Living a soft, calm life... and a picture of my bookshelves for fellow booklovers!

How are you living a soft, calm life today? It's a beautiful spring-like late winters day, and I've been ironing a few blouses, pottering around at home fluffing things up. Equal parts chores and play.

Sometimes I find all that is required is to think differently. I can catch myself hurrying in my mind and simply decide to move in a soft, lovely, leisurely manner.

I still get just as much done but it's so much nicer.

Also, if you always feel like you should be doing more like I do (even though you don't know what 'more' looks like), just accepting that you are enough exactly as you are right now is so liberating.

I've been saying this to myself a lot lately, because I often feel a little Charlie Brown grey cloud of doom over my head, following me around.

I don't know why!

So I just say: You're okay. There is nothing to worry about. You're doing okay. Enjoy your life. Be happy.

I often take the angle of talking to my five-year-old self. If I see her unnecessarily bothered, I can calm her. It's the same for my inner chat I find.

So anyway, if you needed to hear this today, know you are not alone. Maybe there are many of us who have this ticker tape going on in their mind, warning us not to get too comfortable lest something goes wrong.

Give yourself the gift of a soft, calm life by the way you think, and also how you live, by simplifying your schedule, tidying and beautifying your environment, and having seasonal sifts through your home.

It's nice to have a new season approaching, spring here, and autumn for my northern hemisphere friends. It gives a freshness to everything.

Tell me what you are doing today in order to live a soft, calm life. For me, I'm sipping a relaxing herbal tea as I write this. I felt like some hydration, and something warm. It's lovely. In my Starbucks Hawaii mug to remind me of our holidays there!

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I spent a happy afternoon reorganising my bookshelves last weekend. I've been wanting to do it for a while, so when the energy was aligned I took every single book off, dusted the shelves, and put them back one by one. The big shelves here are in our hall.

I’d just read Marie Kondo's comic version of her book, called The Life Changing Manga of Tidying Up (who knew there was such a thing!) and she said NOT to open the books. I only opened a few, haha! She said you should be able to tell by the cover if you want to keep them or not.

I hadn’t intended on doing a declutter but ended up with a few bags that have already departed.

 

These smaller shelves are in my office, for books that are too tall for the hall shelves, plus my collection of Ralph Lauren books (and a photo of my siblings and me).

I always like browsing other peoples bookshelves and a reader said she’d like to see mine so I thought why not!

They hold a mix of personal development/success, French and Italian chic, fashion and style, recipe books, soft romantic lifestyle, and healthy living.

None of my own (Fiona Ferris) books are on these shelves (I keep a few of each title in my office just to have on hand).

I want to do a secondary shift around (but probably won’t 😂) because at the end I was getting a bit tired and just wanted it done.

Is there anything worse than starting a project, making a big mess, not finishing it, and waking up the next morning to face it all over again?

I think not!

That’s why I only like to start something I can see myself wrapping up that same day. It’s too depressing otherwise!

Would recommend Marie Kondo’s manga book if you need a little refresher. You might even find that your library has it. I read it online with Libby and have her original book on Kindle.

See them both here at Amazon:

The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up (comic book - it’s really cute and quick to read!)

The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (original book)

And as always, happy reading! I shudder to imagine a life without books! If you are a book girl I know you’ll understand. I just feel so happy when I see my bookshelves!

Wishing you a lovely start to your week.

Fiona

 

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PS. You can read or listen to my book 100 Ways to Live a Soft, Calm Life on Amazon here, or go to fionaferris.com for additional purchasing/listening options and to see my other books. Ask your library to order it in too! They can get the paperback and the audiobook.

[My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may receive a small commission if you purchase using them. There is no extra cost to you. I really appreciate it if you choose to use my links - thanks!]

 

Enjoying a simple life

 Hello friends!

My friend Tanya and I meet for lunch every month, and we take turns going to each other's house. Whoever is driving picks up sushi on the way there.

And the person whose house it's at gets to provide the sweet. This was at my house, and I made peanut butter cookies. They are so easy and so good!

The recipe is so simple I can remember it (I've made them three times so far).

1 cup of peanut butter
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Preheat oven to moderate (180/350) and line a baking tray with baking paper. I give it a quick spray with olive oil from a can too.

Mix all ingredients together and spoon out/roll into small balls (maybe the size of a walnut) and then flatten them on the lined tray with a fork.

I play around with the sugar quantity, using less sometimes than others (about 1/4 to a 1/3 less), and also different types of sugar to use bits and pieces up. This batch had raw sugar, brown sugar, and normal sugar!

