"The Cool Factor" a serendipitous find.

I was perusing the shelves of our small local library
trying to find a book before my doctor's appointment...

Don't you love it when a great book pops up on the radar?

Written by Andrea Linett

well known for her Lucky publications 

The Lucky Shopping Manual and The Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style.

She also wrote a book I Want to Be Her which is a style memoir and hosts a website by the same name.

It is always busy at my doctor's office and I have to wait longer than my scheduled appointment time 

so I am prepared to wait happily with a book 

today's choice was perfect.

OOTD

Grey cashmere waterfall sweater

(it was my mom's)

black knit Aritzia Tee top

black Calvin Klein leggings

Clarks Chelsea Boots

Grey and Black linen scarf

The information in the book is well written and organized...

It is beautifully illustrated using photographs of several dozen "real women" 

(not professional models) 

all from various walks of life

wearing chic and stylish outfits that they love

 with added comments on why they wear what they do 

answering some basic questions posed by the author 

which helps the reader understand their authentic style.

As I read through the chapters

I knew that this was a style book that I needed to read.

When I got home I posted a picture of my OOTD and the book on Instagram.

The author, Andrea Linett, left a comment on the post 

she kindly has offered to send me a copy of her book I Want To Be Her!

I look forward to reading her style memoir.

Who of us does not want to look stylishly effortless in our clothes?

I love the "secrets" that the women share in the book.

At the end of the book are two features that sum it all up for me...

 20 "COOL" pieces that one should have in their closet...

then the 10 "Rules to Live By."

I would urge you to read The Cool Factor if you are at all interested in style

and adding some oomph to your outfits!

My wardrobe revolves around black, greys and the shades of denim...

 I love the glorious colours that Mother Nature offers us at this time of year.

Hope that you have a wonderful weekend.

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

OOTD mixed with some Netflix suggestions...

Mod-O-Doc patchwork top

worn here with the skinny knit Calvin Klein knit pants

Cut Loose top and the Calvin Klein skinny knit pants

Clarks shoes.

OOTD 

to play bridge and take lessons at the club.

They are simple easy pieces that can be dressed up with accessories.

Authentic, honest clothes that reflect my no nonsense approach...

(sometimes I might be a tad too serious)

SO

I have been considering buying a fun Tee shirt...

not sure exactly what it will look like

noticed a few women "of a certain age" 

wearing interesting Tees with variations of patterns 

textures

some with writing

which for years I have never considered.

Perhaps there is a Tee for me 

that would look not quite as "out there" worn under a simple sweater

like Mom's cashmere waterfall sweater

 that I wear often as

it feels just SO COZY! 

Speaking of cozy

that reminds me of "comfort food."

French Toast for breakfast 

 our garden grown apples with a drizzle of maple syrup.

Cafe Creme

of course...

We just finished watching the Netflix series Atypical 

which I can highly recommend...

it is about an autistic boy and his family.

Jennifer Jason Leigh is the lead actress.

I am now glued to the Netflix series "This is Us"...

and loving it!

The show reminds me so much of "Thirty Something" 

a series that my husband and I watched with our friends 

many years ago

 I discovered that Ken Olin is involved...

he was in Thirty Something 

and it has a similar vibe

perhaps that must be why I love it so much.

Hope that you have a lovely week.

I am looking forward to a slower pace after our busy weekend cleaning out the basement!

We found all kinds of things that we could get rid of, things we will never use

 things were popped outside on the boulevard for passers by to take 

 the rest is off to the thrift shop.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

A quiet weekend, focusing on our home....

Autumn brings chilly days 

and it's time to do some work inside the Humble Bungalow.

The garden will have to wait!

Mr. HB and I are "deep cleaning" the storage area and workshop downstairs where the furnace is located in our home...

it is an area that tends to be a catch all and because it is behind "closed doors" 

we do not look at it often...

 extra stuff gathers

  it mounts up 

one can be happy ignoring 

the bits of debris and recycling and cardboard only for so long!

Exhausting work but certainly satisfying...

I needed to take a break late in the day and have a cafe creme 

 now writing this blog post before starting dinner.

My tummy is grumbling!

