Travel memories / Souvenirs de voyages

One of my favorite finds of all times (so far!) at the thrift store is this collection of vintage handkerchiefs collected by someone from different US states. They were all in a bundle in a bag, and I only discovered the actual collection once I got home. Nothing like some Goodwill lottery win!
Une de mes trouvailles préférées à l'équivalent d'Emmaus aux US est une collection de mouchoirs anciens "souvenirs de voyages" collectés dans différents états des Etats Unis. Le lot était dans un sac fermé,  je n'ai découvert la beauté du lot qu'en rentrant chez moi. J'ai eu l'impression de gagner la loterie, car j'ai une passion pour le vintage & les voyages.

They all appear to be of the "Franshaw" brand, most still have the little sticker on.
Ils sont de la marque "Franshaw", et la plupart ont encore le petit autocollant de la marque.

The collection was gathered in the early 50's, as indicated by one of the hankerchiefs as well as by little stickers at the back of the handkerchiefs to indicate when/where they were gathered or received.
Apparemment cette collection date surtout du début des années 50, comme l'atteste un des mouchoirs, et des petits autocollants à l'arrière des mouchoirs qui indique la date/lieu de l'acquisition.

Washington DC / Washington DC:

Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine:
Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine:

Ohio / Ohio:

Indiana / Indiana:

 Illinois / Illinois:

Wisconsin / Wisconsin:

Iowa / Iowa:

Minnesota / Minnesota:
Minneapolis / Minneapolis:

North Dakota & South Dakota / Dakota du Nord & Dakota du Sud:

California / Californie:

 Hawaii / Hawaï:

London shopping / Shopping à Londres

I still can't get over the fact that London is like a trip to the suburbs. Two hours and 15 minutes between the city centers and London is a perfectly reasonable destination for a shopping day. It took a lot of convincing (ok not really!!) to get one of my sisters to accompany me.
Je n'arrive toujours pas à m'habituer au fait que Londres est un peu la grande banlieue de Paris. Deux heures et 15 minutes entre les centres des deux villes et Londres est une destination très raisonnable pour une journée shopping. Le plus dur fut de convaincre (en fait pas vraiment!) une des mes soeurs de m'accompagner.

View London Shopping in a larger map
And now a recap of some of my favorites places and the collateral damage on my credit card.
Maintenant un petit récapitulatif de mes endroits préférés et des dommages collatéraux sur ma carte de crédit. 

Primark 499-517 Oxford Street

Cheap really cheap, and a hit or miss for quality, but a good place for the latest trendy piece of clothing or accessory. I got this pair of shoes that will get all glittered up for a make over in no time. For 12£ it's ok to be creative.
Vraiment pas cher et un peu aléatoire au niveau de la qualité, mais le parfait endroit pour le vêtement ou l'accessoire à la mode de la saison. Cette paire de chaussures va bientôt subir un relooking pailleté. Pour 12£ ça ne vaut pas le coup de priver ces petites chaussures de paillettes. 

Forever 21 360 Oxford Street
A better layout for the US younger cousin of Primark who just opened its first European flagship in London. I do find the occasional piece of clothing there, but I am trying to face the fact that I am 10 (20?) years older that the target audience (the "21" in the store name may be a not so subtle hint!). Actually my favorite part of the store is the accessories with cheap and trendy bling dripping every wall.
La petite cousine des US de Primark vient d'ouvrir son premier magasin européen à Londres. J'y trouve occasionnellement des vêtements, mais je me rends à la dure réalité que j'ai 10 (20?) de plus que la consommatrice cible du magasin (le "21" dans le nom du magasin est peu être un indice!). En fait mon rayon préféré du magasin est celui des accessoires, qui dégouline de choses qui brillent du plafond au sol.

Cath Kidston: 28-32 Shelton Street (Covent Garden)
Supplies for creative projects + inspiration + much more girly shopping all in one place, so needless to say Cath Kidston is a favorite. I brought back a selection of wallets & purses to organize all the junk necessities I haul around with me. I am really looking forward to doing some of the needlepoint project in the stich! project book
Fournitures pour projets créatifs + inspiration et encore plus de shopping de fille regroupés en un endroit chez Cath Kidston, donc le rêve! J'ai ramené une sélection de trousse & porte monnaie pour organiser tout mon bazar de fille mes indispensables que j'emmène partout avec moi. J'ai hâte de m'attaquer aux projets d'aiguille du livre stich!.

London Graphic Centre: 16-18 Shelton Street (Covent Garden)

My new obsession in spray paint for fabric. I revived this bag a few weeks bag with the neon paints I brought back last month from the same store, and now I need a new project with these gold, silver & white paints. I was thinking about painting a scarf but just noticed that these paints are not suitable for clothing. So more to come on how I will use these...
Ma nouvelle obsession du moment est la peinture aérosol pour tissus. J'ai ravivé ce sac il y a quelques semaines avec les peintures fluos ramenées de ma dernière visite londonienne, et maintenant j'ai besoin d'un nouveau projet pour ces peintures dorées, argentées et blanches. J'avais un projet de foulard mais vient de remarquer que ces peintures ne sont pas à utiliser pour des vêtements. Projet à suivre...

Tatty Devine: 44 Monmouth Street (Covent Garden)
A bit of a shift in my shopping after the mass marketers & retailers Forever 21 & Primark: Tatty Devine makes and sells poetic perspex jewelry in London.
Un changement après les distributeurs et marketeurs de masse Forever 21 & Primark mentionnés plus haut. Tatty Devine produit et vend à Londres des bijoux poétiques en plexiglas.

