Brighten Up a Long Winter's Day (or season!)
Bonjour!
I was inspired, this morning, by something Kristin mentioned to me via email. For those of you suffering from the winter blues or are just plain fed up with the lack of sunlight, I want to encourage you. It is unfortunate that the combination of a long winter, too many hours of darkness and a little bit too much comfort food haunts many of us this time of year. Below is a list of ideas I came up with; I hope you find something that peeks your interest, soothes your soul and offers you a "lift"!
Fun and easy ways to feel better and lift your spirits:
* If you don't already own a favorite perfume {that you just can't wait to dab on each morning), this is the perfect time to find one. Fall in love with a fresh, uplifting scent and look forward to it brightening your disposition! My personal new favorite is Féerie by Van Cleefs & Arpels. I could swim in a pool of it, thank you Julie!
* Change a print, poster, picture or painting in the room you spend the most time in. If you are at the office, bring something in that will add color and vibrancy to your area.
* Buy a bouquet of fresh flowers. Bring a burst of nature indoors!
* Scrapbook. While accomplishing something you will enjoy reminiscing and will then have a beautiful book or collage to share with others.
* Spend time with a child and allow their unconditional love to melt your soul!
* Go to a museum and explore artwork you know nothing about.
* Bake.
* Bundle up and go for a jog. Then reward yourself with a long, hot bath and a glass of wine!
* Treat yourself to a bright colored scarf or other piece to lighten up your mood and wardrobe.
* When the sun is out, bundle up, run outside and let it warm up your body for at least 10 minutes.
* Dive into the world of acupuncture! Acupuncture has changed my life and I highly recommend it. And I know what you are thinking, "Does it hurt?". No, it does not!
Visit at least once every season however if you are battling the blues or any number of other ailments, sicknesses, etc., speak with your professional about coming in on a regular basis to get your body back at its best!
* Enjoy a massage. They do wonders for your body and psyche.
* Take a swim, in an indoor pool, bien sur! Then enjoy a soak in the jacuzzi!
* Watch your favorite movie.
* Write a letter. Yes, the old-school kind.
* Spend a hour in your closet and tap into your creativity. See if you can mix and match pieces to find 5 "new" outfits. Try them on and take pictures!
* Visit a rest home and love on those who have no family or friends to care for them!
* Call an old friend. No, contact via email, facebook, myspace, blog or other doesn't count. It needs to be a real phone call!
* Eat at your favorite restaurant.
* Grab a girlfriend and go for a mani/pedi! Your toes need to see the light of day too!
* Take a class at a local junior college or community center. Getting out and interacting with new people while cultivating a hobby does wonders for your mood.
* Volunteer an hour or 2 at a local charity. We all have so much to be thankful for and sometimes we need a reminder (myself included!) that there are always others who have less than us.
* Cook your favorite comfort food and invite a few friends over to enjoy it with you.
* Go to bed when the kids do! The "to-do" list can wait 'til tomorrow.
* Take a virtual vacation to a tropical paradise. Sit back, relax and breath in deep!
* Download island music or the sound of crashing waves; enjoy being carried away!
* Explore the world of aromatherapy! Bergamot, neroli and lavender are a few of my all time favorites!
* Use fresh herbs when cooking or preparing meals. They brighten the flavor of anything!
* Indulge yourself in the world of new spring fashions hot off the Parisian runways!
Until next time...
I wish you a wonderful weekend full of rest, rejuvenation and many hours of sunlight!
Kelli
Queen Violet {my dear friend's daughter} and I at her 2nd birthday! Gotta love their joy for life, smiles and oh-so-sweet hugs!
For more information about the wardrobe styling and image consulting services offered at A Rendez-Vous with Style, please email me at kelli@arendezvouswithstyle.com.
I was inspired, this morning, by something Kristin mentioned to me via email. For those of you suffering from the winter blues or are just plain fed up with the lack of sunlight, I want to encourage you. It is unfortunate that the combination of a long winter, too many hours of darkness and a little bit too much comfort food haunts many of us this time of year. Below is a list of ideas I came up with; I hope you find something that peeks your interest, soothes your soul and offers you a "lift"!
Fun and easy ways to feel better and lift your spirits:
* If you don't already own a favorite perfume {that you just can't wait to dab on each morning), this is the perfect time to find one. Fall in love with a fresh, uplifting scent and look forward to it brightening your disposition! My personal new favorite is Féerie by Van Cleefs & Arpels. I could swim in a pool of it, thank you Julie!
* Change a print, poster, picture or painting in the room you spend the most time in. If you are at the office, bring something in that will add color and vibrancy to your area.
* Buy a bouquet of fresh flowers. Bring a burst of nature indoors!
* Scrapbook. While accomplishing something you will enjoy reminiscing and will then have a beautiful book or collage to share with others.
* Spend time with a child and allow their unconditional love to melt your soul!
* Go to a museum and explore artwork you know nothing about.
* Bake.
* Bundle up and go for a jog. Then reward yourself with a long, hot bath and a glass of wine!
* Treat yourself to a bright colored scarf or other piece to lighten up your mood and wardrobe.
* When the sun is out, bundle up, run outside and let it warm up your body for at least 10 minutes.
* Dive into the world of acupuncture! Acupuncture has changed my life and I highly recommend it. And I know what you are thinking, "Does it hurt?". No, it does not!
Visit at least once every season however if you are battling the blues or any number of other ailments, sicknesses, etc., speak with your professional about coming in on a regular basis to get your body back at its best!
* Enjoy a massage. They do wonders for your body and psyche.
* Take a swim, in an indoor pool, bien sur! Then enjoy a soak in the jacuzzi!
