I Did It!

I love New Year's resolutions!  I know some people are against them, but I love to reflect on the past year and look ahead to changes for the next.  I think it's a great natural progression and a good opportunity to set goals.

Last year I gave myself three different resolutions and surprise, surprise I accomplished them!  You can see that blog post and my goals for 2012 here:)

This year I decided to try again and have made four resolutions.  Three have a theme and the fourth is off in left field.  This year I want to:

Slow Down

Sit On the Floor with Thomas

Say No

And....find a way to fit exercise into my busy schedule.

What are your goals for 2013?  Did you accomplish 2012's?

Here is today's Vlogmas video where I discuss this year's resolutions:

My Favourite Songs of 2012

Being the music nerd that I am, I like to look back every year and pick my favourite songs in the past 12 months.  It was a fabulous year for pop music.  

In no particular order, here are my Top Ten Songs of 2012 (click the song to see the video):

Begin Again - Taylor Swift

Part of Me - Katy Perry

Catch My Breath - Kelly Clarkson

Desperate Measures - Marianas Trench

Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepsen

So Good - B.O.B.

Brokenhearted - Karmin

True Colours - Artists Against Bullying

Good Girl - Carrie Underwood

As Long As You Love Me - Justin Bieber ft. Big Sean

You can see my list from last year here.  As you will see, I am including one of the same songs in this year's list as last year's.  Call Me Maybe was released in September 2011 in Canada and quickly became one of my faves, for both years!  

Ordinarily I would also count down my top albums of the year.  2012 is different.  I liked singles more than whole albums this year.  There was only one stand-out record that I feel is worth mentioning:

Taylor Swift - RED

What songs did you love this year?  Any stand-out albums?

Here's the link again for the DJ Lollipop mash-up of the top songs of 2012.  Love it!

Nail of the Day

Looking for the perfect nail colour for New Years Eve?  Look no further! This beauty is absolutely perfect!  It's a shimmery, rose-gold shade that wears well.  I couldn't stop staring at my hands!  It's called Rage, by Orly.  Why did they pick such an angry name for such a pretty colour?  Regardless, it's beautiful!  This is only my second time trying Orly, but I am absolutely in love with the first one I tried, Oui. 

Boxing Week Tips

Yesterday I did my annual trip out Boxing Day shopping.  I think I have been going shopping on December 26th for about 20 years now!  I just love getting out of the house, seeing what deals there are to be found and enjoying the hustle and bustle.  In case you are planning to take advantage of Boxing Week, I thought I would share some of my tips:

Go With Others - It's great to be able to only park once and also, have someone else to help you decide if it's worth the sale, or if it's a panic pick!

Watch the Deals - Research what competitors are listing as prices for certain items.  Jer wanted something specific this year and found three different 'sale' prices for the same thing.  It definitely was worth looking around.

Check Online - I have found almost all the flyers online this year. Also, some sales get increasingly better as the week progresses

Don't Be Lured - Once you are in the store, make sure that you aren't drawn to certain items that aren't on sale.  That happened to me yesterday and I will be returning it ASAP!  I found the same thing for $40 less elsewhere!

Take Snacks and Water - Keep that energy up!

Here are the goodies I found yesterday on Boxing Day:

Christmas Eve!

Happy Christmas Eve!

I decided to post a clip from my favourite Christmas movie, which I will for sure be watching tonight before bed:)  Since I was ten, I have always watched The Muppets' Christmas Carol on the 24th.  It's a fun take on the classic movie with all my favourite muppets, narrated by Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat.  What could be better? 

December Favourites

Review - Ro's Argan

Can I go on the record and say even though I've only had this product for a week, it's becoming a holy grail?

It is. 

This is Ro's Argan from Lush and it's a body conditioner, which is something I've never used before.  You put it on your skin at the end of your shower and rinse it off.  Somehow, even though it is immediately rinsed, this moisturizes my skin all day.  No exaggeration.  

All.Day.Long.

