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31 July, 2010

What Is It?...and...A Peek at Some Progress

IMG_2617 Wooo hoo! I am really excited about my favorite find this week! Can you guess what it is? Hint…it dates from the late 1800s and it is not a trophy! I’ll give you a closer look…


page It is old triple plate silver and has a wonderful filigreed band around the center. A series of twelve little hooks surround the edge of the bowl. There’s a hint in the mosaic! Do you see it? Can you guess?


IMG_2621 It’s a master sugar spooner…a very large sugar bowl combined with a spoon holder! Did you guess correctly? I admit that I had to do some research myself. They are an American invention which first appeared around 1874. Even though it can hold up to twelve spoons, I just put six so that you can see the lines of the piece more clearly. They were sometimes included as an additional part of a tea set. (For more information on spooners, click here.) This one is from Rogers Brothers and is marked as pattern number 70. And sadly, I have no lid.


386048541_tp But…here is a picture of it that I found on eBay. It is a different manufacturer, but is still marked pattern 70. I want it! Isn’t it lovely? I love the butterfly on top and the leaf pattern around it!  But I am not buying a whole new spooner just to get the lid. I even went back to the flea market to the same booth and searched…no lid! Waaaah! But that’s OK. I only paid $14 for my spooner. Woo hoo! I suspect the dealer didn’t do his research! One with the lid can cost $150 to $250 and up! Anyway, that gives me something else to search for! Soooo….what will I do with it?


IMG_2710When I found it, I was actually searching for a vase for my Parisian bedroom redo…so a vase it is! I left the spoons just to make it more interesting and as a little nod to its history. I think I am in love! Yes, yes, I know…again! :-)


IMG_2704 I put it on top of a stack of vintage books and added my little $2.00 frenchy boy from Goodwill…


IMG_2675 …and created a new vignette for my bedside table! What do you think?


IMG_2716 Here it is with my new frenchy lamp…love it! You can see my toile panels in the background.  It’s just a little peek at what is going on. I am loving the new vintage Parisian look in my bedroom!  I will reveal more as I make progress! 
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my find! 
Please visit these wonderful ladies and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for Today’s Thrifty Treasures
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
See you next time! A la prochaine!

24 July, 2010

Finding "Frenchiness"...Parisian and Provencal

IMG_2505 Today I am having dessert first and starting out by showing you my favorite find of the week...and a little peek into a big change that is coming for my bedroom! I immediately fell in love when I saw this lamp, but left the flea market without it. However, it later passed my “I really want it” test when I found myself thinking about it that night instead of sleeping! lol  I love it with the toile fabric…so frenchy! Doesn’t it look like it came out of a Paris apartment? I hope to make some progress this week and have something to show you soon!


IMG_2501 This little frenchy boy was a $2.00 find at Goodwill! However, I couldn’t even photograph the before! He was unfired ceramic bisque that apparently was never completely painted and as a result…he was filthy! I gave him a good scrubbing to no avail! Sooo…


IMG_2500 …I finally brushed him with a thin layer of gray craft paint mixed with water to shabby him up and help to tone down that gold trim! And here he is added to the vignette on my painted table in the living room! I think like him! Are you seeing a little lean toward a more Parisian style frenchiness at my house?  Where is that coming from? lol


page1 Of course, I can’t abandon my real love…a more provençal Country French look! Nor, it seems, can I leave behind anything that is marked as a product of France, looks French or even seems to have ever been looked at by a passing French person! lol I can’t abandon it to some buyer off the street who might not appreciate it as much as I will!  So this hand painted olive jar came home with me! I have to wonder…how did it get to the US and why did someone let it go? Don’t tell me if you saw it at TJMaxx! lol


gbs0799_l I can’t seem to take pictures of art to save me, so I am showing you this one from a photo I snitched from the web! I found this fabulous framed provençal print by Guy Buffet  called Hotel Mistral while Goodwill hunting! It was only $25…a real steal because the print alone can be $30…if you can find it because it’s out of print! Buffet is a French artist who grew up in his family’s Parisian restaurant. I hung this one over my kitchen sink because I have no window. Now I have a view of Frenchmen playing boules. And one of my other loves is even represented…goats! lol


IMG_2491 Here is where my little brain start to stretch things! I’m sorry…but isn’t this just the frenchiest little domed silver butter dish you ever saw? This is another of those “really want it” items that I let get away the first time. So when I found one again at Goodwill, I didn’t hesitate!


