A week in words - 04/29

This week, as I've mentioned before, felt like one of the longest of my life. I thought I would just wrap everything up in a paragraph or two instead of breaking it down day-by-day. I spent Sunday through Wednesday more or less on my own since my very lucky, and hard working, husband got to attend an awesome graphic design conference in Toronto.

A bunch of packages came in this week and I even ventured to the mall. I have lots lined up to post about including some all-natural lip glosses, another Etsy feature, some Vera Moda and Material Girl pieces, and the latest of my foundation experiments. Why is it so impossible to find a good foundation in a super light colour?! I have the worst luck with finding a match for my skin and somewhat odd undertone. Hmph.

This weekend I spent a lot of time lounging atop of my bed with my MacBook on my lap surfing the web and catching up on Revenge, Smash, Glee, and Law & Order SVU. I ran errands with my husband and dropped off some more stuff at the consignment store, too. We'll be moving in September when my sister is done college (we'll no longer need the additional bedroom nor do we wish to absorb the rent!) so I figure I should probably rid my belongings of anything I can live without. Later today I am heading out to the path near my apartment to grab some shots for my next part of my Etsy feature line up. The backless sweater from the above pic will be in it.

Oh! The lineup for a huge local music festival was released and I'm looking forward to spending at least a day there since I really want to catch Metric and The Weeknd. :)

I'll wait for you at the side of the building

Top: Vera Moda via The Bay / Skirt: Sparkle and Fade via Urban Outfitters / Stockings: Secret Legwear / Shoes: Aldo / Bag: Ebay / Necklace: Urban Outfitters

Well, hello Saturday! It feels like it's been forever since last weekend... I'd go into details but I'd rather not waste another minute of this lovely weekend morning and finally get outside and enjoy some time with my recently-returned-from-a-design-conference husband. These pictures were taken at the side of our apartment building and it was WAY too windy so I apologize for the lack of face.

I'm really hoping we end up seeing The Five Year Engagement movie either tonight or tomorrow because I love both actors and the trailer makes me think it's going to be absolutely hilarious. I also plan on taking many walks with the dog since the freak snow fall has now melted and we could both use a little fresh air and exercise. Plus, he likes to sleep all day following a long walk instead of barking at me to chase him around the apartment for no reason and I'm not about to complain!

I finally heard back from the accountant about my tax refund and am quite happy with the amount. I plan on putting some into savings and then using the rest for a short trip (location still undecided) and some summer clothes shopping. I really can't decide if we should go on a little trip somewhere fun in June or just save the trip money and combine it for a longer trip in September around NYFW (I plan on making the trip to NYC regardless in the fall). Help me decide and comment with some trip suggestions! I'll be eternally grateful.

On a more outfit-related note, this is the purse I recently purchased from Ebay for a mere $28 including shipping. It came very stiff and smelling of awful plastic but has since loosened up and is quickly turning into my go-to everyday bag. The best part? I'm not terrified to put it on the ground or get it a little dirty because it's all PVC and washes incredibly well. Alright, I'm off! Enjoy your weekend, everyone. x

Cake Beauty Satin Sugar Glistening Dry Shampoo & Body Powder

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I can't live without dry shampoo. I realize that's a dramatic statement and sort of makes it sound as though I never shower, but I'm really not ashamed to admit dry shampoo plays a big role in my hair hygiene routine.  Cake Satin Sugar Glistening is my latest dry shampoo addiction - something that really doesn't come as too big a surprise (to me, at least) since I love just about everything Cake sells.

You're likely most familiar with aerosol dry shampoos like Batiste, TRESemmé and Klorane.  I'm a die hard Batiste fan but really, really like the natural effect of a powdered dry shampoo. What's even better about this particular shampoo powder is you can use it as a body powder and highlighter too. Dry shampoo and versatility in a single product? It might as well have my name stamped on the packaging because the universe made it for me.

