Holy Cow!...or...Let's Go Antiquing!

My friend Linda, who is also a retired French teacher and avid plate addict, has invited me to go antiquing with her at the Queen of Hearts in Alpharetta, Georgia. Would you like to come, too? I just happened to bring my camera. Now there's just one rule...this is a virtual shopping trip, so you have to buy whatever you want! OK? Ohhh...look at all of these cute cow creamers! I like the blue one.

Now, this is what we really came to see...an antique French vaisselier or hutch. Linda is thinking about buying it for her dining room. It's $1100 and I'm saying...are you crazy? That would so be in my trunk! I'm really good at spending other people's money! The fact that it's full of blue and white plates helps, I think!

Ohhhh! Right across from it is this baby...another vaisselier from the 1700's priced at $2850. Now this would look great in my dining room, don't you think? Remember we've got lots of virtual money!

I love these...an English tea kettle from the 1920's for $90 and a botanical print with a burled walnut frame from the 1880's for $249. I bet that kettle made a lot of tea for a little lady named Mrs. Crosspatch who lived in the Cotswolds.

Oh oh!! Stop!! Look...it's not a coat rack...it's a goat rack! lol I want this...you know I do! Look at his little face! Hmmm...$145.

And...look! The little hooks for the coats are hooves! Isn't this just the cutest thing? I will come back and visit this later. This one may have to go home in my trunk...and not virtually!

Oh my goodness! This is for all of you shoppers with little daughters or granddaughters. This child's hand painted cupboard is $249. Did I hear someone say sold?

Now just in case you are having a hard time spending your virtual money in this economy, here's a teapot for $24.95. Very pretty, isn't it?

And here's a metal footed tray for $29.99. Not bad, huh?

Ohhh...this thing is gorgeous! It's a French settee from the 1800's for $695. Love the toile!

They must have known I was coming today! Look at this rocking ram! Have you ever seen anything like it? I love it!

Look at his face! I think I have to buy him...virtually, of course! He's $225...not bad.

Here's a wreath for all of you ladies whose hubbies are hunters...or maybe an idea for decorating that annoying deer head that you already have...$80. Hmmmm....

This is for you tablescapers. Can you read the tag?...ten teapot napkin rings...$30. That's $3 each...a pretty good deal, don't you think?

This isn't an antique, but I like it...a French chest for $2800.

This is unusual...a corner drop leaf table for $249.

Do you know what this is? Guess....

It's a pencil holder for your desk...$98. You could put paper clips in the milkmaid's pail.

Here's one for all the cat lovers like me...a bird feeder!

Just look at that hungry little face!

And did you see this sign? Although I don't think it's necessarily true.... I have two who wouldn't be quiet! I was standing next to the owner of the booth and didn't get the price of these for fear that I would buy them...and not virtually!

We have to give equal time to the dog lovers, so here's a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel pillow for $65. This is my favorite virtual breed because my cats would mutiny if I brought home the real thing!

I have saved the best for last! OK all you fellow dish/china/plate addicts...hold on to your hats because you are about to go for a ride... Ohhhhhhh!!!

Ahhhh!!!

Ohhhhhh!!!

Ahhhhhh!!! OK ...you can breathe now! If you need china, this is the place to find it. Remember that you can click on any photo to enlarge it. Have you ever in your life seen so much beautiful china?

Well...that's the end of our shopping spree. How did you do? I hope that you bought everything that you even thought you wanted! The good thing is that you can spend a lot of virtual money on yourself right here at Christmas time and not be naughty! Merry Christmas!

I Met Susan...or...Max Gets Maxed Out

Sunday was an exciting day for me! I got to meet one of my blogger friends and I don't know when I have had so much fun! Do you see who I am with? Yes, that's right...Susan of Between Naps on the Porch at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/! (She's the pretty one on the left and that's me looking goofy on the right!) And do you see where we are sitting? Yes...on her porch swing that you always see in her header! And do you see what's right behind us? Yes...the party in a pot! Isn't this great? Susan was kind enough to include me in her cookie exchange party and I was able to come since I only live about an hour away. I must tell you that her home is even more beautiful in person and that she is just as kind and charming as you have imagined.

