Beauty Products I Can't Live Without

This post comes as a response to my friend Jessica's blog Beauty Products I Can't Live Without from flatsareforquitters.com.

Jessica is a self-proclaimed beauty product addict/connoisseur. And while I do not claim to be a beauty product professional or connoisseur, or addict by any means whatsoever, I know what I like and I know what works for me.

I'll be honest though, many of the things that I have come to love have come from Jessica's collections and experience with products.  Once they have the "Jess Denomme stamp of approval", I decide to take the plunge for myself!  (Thanks, Jess!!)

So I thought I'd create my own list of beauty products that I simply can't go a day (or two) without using. If I didn't have them, I seriously think I would be lost. Some of them are a bit of a splurge (but so worth it), while others are things you can simply pick up at your local Shoppers, Walmart or Zehrs.

My hope is that something that I have found to love will somehow end up in your collection (or maybe under your Christmas tree!)

Sephora Prestige Brush Set

$125 ($325 value)

Includes 12 full-size Sephora Professional Platinum Quality Brushes:

1. Fan  2. Powder  3. Blush  4.  Foundation  5.  Concealer  6. Eyeshadow

7. Crease  8. Smudge  9. Angled Liner  10. Brow  11. Lip  12. Brow/Lash Comb

Available at Sephora

Smashbox Photofinish Primer to Go

$16

Available at Sephora & Shoppers Drug Mart

Murad Live Clear Acne Starter Kit**

$33 ($56 value)

Includes: Clarifying Cleanser, Clarifying Toner, Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel

Acne Spot Treatment, Skin Perfecting Lotion

Available at Sephora, Shoppers Drug Mart, & Murad Canada

M.A.C Eyeshadow in Naked Lunch
$17

Available at M.A.C

Maybelline Falsies Volum' Express Mascara

Available at Shoppers Drug Mart, PharmaPlus, Walmart, etc.

M.A.C Technakohl Liner in GraphBlack

$17

Available at M.A.C

True Blue Spa Super-Softening Hand Lotion

$12 or Buy 2, Get 1 free

Available at Bath & Body Works

Aveeno Intense Relief Therapy Lip Balm

$4-5

Available wherever lip balm is sold

Sephora Sun Disk**

$20

Available at Sephora

Sephora Makeup Studio Blockbuster**

$49.50 ($440 value)

Available at Sephora

You will never run out of a colour again!

Sephora by OPI

Glimmer Wonderland 18 Piece Mini Nail Colour Set

$48 ($81 value)

Available at Sephora

As I write this, I realize I kind of have a thing for Sephora... and combo packs. Who knew?!

Which ones are your favourite?

** Jessica Denomme Stamp of Approval

Welcome to the Family!

Well, a few months ago Matt and I welcomed a new member to our family. His name is Hank and at the time he was a 9 week old chocolate lab. Our little baby has grown up and we just celebrated his 8 month birthday last week. Where has the time gone?? Our little baby has grown into a man. If time flies this fast with a puppy, I can only imagine what life will be like as our family begins to expand.

Oh wait. Did I forget to tell you? It looks like time is going to start flying even faster, as Matt and I will be welcoming a new addition to our family this coming June 2012.

Yes. That's right. I'm about to become a mom ... and Matt's going to be a dad ... for real.

Probably one of the craziest feelings ever. Knowing that there's a new, little life growing inside of me right now. It wasn't until yesterday that it became even more real, when Matt and I went for our first ultrasound and had the opportunity to see our baby for the first time.

It doesn't matter how many ultrasounds you see, whether they're your friends, or people in your family. It completely changes when it's your own. Quite emotional, actually. More so than either of us expected.

And hearing the heartbeat for the first time .... unreal.

Anyway, we're so excited to become parents and to finally be able to share it with family and friends. I think if my family had to wait much longer to tell, they may just burst. So here is your permission to tell the world!

Life has been fully of changes lately, with the news of the little one, my placement in Toronto, and a bunch of random other things, but bring it on! I'm ready for a change :)

Oh, and it looks like my 25 before 25 is going to be due for a little change up ... but that's another post all together!

Let the mommy blogs begin!

