Meet Pippi! I finally got a toy poodle. 🐶🐾

Honestly, this feels a little unreal to write because this has been one of those “one day” dreams for years. I’ve loved these tiny curly dogs forever. I remember seeing toy poodles all the time when I lived in the States almost 10 years ago and being completely obsessed with them already back then. Every single time I saw one, I was like: yep. That’s the dog.

But I kept telling myself the same thing over and over:
not yet.
timing isn’t perfect.
later.
one day it’ll happen naturally.

And somehow it actually did.

Spring this year has been very “almost.” Almost warm enough, almost sunny enough, almost time to put the big coat away. These photos are from that February (My Bday Month! 🎂) / March transition phase where you stop wearing gloves but still leave the house checking the weather app just in case. 🌤️

I wanted to post these sooner, but life lately has been busy. A lot of new things are happening, most of them internally, actually. The kind of changes you don’t really notice until one day your routines, mindset or even the way you spend your mornings feels different. Yeah, something like that.

Visually though, not much changed. Still brunette, still bob (kind of - it's growing...), still dressing in layers because spring weather has serious commitment issues. One thing is different though: I got a toy poodle puppy named Pippi. 🐻 But I’ll tell you more about her next time because she’s already become a full-time personality trait.

For now, just enjoy the photos. I think they explain this in-between-the-season transitioning better than a long caption ever could. This ALMOSTspring has looked like new nails & coffee runs, walking more,

 running errands, supporting local artists, theme scrapbooking with my bestie, filming a lot of new ASMR content for my YouTube channel, reorganizing life quietly in the background, and trying to find balance between being busy and actually enjoying things.

A few things I’ve been loving lately during this weird in-between season:
• long walks with no real plan
• gem stickers for a unique sparkly look
• weaing colorful bags that feel comfy
• buying flowers just because
• doing whatever the F I want
• spontaneous coffee dates
• gym first thing in the morning, then work!
• slowly getting back into routines that make life feel better

Anyway, soak up the pics. Consider this a little life update disguised as an outfit dump. 💖

I fell into the color palette rabbit hole.
And came out finally feeling aligned with myself.

I wasn’t trying to change my style. I wasn’t even trying to improve my looks. I was just doing what most of us do at the end of the day, scrolling on TikTok without much intention, half-present, half-curious. One video turned into another, and suddenly I wasn’t watching dance trends or outfit hauls anymore. I was watching people talk about color. About undertones. About why certain shades make someone look alive while others quietly drain them.

It felt oddly specific. And uncomfortably accurate.

Before I realized it, I had fallen straight into the color theory rabbit hole. Soft seasons, muted palettes, low contrast versus high contrast. At first it sounded complicated, even a little obsessive. But the more I watched, the more something clicked. These women weren’t transforming themselves. They were aligning. And that’s when I understood that what I had been feeling for years wasn’t a lack of style, taste, or effort. It was disharmony.

I had clothes. I had nice pieces. And yet, something always felt slightly off.

So I did this thing. I uploaded my photos to ChatGPT and asked these questions: 

• What is my overall coloring (hair, eyes, skin tone) described in detail? • How would you describe my body type? • What aesthetic aligns naturally with my features? • What textures suit my overall vibe? • What color palette would define my personal brand? • What era would I visually thrive in? • What archetype fits my appearance (fairy, muse, mermaid, scholar, etc.)? • What actresses have similar features to me? • What celebrities share my coloring? • What fictional characters look like me?

What came back surprised me. It wasn’t just a list of colors or a style label. It was a clear explanation of my natural coloring, my contrast level, the textures and tones that work with me instead of against me. For the first time, someone wasn’t telling me what was trendy or flattering in general, but what made sense for my face, my skin, my presence.

After removing my hair extensions and eyelash extensions, everything suddenly felt very… real. The first few days were a little strange. I would catch my reflection and pause for a moment, almost as if I needed time to recognize myself again. I felt lighter, more exposed, a bit out of my usual comfort zone. And yet,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ underneath that unfamiliar feeling,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ there was something surprisingly pleasant.

What I loved the most was the sense of relief. The feeling that I didn’t have to keep up with anything anymore. No maintenance schedules, no constant checking, no quiet pressure in the back of my mind. Just me, as I am, moving through my days. Washing my hair became quick and simple, almost meditative. Styling it took minutes, not effort. There was something very freeing in that simplicity.