I've also done slightly bigger cookies sometimes and smaller others - all up this recipe makes 16-20 cookies I've found.

Bake for ten minutes for lovely chewy cookies that are caramelised around the edges.

No they're not healthy, but they are delicious. I only bake for guests, it's not a rule but just the way things turn out. That way it's a treat for me as well as nice to provide home baking.

Also, I like to give them away fresh on the day or the day after. I gave my mum a little bag of them and thankfully my husband Paul helped consume them too!

If you try making them, let me know!

The day Tanya came around it was sunny and warm, a beautiful autumn day. So sunny that we had to pull the shade down a little. Which is a good problem to have when it's this close to winter!

 

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I love going for my walks each morning once it's warm enough. I usually go about 8am. First Paul and I take the doggies for a walk, then I go for a walk by myself with an audiobook playing on my excellent AliExpress headphone headband which is still going strong at least a year later.

I have three pairs of leggings and four tops so I always have fresh walking gear available. And I bought a pair of leather New Balance shoes just for my walking. Fabric sneakers, no matter how fancy, just get so wet in the grass and I'd get back home with damp socks!

If it's not cool enough for my sleeveless jacket, I take my belt bag to put my phone in.

It is SUCH a nice part of my day and if I don't go for a walk I really miss it. It's only about 30-40 minutes long, depending on how fast I walk.

At this time of year I get to admire the late autumn beauty around me, and it's lovely and fresh being outside. Plus, the sunlight is meant to be very helpful to your brain happiness early in the day. Or helps you sleep better at night. Something good anyway! I choose to believe it all 😊

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Late autumn goodness in our fruit bowl 😋

 

Persimmons, oranges, mandarins, feijoas and gold kiwifruit. All except the kiwifruit are homegrown (some given to me and some grown here).

Each day for our lunch ‘pudding’ I put together fresh fruit, plain Greek yoghurt, and a sprinkled topping of sliced almonds and shredded/roasted coconut.

It’s such a delicious sweet to round out lunch!

When we don’t have such a free bounty I love a crispy apple chopped up with the yoghurt and almonds.

~~ 

I’m wishing you a lovely week. It’s Monday here, King’s Birthday, so it’s a public holiday. Today’s plan is to clean the house this morning, and have a lovely relaxing afternoon, enjoying our refreshed abode!

See you next time 😊

xx Fiona

 

PS.  If you would like to receive this newsletter by email (via Substack at no charge), please go here to Substack and sign up :)

A fresh new month

 Hello friends!

It’s been a lovely cozy week for me here at home in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. Autumn weather has rolled in, with sunshine one day, rain the next. Whether it’s spring or autumn, the transitional seasons always seem to have unsettled weather!

I know a lot of people don’t like to ‘talk about the weather’, but I love it as a topic. Perhaps not so much as small talk, but I just find weather endlessly fascinating.

(It was sunny when I went for a walk on the day above. The vineyards on our street are always lovely to stroll past - at the moment the grapes have long been harvested and the leaves are turning yellow).

I'm also really enjoying putting different outfits and colourways together to embrace our incoming autumn. I haven't done a proper wardrobe refresh switching things around yet but I'm looking forward to doing it soon.

Whether you are coming into spring or autumn, have you organised your new season looks yet? Am I the only one not done...?

 

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And, are you ready to step into your rich-lady lifestyle? Haha, I say 'rich lady' tongue-in-cheek, but I really do love the visual this phrase inspires.

When Financially Chic Vol. 2 was released seven months ago, inflation was high. But it seems that instead of things easing, there may be more clouds gathering on the horizon.

When I find myself getting all wound up and worried, I stop and focus on what I can control: my own little world and my own personal economy.

In this book I outline changes I made to improve our financial situation in spite of what was happening around us, and in recent times I've done more - no more Spotify Premium for a while, shopping my closet, and using our local public library more (you can ask your library to order my books in too, in paperback or audiobook).

I always like to keep my mindset happy too, it helps me cope with unsettling times better.

 

 

For today, I wanted to share a mindset shift from this book; it’s in Chapter 3. Elevate Your Mindset.

“You want to learn how to make it fun to be frugal – I promise this is not an oxymoron. And if the word frugal has negative connotations for you, choose another: careful, savvy, economical, prudent, unwasteful, canny, sparing, or meticulous. I like the thought of being exquisite with money, or elegant with money. Doesn’t financial elegance have a nice ring to it? Imagine choosing to be financially elegant as your new mindset?

