A highly technical grease proof paper pattern - only available in select stores  - the tear is deliberate of course!



Snipping out some loopy bits out of old leather and recycled D rings


 Pinning like fury


Ensure that you have a lining


 Stitching not too neat but I was in a bit of a rush - here I have omitted the endless button choosing and indeed initial fabric choice....it does go on a bit.






This is Bronte demonstrating the power of the adjustable handle



I made a little zip purse for Euros......




...and a matching make up bag for all that face cream




The fabric behind was initially first choice but the pattern is quite large so I decided to go with Option Two


 Whilst in Paris the children were a little annoyed by the fact that I kept singing 'Le Marseillaise' - it is the most fantastic national anthem I think and  I found myself breaking into song in all sorts of places.  Most people thought that I was a native.................


Oh my!



Oh and here is the bag being used in the Palace of Mirrors at Versailles - not a very clear image (I think that they need to replace those mirrors with something a bit more reflective - get with it Versailles, either give that glass a buff or get in some new stuff....ha ha)


And here it is again in front of a certain tower!






'Yes but what is that first photo all about?'

Bag Pattern: Thank you for your kind comments about a previous old bag (steady on - ladies present!).  I thought that I would post: 'A not very good bag pattern with indecipherable writing' here for this bag from a previous post.



 I am using the term 'pattern' in the loosest possible way - let us call it a rough guide, an indicator, a pattern possibility.  Sorry that my writing is sooo awful - I touch type and really dislike having to write by hand.  This is not some modurhn phenomena borne of recent times and use of ambulatory devices but it is a  life-long thing borne of being a left-hander and being made to use an ink pen at school. The only way I could manage writing was by turning the paper 45 degree to myself and writing sideways.  In my twenties I learnt shorthand in order to speed up  note taking in lectures and merged this with my own script.  Voilà - rubbish hand writing was born. Any other left handers out there?  A special breed I think.  Anyway I hope that the pattern gives you an idea how to make your own - please let me know if you do.

I am not too sure if these photographs help or hinder but I think that they provide the gist of what needs to be done.  I will eventually make another one and put in on etsy if anyone might be interested.


















'Yes but what is that first photo all about?'

Step Stool makeover :  I set myself a challenge to see if I could buy and recover an old step stool for less than £10.  The price was set at this as I had seen ones on  ebay that I could indeed purchase 'ready to go' for about £10 upward (who knew that there was such a thriving market in second hand step stools!).  I found the ideal stool at the car boot for £3 (I had checked its viability by asking the man selling it to stand on it).

I have taken one of the dark 'before' photographs to magnify the 'after' result:



 I then tra la la'd it home...to be honest it then stayed in a cupboard until loin girding had taken place for Step (no pun intended) Two: I took the stool apart thus:


Step three:  I went to B & Q to select the right spray paint for the legs...the spray cost £6.68 so I was still under the target amount........



I decided upon grey but after the spraying had taken place I realised that I had in fact created a Zimmer Frame. I may have to respray.  Nothing against Zimmer Frames - a very handy bit of kit that has been intergral to my working life - but not quite ready for one in the homestead to be honest.  During the outdoor spraying procedure it started to spit - thus:




 I may have huffed at bit at this stage but once I bought it indoors it wasn't toooo bad and it had all cleaned up nicely







Step four: Of course the most difficult step of all - nearly a 'step' too far : the CHOOSING OF THE FABRIC.







  As this is going to end up in my sewing room (so that I might reach the fabrics others methods (a long poky stick) cannot reach (bracket overload this week!))  the fabric did not have to be particularly robust for daily use.



 The selection went on for a while and then Dom poked his poky nose in and suggested SOMETHING PLAIN. I finally plumped for the one below - to be honest this was mainly due to the fact I have lots and lots of it so if I cocked it up it wouldn't be the end of the 'fabric world' (sponsorship welcome....).


Naturally I used the old cover as a template for the new one but even doing this 'no measure' technique resulted me being short in the piping department (not for the first time in my life sadly) - thus:


Scratching my head as to how that happened as I had reused the original piping and simply recovered it.  There might have been more huffing and puffing at this point.............


