My latest read, lunch at home, and cultivating star quality

 

Hello chic friends!

 

We had a short week this week with last weekend being a long one. Monday was a public holiday, yay!

We spent the weekend keeping low-key and relaxing and it was wonderful. On Sunday night Paul and I rewatched the movie Notting Hill for the millionth time and it was so good. I don't know if I watched it more 'properly' this time, but there were bits in it I hadn't seen before!

I find it so soothing to re-watch favourite movies, and re-read favourite books. It's all about the feeling I get from them, and Notting Hill is extra comforting. And the soundtrack is great too. I used to have the CD and almost wore it out. Now of course anything is available on Spotify.

Crazily, I could not find Notting Hill on any of our streaming services (and we subscribe to most of them), so luckily I could dig out our trusty DVD copy.

What is your favourite comfort movie? Lots of mine come from the 1990s; it really was the golden era of romantic comedies. Or maybe it's because I was in my twenties in the nineties. One of the two :)

 

 

 

The side table next to me always makes me smile! It has all the essentials for a happy time (for a homebody introvert at least :) - a good book, pretty scented candle, hand cream and lip balm, a cheery winter cyclamen, and a hot drink to sip.

I just finished Nicky Pellegrino's latest book and it was lovely. She writes with such detail and the words she chooses are lovely. Would recommend! (here on Amazon)

And of course I had to slip a few of my own books into the photo because, why not? 😅

 

 

They have ratings on Amazon of 4.7 and 4.8 out of 5 respectively. Thank you, I appreciate it so much!

 

 

 

 

Throwback to our little hotel mini-break in Auckland. I got used to having staff in only a few short days! Life can be so cruel when I have to make my own food and pour my own drink :)

 

First world problems I know!

 

Below is a homemade lunch in my office yesterday. Not as fancy as a five-star hotel but it was yummy, healthy, and far, far cheaper :)

 

 

 

 

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This is our cleaned up paddock - the silt from the flood has all been cleared away and now it looks like a driveway.

But grass seed has been planted and within a few weeks it will be green again.

 

 

Can you spot three doggies in this photo? They love their paddock walks.

 

And even though it's been beautiful autumn weather in recent weeks, today is very wet and wintry.

When it’s cold and rainy outside and all you want to do is curl up on the sofa with the fire going!
((((( Little Chloe dog )))))

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One of my favourite chapters to write in Thirty More Chic Days was Day 25. ‘Cultivate your own star quality’.

The message is to own your uniqueness and ‘enrich your life by elevating your existence to that of the highest calibre’. (How juicy does that sound!)

You don’t have to change anything about yourself; you simply have to allow yourself to shine. No one can bestow confidence on you - you have to claim it for yourself. If you believe it, you’ve got it, it’s as simple as that.

 

Imagine doing everything from a complete state of confidence that it would turn out well. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

I have always loved the saying ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’, which I take to mean that anything we do to improve ourselves or our surroundings will inevitably spill over and increase the standards of many other areas in our lives too. You can feel encouraged to do even one small thing, knowing that it is for your ultimate betterment.

Just a little pep talk and chapter share for you today if you need it.

If you’ve read this book, please let me know your favourite chapter!

 

xx Fiona

 

 

A city mini-break, my book's birthday, and will YOU write a book?

 

Hello chic friends!

 

We had a quick little mini-break last week, spending two nights in Auckland to see family before my husband Paul started his new job on Monday. It was so nice to dress up (my version of dressing up, hehe) and be fancy in the big city.

And, equally nice to be back home with the doggies and Nina cat. We then had neighbours around for dinner on Saturday night which was fun. I didn't get to bed until 1.30am and had to have a big sleep-in on Sunday! Not tons of wine (but enough!) thank goodness but I was still tired when I rose at 11.30am. Oh dear!

It was the total opposite of my normal preferred sleep time of bed 9-10pm and up at 6am. I was so happy to be in bed the next night at a good time and up bright and early in the morning. It's been quite some time since I went to bed that late!

