Now what? Life in rural Ariege

Burblings about adjusting to life in the deep south west of France or "la France profonde" as they call it here and the challenges of restoring a ramshackle collection of tumbledown buildings. I mainly write about local festivals, events and celebrations and, most of all, the weekly ritual of combing vide greniers and brocantes for pre-loved vintage treasures.

13 October 2011

Tah dah... Maison Dumay is open

It was a meteroic day for me yesterday as I finally opened my Etsy shop: Maison Dumay. To recap I hadn't been able to open the shop due to a lengthy sojourn in the UK followed by almost total immersion in our renovation project. But yesterday was the big day. I pressed the button on all the draft listings I'd been creating and filled the shop with my rummagings.

I've been generously helped and encouraged by fellow Etsyians which made yesterday a little less daunting but I was still unprepared for my first sale. Overnight my first customer (from China no less) purchased 3 items and I had to smile when I checked my emails this morning.

The first item she had selected was this joyous piece of English kitsch. A truly fabulous hand knitted mustard coloured wool tea cosy with porcelain lady top.


I had bought this stunner at an English auction house over the summer in a mixed lot with 3 glamorous evening bags and I confess I thought the bags would sell quicker than this item!

Sadly I don't think I'm likely to able to find another one like this in France as tea drinking is not widespread here. Oh well, better get back to the rummaging and start daily prayers to the Goddess of Thrift that another one crosses my path.
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4 comments:

  1. Unknown13 October 2011 at 19:27

    and many congratulations, the shop looks brilliant!

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  2. Unknown13 October 2011 at 20:41

    thanks for your support Suzie... don't suppose you've got an old knitted tea cozy lying around!

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  3. lillalotta14 October 2011 at 11:32

    It looks wonderful! Glad to see you opened, your selection is lovely. French vintage does so well on Etsy!
    I see you and Suzie are aquatinted, ah small world, I remember she contacted me through etsy so log ago now, it seems.
    Hope your first 100 sales will be swift! And if you need any help, you know where I am.

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  4. Unknown14 October 2011 at 11:45

    thanks so much Anna, its all very exciting. 100 sales would be pretty amazing but I'm working on it. I'll say "bonjour" next time we're driving through x

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