This & That Fridays – February 26

How is this the last Friday in February already?  Unlike January, this month just flew by, probably because it didn’t feel like February at all.  It was 16 degrees (celcius) here yesterday!

So update on Essie’s Starry Starry Night, I HATE the formula.  It’s goopy and thick and painful to apply.  And it chipped after 2 days of wear.  Huge fail and disappointment.

I want these shoes in every colour.

I have a drugstore haul coming up and I’ve been trying out the products I purchased, including this Hard Candy liquid eyeliner and WOW…I’m impressed.  Has potential to be my new favourite.

Have you seen Tarte’s new Rainforest of the Sea cosmetics line?  So many pretty new products.  Really intrigued by the Water Foundation and the limited-edition eyeshadow palette.

It’s Oscar weekend – do you usually watch?  I honestly find the Oscars the most boring out of all the award shows, and I just watch it for the red carpet.  Looking forward to seeing all the dresses!

Lastly this dog is fashion goals.  #amazing

Have a great weekend!

This & That Fridays – January 29

Happy Friday!  I hope you’re having a good start to your weekend.  I had the day off today which was nice – I did some shopping and continued my quest for the perfect dress pants for work.  Why can’t anyone make straight legged, petite dress pants in colours other than black?  Oh and you know, ones that actually fit a regular person and don’t have like a Mom jean rise or have legs so skinny that I can’t stuff my calves into them.  Grrr!

I purchased this brush holder from HomeSense last weekend and I’m so happy with it.  It fits ALL of my brushes (note: I wouldn’t say I have an extensive collection by any means but a reasonable one) and I still have tonnes of room left to fill it up.  It honestly bothers me that they put a bottle of perfume in one of the compartments in the picture on Amazon though… NO.  Just no.

Did you see the story about the sloth who was clinging for his life to a guardrail on a freeway in Equador.  The thing is adorable…but those claws.  I feel like it could snuggle up to me and rip my face off in one fail swoop.  Glad he’s okay though!

An interesting read on the prospective Top 2016 Beauty Trends…not sure I can get behind rainbow eyebrows.

For all my fellow introverts – especially #23!  #worstnightmare

I received an email from Express this week advertising their new bodysuits.  Again, NO.  Then I was in a Calvin Klein store yesterday and they had the shirts where there was a cutout in the shoulders (apparently the official name is “cold shoulder shirts” – like this)  I feel like I’ve been transported back to the 90′s and I’m back in junior high.  Ugh.  I feel like this is a sign of getting old, when you start complaining about fashion trends from years past that are making a comeback and you’re against them. #cringing

And that’s all I have for this week…wishing you a great weekend!

This & That Fridays – January 15

Happy Friday!  I hope you had a great week.  Mine was….long.  I was off sick last week and the week before that I was off/working from home so this was the first full week I’ve worked in a little under a month.  On top of that, I’m still not feeling great – this flu/virus/whatever it is, really likes me and doesn’t want to leave.  It’s starting to get really frustrating so I’m hoping that by next week I’m back to normal.

Have you seen OPI‘s new Hello Kitty collection?  I’m not a Hello Kitty fan myself but I will be hunting these down!  I definitely want Look at My Bow, Spoken from the Heart, and Charmmy & Sugar and Small + Cute = ❤.  Lots of pinks and surprisingly I don’t own many pink polishes.  These is the perfect Valentine’s Day collection!

Did you heard about the EOS lip balm controversy?  Someone filed a class action lawsuit against the company claiming their lip balms caused such bad irritation around her lips that she required medical attention.  Normally I’d roll my eyes when I see something like this because it just comes across as a cash grab.  But I’ve actually had a similar (albeit lesser) reaction to their lip balms.  However I just stopped using them and it went away….not sure why this wasn’t an option here.  And if I were to sue a company every time I had an allergic reaction to one of their products – let’s just say I’d be pretty rich.  Or in debt up to my ears in legal fees.

I’ve recently discovered my new favourite design tool for my blog – Canva!  I’m using it to design a new header, because I used PicMonkey to design my current one and it’s always been blurry, no matter if I size it to the proper specifications or not.  There’s so much you can do with Canva that is completely free – and you can pay for the extras as you go (if you want them).  I still really like PicMonkey for photo editing but I’m excited to see what I can do with Canva!

