Hello dear friends,

Thank you for all of your wonderful birthday messages. I truly appreciate them. I am coming to you with The Chic Assignment Check-In for July.



Chic Assignment no. 1 André Rieu's Johann Strauss Orchestra. André Rieu has done a wonderful service to the world of classical music. I am linking another stellar performance of The Beautiful Blue Danube. Mr. Rieu's Johann Strauss orchestra provide such joyful performances to watch. In today's video I also go over the life of Johann Stauss II, who was known as the "King of Waltz". I would love to know... did this month's music selection also bring you joy?

Chic Assignment no. 2 We explored the world of Emily Dickinson this month and if you haven't already seen my unexpected Emily Dickinson makeup and hair tutorial, you can check it out here.

If you would like to know more about Emily Dickinson's life, here is a short documentary that I found interesting on YouTube.

I read Emily's poem, A Bird came down the Walk in today's video.

A Bird came own the Walk (328)
by Emily Dickinson


A Bird came down the Walk—
He did not know I saw—
He bit an Angleworm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw,

And then he drank a Dew
From a convenient Grass—
And then hopped sidewise to the Wall
To let a Beetle pass—

He glanced with rapid eyes
That hurried all around—
They looked like frightened Beads, I thought—
He stirred his Velvet Head

Like one in danger, Cautious,
I offered him a Crumb
And he unrolled his feathers
And rowed him softer home—

Than Oars divide the Ocean,
Too silver for a seam—
Or Butterflies, off Banks of Noon
Leap, plashless as they swim.


Emily often wrote about nature and, even though she was a homebody and actually spent the majority of her latter years never leaving her family home, she loved the garden and observing nature as is evident in this poem, with its keen observations. I hope you enjoy our discussion of Emily's work in today's video.


Chic Assignment no. 3 Be mindful of (mindless) snacking. This month, I noticed the times when I did mindless snacking. I tend to mindlessly snack when I am stressed, tired (at the end of the day), or when I fail to plan properly for meals. Chapter one of Lessons from Madame Chic discusses this in more detail. I would love to hear your experience with mindless snacking.

Chic Assignment no. 4 Give a compliment. Did you give a compliment this month? How did the recipient respond? How do you respond when you receive a compliment? I received a compliment from reader, Lisa R. below:

Dear Jennifer,

I saw your challenge for July. Or, maybe it was June, and I am late to the party! :) Well, either way, here is my compliment: You have done a wonderful job setting up your YouTube channel. It is a benefit to women and I have learned a lot from it. By way of explanation, I am a Mom of 7 who has *no time!* for anything. Yet, I find myself watching your videos and feeling very encouraged to make the time, for my sake and for my family's. It is worth it. Thank you. What a lovely gift you are giving to others.

Many thanks,

Lisa Ramirez

Thank you, Lisa! I am grateful for your compliment!

I am grateful for all of the compliments and kind messages I have received on the blog and (I know I say this all the time), but THANK YOU to everyone who has written to me on my author website. I am so sorry that I am not able to respond to the majority of the emails I receive. I'm just in that busy season of life with my children and have to minimize computer time. Thank you so much for understanding.


News
📍PRE-ORDER my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS, which comes out September 10th from Chronicle Books.

📍If you haven't taken my eCourses yet, now is a wonderful time to get started. Check out my affordable eCourses: The Ten-Item Wardrobe, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living, and How to be Efficient at Home.

📍Thank you to my dear friend, Nikki Moreno, for designing the end cards for my YouTube video. Nikki has a wonderful YouTube channel and Etsy shop. Be sure to check her out.

On Instagram
At Home with Madame Chic in Portuguese...

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Eu não faço ideia de como "Em casa com madame charme" veio parar na minha casa, porque eu não o comprei e não ganhei de presente de ninguém. Mas não importa. O que importa é que Jennifer L. Scott escreveu um livro para meninas, cheio de dicas sobre como receber, como se portar, como conversar, como se cuidar, tudo aprendido enquanto ela era au pair numa casa francesa. Leitura super leve, mas ultra útil, sobre savoir vivre francês, que eu admiro tanto. Talvez tenha sido essa a razão para eu ter gostado do livro.

A post shared by Amanda Pessoa (@amandapessoarevisa) on Jul 12, 2019 at 6:56am PDT

Comment of the Week
Sherry H. writes, "Excellent presentation! When my grands were younger I used to spread a picnic tablecloth and set out food similar to that being consumed in whatever story we were reading. My grandchildren adored the preparation and eagerly anticipated reading time. To this day they recall those story times with fondness."

