emily loves

GLOSSYBOX Review

2012-02-11T13:23:00.000-05:00

Hi Loves. I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful Saturday. Today I have grand plans that include laundry, blogging and nail painting. I aim high, I know.

A while back I was asked if I would like to receive a complimentary box to review from GLOSSYBOX Canada. I have heard and seem many reviews on the different variations of this idea and was intrigued enough to say yes.

The February box arrived last week and in it 6 products. Normally each box comes with 5 products, but they do send out bonus items every once in a while too. I've included a run-down of each product and my initial thoughts below.

This month included:

Ahava Skincare Mineral Hand Cream - This is a nice hand cream, thick enough to help with winter dryness, but without any lingering greasiness. I've been carrying this in my purse to help combat my cracked knuckles. It does have a slightly stronger scent than I prefer, but if used in only small amounts it's ok.

Elizabeth Grand Moisturizing Stick -This lip balm (no need for a fancy name, it's a lip balm) keeps my lips very moisturized and I like the fact that it comes in a lipstick tube. I may not use the fancy name, but I am totally fine with classier packaging than my regular Blistex.

Essie Neo Whimsical Polish - A very pretty soft pinky/lilac. I'm currently craving darker colours, but I can definitely see myself wearing this colour.

Oscar de la Renta Body Lotion - Here's my take on expensive body lotions (this one is $54/100mL), save your money. I like my Vaseline Aloe lotion just as well and it's a fraction of the cost. Again, I tend to shy away from scented lotions and this one has a smell that is just too strong for me.

Elizabeth Arden Prevage Night Cream - This is expensive stuff. To buy the whole line of Prevage products you need to be ready to invest serious money. I'm not really sure why this was included in a box that I feel is aimed at a younger crowd. I'm basing this on the fact that their whole marketing strategy is definitely one that would attract someone my age, and not my mum's. Even if I love this sample, I am not ready to start shelling out hundreds of dollars for anti-wrinkle creams and night serums.

Beauty So Clean Sanitizing Spray and Wipes - I purchased a bottle of their sanitizing spray last year at IMATS and do think it's a great product. The wipes are perfect for on the go, I even use them to give my tweezers a quick swipe every once in a while. The little spray bottle is perfect for the nights when I know I'll be doing makeup on others. I can bring it along and sanitize on the spot without having to sacrifice space in my makeup bag.

My overall thoughts? I'll be honest, I'm a little conflicted. The cost for this monthly subscription service is only $15, and for such a small price it's kinda fun getting a surprise box each month. However, I've seem lots of other variations that seem to offer better items. It might have just been this month's selection, but I'm not overly impressed with what I received. There was nothing in the box that I will be purchasing full size and my favourite part wasn't even the products themselves - it was the packaging!

They have hit that part spot-on. As a paper goods lover and a packaging geek I want to say a huge kudos to their marketing team on this one. The outer box was just as pretty as the inner box. They sent the product information in a nice matte black envelope, and the pink box can claim a spot of honour on my shelf because I'll definitely be keeping it for storage.

So tell me. . . . do you subscribe to GLOSSYBOX (or something similar)? Do you think it's worth it?

em
x

Update!

2012-02-05T19:38:00.000-05:00

You know when you have big plans to put up a new blog post every other day and then suddenly life happens and it's a week later. That's me. It's been a hectic week around here, but after a scolding from my friend last night I knew I needed to post something!

Fun Fact - It's my birthday month! I'll be a quarter of a century old in exactly two weeks. EEK!

I would like this for my {non-existent} iPhone. Oh, if you'd like to get me the phone that would also be acceptable.

This hair is amazing. Seriously. iPhone trend unintentional. Both pictures from my Pinterest account.

I'm taking two classes at OCAD (an art and design school in Toronto) and being down on campus twice a week has made me miss being a student. What I don't miss however, is the homework. These have got to be the most advanced beginners classes I've ever taken, I'm running at full speed just to keep up with the lessons. But, I am learning lots and have even started putting it to use! I'll share a few projects next week.

Now, on to more important things - The Giveaway Winner!

ELISE!! Which is totally hilarious, because she is one of my real life friends. Not going to lie Elise, I almost drew another number because it almost seems sketchy. Oh well, gives me an excuse to write you a note and send you a treat my far-away friend!

I hope you've all enjoyed a wonderful weekend!

em
x

It's a Giveaway!

2012-01-30T17:40:00.001-05:00

I have raved many times about the ultimate nail polish base by CND called 'Stickey'. I have tried so many different base coats but none have ever come close to this incredible product. I ordered a really big bottle and a regular bottle a bit ago and have decided to give the smaller bottle away.

Wanna win?

It's super easy.

Comment below with your email address and you'll be entered!

If you want extra entries you can:

Follow me on Twitter

Follow me on Pinterest

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.

I'll draw the winner on February 5th so get your entries in before then!

UPDATE: It is open internationally, I just forgot to add that part!

em
x

Adding Pink!

2012-01-26T06:56:00.000-05:00

If you read my home tour post you will remember that I commented on how bare my walls were. I hadn't noticed it really before, but after taking pictures it was evident that I needed to add some colour!

It was my sister's 30th birthday party this weekend and I had made a bunch of tissue paper pom poms to hang up at the restaurant. There were four left over so I decided to hang them above my desk area. The pink is perfect and definitely adds to the space.

{Sneak peek at my new cake stand. It's absolutely gorgeous and I can't wait to use it!}

This is what the restaurant looked like. I was decorating for a space I'd only seen once, and it turned out to be much bigger than I remembered. It meant that the pom poms couldn't be clumped together like I'd hoped but it added just enough colour to the otherwise white space. Along the back wall you can see the photobooth we set up. It was a huge hit and I'm already planning how I'll make the next photobooth I do even better!

There are loads of tutorials on how to make tissue paper pom poms online. They are super simple and many of us used to make similar 'flowers' when we were younger. I did decide that I didn't like cutting the edge like they suggested. I quickly snapped a picture of the two different shapes from one of my crafting sessions. Most places suggest that you round off the edges, but I only rounded the four corners.

The pom pom on the left is cut the way they suggest, the one on the right is partially cut the way I like it; I felt like it was a cleaner look. Except you can see that I missed a few pieces. Oops! Also, I used napkins instead of tissue paper because they are a little more structured.

I totally recommend these as an easy and affordable decoration!

Happy Grey's Day!

em
x

Color Club: Shabby Drab

2012-01-24T21:22:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post to share what I'm currently wearing! This polish is yet another colour that I can't quite describe. It's a periwinkle/gray/purple mix and I love it.

Of course I had to paint some Deborah Lippman 'Happy Birthday' on a few fingers.

Have a wonderful day!

PS - Check back later this week for a giveaway featuring one of my all time favourite products!

Thank You Notes

2012-01-22T15:51:00.000-05:00

From the time I was little I was taught to send thank you notes. It was a non-negotiable and now that I'm older it's totally second nature to send a quick note to say thanks. I have been making my own cards for some time, and eventually hope to open my very own paper shop. I even have a name: Willow & Twill. Ah, I love it! I'm not sure yet if this plan is wishful thinking or an actual possibility. . .

Anyway, I made and sent out my Christmas cards (I'll include a couple poor quality cell phone pics at the end) and just finished up my thank you notes a couple of weeks ago, but I wanted to make sure they'd been received before I posed pictures of them. These are the three designs I sent out.

Do you send thank you notes?

em
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Here are some of my Christmas cards. I didn't think to take any good pictures with my camera, but I did have a few that I snapped on my phone.

Impractical Shoe Friday {I lied Edition}

2012-01-20T09:56:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday everyone! Despite the cold and the fact that I want to sit in front of the fire with a hot beverage, I am determined to make today a productive day. The students have a PA day but as a teacher I am at school working away. That has been one of the hardest adjustments for me. When I used to see PA day on the calendar I would get all excited thinking that it was a day off. Now I have to remind myself that since I'm on the payroll I am required to report to school anyway. Really though, I can't complain, I have a job!

Now, back to the purpose of this blog post - Impractical Shoe Fridays have returned! The 'I lied' part of the title is because this was actually my outfit from yesterday, but Impractical Shoe Thursday just doesn't sound as fun.

I don't know if I've explained my work situation or not. For those of you in teaching (at least in Ontario) you'll understand the term LTO or Long Term Occasional. Basically it means that I take over someone's classroom for a long period of time. I was in a Grade 1 French Immersion class from September till December at a different school than the one I was in last year. Then after Christmas I came back to the school I was at last year and I will be in a Grade 2 French Immersion class until the end of the year. Did that make sense or did it just confuse you?! The reason I share this is that the ladies at my old school were all excited about me coming back so they could see what crazy shoes I'd be wearing this year. There was even a new teacher who when they first met me were like, "Oh! You're the teacher who did the fancy shoes!" My reputation preceded me, so I had to start with a bang.

Wait, I know, that is my face, not the shoes. But look how well my blush stayed all day! It's a Mary Kay colour that I will be sharing soon!

Ah, there we are. Aren't they beautiful? I bought them at Le Chateau before Christmas and even tweeted a little sneak peek picture. They are five inches of muted fuschia glory. I had to buy them about a half size bigger due to availability but with toe cushions and heel grips they are now the perfect fit.

The rest of the ensemble. top and jeans:Winners || blazer:Dynamite ||

I seriously think I win 'awkward poses' for the year. So, yesterday I was reading the blog of this beautiful woman who just happens to take fabulous outfit pictures. She had written a post about 'How to take good outfit pictures' and though I've read similar ones before I skimmed through it. None of her ideas were new, but her biggest point was basically this: Don't take pictures inside your house/bedroom. They look lame. Now, while I agree with this bit of advice I don't always follow it because where I live it was minus 17 and snowing yesterday when I got home from work. Not exactly idea conditions to be taking pictures. She on the other hand, lives in a southern state that gets approximately 360 days of beautiful sunshine each year. So, before you judge someone as being lame, remember that many of us don't live in ideal blogger conditions. The sun sets at 5 and I spend a lot of time shoveling the driveway and scraping off my car. End Ramble.

Just in case one close up of the shoes wasn't enough. . here's another!

I included this last picture because it has no editing effects done to it. This is the actual colour of the shoes and I hope you can see why I called them muted. It's a toned down but yet still awesome pink. I actually have decided that they are basically a neutral because in my opinion you could get away wearing them with pretty much any outfit.

There you have it! Quite possibly the longest Impractical Shoe Friday post.

I hope you have a fabulous weekend planned!

em
x

Spa Boutique Shopping

2012-01-17T20:01:00.000-05:00

I ran out of my CND Stickey Base Coat a while ago and haven't been able to find it in store since. I'm not a big fan of ordering online unless the company is Canadian because I hate paying custom fees. I recently came across Spa Boutique, a company based out of Vancouver that happens to carry both CDN and Deborah Lippman products. I placed my order on the 7th and it arrived today and since I spent over $60 I got free shipping. I was impressed with their selection and how fast it got to me.

I decided to order the ever popular 'Happy Birthday' polish. I wasn't sure how much different it would be from OPI 'Mad as a Hatter' but seeing them side by side and I like this one better already!

I have OPI 'Lincoln Park After Dark' on in AXXIUM and I didn't want to take it off just yet, so I added the Happy Birthday to just one nail. I had Shellac done once before, but I wasn't too impressed with it, I went to a different salon this time and I'm liking AXXIUM much better.

I ordered the bigger size of CND Stickey; this way I won't run out so fast! I also picked up one of the regular size, I haven't decided yet if I'm going to keep it for my travel nail kit or do a giveaway. I need to see if I have an empty bottle that I can just fill from my bigger bottle. If I find a bottle I will post the giveaway later this week!

