A Quote About Blogging...

“There’s something sacred about reading a blog post on someone else’s site. It’s like visiting a friend’s house for a quick meal ’round the breakfast table. It’s personal — you’re in their space, and the environment is uniquely suited for idea exchange and uninterrupted conversation. In many ways, we should be treating our blogs like our breakfast tables. Be welcoming & gracious when you host, and kind & respectful when visiting.” – Trent Walton

I like this quote. It makes me forget about some of the negative stigma that is sometimes attached to people who have and maintain their own blogs.

Geocaching

A few days ago I went Geocaching for the first time ever! For those of you who are unfamiliar with Geocaching, its basically a big outdoor treasure hunt where you use GPS coordinates to find containers stashed with little trinkets and paper where you and your group of friends can sign your names and the date that you found the cache. The tradition is that you bring little trinkets or toys that belong to you and take an item that someone else left and leave your own. And caches are everywhere, seriously! It's so easy to find caches in your area, and there are winter friendly ones too! Here are a few pictures that I snapped on our hunt for caches in the Ganaraska forest (we found 3!)

Holiday Mugs

For Christmas gifts, I wanted to do something special for everyone, I really wanted to get creative! So when I read through this tutorial on Ladies Home Journal about painted botanical mugs, I got crafty! I went out and bought some porcelain mugs and porcelain pens at Michaels and got to work. I made the botanical mugs for the girls I was gifting to, and for the guys that I was gifting to, I decided to make moustache mugs! On one side of the mug I freehanded a french moustache and on the other side I made other 'staches. To finish off the gifts, I stashed kisses, hot chocolate mix, a mix of teas and sparkler sticks. 

This tutorial was so much fun that I think I'm going to have to make more! The botanical mugs turned out so amazing (I didn't follow a template) that I had to make one for myself! I even signed my name at the bottoms of the mugs to personalize them a little. I hope that everyone loved them! ♥ 

Music Monday// The Rural Alberta Advantage

That's right, Music Monday is back on the blog! I really need to get on some sort of schedule with le blog. I can't believe it took me this long to get into the Rural Alberta Advantage. They're a pretty talented alternative Canadian band, which is a dime a dozen in my opinion! This "Barnes' Yard" is such a perfect song and so catchy to listen to, I definitely had this on repeat for the last few days, I'm seriously obsessed with it. Enjoy it and love it ♥

Rustic Chic

I don't know what it is, but I'm starting to acquire a taste for every article of clothing from Roots Canada.  It's probably me stalking the pictures from awelltraveledwoman on Tumblr, especially her taste in rustic chic clothing and decor, and also the amazing photography that she documents on her blog.  Ask me a year ago what I thought about Roots clothing and I would have said that it was for people with no concept of style, but now, I'm so inspired by it.  

I've never been a huge fan of the sweltering weather that we get in the summer, and I would never really want to travel to somewhere super warm.  I think it would be so cool to travel somewhere up north in the mountains and the trees, and I would really like to travel to Iceland someday (it looks so amazing there!).

I'm starting to acquire a taste for plaids, knits, nordic prints, faux fur and leather (hey, that almost rhymed, ha!).  I know this stuff is so stereotypical for Canadians, but its actually super stylish.  It's so weird how our styles differ and how completely opposite they can be.  One day I'll want to wear something like skinny jeans, flats, a black and white striped top and a black blazer and now I'm wanting to wear plaid and knits.  It's kind of awesome how we don't have to stick to a certain style pallet, and how we can incorporate some of our favourite styles into our unique *look*.  I'm kind of crushing on this Capri Hoody in Salt & Pepper and this Penny Duffle Coat in Blue Iris.

StickyGram

Are any of you obsessed with InstaGram as I am? InstaGram is a fun little app that lets you take pictures and apply these amazing photo filters and blur features to them. I was browsing through Pinterest and found this amazing website called StickyGram that lets you turn your favourite InstaGram photos into magnets. So neat, right? You can even gift a StickyGram to someone on your Christmas list. I think I'm going to add this to my wishlist!

Holiday Nails

I did my nails last night and wanted to go for something sparkly! I did a clear base coat, and then a coat of Rimmel nail polish in 270 Steel Grey, followed by a coat of Love & Beauty in Disco Ball. I love the end result! It's going to take some serious scrubbing, as comes with all glitter polishes, but for the time being, it's so worth it!

Long Time No Blog

It's been a good few weeks since I've updated le blog. I've taken an unintentional blog break the past little while, mostly do to the lack of inspiration of things to post about. I'm trying to think of a recap to make about the things that I've been up to, but all the days are blurring together and I'm having a hard time remembering everything that has happened the past little while. Here's a few things that have been on my mind though:

1. Finishing university and moving

I'm so close to finishing my undergrad degree and its just starting to sink in that I have 4 more days of classes to complete before the end of an era. It's going to be weird not being in school because that's all I've known so far. I think the everyday stuff is going to be an adjustment, with not walking through campus, being a bus ride away from seeing friends and walking down the street-lamp lit street en route to the entertainment in the Market. 

