Frenchy Anduze Pots...Without the Trip to France!

Ever since I featured a French home with a wonderful collection of Anduze style pots, I have had them on my mind! Sooo…I decided to try to create my own version!

Here is my inspiration…this wonderful pot in the cérusé finish from Le Chêne Vert  as featured here by Catriona McLean. I love this finish...whitened clay glaze over red terra cotta. In case you are not familiar with these traditional French pots, they originated in Anduze, a small town in the south of France, where the famous potter Boisset first created his version of the Italian-inspired design in 1610.

You may recognize these more traditional finishes. Aren’t they lovely? You will notice that they always feature a garland and a medallion with the potter's mark, sooo…

…you can imagine my excitement at finding this at Goodwill for only $2.92! It’s small…only about 6 inches tall…but certainly has everything I was looking for!

I wanted a grouping of three pots or vases, but was lucky to have found the one Anduze style pot, so I decided to give the same finish to a less-than-lovely urn and a pretty celadon vase decorated with palmettos…both also from GW for under $3.00 each. I gathered them up and the staff and I headed outside to see what we could do!

However, our co-host Baby Kitty was unavailable for this post due to the unexpected presence of a lizard under my garden snail...so I undertook this project alone!

First, I sprayed the pieces with Krylon primer…

…and next I gave them a coat of acrylic paint from Americana called Georgia Clay…appropriate for me! Hey…they’re not kidding! My dirt is that color! And…the paint was on sale at Michaels this week, too! Woo hoo!

Then I added a coat of the same paint in Light Buttermilk. I wanted the terra cotta color to show through a little and left it showing completely on the inside as in my inspiration piece.

Next, I dry brushed a little more of the Georgia Clay to highlight the details…

…and dry brushed on a little more of the Light Buttermilk to soften it. I finished them off with several good coats of Krylon Clear Glaze leftover from a previous project.

And…voilà! I just added my mossy “brain,” some frenchy faux lavender and a little topiary! Hey...I just noticed Baby Kitty's reflection in the silver tray...lurking in the background checking out my work...

...as he should, since I have to admit that the terra cotta paint had me scared for a few minutes, but I love the result!

My favorite, of course, is the Anduze style pot! What do you think?

And here’s mine with my inspiration piece…not bad, huh? Maybe one day I can have the real thing, but in the meantime, this will do nicely!

NEW! Confessions of a Plate Addict is now on Facebook!  Check out our blog page here to see the latest posts plus additional goodies...such as a link to visit this fabulous restaurant in southwestern France! It is featured in the online French decor magazine e-mag DECO. Also...like us in the box on the sidebar and receive updates regularly! I hope you'll join the fun!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my project!  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
Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for Today's Thrifty Treasures on Mondays
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for Swing into Spring
Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday
Jill at French Cupboard for Voilà! French Inspiration on Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Planning for Paris...and...A Patio Tour!

It was so nice outside early this morning that I decided to have my morning cappuccino on the patio and do a little planning for my upcoming trip to Paris with my grandson! Won’t you join me?
(Update...We are now back! Click here to read about our first day in Paris and to see my plan for visiting Paris in seven days! More to come!)

I am using my favorite frenchy placemats…half price from the gift shop at Château Élan…a nearby resort and winery…and napkins from market day in Cavaillon, France several years ago. The milk glass sugar is a Goodwill find for 88 cents and I got the creamer for the same price!

But what is special is this lovely sugar shell…a gift from my sweet bloggy friend Babs at Upstairs Downstairs! Isn’t it lovely? She knew that my favorite vintage silverplate pattern is Vintage from 1847 Rogers Brothers dating back to 1904! Just look at the details…little tendrils curling all around the handle and even into the bowl of the spoon! What a wonderful treasure!

In the background you can see my latest invention…candles in vases! lol It is so hot here that I often have to keep a fan going when I am on the patio…even at night…and this keeps them from blowing out!

I am not the only one having my morning drink! Kitty loves to use the little water feature as her personal drinking fountain.  I love the sound of the water…so tranquil!

In a month or so, it will look like this! The blooms appear overnight and last only one day. Pretty, huh?

Did you notice that my shabby picnic basket planter is back this year? This is how it looked by mid-July last year! The begonias seemed to love it! It got so big that I had to buy it its own little shabby table.  A link for how to make it is on my sidebar.

Kitty has something else to show you. I try to pretend that my patio is a little corner of France, so I have planted Provence lavender in a big pot! I love the way it smells! It has just started to grow.

Also very frenchy…my rooster planter filled with sweet potato vines! Did you know that the rooster (le coq gaulois) is the French national symbol? Yes…so powerful that it can make the sun rise! The planter was a gift from my mom many years ago.

Now this one you are either going to love or hate! lol No frenchy patio is complete without an escargot! This guy is huge! He came rusted and has since lost an antenna, but I love him anyway! You can put a candle inside and he casts interesting patterns of light!

Also back this year is my flower pot man…but he got tired of standing, so he is seated this time! His moss rose hair is just beginning to bloom! He will have an impressive head of hair in a month or so!

On the other side of the patio you will find a little conversation area. It’s very pleasant to sit here late in the afternoon and watch the goldfinches feed! Notice the cushions? They match the placemats…also half price from Château Élan! And…see the fence in the background?

