Sunday, February 1, 2015
My Top Ten List of Adorations for 2014
The year 2014 has come and gone, but it was definitely a memorable one for me... new job, met a lot of lovely, diverse people, started a new routine of making green smoothies, watched my kids turn ten and thirteen, helped a family member get through an illness, watched a lot of great films, and read a lot of inspirational books. I have started 2015 on a positive note, by taking more chances, and not caring so much about what others think. I joined a running clinic that has made me fall in love with running for the first time in my life, and I will talk more about that in a future post.
With this being my first entry for 2015, I've put together a top ten list of a few of my favourite things from the past year. Maybe some of these items are also on your list? Without further ado, here they are...
1. Fitbit One Wireless Activity and Sleep Tracker
I clip this little slim, portable guy everyday on to the waist of my pants, or in my pocket. It records my steps, calories burned, kms walked, stairs climbed, and hours of sleep. It resets every morning, and syncs wirelessly to the Fitbit app on my iPhone to quickly view the summary of the current day, previous day, or week. It also has a watch, so I can see what time it is throughout the day.
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| Fitbit One |
2. Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Eyeliner Trio in Nude
If you like, or have tried the cult favourite, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On eyeliners, you will love the PF Shimmer Strips eyeliners. These have super staying power, and they literally do not come off, even if you rub. I probably have the most oily lids in the universe with my Asian eyes, and nothing seemed to stay on the whole day until I tried these. In comparison, the UD eyeliners are $20 each at Sephora, whereas the PF ones come in a set of three for about $14 at Shoppers, Target, or Walmart. They are made in the US, and come in different sets that suit each eye colour, but my favourite one is Nude. It contains a true-black shade, a dark brown, bronzy shade with subtle shimmer, and a light bronze shade also with a bit of shimmer. These are twist-up style, so you don't need a sharpener, but if you do want a finer point, they do come with a built-in sharpener at the bottom.
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| Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Eyeliner Trio in Nude |
There is a Burberry Body version that I find too strong and musky, but the Burberry Body Tender version is perfect. I love this perfume because it smells so fresh, without being too flowery or woodsy. It contains a combination of lemon, English roses, white jasmine, sandalwood, cashmeran, and amber. I find myself reaching for this perfume each morning, more than the other ones in my collection.
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| Burberry Body Tender Eau de Toilette |
I've been researching and looking at different E-Readers for about a year, and decided to get the Kobo Aura. I previously bought the Kindle Paperwhite, but found that the E-PUB format that my local library has, was not compatible with the Kindle, so I needed to download a third-party conversion software and convert the file, which was a major pain in the butt. The Kobo Aura is compatible with E-PUB, PDF, Adobe DRM, and RTF formats. It has a 6 inch display, and is so light and compact. It easily fits in my purse, and the battery charge lasts about a week. It has a soft glow light so I can read in the dark, and the screen is non-glare. Most e-books from my library have a three week loan period, and it automatically just comes off my device after the three weeks, unless I choose to renew the book. Below is a photo of my Kobo Aura, with the Kobo Aura Sleepcover, in purple.
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| Kobo Aura E-Reader with Kobo Aura Sleepcover in purple |
This book first came out in 2012, but is my favourite one that I read in 2014. I remember staying up late at night reading this, as I couldn't put it down. It is filled with suspense, tragedy, friendship, hope, grief and forgiveness. I loved it from beginning to end, and can't wait to read more books by this author.
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| Night Road by Kristin Hannah |
Love, love, love this flannel shirt. I bought it from Aritzia in Canada on sale. It is fitted, but a little oversized and long, so that you can wear it with leggings or skinny jeans. It is so comfortable and warm, plus I am obsessed with the red/black buffalo check pattern! Needless to say, it has become my new favourite shirt.
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| TNA Brisco Shirt in Buffalo Check from Aritzia |
I like to slather this body cream on after my shower, especially in the winter, when my skin is so dry. Origins is my favourite natural skin-care company, and I use A Perfect World SPF 25 moisturizer on my face every morning. The Ginger Souffle body cream has a citrusy, uplifting scent that always improves my mood when I put it on. It has a thick, whipped cream consistency that is non-greasy and long-lasting. For me, one tub lasts about a year (seriously!), and you can buy it at Sephora for about $38. It is made with natural ingredients, pure essential oils, and does not contain any parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances/dyes, petrochemicals, phthalates, GMOs, or triclosan.
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| Origins Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream |
I am quite a movie buff, and saw a lot of them in 2014. My favourite film of the year is... drumroll please... Interstellar, directed by Christopher Nolan, and starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine. This movie was a space adventure, and felt like a roller coaster ride filled with action and emotions. It was everything that I thought Gravity was going to be. I am usually not a fan of Anne Hathaway, but decided to take a chance and give it a try. I am so glad that I did. And Matthew McConaughey... what can I say?!?!
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| Interstellar movie |
When my husband competed in his first Tough Mudder in 2014, he bought a pair of these socks for himself, and picked up a pair for me (he always surprises me with random gifts). I've been hooked ever since! I have since bought two more pairs of these from MEC here in Canada. They keep my feet so warm in the winter, and I love wearing them with boots. They are made in the US, from 38% nylon, 30% Merino wood, 30% acrylic, and 2% spandex. The heel and toe are cushioned, so if feels super-comfy when I walk in them.
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| Fox River Outdoor Strive Merino Wool Socks |
Last but not least, my beloved Vitamix is at the top of the list for 2014. If you remember my previous post found here, I raved about this machine, and I am proud to say that the love affair is still going strong. I make my delicious green smoothie each morning before work, and am proud of myself for keeping this up consistently. It has not decreased in quality or function at all, and I have not experienced any problems with it whatsoever. You can still use my discount code 06-010043 when you purchase any item directly from Vitamix.com.