And I've had such a great week so far. I am working on my newest book and have tons of ideas for each chapter, yay! It's so fun to get the idea for a book, brainstorm all the details and everything I can think of, start putting chapters together and then working on it until it's finished. Then editing and proofreading, then releasing.

I already designed the cover when I got the idea, so it's the wallpaper on my desktop computer. It's such a pretty cover and I'm in love with the topic. I can't wait for you to see it when I've finished!

 

 

 

How cute are the three little dog jackets on our coat hook by the front door? We had our first cold enough morning walk to warrant them the other day, with chilly almost-freezing temperatures.

Daphne and Chloe looked fetching in their hot pink fleece tops, and Micky was dapper in his waterproof jacket with tartan detail.

Above them hangs my family tartan too, which suits our 'Ralph Lauren on a budget' decor style perfectly!

 

 

 

I caught this beautiful autumn sunset around 5pm with brilliant blue but slightly threatening stormy sky (we had 7 drops of rain :)

And note the big digger in our paddock below, clearing the silt left behind after the cyclone floods.

Nature moves on and we just have to catch up. It’s all we can do!

 

 

 

And in a few weeks it will be this book's seventh birthday. I could never have imagined what would happen as a result of publishing 'Thirty Chic Days' in June 2016.

Even though I published other titles before this book, I consider it my 'first' book, because it had been written for years. I just never had the guts to do anything with it!

But I'm so glad I did, yes because I have now had the opportunity to share 19 other books that landed on my heart to write, but also because it was very uncomfortable to keep pushing that book down!

'Thirty Chic Days' was printed out and lived in a drawer, and I'd bring it out every now and then to read. I really really wanted to be an author but also it was scary. Where would I go to publish it? Who would read it? Would I get bad reviews? Would people laugh at me?

The answers I have found out?

- Amazon
- You lovely people
- Yes
- Probably!

But guess what, nothing properly bad happened, in fact more good than bad was the result of listening to my inner urging to 'just do it'.

Let me know if you too have always wanted to write a book. Or if you've already written it or know what you want to write. I am your message today to say that it can be done. You can write a book and be a published author.

I have a couple of different resources if you want to make 2023 the year you write your book:

'The Chic Author': This book covers everything I have done to write and self-publish my books, and comes from both a practical angle and a mindset angle. You can find the book on Kindle and in paperback here on Amazon. And in my eStore (eBook only) for an alternative to Amazon.

 

'Create your dream life as a successful author' eCourse: If you wish to go further, and really immerse yourself in a six-week home study course. I created it in 2018 and it covers every detail of how I got started (including many of the finer points which I've probably forgotten about today because I do them automatically). Details in my eStore here.

 

 

 

If you too are aware that you're pushing your book down, this is your sign to give it up. Release the resistance. Let your book out!

 

Have a great week :)

 

xx Fiona

 

 

Newest book out now

 100 Ways to be That Girl - No. 1 Bestseller!

 

 

 

 

PS. My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission when you order something, at no extra cost to you. I appreciate it if you choose to use my links :) Thank you!

What I wore to lunch, fresh herbs, and more naughty doggies!

Lunch out with my darling this past week :)

 

Hello chic friends!

 

I was given a fancy bottle of gin as a gift from a friend recently, and the tin it came in is a plastic lined planter box to ‘grow your own garnish’. So cute!

I like having herbs to hand as well as outside, so I started with parsley and went out to find three others for a lush and useful display.

 

 

 

I shouted myself some new herb plants and thought I needed four in total to fill my new little planter tin. But... it only fits three. So now I have an extra just sittin’ out there to the side.

I suppose I’ll have to plant one in the garden straight away! #firstworldproblem

For my new herbs I chose chives, rosemary and coriander (cilantro), and I already had curly parsley. Basil was out of stock sadly.

 

 

And the greenery looks so pretty on my countertop too!

 

 

What happens to a nicely made bed when you have a Daphne dog in the house...