* Watch your favorite movie.
* Write a letter. Yes, the old-school kind.
* Spend a hour in your closet and tap into your creativity. See if you can mix and match pieces to find 5 "new" outfits. Try them on and take pictures!
* Visit a rest home and love on those who have no family or friends to care for them!
* Call an old friend. No, contact via email, facebook, myspace, blog or other doesn't count. It needs to be a real phone call!
* Eat at your favorite restaurant.
* Grab a girlfriend and go for a mani/pedi! Your toes need to see the light of day too!
* Take a class at a local junior college or community center. Getting out and interacting with new people while cultivating a hobby does wonders for your mood.
* Volunteer an hour or 2 at a local charity. We all have so much to be thankful for and sometimes we need a reminder (myself included!) that there are always others who have less than us.
* Cook your favorite comfort food and invite a few friends over to enjoy it with you.
* Go to bed when the kids do! The "to-do" list can wait 'til tomorrow.
* Take a virtual vacation to a tropical paradise. Sit back, relax and breath in deep!
* Download island music or the sound of crashing waves; enjoy being carried away!
* Explore the world of aromatherapy! Bergamot, neroli and lavender are a few of my all time favorites!
* Use fresh herbs when cooking or preparing meals. They brighten the flavor of anything!
* Indulge yourself in the world of new spring fashions hot off the Parisian runways!
Until next time...
I wish you a wonderful weekend full of rest, rejuvenation and many hours of sunlight!
Kelli
Queen Violet {my dear friend's daughter} and I at her 2nd birthday! Gotta love their joy for life, smiles and oh-so-sweet hugs!
For more information about the wardrobe styling and image consulting services offered at A Rendez-Vous with Style, please email me at kelli@arendezvouswithstyle.com.
Posted by Kelli Djulus at 1/30/2009 12:00 PM 
Categories: Image Consultant, Reminders, Life, Children, Spring Fashion, Inspiration, Relaxation, Charity Work, things I love, Love Your Body, Perfume
Categories: Image Consultant, Reminders, Life, Children, Spring Fashion, Inspiration, Relaxation, Charity Work, things I love, Love Your Body, Perfume
OH MY GOSH! Love the ideas. All of these things bring up my spirits immediately. I borrow the phrase, "Pattern Interrupt" for times like these...getting out of my box, shaking it up, and adding some LIFE back into my life. Can we post this on SheInvention?? xoxo
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Melissa,
Thank you! I would be delighted to have you post this on SheInvention !
xo,
Kelli
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What a great article~! Thank you for sharing these with us
You asked me how different it is to style a shoot as opposed to style an individual client. Well...it's quite different. My favorite part about styling a shoot is that I can be more creative with the models, as their body shapes allow me to pretty much do anything on them and it still look great. Another thing is that they hardly ever complain or voice an opinion , becuase they are just there to model. I'm sure you know by experience that individual clients are not like that. Some are allergic to certain materials, some don't wear certain colors, styles and the list goes on.
I wish you a fantastic weekend with your hubby and your adorable daughter
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Thank you Mimi! Being involved in a shoot is a creative dream come true for me. I can definitely understand the differences you mentioned as I completely agree with your assessment and I look forward to future opportunities to style shoots. Until then, I continue to work one on one with my fabulously wonderful clients.
BTW ~ How did the Nutella crêpes turn out that you made for your BF?
I unfortunately can not claim to be any part of Queen Violet's adorableness. She is my friend's daughter, although I love her as my own. My hubby and I have only been married since '06 so we are waiting a bit while I continue to grow A Rendez -Vous with Style and he finishes up a few things before getting prego. It will happen someday but as you can see from the photo below of us two, our child will have a different flair than Miss Violet.
My hubby and I in Toronto this past January
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Hello Kelli, please check out French Essence as I have included you in my post. Feel free to pass on the award or not. Have a lovely weekend, xv
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Bonjour Vicki,
Thank you so much for my award! I plan to post next week on a few awards I have received.
Bon Weekend,
Kelli
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I love this post
Beautiful pictures of you and the little girl.
Have a blessed saturday
Wib.
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You are cordially invited to explore the new Dominion of Light Jewels Website
featuring one of a kind handmade jewelry designed and created
from antique & vintage findings.
PS ~ It was great to find you via The Paris Apartment!! I love your designs!
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Kelli, A lovely list. It's such a hard time of year; certainly an extra amount of energy is required to keep spirits up, and these are some great ideas.
And I love that picture of you and your husband, above!
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Hey darling!
Thanks for takin' the time to respond to my comment
If you like high fashion (and I have a feeling that you do) then you are going to absolutely LOVE fashion styling. You should give it a try. Have you heard of Modelmayhem.com? If you haven't, then you should register yourself there and advertise your services as an Image Consultant as well as a Fashion Stylist
I'm sure you and your hubby will have gorgeous kids, when the time comes.
P.S. Oh, the crepes came out perfect, but I could only eat one. It was way to filling
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I will definitely take a closer look at ModelMayhem. I have heard about it and poked around but will dive deeper this week!
}
My hubby lived 10 years in Toronto and he loves that city! This was my 2nd time visiting and we spent the New Year there to see his family (Toronto & Ottawa).
Yes, I adore high fashion! I lived in Paris for 4 years so that definitely shaped my views and passion for fashion.
I wish we would have met earlier as well, I would have loved to lunch with you while in TO.
BTW ~ Nutella crepes are my hub's favorite although I don't attempt to make them at home. BRAVO to you!
Being that he is French, his expectations are way too high so we just enjoy them out. { However, that doesn't mean we don't have Nutella hiding in a cupboard
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