Welcome to The Chic Assignment Check-in for May! I am loving this month's assignments and have so much to discuss with you in today's video.



For the original May Chic Assignment, visit this link.

🎵 I am enjoying listening to the Satie Gymnopédies during the chaos of our kitchen renovation. They are truly counteracting the craziness and upheaval of our home life right now.

My two-year-old thought the pieces were "sad". Some find them depressing. Others find them to be remarkably beautiful.

Regarding The Satie Gymnopédies, Frenchcaligirl writes, "I recognized the musical piece immediately, especially the first part of it. Have heard it countless times, just never knew what it was called or who composed it. I agree that it’s not upbeat but don’t find it depressing either. The mood of it has an introspective quality to it."

I agree! They certainly have an introspective quality to them.

🖼 Renoir is one of my favorite artists and it was difficult to choose my favorite piece from him. I am very fond of the Young Girls at the Piano because it reminds me of my own daughters.


image from Wikipedia

Here are links to all of the prints from Art.com, if you'd like to have these in your own home.

Luncheon of the Boating Party print

Ball at the Moulin de la Galette print

Girls at the Piano print

Here is a link to The Ambleside podcast on how Atmosphere sets Affections

💍 Regarding jewelry, I share a story from the beginning of our marriage with Mr. Connoisseur. By the way, today is also our 13th wedding anniversary! Time has surely flown.


💅 I have been recording my manicures for you (see here) and I hope they are proving an inspiration for you to do your own at-home manicures. I find them to be great for not only saving money, but for a relaxing self-care routine too.


Regarding pedicures, here is the pedicure foot tool This is the best foot file I have ever used (and I have used a lot of them). It's only $8.99 on Amazon.

I purchased the Sam Edelman leopard sandal to add some interest to my summer footwear. Pedicure season truly is here!


Also mentioned/ featured in today's video:

📍The faux flowers in my background are from Horchow

📍 The Worshipful Lucia & Trouble for Lucia are the final two books we will be reading in the Mapp & Lucia book club, coming to you this summer.


📍The Daily Connoisseur blog has many talented readers. Here are two authors who have just published books. Both ladies are fans of The Daily Connoisseur and Madame Chic. Congratulations, Amanda and Jodie!


Amanda Dykes Whose Waves These Are


Jodie Alexander Frye Questions at the School Gate

News
📍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
Mademoiselle Chic in Japan...

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・ ・ ・ 今夜の本📕 子ども向けの絵本だけれど 大切なことが書かれていて背すじがピン！とします☺︎ ・ ・ 優しくて、柔軟で、強くて、自分に負けない 素敵な女性になりたい！ ・ ・ #マドモアゼルシック #すてきな女の子になるレッスン #ジェニファーlスコット #jenniferlscott #読書 #読書記録 #美人読書 #louis_lecture #夜読書 #夜活 #louis_nuit #chubbyの巣 #寝室 #bedroom #可愛くなりたい #綺麗になりたい #大人の可愛い計画 ・ ・ 20190512 ・ ・

A post shared by ちゃびぃ ぼーくん (@chubby_bokun) on May 12, 2019 at 6:13am PDT

Comment of the Week
PenelopesMom writes, "Hello Jennifer I recently came across your YouTube channel and am completely loving it! I am a stay at home mom to a fourteen month old daughter and have struggled to keep up my appearance. You are inspiring me! In the past two weeks I have been working on creating my ten item wardrobe and taking a few extra minutes a day to brush my hair, put on a little makeup and just look more presentable. It's actually not difficult at all and I am feeling so much better! I'm excited for my first Chic Assignment as well. I have already given myself a manicure and pedicure while the baby napped yesterday, and today I plan on wearing a beautiful statement necklace to a birthday party. Thank you so much for all you do, I am looking forward to reading and learning more!"

Welcome to the blog, PenelopesMom, and thank you for joining in on The Chic Assignment. Having your first baby is a wonderful time but it can also be challenging as you adapt to your new routine and life. I'm so happy you are finding refreshment here!

