Spring is here! Spring is here!
Sharing blue and white in my breakfast nook today!
I bought these chairs for outside but they never made it out there!
I bought these new blue and white placemats from Mackenzie Childs. I LOVE them!
I hope you enjoyed this little look at my nook on this relaxing Sunday!
I love the look of French bistro shelves in the kitchen. I was going to have some installed in my kitchen, but then we got towards the end of the project and were so over it we never had it done. Also we asked ourselves, did we really need them? No, we did not.
That said, I still love the look! These aren’t just any open shelves, these are with brass or nickel and glass shelves!
By the Fox Group above for the sink the taps are by Devol. Shelving by Restoration Hardware – they custom cut it to fit the space.
A Beautiful bar from Amie Corley Interiors.
Also From the Fox Group
Kitchen from Romancing the Home, as published in Country French Magazine
Mckee Patterson and Kathleen Poirier – photo by John Bessler
From Coasts Homes
“The custom diagonal-striped marble floor by Noteworthy Marble & Tile brings an edge to the formal, yet modern kitchen. The range is by La Cornue, the hood is custom, the stools are by Brabbu, and the pendants are by Soane Britain.” photo by Douglas Friedman, design by Mary Mcdonald as featured at Elle Decor
By Linda Floyd, via attic Mag.
by Shalini and Don Cantillo via One King’s Lane
Like the look of French bistro shelves? Restoration Hardware has 1930s French Bistro shelves in many sizes.
Or, if you don’t want to install shelving, Ballard Designs makes a chic Patisserie Glass serving stand!
Are you a fan of French Country Decor?? I’m guessing YES if you read my blog!! I sifted through the hundreds of posts I had saved on Instagram and pulled these beautiful pictures to share with you! I cropped them to include whoever posted the picture!
Enough of my yapping, just sit back and enjoy!
I’d appreciate it if you pin with me too! Here is my French Country Decorating board!
Shop some of my French Country Favorites below.
I may earn a small commission if you purchase with these links
We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.
Music plays an important part of creating the feeling of Christmas. Today I’m showing you my little music room and talking about Christmas music and participating in a musical blog hop!! If you are coming from Decor To Adore, welcome!! A big thank you to Amber at Follow The Yellow Brick Home for organizing this hop!
These nutcrackers below remind me of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. The music of that ballet is so beautiful. We saw The Nutcracker at the San Francisco Ballet and it was a beautiful show. The scene with the waltz of the snowflakes is magical.
We always try to go to one Christmas musical program a year. Some years we don’t make it due to time. We have been to all different types of Christmas programs. We’ve been to the Nutcracker, Handel’s Messiah, various programs of Christmas orchestra classics, church choral and musical programs, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, a Charlie Brown Christmas, in addition to seeing plays such as A Christmas Carol. 
My favorite Christmas album is A Charlie Brown Christmas, which is what I’m listening to write now as I write this post.
This year we’ve acquired an antique piano which I’ve displayed in the music room. It is from France and it is from the mid 1800s.
Unfortunately it isn’t to tune, and some of the keys are stuck. We tried to have it tuned, but alas, it can’t be done. I had played the piano when I was a child and had hopes and dreams of playing again. I had really wanted an antique working piano, but I think the words antique and working just don’t go together!
Look at the harp, for instance. My mom bought this harp for me when I was a child, hoping that it could be restrung. However, it’s antique and thus having is restrung would break it! We’ve kept it ever since though, just because it’s pretty. And who owns a harp? Like, no one… haha! I should just call this the broken music room. Well, I don’t care if they don’t work, I think they are pretty to look at!
I put my snowman collection on top of the piano. I love the snowmen!
Imagine hearing Frosty the Snowman playing here on the piano. 
Sitting in the music room is my favorite tree, the woodland tree! 
The woodland tree may not seem very musical to you, but I acquired a new little critter under the tree this year – a donkey!
This donkey, I’ve named Dominic, after my favorite Christmas song, Dominic the Donkey. He sings, jiggity jig, hee haw hee haw… 
I hope you enjoyed my woodland tree and Christmas music room!
