Fall Beauty Essentials

Hello Lovelies!

Autumn Mood by Rachel Whiting via the 79 Ideas blog (source)

Today is the last of September - where oh where did that beautiful month go so fast? - and I realized that at 7AM the sun was not up yet, anymore. So it's time to go back to my Fall Essentials pinboard for inspiration & comfort.

I didn't buy any of the items on my wishlist - they were here more as a reminder than an actual prompt to buy. I will show you Lovelies what I did buy in a minute. But back to Fall Essentials first.

The beautiful "Autumn Leaves" lipstick (source)

That pinboard is all about simple living, simplicity in the everyday, what you really need, the bare essentials & joyful simplicities the Breathbach way.

"Grand Amour" butterfly perfume bottle (source)

Part of my Fall Essentials is a daily dose of serendipity. Take the Grand Amour perfume - it has my name written all over it. The behind-the-scenes story about this scent, the way it smells - divine!, even the butterfly on top of its bottle: all these elements give me the impression that perfume was somehow meant for me.

autumn leaf (source)

This perfume is devoted to love, the most powerful force which can move the worlds: love of beauty, love of perfume, love of music (Annick Goutal's husband a lifetime love was a cellist) and simply put; love of life.

I will tell you later this week about my Fall Style Essentials. Stay  tuned!

Alix of TeaButterfly.

Hyper-creativity - a coping mechanism

Hello Lovelies,

This an updated post, formerly published on July 31st 2013 (oops, i just realized there are still a couple links missing in the post, and hope to be able to add them before the weekend starts).

"Art is a form of consciousness.

-Susan Sontag, 1964.

I've always liked (and seeked) the opportunity to be "trying something new", but I finally realized I am a "hypercreative" person - this is simply my coping mechanism as a former abused child (please note that I'm still abused TO THIS VERY DAY by family members and strangers alike).

Why hyper-creative?

Because during my lifetime, as a way to cope with abnormal, absurd and non-comprehensible violence towards me - physical, emotional & sexual types of violence - I tried (and was pretty successful) my hand at all of the following artistic disciplines:

writing/reading poetry and fiction (I have been published in digital format several times on ecrits-vains.com)
painting (oil, acrylic, mixed media) - several exhibitions as a solo artist at the Nozart Gallery in Toulouse, France
drawing
doodling
calligraphy
engraving (rubber, wood, metal and plastic sheets etc...)
textile printing
singing (this really SAVED MY LIFE, more on that process later)
dancing (mostly alone in my living-room, though I'm now determined to go out and rock the world, a bit!)
classical anatomy sculpting
swimming in an athletic way
I also walk for hours and can ride a bike pretty well, despite both activities being used by my abusers to make me suffer, too
acting: important support role in short film at age 5, several amateur theatre plays
in the film industry: editing, live translating, sub-titling
photography (official film set photographer etc... now an avid instagrammer)
speaking fluently 5 languages
...
the list goes on and on...


This long, long list makes me think about Shiva.. I know nearly nothing about Hinduism, but... but Shiva or even Kali, the Dark Goddess do come to mind...

I think this image of terrifying Kali:

is really me, the terrified abused child trying to make scary faces to scare off past & present abusers...

But maybe I am not a Hindi deity, but rather some kind of "nobody", aka the Beatles' "NoWhere Man":

Since June 2013, I have started to tap dance (yes, alone in my living-room, just by watching tap dance beginners' videos on youtube).

I desperately want to go back to engraving, some time soon (workshops will resume during back-to-school 2013 time).

Being hyper-creative helps me avoid resorting to violence myself, and it provides a place to express anger, anxiety and high levels of sadness in a non medical (aka official psychiatry) way.

I am NOT crazy, I am a SURVIVOR of repeated rapes and other wrongs done to me repeatly throughout my lifetime.

I do NOT seek revenge, other than in a metaphorical way:

* "the pen is mightier than the sword" - so I have started to write a testimonial about my first hand child abuse experience in short fiction form. I have chosen my working title and opening quote already and have a rough plan for the plot.

* "living well is the best revenge" so says the quote. Merely by surviving, by coping by thriving by being - albeit fleetingly - happy, and by taking good care of myself (no drugs whatsoever, no work in the porn or prostitution industries) and undertaking therapy, I daily mock my torturers' intention to kill me - literally.