Normally I use Satin Sugar for lighter hues but knew I had to try the Glistening product when it launched earlier this month. It has a hint of shimmer in its powder and a sweeter fragrance. So, not only does it absorb oil and refresh your locks but it also makes your hair smell delectable and restores that freshly blown out sheen you're missing if you're anything like me and haven't washed your hair for 3+ days. Something else that's awesome about this new product is how it works for both darker and lighter hues - perfect for those of us with oh-so-original ombré locks. ;)

If you're not entirely sure what the heck I'm talking about when I say shampoo powder, you should check out this video made by Cake to explain the multi-purpose product and the application steps. It's a lot easier to use than you think. The idea of anyone not having a dry shampoo in their beauty cabinet is almost incomprehensible to me!

Etsy Love Part II: There's a telephone on my telephone!

Happy hump day Wednesday! Before I go any further, I want to apologize for being so MIA on the blog and on Twitter this week. I was off to a rocky start this particular week but am now back into the swing of things and promise to post, post, post. :)

Today, I want to share another amazing Etsy shop with you. This lovely collection of phone candy is called iCase Couture. The shop is full of original, and obviously adorable, cases for your iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. My two top picks from the shop are the case pictured, which sells for a mere $15, and this one here. I think it's safe to say I have a thing for super girly pink things, don't you?

The shop is based out of Ohio, has incredibly fast shipping, and boasts over 80 items - all at only $15. The seller, Lynn, is also one of the nicest people I've dealt with through Etsy yet. When I touched based with her to let her know the case arrived (and how much I love it!) she filled me in on the story behind the pink telephone booth. It's actually the historic telephone both in London, England and was literally painted pink at the time the photo was taken. Crazy, right? They're not leaving it that way, though - it's just being prepped and primed to be repainted its original red. Ever since she told me that story, I've felt as though I've been carrying around a little piece of history with me!

If you want to deck your iPhone out in a stylish and unique case, but don't feel like shelling out the normal $40+ for something everyone else at the mall has, I suggest you take a look at iCase Couture. Plus, you'll be supporting an independent business - which is always an amazing feeling. :)

Osolee: local jewelry

This post is mostly going to appeal to Canadians - particularly those in the National Capital Region. I still want to share it with you, though, because I'm excited to see our local fashion industry starting to grow... finally!  

Firstly, thanks to my sister for being my model for this post. With the husband away, it's sort of hard to both wear the jewelry AND take good close up shots. Cut to me positioning my sister in front of the light and then me moving her arm around like a doll's.

Okay, about the bracelet! A couple weeks ago, I was contacted by Osolee, a newly launched jewelry and decor brand created by CTV correspondent and interior decorator, Lee Ann Lacroix to help unveil the new line. I requested to have an item sent to me to check out, in person, and to photograph myself. I'm often hesitant to post about things I haven't seen first hand - especially jewelry - as stock photos can be incredibly misleading. I'm happy to say, however, the bracelet is prettier in person than the website photo would lead you to believe. That's a surprise that never disappoints!

The variety of styles available is somewhat limited still, as the line only just launched on April 10th, but I really do think it has the potential to be a big hit. The best part of the line, in my opinion, is the price point of the jewelry. It's all incredibly affordable and almost all pieces are under $40. The above bracelet is called the "Lacroix three rose leather bracelet" and retails for $15.99. I'm a fan of the black gems on black leather because it's a bit edgier than the other colours available (which are a little more glam) and can see it styled with a black maxi skirt and a silk mint T, tucked in of course. ;)

A week in words - 04/22

Monday / Monday was the launch of my Etsy shop feature series that I'm running for April. I featured an awesome shop called Spicy Toast. Next up, I have an iPhone case and some more clothing and accessories I can't wait to share. I don't understand why more people don't purchase through Etsy. It's insane!

Tuesday / I honestly don't even remember what I did on Tuesday. I know I spent a bit of time fantasizing about heading to NYC for NYFW this fall but aside from that I haven't a clue.

Wednesday / My first ever giveaway closed on Wednesday. I had lots of fun with it and hope you did too! I also headed out for my second outdoor outfit shoot of the season. I've been pretty happy with the shots thus far but can't wait 'til it warms up again so I can get some cooler location shots. Revenge started up again on Wednesday, too, and I highly recommend you check out that show if you haven't already been watching. It's really, really good.

