**UPDATE** The event is now sold out. Thank you to everyone who has purchased tickets. I look forward to meeting you! We are looking into having the event recorded for those who cannot make it. Stay tuned for that.**
This event is being held at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas. There are only 25 tickets available. We wanted to keep the event small so that we could all get to know each of you better. A gourmet three-course lunch will be served as well as afternoon coffee and refreshments.
This conference will focus on elegance and style in everyday life, with emphasis on dressing, entertaining, and making the mundane extraordinary. You can learn more and buy your tickets at our website www.theblossomingladyconference.com.
The 5th biggest enemy to homemakers… what do you think it could be? Let’s explore in today’s video.
Welcome back to The Daily Connoisseur. The world of homemaking is deep, complex, and fraught with enemies. In the previous episodes of this series, we have examined the various enemies to homemakers. When we identify these enemies, we are able to isolate them and not let them take over our homemaking, which is a powerful tool, indeed.
Today, I’m going to share with you the 5th biggest enemy to homemakers. Are you ready?
Double-mindedness.
Yes, double-mindedness. What does it mean to be double-minded? Well, here’s the dictionary definition: ADJ. wavering in mind : UNDECIDED, VACILLATING.
Here’s how I see double-mindedness… your heart’s not in it. You’d rather be doing something else. Even if you’re slightly enjoying what you’re doing, there’s still something in the back of your mind wondering, “What if? Could I be having more fun doing… xyz?"
Double-mindedness.
Let’s see how that affects us as homemakers. We inevitably have a list of tasks to do each day. Sometimes this list is dreadfully long, sometimes it’s delightfully short. We have to start somewhere, so we choose where to begin and commence our work. The minute we start, we begin to question our choice. Is this really the best way I could be spending my time? We have the urge to do something else… either another task on the list, or scrap it all together and go have fun doing something else: online shopping, watching television, revising that draft for work, going to work out, everything else suddenly seems more appealing.
Double-mindedness. We are undecided. We vacillate. We do not rest easy in our choice and, thus, we leave half-finished projects all over the house. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to commit to a task from start to finish? Think of the time wasted and the mental exhaustion from being double-minded about our housework?
So my fellow homemakers, eliminate this fifth enemy to homemaking, double-mindedness, by resting confident in your choice and decisions. After all, there is a season for everything. Rest and refreshment are just around the corner. And, oh, it is so much more satisfying after completely a task well done.
Also, if you're curious, I was putting taco meat in the slow cooker for tacos. This is one of my favorite freezer meal hacks. I make a large batch and freeze it off in portions. I can then make tacos or taco salads whenever I like.
馃搷Become a member of The Daily Connoisseur through the MEMBERSHIPS feature. I do one livestream as well 3 episodes of my new Vodcast (a video podcast) per month. (Link must be accessed on a computer.)
馃搷Thank you for your wonderful support of my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS.
Comment of the Week
Laura writes, "Thank you or this interesting topic. I had to think where I spend the majority of our money and I've come up with food and furniture.
Like you, we rarely eat out. I cook all meals at home but I always buy organic produce (local if I can) and locally raised grass fed meats, locally made sausages and local eggs, organic dairy and locally roasted coffee etc. It is significantly more expensive but it is something I really believe in and I truly believe there is no comparison in the quality and taste.
Our other splurge is furniture. We will buy high quality furniture that will last. Case in point, my brother and I bought houses the same year. In 15 years, he went through 3 inexpensive couches and we bought and still have our high quality couch. We recently moved and that 15 year old couch is now in the office and looks fabulous."
I agree, Laura! And I love your point about furniture... it really does save in the long run to buy quality there.
Thank you for watching. I would love to know what you think about the fifth biggest enemy to homemakers. Do you struggle with double-mindedness with your homemaking? Let us know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog.
We all know that saving money is chic, but where do we choose to spend and where do we choose to save? These are conscious decisions we all have to make.
Today's video is a collaboration with my dear friend, Kim, from Free to Family. You can watch her video here.
It's been all over the news lately... Americans are in debt and many cannot meet basic financial needs. It's clear that we need to become smarter savers and that saving money is chic. We also have to live and each of us (particularly women) have areas where we feel we need to spend vs. save. Every person has their own process and priorities. I share mine with you in today's video.
There are certain little luxuries that I uphold and many that I am willing to live without. I subscribe to Victoria Magazine still, for example, but have dropped all of my other subscriptions. I also subscribe to Audible and listen to my audiobooks that way. I know that I could also get them free from the library, which is an option that many people utilize.