(reflect on the meaning of the word "discipline" btw... it means both the abuse and punishment by abusive parents as well as my self-imposed artistic activities... weird double-entendre,here! see this except from wikpedia's article on child abuse: "Until quite recently, children had very few rights in regard to protection from violence by their parents, and still continue to do so in many parts of the world. Historically, fathers had virtually unlimited rights in regard to their children and how they chose to discipline them.")

So I chose the "D" answer as my main reason for joining the Feminine POwer FREE webinar, it's tonight live at 2AM Paris, France Time.

The D answer stands for " Infusing your life with meaning and purpose" - when your very own parents actively hate you and want you dead since your in utero state, it's hard to make any sense out of this life of absurd happennings and endless pain. 

links (still missing fro the time being): more about fem power here (simply check out their facebook page or feminine power.com ) + find your own time zone here.

there is NO WAY I am gonna be ashamed of myself: this is my true *NEW* name, my true face and my true story you see here. My google+ profile now displays a phot of Lana del Rey, but this is temporary of course and I'll add my own selfie soon.

No need to apologize for being alive and well!

...but the past abuse(s) don't really matter anymore - I'm moving forward. AND I'm taking my life, identity and own name back.

I was born again this very day and from now on my name is "Alix" - it's a mix of the normal-sounding-to-me first name "Alice" and the word "phoenix" because I am daily ressuscitating from my own ashes, "Alix" is also the name of the beautiful heroine of the recent French movie "Le Temps de l'aventure" featuring Gabriel Byrne and Emmanuelle Devos in the leading roles.

-Alix (formerly known as "Naomi Lipson").

Simple Life, Simple Truth

Hello Lovelies,

Remember my mentioning earlier in June that (add link) I was participating, for a mere 10 dollars a month zh challenge

there is a direct LINK between my simplifying project, my saying NO to one thing a day, and my remembering my being abused as a child...

more on that later...

-Naomi

However Vast the Darkness: Thoughts on Simplifying One's Day & the Meaning of Life

Hello Lovelies,

One of my main goals in simplifying my day & life is this: "Do more of what makes you happy".

So... I have started to simplify my day and joined the June 2013 ZenHabits challenge. Part of my simplifying project consists in simplifying my online life, too.

I started emptying my email inbox, 35 emails at a time, 70 per day. My inbox currently has over 11 000 unsorted emails in it! I file away the important messages, answer immediately the really important and urgent ones, and toss the rest. I have subscribed to a gazillion newsletters over the years, as I surf the net daily since 1997... I unsuscribe from one newsletter a day. I still need to do the math as to know when exactly my inbox will be finally 100% clean & empty.

After that, I plan to go on a light media fast once i complete the June challenge, at the beginning of July 2013 (more on that later).

Simplifying my online life means that I started to clean and empty my email box, as I said before, but also cleaned my computer desktop icons - now I only have 10 of them, along with a new beautiful abstract painting desktop wallpaper from Ghostly, found via apartmenttherapy.com. It looks like this (you right-click the image in order to save it as a desktop wallpaper):

I also organized my many, many digital files, all the photos I have been taking digitally since 2003! While cleaning my photo files, I found this gem, and wanted to share the wisdom with you lovelies.

Excerpt from a Playboy interview with Stanley Kubrick:

Enjoy!
-Naomi of TeaButterfly.

I Want a Simpler Life but... Where Do I Start?

Hello Lovelies,

original image via - text added by me.

This blogpost is a bit of a note-to-self kind, but i am publishing it here so it might be useful to others, too.

Well, do you want, just like me, a simpler, slower, more filfilling, zen-like & do-what-you-love kind of life? Do you want to actually live your dream life? OK, me too! ;-)

...But the task of simplifying may seem daunting and well... not so simple! We're often at a loss as to where do we even begin!

That is why I did a little research online and found out 3 must-read simplicity resources.

First, I highly recommend ypu read a short, simple personal story, so you can get the picture. This is simply because, if you know what your dream is, you can start & achieve it! Or, as Jennifer and Aby put it: "Living Your Dream Life Begins with Knowing What You Want."

a beautiful reminder to just "stop & smell the roses", via

You can then have a look at a very thorough zen guide to simple living that answers simply the difficult question of "where do I start?". I suggest you pick a maximum of 5 points (out of this list) - simply choose the ones that are particularly appealing to you, and start working on them... now!
I, for instance, love points #9 #13 #14 #15 of the ZenHabits guide mentioned above.

So, in a nutshell, determine what is your biggest dream/goal and read/act accordingly.

Roughly the same thing as the ZenHabits guide, but in French, the "Par où commencer ?" guide to personal development.

