A French Country Christmas

in July

What does a French Country Christmas in July look like to you?

Maybe all that new and beautiful Christmas decor that's already adorning the shelves of stores. Yet your floral garden is still in full bloom with gorgeous and lush flowers ready to be cut. Maybe to get you in the mood for Christmas, you could simply just start thinking white.

My Christmas in July is thinking all about WHITE

White Slip Covers & Curtains

Perfect time of year to start thinking about your drapes and if it's ready to replace them. These are the drop cloth drapes that I made in our kitchen. If your interested in making these, Courtney over at French Country Cottage gives a great tutorial on how to make them.

If you'd like your drapes perfectly white like this rather than an oatmeal color, then follow this post.

This is our antique china cabinet loaded with our white tableware and glassware

Chippy White Painted Candle Holders

Why not spend these warm late summer days working on a FEW PROJECTS AROUND THE HOUSE that you've been meaning on getting to.

• Grouping together your collection of milk glass vases.
• Painting that simple wood tray white with a little added distressing to it.
• Taking that ugly chair in the corner and giving it a fresh coat of white paint and adding a little age to it with some simple distressing, upholstering the seat in a gorgeous white and red toile or damask fabric.

If you love taking nature walks in the woods, bring a bag with you the next time and look for pine cones that are opened rather than tightly closed (see the Cotton Flower Kissing Balls below). These make beautiful kissing balls that you can use throughout your home for the holidays.

Think about all these kissing balls as just simply decorative pieces for your home during the hot end of summer months. Just simply place them in bowls or on trays with other decor pieces.

Kissing Balls

Pinecone Kissing Ball

We all know that there's those dog day's of summer when it's just much too hot to be going outdoors, so we spend our time indoors with the AC on. Relaxing in a cool area during these days is the perfect time to work on crafts like the tiny pinecone kissing balls that you can spray paint in white however much you'd like. Maybe you want them completely white, or maybe you just want them dusted in white to look like snow. Depending on how many you make, buy a white bowl to put them out where they'll be seen daily.

White Roses Kissing Ball

White Rose Kissing Balls are another perfect addition for Christmas. I love them sitting on these candle holders rather than grouping in a bowl - you decide.

Cotton Kissing Balls

Antique Stores & Flea Markets

Another great thing to do on those dog days of summer are antique shopping. Now's the perfect time of year to find those quaint unique pieces to add to your china cabinet that will add just a hint of Christmas.

Look at how simple these gorgeous little blossoms are to make. I'm thinking these would be beautiful in a silver bowl on a side table, or many - many blooms in a large silver bowl on your dining table.

Wicker Baskets