Chic style on a budget, and a new interview

 

Hello chic friends!

Paul and I went to a special event last weekend: a gorgeous local winery called Craggy Range's 'Deep Purple' annual wine club day.

Thankfully it was a beautiful day for all the people who travelled from out of town to attend.

Strolling among the vines, glass of wine in hand was a very pleasant way to spend the afternoon!

Of course, I wouldn't be found holding a glass of wine at 11am every Saturday, but once a year is okay, surely?

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I am thrilled to share with you a podcast interview I recorded, with the delightful Jessica DeBry on her inspiring ‘The Author Entrepreneur Podcast’. You can listen to it here or wherever you listen to your podcasts by searching for my name 'fiona ferris'.

 

 

I had such a great conversation with Jessica. She has a beautiful way of interviewing, and I didn’t even feel ‘that’ nervous 😊 Because it is nerve-wracking talking on a podcast, or maybe it’s just me!

I hope you enjoy our chat, and it’s especially for you if you’ve ever dreamed of writing a book. Please let me know what you think of it once you’ve had a listen!

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I am currently re-recording the audiobook of ‘100 Ways to be That Girl’ myself due to overwhelming feedback that very few listeners actually enjoyed the narrator I chose. This was when I was just starting out in audiobooks and thought a professional narrator would be the best choice.

 

 

I chose her from a small group I’d selected, and she wasn’t cheap either (fair enough too, I was happy to pay, but it turns out you’d rather hear me narrate my books). Oh well, lesson learned! But I wanted to let you know a new version is on its way 😊

 

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This week I’m up to my final reader question for the Q&A series to celebrate the release of my newest book ‘Financially Chic Vol. 2’.

“My question is about looking chic without spending a fortune. I do love the idea of a circular economy but I don’t actually enjoy looking at the thrift stores. In the area where I live there are several stores, but the clothes are not my taste. I would like some suggestions on how to dress in a stylish manner without having to resort to a whole new wardrobe.”

I am also not someone who enjoys thrifting clothes. When I was younger I did, and I also bought thrifted fabric (even curtains!) to sew my own clothes with.

I also like to dress well without spending a lot of money. My favourite way to do this is by the classic high-low mix where you combine less expensive pieces with costlier pieces. Even my ‘costly’ clothing pieces aren’t expensive though. Where I do like to spend a little more money is on a bag or pair of sunglasses, but even then, one of my favourite pairs of sunglasses cost $15.

I think it’s about how you put outfits together more than the price of them, and also how you groom yourself, your posture, and confidence too (real or acting-as-if). When I take the time to blow-dry my hair and paint my nails (both these things cost nothing, only a little time), I feel amazing, and I do think it makes what I’m wearing look better.

I would always shop my own closet first, browsing Pinterest for ideas, or even just thinking ‘What would my capsule collection look like if I made one from my closet?’ In addition, when I clear out even a few pieces that bring me down (bad colour on me, uncomfortable fabric etc), the other pieces left in there look better.

Sometimes I’ll take everything out of my wardrobe and have just my chic and simple capsule collection hanging. It looks like a boutique! And makes the clothes I’ve used look more appealing.

I hope this has been helpful, and I also hope you have enjoyed this little Q&A series! And please feel free to add your tips if you have something to say 😊

xx Fiona

You can read Financially Chic Vol. 2 at my affiliate Amazon link here.

 

Watch my interview - live today for 24 hours!

Hello chic friends!

 

Just a quick note to let you know that today's the day my interview it up! It will only be live for 24 hours, so if you're interested, take a look today :)

You can view it here:

Watch Fiona's interview on the Emerge Stronger Summit

 

I really hope you enjoy it! It was fun to speak with Raissa :)

xx Fiona

Join me for an inspiring interview next week

 

Dear chic friends,

I'm so excited to share that I will be participating in ‘The 21 Ways to Emerge Stronger Summit’ next week!

I will be interviewed by the lovely Raissa where we discuss how to achieve success and breakthroughs after a divorce or a heartbreak. This is a topic I am passionate about having found myself unexpectedly divorced from my first husband at age 29.

