Favorite French Country Posts for 2017

Slipping into a new year, I thought it would be fun to look back at 2017 

at some of my favorite French Country posts.
So, please join me as we view my Top 10 picks from the year of 2017.

To read more about each post, just click on the link.

1.  French Country: Romancing the Home

A romantic home has a feeling of being transported to another era.

2.  French Country's Friend: Ironstone

Ironstone is the perfect accessory for a French Country look --

that timeworn feeling of simple comfortable elegance.

3.  French Wine Crate Find

Who knew this French wine went for up to $3,500 a bottle!

Definitely one of my favorite finds!

4.  French Country Farmhouse

This white rooster . . . love at first sight.

5.  Cafe Bleu Reveal

Before & After -- a private French Country retreat.

6.  French Country Garden: Pretty in Pink

My June garden is so pretty, it's blushing! I'm yearning for Spring.

7.  Romantic French Farmhouse

Here are some simple tips to set a romantic mood.

8.  French Country: A Quiet Transition into Fall

Inspiring Fall touches to quietly complement the season.

9.  French Country: Get Galvanized for Fall

That rusty patina captured my heart!

10.  A French Country Christmas Dining Room

A simple French Country look for Christmas without a tree!

Looking back recaptures fond memories and teaches us a few lessons along the way 

while looking forward brings exciting new challenges and fresh ideas. 

I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog this past year
and hope you stay tuned for a fun year in 2018.

***

If you enjoyed this look back, I hope you'll follow me in 2018.

Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.

You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.

Thank you for a wonderful year and I wish you a happy and peaceful New Year.

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Blue Willow House, Little Farmstead, Dwellings, The Dedicated House,
Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Stone Gable, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style,
A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, Designthusiasm, 21 Rosemary Lane,
Petite Haus, French Country Cottage

An All American Front Porch

When I was a little girl, we moved from the country to the big city of Brilliant, Ohio,
population about 1,000 when the street fair was in town.
Of course, when you're little everything seems so much bigger.
On a recent trip back to my old home town, I was surprised at how small everything was.

Today, I can't think of our house on Market Street without remembering its huge front porch. 

Well, it seemed huge to me.
Too bad I don't have any photos of it. This is our front porch now. 

The welcome mat is out. Come on in and let's chat.

We spent countless lazy hours on my childhood porch watching the world go by,
gossiping with neighbors, sipping lemonade,
and strapping on our clamp-on roller skates to zoom back and forth on the uneven sidewalk.

The front porch was where I watched parades march by and wished for a pony
(which I never got, thank you very much!)
and a few years later where Mom kept an eye on me and my sister
parked at the curb with our boyfriends. 

Ah, the wonders of the big city.

Now that I live in an actual big city, population nearing 700,000, I still love my front porch. 

I may not know all of my neighbors like I did back home, but saying good morning to passersby
with their dogs, makes me feel part of the neighborhood. 

Our little dog, Roxy, loves the porch too. 

She must feel like queen of the block from her elevated perch. 

If Ron is on the porch she feels it's her duty to protect him (but not me??)
by barking at passing dogs unless they're neighbor dogs whom she knows.

I love our American flag whether it's floating loose or snapping in the wind. 

Ron purchased it for me when he visited Mt. Vernon. 

This special flag flew over George Washington's home and I'm proud to display it.

It reminds me of a fond childhood memory. 

Growing up, my sister and I always thought everyone was celebrating our mother's birthday 

on June 14 by hanging out their flags. It took us a while to figure out it was actually Flag Day.

I probably have too much stuff on my front porch but my collecting habit has spilled over there. 

This primitive bench found a home after I discovered it in the mud at an estate sale, too shabby to sell. The red pump came from my parents' pump house and the chair from Dad's garden.
Maybe these objects from home make this front porch feel, well, more like home.

I do love alley shopping and was thrilled when we found these two rocking chairs thrown
in the alley for trash pick up. After a lot of scraping, sanding and painting,
they're the perfect chairs for sittin' a while with a cup of coffee in the morning sun.

A blogger from Europe once mentioned how much she loved our American front porches
because they didn't have them in Europe. I hadn't realized that until she pointed it out. 

I guess we had more room to spread out when building houses
in our wide-open spaces in America. 

So glad someone thought of adding a front porch to their house.
It wouldn't be home without one.

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thank you!

***

Linking with:
Little Farmstead, Dwellings, Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse,
A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style, A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,
21 Rosemary Lane, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Adirondack Girl at Heart,
French Country Cottage

A Field of Dreams

I love books.

I could spend hours, maybe even days, in our local library.

It's big enough to have a decent selection, yet small enough to know where everything is.

