Crafty in the Med

I am here to enjoy meeting other bloggers and to share my love of craft ,mostly crochet, my thoughts and my daily happenings here in Alicante,Spain, my adopted country. I belong to a local choir because singing and music makes me happy. Flea markets and book shops are two of my favourite places to be. I read lots......sci´fi/fantasy,buried treasure, and off world adventures. I have a passion for history! I walk and walk and walk for about 10 months per year during the hot months I swim.

Sunday 27 May 2012

Discovering a flea market and tapas

Welcome to new followers Angeliki at My Hobbies' Place and Liz at Shortbread & Ginger...lovely to have you visit.

Its a hard life Sundays too!!!!

I love going to flea markets and finding bargains .
Villafranqueza market

I usually look for china ,clocks and books. I wasn't lucky today, I did see a dish I liked from Seville but it wasn't Cartuja china so I wasn't prepared to pay 6€ for it but no matter I still enjoyed my morning.  Sr P and I, we discovered new routes in the Alicantina countryside,we talked ,we laughed,we got information about setting up our own stall and considered possibilities and we ate tapas at our favourite restaurant and congratulated Luis the owners son on his recent marriage.


 My husband is a bookbinder, a master craftsman in his trade and I am proud to say he has been commissioned work for the Royal family, one piece in particular has been presented to the King of Spain.



Big! Not for bedtime reading!
He has been working in the family business for more than 35 years and his father before him and now he has retired he wants to sell some of the books he has accumulated over the years and that is taking up so much room in our house. The special collection he is keeping for a rainy day or to pass on.


 Hence his interest in certain flea markets. I am also going to have a bash at selling some of my crochet and vintage bits I have accumulated over the years...well at least the bits I feel I can part with.
They have started up this very new flea market in Villafranqueza a little village just on the outskirts of Alicante and it is very craft orientated. I saw home made soap,pots of plants and herbs,crochet makes on three stalls, mostly hair pretties and toilet roll covers and the occasionally crocheted bag ( I think I can do something different than that) lots of stuff but just stuff and the occasionally interesting vintage item. Masses of paper back books and clothes,some wood carving furniture...very nice but costly and rightly so because it was extremely nice and a small clock stall which I was drawn to like a magnet but 2 clocks were modern imitations and one was a real jewel but far beyond my means.... sigh!
In all it was an eventful morning because we obtain information about setting up a stall from Vicky the organizer,costs are monthly and not too exorbitant,50€ per month and there are two days u can set up your stall every week ,Saturday and Sunday. This should keep my husband busy busy ...he is finding retirement empty.....from a workaholic to nothing is hard!
Afterwards we went to the Varadero restaurant in the port in Alicante and discussed what we had seen and with a cold glass of Jose Pariente white wine,opportunities and future prospects always seem lighter and brighter :-)
Choosing the wine a lot to choose from!
 The Varadeo Restaurant in the port is a must should you ever visit Alicante it has a wonderful selection of shellfish and seafood and its paelllas are incredible.......the real thing.
  Its a hard life deciding what to have for lunch!!!

Amanda :-)





33 comments:

  1. What an interesting post ... and a very interesting life you have! The flea market sounds fabulous and 50 euros a month sounds very reasonable for 8 markets. Good luck, Claire xx

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    1. Hello Clare,
      Thats what I thought but not really sure what is the norma.
      thanks for your comments

      Amanda :-)

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  2. Wow! I bet those books of his are real treasures; works of art as much as anything else. I'm guessing you wouldn't sell the Don Quijote Volumes at a flea market though! It sounds as though you are in for some exciting times. Oh what wonderful seafood...drool, dribble!

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    1. Hello Elaine
      You guessed right thats part of the collection he won't sell.....that and others in store.
      Thanks for your comments

      Amanda :-)

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  3. Hi Amanda, so jealous of your lovely photos, looks a fab place!
    Your hubbies job sounds fascinating, it obviously takes real skill and patience and what a fantastic collection of books!

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    1. Hello Anne,
      Yes he loves his professional and finds it so difficult to be retired.
      thanks for your comments
      Amanda :-)

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  4. It looks as if you've had a lovely time today. I loved the pictures of your husband's work as well - he is a very talented man! Jx

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    1. Hello Jan,
      Unfortunately its a dying art. I've told him to teach it at the local adult education centre...it'll keep him busy.
      Thks for comments

      Amanda x

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  5. Goodness,what an interesting life you lead! Good luck with the markets,that sounds like a lot of fun.Those prawns are making my mouth water. We went to a local Sicylian restaurant last night...very nice! :0)

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    1. Mmmmm I love Italian food never tasted Sicilian though.
      thanks for your commets

      Amanda :-)

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  6. Hope your stall at the craft market works out.
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  7. Mr Sweetpea and I (and the little ones of course) would love to move to Spain! We have a penchant for Tapas! The flea market looked fabulous too!
    Victoria xx

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    1. Really?
      Everyone does Tapas here and you can easily have lunch just on Tapas quite inexpensive

      Thks for your comments

      Amanda x

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  8. Sounds like a pretty perfect day. Thank you for such an interesting post. I have always been fascinated by book binding - what an amazing skill to have xx

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    1. Sr P really misses his job and finding retirement difficult...hopefully the flea market will give him an interest and of course some dividends.

