OOTW and a fashion flash back

Hi Dolls!

I hope you all had a great week. The weather here has been very bizarre. Just as I start to bring out my summer clothes mother nature punishes us with a snowfall. It's really put a damper on my wardrobe.

I wanted to share with you an outfit from earlier this week for my OOTW. I wore it to a mommy play group. Many of you might remember the post I wrote about my friend, T, who writes the blog "Mommy 'Mom'ments".  A while ago she and her friends decided to get together once a month. T has invited me to come along on the days she hosts. I really enjoy connecting with fellow mommys and have fun every time I go. This week it was T's turn to host and this is what I wore:

Sweater- Forever 21

Jeans- American Eagle

Boots- unknown

Scarf- Forever 21

Bracelet- H&M

So I'm sitting here on a Saturday night. My two loves, M and Cory, are in bed fast alseep. I am blogging and watching, The Hills. I know, I know...what the heck am I doing watching The Hills. Well I am not ashamed to admit that I.love.this.show!! I've loved it since it first aired. I love the drama, the fact it's in Cali and most of all the fashion.

I remember a time when I wanted to steal Lauren Conrad's style. On occasion I still look to her for fashion inspiration. I do believe that she is who got me onto the 'leggings' trend. As well as keeping my nails perfectly polished. She is always so put together and looks effortlessly chic.

 Her laid back SoCal look is one I am still in love with. So tonight I'm indulging in this reality show and re-living the days before M. I am thoroughly enjoying my Saturday night solo. After all Cory isn't the biggest Hills fan ;)

Who is your style icon from the past? Are they still fashionable today?

XO

Amber

A mom's wardrobe: Then and now

It happened one night while reading M a bedtime story. The moment when I realized that the illustrations in her book would just not fly now-a-days. She has this old book called The New Baby. It actually used to be mine. You can tell it is probably older than me and has seen better days. I love how things, like this book, come full circle when you start having a family of your own. The one thing about it that stuck with me was the outfits the mom was wearing. This is where I have issues. She obviously was from a time when the wife stayed home with the kids and the husband earned the income. Traditional. She was a 'stay at home mom'. I also, for the time being, am a stay a home mom. As well, I have a number of friends who are home 24/7 with their little ones. It's a profession that doesn't get nearly enough credit and is one that has changed dramatically over the years. The mother in the book spent her days caring for her children much like us modern mom's do. However, she did this wearing an outfit I would only wear if I had a full time job in an office. She was going about her day in tea length skirts, blouses and heels. It was something I thought 'Oh hell no that wouldn't happen'. If I had just had a new baby, which is was the story is about, I certainly wouldn't be sporting such a look. I'd be in yoga pants and comfy shirts. I think if Cory came home to me vaccuming in heels he'd think I had lost my mind. Even now, two years after having M, on days when I am out and about I'll dress in jeans, a cute top, maybe a blazer and flats. When I'm home cleaning and playing with M I don't dress up. Yoga pants are my go-to. It just goes to show how times have changed. How we aren't expected to dress up everyday just to stay home, maintain the house, and care for the children. It's perfectly acceptable to go without a shower and spend the day in what you might have wore to bed the night before. I'll admit I even have lazy days in which we proudly wear our pj's all day. However, majority of the time I am one who just feels better when I get a shower, do my hair and makeup and put on something appropriate to do errands in, meet a friend for a coffee, and head to the park with M. I guess I found a happy medium between the fashion of mom's then and now.
Let's just say I'm glad the pressures off of the stay at home mom's to be picture perfect all the time. I get all dolled up because it makes me feel good, not because it's expected. Plus at the end of the day M doesn't care what I wear or how I look but rather if I spent time colouring or playing blocks with her.

She's the boss, I work for her!

XO
Amber

A little pink me up

I have never really been a lipstick kind of girl. For starters I never thought I looked good with any shade on my pout besides a nude gloss. As of late I've been experimenting with more and more lip sticks and lip butters. I love the look of a coloured lip but didn't know what would look good on me. Plus I'm a huge gloss girl so I was unsure if I would love a lip stick at all. I was at my local drug store replenishing my foundation when I noticed the new Revlon Lip Butter was on sale for half price. I've tried L'Oreal's New Balm and loved it, however it wasn't on sale and I knew the two products were similar. Plus I had heard a lot of buzz about this new lip butter product so I was intrigued. Was it going to be similar to it's competitor?

This product has all the shine and moisture of a lip gloss but with the pigmentation of a lip stick. The two worlds have collided. I found something that might actually be my new favourite thing....IF I could find the right shade.

