I love this home, which was featured in the February issue of D Home. Dallas designer Martha Sweezey took a large “builder’s special”, with oak cabinetry, monochromatic paint schemes, basic light fixtures, etc. (otherwise known as a McMansion), and turned it into a beautiful home with designer touches and a French country feel. [photos...
I love this home, which was featured in the February issue of D Home. Dallas designer Martha Sweezey took a large “builder’s special”, with oak cabinetry, monochromatic paint schemes, basic light fixtures, etc. (otherwise known as a McMansion), and turned it into a beautiful home with designer touches and a French country feel. [photos...
Come and see how easy it is to add French Farmhouse Touches to your Farmhouse Home Decor. Maybe you will find your next project here! Enjoy!
Today I was invited to take pictures at the home of a friend right here in our village. You’ll hear…
I am excited to join the Country French Design group for our monthly share…this time with an emphasis on vintage French! So today I am sharing my favorites with you…my French treasures that I have collected over the last 40 plus years. Yes…I have loved France and all things French for that long! Some are tiny and some are very old…but all of them have special meaning! Warning! Warning! The French teacher in me may be just about to come out! lol I love these wonderful spools of thread…a gift from a sweet friend. They have a sheen that modern thread doesn’t have! And the little antique acorn-shaped measuring tape is from the late 1800s. It’s made of vegetable ivory…the tagua nut from the ivory-nut palm, a popular material during that time period. That’s my mom’s baby bonnet in the background. You can read more about it here. This fabulous antique Jeanne d’Arc brooch is another favorite find. It dates from around 1910 and represents my favorite historical figure…Saint Joan of Arc…dressed for battle in her armor and holding her banner and her coat of arms. On either side of her you can see the cross of Lorraine...the region of France that she called home and the same area where I lived! It truly is a tiny little treasure…only about an inch and a half wide. This vintage wicker-wrapped demi-john was a fabulous Goodwill hunting find at $3.63! Whaaaat? Yes! I had been wanting one for a long time but was unwilling to pay those hefty prices! I believe it dates from the 1950s. These tiny fly-fishing flies (mouches) and bobber have special meaning. They were a little gift from me to my Dad from my days at the University of Dijon in France waaay back 1971. I grew up fishing with him and wanted to give him a little reminder. Can you see that it’s a tiny bee, cricket (grillon) and grasshopper? Here they are beside a penny so you can see just how tiny they are! If you follow my blog, you know that I collect Quimper pottery from Brittany, the Breton region of France. I have stumbled across quite a few pieces (that’s the way I like to collect…by happenstance) and I try to add unusual pieces to my collection when I can. So I was thrilled when I came across this vintage cup and saucer at a local flea market! I love the dragon head handle! And I was also excited to find this wonderful Quimper candle holder in an Atlanta area antique shop, as well as this booklet of antique postcards from Carcassonne! It is a medieval city in the south of France with its walls still completely intact. I love the beautiful pastel colors! The shop owner said that they came from the estate of a couple who had traveled there in the 1920s. I was especially happy to find them because I had visited Carcassonne as a college student. And…they were only $5.00! In another shop in my favorite little town for antiquing, I found a small stash of antique Paris postcards dating from around 1900. I used the one of my favorite Parisian monument, la Sainte-Chapelle, to top off the vintage book bundle that I made. You can see how I did it, plus find the postcards for you to copy for your own projects here. Not to be outdone by all of this vintage frenchiness, Miss Kitty decided to pose beside the book bundle to create her own antique post card! I was thrilled when I came across this in yet another antique shop…a bound copy of all if the issues of La Famille from 1896! That’s la Belle Époque…a long period of peace and prosperity for the growing French middle class. And in each issue…advice and recipes for young wives, fun magic tricks to entertain your guests when the conversation lags at the dinner table, a summary of the news, financial advice, directions for creating lovely handwork, a chapter of a continuing novel… ..and, sadly, an account of the first visit to France of the newly crowned Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Tsarina Alexandra along with their little daughter Olga. They are reported to be a charming and gracious couple. This was hard to read, knowing what a grim future was hidden from them and their yet-unborn children. On a much lighter note, it is also filled with fabulous fashions with tiny waists, the signature of la Belle Époque! What fun to witness French history as it was recounted week by week! You can read more about the book here. And I have saved the best for last…an antique book that I found at the bookstalls along the Seine River in Paris years ago…a gift for my Mom. It is L’Office de la Semaine Sainte…the services for Holy Week. Isn’t it wonderfully old and worn? It is written in Latin and in old French and is filled with personal notes from the previous owners. The frontispiece is beautifully engraved and you can see from the little pencil marks in the upper right that I only paid 15 francs for it…as I recall, that was about $12 at the time. But the best thing is the date of publication! Can you read it? It says With the Approval and Privilege of the King and is dated 1741…over 270 years ago! America wasn’t even a country yet! The king who would have given his approval for its publication was Louis XV. Please excuse the French teacher in me who could not be suppressed for this post! I hope you enjoyed seeing my favorite vintage French treasures as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you! And just in case you missed them, be sure to check out my other posts in our Country French Design series, my favorite tips for adding County French style… …and my thoughts on collecting…Country French style! Also head on over to visit these beautiful blogs from my very talented fellow Francophiles to see what wonderful vintage frenchiness they have to share with you! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed seeing my vintage French favorites! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants. Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Tuesday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday See you next time! À la prochaine! Also find me at… Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered Delivered by FeedBurner
Decorating, Thrifting, Traveling...with a French Accent
Time to double-check your passport's expiration date!
On our tours we promise to make your stay enjoyable and give you an insight in to French living that a visitor rarely gets the chance to see.
A few months ago, I was standing alone in the post office with a freshly delivered package in hand. It was a simple paper envelope that looked like any other. But inside of it, there were so many things that you couldn’t see at first glance. There were baby steps and taking chances. Following dreams…
Located in the old village of Kingskerswell, the Grade II listed, five-bedroom house is a gorgeous family home with three bathrooms, three reception rooms and beautiful gardens.
A selection of things to do and places to visit in Normandy curated by Sharon Santoni, the author of the blog, My French Country Home.
