I’m still amazed that it’s really October! The conversation at our house has pretty much turned to non-stop Halloween topics. Same for you? I keep warning the kids that Halloween is not a big deal in France (and that October 31st falls during a 2-week school break), but they can’t help themselves. They are daydreaming about throwing a party for their friends. Bobbing for apples, pumpkin carving, maybe a spook house in the barn. Martha’s new book Handmade Holiday Crafts, came in the mail last Friday, so they’ve been taking turns bookmarking their favorite ideas from the Halloween section. Personally, I’m feeling drawn to the glittery projects (skulls, bones and pumpkins). I suppose I’m just looking for an excuse to get my glitter on. Have you started making Halloween plans? Are you hosting a Halloween party this year? UPDATE: The good people at Martha Stewart saw this post and want to offer 5 (autographed!) copies of Handmade Holiday Crafts to Design Mom Readers. So this post just turned into a giveaway. Woot! To enter, leave a comment below telling us about your favorite Halloween craft or tradition. The five winners will be announced on Wednesday. ——– The winners are Kelly, Rik, M. Peterson, Heather and Janeannechovy. Thanks for playing!

I reached out to Blair of the wonderful wise craft blog almost immediately after seeing her home featured on Apartment Therapy. I must have scrolled through her tour three times. It wasn’t just the artwork she’d chosen or the colors she’d painted the walls or how she had arranged the furniture that impressed me; it was the sheer thoughtfulness of it all. I’ve always believed that our homes and everything we’ve chosen to put in them and keep around us are often the truest reflections of our personalities. After a week of generous and kind emails from Blair, I can tell you that thoughtful doesn’t even begin to cover it. She and her husband, Peter, along with their two children and a beloved cat named Gracie, have made an artful home in Seattle, Washington, in between running a brand consulting agency, creating a line of chocolate bars with flavors like Savory Ramen and Apple Pie and Graham, and being…artists! Enjoy the tour. You’re going to fall in love with Blair and her home, too. I just know it. …

Living With Kids: Blair StockerRead More »

When my friend Emily was visiting last week, she taught Maude and Olive how to make hollyhock dolls. Such an adorable little craft! They would be fun to make at a birthday party with a fairy or woodland theme, and they’re perfect for a low-key Sunday afternoon. Emily’s mother is a naturalist and an artist. She taught Emily all sorts of fun things to make from pretty bits of nature. Wouldn’t it be a treat to spend a day with Emily’s mom and learn some of her secrets? The how-to is easy. Pick blooms of different sizes, and new buds for the heads. Remove the fuzzy, pollen-y stamen. Then, use toothpicks to piece the flowers together. We used three flowers to make the skirt pictured. If you have hollyhocks in lots of different colors, you could make a multi-color skirt. Keep scissors nearby in case you need to shorten your toothpicks. Experiment and see what you come up with. You can use a smaller bloom as a hat, or maybe even use a flower to fashion an umbrella. Emily’s husband, Weston, recommended using two smaller blooms as arms — so cute! P.S. — I’ve never planted hollyhocks before, but they grow like weeds here at La Cressonnière. They are everywhere! Have you grown them?

Welcome Fall! I’m so glad you’re here. I love this season. The clothes, the colors, the temperature. Yummy, yummy and yummy. What do you think fall will be like in Normandy? I’m crossing my fingers that the trees will be gorgeous. I was looking for good leaf-y pictures and found an old post about our family hike in the Catskills. It was 3 years ago and the kids are so little! I could hardly believe it. I think fall makes me nostalgic. Just curious: Do you prefer to call it fall or autumn? I feel like I had a decade where I was preferring autumn, but lately I’ve found myself saying fall more often.

Maria Fé’s Georgia home looks like an absolute haven, doesn’t it? Colors ease gently from one to the next, magazine-worthy vignettes wait patiently in every corner for their close-ups, and can you believe her chevron wall? It is truly a thing of beauty. It’s clear that Maria and her husband, Brad, prefer clean lines, modern twists, and elegant tones. And when their son, Jack, came along, they stayed true to their design leanings. His bedroom is solid and sturdy, but still remarkably soft. I love nurseries that are equally pleasing to babies as they are to their parents, since we end up spending so much time together in them! Enjoy the tour! …

Living With Kids: Maria FéRead More »

I’m trying to get up to speed on the modern day version of Godparents. I can’t help but notice that many of my friends — some religious, some not — haven chosen Godparents for their children. The idea of people I trust keeping my kids in mind is wonderful. Of course, that happens every day with aunts, uncles, friends and neighbors. But there’s something interesting about making the relationship formal.

I’m so curious. What’s your experience with Godparents? Did you choose some for your children? Or do you plan to? Did you choose relatives or friends? Do they have specific duties? Have you heard of OMGmother? Did you grow up with Godparents yourself? Is/was the relationship what you hoped it would be?

P.S. — Only slightly related to this post (via The Godfather), but I think Sofia Coppola is the coolest. Image at Tout le Cine.

