CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT

Vintage French Valentine Pillow

2012-01-28T15:17:00.002-05:00

I have another quick Valentine project for you and, of course, it’s vintage and frenchy! I like it because it’s seasonal without being too cutesy and fits right into my decor.

Hmmm...I see by the look in Baby Kitty’s eyes exactly what he is thinking. Oh no, she didn't! Does the fabric look familiar?

Yes, it’s the same French ticking that I used in my ticking and burlap Christmas wreath…

…and in my ticking and vintage trim Christmas stockings! That’s because I am cutting up some old window panels and have oodles of that fabric! Prepare to see even more of it, I am sure! lol But I digress…

I started out with this graphic…Joyeuse Saint-Valentin…Happy Valentines Day in French…printed backwards for application by iron-on transfer…

…and applied it according to the directions on a 16 X 16 pillow that I made from cream twill bought with a 40% off coupon at Joann. Next, I stuffed it with a down pillow form from Goodwill for under $3.00. Then I found three frenchy fabrics in my stash (love the toile!) and cut four heart shapes, stacked them up and hot-glued them in a few places to the pillow. Finally I added a little twine bow…and that’s it!

And voilà! Gotta love the little French couple enjoying the dance! I didn’t want the hearts to be too perfect, so they are a little mismatched in size. The script is in a font called My Old Remington and I love the messy, imperfect look of an old-fashioned typewriter! What do you think…Valentine-y without overdoing it? Antique-y red and not too bright? Plus it has ticking and toile! I think am going to enjoy this one!

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
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
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
Jill at French Cupboard for Voila!French Inspiration on Thursdays
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for the Valentine Party
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!

Easy French Script Valentine Candles

2012-01-22T07:00:00.009-05:00

I have a quick, easy and inexpensive Valentine project for you and I’ll bet you already have almost everything you need! I am supplying all the graphics and the rest is simple! It’s the Wisteria copy-cat candles that I did at Christmas...with a Valentine twist!

Baby Kitty is concerned that I will get all mushy with this project…but no! It has just the right amount of shabbiness and frenchiness without being too cutesy!

Here’s another look…at night with the candles lit. I think I really like them! They are vintage documents with Valentine messages in French superimposed on them.

Each candle is also tied with twine and a little heart repeating the message that is on the candle. Here’s all you need: 3 cylindrical vases (mine came from Dollar Tree), three pillar candles (I used my red ones leftover from Christmas), twine, red paper, white paper, tape, glue, a red Sharpie and access to a printer.

I printed each of the three messages in 8x10 format with Photoscape. For me, the red didn’t turn out quite vibrant enough, so I went over it with a red Sharpie. Then I trimmed the extra paper from the top and the bottom…but not the sides. Next, I wrapped each one around the candle holder and taped it. There will be a little blank space with no graphic on it at the back. To cover it, I just cut a strip from the plain document that follows and glued it in place. This one says Happy Valentines Day.

This one says Yours forever.

And finally, this one says I love you with all my heart.

Use this blank document to cut little strips to cover the small white portion at the back of the candle.

And finally, cut these out and glue them to a red heart that you have created…making it just a little bigger than these. If you save them and then print them as they are, they will be exactly the right size. Just punch a hole and attach to the candle with twine. That’s it!

And here they are in a little vignette I created on my buffet. I filled my Red Cliff ironstone tea pot with red tulips to add a festive Valentine touch. And I love the way it all reflects in my silver tray! I hope you will give them a try…and if you do…enjoy!

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
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
Jill at French Cupboard for Voila!French Inspiration on Thursdays
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for the Valentine Party
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!

DIY Frenchy Tablescape Placemat...No Plates? No Problem!

2012-01-17T07:00:00.005-05:00

I like having my table set…it just looks so pretty and I love my plates…but it’s not always possible. But now I have found a way to have a French-inspired table setting all the time…with a tabescape already on the placemat!

Don’t you love it? I’ve only had a chance to make one so far, but I couldn’t wait to show you! It’s just my style…a vintage plate with antique mismatched flatware!

Baby Kitty is puzzled. It’s bad enough to be addicted to plates…but plates that are not even real? What’s up with that? lol

And it has all been captured here…on this graphic for iron-on transfer that I assembled from several lovely vintage finds from the Graphics Fairy! Karen is always so kind to share and I am very grateful! I was already making plans for a project with her wonderful flatware graphic when she shared this beautiful graphic of a vintage plate. My little wheels started to turn…and I put them together! Then I added a little frenchy script to top it off…and voilà! You can cut the script separately and move it up higher as I did if you wish. Don’t worry…once it is ironed on, it will be facing the right way! Follow the directions on the transfers and iron, iron and if you think that's enough, iron some more!

I used cream linen to make my placemat…on sale 40% off at JoAnn…because I like the look. The mats are 13” x 18” finished size at a cost of about $13.00 for all four. Honestly, a stiffer fabric might have been better...like twill or duck. In any case, iron-on transfers work best on more tightly-woven fabrics. I just added a real toile napkin and some stemware and the table is set! And…it matches my blue and white collection on the hutch! Woo hoo!

And there you have it…my frenchy tablescape placemat! I hope you like it! And now, if you will excuse me, the staff and I have three more to make!

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
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
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
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 Winter Mantel...Deer, Moss and Mercury Glass

2012-01-10T11:06:00.002-05:00

Christmas has ended, but I still couldn’t quite part with a few of the elements I had used, so I decided to incorporate them into my winter mantel! Some of them are new to me, but still along the natural theme I used during the holidays.

Among them are deer, moss and mercury glass with a few pinecones thrown in for good measure! I started out with the idea of tying pinecones and mercury glass acorns to twine to create a garland. It has a simple, stark wintery look, I think.

At the center of it all, my favorite new find…a fabulous deer head pedestal bowl! It came with two big candle holders, one of which you can see in the background. And best of all, the price…$18 for all three pieces! And they are heavy, too! Woo hoo!

You’ve got to love this guy! Isn’t he (as well as all of his siblings) a handsome fellow? I love the addition of deer to decor this season…as long as nobody got hurt. What can I say…I never recovered from seeing Bambi’s mommy get killed!

Inside the bowl…moss rocks from Dollar Tree (at five for $1.00…you read that right!), more pinecones from my yard and my mercury glass acorns from Walmart last year. I love a little bling with natural elements…a fun contrast!

On either side, the over-sized candle holders sport mossy ‘brains” since I didn’t want to use the huge candles they would require. I like the look of more moss on the mantel and I have other plans in the candle department!

And here they are…my $3.00 bargain faux birch wood candles! I bet you think I finally broke down and bought the ones I have been drooling over at Pottery Barn for the last two years…no indeedy! I happened upon these at Kohl’s for 75% off plus I had a 20% off coupon! A real steal so I bought the last four! Start the car! They are perched on my mercury glass candle holders from last year…lovin’ me some mercury glass!

To top it all off, a simple twiggy wreath from Hobby Lobby…bought with a 40% off coupon, of course! They had several sizes and this one came the closest to what I needed. I just had to give it a little hair cut so it wouldn’t overwhelm the mirror.

And where is the staff?…you ask. Our scheduled co-hostess Miss Kitty found a spot of sun on the painted chest on the other side of the room and is in her usual Who me? I am a part of this vignette pose. Who can blame her…it’s been a pretty day after several days of cold weather.

And there you have it…my mossy, deer populated, sparkly winter mantel! I hope you like it. I am going to enjoy another couple of months of wintery weather (yes, I am one of those weird people) as the fire in the fireplace sparkles in the mercury glass! Won’t you join me in some hot cocoa? Ahhh!

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
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
Gloria at Potentially Beautiful for the Winter Mantel Party
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
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
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!

Vintage French Script Fruit

2012-01-05T11:50:00.006-05:00

Now that the rush of the holidays is over, I am enjoying a more leisurely pace and getting back to some projects that I have had on the back burner for a while. And here is one of them…my vintage French script fruit! I have tons of faux fruit in my stash…some not quite so realistic and in need of a make-over. So I decided to découpage them much like I did my Country Living inspired pumpkins.

First, I spray-painted the fruit white to keep the darker colors from bleeding through. Next, I printed some vintage French advertisements that I found here and here at the Graphics Fairy! Karen is always so generous to share her wonderful finds with us! Then I cut the graphics into strips the length of the fruit.

