Friday's Favs...all things French

I think I became fascinated with all things French, when I met my Mama's mama for the first time, the summer I turned six.

Daddy and Mama and six, out of the seven, of us kids packed up our big old station wagon and camped our way across the whole United States from our home in Oregon, to Nana's home in Bath, Maine.

Nana's native tongue was French, so she spoke broken English with a thick accent.

In high school, I took French all four years, not realizing that the Parisienne French taught, was vastly different from the Acadian French my Nana spoke growing up on Prince Edward Island.

It was a bit humbling when I found that out, trying to speak in French to her on another visit to Maine when I was in high school.

All things French are quite in style in the decor world.

Pillows, wall hangings, even tea towels, stamped with "Paris" or other French words can be found in stores from Target to Pottery Barn to high end boutiques.

In homage to my own French heritage, (Nana's ancestry goes back to the original French settlers of P.E.I.), I have a few "French" touches around my house too.

Nothing too in your face, just hints of it here and there.

The most obvious one would be my homemade "boulangerie" sign in my dining room.

This is rather tongue in cheek because our family not only has French ancestry, but an over the top love for bread in all of it's yummy shapes and forms.  

The arrow points to my kitchen, where I love to bake, (you guessed it), bread.

How can any lover of all things French not have Julia's cookbook on their shelf?

Her boeuf bourgingnon recipe is a perfect cold, fall, "spend the day at home" recipe that any one who loves to cook should try at least once.

Her crepe recipe is easy and never fails.

Her cherry clafouti, yummm!

On our trip to P.E.I. in September of 2011, we met many of Mama's relatives, some living on the same homestead that my great grandfather built, and where my Mama was born.

There I picked up an Acadian cookbook, so I could try some of the French Canadian foods Mama had grown up eating.

This kitchen towel is from France, a gift from my oldest daughter.

Love...

More French linens mixed with other linens hang on my old ladder.

French mustard jars, and the large Herbes de Provence jar in the photos above, have all been found at the Goodwill.

I like my subtle nods to my French heritage scattered here and there around the house.

Now if my husband had his way, our home would all be decorated in Stewart tartan!

He's Scottish through and through.

Well, it's almost Friday friends!

HAPPY, HAPPY FRIDAY

to you

and have a BLESSED weekend!