Hi Sherry, I loved reading the memory with your grandchildren. That type of quality time is what memories are made of. Thank you for leaving your comment!


I hope you enjoyed this check-in. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. I will see you soon!



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Hello friends,

I'm coming to you on my birthday with a different kind of video...

As part of The Chic Assignment, we are reading the poetry of Emily Dickinson. I am fascinated by her life story and her poetry. I thought it would be fun to re-create her look with (le no) makeup and hair tutorial.

Our modern society loves to imitate celebrities of today, but I think it's fun to look at women from the past who have come before us, especially literary icons to the caliber of Emily Dickinson.



The key for this look is a completely natural makeup look without any brozers, shimmers, or other modern touches. Emily did not appear to wear makeup. If anything, she might have powdered her nose. Her skin appears to be very clear, creamy and matte.



I use makeup to simply bring out my features in a natural way. You can likely recreate this with the makeup you already have. For those of you wondering what makeup I used in today's video I am listing it here:
A'DEL foundation in beige, Osmosis translucent finishing powder,
Cream blush in Peach from A'DEL, black mascara from Osmosis, Lipstick from A'DEL in barely there, eye shadow Laura Mercier eye artist palette (no longer available) so I'm linking two comparable colors here from Osmosis.



For the hair: Emily has a very plain hairstyle with a middle part and (presumably) a low bun. I use my flat iron to smooth the hair to create Emily's sleek look. I take out hair on either side of the face and set it aside. Then tie the rest of the hair in a low ponytail (I'm using an invisibobble). Braid the ponytail in a simple three-strand braid and wrap it around the ponytail. Secure with bobby pins. Then take the strands on the side of the face and wrap them under and around the bun and secure with bobby pins.



The velvet neck tie is improvised from these velvet scrunchies that I have been loving (the tie is removable).

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial in today's video.



“Hope” is the thing with feathers
BY EMILY DICKINSON
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.

Comment of the Week
Rainy Daze write, "Finally did the 10 item wardrobe. What a life/time saver! I'm usually overwhelmed by clothes shopping for myself. 10 item wardrobe helps a lot. And dresses are new to me...but I found one I liked and really do feel more feminine/put together wearing it. Very thankful for sharing your method with those of us with poor executive function."

Rainy Daze- I'm so happy for you! Thanks for taking the time to share your ten-item wardrobe progress with us.



I hope you enjoyed this fun tutorial. I'll see you next time for The Chic Assignment check-in.



Visit my newly designed Author Website

*NEW* Shop my Amazon page for a comprehensive list of my favorite things and mentions on the blog.

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Hello friends,

Today is Prime Day on Amazon, and I'm going to be sharing some products that I've purchased from Amazon, that have turned out to be excellent purchases. Many of these have really changed my daily life for the better.

I know some of you enjoy my recommendations and other do not... That's OK! You can always skip the posts that do not interest you. I am always grateful when a trusted source recommends something that is useful to me. And I always ask for discount codes. Today's post will feature some favorite Amazon finds as well as other deals I have found.



Prime Day is today and tomorrow. So let's get into these unusual, yet effective items.


From the people who sent me the neck and shoulder massager, comes the Naipo foot massager. This foot massager has heat, shiatsu massage functions and air bag cushions. It's really nice. If you have sensitive feet, just know that this is a strong massage. It's very welcome for me at the end of the day. Out of the Amazon products featured in the video, this is the only one that was sent to me to review.



We recently re-did our toy storage and I purchased these storage cubbies. I normally go to Ikea for furniture like this, but these are from Amazon and are a great price. I highly recommend for toy storage.

Cubical Storage


Storage bins


Sinus Irrigation This one is life-changing for people with sinus issues. It pulses saline water into your nasal cavity and is the only way I am able to fully clear my nasal passages. I can't recommend this one enough for people with sinus problems.




Foot file This is the miracle foot file I have spoken of before. If you have cracked and dry heels, this will take care of the problem.



Drain Millipede I love the Drain Millipede! I stick this down our sink drains and pull up all kinds of gunk. It really does work and is very affordable.



Floral laptop case This is a wonderful alternative to the standard black or grey laptop cases. This one is well-made and pretty.



clear computer stand The clear computer stand is a great way to add more space to your desk and to protect your computer. It would go with any decor too.


