Wednesday Miscellany: Bijoux, Beauty, & Birds

Detail: Susan B. of une femme d'un certain age wears an Eileen Fisher linen cardigan and gold French Kande necklaces.

Even though we’re not going anywhere at the moment, I find that getting dressed every day helps me feel put-together, present, and grounded. And lately I’ve been making the effort to include a little makeup, some jewelry and a spritz of fragrance.

Cardigan | Necklace | Necklace | Lipstick

I really like this little linen cardigan (Plus). It’s comfortable and easy enough to wear around the house, but looks neat enough to wear out. (And would be a good travel piece, when we’re eventually “cleared for takeoff.”)

These French Kande gold necklaces are SO in my wheelhouse! I’ve been wearing this combo (Fleur-de-Lis, Lariat) quite often. It’s such an easy throw-on-and-go mix. I’m going to show you some other layering combinations with that Fleur-de-Lis necklace next week, stay tuned.

And if you’re considering adding some French Kande pieces to your collection, there’s a Mothers’ Day Promotion running until 5/10/20 (or as long as supplies last):

French Kande Mothers' Day promotion. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

Get one of these limited edition pieces with any order of $250 or more. Just enter code MOMSROCK30 for the necklace, or MOMSROCK15 for the bracelet.

I’m always asked about this lip color. 💄 It’s Chantecaille Lip Chic in “Sunrise.” I love this formula…it’s sheer and moisturizing but stays on for hours. And it’s cruelty-free, paraben-free and vegan. Which segues into…

Beauty On The Wing

Chantecaille Hummingbird Lip Gloss. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

I’ve had hummingbirds on the brain lately, so when I spotted this lip gloss in the pretty tube, I had to find out more. Chantecaille as a company has supported several environmental causes over the years. And this limited-edition gloss is one of the products in their Hummingbird Collection that helps support the Amazon Conservation Team in their work to preserve the rainforest and biodiversity. There are four shades offered.

Their products are all cruelty-free and paraben-free.

Chantecaille Hummingbirds collection eye shadow quartet compact. Details at une femme d'un certain age.
Chantecaille Hummingbirds eye shadow quartet. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

I also spotted this Eye Shadow Quartet with a nice collection of neutral shades for day and night. (There are both Warm and Cool collections.) Some of the shadows have shimmer, some don’t. I’m guessing that pretty compact might be re-usable (many of Chantecaille’s products have refillable packaging).

Dispatches from Hummingbird Central…

Rufous hummingbird fledgling. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

Our little chick is all grown up. Around mid-day on Saturday, we noticed him perched on the side of the nest. He didn’t move from there for a few hours, but later in the afternoon he was gone. A few minutes later as we sat outside, we spotted a pair of hummingbirds flitting around, one noticeably smaller than the other. Yes, our baby had fledged!

If you watch closely at the beginning of this clip, you’ll see them both zoom by. They were still hanging out in the yard the next day, and we observed Mama still feeding the chick.

But we weren’t “empty nesters” for long…

Rufous hummingbird weaving a nest. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

Another Mama is busy building a nest in the vines overhanging our patio! Above you can see her with some building material in her beak.

Hummingbird preparing her nest. Details at une femme d'un certain age.

After she adds to the nest, she circles and seems to stomp it down with her feet. Then flies off to gather more. We’ve really been enjoying this in-person nature show. I have to wonder: if we hadn’t been confined to home would we have been too “busy” and rushing around to notice this going on?

How’s your week going?

Stay in touch

Sign up to be notified of new posts and updates from une femme d’un certain âge.

Affiliate links in posts may generate commissions for unefemme.net. See my complete disclosure policy here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

20 Comments

  1. What a sweet bird! And thank you for the heads up on the French Kande promo. I love Chantecaille. Lovely subtle colours and their Kajal brightening eye pencil is life. Stay safe!

  2. Again I must say I am so jealous! we have some hummingbirds flying around our yard, but I have not seen a nest here. And now you have another one!!

  3. Thanks for sharing the bird pictures, reminds me of watching a mama cardinal years ago with a nest in our giant rose bush. You are radiant in that cardigan! Great color on you

  4. I love the pics and updates on your hummingbirds. Ours are not back yet, and usually show up around Mother’s Day. I too would like to add how lovely you look, your skin is radiant.

  5. Susan, I often don’t need to comment but love to see everyone else’s contributions. I used to just subscribe to get the comments but now that link seems to be broken…

  6. A second hummingbird nest? How wonderful! The little birds must feel safe in your backyard and that is a good thing. You do look luminous. The sweater is the perfect color for you.

  7. My nephew in Las Vegas had a hummingbird that returned for years to nest under his patio cover roof, so maybe yours will be back again next year. It is so true that we miss so much of life due to our “business”.

  8. I am so jealous. We don’t have humming birds here in the UK and I have always wanted to see them. Perhaps when we are ‘cleared for take off’ (love it 🙂 ) we will be able to find somewhere to visit where we can see them in person. That cardigan is gorgeous and you look fabulous in it. As a fellow spring (and I think we are the same type within that category too) I am always fascinated to see what you are wearing. This picture so inspired me that I immediately went and shopped my wardrobe and found a cardigan of a very similar colour. Now I just need to find some necklaces too… Stay safe Libsx

  9. Sorry forgot to say that the cardigan was hidden in the back of the wardrobe and very much forgotten. It will now get a new lease of life!

  10. Loving the Hummingbirds from far flung Australia. Use to live in Cincinnati ( but from New Zealand)
    Love your blogs.

  11. The hummingbirds, and nests, are a delight. The only nest I have to cope with has wasps making it, and I am planning on interfering as soon as I can (there are already too many just to knock it down). Also – that coral color is gorgeous on you . . .

  12. The colour of that cardigan is extremely flattering on you. The hummingbirds are very sweet. We have quite a few birds take up residence in our backyard – pigeons, starlings , magpies, sulphur crested cockatoos and the odd Ibis. Unfortunately, unlike your delicate humming bird, our visitors are messy things, pooping everywhere and dropping endless feathers into our swimming pool, or digging up the lawn.

  13. Thank you for the dose of positivity! Your garden & the hummingbirds are delightful. Seems like you made really good choices of plant materials & landscape design—-it looks likes you have 5 outdoor living zones?
    –just gorgeous–

  14. Your transition from your old colors to your new pallet has gone so smoothly and you are looking so “alive” in them!
    Thanks so much for the hummer pics. We have planted hummer friendly Cuphea bushes underneath the kitchen window so that we are able to watch them feed and flit.