My interview series continues with the delightful Shannon Ables from the wildly popular Simply Luxurious Life blog. Shannon and I met four years ago when I was a guest on her podcast series. She has always been such a wonderful supporter of the Madame Chic books.



Since our podcast interview, Shannon published her first book, Choosing the Simply Luxurious Life and in today's interview we discuss her second book, Living the Simply Luxurious Life, which was just released this week!




Shannon and I discuss her new book, the world of blogging, challenging cultural norms, finances, productivity, signature style, and so much more.

I hope you enjoy today's interview.

The book on productivity (whose title eluded me during the interview) was Deep Work by Cal Newport.



I thoroughly enjoyed my chat with Shannon and I hope you enjoy today's video.

News


📍Visit my Teespring store to see pretty Daily Connoisseur mugs and tote bags, which make a great holiday gift for fans of The Daily Connoisseur.

📍Check out my affordable eCourses, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living and Create Your Own Ten-Item Wardrobe.

📍The Mrs. Meyer's holiday-scented cleaning products are in! My favorite is Iowa Pine, but Peppermint and Orange Clove are lovely too.

On Instagram
At Home with Madame Chic is now available in Vietnam. Thank you to my Vietnamese readers who are sharing their books on social media. Use the hashtag #jenniferlscott or #MADAMECHIC so I can find your photos online. You are appreciated!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bloom Books - Cảm hứng sống (@bloombooks_camhungsong) on Nov 7, 2018 at 6:03pm PST

Comment of the Week
Yesterday's Natural Home with Jennifer reviewed the Bend Soap natural deodorant. Carrie J. writes, "Ever since your review this summer I have used these products; they are fabulous. I have given 2 baskets for birthdays and I'm gifting more baskets for Christmas. Thank you Jennifer, and thanks to Bend Soap Co. for their outstanding products."

Hi Carrie, I'm so happy you loved the Bend Soap review. I am giving their baskets for Christmas too. They make the perfect gift!


Thank you for joining me for today's interview. I'd love to hear all of your thoughts on the topics discussed. Your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on The Daily Connoisseur.


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It's Bend Soap day again on Natural Home with Jennifer. Bend Soap Co. is one of my favorite companies for natural beauty products. Located in Bend, Oregon, Bend Soap Co. is a small family business that makes high-quality goat milk soaps and other natural products. I fell in love with their soaps, lotions, body scrubs and milk baths this summer and have been very curious about their other products as well.



Bend Soap Co. has been so lovely. They sent me another goody bag to share with you today. I specifically requested their all-natural deodorant to test out.



You know me... I'm a natural deodorant connoisseur! I've been wearing natural deodorant for over a decade ever since I read about the toxic effects that traditional deodorant can have on your body. (Check out this article form Time Magazine on the dangers of traditional deodorants.)



I loved Bend's Natural deodorant and have been using it for the past month. It's creamy and moisturizing, yet doesn't leave a white residue on my clothes. It works really well too to prevent odor. I love it! Here is what Bend says about their deodorant:

A no-nonsense natural deodorant. Our aluminum-free deodorant is made with all-natural ingredients and provides you with all-day protection. The plant-based powders efficiently absorb wetness and odor while the natural oils provide a smooth, non-greasy, and non-sticky application. Give our natural deodorant a try and we’re sure you’ll agree: this is the ultimate 100% natural deodorant (that actually works!).

And here are the ingredients: Coconut Oil, Red Palm Oil, Baking Soda, Arrowroot Powder, Beeswax, Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter, Chamomile Extract, Calendula Extract, Honey, Grapefruit and Ylang Ylang Essential Oil. That’s It!



Bend Soap Co. also sent three or their large goat milk soaps. I love their soap. The size is generous and they are soothing, moisturizing, and all-natural. When I suffered from eczema after the birth of my son, these soaps were the only kind I could use without experiencing irritation.



The lavender goat milk lotion is very soothing. This is another great product for people with eczema. If scents bother you, they also carry an unscented version as well.



And their lip butter is great too! It's moisturizing and I love that it's so natural you could actually eat it.

Bend Soap Co. have offered a great discount to my readers: get 10% off your first order with the code DC10.



