Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 17– Set your goals. I chose this next photo because it was cute and I snapped it on Thursday while visiting my parents. On further thought, maybe the dandelion is trying to tell me something. This dandelion wasn’t satisfied growing on the grass with his friends, he set his sights higher, and took root on a tree! I am a goal-oriented person. I love setting up challenges for myself and am very motivated by this approach I decided to take on this little 30 day challenge centered around Fiona’s book for fun, but also to help me focus on all the good in my life. It is also serving as a way to reconnect with a bit of writing. Back when my children were small, I maintained a blog called Among the Alders (it’s still up on the net if you search it). It focused a lot on all the crafts and nature projects I was doing at the time, as well as my interest in a Montessori-inspired home life. I really enjoyed the blog at the time, but life evolved, the children grew up and my interests shifted. It’s been fun to delve into a few different topics on this platform and reconnect with expressing myself.

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 16 – Use your nice things. I love the concept of this, but in my case, there needs to be some clarification on who can use the things. Does anyone else out there have boys? If you do, you will know what I mean when I say boys do everything with a sense of ‘enthusiasm’ that often leads to unintentional destruction. The adorable pitcher in this photo was picked up at an antique store a number of years ago. It came with a set of six matching glasses. I loved the nautical theme and the fact the glassware was made in France. Unfortunately, this pitcher is all that remains of the set. One by one those glasses met the fate of the dustpan. Since this experience (and countless others) I now focus on how I alone can use my nice personal items on a daily basis. I’m wearing jeans most days, since I’m walking the pup twice a day in the woods. I’m still matching those jeans with silk blouses, perfume and jewelry. I wear a jacket, so there is no chance the blouse being snagged. I’m also using up all my beautiful body creams, even the ones I purchased in France last year that cannot be easily replaced.

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 14 – Rest when you need to. I will bombard you with yet another puppy pic, because after all, who does a nap better than a puppy? (Ok, maybe a cat!) I nap a lot more during the winter months, which is probably a reflection of my body’s natural desire to hibernate and sleep the sub-zero temperatures away. Now that spring is here, I have a lot more energy, so the urge to nap hasn’t been very strong. Again, my body probably just wants to maximize the narrow window of warmth and sun our Canadian summer provides!

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 13 – Have things to look forward to. There are so many aspects about summer that I usually look forward to, but with most plans on hold, I’m trying to focus on anticipating the little day to day pleasures. Fiona’s advice is to make a list of little things to look forward to, keeping these “treats” both small and achievable. We adopted Coco two months ago, a little toy poodle puppy. I still have to pinch myself that this sweet and adorable little creature lives with us. I have him to look forward to! Each morning still feels like Christmas when I’m greeted by this cuddly, furry, wiggly and affectionate little teddy bear. We are also working on small yard projects. My husband is installing a little stone terrace on our front step. I’m looking forward to enjoying this new outdoor space as the weather warms.

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 12 – Keep the faith. I’m fortunate enough to live on the Atlantic ocean and experience magical sunrises like this one. It’s a reminder that the sun will rise each day. Each day is a new beginning.

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 11 – Sort your photos. This is such a great suggestion for pretty much anyone looking for a project they have been putting off for years. When my second child started kindergarten, I vowed I would use the extra free time to organize my photos. That was 2010! I actually tackled this project last winter. Now that I have all the old photos in albums, it is such a treat to sit down now and then and peruse them. My digital photos are an entirely different beast yet to be solved as I have over 50,000. I did gather them all in one spot on the computer and backed them up to the cloud. I love looking at photos from my childhood as it is fun to be transported back to a simpler time. This is a photo of my first airplane trip to Florida with my family in 1979. I’m the little one in the front with my mom and the pigtails. This was back when we all got dressed up for such a special occasion, and airline travel was certainly a much simpler affair!

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 10 – Create something. Fiona’s advice is to, “Find something that makes your heart lift with excitement and do that.” My creative efforts and projects these days are small yet satisfying. I picked up some plants at the garden center last week and I have been potting and arranging them on our front doorstep. I bought a fair amount of lavender and am hoping it can survive this humid coastal climate. The award for “household creator” definitely goes to my 15-year-old son. He has been in his glory since the lockdown began and has been working non-stop on countless projects. He makes the most beautiful wooden fingerboards (mini wooden skateboards) and set up an Etsy shop. Who knew such a thing existed? Grown men actually play with these things! I think they are such sweet little works of art. 💕🛹 

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 9 – Read a good book. My son has a book report due in a week and he’s only half-way through the novel. I’ve resorted to reading it out loud to him to speed up the process so we can identify the rising action, climax and resolution by the due date (I’m reliving junior high all over again…sigh). It’s actually kind of fun and I’m enjoying not only the story, but that feeling of cuddling up with my child and reading. He’s 13 so those days are pretty much behind us, or so I though. The book is On Thin Ice by Michael Northrop and covers heavy teen issues such as body image, bullying, abuse, addiction and poverty. The main character is also funny and relatable. So if you are in the market for a good book for teen boys, here’s my recommendation! Aside from that, I’ve lost myself in a couple of books during the lockdown. My favorite novel this past year is Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Nothing has really satisfied me after reading it and I am craving more of that type. Any suggestions? Did you know that Fiona has an audio version of 30 Chic Days? I recently purchased it and am really enjoying listening to Fiona read the chapters. I adore her NZ accent! I tend to turn this on when I feel the need to relax and unwind and it is such a treat to have someone read to me for a change! 

