FleaingFrance

My Slice of Heaven

Fleaing France — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:49:16 +0000

For those of you that are stopping by from Anita's Simply Irresistible Link Party, welcome to my corner of France or as I say, where an American girl met a French brocante.

I left the big city life of NY and am happily ensconced in Provence.

Weekends find me at the brocantes or in Paris taking visitors to experience the flea markets first hand. Weekdays are spent sorting out and selling my finds online.

On the horizon? A move in the direction of the country, a garden and maybe a poulet or two.

In between I try and remind myself to savor every moment of this beautiful place that I now call home.

Simone

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Back to the Beginning

Fleaing France — Thu, 16 May 2013 10:42:21 +0000

FleaingFrance Brocante Society-Back to the Beginning
FleaingFrance Brocante Society-Back to the Beginning
FleaingFrance Brocante Society-Back to the Beginning
FleaingFrance Brocante Society-Back to the Beginning

When we are young we fight to get 'out'. Out of a small town or the country.....on to bigger and better things in seemingly bigger and better places.

With a few years of age, many of life's hard lessons learned and much less need to prove ourselves, we often to long to return to a less complicated way of living.

The city is wonderful and holds our attention, but it does not necessarily feed our soul.

The weekend excursions out to the 'country' become more and more frequent. The weekday existence soon turns in to the means with which to support the weekend dream.

....and then one day it clicks.

The charms and simple joys hold what you are longing for. Life adjustments, often major ones, begin.

You have come full circle.....and are ready to go back to the beginning.

Simone

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My French Country Infatuation

Fleaing France — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:52:58 +0000

FleaingFrance Brocante Society-Obsession
FleaingFrance Brocante Society-Obsession
FleaingFrance Brocante Society-Obsession

Have I mentioned my obsession with having a chicken....or two?

Don't ask me where it came from or when it began. It just seemed to materialize and has been a consistent presence in the back of my mind.

I couldn't do it when I lived in NY because I was never home and an airplane and a chicken just didn't seem like a logical combination.

Living in a flat in the middle of the city in France didn't lend itself to having my feathered dream come true either.

....but now......I will finally have access to the space that we may be calling home.

Let's see if my dreams and furniture can both fit.

Any suggestions on the best tempered birds for a newbie chicken owner?

Thank you for all of the kind wishes for my knee recovery. It is a bit better each day and I start physical therapy next week.....at least there is no surgery for now!

Simone

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1 Needle + 1 Bad Knee

Fleaing France — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:00:11 +0000

FleaingFrance
FleaingFrance
FleaingFrance Click on images to be taken back to sourcing informationNot the ideal way to start a week, a doctor's appointment on Monday.I'm not sure which was worse, the session with the syringe to reduce the fluid on my knee or the fighting off fainting afterward. If you've ever experienced it, you know that feeling....the hot that takes over, the swirling in your head, vision fading to black.....and afterward, the tingling sensation in your hands and face.....ugh. The worst part is that you know if you give in to it, even for a second, that you are going down.So for now, I have to occupied by a laptop and the view from my window.Enjoy a few beautiful examples of things that I won't be doing this week....

Simone

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Playing in the Kitchen

Fleaing France — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:20:18 +0000

Playing with some of my weekend finds.

A little pink never hurt anything.....

Tonight 5pm....brocante reload....be sure to check back.

Simone

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French Holiday

Fleaing France — Wed, 08 May 2013 19:13:26 +0000

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France is in the midst of a 2 day holiday .....

and ..... I am trying to take advantage of that and stay away from my computer.

So just a quick post for today.

Tomorrow will be a brocante reload so be sure to check back at 5pm Eastern.

Simone

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Joie de Vivre

Fleaing France — Mon, 06 May 2013 21:11:49 +0000

Joie de Vivre-FleaingFrance Brocante Society
Joie de Vivre-FleaingFrance Brocante Society
Joie de Vivre-FleaingFrance Brocante Society
Joie de Vivre-FleaingFrance Brocante Society
Joie de Vivre-FleaingFrance Brocante Society click on photo to be taken back to source informationEven in the rain....Even in the wee hours of the morning...Even when the road from A to B is full of twists and turns....My joie de vivre can still be found in the brocante.The shop is now reloaded with new finds.

