typical NYE resolutions post

i'm a list maker, i get it from my parents because there were always notes & lists around our house growing up & i'm pretty sure it's now been passed down to both my brother & i. i love notes, whether it's waking up to a simple note from your partner, receiving a handwritten note in the mail from a friend, or making a note as a reminder for yourself, notes have never steered me wrong. i love making lists - grocery lists, goals lists, lists of things i'd like to do...which brings me to this blog post - a new list, this time a goal list. 2013 is just around the corner & i have a lot of goals that i really & truly want to keep up with this year. this will probably be a pretty typical post today, being new years eve & all, but bare with me as it's more of a way to document it for myself (& maybe give you some ideas for your own goal lists)

+ exercise my body & soul.

i got a gym membership in november, used it a lot that month & then december (busiest-month-ever) happened & i need to jump back into it...now of course it looks like i'm on the january gym bandwagon but whatever, as long as i'm going! my goal is to go 3-4x per week.

+ learn to cook. 

this sounds silly, i'm 26 years old but to be frank i am a pretty basic cook. i cook the same thing often (thankfully it's healthy) but i want to branch out, especially for dinners. it's easy to get into a routine of making the same thing but i received some gorgeous pots & pans for christmas from my parents and have lots of great cookbooks (& a crock pot that hasn't been touched since last christmas - eep!) and by goly i want need to use them!

+ make our house a home. 

after we moved in our building went up for sale leaving us unsure as to whether or not the new landlord would be keeping us on as tenants...this limbo went on for over a year, until last month when we found out the building sold & they want to keep us (yay!) now it's time to make some adjustments and make this place as amazing as i know it can be as we'll hopefully be here until we purchase our own home.

+ on that same note (of purchasing our own home) saving money. 

mikey & i have gotten serious about saving money towards buying our own home here in peterborough. i know that there are things (aka: shoppinggggg) that i could be doing much less of in order to get to this goal more quickly & i want to make that a priority. having a savings account & money in it feels so good, i just need to remember that it might not feel as good as a new pair of shoes, but it in the long run, it will feel better.

+ simplify. 

i am beyond excited to go through our kitchen, bedroom, closet & every drawer in our house & getting rid of everything that we do not use or need. i want to start this as early as january 1st because it's something i've been needing to do for a long time & i'm putting it off no longer!

+ get my license. 

this just needs to happen.

+ more 'no technology' nights. 

no phones, no laptops, no tvs, none of that. it's good for the soul and for every relationship whether it be friendship or otherwise.

+ spend more time with my friends. 

when you're living with the person you're dating it's far too easy to say you're just having a quiet night in (which is totally fine) rather than hanging with friends, but it's also just as easy to have those quiet nights in with friends & i know i need to remember that. i have some of the best friends a gal could ask for & i would never want them to feel like i don't want to spend time with them or don't have time for them, because i do!

+ drink more tea instead of coffee. 

ever since i started drinking coffee my poor genmaicha tea from david's has been thrown to the wayside (sort of) & green tea is way better for you than coffee so it only makes sense. plus i got this and this for christmas & lots of cute tea goodies from julie

...that's all i've got so far! those are my year goals anyway. i'm sure i will make monthly goals as well because as i said, i'm a list-maker born and raised.

NYE nails

the other night i did this to my nails after seeing susannah post a similar photo to IG & i knew i had to try it...it looked so neat and after figuring out how easy it was, i definitely had to try! this photo shows you pretty simply how it's done, i assume if your brush is one with more of the rounded shape they would turn out more like scallops whereas i used a more square brush which is why they turned out more like steps. it honestly took about 10 minutes and is my favourite self-manicure to date! i can't wait to try a million different colour options. 

thankful

i know i've mentioned before that i work at an awesome shoe store downtown; all of the people i work with are my close friends, my bosses are two amazing people & i'm full out obsessed with their beautiful baby...it is honestly a great place to work. i work in a downtown community that is vibrant and alive and where people truly love to shop locally! 

i am also very thankful for that handsome hunk of a man in that photo up there...february we'll celebrate 5 years together and holy moly am i ever thankful for that!

what are you thankful for this holiday season?

