Blog Description

A French-Inspired Garden and Home by Judith Stringham

Paris Prints in Floating Frame | Vacation Memories

Friday, August 23, 2019



Framed Paris prints recall a memorable vacation
A Paper Series Post 



Paper post cards and small prints in vacation spots all over the world make beautiful souvenirs. Wherever you travel, you can find breathtaking images of the sights in gift shops, in museum shops, and on street corner stands. 

But, what do you do with those lovely souvenirs of your summer vacation? Do what I did with a set of small watercolor-style Paris bookmark prints found in a Paris tourist office. 


Display them in a floating glass frame 
to add a touch of French Country decor. 


Display vacation memories of Paris with prints in a floating frame
France is the country I love to visit, but you can do the same thing with images from the country you love to visit. Spain, Italy, Greece, Japan, China, Peru... wherever you love can come home with you as small postcards to help create that culture and style in your own home. 

Toile Pantry Update | Key Hooks

Saturday, August 17, 2019



Updating an uninspiring pantry painted pink began with white paint and a beautiful toile wallpaper. Adding new black iron double hooks to hold spare keys was the next step. A tip for simplifying where to drill the holes for the screws is based on a brilliant tip for an easy way to hang a print or mirror on a wall.  



Toile pantry update with  black iron double hooks for keys
While the pantry is small, the size of a closet, updating it with all my plans is more like updating a large room over several weeks. Not because of the size of the pantry, but because each new change sparked an idea for yet another change. 

Take a look at how the pantry looked BEFORE updates began earlier this summer. 

Peach Greenhouse New Deck

Monday, August 12, 2019


The greenhouse created from salvaged old doors and windows got a new/old deck earlier this spring. Salvaged redwood deck boards now allow an easy transition from the greenhouse's peach French doors into the small adjacent garden. 


Peach greenhouse new deck is made from salvaged redwood boards

The deck boards came from the old deck removed from my house. Not enough boards could be salvaged to create a new deck on the house, but there were enough boards in good condition for a small greenhouse deck. 

Whimsical Summer Lavender Tablesetting

Tuesday, August 6, 2019

{Disclosure: If you purchase items from Botanic Bleu, I receive compensation for your purchase. See my Disclosure and Privacy Policy for more information.} 





A whimsical summer table setting filled with lavender sprigs and smiling sheep wearing crowns of summer wildflowers reminds us of the magic summer brings. No better way to celebrate summer than to set a table that also brings a smile to our faces.  



Whimsical Summer Lavender Tablesetting has sheep with wildflower crown paper placemats
Summer is a magical time when rigid schedules disappear and lists of merrymaking fun take their places. August days signal the end of summer is coming for school vacation and rigid schedules loom on the horizon, but there are still many days left until summer ends with the official arrival of Fall on September 23. 

French Country is in the Details

Saturday, August 3, 2019

{Disclosure: If you purchase items from Botanic Bleu, I receive compensation for your purchase. See my Disclosure and Privacy Policy for more information.} 




French Country style is in architectural structure, large furniture, and small details added as accents to a room. 

Do you have a she shed? One designed with your personal style and personality? My garden shed is my she shed and has evolved over several years from a utilitarian unfinished plywood structure to a beautiful white limestone French Country garden house. 



French Country is in the details garden shed with open French doors
Welcome to my garden shed/house in the country filled with French Country style beginning with the style of the building. Take a look at the details from earlier this spring that lend French Country design to this special space where I dream, create, and share with others.