Ma Maison à la Française

24/12/2024

Wishing you all a Très Joyeux Noël, mes amis!🎄 wishing you the happiness of good friends, the joy of a happy family, and the wonder of the Christmas Season!
May the Spirit of Christmas be with you throughout this New Year!!💙🎄❄️⛸️🦌🌟 🇫🇷

28/11/2024

We obviously don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in France. Nevertheless, on this very special day for our American friends, to you all my dearest followers, I would like to wish you a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! 🦃
And for the Holidays ahead, I’m wishing you the happiness of good friends, the joy of a happy family, and the wonder of the Christmas Season!🎄
With 🧡 *Myriam*

24/07/2024

Bonjour les amis 🙋‍♀️🇫🇷 just a wee reminder that you may also follow me on INSTAGRAM!😃 Here’s a link to my account:
https://www.instagram.com/ma_maison_a_la_francaise?igsh=NzNvbG5hZTcyNHU1&utm_source=qr
🇫🇷
Bon Mercredi! 💙🤍❤️

20/07/2024

Special distinction to my new super fans!💎
Avril McCrae Clark, Cathy Sidorenko, Berta Lindsey Patrick, Rebecca Cardy-Tanzosh, Rose Janchevsky, Ariane Josette Crabtree, Ronald Vogt, Adrienne Scally, Mary Macdonald, Jenny Conry, Judy Wiley, Jocelyne Lepage, Ruediger Benny Stremmel, Linda Williams, Lynda Kristofic Knox, Carolyn Withers, Cerise Beckett, Melanie Saramaha, Marilyn Smith, Isabel Margarita Gabler Guzman, Marieta Jansen, Mary Fuller, Charlotte Trani, Christine Lalande, Mary Roy McMinn, Dot Turner

Merci so much for your continuing contribution and kindness, fans and a BIENVENUE to all my numerous new who’ve joined my page recently!!! If you’re willing to get to know more about me and my region in France, please check this link https://www.facebook.com/share/gdZ89Hmk5odMQbag/ 🙏💙🇫🇷

WHO I AM - QUI SUIS-JE ?🤔🇫🇷
If you still think I'm a British expat in France or that I live in Provence...

Bonjour et BIENVENUE to all my new followers who've nicely "LIKED" my page! Welcome on my page! 🫠❤️

I’m French and I live in Brittany, Bretagne in French: it is the blessed Celtic region of France, located in the Northwestern peninsula of continental Europe in Northwestern France. It is a windswept rural region, where old quaint villages, châteaux and rugged coastlines have for long been closely associated with the Matter of Britain and King Arthur.

I started this page in Jan 8th 2014 as a place for me to share, with friends and family, the photos of my everyday life in France. This implies that I share with my French heart and from the heart of rural France, my own little world. On the menu: the renovation of our new home in France -after 30 years without any maintenance, believe me there's been much to do to turn our new house into our home- and photos and videos of my wanderings around and abroad, “old stones” focused: châteaux, castles & cottages, quaint villages, never-ending seashores, lochs, wild landscapes...

As people began liking my blog and sharing my photos, I began my journey with this page for real and I have never ceased being amazed at all the love and support I have had from all of you!!! More than anything, I love getting questions or feedback, so keep in mind all your comments mean much to me and feel free to comment or message me. I respond as much as I can, it is my pleasure!
People can sometimes get confused as to the style that is featured in my home and, to be fair, there isn’t any. Unlike decorators from abroad who attempt to create something French looking, often labelled under “French country” or “Provençal”, I simply decorate as a French girl with no specific style, no rules at all, plus I’m not a decorator. My instinct and my inner inspiration are my guidelines when I renovate and decorate our successive homes, using anything I have in store -mainly family heirlooms-, which is actually quite challenging.