Who was your best dressed at the Golden Globes?  I’ll be honest, I rarely watch the actual award shows and lately, not even the Red Carpet Shows (I find the questions so stupid, pointless and awkward) so I keep an eye on sites like People and US to see what everyone is wearing.  I think my favourite overall was Amy Adams.

I made the Fox & She’s Get Better Chicken Noodle Soup recipe last weekend and it was really good.  I made a few modifications: I added 3 cloves of garlic, omitted the onion (I thought I had one in the house and I didn’t) and topped it with freshly shaved Parmesan Reggiano.  Oh I and I just used up a rotisserie chicken that we had for dinner the night before (which worked really well!).  I’m kind of soup-ed out for the time being, but next up I’d like to try making an Italian Wedding Soup.

Alright well after a wild and crazy Friday night, I’m headed to bed early and I couldn’t be more excited about it.  Have a great weekend!

This & That Fridays – November 27

Happy Black Friday all!  I hope those in the US enjoyed Thanksgiving with your famillies and friends and those in Canada enjoyed a regular Thursday.  And today I hope you’re successful in fighting the masses at the Black Friday sales!

I bought these Lucky Brand boots a few weeks ago and I looooovve them!  I ended up exchanging the Marc Fisher ones I bought a month ago as they just weren’t me.  These ones though – I wear them with everything and anything.

This is seriously the best salsa ever.  I discovered it a few years ago at a local craft fair and I ordered a case of it.  I can literally eat an entire jar in one sitting.

Need some budget-friendly and homemade gift ideas?  This list of 30 days of edible gifts has some seriously delicious inspiration, such as chocolate-covered bacon (yes please!).

I’ve discovered my new favourite, go-to t-shirt!  Lightweight, soft and a relaxed fit while still figure-flattering.  And currently 50% off!  Thank you Gap!

Do you follow The Small Things Blog?  I discovered her years ago and I’ve been a loyal follower ever since.  I really like this recent hair tutorial she did. She always makes them look so easy but I might actually give this one a try for those rare days when I skip my contacts.

I wish you a wonderful weekend!

This & That Fridays – November 6

This e-card literally made me LOL.  It’s true though, right?

Have you seen Oprah’s Favorite Things for 2015?  As usual it includes some truly ridiculous things like a $425 purse to house your tablet and cords, a $650 Suitcase, and $200 sweatpants.  But also some neat things like a Smartphone printer, keepsake books, birthstone stacking rings, and a Butter London Lacquer Wardrobe!   Also this pasta maker is quite possibly the coolest thing ever!  And I’m pretty sure my dog really wants this antler beanie from American Beagle Outfitters (haha!)….well maybe not.

I’m going through a bit of career crisis right now.  I’m unhappy with many aspects of my job which in turn, is making me question my choice of career.  I’m trying to decide what it is that I truly want to do which is not easy when you thought you already had that decided!  I’m currently reading this book, which was a gift from a friend.  I’m about 1/4 of the way through and I’ve already learned a few things about myself including that I am a Procrastinating Perfectionist! #revelations

I’ve been totally obsessed with watching Bob Ross episodes on YouTube.  If you don’t know who Bob Ross is, you’re missing out!  I used to watch re-runs on PBS when I was younger and I still love them today.  I’ve been watching these before bed and they totally relax me and help me fall asleep.  He makes me want to try painting!

Work Christmas Party = New Dress!  I received my invitation to our work function this week which automatically gets me thinking about shopping for atire.  I could just wear one of the dozen dresses I have in my closet that I’ve only worn once, but what fun is that?  Le Chateau is usually my go-to for cocktail dresses – I like this one, this one and this one.

Watch this video!  Because baby elephants!

Are you hitting up the Sephora VIB Rouge sale this weekend?  I am.  Please pray for my bank account balance.

I’ve got a Costco roast burning a hole in my freezer that I’m going to make Sunday.  I’m not big on including root veggies in with the roast, but this recipe throws them in the blender once the roast is cooked and adds the mixture to the gravy.  Intrguing!  Might have to give this a whirl!