I notched the strips in on each side to make them easier to handle and applied them with Mod Podge. You can find a few tips for découpage here and here. It requires a little skill and lots of patience.

And…taa daa…here they are! You will notice that I tried to preserve the integrity of the ads as much as possible, but that’s difficult to do after the first three or so strips. I also painted the stems black once I had finished.

Our co-host Baby Kitty seems somewhat unimpressed by my efforts. Perhaps next time I will try doing a mouse instead of fruit!

But as for me, I think I like them! They look right at home with my vintage book bundle, don’t you think? Total cost of the project…nothing! Free! I already had everything I needed! Now that’s my kind of project!

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
Roeshel at the DIY Showoff for the DIY Project Parade
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
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
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 Bargain Pottery Barn Santos Cage Doll

2012-01-01T14:03:00.003-05:00

Look what came in the mail this weekend…my new bargain Pottery Barn Santos cage doll…for under $6.00! Woo hoo!

You may remember that I actually splurged and bought one last year…one with a beautiful expression that I love to showcase at Christmas.

And, yes, this one is definitely more primitive than the other and maybe not quite my style, but at that price, how could I resist her? I love the way the ex-voto heart is already carved on her chest! I spied her way back in early November and I have been waiting for her to go on sale!

Oh…and there is one thing I need to mention…she is only 6 1/2 inches tall! Sorry! I had to tease you just a little! I have been wanting one like her, but they are all just soooo big and expensive! She’s actually an ornament with the little screw in her head removed.

But I think she will do very nicely atop my vintage book bundle…what do you think? I love the little extra pizzazz she adds! I think you may see a lot of her this year!

Thanks for playing along! I hope you don’t mind that I teased you just a little! Next, maybe I will buy a tiny farm with teensy goats to satisfy my goat obsession! Is there anything you’d like to have in a tiny version?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my little Santos doll! 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
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!

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T07:00:00.003-05:00

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

2011-12-28T20:31:00.000-05:00

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

2011-12-27T07:00:00.006-05:00

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

2011-12-26T07:00:00.009-05:00

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!

2011-12-24T09:21:00.007-05:00

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

2011-12-23T14:32:00.002-05:00

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!

2011-12-22T08:19:00.004-05:00

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!

Vintage French Christmas Tea Towels

2011-12-21T00:36:00.005-05:00

I think I have done it…managed to squeeze in my last project before Christmas! And here they are…my vintage French Christmas tea towels! I love their old-fashioned look and feel!

Of course, I could not have done it without the help of my faithful co-host Baby Kitty who assisted me as I was sewing in the wee hours of the night! It was easy! For each one, I cut two 19 inch X 28 inch pieces of Osnaburg fabric that I bought with a 40 % off coupon at Hobby Lobby…so about $2.50 a yard. I love this fabric! It has the nubby texture and unbleached color of linen, but without the fussiness, since it is 100% cotton. That left two 4 inch x 28 inch pieces of remnant to serve as the ruffles. I hemmed each one of the larger pieces on three sides and then gathered and attached the ruffle on the remaining short side.

Next, I printed this graphic on transfer paper as is…it must be backwards so that it will face the correct the direction when applied. I used a 3 inch x 4 inch size with Photoscape. Several of you have asked what kind of transfer paper I use…Avery for light fabrics. First, I trimmed as closely as I could around the design and then I followed the directions on the package to apply the transfers. My advice…iron, iron, iron…and when you think it might be ready…iron some more!

And here’s the result! Doesn’t it almost look like embroidery?

I didn’t hem the edges of the ruffle, but left it with the selvage as is. I love the little raveled edge! It adds to the vintage look and will not unravel any further than that.

In fact, I like them so much that I think I will make a few more and use them as generous napkins at Christmas eve dinner!

And wouldn’t they make nice gifts? The traditional red and green just say Christmas to me! Whew! Now I just have a few things left to share and then Christmas can arrive! I think I might be just about ready! What about you?
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations! 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
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!

Oldies but Goodies...Easy Christmas Recipes

2011-12-19T19:00:00.009-05:00

I was busy baking for my family Christmas celebration this past weekend and I realized that I have a few quick and easy recipes that I might share with you. I will be assisted by our guest co-hostess Vanna the Christmas Mouse since Baby Kitty is busy wrapping the Christmas gifts for the staff.
The first one is a simmering potpourri…not intended to drink, although it wouldn’t hurt you since it’s all natural, but intended to make your house smell wonderful and Christmasy! I don’t know about you, but the smell of oranges and cinnamon just says Christmas to me!

It’s so simple that you probably already have all of the ingredients!

First bring a quart of water to a boil.
Next add half of an orange cut into smaller sections (I usually squeeze the juice into the water and then add the peel).
Finally, add two cinnamon sticks, two bay leaves and 20-25 whole cloves.

Let it boil for a few minutes, then turn it down to a simmer and leave it on the stove. In about 30 minutes, your whole house will smell wonderful! You can put it in the fridge and reuse it for several days. I have even frozen it and pulled it back out on a really cold night to make the house feel cozy. Be sure to keep an eye on the water level when the potpourri is simmering. It is so easy and inexpensive compared to store bought potpourri!

The second is intended to drink…instant Russian tea! I keep it in my snowman jar. Here in the South, it wouldn’t be Christmas without Russian tea! My sister makes a big batch of it whenever we come over during the holidays. She makes the real thing (click here for that recipe), but I like the instant kind because I can make as much or as little as I want and I can make it as strong as I want. I will give you the recipe, but you have to promise not to laugh because you will know how old I am when you see the ingredients!

Instant Russian Tea
1 one lb container of Tang (It’s actually 1.4…I just don’t use it all.)
1 pkg instant unsweetened lemonade
3/4 cup instant tea
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Mix all ingredients well. Place in a tightly covered jar. Place 2 teaspoons in a cup of boiling water. (I like to use 3 teaspoons.) Enjoy!
I love this stuff! It's the Tang that dates me! You may have to hunt it…maybe on the bottom shelf! It seems that the astronauts don’t drink it so much any more! lol You ladies my age will remember that!

My third recipe is a very easy candy recipe…chocolate butterscotch granola candy. Those are the ingredients, too! At my house we call it Uncle Larry's candy because it’s his favorite. I actually got this recipe from one of my students in the '70s…yikes! I’ve been using this one a long time! The butterscotch gives it an extra little yummy taste.
Chocolate Butterscotch Granola Candy
about 3/4 of a box (or about 21 ounces) of Quaker Natural Granola Oats, Honey and Raisins ( The box is bigger than it used to be.)
one 12 ounce bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
one 12 ounce bag of butterscotch chips
Melt the chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Add the cereal and stir until coated. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper and allow to cool. (I cool mine in the fridge.) Cover tightly to store. I keep it in the fridge and take it out shortly before serving, but you would not have to once it has cooled.

One final quick and easy recipe is from my mom’s friend Bonnie who gave it to her about 50 years ago, so we call it Bonnie’s cheese ball. Hmmm…we seem to name all of our old family recipes after people. It has certainly stood the test of time! I posted this recipe last year, but it bears repeating.
Bonnie's Cheese Ball
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 (4 ounce) package bleu cheese
6 ounces grated extra sharp cheddar cheese (I use Cracker Barrel)
1 tablespoon freeze dried chives
1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic salt (to taste)
chopped pecans
paprika
1 olive
Let the cheeses soften at room temperature. Mix together adding the chives. Add the garlic salt to taste starting with about 1/2 teaspoon. Mine usually wind up with about a teaspoon. Even if you think you've added too much, you probably have not. Drop the mixture onto wax paper and refrigerate until it is easier to handle. I usually divide the recipe into 2 balls because one is usually enough and the other one freezes great! Take them out of the fridge and form them into nice round balls. Roll them on a plate where you have put the pecans and the paprika until they are covered. I usually have to shake on a little extra paprika to make them pretty. Top each with 1/2 olive to decorate. I always serve it with Nabisco Sociables crackers.

That’s it! Thanks so much for stopping by! And thanks also from the Plate Addict staff to Miss Vanna for taking time out of her busy schedule to give us a hand! I hope that at least one of these recipes will help to make your Christmas holidays a little easier!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas recipes! 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
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
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!

