Month: January 2018

Try to learn to breath deeply

Such a beautiful text… I think, these words are by William Saroyan from his book “The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze” and not Ernest Hemingway as Pinterest says it is. Would you agree? William Saroyan was among the most reputed American writers of the early 20th century. He would tell stories about the challenges and delights of rural America through the lens of life in the Central Valley of California. He won a Pulitzer Prize, an Oscar and the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award. “He is one of the most underrated writers of the century. He takes his place naturally alongside Hemingway, Steinbeck and Faulkner.” – Stephen Fry American Authors were my dad’s favourites. That’s all he read and he was reading a lot. He used to have a mood board in his bedroom with pictures of all his favourite American Authors. He was also fascinated by native Indians :-) What are your favourite American Authors? A few years back when I still had the time to read, I devoured anything written …

Breakfast in bed

Published by BODIE and FOU Style Blog

Indulging in breakfast in bed this morning because I have a really busy week ahead and I need to quiet my mind to avoid giving into stress and panic. I’m off to Paris on Wednesday for a very exciting project dear to my heart. I’m going to photograph 20 women wearing a beautiful fashion collection over two days. Then Saturday, I’m photographing two more clients and will head to London next Monday. To add to the positive things, I’m kicking off week #4 of my sugar detox with the last slice of gluten-free, sugar-free banana cake I made over the weekend (recipe here). I found that baking a banana cake is the best way to use those dark, ripped bananas that the kids won’t eat. I like mine with some natural goat milk yoghurt but Mila loves warming it up and adding some butter on top. However, one thing that I learnt this weekend is that sugar-free or not, if a cake is available in the pantry I will eat it so next time, I will freeze half …

10 ways to rock short hair like French women

Published by BODIE and FOU Style Blog

Haven’t you felt like a million $$$$ after coming out of a hairdresser appointment? It is a sure way to look and feel good providing you’ve found a Hairdresser you trust and love of course! I have now, but I also came across a few hairdressers who did such a poor job that all I wanted to do, was to burn down their salon (I haven’t, never will but the thought was there…). So if you’re in need of a change to start the new year with a new look, new vibe, new you, here are 10 short haircuts sported by French women. This doesn’t mean that women from other nationalities don’t sport short hair well, of course, they do! I’m obsessed with Alexa Chung and Uma Thurman’s hair here but being French and all that, that’s the angle I’m going for ;-) Which one do you prefer!?

Positive personal planners to match your mindset

Published by BODIE and FOU Style Blog

Now that we are well into mid-January and that we are back to work, school runs, food shopping etc, rather than chilling on the sofa stuffing our face with chocolate, how do we make this year a productive and positive one? If you are a check-list person like me, I find that the best way, is to consign all the things you want and need to do in a personal planner following the SMART goal framework: SPECIFIC MEASURABLE ACHIEVABLE RELEVANT TIME BOUND For instance, as one of my major goals this year is to make 2018 sugar free (and I’m talking refined sugars only!), I can easily focus on doing one week at a time and tick each day on the page of my personal planner as a mini success and then cross the whole week as a weekly success. Week after week, I’m building positive momentum and then I can write down other things that will help me to achieve this goal (i.e. finding food I really enjoy eating, food that gives me plenty of nutrients, finding a …

5 inspiring ways to use your natural basket. Read on www.karinecandicekong.com

5 ways to use your natural basket at home

Published by BODIE and FOU Style Blog

When I was running the shop, this natural basket was one of our best-sellers. I still have a few at home and regularly change the way I use them. Here are five practical ways to use your natural basket at home and if you haven’t got one of these yet, I’ve added a small selection at the bottom of the article. {#1 USE YOUR NATURAL BASKET AS A PLANTER} Talented Stylist and Photographer Line Kay used hers as a planter (while the other way round probably wouldn’t work) and in the process, add some textures to her room. The natural basket fits nicely with the green of her Papyrus plant and all the items she has in the room. Urban Outfitters has a nice selection of rugs here. As an alternative to the traditional planter, I’m using this paper bag in our London home. {#2 USE YOUR NATURAL BASKET TO STORE THROWS & BLANKETS} When I first added the basket to the BODIE and FOU collection, our mostly used mine in our lounge (below) to store our throws and hide …

A minimalist home in London built around a plywood kitchen

Published by BODIE and FOU Style Blog

Thank you so much for answering my little survey last night in my Instagram stories. Since 98% of you wanted to see more house tours, I thought I would kick in with this home in Islington (nice area in north London to visit if you’re planning a little trip) featuring a minimalist plywood kitchen, which I find really inspiring for several reasons. First, it’s filled with natural light which in a city like London, is always a good thing. We added a lot of large windows when we renovated our home in London and I can’t stress enough the positive impact it had on our well-being and the overall vibe of our home so if you’re planning a renovation, think large windows (I’ve compiled some great examples of windows here). It has also a polished concrete floor, which is what I’m hoping to have in the next home we renovate (not that there is anything in the pipeline but you know…it doesn’t hurt to plan and add it to the vision mood board, right!?) A brilliant …

Our new Urbanears sound system

Published by BODIE and FOU Style Blog

Just before Christmas, I got this beautiful minimalist grey speaker (see below) from Urbanears which has provided me with a lot of joy and our home got a new sound system which was badly needed. I often work from our dining table so it has been very relaxing and mood-enhancing to listen to some music or podcasts while working. I’m also a huge fan of the simple design of these speakers that come in 6 different colours. The Baggen speaker in concrete grey, fitted perfectly the wall I had recently painted in the lounge. I mean, how often can you match your speakers with your walls or interior!?? I loved it SO much that I ordered the smaller version in pink for Mila to go with her recent bedroom makeover (see her teen’s desk area makeover here and how I made her bed comfier and cosier here). We had both her pink Stammen speaker and my grey Baggen speaker in the lounge over the Christmas holidays but now that everyone is gone and I’ve tidied our home, hers is going back to her bedroom …