Know that you can ‘live beyond your means’ and it all starts with your mindset. I remember how good it felt when I flicked the switch and viewed money as fun and easy instead of stressful and scary. I felt more in control of my destiny and it was such a soothing feeling. It was also exciting, because I felt empowered and emboldened. I was the one driving the bus now!”

If you don’t like how you feel about money and finances, find a way you’d rather be and step into that. It sounds airy fairy, but in my experience doing this truly changes how you show up, and in turn changes decisions you make. It’s fun too, who wouldn’t want to practice being someone new!

(Here’s the link for Financially Chic Vol. 2 if you don't have it yet. It’s ‘affiliate’ which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase; I appreciate it if you choose to use my link!)

 

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If there is one thing the doggies LOVE, it's going in the car. (Above, Daphne in front, and below, Chloe). And even better if the window is down so they can get a better look around and feel the wind in their fur.Lucky they are both short enough that it's not a safety hazard.

 

 

 

Even standing up on their hind legs with front paws on the arm rest they couldn't topple out.It's cute how they get so excited for a drive!If you have dog(s) are they car fanatics too?

 

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Wishing you a lovely weekend, and that you get a chance to rest and maybe even do something creative. I’ll see you next week!

xx Fiona

PS. You can find all my books, audiobooks, and other social media channels here on my Linktree :)

 

PPS. I've also just started publishing my weekly newsletter on Substack, so you can read it there too, and subscribe (it's free) to have my newsletter sent to your Inbox.

 

See this post on Substack :)

Autumn showers and autumn style

 

Greetings from a rainy week! I had to stand under the carport so Paul could take a photo of me :) I love my autumn toned outfit with navy and green paired with leopard.

 

I hope you had a lovely Easter if you celebrate it. Paul worked a few of the days and I've been writing, and on Monday we had 'Easter lunch for three' with my mum at home.

 

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I've been so enjoying going for my pre-breakfast walk each day with an audiobook playing (between showers).

At the moment I'm listening to Molly the Maid's 3rd book - The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose. I really love the narrator!

Have you found that you can get hooked on narrator's voices and enjoy a book series more because of them? And seek out other books they've narrated? I do 😊

I really hope you are hooked on my audiobooks too! haha, please don't tell me if you find my voice horrible 😂 But I welcome constructive feedback... 😮 if you're kind about it of course!

 

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I am migrating my email newsletter list over to Substack, so the next email you receive from me may look a little different. Just to let you know!

 

Wishing you a fab week and that you are keeping safe and well :)

 

With warm regards,

Fiona x

Handling down times

☕ ☕ ☕ Coffee out and about
(actually I had peppermint tea but it doesn't have the same ring to it 😊)

 
Hello chic friends!

 

I haven't had a lot of mental bandwidth for much lately. It's just how I get at times and I try not to feel bad about it.

I think by now I've gotten to know myself, and it's not that there is anything wrong, I just feel like pulling back. It's like this internal handbrake being on and everything takes 100x times more effort to do.

At times like this I want to read books, be at home, write a little, and be offline. I know I'm so lucky to be able to do so. When I worked full-time in an office I’d just keep life really simple too.

If you can relate, please say. I admire people who are 'linear' and can just do whatever they need to get done. I think it might be part of the creative mind that works differently for those of us who aren't like that.

I've seen a funny picture and it shows A to B and a straight line from... A to B. That is one type of person. And then there is A to B with a giant squiggly unravelly ball of wool leading from A to B. That is so me sometimes!

When I get to be the straight-line A to B person everything is sooooo easy. That’s when I write book after book and post regularly on social media. But at the moment I'm the squiggly ball of wool and have a dozen books started that I’m keen on none of 🤣

Amazingly enough my work looks way better to me when I’m in a more helpful state of mind. When I’m the unravelly ball of wool all my writing looks terrible 🤣

But I am writing each day and working on a book that feels good, so hooray for that.

And I’m up to recording my 21st audiobook, almost there! I think there are about 25 or 26 in total. At least those I can narrate without overthinking things. I just turn up and do some recording. (Find them at my Linktree)

I hope you’re doing good, and if you’re not, I’m right there with you 😊 Let’s all be kind to our squiggly balls of wool that we call our heads, if we’re not feeling it right now.

~~

 

 

🍂🍂🍂
Autumn colours and bright blue skies

This has to be my favourite season and I'm really enjoying my outdoor walks each morning before breakfast. I know there are many other fans of autumn too.

For us in the southern hemisphere, it's perfectly normal to have March/April be the start of autumn.

It's completely foreign for us to have it be the start of the festive Christmas season!

