I'm Susan — devout Francophile, mother of twins, writer, creative director, and aspiring author. I've been sharing my life here since 2010...thanks for reading!
It’s been a few years since I’ve visited the Alsace-Lorraine region of France, but it is always with me. My maternal great-grandparents were born in Strasbourg, so the area has always felt comfortable and familiar. With only the Rhine River separating it from Germany, it looks (and sounds) German, but is, at it’s core, passionately French. The architecture, culture, food and people inspire me – it’s an amazing place. I recently revisited my time there on Steller…take a look!
I’m excited to share a glimpse into this beautiful farmhouse that I toured in the Loire Valley of France. My brother told me about this amazing property and arranged a tour with the owner (one of his clients) while I was visiting. It is the quintessential french country farmhouse that so many of us dream of…rustic elegance at it’s finest. It is an experience I won’t soon forget – and I’m sharing the full story exclusively on Steller! If you’re not familiar with the app, you simply must check it out…it’s the latest and greatest way to share stories, and I’m obsessed. They’ve just released an update today, and Steller 2.0 is even better, with the addition of comments, hashtags, a snazzy new navigation, and more! Be sure to take a look at the full story, whether on the app or here. Be forewarned – it may leave you with severe wanderlust.
In an effort to show Marie + Henry how much they were on my mind while traveling in France, I packed Fleur + Mozart (their beloved blabla dolls) into my luggage. I explained to them that they were going on an adventure with Mommy, and we would all be back soon! While it was a bit cumbersome to carry them with me everywhere, it meant the world to see their faces light up when they saw them with me, and honestly it gave me comfort, especially when alone at night and missing them intensely. Sure, I got a few stares, but mostly made people smile…I even had one person ask me for a photo with them! Don’t worry, they had a relaxing bath upon their return along with plenty of snuggles.
I wonder where they will travel to next?!
Allow me to introduce you to my latest obsession…Steller. A recent addition to the social media scene, it is taking the blogging world by storm! You don’t have to be a blogger to appreciate + participate…let me explain. It’s a storytelling app, where images and video unite, creating a format where any story can unfold. As a blogger, I’m enjoying the challenge of creating content specifically for Steller, especially the video component. It forces you to think differently, and capture moments in a new way. Going forward, I hope to infuse my stories with even more video. The options for customization are generous, with new features continually being added. The templates have been thoughtfully created to allow for maximum creativity…details are paramount. From a social standpoint, you can connect with others you already follow elsewhere, as well as being introduced to new storytellers. You have the ability to republish others stories within your own collections, allowing you to share and organize your favorites. It’s one big, happy, storytelling community!
In my opinion, this is the future of blogging. We’re already seeing a movement away from the traditional blog format, with less traffic + comments on websites. We all want quality content, faster and easier. Scrolling through feeds on an app is much simpler, and with Steller, you can create rich, beautiful content in a smaller format. Granted, they do take some time to create (especially if you’re a hopeless perfectionist like me), but so do blog posts! For now, I intend to use Steller as a companion to my blog, enhancing existing content, along with creating stories tailored to the app. For me, reading blogs, as well as perusing the app, is a treat. I reserve time for it, whether it’s with my morning coffee, or before I turn out the light at night. There are so many beautiful stories to share, and Steller provides a new and beautiful way to do so.
The kind folks at Steller reached out to me and offered to feature me as an author, and I couldn’t be more flattered! You can find me in the featured section all week. So check out the video below, download the app, and start sharing! If you’re already using it, I would love to hear your thoughts + see your stories, so please leave a comment, thank you!
my stories (shown above)… louvre at night | sully sur loire | orleans | arc de triomphe … best viewed on an iPhone
My brother lives here. Ok fine, not in the castle, but a few blocks away. And ok yes, he’s my half-brother, but I don’t think of him that way. You can read all about our connection here if you’re curious. Now that I’ve gotten that all out in the open, let’s talk about this amazing, historic structure, shall we? For nearly four centuries this beautiful example of medieval architecture has prevailed in Sully-sur-Loire, which is about 2 hours south of Paris, in the Loire Valley. If you’re a history buff like myself, you can read all about the castle’s history here. I’m so fortunate to have family here and know of this great chateau and surrounding town. Quaint + charming, the people are always welcoming and the shop owners know you by name…including one who knew mine (and shocked the hell out of me) when I went shopping for my nephew! My brother’s home is quiet + serene, overlooking farmland, with a chicken coop in the yard. I was especially excited about that, as I had never handled fresh (from the hen) eggs before and was giddy about it, as evidenced by this instagram + this vine. The time with my family was priceless, and I’ll be sharing more of our adventures in the Loire very soon!