The party was wonderful. I had an opportunity to meet Susan's friends and neighbors and they could not have been more welcoming. Susan and her co-hostesses, Debbie and Julie, had made some amazing hors d'oeuvres for us to munch on while we visited. By the way, that cranberry trifle was just as delicious as it looks! I tried to save some for those of you who asked, but it was waaaay too good! I am hoping that she will post her punch recipe because it was fabulous! Of course, her home was impeccably decorated. I have to say that it was fun to see in person the spaces that you have only seen on the internet. I was like a goofy tourist...oh, there's her pig with the chalk board, there's her Fa-la-la plate, her grandfather clock...etc. The photos do not do her home justice! It's gorgeous! I was just thinking it could not be more perfect when...

...Max came downstairs to check out what was going on. I had promised Lynne that I would try to have my picture made with him and he was very obliging...in a cat way. You can see in the picture that I am a little too excited and Max is looking like...Who is this person? Just put me down! However, if you know me, you know that I can't resist a furry feline face. After an ornament exchange game, we exchanged our cookies and each had a chance to take away piles of yummy goodies that we didn't have to make...good idea, huh? I must also tell you that Susan and her co-hostesses sponsored a toy drive for Must Ministries and we were able to fill a huge box with toys so that some special children will have a wonderful Christmas. So I drove away with a full tummy, a full cookie tin and a full heart. It was a very good day.

Now that I have met Susan, I am wishing that I could meet more of you. After all, I know more about some of you than I do about my neighbors. I am thinking that we need to meet somewhere in the middle of the country and have a convention like the Star Trek people do only without the weird outfits. What do you think?

The Christmas Spirit Award

Hello Everyone!

This is a very special award dedicated to having wonderful Christmas spirit!
It was passed on to me by my friend Melissa at http://melissasheartandhome.blogspot.com/. Please visit her blog to see her wonderful home and get to know this sweet and special person.

Here are the rules for the Christmas award:
You must be a true Christmas lover to receive this award. The person to whom you give the award must also be in love with Christmas. You must link back to the person who gave you the award. You must list 5 things that you love about Christmas. If you can't limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space! Pass the award along to as many people as you like. That can be 1 or 50. It's up to you! But, you must pass it on to at least one person in order to keep the Christmas cheer going! Let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving them a comment.

Here are my Five Things:
1. The smell of a fresh Christmas tree- Several years ago, I switched to an artificial tree, but I still snitch some boughs from Home Depot that have been cut from the bottom of other trees just to have the smell. One of my old boyfriends was a Green Beret during the Viet Nam era. If you are my age, you know what that means. He once told me that when he was a little boy, he took some of the pine needles from the Christmas tree and tucked them under the corner of his mom's rug so that he could take them out and smell Christmas all year round. Somehow, the picture of that brave soldier having that sweet secret always touched my heart.

2. Baking cookies and making candy- I am the official cookie and candy maker for our family. Each year, I think maybe I'll leave off one or more of the items, but I can't because each person has his or her favorite and they are all different! lol

3. My grandson's face as he opens his presents- There's nothing like seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child! And as he told his mom..."I don't have to put that on my Christmas list. I just tell Granny!"

4. Santa Claus- You will think I am silly when I tell you this, but on my daughter's first Christmas, I was so disappointed when I woke up and there was nothing under the tree except what I had put there. I am still convinced that there was a mix-up because I know he is real. I cry in the scene in The Polar Express when the elves bring out the reindeer who can't wait to fly and then Santa comes out. I know that is how it really is and I want to be there!

5. Being with my family- We are a small family and it means the world to me to have all of us in the same room at the same time! We are so excited now that the children are getting married and having children of their own! We rejoice at each new addition to our merry band!

I have had such a wonderful time meeting and getting to know all of you, so it is hard for me to choose. However, I choose my special friend Kathy at Emptynester. She is the embodiment of the Christmas Spirit because she is such a caring and giving person who still looks at the world through a child's eyes. She is a new blogger like me, so please visit her at http://mbkatc230-emptynester.blogspot.com/ . You will be delighted that you did as she shows you around her wonderful all-American small town. Merry Christmas, Kathy!

My French Nativity Scene...or...Santons de Provence

I want to share with you my favorite purchase during my retirement trip to France last summer...my crèche, or nativity scene. I promised myself that this was the one thing I would bring back from Provence. That area of France is known for its santons or little saints. They are clay figures representing the Holy Family and all of the accompanying visitors to the Nativity. Now you might see some that you don't recognize. I will explain....

