Happy New Year!

Another year is coming to an end and it’s time to welcome in 2012! It went so fast, didn’t it? Once again, it is Miss Kitty who plays hostess for us, good naturedly sporting the traditional New Years tiara. It has been a fun and eventful year for us here at Plate Addict. We welcomed my third grandson…such a sweet little guy!…and my oldest grandson and I finally made that long-anticipated trip to Paris. My middle grandson has blossomed into a little fellow with a big personality. Indeed for me it was a year filled with wonderful blessings! And as I sit at the table on New Years Day with family and friends counting those blessings, you, my blogging friends, will be among them. With you, I have a circle of wonderful friends, most of whom I have never even met, but feel closer to and know more about than some of my neighbors! I have found friends whom I will cherish all of my life.  So I would like to wish a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to each of you, my dear friends, and I can’t wait to see what you have in store for 2012!

A Woodsy New Years Tablescape

Keeping with the rustic, simple theme I used for Christmas in the dining room, I decided to continue into New Years with a woodsy theme with some natural elements and lots of texture!

But I have to have a little sparkle for some contrast, so I started with this great Pottery Barn mercury glass candle holder that I found at Goodwill for only $3.93…woo hoo! It’s topped by a pillar candle surrounded by cinnamon sticks and tied with twine (tutorial here) for a little rustic touch.

On either side, nestled in greenery, are my wonderful weathered deer sheds…a gift from my dear friend Nan’s hubby Wayne who found them after I issued an all-call for any deer sheds from the woods! Love them! You know I can’t do real deer antlers unless they are sheds…too soft-hearted!

And on either end are more mercury glass candle holders, GW finds that were too shiny and got antiqued a little (tutorial here), and more cinnamon stick wrapped candles. Beside them are the little Dollar Tree snow birds that I made last year. 

At each setting there is a twiggy chestnut placemat to continue the rustic theme! Love them! I found them here. I am also using my great go-to Irish lead crystal goblets paired with some Goodwill wine glasses. The GW glasses always look a little fancier when next to the real thing!

And here’s my Wedgwood Queensware plain again, one of my favorite Goodwill bargains at $68 for 52 pieces…have I told you that before? lol Each one is topped by another snow bird sitting in a little nest.

The nests came from Hobby Lobby…two in a pack at about $1.00 per nest with a coupon. My co-host Baby Kitty is a little confused…where are the real birds?

Each place is set with my Gorham Octette pewter flatware…my wedding flatware from many moons ago…which has developed such a nice patina on its big chunky handles. Gotta love a three tined fork! The napkins look like vintage, but actually came from the clearance aisle at TJ Maxx at $1.00 each!

And there you have it…my woodsy New Years tablescape! What will be on the menu? Why, traditional Southern fare…black-eyed peas and collard greens for luck! I always say that I am really not superstitious, but I cannot start the New Year with out them! What about you?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my New Years tablescape! 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)
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
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 Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for the Winter Blues Party
Paula and Patti at Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation 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
Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday
Heather and Vanessa at At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Jen at Tatertots and Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

My Most Popular Projects for 2011

As the year winds down, it’s time to reflect on what I have accomplished and start to think about my plans for next year. For me, as a blogger, a part of that process is looking over the posts that were the most popular this year. These are the posts that you my readers liked the most so they give me an idea of what to plan for future posts. Sooo…in no particular order…here are my top five posts! Just click on the highlighted phrases to be taken to the posts. Among them was my Pottery Barn inspired pillow…a really fun project where I experimented in making fabric flowers.

Another reader favorite was my Country Living inspired découpage pumpkins. And…I am pleased to say that Country Living liked them too and asked to feature them in the Letters section in their December 2011 issue! Hey…the photo was the size of a postage stamp, but I was still thrilled! lol

This one really surprised me because it moved quickly to the top five after it was posted for Christmas this year! It’s my French ticking and burlap Christmas wreath which was at the center of my Christmas mantel decor.

Also on the top five list was the post about my chalkboard wine glasses…easy to make and oh so very handy!

And last but not least among the top five was the Mickey Mouse birthday wreath that I made for my little grandson’s first birthday party which had…you guessed it…a Mickey Mouse theme! Now we are wondering what to plan for his second birthday party! Can time have gone by that quickly?

Not among the top five, but one of my favorite posts was the vintage French tea towels that I made using iron-on transfers for the first time! Love them!