Thank you for joining us for The Chic Assignment check-in. I would love to hear from you. How is your assignment going this month? What are your findings? Let us know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on The Daily Connoisseur!


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

Welcome to The Chic Assignment for May! We are exploring music, art, jewelry and self-care this month. Let's get right into it.



🎵Chic Assignment no. 1 Listen to Erik Satie Gymnopédies The Gymnopédies, published in Paris starting in 1888, are three piano compositions written by French composer and pianist Erik Satie.

You can listen to all three Gymnopédies for free on this 15 minute YouTube video (which has seen 20 MILLION views!)



🖼Chic Assignment no. 2 Regard the works of Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Visit the official Pierre-Auguste Renoir website to view his works. The 12 most popular works are listed on the first page. I would love for you to share which one speaks to you.

Here I'm sharing one of my favorites: Dance at the Moulin de la Galette

I am sharing this image via Wikepedia

💍Chic Assignment no. 3 Wear a piece (or pieces) of jewelry you don't normally wear. Many of us have a jewelry box or a little dish with pretty pieces, yet we wear the same jewelry over and over again (I do this!). Open your jewelry box and wear an old piece you haven't worn in awhile. It doesn't have to be fancy, just something to freshen up your ten-item wardrobe. Let us know, what you chose to wear.

💅Chic Assignment no. 4 Get manicure and pedicure ready. Sandal season is fast approaching. Whether you wear nail polish or not, it's time to get manicure and (especially) pedicure ready. Buff those heels, apply a cream and treat yourself to some self care by taking care of your hands and feet. If you missed my spring manicure video from last month, I will share it here. This is the foot file I mention in the video: it's an invaluable tool for my pedicures.



I love reading your Chic Assignment updates! Even though I am not able to reply to each one, I appreciate reading them. I know others do too! I hope you enjoy The Chic Assignment in today's video.

News
📍We are doing a budget kitchen renovation Chez Connoisseur. Follow me on Instagram for updates (I will also be blogging this too!)

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Kitchen renovation day one: we survived. Homeschooling with four kids and a kitchen reno is no joke. Ben said something very funny to me right before he snapped this picture, hence my maniacal laughter. This is going to be very interesting! #connoisseurkitchen #dailyconnoisseur #kitchenrenovation #4kids #nokitchen #help

A post shared by Jennifer L. Scott (@dailyconnoisseur) on Apr 29, 2019 at 5:56pm PDT

📍Take my affordable eCourses on the Ten-Item Wardrobe, Debt-free Living, and How to be Efficient at Home.

📍I would like to thank everyone who emails me, comments on videos or posts or sends me messages in other ways. I am receiving so many messages that I am unable to respond to them. Every time I read one of your wonderful emails I truly smile. Thank you so much! In this busy season of life with the children I am unable to respond. I do hope you understand.

On Instagram
Madame Chic in Vietnam...

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my new book, my holidays 📖📖 #peacefulmoments #lessonsfrommadamechic #girlreading

A post shared by Thao Tran (@haileystories) on Apr 27, 2019 at 10:00pm PDT

Comment of the Week
Last week's post on The Dress Code for Parents sparked so much conversation! There were so many comments I could have chosen for comment of the week!
Anonymous writes, "When I was growing up, no matter what was going on in my world, there was one thing I could always count on: my mom looking fabulous! I don't mean in a fancy, expensive, uber-chic way. We were not a rich family! But, she was always dressed in slacks or a dress or skirt, she always had her hair done, and she always wore makeup. Always. She looked bright and pretty, and the sight of her reassured me and filled me with calm. Things were under control. Mom was put together, and so was our lives.

Years later when I was an adult and Mom was diagnosed with cancer, she was determined to keep it up. She went to her mastectomy armed with a full face of makeup on - I know that sounds extreme! Throughout her treatment, she sported the cutest wigs and wore bright colors. She fought courageously and lived for 10 more years! It was only at the very end that she became too weak to continue.

