I hope you enjoyed Monday's Royal Wedding Recap. Mr. Connoisseur felt the love and appreciated all of your kind comments about him. He says he will return to the channel again one day soon :)

I have had a terrible cold this week and, as such, have a very short video and blog for you today. My Trader Joe's haul was well-received (it turns out you like knowing what other people buy at the grocery store as much as I do!), so today I'm sharing a Costco haul with you.



Why is it nice to know what other people buy at the grocery store? Because it can give you ideas for your own home-cooked meals. For our family of 5 (soon to be 6), being prepared with the right groceries is a crucial part of running a successful home. I hope you enjoy today's quick video, which shares a sample of what I typically get at Costco. I tell you what I buy, what I ended up making, and the cost of the trip.

Did you know that Madame Chic shopped at a large warehouse grocery store once a month? I went with her and she loved getting items for the freezer and other bulk groceries she couldn't find from her local daily trips. For Madame Chic, a deal was a deal.

In the video, I mention two new items we tried: the omega-3 bread and the chocolate banana crêpes. The bread was delicious and we loved it. The crêpes were not a big hit and we probably won't be buying them again. I don't think the kids liked the texture of the mashed banana in the crêpe. Much better to make our own.

I hope you enjoy today's video.

News
For more of The Daily Connoisseur, take my eCourses, Creating Your Own Ten-Item Wardrobe and Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living.

On the Ten-Item Wardrobe eCourse, Laura says, "I'm so glad I am taking this course! I have already begun to remove clothing from my closet and have taken the first pile to donation!! Feeling lighter and enjoying the freedom of saying "goodbye" !😊"

Hi Laura, I'm so glad you are enjoying the course! It is so exciting to start your own ten-item wardrobe.


On Instagram

Enjoy every little moment... ☕📚🍹 🌸 #thursday #littlefriday #treats #coffeetime #coffeelover #coffeeperson #orangejuice #croissant #lilac #chocolate #jam #pearjam #book #enjoylittlethings #enjoyyourcup #enjoyyourcoffee #madamechic #thedailyconnoisseur @dailyconnoisseur

A post shared by Kateřina K (@1_catherine_) on May 3, 2018 at 2:01am PDT

Comment of the Week
On Monday's Teatime with Jennifer, Royal Wedding Edition video, Paula UK writes:


Thank you, Paula! Ben's advice to "let the other person be wrong" was definitely the line of the week. It took me a moment to process what he said and I found it so funny! Wonderful advice we can all learn from :)

Thank you for joining me today. What are your favorite things to buy at Costco? Please let us know so we can get more ideas. Or if you'd like to share your favorite grocery haul items, we would love to hear those too. I'll see you on Monday for a wonderful interview about aging well with Melissa55. See you then!

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To cap off last week's home tour videos, I am sharing one way I display faux flowers to make them look sophisticated and even real. I like to use leaf ribbon on the inside of a clear vase to make the arrangement look like it came from a florists' shop.



Of course there are many ways to display faux flowers. You can use glass pebbles, decorative opaque vases, and even acrylic water (which I have also done), but sometimes it's fun to use leaf ribbon to try to achieve the chic look from a florists' shop. I'm showing you how to use it in today's video with various vase shapes.





I usually get my faux flowers from Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Amazon and AFloral.

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

News
I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day celebration. We had such a great day. I wanted to share this quote from Louisa May Alcott's, Little Women:



You have a few days left to enter my Ana Luisa Jewelry Giveaway. 3 lucky winners will receive the beautiful 'Olivia' earrings. Giveaway is for US residents only.

For more of The Daily Connoisseur, take my eCourses, Creating Your Own Ten-Item Wardrobe and Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living.

