Saturday, September 06, 2014

Back To School

September Mantel


I'm really sorry it's been so long since my last post. I had every intention to write a post right after my first day at school last Monday and it just didn't happen.


Je suis désolée d'avoir mis tant de temps à écrire cet article... J'avais prévu de l'écrire le soir de la rentrée scolaire... Mais les choses se sont enchaînées sans me laisser le temps de souffler.


I learnt a couple of things about some of my pupils on that first day that sent me on a frenzy of work to type some lessons that weren't typed and I had several staff meetings to learn more about pupils with special needs. It's going to be a very tiring school year, but also a very intersting one!


J'ai appris des petites choses sur certains de mes élèves qui m'ont obligée à retaper en urgence certains de mes cours, à assister à quelques réunions imprévues... Cela va être une année intéressante, mais sûrement épuisante.


Also, a little project that couldn't be done during the summer is happening right now in the kitchen. A carpenter is doing the difficult work, but to cut the cost, I'm doing the painting myself, sometimes after school... I feel like I've worked in one single week the amount I usually do in three weeks! Maybe you can spot on the pictures some things that are usually in the kitchen and have been relocated on the living-room floor...


Pour couronner le tout, un petit projet qui n'a pas réussi à être réalisé pendant l'été est en train de voir le jour dans la cuisine. Je suis aidée d'un menuisier pour tout ce que je ne sais pas faire, mais pour économiser un peu, je suis responsable de la peinture... Du coup, je me retrouve pinceaux à la main après ma journée à l'école... J'ai l'impression d'avoir fait trois semaines en une ces derniers jours. D'ailleurs si vous regardez bien les photos, vous découvrirez que des objets habituellement dans la cuisine ont été relocalisés sur le sol du salon...


Anyway, right before the school madness began, I had decorated my mantel with some vintage school items I love.


Toujours est-il que juste avant que cette semaine de folie ne commence, j'avais décoré ma cheminée pour la circonstance de certains objets évoquant l'école.


The little table you could see i the first pictures,  where I set the hot chocolate pot and the child's mug, is my last find. Some of you asked me to show it, so I included it in the pictures. I have no idea if it'll stay there... I'm not going to lie: everything in the living-room is just "there" without being thought through... Right now, I'm focused on the kitchen. I show you my little side table in all its shiny glory... but it won't stay that way, it's too shiny for Cottage. But I love the shape and it was only €8!


Le petit guéridon que vous avez pu voir sur les premières photos est ma dernière trouvaille. Babette m'avait demandé de le montrer, alors je l'ai inclus dans cette séance photo. Je ne sais pas s'il restera là... Mon salon est juste composé de meubles posés au hasard pour l'instant, j'y réfléchirai plus tard, quand la cuisine sera sortie de mon cerveau... Je vous montre mon guéridon dans toute sa splendeur très vernie, mais par contre, il ne restera pas comme ça: trop brillant pour Cottage. Mais j'aime sa forme et à 8€, je n'allais pas faire la difficile!


The little copper box you can see above is a foot-warmer box. It was often used to travel, but this one was used by a pupil: she wrote her name and class inside. Her mother would put warm coal in it so she could be a little warm in winter, when there was no heating in the classroom.


La petite quille Bécassine est orpheline, mais elle m'a fait de l’œil dans un vide-grenier cet été.

This little nine-pin is painted like a very famous Briton book character called Bécassine. I just couldn't not buy it when I found it.


I have many posts planned in my head for September: a few pictures of a wedding you're all sick of hearing about, a "wadering about post" that is a special treat for my readers, a series about kitchen backsplashes and a few small kitchen projects sharing. Now I'm not making any promises about how often I'm going to write. I need some time to adjust to this year school schedule, which is busier than last year's.


J'ai plein d'articles prévus pour vous au mois de Septembre: un petit reportage sur ce mariage dont vous avez tant entendu parler, un petit voyage dans un lieu magique, une série sur les crédences et des explications sur quelques petits projets cuisine... Mais je ne peux rien promettre quant aux dates... J'écris quand je trouve un moment de libre dans ce nouvel emploi du temps très chargé.