Thursday / Thursday, as always, was my show-watching night. Everyone knows to leave me undisturbed from 7pm-midnight on Thursdays. There's The Vampire Diaries, Secret Circle, Grey's Anatomy, Awake.... I spend way too much time watching TV.

Friday / Friday I woke up with a major allergy attack. Spring is most definitely upon us and I need to go and buy some Reactin ASAP. In the evening, I went out to Milestones Bar and Grill for some more butternut squash ravioli and a caesar... yum!

Saturday / Saturday was one of those chore days. Take winter tires off car, but on regular tires, clean apartment, get groceries, etc. I always feel so accomplished by the end of a day like that but while it's actually happening it's pretty awful.
Today / I just got back from an hour long massage (AMAZING) and now plan on spending a few hours diving back into Wuthering Heights. The Brontë sisters are two of my favourite authors (I could read Jane Eyre over and over). In case you're wondering why you're getting a photo of my back - it's because my hair is all oily and weird from the head massage part of the appointment and I'm bundled up in a Lululemon sweater due to the obscene cold that is today. :'(

Next Week /  My husband is heading to Toronto for a graphic design conference so I'm having one of my friends stay with me! We're going to have girls night every night and try not to stay up too late. I have a bunch of outfit posts I want to share and am hoping for better weather. I don't remember any other year it's been this rainy and disgusting this far into the spring. It's been disappointing to say the least. Arg!

PS - I've started a blog shop to help clear out some clothing that I no longer have room for. Check it out here.

Rainy days and giveaways

Dress: Twik / Sweater: Topshop via Olivia / Necklace: Urban Outfitters

Earrings: Swarovski / Socks: ASOS

Today is rainy and there's hardly any sun. I'm disappointed because I had planned on doing another outdoor outfit shoot with a gorgeous silk maxi skirt. I'm not about to risk getting 100% silk drenched, so I opted to stay in and grab a quick few photos of my back up outfit. Not nearly as exciting, I know! Plus, the light was coming in at a really odd angle so you get to see a glimpse of my bedroom. Exciting??

Today I'm wearing the sweater I bought from Olivia's blog sale. I suppose she'd call it a jumper... anyways, I'm really happy with it and think I'll be able to wear it all throughout the summer since it's really not heavy at all. :) As I write this, my husband has taken the car into the dealership to have the winter tires taken off. Then, I've got to run to the post office to pick up a package that's been waiting for me there since Thursday (oopsies) and deposit my pay check... that I've had since Wednesday. This week was all about procrastination for me! I was hoping to go see a movie this evening but don't know if that's going to actually happen on account of I really can't pick one to see! If you've seen anything good lately - let me know. It doesn't have to be spectacular since we're using a gift card hehe.

Now for the exciting news... I've got a winner for my Cake Beauty giveaway! I used Random.org to maintain absolute fairness and random-ness and the winner is Cathy Showan! Thank you Cathy for already getting in touch with me (I announced the giveaway winner on Twitter yesterday). I'll be shipping out your goodies first thing next week!

Colour blocking and tangerine

Top: Forever 21

Skirt: Guess? Jeans

Tights: Happy Socks*

Necklace: H&M

Earrings: Swarovski

Glasses: Ray-Ban

Happy Socks sent over these Block Tights ($34) and I couldn't wait to wear them. I had to at least hold off 'til I washed my hair so I could actually share these pictures with you - so that's what I did. I'm really excited to wear them with a shirt dress and my new black converse but, as with almost all new shoes, I've got a bit of a blister starting and am taking a break from breaking them in. As far as quality tights go, these are pretty amazing. They're stretchy but don't slide down throughout the day and are super vibrant - and just opaque enough without being too thick or too warm. They aren't too much more expensive than tights I'd normally buy (Hue, Fancy Sox, American Apparel) and in my opinion are worth the investment. They're really bold and totally unique. I can honestly say I've never seen anything like them in stores around here.