In closing, my motto, beautifully calligraphed:

image via

Enjoy!

 -Naomi of TeaButterfly.

PS: if you're willing to dig deeper, there are literally tons of reading material on and offline including these pinterest boards of mine:

* visual candy to help you get organized at home
* articles (less visual) to read about "getting things done"
* visual inspiration : what a simple life looks like

And, finally, the Brain Pickings site has a whole range of articles on the subject of "do what you love" for a living. You can start by this one: "How to Find Your Purpose and Do What You Love"

How to Live a Simpler Life

 

Hello Lovelies,

Left: simple bouquet image via

[Please note: external links & images will be added later today to this post which includes very valuable information I wanted to share with all of you right away!]

I just spent three weeks in hospital and I am finally outta there and feeling good! My stay at the hospital was put to good use, not only to take of my health, but also to take time & reflect about life's essentials, about my own wants, needs and real priorities. Voluntary Simplicity has always been important to me, I am drawn to it, I crave a simpler life but it is not always easy to achieve as we all live in a consumers' society that distracts us from the essentials of life.

That is why I created a few (more than 5, but less than 10) boards on pinterest about simplicity, and the essentials, sorted by season: fall essentials, winter essentials, spring essentials & summer essentials. In addition of each season's essentials, I gathered a general visual inspiration about simplicity in the broad sense, and since I am very particular about my home & interior decoration, there is also a board about minimalism at home.

On top of that, I stumbled this mornign about Maria Gracia's weekly GON newsletter, and found this gem of a short, concise & informative article about "How to Live a Simpler Life" spread out in just 11 points. read below (and I highly recommend Maria GRacia's GON website and weekly newsletter!)

"Life doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, our lives can be made a whole lot easier by simplifying. Here's how:

image via

1) Spend Less

We are bombarded with advertisements tempting us to buy the latest fads and gadgets, and are told they will make our lives better. Before buying into the `more is better' philosophy, stop and think. Ask yourself if the item is something you really need or something you want?

2) Save Your Pennies

A simpler life is one in which you are prepared for life's unexpected surprises and emergencies. Having a savings can turn your life from one of panic, to one of security.

3) Cleaning and Throwing Out

The more stuff we accumulate, the less enjoyment we find in our life. Stuff makes our life complicated. We have to store it, move it, and worry about it being taken from us. It almost becomes an addiction, which robs us of time spent on life's priorities. Start going through your house, room by room, and getting rid of those items you no longer use, care about, nor enjoy.

4) Downsize

You really don't have to keep up with your neighbors, wealthy relatives, or friends. It is OK to drive a less expensive vehicle or live in a modest size home. The less expensive car will still get you from point A to point B, and the modest house will still provide shelter for you and your family. You will be able to spend more time with your family and less time worrying about the car and house payments.

5) Say No

We have commitments to others. Some which are necessary as we raise our families, and others which we do because we feel we should. Saying no to those things that we know we do not have time for is okay. This means saying no to our kids when they want to be involved in every extracurricular activity, or saying no to the neighbor who needs you to watch her children every day. By saying no to some things, we can have the freedom to say yes to things that are more important in our lives.

6) Single Task

We hear all the time that we should be multi-tasking. However, taking the time to do one task at a time can and will simplify our lives. As we focus on one task at a time, we tend to do it well, instead of spreading our attention among several tasks.

7) Evaluate Your Time

Make a list of everything you do in the day that takes up your time. Evaluate how each task fits into your priorities. If a task does not fit living a simpler life, then consider eliminating that task.

8) Develop a Game Plan

Living a simpler life is not easy. This lifestyle requires one to have patience and dedication. Living a simpler life requires that you first figure out what you want out of life, thus creating a game plan. Writing down your desires, thoughts, and plans will help you decide what you can live with and without in your search for a simpler life.

9) Establish a Media Fast

Our lives are bombarded with media, from magazines to daily blog reading. Living a simpler life can be accomplished by limiting our exposure to television, emails, magazines, blogs, social networks, and other electronic sources. Establish a day, a few days, a week, or longer where you take a media break. You will find more time for those things which really matter to you.

10) Do What You Love

Sometimes we have so much stuff and things we think we need to do that we forget about doing those things we enjoy. By living a simpler life, we can free up the time for those things we really enjoy doing. So as we establish a simpler life, be sure and write down what we love to do, then go and do those things we really enjoy.