Anyway eventually it was done and I added an extra bit of piping in:


 Just had to reassemble:


Mark my words - this is going to be the next 'Big Thing'






A design fault which I realised once I tried to cram the wooden seat and foam into my 'stool cover' (no rudeness intended).  If you do this put a zip in it!!!  Sorry - not being rude again - but of course if would make sense to have a discrete zip around the back (not being rude once again - what is going on!!!) so that should unexpected guests arrive you may simply change the cover to something more exotic.  Doing this would also help to ensure a snug fit whereas I had to hand sew my cover to bind the last seam and it was in danger of being baggy round the back side (happens to the best of us I'm afraid!!!).

'Yes but what is that first photo all about?'

PS: Cupboard emptying: I think that it was Johnny Morris who once said: 'Have nothing in your home'.  A pithy phrase which has stuck with me but find I am unable to live life by this code.  Sadly I have gone for the other end of the maxim, uttered by the late Desmond Morris: 'Stuff your home to the gills and who cares if it is beautiful or useful'.  Yes I think I have got that right.  Anyway we have been making slow and steady progress with the kitchen. Due to a redesign my walk-in cupboard (the china strongroom) had to be emptied.......this took a day to complete as there was a life time of china carefully crammed in.




Uncovered all sorts of bits


and bobs



Perhaps more bobs than I had anticipated!





Crikey.........some people just don't know when to stop................


It took Dom another day to reconfigure the shelving.




It then took another day to put it all back....................

Here is looks quite spaced out but I had a great more cramming to do


I tried to organise in order of use with toast racks and eggs cups together for example



Jams pots occupied another shelf


As I discussed with a friend recently this cupboard holds the second reserve china, first reserve being in the kitchen itself, third reserve is in my sewing room and there may be a fourth reserve which I dare not reveal the local of in case him of the poky nose  is reading this...................hang on there is a fifth reserve in the cellar.  Phew!  Just when I thought that I might be running out!

'Yes but what is that first photo all about?'

PPS: The Great British Bake Off Connection . I had initially assumed that the BIGGEST news item related to the return of this programme was when Bronte and I realised that one of the contestants lives TWELVE DOORS AWAY FROM US.  As we were in Gay Paree when it started we were watching it on  i player and as contestants were being introduced we suddenly recognised our street.  So excited were we by this fact that we paused the telly and ran into the road to check our fact - yes, we were right.  Sadly he has now 'left' but for a while we felt famous.  However this news pales into comparison with events from last weeks episode.  I will say no more in case you have yet to catch up but what has made me roar with laughter has been the reporting of 'bingate' and the very funny comments people have made.

'Yes but what is that first photo all about?'

PPPS: A turn of events in Waitrose. This needs to be prefaced by the fact that I STRONGLY DISLIKE all supermarkets and STRONGLY DISLIKE shopping full stop. Two days ago I was with Bronte and her friend Rachael  shopping for basic provisions (ok -  chocco in order to qualify for the free parking).  I had managed to wangle a few other items into the basket but I wanted to make a quick getaway in order to listen to the afternoon edition of The Archers (what is going on in Ambridge !).  I did the usual quick assessment of the till line up:

Lane One = clearly overloaded and someone shopping for the masses,
Lane Two = A Chatterer ("Hello dear, how are you", "Ooo this weather", " Butter's up again") - NO ONE likes a chatterer when pressed for time ('But mum you chat ALL the time'....'That, dear, is not the point.....'),
Lane Three = GOOD TO GO = minimum items (toilet roll, deodorant, bread rolls and Marmite (what sort of lunch was she planning on!) ). 'Estimated time of completion' (aka  'etc') = two minutes or three at a push.