 

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 8 – Welcome color. Fiona offers so many suggestions on how to incorporate the joy of color in our lives, from our makeup routine, to our wardrobe, to the food we choose to eat! I’m a lover of neutrals and soft palettes, but I used her suggestion in the form of flowers. I picked up some tulips at the grocery store and sprinkled them around the house in small bouquets. I’ve also picked forget-me-nots and forsythia from our yard. My husband actually commented that he noticed and enjoyed all the fresh flowers around the house.

 

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 7- Lockdown chic. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for over 15 years, so my life has not changed significantly during lockdown. I normally spend quite a bit of time at home in my “regular life” (minus time spent in the car ferrying kids to/from school and sports) I am already in the habit of getting dressed and putting on makeup and jewelry each day. It makes me feel productive and pulled together, even if I’m just puttering around the house. Now that the weather is warming up, I’m enjoying pulling out my spring attire. Here is my OOTD from yesterday – usually jeans as the base with a little blouse and a sweater (there is still a chill in the air). Because I live in a rural setting, jeans suit my lifestyle best. I walk the puppy at least twice a day in the woods, so I need something that is “rugged”, but can still be dressed up a bit.

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 6- Keep in touch with technology. Fiona reminds us to embrace the ways we can connect with friends and loved ones through the use of technology. I did do a couple of Zoom calls with friends during the lockdown, but I’m mostly staying in touch by text. I text my mom ALL DAY LONG! She’s 78 and I’m so proud of how she is embracing technology – she is a Tech Savvy Nanny! We enjoy sending each other photos of flower arrangements, meals or little everyday moments. I got a puppy so she is being bombarded with poodle puppy cuteness lately. Our government recently allowed us to visit one other family to become our “bubble family”. I finally got to see my parents on the weekend and the visit was so uplifting. We are planning more bubble get-togethers soon!

 

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 5 – Go on a Health Retreat. Like Fiona, I don’t want to sit around and blob! It’s a great time to focus on healthy habits. Salads are my meal of choice lately. There is no thinking involved and they are easy to pull together if you have lots of fresh ingredients on hand. Today I threw in mixed greens, avocado, cauliflower, peppers and pumpkin seeds. I like to top them with something warm so it feels more like a meal. This time it was sautéed zucchini and tofu.

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 4 – The joy of getting things done. The forecast this week is calling for lots of sun (finally!) so I am going to sit down and brainstorm a list of “Loose Ends and Bothersome Things” as Fiona did. I’ve decided to focus on the exterior of the house including the yard, garden and garage. Maintaining order inside my home has been very frustrating during this lockdown with everyone under foot. My favorite pandemic quote is, “Trying to clean the house with everyone in it is like trying to brush your teeth while eating Oreos.” Everything that gets done seems to come undone rather quickly. I did take a few moments to organize my jewelry. I have an antique dresser and I lined the little drawers with velvet. I like the contrast between the gold and deep blue, and the velvet texture keeps things in place nicely. I figured this tiny spot was at least one area my family was likely to leave untouched! I’ve been experimenting with layering chains and alternating my gold hoops, just to add a bit of fun to my every day look of jeans. 

 

Inspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 3 – Scent the Air with Music. Like Fiona, I’m a fan of playing relaxing background music around the house to create a sense of calm. A thank you to Fiona for sharing her “Dior Playlist” on Spotify! With everyone home these days, our house is anything but an oasis of calm. I have two teen boys. One of them has been going non-stop in the basement with a variety or woodworking projects, which included building a skateboarding half-pipe down there. The current soundtrack of my life is skateboard wheels on plywood (loud!!!), saws, drills and my husband’s booming voice on conference calls. I am using music to actually drown out the background noise and maintain a sense of sanity. I’m wearing my air pods a lot to accomplish this, zoning out in my own imaginary world. I’m a big fan of movie soundtracks! They take me back to those dreamy films I adore so much. My two favorite chic-inspired soundtracks that I have on repeat are Amelie and A Good Year. A Good Year with Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard is really my favorite movie, set in Provence. Last year I was able to visit a number of spots from the film – dreamy! The soundtrack transports me back to the stone walls, enchanted forests and golden light. So much better than the sound of the drill press screeching up the stairs (though I do love his initiative!) In my mind I walk the cobblestone streets of Provence each day!

nspired by the book 30 Chic Days at Home by @fionaferrisnz Day 3 – Scent the Air with Music. Like Fiona, I’m a fan of playing relaxing background music around the house to create a sense of calm. A thank you to Fiona for sharing her “Dior Playlist” on Spotify! With everyone home these days, our house is anything but an oasis of calm. I have two teen boys. One of them has been going non-stop in the basement with a variety or woodworking projects, which included building a skateboarding half-pipe down there. The current soundtrack of my life is skateboard wheels on plywood (loud!!!), saws, drills and my husband’s booming voice on conference calls. I am using music to actually drown out the background noise and maintain a sense of sanity. I’m wearing my air pods a lot to accomplish this, zoning out in my own imaginary world. I’m a big fan of movie soundtracks! They take me back to those dreamy films I adore so much. My two favorite chic-inspired soundtracks that I have on repeat are Amelie and A Good Year. A Good Year with Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard is really my favorite movie, set in Provence. Last year I was able to visit a number of spots from the film – dreamy! The soundtrack transports me back to the stone walls, enchanted forests and golden light. So much better than the sound of the drill press screeching up the stairs (though I do love his initiative!) In my mind I walk the cobblestone streets of Provence each day!