They are also offering a generous giveaway to readers of The Daily Connoisseur. Enter to win a starter gift set, which includes a full size goat milk lotion, a full size goat milk soap, an all-natural lip butter, and a loofah. The giveaway is open to US residents only. In order to enter you must be subscribed to my YouTube channel. If you are not already a subscriber, click the red subscribe button (it's free!) and be sure to hit the "bell" icon for email notifications for when I upload a video. Enter the giveaway via the rafflecoptor widget below. The winner will be announced next Wednesday on the widget. Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



I hope you enjoy today's video. I'll see you tomorrow for another exciting interview. This time I'm chatting with Shannon Ables from The Simply Luxurious Life blog. See you then!

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Happy Veteran's Day! Thank you to all of our veterans. Your service to our country is so greatly appreciated. We honor you today.

In today's video I'm showing how one neutral centerpiece can be the focal point for two different holiday table settings.



Thanksgiving and Christmas are rapidly approaching. Decorating for the holidays can be overwhelming. You might feel like you need to purchase a lot of seasonal decor to make your house look festive. Today, I show you how you can use the same standard basics in decorating and change out a few accessories to make an elegant seasonal look.



Here is our beautiful centerpiece. It's the snowball hydrangea candelabrum from Nearly Natural. Nearly Natural have the most beautiful and realistic selection of faux flowers and plants online. I selected two centerpieces from them and I am so impressed with their quality and appearance.



As I lay the Thanksgiving-themed table I share a lazy hack. (Who doesn't love a lazy hack?) I first place down a larger taupe tablecloth that is not ironed. On top of that, I layer a cream-colored textured tablecloth. I use my handheld steamer to take our the wrinkles. This is much quicker than ironing the cloth. Here is a direct link to the steamer I use.



This shows how the different textures and colors come together to create an understated, yet sophisticated fall table. My tablecloth is several years old, but here is a link to a similar style.



For the Christmas table, I use the same tablecloth, table runner, and rattan placemats. I add a pop of red with the cloth placements. I really enjoy layering different textures of linens when dressing the table.



I create a very simple napkin holder for the holiday napkins. I use a piece of festive ribbon to tie the napkins into a bow shape. So pretty and easy! I like using our blue and white dishes for Christmas.



This is the second centerpiece I selected from Nearly Natural. I placed this one on our entryway table. It is beautifully crafted and the vase with faux water gives it such a realistic look. When it arrived, the stems were straight up (for shipping), I had fun arranging the flowers to make it look natural in the vase.

Nearly Natural have generously given us a discount code. Take 20% off your order with the code CPJENN when you click on any of the links in this article. Thank you, Nearly Natural!

News
📍At Home with Madame Chic is now available in Vietnam. Don't you just love the cover?



📍Visit my Teespring store to see pretty Daily Connoisseur mugs and tote bags, which make a great holiday gift for fans of The Daily Connoisseur.

📍Check out my affordable eCourses, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living and Create Your Own Ten-Item Wardrobe.


On Instagram
New Mommy Village shares her favorite concept from The Madame Chic books...

View this post on Instagram

Reading the Madame Chic series that first year, I came across this idea from #jenniferlscott. With baby and kids, there’s always lots to do daily... that’s why it helped me to remember this often. Not, “I’ll love my life when I go on a vacation” or “I’ll love my life when I lose “x” number of pounds”... No, how am I going to LOVE MY LIFE, TODAY 💕 Yes ladies, if you catch yourself going into a complaining mind, remember this, my beautiful Mommies🌟🌟 Happy Friday!! #findgratitudedaily #gratitudevideos #selfcareformoms #newmommyvillage

A post shared by New Mommy Village (@newmommyvillage) on Nov 9, 2018 at 7:50am PST

Comment of the Week
On last week's Etiquette Chat, Anon writes, "Your etiquette videos are my favorites too! This was really timely. Last year, I went back to work (albeit from home) after over a decade of being a stay at home mom. I was quite shocked at how things have changed, especially in terms of language and oversharing. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one experiencing this!
You're so right about letting your light shine. Sometimes silence and not participating in whatever is going on (gossip, language, etc.) speaks louder than anything else.
I really enjoyed all your books. Thanks for your wonderful blog!"


Thank you, Anon! I agree... sometimes letting your light shine is much more powerful than an admonition. Great point. Actions speak louder than words.

Thank you for joining me for today's video. I would love to know how you decorate the table for the holidays. What is your seasonal style like?


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FTC: This post is sponsored by Nearly Natural. Links may be affiliate.

You know you're getting old when you get excited about receiving cleaning products in the mail. Ha!