The third thing I purchased was kind of a crazy one. I added the Brazilian Blowout Acai Instant Volume Thermal Root Lift to my shopping cart on a whim, an then after reading up on it decided to spend more on one hair product than I usually spend on a full haircut! It was $48 for this 200mL bottle and I'm hoping it works miracles. Keep your fingers crossed that I didn't just throw money down the drain! I couldn't find any reviews on it so after I've used it for a bit I'll be sure to let you know if it was worth the money!

Hope you're all having a wonderful week!

em
x

Join me on Pinterest!

Pinterest has my Heart

2012-01-15T18:55:00.000-05:00

Seeing as lots of us are super obsessed with Pinterest I wanted to share some of my latest inspirational pins.

I have been craving a really big kitchen with a massive island. Maybe it's because I cook in my little hobbit hole and want something bigger. The second kitchen is from the home of designer Dana Wolter. So far I have loved everything of her's that I have seen.

How about a super cute container to hold baking supplies. It would fit in nicely with my dream kitchen.

The most perfect wedding hair ever. So simple yet beautiful.

I can't really tell if it's actually winter in this picture, but how perfectly dreamy would it be to be able to heat the tent enough to hold an outdoor reception in winter. The clear tent with lights is almost magical!

I'm loving the teals and grays right now.

My friend Anna of Canoe Design pins such amazing design ideas. Pretty much everything she pins I want to repin onto my boards! Ok, I just went to her blog to get the link to put here and what do I see!? She has just done a 'Recent Pins' post. Clearly we are on the same wave length.

What have you been pinning?

em
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All images from Pinterest.

Colour Club Polish ' Rad Nomad'

2012-01-12T17:10:00.000-05:00

I have purchased two sets of Color Club nail polish from Winners and I have been extremely happy with the quality. It costs $12.99 for 7 polishes. (less than $2 each!) This was half of the Back to Boho collection and as I wear each colour I'll post on the ones I like best.

The first colour I chose to put on was 'Rad Nomad'. A purple/gray/brown colour. Kinda odd I know, but I love it! Two coats and it had perfect coverage.

See what I mean about the colour? I don't know how else to describe it! It's been one week of Biotin and I'm ready for my nails to be long and strong again. As a former nail-biter it's hard to see short nails, it feels like all my hard work to stop biting went to waste. Ah well.

Happy Polishing!

em
x

Practise vs Practice

2012-01-10T17:35:00.000-05:00

I've been rocking the winged eye liner a lot lately and I have finally mastered the flick in under a minute! It used to take me half an hour to get my eyes looking right, but thanks to lots of practise I can do my eyes in record time. My computer underlines practise as though I have spelled it wrong, but it's right! Webster Dictionary that Mr. MAC. Our diminishing grammar skills have left much to be desired, even computers don't know what is right anymore! (I know, I'm guilty of posting blogs full of errors, but at least I try!)

You know that new lens I was telling you about? Well, if I flip the screen around on my camera I can focus it and take pictures of myself, but the only thing is they are super close! I think I need to find my tripod and try these again.

FACE - Mary Kay Matte Wear foundation:: Lise Watier concealer:: Marcelle setting powder::Faces bronzer:: Marcelle blush::MAC lipstick 'Petals and Peacocks'::

EYES - TFSS::Urban Decay Naked Palette:: Physician's Formula liquid liner:: L'Oreal Extra Collagen mascara::

And a little fuzzy outfit of the day for you!

Have a wonderful day!

em
x

Meet Hunter II

2012-01-08T15:34:00.000-05:00

I love my heels and anyone who knows me can attest, the higher the better. Next to my heels, however, my most loved footwear would have to be my Hunter Boots. I saved up and bought the classic black pair last fall and I have worn them constantly ever since. About six months ago while walking through the mall I saw that they had a new colour out. At least not a colour I had seen anywhere. It was the most beautiful Royal Blue. I tried them on. loved them, but in the end decided to wait. Every time I went shopping after that I'd stop by the store to see my precious boots. I easily could have bought them, but I told myself that it was a silly purchase. Why would I need a second pair of Hunter Boots? (Because they are beautiful, that's why.) But I stayed strong.

Fast forward to Christmas when the boy presented me with a shiny pair of size 6 Cobalt Hunter Boots. He was too cute as he gave them to me he goes, 'I hope they're the right colour. You kept calling them Royal Blue, but the label says Cobalt.' The actual colour is Cobalt, but I like to think of them as Royal Blue.

Ah, come to mama.

They are perfect. In all likelihood I would not have ever purchased them for myself. Even as a shoe lover I just couldn't justify buying myself two pairs of boots. But to get them as a present?! Amazing! I've worn them everyday since and don't see myself changing that anytime soon.

What was your most surprising present?

em
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Living Large {in less than 200 square feet}

2012-01-06T14:04:00.003-05:00

Somehow most of my homes recently have come to me a bit randomly. Last year I had three short days to find a place to live and thankfully had two amazing friends come to my rescue. I lived there for almost 6 months and then vagabonded (new word?) around over the summer not really settling in one place for too long. About a two weeks before I was to start my new job in a new town I still didn't have anywhere to live, so my mum called a couple churches in the area and we found a sweet lady who just happened to have her basement apartment available. I agreed to it sight unseen and when I arrived was a little surprised at just how small it was. I figure it's about 200 square feet. Which really isn't much considering many master bedroom suites are bigger than that these days.

My window sill flowers.

I quickly learned however, that I can not only live with less space, but I can live with less stuff - and like it!

I did a closet purge, I narrowed down just how many books I needed to keep on hand, and I carefully chose which shoes I would keep with me. I do still have some things stored at my parent's and grandparent's houses but for the most part I have it all here in my cozy little apartment. Oh, and a bit in the trunk of my car. Currently I haven't made space for my new ironing board so it stays in my car!

I thought I'd show you how I set my space up and also this gives a little peek to my family and friends who haven't had the pleasure of coming to visit yet.

One thing I really noticed after taking these pictures, is that I need to decorate the walls! I honestly didn't think it looked that bare, but looking at these pictures and it's clear that I need to put something up on the walls!

When you first walk in this is what you see. It's kinda weird having my bed right by the door, but the only other option was to put the bed really close to the kitchen part, and I liked that idea even less.

It's a queen sized bed and as you can see I store lots of shoes and random stuff under the bed.

If you were to sit on the bed and look back at the door this is what you see. I bought the dresser off Kijiji and then changed up the hardware. I haven't yet done the top drawer because it involves drilling new holes and I can't be doing that down here.

The top of the dresser houses a few pictures, my jewelry and a stand with all my belts hanging off the side.

To the right of the dresser is a little space heater that I can move out when I'm cold and then a little plastic storage thing that holds other shoes and winter stuff. With no space for a coat tree I just added two hooks to the back of the door for my current coats.

I only have the space for a love seat, but it suites me just fine. A little coffee table and the matching bedside table finish out my 'living room' area.

I probably wouldn't have purchased a TV but my parents had this old one sitting in the basement so I took it. Under the TV I store all my power cords and electronics as well as all my extra makeup.

The multi-coloured drawer thing is full of craft stuff. On the other side of the desk there is another plastic storage drawer thing that also houses paper supplies.

The two doors at the end lead to a bathroom (on the right) and a closet (on the left). It looks like there is a hallway beside that, but it's actually just another door to the shared laundry.

Someone was giving this desk away last year, so I took it and I absolutely love it. I don't think it's super old but I love the map on the top.

My desk turns into a disaster zone when I start doing crafts but I do try to keep it tidy.

You can see my mini kitchen to the right. It has everything I need. I decided against a kitchen table, because then I would have had no space for a desk.

In the bottom right of this picture you can see another dresser. In here is lots of kitchen things that I don't have space for in the cupboards. The top of it is also where I've started putting all the glass vessels I have collected!

The biggest thing I've noticed with having such a small space. All it takes is one dirty sock to be sitting on the floor and the whole apartment looks messy!

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into my space! Do you live in a tiny apartment? What are your tricks to keeping it clean?

Haiku

2012-01-05T22:07:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

It's not too late. . . right?!

I do sincerely hope that you all have thoroughly enjoyed your time off. I have to head back to work on Monday and let me tell you, I don't want to go!

In 11 words here is a Recap of 2011:

Year Of Growing,
Finding Happiness and Joy,
Back to Biotin.

I do love me a good Haiku. They were always my poem of choice to write in school. Either that or really terrible rhyming couplet ones. Please see below for an example. Jay-Z ain't got nothin' on me.

It's 2012 and I'm pumped to say,

This blogger's back and here to stay!

A very short break was all it took,

To have the time to read a book!

To clear my head, and sort it out,

the best year yet, without a doubt!

Clearly I should have become a writer.

On that Biotin note, my nails have been breaking like mad! I really did notice a huge difference while I was taking biotin, so I've started back on that regiment again.

What else can I tell you. . . . I bought a new camera lens, it's not auto-focus so until I figure something out these are the types of pictures you can look forward to:

I got some new fancy kicks, I'll share them in a future post. I finally found a man (or rather, he found me) who not only appreciates my love of shoes, but even supports it by buying me the most amazing pair of boots ever! I've got to say, his shoe collection is pretty great too. I don't have to worry about his trying to go out in a old beat up pair of Nike runners.

I am currently debating an online purchase. I've been coveting a Deborah Lippmann nail polish for a while and I found a site that sells them as well as my HG base coat (CND Stickey) which I've been out of for a while. I'll keep you posted on whether I purchase it or not!

I just realized that I missed a new Grey's Anatomy!!!! Ah! It hasn't been on for so long I didn't even think to check until now. I hope it was a good one!

Alright, I'm heading to bed.

Night, Lovelies!!

x
em

Featured!

2011-12-02T15:49:00.001-05:00

Hi loves!

I hope you are all gearing up to have a wonderful weekend! I have a hot date tonight and then a family reunion tomorrow. Sunday will be church and a whole bunch of marking. Like a month's worth.

I have a serious wish to own a Victorian house and decorate it to my heart's content. Because of this I stalk interior design blogs on a regular basis. A good friend of my sister's, who I have come to know happens to be an interior designer. She has worked all over the world and I would love for her to do a room in my {imaginary} house. Anna recently started a blog, Canoe Design, and it is full to the brim of good taste. I encourage you to check it out!

Also, she featured my Christmas DIY wreath today!

Have a fabulous Friday!!

em
x

Beauty Premier

2011-11-24T21:14:00.001-05:00

Last week I attended the Marcelle/Annabelle Beauty Premier in Toronto. They hosted it on the rooftop at The Thompson. It was a wonderfully thought out event and I'm so happy that they invited me. We were able to chat with all of the fabulous people who work for Marcelle and test out the new products that will be released soon. Plus, I got to see many of my blogger friends!

The view from the rooftop. So beautiful.

Some of the beautiful bloggers (and my friends!)

They made us all custom lip glosses! Mine turned out as a nice dark pink.

Anjali liked the top one, but I like how I'm not as white in the bottom one.

They have some awesome products lined up for the Spring time. I'm most excited about the Beauty Balm cream. It's a very unique item that I think will be a big hit. We also got a pretty sweet swag bag, I'm looking forward to testing them all out!

Thanks to out wonderful friends at Marcelle/Annabelle!

em
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Together-Ness

2011-11-21T18:16:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday I went to the Marcelle/Annabelle Beauty Premier and besides having a wonderful time I got a number of compliments on my makeup. It's a look I wear on a regular basis, because it's super easy to achieve, but I thought I'd share it anyway.