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

Dzień dobry w poniedziałek! Mam nadzieję, że udało Wam się zrobić w ten długi weekend tyle ile chcieliście, a jeśli nie wszystko to chociaż większość 😉 Dużo energii na dzisiaj Wam życzę! Pogoda jest piękna! 😍 #flamingo #ksiazka #madamechic #lekturadoherbatki #teatime #herbatkazksiążkąpl #herbatkazrana #notes #piekniejest #milegodnia #taca #bambus #kujonki #minimalizm

A post shared by Minimalistic Girl (@minimalisticgirlblog) on May 6, 2018 at 11:20pm PDT

Comment of the Week
Regarding last week's real and faux indoor plant post, DD writes, "I mix real and faux flowers in arrangements. A bunch of real lilies (inexpensive at the supermarket) in a big vase with several faux long, drooping stems of tiny orchid blossoms gives me an easy, beautiful, impressive arrangement for the entry or dining table. I've seen guests check them out and determine "real" when they see the lilies are real! Economical, beautiful, and easier to arrange and take care of than a big bouquet of varied real cut flowers."

Hi DD, what a great idea to mix real and faux in the same vase. I bet your arrangement looks spectacular!

Today, I would love to know if you use faux flowers when decorating. How do you like to display them in a vase? Let me know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog. See you on Thursday for a pregnancy chat video.



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Take a walk with me on the beach and have a chat! In this video, I update you on how homeschooling is going, what our daily routine is in Portugal and the unusual things I have been missing while traveling abroad. We are actually in England right now, but I hope you enjoy seeing these videos from our Portugal trip.

This video was shot on the DJI Gimbal Osmo video recorder. I'm still learning how to use this device so bear with me as I try to walk in the thick sand, talk and film at the same time. Ha!

I hope you enjoy today's video.

News

Take my new eCourse on the ten-item wardrobe! With over an hour of never-before-seen video instruction, notes and quizzes, you will feel prepared to create your own ten-item wardrobe. For those of you who already do the ten-item wardrobe, this course will keep you on track and provide further inspiration. The course is self-paced and includes a lively comment section with other ten-item wardrobe enthusiasts. Enjoy!



Fiona G writes, "Thank you Jennifer for putting this course together. It's been really helpful in putting the 10 item wardrobe into practice."

Thank you, Fiona!



Today I would love to know... what are the unusual things you miss while traveling?


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First, I showed you What I Look Like at the End of the Day, and now it's time for me to show you what I look like in the middle of the day. What's going on this afternoon? The dishes need to be done, the kitchen needs to be cleaned, I have a roast in the slow cooker and cookies fresh out of the oven. It's gloriously messy, comforting and joyful all at the same time!

Running a home can be stressful and overwhelming, but enjoy the process (that is what being a daily connoisseur is all about!). It will not be pretty. You and your home will not look perfect, but you can take pleasure in the journey.

I'm listening to the Miss Mapp audio book to get ready for our book club. (I've read the novel and am now solidifying it by listening to it.)

Here is my chocolate chip cookie recipe. I keep the dough in the freezer and make it in small batches. I like to make 6 - 8 cookies at a time. This is perfect for when unexpected guests arrive.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients
1 C butter, softened
1 C white sugar
1 C packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsps vanilla extract
3 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsps hot water
1/2 tsp salt
2 C semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, and chocolate chips. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet.
Bake for about 10- 14 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

Delight in the pleasures of the afternoon, no matter how messy and work-laden they are. For more on the pleasures of the afternoon, check out my book, At Home With Madame Chic.

I hope you enjoy today's video!

News
I hope you'll join me for the Mapp & Lucia Book Club. We will be starting at the end of June. Write down your questions so I can answer them in my upcoming videos!

And in the Instagram world...

A cup of tea, a bar of chocolate and Lessons from Madame Chic. What a perfect evening!

A post shared by Ewa (@ewa_fotografuje) on May 16, 2017 at 10:20am PDT

Lanasartstudio has drawn some of her favorite inspiring books and Madame Chic made the cut!

Begin each day with a grateful heart ❤️ Happy Tuesday my #instafamily ! Life is beautiful 🌸 take time to enjoy it! #quoteoftheday #instart

A post shared by Lana Moes (@lanasartstudio) on Apr 25, 2017 at 8:24am PDT

This picture talks about the different titles in American and Japan...