Grove Collaborative sent me a surprise package with their new gel dish soap and hand soap plus reusable glass pump dispensers. I love Grove's products because not only are they eco friendly and affordable, but they have the most wonderful scent. I reviewed their cleaning concentrates in a previous video.



Today, I unbox their new soaps and try them out for the first time. The gel dish soap in Lemon, Eucalyptus, and Mint smells fresh and crisp- perfect for the kitchen. It has two refills in it and sells for $5.95, making it $2.97 per refill.

The gel hand soap has 3 refills in it and also sells for $5.95, making it less than two dollars per refill. These are excellent prices!

I find that the gel soaps perform beautifully. I also love the high-quality glass dispensers. The silicone base on the dish soap dispenser is handy in keeping the glass intact. My favorite part of the products are their wonderful scents, which are spa-like in nature.

I hope you enjoy my unboxing and review in today's video.



Grove's November offer features the Mrs. Meyer's holiday scents. If you missed my review last week, I share which one was my favorite. The three scents are Iowa Pine, Peppermint, and Orange Clove. New customers receive a Mrs. Meyer's holiday trio (dish soap, hand soap, and multi-purpose spray in the scents of their choice) along with a red Grove cleaning caddy and walnut scrubber sponges when you spend $20. Existing customers receive walnut scrubber sponges.

I hope you enjoy today's video.


Before we close, I want to extend my prayers to the families affected by the horrible tragedies in California this week: the tragedy in Thousand Oaks, and the people affected by the wildfire in Paradise, CA. One of my best friends, Romi, has likely lost her home in Paradise. I am just so thankful that she and her family are all OK.


Have a nice weekend and hug your loved ones a little tighter tonight.

With love,

Jennifer

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FTC: This is not a sponsored post. Links may be affiliate. The products were sent to me for free by Grove. The review is my honest opinion.

Today's etiquette chat deals with the issue of professionalism at work (or lack thereof). I received two emails from readers with personal anecdotes regarding bad behavior at work.



In today's video I address the emails and weigh in with my own experiences. We end on a positive note with advice for young professionals.

My best professional etiquette advice is this: no matter what job you have, whether you love it or hate it, give it your all and do it to your best ability with a happy heart. Be professional always. Don't swear and don't over-share. Keep busy and stay off your phone. Think about what your boss is looking for and how you can better the company. You would be amazed at the doors that open for you.

A wonderful resource on etiquette and poise is my third book, Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic: Lessons in Everyday Etiquette.



I hope you enjoy the etiquette chat in today's video. I would love to hear your thoughts on all of the subjects discussed... be sure to chime in with your comment.

News
📍At Home with Madame Chic is now available in Vietnam. Don't you just love the cover?



📍Visit my Teespring store to see pretty Daily Connoisseur mugs and tote bags, which make a great holiday gift for fans of The Daily Connoisseur.

📍Check out my affordable eCourses, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living and Create Your Own Ten-Item Wardrobe.

📍The Mrs. Meyer's holiday-scented cleaning products are in! My favorite is Iowa Pine, but Peppermint and Orange Clove are lovely too.

On Instagram
Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic in Japan...

View this post on Instagram

#読了 #フランス人は10着しか服を持たない #凛とした魅力がすべてを変える #ジェニファーlスコット #jenniferlscott * 凛とした女性になるための心得が書かれてありました。私的にはやはり1冊目が一番良かったけれども、こんな凛とした女性になるべく、頑張りたいと思える本でした( ・∇・) まずは、背筋を伸ばすところから始めたい！笑笑 * * #本 #book #本好き #活字中毒 #本好きな人と繋がりたい #図書館 #図書館活用 #本借りすぎて読むのが追いつかない

A post shared by Mai Matsuo (@tokimaisan) on Oct 30, 2018 at 1:15am PDT

Comment of the Week
Monday's first ever Teatime with Jennifer: Meme Edition was so much fun! I loved reading all of your comments and which memes resonated with you the most. I have many favorite comments and here are two of them:

Gloria writes, "There is an Amish/Pennsylvania Dutch saying: "Kissing wears out; cooking don't."

Gloria- what a neat saying... and so true!

R.S. writes, "I always joke that I could be on my death bed and suddenly I'll hear the gentle turning of the door knob, and a little head will poke in (or maybe my husband's) and say, "I know you're dying, but have you thought about what's for dinner?" Thank you, Jennifer, for the laugh! Your videos make my day!