Next up on the merry musical Christmas hop is My Thrift Store Addiction! If you want to view all of the bloggers wonderful posts, you can visit them all in the InLinkz Link Up below!
We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.
Welcome to my French country Christmas house tour! I’m so excited because I am sharing a bedroom which I’ve never shared before – and it’s all decorated for Christmas!
This is the guest bedroom and the red toile is a permanent fixture in this room, but it is seasonal appropriate as well!
I have a few Christmas touches – a German Christmas pyramid and mercury glass candle sit on this nightstand.
I love the touches of greenery against the red in this room!
Found this tree and Santa at the after Christmas sales last year!
I love this Santa!
This room is decorated more for Christmas than my own bedroom!
Across the from the bed is a French armoire, decorated with a wreath for the season. 
Now, this *is* a house tour, so off we go… in a hallway sits the “frosted” tree. It is covered with glass ornaments and icicles as well as silver glittered branches.
It sets next to this French sideboard.
The sideboard has a pastel pink snowman, retro tree and wreath adorned with pink ribbon.
Across from the sideboard is this little area. It was so hard to get a picture since it is in the hallway!
In this office is the flocked vintage tree. It is full of retro ornaments – both new and old.
I love the pops of blue ornaments on this tree – it goes with the curtains!
I have so many Christmas trees because I love the indirect light they emit into each room. I hate how dark Winter is – I couldn’t ever imagine living somewhere far North where it is only light for a few hours a day!
Alright, and now into the last room on this French country Christmas house tour. A wooden cherub sits atop a pine sideboard. The altar candlesticks I found at a local antique shop for a great deal!
Beneath the cherub I placed a wreath and used the clip-on candle ornaments. A homemade advent wreath – well, I’m one candle short, but that’s okay, at least I won’t burn the house down.
The sideboard is in the dining room. So this *was* the dining room, but for Thanksgiving we moved the dining table to the living room since we hosted 40 people here. We moved a couch into this room. I love the current set up – it’s so nice and cozy to sit here and read by the fire.
A vintage tree!
I love all of the vintage style ornaments.
On the other side of the tree is this French cabinet with Majolica.
I like the clip on candle ornaments and the vintage glass Santa.
The tree in all of its glory!
A look at the dining room turned living room.
I couldn’t decide which picture of this fireplace to share, so I shared both!
I hope you enjoyed my French country Christmas tour this year! Coming on Monday is more of my Christmas home tour!
We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.
Today I have for you a home tour full of French Country Fall home decor! This part of the tour is what I’m calling the frou frou French country part of the tour.
If you follow me on Instagram you know that I’ve posted this picture, which many people loved! I was a bit surprised by how many likes it received but then again, it is quite pretty. It actually was a bit of an accident, I was moving things around and had set this pink velvet pumpkin in this container temporarily… and then noticed it looked good and then voila! We have the finished product.
What I didn’t share is that this pink velvet pumpkin sitting on my new antique French piano! Ooooh-la-la! Some friends of my family were downsizing their antique collection and this was for sale… I knew I had to have it. I’d been looking for a piano for a while and this is just perfect!
I do need to get it re-tuned but it does work! I absolutely love all of the little details on the piano, look at the little carving below! 
Dried roses from the garden adds a feminine touch to Fall decor.
On the other side of my frou frou French sitting room are these velvet pumpkins. Yes, that is a harp you see in the background… I suppose I should call it my little French music room! Uh oh, I am thinking I might have another Christmas tree idea.
The mini vases, which are actually candles, were from Pierre Deux (oh how I miss that store!). The middle one is a Madeleine pot that I have yet to plant anything it despite owning it for years!
I was going for simple decor in this area. Less is more with French country Fall home decor.
Heading into the living room, a vintage champagne bucket sits on the console table.
Again, I used dried roses for softness. You can spy my Fall mantel in the background… coming to you in another post!
I love the velvet pumpkins and just had fun moving them here and there around the house.
Below is a corner of the study. Love the blue drapes with the red needlepoint.
Circling back into the entry way, sunflowers shine here. I love how they pull out the gilding on the painting.
A few fairytale pumpkins sit on the shelf, matching the color of the marble.