See you soon,

A bientôt,



PS1: Some of the items I used for my mantel decoration are listed in my shop, in a new section I created and called "Childhood Memories".

PS2: I tried to use my hydrangeas to hide myself while taking pictures... It's not easy with that big mirror!

PS3: I'm partying (even on school nights)!

How Sweet the Sound           Dwellings-the Heart of You Home              Make It Monday      

I'm a Fan of My 1929 Charmer Blog!           Linky Party                  The Dedicated House

 Lavender Garden Cottage                            


40 comments:

  1. In the schools of my kids, netbooks were introduced. They will, in time, replace all paper stuff, both books and paper to write on... What will there school childhood memories be, I ask myself. Luckily, some mantels are decorated with real stuff from our past!! My mother recognised the little coal box that kept her and her sisters warm!! Great finds!! Nice weekend, Marcy

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    1. Obviously, I love modern technologies or I wouldn't have a blog... But I wouldn't part with books. There's nothing like turning the pages... and I can read it in my bath... where I wouldn't take my laptop!

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  2. Love the foot warmer!!! Good luck with the new school year - it sounds like you will have your hands full with your students. Delightful mantel.

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  3. Love all the vintage school items. Too sweet! Good luck with your new pupils!

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  4. Love your mantle Maglai, so many nice pieces. The foot warmer is so unique and I have to say I LOVE your stone walls!!!
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  5. Love it, love your foot warmer story, too and I can't wait to see your kitchen again...

    I think we have the same coffee table. Just saying. Have a great weekend xoxox

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  6. I wish you an exciting and smooth school year!

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  7. If I look closely I think I can see just the tiniest corner of your camera lurking behind the hydrangeas!
    I hope your school year is a good one, and that you have time to decorate and post about the changes around your cottage. I can't imagine being tired of a single thing in your posts.
    The children here are not back to school because the teachers in this province are on strike. No one is happy about that!

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  8. The mantel looks wonderful! I love the story about the foot-warmer box.

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  9. So creative and inspiring! You mix the colors beautifully. The Hydrangeas look so interesting!

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  10. Mantle looks great - love the foot warmer. Good luck with the new school year and it sounds like you are going to have some challenges this year.
    Mary

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  11. When I was a child I used to go to school with a little tin which contained an egg. The teacher would boil it on the old Tortoise stove for my lunch. I wish I still had that tin.
    Your table is very pretty.

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  12. C'est une cuisine sans fin que tu nous fais là???? Pour le four, tu as fait le bon choix. Du noir ça va quand il y a d'autres éléments de cette couleur. Pareil pour l'inox.
    Je suis devenue verte en découvrant ta bécassine...grrrrrrrrrr
    Bon a-m.

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  13. I see your coffee grinder lamp where it doesn't belong which leads me to believe the carpenter is working in that area! I feel like a sleuth! haha... Still no gossip about the wedding? Must be one doozy of a story coming! Love your fall mantel Magali. Good luck with all of your new students and a good start to a new school year!

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  14. Je ne sais même pas comment tu as le courage de faire une déco de cheminée aussi sympa, alors que ton menuisier n'avance pas, que tu as un emploi du temps ultra chargé dans tes deux collèges, que tu dois t'occuper de TES chats et de ton jardin, que "la bête" est revenue dans ton faux plafond et que le dimanche tu fais les vide-greniers... pense à souffler un peu !!!

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  15. Il est bien mignon ton guéridon, mais tu as raison, il est un peu trop verni.
    Quel traitement comptes-tu lui faire?
    Qu'est-ce qu"elle est sympa la quille Bécassine!
    Bonne semaine. Bises. Babette

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  16. Love the Back to School display! That little foot warmer is so unique. I have never seen one. I have been so busy since starting back to work...every year just gets get busier. So much to do! I hope it settles down for you soon...:)

    Blessings, Vicky

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  17. Your back-to-school-mantel is charming, Magali! I had never heard of a foot warmer box; how interesting! Do you know that in these last years of economic crisis, here in Greece, there has been no heating in many of the classrooms? It saddens me to know that in this day and age, little children are cold and are supposed to be able to concentrate! My own daughter experienced such situations, on and off when she was going to school here, and it made me very angry. Coming from Canada, I simply could not understand this - my goodness, they're children!