Although I actually do enjoy getting into 'fall vibes' later in the year too, joining in on all the northern hemisphere fun 😊

Whether you are in spring or autumn, I hope it's treating you well 🧡💛

~~

 

 I bought these cute popcorn cups from the dollar store for a movie afternoon with friends at home. How cute are they? Afterwards I handwash them and put them away until next time 😊

 

 

I love little details like this that make life fun!

 

 

 

Wishing you a fab week :)

 

Love Fiona

Summer gardening, and decluttering

 

 

Hello chic friends,

 

I've been enjoying my simple gardening this summer, and just look at this crop of cherry tomatoes!

The thing I love best about growing vegetables such as cos lettuce and cherry tomatoes at home is that you can just pick a few leaves or tomatoes each day for your salad.

It's the ultimate in freshness, and everything is spray-free too.

My mesclun mix used to be eaten by white butterflies and their caterpillars before I could get to it but I found that cos lettuce, maybe being a sturdier leaf, seems to be left alone. Yay!

And of course our perpetual spinach plants keep our breakfast smoothies going, such a bargain for weeks if not months of spinach.

I am a total vegetable garden convert! You don't need a big area at all, and a little investment in time and money really pays off.

This is just my public service announcement for today 🤣

 

 

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I have noticed that my decluttering book is more popular at the moment, and of course, we are into a new year. I get it, because I am feeling it too!

I've been cleaning up niggly areas and hotspots, and I've also come to a 'big' (for me) revelation. And that is, it's okay to want my stuff. I don't have to declutter down to nothing, even though I love the idea of a minimalist home.

I get to do it in my way and have exactly what I want around me. It really was quite a freeing thought!

What I do get to do though, is go through all the many areas in my home and refine them. And if there is anything to donate or throw out in that process, great. If not, also great.

Using things up is one of my favourite ways to declutter. I get to enjoy what I have, and also make use of the money already spent. Reading and donating books, using my lovely body products and fragrances, lighting a candle!

It's great the have the new year’s energy to reinvigorate my desire for a clean, tidy, ‘cozy minimalist’, stylish, elegant home 😊 I keep this vision in mind and it makes even housework seem more pleasant!

xx Fiona

PS. You can find this book on Amazon here or check out my Linktree for other reading options and all my other books.

[My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission but at no extra cost to you. I appreciate it if you choose to use my links!]

Living a simple life

 

Hello chic friends!

Sometimes I feel like I don’t have much to tell you, because I live *such* a simple and quiet life.

But then I remember how much I enjoyed following blogs way back when they started which were exactly that: home-based, feminine, simple living, and quiet. So maybe I can be that person for someone else who wants to read about ‘nothing’ 😊

I really do love being at home, and living a peaceful and creative life. It’s not always easy to get out of my head though, and that’s what I think trips me up sometimes. I can overthink things, be too hard on myself, and procrastinate terribly.

I think the reason why I want to live in a simple and quiet way is because my mind can feel too busy.

Maybe you feel the same? That everything in life moves so fast and you just want to pause a minute and take a breath?

And it’s not even that my life is fast-paced, it’s just how my mind can get sometimes. To help with this, I have intentionally simplified and stripped away busy-ness over the years. We moved from the city to the country.

And I dream of open spaces, an open schedule, and having just the right amount of possessions to make me feel comfortable and cozy but not overwhelmed with clutter. I love reading about minimalism and trying out tips for myself.

One size doesn’t fit all, phew! We all get to choose the most ideal scenario for ourselves and work towards that.

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Micky dog and I have been taking early morning walks, just the two of us, about 6.30am or 7am.

It's so nice out with our mild summer weather, and I've read it's good for you to get some early morning light into your brain through your eyes so we're definitely doing that.

To the end of our road and back is about 40 minutes which I think is the perfect amount of time.

I've gone in and out of various exercise routines over the years, but the one thing I always come back to and that rarely feels like a chore is outdoor walking.

It just feels so good! And you don't need any special equipment other than a comfortable pair of shoes. I wear leggings and a tee-shirt but if I've walked later in the day I'll just wear what I’m wearing – usually jeans and a top.

The thing that makes it more fun for me is to have an audiobook on. I love listening to a good story, or an inspiring non-fiction book.

And Micky loves a good long walk (‘long’ for his little legs). Our other two dogs Daphne and Chloe are NOT fans of the long walk. They said short walks a few times a day are their preference.

[How do I know this? Could it be the constant turning back and looking longingly in the direction of our house every 20-25 steps from Daphne? (I counted). Or Chloe putting the brakes on regularly all the way down the road? She holds down well for a dog who weighs less than 5kg/ 11 lbs. Of course, once we turn back at the end of the road, they are both as speedy as racehorses heading home!]