The weather almost feels like summer. I'm taking my car in on Saturday to get the winter tires taken off because I think snow is now a thing of the past and it's only blue skies and sunny days from here on out.... well, at least the snow thing might be accurate. I'm heading home May 10th to visit with my parents and brother, celebrate my husband's grandpa's 90th birthday, visit my Nana and Papa, have a hair colouring appointment at my all time fave salon pH Spa, and hopefully visit some friends from elementary school and high school. It's going to be one jam packed weekend (always is) so I'm going to take the Friday and Monday off work and make it a long weekend :).  I'm excited because I haven't been home since Christmas!

I've got a few more posts coming at you for my Etsy Love feature this month, so keep an eye out for them. Just an FYI - my giveaway with some mouth watering products from Cake Beauty ended at 12pm EDT today. I'll be announcing the winner later this week so make sure you've provided your email address or are following me on Twitter so I can get a hold of you.

Happy Wednesday, everybody! Thank you to all of my returning readers and welcome to my new readers. I can't believe how many new followers I've gotten this month and hope you all know I appreciate it a ton!

Etsy Love Pt 1 - Spicy Toast

Top: Miss Flecky from Spicy Toast*

Jeggings: GAP

Shoes: Aldo Shoes

Necklace: H&M

I love a bargain. That's no secret. I also love unique and one-of-a-kind finds. Again, not really a secret. Typically, these two "loves" of mine aren't really friends and I'll always either end up buying something for cheap that everyone else has, or I'll pay an arm and a leg for something that no one's heard of before. Finding a middle ground is difficult to say the least. That's when I turn to Etsy. I've been wanting to run a feature on some great Etsy finds for some time now. A while ago I wrote about these necklaces from a couple of Etsy jewelry shop owners, but I wanted to share the amazing clothing available as well. Which is what brings me to this post!

The shop I want to share with you in this post is called Spicy Toast. Spicy Toast is run by an amazing woman named Erika who designs all her pieces and then constructs them by hand. You can't get more "one-of-a-kind" than that. When she makes pieces, she only makes 1-2 of each so you can rest assured it'll remain an original.  Erika is also completely gorgeous with an equally gorgeous voice. You've probably already heard her song "I love you, I do" if you saw a single Subaru commercial last year!

Spicy Toast clothes have an old soul, vintage feel but are oh-so trendy and easy to match at the same time. They're the perfect combination of influences and styles for a fashion-conscious girl. The top I'm wearing here is even more gorgeous in person than I can capture in photographs and is one of the most comfortable things I've worn - so light weight, stretchy and breathable. It hugs your body in all the right places and is looser in the areas you'll need for movement and flares out slightly at the bottom to give you the perfect silhouette. It's made from raw and reclaimed materials and comes in a rose jersey knit fabric. In a word - versatile. Oh, did I mention it sells for only $25? I'll be making a few purchases from Erika this summer. I'd be silly not to. I should also mention all Spicy Toast creations are made using pure stretch fabrics. Well, almost all of them! They're also totally button and zipper free, which means you can pull them right over your head. Love.

This month I'll be sharing a few spectacular pieces from some very special Etsy shops including Lamixx, iCouture Case and more. Watch for the Esty Love features to learn more about where you can get pieces your friends won't all have for well under $100.

PS I apologize for the squinty angry face. The sun was ashining!