Hope you'll find inspirations now and then on my page.
If you haven’t yet, please give my page a "like" and make sure to check your settings on the top of my home page (clicking on the “three dots” if you’re using a computer), under my cover if you’re using a phone or a tablet), clicking on the "following" icon and checking "Favorites", otherwise Facebook algorithms won’t let you get much of my posts in your newsfeed.
Welcome again and MERCI BEAUCOUP for joining! 😍❤️
Au Revoir et à bientôt ! *Myriam*

BIENVENUE à tous mes nouveaux abonnés qui ont gentiment accordé leur soutien à ma page ces derniers jours! Bienvenue à tous! Et merci d'avoir déroulé le curseur... 🫠

Je suis Française et je vis en Bretagne, une terre celtique bénie des Dieux formant une péninsule à l'extrémité Nord-Ouest de la France et de l'Europe continentale.🇫🇷
C'est une région rurale balayée par les vents, dont les villages, châteaux et les côtes déchiquetées sont depuis longtemps étroitement associés à la Matière de Bretagne et à la légende du Roi Arthur.

J'ai créé cette page le 8 janvier 2014 pour partager, avec ma famille et mes amis, les photos de ma vie quotidienne en France. Cela implique que je partage mon petit monde, avec le coeur d'une Française au coeur même de la France rurale. Au menu, la rénovation de notre nouvelle maison en France -après 30 ans sans entretien, croyez-moi il y a eu beaucoup à faire pour faire de cette nouvelle maison notre foyer- et les photos et videos de mes balades autour de chez moi ou à l'étranger, en mode “vieilles pierres” : châteaux français et anglais, de jolis cottages et des villages pittoresques, des loOld Stones & Gardens, Vieilles Pierres & Jardins rocheuses et des bords de mer sans fin...

Au fil des jours mon blog s'est fait connaître et mes photos furent partagées et j'ai alors commencé pour "de vrai" l'aventure de ma page; je n'ai depuis lors jamais cessé d'être émerveillée de toute l'amitié et du soutien qui me sont témoignés au quotidien !!!
Plus que tout, j'apprécie vos retours et vos impressions, aussi soyez certains que vos commentaires sont importants et n'hésitez pas à me demander des détails ou à me laisser des messages. Je vous réponds avec plaisir aussi rapidement que possible !

On me demande parfois quel est le style de ma décoration et, pour être honnête, je ne puis me réclamer d’aucun style particulier. 🤔 A l’inverse des décorateurs étrangers qui tendent à créer un style d’inspiration française, souvent libellé “French country” ou “provençal”, je décore simplement selon mon coeur, en tant que Française, sans style précis et sans règle aucune; de plus je ne suis pas décoratrice. Seuls l’instinct et l’inspiration de l’instant me guident tant dans la rénovation que dans la décoration de nos maisons successives en utilisant ce que j’ai en “stock” -principalement des pièces de famille-, ce qui constitue en fait un vrai challenge.

J'espère que cette page vous apportera quelque inspiration ici et là. Si vous l'appréciez, merci d'AIMER ma page et de la partager. Je vous invite également à vérifier vos paramètres d’abonné sur ma page sinon les algorithmes de Facebook ne vous permettront pas vraiment de recevoir mes publications dans votre fil d’actualités. Il suffit de cliquer sur les “trois petits points” si vous utilisez un ordinateur, ou sous ma photo de couverture si vous utilisez un smartphone ou une tablette en cliquant sur “Gérer les paramètres d'abonnement” et d’opter “Favoris”.
Bienvenue encore et MERCI BEAUCOUP pour votre soutien! A bientôt,❤️🙋‍♀️ *Myriam*

18/07/2024

Bonjour les amis🙋‍♀️🇫🇷 a wee throwback Thursday from the archives to wish you all in Bon Jeudi!!! 💚🌸⛲️🌿

13/07/2024

**Of DRYING and PRESERVING FLOWERS**

Bonjour les amis, 🙋‍♀️🇫🇷 Promises are made to be kept, so today I'll share with you some tips about how I dry and preserve flowers, detailing 4 different methods.
I'm using hydrangeas from my garden here. Dried hydrangeas are attractive in simple vases or mixed into wreaths or woven with other dried flowers in window boxes. Dried hydrangeas can even be used for wedding floral arrangements.

