How wonderful it is to back! Through what has turned out to be a hairy two weeks, I have missed you terribly… Our blogs are essentially our virtual homes, and from time to time they start to feel a little shabby (and not in a chic way). And so it was with BrocanteHome. While it may have looked fresh to the occasional visitor, to she who lived in it, it had become dusty and unwieldly. Full of treasure that needed to be trashed and a lot of treasure that deserved to be displayed more prominently. And so in the month of January 2012 I took it into my head to start a little blog restoration. To re-invent my virtual home, so we could all see the blossom for the trees, and once again re-inspire myself to blog with all the same passion in my eighth year online. It’s no mean feat living in the same old virtual house for almost eight years you know? The urge to scrap it and start all over again raises it’s ugly head frequently, something I have seen quite a few of myfavorite bloggers do recently, and yet it wouldn’t feel right to erase my puttery, tumultuous history and offer myself the blank slate I deeply crave because at it’s heart BrocanteHome is about layering our lives with loveliness, gathering new experiences, creating homes full of history and embracing opportunities to grow within our cosy, blissfully safe domains… So it was necessary to perform the virtual equivalent of a Seasonal Scrub instead. To establish what matters and chuck the rest in the trash. To hang new wallpaper and lay out a pretty new welcome mat and to dig deep inside virtual cupboards and junk drawers and take a long, hard look at how this little on-line house of mine is supporting me emotionally and financially, while providing you my precious, loyal readers with words to treasure, advice to inspire and products worth paying for. To me blogging is a priceless gift and I can barely quantify the joy and beautiful freedom it has brought to my life. But despite my me, me, me nature, it ISN’T all about me is it? Brocantehome will only continue to thrive if I frequently remind myself that this site isn’t a self-indulgent whim, it is both a business and a retreat for you, my readers: a place I know you have come to rely upon as a source of home-making inspiration, strength when the world falls down (as mine so often has) and a reminder that we are here to grow, not just as vintage housekeepers but as women with passions and dreams all of our own. I know all this, but I also know that in the more turbulent era’s of my life I forget it, and lose focus so this here right now is my promise to you that from from this day forward I will (try to) remember what Brocantehome is for: ~to share my passion and provide inspiration for our own beautiful survival in the domestic realm so many of us cherish.~ Blogland is a different world to what is was eight years ago. It has in fact become incredibly difficult terrain to negotiate. Where once there was a comment box, now there is Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and much, much more. The conversation has become scattered, difficult to follow and occasionally broken altogether. Pictures pinched from other places pass as posts on a huge number of new blogs, all style and no substance, and I know I have been guilty of doing the same thing occasionally, but no more. As bloggers it helps to be in the social know. To donate time to chasing our pretty tails across social networks, showing off and shouting out our worth to anyone who will listen. But sadly in the midst of this we can become lost. Lazy. Too busy focusing on dragging in readers to cherish the ones we have and reward them with writing worth reading. Because in the end, to me, this is what blogging is and should be about: writing. Doing the work. Saying something new and true. You know me. You know me don’t you? You know that I have in the past eight years made promises impossible to keep, and resolutions to be something I am not. I am ever hopeful that life will bring about the kind of change I suspect I need in order to grow. But in actual fact despite promises broken and resolutions abandoned, growth happens regardless. Time has brought to my door a wealth of wisdom about that which I am passionate and a pile of muddled up new interests I am terribly keen to understand, embrace and share. This is growth. So too is the kind of clarity that says this is important, that is not, and uses this wisdom to forge a way forward so that each day brings the kind of inspiration we so desperately need to keep passion alive. This is growth. This is growth. Having the courage to make necessary changes is growth. Garnering the wisdom to face the truth about what is working and what is not is growth. Following your dreams where ever they may take you, all of it is growth. For I have said it before and I will say it again, it is only when we stand still that we find muddy fallows encumbering us forever after. Our unique perspective shapes our days and it is only when we allow our perspective to shift that we can expect life to feel joyous and our blogs to reflect that joy. So welcome to my new home Darlings. I have decided to stick with what I’m good at, s0 all the bells and whistles have gone, there is no longer an unwieldly long list of categories and the archives are now easily accessible, but much remains the same regardless. Brocantehome is still scented with lavender, ritual and celebration, still sprinkled with the beautiful art that has come to define it, and still very much about the pretty, but I want us a tightly knit group to make a new commitment to following our hearts, hushing the noise, listening to the softly spoken voice of shy new passions and understanding that we will be better Vintage Housekeepers, bloggers and women in our own right if we are willing to practise extreme self care and make our own well-being a priority. And yes, I definitely believe the occasional violet cremeremains essential… Oh what it is to still feel inspired after all these years! BrocanteHome isn’t a website, it’s a way of life…
A Quick Round-Up of What’s New…
* Same polka dots, new navigation system, better archives and sensible categories. * Quick links to the Downloads, Bookshelf and Puttery Treats Store… * My Instagram, Pinterest and Tweets in the sidebar so you have a complete view of my life on-line. * New features and more housekeeping, food and well-being posts. * A SPANKING NEW free subscription weekly letter to inspire your way of life. * Less promises, more action and much more besides…
Create your own Brocante Life Book, plan Christmas, set up routines and rituals or live life the BrocanteHome way with my guided workbooks and planners.