I picked up this London Fog coat last weekend and I’m so happy with my purchase!  My trench coat is a little thin to be wearing now that the temperatures are dipping below zero.  This is just the right amount of warm, it’s got a hood and it’s the perfect length.

And I think that’s it for this week. Thanks for reading and have a fantabulous weekend!

This & That Fridays – October 30

Well here we are again, another week complete!  Hopefully yours was a good one!

So tomorrow is Halloween!  Do you hand out candy?  I do and it’s one of the things I look forward to all year.  We only get around 20-30 kids but I love seeing all the costumes.  Plus I dress my dog up and she loves hearing the doorbell ring and greeting the kids at the door.  Anyway if you’re looking for some last minute costume ideas, this Real Simple article has some clever (and groan-worthy) options for you.

Are you a fan of the Hunger Games?  The trailer for Mockingjay: Part 2, which is the final installment in the series, is out.  I don’t go and see many movies in the theaters but this is going to be one of them.  So stoked!

I got a new iPhone last weekend and now I’m on the search for a case.  I want something cute, yet functional and not too chunky.  I kind of like the looks of this clear glittery one and I REALLY like this Ted Baker folio version.  This gold floral lace option is intriguing too!

I have a bunch of chocolate chips in my pantry that I need to use before they expire so I might whip up a batch of these.  Two words: Peanut butter.  Chocolate.   Thank you Pioneer Woman!  (My waist line does not thank you).

So we’ve had some chilly, very Fall-like, almost Wintery weather here this week which was a bit of a shock for me.  And I’ve realized it is now officially back to being tight and nylon season.  I wear a lot of skirts and dresses to work and as much as I hate wearing them, they are necessity.  What are your favorites?  Hue makes my favorite tights but nylons are a different story.  Just this week for instance – I brought a brand new pair, had them on for all of 2 hours and managed to rip a hole in the knee.  I PAID $15 FOR THEM!  Yes I know that’s my own fault but they were really good ones.  But obviously not that good if I ruined them 2 hours in. Anyway I’ve learned my lesson, I’m not doing that again.  Joe Fresh makes some decent ones for not a bad price so I might have to stop in there this weekend.  But if you have a good nylon recommendation help a girl out and share please!

Lastly, after reading fellow blogger Stash Matters’ post on Essie’s Cashmere Matte nail polish collection, I fell in love with the shade Coat Couture.  Despite her less than glowing review on the formula, I decided I needed this in my life. I gave myself a manicure Sunday night and let me just say, this is going straight into the garbage!  My nails were chipping like crazy by Monday afternoon, and not just small chips – it was literally coming off in large strips!  I removed and re-applied some of the nails with bigger chips on Monday night and by Tuesday afternoon it was the same thing.  So disappointing as this is such a beautiful and unique colour.  No patience for this one!

And that’s it for this week!  Have a wonderful weekend and a spooktacular Halloween!

Thanks for reading!

This & That Fridays – October 23

 

It’s finally Friday.  Thank goodness.  I feel like this was the longest week ever and it was just so busy.  I was supposed to put 3 posts up this week but I only got to 2 but I’m not going to beat myself up about it, because it’s better than last weeks 1!  #smallwins

So, I’m going to start off this post with food.  Specifically ice cream.  I had this Presidents Choice Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream last weekend and I was in heaven.    If you’re not totally sick of pumpkin flavoured things yet, I recommend you immediately make your way to a Superstore or Loblaws or whatever and get some.  Quite possibly the best ice cream I’ve ever eaten.   It has graham cracker pieces in it people!

The minute this poodle sweater from RW & Co. goes on sale (and it will go on sale!), it will be mine!  I picture it going great with these distressed jeans I picked up there last weekend.

Have you heard of Benefit’s Brow Genie?  You upload a photo and it custom maps your eyebrows to show you the best shape for your face.  Cool idea, but I have no idea if it actually works.  Might have to give it a try this weekend because brows are not my area of expertise by any means.

I wanted to try Milani’s Baked Brush in Luminoso but the only place that I know of that sells it here (Superstore) was sold out.  I ended up with Bella Rosa and holy cow is this a pigmented blush!  Like all’s I need do is tap the tip of a fluffy brush in it every so slightly and I can do one whole cheek with it, sometimes both!  This is a really intense berry pink and I own nothing like it so I’m kind of glad Luminoso was sold out now!  Delizioso Pink and and Dolce Pink are my list to try next.