I'm moving home and it's definitely going to be strange from living in a city for 4 1/2 years to the country. It's going to be so quiet outside. I'm so used to hearing sirens, having the street lamps giving a soft orange glow in my bedroom at night and being surrounded by tall buildings.

When I do move home, I have a few things that I want to focus on. As soon as I move home, I'm going to apply to H&M for a job. It would be so amazing working there, surrounded by amazing clothes and people with style. I also want to commit to a regular fitness regime. School has kind of been a pain-in-the-butt with that.

2. Changing up the hair

I always gets so fidgety with my hair and I'm craving for a change again. I absolutely adore my bangs, I'm so glad I decided to go back to them. I have a teensy bit of a grey patch growing in, it's not super visable, but its there. I kinda want to go dark with my hair! Nothing too dark, but something darker than what I have. I've thought about testing out a demi-permanent colour to see if I like it, but chickened out when I was in the store isle. I also really like the trend of clip-in feather extensions. Nothing too crazy on the colour, but maybe a white and brown patterned feather. 

3. This blog

I've also been thinking about this blog and what I want to do with it in the future. I think once school is done, I'm going to commit to posting on a regular basis and integrating more of my own content, especially with pictures. I also kind of want to turn this into a style blog! I think I'm starting to become more aware of my personal style, and with this blog helping along the way could help me discover and chip away at it more (although the thought of taking an outfit shot is kind of intimidating!).

Well, that's about it for now! I have class in the morning and tomorrow is going to be one of my last homework days as a student! I'm going to be writing some blog posts for my New Media class tomorrow, listening to music and putting on a coconut and shea butter mask that I got from Forever 21 for $1! 

Christmas Tree Alternatives

It's that time of year again! The days are getting shorter, the air is getting crisper and all of the stores in the shopping malls are decorated with twinkly lights and playing Christmas music.  My roommates and I are moving out of our apartment at the end of December and we thought it would be too much hassle to put up our 3-foot Christmas tree.  It would still be a little sad to not have a Christmas tree up during our last few weeks here, so I picked out a couple of options that I think would work out nicely. Both would work nicely for a small apartment.

1. Christmas light candles- we have a few wine bottle lamps that we bought from the dollar store to decorate our balcony, but now that summer is over, we could take a few of them and put a string of white lights in them and gather them together on a table. It would look so cute with our presents surrounding them.

2. Glitter tree- I'm really leaning towards this idea. It's sounds like such a fun and crafty endeavour! All we would need to do is get a few branches from the park nearby (or at the dollar store) and lather it with glue and cover it with white/black/grey craft glitter.  Put it in a tall vase and voila! Plus, it would look so adorable with a few brushed metallic ornaments!

What do you think of my ideas? Which option would you choose? Is anyone listening to Christmas music yet? I'm starting on November 15th :)

Modern Love Must Read

I read this article yesterday titled "When the Words Don't Fit" and I can't get it out of my mind. It has to do with modern love and how we can sometimes get caught up in actively searching for someone or hoping for some sort of extravagant love story to happen. This article reminds us that we're not always in control and that we just have to let it happen. I highly recommend giving it a read. You can find the article here. 

Baby It's Cold Outside

Is it weird that I'm wanting to listen to Christmas music already? I've done quite a bit of window shopping and every store has their Christmas displays out and are playing Christmas tunes over their sound systems. I was in Chapters yesterday and I saw that Starbucks has introduced their Christmas cups already! :)

Want to know one of my favourite parts of having chilly weather? Guys in coats! I'm now starting to see it everywhere. I think it is so important to have a good fall/winter coat that fits with your personality and that isn't meant for the ski slopes. When I walk down the street I think the first thing I look at is a guy's coat, and then their face, hahaha. Bonus points if they have a nice scarf too, heehee. Is any one else with me on this one?

Photo: Hypebeast

Long Overdue Update

My internet has been going haywire the past few days and I've missed keeping up with my blog and reading through my blogroll. I have so many post ideas that I want to execute in the next few days!

I have been noticing lately that the weather is starting to get pretty chilly! I saw on the weather forecast that we're probably going to get a bit of snow tomorrow! In lieu of the dipping temperature, I decided to knit a cowl to wear with my black blazer or my trench coat. I was browsing Etsy and came across this chunky wheat neck and shoulder cowl. I had some yarn lying around so I decided to copy it! I absolutely adore the colour of the yarn that I chose, its a burnt red/orange colour and it is so soft. I will post pictures when I am finished it. 

ps: Did you know that I learned to knit through YouTube? The new media that is provided to us really does amaze me.

