Speaking Well ~Polish Your Poise


I am still reading Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic by Jennifer L. Scott. Her books are always wonderful reads! The section that I want to share today is Ways to Practice Good Diction.

Jennifer gives 11 ways to clean up your language and to speak with clarity and intelligence. I have been on a quest to become an elegant bearing woman and in today’s society, it is NOT easy.

Rude people are everywhere and always want to challenge “your elegance”. But we must remain strong and continue on the right path.

Here are her tips:

1) Become an avid reader


2) Read classic literature


3) Learn a new word each day and use it in your speech


4) Listen to yourself when you speak


5) Eliminate vulgarities


6) Avoid excessive use of “like” and “um”


7) Avoid slang in most social situations but sill remain au courant with the culture


8) Pause (and think!) before you speak


9) Become okay with silence


10) Listen to audiobooks and be inspired by the eloquent readers


11) If you’re feeling nervous in a social setting, choose silence over mindless babbling 


I love these tips and would encourage everyone to include them in your thinking. It’s a rude world out there let’s try to overcome it!




(text author Jennifer L. Scott)
















Chic Stationey


I am always on the lookout for beautiful things. While flipping through the pages of House Beautiful magazine I saw these beautiful and chic stationery sets from Paperless Post







This is called Birch Monarch Suite and it is my favorite. 





Here is another chic option it is called Mandarin Grove










I just wrote a post last month about handwritten notes (see here). I would encourage anyone to make beautiful stationery apart of your beautiful life. 




(all photos via Rifle Paper Co.




Charmed by Charlie

Finding beautiful accessories is always fun! Charming Charlie is a wonderful place to find classic and trendy pieces for your wardrobe. I found this cross~body wallet with gold chain last week. They have it in 5 different colors.

I was torn between the red and the black so my daughter chose for me. She liked the red and now so do I! It looks good when I pull it out of my bag and use it. I love the color and the gold hardware.

So head on over to Charming Charlie and check out their amazingly affordable accessories!

(photo via AHFE)

Pearl Tassel Necklace


Pearls are so classic and chic. They look good on everyone. This is one accessory that I am just so loyal to. Every time someone talks to me about accessories or clothes I always mention pearls and now they are affordable!

Faux pearls are just as exquisite as the real ones. I have seen some great looking faux pearl necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and so on and so on. While at Charming Charlie I picked up this pearl tassel necklace.

I thought it was so simple yet classic. I immediately saw it on most of the shirts in my closet and I could see me wearing it on the weekends.


Very chic right? It would look great in anyone’s wardrobe. Hop on over to the website and check it out. Enjoy!
(photo via AHFE )

About Acne ~ The French Beauty Solution


I am continuing my reading of the French Beauty Solution and I am now in Chapter 6 which discusses “Taking Care of your Face and Neck”. I got right into this chapter because it was so informative about skin descriptions.

One section that stuck out to me was the snippet about acne. It blasted away all the myths I was told in high school. Here is what is said…

“Acne is not caused by eating chocolate or french fries. That’s a relief. But for women who suddenly develop acne as adults, it can be devastating to have such visible skin problems. Acne is an inflammatory disease that is caused by genetics, your fluctuating hormone levels, and the P. acnes bacteria. These hormonal changes affect how often your skin cells turn over; if they don’t turn over as they should- becoming stickier and oilier instead- pores get clogged and pimples and blackheads form. 


It’s not a good idea to treat acne yourself, especially if it suddenly develops, as this may be an indication of a hormonal imbalance that warrants medical attention from a physician, either your dermatologist or endocrinologist. Over the counter acne products are usually targeted to teens that tend to have oilier and less fragile skin than adults, and they can cause irritation and make your skin look even worse. Your dermatologist can devise the right treatment plan and check your hormone levels too”.  ~Mathilde Thomas 


I thought this information was so fantastic and right on time. I have noticed some changes in my skin too. I would encourage anyone to pick up this book. It is wonderful…

Photo by Chi on Unsplash

Oil Cleansers ~ Are they Good?


For the last few weeks, I have been reading the French Beauty Solution. It has been a wonderful book and I have learned a lot. I have been discussing certain chapters from the book see here and here.

In the newest chapter the author Mathilde is talking about natural oils and that they are great for your skin. I have always felt that using an oil cleanser would make my skin worse or cause it to break out. But Mathilde doesn’t believe so. She said that one of the fallacies of skincare is that oily skin or skin prone to breakouts should never be touched with oil.

“When you use the right kind of oil on your skin and keep it properly hydrated, oil production in your sebaceous glands actually decreases. When choosing an effective oil-based cleanser, moisturizer, or serum, realize that there are two kinds of oils to use: plant based oils that are therapeutic and the base of your products; and essential oils, which are distilled essences of plants (herbs, flowers, trees, roots, etc. ) that are also therapeutic as well as highly concentrated and so should be used sparingly.”


I will now be thinking twice about oil based cleansers and will be paying a visit to Sephora very soon.



Inspiring…

photo credit Aerin’s Instagram account
“Along with colors, textures, and fragrances you need music in your rooms to round out the sensory experience.”

~ Charlotte Moss