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What we know as Bastille Day in the United States is known as La Fête nationale française in France and is celebrated with  a concert and spectacular fireworks at the Eiffel Tower. 

If you love France or love fireworks, you will love the YouTube video of the 2017 La Fête national française - Paris - Tour Eiffel - 14 juillet 2017 (Feu d'artifice)  

The video begins with the crowd singing the French national anthem, La Marseillaise, followed by a live concert choreographed with fireworks at the Eiffel Tower for over thirty minutes. 

View in full screen so you can see the large outdoor screens at the bottom of each side of the picture. Those screens show aerial views. 

One of my favorite fireworks display during the presentation occurs around 4:45 minutes. 

b o n   f ê t e  

Greenhouse Dreams | Foxgloves, Chandelier, Glass Table

When you daydream of a perfect greenhouse, do you see old pots, reclaimed glass French doors, chippy cabinets, brick floor, baskets, and foxgloves growing in sunlight? A rustic retreat filled with a jumble of clay pots, potting soil, seedlings, and watering cans scattered about in disarray on weathered wood shelves?  

Or do you see deep burgundy painted walls, white shelves, a carved pedestal with a glass top, plants in French urns, and a chandelier? Not so much rustic, but rather a working space in a well-worn gentil  (genteel) French florist greenhouse? 

Garden Shed Fresh Paint

G A R D E N   S H E D   F R E S H   P A I N T 

and a new exterior light fixture 

The garden shed, known affectionately as the Jardin Château by my family, needed some fresh paint after braving the first six winters of its new life. 

The beautiful little Jardin Château is home to my French Country Christmas Event each December, and you have seen lots of pretty pictures of it decked out in its finest. 

Today you are getting to see real life and how to deal with it so the little shed will continue to be beautiful for many more years. 

The French doors were looking a little shabby due to their paint exposed to the elements. 

Plus, the fascia board above the front French doors was suffering from moisture damage and beginning to look a little moldy. 

Inspiring Creativity | No. 2

This second part of the series Inspiring Creativity takes you behind-the-scenes to see the process of how a creativity team makes magic come alive in their inspiring decorations, photographs, and space transformations. 

Swans Swimming Tablescape 

While imagination is the spark that begins an idea, a table setting, or a large-scale backdrop, good old-fashioned hard work transforms an idea into creative reality. Along the way, revisions, re-dos, and improvisations bring an evolving creation to its finished state. 

Blue Silk Roman Shade Details

B L U E   S I L K   R O M A N   S H A D E 

for the master bathroom small window 

One more thing is accomplished on the master bathroom small vanity area to-do list. The changes to the small vanity area began in March of this year, almost four months ago. The original to-do list has been tweaked with new to-dos, but replacing the cotton balloon valance with a more French country look window treatment was one of the things on the original list. 

I bought the multi-blue and white striped silk fabric over ten years ago with the intentions of making a gathered skirt to wear to formal events, but no longer needed formal wear before the skirt was made.