This & That Fridays – March 11

Ugh it’s been a week! TGIF!

Has anyone tried the IT Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream?  I’m thinking of giving it a try and it seems that people either absolutely love it out right hate it.  So torn.

Have you seen the sneak peaks of the new Too Faced Sweet Peach palette?  I want it for the packaging and peach scent alone.

Oh Marc Jacobs, you always suck me in with your beautifully designed purses.  At first I wasn’t sure about the canvas cross-body strap but I think I like it – it’s something a little different.  That colour is just amazing too.

I think we’re going to BBQ this weekend, the weather here has been unbelievable.  I saw Crocuses blooming yesterday!!! CROCUSES!! In March.  If I seem unreasonably excited about that it’s because flowers don’t usually bloom here until May.

I’m super annoyed because I thought the next Sephora VIB Sale was in March, turns out its not til April. I have so many things I want to buy but I don’t want to pay full price for them because I’m cheap.  Guess I’m sucking it up til April #firstworldproblems

DYK that Fossil offers personalized embossing on a selection of their leather goods?  What a cool gift idea!

Looking for a recipe for Homemade Cadbury Cream Eggs?  Here you go! (seems like too much work for me, I’ll just buy one from the store, eat half of it, and throw the other half away when it I realize I’ve forgotten how unbelievably sweet they are).

Have a great weekend!

This & That Fridays – March 4

Happy first Friday in March!  Can you believe we’re almost 1/4 of the way through 2016?  Unreal!

So much good information for us bloggers in this post by Jillian Harris – love her blog!

What are you up to this weekend?  One thing we’ll be doing is binge watching the newest season of House of Cards on Netflix.  It’s a great series!

Did you have any favourite Oscar gowns this year?  Mine was Naomi Watts by a landslide.  I wouldn’t have been able to stop staring at my dress if I were her.  So gorgeous.

Have you seen Foreo’s newest innovation?  It’s called the Iris Illuminating Eye Massager and it’s meant to rid your eyes of signs of aging and fatigue.  Interesting concept…I’d definitely want to see some proof of the longer term benefits before I’d consider it.

I’m contemplating hopping on the FitBit train this weekend.  I feel like people either love or hate them – thoughts?  I really like the look of the Alta but who knows how long it will take until it’s available in Canada.  My concern is that I’ve heard bad things about their wrist bands – maybe I should consider other brands too?  Totally should have done a What Should I Buy post on this!

I can’t handle how cute this is! #hipsterdog

Have a great weekend!

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- February 19

Happy, happy Friday!

I need to give Winners some love on my here because I stopped in on my lunch hour today and picked up Essie’s Starry Starry Night for $5.99!  You read that right – $5.99!!!  So excited, can’t wait to try it out!

I strolled through Hudson’s Bay on my walk back and I was mesmerized by this beautiful bottle of Missoni perfume.  I have no idea if it smells any good at all, I just want it for the bottle.

Buzzfeed is usually good for a laugh once and a while and this article cracked me up.  I can’t decide who wins – Mindy Kailing, January Jones, or Joe Maganiello?  #awkardness

February has been unseasonably warm here – which gets me thinking about Spring…and then Spring clothes…and things like this skirt, this top, and these shoes.  I wear colour all year round but when Spring comes I just want to ditch black and gray.

I need this so I can watch Youtube videos in the bathtub without worrying about dropping my in the tub!  Brilliant!

Update – I made Pioneer Woman’s Beef Stroganoff last weekend and it was just meh.  I added extra spices to it and it still had no flavor.  Boo.  Wouldn’t recommend it.

Have a fantastic weekend!

This & That Fridays – February 12

It’s Friday again and it’s a long weekend here (and I think for most of Canada too, correct me if I’m wrong) and there’s nothing better than a long weekend!  Aside from dinner tonight, we have nothing big planned which is fine with me!  I plan on getting caught up on my blogging, doing some cleaning and organizing and maybe some cooking/baking.  What are you getting up to over the weekend?

Wouldn’t it be great if Kanye West just dropped off the face of the earth?  I don’t think there’s anyone in the world that’s more arrogant, self-absorbed, and obnoxious than he is.  I was going to say I don’t know how Kim stands him but let’s be honest, she’s not far off.  My apologies if you are a fan of either.  #sorrynotsorry

I think I’ve decided against the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani blush palette.  But I’ve heard really good things about this Too Faced one.  It’s cheaper too!

This Beef Stroganoff recipe looks divine!

These are weird and crazy expensive, but I also kind of want one done of Maggie.  We are having work done on our house right now and as a result she’s been spending the weekdays at my parents place.  I miss her like crazy, the house feels so empty without her around.  I’m not sure why I feel that having a two hundred dollar stuffed version of her would help with that.

Sam Edelman makes my absolute favorites flats and when I saw these Iridescent ones, I almost died.  So pretty. They’ll be mine soon.  Waiting for a sale.

That’s all I have for this week.  Have a great weekend!

This & That Fridays – February 5

Yay it’s the weekend!  And it’s Superbowl weekend which = FOOD!  I’m trying to decide what I should make for Superbowl – there’s always so many options.  I definitely want a dip – (have I ever confessed my love affair with dips?  If I could just eat dips for the rest of my life I’d be VERY happy.  Probably very large too but whatever).   I might try a queso dip out this year – this one claims it’s the World’s Best so with claims like that, how could I not give it a go?  Plus it only has two ingredients although I can NEVER find Rotel here in Canada.  #canadianproblems

Did you see the Heinz Superbowl commercial – omg!  WEINER DOGS!  The ears!  The little legs!  So cute!

