How to be Chic: 2018

Monday, December 24, 2018

{Audio} A Chic and Simple Christmas - Part 2

Dear chic friends,

This is Ninacat, joining me for my first cup of tea for the day. I enjoyed sitting with my journal, making happynotes of how I want my 2019 to look. I love daydreaming on paper! My desire is to fully embrace the life I have created for myself and simplify further, streamline my home for ease and peace, and before more creative. This means more writing, plus hobbies for myself such as sewing.

I have tons of ideas for my writing that are exciting to me, and I can't wait to share them over time. I have fuzzy concepts for books in my head and it's fun to tease them out and put them together to fully form the abstract vision I have for them currently. The tough part is choosing which idea to go with next!

I am here today with part two of my 'A Chic and Simple Christmas' book reading, however I had a disappointing result with the audio on my Part 1 video and I don't know how to fix it. I have done quite a lot of research and am still no wiser, so I decided to record both parts in a single audio, which I know for sure is audible. I hope you enjoy it! You can listen to or download it here:

'A Chic and Simple Christmas' MP3 audio

And if you would like to read along, you can download the sample of 'A Chic and Simple Christmas' from Amazon here:

'A Chic and Simple Christmas' book excerpt

Whatever you are doing for Christmas, I hope it is merry and bright, and I wish you a brilliant and peaceful time. I am home for Christmas and couldn't be happier, even though I love to have that festive Christmas travel feeling too!

Thank you for joining me this year, on my blog, with my books and on my social pages. I read and appreciate every single email, comment and message, so thank you. I am excited to join you again in the new year for more ways to live a simple and beautiful life without spending a lot of money. This has always been my 'thing' and it hasn't changed :)

Merry Christmas and I will see you in the new year!

xx Fiona

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Thursday, December 13, 2018

{Video} A Chic and Simple Christmas 2018: Part 1

Hello chic friends!

I have something a little different today: I thought I would do a reading from my book 'A Chic and Simple Christmas', so I really hope you enjoy this video. Naturally it would not be one of my videos without being visited by a pet or two.

You can watch the video here

And you can read an excerpt or order the book here.

Come and join me in my living room. You are warmly welcomed :)

I will be back soon with Part 2.

xxx Fiona

~~

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Wednesday, December 5, 2018

A Summery Christmas

I know that many of my readers live in the northern hemisphere, so I thought it might be fun to talk about my summery Christmases.

I have lived in New Zealand all my life, so having a roast Christmas lunch on a warm and sunny day is completely normal to me :) Many people have barbeques and more summery fare instead, but to me a traditional roast meal always spells Christmas.

Late December isn’t really the high point of summer heat here, but if we’re lucky it will be a pleasant temperature. From my childhood I seem to remember mid-afternoon stormy sun-showers, but I’m not sure how many Christmases were actually like that!

In spite of the festive season falling in our summer, most of our Christmas traditions are wintry. Crazily enough, it doesn’t seem strange at all for me to be humming ‘Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow’ or watching Christmas movies set in the winter when the sun is shining bright and warm outside.

There is so much charm to be had from imagining cozy wool hats, mittened hands holding a cup of hot chocolate, and a family sitting around a big table with a roaring fire going. These visions fuel my Christmas fun as I put in a sleeveless sundress to get a bit of colour on my arms and legs while I take the dogs for a walk.

As the years go by and I have become clearer on how I want my Christmas to look and feel, the more I love the festive season. I say a big YES to: holiday-themed feel-good romantic comedy books, Christmas movies and music, going out to view Christmas lights, having a simple yet beautiful Christmas decor, and joyful entertaining at home throughout December. More and more I strive to say a polite ‘non’ to: gifts, that rushed hurried feeling and unnecessary stress.

I also love to wear a nice dress on Christmas day. It seems a day for dressing up, and I would never wear jeans, even though I wear jeans 90% of the time. It doesn’t have to be a newly purchased dress, although I have done that in the past and it feels good to have something new to wear on Christmas day. This year I have a navy floral dress which I recently bought for my husband’s work Christmas function. (It’s this style here and I love it!)

Please tell me about where you live and what Christmas day is normally like weather-wise, and also what you plan to wear if you have your outfit already picked out!

~Fiona~

PS. My Christmas prep series 'A Chic and Simple Christmas' is available on YouTube. There are ten tips to help you feel good about the holiday season. They are quick to watch, and in a playlist so you don't have to start each video individually. View my holiday video series here.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3WFPXMLQqAbhZ3vMJpr6sNCKlJeuIvTH

You can find me here too:

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