A post shared by Licca (@licca_graces) on May 19, 2017 at 8:27am PDT

Comment of the Week
Alexandra tried out a vegan version of my Authentic Indian Chicken Curry. Here is her report:
Hi Jennifer,
Here is my after-cooking report. My family loved this dish! There was nothing left at the end of the meal. My teenage son ate two large servings. I'm so glad you're giving curry to your baby. He will have a sophisticated palate when he is older.
Like Julie, I used coconut cream in place of the yogurt. To cut down on the fat, I also sauteed the onions in veggie broth instead of oil. The veggies I used were zucchini and summer squash. We've only been vegan for a couple months; so we are still firming up our favorite recipes. This is definitely one of them.
For those who may feel intimidated by all the spices, I don't think it's absolutely necessary to use every single spice. I substituted powders for the pastes and skipped the garam masala since I didn't have it. The curry was still fantastic.
Thanks again,
Alexandra

Alexandra, I'm so happy your family loved the recipe and you were able to adapt it to your needs. Wonderful!

Today I would love to know... what do you have going on this afternoon? What are your pleasures of the afternoon? Let me know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog!

See you Thursday for a review of a new book discussing the history of makeup.



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Part 3 of the reader Q&As continues today with a special appearance from Mr. Connoisseur at the beginning of the video. Have the books changed me? What do my friends think of the Madame Chic books? What should you do when you are in a bridal party and everyone around you lacks poise? How can I implement routines into my home life? All of these questions are answered in today's video plus much more.

News
I hope you will join me for the Mapp & Lucia book club at the end of June!

Here is a snapshot of the two volume Lessons from Madame Chic comic books from Harper Collins Japan...

The Lessons From Madame Chic 2 volume comic books from @harpercollinsjp Illustrated by the great Junko Murata ❤️ #lessonsfrommadamechic #MADAMECHIC #jenniferlscott

A post shared by Jennifer L. Scott (@dailyconnoisseur) on May 2, 2017 at 10:25am PDT

Jezball Adventures shares The Madame Chic Collection...

So very excited to start reading. #jezballadventures #thedailyconnoisseur #jenniferlscott #madamechic 🇹🇹

A post shared by JezelleM (@jezballadventures) on Apr 24, 2017 at 4:42pm PDT

Comment of the Week
Amy writes: I grew up on a farm surrounded by hardworking men and women and we learned an appreciation for honest, hard work. No one I know would find this fashion trend to be acceptable in any way. Most folks who have jobs that get them this dirty want nothing more than to get home scrub up in the shower and put on fresh, clean clothes as a reward for that hard work. My father wouldn't have sat at our dinner table looking like that let alone have gone out to a restaurant or a movie. He would have considered it disrespectful to himself and to others. I'm assuming if you are spending $425 on these jeans, you would wear them anywhere. I find it disrespectful to socialize looking like this and hope folks have more sense than to buy into this fad.

Hi Amy, I loved your comment on the Fake Mud Jeans post. It's nice hearing your perspective having grown up on the farm. Your father sounds like a wonderful man! Thank you to you and everyone who commented.

I would love to hear your thoughts on today's discussion topics. Have you ever been in a group of peers and felt uncomfortable with their behavior? What did you learn from it? Where do you struggle with routines in your home life? What are your successes with routines? Let me know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on The Daily Connoisseur!

If you have any questions you'd like to submit for a future reader Q&A, you may leave a comment here, or email me privately via my author website. Please note: due to the large volume of emails I receive, I am not always able to respond. I do read every email and appreciate every one!


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Today's video is a collaboration with Mina Irfan from The Universe Guru. Mina contacted me with this great idea to do a collaboration on 5 Tips for an Efficient Home. Today, I'm sharing 5 tips on my channel, and she is sharing 5 tips on her channel. You can watch her video here.

This was a really fun topic for me. I had way more than 5 tips, but I streamlined them to the most pertinent.

Prepare the night before Think about what makes your morning hectic. Is it breakfast? Getting dressed? Preparing school lunches? Helping the children get ready? Whatever it is that causes you stress, see if you can take care of it the night before. Set the table for breakfast. Set out the lunchbox and place non-perishables in it. Choose your clothes for the next day. Have your children lay their clothes out. Place all backpacks by the front door. Everyone's nightly to-do list will be different, but you will come to appreciate this added effort the night before to make your morning run smoothly.

Use your slow cooker The slow cooker (or crock pot) is my favorite kitchen appliance. Late afternoon/ early evening are very busy times at our house. The children are back from school and we are doing homework, practicing instruments, catching up and having downtime together. I'm also normally quite tired during these hours. That's why I love to prepare a meal in the slow cooker in the morning, when I tend to have more energy and while the kids are at school. I love the feeling of having dinner prepared come 5pm! It also makes the house smell so good. I love that our home smells of home-cooking when the children get back from school. The benefits of the slow cooker are endless.**

Embrace routines We live in a world of order and our homes should reflect that. Try to eliminate chaos wherever you can by implementing routines for everything from dealing with the incoming mail to going to bed at night.

Run your home like a small hotel What do you like about staying at a hotel? Is it the serene, clutter-free bedroom? The immaculate lobby and reception area? The sense of calm and order? Get excited about running your home, just as if you were the manager of a small, boutique hotel. With this motivation, you will plan your meals with gusto and use your implemented routines to create an orderly and efficient home.

Adopt a ten-item wardrobe The benefits of the ten-item wardrobe are vast, one of them being that it makes your home life run more efficiently. Why? Because you are not wasting countless hours choosing what to wear. You are not wasting money on clothes you don't need and aren't your true style. You end up choosing to look presentable every day which boosts your energy and productivity, plus so much more.

I hope you check out my video today where I expound on all of these topics, and why I believe they can help you to run your home more efficiently.

**Many people have asked which slow cooker I use. Our All Clad slow cooker is over ten years old and our particular model is no longer available. However, I did some research and this Crock Pot slow cooker is Amazon's pick, is very affordable and has excellent reviews online. If you are looking for a new slow cooker and you try this one, let me know how you like it!

Comment of the Week
Oh my goodness, there were so many amazing comments from last week's Teatime with Jennifer video and blog, it was really hard to choose my favorite! Here are two great comments:

Jenna G writes: I have been following your channel and reading your books for a few years now, I've never commented but I just love what you have to say. You have inspired me to live in a new way with a renewed love for the simple things in life. Whether it's food, beverages, clothes, or the simple pleasures of making your home look beautiful, it's just fun! I used to have two closets jam-packed full of clothes, and now I'm down to one small closet thanks to the 10 item wardrobe. I love cleaning out my closet multiple times each year and updating my wardrobe. I find joy in keeping my home looking nice with my husband. And I totally agree about looking presentable always, even when no one else will see you that day! I hope your books and channel are around for years to come. I love looking forward to your new videos each week. :)

Tara M writes:
Before reading the Madame Chic series I used to be an offender of wearing yoga pants everyday (I think I am wearing yoga pants in my icon pic :). I too, had the opinion that it didn't matter since I wore a long shirt over and I thought you couldn't tell. I also work from home. But after reading the books, I decided to give it a try. I have to say I have converted. I no longer wear yoga pants daily. I wear real pants. And I will say, "don't knock it til you try it". I feel so much better. I realized that when I was in my yoga pants, I wanted to lounge around, read, or go on the internet. When I am dressed, I am more efficient, more organized and I feel better when I go to the store. I am in a better mood. I love not wearing yoga pants. At the end of the night, early, I take a relaxing bath and put on my pj's and then I relax, pray and listen to some classical or meditation music. So, now I have a place for my relaxation time. I love it!~ Thank you Jennifer for shedding light on this. My cheat is, I found dressy, nice pants, that are just as comfy as yoga pants. I usually wear nice, dressy leggings with a long dress top and ballet flats.

Thank you ladies, for sharing your great testimonials with all of us. I love to hear how the Daily Connoisseur and Madame Chic philosophies are improving your lives.