I use this at about 4:20am and my skin is still soft and moisturized by bedtime.  It is so dry where I live, especially this time of year and my skin has never felt better!  It is so luxurious!  One pet peeve of mine is putting lotion on my legs and then my jeans sticking to them.  Yuck!  This doesn't even remotely do that.  

Splurge. It's worth it!  

Ugly Christmas Shirts

This year I decided to wear my ugly Christmas sweaters and shirts to work as we head into the final days before the 25th.  I wanted to share with you my questionable fashion choices this week!

(Please excuse the subpar quality as I used my phone to post on my Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.)

This is a red candy cane covered sweater that I cut up to fit better.  I find cutting off a sweaters neck, bottom cuff and part of the arms can help make something less snug.  If I am buying something from a thrift store, I have no problem cutting it up to fit better.

This gem is actually Jer's ugly sweater from a few years ago that he wore to a party.  We simply found the sweater at a local thrift store and then went at it with the hot glue gun and a decoration. 

This was my sweater from the same party.  A simple black cardi turned into a hot mess courtesy of a hot glue gun and dollar store decorating pieces.

Today I am wearing this "All I Want For Christmas is Peace" tee that I picked up off of Beyond the Rack last year.  It's festive and fun, and a little less ugly;)

Do you use the holidays as an excuse to dress festive?  No? Just me? ;)

Nail of the Day

Wise Word Wednesday

Tuesday Questionnaire

1.) Mood: Awesome! It's less than a week until Christmas and I am getting in the mood!  Today kicked off my ugly Christmas sweater and shirts streak.  I think I have five which will get me to Christmas if I wear one every work day:) 

2.) In what order do you apply your makeup? BB cream, concealer, powder, blush, eyeshadow, mascara, lips

3.) What is one thing that made you smile today? Walking into my office this morning and seeing two gifts from my Secret Santa! I was off yesterday so it was fun to see them both:)  One was a pretty nail polish (oh they know me so well!) and the other was some delish chocolate.

4.) Current Nail Polish: Sally Hansen's Cherry Red with Revlon Belle sparkles over top.

5.) Have you ever had a kiss under the mistletoe? All the time!  We have mistletoe in our entryway and Jer and I try to get each other as often as we can;) 

6.) Current Outfit:  Well, ugly Christmas sweater number one as you can see in the photo, with Old Navy skinny jeans and my black Aerosoles boots.

7.) Moment of truth: do you usually drive the speed limit Usually about five over on the highway, but always the limit in town.  

8.) If you could spend the holidays anywhere in the whole world, where would it be?  Rent a cabin with all my friends and family in the snowy hills somewhere. 

9.) Do you know sign language? Actually I do know quite a few signs as we have been teaching a few to my son to help him learn to speak. 

10.) Weekly Goals:  Buy a few little last minute Christmas gifts, finish wrapping and plan out the next couple of weeks of company.  Can't wait!

Buble's Christmas

I thought it would be fun today as it's exactly one week until Christmas Eve to review a holiday album.  Last year Michael Buble released his album simply titled Christmas and it was very popular.  It's again very successful this year, accompanied by Buble's Christmas specials.  The BC singer is known for his old-school, jazz style singing.  This album is no exception.  It reminds me of holiday albums that have been on every Christmas in my house since I can remember.  It's like sitting by a warm fireplace, drinking eggnog and enjoying the company of loved ones.  Christmas is all about tradition and Buble is definitely pulling at the heart strings with this album.  There aren't any original tracks, but let's be honest, we want the songs we know and love.  I enjoy his rendition of Santa Buddy, so cute! The only thing I don't like about this album is the silence in between songs. I never wanted it to stop!

This album has become a must-have in my Christmas collection:)

Curling With a Flat Iron

I have always wanted to be able to curl my hair, but it's been paper-straight and impossible to hold any kind of kink forever.  That is, until I had my son.  So many women I have talked to say their hair changed after giving birth and I am no exception.  

When I was pregnant my hair was gorgeous and thick and shiny.  Then after T was born, it felt out at an alarming rate.  I was completely unaware that this is normal, until I frantically Facebooked my hairdresser one day!  It's slowly and surely grown back and the texture has changed to actually include some volume and wave.  