These pictures were taken beside a window with no flash.

foundation: Mary Kay Matte-Wear || concealer: Lise Watier Portfolio || setting powder: Marcelle Translucent || bronzer: Lancome Bronze Solaire || blush: Marcelle Pink Fusion

TFSI || MAC 'Togetherness' Trio || Smashbox 'Caviar' Cream Liner || L'Oreal Voluminous False Lashes || Marcelle Power Volume Mascara || L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes

Yay, emo pictures!

Have a wonderful day!

Carded

2011-11-19T17:49:00.001-05:00

I fell like when I get a new wallet I perform a bit of a cleansing ritual. I go through all the contents of my old wallet discarding the unused cards, outdated coupons, and crumpled grocery lists. Then card by card, I place them all into the new wallet. I wasn't looking for wallets today, but happened to see one at the cash of a shoe store (Feet First) and loved it instantly. It's a fairly basic wallet, but I'm happy with it.

This was my old Kennith Cole Reaction wallet. The inside zipper was broken so change tended to spill out.

And my new taupe one from Feet First. The brand is 'Locale'.

I am most excited about my new shoes. I tweeted a sneak peek of two pairs but you'll have to wait for another Impractical Shoe Friday to see them in all their glory!

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

em
x

Christmas DIY {part 2}

2011-11-16T17:05:00.000-05:00

I love Christmas but have never really decorated my own space. While up at school I always left over Christmas so I felt that decorating would be a waste. This year I didn't want to invest too much money and I also don't have the space for a lot of crazy decorating so I am putting in little touches where I can. I decided to tackle making a wreath and bought all the supplies at Michael's. In reality I probably could have purchased a pre-made wreath for less, but what is the fun in that!

I didn't have a design plan (which was my first mistake) but instead just went and pulled things together that I thought would look good. I knew I wanted the main colours to be gold and light purple so I just went with it!

I started hot gluing the bigger items on first and then worked my way down to the smaller ones. I still might go pick up a few more things because the edges are kinda bare, but for now I'm quite happy with little Violet!

My favourite part of the whole thing? The cute jingle it makes when I open the door!

You can check out Christmas DIY part 1 here!

em
x

New HG Foundation!

2011-11-15T17:50:00.000-05:00

My sister recently started selling Mary Kay and being both a makeup junkie and a fabulous sister I decided to have a party and try some of the products out. It wasn't my first time with Mary Kay, my older sister sold it years ago and then in University I attended a party. However, this was the first time I really tried anything other than Satin Lips and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.

I have officially moved Lancome off the top spot of my foundation ranking and in it's place have put Mary Kay Time Wise matte-wear. It is actually amazing. For a grease ball, such as myself, this stuff stays amazingly well. It also remains very matte and requires little in the way of touch ups.

My colour is Ivory 4. It blends beautifully and I think it's a great match.

Here is a before and after shot for you. (The extreme colour difference is because we took the before picture inside, with crappy lighting, and then realized that it was a beautiful day outside and took the after-shot). If you can mentally blend the two pictures together I am probably somewhere in the middle for actual skin-tone. One day I swear I will figure out good lighting for makeup pictures!

My sister did my makeup here so we could enter a Mary Kay contest thing. . . we didn't win.

My favourite thing about this foundation is that it has great coverage. If I don't feel like wearing concealer an extra swipe of this under my eyes and over any blemishes and I am good to go.

In the picture below I am wearing just the Matte- Wear on the left and nothing on the right. This picture is not retouched.

I think this is a pretty good example of how well it covers. I have redness issues and it covers them with ease.

I honestly don't think I have any negative things to say about this foundation. It blends well, covers well, stays amazingly and is reasonably priced ($23 CAD).

Here is a stock photo since I don't feel like digging out my camera to take my own.

If you're looking for a new foundation I can't recommend this one enough!

em
x

PS. sorry for all the scary no-makeup pictures in this post!!

Christmas DIY {part 1}

2011-11-13T16:20:00.001-05:00

My apartment is very small. Small enough that I don't even have space for a little 3 foot Christmas tree. I was on Pinterest the other day and I saw someone had made a Christmas tree out of felt pinned onto a cone. So, I found myself some felt squares, a Styrofoam cone and a cute topper and made this darling tree. Here is a link to the original picture!

{yay for slightly crooked stars!}

It was super easy but a very time consuming. I did it over two nights because my fingers hurt from all the felt cutting!

Looking back I should have counted how many circles I cut. I used almost six 8 1/2 by 11 sheets. I also chose to cut three different sizes.

I'm quite happy with my new little tree!

Up next is my wreath named Violet!

What have you been crafting lately?

em
x

Chips for Breakfast

2011-11-06T10:30:00.000-05:00

In the last few weeks I've made it a goal to actually go through my closet and purge. There were so many things that I kept out of guilt: It was expensive! I should probably keep it even though I don't wear it. Things I kept because you never know when you might need a pair of tie-died leggings. I've now ditched all the ill fitting jeans, the unflattering yet expensive tops, the clothes that are no longer my style and anything that was threadbare. Phew! It's all sitting in my trunk ready to be dropped of at the Good Will.

Since I did away with so many clothes, clearly a bit of a shopping trip was in order. I purchased two pairs of pants from The Gap. No picture of those because they are your basic skinny jean and black dress pant.

Prior to last week I actually don't think I owned anything from Dynamite. I always found that store a bit on the edge of trashy. I'm not sure what prompted me to go in this time, but I'm happy I did! While they still had a bit of the trash factor going on, they also had a lot of really nice clothes! I found two amazing blazers and 3 tops. I also found my Christmas party outfit. Can you guess what it is?

I LOVE sparkle shirts!

Can be worn with or without the belts. My mum actually took in both of the jackets because they were a little too big in the hip area. I seriously need to learn how to sew. The jacket on the left is blue.

From RW&Co I picked up four tops. Two are not pictured because they are in the laundry, but they are fairly basic. The royal blue shirt on the right is my absolute favourite new shirt. It's the perfect colour!

Apparently I'm really into flow-y tops right now. I didn't pick up anything form fitting!

Do you ever not wear things because you are 'saving' them? I do that all the time, and I really need to stop. If I have something, and I like it, I need to wear it!

Happy Sunday!

em
x

PS. I've eaten chips for breakfast two days in a row. Someone please stop me!

Eye Dust

2011-11-02T17:11:00.001-04:00

No, not the pesky, 'I have something in my eye' type of dust. I'm talking about the Eye Dust you'll want to have! (Ok, please humour me and let me pretend I'm funny. . . it's been a while). Marcelle has ten fantastic colours in their multi-use pigment range, sadly I can only show you 8. . . the last two (my favourite) are MIA. I haven't seen them since the last time I went home. . . I'm thinking that one of my sisters might have scammed them from my makeup bag. (If you did, I want them back. Thanks.)

Here they are swatched dry and wet.

According to Marcelle you can mix them with lipgloss or even nail polish but I have only used them on my eyes. Both wet and dry they are beautiful colours. The missing two, 'Vegas' and 'Element' are a brown-gray and a soft gold.

Do I think you need all of the colours? Definitely not. These are not even really everyday products for me, as they require a bit more time and effort than just swishing on some eye-liner. However, when I want a dramatic eye, or I want to add dimension to an otherwise flat eyeshadow look these are a huge must-have. My top pics would be 'Vegas', 'Element', (obvi) 'Go Violet', 'Bronze Millionaire' and 'Mermaid'. They are each fairly unique colours and oh so gorgeous on the eyes.

My biggest (and really only) pet-peeve with them is they are super hard to open! Maybe I just have pansy fingers, but I had to use the edge of a spoon to open the lids the first time. Even after I have used some of them quite a bit I still find that they are not the easiest to open. I guess I should be thankful that I'll never have to worry about them spilling in my makeup bag.

You can see me wearing them in this FOTD.

Eye Dusts can be purchased in stores and online! (Wahoo!) They retail for around $12 each.

Have you tried them?

em
x

Products sent by Marcelle and given a thumbs up by me!

Feels like the Weekend

2011-10-24T17:12:00.002-04:00

I had the sudden urge to write a post and then I realized that I have not been taking pictures of anything!! I am home at my parents because of a dentist appointment (boo) and I didn't even bring my camera. Oh, how things have changed.

It seems that lately I've been super busy with different get togethers, birthdays and work. On top of that I'm trying to sort out what could be a potential business venture, but will take lots of guts and hard work on my part to have it succeed. Every time there is something that doesn't seem to be going well, something else will pop up and be so fantastic that it reminds me why I'm even bothering with it in the first place. Don't worry, I'll share my secret soon enough!

An old picture from our trip to Italy. I seriously love Cinque Terre. I should probably paint a mural on my wall that looks like this.

Have a fabulous weekend, Lovelies!

em
x

Undergrad - Check!

2011-10-16T07:34:00.001-04:00

My sister graduated from university yesterday!!

Congratulations!!!!

It is so exciting to be finished something as huge as university, we are all very proud of her.

Some family and friends came over after the ceremony for a lovely dinner and an overall good time.

Today it's off to church and then I think I'll be using my 40% off coupon at Michael's before heading to meet a friend for dinner.

Hope you are all enjoying a lovely weekend!

em
x

Title Unknown

2011-09-25T08:57:00.003-04:00

Happy Sunday! I woke up early today and since I have the time I thought I'd post my outfit from church last week. It's nothing spectacular, but I love these shoes! I got stopped by a lady in church who wanted to know where they were from, two ladies in Shoppers who 'just love them', and an older man in the grocery store who went out of his way to tell me how great they were. I'm not very good at taking compliments, but these ones definitely made my day. I should also mention that these shoes make me almost 6 feet tall. . . I am a fan of that height!

jacket:Suzi Shier pants:Sirens top:Winners shoes:Aldo

This top is awesome. I picked it up for $8 dollars from the clearance rack and I want to wear it everyday. It's flowy but still shows shape, it's light and it covers my arms!

I wore these shoes to school one day this week and one of my students (keep in mind they are 5 and 6 years old) informed me that I had nice shoes, but when get gets older she is going to wear heels that are even bigger, like, as big as the CN tower. My mum is going to come volunteer in my class so she can experience just what it's like to be surrounded by hilarious children all day.

I'm off to church now, and then I plan on crafting the afternoon away! I've been pinning pictures like crazy the last couple of days and need to get moving on some of that inspiration!

What are your plans today?

x
em

The Return of the Face

2011-09-15T17:34:00.000-04:00

I have been edging toward putting more eye shadow under my eyes while still trying to avoid the raccoon look. Every once in a while when I get it right I do a little happy dance! Today was one of those days.

{without flash}

{with flash}

Eyes:

Marcelle Lux Eye Dust 'Element' and 'Vegas'

Naked Cosmetics Pigment 'Sierra Nevada #6'

UD Naked Pallet 'Creep' 'Hustle' and 'Half Baked'

MAC 'Phloof'

Smashbox Liner 'Caviar'

Marcelle Power Volume Mascara

L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara

Face:

Lise Watier Portfolio Concealer

Marcelle Pressed Powder 'Medium'

Lancome Bronzer 'Bronze Solaire'

Gosh Blush 'Electric Pink'

Lips:

No7 Lipstick 'Divine'
Joe Fresh Gloss 'Praline'

These final two pictures were without flash, but the bottom one is the closest to my real colour.

My landlords were out in the backyard today and I definitely was not going to sit out there and take pictures of myself while they read, so I took them in the bathroom instead. The lighting isn't horrible.

Have a wonderful day!

x

Out and About

2011-09-11T16:18:00.000-04:00

My Saturday started with me waking up in the middle of the night feeling sick to my stomach. Not a nice start to my first weekend off! I thought perhaps I had caught a bug from one of the students until I remembered that I had eaten a whole bag of All Dressed chips the night before. The gut rot I experienced as a result was enough to make me swear off chips for a while. Thankfully I did manage to go back to sleep and when I woke up around 8am I felt completely fine again.