11) Spend Time With Those You Love

A simpler life gives us the time to reconnect with the people who are important in our lives. As we get rid of the clutter, both things and time stealers, we need to spend our free time with those who matter most in our lives."

Excerpt from Maria Gracia's Get Organized Now newsletter.

(c) Copyright 2012 by Maria Gracia, Get Organized Now! 

image via

* Copyright, contact and reprint information:
http://www.getorganizednow.com/contact.html

* To subscribe, visit:
http://www.getorganizednow.com/free-ezine.html 


* The Get Organized Now (GON) website
  
 
Enjoy a simple, more satisfying life!

-Naomi of TeaButterfly.

The Little Prince and the Butterflies

Hello Lovelies! 

photo, my own. you can see more photos of my August trip in France here.

It's so good to be back!

Today, I love this quote from "The little Prince" by Saint-Exupéry... It's about the real meaning of friendship, poetry, life, and butterflies... It's in French, but I'll try and find an English translation of it.

"Les grandes personnes aiment les chiffres. Quand vous leur parlez d’un nouvel ami, elles ne vous questionnent jamais sur l’essentiel. Elles ne vous disent jamais: «Quel est le son de sa voix? Quels sont les jeux qu’il préfère? Est-ce qu’il collectionne les papillons ?» Elles vous demandent: «Quel âge a-t-il? Combien a-t-il de frères? Combien pèse-t-il? Combien gagne son père?» Alors seulement elles croient le connaître."

                                                                             (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry - Le petit prince)                   

Excerpt from the book's Chapter 4.

Enjoy!

Naomi of TeaButterfly.

An Exciting Life

Hello Lovelies,

Drawing by David Hockney. Source.

Artist David Hockney says in a great interview:

"I think I’m greedy, but I’m not greedy for money – I think that can be a burden – I’m greedy for an exciting life. I want it to be exciting all the time, and I get it, actually. On the other hand, I can find excitement, I admit, in raindrops falling on a puddle and a lot of people wouldn’t. I intend to have it exciting until the day I fall over."

If you intend to have an exciting life, too, you might as well try this.

Enjoy!

-Vic from TeaButterfly.

My Mighty Life List - Part II

Hello Lovelies!

Let's daydream! Here's another quarter of my life big wishlist:


26 go night swimmin
27 own an original painting by an artist I admire : Peter Hammar (see my fave AT house tour)
28 Go swimming in a lake
29 Seriously edit my stuff
30 have an art studio of my own (separate from home), a place shared with other artists at first
31 while in the States, attend a TED lecture
32 thrive as an artist
33 have a lemon tree in my backyard
34 write thank you note to my Latin, Greek and French teacher, Mrs C.
35 complete a « whoisamy.com » mission - http://www.whoisamy.com/
36 Do one of Miranda July's projects
37 properly classify family photos in albums – so the memories last

image from decor8 

38 make my own perfume
39 have tea and cake at the legendary « le loir dans la théière » teahouse in Paris

photo by chocoladdict

40 visit Lisbon, Portugal, hometown of the famous poet, Fernando Pessoa

 

image via flickr

41 learn ceramics basics from a Japanese master in rural Japan, maybe in Shigaraki (www.e-shigaraki.org/e/shop/play-e/)
42 have a heavy silk dress made to measure especially for me
43 see Emma Kirkby perform live
44 learn to play the cello
45 visit the Calanques, Marseilles, France
46 have a clean and organized closet
47 make homemade preserves regularly (esp. Pickles)
48 visit Fire Island
49 find that dream St-Germain-des-Prés apartment (no need to buy it)
50 visit New England in the fall – and say hello to my friend C. B.

What about you?

-Vic from TeaButterfly

My Mighty Life List - Part I

Hello Lovelies!

image source : decor8 blog by holly Becker

I wish you a happy Monday, and I hope you had a swell weekend. I spent mine by the sea, it was just great swimming and sailing again!

photo found on jjjjound.com - I wish I knew who the photographer is!

Now, I've first heard of a project callled, "My Mighty Life List: 100 things to do before I go" through the French novelist Geroges Perec (who wrote his 50 items' list in form of a poem) But who knows who had the original idea? It is such a great idea it sounds universal.

I just stumbled upon it again via sfgirlbybay and mightygirl.

Here's what I jotted down so far:

1 read my entire 'ABC Challenge' list by sept 2012
2 continue with my regular yoga practice
3 write/finish my novel

drawing found on a Japanese website. Muji.com, I think.