I am excited to join the Country French Design group for our monthly share…this time with an emphasis on vintage French! So today I am sharing my favorites with you…my French treasures that I have collected over the last 40 plus years. Yes…I have loved France and all things French for that long! Some are tiny and some are very old…but all of them have special meaning! Warning! Warning! The French teacher in me may be just about to come out! lol I love these wonderful spools of thread…a gift from a sweet friend. They have a sheen that modern thread doesn’t have! And the little antique acorn-shaped measuring tape is from the late 1800s. It’s made of vegetable ivory…the tagua nut from the ivory-nut palm, a popular material during that time period. That’s my mom’s baby bonnet in the background. You can read more about it here. This fabulous antique Jeanne d’Arc brooch is another favorite find. It dates from around 1910 and represents my favorite historical figure…Saint Joan of Arc…dressed for battle in her armor and holding her banner and her coat of arms. On either side of her you can see the cross of Lorraine...the region of France that she called home and the same area where I lived! It truly is a tiny little treasure…only about an inch and a half wide. This vintage wicker-wrapped demi-john was a fabulous Goodwill hunting find at $3.63! Whaaaat? Yes! I had been wanting one for a long time but was unwilling to pay those hefty prices! I believe it dates from the 1950s. These tiny fly-fishing flies (mouches) and bobber have special meaning. They were a little gift from me to my Dad from my days at the University of Dijon in France waaay back 1971. I grew up fishing with him and wanted to give him a little reminder. Can you see that it’s a tiny bee, cricket (grillon) and grasshopper? Here they are beside a penny so you can see just how tiny they are! If you follow my blog, you know that I collect Quimper pottery from Brittany, the Breton region of France. I have stumbled across quite a few pieces (that’s the way I like to collect…by happenstance) and I try to add unusual pieces to my collection when I can. So I was thrilled when I came across this vintage cup and saucer at a local flea market! I love the dragon head handle! And I was also excited to find this wonderful Quimper candle holder in an Atlanta area antique shop, as well as this booklet of antique postcards from Carcassonne! It is a medieval city in the south of France with its walls still completely intact. I love the beautiful pastel colors! The shop owner said that they came from the estate of a couple who had traveled there in the 1920s. I was especially happy to find them because I had visited Carcassonne as a college student. And…they were only $5.00! In another shop in my favorite little town for antiquing, I found a small stash of antique Paris postcards dating from around 1900. I used the one of my favorite Parisian monument, la Sainte-Chapelle, to top off the vintage book bundle that I made. You can see how I did it, plus find the postcards for you to copy for your own projects here. Not to be outdone by all of this vintage frenchiness, Miss Kitty decided to pose beside the book bundle to create her own antique post card! I was thrilled when I came across this in yet another antique shop…a bound copy of all if the issues of La Famille from 1896! That’s la Belle Époque…a long period of peace and prosperity for the growing French middle class. And in each issue…advice and recipes for young wives, fun magic tricks to entertain your guests when the conversation lags at the dinner table, a summary of the news, financial advice, directions for creating lovely handwork, a chapter of a continuing novel… ..and, sadly, an account of the first visit to France of the newly crowned Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Tsarina Alexandra along with their little daughter Olga. They are reported to be a charming and gracious couple. This was hard to read, knowing what a grim future was hidden from them and their yet-unborn children. On a much lighter note, it is also filled with fabulous fashions with tiny waists, the signature of la Belle Époque! What fun to witness French history as it was recounted week by week! You can read more about the book here. And I have saved the best for last…an antique book that I found at the bookstalls along the Seine River in Paris years ago…a gift for my Mom. It is L’Office de la Semaine Sainte…the services for Holy Week. Isn’t it wonderfully old and worn? It is written in Latin and in old French and is filled with personal notes from the previous owners. The frontispiece is beautifully engraved and you can see from the little pencil marks in the upper right that I only paid 15 francs for it…as I recall, that was about $12 at the time. But the best thing is the date of publication! Can you read it? It says With the Approval and Privilege of the King and is dated 1741…over 270 years ago! America wasn’t even a country yet! The king who would have given his approval for its publication was Louis XV. Please excuse the French teacher in me who could not be suppressed for this post! I hope you enjoyed seeing my favorite vintage French treasures as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you! And just in case you missed them, be sure to check out my other posts in our Country French Design series, my favorite tips for adding County French style… …and my thoughts on collecting…Country French style! Also head on over to visit these beautiful blogs from my very talented fellow Francophiles to see what wonderful vintage frenchiness they have to share with you! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed seeing my vintage French favorites! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants. Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Tuesday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday See you next time! À la prochaine! Also find me at… Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered Delivered by FeedBurner
Last few places left on our September brocante and lifestyle tour - planned from 25 to 30 September next, five days of authentic French living
Come on over and tour my french cottage home and see how I've decorated for the Summer 2022 season. It's full of inspiration and DIY decor!
Explore Kotomi_'s 53031 photos on Flickr!
La collezione Manteau Noir di Victoria è realizzato in tessuti naturali, come il lino di provenienza europea. Sono tinti a mano nei colori pastello a Melbourne. "Mentre la collezione si ispira ad abiti d'epoca vittoriana - e in un estetica giapponese molto minimalista - i capi sono senza tempo più uno stile di vita che una moda", spiega. Manteau Noir logo designed by Anita Mertzlin. un piccolo vaso vintage di ceramica di color verde Camark pottery ed il tavolino da Rajasthan, India. It’s not the value of the piece that concerns her, rather the sense of time and history. “I love things that have passed through many hands, things with a beautiful, painterly quality. I dislike anything overtly shiny,” she says. Nel soggiorno una sedia dorata in rattan del 1920. Teiere in peltro in stile georgiano e una collezione di ceramiche del 1940 provenienti da mercati e aste. “I love creating an interesting design dialogue where layers combine, and convey a sense of irony and humour,” Victoria says. “My love of old things came from visiting my grandparents’ house.” Rubinetteria vintage nel bagno... La casa di Victoria Varrasso designer di moda è nella città termale di Daylesford, pensata assieme al marito in un perfetto “a beautiful way of self-expression”. Interessante è la costante del colore grigio in ogni stanza, la disposizione dei ritratti e anche il ripetersi degli oggetti artigianali, scelti non solo per il valore ma piuttosto per il senso del tempo e della storia. xo Stefania (Fashion designer's vintage cottage full of antique treasures via Homelife Photographer: Lisa Cohen)
I am so excited today to join a group of my fellow francophiles who not only love France and all things French, but live it, too, by decorating their homes in Country French style! And I think you will find a little different twist on the notion of “Country French” in each home. I hope I qualify. I am no expert. But I have lived in France…and I did live in the country! Yes…as you may know, I actually moved to France and lived there for a year. As a French teacher, I loved being a part of that lifestyle and being surrounded by the history and the language of the country that I love. But I was drawn back home by the birth of my first grandchild and the need to be near my family. So I made a decision…to create my own little corner of France in my home, inspired by this wonderful farmhouse in Provence where I spent some time. (You can get a closer look here.) So I would like to share a few tips that I used as my guidelines along the way. Choose colors that you love and can live with. I love the sunny colors of Provence…the yellow of the sunflowers and the blue of the sky that can be found so often in Provençal table linens. These are the colors that make me happy so I knew that I would use them wherever possible in my home. Add a rustic look by using wrought iron or aged and even rusting metals in your fixtures. I love this time-worn look…so comfortable and warm! You will find wrought iron in the chandelier and rooster sconces in my dining room… …and in my favorite rooster chandelier in the breakfast area. For me, it adds the simple, informal feel that I hope to convey in my home. Add lots of layers...especially on the table! If you are visiting in France and are lucky enough to be invited for dinner, you will always find a tablecloth and real cloth napkins on the table. And don’t be surprised to see a kitty or doggie under the table, even in restaurants! Don’t worry…they have good manners and will not beg. (Thank you, Baby Kitty, for playing the role of le chat français.) Collect authentic French items if you can. For me, it’s plates above all else...like my vintage Quimper ware collection. (You can see more here.) Plates play an important role in France since you will find yourself changing with each course…so it’s good to have lots of them on hand! In fact, living in France is what made me a plate addict. If you like, you can read that story here. French linens are another popular collectible...especially those that have been monogrammed. But if you can’t find authentic vintage frenchiness to collect, create your own…like my DIY faux monogrammed tea towels that started out life as 79 cent IKEA dish towels! You can see how I did it, plus find links to more of my DIY French linens here. Use Country French fabrics, such as ticking and toile, in your décor. In fact, I love toile so much that I have it in several places and in different colors in my home. You saw it in blue and white in my dining room drapes and, here, in black and white in my guest room. The French ticking pillows are decorated with transfers of authentic French Camembert labels. You can see how I made them here. Of course, there must be sunflowers and roosters…le coq gaulois…symbol of France! There is more toile…this time in a softer pink and green…in my master bedroom. You can get all the details here. Add French graphics and wording wherever you can. Having taught French for 34 years, I love to be surrounded by little bits of the language I love! Here, a rooster chalkboard to welcome my guests… …and here, a labeled canister set to bring an element of frenchiness into the kitchen. Also notice the French wire egg holder, similar to the one I saw in Monet’s kitchen in Giverny… …and little bits of French in unexpected places, like my vintage French silverware sleeves! You can get all the details and find out how to make your own here. And that includes artwork and posters…such as my favorite Steinlen poster in the Country French guest bath! Get a closer look at it here. And there you have it…my tips for adding that wonderful Country French feel to your home! It’s a warm and comfortable style that makes me happy…surrounded by my favorite things and the colors that I love! And best of all…I don’t have jet lag and can see my grandchildren any time I want! You can see even more ways to add that French feel to your home in my project gallery under the Frenchy Projects section here. Now I hope you will head on over to visit these wonderful blogs and discover their favorite ways to add that French feeling to their homes! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed my favorite tips for adding Country French style! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants! Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party ,Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday, Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Monday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays, French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday See you next time! À la prochaine! Also find me at… Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered to your inbox Delivered by FeedBurner
I am excited to join our Country French design group this month to share my thoughts on collecting…Country French style! You may already know that I love France and all things French, having taught French for many years, and that I love plates. Soooo…I think it is easy to see that a collection of French Quimper pottery was the obvious choice for me! I have even visited the HB Henriot factory in Quimper in the lovely Breton region of France, an experience that I will never forget! But finding Quimper pottery here in the United States is not always easy, especially since I am a collector by happenstance...a treasure hunter. I want to discover my treasures in the corner of a little antique shop or hiding among a collection of totally unrelated items at a flea market. I want them to surprise me and make me squeal with delight when I see them! Silly, I know, but that’s how I like to collect…so that each piece has a memory attached to it. I love seeing my little couples in their traditional Breton costumes all stacked haphazardly on my hutch. I even love the broken pieces that someone lovingly mended. You can read about my biggest Quimper flea market haul here. But I realized that I had another tendency when my just barely three-year-old grandson looked up from his lunch and spied my little vintage Breton candlestick couple and casually said “Mom and Dad.” Whaaat? I asked him to repeat it. Yes, I had heard him right. And I realized…not only do I insist on finding my treasures, they must always be in pairs! Well, of course, you must buy a pair for salt and pepper shakers. That just makes sense! And how can you not buy a pair of egg cups? Who can separate the little couple…leave her without her little man? After all, they are looking at each other! Sometimes she’s on the right… and sometimes she’s on the left… and sometimes he’s ignoring her completely, but they must always be together if at all possible. Why is that a problem? Because you can’t buy just one! (This couple, by the way, occupies my favorite plates...bought at the brocante in l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France during my retirement trip to France.) Occasionally, she has already lost her little man and I buy her so she won’t be lonely. Or sometimes he’s the one who has lost his mate, so he comes home with me so he won’t be alone. (You can see how I made those vintage-look French fairy tale book covers here.) And then they join the little Quimper party on the hutch! Baby Kitty thinks I am totally insane. He says they are just plates and they don’t have feelings! And in my head I know that, but still…I can’t leave one of them behind! Could you? Are you a treasure hunter like me, too? And just in case you missed it…last time I shared some of my favorite tips for creating Country French style in your home. You will find them here. Be sure to join our design group on the last Sunday of each month. I am so thrilled to have be included with these very talented bloggers! And check out this month’s tips from my fellow francophiles: Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed seeing my Quimper collection! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants! Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party ,Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday, Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Monday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays, French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday See you next time! À la prochaine! Also find me at… Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered to your inbox Delivered by FeedBurner
I am excited to join the Country French Design group for our monthly share…this time with an emphasis on vintage French! So today I am sharing my favorites with you…my French treasures that I have collected over the last 40 plus years. Yes…I have loved France and all things French for that long! Some are tiny and some are very old…but all of them have special meaning! Warning! Warning! The French teacher in me may be just about to come out! lol I love these wonderful spools of thread…a gift from a sweet friend. They have a sheen that modern thread doesn’t have! And the little antique acorn-shaped measuring tape is from the late 1800s. It’s made of vegetable ivory…the tagua nut from the ivory-nut palm, a popular material during that time period. That’s my mom’s baby bonnet in the background. You can read more about it here. This fabulous antique Jeanne d’Arc brooch is another favorite find. It dates from around 1910 and represents my favorite historical figure…Saint Joan of Arc…dressed for battle in her armor and holding her banner and her coat of arms. On either side of her you can see the cross of Lorraine...the region of France that she called home and the same area where I lived! It truly is a tiny little treasure…only about an inch and a half wide. This vintage wicker-wrapped demi-john was a fabulous Goodwill hunting find at $3.63! Whaaaat? Yes! I had been wanting one for a long time but was unwilling to pay those hefty prices! I believe it dates from the 1950s. These tiny fly-fishing flies (mouches) and bobber have special meaning. They were a little gift from me to my Dad from my days at the University of Dijon in France waaay back 1971. I grew up fishing with him and wanted to give him a little reminder. Can you see that it’s a tiny bee, cricket (grillon) and grasshopper? Here they are beside a penny so you can see just how tiny they are! If you follow my blog, you know that I collect Quimper pottery from Brittany, the Breton region of France. I have stumbled across quite a few pieces (that’s the way I like to collect…by happenstance) and I try to add unusual pieces to my collection when I can. So I was thrilled when I came across this vintage cup and saucer at a local flea market! I love the dragon head handle! And I was also excited to find this wonderful Quimper candle holder in an Atlanta area antique shop, as well as this booklet of antique postcards from Carcassonne! It is a medieval city in the south of France with its walls still completely intact. I love the beautiful pastel colors! The shop owner said that they came from the estate of a couple who had traveled there in the 1920s. I was especially happy to find them because I had visited Carcassonne as a college student. And…they were only $5.00! In another shop in my favorite little town for antiquing, I found a small stash of antique Paris postcards dating from around 1900. I used the one of my favorite Parisian monument, la Sainte-Chapelle, to top off the vintage book bundle that I made. You can see how I did it, plus find the postcards for you to copy for your own projects here. Not to be outdone by all of this vintage frenchiness, Miss Kitty decided to pose beside the book bundle to create her own antique post card! I was thrilled when I came across this in yet another antique shop…a bound copy of all if the issues of La Famille from 1896! That’s la Belle Époque…a long period of peace and prosperity for the growing French middle class. And in each issue…advice and recipes for young wives, fun magic tricks to entertain your guests when the conversation lags at the dinner table, a summary of the news, financial advice, directions for creating lovely handwork, a chapter of a continuing novel… ..and, sadly, an account of the first visit to France of the newly crowned Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Tsarina Alexandra along with their little daughter Olga. They