E-Cloth
These weren't featured in my video today, but E-cloth reached out to me to let you know that they are 15% off on Amazon for Prime Day. Here are the links: The Deep Clean Mop, Window Pack (includes the Glass and Polishing Cloth), Washing Up Pad, Dusting Cloths, Window Genie , Window Dynamo

E-Cloth's own website is also having a major sale that coincides with prime day, so you can view that sale here.

Audio Books
One of my favorite aspects of Amazon is their Audible subscription, which allows me to listen to audiobooks each month at an affordable membership price.

Teami Blends

I wanted to give you an update on the Teami Blends tea. I requested their green powder to try because I am interested in adding more nutrition to my food. So since trying the Bloom Tea, I've also tried the Refresh tea (which is a mint tea with dried mango, dried strawberry, and rosebuds). Refresh is very, well refreshing! I made it for my sister and she loved it. I've also tried their greens blend. This is very potent and strong. I believe I will be waiting until I'm finished breastfeeding to use this as it has matcha in it, but it is very potent and powerful and would be great for anyone looking to add greens to their diet. I have also been using their butterfly toner with tea. This is great to set makeup, and refresh skin, although it does have a perfumey smell, which is worth mentioning if that bothers you. It has a lovely refreshing feel. Use code JLS30 for 30% off.

And one final non-amazon discount to share: Many of you are loving the Mott & Bow Jeans! They are truly a find. My discount code JLS10 gives you 10% off and is valid until July 31.

News

📍I have recently updated my Amazon Shop Page with my favorite home, clothing, and book recommendations. Be sure to check back for regular updates.

📍PRE-ORDER my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS, which comes out September 10th from Chronicle Books.

📍Check out my affordable eCourses: The Ten-Item Wardrobe, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living, and How to be Efficient at Home.

On Instagram

View this post on Instagram

✨✨✨ Mam słabość do książek Jennifer L. Scott, są napisane w przystępny i lekki sposób, często z przymróżeniem oka. Poradnik uczy jak być damą w każdej sytuacji, a także nakłania do pięknego życia. #szkoławdziękumadamechic #polishyourpoisewithmadamechic #wydawnictwoliterackie #jenniferlscott #ksiazka #czytambolubie #lubimyczytac #ksiazkoholizm #zbiblioteki #book #bookstagram #bookworm #bookaholics #instabooks #mólksiążkowy #flowers #tulipany #blackopium

A post shared by M (@babbler88) on Apr 10, 2019 at 8:31am PDT

Comment of the Week
On last week's post, 3 More Articles on Dress, Kim writes, "I love this! Mothers should dress well because "the calling of being a homemaker and mother is worthy and important..." That's so true! It takes no more time to put on something presentable than it does yoga pants. When my kids were younger and we were homeschooling, I wore makeup and nice clothes, even if it was a day we weren't leaving the house. It really made a difference in my attitude and our whole day. Now that I'm a part-time teacher, I still enjoy dressing presentably on my non-teaching days."


I hope you found today's reviews helpful. Let us know what your favorite finds are on Amazon. What have you discovered there that has improved your everyday life?


Visit my newly designed Author Website

*NEW* Shop my Amazon page for a comprehensive list of my favorite things and mentions on the blog.

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

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FTC: This video is not sponsored. Some links may be affiliate.

My interview series continues on The Daily Connoisseur with author, homesteader and YouTuber extraordinaire, Shaye Elliott from The Elliott Homestead.



I had so much fun chatting with Shaye! She and I have a lot in common: we both have four children, we both homeschool, we are both writers, and we share a lot of the same life philosophies. I just know that you will love our conversation. I didn't want it to end and I hope that Shaye will come back to be a guest on the channel again.

Here is a list of Shaye's books: The Elliott Homestead: From Scratch: Traditional, whole-foods dishes for easy, everyday meals, Welcome to the Farm: How-to Wisdom from The Elliott Homestead and Seasons at the Farm: Year-Round Celebrations at the Elliott Homestead.

Shaye's essential oil link for doTERRA can be found here. And her blog can be found here.

I hope you enjoy today's video and that you have a lovely weekend!

I would love to hear your thoughts on all of the topics that Shaye and I discussed.



Visit my newly designed Author Website

*NEW* Shop my Amazon page for a comprehensive list of my favorite things and mentions on the blog.