IMG_2492 Baby Kitty was really surprised when I opened it to reveal the little glass dish! The lid is attached and just rolls back. Do you know I found the silver domed part on one aisle and then went to the glassware aisle with my fingers crossed that the dish would be there…and it was! Woo hoo! I don’t know why they always separate things like that! I spent a total of about $5 for it.


page And finally, my best bargains of the week…free!  Two of my friends were having a yard sale and decided that I  should have these wonderful vintage-looking kitty goodies! I love the paper dolls! If you know me, you know I love little animals wearing clothes! The paper dolls are marked “Victorian” but I don’t care…they look French to me! lol I mean…look at the costumes…do you see it? And I love the little kitty tin! It is a kitty version of Renoir’s painting La Loge!  I will have to find something special to do with these!

See? I told you! I find frenchiness everywhere…from the obvious to the absurd! lol Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my finds! 
Please visit these wonderful ladies and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for Today’s Thrifty Treasures
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
See you next time! A la prochaine!

23 July, 2010

Happy Birthday to Baby Kitty!

bday
Baby Kitty is turning seven today! In his honor, we are running his birthday post from last year, detailing his rise to fame...a fabulous rags to riches story! Please join us in wishing him a very happy special day!
I am linking this post to the Share Your Pet Partay at Debbiedoo's! Head on over to see the parade of the cutest fur babies in Blogland!
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It's time for a special celebration! The management and staff here at Plate Addict are excited to salute our very own celebrity co-host on his birthday! Yes, Baby Kitty is turning six years old on July 23rd!


bk In honor of the occasion, we have searched the tablescape photo files for a few shots of the little gentleman at work! His co-hosting abilities were discovered quite by accident. It seems that playing with dishes proved to be one of his many hidden talents . That, along with his sparkling wit and irresistible charm have made him the perfect co-host!


IMG_5424 As with many famous personalities, Baby Kitty's tale is one of rags to riches. Many of you are already familiar with his amazing story. Abandoned by his mom at birth in the neighboring driveway, he quickly found his way into the hearts of the Plate Addict management, who bottle fed the little rascal around the clock until this glorious moment arrived ... his first meal! (Oops! Feet in bowl! Once again, Miss Janice, I must ask you to forgive his bad manners!)


famous He has since become an international celebrity, featured in newspapers, magazines, television and even his own billboards!


bk1 And who can forget his appearance in Times Square on New Years Eve? Ryan Seacrest was quite charmed by our Baby Kitty!


bk Of course, he has fans among the feline set ...


bk ... but we never imagined that he would become a favorite among the leaders of other nations!


fashion He has even been influential as a fashion icon ...


bk ... with his own chain of clothing stores!


IMG_5536Who could have guessed that such a scrappy little guy would grow up to be such a handsome fellow? So on this, the occasion of Baby Kitty's birthday, we wish to salute our special little man and wish him the happiest of birthdays! And yes, there will be a candle on his can of special cat food!


staff 2 And management would like to give a big hug to the rest of the staff, who also wandered into our hearts from the streets, but without any special date that can be celebrated! You are all very special and much loved!!

20 July, 2010

The Old Burying Ground in Beaufort, North Carolina

page4During my recent visit to the wonderful old town of Beaufort, North Carolina with fellow bloggers Barb, Kathysue and Carol, I was excited to see that guided tours of the town’s Old Burying Ground were being offered as a part of their 50th Annual Old Homes and Gardens Tour! It is actually one of the few cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places!


page1 This may seem strange, but I love touring old cemeteries and this one was my favorite by far! Here you will find a wealth of history and a peek into life in America in its earliest years. But I must admit that even in the dappled light filtering through the ancient trees, the heat and humidity were stifling! And yes…that is a huge old wisteria vine looping across a family plot! I wish it had been in bloom!


page2 It was interesting to see how nature is always in the process of reclaiming what is hers…


page8 …and displaying her glory from the tree tops to the the smallest stones, even in a place like this!


page5 Perhaps the most interesting was the resurrection fern, an air plant which appears to die in the heat and returns to green with moisture in the air! I was able to get these contrasting photos over a two day period…amazing!


page9 There was an interesting variety of styles of headstones through the ages...from simple to elegant. The vaulted bricks were intended to protect the graves from high water and animals. There is also what appears to be an empty area where an archeological survey discovered unmarked graves of the victims of an Indian massacre in 1711…their skulls cleft from the tomahawks of the hostile Coree and Neusiok Indians! Yikes!


page Some of the headstones were decorated with wonderful sculptures…angels, willow trees and lilies. Why the anchor? Because Beaufort is an old whaling and fishing community.


page3 And, sadly, scattered among the family plots, were the graves of small children from a time when life was very precious and precarious.