This FREE event brings together 21 incredible women (myself included!) sharing our stories and strategies for on how to move forward and thrive after major life transitions.

It’s completely online, so you can join us from anywhere in the world.

I hope you’ll join Raissa and me for what promises to be a jam-packed conversation!

The summit runs from Monday, October 7th to Thursday, October 17th. Book your free spot here.

 

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Shoutout to my homemade coaster!

 

My sister was lucky enough to travel to NYC recently, and brought me back a pack of Ralph's cold brew coffee! Such a nice treat, and fun to taste something from so far away.

I made an iced coffee with homemade cold foam. The cold foam was so so, I'd probably just use pouring cream next time.

I'm still a novice when it comes to making iced coffees at home, but I'm willing to practice and learn! I have a whole summer coming up in which to do so :)

Creating a nice coffee experience for myself at home (usually without tres pricey flown-in Ralph Lauren coffee!!) is one of the ways in which I live my 'rich lady lifestyle'.

What comes to mind when you think of a rich lady lifestyle?

For me it's time to do what I want, pampering myself, exercising for the sheer pleasure and enjoyment of it, dressing up in my nice clothes, doing my nails, blow-drying my hair, reading a book, going out for lunch, browsing the shops, getting together for afternoon tea.

My twist is that my rich lady is savvy with her money. She creates a fabulous and ‘rich’ lifestyle without spending a lot at all.

My latest book ‘Financially Chic Vol 2' came out on Monday, and you will see that this concept features in it :)

If you would like to create your own rich lady lifestyle, go and get a copy today, on Kindle and in paperback (with the audiobook coming soon), here on my Amazon affiliate link.

Wishing you a fab weekend! It’s a rainy, chilly Friday afternoon here and I’m snuggled up at home, typing away, dreaming up my next book! I hope you are enjoying Financially Chic Vol 2 if you are reading it 😊

xx Fiona

A new podcast interview :)

 

Dear chic friends,

 

I was lucky enough to be the first guest on this lovely new podcast called 'Pockets of Joy' with Niamh O'Connell.

You can watch it on YouTube (click below), or find wherever you listen to your podcasts.

It was such a fun chat, I really enjoyed it. Thank you Niamh for having me on your new show!

 

 

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Last Monday was such a mild, breezy day it's hard to believe we're into winter now. I went for a lovely long walk without the doggies. It was all about me-me-me (and they'd already been for two walks that day 😊).

I got to stride it out (in a relaxed manner of course), listening to a podcast with my new excellent bluetooth headband from Aliexpress. Best $5 I've spent I think!

It's better than my airpods for walking too, because I can hear everything even if it's windy.

I love walking outside so much. It's good for the soul with the fresh air, nature, and vitamin D. Life is good!

Do you love walking outdoors too? It's such an antidote to being inside 😊

(This is the headband I bought here if you are interested! It charged up quickly and has lasted two 40-minute walks so far on one charge. And it only took about a week to be delivered. Amazing!)

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I finished this jigsaw puzzle and I honestly didn't think I could! It's the prettiest picture and colours, set in Provence. That's why I chose it, but I didn't look at the wash of colour in the foreground. It was a difficult one for sure, but I picked away at it and put bits in now and then, and now it's finished!

(This puzzle was a thrifted one in quite an old looking box, and I was worried it would have a piece missing but all 500 pieces were there. Hoorah! The first thrifted puzzle I did was missing a piece right in the middle. Boo! It's a roll of the dice for sure 🤣)

I think puzzles are a great way to approach life too. There are goals we want to achieve that we think we'll never arrive at, but if we just keep doing a little bit each day and re-remember what we want, we'll get there. Sometimes it's the remembering what I want that's hardest. I have goal amnesia all the time!

I feel a bit the same about my audiobooks as I do about jigsaw puzzles haha. I'm recording them one at a time, and because there is no ordering data readily available I have no idea if anyone is even listening to them! But I just keep on going, finish one book and go onto the next. I know people definitely can't listen to them if they don't exist, so I make them exist.

The most recent of my audiobooks to be released is here on Amazon or in my eStore.