I’m hoping to catch up on some Halloween programming this weekend; here’s a list of what ABC has on tap.  Frankenweenie and Sleepy Hallow are my favorites.  What are yours?

Wishing you a fantastic weekend!

This & That Fridays

Ok….I know it’s Saturday morning and I’m just posting this but ugh I did not have a good week at all!  It was just one of those weeks that no matter what I did, nothing went right.  I was also extremely busy at work and every time I got 3 things done, another 5 requests come in. Plus I found people really SNARKY this week.  So, I’m just really glad its over and I’m hoping next week will be better!

I bought these Marc Fisher boots @ Winners this week and I’m trying to decide if I like them.  They go against everything I’ve ever bought in the past – chunky sole, low heel, mid-calf.  I could see myself wearing them with leggings and jeans but I’m not sure anything else so I’m not sure they are worth keeping. They seem pretty comfortable though. #decisionsdecisions

I liked this PopSugar article that gives some good tips about using your Beauty Blender properly.  Confession: I bought my first real Beauty Blender earlier this year and it’s still going strong.  Until it rips or tears I have no plans on replacing it.  So far I’m definitely finding it worth the investment!

I think one of the best things ever is when a good restaurant opens close to your home.  There’s a Cactus Club Cafe opening within a 10 minute drive of my house and I cannot wait for them to open.  They make a fantastic Bellini and Short Rib Sandwich.  Also don’t get me started on their Peanut Butter Crunch Bar for dessert.  So good!

This feels like kind of a weird thing to share on here but I have to do it because it’s pretty much one of the best kitchen tools ever!  I cooked a turkey last week for Thanksgiving and I used this Silicone Poultry Lacer to tie up my turkey.  I’m not sure I can go back to making a turkey without one of these things!  So much easier than using string or pins and once the turkey is cooked, you just pop it in the dishwasher to clean and it’s ready to use next time.  I got mine last year @ Homesense for five or six bucks I believe but I would pay full price for it!

Have a great weekend and thanks for reading!

Blogger Recognition Award / Liebster Award!

I was recently nominated for a couple awards by my fellow bloggers and I thought I’d combine the two into one post.  I was nominated by Stash Matters for the Blogger Recognition Award, and I was also nominated by Lipstick on the Lake for the Liebster Award.  So first off, thank you to both for nominating me!  Secondly, if you aren’t subscribed to either of them, I’d recommend you do so pronto!  Both are blogs I read regularly and really enjoy!

Blogger Recognition Award Rules

1. Write a post explaining why you started blogging along with a few tips.
2. Nominate some of your fellow bloggers.
3. Comment on their blogs to let them know you’ve nominated them

I started blogging earlier this year because I was needing an outlet for creativity and I had an urge to re-discover my love of writing.  When I was younger, I used to write all the time and I thought that I would actually end up doing it as my career, or at least part of my career.  As I got older, writing fell off my radar and I ended up in a job that doesn’t require me to do much of it at all.  I do enjoy my job (most days) but there’s not a lot of room for me to be creative in it.

I actually considered starting a blog a while ago but the whole concept of it seemed a little scary.  There were a few blogs that I read on a regular basis and they seemed so professional and polished and I didn’t even know where to begin. Then back in March, after feeling particularly unmotivated by my job, I decided to take the plunge.  Initially I wanted to blog about EVERYTHING but after doing a bit of reading I discovered it was probably better to scale that back a bit and focus on one or two topics, at least to start.  I’ve always loved makeup and trying new products and reviewing them, so I figured why not start a blog in relation to those 2 things and see where it took me.  And the rest is history!  I’ve learned so much in the last 7 months, including how much work running a blog really is! I wish I had more time to focus on it but balancing my everyday life with blogging has been more challenging than I could have imagined.  But nothing good ever comes easy right?