This was clearly dependant upon whether it would be cash payment or the far less desirable: 'What you want me to pay now!' coupled with endless quantities of time spent  searching for purse  in order to search for a plastic card that they apparently had no idea they might need to use when paying for goods in a supermarket......... It was hard one to call as the mix of items made me suspicious therefore  I placed my basket at the end of the conveyor belt and gave the children the usual 'stay' signal.  This is well known shorthand for: 'You stay here I am going to do a quick reccy in case there is an even better offering further down the line'. As we know people every minute counts in these sort of situations.  Only a few stops down and there it was - light shining on it and everything - the GOLDEN CHECKOUT, THE DREAM TICKET, THE EMPTY ONE - bonus points as the conveyor belt was being given a quick wipe down in apparent preparation for my chocco.  How I missed it on the first scan I do not know.  This called for careful timing so I hot footed back to our original line up (woman still packing the rolls - what the blazes was going on there!). I hoisted up our basket and gave the equally well known: 'Urgent manoeuvre signal' - particularly effective if used with the hissing of: 'For crying out loud pick your ruddy feet up' through your teeth in that 'I'm not shouting but I am really' way.  The girls were lamentably slow to react but I was ahead of them so in a good position to save the day.  HANG ON A MINUTE : OLD DEAR LOOMING AT TEN O'CLOCK!.  With one deft movement a woman of a certain age (with a laden trolley mind) executed a  clearly well oiled pincer movement with her own body and the trolley - she triumphantly steered her way in front of me.  How did she manage that!  It was the sort of sharp tactics Kitchener Churchill Kitchener would have been proud of but having achieved this she proceeded to s-l-o-w down.  I raised my arms and wailed 'Oy Vey' which made Bronte collapse with laughter as she couldn't fathom why I had suddenly turned Jewish.  To be honest I don't know either but it seemed to suit the moment and some phrases transcend all cultures and religions.   The advantage I had so carefully planned was lost.  I decided to retrench back to Lane Three but of course this was too late as it was now occupied by yet another 'Overloader'.  I had to go behind aforementioned 'Old Dear' (patronising term especially as I am rapidly becoming one myself....) who was clearly oblivious to all events. I naturally smiled benignly but made threatening gestures behind her back in a passive/aggressive manner. I think that the moral here is: 'Don't count on your checkout until you are matched'

'Yes but what is that first photo all about?'

PPPPS: Heard on the radio that the phrase 'browned off' is on its way out (along with 'fortnight' surely that cannot be true!!) : well hang on there because  I am starting a campaign of use immediately.  Just like 'chuffed' which seems to have had a recent resurgence I am sure that we can revive the fortunes of 'browned off' as in  'cheesed off' (usually shortened to plain 'cheesed' in our house: 'I am feeling cheesed today').  Come on people let's get behind this and please use 'browned off' at every opportunity.

'Yes but what is that first photo all about?'

(* Thinking that if you have got  this far you are deserving of something so please follow this link to see what it might be......Thank you for sticking with me through the lean times it is greatly appreciated.  Thank you also for your kind and supportive comments  as they are absolutely the reason why I write this blog.  Given the state of world affairs it is nice to have some niceness)

51 comments:

  1. Very Funny!! "Yes Please Jenny!"

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  2. :) "Yes Please Jenny"!

    And what a fantastic trip you had to Paris!

    Helenxx

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  3. Lovely pictures of Paris.Love your supermarket dash! We all try to outsmart the queues but it never works.
    I sometimes go through the self checkouts even with a full trolley to avoid being behind someone. But it always takes longer than queueing. Wow you have such fab china. You should open a shop.
    Rosezeeta.

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  4. I would love to visit Paris, but would not enjoy a crowded Paris. I wonder if there is an "off season" that is not so off as to be unpleasant? When I have my girls, or husband with me at the grocer and am searching for a lane I am not above parking one in the most likely checkout and doing recon for something better. They are always instructed to keep an eye on me in case I need to jump on an opportunity and hold the spot while they come running with the goods.
    I can only dream of owning that much beautiful china. *sigh* Love your blog:>)

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  5. Paris looks great and someone who has more china than me. Yay!!

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  6. Yes please Jenny - you old tinker you x Jane

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  7. Yes please, Jenny!

    Your blog makes me ROAR with laughter.

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  8. Jenny, have I mentioned before that I am a left-handed person? And therefore understand so much more of your fabulous posts. (I was last in Paris in 1982. Actually, I was first in Paris in 1982. This situation does need some creative mending.)

    All your goings on and neatening up and sewing (particularly the binding and zippering and buttoning considerations) and wit and wisdom have cheered me up this evening as I ready myself to be working this weekend.

    And so, "Yes please Jenny!"

    xo

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  9. I particularly loved the step-by-step remake of the step stool--only I had a fabric chosen from the first photo. Maybe you could fashion a slip... Yes, please, Jenny! A beautiful bottom as always!

