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A Chic Paris Holiday Season – Day 7 – What IS My Chic Christmas Style These Days?
December 9, 2020 In Chapter 1 of A Chic and Simple Christmas, author Fiona Ferris has a topic heading titled “Christmas style versus your personal style.” In this area, Fiona writes about how what she likes to view in a magazine photoshoot may be quite different from what she would actually enjoy living with in her own space. The trailing greenery decorated stair railing, the entry hall packed with giant nutcrackers statues and a Christmas tree in every room may look merry and bright in someone else’s house but Fiona finds that, in her own space, she feels uncomfortable with too many things crowding her. She feels festive and happy…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Part 2: Day 21 – Self-Starter
November 23, 2020 “Make do and mend” is Fiona Ferris’s title for Day 21 in her book, 30 Chic Days at Home. She writes that the activity of doing a small “fix-it” task lifts her mood. She likes the sense of control that it gives her to be able to make a small improvement or come up with a creative work-around to an issue. I used to think that dropping an item of clothing off with a tailor or at the dry-cleaners was the easiest thing to do when I found a small tear or loose button. I hated waiting around all day for a service person to come look…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Part 2: Day 16 – The Special Occasion is Now
November 18, 2020 Fiona Ferris urges us to use our “specials” – our nice things – right now in Day 16 of her book, 30 Chic Days At Home. All of us are living through frightening and uncertain times right now. Fiona has brought out her special treasures to add beauty and a comforting sparkle to her day. She’s doing things like using her nicer china for her morning tea, burning the lovely candle that was a recent gift, and spritzing on her favorite “special occasion” perfume even though she’ll be at home all day. She writes that pulling out a few of her nicest things adds a bubble of…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Part 2: Day 15 – Lessons Learned
November 17, 2020 Day 15 in Fiona Ferris’s book, 30 Chic Days at Home, is called “What will you change after this time?” Fiona is talking about the national lockdowns of Winter/Spring 2020 in response to the CoVid-19 pandemic. She writes that, during her home nation, New Zealand’s, lockdown, she felt a renewed excitement at writing. She points out that, while we all experienced big forced changes this year, maybe we have learned something good from those changes. Perhaps we can move forward into the future choosing our own changes based on what we learned. This is a deeper question than I am actually prepared to address. I can list…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Part 2: Day 13 – Double-Down on Happy
November 15, 2020 “Have things to look forward to” is the title for Day 13 in 30 Chic Days At Home by Fiona Ferris. She writes that having a list of small and large “good” things to look forward to keeps her spirits buoyant and her mindset focused on the positive. Simple things like a half-hour with a magazine before dinner as well as larger things like her writing projects add an opportunity for gratitude and a nice zing of anticipation into her daily experience. I find it enjoyable to have small “treats” to look forward to and to plan for. I like to make lists in preparation for whatever…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Part 2: Day 11 – Happy Memories
November 13, 2020 “Sort your phots” is what Fiona Ferris titled Day 11 in her book, 30 Chic Days At Home. She describes an excellent way to easily sort old photos and put them in an album. With her sorting method, a box full of old photos turns into a lovely and enjoyable photo album with a few hours of effort. In The Happiness Project, author Gretchen Rubin writes about how happiness can be enjoyed and amplified by happy memories. She writes that studies show that recalling happy times boosts our happiness in the present. We’ve all experienced that unexpected yet delightful giggle that results from remembering a funny episode…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Part 2: Day 10 – The Many Shades of Creativity
November 12, 2020 Fiona Ferris extolls the virtues of expressing our creativity in Day 10 of her book, 30 Chic Days At Home. She writes movingly about how using our imagination and creating something real with our own hands can bring us a sense of flow in the moment and a sense of fun and accomplishment when we complete our project. Some examples might be to bake something, sew or knit something, use craft-kits, do a puzzle, work in your garden, color, draw, paint or sketch. The main point is to create something that captures our imagination and that the actual doing of is fun and exciting. As you may…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Part 2: Day 9 – The Joy of Books
November 11, 2020 “Read a good book,” Fiona Ferris writes as Day 9 in her book, 30 Chic Days At Home. She describes how much fun she has being carried away into whole new worlds and experiences by a good story. She looks forward to diving into a make-believe world not only just for fun but also when life (and news programs) seem overwhelmingly negative. Her coping skill to handle a long and tough stretch of life is to take an hour or so out of the day on a regular basis for a little self-care in a new world. I agree with Fiona whole-heartedly. One of my favorite activities…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Part 2: Day 8 – Add Color!
November 10, 2020 Fiona Ferris encourages us to “Welcome colour” in Day 8 of her book, 30 Chic Days At Home. Exercising our creativity by adding pops of color into our day can lift our spirits. Bringing out a set of bright table napkins or pulling out a colorful throw blanket can perk up a room and our mood. She points out that while we are home, we have the perfect opportunity to experiment with stronger colored make-up than we might ordinarily try. Another good suggestion is to add some pops of color to a salad. I implemented this one today at lunch – I “dressed up” my green salad…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Part 2: Day 3 – Music
November 5, 2020 Day 3 in Fiona Ferris’s book, 30 Chic Days At Home is called “Scent the air with music.” Fiona writes that she enjoys playing beautiful music at home. She finds it calming and relaxing. I must admit that this idea was a bit of a stretch for me. I like silence in the house. I don’t have a TV in my house in the US and I put the TV that came with this Paris apartment behind the couch under a blanket. On the other hand, I do like soft music in the car when I’m driving. I also enjoy listening to certain podcasts (but only if…