Sharon Santoni's new book...

she lives in such a pretty home and her garden is beautiful

and how wonderful that she has shared some of her favourite recipes!

Speaking of recipes...

I took this book out of the local library and I love the recipes so much that I have placed an order with the booksellers in Oak Bay.

I have read most of Jane Green's novels and find them very entertaining.

Tonight I am making Jane Green's Maple Glazed Pork Chops 

served with my whipped potato bake

shown here ready to go into the oven...

AH COMFORT FOOD!

I recently shared the recipe...

this time I had no cottage cheese so I substituted some cream cheese.

NEEDS MUST!

Must get on with the rest of the dinner prep so I will close.

How is your weekend going?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thanksgiving and some Autumn Colours

It's Thanksgiving weekend and I have been very busy cleaning the Humble Bungalow and preparing for our family dinner...

I went to the local nursery and bought some lovely plants and things to add some Autumn colour to our home and front porch.

A simple chrysanthemum in a terra cotta pot

which I hope says Welcome to our home.

A white pumpkin and a mixed planter with mixed foliage plants.

A new orchid which I popped into a vintage white planter.

These orchids last for years and re-bloom several times each year...

the blooms usually last for 3-4 months.

I purchased 5 of these wee white pumpkins to use on the dinner table.

A sweet little Kalanchoe in a wee pot for the powder room.

Mr. HB has been busy outside 

harvesting the apples from the dwarf trees that we planted a few years ago.

I am making an apple crisp for our Thanksgiving dessert.

Greenhouse tomatoes are finished for the year but this last harvest will be enjoyed and the green tomatoes will ripen in a few days.

I must get back to my cooking...

The menu for the family feast:

Prime Rib of Beef

whipped mashed potatoes

carrots cooked in orange juice with parsley

peas

macaroni and cheese 

(4 year old Henry's favourite)

crab cakes 

(for the non meat eaters and extras for those who like both!)

my sister is bringing a veggie dish

butter buns

gravy

Apple crisp with coconut ice cream

banana bread

salted caramel truffles 

coffee and tea

Must get back to the duties at hand.

Happy Thanksgiving!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Cozying up at Quarter Deck Cottage

With all the chaos is going on in our world these days I decided that a quiet post was in order...

Quarter Deck Cottage...
a cozy place where there is ample opportunity for reflection...
time for daily walks exploring the local beaches and country roads
a place to quietly sit and read our books
watch the ferries pass by
and to cocoon and relax.

A welcome respite in these troubled times...

Salish Sea shimmering in the sunshine.

Autumn foliage

Quarter Deck Cottage

Welcome Bay

a beach walk not far from historic Hope Bay on Pender Island.

Someone has been busy making a driftwood shelter.

The view from the living room of the cottage.

Ferries come and go and we watch as they pass by on The Salish Sea.

This larger ferry in the distance is one of several that carry cars and passengers from Swartz Bay To Tsawwassen on the lower mainland.

The smaller ferries service the Gulf Islands of

Pender, Mayne and Galiano.

It is Cozy inside the cottage...

a gas fireplace and in floor heating really make a difference 

as there is an autumnal chill in the evening.

Arbutus trees are now shedding their bark...

A pod of orcas swam by this morning...

there must have been a dozen of them.

It was difficult trying to capture a picture of their fins

you can just glimpse a small tip of one fin in this snapshot.

Sunset last night watched from the deck outside...

Life takes on a gentler rhythm at the cottage.

Grateful for this place of peace.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Meat Pie for the Mister

Lately on my WW regime I have been eating different food than my husband.
Mr. HB likes to have a hearty meal and I have been avoiding heavy meals, preferring to nibble on salads with a small amount of protein.

The reduced point plan has definitely been a success as I am closing in on my goal weight and have about 5 pounds to lose.
Last week, or rather the past 10 days I hit a plateau and the scale stayed at the same weight which I find rather discouraging, but I press on...

Encouraged by the results so far I continue to be mindful of what I eat and the portions that I put on the plate...if I have a larger lunch, I'll opt for a smaller dinner.

The meat pie recipe that I served Mr. HB follows...

Meat Pie

Brown 1-2 pounds ground and stewing beef in a small amount of oil.
Add 1 large onion and cook until soft.