In the hallway, a few more velvet pumpkins are perched on this frou frou French piece.
And last but not least, a look at this mini demilune in the mudroom.
Love it if you would pin away! I have a Fall Decor and Tablesetting board, a Fall Recipes Board, and a Holiday Decor and Recipes Ideas Group Board.
The pumpkins are all made by Hot Skwash. I do hope you enjoyed all of my French country Fall home decor! Check out my Fall Home Tour from last year here.
I may earn a small commission if you purchase with these links
So excited to share my antique French barometer today. There is a wall in the mudroom that had nothing on it. Until recently. When we found this.
Isn’t the antique French barometer beautiful?! I don’t know anything about it. Other than it’s French and it’s old. Oh and it doesn’t work. Who cares! I love it. This reminds me since it has mercury in it – do you remember the old mercury thermometers? I remember as a child when one would break, we would play with the mercury. It was so interesting to play with. They’d never allow that these days, now would they?
I actually have dreams of a beautiful French settee to go under it… but for now my outdoor garden bench will do. It is a mudroom after all. Seems so silly to call it a mudroom – don’t be flinging mud on my barometer! Eventually I am going to add more to the wall – probably some little plates above the pictures and barometer.
This bench has turned into the catch all when you walk into the garage. I had to clear it off to take a picture. Yes, it’s back to being messy as I write. I’d take more pictures of the house… but that requires me to clean! On these hot Summer days I’m anything but motivated, preferring to lounge around instead.
Blog land pictures make life seem always so perfect… I assure you, life is far from perfect!
Let’s talk about my favorite French hand soaps today! One thing I like to splurge on is some luxurious French soap.
French soaps are just… different. They seem heavier (?), or maybe creamier (?) than soaps in the states. Their scents will transport you to an olive grove… instead of the dryer vent!
So what is the French-milled soaps? Well, the French invented the milling process in the 1700s and have it perfected!
They shred the soap into a machine the rolls the soap into a smooth paste. They do this three times, hence the name triple-milled or French-milled soap. This makes the soaps harder and thus last longer… a little goes a long way! The texture is thus finer so it feels smoother and makes a better lather!
So then what is Savon de Marseille? The soap makers of Marseille used native olive oil and alkaline ash of Mediterranean marine plants to create their soaps. In 1688, there was an edict stating that fine soaps in Marseille had to contain 72% vegetable oil with no animal additives, and it was known as “Savon de Marseille” or “Marseille Soap”. The name stuck!
It takes two weeks to make the soap and it is still made from olive oil and alkaline ash from Mediterranean sea plants! The soap often has a fine white powder on the outside and that is sea salt – it will wash away! A 600g bar of savon de Marseille can last up to 6 months when used as bath soap!
Now only four soap makers still craft Marseille Soap according to the centuries-old tradition and here they are: Savonnerie le Serail, Marius Fabre, La Savonnerie du Midi, and La Savonnerie du Fer à Cheval. Good luck finding them online to purchase!
Now, the four companies mentioned above follow the traditional olive-oil only and lye soap making process. L’Union des professionnels du savon de Marseille (UPSM) as new rules which states Savon de Marseille can use olive oil, palm kernel oil, palm oil, coconut oil, lye, sea salt and water.
You know, I started this article just doing a little research about French soap… I admit, I had no idea that there was such a big hoopla in France about which is truly authentic Savon de Marseille vs not!
The soaps I like are apparently French milled, but not “true” Savon de Marseille. Who knew? Not me. All of the soaps below are French milled soaps.
I like to put the little soaps in between the pillow cases and sheets in the linen closet. This makes the sheets smell really fresh when you take them out to use them! Sorry for the poor quality picture… turns out the linen closet has bad lighting!
Pre de Provence – this is my favorite company for the little mini hand soaps… I tuck these ones into my linens! They the larger soap in Verbena, Olive Lavande, peony, Lavender Queen’s Honey, Sage, Honey Almond, There are packs of 5 minis in Sage, Lavender, and Verbena! I confess the verbena is my favorite!