Wouldn’t you think all dogs love a walk? It seems that 'some' (not looking at anydoggy in particular) would rather go for a walk in the car (they all love the car so much 😊).

If you have doggies, are they keen walkers? Tell me a funny story about yours, please! 😍

 

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✨ Starting the day with beauty and inspiration 🌸

 

☕️ There’s nothing like fresh flowers, a cozy cup of coffee, and the joy of seeing my book, Loving Your Epic Small Life, reminding me to embrace elegance in every moment. 💕

If you’re looking for ways to create a life you adore—full of elegance, simplicity, and meaning—this book is here to inspire you. It’s available on Kindle, paperback, and audiobook here on Amazon.

I’ve also written 20+ other books designed to inspire, encourage, and bring hope - check them all out here on Amazon, or in my eStore for an Amazon alternative.🌷

 

Wishing you a fab start to your bright and shiny new week 😊

xx Fiona

[As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. I appreciate it if you choose to use my links!]

Happy new year :)

 

Happy new year chic friends!

I hope you had a lovely Christmas day and New Year's too. For Christmas we were guests at my Aunty’s, with fifteen of us in total. It was a fun, relaxed day, and I think everyone slept well that night 😂

 

We celebrated our 'New Year's Eve' on the 1st not the 31st, since Paul worked on the 1st and had the 2nd and the 3rd off. He was one of the few at the gym on the morning of the 1st bright eyed and bushy tailed 🤣

On the 31st it was just another night for us, no drinks and an early bed-time. I wondered what all the yahooing and noise was, and it was the public fireworks display and people up the road enjoying the party!

Our 1st of January new year's eve was fun too, with champagne, nice steak, and the new Dua Lipa concert (at the Royal Albert Hall in London with the symphony orchestra) on YouTube. Life is good :)

I hope you had a wonderful new year’s no matter what day you celebrated, and whether it was at home or out!

 

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My theme for the year

 

From what I've read online, a lot of people are looking to get healthier this year, get their lives in balance, and stress less.

My thoughts are similar, I want to embody a relaxed vacation feeling year-round so something around this will be my focus.

While still getting things done, of course!

 

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I took the photo below just after 6am when I got up on a mild and summery Hawke's Bay day this week, just because the sky was so pretty. I love all the blues and greens together from the sky to the agapanthus, and the paddock and apple orchard too.

The cows in our paddock belong to our neighbours. These lady cows are so pretty, eight of them, in a speckly black and white pattern. They are very quiet, barely a peep out of them. And they were all very busy eating the grass even at this early hour. Breakfast time I guess!

 

 

It feels so fresh and new to be on the other side of Christmas, even though I enjoy all the festivities of December. I still have my Christmas tree up and will enjoy the twinkling lights for another week or so.

I’ve also been spending some time writing, which feels soooo good.

Happy new year to you, chic friend, and thank you for being here with me.

Here’s to farewelling 2024 and welcoming in 2025!

xx Fiona

Creating free fun, growing your own food, and spring sunshine

 

Hello chic friends!

 

Paul and I took advantage of his new job's roster earlier this week (he works weekdays and weekends, in various mixes) to have a picnic on the beach on a sunny Tuesday.

We planned to eat lunch at home and go for a walk along the beach, but then thought 'Why not take our lunch with us?' We had a chicken and avocado salad each, and fruit and yoghurt for afters, and a can of Coke each for a fun touch. All brought from home! It was yummier, healthier, and far less expensive than buying lunch out.

And we still had a nice time. Even though most people are at work on a Tuesday, there were people around - holidaymakers, retirees walking, and teens sunning themselves on the beach, probably exam time with days off.

 

I love making the most of where we live and creating free outings like this. I sort of count our lunch as free even though we bought the groceries :) Plus, some of the salad ingredients were free since they were grown on our property - the cos lettuce, parsley, and avocado components!

I just love living a simple, low-cost lifestyle. To me it’s as enjoyable as spending lots, and you don't need to kill yourself in a job you hate to pay for it all.

This is especially pertinent to us since Paul was made redundant from his job earlier in the year. He has now found a new job and he absolutely loves it, working at the cellar door for one of our local wineries.

He is in his element, and meets the nicest people too - a lot of overseas tourists who are interesting to chat with and hear about where they are from. Even though he is the one pouring the wine, not drinking it, he still has a blast.

Do you live near an area of natural beauty that you can take a picnic too? I didn't take photos of our picnic because it wasn't one of those staged Instagram-worthy affairs, but we did dine with cloth napkins from our plastic lunch boxes! 