'Thirty More Chic Days' is about creating an inspired mindset for a magical life. There really is something wonderful that can be brought to life when you combine practical actions with a positive and optimistic state of mind.

I love to pump myself up mentally and emotionally if I'm feeling flat, and taking action in my surroundings or with myself at the same time. It is indeed almost magical when you can feel more activated and happy within a relatively short time.

You can listen to this audiobook wherever you usually get your audiobooks, and you can even ask your library to order it in and listen for free!

And in select countries where it is available, you can listen for free on Spotify Premium too.

I hope you have a great weekend!

xx Fiona

(My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. I’m grateful if you choose to use my link!)

My newest interview, and teddy bear handcrafts

 

 Hello chic friends,

I'm thrilled to share my latest interview with you, available now on YouTube or you can watch it below :)

The delightful Daniela Acitelli interviewed me and we had such a fun hour chatting.

I had a fabulous time with her – she is a great interviewer. I hope you enjoy it too!

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We had a bright moon last Saturday night, with ribbon-like clouds adding to the beauty.

Plus, fairy lights in the trees of course. I love restocking at Christmas and enjoying them all year round.

Such a magical evening view it was!

I like nothing better than a Saturday night at home, just the two of us with a lovely dinner and wine to go with it.

And jazz on the stereo too. Bliss ❤️

~~

I love doing little handcrafty projects but don't often have the opportunity.

My Aunty's childhood bear Edward (who is more than seventy years old) needed teddy bear surgery after their miniature dachshund puppy savaged Edward's face...

It was such a fun project, and even though he looks different than he did, he now has a sweet face again.

You can see through the photos how he progressed from all his stuffing hanging out, to a stitched up face, to a new facelift.

I googled 'how to stitch a teddy bear nose, and other equally cute phrases. He also needed an ear and one paw mended ❤️

I like to use what I have so the fabric, and button eyes were in my small stash of bits and pieces.

I knitted his jersey back in the eighties from leftover yarn that I'd made my own bat-wing 'house jersey' from. It's such fun to use what you have.

Handcrafts bring happy memories!

 

(Edward is quite bare as my Aunty plucked him as a child 😂)

And he is so old and fragile that you have to support his neck like a newborn 😭

I hope you enjoyed Edward's story today!

Do you have an old toy? I have 'Susie Doll' from the early 1970s. And my Daisy doll from a little later, maybe the early eighties.

xx Fiona

My latest podcast interview!

 

Greetings from springtime in New Zealand! Can you see my herb planter box behind me? It's doing so well with mint, thyme, coriander, parsley, rosemary, oregano and spring onions.

And in another raised garden around the back of our house I've just planted two types of tomato, cucumber, courgette/zucchini, broccolini and perpetual spinach. Wish me luck!

I've given up on mesclun and lettuce even though they grow really easily from seed, because before too long they are covered in caterpillars eating them :( I've tried covers and netting but they still get in, and I don't want to use slug bait.

If you have any magic tricks to protect lettuce, please let me know your secrets! My sister suggested cos lettuce which I will try. Apparently the bugs hide less easily... Added bonus that it's my favourite kind of lettuce!

 

 

 

And I'm so thrilled to let you know that my second interview with the lovely Annemarie Stolting is out now on her fabulous 'Let's Slow Down' podcast.

We had such a fun chat about living a chic and simple life and how it's possible even during the holiday season. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

You can find it at any of your usual podcast places, and you can also watch it on my YouTube channel below:

 

 

Or listen to/download the audio from Soundcloud here.

 

Plus you can enter Annemarie's holiday giveaway to win a copy of my book, 'A Chic and Simple Christmas'.

Happy listening!

Beautiful peonies at my mum's house

 

 

I don't get out much (by choice!), so I thought I'd change that yesterday. It was a lovely day so I took myself on a solo date to view Christmassy stores in Napier, browse the Black Friday sales, and have a Gingerbread Latte too. It was actually really nice, not too sweet. I was only in town for an hour but it was a fun little jaunt, and I did some errands too. Yay for me!

