8/17/12

Have a great weekend!

Finally it's Friday! After a busy and productive week I can finally do whatever I want. I have a pretty good list of things planned and am so looking forward to doing them at my own regard!

On tonight's agenda is a stop at Ikea to get some decorating ideas and to look for a coffee table. I'm thinking either this or this. Afterwards I'm heading for some frozen yogurt here! Tomorrow is really just a fun-packed day at a water park where I'm totally going to act like a kid; swimming and eating all day here I come!

Sunday is always the best day, and my day will probably consist of sleeping in a bit, gym, a bit of work and just hanging around.

What are your plans this weekend?

8/15/12

Tips for Moving Day

I am moving in 6 months! My partner and I bought a brand new house which is still being built. The thought is almost surreal as I have lived in the same place for most of my life! However, I am embracing it because as difficult as it is sometimes, change is good! One thing I am grateful for is the time I have had to prepare myself! It's been almost a year since we've purchased our home so we've had plenty of time to collect things, because lets face it besides my bedroom furniture we had NOTHING. "Had" being the operative word :-). Although there are things we still need (and can't really get until we move) we do have collecting quite a few things.

So, since moving can be so stressful and if you've never done it before, like myself, I thought I would share some tips on how to make it easier on moving day:

1. Check It Off: Simply put. Make a checklist. This way you won't feel like you've missed something. Also, a tip within a tip would be to Google some Moving Checklists. They can give you ideas that you may not have thought of.

2. De-clutter The Small Things!:  I feel like this tip is somewhat obvious, but it really is easier said than done. Over time it is so easy to collect things, that once you really stand back and look at all your crap, it's overwhelming. However, just by simplifying your life and getting rid of unncessary items will not only make your move easier but will help you start fresh in your new home. Get rid of small nick nacks, loose papers that really aren't all that important, old clothes, even old pieces of jewelry that you know you'll never wear. Give them away to a family member or friend, donate to charity, throw a yard sale one morning or just simply throw them away if they have no use.

3. Get Around The Nooks & Cranny's: I'm talking about those dark places deep down in your linen closest or that unforbidden area in the back of your bathroom cupboard. Old shampoo and body wash, empty prescription bottles, old sheets and towels you forgot you had. My rule of thumb is if you haven't used it within a year...wait...even 8 months, get rid of it! If you have 2 of the same shampoo bottles and both are half full, then fill one up with the other and get rid of the empty bottle. If you're not going to use those old sheets or towels and you feel awkward giving them away, then cut them up for spare rags to wash your house or car with.

4. One By One: Don't overwhelm yourself. Bouncing from one room to the next, trying to get everything done at once because you feel that it will get finished faster, will just become more stressful and you'll easily get discouraged. Focus on one room at a time. Work your way through to the rooms you use the least to your main areas like bathrooms and kitchen. Empty out closests and drawers in one room and keep the boxes there until moving day with the main furniture. Once you're ready, start packing away items in your bathroom and kitchen that you use less frequently and work your way through the whole room.

5. Clean As You Go: This tip is in conjuntion with # 4. If you're moving out of your parents house, then this would really just be appreciated by your parents. However, if you're moving out of your own house then the universal rule is to leave your house clean for the new owners. It's only fair. Even if you're a clean freak like myself, realistically you can't clean everywhere...all the time. So, as you pack up one room, vaccum and wipe down the baseboards and walls. It will make it much less stressful on moving day knowing that all of that is done.


8/3/12

Long Weekend = Relaxation

It's been quite the week. Trying to fit so much into a schedule can make you feel a sense of accomplishment but it can be nearly impossible to try and get some proper rest. I am heading up to the cottage this long weekend and am SO excited. Boat rides, tubing, drinks and just plain ol' relaxing is part of my plan. I'm privledged enough to have a cottage to go to whenever I want,
but don't nearly as much as I should. I plan on making some white sangria based on this Martha Stewart recipie and doing as little cooking as I can.

Even if your weekend isn't a long one, how are you spending it?


Beautiful shot taken last Thanksgiving!

8/1/12

I can honestly say that I have no idea where July went. We look forward to summer all year and now that it's here, it's passing us by! Although summer won't be here much longer, these favourites I am going to mention definitely will be. These are some of the products I have been loving and all of them are less than $20!

Top to Bottom: Body Shop White Musk Blush Eau De Toilette, Body Shop Bronzer in shade 01, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Concealer in shade 01, Hard Candy Baked Eyeshadow Duo in shade 057 "Peace",
 Sally Hansen Double Duty Strengthening Base & Top Coat


This is one of those scents that is definitely not season specific. It can be worn throughout the year and is describes to have notes of vanilla, cinnamon, warm spice, powder and wood spice.

I ended up purchasing this on a whim because it was on sale for $5!! Regular price is around $20 but even at that is considered a steal! This is a really nice, mostly matte bronzer with the tinest bit of shimmer. It's not muddy or orange on my skin tone (fair even with the best of tans)

 
Goodbye Mac Studio Fix! At a fraction of the price, I have found my new HG. I, unfortunately suffer from under eye circles and this really does a good job at covering them up while adding a bit of reflective shimmer. It almost does double duty as an eye primer - I find my eyeshadow adheres nice.
I even use this on blemishes (not on zits)

 

It took me a long time to hop on the hard candy bandwagon (um...that sounds pretty inappropriate). Ok..I picked up one of these baked eyeshadow duos in 057 "Peace". The goldish shimmer is the perfect all over the lid or inner corner highlight. The chocolate brown colour really isn't that shimmery, and is very buildable.


My nails suffer all year long. I have weak peeling nails that never grow! I tried boycotting nail polish for a while thinking that would help let my nails "breathe". Nothing works. This Sally Hansen Double Duty really helps though. I apply it every third day or so, sometimes with nail polish and sometimes on it's own. It's a really great top coat too.

 
Random non-beauty product are these earrings I picked up at Forever 21.
They remind me of Tory Burch!

What are your fav products that you'll continue to use into the fall?