“THERE persists much of the harem in every well-regulated home. In every house arranged to make a real man really happy, that man remains always a visitor, welcomed, honored, but perpetually a guest. He steps in from the great outside for rest…
Warning! Pretty alert coming your way… I often bemoan the lack of opportunity taken to pretty up the plain surfaces of our domestic arena with a little pattern. Cars are in fact my main bug bear. Why aren’t they lovelier? Why…
Hello, it’s Tuesday and as I am off a little jaunt to the beautiful city of York for the next few days I thought I would make YOUR day by offering you the chance to become a Housekeeping Superstar for twelve months,…
Hello Sweeties, these are the links that have made me smile today… 3 Life Lessons I Learned From My 3 Parents I can’t tell you how much I loved this post. Spring colours with fabric I just love the gorgeous Springy colours…
What it must have been to have lived a life of glamour, beauty, rollercoaster romance and heart-smashing passion… Night night Elizabeth Taylor. Other Things To Do At BrocanteHome Browse the Bookstore Discover a curated list of books to enhance and support life…
Now tell me this and tell me no more: is life too short to knit a dishcloth? See the thing is this- I can’t knit. I can cast on and I can knit the most basic stitch over and over again until…
33 Comments
I'm so, SO happy to see you back! I love the new look and layout; it was worth the wait.
Though the temptation to re-invent the wheel was very definitely there Mimi, I tried to focus on making the site more useable this time round… though clearly the size of the text in these comment boxes is still a work in progress!! I'm on it…x My recent post Time To Grow
What a nice treat to see you e-mail announcement. I hurried right over and I love what you've done with the place. You sure brightened up a cruddy Monday. Thanks loads! Sally
Dear lovely Sally, thank you so much for taking the time to pop in… it's so lovely to see some of the longest of my virtual acquaintances here. I'm so glad you like it.x My recent post Time To Grow
I've got to say Chrissie this two weeks have flown by at this end: I broke the site altogether on Saturday and thought Brocantehome would be no more! But things are never quite as disastrous as they seem to be when you are up against a deadline are they?? So glad you like it.x My recent post Time To Grow
Oh I likey! I'm pleased you didn't scrap the polka dots that I love to fill my screen with and the layout looks fab but most of all I'm just pleased to have you back with your honest and thought provoking words x My recent post A Ripple Update
I didn't dare do away with the polka dots this time round Terrie, the last time I did that it was rather like coming home to someone else's house every time I visited Brocante… My recent post Time To Grow
Oh praise the Lord you are back! I have missed you! It all looks perfectly wonderful,very easy to navigate and all rather lovely on the eye,well done you clever Lady! x
Ooh now then, what do you mean? Would Livefyre not let you comment if you didn't have a url to share?? Oh gosh I'm so sorry! But lovely to read your voice again… if that makes any sense at all!x My recent post Time To Grow
I love it! I've been quite quiet online of late (you know me, always disappearing!) but I've been checking in! I might have squeed out loud a little when I received your e-mail. I was in class. And utterly unembarrassed! Here's to the next 8 years!
And you know I don't mind how often you disappear as long as you are deliriously happy and promise to pop by occasionally… deal??x My recent post Cozy Cures For Housewife Headache
I really like what you've said here, Alison, and the "new" BrocanteHome is just lovely! So glad you are back here with a renewed sense of vision–we all appreciate what you have to share with us! My recent post Weekend Away: Strasbourg and Colmar
Oh you Darling! Lovely to see you here and oh so jealous of that trip to Strasbourg, it looks wonderful… I really must venture further than the next town along soon…x My recent post Time To Grow
I do so like finding my Twittery friends in my comment box too, thank you for all the supportive love you send my way Shirley, it is very much appreciated.x My recent post Time To Grow
Welcome back! The site still looks like "you" but after it has had a good nights sleep! I look forward to catching up with you again! My recent post Books!
Lovely looks and feel! I am so glad that we like a clean house in all areas of our lives. Only one thing….the print color you have chosen makes it very difficult to read others comments. Blessings to your new year.