I had tried hot rollers before without success and then a friend of mine suggested using my flat iron.  What? How is that even possible? Well, I watched this Youtube tutorial and decided to try it myself.  Surprise, it works!  And it is very easy!  

I curled my hair for our office Christmas party last night and filmed how during Vlogmas.  I wanted to share it with you in case you too want to try it!

It's the Most Stressful Time of the Year

I know it's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, but the holiday season can be downright stressful.  So many of my friends have confided in me that they are feeling pressed for time this month.  I think that can be the most stressful part of the holidays: finding time for everything.  From shopping to wrapping to shipping to holiday social engagements to cleaning before company arrives to travel to work....it adds up!  I found some helpful tips through the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation to share with you:

1- Treat yourself to professional home-cleaning:  This is something that I had been treating myself to for the past few months.  Working full-time with a son and a husband to attend to, I just found it impossible to find time to keep the house clean.  (Jeremy and I refuse to spend our weekend cleaning house because it's our only time together.)  I can't recommend this enough.  We cut other aspects of our budget out, to include this.  Having someone come in and do a deep clean twice a month brought me such peace.  Also on this note, I was recently stressing out because I have company coming and wasn't going to be able to have the place as clean as I would like.  My girlfriend said, "Mare, no one is going to care if there is dust. And if they do, don't invite them back!"  In hindsight, I was a bit crazy to be so stressed, but it was nice to be brought back to reality. 

2 - Switch from coffee to green tea this month:  I think it might add stress to myself and those around me if I did this!  But I consider this tip to be wide-reaching.  Include some healthy food amongst the holiday treats and make sure to drink a lot of water.  I find when I eat better, I feel better. 

3 - Choose one thing you hate about the holidays, and resolve not to do it: I looked at my calendar at the beginning of December and to my dismay, I realized I had only TWO days with nothing scheduled.  I am learning to decline invites this year.  I can't be everywhere all the time and show up for everything.  This is ok.  I hate being busy all the time and then looking back to realize I was too busy to enjoy.  Maybe you hate baking, don't do it.  Buy treats.  If you hate travelling, have family come to you.  You hate making a turkey? Do lasagne or something in the slow cooker. 

I hope these tips are helpful.  If nothing else, remember to slow down and enjoy the holidays.

Cheap Bathroom Storage - VLOGMAS Day 12

Best of 2012 Mash-Up

It's been a stellar year for pop music!  From Carly Rae to Justin to Taylor to Nicki to Gotye....there have been so many fab songs!  I love this time of year when DJs start releasing mashup videos for the best of the year.  2012 is no exception as I found this video chronicling the best of the past 12 months.  I have NO idea how they mash-up so many songs and videos and make it sound so amazing!

 I instantly wanted this in my collection so I looked it up on iTunes. If you search Pop Danthology it comes up as a podcast and is completely free!

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me....a free anthology!

 Later this month I will give my favourite songs and albums of the year.  You can see last year's post here.

oxox Mare

Arm Candy

I posted this picture yesterday on my Instagram (redheadmare) and Twitter and Facebook.  I had a ton of questions asking where these gorgeous pieces are from:

The spikes: Stella and Dot Renegade bracelet

The pearls: Stella and Dot (similar)

The rose gold: Juicy Couture

Nail of the Day

Yes it is another Wet n Wild product!  I can't get enough of these polishes.  In my last post I had some people asking me where to find Wet N Wild.  I have seen it at Wal-Mart and Superstore, as well as Save On Foods.  

Today's colour is called Through the Grapevine in the Megalast line.  I couldn't stop staring at my nails when I had this on!  Yet again it lasted for a few days without chipping.  As I said in my last Nail of the Day this brush is massive, but I love it!  I jut wish there were more colours to choose from.  I may have to search online:) 

Holiday Giveaway

Happy Monday everyone!  In case you aren't keeping up with VLOGMAS on my YouTube Channel, I wanted to make sure that you were aware of a giveaway I am hosting:)  It started on the 8th and is running until the 18th.  You can enter here.  