Our 500,000+ square foot downtown library is amazing. The architecture alone is spectacular. 

But it's so big, it can be a bit overwhelming.

However, our little neighborhood library, the Eugene Field branch, is just right. 

Kind of like the three bears' story. 

Just right.

I love to read and usually check out three or four books every couple of weeks.  

I always select an extra book or two in case I don't really like a book once I get into it. 

There are too many books I want to read to wade through those I don't love.

I've been going to my local library for years and never paid much attention to the name
-- the Eugene Field Library. Until a day not long ago when I was at an estate sale.

Always on the lookout for old books with beautiful covers, 

I spotted a thin faded-cream volume with daisies on the cover. 

Upon picking it up, I was pleasantly surprised that "Brilliants" was written 

by none other than my very own Eugene Field.

It was in poor condition, its pages loose and likely to escape at any moment. 

So I clutched it tightly and took it home with me.

Then I decided to find out more about my library's namesake. 

Do you ever wonder who these people are that public buildings and streets are named for?

I found out Mr. Field had lived in my neighborhood for two years in the 1880s as the editor of the local newspaper, the Denver Tribune. He was most well known as an author of children's poetry.

Interestingly, his father, Roswell Field, represented Dred Scot 

when the slave sued for his freedom in 1853. 

Although he was unsuccessful in his fight,
his case was instrumental in eventually abolishing slavery. Fascinating.

While in Denver, Eugene Field lived in a sweet little cottage
which was later saved and moved in 1930 to our local Washington Park
thanks to Margaret "Molly" Brown's foresight and means. (She's always surprising me.)

It served as a small branch library and now houses the non-profit organization, The Park People.

Next to the little house is a wonderful often-photographed statue called "Wynken' Blynken' and Nod," portraying Field's most famous children's bedtime poem, originally titled "Dutch Lullaby."

The story is about three children who fall asleep dreaming of sailing

among the stars in a boat that's a wooden shoe.

This lovely bronze illustrating the poem was donated to the Eugene Field library.

My little Eugene Field book is now tied securely together with twine 

and holds a special place on my mantel, an appropriate nod to a man who loved books.

"Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night

Sailed off in a wooden shoe

Sailed on a river of crystal light,

into a sea of dew . . . "

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
Thank you!

***

Linking with:
Dwellings, Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life,
Botanc Bleu, Savvy Southern Style, A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson,
21 Rosemary Lane, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Charm of Home,
French Country Cottage

The Foyer -- First Impression of Your Home

Whether you call it a vestibule, an entryway, the front hallway or the foyer,
this little space inside your front door sets the tone for you entire home.
Since this is a blog about French Country, let's call it the foyer.
I even love the French pronunciation "foy-yay."
Seems the French can make anything sound romantic!

It's interesting to note the word "foyer" originally meant "the place where the fire is kept."
The term described an area in French theaters, comparable to the green room
in English theaters, where actors relaxed off stage.
Because they were often visited by friends during and after performances,
such areas evolved into large and beautifully decorated spaces.

The foyer provides the first impression of your home.You can create a welcoming impression
by presenting a warm feeling that reflects the style of your house.
Here is the foyer of my 1907 home.
Warm wood tones, touches of metal, and pops of red and yellow are echoed throughout my house.

I update my foyer seasonally and keep it pretty simple.
For winter, I added some vintage snowshoes, colorful scarves and a basket of lavender.
When spring arrives, I will probably switch out the lavender for some white blossom branches
and exchange the scarves for some straw hats on the antique hall tree.

A mirror positioned across from a window reflects more light into the space.

Add a bit of French Country with a French market basket,

some rusty metalwork,

or an interesting piece of art that will draw visitors inside.

A pretty light, whether a table lamp or a fancy chandy, provides a warm glow to this space.
My light is a vintage glass and copper fixture that I love but I think it is too high to appreciate.
Since it can't be extended in length, I'll probably replace it with a small chandelier
and move this light to the guest room.

If you have room, it's nice to add a chair, stool or bench to your foyer
where people can sit down to put on their shoes. I don't have enough space so we sit on the stairs.
By the way, we removed several layers of paint and carpeting from these stairs
to reveal the warm wood underneath.

At the landing is an original stained-glass window casts an old-world glow to the foyer.

It may seem insignificant but a thoughtful foyer is essential
to creating a warm and welcoming home. 

Remember what your high school counselor said:
"You only get one chance to make a first impression!" She was right.

P.S.  Only 29 days til Spring!!