Christmas in the Dining Room

2011-12-18T14:24:00.005-05:00

A week from today will be Christmas and I think I am ready! How about you? I still have a few more things to show you, though, so I would like to give you a better look at this year’s decorations in the dining room…where I have done things very differently from last year.

However, our scheduled co-hostess Miss Kitty seems more interested in checking out the bird feeder in the backyard this afternoon, so we will proceed without her.

I have already shown you my rustic tablescape using lots of natural elements mixed with red accents and mercury glass…

...so now I would like to give you a better look at the rest of the room! The Welsh hutch is one of my favorite pieces of furniture in the house…reminding me of a French vaisselier. I finally found enough blue and white Spode plates to fill it this fall, so unlike last year when I used all creamware, I decided to embrace the blue…even for Christmas!

And I have decided that I love it! Just a few red candles…

..a few shiny red ornaments mixed with greenery around my Red Cliff ironstone tureen…

…a wreath sporting sugared red berries…

…and the hutch is ready for Christmas! I also added some red candles to the rooster scones on each side and my latest project…my frenchy Ballard inspired Joyeux Noël pillow (tutorial here)…is decorating the French country chair. Everything looks festive without very many changes!

On the other side of the room, only a few large scale pieces have been added…

…a large lantern filled with almonds and a red candle surrounded by a small wreath…and a colorful red poinsettia in my new tureen…a $6.00 Goodwill find!

And finally, to top things off, more shiny red ornaments suspended from the chandelier with silver ribbons! Surprisingly, Miss Isabella has not paid them much attention this year…

…unlike last year when the temptation was just a little too great! Keep your fingers crossed that it will continue!
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations! 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!
Jennifer at Jennifer Rizzo for the Holiday House Party
Melissa at The Inspired Room for the Home Tour Linky Party
The Nester at the Nesting Place for the Christmas Tour of Homes
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
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 & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Ballard Inspired Joyeux Noël Pillow

2011-12-17T06:12:00.002-05:00

Here’s my latest project…my Ballard inspired Joyeux Noël pillow! I’m happy to get this one in under the wire this year because it was on my to do list for this Christmas!

And here is my inspiration from Ballard Designs! I fell in love immediately, but it was $69 (on sale right now for $49) and that’s just out of my price range! Sooo…I knew I had to copy it…with one exception…I wanted red and white French ticking instead of black. I love the look, but it just doesn’t say Christmas to me!

Here’s what I did:
1. I already had a 16” x 16” down pillow insert from Goodwill (under $3.00) and fabric for the pillow itself. I created an iron-on transfer for the wording which I have included for you in the next photo. I attached it according to directions on the package and then sewed the two pieces of fabric right sides together, turned, filled and stitched closed.
2. I drew the triangle for the tree and then cut it into six segments as a pattern, using scraps from three different fabrics. I pinned the fabric in place on the pillow. My tree is a little bigger than theirs since theirs seemed small to me.
3. I hot-glued the fabric down using small dots of glue in several places.
4. Theirs has a twine trunk beneath the fabric pieces, but I wanted mine on top, so I hot-glued it in place after tying knots on each end.

Here’s the graphic for the wording. It must be printed as is…backwards…on the iron-on transfer paper. It will be right side up once it is in place. I printed it in 8x10 format with Photoscape.

Finally, I added a little bow on top! Total money spent…none…since I already had everything I needed ! Sooo…it was free…woo hoo!…instead of their $49 on sale! Love it!

Of course, my handsome co-host had to check it out. Hmmm…I see that he is double-checking my spelling and accent marks! No worries, Baby Kitty, it’s correct! :-)

And there you have it…my Ballard inspired Joyeux Noël pillow! Whew! Time is flying by and I still have a few more projects to squeeze in. Will I make it? Time will tell!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations! 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
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 & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Pottery Barn Inspired Poinsettia Pillow

2011-12-15T16:17:00.002-05:00

Christmas is fast approaching and I still have some projects I want to try this year, so I was happy to get this one finished under the wire…my Pottery Barn inspired poinsettia pillow!

I knew the moment I saw this pillow in the Pottery Barn catalog that I was going to have to try to copy it! I love it! I even made a trip to Pottery Barn to check it out. It’s a little jewel…even prettier in person!

However, it looks as though I am going it alone again today since our co-host Baby Kitty seems to be busy communing with an interesting visitor at the back door! So here I go…

It was really easier than I thought…
1. I made a 12 inch square pillow out of burlap. Theirs is made of a linen-like fabric, but burlap matched their color and I already had it in my stash.
2. Next, I cut leaves out of ivory felt in three different sizes…five of each size… and pressed each one in half to give the appearance of a real poinsettia. Theirs is hand-stitched down the center, but I was hopeful that pressing the leaves would give that appearance since time is not something I have a lot of right now.
3. I pinned the largest leaves first and then hot-glued the ends at the center to the pillow.
4. Then, I pinned the layer of the middle-sized leaves and hot-glued them as well. The final layer of the smallest leaves (not pictured) was added in the same way.

Finally, I added a cluster of little jingle bells in the center, hot-gluing them one at a time.

And here it is! Miss Isabella was surprised to wake up from her nap and discover a new pillow in her chair! The pillow behind it is new as well…made from a Goodwill sweater for about $3.00.

Here’s a final look! I have added a little burlap rosette to the sweater pillow. I think I am going to enjoy this one! Stay tuned as I still have a few last-minute tricks up my sleeve!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations! 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
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 & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special

Four Ways to Decorate a Dough Bowl for Christmas

2011-12-14T09:42:00.008-05:00

As each holiday rolls around, I always pull out one of my favorite possessions…my grandmother’s dough bowl…and look for new ways to decorate it for the occasion. This Christmas is no exception, so I thought I would show you four different ways I have been trying.

The first is very traditional…filled with a red candle and simple shiny ornaments. I know the neutrals are popular now, but red and green still say Christmas to me!

I love the way this one looks at night! It just glows in the candlelight!

The little star ornaments add just the perfect touch of whimsy, I think! And can you believe it…the ornaments came from Publix!

This arrangements smells heavenly…tangerines and cinnamon stick wrapped candles on a bed of almonds! The almonds were half price after Christmas last year and have been such a wonderful filler all year!

The candles were also inexpensive to do using cinnamon sticks from the Hispanic spices section of Publix for only $3.39 for a 12 ounce bag! Woo hoo! The tutorial can be found here.

What do you think? Somehow the combination of tangerines and cinnamon sticks just brings back childhood memories of Christmas!

Miss Isabella says this one is her favorite since it is orange…her favorite color in addition to black and white!

Here’s another look…without a candle this time…pinecones, moss rocks and mercury glass acorns. The moss rocks came for the Dollar Tree with 4 or 5 in a package…a bargain…and the pinecones came from my yard.

The mercury glass acorns were at Walmart last year and are still some of my favorite ornaments!

And finally…a sparkly-warkly look that is a little more elegant…silver and gold starring the Dollar Tree snow birds I made last year (tutorial here) and a pillar candle wrapped with a jeweled snowflake from Target.

There you have it…four very different looks for a Christmas dough bowl that run the gamut form simple to sparkly. Do you have a favorite? I think I know which one I am going with! Can you guess?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations! 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
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 & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Christmas Living Room Tour at the Plate Addicts!

2011-12-12T22:45:00.013-05:00

Welcome to my living room…all decorated for Christmas! I’d love to show you around! I’m using a red and white color scheme this year built around two of my favorites…French ticking and toile, as you can see from the stockings and wreath in the background and the tree skirt. This is one of several small trees I have decorated. That seems to work better for me since I can have a different theme for each tree!

This tree is decorated with wild birds…cardinals in particular, since they are my favorites! I have a pair that hangs around my birdfeeder all year!

I have already shown you my mantel..all dressed up in French ticking, burlap and mercury glass! You can find a tutorial for the wreath here and for the stockings here.

On the coffee table, you’ll find my new wire cloche…the top half of the stand that I showed you yesterday…filled with faux sugared apples. In the center is my tea set…collected piece by piece from Goodwill…

…and filled with small Christmas trees and ornaments! I love the way it glows in the firelight!

