Summer is coming... 

And with it comes fun in the sun or rain. This week we went to Magnolia Market in Waco to celebrate a friend's upcoming birthday and saw fabulous Magnolia displays brimming with ideas of how to have summer fun. 

French Design on Friday 18

~ Architecture ~ 

Paris 

Strolling the streets of Paris is as much of a museum visit as going to the Louvre. All of old Paris built between 1853-1927 was a grand French design with broad boulevards, new sewers, canals, parks and squares, and fountains begun with the idea of providing the working class with sanitary living quarters. 

History proves there were political reasons also, but the sweeping demolition of medieval Paris over a 54-year period gave the world 

the City of Light. 

A beautiful city in which one can get lost staring at the French architecture instead of paying attention to directions for the final destination...  

Tips to Get Hydrangeas to Bloom

Hydrangea season has arrived in the South, and with the arrival of hydrangea blooms each year comes the questions about why doesn't my hydrangea bloom. If you love hydrangeas as much as I do, you are probably very interested in TIPS for getting hydrangeas to bloom... 

and to bloom in your favorite color. 

French Design on Friday 17

~ G A R D E N ~ 

Urn 

Chenonceau 

Château de Chenonceau's beautiful gardens are classic French design with rose tree topiaries, rows of lavender, sculpted boxwood spheres, raised stone urns, and symmetrical planting patterns. 

Used by Permission: L. Scott 

A Budget Friendly Moss Topiary

Ivy and moss topiary shapes catch my attention. I love them, but they can be very expensive. Let me show you how I created a Spring bunny topiary for a fraction of the cost of buying one from Pottery Barn. This was so easy I know you can do it, too.  

Fresh Spring Looks (Almost) Without Spending Money

Fresh Spring looks for your home are possible without spending a lot of money. Is there anyone who does not know about Spring cleaning for a fresh look? Or how about Spring gardening? For just pennies (okay, a few dollars, due to inflation,) those two things work wonders to bring fresh looks to our homes. 

Plus, I have a few other specific ideas, for a total of six things, you might want to try as ways to bring fresh Spring looks to your home without spending a lot of money. 

Kitchen New Tile Floor Mimics Stone

Welcome to our kitchen with a new white tile floor. New flooring and new paint are the two things that make the greatest impact in a house design. Either of these change the look of rooms dramatically, and I love the way the new tile transformed our house. 

Previously, the floor was vinyl planks designed to look like wood planks. After several years the vinyl was cracked in a few places and chipped in many places which meant the floor needed to be replaced. 

French Design on Friday 16

~ G A R D E N ~ 

Furniture 

Chenonceau 

Sidewalk cafes, bistro chairs, and outdoor umbrellas all come to mind whenever I think about French meals because the French are renowned for dining outside. Last summer, we saw some beautiful French design garden/patio furniture at the Château Chenonceau when we had lunch at the gourmet restaurant, l'Orangerie, on the castle's grounds. 

Callie the Model Cat

Often when you least expect it, something good happens in your life. Like Callie, the model cat, coming to live with me. 

Not all pets are model pets. Callie had a litter of kittens, and two of them also made me their person. As much as I love them, they are not model cats like their mother Callie. 

Now, I never in my wildest dreams thought I would become a cat lady in my old age, but here I am, 

a cat lady with a model cat

and two not-model cats.   

Living Room Oak Floor Renovation Finished

The living room oak floor renovation is finished, and we love how it turned out. The room feels so much brighter with the fresh white wash finish, but there are still follow-up things to do. 

The living room furniture is back in place, but not all of the room's accessories are back in place. Since all of the furniture had to be moved out of the room for the floor to be sanded, stained, and sealed, this is a great opportunity to make some changes.