A week in words - 04/15

Monday / Monday was a day of work since our office was closed for Easter. I spent the day doing more or less nothing, because my poor husband still had to go into his office since he's on a pretty big project. I cuddled with Cole, spent some time (OK, a lot of time) on Twitter and the blog, and was just a lazy mess all day long. In the evening, we all went out to dinner at Milestones where I had a delicious Butternut Squash Ravioli dish. Yum!
Tuesday / Tuesday was my first day back to work after a four day holiday weekend. You can imagine how the day went.
Wednesday / On Wednesday, I more or less perfected the "loose beachy wave" with my new TIGIPro Professional Fat Curl Stick. I bought it when I got back in from Montreal last weekend and love it. I haven't used my flat iron since! Also on Wednesday, a really good friend/coworker of mine let the office know she was leaving to go to teacher's college. I'm SO happy for her and hope she reads this. She used to teach preschool in Prague and is dying to get back to doing what she loves.
Thursday / Thursday was a little disappointing since The Vampire Diaries and Secret Circle were not new. Boo hoo, I know. I spent the evening watching Grey's Anatomy with my sister and then watched Kyle Killen's "Awake". He's the guy that wrote Lone Star and some other really good double-life tv shows that all ended up getting cancelled... probably because he does like to veer on the complicated side of things. I love it, though!
Friday / On Friday I was one of the only people to come into the office so it was a slow, slow day. I'm working on building blogs for the company I work for and am making a strategy for developing and sharing video content, so I spent the majority of the day doing that. It was a beautiful day so when I got home I took my dog out for a walk and opened up all the windows. :)
Saturday / Saturday was a busy day! I woke up and cleaned the whole apartment (with the help of my husband) and then headed out to take some outfit photos for an Etsy feature I'll be launching this week. This picture above is one of them! I'm excited to share a few great Etsy shops with you. I also swung by Henry's to chat about indoor photography lights but decided they're way too pricy to buy anywhere but online. In our next apartment (we're moving in the fall) I am making absolute sure we have better lighting than we do here. It's so dark and the windows are too small for my liking.
Next week / I got a UPS sticker on my door saying I've got some "apparel" coming my way - they're coming back to reattempt on Monday. Once I figure out which parcel it actually is, I'll likely get straight to writing up some new posts for the blog. Like I mentioned before, I've got an Etsy feature I'm going to share this month and also have some fun things in the works with STLTO Wine and the BATA Shoe Museum, Hat Attack and Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and I'm going to wrap up the Cake Beauty giveaway and mail out the prize to a lucky reader.

Everyday shoes for summer

 1. Toms Black Suede Desert Botas / 2. ASOS Dino Flatform Trainers / 3. Toms Freetown Black Classics / 4. Converse All Star Light Ox Trainers / 5. Converse Jack Purcell LTT Garment Dye Plimsolls

I honestly cannot decide on an everyday summer shoe. I know I want something I can wear with skirts, shorts, pants, whatever... and it needs to be somewhat flat (perhaps a flatform) and a neutral colour. To clarify, it needs to be some sort of white, black or grey.

An everyday summer shoe is the simplest of all the shoes in a girl's closet. They're sort of cute and trendy when you wear them correctly and don't demand a lot of upkeep. To be completely honest, these shoes normally get totally destroyed within two seasons of wear. They're for the days you can't even imagine sitting down and buckling, strapping or zipping and most definitely cannot even attempt the challenge of getting your hot summery feet into leather wedges or strappy sandals. This particular, special, breed of shoes reminds me of being 14 and wanting to throw something on my feet and hop on my bike to ride over to my best friend's house and have a sleepover for a week.

The above are the five shoes to which I keep returning. The ASOS Dino Flatform Trainer is easily the cleanest looking and would be nice because it could be easily worn with cute socks to dress up a girly outfit. However, the Toms are looking very attractive because of their sheer effortless pull-on/pull-off style. Needless to say, I'm a tad stumped.  Please tell me which one to buy, you lovely readers you! I'll be eternally grateful and so will my feet. If you know of any other fabulously simply everyday shoes, share them with me! Keep in mind I'm a size 8.5/9 (my dad has size 14 and my sister is a 10/11 so it clearly runs in the family) and have the ankles of a young child so high tops are more or less out of the question since they make my feet look very disproportionate in comparison to the rest of my leg.

Short skirts long skirts

Top: Joe Fresh / Skirt: Sparkle and Fade via Urban Outfitters / Stockings: Fancy Sox /
Necklace: Urban Outfitters / Earrings: Swarovski / Glasses: Ray-Ban

I haven't washed my hair since Saturday or Sunday and it's getting a little dingy so I'm only going to share two photos in today's post. As soon as I get this up on the blog I am retreating into my world of TV shows and will eventually hop in the shower and give my hair another deep conditioning treatment. :)

This is the asymmetrical skirt I grabbed while in Montreal last weekend. It doesn't look nearly as drastic in photos as it does in real life. In real life, the front looks so much shorter than the back - which is why I love it don't get me wrong. But, it sort of feels like I'm wearing a cape at time also. I suppose I'll get used to it. High/low hems and dips are a huge trend this summer which I think is really awesome. Everyone's worn that "slightly too short skirt" and realized, sometime during the day, it wasn't quite long enough to bend over without exposing a full moon. This skirt is the perfect solution - especially if you're a little clumsy and drop things constantly like me.

