Collecting...Country French Style

I am excited to join our Country French design group this month to share my thoughts on collecting…Country French style! You may already know that I love France and all things French, having taught French for many years, and that I love plates. Soooo…I think it is easy to see that a collection of French Quimper pottery was the obvious choice for me!

I have even visited the HB Henriot factory in Quimper in the lovely Breton region of France, an experience that I will never forget! But finding Quimper pottery here in the United States is not always easy, especially since I am a collector by happenstance...a treasure hunter.

I want to discover my treasures in the corner of a little antique shop or hiding among a collection of totally unrelated items at a flea market. I want them to surprise me and make me squeal with delight when I see them! Silly, I know, but that’s how I like to collect…so that each piece has a memory attached to it.

I love seeing my little couples in their traditional Breton costumes all stacked haphazardly on my hutch. I even love the broken pieces that someone lovingly mended. You can read about my biggest Quimper flea market haul here.

But I realized that I had another tendency when my just barely three-year-old grandson looked up from his lunch and spied my little vintage Breton candlestick couple and casually said “Mom and Dad.” Whaaat? I asked him to repeat it. Yes, I had heard him right. And I realized…not only do I insist on finding my treasures, they must always be in pairs!

Well, of course, you must buy a pair for salt and pepper shakers. That just makes sense!

And how can you not buy a pair of egg cups? Who can separate the little couple…leave her without her little man? After all, they are looking at each other! Sometimes she’s on the right…

and sometimes she’s on the left…

and sometimes he’s ignoring her completely, but they must always be together if at all possible. Why is that a problem? Because you can’t buy just one! (This couple, by the way, occupies my favorite plates...bought at the brocante in l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, France during my retirement trip to France.)

Occasionally, she has already lost her little man and I buy her so she won’t be lonely.

Or sometimes he’s the one who has lost his mate, so he comes home with me so he won’t be alone. (You can see how I made those vintage-look French fairy tale book covers here.)

And then they join the little Quimper party on the hutch! Baby Kitty thinks I am totally insane. He says they are just plates and they don’t have feelings! And in my head I know that, but still…I can’t leave one of them behind! Could you? Are you a treasure hunter like me, too?

And just in case you missed it…last time I shared some of my favorite tips for creating Country French style in your home. You will find them here.

Be sure to join our design group on the last Sunday of each month. I am so thrilled to have be included with these very talented bloggers! And check out this month’s tips from my fellow francophiles:






Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed seeing my Quimper collection! 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,  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 Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Monday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , The Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursdays , No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party on Thursdays, 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
See you next time! À la prochaine!

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