Academy Awards 2013: Best Dressed

Last night marked the 85th Annual Academy Awards (aka. The Oscars). It also marked the first time in the history of my that I've ever watched the whole thing from beginning to end, INCLUDING the red carpet.

While watching the red carpet arrivals, I realized that I had a lot to say about the ladies dresses! There were some absolute stunners out there last night, and some lacklustre ones as well.

I am the first to say that I am no fashionista, but I know what I like and think I have a decent eye when it comes to beautiful gowns. That being said, my thoughts may contradict many out there.

Here is my top  best dressed from last night. Do you agree or disagree? Comment below and let me know your thoughts!

BEST DRESSED

10. Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda. Although this is not my favourite dress of the evening, this 75 stunning lady rocked this canary yellow Versace gown. If only I can look like this at 75!

9. Jennifer Garner

Jennifer looked absolutely stunning sporting a plum coloured Gucci gown with cascading ruffles down the back.

8. Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron looked amazing in a white peplum Dior Haute Couture gown. She rocked the pixi cut, too.

7. Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon is my girl, so obviously she would make my list. Love the two-tone Louis Vuitton number. Such a change from what we normally see on the red carpet, which just adds the "stunning" factor.

6. Jessica Chastain

Jessica Chastain dazzled in a copper Giorgio Armani dress. She is always beautiful  no matter what red carpet she is on

5. Jennifer Lawrence

I wish this dress had a bit more of a sweetheart neckline, but there's no denying the beauty Jennifer Lawrence bestowed in this Dior Haute Couture gown. Lovely.

4. Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer looked beautiful in a red Valentino gown. Different from the sleek numbers we usually see her in, but it was nice to see her on the red carpet!

3. Jenna Dewan-Tatum

Jenna Dewan-Tatum. Can we say absolutely stunning?! This momma-to-be looked incredible while rocking a beautiful Rachel Roy lace number. (And how cute was Channing with her? Their love is undeniable!)

2. Stacy Keibler

Stacy Keibler looked beautiful in this Naeem Khan number. Love the beading.

1. Naomi Watts

Naomia Watts. No matter was this lady wears, she always looks stunning. She rocked this gunmetal Armani Prive gown. In my opinion, the best dressed of the evening.

Rent it. Frock it. Repeat it.

Last week I had the honour of visiting Rent Frock Repeat in Toronto to pick out a dress for the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards (try to say that 5x fast!).

I first heard about Rent Frock Repeat about a year ago by my friend Jessica (flatsareforquitters.com blogger), but had forgotten about it until I saw them showcased on The Marilyn Denis Show a few months ago.

I knew that I had an awards gala coming up and wanted to look smoking hot, so I knew that making a visit to RFR was a definite necessity.

I thought, how often do us women have an event to go to, but we don't have a dress to wear? We end up spending valuable time shopping only to find a dress that fits okay, we spend some money on it, and then it just ends up sitting in our closet taking up space.

Here is a quote from their website, describing what they're all about:

"At Rent frock Repeat, we believe that fashion isn’t just about owning stuff: it’s about walking into a room knowing you look good. The right dress can change everything. It can make you feel elegant, beautiful, and confident—a real Cinderella moment. Our goal is to create this moment every time you rent with us.

We shop the best designer dresses from around the world, visiting top fashion shows and showrooms. Then, we make the dresses available to rent for a fraction of the retail price. Save money and closet space by renting a frock for any occasion. Use that cash for the perfect pair of shoes, put it in your vacation fund, or maybe give it to your favourite cause—we know you’ll find a million reasons to Rent frock Repeat."

When my sister Jenny and I walked in, we were bombarded (in a good way!) with tons of dresses to choose from.

When you create a profile with RFR online, you can create a wish list of dresses that you are interested in.  The girls are RFR already had my wish list dresses pulled and ready when we arrived, and once they learned more about the event I was attending, they pulled a few that they thought I might be interested in.

After trying on a bunch of different designers, including Christian Siriano, Badgley Mishka, Mark and James, Adam, Camilla and Marc and Peter Soronen, I finally decided on a gown by David Meister.

The funny thing is, the gown I chose wasn't even on my wish list.  The lovely Lauren, stylist at RFR, decided to pull out a gown that she just wanted to me to try on. As soon as I put it on, I knew it was the one.  These girls know what they're doing.