This week I would love to know... What do you think of my tips for running an efficient home? Do you have any to add yourself? Do you struggle with efficiency in your home life? Let me know in the comment section, and yours could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog!


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I'm pleased to start my series on making home life a priority today! I have broached this subject in the past, and have even written a book on the topic (At Home With Madame Chic), however, this topic remains a passion of mine, and I still have so much to say on the subject.

This will be an on-going series over the course of the year, and today we are talking about distractions. The last time I discussed this, I urged you to cut your distractions. Cutting needless distractions is very important, but in today's video, I also give encouragement. Oftentimes you can make your distractions work for you to sweeten the process of getting your work done.

The first step? Write your distractions down on a sheet of paper so you can look at them honestly. Screens, in any form, are the biggest distractions: smartphones, television, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Netflix, etc.

Now, figure out if you can make your favorite distractions work for you. Can you watch a YouTube video, while folding the laundry? Can you listen to an audiobook or podcast while cleaning the kitchen or cooking dinner? You can do these things while feeling motivated to organize, de-clutter and tidy the house on a regular basis. And what should we do about those pesky Facebook and Pinterest addictions?

Check out this week's video to hear my thoughts on the subject. To see the list of my favorite YouTubers, check out the info box below today's video.

News
ELLE Magazine tries out the ten-item wardrobe!

Pepper and Gem shares her ten-item wardrobe.

Lizzbert shares her ten-item wardrobe prep.

Comment of the Week
Thank you to everyone who watched my first episode of Teatime with Jennifer! Everyone contributed such lovely comments, it was hard to choose my favorite. I did love this memory from reader, Maureen...

Maureen @ Raising the Capable Student writes:
I loved this story too! When my oldest son was born (22 years ago!), he spent a week in NICU. We always dressed nicely for our visits, and on the day we finally brought him home, I wore a dress and my husband wore a suit. It was a day of grateful celebration, and we wanted it to feel that way. It's a great memory!

Hi Maureen, I'm sure that time when your son was in the NICU was incredibly stressful. I'm sure that your dressing well for his visits reflected your hope for him. What a great memory to finally bring him home! Thank you for sharing it with us.

This week I would love to know... what are your distractions? How could your home life use improvement? How do you plan to make home life a priority this year? Let me know, and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog!


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Happy new year, dear readers! I hope you had a marvelous holiday break. I enjoyed my time off immensely. Baby's first Christmas was so special. We spent new year's eve celebrating with friends, and this past week have been on vacation in the snow in Yosemite.

This week's video is shot from my cozy hotel room at the Tenaya Lodge near Yosemite valley. It was our first time bringing the children to the snow, and they have had so much fun sledding and tobogganing with their cousins! In my video today, I share my annual new year's inspiration with you and outline the plans for the blog in 2017. (My apologies for the audio quality of this video. I did not have my usual equipment with me in Yosemite and as a result, the audio quality has suffered.)

This is going to be another year where we focus on making our home lives a priority. As I write about in At Home With Madame Chic, home life is truly important for everyone, whether you live in a big house, or a dorm room with a roommate. The focus of my home life blogs this year will have an emphasis on habits and routines, which are vital to creating a peaceful and nurturing home environment. Habits and routines become even more important when you have children. I have many thoughts on these topics and am excited to share them with you this year!

Also, regarding beauty and ten-item wardrobe, I have heard your requests. So many of you over the years have requested that I feature budget beauty and wardrobe items. This year I will be investigating and reviewing many drugstore beauty items. I am looking for affordable products that do not compromise quality. The same will be said for my ten-item wardrobe posts later this year. It will be a fun experiment and I hope you join me!

Finally, I am aiming to implement a new video series on my YouTube channel: in addition to Monday's regular video, I plan to start a weekly, or bi-weekly Teatime with Jennifer, where we discuss popular or current events stories. So many times something will happen in the news and I will want to weigh in on it from the Madame Chic/ Daily Connoisseur perspective, and this year I will finally begin!