 

 

If you are a Starbucks fan, please let me know your favourite holiday drink. I might try another one soon :)

 

 xx Fiona

PS. ALL of my books are on sale for my once-a-year November sale, you can find them at my Amazon link here.

~~ Kindle and paperbacks are both included in the sale ~~

 

All Kindle books are $3.99 and paperbacks are reduced a decent amount too (they vary in price due to page length).

Or for an Amazon alternative, all my eBooks are in my eStore here.

My 20+ books are on various topics, but all come under the umbrella of living a beautiful life without spending a ton of money. They are a blend of cultivating a fabulous mindset, and of elevating our daily life and surroundings with luxurious touches. Plus, everything has to be fun and easy, because why would we want to do it any other way?

I hope you enjoy the sale, and if you have any friends that you think might like my books, please share this post with them!

(My Amazon link is affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Thank you if you choose to use my links!)

Where I spent my birthday!

 

Hello chic friends, it was my birthday this past week (and my husband Paul's too - we have the same birthday one year apart :)

 

Guess where we spent our birthday? In prison! Only for a little while though.

We had friends staying for the long weekend and we all took a tour of the historic Napier Prison. It was so interesting.

And thankfully they let us out too!

52 and 53!

 

Hello from beautiful Hawke's Bay in the spring! This is the view from the paddock looking up to our home. If you look closely you can see our new outdoor area's roof.

It's lovely to have a paddock and walk the dogs off-leash in their own private 'park'. Just make sure to dodge the cow pats!

This week I did a second interview with the delightful Annemarie Stolting, for her podcast Let's Slow Down. Annemarie is such a great interviewer with great questions and comments.

The episode should be released next month and I can't wait for you to hear it. We had such a fun time chatting. I think I may have spoken really fast in my excitement so I really hope you can understand my Kiwi accent easily! LOL!

In the episode we discuss how to feel calm and peaceful during the holiday season, my morning routine, how I became a self-published work-from-home author, and lots of other fun bits and pieces.

You can listen to our first episode together here.

The book we discussed in next month's episode: 'A Chic and Simple Christmas' is still on special for a few more days - it will go back to its normal price on Monday, so if you don't already have it this is your chance to get it at a discounted price.

 

 

The Kindle and paperback versions are both reduced on Amazon at my affiliate link.

And for an Amazon alternative the eBook is in my eStore.

 

 

And finally, it's me again. I forgot to post this when I went to see the Barbie movie! I know it's old news now, but what did you think? I enjoyed the fun parts of it and the inside jokes. I loved Ken and Barbie, and all the other Barbies, and how Ken's job was 'beach' :)

But I also thought it was a missed opportunity because it felt a little weird. Like it was just a ton of scenes glued together (I know that's what a movie is, but, you know ;). It could have had more heart I think.

Still, I'm glad I went got to see it. Whenever I go to the movies I always think how good it is and that I'm going to do it more often and then it's another 3-4 months until I go again :)

What good is coming up? Have you been lately and what would you recommend? And what did you think of Barbie? If you can remember back that far!

 

Enjoy the rest of your week, it's the weekend here! Friday night - yahoo!

xx Fiona

 

 

 

Luxury living on a budget + watch my latest interview!

In the club lounge at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland

 

One of my favourite budget-friendly things to do is stay the night in a fancy hotel. But hear me out!

I know it's not 'free' or even super-cheap, but it feels soooo good and so high-vibe to do this, and for me it replaces a proper vacation so it really is a saving :)

I get to dress up, mingle in lovely public areas, and generally live a fabulous city life for 24 hours.

We used to do this several times a year when we had our retail store in Auckland and didn't have time to go on holiday.

These days now that we don't live in Auckland we don't go nearly as often, but it's still nice to do every once in a while.

Are you a staycation kind of person? Are you happy to stay in a hotel in your own town?

The great thing about doing this is that you can stalk their website for special offers since you can stay any time.

Or if you don't do this, let me know your favourite way to feel 'rich' and luxurious without spending a ton.

 

 

My brother gifted me this birds art print and I was excited to rejig one of my gallery walls with it. It adds a touch of modern/sexy/wow-factor to my 'Ralph Lauren on a Budget' home style. So happy with how it turned out!

