French Country Outdoor Living...and...A French Inspired Tablescape

The time I spent living in France left me with some wonderful memories…especially those long afternoons and evenings spent with friends, lingering over beautifully prepared meals served in their gardens. So when I saw the latest issue of the French online magazine Campagne Décoration, I was thrilled to see some lovely outdoor spaces! This old farmhouse really speaks to me! It reminds me of the home of a dear friend in France.

I love this one! Doesn’t it looks as though Renoir and his friends are just out of sight? What a beautiful setting…lunch under the dappled lighting of willow trees! This is the garden of the summer residence of the French author Alfred de Musset.

I love the textures in this photo! Nothing adds to the ambiance of a French garden like old stone walls and the ornate curves of a vintage garden bench!  What a nice place to rest after a little gardening.

Oooh…but this one looks so much more comfortable! Could you sit and read for hours on this wrought iron banquette? I love the fabrics on the cushions!

What a wonderful little space for a cup of morning coffee and a croissant! I want that table with the curvy French legs and that copper lantern!

You don’t have to be in the country to have a picnic! How about enjoying some time along the Seine River in Paris? On my list of things to do when my grandson and I are in Paris in a few weeks is having a pastry while sitting along the quai of the Seine!

And here’s my favorite…the courtyard of an ancient farmhouse in Provence where I spent a week during my retirement trip to France! (Click here to see more!) Oh how I would love to be able to recreate something like this at my house! But…I don’t have those stone walls, creeping vines and wonderful Provençal blue shutters! Sigh! 

Then I saw this one! Maybe I can’t recreate the garden, but I can create my version of this tablescape! Just maybe I can transform my patio into a little corner of France!

And voilà…here it is! I had to take a few liberties based on what was available, but I think I have captured the essence of it. I actually already had most of what I needed, so I only had to do a little Goodwill hunting. You may recognize the placemats and the Bordallo cabbage plates from a spring tablescape that I did two years ago. Hmmm...note to self...check into buying some French bistro chairs.

The glasses came from the clearance aisle at Home Goods…$3.00 each…and the napkins were a GW find…6 of them for $2.50! The cheese plates are from Crate & Barrel and were also a thrifting find…only $2.00! I pulled out some of my favorite old silverplate and set the table à la française...French style...with the tines of the forks and the bowls of the spoons pointing down. The monogram or family crest is customarily located on the back of the flatware in France.

Their centerpiece used fresh figs…nowhere to be found for me…so I used limes and a bouquet of fresh flowers from the grocery store! In the background, you can see that my shabby picnic basket planter is back again this year! I’ll have more about that later! Just add a few candles for ambiance...
(Hint: For a quick and easy color change, I wrapped mine in matching scrapbooking paper. Of course, be careful as you would any time you use candles.)

…and there you have it…my French inspired tablescape! My sister is coming over later today, so I think we will have lunch on the patio and enjoy the wonderful weather we have been having!

Our co-host Miss Kitty, who is the only mother on our staff (other than moi, of course), would also like to wish a wonderful Mother’s Day to each of you! May your day be filled with family, friends and fabulous food…that you didn't have to cook!

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

DIY Chalkboard Wine Glasses and Entertaining French Style

I have been wanting to try this since I saw these on Chalkboard China…wine glasses with chalkboard painted feet! Isn’t this a great idea? Your guests simply write their names and voilà…no more confused glasses! Unfortunately, there are no retailers nearby, so I decided to make my own.

It was a very easy and inexpensive project, using wine glasses and chalkboard spray paint that I already had on hand…so...they were free! I simply wrapped the glasses with paper towels and painter’s tape…

…and then sprayed them with two coats of the chalkboard paint…

…and here they are! They can be hand washed, removing the chalk, and used over and over. Cool, huh?

My co-hostess Miss Kitty seems to be giving this some thought. Hmmm…maybe bowls with the staff’s names on them?

I am really going to enjoy these! Won’t they be fun when friends drop by? I can pull out my grandson’s sidewalk chalk and let everyone decorate their glasses as they wish! I've set up a few before dinner goodies on this vintage silver tray...a $5.00 Goodwill find.

Did you notice the lovely little glass pedestal bowls? They are the perfect size for serving a few simple amuse bouche...little tidbits to accompany your drinks.  I found them at…where else?…Goodwill for only $2.92 for three of them! Ideas for more elaborate amuse bouche can be found here and here. How very French to turn snacks into an art form!

You might also find the French enjoying an apéritif like this one…a blanc-cassis or Kir…one part Crème de Cassis, a black currant-flavored liqueur, to four parts dry white wine, traditionally a Bourgogne Aligoté. This popular before dinner drink  has its origins in Bourgogne…the Burgundy region of France. Its popularity and name are credited to Félix Kir, a French priest and Resistance fighter who was the mayor of Dijon. He began the tradition of serving this drink at receptions in the town hall and its popularity spread. I substituted a Burgundy chardonnay, since they don’t sell Bourgogne Ailgoté at Publix! lol It can also be made with champagne for a Kir Royale.