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| Vitamix CIA Professional Series Blender |
And there you have it. Are some of these things on your list? If not, I would love to see your favourite things! ~ Janice ❤
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Scarf-Ace: Eight Ways to Wear a Lululemon Vinyasa Scarf
I was in my local Lululemon store the other day, and saw that they had some new scarves at the front counter. The pretty pink/plum striped one caught my eye immediately. The sales person saw me looking at it, and started raving about how soft and versatile the scarf was. She then proceeded to give me a full demonstration on the different ways that the Vinyasa scarf can be worn. I'm not usually an impulse buyer, but the scarf looked so damn good on her, that I bought one. I know... sucker, right?!
There are a lot of videos available on the web that show you different ways to wear the Vinyasa scarf. Two of my favourites are found here and here. Be patient when trying to duplicate the styles shown in the videos. I was a little frustrated in the beginning, because mine never seemed to look the same as theirs. I got the hang of it after a few attempts however, and it's super-easy to put on now. I really do love that the scarf is so versatile, and can be worn year-round basically. In the spring and summer months, it can easily be worn with a tank top during the day; then at night when it's cooler, you can turn the scarf into a shawl, wrap, or even a shirt! I hope you have as much fun playing with your Vinyasa scarf as I am! ~Janice ❤
The Vinyasa scarf is made from "Rulu", which is a stretchy, super-soft, breathable, and moisture-wicking fabric. When I was at the store, the colour choices were grey, black, grey/white striped, lilac/grey striped, and the pink/plum striped one that I have. The official colour name from the Lululemon website is "hyper stripe heathered bordeaux drama/bumble berry". I picked this colour because I thought it would add some vibrancy to the black, grey and brown shades of fall and winter.
The underside of the striped pattern is a burgundy/plum heather colour. It's kind of like getting two scarves-in-one, as it's totally reversible. It is shaped like an infinity circle scarf, only the Vinyasa has snap buttons along one side. You can wear it with all the buttons done up, or half of them done up, or none at all. It's totally up to you on how you want to wear it. In the short time that I've had the scarf, I've had a lot of fun just playing around and experimenting. There is no right or wrong way to wear it, and I have a hard time duplicating the same look twice, as it's a little different each time. That's what I really love about the scarf.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Hanky Panky - The Most Beautiful, Comfy Undies In The World!
Now that I've got your undivided attention from the words "Hanky Panky", I had better explain what I'm referring to before continuing. Hanky Panky is a lingerie company based in New York, that has been around since 1977. Their products are made and shipped out of the good ol' USA. I can't recall exactly when or how I discovered this company, but all I know is, I've been a loyal fan of the Low-Rise Thong for at least six years now. Yes, I said the "T" word! I can hear the gasps and shrieks of astonishment and skepticism now... "How can you wear a thong - you're a Mom for God's sakes!" or "I can't wear thongs... they give me a wedgie." My mind used to conjure up those exact thoughts too - that is, until I tried these bad boys on.
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| Perfect Eye Candy for a dull and rainy day! |
Let's delve into some of the reasons why I am so in love with these, shall we? First off, the most important thing: comfort. They are made with the softest lace imaginable, and I'm not lying when I say that I can't even feel them when they're on. It's not the cheap, scratchy kind of lace that rips and falls apart after a few washings. I've also found that they do not stretch out. Ever. Oh, and ladies, because they are lace and fit snugly, there is no VPL (visible panty line). Yay!
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| How do you like my attempt at doing something "artsy" with a thong?! |
Secondly, they are instant pick-me-ups when I'm having a bad day, or feel a little blah. Let's face it, us Moms sometimes need all the help we can get. Now that my kids are a little older and more independent, it's way more of a smoother ride. I remember the good ol' days of having zero sleep, dried milk and spit-up on my shirt, my hair a mess, and being in sweats all day. Makeup or a shower? What's that? Or, even now, with kids running around screaming, and spilt milk on the floor, and runny noses to deal with, we need little things along the way to cheer us up. For some, it may be going out and buying a new lipstick. For others, it may be going for a walk around the block, while some may enjoy having a nice, hot bath. Those are all great things, but nothing makes you feel sexier, or more beautiful than putting on a pair of hot-pink Hanky Pankies. Trust me, my husband can attest to this.!
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| Super-soft lace! You can tell that it's really well-made. |
Which me brings me to my third reason for this lovefest - the huge range of colours that they come in.
Who wants to wear boring beige, white and black, when you can choose from colours like Atomic Pink, Bali Blue, Electric Orchid, Key Lime Pie, or Passion Fruit?! I recently discovered a beautiful lingerie store called Knickers Lingerie Boutique that carries Hanky Panky. They had on display a few of the pretty colours available. Needless to say, I will definitely be back!
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| Hanky Panky display at Knickers Lingerie Boutique |
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| Beautiful packaging from Knickers Lingerie Boutique |
Okay, now for the bad news, like the down part of a movie that you know is always coming... the price for one pair is $20. I know, pretty steep, considering that you can probably get four or five pairs ofsimilar-looking undies elsewhere. I have yet to find some that are of the same quality of lace as these ones though. If you know of such a thing existing, please email me! I would love to try them. Also, It's not like I buy twenty pairs at one time! I pick one up here and there, and over time, you will find yourself with quite a collection. You will not regret spending the extra money for them, as they last a long, long time. Not only that, the way that they make you feel when you wear them, you can't put a price on.
❤ Remember... you are worth it, and you deserve it! ~Janice ❤
❤ Remember... you are worth it, and you deserve it! ~Janice ❤
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