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  10. Looks like you all had a great Parisian adventure. Love the bags. Your blog always makes me smile.
    Yes please, Jenny!
    Jacqui x

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  11. Wonderful to read your blog tonight. Paris, china, old fabrics, your beautiful bag, your step stool. Wow!
    All I can say is... Yes, please, Jenny!
    P.S. Tomorrow I am shopping for an old jam jar. A must have. (Don't know where I got that idea.)

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  12. Well where to start.. love the stairs, I need some that fold flat too so I can reach stuff. That fabric is so beautiful... I've had to be very good not to add them to my vintage fabric collection in pinterest.. those stunning moon shots... that handle !! That sweet timer! Remind me what camera you have please?... I would say yes please, Jenny! but feel that would be greedy... Are your renovations completed yet? Smiles Cass x

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    1. Steps.. not stairs... I blame lack of sleep!!

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  13. have enjoyed and giggled reading your blog , as I always do.
    Your Paris trip looks stunning.
    "yes please jenny" looks wonderful too.

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  14. What a dream collection (and five stashes at that). My husband would have a hissy fit if I collected all that. He laments about the plastics cupboard falling out on him but that will happen if nobody else will stack correctly. It would be worse with stacks of crockery tumbling to the floor because of inexcusable laziness and haphazard stacking that my family suffer from.
    Such a lovely trip to Paris and such a handsome family.. very pretty young ladies..Beautiful eye on the photography.
    Oh and Yes please Jenny....do you send to Aussie land??

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  15. Hello Jenny,

    Gosh, what a busy girl you have been.

    Your Paris trip looks to have been delightful if not a tad exhausting. How well we can imagine that the whole family needed a holiday to recover! But, what a splendid bag and, even more splendid, the idea of producing a whole travelogue of bags. Of course, we cannot wait for the Budapest version and, surely, the Ukraine version will catch on soon.....we know that you, darling Jenny, are always to be found ahead of the wave.

    How marvellous it is that you live close to Waitrose. We were only reading the other day that this mere fact increases the value of your house exponentially. Of course, the increase in value must be weighed against the cost of removals of your china collection, but we still reckon that you will be in profit!

    We totally approve of hanging on to our quintessential Englishness by using 'browned off', 'yes please Jenny' and, our favourite of the moment 'spiffing' at every opportunity. The trend for uniformity of language.....well, just about seven words for most people....indeed, uniformity in everything is singularly depressing. No, you are right, we must think differently, speak differently, dress differently to keep life interesting. Vive la difference!

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  16. every home should have a china strong room!!!! i know i'm working on one here!!! and can i also say "yes please jenny"?

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  17. Yes please Jenny! Your stool looks amazing by the way. Is your neighbour Norman? Ian?

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  18. Yes please Jenny!
    A fabulous blog post - I love your china photos!

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  19. I love your blog, old bean. As instructed I am going to use some fairly traditional 1950s language in order to keep the home fires burning old thing.
    Spiffing to see your Gay Paris photographs. I was there last with my skin and blister - we took afternoon tea at The Ritz - which was hysterical - it was so bloomin' posh. How we didn't get thrown out, so badly behaved were we, on account of we couldn't stop laughing. What we achieved with two choux buns and a chocolate eclair!
    Your china collective is amazing - that angular teapot with the green spout is sooooper! So when you get cheesed with it.
    Jacqueline x
    Ha ha. I am Jacky normally, but to acknowledge the French theme. The chap who dispenses at our local chemist handed me my medication last time. He said he thought someone called Jacqueline must be quite glamourous. Think he was quite disappointed!
    Oh, yes please Jenny!

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  20. Yes please Jenny. Love it all xxx Lynne

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  21. Glad you're back 'me old china'... blog land has been quiet without you. I do hope Dom has a map of this new china strongroom...could get lost in there. xx

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  22. What a fabulous read, beautiful photos of Gay Paree. The china cupboard made me chuckle. Your blog always brings a lot of joy to my day.
    Yes please Jenny, i am particularly drawn to the big bottom aspect.

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  23. Yes please Jenny! A great read and you do realize that if I go out and buy a jam pot and toast rack it will be your fault, obviously vital kitchenware I don't seem to have....I also like the Renoir too. X

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  24. We Yankees would love a post that defines the exact mening of such words as Chuffed, and Cheesed, and Browned, etc. we arent very adept at foreign languages. :-)

    And Yes please Jenny. Is the bag a right handed or left handed one, please???

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  25. And by the way do you Brits have the new Self Check Out lines? Designed to supposedly speed up the process by tempting the customer to do all the work of the Paid checker? You have to put up with this computer bossing you around whenever you do something wrong--and who wouldnt--its not like they gave you any job training. I was in a rush yesterday so gave it another try, and got into an argument with the drat thing, and it stopped working at all, so I yelled This thing is a pain in the A--! Last time. Seriously, I would rather stand in line for an hour!

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  26. What a lovely post with all the content I love and need so ....Yes Please Jenny!

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  27. oh youve given me itchy feet, so want to go to Paris now! and I love that bag!

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  28. Loved reading this - brightened my day no end. Give us more of the same - Yes Please Jenny!

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  29. Really enjoyed this post Jenny but if I had known how long it was I would have settled myself down with a cup of coffee and a digestive or two first......
    Anyway, seeing all your china like that just goes to prove what I suspected all along, you live in a Tardis!!
    Have a lovely week dear Jenny!
    P.S. I was reading a back issue of a Mollie Makes and who was there on the last page showing off her work room.....!!!

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  30. Have nothing in your home that isn't useful or beautiful.....I see that EVERYTHING in your home is beautiful and useful so I wouldn't get rid of anything. Wow your china collection is amazing. I hope to go to Paris one day. How wonderful for you. Love reading about your adventures. Yes Please Jenny!

    xo Danielle

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  31. Bonjour Jenny,what a grand post to be sure.Je voudrais entre pour vous secret giveaway sssssh! oui si vous plait Jenny (In a Del boy voice!) Bonn nuit from Pam. ( A regular reader of your blog and not just a comment left because of the mere whiff of a giveaway!!!)

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  32. Oh dear Lordy Lordy Lordy! I have just got back from my holiday to Hobart Tasmania, should you be interested, and I have been catching up with backdated blog post reading. Seriously Ms Jenny of the bake off block you are one funny lass. I have been taken on such a whirlwind journey of your mind and I am a wee bit discombobulated now. I can totally relate to the supermarket roulette of the checkout, but my daughter is a part time checkout chick and she can tell even funnier stories from her side of the counter ....like when she saw this woman of a certain age dash from one line to the next being outfoxed by that sly woman who has years of practise in getting to the empty spot just as the novice is contemplating her move and instructing her offspring to stand firm.......yes we have the same characters right here in Australia! Both my children have retail experience and boy they come home with very funny stories. My son was helping a dear frail lady with her heavy 20 litre paint cans by loading them into her car.....she turned to him and asked if he was sure that those tins would be safe and not fall over in the car....he replied with a straight face.....yep as long as you don't drop the clutch when you leave the carpark they will be fine......and she laughed.......love people who laugh.

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  33. Oh Jenny - If I understood any of that I think I am doing well - you do make me laugh! Blog again soon! x

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  34. Yes please Jenny! You are properly wonderful. Love, Bee xx

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  35. You had me LOL Jenny! To see the faces of your daughters on the bench next to your husband, the way you describe gay Paree and everything else....Your collection of porcelain looks amazing! I thought I was a collector, but I am happy and relieved to see that there are more crazy porcelain enthusiasts like me ;-)

    Love your new bag and stool. You have a way with fabric and patterns!

    Sorry to hear Paris was so crowded. It's the same in Amsterdam. I am always relieved when I get home. When visiting a museum it's almost impossible to see the Van Gogh paintings or the ones Rembrandt made. Especially in summer. Your photo's made me smile. I have similar ones in front of 'De Nachtwacht' :-)

    Happy week!

    Madelief x

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  36. OK... so you're not going to tell us what the beautiful photo of christening gowns is all about then! do I want to know? 'Yes please Jenny!' Are those the Tuileries? haven't been there since 1980 when we went as students to see couture shows and they were practically empty then. You've taken such lovely photos of your trip to Paris, especially the black and white ones. What a tolerant husband... most would have put a sign outside saying 'jumble sale today' if they'd seen all that china out on tables. xx

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  37. I'm not chuffed to hear that fortnight's going the way of se'night, in fact I'm quite browned off about the fact. So yes please Jenny, bring on the campaign of use, it's far too useful an expressions to lose!

