A Special Mickey Mouse Birthday Wreath!

I am so excited because a very special day is coming! My little grandson is about to have his first birthday! And my daughter has big plans for his party...with a Mickey Mouse theme since my grandson is a huge Mickey  fan!

Baby Kitty and I decided that we wanted to make a wreath for the front door so that everyone will know that something important is going on at my grandson's house!

Here's what you need: a straw wreath form (ours is 18 inches), 400 12 inch balloons (yes...400...100 each of red, black, yellow and white...Mickey's colors) and some greenery pins. The form was a Goodwill find and we found the rest of it at Hobby Lobby, using our 40 % off coupons over several trips! lol You could get away with a smaller form and fewer balloons, but...you only get one first birthday, so we didn't want to skimp.

Simply pin the balloons to the wreath form at the neck of the balloon in a random pattern, making sure to mix them well. I actually saw the original idea in a wreath design book I found at Goodwill, but when I showed it to my daughter, she suggested that we make it with Mickey colors to match her theme. 

And...three hours, 400 balloons and one sore thumb later...here it is!

Now we just add my grandson's favorite Mickey Mouse and voilà!

What do you think? I love it! It was a labor of love...but well worth it! Of course, you could use different colors and stuffed animals for a different theme! I am even thinking of making a generic multi-colored one so that my daughter and son-in-law can have a birthday wreath, too! lol

And that's not all! My daughter has ordered a special Mickey cake, Mickey invitations and a Mickey shirt for my grandson to wear. I will show these to you after the party! In the meantime...I'm going to get an ice pack for my thumb! lol

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my wreath!  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!
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Beth at The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Before and After Party on Wednesdays
Jaime Lyn at Crafty, Happy,Scrappy for Crafty, Scrappy, Happy me on Thursdays
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Stacey at Fun to Craft for the "Look at Me" Party on Thursdays
Rachelle at Fingerprints on the Fridge for Feature Yourself Friday
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Linda at A la Carte for Junkin' Finds on Fridays
Amanda at Serenity Now for the Weekend Bloggy Reading Link Up
Jen at Tatertots & Jello for the Weekend Wrap Up
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

A Tutorial: An Easy and Inexpensive Faux Lavender Wreath!

 I love lavender! It’s so…well…French! And a lavender wreath has long been on my wish list, but they are sooo expensive! I have even tried growing my own, but lavender doesn’t like Georgia's red clay soil.

So I was really excited when I saw the faux lavender at Hobby Lobby. It’s the most realistic I have yet to see! Even our co-host Baby Kitty checked it out and had to agree! Then my little wheels started turning…what if I could make my own wreath?

I bought a twiggy wreath form with a 40% off coupon and a lavender bush which was on sale half-price…all from Hobby Lobby…and got to work.

First, I cut the lavender from the bush using wire cutters, separating the leafy portion from the blooms.

Then I simply pushed the leaves into the wreath until each section was firmly attached. I didn’t need hot glue or wires. They just stayed in place…easy! I placed them in the same direction as the twigs, in a sort of spiral pattern.

Next, I worked in the blooms in the same method and pattern. They just stay in place as well…no glue necessary.

 And here is the result! I really like the way it turned out! Even a faux lavender wreath can be expensive…and forget a real one unless you are fortunate enough to live where it will grow and can make your own! Mine only cost about $8.00 total! Woo hoo!

I added it to this frenchy shabby mirror in my little hallway. It was a great find for $35 from a near-by lighting company that was going out of business. This is my little bit of shabbiness in my country French home. I am a Provençal blue and yellow person and, as much as I would love to, I just can’t do my whole house in white like I see on so many beautiful blogs. I get hungry for my sunny south-of-France colors.

You may remember the table, too. I found it at a flea market, already painted the just-right color and shabbied up by time…love it! I just added a topiary stripped down to the bare bones that was topped with an interesting finial, a half-price boxwood topiary from Hobby Lobby…

  …a stack of old volumes of Shakespeare (a Goodwill find) all tied up with twine and a starfish. I like the contrast of the white and dark and the variety of textures!

