One word with Sharon from My French Country Home

Told you I would be changing up my banner often, I am in a hydrangea frame of mind lately.....they are like summers poster child!


Also for those of you who asked, the new blue and white ginger jars and oversized bowl are now up on my shop site. 

Good morning! Well I am down to the last two guests posts for my "One word" series, before I start brainstorming about another series highlighting some of my favorite bloggers.   Its been such a pleasure featuring so many incredibly talented women, and today's guest is no exception. Sharon from My French Country Home is, as many of you know a source of amazing French inspiration, who lives in the most idyllic countryside of France. Visiting her on her blog truly is my guilty pleasure every morning where I get to see beautiful France through her eyes, whether its her horses meandering right outside her front door, or her trips to the local brocante fairs or even simple things like taking a long leisurely walk accompanied by the family pooches through the picturesque fall foliage.

 If you want to get taken away and I do not say taken away lightly,  to the beautiful countryside of France, make no mistake.......it doesn't get better than visiting My French Country Home.
So I was thrilled when Sharon agreed to be my guest today and as I started reading over her post, I got lost in a beautiful, dreamy world of a time gone by,a picturesque place where time really does stand still and where things move a little slower allowing one to savor all of life's simple pleasures. Reading over this was, believe me,  absolute bliss so today I am just  thrilled to share the goodness with you, my dear readers and followers.  Enjoy and thank you Sharon!

I just have to show you few images from Sharon's blog and yes these are all her images taken from her so called "every day life". Guess "every day life" is a relative term, snapshots of mine would include a crazy long Starbucks line of caffeine craving overworked mortals, me sitting in a carpool line, me yelling at some telemarketer for bothering me when I am trying to multitask, waking up running around screaming for everyone to get up when we are running late, sitting in a traffic jam somewhere, etc.......now here is a glimpse into every day life over at My French Country home. NOW,  do you see what the fuss is all about? Ahhhh, feel my blood pressure lowering already!


On top of this Sharon has so graciously decided to do a giveaway! And let me tell you its a wonderful one! As if her blog is not gift enough.......

Now wipe the drool from your chin, and take a look at what Sharon has to say:)

Sharon, the floor is yours..........

  One quality I love in people is: honesty.

  If my house could only be furnished in one color it would definitely

have to be: pale greige,  so I could layer other colours against it

 One luxury I cannot live without is: space.

 If I had to have one designer decorate my entire house with no input from me it would have to be: my sister, a very gifted interior designer.

  If I had to choose coffee or tea it would be: tea.

  One talent I wish I had is: a cool singing voice.

  I think most people would agree I am: very determined.

-  If I could change one quality about myself it would be to be: better organised.

  One place I would love to revisit: Scotland.   

  One place I am longing to visit is: Buenos Aires.

  One career I could see myself having would be: as an artist

 If food is therapy, when stressed I indulge in:
 French bread and home-made jam.

-  One of my favourite brands for clothing is gerard darel,

-  If my life were a book, the title would be  "She didn’t like to sit still!.

-  My favourite flower is the peony

 I would love to have coffee and a chat session with
this famous person:   Karen Blixen.

  Hollywood is:   a long way away,

  Tuscany or Provence?:   Tuscany to improve my Italian.

 The next presidential election will be:  as unsurprising as the last.

 The one best thing about blogging is:   to have friends on all time zones.

 A guilty pleasure for me is:   a fresh croissant.

 A clothing designer I think that has great style is: Tom Ford.

 My strongest quality would have to be: my resistance.

  The best restaurant I have ever been to was:  without a doubt La Méditarenée in paris.

  Most overrated actor/actress is ...  no, sorry,  I don’t like to say mean things about people.

  If my life were a documentary, I could see this actress playing me:
nathalie baye.

Town or country?  country, country, country, country, country, country....  did I mention I like to live in the country?

 One person I admire: is  a lady near here, in her 80’s who single- 

handedly runs a huge château and beautiful gardens that people
come to see from miles around.

  Pick a decade to live in, any decade: 1870-80.

  My favourite room of my house is: my entrance hall .

 

  If I were an animal I would be: a dog, they have such a cool life.

   A book I would recommend to everyone would be: West with the Night.

  If I were planning a huge family reunion,  I would want to have it:
here in my garden.

One thing I wish everyone could be more of is: thoughtful.

In one word,  life is: a gift.

Wow Sharon, this was fabulous! Thank you thank you thank you. Where to begin, I love your idea of "therapy", that kind of therapy I could happily engage in on a daily basis:)  Buenos Aires is indeed a very special place, have been a few times and yes to peonies, in all their many colors! And your backyard for a reunion, I cannot imagine a more beautiful place for a family reunion. I would love to meet the chateau keeper in her 80's doing this on her own.....she sounds like one special lady! And last we cannot overestimate the sweet sensation of biting into a fresh croissant or the allure of a room done in greige, can we! Loved this and I know everyone else will too. If you don't know of My French Country Home, then you must head on over now.....and find out what you have been missing, yes its that wonderful! Click here to visit Sharon in paradise. Thanks to everyone for stopping in and to Sharon for allowing us a glimpse into your enchanting life over at My French Country Home.