And another favorite of mine was the post  featuring my Wisteria knock-off linen hand towels. I think this is the post that put me over the edge as a big fat copy cat! lol It’s so much fun to see how cheaply I can reproduce something I have seen in a pricey catalog!

But here is my absolute favorite! And although you might argue that it was not a project, I will tell you that more time and planning went into this trip than any other project. I invite you to read the series of posts about my trip to Paris with my grandson…lovingly anticipated for five years! It was absolutely perfect in every way and the most fun I have ever had in my entire life! If you have plans for a trip to Paris, you will find some good tips here. I am so happy to have the posts as a wonderful reminder of that week in France with my ten-year-old grandson!  
Sooo... there they are...my top five posts plus a few favorites of mine! And now...is there anything you want to see in 2012?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my favorite projects for 2011! 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)
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Beth at The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for the Top Projects of 2011 Party
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for Fall into Fall
Paula and Patti at Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation 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
Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday
Heather and Vanessa at At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Rachelle at Fingerprints on the Fridge for Feature Yourself Friday
Jen at Tatertots and Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Christmas Breakfast Tablescape

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Here at the Plate Addict household, things are quiet after a busy morning with the grandchildren that began very early! Christmas breakfast has to be easy and simple as does the tablescape. So…it’s just a few quick additions to my rustic Christmas centerpiece!

While the staff is checking out the packages and wrapping paper, our beloved CEO Ozzie is slipping in a little snooze in her favorite chair…decorated with pink ribbons…her favorite toys.

Following my decision to keep it simple on the hutch…just adding a few pops of red and green among the Quimper faïence…

…I have added a little more of the same to the tablescape… 

…with a wicker charger topped by my Wedgwood Queensware plain...a Goodwill bargain at $68 for 52 pieces...

…decorated with a few sprigs of rosemary from the garden tied with twine and a shiny red ornament…

…little green stars on the saucers, reminiscent of the little cookies they always serve with coffee in France, and a candy cane peeking out of the Irish lead crystal goblets…

…and my favorite Octette pewter flatware with its chunky rustic lines and three-tined forks resting on red napkins.

Mr. and Mrs. Snowman shakers from Publix several years ago have joined the little reindeer in the shabby box from Joss & Main…

…and more candy canes and rosemary add a festive air to the little lead crystal urn filled with vintage flatware, Goodwill finds collected over time.

My country French rooster chandelier…another favorite… is decorated with more shiny red ornaments to finish off the simple Christmas  look in the breakfast room.

Now we only need to add the breakfast casserole, biscuits and some fruit to complete the table! Won’t you join us?
My Christmas has been filled with lots of love, laughter and hugs…not to mention lots of time spent as a captive in the fort delivered by Santa! lol I hope yours has been all that you hoped for and more! It’s my last opportunity this year to say it, so…Merry Christmas to you all!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas breakfast table! 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)
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
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 Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for Fall into Fall
Paula and Patti at Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation 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
Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday
Heather and Vanessa at At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Jen at Tatertots and Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Merry Christmas!

It’s finally here…Christmas eve at last! The stockings are hung and all is ready! The swirl of activities has slowed down for a moment and there is time for some peaceful reflection. So I want to thank each of you for your love and support and send my best wishes for a wonderful holiday full of peace, love and joy spent with your loved ones!

From our home to yours…wishing a very merry Christmas and the happiest of holiday seasons to you and your family!

Christmas and Quimper on the Hutch

If you know me, you know how I love my vintage Quimper French faïence, so taking it down to re-do the breakfast room hutch with Christmas decor was not an option! In the spirit of working with what’s there that served me well in my dining room, I decided to simply Christmas-ify my hutch…Quimper ware and all! Hey…they have Christmas in Quimper!

I am going it alone today since the staff has gone to the mall to get in a last minute visit with Santa Claws! Sooo…all I have done is add a few strategic pops of red and green! What do you think? Is it festive enough?

In my beloved chippy antique bowl, I put a smaller overturned bowl in the center, added some shiny ornaments and a red candle surrounded by greenery.

A nest of my favorite birds…bright red cardinals…fills another small bowl…

…and another red candle and more shiny ornaments decorate my leaf-shaped candle holder…a favorite antique store find.

On the upper shelves…a wreath of more red ornaments strung on a wire coat hanger…easy!…

…and my egg cups…a special souvenir from the tour of the HB Henriot factory in Quimper during my retirement trip to France…are also sporting some shiny red ornaments!