R.S., this made me laugh! Ha! :)

Thank you for joining me for today's etiquette chat. I would love to hear from you. Do you have any etiquette horror stories from work? Do you have any tips for our young professionals? Let us know and your comment could be comment of the week on the blog. See you tomorrow for a new Natural Home with Jennifer!


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After a long day, sometimes you just need a good laugh. And sometimes that laugh verges on hysterics. Well, that's what happens with me in today's video, the first ever Teatime with Jennifer: Meme Edition!



Whenever I find a good meme, I save it. And in today's video, I'm sharing some of the funniest memes I've seen.

This meme isn't funny, but nostalgic. My great-grandmother's generation dressed like this. Dress sense has changed drastically this past century, hasn't it?


This is where I am right now. I don't need a fancy vacation, just a trip to the bathroom by myself, thank you very much!


You can be on time, or everyone can be wearing shoes. You can't have both! This was us two weeks ago at a field trip!


I want to be the mother who listens to her children, so I do. But sometimes those monologues about Ninjago go on for a long time...


We stopped watching television in order to be more efficient with our time... this meme illustrates the binge-watching culture we've become.


#Truth


Very good advice for young people: marry someone who knows (or is willing to learn) how to cook. I'm taking men and women here. It's a needed skill!


I lost it with this one.


This would never be Mr. Connoisseur as I don't take him shopping. Ever. But I know many husbands could probably relate to this meme!


You're welcome.


I'll just live in denial that we look like the top image and not the bottom.


This is what I imagine my YouTube hater looks like...


A very compelling reason to not throw in the towel...


I hope today's video has given you a good laugh. If you have a meme you'd like to share with me for a future Teatime with Jennifer: Meme edition, you can tag me with a photo on social media using the hashtag #teatimewithjennifer

News


*NEW* The Daily Connoisseur coffee mug and tote are now available... a fun and unique gift for any fan of The Daily Connoisseur blog.

Check out my eCourses, Create Your Own Ten-Item Wardrobe, and Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living.

On Instagram

Delighted on a Dime shares one of her favorite quotes from the Madame Chic books...

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I recently finished listening to two of Jennifer L. Scott’s (@dailyconnoisseur) books: Lessons from Madame Chic and At Home with Madame Chic. I enjoyed them both and thought they had some great takeaways. In her series, she discusses her time spent in Paris while studying abroad and the Parisian lifestyle that she learned from her host family. • A theme that she emphasizes throughout her writing is to simply appreciate the small mundane tasks in your daily life. It might sound silly, but try it. Change your mindset around these tasks. Find something small about them that can make them enjoyable. Use a soap or a cleaner you love that has a refreshing scent. Listen to relaxing music while you take on a chore. Make the intention to stop and eat your meals at a table without your phone or computer in front of you. Actually savor your food. Make time for regular self-care. Sip a cup of your favorite tea in the evening. Enjoy the things that you have - your nice dishes, clothes, jewelry, etc. - and don’t wait for a special occasion to use them. • I think that our mindset can be so powerful. I find that when I purposefully think about these little things, it definitely makes a positive impact in my day.✨

A post shared by Amber (@delighted.on.a.dime) on Nov 4, 2018 at 2:21pm PST

Comment of the Week
On last week's Ten-Item Wardrobe video, Eleanor writes, "Hi there Jennifer I have just started with my ten item wardrobe for the first time and have reduced my number of clothes from about 80+ pieces to about 36 pieces which include 10 core items and extras such as blazers, t-shirts, event pieces and shoes( all from my own wardrobe no new clothes).I must admit I love it cause it has given me a more calming experience everytime I get dressed in the morning now.I wear at least 1core item out of my ten item wardrobe and pair it with something from my extras.Something extraordinary has happened since I have started the new wardobe change , my husband and kids compliments me every day now on how nice I look!!! Some of my clothes I am not wearing now (winter clothes) have been packed away for next season I am from South Africa we have spring /summer weather at the moment Thank you for all your advice love it."


Eleanor, I loved hearing your ten-item wardrobe testimonial, especially your family's reaction to your change. Wonderful!


I hope you enjoyed today's video. Which meme was your favorite? Which one resonated with you the most? If you have any funny memes to submit for a future video, use the social media hashtag #teatimewithjennifer

See you on Thursday!

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FTC: This is not a sponsored post. Links may be affiliate.