are reported to be a charming and gracious couple. This was hard to read, knowing what a grim future was hidden from them and their yet-unborn children. On a much lighter note, it is also filled with fabulous fashions with tiny waists, the signature of la Belle Époque! What fun to witness French history as it was recounted week by week! You can read more about the book here. And I have saved the best for last…an antique book that I found at the bookstalls along the Seine River in Paris years ago…a gift for my Mom. It is L’Office de la Semaine Sainte…the services for Holy Week. Isn’t it wonderfully old and worn? It is written in Latin and in old French and is filled with personal notes from the previous owners. The frontispiece is beautifully engraved and you can see from the little pencil marks in the upper right that I only paid 15 francs for it…as I recall, that was about $12 at the time. But the best thing is the date of publication! Can you read it? It says With the Approval and Privilege of the King and is dated 1741…over 270 years ago! America wasn’t even a country yet! The king who would have given his approval for its publication was Louis XV. Please excuse the French teacher in me who could not be suppressed for this post! I hope you enjoyed seeing my favorite vintage French treasures as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you! And just in case you missed them, be sure to check out my other posts in our Country French Design series, my favorite tips for adding County French style… …and my thoughts on collecting…Country French style! Also head on over to visit these beautiful blogs from my very talented fellow Francophiles to see what wonderful vintage frenchiness they have to share with you! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed seeing my vintage French favorites! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants. Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Tuesday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday See you next time! À la prochaine! Also find me at… Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered Delivered by FeedBurner
I am excited to join the Country French Design group for our monthly share…this time with an emphasis on vintage French! So today I am sharing my favorites with you…my French treasures that I have collected over the last 40 plus years. Yes…I have loved France and all things French for that long! Some are tiny and some are very old…but all of them have special meaning! Warning! Warning! The French teacher in me may be just about to come out! lol I love these wonderful spools of thread…a gift from a sweet friend. They have a sheen that modern thread doesn’t have! And the little antique acorn-shaped measuring tape is from the late 1800s. It’s made of vegetable ivory…the tagua nut from the ivory-nut palm, a popular material during that time period. That’s my mom’s baby bonnet in the background. You can read more about it here. This fabulous antique Jeanne d’Arc brooch is another favorite find. It dates from around 1910 and represents my favorite historical figure…Saint Joan of Arc…dressed for battle in her armor and holding her banner and her coat of arms. On either side of her you can see the cross of Lorraine...the region of France that she called home and the same area where I lived! It truly is a tiny little treasure…only about an inch and a half wide. This vintage wicker-wrapped demi-john was a fabulous Goodwill hunting find at $3.63! Whaaaat? Yes! I had been wanting one for a long time but was unwilling to pay those hefty prices! I believe it dates from the 1950s. These tiny fly-fishing flies (mouches) and bobber have special meaning. They were a little gift from me to my Dad from my days at the University of Dijon in France waaay back 1971. I grew up fishing with him and wanted to give him a little reminder. Can you see that it’s a tiny bee, cricket (grillon) and grasshopper? Here they are beside a penny so you can see just how tiny they are! If you follow my blog, you know that I collect Quimper pottery from Brittany, the Breton region of France. I have stumbled across quite a few pieces (that’s the way I like to collect…by happenstance) and I try to add unusual pieces to my collection when I can. So I was thrilled when I came across this vintage cup and saucer at a local flea market! I love the dragon head handle! And I was also excited to find this wonderful Quimper candle holder in an Atlanta area antique shop, as well as this booklet of antique postcards from Carcassonne! It is a medieval city in the south of France with its walls still completely intact. I love the beautiful pastel colors! The shop owner said that they came from the estate of a couple who had traveled there in the 1920s. I was especially happy to find them because I had visited Carcassonne as a college student. And…they were only $5.00! In another shop in my favorite little town for antiquing, I found a small stash of antique Paris postcards dating from around 1900. I used the one of my favorite Parisian monument, la Sainte-Chapelle, to top off the vintage book bundle that I made. You can see how I did it, plus find the postcards for you to copy for your own projects here. Not to be outdone by all of this vintage frenchiness, Miss Kitty decided to pose beside the book bundle to create her own antique post card! I was thrilled when I came across this in yet another antique shop…a bound copy of all if the issues of La Famille from 1896! That’s la Belle Époque…a long period of peace and prosperity for the growing French middle class. And in each issue…advice and recipes for young wives, fun magic tricks to entertain your guests when the conversation lags at the dinner table, a summary of the news, financial advice, directions for creating lovely handwork, a chapter of a continuing novel… ..and, sadly, an account of the first visit to France of the newly crowned Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Tsarina Alexandra along with their little daughter Olga. They are reported to be a charming and gracious couple. This was hard to read, knowing what a grim future was hidden from them and their yet-unborn children. On a much lighter note, it is also filled with fabulous fashions with tiny waists, the signature of la Belle Époque! What fun to witness French history as it was recounted week by week! You can read more about the book here. And I have saved the best for last…an antique book that I found at the bookstalls along the Seine River in Paris years ago…a gift for my Mom. It is L’Office de la Semaine Sainte…the services for Holy Week. Isn’t it wonderfully old and worn? It is written in Latin and in old French and is filled with personal notes from the previous owners. The frontispiece is beautifully engraved and you can see from the little pencil marks in the upper right that I only paid 15 francs for it…as I recall, that was about $12 at the time. But the best thing is the date of publication! Can you read it? It says With the Approval and Privilege of the King and is dated 1741…over 270 years ago! America wasn’t even a country yet! The king who would have given his approval for its publication was Louis XV. Please excuse the French teacher in me who could not be suppressed for this post! I hope you enjoyed seeing my favorite vintage French treasures as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you! And just in case you missed them, be sure to check out my other posts in our Country French Design series, my favorite tips for adding County French style… …and my thoughts on collecting…Country French style! Also head on over to visit these beautiful blogs from my very talented fellow Francophiles to see what wonderful vintage frenchiness they have to share with you! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed seeing my vintage French favorites! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants. Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Tuesday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday See you next time! À la prochaine! Also find me at… Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered Delivered by FeedBurner
I am excited today because I am joining my friend and fellow Scoop co-host Anita Joyce on her blog book tour! I have long followed Anita’s blog Cedar Hill Farmhouse and always felt a connection to her through her love of French style. And now Anita is the author of a beautiful new design book French Accents: Farmhouse French Style for Today's Home, outlining everything you need to know…quite literally!…for creating her rustic yet elegant style. If you have ever contemplated adding farmhouse French style to your home but didn’t know where to start, this is the book for you! (All photos are the property of Anita Joyce and Cedar Hill Farmhouse blog) Not only is the book filled with Anita’s beautiful photographs, but you will also find page after page of useful information…where to shop, how to paint and distress furniture, sewing your own slipcovers, decorating guidelines and a list of all of the elements that just say farmhouse French. It’s everything you need to know all in one place, including sources for furniture and décor! But perhaps my favorite thing about the book is Anita’s beautiful yet comfortable writing style. It’s as if you are having a cup of coffee with a friend while she is spilling all of her best decorating secrets! The book is so beautiful that you could put it on your coffee table…but it won’t stay there long! You will find yourself picking it up and referring to it over and over. I honestly have to say that I own lots of French design books, but I have never found one with as much useful and practical information as this one! And best of all…and you know I love this one…Anita shows you how to do it all without spending a fortune! Anita takes you room by room through the house with wonderful suggestions for mixing furniture pieces, fabrics and décor essentials to create her easy yet elegant style for a look that appears to have come together over time. I especially loved that she not only lists her suggestions, but also categorizes them by cost…what a great idea!…so that you can begin your transformation without spending a lot of money! She even includes a section on creating lovely spaces for easy outdoor living and family meals outdoors. I particularly loved this section since it reminded me of happy hours spent lingering over dinner at a big table in the garden with my friends in France. And finally, her advice really struck a chord with me…an understanding that decorating your home in a style that makes you happy and makes your guests feel welcome is important. It affects the quality of your life. It’s something that evolves over time and does not need to be rushed. In short, it’s a feeling that makes you glad to come home! Be sure to continue Anita’s French Accents blog tour with my fellow bloggers! You can purchase French Accents: Farmhouse French Style for Today's Home through all major book sellers and in Anita’s online shop HERE. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way. Also find me at… Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered Delivered by FeedBurner