INTRODUCTION: if you've already dried flowers, you must have figured out that some flowers just dry better than others. Actually, flowers with high water content, like sedum, don't air dry well, but the best way to learn which flowers work and which flowers don't... is by experimenting.

WHEN to COLLECT your FLOWERS:
It's actually a question of timing: the one first step to be followed is that the best time to cut your flowers is LATE MORNING, right after the dew has evaporated from the leaves. In most cases, most flowers do best when they're cut slightly immature, with the bud not fully open, for the flower continues to open once cut. Because fully open flowers will often drop their petals as they dry.

Method 1/ AIR DRYING:
Air drying is the simplest way to preserve your flowers, this is the method I prevail.

- cut each flower with a 12 to 18 inch (30 à 45 cm) stem attached. After cutting the flowers, remove all leaves (or most of them when it comes to roses) from the stems, so that the colour remains more vivid as the remaining sap feeds the flowers only and they'll also keep fluffy.

- you must keep in mind to gather the flower stems into SMALL bunches, about a ½ inch in diameter (1,5 cm), and to wrap them tightly -for the stems will shrink slightly-, with a rubber band or a twine. Obviously, on my photos, you will note I haven't respected this first step for I wouldn't split the hydrangeas from each other since I’ll do it again in August in a more conformist way… oui oui I promise!😉 But it works fine in the end as I respect all the further steps.

- hang the bunches, upside down so that the stems don’t bend from being top-heavy, and the colour remains more vivid since the remaining sap feeds the flowers. Your flowers will also keep more "fluffy" in the end.

- keep the flower bunches out of direct sunlight, preferably in darkness: the more sun the flowers are exposed to, the more their color will fade.

- other important factors are good air circulation and low humidity: make sure there is space for air to flow between the bunches if you dry more than one piece in one time.

Most flowers will dry in about 10 to 20 days. Indeed, drying times will vary depending on the type of flower and on conditions like humidity, temperature and air circulation. You know they are dry when they feel stiff and the stems snap easily.
Nota Bene: if you are only drying the flower heads, not the stems, you can lay the flowers out individually on a screen.

Method 2/ WATER DRYING:
- place the freshly cut flowers in a vase with water, making sure the stems are at least half covered with water.

- move the vase to a cool spot out of direct sunlight, don’t add more water as it evaporates from the vase.

- once the water is totally evaporated, your hydrangeas should feel dry to the touch, the stems being able to snap off easily.
At this point, they are ready to use.

Method 3/ DRYING with SILICA GEL:
Using silica gel may be a better option for fragile flowers and those with a lot of moisture: some flowers that benefit from silica gel drying include anemones, daisies, pansies, and zinnias.
The flowers will dry better and silica gel -a granular like sea salt that you can find in craft stores-, will speed the process. Note it is reusable.

- preferably use a shallow, airtight plastic or glass container.

- spread a one-inch (2,5 cm) thick layer of the silica gel on the bottom of the container.

- space your flower heads on top of the silica gel, then gently cover the flowers with at least another inch (2,5 cm) of gel.

- seal the container and let it be for three to five days.

Method 4/ DRYING FLOWERS in a MICROWAVE: if you wish to speed the process even more, you may microwave the container with the flowers and silica gel. (please note I have not tested this method yet, but I'm keen to have a go some soon day)

- microwave for about three minutes.

- let the container cool for 20 minutes before opening.

- check that the flowers are fully dry before removing.