My two sisters and one of their boyfriends were coming over so I decided to do an extra thourough cleaning, during which I came across, and killed, FOUR spiders! There aren't many things that make me go weak in the knees, but spiders are one of them. I was tempted to trap them under a glass and make one of my guests kill them when they arrived, but instead I sucked it up, pulled on my rubber boots, and stomped those suckers. I was pretty proud of my heroic actions.

Being in a new city and also needing some extra work out motivation I had signed up for some fitness classes at the local club. After my cleaning/spider killing session, I happily pulled on my fitness gear and went over to the club only to find that I had read the schedule wrong and the class I was there for actually takes place on Sunday. Oops. I was more embarrassed than annoyed so I decided do go out for a jog instead. I had passed some garage sales on my way home so I brought along some money in case anything caught my eye.

Please feast your eyes on this gorgeous glass jars I found. $5 for the whole lot of them.

They currently are sitting on top of my dresser, but one day I will have the perfect shelf for them!

The rest of the day was spent with my sisters, we went to dinner and watched a movie. 'Crazy, Stupid, Love'. It was laugh out loud funny at some points and at others I wanted to cry. Mostly because Ryan Gosling took his shirt off and wow - he has been working out. In all seriousness though, it was a good movie. Next on my list is 'The Help'.

How was your weekend?

x

Please . . .

2011-09-07T16:21:00.002-04:00

don't be jealous of my bling. . . .or my stove.

First present of the year! The necklace I mean, the stove was not a present, merely part of the apartment.

x

Oh No She Didn't

2011-09-06T21:46:00.001-04:00

Every once in a while I pull something out of my purse that makes me cringe with embarrassment.

Tonight it was a mouldy peach pit wrapped in a paper towel.

I think I win the gross-things-you-probably-shouldn't-admit-on-the-internet award.

No picture because it would probably make you vom.

x

Gone West

2011-09-06T17:38:00.000-04:00

I traveled some 23, 159 kilometers this summer, mostly by plane and car, but also some by boat and even a little by walking. That was just the actual travel, not the day to day mileage of life.

A brief photo diary of the events taking place during those kilometers is in order.

Calgary Stampede, to me it can be summed up in one word: YUM!

I had taco's in a bag, deep fried oreos, pizza on a stick, more lemonade than is healthy, roasted corn on the cob and mini donuts, just to name a few. While I did don a cowboy hat and cheer at the rodeo my main goal while at the Stampede was to try and consume as much food as possible. Little known fact about me, I love fairs, but only for their food. Oh, and the home-show.

It was my first time attending this event, and while it was fun, I'm not sure that I would make a special trip back there just for it. It's a bit expensive to go all the way there just for a big fair. Though definitely worth a visit if you happen to be in Calgary at the right time.

We went white water rafting just north of Calgary, on the Red Deer River and it was hilarious. We showed up and quickly realized that we were the only two people under 200 pounds. It was a bachelor party and us. They could barley fit two to a seat on the bus to the river and once we were seated in the boats I felt sure that I was going to die if the raft flipped and any of them landed on me. The water was freezing, my piercing got ripped out, I was half numb and yet couldn't wipe the grin off my face. It was an absolute riot. Otter Rafting is the company, and though they seem a little backwoods at first, it was definitely a worthwhile trip.

Our View all Day!

Super Cool Outfits

My sunglasses broke and my hair got stuck on the vest. My hair was an absolute rats-nest. . .

The rest of my time out west was spent hanging out with friends and taking in as much of the scenery as I could.

I will definitely go back out west, there was lots that I didn't get to see and I want to drive down the coast into the States as well. It was odd leaving, because everyone out there expected me to come back to Southern Ontario and be saddened by how drab it is, but in reality I wasn't. Sure, it is stunning out west, but Ontario has a different beauty and I was happy to be home.

Next stop. . . . Italy!

x

38 Days

2011-09-05T18:12:00.000-04:00

Sometimes when one feels like they have nothing of consequence to say they take a step back from the internet and do regular non-blogger things. Like reading paperback novels, baking cookies, visiting friends and generally leaving their web-life to its own devices for a while.

There were weeks at a time when I didn't even check blogger. I wasn't upset, nor did I have any earth-shattering, life-altering event happen; I just simply stepped back and took some time off.

Many of my friends, both real life and internet, would ask me why I wasn't writing. 'Are you quitting?' 'Is something wrong?' 'Are you in a funk?' 'Do you have writer's block?' None of the above! I am alive and well.

I had the following conversation with my sister, who much to my surprise, read my blog daily.

"Emily, I've been thinking. If you are going to stop writing forever I think that it would only be fair that you write a good-bye post to your readers. It's not right for you to not tell them that you are quitting."

"But I'm not quitting."

"Sure seems like you are."

"Well then, I'll just have to change that!"

So here I am, changing that.

In the (digital) flesh. . . .

{I wish I were giving the peace sign or something. . . would have made the picture better.}

I think I'll start with some update posts, to share what I've been up to the past 38 days. Some of it is interesting, some of it is not, but all of it is a little part of me that I used to share here.

Pip, Pip, Cheerio!
x

Catching Clouds

2011-07-29T14:37:00.000-04:00

Hi all! Just a quick post to say I'm off to Italy for the next two weeks. I got back on Wednesday from Vancouver and we are flying out tonight, so it's been a bit busy! I am not sure if I'll be able to post so if not, have a wonderful two weeks!!

Look Ma. . .I'm on a Horse!

2011-07-23T11:21:00.001-04:00

Our second day took us through Cranbrook, and on into Alberta were we stopped to meet some friends for lunch in Lethbridge before heading to a Ranch for the night. Now, I am not anti-horses, but I had never ridden one until last week. There were many opportunities in the past for me to saddle up, but I just never jumped at the chance, and the longer I stayed away from riding the less I felt the need to try it. I was not really given an option and since we were at a ranch I figured this was the place to try it!

I was surprised at how fast the scenery changed once we drove into Alberta, it almost immediately changes to flat land; it was also super windy. The Ranch was the perfect place to relax and it left us both wishing we'd planned for more time there.

{BC}

{Alberta}

Do you recognize that face. . . it would seem to be my go to look when I'm around animals. . . or insects.

Don't be jealous of my skillz. . .


Ok, his were better.

{Sunset at the Ranch}

And Then They Drove

2011-07-22T13:17:00.000-04:00

Everyone told me how beautiful the drive from Vancouver to Calgary would be but I still wasn't fully prepared. Every kilometer was stunning and I wanted to stop every five minutes to take pictures. This wasn't my drive partner's plan though, so we stopped only at a select few view points. To be honest it was impossible to capture the beauty of the landscape so it didn't really matter how many pictures I took, none will even come close to doing the real thing justice. We drove out on the southern route making stops along the way in Osoyoos and Greenwood before camping at Moyie Lake on the first night.

{Osoyoos, BC}

{Along the Drive}

{Along The Drive}

{Greenwood, BC}


{Moyie Lake, BC}

The first day was a lot of driving as we wanted to cover as much ground as possible. We had absolutely perfect weather for our whole trip so it was crazy to hear about the constant rain and cold in Vancouver and the crazy heat wave of Southern Ontario. I'll be posting the next phases of our trip soon!

Today I am grateful for music.

Off The Grid

2011-07-21T11:57:00.000-04:00

I'm back! What a busy week we've had, but I have lots of posts to write and many loads of laundry to do! I'm still trying to digest the scenery of these beautiful western provinces but I will have some pictures up to share soon.

In the meantime, go check out Listen to Lena and all of her amazing giveaways! It's all about beauty this month and there are so many awesome things up for grabs. She also did a super sweet post about me! Check that out here.

{Banff}

::Month of Gratitude::

For the days I missed:

- mountains

- peaches

- iPad

- phone calls

- not having the heat wave

- new experiences

- sunscreen

- books

- mosquito netting

- marshmallows

- toothpaste

- family trips

- a real bed

Attitude of Gratitude

2011-07-08T11:57:00.000-04:00

Somehow I went from being the girl who has too much time to the girl who has no time! I've missed the last two days of gratitude (because somehow my post for Tuesday went up on Wednesday. . . . I think it's a time zone thing). Anyway, yesterday I was able to go listen to Alvin Law speak, and as much as it is cliché it really puts things in perspective. He has no arms and yet lives life to the fullest, following the "attitude of gratitude" mentality. He hasn't let it get in the way of anything and he has a great sense of humour, albeit a little un-PC sometimes. I didn't get a picture of him since I would have been the only non-professional sneaking pics during the session, but check out his website! So, for yesterday I am grateful that I have my arms, and that I didn't go through life with people telling me that I would never amount to anything.

Since it was a bit of a corporate event I had to dress up (shorts and a t-shirt wouldn't cut it) and lucky for me on Wednesday I'd purchased the best blazer ever! How convenient, I know.

{blazer: RW&Co top:Forever 21 jeans:Sirens shoes:Nine West}

I had been looking for a black blazer that was structured, under $100 and preferably with cropped sleeves. I wasn't looking too hard, and once it became summer basically decided to let it drop but then I found this gooder at the mall. It fit my criteria and it was super on sale: $40!!

{My New Ride. . . .You Like?}

There is a little part of me that wants to buy a super old motor home, paint it up an drive across North America, that is the flower child in me coming out. Until then, I will ride the skytrain in the wrong direction, walk many kilometers in my shoes to break them in and plan my next trip sans wicked motor home.

Month of Gratitude

Wednesday - The many memories with friends

Today - Deoderant . . . I'll explain that one later. x

Three Things {x2}

2011-07-06T00:44:00.000-04:00

Three Things:

There is zero humidity here - There was not one bit of unsightly 'cold drink sweat' that we experience in southern Ontario.

Cross Process is my new favourite thing to do on Picnik.

iPads rock.

Three More Things:

I somehow messed up my blog template and can't currently figure out how to fix it. . . they changed the coding from the last time I did things and now I need to learn it again!

Currently taking iPad app suggestions.

I am grateful for laughter.

These Legs Were Made For Walking

2011-07-04T23:07:00.000-04:00

What does one do while on vacation? This is what I've been asking myself all day. I went for a lovely run in the park, spent more time than usual primping (though somehow ended up with the same results as always) and walked to the grocery store. THAT'S IT!! I have a book but I'm kinda rationing it out as I only brought one and don't want to buy another until I can buy it on my iPad. So. . . .

Please share your favourite vacation pastimes!

Check out the mountains behind me!! I love it!

{MAC Satinfinish foundation; Lise Watier concealer; Boots lipstick; Cargo blush; MAC Brule and Naked black eye shadow; L'Oreal and Marcelle mascara}

This is the park where I went for a run, apparently people go swimming, but no one was out in the water today. I'm trying to explore different parts of the city, as I have a whole month and lots of free time.

Month of Gratitude - Day 4

I am grateful that I have two perfectly healthy legs; they carried me all over Vancouver today!

Even Traffic Is Better Here

2011-07-03T23:55:00.000-04:00

After church this morning we went out to Fraser Valley for a birthday BBQ and on the way back we hit all the long weekend 'traffic' heading back into the city. We were slowed for all of ten minutes and then it was back to normal speeds. . . it was the best traffic ever!! Nothing like Toronto where a trip that usually takes an hour can land me in the car for almost 3 hours. I was also quite happy to look at the stunning scenery as we made our way through the valley.

I did an interview with the website Smashion a while ago and it got posted today!! Click HERE to read it. It's a pretty neat online marketplace where you can buy and sell for free. I've not actually sold or bought there, but it's pretty cool to look through.

I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful weekend!

Month of Gratitude - Day 3

Today I am grateful for family, both mine across the country (who I am missing!), and for the family here who has been ever so welcoming.