You can win a Stella and Dot clutch/wristlet filled with an Urban Decay Primer Potion, Baby Lips in Quenched, Sinful Colors in Winter Wonder, Wet 'n Wild lipstick in Red Velvet and a Wet 'n Wild eyeshadow trio in Silent Treatment. 

YAY!  It's open internationally and the rules are in the video I linked above.

Good luck!  There will be more giveaways in VLOGMAS!

My Favourite Things About the Holidays

Review - Alicia Keys

Today's review is for Alicia Keys' fifth studio album, Girl on Fire.  
Let me just say, Alicia is back.  The album starts with an instrumental track of Alicia playing the piano, just to remind us how insanely talented this artist is!  Unlike last week's album, Rihanna's Unapologetic, Keys doesn't try to re-invent the wheel or herself.  She just matures, naturally.  And it works.  Keys worked with Bruno Mars, Frank Ocean, Maxwell and Emeli Sande for this album and although she explores some new sounds, this is very much a quintessential Alicia Keys album.  It's got groove, piano, big vocals and great lyrics. Nicki Minaj makes an appearance on the album's title track and first single.  It's a lovely girl anthem.  I also am loving Brand New Me and New Day.  This is her first album since having her son Egypt (who can also be heard on this record) and she just seems to have a more mature outlook on life, love and what's important.

Nail of the Day

This is a polish that I showed in my Black Friday Haul.  It is my first foray into Wet n Wild's Megalast line.  Sure won't be my last!  I can't get over how much I love this nail polish.  The brush is super big which I thought would be annoying, but it just made application easier and faster.  It was very glossy and lasted well without chipping even though I was decorating my house for Christmas.  This colour is called Under Your Spell. I wish the photo showed the colour better.  But you can also see it on my in my Outfits of the Week video, as well as Vlogmas Day 1 and Day 2. 

This polish is less than $3 at the drugstore and well worth it!  I just wish we had more colour options where I live. 

November Favourites

It's that time again, time for my monthly favourites!  These are a few things I was loving last month.  

Don't forget I am vlogging every day this month and have a ball doing it!  I will randomly post some of my Vlogmas videos on here, but if you want to follow me around this month, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel:)  (A giveaway is on the horizon...)

Wise Word Wednesday

Tuesday Questionnaire

1.) Mood: Excited! I am off this morning to do our show live on location at a toy drive.  I love this part of Christmas!
2.) What is the last song/album you purchased? The last song I bought was Don't You Worry Child by Swedish House Mafia.  My current obsession! 
3.) The best video game system ever is __________. GameBoy?  I love Tetris!
4.) Current nail polish: Wet N Wild Megalast's Through the Grapevine.  NOTD coming soon:) 
5.) How many times did you hit the snooze button this morning? Zero.  I could never hit snooze because I am way too scared that I would turn off my alarm.  I've only been called once after sleeping through my alarm and let me tell you, it was scary!  I had 15 minutes to get out of bed, drive to work and be on the air.  That's scary enough to never make me hit snooze!
6.) Current outfit: A hand-me-down grey sweater dress from my sister, green leggings from Joe Fresh and my Aerosoles black boots.  I have a couple Stella and Dot bracelets on as well as my red Kate Spade bow ring. 
7.) What is the furthest distance you've ever driven? This past summer we did a road trip that encompassed 3 provinces.  
8.) You can only use one mascara for the rest of your life-- which one is it?! Yikes!  I have yet to find my holy grail mascara.  My list of ones to try is getting super long too because you keep suggesting great ones to me:) 
9.) If you could have a $1000 gift card to anywhere right now, where would you choose? Somewhere with a lot of variation, probably like The Bay.  Then I could indulge in a watch (been lusting over a new one for a while now), try some Chanel, MAC, Deborah Lippman...get some new boots, maybe some clothes....on and on...hahaha!  (PS It was super cute this week when I gave Jeremy my Christmas wish list, I had to specify that MAC meant makeup and not Apple electronics.)
10.) Weekly Goals: Continue VLOGMAS! I am just having a blast doing it!

