Rantings of a Fashion Addict

Beach themed Bridal Shower

2012-01-27T00:27:00.003-05:00

Hey guys! This past weekend was my bridal shower … it was nothing huge but it still required a LOT of planning and preparation… from the food, to the games, to the table and chair rentals etc….It was an intimate affair at my godmothers house with some of my best friends and family… It was honestly everything I could imagine and more! There was a lot of food (appetizers, main course which included roasted pig, chicken, fish fillets, sushi etc… and coffee and dessert to finish) … wine that my lovely papa picked up for all the ladies (white, red and zinfandel)… the tables were beautifully decorated, games were fun … we played the apron game where you have to walk around and guests look at your apron .. but they don't know the rules yet… then they are quizzed to see how much they can remember and person with the most points wins a prize… we also had some throwaway games like “guess the seashells”, the “Price is Right”, create a dress game which was a team effort and Beach Bingo… I also got “grilled” with a set of questions that my maid of honour and fiancée came up with … to test my knowledge and see how well I know my husband-to-be… I was afraid but actually did very well :P…. overall, I think everyone had a great time and it was definitely a success… and there was not one person that could say they left hungry! My mother, aunts and maid of honour were just so amazing in helping to make sure everything ran smoothly …I am so blessed to have such wonderful and amazing women in my life… My little brother was also amazing at making sure I had photographs of the event… and being a runner/coat boy… I even got a cute little recipe book because each guest was asked to bring their favourite so that a book could be compiled for me – it was so sweet! J also made an appearance at the end and gave a lovely little speech that literally put me in tears and brought me a bouquet of roses <3

Next up is the wedding! I cant believe it is just over a couple of months away … I am a little nervous but I guess that's a good thing! I am so thrilled … and our home is almost ready … we are installing the kitchen, washroom and trim at this point…. then paint and we are pretty much set! I might show you guys some progress pictures of the home if you are interested

Hope you have all been doing well – thank you for sticking by me during this “crazy” time in my life

xox

We are a thrifty bunch …. I haven't disappeared, I just took a little break

2012-01-13T00:34:00.004-05:00

Hey guys! So I guess its pointless to state the obvious… that I have been gone almost 4 months and I will just leave it at that … there has been a lot going on in my life and it has taken a slightly different direction where I have not had as much personal “free” time as I would like … J and I have a lot going on but you know what…. I am thankful. I am thankful for every opportunity life has provided me … I am thankful for everything that I have and that can be interpreted on different levels … I am thankful for the amazing people I have in my life (home, friends and work) and I am working on maintaining a sense of balance as best as I can and not let small bumps get in the way of what my ultimate goals are … I work hard at anything and all that I do but sometimes… you need to just step back and just breathe… because its so easy to become immersed in everything that you begin to lose a sense of enjoyment for the small things because you are so caught up in what seem to be all the “big things”. Anyways, enough of my “rantings” … I wish I had a fashionable post to share with you guys … but I don't … and to be honest… I'm ok with that and I hope you guys are too … because I am really excited to share my home and wedding related things with you! J and I have made a lot of progress on the home… we have done almost all of the work ourselves …. from gutting it to now beginning to install the floors… its been a lot of work… and a tight budget … but we have managed and are managing! It has been almost a year since we bought the house it is finally beginning to look like a home. We have walls! That we can paint! …. We are working on getting kitchen quotes (which was quite the shocker… in terms of pricing… but I am sure J and I will work something out that works for us and suits our style without compromising our “budget”… at least we have our fingers crossed) …. he hates that word… budget…. but its reality … and until we are both millionaires… haha …. that word will continue to play a “favourite” in our vocabulary!

I have not been thrift shopping much this past year … but I did manage to find a couple of brass coated lamps a while back with J… he actually sanded them down so that we could prime them with a grey spray primer … its about $5 at a hardware shop … and we are then going to spray them with white high gloss enamel paint … I cant wait to see the finished product because they already look pretty cool to me… and for $20… you cant go wrong – they are in perfect working condition! Our bedroom is a lot of whites, greys and silvers so these should go perfectly with our decor once its all done.
The table you see in the pictures above… was actually given to us from one of J’s mothers friends … she had the table for YEARS … its solid wood and was in great condition so of course … we weren't going to turn it down! I prefer the craftsmanship and durability of something that I know has withstood the test of time… and still looks great.. over something I might buy new anyways. The table was sanded down and re-stained… we will most likely be getting new chairs because the ones pictured are not very comfortable … and we like to mix antique with modern pieces so I think this table with some updated chairs will suit us perfectly!
Well I am off to bed to get some rest….

I hope to be back as soon as I can be back! If any of you have any home/wedding related tips or stories, or just want to say "hello" ... please leave me a comment and I will write back to you :) Talk to you all soon!

xox

A long weekend Away …. Tobermory

2011-09-23T23:50:00.003-04:00

I don’t know how many Ontarians read my blog but just recently J and I discovered a beautiful new spot that we had never been before… this is apparently the “diving capital” of Canada … Tobermory! We rented one of the yurts there with a couple of our friends … it was affordable at $80 per person for 3 nights and we had a blast fishing, swimming, hiking, exploring, going to the docks, antiquing, and discovering a bunch of awesome independent coffee shops with crazy home baked goods! It was the perfect long weekend for J and I who have obviously been on a a budget with the wedding and home renovations… usually we would trek to New York or something of the sort… but that can get quite pricey for a long weekend and to be honest, this was just so much more relaxing and stress free (which J and I really needed after this crazy summer!) … We will probably go back next summer to Tobermory/Bruce Peninsula.. because we loved it that much! The water looked like water we see in the Caribbean .. to be honest, we didn't even know we had waters like this in Ontario and so close to home! Well, you can bet I didn't bring any of my perfumes with me here…. haha… I would have been eaten alive! The only “perfume” I wore was bug spray … and that is ok by me if it means clearing my head, fresh air and peace and quite … even if only for a weekend!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

A small glance into my Perfume Collection

2011-09-02T13:39:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone! Again, you know I am going to start by apologizing for being away for so long but work in both the office and at home has been quite demanding and consumed a lot of my time as of late … which means less time for blogging. Unfortunately, I still don't have any outfit posts and its mostly because … to be quite honest, I have not been in much of a mood to “dress up” … things will get “back to normal” once the hustle and bustle dies down …. which will hopefully be shortly after Christmas time (which is quickly approaching might I add! you all know how much I love that time of season) … I thought I would do a quick post before getting away (I will be off to a cottage for the long weekend … our first mini vacation this summer!) …. one thing that has not changed much is my desire to have a pleasant aroma/scent… J always seems to appreciate this as well which only fuels my quest for my perfect signature scent … I have always appreciated and loved vanilla based perfumes, powdery perfumes and if you can manage to mix a teeny bit of muskiness in there … I am in love! Which is why I am going to start with my Dior Hypnotic poison perfume. I actually received this in a trade … and adore it to pieces! It is a very unique scent that you do not smell on a lot of people… I think its one of those love it or hate it perfumes – there is no neutrality to this …at least in my opinion! It mainly has an almond scent with a vanilla powder dry down… its gets better throughout the day and has pretty good lasting power on me … it reminds me of a sweet sexy cigar … the type of scent you would wear to a bar … super sexy and womanly but not overly sweet

Lolita lempicka is one that I have talked about a lot – and probably one that I wear most often when I am unsure about what I want to wear … it is a great daytime scent ..it is a liquorice, violet and vanilla blend that makes it hard not fall in love with … the only downfall is it really does not last that long… and for the price it demands, I would hope that it would ..regardless, it still makes it to the top of my list

Vera Wang’s Princess is probably my “signature” scent although I am trying to find a new one… it has become so common … but beautiful nonetheless… also vanilla based, I think it has better staying power on me than lolita lempicka … and it is a chocolate/vanilla scent to me … sort of soft and powdery

Miss Dior Cherie is what I like to wear as sort of a night time, going out –special occasion scent… it has a sandalwood base which I have noticed I seem to veer towards … sandalwood and vanilla .. it is a more “mature” scent but not overpowering at all… still very young and fresh .. this one smells slightly floral/fruity

Emporio Armani She is a gorgeous and sexy scent that I do not smell too often on women.. I am not a fan of the packaging at all … although it is easy to throw in your purse… but the goods inside are delish! there is nothing fruity or floral about this… it is spicy, sexy and smells amazing throughout the day from start to finish … this is at the top of my list … especially for a night out! It always gets compliments

Bond no. 9 Park Avenue is very clean and fresh smelling … this brand is extremely expensive but the lasting power is great and they are definitely unique scents … I have a hard time describing this other than noting that is a very light, clean and feminine fragrance .. perfect for spring and summer! Has paperwhites and chamomile notes which is unique to anything I own

A new addition to my collection is Floris – White Rose (eau de parfum) … I had read great reviews on this and wanted a powdery floral in my collection – this is it! It is not headache inducing … I usually steer clear from florals … the dry down is slightly powdery but with a bit of a muskiness to it – I love it! It does not have a traditional rose smell to it at all … it is something you need to smell for yourself to be quite honest… it tempts me every now and then and is definitely a perfume that not too many people own. The brand Floris has been around for over 200 years, made in England and has the Queens seal of approval… its a keeper in my books!

Givenchy Very Irresistible – this is one of those scents that brings back memories… It always reminds me of my cousin in Portugal (this was her signature scent) … she would always spritz some on me before we went out to a club … it brings back memories of summertime.. eighteen years old, with no worries and just enjoying each day… memories of Portugal and Spain.. until I had to go back home and back to “reality” haha… its a special fragrance .. sort of a spicy vanilla with slight floral but not overpowering ..also has sandalwood in it I believe

Cerruti 1881 – this is the slight “oddball” in my collection … it is not a scent that I would usually steer towards but for some reason I love this one! and again, it is one that you will not find in too many peoples collection… which I like… it is one of those fragrances that just doesn't go out of style .. you only need a light spray ..it has a clean scent to it – there are notes of bergamot, violet, chamomile, rosewood sandalwood and musk.

Nina by Nina Ricci – I love the apple bottle … it is a wonderful blend of fruit and vanilla! It is such a delicious smell… J loves this and always compliments me when I wear it .. I remember my mom came home with it a while back… and it was love at first sniff for me… I had to get my own bottle… and I eventually did and will continue to repurchase this one for as long as its made. It must always be in my collection. It is candy, warm and summery

Black XS by Paco Rabanne – this is a brilliant perfume .. this is a stronger perfume, more night time and not something I would wear to the office … well maybe depending on my mood! It is an oriental vanilla based scent and does not fall into the girly girl perfume category… slightly gothic, a little rebellious … there is something mysterious about this one… J loves this as well … it is a more unique scent and has pretty good lasting power. This is also one that I do not find too many women wearing

Let me know what your favourites are and if you have any recommendations…. what your signature scent it … if you are still on the hunt for one… I would love to hear about it!

xox

Make a Wish on Park Avenue

2011-08-07T23:59:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Its late but I am in a “blog posting” mood so I thought I would share … I just finished our wedding invitations… we had designed them and then had them printed at a print shop… I just finished gluing the finishing diamond touch and putting together all the labels on inner and outer envelopes as well as stamping them… believe it or not … it takes a LONG time! But I enjoyed doing it to be quite honest … Both our mothers (J and mine) purchased their mother of the bride and groom attire this weekend (gorgeous dresses that they picked out that are extremely elegant but with a tropical feel) … it has been quite hectic but I feel like a lot has been accomplished … even in terms of the house … J has been busy there and we hope to have a plumber and electrician there very soon… its coming along, slowly but surely! I am extremely lucky that J is a very handy man… otherwise, we would have to fork out quite a bit more on silly little things!

Alright… now onto the photos and a little “explanation”… so, a little while back Victoria’s Secret was having a sale … and when I saw this tank top (Just Married) in diamonds with the phrase “just married””in tiffany blue… I had to have it! It was $5 marked down from $36! This is perfect for our destination wedding and for some reason I instantly saw myself wearing this the day after the wedding, by the beachside with J, sipping a pina colada drink wearing a white sunhat and bottoms :)… The shoes will probably be what I slip into later on in the night of the wedding at the reception when my feet get tired from wearing heels (which I cant show you guys…. its a surprise until the wedding :p)… oh and yes, that is Maxie … my little yorkie… all curious to see what I was doing and trying to get into the picture

Also, I don't know how many of you have tried the Bond no. 9 perfumes but I received this as a gift and am loving it! I think they sell it at Holt Renfrew and Saks (if you live in the US) … It is an Eau de Parfum so it lasts quite long… The one I have is Park Avenue … and if you are familiar with it … you will know it has a vanilla base (which I love of course) along with chamomile and paperwhites. The ingredients are well blended and the scent is hard to describe… it is very unique to anything that I own and seems like a scent that I will not tire of quickly. Have any of you tried any of the Bond perfumes? Any favourites?

Lastly, as you all know I am a serious coffee lover … and recently I have been making homemade lattes and loving them even more than my Starbucks! I never thought I would say this …. but I actually prefer my own coffee now that I have perfected how to make the perfect espresso and steamed milk combination… It also saves me quite a bit of change because now I make it in the morning and bring that to work… I found a little green stove top espresso percolator at a garage sale (only $4) … the lady had bought and brought it over from Italy…. I love it! It makes a single shot so when I want to make one just for myself, I don't need to waste more coffee than necessary… and it works pretty quickly because it is so tiny! It is very well made – all stainless steel… the larger one I picked up at Benix because I had a gift card. When J is in the mood for coffee – that is the one I use… I love the look but it is not as well made as the one from Italy

Well, I better get ready for bed … J and I have a lot ahead of us next week! Hope you all had a great weekend!

xox

Skin Care Routine, Update and some New additions to the Bookshelf!

2011-07-27T23:41:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! I had a few requests through formspring for certain posts such as skin care, hair routines etc… which I thought was a great idea … especially considering I have not had time to do outfit posts (J is my photographer and his time is extremely limited nowadays… I cant wait for us to be all settled in … I am getting anxious! haha).

I guess I should start with a little update (if you could give a rats a** … then skip forward to the paragraph below that starts with “ok, I think I have done enough rambling”) … I know a couple of you had mentioned you were interested in home/wedding details (although I am limited with respect to how much I can reveal on here) … right now J and I are having out invitations printed and we will be sending those out very soon … once they have all been mailed I will show you the invites because we love them … J and I designed them ourselves and brought the idea to the printer… we are doing a destination wedding so you can expect them to be beach themed :) … with respect to the home… we are busy with heating/vac right now … it was something we didn't plan on having to do so it threw off our budget a little … but I guess that is to be expected when you go into a renovation… with the addition, the old machine was not strong enough to power the whole home … it was also apparently outdated … goes to show you how much I know about appliances/electronics etc… we have ordered the windows and are now looking into kitchens… we are thinking shaker style cupboards in white/off white colour … and undecided on countertops at the moment… we have been getting a lot of inspiration online and from books but obviously we have to factor in that we are on a budget …. so we will see what we can do! There is not much to show you as of now … so I will wait until I have more “exciting” stuff for you guys … haha

The weather here in Toronto is getting a little better … we had an extreme heat wave just a short while ago … driving home from work with no air conditioning in the car (broken at the moment) was a killer in fifty degree Celsius weather which is like 122 degree Fahrenheit (with humidity) … i felt like my arm was frying … sweat beads dripping off my whole body … I have never experienced such extreme heat… not even while on vacation (as far as my memory serves) …

ok …. I think I have done enough rambling … onto the facial routine. As most of you know … I have one holy grail and favourite face wash which is the tea tree oil face wash from The Body Shop… I have used this stuff religiously for years and will continue to … until… knock on wood… one day it is discontinued (shakes fist* … it better not happen!)… this stuff keeps me break out free for the most part … and if I do happen to have the random breakout pimple, I dab some pure tea tree oil on it with a q-tip and its usually dried up by the next morning. ok, I should mention that before I wash my face I always, always, always … wipe off any makeup that I have on first! I like to use baby wipes when I don't have too much on and when I have eye makeup and so forth … I love the generic brand equate (from Wal-Mart) facial wipes … they're obviously pricier than baby wipes but not by too much .. and a lot cheaper than anything from L'Oreal and those sorts of brands … once I have removed makeup, then I am ready to cleanse with my body shop cleanser …. I love to use my Olay pro X cleansing system ( has a rotating brush head and really gets all the dirt and grime out of your pores) … it cleans a lot better than just using your fingers and you can usually find it on sale at Shoppers Drug Mart for about $28 (and bonus points)! After I cleanse, if I feel I need to use a toner (I always do when I wear my Estee Lauder foundation because that stuff is pretty heavy duty) … then I like my ROC one which I usually get on sale at Winners …I soak a cotton round with the toner and wipe it all over my face (avoiding my eyes)… when I find it, I stock up .. its gentle and I guess I am just used to it … it lifts any last traces of makeup etc… during the day, I like to wear my Biotherm sun block in the summertime … I know you should use it all seasons… but I stick with my Clinique moisturizer in the fall and winter … I ALWAYS use an eye cream before bed … the skin around your eye is delicate so I always gently pat it on with my ring finger after I have applied my night cream moisturizer … moisturizer is so important to use every day … you want to start preventing wrinkles early and not trying to “treat” them after you already have them … at least that’s what my grandma always taught me and she look(s) amazing!! That's about it … let me know if you guys have any other questions!

Onto the books (like my new little brass rooster perched ever so perfectly? The mama brought it back for me from Portugal) … I have a massive book collection … which is why I cannot wait for J and I to have our own library/office … we already have visions of what we want it to look like and I am so excited!! I will finally be able to showcase my books properly … they are currently scattered about, in the basement and in boxes…. the set by George R.R Martin was recommended to me by one of my best friends … he loves to read and I trust his judgement .. although I will admit .. I was a tad sceptical at first but after reading a few more reviews of what the series was about .. I think it peaked my interest enough… that and I found the set on sale for a ridiculously cheap price.. cheaper than if I were to purchase second hand! As you can see from the pile I also picked up 5 books from Value Village for $3 each … the only book in the pile to the left of the set is “Committed” by Elizabeth Gilbert … I got that for $12 (40% off retail price) at Wal Mart because I had been wanting it for quite some time … and quite fitting considering J and I will be tying the knot soon as well! I got into the routine of getting up really early at 6am and taking an hour and a half for myself to make an latte at home and read for a bit before work … depending how cross-eyed my eyes are after work … I try to fit in a half hour somewhere …. usually before bed cuddled up in my sheets with a bunch of pillows surrounding me :)

What are you guys reading? Let me know in the comments section!

Hope you all have a great week… weekend is almost here (long weekend = bonus!)!

Better together

2011-07-03T21:57:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! So I cant say that this weekend was the least bit relaxing although it was Canada Day and thankfully had an extra day off … that time was spent at the house working on the basement. I cant wait for everything to come together … but everything is really starting to take shape (I am sitting on what is soon to be our “box window” on the outside of our master bedroom in the first picture). We did however, take some time to go out for some drinks and pizza made in a natural wood burning stove (so good!) with J’s parents and for some ice cream at La Paloma (kind of expensive but worth it for every bite). I wore a very casual outfit … a pair of green cargo pants (sort of a army crossed with mint green colour – my fave) with a white tank and my new Birkenstock sandals. Now onto the sandals… I found these at a consignment shop and they were practically new for $20! I had wanted a pair of comfortable casual sandals and these are it! I have really flat feet so sometimes its hard for me to find sandals that I like .. but these are absolute perfection and $20 versus the usual $100 price tag is good in my books!

I also got to meet my neighbours dog for the first time … he is such a cutie and loves attention! He weighs almost as much as I do … haha …

Well, I am off to paint my nails a light blue colour by Essie called “Borrowed and Blue” from the Wedding collection …. its a light sky blue colour. I picked it up for $6 on my lunch break at work … I feel like after a hard days work … I like to wind down by taking a bath … a cool one today because it was sweltering hot … and then clean up my grimy fingertips and painting them a fresh colour … there are will be no tell tale signs that these hands were ever working in dirt! Then its off to bed for me …

Hope you all had a great weekend!

xox

Manicures before Bedtime … and some NEWS!

2011-06-22T23:51:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! Although I am not posting as many outfit photos as of late, after some thought, I have decided that it does not mean I have to totally neglect my blog and readers and I can still share recent purchases, updates, beauty posts and other random things (including outfit posts :p) here and there!

I feel like I should give you guys a little bit more of an explanation as to why I have not “been around” as often as I would like … I know I have told you guys so many times that life in general is busy and we have wedding to plan, work and other things…

The reason you do not see many outfit photos lately is because I have not been dressing up much … my uniform has become old jeans and a pair of Caterpillar constructions boots! J and I have finally bought our “dream” home and have been undergoing renovations for almost the past three months :) We are officially now proud new homeowners!

We are so thrilled and it is all very exciting – but it is a LOT of work. The house was in shambles when we first bought it and not in any sort of liveable condition but it is slowly coming along. Once it is all finished up and we move in, I can assure you, you will be seeing a LOT of outfit posts etc. because I will finally be living with my lovely photographer/husband :p – so again, for those of you who have stuck with me and my blog, I extend my love and appreciation to you

Anyways, on from the “news” to the nail care … I am proud to say that I am a recovering nail/cuticle biter and the best way that I have found to overcome this horrible habit is to constantly have my nails painted and groomed (even in the process of renovating, its possible! haha… rubber dipped gloves are my best friends). I found an awesome rack at Value Village for $5, I think its a spice rack but I use it as a nail polish rack – it keeps them upright and makes it easy for me to sort through my collection and choose what I want. I also picked up a container for $3.50 at Wal Mart to store my products in … as you can see, I have been into properly storing and organizing my items so that they are not all over the place!

