Do you collect souvenirs

when you go on a vacation somewhere?

Welcome to MONDAY MORNING BLOOMS!

This time our theme is souvenirs.

Our darling friend Shirley is not here this time

but we hope she will be back {because we know she's everyone's great favorite!}

Be sure to visit Pam and Mary, I'll give you their links at the end of this post!

We just returned from a little trip with our whole family to the lake.

I don't know about you, but anytime I can gather all my children and little people in one spot

I cherish and treasure that time in my heart.

We had such a great time, we spent most of every day on the water in kayaks

and on paddle boards.

It was such a refreshing time...I literally did n o t h i n g.

I enjoyed our family, the lake, and summer.

It was the only vacation Mr. FGH and I went on this summer.

I know we went on some buying trips...but honestly,

believe it or not, those are not vacations!!

{Up at 4:30 or 5:00 many days, walking and driving around all day - it's great fun to source antiques,

but not what I consider a relaxing.}

While at the lake, went looking for a little souvenir in shops.

I tend to buy antiques on trips as mementoes. {No surprise, right?}

I didn't find anything on this trip.

The antiques I usually take home from a trip include silver, plates {yes, I probably am the undisputed queen of plates!}

and French pottery, like the country pot I made this flower arrangement in.

Oh! And then I did buy this 18th century French Buffet des Corps

as a souvenir this summer!

{I know, that's not really a normal souvenir. But I couldn't help myself!}

It holds all my other souvenirs, the silver, the dishes, the everything I use to entertain with here.

This arrangement is a last ode to summer gardens.

Dahlia's were my father-in-law's favorite

and his flower garden in Europe rivaled the best.

I am deep into the fall photo shoots here at FrenchGardenHouse

for the FGH Fall Collection that will launch next week.

So this deep dark wine color palette I found at the flower market was perfect!

Because the pottery is earthy, I decided to place one of the antique cutting boards on the table as the base,

and layer that with an antique paisley shawl.

I placed the vase on two of my favorite design books by Charles Faudree.

FLOWER RECIPE

Merlot Oriental Lilies

Burgundy Alstroemeria

Deep Wine Dahlias

Ornamental St. John's Wort {hypericum}

Seeded Eucalyptus

Be sure to visit Pam and Mary:

PAM at Everyday Living

MARY at HomeIsWhereTheBoatIs

and me,

LIDY at FrenchGardenHouse

I'm trying going to share our bathroom remodel,

but need to finish working on the Fall Collection first! {sorry!}

à bientôt