Another little luxury I won't skimp on is natural deodorant. I could buy cheaper versions from the drugstore, but those are filled with aluminum. Over ten years ago I decided to only use high-quality natural deodorant. The one I repeatedly buy over and over is from Bend Soap Company (my favorite are the grapefruit and lavender) code DC10 gives 10% off.
I also buy high-quality skincare because I believe it will pay off in the long-run. I am currently using Paula's Choice. I also prefer high-quality natural or organic makeup over drugstore makeup. My favorite brands are Osmosis from Amazon, A'DEL Natural cosmetics, and The Organic Skin Co. I also frequently buy from bareMinerals.
Let's talk about where I save...
I do my manicures and pedicures at home, saving hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars each year. Salon manicures are very pricey and I have really perfected the art of the at-home manicure (look out for another French manicure tutorial coming very soon on the channel). My favorite nail polish brand is LONDONTOWN not only because they are 9-free, but also because they are the longest lasting at-home gel nail polishes I have ever used. I know many of you love them too. I always leave my code, JenniferS for 25% off because it is a tremendous discount.
I also do not have any expensive recurring beauty treatments. I don't dye my hair, for example, and I don't do extensions (hair or eyelash). Now here is a prime example about how saving might not look the same for each woman. I have many friends who get eyelash extensions (which can be pricey and time consuming) because they find it saves them time all month long and that they do not need to wear makeup. Those friends budget for this expensive because it is worth it to them. It is not something I'd be opposed to in the future, but right now it does not fit into my budget.
While I tend to buy higher quality "extras" in my ten-item wardrobe (coats, shoes, etc.), some of my core items are budget items. My fall/ winter ten-item wardrobe contained a Target dress and this floral dress (linking similar) was under $25 but I've worn it for over two years, for example.
As far as home decoration goes, I love to pick fresh flowers from the garden. When they are not in season, I do enjoy faux floral bouquets, which have really come a long way and look realistic. My two favorite places to get faux flowers are Nearly Natural and Horchow (I wait until the Horchow flowers go on sale).
What I'm wearing:
My blouse is from Loft
My pearl earrings and necklace are Ana Luisa NY code Jennifer10 for $10 off your order
I was under the weather when I shot this video earlier last week and I ended up getting the flu a few days later. It has been a rough week, but I am finally on the mend. I hope that you are all healthy and happy right now. Thank you for watching.
馃搷Become a member of The Daily Connoisseur through the MEMBERSHIPS feature. I do one livestream as well 3 episodes of my new Vodcast (a video podcast) per month. (Link must be accessed on a computer.)
馃搷Thank you for your wonderful support of my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS.
Comment of the Week
Regarding this month's Chic Assignment, Melissa writes, "You are so right about that performance of Adagio. It just melts my stress. I literally play it now as my trigger to stop. I’m bad about going 24/7 and in the past I’ve taken afternoon tea but something about adding that music in takes it up a notch. I now really prioritize the 15 minutes I give myself and my kids in the afternoon. It’s made a big impact on our day. Intentionally slowing down and spending that time with my kids, good tea, good music and quietly talking to each other is 馃グ馃グ"
Dear Melissa, thank you for sharing your Chic Assignment observations with us. There is something about Adagio that melts the stress away.
I would love to know how you save and how you splurge. What do you do in your home? Let us know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on The Daily Connoisseur.
Edgar Degas said, "the artist must live alone, and his private life must remain unknown". While most of us artists do live with family, I'm sure many can relate to this sentiment... I know I can. To create art, one must be alone so as not to be influenced or disrupted by others. Join me for a cup of tea for The Chic Assignment check-in. To see the original assignment, click here.
In today's check-in we are discussing the curious case of Adagio in G Minor. Did Tomaso Albinoni actually compose this piece? Or was it composed by Albinoni's biographer, Remo Giazotto? And if so, why wouldn't Giazotto take credit for it? It is one of the most beautiful pieces ever composed, after all... My humble opinion.
Didn't you love the performance by Hauser? A remarkable masterpiece.
We are also going to learn more about Degas' artistic life and examine some of his beautiful pieces.
As far as intentional downtime goes... I am doing better. I have been struggling with the mindless impulses to reach for my phone or to surf the web. I have found that keeping a real book by my side helps here. I am more likely to grab the book if I have a few moments to myself. I have been reading The Jane Austen Diet and A Most Novel Revenge by Ashley Weaver.
As for the romantic self-care item for this month, I have been enjoying a nice, hot bubble bath with my latest copy of Victoria Magazine and a cup of tea (I have been enjoying Earl Grey lately). It was the de-stressing moment I looked forward to at the end of every day...
I would love to know how your Chic Assignment is going this month.