Decorating, Thrifting, Traveling...with a French Accent
I am excited to join our Country French Design group today for our monthly share…and this time the topic is shelves! For me, that means having a spot to display my favorite things. They are mes préférées…my favorites…as Country French design guru Charles Faudree called his collections. Now you may be thinking that my shelves are all packed with plates…but you may be surprised! Of course, you will find my ever-growing collection of Quimper pottery displayed in my home. And I have to admit that I am rather informal when it comes to styling the breakfast room hutch where it is displayed. I love the casual look of stacks of vintage plates and bowls… …intermingled with plates on stands and wonderful old finds such as that little pitcher nestled in among the bowls. And I don’t even mind if the pieces are broken and were lovingly mended by a previous owner. That is just a testament to me that he or she loved Quimper pottery as much as I do! But you may be surprised to find that at the base of that same hutch, I have displayed my collection of clay cookers. And although mine are not French (they're actually German), they remind me of the clay fait-tout cooking pots that are the workhorse for many old French recipes. The duck is my favorite! I just love how the base of the pot has been made to resemble a basket! On the hutch in the dining room, you will find my blue and white collection. I know what you are thinking…they are not French at all, but are largely either English or Asian. I admit that you are right, however, I have to say that I took a hint from Charles Faudree in this department. He was also a lover of blue and white and felt that crossing borders serves to enrich the mix…and I happily agree! I also love to sprinkle in a few pieces of vintage Red Cliff ironstone. The traditional grape pattern just looks French to me! Occasionally, I will add some vintage silverplate. I love the way the patina of an old tray reflects the room! And I have also been known to dress down my collection by adding in pieces such as this shabby toolbox. I love the way it pulls together mismatched vintage plates and old lids and makes them make sense! But perhaps my favorite shelf is the little half wall by the entrance to my home. I like to have a little greeting there to welcome my guests. It’s my home all summed up in a tiny vignette…sunny Provençal colors with a touch of vintage collections lovingly displayed so that they can be enjoyed all year round! Be sure to visit my fellow francophiles and their beautiful blogs to see what they have to say about styling shelves in Country French décor! FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE CEDAR HILL FARMHOUSE Thanks for stopping by! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants. Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for the Show and Share Party , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Monday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday, Tatertots & Jello for the Link Party Palooza on Fridays See you next time! À la prochaine! Also find me at… Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered Delivered by FeedBurner
Last week, I shared soft, faded, charming patina on the patio. A fresh look that was filled with muted chalky whites and grey and barely blushing blush accents. I have found myself gravitating towards simple and light more and more recently. From fresh white paint to furniture changes to bringing in texture in place of…
Join Sharon on our Provence tour, an exclusive chance to experience Provence and to see behind the scenes at the Chateau de Moissac,
September here means brocante season, and this year we have the regular brocante tour and also the first edition of our new Antiques and Luxury tour!
Welcome! I am so excited that you have come by for a visit! I have shown you bits and pieces of my home, but this is the first time I have taken you for a real tour! My house is a reflection of me...filled to the brim with all of the frenchiness I can cram into my little space! I hope you will like what you see! Come on in! First, I must tell you a little about myself…the influences of my style! I am a retired French teacher who lived in France for a year before coming home for the birth of my first grandchild. I missed my family and realized that I could no longer live there, but I had wonderful memories of visiting homes like the one pictured above. (You can actually get a peek into this mas provençal here.) So I decided to create my own little corner of France right here in Georgia and began collecting things that reminded me of the warm, sunny colors of Provence. And my French Country style was born! When you enter, you are greeted by a little candle surrounded by thrifted vintage forks and tied with a Provençal print ribbon. My favorite frenchy Bonjour plaque welcomes you into my home! In the living room, you will see lots of blue and yellow with accents of antique red…my favorite Provençal colors. In the spring and summer, I add some pops of apple green to give the room a fresh look. The colors continue on the coffee table where I have a stack of books by my favorite designer…Charles Faudree. On my mantel you will find pairs of mismatched Chinese-influenced vases and stylized topiaries. I added a trio of plates to the mantelpiece to give it a little interest. And in the center…one of my favorites…my frenchy sheep! I eyed him in an antique and interiors shop for a year before splurging and buying him. I am so glad that he waited for me! On the opposite side of the room…subtle colors with a painted chest accented with fruit and fruit-themed art and plates to match. You can see more here. Perhaps my favorite room is my dining room, starring a hutch to display my Spode Blue Room plates…thrifted over time...and my double happiness jar collection. I have added a French-style rush seat chair to my mom’s vintage table and Windsor chairs. I think it fits in nicely. My favorite antique Quimper plates are hanging on the wall. On the opposite side of the room is the buffet and a few more pieces of my Quimper collection…a wall pocket filled with lavender and a poster topped by vintage Quimper plates. I love to use a tablecloth...this one is actually a drop cloth...and layer it with a faux grain sack runner and lots of blue and white…my favorites! You can find a tutorial for the runner here and for the grain sack pillow that you see in the chair here. The Provençal blue and yellow continue in the breakfast room where you can see my favorite light fixture…my frenchy rooster chandelier! And…of course…there are plates on the wall! I have since added a collection of vintage Quimper plates to the hutch. You can get a closer look at my collection here. Are you beginning to notice that I love plates…especially French plates! Under the hutch is my collection of clay cookers. I love their rustic look and whimsical shapes! I actually do cook with them and have shared a recipe here. And for the first time I am giving you a little peek into my kitchen. It’s a small galley-style kitchen…just the right size for the Plate Addicts. I have added some frenchiness here, too...with my French-style canisters and my recently-acquired French wire egg holder…just like the one in Monet’s kitchen in Giverny. That’s my grandmother’s dough bowl…a prized possession and family heirloom. On the opposite side of the kitchen, I have displayed croissants in my frenchy DIY pastry dome. If you would like to have one of your own, you will find the tutorial here. This frenchy rooster chalkboard welcomes you into the guest bedroom… …where there are more roosters and layers of fabrics in black and white…ticking, toile and checks… …and Provençal sunflowers along side a whimsical Eiffel Tower lamp. It took me two trips to the store to decide to buy this kitchy lamp, but I love it! The French Country colors and style continue in the guest bathroom with big buffalo check Dupioni silk panels serving as a shower curtain… …and an Old Britain Castles transferware creamer and sugar serving as little holders for French milled soaps. You can see more of my guest bathroom here. In my Parisian master bedroom I went for a softer color palette with pink and green toile. To create some architectural interest, I added a collection of ironstone plates above the bed and a carved piece above the windows. A French cane-back chair covered with a drop cloth slipcover with a frenchy flounce… …sits beside my great-great grandfather’s plantation desk. You can get a closer look here. And on the night stand…a Victorian quadruple silverplate master sugar spooner that lost its lid serves as a vase and a Victorian calling card holder keeps my earrings safe overnight. I think I have a thing about chairs! This one got a chippy paint job and a drop cloth seat as well. You can see how I did it here. And that’s my Pottery Barn inspired monogrammed pillow! It’s one of my favorites. And finally…let’s end our tour on my patio, all dressed for summer. Get a closer look at it here. It’s my favorite spot for morning coffee! I hope you will join me! Thanks so much for taking the tour of my home! I hope you will stay around for a little while and make yourself at home on my blog. I have lots of projects and fun ideas for you to check out in my Project Gallery, so head on over and take a peek!