Chop and dice:
3 carrots
3 ribs of celery
3 medium sized potatoes
1 parsnip
1 small turnip

Add to beef and onion mixture 1/4 cup flour,
blend to coat and cook for a few minutes then add 2 cups beef stock.
Season with salt, pepper, and thyme.

Add all the vegetables and simmer with the lid on until they are cooked.
Pop in a cup or 2 of frozen peas and put lid back on and let simmer while you make the pastry topping.

Pastry

In a bowl measure 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1/2 tsp salt then mix it together.
Cut in 1/2 cup cold butter with a pastry blender until butter is coarsely blended.

In a cup measure
beat 1 small egg with 1 tsp vinegar
add just enough ice water until it measures 1/3 cup.
Drizzle into flour and butter mixture and mix to form into a disc.
Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill.


Place stew mixture into an ovenproof dish.
Roll pastry put on a lightly floured board large enough to cover stew and leave a little bit overhanging the edge to crimp and seal it in.

Cut vents in top of pastry and bake at 400 degrees for about 35-40 minutes or just until pastry is golden brown.

Before baking

Dinner is served !

I highly recommend this wee Weight Watcher calculator.

It has simplified my shopping choices and makes it fast and easy to calculate the points of any products using the nutrition information on the package.

My favourite snack these days is a tart crisp freshly sliced apple 

served with 2 wedges of Laughing Cow cheese and 2 Wasa rye crisp crackers.

I will opt for this mid afternoon with a cup of tea and it keeps me satisfied until our dinner is served  around 7 o'clock.

How is your weekend going?

Anything fun and exciting to share?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Thrift shopping...OOTD

The Thrift Shops have been so good to me lately...

This freshly purchased vintage leather bag is coming home.

I have posted about how I have been lusting after the Mulberry Amberley bag.

 The Oxblood leather is sumptuous

the details are simple 

classic and stylish.

I have been slow...

hesitating to make a move 

for several reasons...

there is no store here in Victoria or Vancouver 

where I can see and try on it on

the price point is higher than what I usually spend

so I have been re-evaluating

so when I saw this vintage bag 

which is made with embossed leather

about the same size

with a flap and similar interior compartments

I decided to give it a try.

OOTD

The new Ralph Lauren denim shirt 

with my skinny NYDJ jeans

Clark flats

Casual dressing making the rounds at the thrift shops 

paired with a silk scarf tied at the neck.

This shirt will get plenty of outings...

I am considering wearing it with:

 a boiled wool grey skirt and pearls

black skinny Calvin Klein knit pants

white denim NYDJ jeans

Ralph Lauren pull on denim pants

black leggings and a black Barbour quilted vest

Not sure why I have not had a denim or chambray shirt in my wardrobe for so many years...

I feel like I have been missing out on a major workhorse in ones repertoire!

I also found a lighter blue Tencel shirt with similar features...

am wearing it today with black leggings.

Feeling such gratitude for so many reasons...

friends, family, grandchildren, a roof over our head, our cozy home, the cats, flowers in our garden, the veggies that Mr. HB so lovingly cultivates and grows,

I vow NEVER EVER to take life for granted.

It's a beautiful rainy morning

one of the first Fall days.

Hope you have a fabulous week!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Inspired by Janet at The Gardener's Cottage

Janet writes the beautiful blog The Gardener's Cottage from Redlands California.
I've been an avid reader and follower for many years and every time I see her new post pop up I get excited! I know that I am in for a treat!

There are many reasons that her blog is a favourite of mine...
from the charming cottage that she and her husband Larry have lovingly restored, to her exquisitely curated furnishings and home decor,
the tasty recipes,
her beautiful garden and oasis of calm,
and of course her refined and honest personal style...
Janet's is a "must read blog" in my humble opinion!

Janet has recently redesigned her blog...
and she has been posting more frequently which thrills me no end!

Janet posted about an outfit that we probably already own here..
I do own jeans...but did not have the shirt.

It's been on my radar ever since I read this post and I must admit that I have been obsessing about finding the right shirt...

I discovered after trying on several styles that I need an extra large size.
The buttons and snaps were gaping at the chest and everywhere else
the shirts would fit, so finding "The One" proved to be a challenge...
but I do love a challenge!!