By Invitation Only....you are invited to my wedding!

OK I knew I was going to have fun with this months theme when I got the email. Its time for our monthly "By Invitation only" where a group of bloggers get together and present their interpretation of an agreed upon theme......This was right up my alley,  Planning your wedding as if you were getting married today! A chance to do my wedding all over again? Fun and how fast can I say I do! Same guy of course but you better believe I might want to do things a bit differently almost 30 years later. I had a beautiful wedding, make no mistake, but it was more about a lot of pomp and circumstance, the big dress, and I do mean it literally, lots of ugh....volume shall we say! A formal affair, wonderful but honestly a little overwhelming to my then 22 year old self.

What would I choose today? Well something quite different, partially reflective of how times that have changed, and very much with how I have changed. How I appreciate the simpler things in life, that less can be more, and that some of the most beautiful moments occur when surrounded by nature so I have decided to spend this wedding outdoors as much as possible. So, here we go, the details right down to the nitty gritty details of my wedding, IF I were getting married today.......

The invitation would look something like this.....cannot make up my mind, but one of these beauties from The Lettered Olive! It has to be letterpress...have such an obsession with it!

Where is my wedding going to be?  Why, Napa Valley of course! I would have to have it there, its a place that calls my name and a place near and dear to my heart and I have made no secret of my love for Napa on this blog, as I talk about it often. I cannot imagine a more wonderful place to call in my guests from all over and invite them to come spend the weekend for pre wedding festivities. Wineries, outdoor jazz concerts, al fresco dinners, bike rides through the vineyard would all be a part of the weekend iternary. Everyone arrives on a Friday night, just in time to be part of a welcome dinner we are hosting outside under a great big tree at one of my favorite vineyards of course, but first everyone settles into their hotel rooms.........

Right at sunset, everyone gathers to marvel at the landscape and view, and soon we are seated ushering in a perfect night of friendship and celebration........

The next day everyone is able to  do as they please, go into town, visit wineries, go on a scheduled group bike ride and picnic lunch, spend the day at the spa, whatever strikes their fancy......

That night is the rehearsal dinner, held under a beautiful trellis at one of our favorite wineries, this is an intimate affair for my closest family and friends and it goes on until the wee hours of the morning....

First what am I wearing you ask? Well, since I am the belle of the ball....have to go with something that makes me feel princess-y but still fun and party like, so I opted for this fun party dress, that has a little bling, a few feathers...fun, chic and definitely special and with legs like these....I want to show them off!

Moving to the actual dinner......held under a fabulous trellis at my favorite vineyard, this is a night to remember, don't remember feeling this happy!

The most scrumptious mini wedding cakes are served for dessert!

As the night nears (or should I say early morning begins) we are told that we are expecting the most beautiful weather on Sunday, the wedding day.....clear skies, no humidity and 75! I will take it can am giddy with anticipation........as we end the night! 

We awaken to the most brilliant blue sky, slightly breezy cool air and blazing sunshine, its a custom ordered day! My bridesmaids are all dressed in different dresses but all done in blush tones, some lace, some silk, some linen, they each got to choose their own according to their own taste wtih a few parameters..they blend harmoniously like a perfect symphony!

The flowers are all done around the palest pinks, peaches and creams...my favorites peonies, roses, french tulips 

And if you are wondering about my own gown,I have decided to go wtih the most delicious vintage wedding gown that I have ever laid my eyes on......true I could have gone with something simplier but I just couldn't resist and if theres one day to pull out all the stops this is the one! Come to Mama......

The ceremony is outside of course and has been beautifully designed to focus on the beautiful nature, but oh what a magical setting!

 Love how outdoor seating areas have been set up, with real furniture, absolutely stunning right in the middle of the vineyard.

And for the actual tables.....a fantasy like concoction of bring the best of nature and elegance with touches like the crystal chandeliers and urns overflowig with luscious white blooms, how exhilarating to see my vision come to life. All this under a great big white tent right smack in the middle of my favorite vineyard.  The icing on the cake is seeing all those that I love and care about enjoying what I have dreamt up!

A close up of the all white flowers on the table

My cake is simple but elegant, inspired by beautiful and timeless Wedgewood....and very similiar to my wedding invitiation.

As the guests depart a small wedding favor is given to each and every guest, specifically designed just for them, monogrammed silver votives holding my favorite gardenia candle as a special keepsake of this memorable day in my life.....

The wedding is deemed a wild success...everyone proclaims it is the best wedding they have ever attended and that no other could possibly top it. The band goes on and on at the pleas from the crowd until 3 am! Cheers to that!

      And soon, after a weekend fit for a princess, we are off  driving into the Napa sunset....happy as a glass of a good Chardonay!

Thanks for stopping by "my wedding". How about you? Would you do things differently? How would you like to plan your wedding if you were doing it all over again? Would love to know!

Wishing you an enchanted day!


If you want to see more interpretations of a wedding day done by other talented bloggers, then visit Marsha the brainchild aka glamourpuss over at Splenderosa and you will see not only her gorgeous rendition but links to all the others, Click here to visit!