Wanna Stay Warm This Winter?

The thought of snow sends shivers down my spine. For whatever reason, God decided to make me a Canadian, but sometimes I feel like I should've been born in the Caribbean.

All of that is to say, when the snow comes, I freeze. Like, literally. To the point that sometimes my lips turn purple. But when it comes to winter fashion, sometimes I feel like the Canadian market is lacking (although I must say, it is improving greatly!).

Last winter I made a discovery that completely changed my winter thinking. SOREL boots. Now I know what you're thinking: "Those super ugly, clunky boots my mom tried to make me wear when I was 8!?" Trust me, I thought the same thing, but man have the times changed!

In an effort to not have freezing cold, wet feet anymore, I took the plunge and bought myself a pair of SOREL Joan of Arctic winter boots. My feet have been thanking me ever since. Not only were my feet extremely dry, due to their waterproof shell, they were never once cold! Seriously the warmest, and most fashionable boots I have ever had. I honestly got compliments every where I went. I even had people stopping me, asking where I purchased them, so that they could go get a pair for themselves!

I was so excited when I was sent the product line for the new 2011 SOREL Winter Collection, that I just had to write about it, as I am a firm believer in SOREL boots.

I have to say, the thing that gets me most excited about their new Women's Collection are their Cool Canvas Wedge and the Crazy Cable Wedge.

Each one is made of premium leather with a molded rubber outsole, guaranteeing that you'll stay dry all winter long.

If $400 for boots isn't really in your budget this winter, or if you're looking for something that is a little more in the "realistic, every day people budget" (like me), I would say that the Milano Breve is the perfect boot. According to SOREL, it's basically a waterproof jacket for your feet. They come in black, tan, and oxford plaid. And at $160, your feet, and your wallet, will be thanking you.

If you're thinking about a Christmas gift for that special man in your life, why not think about getting him a pair of warm, fashionable winter boots? SOREL's Putnam High boots are seriously beautiful. With a waterproof full-grain leather upper, their feet will stay warm and dry all winter, and you don't have to be embarrassed about being seen with him! (Seeing that men's boots have the tendency to be, well, not all that attractive.) And $220 is a small price to pay.

If you're a fan of Mad Men, you'll love the Mad Boot Lace, inspired by the 1950's.  Made with a water-resistant full-grain leather upper, you'll have the most stylish man of all!

Last but not least, we cannot forget the children! SOREL has come A LONG WAY since I was a child, and here's just a brief overview of some of my favourites:

• TOFINO Girl -  Perfect for the little girl who wants to be just like her mom, or big sister. - Waterproof seam sealed shell and water-resistant suede leather upper. Don't forget the super fun laces!

• SNOW COMMANDER Unisex - Guaranteed to keep the littlest of feet cozy and warm. The velcro closure will help recess time come a lot faster, as they won't be struggling to tie up their winter boots, and the waterproof thermal rubber shell will keep they completely dry.

Well there you have it. My picks for this winter's cozy feet season! Check out the full Canadian collection at www.sorelfootwear.ca and let me know what you'll be putting on your Christmas/winter list this season!

Stay Warm!!

What's for Dinner Wednesday - Salmon with Vegetable Quinoa

For those of you that know me, you'll know that salmon is basically it's own food group in my life. I love salmon. If I could have it every day, I would. Not only is it super yummy, the health benefits are amazing:

• high in protein
• half of your daily B12 intake
• high in niacine
• high in magnesium
• excellent source of B6
• FULL of OMEGA-3s

Why wouldn't you want to eat salmon?

My first rule when it comes to salmon is that is MUST be FRESH. Frozen just doesn't cut it. My second rule is that it must be fresh ATLANTIC salmon. I find that these two rules make the fish that much more succulent and delicious.

Here is my (extremely easy) recipe for delicious salmon, with vegetable quinoa on the side (made for 2 people).

Salmon

1-2 10 oz salmon filets
Olive Oil
Spicy Pepper Medley Clubhouse Seasoning
Aluminum foil

Preheat the BBQ to approximately 500'F (I like it a bit hotter).