In terms of tips, I found this a little hard because I’m still trying to figure this whole blogging thing out myself.  I do know that being consistent is important though – and it’s something I’ve been struggling with the last few months.  Not because I don’t want to post, but because writing up posts, editing them, taking pictures, editing those, re-taking them when I realize they look like crap, etc. all takes a ton of time.  I’ve found that scheduling designated blogging time in my week really helps me with staying consistent, and I try really hard to stick to that time actually being blogging time, no matter what is going on.  Otherwise, it just doesn’t happen.

A second tip I have to pass along is what I found, and still find to be a great resource on WordPress – Blogging University!  I never actually registered for the courses, but I used the Ebooks extensively during the first month or two of blogging.  Subjects include Writing, Photography, Growing Your Traffic, etc. and they are completely free to download!   They are super helpful and I still refer back to them as they are an invaluable resource.  I’m thinking of actually registering for some of their courses next month because this is all still fairly new to me and I still have a lot to learn!

Lastly, I find that good spelling and grammar are so important when blogging and are imperative to a giving your blog a professional feel.   And even though I’m a bit of a stickler for it, I just recently made a spelling error in the title of one of my posts.  I cringed and fixed it, but I didn’t notice it until a few days after I had posted it so the damage had already been done.  So after you proofread and publish your posts, it’s probably a good idea to do a quick review once it’s actually live.  And I’ll be taking my own advice on this too.

And now, on to the Liebster Award!

Liebster Award Rules:

1. Once nominated, make a post thanking and linking the person who nominated you.
2. Include the LIEBSTER AWARD sticker in your post too.
3. Nominate 10 other bloggers who you think are worthy of this award.
4. Let them know that they have been nominated by commenting on 1 of their posts. You can nominate the person who nominated you.
5. Answer the 10 questions asked to you by the person who nominated you and make ten questions of your own for your nominees.
6. Lastly, copy these rules in the post.

Lipstick on the Lake’s Questions:

1. Black or brown eyeliner? Most always, black!  I love black liquid eyeliner but every so often I’ll pull out my Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Roach (grossest name ever) or Smog to make my blue eyes pop.
2. Favourite food? If I had to pick just one, it would definitely be pizza.  There’s so many varieties, I rarely get sick of eating it.
3. Favourite makeup purchase this year?  Yikes, this is a hard one.  I’d have to say my Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation.  One of my favorite You Tubers is Leighannsays, and she is always referring to this as one of her top foundations.  I gave it a try a few months ago and I love it too!  It lasts almost all day, the color is a perfect match and it makes my skin look flawless.  Plus it’s from the drugstore so its more than reasonably priced!
4. Coffee or tea?  Honestly, neither.  Coffee and caffeinated tea do weird things to me – drinking them gives me the shakes and makes my stomach queasy.  So when I need a warm drink I reach for hot chocolate!
5. Favourite TV show that is no longer on the air?  The first thing that came to my mind when I read this question was Felicity.  Does anyone remember this show?  It was with Keri Russell who I love and it was soooo good!  I was always rooting for Noel and I hated it when she chopped her hair off.
6. Warm or cool tones?  Almost always cool.  I have cool-toned skin!
7. What CD can you listen to over and over, and never get tired of?  This is also a hard one because I will listen to songs/albums over and over again until I’m sick of them and never want to hear them again.  But I do love Ed Sheeran’s album X and haven’t gotten sick of it yet (and I’ve been listening to it for a while!)
8. If you won a $100 gift card for Sephora, what would you buy with it?  I saw the a video advertising this Tarte Holiday Set this morning on Sephora’s Youtube Channel and I want it!  So I’d get that for sure.  I’d then pick up this Living Proof Full Shampoo because its awesome but I have a hard time justifying $30 for a bottle of shampoo.
9. Favourite Holiday?  Halloween by far!  I love decorating my house – inside and outside, and on Halloween night I dress up my dog and we hand out candy to the 20 kids we get.  She loves meeting all the kids and I love seeing all the costumes!
10. Best trip you have ever taken?  My husband and I love to travel so we’ve actually had lots of memorable trips.  The one that sticks out the most in my mind would have to a 3 week trip we took to Europe a year and a half ago to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary.  We visited London, Paris, Venice, Rome & Monte Carlo and we had a blast.  I had never been to Europe before so it was so cool things I had only ever saw in pictures, in real life.