L’occitane Bonne Mare Soaps – Soap made in the Marseille way, with tons of wonderful scents. In addition to hand soap, they are also great for placing in between linens or in clothing drawers! It comes in Honey, Verbena, Milk, Peach, Rose, Lavender.
Savon de Marseille – if you want the most bang for you buck, this big block of soap will last you half the year! I actually have seen this one in person but never bought it – next time I head to this store I am buying it since I think it is a “true” Savon de Marseille!
Figue d’ete – I don’t have this exact soap but I have the candle in this scent and it smells amazing!
Diptyque L’Ombre de le Eau Soap – if you love the Baies candle, they also have the fabulous hand soap too! It smells of roses and black currants!
Une Olive en Provence – This soap takes you right to Provence! I have this one also tucked into my linens… aaahhh smells so good! I also have the body scrub and it is soooo nice!
Now onto Liquid French Soaps!
Compagnie de Provence Hand Soap – I feel like I keep writing the same thing… it smells amazing!
L’Occitane Liquid Hand Soap – I love this soap! I have the verbena and the lavender. The great part is you can buy refills which are cheaper – just keep your bottle when it’s empty and refill it!
L’occitane Cleansing Hand wash – I don’t really know the exact difference between this one and the one bbove, but the scents are slightly different. Either way, love these too. It comes in Verbena.
Diptyque Hand and Body Soap – I have this in Sens de Eau and it is my favorite soap! I use it as a body wash (not everyday – it isn’t cheap, only when I want to feel extra luxurious!) but it is also a hand soap. They also have one in Philosykos which is their fig scent which smells amazing.
Sharing my Summer mudroom with you today AND participating in a vintage garden hop!! First, a big thank you to Amber at Follow the Yellow Brick Home for arranging this blog hop! If you’re coming from My Thrift Store Addiction, Welcome!! Don’t you love her vintage touches in her garden?
I’ve styled my mudroom for the Summer with touches from the garden. I don’t have a garden yet since we just moved into this new house. A basket full of dried lavender sits on the shelf. I dried the lavender from the garden last year! The lavender sits in a vintage basket. Last year at Christmas I gave out little bunches of dried lavender – I do hope people enjoyed them as much as I do!
The sunflowers came from Trader Joes – we forgot to plant some this year! Too many things going on… next year we’ll remember! I have had fun photographing the sunflowers throughout the house. They really do brighten any room!
On the shelves of the cabinet sit vintage baskets, an antique pitcher, vintage hen-on-nests, and an antique dough bowl. The dough bowl has been sitting on top more as holding spot until Fall and Winter. It’s quite big and would take so many flowers to fill in the Spring!
The straw hat is an essential for the Summer – this one is UPF 50 to protect my sensitive pale porcelain skin.
Love my Mackenzie Childs boots I picked up at their sale a few years ago. I confess I bought them a size too big on accident and then they were all sold out – that’s okay, big fluffy socks make up the size difference.
Hope you are having a wonderful Summer. Soon it will be time for pumpkins – in fact, I’ve already planted mine! If you enjoyed this post, I think you’ll like my Summer Farmhouse Table Setting!
Next, hop on over to Stacy at Poofing the Pillows blog to see her vintage garden decor!
Here are all of the lovely bloggers in the hop!
Attention Francophiles and decor lovers! A new book was released this week entitled French Vintage Decor and I’ve got my hands on a copy to share with you!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review and promotion. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on these links, we will earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise!
This book was written by a very talented blogger, Jamie who blogs at So Much Better with Age. I have been a longtime fan of her blog so I was thrilled to find out she was writing a book!
She shares her passion for France, antiques and home projects with you in her beautiful book. This book isn’t just for Francophiles though – there are so many DIY projects for the home for all different decorating styles. 
There is a wide variety of projects from “easy” such as how to create beautiful floral arrangements to “advanced” such as building your own trumeau mirror! 
I starting reading through her book the afternoon I received it. There are many tutorials on furniture makeovers. I was so inspired I have started repainting some French tables I have (pictures to come later when I’m all done!)
She has beautiful French inspired charm and has created a wonderful book full of fabulous ideas that will bring some extra ooh-la-la to your living room. Oh did I mention the photography is wonderful?! In addition to pictures of her house and projects, she has pictures of France from her travels which I adore!
I know many of you would enjoy reading this book! It would make a great gift too for your Francophile and decor loving friends.
You can purchase it here on Amazon
A big congratulations to Jamie on her book release and thank you for the wonderful read!
This beautiful French country bedroom is where this beauty catches her sleep! Excited to share with you my bedroom today!
I wanted to create a room that is a quiet, relaxing retreat. Since my husband said I couldn’t make our room pink, a spa blue was my next pick! 
We upgraded to a king size bed in the move, “for the cat”. The cat sleeps at our feet at night and was hogging the bed… yeah, that’s it, “the cat was hogging the bed” (shhh, it was me!)… 
We debated about if we should hang a ceiling fan vs a chandelier. Of course I wanted a chandelier, because obviously it looks better. We used to always sleep with a ceiling fan on. We bought a tower fan and slept with that last Summer “in preparation” – however that tower fan is now next to our Peloton bike. We haven’t put a fan in here yet – however we haven’t hit the hot Summer months. I guess we’ll see when we get to August!
A French bench sits at the foot of the bed and collects our pillows when we are sleeping. The little mirrors are French antiques found some years ago at an antique store.
This post uses affiliate links, meaning using them for purchases won’t cost you extra but may earn me a small commission.
My master suite usually smells of the Baies scent by Diptyque (I usually use the room spray which by the way, has lasted me years – more value for your money, IMO), but today I’m burning Diptyque’s Rosa Geranium on my nightstand. I think having a light scent in your bedroom helps create your relaxing sanctuary – there are such things as scent memories so whenever I smell Baies I’m transported to a happy place.
I have a corona to hang over the bed. The outside will match the drapery fabric but haven’t chosen an inside lining for the corona yet. Hence the empty space above the headboard!
I found the curtain fabric which is a linen by Vervain. My mom made the drapes, she is so talented!
I also think every bedroom needs a place to sit and relax and have a little vintage French chair set. 
The master bedroom decor is not anywhere near complete. (In fact, I don’t think any room is ever “complete” – always hunting for new antique finds to add!) Let’s see, we have a corona to add, curtain valances, more “stuff” for the empty walls… and I’m sure there’s more I can’t think of! 
I hope you enjoyed my relaxing bedroom retreat.
Shop My House:
I may earn a small commission if you purchase with these links
Shop French Country:
I may earn a small commission if you purchase with these links
FYI for those that regularly read my blog, I’m ending the Weekly Design Inspiration Series that I used to post on Mondays. My normal posting schedule will be on Mondays, occasionally on Tuesdays, Thursdays with Thursday Favorite Things and then Friday Favorites.
Occasionally I like to dream that I’m going to sell everything and move to a chateau in France. Sounds fun right? Except there are some obvious barriers to doing that. So instead, I just look at houses online and pretend I’m looking at them to buy. Ha! Here are a few recent finds I thought you might enjoy. The best part about dreaming is that of course I have a sky high budget to purchase and remodel anything!
First up though, is the winner of our giveaway from last week!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
First property. Below, an 18th century Chateau. Via Laporte Property. click for interior images.
Second property. A private mansion, below with modern exterior but traditional antique French interiors. via Sotheby’s.
Third property. An 18th century castle with 1000 acres and a 15th century manor house! Via Sotheby’s.
Fourth property. All of the imaged below labeled Christies are from Maxwell Baynes. This is a 17th century Domain with a lake.
Which of these would you choose if you could move? (this is a dream of course, so no limitations on anything!) I think I would pick… the last one. No the first one. Hmm… All of them, this is a dream, right??
We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.
Let’s take a look at Bunny Williams’ Provence farmhouse! I love her gardens! Stunning! 
A guest bedroom with a canopy bed from the 1800s.
Chairs are covered in Fortuny.
Her master bedroom… love it all!!
A beautiful dining room! 
The library.
The double living room.
A view outside!
Can we move in??
Read the full article about Bunny Williams’ farmhouse here. All images via Veranda through the article.
Check out my other French country articles here.
Shop my French country favorites (affiliate links)
I may earn a small commission if you purchase with these links
We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.
I’m totally smitten with the French bistro chair. I love that they are popular right now.
I remember years ago I was trying to find a pair and it was difficult to find them! Now there are tons of different options!
The bistro chairs that I bought ARE HERE. (pictured above)
Now they are being used in decorating it seems every where I look – even if the style is not French!
I intend to buy some for outdoors – that’s one reason they are so great. You can use them inside and outside!
Let’s take a look at some inspiration!
Reiko Feng shui design
One King’s Lane 
I like that they add a pop of color! Also if I tried very hard to provide image sources for above but couldn’t find them all.
So I created what I’m calling the Ultimate French Bistro Chair Round up! TONS AND TONS of chairs! 9 are pictured, but there is a widget you can shop that has loads more! Affiliate links are used and won’t cost you extra but may earn me a small commission.
#3- Chevron Chair – set of 2 $260
#4 – Dark Navy – set of 2, $260
#5 – Turquoise chair , $110, also in pink and in green
#6 – Red and white chair, set of 2, $292
#7 – Counter Stool, $328
#8- Arm chair, $285
#9 – blue chair also in yellow and green, $262
Your best deals:
Set of 4 chairs, $269, set of two chairs $168
Shop EVEN MORE CHAIRS!!
I may earn a small commission if you purchase with these links
Also, Maison Gatti has a HUGE selection of chairs – they are customizable, but at a price!
Serena and Lily have a HUGE Riviera collection – including tables, chairs, bar stools, backless bar stools, benches and galore! Check it out!
We use affiliate links in our posts and our site. This means if you make a purchase using these links, we may earn a small commission. You don’t pay a cent more than you would otherwise! Our full disclosure is available under About.
A French Country Spring house tour is in store for you today because Spring has sprung here! The roses are blooming and it smells wonderful!
First let’s head into the sitting room. Antique French chairs with a repro trumeau mirror. This mirror was one of the very first things I bought to decorate my place – I was only 22 years old and knew I loved French country style!
Spring flowers sit in the wheeled basket. Faux hydrangeas metal candlesticks sit on the antique desk. I believe the last time you saw this room there was a Christmas tree in the middle of it! Well, now we’ve moved things around and put the antique harp in the corner.
An Aubusson rug sits in the middle of the room. Still love the brick floors which are by Arto brick.
And a pop of color greets you in the kitchen! The roses are all David Austin’s varieties.
We bypassed the family room, because, it’s uh, messy! A French country Spring kitchen awaits! A rustic urn matches the candlesticks.
On top of the hood I put a new Spring wreath and a pair of chickens!
Aren’t the roses gorgeous? They are so fragrant as well. I picked them from my parent’s garden as our garden still is still non existent. Unfortunately the garden roses only last a day or two – that’s okay, I like going to the garden to pick more.
A look through the kitchen. Getting roses ready for various vases in the kitchen.
I haven’t really shared this view of our kitchen. The appliance in the island is a drawer microwave. At first I was unsure of a drawer microwave but now I love it!
Here is our view when we stand on the do the dishes.
The fireplace is see through. The rock is Texas limestone. The little floral French chairs are where those who are not cooking tend to sit. I plan to reupholster them.
This mantle is more rustic than that in the living room. My herd of cows and flock of swans sit here. The sconces are Aidan Gray – found them for a steal!
Hmm, now where is this little corner?? My bedroom! Just a little sneak peek of an upcoming post!
Well, it’s time to go… the sun is setting. Let’s go sit in the courtyard and enjoy the scent of lemon blossoms and the sound of the trickling fountain. And yes, below is another sneak peek of another upcoming post! I’ve been busy writing….
Ok, one last look at the roses since they are so pretty and only here for a small time of year (ok, it’s California, they are here from May – November).
Shop my French Country Favorites:
Affiliate links are used – meaning using them for purchases won’t cost you extra but may earn me a small commission.
I may earn a small commission if you purchase with these links
I hope you enjoyed my French country Spring house tour! If you have more questions about the details of my kitchen, check out my kitchen reveal post. You can also check out more of Our French Farmhaus here.
I may earn a small commission if you purchase with these links