Photo: ArrowsDesign

Music Monday// Bon Iver

This song has been on repeat on my iPod for the past few days. It feels really appropriate for the chilly weather we've been having in Ottawa lately which I love so much! The lyrics and the landscapes in this music video are fantastic. I think this video was shot in Iceland, I want to visit there so much! For the time being though, I'll have to settle on this music video.

The Glebe

One of the challenges for my Internship was to go to a neighbourhood in Ottawa and take some pictures and make a little film. It was due the day after I got back to Ottawa after Thanksgiving so I really had limited time in making this. Still though, I'm pretty happy with it based on only having a few hours to shoot it and put it together. I really wanted to work with the theme of home, that you should make sure you always have a place you can come home to and feel completely at ease and comfortable. 


My next challenge is to write a blog post about an event in the Glebe, so today I'm going to go on over to the Farmers' Market that happens every Sunday to snap some pictures and pick up some produce. Have a lovely autumny Sunday!

Indian Summer

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope all of you get to have lots of delicious turkey! I took the bus home for the weekend and I'm back in Ottawa tomorrow afternoon. It was a short weekend but it was good! Can you believe this weather? It was about 30 degrees yesterday and it felt like summer!

The other day I got some really good news that I've been meaning to share. I applied for and got a Social Media Internship! It's for 3 months and it involves blogging 3x a week for a company in Ottawa. It's so me! It doesn't feel like work at all :) At the end of the internship, the best intern receives an iPad 2, so I'm going to work really hard to get that. One of my projects due this week involves making a short video about a neighbourhood in Ottawa. It's going to be a short little film and I think it's going to be pretty cute. I'll post it on my blog when I'm done :)

I found this poem yesterday that my mom wrote when she was in high school. I think it fits with the autumny atmosphere that's happening right now.

Who's That Girl?

I had been toying around with the idea of getting bangs again for a long time but I was always too chicken to get them done again. Well, last week I took the plunge on a whim and I'm so happy with the result! I decided that I might as well get it done and quit wondering! Here's a picture of the final result!

I have to say that I was really inspired by Zooey Deschanel's hair, especially in her show "New Girl"! Sometimes I wish that my hair was a gorgeous mocha colour, but I should really learn to love my natural hair colour as it is. What do you think of my hair now?

A Must Read For All Dog Lovers

I found this on Pinterest and it is so adorable that I had to share. This made me tear up when reading it, it is so, so sweet. It makes me want to get a dog and spoil him with toys, love and delicious treats. 

1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be painful remember that before you get me. 

2. Give me time to understand what you want of me. 

3. Place your trust in me- it is crucial to my well being. 

4. Do not be angry at me for long, and do not lock me up as punishment. 

5. You have your work, your entertainment,and your friends. I only have you. 

6. Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don't understands your words, I understand your voice when it is speaking to me. 

7. Be aware that how ever you treat me, I will never forget. 

8. Remember before you hit me that I have teeth that could easily hurt you, but I choose not to bite you because I love you. 

9. Before you scold me for being uncooperative,obstinate,or lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I might not be getting the right food, or I have been out to long, or my heart is getting to old and weak. 

10. Take care of me when I get old; you too will grow old. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say: "I cannot bear to watch" or "Let it happen in my absence." Everything is easier for me if you are there, even my death. Remember that I love you.

Romantic Star Projector

I have been coveting star projectors for the past year and I've been trying to find a company that sells them. I gave up for a while, but the other day while I was browsing Pinterest, I saw some pictures from the online shop INFMETRY that sells them!

Wouldn't this be so romantic to have in your bedroom or your kitchen while having dinner? Just imagine, a guy invites you over to make you dinner and he surprises you with a delicious meal, some wine, and some Bon Iver playing in the background. I want this projector sooo bad! If someone buys it for me, you'll be my favourite person forever! ;)

The Gibson Roll

I'm really in love with a certain hairstyle right now. It's called the "gibson roll" and it looks so glamourous, and it is so easy to do! I tried it once just to see if I could pull it off (because lets face it, a lot of hair tutorials are not so easy, especially for people who are left handed). It was pretty easy and it can be used for a variety of occasions. I tried it out once and I was paranoid that I looked old and that it made my neck look weird, but I was just being silly. A little suggestion though: keep the hairstyle a little messy, it keeps it modern without looking too matronly. For instructions, head on over to Refinery29!

Music Monday// Paradise

I'm not going to lie,  I was really excited to wake up this morning to hear Coldplay's new single "Paradise" drop this morning.  "Paradise" is from their new album Mylo Xyloto which is debuting on October 24th. Can that date come any sooner? I'm a big fan of this song, it's a new side of Coldplay that fans haven't seen before, its more electronic than their previous work. Listen to the song below: