Home-Run Booty

You may remember this lovely stove from a previous post...

Well, Mr U-t-B and I got talking about it to the nice young man who was working the season in this particular eaterie, and he happened to mention loving going to the local Brocante in Taninges.  When we drive up the mountain, we always see a yard full of bits and pieces and a Brocante sign in Taninges, but have never actually stopped - probably because we normally travel overnight, so shopping isn't part of the deal.

Anyway, our interest was piqued by this conversation and, as we were not in a tearing hurry to get home, we decided we'd stop, if it was open (which seemed unlikely as we were likely to pass through Taninges at about half twelve, and lunchtime is sacrosanct in France!)

We parked the car near the yard, and clambered out.  There was a selection of old ski-lift 'bubbles' scattered around, a beautiful old carriage and an interesting wooden, 
pagoda-like outbuilding, but also a barrier and 'Defense d'entrer'.  As we trudged away, slightly disappointed, Mr U-t-B spotted a notice saying that 'Bric & Broc' could be found down the Route de Samoens.  

So down the Route de Samoens we drove.  And this is what we found...

...an enormous old barn surrounded front, side and back with piles of interesting paraphernalia, and filled to the gunnels to boot. There was everything imaginable, from stuffed badgers to chandeliers, old wrought-iron garden furniture to ancient ice-picks, rusty old swords to vintage linens and skates to cartwheels. 


And what's more, it was open, in spite of it being most definitely lunchtime!


There was much oohing and aahhing as we poked around.  Mr U-t-B was really keen to look at stoves (and there were several rather nice ones), but I spotted a container full of metal spindles that I thought might be good for a job he needs to do this summer.  


So it was that our luggage ended up on the back seat of the car as the boot got filled with these beauties. 

 Well, not quite yet beauties, but they will be, I'm sure!
A little bit of paint stripping should reveal their inner beauty.


We bought a three metre length of railings too, but as we didn't have the roof rack with us, we will have to go back to collect that.  So I'll be saving my pennies so I can delve amongst the linens and china when we go back!


Next stop was the hypermarket to grab a sandwich. As well as the sandwiches, 
Mr U-t-B treated me to these two lovely magazines.

The first has instructions to make various shaped fabric and embroidery covered boxes.  Most of them are not quite what I have in mind in terms of the covering, but it is the instructions and patterns for the boxes I was most interested in.  I do want to have a go at the little bird box from the front cover though! 

The step-by-step photographic instructions look easy-ish to follow...

The second magazine is full of red samplers.  
I rather like this tray cloth.

I love this rose motif - very 1930s.

All these bits are taken from one of the samplers. I think I would love the variety of different alphabets and motifs in this one.  I rarely do cross-stitch these days, but I think this sampler may get me going again.

The sampler that contains this alphabet and border is another contender.  

I like the way they divide each of the large sampler up into zones - it makes it look more achievable somehow.  


So we're back home now!  It's great to go away, but it's also lovely to be back home.