Pull out a sheet of foil large enough to fold in half to cover the salmon.  With the shiny side facing up, put a thin layer of olive along the bottom. Place the salmon on top of the olive oil, skin side down.

Take the seasoning and sprinkle a fine layer across the top (or if you'd like it a little spicy [and salty], sprinkle a bit more).

Fold up the salmon so that it creates its own little envelope and that no steam can escape.

Put it on the grill for 20 minutes and take it out immediately. You'll know it's finished when the salmon is nice and pink and flakes apart easily.

Vegetable Quinoa


One package of PC Organic Quinoa
EVOO
Chicken or Vegetable Broth
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 can of peaches and cream corn
1 medium carrot, sliced
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 celery stalk, chopped

Follow the directions on the quinoa box for cooking. I substitute chicken or vegetable broth for water to add extra flavour.

Put a tablespoon-ish of EVOO and fry up the onion until it is nice and soft. Add all of the vegetables into the wok (or deep frying pan) and stir them around until they are the tenderness that you like (I like them a little bit crunchier = fresher). (Add a little extra EVOO if you need to!)

Mix the Quinoa and Vegetable Medley together and enjoy!

As always, I love to hear your feedback. Let me how yours turns out!

#25 Done! Cirque de Soleil

On October 7th, with the help of some very good friends, I was able to complete #25 on my list: See a Cirque de Soleil Performance. 

Ninamusdunkton

This was my first time ever seeing Cirque de Soleil, and although I know many people who have been and heard many stories, nothing prepared me for the show that they put on.

We watched the show TOTEM, which is a "fascinating journey into the evolution of mankind", and man was it ever fascinating! The acrobatics and flexibility of these performers was unreal. Most of the night consisted of the six of us sitting there with our jaws to floor, watching the performances in complete awe.

Unfortunately we weren't able to take any pictures inside of the performance, due to copyright, but here are some pics from the Cirque de Soleil website (www.cirquedesoleil.com) to give you an idea of what we experienced.

Like a Kid at Christmas - # 11 done!

# 11. Make Damask Pillow Covers

 I was seriously just like a kid at Christmas when I finished these pillow covers. Seriously, one of the most exciting moments of my week!

They were so easy to make and came out fabulously! I'll admit, it took me a little while to figure out my ancient sewing machine, but once I got it all done, it was so easy!

I started with two pillow covers from Ikea and purchased the damask fabric from Fabricland in Kitchener. A big thanks goes out to The Crafty Gemini on YouTube for the super easy envelope pillow pattern.

Here's what I started with:

Black & White Damask fabric for two sets of pillows. 

White & Black Damask for the second sets of pillows I plan to make. 

The backing of the two pillows is black suede.

Then Ta-da!! My new designer pillows!

Another one crossed off the list!

500 Days of Marriage

It's hard to believe that 500 days ago today, Matt and I officially tied the knot!

That day was one of the best days of my life, but life has definitely gotten better since then.

I can truly say I love Matt more than I even did before we got married. We've definitely had our ups and downs this past year, but each time we come out stronger.

Here are five things I've learned after 500 days of marriage:

1. I am way more particular about things than I thought I was. Okay, maybe anal is a better word. I have learned that sometimes it doesn't matter what way the edges are folded when making the bed, as long as the covers are on. If they don't fall off when we sleep, then it's really okay.

2. Always make sure to make time for date night. No matter how hectic the day, week or month, always make sure you have one night a week (or month) to get together and connect. Whether that's going out for a nice dinner at Golf's Steakhouse, or spending the weekend together cuddling on the couch and watching a season of Lost, always leave room to connect with each other.

3. Never have a deep conversation after 10 pm. I'll admit, we've broken this rule a few times, and after each one, I remember "Don't have a deep conversation after 10". It usually doesn't end up too well.

4. Who needs a duvet in the winter when you sleep with a furnace? Enough said.


5. Getting a dog really does help you understand your parenting styles and prepares you for kids. I realize that this may not be true for everyone, but for us, it has worked wonders. Thankfully to Hank, we're able to work out some of our kinks on him instead of our first born child!

Happy 500 days of Marriage Anniversary, babe. Here's to 500 x 500 x 500 x 500 x infinity more :)

I love you.