    Wishing you a wonderful new school year! What subject do you teach?

    Poppy

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  18. I know I have already commented once, but I did want to come over and thank you for linking this post to Make It Monday. I love all the vintage school elements.

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  19. What a lovely way to put all these treasures to use. Perfectly fitting for a teacher. Merci beaucoup...Thanks so much for sharing at the Make it Monday Party!

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  20. Absolutely adore it Magali! Love how I can tell a teacher lives here!

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  21. How cute to decorate your mantel in a back-to-school theme! You sound very busy...hope you find some time for some relaxation, too!

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  22. What lovely vignettes! Your cottage is charming. Enjoy your days with the children at school :)

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  23. Sweet schoolhouse theme on your charming mantel! Busy days ahead for you - an important job teaching children. Bless you. xo Karen

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    1. I'm having a hard time getting used to the new busy schedule... But I'm sure in a few weeks, I'll find time in the week for blogging and reading blogs!

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  24. You sound very, very busy, Magali. I love that little foot warmer box. What a treasure. xo Laura

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  25. Your living room is adorable. I love how you have the wood and white that ties into the brown stone and white mortar. Don't apologize for not writing as frequently. We understand. I completely empathize as I am feeling the same these days!

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  26. Good luck getting used to your new schedule. That's one reason I love when school starts up again, it gets me and the girls back on our schedule, I seem to get so much more done during the school year. I think your mantel looks great and I now want one.

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  27. So perfect Magali - I love that little wooden doll ( even if I don't know the character - she's so precious !!! )
    xoxo

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  28. Hi Magali! I enjoy your blog so very much, I am sorry I am not commenting so much, but it seems I am too lazy to go over to the commenting email like I meant to, but here I am! So eager to see what's going on in the kitchen! Love the stove! Love the wall in the living room! Can't believe you are back to school already, it seems like you just finished. Times moves so much faster than I can grasp….Anyway, just wanted to say hi and let you know I"m still out here, even though mostly silent just lately. More this evening or tomorrow, must get going now! eek, morning almost gone!!!
    OH! I wanted to tell you how much I enjoy your recipes! I have made the curry, the chicken pie, and the greengage tart so far, and all are EXCELLENT. Your pie crust is now my go to, I don't even bother with any others now. The chicken pie and the chicken curry both got rave reviews at my house, I'm going to try the curry at some point with just veggies and see how that goes. Don't forget to put the greengage tart in the cooking link in your spare time (ha! I know you don't have any!), it's brilliant. Really want to try the Irish Tea Brack next, it sound delicious!

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  29. Your vintage Back to School mantel vignette is so sweet, Magali, and your chalkboard shows perfect penmanship. Good thing for a teacher. ;) I'm very behind on visiting my blogging friends and trying to catch up. I see you are several posts ahead of me, so I'll have to spend some time here. I don't mind, though. I love visiting. Hugs, Nancy

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    1. And I love it when you come by the Cottage! Thanks a lot for taking the time to live a comment... It's only a mattr of time until you have your very own Cottage mantel to decorate!

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  30. The living room looks lovely. Gorgeous hydrangea and the little table looks perfect to me. Best wishes for a healthy and happy school year for you and your pupils.

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  31. What lovely treasures!!! And I swoon over hydrangeas every time...!!!

    -andi

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  32. I love all of the school touches! Thank you for sharing. You are one of the fan favorites at the Sunday Showcase from the Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Here is the link to the Showcase so you can check out your feature. http://www.thededicatedhouse.com/2014/09/sunday-showcase-from-make-it-pretty_14.html Hope to see you again tomorrow at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

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  33. Love your September mantel, I just love old things that have a story!

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  34. Bécassine est adorable - il aurait été dommage de ne pas l'adopter !!
    cordialement - monique59

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  35. You've just reminded me I have a hand warmer and I have no idea where it is.
    Even though your work load is huge you still find time to change your mantle and write posts, I know I've been pretty lazy so I'm going to try to read everything I've missed.

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