But my favorite thing is the lavender wreath! When I look at it, I am reminded of my favorite day of my retirement trip to France visiting the little hilltop village of Gordes and the nearby Abbaye de Sénanque  with its famous lavender fields…and a *sort of* encounter with Russell Crowe! lol But that’s another story! (Click here to read that post!) Ahhh! What a nice image on this dreary winter day!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my wreath!  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!
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Before and After Party on Wednesdays
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Linda at A la Carte for Junkin' Finds on Fridays
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

My Hutch Has "Gone a-hunting"...and...A First Edition Frenchy Find!

I an so excited to show you my hutch! I have some fabulous Goodwill hunting trophies who have taken up residence there!  Can you spot them?

It’s this trio of hunting dogs…that is, dogs dressed in vintage hunting attire! Aren’t they cute? And best of all, they were only $8.00…total! Woo hoo! Now I know you are wondering what I am doing buying dogs…my staff was a little puzzled at first, too...but if you have been following my blog for very long, you know I have a thing for little animals wearing old-fashioned clothes. I know, weird, but true! I think it comes from the time I spent pouring over the illustrations in my favorite childhood book…The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

I have scattered them among my bargain Wedgwood from GW, my Red Cliff ironstone tea set and some of my favorite silver and pewter pieces. I think they look right at home! What about you?

And I have some great vintage frenchy finds to show you, too! I found a wonderful addition for my little collection of French café au lait cups and lug bowls…most of which have names on them! I found this one at GW for $2.52! It’s from the picturesque little French fishing village of Honfleur…one of the places on my must visit list. Someone must have bought it as a souvenir years ago. I love the little hand-painted man in traditional Normand costume! Georges…I have your lug bowl and I’m not giving it back!

And…my best GW hunting trophy in a while…a first edition of Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Volume Two! Woot! Woot! It’s up to $100 on eBay…and I paid…are you ready?…$2.50! I can add it to my first American edition of the Larousse Gastronomique…also a GW find at the same price! Can you believe people give these things away?

Meanwhile, I have finally gotten the Christmas decor back in the attic and started pulling out my favorite frenchy accents. My fork  candle is once again wearing its blue and yellow Provençal ribbon and the little silver dish has been replaced by my Bonjour sign…welcoming visitors into my home!

The snow and ice here in the South are finally beginning to melt a little and life is slowly returning to normal...after five days of being snowed in! Baby Kitty has been enjoying watching the birds flutter around the feeder outside the window, but he’s ready to have a look at them from outdoors…in my presence, of course! And with no hunting allowed! lol Isn’t he a handsome little man? And as for me…I am ready for some restaurant food...French onion soup and a seven pepper sirloin salad at Longhorn!! Now that really sounds good!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my hutch!  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!
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Before and After Party on Wednesdays
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Linda at A la Carte for Junkin' Finds on Fridays
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Denise at First a Dream for the Re-Party
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Snowed In: Day Three and Counting...

We have had the snow storm of the decade here in the South…and we are still digging out! I am not going anywhere…nor will I until maybe Saturday! The streets are a solid sheet of ice and nothing is melting! And with temperatures in the teens, that’s not snow anymore…it’s mounds of ice! Sooo…what are we doing?

Here at the Plate Addicts, we are staying warm and cozy by the fire…

…and burning our favorite wintry scented candles! I love this Bath and Body Works scent and can’t put it away, even though it is a little Christmasy! I decided that the snowman salt and pepper shakers could stay out, too…in honor of the snow storm!

And I have been cooking up a storm myself! This is one of my favorite old Weight Watcher recipes for a different spin on chicken pot pie. The recipe is at the end of this post. On the agenda for today…clean and organize! And I have a confession…Christmas has not left the guest room! I have been busy with my grandchildren...so today, I am putting it all away!

I love being warm and cozy inside and the snow is beautiful…for now. But I have a feeling that by Saturday…

…it’s going to feel like a scene out of Groundhog Day! Yikes!