After a bit of convincing, I decided to choose a long gown instead of a sexy cocktail, because, let's be honest, in the words of RFR Co-Founder and President Kristy Wieber "How often do you get to wear a gown??"

Once the decision was made, the rental process was so easy! All of it was done online, and I was given a 4-day rental period. The dress was shipped to me via Canada Post, and the shipping that I paid on the front end paid for the return shipping of the dress after my event.

When it arrived at my door just a few days later, I opened the box to, not only my gown, but a super cute gift pack that included Hollywood Fashion Tape (double sided) as well as a Deodorant Removing Sponge (which can also be used for pet hair and most make-up powder). My dress also came with a thank you card from Kristy and Lisa (Co-Founder and CEO), as well as an inspection tag and reminder for when to put my "frock" back in the mail.

As for the night of the event, I LOVED my dress. The girls definitely knew what they were doing when they pulled it out for me.

I felt absolutely beautiful last night at the awards gala and am so happy with my choice for the evening.

For anyone who is looking for that PERFECT dress for your next wedding, date night, party, gala, black tie function, or even a girls' night out, I would HIGHLY recommend booking a personal consultation at RFR. Quite possible one of the best shopping experiences I have ever had.

A GIGANTIC Thank You to Lauren, Norah and Kristy for all your help next week. We will definitely be repeat shoppers!



Rent Frock Repeat is located at 35 Golden Ave. Suite 102. Toronto, Ontario.
Call RfR today to book an appointment for your next event!! 1.855.FROCK.IT (1.855.376.2548)
www.rentfrockrepeat.com 

Babies Babies Everywhere! What to buy that new momma in your life!

I'm not sure about you, but everywhere I turn around people are pregnant and babies are popping up all over the place!

As a new mom, maybe I'm just that much more aware of it, but this past summer, my little guy Ryder was the fourth of 12 babies born between March and August in our group of friends... not to mention the other seven that were born from September to December. And there's more to come!!!

I received a phone call from my sister this past week who was about to attend a baby shower for a friend of hers. The conversation went a little like this:

Jenny: "Hey Jacq, what sort of things were you really happy to get at your baby shower? Like, what did you really appreciate?"

Me: "Umm... that's a good question ... let me think"

It took me a second to think of all the things that I appreciated ... or things that I wish I had received.

That being said, I didn't have a problem coming up with a list.

Here are my top 10 gifts for all of those baby showers you'll be attending this year:

DIAPERS

Diapers are expensive. Like, ridiculously expensive.  I hate having to buy them, especially when they aren't on sale. Being given diapers was an amazing feeling. Size 1, 2 or even 3. Even though I'm partial to Pampers, I was ecstatic at any other brands that I received. (Walmart usually has the best deals!) The super boxes are the best.

DIAPER GENIE

Some people may argue this one, but I LOVE my Diaper Genie. I use it all the time. It is great to keep the scent contained and to keep Hank out of it! (You can get a pack of four refills for $26 at Costco ... best price I've found so far)

WIPES

You go through more than you think. I love buying the gigantic box of Huggies Natural Care Wipes from Costco.  $26 for 1120 wipes. Amazing deal!

BIG SIZES

I know, I know. The size 3 onesies are the cutest ever. So tiny and adorable. But they only last for so long. And it is every one's favourite size to purchase. I literally had a drawer OVERFLOWING with size three and he grew out of them so fast. So depressing.  I loved when people got us size 6-12 + because I knew he'd have something to grow in to! .... that being said ...

PANTS

Back to the onesies ... they seem to be every one's favourite gift ... but then the poor kid is pant-less. My onesie to pant ratio is about 10:1. So if you buying some onesies, throw some pants in there for a full outfit.

SLEEPERS/PYJAMAS

Somehow these get missed ... I'm not sure why. But sleepers are super handy for when you want to, you know ... put them to bed and sleep!

SWADDLE SACK

I purchased my own swaddle sack for Ryder when he was about 3 weeks old and it was one of the best purchases I could have made. I swear that it was the reason he would sleep 10hrs a night at 3 weeks. 

