Rainy Days

via Galerie Montmartre

Some vintage poster images in honour of the rain beating on my tin roof...definitely one of my top three sounds. (Waves crashing & my boys laughing are the other two - just in case you were wondering!)

Enjoy the rest of your week.

xxx

Five Years in Fitzroy...an overview or the aftermath...

Ok friends - I had such a great night at our Five Years in Fitzroy Birthday Bash, that I took photographs before anyone had stepped through the door & then neglected to take a damn photo all night.  I was too busy talking, too busy celebrating, too busy dancing my red-dressed butt off.  What a celebration!
The band were awesome, the booze & cheese were fine & every single person who joined us last Thursday were obviously there to party.  I know I threw the bash, but goddam, it was good.  Ha!!

My speech consisted of five thank you's for five years.
This is what I am grateful for;
1. La Homme -  his passion, his vision, for spotting that first vintage poster in 1996...which led to 3 more, then 10, then 30, then to our life savings, then to a business that (despite our lives being turned upside down; a whole new life of change & challenges for him after a near-fatal brain haemmorhage in June 2010) continues to grow, evolve & inspire;

2. Team Galmont - the people who supposedly work for me, but really, they work with me.  Their joining Galerie Montmartre has evolved naturally & they have been the right people at the right time. Each member of our team are passionate about vintage posters, they take initiative, believe in Galmont & our vision & when I say "i think we should try this"...it just happens.
I gave an extra shout out to Michelle Belle, the little girl who turned up regularly to our shop back in 2007 with her vintage poster thesis & would leave saying "if you have anything for me, please let me know"....so eventually we let her know.  She is now, my right-hand girl, my left-hand girl, my ambidextrous dynamo who has stood by me through challenges that no business, let alone group of people, should have to endure...never once wavering from her complete commitment to our company.

3. Our Collaborators - those who have businesses of their own that choose to be aligned with us, we share ideas, share work, take care of each other in a sea of small business owners who often are busy taking care of their own...they are;
* Tash Kuperman of Red Creative & SwapShuffleShare...go-to girl in the early days;
* our web man extraordinaire, Andy Pope;
* Creative Framing;
* Kate James, dear friend & biz whiz confidante from Total Balance & The Change Project;
* Phil Graham at Tarlo & Graham, emporium of the wild, one-off & plain wacky;
* Chris & Jools from Le Contraste, these classy, classy kids are beautiful people...wonderful friends;
* Luscious Lucy Feagins from The Design Files...doesn't need introducing;
* My little Pippy Doo Pip Lincolne from Meet Me at Mikes...needs no intro either;
* Lovely Lyn Gardner from Empire Vintage & The White House....builds her own personal little      empire on top of those teensy vintage clad shoulders of her's;
* Muriel at Cassis, our personal French advisor!
* Monique from Up & Up Creative;
* Lizzy C; the whizbang photographer.

4. Fitzroy - no need to go on here...you all know how much I love our community...it was the sure thing in the many uncertainties of running a small business, our first retail gallery had to be in Fitzroy;

5. Every person who has bought a poster, looked at a poster, asked a question about a poster, marvelled over a poster, haggled over a poster, wondered about a poster, been delighted by a poster, been horrified by a poster, longed for a poster, celebrated the poster.  Keeps me doing what I'm doing, keeps me asking how I can make the experience better for all those who engage in Galerie Montmarte.

What a trip!  Here's to the next five years, where will they take us, is anyone's guess.  It'll be fun though.

xxx

Five Years in Fitzroy!

And we are having a party!

This Thursday night (19.04) from 6-9pm. For once in my life I will actually get my IPhone out & take some pictures of the event to show you. (Maybe someone can take a photo of me 'cause, quite frankly, the dress I'll be wearing is slammin'!! ha ha ha! Do people even use that phrase anymore?!)

It's shaping up to be quite a little shindig with many RSVP's from lots of lovely people.

I've been telling my friends there'll be live music, nibblies, booze...& a 2 minute speech.

If you can make it, my lovely blogettes, you are so welcome.

x

Feel like a laugh?

image; here

Then check this out....Rockin Raina, this is for you x

Happy Easter!

image; christina gordon is so damn clever over at jam fancy

I feel a sense of renewal around Easter time.

When I was growing up Easter was all about attending 237 Church services in one weekend (yes ok, you caught me out with a slight exaggeration there; 7 Church visits over a 3 day period though...kinda felt like it). So now that I am a grown up & choose to never do that again, I feel very indulgent to be able to take this time out. And boy, do I take the time out, doing

a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y nothiiiiiiing!

It's like I've taken a bite out of the new year, been given permission to take a breather before taking the next bite...the chocolate certainly helps.

Wishing you a fabulous Easter x

Have a Lovely Weekend...

image; guessing either paris daily photo or little brown pen

...with love from me to you. I do mean it, I love the blogosphere.

Also, a very special shout out to my Dad, who never reads this blog; he announced to me a while back. The man came to every dodgy pub I sang at, back in the day, but can't read a few crazy words & look at a picture?!

He turns 70 on Sunday (my very own little April fool x)

Sizzling Slouch Style Lovin'

I've had this on my desktop a while now. I love it! I wonder if my 40-something self could still rock this look? I like to think I could. Oh well, until I get my courage up, I'll continue to enjoy looking at the image....although, if you see a brunette wandering around Fitzroy dressed in a similar fashion, give her a smile, it might be the confidence boost she needs...just saying...