And there you have it…my chalkboard wine glasses along with a few recipes for entertaining French style!

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
SJ at Homemaker on a Dime for the Creative Bloggers Party and Hop  Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for Today's Thrifty Treasures on Mondays
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Beth at The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday
Jill at French Cupboard for Voilà! French Inspiration on Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Rachelle at Fingerprints on the Fridge for Feature Yourself Friday
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

Parisian Inspired Candles...and a Much Anticipated Trip!

Paris has really been on my mind a lot lately. In just a few weeks, I will be taking my ten-year-old grandson there and introducing him to my favorite city in all the world!  We have been planning this trip since he was five when a wonderful art teacher sparked his interest in the French artist Claude Monet…and I can’t believe it’s almost here!

So, in the spirit of Paris, la Ville Lumière (the City of Lights), I have created a set of candles, using some Parisian themed wrapping paper that I found for half price at Hobby Lobby a few months ago. I have simply wrapped the paper around the candles, although for a more permanent result, they could be attached using Mod Podge. (Click here for more details on how to do that.)

The paper already has a luminous finish, so it really glows in the candlelight! Many of the places we will be visiting are represented…the Eiffel Tower, where we plan to have a picnic lunch in the park at its feet…

…Notre-Dame Cathedral, where we will climb the bell towers to see the gargoyles…a must-see for him…

…and the Arc de Triomphe, where I hope a kind passer-by will recreate a photo of us that was taken there on his first visit when he was one year old. I lived in France then and he and his mom had come to stay for a short while. Of course, he doesn’t remember, so this summer’s trip will be the first real one for him!

Can’t find the wrapping paper? No problem! Click here for the translated version of a French web site packed full of vintage Paris postcards to copy, such as this one! For most of the monuments, you will find a link at the bottom of the page with postcards from 1900.

And have you noticed…I have pulled out my bargain mercury glass candlesticks that I found in my Christmas time quest. But...one of them is a new addition…and a real bargain! 

Can you believe it? A $29 Pottery Barn antique mercury glass candle holder for $3.93 that I found at Goodwill! Woot woot!

Here’s a closer look. Gorgeous, isn't it? I had to take out my glasses to double check the label! I couldn’t believe my eyes!

And…remember the French découpage eggs from my previous post?

Well, I had to try my hand at one more with the Parisian wrapping paper and created this Notre-Dame Cathedral egg! Click here to see how it is done.

Baby Kitty says I have gone crazy with all the decoupage and wrapping paper! I think he may be right! lol

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my Parisian inspired candles!  Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!
Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday
Jill at French Cupboard for Voilà! French Inspiration on Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

French Découpage Eggs

I am taking a little break from my grandbaby bloggy break to show you my most recent project…French découpage eggs! It’s something I have been wanting to try since I tried my hand with sheet music at Christmas. And I have to say that I am pretty pleased with the result.

Here is how they started out…a package of plastic eggs from Dollar Tree, an old French-English dictionary from Goodwill for $2.50 and a left-over supply of Mod Podge. I work with the matte finish to add the paper and add two final coats of the luster finish to give them a little shine. It’s a water-based product, so if it has gotten a little thick, you can add a little water to thin it down. I should add that the eggs have a little plastic hinge that protrudes and had to be cut off with a knife before I started.

And here is how they turned out! I used the method that I described in my sheet music ornament post for two of them, using small strips added individually. For the château egg, I used one picture to cover the entire egg. You can see it in the photo above.

I will give you a closer look at each of them. It’s hard to make them perfect, but the imperfection is part of the beauty to me. I will tell you a secret for making them smoother, though. I let the first coat of the two final coats of Mod Podge dry for about 30 minutes, then I dry it with the hair dryer on low for a minute or so. Afterward, it is slightly tacky to the touch. Next I gently take it in my hands and press it all over, sealing the overlaps and smoothing it.Then I add the final coat. It really gives a more finished look to the egg.

I used the dictionary to create this one. Hmmm…I think I will find an old French paperback for my next one. A little too much English showed up. However, I added the words Joyeuses Pâques…Happy Easter…to give it a little more frenchy flavor.

This one is my first attempt at using one drawing to cover the entire egg. I cut the picture in a rectangle a little wider and longer than the egg and then cut in at intervals from the top and the bottom, leaving the center one-third intact. I smoothed and overlapped these sections as I worked in the Mod Podge. Next time, I think  I would make the cuts a little narrower, but I was trying to save as much as I could of the original appearance of the château drawing.

Of course, our co-host Baby Kitty had to check out the work. Don’t you love the little silver nest cup? It was a gift from my sweet friend Pat. What a pleasant surprise to find it in my mailbox at the end of my first week of helping with my little grandson…a fun but tiring time. The little crowned bird came from Michaels and was half price at $2.49…a real steal!
And I had to add this one…my Notre-Dame Cathedral egg made with some Parisian inspired wrapping paper that I found for half-price at Hobby Lobby! It is also made with one drawing covering the entire egg. I think this one is my favorite. Click here to see more things that I have done with the paper.

