Paul’s birthday dinner.

Recently we celebrated my husband Paul’s birthday and had a great dinner. I love to set the table with some of my favorite things.

   

The past 10 yrs or so I have been collecting blue and white transfer ware, I collect the 10″ plates with many different patterns. I don’t usually cover the whole table with a table cloth. This time I used two French linen sheets that I found in Brimfield. I laid two crosswise with a smaller colorful one on top. As you can see by the napkins I don’t iron unless I absolutely have to! This was Paul’s seat at the head of the table of course.

    

Years ago I found this April Cornell tablecloth from a store at the beach. There were two of them left and I stupidly bought just ONE! It’s a square and has a fab fish pattern. (Paul’s a big time fisherman)

I am fortunate that I have many things from my mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. The candlesticks (which I LOVE!) and stemware were my grandmothers. The silverware was my mothers. She had twelve place settings but gave three to one of my sisters to complete HER set of twelve (she had the same pattern obviously). So I have nine. Which I am very lucky to have!

My newest obsession is these white confit pots from France. I LOVE them. So when I’m flea marketing over there I snatch them up.

     TULIPS!

   

I found this glass and pewter carafe at the Porte de Vanves flea market this past August. It looks beautiful filled with red wine. I didn’t take any pictures of the food.  I served short beef ribs with mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli and salad. Very simple.

I wanted to include this photo of the nook we have at one end of the dining room. We have a daybed in front of the windows where two of the dogs (German Shepards)  spend most of the day. You can see them laying there. They love looking out the windows.

We ended the evening with a few cigars……That’s a Cupid and Venus pitcher.

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Traveling in the South of France.

In August I was in France with my sister and one of my best friends. After staying in Paris for a few days we headed south. We pick up our car in Avignon and off we go.

We love finding small cemeteries along the way. The iron doors are always open so we go in and take a peek. A few photos for you to see why we love them.

They are old and worn and beautiful.

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French Country Petrin (Dough Box) and the loaf of bread…

Today day at the shop a couple came in to browse. It had been a while since they had been in and our French Country Petrin (dough box) caught their eye. The husband Pete makes bread and was so taken with this piece, especially the feel and look of the wood of the top.

(I neglected to take a picture of the whole box today, this is an older photo) Anyway…

We found it at a flea market near Avignon in the South of France and couldn’t pass it up. We were only buying smalls on this trip…but I just had to bring it home. It’s from the 1700’s and so rustic and beautiful.

My friend Diana was in the shop when they were in and we were all chatting and I noticed Pete had left and had come back in with a loaf of bread. He had made it for someone in town that wasn’t in, so he brought it in. He wanted to see the bread on the wood top.

Of course, I then had to do a bit of staging…couldn’t just have the bread there all by itself.

There is a dove design on the top of the bread with a nice hard crust.

I took it home and had it out on the cutting board and toasted a few pieces, added a bit of butter and it was eaten in no time. As my husband and kids came in, they had to have some too. Mmmmm. It was delicious. Thank you Pete, I’m so glad you and your wife MaryEllen stopped in today and so enjoyed talking with you. And loved your bread too!

Just a few details of the Petrin at the flea market

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Traveling France…a few French Country Canister sets…so cool

I was going through my pictures and came across all these French Country canister sets we’ve found through the years of flea marketing in France. There are so many different designs and I love ALL of them. Here are just a few…

 

This spring when we head back to Southern France to our favorite flea market, I’m hoping to find many more. We only have one set left in the shop at the moment. We need a few more I think.

 

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French Country yellow confit pots with yummy roses

I guess by now you know I love the French yellow confit pots I find on my travels through France. Most of these I found in the Savoie region of France, near the French Alps. Others, at the flea markets in the South of France.

Just a quick share with the yellow pots and roses…

 

    

And that little transferware piece…I ADORE it, chips and all.

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Little bits of my boys around the house

I was looking around my house today, thinking how much STUFF we have. And how much STUFF just stays right where someone has left it, until I move it or I ask several times for them to move it…but I think I usually move it…merde!

It used to be cute, seeing a little car here, a man with a parachute hanging in the corner lazy susan cabinet in the kitchen, that kind of thing. Now…not so sure.

These are a few of the things I spied around the house.

    baseball bag, tennis shoes, and hedge clippers on the front porch with a beautiful stone statue from France

   baseball, and antique 22 rifle on the marble mantle,and a yellow French stoneware pot

   Viking lego on horse next to ornate brass and onyx candlesticks from my grandmother in the living room

   wadded up t-shirt on a beautiful Amy Karan pillow and 19th c side chair in the living room

  baseball mits, phone charger, play rifle, bird feathers, some camoflage thing…oh, ok and my fur muff, on the stairs in the living room

   pair of boots from a paint ball tournament LAST FEBRUARY…with a trash picked window, and a painted rock…on the side of the front porch

  big bucket of baseballs next to a korbel, on the side of the front steps

I grew up with four brothers and two sisters and antiques all over the house. Of course, I wasn’t aware of the little STUFF around the house. I just knew we couldn’t put a glass on the table without a coaster, other than that, I don’t remember any other rules. I don’t know how my mother felt with all our STUFF around, and our friends stuff around. She must not have minded, there were always tons of kids over all the time.

I try not to let it bother me…ok…that’s really hard to do, but I’m learning to let it go. I love having them here too.

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Traveling France

Well, Amala and I are back from our buying trip to France. We had such an amazing journey, and met some incredible people along the way.

We stayed in Paris for a few days before we headed out on our treasure hunting with Jean-Pierre. We don’t get that luxury very often. I treasure these times with my sister.

For the first time, we traveled to the village of Saint Pierre d’Abigny, which is situated in the Combe de Savoie, in the middle of vineyards within the Parc Naturel Régional des Bauges.  We stayed in a Chateau situated between Annecy, Chambery and Albertville. It was incredibly beautiful and peaceful.

The owner and manager were charming hosts and have created such a wonderful place, making our time there special. We can’t wait to go back. Here are few pictures of this beauty.

Staircase showing incredible iron railing

 

I love these doors into the kitchen.

 

Beautiful tile floor in Chateau

 

Beautiful Rafters in the barn...to be renovated

Potager garden at the Chateau, they use flowers, herbs, vegetable from this beautiful garden in their delicious dinners and breakfasts. mmm!

 

 

French Alps – view from the Chateau

French Alps - view from the back of the Chateau - one of two horses in the distance

 

 

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