an outtake photo from the flavour/plush/sos holiday catalogue this year. you can see the full catalogue here

photo by the very talented bryan reid

lucky jackson, nail parties, bird trouble & christmas

ahhh! it's been 8 days since my last post, can you tell i'm busy? the only time off i've had recently was spent at my parents place, three whole days - it was lovely! lots of relaxing and eating and watching my dads new 80" tv [ya crazy!!] and also spending time with family as we went to my aunts for our 'christmas' with all of my extended family whom i only see about twice a year so that was fun!

i also went to see lucky jackson's art installation that is happening until the 31st of december and just happens to be just down the street from my work. as always i was blown away by her talent! i think it's absolutely incredible that she was able to stitch an amazing piece every single day for the past year...that is dedication! i consider myself very lucky to be a part of this project for her 'blog crush' week - day 75!

you can view them all here

what else have i been up to?

painting my nails of course...and using the holidays as an excuse to add glitter and sparkle to every manicure i give myself!

in other news...i got the most amazing wallet from bird trouble alexz is one of my favourite people that i've met through blogging [yes, you're allowed to choose favourites] we've never met IRL but i know that if/when we do it would be epic! i have followed along since she started making repurposed bags (& now wallets too) and have always dreamed of owning a piece. i love the way her creative mind works as every piece comes out beautifully. i had no idea how well made they would be, but i must admit i am very impressed!

as for the rest of the week, i don't have much time off (just the earlier part of today so i had lots of running around to do to get ready for christmas) heading to work shortly and then for the rest of the week until the 25th. i doubt i will have much time for blogging so if i don't see you [type you? write you?] 

merry christmas!  

& i'll be back when i get another spare moment. oh ya, this christmas there is going to be all sorts of new'ness as my parents are no longer in the house my brother & i grew up in, and also mikey will be joining us this year too, it's going to be great! it's an exciting time of year...i just want some damn snow!!

anjolee: a jewelry review

i was contacted by a lovely representative from anjolee jewelry asking if i would like to review a piece of jewelry for my blog. after visiting the easy to navigate website, i was beyond excited! sooo many beautiful pieces & naturally i got stuck in the diamond rings section daydreaming about my future engagement ring & the day i'll have one of those pretties on my finger. i was able to choose a piece and though quite frankly i don't normally wear dainty, elegant pieces i was really excited to choose something because i find myself being drawn to more simpler pieces lately & the elegance of diamonds always stand out in an outfit. i definitely think that diamonds are appreciated more & more the older you get - the finer things in life.

i chose this necklace called 'surrounded by sparkle'

isn't it stunning? i don't own anything quite like it and the times i've already worn it i've received lots of compliments! i`m sure you will be seeing it in a lot of outfit posts to come, especially with the holidays approaching. of course what you receive will be high quality diamonds, however my necklace was created with cubic zirconias which i found surprisingly similar!

as stated, the website is easy to navigate with their toolbar located on the left side, once you've selected a piece you can then customize it to your liking (you can even return customized pieces within 30 days if it's not what you wanted) whether you're looking for something that is a few hundred dollars or a few thousand dollars, there is definitely a wide variety of pieces for any price range which is great and once you get browsing on here, you're bound to get lost in dream land...i know i did! it's the perfect time of year whether you're looking to treat yourself to some diamonds or gemstones, or looking for a gift for someone special, i definitely recommend checking out anjolee.

here are some pieces that made it to my wish list:

wowza. what i wouldn't give to have this gem on my finger

i think one of their diamond bangles would look great stacked or by themselves for a simple look

their diamond pendant necklaces are absolutely stunning & would leave anyone feeling like a million bucks. i would totally style this with a white tee, some distressed jeans & a great pair of flats. i love pairing beautiful stand-out pieces with something super simple, really letting the statement piece do the talking - which would definitely be this necklace in this case!

thanks for this opportunity anjolee!