I added the Trapeze necklace to my small but growing collection (I also have the fishbone & ruby slipper necklaces). My sister went for the mini retro glasses.
J'ai ajouté le collier trapéziste à ma petite collection (j'ai les colliers poisson & soulier de rubis ci dessous). Ma petite sœur à cédée à la tentation avec le collier lunettes rétros. 

Orla Kiely:  31 Monmouth Street (Covent Garden)
Just to had the weight of all the previous puchases, we finished the day with some purchases at Orla Kiely. I love her color palette, especially the "split pea" green.
Et pour finir la journée en beauté, un petit passage à la boutique Orla Kiely. J'adore son choix des couleurs et en particulier le vert "pois cassés".

Boots
This is really to report back on a couple favorite products from Boots. The life saving (maybe more like time saving) Batiste Dry Shampoo & Rimmel's Matte Finish top coat. I spared you a before/after picture of my hair!
Un mini compte rendu sur 2 de mes produits de chez Boots, avec le shampooing sec Batiste, et le vernis de finition mat de Rimmel. Je vous ai épargné une photo avant/après de mes cheveux!
All of this shopping was hard work!
Dur labeur, tout ce shopping!

Vintage Inspiration / Inspiration Vintage

Some vintage inspiration from my last trip to New Orleans at the River Road Flea Market: some patterns from the 60's & 70's, buttons, and some Harper's Bazar magazines from the other 60's... not 1960, but 1860!
De l'inspiration vintage glanée lors de ma dernière visite à La Nouvelle Orléans au River Road Flea Market: des patrons des années 60 & 70, des boutons, et quelques numéros de Harper's Bazar des autres années 60... pas 1960, mais 1860!

I should watch Mad Men & get back to sewing!
Je vais regarder quelques épisodes de Mad Men et me remettre à la couture!

Inspiration: The Mucha museum/Le musée Mucha

To get in my quota of culture while in Prague I decided to visit the Mucha museum. Mucha had a link with Paris where he lived for a few years. The museum combines 2 benefits: good selection (subjective of course!) and is a fairly quick visit. It also has a nice gift shop (about as big as the museum!) so stock up on the cards and other gifts.


Afin de remplir mon "quota culture" lors de ma visite de Prague, j'ai opté pour la visite du musée Mucha. Le musée combine deux grandes qualités à mes yeux: une bonne sélection d'œuvres (avis subjectif!) et la visite est relativement rapide. Attenant au musée, un magasin de cadeaux (presque aussi grand que le musée lui même) pour faire le plain de cartes et autres cadeaux.

Mucha Museum (www.mucha.cz), Kaunický palác, Panská 7, 110 00 Prague 1 

Musée Mucha (www.mucha.cz), Kaunický palác, Panská 7, 110 00 Prague 1 

Fabric hoarding: the madness continues!

Between visits and meetings I managed of course to do some fabric shopping at a very messy & cool fabric store in Prague. Hey is that my apartment?! Oh no it's the shop...

Here is the lovely wool I got in two colors as I could not make-up my mind...

They also have a a good selection of ribbons and yarns...

Mar Len - (www.marlen.cz)- Karolíny Světlé 12, 110 00 Praha 1, Open until 6PM during weekdays & not open on the week-ends.

Marionette or puppet?

Reporting from Prague to answer this important question... a "marionette" is a string-puppet.
Puppetry is part of the Czech culture and many shops can be found in Prague selling these fascinating creations or should I say creatures as they almost seem alive.
Amongst the various tourist shops that crowd the center of the old part of Prague, one shop in particular immediately stood out, "Trular Marionety", with an amazing collection of their own creations, and marionettes from other Czech puppet creators.
The shop owner was assembling the puppets below when I came in, sewing on an antique sewing machine the detailed costumes.


Halloween approaching I made friends with a witch.



Here is the remainder of her family. Kings, pirates and chefs, all with a distinct personality.



Finally a family of musician bugs right out of the cartoon for Roger Glover's "Love is All" (the Butterfly Ball):

For more information on the Marionety Truhlar marionette studio and their creations go to http://www.marionety.com/ they have 2 locations in Prague: U luzickeho sem. 5., Mala Strana, Prague 1 or Unglet Tyn 1, Marionety Truhlar, Stare Mesto, Prague 1
PS: they did a good job wrapping the witch & I made it to the airplane & back home with a complete marionette.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

A big part of my spare time consists in hoarding fabric. I blame it on my mother for bringing me at an early age "Marché Saint Pierre" the frozen-in-time fabric store right at the bottom of the Montmartre Hill & the Sacré Coeur.
In my memories I could barely see the top of the tables. Going back to these childhood memories on a Saturday is always a soothing experience. Those who know the neighborhood and the store would say that the experience is more like fighting the inebriated crowds on Mardi Gras on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
When in London I never miss an opportunity to go to the Liberty store to check out their fabric selection. Unfortunately their selection has gotten smaller over the years and a bit shameful for the Liberty mothership, so in the end I only got their just to say "hi" to the beautiful building. My sister just in time gave me the name of her new Liberty "dealer" (let's face it is an addiction...), Shaukat on Old Brompton road. Here is a snap shot of the last harvest:

Addresses:
If you are in Paris you can combine a visit to Montmartre and the Sacré Coeur, and on the way back down from the hill you can check out:
Dreyfus - Marché Saint Pierre, 2 r Charles Nodier, 75018 Paris (a Parisian tradition & a mess!)
Sacrés Coupons, 4bis rue d'Orsel, 75018 Paris (great 3 meter remnants from famous fashion houses, great silks, wools, cottons & linens in the summer)

In London:
Liberty, Great Marlborough Street, London W1B 5AH (worth the visit even if you don't buy anything)
Shaukat & Company, 170-172 Old Brompton Road, London SW5 0BA (a great selection in the store, good prices, and also good online service). The picture below is from their webpage showing one of the "Liberty Walls":