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

Instagram @dailyconnoisseur

Take my affordable eCourses on the ten-item wardrobe, debt-free living, and efficiency at home

Sign up for my Seasonal Author Newsletter


*Please note: consult your doctor before treating any ailments with essential oils. The host is not liable for any advice given on the channel and the views of the guests do not necessarily reflects the views of the host.

I have three more intriguing articles on dress to discuss with you in today's video.



People who dress in historical dress on a daily basis, dressing up to improve manners, and the mess of modern power dressing are all on the table today.

Let's dive into these interesting articles:


I don’t see jeans in my future’: the people who wear complete historical dress – every day
This article introduces us to Zack MacLeod Pinsent, who likes to dress in Regency-era attire on a daily basis.

Suggested: Crow's Eye Productions is a wonderful YouTube channel with fascinating videos on historical dress. My children and I enjoy watching these videos together.


To solve Britain's rudeness epidemic we need to start dressing well by Celia Walden This article was shared with me by Emily R.
Every summer, something curious happens to the men inside Ascot’s Royal Enclosure. Doors and gates are held open for women, hands extended to help us down stairs and top hats doffed in our direction, as though, for that one week a year, young British men have decided to play at being chivalrous vintage gents – before leaving the manners and morning suits in a rumpled pile on the floor at the end of the day. Last Friday, it hit me: they’re playing that part because they’re dressed for it.

... and finally The Mess of Modern Power Dressing
The dress codes of influence and authority are one big mass of confusion — just look at the Oscars and Congress, at Goldman Sachs and the recent runways. But is that a bad thing?

In today's video I share my thoughts on each of these articles. I would love to know your thoughts below and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on The Daily Connoisseur.

My velvet hair tie (I have been loving these) can be found on Amazon.


News
📍 On Tuesday I uploaded my response to the Disneyland Fight viral video and shared my message about why etiquette is important now more than ever. I occasionally upload videos on my YouTube channel that do not have a corresponding blogpost. Be sure to subscribe to my channel by clicking the red subscribe button and then clicking the "bell" icon to be notified whenever I upload a YouTube video. Subscribing to my channel is totally free!

📍I have recently updated my Amazon Shop Page with my favorite home, clothing, and book recommendations. Be sure to check back for regular updates.

📍PRE-ORDER my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS, which comes out September 10th from Chronicle Books. (Formal announcement coming soon.)

📍Visit my newly designed author website.

📍Join me for the Mapp & Lucia book club's final installment, which will take place this summer. You can read my book club announcement here.

📍Check out my affordable eCourses: The Ten-Item Wardrobe, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living, and How to be Efficient at Home.

📍The watercolor painting behind me is by my friend Nikki Moreno. Visit her Etsy shop here.

On Instagram
Madame Chic in Lithuania...

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Trečioji #jenniferlscott #madamelegancija knyga "kasdienybės pamokos. Subtilaus žavesio galia". Visos šios knygos panašios į vieną kitą ,tačiau kiekvienoje vis daugiau papildomu patarimų kaip paprastai ir be didesnių pastangų išlikti elegantiškai ir stilingai kasdien ❤️ @leidyklasofoklis @knygynu_tinklas_vaga #skaitauvisur #skaitau2019 #skaitau #madamelegance #polishyourposhwithmadamechic @dailyconnoisseur #readingtime #readingbook #igbooks #bookstagram #booklover #elegance #madam #coffetime #coffebrake

A post shared by Martyna Ulozaitė Mickienė (@martyna.mick) on Jun 27, 2019 at 3:28am PDT

Comment of the Week
Regarding the July Chic Assignment, Charlene writes, "Hi Jennifer, Thank you for reminding me about André Rieu. I discovered him on a PBS concert on TV one evening and couldn’t believe how happy everyone at the concert was and how much joy the orchestra seemed to be feeling. Everyone was swaying back and forth, people were dancing in the aisles and, at some points, singing along. What a wonderful thing to watch. So uplifting! Needless to say, I’ve already watched his video and I look forward to the other assignments for this month."


Charlene, thank you for taking part in The Chic Assignment! I have so much fun choosing the assignments each month and delving into André Rieu's work has been truly enriching.


Thank you for joining me for today's video. I would love to hear your thoughts on all three articles on dress. I'll see you tomorrow for a very exciting interview with Shaye Elliot of The Elliot Homestead.


Today's video is sponsored by Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning platform with over 25,000 classes on nearly every skill you can imagine. Click on my link to receive two free months of Skillshare premium for free. Thank you, Skillshare!