4 meet Keri Smith
5 help others by recording audio-books for the blind
6 go on an air balloon ride (montgolfière) with R

balloon by Fornassetti

7 regain energy for good
8 go back to my own thin self (and keep the extra weight off) before i'm forty
9 find a job I really like
10 visit Barcelona, Spain again
11 never look back and have no regrets
12 Dance in a flash mob
13 own a small house by the sea
14 age gracefully
15 take photos of self in photo booth
16 have my portrait made by Studio Harcourt
17 finally learn to speak Arabic and pre-war German
18 learn to organize finances and save
19 go sailing on my own again
20 visit San Francisco (and the States for that matter) for the first time
21 tend properly to my 'all white flowers' mountain garden
22 listen to the radio more often
23 find proper storage for my Cds so i actually listen to them
24 make a short movie
25 learn simple sewing skills

What about you? Do you crave a mighty life, too?

-Vic from TeaButterfly

Sunday Special: Real Life in Paris.

Hello Lovelies!

 Paris view at dusk - source unknown.

Wow! I came back home and was welcomed by quite a heat wave, which almost made me forget the soft grey skies of Paris...

Paris view, August 2011. Photo, my own.

My favorite time of year is this, the end of August and beginning of September, the whole "Back To School" excitement. It's no wonder that I am a stationery junkie, too, as "Back to School" is also the time of year to stock pile lots of new sheets of paper, fresh bottles of ink, etc...

a box of crayons and ginger candy, my faves! (photo, my own).

So in Paris I bought myself a brand new Filofax yearbook, a recycled leather wallett (great price for a great device for carrying money and important papers around). I also bought a box crayons (a gift for my young cousin T.), a small bottle of black China ink and no noteboks, since I own so many already! I gave my old wallet as gift for young cousin E.

"Kusmi Detox" tea with ginger root. Photo, my own.

In Paris, a lot of tea was bought and drunk, too, of course! If you know me, you know I'm an avid tea-drinker!

 Tea at my aunt S's. Photo, my own.

Tea & "somethin' else". photo, my own.

I listened to a lot of classic-era jazz, too, as seen above.

I ate food from all over the world there, esp. mezze from Lebanon, chirashi from Japan, gelati from Italy, Chinese food and Vietnamese hot spicy soup. Yum!

Amorino's ice-cream. Photo, my own.

I highly recommend the ice-cream of Amorino's, they have several shops in and about the Luxembourg gardens. Even the smallest cornetto is huge and the ice-cream is shaped like the petals of a rose, a real treat!

image: source unknown

Well... some people like cats, some others don't.

My Dad does not, so in I moved with my kitty to my young aunt S's apt in Belleville, the first Chinatown of Paris, (the second being in the 13e arrondissement).

S has a lovely apt, with sweeping Paris views, Chinatown exotic flair and the right balance between a calm building with a planted inner court and a roaming neighborhood full of restaurants and shops. I love all her antique finds in her home!

vintage tea tins, at S'. photo, my own.

vintage Art Deco seal lamp:

a pair of seals suport the lamp as a circus balloon. photo, my own.

Shortly before leaving for Paris, I fell in love with the art of Amos Lee and bought his latest album when I arrived in the French capital:

cover of first Amos Lee album, it's a stunning photo I think.

You can now read (below) my shopping trips and visits around the parc Monceau. It is a nice little stroll you can try next time you visit Paris.

A lion guarding the entrance to the Cernuschi Museum of Fine Asian Art. photo, my own.

You can start your "promenade" at:
métro monceau or villiers
go through parc monceau
visit the city of paris asian arts museum for free (it's also called musée Cernuschi). Enrico Cernuschi was a private collector and art amateur who first started this Asian Art collection.

entrance to the "musée Cernuschi". photo, my own.

stroll around the parc monceau and discover some ikebana art done the French way:

"ikebana" at Parc Monceau. photo, my own.

go to boulevard courcelles, buy a cake at hédiard luxury foods
continue on boulevard de Courcelles and buy flowers at the crossroadds between boulevard courcelles and ternes

stop at monoprix for great bagains (i bought my caudalie cosmetics there)

stop at the fnac for amos lee's latest album (extensive choice of books, dvds, cds, etc...)

take avenue niel stop at number 75 get inside and find the dimminutive original kusmi shop (reopnes in spetember 2011) or buy their teas at their other paris shop or online.

if you're in a tourist mode and don't mind the crowd, visit l'Etoile, arc de triomphe and the nearby champs-elysées...