The lashes were a slightly different story. Suddenly, mascara became part of my mornings again. At first, it felt like extra work, something I wasn’t used to anymore. For the first few days, I didn’t wear any mascara at all. I honestly felt a bit like a bird without feathers –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ vulnerable, unfinished, unsure.

But then something shifted. 💫

I started using a lash growth serum, and little by little, I began to feel more comfortable with my natural face. And here’s something I didn’t expect: when you really get used to yourself without makeup, even something as simple as mascara becomes powerful. The contrast is beautiful. The effect is WOW. I genuinely recommend experiencing that –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ allowing yourself to be bare, and then choosing enhancement instead of hiding.

At that point, I felt good. Calm. And most importantly, I felt pretty to myself. That quiet, private feeling of liking what you see –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ even when no one else is watching. That matters more than anything.

Life otherwise went on in its usual rhythm. Errands. The gym. Coffee with friends. And also coffee just with myself, because we absolutely deserve our own company too. I had a photoshoot with my photographer friend (get excited, photos coming soon). I ate lots of good food –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ I caught a cold, and pho has once again proven to be both comfort and medicine.

And to finish this whole French bob chapter properly, I painted my nails and toes red. A small detail, but it somehow tied everything together. A quiet nod to the whole French-girl moment I seem to be living right now.

Tell me –⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ what have you been up to lately?
I really mean it. I’d love to know.

XO, Zuzi ✨

Last time I wrote about scrapbooking, it was from that familiar place of excitement mixed with good intentions. You know the kind – new notebook, a clear vision, a spark… and then life happens and the notebook stays half-empty.

This time felt different. 👯‍♀️✨

I spent an afternoon scrapbooking with my best friend. We’ve been friends for over 15 years now – two adult women, no kids, just a shared love for creating things, talking (or not talking), and being fully ourselves together. There’s something deeply comforting about that kind of friendship. No performing. No explaining. Just womanhood, sisterhood, and a quiet “I’ve got you.”

This meetup was a freestyle scrapbooking session. No rules, no pressure, no outcome in mind. Just paper, glue, scissors, stickers, old magazines, washi tapes, memories, and whatever wanted to emerge. And it was so good that we decided to give this ritual a bit of structure going forward: every next session will have a theme. I’ll come up with one and my friend Veronika will bring her own topic as well. I can already feel how special this is going to become. A tradition.

We’re also… very much obsessed with stationery. Stickers, papers, notebooks, washi tapes – you name it. Buying these things is almost a hobby on its own. And usually, I start a new notebook with big dreams and never quite finish it. But something clicked this time. Knowing we’ll meet every month, that there’s time dedicated just for this, just for us, makes it feel doable. Lighter. Real.

Some things are surprisingly hard to do alone. Even the things you love. Having a friend – a true partner in crime – changes everything.

I baked a pie. We had coffee. Her cute little pooch “helped” us by sitting directly on my notebook and insisting on being part of the process (obviously). We scrapbooked for hours. Sometimes chatting, sometimes completely silent. Time flew by in that gentle, almost sacred way it does when you’re fully present and safe in someone’s company.

When we finally stopped, we both felt good. Calm. Filled up.

So this is me saying it out loud, for myself and for you:
Do this more often. Create with your friends. Make time for hobbies that don’t need to make money or sense. Sit together in silence. Let dogs sit on your notebooks. Romanticize these moments.

I highly recommend it. 💛

XO, Zuzi

Christmas has a way of slowing time down. 🎄 The lights are softer. The air feels heavier with memories. Home smells like something familiar you didn’t know you missed. This year, I’m really allowing myself to be here. Not rushing through the holidays, not performing joy, not escaping into distractions – just being present with the atmosphere, the quiet moments, the laughter, the pauses in between. Sitting with a cup of something warm. Listening. Breathing. Letting the moment land.

I know that for many of us, Christmas isn’t only cozy and magical. It can be heavy. Emotional. Triggering. Especially when family time becomes overwhelming and old patterns suddenly resurface – roles you thought you outgrew, expectations you never agreed to, emotions that don’t make sense but still hurt. If Christmas feels hard for you, I want you to know this: nothing is wrong with you.