Truffling at the brocante for antique textile treasures & notions

Only one thing is motivation enough to make me set my alarm for 6.30am and to not hit the snooze button despite being woken up three times overnight.... a fabric fiends flea market...

Three cups of coffee to kickstart the brain Focussed straight ahead, trying not to feel queasy as I drove around the precarious bends, down deep into the belly of the gorge that seperates Bonnieux and Lourmarin trying not to crash as I stared, mouth open at the scenery the morning sun beaming through the clouds and illuminating the road ahead. it called, silk, linen, lace and thread come find me!

The lady with the chic bob nearly ruined me, I gravitated to her stand first and literally everything I pulled out I immediately committed my heart to it, I had to take it home.

It was serious, I started to feel queasy, my pace quickened, it got awfully warm ...

I put my rucksack down to have both hands free.

I knew that even when she told me her price, I would not be able to refuse. Such a strange feeling, knowing I should dig into those deep boxes to see what I could find - even though I knew it would ruin me.

vintage clothes, hats, knitting patterns, something for every textile lover, I kept repeating, only get what you need!

oh la la - pink and blue lace in a nice little pile calling "love me, love me" I held my resolve and only bought what I knew I would use and items for my regular buyers ....how foolish now I am asking kicking that I didn't buy this bag a delicious box full of antique button cards

I loved the bow detail on these vintage shoes, alas too small

Can't you just smell that lovely 'old button tin' smell? I actually sat down on the floor at this point and went through each box until I was intimately acquainted with each and every oddity

thank god my textile infatuation has not extended to linens (yet!) otherwise I would have seriously been in trouble... antique bed sheets for 5 euro.... I resisted I did! fool!

Okay so I was there for the antique textiles, the hunt for treasures, the promise of an adventure.

What I came away with, aside from a bag full of marvels,  was the wonderful new friendship of several French women who have succumbed to the same illness as myself. They had me beaming listening to their stories of their grandmothers greniers, learning to sew, how they began to collect and deal textiles, their favourite item to find when they go truffling.

Another thing my new found friends shared was an adoration for Ireland, one had honeymooned there, another pair were saving up to go on their next holiday.

Here was the Irish girl, far from home, insanely in love with their land, their climate and their fine heritage and they all wanted to visit my homeland. It made me smile!