My search began. I knew I wanted a fun and flirty pink. I felt that it might suit my skin tone and be nice for spring. So like every girl that has gone before me, I selected shades and swiped each tester onto the top of my hand for reference. That is until the cosmetician approached me and told me a trick of the trade. She explained that it’s better if you use your fingertips as the sample area. She said that it has the same blood flow as your lips and will give a more accurate example. I shared with her how I get nervous buying new products in fear I picked the wrong colour or it doesn't do what I thought it would do. The lady told me that if I thought it was too much and I wanted to tone down the colour that I should apply it with a lip brush and it will appear softer. I was shocked I had never heard this before. So I bought the Lip Butter in Sweet Heart and I love it. The shade was a bit too bright for me at first, especially with being new to coloured lips. The next day I tried applying it with a brush and it was much better.

I love the lip butter about as much as L'Oreal's balm. I enjoy how it feels on my lips. I don’t feel the need to re-apply as often as I would with a gloss. I'm getting more comfortable with the colour and don't always feel the need for brush application. I would definitely recommend this product to a friend and if the sale was still on I’d pick up another one. Try both brands if you want to do a little comparison shopping.

I took a risk and I was surprisingly happy with the outcome! Sometimes we get in a beauty rut. We need to be pushed to break the boundaries and have some fun. I hope you can follow suit and find something new and fun to spice up your makeup routine!

XO

Amber

A little bit of stars and stripes

Happy Weekend all!

I am very excited about today. As some of you know, if you frequent my blog, today is the Spa Day at my aunt’s church for the women in the community who are either homeless or just down on their luck. I am so honoured to be a part of this mission to help these women feel beautiful. It should be a great day!

I wanted to share with you some pictures I took while out shopping this week with M. I haven’t been out shopping in a while (I know, shocking right?). I was so happy to see so many bright colours and great patterns.  

While in Suzy Shier, I found this black shirt with a tiny star pattern on it and decided to try and pair it with this striped pencil skirt. I really loved the outcome. How do you feel about mixing patterns?

I also tried on this orange pencil skirt and found it to make the whole outfit look a bit Halloweenish.

I love taking an afternoon and shopping for new looks, even if I don't intend on purchasing them. It gets me thinking about what I currently own and seeing how I can wear it differently. I'm all about getting the most bang for your buck. The more versatile the piece, the happier I am.

Is there a trend you want to try but not sure you want to buy into it for fear of not pulling it off right? Head to your local mall and window shop. Try things on and experiment with different styles you might not have tried otherwise. It's a lot of fun!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

XO

Amber

The trouble with moving

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to write a quick post to update you on life.

I would love to have posted an OOTW but my clothing is here, there, and everywhere and for the majority of the week I've been hanging out in sweats. The reason for my fashion laziness? We moved. BLAH! I say it like that because I hate moving and I hate renting and we did both.

To the naked eye my little townhouse, I now call home, is cute and modern and cozy. However, behind it's prettiness lies a whole bunch of problems. It makes me angry that when you buy a house you must have a home inspector come in but when you rent that's not really an option. So you move into a house and don't realize the problems until you start living in it.

For starters, we have a fuse box. The old craptacular style fuse box with old school fuses that blow all.the.time. The dryer that came with the place doesn't heat up enough to dry clothes on one cycle. It takes two 80 minute cycles to get dry and even then the clothes just don't feel dry enough. Also, if you put too big of a load in the dryer it blows it's fuse every 5 minutes.

The area we live in is home to stink bugs, or at least that's what I've been told they are called. At first glance you think they are baby cock roaches but thank the Lord they are not. We sprayed the whole house and the perimeter of the house and it seemed to end the pest problem.

The dark laminate flooring makes the house look updated and it is a nice touch, but not if you have a golden retriever or a two year old or a grown man who likes to wear his sneakers in the house. I love a clean floor. I am anal about keeping it clean, after all my child plays on the ground the majority of the time. Clean floors make me happy. I now have a full time job keeping my floors clean because every spec of dust, dirt, foot prints, fur etc is seen. AHHH! It's a nightmare!

Lastly, it is mid March in Ontario and it's hot as hell in our townhouse. It's not even summer yet and I'm sweating getting ready for the day. There is literally no point in doing your makeup because it will just run off your face before you are out the door. Needless to say we need to invest in air conditioning as this place has no central air. I love the warmer weather but the humidity is going to be the death of me.

So all in all I haven't had much time to spend blogging or going anywhere that I needed to put effort into my look. I do, however, have big plans for my new closet that I'll be posting about soon!

Hope everyone had a good weekend and enjoyed this amazing weather!