PRESERVING your DRIED FLOWERS:
Once the drying process is complete, you're to enjoy your flowers in arrangements, wreaths, and crafts... whatever. I myself love to use them in zinc buckets of all sizes.
Yet you need to keep in mind that:
- You still need to give your dried flowers minimal sun exposure, to retain their colour.
- Keep them away from forced air heat, which can make the already dry flowers become brittle.
- A delicate feather duster can usually be used on the dried flowers, without causing any damage. I myself use a blow dryer on cool and low.

STORING your DRIED FLOWERS:
You know I've moved quite a few times -last time I made a count I had moved 17 times within the 25 previous years... Go figure! So if you're in my case and you need to move from one home to another, or if you'd like to keep your dried flowers safe to take them to a loved one as a present, you need to follow those steps:
- wrap them in some newspaper, to prevent them from drawing in moisture from the air.
- place the wrapped flowers in a box, so they don’t get accidentally crushed.
- if you need to store them for a longer period of time, keep them out of damp basements and overly dry spots, like attics.

Once your hydrangeas are dried, you may spray them with Hair Spray. It is supposed to keep the flowers intact on a longer term and to prevent them to shed.

Voilà! Now let’s go grab the pruner and collect some flowers in the garden! Hope you get gorgeous dried hydrangea and more flowers for the Winter season! 🙋🏼‍♀️❤🇨🇵

11/07/2024

Bonjour les amis, 🙋‍♀️🇫🇷 I hadn’t air dried anything these past 4 years and it was about time to dry some pieces of our hydrangeas to replace our old and now poorly looking arrangements… 🤭 I usually collect a few of them in August but I decided to have a go in July to check whether it makes a difference.
In case you’re interested I’ll be sharing a special post by next Saturday about the various methods you may use to dry your flowers. Stay tuned and have a lovely Jeudi!!! 💚🌸🌿

05/07/2024

Bonjour les amis!🙋‍♀️🇫🇷 morning walk in our garden with the mesmerising view of the beautiful hydrangeas located at the north/west of our home. I trimmed them « severely » past winter in the hope to get the access to the garage from this side again, but nature has her own pace and always wins… 🤩 Bon Vendredi!!💚🌸🌿

05/07/2024

Very flattered to be « spotted » in today’s story of Loberon.fr decorating brand! 🤩🤭❤️

04/07/2024

Bonjour les amis!🙋‍♀️🇫🇷 sharing a few photos of the East side of our garden in the afternoon light, taken during one of my daily wee walks. Bon Jeudi!!💚🌸🌿

01/07/2024

Bonsoir les amis 🙋‍♀️🇫🇷 you often ask me which is my makeup, so I’m sharing it again, for I’m completely addicted to makeup. Indeed if, like me, you’ve also been struggling with your current makeup routine and you are noticing your skin is changing as you get older, TRUST ME, CREAMS make a world of difference! SEINT is an American makeup brand for mature skins who helps you look YOURSELF!
It’a a total game changer, you know you may trust me, so GO FOR IT!!!
You’ll find more photos and videos in my gallery if you wish to have a more lively look of the makeup on me.
I have listed for you, on simple request, my favourite SEINT artists I’ve followed for 2 years on both Instagram and Facebook, all super experts, all very kind and supportive ladies, to whom you may address to have a total free of charge COLOUR MATCH.
Sending you love from France! 💄💚🌸🌿

28/06/2024

Ahhhh la la, home sweet home!!! It’s so good to be home!!! So far so good les amis! 🙏🙋‍♀️💙🇫🇷

26/06/2024

I AM HOME!!!!!🥳🤩🙏
After a good night and having passed all the required tests, the drain in my back was removed and my excellent surgeon granted me permission to go back home!! So here I am, very comfortably sitting in our new couch sharing with you my view in the great room.
Voilà I am so happy to be home, free of pain except of course in my back very obviously.
I feel like I was stabbed in my back, but sincerely it’s nothing compared to the excruciating pain I endured during six months. Much love your way, thank you so much for your continued support and love!!!🙏💙🇫🇷

