France | Jeanne Oliver

To Celebrate 40 {and because life is too short}

February 1, 2012 By jeanne

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I turn 40 in a little over three months.

I don’t know what I thought I would feel…but I am completely fine with it.

Growing up I heard horror stories of women turning 40. Seriously, I thought it was full of doom and despair.

What do I have to be afraid of?

It doesn’t matter that I am turning 40 because inside I still think I am a hot 24:-)

Heck, if you stay away from mirrors you can TOTALLY live in that reality.

I am happy with my life and the life Kelly and I have created.

I have had experiences and opportunities that I never dreamed would come my way.

More importanlty than anything else I have three children that I always deeply wanted and a marriage that has been worth all the work.

But, when you turn 40 you get to ask for things and maybe do something crazy awesome just because.

So, I asked.

In the summer of 2010 I spent two weeks in France.

It was incredible.

Something was missing though…..my Kelly.

Kelly is my best friend.

It is hard to experience something as crazy beautiful as Paris and not have your best friend with you.

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I promised myself that the next time I went to France that Kelly would be with me.

So, he will be.

Even though my birthday is in May it worked out better with our schedules to go in September.

I will spend a week in Paris with my main squeeze and then head to a little cottage in the countryside with my friend Tracey.

{if you want to learn more about the cottage go HERE}

Not too shabby.

The first part of the trip is all fun and the second part of the trip is work and fun.

The next time I go to Paris I am taking my children.

The whole city is set up for families and my children would be in heaven.

I better start saving my pennies because I want them to love France as much as I do.

p.s. Mom, would you stay with the kids when we go to Paris? Maybe I should have asked you privately first.

If you have turned 40 how did you handle it? Was it hard or easier than you thought?

Filed Under: France, Me Myself and I Tagged With: 40, birthday, birthdays, brocante, france, French countryside, french larkspur, jeanne oliver, jeanne oliver designs, paris

Baby Shower {A la France}

June 28, 2011 By jeanne

My beautiful friend Alexis is close to having her second baby.

I am sad that she lives so far away but she has the sweetest local friends that are spoiling her!

She was recently given a shower by all of the designer blog friends that she has made over the years. Isn’t that amazing??!!

Alexis is kind, funny, stylish, classy, beautiful, tender……the short of it is that is you have ever met her…you LOVE her!

When Alexis shared some of the photos taken by Grace I was swooning. So tastefully and elegantly done.

You can tell this a group of designers.

I am so happy that Grace let me share her photos with all of you.

Alexis has assured me that this group of women are incredible and that I would adore them too.

These photos almost make me want to have another baby…ALMOST:-)

Enjoy the photos!!

{someone gave her a vintage jumper…so cute!}

{cutest shower gift EVER…vintage child’s school chair!!!}

Grace, thank you so much for taking such good care of my sweet friend!!

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Thank you so much for everyone that bought a Sadie purse! I couldn’t believe it…they all SOLD OUT in less than 12 hours!

More Sadie purses (with different vintage fabric) will be coming at the end of next month.

Filed Under: France, Inspired, Style Page Tagged With: baby shower, Fern and Feather, French theme, Grace Happens

Paris {the flea market}

September 24, 2010 By jeanne

When I was making plans to go to the south of France I couldn't imagine coming all that way and not spending a little time in Paris.

I really wanted to make sure my time in Paris overlapped with the flea markets.

When I dreamed of coming to France I truly couldn't get the flea markets out of my mind.

You can't leave France without a treasure when you long to shop at the markets.

Making my way through the aisle, looking through everything from silver, to papers, paintings, stamps…everything you can imagine was there.

As I would be rummaging through a pile of old letters I would hear this beautiful language all around me that I could hardly make out.

I found everything that I dreamed of finding at the markets between the south of France and Paris…I felt like the luckiets girl in the world.

(and yes..I was as tired as I look in this photo)

Even now as I walk around my home each day picking up after the children, talking with friends, decorating for fall…I am reminded of my beautiful trip by a painting on the wall, a camera on the mantel, linens on my bed.

Filed Under: France, Made By Hand, Style Page, Travel

Out To Dry

September 17, 2010 By Jeanne

I grew up in a small town in rural Illinois.

I walked to school, to my dad's office in town and everyone knew us (that can be good and bad).

Every home was different.

There were no subdivisions or track homes.

Most yards had a clothesline.

All summer we would help my mom hang the clothes, sheets and blankets.

It is funny how quickly a memory can come back to you!

I just remembered the smell and warmth of the sheets as we were running through them playing in the backyard.

I am now pretty sure my mom didn't love us dirtying up her clean sheets!

I now live in a town much bigger than the little town I grew up in.

We have subdivisions and covenants and no clotheslines.

When I got home from France I soaked my vintage French linens for a few days, washed them and took them to my sister's home in the country.

She has a clothesline:-)

I wish we could have one just for sheets, towels etc. I am not about to show my neighbors my underwear and bras flapping in the wind.

So I hung my clothes for a little while, folded all my vintage goodness and headed back to my clothesline-less life:-)

Are you able to have a clothesline in your neighborhood???

Filed Under: Family First, France

Paris { the first evening}

September 15, 2010 By Jeanne

It was hard saying goodbye to the Chateau and all of the amazing people we had met.

Jackie, Rachel, Anne, Alexis, Chantal and I headed to the train station for our (long) trip to Paris.

Alexis and Chantal would be catching a flight the next morning.

Anne was staying on in Paris for a few days.

Rachel, Jackie and I had a hotel in Paris for the next four days.

If you could have seen all of us trying to get our luggage to the train platform in Montauban you would have laughed so hard….I hope you would have helped us…because we looked pathetic.

I was out of breathe and sweating once I finally made it to the platform…and then trying to act like it was no big deal that I just lugged 5,000 pounds up multiple flights of stairs.

I have video footage but some of the content is not suitable for young children…or adults.

Once we all made it onto the train it was a long…long…long ride to Paris.

Once we got there Rachel, Jackie and I had to find a cab kind enough to take us AND our luggage (I promise that the next time I travel I am bringing one suitcase…I promise that the next time I travel I am bringing one suitcase…I promise….).

As our cab was taking us through the city I had tears in my eyes at the beauty of Paris.

It was breathtaking!

It was hard to believe that I was actually looking at this city with my own eyes.

I have felt this emotion many times in my travels.

Whether it has been the architecture, history, mountains…natural beauty and man made can be so incredibly beautiful that it is overwhelming.

Our hotel was so lovely and on such a gorgeous, tree lined street.

As we were being escourted to our room we passed the courtyard setting up for dinner.