Here are my questions:

1. Favourite tv show?
2. What’s your must-have hair product?
3. Where is the best meal you’ve ever eaten and what was it?
4. If you could spend a day with one celebrity (dead or alive), who would it be and why?
5. Mac or PC?
6. What websites do you visit frequently?
7. What’s the last book you read?
8. What’s your favourite store to shop for clothes at?
9. Who’s your favourite YouTuber or Blogger?
10. Most expensive beauty product you own?

Nominees:

It’s Jordan Leigh

fivezero

Lipstick on the Lake (For the Blogger Recognition Award)

stash.matters (For the Liebster Award)

Chic and Polished

The Beautified Blogger

Beauty, East Coast Style

Curly.Spring.Blossom

Lauren’s Lip Glossary

Makeup and Nonsense

I’m kind of cheating and only nominating 10 bloggers but I’d also like to extend the nomination out to anyone else who’d like to do this tag.  They’re both fun to do!  If you’ve recently been nominated for either of these awards and done up your post, please disregard my nomination.  Or if you’re just not into awards, no offense taken!

Thanks again for the nominations and I love forward to reading your posts!

This & That Sunday – Thanksgiving Edition!

I’m doing something a little different this week – instead of my This & That Friday post, I decided to bump it to Sunday because here in Canada, it’s our Thanksgiving weekend!  In the spirit of the holiday, I’ve themed my post around the things that I am thankful for.  First up, the important things:

• Family.  I’m really looking forward to sharing turkey and gravy, pumpkin pie and good wine with them and just spending time with them period.  I feel very grateful to have a wonderful husband, supportive parents, and devoted furball in my life.
• Good friends.  A co-worker of mine who has also became one of my closest friends is moving back to her hometown this weekend and I’m so sad to see her go.  Heading back to work Tuesday is going to be tough without her there but I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to not only work with her but to have gained a lifelong friendship.
• The basics.  A roof over my head, food to eat and a job that makes those both possible.  My heart always hurts for those without these – circumstances can change so quickly and you never know when you might end up in a similar situation. It’s so important to be grateful for all that we have.
• My blog and my readers!  I’m so glad I decided to start blogging – I’ve learned so many things and as much work as it is, I feel such a sense of accomplishment when I’ve completed a post!  And thank you to all my readers – thanks for following me, reading my posts, liking them and commenting on them!  It really brightens my day to know when someone enjoys or likes what I’ve written!  🙂

Now, on to the superficial stuff:

I’m thankful for having a new series to binge-watch on weekends!  D and I started watching Boardwalk Empire about a month ago and we got through a bunch of episodes last weekend and we’re both hooked.  It’s an HBO show so expect no shortage of violence, crude language and nudity but we’re hooked.  Steve Buscemi is fantastic in this!

I picked up these leggings at Costco about a month ago and I finally tried them out last week.  I paid $12.99 for a pack of 2 and I’m loving them – they’re fleece lined so they’re going to be nice and warm for winter dog walks.  But that also makes them super comfy for lounging around the house in.  So far, no pilling either.  Note: These run slightly big, I’d normally be a medium in any other legging but I’m a small in these.  So I’m thankful for Costco and their awesome deals!

Have I mentioned that Halloween is fast approaching?  It’s only my favorite holiday of the entire year.  And I’m one of those crazy people who dresses my dog up in a costume.  She goes to doggy daycare once a week and they actually throw a Halloween party for all the dogs and have a costume contest. #dontjudge  Last year she was a cowgirl and she won first prize!  I’m trying to figure out how to top last years costume…Party City has some absolutely hilarious options, including Dorothy, Bettlejuice, or a T-Rex.  She’d never let me put any of those on her but just looking at them makes me giggle!  So thankful for ridiculous doggy Halloween costumes!

If you’re wanting something different for your Thanksgiving dessert or just a dessert in general, may I recommend this Blueberry Crumble recipe?  I made this multiple times throughout the summer and it was delish!  Crumble recipes scream fall to me and although blueberry season is pretty much over, I was still able to find fresh ones at my grocery store last week.  Very thankful for homemade desserts!

And that’s it for this week.  For all of my Canadian readers, have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!  I hope you get to enjoy time with family and friends and eat lots of yummy food!  And to everyone else, just have a great weekend in general!

Thanks for reading!