 

I have a little heater under my writing desk to keep my ankles warm in the autumn and winter.

Sometimes it feels like it’s been switched off, except I know it hasn’t. When I look to see what has happened, 100% of the time it’s because a small dog has shifted - from their plush bed - in front of the heater to soak up some of the goodness for themselves.

 

 

They’re not silly. Really, it’s like the sun disappearing behind a cloud.

Here Chloe dog is having a snack and enjoying a warm glow at my expense. She said life can’t get much better at times like this :)

 

~~

 

And in other news, Amazon advised me this week that printing costs are going up - like everything it seems! The price increase will happen next month, on the 20th of June. I thought it was nice of them to give me advance notice, so I'm passing it on to you!

If there are any paperbacks you've been meaning to order, perhaps do so before the price rise. I'm not sure how much the increase will be, they didn't say, and it will certainly vary per book due to their differing sizes.

I know many of you prefer print copies to read and I get it. Even though I love my Kindle, there really is something about a book you can hold, open to a certain page, and pick up easily. The covers are more appealing too than on a screen. In fact, I’ve been reading more paper books lately and my Kindle is feeling a little left out – poor neglected Kindle!

 

You can see all my books here at my Amazon affiliate link, where each title is available on Kindle or in paperback:

Happy reading if you decide to order yourself some paperbacks, and I wish you a wonderful weekend! It's a pristine autumn day here, just beautiful. Chilly, but beautiful :)

 

xx Fiona

 

 

 

 

 

PS. My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission when you order something, at no extra cost to you. I appreciate it if you choose to use my links :) Thank you!

Mothers Day Lunch and a 'That Girl' excerpt

 

We had a lovely Mother’s Day celebration on Sunday. There were seven of us here for lunch and it was a beautiful autumn day - sunny but chilly in the shade.

 

 

We started with drinks outside in our new patio area, and ate inside. Slow- cooked roast lamb on the fire and feijoa and rhubarb crumble for afters were served. Both the rhubarb and feijoas were from our garden.

 

 

It was such a nice relaxed day. I hope you enjoyed a lovely Sunday too whether you mark Mother's Day or not.

~~

 

Toot toot! Tooting my own horn here :)

I'm just so happy to see my newest book doing well! Thanks to everyone who has ordered it and reviewed it too. My true wish is that you enjoy '100 Ways to be That Girl' and get loads of value from it.

Just for fun, I'm going to share one of my favourite parts of the book. I love all the tips but some I LOVE. Here’s one of them:

~~

No. 24
Be your own best friend

That girl doesn’t put herself down or make self-deprecating remarks. But neither is she stuck up or over-confident. She simply endeavours to be a best friend to herself: a cheerleader, coach, and someone who can be counted on to provide a needed pep talk. She knows she is only human, so while she expects a lot from herself, she is also forgiving. What this looks like in my life is that I make time to rest and play, as well as do my work. I’m kind to myself most of the time. I know I can’t be expected to be perfect and sometimes I’ll just say something really dumb. I did this yesterday and stewed on it all day, but today I’ve let it go. A best friend would do that for me!

~~

If you needed to hear this, I’m glad to help :)

And please, if you are reading ‘100 Ways to be That Girl’, let me know your favourite tip so far!

 

~~

 

 

I had an email from Amazon this week advising that printing costs are going up - like everything I suppose! The price increase will happen next month, on the 20th of June. I thought it was nice of them to give me advance notice, so I'm passing it on to you.

If there are any paperbacks you've been meaning to order, perhaps do so before the price rise. I'm not sure how much the increase will be, they didn't say, and it will certainly vary per book due to their differing sizes.

I know many of you prefer print copies to read and I get it. Even though I love my Kindle, there really is something about a book you can hold, open to a certain page, and pick up easily. The covers are more appealing too than on a screen. In fact, I’ve been reading more paper books lately and my Kindle is feeling a little left out – poor neglected Kindle!