Burying grounds 039 The oldest marked grave dates from 1756 and  is believed to be that of little Abigail Parker. But no one will ever know which grave is actually the oldest, since the Church of England took the records back to England during the American Revolution. No one knows what became of them.


page7 And by far, the most visited grave in the burying ground is this one of a child from the 1700s…decorated with little gifts and remembrances. According to the story, the little girl went on a voyage to England with her father, who promised her mother that he would bring her home safely. Sadly, she died during the voyage home. Not wanting to bury her at sea, her father bought a keg of rum from the captain and put her body in it. So her family buried her keg and all!


Burying grounds 018And the final touch...the soft strains of gospel music from choir practice at the old adjoining AME Methodist Church Chapel...perfect soundtrack for an amazing journey back in time!

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Beaufort’s Old Burying Ground! If you would like more information and a virtual tour, click here. I hope one day to be able to return to this wonderfully interesting area of North Carolina and discover even more about its fascinating history!

Outdoor_Wednesday_logo Thanks so much for dropping by! I am joining Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday! Please head on over to her wonderful blog to see her lovely gardens and to find a list of this week’s participants! See you next time! A la prochaine!

18 July, 2010

Fabulous Quimper Finds...or...My Little Piece of Frenchy Heaven!

IMG_2396 I am sooo excited to tell you about this week’s thrifting find! If you know me, you know that I am a big fan of Quimper ware…faïence or glazed pottery from the town of Quimper in the Brittany region of France. Well…I was at my favorite flea/antique market, when I stumbled across this…


IMG_2386 …lovely vintage Quimper plates and bowls in various sizes…stacks of them…


IMG_2387 …including a wonderful little cream pitcher, a lobed plate and two marvelous old serving bowls…21 pieces in all!


IMG_2395 So I picked up the pitcher to see its price…hmmm…$199 plus 20% off. I quickly did the math…$160. I wasn’t shocked, but that seemed pricey for a pitcher. So I began to pick up the other pieces…no prices on them. Could it be? Had I misread? Be still my heart! Yes…$160 for all 21 pieces! A single piece alone can cost much more than that!


IMG_2394Most of them are in excellent condition, but  a couple of the pieces had little chips…not unusual for plates this age… and, sadly, this wonderful old bowl had been broken…but lovingly glued back together. The glaze isn’t perfect on some of them, but my friend Sarah at Hyacinths for the Soul, a fellow Quimper lover with a fabulous collection, tells me that it is the result of a wood-fired kiln which indicates that they are truly vintage pieces. And the imperfections don’t bother me…


kitchen-house-luberon  …because I just picture them as coming from a kitchen like this somewhere in the French countryside! Sarah says that the marks indicate that they are probably from the 1950s with the exception of the two lovely old serving bowls which are circa 1940. Whoever owned them lovingly served big family meals and simple suppers from them, carefully hand-washed them in the big farmhouse sink and put them away until next time. Or that’s what I think. And somehow they made their way over here to me!


page Aren’t they wonderful? It makes me smile just to look at them! I love the shape of the plates and the fluted bowls! This is the closest I have come to Quimper heaven…


IMG_0372 …since I visited the factory during my retirement trip to France three years ago…the highlight of my trip! Can’t you see by the look on my face?  Sigh!


IMG_1574And where have I put my new collection? This is the wine rack in my breakfast nook as I last showed it to you a few months ago…with one shelf (the middle one) dedicated to part of my modest Quimper collection…


IMG_2418  …and here it is now! Absolutely filled with Quimper ware! Woooo hooo! I have mixed the vintage pieces in with the modern. It makes me happy just to walk by!


IMG_2398 Baby Kitty thinks I have lost my mind! They’re just old plates, after all! But not to me! They are a connection to a place and a time that I love!


IMG_2397 And how did I do? Well…I found one of the smaller plates on an antique website for $33for just the one plate! So I think I more than got my money’s worth! But more than that, I will have years of pleasure from just enjoying seeing them in my home!

Thanks so much for stopping by!  And thanks so much for your help, Sarah!
Please visit these wonderful ladies and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Alison at The Polo House for Favorites on the First
Suzanne at Privet and Holly for Collection Show 'n' Tell
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for Today’s Thrifty Treasures
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
See you next time! A la prochaine!