My Santos cage doll is one of my favorites! I was excited to find an ex-voto for her to wear this Christmas…an antiqued sacred heart. Her style is more refined and softer than many of the more primitive Santos dolls and suits my Country French decor. I love the little cherub floating in the cloud at her feet!

Doesn’t she have a kind and beautiful face?

On the media cabinet is a little candle holder with special meaning to me. It was in my childhood home and was decorated by my mom each Christmas!

The little ornament under the cloche…a gift from my mom… is another special favorite of mine as is the book...a Paris flea market find. In fact, they will get their own post later!

On the painted chest is my little frenchy boy statue who presides over my vintage book bundle topped by a vintage Santa postcard. The pinecone candle was a Goodwill find. Beside them is yet another little tree, also with a cardinal theme.

And at the other end of the chest…a vintage inspired loving cup filled with a faux sugared berry kissing ball. I love the antique red berries…perfect shade of red for my living room…
…as is this project in the works that Isabella would like to show you! Can you guess what it will be? Our CEO Ozzie stands in the background to make sure our chatty little Miss Isabella doesn’t spoil the surprise! You will have to come back to find out!

And there you have it…our Christmas living room! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations!

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
Jennifer at Jennifer Rizzo for the Holiday House Party
Melissa at The Inspired Room for the Home Tour Linky Party
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
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for a Christmas Tree Party
The Nester at the Nesting Place for the Christmas Tour of Homes
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 & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

My Vintage Santa Postcard Tree

2011-12-11T14:29:00.008-05:00

I have a new Christmas tree to show you this year…my vintage Santa postcard tree! I don’t do a big tree any more now that many of the festivities have move to my daughter’s home for the grandchildren, so each year I do several small trees instead. This year’s decorations are a little more rustic, so I decided that a vintage tree would be just what I needed!

Of course, our faithful co-host Baby Kitty was only too happy to lend me a hand…er…paw!

First, I found a series of lovely vintage Santa postcards here...many of which were French.

Next, I printed them in a size to fit shipping tags that can be found at any office supply store and used rubber cement to attach them since it doesn't wrinkle the paper.

I decorated them with glitter glue from Dollar Tree…three different colors for only…what else…$1.00!

Finally, I added some red ribbon to make them a little more festive. Aren’t they wonderful? Most of the postcards I chose represent a French-style Santa or Saint Nicholas wearing long robes…

…but I did add an American-style Santa with his traditional red costume.

On the back of each one…vintage sheet music found here to which I added the words Joyeux Noël.

At the base of the tree…a wicker tray found at Goodwill several months ago filled with almonds, tangerines and apples…reminiscent of what my sister and I used to find in our stockings on Christmas morning.

And at the top of the tree..a special corn husk Madonna and child that was the tree topper on the very first tree that I had on my own almost 40 years ago!

Something was still missing, though, and I knew when I saw this vintage-looking table runner at Target that this was just what was needed...my one splurge! I love it! Almost everything else was already on hand...so... free!

Beside the tree is a favorite little wooden Santa and his team of reindeer emerging from a little forest of miniature trees that I have been collecting.

Also on the table…a three wick candle topping a rustic stand…the bottom half of a recent find from Joss & Main. I will show you what I did with the wire cloche that goes on top in another post! I added holly from my yard to brighten it up.

And there you have it…my vintage Santa postcard Christmas tree! I love its nostalgic simplicity! Stay tuned because I still have lots more to show you!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations! 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
Kate at Centsational Girl for the Holiday Craft Link 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
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for a Christmas Tree Party
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 the Bloggers Block Christmas Tree Party
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 & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Easy Wisteria Knock-Off Sheet Music Candles

2011-12-09T07:00:00.011-05:00

Here is absolutely the easiest Christmas project you will ever try…my Wisteria Knock-off sheet music candles…because I am going to give you just about everything you need to do it! I think it is my favorite project this Christmas…not just because they are easy, but because I think they are pretty, too!

Here is Wisteria’s version…gotta love them!…so wonderfully simple and beautiful! Theirs is a set of four 5 inch high votive holders on sale right now for $21.60 plus shipping.

Mine are made using 7 inch high pillar candle holders from Dollar Tree at a total of $4.00 for all four of them…so they cost $1.00 each since I already had everything else! Woo hoo! In addition to the candle holders and four pillar candles, you will need twine, a sheet of red construction paper, printer paper with access to a color printer, tape and glue…that’s it!

Just make two copies of each of the following illuminated manuscript pages at 8x10 inch size…I use Photoscape, so this is how they calculate it…and then trim it to fit. Next, wrap the graphic around the candle holder and secure with tape. I used the leftover piece to cover the white space after I taped it. I don’t show it here, but I trimmed off the white edges and glued it over the taped seam. Here are the graphics...

Next, I made simple tags to attach to the candles. According to Wisteria’s version, they actually translate a portion of the text. However, I have no clue what mine say…although I am certain it is Biblical…so I just used theirs. Here it is…(Note: the first two lines go together as in the photo above…the rest of the tags use one line.)
Glory to God in the Highest
And Peace to His People on Earth
Lamb of God Have Mercy on Us
Mary gave birth to her first born, a Son
Through Him you Give us These Gifts

Since the candle can be turned so that a different side shows, it is only necessary to have two different pages to achieve four different candles.

I love the way they glow in the candlelight! They really look like old illuminated manuscripts on parchment, don’t they?

And here they are on the buffet in the dining room for now. Can you believe how easy they are and how good they look for only $1.00 each? We’ve still got a few weeks until Christmas, so you can make them in a jiffy and have plenty of time to use them! Let me know how it goes if you decide to attempt them! Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations! 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
Kate at Centsational Girl for the Holiday Craft Link 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
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 & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

My Rustic Christmas Tablescape...Evergreens and Burlap

2011-12-07T18:11:00.004-05:00

It’s finally looking like Christmas in the dining room, so I would like to show you my tablescape! It will be a small Christmas eve gathering, so I have set the table for four.

This year I decided that I wanted to use natural elements and traditional red and green as my color palette. Sooo…I started with a realistic-looking faux garland and layered in more pine cones and juniper cuttings as well as flowering cherry twigs collected last spring when they were full of buds.

At the center is a lantern with Gothic window glass…one of my favorites and first finds when I started Goodwill hunting several years ago.

Next, I scattered red pillar candles in glass cylinders and simple votives throughout the centerpiece. I love the ambiance they add!

Once again, I am using my favorite plates…Felice by Chris Madden…a $10 Goodwill find from last year! That’s my mom’s Towle Silver Flutes flatware. I love the simple pattern and the patina of old silver! The water glasses are my best Irish lead crystal and I have added some wine glasses found at Goodwill. Can you tell…I like to mix elegant with simple!

At each place is a Christmas ornament…nesting cardinals…for my guests to take home with them.

On the table…a drop cloth tablecloth topped with my versatile ruffled burlap table runner lend themselves to the rustic look of the tablescape. (Click here for instructions for making your own runner.)

Baby Kitty reminds me that since we will have our dinner on Christmas eve, it might be nice to show you how the table will look in the candlelight.

And here it is! The candlelight gives a completely different look, I think!

I love the way the crystal and silver really glow! The candlelight seems to highlight the contrast of the elegant…

…and the rustic elements of the table.

An here’s just a little peek at the dining room. The burlap stockings from last year’s mantel are hanging from each chair, waiting to be filled with surprises for my guests! I’ll show you more later.

And there you have it…my rustic Christmas tablescape with evergreens and burlap. What do you think? I still have lots more that I am working on, so be sure to come back!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations! 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
The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays
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
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
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
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 & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

French Ticking, Burlap and Mercury Glass...My Christmas Mantel

2011-12-05T19:04:00.002-05:00

I am so excited! My mantel is finally finished and I am ready for the big reveal! This year it features lots of French ticking with touches of burlap and some sparkles of mercury glass!

If you follow my blog, you have already seen the wreath that I made using French ticking accented with burlap and sweater fabric flowers. I am loving the antique red with the olive green and silver ornaments…just enough to give it a little bling! (If you would like to find out how I made the wreath, click here.)