I like to make it a ritual to do my nails before bed if and when I am not too tired (I always make sure my Bath and Body works Frosted Cupcake candle is lit as well)… I find it very relaxing to have a hand soak and paint my nails with the aroma of my vanilla scented candle filling up the room … I like to put warm water into a bowl with sea salt and lemon … I also rub whitening toothpaste (Arm and Hammer is my favourite toothpaste EVER) onto my nails and cuticles to help “whiten” them

I like the Freeman hand and cuticle renewal scrub (it has oils in it which help moisturize and the scrub is not made of a grain that is too fine – its perfect for me) – it is super affordable and about $3 and does the trick just as well as any high end scrub

Sally Hansen’s Instant Cuticle Remover is also a staple item for me (as well as their cuticle trimmer – its shaped like a pair of scissors. I found it at Winners for $8 and its usually about $20 at Shoppers Drug Mart) – I have pretty bad cuticles and after leaving this on for a minute and pushing them back/scraping them off – they look perfect! My favourite topcoat is Sally Hansen’s Diamond Shine – topped off with Revlon’s CrazyShine nail buffer – my nails are “blingin’ from a mile away!

I have been really into neutral nail colours lately and my favourite brand is Essie because I love the consistency of most of their polishes and the brush applicator is the absolute perfect size (its smaller than the average so its more precise, i find). Tonight, I will be painting my nails in the colour Sand Tropez by Essie which I picked up at Winners for $6.99. Its still pricey but worth it in my opinion – especially because a bottle will last me a very long time!

Let me know if you have any favourite nail products or polishes (colours, brands etc…), I have discovered many awesome products thanks to many of your recommendations :)

xox

Made to Honor …

2011-06-15T23:46:00.003-04:00

Hey guys! I know its been forever since I made a post … this month has been a busy one! Anne and Frank’s wedding was this past weekend, John was the best man and I was the maid of honour alongside their siblings (Anne has a younger sister and Frank is a twin) … It was an absolutely gorgeous wedding … a real life fairy tale! Anne even arrived at the church in a horse and carriage … the reception was decorated beautifully with a white diamond curtain backdrop, candelabras at the head table … words can’t describe how beautiful everything was and the food was amazing … it was definitely a celebration to remember … we partied until the wee hours of the morning! I am absolutely thrilled that they can finally call each other husband and wife!

I loved the dresses that we wore – the colour was a pale yellow, material was very light and it is definitely something I will wear again …. maybe on my next Caribbean trip (which will most likely be for my wedding … J and I are having a destination wedding and it will be quickly approaching… its crazy how time flies!)

Ok, now on to the nail polishes :P … I have been on a little bit of a nail kick as of late … Trade Secrets is having a sale where you buy one Essie nail polish and you get the second at half off – so I picked up “Made to Honor” (love the play on words and how fitting for this post!) which is a pale nude pink (I wanted this colour to try doing at home French manicures – also got Rimmels French White tip which has a VERY thin brush applicator – it was on sale at Rexall for $3.49) and Van D’ Go which is a pale milky peachy pink. I have yet to apply them to my nails because my manicure from the weekend is still in tact and I don't want to ruin it just yet …. but I am hoping that the quality is the same as the other Essie ones I have tried… I am generally quite pleased with the quality of that brand and I like the small brush applicator. My friend Conrad also bought me an Essie nail polish as a little early “birthday” gift in the colour Merino Cool which is a taupe with a hint of purple. I love it! Actually, it reminds me a lot of Rimmel’s steel grey so if you already have that, you might want to steer clear – I have yet to compare the quality of the polish and how it applies on the nail. I also got the cuticle oil last week from Wal Mart (which now carries Essie nail polish – I was very surprised!) because I have extremely dry cuticles. I must say, I absolutely LOVE the applicator and blue squeeze tube – best cuticle oil that I have tried yet for sure! My favourite base and top coat is the Sally Hansen “4 in one” complete treatment. It is ride filling which I like because my nails are a little bit destroyed

If you guys have any favourite nail polishes you want to recommend, please shoot them my way in the comments section!

Hope you all have a great rest of the week!

xox

Modern Vintage and a little bit of Green

2011-05-20T00:00:00.005-04:00

Hey guys! So over the past while I have accumulated a couple new things … as you all know, I have an obsession with green, it is my favourite colour so when I saw these green wedges by LelaRose for Payless … discounted because they were the last display pair … I had to snatch them up … I immediately associated these shoes with OPI’s nail polish in the colour “Don't mess with OPI” …I think it was part of the Texas collection … its a wonderful green, I just hate that it always stains my nails… its a bit of a pain to get off!

I also found these black leather Modern Vintage heels … at … hold your breath … wait for it … Value Village! They fit so perfect, they are so comfortable and they are in perfect condition – they must have been worn less than a handful of times before they were donated. I was so excited when I found them and they were only $10! Look out for these in some upcoming posts because I have a feeling that they will be getting a lot of love – they also match perfectly with the new MK bag that J brought me back from his trip to Vegas :) … Cant wait to show you guys!

Lastly, I wanted to share with you some products that I have been loving … and a new drugstore product that I absolutely love and it is completely affordable! So affordable that I bought it in two colours … and that is the Hard Candy Glamoglauge concealer – I have it in light which I like to use under my eyes (I absolutely do not recommend this for people with fine lines under their eyes because it is thicker and will settle into creases) and medium which I use to cover up blemishes and spots in my face. It is a full coverage concealer and very comparable if not almost identical to the Kat Von D tattoo concealer … but this only cost $6 at Wal Mart. This is some heavy duty stuff so you really only need a tiny amount – I feel like one tube is going to last forever…

I also finally invested in Tweezerman tweezers because I had a discount at Shoppers Drug Mart using my optimum points – they were essentially free … they are very pricey at $26 plus tax… but these do not disappoint. They are so sharp and amazing for precision work … I no longer need to keep paying $15 to do my eyebrows every few weeks because these are easy enough and fuss free enough to use that I can do a pretty good job myself. With the money you save on waxing/threading, this baby practically pays itself off in a couple of months! The best part is, they can be sharpened for life (you just have to pay the postage) and Tweezerman will also repair any bent tweezers etc… they really do stand behind their product and I love that! In addition to the tweezers, I have rediscovered my Wet n Wild eyebrow pencil in taupe – this is cheap at $1 and a great product – the colour is perfect (I have dark brown brows and the taupe colour keeps them natural looking – not harsh and drawn on which I hate) and it has a sort of waxy substance to it so it keeps them tamed and in place!

You all know I love my Estee Lauder foundation for its coverage and lasting power … I will continue to repurchase for as long as the company makes it! I do not use it every day though …. I like to alternate between this and my drugstore brands during the week (like Maybelline Superstay foundation… also love this) … favourite lipsticks are Revlon’s Soft Nude and MAC’s lipstick in Blankety as well as Nivea’s Milk and Honey lip balm (which I put on before the lipstick to avoid flakes and keep my lips moisturized for easy application)

I hope you guys are all having a great week – this weekend is our (J and I) 9 year anniversary so I will be back with some posts … it is our last “anniversary” before we get married! I have already started looking at wedding dresses … its funny because the dress that I said I would never wear .. is what I keep steering towards… It is so extremely exciting! I am looking forward to the long weekend… :)

xox

Where have you been?

2011-05-09T23:02:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! I just wanted to let you know that I have not fallen off the face of the plant … I am still living, breathing and blogging… I just have been on a serious time crunch with life, work and deadlines. I have new responsibilities and a project that has been taking up most of my “free” time so I apologize, but I will still be around and posting especially now that the weather is getting better!

Thank you to all of my regular readers and I check my email and formspring account often so don't be a stranger!

xox

A little bit of inspiration …

2011-04-22T22:20:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Hope you are all having a great start to the long weekend … Mine will involve a little bit of relaxing … and a lot of work! J and I started off the morning at Crema coffee shop (independent shop with amazing coffee here in Toronto – we love it there) … also made a pit stop at Starbucks since all of the reusable tumblers were 20% off for Earth Day – I lost my old one and needed a new one (in my efforts to save money … trying to bring my own coffee each morning to work rather than making my usual coffee run … it really starts to add up!).. I thought I would also share a couple of “inspirational” photos from a little folder I had saved on my laptop … the top photo is just the style that J and I both love – vintage inspired but with a modern twist! I love the rustic feel of the exposed brick and bursts of colour throughout the room – recently J and I have acquired couple of vintage solid wood pieces which I am going to be refinishing… I do not know how many of you guys are really interested in this sort of thing but I thought it might be fun to share the progress with you … they are currently stored in the garage where I will be working on them … still debating whether I want to finish them in white or black … I am leaning towards white. I am off to eat some dinner, check emails and hopefully finish the night with a warm chocolate bubble bath (love the Philosophy brand for this!)…Hope you all have a great weekend!

Photo credits (middle two): Google

And the Sky was so blue …

2011-04-17T23:47:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! It has been a long day… J and I had some work and errands to run early on in the day and then a video shoot with a few of our best friends for their upcoming wedding … which was a lot of fun might I add and a nice little break from an otherwise hectic Sunday. Its amazing how quickly things changed from being relaxed to deadline and pressure driven … and I am not even in school! haha…. UofT … can I come back? I miss you!

My gosh … I just noticed how many of my “shoots” involve incorporating a little Starbucks “accessory” in them! This is crazy … warning to friends and family… stop feeding my addiction with gift cards… who am I kidding … the money will come from my wallet either way! This is a little random, but am I the only one that hates the new cups?!

Onto the clothes and makeup … I found these jeans at … hold your breath… Aeropostale.. for $12! They were regularly close to $50 I believe and were on massive discount… they are the perfect dark wash skinny jeans with just the right amount of stretch to them.. ok a LOT of stretch which is just the way I like them :)

The shirt is one I found at Value Village for $3.99 and it is by BCBG Maxazria – it is one of my favourite shirts for this spring/summer – it is a gorgeous neutral top that I find very feminine but so comfortable to wear! It is not tight, heavy and breathes very well.. the lace detailing makes it really sweet as well. The bag is also one of my vintage finds from Value Village – I got this a long time ago and have worn it in a few posts I think … I paid about $3 for it. The boots were purchased a while back at Vaughan Mills – Holt Renfrew Last call for $85. I love that they have rubber soles with a ton of grip – I am weary about shoes with leather soles and no grip… I always end up purchasing grip pads that stick to the bottoms of the shoes .. not for these babies! They are perfect as is and quite comfortable for a spiked bootie!

I was quite pleased with the makeup today – I have not gotten all “done up” since Vegas… I have really been liking a melon coloured pigment all over the eyelid to the crease and then a bronzed brown on the outer V of the eye… I have been using MAC’s melon pigment which is my favourite and some Urban Decay colours from the Naked palette (every neutral lover MUST get this palette – it rocks). I also have re-discovered my beloved Annabelle waterproof smudge liner (black), so that has been getting some love as well (and its so cheap – sorry to those who do not live in Canada – I think this brand is only available here)! On my lips I am wearing MAC’s All Styled Up pink coloured lipstick which I purchased at a CCO in Las Vegas for $10 … It is so not fair that Canadian prices are so much higher when the dollar really isn't that far off and hasn't been for a few years now! Over the lipstick I am wearing Revlon's color burst lip-gloss in peony (I like this better than any of my high end lip glosses – the quality of these are amazing).

Hope you all had a great Sunday- I am off to take a chocolate bubble bath … and catch up on some reading … Eat, Pray, Love :)

xox

Outfit: Jeans: Aeropostale, Shirt: Thrifted (BCBG), Necklace: F21, Bag: Thrifted, Shoes: Ash, Cardigan: Guess

Back in one piece …

2011-04-16T00:22:00.004-04:00

Hey guys! I know, I have been horrible with posting … that’s because things have been extremely busy – busier than I had ever imagined and I feel like my blog has gone on the back burner … and I hate that feeling! I got back from Las Vegas a little while ago … all I have to say is … I miss you Vegas… we had some good times and I am so happy I got to go with a bunch of amazing girls… my girl Anne is getting married in less than 60 days so it was the perfect “bachelorette” setting… and just an overall amazing party place to be! We did a lot of eating… a lot of shopping… lounging at Tao Beach at the Venetian which I loved … Jamie Foxx showed up and put on a little show…Gabrielle Union, Sophia Bush and a few other celebrities were there... it was an awesome party! We rented one of the day beds … sat by the pool and had what seemed to be an endless supply of food, drinks and music! We stayed at Treasure Island hotel… the rooms were well kept and the location … I could not ask for any better … however, compared to many of the other hotels on the strip… the main floor did seem a tad dated and they had a $20 per night room fee for amenities that I did not even use (apparently a lot of hotels charge this silly fee) … regardless, it was amazing and I would be back in a heartbeat! One random thing I did notice … is that all the Starbucks prices were so jacked up… and you all know how much I love my coffee! They are smart to capitalize and take advantage of “us” addicted coffee drinkers while on vacation… haha…. oh well… the prices I sometimes pay to get my caffeine fix! …. oh and buffet breakfast or lunch at Paris hotel… I recommend that to all of you… my stomach left very satisfied .. and the price was amazing compared to most other restaurants in Vegas :) I wish I had more pictures for you guys but most of them are group shots which I don't think my friends would really like me posting on my blog…

I hope to have some new posts for you guys this weekend … outfit and beauty related … I found a couple new products that I am absolutely loving… and of course… I am itching to share it with you guys! Hope you have all been well – thank you for being patient and sticking around with me during this hectic time and sporadic periods of creating posts

xox

I am off to catch some Zzzz’s

Lets get Wild

2011-03-27T21:52:00.006-04:00

Hey guys! I know … its been a while … but I can assure you that I have no plans of abandoning this blog anytime soon! Thank you to those of you who have emailed or messaged me just to see how things have been going… I really appreciate that – things have just been really crazy busy in life … J and I have many upcoming weddings including our own to plan … work, work and more work and just a lot going on in life! Its exciting, crazy and stressful all at the same time - but we are both very happy to be where we are at this point in our lives.

Today involved some prepping and packing – I will be off to Vegas soon with some of my girlfriends and am super excited! My girlfriend Anne will be getting married in a couple of months so this will be her last time away to party it up as a “single” girl … and by single I mean … no wedding ring on her finger … haha… because she has been in a long lasting relationship for almost ten years! I could not be more excited and happy for her!

I passed by Victoria’s Secret Pink store and they had a lot of cute fun tank tops – I picked up a “lets get wild” top which I thought would be cute and comfy to wear on the plane : ) … of course I am bringing my trusty Diane Von Furstenburg luggage … This has been the sturdiest and best luggage I have had yet – its easy to spot and I picked it up for a whopping thirty something dollars on sale at Winners. I had seen the same one at Saks in the US for about four hundred!

Well, I am off to watch the Juno’s (while eating some yogurt mint chocolate chip ice cream might I add) – hope you all had an amazing or at least a relaxing Sunday! P.s. if any of you have any Vegas tips or recommendations – please shoot them to me in the comments section! xox

Outfit: Blazer: Zara (Picked this up when I was in Europe last year on sale for 10 Euros), Shirt: American Apparel, Pants/Leggings: Lululemon (I am obsessed with these), Leopard print scarf: ?, Necklace: thrifted vintage, Hat: Aritzia, Bag: Winners, Over the Knee Boots: Joie

Olay Professional – ProX Advanced Cleansing System

2011-03-03T00:02:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! I am very excited to share this post with you because this product is something I have been wanting … well not THIS one specifically … but originally I had wanted the Clarisonic which I heard is an amazing tool to help get your skin really clean – right down to those nasty little pores! The only downfall … its hefty price tag .. at $200 its not something that comes cheap to add to your daily face regime. When I heard about the Olay “dupe” that was less than one fifth of the cost …. I started to do a little “research” … especially because I really like Olay's line of skin products … its a brand that has not really let me down as some others have in the past.

I want to start by saying that this product was not sent to me and it is something that I purchased with my own money.

I found it on sale at Shoppers Drug Mart for 15% off (I think the sale runs all week – check the flyer!) and 3,000 bonus shoppers points which was great :). It ended up costing $27 and $10 for the pack of replacement heads (comes with two in a pack). The brush is supposed to last about 3 months before you need to change it which is the same as the Clarisonic brush – however, the Olay brushes are a lot cheaper and … softer so I think it should be ok for people with very sensitive skin. I have used it a few days already and already love this little product! I feel like after I wash my face with my makeup wipe, when used with my tea tree oil cleanser … it really gets my skin clean down to the pores. My skin really feels a lot better after using it and just that in itself makes it worth it for me … that means that my lovely night cream products will also absorb better into my skin! It is also very small so its perfect for travel (unlike the Clarisonic – even their “travel” sized model is quite large) and waterproof so it can be used in the shower if you are pressed for time in the morning. The brush head spins as opposed to vibrate which is what the Clarisonic does … it also has two speed settings – a slow one and a faster one (I like the faster setting).

The only real downside that I can think of is that it is battery powered – so some might argue that it could potentially end up costing you as much as its older cousin (the Clarisonic…haha). If you invest in a set of rechargeable batteries … then no,it shouldn't as well as when you consider the fact that the brush heads alone are about 1/5th of the cost. I will continue to use it and give you guys a “skin update” if you want … but for now, I just wanted to let you know about the new little “baby” that has made its way into my skin care regime - I am very happy thus far :)

Let me know if you guys have tried this or have the original Clarisonic!

Keep Calm, Have a Cupcake

2011-02-27T12:17:00.002-05:00

Hey guys! Yesterday night J and I had the pleasure of visiting our friends’ new home for the first time which was very exciting! I could not be happier for them – it is an absolutely gorgeous home and really got us thinking about our upcoming wedding and home to eventually call our own – its just all very exciting to think about but at the same time a little overwhelming when you think about all the changes in such a short span of time!

I decided to wear a lot of layers because it was pretty chilly (I had a black BCBG fabric and leather trench on as well – its gorgeous- but that stayed in the car so no photos :s) … I think I am going to miss winter … did I really just write that? I feel like I have not taken advantage of the opportunity to make good use of all those warm and chunky sweaters and boots. Well its snowing now, so I might just have to eat my words! I wore my Zara boots which are perfect for strolling the mall due to the perfect mid sized chunky heel – might be one of my best boot purchases although they are not the most comfortable shoes that I own. The jeans are a recent Winners purchase … I love Winners clearance sales because where else can you find a pair of $30 James jeans?!! The fit and wash is perfect and believe it or not, I did not own any dark wash (almost black) denim.

On to the makeup – I did not use all of the products in the photo of the makeup above but I did use most of them. On my lips I actually wore the lip combo that I mentioned in the post below (MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 and MAC lip liner in Stripdown and my Blistex DCT moisturizer on my lips beforehand) which is my new love. My trusty Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation in the colour Tawny (which I am half way through – I will definitely be running out to get another when it finishes because I love it that much) and Lancôme Effacernes concealer for under the eyes and to cover any redness around my nose. NARS Laguna as a bronzer with NARS Orgasm on the apples of my cheeks which I like to apply with my big Ecotools brush. Everyone should own this brush – its the best $10 spent on a brush ever and its generally easy to find – you can pick it up at Wal Mart and many drug stores. It is better than many of my high end MAC brushes – trust me on this one girlies! MAC highlighter in By Candlelight to highlight my cheek bones - Wet n Wild palette in Vanity (p.s. the colour at the top row to the left of the Wet n Wild palette is a perfect dupe for the MAC eye shadow you see to the left in my photo which is Blanc Type – my favourite highlighter!) to create a brown smoky eye and black felt tip liner to create a slight cat eye - Barry M mascara to finish off the lashes.

I am off to pick up a baby shower gift for my cousin who is due pretty soon for a baby boy :) I am also in desperate need for a coffee so I might have to make a quick Starbucks run .. haha

Hope you all have a great Sunday!

xox

Outfit: Plaid shirt: UB, Cardigan: American Apparel, Jeans: James Jeans, Boots: Zara, Scarf: F21, Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Necklace: Tiffany, Bracelet: Pandora

Makeup: Read post above! products are all listed :)

New Lip Combo – Viva and Stripdown

2011-02-26T15:56:00.002-05:00

Hey guys! Its a Saturday, I have just come back from an appointment I had with my travel agent … and now I am home lounging in my PJs catching up on YouTube videos … sounds productive right? Well, its not meant to be … haha… every other day of my life is quite hectic/busy and full of schedules and appointments … sometimes its just nice to not have an agenda for a few hours if you know what I mean :)

I was tidying up my room, looking at my makeup, looking at my closet and thought… Hmmm I have J’s camera … I can’t really do an outfit post BUT I wanted to share with you a couple of goodies that I recently picked up … so I will seize the opportunity of getting a chance to play with his camera

I had been wanting a lip liner that goes with most nude and pink lipsticks for a more precise and defined lip – and came across MAC’s Stripdown lip liner – I did some research, read some reviews on the MakeUpAlley site (my “bible” for product reviews) as well as found out it is the same lip liner that Kim Kardashian uses when she wears her famous lip combo – MAC’s Angel lipstick and NARS Turkish Delight gloss … well I was sold from that point on! It is the perfect beige brown colour to line my pigmented lips with … MACs famous Spice liner just doesn't work for me although I think many magazines still rave about it as the holy grail of liners – maybe back in the 90s but it is definitely too reddish brown for the nude lips that I personally like to wear

I also came across a new lipstick part of the Viva Glam line called Viva Glam Gaga 2 and thought I would try it out – I do not have any problem purchasing yet ANOTHER nude lipstick because 100% of the proceeds including any “would-be” profits from the spokespersons like Lady Gaga – go to the MAC AIDS Fund. Now THAT is how you raise funds … none of this 10% of the proceeds business that most companies try to push to get you to buy their products. On to the colour – it is a very moisturizing lip colour (Amplified formula which is my favourite from MAC) and the colour I would describe as a pure beige with a slight (very slight) hint of peach to it – no pink undertones or anything like that .. I know some people say it looks like peanut butter on their lips … but for someone who has light/medium skin and pigmented lips .. I think it works – at least it does for me! It has no shimmer or sparkle which I like – if I want shimmer I can layer a gloss … I hated MACs Myth lipstick which many seem to love (I find it washes me out and gives me a concealer lip look – and its very drying)…

I hope to be back tomorrow with a long overdue outfit post – Hope you all have an awesome Saturday – time to go make a hot chocolate with milk before the weather starts to get warmer :p

xox

My beloved ALDO Sandidge wedges on sale!!

2011-02-22T21:03:00.005-05:00

You know the ones – the ones that I cannot part with once all the snow melts away!