      Amanda x

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  9. I WISH I was your shopping buddy today! I love flea markets. I love tapas. I love paella!!!!
    What a very talented husband, you must be very proud of him.
    A stall at the craft market sounds a very exciting opportunity. Hope you have a lovely week xx

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  10. How exciting, can't wait to hear more about your stall :) Sounds like a beautiful day :) x

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    1. It was Cheryl!
      thanks for your comments

      Amanda :-)

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  11. What a lovely day you have had Amanda, I hope your plans work out they sound really exciting :)

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  12. Many thanks Jooles....more for Sr P than for me hope it'll give him something to do....but all the same I plan to try selling a few makes just to see how it goes.

    Amanda :-)

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  13. I love that last picture - so tempting.

    Nina x

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  14. Isn't it Nina...goes down well with a glass of cold cold white wine

    Amanda :-)

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  15. Hi Amanda,

    So nice to meet you! I just read your lovely comment on my new blog (barely a week old!) and was very touched by your kind comments. I came over immediately to have a look around yours and must say that I am pleasantly surprised at the wonderful variety of posts. I have to admit that I do not have an interest in crochet or embroidery as a hobby, although I do admire people who have the talent to create such prettiness materialized in such a wealth of objects! That's not to say that I haven't had a go at it! I've just finished my needlepoint project that will reside above my bed after I get it framed. By the way, is that process done in the same way as framing a print?

    So, I have enjoyed reading your posts, like this one today as Alicante reminds me a little bit of Crete, except we aren't lucky enough here to have such fabulous flea markets. I really miss them! The thrill of the hunt and hanging out with friends/family who share the same passion for chancing upon little treasures.I also just finished reading your most interesting and informative post on blogging etiquette and ALL THE COMMENTS!! This post was most timely re: my situation as well. I, too, am a little confused about this issue. The day I was featured on Cozy Little House was the day that brought me the most comments, thanks to Brenda again. I replied to those but I AM NOT SURE IF PEOPLE CAME BACK TO SEE THAT! Are we supposed to reply by email to be sure that these very nice people took the time to leave a precious comment for us? Aside from that, I agree with several of the people who mentioned that at the end of the day, one's blog should really just fulfill the author's need to say something about what's on their mind, again like a diary, and if people happen to comment or click or follow or....it really shouldn't matter. It is impossible to do so every time, after all we have a whole other life outside the blogosphere - the real world!

    Anyway, I look forward to your future posts and will catch up reading your previous ones this afternoon when I will take my coffee break from organizing my chaotic basement from the aftermath of moving! I need to get it done before my mum visits from Canada!

    Thanks so much for stopping by my place and hope you drop by again soon.

    Poppy
    poppyview.blogspot.com

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    1. Many thanks for following my blog Poppy and I am going to get back to you real soon.
      Amanda :-)

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  16. Hello Amanda,
    Thank you for popping by.
    How lovely to be married to a bookbinder, what an interesting profession
    Good luck with your stall idea, I have a weekly stall at Oxford Antiques and craft market, I love it except for heaving my stuff in and out of the car!
    Love your gran's crochet and tatting, such beautiful intricate work!
    Rachel x

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    1. Hello Rachel
      Thanks for your comments .
      Personally I am not sure about the stall but the idea is that Sr P occupies his time and his books and his profession have been a huge part of his life. If he earns some cash at the same time it will come in very handy.

      Amanda x

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  17. Hi Amanda,thankyou for popping in at mine and for your very kind comment. Dieting is such a pain and I feel I've dieted all of my adult life off and on.I thought maybe if I share it would spur me on,fingers crossed.looking forward to catching up over at yours.have a lovely day,lots of love juliexoxox

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  18. It sounds and looks like a lovely day! Look at all those yummies. I don't know how you decided :)

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  19. This was such an entertaining post to read! I would love to traded lives for a day!
    Thanks for visiting Shabby Sweet Tea today.
    Love to you,
    Elyse

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    1. oh! you can have one of my work days if you like Elyse LOL :-)

      Amanda x

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  20. Hi Amanda! I enjoyed your post so much!It was absolutely adventurous!!!

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  21. hello Angeliki...Yes choosing food at that restaurant is a real adventure!!! I think its one of the best seafood places in Alicante!

    Amanda:-)

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Thank you for your comments. I do read them and try to reply to all as well.Please keep them coming. Amanda :-)