Have a great week, lovelies. x

PS. To all of you who dropped into our Flea Market at Galerie Montmartre on the weekend - thank you so much! Phew, what a day...people on top of people all rummaging around, there was such a great feel about the place. Wonderful.

I'm sorry I'm not 100% sure of the source of the image, I thought it was Shelter until I saw the graphics on the photo....Garance maybe?

Galerie Montmartre Flea Market!

image; lizzy c for galmont

It's on again...Galerie Montmartre's Fabulous Flea Market!

We have rummaged around our inventory & found some great vintage & contemporary posters that we are offering for as low as $20, $50 & $100...and 10% store-wide for the day. Good, huh?

Some friends are also joining the celebration - Heather at Absolutely French & Muriel at Rouge Store - to tempt you with their goodies. And our delicious neighbours Grub Food Van will be serving French-inspired food. So an all 'round good day, would love to see you (or hear from you, as our online gallery will have the 10% sale for the day too) & hope we can spread the Galmont love!

Galerie Montmartre - Original Vintage Posters - Fabulous Flea Market

197B Brunswick St. (enter via Moor St)

Fitzroy, Vic. 3065

10 - 4pm.

Tarlo & Graham

image; tarlo & graham

Surely you know about them? If not, you really should. Dare I say it, a Melbourne retail institution, these days. Always interesting, quirky, kitsch, wonderful. Beautifully curated. Always packed to the brim. And they do it their way. I love this place. If you can, drop by and see it, then you really should.

Off my pedestal now!

xxx

Let Your Love Flag Fly, People!

image; galerie montmartre - casino de cabourg, villemot 1986

Happy St. Valentine's Day to you all; hope you are having a great week. xxx

Rockin' it at GalMont!

image; Galerie Montmartre

Just check out this beauty! This little guy went off to join a very, very excited couple as their first ever original vintage poster purchase this week. I wasn't there to say goodbye, but I am assured that he was going to a good home who adored him as much as I did.

You see, every now & again, you have a special feeling for particular pieces & I had that with this one.

He came as part of our ever -expanding rare 50's & 60's collection late last year. I fell instantly in love. The colours, the happiness, the uniqueness - the bloke rocking in front of his Gianola oil heater had it all for me...but as Galerie Montmartre is my business, as well as my passion, I had to release him to the public. I'm so happy he has found enthusiastic people to live with.

Grub Food Van

photo; via the age

We have been enjoying watching the developments that Tim and Mark have been making with the block (make that, very big block) next-door to Galmont. They are lovely boys, the type to invite me every single year to their annual Christmas Eve party - complete with material to make personal decoration to hang on their tree - despite the fact that every single year, I've been unable to attend due to the Petits and their own Christmas festivities. And believe me, I'd looovvveee to go to that shin-dig for the interior decorating peek alone, because what they've created next door is so wonderful.

So, when I walked by a couple of months back and spotted the 1965 Airstream caravan sitting out the front, my heart skipped a beat. It's so.damn.beautiful. And I get to see it at least five times a week!

And as of this weekend, I believe....if you are in the Fitzroy area, you too, get to have a look. In fact, you can actually buy food from said caravan goodness as the 'Grub Food Van' opens to the public. Another wonderful experience in our rocking little neighbourhood. Then, of course, once your appetite is satisfied, you pop next door and check out all the vintage poster goodness...don't you??!!!??

Welcome to the neighbourhood, Grub Food Van!

Grub Food Van

Moor St. (west off Brunswick St....next to Galerie Montmartre)

Fitzroy, Vic 3065

Loving The Attention!

image; the always inspiring blog, Advanced Style

Oh yes, the month of February is all about giving and getting love, don't you think?! And I'm not just talking of the 'coupledom' kind, in fact, that's the last thing I was thinking of (although, if you've got it, it can be a bit of fun...so I believe!!) No, I'm talking the things that money can't buy that make us feel real good - maybe for you that's walking your pet, or that first sip of your morning cuppa, or the sight of a glowing moon on a very dark evening, or that lovely 'connected' smile with a stranger on public transport.

Well, the Inaugural Galerie Montmartre Pop-Up Window is now installed down on Brunswick St alerting people to our 'loveliness' and I gotta tell you, the love that's been heaped on Galmont over the past few days has been quite overwhelming. It's been a collaboration with the lovely Pip Lincolne who has already blogged about it over at Meet Me At Mike's.

I'll be taking photos of my own this week and give you updates to the little tweaks we'll be making during the wonderful month of February. J'taime!!

PS. Hello and thank you to all those who have stopped by over the past 72 hours or so, it's been lovely having you here x

And Hello February!

image; www.fastcompany.com

yes, i realise it's summer down-under, but i really love this photo

Well, it's here. The month of February has arrived...today, in fact. And so it's time for me to stop pretending to be on holiday and get back to the blogosphere and my sporadic blogging life. I've been lurking around for the past month, really enjoying reading what everyone else is up to; I've even had an opportunity to leave a comment or three. Now I figure it's time to have my ten cent's worth and throw it out into the ether. Really looking forward to it. x