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And I am thrilled to share with you an interview I did last week with the delightful Cathy Anderson.

Cathy has started a new podcast called 'Mortgage-Free Diaries' and I was her first guest. I felt honoured!

We talk about all things money including the ways in which my husband and I paid off our mortgage quickly - in just 4.5 years.

This video is not financial advice, it's just how I look at money and how I made it fun for myself to put money onto our home loan rather than spend it.

 

 

 

I do hope you are inspired by this video, because I believe being debt-free is one of the biggest gifts we can give ourselves. As one of my financial mentors said, whom I mention in the video, 'When don't have debt you have more options.'

You can watch it above, or on YouTube here.

And to listen to the audio only (plus download the audio file if you want) on SoundCloud here.

I hope you enjoy the show, and thanks so much Cathy for having me on!

xx Fiona

PS. If you haven't seen my latest book yet it is here at my affiliate link on Amazon, available in paperback and on Kindle!

 

PS. Cathy has a great Instagram account here. I love her tips and ideas towards being financially savvy. And she has a website too.

PPS. The two books mentioned by Cathy from our interview are these (click on the images to see them on Amazon, also available on Kindle and in paperback):

 

 

 

(My Amazon links are affiliate, which means that I may receive a small commission on anything you purchase through my link. The price you pay isn't any different, so thank you if you choose to use my links :)

New interview, and 'introducing myself' :)

 

Hello chic friends!

 

:: NEW INTERVIEW ::

I am excited to share with you a fabulous new podcast called ‘Let’s Slow Down’ by the lovely Annemarie Stolting @letsslowdown2023.
 

It was my absolute privilege to be interviewed by Annemarie recently and the episode was released yesterday!

You can listen to our interview here.

And here’s Annemarie's linktree for other listening options.

 

I hope you enjoy it!

(My book referenced by Annemarie is 'The Peaceful Life' and is available here on Amazon.

 

 

 

 

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And for my new followers and readers, I thought I’d introduce myself as I haven’t done so in a little while. I love it when people online do this because I’m really curious about how other people live, and maybe you are too. So here's me!

My name is Fiona, and I’m 52. I live with my husband Paul and our three dogs and one cat. I know that’s a lot of pets. Which actually reminds me of a funny faux pas I fell into a few months ago. I was chatting with someone I know through visiting their business quite often, plus they are a friend of a friend (it’s a small town where I live). Anyway, they asked how many dogs I had when I mentioned them, and I said ‘three, I’m one of those people with too many dogs. Two is okay, three is getting into crazy dog person territory’. He replied, ‘We have three dogs’. *awkward silent moment*

(In my defence I used to only have two dogs before my brother moved overseas three months ago and I ‘acquired’ his dog. I am such a good sister.)

So, anyway, we live in Hawke’s Bay, which as I said is quite small (around 180,000 people I believe). Hawke’s Bay is on the east coast of New Zealand’s north island. We are usually very sunny (just not this summer where it’s been rain, rain, rain) and grow lots of apples and grapes as well as other fruits plus vegetables.

 

 

Beautiful light at sun down - one of our unicorn non-rainy days

 

Paul and I live ‘just’ out in the country, not proper country but town-country, only seven minutes away from civilisation. And I get to stay at home and write books! It’s my dream career and something I only ever dreamed of when I worked in an office. I just love being creative and I’m a homebody too, and it wasn’t until I had the guts to self-publish the books I love to write that I created this reality. You never know what’s possible until you try.

My days are spent writing, walking the dogs, reading, keeping my house nice (I am an aspiring minimalist but for the moment will just settle for ‘decluttered’ and ‘in progress’), creating new inspiration, and being a happy home-based introvert.

If you are new here, so happy to meet you :) And, please feel free to introduce yourself. I’d love to know your name, where you are from, ‘vintage’, hobbies, pets, family, anything you’d like to share!

xx Fiona

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(My Amazon links are affiliate, and via Amazon Smile which donates money to the ASPCA. The price you pay isn't any different, so thank you if you choose to use my links!)