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31 January, 2009

Moi? NOT go antiquing???...When Pigs Fly!

Are you ready to go antiquing? It's time to go spend our virtual money again!! My friend Linda at Nina's Nest and I are going back to the Queen of Hearts in Alpharetta, Georgia. Do you want to come along? Well...come follow us! We're the ones in the U-Haul! Here we are! Let's go see what we can find!
Ohh! How about this cute flying pig for starters? Only $22. Hmmm...OK, in the U-Haul it goes!


Are these not just the cutest things?? I want both of them...the sheep for sure! They are $45 each. It's the little blue and white striped base that I love so much.



You know I can't pass a rooster! Hmmm...this one is marked down to $30! I love his feathers!



Well...knock me down and call me Howdy!! Do you see what this is?? Do you remember my post on the Presidential china patterns? Here are salad plate sized versions of five of them! The Madison china was green though, I think. These range in price from $16 to $21 each. (Click here to see that post.)


I love this display! It's so colorful. I think geraniums are my favorite flower and there are some more roosters. See, I told you I can't walk past one without stopping!


And here's another on a tray. Hmmm...$57....a might pricey. Hey! It's virtual money!


Hoh hoh hoh...bonjour mesdames!!! C'est moi...Jacques-Louis....le cousin de Jean-Claude et Nicholas-Henri! Oh là là! It looks like we've found Jacques-Louis, the third cousin twice removed of Susan's pigs at Between Naps on the Porch! (Click here to see Susan's pig post.) He will go home with you for only $34!


Here's one for all you cloche lovers....$42.50. I love the blue and white cake stand, too. It's $28.75 and of course you'll want them both. Hmmm...carry the one...that's $71.25. What do you think?


I fell in love with these! These are antique English carving utensils. The fork is $35 and the knife is $48. Just look at those bone handles! I'll bet they have carved a lot of meat. Maybe these are the ones that carved the Christmas goose when Tiny Tim said "God bless us, every one!"

Baaaaad news! Do you remember the goat rack that I have been eyeing? It's gone. :-( But I found this sheep hook. Uhhhhh..no....a little creepy, but only $24.50!


I have never seen anything like this! It's a chain. The tag says that it can be hung or displayed in a bowl. Can you see what it is........?

It's little tiny earthenware cups! Aren't they cute? It's $32. I'm afraid I'd take it home and cut it up for a giant mouse picnic!!


I love this bunny pillow! Let's see.....$195. Wow! Oh, but remember....it's virtual money! You can have anything you want!


While we are looking at bunnies, here are Mr. and Mrs. Cottontail...$78.95 for the pair! I love their little outfits!


Ohhhhhh! Look at this! A vintage child's tea set in this cute basket for $19! You've gotta love this one!


I saved the best for last. Yes, it's another rooster, but this one has a story. It was purchased at an estate sale and was made for a special teacher by her students because it was something they knew she would love. I nearly cried when I saw it! The teacher in me wanted to buy it and bring it home to be loved. But he was $135....not virtual money! :-( I hope someone special will buy him! Any volunteers??
Well...I'm ready to head out, are you? Let's pack up the U-Haul. What did you buy? All this shopping has made me hungry!! How does Italian sound to you?

27 January, 2009

What's on My Wall?...Wordless Wednesday...and...Outdoor Wednesday

Today I am participating in three Wednesday events....am I overly enthusiastic?? Be sure to click on the links to the hostesses of these events so that you can visit their wonderful blogs and support these new ventures in Blogland!


Welcome to the first What's on your Wall Wednesday hosted by our "hostess with the mostest" Barb at Grits and Glamour! Be sure to stop by her blog to see her beautiful home and to find a list of this week's participants!


Welcome to my home! I have been hiding a dirty little secret from you and that is... the extent of my plate obsession! But now that I know you a little better, I am going to begin giving you a few peeks at my plates. This week I'll show you my front door. You see the four Quimper plates hanging above the door? Well, there are plates over almost every door in my house...are you still my friend? lol OK...then I'll show you my plates up close and personal as well as the little Quimper wall pocket to the right of my door.

This is my pride and joy...my favorite piece of Quimper ware! It is an antique double wall pocket with the traditional little Breton man and woman hand-painted on it. Quimper is in Bretagne...Brittany... a province of France...so the little figures are wearing the traditional costumes of that region. I love that they are together because it keeps me from having to buy two of them! You'll see what I mean when you see my plates!


This plate is from a series of Genre Ancien Wallplates which were created from designs in the archives and museum collections of HB Henriot, the most famous producer of Quimper ware. These plates are not antiques, but are copies of them. You will notice that there is always a fanciful plant painted beside the figures. Here is the little Breton, or man from Bretagne, who is playing a traditional Breton instrument...