I’m in love with this swingy trench coat from Anthropologie.  I want it!

I need some organization inspiration.  I’m trying to figure out how to keep our bills/receipts/mail/other miscellaneous paper things clean and neat so we’re not stuffing them in our junk drawer to the point where you can’t get the drawer open because it’s so stuffed.  AND what do you do with your charging cords for phones/Ipads, etc.?  We have them on a little bar area across from our kitchen but I hate how cluttered it looks.  I’m going to be scouring Pinterest & Houzz this weekend for ideas.

Have you seen the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Blush Palette?  I’m really tempted to get it because it looks so pretty – but do I actually need a blush palette?  For $60?  I wish they sold them individually.  I’m so torn about Firebird as well – the colour looks glorious but I suck at applying intense lip colours (discovered that today – got to work with my fuchsia lipstick all over my face!)

I signed Maggie up for a 3 month subscription to FURKID by Paws & Play box and we should be getting our first box by the end of the month.  I went with this subscription service because I liked how they allowed me to customize the box based on the size of my dog, her chewing tendencies, gender and her treat preferences.  Also its a Canadian company so no dealing with pesky exchange rates!  Maggie (aka me) is eagerly anticipating receiving her first one and I think I’m going to do a post on it so stay tuned!

Have a great weekend!  GO DENVER! 🙂

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 22

Finally, another week done!  I swear, January is the worst month of the year.  It’s cold, dreary and you’re broke from Christmas.  The good thing is there’s only one more week left in the month and then we’re on to February!

I had the WORST experience @ Sephora last weekend…and I’m holding a bit of a grudge.  It related to me returning the Foreo Toothbrush my husband bought me for Christmas.  When he bought it for me they had to pull a barcode off of their website because there was nothing on the box…and they used the barcode for a blue toothbrush instead of the purple one he bought me.  Fast forward to me trying to return it – there’s no barcode on the box AND the item on the receipt is a different colour than what I’m returning.  So I could understand why this looks suspicious.  However, the girl at the register made me feel like I had stolen something or was trying to scam them (I’ll spare you her exact comments).  After fighting with the sales clerk forever and receiving several suspicious looks from her, she finally agreed to return it.  Except I didn’t have the VISA used to pay for it on me.  So they wouldn’t return it and now I have to go back this weekend and likely go through this all again. I couldn’t believe how rude and accusatory the sales clerk was though – she totally ruined my day.  And it definitely made me question my loyalty to Sephora.

I wish we had Kohl’s here in Canada because I would love to shop Lauren Conrad’s new Minnie Mouse Fashion Line.  So cute and girly!

I think I might give Pioneer Woman’s Roasted Red Pepper Pasta a go this Sunday.  I’ve heard nothing but delicious reviews about it and it seems really simple!

I’m contemplating signing Maggie up for Paw Pack or a Bowzer Box – has anyone tried either?  I subscribed to a 6 month Bark Box subscription using a Groupon in the summer and it’s been kind of meh.  I’d like to try a Canadian one!

This Drake themed gift guide is hilarious and awesome.  Huge Drake fan here.  He’s my boyfriend, he just doesn’t know it yet.

I rediscovered NailPolish Canada thanks to StashMatters this week (#enabler)!  I had previously placed orders with them and was always very impressed with their service.   I had no idea they now carry cosmetics, including brands that can be difficult to find in stores here such as e.l.f., Real Techniques and The Balm.  I’m putting together a shopping list as we speak.

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 – January 8

You may (or may not) have noticed I’ve been absent for a bit – I was lucky enough to contact pink eye on New Years Eve (which is also my birthday) and then some kind of horrible virus the next day after and I’ve been out of commission since.  I’m finally starting to feel better which is good because I was beginning to think it was never going to end and I was going to have a sore throat for the rest of my life.  That and I’ve been going a bit stir crazy being stuck in the house for over a week.

So, on to the first This & That Friday of 2016!  I spent copious amounts of time on the couch and in bed over the last week and I turned to Netflix to get me through it.  I decided to give The Mindy Project a try and I can’t believe what I’ve been missing.  This show is HILARIOUS and Mindy Kailing is brilliant in it.  As is her wardrobe!

If you’ve ever had pink eye you know how frigging horrible it is.  I had it in both eyes and the skin around my eyes was so dry, flaky and sore.  I had picked up a small Origins sample kit on Black Friday that included the Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask and I used it religiously over the last week and it made such a difference.  It significantly healed my dry patches after just one use and completely after a second.  I have used this a couple of times on my entire face as well and woke up with plump, super soft, hydrated skin.  I haven’t tried many Origins products but I think I’m going to explore them a little more.

We watched the final Hunger Games instalment (Mockingjay Part II) over the Christmas break and I have to admit I was a little disappointed.  It seemed to drag on a bit – they really shouldn’t have split it into two.  Have you seen it?  What were your thoughts?

I’m not a big tea drinker but I LOVE this maple tea.  It’s delicious enough on its own, even better with a bit of honey mixed in.  I usually pick mine up @ Homesense/Winners for $4.99.

I spent a lot of time watching YouTube videos this week as well – and normally I skip the ads that come up when I can.  However, this Aussie commercial cracks me up every time and I always watch it through to the end.  Have you seen it?  #ihatenature

I’ve been contemplating getting a hot brush for a while now and finally bit the bullet and picked up Hot Tools’ version via Chatters for a smoking deal (a little less than 50% off).  It just came in the mail yesterday and I can’t wait to try it out.  Review to come!

Writing this up has pretty much exhausted me so I’m going to wrap this up.  I hope you’re having a good start to 2016 so far  (unlike mine!).

Thanks for reading!