You can see all my books here on Amazon, where each title is available on Kindle or in paperback.

Happy reading if you decide to order yourself some paperbacks. Wishing you a lovely week and I'll see you next Thursday!

 

xx Fiona

 

 

 

 PS. My Amazon links are affiliate, which means I may earn a small commission when you order something, at no extra cost to you. I appreciate it if you choose to use my links :) Thank you!

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!

~~

 

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 Book out! 100 Ways to be That Girl :)

 

Hello chic friends,

I am excited to let you know about my newest book that has just been published!

100 Ways to be That Girl is all about standing out from the crowd and harnessing the power of how ‘she’ would be, to instantly:

- Become unforgettable
- Feel happier and more confident
- Stop worrying about what others think of you
- Power ahead in your own life
- Feel unshakeable

That girl is who everyone wants to be. She has it all going on! Others wonder how she does it so well. In this book I’ll share all her secrets.

That girl is our alter ego, the one who has more fun, makes more money, and is better looking. Just for fun, let’s cultivate our that girl persona and see how fabulous life can get.

Age or body size are no barrier to creating our dream life, with the help of our inner that girl. We are going to be that girl in our own life, the leading lady in our own movie!

It was so fun to write this book. I got to be a little over the top, but as usual with my writing, it is also grounded in reality. It always pays to have the best of both worlds I believe!

You can find it on Kindle and in paperback here at my affiliate Amazon link.

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

I do hope you enjoy this book, and that it gives you a fun little boost for the weekend!

Happy reading!

xx Fiona

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 :)

The healthy, happy homebody

Don't you think they look like proper bought ones? So fancy.

 

Hello chic friends,

 

I made my own bistro boxes this week! I’ve been wanting to do it for ages and finally gave in and bought myself a set of containers. It was only $10 for 8 from Kmart but I didn’t want to add more plastic to my life on a whim.

But I’m glad I bought them and know I will keep and use them for a long time.

I made four for the week and it’s so nice to get one out for lunch. I added hummus and rice crackers separately before dining. It felt like lots of food because of all the variety and took me ages to eat too.

 

Would recommend if you take your lunch to work, or work from home and can’t get excited about making a healthy lunch when you are already hungry :)

 

 

 

You can see that I have always been a homebody in this #throwback photo. My dad will have built the playhouse for us. I'm wondering if that is my foot out the bottom? Or if it had a floor? Mum will know :)

 

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Daphne dog is much better too. Our vet lives up the road and is such a star. My husband Paul and I were walking the doggies on the weekend, and it was the first day I'd let Daphne join us. I felt she was up to it and wouldn't damage her stitches.

So at the same time along drives our vet and he pulled over to see how Daphne was. He decided her dressing could come off but then thought that it would be better recovered, so opened up his truck right there and then on the side of the road and redressed her leg for her.

He is officially an equine vet so only had horse-sized bandages on board. He made it work though!

Isn't that the kindest and most amazing service? So Daphne left home with an old bandage and came home with a bright shiny new one and a vet-check too.

She could have had an Elizabethan collar instead of a bandage but he thought she probably couldn't keep it on, as she is a distinctive shape... Her head is quite small, she has a thick neck and an even thicker body...

So another bandage it was! But I'm taking her to get her stitches out today. She will be soooo happy to have them gone. And thrilled to get an exclusive car ride too. I will leave the other two doggies at home. They'll be grumpy about that.

 

 

With all our rainy weather lately, I feel like we earned this double rainbow, and it even came out on camera. Hopefully it signifies better times ahead for everyone!

It’s Thursday here, almost the weekend. Time to kick your heels up! Although my preferred way to do this is at home in the peace and quiet. And I might even sneak in some coronation viewing too.

However you celebrate the weekend I hope it’s a good one!

 

xx Fiona

 

 

PS. Maybe indulge in a little pampering and self-care? Take some time for yourself? On Kindle and in paperback here on Amazon :)

 

 

 

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 is the same.