Weight Watchers ~ Chicken, Cheese and Biscuits
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon margarine
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon powdered mustard
¼ teaspoon rubbed sage
1 ½ cups skim milk
1 packet of instant chicken broth (or 1 teaspoon granulated chicken bouillon)
Dash white pepper (I just use black), or to taste
4 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces of skinned and boned cooked chicken, diced
1 cup each of sliced carrots, stemmed sliced mushrooms, and sliced green beans
(The veggies should be cooked ahead.  Sometimes I use broccoli or cauliflower instead of green beans.)
½ cup chopped onion
4 ready-to-bake buttermilk flaky biscuits
( I use the small can of Grands buttermilk and have one biscuit left over.)
In a 3 quart saucepan, heat margarine until melted. Sauté the onions and mushrooms in the margarine. Add flour, mustard, and sage and stir. Add milk, stirring constantly. Cook until smooth. Add broth mix and pepper and reduce to low heat and cook until thick…5 or 10 minutes. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add the veggies and chicken and cook until heated through…3 to 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 1 ½ quart casserole with non-stick cooking spray and pour chicken mixture into casserole. Carefully separate each biscuit into two layers of dough, making 8 circles: arrange biscuits over chicken mixture in an even layer, overlapping slightly. Bake until biscuits are golden, 7 to 10 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
This is the old WW, so I only have exchanges, not points. Each serving has 428 calories and counts as 3 protein, 1 bread, 1 ½ veggies, 1 fat, ¼ milk and 35 calories Optional Exchange.
Enjoy!
I am joining our own Michael Lee West at Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday! Head on over too see what everyone has cooking!
Thanks so much for dropping by! See you next time! A la prochaine!

My Winter Porch...and...Preparing for Snow!

I am so excited to show you my new winter wreath…a fabulous Goodwill find for only…$5.00! Woo hoo! Can you believe someone gave this beauty away? All the better for me!

It is chock full of wonderful fruit and berries…love that apple slice!

All I had to do was add a burlap ribbon!

And, of course, I had to redo my lanterns to match! I love them! I have been able to keep them on my porch year ‘round by simply changing what I put inside of them! This time, it’s very simple…pinecones and candles tied with raffia…

…sitting on a bed of whole almonds…on sale at Publix for $2.69 for two pounds!...topped with a jaunty burlap scarf!

Here is a look at the completed porch. I like the simple winter starkness…but then I am a winter person.

I love the way everything is so structural…almost architectural…this time of year! The air is so crisp and clean and the sky is so very blue and clear…

…and the trees can now show us the secrets they have been keeping! But I can’t linger outside too long! A big winter storm is heading our way!

We are expecting five inches of snow followed by sleet and ice! Yikes! Like every good Southerner, I have to prepare. I have already been to the grocery store and bought my obligatory bread and milk…and I don’t even like milk! lol I have a stash of new flashlights and plenty of firewood in case we lose power. And my favorite thing…some fun catalogs to check out and my new guide to Paris to read…I’m planning a trip this summer with my 10 year old grandson!

Sooo…bring on the snow! We are ready! All we have to do now is wait!

Update! We actually had 6 or 7 inches! Woo hoo! Sooo…please allow me to show you my porch again…this time complete with snow! Now that’s what I call a winter porch!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my porch!  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!
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Before and After Party on Wednesdays
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Linda at A la Carte for Junkin' Finds on Fridays
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

My Winter Mantel

Adding a mirror to my mantel has opened up a new world of possibilities for me, so I decided to try creating a winter look. You may recognize most of what is there…my music-themed projects from my Christmas mantel!

Of course, the garland and lights are gone, as well as the burlap stockings. And my plates are back…naturally!

The sheet music wreath is still hanging over the mirror. I love it! It was a lot of tedious work so I want to get as much use as possible out of it!

The mercury glass candlesticks and the Pottery Barn knock-off music candles are still there, too!

I have also kept the little snow birds, grouping them on some of my silverplate…a porringer and a wine caddy turned upside down to add a little height to the arrangement.

I moved a pair of topiaries from the hutch to the mantel. They were flea market finds…$9 for the pair…whose base was sprayed silver to match my silver and cream dining room theme for Christmas.

Total cost of this new look for the mantel…free! I just reused things I already had! It has taken a while for the neutral colors to grow on me, but I think I am starting to like it. It has a cool winter look that suits the month of January and seems fresh and clean after all of the Christmas clutter. I am sure that my signature Provençal blue and yellow will come back with the warmer months, but for now, I think I’ll keep it this way!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my winter mantel!  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!
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Party
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Before and After Party on Wednesdays
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Linda at A la Carte for Junkin' Finds on Fridays
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Beth at The Stories of A 2 Z for the Winter Mantel Party
See you next time! A la prochaine!