Explore Kotomi_'s 53031 photos on Flickr!
Last few places left on our September brocante and lifestyle tour - planned from 25 to 30 September next, five days of authentic French living
I don’t know about you, but I never tire of looking at anything related to décor or France! Make that décor in France and I am hooked! So today I want to share with you a few of my favorite French décor magazines that I have found online…and they are all free! It doesn’t matter if you don’t speak French, the pictures say it all! Take for example this wonderful salon from Campagne Décoration! (Click on any of the magazine titles to be taken to the full article and more beautiful photos!) I love that fireplace…and that mirror…and that chair…sigh! Here’s another salon from Campagne Décoration. I love the elegant simplicity…and just look at that fabulous floor…je l’adore! Look closely…do you notice anything about this one from Le Journal des Femmes ? While we are working so hard to find or create authentic looking grain sack pillows complete with lots of French writing…their version is simple…and in English! lol Love the wall of cabinets…and such a pretty color! This tablescape for Réveillon or Christmas Eve dinner made my heart stop! I have studied every inch of it! I love those topiaries in pots on the mantel and I want those chairs! lol You’ll find it in Arts & Décoration. This is a great example of what the French call campagne (country) chic…their version of shabby chic! Look at those fabulous chairs and that cherub medallion on the wall! I found this in e mag Déco. Just click on this link to find a treasure trove of photos of this mas (farmhouse) near Aix in Provence! The plate lover in me is fascinated by this kitchen! I want to get into that hutch and check out their plates!! lol And look…there on the top shelf…some of those lionhead soup bowls I have been wanting! You can see more in Mon Jardin & Ma Maison. This kitchen reminds me of the one in the apartment where we stayed during my retirement trip to Provence! Ahhhh! See more of this lovely Provençal home in Campagne Décoration. And look at those wonderful floors and those fabulous chairs! Hmmm…is my chair addiction showing? This one is also from e mag Déco. I love the paint treatment on the walls…and check out that fabulous console table! You can see more of this home…er…château in e mag Déco. Here’s a simple yet elegant chambre! And check out that mirror! Once again, see more at e mag Déco. Could you curl up in this reading nook on a rainy day…with a cup of thé and a madeleine? Check out this château at Campagne Décoration. In fact, you can often find a virtual tour of a château in these magazines, such as this one that belonged to Madame de Staël…who is often called the first modern woman! It can be found at Art & Décoration. And what trip to France would be complete without doing a little shopping in Paris? This shop and more out of the way places in Paris can be found in Campagne Décoration. Hmmm…I am noting the address of this one! What excuse can I use to get my 10 year old grandson to agree to a stop at this one during our Paris trip this summer? Maybe they sell gargoyles! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek into my favorite French magazines! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants! Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday Jill at French Cupboard for French Inspiratin on Thursdays Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday See you next time! A la prochaine!
Happy New Year~ Ok, the holidays are over and I am officially READY for 2013! 2012 had it's HIGH highs and LOW lows! I am ready for a fresh and clean start. I decided that the place to start was in my house. Although, I love putting up all the Christmas decor and looking at Santa faces for a month and having my house totally transformed to a red wonderland, I can't wait to my blue and white house back together. This also gives me a change to do some rearranging and de-cluttering. Oh the satisfaction!!! Here are some photos of my homes fresh start in 2013~ " Relax" a good motto for 2013.. I will try my best:) Some of my new blue and white towels We set up a hot chocolate bar in the kitchen for Christmas..some of it still remains in tact. Excuse the lovely plug in the photo;) This little table in my dining room is now home to some ironstone More dining room I know your wondering right now...whats with the red??? Well, during Christmas I had some great red French linens around and I decided I just couldn't part with them.... so they are my one hint of red thats left:)) Home of the red linens.. I got this fabulous jar that I use am putting all my dried roses in. Wonder when it will be filled?? Living Room I got this beauty before Christmas at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. 99% of the time my husband doesn't object to any of my "finds". This time, he DID. The boys in the house refer to this as the "family urinal"!! Nice huh??? But, it still made it on the wall by my computer. I am using the enamel part as a bulletin board! Good idea??? Yes, we have a den in our house that is decorated in browns, grays and whites! I don't photograph it much so here is the debut.... This is the other side of the shelves Well, I hope you enjoyed the home tour.. a little long I know. And, I eliminated many photos. I hope you all have a wonderful week! Oh .. did you notice the new blog header?? I think I am liking this one A LOT!! xo~ Cheryl
Decorating, Thrifting, Traveling...with a French Accent
I am excited to join the Country French Design group for our monthly share…this time with an emphasis on vintage French! So today I am sharing my favorites with you…my French treasures that I have collected over the last 40 plus years. Yes…I have loved France and all things French for that long! Some are tiny and some are very old…but all of them have special meaning! Warning! Warning! The French teacher in me may be just about to come out! lol I love these wonderful spools of thread…a gift from a sweet friend. They have a sheen that modern thread doesn’t have! And the little antique acorn-shaped measuring tape is from the late 1800s. It’s made of vegetable ivory…the tagua nut from the ivory-nut palm, a popular material during that time period. That’s my mom’s baby bonnet in the background. You can read more about it here. This fabulous antique Jeanne d’Arc brooch is another favorite find. It dates from around 1910 and represents my favorite historical figure…Saint Joan of Arc…dressed for battle in her armor and holding her banner and her coat of arms. On either side of her you can see the cross of Lorraine...the region of France that she called home and the same area where I lived! It truly is a tiny little treasure…only about an inch and a half wide. This vintage wicker-wrapped demi-john was a fabulous Goodwill hunting find at $3.63! Whaaaat? Yes! I had been wanting one for a long time but was unwilling to pay those hefty prices! I believe it dates from the 1950s. These tiny fly-fishing flies (mouches) and bobber have special meaning. They were a little gift from me to my Dad from my days at the University of Dijon in France waaay back 1971. I grew up fishing with him and wanted to give him a little reminder. Can you see that it’s a tiny bee, cricket (grillon) and grasshopper? Here they are beside a penny so you can see just how tiny they are! If you follow my blog, you know that I collect Quimper pottery from Brittany, the Breton region of France. I have stumbled across quite a few pieces (that’s the way I like to collect…by happenstance) and I try to add unusual pieces to my collection when I can. So I was thrilled when I came across this vintage cup and saucer at a local flea market! I love the dragon head handle! And I was also excited to find this wonderful Quimper candle holder in an Atlanta area antique shop, as well as this booklet of antique postcards from Carcassonne! It is a medieval city in the south of France with its walls still completely intact. I love the beautiful pastel colors! The shop owner said that they came from the estate of a couple who had traveled there in the 1920s. I was especially happy to find them because I had visited Carcassonne as a college student. And…they were only $5.00! In another shop in my favorite little town for antiquing, I found a small stash of antique Paris postcards dating from around 1900. I used the one of my favorite Parisian monument, la Sainte-Chapelle, to top off the vintage book bundle that I made. You can see how I did it, plus find the postcards for you to copy for your own projects here. Not to be outdone by all of this vintage frenchiness, Miss Kitty decided to pose beside the book bundle to create her own antique post card! I was thrilled when I came across this in yet another antique shop…a bound copy of all if the issues of La Famille from 1896! That’s la Belle Époque…a long period