Canada Day Outfit

2011-07-02T18:50:00.004-04:00

Last night I arrived in Vancouver and after fighting through the urge to nap we went down to the waterfront to watch the fireworks. The invitation said 'dressy casual' I opted for dressy and wore the same outfit I wore to the wedding a few weekends ago. I posted when I first found this outfit and promised that when I had good pictures I would tell you how I scored what I consider a great find for under $5!

The night before the wedding I dragged one of my roommates to the mall to help me find a dress and after an hour of trying on every black dress in the mall I had decided to just purchase one from RW&Co even though I wasn't 100% sold on it. We were walking back to the store to buy it when we passed The Bay and on a whim decided to see if they had anything since I had a random gift card to use there. For those of you not from Canada The Bay is like Macy's uncool cousin; you never really find anything there and the organization leaves something to be desired. To be fair though, Bonnie Brooks has really been helping them re-invent their stores, the one on Queen Street in Toronto is awesome. Anyway, as we are traipsing through the store I see a black sparkle dress shoved on a random rack. The tag said that it was marked down to $60, which is less than I was going to pay for the dress I didn't really like. It seemed rather large, but I decided that with a belt it would look great. When I came out of the dressing room my roommate was like, "Love it!" and the sales lady goes, "Umm, you know that's a shirt and not a dress right?" Nope, I didn't actually know that! Turns out I had pulled a plus size shirt off the rack and was wearing it as a dress! Then when she scanned it it came up marked down to $25! I had a $25 gift card so I ended up paying only the $4 in tax for my new favourite party 'dress'!

dress: The Bay shoes: Guess clutch:Thrift

Super fuzzy phone picture from the wedding

For the wedding I chose to be a little more conservative, since I was the wedding planner, and I wore a black skirt under the dress. It still looked cute and professional!

Did you watch fireworks?

Month of Gratitude - Day 2

Today I am grateful for having enough money to buy groceries. I always take it for granted that I will have money in my account to pay for food, but I need to remember that not everyone is as fortunate.

A Month of Gratitude

2011-07-01T15:48:00.000-04:00

This is a test to see if I can post from my phone!

I'm currently sitting in the airport waiting to board my flight and really had nothing better to do.

If I am able to post from my phone I'm going to make a goal of posting one thing I'm grateful for each day.

Today I am grateful for all the different modes of transportation. The car that drove me to the airport, and the plane that will fly me to Vancouver.

I am also grateful for being a Canadian. We live in such a beautiful country!

I hope you are all enjoying a beautiful Canada Day!

x
emily

I have no idea where in the post the picture will show up but it is my new luggage. The Bay is having a killer renovation sale and I got the London Fog bags I wanted for 70% off!
Sent from my BlackBerry®

Summer Beauty Tour Winners!

2011-06-28T17:29:00.000-04:00

Hi Lovelies!

Just a quick post to let you know who won the giveaway. .

Grand Prize $200 From My Blog!!

Erica

Second prize $100 From Everyday Makeup Blog

Miss Nada 2010

Third prize $50 From Toronto Beauty Reviews

Sweet Shenanigans

Congrats ladies!! Don't forget to email Farah to claim your prize!

The Sewing Room

2011-06-26T00:14:00.000-04:00

Ever since I can remember my Nonna's sewing room has been full to the brim of multi-coloured materials, jars of buttons, spools of thread in every shade and an endless supply of stuff to look at.

Today my mum and I made a trip down to her house and feeling much like I did as a child, I stole into the sewing room to snoop around - poking my nose where it shouldn' have been!

It has been a long time goal of mine to actually sew something other than a pencil case or a tote bag. . . maybe one day I'll have my own sewing room to play around in.

Have a fabulous Sunday!

Light My Tiki {Torch}

2011-06-23T16:58:00.000-04:00

When Grey's is playing, Thursdays hold a special place in my week. I look forward to a new show, some drama that does not affect my life and a chance to control the remote. Since Grey's is not currently on I instead spend my Thursday nights cleaning and painting my nails. Though feeling a little sluggish lately I used China Glaze 'Light my Tiki' and Sephora by OPI 'Only Gold for Me'; this cheery colour and pretty sparkle was just the pick me up needed!

Getting the gradient effect was easier than anticipated, though I'm glad I decided to do only one finger, doing them all might have been over load!

There are only 3.5 more days of school left!! Summer, here I come!

Impractical Shoe Friday {Out With A Bang Edition}

2011-06-18T21:01:00.000-04:00

I saw these shoes when they first came out a few months ago, but at the time I convinced myself I didn't need them. Last week my roommate and I hit up the mall and they were still there - they only had one pair left, it was my size and they were marked down. I couldn't say no so I snapped them up and decided they would be the perfect shoe for my final Impractical Shoe Friday.

{shoes:Aldo jeans:Ardenes top:Urban Planet}

Since it was the last week I knew people were expecting crazier than normal shoes - I hope I succeeded! I'm not sure whether my co-workers think it's funny or weird that I have this weekly theme day. . .

I have to say for nearly 6 inches they were fairly comfortable. I did end up wearing them to a BBQ after school followed by a different pair of heels that night and by the end my feet were very sore.

My boyfriend totally surprised me by having the most delicious cupcakes delivered to school for my students and I to enjoy. The note accompanying it was 'To share the fun of Impractical Shoe Friday'. Honestly it was so cute. And did I mention delicious!? I could have eaten a whole box. . .

I haven't decided if I'll try to keep up the tradition in the fall yet. . . I might need to come up with a new idea!

I hope you are all having a fabulous weekend!

Only a few days left to enter the giveaway!!

Normalcy

2011-06-16T20:32:00.000-04:00

What a riot this week has been! Not literally, a la Vancity, just in how fast it has gone by and everything that has happened. I have to say, for all the damage done, good on the true Vancouverites who stepped forth to clean up the mess today.

My report cards are due tomorrow, however I officially finished last night. Woop!! The wedding I've been planning is this weekend, the bride and groom flew in from England today. Everything is wrapping up nicely, though I have been on a bit of a hunt for the last few wedding items needed. I have really enjoyed my roll in this whole thing - I never knew just how much planning went into a wedding!

I have finally updated my Project 365 blog; it was about a month behind. The pictures are totally out of order, but at least they are up.

I went out and found the perfect dress for the wedding (I'm also attending as a guest) at the unlikeliest of places - The Bay!! I never would have guessed that! And you'll never guess how much I had to pay for it. . . I'll do a separate post on that once I have the rest of the outfit planned.

Pinterest still occupies a lot of my time on the internet, there is just so many amazing ideas out there! I have yet to pin much, I usually just copy the pictures to my hard drive, but I will start pinning soon!

I bought the most amazing pair of shoes for my last Impractical Shoe Friday of the year. I am super excited to wear them!! The only issue is I am not sure what I will wear with them. I'm going to have to take a look in the closer tonight and see what I can come up with.

How's that for a ramble!? To not leave you picture-less, here is a keeper from just before the U2 concert in Barcelona a few years ago! (to my new readers - aren't you glad you found me?! I promise the posts will resume some normalcy once this weekend is over!)

{JFYMFBF}

PS - Don't forget to enter the super awesome giveaway!!

Summer Beauty Tour Giveaway!

2011-06-14T09:00:00.013-04:00

7 Beauty Bloggers have gotten together to bring you one fabulous CASH giveaway!

You could win one of 3 amazing cash prizes in the first Summer Beauty Tour!
Grand Prize: $200 Cash
First Runner Up: $100 Cash
Second Runner Up: $50 Cash

Want your chance to WIN some cash??

How to Enter:

1. Follow my blog publicly on Google Friend Connect (new and old followers are welcome to enter!) and leave a comment here on this post telling me you follow my blog with your google username and email address.

Bonus Entries:

Visit each of the other participating blogs below, follow and comment on their Summer Beauty Tour posts and you've got yourself a bonus entry for each blog you follow!

Details:

This giveaway is open Internationally however you must have a Paypal.com account in order to collect your prize. Winners will be drawn using random.org and your chance of winning is based on the number of entries. This giveaway closes at 11:59pm EST on June 21st 2011 and winners will have 48 hours to claim their prize once notified or a new winner will be selected.

Good Luck and thanks for stopping by!

Click on the buttons below!

Good Luck Lovelies!

Recent {And Not So Recent} Snaps

2011-06-12T21:43:00.000-04:00

There have been many things I've been meaning to post about but due to time, and sometimes motivation, I haven't written a whole post about them. I have been taking pictures though, so I figured I'd at least share those! I've been slaving over report cards all day, and though I'm not really close to being done, I needed to take a break.

It's going to be a busy summer, but blogging more is definitely top of my 'Free Time' to do list. I'm already growing tired of the background I have, so I'll probably switch that up too!

Oh, and I bought the most PERFECT shoes for my last Impractical Shoe Friday. It will be tough because I want to wear them everywhere, but I'll save them for 5 more days.

Also, for anyone who has followed my Project 365 blog, I know I haven't posted in forever, but I have all the pictures, I just need to get them up. It's harder than I thought to take a picture and post it everyday! To anyone who has finished P365 please do share your tips!

And lastly, a big Hello to all my new readers! Thanks for joining along with my rambling!

Tree Hugging

Snooze on a Beach

Try not to scare the children

Possibly a favourite outfit

"I want to see a whale."

See. . . I am sporty . . . kinda

Share some snaps of your recent adventures!

Impractical Shoe Friday {Second to Last Edition}

2011-06-10T21:04:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday! I hope you all have some fabulous plans this weekend. I'm heading off to a Blue Jays game tomorrow with the fam jam but other than that I am up to my ears in report card writing. Today is the second last day of Impractical Shoe Friday even though there are two more Friday's left in the school year. The actual last Friday is our fun day so I will be running around outside and impractical shoes would be too. . . impractical.

{top: Urban Planet; skirt: Suzy Shier; shoes: Dollhouse; purse: Theit}

Please do excuse the post work wrinkleness of my outfit. . .

My roommate and I went to an Urban Barn outlet and they had a whole bunch of random things like this crow. I clearly had to take a picture with it. . .

On that note - Have a great night!

Shattered

2011-06-08T21:51:00.000-04:00

I picked this shatter polish up at a street fair on the weekend and tested it out for the first time last night. I definitely am not a fan of the green underneath, but I think with a nice pink or red it will look significantly less hallowe'en-y and I'll like it more.

The green is Avon's 'Jade' and the top is OPI 'Black Shatter'. I've got to say applying the shatter polish is a little tricky. It has to be done quickly and you only want to apply one coat, so it's hard to get an even coverage. You can see where I did a second swipe as the black part is much larger.

I also got a henna tattoo! I'm not sure that I'd ever be brave enough to get a real tattoo in this location, but henna will be fun for a few weeks.

I hope you're all having a great week!

Smokin'

2011-06-07T19:35:00.000-04:00

By that I mean the weather of course; it is so hot out! I am trying to stay out the sun as much as possible and my new favourite accessory is helping me do just that! I found this hat at London Drugs in Vancouver for $15. It is absolutely perfect and I wear it everywhere! I know, I'm a bit of a diva. . . . I'm okay with it.

{hat:London Drugs top:RW&Co skirt:H&M shoes:?}

I'm going to try to do my nails tonight, hopefully they turn out because I am going to try something fun and I want to show you! Sometimes when it is too hot and humid my polish gets bubbles in it and it looks terrible, fingers crossed it doesn't do that tonight!

Sneak Peek - Summer Beauty Tour!

2011-06-05T17:36:00.000-04:00

Summer is coming soon and we have a special way to celebrate with you. 7 Beauty Bloggers have initiated a Summer Beauty Tour for you, our readers, to win some fabulous CASH prizes.