And here’s a final look at my frenchy Easter eggs! What do you think? I have a few more Spring tricks up my sleeve, but I had better hurry! And now…if you will excuse me…I am back to grandmothering…the best job I have ever had! Please forgive me if I am slow to visit. A little someone keeps demanding my attention!
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my French découpage eggs!  Please visit these wonderful bloggers and their beautiful blogs to see what they are up to and to find a list of this week’s participants!

Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party
Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville for Thrifty Thursday
Jill at French Cupboard for Voilà! French Inspiration on Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Diann at The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

A French Child's Table Revisited

I am taking a little time from my grandbaby bloggy break to revisit a post from two years ago, which many of you may not have seen. It involves babies, cats and frenchy dishes...so what else do you need? lol My co-host this week is Baby Kitty, who is looking very pleased with himself. That's because he has a big part to play later on!

I am calling this tablescape A French Child's Table because, as you can see, the dinnerware sports French phrases. Actually, I got it at La Madeleine French Bakery and Café about 7 or 8 years ago and it is made in America. I fell in love the second I saw it! And, of course, the fact that it's blue and white helps.

The bowl says...Eat your soup! I love that little tomato!

The plate says...Clean your plate! (Actually, it says Finish your plate, but I'm translating it the way we would say it.)

The little cup says...Drink...

...your...

...milk! Isn't it cute?

This little lug bowl isn't part of the set, but I wanted to show it to you. I bought it on a trip to Paris when my daughter and grandson came to visit me in France. This is the typical bowl for drinking café au lait in the mornings. Yes, they drink out of a bowl! You can find them in the touristy souvenir shops with almost any common name on them.

This particular one has pictures of all of the major Parisian monuments on it. It's a nice little souvenir from a wonderful visit.

The baby spoon on the left is my daughter's and the one on the right is mine. It matches my mom's flatware...Silver Flutes by Towle. However, you can see that she was one of the first ladies on the block to have a garbage disposal and quite a few pieces of her silver suffered for it, including this spoon!

I found this little silver plated fork in an antique shop and had to have it! I love anything with grapes! It's an 1847 Rogers Brothers pattern from 1904 called Vintage. I almost wish I hadn't found it because now I am on the hunt for more!!

Here's a close-up of the handle. Isn't it exquisite? The little tendrils of the grapevine are wrapping around it. It is engraved...CD. I don't know who you are, CD, but I have your fork and I'm not giving it back! lol

The little duck is another gift from my dear friend Marty at A Stroll thru Life and is a brother to a duck that she has! Isn't he a cutie? And isn't she such a sweetie? She sent me a whole box full of wonderful goodies that I've been sharing with you in my last few tablescapes!

And there you have my tablescape for a French child's table. And of course, a child's tablescape needs a child, and here he is...

....our co-host Baby Kitty having his first meal of solid food! Note that he has no manners...sorry, Miss Janice...and has his feet in the bowl! He is about 5 weeks old here and it was a very happy day for me. You see, I found him in the driveway...literally just born and abandoned. We think his mom was a feral cat having her first litter. I took him in and fed him orphaned kitten's milk around the clock for the first 5 weeks of this life. Whew! I was a little old for that new baby thing! Thank goodness it doesn't last long for kittens!

And here is his most recent photo! Isn't he a big ol' handsome guy?? He is almost 8 years old now, but still thinks I am his mama...which I am!! lol
And speaking of babies, I want to thank each of you for your sweet comments and congratulations on the birth of my newest little grandson. We are very busy with bottles and diapers, but I am sneaking in some cuddles and kisses every chance I get. I hope to be up and running again very soon! I do so appreciate your understanding my spending this time with my precious little bundle!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed a little peek at my French child's 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
Mary at Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday (first Monday of the month)
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Kim at Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays
Kara at Elements Interiors for Whassup Wednesday

Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays
Jill at French Cupboard for Voilà! French Inspiration on Thursdays
Sherry at No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays
Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Debra at Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Fridays
Sherry at The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Laurie at Bargain Hunting and Chatting with Laurie for A Few of My Favorite Things Saturday
Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
See you next time! A la prochaine!

He's Here!...A Special Grandbaby Bloggy Break!

My new little grandson is here! He made his appearance in the wee hours of the morning on April 1st…yes, a little April Fool’s Day baby! He shares that special birthday with his dad and his great-grandfather! He is a big boy weighing in at 9 pounds and 7 ounces! What can I say? My petite daughter gives birth to toddlers! lol His two older brother were big babies, too! Just look at the size of his footprints! Mother and baby are doing well…after a bit of a rocky start. Now that my daughter has two little guys, a ten-year-old on spring break this week and seven (yes, I said seven) dogs, I will be spending a lot of time at her house helping out and getting to know my new little grandson. So...I hope you will understand if I take a short break! I'll be back very soon and will look forward to seeing you then!