On today's Natural Home with Jennifer, I'm reviewing the Mrs. Meyer's limited edition holiday scents. I'm also sharing Grove Collaborative's November special with you, and taking you on a trip to Riley's Farms in beautiful Oak Glen, California.



There are three holiday scents in the Mrs. Meyer's line this year: Iowa Pine, Peppermint, and Orange Clove.



Iowa Pine smells very much like the Bath & Bodyworks candle, Fresh Balsam. It smells like a sweet, fresh Christmas tree. The scent is subtle and I love it.



Orange Clove has a delightfully rich orange essence with a spicy hint of clove. If you love the smell of pomanders at Christmastime, you would love this scent.



Peppermint is very pure and true. It smells like a peppermint candy with a hint of vanilla. It's peppy and fun.

I took the family consensus and we all liked Iowa Pine the best but the other two scents were a close second.

I hope you enjoy today's video.

Here are the details for Grove's November promotion:



Right now, you can get a free Mrs. Meyer's holiday trio in your choice of scents (Iowa Pine, Peppermint, or Orange Clove), plus a free set of Grove Collaborative walnut scrubber sponges — all packed up in a limited edition red cleaning caddy for gifting (or keeping!).
New customers will get the holiday set when you place your first order of $20:
Free Mrs. Meyer's holiday hand soap
Free Mrs. Meyer's holiday dish soap
Free Mrs. Meyer's holiday multi-surface spray
Grove Collaborative red caddy
Grove Collaborative walnut scrubber sponges

Plus, if you spend $39, you’ll also receive a free Grove stoneware tray to beautifully display your new holiday soaps.
If you’re already a Grove customer, you’ll get a free set of Grove walnut scrubbers.


We recently went on another field trip to Riley's Farm in beautiful Oak Glen, California. This time we learned about the American Civil War. The kids had so much fun and learned many fascinating details about that time in history. The scenery is beautiful up there. If you are ever visiting California and near that area, I highly recommend a fun trip to Riley's farm to pick apples. I bought a chicken pot pie and apple crumb pie from their bakery to take home for dinner. Simply delicious.

Here are the fruit butters and preserves I purchased from our field trip to Riley's Farm.



The pumpkin butter is so amazing. It tastes like a pumpkin pie jam.

I hope you enjoyed this episode of Natural Home with Jennifer. I'll see you on Monday. Have a wonderful weekend!

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Last fall when my daughters were carving pumpkins, they casually tossed the seeds into our side yard. We were amazed several months later when a rather large and substantial pumpkin patch formed!



We grew six plump pumpkins on accident and were excited to finally pick them.



I read an excerpt from this fall poem by John Updike:

A Child's Calendar
November
by John Updike

The striped and shapely
Maple grieves
The loss of her
Departed leaves

The ground is hard
As hard as stone.
The year is old.
The birds are flown.

And yet the world,
Nevertheless,
Displays a certain loveliness--

The beauty of
The bone. Tall God
Must see our souls
This way, and nod.

Give thanks: we do,
Each in his place
Around the table
During grace.

I hope you enjoy today's video where we pick our accidental pumpkins.

News
Do you know someone who is a fan of The Daily Connoisseur blog? Surprise them with a Daily Connoisseur tote bag or coffee mug, sporting the blog logo. A fun gift for the upcoming holiday season.

The Mrs. Meyer's holiday scents are here! I'll be reviewing them on tomorrow's Natural Home with Jennifer.

Check out my eCourses, Create Your Own Ten-Item Wardrobe, and Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living.

On Instagram
Ben was able to save money on a Halloween costume this year by donning his bee keeper get-up #CluelessGardeners

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Mr. Connoisseur is a #cluelessgardener for Halloween 🎃

A post shared by Jennifer L. Scott (@dailyconnoisseur) on Oct 31, 2018 at 5:52pm PDT

Comment of the Week
On Monday's One Week of Outfits from my Ten-Item Wardrobe post, Meg writes, "Jennifer,
As always, I love this Week of Outfits video. Thanks for all you do. I purchased one of those L.L.Bean dresses and LOVE them. I have read all your books and loyally watch your inspiring videos."


Hi Meg, thank you so much. Aren't the LL Bean dresses great? I absolutely love mine. Thanks for your kind comment.

Thank you for joining us today. I'll see you tomorrow for an all new Natural Home with Jennifer.


Visit my Author Website

Shop my favorite things

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Twitter @JL_Scott

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FTC: This is not a sponsored post. Links may be affiliate.