In our very first Summer Beauty Tour, you are in for:
Grand Prize: $200 Cash
First Runner Up: $100 Cash
Second Runner Up: $50 Cash.

Prizes were contributed by us, no sponsors, our genuine way to show our gratitude to your readership over the years. And cash prizes give you the most flexible way to reward yourself, either with some beauty products, or spa treatment, or summer clothes shopping. You don't want to miss this!

The giveaway will be very easy to enter and is open internationally so keep your eyes open on June 14, 2011 when it goes live.

Make sure you follow our blogs for more info.

Faces By Farah
Everyday Makeup
Toronto Beauty Reviews
Emily Loves - mine!
Dot..Dot...Dot...
Sparkled Beauty
In The Pink Of Things

Impractical Shoe Friday {Convert Edition}

2011-06-03T19:09:00.000-04:00

I told you a few weeks ago about one of my students participating in Impractical Shoe Friday and today I have a new convert to share. One of my co-worker/friends Ashley has hopped on the wagon! She looked so fabulous today I convinced her to let me take a picture for my blog!

{dress:Winners skirt:H&M shoes:Matisse}

{I forgot to ask, but I know the skirt and blazer are from Ricki's!}

No photo shoot is complete with out the fun ones!

I totally pulled an Amanda and wore a skirt under my dress. It was just a little to short for school but I think it looked kinda funky with the skirt underneath. . . I might do that more often!

The winner of my giveaway was comment #13 Megan from Lovely Miss Megs! I've sent you an email!

Happy weekend!!

Mayhem

2011-05-31T18:05:00.000-04:00

I am not sure when the last favourites post was. . . . I'd guess sometime in the fall? I just checked, it was August 2010 - I am surprised it's been that long! I tend to get in and and out of blog habits very quickly I guess this was one I left on the back burner for a while. These favourites aren't just from this month, they are products/items I've been loving for a while and finally decided to showcase. I am seriously having trouble writing coherent sentences, it is so hot out. I always find the first few really hot days hard as my body needs the time to adjust to the temperature difference. I would love to sit around with my feet in a bucket of cold water. . . . I actually might do that after this!

Marcelle Blush 'Pink Fusion' * - I have been using this blush pretty much every day for over two months. I love it, and it provides the perfect glow! I am a big fan of blushes that have different coloured stripes so I can blend the colour however I'd like.

Jessica Simpson sunglasses - My black sunglasses are still my go-to driving pair but these are a fun pink colour, perfect for summer! Also, they are huge and add a little diva to any outfit.

Smashbox Pore and Line Primer - I don't use this everyday, but it is a great product if you find your pores are visible. I use a little around my nose and it creates the perfect canvas for foundation!

Nina Ultra Pro Polish 'Passion Pink' - You can see a NOTD here of this gorgeous colour. I am craving the brights right now and have been sporting this colour lots!

Marcelle Purity Cleansing Gel* - I am a fan of face washes that can take off my eye makeup at the same time. This is a very gentle wash yet it is able to scrub off most of my black liner without being harsh on the eyes. My only peeve with this product is that the dispensing hole is large so I always end up with more gel than I would typically use.

Matisse Wedges - I haven't even worn these yet, I just bought them yesterday, but I can tell they are going to be a favourite this summer. They are super comfortable to walk in and I'm going to put them through the Impractical Shoe Friday test soon to see if I can last a whole day in them. I can't wait for a fun summer date where I can wear these with a cute dress!

What have been your favourite items this month?

PS. It's the last day to enter the giveaway!

* Denotes a product I was sent by Group Marcelle. Not paid to share, but I do love these items!

All In A Days Work

2011-05-29T10:08:00.000-04:00

In an ongoing effort to save money I have been trying to fill out every contest survey that I receive. Typically I'll get one a week; from a gas station, a restaurant or Shoppers. They really do only take a few minutes to fill out, it's more a matter or remembering to dig out my receipts and log on. But what I want to know is. . . . Does anyone actually win!? I've never met anyone who has and I feel that I would know if one of my friends won free gas for a year. So tell me, have you ever won anything from filling out a customer service survey?

{top: Urban Planet jeans: Sneak Peak shoes: H&M purse: Tory Burch}

The purse is my sisters, I as usual, had my THEIT bag because I lug my camera everywhere. I do love it still, but it's nice to switch it up for pictures sometimes. Happy Sunday!

PS. Don't forget about the giveaway!

Impractical Shoe Friday {Ain't No Cowboy Edition}

2011-05-27T19:51:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday! I hope you all have fabulous plans for the weekend! My official plan is to rid myself of the man voice (or as the Doctor informed me today: Bronchitis) and hang out with my sisters. Today at school instead of being a regular Impractical Shoe Friday I had the 'fun' of making it somewhat Cowboy-ish. These theme Friday's are getting harder to plan my outfits around. I definitely don't own cowboy boots and I had to dig through my dirty laundry hamper for this plaid top. (Yes, I am a dirt and totally okay with it.)

Can you see the dirt on the toes of my boots?! That's because originally I tried taking these pictures in a farm field, you know, like a cowgirl. . . it was a big fail. I just ended up with dirty boots and a bunch of pictures like this:

I could be traipsing in the English countryside with that outfit! Ah well.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Mini-Review and Blog Squealing

2011-05-26T22:43:00.000-04:00

There are many reviews that I have been meaning to post but I never got around to actually doing it! Since I'm giving away these products (don't worry, you'll be getting new ones) I thought it would only be right to share my thoughts on them!

Vasanti Eye Wonder Triple Action Cream

As you can see from the top picture I have put quite a dent in this product. I ran out of the Marcelle Hydra C cream that I was using and happily started using this the Vasanti Cream. It is a very light weight cream that sinks into my skin quickly and does not leave a greasy feeling at all. As with every eye cream I ever try I don't see noticeable difference with fine lines but I also don't really think I have lines to worry about just yet! It retails for $42 CAD and can be purchased here.

Annabelle Volume Lip Plump 'PlumPtastic'

I have used many Annabelle Volume Lip Plumps in the past and this is by far the most vibrant of all the colours I own. I love how glossy they stay and you can layer them so well over any lip gloss. This is not a colour that I tend to wear much, as I do lean more towards the less bright glosses, but it definitely makes a statement when I do wear it! As I've admitted with the other Lip Plumps I never really find my lips actually plumping but it does add a nice sheen that can add to a plumper look. All of the Volume Lip glosses are easy to purchase (in Canada) and they retail for around $6.

Cover FX Nourishing Foundation Primer & Anti-Aging Serum

I have been trying out many different foundation primers during the last little while and have yet to find one I am 100% sold on. This Nourishing primer and Anti-Aging Serum from Cover FX while nice and light weight I do find it better as a serum than a primer. I have skin that tends to be on the oily side and then adding this as a primer and my foundation slips right off. However, using it as a serum leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth. The 30mL (I have the 15mL) retails for $45 CAD and can be purchased at Shoppers, Sephora or here.

I will be posting more reviews soon as I work my way through some of the new products I've been trying.

I am watching the season finale of Grey's Anatomy right now and it is so sad on so many levels. Eeeee!!! Teddy and Henry just kissed! I am so excited for them to be together!! Ok, enough blog squealing. . . I'm off to bed. Night!

May Giveaway!

2011-05-25T16:25:00.002-04:00

~ Vasanti Eye Wonder Cream ~

~ L'Oreal One Sweep Shadow 'Natural' ~

~ Annabelle Volume Lip 'Plum' ~

~ Cover FX Skin Prep ~

~ Hard Candy Hot Smudge Shadow ~

A little treat for one of my beautiful readers!

Comment below with how you follow (Google Friend Connect/Reader/Bloglovin/Feedburner), someway to contact you (email/twitter/blog) and I'll enter your name!

One bonus entry if you follow me on twitter @emilacci

Giveaway closes May 31st at midnight and the winner will be announced shortly after. Open internationally.

Sea Legs

2011-05-25T11:29:00.000-04:00

I'm back from Vancouver and though not feeling 100% better (I still have man-voice, but I'll take that over the no-voice of Monday) I am able to breathe! I did leave a few sick people in my wake on the west coast - I hope you start feeling better soon!

The weather was gorgeous and I got to see a lot more of the city itself this trip. I need to do a post of all of my random adventures from the last month and a bit. Part of the reason that I haven't been posting many pictures of trips is that I am tired of loading them onto Picnik. I think I might just have to order Photoshop or something. Actually, if anyone knows of a good free download for Mac's or has a suggestion for Photoshop please let me know!

I am going to get myself re-settled into my room and then next on my list is finally posting that giveaway from months ago! Check back later as it should be up by dinner time!

Have a wonderful day!

Impractical Shoe Friday {The Shoes I Wish I Had Edition}

2011-05-20T11:15:00.000-04:00

{I wish I had these shoes today. Anyone know where I can get a pair?}

I am not someone who gets sick often, which is a good thing because I know for a fact that when I do get sick I turn into a whiny 12 year old who wants someone to constantly rub her back and bring her warm drinks. The timing of me being sick right now ended up working out both well and not so well. Well because I was planning on taking today off to make my weekend extra long, and now I was actually able to take it off as a legitimate sick day. On the flip-side, it's rather sucky because I am in Vancouver and I can't stop coughing. Another bonus, I sound like a man. Not attractive at all.

We are heading out to do some kayaking this morning, I'm hoping the clean ocean air will help move this sickness on its way! Please send positive animal thoughts my way, I really want to see some whales!

To counter all the sick talk I'd like to share with you my newest love: Pinterest. Ashley posted about it on her blog, and then Amanda posted about it as well; and thank you both, because I have officially found a new addiction. It's like google images but without all of the crap. You can search for anything and the results given are only the best pictures that provide the most impressive inspiration. I also just like to browse around and see what strikes my fancy. I have only 'pinned' one picture but I have been saving lots to my computer. I will try to pin more because it is quite fun! Here are some of my latest favourite pictures.

{going to try to re-create this hair at some point}

{layers and layers}

{I have purchased a calligraphy pen and will be practicing my fancy script}

{love the colours here}

If you are on Pinterest send me your link! Have a wonderful weekend!

All pictures via Pinterest.

New Additions

2011-05-14T19:57:00.001-04:00

I generally buy makeup related things at Shoppers Drug Mart, but every once in a while there is a brand they don't carry so I head over to Sephora. I picked up these things last night and I have to admit, half of my purchases came from the travel size section right at the checkout. It gets me every time!

1. Clinique Even Better foundation. I bought the shade 14 'Creamwhip'. I have had this on my want list of a while so I am excited to see how it works out! 2. Josie Maran Argan Oil Hair Serum. During a staff meeting a few weeks ago one of my co-workers told me I needed a hair cut. She was basing this off of my rather ratty ends. I just hate getting it cut, it never works out, so I'm hoping this will work some miracles! 3. Urban Decay De-Slick in a tube. I needed a new face primer and thought this would be a great one to try for the summer. 4. Forever 21. New bling. It's such a beautiful blue colour I couldn't pass it up. 5. Cake Hair & Body Powder. I own this in the full size version but the mini will be perfect for travel. This stuff is the BEST dry shampoo in the world, hands down. 6. Too Faced Shadow Insurance. UDPP has been letting me down lately, I'm not sure if it is because I'm using the small bottle I got with the Naked Palette or if they changed the formula, but either way my shadow was creasing by mid day. Here's hoping TFSI works better! 7. Gift from England. Connie was teaching in England earlier this year and she picked me up these bracelets, a neat keychain and the beautiful picture below. It was so sweet of her, and I absolutely love the picture!

I have decided that I'm going to have myself a very exciting Saturday night with the movie "Killers" and a stack of magazines! Have a wonderful evening!