I have just had it stained…finally! You may think I am strange, but I like the natural color of old wood. However, the fence needed to be stained so that it would last longer. The color I chose is called Dark Gray by Behr. It was as close as I could find to the color of aged wood. That’s my lace cap hydrangea, which seems to have survived the process and should bloom soon.

I always have dark purple petunias on my patio. I love the smell and only the purple ones seem to consistently have it. They remind me of my grandmother’s front porch, where she had two huge planters filled with them!

I also always have hanging baskets filled with torenia, since it attracts hummingbirds! I love the purple variety.

This one is new for me, though. Pretty, isn’t it? It’s called celosia and the little tag said…prefers warm, dry conditions and easy to grow in any soil. Hmmmm…we’ll see! My berm will certainly test those claims! I’ll keep you posted!

Now, if you will excuse me…I need to get back to my planning. I am getting so excited! I have read Rick Steves' guide book cover to cover to be sure not to miss anything and even created a little spread sheet (The teacher in me still lives! lol) for the places I want to be sure to see. It’s not my first trip, but it is for my 10 year old grandson, so it has to be really special! It won’t be too much longer now!
Update! Be sure to join us here to read about our first day in Paris and stay tuned for more about our Paris adventure!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my patio!  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 the Summer Deck and Porches Party
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for Today's Thrifty Treasures on Mondays
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for Swing into Spring
Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday
Jill at French Cupboard for Voilà! French Inspiration on Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Cats As Decor...Starring My Staff!

Tonight my staff and I are joining a special party at Funky Junk Interiors where Donna has asked us to feature our pets in our decorated homes…to do a special photo shoot starring our best decorating buddies so as to always have a record of them and the role they play in our lives. So I am pleased to join her this week as a tribute to her special little friend Beethoven.

However, in my case, a special photo shoot wasn’t necessary since my staff insists on participating weekly in my posts! So, I am sharing some of my favorite photos with you tonight! Sometimes they allow me to be a little artsy…

…and sometimes they seem to question my decorating choices…but I never have to coax them to join in. They insist on taking part…especially our co-host Baby Kitty! That big boy sees my camera come out…

…and he starts to pose! He’s a regular superstar!

However, no one has a prettier face than our little super model Isabella…

…who began her career as a mere kitten…setting up this photo herself…

…as well as this shot for Cats in Sinks…a website about cats…in sinks!

She has also contributed her own ideas about the decor…and how it should be used!

A little more serious and less eager to be photographed is our CEO Ozzie, who does allow the occasional photo…such as this one where she offers some lovely contrast!

However, she prefers to remain behind the scenes, keeping an..uhhhmmm…eye on all of my projects…such as my feeble attempt to create this stencil!

 But all of us here at Plate Addict know that the absolute queen of posing as decor is our own Kitty, who will sit quietly for hours striking a pretty pose such as this one…

…or serving as an inspiration for color choice…

…and helping to create some of my best vintage-inspired designs such as this one…vignette avec chat! I have to admit that my blog would not even be possible without them! So tonight I dedicate this post to my staff...

 ...and wish to thank Donna for reminding us to cherish our little friends and the time we spend together. We are sending her some special furry hugs that only a cat can give!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Be sure to head on over to Donna's to meet more of the special little furbabies of Blogland! And if you would like to read more about my staff members and how they came to be on the Plate Addict staff, please check out the About My Staff tab under my header or click here. See you next time! A la prochaine!

Frenchy Love...Favorite Goodwill Hunting Finds!

There they were…calling my name! I saw them across the Goodwill store as I came in the door! I couldn’t believe my eyes..a pair of beautiful frenchy urns! I practically ran over and scooped them up. Oh, my! Aren’t they lovely? And what I really like is that they aren’t identical. And best of all…there was a pair of them! My friend Linda at Nina’s Nest can tell you I have a thing for pairs!

Look at the detail! Each of the little paintings on both of the urns is different! None of them are alike! Sooo…what do you think? Hand painted? Do I dare to believe that? And they were only $15 each…maybe a little more than I like to spend, but well worth it!

And that’s not my only great find! Just look at this little doggy clock! Isn’t it gorgeous?  Once again, fabulous details! And he was only $9.00! I think his original price was much more than that.

Look at him! Isn’t he cute? Now I know you are wondering what my staff must think…bringing home a dog…

…and this should give you some idea of Baby Kitty’s opinion! lol

He is much too preoccupied with the flock of birds feeding on my front lawn to notice! Or perhaps he is feigning indifference!

Sooo…what to do with a wonderful doggy clock and two fabulous frenchy urns?

You put them on your mantel! I stacked the urns on some vintage books to give them some presence and centered the vignette around the wreath planter that I found a few weeks ago. My home is not formal and I like the contrast of the chippy white planter. I have also added my little frenchy boy that I have shown you before…another GW find at $3.00.

In fact, the entire vignette is made up of thrifting finds! Not bad, huh? That’s my kitchen that you can see in the reflection. In fact, I need to head in that direction to find a few catnip treats. Maybe that will help me get back in Baby Kitty’s good graces!
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my 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!
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for Today's Thrifty Treasures on Mondays
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for Swing into Spring
Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday
Jill at French Cupboard for Voilà! French Inspiration on Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!