{"id":null,"mode":"form","open_style":"in_place","currency_code":"USD","currency_symbol":"$","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":300,"top_media_type":"featured_image","featured_image_url":"http:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/tipjar-2.png","featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"Leave a tip","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Pay","payment_request_label":"BrocanteHome","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"BrocanteHome","form_subtitle":"Help Me to Keep BrocanteHome Online","currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thank you so much: helping me keep Brocantehome online really means the world to me.","payment_confirmation_title":"BrocanteHome","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please choose a valid currency."}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}
I'm so, SO happy to see you back!
I love the new look and layout; it was worth the wait.
I'm so glad you like it, it's nerve wracking this changing things business…x
My recent post Time To Grow
I utterly adore it! I have a hard time with change, I find something I love and I want it to stay the same. But this is just beautiful! Thank you
Though the temptation to re-invent the wheel was very definitely there Mimi, I tried to focus on making the site more useable this time round… though clearly the size of the text in these comment boxes is still a work in progress!! I'm on it…x
My recent post Time To Grow
What a nice treat to see you e-mail announcement. I hurried right over and I love what you've done with the place. You sure brightened up a cruddy Monday. Thanks loads! Sally
Dear lovely Sally, thank you so much for taking the time to pop in… it's so lovely to see some of the longest of my virtual acquaintances here. I'm so glad you like it.x
My recent post Time To Grow
I was so pleased to see your e – mail it has felt like a very long two weeks.
Loving new site ! X
I've got to say Chrissie this two weeks have flown by at this end: I broke the site altogether on Saturday and thought Brocantehome would be no more! But things are never quite as disastrous as they seem to be when you are up against a deadline are they??
So glad you like it.x
My recent post Time To Grow
Oh I likey! I'm pleased you didn't scrap the polka dots that I love to fill my screen with and the layout looks fab but most of all I'm just pleased to have you back with your honest and thought provoking words x
My recent post A Ripple Update
I didn't dare do away with the polka dots this time round Terrie, the last time I did that it was rather like coming home to someone else's house every time I visited Brocante…
My recent post Time To Grow
Oh praise the Lord you are back! I have missed you! It all looks perfectly wonderful,very easy to navigate and all rather lovely on the eye,well done you clever Lady! x
Thank you Gena… praise the lord you like it!xx
My recent post Time To Grow
Welcome back, I have missed you!
That's so lovely to hear Gill… its great to be back all fired up to make life that little bit more scrumptious!
My recent post Time To Grow
It looks lovely Alison, well done! And I'm so glad that those of us without a web presence can comment again. Best of luck with brocante's future!
Ooh now then, what do you mean? Would Livefyre not let you comment if you didn't have a url to share?? Oh gosh I'm so sorry!
But lovely to read your voice again… if that makes any sense at all!x
My recent post Time To Grow
I'm so happy to see you and the polka dots again…x
It just wouldn't be the same without them would it Donna?
My recent post Time To Grow
It's like coming home. I'm glad you're back.
Oh Syndeen I do believe that is the finest comment you could bestow on me… thank you.xx
My recent post Time To Grow
I love it! I've been quite quiet online of late (you know me, always disappearing!) but I've been checking in! I might have squeed out loud a little when I received your e-mail. I was in class. And utterly unembarrassed! Here's to the next 8 years!
And you know I don't mind how often you disappear as long as you are deliriously happy and promise to pop by occasionally… deal??x
My recent post Cozy Cures For Housewife Headache
I love it Alison! You've done a beautiful job. I'm so glad you're back, I've missed reading what you have to say xx
Oooh I'm so thrilled to hear that Alexandra, Have a lovely day!x
My recent post Time To Grow
I really like what you've said here, Alison, and the "new" BrocanteHome is just lovely! So glad you are back here with a renewed sense of vision–we all appreciate what you have to share with us!
My recent post Weekend Away: Strasbourg and Colmar
Oh you Darling! Lovely to see you here and oh so jealous of that trip to Strasbourg, it looks wonderful… I really must venture further than the next town along soon…x
My recent post Time To Grow
It's so great to see so much love. It's really good to have you back 🙂 Love the renewed site x
I do so like finding my Twittery friends in my comment box too, thank you for all the supportive love you send my way Shirley, it is very much appreciated.x
My recent post Time To Grow
Welcome back! The site still looks like "you" but after it has had a good nights sleep! I look forward to catching up with you again!
My recent post Books!
And heaven knows it needed that little sleep.x
My recent post Cozy Cures For Housewife Headache
Lovely looks and feel! I am so glad that we like a clean house in all areas of our lives.
Only one thing….the print color you have chosen makes it very difficult to read others comments.
Blessings to your new year.
Glad to see you back! I'll have fun exploring your new site.
Addicted, I admit…missed you terribly and I am a new reader! It looks fabulous! Congrats! you did good!