Tales from the Sea Garden

Tales from The Sea Garden

Email me: theseagarden@btinternet.com

Monday 18 April 2011

I love Paris in the Springtime...


Doing the Country Living Fair was such a draining experience I really felt the need to get away for a while, so Mr.T. and I decided on a whim to book a little hotel in Paris! This wonderful statue of the poet Sir John Betjamin stands on the upper level of St. Pancras International, where we caught the Eurostar train to the Gare du Nord, a journey of just 2 hours and 15 minutes.



The hotel in Montmartre was just perfect, small and intimate, in a cobbled square with trees and benches and a fountain, and right next door to the building known as 'Le Bateau Lavoir', where Picasso amongst others had his studio back in the early 1900's.




A pavement cafe on the corner was a popular spot for visitors to take their ease and admire the fine view over the rooftops of Paris.



A few flights of steps up from the hotel and you enter the Place du Tertre with more wonderful pavement eateries, particularly atmospheric at night.




No trip to Paris would be complete without seeing the Eiffel Tower, again great to view after dark when it's all lit up....



Suffice to say we both had a blissful time - just what the doctor ordered - and we hope to make a return trip very soon......




Back to the shop.... and things are looking more springlike for Easter....


These delightful bunnies....


and mice are handmade by Chloe Cyphus using antique French linen and other gorgeous fabrics.



Some more views of the shop....



A close-up of a necklace by Louise Taylor-Bowen, made up of vintage crochet lace and other recycled bits, truly one-of-a-kind.



Victorian silver-plated Berry spoons



This mermaid is made from pure sheep's wool by Jane Eyers from Totnes, and embellished with beautiful ribbons on the tail and a beaded necklace




Two of Angela's vintage Liberty fabric Suffolk puff corsages




and one of Jane's Victorian girl butterfly fairies











Jane, Gertie and I hope to welcome lots of you to our second Homespun Easter Fair on Bank Holiday Monday, 10.30am - 3.30pm at Portscatho Memorial Hall, (there will be signposts in the village), where there will be loads of gorgeous vintage goodies on offer plus oodles of delicious cake! The shop will also be open all day, 10.30 - 5.30, so come and enjoy a fun day out at the seaside!

16 comments:

  1. Glad you had a lovely time in Paris. I thought my sister had cleared you out of that wool. I haven't seen it yet as I am seeing my sister next week and can't wait!! ( ha ha!! to see the sister and the wool).

    Colette x

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  2. Oh ,how I dream of going to Paris one day! lovely photos. May I ask if you ship products from your shop to New Zealand? you stock some fabulous items ! Have a great week.

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  3. Everyone deserves a getaway now and then and you certainly chose a perfect spot to escape to...
    The goodies in the shop are delightful.
    Susan x

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  4. Hi Christine, The shop looks fab can't wait for the Easter Fair. Lynne

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  5. ooohhh i loved seeing the photo's of Paris. This is somewhere i have always wanted to go to but as of yet have never been your photo's of the cobbled streets and the old street lamp and check table cloth is just how the picture is in my head ;-) I am hoping to go for my 40th later this year with a load of friends. The shop is looking lovely such pretty stock love the mermaid. dee x

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  6. How gorgeous, perfect time of year to visit n'est pas!

    Loved that you stayed in Mont Martre.

    Easter looks lovely Sea Garden style,

    Sarah x

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  7. Oh my goodness! Everything is gorgeous!
    Thank you for such beautiful photos
    Good luck at the fair on Monday

    Have a lovely Easter weekend
    Spring blessings
    Carolyn ♥

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  8. Christine, those pictures of Paris look as if they could have been taken 100 years ago, expecially the streets scenes with the red checkered curtains and cloths. Your shop looks amazing. Bursting with lovlies!
    xx
    julie

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  9. I can honestly say that your little Cornish treasure trove is the prettiest little shop I have ever visited.. I remember first stumbling across it on a holiday several years ago.. and still love my purchases from your beautiful collections.
    I wish you much success on Monday and wish I was there with you all.
    Michele xx

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  10. We recently went to Paris too, we stayed in Montparnasse. We said next we'd visit Montmarte as I'm mad about Henry Miller and he lived and hung out there for a while. Glad you had a fab time x

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  11. Thanks for showing this lovely hotel, I was looking for something like this in Paris!
    Have a good sunday,
    Maureen

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  12. What is the name of this hotel if you dont mind me asking? It looks just right for us to visit.

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  13. Hi Kelly,
    In response to your question - the hotel is called 'Timhotel Montmartre'.
    I have a couple of tips if you're thinking of going: try and book a room with twin beds as we did, that way you can always push them together and you will get a slightly larger room. We glimpsed into a so called 'double' room when the maid was cleaning and the 'double' bed looked tiny! Also do take earplugs with you as you will probably need them in order to get any sleep! There wasn't much passing traffic, but the very narrow cobbled street beside the hotel and the height of the buildings around meant that any noise outside was amplified to such a degree as to warrant the necessity of earplugs. You could try and request a room that faces onto the Square and that would be quieter.
    Christine x

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  14. What a love shop do you have , my compliments !
    Love from the Netherlands ♥RINI♥

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  15. Great post about Paris Christine, and it's good to see the stunning statue of John Betjeman at St Pancras again. I love the way the bronze has acquired a soft turquoise patina and I have an image of it on my novel blog, The Time Sculptor's Secret, but I must admit that yours is a much more beautiful photograph!

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  16. So enjoyed a look at your lovely shoppe and the stunning photos of your trip to the continent!
    Do you ship overseas?
    Admiring your blog whilst sipping a cuppa!

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