Impractical Shoe Friday {Old Faithful Edition}

2011-05-13T22:59:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday Lovelies!! Today one of my best friends came to visit! She is also a teacher and is down with some students on a sports trip. It was so nice to be able to spend time with her, it has been almost a year and it was great to catch up. Here are some more lovely dressing room self portraits for you! The Guess shoes I wore today are still one of my favourite pairs of shoes. I bought them years ago in Quebec and recently found the exact same style in nude.

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend planned!

Trenched

2011-05-10T11:26:00.001-04:00

My sister found a gorgeous trench coat from Michael Kors (not going to lie I'm a little jealous), and I was inspired to go looking again for a new coat. I had been looking for a new non-black trench coat for a while and hadn't been able to find one in my price range. I had almost given up when I stumbled upon this one at Suzy Shier for 50% off on Friday and I'm quite pleased with it!

{I walk like a diva apparently}

My sister took these pictures for me in the Staples parking lot and it struck me as funny that I was totally fine with it. I used to be so embarrassed when I asked people to take pictures for my blog, I would go to somewhere obscure or hidden so that there was no chance anyone would see us. Now I just shrug it off and take them {mostly} wherever I fancy! I have yet to bust out the tripod in super public places. That is still a little too much for me!

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

. . . .

2011-05-08T07:22:00.000-04:00

For all the times we didn't say it, Thank You for everything.

Photo from Pinterest, text added by me.

Impractical Shoe Friday {Acquisitions Edition}

2011-05-07T09:51:00.000-04:00

Happy Weekend Lovelies!

It's a beautiful day here and I hope the sun is shining where you are too.

Yesterday I didn't really get any great photos of my shoes or outfit but I did accomplish a goal of finding a new pair of flats.

It was a rainy day here in Ontario, but the fearless french teacher wore her sparkles to combat the gloom. I got more compliments on that sparkle shirt/knit sweater combo than I've ever had before!

After work I went to the mall with hopes of finding a new pair of flats. I realized that I really don't have any left that are in good shape. I found these two pairs at Costa Blanca, and huge bonus they were on sale and then had an additional 20% off that day, so both pairs including tax came to $28. Not bad!

I saw lots of other shoes I wanted but decided to stick to what I had been shopping for.

How are you going to celebrate Mother's Day tomorrow? I'm heading home tonight so spend time with the family!

Black Eye

2011-05-05T19:44:00.000-04:00

I created a list of 17 things I needed to do on Saturday and after I had crossed 7 of them off I took a break to take pictures for a FOTD. I was trying out a new product from Annabelle, the 4Show eyeshadow quad in 'Black-Eye' but I'll post the review later.

{MAC Satinfinish foundation, Marcelle Setting Powder, Lise Watier Concealer, Powderflage, MAC 'Pink Swoon' Blush, Balmshell lipgloss}

{Without Flash}

{With Flash}

{UDPP, Annabelle BlackEye Quad **, Smashbox Jet Set, Marcelle Power Volume & L'Oreal Million Lashes Mascara**}

I saw a girl on Friday who had her hair in the simplest little messy bun and it was so perfect I had to try for it myself. I needed the hair pin to keep the not quite long enough bangs off my face.

Notice a trend with the pictures? Apparently I like the right side of my face. . . . all of the pictures I had from this look were of the right side! Totally random.

Have a wonderful day!

**Denotes a product I received at the TBB event

Shellac, Paper Shoes and Octopus Hands

2011-05-05T06:30:00.000-04:00

It would seem nails are the theme this week. One of my co-workers, Ashley and I went to get mani/pedi's done yesterday as a bit of a treat and the salon offered Shellac so I decided to go for it. Over all I'm relatively pleased with the outcome though the manicurist made my nails too short. I've realized that because I've become quite good at doing my own nails I am very picky when someone else does them. I should have told her not to file them as I already like the shape and length, but alas I let her do her job. Next time I'll speak up. The actual application is really nice, and I was SO impressed with the fact that they are 100% dry when you are done. That was probably the best part for me, though I am excited to see how long they last.

I didn't have a polish bottle to hold for the colour and so I was quite unsure about how to hold my hand. In most of the pictures my hands looked like octopus legs, this one a little less so.

I took this picture on my phone while lying in bed writing, it is 6 am and I didn't feel like going to find my camera.

I went to the salon totally unprepared for a pedicure. I am not sure how I forgot while getting dressed yesterday am but I wore the tightest skinny jeans I own and boots, totally forgetting to pack flip flops! After I wrestled myself out of the boots it took me another minute to get my pant legs up high enough to stick my feet in the water and then once I did the lady doing the pedicure looks at my legs and says, 'You need a wax.' Gee, thanks! Actually, I wasn't offended, I do my own waxing at home and had planned on it this weekend, I just thought her bluntness was funny.

Then because I didn't have flip flops I had to go home wearing the ever trendy paper shoes.

Even better, a piece of garbage blew into the picture. Classy.

On of my students noticed my piercing yesterday. Generally I wear tops that you can't see it but yesterday the cardigan moved a bit and she saw it. At first she was like, 'Mlle! There is something on you!' And me thinking it was a bug was like, 'What?! Where?!' Anyway, she had previously drawn me a portrait, which she instantly took back, added the piercing and then showed me her new handiwork. On a random piercing note, it is still in! I keep expecting it to reject soon, as I was warned that 6 months is about the longest I'll get but here we are at 8!

Have a wonderful Thursday, and if you are into Grey's enjoy the show!

Posh Pink

2011-05-02T21:25:00.000-04:00

I am fairly certain when I bought this Revlon colour it was purely because of the name, 'Posh Pink'. It is however the perfect Barbie pink colour and it manages to make my hands look rather tanned!

Do you get lured in by the names?

Impractical Shoe Friday {Royal Edition}

2011-04-30T13:20:00.000-04:00

Friday was pretty spectacular for a few reasons:

The Royal Wedding

Fabulous Shoes

Great dinner with my Sisters and their BF's

My First "Teacher Impact" Moment

I was driving in the heels but being in a manual car means that for longer drives I have to switch to lower heels.

Since it was the wedding on Friday we encouraged our students to wear their special hats to celebrate. One of my students came running into the class and made my heart melt with this comment:

"Mlle, I didn't have a hat to wear but look (points to shoes) I wore my fancy shoes like you for Fancy Shoe Friday!" It was so cute, he had on his little loafers and he was so proud of himself. After I told my mum she commented that even if I don't realize it I am having an impact on these kids. Next time hopefully it will be on a grander scale than shoes, but I'll take what I can get!

I was tempted to purchase this fascinator from Feather Band at the TBB Step into Spring event. It would have been perfect for the Royal nuptials! I got up at my regular time and watched about half an hour before getting ready. As with the rest of the world I think Kate is stunning and just so normal. I realize the event that took place yesterday moved her past 'normal' but she still seems so grounded despite her new title. Her dress, though not my cup of tea, was gorgeous and somehow she was able to pull of sleeves. Did you get up to watch the wedding?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Meet Amanda

2011-04-24T08:51:00.000-04:00

{this is my most recent fave outfit)

One of my good blogger friends Amanda asked for guest bloggers this week so I sent over a post about my favourite nail products. They are gooders so go check it out!

Impractical Shoe Friday {Thursday Edition}

2011-04-22T09:37:00.001-04:00

Happy Super Duper Long Weekend!! Since we don't have school today I wore my impractical shoes yesterday to school. I needed a pair I would be comfortable in straight through until midnight and these wedges were the perfect choice.

Cut off my feet, I really need to bring my tripod to school.

{Spring Shoes}

So last night I went home and my sister says to me, "Em, you know there is a rip in your jeans, right?" Well, no I did not! My long shirt was covering it most of the time but right beside one of the back pockets there was a rip!! Thank goodness I was wearing black undies so you couldn't really tell, but as if I spent the whole day wearing ripped jeans!

Happy Easter!

I hope you all enjoy a wonderful weekend with friends and family!

If the 80's Were a Nail Polish

2011-04-20T17:10:00.000-04:00

I purchased this polish at Sally's last week during their Buy 2 Get 1 Free sale and have officially decided that this is a polish meant for the 80's. It just has that very grunge-but-actually-not vibe and I love it. It's more bright in real life than it appears in the bottle, as you can see in the picture. The colour is 'Passion Pink' by Nina Ultra Pro.

I'm super happy with this purchase, and even more happy that I didn't get home to discover I have another polish that is basically the same colour. When that happens I take it as a big sign that I don't actually need another polish if I can't remember what colours I have!

What's your latest polish purchase?

Sometimes it Snows in Canada

2011-04-17T17:37:00.000-04:00

I have been slowly checking items off my ToDo list today and since I was doing well I decided to take a break and do my makeup. I don't have anywhere special to go today, and normally that would mean I stay bare faced, but I needed to give my eyes a rest so I switched out my computer for a mirror and had some fun. Also, it was snowing so I didn't want to go outside.

with flash

{MAC Satinfinish Foundation; Lise Watier Concealer; Marcelle Setting Powder; Benefit Powderflage; Lancome Bronze Solaire; Marcelle Blush 'Pink Fusion'**}

without flash

{Gosh Lip Liner 'Pink Peony'; No7 Lipstick 'Classic Rose'}

{UDPP; Inglot shadows; Marcelle Liquid Liner*; Marcelle Power Volume Mascara*; L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara*; MAC 'Ploof'}

I 'orton-ized' myself on Picnik!

I've been trying to use lots of the products I got from the TBB event so that I can let you know what is worth it and what is not. I've been pleasently surprised by some things and sadly let down by others. Also, there were some things I received that I already owned so I think I'll do a little giveaway soon!

Happy Sunday!

* denotes a product I received at the TBB event

** denotes a product sent from the company

Impractical Shoe Friday {Quote Edition}

2011-04-16T10:30:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I have people asking me why I own so many shoes or commenting on the fact that I never wear the same pair. While I can readily admit that I own more shoes than perhaps the average 24 year old I by no means have a huge collection. I mean, it's not like I have a shoe room or anything. OK, who am I kidding. . . I would LOVE a shoe room!

Anyway, the point of this ramble is that this particular pair of shoes has been getting a lot of love from me. They are super comfortable (meaning I can wear them to work all day and not be in pain) and I think that they add a bit of edge to my look.

{From a couple weeks ago}

{Tacky mirror portrait at the mall}

I have a whole list of things to accomplish this weekend. I have been so blah and unmotivated with everything lately. Work, makeup, blogging, even my hobbies! Every once in a while I just need a wake up call that this is my life and I need to live it.

What are your fab weekend plans?

Quotes:

During circle time at school:

One of my students, "Mlle, do you wear perfume?"

Me, "Yes, I do."

Student, "Oh, I thought you just smelled like icing all the time."

Me, "Is it a good thing to smell like icing?"

Student, "Of course! Everyone loves cake!"

Showing one of my roommates a new top I bought:

Me, "I am so excited, I've been looking for a top like this forever!"

(show him the top)

Blair, "Oh . . . it's nice. Kinda like a curtain. . . but with lace."

What?!

Since I Like Me Numbers

2011-04-14T17:59:00.001-04:00

Word.

In replacement of the 6 blog posts I could have done in the last two weeks I shall instead give you this list full of numbers. Mostly because I like numbers, but also because it is significantly faster for you to read than a bunch of rambling blog posts.

One super cool feature on THEIT's blog!

Proud owner of two lens caps since I found the missing one.

Purchased three new nail polish colours.

Four rainy days mean lots of wear for Hunter!

Going on day five of Mission: Clean Room.

Officially six misses on the Project 365 front.

Only eleven weeks of school left!

Discovered I can drive exactly fifty-seven kilometers after my gas light goes on.