[disclosure: this is a sponsored post. the item was provided to me by anjolee however the views expressed are solely my own]

slumber partying in your 20s

i find that whenever i'm thinking of something - an idea, a topic, whatever it may be...within a few months or sometimes days, there is a new article on thought catalog taking my thoughts & putting them into words that probably sound better than how i would have written it. okay, not probably; definitely. 

this article can we please have sleepovers in our 20s is something i talk about with my girlfriends often. i hate that just because we're considered 'grown ups' now [by the way, when did that happen?] we have partners & jobs & responsibilities [which is cool & all] but it takes some of the fun things out of life like sleepovers. i mean, i'd have sleepovers every weekend when i was younger. sooo many nights spent staying up past our bed times talking about...god knows what - EVERYTHING, literally. and i guess it's pretty sweet being an adult because there's no bed times or limit on treats and you can be as loud as you want to...but by these rules, don't you think we should really be having more sleepovers because there aren't any rules now that we're 'adults'? 

i definitely think so. alright 2013 - more sleepovers; it's official.

on a more extreme-sleepover-party note, sometimes i think it would be awesome to have like an all girls club house of sorts where we can all go to hangout and do things like this, without ya know...boyfriends & such getting in the way. i guess being single or having your own place would also probably work too...

sleepovers!!! ya dig?

sharing is caring

which why i am sharing these lovely gentlemen with you; alt j aka: my new favourite band. remember that time a few months ago i posted about music & confessed to not really loving anything as much as the music i fell in love with in my teens? well, that's kind of all changed lately because i've been finding [having some help with finding] tons of new bands lately that i really, really dig. 

i've basically been all about indie-folk-pop-stuff. just super happy, positive, upbeat tunes [i'm aware all of those words mean the exact same thing] 

i'm pretty my cousin showed me them [right eryn?]
anyway, here's their whole album
http://youtu.be/emFIJwGpuKU
enjoy the next 41 minutes & 46 seconds...and then enjoy it again & again

i'm obsessed.

so i just finished watching this documentary on netflix, have you seen it? i truly recommend it if you haven't. it's so very inspiring and...well, crazy really.

the basis of the story is that this guy goes for a whole month with no food, no $$, no place to stay, no mode of transportation and everything he does for entertainment, finding a place to crash, finding people who are hopefully nice enough to offer him some food, etc through craigslist postings. he ends up travelling all over the U.S and meeting some really amazing people and having this incredible experience that he never would have had otherwise. i laughed, i cried, i felt like i was experiencing everything with him...sounds lame, but just watch and see. 

i know the first thought that came to my head was "holy crap, he's going to get mugged...someone's going to do, i don't know, something terrible to him"

negativity. that was my first thought. 

not "wow he's going to meet so many people and have such neat experiences" i just assumed that something bad was going to happen because apparently everyone is bad and crazy. it's sad that that would be most people's first thoughts when hearing about this - danger? he was so positive and upbeat about the whole situation, he knew it was going to be tough, but he did it anyway. he did it because he believes in humanity and the sense of community that we, as humans, can have...for each other and for this big world that we live in. there are nice people left, there are people who welcomed him into their home after meeting for a brief period of time, there were people who invited him over for a big dinner & sent him on his way the next morning with fruit for his travels. there were people who offered him a ride in exchange for conversation...that's it, no money, nothing of value, just simple conversation...to keep them company on their travels. he literally travelled so many different places with not a penny to his name and just the clothes on his back.

it was totally refreshing to watch this all take place. and then to think back to my original thought of straight up negative thoughts. i'm sorry world, i did not give you enough credit...

faith restored.

nail art + necklaces

so last night i tried out this manicure which was super fun & easy to do. all i did was bend a bobby pin in half & use the end to create the dots...told ya it was easy! i really love the nude & gold but next time (for my work christmas party this weekend) i may try the darker shade with hologram like in the link as it's a little more bold. though i also really love & want to try this so we'll see! 

also, here is a sneaky peeky at the necklaces i was talking about in the previous post. i currently have one of the top style and two of the bottom style. if you're interested in either, leave your email in the comments. i really love these two layered like this. $15 each or $25 for the pair - free shipping & will ship immediately if you're thinking of christmas gifts! i also have some other styles that i will try & post later today. 

outfit post + new music + a new hobby; whoa!

outfit details:

top - vintage from public butter in t.o

shorts - old navy

cardigan - volcom

toque - thrifted

necklace - top & bottom, made by me & middle is moon & pearl

so last night was pretty awesome, in terms of awesome nights go actually it was pretty much perfect. i listened to a new album i had never heard before [while falling in love with] then listened to it & again & again & again. alt j...ever heard of 'em? they're fucking awesome. i'm so obsessed with their album an awesome wave i can't even pick a favourite song because they're actually all SO good - for realsies! anyway, something else happened that was great, i discovered that i really love making necklaces. i ordered some supplies a bit ago but hadn't had a chance to do anything with them, but that all changed last night. i had so much fun hanging by myself, listening to a new band & practicing a new hobby. then mikey & i hungout for hours & stayed up way too late laughing & reminiscing on embarrassing/funny memories we have together. 

