French Decor In The Summer

Summertime is a good time for new crafting inspiration ! Oui!

I can't think of a portrait which shows us more inspiration about the French  essence of décor and mannerisms than the depiction of  the young Marie Antoinette sitting on the lounge and talking at the salons about the styles and dress of the day.
  This  is the highest French style. King Louis XVI wanted his reign be moved from Paris because the royalty were first noticed for their style and preference of the finer things in life. The entire palace at Versailles was decorated with mirrors and  glass to bring out the details in the construction, stucco finishes, paint, crystal glass panels, chandeliers and more. The main hall was built to look onto a front formal garden and the light lit the whole hallway of the palace. The master gardener Andre Le Norte managed to bring the landscape alive with water, pools and grand fountains. (Check out the website of the Gardens of Versailles for a full tour.)
By the end of summer I am exhausted clearing off the dead heads on our roses. Our garden isn't near a beautiful for summer as it was in the spring---but one can dream.
      Recently, I sat out on a search and find mission for a wedding present. It will take some time to make so I wanted to start early enough to find what it was that I wanted.  I love adventures like that. It drives my husband crazy...he wants to know what we are looking for...I tell him it is a trip of "inspiration" and we don't know what we are going to buy yet.
                                                     
                                                               HERE'S A FIND:
                                                                                                            

I found this little bird sitting all alone in a shop in Tipton, Indiana, (Horton's of Tipton). I had some mercury glass I could pair it with and decided the little  pieces could fit in the corner of a bookcase I'm refinishing at the moment. I think the fragileness of the mercury glass when placed near the rough cement bird is a very French way of displaying something that contrasts. Do you agree?

I like to collect old linens, dish towels and the like... using them for bed pillows. If you have never tried embroidery before, I'd start with something simple. The picture shows a display of pillows on the bed and the initials of the person on the top bed sheet.

Think of this idea for newly weds. I think the suggestion I have here is go for a light grey or French grey ---which is a warm grey thread and give this as a gift !  Embroidery of initials can be easily worked with if you go to Michael's crafts or Jo-Ann fabric  for needles and thread supplies---  and a book instructing you on making an alphabet. 

As we turn the corner on this season we are going to have to choose an accent color and I find this color choice easy to decorate with.

You're going to be able to find something in this range to fill in a summertime break. The weather is warm enough to celebrate with a glass of lemonade, a tray of lemonade cookies  with some edible lavender in the cookie dough. Set down with a gathering of your own consorts and have a conversation pertaining to your own style and décor.

Have fun with these ideas and let me know what you like about the blog.