I think my mom understood the psychological effect her grooming had on her family. It always gave us a lift and made our days just a little brighter.

A Grateful Daughter"

Dear Anon, your beautiful memories of your mother were so poignant. She sounded like a marvelous woman. And how wonderful for her to leave you with such fond memories. Thank you for sharing those memories with us.

Thank you for participating in The Chic Assignment for May! I am looking forward to hearing your findings. As usual, I will be doing a check-in mid-month. See you soon!




Visit my Author Website

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

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

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This post is not sponsored. Some links may be affiliate.

I'm back with another fun seasonal video from Ana Luisa Jewelry. I have chosen my top 5 picks from their spring collection. I tend to have a more classic and conservative taste in jewelry and these were my favorite from their beautiful line.



Here is a fun fact from Ana Luisa Jewelry: It takes 20 tons of earth mining to produce a single ring of gold. That’s why Ana Luisa use 100% recycled gold in their products.


Endless Gold Hoop Earrings – Venus 14k fine gold plating


Lapis Lazuli Necklace - Romy Lapis Fine gold plated Delicate, feminine and featuring four gorgeous lapis lazuli gemstones


14K Gold Pearl Stud Earrings - Helen Small made of freshwater pearls


Freshwater Pearl Necklace - Naomi 14k gold natural high-grade beautiful baroque pearl


Friendship bracelet Tessa Navy Blue Fine gold plated



Ana Luisa have provided a discount code for us: Use code Jennifer10 along with my link for $10 off your order

I would love to know... which piece is your favorite? I hope you enjoyed the jewelry lookbook in today's video. I'll see you tomorrow for the May Chic Assignment!


Visit my 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

Thank you to Ana Luisa Jewelry for sponsoring today's video.

I have a wonderful jewelry giveaway for you today brought to you by Ana Luisa Jewelry.



Ana Luisa jewelry create high-quality pieces for everyday life. Each jewelry piece is special because they release them in limited quantity to ensure their uniqueness. Their jewelry is individually handcrafted and made with high-quality, superior materials.



Membership to Ana Luisa is free and involves unlimited access to all collections, a one-year warranty on all styles, free shipping and returns, and a surprise gift with every order.

To shop with Ana Luisa visit http://bit.ly/AnaLuisa_Jennifer and use the code Jennifer15 to get $15 off your order.



Today, I'm giving away 3 pairs of these beautiful Olivia earrings. I love how bold and exotic they are. They work beautifully as stand-alone statement earrings. Picture them worn with a simple white dress, or even a bold print. Just gorgeous!



To enter the giveaway:
1. You must be subscribed to my YouTube channel
2. You must subscribe to Ana Luisa's website (it's free) using the link http://bit.ly/AnaLuisa_Jennifer
3. After you have done both of these steps, enter your information via the rafflecopter widget below. (Please note: if you are already subscribed to my YouTube channel, just proceed to step two.)

The giveaway is open to US residents only. The giveaway will run for 2 weeks and I will contact the winners via email. They will also be announced on the widget below. Thank you to Ana Luisa for hosting this generous giveaway. Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


I hope you enjoy learning more about the jewelry in today's video.

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

Maureen shares her testimonial on the Debt-Free Course about how the ten-item wardrobe has helped her save:


Hi Jennifer! You converted me to the 10 Item Wardrobe back in 2012, and I have never looked back. At the time, my husband thought I would be full of regret getting rid of the majority of my clothing, but the regret never came. I love having a collection of a limited number of carefully curated items. I am much more thoughtful with my shopping and only buy something when I truly need it. I don't waste money on clothes that I hardly wear; I am much more thoughtful with my clothing shopping now. Plus, now that I'm not shopping all the time, I can spend more on the few items I do buy, which means better quality, and they last longer. Wins all around!

On Instagram
Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic in Poland with a beautiful bouquet of tulips.