A lot of people had emailed me to ask about them – if you are still interested, I found them on the Canadian site at this link for $69.99 CDN – I paid $120 last summer (and if you have an SPC card you get an additional 10% off by typing SPC and then the card number as the “promotion code”)!

Here is the link: http://www.aldoshoes.com/ca-eng/sale/women/sale-shoes/80564286-sandidge/91

Update: It looks like it is now sold out in all sizes - Hope some of you got the chance to pick up a pair if you had been wanting to!

Disclaimer- I am not being paid by Aldo - I just thought some of you might be interested :)

Happy “Belated” Valentines Day!

2011-02-15T20:12:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! I know I am a day late but I hope you all had a wonderful Valentines Day ..if you celebrate it .. because we all know we don't need a “designated” day to tell someone how much we love them … but it sure is nice :p … and what better way to celebrate that love than at a concert …haha… and Bon Jovi none the less! … J and I were lucky enough to have been invited by our friends who won the tickets in a contest … along with a limousine ride and dinner for four … which meant we could have a couple glasses of wine… some beer at the concert… ok a lot of beer … and not have to worry about driving which was great :) … I will admit getting into our ride felt a little odd and slightly pretentious because there were only four of us … but who am I to complain about a free ride! It was a wonderful day and great experience overall !!

J also picked me up from work yesterday and surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of red roses and a Pandora charm – it is a couple of wedding rings on a pillow to symbolize our engagement and commitment to each other – I LOVED it (although I STILL think those teeny charms are ridiculously overpriced)! My little bracelet is filling up quickly! Of course he also wrote me a super romantic card professing his undying love for me :p … but we will just keep that private! haha … In my opinion the card is most important (I always put a date on them) … and our memory box is living proof of that … its bursting “at the seams”… poor thing! I always think though, how fun they will be to read when we have a family of our own … I wish my parents had a memory box that I could peruse … sadly, they didn't think to keep much of the “little things”

Let me know in the comments if you guys did anything special on your own, with family, friends or loved ones! I would love to hear about your day…

Love you all <3

xox

It was a last minute decision …

2011-02-09T23:55:00.005-05:00

Hey guys! I just got back from a last minute trip to Cuba (Santa Clara)… It was literally a decision that had to be made in a matter of a couple of days … and J and I seized the opportunity and went for it! It was an awesome experience … Cuba was like no other country I have visited … the people were extremely friendly, the towns were extremely old and not kept in the most tip top shape … but that only made it more interesting to roam during the afternoon after a morning on the beach … my only “complaint” was the lack of variety in terms of food- but even that was pretty good! ... and all the mosquitoes.. my legs are covered in bites! …. I would go back again, hands down … no question! The beaches were some of the most beautiful that I have ever seen …. the sand so perfectly white and the water crystal clear! I had the pleasure of being bitten by a crab while frolicking the shoreline … and just to let you know, I am deathly afraid of ocean critters .. so it was not the most pleasant experience but I am proud to say that I managed to keep my composure and not break down into tears … lol… our last day we also got to see two huge sting rays that were swimming near the shoreline (the lifeguard had to whistle to get everyone out of the water) and a cat shark! I wish I could say that I have some outfit posts for you but to be honest, my outfits consisted of bikinis pretty much all day layered with a white tank and jean or cotton shorts… In the first picture I am wearing an Ed Hardy bikini that I picked up at winners for $50 … I normally am not a fan of Ed Hardy but when I saw the bikini with metal skull beaded detailing … AND rhinestone eyes… I could not pass it up … the colours were gorgeous and the fit was perfect! I like tight fitting low rise bikinis and it can sometimes be really hard to find a good fit … so when I do… its a keeper .. and at that price … I was pretty much sold! I figured it would be ok to indulge in one last little bikini since I had not spent on anything else :p … and the only money spent in Cuba was for tipping the staff and a scooter rental which cost next to nothing! It was a lot of fun to ride around in too and well worth the $13. In terms of makeup … I literally wore just a little foundation at night time to even out my skin … a bit of NARS bronzer on my cheeks, waterproof mascara, the new Revlon color burst lip-gloss in peony (my new favourite) and MAC melon pigment all over the lid (which looks GREAT with a tan!). I cant say that I am all too pleased to be back in the cold Canadian weather but I am glad to be back in my home country … and have the convenience of grabbing a Starbucks whenever “necessary” … I felt deprived in the coffee department …. its one thing that I could not get used to … I found it to have an odd aftertaste …needless to say … this morning I picked a nice warm latte with honey to start the day and I am ending it with a warm cup of hot tea to hopefully soothe my throat a little … The last couple of days I got some sort of throat infection so that has not been all to pleasant. Time to get some rest. Hope you all had a great week and I will be back soon! XOX

In the freezing cold

2011-01-23T18:45:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Let me tell you what NOT to wear in the freezing cold … a leather jacket. It is almost minus 30 degrees Celsius here in Toronto which is pretty much beyond freezing cold… and I decided to try and troop it out for the sake of being “fashionable” in my leather Zara jacket – ummmm NO! I went home to quickly change because although it looked super cute in my opinion … keeping warm was much higher on the priority list!

This weekend has been quite busy between meetings, appointments, friends and family … then again, which weekend isn't? haha – its what makes life fun anyways! I also passed by Value Village yesterday which I have not done is a very long time (I used to go almost every week to try to hunt some treasures … ) and bought some more books – the Value Village on Bloor and Lansdowne has a deal where if you buy 4 books you get one free – I picked up “The Glass Castle” by Jeanette walls (which was recommended by one of my blog readers!), “The devil in the white city” by Eric Larson, “Julie and Julia” by Julie Powell, “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle, “Three cups of Tea’ and “The bag Lady Papers” by Alexandra Penny. I am excited to start each one of them … I have compiled a list of “books to buy””and whenever I see one of them at Value Village I get excited – a penny saved is a penny earned .. I think that's how the saying goes!

I am proud to say that my spending habits have drastically improved since I have learned to shop my own closet and appreciate what I already have. I think its a lot more satisfying to be able to do that, then the momentary thrill and satisfaction of a new purchase. Obviously my priorities have shifted as well because I have a lot more expenses but even simple things from cutting down from one gourmet coffee a day (which very quickly adds up to a LOT of money over a year) to becoming a once a week Friday treat. You look forward to it more, appreciate and savour it more … I stick with a simple and plain coffee either from Tim Horton's or made at home (with very low sugar – proud to say I am cutting back) throughout the week …. and Sunday mornings I wake up to a fresh brew made at home (self timers are wonderful for that)!

Next up on the list – get my butt to the hairdresser because that is one thing that is getting a tad out of hand – I have embraced my “roots” for a tad too long!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and enjoy what's left of it (depending where you are in the world)!

Outfit: Top: Thrifted, Jacket: Zara, Scarf: F21, Pants: Joes Jeans (bought at Holts Last Call for a ridiculously inexpensive price), Glasses: Burberry, Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Boots: Joie

Icy Nude

2011-01-16T23:27:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! I hope you all had a great weekend – mine was filled with a lot of appointments, things to do, places to go and people to see … so I apologize for not having any outfit posts for you guys. J was also working on a photography project this weekend … which I sort of helped him with my lending out my “models” and “clothes” … haha .. I rarely bring out my beautiful ladie(s) to see the light of day …they are stored away ever so neatly …but thought it would be fun for a little “shoot” :) … Most of the vintage Barbie dolls and clothes are ones that I have picked up while out thrifting, at garage sales or very rarely on eBay. Mattel used to put so much more attention to detail in those days (pre 1970) – I loved the old tags and cherish all the little outfits that I have found that still have them intact! If any of you have a collection I would love to know about it!

Another ones of J’s photos was this “head shot” which I figured I would show you because I am wearing my favourite new nude lipstick (with a pink MAC creamsheen gloss on top so the true colour is not really showing) which is Revlon’s Icy Nude… its a great “work/office” nude lipstick … it is very natural looking (they came out with a whole bunch of new Colorburst lipsticks and glosses – I absolutely love that line and the luxurious looking packaging). On my eyes I am wearing a couple of colours from Urban Decays Naked palette (which I heard Sephora would be restocking very soon for those interested – it is a part of the permanent line – they just sold out so quickly that many could not get their hands on them!) … I am wearing toasted all over the lid which is a gold colour and darkhorse in the crease. One of my favourite neutral eye looks that still packs a bit of a punch :p .. I have also gotten into wearing black eye shadow as eyeliner for a softer smokier eye (I usually wear a pencil liner or gel)

Next up on the “to-do” list… make a hairdresser appointment … I was seriously debating going darker or just letting it grow out like I have been … but I think I want to keep it blonde for my own wedding pictures and if I change it now… it will take a lot of time to get it back to the blonde colour that I like. Then again, I have been know to change my mind at the spur of the moment ;)

Well… I am off to make some milk hot chocolate! See you guys soon!

You gave me everything I need for this crazy thing called Life

2011-01-08T01:55:00.003-05:00

Hey guys! Its about 1:30 am and I just got back from meeting up with some friends for a surprise birthday party for my friend Jess organized by her lovely husband :) … we went to Autostrada Ristorante and Bar – it was a nice atmosphere which they describe as casual elegance … we ate a lot of food … ordered 4 bottles of wine … and it was a party from then on! The food came very hot when it arrived in front of me … it was tasty and the prices were not too bad (in my opinion)… generally what we pay for Italian food which is about $15 for a big plate of pasta.

After filling up our tummies with food and drinks … we passed by my friends house for some MORE food, drinks and birthday cake …. and I finally got to meet the newest addition to her family! Her new bird Max … he is such a cutie and is super smart!

I have been testing out some of the Barry M makeup that was sent to me … I was so excited because it is not yet available in Canada (but might be very soon!! yay!) and I had always wanted to try the brand because I had heard so many great things about it … I am obsessed with the lip gloss … it smells so amazing that whenever I open the tube… I am severely tempted to EAT the stuff! The blusher looks like a harsh bright pink in the case but it comes out to be a really soft and subtle colour on your actual skin … the lasting power is pretty great too and I find that I don't really need to reapply it throughout the day. The purple dazzle dust is very finely milled and shimmery – not glittery – which is important … I hate big chunks of glitter – except maybe on New Years… maybe. I find the lipstick a little drying on its own … I received the super pink colour 100 (they don't have names) which reminds me of St Germain by MAC but brighter! I like it paired with the gloss on top – tones down the colour and feels more moisturizing. I have yet to try the mascara I was sent … I honestly think that for a “drugstore” brand and based on what I have tested so far… with respect to the nail polish .. one coat and the colour payoff is major… I am very happy with it … maybe its because its a simple black polish? but regardless, the quality seems to be very good and I like the consistency

Lately, I have also been into very simple clothing … pairing a blazer, white tee and jeans… fuss free pencil dresses… or leather boots and a cute jacket … nothing overly complicated … but you guys know that I go through “phases” with my clothing … which is why I think its so fun! Hope you all had a wonderful Friday! I have a LOT to do this weekend so off to bed I go ….

Ps. Big thank you to all of you who took the time to comment in the post below .. and recommend some great new reads ... I already picked up a couple more!

Outfit: Jacket: Zara, Shirt: Tahari, Jeans: Marciano, Boots: Thrifted, Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Necklace: Birks

On my Nightstand …

2010-12-31T08:00:00.001-05:00

I have been on a bit of a reading kick … I thought I would share what I have been reading lately with you guys! I used to read almost a book a day before I started my undergraduate studies and I think I am getting “back into the swing of things”

I was hoping some of you guys might have some recommendations as well :) - I would love to know what is on your nightstand for those of you who love reading!

Happy New Years Eve!

The start of a resolution

2010-12-29T18:45:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Its been a while since I have done an “outfit post” … J and I went downtown for coffee and a bit of shopping – I had bought J a pair of shoes at Little Burgundy (fave shoe store) but his foot is so big its hard to find him the perfect fit ..it was a fail for me. Anyways, needed to return those and as we made our way walking down Queen street I discovered that they were having 30% off additional reduction on all sale items .. I didn't pick anything up but I just thought I would share it with you guys … just in case you are in the market for some cute new boots or something of the sort! I really don't need any more shoes and find it difficult to wear even those that I already own just because I have so many pairs and have been cutting down on “wants”. Truthfully, I have not been subscribing to the usual fashion magazines that grace my bathroom floor (yes, I am a bathroom reader>>>haha)..I have been more into personal finance and have recently subscribed to Money Sense which is a great Canadian magazine for those looking to be more aware of how to invest/what to do with their money. I love it! Its easy to read and pertinent to my present day and future with respect to planning for the road today and the road ahead. I also got a couple of interesting finance books which I am looking forward to reading over the holidays… in addition to Lawrence Hill’s “The book of Negroes”… I started reading it a couple days ago and I am absolutely hooked! So far its an extremely captivating piece of historical fiction… I will probably be done in a few days – its THAT good.

Anyways, I hope all of you are having/have had a wonderful Holiday season – I know I did in the company of my family and friends! We ate a lot of food, drank some good wine and received a few gifts along the way :p … which included the new buttery soft but extremely sturdy purse that I am wearing in this post (love it to pieces) and the bracelet that I am wearing in the last picture – It was a gift from J and his family who each picked a bead/charm to add to it (while keeping in mind my favourite colour so that I could have a “themed” bracelet) … it is gorgeous .. so perfect and is very special to me. It is the only piece of jewellery that I have consistently worn each day since receiving it! I think its a great gift because its something that you can keep adding to (for birthdays, occasions and other special moments) … the beads are quite pricey which is why it is something you build upon (unless you have the disposable income ..well, hey, that's your call!)

I hope you all have a great week! 2011 is almost upon us – I don't know about you buy I know that I am VERY excited … and I know a few people who are in the same boat with me … two of our (J and I) close friends get married in 2011 and we are planning ours as well which will be quickly arriving – its going to be a crazy, hectic, fun and all around memorable year – I can feel it and I'm excited to jump into it!

Outfit: Leather Jacket: Zara, Hoodie: Talulah, Shirt: BCBG (so soft and comfortable on a lazy day), Tights: Old Navy, Boots: Joie, Purse: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Bracelet: Pandora

Makeup: Foundation: Maybelline Super stay , Blush: MAC Plum Foolery, Eye shadow: MAC Satin Taupe (up to crease) and MAC Blanc Type on bro bone to highlight, Eyeliner: MAC Blacktrack, Mascara: Rimmel Sexy Curves in Blackest Black , Lipstick: MAC blankety (great pink- nude colour.. almost done the tube and will definitely repurchase!)

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-25T14:26:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

Yesterday was spent in the company of my mothers very large extended family – every Christmas eve we get together for a family potluck which I look forward to all year! Its wonderful to get to see all my cousins and aunts and uncles – I have a LOT of them so its not often that we can gather everyone on a specific day that works for all – except Christmas :) … My grandparents arrived from Portugal and were thrilled … it was a great time with a lot of food , drinks and our family Christmas Skit (its a funny show all the kids put on every year) … Today, the morning is spent with my immediate family and we open our gifts and so forth … drink hot chocolate and watch Christmas movies …. then for lunch we make our way to my Dad’s side of the family which is very small … just my aunt, uncle and my two cousins… I am off now to eat some MORE food and spend time in the company of family… later, probably make my way to J’s house

I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas in the company of your family and friends!

Again- Merry Christmas!!!

xox

Its a Marshmallow World

2010-12-19T00:33:00.003-05:00

Outfit: Faux fur jacket: Vintage, Top: Vintage Ports International, Jeans: Marciano, Boots: Joie, Bag: Gucci

Face of the Day

2010-12-14T22:43:00.005-05:00

Hi Guys! I just wanted to do a quick post that did not involve having to showcase an outfit because to be honest I have been SO busy this holiday season between work, family and trying to get some shopping done in between… the weather here in Toronto has also been SUPER cold and by the time I get home it has been pitch black … all of that means that I need to save my “outfit post” for the weekend… haha… it always becomes harder in the winter!

Anyways, I thought I would share some of my favourite products that I have been using a lot recently – I didn't include my foundation here because if you look to the post before this one you can probably guess what I have been into!

On My lips I have been liking nude colours such as my Rimmel Nude Delight (inexpensive and one of my favourite nude lippies!) with a gloss on top such as Revlon’s Life’s a Peach layered on top. I have been also liking Benefits Stay don't Stray as a primer for my eyelids – I like that it cancels out redness and helps even out the skin on your lids – I think I want to try the Urban Decay primer potion next in Eden – my paint pots have been a little drying for the winter lately. MAC’s melon pigment over the eyelid up to the crease has been a simple but put together and awake look I have been liking for lazy mornings when you have about 5 minutes to get ready (because you would rather sleep in that extra 10 :P). Then in the crease I have been liking browns such as the ones from the Wet n Wild Vanity palette (which is AMAZING!).. the cream colour in this palette is also a great dupe for my beloved MAC Blanc Type to use on the brow bone to highlight.. and winged black liner with mascara to finish the look. Rimmel’s Lash Maxx is still my love – the bristles and brush are huge and perfect for getting thick lashes! I love the No7 concealer to hide redness around my nose and blemishes that I might have on my face…On my cheeks you will pretty much always find NARS Laguna bronzer and Orgasm blush on the apples of my cheeks… I really love the quality Iof NARS makeup (although I don't own much of it) but it is so expensive and you know the saying.. you pay for what you get> ? Well, not not really because there are so many awesome drugstore finds that rival “high end” brands … I have been quite choosy lately in what it is that I choose to spend my hard earned cash on .. and lately, that involves going through the stash that I already own and putting what I have to good use ;)

Hope you all have a great week!

Foundations: The Line-up

2010-12-05T22:25:00.006-05:00

I think if you love makeup ...a good "base" is most important..your face is your "canvas" so to speak... and not everyone is blessed with flawless skin - in terms of monetary investment - foundation is where I would be willing to spend the most money (that and a good brush set!). I have promised this post for a while so here goes...

I will work my way from left to right (as per the picture)

Studio Sculpt foundation by MAC – The consistency of this foundation is very thick so I only need to use a small amount. It does not blend as easily as my other foundations and for that … I don't like it as much. It does leave a dewy finish which I like but it does not photograph well in my opinion (probably due to the SPF). I save this foundation for work days when I feel like my skin needs to be a little more covered up. I would say this is is one of my least favourites now that I have had the opportunity to try out so many other foundations. It is probably best suited for those with normal skin (not too dry and not too oily)

Estee Lauder Double Wear- This is my favourite foundation although the price is a tad hefty. I do not mind paying a higher price for a product that I use often and love so it is not a big issue for me (although, I have found a foundation that I love just as much at a drugstore price). The staying power of this foundation is amazing – it really does last all day for me and I do not need to touch up throughout the day. It gives a flawless finish and I would say its a medium to full coverage foundation – it has SPF in it but definitely photographs better than most foundations with SPF (Cough ..cough… the MAC foundation mentioned above). It does not come with a pump so the one that i purchased is from MAC (cost me $7 and fits the Estee Lauder bottle perfectly- its easier to dispense and more sanitary that way). I like the consistency – it is not too runny and I can blend it easily with my fingers. I like to use this when I go out and need my makeup to last a little longer

Maybelline Super Stay Makeup- This has got to be my second favourite foundation and this is a recent discovery. I am on my second bottle and LOVE this stuff! It is very comparable to my Estee Lauder foundation but obviously a lot cheaper – I actually bought my second bottle when Rexall was having 50% off all their face makeup so I purchased it for $7 – definitely beats Estee’s $45 price tag! The staying power is awesome and lasts pretty much all day (although my Estee Lauder foundation still looks slightly better nearing the end of the day – I am still very happy with this product). The consistency is nice and easy to blend with my fingers – I just hate that it does not come with a pump (I know the European version does … not fair!). It has no SPF so this photographs bet in my opinion (especially when mixed with just a little bit of my Revlon photoready foundation). I will continue to purchase this until it becomes discontinued (which I hope it doesn't)!

Revlon Colorstay- I like this foundation and until I discovered the Maybelline Superstay and Estee Lauder – this was my favourite..however, recently I have grown quite weary of its paint like smell – I don't think I can handle it anymore so its not a foundation I will be purchasing any longer. I have found a couple foundations that I love even more that don't smell like I am putting paint or shellac on my face!I know a lot of people love it – its just not for me anymore …although coverage is great and its definitely affordable – Maybelline takes the cake over this one!

Revlon Photoready – Best pump on a foundation bottle EVER! This pump is so precise – I wish all foundations came in a bottle like this one! This is a very light coverage foundation and I like it for winter because it makes my skin look glowing – however, in direct sunlight I can come off a little “Edward Cullen from Twilight”..its a little too much sparkle but only really noticeable up really close… I do seem to get a lot of compliments for my skin when I use this foundation. I just don't like wearing highlighters or anything sparkly on my face because I just feel like the foundation “glows”" on its own and I don't want to over-do it. It is very easy to blend as well

Rimmel Stay Matte – I don't have too much to say about this one as I don't use it often – I don't think it does anything miraculous and its an ok drugstore foundation – Its definitely not matte like it claims to be – at least not on me! I use it more when I have blemished skin because it has “acne fighting”" complex in it – makes me feel slightly better psychologically – haha. It is a light-medium coverage foundation. I don't find that it blends as easily as some of my other foundations listed

Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse- I love this stuff when my skin is really dry! It is very moisturizing and light coverage which I like for Sundays when I am lounging around and don't feel like getting too “"prettied up”" if you know what I mean.. This HAS to be applied with a sponge – I tried applying with my fingers and it was an absolute fail. I like that it comes with a little compartment to keep the sponge in when you are on the go! It does not last all day – the staying power is ok – I just really like it on days where I want a little bit of coverage and moisture in my skin – its great for that – and the fact that its easy to throw the compact into my bag

What's your favourite foundation (if you wear it)? I would love to know!

Hope you all had a great weekend :)

Richness is best experienced in Love

2010-12-01T00:06:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! In a few minutes it will be December 1st which officially marks the start of the Christmas season in my books… Yes, I am one of “those people” who starts shopping well before hand because I hate the thought of last minute gifts, lack of sizes and selection and getting “ripped off” in the moment of passion- So I am almost done my Christmas shopping and am proud of that!