I continue to read and love your emails and comments. Because I am not able to respond to each one, I will continue to feature the "comment of the week" on the blog. I feature comments from this blog, the YouTube channel and from my social media accounts.

Thank you for joining me for another season of The Daily Connoisseur. I hope you will subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven't already. It is free! If you click the "bell" next to the subscribe button, you will be notified every time I upload a video. I encourage you to do this, because the teatime with Jennifer videos will not have their own blogpost. They will be in video form only.

If you have any requests for the new year, please leave them below. See you soon!



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One of the habits that made a big impression on me in Paris was how both Madame Chic and Madame Bohemienne loved to entertain guests. They had dinner parties at least once a week. The style of their parties varied- Madame Chic held more formal affairs and Madame Bohemienne's were more casual and spontaneous, but what they held in common were how welcome you felt as a guest. They never apologized for the state of their dress or their home or their cooking. You were always offered a refreshment, or aperitif, immediately upon arrival and were generally made to feel very comfortable. I believe it is because they had people over so often and so regularly that being a hostess was just like second nature for them.

Most people have a story, whether good or bad, about a time they were a guest in someone's home. When we have guests over we want them to feel welcome right away. This week's video shares my basic guidelines for receiving guests properly.

1. Get accustomed to using your best- If you use your best on a daily basis, it won't feel awkward to do so when company comes over.

2. Shed your insecurities and don't apologize- While it's important to get your home ready for guests, don't obsess about the details. Let their knock on the door be a signal for you to drop any insecurities that you may have about the state of your home or whether or not they will like your cooking. Don't apologize for yourself, your skills or your home. Your guests are most likely just happy to have been invited over!

3. Designate a space for their belongings- Let your guests know where they can place their handbag, coat and umbrella, or place their belongings there for them.

4. Always offer a drink to your guests upon their arrival- It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of seeing your friends, but don't forget to offer them something to drink when they arrive. They might be really thirsty or would really appreciate a strong cup of coffee.

5. Provide food if your guests are visiting during a mealtime- If you are inviting people over during a mealtime (noon or 7pm, for example) you must provide them with a meal.

Check out this week's video for a more comprehensive discussion on the subject. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel (and subscribe!) www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur


News
At Home With Madame Chic is going into its second printing with Simon & Schuster! Thank you readers for embracing this book on how we can live better at home.

Pink Julep is bringing At Home With Madame Chic along with her on a journey.

I will appear on Nippon Television's The Most Useful School in the World, Saturday, May 23rd at 7pm in Japan.

Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
Make connecting with people face to face (rather than screen to screen) a priority again. Invite a neighbor or one of your friends over for a cup of tea this week.

Comment of the Week
Madame Chic reader, Shannon, has tried the ten-item wardrobe and says:

Now in the morning when I slide open the closet door there is a sense of giddiness and excitement instead of dread or stress. What favorite outfit should I wear today? It doesn’t bother me to don the same dress twice or on one occasion three times a week because I love it so much. I have also built up my accessories to the point where I can easily change the look of dress with a belt, scarf or cardigan and it feels new. I’ve narrowed down my colors so that most things coordinate. Thanks again for the inspiration. It’s been a great life change!

Shannon, I am so happy you are reaping the benefits of the ten-item wardrobe. I hope it continues to positively influence your everyday life going forward!


Before we go, I would just like to say Happy Mother's Day to all of the Daily Connoisseur moms out there. I am so fortunate to have such a lovely mother who raised me well. All mothers deserve the highest accolades and respect for doing the best and the hardest job on earth. I hope you had a great weekend.

This week I would love to hear about your stories as a hostess or a guest. Do you have any horror stories to share? Any wonderful experiences that left an impression on you? Let us know in the comments and you could be picked as the comment of the week!


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Our Life at Home series continues today as we discuss our very important beauty sleep! So many of us are sleep deprived for one reason or another (usually that reason is our children!) that it is important to put thought into how much sleep we are getting and make adjustments when necessary. This week's video shares my top three tips on how I unwind at the end of the day to prepare for sleep:

Make sure you are not overstimulating yourself with media before you go to bed. In general, I like to read for up to an hour before I go to sleep as I find this really helps me calm my mind and settle into a satisfying sleep (that is until I am awoken by one of the little ones!).