Recently, I've felt a huge urge to travel to London. It didn't help that just a few weeks ago flights were going for as cheap as $200-$600 round trip which is completely unheard of. I'm planning on traveling out to NYC in the fall for NYFW and some shopping so I can't overdo it and blow all my money by doing both London and NYC so close together. Perhaps if the world doesn't end in December 2012 I can make the trip for Spring 2013? That would be an absolute dream.

Where are your must-visit spots this year? If you live or have been in London, please send me any tips for travel, accommodations, shops, etc. I'll start compiling now!

Tribal time

 Top: Simons / Necklace: H&M / Earrings: Swarovski / Skirt: Simons / Stockings: Secret Legwear

What a busy day it was today! Work was full of news (a colleague and friend of mine is soon leaving to attend teacher's college and follow her passion of educating and I'm starting a ton of new ventures in our social media department including blogs, monthly newsletters, videos, etc). Overall, it was a jam-packed day and a lot happened. I was glad to come home and see my puppy and enjoy a little butternut squash ravioli. Mmm....

This outfit is extremely wrinkly but I love the top with the skirt so thought I'd post it anyways. I woke up really a little late this morning and threw it on, sans ironing. The necklace is another collar necklace I picked up at the H&M on Rue Sainte-Catherine in Montreal last weekend and I got a bunch of compliments on it today! I'm really, really into collar necklaces lately and plan on expanding my jewelry collection a lot this summer. I usually restrict myself to over sized rings and fun bracelets, but realize I've been missing out the most exciting piece of all - the necklace.

The weather is beginning to improve, with the exception of the insanely harsh winds we've been experiencing. I'm getting very excited for summer and all of the Coachella news that's been buzzing around is making me - dare I say it - sort of want to try out festival style?! Anyways, that's all I've got for you this evening. The Cake Beauty items arrived at my office yesterday so everything's all set for a lucky reader to win the giveaway! They also included a new hair powder dry shampoo for me to review so keep an eye out for that over the next few weeks. I do love my Cake Beauty dry shampoo powder...

Waves and petals

 

Good morning!  I need to leave 5 minutes ago for work and to grab some Starbucks on the way, but really like the dress I'm wearing today and love the fresh, beachy waves my new TIGI styling wand makes. Tomorrow you can expect a full and proper outfit post, but this will have to suffice for today. Happy back to work after a long weekend (not really..)!

Urban Outfitters polish

I've spent the morning playing around with Adobe LightRoom and procrastinating actually putting on makeup and brushing my hair. I'm going to see Friends With Kids (the movie, not actual people with children) at 2 o'clock this afternoon so I have a couple more hours before I need to seriously get ready. So, I shall continue to sit on my bed with my MacBook and my dog at my feet doing more or less nothing. Ah, holiday Mondays.

This is a short post to show you the two polishes I picked up from Urban Outfitters this weekend. I've only used the "Smush" (minty green) colour thus far and am really happy with it. It goes on pretty thick and dries nice and fast. I was surprised as I never have high hopes for store brand nail polish. Back when I bought a nail lacquer from Aldo, the results were horrendous. Even the polishes I've used from M.A.C in the past were pretty bad. The two colours pictured here are called Smush (green) and Crowded (purple). I have the slight suspicion they were named based on words used in Jersey Shore episodes but have no real way to verify that theory. Either way, I was glad to find two of the hottest colours of Spring/Summer 2012 at the bargain of 2/$8.

I also updated my BlogRoll last night so be sure to check out some of the additions to the list. These are blogs I read regularly and are my go-to places for inspiration when it comes to fashion and/or beauty. They're also some of the nicest people I've encountered thus far in the blogging and Twitter world. I think you'll like! Don't forget to enter the giveaway as well. It ends April 18th and can be found here: http://www.theskinnyblondegirl.com/2012/04/cake-beauty-giveaway-closes-april-18th.html