Today when I was out picking up a gift that I had pre-ordered for the little brother (he loves video games) I passed by Bath and Body Works and picked up two candles – one for myself and one for the mama – I got the scent “homemade cookies” for me (which smells heavenly to say the least!) and Twisted Peppermint for the mama – I absolutely love holiday scented candles and Bath and Body Works definitely makes some of my favourite ones – if you love candles, check them out – they are a tad pricier but worth it in my opinion because the scent is not too weak or too strong and I love that they come with a cap that you can use to cover it for travelling ( to hotels etc…)

I also started doing some wrapping while watching “The Grinch” with Jim Carrey – yes, I am corny like that – and proud of it :p …

I hope you all had a wonderful start to your week!

The Capital

2010-11-28T23:15:00.002-05:00

Hey guys! I just got back from Ottawa – a bunch of us went for the weekend to visit a friend who is in graduate school there. It was nice to get away from Toronto for a short while even if it meant driving for 5 hours! When you go as a group the drive doesn't seem so long – we did a lot of walking – visited parliament hill … went shopping (picked up a couple Christmas gifts) .. sushi lunch…the boys watched the hockey game that was playing in Ottawa ..had late night poutine … big egg and bacon breakfast … beavertails (so good!) that we picked up at the market … I am so thankful that I brought my parka and Uggs because it was SO cold in Ottawa (I pretty much wore these boots and the jacket all weekend) and now here I am in Toronto ..drinking chamomile tea to settle my stomach and then off to bed to get some rest! It has been a long week and a tiring weekend … I am looking forward to a fresh start on Monday :)

Train Stopping

2010-11-21T18:06:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! As you can tell, when I love something … I Love it and wear it often .. until it has to go to the wash, or I am slightly bored … since the weather has been unexpectedly chilly I like to wear my wool sweater under other jackets that without it… might not be so warm – Like this leather Zara jacket! Makes for the perfect layering piece :) … This weekend I stayed in – didn't do anything special because I had other things to attend to – I did a lot of reading, a lot of a lot of things – within the confines of my beautiful four walls (other than a very quick trip to Rexall to pick up a 100 ml bottle of CKIN2U for $20!!! This stuff smells so good when it dries down – I absolutely love it – it does not smell like a classical CK fragrance … and all the face stuff was 50% off so I picked up another bottle of the Maybelline 24 hr super stay foundation (for $6!) which I will be reviewing this week along with a large line up of others).

Oh and remember that Marciano top I bought super discounted? I am wearing it in these photos and I love the way it fits – its is the perfect looseness without being too baggy and I love that it is scooped at the front and back end of the shirt. The leggings are from F21 and whenever I wear them, there is always one person that mistakes them for tights and thigh highs (must be the pleather detail at the knee – gives the illusion if you look quickly) – J initially thought I bought another pair of boots – nope! Just $15 tights … I like that they can easily be dressed up or down!

Well, its about that time for some hot chocolate made with milk and whip cream! Hope you had a wonderful weekend :)

Outfit: Jacket: Zara, Sweater: TNA (Aritzia), top: Marciano, Tights: F21, Shoes: Aldo (sandidge wedge), Bag: Vintage Coach

Makeup: Urban Decay Naked palette for my eyes (I wish you could see the look I did today – it was a sharper smoky eye using bronze and browns – maybe I will do a tutorial for those interested?), Rimmel sexy curves mascara (good stuff – just started using it and I find it hold curl well), Rimmel Nude Delight lipstick, NARS orgasm blush

The Simpler Things

2010-11-18T23:41:00.004-05:00

Hey guys!

So before I even begin to write anything else… I wanted to let you know about a quick survey that I would love if you filled out (regarding the winter boots I had featured sent to me by Cougar here as well as these rain boots) because for every survey you guys complete - $2 will be donated to the Red Cross Foundation! You can click the link here: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/413388/feedback and fill out the quick survey - it is not even a minute long :)

Now here goes – When I received these boots my first reaction was – wow, they look a little big – I put them on and they were ok but I would recommend that if you are interested to try them on first as I am usually a size 8 and I think a 7 would have fit a teeny bit better. Then again, I usually go down a size in rain boots so its probably my own fault for not thinking of that beforehand! I decided to wear these on a semi-rainy day with J – we passed by the docks where I am always mesmerized by the loons/birds etc.. sometimes its enjoying the little simple things that make the day brighter and add to an overall more relaxed attitude – especially after a busy day! Anyways, onto the point – wearing these little booties made me enjoy it that much more – I decided to do the ultimate test and that was literally immerse myself in the water (just up to the rubber part but still quite “deep” for wearing a shoe in the water) and I remained completely dry .. and warm! Its been quite chilly and I think these boots will meet the cut for slushy winter days when rubber would be more appropriate but while still keeping warm – with some extra thermal socks – they will be perfect! For the rain – they have been tried and tested and meet my cut ;) I love them and think they are adorable looking with the little attached “sock” .. I also like the fact that the sole has a little striping detail throughout.. Little details are important! oh and this is totally random but I love the music on the Cougar boots website – it is exactly the type of thing I picture drinking red wine to ..sitting at the dinner table with J and a nice home cooked meal and just enjoying the moment!

I will be back soon with my favourite makeup items of the moment and a new outfit post :)

Hope you guys are having a great week – its almost Friday!

Outfit: Sweater – TNA from Aritzia (this thing is SO warm I sometimes wear it as a jacket – its made of lambs wool – I love it for Winter), Jeans- Urban Outfitters, Rain Boots: Cougar , Purse- Vintage Coach

On Sunday Morning

2010-11-14T16:06:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! Do you ever wake up and wish that you could extend your weekend by just one more day ..even though the day has not even started? That's kind of how I felt waking up this morning … it was raining .. the coffee was ready (thanks to a wonderful invention called the automatic timer).. and I just wished I had one more day in bed to look forward to that involved a little bit of lounging and sleeping in…. don't get me wrong.. I love going to work but sometimes when you get a little taste of a long weekend … haha… aka having Thursday off…. sometimes you just wish you could have one more! Anyways, it felt good waking up today to a less cluttered life considering I had done a massive cleanup which involved a lot of reorganizing and packing up things to donate … opened up my laptop this morning ....marvelled at how much “junk” I had that I really didn't need … all the while eating my glazed donut and double double coffee in bed :)

Around lunch time J and I grabbed some takeout Thai food and of course… I am like a kid in a candy store when I see a Starbucks … J pulled over his car and I ran in to get my peppermint mocha … I have to enjoy it while its here because after the Christmas rush… no more :( ..but than again, that may be one of the reasons I love it so much … a semi-exclusive drink that comes with Christmas time!

I finally got out of my “lazy clothes” and decided to put on something with a little bit of colour ..I found this poncho at Value Village …its funny because when I was younger I would tell my mom that I would never wear a poncho… and here I am … I love the length and size – its not too long or oversized so I dont feel lost in it…I might look around for a couple more! I also rarely get the urge to bring out the red lips but today after going through my makeup drawers I rediscovered my Revlon Crimson lipstick (the one that comes in the black quilted looking packaging)– which has become my favourite red – it is not too bright and garish which I find a lot of reds are .. this one is so perfect! I think I will be wearing it a lot for the holiday season – it just “gets me in the spirit/mood” if you know what I mean! I am putting the tree up next week – I know its soon but I want to drag out the season as long as I can – so it starts with next week – we have already started talking about who is bringing what to the Christmas potluck which my family and I do every year

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Outfit: Poncho – thrifted, Shirt: Marciano, Jeans: Urban Outfitters, Gloves: H&M, Boots: Thrifted, Boot buckles: Aldo (on sale for a few dollars! dresses up any plain boot or shoe), Leather back pack: Vintage Coach (via eBay)

Makeup: Eyes: Illamasqua black felt tip liquid liner, Urban Decay neutral eye shadows from Naked palette, and Rimmel Lash Maxx mascara Lips: Revlon lipstick in Crimson Face: Maybelline Super Stay Foundation and MAC blush in Springsheen

Getting Winter Ready!

2010-11-11T17:35:00.003-05:00

Hey guys! I had the day off today which is something I had been looking forward to … this meant catching up on sleep (which I have been slightly lacking as of late), treating myself to a nice breakfast in the company of some loved ones and of course, grabbing a Starbucks peppermint mocha to start the rest of the day off on the right foot :p (this is my favourite Christmas drink if I have not already told you about ten thousand times!). My mission today (other than catching up on sleep, grabbing breakfast, tidying up etc..) was to find a warm cozy sweater for winter. I rarely shop with a purpose .. I know this sounds horrible but I pretty much have everything I need – which means I tend to only buy things when I am out and it catches my eye and I fall in absolute love (which has not really happened lately) or its an amazing deal/sale that I absolutely cannot pass up because I will kick myself in the but later… but today was different. I wanted to pick up a couple basic shirts which I have been wearing the heck out of lately and a nice cozy sweater. I ended up going to Vaughn Mills which is an outlet mall here in Ontario – I ended up finding a white and grey basic tops (white one is loose and short sleeve and the grey is sheer and fitted) at Marciano for half off the lowest price – they were marked down to $40 plus 50% off and ..the best part is … I got an extra $15 off because I had not used my customer account in a VERY long time ..so apparently they add $15 to your card to entice you to shop there again (which I most likely won’t – I don't shop there very much – I used to a few years ago – its too pricey and the quality does not reflect in the price you pay I find … and most of the clothing items are not really “me”). Bonus, I got both tops for about $25.

Now onto the sweater … I wanted a very warm printed sweater for winter … I usually buy vintage chunky knits but I had this image in my head of what I wanted that I could not seem to find at Value Village SO I was on a mission to find it – and pay full price for it… and I did … I found it at Aritzia … I know a lot of people probably already have this but it really was love at first sight… I love that it is the perfect length ..it is a zip up and perfect to layer with ..and its made of lambs wool (but not the scratchy type – this one is actually very comfortable and wearable). It was expensive at $85 but I know it is one of those pieces that I will be wearing very often in the winter and fall so if you factor in the price you pay per wear – it is worth it (at least for me!).

Lastly, next on my list was a cute pair of winter boots that were …actually warm! I was lucky enough to have Cougar send me a wonderful pair (actually two – rain boots and the boots pictured above but the rain boots I have not tested out yet).. I was a tad sceptical at first .. I am not going to lie .. when I think Cougar boots I think back to my childhood days and those were not very trendy to say the least … I was extremely surprised when these arrived! The fur does not look cheap …the boots can be worn with the fur facing inwards so it looks like an over the knee boot (which I love – I have never seen a boot of this type like that) .. or rolled down to have the fur showing … they are patent towards the front and a durable nylon making up the rest of the boot – these babies are WARM (they go to –30 degrees Celsius)! These are the type of boots perfect for those who want a fully functional winter boot but with a little pizazzz… I don't want to start sounding like a spokesperson but I really do love these – companies will send out products .. and many of which I don't like … so I simply don't review … these I love! I have not tested them in snow yet but we will be skiing this winter so as soon as I do – I will let you know how they held up ;) … The only downside is that they are slightly pricey at about $170. You can check out their winter selection here if you like: http://www.cougarboots.com/. I love the way this company has rebranded themselves – they are back on my “good side” ..haha.. no more scary childhood memories of ugly plastic pink booties!

I don't know about you guys but Christmas and winter seems to be quickly approaching and this is one season that I prefer “dragged out” if you know what I mean – I start prepping for Christmas in late October and I do not know where the time goes! It’s already November! Next week I might bring out the Christmas tree and music …haha…

xox

A Beautiful Affair

2010-11-07T19:55:00.002-05:00

Hey guys! Just got back from a last minute decision weekend in Niagara Falls with my cousin and his girlfriend and we had a blast – from watching the fireworks to going for a stroll on the strip … to dinner, and casino with a mini “after-party” at our hotel – it was a great little get-away close to home ..that's why we like going and we don't spend a lot of money that way either because its not prime season. Of course, we also crossed the border (its usually busy but this time we didn't even have to wait 1 minute – we just drove straight through with no hassles) and although we didn't shop (other than a quick pit-stop at Coach where I bought a really cute $20 makeup case that was regularly almost $100) … we had fun going for lunch, comparing the drastic difference between Buffalo and Niagara and stopping by Dunkin Donuts which we don't have in Canada – Mel (my cousin’s gf) and I love that place…haha … why DONT we have Dunkin donuts here?! The morning after, it was just J and I – we grabbed breakfast which consisted of a massive amount of home fries, bacon and eggs (with coffee of course) – made another pit-stop by Starbucks for a peppermint mocha (my FAVE Christmas drink – It is SO unbelievably good!) and then made out way to Niagara's Bird Kingdom (over 400 free-flying birds there – and many different reptiles) – I have to say that for the price we paid (we bought tickets online that were discounted $4 each – they were $13 I believe) it was such a great experience. I loved being in an area with birds flying out in the open and not all caged. Many people don't know this about me but I love birds and being in this space was just so peaceful. J and I both agreed it was one of our favourite Niagara attractions. Its amazing to think of all the beautiful creatures in the world and we have barely seen only a tiny fraction!

In terms of packing for the mini-trip – I just bring an overnight bag with two outfits – one for night and one for the daytime … but this time I just pretty much wore the same outfit which consisted of my massive and comfortable American Apparel cardigan- over the knee boots and tights. Lately, I have also been enjoying the idea of fuss free hair using Goody elastic headbands that I purchased at Wal-Mart – I like that it keeps the hair out of my face and also adds some dimension to my hair by separating the blonde from the brown. I have been kind of liking the look lately. Now in my makeup bag – I just brought one blush and bronzer NARS duo, a blush brush and two eye shadow brushes – a compact Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse foundation, black liquid liner and my Wet n’ Wild colour icon palette in Vanity (the best drugstore palette ever if you are a neutrals lover). Some Clean n’ Clear makeup remover wipes for night time when I am feeling almost too lazy to get out of bed and make the effort to get to the washroom and wash my face :p…. these are amazing because you don't need water- wipe and go and its better than falling asleep with a bunch of product on your face! Almost forgot – my Rimmel Lash Maxx mascara and Rimmel lipstick in nude delight (which one of my readers recommended – it has become one of my favourite nude colours).

Hope you all had a great weekend! And don't forget to set your clocks back (for those that daylight savings time applies to) – wouldn't want to be late for work or school on Monday!

Outfit: Cardigan: American Apparel, Tank: Banana Republic, Belt: Vintage, Bag: B Makowsky, Boots: Joie, Tights: Old Navy

Hallows Eve

2010-11-01T19:34:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! I promised I would share my Halloween costume with you – this years costume was done on a small budget of $20… Can you guess who we were? Katy Perry and Russell Brand :) … When J showed up at my house with the eye makeup, shaded in beard and that WIG! I almost died of laughter – I think he did such an awesome job and his interpretation was spot on! He also ended up winning best costume! … My costume was a little more “inspired” because I could not make the actual cupcake bra .. I got this idea online and went with it … I basically got two circular Styrofoam pieces and painted the red swirls (topped off with red glitter)… covered them in clear cellophane and tied the ends with ribbon to make it look like candies …glued gunned them to an old bra that I also painted blue… blue wig was from Wal Mart for $6 (which was probably why the quality was not the greatest ..I had to keep my blonde hair down because the hair was so sparse on the wig :s). The shorts are ones I picked up at Value Village and then painted with blue glitter paint from Wal Mart (cost me $2.50).. I then sprayed them over with hair spray to sort of seal it in when it dried. It was a little chilly so I also decided to wear over the knee socks to keep myself semi-warm!

If you guys have any pictures I would love to see them! Don't be shy to email me or even just let me know in the comment! I love Halloween – too bad its over too quickly … I wish we could have Halloween week where we dress up differently each day of the week …haha

The party was amazing- the food was delish – the host was beyond amazing – and there were just so many great costumes that it would take too long to list …a couple of them included an actual life sized Barbie box and matching “dolls” (it was amazing) … Everyone got really creative!

You should have crossed the Sky

2010-10-30T00:41:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! I just got back from a quick night out for some dinner and hot chocolate on Queen street – We had some Thai food and hot chocolate at Starbucks (although I must say – I didn't like it – Second Cup hot chocolate is SO much better and if you have an SPC card you get the next size up for free ;). I couldn't wait to show you guys but I picked these boots by Joie (second hand) – they were originally about $600 and I picked them up for less than 1/6th of the price which is awesome – I wanted a pair of buttery soft leather over the knee boots that were flat and easy to walk in – I could not be happier with these!

Also, I don't know about you guys but I love dressing up for Halloween (remember my Gaga costume from last year?) and I cant wait to show you my costume! I made it myself and although its nothing crazy over the top and was actually quite simple to make – I am pretty happy with the result! Any of you guys dressing up or doing something to get into the Halloween “spirit”? I still need to carve my pumpkin – I LOVE baking the seeds after with salt and hot pepper … mmmm ..and don't forget the pumpkin pie with whip cream!

Outfit: Top: F21, Cardigan: Guess (from Winners), Tights: Old Navy, Boots: Joie, Bag: Vintage, Jacket: Aritzia(I have had this for about 6 years and I still absolutely LOVE this jacket .. so much so that the sleeves are all ripped – oh well! I will wear it until it tears to shreds .. and then some), Necklace: Tiffany

Makeup: Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation, MAC Springsheen blush, Loreal lineur intense liquid liner, MAC snob lipstick (which is so faded off you cant even see it in the pictures anymore ..haha), Urban Decay neutral brown colours from the Naked palette (my official favourite palette EVER)

Songs that are stuck in my head at the moment: 1. Mike Posner – Please don’t go 2. Kanye West F. Pusha T – Runaway 3. Nelly – Just a dream 4. Uffie - Difficult

The Ugg-ly Truth

2010-10-25T22:58:00.001-04:00

Just so you don't start thinking I have deserted my blog :p …Here is the ugly “unfashionable” truth … I have not been in so much of a “dressing up” mood as of late .. probably due to my recent extra hectic schedule and lack of general energy when it comes to getting up earlier on the weekends – I honestly needed a week to refuel … sit back … and lounge about in my jammies reading a good book, some new magazines I recently subscribed to like Money sense and Maclean’s, and have a little fun at J’s soccer game playing photographer (he’s the goalie in lime green – awesome colour).

I am sorry I have been on a little bit of a hiatus but that's just because I have not been wearing anything wonderfully interesting this week, been cram packed with other things to do before I even get the chance to meet up with J before the sun goes down, dress up to out somewhere nice and take some photos… it simply has not been in the cards but I hope to get back into the swing of things and out of my lazy attire very soon – I promise :p … I just want a little peace in my wilfred free sweats and Uggs – YES I said it! MY UGGS! These have been stored away in the closet – they were purchased years ago discounted when I worked in retail and I decided to show them some love … I don't wear these to be fashionable – I wear them because my feet seem to love them on lazy days like today when I am out for literally an hour, just lounging watching a game .. and to be honest, its really because I like the feeling of not having to wear socks and having my feet wrapped in soft goodness all the while staying warm (except today because I needed to wear socks for other reasons...lol) … It is a very difficult feat to overcome when you are as cold blooded as I am! So I have decided to say F* what the fashion critics say, bring on the heat (because I know I am going to get grilled for this :p ) and proudly admitting I love my Uggs because my feet love them – no other explanation needed and its simple as that :)

I am working on my foundation routine/post as I had a few requests to do a proper review of the Maybelline Superstay foundation that I have been loving and comparing to my Estee Lauder double wear foundation … so I hope to have that up soon as well as a few new vintage finds which I will be sharing with you guys… AND my Halloween costume … J and I are going as a celebrity couple ..still working on the costume… we have a house party coming up this weekend….Can you guess who we are dressing up as?

Be right back – love you guys!

Thank You for stopping by … and saying Hello

2010-10-11T16:56:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! This weekend has been filled with lots of love, getting together with family and ..turkey! I just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadians and thank you to each and every reader that stops by here on a regular basis – I love you guys! I know I have a lot to be thankful for and I am not talking about just the material things but more important things like love, health and happiness as cliché as that may sound

I had a lot of requests recently regarding my everyday makeup routine so although I think I have done this before … I will go through an updated routine and how I apply each product (and again, this is my standard everyday routine but that's not to say that some days I might not wear anything at all and other days if I am going out ..I might wear a little more by playing up my eyes for example)

I generally wear foundation or some sort of tinted moisturizer just because I have a little bit of redness in my skin – so foundation helps even it out (its not so much to cover up because my skin is pretty clear) – I like using Estee Lauders Double Wear for something long lasting and I apply it with my fingers .. first I moisturize my skin all over – always! Then I put two dots of foundation on my cheeks, one dot on my nose and forehead and one dot on my chin and then blend it all out. I also like Rimmel’s Stay Matte and Maybelline’s Superstay (even better!) for a cheaper drugstore alternative.

After I apply my foundation/cream I will apply blonzer lightly over my face where the sun would naturally hit (like my nose and forehead).. I use it to contour as well by apply some in the hollow of my cheeks … make a fish face and where you see the depression … that's where I would apply it .. and then blend, blend and blend some more! I always use bronzer to warm up my face – right now I have been switching between NARS Laguna bronzer (pictured above) and Benefits Hoola which I love because its completely matte.

I will always use a light stroke of blush on the apples of my cheeks – my favourite is MAC’s springsheen or NARS Orgasm (very similar to springheen) as pictured above – I love the duo of the blush and bronzer that's NARS offers – it is just very expensive at $50 cdn.. I don't mind paying the price because it lasts a very long time for me

Now onto the eyes which is what takes the longest I guess … I always apply a base to cancel out the redness/veins on my eyelids – I like Benefits Stay Dont Stray or MAC paint pot in painterly (however this is a little more drying) … I will use neutral shadow almost everyday – if I am lazy, I will just put a wash of taupe colour all over my eyelid from the lash line to the crease – and then a whitish/cream colour on the brow bone as a highlight (my fave is MAC’s Blanc Type – its a matte white/cream colour) .. If I feel like putting a little more effort then I will use a darker brown colour in the crease .. I love Urban Decay’s naked pallette and if you love neutrals you will too … this palette is absolutely amazing and a great value for the price you pay!