 

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Just look at these beautiful roses at my mum's when I visited during the week. Her friend Ann brought them from her garden. I always love pinks/blush/pale yellow/peach shades together.
 

 

 

I took the three doggies with me which I haven't done for a while since mum adopted a new rescue cat Minnie who is about a year old.

Turns out Minnie can hold her own. She stalked the dogs and at one stage was chasing one of them around the garden. So funny 😂 I had to rescue Chloe dog from the cat!

Minnie cat was VERY happy to see me drive off with my three idiots. She much prefers a quiet, dog-free home. She even followed us out to the car to make sure we all left: 'Don't let the door hit you on the way out!' 🤣

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On a bright, sunny day I picked spinach (for smoothies) and cos lettuce for salads. I also spent some time tidying up and watering our vegetable garden.

 

 

It’s a petite space but provides us with yummy goodness 🥬🥒🫑

In addition to spinach and lettuce, there are cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and little orange bell peppers already growing but not ready yet, and yesterday I added in dwarf beans for the first time. They are long round green beans which I love. The plant grows in a small bush instead of climbing so I’m told. I can’t imagine how a tiny plant grows long beans but I will find out soon enough with any luck!

 

I am not a huge gardener, even though it is very satisfying. My ideal garden looks good but is easy-care 😁

But I do love picking fresh vegetables for our lunchtime salads. Cos lettuce is my favourite because the bugs don’t seem to eat it the same as mesclun, which I only seemed to grow for the birds and white butterflies - there was never any left for me!

I hope you’ve had a lovely week. Today it has dawned a cool, calm Sunday here and we had rain overnight. I have a relaxing day of writing, coffee, and pottering planned. Just bliss!

 

xx Fiona

 

 

PS. Check out my newest book if you haven't already!

 

 

 

Financially Chic Vol. 2 is all about living a fabulous life on little cash. Find out how to create a 'rich lady lifestyle' for yourself. Switch up your mindset to live 'beyond your means'!

 

🌺 Read it on Kindle and in paperback here on Amazon, and find the audiobook wherever you listen to your audiobooks. You can ask your local public library to order in the paperback or eAudiobook too!

🌺 eBooks and eAudiobooks are in available in my eStore here.

🌺 Listen to the audiobook free on Spotify if you have Spotify Premium.

(My Amazon links are affiliate, but it doesn't change the price for you. Thank you if you choose to use my Amazon link!)

How to live a good life

 

Hello everyone, and happy Friday from sunny Hawke's Bay. Today I thought I'd share my thoughts on what it takes to live a good life. A big topic I know!

One of the main things for me is to lower stress, and a big part of stress for many people is money.

I have, for a long time, designed my life to be low-cost, and if there are times I have spent a bit more, they are one offs. The distinction I’m making here is that I haven’t committed to big recurring payments.

So, when we bought our first home, we’d saved a decent deposit and purposely purchased a house which was at the lower end of what we could potentially afford, and we worked hard to pay it off fast.

Our car was old and paid for in cash (a 2003 Toyota Camry bought three years old and kept until 2017). When we upgraded we paid cash for our next car (a one year old SUV). And when we upgraded again (my husband worked in the car business at that time so we were offered a good deal) (a 2021 SUV that was six months old) that was paid for in cash too. We still have that one.

I just always think, the less you spend, the less you have to earn. And debt is the devil’s work to me. Even good debt. I just want to get rid of it as soon as I can, even if financial gurus tell you to ‘always have debt’. I’m sure I would be wealthier but I’d also be more stressed if I had lots of investments and lots of debt. But that just comes down to my financially conservative nature. I want to be able to sleep at night!

This is why I write my books on various topics under the one main umbrella of ‘living well without spending a lot of money’. I want to be able to live a fabulous life, one I enjoy every day, but I’ve worked out ways to do that with my mindset, being creative and savvy, and enjoying the simple things rather than relying on money.

So those are my thoughts today. I hope you find something inspiring in them 😊 And please let me know, are you similar? Do you believe a low-cost life is the secret to serenity?

~~

 

 

Thankfully I’m now fully back to myself and feel like I am zinging with energy. Even though what I probably feel is ‘normal’ before I was struck down with food poisoning and a bonus cold. I really can’t believe how good I feel, it’s fabulous!

Isn’t it incredible how you take your health for granted until you become unwell, but then the minute you are feeling better you forget all about it 😂 Maybe that’s human nature, or maybe it’s just me.