Visit my newly designed Author Website

*NEW* Shop my Amazon page for a comprehensive list of my favorite things and mentions on the blog.

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

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Take my affordable eCourses on the ten-item wardrobe, debt-free living, and efficiency at home

Sign up for my Seasonal Author Newsletter

FTC: This video is sponsored by Skillshare

Hello friends,

I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend! We had another earthquake on Friday... Thankfully everything and everyone is OK.



I continue to take it easy this week so this blog post is going to be light.

Today's video is a homeschooling update for those of you who have been asking for one. We had another great year full of discovery and I share my thoughts and how I am adapting and improving going forward.

Here are a list of Charlotte Mason books:

Home Education by Charlotte Mason , Habits by Charlotte Mason, A Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason, Formation of Character Charlotte Mason, Karen Andreola A Charlotte Mason Companion



As usual, I love to hear from you, whether you are a homeschool family or not. How did your school year go? Please leave your comments below so we can connect together. If you are a homeschooling family please introduce yourself in the comments and let us know how your year went.


With love,

Jennifer


Visit my newly designed Author Website

*NEWLY Updated* Shop my Amazon page for a comprehensive list of my favorite things and mentions on the blog.

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FTC: This video is not sponsored. Some links may be affiliate.

You know how I like to cook... I like to make traditional family-friendly meals, usually without a recipe, and pack them with veggies as much as possible.



If at all possible, I like to double or triple the recipe and freeze the meals as well because (say it with me now) Being Chic is Being Prepared!



Today's video is a collaboration with the family from Easy Freezer Meals. If you want to see a professional's take on freezer meals, check out Eric and his family's videos. They live in Panama and run a freezer meal business. They have freezer meals for every occasion! Be sure to visit their channel and tell them I said, "hello".



OK, on to the turkey shepherd's pies.

I really just used what ingredients I had on hand and I urge you to do the same. If you don't have something that I am listing here, don't worry about it. Just substitute it for something else.

First, I sauteed 6 chopped carrots and two chopped onions in some olive oil.

I sprinkled the veggies with salt, pepper, ground turmeric, cumin seed, celery salt (I did not measure, but roughly 1/2 Tbs of each... also you don't have to use these spices... use what you have on hand and/or like. Salt and pepper to taste).

Add two cups chopped mushrooms and sauté.

Set vegetables aside.

Cook 5 1/2 lbs ground turkey (this is about four of those packs from Costco). Once it is browned, drain, and reintroduce the vegetable to the pot. Add 1 lb power greens (or spinach or kale... whatever you like).

Divide meat and vegetable mixture between three pans.

Layer shredded Monterey Jack cheese on top of meat.

Add mashed potatoes on top of that (I used roughly 9 medium to large potatoes)

If eating right away, put in 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

If freezing, cover properly and label your dish. You can bake this directly from frozen if you like at 350 degrees F for about two hours. Or, you can thaw in the refrigerator the night before and cook at 375 degrees F for around 40 minutes.

That's it! My message with these videos is that you don't need to overcomplicate things... Have fun experimenting in the kitchen and finding out what your family loves. If you have young children who are adverse to eating vegetables, pack your meals with them.

If you are not able to use casserole dishes for your freezer, these disposable foil casserole dishes (30 pack) from Amazon are helpful.

I hope you enjoyed today's video. Have a lovely weekend and I'll see you on Monday!


Visit my newly designed Author Website

*NEWLY UPDATED* Shop my Amazon page for a comprehensive list of my favorite things and mentions on the blog.

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

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Take my affordable eCourses on the ten-item wardrobe, debt-free living, and efficiency at home

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FTC: This video is not sponsored. Some links may be affiliate.

Happy Independence Day! I hope all of my American readers had a wonderful July 4th holiday yesterday. Today's blog is going to be brief... I wanted to publish my July Rebound with Me video for those of you who are jumping along with me.



Be sure to stay until the end of the video for a surprise move! :)

This is the rebounder that I like to use.

I hope you enjoy exercising together this month! I'll see you tomorrow for a new freezer cooking video.

With love,

Jennifer



Visit my newly designed Author Website

*NEWLY UPDATED* Shop my Amazon page for a comprehensive list of my favorite things and mentions on the blog.

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

Instagram @dailyconnoisseur

Take my affordable eCourses on the ten-item wardrobe, debt-free living, and efficiency at home

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FTC: This video is not sponsored. Some links may be affiliate.