I generally always use black liner on my upper lash line – I love Illamasqua’s precision liner in abyss (its basic black colour) – if you want a cheaper felt tip liquid liner the L'Oreal's lineur intense is amazing as well! I apply a thin line on the upper lash line and usually slightly wing it at the end to create a bit of a “cat eye”. Then I will apply my mascara which I will ALWAYS use … if there were one item I could not live without ..one product.. I would have to say mascara… I love super black mascara’s with volumizing formula’s/wands … the one I have pictured that I am using is Rimmel’s lash Maxx in blackest black.

For the lips, I stick with a nude everyday lip – I always moisturize before I apply the lipstick using something like Carmex… I then steer towards a colour like MAC’s blankety or Rimmel’s Airy Fairy for a pinky nude.

and THAT is my everyday neutral look! wow that was long winded …

Outfit: Pants: Winners, Top: thrifted lace, Cardigan: American Apparel, Bag: Vintage Coach, Shoes: Aldo, Necklace: Tiffany, Bracelet: Brooklyn thread

Love is in the Air

2010-10-09T15:17:00.004-04:00

Hey guys! So I am totally rushed right now but I wanted to share my outfit that I am wearing to my cousin’s wedding … I always seem to pick my outfits last minute – at least recently, and I find that they come out better that way :p… I have recently decided that I will no longer be buying occasion specific outfits and will be shopping my closet more … Its amazing what you rediscover when you do… I completely forgot I had this dress that I picked up a few years ago when I was going on vacation … I think I paid $10 for it? With the right accessories you can make any inexpensive dress look “expensive” … so no need to break the bank to look good! My outfit (minus the clutch and shoes) cost a total of $15! The leather studded belt if one of my favourite accessories that I picked up at Value Village – vintage from Holt Renfrew – amazing quality and didn't break the bank…and very unique/vintage so guaranteed I wont see anyone else wearing it!

Now onto the makeup – I am wearing my favourite Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation in colour Tawny – you only need a TINY bit of this stuff… NARS orgasm blush and a bit of Laguna bronzer … Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte lipstick in #1 that I picked up at Winners for an awesome price … its a pinky nude which I adore … Illamasqua precision liner in abyss (amazing product- the felt tip offers a lot of control and ability to do a really fine line and its very long lasting), Maybelline the Falsies mascara… a couple shades of brown eye shadow from my Urban Decay naked palette

I don't know if you guys can really tell but I dyed my roots at home – a brownish blonde colour – I figured it would be simple enough and I have not had time to go to salon – I also wanted to keep my roots darker but not so dark that they look black/brown (which is my natural hair colour) .. I really am embracing my roots ;)

I will be back soon with another outfit post since its a long weekend which will include eating a lot of turkey, getting together with family and relaxing

xox

Ombre Colour Trend

2010-10-05T23:00:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! I have not fallen off the face of the planet … I promise… I have just been really busy with other things in life that I really have not had much time to do an outfit post … that and the fact that I have not been in the most particularly interesting outfits …. and by that I mean, I have been living in my Wilfred Free sweats and a plain white tee upon my arrival home from a long day in the office!

One thing I wanted to share with you was this new “trend” which I guess I have been following for some time .. haha .. considering I have not been to the hair dresser in a while … which was not so much on purpose .. but I HAVE been wanting to let my hair relax and grow out for a bit… I love the idea of using a transition colour close to your natural shade at the roots to help it grow out a little more evenly. Now, I tried doing this at home and cannot say its extremely successful because my roots have a little reddish tinge which I am hoping will fade a little more … but it is less harsh than my dark brown roots so I think I like it. Another way to do it if your hair is all one colour…. you can get an at home kit (I like Nice n’ Easy by Clairol) a few shades lighter than your natural colour and dye it from the ends to about ears/nape of the neck … if you want to save money/budget… otherwise, I am sure most hair salons are on top of the trend and can help out!

I personally love this low maintenance look … I think if you have a laid back or more eclectic style.. it just fits!

What do you guys think? Sloppy? Love it? Hate it?

There is only Opportunity

2010-09-26T18:40:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! So I didn't get a chance to go to The Clothing Show that happened here in Toronto this weekend (if you went, I would love to hear about your findings)…which is probably a good thing considering I should not be buying any more clothes or shoes until my closet is fully cleaned out! I always get tempted amidst the sea of perfectly worn leather booties, waist cinching belts and supple leather bags … This weekend involved going to the theatre with some friends to watch The Town (which was a great movie), running a lot of errands with J, just tidying up in general and perusing through my Greek and Irish cookbooks with a mug of coffee on hand.. for some new recipes that look simple but delicious!

I have been wearing a lot of loose clothes in dark colours lately … I was going to wear black pants as well but then decided against it – I needed a teeny bit of colour to add to my outfit so went with comfortable blue jeans instead … I also forgot, we passed by a garage sale this weekend and I found two pair of cute boots for $3 (I don't count this as shopping .… because its less than a Starbucks latte..haha) – the ones I am wearing in this post are one of them and they are SO comfortable because of the chunky heel (not too high but not too low..it is honestly the perfect wearable heel size in my opinion).. the brand is Franco Sarto. Also wearing my Coach bag that I got off eBay a little while ago which I have been sporting to work as well as on the weekends!

I was also going to take a picture of my new drugstore foundation to compare it to Estee Lauder Double wear but it broke (I dropped it on the floor)… anyways, I will just let you know (without the picture :P)… I found a foundation which I think is comparable to Estee Lauder Double Wear and about 1/4 of the price – its Maybelline Super stay 24 hour foundation! It’s application is very smooth, its pretty transfer resistant and looked good most of the day … not as long wearing as my Estee Lauder, but honestly, the closest I have found so far in a foundation (I like it better than Revlon Color stay – and it doesn't have that hard paint smelling scent like Revlon’s). I will continue to repurchase it as an affordable drugstore foundation during the week and save my expensive Estee Lauder for Saturday nights! For reference, I am the colour Tawny in Estee Lauder DW and Classic Beige in Maybelline (in MAC foundation I am usually NC30)

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Outfit: Shirt: F21, Hat: Vintage from last year’s Clothing Show, Jeans: Earnest Sewn (thrifted), Bag: Vintage Coach via eBay, Shoes: Franco Sarto (garage sale for $1.50)

Blessed when you came along

2010-09-19T18:23:00.002-04:00

This fall … leopard, leopard and more leopard! I have so much leopard in my closet that I have rediscovered… and I am not limiting myself to so-called traditional “outside” clothes .. this includes lingerie … bathrobes .. whatever tickles my fancy! :p… I am wearing this robe as a cardigan which I love… and apparently so did J .. who sometimes does not “approve” of my so-called to be worn underneath my clothes but worn on top kind of outfits… If you didn't notice… I got a new bag and its the one I am wearing the second photo :)… vintage coach purchased on eBay – the leather is so amazing and so much sturdier than the bags they make today (In my opinion). I liked their old style which did not involve plastering their embroidered logo’s on most of their bags – I guess that's what sells since many individuals have the mentality that if they pay a large amount for something – they want others to be able to recognize that. I prefer something a little more subtle – unless its Chanel – you can plaster that all over my bags! Anyways, I am going to be leaving in about 10 minutes to Manadarin for my little brothers 16th birthday … I don't know about you guys but when I eat buffet … I make sure I leave room! haha… a light lunch and I am ready ;)

Shirt: Leopard and lace-UB, American Apparel pullover on top of the leopard and lace camisole, Cardigan/Robe: Winners, Tights: Old Navy, Bag: Vintage Coach, Shoes: Aldo, Sunnies: Ray Ban

Take a Moment

2010-09-17T22:12:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Yes, I am wearing the cardigan … yet again… I promise, the next post will NOT include it …. but that's probably just because I need to wash it :p … I really think it is so cozy, comfortable and perfect for weekends! Today I actually received my last eBay package – I went a little overboard looking for vintage coach bags and ended up with the backpack and yet another purse very similar to the one I am wearing in this outfit post (which is by Roots – thrifted)… I am looking forward to winding down this weekend … waking up in the morning, throwing on this big cardigan with my mug of coffee in tow… walking maxi (my dog)…. catching up on some current events because I have been so busy that I really feel that removed from society … haha… I still find reading the newspaper to be more interesting/fun than just watching the news on TV … maybe write in my moleskin journal… a gift from a special friend of mine .. I love those notebooks .. I find the lines and spacing to be PERFECT! I am very picky when it comes to my notebooks…lol… and I love the hard cover and binding .. honestly, I am going to take a moment.. and breathe!

I will be back with some product reviews/favourites of the moments soon so check back this weekend! xox

Outfit: Cardigan: American Apparel, Skirt: H&M, Wedges: Aldo, crop top: Bebe, Bag: Vintage Roots, belt: Vintage

Formspring me!

2010-09-16T19:13:00.002-04:00

Hey guys!

I though this might be fun… if you want to ask me anything anonymously..makeup...fashion.. etc...random or not :

http://www.formspring.me/FashionRantings

xox

I will be back very soon with an outfit post :)

On Repeat …

2010-09-14T00:00:00.004-04:00

Robyn – Dancing on my own , Nicki Manaj – Your Love , Dan Balan - Chica boom , Paramore- The only Exception, Florence and the machine- Dog days are Over

Off to work on my new “inspiration book” (pictured above)– I decided it would be easier to remove the pages I like from my favourite magazines and put them into plastic folders… in a three ring binder … then to stack and store them or have cut outs lying around because I never seem to get around to organizing them … this I can just easily insert… remove, throw out etc whatever I like by just slipping it in and out of the plastic sleeve

I know this was a random post … I wasn't going to post today but I figured this was simple enough … my package also came today… The coach backpack that I won off eBay… cant wait to show you guys! Not that it will probably be debuted as anything original because to be honest.. I have been living in my American Apparel sweater featured in the last couple of posts … this backpack will just make being lazy in the mornings THAT much easier :p

The Sun was Shining Everywhere

2010-09-11T19:31:00.003-04:00

Hey guys! As you can see from these pictures, my Aldo wedges and American Apparel cardigan have been getting much love … and I plan on wearing these babies until the first snowfall… once the snow hits the ground, I can forget about wearing these suede shoes (which slightly saddens me to be honest)… They are so comfortable… they endured a couple hours of walking in Yorkville for the Toronto Film Festival last night…. walking on college street (one of my favourite areas to grab a bite to eat and just walk around) … the sweater kept me warm on an outdoor patio for a quick dinner … I have no complaints and have come to realize that although I was hesitant to spend $90 (and J kindly then surprised me with it) … its worth it to spend more on items you absolutely LOVE that get a lot of wear … then to spend less and have more that just falls to the bottom piles of the closet … only to be seen once or twice a year…. I will admit that I have WAY too much … but I love my “stuff”

Tonight will consist of going to a little cafe (we try to find new places around the city – let me know if you have any to recommend in Toronto!)… renting a classic movie … eating some popcorn and grilled calamari at home and just plain old relaxing … a night in is feeling like an awesome idea right about now ;)

Also, don't forget about the Toronto Clothing Show that will be happening soon here in Toronto (September 24,25,26)! I love it and go EVERY year – awesome vintage selections and unique one of a kind pieces.. I will probably be going the Sunday this year – let me know if any of you plan on making a visit!

Outfit: Cardigan: American Apparel, Hat: Vintage (purchased at the clothing show last year for $25), Shirt: Jacob, Pants: Vince (these are slightly flared at the bottom which is absolutely amazing – very unique in my opinion), Shoes: Aldo Sandidge wedges, Necklace: purchased in Portland (I miss it – I really loved being there), Bag: Vintage Roots, Bracelet: Brooklet thread and antique watch (that is not functioning but I love it anyways)

MakeUp: Maybelline Superstay foundation in Classic Beige (I am usually NC30 in MAC if that helps), MAC springsheen blush (similar to NARS orgasm), Estee Lauder mascara, Benefit creaseless cream shadow in RSVP (gorgeous colour and a great base to put eye shadow on top of), Hard Candy lipstick in Fire Trap (my favourite nude at the moment)

A Brush Overview – Sigma Makeup Brushes

2010-09-09T19:48:00.002-04:00

Hey Guys! I have been wanting to do this review for quite some time but I wanted to give the brush a fair run before I even attempted to review because I knew I would be comparing these to my MAC brushes hard … and to be honest, I was already doubting them to begin with ..that is, until I actually received the package in the mail… Sigma sent me these brushes almost three months ago – they have been well used since then and I am happy to write that I have found a great alternative to my expensive MAC brushes – I am also doing a full post on these alone because yes, I was that impressed :P

I love the brush roll that holds these – it is pretty much what I had been looking for before I found my cheap $5 cloth version from Winners .. this one is just so much sturdier (leather-like manmade material), classier looking and easy to clean … it makes it easy to pack and travel with your brushes (although you might want to take something a little more compact for travel purposes – but you get what I mean!)

These brushes vs. my MAC brushes:

- These are super soft and have slightly longer handles which I like

- They are numbered to correspond with MAC brushes which makes it easy to compare but to be honest, I think they each function in their own way and both brands have their own strengths … for example, the MAC 219 vs the Sigma 219 (picture #2) – the MAC version is smaller domed and a lot denser so its more precise .. I don't really like it for my crease ..I use it more to add a pop of colour under my lower lash line .. however, the similar Sigma version is fluffier (although still dense) and I love it to add colour to my crease … it makes adding colour to the outer V of my eye and crease area very precise but still easy to blend (which I cant really do as well with my MAC brush) … I actually reach for my Sigma a lot more just because I find it to be more versatile (and less scratchy feeling on my eye)

-I like the powder brush to add translucent setting powder after applying foundation (although I don't find this brush to be as soft as all the rest or even as soft as my Giorgio Armani or MAC – so its probably my least favourite)… I LOVE the fluffy 239 Sigma brush which is supposed to be a dupe for my MAC version but I find that this one is definitely fluffier and better for applying all over the lid colour in one wash… I use it a lot in the mornings for work when I apply satin taupe by MAC all over my lid – its simple and easy to do with your eyes half open (I get up way too early ..haha) .. the 222 black domed blending brush is perfect to blend crease colours to brow bone and is also very soft – I am so glad I did not waste my money on the MAC version (which I don't have) because this one functions just perfect! .. I have been using the liner brush almost every day as well to apply my black winged gel liner (which is pretty much a part of my staple every day look)… its thin enough at the tip to get the perfect wing and thick enough at the base to create a thicker line by pressing a little more on my upper lid (I hate really thin liner on my eyelids).. picture # 3 includes my favourite brushes of the bunch

Lastly, I wont go through the others unless you guys have very specific questions (just leave them in the comments) because then this post will drag on forever :p… BUT I will end by saying that for the price you pay, you are definitely getting your moneys worth .. when I compare these to the amount of money I have spent on my MAC brushes – I kind of cringe because to be honest, I could have survived with just these :s… the whole kit and brush roll for under $100 is less than I paid for three brushes! Its perfect for someone just getting into makeup or looking to start a kit … The only complaint I really had was the plastic smell when I first removed the plastic covers from each brush ..it was intense … I had to wash the brushes twice with baby shampoo before the smell went away and that seemed to do the trick

You can find the brush rolls here if you are interested in checking them out (this is the one that I have) .. they also have a lot of great kits under $50 if you are not really interested in a brush roll/all the brushes

Let me know if you guys have any questions etc… in the comments OR if you have experience with this brand,what your thoughts are!!

Love All Wrapped Around Me

2010-09-07T23:08:00.001-04:00

I cant stress how much I absolutely LOVE this American Apparel cardigan! J surprised me with it this past weekend after I had been eyeing it in the store.. I had been lemming it after placing it on hold due to the hefty $90 price tag … but I am proud to say that I am its new owner thanks to J (who loved it himself) and think that although the price was a tad scary, it will be getting a lot of love and I would rather pay more for something I use often… then but something cheaper and only wear it a couple of times

This past weekend we also found a cute vintage shop called 69 Vintage located on 1100 Queen Street West – I loved the layout (although the items were a tad pricey – they were all great quality/hand picked pieces)– it was everything my own vintage shop would be … if I had one :p… which actually brings me to my next point – J and I are hoping to start an online vintage shop soon … I can’t wait .. I think it will be a fun little project!

Lastly, I picked up the NAKED Urban Decay palette at Sephora – well actually my girl Carina picked it up for me because otherwise it would have been gone by the time I got there – these things were selling out in a matter of hours! … It is everything a neutrals palette should be and the sizing is so much more convenient than their typical Book of Shadows … I hope to be doing a lot of neutral smoky eyes with this buttery soft palette – if you can find it, I super highly recommend it .. I think it flatters most skin tones and can work from work/day to night/clubbing!

I am off to drink some warm milk … lately my sleep has been all broken and this seems to be the only thing that gets me back in order, oddly enough

My Outfit: Pants and shirt: Winners, Shoes: Aldo Sandidge platform wedges, Bag: Vintage, Cardigan: American Apparel

J’s Outfit: Pants: Calvin Klein, Shirt: h&m, Cardigan: Givenchy, Sunnies: Ray Ban

P.s I don't know how many male readers I have but give me a shout out if you are interested in seeing more of J’s outfits… I will try and convince him to let me photograph him more:p

Welcome home!

2010-09-06T14:18:00.004-04:00

Just won this on eBay and its everything I could want in a solid leather day/backpack … I find that vintage coach bags are some of the best around and are built to last – just like roots leather (which was my second option..but I just loved the simple hardware on this one)… and I got it for a very decent price too! I will be back soon with an outfit post that I cant WAIT to show you – it includes the most comfortable and huge American Apparel cardigan ever! I cant wait to wear it with this bag and my Aldo sandidge Acne-inspired wedges - I can just picture grabbing this bag - throwing "my life" into it and then running out the door for a quick caffeine fix on a chilly autumn day - with my huge cardi in tow as well of course

Beaches and Bluffs

2010-09-04T23:50:00.003-04:00

Hey guys! I am back … J and I had a busy but relaxing day … it started with breakfast, a little drive to check out one of J’s projects…a stroll on College street…we stopped at Dragon Lady comics… I used to shop there all the time when I was younger… a mini pit stop for lunch at Burrito Boyz ...fuelling up with some Starbucks….Queen street west… popped into American Apparel for the most awesome long knit jumbo sweater in the world (which I put on hold and then J went back later on at night to purchase and surprise me with … I absolutely LOVED it but could not justify the price – you will be seeing a lot of it very soon :p)… then we literally drove all over the city …. passing by the beaches and bluffs – gorgeous places to be with a hot coffee in hand and some time on your hands … I say it again and again, but I really do love my city! Now onto the clothes … I wanted this shirt since I saw it hanging on the racks at Winners quite some time ago – well last weekend (I think) ..they were having their final clearance sale and I managed to pick up this shirt for $7 marked down from $50 =) …and the hat was $12 by the brand Hurley – olive green is my favourite colour – clothing wise

I also have a review coming up for you guys soon on Sigma makeup brushes as well as an awesome affordable drugstore dupe for my beloved Estee Lauder foundation…

Shirt: Winners, Tights: Old Navy, Hat: Hurley (from Winners), Bracelets: Brooklyn thread and antique watch, Sweater: Wilfred from Aritzia, Shoes: Zara, Bag: Vintage

On a balcony in summer air

2010-08-29T08:39:00.002-04:00

Hey guys!

Its 8 in the morning on Sunday and I am getting revved up to go into work …its been crazy this past week…we have a new system rolling out and early deadlines – not to mention I will be downtown for a course on Monday… so lots to do in little time! Just going to take a moment to enjoy my coffee, eat some multigrain toast with blue cheese and catch up on reading some of my magazines …Yesterday J kind of did his own thing and went rollerblading/swimming… we had our own time apart which is nice sometimes … met up for lunch and spent the rest of the day kind of doing nothing… we had a friends birthday party at night in Woodbridge at a really nice lounge with a live band … it was a really cool place, small but great service and very nicely decorated – I cant remember the name – I wore this outfit because I didn't feel like getting all fancied up … I haven't worn this Wilfred skirt in a while and have been OBSESSED with my Aldo sandidge wedges – they don't have it online for some reason.. I had to buy them in store … I love them so much that I was thinking about getting the leather ones too with the ankle strap … you can check them out HERE – let me know what you guys think! Maybe its a bit much? I mean, I already have these…. I also bought this animal top at H&M a short while ago and never wore it until yesterday… I hated the sleeves and how they were so wide they made me look I had broad football player shoulders.... so I rolled them and then sewed them in place so that they wouldn't keep coming undone ...it looks SO much better – definitely worth the $15 and 5 minutes of my time to sew ;)

Well, I am off to enjoy my breakfast/coffee

xox

Outfit: Skirt: Wilfred, Top: h&m, Shoes: Aldo, Bag: Topshop, Sunnies: Vintage (these are so amazing- vintage designer and purchased for $5 at Value Village – they have such a cool eighties vibe to them and the quality is amazing)

Different shades of Grey

2010-08-27T22:19:00.004-04:00

Hey guys! I just got home from work, out of the shower and dried my hair as quick as I could – actually it was half wet when I took these photos… I do that a lot .. my hair is already pretty straight and low maintenance other than the extreme chemical damage I have put it through (which means I need good hair masques) … I like to throw it back with a scarf when I am feeling lazy but still a little girly – like today – that’s when my thrifted/vintage Hermes scarves come in handy ;)

Oh and for those who recommended the LaVanilla perfumes… you were right on the money! My friend Conrad bought me a couple of the roller balls for my birthday and I absolutely LOVE them (he didnt even know I was contemplating purchasing these … he just knows me THAT well…haha)! I especially love the fact that I can carry it around and have it in my purse when needed.. because no one like to carry around a big ass bottle in their bag :s!

And to anyone thinking about these shoes – they are very comfortable – at least to me and I am very lazy when it comes to shoes- I seem to buy so many heels etc and hardly wear them because either they are not practical ..OR I just dont feel like enduring the sores/blisters the next day – so THESE are a HUGE step up for me… super high but I am not sacrificing my feet for style (which I will occasionally do :p)

Hope you all have an awesome weekend!