Sharing with:  Shabby Fu Fu, Thoughts from Alice, Our Southern Home, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings, Karen's up on the Hill, Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House,
Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, Bella Rosa Antiques, Elizabeth and Co., Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, Maison de Pax, From my Front Porch to Yours, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, A Delightsome Life, The Vintage Nest, Rooted in Thyme, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Hawthorne and Main, Charm of Home, French Country Cottage, Shabby Art Boutique, The Cottage Market, D.D.'s Cottage and Design, Peonies and Orange Blossoms, Poofing the Pillows

Love at First Sight

This is a love story. But don't worry. It has a happy ending.

Ron and I drove up to Loveland on Saturday to go to the Vintage Whites Market. 

Why didn't anyone tell me about this big market before?
I hear it's been around for five years in three states 

and no one ever told me. I actually found out about it by reading someone's blog. 

Marked it on my calendar and prayed it wouldn't snow.

Loveland, by the way, is America's Sweetheart City where thousands of people 

send their valentines to be re-stamped "With Love from Loveland." So romantic.

And if you're wondering about all the photos of this wonderful old table, well,

I'll tell you my love story in just a moment. 

Yesterday, it snowed about five inches in Denver. 

This morning dawned crisp and very cold but no snow so we headed north. 

And it was absolutely beautiful. 

There's a good bit of open land north of Denver (I hope it doesn't all get developed) 

and yesterday's fluffy snowfall blanketed fields, hugged pine trees, 

and settled on rustic wooden fences. 

How perfectly perfect for a White Market.

The market was actually much bigger and much more crowded than we expected, 

making it a little difficult to see everything or to take pictures.

We wandered around, oohing and ahhing but not buying. 

I think we've become spoiled by estate sales and thrift stores where bargains abound.

So, entering the second building, yes, a whole other building, 

we're strolling and excusing ourselves through the crowd when I saw it. 

And, oh, it was love at first sight. My heart thumped. My breath quickened.
I think my pupils got bigger like they say happens when you are attracted to someone.
I smiled and moved closer.

It was the primitive kitchen table I'd been lusting after. 

The kind of table you'd find in a charming little vacation cottage on the lake. 

But, if  you've been following my blog, you know I have a very tiny kitchen. 

Where was I going to put this gotta-have-it table? 

No idea. So like Scarlett in Gone with the Wind, I told myself I'd worry about that tomorrow.

I took a closer look. 

It looked as if it had had, shall we say, several relationships. 

Red chippy paint on the fold-out side panels, green and cream crackles on the legs, 

and mostly bare weathered wood on top.

And then the price tag tied to the leg:  $90. A bit more than I wanted to pay. So we moved on. 

My heart broke a little bit. I sniffled. I felt like we'd broken up before we ever had a chance.

But as we wrapped up building number two, I found myself drifting back to see 

if the table was still there. Yep, and it looked even better than the first time. 

Absence had indeed made the heart grow fonder.

 I sat down in a chair to check the height. Perfect. 

I could see myself having a morning cup of coffee at this table. 

Gave it a few twists to check construction. Strong and stable. 

I could even bring my laptop here to work in the afternoon.
And that chippy paint. 

A perfect match.

Love. At second sight.

Finding the booth owner, I asked if that was her best price. 

But before she gave me the standard 10% off, I asked if she'd take $75 and she said yes!

Then, of course, I wondered if I should have offered $65. But, it was definitely worth the price, especially when I saw similar tables on Ebay when I got home for around $450!!

The best part -- now I had a table that would accommodate all my vintage tablecloths. 

Now, where to put it? I've said it before:  if you truly want something, you WILL find room for it. Even if that means getting rid of something else. 

So, my friends, I have a lovely vintage 1920s green wicker sofa for sale if anyone is interested. 

It's destined for Craigslist this spring 

and will make room for my primitive kitchen table in the sunroom.

Just in time to put my little table next to the windows and watch for crocus blooms 

struggling to push their way through the frozen ground and layers of dead leaves. 

They know. In their little bulb hearts. 

 If you truly want something, you will find a way.
Love. 

Only 65 days til Spring!!!



Sharing with:  Shabby Fu Fu, Thoughts from Alice, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings, Between Naps on the Porch, Cozy Little House, Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, Bella Rosa Antiques, Elizabeth and Co., Savvy Southern Style, Knick of Time, Maison de Pax, Ivy & Elephants, From my Front Porch to Yours, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, A Delightsome Life, Northern Nesting, Adirondack Girl at Heart, Meadow Lake Road, Rooted in Thyme, Charm of Home, French Country Cottage, Creative Country Mom, Shabby Art Boutique, My Romantic Home, The Cottage Market, Our Southern Home, Karens up on the Hill