**Correction** In the video I meant to say the "American" artist, Mary Cassatt (not French).
馃搷Become a member of The Daily Connoisseur through the MEMBERSHIPS feature. I do one livestream as well 3 episodes of my new Vodcast (a video podcast) per month. (Link must be accessed on a computer.) The next live stream is tomorrow.
馃搷Thank you for your wonderful support of my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS.
Comment of the Week
Melinda L. writes, "Thank you for not waiting until everything is "perfect" to shoot your videos. .I tend to unfollow YouTubers whose videos seem "over-controlled." They are so bland to me and I get bored. I much prefer a little "Julia Child" so to speak in the videos I watch, lol."
Well Melinda, there is no threat of anything being perfect on this blog or channel. There's always something going on over here :) Thank you for watching.
I would love to hear from you... how is your Chic Assignment going this month? What revelations have you had? Let us know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog. See you soon!
I'm sharing our dinners of the week in today's video.
I love watching these types of videos from other people as I always get new ideas. This is a relatively typical week for us, with an assortment of family favorites. I hope you enjoy seeing our meals.
My daughter made dinner tonight and assembled this Cobb salad. All of the kids love this type of salad and each got to choose their dressing of choice.
The kids weren't with us this afternoon, so Ben and I had a light salad with smoked herring, avocado, cherry tomatoes, apples, blue cheese, on romaine lettuce with champagne dressing.
We had beef enchiladas for dinner tonight packed with veggies and topped with salsa, sour cream, and avocado. We usually have one night a week where we have tacos, but this week we had enchiladas instead. I love these pretty antique plates from Ben's mother. They are similar to my favorite Spode Blue Italian.
Tuna pasta salad is a staple in our home and is easy to make when we are low on fresh food. This has pasta, tuna, olives, pickles, cucumber, and caramelized onions (chopped apples are great with this too) mixed with mayonnaise and garlic salt. So yummy. The French blue napkins are from Amazon.
The kids had pasta bolognese tonight and I didn't feel like having a heavy meal so I had heaps of the side salad along with garlic bread.
Beef pot roast is a regular dish in our family. I make this in the slow cooker. First, I layer chopped onions in the slow cooker, then I coat the beef chuck roast with salt and pepper and flour and sear it in a hot pan with oil. I then add the roast to the slow cooker (on top of the onions). I then put about a half cup of water in the pan along with onion soup mix to make a little gravy and pour that on top of the beef. I cook this on slow for 8 hours in the slow cooker.
Tonight's dish is vegetarian. Cabbage, carrots and other veggies are mixed with brown rice and saut茅ed with a miso sauce. I bought this kit from Trader Joe's.
For Valentine's Day, Ben and I had steamed crab with lemon butter sauce, potatoes au gratin, and asparagus. We had chocolates for dessert. I promise there was a lot more crab to eat for dinner... I just wanted to take a picture of the dish so we could move on to a nice dinner :) The buffalo check napkins you see here are from Amazon.
My earrings are from Ana Luisa NY Use code Jennifer10 for $10 off
My dress is LL Bean.
I hope you enjoy today's video. Please let me know if you enjoy these types of posts and I will do more...
馃搷Become a member of The Daily Connoisseur through the MEMBERSHIPS feature. I do one livestream as well 3 episodes of my new Vodcast (a video podcast) per month. (Link must be accessed on a computer.) The next live stream is tomorrow.
馃搷Thank you for your wonderful support of my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS.
Comment of the Week
Gloria C. writes, "Hi Jennifer - Greetings from OK (cold and rainy)! I was wondering what to make for dinner tonight and thought of your recipes. Yes! Turkey Shepherd's Pie. I went to store for the ingredients I didn't have and made it. Rave reviews all around! I served it with cranberry sauce. I seem to want cranberry sauce any time there's turkey. Thanks for a great recipe. I made just enough for a 9" square pan for my husband, son and myself. There are some leftovers."
Hi Gloria, that is wonderful. I'm so glad that your family enjoyed the Shepherd's Pie! Thank you for letting me know.
I hope you enjoyed today's video. Let us know what meals your family has been enjoying lately. I love getting new ideas. Your recipe could be chosen as comment of the week. See you next time for The Chic Assignment check-in.
Oscars best & worst, an off-the-shoulder dress worn in Parliament, and pajama wearing in public as uncivilized behavior? Let's discuss the latest articles in a new 3 articles on dress.
⚜️ The Oscars were this past Sunday and this year's red carpet looks were bold and beautiful. You can see a lot of the red carpet looks in this article here. I loved the following looks from Mindy Kaling, Regina King, and Margot Robbie. Watch today's video to find out who my best dressed was. I would love to hear who your best and worst dressed pics were from this year's Academy Awards.