XO

Amber

Colour blocking and colouring books

Colour blocking and colouring books

I was once told that colouring can relieve stress. Prior to getting pregnant with M I kept a Barbie colouring book and a box of crayons in my living room for those days when I just needed to chill out. About once a month I'd sit quiet, no tv or music or buzzing cell phone, and colour. Now when M colours, I colour. I think it's one of the best things a child can do. It allows them to be creative and learn about colours and how they work with each other. It's also a great time them to sit and be quiet.

 

Take a look inside a box of crayons. Purple, green and blue line up together and and look rich and bold. Pink, orange and black huddle in the corner and are sharp and fresh. These colour combos got me thinking about a popular spring trend, colour blocking.

By definition, Colour blocking is when you pair two or more contrasting - but ideally complementary – colours (chatelaine.com).

Colour blocking has been trending for the past few season and with just cause. It gives for a bold fashion statement. For someone, like myself, who tends to gravitate towards black, grey and white it is an opportunity to brighten up my look. The key is to stick with solid colours. Also keeping the number of colours to maximum of three prevents you from looking too young and like a rainbow coloured lollipop.

Aldo 'Tullis' shoe

CDN $70.00

For someone who is new to the trend and a little nervous about the proper pairing of items you can choose to buy an article of clothing that already sports colour blocking, like a dress or a purse. If you are confident you can pull this off then go for pairing a brightly coloured shirt with a bold cardigan and the oh so popular coloured denim trend.

Try to keep the colours in the same palette if you’re new to this trend — a light blue top and dark blue bottom will look chic without going overboard (chatelaine.com)

All in all this trend is fun and allows you to experiment with pieces in your wardrobe you may not have thought about putting together before. A bonus: done correctly, colour blocking can be very slimming to the body.

Inspiration for new fashion statements can come from anywhere, even from an afternoon of colouring with my girl.

Thinking about trying this trend out? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.

XO

Amber

Spa Day for those in need

Hi Dolls!

I wanted to bring to your attention a project started by the On the Rock Community Church in Niagara Falls. My Aunt Colleen has come together, with a number of generous people from her church, to dedicate March 24th, 2012 to helping the local community. They have started a new ministry, a 'Spa Day', for all the ladies in our community and providing FREE haircuts and nail care.

 On my blog I stress the importance of feeling good about yourself when you put a little extra effort into getting ready for the day. I think when you look good, you feel even better. When you feel great you have more confidence and confidence is everything.  

The women who will be attending this event are those who are homeless or are just going through rough times. The everyday things we take for granted, like shampoo and conditioner, are luxuries to these women who have next to nothing. Haircuts and nail care are things that are out of reach for these women. Many people have donated their time and money to this project. Members of the community have taken what little extra money they have and went shopping for grooming items and things to add to take home care packages. However, the church still needs more donations. The items that they need are the following:

Blow dryers (used and in working condition)
Curling iron (used and working)
Flat iron (used and working)
NEW hairbrushes
NEW Nail polish
NEW Nail polish remover

**you can get in contact with me if you are willing to donate

So let's help make this Spa Ministry a success. I'll be at the church on March 24th to help with giving the ladies manicures. I want to do anything I can to help these women feel beautiful!

Even if you can't afford to donate any items or aren't in the area please take a minute and click below to share this post to your Facebook wall so others can have the opportunity to help.

Spread the word!

When: Saturday March, 24^th, 2012

1:00-4:00pm

Where: On the Rock Community Church

4685 St Lawrence Ave

Niagara Falls

XO

Amber

OOTW and a big thanks!

Happy weekend everyone!

I hope you all had a great week and can enjoy some rest and relaxation this weekend. I've been busy trying to get stuff set up for our move into our new place. I have to say I'm kind of sad to be leaving my mom's house. It was nice having extra hands to help out with M. However, Cory's home now and he's my partner in crime against the terrible twos. 

I wanted to share with you my OOTW. It was a simple chiffon blouse paired with skinny dress pants. I threw on a cognac coloured belt with a cute bow detail and a pair of wedged loafers. I wore this to a job fair that asked for business casual attire. I felt comfortable yet put together. I've also worn this blouse with a dark denim for a more casual look. It's a piece that can be dressed up or down.

Blouse- Suzy Sheir

Belt-Dynamite

Pants-Dynamite

Shoes- Spring

I also wanted to say thank-you to all of you who read my blog on the regular. I really appreciate your support and kind words. I probably would have given up if it weren't for the encouragement!

So thank-you.

XO

Amber

High-low Spring

I can't help but notice that the world around me is getting ready for spring. As I drove around running errands today I saw signs boasting opening dates for Garden Centres and Ice Cream Dairy Bars. It was just a friendly reminder that the weather will be changing soon and so will our wardrobes.