29/12/2023

CHRISTMAS LEMON CURD 🍋 🍋 🍋
CREME DE CITRON DE NOËL 🍋 🍋 🍋
20/25 minutes
4/5 jam jars / 4/5 pots de confiture
I usually double the quantity to get up to 8 pots

Bonjour les amis🙋‍♀️🇫🇷 a few days before Christmas you might recall I made my traditional Christmas Orange Jam https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=882663176587271&id=100045307894913
But I also made our now also traditional Lemon Curd.
And I'll be sharing with you my recipe of something which is totally non French but completly British!!! 😀 I've made some each and every Christmas for years, you know I'm an addict of anything British, don't you?❤️🇬🇧

I buy all my fruits at the Saturday market in Rennes. I don't expect you to have the same kind of life where you're located of course. Yet I'd advise you to buy really fine fruits for these special treats you cook for your family. Nothing is more important than to have very good products, as good products make good food!! Choose your fruits carefully, I have mine either from Southern France with the Lemons of Menton (the very best really) or from Sicilia. They are very juicy and fruity.

Here's my recipe les amis, voici la recette mes amis :

- 4 big lemons or 6 middle sized lemons
4 gros citrons de Menton si possible, ou de Sicile (non traités après récolte) ou 6 citrons de taille moyenne
- 225 g of butter / beurre
- 350 g of sugar / sucre
- 4 eggs / oeufs

1- start with taking out the butter from the refrigerator to soften it at room temperature; commencer par sortir le beurre du réfrigérateur pour le ramollir à température ambiante;

2- boil 4 to 5 jam jars with their caps and let them dry on paper tissue; faire bouillir 4 à 5 pots à confiture et leurs couvercles et les faire sécher sur du sopalin;

3- Peel the zest of the 4 lemons and grind them into very tiny pieces; peler le zeste des 4 citrons et les broyer en tout petits morceaux;

4- Squeeze the lemons; presser le jus des citrons;

5- In a large saucepan, pour the sugar and add the eggs, whip the mixture gently; dans une grande casserole, verser le sucre, ajouter les oeufs et foutter doucement;

6- Add the lemon juice and stir it up; ajouter le jus de citron et mélanger;

7- Cut the softened butter in small bricks and add them in the saucepan; couper le beurre ramolli en petits cubes et le rajouter;

8- Finally add the fine pieces of zest; ajouter le zest de citron broyé;

9- Heat the saucepan up at middle heat and whip gently all through 7/8 minutes, time for the mixture to thicken; if it doesn't thicken properly (it can happen), you may keep heating up to a maximum total of 14/15 minutes, never stop whiping the mixture;
chauffer la casserole à feu moyen tout en fouettant doucement pendant 7/8 minutes, le temps pour la mixture d'épaissir; si la crème ne prend pas, vous pouvez continuer la cuisson jusqu'à un total de 14/15 minutes au maximum tout en continuant à fouetter la mixture;

10- Whaterver, as soon as the cream thickens, continue whipping during 1 more minute at the lowest possible heat; quoiqu'il en soit, dès que la crème épaissit, continuer de fouetter pendant 1 minute supplémentaire à la plus petite température possible.

Fill in your jars, close them very tightly and then return them until they are cold (in order to better preserve your jam).
Remplissez les pots et les fermer soigneusement avant de les retourner jusqu'à leur complet refroidissement (pour une meilleure conservation).

Et voilà!!! 😀

Nota Bene:
do not worry, it's normal for your lemon curd to be still looking very fluid when you pour them in the jars; it will thicken into a cream after 1 day; store your lemon curd jars in your garage or in any cool room; if you can't keep them in the refrigerator;
Ne vous inquiétez pas de voir votre crème de citron à l'état encore liquide quand vous la verserez dans les pots; elle épaissira après 1 journée; gardez les pots dans le garage ou tout autre pièce à température fraiche; si vous ne le pouvez pas, conservez les au réfrigérateur.