Here's the loot of the day: Amos Lee's latest album, Caudalie cosmetics and lots of Kusmi tea!

Loot of the day. Photo, my own.

And now? Back to old favorites, books and tea, as depicted in this peaceful painting by Christopher Stott.

painting by Christopher Stott

More about Paris, the new ikea catalogue, back-to-school, organizing and fall essentials on my next post! Also to come: street art & poetry in Paris. And finally, a shopping guide, drawn directly from my experience.

See you Monday!

-Vic from TeaButterfly.

Back Home Soon (from Paris)!

A small vignette at my home, with white Aalto vase included. photo, my own.

Hello Lovelies!

My vacation in Paris, France was just like any real life event, a bit sad, a bit exciting, with awesome moments and some not much so, some even annoying. Now I'm glad I came and bid my little sister goodbye - she is off to live in South America with husband and kids. Then I strolled about in a glorious weather in the Parisian streets, visited my fair share of museums, ate and drank food from Lebanon, China, Vietnam, Japan and so on! 

I love Paris for its cosmopolitan flair!

I've also been away from any computer device for up to 10 days, and I missed you lovelies, but not the internet or blogging per se. Thinking of it, I really want to use less the computer once at home, and live more fully and simply. Get in shape, too!

Tomorrow, you'll get the full report from my trip to Paris, together with lots of pics! I may have to divide that post in two or three parts, though, as I really did a lot of things around town and took a gazillion pics! ;-)

See you soon for a Sunday Special on Paris,

-Vic from TeaButterfly.

Summer Dreams

Hello Lovelies!

...and happy Monday to y'all!

 dream.

Despite the heavy heat going on here in the South of France, I've been living life to the full lately and so neglected this blog a bit, sorry. Now here's what i've been up to (i like to kiss and tell). 'Cause, yes, I've been kissing and quite a lot!
I've fallen in love! First I tried boy no1 then boy no2 but they wouldn't do. Then out of a sudden, i met IRL an on-line friend i've been corresponding with for over a year! instant mutual click, it was.

And so i've been daydreaming about moving back to Paris because that's where I'm from and also where he lives and about decorating our new place because I love home decor and i dream of the place we will live in together. he's a man, so this has revived my love for masculine flair and he is from Togo, West Africa, so I thought of adding some African highlights to an otherwise, modern, sleek and clean home.

African chic style - As'art galerie

If you follow my pinterest (i have won the hearts of over 20 45 followers within a very short time - all total strangers to me), you also know i will add a touch of orange, an old love of mine, to that dark, masculine african wenge wood. it will make everything just bright and chic!

source

I've also been needing to redecorate/reorganize my home office for some time now. I love contemporary art, as you well know (so sad about Cy Twombly's recent death).

decorating with tape: source unknown.

So everything will be clean, tidy and counter-balanced by a crazy, colorful piece of art by Yellena, just like this:

art by Yellena.

Our bedroom will be very tranquil, peaceful and understated in a "greige", or "perfect grey" spirit. Just white linens, soft grey accents and a comfy bed. The bare essentials.

bedroom image via decorology

The bathroom will also be very plain/bare in white and lightest grey possible. What i call "Belgian gray", because of the likes of Vincent van Druysen and other great Belgian architects. See more Belgian gray interiors here.

source unknown, maybe the jjjjound.com blog

It will have soft turkish cotton towels (the best quality!) and a few streamlined bottles of organic (since 1983!) French cosmetics by Centifolia-bio.

For a similar look and quality, try the organic products of John Masters' in the US. 

source

Lately, i find myself more and more drawn to simplicity and the bare essentials. I have categorized them by season on pinterest, and now have a Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring Essentials inspiration boards. The main reason for that is to not face harsh winter or very hot summer days unprepared.

"al fresco in the valley"

My secret for winning over any winter blah? Ginger!

 excerpt from the "3191" magazine.

Yes, ginger, be it the root dipped in hot water and then slowly sipped or wonderful, deluxe scented ginger souffle by Origins. Since the latter is a bit difficult to find in France, it will be replaced in my all-white bathroom by the "gingembre" rich moisturizing cream by Roger & Gallet.

 

I find very hot, dry summer days difficult to bear sometimes so i turn to citrusy, zesty, light scents and drinks! rosemary lemonade is a must, and i use guess what the organic citrus weleda deodorant as a light cologne. it's very cheap for a great summer scent!

Want to know more? Follow me on pinterest! What's your current summer obsessions? Pray tell!

 source.

-Vic from TeaButterfly.