Labour MP Tracy Brabin defends the outfit she wore to Commons even though she received a lot of criticism. What do you think? Was her outfit professional? Or did it lack professionalism? You'll hear my opinion in today's video.
⚜️ Jeanette Gadeberg sent me this article regarding China's actions to crack down on pajama wearing in public.
I am not going to discuss the governmental aspect of this story as I don't want to go there... but I found their definition of Uncivilized behavior rather interesting:
"Uncivilized behavior refers to when people behave and act in ways that violate public order because they lack public morals," read a post on WeChat, a common social messaging app, which has since been deleted.
The wearing of pajamas in public "has brought about a kind of complacent, undisciplined mind set," it concluded.
Let us know what you think about the articles discussed in today's video.
馃搷Become a member of The Daily Connoisseur through the MEMBERSHIPS feature. I do one livestream as well 3 episodes of my new Vodcast (a video podcast) per month. (Link must be accessed on a computer.)
馃搷Thank you for your wonderful support of my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS.
Comment of the Week
MsBackstager writes, "I wish that Jenn and everyone here would be my next door neighbors."
I wish that too... wouldn't it be nice?? :)
Thank you for joining me today. I would love to know who your picks for best and worst dressed are. Also, what did you think of the other articles? Let us know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on The Daily Connoisseur.
The Darjeeling is a summer black tea from the region of Darjeeling. This is a light, second-flush black tea with crisp, berry-like nuances. The brownish-black leaves are short, tightly-rolled, and interspersed with some green flakes. The liquor is mellow and unimposing, with notes of date palm and fermented barley that are discernible but fade away quickly. This tea has attributes of wood and dried fruit.
Teami Blends skinny tea, tumblers and greens blend
The Skinny Tea contains:
Yerba Mate: Containing brilliant nutritional benefits, we love yerba mate for its clean, plant-based caffeine!
Oolong Tea: Another wake-me-up front runner, oolong green tea has been widely regarded to benefit metabolism rates
Jiaogulan: A super herb, this tea acts as an adaptogen to balance your body from outside stressors
The Greens blend contains: 16 superfood blends including ceremonial grade matcha, wheatgrass, spirulina, and spinach. Vegan, non-GMO, soy free, dairy free, gluten free, nut free and no sugar added.
Plush Necessities Plush Signature Robe and slippers are made of superfine microfiber. So soft and cozy. I love how generous the material is. This is a perfect winter robe. Code TDCVDAY5 gives 5% off. They are also running a buy one get one 20% off for Valentine's Day.
Love Home & Planet rose laundry detergent Made with 94% plant-based cleansers
Dermatologist tested, vegan and cruelty-free
Removes stains effectively yet gently. Suitable for HE washing machines. Works at all temps. Septic safe.
Formulated without parabens, dyes, phosphates, parabens and optical brighteners
Blended with Amazonian Murumuru, and infused with the luxurious scent of handpicked Bulgarian Rose
You can also find the Love Home & Planet line at Target.
e-cloth make a 2-pack for both stove and shower. The stove 2-pack (shown above) has alternating scrubbing bristles on the cloth that do not scratch your stovetop. You can clean greasy messes with just water. Code SCOTTFEB10 gives 10% off until February 17th, 2020.
A'DEL Natural Cosmetics have a lovely line of natural and organic makeup and skincare. The following are the eyeshadows shown in today's video:
Black Beauty - matte black
Frosting - creamy white satin shimmer
Charming - deep lilac satin shimmer
Dreamy - dark taupe satin shimmer
馃搷Become a member of The Daily Connoisseur through the MEMBERSHIPS feature. I do one livestream as well 3 episodes of my new Vodcast (a video podcast) per month. (Link must be accessed on a computer.)
馃搷Thank you for your wonderful support of my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS.
Comment of the Week
utahkenneds writes, "I appreciate this post so much! I am an attorney and worked part time when my girls were small and gradually have worked into full time as they are teenagers but work mostly from home. Everything you said is so correct! I think sometimes homemakers fall into the trap of feeling like they aren't enough and can't measure up. I have had the best of both worlds -- it isn't easy but I feel so blessed to be home when my girls come home from school and to have some balance. There is nothing - no title, no salary, no bonus, no awards -- I have had them all -- that compares to the feeling of being a great Mom, Wife and Homemaker, and I think more women are starting to realize this. This is where true joy and satisfaction emerge. Thank you!"
utahkenneds, I loved your comment, thank you so much for writing in and sharing your experience!
I hope you enjoyed today's video. Let us know if you have a good recommendation in the comment section. Your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog. See you on Thursday for a new articles on dress, Oscars edition!
from Amazon, 
