Some Exciting News x 3 and a Freebie for You!

Wow! September has been a very exciting month here at the Plate Addicts…and  it is a dream come true for me as a blogger! First, my home is featured in the latest issue of Country Sampler magazine! Yep! Can you believe it? You may remember that I shared my news about the photo shoot here.

Eeeek! Pinch Me! I'm in Flea Market Décor Magazine!

Pinch me! Am I dreaming? I am in a magazine!

Yes…my shabby picnic basket planter made the pages of the summer issue of Flea Market Décor magazine! Can you believe it?

It all started with one of those old wicker picnic baskets that are a dime a dozen at Goodwill. (Well, actually, mine was $4.00.) Then…inspired by a very pricy planter that I saw online a while back…I set about trying my hand at making a copy-cat version. You can find the complete tutorial for creating my shabby picnic basket planter here.

Hmmm…somehow I don’t think the staff is very impressed. They certainly help to keep me in line! :-)

Here is how it looked last summer with the begonias in full bloom…love it! With a little fresh paint and some more pretty flowers, it will soon be heading out on my patio for a fourth summer! I’ll have to say that it’s just about the best $4.00 I ever spent!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my vintage yardstick framed chalkboard! 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!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday , A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday , Cedar Hill Ranch for The Scoop on Tuesdays , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures , Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , DIY by Design for Swing into Spring , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays , Stone Gable for Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits on Thursdays , My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday , Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! À la prochaine!

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A Favorite New Find...and...Some Very Exciting News!

I have been a little out of the loop for a few days for a very exciting reason…and I will explain in just a minute! But first I want to show you my latest love…my French wire egg holder! Woo hoo! I have been on the hunt for this baby for several years…ever since I saw one while touring Monet’s wonderful blue and white kitchen in Giverny! But…it was nowhere to be found.

Then while I was shopping at the Williams Sonoma outlet with my friend Linda at Nina’s Nest, the heavens opened up and a shaft of light fell upon…my French wire egg holder! And…it was even on sale! Woo hoo! Come to mama! You have to admit that is just about the frenchiest thing you have ever seen! Now Claude Monet has nothing on me! I am in love! :-)

And now my big news…why am I showing you my Christmas decorations? They have been up all this time because…I had a magazine shoot at my house! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Yes…pinch me! Country Sampler will be featuring my house all decorated for Christmas in an issue this fall!  I am still smiling and it seems like a dream! I was afraid to tell anyone until it was over…just in case it wasn’t real! lol It was so much fun! The photographer and his wife/stylist were such interesting people. I felt like some friends had come to play with my toys!

And I must report that our Miss Kitty made a fool of her sweet self over them and managed to work her way into several shots! While the rest of the staff hid under the bed all day, Kitty wormed her way into their hearts and a star was born! Here she is taking a well-deserved nap after a hard day of modeling! Sooo…once the magazine is on the shelves, I will share it with you…but I have a long time to wait! I have a feeling  will be excited all over again…so brace yourselves! I hope you don’t mind! :-)

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my favorite new find! 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!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday
Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
A Stroll thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up! on Tuesdays
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Tuesday's Treasures
Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
DIY by Design for Winter Blues Wednesday
The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Stone Gable for Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits on Thursdays
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! À la prochaine!

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Fabulous 100+ Year Old Frenchy Find...France in "la Belle Époque"

I have something wonderful to show you…a fabulous French treasure over 100 years old…a bound copy of all of the issues of the Parisian magazine La Famille from 1896! How it found its way there is a mystery, but it was waiting in a little antique shop when my friend Linda at Nina’s Nest noticed it. It was love at first sight for me, so Linda kindly let it come home with me! Merci, mon amie! And you will not believe what I paid for this amazing peek into Parisian life over a century ago…$20! Yes, you read that right…$20…a real steal for something so very special!

In fact, my treasure is so special that our seldom-seen CEO Ozzie is serving as our co-host today! Ozzie begs your forgiveness if I seem a little geeky, but the French teacher in me is coming out! Warning! Warning!

It’s a rainy afternoon and a little cool…finally…so I have been reading. I have cut a few of my somewhat battered Knockout roses to put in my new (old) finger vase and made some Russian tea. And I have pulled out my best vintage Wedgwood, hoping that you will join me. So settle down with a cup of tea and a croissant and let me give you a little peek inside my new treasure!

Isn’t it amazing…with embossed gold lettering and a lovely patina on the old leather spine. All of the issues for the year are bound in one book…one hundred and sixteen years old! It was a wonderful time in French history…la Belle Époque…a long period of peace and prosperity for the growing French middle class.

I found so much that I want to share that I have had to keep little tabs on the pages…so much that I will have to show you over multiple posts!

It is a weekly magazine, so I have 52 issues to read! And in each issue…advice and recipes for young wives, fun magic tricks to entertain your guests when the conversation lags at the dinner table, a summary of the news, financial advice, directions for creating lovely handwork, a chapter of a continuing novel…

  …and wonderful engravings on the cover of each issue and scattered throughout the magazine. This is one of my favorites…and you will know why if you know how much I love my Quimper plates…a little Breton couple! I love their provincial dress!

It is so much fun to read history as it is being made! Here…a rave review of the fabulous Sarah Bernhardt…the darling of the French theater! Other interesting stories…excitement about the first-ever Olympic Games to be held in Athens, Greece that summer and the continuing work on the métropolitain…the Parisian subway system, to be completed in 1900. And equally interesting, but of no historical significance…the guards at the Statue of Liberty, a gift to the United States from the people of France ten years earlier, are reported to be frightened by strange noises coming from the interior and believe it to be haunted!

Perhaps the hardest story to read for me was the account of the first visit to France of the newly crowned Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Tsarina Alexandra along with their little daughter Olga. They are reported to be a very charming and gracious couple, making the rounds of the European capitals to aid him in his understanding of foreign relations. Little do they know what lies ahead of them…murdered twenty-two years later along with little Olga and her yet unborn sisters and brother at the hands of the Bolsheviks…the future mercifully hidden from them.

On a much lighter note, each issue also contains numerous fashion plates and patterns, presenting the latest styles of the season! Just look at that tiny waist…

…which explains the numerous ads for corsets in each issue! This one was designed with the help of a doctor to protect the stomach while giving you a slim waist and “harmonious proportions.”

And speaking of sewing and fashions, I have something else special to show you…antique spools of thread from the brocante in France…a much-loved gift from my sweet friend Pat! Don’t you love the patina on the wooden spools and the sheen of the thread…almost like silk, although it is cotton. Why doesn’t our thread look like that? Fabulous!

And that’s it for now! I have lots more to show you so I will periodically post some more of the wonderful contents of the magazines. I have a post filled with fashions in mind and certainly more of those wonderful engravings. I haven’t tried scanning them yet because I am concerned about protecting the integrity of the spine of the book, so please bear with me if the quality is a little less than perfect. I hope you will enjoy my treasure along with me!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my frenchy treasures! 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
Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for Thrifty Treasures
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
Anita at Cedar Hill Ranch for Cowgirl Up on Tuesdays
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for Swing into Spring
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
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
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!

My Most Popular Projects for 2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my favorite projects for 2011! Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Beth at The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for the Top Projects of 2011 Party
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Judy at DIY by Design for Fall into Fall
Paula and Patti at Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Gina at The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Honey at 2805 for Potpourri Friday
Heather and Vanessa at At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Rachelle at Fingerprints on the Fridge for Feature Yourself Friday
Jen at Tatertots and Jello for the Weekend Wrap-up Party
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Woo hoo! My Pumpkins Are in Country Living Magazine!

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

Thinking About Thanksgiving

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!