We have sparkly Winter sunshine now, it is still bitterly cold but I can go on my travels again looking for stock. Something I never get tired of. Sometimes I find very little, others, I come back laden with goodies. But the things I see always get my imagination going full tilt and it feels like I've been time travelling.
What I don't enjoy is normal shopping, I buy all the staples every couple of months and fresh food as and when I need it, but ploughing through crowds in busy shopping malls doesn't do it for me at all. I love shopping online and a recent find was iherb (just click on the link to go straight to their site) who sell a truly vast range of lovely beauty products, supplements and groceries, mostly organic. The prices are reasonable and the postage is extremely fast and cheap from the USA. You can choose a free gift with every order, mine was a besswax lip salve, but I might go for the moisturising socks next time. There are lots of special offers and samples too.
To obtain a discount on your first order use the code VVM 296.
I recently bought a big batch of legal documents from the mid 1800's.
As I was photographing them I spotted the words 'toile de chanvre' and so spent a happy hour reading what turned out to be a marriage contract.
It gave details of what money and goods the husband and wife would bring to their marriage. and Mademoiselle Pelissier's main contribution was 57 yards of toile de chanvre (hemp) worth 50 francs. To put this in perspective, her future husband was providing 6 ewes and a heifer, together they were worth 100 francs, so the chanvre was valued very highly. I wonder if she wove it herself? The husband's family did seem to be wealthier and were contributing furniture that was not detailed, just given a value, whereas it was carefully noted that she was bringing an armoire and that while the doors were of carved hardwood, the carcase was only soft pine. You could almost hear the sniff of distaste as this was written.
Dated 1843 it was a fascinating little glimpse into their world. It also made me realise just how valuable textiles were. Forming part of the family wealth they were intended to last a lifetime and it shows.
Not surprisingly they sold within a couple of hours of being listed.
What I don't enjoy is normal shopping, I buy all the staples every couple of months and fresh food as and when I need it, but ploughing through crowds in busy shopping malls doesn't do it for me at all. I love shopping online and a recent find was iherb (just click on the link to go straight to their site) who sell a truly vast range of lovely beauty products, supplements and groceries, mostly organic. The prices are reasonable and the postage is extremely fast and cheap from the USA. You can choose a free gift with every order, mine was a besswax lip salve, but I might go for the moisturising socks next time. There are lots of special offers and samples too.
To obtain a discount on your first order use the code VVM 296.
I recently bought a big batch of legal documents from the mid 1800's.
Dated 1843 it was a fascinating little glimpse into their world. It also made me realise just how valuable textiles were. Forming part of the family wealth they were intended to last a lifetime and it shows.
Not surprisingly they sold within a couple of hours of being listed.
The old documents are wonderful! I have done this in my library and its a nice accent to have old documents.
ReplyDeleteEuro-Chic Soaps, Lotions and Bath Bombs
I can't think of anywhere that wouldn't be enhanced by some old handwritten documents!
ReplyDeleteLove your site!