I was fortunate enough to visit the santon museum in Fontaine de Vaucluse, France. Santons as they exist today have a long history. They became very important during the French Revolution, when most of the churches were closed and were being used as stables and munitions depots. The people in the countryside held secret church services in their homes and made little nativity figures out of the local clay to keep Christmas traditions alive. See the painting I'm standing beside? Remember the figure depicted there. You will see more of him later.

This is a beautiful example of one such crèche. It is a more traditional nativity scene such as we are accustomed to seeing here. Remember that you can click on any photo to enlarge it.

This, on the other hand, is a crèche absolutely filled with figures that we as Americans cannot recognize! The santons of Provence include not only the Holy Family, the Magi and the shepherds, but the whole village who has come to worship the Baby Jesus! Notice that they are dressed in the typical costumes of the 1700's.

I found my santons in a lovely little shop in Old Nice. You can see the figures on the shelf behind me. The most well-known santons are created in Marseilles and Aubagne and then sold in shops around the South of France. There are two kinds: the santons d'argile which are hand-painted clay such as you see in the background....

...and the santons habillés which are dressed in cloth and have miniature implements. These are much larger and are not generally seen in the family nativity scene.

These are my santons. The actual manger was purchased here because I had to hand carry them home on the plane and could only take so much! They are Santons Didier from Marseilles. Click here to access his web site and to see  the large number of santons that exist. Also, if you click on the little picture it will enlarge and give the name of the santon. It is all in French, but I think you can see from the pictures what they are called...woman gathering firewood, man cutting lavender, etc. They are simple people from the village performing what would have been common labor at the time. Scroll all the way to the bottom and you can see what the provençal manger looks like...it's made of stone!

This is, of course, the Holy Family. These santons are made in molds from the clay of Marseilles and then fired in a kiln at 1650 degrees for 48 hours. They are then individually hand painted. The size that I chose is 7 cm or about 3 inches tall.

Look at the detail. The Baby Jesus has rosy red cheeks! Look at the tiny eyebrows!

I love Mary's robes! And doesn't she have an adoring, motherly expression?

Joseph has such a kind face. Look at his little staff! It's a tiny piece of wood!

Look at the feathers on the angel's wings. I love the robe.

Isn't the donkey just looking straight at you?

You can almost feel the ox's breath!

Here are the Magi or Three Wisemen.

Of course their robes are much more magnificent! Look at the tiny cord between the two clasps and his striped sash. The detail on the gift is incredible! Look at his hair...realistic, isn't it? Keep in mind that he is 3 inches tall!

Here is another of the Magi. He has a tiny beard. Once again...incredible detail in the clothing. Remember that this is all individually hand-painted.

And the third of the Magi... Have you noticed the gold trim at the bottom of each of the robes? Look...you can see inside his sleeves. Amazing, isn't it?

This is, of course, the shepherd and his flock. Remember the painting at the museum? This is that figure...the Mistral. I have to say that he is my favorite.

He is called the Mistral because that is the name of a very strong winter wind that blows in France. See how he's holding on to his hat to keep it from blowing off? His staff is also a tiny piece of wood.

Here is his sheep. Do you see his woolly coat? Look at his tiny hooves!

Ahhhh...now! Those of you who know me know I love this little fellow! Just look at that little face! Doesn't he just look like he's headed for trouble? Look at his little horns...so cute! He even has tiny eyelashes! Do you see? When I told the lady in the store that I just wanted a goat and no sheep, she was very upset. That was just not natural...a shepherd with no sheep. So I bought the one you just saw...but I love the goat best!

Here is where we encounter figures that we don't recognize. I wanted to add two of the traditional figures from Provence to my nativity scene. This one is the Niçoise...the woman from Nice. She is wearing the typical provincial dress of that region. Look at her flowers! The detail is amazing! I bought her because I was in Nice when I purchased my santons.

The lady in the shop suggested this one as my second figure from Provence...le Ravi...or the simpleminded man. He is the first villager to see the Baby Jesus and is proclaiming the news to the rest of the village. And from what I have read, she was absolutely right. He is considered first among the essential members of the village santons. He is usually depicted with his arms raised in delight. I hope to be able to add to my collection. The man with the bundle of firewood will probably be my next acquisition. Did you look at the others? What do you think?

Thank you for visiting my santons de Provence and for allowing the French teacher in me to give you a little lesson! Joyeux Noel! Merry Christmas!
I am joining Lynn at Happier than a Pig in Mud for her Reason for the Season Party! Please head on over to see a beautiful collection of nativities!