And here’s another peek at the stockings I made to match, using more French ticking and a pretty vintage napkin to finish them off. (You can find the tutorial here.) I have also used ornament hangers to attach glittery letters that spell…

…NOEL! I like the little extra sparkle that they add…making them a little more Christmas-y, I think!

And I didn’t spend a dime for my fabric…no sir! As some of you already know, the French ticking used to be my bedroom curtains, so I was able to make my decorations for almost nothing! And for those of you who have asked…no, I have not yet pulled a Scarlett and made myself a frock! lol

Miss Isabella, however, is less concerned about how I made the stockings and more interested in what is going to be in them on Christmas morning! And just in case you are wondering, I have extra initials for my staff and will change the letters before Santa comes so there’s no confusion!

On the mantel, I have reused last year’s mercury glass candlesticks. I think they add a vintage feel and a silvery element without being overpowering! I love the way they look with red…so festive!

Also on the mantel…more touches of silver and red with lots of berries and shiny ornaments nestled in the garland.

And the finishing touch…nothing says Christmas like a cat relaxing in front of the fire! Baby Kitty was very happy to oblige and quickly struck a pose!

And there you have it…my Christmas mantel for this year! The staff and I are still finishing up the decorations in the rest of the house and will have more to show you later on, so we hope you will drop back by! In the meantime, we are pulling out the marshmallows and making some S’mores. Won’t you join us?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations! 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
Kristin at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for the Christmas Mantel Block Party
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
Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for the Merry Mantels Party
Beth at The Stories of A2Z for the Christmas Mantel Link PartyJudy at DIY by Design for Fall into Fall
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 & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Tutorial: French Ticking Stocking Trimmed with Vintage Linens

2011-12-04T16:15:00.004-05:00

I am excited to show you what I have been working on…new stockings for the mantel! And I have made them from one of my favorite fabrics…French ticking…finished with a vintage napkin with pretty trim! And they are easy to make, too!

If you have been reading along, you know where the fabric is coming from…my old bedroom curtains! lol Yes, just call me Scarlett! When I gave my bedroom a make-over, I was left with four floor length panels of French ticking. Sooo…I decided to use it for Christmas this year! In a rare appearance, our CEO Ozzie is helping me. Just make a pattern from newspaper and cut out two pieces…front and back. I used a cheap stocking from Dollar Tree as my pattern, allowing a one-half inch seam allowance all around.

1. Pin right sides together and sew. Make a few small cuts not quite to the seam at the curves for ease in turning.
2. Turn and press.
*You can simply stop here and hem the top of the stocking. However, I wanted to add a cuff in case I want to use it without the vintage napkin another year. If you choose not to add a cuff, just add the hanger and the napkin as explained beneath the next photo. Easy peasy!
3. Cut a length of fabric measuring the finished width of the stocking at the top plus a seam allowance on each end and twice the width of the cuff you want to make plus a seam allowance on each end. (My stocking measured 15 inches wide and I wanted a 4 inch cuff, so my fabric was 16 inches x 9 inches.) Sew right sides together and press open. This will be the cuff. I cut mine horizontally to make it more interesting.
4. Fold in half and press.
5. Place the cuff inside the stocking, matching the edges and sew.

1. Trim the seam so that it is not so bulky.
2. Turn the cuff to the outside and press.
3. Add a ribbon or self trim for a hanger.
4. Fold the napkin in half to form a triangle and slip stitch it to the stocking in several places to hold it in place.

And…taa daa!…here it is! I love the dainty vintage look!

And in case you are wondering what to do to identify the stockings and would rather not monogram, just add a letter with an ornament hanger! I found these at Walmart last year, but most craft stores have chipboard letters that could be découpaged or covered with glitter for the same look. I am making four stockings and, since I had everything already except for the vintage napkins ($4.00 for four), each stocking cost $1.00 to make! Woo hoo!

You have already seen my French ticking and burlap wreath (if not, click here) and now my stockings…so can my mantel reveal be far behind? Stay tuned!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations! 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
Kate at Centsational Girl for the Holiday Craft Link 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
Kristin at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures
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
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 & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Rustic Christmas Centerpiece

2011-12-03T15:58:00.011-05:00

There’s lots of Christmas decorating going on at my house…finally! I just wanted to stop and show you the centerpiece for the table in the breakfast area…starring my favorite new must-have…my chippy rustic wooden box! I love it!

You may remember it when it starred in my fall decor! It was a great find at Joss & Main and I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will have some more like it before Christmas! It would make a great gift!

You may also notice that my faux deer antlers are back…a bargain find at Goodwill for under $3.00! I’ve added red ornaments and a votive to add to the Christmas-y feel.

I knew when I saw the box that I could fill it with fun stuff with each season and enjoy it year ‘round! The lead crystal urn is back, still filled with my favorite vintage silverplate flatware. And it was just begging for a little Christmas tree, too!

I found the cutest little glass ornaments at Hobby Lobby and these tiny candy canes at Dollar Tree…love them!

The big ornaments came for Dollar Tree, also. I am loving red and white this year!

And, of course, you can’t have Christmas without a reindeer! This one came from Michaels and has little twig antlers and mistletoe trim!

You know I can’t have a centerpiece without adding at least one plate! This is one of my favorite holiday patterns…Johnson Brothers Old Britain Castles Christmas in pink…love it!

And I can’t forget to mention the burlap table square that I made recently! It is proving to be so versatile during the fall and winter seasons! I love the look of a table square on a round table!

Baby Kitty is reminding me that I need to get back to work on my Christmas decorations! We have another project in the works involving those old French ticking curtain panels that I am cutting up this year for some inexpensive and fun additions to the decor. Hey…did you see the French ticking and burlap wreath and the French ticking stockings trimmed with vintage hankies that I have already made from my curtains? Soon people are going to start calling me Scarlett! lol

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations! 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
Layla at The Lettered Cottage for Christmas Table Decor
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
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for a Christmas Tree Party
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 & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

We Have a Winner!

2011-12-03T07:46:00.002-05:00

First, would like to thank everyone who entered my giveaway for a copy of the fun new book Dog Trots Globe: To Paris and Provence! There are a lot of us out there who are lovers of both France and our sweet pets! But I only have one copy to give, so the random number generator chose number 48…Vickie at Ranger 911! Congratulations, Vickie! Just get your information to me and your copy of the book…autographed by both Chula the Sheltie and her owner Sheron Long…will be winging its way to you!
Thanks again so much to everyone who entered!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! I am busy decorating for Christmas...I'm behind, I know... and making a few new goodies to add to my decor. I'll have them ready to show you later today, so check back for the reveal!

French Ticking and Burlap: My Christmas Wreath

2011-11-30T13:18:00.009-05:00

I want to give you a little peek at how Christmas is coming along at my house, so I am starting with my new wreath! I wanted to add some red this year so why not begin with my favorite…French ticking!

I have decided not to spend lots of money this year and recycle as many of my old decorations as possible...just add some inexpensive new twists. Sooo…I was thrilled when Baby Kitty reminded me that I already have a supply of French ticking on hand…the old curtains left over from my master bedroom! Yep…four floor length panels of fabric! Woo hoo!

First, I wrapped a straw wreath form…$3.00 with a coupon at Michaels…with strips of the fabric and secured them with hot glue…easy, except for the hot glue burns! Ouch!

Then I made fabric flowers by twisting folded strips of olive green burlap and wrapping them around until they formed a rose, which I fastened in several places with more hot glue. I did the same thing with strips of an antique red sweater that I found at Goodwill for about $4.00. I only used one sleeve, since I have plans for the body of the sweater and the other sleeve.

I hot glued them to the wreath and added a few silver and glittery Christmas ornaments from Target’s dollar aisle last year.

And…taaa daaa…there you have it! I can’t let you see my mantel yet since it’s not ready, but let’s just say it involves more of that free French ticking! You will have to come back later for the reveal!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas decorations! 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
Kate at Centsational Girl for the Holiday Craft Link 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
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
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

Rachelle at Fingerprints on the Fridge for Feature Yourself Friday

Debra at Common Ground for Fabulous Fall Fun
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Jen at Tatertots & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Pottery Barn Inspired Stocking Pillow...and More!

2011-11-26T22:17:00.012-05:00

I have a fun new Christmas project for you…a stocking pillow inspired by Pottery Barn! All you will need is a sweater that you are willing to sacrifice, some burlap, buttons and twine!