GROBAG

If you've ever tried to put your baby to bed with just a blanket ... you'll know that the blanket will be at the other side of the crib when they wake up. Then you feel bad that your poor child is so cold.  Introducing the GroBag.  It's basically a blanket they can't kick off. So useful.

SOPHIE THE GIRAFFE

If you haven't met Sophie yet, you're missing out.  Sophie helps stimulate all of your baby's senses: 

Sight - dark, contrasting colours

Hearing - she loves to squeak

Taste - perfect teething toy with lots of different textures

Touch - she is nice and small, so the perfect size for their tiny hands

Smell - she is made out of a natural rubber from the Hevea tree, which makes her scent easily recognizable 

TINY TOYS

One of the greatest gifts Ryder received was a little giraffe rattle that doubles as a teether. Any little toys, teethers and small things that can travel and keep the bambino occupied are awesome.

BATTERIES

Last but not least, batteries.  It is unreal how many toys require batteries. AA, AAA, D, the list goes on and on. And they die SO FAST. I'm always rummaging through draws trying to find random batteries lying around. If only I had thought to add them to my registry!

Well there is my top 10.  What did you love to receive for your new bundle of joy? What would you add to the list?

...and the walls came tumbling down

Demolition has finally begun at our new place and I cannot be more excited!

The 1980's wood panelling has finally be torn off the walls, ceilings have come down and walls are gone. This means we are just one step closer to moving in!

We have the floor plans from the engineer and the kitchen drawings are being finalized ... ahh! I almost can't contain my excitement! My Pinterest inspiration board continues to grow every day as I come across more and more ideas that will be perfect for our new place. You can see all of my grand ideas here.

Here are some before and after pics so you can see how demolition is coming along!

Before - Right side of house

Before - Left side of house

The Wrecking Crew! Jennifer, Alex & Jacq ... minus the main contributor, Matt!

All cleaned up, ready for the ceiling to come down

Well there's the beginning of the renos. It looks like a mess, but it feels so great! We are getting so much done and so thankful to every one who has helped us so far.

Have you done a renovation before? If you have recommendations to help us along, we'd love to hear them!

Stay tuned for the continuing Town Hall Saga!

Pin Now - Read Later

I think it is safe to say that Pinterest seems to be coming quite the obsession with many people, women AND men.

For me, I am obsessed with pinning food. For others, it may be fashion, decor, DIY, baking, photography. And if we're being honest, married or not ... weddings.
(That's me on the right - haha)

How often, though, do we spend our day pinning, only to forget what we've seen. Or we remember, we just don't do anything about it.

I am super guilty of this. And I can see it only getting worse with my new iPhone and having the ability to pin 24/7. (Honestly ... I was pinning at 4 in the morning the other day. I may need help).

I've made it my personal goal to make at least ONE dinner a week from something I've pinned on Pinterest. A few weeks ago, I actually planned a whole week of Pinterest meals, and they turned out to be delicious!

I love that it's a new way to make creative dinners without spending hours flipping through recipe books, only to discover that you don't have any of the ingredients. (Although I do still love my recipe books).

I am also making it my goal to do one other "Pin" a week - broaden my horizons a little bit, cultivate my creativity ... or at least use something I've learned.

I will post along the way and share what has worked, and even those that haven't.

Do you create things that you've pinned? I'd love to hear about it, as well as your feedback from my "Pin Adventures."

Let the Pinning begin!

A little piece of history

Well, it's official! We can finally announce our big news.

Matt and I just made the biggest purchase of our lives (thus far), and we are happy to say we bought a little piece of history.

We have been wanting to buy a place for a while now, but things just didn't seem to be working out for us. Also, Matt and I have completely different tastes when it comes to properties. He likes unique ... I like new.

So we thought we'd compromise.

It was brought to our attention that the historic Town Hall in Conestogo was going up for sale, so Matt jumped on it.

I'll be honest, I never thought it would go through. But for whatever reason, everything continued to line up and we are now the proud owners of the Conestogo Town Hall.

We have a lot of work ahead of us, as we are renovating it for us to live in, but when all is said an done, it is going to be an awesome spot. Unique for Matt and new for me, as we will be completely gutting the place and working nonstop to get it finished and updated for a modern feel.

The township has given the hall a "Heritage Designation", therefore we won't be changing too much on the outside, but we get full reign on the inside.