Outfit: Blazer: Kenneth Cole, Shirt: Splendid, Tights: Old Navy, Necklace: bought in Portugal (Bershka I think?), Bag: Topshop, Shoes: Aldo, Bracelets: Brooklyn Thread and gifted, Ring: F21 and vintage

Makeup: Nars Sheer Glow foundation (I have a sample and have been testing it out – so far I really like it), Blush: MAC Springsheen, Painterly paint pot all over the lid, MAC Melon pigment on the lid, MAC Blacktrack fluidline, Maybelline The Falsies mascara, LORAC illuminating powder on cheekbones (awesome stuff!), Benefit Bronzer and Hard Candy Lipstick in Fire Alarm (great nude colour and only $6)

Welcome Home!

2010-08-22T18:55:00.001-04:00

-Easy to walk in despite the towering height

- add massive height and length to my small frame

- Affordable alternative to the holy grail that they call Acne …which are also next to impossible to find and hard on the wallet

- One of the few shoes that didn't get a “meh..” or “if you like them that's what matters” from J

Happy Sunday to you guys!!

(and for those wondering – I bought them at Aldo shoes – model is called Sandidge– they're black and made of suede)

Sometimes saying nothing at all really says a lot

2010-08-21T08:44:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! Its morning, I just woke up … getting ready to take a shower and then head off with Anne to our spa appointment that she had booked for my birthday a while back … thought I would share yesterdays outfit with you guys since its been a little while … we went to an outdoor patio yesterday for some fried calamari and wings (my favourite combination EVER!… i absolutely LOVE wings.. and calamari..mmmmm) … I finally decided to bust out by Miriam Haskell necklace which I had bought from one of the antique vendors at Sherway mall when they were doing their annual antique fair (which I believe was their last one – I really hope not …but I am afraid, it might have been) .. the lady was clearing out a lot of stuff and she had this necklace marked down from almost $200 to $25 so of course… I snatched it up! I thought it was SO beautiful, unique and most importantly, very well made … I also wore my new bag for the first time which I picked up at a thrift store … I LOVE it – the size, the chains and the semi-tacky huge Chanel logo plastered on the front… It will be getting a lot of use!

Hope you guys have an amazing weekend and I am off – I seriously need a caffeine fix right about now!

Outfit: Pants: Winners, Shirt: Tahari, Ring: F21, Vest: Thrifted (such an awesome, well made piece), Bag: Vintage Chanel, Necklace: Miriam Haskell (purchased at an antique store – I think its from the 40s or 50s?), Studded Shoes: Zara, Watch: Gift

Nail polish: Wet n Wild’s Night Prowl – this was $1 and I LOVE this colour – it is a very dark purple with a TON of sparkle to it when you hold your nails to the light… I love that its full of sparkle and not elementary looking chunky glitter! Don’t underestimate Wet n Wild like I first did – test it out because you just might surprise yourself – I did!

Hair Products and Happy Weddings

2010-08-16T00:29:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! First off, thank you to all of you who took the time to comment or email me regarding my last post – put a smile on our faces – J and I .. he puts just as much effort and takes just a much pleasure in taking photos as I do in coordinating posts and outfits – it really is a joint effort as I am sure most of you already know! Most of the photos on my blog are taken by J…. as much as I appreciate my readers, I want you (yes, you my love ..also known as J to my readers) to know that I appreciate all the little things you do as well, from trying to pick the perfect spot to take a photo to feeding my caffeine addiction in between … :p

This weekend J and I had an out of town wedding … it was in Strathroy – I don't have many pictures but I did want to show you guys the dress I wore to the reception … it was good times with J and his family, lots of food and I finally got to put this dress to good use which I had purchased from Shop TO Live’s blog sale – at first I thought .. I cant pull this off because the neckline was super low… but I decided to criss cross the dress and loop it around my head to create a more covered up front – and I loved it – felt a lot more comfortable wearing it this way – the back is all open so I liked the fact that I was able to create a more covered up front

Now onto the hair products – I have had a few requests for a hair post and I will warn you – there is nothing spectacular or amazing about the way I style my hair in the morning… in terms of styling ,my hair is very straight to begin with so its pretty simple and generally easy to manage

My favourite hair products:

- Schwarzkopf BC hairtherapy color save Silver Shampoo ( I dye my hair blonde and I use this shampoo twice a week to keep the brassiness at bay – it is my favourite silver shampoo that I believe is decently priced – usually lasts me about 3 or 4 months- it is my saviour and I cannot work without a silver shampoo – however, it is very drying which is why I have to alternate with a different shampoo throughout the week)

- Live Clean Exotic Nectar Argan Oil restorative shampoo (I alternate shampoos and like to try out different brands but I have been gravitating towards this one quite often because I love the scent.. it leaves a silky feel to my hair .. and I love the fact that it is made with certified organic botanicals in an eco-friendly packaging, its vegan and sulphate/paraben free - AND the best part is its accessible and only $5 at Wal Mart)

- Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray – I use this EVERY DAY before I blow dry my hair – I find that I really need to use these sorts of products just because I do colour my hair and it does tend to get dry – it is vitamin enriched – I will also spray it on my dry hair if I ever want to curl my hair – I also love the spray nozzle!

- Garnier Fructis Detangling Double Care nourish and shine leave in treatment – I spray this on my damp hair to help detangle it – I usually buy the one for damaged hair/restorative properties but they were all out at Wal Mart – so I picked this one up which I also like – it makes it so much easier to comb through my hair that is prone to breakage – its about $4 and worth every penny in my opinion!

Rene Furterer Okara restructuring and protective radiance mask – I am not loyal to this specific brand in hair masks but I basically just wanted to let you guys know that it is an important part of my hair routine – I will put a hair mask on maybe once a week – usually while taking a bath because I can just lye back and relax with a magazine while I wait … but what I will do is put the product in my hair, put on a shower cap and just let it sit for about 10 to 20 minutes – I buy cheap shower caps from the dollar store – 10 for $1 ;) … or you can be more environmentally friendly and buy a reusable one (which is what I should probably do)

Hair brushes – My hair brushes are almost always from Winners (this is like a Canadian Marshall’s or TJ Maxx) – I use a paddle brush to comb out my hair after spraying a detangler in it and then the round brush (mine is a T3 which I bought at Winners for $10) to style it – a good brush is really important to me and my round brushes are always made of boar bristles – keeps my hair extra shiny

Professional Hair Dryer – A good hair dryer is a must for me because it will cut down on the time I spend styling as well as give me a salon quality finish (if I put the effort in :p) … its also something I use often so for me, its worth the investment… I have two that I use – one is this pink travel dryer that I purchased recently at Winners – it is surprisingly powerful and heats up super quick – its also amazingly light weight which is why I have been gravitating toward this one as opposed to my larger one. The other I have I picked up at a salon for half price during boxing day after Christmas

Conditioner – I don't have a specific one that I am loving at the moment but I always condition my hair after shampooing it – if I use a hair mask then I wont use conditioner obviously … I like to apply it liberally to the ends of my hair – not so much to the roots because I find it makes my hair really greasy and I don't like to wash my hair EVERY day

Fekkai glossing cream – this stuff is HOLY GRAIL for me – it seems expensive at $33 CDN for 206 ML BUT this does last me just over a year – so although the price may be intimidating – it really does last a LONG time because you only use a tiny amount for each use – now, I have tried to use cheaper alternative, stuff I found at Wal Mart etc … but I always come back to this – it smoothes everything out perfectly and best of all – it doesn't leave my hair feeling greasy which is the biggest problem I had with most of my drugstore alternatives – I always use this after blow drying my hair

How do I style my hair? I will brush it through with a paddle brush, spray in some detangler, keratin spray etc (which I didn't include a picture of – I totally forgot and its one of my staple products - I use the CHI keratin mist – I have been using this stuff for about 4 years) – then blow dry my hair at the roots upside down for a bit – flip it back up and blow dry with my round brush in medium sized sections curling in at the ends – and then I use my all star product after my hair is dried, which is my Fekkai glossing cream – it straightens it out – gets rid of frizzies etc .. that's pretty much it!

Well, its time for me to peace out and get to bed – big day ahead of me at work tomorrow – I will leave you with a picture of the lovely Mary Kate who for me – has got the whole blonde, I just rolled out of bed look down pat – something I wish I could “perfect” ..haha … guess the trick is really just that … rolling out of bed :p

xox

A grain of Salt

2010-08-10T16:05:00.003-04:00

First off, I want to thank all of my readers... those who come here for the right reasons… and in a way those who come here for the wrong reasons … for shooting up hits on my website… I try to find the good in everything… even in those who feel they need to tear others down for no good reason

I don’t blog because I need to; I don’t blog because I have nothing “better” to do… I started this blog as a creative outlet (what you call creative and what I call creative might be different – but nonetheless, its what I like and how I want to express my self here) … I continued this blog because I felt like I could connect with other people who had similar interests (fashion/beauty related/personal living etc..)… I love thrifting/shopping/hunting in general and I like “sharing and showcasing” my finds with you guys!

You guys are constructive, wonderful, kind, opinionated (in a well mannered way) and I love that … I have no respect for those of you who come on my blog, seemingly read it every day (it is clearly reflected in the comments that you leave me that you have been following along for quite some time) … and then tell me that my blog sucks, you hate it etc. If you hate it, so be it.. leave because nobody is forcing you to come here … don’t be so selfish and self centered to think that because you love to hate it ... everyone else should too…and hiding behind a mask of anonymity? Please start doing something constructive with your time …

I have worked a job since I was 15 years old … I don’t need comments telling me that I am a privileged spoiled brat etc … I don’t need to explain my family history to you to justify anything … if I take a vacation its because I have earned it .. It’s because my job allows for it – If I have money, it’s because I have saved for it while working two jobs and getting a university education to help build on the person I am today … and my career? I don’t need to explain what I do for a living … or post my resume! Your perceptions of me are just that – perceptions.

Anyways, I am not taking it personally because those sorts of comments say more about the person who left them than me – but I will say this ..

I am done with feeding the trolls

The moment this stops being fun for me is when I will leave – but right now, there are just too many wonderful readers that are completely worth my time … and I love you guys!

<3

Big trunks little treasures

2010-08-08T21:55:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! This weekend has been pretty busy with going to Taste of the Danforth on Friday (super busy!) .. we ate a lot of food there.. it gets pricey because its $5 here and $3 there …it really begins to add up! They also had a shiatsu booth ($12 for 10 min) that Anne and I both tried out – it was very relaxing.. We loved the experience … Saturday my mama and I went to Sherway Gardens mall for the antique show they were having this weekend… there were so many booths full of wonderful finds from household items, to furniture, to vintage clothes, jewellery and toys… I LOVE antique fairs, markets etc … J and I already had this discussion… our home is definitely going to be a mix of modern and antique pieces.. I find that antique furniture is way more solid and better crafted in general anyways… if its refinished and done right… it can look amazing! I get this fascination from my mom … my love for vintage/antiques was planted at a very young age… haha… I actually picked up a few vintage jewellery pieces that I cant wait to show you .. I am actually wearing a couple today… one of them is a gold chain with a starfish pendant.. and the other is a 40s Swiss watch.. I bought it because it reminded me of my grandfather and the Swiss watch he had worn since he was eighteen until as long as I can remember …

Saturday night involved getting together with friends for another poker night… drinking wine… eating junk food (I am obsessed with chips and salsa..) .. and today it was mostly J and I relaxing, cruising around in his new (well… technically not new..its 1978…) car… it is in mint condition… such a fun ride to cruise around in while listening to 70s tunes … which is what we did :p… surprisingly, it has a HUGE sunroof… oh and of course.. a coffee run before watching Brooklyn’s finest ..which might I add… was an amazing movie! I loved how each person was fuelled by their own motivations… and how they seemed to all connect in a way… J and I both liked it…

I also wanted to show you guys the new jewellery holder I got.. I don't think I have shown you .. its a lot sturdier than the last one I had! J’s aunt surprised me with it for my birthday a short while ago… I find that ever since I have been keeping my jewellery in plain view..I have just been getting a lot more use out of them

Well, I hope you guys had a great weekend… let me know what YOU were up to! It looks like readership is up but it seems like I am getting less and less feedback from you guys… I would love to hear from you =)… and keep sending over emails… I love getting them and always try to respond within a few days!

I am off to read my new Glamour and Marie Claire September issues (Mary Kate is on the cover of MC…love her!).. and drink milk hot chocolate …soak in a bath… and off to bed!

Outfit: Talula shirt (classic fit), Hollister boyfriend shorts, Vintage belt and purse, Chloe shoes, and vintage and Forever 21 rings, Vintage Swiss watch (from Sherway Gardens Antique show)

Makeup: Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation (mixed with face cream to sheer it out), Nars Orgasm blush, Wet n Wild bronzer, Lorac luminizing powder in perfectly lit (they had this for $12 at Sephora marked down from $42 for their weekly special!!), Rimmel Nude delight lipstick (thank you to the reader that recommended this… I LOVE it), Maybelline the falsies mascara, MAC BLacktrack gel eyeliner

Dance Dance like its the Last time

2010-08-04T23:06:00.001-04:00

Hey guys – I just came back from the tailor with J (he is having a suit that we bought over the weekend altered)… its tough finding suits for him because he is pretty thin but very tall … so tailoring is always a must! We have an out of town wedding to go to next coming weekend … I should probably get my butt to the hairdresser …

Lately, I have been super busy with work (which you all know because I say this in almost every post as of late…haha)… this summer seems to be passing quicker than any other for me … its amazing how time seems to vanish so quickly when you are out of school and in the workforce!

Anyways, onto the outfit – Its pretty much all new … the skirt I found at H&M on Queen street last weekend… it was $24 I think? and the material is very nice (not see-thru which is a HUGE plus because that means I don't really need to wear a slip )… I like it with loose tees, crop tops, bra tops etc… The slip I am wearing as a top is from Forever21 and cost me a whole $15! its a size small – which, fits VERY small … just warning you guys! and the rings I LOVE!! I bought four different rings at Forever21 for about $6 each … I am wearing two of them in these pictures… the tiger one is my fave! It has little white and black crystal looking details and I think its amazing how the head and tail wrap around my finger to create this beautiful piece of tiny art… I love it that much! and the other is just a bunch of clustered jewels which is pretty – chunky – but nowhere as beautiful to me as the tiger ring I found! It puts my snake jewel encrusted ring that I paid $40 for last summer to shame in my opinion

and I know… I have so many things on my “To-Do” list .. I have been a bad blogger … I will be posting a contest winner soon (I hope this weekend) … a hair post … and a review on the Sigma brushes I received (giving my pricey MAC brushes a run for their money!)

Well, I am off to do a little work out – I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos for simple at home routines … and a lot of running/speed walking with my girlfriend Stef … its always more fun to do cardio with friends in my opinion! I can’t seem to shake one bad habit though… and that's milk hot chocolate before bed .. I mean right before.. it helps me sleep.. its comforting.. maybe I will try to kick it soon… just not yet :p

Nightie Night!

Outfit: Skirt: H&M, Slip worn as top: F21, Rings: F21, Bracelet: Brooklyn Thread (I'm sad that the gold has already faded on the beads…I left it in the washroom and I swear …its like the steam melted off most of the colour!) Necklace: Vintage, Purse: Gucci

Makeup: Rimmel Stay Matte foundation, NYC translucent powder ($2 – its a steal and work pretty well in my opinion ..doesn't leave a white cast after applying it), MAC Springsheen blush, MAC solar bits (dark brown pigment) over the lids, Maybelline the Falsies mascara, Lancôme black eyeliner, Revlon Soft Nude Lipstick

Just Going to Dance … All Night

2010-08-02T00:52:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! J and I finally found the camera … its been a week since the last post but for some reason, it feels like I have not posted in forever…weird huh? It’s a long weekend here…. civic holiday which means a lazy Sunday and Monday ;) … I met up with a good friend on Saturday and discovered a few new vintage shops near Bloor and Bathurst (there is a little street that has a bunch of small shops… its fun to walk through and browse)… I picked up this vintage top by Rodier Paris and LOVE it … I usually would not pay $25 for a simple cotton vintage shirt but when I saw this..the colour…the condition… I had no problem dropping $25! Its pretty perfect in my opinion… Lately, I have also been stopping by Value Village and have found some of the cutest vintage purses… I found a vintage Fendi one (which I haven't show you guys yet) and this one I am wearing … The shape and the snake skin with leather is absolute perfection! I picked it up for $10 which I think was a steal … it is definitely a piece that will be getting a LOT of love!

Today consisted of waking at at almost noon – which is a rare occurrence (had a late night party that included a little too much wine – we were pretty pooped after that) … breakfast … iced coffees and then we grabbed the Moke to cruise around in for a little bit … its a fun little summer car … part of the Austin mini family – definitely gets a lot of attention.. and kids seem to love it because its so tiny!

lastly, I want to talk about the sandals I am wearing … now, I don't like to discriminate but I have never really been a payless shoes kind of girl… I prefer leather ..vintage… etc … but while in NY .. I had a pair of shoes that were KILLING me and I just wanted a cheap fix… so I wouldn't continue to add to the monstrous blisters that my other shoes had created … I saw these at Payless for $10 ..tried them on… they were comfortable… and I was sold… well… let me tell you…. they have become my FAVOURITE summer shoes… they are dressy yet casual… they are made of a rubber material that does not look cheap AT ALL … it feels like I am wearing nothing on my feet .. they are honestly THAT comfortable… so lesson learned … sometimes you will be pleasantly surprised and some of my most favourite things have been found by “accident” … I even convinced Anne to try on a pair and she fell in love with them as well.. and picked them up in silver =)

Well… I am off to bed … one more day off before its back to work ..and I want to make the most of my day tomorrow!

Outfit: Jean shorts: Thrifted, Belt: Bluenotes, Top,Bag and sunglasses: Vintage, Headband: H&M , Sandals: Payless

It’s like I'm in a Dream and when I wake up your still here with me

2010-07-25T03:41:00.001-04:00

Hey Guys! Its 3am and I just got home from a night out – passed by Value Village with J and bought him some really nice leather dress shoes, a vintage belt and cardigan for me … fuelled up with some iced coffee and then went for sushi in Yorkville and then met up with some friends to watch the movie Inception at the IMAX theatre in the clubbing district downtown – awesome movie but in my opinion, its kind of a waste of money to watch it at IMAX – especially when you factor in the $20 parking flat rate fee! eek! I liked the ending but I wont spoil it for you guys of course :p

I wanted to dress very comfortable so I reached for these new Wilfred sweats (their Free line) that I picked up on sale at Aritzia marked down half price from $110 … a Kenneth Cole blazer that feels like a slinky sweater (which I LOVE – its so easy to dress up and also dress down)..my most comfortable flats and chunky earrings to dress it all up a little more! I honestly really loved this outfit and the fact that it is casual but also slightly dressy at the same time – if I wasn't feeling so lazy, I would have paired this with my studded black Zara heels!

Also, I still have so many posts/reviews etc that I want to do but again, I have been so busy with work etc – when I get home, I either want to just jump into the bath with some bubbles and hot chocolate or catch up on some Zzz’s – I will be catching up this week hopefully …emails too! I know some of you have sent me a few emails so I will be getting back shortly =)

Well, I should probably get to sleep – the papa is leaving the country so we decided to plan an early breakfast before his flight leaves … Hope you are all having a great weekend!

Outfit: Pants: Wilfred, Grey Tank: AA, Black Camisole: Liz Claiborne, Blazer: Kenneth Cole, Shoes: GAP, Bag: Topshop, Earrings: F21

Makeup: Eyes: Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol II (YDK and Half baked in the crease – the colour Jinx under the lower lash line) , Lancome Black eyeliner, Maybelline The Falsies mascara, Lips: Revlon Soft nude with a nude gloss over it, Face: Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation, Nars Orgasm blush and Laguna Bronzer

Back from the Big Apple

2010-07-20T23:27:00.001-04:00

Hey Guys! So I am back from my NY trip… it was a long ride there and back … about 9-10 hours driving (with stopping to eat and border delays) but I must say, going with friends in a roomy van (captain chairs and all ;) and a truckload of movies sure does kill the time! Getting there was half the fun and surprisingly, J’s v8 conversion van was pretty good on gas – we only had to fill up three times and split between six people – it wasn't as costly as we had thought it would be~!

The weekend involved a lot of sightseeing, eating (we ate breakfast at Pax pretty much each morning – it was right beside our hotel – we stayed at The New York Helmsley hotel…2 blocks from Grand Central station on 42nd street (and yes, we got the bus pass- it was so worth it..thanks to those who recommended it).. It was also smack next to a CVS (which was perfect considering we made quite a few pit stops for cheap $6 wine bottles, miniature hagan daaz ice cream buckets..which I had never seen before might I add… and other randoms/snacks) … We ate dinner for Anne’s Birthday at Hell’s Kitchen (which had good food and wine – but quite pricey for the amount you get – the portions were TINY) … cupcakes from Magnolia’s (West Village neighbourhood in Manhattan) ..you might remember them from Sex and the City ;) …picnics in Central Park … weddings at The Plaza … LOTS of Starbucks (I loved the fact that after I made my morning latte purchase – they would stamp my bill so that I could get a $2 frozen drink after 2pm – sweet deal!) … shopping on Fifth Avenue … Tiffany’s, Bergdorf Goodman, and Victoria’s Secret ..passed by Topshop and was very disappointed at the cheap overpriced selection they had.. nothing really caught my eye … I bought a pair of aviators from a street vendor for $10 that I love more than my Burberry’s … and didn't buy much else!

I have a lot more pictures – still waiting on some from my friends so I might post a few more but to be honest, my outfits didn't vary much – It was so hot I pretty much just wore white tees and tanks with jean shorts all weekend … I dressed up a little more at night but don't have too many pictures of that because…well… it sucks to lug around a big camera when you plan on drinking and just having some plain old no worries fun :p

Missed you guys! Xo

Let your Hair down

2010-07-10T00:25:00.003-04:00

Hey guys! Its Friday! Today I can finally say…. TGIF and count down to New York! If any of you have any night clubs/lounges or great restaurants (that don't cost an arm and a leg) I would GREATLY appreciate it if you let me know in the comments …or shoot me a quick email (I love getting emails from you guys!) … J and I will be making our way there with four other friends in a conversion van…. getting there will be half the fun considering we will have a flat screen in the car to watch our favourite movies, captain seats in the back and a small bed =) … so excited!