Adjust your bedtime if needed (yes, even if it feels painfully early) to get as much sleep as you need to operate well the next day. It could be that in your college years you could easily stay up until midnight or even 1am, but now you're in your 30s with a full time job, more stress and young children. It's time to push up the bedtime (this is my story, by the way).

On those days when you are completely exhausted, go to bed as early as you can. There have been so many nights that I go to sleep at 7:30pm, right after I put the children to bed. These early nights are so necessary every now and then to recharge and wake up energized the next day.

Check out this week's video for more on the subject. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or check out my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

News
Bonjour Emily shares her Ten-Item Wardrobe journey in her latest blog post.

Arushi Nayar from The Water Bakery references my ten-item wardrobe TEDx talk in her article on Minimalism.

Mama's VIB lists Lessons from Madame Chic among her favorite Parisian style books.

The Madame Chic books are recommended reading for those who also loved New York Times Bestseller The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up (a book I highly recommend!)

At Home With Madame Chic comes out this Thursday, March 19th in Poland from Wydawnictwo Literackie. Special blog post announcement to come! Here is one of their charming promotional illustrations for the book. It encourages you to keep in control of your clutter hot spots:



Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
We live in a fast-paced, wired world where we are always connected... always "on". Feel empowered to disconnect from the shows, the screens and the social media and get some good old-fashioned rest. Make your bedroom a relaxing haven, free from devices and clutter. Make rest and sleep a priority in your life.

Comment of the Week
On YouTube, Me HereToday writes:

I watched your vlog yesterday morning and had planned to spend the day slouching around (have the flu). After watching the vlog I put on a pretty cardigan to make the dress I was wearing, just look that bit nicer, I blow dried my wet freshly washed hair and put a small amount of powder makeup and mascara. Within minutes I received a phone call that I was about to get visitors. Not only did I have time to check the house was presentable I knew I looked good and there was no stress.
Thank you for this timely advice. Today I needed no prompting to look presentable regardless of how I feel.

Thank you for your inspiring comment!



Be sure to enter the Christy luxury bed linen giveaway here.

This week I would love to know... what is your sleep story? Are there adjustments you can make to get a better night's sleep?

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Our Life at Home series continues with the topic of self-discipline. We have already begun to discuss the very important topic of self-discipline with regard to shopping and eating, and now we are looking at where we need it at home. Self-discipline is extremely important to have at home because at home we are our own bosses, we set the tone and no one (unless you live with your parents) is going to set it for you. Sometimes this freedom runs away with us.

I believe everything boils down to needing self-discipline at home. It could be that you need self-discipline to not reach into the cookie jar all day long, or binge-watch reality TV. It could be that you need self-discipline with how you communicate to your spouse (otherwise known as biting your tongue) or with keeping your home office in order. Many of you expressed the desire to change how much screen time you use each week... this is where self-discipline comes in handy!

This week's video answers the question: why even bother with self-discipline? Why not just do what we want to do and live how we want to live? Check out my video to hear my response. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

This week I would love to know... what areas of your home life require more self-discipline than others? How do you plan to implement your changes? Let me know in the comment section below. On social media use the hashtags #LifeatHome #MADAMECHIC

News
She is Little,She is Fierce blog writes of Lessons from Madame Chic: "this book is perfect. You need it STAT!"

Tips on Life and Love recommends At Home With Madame Chic in their article: Clutterbugs, Beware: 10 Books for Organizing Your Home.

Italian readers: The marvelous Edy Tassi, who translates the Madame Chic books into Italian, has written a blog post about At Home With Madame Chic on her blog. You can read it here.

Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
Practice self-discipline with the small things. This week, put your belongings away immediately after you use them. This goes for everything from the sugar bowl to the blow drier. Don't leave anything for later... with intention, put it away as soon as you can. Notice how this small change exercises your self-discipline muscle and will inspire you to become more disciplined in other areas of your life.