As soon as I saw this one in Pottery Barn, I fell in love! But…$49 just for the cover was out of my price range. So if you know me, you know my little wheels started to turn…

…and here is the result! Not too bad, huh? Theirs is a sort of linen fabric, but I couldn’t find it in the color I needed, so I used burlap. You just make a sleeve that is open-ended on both sides, slip in the insert (mine is down-filled for $4.00 from Goodwill) and close with big buttons! Easy! However, I don’t knit, so the little stockings were a challenge.

I finally found a cashmere sweater for $4.00 at Goodwill that had the texture and weight I wanted. Then I cut and sewed three little stockings from the sleeves, making a little hem at the top to finish them off.

Next, I added little ribbon loops and threaded the stockings on a length of twine which I stitched to the pillow. Finally, I added some fresh rosemary from the garden and…taaa daaa! But I still had the whole body of the sweater left over! What to do?…hmmmm…

I made a simple sweater pillow and added another down insert from Goodwill…a $3.00 bargain…and then added a rose made from the leftover burlap!

It’s really easy! I just took a 45” by 4” piece of burlap and folded it in half so that it was 2 inches wide and then pressed it to make it easier to handle. Next, I tied a knot in one end, twisted the strip and curled it around, hot gluing at intervals to hold it, until it formed a rose.

And I have another idea cooking using sweaters…ornaments! I found this one in the French online magazine Marie Claire Maison. Don’t you love it? I wish I could knit!

And there you have it! I was able to make both pillows for about $20 total, including the sweater, fabric, buttons and inserts! Woo hoo!

And now for the magazine look-alike shot for the Magazine Copy Cat Challenge at Debbiedoo's Blogging and Blabbing! That’s Pottery Barn’s version on the left and mine on the right! What do you think?

And stay tuned…with the help of my lovely assistant Miss Isabella, I will have more pillows to show you later!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas pillow! 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)
Kate at Centsational Girl for the Holiday Craft Link Party

Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Debbie at Debbiedoo's Blogging and Blabbing for the Magazine Copy Cat Challenge
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
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
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Love Dogs and France? This Book Giveaway Is for You!

2011-11-26T07:15:00.003-05:00

Just a reminder...there's a fun book giveaway going on right now on my blog! Chula the Sheltie, who has sniffed the lavender fields of Provence and shopped the flea markets of Paris, has provided me with a copy of her book Dog Trots Globe: To Paris & Provence to give to one of my readers! It's a multi-sensory book, accompanied by music, video clips and lots of wonderful photographs of France! Click here to read about the book and get the giveaway details! You don't want to miss this one! Be sure to leave comments on my previous post (here) to enter! Hey...dogs and France...how can you not love it? Just don't tell my staff and give them ideas!

Dog Trots Globe: To Paris and Provence...A Review and a Giveaway!

2011-11-25T08:02:00.003-05:00

If you love all things French and you love dogs, have I got a book for you…Dog Trots Globe: To Paris and Provence! The author is Chula Wula D’Augue (pronounced dog)…simply known as Chula…a nine-year-old Sheltie who spends most of her time in California. The book, as barked to her owner Sheron Long, tells Chula’s adventures as she travels to France for the first time!

You will first see Provence through Chula’s eyes and check out the café and bistro scene, where well-behaved dogs are welcome in France!

Chula takes us to some of my favorite places as we visit the markets in Provence. She kindly provides us with a list of her favorite market days and I was pleased to see my very favorite…l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue’s Sunday antique and flea market… among them! The book is filled with wonderful photos that will instantly transport you to Provence!

Of course, Chula takes us to visit the picturesque little villages and the beautiful countryside! What trip to Provence would be complete without an opportunity to smell the lavender…

…and to rub elbows with the friendly locals!

And of course, you must top off your trip with a stay in Paris and an excursion to the fabulous marchés aux puces…the flea markets! Chula even attends the opening night of a Parisian art gallery. There’s so much to do in France for a curious and adventuresome dog, especially since France is a very dog-friendly country! And this book really takes you along, too, including lots of practical tips as well in case you decide to travel to France with your dog.
And here’s what I really like about this book…it comes with extra goodies! It has a wonderful music video of market day in Provence and a narrated video of a fun walk through the village of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, as well as video clips from Chula’s visit to France! (They are embedded in the enhanced eBook edition and included online for the print and standard eBook editions.) And…the book is absolutely filled to the brim with fabulous color photographs for the feeling of a little getaway to Paris and Provence!

And now for the fun part…Chula has been kind enough to supply me with a copy of the book…autographed by both Chula and her owner Sheron Long…to give to one of my readers!
You can win in one of five ways:
1. Leave a comment on this post. Be certain to leave an email address if you do not have a blog so that I can contact you if you win!
2. Leave an additional comment telling me that you are a follower or subscriber.
3. Like our page on Facebook (here) and tell me in another comment.
4. Become Chula’s friend on Facebook (here) by sending her a friend request and tell me in another comment.
5. Blog about this giveaway or take the giveaway button from the sidebar and post it on your sidebar and tell me in another comment.
That’s five ways to win! The giveaway will end on Thursday, December 1st at 7:00 pm Eastern time. The winner will be chosen at random. Be sure to leave an email address or contact if you do not have a blog so that I may let you know if you win!

However, if you don’t want to wait to see if you win, you can purchase the book here:
In print format at Amazon here or directly from the publisher OIC books here.
In standard eBook format from Amazon here and the Apple iBookstore here.
In enhanced eBook format with audio and video embedded at the Apple iBookstore here.
I am thinking...Christmas gift for all the dog lovers and francophiles on my list!

Please note that I have not been compensated in any way by the publisher or the author for this review. And…please do me a favor and don’t tell my staff about this book…it will give them ideas! Bonne chance! Good luck!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T15:46:00.002-05:00

On this day of counting our blessings, I am counting you, my blog friends, among them! May you have a wonderful holiday filled with family, love, peace and happiness…and, of course, good food! A very Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

A Fun French Dessert for Thanksgiving...Pumpkin Mousse Verrines

2011-11-21T09:48:00.005-05:00

Are you looking for something a little different for dessert for Thanksgiving…traditional in its ingredients but with a French twist? Then here it is…Pumpkin Mousse Verrines! What are verrines? Simply put, they are little glasses with pretty layers for yummy appetizers or desserts. They are all the rage in France, with entire cookbooks being dedicated to them. Special glasses have been created to serve them, but any small glass will do…such as shot glasses. Here, they are served in champagne glasses…elegant! I found this one at Made with a Twist. It combines pumpkin mousse with layers of caramelized pecans and whipped cream…yummy! You can find the recipe here or I have printed it below.

Pumpkin Mousse Verrines…from Made with a Twist
Makes 15-18 champagne glass-sized verrines
Pumpkin Mousse
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. maple syrup
1 t. cinnamon
Maple Caramelized Pecans
1 (6-ounce) bag pecan chips (1 1/3 c. chopped pecans)
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. maple syrup
Whipped Cream
3 c. cold heavy whipping cream
3/4 c. cold maple syrup

Place a large bowl and the electric mixer’s beater(s) in the fridge to chill for later use with the whipped cream.

For the pumpkin mousse, in a medium saucepan, stir the pumpkin, cream, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, and cinnamon over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap with the wrap in direct contact with the mousse mixture, and put in the refrigerate while preparing the other components.

For the nuts, spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat and add the nuts, stirring constantly until they become fragrant. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and stir constantly. When the pieces are all coated, remove them from the heat and let them cool on a plate.

For the maple whipped cream, remove the large bowl and beater(s) from the fridge. Place the cold heavy whipping cream in the bowl and begin to whip. When the cream is frothy (after about 1 minute), gradually stream the cold maple syrup into the cream. Continue whipping until the cream develops soft peaks.

To assemble, measure out 4 cups of whipped cream and set the rest aside. Remove the pumpkin mixture from fridge. Fold the 4 cups of maple whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture until the streaks of white have disappeared.

If serving immediately, the pumpkin mousse, remaining maple whipped cream, and maple pecans may be layered into the verrines whichever way the host decides! Sprinkling freshly grated nutmeg finishes the dessert nicely.