And hanging from a knob…my childhood Christmas stocking brings back some wonderful memories! That’s my collection of terra cotta cookware behind it.

And here it is…the breakfast room hutch all dressed up and waiting for Christmas morning! The table is all set, but I am saving that for later…but not too much later! Christmas is almost here! Are you ready?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at the Christmas 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)
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
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 Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for Fall into Fall
Paula and Patti at Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Jill at French Cupboard for Voila!French Inspiration on Thursdays
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation 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
Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Jen at Tatertots and Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

How to Make the Best Omelette You Will Ever Eat in Your Entire Life!

Christmas omelettes have long been a tradition in my family. My brother-in-law makes hands-down the best omelettes on earth! Now, mind you, I have had omelettes from some very snazzy restaurants, and they are put to absolute shame by my brother-in-law's omelettes! This year he has agreed to allow me to photograph the steps for making them. I might add here that if you are a fat-free fanatic, you had better turn back now. As Paula Deen told Oprah...I'm your cook, not your doctor! And...hey! this is once a year!


He always makes two 3 egg omelettes at once, so we start with 6 eggs and add some milk.

The eggs are then thoroughly beaten. He actually continued to beat them after this photo was taken.

Now for the part that might cause you to faint. He puts 1/4 of a stick of butter...not margarine...in each pan. In case you are worried about my cholesterol, remember...we only do this once a year! He says that an important step is to let the pan cool a little while the butter melts. This, he says, is where most people go wrong. They have the pan too hot. You don't want the butter to burn.

While he is taking care of that part, let's choose our ingredients. Notice how nicely my sister has displayed them! She says she is "sucking up to the blog!" hehehe! Isn't it funny how our families finally get drawn in? I'll just let you scroll through and decide for yourselves since she has labeled them so nicely!

What did you choose? A few years ago my brother-in-law began offering half and half omelettes...so this year I have chosen half  ham and half crab. Here he says that it's very important to cook them and fold them so that the halves stay separated. I might note that he is a perfectionist and that this omelette will not be less than excellent!

Next he adds the onions to the ham half. I have to 'fess up to having the most complicated omelette in the entire family! Everyone else has ham and cheese or crab and cheese, but not me! I might also add that mine is also the best omelette in the family! Note that the crab has had time to brown a little.

Now he adds bacon over both halves. Yes, yes, I know...but this is once a year...remember? Now the pan has to be pulled off of the stove and allowed to cool some because the eggs will be added next and we don't want them to cook too fast. Hmmm..not the best photos ever...I'm having to work fast!

Now that the pan has cooled a little, he adds the eggs.

He says that you need at least 3 eggs so that the ingredients are all covered and the omelette will hold together.

Now it has to cook. At first, he lets it cook without turning the pan. Once the eggs have set a little, he lifts the pan off the stove and begins to rotate the pan in circles so that the omelette isn't sticking. That part was really hard to photograph since the pan is moving! (Imagine...swirling, swirling!)

Once the eggs are really cooking on the bottom, he lifts up the pan again and tilts it to the side so that the uncooked parts of the eggs go over to the edges of the pan. Once again...hard to photograph. (Imagine...tilting, tilting!) Remember this all takes place over relatively low heat and takes a little time.

Now that the eggs are almost done, he adds the cheese. I'm having cheddar on the ham half and aged Gouda on the crab half. If you are a lover of sharp cheese like me and you have never had aged Gouda...rush right out and buy some while it's available during the holidays. It is pricey...but the best cheese you will ever eat!

The cheese has melted, so he plates my omelette. At the very last moment, he uses the pan to fold it. Notice that it is still in two perfect halves!!!

And voilà...my half ham with cheddar, onion and bacon and half crab with bacon and aged Gouda omelette!! Now I bet you can't get one of those in your snazzy restaurants!!

My silly sister has put out a tip jar for the chef! (sucking up to the blog again!) Uhmmmm...you might notice that I am ...uhmmmmm...not a big tipper.

Here it is... the best omelette that you will ever eat in your entire life served with my sister's sour cream muffins! Looks like the cover of Southern Living magazine, doesn't it? Yummmm!! What kind of omelette are you having? Now if you'll excusrffg murff.....

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at our Christmas omelettes! 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)
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
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 Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for Fall into Fall
Paula and Patti at Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Jill at French Cupboard for Voila!French Inspiration on Thursdays
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation 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
Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Fabulous Fall Fun
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Jen at Tatertots and Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!