Review - Rihanna Unaplogetic

Unapologetic is Rihanna's seventh studio album.  She pumps out albums like she's running out of time!  That is seven albums in seven years.  And every one is a little bit different.  Rihanna is anything but safe, that's for sure!  There are songs on this record that have rap breaks, others that are electronic-heavy, ballads, love songs, you name it!  Also, a couple of songs feature some pretty recognizable samples.  Like, "Jump" you can hear part of Ginuwine's "Pony" and in her duet with Chris Brown "Nobody's Business" she samples "The Way You Make Me Feel" by MJ. (Don't get me started on this pairing!  The song is super catchy, I just have such a hard time with their history.  Yes, I don't know them, but still.) Speaking of duets, not only is her ex/current boyfriend Chris on the album, there are also appearances by Eminem, Future, David Guetta and Mikky Ekko.  I love that Rihanna tries something new every time, but sticks to a bit of the same formula with that fabulous voice of her's.  She pushes the envelope on Unapologetic.  I am liking the album the more I listen to it.  Some of it might surprise you, harder than the past, but it's still our ole faithful RiRi :) 

Vlogmas Day 1

Good morning!  I hope you are enjoying December so far:)

I have set myself the challenge to vlog every single day this month.  This is called VLOGMAS.

I have also decided not to post every day's video on this website, in case some of you aren't interested in VLOGMAS.  Some days I will post the videos, others not:)  But if you are interested in seeing my daily vlogs, you can see them on my YouTube Channel. 

Here's the first instalment of VLOGMAS: 

November Glymm Package

Let me tell you I am thrilled with this month's Glymm package.  It has nail polish for the first time!  I have no idea if the polish is good, but it says it's vegan which is pretty cool and red is perfect for the holiday season.  The textured makeup bag is a step up, seems a lot more durable.  Also, as soon as I posted a picture on my Instagram of this bag, someone told me that the Lys Parisien shampoo and condition are great.  Bonus!  

If you are wondering what to get the beauty lover on your Christmas list this year, seriously consider a beauty subscription.  I have Glymm and have also talked about GlossyBox.  A friend of mine gets the TopBox and is really liking it. This would be the gift that keeps on giving! 

5 Outfits I Wore This Week

Nail of the Day

Today's Nail of the Day is from the new OPI Skyfall collection to celebrate the Bond series.  This colour is called The Spy Who Loved Me.  I wanted to show a close up of my thumb because it really has a pretty gold shimmer to it.  This is the perfect Christmas colour.  I think I might rock it for our Christmas party.  It is just so gorgeous. Again, this is from a mini set of the colours.  I must say, I love mini bottles.  You get to try more colours and the brush is so precise! 

Wise Word Wednesday

Black Friday: Conquered!

I am home safe and sound after a whirlwind trip to Seattle for Black Friday with a couple girlfriends!  It was such a blast:)  We saw police, a fight, hour-long lines and a whole lot of crazy steal of deals!

Here is a peek at what I bought.  I only showed mainly non-gifts because I didn't want to spoil any surprises.  Also, this video would have been like a half hour! 

Empties Video

Here's another instalment of "watch me show you my garbage!".  Hahaha!  It's actually one of my favourite videos to watch.  This way I have used an entire product up and can give a quality review:)

Review - Christina Aguilera's Lotus

Christina is definitely known for reinvention and I would say Lotus is a positive change for the super singer.  I really believe Christina could sing the phone book and it would be incredible!  Her voice carries this album and really shines.  While I did enjoy aspects of her last record Bionic, I felt there was too much going on that masked her amazing talent and maybe she was trying too hard to be edgy or to shock people. On Lotus, her voice stands out.  I feel like it's a throw-back to her older stuff, more like on the album Stripped, great songs to dance and sing along to but some power ballads mixed in.  Two of her three co-judges from The Voice are on the record.  Both songs are great, Cee-Lo is on the upbeat Make the World Move and Blake Shelton on the slower stripped-down Just a Fool.  I have listend to this album many times already all the way through and every time it went back to the beginning, I couldn't believe I listened and didn't have to skip any songs!