I painted my nails too – my thumb nail in the photo 😊 – and love how cheery they make me feel – a red orange colour called She’s On Fire (Revlon Ultra HD Snap, although one coat is a total lie, I always do two plus a top coat).

Incredibly enough, I always seem to chip light colours sooner. Pretty soft pale pinks don’t last a minute on me, but bright or dark colours I can almost get to a week without touchups. I don’t see the logic in that but I don’t mind, I prefer the look of red or plum on my nails anyway.

(One theory I had is that I ‘know’ I have nail polish on when I wear a bright colour, but if it’s a pale colour I can ‘forget’ and use my nails more roughly, like tools.)

I’m excited for the spring-like weather we are having, and it’s only another month until the official start of spring here in New Zealand (I’m a equinox person rather than a 1st September person – how about you?)

But I’m also excited for all the lovely autumn/fall content coming – cozy vlogs on YouTube, fashion layouts on Instagram, and new autumn-themed novels too. I get to have the best of both worlds and it’s fun to see what’s fresh and happening. I browse the bookstore, see what’s on YouTube, and scroll my fashion Instagram feed 😊

~~

This week's reader photos are from Karin in North Liberty, Iowa, USA. She wanted to share her beautiful sunset and I can see why. It is stunning! 

 

Here’s what Karin has to say:

“I'm quite of fan of sunrises and sunsets. Every evening (weather permitting), my husband and I take our Siberian Husky, Koda for a walk around the pond. He has come to expect his evening walks and he definitely lets us know when it's time to go!

I'm always amazed at how different the sunsets can be from one evening to the next. Some nights they can be quite fiery with deep reds and oranges, while other nights they can have more subdued and pastel colors. On this particular evening, the sunset was what I call a watercolor sky with pastel colors that deepened as the sun continued to set. It reminded me of a watercolor painting with translucent washes of color.

I very much enjoy reading your books. One of your first books I read was Loving Your Epic Small Life and I've read most of your books since then. I think these photos also represent the ideas in that book as well about finding the beauty and joy in your everyday life.”

 

Thank you Karin for sharing your images, and also for suggesting the matching excerpt! I love that Koda nags you for a walk if you aren’t quick enough 😊

And, it’s my pleasure to share tip no 31 from ‘100 Ways to Live a Soft, Calm Life’ with you:

:: Glory in all the beauty around you ::

“Wherever you are, take in what you see. Notice the details and pick out what delights you to focus on. It’s all too easy to see what must be done, imperfections, and things that could be better – but there will always be those things.

When you choose to bring your attention to what provides pleasure and a feeling of wellbeing, you will be a nicer person to be around, and happier within yourself. Train yourself to have this be a habit.

Practice being your own ray of sunshine and see how much better life can get.”

~~

Happy almost-weekend everyone, and I’m thrilled to announce that the audiobook for my newest title ‘100 Ways to Live a Soft, Calm Life’ is now available everywhere!

~ Audible

~ Spotify
(Where you can listen for free if you have Spotify Premium)

~ In my eStore

~ And anywhere else you get your audiobooks from
(Even your library if you get them to order it in!)


Wishing you a beautifully relaxing and calm weekend, whatever you are doing. Life is good!

 

 xx Fiona

Feminine Lifestyle Inspiration

 

Hello everyone!

 

It's been a bright sunny day here and I'm bright and sunny in my mind too.

I don't know if you can relate to this, but sometimes my mind gets into a heavy tangle and it WEIGHS ME DOWN. I've felt a bit like this recently and I wish it didn't happen, but it does.

Something I read made a lot of sense, it was about the mind needing to be still and the body active but most of us do it the other way around.

And that the answer to calm an overactive mind is to move our body, as much as we might not feel like it. That's why I always feel so good if I go for a walk, even a short one.

So many of us sit at a desk for our work that it's hard to have dedicated moving time, but hopefully we can get up and do something instead of sitting there hour after hour.

When I worked in an office in the city I'd go for a walk in my lunch break instead of staying in the office to eat my lunch. Unless it was really rainy or cold, but even then it always felt better to get out into the natural light and fresh air.

Something else that helps for me is to pump myself up on positivity when I need it - I'm putting air in my tyres when I'm feeling flat! It makes a huge difference.

If you're feeling a little tangled or flat yourself, I hope you can identify a few ways in which you can feel better.
 

~~

 

I've got some lovely reader photos to share with you this week, on living a soft, calm life to celebrate the release of my new book '100 Ways to Live a Soft, Calm Life'.

 

First up is from reader Cathleen, who lives in the Netherlands.