Ok, so when I got home today I felt super sticky, tired etc so I decided … a nice cool shower before going out would do the trick… I put on some makeup but just left my hair as is… I have been feeling my hair to be over processed and dry lately so what I did was just wash it ( with my blue shampoo – takes out the brassiness in blonde hair- it is HG for me!), towel dried it, sprayed in a leave-in conditioner and I was out the door! I felt great! You can tell from the pictures it looks messier but I quite like it that way ;)

I have also been playing around with false lashes lately … to add a little drama to a neutral eye … I found that I was having trouble previously with the application BUT I have come up with a fool proof way to attach them (for myself) … I line the lash with glue (DUO brand is the only one that works for me) and wait about 30 seconds so it gets tacky… then I just stick them on to my lash line with my fingers after applying black liner, adjust them and then press down so I know they are stuck… haha… then to remove I use baby oil OR even better is the QUO brand eyelash adhesive remover (Canadian brand at Shoppers Drug Mart) and it doesn't tug or rip out my own lashes (if it did, I wouldn't wear the darn things)!

As for makeup, you can see in the first shot what I wore – that included my all time favourite blush of the moment which is MAC springsheen (its like NARS Orgasm but less shimmer and more affordable), MAC melon pigment all over the lid with a little darker brown shadow to define the crease (which I love for summer!), Hoola by Benefit bronzer AND ….. this is huge for me…. I found the perfect eyebrow pencil for $1!!! ONE DOLLAR!! … I have tried SO many different kinds and given up because they always made my eyebrows look too dark, fake, unnatural…. well…this Wet n’ Wild eyebrow pencil in the colour taupe is perfect for those of you with darker eye brows who don't want a dramatic brow. It also feels a little waxy so it keeps the hair in place – I absolutely LOVE it – I wouldn't recommend it if I didn't! Honestly, if you have the same “problem”…try it… its one dollar so not much to lose – and Maybelline’s pink please is a gorgeous colour… one of my favourite drug store lipsticks (Which I know I have mentioned before..)

I will still be working on a hair/routine post for those that are interested- hopefully this weekend – honestly, its not much but I will share my favourite products etc etc with you guys!

Hope you all have a great Friday! I am off to eat figs – I bought a huge box today – one of my favourite fruits when they are in season =)

Outfit: Shirt: American Eagle loose tee (on sale for $8), Urban Behaviour Skirt, Vintage purse, bracelet by BrooklynThread

The Grass is Greener

2010-07-07T23:16:00.001-04:00

Hey Guys! This week has been scorching hot here in Toronto … so minimal clothing has been a must (well, once I am out of the office that is :p)! I picked up this skirt at Urban Planet which I am loving – its very fresh (and short) and didn't break the bank … I really didn't want to invest in an expensive floral skirt because … I am quite sure that a good quality 90s floral will pop up at my local Value Village sometime… and its not something that I would consider a staple to my wardrobe – so…. a cheap fix is good for me!

Speaking of Value Village and thrift items, the purse I am wearing in this picture was bought at a garage sale for $2 – I actually got a handful of vintage purses for $2 each – all leather and in great condition so I was pretty excited about that ;) honestly, garage sales are awesome… if you are bored on a Saturday morning – grab a small backpack and some change,sneakers, and go for a run/walk/jog/bike ride in your neighbourhood… you might encounter some treasures/new “loves” to add to your collection on the way =)

Also, I wanted to say thank you to Joanna from Brooklyn Thread for sending me these beautiful handmade bracelets! I couldn't decide between which I liked better and she ended up sending both which was quite a surprise (along with a beautiful hand written card)! I must say, I am loving these bracelets a lot – I even wore them to work and got compliments on them =) I especially love the black and gold one … I don't think you can tell from the picture but the closure has the cutest little feather accent …such a small touch, but for me, it has a huge impact on appearance and making this piece that much more unique! I also like that they are made of high quality materials like leather cord and glass/stone beads

Lastly, if you check out the last picture… you can see I made a new little friend :p… this was probably one of the friendliest butterflies I have ever encountered!

Hope you are all having a great mid week! I will be back with a hair post very soon =)

Skirt/top: UP, Belt: Bluenotes, Bag: Vintage, Shoes: Stuart Weitzman, bracelets: BrooklynThread, Ring: Vintage gold and pearl (I love this! its my favourite ring)

A Weekend Away

2010-07-04T23:50:00.001-04:00

This weekend involved a lot of eating watermelon at the cottage, late morning coffee, eggs and toast, jet skiing, tubing, firecrackers on the beach, bunk beds, late night projection screen movies (setting one of the up in the backyard with a bowl of popcorn and some friends = the best thing ever! Like your own private drive in movie …. but a lot more comfortable :p)… just got back home and now its time to unpack… it always takes so much more effort to unpack than to pack… oh, and the F21 bikini fared well in the water and on the beach… was comfortable and cute to wear (I love the sparkly navy blue stripes on white)…

I thought I would include a “what's in my beach bag” picture as well… so at the moment, my favourite face cream with spf 30 is Biotherm’s face multiprotection sun cream (its very hydrating), I didn't include the sun block I use on my body in the picture (I always keep my face and body suncreen separate) but its a L'Oreal spf 15 one that is in a spray bottle and dries clear (its super fast drying and waterproof…I always buy waterproof), my Blistex spf 20 lip balm, Johnsons Baby Oil Gel to keep my body moisturized and glowing…its so much easier to put on the gel than the original oil formula ..and it doesn't make you look like you are “drenched” in oil (I also like using this stuff when I come out of the shower to give my skin a baby soft feel) … and the three books I brought with me were “Bringing home the Birkin” which I picked up at Value Village, Scott Barnes “About Face” book (its makeup application tips/tricks/techniques) and the UK edition of Cosmo… its my trashy read of the month… I love it… and I always love the UK editions because they are always bigger and pretty much the same price at 5.95 CDN

Well, I am off to drink my hot chocolate (made with milk) and do a little organizing before work tomorrow… I will be back soon with some reviews, outfit posts, “hair post” etc… so stay tuned ;)

Hope you had an awesome weekend!

Happy Canada Day!

2010-07-01T10:17:00.001-04:00

Hey Guys! Just wanted to start by saying Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian readers! A day off the regular work week is always nice (except for the fact that it falls on a Thursday rather than a Friday to make it a long weekend….oh well!) … I will be spending my day relaxing, drinking coffee, having a nice breakfast with the mama and we will see where the rest of the day takes me =)

I don't know if you can really tell from the second picture, but if you look at my toes…. I am wearing that nail colour by China Glaze called “For Audrey”…. I have gotten so many compliments on the beautiful Tiffany blue colour… I am obsessed with it! I think its perfect for summer, fall…whenever ;) .. the sandals were a birthday gift from my godmother who got me three different types of gladiators for my birthday…. they are all very comfortable (these are by Enzo Angiolini I believe? I hope I spelled it right!)… and the leather bag was a birthday gift from J… he knows I have been obsessed with neutrals lately so he bought me the perfect leather bag for summer! I love that it practically fits my whole life inside it (including my work books which are pretty damn heavy!)

I will be back with some reviews very shortly… I have been requested to do a “Hair Review” by a few readers… let me know if this is something that interests you!

I hope you all have a beautiful Thursday – xox

Outfit: Jeans- Thrifted, Tee- Garage Clothing, Bag: Gift from J, Scarf- Winners, Shoes: Enzo Angiolini (gift), Hat- Talulah

A Drop in a Waterfall

2010-06-27T21:11:00.002-04:00

Last night J and I met up with a bunch of friends for my belated birthday party – this was the dress I picked out at h&m and have fallen in love with it! For $35 I think it is such a versatile piece…I can wear it with jeans as a long top, on its own as a short dress, with leggings for a more casual look…. and I love the neutral colour as well as the ruffles which give me a little more shape! As I have state before, I have been really into neutrals and more “traditionally feminine” pieces lately… but I am sure that wont last too long considering I like to change my mind at the drop of a dime :p …

I got up early as I had to pop into the office today to do some work, J picked me up and then we made our way to the mall for some cheap fast food and to look at some Ray Bans for J (He has been dying for gold framed aviators with green lenses)… grabbed coffees of course … and then went to the bakery to pick up some bread and cold cuts to make sandwiches for tonight (we usually eat light for dinner Sunday nights)… its simple and fuss free!

I am sure many of you have heard, but there are crazy riots and protests going on here in Toronto for G20 so J and I have been trying to stay away from the downtown core … and I wont even begin to delve into my opinion of the matter here on my blog… so I will leave it at that!

I hope you all had a great weekend! If you live in Toronto, I would love to know how you spent your “G20” weekend :p

Outfit: Dress and lace tights: H&M, Vest: thrifted, Bag: Topshop, Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

Makeup: Rimmel Stay Matte foundation (I don't know how I feel about this yet), MAC Springsheen blush, Maybelline The Falsies mascara, MAC gaga lipstick, Lancome black eyeliner, Clinique eye shadow in the colour Foxy (all over the lid- this is the perfect colour for a very neutral taupe eye)

Minted

2010-06-27T15:15:00.001-04:00

I love everything about this picture! I couldn't wait to share it with you guys… I cant even remember where I found it (google?) … The bracelet, the soft colours (I have been really into neutrals and delicate pieces lately), her peach coloured lips (I have a similar colour by Dior that I love) and her nail colour…. remind you of anything familiar? haha …. aka… the Revlon Minted Nail polish? Love that colour (its just a little hard to find because I think it was limited edition… its the one circled in the second picture)! And if I could have an eyelash transplant… I would want this gorgeous girl to be my donor…wow!

I will be back with an outfit post guys! Hopefully in a few hours

xox

Hope you are having a wonderfully lazy Sunday :p

Big Pipes, Thin Stripes

2010-06-24T17:11:00.002-04:00

Hey Dudes! I am back with an outfit post – finally! I have been so caught up with other things BUT I finally found some time to actually get my hair done and of course, shoot what I am wearing… It went lighter than expected but I LOVE IT and will probably go for this same look the next time I book my appointment =) … I have been wearing a lot of shorts with loose tees and tanks because the weather has been so humid here as of late…. we also experienced an earthquake yesterday (while I was getting my hair done – it was a little scary) and were on a tornado watch for all of Southern Ontario (very unusual) … the rain last night pretty much kept me up – I couldn't sleep…. that and probably the fact that I had one too many iced coffees- the iced coffees from Tim Horton's taste SO much better made with milk – less of a creamy/fatty taste in my opinion and definitely a lot lighter!

oh and this is random BUT, you know how I am picky with deodorants?! well maybe you don't, but now you do :p…. well recently I have been using Lush’s deodorant powder which is nice, but not too great when the weather starts to get REALLY hot and muggy … I found one at the Body Shop called DeoDry which has no aluminum salts etc .. and 24 hour protection (so they claim) … so far so good and this week they are half off at $4 which is great for me! I hope they have it for men as well because now J wants one :p

Well, I hope you guys are having a great end of the week… its almost Friday! Portugal plays in the world cup tournaments tomorrow so we will be making it a “date”to watch a taped copy later on…even though by then we will already know who won! Well, you all know who I am rooting for now ;)

Outfit: Shirt: Mango (they were having a sale and I scored this linen top for $25 marked down half price – its semi sheer and very light – Love it!), Shorts: Hollister, Boots: Zara, Bag: Topshop (Ps did you hear they ship to Canada now?!), Hat: Talulah, jewelry: Vintage and gifted

Makeup: Estee Lauder Double wear foundation, MAC springsheen blush, MAC blacktrack fluidline eyeliner, Maybelline The Falsies mascara, Revlon colorburst lipstick in the colour Crimson (the perfect red for me- I actually got rid of all my others after trying this one!)

Nail Polish: China Glaze "For Audrey" (this is the third nail polish pictured in the post below)

Some of my Favourites

2010-06-23T09:40:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! I had a few requests to do a “nails” post as well as an updated foundation routine so here goes! I will begin by saying that I do not have the prettiest nails … actually they are quite the opposite in my opinion because I bite them so much… the cuticles too… I know, gross right?! well, one way I find that helps to “kick the bad habit” is by having my nails manicured… they look too pretty to mess up and it just tastes bad! I also don't like the idea of forking out cash for something so simple that I could do myself.. and have fun doing too (maybe while watching a movie, with girlfriends etc..)!

I always use a base and topcoat and hate having to carry around two separate bottles so I love the Sally Hansen Diamond shine base and topcoat – it hardens your nails as well as gives them a glossy finish when used as a topcoat – I need this especially after destroying my nails a while ago with fake glue on nails – don't think I will be doing that again any time soon!

My favourite are (left to right in no particular order): Wet n Wild’s Tickled Pink (I am including this in my giveaway below – my favourite baby pink ever…and its very affordable at $1.50), China Glaze’s For Audrey (this is a Tiffany blue colour – exactly….go grab one of their bags/boxes and you can see for yourself! I love this colour and the quality of these nails polishes are the best so far in my opinion), Revlon’s minted (This was a limited ed colour I think so it might be tough to find however, I think OPI has a similar colour – its a gorgeous mint green), Essie’s Pink Parka (This is a fluorescent pink that I like to wear in the summer at times- it is VERY bright and the quality of the polish is right up there with China Glaze), Wet n Wild’s Sparkled is also amazing! It is the only glitter nail polish I have ever really liked.. most of the sparkle polishes I try have huge chunks of glitter which look sparse when put on your nails… you know that clear nail polish with a few random sparkles look?! I don't like it…. but THIS… now this polish looks like my fingers are dripping in diamonds with a few coats and I LOVE it!

So there you have it – my favourite nail polishes! Maxi (my little Yorkie) seems to love them too – haha!

Ok and now onto my foundation routine ….

You all know that I love to test out new products and it is very rarely that I will stick with one (although I have done a post in the past on the products that have “stuck with me” and I cant live without) ….NOW, I think this Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation might be making its way up there! It is extremely pricey at $47 with tax in Canadian dollars (I bought it with a gift card, otherwise I might have never tried it) … I had heard SO many amazing reviews and wanted to test it myself … I have only been using it for about a week every day but so far, I find it to be the most amazing foundation with medium coverage that I have EVER tried – second best affordable bet would probably be my Revlon Colorstay. I have pretty good skin so I just need a tiny little amount, I dot it on my face and then blend it out with a foundation sponge (my faves are the ones by QUO – A Canadian brand sold at Shoppers Drug Mart), sometimes I will also blend with my ecotools brush as seen above. If you have oily skin, this foundation apparently is supposed to help control this (I don't have oily skin so I cannot testify to that) …I actually have very dry skin which is why I included a picture of my moisturizer – you must moisturize VERY well before putting this on otherwise it will accentuate the dry spots and guaranteed it wont look pretty! I will do another update in maybe a month or two but so far- its love- the only thing I don't love, is the price (then again, I really don't need much so this should last me about a year) however, I will just pick it up when I run out at duty-free – they sell it for $38! For reference, I am about NC30 in MAC makeup and in Estee Lauder, the colour Tawny suits me well.

I will be back soon with an outfit post! I got a bunch of cute new things for my birthday as well as a few thrifted items that I cant wait to show you =)

My Next Move

2010-06-14T22:30:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! So I am home after a long bus ride and a pass by the liquor store to buy some wine… I swear I meet the most “interesting” people on the public transit… its like they gravitate towards me… who knows… first, was a time when this lady dressed in white sheets and a large headdress started pointing and yelling at me on the bus saying that I was in her words “the devil” …. needless to say I moved away from her….and she got kicked off the bus… and well today…here I am minding my own business when this lady sits next to me… I kindly move my bags so she can get to the seat next to me… well… she took a look at me and the first words out of her mouth were… you know I am a psychic… and I smiled so as not to invite more conversation just because …well I was tired… plain and simple … then she continued to say that her powers were from the Lord and that she had a message for me… but I was not ready to hear this message… anyways, that only lasted about 4 bus stops… I hope she does well for herself…to put a more positive spin on it… she was definitely passionate about what she was talking about….and that's one thing I can admire!

ok so the outfit…. let me tell you how EXCITED I was to find this cropped vintage leather jacket at Value Village!!! It was a STEAL at $10 and my little heart raced as I spotted it among a bunch of oversized fringe leathers and suede… This will be replacing my old biker jacket which was cute but a tad too small… I also like that it is less complicated and just easier to wear in general … paired with some basics like a grey tee and mama’s old white skirt from the 90s… perfection in my opinion ;) … took me 5 minutes to get dressed! I wore this to go pick up my parents with J at the airport…. they're back from their tropical vacation… lucky ducks!! My mom brought me back some really cute handmade summer jewellery too… that was sweet of her..

Lastly, I also picked up the priciest foundation EVER (or at least that I have ever bought) which was Estee Lauders Double Wear foundation since I had a gift card for Sears ..I have heard amazing things …. also, my Revlon Photoready was getting a little sparkly for summer (bc I also like to use shimmer bronzer/blush in the summer) .. I will let you guys know what I think of this and how it compares to my MAC and Revlon ones (Like Colorstay) if you are interested!

Outfit: Vintage leather jacket, skirt from mama’s closet (the early 90s… I still remember her wearing this as a child!), American Apparel tee, thrifted purse, JC sandals

Makeup: Face: Revlon photoready foundation, NYC cream stick blush in Plaza pink (super affordable and works great!) Eyes: Wet n Wild color icon palette in Vanity (if you have not checked these out – DO IT!! They're $6 CDN at Wal Mart and better than or equal to my most of my MAC shadows), UD black eyeliner that has been smudged out and Maybelline’s The Falsies mascara Lips: Revlon colorburst lipstick in Soft Nude (perfect for me – doesn't give you the “concealer lips” look – at least not on me)

Soft Nudes

2010-06-12T17:53:00.002-04:00

Hey guys!! I know its been a while, its just that I have been quite preoccupied with other things this past week and have not really had much time to sleep let alone upload much… Finally today… I get to take a moment to relax … started off the morning by taking my little brother out for breakfast, fuelled up with some coffee…haha and then brought him back home to study for exams… he is in high school and has been studying hard for business, English and a wonderful art painting that he has been working on for his final for art class … he is truly talented and I am so proud of him… ok enough gushing about the little man on my blog! After dropping him off, I got dressed in a more “decent” looking attire (I will admit, I like to just roll out of bed in sweats and a tee…maybe some flip flops when I go for coffee/breakfast in the morning) … and made my way over to Rexall… they are having 50% off all the lip products (at least here in Toronto, Canada they are) and I took this opportunity to pick up some of the new Revlon Colorburst lippies that just got released in Canada. .. I literally picked these up for $5.25 each! I am wearing the colour soft rose which is the first lipstick in the last picture… and love it because its something different from the usually nudes and baby pinks I tend to reach for… I also bought the peach lippie (middle) which is perfect for summer AND lastly, I picked up soft nude (probably the hardest one to find because its so popular) and LOVE LOVE LOVE this nude… I love the quality, I love that it is creamy, hydrates my lips and doesn't emphasize cracks etc … I love the colour – I just cant rave enough … these will be getting a lot of use! If you have not checked these out… do it!

on to what i am wearing now…. after passing by Rexall I figured I have not been to Value Village in ages so why not take a little drive and check it out…. I am glad I did because I found the most perfect vintage leather hobo bag…I have been looking for a similar one for a while… and scored this for $6! I love the long strap and the fact that I can practically fit my house in that bag (and not worry about it ripping etc) …the shape, the quality- its superb! I also found this vintage Hermes scarf a long time ago thrifting and just never wear it… I am a little scared of ruining it etc…but I figured, why the hell have something so beautiful to just stare at! Wear what you have regardless of price, regardless of anything – if you love it…wear it! So that's what I did…. I used the little Goody spin pins that I talked about in my last post to tie my hair to the side in a messy ponytail… and then wrapped the scarf to look like a headband and let the ends loose… made me feel extra chic ;) J loved the look as well….bonus! A white loose shirt, some chains (which are actually another set of $5 Aldo boot straps that I decided to turn into a necklace)…and the “pants” or jeggings or whatever you want to call them …are great… they have the durability of jeans (well, they're thicker than tights… guess that's what I mean) and the tight look of leggings..these have cute back pockets are are low waisted…. I got them at Winners on sale for $40 and have been wearing them a lot… they are not appropriate for work obviously, but I wish they were… just because they are SO comfortable … makes me want to “live” in them and just keep switching up the tops…haha

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Outfit: Pants: Noblita, Shirt: H&M, chains: Aldo, Belt and Bag: Vintage, Scarf: Vintage Hermes, Shoes: Aldo

Makeup: Eyes: MAC painterly paint pot as a base, Maybelline Eyestudio quad in Irresistibly Ivy (great copper and browns in this one!.. one of my favourite quads), Maybelline The Falsies mascara Face: MAC blush in On a Mission (plum colour) Lips: Revlon Colorburst lipstick in Soft Rose

A Few little Randoms

2010-06-08T23:25:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! This is a really random post which also includes….food!… J and I have been trying to cook a lot healthier and cut back on the fried greasy foods and takeout… yesterday we had some bbq (steaks, grilled peppers, salad and potatoes) in the backyard and I loved the way the potatoes came out so …. I thought I would share! Basically, you just peel and cut the potatoes into halves..boil the potatoes (but not until they are too soft that they start to become mushy- you want them to be a little hard), and then wrap each of the halves in tin foil with a little bit of olive oil and rosemary (gives it a really nice taste) and throw them on the bbq to get a little brown…. they taste amazing and its SO crazy simple!