If serving later, fill each verrine 3/4-full of the pumpkin mousse. Top with a dollop of maple whipped cream and place in the refrigerator to chill for up to 5 hours. Top with maple pecans just before serving.

More links for verrine recipes can be found here and here. Enjoy!

French Advent Calendar Ideas to Try!

2011-11-19T10:02:00.006-05:00

I was so excited when received my latest email from the French online magazine Marie Claire Idées because it was filled with fabulous ideas for creating Advent calendars…for both adults and children! So just in case you don't read it, I thought I would share these wonderful ideas with you.
The first calendars originated in Germany in the early 1800s as a way to mark the arrival of Christmas during the month of December. It has always been such a charming custom to me and we have celebrated it in some form each year at my house…generally with the Christmas pictures hiding small pieces of chocolate. However, I am thinking we will try something different this year! This one is so pretty…organdy pockets buttoned on burlap and filled with tiny gifts…love it!

This one stars pretty wrapped boxes stacked on birch logs..unusual!

How cute is this one…not difficult to do with just some felt, gingham and yarn!

This one would be easy and fun! You could make it with milk or juice cartons and construction paper…love it!

If you are talented at handwork, this one is for you…stitched on muslin with button-on pockets and tags to update them each day. That’s an old Christmas card graphic transferred to the calendar.

This one is simple match boxes..painted and stacked and glued in the shape of a tree. Each box is filled with chocolates.

I love this one…socks and gloves appliquéd and hung in a child’s room!

This one is more modern and is meant for the adults in the family. You could make it all of felt and use Velcro to attach the numbers each day….or do a traditional flannel board.

Isn’t this one festive…pretty little drawstring bags to open each day filled with luxurious chocolates wrapped in gold foil!

You’ve gotta love this one…made on a vintage French dishcloth!

This one is a puzzle…with pieces in little numbered envelopes to open and assemble one piece a day. You can actually download this one here! Just scroll down and click on Téléchargez (download) and print. There is a front design and a back with the lines for cutting it. Just mount both sides back to back on poster paper and cut with an Exacto knife. You can find little envelopes at an office supply store.

This one is my favorite, but a little more involved to try. You can find it here. Just scroll down and look for the word Téléchargez (download). For this one, you will want to download the four parts labeled …maisons A4 and the two parts labeled …fenêtres. It’s pretty self-explanatory. Just piece the houses together and glue, then cut the windows and doors open with an Exacto knife. Next, add the little numbered pictures to the back of the calendar. You can add the calendar to poster paper to give it more body. The picture on the web site may be helpful.

And finally, this one can be found here. Just download (Téléchargez) and use transfer paper to create these designs on fabric. Then stitch, stuff and pop into little numbered sacks. Or you could also just print, glue to poster paper and cut, then stash them in little envelopes.
December first is fast approaching, so I had better get busy!

Woo hoo! My Pumpkins Are in Country Living Magazine!

2011-11-18T18:00:00.002-05:00

I've been keeping a secret since September...my découpage pumpkins are featured in December's Country Living magazine!

Yes, the editors spied my pumpkins on Facebook and asked to publish them in their Letters to the Editor section of the magazine! Hey...it's not much bigger than a postage stamp, but I am still excited! :-) I have been so tickled at the reception those little pumpkins have gotten everywhere and I want to thank everyone again for your positive and encouraging response! And...it's not too late to make some of your own for Thanksgiving if you haven't already. You can find a complete tutorial here. Thanks again so much for all the bloggy love!...hugs...Debbie

Pumpkins, Bittersweet and Mercury Glass...My Thanksgiving Tablescape

2011-11-16T08:00:00.007-05:00

I have been playing with ideas for my Thanksgiving tablescape for a few weeks now and I think I have finally found a combination of elements that I really like…white pumpkins with bittersweet and mercury glass. Let me show you!

Miss Kitty will be assisting me today since Baby Kitty is taking advantage of the pretty weather to have a golfing vacation at Amelia Island. He will be back in plenty of time to enjoy the holiday with us!

At the heart of the centerpiece…three white pumpkins surrounded by a variety of natural gourds and small pumpkins…all in shades of green, white and yellow.

You might recognize the pumpkins...faux pumpkins from Walmart that I painted ivory. I love the stem!

I wanted the center pumpkin to have more importance, so I wrapped it with bittersweet and elevated it. I just used an overturned tea cup topped by a saucer as a little stand.

I scattered votives among the gourds and pumpkins to add a little glow to the centerpiece. Even in the daytime, I think candles add so much ambiance to a meal.

I am using my Chris Madden Felice plates again this year…a Goodwill find of four place settings for $10…one of my favorite bargains!

The silverware is my mom’s…in the Silver Flutes pattern by Towle. I love its wonderful patina! The acorn pattern napkins were a sale find at Williams Sonoma. I topped each plate with a little dumpling squash that complements the colors in the napkins.

I am using my Irish lead crystal goblets along with some Goodwill wine glasses that were about $1.00 each. I like to mix things up a bit! Can you tell?

On the table is my drop cloth tablecloth. I just used a drop cloth from Home Depot, washed and bleached it several times, pressed it and put it on the table. Easy...because it’s already hemmed. I topped it with my ruffled burlap table runner (Directions for making it can be found here.) I think they add a rustic element and I love the contrast in textures!

At each end of the table...my mercury glass candlesticks from last year. I like the look of them…just enough elegance without being stuffy.

On the buffet is the vignette I showed you earlier this fall…centered around an arrangement in my grandmother’s dough bowl. I decided to use traditional orange pumpkins instead of cream for a little pop of color.

On the hutch I have just added a few pumpkins and some bittersweet to my blue and white collection. The colors on the table are neutral, so I thought that I would keep things as they are here. I like the contrast of the colors…a little unexpected in the fall. I have also added my Red Cliff ironstone tureen and tea service and some more mercury glass candlesticks.

It will be small this year…a cozy family dinner since we will have already had the big dinner with our extended family. There will also be a high chair pulled up to the table…and next year the baby will be in a high chair, too! I think this is my favorite holiday…family gathered around the table making memories and enjoying each other’s company. I have a lot to be thankful for…among that my sweet blogger friends! So I would like to take this opportunity to wish a wonderful Thanksgiving full of love, laughter and much happiness to each of you! Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Thanksgiving 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
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
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 & Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Need Some Inspiration? It's Christmas Open House!

2011-11-12T18:00:00.006-05:00

I don’t know about you, but I am starting to realize that Christmas will soon be here and I have no idea what I will do about my decor! Sooo…my friend Linda at Nina’s Nest and I headed to our favorite flea and antique mall…the Queen of Hearts in Alpharetta, Georgia…for a little inspiration. Be sure to head over to her blog to see her take on our visit. And this year, we noticed a common theme…lots of natural elements, greenery and a more rustic look. The star of that look would be, of course, deer…over-sized deer on the buffet, glittery deer on the little tree…

…deer antlers mixed in with greenery on a hutch…

… a faux antler chandelier decorated with natural greenery…

…and antlers mixed in with more greenery and pheasant feathers…

…which starred in their own display in this wonderful Victorian silverplate pitcher…want it!…

…and filled old loving cups below a wall of more…what else…deer antlers! Here I do have to add that I can only buy the faux, although I do know you can find sheds. And…I must say that I am glad that I haven’t trimmed the boxwoods yet! lol

And there were lots of wonderful stockings to admire, like this ruffled one made of burlap and drop cloth…

…more burlap with inspirational tags…

…and lovely white burlap with some elegant touches!

Here’s one made from vintage linens…

…and one made of ticking with vintage hankies as trim!

And I have to add that seeing all the burlap stockings really made me happy since I plan to use last year’s stockings (pictured above) again this year! Click here to see my mantel from Christmas 2010.

And I am sure that you can see from the previous photo with all of its mercury glass that I am also happy that it is back…good!…because I love it! I love the look of these ornaments in a silver bowl!

And it looks like I need to get the ol’ Mod Podge out for some cute deer ornaments! Hey…is that an old phone book page?

And I love this sheet music and glitter tree…

…and this ornament filled with little strips of sheet music and decorated with a damask style flourish and glitter!