Simone

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linking up with-the marketplace, make it pretty monday, nifty thrifty tuesday, feathered nest friday, be inspired, furniture feature friday, fabulously creative friday, frugal friday, shabbilicious friday, show and tell friday, 36th ave

In To The Garden

Fleaing France — Thu, 02 May 2013 21:36:46 +0000

Click on images to be takes back to source informationAs I wandered in to the kitchen this evening I was overwhelmed by the scent wafting in through the open window.The fleur d'oranger are beginning to bloom and their scent is at its peak in the early evening.Spring in Provence is definitely here.Shop reload online Friday - 10am eastern.

Simone

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linking up with-feathered nest friday, be inspired, fabulously creative friday, 36th ave, home & garden thursday

May & Les Muguets

Fleaing France — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:05:13 +0000

Photo 1-click for source, 2-3 FleaingFranceToday is France's Labor Day holiday in addition to being May Day. The tradition of presenting a muguet to ones that you love is widely celebrated in France and you can find stands everywhere, even with the Labor Day closures.While I have a little more time to relax I am going to dream of a space like the one above and imagine it surrounded by Pierre de Ronsard roses.....which will be one of my first purchases (along with some boxwoods) for a garden.A Demain!Loads of new items were added to the 50% off section and new finds will be added tomorrow.

Simone

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Pretty in Pink

Fleaing France — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:56:36 +0000

Click on images to be taken back to source infoAfter clicking around aimlessly and adding to my pinterest and tumblr boards, it's always interesting to go back for an overall look.Themes tend to emerge even though they aren't they weren't intended when I was selecting images.Today's inspiration came from just such a coincidence.Enjoy.Additional items in the 50% off sale tonight at 5pm Eastern.

Simone

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Rainy Monday in Provence

Fleaing France — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:54:02 +0000

Click on photos to be taken back to sourceThe rain is falling softly outside and the remnants of a headache are fading away.We're almost to May and the temperatures in Provence are just reaching the open window level.....my favorite.May is a month that flies by for me as it is loaded with French holidays, or as I like to think of them, week day brocante options.It also means means everything closes......and when you are an American that hasn't quite gotten the hang of things, it means that you have to remember to plan ahead with regard to the grocery store.....So here's to April winding down and the start of being outdoors and the blooms that come in May.Simone

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Playing

Fleaing France — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:22:13 +0000

All photos FleaingFranceA lazy Sunday in France.Pulling out finds for the shop. Now online.

Simone

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Craving

Fleaing France — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 18:00:28 +0000

Click on images to be taken back to source infoJust a few things that caught my eye today.

Hope you're weekend is off to a good start.

The shop is reloaded AND there is now a 50% off section.

....yep....50% off. Use code HALFOFF.

Simone

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In the Brocante

Fleaing France — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 09:03:56 +0000

All photos FleaingFrance

I can't believe that it's almost May.

We had our first humid evening last night and as I walked around opening windows my husband reminded me that it was the first of many months to come.

He then followed that up with a comment about going out to sit in 'le jardin', which we don't have. What came after is the shock. He said the word....m o v e.....as in, change.

I'm almost afraid to start thinking about the possibility. My office, brocante and a place to photograph all in one place?....and without stairs or an uphill walk? Be still my heart.

That's almost as good as strolling through a brocante......well, almost ;)

Here's to a great weekend and some dreaming!

Shop opens tonight at 6pm Eastern.