Shellac Manicure Review

I recently got a shellac manicure for the first time.  It is supposed to be better on your nails than getting fake nails or gels.  But, it acts as a protectant and hardens on your nails.  The polish itself feels thick on the nails and very smooth.  It dries instantly and is supposed to last up to two weeks without chipping.

Here's what my manicure looked like right after it was finished:

I was impressed with how glossy it was and how fast it set.  I was instantly rooting around in my purse and my nails were fine.  (In case you are wondering, the little moustaches were in support of Movember!)

As the days progressed only one nail chipped, about a week in.  I ended up only leaving it for ten days and this is a picture of my nails right before it was taken off:

I usually change my polish colour every four days or twice a week and so having this shade for ten days was a bit tough!  (I know, rough life right? ;)  I found it separated from my cuticles and so there was a gap between the colour and my finger almost instantly which I didn't like.  Also, as it grew out, I didn't like it.  I can't imagine leaving it for two weeks!  But I did love knowing that no matter how hard I was on my nails, the polish would stay put.  Fantastic!  

Shellac is great if you don't mind having the same polish on for days in a row, are tough on your nails and like a very low-maintenance manicure.  

My nails were very dry after the shellac was taken off at the salon.  They were also rough and bumpy.  But, that being said, they were in much better condition than my nails were after I had gels a few years ago.  It took forever for them to recover after that! 

Have you had shellac before? Did you like it?  

My Hair Care Routine

Tuesday Questionnaire

1.) Mood: Great:)  I am only working three days this week which is a nice treat!

2.) On the topic of Hurricane Sandy, are any natural disasters common where you live? Yes, every summer there are forest fires in my area, sometimes massive and devastating.  Often they are caused by lightning but in some terrible cases, they are started by a discarded cigarette.  It is very dry here in the summertime and there are always campfire bans.  It can be very scary. 
3.) What is your favorite song at the moment? There are SO many!  But if I had to choose just one, it would be the True Colours remake for the Kids Help Phone.
4.) Current nail polish:  China Glaze - Fast Track
5.) If you could only use one makeup product, what would it be? Probably blush.  My BB cream gives good coverage but I find with a little blush it just makes me look awake and put together. 
6.) Current outfit: Today's is kind of funny because I asked my husband to pick out what I should wear today.  I was thinking he would pick a nice dress or skirt, you know, show some leg.  Nope!  I am wearing skinny dark wash jeans from the Gap and my Red Wings t-shirt.  (It's a Helm shirt for those of you who care;)  I tried to girly it up a bit with some arm candy and cute brown cowgirl boots.

7.) Are you good at keeping in touch with friends and family? Not as good as I would like to be. 
8.) Are you excited about any holiday makeup collections this year? I don't know if it counts as a holiday collection, but I love the OPI Skyfall collection.  Also Zoya has a pretty holiday polish collection. 
9.) The world's most wonderful chef is at your home ready to fix any meal you desire-- what do you order? Fresh sushi.  And lots of it!
10.) Weekly goals: Prepare for my girls' trip to Seattle for Black Friday!  

Pizza Topping Soup

Yesterday I posted this picture on Instagram (user name: redheadmare), Twitter and Facebook:

With the caption:  "Something so comforting about having sups in the slow cooker".  I got a TON of request for this recipe, so here it is:

•Hot Italian Sausages (casings removed & chopped) 1lb. or 454g

•14oz (398ml) Cans of diced tomatoes (with juice) 2 cans

•Sliced fresh white mushrooms 2 cups or 500ml

•Sliced green pepper 1 ¾ cups or 425ml

•Can of condensed beef broth 10 oz. or 284ml

•Chopped onion 1 cup or 250ml

•Water 1 cup or 250ml

•Can of tomato sauce 7 ½ oz. or 213ml

•Dried whole oregano ½ tsp. or 2 ml

•Dried Basil ½ tsp. or 2 ml

•Cayenne pepper 1/8 tsp. or 0.5 ml

•Grated part-skim mozzarella cheese 1 cup or 250ml.