my gal pal tracy was here last night [mikey, her bf mark & her jam together] & she asked me if i was going to sell the necklaces i was making and to be honest i hadn't really thought of it, it was something i had just started doing & i was really just enjoying making them, but i guess...maybe? i mean i'm certainly not going to keep every single one i make right? who knows. all i know is that i'm having a damn good time for now. 

would you guys be interested in seeing more photos of the necklaces i made?

bomb dot com bloggers

i've been meaning to do a post like this for awhile now, with some of my favourite bloggers & why i think they're the bomb dot com [i brought that back just for this post because they're the bomb & dot com is internety sooo it happened] actually, one of my favourite bloggers recently did a similar post with her favourites which is what reminded me [thanks jes!]

so first up then,

 jes of the militant baker
this girl has single handedly changed my outlook on blogging & furthermore life. notice a different vibe around here? this girl. she's made me want to be a better blogger. she has a total unapologetic, take-me-as-i-am approach to blogging and life. she's basically a bad ass and i one day want to have the confidence and strength that she does as a woman. this girl will change the world...i promise you. jes, you're an inspiration. if you don't read this blog yet, you're mad but i'll give you one more chance because maybe you just haven't heard of her yet & if that's the case then, you're welcome!

alexz of bird trouble
alright so not only do i have a huge girl crush on this beauty [it's no secret she's fully aware] she is also an inspiration to me. she makes beautiful one of a kind handmade pieces & takes a gorgeous photo. i love peeking into this ladies pretty life & i want to be her best friend, but she already knows that. she's also a part of the bohemian collective which is another blog you need to check out if you haven't already.

mandy of harper's happenings 
it's possible that mandy & harper are two of my favourite people ever & i've never even met them. mandy is sarcastic & witty & her blog posts are both hilarious & insightful to read. her daughter harper is one of the cutest little girls & her videos make me laugh so hard; seriously if you're having a bad day, watch her youtube channel! i will strive to be a mum as cool as her when i someday have my own littles. warning: this blog does not help those with baby fever [trust!]

the nearsighted owl

rachelle's is a new blog i came across recently & not only was i immediately drawn in by her amazingly designed blog [it's the prettiest thing i've ever seen] but her personality absolutely shines through her writing & photos. she is positive & inviting & cute as can be! her outlook on life, her body & her views are super refreshing, and if you haven't visited her blog you're truly missing out! you should start at this post it's my fave so far. oh ya, she makes super adorable crocheted collars too [like in the photo]

so that's it! well no, that's not it as i have a shit ton of more amazing blogs i could share with you guys but that's my top 4 right now & the one's i've really enjoyed reading lately. i hope you guys check them out & say hello as they are all really awesome ladies!

any favourite blogs of yours i should be reading??

good things sunday

my pal iris does these 'good things' posts & they're positive & fun to read, so here i am...today is sunday making this a 'good things sunday' kind of post.

♥ my mum. she came to visit today. we had a delicious lunch at the planet & then did some errand-running together

♥ advent calendars, and the fact that my mum brought me a hello kitty one 

♥ the fact that i am almost done my christmas shopping

♥ our new landlord [seems as cool as our old landlord which is a hard feat so we're happy!] on that note, a hair salon going in below us, pretty awesome! maybe now i'll have to commit to regular haircuts...maybe

♥ it's december & though it's always an insanely busy month, it's always a really fun one too! also, CHRISTMAS!

 ♥ new hello kitty tattoo [it was bound to happen eventually]

it's still healing in this photo so it looks a little crusty but it's perfect!

showing the placement [inner heel] plus my two other foot tattoos

♥ finding new blogs to love [post coming soon regarding this]

♥ dave's idea of 'happy new month' or 'happy new week' resolutions instead of new years resolution because as he says, a whole year can be daunting but a week or a month should be easy peasy!

comment with at least one good thing from your week!