[imagebrowser id=18] [nggallery template=’carousel’ id=’18’]   It feels like we haven’t visited Paris in ages. On our last trip (it was in July), we spent the afternoon at Luxembourg Gardens with Jordan and Paul. We ate ice cream on the great lawn and road the go-karts in the shade. From what I understand, the go-kart area is an independent venture run by an older couple. She sews the little flags used to mark out the racing area. He makes sure kids who tumble off receive an extra turn for free. Don’t you love learning the little stories that are hidden in big cities? P.S. — Paul took these excellent photos. He also launched a new round of the Commission Project. You should grab a spot before they’re sold out!

The country road we live on is lined with wild blackberries that started ripening near the end of August. There are so many! Every few days, we fill a basket, then eat them by the bowlful with cream and a touch of honey. When I was growing up in St. George, sometimes we’d find wild asparagus growing along the irrigation ditch across the street from our house. There’s something so wonderful about gathering food that belongs to no one and that you didn’t purposely plant or cultivate. It very much feels like a gift. Have you ever gathered wild fruits or vegetables?

[imagebrowser id=17] [nggallery template=’carousel’ id=’17’]   It’s Betty Blair’s turn! (Fun fact: Betty is our only child with no middle name.) If Betty was in the US, she would be attending Kindergarten. Here, she’ll be attending the final year of Maternelle. For some reason that I can no longer remember, I hadn’t shopped for Betty in ages. Everything she owned was either too small or stained and worn. So her wardrobe received a pretty complete overhaul. She seems very happy with the new clothes and thought modeling for these shots was the bees knees. Betty loves school and I’m betting she’ll be the first Blair kid to be fluent in French. Find the whole series here. P.S. I included an image of Betty’s lunchbox. I picked it up at a tag sale and Betty was NOT interested. But we tied on a big red bow and that made it acceptable. : ) …

What to Wear to Kindergarten – Euro EditionRead More »

[imagebrowser id=16] [nggallery template=’carousel’ id=’16’]   Are you completely sick of What to Wear posts yet? So many kids! I hope you’ll indulge me while I finish the series. It’s Oscar’s turn now, and I think I’ll post Betty’s today too, so it’s all wrapped up this week. Thank you truly for your kind comments. The kids LOVE reading what you have to say. Oscar is all about comfort. If his clothes allow him to do “rad moves” then he is happy and satisfied. One thing I realized as we were putting away his new clothes: I pretty much only buy striped socks for Oscar. A little peek of happy stripes can make even the most uneventful outfit feel young and adorable. But really, Oscar is adorable with or without stripes. I would guess most of Oscar’s outfits (except maybe the scarf) would fit right in both American and French schools. What do you think? Find the whole series here. P.S. — Speaking of school clothes, remember Cher in Clueless? …

What to Wear to First Grade – Euro EditionRead More »

School supplies are a big deal here. The lists are long. And they’re detailed. Instead of listing something like “notebook”, they’ll specify dimensions, interior details, and color. Shopping for our school supplies took about twice as long as the back-to-school clothes shopping. I think we made 10 trips to 6 different stores before we gathered everything. It surprised me! I took photos of some of the prettiest items. I love the colored pencils and the folders with the fabric closures. And I think the pencil cases are handsome. Something interesting: classic yellow No. 2 pencils aren’t really sold here. French students use pens more than pencils. Their standard pencils are grey HB pencils with no erasers on the end. And instead of buying them in boxes of 12, you purchase them 2 at a time (pre-sharpened). Did you buy any pretty school supplies this year? …

School Supplies in FranceRead More »

[imagebrowser id=15] [nggallery template=’carousel’ id=’15’]   Olive’s Turn! Olive Jean Blair is delightful. She adores color and we did our best to work it in amongst the navy and grey and neutrals. As you might guess, Olive’s wardrobe is peppered with hand-me-downs from Maude — but we always make sure to work in a few new things that are especially for her. Today is the first day of school and she’s wearing the yellow tights outfit. It’s my favorite! The navy “jacket” with the buttons and zips is actually quite lightweight and functions as a shirt or a cardigan. She looks fantastic in the outfit (and in everything she wears). What do you think? Still Euro-looking? Or is Olive’s wardrobe more “American”? Find the whole series here. …

What to Wear to 4th/5th Grade – Euro EditionRead More »

[imagebrowser id=14] [nggallery template=’carousel’ id=’14’]   This is 12-year-old Maude. Looking fantastic! Maude looks good in everything and she loves experimenting with clothes so it’s nothing but joy when we put together outfits for her. This year, she did quite a bit of shopping from Ralph’s closet. Trashed jeans (we’re calling them boyfriend jeans), flannel trousers that happen to fit wonderfully at the waist, a necktie for a belt, a chambray button down and a heather grey polo — all items Ralph had outgrown and Maude adopted. What do you think? Would your daughters like these clothes for middle school? Are these as Euro as Ralph’s looks? Find the whole series here. …

What to Wear to 7th Grade – Euro EditionRead More »

[nggallery template=’carousel’ id=’13’] Hello, Friends! Are you ready for the annual series of What to Wear to School posts? I hope so. Because here they come! Ralph is first. Maude and Olive’s photos will be posted soon. Oscar and Betty’s will get posted as soon as we get some photos taken. : ) Ralph was very pleased when his school wardrobe came together. He said it looked more French and that he would fit right in clothes wise. What do you think? Do they look Euro to you? Would your 8th grader wear similar clothes? P.S. – You can find the whole What to Wear series here. …

What to Wear to 8th Grade – Euro EditionRead More »

The last two weeks of August are filled to brim for my family. Olive Jean Blair turned 10 yesterday. (Double digits!) Ralph Wallace Blair has a birthday today. Our anniversary was last week. School begins, which means a long list of things to do and buy. And all this competes with an instinct to do nothing but make the most of summer before it’s gone. This year, we’ve also been excited about houseguests (more arrive next week!), and we’ve been thinking of my parents, Grandma & Grandpa Mac, who flew to China yesterday. They’ll be spending the school year there teaching English. That’s a lot of good stuff for one little half-month. : ) Yesterday, for Olive’s Birthday we woke her with breakfast in bed — a crepe filled with rasberries and whip cream, plus ham on the side. (Maude woke early so she could gather raspberries from the garden. She’s a sweetheart.) Instead of a party, we spent the morning at a small amusement park call Festyland. In the evening, we sang Happy Birthday and Olive opened presents. Her favorite was a Swatch. It was a happy day. What’s August like for you? A good month? A boring one? P.S. — Something funny: August 25th is legendary in our families. It’s the birthday of Olive, Ben’s brother Jim, my nephew Colin, Ben’s niece Lindsey, Grandpa Mac, and two of his kids. Do you have funny dates like that in your family?

When we were in Paris for the Tour de France, our niece spotted one of the historic Wallace Drinking Fountains. There are 67 of them throughout the city and they serve up a running stream of fresh water. I had no idea these existed! I’m so glad Ruth did. It was a fun little discovery to make — especially on a hot day. Have you ever made an unexpected little discovery in your town or while you traveled? That sort of thing makes me happy for days.

[imagebrowser id=12] [nggallery template=’carousel’ id=’12’]   This morning I took a walk and happened upon a very yellow, very fall leaf. It was only one, but it reminded me that fall will be here in a few short weeks. Before it arrives, I thought I should make a visual record of what La Cressonnière looks like in the peak of summer. Fruit is everywhere. Apples and walnuts have weighed down the tree branches — they’re so low they almost touch the ground. Flowers aren’t quite as plentiful as they were in the spring, but the roses made a second appearance after disappearing in July. Lavender and honeysuckle scent every path of the garden. The apples will be ripe in a few weeks and we have one small pumpkin. The grapes look glorious even though they’re far from ready — I hope they’ll be delicious.

The only other Americans we’ve met in our little town are a lovely retired couple from Texas. The husband, Mark, has made two pilgrimages to Mont St. Michel. He walked from Argentan all the way there, and it took him about 10 days each time. Did you know Mont St. Michel is one of the top 4 pilgrimage sites in Christendom? (I learned that from Rick Steves. : ) I love the idea of making a pilgrimage to a holy place. It would be so different visiting the island abbey as a pilgrim instead of a tourist. I imagine myself approaching, tired and contrite, taking in the views from the top, meditating in the cloisters and keeping open to spiritual enlightenment. When Laura Mayes and I visited Mont St. Michel last month, she commented that she felt a connection there and that it was “one of her places“. That’s such a great feeling. I think Laura should come back to France and take a walk to Mont St. Michel. How about you? Have you ever wanted to make a pilgrimage? Where would you go? How would you get there? P.S. — We visited Mont St. Michel again this morning, and the weather was so lovely that we spent most of our time exploring the mudflats all around the island. We saw lots of jellyfish — the first ones I’ve seen in real life!

[imagebrowser id=11] [nggallery template=’carousel’ id=’11’]   Ben Blair’s sister, Lisa, and our nephew, David, are here visiting. And we’ve been having the best time with them today! When guests come, we usually have them stay in Oscar and Betty’s room. It’s a beautiful bedroom and has lots of space, so it’s easy to bring in luggage, or a travel crib, and feel like you can spread out. As I was changing the sheets and straightening the room yesterday, I realized I hadn’t shared a photo tour yet. I hope you enjoy it! Betty sleeps in the big double bed. Oscar sleeps in the twin. Their clothes are kept in the dresser and the armoire stores bed linens and extra blankets for all the beds in the house. One of my favorite details in the room is a painted stripe on the ceiling. So elegant! P.S. — Remember when Betty took a photo of her bed?  

Last week, Maude tried her hand at making giant origami. Isn’t is the coolest!? She made an origami box to hold her smaller paper cranes and she made a giant paper crane too! How neat would a whole flock of oversize paper cranes be at a party? Or in a bedroom?