Being Aubrey in France

After much anticipation, I was finally able to start making brooches this weekend. I packed light back in September, which meant I left behind my sewing and crafty things - but before one week passed, I found embroidered patches at a French shop and some fabric at a market and I itched to make brooches. So my wonderful mama sent along the things I'd need (plus my skeleton costume, because it turns out Lacoste is the Halloween capital of southern France, due to their forty-year history with American art students). So here are the brooches I've made here so far.

 

The blue floral fabric came from the Apt market; the watercolor doodling is something one of my roommates, Maddie, does when she procrastinates; the rose patches are from a little shop in Nîmes; the bluish texture is an antique postcard and the two embroidered ribbons are from an antique market in Isle sur la Sorgue.

I wrapped up a couple writing assignments this week (see post below), so this weekend was a deep breath before our trip to Paris. I did laundry, got a good bag to carry my clothes because my small suitcase's wheel is broken and it's loud when it rolls and it makes me self-conscious, and also I tied ribbons onto my shoes, because what else do I do other than make brooches and tie ribbons onto my shoes? (And drink coffee; I'll get to that in a second.)

That's me standing out on our terrace with the Luberon valley spread out behind me. No big deal.

Usually the cafeteria has coffee hour from 16:00 to 17:00, but on weekends we go to Café de France on the edge of the village to get our caffeine. This is one of my pals and roommates, Serena, with today's cup of café.

Café is one of the best things about France. Along with cathedrals and bookshops (Shakespeare & Co., I'm talking about you). Truly France is a beautiful place.
Aside from those three heartwarmers, I'm excited for the opera house, fabric and thrift shops, catacombs, cemeteries, museums, picnics, and adventures waiting for me in Paris. I've gotten some excellent tips and recommendations for Paris already, but please, reader, don't hesitate to share your expertise. We're leaving tomorrow, and returning in six days. Keep us in your prayers and I'll be back on the blog with stories and pictures next week. Au revoir.