Damą być ;) #szkolawdzieku #madamechic #jakbycdama #jenniferlscott #instabook #elegance #dame #madame #booklover #klasa #elegancjafrancja #wydawnictwoliterackie #bookstagram #frenchliterature #paris #parisstyle #paryzanka #fleurs #tulips

A post shared by Joanna (@_madame_butterfly_7) on Mar 14, 2018 at 6:27am PDT

Comment of the Week
The Etiquette Live Chat was a big success. I'm really enjoying the Live Chats and hope to schedule another one soon. The most "liked" comment on YouTube came from LovedHappy, who reiterated my advice on maintaining your standards in a fallen society.



Thank you, once again, to Ana Luisa NY for hosting this generous giveaway. I wish you the best of luck! If you can't enter the giveaway, or you just want to shop Ana Luisa in general, remember to use the coupon code for $15 off.

I'll see you next week for a home tour. Have a great weekend!

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FTC: This post and giveaway is brought to you by Ana Luisa NY. Thank you for your generous giveaway. All opinions in this review are my own. This post may contains affiliate links.

Thank you for your overwhelmingly positive response to last week's ten-item wardrobe video. My inbox has been filled with your wonderful comments and, of course, all of your questions. Because I've received so many comments and emails I am not able to individually respond to each one, but hopefully this week's video will answer many of your questions. This week's video is a talk through of the garments and shares with you my inspiration for this year's wardrobe and examines old and new pieces.

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 (make sure you subscribe!).

For links to every item pictured in this video, visit my original ten-item wardrobe post here.

Here are some FAQs from viewers:


Gina asks: Do you have a summer 10 item wardrobe too? Spring has begun here, but it 60 degrees. When summer begins for you, will this lovely spring collection still work for you in summer?

This wardrobe will take me to the end of summer. As summer approaches, I will probably use the sweaters less and less. I might purchase one or two items in the summer to supplement my wardrobe, or I might not. Last summer the only garment I purchased was the Anthropologie water color dress you see in this year's video, for example.


Lilly asks: I was wondering if you could tell us what is this beautiful music you have in the video? Thanks again for all the wonderful posts over the years :)

If you are ever curious about the music featured in my videos, or about any item featured in a video, always check my blog post or the info box below the YouTube video. I always credit an item when I can. If the specific item is no longer available online, I provide a link for the brand or retailer. The music in the ten-item wardrobe video is royalty-free and copyright-free music purchased from pond5.com and is called "Paris Love". Thank you Lilly!

Evaline asks: Your lip colour here is lovely for spring...would you mind sharing the name with us?


Many people asked about my lip color. The video was shot over a few days and I am wearing different lip colors in different shots. I used the Hourglass Femme Nude Lip Stylo No. 6 in some shots and By Terry Bitten lip gloss in others.

Sara asks: Can I ask what you layer under sheer tops, like your Equipment blouses? A cami? In white, or do you try to find one that matches your skin tone? I have the worst time solving the "sheer issue."

I have several camisoles in beige, white and black. I find the beige ones that are closest to my own skintone look best under a slightly sheer blouse.

Alonememe asks: I don't really get this idea of extras. I understand when it comes to tank tops, underwear etc. - you need them to build the outfit, but having few tops that you wear as normal outfit is really having 20 or 30 core outfits. Could you please explain this? Why do you separate core items from extras? Is this more handy? :)


Core items vs. extras are a great way to organize your wardrobe. Think of your core items as telling a story and the extras accent this. The core items are the major items, the foundation that builds the wardrobe. The extras compliment the core.

For my readers in the Southern Hemisphere who are going into Fall/ Winter, check out Chic Mummy's blog. She has compiled a lovely Autumn ten-item wardrobe. Thank you Sarah!

For more on the ten-item wardrobe, check out my book, Lessons from Madame Chic.

Huffington Post
My ten-item wardrobe is now up on Huffington Post Style.

Stella & Dot Giveaway



I purchased two of my necklaces this season from my friend Lucy, who is a stylist with Stella & Dot. Stella & Dot do fun, affordable jewelry that is very au courant. Lucy was kind enough to offer to give away one necklace to a reader of the Daily Connoisseur. We chose to give away the Linden necklace- a beautiful statement piece that is perfect for spring.