And you know I got sidetracked by this pretty frenchy mirrored chest…

…and this oh-so-frenchy grain sack upholstered chair…always have to stop and read the script! lol

And this fabulous frenchy chair stopped me in my tracks…want it!…

…as well as this unique frame in the shape of an oeil de boeuf window…gorgeous!

And I am filing this one away for next fall…bundles of wheat in a lantern. Hey! Wait a minute! It’s still fall! I have lanterns. I wonder if Publix has any more of that wheat?

And the answer is yes! And only $3.49 a bundle! Hmmm…I'm loving the Christmas inspiration, but I don't think I am quite through with fall...my favorite time of year. What about you?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Christmas inspiration! 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
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
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
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Rustic Thanksgiving Centerpiece with Burlap Table Square

2011-11-04T19:50:00.021-04:00

I am really starting to think about Thanksgiving! Have you realized that it’s less than three weeks away? And since our menu is always the same…a family tradition…it’s the decor that needs my attention. Sooo…I would like to show you the centerpiece for my breakfast room table!

It all started with this wonderful shabby box from Joss & Main! I was thrilled when it arrived and I saw that it even had a little touch of yellow…perfect for my frenchy blue and yellow decor!

And I also love the vintage look of the little metal pieces on the corners…so rustic!

I couldn’t wait to fill it up with things I love…including lots of fun (real) gourds and this faux pumpkin from Walmart. I love that stem, so several of these came home with me! And at $5.00 each, they were a bargain, especially since they will be around next fall, too!

The star of the vignette, however, is this wonderful Quimper plate…a gift from some sweet friends! If you know me, you know that I love Quimper ware. In fact, you can see some of my collection on the hutch in the background of this post. This plate is very special to me because of the givers and because it is my only piece in the yellow pattern!

I have also added this wonderful little lead crystal urn…a bargain for $6.00 at Tuesday Morning! I have filled it with some of my vintage silverplate flatware collected from Goodwill over several years. It has such a lovely patina! And I love the contrast between the rustic box and the more elegant crystal and silver!

And on the table…my $3.00 Goodwill faux deer antler! I found the votives (which each came with two candles) at Dollar Tree. These will get a lot of use over the holidays!

However, my shabby Thanksgiving centerpiece would just not go with my blue and yellow table square, as shown to you by Baby Kitty. It is one of my favorite finds from my trip to Provence several years ago and I love the sunny colors…for spring and summer. But it looks a little out of place during the cooler months, so I have to put it away. However, I do love the idea of a table square…something I saw frequently when I lived in France.

So I decided to make a simple burlap table square…easy peasy! It’s just two 29 inch square pieces of burlap sewn together and then turned inside out and top-stitched. I think I will enjoy the change! I especially love the look of a table square on my round table.

I am really enjoying the contrast of the different textures! This will be a fun centerpiece for Thanksgiving. And…is it too early? Cover your eyes if you aren’t ready for the C word yet! I am thinking how cute this box will be filled with greenery and shiny red ornaments for…dare I say it?…Christmas!

And….great news! My Country Living inspired pumpkins…pictured above…made the final cut for their pumpkin contest! Please go to the contest link (here) on Facebook and “like” my pumpkins to vote! This link takes you directly to my pumpkins. The prize is 10 yards of Waverly fabric that I will use to help my daughter give my 11 year old grandson's room a make-over! I appreciate your support so much!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my shabby centerpiece! 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
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
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
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Please Vote for My Pumpkins and Help My Grandson Get a Room Make-Over!

2011-11-04T13:53:00.014-04:00

Great news! My Country Living inspired pumpkins…pictured above…made the final cut for their pumpkin contest! Please go to the contest link (here) on Facebook and “like” my pumpkins to vote! This link goes directly to my pumpkins. The prize is 10 yards of Waverly fabric that I will use to help my daughter give my 11 year old grandson's room a make-over! I appreciate your support so much! And if you would like to know how to create your own découpage pumpkins, the tutorial is here!

Also...don't forget to visit my latest post with a rustic yet elegant Thanksgiving centerpiece idea for you! Thanks again so much for all the bloggy love!

Thinking About Thanksgiving

2011-10-29T18:00:00.008-04:00

I have a confession…I am already thinking about my Thanksgiving tablescape! I find myself looking for inspiration in my favorite catalogs and magazines and playing with some elements on my table. Are you?

However, I already know I will be all alone on this post since this is my illustrious co-host’s favorite time of year. He stays glued to the window watching the leaves blow. He has been doing this every fall since he was a little guy!

First stop for inspiration…Pottery Barn! I have another confession…even though I really am turned off by the real ones, I am really liking faux deer antlers! At Pottery Barn, they are $30 on sale…not bad! Restoration Hardware is featuring them, too…for $129…quite a hefty price by my standards!

Sooo….you will not believe what I found! Yes…faux deer antlers at Goodwill! Well, one at least! It had a funny metal thingy on the end that I managed to remove. Not sure what it came from, but I couldn’t argue with the price…$2.92! Woo hoo!

I have also been admiring this autumnal centerpiece…also at Pottery Barn…with that striking candelabra! But it’s $129…yikes! And…you need several deer antlers to achieve this look.

Here’s my version after finding yet another faux antler for only $6.00…hmmmm. My candelabra was a flea market find two years ago for about $10 and I am afraid the price difference shows! Not doing this one!

This cover of Better Homes and Gardens has been a favorite of mine this fall! Gotta love those white pumpkins with bittersweet…lovely!

And here’s my version! By the time I decided that I need more faux white pumpkins, they were nowhere to be found, so I spray-painted some of the orange ones from Walmart. Not bad, huh? I love the stem! And the pumpkins were only $5.00 each! I used ivory spray paint instead of white for a more natural look.

I am also starting to think about the dinnerware and linens. I found these acorn napkins on sale at the Williams-Sonoma outlet…love them!…but I don’t think they are available any more. That’s my bargain Chris Madden Felice dinnerware that I found at GW last year for $10 for a service for four…my favorite! On the table...twig placemats that I am considering.

And finally, here’s last year’s Thanksgiving tablescape 2010. I definitely think my burlap table runner will be back as well as the dinnerware. Beyond that…I’m still working on it. What about you? Are you starting to think about Thanksgiving?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my tablescape possibilities! 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
Debbie at Debbiedoo's Blogging and Blabbing for the Magazine Copy Cat Challenge
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
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
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Magic Pumpkin Seeds for You…from France!

2011-10-22T14:11:00.010-04:00

I can’t wait to show you my most recent little project…so cute and easy! And best of all…it’s French and free…my favorite combination!

It’s all centered around this wonderful wire cloche from Wuslu. Do you Wuslu? It's my new addiction! They sell one cute thing a day. Period. (It's not available at Wuslu right now, but I also found it here.) Honestly, Marty at A Stroll thru Life can tell you…I’m not a cloche person. But…this one is different! For one thing…it’s wire…gotta love that! I am just cloche-impaired when it comes to the glass ones!

And…it’s got a door! It’s sort of a combination birdcage without a bottom and a cloche with a door. Unique, huh?

On the inside...my vintage book bundle with a little baby pumpkin and something special that I will show you in a moment.

And if you know me and my obsession with mice, you know I had to have one of these from Pottery Barn…love it!

And here’s the French and free part…magic pumpkin seeds! Well, not the seeds actually…just the packet. I am always checking out the French websites for anything different…and this really is! I found it here on Marie Claire Idées among their Halloween ideas. Just click on Téléchargez le sachet illustré to download yours or I can email it to you if you can't get the link to work. Wouldn't this be cute for children? The front says Magic Pumpkin Seeds…

…and the back says…Sow these seeds along the forest paths October 31st before midnight... They will become lanterns, ghosts or a carriage… Hmmm…

Kitty and Baby Kitty are saying…Whaaaat? What’s that got to do with Halloween? What can I say? It’s a French thing! (More likely they are saying...This is my mouse!...No, it's mine!)

Here they are again…love the vintage look! I had to buy the seeds at Home Depot. You should have heard the clerk giggle. Yes…I know they don’t have time to grow!

And here it is again…my little frenchy vignette with magic French pumpkin seeds! And…I think that after Halloween I can take away the seed packets and the mouse, add a few leaves and use it until Thanksgiving. What do you think?

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
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
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
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
Michael at Inspired by Charm for Thrifty 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
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!