Words cannot describe how excited we are to move to Conestogo!

We'll be posting pics along the way.

Check out the press release the Township of Woolwich wrote about the purchase: http://bit.ly/SnrSK2

Wish us luck!

It's a new year!

Well, I am officially 25. This past year has been a whirlwind, but I was reminded of my list I made a year ago: My 25 before 25 list.

I'm happy to say I was able to accomplish *most* things on my list ... but apparently I should've added #26: Start a family. 

The preparation and arrival of my new little man changed my life quite a bit, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Even with life changing dramatically, here's what I was able to accomplish over the past year!

1. Learn how to sew - well I am no seamstress, but I was able to sew my own crib sheets. Needless to say, after that adventure, I opted to buy the rest from Walmart!

2. Make a quilt - once I know how to sew :) - I started cutting out the squares ... that's as far as I got ...

3. Get in shape - Pregnant is a shape ... right?

4. Attend a triathlon to cheer on someone else - Yeah, that didn't happen

5. Go on a tropical vacation - We went on our "Babymoon" to Mexico! An amazing time together at the Occidental Grand Nuevo Vallarta in Riviera Nayarit. Would definitely recommend it! 

6. Host a successful event - Hosted the premiere for High Rise Studio's first feature film Last Run. Four sold out shows and people loved it!

7. Knit a unique baby blanket for our new baby! I started one ... but he was given so many new blankets, I gave up on mine.

8. Knit & finish a baby blanket - No, no, no ... not for myself. For a friend! - made for my cousins baby Lilah! She's such a babe.

9. Be featured in the media - ie. magazine, newspaper, TV, etc. - I was featured in The Record when I was one of the top three contestants for the Young & Free campaign. Check it out here! http://bit.ly/QNI4XQ

10. Make my own pie crust - this should've been the easiest one ... yet still on the list

11. Make damask pillow covers - chck them out here: http://jninaber.blogspot.ca/2011/10/like-kid-at-christmas-11-done.html 

12. Get a "Big Person's" job ie. a full time PR/Communications job - Got a job as a Marketing Strategy intern at Shaw Media in Toronto.  It was a full time contract position. Loved it!

13. Get rid of my debt - still working on that one

14. Get 1000 followers on Twitter - same answer as #13!

15. Train Hank to become a nursing home dog - or at least have him in the process of becoming one - Well he didn't get trained to become a nursing home dog, BUT we did put him in puppy training with Elite Dog Training in Kitchener. I would highly recommend them! They did wonders for our family and Hank.

16. Travel somewhere cool - We went to Mexico and Florida ... does that count?

17. Spend New Years doing something interesting & fun! Ummm yeah, we just stayed home. I'll be planning this in a few years!

18. Buy a new car I got a new (to me) 2010 Dodge Journey R/T fully loaded. LOVE IT! (And Matt got a new (to him) car too! A 2007 Saab 93 Turbo)

19. Have two+ of my press releases published - Two articles that I wrote for the DIY Network at Shaw were published in the Toronto Metro.

20. Learn how to make pesto - I learned that Costco's Kirkland pesto is the best pesto ever. Therefore ... no need to create my own!

21. Create a fabulous, culinary meal with a crazy, fancy name Well it didn't have a crazy, fancy name ... but I did make a roasted chicken for the first time with roasted carrots and potatoes ... and man was it delicious!

22. Reupholster our kitchen chairs - I decided I actually really like the chairs the way they are, so we are keeping them the same

23. Finish watching all of the seasons of LOST - We started Season 1 in September and finally finished the last season in March. I had never been so happy to finish a set of DVDs before.

24. Go on a spontaneous, yet semi-planned, road trip - Took a road trip up to Restoule with a 12-week old baby to visit my Memere & Pepere. What should've only taken 4 hours took 6, each way ... but it was worth it :)

25. See a Cirque de Soleil performance - Last fall we joined Rob & Stacey Musselman (nee Clayton) and Nelson & Kathy Dunk for an amazing performance of Cirque de Soleil Totem. If you ever have the opportunity to go see a Cirque performance, I would highly recommend it. You will not be disappointed!

Well there you have it. My last year in a nutshell.

Now to start thinking about my 30 Before 30 list! At least I have five years to complete this one ...

What's on your bucket list?