Simone

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Paris & The Parapharmacie

Fleaing France — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:14:46 +0000

All photos FleaingFranceAmong the many things that I love about France is the sky when it is the blue in these photos.Sunday was just such a day and it more than made up for the cold and damp of Friday.I spent the afternoon wandering through the Latin quarter and the Marais. One was sleepy and quiet, the other packed with people out to enjoy the beautiful weather.One of my favorite stops is a French parapharmacie. This is where you find all of the decadent French brands of hair and skin care items along with products that don't require a prescription. My favorite? The larger shops that are stocked to the brim with every cream, tonic and powder that you can imagine plus an entire array of ones that you have never dreamed of. Browsing through the shelves can keep you busy for hours and there is never a shortage to choose from. My purchases were narrowed down to 2 products that had come highly recommended....Crealine h2o by BioDerma and Embryolisse's Lait Cream Concentrate. I'll let you know how they work and if they need to be added to your shopping list. I'm also in a bit of lip balm crisis, trite as that sound. I have a favorite from the states that doesn't exist here and I'm down to the last bit of the tube.....so I finally gave in and picked up one by Amilab. It has a light honey/orange scent and very silky feeling.....so far, so good. However, there was a tube of rose scented luxury that I made the mistake of testing.......and I may be heading back for it before the weekend is over. It's good to have options, right?In case you haven't been able to tell, I'm not up to 100% this week. A train trip interrupted by a problem in the middle of France landed me home well after midnight and a sick little one gave me the rest. As a result, I am trying to get well and playing catch up. Now I'm going to go slather some of my new French finds on my skin, try to answer a few more email and get ready for tomorrow night's brocante sale.

Simone

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When In Paris

Fleaing France — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:34:19 +0000

All Photos - FleaingFranceNo matter what the forecast says it's always good to have an umbrella handy in Paris.

I actually enjoy wandering the streets in the rain, but taking photos is a bit of a challenge when juggling a camera and an umbrella.

Peeking in windows (okay....going in shops as well) followed by an afternoon coffee proved to be a perfectly acceptable alternative to my original plan of wandering through the Jardin du Luxembourg.

Simone

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To Paris We Go

Fleaing France — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:48:48 +0000

To Paris We Go
To Paris We Go
To Paris We Go click on image to be taken back to sourcing information

Macarons, brocantes and beautiful sights are in store.

As soon as I arrive, I drop my bags at the hotel and head out the door. Friday is my day to wander the streets and I do it without a plan.

My camera tends to be my guide. If something catches my eye I head in that direction.

If you had the day free to wander through Paris, what would you want to see? You will see what I have seen over the next few days.

There is much to do before then, so for now it's back to work on tonight's shop update and then off to finish packing.

Simone

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When Did Busy Become Fashionable?

Fleaing France — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 08:50:03 +0000

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I knew going in to the March/April time period that it was going to be hectic. There were too many things on my calendar for it not to be. I was going to be busy.

That dreaded word. Busy. When I lived in NY, I was just that. All of the time. Want to have lunch? Can't, I'm too busy. A movie? Busy. Always busy. It was exhausting and it still is looking back on it.

I knew things needed to change. I was so busy that I couldn't enjoy my life. There was a scene in a television show where a female character hires an assistant. She then tells her that she needs her to organize her life because she is so busy that she doesn't have time to live it. Been there.

Coming to live in France was a transition....one more difficult than I thought it would be given the amount of time already spent here. However, being on this side of the adjustment phase, I realize that busy isn't a word that I use on a regular basis now. When that word becomes the descriptor of my day, week or month I feel a certain sense of anxiety creeping back in and I realize that it affects my ability to write, photograph and create.

So, here is to the hiatus of 'busy' and the welcome return of balance (relatively speaking).

...and with that, the restocking of the shop tonight at 6pm Eastern!

Simone

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Spring Fever & Paris

Fleaing France — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:05:13 +0000

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I don't know what has gotten in to me, but I can't seem to finish a blog post.

I sit, I type, I erase. Something is just not clicking.

Maybe it's Spring fever....or maybe I've just been spending too much time on my computer.

Hopefully next week's trip to Paris will fix that.

Now it's back to put the finishing touches on the new item listings. Be sure to click to stay up to date on new arrivals.

Simone

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For the Weekend-DIY

Fleaing France — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 11:45:56 +0000

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I know that this is a photo of an inspiration board, but all I can see is brilliance.

Paint a cork board....seriously? Why didn't I think of this?

or this? Adding hooks and dowels for easy storage of rolls of whatever.

make my own chalk paint....any color I want.

and, well this is just brilliant. Drop the device in a glass to amplify sound. No speaker, no wires, no ugly box!

What's on your agenda for the weekend?

Simone

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