Testimonial
Of Lessons from Madame Chic, loganperin writes on Instagram:

I'm currently a 19 year old exchange student in Japan from Ohio, and the other day I saw this book in a store. I've always been interested in French culture so I bought this book on my Kindle. WORLD CHANGED. I've been incorporating these into my daily life and it's amazing what a difference it's made. I've been very homesick... This book has helped me turn my exchange around and given it a whole new meaning. I am truly grateful.

Thank you! I hope you enjoy every moment of your exchange in Japan. I am so happy to hear that Lessons from Madame Chic has inspired you in such a way.

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We are kicking off the Life at Home series on The Daily Connoisseur this week with this first installment: Cut the Distractions. Living well at home is very important. It's important because how you live at home behind closed doors when no one is looking is indicative of your true self and your true values.

We strive to make changes to our life in the areas of style, makeup, wardrobe, clutter, being in the present moment, presenting ourselves well, etc. and if we are serious about making these changes, we need to get serious about implementing them at home.

In At Home With Madame Chic we discuss how a happy home life sets you up for success in the outside world. Order is needed at home. Organization is needed at home. Beauty is needed at home. Dignity is needed at home. The arts are needed at home. Style is needed at home. But are we able to live well at home if we find ourselves constantly distracted? In our minds we know what we should be doing but when we will actually get around to doing that? We're not sure. Right now we're surfing the internet, or binge-watching a reality TV show, or deep into reading Facebook posts.

You'd like to cook that healthy meal. You'd like to get some patio gardening done. You'd like to write that letter. You'd like to practice the piano. You'd like to organize your lingerie drawer. You'd like to read that historical biography. You'd like to write in your journal. You'd like to tidy up the kitchen and you will... just after you spend an hour perusing the online shops.

Sound familiar?

It certainly does to me! Screens- whether television, smartphone or laptop can be a major distraction and if we want to live well at home, we need to cut the distraction. This doesn't mean cutting these things out entirely. But it does mean getting strict about how much time you devote to them.

Check out this week's video for the rest of my thoughts on this subject. If you cannot see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

I'd love for you to join in on this discussion. What are your distractions at home? How could you be spending your time instead? On social media use the hashtags #LifeAtHome #MADAMECHIC

News
I will be part of a live red carpet commentary for The Critic's Choice awards this Thursday, January 15th from 4pm to 6pm on MakerTV. You can watch the entire viewing party here or visit http://www.maker.tv/live/criticschoice

Ruby's Musings just adores Madame Chic for French Girl Friday

MoonFireGypsyWagon muses on At Home With Madame Chic in her latest blogpost.


Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
If you have extra time this week, don't spend it on the internet (even if that means shutting down this blog right now!), but try something that enriches your soul: play the piano, write a poem, get some gardening done, make a cake, write a letter, arrange some flowers. Feel invigorated by your freedom from the screen.


Testimonial

Patricia W. from Connecticut writes:

Jennifer, I've been following your blog for a while now and love it. Love your videos. And yes, I'm adhering to your 10-item capsule wardrobe. It's so much easier and stylish with regard to ease of deciding what to wear. Almost everything in my closet works with everything else so no problem. My closet is now a streamlined and pretty personal space...one I'm happy to show to my girlfriends as an inspiration. The best news is Lessons from Madame Chic inspired me to put my best self forward even if I'm just doing errands or going to the supermarket. I feel so much better knowing I look presentable and need never again feel embarrassed upon meeting an acquaintance or neighbor while out and about.

One of the very best compliments I've received as a result was from the mother of a good friend, Whenever I see you, Patricia, you always look so...so...clean and shiny.

I was drawn into your video blogs not only by their content, but also, almost immediately, by the fact that I'd find myself smiling whenever I heard your intro, ... Jennifer here.

Patricia W

Thank you Patricia. You have been a long-time reader and supporter of my blog. I appreciate your testimonial!

See you next week!


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