The piece of history:
In late 19th and early 20th century England, homemade lemon curd (also known in the UK as lemon cheese) was traditionally served with bread or scones at afternoon tea as an alternative to jam, and as a filling for cakes, small pastries and tarts.
Curds are different from pie fillings or custards in that they contain a higher proportion of juice and zest, which gives them a more intense flavour. Also, curds containing butter have a smoother and creamier texture than both pie fillings and custards; both contain little or no butter and use cornflour or flour for thickening. Additionally, unlike custards, curds are not usually eaten on their own.

25/12/2023

JOYEUX NOËL mes amis!!!🌟🎄🌟 May the spirit of Christmas be with you throughout the year!!🎄⛸️❄️🦌🎄

23/12/2023

Bonsoir les amis 🙋‍♀️🇫🇷 sharing a wee bonus tonight: I told you I received the LOBERON wreath that fits with the candle holder I purchased for the dining table centrepiece. The company had to produce more pieces, since that wreath was victim of its success. It is a gorgeous wreath made of stabilised fir tree that I could assemble to the whole this morning, just adding some fresh holly. I took this opportunity to take large views of the dining area too, et voilà, les amis!! As usual, feel free to ask for more details, I’m happy to answer to all your questions. Merci for your so kind response again to this Christmas Home Tour!! 🙏 I’m sending you my best wishes for a blessed and peaceful Christmas! 🌟with some extra hugs to those of you who might feel alone or in struggle at the moment!!! Love to you all and JOYEUX NOËL!!!💙🎄❄️⛸️🦌🌟

22/12/2023

Bonsoir les amis 🙋‍♀️🇫🇷 Voilà we're ending the Christmas Home Tour today with LE SAPIN de NOËL (the Christmas tree)!!!🎄
You know I switched the two areas of the great room recently, therefore we now have the tree in the corner of our couch area which is truly heavenly. In the evening we switch off all our regular lights and keep only the lights on the tree, of course, but also all around the great room, i.e. on the wreaths, the garlands and other boughs and under the various domes displays.
Someone asked whether our tree was a real tree or a faux tree: well it is a... faux tree!!! We bought it back in 2017, therefore we display it for the 7th time.
Last year, it was an all white tree. This year, I felt like using our red ornaments to match the lovely lantern and the skis I purchased this year. May be will it be blue next year? 🤭🫠 I added the lamp on the radiator that is right behind the tree to balance it all. For those of you who are more familiar with my page, or who are even faithful followers-friends, you might recall we spent one week in the UK past year and we had 2 days in Chawton where we visited Jane Austen's cottage and her brother Edward Knight's castle. Back then, we bought two items that appealed my heart: a reproduction of some wallpaper in Edward's castle and a card featuring the back garden where we enjoyed a mesmerizing walk. Since this very day, I wished to make something of those two pieces and I was so thrilled to find two frames in our attic past November, while getting our Christmas stuff. I am so happy I could frame them and hang them by the tree. I have the feeling this is to become a new traditions to keep them in the area of the tree in the future... 🙌🎄🌟
I also added a lovely card bauble which we bought at Highclere Castle, that we visited too. If you look carefully you will recognize Downton Abbey that was filmed in this fabulous property. Et voilà, it is part of our Christmas décor this year, for our greatest joy!!! 🤩 you know… the little things… 🫠🥰
I'll be posting a wee bonus tomorrow with new large views of the dining area and a close up on the table centerpiece since I finally received, one hour ago, the Loberon wreath that was missing.
Voilà, les amis!! As usual, feel free to ask for more details, I’m happy to answer to all your questions. Hope you enjoy the ride! 💙🎄❄️⛸️🦌🌟

22/12/2023

EDIT: it’s posted on my page 🤩🙏🎄
Bonjour les amis🙋‍♀️🇫🇷 I’ll be sharing full daylight views of our tree by the early evening today, 19:00 French time zone. Stay tuned 🫠🎄🌟❄️⛸️