    Paris looks like it was hot!

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  38. Oh Jenny, what a lovely tale, it made me laugh and chuckle a lot! :) I enjoyed reading it so much! Thanks for granting us all free entry to your china museum and giving us a course of upcycling in the bargain!!! Great that you got some nice new shelves to store it all, but I'm thinking that maybe you should be opening a tearoom, or even better, tea rooms (sounds much more grand!) and people would be priviledged to have their tea poured from one of those fabulous tea pots (well, they would have to pay for that priviledge even!) and all that lovely china would be used on a daily basis. Everyone would have to have a boiled egg with their tea (with complimentary soldiers!), since you got so many egg cups!!! :)
    Lovely, lovely!! Could I have some more lemon curd please? - ‘Yes please Jenny!’.
    I'm still in awe about the previous bag! But the Paris bag is also pretty! You are very talented indeed!
    Love from Belgium! (PS: do you need a supply of waffles for your newly opened tea rooms??)
    Ingrid xx
    http://myfunkycrochet.blogspot.be

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  39. Wow, I was so impressed by your reworking of that step stool. And the photos of Paris, of course. Thanks for the bumper blog.

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  40. Oh my goodness...what fab value for my money this bumper post is....smiled at the map reader and the girls....beauties and the beast...in a nice way of course?
    coming back later with a cuppa to peruse the tutorials and give them there bags the attention they fully deserve....
    so until then bonjour to you my dearest Cootard..
    yours daisy j xx

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  41. Le sac, tres jollie, la china j'adore...it needs to be noted I took my Francais lessons from Delboy (can you tell?) ((getting into the brackets scene as well))
    Girls are gorgeous and happy to hear you've had a super dooper summer!
    Yes please Jenny
    Nicky
    x

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  42. I've never seen so many pretty dishes in one place! and such gorgeous pictures of Paris! Loved it all!!!

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  43. What has happened? My post has disappeared (again). Please pardon if it shows up twice.
    So anyway, Yes Please Jenny!
    Also, THOSE CUPS!!! oh gosh, oh Gosh, OH GOSH!!!! (the last uttered in tones that only dogs can hear)!!! The ones with the charming little cottage in the fold of the hills with the red thatch roof and the lombardy poplars off to the side? Oh Emm Geeeeeeeeeeeeee. Love those cups.
    Also, I love you! Your blog is so kind, so funny, so intelligent and so creative and inspiring, it is just the best! Thank you bunches!

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  44. Jenny, you may not realise this but I think you may have photographed the elusive Fagan walking across the bridge in Gay Paree! Would I like to see more photographs of Dickens characters out and about in famous cities? Yes please Jenny! x

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  45. I haven't been looking at blogs for over a fortnight but today, feeling a bit browned off, I treated myself to the pleasure of your post. I'm so glad you had such a wonderful visit to Paris, your beautiful photos brought back my happy memories. Because you give me so much pleasure I think I can offer a safe place for you to store your spare china...I'll look at and after it willingly...Jane xxx

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  46. Fantastic photos Jenny, love your bags and you have some truly amazing 'stuff', what more can I say :) x

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  47. Beautiful photos of Paris. My Husband spends time reading maps too ... and then we get lost! ;) He is famous in our family for his map reading! :) Beautiful makes and yes please Jenny! Best wishes, Pj x

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  48. Jenny ! Happy to see you are well and haven't changed one teeny weeny bit in my absence..( hehe) you make me smile : )
    LOVE and love some more your 'old bag' !!! Ooh right up my street that is ....
    ~ Beautiful pictures of your pretty gals in beautiful Paris...
    Mr RTS 's is taking me in April !! I'm celebrating my half a century there... Last time we visited it was just for the day, as we had the little ones and the real trip was for them to see Disney !!
    Wishing you well, lovely lady...
    hugs Maria x

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  49. So funny, really chuffed to read as feeling rather browned off with the world, have to go to supermarket today. Gay Paree looked so fun, especially old man on the bridge. Makes me feel good to see all your china, I sometimes succumb to feeling guilty for my hoarding in these minimalist times. Yes please Jenny, from a fellow left pawed one who grew up writing exactly as you, page vertical, forced to write with pen and ink, subsequent scrawly writing. Would love to try and make that beautiful bag. xx Pip

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