This giveaway is open worldwide! Please enter via the rafflecopter widget below. The only valid entries will be through rafflecopter. The winner will be displayed on the rafflecopter widget one week from today and will be contacted by me.

And be sure to check out all of the fabulous, affordable jewelry on Lucy's Stella & Dot website by clicking here.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


See you next week for a review and tutorial for the Wink & Winn handbag. Have a great week!


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Going into the weekend I have several things to share with you... so here we go!

Neuma Blow Dry Lotion

Always on the lookout to achieve the perfect at home blow dry for my hair, I recently tried out Neuma Blow Dry Lotion, which is a sustainable heat protectant and styling cream. It adds hold and manageability to your hair, reduces frizz and makes great use of plant extracts and essential oils.

Neuma sent me this blow dry lotion to try out and I've used it several times over the last few months. I really like the smoothness this high quality cream gives my hair. It really does make a great companion to accomplishing a professional-looking at home blow out. I'm happy to add this to my list of favorite blow dry creams and serums which also include: Fekkai Ironless Straightening Balm, Kérastase Nectar Thermique, and CHI Silk Infusion.

What makes Neuma Blow Dry Lotion so different from my other blow out creams is that Neuma use only renewable, beneficial plant-based ingredients.

It contains (info from their website): ZERO synthetic fragrance, sulfates, sodium chloride, parabens, 1,4-dioxane, phthalates, glutens, neurotoxins, aluminum compounds, glycols, formaldehyde donors, ureas, carcinogens, environmental pollutants

More earth-friendly aspects of the Blow Out Cream include:
• Renewable, beneficial, plant-based, colour safe ingredients
• Certified Organic Extracts
• 85% post consumer recycled bottles
• 100% certified wind power
• 100% recycled fiber containers
• Vegan
• PETA approved
• No animal testing

Here are some of the blow dry lotion's key ingredients:

• Neuma’s Signature Phyto UV Shield™: A proprietary blend of certified organic plant extracts that enhance hue, reflectivity and vibrancy of color
• Sunflower Seed Oil: Provides UV protection while adding shine, as well as shields hair from heat damage
• Sage Extract: Soothes scalp and conditions hair
• Rose Hips Fruit Extract: Aids in making hair softer and more manageable
• Apricot Kern Oil: Conditions and helps to smooth the hair cuticle, controlling flyaways and frizz, while adding shine

As I start to become more conscious about the types of beauty products I use I am more drawn toward natural brands like this one... If you give it a try I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Neuma Blow Dry Lotion sells for $24 and is available at select salons and beauty stores nationwide. For more information, please check out www.neumabeauty.com

Pinca Pendants


I hear from so many readers of the Daily Connoisseur who are artists and entrepreneurs. I applaud this greatly and especially love to hear about women entrepreneurs. Recently Daily Connoisseur reader Marie Thérèse of Pinca Pendants sent me one of her hand crafted necklaces. I thought it was so lovely I just had to share.

For more information on Pinca Pendants, check out their facebook page and Etsy store.

Red Cross Relief

Hurricane Sandy left so much devastation in its wake. My heart goes out to all of the families affected. A very easy way to donate to the emergency disaster relief is to text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10. This may not seem like a lot but if we all chip in, our contribution can really make a difference. The deduction is taken from your cell phone bill. For more information, or to donate another amount, visit www.redcross.org


Book News

I have two more exciting Lessons from Madame Chic giveaways to share with you. The first is with CobbleStay (a wonderful service that helps you reserve luxury apartments in Paris). Read my interview with CobbleStay to see everything from my thoughts on raising daughters to my favorite Paris pastry.

The next giveaway to share is on The Glamorous Housewife blog. Thank you to Bethany for your lovely review of the book.

I hope you all have a great weekend... see you on Tuesday for the book launch!

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