I love finding  new trends and popular colours for the upcoming spring fashion season. One trend that I've noticed in both the clothing stores and the blogging world is the high-low hemline. When spring comes around I start to lean towards wearing cute flowing dresses. They are simple, comfortable and fun to wear. Now clothing companies are trying out the high-low hemline, giving ordinary dresses a fresh new look.

FOREVER 21

Jacquard Chiffon Peasant Dress

CAD $35.80

Pairing a long necklace or fun belt with a spring dress can turn a plain outfit into one you could wear out to dinner with friends or your spouse. It's easy to take these looks from day to night. Plus this new hemline adds for more visual appeal.

FOREVER 21

Billowy Layered Dress

USD $29.80

Bloomingdales (online)Michael Stars Dress- Alba Colour Block Maxi Dress

CAD 193.46

I especially love the new take on the maxi dress. This is my normal go-to outfit on a spring or summers day when I'm shopping or hanging out by the pool at my mom's. Now, with the high-low hemline, you can show off an amazing pair of wedges or cute sandals that were hidden beneath your dress before. As a mom on the go I look for simple pieces that I can throw on, without giving it too much thought, and look effortlessly put together. A flowing maxi was a favourite of mine when I was pregnant with M because it was so comfortable and easy to wear. Now I wear them on days when we are out and about or just going to the park.  I think they are a true spring/summer wardrobe staple.

When you are out shopping for some new clothes for the warmer weather don't forget about this fun hem-line. Also try looking for dresses with  bright colours or that use colour blocking. It's sure to make getting dressed a breeze this season.

XO
Amber

OOTW, recent purchase and date night

Happy weekend everyone!

I hope everyone is looking forward to the weekend and the plans you might have.

I wanted to share with you my OOTW (Outfit of the Week). Most fashion bloggers do an OOTD (day) but I have a toddler and there just isn't time for that...yet. I hope one day I'll have the time to start doing OOTD. I actually wore this outfit out on the date Cory and I had (more about that below).

Blazer: Urban Planet

Shirt: Dynamite

Jeans: Guess

Shoes: Spring

My recent purchase was yesterday while shopping with M and Cory. We ventured into Winners and I found the most amazing mirrored box. I've been wanting something like this for a while. I was wanting a peice like this to put my more precious jewelery in i.e tennis bracelet, my diamond studs etc. I think it's so pretty and girly.

Last but not least, last night was date night. Cory and I had not been out for an actual date in a very long time. It was nice to take a few hours for ourselves and try not to talk about M or the daily struggles of life. We had dinner out and went for a drive down the Niagara Parkway to see the million dollar house we were going to buy if we won the lottery last night (one can dream).

So far my weekend is looking pretty good. We are planning on taking M to see the new Dr. Seuss movie- The Lorax. Fingers crossed we have some free time and that she likes it!

 

XO

Amber

Here's the 411

So many of you have messaged me about my current situation. I know my previous post was about how we have decided to remain in Ontario. I now have to add that..... Cory's home! Cory came back from British Columbia last week and I can say with much relief that he is here for good. We have promised each other that we will never do the long distance thing again. It is so emotionally draining on one's relationship. It's even more difficult when you throw a child in the mix. M is over the moon that she has her daddy back. As for me, I'm equally happy but now comes the hard work. Trying to find a place for my family to live. We are still staying at the Holiday Inn, aka mom's house. It's cramped and loud and not my home. It's amazing of them to be so hospitable and let us crash here until we get on our feet. I am beyond thankful. Even though they throw around the phrase "my house is your house" I can't help but feel that it's not my home and it's not my space. We are, however, trying to make the best of it!
Cory had a job offer here in Ontario prior to up and leaving No Mans Land, BC. I am working on getting back to work after having a year off with my best girl, M. I cannot wait until we have a routine and balance back to our lives.
I am so happy that my little family is back together. It should have been this way all along.

Note: at the time I wrote this post I hadn't found a place to live. Well this week we did and we will be in before the end of the month. I look forward to a new beginning!

XO
Amber

So blessed

I have the best friends in the world.

I know everyone probably thinks that and if it's true then you are all lucky! They say if you have at least one really good friend that it's better than having 100 friends.