of peace and prosperity for the growing French middle class. And in each issue…advice and recipes for young wives, fun magic tricks to entertain your guests when the conversation lags at the dinner table, a summary of the news, financial advice, directions for creating lovely handwork, a chapter of a continuing novel… ..and, sadly, an account of the first visit to France of the newly crowned Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Tsarina Alexandra along with their little daughter Olga. They are reported to be a charming and gracious couple. This was hard to read, knowing what a grim future was hidden from them and their yet-unborn children. On a much lighter note, it is also filled with fabulous fashions with tiny waists, the signature of la Belle Époque! What fun to witness French history as it was recounted week by week! You can read more about the book here. And I have saved the best for last…an antique book that I found at the bookstalls along the Seine River in Paris years ago…a gift for my Mom. It is L’Office de la Semaine Sainte…the services for Holy Week. Isn’t it wonderfully old and worn? It is written in Latin and in old French and is filled with personal notes from the previous owners. The frontispiece is beautifully engraved and you can see from the little pencil marks in the upper right that I only paid 15 francs for it…as I recall, that was about $12 at the time. But the best thing is the date of publication! Can you read it? It says With the Approval and Privilege of the King and is dated 1741…over 270 years ago! America wasn’t even a country yet! The king who would have given his approval for its publication was Louis XV. Please excuse the French teacher in me who could not be suppressed for this post! I hope you enjoyed seeing my favorite vintage French treasures as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you! And just in case you missed them, be sure to check out my other posts in our Country French Design series, my favorite tips for adding County French style… …and my thoughts on collecting…Country French style! Also head on over to visit these beautiful blogs from my very talented fellow Francophiles to see what wonderful vintage frenchiness they have to share with you! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed seeing my vintage French favorites! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants. Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Tuesday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday See you next time! À la prochaine! Also find me at… Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered Delivered by FeedBurner
You may remember from my earlier post about this room (or you may have forgotten because after all it was quite some time ago!) I was never happy with the bed I originally had in here. I realised this room was crying out for an iron bed. So I played with some wire and beads and exercised some great patience to make a new, old looking bed. A red velvet chair like this was in a big bag of dollhouse furniture I was lucky enough to find at an op shop! The style was right but the red velvet and mahogany had to go... The chair was transformed with a little paint and fabric. Finding something tiny enough to use as upholstery nails was a challenge...but you know I enjoy a challenge! It was my good fortune to find the cutest box of vintage 'Lilliputian' pins at an op shop. The bed cover is an exquisite vintage handkerchief. I've purposely made the bed look a little lumpy and lived in...it's supposed to be an old bed after all. Luckily the handkerchief was the perfect size for the bed. I don't like it when I have to cut vintage handkerchiefs up! There's some old paper above the bed. Time to fill the shelves in this room...
These eight French garden design ideas are beyond beautiful and can be used to create a quintessentially French garden. Idea #3 is so easy!
I am excited to join the Country French Design group for our monthly share…this time with an emphasis on vintage French! So today I am sharing my favorites with you…my French treasures that I have collected over the last 40 plus years. Yes…I have loved France and all things French for that long! Some are tiny and some are very old…but all of them have special meaning! Warning! Warning! The French teacher in me may be just about to come out! lol I love these wonderful spools of thread…a gift from a sweet friend. They have a sheen that modern thread doesn’t have! And the little antique acorn-shaped measuring tape is from the late 1800s. It’s made of vegetable ivory…the tagua nut from the ivory-nut palm, a popular material during that time period. That’s my mom’s baby bonnet in the background. You can read more about it here. This fabulous antique Jeanne d’Arc brooch is another favorite find. It dates from around 1910 and represents my favorite historical figure…Saint Joan of Arc…dressed for battle in her armor and holding her banner and her coat of arms. On either side of her you can see the cross of Lorraine...the region of France that she called home and the same area where I lived! It truly is a tiny little treasure…only about an inch and a half wide. This vintage wicker-wrapped demi-john was a fabulous Goodwill hunting find at $3.63! Whaaaat? Yes! I had been wanting one for a long time but was unwilling to pay those hefty prices! I believe it dates from the 1950s. These tiny fly-fishing flies (mouches) and bobber have special meaning. They were a little gift from me to my Dad from my days at the University of Dijon in France waaay back 1971. I grew up fishing with him and wanted to give him a little reminder. Can you see that it’s a tiny bee, cricket (grillon) and grasshopper? Here they are beside a penny so you can see just how tiny they are! If you follow my blog, you know that I collect Quimper pottery from Brittany, the Breton region of France. I have stumbled across quite a few pieces (that’s the way I like to collect…by happenstance) and I try to add unusual pieces to my collection when I can. So I was thrilled when I came across this vintage cup and saucer at a local flea market! I love the dragon head handle! And I was also excited to find this wonderful Quimper candle holder in an Atlanta area antique shop, as well as this booklet of antique postcards from Carcassonne! It is a medieval city in the south of France with its walls still completely intact. I love the beautiful pastel colors! The shop owner said that they came from the estate of a couple who had traveled there in the 1920s. I was especially happy to find them because I had visited Carcassonne as a college student. And…they were only $5.00! In another shop in my favorite little town for antiquing, I found a small stash of antique Paris postcards dating from around 1900. I used the one of my favorite Parisian monument, la Sainte-Chapelle, to top off the vintage book bundle that I made. You can see how I did it, plus find the postcards for you to copy for your own projects here. Not to be outdone by all of this vintage frenchiness, Miss Kitty decided to pose beside the book bundle to create her own antique post card! I was thrilled when I came across this in yet another antique shop…a bound copy of all if the issues of La Famille from 1896! That’s la Belle Époque…a long period of peace and prosperity for the growing French middle class. And in each issue…advice and recipes for young wives, fun magic tricks to entertain your guests when the conversation lags at the dinner table, a summary of the news, financial advice, directions for creating lovely handwork, a chapter of a continuing novel… ..and, sadly, an account of the first visit to France of the newly crowned Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Tsarina Alexandra along with their little daughter Olga. They are reported to be a charming and gracious couple. This was hard to read, knowing what a grim future was hidden from them and their yet-unborn children. On a much lighter note, it is also filled with fabulous fashions with tiny waists, the signature of la Belle Époque! What fun to witness French history as it was recounted week by week! You can read more about the book here. And I have saved the best for last…an antique book that I found at the bookstalls along the Seine River in Paris years ago…a gift for my Mom. It is L’Office de la Semaine Sainte…the services for Holy Week. Isn’t it wonderfully old and worn? It is written in Latin and in old French and is filled with personal notes from the previous owners. The frontispiece is beautifully engraved and you can see from the little pencil marks in the upper right that I only paid 15 francs for it…as I recall, that was about $12 at the time. But the best thing is the date of publication! Can you read it? It says With the Approval and Privilege of the King and is dated 1741…over 270 years ago! America wasn’t even a country yet! The king who would have given his approval for its publication was Louis XV. Please excuse the French teacher in me who could not be suppressed for this post! I hope you enjoyed seeing my favorite vintage French treasures as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you! And just in case you missed them, be sure to check out my other posts in our Country French Design series, my favorite tips for adding County French style… …and my thoughts on collecting…Country French style! Also head on over to visit these beautiful blogs from my very talented fellow Francophiles to see what wonderful vintage frenchiness they have to share with you! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed seeing my vintage French favorites! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants. Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Tuesday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday See you next time! À la prochaine! Also find me at… Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered Delivered by FeedBurner