Cook sausage on medium heat & fry for 8 to 10 minutes until no longer pink. Drain. Transfer to 4 or 5 quart (4 or 5 L) slow cooker.

Add the next 10 ingredients. Stir well. Cover & cook for 8 or 9 hours on low. 4 or 4½ hours on high. Makes about 8 portions. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the soup when it is served.

This was my finished product before I devoured it:

We LOVE this soup in our house and I make batches multiple times during the winter.  I use hot Italian sausage as it calls for, but if you don't like spicy I would recommend getting mild or medium:)

Black Friday Advice?

Artists Against Bullying

Oh how I love watching Canadian artists do good.  This video actually made me tear up.   Canadians Jacob Hoggard of Hedley, Lights, Pierre Bouvier of Simple Plan, Fefe Dobson, Kardinal Offishall, Alyssa Reid, and Walk Off The Earth teamed up to show their support for the anti-bullying movement and record Cyndi Lauper's classic True Colors.  I absolutely love the original of this song and this new version is amazing.  I think it's important to show that these artists don't stand for bullying and that we don't have to either.

I saw a good quote online yesterday about how some kids learn bullying from their parents.  Just something to think about, kids are listening and observing constantly.  Also, I think everyone deals with bullying, no matter your age, sex, race.  I see bullying in my adult life more than I can believe. If you are being bullied and don't know how to deal with it, tell someone, ask someone, don't be silent.

All proceeds from the sale of this song on iTunes will go to Kids Help Phone. I've already bought it.  Pretty sure it will be on repeat today!

oxxo Mare

Wise Word Wednesday

Things I Loved Last Month

Nail of the Day

My husband is growing a moustache for Movember.  I'm already over it;)  If it wasn't for such a great cause (men's health and cancer research) I'd be boycotting until he shaved.  But because he's raising money, I thought I would get in the spirit by getting some moustache nail art.  I thought the hot pink with black was cute, yet edgy.  It's also my first Shellac manicure.  It's supposed to last for two weeks.  You know me, I like to switch it up every four or five days, so choosing a colour to last that long was tough! ;)  I will let you know my thoughts on Shellac once I've had it for a bit longer:)

Remembrance Day

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada, when we pause to think of those who fought for our freedom and those who are still fighting.  It is just so hard to imagine that there are millions of people around the world who are literally killing for our type of freedom.  

I wanted to honour my Nana and Grandad, who both were in World War II.

oxoxox

October Glymm Bag

This is my third Glymm bag and by far my favourite.  I feel like the samples are all good sized and the actual cosmetics bag's zipper isn't broken.  A plus! ;)

Getting the breast cancer awareness ribbon was by far my favourite part. 

This is the full-sized mascara that came in October's bag.  It is the Femme Couture Lightning Lash Lengthening Mascara in Blackest Black, retailing for $14.  Already, this $12 bag has paid off!  I like that the tube itself is actually clear so I will be able to see when I run out of product.  Although I am a bit skeptical about the wand:

I think this Lash Card might come in handy, especially because I often get mascara on my eyelid after I've done my eyeshadow! It's $6.99 for a full pack. 

This creme is for your hair and it says to leave it in and not rinse out.  I haven't tried any of these products yet, but am excited to try this.  I always like to make my the ends of my hair healthier. 

Do you subscribe to a beauty service? This month's bag has restored my interest in Glymm!

Walking the Runway

This past weekend I took a huge leap and modeled in my first fashion show.  It was the Red Dress Fashion Show for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.  Thankfully all the models were just regular women, none of us were pros, with one thing in common: we have all been touched by heart disease and stroke.  When I was in grade 8, my mum survived a heart attack.  Then when I was 19, my dad died of a heart attack at the age of 57.  I've always wanted to work with the Heart and Stroke Foundation and so I jumped at the chance!  As nervous as I was to get up on that runway, it was well worth it!  

Here's a short vlog from the event:

Before the event started I was interviewed to talk about my connection to the cause:

Quite often we take care of everyone else around us and forget to be kind to ourselves.  I know I am guilty of this and I think it's a great thing to remember.   Take care of yourself and your health and listen to your body. oxoxo