Yesterday I was out for coffee with Kathleen, my maid of honor and one of my best friends. While thumbing through magazines we were surprised by our mutual friend, Kimberly.  The three of us walked through the bookstore, attached to the coffee shop, and discussed the latest developments in our lives. We then stumbled upon some amazing bracelets. There were three colours: grey, purple and green. Each colour of bracelet had a inspirational word on it. We thought they were so cute and suited us perfectly. Kim jumped at the chance to use her gift card to purchase all three, one for each of us. I took the grey one that says blessed on the little silver plate which connects the strings together. Kathleen took the green one- lucky (her favourite colour), Kimberly took purple- fierce.  I love my new bracelet and it looks so cute paired with the tennis bracelet Cory bought me for Christmas.

Thank you Miss Kimberly for being my friend. I am so blessed to have you and Kathleen in my life!

XO

Amber

Getting my blogger butt in shape

I have been absent from here and I hate that. I believe the reason for that is my lack of exercise.

I am a person who needs to exercise in order to be happy. It greatly affects my mood for the better. As some of you know, I was a regular at the gym. I would frequent it at least 5 days a week. Just before Christmas, Cory and I decided that I'd move out East to live with his Mom in order to save some money. It was at that time I decided to quit the gym. I thought I wouldn’t have time to pack and keep up with my workout regime.  Well, the plan to move changed. I still had to pack everything up and store it but the cross country trek was off. We've decided to stay in Ontario with my mom because we are finally planning our long awaited wedding. June 2nd, 2012 we tie the knot. Along with a wedding comes the many meetings, the dress fittings and bridal showers. Due to all that I need to get done in the next few months it was best for us to stay put and plan away. Everyone is pleased with my decision to a) get married and b) stay in Ontario. I am also quite content to not have to pack up life and move out East. However, I am not content with my lack of exercise because of all this commotion. I decided in the past two weeks to start finding things I can do outside of the gym to stay fit and save money. My first and most loved workout is Hot Vinyasa Flow yoga. This yoga class is focused on increasing flexibility and getting rid of toxins. To assist in this the instructor has the room set at 100 degrees. I believe this is the most wonderful thing to participate in. I love how the heat loosens up muscles and really helps me get into the poses. It makes me feel so strong and powerful afterwards. I especially love doing hot yoga at Yoga by Sarah on Thursday nights when they have a charity drop-in class. Most drop-in classes are $17.00 but the charity classes are a pay what you can class. Proceeds are donated to a local charity. It’s a cheap and fun way to get an amazing workout and also help out the local community. The class starts at 8:30pm and lasts an hour. I suggest going early because it fills up quick, it’s just THAT good! (http://www.yogabysarah.com/)

I am also trying out new workouts at home. I purchased a Jillian Michael's DVD about weight training to shed pounds. It focuses on the use of Kettle Bells and the effectiveness they have at toning muscles and scorching calories. I bought it for a whopping $8.00 at Wal-Mart. I know not everyone is aware of what a kettle bell is or what it entails. This DVD is great for beginners as it starts you off easy with level one and as you get better and stronger you can proceed to level two. I purchased my kettle bell at Winners for the low price of $16.99 (they are around 25-45 at Wal-Mart, depending on size/weight). It is a 15lb weight but I would suggest a 10lb for those just starting out. Jillian also suggests using a dumb bell if you aren’t quite sold on the kettle bell. Since I already have to take in my wedding dress significantly I thought I would just try and tone up my body, especially my ‘wave goodbye’ arms. I can already feel all my muscles being awakened and whipped into shape after only two workouts.

Lastly, I love to run. Running and I have a special bond. There is nothing liking hitting the pavement for a jog. The energizing feeling you get when your heart and feet are working together to push you that extra mile is out of this world. Running is the best workout as it fires up so many muscles  and allows for total body fat burning. I know running can be intimidating but like most things it takes time and you need to learn how to do it properly. I can now go for 7 km at a time and hope to push that up to 10 km this summer. I started off not even being able to run for two minutes. I began by doing interval training. So basically you’d walk for 5 min, run for 2 minutes. Slowly I would increase my run time and lower my walk time. I didn’t become a runner overnight but it is now something I couldn’t live without. I still do some interval training, especially if I only have 20 minutes to get in a workout. Interval training allows your heart rate to peak and fall, which in turn spikes your metabolism and keeps it working at a faster rate for a longer period of time, resulting in a mega calorie burn. If one person ran intervals and the other just ran at a steady pace the person who ran intervals would burn more calories over the course of the day than the person who ran steady. Thinking about taking up running? I suggest investing in a really great pair of RUNNING shoes (not cross trainers), trust me your shins, legs and feet with thank you. Also take it slow and work your way up. Set a goal like a 5km run 3 months from now. Running is so empowering, I love it!

So I am hoping that with the increase in endorphin releasing activities I’m doing that I will be in a better mood and more motivated to do other things I love like blogging about my upcoming nuptials

XO
Amber