 

 

Here’s what Cathleen has to say:

“This is a photo from the end of September 2023 when the leaves were just starting to turn. I was out for my daily constitutional in my village here in the Netherlands. I’m a Scot who’s lived here for 40yrs and I still love how neat, tidy, super organised and well-presented everything is. I live in a village near The Hague in what’s called the province of ‘South Holland’.”

It is such a beautiful photo and looks more like artwork than 'everyday life' for people 😊 Thank you Cathleen!

~~

 

 
Now more than ever we owe it to ourselves to slow down our external and our internal worlds. No-one else is going to do it for us.

As females our nervous systems are more ‘delicate’ and we can find ourselves more easily stressed if we don’t take the initiative in calming our surroundings, sinking into a softer mindset, and soothing ourselves with enjoyable pursuits.

It is only then that we can 'pour from a full cup'.

I many of you have already read '100 Ways to Live a Soft, Calm Life' and even left a review on Amazon. I thank you so much for that! I read all my reviews and am so grateful. And if you have constructive advice for me I take that on too.

It is available on Kindle and in paperback, with the audiobook coming very soon, here on Amazon.

~~ 

 

 

 

How cute is this outdoor area? It belongs to reader Julia from St. Ann, Missouri, USA, and she sent it in to me to join our petite series on living a soft, calm life.

Her husband calls it her happy place, and Julia told me she looks forward to bringing her plants out every year and reading ‘in her happy place’.

I love it!

It makes me think of creating your own reading nook, except Julia's is in her garden. So, so lovely.

I want to share an excerpt from ‘100 Ways to Live a Soft, Calm Life’ today, which I think suits Julia’s delightful photo well.

It’s tip no. 16. from the bonus chapter ‘50 Ways to Romanticize Your Everyday’.

:: Plan a little picnic ::

“Whether it’s a carpet picnic inside, taking a rug outdoors to your lawn, or going to a public park or beach, there’s something so romantic about sitting cross-legged with a few delicious snacky foods and a delicious drink.”

Even when it’s winter like it is here in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, we can still spend some time outdoors (in between rain showers, when the sun peeks out!) I do love wintry weather but it felt like a real tonic to sit in the sun eating my lunch a few days this week.

 

 

 

~~

 

 

 

 

 

Ann-Marie in Howell, Michigan, USA sent me the gorgeous photo above, and said:

“I read in your latest email that you are inviting readers to send you pretty pictures from their soft and calm lives. I would be happy for you to share my name and location with other readers.

I'm sending a colorful picture I took recently of some beautiful peonies in full bloom. I like to take pictures of my flowers so that I can enjoy them beyond just a few days. I also like this composition because it shows some delicious fruit that we bought in peak season.

Here's to the simple life!”

 

~~

Such a lovely idea to take photos of flowers and fruit at their peak so that you can have your own little library of delights. I love it!

I picked six daffodils a few days ago, which are starting to come up in our garden. Flowers really are a gift to our soul aren’t they? 😊

~~

I’d like to share another excerpt, and it’s tip no. 37.

:: Keep up little home details that delight you ::

“Some ladies buy themselves an inexpensive bouquet of flowers each week. I go through phases of this depending on what is available and how much they cost.

But something I never fail to do in my environment is to change my hand towels daily, and my pillow slips twice a week (once when I change the sheets, and once in between changes).

Doing this creates only a miniscule amount of extra laundry but these two details bring me so much happiness I can’t say! It’s a pleasure to always dry my hands on a clean towel, and I love having fresh pillow slips more often too.

Find areas like this in your home (or borrow mine) and create a little extra luxury for yourself.”

 

~~

 

And our final photo on living a soft, calm life this week is from Leslie in British Columbia, Canada.

Leslie said:

'You continue to inspire…here is my morning view…listening to the birdsong.'

Thank you so much for sharing Leslie! I love your blue and white striped shirt and your red geraniums too ❤️💙❤️💙❤️

~~

I have to share a funny comment from my mother. She gave me a packet of rice crackers which I wasn't sure I would like, they were salted caramel flavour. I sent her a text when I tried them with cheese, saying they were very nice.

She asked what kind of cheese I had, and I said brie and colby. She was that was ideal, that they suited 'a soft, calm cheese' 😂😂😂 My mum has a good sense of humour!

I hope you're having a lovely weekend. We're watching bits and pieces of the Olympics here. Wasn't the opening ceremony wonderful? So fun to see beautiful Paris, and Celine Dion was amazing.
 

xx Fiona

 

PS. My Amazon links are 'affiliate' which means I may earn a small commission from items that you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. I appreciate it if you choose to use my links!