I also recently picked up another Lolita Lempicka perfume at Winners (50 ml for $30!) … it is the original that comes in a purple bottle… I absolutely LOVE these perfumes… Honestly, my top perfumes are Princess by Vera Wang, Lolita Lempicka (all of them), and Nina by Nina Ricci – do you see the trend? Yes I love notes of Vanilla and very girly scents… There is just one more I need to pick up which I know they have at Winners for $24.99 and it comes in a weird bottle with sea shells… It will be my next birthday “treat”…. which is coming up very soon! Also picked up the Rene Furterer Okara Restructuring and Protective mask (I have heard great things about this line) for a really great price….I seriously love Winners! Lastly, Sephora was having a sale on their eyelash curlers (the pink curler for breast cancer) and it was $12 down from $22 … This is a step that I rarely pay attention to in the morning…and considering I am big on black eyelashes and mascara …I am surprised it has taken me this long to invest in a decent curler :p…. well here goes! Lets see how much of a difference this extra little step makes ..

Oh and cat wait to try the studded boot straps in the last picture!! $5 at Aldo down from $30 … you all know how much I love chains and studs..and how much I have been neglecting them recently… maybe this will kick me back into motion

Hope you are all having a wonderful start to you weeks! xox

Welcome to the Family

2010-06-06T22:38:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Today was a pretty relaxed day… did a little grocery shopping…Played with J’s new kitty …such a cutie! Did some yoga and jumped rope in the morning after trekking my way to Tim Horton's for a coffee (I don’t know why, but I wasn't in the mood for home brewed coffee)… made a light lunch of bean salad with tuna and peppers with corn on the cob… I also passed by Wal Mart to pick up a few things and came across these Goody Spin pins which I thought was a neat idea… it helps you to create the look of a chic messy bun in about 5 seconds! The two little cork screw like pins replaces having to use a bunch of bobby pins …which for me always end up falling out and is just not convenient..too time consuming…I love these little things!! It cost me about $6 at Wal Mart and it comes in different colours for brown, black and blonde hair. My bun stayed in place ALL day which was a great feat for me and my thin/straight hair…

Again, it was a beautiful day and I am still obsessed with wearing neutrals in this hot weather… I think I am desperate need of a switch up very soon! haha…. maybe bring back some studs and spikes…hmmm…

Outfit: Shorts: Hollister, Shirt: UB, Belt: Vintage, Bag: Vintage Chanel, Shoes: Chloe, Jewellry: Vintage gold and gifted

Makeup: Face: Revlon Age Defying light makeup, MAC On a Mission blush Eyes: MAC paint pot in Painterly, Wet n Wild palette in Vanity (these color icon palettes are GOLD!!), MAC blacktrack gel liner Lips: MAC snob lipstick

Hair: Goody Spin Pin to create the bun (from Wal Mart) and Flower clip from H&M

Another Sunny Day

2010-06-05T14:22:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! I have been super busy with a lot of different things…. yesterday J and I took my parents and brother out for dinner at Mistura restaurant on Davenport for my parents 25th anniversary dinner … It is one of my favourite restaurants for special occasions (the boar meet pasta is my FAVE) but if you are on a budget it is NOT the place to go…I will admit that we forked out a pretty penny and really didn't eat all that much BUT it was a special occasion and my mother loved it… my father …well he is the restaurant connoisseur…haha … if I ever need tips on where to eat…what to do …. I ask the papa… if you do ever choose to check it out…I would recommend making reservations because it is always full!

I was supposed to do a garage sale today but then cancelled it because the weather forecast kept calling for rain….well…its a gorgeous day… and they were wrong… supposed to rain later on but as of now…I am enjoying the hot and sunny weather … this is the time of year when I trade up my coffees for iced coffees ;)

ok now onto some makeup stuff that I have been both loving and well….not loving so much …

Love: Lancôme flash bronzer (it broke me out the first time I used it…but I don't know, looks like my skin loves it now… I don't break out and it gives me the most gorgeous natural looking colour….and doesn't streak)

MAC melon pigment and MAC Impassioned solar bits– bought MAC melon pigment in NY at Cosmetics Company Outlet for $13 and its the perfect all over lid colour for summer – it is a golden peach colour…the Impassioned solar bits by MAC is a dark bronze colour (good for the crease area and not too harsh) and it was limited edition from MAC but if you live in the US you can probably find this at your local Cosmetics Company Outlet (with we had these in Canada!)

Ecotools bronzer brush – If you guys are on a budget …or even if you are not….this brush is amazing! I like it for powders and also bronzer or to just blend out colours after applying them (like blush…so it doesn't look streaky etc…) …it was $10 CDN at Wal Mart and worth more than double that in my opinion! It is better that some of my MAC brushes…high end brushes…so that saying that says…you pay for what you get? well in this case, if you were to judge this brush by its price …you would assume cheap right? well check it out if you are in the market…its great quality/value for the price you pay!

LUSH Coconut deodorant powder- I have been iffy about using deodorants lately because of the ingredients etc…and to be honest, I don't really sweat much etc..SO this powder has become one of my faves…some might not like the coconut scent (like my mother) but I love it… it does the job however, if you tend to sweat a lot…this doesn't really help that … its a deodorant powder , not an antiperspirant.. I will continue to see how it fares as the weather continues to heat up but so far ..so good!

Maybelline Pink Please lipstick and Eye shadow Duo in Mocha mirage – I have been tending to reach for these almost everyday ….they're inexpensive products that perform well in my opinion.. the lippie goes with most eye looks that I do… and the duo is just convenient when I don't have the time (or space) to put a quad into my bag and do my makeup on the go….

Revlon Age defying light makeup – spf 30 – I have not tried this yet so I am not even going to attempt to review it (obviously) BUT I did score this on sale for $5 at wal mart and thought it would be perfect for summer (high spf and light coverage so you don't feel cakey) …if any of you have tried this…let me know!!

OK now onto the not-loving so much products… I have been using this Maybelline XXL pro curl mascara for a couple weeks now and have decided that I really don't like it… for one, the brush is so awkward to apply the mascara because the handle is so short that I feel like it doesn't grab all my lashes …I have to put a lot of extra time into getting the desired effect that I want … I think they need to make the wand a lot longer so that it makes it easier to apply …and the primer…well I feel like it doesn't really do anything for me … at least this specific one doesn't..I loved many of the other products from the eyestudio line…just not this one

Also, I would greatly appreciate it if you have the time (its 2 minutes literally) to fill out THIS SURVEY because for every completed survey Matchstick receives, they will make a $2 donation to The Redwood, a family support shelter that offers assistant to those less fortunate (http://www.theredwood.com/). I usually dont put these sorts of links up however, I thought this was important because its for a great cause!

Lastly, I wanted to compare the two nail colours that I have …I previously LOVED OPI’s Got a Date to-Knight (pink) however, after having tried and raved about my Wet N Wild Tickled pink colour I have decided that I love the cheaper WnW version a thousand times more! I use a base and topcoat and the colour lasts me almost a week…and the pink is the most perfect baby pink that I have ever tried in a nail polish (thus far) … again, I want to stress my point that you don't always pay for what you get ..this thing cost me about a dollar and I love it so much more than my $10 OPI version

wow that was long…. Hope you are all having a great weekend! I will be living in shorts …. ;)

Outfit: Shorts: Hollister Boyfriend shorts (on sale for $20), Shirt: F21, Belt: Vintage, Hat: Talulah, Bag: Thrifted, Shoes: Gap

Its about that time

2010-05-30T21:38:00.002-04:00

I just recently rediscovered this vintage belt in my closet as I have been going through everything and organizing my closet once again… I love that it can be adjusted to fit most waist sizes and the fact that the leather is buttery soft! To me, there is nothing better than a piece that withstands the test of time because it is a quality/well made product…. yes, its true that there is a lot of vintage “crap” out there but if you have the patience to dig through it all…. I would much rather have a quality vintage piece, than a poorly made “new” item…

I know I wore this skirt a lot last summer and I decided since it was so hot out, yet I still felt like dressing up a little… it would be the perfect option…plus, I have so many skirts that I hope will be getting a lot more love now that the weather is really heating up here! It is a super tight skirt…. so much so that when my grandmother saw me…her exact words were… “ you kids can wear what you like in today's day..back in my day, they would throw rocks at me if I stepped out of the house in something like that”…

and I know you guys are totally getting sick of this hat…but what can I say….when I love something….I really LOVE it… this hat so far has been one of my best wardrobe investments of the summer….its stylish and functional because it keeps me cool AND keeps the sun off my face (well….depending on the “tilt” factor and how I position it of course :p….haha)

Well I hope you all had a great weekend… I went motorcycle riding with J, ate tons of homemade Ice Cream, relaxed at the park, my girl Carina’s birthday party, having fun with friends, BBQs and lots of ice caps and Starbucks! ….Hope you all enjoyed yours!! xox

Outfit: Skirt: Wilfred, Tank: Thrifted, Belt and Bag: Vintage, Necklace: from Portland (I miss Portland!), Shoes: The Gap (I bought these suede flats on sale for $13 last summer!! and they are super comfortable – like walking on little cushions), Nail Polish: Revlon Minted

This is what we do on a lazy day …

2010-05-29T11:50:00.003-04:00

Go to the park, lay down a crazy animal printed blanket and a pillow … pack our cooler with some fruit, sandwiches and water …and sleep…and make funny faces while we TRY to rest/relax..and tell stories…and eat yummy frozen ice cream from the rip off ice cream vendors pedalling the streets… and yes, we wear matching hats…J’s is a lot manlier of course …. haha…you cant tell as its propped ever so weirdly on his head in that picture :p

Its been super hot – I'm going to enjoy the weather…finally! and go out to buy some sun block… I know its horrible, but I have only gotten into wearing sun block every day just recently…got to fight off those premature signs of aging ;)

Love each moment

2010-05-27T22:20:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! I just came back from doing some last minute running around after work for a birthday gift for one of my best friends (needed to pick up one little extra thing!) … J came and picked me up and we just finished having dinner a couple hours ago …the weather here in Toronto has been sweltering hot! Too bad its not part of the dress code to wear these sorts of tops to work (I have to cover up with a cardigan or a blazer because its a business casual environment) … I have been so obsessed with pastels and neutral colours lately (from my clothes to my makeup) and just recently found this top…I had been eyeing it previously as this store called Costa Blanca but didn't feel like paying $35 plus taxes …I just found it for half off which is more within my “budget” ;) ….sweet deal…and its so light/loose but still sexy in an understated way I think..I LOVE the back to this top… I don't really buy many blue pieces ..its probably one of my least favourite colours…but for some reason..this one just drew me in!

Well, I am off to organize my room (while drinking my white pomegranate tea.. just bought a box from Tim Horton's… mmmm) because once again, it has begun to look disastrous …I am also still in the midst of “purging””my closet… fun stuff

Outfit: Top: Costa Blanca, Pants: Marciano, Shoes: Browns ID (Chanel replica’s …still love these…they went on sale from $200 to $20!), Bag: Cole Haan, Necklace: Birks (gift from J)

Makeup: MAC Melon pigment (been loving this as an all over the lid colour), MAC Blacktrack liner, MAC blush in “On a Mission” (limited edition from Style Warriors collection), NYX lipstick in India (gorgeous peach colour- but make sure you exfoliate your lips or it will look horrible and flakey :s)

Like Pearls Strung Together

2010-05-20T21:52:00.002-04:00

Hey guys! Today was a gorgeous day here in Toronto… finally, some weather where I don't have to venture out in a coat…I don't understand the weather here….we go from 13 to 28 to raining…

I have been loving the idea of wearing all nudes lately! I think it is such a feminine look but still a little edgy with the chunky studded belt and gladiator wedges (I have had these for YEARS and they still get a ton of wear) and of course, obsessed with this hat as you can tell from all of my recent posts

I think this skirt will be getting a lot of use this summer, the material is very light, and it can be worn in so many different situations… definitely one of my best thrifted skirts! J especially loved this look… =)

I know this is a little redundant but… cant wait for this weekend… J and I will be going away to celebrate our 8 year anniversary so hopefully we will have some great shots to share with you all!

AND I finally picked up the perfect Yoga mat for $16 from Winners..still researching the basic poses so I dont go in clueless...YouTube mostly and some books..it really is tougher than it looks!

Outfit: Skirt and Top: thrifted, Clutch and belt: Vintage, Necklace: Pull and Bear, Hat: Talulah, Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

Makeup: Exactly what I outlined in my YouTube video in the post below =) The MAC Springsheen blush makes all the difference!

YouTube video attempt – Makeup Tutorial

2010-05-18T19:58:00.003-04:00

Here is attempt number five – I figured without voice it would be harder to screw up AND this time my video doesn't look like I’m hopped out on speed! However, I will admit that it took me FOREVER to upload which is probably why I do not do too many of these videos

Let me know what you guys would like to see and I’ll see if I can make it happen in my next one… tutorials (drugstore? high end? mixed?)? questions and answers? favourites video? Leave me some suggestions in the comments section because I would love to hear them!

If you are interested, you can subscribe to my channel on YouTube by following the link and clicking here

I know the quality of the actual video is a little grainy and poor- that's because I have a crappy web camera but I am hopefully going to be getting a good recorder soon!

Products used:

Face: Revlon Photo Ready Foundation, MAC Springsheen blush, Benefit Hoola bronzer, Boots no 7 concealer Eyes: MAC Painterly paint pot, MAC satin taupe, Club and Blanc Type eye shadow Lips: Carmex and MAC Blankety lipstick (nude colour)

Hope you guys are having a great start to your week!

You got me falling uncontrollably in Love

2010-05-16T18:27:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! Today is officially 1 year that J and I have been engaged…so here’s to us baby… my best friend, my soul mate, the best part of my day and my future husband… I love you! Next week will be our 8 year anniversary (23rd) so we will be going away for that weekend…I cant wait =) Even better that its a long weekend…

today was a pretty relaxed day…J and I went to go look at a house in the morning… had some breakfast and went for a little drive…passed by an amazing little bakery for some Italian bread made with vegetables and olives…so good! Practically a meal in itself… some bbq with J’s family and then we stopped off at Starbucks for happy hour half priced frappacino’s =) It was a pretty relaxing day… we also took a little nap in between…must be all the sun! Makes you sleepy..that and eating a ton of food …

I picked up this little romper at H&M for $12…I love that they have a whole new section for low priced items… they had so many great items for under $15… I really like this piece because it is very fresh and breezy and I love the nautical stripes. I love the fact that I can just wake up, throw it on and be on my way

Hope you are all having a wonderful end to your week!

Song of the day: McLean – My name (I have been listening to this non stop! Love this song)

Clothes: Romper: H&M , Hat: Talulah, Bag: B Makowsky, Shoes: Stuart Weitzman

Makeup: FACE: Revlon Photoready foundation, MAC Springsheen blush EYES: MAC Satin Taupe all over lid, MAC Club in the crease and Blanc Type to highlight, Rimmel mascara and MAC chromagraphic pencil on the waterline LIPS: MAC blankety lipstick

A little Makeup Haul for you all

2010-05-15T02:12:00.004-04:00

Hey Guys! If you dont like reading makeup related posts then skip this one... I will be back with an outfit post shortly... now on to the makeup :p...

Today I got the chance to go to the L'Oreal sale here in Toronto near York University (it is held twice a year I believe)… They have a ton of great products at discounted prices so I usually stock up on my favourite items for the year… such as the bronzers which usually cost over $30 … I pick them up at the sale for $3-$7!

Ok so I am going to start with the first picture which is what I picked up at the sale (minus the MAC lippie which I had to include… I always found that Myth by MAC made me look like a corpse…dead white concealer lips…and this nude which is called Blankety is the perfect solution! It is a slightly pinky/beige nude colour and works well with my pigmented lips I think) .. First off, I was so surprised to see that they had effacernes concealer which is one of my FAVE concealers …I love both the consistency and the coverage …and the fact that it doesn't crease under my eye area etc…this was $13 as opposed to the usual $30 that I pay (well paid once because this stuff honestly lasts FOREVER!..a little really does go a long way) …Biotherm sun block for summer and anti wrinkle eye cream (it came as a package for $25 so I figured I would test it out since I was also in the market for a new one…my Olay eye cream is running a tad low and this was practically the same price BUT came with free sun block!)… I also picked up the Lancôme flash bronzer which is my second favourite next to St Moriz tanning mousse…it was only $7!! I always stock up on the face/body bronzer at these events because its so dirt cheap…cheaper than Wal Mart! I also wanted a pointier crease brush and found it at the sale for $14…it is very soft….we will see how it fares out when I use it tomorrow morning …Lastly, I picked up L'Oreal colour riche in 339 which is a very light pink..a little too sheer for me so I like to wear it over other colours…like MACs Blankety lipstick… it gives it a glossier finish …and this was $4 =)

Now onto the last two pictures ….

I really cannot “WOW” enough at Wet N Wild’s newly revamped line (Color Icon)…I don't know WHAT they have done to their products but they have DEFINATELY reformulated them in some way because I am now obsesses with this super cheap and affordable brand..I want to stress that these were all purchased with my own money …Wet n Wild is not compensating me for this ..I will always let you know when I am sent a product!

After having tested many different palettes from Maybelline to Urban Decay to MAC I have come to the conclusion that the palettes above just KICK ASS in terms of quality for the money you pay. These palettes have so many MAC dupes in them its ridiculous – for example, the colour that I have in my own palette by MAC called sketch (purple colour) is the same as the colour on the first row, bottom right corner by Wet n Wild EXCEPT this whole palette cost me $5 versus my MAC single shadow that cost me $17…see where I am headed with this. You really don't have to sacrifice quality for a bargain price in this situation and if I had known about these sooner…trust me, I would have saved a lot of money! Top right eye shadow in the first palette is almost exactly the same as my MAC Blanc Type which you guys know I LOVE… I do slightly prefer the MAC because I find it a little “creamier” but it is really not that much of a difference to justify the price…the point is…if you love eye shadow you should really try them for yourself …I have been using the first palette for work almost every day …and I love the idea of using these to travel…if I lose or break one on the plane…its $5 down the hole which isn't as painful…almost forgot…they come with three matte shades and three shimmer shades which is genius…more drugstore companies need to do this!

Lastly, I also discovered their Wild Shine polishes for $1 which come in a wide variety of colours…my absolute favourite is the pink shade called Ticked Pink...it is a really bright bubble gum pink which you cannot really tell from the picture ( I have been trying to find a back up for and it has been sold out in every Wal Mart :s ) and the super glittery pink shade called Sparkled… I use a base and topcoat and this has lasted me a full week with no chips! Mixing these two colour together creates a crazy combination… it literally looks like wet diamonds on my finger tips…J seemed to love it because he never notices my nail polish ..or at least cares enough to comment…but he seemed to like this! haha…

Well I am off to bed…I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow…we are looking at some houses in the area and then going to a party with a bunch of friends…got to get some beauty sleep

XOX!!!

A Casual Affair

2010-05-12T21:10:00.001-04:00

Hey guys! So I am here with a very simple outfit post…. the sort of thing I might wear after a long day of work to go to the mall to pick something up, grab a coffee whatever… you get the point! I honestly don't dress like I am attending a fashion show, going to a dinner, etc everyday of my life! That’s just the reality…I don't know if you guys like these casual posts but I just thought I would throw one in! I have not really been in a “dressing up” mood lately but still do care to look presentable if you know what I mean… I have been really into flared jeans and am having a hard time putting on my skinnies sans boots (never thought I would write those words!)

Its been a long day …that's all I have to say… J and some friends and I are booking our next New York trip for July! So excited for that… there are so many things to look forward to this summer…I cant wait! Also, in two weeks J and I will be celebrating our 8 year anniversary and 1 year anniversary of being engaged :) I am planning this one so hopefully he loves it!

I will be back soon with a post of some of my favourite new products from a drugstore brand that I have just recently discovered!

Outfit: Jeans: Guido and Mary (thrifted), Shirt: Urban Outfitters, Hoodie: H&M, Jacket: Esprit, Shoes: Gap, Purse: Topshop, Scarf: Who knows! But J says that the material reminds of of a potato sac…haha , Hair Clip: H&M

The Perfect Pair

2010-05-11T22:22:00.004-04:00

This is a little “random” midweek post …. I was just excited to share with you guys…I know its not very “fashionable” but sometimes function does trump fashion BUT if you can manage to combine the two in a way that fits you…even better! I was having a really hard time finding a good quality running shoe that appealed to me on some level (call it attraction …whatever…the point is…I need to like it to wear it .. but I also didn't want to just settle for any shoe just because it was aesthetically appealing…comfortable, functional AND pretty – is that too much to ask for?!)… J loves the brands Saucony, Mizuno and Asics so I decided to make a trip down to SportChek (Canadian Sporting store) and find myself a good pair that suited me… I originally wanted a pair of blue New Balance runners but when I saw these marked down from $160 to $90 AND with great arch support and very light weight…I had to try them on …plus they were my favourite colour..green! The pair I picked up are the Saucony Progrid Triumph 6’s… They will be perfect for all the running and skipping I plan on doing this summer :) I am really trying to be more healthy in terms of what I eat and exercise …not because I am trying to lose weight or anything (that would be ridiculous) but just to be more toned, fit and just plain healthier overall!

I also wanted to share the new adjustable makeup mirror that I picked up at Winners for $15! I love the vintage vibe ..perfect for my dresser and a great size … I plan on re-finishing an antique vanity table that I picked up with my mama on Queen street a while back … hopefully this summer after I have my yard sale and clean out the garage!

I will be back soon with an outfit post :)

Hope you are all having a great start to your week!

Happy Mothers Day!

2010-05-09T11:16:00.004-04:00

Happy Mothers Day to all the mama’s out there =)

Happy Mothers Day to my mama…

Mom, you are the greatest woman in my life and one of the most kind hearted, selfless and beautiful people I have ever met (I am not just saying that because you are my mother). You put love into everything that you do and inspire me to want to be a better person…some people choose to dwell on the negative things in their life …feel sorry for themselves… you are NOT one of those people … you have such a positive outlook on life and have always been so giving to those around you. You are literally the “glue” of the family and I know that I am so lucky to be able to call you my mother…I will do so proudly! … we can choose our friends, we can choose the circle that we want to associate with … we cannot choose our birthmother and I know I am so lucky to have been blessed with you in my life! God gave me the greatest gift which was you

If you are reading this….I love you today, tomorrow and forever