(via (6) Pin by Olga on interiors | Pinterest)
I’m excited to join our Country French Design group for our monthly share…and this time it’s all about fabrics! And when I think about French fabrics, my mind always goes straight to my favorite corner of France…sunny Provence! It’s a colorful region with boxes full of fresh fruit and vegetables at the local market, fields of sunflowers against bright blue skies, stacks of tablecloths in traditional Provençal fabrics in the shop windows and blue shutters framing old farmhouse windows with curious cats. So it will be of no surprise to you that some of my favorite things are sky blue and sunny yellow, like this wonderful Provençal tablecloth…a wedding present from a sweet friend…perfect back drop for a hand thrown blue pottery bowl filled with lemons! And if you have seen my breakfast area, you already know that you’ll find more blue and yellow there, including the Provençal print table square, a souvenir from my visit the village of Fontaine de Vaucluse, and a French fabric bread basket…believe it or not, a Goodwill find from several years ago! But my favorite French fabric is toile! In fact, you will find it in three rooms of my house! Perhaps my favorite is the Country French dining room, where blue and cream toile drapes are paired with my favorite transferware plates! There is more toile in the master bedroom…this time in restful shades of soft pinks and greens on the drapes… …and more muted pink on the matelassé coverlet, mixed with contrasting dark woods and a few vintage pieces and antiques. You will also find toile in my guest room…this time in black and cream and layered with windowpane checks and ticking…but with one change… On the bed you will find more black and cream ticking paired with transfers of vintage Camembert labels to create French inspired throw pillows. You will find links to the tutorials for making the pillows here. The staff says this is their favorite room…a cozy place to sneak a little cat nap! But French fabrics don’t have to be all about drapes and quilts! They can be table linens, too…however, that can be expensive! So I have found a way to create copies for a song…like these DIY no-sew monogrammed tea towels that started out as 79 cent IKEA dish towels! Here’s another one of my favorite ways to add frenchiness to textile projects…just add something in French! My vintage-look silverware sleeve, including the frenchy graphics, can be found here. Or add a few numbers surrounded by a vintage French wreath and voilà…French farmhouse numbered napkins! My Bon Appétit tea towels show that a little phrase in French can turn inexpensive flour sack towels into unusual napkins for your guests…lots of impact for not much money! The free graphic is included in the tutorial. And don’t forget to layer! Here are my linen hand towels serving as over-sized napkins and paired with my ruffled grain sack table runner! As Charles Faudree said…too much is never enough! And just in case you missed any of my posts on previous topics, here they are… My Favorite Tips for Adding Country French Style Collecting…Country French Style Country French Style…My Vintage French Favorites Dining Outdoors…French Style Please be sure to head on over and visit these beautiful blogs for some inspirational ideas and fun ways to use French fabrics in your decor! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed seeing my ideas for decorating with French fabrics! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants. Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for the Show and Share Party , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Monday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday See you next time! À la prochaine! Also find me at… Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered Delivered by FeedBurner
Considered modifications and thoughtful inclusions have transformed this little stone cottage into a cosy, comforting place of retreat.
My first time brocante shopping in France and I'm in love! This little town of Eymet stole my heart and now I'm addicted to French brocantes.
I’m excited to join our Country French Design group for our monthly share…and this time it’s all about fabrics! And when I think about French fabrics, my mind always goes straight to my favorite corner of France…sunny Provence! It’s a colorful region with boxes full of fresh fruit and vegetables at the local market, fields of sunflowers against bright blue skies, stacks of tablecloths in traditional Provençal fabrics in the shop windows and blue shutters framing old farmhouse windows with curious cats. So it will be of no surprise to you that some of my favorite things are sky blue and sunny yellow, like this wonderful Provençal tablecloth…a wedding present from a sweet friend…perfect back drop for a hand thrown blue pottery bowl filled with lemons! And if you have seen my breakfast area, you already know that you’ll find more blue and yellow there, including the Provençal print table square, a souvenir from my visit the village of Fontaine de Vaucluse, and a French fabric bread basket…believe it or not, a Goodwill find from several years ago! But my favorite French fabric is toile! In fact, you will find it in three rooms of my house! Perhaps my favorite is the Country French dining room, where blue and cream toile drapes are paired with my favorite transferware plates! There is more toile in the master bedroom…this time in restful shades of soft pinks and greens on the drapes… …and more muted pink on the matelassé coverlet, mixed with contrasting dark woods and a few vintage pieces and antiques. You will also find toile in my guest room…this time in black and cream and layered with windowpane checks and ticking…but with one change… On the bed you will find more black and cream ticking paired with transfers of vintage Camembert labels to create French inspired throw pillows. You will find links to the tutorials for making the pillows here. The staff says this is their favorite room…a cozy place to sneak a little cat nap! But French fabrics don’t have to be all about drapes and quilts! They can be table linens, too…however, that can be expensive! So I have found a way to create copies for a song…like these DIY no-sew monogrammed tea towels that started out as 79 cent IKEA dish towels! Here’s another one of my favorite ways to add frenchiness to textile projects…just add something in French! My vintage-look silverware sleeve, including the frenchy graphics, can be found here. Or add a few numbers surrounded by a vintage French wreath and voilà…French farmhouse numbered napkins! My Bon Appétit tea towels show that a little phrase in French can turn inexpensive flour sack towels into unusual napkins for your guests…lots of impact for not much money! The free graphic is included in the tutorial. And don’t forget to layer! Here are my linen hand towels serving as over-sized napkins and paired with my ruffled grain sack table runner! As Charles Faudree said…too much is never enough! And just in case you missed any of my posts on previous topics, here they are… My Favorite Tips for Adding Country French Style Collecting…Country French Style Country French Style…My Vintage French Favorites Dining Outdoors…French Style Please be sure to head on over and visit these beautiful blogs for some inspirational ideas and fun ways to use French fabrics in your decor! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed seeing my ideas for decorating with French fabrics! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants. Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for the Show and Share Party , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Monday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday See you next time! À la prochaine! Also find me at… Enter your email to have Plate Addict's blog posts delivered Delivered by FeedBurner