Somehow I now have over six hundred followers! THANK YOU ♥

How have your last ten days been?

Vancity

2011-04-06T18:12:00.001-04:00

I just remembered that I never did post any more pictures about my trip out west! They were just sitting in my 'drafts' section waiting to be shown. I still am in awe every time I look at the pictures of just how amazing it is out there. I spent a few days skiing, lots of time hanging out with friends and over all I had a great week.

Here are some of my favourite pictures!

Have a wonderful day!

Black and White

2011-04-04T17:48:00.000-04:00

Hello Lovelies! I do hope you've all had a fantastic day! I am so loving how spring has finally arrived. We will probably get at least one more big snow but for now the roads are clear and I can wear a light jacket!

On Saturday night I went to my sister's final concert for school and had absolutely no idea what to wear. I think I jinxed myself because I was talking to my friend prior to deciding on an outfit and they asked how long it usually takes me to choose my clothes. I said 5 minutes max (which is normally the case) and they remarked that they had expected me to say much longer. Well, of course after that I spent almost 30 minutes trying on different outfits and not finding a single one I was happy with. They were all ending up too edgy for a choir concert so I finally settled on the basic b & w attire. Side note, have you ever shopped at White House Black Market? I have seen their adds and one of my sisters owns a few things from there and I think I would absolutely love their style. Do share if you've shopped there before!

I always find it so interesting how different light can completely change the way you look. I hadn't changed my makeup at all but it totally looks like I did!

{face MAC Satinfinish foundation; Lise Watier concealer; Powderflage; Marcelle Setting powder; Marcelle 'Pink Fusion' blush; Urban Decay 'De Slick' spray eyes UD Primer Potion; MAC Satin Taupe; Rimmel Liquid Liner; Marcelle Power Boost & L'Oreal Million Lashes mascara lips Burt's Bee's lip chap}

{I only have a few pairs of contacts left and since I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to get an appointment I've been wearing my glasses and rationing out the last few sets}

skirt: H&M top/belt/cardigan: Urban Planet shoes: Spring purse: THEIT

What is your favourite part of spring?

Impractical Shoe Friday {Animal Edition}

2011-04-01T20:20:00.000-04:00

I knew I wanted to wear these pants today and had no idea what shoes to sport since they would be mostly covered up. I decided on these leopard print ones since they provided a bit of fun to my otherwise bland outfit.

Happy Friday Everyone!

Step into Spring!

2011-03-31T21:09:00.001-04:00

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to attend yet another Toronto Beauty Blogger event organized by the ever beautiful and efficient Farah. Nestled in Yorkville is a beautiful old church that has been converted into commercial space, and occupying the top floor is Loki Salon. It is such a unique space, filled with the old rafters and original features of a church attic, I couldn't help but snap a few pictures of it!

I find it so neat that even though I've only met these women a handful of times when we get together we can chat like old friends! A huge virtual hug and shout out to all the TBB ladies!

So funny story. . . . this past summer I was in Montreal and was able to meet up with Isabel from Marcelle Cosmetics and I wore a new shirt I purchased at Simon's that day. This is only important because I was staying at my parents house the night before the blogger meet up and had packed that same top to wear. I hadn't worn it in a while and was happy with my choice. . . until Sunday morning I read a tweet from Isabel that said she was coming to Toronto for the event! I was tempted to go out and buy a new top but then decided in the end it would be a funny story and I shouldn't let it bother me. Isabel got a kick out of it and I promised to wear a different top the next time I saw her.

{Virginie, Isabel and myself}

{love this pic!}

{all the beautiful attendees}

{Amelia and I}

{The beautiful venue}

{the swag bag plus the goodies from Cover FX I won}

Farah did such an amazing job at putting this event together, I know that it took a lot of effort and she deserves all the thanks in the world. She is the perfect hostess and is a genuinely nice person, I am so happy that I've had the opportunity to get to know her.

I'll be sure to post up reviews as I make my way though all the goodies.

Happy Thursday!

PS. What is with the singing Grey's?! I am not a fan.

Poser/Poseur

2011-03-28T12:48:00.001-04:00

My sister is graduating university this year and her program always hosts a formal to celebrate. Quite a few months ago she asked if I would be willing to come do photography for them. I declined at first since I am not a professional at all, but then she convinced me saying that they've never hired a photographer and really I would just be there so that there is a designated picture taker. The night totally reminded me of prom, but as I texted a friend of mine, I wish I had had the confidence at my prom that I did on Friday night. There are so many things I would share with my 18 year old self if I could travel back in time. Starting with, 'Smile more and don't worry about your hair."

She and the other organizers threw a rocking party and everyone had a blast. I ended up leaving around 11PM because I was super tired and there was so much fog from the fog machine that pictures were basically becoming impossible to take. A special thanks to the Marketing Society for taking a chance with a newbie photographer!

{dress: Forever 21 shoes: H&M purse:THEIT bad lighting:The Bathroom}

{MAC Satinfinish Foundation, Marcelle Setting Powder, MAC Margin Blush, Lancome Bronze Solaire, Marcelle Lipstick Paris Rose*}

My beautiful sister and I. I am actually much taller than her but she was wearing her heels and I took mine off for the picture.

My Project 365 picture for the day

What would you say to your 18 year old self if you could?

❤

emily

Tweethearts

One Picture at a Time

*Gifted from Marcelle Cosmetics

Impractical Shoe Friday {Nude Edition}

2011-03-26T12:33:00.000-04:00

I have a mental list of items for my closet that I'm not willing to settle for. They stay filed away until I find something that I think might fit the criteria and then I compare my list of wants with the product and decide if it has made the cut. Nude heels have been on this list for well over a year. I tend to think of Noelle when I am looking for nude heels because she has always been able to find the perfect pair. Two weekends ago when I was out shopping before my trip to BC I happened to find a pair that not only fit the criteria but were an exact duplicate of another pair of shoes I own. These Guess shoes have been my favourite go to pair of black heels for over 3 years and though they are sky high I can wear them for hours without my feet hurting. Side note, I can't believe I don't have a better picture of them on my blog! I purchased both pairs at Winners for $80, which is not bad for Guess shoes.

I officially did the 'take pictures of myself in the bathroom' trick as right after this I had to get ready for my debut as a photographer! Total jokes. I will write a separate post on that one .

Have a fabulous weekend!!

❤

emily

Tweethearts

One Picture at a Time

West Coast Boast

2011-03-15T10:50:00.000-04:00

You know when people tell you something is beautiful but they say it so much that you think they must be exaggerating? That's kind of how I felt about Vancouver prior to coming here, however I have basically spent the last two days with my jaw on the floor; turns out they were not exaggerating.

It has been quite rainy in Vancouver but even with the rain/fog it is stunning. The city is so clean and there is much more of a relaxed feel than Toronto. I am staying with one of my close friends from high school and then yesterday we trekked out to Whistler with another friend. This picture below might just be my favourite picture so far since of course I love me a rainbow. On the drive I made a comment to my friends about how I was disappointed that I had not seen a rainbow. "With all the on and off rain and sunshine you get here why are there not constantly rainbows?" To which my friend replied, "Ok, I'll see what I can do for you." Well, didn't we round the next bend in the road and get greeted by one of the biggest rainbows I've ever seen!

For real, I thought it was just too ironic. As though BC was like, 'What? You are not satisfied with the scenery, you have to be picky?! Fine, here is your rainbow.' I can't wait for a clear day, I feel that I'll just walk around drooling as I try to take it all in.

Elise and I

I should probably start taking notes while I take pictures. . . this is somewhere in Vancouver.

The view from Elise's balcony. It's hard to tell but if the clouds were gone you have a beautiful view of the mountains. Keep your fingers crossed for me that the fog will lift!

Can you guess what this picture is from? I got to see a Cirque show!!! They were playing in Vancouver for a few days and my friend was able to get tickets. Not only was it an amazing show but I get to cross something off my bucket list! Seriously, the things they were able to do with their bodies, I was torn between awe and horror the whole time. Toss in a bit of jealousy too, I mean holy ripped to the max. We had perfect seats and I wish I could have taken pictures during the show but an after show take down still proves I was there!

After the show we went up the Harbour Center Tower and were able to see the whole city. It was a little tough getting a good picture as we were rotating but the whole 360 view was stunning.

We'll be heading back to Vancouver in a few days so I'm sure I'll get in more exploring then. Today we are off to go skiing (which I haven't done in a few years) so wish me luck!!

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

❤

emily

Tweethearts

One Picture at a Time

Impractical Shoe Friday {Look for Less Edition}

2011-03-11T17:07:00.002-05:00

Hello lovelies!! Today is a great day, not only is it Friday but as of two hours ago I am officially on March Break! I am flying out tomorrow to spend the week in Vancouver & Whistler with some friends. I have never been and I am so excited to finally see the West Coast of Canada! Plus as a bonus I'll be able to cross a few things off my Bucket List. {TY KEDWR}

The majority of the teachers at my school are women and even though it's only week three of Impractical Shoe Friday most have already caught on and were vocal with giving their approval of my choice today. I bought these shoes last weekend and as soon as I saw them I had to snap them up. They were the last size 6 and fit perfectly; clearly it was meant to be.

{skirt: Stitches purse: Theit shoes: H&M top: Smart Set}

Not a bad $40 dupe for the JC 'Pixie' boots I've been eyeing.

This is the only full body shot I have, I think I was still walking in this one. I took these pictures at school when my kids had gone to gym. All the boxes in the picture are from our current art/social studies project. They are building castles and we were in the middle of working when the gym teacher came. I swear my room is not always that messy!

What are your plans for March Break/the weekend?

❤

emily

Tweethearts

One Picture at a Time

Kinda unrelated, but does anyone else feel weird that we just continue on with our day as though nothing has happened when on the other side of the world people's lives have been dramatically changed over night? Living in a geographically/politically/gender safe part of the world I totally take for granted that each day I will wake up and things will run as per usual. When a disaster strikes, whether it's mother nature or big brother inflicted, I always have to take a step back and remember just how privileged I am to live where I do and lead the life I'm so used to. Thoughts and prayers going out to everyone affected by the quake around the world. ❤

Le Noir

2011-03-08T06:50:00.000-05:00

It's been so beautiful out the past little while that I've been getting outside for pictures as much as possible. Though still on the chilly side it's still been great to snap a few pictures in real sunlight! With each passing day I am getting more and more excited for spring and summer to arrive.

Front loaded with my 'serious' face.

I kinda feel like Donatella in this pic for some reason. . . .

top: unknown from NYC jeans: Sneak Peek shoes: Jessica Simpson sunnies: Ralph Lauren purse: THEIT

{❤}

MAC Satinfinish: Marcelle Setting Powder: Lise Watier Concealer: Powderflage: NYX Silky Rose blush: Marcelle lipstick Jezebel* & random gloss

UDPP:Inglot Pearl #399 & AMC Shine #40: MAC Girlie: Smashbox Cabernet & Cream Liner: L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen

Have a wonderful day!

❤

emily

Tweethearts

One Picture at a Time

*Sent to me by Group Marcelle

Impractical Shoe Friday {Skipped Edition}

2011-03-05T18:56:00.000-05:00

Of course the week after I start my most exciting new 'goal' it's a week where I can't complete it. Yesterday was our school's Carnival day so impractical shoes just wouldn't fly. I was outside for most of the day playing games in the snow so there were no heels on my feet. I did however pick up these cute flats at H&M for $5. Perfect.

I went up to Barrie last night to visit some friends and then we spent the day today just hanging out. They are good friends from uni and I don't get to see them too often, but when I do it's so great. Plus they have the cutest baby who cried for me when I left . . score 1 for Auntie Em!!

What did you get up to today?