Yesterday I found a shirt that fits and flatters.

It's by Ralph Lauren and in a Petite size

and it was on sale!

It has pearl snap details.

Which made me think of my bubble gum pearl necklace.

Pearls and denim 

perfect paired

with my skinny NYDJ jeans.

A new look for this Hostess thanks to Janet at The Gardener's Cottage.

How's your week going?

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

New dress...

The black bamboo dress that I donated left a void in my closet that begged to be filled. A few empty hangers are now languishing in our closet...

That bamboo "understated" black dress was the one that I wore to many events...
from my retirement celebration...to the theatre, dinners out, Christmas, a staff party, a funeral, bridge luncheons, date nights....

I knew that I needed to find a replacement dress
but I had no idea that I would find one so quickly.

The dress I found is patterned and has body and weight so it hangs well.

I plan to wear black or grey tights with it and depending on the event either my new Chelsea Boots or black shoes.

 For a dressier look I can opt for sheer charcoal hose and black kitten heels

and add a vintage brooch for some pizazz.

Hard to capture this well as the fitting room is so tiny.

(I also am wearing my NYDJ boyfriend jeans underneath!)

You can see the jeans underneath 

but I was in a hurry 

as I was meeting up with my DIL and the grandchildren for a lunch date!

pockets come in handy

sleeve detail

Made by Masai and purchased at a consignment shop in Oak Bay.

Not everything I own has to be new.

New Clark's Chelsea Boots

I'll be wearing these most days every week for the forseeable future.

It has been a wee bit of a shopping frenzy lately...

not my usual habit but I have been fortunate to find some of the things that I need to replace the tired and worn out pieces that I have purged from my closet.

I've been very lucky at the thrift shops too...

several new key pieces have been found at bargain basement prices.

I'll post more on these soon.

Have you found anything on your list for Fall and Winter?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

September is a great time to curate one's closet.

September is a time of change...

the summer season is slipping away
fall is in the air
fresh starts, new beginnings
and a burst of colour in the foliage of the trees.

A great time to start some projects,
take a class,
shop for accessories,
clean out the closet
declutter the pantry
get rid of expired medications
polish boots, shoes and handbags.

Take stock of what is hanging in the closet...
what clothes get worn, what clothes do not feel right when worn.
Time to "observe trends" that may be in the magazines, on blogs, in the shops.
Can you rework what you have in your closet?
How about pairing separates in a fresh new way?

Perhaps it is time for re-evaluating one's personal style
how our current lifestyle might affect the clothes that we keep
those that we may donate, consign or hand down...

What new things could thrill or inject energy to what we have and love?
Vintage pieces?
Classics?
Boho?
What "speaks" to your inner muse?

Can you kick it up a notch?
Is it a genuine representation of your personal style?
Does it feel real or do you feel like you are wearing a "costume."

Shop at the charity and consignment shops for a splash of colour,
find something a bit unusual...a scarf, a belt, a bag are great pieces that don't have to break the budget and are ways to add a punch of colour or texture or style.
Have fun!

The least expensive accessory that I purchased so far this season is a lipstick.

L'Oreal trio...

The new kid on the block is #315 True Red

It is the first red that I have purchased since I was in Paris.

It will be fun wearing this shade with my crisp white shirt and jeans.

I have a lot of black and grey garments and this pop of colour will brighten up my pale complexion.

I've received numerous compliments on the Rose 31 scent by Le Labo.

Layering products makes a fragrance last longer so I phoned Nordstrom and ordered the Rose 31 lotion yesterday.

Wearing a new scent and a red lipstick is giving me a psychological boost.

Have you found anything new and exciting for the new season?

Une Femme has some new lipstick shades 

coincidentally I was working on this post when I read her blog post!

Great minds think alike!

The WW regime is really paying off...

almost 10 pounds down.

I am not hungry and have been pleased with how my clothes are fitting.

More energy and better sleep patterns have been wonderful side effects.

My skin has started to glow...

I think it must be all the water that I am drinking 

plus the variety of colourful vegetables and fruits on the menu...

less red meat 

a bit of fish, lean free range chicken and organic eggs.

What are you reading right now?

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~