...and this is the matching Bretonne, or woman from Bretagne. She has been spinning and is holding a spindle. I love the flowers in this particular pair of plates! But you must see my dilemma...you have to buy both of them!!!


And here is the Breton, smoking his clay pipe. Notice his wooden shoes and his wonderful bloomers!


and here is his partner....also holding a spindle. But you do see that you have to buy both, don't you? You can't leave the little guy all alone without his honey pie! Can you??

And so it begins...your first peek into my addiction to plates! Please be sure to visit Barb to see more of the participants and what's on their walls!

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Welcome to my first Wordless Wednesday hosted by my friend Dixie at French Lique, Texas! Be sure to visit her blog to see a list of the other participants, get the word for the week and find out how to join in the fun!


Garden....

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Welcome to Outdoor Wednesday hosted by my fellow Southerner Susan at A Southern Daydreamer! Don't forget to stop by her blog to see who is participating and to check out the wonderful outdoor spaces!

Vincent Van Gogh's view of the same garden...."The Courtyard of the Hospital at Arles." Van Gogh was admitted to this hospital in Arles, France, after cutting off a portion of his ear while arguing with his friend and fellow artist Paul Gauguin. Click here for more information about the life and works of Vincent Van Gogh.





26 January, 2009

My Third Tablescape Tuesday...or...Chintz and Toile

Welcome to my third Tablescape Tuesday hosted by our Hostess with the Mostest Susan at Between Naps on the Porch! Be sure to stop by her blog to see a list of everyone who is participating and to see her beautiful tablescape as well!

First allow me to introduce our co-hostess...the lovely Mademoiselle Isabella. She is filling in this week for Baby Kitty, who has flown to New York to consult his legal team concerning contract negotiations.

I am calling this week's tablescape Chintz and Toile. We are going to slip away to my virtual home in a little village in the south of France. So this tablescape has a provençal theme, using my two favorite colors...blue and yellow. I used many of my favorite pieces, so it really fell together much easier than the first two. Are you imagining that we are in France??


I used a pair of blue and white candlesticks in the center of the table and votives at each place for ambiance.


The placemats are a large Chinese toile which I use frequently. You may notice that I am using my mom's flatware Silver Flutes by Towle once again. I love its simplicity! I also chose it because we will be having soup tonight and this will give me a chance to use the soup spoons.


The soup bowls are Chintz by Spode. I really like the way the pattern runs off the edge and has no border. Do you see the little touches of yellow in the flowers?


The plates are Albany by Spode and are intended to coordinate with the Chintz. It makes mixing and matching so much easier!


I used the napkins that match the toile placemats and folded them like little fans, then put them in the goblets to give them a little more presence. The goblets are Dublin from Godinger and the wine glasses are bargains from Goodwill!


I am so excited because I get to use some of my favorites tonight! These are my Quimper salt and pepper shakers that I bought when we visited the factory in Quimper, France.


I actually found these little heart-shaped Quimper plates at TJ Maxx several years ago! I will put one at each end of the table for lemons for the sweet tea. We can't be entirely French!


I also found these Quimper pitchers at TJ Maxx! The trouble with collecting the traditional pattern is that you have to buy two of everything! You can't separate the little Breton couple!!! I will put iced tea in one and water in the other.


I love my Blue Willow soup tureen! I got it half price when a terrible storm hit several antique stores in Lawrenceville, Georgia. They had a sidewalk sale while they were cleaning up and I figure I cleaned up, too!


We are having a French-style supper tonight, which is usually a simple meal. I have a French friend who has soup every night...year round. This is loaded potato soup topped with grated cheese and bacon crumbles...not necessarily French, but I like it!


Of course, you have to have French bread! I am serving it in a provençal bread basket that I found in France. I love it because you can untie the corners and fold it flat to store....and to pack!! There is a different pattern on the inside and it can be reversed.


After the soup, we'll have our salad. That's how it's done in French homes. The salad is French-style also...just lettuce! The dressing, however, is homemade tomato basil, while the French would have a simple vinaigrette. The salad utensils are special favorites of mine. They are made of olive wood and were bought at the Sunday market in l'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France. I wish I had bought a bowl, too! When I got home and looked at prices here, I decided to wait until I get a chance to go back!


In restaurants, the cheese is a separate course, but in someone's home, it is eaten with the salad. I love the combination! Usually, you have several kinds. I just have mild and sharp cheddar...very American....and my favorite...real French roquefort cheese! I will not tell you how much I paid for that little chunk of cheese!


Well...that's it! Thanks for dropping by and I hope you enjoyed my little French supper! Please be sure to visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch to see the list of participants. Prepare to be inspired by the variety and creativity you'll find there!


And thanks to our little Miss Isabella for standing in for Baby Kitty this week! Good job! Oh oh! Excuse me...it looks like she's got her eye on my roquefort cheese!